Favorites: Kelly Clarkson

I remember watching the first season of American Idol. It was a routine with my dad every single week and we never missed it. Kelly was my favorite right from the start and I seriously cried every single time she sang. It was a joke with my family. When it was her turn, I was always asked if I needed a tissue. Ha. Ha. Her voice was just so amazing and it always touched me, no matter what style she was singing. Even the week she barely had a voice, she still killed it. She's never stopped inspiring me and amazing me. This will be pretty hard for me because I don't know if I can actually choose a favorite from each album, but let's give it a go!

From Thankful (2003)

"Anytime"

From Breakaway (2004)

"Hear Me"

From My December (2007)

"Sober"

From All I Ever Wanted (2009)

"Don't Let Me Stop You"

From Stronger (2011)

"The War Is Over"

From Wrapped In Red (2013)

"Run Run Rudolph"

From Piece By Piece (2015)

"Bad Reputation"

From Meaning Of Life (2017)

"Meaning of Life"

And just a few extras, because she's incredible.

"Can We Go Back"

"Heat"

"Hello"

"Long Shot"

"You Found Me"

Getting Started

I started singing karaoke when I was about 8 years old. This would never happen these days, because kids can't be in bars.... which makes sense. But this is such a different time. I'm so thankful I grew up when I did and that I got to have the experiences that I did. Who knows where I would be or what I would be doing if I hadn't. 

Anywho, I was always a painfully shy child, but I still wanted to sing in front of people. At home, I would sing at the top of my lungs every single day, but when it came to singing in front of people, I chose easy, quiet songs. It took me years to work up the courage to try a Mariah song in public. 

The idea for this entry came about because one of the songs I used to sing at karaoke came on the radio last night. I thought it might be neat to revisit the songs that got me started. So, this will be cool for me. If it's not for you, I apologize. Haha.

"Whiskey If You Were A Woman" Highway 101

"If I Could Turn Back Time" Cher

"Hit Me With Your Best Shot" Pat Benatar

"That's My Baby" Lari White

"Come To My Window" Melissa Etheridge

"Save The Best For Last" Vanessa Williams

"The Loco Motion" Grand Funk Railroad

Favorites: Celine Dion

Celine Dion has always been one of my favorite singers and I feel like she is very under appreciated. She has great music and that voice is incredible. These are my favorite songs from each of her (English) albums.

From Unison (1990)

"(If There Was) Any Other Way"

From Celine Dion (1992)

"With This Tear"

From The Colour Of My Love (1993)

"Misled"

From Falling Into You (1996)

"Dreamin' Of You"

From Let's Talk About Love (1997)

"The Reason"

From These Are Special Times (1998)

"Christmas Eve"

From A New Day Has Come (2002)

"The Greatest Reward"

From One Heart (2003)

"Naked"

From Taking Chances (2007)

"Fade Away"

From Loved Me Back To Life (2013)

"Somebody Loves Somebody"

My Favorite Songs

These are some of the songs that I was absolutely in love with when I was a kid. I still love these songs to this day. Here are the ones I really latched onto...

"The Loco Motion" Grand Funk Railroad

"Shoe Shine Man" Jimmy Davis

"Got My Mind Set On You" George Harrison

"Stranded" Heart

"Life Is A Highway" Tom Cochrane

"Just Between You & Me" Lou Gramm

"Second Chance" 38 Special

"I'll Be Your Shelter" Taylor Dayne

"Janie's Got A Gun" Aerosmith

"I Have Nothing" Whitney Houston

"Dangerous" Roxette

"Nothing To Hide" Poco

"When I See You Smile" Bad English

"More Than Words Can Say" Alias

"All For Love" Bryan Adams, Sting & Rod Stewart

"Unchain My Heart" Joe Cocker

"To Be With You" Mr. Big

Covered

In most cases, the original version of a song can't be touched. Some times though, someone surprises the hell out of me and makes a song even better. These are some of my favorite covers, in no particular order.

"Enjoy The Silence" Anberlin

Originally by Depeche Mode

"With Or Without You" We Are The Fallen

Originally by U2

"Careless Whisper" Seether

Originally by Wham

"Come Undone" My Darkest Days

Originally by Duran Duran

"All By Myself" Celine Dion

Originally by Eric Carmen

"Come Together" Carly Smithson

Originally by The Beatles

"Against All Odds" Mariah Carey

Originally by Phil Collins

"Something's Got A Hold On Me" Christina Aguilera

Originally by Etta James

"We Found Love" Jessie J

Originally by Rihanna

"Girl On Fire" Pink

Originally by Alicia Keys

10 Albums That Influenced Me

Honestly, I could probably cover this topic 10 times over. It was actually hard for me to narrow this down, but I tried to pick albums that I had specific memories attached to. So much music has shaped me into who I am and I can't imagine what would have happened if I had not been exposed to it. Each album either taught me something about myself vocally or personally or has songs on it that have really touched me. Let's go on a journey...

#1 Highway 101 - 2

Highway 101 was the first group I was ever obsessed with. I loved Paulette Carlson's voice. "Whiskey If You Were A Woman" was one of the first songs I sang at karaoke. That song was on their first album, but this is the album that I truly loved. I had this on cassette and I listened to it so much, all of the writing wore off and I ended up needing to replace the tape. 

Favorites:
"Feed This Fire"
"Desperate Road"
"All The Reasons Why"

#2 Alannah Myles

I loved and still love this album! Obviously "Black Velvet" is what got me to listen to it, but it was never my favorite song on the album. I loved her raspy voice and the rock sound of the music. Much different than the other things I was listening to at that time. I wanted to be as bad ass as she sounded.

Favorites:
I don't even think I can narrow this down. There isn't one bad song on here.

#3 Wilson Phillips

When I was little, this album was my jam! I remember singing "Hold On" while swinging on the playground. Those poor kids who I forced to listen to me. Haha. I loved the harmonies on this album and I just remember this album gave me a weird feeling. Peaceful. Made my stomach feel funny. I don't really know how to explain it, but I'm sure anyone who has been touched by music will know the feeling I'm talking about.

Favorites:
"Impulsive"
"Over and Over"
"The Dream Is Still Alive" *(This is the one that made my stomach feel funny.)

#4 Mariah Carey

This is the woman who taught me how to sing. I learned control and expanded my range from singing along with her every single day. (My poor parents.) Her voice is just incredible and I loved all of her songs. I also loved that she wrote and produced all of her own material, which was rare at that time. This album shaped me musically. I love big, strong voices that are full of emotion and she started that for me.

Favorites:
"Someday"
"Alone In Love"
"You Need Me"
"Prisoner"

#5 Wild Orchid

I was so in love with these voices! Stacy Ferguson was my favorite and I always tried to sound like her. I loved her power and feeling. This is another group that helped me expand my range. They weren't easy to sing along with, but damn it, I didn't stop! (Again, sorry mom and dad.)

Favorites:
"Supernatural"
"I Won't Play The Fool"
"My Tambourine"
"Love Will Wait"

#6 Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces

I remember hearing "I Can Love You Better" for the first time. I immediately told my dad that I needed to go get that album, so he took me to the store. As soon as it was in my hands, I was thrilled. I loved everything about this. Natalie's voice is so unique and, again, powerful. This was like Highway 101, but amped way the hell up. 

Favorites:
"I Can Love You Better"
"You Were Mine"
"Let 'Er Rip"
"Once You've Loved Somebody"
"Am I The Only One (Who's Ever Felt This Way)"

#7 Beth Hart - Screamin' For My Supper

I remember seeing Beth Hart on Star Search. My family watched it together all the time and when this chick took the stage, we all froze. Such a unique voice and stage presence. We never forgot about her and waited for something from her to pop up. Many years later, this album surfaced. I was drawn to the roughness and rawness of her voice. She made me realize it's ok to scream a little, because that's real emotion in someone's voice.

Favorites:
"Just A Little Hole"
"Delicious Surprise"
"Get Your Shit Together"

#8 Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

This is the first CD that I ever had to replace because I listened to it so much. It's tough to wear a CD out, so that's saying something. This was on repeat for a very, very long time. Again, power, control and emotion in this woman's voice. I watched her on American Idol every single week and I cried every single time she sang. It was a joke with my family. I couldn't help it. This woman makes me feel. That voice is amazing.

Favorites:
"Since U Been Gone"
"Gone"
"You Found Me"
"Hear Me"

#9 Evanescence - Fallen

Amy Lee taught me how to use my voice differently. This was a harder style of music but was blended with her operatic vocals. She's still tough for me to sing along with sometimes. The lyrics were always good, but a little harder for me to relate to. I was more drawn to her voice and technique than I was to the lyrics.

Favorites:
"Everybody's Fool"
"Taking Over Me"
"My Last Breath"

#10 Christina Aguilera - Stripped

Now, you knew there'd be a Christina album on here. This album will always be close to my heart. When this came out, it was perfect timing. I felt like this was written for me and said a lot of the things I needed to say. The quote in my high school yearbook came from a song on this album. I remember listening to this album and just crying because it felt like a release for me. We all know how I feel about Christina and this is really where that obsession started. I loved her debut album too, but this one was so much more personal for me. It showcased her voice and her writing skills. This is another one that was on repeat and I sang it over and over again.

Favorites:
"Walk Away"
"Fighter"
"Impossible"
"Cruz"
"Soar"
"Get Mine, Get Yours"
"The Voice Within"
"Keep On Singin' My Song"

September 2016 Book Haul & Reviews

Yay! I behaved again this month, as far as book buying. I absolutely sucked at reading though, so this will be a short entry.

First, the haul:

Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little

LA IT girl Janie Jenkins has it all. The looks, the brains, the connections. The criminal record.

Ten years ago, in a trial that transfixed America, Janie was convicted of murdering her mother. Now she's been released on a technicality she's determined to unravel the mystery of her mother's last words, words that send her to a tiny town in the very back of beyond. But with the whole of America's media on her tail, convinced she's literally got away with murder, she has to do everything she can to throw her pursuers off the scent.

She knows she really didn't like her mother. Could she have killed her?

Not That Kind Of Girl by Lena Dunham

In Not that Kind of Girl, Dunham illuminates the experiences that are part of making one's way in the world: falling in love, feeling alone, being ten pounds overweight despite eating only health food, having to prove yourself in a room full of men twice your age, finding true love, and, most of all, having the guts to believe that your story is one that deserves to be told.

Exuberant, moving, and keenly observed, Not that Kind of Girl is a series of dispatches from the frontlines of the struggle that is growing up. "I'm already predicting my future shame at thinking I had anything to offer you," Dunham writes. "But if I can take what I've learned and make one menial job easier for you, or prevent you from having the kind of sex where you feel you must keep your sneakers on in case you want to run away during the act, then every misstep of mine will have been worthwhile."

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

In Amy Poehler’s highly anticipated first book, Yes Please, she offers up a big juicy stew of personal stories, funny bits on sex and love and friendship and parenthood and real life advice (some useful, some not so much), like when to be funny and when to be serious. Powered by Amy’s charming and hilarious, biting yet wise voice, Yes Please is a book full of words to live by.















And now the reviews:

She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

In this extraordinary coming-of-age odyssey, Wally Lamb invites us to hitch a wild ride on a journey of love, pain, and renewal with the most heartbreakingly comical heroine to come along in years.

Meet Dolores Price. She's 13, wise-mouthed but wounded, having bid her childhood goodbye. Stranded in front of her bedroom TV, she spends the next few years nourishing herself with the Mallomars, potato chips, and Pepsi her anxious mother supplies. When she finally orbits into young womanhood at 257 pounds, Dolores is no stronger and life is no kinder. But this time she's determined to rise to the occasion and give herself one more chance before she really goes under.

This was such a depressing book. I had a really hard time getting though it. I also had a hard time growing with the character. She struck me as a little girl through most of the book. Finally, towards the end, I saw changes in her. Maybe that was the point. I'm not really sure. I gave this a 2 out of 5.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. . . .
Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.

I had a bit of a hard time getting started with this one. There were so many story lines, so I was getting confused. Thankfully, I was eventually able to separate everything and things started to make sense. This was a really good story and it was interesting how everything connected. I also loved the epilogue. It was very interesting to see what the alternate story endings could have been. I gave this a 3 out of 5.

Extremities: Stories of Death, Murder, and Revenge by David Lubar

Master of the macabre David Lubar turns his attention to dark and twisted tales for teens with Extremities: Stories of Death, Murder, and Revenge

A group of high school girls takes revenge on their sadistic gym teacher in the most fitting way possible. Two stowaways find themselves on a ship for the dead. An ancient predator stalks the wrong victim. Here are thirteen tales of death, murder, and revenge from the fertile and febrile imagination of master storyteller David Lubar—his first story collection for the teen audience.

These short stories weren't bad, but it is very clear that they were written for a younger age group. Still a nice, quick read for me, since I've been having trouble getting into anything lately. I gave this a 2 out of 5.



Here's to not sucking so much next month!!