Tag / HBO

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Book 21 (of 52) – Another Thing To Fall

Another Thing To Fall – Laura Lippman

When Tess literally rows into a television production, she finds herself with a new job: protecting/babysitting the show’s starlet.  As the production continually runs into increasingly elaborate pranks that threaten to derail the show’s future, Tess starts investigating, starting with her charge.  When those mishaps escalate to murder, she starts to make some headway, she needs to track down the clues that will lead her to the culprit before the whole production is shut down and Hollywood leaves Baltimore behind.

In Another Thing to Fall, the tenth entry in Laura Lippman’s Tess Monaghan series, the action gets a little meta, as Lippman was married at the time to David Simon, the man behind the Baltimore-set HBO hit The Wire.  With only two more entries to go in the series, we are nearing the end and I should wrap things up later this year.

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Prolific Authors – Fourteen Books

It is time once again to take a look at the authors I have read the most, dating back to high school.  This year, I’m once again on pace to set a new record for books read in a year, so I thought it would be nice to take a deeper dive into those books I’ve read through August of this year. Since our last check-in, I’ve read an additional 114 books, so there should be some movement over the past two years.  Without further ado, it’s time to take another look and see if my “favorite” authors have changed much over the years.  We continue today with the sole author I’ve read fourteen times, although under two names.

Erle Stanley Gardner

I’ve been aware of Gardner as the creator of Perry Mason for years but had never read any of his work until 2015, when Hard Case Crime released the first of their republishing of his Cool and Lam series, written under the penname A.A. Fair.  Since that time, six entries of the series have been released.

Erle Stanley Gardner – The Case of the Lonely Heiress

Thanks to the new HBO interpretation of Perry Mason, six of those books have also been republished, all of which I read between 2020 and 2022. In addition to those, I’ve stumbled across a few other editions over the years, including the most recent book of his I’ve read, The Case of the Howling Dog.  Since HBO cancelled the show after two seasons, I may be stuck with the earlier editions of the remaining books.

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iTunes Top 200: #8

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library, featuring he songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which older songs still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2025.

Today, we continue with our in-depth look into each song in the top ten.  Two songs have tied for the eighth most listened to song in my library, with 144 plays since my stats began in late 2007.  Both have ties to the baseball team on the south side of Chicago and the various playlists I have made for them over the years.

#8: Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’
iTunes stats: 144 plays, most recently on 8/27/2024
Previous ranking: #8

Originally released in October of 1981 as the second single off the band’s Escape album, the song peaked at #9 on the Hot 100 and quickly became one of the band’s signature hits.  The song got a second life in the 2000s, starting locally after it became the rallying cry for the 2005 White Sox when A.J. Pierzynski and teammates heard it being sung in a bar in Baltimore.  Steve Perry, who was the band’s lead singer when the song was recorded, was on the field following Game 4 celebrating with the team and sang the song at the rally back in Chicago two days later.  It finally dropped off my White Sox victory playlist starting with the 2015 season.

In 2007, it appeared in the final episode of The Sopranos, which led to a surge in digital downloads of the song.  In 2012, it became the best-selling digital track from the 20th century, and it surpassed 7,000,000 downloads by 2017.  In 2021, the song inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

#8: Icona Pop – I Love It (Feat. Charli XCX)
iTunes stats: 144 plays, most recently on 9/28/2024
Previous ranking: #14

Featuring vocals from British singer Charli XCX, the song by the Swedish synth-pop duo became their first US hit, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2013 following an appearance of the HBO show Girls.  The song was written by Charli XCX after the group’s producer sent her two of the duo’s beats, but she knew she couldn’t release it on her own due to the difference in sound.

Over the last decade, the song has been played often at the former Guaranteed Rate Field both to pump up the crowd and for between inning highlight packages.  It’s inclusion on recent entries of my White Sox victory playlist has led to its rising total.

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iTunes Top 200: #99 – 113

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library, featuring he songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which older songs still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2025.

We continue this week with the final batch of songs tied for 113th place with 40 plays apiece and started the group tied for 99th with 41 listens since my stats began in late 2007.

#113: George Carlin – Telephone Mimes
iTunes stats: 40 plays, most recently on 9/10/2024
Previous ranking: #144

Yet another entry from Carlin’s 17th album and twelfth HBO stand-up special.

#113: Garbage – Androgyny
iTunes stats: 40 plays, most recently on 6/3/2024
Previous ranking: #89

The lead single from the band’s third studio album, it failed to land on any Billboard chart in the US.

#113: Foo Fighters – My Hero
iTunes stats: 40 plays, most recently on 9/25/2024
Previous ranking: #98

Adding six new plays over the last five years, this live, acoustic version of the band’s 1998 hit was recorded at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles in 2006.

#113: Foo Fighters – This Is a Call
iTunes stats: 40 plays, most recently on 8/9/2024
Previous ranking: #112

Written just months after the death of Kurt Cobain, this debut single from Dave Grohl’s first post-Nirvana effort added seven listens since 2020.

#113: Foo Fighters – Everlong
iTunes stats: 40 plays, most recently on 8/31/2024
Previous ranking: #89

The second single from the band’s second studio album, it peaked at #3 on the Alternative Songs chart in 1997. Continue reading →

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iTunes Top 200: #158 Part II

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library, featuring he songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which older songs still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2025.

We continue this week with the next batch of songs tied for 158th place with 37 plays apiece since my stats began in late 2007.

#158: Green Day – Basket Case
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 9/28/2024
Previous ranking: #144

The third single from the band’s major label debut, it spent five weeks atop Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart and earned the group one of their four Grammy nominations in 1995.

#158: Green Day – American Idiot
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 9/19/2023
Previous ranking: NR

The band’s first hit to chart on the Hot 100, it has picked up 20 new plays over the past nine years.

#158: George Carlin – People Who Wear Visors
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 6/4/2024
Previous ranking: NR

A strong debut for this comedy bit from Carlin’s twelfth HBO special.

#158: Garfunkel and Oates – Pregnant Women are Smug
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 12/1/2024
Previous ranking: #170

Seven new listens for the comedic tune from Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci.

#158: Foo Fighters – My Hero
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 8/18/2024
Previous ranking: NR

Released in January of 1998 as the third single from the band’s second album, it reached #6 on the Alternative Songs chart.

Continue reading →

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Midseason Review – Sundays

With the advent of winter premieres, the start of the premium cable network shows, and with February sweeps around the corner, it’s time to revisit my thoughts from the beginning of the season and look ahead at what’s to come for Sunday nights.

Now, let’s see what interesting tidbits are coming this spring:

Suits: L.A. – A spinoff of the old USA Network series, which became a big hit on Netflix in 2023.

Grosse Pointe Garden Society – Starring Melissa Fumero and Aja Naomi King as members of a suburban gardening club that share a murderous secret.

The White Lotus – The show returns to HBO for its third season, with Leslie Bibb and Carrie Coon in tow.

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iTunes Top 200: #183 Part II

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library, featuring he songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which older songs still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2025.

We continue this week with the next batch of songs tied for 183rd place with 36 plays apiece since my stats began in late 2007.

#183: Nirvana – About a Girl
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 12/7/2023
Previous ranking: NR

Written about Kurt Cobain’s then girlfriend, this live acoustic version was recorded in November of 1993 and was released as a single in October of 1994, the band’s first single after Cobain’s death.

#183: The McCoys – Hang on Sloopy
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 6/25/2024
Previous ranking: NR

After falling off the chart five years ago, the official rock song of Ohio returns, adding 19 plays over the last nine years.

#183: Mazzy Star – Into Dust
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 2/9/2024
Previous ranking: NR

Featured on the group’s second studio album and charting twice in the UK despite never being released as a single, the track has picked up 16 plays over these last nine years.

#183: Mark Snow – X-Files Theme
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 5/24/2023
Previous ranking: #125

My current ringtone, the theme from the 90s FOX hit became just the second instrumental to hit #1 on the French pop charts.

#183: Lustra – Scotty Doesn’t Know
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 12/13/2024
Previous ranking: #170

Written for the 2004 film Eurotrip, the track picked up six additional plays over these past five years. Continue reading →

by admin

iTunes Top 200: #183

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library, featuring he songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which older songs still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2025.

We kick things off today with the first ten songs tied for 183rd place with 36 plays apiece since my stats began in late 2007.

#183: Warrant – Cherry Pie
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 5/30/2024
Previous ranking: #125

Written in fifteen minutes after the label’s president wanted a “rock anthem”, the lead single from the group’s second studio album added just four new listens over these past five years.

#183: Tom Cochrane – Life is a Highway
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 4/14/2024
Previous ranking: NR

Cochrane’s sole hit in the US, peaking at #6 on the Hot 100, he first started working on it in the 1970s as a member of Red Rider.

#183: Thomas Newman – Six Feet Under Title Theme
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 7/29/2024
Previous ranking: NR

An additional 19 listens over the past nine years has pushed this theme from the HBO series that premiered in 2001.

#183: Tegan and Sara – I Bet It Stung
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 4/22/2024
Previous ranking: NR

This album track from the duo’s fourth studio album re-enters the chart after nine years thanks to 16 new plays.

#183: Tegan and Sara – Hell
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 11/8/2023
Previous ranking: #112

Featured on the group’s sixth studio album, it picked up only three new listens over the past five years, dropping 81 spots. Continue reading →

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Post Mortem – Perry Mason

HBO started developing a new version of Perry Mason, based on the character from the series of novels written by Erle Stanley Gardner, moving the setting from the 1950s of the classic Raymond Burr-led series back to the Great Depression-era of the earliest books.  With Matthew Rhys on board to play the title character, the show premiered in June of 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic.

A much grittier presentation than the classic show, it was quickly renewed for a second season.  Delays, due to behind-the-scenes reshuffling and the ongoing pandemic, pushed the second season to March of 2023.  Despite mostly positive reviews, the delay may have taken away any steam the show had built up in its first season and, in June of 2023, HBO pulled the plug.

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Post Mortem – Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty

NBA legend Jerry West, who passed away earlier this week at age 86, objected to his portrayal in Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, saying it was “cruel” and “deliberately false.”  Which is totally how the Jerry West played by Jason Clarke in the show would have reacted.

The Showtime era of Lakers basketball, led by Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and coach Pat Riley, featured an up-tempo offense and resulted in five NBA championships and four additional Finals appearances.  Winning Time, with a changed name because its home network of HBO competed against Showtime, dramatized the early days of the era, starting with the drafting of Johnson and the first championship won during his rookie season of 1979-1980.  A second season, covering the next four NBA campaigns, aired starting in August of 2023.

With Kareem retiring in 1989 and Pat Riley stepping down as coach the following year, the Showtime era came to a close in 1991, following a Finals loss to Michael Jordan and the Bulls and Magic Johnson retiring after testing positive for HIV later that year.  Winning Time came to an end in September of 2023, when HBO announced it was cancelling the series after just two seasons.