Happy Christmas Eve

Top 20 Songs - Christmas Edition

I figured I'd take a break from documenting my favorite songs from the 80's & 90's and list my favorite Christmas songs.

I'd list my favorite TV/movie specials, but that would be very difficult to pick a favorite. They are all required viewing each season & they all hold special memories. That list would include Rudolph, Frosty, The Grinch, Emmett Otter, Charlie Brown's Christmas, Year Without Santa Claus, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, It's A Wonderful Life, Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story & Elf.

Anywho(ville), here is my Top 20 Christmas songs:

#20
Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) - Elvis Presley

#19
Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys

#18
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - The Carpenters

#17
Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes

#16
Linus & Lucy - Vince Guaraldi Trio

#15
A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives

#14
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses

#13
Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley

#12
White Christmas - Bing Crosby

#11
Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms

#10
All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey

#9
Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano

#8
Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 - Trans-Siberian Orchestra

#7
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole

#6
All Alone On Christmas - Darlene Love

#5
Christmas In Hollis - Run DMC

#4
Winter Wonderland - Stryper

#3
Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid

#2
Sleigh Ride - Boston Pops

#1
Last Christmas - Wham!, Jimmy Eat World, Carrie Underwood

Top 20 Songs - 1987

This may be the pinnacle year for me in the 80's music-wise. A great summer, a great Thanksgiving and just an all-around great year for music. This was the last summer that I strictly listened to music on FM & MTV.

HONORABLE MENTION: (I Just)Died In Your Arms: Cutting Crew, Tunnel of Love: Bruce Springsteen, Should've Known Better: Richard Marx, One Heartbeat: Smokey Robinson, Casanova: Levert, Since You've Been Gone: The Outfield, Point Of No Return: Expose, Something So Strong: Crowded House, Head To Toe: Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, Pump Up The Volume: M/A/R/R/S, I Want To Be Your Man: Roger, Faith: George Michael

#20
Fascinated, Company B
"'Cuz I, I'm fascinated by your love boy
And I'm fascinated by your love toy
I'm fascinated by the way U make me feel"

#19
Seasons Change, Expose
"Some dreams are in the night time
And some seem like yesterday
But leaves turn brown and fade
Ships sail away
You long to say a thousand words
But seasons change"

#18
I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Michael Jackson
"Each time the wind blows
I hear your voice so
I call your name...
Whispers at morning
Our love is dawning
Heaven's glad you came..."

#17
Don't Shed A Tear, Paul Carrack
"Cab fare to nowhere is what you are
A white line to an exit sign is what you are
Oh but I saw in you, now I see through"

#16
Don't Disturb This Groove, The System
"Pay attention are you listening
You're my favorite girl
Excuse me for the moment
I'm in another world"

#15
I Need Love, LL Cool J
"When I'm alone in my room sometimes I stare at the wall and in
the back of my mind I hear my conscience call, telling me I need a
girl who's as sweet as a dove for the first time in my life I see
I need love"

#14
Rock Steady, The Whispers
"You looked at me to my surprise
You were too anticipating
I should have known -- It was in your eyes
That you were getting tired of waiting"

#13
Lost In Emotion, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
"Between you and me
Just how true are the rumors
I am hearing
About this crush you have on me"

#12
Carrie, Europe
"Can't you see it in my eyes
This might be our last goodbye"

#11
Heaven Is A Place On Earth, Belinda Carlisle
"When you walk into the room
You pull me close and we start to move
And we're spinning with the stars above
And you lift me up in a wave of love..."

#10
Is This Love, Whitesnake
"Can't stop the feeling I've been this way before
With you I'll find the key to open any door
I can feel my love for you was stronger day by day
And I can't wait to see you again
So I can hold you in my arms"

#9
Meet Me Halfway, Kenny Loggins
"Meet me halfway
Across the sky
Out where the world belongs
to only you and I"

#8
Brilliant Disguise, Bruce Springsteen
"I hold you in my arms as the band plays
What are those words whispered baby just as you turn away
I saw you last night out on the edge of town
I wanna read your mind and know just what Ive got in this new thing I've found"

#7
Jacob's Ladder, Huey Lewis & The News
"Step by step, one by one, higher and higher
Step by step, rung by rung climbing Jacob's ladder"

#6
Don't Dream It's Over, Crowded House
" Now I'm walking again to the beat of a drum
And I'm counting the steps to the door of your heart
Only shadows ahead barely clearing the roof
Get to know the feeling of liberation and relief"

#5
Midnight Blue, Lou Gramm
"And I remember what my father said
He said "Son, life is simple"
It's either cherry red or...
Midnight Blue..."

#4
Here I Go Again, Whitesnake
"I'm just another heart in need of rescue
Waiting on love's sweet charity
And I'm gonna hold on
For the rest of my days
Cos I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams"

#3
The Way You Make Me Feel, Michael Jackson
"Hey pretty baby with the high heels on
You give me fever
Like I've never, ever known
You're just a product of loveliness
I like the groove of your walk,
Your talk, your dress"

#2
Only In My Dreams, Debbie Gibson
"Couldn't see how much I missed you (now I do)
couldn't see how much it meant
now I see my world come tumbling down
now I see the road is bent"

#1
Heart & Soul, T'Pau
"More than an ocean,
Keeps us apart.
I feel a tearing in half of my heart.
A walk on the water,
Is all that I need.
But miracles are not happening"

When I Was Your Age, We Called It Graffiti

P.J. tagged me. Here we go.

1-Grab the closest book to you, go to page 18 and write down the 4th line :
"dles: one to be lit on Christmas Eve, one on Christmas Day," - Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Christmas Collection

2- Whats the last thing you saw on TV
Rise of the Video Game on Discovery HD

3- Other than the sound of your computer, what else can you hear?
The dehumidifier in the basement.

4- Last time you went out, what did you do?
Went to breakfast at the Oh Boy Diner, then hit Target.

5- What are you wearing?
Jeans & a long sleeve Jordan shirt.

6- Whats on the walls in the room you are in?
Unfortunately, just paint. However, I have lots of pictures waiting to go up.

7- What’s strange about today?
Mary shipped off for England for the week, so I'm cooking dinner for myself tonight.

8- Whats the last Movie you saw?
I popped in the Anchorman HD-DVD Friday night.

9- Tell us something we don’t know:
I haven't shaved since Friday.

10- Do you like dancing?
No.

11- If you had a daughter, what would her name be?
I have a daughter.

12- If you had a son, what would his name be?
Sterling.

13- Ever thought of living abroad?
No.

14- What would you like GOD to tell you when you crossed the pearly gates?
"Oops. Sorry. Not yet."

15- Mouhahaha, there is not question 15, mouhahaha!
That's just dumb.

I suppose I'll tag Brian & Mike.

Water Water Everywhere

Along with all the ways we deal with water in our daily routines, I seem to deal with a lot more.

• I make sure the cats have water by filling up their water bowl.
• One cat, Bandit, only drinks water from a running faucet. I need to make sure he gets his fix.
• I have to empty the dehumidifier in the basement. It's not a daily process now like it was back in October, but it still needs to be emptied every two days.
• I have to change 30% of Fiona the Goldfish's water about twice per week.
• I need to fill the humidifier in the bedroom every night. I probably will have to pick up another one for the living room. Damn electric heat.
• 'Tis the season to make sure the Christmas tree has enough water. The dry living room ensures that the watering can is emptied three times per day.
  

Top 20 Songs - 1986

Finally! After many requests (one), here's 1986. (Seriously, I can count the number of regular readers to this blog on one hand and have enough fingers left over to tie my shoes. Oh well.)

This is a fantastic year. I'll probably list the top three years when I finish this, but 1986 should be up there. Lots of tough choices.

HONORABLE MENTION: I Can't Wait: Nu Shooz, Who's Johnny: El Debarge, Human: Human League, The Captain Of Her Heart: Double, Brand New Lover: Dead Or Alive, Tuff Enuff: Fabulous Thunderbirds, Dreamtime: Darryl Hall, Heartbeat: Don Johnson, Word Up: Cameo, Walk Like An Egyptian: Bangles, Invisible Touch: Genesis, Something About You: Level 42

#20
True Blue, Madonna
"I've had other lips
I've sailed a thousand ships
but no matter where i go
you're the one for me
baby this i know cause..."

#19
Rock Me Amadeus, Falco
"Er war Superstar
Er war populär
Er war so exaltiert
Because er hatte Flair
Er war ein Virtuose
War ein Rockidol
Und alles rief:
Come and rock me Amadeus
Amadeus, Amadeus..."

#18
Venus, Bananarama
"Her weapons were her crystal eyes
Making every man a man
Black as the dark night she was
Got what no-one else had
Wa!"

#17
I Didn't Mean To Turn You On, Robert Palmer
"When I took you out
I knew what you were all about
But when I did
I didn't mean to turn you on
Now I bring you home
You tell me the night's not enough for you
I'm sorry, baby
I didn't mean to turn you on"

#16
This Is The Time, Billy Joel
"And so we embrace again
Behind the dunes
This beach is so cold
On winter afternoons
Ah, but holding you close is like holding the summer sun
I'm warm from the memory of days to come"

#15
When The Heart Rules The Mind, GTR
"When the heart rules the mind
One look and love is blind
When you want the dream to last
Take a chance forget the past"

#14
Your Wildest Dreams, Moody Blues
"Once upon a time
Once when you were mine
I remember skies
Mirrored in your eyes
I wonder where you are
I wonder if you
Think about me
Once upon a time
In your wildest dreams"

#13
Your Love, The Outfield
"Josie's on a vacation far away
Come around and talk it over
So many things that I wanna say
You know I like my girls a little bit older
I just wanna use your love tonight
I don't wanna lose your love tonight"

#12
Point Of No Return, Nu Shooz
"No turnin' back
it's much too late
To go back now would be a big mistake.
It's taken me a while to learn
I'm at the point of no return."

#11
Mad About You, Belinda Carlisle
"Something 'bout you
Right here beside me
Touches the touched part of me like I can't believe
Pushing the night into the daytime
Watching the sky's first light
While the city sleeps"

#10
West End Girls, Pet Shop Boys
"Too many shadows, whispering voices
Faces on posters, too many choices
If, when, why, what?
How much have you got?
Have you got it, do you get it, if so, how often?
And which do you choose, a hard or soft option?
(How much do you need?)"

#9
Dreams, Van Halen
"Run, run, run away
like a train runnin' off the track
got the truth bein' left behind
falls between the cracks
standin' on broken dreams
never losin' sight, ah
well just spread your wings"

#8
The Rain, Oran "Juice" Jones
"I gave you silk suits, blue diamonds and gucci handbags.
I gave you things you couldn't even pronounce!
But now I can't give you nothing but advice.
Cause you're still young, yeah, you're young.
And you're gonna find somebody like me one of these days . . .
Until then, you know what you gotta do?
You gotta get on outta here with that alley-cat-coat-wearing,
punch-bucket-shoe-wearing crumbcake I saw you with. Cause you
dismissed!
That's right, Silly rabbit, tricks are made for kids, don't you know
that. You without me is like corn flakes without the milk! This is my
world. You're just a squirrel trying to get a nut! Now get on outta
here. Scat!
Don't touch that coat..."

#7
Danger Zone, Kenny Loggins
"Revvin' up your engine
Listen to her howlin' roar
Metal under tension
Beggin' you to touch and go"

#6
Living On A Prayer, Bon Jovi
"Gina dreams of running away
When she cries in the night
Tommy whispers: Baby it's okay, someday
We've got to hold on to what we've got
'Cause it doesn't make a difference
If we make it or not
We've got each other and that's a lot
For love - we'll give it a shot"

#5
Rumors, Timex Social Club
"I can't go no place without somebody pointin' a finger- I can't show my
face cuz when it comes to rumors I'm a dead ringer- I'll think I'll
write
my congressman and tell him to pass a bill- the next time they catch
somebody started rumors-shoot to kill!--"

#4
Heaven In Your Eyes, Loverboy
"I can tell by the look in your eyes
You've been hurtin
You know i'll never let you down oh, no
And i'll try anything to keep it workin
You gave me time to find out
What my heart was lookin for
And what i'm feelin inside"

#3
Take Me Home Tonight, Eddie Money
"I feel hungry it's a hunger
That tries to keep a man awake at night
Are you the answer I shouldn't wonder
When I can feel you whet my appetite
With all the power you're releasing
It isn't safe to walk the city streets alone
Anticipation's running through me
Let's find the keys and turn the engine on."

#2
Yankee Rose, David Lee Roth
"When she walks
Watch the sparks go flyin'
Firecrackin' on the 4th of July
No sad songs tonight
Somethings in the air
Yeah, the feeling gets you
A real state of independence
So pretty when her rockets fly
Still provin' any night
That her flag's still there"

#1
Walk This Way, Run DMC
"School girl sleezy with a classy kinda sassy
Little skirt's hangin way up her knee,
There was three young ladies in the school gym locker
And I find they were looking a D.
I was a high school loser, never made it with the ladies
Till the boys told me somethin' I missed,
Then my next door neighbor had a daughter had a favor
So I gave her just a little kiss alike this"

How I Spent My Black Friday

No shopping on Black Friday for this guy. After waking up at 10:45 AM, I spent the majority of the day playing my 360. I took a shower, drove to pick up a pizza & watched some TV. (Beauty & The Geek with Mary and The Rise of Video Games on Discovery.) Here's the breakdown:

Halo 3: 8 hours, 48 minutes
Guitar Hero II: 1 hour, 6 minutes
Soltrio Solitaire, 21 minutes

(Stats courtesy of LiveEye)

Tomorrow should be a little more ambitious for me.

For the two of you reading my list of songs, 1986 should be up by the end of the weekend.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Top 20 Songs - 1985

This was a strange year. Lots of good songs, but nothing really stood out for me. I ranked them, but I could've just as easily picked them at random. Weird.

HONORABLE MENTION: Only The Young: Journey, California Girls: David Lee Roth, High On You: Survivor, Perfect Way: Scritti Politti, Day By Day: The Hooters, Silent Running: Mike & The Mechanics, Burning Heart: Survivor, Sentimental Street: Night Ranger, Emergency: Kool & The Gang, Take On Me: A-Ha, Summertime Girls: Y & T, Who's Holding Donna Now?: Debarge.

#20
Life In A Northern Town, Dream Academy
"He said in Winter 1963
It felt like the world would freeze,
With John F. Kennedy and the Beatles."

#19
You Belong To The City, Glenn Frey
"The sun goes down, the night rolls in
You can feel it starting all over again
The moon comes up and the music calls
You're gettin' tired of starin' at the same four walls"

#18
Kyrie, Mr. Mister
"When I was young I thought of growing old
Of what my life would mean to me
Would I have followed down my chosen road
Or only wished what I could be"

#17
Don't Lose My Number, Phil Collins
"There came a night leaving fear behind, shadows are on the ground
Nobody knew where to find him, no evidence was found
I'm never coming back, I heard him cry, and I believe him
He never meant to do anything wrong, it's gonna get worse if he waits too long"

#16
Party All The Time, Eddie Murphy
"Girl I seen you at clubs, just hangin out and dancing
You give your number to every man you see
You never come home at night because your out romancin
I wish you'd bring some of your love home to me"

#15
One Night In Bangkok, Murray Head
"You’re talkin’ to a tourist whose every move’s among the purest.
I get my kicks above the waistline, Sunshine.
One night in Bangkok make a hard man humble!
Not much between despair and ecstasy.
One night in Bangkok, and the tough guys tumble!
Can’t be too careful with your company.
I can feel the devil walkin’ next to me."

#14
Sara, Starship
"I'll never find another girl like you
With fire and ice
a dream won't come true"

#13
Dress You Up, Madonna
"You've got style, that's what all the girls say
Satin sheets and luxuries so fine
All your suits are custom made in London
But I've got something that you'll really like"

#12
Some Like It Hot, Power Station
"We want to multiply, are you gonna do it
I know you're qualified, are you gonna do it
Don't be so circumscribed, are you gonna do it
Just get yourself untied, are you gonna do it"

#11
Axel F, Harold Faltermeyer
"dum dum dumda dum dum dum dum dumda dum dum dum dum dum dumda dum dum"

#10
Oh Sheila, Ready For The World
"Oh oh Sheila let me love you
Till the morning comes
Oh oh Sheila you know I want
To be the only one"

#9
Money For Nothing, Dire Straits
"We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these color TV'"

#8
Obsession, Animotion
"I will have you
Yes I will have you
I will find a way and I will have you
Like a butterfly
A wild butterfly
I will collect you and capture you"

#7
Be Near Me, ABC
"All my dreams came true last night
All my hopes and fears
All my dreams came true once more
In tears in tears"

#6
Voices Carry, 'Til Tuesday
"I try so hard not to get upset
because I know all the trouble I'll get
oh, he tells me tears are something to hide
and something to fear
and I try so hard to keep it inside
so no one can hear"

#5
And We Danced, The Hooters
"I met my be-bop baby at the Union Hall
She could dance all night and shake the pain of the walls
But when I saw her smile across a crowded room
Well I knew we'd have to leave the party soon
As the band began to play out of tune"

#4
Nightshift, Commodores
"Marvin,
He was a friend of mine,
And he could sing a song,
His heart in every line,
Marvin,
Sang of the joy and pain,
He opened up our minds,
I still can hear him say..."

#3
Tarzan Boy, Baltimora
"Jungle life
I'm far away from nowhere
On my own like Tarzan Boy
Hide and seek
I play along while rushing cross the forest
Monkey business on a sunny afternoon"

#2
Raspberry Beret, Prince & The Revolution
"I was workin’ part-time in a 5-and-dime
My boss was Mr. McGee
He told me several times that he didn't like my kind
Cuz I was a bit 2 leisurely
It seems that I was busy doin’ somethin’ close 2 nothin’
But different than the day before
That's when I saw her, ooh, I saw her
She walked in through the out door, out door"

#1
Save A Prayer, Duran Duran
"Pretty looking road,
try to hold the rising floods that fill my skin
Don't ask me why I'll keep my promise,
I'll melt the ice
And you wanted to dance so I asked you to dance
But fear is in your soul
Some people call it a one night stand
But we can call it paradise"

Top 20 Songs - 1984

Once again, another tough year to rank.

HONORABLE MENTION: Back Where You Belong: .38 Special, Come Back And Stay: Paul Young, Jump: Van Halen, New Moon On Monday: Duran Duran, I Want A New Drug: Huey Lewis & The News, Here Comes The Rain Again: Eurythmics, Drive: The Cars, Breakin'...There's No Stopping Us: Ollie & Jerry, Loverboy: Billy Ocean, Jungle Love: The Time, The War Song: Culture Club, Desert Moon: Dennis DeYoung

#20
Somebody's Watching Me, Rockwell
"When I'm in the shower I'm afraid to wash my hair
Cause I might open my eyes and find someone standing there
People say I'm crazy, just a little touched
But maybe showers remind me of Psycho too much
That's why..."

#19
Eyes Without A Face, Billy Idol
"Now I close my eyes
And I wonder why
I don't despise
Now all I can do
Is love what was once
So alive and new
But it's gone from your eyes
I'd better realize"

#18
Dancing In The Dark, Bruce Springsteen
"You sit around getting older
there's a joke here somewhere and it's on me
I'll shake this world off my shoulders
come on baby this laugh's on me"

#17
I Can't Drive 55, Sammy Haggar
"One foot on the brake and one on the gas
Well there's too much traffic and I can't pass No
So I try my best illegal move
A big black-and-white come an' touch my groove again"

#16
It's My Life, Talk Talk
"It's my life
Don't you forget
It's my life
It never ends"

#15
Easy Lover, Phillip Bailey & Phil Collins
"And don't try to change her, just leave it, leave it
You're not the only one, ooh seeing is believing
It's the only way
You'll ever know, oh"

#14
Ghostbusters, Ray Parker Jr.
"If you're seeing things running through your head
Who can you call?
Ghostbusters!
An invisible man sleeping in your bed
Oh, who you gonna call?
Ghostbusters!"

#13
Cruel Summer, Bananarama
"It's a cruel, cruel summer
Leaving me here on my own
It's a cruel, cruel summer
Now you're gone"

#12
I Can Dream About You, Dan Hartman
"I don't understand it
I can't keep my mind off loving you
Ooo, now baby, I'm caught up in the magic I see in you
There's one thing to do"

#11
Let's Go Crazy, Prince & The Revolution
"If you don't like the world u're living in
Take a look around u
At least u got friends
I called my old lady 4 a friendly word
She just picked up the phone
Dropped it on the floor
"Ssss ahh, sss ahh!" is all I heard
I'm not gonna let D-elevator bring us down
Oh no, let's go...let's go crazy"

#10
Sunglasses At Night, Corey Hart
"While she's deceiving me, she cuts my security
Has she got control of me
I turn to her and say"

#9
Jam On It, Newcleus
"Said Superman had come to town to see who he could rock
He blew away every crew he faced until he reached our block
His speakers were three stories high with woofers made of steel
And when we boys sit outside, he said "I boom for real"

#8
Boys Of Summer, Don Henley
"Nobody on the road
nobody on the beach.
I feel it in the air: The summer's out of reach.
Empty lake
empty streets
the sun goes down alone.
I'm driving by your house though I know you're not home. "

#7
Infatuation, Rod Stewart
"Caught me down like a killer shark
It's like a railroad running right through my heart
Jekyll and Hyde the way I behave
Feel like I'm running on an empty gauge"

#6
Magic, The Cars
"Twisted under sideways down
I know you're getting twisted
And you can't calm down
I see you under the midnight
Love darts in your eyes
How far can you take it
Till you realize
There's magic in your eyes"

#5
Oh, Sherrie, Steve Perry
"You should've been gone
Knowing how I made you feel
And I should've been gone
After all your words of steel
Oh I must've been a dreamer
And I must've been someone else
And we should've been over"

#4
Dance Hall Days, Wang Chung
"So take your baby by the wrist
And in her mouth an amethyst
And in her eyes two sapphires blue
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her and she needs you"

#3
Missing You, John Waite
"And there's a message that I'm sending out
Like a telegraph to your soul
And if I can't bridge this distance
Stop this heartbreak overload
I ain't missing you at all"

#2
The Reflex, Duran Duran
"I'm on a ride and I want to get off
But they won't slow down the roundabout
I sold the Renoir and the TV set
Don't want to be around when this gets out"

#1
Panama, Van Halen
"Ain't nothin' like it, her shiny machine
Got the feel for the wheel
Kept the moving parts clean
Hot shoe, burnin' down the avenue
Got an on-ramp comin' through my bedroom"

Top 20 Songs - 1983

This is really starting to become difficult. After I picked my Top 20, I still had 56 songs to pick the Honorable Mention from. Once again, this isn't going to get any easier going forward.

HONORABLE MENTION: Poison Arrow: ABC, Little Red Corvette: Prince, Rio: Duran Duran, Affair Of The Heart: Rick Springfield, Overkill: Men At Work, Too Shy: Kajagoogoo, She Blinded Me With Science: Thomas Dolby, (Keep Feeling) Fascination: The Human League, Let The Music Play: Shannon, Far From Over: Frank Stallone, Rockit: Herbie Hancock, Come Dancing: The Kinks

#20
Burning Down The House, Talking Heads
"Hold tight wait till the party's over
Hold tight We're in for nasty weather
There has got to be a way
Burning down the house"

#19
Cum On Feel The Noize, Quiet Riot
"So you think we are the lazy type, you should know better
And I don't know why
I don't know why"

#18
In A Big Country, Big Country
"I never took the smile away from anybody's face
And that's a desperate way to look
For someone who is still a child
In a big country dreams stay with you
Like a lover's voice fires the mountainside
Stay alive"

#17
99 Red Balloons, Nena
"Floating in the summer sky
Panic bells it's red alert
There's something here from somewhere else
The war machine springs to life
Opens up one eager eye
Focusing it on the sky Where 99 red balloons go by"

#16
Every Breath You Take, The Police
"Since you've gone I been lost without a trace
I dream at night I can only see your face
I look around but it's you I can't replace
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
I keep crying baby, baby, please"

#15
Electric Avenue, Eddie Grant
"Oh no we gonna rock down to Electric Avenue
and then we'll take it higher
Oh we gonna rock it down to Electric Avenue
and then we'll take it higher"

#14
The Safety Dance, Men Without Hats
"I Say we can act if want to if we don't nobody will
And you can act real rude and totally removed
And i can act like an imbecile"

#13
Come On Eileen, Dexy's Midnight Runners
"Come on Eileen, well I swear (what he means)
At this moment, you mean everything
With you in that dress my thoughts I confess
Verge on dirty
Ah come on Eileen"

#12
Twist Of Fate, Olivia Newton-John
"It's gotta be a strange twist of fate
Telling me that Heaven can wait
Telling me to get it right this time
Life doesn't mean a thing
Without the love you bring
Love is what we've found
The second time around"

#11
Our House, Madness
"Father wears his Sunday best
Mother's tired she needs a rest
The kids are playing up downstairs
Sister's sighing in her sleep
Brother's got a date to keep
He can't hang around"

#10
Der Kommissar, After The Fire
"Don't turn around, oh oh
Der Kommissar's in town, oh oh
He's got the power
And you're so weak
And you're frustration will not let you speak"

#9
Photograph, Def Leppard
"I see your face everytime I dream
On every page, every magazine
So wild, so free, so far from me
You're all I want, my fantasy
Oh, look what you've done to this rock and roll clown
Oh, look what you've done"

#8
White Wedding, Billy Idol
"Hey little sister what have you done
Hey little sister who's the only one
I've been away for so long (so long)
I've been away for so long (so long)
I let you go for so long"

#7
Beat It, Michael Jackson
"They told him don't you ever come around here
Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear
so beat it, just beat it"

#6
Suddenly Last Summer, The Motels
"One summer never ends, one summer never began
It keeps me standing still, it takes all my will
And then suddenly last summer"

#5
Mr. Roboto, Styx
"Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For doing the jobs that nobody wants to
And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For helping me escape just when I needed to
Thank you-thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, please, thank you"

#4
Major Tom (Coming Home), Peter Schilling
"far beneath the ship, the world is mourning
they don't realize he's alive
no one understands but Major Tom sees
now the life commands this is my home
I'm coming home"

#3
She's A Beauty, The Tubes
"You can say anything you like
But you can’t touch the merchandise
She’ll give you every penny’s worth
But it will cost you a dollar first"

#2
Separate Ways, Journey
"Someday love will find you Break those chains that bind you
One night will remind you How we touched And went our separate ways
If he ever hurts you True love won't desert you
You know I still love you Though we touched And went our separate ways"

#1
Billie Jean, Michael Jackson
"People always told me be careful of what you do
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts
And mother always told me be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do 'cause the lie becomes the truth"

Top 20 Songs - 1982

It's on now. After two easy years, 1982 proved to be quite difficult. This does not have me looking forward to the coming years, as there are bound to be some tough decisions.

HONORABLE MENTION: Edge Of Seventeen: Stevie Nicks, Caught Up In You: .38 Special, I Ran: A Flock Of Seagulls, Africa: Toto, Who Can It Be Now?: Men At Work, Eye In The Sky: Alan Parsons Project, Steppin' Out: Joe Jackson, Mickey: Toni Basil, Maneater: Hall & Oates, 1999: Prince, Goody Two Shoes: Adam Ant, Do You Really Want To Hurt Me: Culture Club

#20
Heartlight, Neil Diamond
"He's lookin' for home
'Cause everyone needs a place
And home's the most excellent place of all
And I'll be right here if you should call me"

#19
Down Under, Men At Work
"Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six foot four and full of muscles
I said, "Do you speak-a my language"
He just smiled and gave me a Vegimate sandwich
And he said"

#18
Shock The Monkey, Peter Gabriel
"Darling, don't you monkey with the monkey
Monkey, monkey, monkey
Don't you know you're going to shock the monkey"

#17
Somebody's Baby, Jackson Browne
"Well, just - a look at that girl with the lights comin' up in her eyes.
She's got to be somebody's baby.
She must be somebody's baby."

#16
Words, Missing Persons
"What are words for
When no one listens anymore
What are words for
When no one listens what are words for
When no one listens
There's no use talking at all."

#15
Hungry Like The Wolf, Duran Duran
"Darken the city, night is a wire
Steam in the subway, earth is a afire
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo
Woman, you want me, give me a sign
And catch my breathing even closer behind
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo"

#14
You Dropped A Bomb On Me, The Gap Band
"You were my thrills, you were my pills
You dropped a bomb on me
You turn me out, you turn me on
You turned me loose, then you turned me wrong"

#13
Twilight Zone, Golden Earring
"Help, I'm steppin' into the Twilight Zone
Place is a madhouse
Feels like being cloned
My beacon has moved
Under moon and star
Where am I to go now that I've gone too far (ooooo)"

#12
Gloria, Laura Branigan
"A-ha-ha, a-ha-ha, Gloria, how's it gonna go down?
Will you meet him on the main line, or will you catch him on the rebound?
Will you marry for the money, take a lover in the afternoon?
Feel your innocence slipping away, don't believe it's comin' back soon"

#11
Only Time Will Tell, Asia
"You're leaving now
It's in your eyes
There's no disguising it
It really comes as no surprise
To find that you planned it all along"

#10
Rosanna, Toto
"I can see your face still shining through the window on the other side
Rosanna, Rosanna
I didn't know that a girl like you could make me feel so sad, Rosanna"

#9
Don't You Want Me, Human League
"I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar
That much is true
But even then I knew I'd find a much better place
Either with or without you
The five years we have had have been such good times
I still love you
But now I think it's time I live my life on my own
I guess it's just what I must do"

#8
Tainted Love, Soft Cell
"Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Oh...tainted love
Tainted love"

#7
'65 Love Affair, Paul Davis
"'65 Love Affair
We wasn't gettin' nowhere
But we didn't care
It was a crazy
'65 Love Affair
Rock 'n' roll was simple and clear
Oh, I still can hear I can hear it baby"

#6
Only The Lonely, The Motels
"We walked the lonliest mile
We smile without any style
We kiss alltogether wrong
No intention"

#5
867-5309/Jenny, Tommy Tutone
"Jenny Jenny, who can I turn to?
You give me something
I can hold on to
I know you think I like the others before
We your name and number on the wall "

#4
Rock The Casbah, The Clash
"The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
The shareef don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah"

#3
Heat Of The Moment, Asia
"Do you remember when we used to dance
And incidents arose from circumstance
One thing led to another, we were young
And we would scream together songs unsung"

#2
Freeze-Frame, J. Geils Band
"Thursday morning was a hot flash-factor
Her face still focused in my mind
Test-strip proof-sheet love is hard to find
Friday night we'll dance the spotlight grind
Stop-time heart for me if she's not mine"

#1
Eye Of The Tiger, Survivor
"It's the eye of the tiger
It's the thrill of the fight
Rising up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night
And he's watching us all
With the eye- of the tiger"

Top 20 Songs - 1981

This was a pretty boring year looking back. I know this is going to get a lot harder real soon, but this wasn't much of a challenge to pick 20 songs. Heck, some of the honorable mentions could crack the Top 10 on a different day. I felt indifference to many of these songs.

Anyway, here you go.

HONORABLE MENTION: Turn Me Loose: Loverboy, Angel Of The Morning: Juice Newton, Crazy Train: Ozzy Osbourne, Limelight: Rush, The Breakup Song: Greg Kihn Band, In The Air Tonight: Phil Collins, Lady: Commodores, Urgent: Foreigner, Let's Groove: Earth Wind & Fire, Shake It Up: The Cars

#20
Morning Train, Sheena Easton
"My baby takes the morning train, he works from nine till five and then
He takes another home again to find me waitin' for him"

#19
Queen of Hearts, Juice Newton
"Playing with the queen of hearts,
knowing it ain't really smart
The joker ain't the only fool
who'll do anything for you"

#18
Key Largo, Bertie Higgins
"Here's lookin' at you-ou kid
Missin' a-all the things we did
We can find it once again, I know
Just like they did in Key Largo"

#17
Can You Feel It, The Jacksons
"All the children of the world should be
Loving each other wholeheartedly
Yes, it's all right"

#16
America, Neil Diamond
"Far, we've been travellin' far
Without a home, but not without a star
Free, only want to be free
We huddle close, hang on to a dream"

#15
Believe It Or Not, Joey Scarbury
"Look at what's happened to me,
I can't believe it myself;
Suddenly I'm up on top of the world,
Should've been somebody else."

#14
Super Freak, Rick James
"She likes the boys in the band
She says that I'm her all-time favorite
When I make my move to her room it's the right time
She's never hard to please"

#13
Harden My Heart, Quarterflash
"I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
I'm gonna turn...and...leave you here....."

#12
Private Eyes, Hall & Oates
"You play with words you play with love
you can twist it around baby that ain't enough
cause girl I'm gonna know
if you're letting me in or letting me go"

#11
Bette Davis Eyes, Kim Carnes
"And she'll tease you,
She'll unease you
All the better just to please you
She's precocious and she knows just
What it takes to make a pro blush"

#10
Talk To Ya Later, The Tubes
"Talk to ya later—don't want to hear it again tonight
Talk to ya later—just save it for another guy
Talk to ya later—don't want to hear it again tonight
I'll just see you around"

#9
Physical, Olivia Newton-John
"Let's get physical, physical, I wanna get physical, let's get into physical
Let me hear your body talk, your body talk, let me hear your body talk"

#8
Our Lips Are Sealed, The Go-Go's
"Can you see them
See right through them
They have no shield
No secrets to reveal"

#7
Don't Stop Believin', Journey
"Working hard to get my fill Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice Just one more time"

#6
In The Dark, Billy Squier
"You never listen to the voices inside
They fill your ears as you run to a place to hide
You're never sure if the illusion is real
You pinch yourself but the mem'ries are all you feel
Can you break away from your alibis
Can you make a play will you meet me in the dark..."

#5
Working For The Weekend, Loverboy
"Everyone's looking to see if it was you
Everyone wants you to come through
Everyone's hoping it'll all work out
Everyone's waiting they're holding out"

#4
Young Turks, Rod Stewart
"Young hearts be free tonight. Time is on your side,
Don't let them put you down, don't let 'em push you around,
don't let 'em ever change your point of view."

#3
Hold On Loosely, .38 Special
"You see it all around you
Good lovin' gone bad
And usually it's too late when you, realize what you had
And my mind goes back to a girl I left some years ago,
Who told me"

#2
Centerfold, J. Geils Band
"Slipping notes, under the desk
While I was thinking about her dress
I was shy, I turned away, before she caught my eye
I was shakin' in my shoes whenever she flashed those baby blues
Something had a hold on me when Angel passed close by"

#1
Jessie's Girl, Rick Springfield
"I play along with the charade,
there doesn't seem to be
a reason to change
You know, I feel so dirty
when they start talking cute
I wanna tell her that I love her,
but the point is probably moot"

Top 20 Songs - 1980

Here we go! My Top 20 songs from 1980.

A few notes before I begin:

- This wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. I'm sure it will become progressively more difficult as I move closer to the present day, but the process wasn't too hard.

- I will list each song with a lyric snippet, as well as a YouTube video, if applicable.

- Hopefully this will inspire conversation from some of my readers. Comment away!

1980

I was 6/7. Wow, that's how old Payton will be in 2008. To think that she could be working on a list like this 27 years from now is pretty mind-boggling. Yikes.

That's probably the reason this year was fairly easy. I pretty much knew every song on the list, but I was able to whittle it down fairly quickly.

HONORABLE MENTION: Flirtin' With Disaster: Molly Hatchet, The Second Time Around: Shalamar, And The Beat Goes On: The Whispers, Call Me: Blondie, Ride Like The Wind: Chistopher Cross, Cars: Gary Numan, Train In Vain: The Clash, Let's Get Serious: Jermaine Jackson, Tired Of Toein' The Line: Rocky Burnette, Give Me The Night: George Benson, Xanadu: Electric Light Orchestra & Olivia Newton John.

#20
Rapper's Delight, Sugar Hill Gang
"Now what you hear is not a test--i'm rappin to the beat
and me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet"

#19
Steal Away, Robbie Dupree
"C'mon and hold me, Just like you told me, then show me... What I want to know"

#18
Take Your Time, S.O.S. Band
"Now baby we can't do it take the time - do it right, we can do it baby -do it tonight."

#17
Another One Bites The Dust, Queen
"Are you happy, are you satisfied, how long can you stand the heat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip to the sound of the beat"

#16
Against The Wind, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
"The years rolled slowly past and I found myself alone
Surrounded by strangers I thought were my friends found myself further and further from my home."

#15
September Morn', Neil Diamond
"We danced until the night became a brand new day, two lovers playing scenes from some romantic play, September morning still can make me feel that way"

#14
Stomp, Brothers Johnson
"Stomp all night in the neighborhood, don't it feel all right gonna
Stomp all night wanna party, 'till morning light"

#13
Brass In The Pocket, Pretenders
"Gonna use my arms,
Gonna use my legs,
Gonna use my style,
Gonna use my side-step-
Gonna use my fingers.
Gonna use my, my, my, imagination."

#12
Cupid, Spinners
"Cupid, dDraw back your bow and let your arrow go
Straight to my lovers heart for me, nobody but me"

#11
Celebration, Kool & The Gang
"So bring your good times, and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you"

#10
Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Pat Benatar
"Before I put another notch in my lipstick case
You better make sure you put me in my place"

#9
Fool In The Rain, Led Zeppelin
"Well there's a light in your eye that keeps shining
Like a star that can't wait for the night"

#8
Ah! Leah!, Donnie Iris
"I see your lips and I wonder who's been kissin' them.
I never knew how badly I was missin' them."

#7
Funky Town, Lipps Inc.
"Well, I talk about it, Talk about it,
Talk about it, Talk about it,
Talk about, Talk about,
Talk about movin,"

#6
99, Toto
"99
I've been waiting so long
Oh, 99
Where did we go wrong
Oh, 99
I love you"

#5
Heart Hotels, Dan Fogelberg
"Well there's too many windows in this old hotel
And rooms filled with reckless pride
And the walls have grown sturdy
And the halls have worn well
But there is nobody living inside"

#4
Video Killed The Radio Star, The Buggles
"I heard you on the wireless back in Fifty Two
Lying awake intent at tuning in on you.
If I was young it didn't stop you coming through"

#3
Off The Wall, Michael Jackson
"So tonight gotta leave the nine to five up on the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
C'mon and groove, and let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all"

#2
I Love A Rainy Night, Eddie Rabbit
"Well I love a rainy night, it's such a beautiful sight
I love to feel the rain on my face
To taste the rain on my lips
In the moonlight shadow"

#1
Sailing, Christopher Cross
"It's not far to never never land
No reason to pretend
And if the wind is right you can find the joy
Of innocence again
The canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see
Believe me"

IT's Going to Be A Lot of Lists

While listening to XM's IT today, I was inspired to make a Top 20 list. It'll be a Top 20 list, except it will be a list of 10 and there will be 22 of them. **UPDATE** Screw it! I will rank 20 songs for each year!!!

Using the IT playlists, I will be ranking MY top 20 songs from each year, beginning with 1980 and ending with 1999. I will then rank my top 20 songs from the 80's & 90's.

Please bear in mind that IT is the compilation of all songs that ever cracked the Top 40 charts. It will not include some of my favorite songs, so this is not the be all, end all rankings for me personally.

I'm hoping to complete this project over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, enjoy IT!

Tauntauns & Teeth

Well, my wisdom teeth will be history in about an hour. Ugh, ugh & more ugh.

The good news is that Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga is out today, so I'll have a few days to dig into that.

The Lego Star Wars games have been two of the most enjoyable games I have played in years. I'm not expecting anything less from this version.

My Blackberry has stopped receiving emails from GMail, so I also need to fix that today as well.

I shall be in touch! In the meantime, keep checking Twitter.

Back for More

Sorry for the lack of posts the past week. It was crazy week. We had our annual company retreat in Newport, Halloween & basketball on Wednesday, UConn preseason game Thursday & just exhausted yesterday. Now for some catching up...

- First & foremost, an update on Joe. He's doing well. He was released from the hospital on Monday & I was able to spend about an hour with he & Laura this afternoon. Mary made some curry chicken for him, which he loves. He's up & moving and feeling pretty good. He'll be wearing a neck brace until the broken bone in his neck heals. He's making progress with regards to his hands as well. He's working the laptop, so that's progress. As soon as the bruise on his spinal cord subsides, he'll have issues. He looks great and definitely has some perspective about the whole situation. I'm very, very thankful that we were able to laugh a bit today and that he's still with us.

- The retreat was interesting. We seemed to accomplish a lot, but the results of the brainstorming and other stuff won't be known until sometime in 2008. The highlight of our two days there was a touch football game. We drew numbers throughout the day on Monday & around 3 PM, we were told the even numbers were one team and odds were the other team. Touch football game, winner gets an additional day of PTO. My squad won 6-2 and it wasn't that close. Here are some photos from the game:


- Halloween was uneventful. Payton was Pikachu. We went trick or treating at West Farms Mall last Sunday & she hit her school on Halloween night. Not too many houses on our street were passing out candy. She had fun and that's all that matters.

- I've been playing basketball on Wednesday nights for the past few weeks. This past Wednesday was my best showing so far. I finally played halfway decent & I felt I had my best workout yet.

- UConn wasn't too impressive Thursday night against Assumption College. I was hoping to see some improvement over last year, but I didn't see any Thursday. I suppose it's tough to judge using the first exhibition game of the year, but we'll see.

- It was great to see Navy beat Notre Dame today. UConn also had a nice win over Rutgers.

- I've managed to stay alive in my NFL Survivor leagues up until this point, but I'm not feeling that confident this week. I'm leaning towards Washington, but that goes against one of my two rules. (No road teams, no division games.)

- Go Colts!!!!!!!!