[Note: I'm setting an official date to my annual list - the last Thursday before Christmas. Why? Who the hell cares...]
In the second half of the year all I could think about was this list. I was both excited and apprehensive to do it, especially because 2006 was a crappy year in music. Practically nothing good was released on Pop music, having some major disappointments that made me cling to the oldies or other music styles such as Jazz and Dance. 2006 was the affirmation of Kylie as my G-d, Madonna spoiled us with two live masterpieces and the mainstream come-back of an artist that I love dearly. No more rambling, let’s get to it.
- Top 10
10. "Stars Are Blind" by Paris Hilton
I always loved Hilton, she’s one of those quirky and eccentric things on celebrity world that you simply can’t ignore, even if it’s for her shallowness; this year she released her music debut album. When “Stars” hit my ears I instantly loved it! It’s cute, fun and catchy; who cares if she can’t sing and has computer made up voice? She’s fun dude!
09. "Music Sounds Better With You" by Stardust
I’m not much of a clubber, but I LOVE club music. “Music Sounds Better With You” has a strong and poignant identity that makes you dance and happy whenever you listen to it. During my last days in Marilia I listened to it repeatedly… there was even a weekend it was played from Friday to Monday non-stop!
08. "Every Time We Say Good Bye" by Ella Fitzgerald
Everyone knows my love for Cole Porter and Ella. This song is just beautiful and uhg, that Ella woman knew how to make us cry with her voice.
07. "Me Pregunto" by Belanova
Thanks to the ho I know Belanova and this was my walk-song during most of the first semester. Besides, there's a cute naivité and freshness to Denisse's voice you can't help falling in love.
06. "Aganjú" by Bebel Gilberto
In my search and desire for music to fill the lack of decent new stuff I found out Bebel Gilberto, a Brazilian like me that I ignored for a long time. Bebel does electronic bossa like no one will ever do. Her voice is sweet, calm and brings light and smiles no matter how sad the lyrics are. "Aganjú" is a huge song in a minimalist disguise: everything works both together and separated and boy how it hooks in you! One can’t not love that percussion.
05. "Peach Trees" by Rufus Wainwright
Every year I catch myself asking the same question about some artists: “how could I have lived so long without this one?” Rufus Wainwright came into my life for good after obsessing with Prime’s soundtrack. However, “Peach Trees” isn’t just a love song, it’s the perfect description of a part of Lucas for the last seven months at least. Besides, Rufus is a genius and a hottie.
04. "Lightning Strikes Twice" by Saint Etienne
The last entry of the year is so damn powerful that surpassed many contenders and made it easily to my top 5. I apologize for the ho for not paying attention to Etienne when he told me to, now I just can’t get enough. “Lightning” is a piece of indie dance music with haunting bass and darkish lyrics sweetened up by Sarah Cracknell’s vocals that make everything beyond lovely. Hosie, this is our macumba song.
Bronze: "Promiscuous" by Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland
Sometimes I wonder if this was recorded by PCD I would have loved it so much; but, I know those strippers would never have the word “chivalry” in a song. However, it’s not only that that makes me love “Promiscuous”, it’s not only its sass and infectious beats, the gorgeous chorus and the genius production. You know I’m a sucker for reinventions and Nelly Furtado did her come back with classy and stylish sexiness: she talked about sex but maintaining her usual clever lexicon, she showed skin but if you check out photo shoots you will not find Britney Spears and the best part, she made the return to her hip hop roots delightful and listenable: there are not a million “featurings” and she gave a couture and retro feeling to every little song of her album. It’s chic, hip and above everything fun.
Top 5:
1. Promiscuous [featuring Timbaland]
2. Maneater
3. What I Wanted
4. Let My Hair Down
5. No Hay Igual
5. No Hay Igual
Silver: "Erotica/You Thrill Me" by Madonna
One of my funniest memories of this song is that the day it leaked, on the verge of The Confessions Tour, I gave a little look at the online people on my MSN and 70% of them were playing it. It became a fever!! Not only the Madgers but even the normal people loved it and obsessed about it. And it’s perfectly understandable; anyway, who knows Madonna’s Erotica knows this remix is a cumming what's the word… reinvention! The new synths and beats are completely different from the original plus Madonna uses the original and previously discarded “You Thrill Me” that happens to be Erotica’s demo version [for the sinners that didn’t know that]. Erotica that originally is a dark and haunting song became lightful and cheerful with a new and exciting sex-appeal: instead of decadent dominatrix, kinky and horny girl. And you know what I think about those kinky and horny!
Top 5:
1. Erotica/You Thrill Me
2. Get Together
3. Forbidden Love
4. Jump
5. Your Honesty
5. Your Honesty
Gold: "Dangerous Game" by Kylie Minogue
If you run through this year’s posts you will find Kylie Minogue in most of them, especially “Dangerous Game”. I won’t talk again about the dramatic performance and context this song belongs and actually there’s not much to be said about it, the lyrics are pretty obvious and the melody is as aching as her performance. But the reasons I chose this to be this year’s gold go beyond my personal impressions of it; anyone who loves music and has a good ear must recognize this song’s power. The instrumentation is full and real, no fake/synth strings, yes poignant percussion and yes cinematic production! “Dangerous Game” is and will forever be a classic to me for those reasons.
Top 5:
1. Dangerous Game
2. Put Yourself In My Place
3. Drunk
4. Some Kind Of Bliss
5. Breathe
- The Showbitch Awards – Top 3 [Here are the live tracks that made me cum-the-most this year.]
1. "Live To Tell" by Madonna at The Confessions Tour – mirror-ed cross… that’s all!
2. "The Crying Game [Ballads Section]" by Kylie Minogue at KylieFever Tour – classic look + cinematic drama + roses! The best medley of all times.
- The “Simpson Sisters” Award – Top 3 [“hate them, love the song”]
1. "The Beat Of My Heart" by Hilary Duff – this one is mainly Jose’s fault [June 27’s post]! But this song redeems Duff from all her disposable career.
2. "A Public Affair" by Jessica Simpson – I still don't like Jessica but dude this song is adorable! Besides she pays homage to Madge twice: first on the 80’s sonority, the song sounding like Holiday, then on the Sorry-esque video, roller-skates are the new deal!
3. "Deja Vu" by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z – this song is simply infectious; it’s not as amazing as Crazy In Love but boy it’s fun! Its soul/R&B retro feeling made me more Beyoncé friendly in spite of her hype.
- The Like A Virgin Award – Top 5 [not necessarily new artists, but new addictions of mine]
1. "Moi… Lolita" by Alizeé – ha! This is HUGE, I absolutely love this song! First it’s a mega dancefloor/pop tune that clings to your head and body and there you go… then there’s Alizeé’s raspery voice and the sexy language! French rocks my socks!
2. "Heartbeat" by Annie – Annie is amazing simply because she’s fun. Her voice is almost inexistent, her lyrics are okay, but her music is beyond cool. Manage to keep yourself stopped while listening to "Heartbeat" and I’ll burry you.
3. "Alala" by Cansei De Ser Sexy – my wannabe song. It’s sassy, funny and dancey; me loves quirky indie pop!
4. "Where Does The Good Go" by Tegan and Sara – I know little about these two [I don’t even know if Tegan is a boy or a girl], but I know I adore this song. It’s been on a Grey’s Anatomy episode and is my break up song [blame Gustavo].
5. "A Perfect Sonnet" by Bright Eyes – I got into this band because of a guy [yes, I have no personality!]. Conor Oberst’s vocals in here are bad and out of tune but he gives great performance to the song’s lyrics, that happens to be one of the most heartbreaking and perfect descriptions of love deception.
Honorable Mentions
"Tout Les Garçons Et Les Filles" by Françoise Hardy – français est ma romance langue!
"The Man That Got Away" by Judy Garland – addicted to it for more than a year, did you really think it wouldn’t be here?
"Este Corazón" by RBD – fine, judge me as you please but I love this. [Uhg, I even did a corny rhyme!]
"Message Personnel" by Isabelle Rupert – Françoise Hardy plus genius performance by a genius actor; Rupert gave the sadness and douleur that not even the song’s author could.
"Tout Les Garçons Et Les Filles" by Françoise Hardy – français est ma romance langue!
"The Man That Got Away" by Judy Garland – addicted to it for more than a year, did you really think it wouldn’t be here?
"Este Corazón" by RBD – fine, judge me as you please but I love this. [Uhg, I even did a corny rhyme!]
"Message Personnel" by Isabelle Rupert – Françoise Hardy plus genius performance by a genius actor; Rupert gave the sadness and douleur that not even the song’s author could.
"Set The Fire To The Third Bar" by Snow Patrol featuring Martha Wainwright - A lovely ghost gave it to me and I instantly fell in love with it. A last and on-the-moment addition because my stupid memory forgot how I liked this... ironic.
"All Good Things (Come To An End)" by Nelly Furtado – “Well the dogs were barking at a new moon, whistling a new tune, hoping it would come soon. And the sun was wondering if it should stay away for a day til the feeling went away. And the sky was falling on the clouds were dropping and the rain forgot how to bring salvation; the dogs were barking at the new moon, whistling a new tune hoping it would come soon so that they could die”… enough said.
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