Three (Embarrassing) Favorite Songs of the Moment

Wow, my taste in music has drastically plummeted as of late. My three favorite songs of the moment are songs that I’m too embarrassed to admit liking. Then again, I always share embarrassing details about myself here, so why censor myself now? What’s possibly worse than the quality of the music is that I am late. According to some wikipedia research, all three of the songs were released in August of 2009, so I’m really late on getting to know them. At least if I had liked them in a timelier manner, I could have blended in with the crowd of fans and joined the party.

Speaking of party, my first favorite song of the moment is “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus. “Everyone’s heard of that one!” you say. Sure, I read enough media to know of the song’s existence, but the title alone was enough to scare me away. It just had to be awful, so I never gave it a listen.

But, as it turns out it’s so fun! I had seen this song listed on a bunch of reputable critics’ Best of ’09 lists, but I didn’t take their suggestions seriously. And now I can’t stop listening to it. It’s to the point where I’m embarrassed that my sixty-year-old neighbor is going to knock on my door and tell me to stop playing Miley Cyrus on repeat.



Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t like the girl. In an interview, she doesn’t even own up to the genius that is “Party in the USA” by emphasizing that she didn’t write it and that it’s not the kind of music she likes. In the same interview, Miley admits she has never even heard a Jay-Z song, despite referencing one in the song’s lyrics. See, she really is a racist.

Speaking of racist, the next song is by Lady Antebellum. I’m not saying they’re racist, I know nothing about them, but when I hear the word “Antebellum” I think of the period in the United States when people were allowed to own slaves; you’ll have to tell me whether that’s a universal connotation. It just seems a little, eh, let’s say “problematic” as that is my favorite way of stopping short of crying “racist!” for some southern country singers, a sect that already carries certain connotations, to use as their name. They can tack “Lady” to the front, but that doesn’t make it a dignified choice.

So clearly, I have major beef with Lady Antebellum. Au contraire! I heard them perform this ridiculous song, “Need You Now,” at the Grammys and proceeded to have it stuck in my head. The bottom line is that I’m just a sucker for a blending of male and female singing voices. Controversial opinion: Marry whomever you want, but duets should only be performed by one man and one woman. It’s just better that way and God says so.

Lady Antebellum   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

I know it’s not “cool” to like country, but as my jean shorts demonstrate, I say “Fooey!” to what’s cool. Growing up, when people asked for your favorite kind of music, it was good to say “everything” so you sounded eclectic and cool. It was even more popular to say “anything but country” since country was a universal dumping ground. Though I don’t seek country music out, when it falls in my lap, I’m not going to deny it. Admittedly, that’s half because I like it when someone sits in my lap.

So far, I’ve confessed to liking a country song and a kid’s song. The last tune is one that I’m sure is a favorite of your mothers’. I was channel surfing and a Michael Bublé video actually came on VH1. (“HAHA OMG VH1 still plays music videos?!?!” is the new “HAHA OMG MTV still plays music videos?!?!”) I stopped to watch, since I had heard his name so often and never heard a song. I realize Bublé is considered a joke, but I’ve always been curious to hear the punch line.



Though it took me hearing him perform it again on Saturday Night Live later in the week, I get the appeal. He strikes me as smarmy, but what crooner who has the hearts of middle-aged women everywhere wouldn’t be? They don’t call it easy listening for nothing.

Oh, but, hey, Michael: lay off the lip-gloss.