My Winter Song - Sara Barielles Cover

This song is quite beautiful to me. Sara Barielles has played Joe's Pub, where the live version of Our Hit Parade has been running. She in fact played the early show before our March Edition. Boy did she have a lot of equipment. This song stands up with just piano and vocal. It is really quite beautiful to me. Like The Knife's Heartbeats...

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: My Winter Song - Sara Barielles Cover

Imma Be - Black Eyed Peas Cover

This new Black Eyes Peas material is not doing it for me, at all. There are no songs here. So in protest, I merely sang/spoke the lyrics over a beat from the apple loops library. To be honest, the real song is not much different. Oh sure, I could have redone the vocals a few times to try and get them right, but with lyrics like

imma be imma be imma be be be

it didn't really seem like it was worth the trouble..


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Imma Be - Black Eyed Peas Cover

I Run To You - Lady Antebellum Cover

I am a sucker for male/female co-vocals. From X to Richard and Linda Thompson, I find it such an interesting dynamic. Lady Antebellum has that dynamic but in modern country. The song is only so so. But the lyrics are a bit odd. What are they running from? Seems like alcoholism or something...

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: I Run To You - Lady Antebellum Cover

LoveGame - Lady Gaga Cover

I've been with Lady Gaga up until now. Thought she was amazing on American Idol, think her style is fresh (though a little too Grace Jones to be a tribute) and Poker Face is a great single. This is not. Peaches-lite...

CLICK TO Download: LoveGame - Lady Gaga Cover

Her Diamonds - Rob Thomas Cover

Well, well, well. Rob Thomas comes back. And isn't a terrible song. Not great but serviceable. Not sure what he is referring to when he talks about her diamonds.


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Her Diamonds - Rob Thomas Cover

MEDLEY MONDAYS - No Boundaries/The Climb - Kris Allen/Miley Cyrus Cover

Why people had to go and re-write a Miley Cyrus song for American Idol I will have no idea..


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: MEDLEY MONDAYS - No Boundaries/The Climb - Kris Allen/Miley Cyrus Cover

F@#k MY Butt Y'all/ Snap My Bra - Phil Collins Cover by Neal Medlyn

FUCK MY BUTT YA'LL/SNAP MY BRA
This is a variation on an instrumental song by Phil Collins called "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning," which is actually the title of a British movie that pops up on Turner Classic Movies ever so often. I have not seen the movie so I'm not sure how they relate, but I felt that this little ditty fits very well with the titular hype-man admonitions I always like to yell to a booming beat. Et voila!

Incidentally, I hired myself out as a hype-man for boring arts when I lived in Austin. For a quarter I'd go to a poetry event or art opening or bad play and shout out loud "Fuck YES this goddamn play fucking RULES!! What the fuck is the MATTER with you guys? I see this actor do that line and i'm like BODANG!!!!"

I was only hired once.

NM

PS - This song is included on my album NEAL MEDLYN DRUNKENLY LISTENS TO PHIL COLLINS AND TELLS YOU ABOUT HIS FEELINGS, available at http://www.nealmedlyn.com


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD:F@#k my Butt Y'all/Snap My Bra - Phil Collins Cover by Neal Medlyn

If U Seek Amy - Britney Spears Cover by Carmine Covelli

Hello Our Hit Paraders. Here is my version of the controversial sensation that is sweeping the nation. Unexpected bonus: A photo of Amy Winehouse came up in my google image search! And here is a Wikipedia entry about this adorable song...

"If U Seek Amy" has caused controversy in some regions due to its use of a double entendre in the chorus, which can be interpreted as "all the boys and all the girls are begging to F-U-C-K me." Australian music site Undercover.com.au quoted parents as saying, "I was astonished and totally taken aback when I heard my 5 and 7 year old kids walking around the house singing 'F-U-C-K' ... When I asked them what it was, they told me it was Britney Spears. I was horrified." Rolling Stone defended Spears, arguing that parents should have been aware of the singer's musical themes. The private non-governmental self-appointed media watchdog group, the Parents Television Council, cautioned radio stations and cable music channels about broadcasting the music video for this song for the same reason.

Carmine

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: IF U Seek Amy Cover by Carmine Covelli

FLASHBACK FRIDAYS -Brandy - Looking Glass Cover by Neal Medlyn

This is a cover of "Brandy" by Looking Glass that I made for an episode of NEAL MEDLYN'S LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE, my internet TV show with Carmine Covelli. It was a weekly soap opera in which stuffed animals and live pets live in a magical room in my apartment and plot to sleep with and destroy each other. We made 16 episodes for Nerve.com.

Watch episodes of it here:
http://www.youtube.com/nmlomb
(the episode in question, episode 8, is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOu_HeUZe2I )

This was my mom's favorite song in the 70s, a fact that fascinates me for some reason. I think since she died, which was the worst thing that happened to me, I have fascinations about things that normally would just elicit shrugs. Now they've acquired some sort of smoky mystery.

Neal

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Brandy - Looking Glass Cover by Neal Medlyn

Kiss A Girl - Keith Urban Cover

Well, Keith Urban chimes in with his version of the kiss a girl song. No lesbian overtones here...In fact the are absolutely no overtones here...


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Kiss A Girl - Keith Urban Cover

Mad World - Adam Lambert Cover

I know this is a Tears For Fears song, but what with Adam losing Idol, and his cover being number 4 on the itunes top 100, it seemed okay to attribute it to him. He really is just doing the Gary Jules version but I like it..


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD : Mad World- Adam Lambert Cover

Don't Trust Me - 3OH!3 Cover

Never trust a ho. What a welcoming lyric. eek... Without knowing anything about these guys, I would figure they have a huge Beastie Boys collection. But really they want to be Kid Rock...Or maybe I'm missing something


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Don't Trust Me - 3OH!3 Cover

Our Hit Parade Live this Wednesday at Joe's Pub!!!!!

Hey Y'all! Just a shoutout that our live show is this Wednesday at 930 at Joe's Pub. This is a big one. The Broadway Cast of 13 with Trapper Felides, Molly Pope, Jenn Harris, Larry Krone, Lady Rizo, Varsity Interpretive Dance Squad, Adira Amram, special guest host Mr. Murray Hill, Dance Gang and more and more and more!! Advance Tickets are $15


Click Here for Tickets!

MEDLEY MONDAYS - Me Chicken Dance So Horny - by Neal Medlyn

MEDLEY MONDAY - ME CHICKEN DANCE SO HORNY
SEND US YOUR VIDEO OF THE ACCOMPANYING DANCE WHCIH YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE TO INVENT

This is technically a mash-up, I suppose, but I was interested in putting two songs together that everyone in America loves and that are dear to all hearts: Me So Horny by the notorious (to Tipper Gore anyway) 2 Live Crew and the Chicken Dance by...who knows? Probably someone from the midwest, possibly with a Norwegian Lutheran background. But that's just a wild guess.

I have yet to come up with what I feels the requisite dance to this medley as I feel it might require a partner and some wine and candle light, but I feel it needs to be made. No! Now that I think about it, it HAS to be made!!

Make it America!

Then, video it and email it to us here at ourhitparade@gmail.com

Weeeee!

NM

Click to Download: Me Chicken Dance So Horny By Neal Medlyn

People Are Crazy - Billy Currington Cover

A good ol' boy song. God is Great, Beer is Good and People are Crazy. Not the greatest lyric of all, but I can picture people of a certain ilke crying in their beer cans. Does it's job. That's about it..


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD : People Are Crazy - Billy Currington Cover

Boyfriend #2 - Sean Kingston Cover

Did R Kelly write this? Or is Sean Kingston just taking a page from the master. Right up there with R Kelly's In The Kitchen. About the time Mr. Kingston is saying the line

I'm a put my hands up, lay back while you do me

we are in R Kelly territory. I appreciate though that this viewpoint in a song is usually given to a woman who doesn't care if her boyfriend is married. It is nice, for once, that the man is fine with being on the side...


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Boyfriend #2 - Sean Kingston Cover

FLASHBACK FRIDAYS - Penny Lover - Lionel Ritchie Cover by Neal Medlyn

PENNY LOVER - LIONEL RICHIE COVER

As most people know, since riding around in my mom's navy Oldsmobile as a child, I have been in love with the music of Lionel Richie. The sound of absolutely everything being completely and totally under control is so very appealing! There's just no chance that anything untoward is going to happen while Lionel is on the microphone and in seeking to emulate that wonderful quality, I made this song as smooth as possible, even recording it in a music studio with an engineer.

I made an album of Lionel Richie songs to accompany my first pop song opera in 2005 or so and this song, while not in the show, was my favorite one, so here it is for you young lovers out there.

X,
Neal

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Penny Lover - Lionel Ritchie Cover by Neal Medlyn

Paranoid - Jonas Brothers Cover

Not the best song named Paranoid, not even in the top three. But a strange song from the Jonas Brothers. With the line:

That's why my ex is still my ex

they seem to break through the teen sunny disposition that they have portrayed until now. Perhaps the repercussions of spraying white foam at their audience out of hoses at crotch-level pushed them to a higher understanding of angst...
Also, it is curiously close to the Garbage song...

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Paranoid - Jonas Brothers Cover

Play This On The Radio - 50 Cent Cover by Neal Medlyn

Guest Post by Neal Medlyn

I've been getting all kinds of emails from people out there in Our Hit Parade land saying I've gone soft. One emailer sent this:

"Dear Neil, You are soft. You used to be so crazy and buck wild and now all you do are religious medleys for this blog!!!! That is LAME!! Keny does all these awesome songs and Bridgett is so cool and pretty and you can't hack it. I noticed you changed songs at the last minute in the last Hit Parade because once ou heard all the new exciting directions Keny and Bridgett were going in, you had to re-think yr whole deal. Well, here's hopeing you come with something good.
For once!
You are already tha weekest link in Our Hit Parade, why are you sukcing so much harder now? You are soft and I do not like you."

So here's my response song to all you mufuckers!

NM

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Play This On The Radio - 50 Cent Cover by Neal Medlyn

No Surprise - Daughtry Cover

The new track from Daughtry jumped all the way to the number 2 spot on iTunes downloads. Though that doesn't include the current season on American Idol's songs. Methinks Adam Lambert's Mad World is still right at the top. It was quite chilling..Will America forget it's homophobia and vote him as their American Idol? Stay tuned, 'cause the only way he could lose is because of bigotry...




CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: No Surprise - Daughtry Cover

MEDLEY MONDAYS - We Belong/You Belong With Me - Pat Benatar/Taylor Swift Cover

Medley Mondays comes again! Pat Benatar and Taylor Swift you say? I think the songs belong together! Songs talking to each other over decades. Don't jump on me, but I think there is something similar in how Pat Benatar and Taylor Swift present themselves to the world. Love both of them...


Click To Download: We Belong/You Belong to Me - Pat Benatar/Taylor Swift Cover

Nothing To Die For - Tim Mcgraw Cover by Neal Medlyn

I'm really into this Tim McGraw song. So wonderfully preachy! Plus I have a soft spot for all the drinking and driving songs (One More Drink, U Saved Me, etc. Actually those are the only two I can think of, but still)

Only problem is I found it impossible to play so I sent to Kenny, who has made what you hear today.

Neal Medlyn

I think that my keyboard is in a different key than Neal's. Cause I found it impossible to play along with this also. So I humbly put it up as is...I think it is beautiful...

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Nothing To Die For - Tim Mcgraw Cover by Neal Medlyn

Sideways - Dierks Bentley Cover

Another Country hit. Eek. That is really all I have to say. And what kind of name is Dierks?


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Sideways - Dierks Bentley Cover

FLASHBACK FRIDAYS - I Eat Dinner - McGarrigle Cover

FLASHBACK FRIDAYS

One of my favorite songs from the McGarrigles. I have had an intense love of them since I was about 17 when Rolling Stone put out a list of the top 100 albums and their album Dancer With The Bruised Knees was on the list. Beautiful. I also discovered Richard and Linda Thompson this way. I have had the amazing joy of meeting both the McGarrigles and Linda Thompson in my life. I, in fact, met them both the same night. It was a Rufus Wainwright concert at the Fez here in NYC. The promoter of the event asked if I wanted to meet Linda Thompson. I almost fell over when we were introduced and she said that she loved our show. This was a woman I had idolized since I was 17! I still do. Perhaps next week I'll do a Linda Thompson cover...




CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: I Eat Dinner - McGarrigle Cover

Swag - Cover by Neal Medlyn

Further proof that it's not so much that rappers are 'singing' these days as the are doing some new, slightly out of tune, draggy rapping thing that seems to have more to do with old Biz Markie than any actual real heartfelt attempt to harmonize in dulcet tones.

I got to thinking on the plane the other day that maybe the new thing in music will be seriously out of tune tracks, like some rap producer will import a bunch of samples in different keys and not bother to pitch them together and some hit song will come out of tunelessness.

That'll be a very exciting day for me, America!

Neal Medlyn

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Swag - Cover by Neal Medlyn

Butterfly Fly Away - Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus Cover by Neal Medlyn

Guest Post by Neal Medlyn

I'm suddenly intensely in love with this track from the Hannah Montana movie. It and Britney's "My Baby" are certainly competing with "I'm Sensitive" by Jewel for space inside my brain these days.

The song feels partly like a kum-ba-ya kinda singalong and of course partly like something one whispers in one's small pajama'd heart.

That and it brings to mind those purity ball ceremonies with fathers and daughters swearing virginity under huge swords and crosses....

But that's a whole other thing!

NM

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Butterfly Fly Away - Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus Cover

Stanky Leg - GS BOYZ Cover

Have no idea where this song came from. It is in the long history of invented dances. The Lindy, The Charleston, The Stanky Leg. Doesn't have the same ring but we're living in different times now, aren't we?

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Stanky Leg - GS Boyz Cover

MEDLEY MONDAYS - The Gambler/Poker Face - Kenny Rogers/Lady Gaga Cover

Was having a dreary day, not sure of what to do for today's medley. Then suddenly this popped into my head. My partner had to travel to Boston today to interview Lady Gaga. She said that she owes it all to the gays. That is sweet. A little premature I think but sweet nonetheless.


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Gambler/Poker Face - Kenny Rogers/Lady Gaga Cover

Beggin' - Madcon Cover

An easy groove from the guys of Madcon. Self explanatory song. The medium is the massage.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD : Beggin' - Madcon Cover

Beautiful - Akon Cover

Finally took on this Akon club tune. Gave it an Irish twist. Why not? It is exactly the same chord progression as Beyonce's Radio. Just the facts ma'm...


CLICK TO DOWNLOAD : Beautiful - Akon Cover

FLASHBACK FRIDAYS: And Then There's Maude - Dave Grusin Cover

Rest In Peace Bea Arthur

Click To Download : And Then There's Maude - Dave Grusin Cover