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BatmanYAUEH

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  1. A month ago, I heard, on the car radio, California Gurls, the lead single, from Katy Perry, third studio album, Teenage Dream, and I like it. However, I could not figure out, why I like it, nor could I find out why her singing voice kept playing, in my head. Even though the song is pure bubble-gum pop, I still wanted, to listen, to the song, over and over again because her singing voice, for some reason, sang, to the sound of my soul. No other female Pop-Music singer, throughout my 26 years, on this earth, has ever sang a song that reached the sound of my soul, with the the only two exceptions, of Maria Carey and Madonna. Therefore, when I got home, I went, on YouTube, type in, California Gurls, and I watched, the music video, on Miss Perry, official channel. Although the music video is very provocative, I thought the video imagery was just redoing, Fergie’s Fergalicious video, with the major difference is that Perry’s video is more, of “Candyland” while Fergie’s video is more, of “Chocolate Factory.” Yet, the video did not made me, to dismiss, Miss Perry’s singing voice, and I still wanted, to hear her singing voice again, so I decided, to conduct, some online research, to find out why her singing voice caught my attention and that led me, to also find out why she sounds different, from other modern female pop-star singers since the start of the 21st century. Therefore, I started, my online research, by reading, her biography, on her Wikipedia article, and I read that her singing background is Gospel Music because her parents were pastors, who taught her, to sing Gospel Songs, from her childhood, to her late teens. In fact, throughout her childhood and her teens, she only listened, to Gospel Music because her pastor mother would not allow her, to listen, to what her mother called, “secular music.” Using her Wikipedia article references source section, I confirmed these biographic details, in a 2008 Blender Magazine interview, of hers. Reading all this information, I found the answer, of why her singing voice sparked my interest is because her singing background and her baseline, in her music is Gospel music. However, my answer led, to me, ask a larger question, how and why a gospel singer, raised by two pastor parents, who released a gospel rock album, under her legal name Katy Hudson, at the age, of seventeen, went on, to become one of the biggest pop music sensation, in just the last two years, with hit songs, like, “Ur So Gay,” and “I Kissed a Girl?” In answering this larger question, led me, to a Nostalgia Chick video, about blonde girls pop singers, which including a brief commentary, about Katy Perry, which, then, led me, to conduct research, on the modern pop/rock music history, especially, on Blond and Non-Blond Rock/Pop female singers, from Nancy Sinatra, to Madonna, to Britney Spear, and, finally, to Lady GaGa. Researching the answer, for this question, has led me, to ask, an even larger question, about our Geek Generation. Our Geek Generation are those, including myself, who were born, from 1983, to the mid 1988, who grew up, in the 90s, and came of age, into adulthood, in decade, after, 9/11 is how us Geeks has handle that transition, in our Geek Culture and perhaps how we have handle it, in our lives, as Geek Men and Geek Women, who are living, in the 21st century?
  2. In her May 7 video, Blonde Girls Then and Now, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Ke$ha, the Nostalgia Chick (hereafter will be refer as NC), gave a commentary, about the reemergence of Blond Female Bubble-Gum Pop-Stars, such as, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, etc, and comparing them, to the Blond Female Bubble Gum Pop-Stars of late 1990s, which were Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore, Jessica Simpson. She argues that the both eras of Blond Female Bubble-Gum Pop-Stars, from Britney to Lady Gaga, represents the triumph of image (For example, better PR Marketing and Wacky Outfits) over content (For example, actual music talent and signing ability). Additionally, she argues that this overbalance of image over content is a deciding factor, on why, a majority of music listeners, in general, tends, to dismiss and disregard pop music because it represents a cultural mind-set that they find objectionable because, in her view, the music of Blond Female Bubble-Gum Pop-Stars past and present, conveys a highly simplistic viewpoint, “on the priorities, of a teenage girl.” Therefore, the NC argument inspired me, to research, to determine, if her claim is true or not because I grew up listening, to the Motown Sound, R & B and Soul, which are, now, known, now, as, “Old School Music.” Old School Music was a vital part of the pop-music era, from the mid-sixties, to the mid-eighties. However, a paradigm shift happened, in pop-music, during the mid-eighties that would be the real baseline or starting point, of the rise Blond Female Bubble-Gum Pop-Stars. The shift began, with the launched of MTV, in 1981, then, reached the point of no return when Madonna gained pop-music/culture prominence, with the release, of her second album, Like a Virgin, in 1984. MTV and Madonna changed not only Pop-Music forever, but they also changed how female Pop-Music singers were promoted and marketed, to the now, MTV Generation. The MTV Generation era of Pop Music altered the model of promoting and marketing Female Pop-Music Singers, from no longer prioritizing content, which was the model, from the 1966 until 1984, which was the Baby Boomer Generation era of Pop-Music. The Baby Boomer Generation era of Pop-Music showed, more content than image, of Female Blond Pop-Music Stars (and Non-Blond Female Pop-Music Stars) because there was no 24-hour network dedicated, to playing, live or recorded music performances, on television. However, this generation produced the first Blond Female Pop-Music Star, who became known, as the Icon of Cool, Nancy Sinatra, who sang the classic hit, These Boots Are Made for Walkin,” which was released, in 1966. In fact, Madonna has stated that Sinatra, as a singer, and her signature song made such a strong impression, on her, that she said ‘”it (the song) summed up her own ‘take-charge attitude,’ [of her Pop-Music career].” However, Nancy Sinatra was not a skill dancer, nor were the other Blond and Non-Blond Female Pop-Music Singers, of that generation, such as, Cher, Michelle Phillips, Cass Elliot, Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, Debbie Harry (Blondie), were not skill dancers because, in that era, in which, most music performances, were performed, on variety or recorded live music shows, for example, American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show, meant that the priorities were, on pure singing ability, or talent, than, image. However, this model of promotion and marketing changed because pure singing talent was not enough anymore, with the arrival and later the dominance of MTV, as the primary source of distributing music, to teenagers, who saw a Pop-Music video first, more often, than, listening, to the Pop-Music, on the radio. Now, of course, the MTV dominance did not necessary mean the complete abandonment, of the Baby Boomer Generation era model of Pop-Music, until the release of Madonna’s Like a Virgin album. In the words, of author J. Randy Taraborrelli, who wrote a biography, about Madonna, wrote that “Every important artist has at least one album in his or her career whose critical and commercial success becomes the artist’s magic moment; for Madonna, Like a Virgin was just such a defining moment.” However, Like a Virgin had many defining moments when it was release, in 1984, and the most defining moment of all is when Madonna performed the song, at the first MTV Music Awards (VMAs), at Radio Music City Hall, in New York City, during that same year. Madonna gave what is her career defining performance that transformed her, from mere Pop-Star to Pop Icon, literally, in a sense, over night. she wore a combination of a bustier/wedding gown; including, wearing, her trademark “Boy Toy” belt, and she danced very provocatively, on the stage, showing her lacy stockings and garter. From, my perspective, her performance marked the true end, of the Baby Boomer Generation era of Pop-Music, and the true beginning of the MTV Generation era of Pop-Music, which, in some way still continues, to this present day even though MTV is no longer a music video cable channel anymore, yet the network still set the tone, of Pop-Music, but it no longer has the dominance that it had, in the eighties and the nineties.* Nevertheless, September 14, 1984, the day after, Madonna’s performance the entire Pop-Music and Pop-Culture World would never be the same again. Madonna ushered in a new era of Pop Music, with Blond Female Pop-Stars taking prominence, over the this era, and many of them, during the next quarter century would try through various degrees of success , to match Madonna transformation, with only one who did manage, to achieve it not only once but twice, at the VMA s, but a few days, after that second performance both the Pop-Culture World and the Real World would never be the same again. Five years later, Madonna managed to strike lighting twice, with the release, of her fourth album, Like a Prayer. In many ways, the album completely outdid, Like a Virgin, in terms of its success and its backlash, from conservative critics and the Pepsi-Cola Corporation. Time Magazine declared that the album was one of 100 greatest albums, of all time. However, the most defining moment, of the album, upon its initial release was the backlash, from conservative critics, towards Madodona’s Like a Prayer music video that made Pepsi-Cola, one of the world’s two major soda corporations, to drop a Pepsi commercial that featured both Madonna and the song because of the video’s religious imagery. For me, the only true criticism that I have, about the video is the cross burning sequence because I will always equate that image, with the Ku Klux Klan, but the rest of the video religious imagery is an expression of free speech, which is protected, by the First Amendment of Constitution of the United States. When Madonna accepted the Viewer’s Choice Video, for Like a Prayer, at the 1989 VMAs, in Los Angeles, she, in her acceptance speech, summed up her view, about the entire controversy, by thanking the Pepsi-Cola corporation for “causing so much controversy,” in the first place. With that statement, Madonna demonstrated the dominating influence, of both herself and MTV that would reach their zenith, in coming decade, of the 1990s. Yet, two months later, an event happened, to me, which, in-retrospect, had a profound impact, on me, becoming a geek. On November 22, 1989, Back to the Future: Part II, was release, in theaters, and became third high-gross movie of the year behind only Indiana Jones and The Last Crusadeand Batman. Two or three days later, I saw the movie, along with my brothers, at our local theater. Even at that young age, the movie captured my imagination, and Christopher Lloyd’s performance, as Doc Emmett Brown, just absolutely amazed me and sowed the seeds of my geekness. The film has some of the best geek lines, from my point of view, of all time. I will only quote two passages, in this Blog post. First one is when Doc Brown explains, to Marty, about why he invented the time machine. He said, “Marty! I didn’t invent the time machine for financial gain. The intent here is to gain a clear perception of humanity. Where we’ve been, where we’re going. The pitfalls and the possibilities. The perils and the promise. Perhaps even an answer to that universal question, why?” For me, this passage means the drive, to ask questions, about anything, within the human experience and, within human history and, to attempt, to answer those types of questions, to gain knowledge, about us, as human beings, and how we live, our lives, in the world. Second passage is from, after, Doc and Marty rescued Jennifer, from Future Marty’s house, and they prepared, to go back, from the future. Doc said, “time-traveling is just too dangerous. Better that I devote myself to study the other great mystery of the universe: women!” I assert that the majority of us, as geeks, or at least, geek guys, do our best, to study this great mystery of the universe, with passionate intensity, and, with deep thought, in our lives. Therefore, I ask a question, to all geek guys and all geek girls, everywhere and anywhere, this question. What event, whatever it may be, a movie, a TV show, a book, a comic book, or video game that either sows the seeds of your geekness or made you realize that you are a geek? *I will write, about the decline of MTV dominance, in later, Blog posts, of this series.
  3. Since I started the Fireworks and Teenage Dreams Blog Series, my research have led me, to examine my own personal history, as Geek kid, and, as a Geek Teenager, and all of this work has made me think of what I would called “Geek Love Songs.” Now, What are “Geek Love Songs?” They are love songs that both geeks guys and geek girls would listening, to and, to express our feelings, about someone we liked or had a crush on, but being geeks, most of us were either too shy, to tell the person, about our affections, for them, or the person was already, in a relationship, but, with these songs, we could hope, we could believe that someway and somehow, we could gather our courage, to tell that person how we felt for that person when the moment or was right. Therefore, I have complied 18 “Geek Love Songs” that spanned my entire life and I hope, in part, these songs also spanned our Geek Generation. The title, itself, is somewhat a geekish title because the word ode, is borrowed, from the Ode to Joy, “by German poet, playwright and historian Friedrich Schiller,” which gained massive popularity, when it was used, as somewhat, of a them song, in the first Die Hard movie. The ”Special and Exciting” part comes, from the title and the opening lyric, from the R & B group Ray Goodman & Brown song, Special Lady. So, in combining the words of Marvin Berry (Harry Waters Jr.), from Back to The Future, and Paul McCartney, from, one of his Back in the USA concerts, “This is for all your geek girls and geek guys lovers out there and tonight this for all those who ever loved a geek girl or a geek guy and, you know, who you are.” So true … Funny how it seems … Always in time, but never in line for dreams. Head over heels, when toe to toe, This is the sound of my soul. I bought a ticket to the world, But now I’ve come back again. Why do I find it hard to write the next line? When I want the truth to be said. With a thrill in my head and a pill on my tongue, Dissolve the nerves that have just begun. Listening to Marvin all night long. This is the sound of my soul. You must understand, That the touch of your hand, Makes my pulse react, That it’s only the thrill, Of boy meeting girl, Opposites attract. In my life there’s been heartache and pain, I don’t know if I can face it again, Can’t stop now, I’ve traveled so far, To change this lonely life, I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me. I’m gonna take a little time, A little time to look around me, I’ve got nowhere left to hide, It looks like love has finally found me. See the stone set in your eyes, See the thorn twist in your side, I wait for you, Sleight of hand and twist of fate, On a bed of nails she makes me wait, And I wait without you, With or without you, I can’t live with or without you. Just Kiss Me Baby, And Tell Me Twice, That You’re The One For Me, The Way You Make Me Feel. Don’t go for second best baby, Put your love to the test, You know, you know, you’ve got to, Make him express how he feels, And maybe then you’ll know your love is real. So if you want it right now, make him show you how, Express what he’s got, oh baby ready or not. Look into my eyes – you will see, What you mean to me, Search your heart – search your soul, And when you find me there you’ll search no more, Everything I do – I do it for you. [it's a] Tale as old as time, [its as] True as it can be, [its a] Song as old as rhyme. I hope life treats you kind, And I hope, you have all you’ve dreamed of, And I wish you joy, and happiness, But above all this, I wish you love, I will always love you. I can show you the world, Shining, shimmering, splendid, Tell me, princess, now when did, You last let your heart decide? I can open your eyes, Take you wonder by wonder, Over, sideways and under, On a magic carpet ride, A whole new world, A new fantastic point of view, No one to tell us no, Or where to go, Or say we’re only dreaming, A whole new world. Don’t you dare close your eyes, Hold your breath – it gets better, Every turn a surprise, With new horizons to pursue, Let me share this whole new world with you. I see the questions in your eyes, I know what’s weighing on your mind, You can be sure I know my part, Cause I stand beside you through the years, You’ll only cry those happy tears, And though I make mistakes, I’ll never break your heart. I’ll give you every thing I can, I’ll build your dreams with these two hands, We’ll hang some memories on the wall, And when (and when) just the two of us are there, You won’t have to ask if I still care, Cause as the time turns the page, My love won’t age at all. Close your eyes, make a wish, And blow out the candlelight, For tonight is just your night, We’re gonna celebrate, all thru the night, Pour the wine, light the fire, Girl your wish is my command, I submit to your demands, I’ll do anything, girl you need only ask. Girl relax, let’s go slow, I ain’t got nowhere to go, I’m just gonna concentrate on you. They read you Cinderella, You hoped it would come true, And one day a prince charming would come rescue you, You like romantic movies, And you never will forget, The way it felt when [spider-Man kissed Mary-Jane, for the first time], And all this time that you’ve been waiting, You don’t have to wait no more, I can love you like that. If you want tenderness, I’ve got tenderness, And I see through to the heart of you, If you want a man, Who will understand, You don’t have to look very far. We were as one, babe, For a moment in time, And it seemed everlasting, That you would always be mine, Now you wanna be free, So I’ll let you fly, ‘Cause I know in my heart, babe, Time can’t erase a feeling this strong (no no no no), No way, you’re never gonna shake me (oh), Ooh, darling, ’cause you’ll always be my baby. Oh, when you walk by every night, Talking sweet and looking fine, Darling, if you only knew. When I close my eyes, You come and you take me, So deep in my daydreams, But it’s just a sweet, sweet fantasy, baby. I’m in heaven, With my boyfriend, My lovely boyfriend, There’s no beginning, And there is no end. I am thinking of you, In my sleepless solitude tonight, If it’s wrong to love you, Then my heart just won’t let me be right, ‘Cause I’ve drowned in you, And I won’t pull through, Without you by my side. I’d give my all to have, Just one more night with you. I am thinking of you, Without any make-up on, You think I’m funny, When I tell the punch line wrong, I know you get me, So I let my walls come down. No regrets, just love, You and I, We’ll be young forever. My heart stops, When you look at me, Now baby I believe, This is real, So take a chance, And don’t ever look back, My heart stops, When you look at me, Now baby I believe, This is real, So take a chance, And don’t ever look back, You make me, Feel like, I’m living a Teenage Dream. To all my geek readers, out there, here are some questions, about this Ode to Special and Exciting Geek Girls and Geek Guys. First, What are the song titles, for all eighteen “Geek Love Songs,” in this ode? Second, what is the release date, for each song. Finally, after finding, the finding both the song titles and release dates, does any of these songs bring up memories or past feelings, for some geek girl or geek guy, you knew, growing up, who you wanted, to say or, to experience, everything that ode said, to that person?
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