Blog Me MAYbe: Song Parodies

Hey Blogger Buds,
The awesome Sara McClung is hosting a May blogfest, to try to blog every day in May!

I've decided to try putting a spin on things. It may not work, but I want to plan each post around a song lyric, or a quote, or something to that extent. Besides for that, I'll be keeping my posts pretty short.

Wednesday: MAY I ask something about you?

No? Oh well. I wasn't really asking.

Pin!

I just finished A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young. It was amazing. I think you can guess what my next step is.

Here's a hint:

"The way you see through my soul gets me overwhelmed"

"You've a Need so Beautiful"

"If only you lived without this Need"

There's a preview for you guys, of a few different lines! None of them are permanent, though. I finished the first draft pretty quickly, but the parody needs a lot of work. I'll try to have it up for you guys soon.

In the meantime, on the topic of songs...

Do you ever hear a song that just fits PERFECTLY with a book you read? What song? What book? I'm always looking for good music, and I'd LOVE to hear!

May the odds be ever in your favor,

Riv

Life's A Cabaret...When You're a Career: A Parody

Hey Blogger Buds,
In honor of the Hunger Games movie, I've decided to make you all victims of my parroting parodying once again! The first time was a vampire-esque Wicked parody, and the second song was about Taylor Swift and Facebook.

I couldn't think of a good title for this parody, since it was based on just one line in Maybe This Time. I had "all the odds are in my favor" stuck in my head and, well, I'm sure you can guess what happened next.

Since I'm still a little bit obsessing over Cato, and because I wanted to spice things ups a bit, this song is a tribute to the Careers. (Eh? You saw what I did there? A tribute to the Careers? ... I'll shut up now.)

Without too much further ado...

Further Ado: It's a short parody this time. And, for those of you who may not have heard the song before, here's the original on Youtube (I couldn't find a lyrics version, sorry). And here's the Glee version, with lyrics, which I liked better. You know me, I'm a Gleek.

Even Further Ado: I know that there are more repetitions and stuff of some of the lines, but I kept it clean, only put up the lyrics the lyrics the first time they're said. If you're listening to the song while reading the lyrics, you may have to go back and forth, up and down a bit as you follow along. Sorry, but I just wanted to keep it clean, and follow both versions as much as possible.

And now, without further ado...

Life's a Cabaret...When You're a Career.
Maybe this time, I'll be lucky
Maybe this time, I'll slay
Maybe this time
For the first time
I will hurry on stage

I will kill them fast
I'll have fame at last
Not a watcher anymore
Like the last Game
And the Game before

Panem always loves a winner
So everybody’ll love me
'Lady Tribute,' 'Lady Victor,'
That's what I long to be
All the odds may be in my favor
So my name’s bound to be picked
It's got to happen, happen sometime
Maybe this time I'll win.


*Of course, this parody is not meant, in any way, to insult Cabaret, Glee, The Hunger Games, or even the Careers.

And the obligatory closing:

May the odds be ever in your favor,
Riv

Oh, and HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!

PS: Those of you who were here last year may remember my April Fool's Roundup. I have a special post planned for Tuesday, so it will be on THURSDAY. (I know, a bit belated.) If you don't mind, please let me know of any book-related "updates" you discover! I'll be on the hunt, but I don't want to miss any good ones. ;)

The Future of Us: A Taylor Swift Parody

Hey Blogger Buds,
Last week, I wrote a review for The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. It's out tomorrow. So. I wrote a song. You may remember As Long As You'll Dine: A Wicked Parody.
I've heard multiple people comment on the Taylor-esque title of the book. Before reading my parody, I suggest you go listen to The Story of Us on YouTube.  There's the official music video. And there are versions with the lyrics.
Sorry for going linkage crazy.
Oh, I almost forgot. Add the book on Goodreads, if you're interested!

If you've never heard Taylor before, you might want to go hear the song once before checking out my parody. You also might want to listen to it again, while you read the parody.

The storyline is a weird one. I didn't really know where I was going when I was writing the song, and it ended up on two sort of connected plotlines. A girl is chatting with her boyfriend and she accidentally lets a typo slip, which simultaneously lets in spam that crashes her computer (a Mac. Sorry, I'm a PC) and ends her relationship.

*I used the one-syllable pronunciation of "meme." ("meem")
So, without further ado...


The Future of Us
TTTO: The Story of Us by Taylor Swift

I used to think one day, there’d be a future for us,
How we’d log on, Facebook instantly,
Tweeple would say, “They’re the lucky ones.”
I used to know My Space was a click beyond yours,
Now I’m searching the web for a username
‘Cause lately I don’t even know what page you’re on.

Oh, a simple web sensation,
Miscommunications lead to fall-out
So many memes that I wish you knew,
So many firewalls and spam’s breaking through.

Now I’m sitting alone with a Starbucks cup and we’re not chatting,
And I’m dying to know if they’re billing you like they’re billing me, meh?
I don’t know what to write, since the typo slipped, and my Mac broke down,
And that future of us looks a lot like an #epicfail.

Next email.

How’d it end up this way?
See me nervously pulling up email and trying to look busy,
And you’re doing your best to not @ me.
I’m starting to think one day I’ll blog the #fail that is us,
How I was losing IE when I saw you vlog,
But you held your mouse like you should’ve held me.

Oh, I’m scared to see the fanbase,
Why’d I stay in cyberspace instead of logging out?
I swear I would “Like” you, but I forgot how,
I’ve never seen frowniesL quite this loud.

Now I’m sitting alone with a Starbucks cup and we’re not chatting,
And I’m dying to know if they’re billing you like they’re billing me, meh?
I don’t know what to write, since the typo slipped and my Mac broke down.
And that future of us looks a lot like an #epicfail.

This is looking like a tumblr tumbling mess,
Of who can write and still Wordpress
But I Liked it better when you were on my site.
The battle’s in your mouse now,
But I would lay my keyboard down
If you send you’d “rather blog than brawl.”

So many memes that you wish I knew,
And The Future of Us will be published soon!!!!

Now I’m sitting alone with a Starbucks cup and we’re not chatting,
And I’m dying to know if they’re billing you like they’re billing me, meh?
I don’t know what to write since the typo slipped and my Mac broke down,
And that future of us looks a lot like an #epicfail, fail, fail.

And we’re not chatting,
And I’m trying to know if they’re billing you like they’re billing me, meh?
I don’t know what to code since the virus slipped, and my Mac went down,
And that future of us looks a lot like an #epicfail.

Shut down.

**I just want to mention that this parody is in no way meant to offend Taylor Swift, her song The Story of Us, or The Future of Us by Asher and Mackler. I'm not trying to infringe on any copyright, either. This parody is for the purpose of publicizing the song and the book, in hopes of spreading them to more people.

I hope you guys enjoyed! Please tell me what you think, and if you want more parodies in the future!

Also, if you have any ideas for other book/song parodies like the two I've already done, please let me know! Either shoot me an email, or leave a comment anywhere on my blog!

The Future of Us comes out tomorrow, Monday November 21st.

Peace and PCs,

Riv

As Long As You'll Dine: A Wicked Parody

Hey Blogger Buds,
It's a music kind of week, I guess.
So you know the book Kiss Me Deadly? It's an anthology, 13 Tales of Paranormal Love, edited by Trisha Telep. I recently had a copy in my possession (A DNF. I got bored), and whenever I looked at the title, it made me think of the song from Broadway's Wicked, As Long As You're Mine. The song opens with "Kiss me too fiercely." So. I wrote a slightly mocking vampire parody.

If you've never heard the song before, I suggest you listen to it first, and then maybe listen to it again while reading the lyrics to this.
This is my first shot at parody song writing. Enjoy! (Be kind...)

As Long As You'll Dine
TTTO: As Long As You're Mine by Wicked


Girl:
Kiss me too deadly
Hold me ‘till fright
I need help believing
You’ll Change me tonight
My wildest screamings
Could not foresee
Lying beside you
With you biting me

Forever this moment,
As long as you’ll dine
I’ve lost all resistance
And dried up my bloodline
And if it turns out,
I’m sucked clean too fast
You’ll make every last droplet last
As long as you’ll dine…

Vampire:
Maybe I’m soulless
Maybe I’m live
But you’ve got me seeing
Through thirsty eyes
Somehow I’ve fallen
In love with your smell
And someone I’m feeling
I need your blood cells

Both:
Forever this moment
As long as you’ll/I’ll dine
You’ll/I’ll unleash my two fangs
And make up for lost crimes

Vampire:
Say there’s no Ever
For us as a pair

Both:
And though I may know
I’ll still scare…

Forever this moment
As long as we’ll dine
Come vamp as you want to
And see how bright we sparkle shine
Away from the sunlight
Until it is through
And know I’ll be here sucking you
As long as we’ll dine…

Vampire:
What is it?

Girl:
It’s just—for the first time, I feel eternal.

This was totally not meant to offend Wicked or Kiss Me Deadly. Both are awesome. (I can't say anything about vampires though.)
I know the "two fangs" line is bad, but I couldn't think of anything better.
I'm kind of in love with the vampire's first solo. :-[

Hope you enjoyed!

Peace and vampires,

Riv

Panic! At the Disco Music Review

Hey Blogger Buds,
Straight off the bat apologies. I know, this is a book blog. I've seen many book blogs that post about music and things, but Riv Reads is all about books. And music isn't really book-related. It can be, seeing as many of us write while listening, but it's not so direct.
Anyway, I haven't finished any books recently, my schedule's been kind of packed. So I'm here to tell you about an album that came out back in '09, but I've pretty much been listening to on repeat. I'll go through each song, talking about certain lyrics, the meanings, and what I thought of it overall. Meanings will mostly be from songmeanings.net. I double-check most of my lyrics. If that site is really wrong, I'll use another. My quoted lyrics are correct, though.
I don't really expect you to go out and get it based on this review. I figure if you're a P!atD fan, you already have it if you want it.

I'm rating out of three. One, I didn't really like it. Two, it was okay. Three, it's one of the better songs on the album. One star doesn't mean the song was bad. It means I didn't love it as much as some other ones.

Very steampunk-esque

So. Vices and Virtues.
Overall, I love the album. The band split up a while ago, and there's a vast difference in the music. Songs from the first two albums have titles like, "She's a Handsome Woman," "Nine in the Afternoon," and "The Piano Knows Something I Don't Know". This album makes a lot more sense.

I had one major issue with the album, overall. At the end (sometimes the beginning, too) of most songs, was this little instrumental bit. Sometimes for ten seconds, other times for a minute. The instrumental was great in its own right, but it took away from the album, and just made me impatient for the next song to start.

Song: Ballad of the Mona Lisa
Lyrics and Song Meaning: songmeanings.net (direct link)
Favorite Line: N/A
Rating: 1
Thoughts: I don't particular like this one, but it's got a good beat, and it's not so bad. It makes sense, fortunately. It is up to interpretation, as well.

Song: Let's Kill Tonight
Lyrics and Meaning: songmeanings.net
Favorite Line: N/A
Rating: 1
Thoughts: I really like the beat on this one. It's quick and fun, and easy to listen to. I think it's great while you're exercising, for the tempo. I get bored of it pretty easily though, because the lyrics are mostly repetition.

Song: Hurricane
Lyrics and Meaning: songmeanings.net
Favorite Line: "We are a hurricane // Drop our anchors in a storm" "And I believe that half the time // I am a wolf among the sheep // Gnawing at the wool over my eyes"
Rating: 2
Thoughts: This is the first song of the album to clearly be about the band breaking up, but it's more than that. It's about being together, and it definitely has a fantastic rhythm.

Song: Memories
Lyrics and Meaning: songmeanings.net
Favorite Line: "They were young and independent // And they thought they had it planned // Should have known right from the start you can't predict the end."
Rating: 3
Thoughts: This is one of my absolute favorites from the album. It tells a story, but it has a further meaning than that. It's about the band breaking up. They were great to begin with, but they "lost momentum". They used to be "Young and independent" and they thought they knew what they were doing, but they had no idea what would happen later.


Song: Trade Mistakes
Lyrics and Meaning: metrolyrics.com
Favorite Line: "I may never sleep tonight // As long as you're still burning bright // If I could trade mistakes for sheep // Count me awake before you sleep" "Let me save you hold this rope // I am an anchor sinking her"
Rating: 2
Thoughts: I'm obsessed with these lyrics. I think this chorus has the most brilliant lyrics. Ever. Trading mistakes for sheep, and talking about counting? Utter genius. I'm assuming this is another song about the band breaking up. (Though the line 'you can't sleep in this box with me' really makes me think of Edward refusing Bella. You know, coffins and all...)


Song: Ready To Go (Get Out of My Mind...)
Lyrics and Meaning: songmeanings.net
Favorite Line: [One of the last lines, because of the beat change] "...I know //// I'm ready to go"
Rating: 2
Thoughts: An average song, pretty catchy though.


Song: Always
Lyrics and Meaning: songmeanings.net
Favorite Line: "You are taking me apart // Like bad glue on a get well card" "I'm the light blinking at the end of the road // Blink back to let me know" "I'm a fly that's trapped // In a web but I'm thinking that my spider's dead // Lonely, lonely little life // I can kid myself in thinking that I'm fine" "That I'm skin and bone // Just a king and a rusty throne // The castle's under siege // But the sun outside says leave me alone"
Rating: 3
Thoughts: "Trade Mistakes" had brilliant lyrics, but they're nothing like these. I'm absolutely obsessed with the lyrics in Always. It's a slower song, but that one of the reasons I love it so much. A nice bit of calm in the middle of an angsty, loud, album. :)


Song: The Calendar
Lyrics and Meaning: songmeanings.net
Favorite Line: "The world may call it a second chance but when I think back it was more of a relapse // Anticipation's on the other line and obsession called while you were out"
Rating: 3
Thoughts: Another favorite. I love the sound of it. It's also really sad. :( Another song about the band breaking up, but I can feel this one more than the others. It's a weird mix. The idea is really sad, the beat is happy, and he sings it like he's mourning. Which I guess he is.


Song: Sarah Smiles
Lyrics and Meaning: songmeanings.net
Favorite Line: "Sarah smiles like Sarah doesn't care // She lives in her world so unaware // Does she know that my destiny lies with her?"
Rating: 3
Thoughts: I love this song because it reminds me a really good friend of mine. (She happens to hate the song, but oh well.) I interpret the song as the narrator being totally in love, but she doesn't understand the extent of it. She cares about him, but doesn't get that she's practically his whole world.


Song: Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met...)
Lyrics and Meaning: www.songmeanings.net
Favorite Line: "Ever since we met // I've got just one regret to live through // And I regret not letting you go" "Mona Lisa, please to please ya"
Rating: 1
Thoughts: This one follows P!atD's old style of weirdness. It was written before the band broke up, and I think it was recorded back then too. I like how the album starts with "Ballad of the Mona Lisa" and it ends, with the last line being "Mona Lisa, please to please ya." It rounds out the album very well for me.

Ratings Summarized:
Ballad of the Mona Lisa=1
Kill Tonight=1
Hurricane=2
Memories=3
Trade Mistakes=2
Ready To Go (Get Out of My Mind...)=2
Always=3
The Calendar=3
Sarah Smiles=3
Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met)=1

This is important: This music review took me ages (it probably barely makes any sense). Please, please, PLEASE, let me know what you think. Please? Do you like seeing music reviews? Should I make more? Do you hate them?

Also, please let me know what you think of this style of CD review. It takes ages to review individual songs, but I love this album too much to make a general post.

Please leave me some feedback!

Peace, Vices, and Virtues,

Riv

Soapbox Style: Blog Music

(ETA: Sorry, I titled this wrong. #rivfail)

Hey Blogger Buds,
So here's your last chance: Put lots of space between you and me, right now, because I'm about get on the soapbox. Don't worry, I'm not naming anyone here. But there's something I hate on blogs. (Run away while I'm  still lugging out my big soapbox)

Music. Videos. It drives me up the wall and annoys all but the most nonsensical (great word) words out of my head. I'm constantly listening to music, and when I open twenty blog tabs, mouthing along with Taylor or Martin or Pierre  or whoever, I don't want something else blasting out of my earbuds. Especially when the music is loud. I have to go through every one of my open tabs to find the embedded playlist, or the video, that's catching my teardrops before they land on  my guitar. (I'm trying to think about how that might possibly be metaphorical, but I got nothing.)

*steps off soapbox*

What's your opinion on music on blogs? If you have an embedded playlist or something, you're welcome to ignore my banter. If you don't want to ignore it, I'd love to hear your reasoning.

What about the rest of you? Does it annoy you too?

Peace,
Riv

PS: There's a new widget at the bottom of my right sidebar. It's a button widget; go check it out!

PPS: Speaking of buttons, don't forget to enter my CONTEST to win some awesome REAL ones HERE!

Once Upon a Read-a-Thon Mini-Contests

Hey Blogger buds,

So, a review for Infinite Days in coming as soon as my "wow"ing stage is finished. (It's been a while, but it was an awesome book!)

So today I'm going to do entries for the Once Upon a Read-a-Thon challenge! There are three mini-challenges today.

The first is hosted by the Eager Readers.

Part One: Your favorite fictional couple.

Sam ad Grace from the Wolves of Mercy Falls. Predictable of me, but they work together perfectly! And, one little detail, it describes Grace as "stoic" and Sam as "emotional." Not like a typical story where it's vice versa.

Part Two: Favorite crossover couple.

After coming up with Sam and Grace, I thought of other Maggie Stiefvater books, since I love her. I decided on James from Ballad, and Jenna from The Adoration of Jenna Fox. I'm only partly through Jenna Fox, so fans might be staring at this and tsk'ing,.

The second is hosted by Book Crazy.

I'm going to go with Wolves of Mercy Falls (again). The challenge is to pair it with a song or picture that reminds you of it. I'm going with Out Come the Wolves. I actually found this song through Maggie's blog.

And the third mini-challenge is hosted by I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read.
Now, I'm just posting this here for fun, even though I'm SUPPOSED to post it as a comment. You pick a chapter in a book you're reading/read during the Read-a-Thon, and choose music to match it, along with a book blurb, spoiler free.
Chapter 65 in Maximum Ride: Angel Experiment by James Patterson.Blurb: The flock is trying to escape from the School, with help from some old friends.
Good ol' fashioned Mission Impossible!


Peace,
RR

Current Music: Jump by Simple Plan
Current Mood: Hungry and Exhausted (life)

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Memorial Day, Babies, and Graceling (What a Combo!)

Hello all of my little blogging friends!
I've got a couple of things to say today.

1) I just read this wonderful and very funny blog post written by the darling Emilia Plater over at YA Highway. It's called....
What to Expet When You're Expecting...A BOOK
It's comparing kids to books. For example, they both keep you up half the night. (I should know, I've got experience on both sides of the spectrum, and I assure you I've never been a book.)

2)While cruising some blogs, I picked up some Memorial Day themed stuff.
First off, I have this little video from my glorious buddy, YouTube.


Next is a poem from Photobucket:


And finally, a Vietnam-themed song that I have stuck in my head. It's called "White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land". It's anti-war, by Phil Ochs (unless you're over 40 or me, I doubt you've heard of him)
Now, the only version I could find on YouTube was by this kid who got the lyrics wrong, so find your older brother/dad/mom/best friend's mom/neighbor/old age home and ask someone to sing it for you. Meanwhile, here are the lyrics, courtesy of Metro Lyrics

Lyrics | Phil Ochs Lyrics | White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land Lyrics

Now, if you thought that was actually it, you were WRONG! I've got another Ochs song, Is There Anybody Here? Once again, go find someone old to sing it to you.


Lyrics | Phil Ochs Lyrics | Is There Anybody Here Lyrics

And, I'd like to say that my grand-dad, RIP, was a soldier in WWII (I think). I didn't know him that well, and haven't heard any of his stories, unfortunately. He passed away last November.

And here's a flag:


3) (Finally!) Yesterday I forgot to post this question for my Graceling review, so it's here today. Quite an obvious question, actually:

If you could have any Grace, what would it be? And, what colors would your eyes be?

Peace and HAPPY M-DAY

Current Music: White Boots Marching in  Yellow Land by Phil Ochs

Current Mood: I haz a cold.