1. Welcome to the first Random Notes post of 2014!! Yeah, it's my 34th Random Notes. Still a long way to go before I can reach the 100th. For those of you who are not familiar with my Random Notes, well, it's simply a blog post where I talk about random stuffs. LOL!
2. I was shocked to read the news that Islamic authority JAIS had raided the Bible Society Of Malaysia and seized more than 300 copies of the Malay language Bible simply because they used the word "Allah" to refer to the Christian God.
I have a few questions regarding this issue. Question 1 : Since when did Islam in Malaysia has the exclusive right over the word "Allah"? It is not the case with Islamic countries outside Malaysia. Or is it? Enlighten me please! Question 2 : Are Muslims in Malaysia so weak they can feel threatened by another religion using the word "Allah"? Will Muslims easily convert to Christianity just because Christians use the word "Allah"? Question 3 : Is this raid by JAIS legal? Can they do this without a search warrant? Question 4 : Is this act by JAIS simply a ploy to distract us from other more urgent issues at hand?
3. Who killed Altantuya? Who killed her? Who did it? No one. Nobody. Someone must have done it, but so far all those arrested had been released. And as the time passes, we will forget about this. That's the way it was, is and always will be. Sigh…
4. Let me introduce you the stupidest couple I have ever seen in my entire life. They are none other than sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee.
Why stupid? Here are my reasons…
Reason 1 : Alvin lost his scholarship at the National University of Singapore as a result of his pornographic exploits. What a stupid waste of opportunity! Reason 2 : They were both arrested and charged for insulting Muslims with their "Selamat Berbuka Puasa" (breaking of fast) greeting on Facebook showing them eating bak kut teh, a pork dish. How stupid can one be? Reason 3 : Alvin accused Vivian for being unfaithful to him. They had both admitted to being in an open relationship. So did he not see this coming? Stupid!
By the way, I do not want to insult Vivian, but seriously, if I want to watch porn, I prefer to watch a much prettier girl. Period.
5. Everything is going up, up and up!! Except our income, that is. Of course, this may not be the case for everybody - some of you may be filthy rich and have an ever expanding income - but I am speaking for the majority of Malaysians. Just last week, I talked to a friend who is in the construction line. He told me that he was having difficulty signing deals with his clients, who kept asking for discounts.
Looks like the economy is not in good shape. Time to tighten our budget! But I still see lots of people shopping and dining away at expensive outlets everyday. Are they rich or pretending to be rich? I do know however, that all my really wealthy friends do not drive expensive cars or eat at expensive restaurants.
6. I like this Mexican King bread from Lavender Bakery.
But last week, I was surprised to find that the bread was much smaller compared to previously. Even though they did not raise the price, they had reduced the size! Oh well, maybe I should be thankful that they did not reduce the size and raise the price at the same time!
7. Talking about the lack of money is bad feng shui. So let's talk about how much Mariah Carey made recently by performing just 3 songs for Prince Azim, the son of Sultan of Brunei.
Photo courtesy : Richard Young / Rex Features
She was paid a whopping US$1.5 million! That's right!! So easy to make money, eh? And not forgetting she was paid US$18 million for being a judge on American Idol last season!
8. Not everyone can see ghosts. But I know 2 bloggers who can smell ghosts. Yes, smell, not see. Can you see or smell a ghost? Thankfully, I have no such gifts!
9. Last year, for the very first time, I stood up and sang Negaraku, Malaysia's national anthem, before a movie in the cinema. In fact, I sang two times on that day because I watched 2 movies! LOL! I did not really sing however, as no one was singing in the cinema hall. I guess standing up and showing respect as the Negaraku was being played is good enough. There was a guy sitting two seats away from me who continued sitting and playing with his handphone while everyone was standing up. How disrespectful!
10. Talking about cinemas, have you watched a movie in IMAX 3D at TGV cinemas before? The ticket price is admittedly, very expensive. You can of course choose the cheaper seats (nearer to the screen) but sitting too near the big screen is not comfortable and may spoil the wonderful experience of watching in IMAX 3D.
Let me tell you a dirty trick that TGV practises (at least in my case) on unsuspecting ticket buyers. When I went to buy the tickets for me and my friend at the ticket counter, the staff showed me the seating plan on the screen monitor. He told me to choose one of the empty seats which he pointed out to me. I noticed those were the more expensive seats and so I pointed to the cheaper seats and asked whether they were empty. He reluctantly said yes. I bought 2 tickets straight away!
Now let's turn the table around! Here's my little secret on how you can buy the cheaper tickets and yet still get to sit the more expensive seats! Here's how. Firstly, you must of course go on a day when there is not many people watching the movie. Weekend is out. Choosing a weekday morning or afternoon is best. Before you go, make sure you visit their website and check to see if there are still many empty seats (the expensive ones of course). You should do this about 15 - 30 minutes before the movie starts. This is because, if you check too early, there may be people buying the tickets later. You want to make sure that there are still some empty expensive seats right before the show starts.
If there are still a number of empty expensive seats, quickly buy the cheaper seats online. Or immediately go to the cinema and buy the cheaper seats from the ticket counter. Once inside the cinema hall, instead of sitting at the seats you bought, go over to the more expensive seats and choose any of the empty seats there! Get it? : )
So, the rumors about the feud between rapper Nicki Minaj and singer Mariah Carey appears to be true after all!
In case you do not know, both Nicki and Mariah are now sitting on the same panel of judges for the 12th season of reality singing show American Idol. The other two judges are Keith Urban and Randy Jackson.
How do I know that the rumors are true? Well, the fight between these two divas became so bad that the production of American Idol came to a halt in Charlotte on Tuesday when foul-mouthed Nicki Minaj unleashed a tirade of jabs and curses at Mariah.
The proof? Someone actually recorded a video of it and TMZ posted it online. Not sure if it's still available now, but hopefully you can still watch a portion of it below.
It is difficult to hear what Nicki and Mariah said in the video but here's what was translated from one source. I think Nicki mostly drowned out Mariah's voice so we could not really hear what Mariah was saying.
Mariah : B***H! Nicki : I'm gonna knock you out! Nicki : Get this s**t in control. Get in control. Get in control. Randy : Settle down, settle down. Nicki : Don't lose your head. Don't lose your head (inaudible). Don't tell me I'm a gangster. Nicki : (inaudible) Every five minutes. So every time you patronize me, I'm a-take it back, and if you've got a f***ing problem, handle it. Nicki : I told them I'm not f***ing putting up with her f***ing highness over there. Figure it the f**k out. Mariah : Oh Whyyy? Nicki : Figure it out. Mariah : Do I have a 3-year old sitting around me? Nicki : I'm not gonna sit here every f***ing minute to have you come down and harass me every minute, every day. Mariah : Listen .... I can't see my kids because you decided to make... to have a little baby fit and going all around the stage. Nicki : Good, go see them now... go see them now. You're boring as f**k.
WHOA!! This is EPIC!!
And guess what? Poor Keith Urban was sitting in between these two feuding divas. I feel sorry for him! Wonder what will Nicole Kidman (Keith's wife) advise him in such a situation? LOL!
The video was presumably taken right after the two divas started to have a heated disagreement over a contestant's performance. And the exchange of words went so out of control that producers had to shut down the audition for the day even though there were some contestants left!
Judging from the limited exchange of words above, who do you think were at fault? Who started the argument in the first place?
The 4 judges with host, Ryan Seacrest (Image source)
When Mariah was first paid a stunning USD18 million to be a judge on American Idol, she had no idea that Nicki would be joining the show as well. It was reported that she was upset when she heard that Nicki was hired.
No idea what came between them, but two years ago, Mariah actually collaborated with Nicki on a music video for Mariah's song Up Out My Face. Watch it below.
Although I am a huge fan of Mariah, I am not going to side with her based on this limited information. I also happen to like some of Nicki's songs though I think she's more of a rapper than a singer. But, Nicki just simply disappoints me with her foul language and horrible manners. I mean, even if Mariah did say something that hurt her feelings, couldn't she at least show some class?
Oh well, I guess all these feuding might just help American Idol in its ratings. Or it might not. Whatever happens, I can't wait to watch the next season of American Idol!
1. Welcome to my 27th Random Note post! Wonder when I will reach Random Notes 100! Maybe I will celebrate by giving away stuffs to my readers once I reach that milestone! Haha!
2. Last month, I decided to drop the word 'blogspot' from my blog's address. Yes, that's right! I have upgraded to a dot com. Now my blog's URL is http://www.foongpc.com. (You can leave out the 'www' and just type in foongpc.com in your browser). Please update the link, will you?
3. For those of you who have problem updating my blog in your Blogroll, you can enter my feeds URL instead. Just type the following - http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyVeryFirstBlog. Thank you!
4. OK, this one is long overdue. Last month (or was it two months ago?), I received a gift from blogger SK for winning a few awards in his blog. Read his blog post HERE to know what awards I won.
Isn't this cute?
SK had done a wonderful job designing the CD cover and the CD itself! Love it!
Oh! All my favorite songs in one CD! Cool! And a nice note at the bottom. Thanks SK! : )
5. Recently, I signed up for the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf member card. I love Coffee Bean's coffee and their all-day breakfast set! Miles better than the more famous Starbucks, let me tell you!
My favourite breakfast meal in Coffee Bean is the Club Sandwich set! It comes with 2 big pieces of bread with ham and eggs, salad and a cup of hot Sumatra dark coffee!
There are other good breakfast sets but this one is clearly my favourite! As a member, you get to collect bean points which can be used for future purchases of food or drinks at any of their outlets. Coffee Bean For the Win! : )
6. Do you like bubble gum? Well I like to chew on a bubble gum occasionally and my favourite brand is Dentyne. In fact, this bubble gum was recommended to me by a dentist friend! So imagine my shock when I found out that this brand is no longer available in Malaysia!
Luckily, I managed to find Dentyne selling in Bangkok when I went there for a short holiday recently! So I bought a few back. However, I'm still wondering why it is no longer selling in Malaysia. Anyone knows?
7. A good friend of mine who had just returned from a holiday in Spain got me this nice fridge magnet as a souvenir.
Football fans will know that this is the logo of the Futbol Club Barcelona or Barca based in Barcelona, Spain. Its long-time rival is Real Madrid but of course, you knew that already unless you are not into football.
So, to all you football fans, which side are you on - Barca or Real Madrid?
8. I have never liked eating porridge. I only eat it when I'm sick. That's a fact! However, this fact no longer holds true lately. My mom cooked this hou see fa sang (dried oyster and groundnut) porridge the other day and it was delicious!
Throw in some you tiao (Chinese fried crullers) and it's irresistible!
Then, a few days later, she cooked this choy kon (dried Chinese white cabbage) porridge and I loved it as well! Whatever happened to me? I was transformed from a person who hate porridge to a person who love it literally overnight! Amazing!
9. I am now on Pinterest! Are you? If not, come join me! For those of you who are already on Pinterest, do follow me, won't you? Don't be surprised to find some of your blog's pictures on my Pinterest site! Yes, I now pin any pictures I like from blogs and websites onto my Pinterest boards!
But don't worry, any of your pictures that are pinned have links that lead right back to your blog! You can even re-pin the pictures you see on my Pinterest site to your Pinterest site. But the pictures will always link back to the original owners no matter how many times they are being re-pinned. How cool!
Now do take a minute and see the pictures I have pinned on Pinterest HERE.
10. I have to admit, I am getting more and more addicted to coffee. I am not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Well, I guess I will have to control myself. This is iced coffee I took one afternoon to keep myself awake!
If you want to know why I really drink coffee, read THIS!
11. I have set up a Mariah Carey mix tape on AtticTV. Currently there are 51 of her top hits in my collection - all carefully selected by yours truly. Enjoy them now by clicking HERE.
You can also sign in to AtticTV and listen to the different genre of songs and videos available there ranging from pop, hip-hop, and classical to Chinese music and even K-pop! And if you like, create your own mixtape!
12. Although I have been to the famous Snowflake Taiwanese Dessert many times for their wonderful ice desserts, it was my first time trying out their Sea Amber Jelly.
It was really quite nice! But of course nothing could match my all time favourite - the Japan Combo II soya ice special!
Tis the season to be jolly....Christmas season is here! Do you feel the festive spirit?
While shopping malls are in full swing with the Christmas decors, I can't help myself from humming a Christmas tune or two. I guess the yuletide spirit has gotten to me!
There is still one full month of Christmas mood to be enjoyed so I am going to enjoy it to the fullest! Now what do I want for Christmas? Let me see...
1. A Macbook Pro
2. A Steinway Grand Piano
3. An iPad 2
4. A full year's supply of Snowflake Taiwanese desserts
5. An all-expense paid trip to Switzerland
6. Winning the lottery
7. No house chores for a year
The list can go on and on....but all I want, all I really really want for Christmas is to be healthy and happy. Yes, that's all I want. How about you?
Let me end this post with the newly released music video of Mariah Carey and Justin Bieber singing Mariah's Christmas song of the decade - All I Want For Christmas Is You! Enjoy!
Yes! I am talking about the most wonderful time of the year - Christmas time.
And Christmas is coming early to my blog this year. Can you see the snow falling? Well, actually it's not really early. Today is exactly one month before Christmas Day. Since we can't have snow falling in Malaysia, then the least I can do is have snow falling in my blog! Haha!
The shopping malls around PJ and KL have started putting up Christmas decorations, although they were quite slow. I heard from my Filipino friends that the malls in Philippines were already playing Christmas songs as early as October! Wow!
Anyway, there is nothing that can put me into Christmas mood more than Christmas songs. So today I would like to share with you this wonderful, soulful, slightly jazzy song written and sung by my favourite singer, Mariah Carey. It's called Christmas Time Is In The Air Again.
This Christmas song, taken from Mariah's 2010 Merry Christmas II You album sounds like a classic to me (I almost can't believe she wrote this!) and evokes images of snowflakes, reindeers, christmas trees, snowman, and everything Christmas! Enjoy!
Note: The recording is not very good - you might want to turn up the volume a little.
Christmas time is in the air again Christmas chimes reminding me of When we fell like the snow So deep in love High above us the evergreens Sparkle with lights and feel the breeze As we made future Christmas memories.
Christmas shoppers glance at us and smile 'Cause the mistletoe is occupied And the dream is to share This Christmas cheer with you all year And not wait till the morning When Christmas time is in the air again.
Mr. Grinch simply can't resist Warming up when he looks our way Even Old Scrooge makes a Christmas wish For a honey to hold Christmas day And to feel love like ours always La da da, da da dum
And the dream is to share This Christmas cheer With you all throughout the year And not wait till the morning When Christmas time is in the air Christmas time is everywhere Christmas time is in the air again.
I know it's a bit late to wish you all but hey, it's still Christmas week! I am still feeling the Christmassy mood and I know it will not go away till we sing Auld Lang Syne on New Year's Eve!
So how's your Christmas, folks? Mine had been a blast! With visits after visits to friends' open houses, I am pretty certain I have put on at least 2 kilos! No prizes for guessing what's one of my new year's resolution which is of course, to lose all those fat! Haha!
For those of you who celebrate Christmas, what is your favourite food during this festive season? For me, I must have roast turkey served with cranberry sauce! Not exactly my favourite (I prefer chicken and duck meat actually) but it's a must have for me or else I won't feel it's Christmas!
Besides the roast turkey, it's good to have some pasta, salad, mashed potatoes, lasagne, pies and fried chicken to go with it. Oh, not forgetting of course sweet stuffs like fruitcake, stollen, gingerbread, sugar cookies and maybe a nice chocolate cake! And yes, it doesn't hurt to have a little bit of red wine to complete the whole meal perfectly!
Anyway, besides food, what really gives me that Christmassy feeling is the Christmas songs! I never ever get bored with Christmas music because I only listen to them for one full month once a year!
Currently on heavy rotation on my CD player and iPhone is Mariah Carey's latest Christmas album! I reviewed about this album in a previous post. (Read HERE).
I simply love Christmas and I hope it will stay on forever and ever! But I know that will never happen, so before the Christmas season is over, let me share with you this beautiful song "One Child" written by Mariah Carey, who performed it live in Washington in front of President Obama and his family. Enjoy!!
An angel appeared Of the highest One And Mary believed The word she received Of God’s only son The Virgin rejoiced Gave thanks to the Lord And as Joseph dreamt The angel was sent With tidings of peace and joy Of the blessed baby boy
They traveled for miles To reach Bethlehem Yet when they arrived No one could provide A place at the inn for them But God kept them safe From hurt, harm and danger In His warm embrace Away in a manger Waiting for Jesus’ birth To glorify the Earth
Then He came One child can change the world Christmas Morn’ The King of all kings was born He reigns forevermore Let us worship and adore Christ the Lord
Wondrous star Led shepherds and wise men Through valleys and mountains Angels surrounded them As they traveled far As Heaven and Home Rang out for the Savior The sweet Prince of peace Lay majestically Asleep glorious and pure And His mercy endures for always
One child can change the world Christmas Morn’ The King of all kings was born He reigns forevermore Let us worship and adore Christ the Lord
One child can change the world On Christmas Morn’ The King of all kings was born He reigns forevermore Let us worship him Let us worship him Let us worship Christ the Lord This angel appeared The angel appeared Christ the Lord On Christmas Morn’
It's that time of the year again. Yes, I am talking about Christmas!
Are you feeling Christmassy right now? If you aren't, let me recommend you something that will straight away put you in the Christmas mood.
Last week, I bought this Christmas CD and I have been listening to it ever since. Yes, I am talking about Mariah Carey's latest and newest Christmas album, Merry Christmas II You!
I absolutely love this CD! It is undeniably, a classy and cool album totally suited for the holiday season! Believe it or not, I love every single song on this album! But of course, knowing that I am a big fan of Mariah, you may think I am biased, right?
Well, you can now judge for yourself! I have put up snippets of each song from the album in this post today for your listening pleasure!
The first track is a short 23-second orchestral intro of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town without any singing from Mariah so I shall skip that. The intro however leads nicely to the very first single from the album titled Oh Santa!
Oh Santa! is catchy, sweet, endearing and playful all at the same time! It surely brings back the Christmas cheer in a delightful way! Listening to this just makes me want to dance! Not surprisingly, it debuted at No.1 on Billboard's Holiday Digital Songs Chart and amazingly went from No.12 right up to No.1 in just its second week on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart!
Due to some technical problems, I was not able to put up snippets of certain songs like this third track, O Little Town Of Bethlehem/Little Drummer Boy so you may want to listen from YouTube HERE. Listen to how she sang "ra pa pum pum" on the 1.45th minute. Lovely! She sang the whole song with such grace and warmth and with just the right amount of vocal acrobatics which she's known for!
Christmas Time Is In The Air Again is absolutely one of my most favourite songs on the album. It is an original song written by Mariah herself and I find it exceptionally classy, romantic and elegant - enough to stir that emotions inside me. This song definitely showcases Mariah's songwriting skill! Of course, award winning Marc Shaiman's orchestration contributed a lot to the magical feeling of this song!
The First Noel/Born Is The King is a nice medley to listen to, with Mariah belting out the word "Noel" in her signature melismatic way. I love it! Listen HERE.
When Christmas Comes is another original song written by Mariah. My, she's such a fantastic songwriter! This jazzy song reminds me of her Emancipation Of Mimi album and I just can't stop listening to it!
Here Comes Santa Claus is a classic which is made to sound modern, trendy and with all the right hooks! I really, really adore Mariah's version of Here Comes Santa Claus!! The song is infectious! You must listen to this HERE!
Honestly, I have never heard of Charlie Brown Christmas before but it sounds good to me! Well, at least it makes me feel Chrismassy!
O Come All Ye Faithful is one song you must listen as we are introduced to the operatic voice of Patricia, Mariah's mother! Yes, listen to this powerful duet of mother and daughter, the former singing in operatic style and the latter in pop and R&B ! Simply mesmerizing! Watch the video below.
The 10th track on the album, O Holy Night is a recorded live performance of the same title taken from Mariah's previous Christmas album. As such, I have decided not to put up a snippet of the track here. Of course, this song remains one of my favourites on the older Merry Christmas album.
One Child is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard! Written by Mariah Carey, this is another showcase of her songwriting talents! It's truly amazing how she could come out with such beautiful melody and chords to match! Mariah did not do much vocal acrobatics here although I wished she did! But I have to say, the children choir is amazing and I am glad Mariah did not let her vocals overpower them.
All I Want For Christmas Is You needs no introduction. To date, it is already the world's most successful and best selling Christmas song. Every year since its release in 1994, this song is a chart-topper during the Christmas season. Mariah had just made this song "extra festive" for this album and if you want to know the difference between this one and the older version, check out the song!
Lastly, we have the traditional Auld Lang Syne - the New Year's anthem. A fitting end to a perfectly enjoyable album, it started with strong vocals from Mariah and then followed by a countdown which very cleverly turns this song into dance music! Totally a great song to start the new year!
I am really, really impressed with this album. This is exactly the type of Christmas music that I like! I was so used to her new hip hop style since The Emancipation Of Mimi that I was quite surprised that this Christmas album had very little of that but instead reminds me of Mariah of the 90's.
With lots of lush string orchestration and soaring vocals, Merry Christmas II You is indeed my favourite Christmas album of the year and perhaps for many years to come!
1. I have not been coming out with a new post since last Thursday. Some of you may be wondering what happened to me. Nothing really, I was simply too busy and then when I was about to write a new post, I fell sick!
2. I had fever with abdominal discomfort, headaches and nausea. I hate being sick!
3. During my sickness, I slept most of the time. Yes, I think in the last two days, I have replaced all my sleep debts over the months. Haha!!
4. But during those time that I was awake, I spent it catching up on my storybooks, and watching TVB dramas. Currently I am watching No Regrets. Have you watched this series? It is really an exciting and engrossing drama!
5. I ate Jacobs biscuits and drank Milo for lunch and dinner for the past two days. They were the only things I could eat without throwing up!
Picture taken with my iPhone
6. I have been listening to Mariah Carey's new Christmas album called "Merry Christmas II You" since last week. It is an incredible album! I love all the songs in it! If you like Mariah Carey of the 90's when she belted out power ballads, then you will like this album! It's full of lush string orchestration that really evokes the Christmas mood in me!
7. Which is your favourite Malaysian radio station? I normally listen to Fly FM. I love their selection of songs and the funny DJs.
8. I visited the newly refurbished McDonalds outlet at Bandar Utama next to Centrepoint last week. At first, I thought they were going to build a third storey but I was wrong. It is still a 2-storey building, but with more trendy designs.
9. I wonder why McDonalds had these stools without the back rest. Perhaps they don't want people to sit all day in the restaurant?
10. I know some of you are waiting for my Contest results. OK, I already have the winners with me. Will reveal it in the next post soon! : )
Posted by : foongpc | Sunday, May 9, 2010 | Published in mariah carey,
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Oh My God!!! I could not stop laughing when I saw this YouTube video!
It's a Korean guy singing Song Of The Decade (2000 - 2009) - Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together". And someone put this up and include the lyrics, which was what he think he heard from the guy's singing.
Totally hilarious!
Now compare that to Mariah Carey's original lyrics!!
Talking about this song, it is my favourite song of all time! Totally love the tune and the rhythm!
It's just too funny that the Korean guy turned "We Belong Together" into "We Be Long Together!" Haha!!
I am not sure if this will be her next big hit, but I just love this song! It's called "100 Percent".
This song was supposed to be included in her latest album "Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel" but it was taken out probably due to the song not fitting into the theme of the album.
The song was then supposed to be used for the highly acclaimed movie "Precious" where Mariah was finally praised for her acting ability. But the director did not want the audiences to be reminded of Mariah as the singer, so her song was not included. Instead it was replaced with a song sung by Mary J. Blige.
Unperturbed, Mariah had said that she's going to use this song for "something really good" so finally, here we are - this is going to be the song for 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver! Hooray!!
Written by Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri, "100 Percent" is a totally inspiring song. A song for dreamers and champions in the making. In other words, my kind of song!
And I'm going to dedicate this song to none other than my friend QuaChee, who is an inspiring dreamer himself! I'm also dedicating this song to all of you who are currently struggling to make it big, to achieve your dreams.
Watch this live footage video taken from Mariah's recent "Angels Advocate" Tour in Toronto, Canada. Enjoy!!
I am a dream, just beginning Truth is I prayed when you'd open my eyes, And you reveal, something to me, Suddenly, I am no longer confined!
My life ain’t defined by limits I don’t need no permission to live it I’m a break through the door til I get in Everything that I got I’m a give it 100 Percent and I ain’t stopping til I reach the finish
I’m a believer, not just a dreamer I’m givin everything I got I’m a go-getter 100 Percenter Undoubtedly I can reach the top and I ain’t gonna let nothing discourage or dissuade me Coz I’m walking out of here a champion either way babe I am givin 100 Percent So go on put your ones up
If you’re putting in a hundred put your ones up, ones up If you know that this is something, put your ones up, ones up If you really comprehend this feel, your ones up, your ones up If you’re walking into victory keep on shining One hundred percent
You can only do it if you do it like I did Cause suffering ain’t easy But if you can turn your wounds into living proof that you’ve survived the fight And you're no longer defined
My life ain’t defined by limits I don’t need no permission to live it I’m a break through the door til I get in Everything that I got I’m a give it 100 Percent and I ain’t stopping til I reach the finish
I’m a believer, not just a dreamer I’m givin everything I got I’m a go-getter 100 Percenter Undoubtedly I can reach the top and I ain’t gonna let nothing discourage or dissuade me (Nothing can discourage me) Coz I’m walking out of here a champion either way babe I am givin 100 Percent So go on put your ones up
If you’re putting in a hundred put your ones up, ones up (Put your ones up) If you know that this is something, put your ones up, ones up (Everybody) If you really comprehend this feel, your ones up, your ones up (Put your ones up) If you’re walking into victory keep on shining (One hundred) One hundred percent
Don’t you ever be discouraged, let nobody take your courage If you gonna pray don’t worry, If ya gonna wait don’t pray You just keep the faith and listen to me
If you’re putting in a hundred put your ones up, ones up (Put your ones up) If you know that this is something, put your ones up, ones up (If you know you were) If you really comprehend this feel, your ones up, your ones up (If you ever hear something) If you’re walking into victory keep on shining One hundred percent
I’m a believer, not just a dreamer I’m givin everything I got I’m a go getter 100 Percenter Undoubtedly I can reach the top and I ain’t gonna let nothing discourage or dissuade me (Percent I will share with you) Coz I’m walking out of here a champion either way babe (Either way) I am gotta givin 100 Percent So go on put your ones up
If you’re putting in a hundred put your ones up, ones up If you know that this is something, put your ones up, ones up If you really comprehend this feel, your ones up, your ones up If you’re walking into victory keep on shining One hundred percent!
It's that time of the year again! Yes, I'm talking about the Christmas season!
Walking in a shopping mall yesterday, I was suddenly hit with this song playing in the background. I recognised it almost instantly as it is one of my favourite Christmas songs of all time!
The song, which was a little sad for such a festive season, nevertheless got me into the Christmassy mood.
And as I listened to the beautiful voice of my idol Mariah Carey singing those sad lyrics, I could not help but be transported into a world of white Christmas complete with images of snowflakes and Santa Claus and silver bells and the feeling of warmness of the fireplace and sound of carolers singing in the distance.
So for today, despite it being a Monday and most of you are probably suffering from Monday blues, I would like to share this song with all of you.
This song is called "Miss You Most At Christmas Time" and is probably the kind of song all ex-Mariah fans would want her to sing nowadays! Enjoy....
The fire is burning The room's all aglow Outside the December wind blows Away in the distance the carolers sing in the snow Everybody's laughing The world is celebrating And everyone's so happy Except for me tonight
Because I miss you Most at Christmas time And I can't get you Get you off my mind Every other season comes along And I'm all right But then I miss you, most at Christmas time
I gaze out the window This cold winter's night At all of the twinkling lights Alone in the darkness Remembering when you were mine Everybody's smiling The whole world is rejoicing And everyone's embracing Except for you and I
Baby I miss you Most at Christmas time And I can't get you Get you off my mind Every other season comes along And I'm all right But then I miss you, most at Christmas time
In the springtime those memories start to fade With the April rain Through the summer days Till autumn's leaves are gone I get by without you Till the snow begins to fall
And then I miss you Most at Christmas time And I can't get you Get you off my mind Every other season comes along And I'm all right... But then I miss you, most at Christmas time
No, I am not an angel. And no, I am not writing memoirs about my life.
If you don't know already, Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel is the name of superstar singer Mariah Carey's latest album.
As you have most probably guessed by now, I have bought her album and listened to it for many rounds already. So want to know what I think of it?
OK, so here's my take on Mariah's newest album. Well, that is, if you don't mind reading a review written by one of her huge fans! Just keep in mind that I'm a little biased, but I will try my best to give a fair review. Haha!
I will review every single track on the album and rate it from 1 to 5 stars, where the ratings go like this.
1 star - the song sucks! 2 stars - not really good, but passable. 3 stars - quite good, but won't make it to No.1 on the charts. 4 stars - great song - love it! 5 stars - Wow! A potential chart topper!
And I have included a 30 seconds sample of each tracks for your listening pleasure. However, be warned! This album is unlike Mariah's past albums and there is no single track that I like on my first listen! Yes, incredible that I would say this, being a huge fan of her, but it's true.
Most of the songs in this album require repeated listening because they will sort of 'grow' on you.
On my first listen, I find them a bit monotonous, bland and even boring! The songs all sound pretty much alike! Suffice to say I was disappointed.
On my second listen, the slow songs started to depress me a little. I needed more energy, more vibes!
But on my third listen, the charm started to work its magic. I suddenly found I love almost all the songs very much and once I started listening intently to the lyrics, I was hooked! Few albums ever had this kind of effect on me, and I am glad this one did!
So do not judge these songs too quickly by merely listening to these 30 seconds tracks.
This song is about catching your lover cheating on you and the hurt and vengeance that ensues. It is beautifully sung, with much emotion and breathtaking intensity. I love Mariah's voice on the chorus part! Absolutely a delight to listen to. In fact, I would even say this is a very classy, slow jam!
It is interesting that this song mentioned a little bit about Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters and how Mariah will "laugh right in your face" if you cheat on her.
This song definitely sets the tone for the rest of the album!
My Ratings : 4.5 stars
2. Obsessed
Before the song starts, Mariah said these words "I was like, why are you so obsessed with me?"
Now we would never be sure if she was referring to notorious rapper Eminem, as she kept denying it. Don't know anything about the Mariah vs Eminem feud? Read here.
But of course, both Mariah and Eminem took full advantage of this opportunity using social media and all the publicity generated to elevate their songs to the top of the charts!
In any case, I love this song! It's very radio friendly, with a catchy hook and chorus that can be sung to anyone whom you think is delusional or crazy. Haha!
And I just love the witty lyrics! Man, I think Mariah is getting better and better at writing sharp, put-you-down lyrics! Consider this...
"You a mom and pop, I'm a corporation. I'm the press conference, you a conversation."
If those words are aimed at Eminem, I would say, OUCH! Of course, Eminem responded with another song but I will leave that for another post : )
By the way, this song made it to the top of the charts on Malaysia's Fly FM. Yeah! You can continue to vote for this song on Mix FM and Fly FM.
My Ratings : 4.5 stars
3. H.A.T.E.U
This song, which is a tribute to Minnie Riperton, is about a lover's lament (not necessarily Mariah) over the untimely end of her romance. Although the title seems to say "I hate you!" but in actual fact it stands for 'Having A Typical Emotional Upset'.
It's a beautiful heartbreak ballad filled with lush harmonies. Mariah seems to be singing a recurring melody in the upper registers not unlike in the style of Minnie Riperton. Ironically, this song is called "Hate U" while Riperton's famous song is titled "Loving U".
Not only that, Riperton's album is called "Perfect Angel". And this album is titled "Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel". No coincidence there - I believe Mariah is a fan of Minnie Riperton!
I actually did not like this song on the first listen, but it seems to 'grow' on me. Surprisingly, most Mariah's fans love this song a lot!
My Ratings : 3.5 stars
4. Candy Bling
This song is all about reminiscing past love, mainly teenage love. Reminds me of the song "Underneath The Stars" from her Daydream album.
Not exactly my favourite, although again I didn't like it on my first listen, but it gradually grew on me. I guess maybe Mariah used too much whispery vocals throughout the song and it wasn't until towards the end that she let her voice go. Now that's the best part of the entire song!
My Ratings : 3 stars
5. Ribbon
I can't tell you how much I love this song! It just gets better and better with each listen! Currently, it's my most favourite song on the album although that might change later on.
I like the syncopated rhythm when she sings "Wrapped up, packed up, ribbon with a bow on it." I love how she adds in those counter melodies - she's just so damn talented!
Definitely a very radio friendly song with all the right hooks and a potential chart topper if released as a single.
My Ratings : 5 stars
6. Inseparable
Another song which took me some time to like. It uses a small sample from Cyndi Lauper's song "Time After Time".
I like Mariah's voice when she sings the second verse "Got photos of us on my refrigerator...". Nice song, but unlikely to be a chart topper.
My Ratings : 3 stars
7. Standing O
This is a stand out, foot thumping anthem with a tinge of raggae. Mariah is lashing out at her ex-lover and sarcastically salutes him by giving him a standing ovation.
I like this song on my second listen, probably due to its very infectious and addictive chorus. As usual, Mariah is brilliant in her counter melodies - just listen how she adds in those melodies while the infectious chorus is going on.
Oh, one interesting part in the lyrics is where she sings "As you embrace her in your arms, give her 'my all', give her more than you gave me." Incidentally, "My All" is a hit song from Mariah's Butterfly album, and also one of my favourite songs of hers! I guess only a fan like me will be able to spot this! Haha!
My Ratings : 4.5 stars
8. It's A Wrap
This one also took me some time to appreciate. But once I like it, there is no turning back! On this song, Mariah sounds refreshingly raw with no soft whispery vocals. Instead she showcases her strong vocals throughout which is a delight to listen to.
I even dare say this song may join Mariah's classics like "Vision Of Love" and "Always Be My Baby". What makes this song a good listen is Carey's multi-tracked voices that seem to flow around her lead vocal and all with minimal instrumentation - just perfect!
My Ratings : 4.5 stars
9. Up Out My Face
This is another song where Mariah lashes out at her ex-lover although she is also doing it in a most humorous way! It's actually humourous bordering on craziness! Don't believe me? Here's the ridiculously funny line from the song...
"If we were two Lego blocks, even the Harvard University Graduating Class of 2010 couldn't put us back together again!"
It must be a mouthful singing that, but Mariah sang it effortlessly!
I wonder if she's dissing Eminem again when she sings "You ain't a rapper, so you need to stop spitting it..." Haha!
I absolutely love this thumping club jam of a song. It's definitely hip-hop Mariah with an attitude! And minus the rappers, which I am glad as she does not need rappers to spice up this song! A potential chart topper IMHO.
My Ratings : 5 stars
10. Up Out My Face (The Reprise)
I could not believe my ears when I hear this track! It's the reprise of the previous song but using the big sounding marching brass band! How creative and clever! Totally unexpected and delightful at the same time!
It's tracks like this that makes me think that Mariah is a comedian or a joker!
My Ratings : 4.5 stars
11. More Than Just Friends
In this song, Mariah drops big brand names like our very own Jimmy Choo! Wow! This is not the first time Mariah mention famous brand names - she did it in the song "Shake It Off", from her Emancipation Of Mimi album, touching on Louis Vuitton.
This song is kind of fun and hilarious to me. Even Mariah pokes fun of herself and does not take herself too seriously when she sings this!
"I wanna be all on your lips like gelato, Permanently paint me in your picture like Piccasso, Love me down till I hit the top of my soprano. "
I like that they rhyme. Haha! This song seems to get better with each listening and now I'm thoroughly enjoying it!
My Ratings : 4.5 stars
12. The Impossible
According to Mariah, this song is dedicated to her husband Nick Cannon. There's a small sample from the R&B group Jodeci's song, "Forever My Lady" used here.
I did not really like this song on my first listen. I thought it sounded boring and monotonous. After some time, I like it more but it is still not a huge favourite of mine. Mariah seems to like this song though. Maybe because it is dedicated to her husband?
However, I like how she ends the song with "I almost given up, the impossible!" Nice touch!
My Ratings : 3 stars
13. The Impossible (The Reprise)
I don't quite like this filler, she should have cut this track out!
My Ratings : 2 stars
14. Angel (The Prelude)
I also don't quite like this prelude as it's mostly Mariah using her whistle voice ending up like some kind of otherworldly (or maybe angelic?) shrill. In my opinion, deleting this and the previous track will make the album shorter and tighter.
My Ratings : 2 stars
15. Angels Cry
This one should immediately appeal to those who like her ballads. But, surprisingly I found it to be just OK. Certainly not as good as her older ballads eg. "Butterfly", "My All", "Lead The Way".
Still, it is not too bad and the lyrics is actually quite meaningful. And I like it when she hold onto the long note at the end!
My Ratings : 3 stars
16. Languishing (The Interlude)
This song reminds me of the song "Looking In" from her Daydream album and "Rainbow Interlude" from her Rainbow album.
A nice and enjoyable song which blends very seamlessly into the next track "I Want To Know What Love Is".
My Ratings : 4 stars
17. I Want To Know What Love Is
Already released as a single but didn't do too well on the charts, this is a remake of the Foreigner's hit of the same name. When I first listened to this, I was not very impressed with it. Maybe wrong choice of song? Ooh, I am talking like one of those judges from American Idol now. Haha!
But after listening a few times, I am beginning to like it more. Especially when the gospel choir joins in and Mariah sings in her signature glass shattering high vocals, which I love!
By the way, if you are a fan, help this song reach No. 1 on Mix FM by voting here. Thanks!
My Ratings : 3.5 stars
Tracks 18 - 21 are remixes of the song "Obsessed", so I shall not review on those.
Overall, this album has a very cohesive structure. The songs are all interconnected through the lyrics as if each song is treated like an entry in a diary. As such, this album will not be able to produce really good hit singles. To me, that's a risk Mariah has to face for now the trend is on single sales and not so much on album sales.
I don't think this album will do that well commercially, but perhaps Mariah has reached the stage in her career where she does not really bother too much about sales or getting her songs to No.1 on the charts anymore!
Mariah also played it low key this time without resorting to over the top vocal acrobatics. But she did it with lots of class and style, elevating the sensual slow jams to an art form here. I really think she deserves a Grammy for this effort!
To fans who like her inspirational ballads, they may be disappointed with this album, but for me, it's a great and exceptional album, one which deserves to be in my collection and which I shall be listening to for many weeks to come.
So here's my ratings for this album and all her previous albums that I have in my collection!
Hi everyone! My laptop is still in the HP Intensive Care Unit. Looks like the H1N1 really did it this time! Luckily, I have saved most of my files earlier so I'm pretty sure I will not be losing any important data.
Since I am using someone else's computer, I will have to keep my post short. Well, a short post is better than no post, right?
I have two things I would like to mention today. First, do you all know about the free unlimited downloading of music at Digi website?
You can download some of the latest chart toppers to your handphone or computer at zero cost! This is valid for first 30 days, after which you need to pay just RM5 per month. You can also stop subscribing at any time by sending an sms to Digi. Is that cool or what?
Sounds too good to be true right, so is there a catch? Of course! You need to sign up with Digi to enjoy this free unlimited downloading of songs!
I just had a great time downloading all my latest favourite songs from Lady Gaga to Eminem to Colbie Caillat to Mariah Carey to Akon to Rihanna to Daughtry to Beyonce to The Script to ... oh, just about every artists you know!
Thank you, Digi! Now did you hear that Digi is named Malaysia's most admired company for innovation by Wall Street Journal Asia for the third year running? I cannot agree more.
So quick! If you are not with Digi, switch over now!!
OK, the second thing is you all know I am a huge fan of Mariah Carey right? Her latest single, "Obsessed" is unfortunately not climbing up the charts. OK, I admit it's not a terribly good song, but if you give it a chance, and listen to it long enough, you might just find yourself liking it. It has a number of good hooks that I like.
By the way, "Obsessed" is her way of getting back at Eminem for dissing her and her husband in his song "Bagpipes From Baghdad" so you may want to listen to the lyrics from both Mariah and Eminem's songs carefully.
So since I'm so depressed with my laptop still in the Intensive Care Unit in HP Hospital, can you help cheer me up? It's very easy to cheer me up, you know.
Here's how. Just go to MixFM and vote for Mariah Carey's latest song "Obsessed". Click on the vote button and you are done! Won't take more than 10 seconds! Easy right?
Now while you are it, please don't start clicking on all the other songs please! I know, I know. You may prefer Colbie Caillat's "Falling For You" which is my favourite song too or Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" which is OK to me, but please don't do that yes?
I want Mariah Carey to end up at the top of the MixFM's chart for one thing, to help her promote the song and another, so that I can listen to it when I switch on my radio while driving! Haha! Thank you all for this favour!
Now you all know how Mariah's songs almost always end up No.1 on the charts! Haha! Just kidding! : )
I read about The 10 Finest Divas by Rob O'Conner recently and this inspired me to come up with my very own Top 5 Divas today.
These are the Top 10 Divas listed by Rob.
1. Diana Ross 2. Celine Dion 3. Mariah Carey 4. Christina Aguilera 5. Cher 6. Whitney Houston 7. Bette Midler 8. Macy Gray 9. Chaka Khan 10. Barbra Streisand
Do you agree with this list?
But before you agree or disagree, we have to agree on the definition of the word 'diva'.
According to wikipedia, diva is a celebrated female singer. But the Italian term is used to describe a woman of rare, outstanding talent in the world of opera and by extension, in theatre and popular music. However, the word diva is also closely related to the term prima donna, which is a title for leading female singer in an opera. Usually, these leading singers are arrogant and egotistical. In other words, diva is also associated with egotistical female singers who have big voices and unreasonable demands.
So your top 10 list would most probably depend on how you define the term 'diva'.
Well, for my post today, let's define divas as talented, female singers with big voices and are able to command the stage. We shall throw out all those egoistic, unreasonable characteristics, shall we?
So back to the list by Rob, I am quite surprised by his inclusion of Macy Gray. What the heck is she doing there? She's definitely no diva to me! And to be more diva-ish than Barbra Streisand and Chaka Khan? That must be a joke!
And where is Aretha Franklin? She is not in the Top 10? Impossible!
If you think Madonna should be in the list, well let me tell you she can't possibly qualify for her lack of musical talent and voice!
So, who are my Top 10 divas? Well, I think I'll just narrow it down to 5. But instead of just naming them, I shall tie them to the songs they sing.
Now, I have always loved good pop ballads with uplifting lyrics. Not just any pop ballads, mind you but those amazingly powerful ballads that makes your spirit soar and which are inspiring to the soul. Ballads that stir the emotion in you and touch you so deeply that it can even make you cry.
Most often than not, these powerful ballads are usually sung by female singers with powerful voices. These female singers are also usually known as divas.
This form of pop ballads were most popular during the 80's and 90's. Nowadays, you seldom get these kind of pop ballads anymore as it is no longer popular as evidenced by the lack of such music on top of the Billboard Chart.
Besides, not many singers are able to sing such songs as they require one to have exceptional vocal ability and power to execute them successfully.
Anyway, here are my top 5 power pop ballads (and coincidentally, also my 5 top divas!) which I like very much and will always love!
Note: As embedding the original YouTube videos of these songs had been disabled, I could not show them here. You can however click onto the links to watch the videos.
This will always be my No.1 most inspiring song of all time. The first time I heard this, I didn't think too much of it, until I listened carefully to its uplifting lyrics. Wow! Mariah not only wrote this from her heart, she sang from her heart too! This is the song that I play whenever I feel down because it really pulls you up.
I always feel inspired when she sings these words...
"So when you feel like hope is gone, Look inside you and be strong, And you'll finally see the truth, That a hero lies in you...."
Mariah is a true diva - very talented in terms of songwriting and singing as most of her self penned songs/singles hit No.1 on the Billboard Chart.
I have to say Whitney Houston is the greatest singer of all time and to date, I don't think anyone has beaten her yet in terms of vocal power. This song stayed on top of the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks, a feat that was only surpassed by Mariah and Boyz II Men with their song "One Sweet Day" which stayed at No.1 for 16 weeks. Originally written and sang by Dolly Parton, this song was given the makeover by Whitney's powerful vocals!
Whitney is another true diva - the diva with the biggest voice!
I have heard many singers sang this theme song from the movie "Titanic" but no one could sing it better than Celine Dion. Absolutely no one. You may have a powerful voice but that does not mean you can sing this song well as it requires some form of voice control and technique which only Celine could master. Although I am now pretty bored with this song having heard it endless times, I still rate this as one of the best ballad ever.
Celine is a diva in her own right - but a very "nice" diva that people love!
Christina is exceptionally good in vocal acrobatics and her voice is so powerful she can definitely give Mariah and Celine a run for their money! She sang this song beautifully. I love it!
I also find the lyrics very inspiring and somewhat similar to Mariah's "Hero".
"When there's no one else, look inside yourself, Like your oldest friend just trust the voice within, Then you'll find the strength that will guide your way, You'll learn to begin to trust the voice within...."
This is a powerful song co-written by American Idol judge, Simon Cowell himself! Leona Lewis, a rising star after winning the X-Factor reality show in UK gave her all in this song. I'm really looking forward to her next album and I hope she will have more of such songs!
Although Leona is still new in the industry and cannot qualify as a diva just yet, but I think she is definitely a diva in the making!
How about you? What is your top 5 inspirational power ballads and your top 5 divas?
Note: I am taking a break from my Kinabalu Trip posts. Will resume with A Walk Along Gaya Street next!
