Top Ten Worst Hit Songs of 2016

Greetings,

I apologize yet again, but I really have nothing to say as an introduction. I am just...exhausted of this year. Let's just get this over with.

#10. "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" Meghan Trainor featuring John Legend - As much as I like a good, soothing love song, one must remember the difference between soothing and boring. Sadly, whether these two people were trying to do so or not, they went with the latter.

#9. "Just Like Fire" Pink - BOR-ING! Again! What is up with Pink lately? I mean, I've never been an actual fan of hers, but at least I would give her credit when she put out a decent song. Can't do that this time.

#8. "On My Mind" Ellie Goulding - Remember that excellent song, "Don't" by Ed Sheeran? Well, it's counterpart, which this song most assuredly is, has nothing in common with it. "Don't" was unique; this song is generic. Oh, and she tried to complain about a double standard, where only women get defined by who they date because they write songs about them. She even talked to Taylor about it. Of course, she did. First of all...What? No. It happens to guys, too. It happened with "Don't". Second, if you are a songwriter who only writes about who you date, it's hard to know how else to define you. Funny thing, Ellie doesn't do that. It was one time and one song. She'll live and so will Ed. Moving on.

#7. "Sit Still, Look Pretty" Daya - I heard a review of this song wherein someone said that it picks up where Daya's song "Hideaway" left off. OR the messages of these two songs completely contradict each other. Whatever! Seriously, the first song is lamenting about where all the good guys have gone, and this song is putting forth an "I don't need a man" attitude by insulting guys in general. Listen, there's nothing wrong with saying that you don't need a man, but do so because you're strong in yourself and you don't need to be defined by a relationship. Yeah, maybe those good guys are just hiding away from you, Daya. Also, don't EVER call her pretty, whilst NEVER forgetting that she is. Eye roll.

#6. "Gold" Kiiara - In 1983, the group Spandau Ballet released a song called "Gold". It was and still is...incredible! This travesty is not and never will be. In fact, I hesitate to even call it a song. To me, it's just noise. I mean, to the Grinch it would be the worst thing ever. But maybe I just don't get it. And I don't think I want to get it. So...good times?

#5. "Me Too" Meghan Trainor - Oh, look, her again. So, Ms. Trainor, do me a favor? Go out and ask 50 random people what they hate most about celebrities. I bet most if not all of them would say that what they hate most is the self-absorption and arrogance. So, why did you have to perform a song proving those people right? And I don't even care if this was supposed to be "tongue in cheek", which is a usual excuse. You are not better than me or anyone, Meghan Trainor, simply because you are famous.

#4. "One Call Away" Charlie Puth - Weak, weak, weak. Oh, Charlie Puth. I do not want you to be "one call away". I want you to go away. But credit where it's due, this wasn't as bad as what you put out last year. Not by much, though. Try harder.

#3. "Treat You Better" Shawn Mendes - So, what do I hate a lot? Oh, yeah. Fake nice guys. You know what I mean by that. The guys who whine and moan because they're (allegedly) such nice guys, but girls never want to be with them, when in actuality, they're just as bad as the bad boys. Maybe even worse, since they seem more manipulative. Look, I'm not saying that there aren't legit nice guys out there. There are. But the lyrics in this song do not describe one of them.

#2. "Work From Home" Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign - I do not understand the appeal of this group. And the appeal of this song, I understand even less. First of all, I'm pretty the music rips of Daniel Bedingfield of all people, because...reasons. Second, the lyrics are atrocious. Oh, and here's a question. Do you know how many times they say the word "Work" in this song? 94!!! Dang! At least when Rihanna repeated that word in her song, she changed her inflection a little. In this song, it is so monotonous. For real, the sound of a drill would be more lively. I just can't with this anymore.

#1. "No" Meghan Trainor - Congratulations, Meghan Trainor! You have hit the trifecta of suck this year! You know what? I don't even have the energy to talk about the awful message in this song. Or the fact that the music is yet another rip off, this time from an old Justin Timberlake song. So, I am just going to say two things. Yes, some guys are awful and should be avoided at all costs, but not ALL of them are, nor do they all have the same intentions when they say "Hi" to you. Also, ladies, YOU can empower YOURSELVES, and you don't need crap songs like this to tell you the wrong way to do so. And this song is just...NO!


Well, that's that for 2016.

So, can I say something about the music industry? I know that things are different these days. I know that labels aren't necessarily as powerful as they once were, as many people can get super famous from You Tube and by controlling their own careers. But if you're someone who works at a label, or maybe you own your own small one, and you have to sift through tons of music from unknown artists who may or may not be the next big thing, for the love of God, SIFT!!! For real. Sift through and listen to every last note until you find something new and original. We need that so much right now. I know it's easy to put out more of the same, but we need someone who will take a risk on an artist who has something new to say. It will be worth it. I don't want 2017 to be more of the same. I don't think anyone does.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Top Ten Best Hit Songs of 2016

Greetings,

I would like to apologize in advance for this blog post. It will be one of the most phoned in things I've ever done. Seriously, I will not be writing much about these. But it's not exactly my fault. It's that I had to pick songs to be the best in a year that, musically, left me feeling...whatever. Don't get me a wrong. A couple of the songs on this list, I do legit like, but a lot of them are just ones I don't hate. That is depressing.

So, the rules once again for these lists of mine are that the song must appear on Billboard's Hot 100 Year End chart and it cannot have been on any other of my lists. Okay, let's do this.

#10. "Into the Night" The Weeknd - So, I'm not exactly a fan of this Weeknd guy, but there's something kind of nostalgic feeling about this song. It's a fun one to listen to, and sometimes that is all you need.

#9. "What Do You Mean?" Justin Beiber - Yeah, this is how desperate I am. I am putting a Beiber song on the Best list. Okay, to be fair, some of his stuff has gotten better lately. He's kind of like an actual artist now. And this song isn't too bad. Now if he can just stay out of trouble, perhaps, he will evolve even more.

#8."Ex's and Oh's" Elle King - I think technically this song came out last year, but it was still on this year's chart, so I'm including it. I think I get a kick out of this because it sounds different from most things we're hearing these days. And, all things considered, that's a good thing.

#7. "Roses" The Chainsmokers featuring Rozes- Not much of a fan of the whole club music genre, if that's even what it's really called, but I do like the sound of this one. And I can't believe the "Selfie" guys are progressing a bit. Didn't see that coming.

#6. "This is What You Came For" Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna - Again, this whole EDM thing is not really my scene. But I do like Rihanna sometimes, and Calvin Harris is pretty good at what he does. Despite it being a bit repetitive in places, I'll still give this one a thumbs up for everything else.

#5. "Can't Stop the Feeling" Justin Timberlake - This is fun song. Nothing too heavy. Certainly nothing groundbreaking. Just a cute, little pop song...from the Troll movie. I think I can handle that.

#4. "Heathens" Twenty-One Pilots - I don't know who these guys are, but I got a kick out of their style and this song. And whilst I wasn't exactly a fan of the Suicide Squad movie, this was a good match for the soundtrack. Fit the tone of it quite well.

#3. "When We Were Young" Adele - Nothing like some Adele giving us a song about reminiscing where she sings the crap out of it. Yeah, she's pretty much always good, and this latest album of hers proves that she's probably not planning to change that.

#2. "Lost Boy" Ruth B - I love a good literary reference in a song, and this one covers that. But when I read a little into this song, I heard it was about a very serious subject. So, I'm giving it and the writer credit for having the guts to go deeper when it comes to lyrical content. And this young lady has a lovely voice, as well, so I hope she sticks around for a while.

#1. "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" Adele - Well, this might be a first. I'm pretty sure Miss Adele was the artist behind my Number One song last year as well. I suppose that just proves that she is still one of our most treasured people in the music industry, as she continues to put out good songs. Anyway, this was an interesting tune coming from Adele, a bit different, but still very catchy. I like this one a lot, and I wouldn't mind if she kept going in this direction.

Well, those are the "Best" of the year, in my opinion. Again, sorry I wasn't jumping up and down over too many of these, but I just couldn't be. Anyway, here's hoping that my "Worst Of" list tomorrow will be more entertaining.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

The Magnificent Seven (2016) - Movie Review

Greetings,

So, I've never been super into Westerns, and I tend to be super NOT into remakes. Therefore, you may already be making guesses when it comes to how I feel about this. Now my biggest complaint with remakes is that most of them are completely unnecessary. I usually don't see the point, which is why when I first heard of this film, I was hesitant. But maybe something made me change my mind. Let's find out as we discuss The Magnificent Seven.

This 2016 film. directed by Antoine Fuqua, is a remake of the 1960 film of the same name. As I said, I was not sure about this, but after I got word on the cast, I started to think that, perhaps, there might be something to this venture. And all things considered, knowing what the original was about, I figured they might be able to update some things properly. I'll get into all that later, but first, let's talk plot. And I guess, a few spoilers will be there, but probably nothing you don't know already, or nothing that didn't happen in the first ten minutes or so.

Honestly, the plot is rather simple when you think about it. There's a bad guy villain named Bartholomew Bogue, played by Peter Sarsgaard, who wants to take over this mining town where a lot of good people live. And he will have it by any means necessary, even the worst you can think of. After losing her husband in an attack, Emma Cullen, played by Haley Bennett, seeks out anyone who can help the town defend themselves, alongside her friend, Teddy Q, played by Luke Grimes.

Eventually, a group of men is assembled to assist the town. You'll never guess how many! And these fine men are as follows: Sam Chisolm, played by Denzel Washington, a warrant officer from Kansas and also the leader; Josh Faraday, played by Chris Pratt, a gambler who likes to blow stuff up; Billy Rocks, played by Lee Byung-hun, the man with the knife moves, a lot of them; Vasquez, played by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, an outlaw on the run, as they tend to be; Red Harvest, played by Martin Sensmeier, a Comanche warrior; Goodnight Robicheaux (LOVE that name, BTW!) played by Ethan Hawke, a Civil War vet who is a fantastic shot; and my personal favorite, Jack Horne, played Vincent D'Onofrio, an excellent tracker who also happens to be religious. You can tell by the way he quotes scriptures whilst going into battle. It's a thing we do. Good times. Oh, and yes, you read that correctly. Ethan Hawke and Vincent D'Onofrio have teamed up again for their 47th film together! Okay, it hasn't been that many, but I won't be happy until they hit 50!

So, as you can see, we have an amazing cast here, and like I said, it was why I decided to give this remake a chance. When it came to our "Seven", I was not disappointed at all, mostly because they had incredible chemistry with each other. I think it was wise on the part of whomever did this casting to get actors who have got some history with each other, as well as being great actors in their own right. It added to the onscreen comradery. And while chemistry matters in any film, it is certainly important in a film like this. So is a good villain and Sarsgaard did not disappoint there either. I totes wanted to punch him, so thumbs up where that's concerned.

Now let's talk about our female lead and how she and her character were probably the best update for this film. See, when it comes to writing updated female characters, there is a right way to do it and a wrong way. The wrong way pertains to when I hear people say that we need more women in film, but when they describe what they want, some (not all!) respond with attributes befitting to what we call a "Mary Sue". You know, some woman who is good at everything and loved by everyone, whose flaws aren't even really flaws, and who is ultimately some kind of unrealistic superwoman. No thank you! Fortunately, though, this film did it the right way. Emma Cullen is an active player in the story, as much as anyone else. She is a strong woman, but she is also a real woman. A real person. You can see what she is feeling all the time and what she is feeling is grief, fear, uncertainty, even weakness, and that is okay. It is okay, because, even though she feels all these things, she knows how to put them aside when it comes time for her to fight. Or if need be, to use them in that moment. She is a balanced and well-rounded character. She represents what everyone should be. Vulnerable when necessary and courageous when necessary. All of us can be all of these things, so long as we know when to be them. Excellent job with this character.

Okay, I've rambled enough. Do I recommend this film? Yeah, I do. I admit that, aside from a darker tone and the aforementioned character development, there aren't a ton of changes from the 1960 version. Still, maybe that was what was so appealing about it. It hearkened back to those old timey Westerns. And what with the great acting and the fact, overall, this movie is very entertaining, I say give it a shot. Get it? Shot! Anyway, I would say if you're into those enjoyable Westerns of yesteryear, with a tad more violence, this might be one for your movie night.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Author: The JT LeRoy Story - Documentary Review

Greetings,

If there is one thing I value in the work of an artist, it is their authenticity. No matter what they are creating, it has to be rooted in some kind of truth. If it isn't, the fraud can be easily detected. The problem is that few people are concerned with authenticity anymore, or they choose to see it coming from the wrong angle. I thought about this a lot as I watched the documentary I will be reviewing today, Author: The JT LeRoy Story.

This 2016 film tells the story of - surprise - JT LeRoy. But the real story is who exactly is JT LeRoy? I suppose, despite what is revealed in the trailer and what has been revealed in real life, I should say "Spoiler Alert", but most people already know what happened with this situation. Still, if you don't and you want to find out by way of this film, there is your warning.

So, a while back, a writer by the name of JT LeRoy burst on to the literary scene with his debut novel, Sarah, which told the brutally detailed story of a prostitute and her son. People were praising the book all over the place, as they did with all the subsequent work from this author. But there was such a level of secrecy from him, until finally he revealed himself, albeit reluctantly, to the world. All of this led to his having quite a prominent fan base full of celebrities and his becoming a celebrity in his own right. In fact, one might venture to say that the fame aspect of JT LeRoy slowly but surely became more important than the writing. And as a writer, this did not set well with me.

Now as we all know, the more famous someone becomes, the more the public wants and, in come cases, demands to know about them. But if someone in the spotlight tries to hide things, they usually are found out. Well, as it happens, this famous person had kind of a big secret. Again, spoilers, I guess. Turns out, the person who everyone knew as JT LeRoy in the flesh was not JT LeRoy. Technically speaking, he never even existed, though to say that seems a bit cruel and untrue once you know the whole story. The true author is a woman named Laura Albert, who was part of JT LeRoy's entourage and adopted family of sorts, while her sister-in-law was acting as the writer in public. Albert had taken on the persona years earlier whilst seeking help from a doctor, because being herself was far too difficult as she talked about the horrible things she had been through. The doctor encouraged her to write, something she credits with saving her life. I can relate. Then, one thing led to another and we got a phenomenon. And one very fascinating story.

I really found this documentary very compelling, even though I knew most of the things about the incident already. And since I did, the film maker would have to find a way to keep me interested. That happened through the way it was shot. First, there was quite a bit of voice over, done by Laura Albert (I assume) in the voice she used when she posed as JT, and it was heard over some cool visual artwork. Second, since several of the phone conversations that JT had with people were recorded, they added those in with the sounds of an old tape recorder, making it seem as though we were getting some underground info that we weren't supposed to be hearing. Lastly, I liked the way they filmed Laura Albert's interview. Normally, when you watch a "talking head" in a documentary, they're looking off to the side, at the interviewer, but here, she is looking straight at the camera, at the audience, at us. Ultimately, what this is being presented as is something of a full on confession. She is here to tell the story and she is telling it directly to us.

If there is any fault I find in this thing, it's one that others have noticed as well. I kind of wish they delved deeper into the reactions from people who were in the JT LeRoy circle and who felt very deceived and betrayed after everything was revealed. They did tackle it a bit, but they could have done more, if for no other reason than to more seriously show the consequences of doing something like this. On the other hand, while I am hardcore not a fan of lying, I don't see Laura Albert as someone like Stephen Glass or James Frey, who intentionally set out to deceive the public for personal gain. She was just trying to recover from her past by any means necessary, and those means got out of her control. And to be fair, as she says, the books always said fiction, and she's not the first person to use a pseudonym. While I don't want to call why she did what she did an excuse, it is certainly a reason, and a pretty valid one. In the end, it's a tough situation to figure out.

Also, this film truly does give a fascinating look at how we see fame and how enamored we are with it. Seriously, why was it not enough that these books were good? Why did there have to be a celebrity figure attached to them to give them credibility? I'd like to think that artists, especially writers, share enough about themselves through their work. Why do we have to know so much more? I don't know, but this film can certainly make us think about that.

So, as a person who like films about writers and documentary, I found this to be a very well made film. It was great to hear, not only the story of the author, but how the idea of fame tied in to the whole thing. Perhaps, it will teach us all that, when we find a good book to read, the writer has done their job, and we should demand no more from them. Not even themselves.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Peace, Love & Misunderstanding - Movie Review

Greetings,

Is it considered a coming of age story if members of three generations of a family are kinda doing that at the same time? Because I think that's what happens in this movie. And all things considered, I guess it can be called a family film. So, let's talk about Peace, Love & Misunderstanding.

Peace, Love & Misunderstanding is a 2012 film about a lawyer, Diane, played by Catherine Keener, who is divorced from her husband, Mark, played by Kyle MacLachlan. She must have heard about that Showgirls thing. Anyway, she decides to leave Manhattan with her two kids, Zoe and Jake, played by Elizabeth Olsen and Nat Wolff, respectively. They go upstate to Woodstock, where Diane's mother, Grace, lives. Grace is played by Jane Fonda and she is a total hippie. Yes, a postmodern hippie living in Woodstock, where, according to this film, 90% of the town hasn't changed since 1969. I'll let you calm down from that shock. Good? Okay, let's move on.

As Diane is a woman who is a bit uptight and Grace can be easily called a free spirit, they tend to clash a bit and always have, and so much of the plot centers around the tension between them. But it's okay though, because we have quite a bit of romance going on in this film as well. Pretty much every family member gets close to a potential S.O. here. Zoe hesitantly finds herself attracted to a young butcher, Cole, played by Chace Crawford, despite the fact that they don't always get along. Cole is enamored with a young girl who works at a local coffee shop, Tara, played by Marissa O'Donnell. And even stuffy Diane catches the eye of a handsome local named Jude, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and maybe starts to think that loosening up might not be so bad. But with all these feelings and emotions running rampant, the real question is will the decades long estrangement of the family come to an end and allow them to move forward with each other.

So, the best word I can use to describe this film is "easy". You can just sit back and relax and watch it, and nothing is really going to get your heart rate up too high. Now, whether that's good or bad is going to depend on the viewer and their taste or mood. Personally, I kind of enjoyed this movie. It's full of people who I like and it's so laid back that it is something I can watch when I am also wanting to feel laid back. And a lot of that feeling comes from the lovely atmosphere created by the surroundings of Woodstock. The film makers really captured something there, and I give that aspect a thumbs up. Again, I suppose that whatever can be called positives and negatives exist only based on the audience. If you want something mellow with a decent script and some good acting, especially from the "always a delight" Elizabeth Olsen, then this might be one to add to your list.

Thus, do I recommend this movie? Well, I liked it, so yeah. Seriously, though, it's not breaking any cinematic ground here, but who says that every film has to do that? Some movies are just there when you need them for whatever you happen to need them for. If you want a relaxing night of watching something that might be labeled a "chick flick" but actually goes a bit deeper, I say give this one a chance.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Top Ten Amy Grant Songs

Greetings,

It is amazing that it has taken me this long to make this particular list. I mean, you may not know this, but I would consider Amy Grant to be my favorite female singer. She has been there for my entire life and was one of the few good memories I have where my childhood is concerned. So, I have always seen her as a source of comfort for me, and she was one of the reasons why I fell in love with music. Well, it was really her and Jem and the Holograms, but that's a discussion for another day. To be honest, Amy Grant has had an immense effect on my life.

So, I have, on a few occasions, used my writing as a way of thanking her for all she has done to make my life a bit better, and thus, I thought I could do that today by sharing my favorite songs by her. Trust, this was a difficult list to make. I love so much of her music, but quite a few songs hold a very special place in my heart for many reasons. Here are the ones that I hold the closest.

#10. "That's What Love Is For" - I once had a friend who thought that Heart In Motion was Amy's first album. I suggested we see other people after that. Anyway, quite a few songs from this album did very well and pushed Amy right into the mainstream, even more than she already had been. But being a hopeless romantic, I guess, of course, I had to pick the power ballad love song as my favorite. I am so predictable.

#9. "El Shaddai" - I know that when people say that a song sounds beautiful, they tend to be talking about the music half. But this song has some exquisitely sounding words in it, and most of them are in another language, as you can tell from the title. Yes, all those names that we can call God certainly have a lovely ring to them.

#8. "Saved By Love" - Is it just me, or do we not have nearly enough songs about the love that one feels for their family? Of course, we have a million songs about romantic love, which is easily the most fleeting. But when it comes to the more, hopefully, strong and lasting love between family members, we are lacking. Thank God for songs like this. Also, I may have named one of my books after a lyric in this song. Just like I did with a lyric from my Number One song. I am not a thief. I hope.

#7. "Lead Me On" - I hate to use the word "epic" as it has been so overused in recent years, but I just have to do it in this case. This song is rather epic. From the bigness of the music production to the strength of the message, this might be considered something of a masterpiece for Amy. Well, considering how long her career has lasted, it was bound to happen some time.

#6. "Everywhere I Go" - The synth sound can really go either way with me, to be honest. And as this song comes from an album released smack dab in the middle of the 80's, I am not surprised to find it here. But there is just something about this song that always makes me smile. Maybe it is just the joyful sound of it all. Or maybe it's because my mother was never the biggest fan of it. Oh, I am so bad.

#5. "Thy Word" - Every now and then, a song from the Contemporary Christian Music genre trickles down into the songs that people sing during worship services at church, or even school, as it happened in my case. This is one of those songs. Now, whilst I think it is beautiful, I also think it should be sung by one person at a time. Maybe because of my own personal "group sing" experiences, where everyone always messes up the note on the "to the end" line. Just saying. But whatever. This song is still brilliant.

#4. "Doubly Good To You" - Time for me to get a little sad here. This wonderful song was written by one of Amy's good friends, Rich Mullins. He is kind of a legend in the world of Christian music, and he is responsible for my favorite album of all time. Sadly, for us anyway, he passed away nearly twenty years ago. But he did leave a vast legacy of great music, including this incredible love song.

#3. "The Prodigal" - Spoilers, this may have been inspired by a certain parable. However, due to the lyrical content, I think it can be used to express the longing for anyone you love to return. There's something so bittersweet about it, yet there is some hope lying in there. As always.

#2. "All I Ever Have To Be" - So, for a very long time, this was actually my favorite song by Amy. Obviously, that changed, but I still love it dearly. Something in those lyrics about doubting yourself and what have to give the world, but being reminded that you are made by God and that He has a plan in mind. It is such a comfort. Always has been and always will be.

#1. "After the Fire" - I remember seeing Amy on the Oprah show singing this song to her mother and her sisters a long time ago. It was rather emotional, in the best way. One thing I have always said about Amy is that she puts intricate beauty into simple things, and this song is, in fact, a simple one. At least, it seems that way. But in the ease of the notes and the words, she tells a story that can travel far and last a lifetime. It will for me, of that I am sure.

And there are my favorite songs by my favorite singer. I could go on and on about what an impact that Amy Grant has made on my life, even more than I already have, but even for a writer like myself, there will never be enough words. So, the most I can ever really say to her that could sum it all up is "Thank You".


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Top 50 Beatles Songs: 10 - 1

Greetings,

This is it. We have finally reached the last leg in the race to find out what the greatest Beatles song of all time is...according to me. I know, I know, but try and keep calm. If you read my other installments, you won't be surprised to find some obvious choices mixed in with a few obscure ones. In fact, I don't doubt that my #1 choice will be very unexpected. Don't you dare look yet! You have to read the whole list first. That's the rule. Well, enough rambling from me. Let's get to the Top Ten of my Top Fifty favorite songs by The Beatles.

#10. "Yer Blues" - This song...is awesome! I just love how gritty it is and how, for lack of a better word, bluesy it is. Funny thing though, it was written to be almost an exaggeration of British blues, being a bit satirical, but honest, nonetheless. Now that takes some serious talent.

#9. "Paperback Writer" - No, I did not put his on the list just because I am also a paperback writer. Although, that fact did give it a few extra points. And apparently, this song came to be after someone asked Paul if all he could write were love songs. I guess not. Also, those vocals at the beginning are excellent.

#8. "Hey, Jude" - Here's an obvious choice. I don't think anyone can deny that it's one of their best. And it also contained one of the best lines that Paul ever wrote: "The movement you need is on your shoulder." Can you believe he almost cut it out? Good thing John told him to keep it. Always listen to your best friend.

#7. "It's Only Love" - I heard the working title of this song was "That's a Nice Hat". I guess that could have worked. They've had weirder titles. Also, it seemed that John Lennon himself was not a fan of this one. Well, too bad. I think it's fantastic, and I sound great singing it. So there.

#6. "Free As a Bird" - I bet a lot of people didn't expect to see this one at all, much less so high on the list. But there's just something about it that makes me feel, you know? Maybe because this, along with "Real Love", gave us new Beatles music that we never thought we would get. Also, the video for this song is my favorite music video of all time.

#5. "Dear Prudence" - That bass line. Do I even have to say anything more about this song to justify its position on this list? NO! So, I'm not gonna!

#4. "If I Fell" - Whilst I do find myself far more attracted overall to the second half of the Beatles career, I must say this is one of the most perfect love songs I have ever heard. I love how its simple and complex all at the same time, creating this rather magical piece of music.

#3. "Across the Universe" - As I've said before, I am a lyric snob. I have no idea what the lyrics in this song mean. I don't think John did either. And yet, I find it something of a masterpiece. Sometimes just stringing a bunch of beautiful words together, whether it all makes sense or not, is enough to make something very special.

#2. "In My Life" - Some people consider this the greatest song by The Beatles. Darn close. I do love how the melody and the lyrics fit each other so perfectly. Not all songs can do that. And I heard that John said it was really the first time he got very personal about his own life with his lyrics. Any time a writer can do that, they are already ahead.

#1. "Cry, Baby, Cry" - SURPRISE!! Yeah, I bet a lot of you did not see this one coming. In fact, I doubt that this is anyone's favorite Beatles song, besides me. But I cannot help it. I am a person who loves songs that I can see. By that, I mean that the lyrics here paint such a vivid picture, and it is a picture that has always reminded me of some kind of fantasy world in the vein of Alice in Wonderland. That kind of makes sense, actually, since it was apparently inspired by a nursery rhyme. Sounds like it. I don't know. I just hear something new every time I hear this song. And that is something I love and always want in the music to which I listen.

And there you have it. It has been a long trip, but now you know the FIFTY Beatles songs that I consider their best, my personal favorites. I hope you enjoyed all these lists and if you haven't gone through your Beatles collection in a while, I hope I inspired you to go back and listen to some of this amazing music.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Top 50 Beatles Songs: 20 -11

Greetings,

Oh, look at that! We are getting closer and closer to revealing the Number One spot and the best Beatles song of all time, according to me! But not today, so you're gonna have to be little more patient. Off we go!

#20. "I Am the Walrus" - So...I'm weird. It's a thing I have, my weirdness. And I have accepted it fully. It is songs like this that helped me do that, because it is WEIRD! But it's also cool. So, I figured if it can be weird and cool, then so can I. Throw in a bit of creepiness at the end there, and you've got yourself a bizarro classic.

#19. "Here, There and Everywhere" - And now for the other end of the spectrum. This a pretty normal song, but it's also quite beautiful. Sometimes all you need is a simple love song to get the point across. And Paul does quite a fine job with the vocals here, very different from his work on "Oh, Darlin'" that I mentioned, but still effective. Well, done.

#18. "This Boy" - The first time I heard this song was, once again, on that show Just the Ten of Us, where the four daughters were singing it. And they were singing it as "This Girl". And all I can remember was my mom saying that they were singing it wrong. Technically, she was correct, but if you get a chance to sing this song, even altered, take it!

#17. "Misery" - For me, this was the high point of the first album by The Beatles, and I heard they actually wrote it for a young singer, but her manager or something thought it was too much of a downer. No, not that kind of downer. Those came later. I cannot pinpoint any detailed reason as to why I love this song so much, but I do. Oh, wait. It's because "the world is treating me bad". #Misery

#16. "Tomorrow Never Knows" - So...I'm still weird. But this time, I'm also existential...apparently. Yeah, I assume that there is some deep meaning to the lyrics here, but heck if I know what it is. I just know that it sounds different. And different can be very good.

#15. "Rain" - I love rain! It is my favorite kind of weather. And wasn't it so nice of the guys to write this song about it for me...many years before I was born, but still. Actually, I heard they wrote it after visiting Australia and running into some inclement weather there. And John also called it their first great psychedelic song. Sure, why not?

#14. "Yes, It Is" - For some reason, I always think this is one of the more lesser known Beatles songs. It shouldn't be, but it might be. Fun Fact, which is totally true, because Wikipedia: This song was John's attempt to rewrite the aforementioned "This Boy". Well, that didn't work out. Or did it?

#13. "All My Loving" - Another "letter" song. What do you know? Hey, I'm not complaining. I love handwritten letters! This better be about a handwritten letter. But even if it isn't, I can be forgiving. Because listen to that guitar work. Excellent!

#12. "The Long and Winding Road" - Okay, apparently, there is some controversy around the recording of this song. Something about overdubs and Phil Spector and Paul getting mad about something. Hang on a minute. Phil Spector got mad about something? Phil Spector maybe lost his cool? Phil Spector? Of all people? Surely, you jest. But let's put all that aside, because who cares? Whatever happened, we got this amazing song out of it.

#11. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" - So, this song is about an affair. Totes not cool, man. However, I cannot help but love this song from a purely musical standpoint. It's got a great rhythm, and the use of that sitar is done quite perfectly. Not too much, not too little, just right. And it helped to make it stand out on what is one of the best albums The Beatles ever made.

Well, thank you for joining me for the penultimate list. Soon, I will reveal my top picks for the best Beatles songs ever in the history of life. Not that I would ever want to build it up too much.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Top 50 Beatles Songs: 30 - 21

Greetings,

Welcome back! Time for the third installment in out Top 50 Beatles countdown. You know the drill. Let's just get started.


#30. "And I Love Her" - And this is when we all began disobeying the rule about conjunctions at the start of a sentence. And I just did it...twice. For real, though, is there a better way to lead us into this world of grammar misbehaving than with a beautiful love song? No. The answer is no. Also, LOVE that acoustic guitar riff thing.

#29. "Oh, Darling" - Some of us may enjoying gettin' down with this song by way of our own personal karaoke machine. Not me. But some people. I'm sure of it. Anyway, I consider this one of Paul's best vocal performances, because he really went for it, and I'm like 90% sure he had a soar throat after that recording session. Or possibly before.

#28. "Penny Lane" - No, I'm not talking about the character in Almost Famous. Ha! Moving on. It is written about an actual road, though, one near where John lived when he was a little boy. See, inspiration is everywhere. Good thing he didn't live near, I don't know, a Fourth Street or something, because that would not be a very good title. No offense to people who live on a Fourth Street.

#27. "I Will" - This was one of those songs that they wrote over in India. It's just a nice, simple love song. Or maybe not, because I heard it took 67 takes to record. That seems like a bit much. Although, I always felt like Paul may have been a perfectionist. No judgment. It's just an observation.

#26. "Nowhere Man" - I so enjoy when a writer can lay their emotions out for the whole world to see. Whether it's about love or love gone wrong or trying to figure out where you're meant to go in life, which is what this about, it's so nice. It takes a gift...and some courage.

#25. "Real Love" - Here's something I bet you didn't think you'd see. A Beatles song from the 90's! Well...ish. This was a song that John was working on around '79 and '80, but it was revived for The Beatles Anthology in 1995. Paul, George and Ringo got together to make it happen, giving us the closest thing we ever got to a reunion, along with another song, which we may or may not get to later.

#24. "I've Just Seen a Face" - I dare you to listen to this song without bouncing back and forth and keeping with that awesome rhythm. You won't be able to do it. It's just too jovial. Seriously, I still can't believe that this was on the Help! album, but not in the movie. It would have been good for a chase scene or something.

#23. "From Me To You" - Not as good as From Justin To Kelly, but what are you gonna do? Wow, my jokes are on fire today or something. Anyway...this is some early music from the guys, and they got the idea/title from the letters section from something called New Musical Express. It was called "From You To Us". See what they did there?

#22. "Fool on the Hill" - This is was definitely one of the more calm and...let's say, normal moments from the Magical Mystery Tour album. But that makes it very necessary. Sometimes, you need a quiet moment within all the craziness. It served its purpose well.

#21. "No Reply" - She's cheating on you! I'm telling you right now, person in this song. She's cheating on you. Once again, this was a time before call waiting and voice mail, so getting in touch with someone wasn't as easy back then. So, perhaps, I can give this young lady in the song the benefit of the doubt, but..yeah, no. She's cheating.

And there is yet another group of fantastic songs that I love. More on the way! Stay tuned.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Farewell and Many Thanks, Mr. Leonard Cohen

Greetings,

As you all know, I had may plans for this blog in November, ones that I still promise to carry out. I even had something fun planned to share for this weekend. Sadly, though, I have to forego that one in particular, due to some very heartbreaking news that we got. The incomparable Leonard Cohen has passed away at the age of 82.

I have mentioned before how much I admire this man as an artist. He is what I strive to be as a writer, what many of us strive to be as writers, someone who can effect people deeply through words, someone who can create unimaginable beauty by stringing the right letters together, someone who can make music from the silence. Strangely enough, while I can honor and thank this man who inspired me as a writer, I am finding it difficult to come up with the right words in this moment. Some grief is beyond what can be spoken, but the same can be said for gratitude. So, I'm just going to leave you with something that I wrote years ago about Leonard Cohen, something that expresses how I felt and still feel about what he gave the world.

Thank you, dear sir, for your legacy. You will be missed forever.


SPEAK LIKE A SONG
They are strung together like priceless pearls
That make us gaze and sigh,
Wanting to possess them all,
Trying to reach that high.
You release them like a melody,
Though it doesn't always exist.
You shape them well and hit the target
While all the others have missed.
I could listen to you talk for days,
And, with each turn, I find something new.
And all the posers with their futile attempts,
None could ever share like you.
There is a truth that lies within your air
That makes us able to trust.
When the rest pour out hollow phrases,
You speak like a song to us.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Top 50 Beatles Songs: 40- 31

Greetings,

Welcome back to my Top 50 Beatles countdown. Now let's continue on with Numbers 40 to 31. I can barely contain my excitement. I'm sure you feel the same. Onward!


#40. "Octopus's Garden" - There you go, Ringo. I gave you a spot. To be fair, I do find this song enjoyable. It sounds like a children's book. It should be a children's book. Is it already a children's book? I don't know.

#39. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - I still say that this song sounds better sung by the cast of Life Goes On. What? They had Patti LuPone! I don't know what this title means. I don't know who these people are in the lyrics. But that is a seriously catchy melody they got there. And I'm sure that Desmond and Molly are somebody's OTP.

#38. "I'll Follow the Sun" - Now, if I knew that it was going to rain tomorrow, I would not follow the sun. I would stay put, as I am a person who loves rain. And funny enough, I find this to be a great song to listen to on a rainy day. Go figure. I must really be into the whole contrast thing.

#37. "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You" - Would you judge me if I said the first time I heard this song was on a show called Just the Ten of Us whilst it was being sung by the four girls playing the teenage daughters? I hope not. Because it's not my fault that I saw that show before I saw A Hard Day's Night. But wasn't that nice of John and Paul to give George one of their songs to sing?

#36. "I Need You" - And, speaking of George, here's another one of his songs. I could use the excuse that every song sounds better when it's being played in a field with tanks surrounding you, but it actually sounds good on the album, not just in that one scene in Help!

#35. "A Day In the Life" - As a writer, I get inspired by so many things in the world. Music and movies and people and places...and occasionally a newspaper. Nice to see that I'm not the only one. But, as much as I love this song, I'm still not sure about that little insert of a Paul song near the end. You know what I'm talking about. For real, what was up with that? Found my way upstairs and had a smoke, indeed.

#34. "I Should Have Known Better" - I love trains and I love harmonicas. Well, I saw The Beatles sing this on a train and there was, in fact, a harmonica in there somewhere. And they shout "Hey, hey, hey!" THAT...is awesome.

#33. "Strawberry Fields Forever" - I remember seeing a clip from American Bandstand where they showed a promotional video for this song to the youngsters. It was right after they had been out of sight for a while, and were coming back a changed band. Not all the kids liked it; some did. I would have been in the latter group. And thank God for this song, because if it didn't exist, people would have to come up with some other name to call their strawberry flavored and/or scented whatnots. Serious eye roll.

#32. "I'm Only Sleeping" - Apparently, sleeping is the best thing ever. It might even be better than the drugs. Or at least, that's what some people's interpretation of these lyrics are. What I do know is that John wrote them on the back of a letter? See, if emails were a thing back then, he couldn't have written it. Thus, actual paper letters are better than email. Boom.

#31. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - What's this? A THIRD song sung by George in this installment? Well, then. But let's be honest, this is only good because of the Eric Clapton on it. Okay, that's not the ONLY reason, but it's a big reason. Although, as a lyric snob, I must admit, it's got some darn good words there. Credit where it's due.

And that's my second set of favorites. The third is on its way. Remember. Patience is a virtue.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Top 50 Beatles Songs: 50-41

Greetings,

I have done a lot of top ten lists during my time on this blog. Some have been easy; some, not so much. This one might be the most difficult one of all. Or maybe second most difficult after my Top 100 Law & Order Episodes series. See, I have decided to not do a Top Ten list but rather a Top Fifty list. I am doing this, because we're talking about what is arguably the most influential band of all time, The Beatles. There are just way too many good songs from this band to narrow it down to just ten. Yes, I could have gone above ten on other artists, but, for now, this is the only time when I think going all the way up to fifty would be appropriate. And yet, it was still difficult to narrow it down. Go figure.

So, starting today and continuing throughout the month of November, I will be counting down my Top Fifty favorite Beatles songs. Why November? Well, it was actually this month, several years ago, in which I became a full fledged admirer of this group. Indeed, I remember it that specifically. And if your personal favorites aren't on this list, don't judge me. It's The Beatles! Almost everything is good, but not everything can make it. Anyway, let's kick things off with Numbers 50 to 41. Off we go.

#50. "Something" - I heard someone once say that this was the best love song ever. Obviously, I disagree, but it is a pretty good song. Now, I'm not a huge fan of George's music. Credit where it's due, though, when he was on, he was very on. And you can't not like a song that uses the word "woos".

#49. "P.S. I Love You" - Hey, they stole this title from that Gerard Butler movie. Okay, no, they didn't. The song came first, in case you didn't know. This is just a sweet little tune with a sweet little premise about letter writing. Which I love, by the way. Oh, and it might be about being in love a little.

#48. "Don't Let Me Down" - I know The Beatles were very much influenced by a lot of different genres. Seems they went a bit bluesy with this one. Maybe. Look, I'm not great with identifying genres that aren't super obvious. All I know is that this is great. Great enough to be played on a rooftop. What does that tell you?

#47. "All I've Got To Do" - This seems like such a simple song, but I happen to think it holds an important message. Something about mutual respect and feelings and being there for your significant other. How nice. It sucks when one person has to do all the work. Trust me. I know.

#46. "Good Day Sunshine" - I first heard this in a Sun Chips commercial. I hate you, Michael Jackson! What? He owned it; he sold it. He sucks. Moving on. Whatever commercialization has been thrust upon this tune, it's still some superb songwriting at work. And the fact that I like it, even though I love rainy days, says a lot.

#45. "You Won't See Me" - Communication is such an important thing in relationships. Imagine how much more that was true in the days before call waiting and voice mail, when communication was so much more difficult. Or so I've been told. This is a little something to remind us of that.

#44. "Every Little Thing" - Okay, this seems to be a song about a guy who really appreciates his girlfriend...because "every little thing" she does, she does for him. Really? EVERY little thing? I mean, doing things for the one you love is nice and all, but that might be a bit much.

#43. "Only a Northern Song" - I have no idea what this song is about (you might hear that a lot with this countdown), but it's the only one I included from the Yellow Submarine soundtrack. I must have thought it was the best. And it's another George song. Interesting.

#42. "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" - Okay, everyone who thinks this song is about LSD, you get on the left sidewalk. Everyone who thinks it was inspired by a picture that John's son drew, you get on the right sidewalk. And everyone who has no idea what I'm talking about can get off the street entirely and just go home.

#41. "Lovely Rita" - I must say, what I love most about this song is the unique rhythm and beat. It just makes me really happy. And that end part where they sing "Lovely Rita, meter maid"? Sweet! And it's about a career woman, so there you go.


And there you have the first installment of my Top 50 from The Beatles series. Stay tuned. The next one will be posted shortly. So, if you haven't seen your favorite yet, be patient. You never know.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Saving Talk Shows...One Harry Connick, Jr. At a Time

Greetings,

In my misguided youth, I fancied myself quite a connoisseur of the talk show. I may have been a tad infatuated with them. Yes, even the trashy ones. Perhaps, mostly the trashy ones, but let's not discuss that. Over the years, I've done my best to avoid the genre at all costs, though sometimes, it would reel me in again. Still, none of them ever made me put them on my daily "To Do" list. And then came along a magic man by the name of Harry Connick Jr., and everything changed.

As always, I must be completely honest. Ever since he first showed up, Harry Connick Jr. has just always kind of been there in my life, floating around in my peripheral vision, occasionally drifting over into my line of sight, and each time that happened, I would think, "Hey, I like that guy." And that's all it has ever been between us. I've always liked him, but I realized that I had never fully embraced him. Thankfully, I have decided to finally do that, and it has to do with, of all things, a talk show. Specifically, Harry's new talk show.

The first time I even heard of it was when I was scrolling down on the channel guide and I saw that there was a show called simply Harry. I wondered who is this Harry person. Is it that Harry Smith guy? Maybe Harry Hamlin? Perhaps, even a talk show hosted by Dirty Harry. (Side Note: Somebody needs to put that on the air yesterday!) Alas, no, it was none of those contenders, but rather Harry Connick Jr. And as I have done in the past, I saw him and said, "Hey, I like that guy!" So, I decided to watch. And then, I became very happy. Good times.

Yes, that's the thing about Harry's new talk show. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be "Joyful". I just can't not smile when it's on. There's something special these days about a celebrity who seems to only want to make people happy through entertaining them. And doing that on a talk show makes him even more of a rarity. I mean, he won't belittle you because of your politics, he won't mock you for what you believe in and he probably wouldn't pick a fight with Candace Cameron-Bure...unless it involved some kind of super fun game or something. My point is that his show is there to put smiles on the faces of the people watching, to take their minds off the negative things, if even for just an hour. And that is invaluable right now. What's even more precious is the way he appreciates people. He loves his fans and he honors those everyday folks who have done extraordinary things. It's enough to bring a tear to my eye. The good kind of tear.

As far as I'm concerned, there is but one thing that gives me pause about Harry's show, and that is this: my mother LOVES it! Now my mother and I agree on very, very little, so I became hesitant when she told me how much she likes it. However, I got over it, and now it is the most enjoyable part of our daily phone calls.

Oh, and Harry was one of the only famous people that I follow on the Twitter who acknowledged National Poetry Day. As a poet myself, he gets major, MAJOR points for that one!

Bottom line, there is so much..."UGH!" in the world right now. We need things to make our hearts smile. I know that much about the entertainment industry seems frivolous or worse, but every now and then, something or someone comes along to give us hope for it. I believe that Mr. Harry Connick Jr. and his show are exactly that. There's just something very special about a person who can bless your day with his jubilant presence, and even more, a person who thrives to do it. So, if you're having a crap day and you need something to make you laugh or feel warm and fuzzy inside, I suggest that you, first, say a prayer, because I always have to suggest that, and second, tune in to Harry. You won't be disappointed.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder, With Love - TV Movie Review

Greetings,

Not a lot of things make me giddy in my life, but having one of my favorite actresses returning to television is definitely one of them. And that is exactly what I got a couple of nights ago on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel when I watched Kellie Martin star in Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder, With Love.

I may have mentioned this, but the Mystery Woman series, which also starred Kellie Martin as Samantha Kinsey, is something I thoroughly enjoyed. I still do, actually, as they are repeated quite a bit. Well, they aired about ten years ago, and I've been eager to get her back on the screen. Thankfully, this new movie, which I assume will be a series of such, has given us all that gift. The character she plays is a former prosecutor who is now a therapist, and the story is based on the books of Nancy Grace, who also makes an appearance here. In fact, I'd say that Hailey Dean is pretty much a fictionalized version of Nancy Grace herself. Hey, I'm not judging. If you read any of manuscripts, you will see that I am an expert on self-insert lead characters. Moving on.

The plot of the story is that Hailey's friend has both of her parents die in what may or may not be accidents. Isn't that always the way it is? When it is also discovered that tons of money is missing from her family, the grieving daughter is looked upon as a suspect. Hailey goes on a mission to help prove her friend's innocence. If it even exists. Dun, dun, DUUUNNN! Yeah, that just happened.

Honestly, when it comes to the actual writing of the mystery, I'd say it's one of the best this channel has ever served up. And they serve up a lot. A LOT! I was even quite surprised by what happens in the end. No, I'm not going to spoil it for you, because I think you should watch it for yourself. Actually, it was so good, I might have to read some of these books that Nancy Grace wrote. I didn't even know they existed until I heard about this movie. So, we'll have to see if they're just as good.

If there's one thing I noticed more than anything, it's how much Kellie Martin has grown as an actor. She has, after all, been doing it since she was a kid on Life Goes On, and her performance here is some of her best and most sophisticated work to date. She has always played great characters, as far as I've seen anyway, and this is no different. Kellie seems to be on point the most with these intelligent and strong women that she chooses to play.

So, I know that this review is a tad short, but I've only watched the movie once. Plus, I didn't know I was going to review it at the time, so I didn't take notes, and it's not on IMDB yet, thus, I have little information about the actors in the cast. Perhaps, I will have to update this when that becomes available. But what's important is that I tell you to check this out. I guarantee that it will be repeated, so keep your eyes open for the next airing. Once again, Murder, With Love is much in the vein of the other mystery movies on Hallmark. They deal with some heavy occurrences, like murder for example, but they are written is such a way that you really can watch it with the whole family without having to be cringing through the whole thing. What more could we ask for.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Top Ten Worst Hit Songs of 1966

Greetings,

It is true that the mid-sixties were a profoundly great time in music. I think I proved that yesterday with my Best Songs of 1966 list. Sadly, in the midst of all the awesomeness...sorry, grooviness, there was also some seriously not good stuff on the charts. The strange thing is that a lot of the not so great songs were by people I, otherwise, like. And a few of them will be featured here. So, let's go down the bad road to the past and talk about what I consider the Worst Hit Songs of 1966. Prepare yourself.

#10. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" B.J. Thomas - Yeah, sorry, but I've never liked this song. Many will disagree with me, but I really do not like this song. It's so...just kinda there, ya know. And it's just a shame that someone with a good voice, which is what I think about B.J. Thomas, had to cover it this year.

#9. "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?" The Lovin' Spoonful - Again, I dig some songs from this band, but just not this one. It feels super weak to me. Although, it may not be their fault. I kind of got sick of this song after this one episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 played it over and over and over again. If you've seen that one, you'll know.

#8. "Secret Agent Man" Johnny Rivers - I've seen a lot of low budget movies where you can tell they couldn't get rights to a song they wanted to use, so they hire someone to write a soundalike. That's what this song sounds like to me. It's like a Poor Man's Bond theme. Turns out, this was the theme to a show called Danger Man, which sounds to me like a Bond knockoff...though it kinda came first. Yeah, timelines are weird, so...forget all that. I just don't like this song.

#7. "Li'l Red Riding Hood" Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs - And here we thought Johnny Depp in Into the Woods was the first one to make the Big Bad Wolf super creepy! No, he wasn't the first...but he was the most. No, this tune has always made me feel a little uncomfortable, and I love wolves. So, shame on whoever wrote this thing. My frilly feels should be more important than the success of that person's career. Am I right?

#6. "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" Nancy Sinatra - Oh, I'm gonna get in trouble for this one, I bet. Once again, I enjoy Nancy Sinatra's voice. I think she's very talented. But this comes on and, almost on command, my eyes roll. I mean, yelling at people on the TV is one thing, but talking to your shoes and telling them what to do? No.

#5. "Somewhere, My Love" The Ray Conniff Singers - 'Zzzz...Zzzz...No, Dr, Phil, stop judging me. I don't wanna get real!..Wh-what? What? I'm..I'm up. I'm awake.' Yeah, the point I'm trying to make here is that this song is sleep-inducingly boring. And apparently, it can make me have weird dreams. It comes from the movie Doctor Zhivago, which I've never seen all the way through. Perhaps, it is boring as well. So...match made it Heaven?

#4. "Elusive Butterfly" Bob Lind - "I chase the bright, elusive butterfly of love." Sigh. I give up. For real, I give up on this year in music. I just...WHAT! Look, as a poet, I can attest to the fact that some of us use words that go beyond conversational. We try to paint a picture. But we also need to learn to reel it in every now and then. I don't think anyone taught that to this writer. When it comes to writing about butterflies, you, sir, are no Mariah Carey.

#3. "Baby, Scratch My Back" Slim Harpo - This is literally a how-to guide on scratching someone's back. Why? I have no idea. Is is supposed to be a metaphor or something? I'll give it this though, it had some sweet guitar playing. If only that could have been wrapped around some better lyrics.

#2. "Ballad of the Green Berets" SSgt. Barry Sadler - I want to make this abundantly clear. I cannot express with mere words how much I respect and honor the men and women in uniform who protect us and our country. Having said that, this song is so not good. I know it meant something to people at the time, and maybe it still does, but message aside, it's just not a very well constructed song. Now I know it's supposed to be about a real person who died, and that's tragic. I guess maybe I feel this way because I think he deserved better.

#1. "Born a Woman" Sandy Posey - Okay, quick musical plot synopsis: Apparently, all of us women are inherently weak and victims and we were predisposed to be the world's doormat. But wait, ladies! There's hope! There's a light at the end of the tunnel! If we find ourselves a boyfriend, then we will finally have reason to live. Oh, deep joy! WHAT...the serious crap!?! Listen, if you have found yourself a good, loving, caring man, God bless you and I wish you much happiness. But having a man does not give a woman an identity. We can be strong and independent on our own, or we can be strong and independent within a relationship. Look, I have never seen the timeline of the Women's Movement, but I think this song may pinpoint one of the times that pushed it into overdrive.


So, there you have it. The Worst Of 1966, according to me. Now, I know that some of you may have your curiosity peaked by what I said about these songs, but if you are going to have a listen, don't say I didn't warn you.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Top Ten Best Hit Songs of 1966

Greetings,

Well, the year will soon be coming to a close, and, before I do my annual Best/Worst Songs of this year list, I figured I should do one about another random year. I haven't in a long time, so it just feels right. And this time, I put it to a vote. On social media and in the real world, I asked what year I should do, giving three choices, and 1966 is the year that won, obviously. It was tough to choose songs for this list, as this was a fantastic time in music, but I did it. And, holy crap, were there some terrible songs to choose from. But that's a conversation for another day. Now, we're going to talk about my favorites from the year 1966

#10. "Cryin' Time" Ray Charles - There's just nothing sadder than being with someone you love and knowing that it's only a matter of time before they leave. Thanks's a lot, Ray Charles. You made me cry. Then again, since this song is called "Cryin' Time"...Mission Accomplished!

#9. "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" Dusty Springfield - Did you know this song was originally written in Italian and in a very operatic fashion? So, naturally, who else could handle it but Ms. Dusty? That woman had so much soul to her voice, and I'm not sure she always gets the proper recognition she deserves. Well, this is me, just trying to do my part to help put that to an end.

#8. "Love is a Hurtin' Thing" Lou Rawls - Is there anything that Lou Rawls can sing that won't sound good? No. The answer is no. And he's so great on this song about how love can break your heart. Gee, that's depressing. But he's so awesome. Oh, and as I am writing this list in October, I should remind everyone to watch the Garfield Halloween special to hear more singing from Lou Rawls. A bit off topic, but necessary.

#7. "I Am a Rock" Simon and Garfunkel - I may have mentioned on this blog before that I am kind of a loner. Sometimes by choice; other times, not so much. But it's always nice to have a song that can describe pretty well how you feel. This is one of those songs.

#6. "Paperback Writer" The Beatles - What a shocker. I put a song by The Beatles on here. And it's the one about a writer. Again, shocking, coming from me. But I have always wondered, did people specifically aim to be paperback writers back in the day? I mean, I was always told that the hardcovers held more prestige. Or am I over-analyzing this. Oh, well. That aside, I do love the harmonies on this one. I love good harmonies in general. More on that later.

#5. "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" Jimmy Ruffin - That's a good question, sir. I may have also mentioned in this blog that I've dealt with one or two broken hearts. So, I can't really tell if this song is depressing or uplifting. I suppose it can be neither or both, depending on how you decide to handle said broken heart. Either way, it's sounds so nice.

#4. "Good Vibrations" The Beach Boys - Hey, remember a minute ago when I said I loved good harmonies? Well, here you go. As many people know, this song is one of the best representations of a troubled yet extremely creative time for Brian Wilson. It's still feels groundbreaking, even today, and that is the sign of a legendary song from a legendary artist.

#3. "California Dreamin'" The Mamas & The Papas - Again with the harmonies! Now I know that in the past few years, we've heard some very bad stories about one of the members of this group...which was just added on to the rest, but I'm here to talk about the music, so...Hey, did you know that Mama Michelle Phillips got half of the publishing rights just for writing down this song? Not writing it; writing it down. Fun fact? Okay, talking about this group can make us all a little uncomfortable now, but it's still a great song.

#2. "Reach Out I'll Be There" The Four Tops - There are few groups that can put a smile on my face every single time I listen to them. The Four Tops are certainly one of those groups, and this is one of my favorite songs of theirs. It might even be my most favorite. Well, there's another list I can work on. Point is, they were amazing performers and it all shines through in songs like this.

#1. "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" The Righteous Brothers - You know, a while back, when I did my Worst of 1961 list, I had to include a song by Barry Mann on it. What? I have to be honest. But I am happy to say that he redeemed himself with this song. I love the way The Righteous Brothers sound and, with a fantastic song like this, everything falls perfectly into place. Thus, making it my favorite of the year.

And there are my Top Ten Best Songs from 1966. I know many were predictable, but tune in tomorrow. It's the not so great songs that people have forgotten. And, frankly, I can't blame them.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Arsenic and Old Lace - Movie Review

Greetings,

Okay, this week I've been dealing with films with some heavy subject matters. Let's lighten things up a bit by talking about a movie that has - murder! Calm down, it's funny murder. Specifically, it's Arsenic and Old Lace, one of my favorite films of all time and the catalyst for my lifelong crush on Cary Grant. Yes, I can be shallow, too. But let's move on, shall we?

Arsenic and Old Lace is a 1944 film by director Frank Capra and starring the aforementioned Cary Grant. As you may have predicted from my "funny murder" comment, this is a dark comedy. A good one, by the way, which are hard to find. Grant plays Mortimer (really?) Brewster, a writer who specializes in books about how marriage is totes not cool...and old-fashioned. So, naturally, the first time we see him, he is preparing to get married to the woman he loves, Elaine Harper, played by Priscilla Lane, who is just so sweet in this, by the way. Actually, these two, together, are incredibly adorable. Hopefully, their first few days of marriage will be filled with nothing but utter happiness. Yeah.

Meanwhile, we meet Mortimer's two aunts, Abby and Martha, played by Josephine Hull and Jean Adair, respectively. They are nice and generous and much beloved in their community, which happens to be Brooklyn. So enjoyable, before the hipsters took over. Fun fact: Aunt Abby and Aunt Martha were the Two Broke Girls of their day. Anyway, they are known for being extremely kind especially to lonely people who need it the most. They even take care of their other nephew, Teddy, played by John Alexander, who believes that he is Theodore Roosevelt (There are worse presidents to want to be), but they are planning on having him committed to a place where he can be taken care of after these little old ladies have passed on, the Happydale Sanitarium. Please do not try to fool me with that sunshiny name. I mean, I'm sure it's no Arkham, but still.

However, when Mortimer returns home, he discovers that the acts of kindness that his aunts perform are a bit more...um...particular(?) than he thought, which leads him to being ever so slightly conflicted. But as if that's not enough for him to deal with, his long lost brother, Jonathan shows up, accompanied by a man named Dr. Einstein. No, the other one. They are played by Raymond Massey and Peter Lorre, and there is a chance that they are not on the up and up. Like, a pretty good chance. To be honest, they are a little strange...creepy...scary. It depends on what you're into. And when they show up things go from hijinks to shenanigans to...whatever comes after shenanigans. Capers? Antics? Loki-osity? Ugh, no! Not that last one. I hate Marvel! Anyway... Let's just hope that someone in this family gets a happy ending. Or at least, an amusing one.

Look, if nothing else, this movie will make you either really want a house with a window seat or really NOT want a house with a window seat. Again, depends on what you're into.

So, I don't know when the idea of a "dark comedy" was first introduced in film, but I can't think of any, in my opinion, that do it better than Arsenic and Old Lace. I mean, it's easy to throw that label on a movie and then throw in some jokes and maybe a mildly disturbing thing or two and call it a day. But this one marries all of that together beautifully. The laughs you get are genuine and the darker moments are extremely effective. Even I get some chills with the "operating" scene. Don't ask; just watch.

Alright, I guess it's time to praise some actors. I don't say this often, and I use no hyperbole today, but this might be the most perfectly cast movies I've ever seen. No lie, they got the absolute best actors for every single part. But, as a Cary Grant fan girl, I will have to pat him on the back the most. Here's how good he was. This was actually the first thing I ever saw him in, and I was convinced that slapstick was his specialty. It's not, really, but he was so good at it that I was sure he was an expert. That says a lot.

In closing, I highly, highly recommend Arsenic and Old Lace. It's one of my favorites, and it is excellently made. This is what cinema should be. So, grab yourself a glass of elderberry wine...preferably some you've made yourself (You'll get that joke if you've seen the movie) and just sit back and enjoy one of the most entertaining films of all time.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

A Trip to the Moon - Movie Review

Greetings,

Today, we're going to focus on the idea of quality over quantity. And yes, that is my way to try and justify reviewing a movie that is less than twenty minutes long. For real. Oh, what? I'm talking about classics this week, and what could be more classic than going back to basics? Going all the way back to 1902 for a look at a silent film that just so happens to be very groundbreaking and influential, A Trip To the Moon. Or as all the 90's kids call it, The Movie That The Smashing Pumpkins Thought Was Cool Enough To Base One Of Their Videos On. Mm-hmm. Also, I will probably just give a rundown of the whole, tiny plot, such as it is, because, let's be honest, this movie is completely about the visuals. So, if you'd like to watch without knowing, skip the next four paragraphs. You've been warned.

A Trip To The Moon, as I mentioned is a silent film from 1902. It was directed by George Melies and stars some French actors, including Melies himself, Bleuette Bernon, Francois Lallement, and Henri Delannoy. Interestingly enough, none of them were credited, and we only found out who they were after the fact.

The movie tells the tale of Professor Barbenfouillis, the president of the Astronomic Club, and his plan to take - you guessed it - a trip to the moon. Some are resistant to the idea, but eventually, it is accepted. They build a ship that looks like a bullet and literally shoot it into space, culminating with the moon getting shot in the eye. Because, in this world, the moon has a face. And that is one of the most plausible things that happens in this story. Of course, this image of the moon getting shot in the eye is probably the most iconic from this film. Go Google it and you'll find out.

Anyway, when the professor and his group land on the moon, they just kinda get out and start walking around, like they were in Times Square or something. Protective space suits are for wimps! Of course, the fact that this shows breathing in space as a thing, clearly, it inspired a few scenes in Superman IV: The Quest For Peace. Amazing! As the astronomers sleep, we see images of comets and planets and stars with people's faces in them, because why not? And then, we see snow and giant mushrooms, and of course, aliens! But what are aliens without a king and what's a king without a palace? And what is a good sci-fi movie without some explosions! Indeed.

After some fascinating mayhem, everyone returns to Earth in a totally realistic way, and they are met with a parade and celebration. Isn't that what every explorer wants? The end.

There are a few reasons why I, not only enjoy this film, but am fascinated by it. Obviously, seeing this early history of cinema is captivating, not to mention how much it has influenced other works. I also love the manner of storytelling. Unlike other silent films that would come later, this is told entirely with visuals. There's no cutting in so the audience can read a placard. You have to experience the story just by watching the images. Now, as a writer, I know the difficulty in trying to create pictures in someone's head by only using words, so I can empathize with those who had to create a narrative story in someone's head by only using pictures. But it is done so well here.

Now if you choose to watch this short movie, you will find quite a few ways to do so. For example, right now you can watch two versions on Netflix. One black and white; one in color. You can find pros and cons to both, like the music being changed in the color one, also its artificiality, and the B&W one having a bizarre voice over narration, which I think defeats the purpose. Either way, you will be able to find ways to watch the film if you want to. And you should want to.

A Trip To The Moon is a must see if you are someone who relishes in the visual art from of cinema. This is where it started and this is why we got to where we went. It's a mere fifteen or so minutes of celluloid that changed history. That is an astounding feat, one that should never be forgotten and always appreciated.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Now, Voyager - Movie Review

Greetings,

You know what we all love? A makeover story! And that is exactly what we're going to take about today...sort of. It's Now, Voyager. Okay, it's probably more a story about someone blossoming, rather than...makeover-ing, but still. Also, you may think that my choosing this film makes me a narcissist or something, since I am a poet and a novel writer, and this is based on a novel of the same name, where the title comes from a line in a poem by Walt Whitman. But no, I just really like this movie. So, let's talk about it.

Now, Voyager is a 1944 film directed by Irving Rapper and starring Bette Davis as Charlotte Vale, a woman living under the thumb of her domineering mother, played by Gladys Cooper. Charlotte is basically the textbook definition of a spinster, and her self-confidence is lacking, thanks to the way her mother treats her. But we soon learn why this behavior occurs. It's actually kind of sad. All of this leads to Charlotte needing to spend some time in a sanitarium, mostly at the request of her sister, Lisa, played by Ilka Chase, and a psychiatrist named Dr. Jaquith, played by Claude Rains.

The time away from her mother proves extremely and positively effective for Charlotte, changing her into a whole new woman, both inside and out. Rather than returning home to her mother after her time at the sanitarium, she decides to take a cruise. Sounds good to me. And she meets a man! Sounds even better to me! His name is Jerry Durrance and he is played by Paul Henreid. Let me stop for a moment and say something. I have a list of Classic Movie Actor Crushes. A lot of people do, I'm sure. And, after I first saw this film, Paul Henreid got a coveted spot on that list. I'm sure he would be thrilled. He's just so unique, and I mean that in a good way. Plus, I love the way he talks. Dreamy sigh, dreamy sigh...and let's move on.

Anyway, Jerry is traveling with his two friends Deb and Frank McIntyre, played by Lee Patrick and James Rennie, and unfortunately, he has some baggage. Baggage of the matrimonial persuasion...and offspring. Yeah, it's that kind of story. The good news is that his wife is awful and he wants to divorce her, but the bad news is that he loves his daughter and stays in the marriage for her benefit. You know, writing that sentence out made me feel very bad, because it sounds very not right. But, in regards to the plot, it makes a little bit of sense.

Of course, all of this throws things into upheaval for Charlotte, and she ends up going back home. After this, her path takes some turns that she doesn't exactly want, but they are ones she feels she has to take. Her relationships, both new and old, stir up some uncomfortable emotions, and she ends up in places she doesn't want to be. Thus, we must wait to see if this long-suffering woman will ever be truly happy.

No, I'm not gonna tell you the answer to that! I may spoil a couple of plot points, but never an ending! Certainly not the ending to this movie which has one of the greatest quotes of all time.

Now, I must say, I do love this cast. As per usual, Bette Davis is stunningly brilliant, and everyone supporting her is fantastic. Especially my boyfriend. Oh, there I go again. Although...Yeah, I'm gonna have to be a bit overly critical now. So, here's the thing about child actors. I believe they get hired 99% of the time because they just need a kid, usually a cute kid. But a child actor that is legit good at the craft are rare as all heck. Sadly, the child actor in this film is not super great, in my opinion. She was a tad annoying, but maybe that was the way they wrote the character. And maybe that's the problem. Either way, I did not find the character particularly enjoyable. Maybe no one did since, according to IMDB, she didn't even get a credit. That can't be right. Oh, well. Still, everything else is good, so...we're good. Moving on.

This is one of the most interesting stories which I think is about the human condition and wanting to find fulfillment in one's life. Not to mention what people will do to hold on to that fulfillment once they think they've found it. So much of it is heartbreaking and uplifting all at once. Basically, it's life, along with all of its complexities. Therein lies the sign of some great storytelling.

Wrapping things up, Now, Voyager is one of those classics that should be put on everyone's "To Watch" list. It's a perfect example of everything that should be applied in film making, from the most important to the least. It shows us how sharing stories about emotions are the best ones to be told.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Gaslight - Move Review

Greetings,

You know what's fun? Making people think that they're going crazy! Okay, it's not fun, and it's not nice. However, when done in cinematic form, it has the potential to be mesmerizing. Such is the case with what I will be discussing today, Gaslight. Now, cards on the table, the first time I ever heard of this movie was on an episode of Designing Women, wherein Suzanne Sugarbaker referred to it as "Gas Stove". Look, I just wanna always be honest with you, my beloved readers. Now let's get on with this.

Gaslight is a 1944 film directed by George Cukor and starring Ingrid Bergman as Paula, a woman who, as a child, witnessed a terrible crime committed against her aunt, a famous opera singer. As she gets older, she is sent to Italy to also train as an opera singer, trying to put her past behind her. Soon, she meets a man (don't they always!) named Gregory Anton played by Charles Boyer. They fall in love, get married and, at her new husband's request, they move into the London townhouse that her aunt left to her.

Though the move was meant to make her feel better, Paula begins to discover some unsettling things in her aunt's belongings, and her husband's demeanor toward her changes drastically. After a while, things begin to move and disappear, and sounds are heard from the attic, according to Paula. Oh, really? She heard something? You and Josh Gates, honey. Anyway, she also sees the gaslights dimming and brightening on their own. And, hence, our title. All the while, Gregory begins to keep her isolated from other people, for her own good, he tells her. Now, as someone who is so not a people person, this would kind of make Gregory my dream man. But, alas, Paula does not feel the same way. In fact, she begins to feel trapped in her own home and like she just might be losing her mind, and there are some people in her life who are more than happy to confirm that for her, whether it's true or not. All the while, we, the audience, are wondering who or what is tormenting this poor woman and what, if anything, can lead to her reprieve.

Oh, and there's also this obnoxious maid named Nancy, played by 18-year-old Angela Lansbury in her first role. I'm sure we will grow to love in later years. What's up, Jessica Fletcher?

Now, though I have told quite a few details about the plot, I haven't given too much away. However, I don't want to go any further, because I don't want to give away the ending. I mean, let's be honest, when it comes to films like this the endings are the best part. And in the case of Gaslight, it is one of the best of all time, in my humble opinion. It's also a movie that leads you on a journey with the characters, and the trip here is one worth taking.

What I love most about this film is the atmosphere, the mood that it sets. There are elements that one might find in a great scary movie, but it remains a psychological thriller and an intriguing mystery, through and through. I often wonder if it inspired another of my favorite movies from some time later, The Haunting. (No, not the remake! If anyone thought that, get out! Get out now and never come back!) Anyway...

But even with all these wonderful elements, I think we can all agree that what really makes this film sing is the performance of Ingrid Bergman. She was flat out brilliant, making us feel the weight every emotion that her character was experiencing. And it was a heavy weight, indeed, but in the hands of such a skilled actress, we were taken on this tumultuous ride with her. Ms. Bergman even won the Best Actress Academy Award for this...ya know, back when those things actually mattered.

So, if you're into films that are less horror and more, as I mentioned, psychological thrillers, I definitely suggest that you give Gaslight a watch. It's also great for mystery lovers, since it is one of those as well. And it's just a superb classic film for anyone who appreciates that.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Sunset Boulevard - Movie Review

Greetings,

Hey, remember yesterday when I talked about a movie wherein a young woman had dreams of gaining stardom? Well, today, we're going to talk about the flip side, with a film wherein a...not so young woman has dreams of regaining stardom. But will those dreams become nightmares? WOW! That even sounds pretentious coming from a genius writer like myself. Anyway, let's get to talking about Sunset Boulevard.

Sunset Boulevard is a 1950 film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, the aforementioned, desperate to get her fame back actress, and William Holden as Joe Gillis, a screenwriter who is not exactly having a successful career. Gee, I wonder which one I'll be relating to. When Joe happens upon a huge, seemingly abandoned house, he discovers that it is occupied by Norma. She shares a script she wrote with him, because the whole "actors want to be things other than actors" is nothing new apparently. Anyway, Joe reads it, and he is not crazy about. Oh, like he's one to judge. I don't see Louis B. Mayer knocking down his door. Still, she hires him to help fix it up and make it worthy of the comeback she wants so badly. Plus, Norma believes that she is not the only one who wants her to be back in the spotlight, providing fan letters as evidence of that. She believes that this young writer could play an important part in her return, even insisting that he move in to her house. Because that's normal. Though, as a writer, I wait patiently for the day when Ralph Fiennes will need someone like me to help usher in a comeback for him. Name it and claim it, I say.

Soon, Norma begins to spend a crap ton of money on Joe and giving him every moment of her attention. Look, I don't want to call him the "G" word, but it might be somewhat accurate. Point is, this is where things start getting a bit odd between them. Norma becomes more obsessed with Joe and with getting her stardom back, and Joe begins to build a life away from her. They are heading in opposite directions, though only one of them truly wants that. What we wait to see is who will get what they desire out of their life and career, if anyone.

Throughout this film, we see Norma going to great and even disturbing lengths to get something back that she lost. And yet, somehow, I wonder if she was so consumed with this quest that she never bothered to contemplate on how important it really was. Or was there any value in what she once had at all? I've always thought that was the moral of the story here. Wanting something so badly can often distort our vision of it, making it impossible for us to see that, perhaps, it's not as grand a thing as we believe it to be.

Now that I have finished waxing poetic, let's talk about these actors. It's interesting how, when people talk about two actors having chemistry in a film, they often refer to more pleasant stories about love and friendship. Though this story is obviously darker than those, I still feel as though Swanson and Holden had tremendous chemistry. It's one of the most memorable things, and, like with most movies, if that had not been there, it would not have worked as well. Lucky for us, everything fell into place. Including the rest of the cast. We had Erich von Stroheim as Max, Norma's longtime butler, Nancy Olson as Betty Schaefer, a script reader and the "other woman" of sorts for Joe, and finally, Jack Webb as Artie Green, another friend of Joe's who is also close to some other people in his life. Again, a good cast is one of the foundation blocks, and we're solid here.

And much like a good Muppet movie, this thing has a decent amount of celebrity cameos. None of them, though, more important than the director of my all-time favorite movie, Cecil B. DeMille. I mean, hello! He is, after all, mentioned in this film's most famous quote. I will not repeat it. If you don't already know it, you may leave now. Come back after you've done some research.

Now, I must make a comment about the writing of this film. It's really good. No surprise there. But, of course, I especially like the way it begins. I love a cinematic starting line that makes me look forward to the finish line. Few films do it better than this one, and it's just one more thing that it has in common with yesterday's film, All About Eve.

In closing, I am recommending Sunset Boulevard. If you're someone who is currently fascinated with the goings on of Hollywood types, perhaps, by way of a tabloid or two, let me give you some advice. Put down the rags for a minute and pick up a copy of this movie. Trust me, you'll get a better thrill and, certainly, a much deeper one.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

All About Eve - Movie Reveiw

Greetings,

If there's one thing we know about stardom and celebrity, it's that some people will do anything to have it. Even something as crazy as making an enemy out of Bette Davis. What! No, ma'am. That is not a wise thing to do, especially for something as pointless as a career in the entertainment industry. But, apparently, no one told that to Anne Baxter, because this is exactly what she did in the superb film, All About Eve. I may be giving some loose spoilers about the plot, but nothing too detailed.

All About Eve is a 1950 film by director Joseph Mankiewicz and based on the short story "The Wisdom of Eve" by Mary Orr, who did NOT get an onscreen credit. What's up with that? As a writer, I am personally offended by this, but let's move on. It stars, as I mentioned, Bette Davis, as Margo Channing, a Broadway star who is greatly respected but also not so young anymore. It happens. One evening, she meets Eve Harrington, played by Anne Baxter, who is a very big fan of Margo's. Almost...suspiciously big. Yes, she is also a wannabe starlet, but she keeps this under wraps as she strategically works her way into the lives of Margo and her friends.

And who are her friends? Well, we have Karen Richards, played by Celeste Holm. She's married to the writer of Margo's current play, Lloyd Richards. It is, in fact, Karen who sees poor, little Eve, who is constantly at the playhouse, and brings her in to meet everyone. I'm sure she won't regret that at all. Spoilers: she does. Among the others that we meet are Birdie, Margo's maid, played by Thelma Ritter, and Bill Sampson, played by Gary Merrill. Bill is Margo's boyfriend, who is - wait for it - EIGHT YEARS her junior! Oh, snap! I just heard a bunch of monocles pop out all over the world.

Anywho, they all meet Eve, who gives them a story about growing up poor and losing her husband in the war. Really? Yeah, that sounds super true. Well, okay, it's plausible, but knowing what I know about Eve, it's not so much. But they fall for it and embrace her. Soon, it becomes clear, firstly and mostly to Margo, that Eve is not there to help her but to replace her, both in her professional life and her personal life. Whilst Eve does have some success accomplishing the former, Margo's friends begin to realize that perhaps Eve is not what or who she claims to be, and she may be, to reference something Thelma Harper once said on Mama's Family, "not paddling with both oars in the water". For real, though, if you're gonna do the whole Eve thing, leave out the part where you try to steal someone's S.O. It makes what you're doing a bit obvious. The more you know and whatnot.

Still, the journey that the characters go on is a tumultuous one, indeed. Friendships and relationships are tested, so are some of the feelings that these people have about themselves. But this whole things has to have a bit of turbulence. Otherwise, the classic "bumpy night" line would be pointless. See, I'm always thinking.

Now I suppose we can call this film a cautionary tale about who you choose to let into your life, and that being a star may be fun, but it's not worth your soul. No, I'm being serious, Hollywood people. It's not. Sorry if you already made that mistake. Also, whatever you do to other people might just come back around to you. Not that I'm giving anything away about the ending. Or am I? Guess you'll have to watch the movie.

Okay, now I have to talk about something that some people may deem controversial. I guess. So, I've heard that there are people who have issues with this film, because, though it does have two female leads, which is something that many strive to have in cinema, it pits them against each other. Because that never happens in real life? Yeah, no. Look, if that's your complaint, it's clear that what you want are movies with 'Mary Sue's, not real, complex female characters with depth and complexity. If Margo and Eve were perfect, they would be boring. They're not. They are riveting. So, there.

In case it wasn't obvious, I am 100% recommending All About Eve. It is utterly brilliant and a must-see for anyone who loves great cinema. It's also a staple for those who are fascinated by the not-so-nice side of fame. It's a far more prominent side than many people are willing to admit. But at least, at some point in time, Hollywood was willing to show us its multitude of flaws. We need that back. A lot.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer

Top Ten Best Cover Songs

Greetings,

Well, Holy Smokes, it has been over three years since I did my Top Ten Worst Cover Songs list! That's quite a lot of time, especially since I meant to do a Best Of list shortly thereafter. Apologies. Clearly, I got distracted. It happens. But, thankfully, I am now ready to tell you what I consider the Top Ten BEST Cover Songs of all time. You'll agree; you'll disagree. Either way is fine. Just enjoy. Now let's get this thing going...finally!


#10. "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)?" New Kids On The Block (Originally by The Delfonics) - I know what you're thinking. 'Isn't the song called "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)"? Yes, it is, on the original, but I'm talking about the cover here. Okay, you may also be thinking what the heck I'm thinking putting this on the list. To be fair, that first New Kids on the Block album wasn't exactly groundbreaking. However, if any song on it showed their potential, certainly vocally, it was this one. And I like it. So there.

#9. "I Don't Want To Know" Goo Goo Dolls (Originally by Fleetwood Mac) - Back in 1998, a bunch of musicians got together to make a tribute album to Rumours. Some tracks were good; others, not so much. But this one was my favorite. They really transformed the whole song, while keeping the spirit of it intact. Clearly, that is not an easy thing to do, but it was pulled off here.

#8. "Chances Are" Vonda Shepard and Robert Downey, Jr. (Originally by Bob Seger and Martina McBride) - I'll let this one sink in for a minute. You good? Alright, then. A while back there was a little show on called Ally McBeal, which had a very prominent musical element, hence, the constant presence of Ms. Vonda Shepard. Well, in the fourth season, Robert Downey, Jr shows up and decided to do some singing. This duet was one of the performances. From one soundtrack to another, the original was from the movie Hope Floats, and it is also very good. But, again, we're discussing the covers. Now, run along and write a fan letter to Marvel, asking them for a musical Iron Man movie.

#7. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" Vanilla Fudge (Originally by The Supremes) - What's that? You've never heard of Vanilla Fudge? Well, tsk, tsk. Okay, they're not the most well-known band of the sixties, but they were really good. This rock version of a Motown hit certainly shows it off. I can admit that it might not be to everyone's taste, probably more than anything on this list, but give it a chance. You never know.

#6. "Tonight Will Be Fine" Teddy Thompson (Originally by Leonard Cohen) - About a decade ago, there was a great tribute concert to Mr. Leonard Cohen, which became a documentary calledLeonard Cohen: I'm Your Man, which I reviewed a while back. If you read it, you'll know that I called Teddy Thompson's version of "Tonight Will Be Fine" the highlight. That hasn't changed at all, so naturally, it made the list.

#5. "Crying In the Rain" A-ha (Originally by The Everly Brothers) - See, sometimes "One Hit Wonders" are more than that one hit. Here, we have the "Take On Me" guys taking on a classic sixties tune and doing a fantastic job. As The Everly Brothers were known for some stunning harmonies, it would be difficult to replicate them. But A-ha managed to pull off some impressive ones of their own.

#4. "Free Fallin'" Stevie Nicks (Originally by Tom Petty) - Awww! Because they're friends! Anyway, this Tom Petty song is held in some pretty high regard, so who better to tackle it than one of his equally superb colleagues? I don't think a lot of people know this cover version from Stevie, as it first appeared on the Party Of Five soundtrack and later, on her Enchanted box set. But, what with my being what some may call a "super fan", I know it well, and it is a stellar performance.

#3. "Hurt" Johnny Cash (Originally by Nine Inch Nails) - So, this is the only thing on the list where I do not like the original at all, song or artist. But credit where it's due, Trent Reznor wrote a song that was turned into greatness when a legend got his hands and voice on it. It became poignant and a classic in that case, and when it can be ranked so high within an amazing and lengthy career, that says a lot.

#2. "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" Bee Gees (Originally by Carole King) - Yes, yes. I know that this song first performed professionally by The Shirelles, but Carole King wrote it AND this cover version comes from an album that is all covers of songs off of Tapestry. So, there you go. It's no secret that I love the Bee Gees, and they were and are some of the most brilliant songwriters ever. So, to hear them on a song written by another brilliant writer was something special. Especially the part where Robin gets a solo. But what do you expect?

#1. "Hallelujah" Jeff Buckley (Originally by Leonard Cohen) - Well, this is odd. Not to spoil anything from my Worst Of list, but this might be the first time a Number One from that kind of list is the same as the Number One on this kind of list. At least, where the song is concerned. Okay, this is probably not a shock to anyone. I love this version of "Hallelujah". Now I could be vindictive and blame all the sub par covers that followed in the past two decades on the success of this one, but how can I? Jeff Buckley was pure magic, and even all the copycats cannot ruin his legacy.

And there you have it. Like I said, you may agree or disagree with my choices. However, in my opinion, these artist managed to take songs that poured from the hearts of others to make them their own. It's not as easy as it sounds, and if you doubt me on that, check out my Worst Of list. Or just listen to these songs again and let yourself have a good day.


Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer