THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE DAY: TUPAC "I GET AROUND"

TUPAC "I GET AROUND"

To celebrate Tupac's birthday, I wanted to choose a light, upbeat, feel good jam. "I Get Around," featuring Shock G and Money-B of Digital Underground, is a classic. Be sure to listen to the many other Tupac songs that have a deeper message. He had a lot to say and what he did say should be heard. R.I.P. Tupac.

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK: "DAY N NITE," PLUS REMIXES

KiD CuDi "DAY N NITE"

OK. This song is so simple, it's almost insulting. Dude even rhymes the same words. But it's still catchy as hell, with Cudi's monotone voice and the sick beat. Peep the original song/video and two remixes:

"CROOKERS REMIX"


REMIX FT. PITBULL & JIM JONES

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK: "WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME"

PAUL MCCARTNEY "WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME"

I am in the middle of a wonderful Christmas party with my good friends. We bond, we fight, we put up with each other...but in the end we all love each other very much. :) Since most, if not all, of us are big Beatles fans, and we are celebrating the holidays, Paul McCartney's cheesy yet cute Christmas tune is perfect for the occassion.

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK: "I'M FREE"

THE WHO "I'M FREE"

This week ended my corporate office career--I was laid off. I'm relieved because I didn't enjoy the work that much anymore. It paid well and was secure, but my heart is in my art. Now I am going to use my severance package to pay a few months of rent in advance and do what I really want to do. It's incredibly scary to try to survive on what makes you happy, to avoid being a starving artist (or ARTISTE in my case). You have to work twice as hard to make it a reality, but the rewards are yours. Not a corporate company's that makes millions of dollars a year, not to build up other people's dreams and goals, but your own. I've always been terrified of getting stuck with a "regular job" just because it pays the bills, and feeling that I never truly exhausted my chances at making it big with my talents. If you can do it, even if you think you can't, FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!!! "I'm free. I'm free. And freedom tastes of reality. I'm free. I'm free. And I'm waiting for you to follow me."

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE DAY: "I DON'T WANT TO LIVE ON THE MOON"

ERNIE (FROM SESAME STREET) "I DON'T WANT TO LIVE ON THE MOON"

My boyfriend has the most random songs in his head at any given moment. When I noted that New York has a lot of the cool fashion and magazine jobs, and that I would love to work there but don't think I would want to live there (I'm not sure I can handle a huge, busy city!!!), he started singing the words to this song. It contains a great lesson: you may want to visit different places, and will enjoy visiting different places, but home is truly where the heart is.

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAMS OF THE WEEK: MAC DRE/HYPHY FREE-FOR-ALL

I have to cater my Frisco folks (415!!!) and give you all a big dose of all things hyphy. Who better to deliver it than the King of Hyphy himself, the late, great Mac Dre???

"FEELIN' MYSELF"


"GET STUPID" (REMIX)


"THIZZLE DANCE"

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAMS OF THE WEEK: JOHN MELLENCAMP/AMERICANA FREE-FOR-ALL

OK, I've been crappy about being consistent with the Jams of the Week lately. So here's another Jam of the Week Free-For-All, dedicated to our country, our right to vote, our amazing new President, and oozing with John Mellencamp/Americana goodness.


"SMALL TOWN" (LIVE AT THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION)


"OUR COUNTRY" (LIVE WITH THE BOSTON POPS ORCHESTRA,4TH OF JULY, 2007)


"PINK HOUSES" (ACOUSTIC VERSION, LIVE ON T.V. SHOW, 1981)

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK: "LITTLE BOXES"

*This is the first of two Jams of the Week, since I left you without one last week. :(

MALVINA REYNOLDS "LITTLE BOXES" (WEEDS THEME SONG)

Thanks to our (my boyfriend's and my) friend Cris, we are interested in the T.V. show Weeds, and in love with the theme song "Little Boxes," sung by Malvina Reynolds. It's just so cute and dainty, but the message in this song is strong: don't be generic, don't be like everyone else, because life's routines try to make everyone the same. (Interesting note: "Little Boxes" was written about the houses in Daly City, that cropped up after WWII.) Below is the intro to the show, with the song sung by Reynolds.



After the first season of Weeds, different artists were invited to record their own version of "Little Boxes," for the opening credits. Here is a remix of some of those covers.

"LITTLE HOUSES REMIX"

Warning: You may all of a sudden want to bring back the word "ticky-tacky."

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK "IN DA CLUB"

50 CENT "IN DA CLUB"

There's nothing better than hearing "party like it's your birthday" when it is. Considering that it's my boyfriend's birthday this Saturday, and there will be much partying involved, I figured this jam was only fitting. Let the festivities begin!!!

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK: "TRUE BLUE"

MADONNA "TRUE BLUE"

How freakin' cute is this video?!?! I vaguely remember it as a child, as it wasn't as big or iconic as her other ones. It's a cute look at a Madonna in love, who wrote the song for then-husband Sean Penn during their first year of marriage and dedicated the entire True Blue album to him. Added bonus??? A young Debi Mazar is featured as one of Madonna's 50s-esque dancers.

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK: "THIS GROOVE"

VICTORIA BECKHAM "THIS GROOVE"

It's hard to believe this song is by Victoria Beckham, but it kicks ass and I am not apologizing for it. I actually think she should have released the track here in the U.S. when she moved to Los Angeles--it might have done well. The video??? Another story. The entire production is her rolling around so much it looks like she's either possessed or writhing due to severe stomach pain.

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK: "FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE"

THE CURE "FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE"

It's The Cure. It's Friday. What's not to love???

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK: "JUST FINE"

MARY J. BLIGE "JUST FINE"

Mary J. Blige used to be tough, angry and insecure, according to many sources. She now is happy, in control and positive. This song is amazing and inspiring. Own your life, own your happiness, refuse to be angry or insecure or down. Start by doing one nice thing, feel the happiness from it, and let it multiply.

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK: "YOU MIGHT THINK"

THE CARS "YOU MIGHT THINK"

I just added this song to my iPod and was telling my boyfriend how cool I think the video for it is. I love it's 80s cheesiness and humor, its kookiness, and how things, like the sun going down, are timed to the music.

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK: "DANGEROUS"

KARDINAL OFFISHALL FT. AKON "DANGEROUS"

My boyfriend has a habit of getting songs embedded into his brain. It's not surprising, considering the fact that he replays a new song over and over until he memorizes every word. This song is the latest one, and I must admit, that with a sick beat, good rapping by Kardinall Offishall and Akon singing the chorus, it's embedded in my head too.

(P.S. Seriously, the girl in the video walked a marthon.)

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAM OF THE WEEK: "JACKSON"

JOHNNY CASH AND JUNE CARTER CASH "JACKSON"

I am so in love with this couple. I've been exposed to tons of great Johnny Cash thanks to my boyfriend and have learned about how much Johnny and June Carter Cash truly loved each other. I love how he was tough as nails yet melted for June. I love how she looked so pretty and dainty but knew how to put Johnny in his place (plus look at her awesome hair!!!). Here's a great YouTube gem: Johnny and June sharing some cute couple banter on The Johnny Cash Show before singing the song "Jackson."

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAMS OF THE WEEK: MADONNA BIRTHDAY FREE-FOR-ALL: FRIDAY

"GIVE IT 2 ME" (FEAT. PHARRELL)

I couldn't do a whole week of Madonna jams without featuring a new song off of her latest album Hard Candy. "Give it 2 Me," produced by Pharrell, is definitely a dance tune you can get down to (reminds me of Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give it Up"). I'm not sure how I feel about Madonna telling people to "get stupid," but I'll save that for another post.

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAMS OF THE WEEK: MADONNA BIRTHDAY FREE-FOR-ALL: THURSDAY

As much as I love Madonna and all her music, I have a certain soft spot for her earlier work. Perhaps it's because then I was a little girl, dancing crazily to her jams and wanting to dress up like her. Maybe it's because of the infectious beats found in 80s music (which I love). Perhaps it's because there's the perfect mix of the raw gritiness of a newbie and the confidence of someone who always knew she was a star. Either way, I've been a fan ever since. Here is one of my favorite Madonna songs, "Burning Up."



BONUS!!! On a previous post called "Madonna: Where it All Began," I had posted the video of her first performance ever, where she sang the song "Everybody." I just came across the video, which is also her very first. Here it is:

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAMS OF THE WEEK: MADONNA BIRTHDAY FREE-FOR-ALL: WEDNESDAY

You're not a true pop superstar unless you've ignited a dance craze. Here is "Vogue" in all it's pose-riffic glory. (I love how Madonna shouts out my favorite old Hollywood stars and channels Marie Antoinette--shows that this diva knows her divas.)



AT THE 1990 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS

THE ALEXTHEARTISTE JAMS OF THE WEEK: MADONNA BIRTHDAY FREE-FOR-ALL: TUESDAY

One of my favorite Madonna videos is "La Isla Bonita"--I remember watching it and wanting to dress up like a Spanish senorita just like she did, loving her entire look--from her hair color to her makeup to her clothing.