Cat Videos
It was inevitable. Given the number of stories in which I have referenced “cat videos,” it was simply a matter of time before I devoted an entire story to the subject. Fact is, per a casual Internet search, watching cat videos provides a laundry list of psychological benefits.
Yeah, whatever. Just another prime example of why you cannot believe everything you read on the Internet or social media. That is definitely not why I watch cat videos. Fact is, ninety-eight times out of a hundred, when I say that I am watching cat videos, I am watching something other than cat videos. Sorry, kitty, kitty.
All my life I have been a huge fan of music. There was a time I could name most every song that played on my favorite radio station – in four notes or less. And, just as quickly, I could rattle off the artist and the year the song was released.
These days, like most of you, instead of listening to the radio, I tune into my favorite music streaming service: YouTube. Via my TV, my computer, my tablet, and my cell phone. And this time the internet got it right. Music is indeed the universal language, and music does indeed sooth the savage beast. And, not ashamed to say, brings a tear or two to my eyes every time I “tune in.”
What follows is my Top Ten Times Two “Not Cat Videos.” Sorry, when your music library consists of hundreds of millions of songs, it’s impossible to cull your favorites to such a small number. And to make matters worse, with hundreds of new videos every week, my top – pick a number – changes on a pretty regular basis. Suffice to say, unless your sleeping clock is as broken as mine, you might need more than one or two sessions to listen to all of the following “Not Cat Videos.”
A symphony orchestra playing a movie soundtrack such as The Dark Knight Medley by Hans Zimmer and A Fistful of Dollars by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra featuring Tuva Semmingsen is a great place to start. The Epic Symphonic Rock version of Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir and the Sam Haug arrangement of the Beatle’s A Day in the Life definitely belongs on this short list.
A list of live performances by female greats has got to start with Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane performing White Rabbit at Woodstock (1969) followed closely by Caroline Esmeralda van der Leeuw and Caro Emerald performing A Night Like This and The Waifs, featuring Vikki Thorn on harmonica, performing Crazy Train. (Not sure how Vikki managed to huff and puff as long as she did, but wow, definitely gave me goosebumps.)
Continuing with great female artists, my favorites are Imelda May singing Kentish Town Waltz, Courtney Patton singing What I Didn’t Say, Paloma Faith singing Only Love Can Hurt Like This, and Norah Jones, featuring J. Walter Hawkes on trombone, singing Sinkin’ Soon. A newly added favorite female singer is AJ Lee performing (on this particular song) with The Brothers Comatose one of the smoothest versions of Harvest Moon.
In my favorite groups list is Foxes and Fossils’ version of Telling Me Lies, School of Rock’s version of I Want You To Want Me (a cover that sounds way better than the original), Milk’n Blues medley of Miss You, The Happiest Days of Our Lives, Another Brick In The Wall, and Pomplamoose’s mashup of Every Breath + 500 Miles.
In The Voice category I forced myself to pick just one, otherwise, the list would have been my Top Ten Times Five or Six. That said, my single pick is a much unexpected version of Bruce Springsteen’s hit Dancing In The Dark performed on The Voice Norway by Jorgen Dahl. All four judges were truly overwhelmed. (Tears in their eyes and mine.)
In my just created, Up and Coming category is a very talented, young group called The Graystones performing their version of I Can’t Tell You Why. In my Swinging category is a Tanya Solo Performance and a dance routine by KP Rutland and Bryn Anderson.
In the Honorable Mention category is Dummy Hypnotises Ventriloquist staring Nina Conti with her monkey (Nina has several videos, some of which are for mature audiences), The Perfect Best Man Speech, and Sled Driver: Flying the World’s Fastest Jet. (This one is over an hour long but one of the most motivational and otherwise way cool videos. I defy you to watch it without a lump in your throat and a tear or two in your eyes).
It should be noted that the above list is in no particular order. Asking me to pick my absolute favorite is like asking a parent to pick their favorite child.