Tag / Joss Whedon

by admin

iTunes Top 200: #99

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 wrap up the first half of the countdown this week with the next batch of songs tied for 99th place with 41 plays apiece since my stats began in late 2007.

#99: Styx – Come Sail Away
iTunes stats: 41 plays, most recently on 12/7/2024
Previous ranking: #79

Once used at the ballpark on days Chris Sale was pitching for the White Sox, the 1977 hit from the Chicago band added five plays since 2020.

#99: Mexican Cheerleader – American Nice
iTunes stats: 41 plays, most recently on 9/23/2023
Previous ranking: #79

Only four new plays for the song that serves as a ringtone for the band’s singer on my phone.

#99: The Lonely Island – I Just Had Sex (feat. Akon)
iTunes stats: 41 plays, most recently on 2/5/2023
Previous ranking: #112

Released as the first single from the group’s second album, the video, featured as a Saturday Night Live digital short, features Akon, Jessica Alba, Blake Lively, and John McEnroe.

#99: Garfunkel and Oates – This Party Took a Turn for the Douche
iTunes stats: 41 plays, most recently on 10/22/2024
Previous ranking: #112

Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci add another tune to the charts.

#99: Garfunkel and Oates – Fuck You
iTunes stats: 41 plays, most recently on 7/24/2023
Previous ranking: #112

Eight new listens for this ode to wanting to be intimate with the object of your affection. Continue reading →

by admin

iTunes Top 200: #89 – 98

itunes_image4 years ago, we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library. Since my iTunes stats are still intact, across multiple PCs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones, I figured it was time to take another look at my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2020.

Today, we begin the second half of our countdown, breaking the top 100 with the remaining three songs with 34 plays before moving on to the first group of songs with 35 plays, according to my iTunes stats dating back to late 2007.

#98: The Breeders – Cannonball
iTunes stats: 34 plays, most recently on 8/30/2019
Previous ranking: #96

The first single for the new band fronted by former Pixie Kim Deal and her sister Kelley.

#98: The Beatles – Help!
iTunes stats: 34 plays, most recently on 10/27/2019
Previous ranking: #65

The title song for both the 1965 film and its soundtrack album.

#98: Bad Religion – Infected
iTunes stats: 34 plays, most recently on 7/11/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

A nice debut for the tune which peaked at number 27 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart.

#89: Travis – Baby One More Time
iTunes stats: 35 plays, most recently on 10/25/2019
Previous ranking: #141

A tremendous jump for this cover of the Britney Spears “classic”.

#89: Tegan and Sara – Walking With A Ghost
iTunes stats: 35 plays, most recently on 8/16/2019
Previous ranking: #65

Released in 2005 as the debut single from the So Jealous album.

#89: Nerf Herder – Buffy Theme
Continue reading →

by admin

iTunes Top 200: #112 – 125

itunes_image4 years ago, we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library. Since my iTunes stats are still intact, across multiple PCs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones, I figured it was time to take another look at my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2020.

We march forward today with the next batch of songs tied with 32 plays and the first batch with 33, dating back to late 2007 according to my iTunes stats.

#125: Darling Violetta – Angel Main Theme
iTunes stats: 32 plays, most recently on 6/13/2019
Previous ranking: #56

The band performed 2 songs in a third season episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer before being tasked to perform the theme to the spin-off.

#125: Crew Cuts – Sh Boom
iTunes stats: 32 plays, most recently on 10/27/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

A nice debut for the version of the song that was #1 on the Billboard charts for nine weeks during August and September 1954 and most closely resembles the one used in Clue: The Movie.

#125: The Cranberries – Zombie
iTunes stats: 32 plays, most recently on 10/30/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

Written about the IRA bombing in Warrington in 1993, the first single from the Cranberries sophomore effort  also appears on Volume 15 of my mix tapes.

#125: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Coda
iTunes stats: 32 plays, most recently on 11/9/2019
Previous ranking: #36

The final bit of cast singing from the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

#125: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Under Your Spell
iTunes stats: 32 plays, most recently on 11/9/2019
Previous ranking: #79

Amber Benson performs the song which writer Joss Whedon called “pornography” and “probably the dirtiest lyric I’ve ever written, but also very, very beautiful”.

#125: Blur – Girls & Boys
Continue reading →

by admin

20 Years Of Slaying

20 years ago tonight, Welcome To The Hellmouth and The Harvest aired on the WB, bringing Buffy The Vampire Slayer to small screen.  Based on the original script for the 1992 film of the same name, the series, helmed by writer Joss Whedon, reached new heights for the fledgling network and became a pop culture phenomenon.

20 years later, the show’s imprint still looms over the pop culture landscape.  Whedon has become one of the most successful film directors, directing the first two Avengers movies which earned a combined $3 billion.  In their book TV (The Book), critics Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz ranked the show as the 26th best of all time.  The series has continued on in comic book form, and manages to convert new fans today.

by admin

iTunes Top 200: #46 – 56

itunes_image3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 songs in my iTunes library. Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact. So, I figured it was time to take another look, expanding out the field to the top 200 songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2016.

We reach the 3/4ths mark today, looking at the remaining songs tied for 56th with 23 listens and starting the songs tied for 46th with 24 listens.

#56: Darling Violetta – Angel Main Theme
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 12/11/2015
Previous ranking: #76

The band performed 2 songs in a third season episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer before being tasked to perform the theme to the spin-off.

#56: Coolio f/ L.V. – Gangsta’s Paradise
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 11/15/2015
Previous ranking: #96

This 1995 hit from the Dangerous Minds soundtrack also appeared on Volume 19 of my mix tapes.

#56: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Where Do We Go From Here?
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 9/22/2015
Previous ranking: #41

The last tune from the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer following the defeat of the dancing demon Sweet.

#56: The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 9/21/2015
Previous ranking: #58

The only theme song to a Beatles film to not be released as a single.

#56: The Beatles – Helter Skelter
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 6/13/2014
Previous ranking: #54

Considered by music historians as a key influence in the development of heavy metal.

#46: Weird Al Yankovic – White & Nerdy 
Continue reading →

by admin

iTunes Top 200: #65 – 79

itunes_image3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 songs in my iTunes library. Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact. So, I figured it was time to take another look, expanding out the field to the top 200 songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2016.

Today, we finish off the remaining songs tied for 79th with 21 listens and start the group of songs tied for 65th with 22 listens since 2007.

#79: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Under Your Spell
iTunes stats: 21 plays, most recently on 12/11/2015
Previous ranking: #76

Amber Benson performs the song which writer Joss Whedon called “pornography” and “probably the dirtiest lyric I’ve ever written, but also very, very beautiful”.

#79: The Beatles – Eight Days A Week
iTunes stats: 21 plays, most recently on 7/21/2015
Previous ranking: #76

Although it was a huge hit in America, the group did not think highly of the song and they never performed it live.

#65: 10,000 Maniacs – Because The Night
iTunes stats: 22 plays, most recently on 8/4/2015
Previous ranking: #76

This cover of the Patti Smith classic from the band’s MTV Unplugged appearance also appeared on Volume 12 of my mix tapes.

#65: The Wonders – That Thing You Do
iTunes stats: 22 plays, most recently on 7/9/2015
Previous ranking: #96

The theme song from the 1996 movie of the same name, about a band that hits it big in the 60s before disintegrating before they can record a follow up.

#65: Weezer – Dope Nose
iTunes stats: 22 plays, most recently on 10/5/2015
Previous ranking: #41

The first single from the band’s 4th studio album.

#65: Toad The Wet Sprocket – Walk On The Ocean
Continue reading →

by admin

2015: The Year In Movies

Movie_Reel_22

2015 was a bit of a letdown after last year’s improvement in movie watching for me, with the vacation over the past 3 weeks of December helping to greatly boost my total.  I managed to watch 69 movies last year, 9 less than last year and my fourth consecutive year under 100.  Again, many things contributed to this, chiefly the insane amount of TV I’ve been watching, the greater effort made towards going out for walks, and the awful amount of time I spend either at work or getting to and from work.

Here’s a look back at the first 50 movies I did manage to watch last year and what recollection, if any, I have of them. The films are listed in the order I saw them.

Labor Day (2014)
A bit of a dud of a film and a poor way to start the year.

Bachelorette (2012)
This received nowhere near as much publicity as the similar themed Bridesmaids, but I enjoyed it much more.

The Last Exorcism Part II (2013)
Turns out I never saw the first one, which could explain why this made little sense to me.

The Factory (2012)
John Cusack and Jennifer Carpenter team up to do cop stuff.

Godzilla (2014)
A much better remake attempt than the Matthew Broderick endeavor in 1998.

Drinking Buddies (2013)
An interesting indie film about a Chicago brewery and the people that work there.

Life After Beth (2014)
The latest zombie rom-com.

Butter (2011)
Who knew butter carving could be so entertaining?

Devil’s Due (2014)
A newlywed becomes impregnated with a hellspawn.

Tusk (2014)
Kevin Smith’s latest makes me think it may be time for me to stop watching Kevin Smith films. Continue reading →

by admin

Vacation Recap – Toronto

toronto-condoTwo weeks ago, I headed out early on a Friday morning for the long drive northeast to the Canadian city of Toronto.  I arrived in the early evening, with my allergies inflamed after an afternoon of driving through the wilds of Michigan.  After a quick trip to find a pharmacy, we settled in at the sports bar just around the corner from our condo for dinner before calling it an early night to recover from a day of travelling.

Saturday morning was spent walking around the lakefront, enjoying the views and trying to get a little lay of the land.  The afternoon was spent at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays easily handled the Orioles to keep their hold on first place in the AL East.  Eventually we ended up at the fancy Italian restaurant across the street for dinner and drinks.

Sunday was another day of exploring.  After a late breakfast, we ended up on a bus tour, which, due to street closures, was not following its normal path.  It managed to drop us off a few blocks away from the Royal Ontario Museum, where we headed to enjoy some culture, including a special exhibit on Pompeii.  Thankfully, the tour was back on its normal path afterwards, so we grabbed a ride back to the condo before heading out to the Molson Canadian Ampitheatre for the Oddball Comedy Fest, which I went into much detail here.  After the show, we eventually managed to catch a cab back to the condo.

niagaraMonday was time to bid a temporary farewell to Toronto, as we headed south to Niagara Falls, where we spent the afternoon.   Continue reading →

by admin

iTunes Top 100: #76 – 95

itunes_image

My latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 2 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, it is now time to look at digital music with the Top 100 songs that I’ve listened to as of 6/2/2013, according to iTunes. Today we look at the 20 songs tied for #76 with 16 overall plays.

#76: The Beatles – Eight Days A Week

Although it was a huge American hit, the group did not think highly of the song and they never performed it live.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 8/14/2012

#76: The Beatles – Paperback Writer

The single went to the number one spot in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, West Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Norway.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 5/20/2013

#76: Bell Biv Devoe – Poison

This 1990 hit from New Edition spin-off also appeared on Volume 2 of my mix tapes, and has been listened to three times since then.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 5/16/2013

#76: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Overture/Going Through The Motions

Performed by series star Sarah Michelle Gellar at the beginning of the musical episode in season 6.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 4/28/2013

#76: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Under Your Spell

Amber Benson performs the song which writer Joss Whedon called “pornography” and “probably the dirtiest lyric I’ve ever written, but also very, very beautiful”.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 4/28/2013

#76: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Standing

Performed by Anthony Stewart Head as a ballad to Buffy that she does not hear, unlike the songs revealing truths elsewhere in the episode.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 5/15/2013

#76: Cracker – Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)

Charted at number 1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks, arguably breaking Cracker into the mainstream.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 11/9/2012

#76: Darling Violetta – Angel Main Theme

The band performed 2 songs in a third season episode of Buffy before being tasked to perform the theme to the spin-off.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 5/16/2013

#76: Dr. Dre Feat RBX And Snoop Dogg – Let Me Ride

This 1994 Grammy Award winner for Best Rap Solo Performance also appeared on Volume 11 of my mix tapes, and has been listened to twice since then.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 2/5/2013

#76: Foo Fighters – Monkey Wrench

The first single from the band’s second album, the song chronicled the disintegration of singer/song writer Dave Grohl’s four-year marriage to Jennifer Youngblood.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 4/24/2012

Continue reading →

by jim

30 Day Movie Challenge Day 28 – Favorite Movie From Your Favorite Director

So, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out who my favorite director might be.  Kevin Smith?  Maybe at one time.  Quentin Tarantino?  Possibly.  Someone else I’m not thinking of at the moment?  Quite likely.  I decided to go with the current it-boy and summer box office champion Joss Whedon, who I’ve been a big fan of for years, dating back Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the series, not the movie).  Given the enormous success of the Avengers, Joss can do pretty much whatever he wants going forward, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.