A couple of nights ago, I was doing my customary ‘read for 1/2 hour, watch Youtube for 1/2 hour’ on my tablet before going to sleep when it occurred to me it’s been a year since I shared my last collection of favorite music videos.
(If you’re curious, you can check that out here.)
For those of you unfamiliar with my selection criteria, every so often I come across a song or tune that just sticks in my craw.
If I watch it more than 4-5 times in the space of a month, it earns a spot on my blog wall! So in pretty much ascending order (definitely saving the best for last…)
10. “I Still Have Faith in You” by ABBA, 2021
Who would’ve believed it, the legendary group ABBA returning after 40 years? While I’m sure their reunion’s a short lived one (and what do you think of their younger CGI counterparts in this video), it still has been exciting seeing and hearing them perform together again.
9. “Lonely Nights (Angel Face)” by Captain & Tennille, 1976Toni Tennille once said in an interview she had difficulty with this song, because of her own struggles with Daryl; it made her teary inside. Well, she looked about as teary as a bag of Jiffy Pop popcorn here! Still, she could belt out a tune and always gave me something to smile about. Love you Toni.
8. “We Got the Beat” by The Go-Go’s (Live from the Today Show) 2020
I saw this live back in September 2020 on the Today Show, and wondered briefly if I had any hormones remaining for Jane Wiedlin. In a word, YES. (She’s the curvy one with gray spikes jumping around.) But don’t they all sound great?
7. “How Do You Handle a Hungry Man” Campbell’s Manhandlers Soup Commercial, 1970s
Back around 1973 when I was in Boy Scouts, Brad Martin would cup his privates with both of his hands and sing either the Burger King jingle “It takes two hands to handle a Whopper” or this Campbells jingle below. He’d laugh so hard it made us laugh too!
Gee I liked Brad, he was a goof but a good egg.
6. “I Bet” by Shuba, 2021
Shuba was in my last music roundup, courtesy of Peter Tibbles from Australia who turned me on to her with a video of her singing along to Brian May’s guitar. I quickly became a fan of this young woman (and her sense of humor, as you’ll see here).
5. “Head Over Heels” by The Go-Go’s, 1984
What can I tell you… after seeing their sixtysomething counterparts on Today, I HAD to watch all of the Go-Go’s 80’s videos again. I liked this one best, I’ve probably watched it 20 times. (And if Belinda Carlisle is competing with Jane Wiedlin for my attention, they both won!)
4. “Sweet Jaime” (sung by) Lee Majors, 1976
Do you remember this storyline on The Six Million Dollar Man? Jaime was Steve Austin’s fiance. He talks her into going skydiving, her parachute fails, she breaks every bone in her body. Steve convinces Oscar Goldman to give her bionic parts like his own. They save her life, but Jaime forgets she was in love with Steve; so to be with her, he must pretend they’re only friends.
Meanwhile in real life, Lee Majors was fighting to get his wife Farrah Fawcett-Majors to come home after she left him for Ryan O’Neal. “Doug, were you really feeling sorry for the Six Million Dollar Man back then?”
“Yes! My heart isn’t made of stone, y’know!”
3. “When You Believe” from The Prince of Egypt (sung by) Lucy & Martha Thomas, 2021
A month ago after watching a special about Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, I went on Youtube to do a search for songs from the movie. A girl named Lucy Thomas kept appearing in the results. Who’s Lucy Thomas?
It turns out, a very talented young woman from England, with a wide catalog of songs on her channel.
I’ve been listening to many of them, I predict big things for her. Here, 17 year old Lucy sings with her 11 year old sister Martha. It’s both sweet and a little old school, in the best way. These girls are terrific.
2. “Abhor-Rent: 525,600 Minutes Since the Insurrection” from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, 2022
I admit it. A week ago (January 6, to be exact) I spent the day glowering. It’s been one year since Trump incited his white trash minions to overthrow democracy, so why in the world is this fascist phony still walking free??
By bedtime, my head was ready to explode! Thankfully, Stephen Colbert saved the day (and my head) with this AWESOME show-opener.
1. “To Sir With Love” (sung by) Lulu, 1967
I actually began watching this updated video of Lulu’s biggest hit around 3 months ago when it was first posted on Youtube. Love the song, the artist, love the movie. Sidney Poitier’s recent passing makes it even more poignant.
