Tag: Tom Petty

[DAY 18] 30-Day Song Challenge

I made it back home. The whirlwind trip to Alabama was fun, exhausting, and educational. Educational in that I learned that Alabama is perhaps the most intense state in the country when it comes to college football. I lost count of how many vehicles (standard cars, sports cars, mini-vans, campers, RVs, etc.) that were in full football regalia. I’m talking logos, slogans, you name it…plastered all over their vehicles. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m guessing there was a game this weekend, because fucking hell were they everywhere. I haven’t visited every state yet, but I’ve been to most (I realize living there would bring things into sharper relief.). Living in Oregon, I quickly learned that they have not only a lot of college football fans but an intense homestate college football rivalry. But even being from Louisiana, where LSU love runs deep (with football fans) and judgment is swift and severe for anti-LSUers or anti-football fans (ask me how I know), I’ve never seen fanboys fanboying to this extent. (To be fair, I’ve never been to Baton Rouge on a game day.) It was mind-boggling. And, to be honest, I just don’t get it. But that’s a post for another day. I made it there and back in once piece, and the only football I had to endure was flying past their fans on the interstate.

So. Day 18 is gonna be an easy one. Let’s get to it.

Day 18: A Song from the Year You were Born

Okay, it’ll be easy with a quick google search of songs from 1980. I’m gonna pick some random selections from the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1980. Here’s what I dug up:

There was Blondie’s #1, “Call Me”, though I confess I like her more than I like her music.

For a completely different feel, Commodores came in at #23 with their beautiful “Still”.

I have a special love for Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, and they put on a hell of a live show. In 1980, “Against the Wind” was #51.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers made it to #64 with “Don’t Do Me Like That”, and I’m sad to say that I never got to see them live. (He also had “Refugee” bringing up the rear at #100). They’re another personal favorite.

There’s Billy Joel’s #75, “You May Be Right”, which far outshines his #9, “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”. As for him, I like his music more than I like him.

Pat Benatar came in at #83 with “Heartbreaker”. Love this woman and her energy.

That’s enough. There were some other appearances, but I tried to mix it up a bit with the sounds/genres.

What about your birth year? What are some of the top songs the year you were born, whether you liked them or not!?

Playlist Party: An Adventurous Musical Meet & Greet

Howdy Peopleaneous!

Don’t you just love that word? “Howdy”? Probably not, but maybe I can change your mind. My mamaw always used that word in greeting. “Howdy, Steph,” she’d say with a grin, in her warm, gravelly smoker’s voice. Steph. She just had to call me Steph. Hell, everyone did. I don’t know why it bothered me so much. But when Mamaw said, “Howdy, Steph!,” it didn’t matter.

I loved it. Some people teased her for it, but she kept on saying “howdy” anyway. And so I adopted it, early on. But I mostly only greeted her that way. Mostly.

Until she passed.

And now I say it at work, lots. “Howdy, Gary!” “Howdy, Richard!” “Howdy, y’all!”

People laugh, as though the joke’s on me for being weird. And I’m okay with that. Because Mamaw. I tell them about her when I can, but mostly I just grin and let them go on wondering what sort of weirdo says howdy anymore. And in those moments, I’m smirking with Mamaw and feel all warm and wistful.

So there. Howdy Peopleaneous!

An Adventurous Musical Meet & Greet

It’s been ages since we’ve done a Meet & Greet, so let’s do it! You know I like to mix music into them, so if you want to participate on that front as well it would be superduper! I’m thinking the theme for this Playlist Party slash Meet & Greet should be Adventure – Moving On – Starting Over. I need a playlist for songs like that – any genre is welcome. Even if it’s country, I’ll try not to cringe and call you names. Any genre, any time/decade. I’ll start us off in a minute.

But first, the Meet & Greet! Let’s see. These things usually need “Rules,” but I don’t like Rules. So let’s call them Meet & Greet Ideas:

  1. Give us a link to your about or a favorite post of yours or both – and tell us a little about you if you’d like!
  2. Give us a link to a blog you’re crazy about, or a post that touched you in some way, written by someone else – let’s spread the love!
  3. Share a song about adventure or starting over. (If you don’t have a song idea, you’re still part of this Meet & Greet!)
  4. Reblog or link to this post – let’s see how many new people we can meet y’all!

So let’s see. Lemme start us off by following the “rules,” myself:

My favorite recent post of mine: The Wallpaper. This one’s deeply personal to me, but I was also proud of and surprised by how it turned out.

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A favorite blog of mine: Stupidity Hole. Go. Clicky. Now. I’ll wait. Waiting. Have you gone yet? Good. Are you back yet? Good.

Dude is awesome, and his writing and photography are fun, unique and fucking gorgeous. Check out this post where he talks about his photography, and make sure to check out his shop as well.

I own some of his prints, and they’re gorgeous. I’m frustrated as fuck that I can’t hang them yet. Soon! I’m keeping them protected until PNW. Then I can use them to start decorating my new pad. Word.

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Now. Music. I’ll kick us off with a few jams about Starting Over, Moving On, Adventure… you get the idea.

To Starting Over

Promise, by Hey Rosetta!

Float On, by Modest Mouse

Time to Move On, by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

The Getaway, by Leisure Cruise

Road Trippin’, by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Ramble On, by Led Zeppelin

There are so many, but I don’t want to list a couple dozen songs. I’d rather see what y’all come up with!

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So come on. Share your blog links – tell us why you kick ass! Share someone else’s blog – tell us why he or she kicks ass! Share some music – tell us why it kicks ass!

In other words…come kick ass with me! Let’s see how many blog links we can generate this time!

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This post brought to you by:

Asses, specifically those that kick or even those in need of kicking.

Stupidity Hole, because every ass needs a hole. Wait. No. That’s not the best way to introduce him. He’s more than just a hole. Lemme try again.

Brought to you by Stupidity Hole, because Pensive Pug. And also because he said I have to post something today. So I dragged his ass into it!