Scooter McGavin's 9th Green

Do You Believe What I Sing Now?

2009-11-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

After suffering through three years of grunge, fun started to creep back into rock in 1994. Beck made everyone who didn’t select Spanish as their foreign language requirement regret it, the Beastie Boys picked up their guitars (and ill fitting wigs) to Sabotage us. Then there was Weezer who were one of the few rock bands that didn’t mind choosing glasses over contacts. Hey, it even gave then a good idea for a song considering the glasses made them reminiscent of the last famous male rocker who wore them, Buddy Holly.

Sure the band sang about Dungeons and Dragons and twelve sided dice, but don’t lump them in with other nerd rock of the nineties like Barenaked Ladies. What set them apart was their love for hard rock (Rivers Cuomo even calls Kiss his favorite band during In the Garage). Sure there are quirky songs (Buddy Holly), bizarre songs (Undone – The Sweater Song), and the depressing sort (Say it Ain’t So) but in every song the band makes sure there is at least one shredworthy solo with crushing guitars throughout most of the songs.

All the while each and every song is power pop heaven with required sing-a-long lyrics no matter if they are upbeat (No One Else) or not (The World Has Turned and Left Me Here). “I made love to your memory one thousand times in my head,” a lyric from the latter, made the former teenager hit repeat multiple times. But it is those singles that will stand the test time.

Even at the height of alt-rock, you are not to find much bigger hits more odd then Undone –The Sweater Song with its two word per line verses with background voice splitting them up and its spastic ending. Not that it matter because when it came to the chorus, it all became who could shout it the loudest. Buddy Holly instantly because one of the greatest video of all time thanks to its Happy Days infusion. And for whenever your parents kept you up fighting, all you had to do was to slip on your headphones and let Say it Ain’t So (which was inexplicably was flipped recently by Asher Roth for his ode to college) and down them out. Which is why the original Weezer album is this month’s induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame.

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I Want My Music Television vol. LXVII

2009-11-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.

(If You’re Wondering if I Want You To) I Want You To – Weezer

Coming off their induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame, Weezer has a new album out tomorrow which means we get another thoughly entertaining video from the band. And the Weezerville theme certainly doesn’t disappoint thanks in part to the moderately attractive Odette Yustman.

Who’d Have Known – Lily Allen

Keep in mind the public feud Lily Allen had with Elton John a year or so ago. Too bad Elton was up for actually appearing himself.

Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z and Alicia Keys

Doesn’t Mean Anything – Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys is pulling doubles duties with her first single off her upcoming album and providing the hook for Jay-Z who definitely has the better video of the two. But if Jay goes back to the black and white video, it should have been for a song on par with 99 Problems, one of his best ever.

There May Come a Day When We Have Nothing Left to Say

2009-11-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

Listening to their debut a lot recently, it is easy to see why Weezer’s latest album Raditude falls flat, and it is not just the silly title (almost as silly are some of the song titles I’m Your Daddy and The Girl Got Hot). With all its geek tendencies the original Weezer just rocked with shredworthy licks throughout every song while most of Raditude, the guitars are just blended into an overproduced wall of sound. Their first album was chalk full of songs that were sing-a-long-worthy even after one listen, whereas on the latest Rivers Cuomo’s voice is also victim of the overproduction and just fades into the music.

As embarrassing as some of the song titles are, there are some songs on the disks that are even more cringeworthy. The Polow da Don produced (yes you read that right) Can’t Stop Partying featuring Lil’ Wayne (“It’s Weezer and it’s Weezy, it’s upside-down MTV,” seriously) sounds like a darker version of Beverly Hills after Cuomo got accepted by the culture. Hearing Cuomo talking about homies a decade and a half ago was quirky; hearing the forty year old version do so on Let it All Hang Out is just corny. Then there is Indian influenced Love Is the Answer which is just too tree hugging hippieish for a Weezer song. I don’t know if they were trying to make a U2 song, but whatever the case, it fails miserably.

There are some sparkles of hope on the disk; Put Me Back Together is classic Weezer, from the love gone wrong lyrics to the guitar feedback that ends the track. Trippin’ Down the Freeway bounces along in typical Weezer fashion with Rivers sounding like Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day at certain points of the song. And first single (If You’re Wondering if I Want You To) I Want You To may be the greatest Cheap Trick song they never wrote. But that isn’t enough to save a lackluster album.

Song to Download – (If You’re Wondering if I Want You To) I Want You To

Raditude gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

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Previewing 2012: Countdown to Armageddon

2009-11-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

Let me first off say that I think that the 2012 Doomsday scenario is just a campfire story created by the white man to make the Mayans seem like this ancient philosophers to make stories more interesting than they actually are (see Nostradamus). I expect December 21, 2012 to be as exciting as Y2K turned out to be. With that said, I am still fascinated with all the hullabaloo and undoubtedly see the John Cusack movie coming out soon.

As the story goes, the Mayan believe in a 5,200 year cycles where the flawed creation has to be destroyed for the world to be born again, the latest cycle set to end in three years. Before you put any weight in this folklore, the previous cycles featured human made of mud and wood. So keep that in mind when you are stocking up on end of the world supplies.

But still Princeton University scientist Adam Maloof to find in validity that the world as we know it or just another excuse to let Roland Emmerich blow up the world again for 2012: Countdown to Armageddon. Maloof travels to heart of the Mayian culture as well as South America and Europe if we would indeed witness a catastrophe that would affect every single person on Earth.

One particularly fighting theory is a polar shift where within hours New York City would be under arctic ice caps while Alaska will be split by the equator. You will have to tune into 2012 this Sunday at 8:00 on the National Geographic Channel to see if Maloof can disprove this theory or if you should start looking for land to buy in Alaska. Before then, check out this clip below:

Around the Tubes vol. XXVIII

2009-11-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Saturday Night Live, Lopez Tonight, the Olympics, Losing It, Sanctuary, and Southland.

- It is not even Saturday yet when Taylor Swift is set to host Saturday Night Light (as well as performer) and she is already getting hit with Kanye West jokes. I’m putting the over/under for Kanye jokes Saturday at five. But anyways. Check out the promo below:

SNL Promo: Taylor Swift

- Lopez Tonight debuts Monday and his friends like Eva Longoria and Katie Couric are wishing him luck:

- 98 days until the Olympics come to Vancouver and a heads up not to bother me when Curling is on. Here is a look at some of the big names from the last one talking about their experience:

Countdown to Vancouver

- The Biggest Loser is getting its own spin off show, Losing It featuring Jillian Michaels. Head over to nbc.com to apply.

- All new Sanctuary tonight at 10:00 on SyFy. Here is a preview:

- And let me be the last to inform you that TNT has picked up Southland and will air the premiere episode starting Tuesday January 12 at 10:00. The seven episodes from the first season will run and then TNT will air the six unaired episodes from the second season after that.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CV

2009-11-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

Greek: I can understand not letting Beth perform in Songfest (although I was allowed to be a ringer on my buddy’s frat intramural team a couple times)but why not let them use her dance? And how do they know if she choreographed it or not? A little silly plot point there. But the real competition for the episode was the showdown between Rusty and Dale with a soundtrack that sounded straight out of Over the Top. And I am certainly not very enthralled with the reintroduction of the Casey-Cappie-Rebecca-Evan love quadrangle that will most likely have to put up with for the rest of the season. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.

The Big Bang Theory: I’m surprised that the guys could be surprised that Sheldon would know something. There is nothing I would be surprised by Sheldon knowing except how to act in social situation. You can download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.

Castle: It was a little disappointing that they didn’t draw any comparisons to Sarah McLachlan whose song Possession was written about a stalker (who then sued her saying she stole lines from his letter to use in the song). You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes. Also be sure to check out my chat with Stana Katic.

Sons of Anarchy: So what happened to Skinner and the two fingered dude? The ending was left a little ambiguous to if either or both got out of the porn studio or not and neither was mentioned when Jax showed up the next day. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.

Modern Family: Hopefully everyone caught Claire wearing a “Claire and Present Danger” t-shirt. Presumably that wasn’t for the figure skating competition. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.

Survivor: Samoa: It may be a JV Survivor move to just vote out the other tribe one by one and Varsity Survivor to start scheming right after the merge, but a member of the NCAA Survivor would instantly crush the other tribe coming out of the merge, crushing their spirits by taking out their leader. When you are up eight to four you cannot let the minority tribe choose who is getting voted out because not only are you giving them hope, you are also sending a message to you own tribe that they could get blindsided at any time. Seriously, half of the majority tribe’s named were brought up for potential elimination. On the bright side, as a viewer, this should make the stretch run pretty exciting. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.

Community: Though the song may not be as catch as In the Moonlight from Dylan and the Rusty Zippers, I cannot help going around all day singing, “She’s a B, she’s a GDB.” You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

The Best New Shows of Fall 2009

2009-11-09T08:00:00.003-05:00

Every year in August and September we are bombarded by best new shows of the fall list which can be daunting. Add to that those list are typically only based on one episode of which the second one typically isn’t filmed until months later. That is why every November a corral up a cabal of television bloggers to see what live up to the hype and what what was a big a let down as the new Weezer album (*cough* Flash Forward *couch*). Then I throw in their ballots into my patent pending algorithm which so advanced that Sarah Palin accused it of being Communism. Here are the results and places to catch up if you missed the shows:

1. Glee (5) – Fox – Amazon VOD - Hulu

2. Modern Family (2) – ABC - Amazon VOD - Hulu

3. Vampire Diaries – The CW – Amazon VOD - Stream

4. Community – NBC – iTunes - Amazon VOD - Hulu

5. Cougar Town – ABC - iTunes - Hulu

6. V – ABC – iTunes - Amazon VOD - Hulu

7. White Collar – USA - iTunes - Amazon VOD - Hulu

8. The Good Wife – CBS - iTunes - Stream

9. Mercy – NBC - iTunes - Amazon VOD - Hulu

10. The Middle – ABC - Hulu

Numbers in parenthesis denote first place votes
Voters: Dan, Kath, Kim, Sandie, Scooter, TV Fan, Vance

In a measure of full disclosure, here is my ballot:

1. Modern Family – ABC
2. Mercy – NBC
3. Community – NBC
4. Trauma – NBC
5. Rescue Ink Unleashed – National Geographic Channel

And in one last television tidbit, let me remind you that you still have until Sunday to enter in The Prisoner Contest where I am giving away one DVD and one Blu-Ray set of the classic series.

Best of the Week vol. XXVII

2009-11-07T08:00:00.003-05:00

Quote of the Week: Wow, you did it. You made figure skating sound even gayer. (Cameron, Modern Family)

Song of the Week: I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked – Ida Maria (Mercy)

Big News of the Week: ’09 Elections: Well that was boring (on the bright side I can now become a gambling degenerate without leaving the state even though I voting against it). That is not that the news stations tried to make it into a bigger story. But it is hard to make to make any grand assumptions when the Republicans won only four percent of the governorships. Wake me up next year when a third of the Senators and the entire House is on the ballot.

Free Download of the Week: The Prisoner (iTunes): Do not forget I am giving away two copies of the original The Prisoner (one DVD, one Blu-Ray, click the banner at right to enter), and for those looking forward to the upcoming AMC version, iTunes has a nine minutes preview to download for free.

Deal of the Week: Buy One, Get One Free (Sledge Hammer!, Head Case, Flavor of Love)

Video of the Week: Vaughn and Peirce are certainly no Dylan and the Rusty Zippers, but that hasn’t stopped them for making a music video for Gettin’ Rid of Britta.

Gettin’ Rid of Britta: Full Song

Next Week Pick of the Week: Tool Academy, Sunday at 9:00 on VH1: With the group down to its final two tomorrow we find out who is the most reformed Tool. Either way, here is hoping for a reunion special because they tend to be the best episode of VH1 shows. As a prediction, I would put my money on the Tat-Tool.

Gives You Feelings You Don’t Want to Fight

2009-11-10T08:00:00.002-05:00

Remember in Ghostbusters when Dan Aykroyd sees Slimmer for the first time and just stands there with a cigarette barely dangling from his mouth? That was basically the same expression I had when I saw Carrie Underwood’s latest music video for Cowboy Casanova (except substitute a pretzel stick for the cigarette). Yeah, Underwood wouldn’t be winning any karaoke contests that took place on the radio, which is not to say she cannot put together a listenable song or two and Cowboy Casanova stands out as her best to date.

That may be thanks to Mike Elizondo, best known for his bass work with Dr. Dre, who engineered a song that gave Underwood some edge for the first time yet still manages to sound country while doing so. That even includes Before He Cheats because even with its anti-boy lyrics, you doubt the person singing it is capable of jaywalking let alone felonious destruction of property. But when Carrie says in Cowboy Casanova, “You better run for your life,” you lace up your Adidas and do your best Usain Bolt impression.

That song starts of Underwood’s third album Play On and the strong songs continues with Quitter, a whimsical banjo ode to finding that special person that makes you want to work at the relationship than your usually bailing after getting bored. On the flipside is When I Stop Loving You, a quintessential heartbreak country song and Underwood’s best ballad yet.

Unfortunately the rest of Play On doesn’t stand up to those three previously mentioned songs as Carrie is content on resting on her laurels and just recycle previous song on the remaining tracks. Change might as well be called So Small 2009. Temporary Home manages to be even more smaulzier than Jesus Take the Wheel. Songs Like This (as in “If it wasn’t for guys like you, there wouldn’t be…”) is just an extension of Before He Cheats. While Undo It (albeit the best of the rest) just repeats the lyrics, music and tone of Flat on the Floor with the exception of turning the title into eight syllables and manages two out of the word “lack.”

From her first album I thought Carrie Underwood had a great album in her. It is just she has continued to repeat her successes on her two follow ups. She may have been better off handing the reigns off to Mike Elizondo for the whole album instead of just the one song. Hopefully that kind of shake up happens for the fourth album, because her current shtick is starting to wear thin after three.

Song to Download – Cowboy Casanova

Play On gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

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Feed Your iPod vol. XXXIX: Soldier

2009-11-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Being Veteran's Day today, here is a song for all the soldiers, past and present out there. Thank you for your service and for the current ones, come home safely.

Soldier - Anna Nalick

I Want My Music Television vol. LXVIII

2009-11-12T08:00:00.002-05:00

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.

Chasing Pirates – Norah Jones

It hard not to think of the Monty Python skit from The Meaning of Life while watching the new Norah Jones video. And listening to song it sounds like hanging around with all the rappers he has latly has made her music slightly less boring.

Somebody to Love - Leighton Meester featuring Robin Thicke

It really too easy to take pot shots at actors who try to sing, but Leighton Meester’s attempt my go down in the annals of time with Joey Lawrence and Brian Austin Green as one of the worst. And I haven’t been this uncomfortable watching a music video since Fiona Apple’s Criminal.

Oh My God – Ida Maria featuring Iggy Pop

How do you follow up a song with the best title of the year (I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked)? Well you can’t. But Ida Maria recruiting Iggy Pop for a video is decent enough.

True Player for Real – MC Lars

Videos don’t get better than having a sock puppet version of “Weird Al” Yankovic. Thank you MC Lars, whoever you are.

Around the Tubes vol. XXIX

2009-11-13T08:00:00.002-05:00

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Expedition Week, Crash, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Mad Men, Community, Showtime premiere dates. (And of course don’t forget to enter to win The Prisoner on DVD or Blu-Ray.)

- The second annual Expedition Week is starting up on the National Geographic Channel. I will be going in depth on what to expect Monday, but a little heads up on the premiere Sunday at 9:00, Search for Amazon Head Shrinkers where Pierce Gibbons heads to the jungles of South America to find out if the only video of a head being shrunk is actually legit. For those wondering what your shrunken would look like (or a friend or enemy), head over to National Geographic.com and upload a photo.

- Tonight in another episode of Crash at 10:00 on Starz. Here is a preview:

- January Jones, who is hosting Saturday Night Live this week, is certainly moderately attractive but has for the most part flown under my radar. I even think 1960’s Betty Draper is much hotter than 21st century January. That all changed when Jimmy Fallon challenged Jones to a game of Beer Pong and she called him out for playing incorrectly and being a light weight for not filling his cup to the top. Color me officially smitten.

Beer Pong: January Jones

- Speaking of Mad Men for those that saw the season 3 finale will want to check out Nancy Franklin’s piece in the New Yorker.

- Want to see the full episode of The Community College Chonicles created by Abed that were featured last night. You’re in luck

My Hobo Days

- For those of you with Showtime, the channel has a full slate of premieres coming early next year. January 25 sees the return of Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Tracy Ullman’s State of the Union, and new show LaLa Land. Then on March 22 the second seasons of Nurse Jackie and The United States of Tara. Lastly, The Tudors arrives April 11. Mark your calendars.

Previewing the Second Annual Expedition Week

2009-11-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

As a history buff, last year’s Expedition Week on the National Geographic Channel was thoroughly enjoyable. Last year relied heavily on Egyptian related programming which is lacking this year, but still plenty of watchable specials. Some of those have recently been uploaded to Hulu (presumable this year’s will also end up there at some point if you miss them). Here is a list of what you can expect with each program starting a 9:00 on the days listed below starting with tonight.

Monday: Expedition Great White
Not the most interesting program of the week (but I tend to find the social scientists more interesting than the biological one) but it does feature an inexplicable cameo from Paul Walker (yes the dude from Fast and Furious) as one of the deckhands.

Tuesday: Hunt for the Samurai Subs
History is fill with a lot of “What If’s (did you know Hitler won by one vote, what if one person decided to go the other way?). Here is one “What If” I never knew existed. During World War II, the Japanese had developed subs the length of a football field so advanced they could go around the world one and a half times without refueling or coming up for air and housed three fighter planes in air lock holders. The Japanese had planned to take them half way around the world to land a surprise attack on New York City and Washington DC. Luckily the US was able to capture them before they left the Pacific and then sank them to keep the Russians from developing the technology to build their own. Here, scientists try to locate those sunken subs.

Wednesday: The Ballard Gallipoli Expedition
The guy who discovered The Titanic moves to the Mediterranean where Dr. Bob Ballard is looking for warships off the peninsula in Turkey where one of the most bloody and controversial battles of WWI took place.

Thursday: Mars: Making the New Earth
Most expeditions are about uncovering the past, but here is a possible expedition that could take place in the future. It is a simple concept of if we are warming this planet without even trying, could we warm up Mars to the point it is habitable to humans? After watching this, it seems plausible. But the show leaves out one very important variable that isn’t even mentioned once: how exactly do we get to Mars? Check out a preview below:

Friday: The First Jesus
Despite centuries of fighting, Islam, Christianity and Judaism all have the same roots. It is just Muslims consider Mohammed is a prophet, Christians believe Jesus Christ is the son of God, and the Jews believe neither. A newly discovered tablet may make things even more muddled as a newly discovered tablet may have discovered a new Messiah that predates Jesus by a few years. It just that one very important letter has become illegible over time and some scientist try to figure out what it was.

Saturday: When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs
C’mon, with a title like that, do I really need to elaborate to get you to turn in? It’s about prehistoric crocodile who ate dinosaurs for dinner complete with CGI recreations.

My Mind’s Racing from Chasing Pirates

2009-11-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Norah Jones gets a rap of being overtly mellow. And for the most part it is warranted. But a funny thing happened on the way to your mother’s record collection: she somehow becomes a favorite among rappers. She sang hooks for Outkast, Wyclef Jean, Talib Kweli, and Q-Tip and was named checked by Kanye West. While her fourth album The Fall doesn’t feature any hip hop beats, Jones has expanded her musical palette from her regular mellow jazz.

Although she may not have those rappers directly to thank for her new exploration on The Fall, but Jacquire King (Kings of Leon) who produced the disk which moves away from piano based tunes with more songs based around guitars and organs. Of course the one thing that has stayed constant is Norah Jones’ voice, still silky as ever even if there are guitars distortions accompanying it. And the new sound mix together well with her classic voice.

The tone is set nicely with the first song on The Fall (as well as the first single) Chasing Pirates with its marching organ chords. While It’s Gonna Be features organs so funky it sounds like they come from a Booker T. album. Then the closing number Man of the Hour manages to sound like old school soul and modern day Fiona Apple even though it is a song about choosing her dog when her only other suitors are a vegan and a pothead. And for those that want classic Norah, check out Back to Manhattan.

The best of the album includes Young Blood, a driving tune that seems to build up to something but you know Jones would never let the song break. But she lets the guitars let loose on Stuck which may be the closest Jones ever gets to a straight up rock song even though her vocals grounds the song. But despite her turn in musical styles; The Fall should still keep your mother’s content if you still need something to buy her for Christmas.

Song to Download – Young Blood

The Fall gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Contest: The Prisoner Giveaway on Blu-Ray and DVD

2009-11-04T08:00:00.005-05:00

(Scooter's Note: This contest has ended. Congratulations to Nick from Illinois and Nikki from Florida for winning the Blu-Ray and DVD respectively.)

Coming later this month to AMC (you may now it better as that channel that airs Mad Men) is the six part miniseries of The Prisoner staring James Caviezel (Jesus) and Ian McKellen (Gandalf). The series is remake, and if you have never heard of it before is because it was probably aired before you were born (1967) and in Britain. Fret not young Americans that are predated by the show, it was recently released in the States on DVD and Blu Ray and I am giving away one of each. And even if you are not a fan of oldies television, with Christmas around the corner, maybe there is someone on your list that is.

To enter the contest, send me an e-mail me, ScooterKSU(at)aol(dot)com (subject: The Prisoner), and tell me what television show you would like to be see remade next. Also be sure to let me know if want the DVD or Blu-Ray version. The contest ends Sunday, November 15 at 8:00 PM EST (which just so happens to be when the new version premieres on AMC). The winners will be picked at random from all eligible entries and will be contacted shortly after. Also this contest is only open to people with shipping addresses in the United States.

If anyone wants a bonus entry, link to this contest on their blog or twitter account or link it on a message board. If you do all three, you can get up four entries into the contest. If you do this, the link must be posted by Thursday November 19. And make sure you e-mail and let know you have done so.

Some information on the box sets, both DVD and Blu-Ray include all seventeen complete episodes, the rare, alternative edit of the episode “The Chimes of Big Ben,” original broadcast trailers and much more. The DVD is presented over ten disks, fully restored and remastered. While the Blu-ray includes newly remixed 5.1 surround sound for every episode (in addition to the original mono tracks) along with over three hours of bonus features. Head over to shop.history.com for more information on the release.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CVI

2009-11-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

Quote of the Week: What, like the first rule of Perv Club is no talking about Perv Club. (Ronnie - Mercy)

Song of the Week: Evil Woman – Electric Light Orchestra (as sung by Jeff, Community)

Big News of the Week: Hank and Eastwick: Dead and Dead: Not that I care. And neither of the show showed up the list of The Best New Shows of Fall 2009 that I released earlier this week. And some of the bloggers who took part in the survey posted their ballots. You can check them out on their sites:

Give Me My Remote

Ducky Does TV

Tool Academy: Much like last season, and pretty much any reality show that have eliminations, the finale just didn’t hold weight to the rest of the season. And I was surprised they didn’t offer up a wedding to the winners like they did last season. You can stream recent episodes over at vh1.com. You can also download Tool Academy on iTunes.

How I Met Your Mother: Finally the second most annoying coupling has come to an end (more on number one in a second). Barney is much better flying solo. If the show wants to get them back for the series finale, fine, but let’s keep Barney single until then. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

The Big Bang Theory: I actually thought they might go two for two in breaking up couples that just don’t belong together with the friends crashing on Penny’s couch finally pushing that relationship over the edge. Hurph. You can download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.

Castle: My favorite moment of the easily was when the NYPD, busted down the door of an elderly woman on oxygen. Highest of high comedy there especially when her cats started crawling over the boys. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes. Also be sure to check out my chat with Stana Katic.

Sons of Anarchy: I wonder with Gemma telling Clay and Jax about her attack will actually bring the two together as they may ultimately disagree abou the plan of action for retaliation. And again, no update on Skinner or Tommy Two Fingers. Did they get out of the porn studio or not? It’s odd they lingered so long on Tommy Two Fingers and not give us a resolution or even a mention of if there were any bodies found. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.

Mercy: Second favorite moment of the month, when Erica Christensen stabbed her husband in the neck. It gave me Swimf@n flashbacks. They just do not make stalking swim team groupies like that anymore. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Mercy on iTunes.

Survivor: Samoa: Exile Island was the greatest twist in Survivor history. The hidden immunity idol should have been but after getting played during its inaugural introduction, I think fake immunity idols have been played more often than real ones. That all changed this season, when there was finally someone smart enough to assume there was one and looks for it before any clues, a group of people smart enough to smoke it out, and someone actually using it to save himself. And from the previews it looks like there are people smart enough to tail Russell to see if he somehow goes three for three. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.

Community: How disappointing that we didn’t get to see a werewolf. And Annie really needs to let her hair down more often. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Free Download of the Week: Fly Me Away - Annie Little: Amazon is taking a page out of Apple’s playbook by using a quirky pop song to haulk their products and you may have heard the song playing in the background of the new Kindle ad.

Deal of the Week: Up to 40% Off Blu-ray Hits (The Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coyote Ugly)

Video of the Week: Grown Ups is technically about a thirty year reunion of a basketball team, but let’s face it, it is really a twenty year reunion of Saturday Night Live cast members (with Kevin James subbing for Chris Farley). Let’s just hope that the movie just feel like an extended SNL skit.

Grown Ups Trailer

Next Week Pick of the Week: The Prisoner, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday at 8:00 on AMC: Sunday and Tuesday should be pretty easy to catch this mini-series as there is nothing else on although an already log jammed Monday will be more complicated with the Browns on Monday Night Football. Luckily AMC will be airing encore presentations, just none announced yet. And of course if you are interested in checking out the original, I am giving The Prisoner away on DVD and Blu Ray.

It’s Been a Long Time Since Twenty-Two

2009-11-18T08:00:00.003-05:00

Remember the Funny or Die video John Mayer did about a year ago (featuring celebrity music tester Kristen Bell) that took a day in the life of Mayer as he tries to write a song (if not click here to view it, or not if you want to avoid hearing Mayer and/or Bell curse like sailors at each other). The video got a “funny” because, despite his tabloid fodder for celebrity bed hopping, attempts at standup comedy, and incisive twittering, the music stands up with his three successive albums getting better than the one before.

But I bring up Mayer’s contribution to Funny or Die because it is hard not to think of the skit when listening to his latest album, Battle Studies. With lines like “I don’t remember you look any better but then again I don’t remember you” (Who Says) just sounds like something else that someone who would ask his writing partners to come up with a song about sleeping with a supermodel to make another supermodel jealous would say. And with all the song out relationship, it is hard not to wonder which songs are about Jennifer, Jessica, Minka, Jennifer #2, or any of the other random hot chicks Mayer has been linked to.

Your mind drifts to pondering which starlet is linked to which song because of how mediocre they are. Where Room for Squares was one of the greatest pop albums of the decade, Heavier Things was his blues album, and Continuum was his foray into blues, Battle Studies just sound what you think a clichéd John Mayer album would sound like. Heartbreak Warfare sounds like Mayer just thought of the title sounded cool and forced to write a song about it if it turned out to be good or not. Things just don’t fare much better with titles like All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye, Perfectly Lonely, War of My Life, and Do You Know Me are depressingly sad as their title suggests.

The few times Mayer tries to break out of the mold of the album, he just falls flat. Who Says just sounds like a retreat of Stop This Train, but with a clumsily pot metaphor. Half of My Heart, featuring Taylor Swift, is his attempt at an eighties style duet, but it comes close to parody and barely constitutes a duet as Swift is just resigned to backing vocals to the point you wonder why even bother. Then Friends, Lovers or Nothing just sounds like an extension of In Repair.

His Robert Johnson cover of Crossroads is the lone non-relationship to the point it just sticks out like a sore thumb. And top of it, it just isn’t a very good version with it heavy organ thump and it would have been a better choice to have included his take on Bruce Springsteen’s I’m on Fire (which is an iTunes bonus track with Battle Studies) which is the better cover and would have fit in better with the album thematically.

Thanks not to say all of Battle Studies is a disappointment. Assassin sounds different than anything else on the album and is the one love is war metaphor that works on the album with a not so shocking lyrically twist at the end. And even though Edge of Love starts out slow, it kicks into gear when Mayer lets loose on his guitar. But the two songs just can’t keep Battle Studies from being the weakest of Mayer’s career. So John, the next time Kristen Bell tells you that your song sucks, please take her advice and go back to the drawing board and avoid songs about making supermodels jealous.

Song to Download – Assassin

Battle Studies gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

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I Want My Music Television vol. LXIX

2009-11-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.

Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart - Alicia Keys

A slightly better song from Alicia Keys than Doesn’t Mean Anything, although the superpowers thing in the video is a little weird.

Russian Roulette – Rihanna

Remember when Rihanna sang silly little pop songs? But in the last year or two, her hair kept getting shorter and shorter, her songs got darker and dark to the point where she scares me like she is a modern day Grace Jones.

Low Rising – The Swell Season

You might remember The Swell Season as the duo that won the Oscar two years ago. They become a couple while filming Once, then broke up, then recorded this most recent album. Hey it worked for Fleetwood Mac. But I am sure touring with an ex may feel like it is raining on you all the time.

Staying in Love – Raphael Saadiq

Just another great song from Raphael Saadiq. And a cool stylistic video worthy of a comic book translation. Have I ever mentioned that my very first concert was MTV Party to Go Tour featuring Tony! Toni! Toné!? I’m sure you will need that information if you are ever on Jeopardy.

Around the Tubes vol. XXX

2009-11-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Chuck, Christmas in Rockefeller Center, WWII in HD, The Lost JFK Tapes: The Assassination, When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs, Caprica, and Delta Blues.

- I was never a fan of the idea of Chuck returning before the Olympics and it looks like NBC will be fumbling its return more than I thought. Hopefully I am the one that is wrong and it because NBC’s most watched scripted show (which actually shouldn’t be that hard). So Chuck is slated to premiere its third season Sunday January 10 at 9:00 before settling in on Mondays at 8:00. Hopefully NBC reminds viewer’s ad nausea during the NFL playoffs as so they are Pavloved into remembering it. And let me start with this preview clip introduced by Zach Levi (and features the Token Hot Chick dancing):

Chuck Returns

- In other Zach Levi news, he, along with Jane Krakowski will be hosting this year’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center special that will also feature performances from Michael Bublé, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Barry Manilow, The Roots and Shakira with apperences from Brian Williams and Mercy’s Taylor Shilling and James Tupper.

- For those that have been enjoying WWII in HD or want to catch up, it is currently available on iTunes and Xbox or you could head over to History.com for more information.

- With the anniversary of the JFK assassination coming up this weekend, The National Geographic is premiering The Lost JFK Tapes: The Assassination this Monday at 9:00. The program features no narration, no after the fact interviews, no conspiracies, just real time news footage and photographs, some never before seen, starting from when John Kennedy touched ground in Dallas and ending with Lyndon Johnson’s first speech in front of Congress as president.

- In other National Geographic Channel news, their Expedition Week ends tomorrow at 9:00 with the awesomely titled When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs. Here is a preview if the title along can’t get you to tune in:

Preview: When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs

- It is not every day when someone sends me a picture of a hot naked chick (but feel free to do so if inclined) so I thought I’d share the new Caprica key art. Imaging Greater indeed.

- Another new show coming to Syfy soon, as in December 8 at 9:30, is Outer Space Astronauts. Below is a sneak peek:

Outer Space Astronauts:Sneak Peek

- Delta Blues, TNT’s latest pilot, has got a leading man, Jason Lee who will be playing a Memphis cop by day and Elvis Impersonator at night that still lives with his mom. No word yet if he will have a massive mustache and of list of wrongs he wants to make right and a shrewd ex-wife who lives in a trailer park with her new black husband. Here’s hoping he does.

Best of the Week vol. XXVIII

2009-11-21T08:00:00.003-05:00

Quote of the Week: Well, actually he’s the idiot, he fell in love to a break up song. (Izzy LaFontaine, Modern Family)

Song of the Week: True – Spandau Ballet (Modern Family)

Big News of the Week: A Melancholy Happy Trails to Ken Ober: Every once and a while you hear about a death that makes you feel like part of your childhood died with them. That happened a couple of weeks ago when Captain Lou Albino passed away, and again this week with Ken Ober. I doubt there are many people younger than me that even recognize that name, but he was host one of the top five programs MTV ever produced, Remote Control (a show I could have been the Ken Jennings of if I were old enough to be on it). To give an idea of how great the show was, it featured then unknown comedians Colin Quinn (as co-host), Denis Leary and Adam Sandler. Ober would later appear in a triad of Blues Travelers videos, including Hook below where he appropriately sat around flipping his remote control.

Free Download of the Week: Free Download of the Week: Death to All but Metal – Steel Panther (iTunes) Usually I have to give something a listen before I download a song, even if it is free, but just the title alone made me want to grab Death to All but Metal, and it didn’t disappoint. A must download for any metalhead and even non-one can find the song entertaining.

Deal of the Week: Save at Least 40% on Recent TV Hits (Castle, Eli Stone, Scrubs)

Video of the Week: Who knew at the beginning of the week, there would be some many great musical moments, Modern Family was mentioned above, and Community had their tribute to An American Tail, and not only did The Big Bang Theory bring back Soft Kitty, Penny made Sheldon sing it in a round.

Next Week Pick of the Week: Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, Thursday at 9:00 AM on NBC: Thanksgiving just isn’t Thanksgiving without the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. This year features artists I have actually heard of including Carly Simon, Cyndi Lauper, The Roots, Ziggy Marley, Gloria Gaynor, and Katharine McPhee. Also expect an oversize Pillsbury Doughboy stroll down the streets of New York City.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CVII

2009-11-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Prisoner: This was someone entertaining, but a little too David Lynchy at times. And it didn’t take me that long to figure out what The Village was, although I wasn’t able to figure out what 6’s part in all of it. Still I would have preferred the show to play across six straight Sundays rather than the six hours over three days like it was. But in the ends I wish networks would do more of these quick one and done shows like this.

How I Met Your Mother: How stupid are these people, I knew from the very beginning that the Scuba Diver would end up being an elaborate plan to pick up a chick. Seriously, have these people not met Barney before? You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

Trauma: In an episode that saw a dude get slammed into window, a baby get delivered on a helicopter, and a few protruding bones, still the most disgusting part of the episode was a dude drinking from a shoe. Ewww. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Trauma on iTunes.

The Big Bang Theory: The show is always at its best when Penny and Sheldon are together but this was a little force, c’mon, Penny should have known that calling an ambulance would have been faster than having Sheldon drive. We even get a repeat of the “Check Engine” light discussion. But all is forgiven thanks to Penny making Sheldon sing Soft Kitty. You can download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.

Castle: Even though Castle and Beckett’s relationship is entertaining by itself, I wouldn’t be opposed to them bringing in the black dude for more ride-a-longs. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes. Also be sure to check out my chat with Stana Katic.

Sons of Anarchy: Wow, I never imagined Tig cracking like he did and just blurt out that he killed Opie’s wife right to his face. My jaw was dropped for most of the rest of the episode. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.

Mercy: Dawn Summer’s reactions are priceless, in fact I wouldn’t mind if she doesn’t say anything and all we get from her are reaction shots all episode long. Too bad she wasn’t the one that discovered the chick had a little something extra growing down there. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Mercy on iTunes.

Modern Family: I knew that Edward Norton was going to be on Modern Family sometime this season but I am glad I didn’t know when or who until he showed up as the bassist for Spandau Ballet. Norton has never been this funny (although, has Norton ever been funny before). And we get the triumphant return of Dylan (although he didn’t get to sing this week). All that and the funniest moment may have been when Al Bundy started spaying down his step-son when he started hitting on his granddaughter. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.

Real World-Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins: Over the past decade, the drunken morons of this show have done some pretty some things yet Brad by far takes the cake for dumbest cast member ever but goading Durrell into fighting him. He just kept at it until he finally cracked and go his skull crack. Seriously, I was not prepared for Brad’s “after” look. And you have to ask the question, at what point do producers step in? You don’t see anyone get booted for fighting except this one. There has to be a reason for that. You can stream recent episodes over at mtv.com. You can also download Real World-Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins on iTunes.

Survivor: Samoa: They really need to get rid of that stupid tie breaker. It makes the baseball deciding home field advantage in the World Series with the All-Star Game seem fair in comparison. They should go back to fire making as a tie breaker. And how do you not switch your vote if you are in that situation? You may not vote out who you want, but I rather that happen then possibly be voted out. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.

Community: It is interesting that NBC goes through all this trouble to have a “Green Week” yet most of the shows that participated basically just make fun of it. Nobody participated in the bike ride to work on Mercy and here the dean wasted all that paper to promote Envirodale. But there are very few things more entertaining than a teacher pulling a student around in a desk while they are still in it. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Breaking Down the Hottest Hot Chicks of the 00's

2009-11-24T08:00:00.003-05:00

Before you read this by the number account of the list, be sure to check out The 100 Hottest Hot Chicks of the 00’s first.

It is safe to say I spent more time doing research for this list than I have, or will have, for any of my Greatest of the 00’s list (check the categories link for previous ones). In fact I may have spent more time on this than the others combined and even toyed around with the idea of doing a top 250. But this was also the trickiest of all lists because unlike something like the best song, this is a list where the subject is ever changing which is why I had to set the rules that the chicks would only be judged at the height of their hotness even if they have let themselves go (which I like to call the Lindsay Lohan tenet) otherwise it is just a list of the hottest chicks of 2009. Now it is time to look deeper inside the list like Hot Chicks by birth place (apparently The Beach Boys were right) and which dude surprisingly hooked up with more of the top 100 than anyone else (hint: not John Mayer).

Hot Chick by Profession
Movie Actress– 40
Television Actress - 30
Singer - 11
Athlete – 8
Model – 4
Television Host - 3
Reality Star – 2
Royalty – 1
Video Vixen – 1

Hot Chick by Home Country or State
California – 17
Texas - 9
Canada – 8
New York - 8
England – 6
Florida – 5
Ohio - 4
Australia – 3
Massachusetts – 3
New Jersey - 3
Brazil – 2
Maine – 2
North Carolina – 2
Oklahoma - 1
Soviet Union - 2
Spain – 2
Arizona - 1
Argentina – 1
Columbia – 1
Connecticut - 1
Germany – 1
Georgia – 1
India – 1
Iowa - 1
Israel – 1
Italy – 1
Louisiana – 1
Maryland – 1
Michigan – 1
Mississippi – 1
New Hampshire – 1
Pennsylvania – 1
South Dakota - 1
Sweden – 1
Tennessee – 1
Utah – 1
Virginia - 1
Yugoslavia – 1

Hottest Ensembles
Mean Girls: 4
Smallville: 3
Gossip Girl: 2
Friday Night Lights: 2
John Tucker Must Die: 2
Lost: 2
The O.C.: 2
The Phantom of the Opera: 2
Sin City: 2
Veronica Mars: 2
Wrong Turn: 2

Hottest Network
NBC - 14
FOX - 10
ABC – 9
The CW – 6
The WB - 6
ABC Family – 3
CBS – 2
UPN - 2
MTV - 1
AMC – 1
ESPN – 1
G4 – 1
HBO – 1
Sci-Fi Channel – 1
Showtime – 1

Hottest Names: An(n)a, Jennifer, Rachel (4)
Hot Chicks with Three Names: 4

Hot Chicks John Mayer (Allegedly) Hooked Up With: 4
Hot Chicks Jude Law (Allegedly) Hooked Up With: 4
Hot Chicks Orlando Bloom (Allegedly) Hooked Up With: 4
Hot Chicks Hayden Christiansen (Allegedly) Hooked Up With: 4
Hot Chicks Topher Grace (Allegedly) Hooked Up With: 5

The 100 Hottest Hot Chicks of the 00's

2009-11-23T08:00:00.005-05:00

1. Kate Bosworth (Blue Crush)

2. Kristin Kreuk (Smallville)

3. Natalie Portman (Closer)

4. Ana Ivanović (Serbian Tennis)

5. Carrie Underwood (Cowboy Casanova)

6. Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights)

7. Yvonne Stahovski (Chuck)

8. Maggie Grace (Lost)

9. Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives)

10. Kristen Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

11. Olivia Munn (Attack of the Show)

12. Adriana Lima (Victoria's Secret Model)

13. Emmanuelle Chriqui (Wrong Turn)

14. Keira Knightley (Atonement)

15. Julianne Hough (Dancing with the Stars)

16. Natalie Coughlin (US Swimming)

17. Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde)

18. Sophia Bush (John Tucker Must Die)

19. Elisha Cuthbert (The Girl Next Door)

20. Rachel McAdams (Wedding Crashers)

21. Eliza Dushku (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)

22. Amber Heard (Never Back Down)

23. Ashley Green (Summer's Moon)

24. Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada)

25. Jessica Alba (Into the Blue)

26. Stacy Keibler (WWE)

27. Heather Mitts (US Soccer)

28. Christina Aguilera (Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You))

29. Nelly Furtado (Turn off the Lights)

30. Anna Kournikova (Russian Tennis)

31. Penélope Cruz (Vanilla Sky)

32. Maria Menounos (Entertainment Tonight)

33. Sienna Miller (Keen Eddie)

34. Katrina Bowden (30 Rock)

35. Jennie Finch (US Softball)

36. Rachel Stevens (Some Girls)

37. Jennifer Love Hewitt (Heartbreakers)

38. Amerie (1 Thing)

39. Brooklyn Decker (Sports Illustrated Swimsuit)

40. Vanessa Hudgens (Say OK)

41. Teresa Palmer (Bedtime Stories)

42. Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory)

43. Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls)

44. Maria Sharapova (Russian Tennis)

45. Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire)

46. Christina Milian (Dip it Low)

47. Alicia Keys (Smokin' Aces)

48. Julie Gonzalo (Eli Stone)

49. Olivia Wilde (The Black Donnellys)

50. Alison Brie (Community)

51. Rachel Bilson (The O.C.)

52. Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls)

53. Shakira (She Wolf)

54. Sara Foster (The Big Bounce)

55. Rachel Nichols (P2)

56. Amy Adams (Sunshine Cleaning)

57. January Jones (Mad Men)

58. Jessica Simpson (These Boots Were Made for Walking)

59. Erin Andrews (ESPN)

60. Jennifer Ellison (The Phantom of the Opera)

61. Mandy Moore (Because I Said So)

62. Ana Beatriz Barros (Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit)

63. Blake Lively (Gossip Girl)

64. Ashley Williams (Snow)

65. Miranda Kerr (Victoria's Secret Model)

66. Brittany Snow (John Tucker Must Die)

67. Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor)

68. Sarah Shahi (Alias)

69. Lauren London (Drivin' Me Wild)

70. Anna Nalick (Breathe (2 A.M.))

71. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Death Proof)

72. Laura Vandervoort (Smallville)

73. Sasha Cohen (US Ice Skating)

74. Emma Stone (The House Bunny)

75. Michelle Trachtenberg (Mercy)

76. Tiffany Dupont (Greek)

77. Claudette Ortiz (Caramel)

78. Joanna Garcia (Reba)

79. Paz Vega (Spanglish)

80. Michelle Monaghan (Made of Honor)

81. Allison Mack (Smallville)

82. Rashida Jones (I Love You, Man)

83. Lauren Bergfeld (Beauty and the Geek)

84. Evangeline Lily (Lost)

85. Julianna Guill (Friday the 13th)

86. Kelli Garner (Man of the House)

87. Becki Newton (Ugly Betty)

88. Emmy Rossum (The Day After Tomorrow)

89. Alicia Leigh Willis (The L Word)

90. Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls)

91. Leighton Meester (Surface)

92. Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica)

93. Amy Acker (Angel)

94. Michelle Ryan (Bionic Woman)

95. Adrianne Padalicki (Friday Night Lights)

96. Autumn Reeser (The O.C.)

97. Ginnifer Goodwin (He's Just Not That Into You)

98. Princess Madeleine Thérèse Amelie Josephine (Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland)

99. Nikki Reed (Cherry Crush)

100. Alexis Bledel (Sin City)

(Scooter’s Note: This list is based the chicks at their hottest peak as designated by the movie, television show, music video, etc. in the parentheses. It does not take into account if they let themselves go later in the decade. For a deeper look into this list, check out Breaking Down the Hottest Hot Chicks of the 00's.)

The 9th Green's 2009 Holiday Schedule

2009-11-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

To find out how to win an Amazon or iTunes gift card, keep reading.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, or as those outside the U.S. like to call it, Thursday. So I hope you have (or had depending on when you read this) a great Turkey Day. Just a heads up with the holidays upon us, here’s a look at the schedule the 9th Green will be taking the next couple weeks as well as a list of the best of 2008 and on day that are not listed, they will be filled by the regular reviews and such you have come to find at the 9th Green (card subject to change):

November 26-27 - Off for Thanksgiving
November 30 – ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas Schedule
December 1 - Induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame
December 3 – Grammy Nominations
December 7 – Previewing Men of a Certain Age
December 15 - Lyrics Quiz: Best of 2009
December 22 - Worst Songs of 2009
December 23 - Best Albums of 2009
December 24-25 - Off for Christmas
December 26 - Best Videos of 2009
December 27 - Best Performances of 2008
December 28 - Best Mash-ups of 2009
December 29 - Scooter McGavin’s Reader’s Best Songs of 2009*
December 30 - 100 Best Songs of 2009
December 31/Januray 1 - Off for New Years
January 2 - Induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame

*As you may have noticed, on the 29th I will have a Reader’s poll on what you all thought were the best songs of the year. So if you would sometime time before Christmas, e-mail me, ScooterKSU(at)aol(dot)com, your top ten songs of the year. If you need a refresher of songs from the last twelve months, check out the list of the albums I reviewed for my Terror Alert Scale as all the songs from those albums are eligible, look through the music videos I highlighted the past year and of course any song released this year is okay too even if I didn’t talk about it. Your nominations will be confidential and I won’t disclose it here at the 9th Green, so if you enjoy the 9th Green please send me an e-mail by December 26.

And as an added bonus, if you send me your list this year, you can win the top five songs of the year as determined by me. Well you can win a $5 Gift Certificate to iTunes or Amazon MP3. All you have to do to enter is e-mail me your top ten list and then tell me if you would prefer your gift card to be iTunes or Amazon. Please note, only people with American accounts can will, and let’s face it, with the dollar tanking $5 is pretty worthless everywhere else, but foreigners are still welcome to voice their opinions. Winners will be contacted sometime between Christmas and New Years.

And with Christmas coming fast upon us, if there are any readers out there wondering what they could get their favorite blogger this year and have way too much disposable income, here is my Amazon wishlist (or check out Amazon's Black Friday page for your loved ones):

Amazon.com Widgets

Lyrics Quiz: Mystery Theme IV

2009-11-15T08:00:00.006-05:00

Every November I make the Lyrics Quiz a little tricky and not give you the theme of the month. You have to guess the lyrics and then try to see what ties them together. Whoever does gets three extra bonus points and as always you need to put both artist and title in the comments section (along with the theme if you think you know it), or e-mail me, and if you are correct I will un-bold it and give you credit. The Lyrics Quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please do not use anything besides your own meandering mind to help you up with the answers. Now onto the quiz:

1. It’s too high to get over. too low to get under. You're stuck in the middle. And the pain is thunder. (Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' - Michael Jackson; guessed by Taylor Blue)
2. Use the body, now you want my soul. Ooh, forget about it, now say no go, yeah. (I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) - Hall and Oates; guessed by Rebekah)
3. Every time I hear how you never want to live a lie. How it’s gone too far and you don’t have to tell me why.
4. I give you all a boy could give you. Take my tears and that's not nearly all. (Tainted Love - Soft Cell; guessed by Rebekah)
5. A man in a silk suit hurries by, as he catches the poor old lady’s eyes. Just for fun he says, “Get a job.” (The Way it Is - Bruce Hornsby and the Range; guessed by Rebekah)
6. No one on the corner has swagger like us, hit me on my burner, prepay wireless. We pack and deliver in UPS trucks. (Paper Planes - M.I.A.; guessed by Doug)
7. Now Watergate does not bother me. Does your conscience bother you? Tell the truth. (Sweet Home Alabama - Lynard Skynard; guessed by Rebekah)
8. Put your pictureon my wall. It reminds me it is not so bad, it’s not so bad. (Thank You - Dido; guessed by Taylor Blue)
9. 38-24-37; you and me honey are a match made in heaven. (Bonita Applebum - A Tribe Called Quest; guessed by Doug)
10. There’s nothing wrong with me loving you. And giving yourself to me can never be wrong if the love is true. (Let's Get it On - Marvin Gaye; guessed by Rebekah)
11. John Brown always hated me, for what I do not know. (I Shot the Sheriff - Bob Marley; guessed by Rebekah)
12. No I’m not a sucker sitting in the House of Pain. And no I’m not the butler, I’ll cut you. (Check Yo Self - Ice Cube; guessed by Doug)
13. The first kick I took is when I hit the ground. End up like a dog that’s been beat too much. (Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen; guessed by Doug)
14. When I had you to myself, I didn’t want you around. Those pretty faces always make you stand out in a crowd. (I Want You Back - The Jackson 5; guessed by Doug)
15. It wasn’t my intension to mislead you. It never should have been this way. What can I say? (Toy Soldiers - Martika; guessed by Rebekah)
16. Dissipation. Race Relations. Consolation. Segregation. Dispensation. Isolation. Exploitation. Mutilation. Mutations. Miscreation. Confirmation.......to the evils of the world.
17. You could have a Big Dipper. Going up and down, around the bends. You could have a bumper car bumping. This amusement never ends. (Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel; guessed by Doug)
18. Sing with me, if it’s just for today. Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away. (Dream On - Aerosmith; guessed by Doug)
19. She gives me money when I’m in need. Yeah she’s a kind of friend indeed. (I Got a Woman - Ray Charles; guessed by Doug)
20. How does it feel to treat me like you do? When you place your hands upon and told me who you are.
21. Dear Daddy, I write you in spite of years of silence. You cleaned up, found Jesus. Things are good also I hear. (Say it Ain't So - Weezer; guessed by Doug)
22. See my old man’s got a problem, lives with the bottle, that’s the way it is. He says he body’s too old for working. His body’s too young to look like his. (Fast Car - Tracy Chapman; guessed by Taylor Blue)
23. If you say run, I’ll run with you. And if you say hide, we’ll hide. (Let's Dance - David Bowie; guessed by Rebekah)
24. Chewing on a piece of grass, walking down the road. Tell me, how long you gonna stay here, Joe?
25. Just like the white dove sings a song sounds like she’s singing… (Edge of Seventeen - Stevie Nicks; guessed by Rebekah)

(Scooter Update: I just realized I made an oops and #12 does not actually fit with the theme of this quiz directly. I fully regret this error. So here is a hint: four of the lyrics above (#6 being the first of them) should make the theme absurdly obvious. And the reason why #12 does not fit the theme is because it is backwards.)