I don't even know if I'm actually doing anything at the time of this writing this because blogger has done gone and changed shit. Don't know if it's going to be good or bad. I guess we shall see. Well, let me get on with what I originally wanted to do which was post the Top 10 Tunes of April. I know it is said that April showers bring May flowers but apparently it also brings extra songs to the list. So here are the top 11 songs that appear on this months Top 10 list. What? It's my list I can do what I want. You make a list and then YOU can make up your own set of rules. Anywho, here's the songs that were in heavy rotation for the month of April.
Welcome To The Manhole Some of the posts may have spoilers!!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Top 10 Tunes for March
There's something to be said about March and lion and lambs but that has little to do with The Man Hole and even less with the songs that were in heavy rotation on the radio waves around here. Even though April is almost done we present March's list just before having to do April's. Clicking on each link will take you to the youtube video for each selection. Please to enjoy!
Invincible - Machine Gun Kelly ft. Ester Dean
We Are Young - Fun. ft. Janelle Monae
Some Nights (intro) - Fun.
Tonight Tonight - Hot Chelle Rae
I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz
Everybody Talks - Neon Trees
Good Life - OneRepublic
Carry On - Fun.
Rack City - Tyga
Some Nights - Fun.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Honorable Mention
I have received several inquiries as to why some sitcoms were not included in the competition. For the record I had some basic criteria that a show had to meet in order to be included. First of all it had to have at least 4 broadcasted seasons on record (which is why Modern Family was not included). After great pains I also decided in order to put the shows in categories of decades like I wanted to, and do it properly something would have to give. What I decided to do was not include any sitcoms that were broadcast before 1970. With that in mind, I would like to offer up this list of the Honorable Mention. The list, comprised of shows from the 50's and 60's, greatly influenced many of the shows that were in the original field of 64 and certainly a few played a large part in some of the Elite 8 as well as the Final 4. So with that I present to you the shows that are, in my opinion, some of the most influential and historical sitcoms of all time.
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet aired on ABC from 1952-1966, starring the real life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television where it continued its success, running on both radio and TV for a couple of years. The series stars Ozzie Nelson and his wife, singer Harriet Nelson, and their young sons, David and Eric "Ricky" Nelson. The series attracted large audiences, and although it was never a top-ten hit, it became synonymous with the 1950s ideal American family life. It is the longest-running live-action sitcom in US television history. Yep, that's right, it was broadcast live folks.
My Three Sons ran from 1960 to 1965 on ABC, and moved to CBS until its end in 1972. The show chronicles the life of a widower and aeronautical engineer named Steven Douglas (Fred MacMurray) while raising his three sons. The series was a cornerstone of the CBS lineup in the 1960s. With 380 episodes produced, it is second only to The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet as television's longest running (live-action) family sitcom. Disney producer Bill Walsh often mused on whether the concept of the show was inspired by the movie The Shaggy Dog, as in his view they shared “the same dog, the same kids, and Fred”.
The Danny Thomas Show (known as Make Room for Daddy during the first three seasons) ran from 1953-1957 on ABC and from 1957-1964 on CBS. Thomas played Danny Williams, a successful comedian and nightclub entertainer. Of the 11 seasons the show was on, it was one of the most watched shows on TV for six of those seasons. It was in fact the number 2 show in the country for the '57-'58 season. The series was responsible for the creation of another long running sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show. In the seventh season, Danny Thomas is arrested by Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) and detained in the small town of Mayberry in an episode entitled "Danny Meets Andy Griffith". The episode aired in February 1960 and The Andy Griffith Show aired later that year. One of the regular guest starts of the show was Sheldon Leonard who played Phil Brokaw. Aside from being a guest star Leonard also served as producer for the entire run of the show. Bill Cosby included an impersonation of Sheldon Leonard in one track of his 1966 hit comedy album Wonderfulness. The track, "Niagara Falls", describes Sheldon Leonard's honeymoon at Niagara Falls. I told you that story so I could tell you this one: His name served as a namesake for the characters Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory, as the writers are fans of his work. Apparently we are a fan of The Big Bang Theory also as we have voted it into the Final Four.
I Love Lucy, starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley originally ran from 1951, to 1957, on CBS. After the series ended in 1957, however, a modified version continued for three more seasons with 13 one-hour specials, running from 1957 to 1960, known first as The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show. I Love Lucy was the most watched show in the United States in four of its six seasons, and was the first to end its run at the top of the Nielsen ratings (an accomplishment later matched by The Andy Griffith Show and Seinfeld). The show was the first scripted television program to be shot on 35 mm film in front of a studio audience. It won five Emmy Awards and received numerous nominations. In 2002, it ranked second on TV Guide's list of television's greatest shows, behind Seinfeld and ahead of The Honeymooners. In 2007 it was listed as one of Time magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME." As mentioned, audience reactions were live, thus creating a far more authentic laugh than the "canned laughter" used on most filmed sitcoms of the time. Regular audience members were sometimes heard from episode to episode, and Arnaz's distinctive laugh could be heard in the background during scenes in which he did not perform. It's long and impressive list of awards and nominations include:
Emmy Awards Wins: Best Situation Comedy, 1953, 1954; Best Comedienne, Lucille Ball, 1953; Best Series Supporting Actress, Vivian Vance, 1954; Best Actress – Continuing Performance, Lucille Ball, 1956.
The awards for which it received nominations but did now win are: I Love Lucy - Best Situation Comedy, 1952; Best Written Comedy Material: Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh Davis, Robert G. Carroll, 1955; Best Situation Comedy, 1955; Best Comedy Writing: Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh Davis, Bob Carroll Jr., Bob Schiller, Bob Weiskopf for the episode "L.A. At Last", 1956
Lucille Ball - Best Comedian or Comedienne, 1952; Most Outstanding Personality, 1953; Best Female Star of Regular Series, 1954; Best Actress Starring in a Regular Series, 1955; Best Comedienne, 1956; Best Continuing Performance by a Comedienne in a Series, 1957; Best Continuing Performance (Female) in a Series by a Comedienne, Singer, Hostess, Dancer, M.C., Announcer, Narrator, Panelist, or any Person who Essentially Plays Herself, 1958
Vivian Vance - Best Supporting Actress in a Regular Series, 1955; Best Supporting Performance by an Actress, 1957; Best Continuing Supporting Performance by an Actress in a television series, 1958
William Frawley - Best Series Supporting Actor, 1954; Best Supporting Actor in a Regular Series, 1955; Best Actor in a Supporting Role, 1956
Kinda difficult to argue with those stats.
The Flintstones was an animated, prime-time sitcom that screened from 1960 to 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. The Flintstones was the first American animated show to depict two people of the opposite sex (Fred and Wilma; Barney and Betty) sleeping together in one bed, although Fred and Wilma are sometimes depicted as sleeping in separate beds. For comparison, the first live-action depiction of this in American TV history was in television's first-ever sitcom: 1947's Mary Kay and Johnny. The Flintstones also became the first prime time animated series to last more than two seasons; this record wasn't surpassed by another prime time animated TV series until the third season of The Simpson's in 1992 which was a number one seed that just lost in the Elite 8 match ups last round. To this day it is still one of the most satirized and parodied shows in history. From Flintstones' vitamins to a mention in a Beastie Boys song as well as a Fred "Yabba Dabba Do" quote in the animated movie Ice Age, the show is still very active in popular culture.
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. originally aired on CBS from 1964 to 1969. The series was a spin off of The Andy Griffith Show, and the pilot was aired as the finale of the fourth season of The Andy Griffith Show. The show ran for five seasons and a total of 150 episodes. Starring Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle, a naive but good-natured gas station attendant from the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina, who enlists in the United States Marine Corps. Frank Sutton plays Gomer's high-octane, short-fused Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter. The series never discussed nor addressed the then-current Vietnam War (despite its military theme), instead focusing on the relationship between Gomer and Sergeant Carter. The show retained high ratings throughout its run. Among the themes explored were the honesty and "strong family values supposedly inherent in small town life". Gomer Pyle's basic message was "far simpler than any corporate suburban sitcoms with their lessons in compromise and role-following. It said merely that the oldest, most basic, least sophisticated sort of sweetness could redeem even the toughest modern types". Author Elizabeth Hirschman noted that Gomer represented a "uniquely American archetype; a large, powerful man physically with the simple, honest nature of a child or animal". She also noted that, like stories with characters of such an archetype, Gomer's trusting nature was often taken advantage of, though in the end he "reaps happiness" because of his innocence.
Get Smart satirized the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams (as Maxwell Smart, Agent 86), Barbara Feldon (as Agent 99). Henry said the creation of this show came from an effort to capitalize on the two biggest things in the entertainment world at the time: James Bond and Inspector Clouseau. Brooks said: "It's an insane combination of James Bond and Mel Brooks comedy." In 2010, TV Guide ranked Get Smart’s opening title sequence at No. 2 on its list of TV's Top 10 Credits Sequences, as selected by readers. The series won seven Emmy Awards, and it was nominated for another 14, as well as two Golden Globe Awards. At the time it was one of the "popular" shows for Hollywood hotshots to stop by and be a short guest star for an episode. Among the Hollywood royalty that popped up from time to time included: Steve Allen, Milton Berle, Ernest Borgnine, Tom Bosley, Victor Buono, Carol Burnett, John Byner, James Caan, Johnny Carson, Jamie Farr, Buddy Hackett, Sid Haig, Bob Hope, Ted Knight, Julie Newmar, Leonard Nimoy, Regis Philbin, Vincent Price, Don Rickles, and Cesar Romero. Often, these guest stars would appear uncredited for their cameo appearances. Steve Carrell revived the Don Adams character Agent 86 in a 2008 feature film.
Bewitched originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York (1964–69), Dick Sargent (1969–72), and Agnes Moorehead. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban housewife. Bewitched enjoyed great popularity, finishing as the number two show in America during its debut season. The show continues to be seen throughout the world in syndication and on DVD and was the longest-running supernatural-themed sitcom of the 1960s–1970s era. In 2002, Bewitched was ranked #50 on "TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time". In 1997, the same magazine ranked the season 2 episode "Divided He Falls" #48 on their list of the "100 Greatest Episodes of All Time". Paul Lynde was also a regular guest star playing Samantha's Uncle Arthur. Thanks to witchcraft, a number of interesting characters were seen, including Benjamin Franklin, George and Martha Washington, Paul Revere, Sigmund Freud, Julius Caesar, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Leonardo da Vinci, Napoleon, King Henry VIII, Cleopatra, Santa Claus, Jack of Jack and the Beanstalk, Mother Goose, The Artful Dodger, Hansel and Gretel, The Tooth Fairy, the Loch Ness Monster, a Leprechaun, Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty, and Willie Mays who plays himself).
The Andy Griffith Show was televised by CBS between 1960 and 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina. His life is complicated by an inept but well-meaning deputy, Barney Fife (Don Knotts), a spinster aunt and housekeeper, Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier), and a young son, Opie (Ron Howard, billed as Ronny). Local ne'er-do-wells, bumbling pals, and temperamental girlfriends further complicate his life. The series was a major hit, never placing lower than seventh in the Nielsen ratings and ending its final season at number one. Though neither Griffith nor the show won awards during its eight-season run, series co-stars Knotts and Bavier accumulated a combined total of six Emmy Awards. The show, a semi-spin-off from an episode of The Danny Thomas Show entitled "Danny Meets Andy Griffith", spawned its own spin-off series, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Some of us would later appreciate Ron Howard when he began starring in another sitcom, this one during the 70's called Happy Days which is headed to the Final Four.
I Dream of Jeannie, was a sitcom with a fantasy premise, starred Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries. Produced by Screen Gems, the show aired from 1965 to 1970. The show ran for five seasons and produced 139 episodes. The series was created and produced by Sidney Sheldon in response to the great success of rival network ABC's Bewitched series, which had debuted in 1964 as the second most watched program in the United States. It was one of the very first television shows to incorporate time travel into story lines.
A big Man Hole salute and a "Thank You!" to all of these shows that helped pave the way for all the sitcoms that were to follow. We thank you and wish to let you know we do not hold you responsible in any way for the Homeboys in Outer Space, Cavemen, or My Two Dads, of the world.
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet aired on ABC from 1952-1966, starring the real life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television where it continued its success, running on both radio and TV for a couple of years. The series stars Ozzie Nelson and his wife, singer Harriet Nelson, and their young sons, David and Eric "Ricky" Nelson. The series attracted large audiences, and although it was never a top-ten hit, it became synonymous with the 1950s ideal American family life. It is the longest-running live-action sitcom in US television history. Yep, that's right, it was broadcast live folks.
My Three Sons ran from 1960 to 1965 on ABC, and moved to CBS until its end in 1972. The show chronicles the life of a widower and aeronautical engineer named Steven Douglas (Fred MacMurray) while raising his three sons. The series was a cornerstone of the CBS lineup in the 1960s. With 380 episodes produced, it is second only to The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet as television's longest running (live-action) family sitcom. Disney producer Bill Walsh often mused on whether the concept of the show was inspired by the movie The Shaggy Dog, as in his view they shared “the same dog, the same kids, and Fred”.
The Danny Thomas Show (known as Make Room for Daddy during the first three seasons) ran from 1953-1957 on ABC and from 1957-1964 on CBS. Thomas played Danny Williams, a successful comedian and nightclub entertainer. Of the 11 seasons the show was on, it was one of the most watched shows on TV for six of those seasons. It was in fact the number 2 show in the country for the '57-'58 season. The series was responsible for the creation of another long running sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show. In the seventh season, Danny Thomas is arrested by Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) and detained in the small town of Mayberry in an episode entitled "Danny Meets Andy Griffith". The episode aired in February 1960 and The Andy Griffith Show aired later that year. One of the regular guest starts of the show was Sheldon Leonard who played Phil Brokaw. Aside from being a guest star Leonard also served as producer for the entire run of the show. Bill Cosby included an impersonation of Sheldon Leonard in one track of his 1966 hit comedy album Wonderfulness. The track, "Niagara Falls", describes Sheldon Leonard's honeymoon at Niagara Falls. I told you that story so I could tell you this one: His name served as a namesake for the characters Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory, as the writers are fans of his work. Apparently we are a fan of The Big Bang Theory also as we have voted it into the Final Four.
I Love Lucy, starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley originally ran from 1951, to 1957, on CBS. After the series ended in 1957, however, a modified version continued for three more seasons with 13 one-hour specials, running from 1957 to 1960, known first as The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show. I Love Lucy was the most watched show in the United States in four of its six seasons, and was the first to end its run at the top of the Nielsen ratings (an accomplishment later matched by The Andy Griffith Show and Seinfeld). The show was the first scripted television program to be shot on 35 mm film in front of a studio audience. It won five Emmy Awards and received numerous nominations. In 2002, it ranked second on TV Guide's list of television's greatest shows, behind Seinfeld and ahead of The Honeymooners. In 2007 it was listed as one of Time magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME." As mentioned, audience reactions were live, thus creating a far more authentic laugh than the "canned laughter" used on most filmed sitcoms of the time. Regular audience members were sometimes heard from episode to episode, and Arnaz's distinctive laugh could be heard in the background during scenes in which he did not perform. It's long and impressive list of awards and nominations include:
Emmy Awards Wins: Best Situation Comedy, 1953, 1954; Best Comedienne, Lucille Ball, 1953; Best Series Supporting Actress, Vivian Vance, 1954; Best Actress – Continuing Performance, Lucille Ball, 1956.
The awards for which it received nominations but did now win are: I Love Lucy - Best Situation Comedy, 1952; Best Written Comedy Material: Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh Davis, Robert G. Carroll, 1955; Best Situation Comedy, 1955; Best Comedy Writing: Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh Davis, Bob Carroll Jr., Bob Schiller, Bob Weiskopf for the episode "L.A. At Last", 1956
Lucille Ball - Best Comedian or Comedienne, 1952; Most Outstanding Personality, 1953; Best Female Star of Regular Series, 1954; Best Actress Starring in a Regular Series, 1955; Best Comedienne, 1956; Best Continuing Performance by a Comedienne in a Series, 1957; Best Continuing Performance (Female) in a Series by a Comedienne, Singer, Hostess, Dancer, M.C., Announcer, Narrator, Panelist, or any Person who Essentially Plays Herself, 1958
Vivian Vance - Best Supporting Actress in a Regular Series, 1955; Best Supporting Performance by an Actress, 1957; Best Continuing Supporting Performance by an Actress in a television series, 1958
William Frawley - Best Series Supporting Actor, 1954; Best Supporting Actor in a Regular Series, 1955; Best Actor in a Supporting Role, 1956
Kinda difficult to argue with those stats.
The Flintstones was an animated, prime-time sitcom that screened from 1960 to 1966, on ABC. Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, The Flintstones was about a working class Stone Age man's life with his family and his next-door neighbor and best friend. The Flintstones was the first American animated show to depict two people of the opposite sex (Fred and Wilma; Barney and Betty) sleeping together in one bed, although Fred and Wilma are sometimes depicted as sleeping in separate beds. For comparison, the first live-action depiction of this in American TV history was in television's first-ever sitcom: 1947's Mary Kay and Johnny. The Flintstones also became the first prime time animated series to last more than two seasons; this record wasn't surpassed by another prime time animated TV series until the third season of The Simpson's in 1992 which was a number one seed that just lost in the Elite 8 match ups last round. To this day it is still one of the most satirized and parodied shows in history. From Flintstones' vitamins to a mention in a Beastie Boys song as well as a Fred "Yabba Dabba Do" quote in the animated movie Ice Age, the show is still very active in popular culture.
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. originally aired on CBS from 1964 to 1969. The series was a spin off of The Andy Griffith Show, and the pilot was aired as the finale of the fourth season of The Andy Griffith Show. The show ran for five seasons and a total of 150 episodes. Starring Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle, a naive but good-natured gas station attendant from the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina, who enlists in the United States Marine Corps. Frank Sutton plays Gomer's high-octane, short-fused Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter. The series never discussed nor addressed the then-current Vietnam War (despite its military theme), instead focusing on the relationship between Gomer and Sergeant Carter. The show retained high ratings throughout its run. Among the themes explored were the honesty and "strong family values supposedly inherent in small town life". Gomer Pyle's basic message was "far simpler than any corporate suburban sitcoms with their lessons in compromise and role-following. It said merely that the oldest, most basic, least sophisticated sort of sweetness could redeem even the toughest modern types". Author Elizabeth Hirschman noted that Gomer represented a "uniquely American archetype; a large, powerful man physically with the simple, honest nature of a child or animal". She also noted that, like stories with characters of such an archetype, Gomer's trusting nature was often taken advantage of, though in the end he "reaps happiness" because of his innocence.
Get Smart satirized the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams (as Maxwell Smart, Agent 86), Barbara Feldon (as Agent 99). Henry said the creation of this show came from an effort to capitalize on the two biggest things in the entertainment world at the time: James Bond and Inspector Clouseau. Brooks said: "It's an insane combination of James Bond and Mel Brooks comedy." In 2010, TV Guide ranked Get Smart’s opening title sequence at No. 2 on its list of TV's Top 10 Credits Sequences, as selected by readers. The series won seven Emmy Awards, and it was nominated for another 14, as well as two Golden Globe Awards. At the time it was one of the "popular" shows for Hollywood hotshots to stop by and be a short guest star for an episode. Among the Hollywood royalty that popped up from time to time included: Steve Allen, Milton Berle, Ernest Borgnine, Tom Bosley, Victor Buono, Carol Burnett, John Byner, James Caan, Johnny Carson, Jamie Farr, Buddy Hackett, Sid Haig, Bob Hope, Ted Knight, Julie Newmar, Leonard Nimoy, Regis Philbin, Vincent Price, Don Rickles, and Cesar Romero. Often, these guest stars would appear uncredited for their cameo appearances. Steve Carrell revived the Don Adams character Agent 86 in a 2008 feature film.
Bewitched originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York (1964–69), Dick Sargent (1969–72), and Agnes Moorehead. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban housewife. Bewitched enjoyed great popularity, finishing as the number two show in America during its debut season. The show continues to be seen throughout the world in syndication and on DVD and was the longest-running supernatural-themed sitcom of the 1960s–1970s era. In 2002, Bewitched was ranked #50 on "TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time". In 1997, the same magazine ranked the season 2 episode "Divided He Falls" #48 on their list of the "100 Greatest Episodes of All Time". Paul Lynde was also a regular guest star playing Samantha's Uncle Arthur. Thanks to witchcraft, a number of interesting characters were seen, including Benjamin Franklin, George and Martha Washington, Paul Revere, Sigmund Freud, Julius Caesar, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Leonardo da Vinci, Napoleon, King Henry VIII, Cleopatra, Santa Claus, Jack of Jack and the Beanstalk, Mother Goose, The Artful Dodger, Hansel and Gretel, The Tooth Fairy, the Loch Ness Monster, a Leprechaun, Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty, and Willie Mays who plays himself).
The Andy Griffith Show was televised by CBS between 1960 and 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina. His life is complicated by an inept but well-meaning deputy, Barney Fife (Don Knotts), a spinster aunt and housekeeper, Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier), and a young son, Opie (Ron Howard, billed as Ronny). Local ne'er-do-wells, bumbling pals, and temperamental girlfriends further complicate his life. The series was a major hit, never placing lower than seventh in the Nielsen ratings and ending its final season at number one. Though neither Griffith nor the show won awards during its eight-season run, series co-stars Knotts and Bavier accumulated a combined total of six Emmy Awards. The show, a semi-spin-off from an episode of The Danny Thomas Show entitled "Danny Meets Andy Griffith", spawned its own spin-off series, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Some of us would later appreciate Ron Howard when he began starring in another sitcom, this one during the 70's called Happy Days which is headed to the Final Four.
I Dream of Jeannie, was a sitcom with a fantasy premise, starred Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries. Produced by Screen Gems, the show aired from 1965 to 1970. The show ran for five seasons and produced 139 episodes. The series was created and produced by Sidney Sheldon in response to the great success of rival network ABC's Bewitched series, which had debuted in 1964 as the second most watched program in the United States. It was one of the very first television shows to incorporate time travel into story lines.
A big Man Hole salute and a "Thank You!" to all of these shows that helped pave the way for all the sitcoms that were to follow. We thank you and wish to let you know we do not hold you responsible in any way for the Homeboys in Outer Space, Cavemen, or My Two Dads, of the world.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Ahh, the Madness that is March
What is that saying about the month of March; it comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb? Sounds like the opposite of what dairy products do to me, but that's neither here nor there (unless I've had copious amounts of ice cream, then it's bound to be everyfrickin'where!) but I think it's weather related. It might be past it's prime but I'll tell you what isn't past it's prime, something else March is famous for and that's March Madness. Now for years over at our sister blog The Dharma And Greg Project we typically would do a "Field of 64" but make it LOST related. We did our favorite character (Sawyer won) and favorite episode ( Through The Looking Glass won that one) Before LOST we did our favorite superhero and a few other things as well. This year we will be doing another March Madness Field Of 64 bracket. We present to you:
The 2012 Manhole Field Of 64
Television Sitcoms
Television Sitcoms
There's a little preview for you to see who is in the running. Just simply left click on the grid then right click to save. Once saved to your desktop open it with paint and you can see a larger version of the bracket. You will also then be able to edit and follow along to see who will be fighting in each round.
What we have done is taken the 64 top sitcoms from the last 40+ years and broke them down into decades of the 70's, 80's, 90's, and 2000+. In order to make the list the sitcom had to be on for at least 4 seasons. A few were able to fit into more than one category but they ended up being placed where they are for space, fairness, and relevance to said decade.
Springing the clocks ahead an hour, first day of spring, St. Patty's Day, College Basketball? Nah, they all take a back seat to The Manhole as we March throughout the month to crown a winner of Best TV Sitcom of all time! Voting begins soon!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
February Is Goneuary
Even with an extra day February is still the other 11 months little red-headed step sister. I always picked February for a girl if it was a month. Course it could be a whiny little bitch of a guy too. I.e. think Justin Bieber. Either way, here are the top ten songs that I listened to over the coarse of the past 29 days. See, even that felt weird; 29 days, stupid leap year day bull crap!
In My Life - Ozzy Osbourne
Father and Daughter - Paul Simon
Invincible - Machine Gun Kelly featuring Ester Dean
Price Tag - Jessie J featuring B.O.B.
We Found Love - Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris (What's with all the "featuring" of an artist? Does the word "duet" no longer exist?)
Fix You - Coldplay (in honor of Lucy Ricardo Robert 1999-2012)
Knock Knock - Mac Miller
She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5
We Are Young - Fun.
Into The Wild - LP
Enjoy~ CDb
In My Life - Ozzy Osbourne
Father and Daughter - Paul Simon
Invincible - Machine Gun Kelly featuring Ester Dean
Price Tag - Jessie J featuring B.O.B.
We Found Love - Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris (What's with all the "featuring" of an artist? Does the word "duet" no longer exist?)
Fix You - Coldplay (in honor of Lucy Ricardo Robert 1999-2012)
Knock Knock - Mac Miller
She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5
We Are Young - Fun.
Into The Wild - LP
Enjoy~ CDb
Friday, February 10, 2012
Rant And Roll!!
That, which you see above, is a building where lies go to live. It is The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It resides in that hot bed of Rock and Roll wealth called Cleveland, Ohio. Because let's face it when you think of Rock and Roll you automatically think of Cleveland. At lease Huey Lewis did, he said so in that song of his called The Heart of Rock and Roll. He's from San Francisco but he called Cleveland The Heart of Rock and Roll. I guess that would make San Fran, what, the anus of Rock and Roll? Do I seem bitter? Maybe a little, but I can tell you one thing; the RARHOF is a sham. Why? Well, aside from it NOT being in Philadelphia, where it rightfully belongs, it is missing a few very worth inhabitants. For one reason or another the following acts are not in the RARHOF. Why not? Who the frig knows but until they are I deem the RARHOF fraudulent! Here is my list of the top 12 oversights at the *ahem* Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:
Kiss
Eligible for induction since 1999
Years Nominated: 2010
Eligible for induction since 1999
Years Nominated: 2010
The most polarizing band on the list, Kiss is either a prime example of classic theatrical metal and glam rock defined as much by their off-field excesses and make-up as their music or everything that was bloated and over-the-top about rock and roll both aesthetically and musically. Still, even detractors can't deny the power and devotion of the Kiss Army and at their apex, no band was doing it bigger or gaudier. The band's stage show complete with fire-breathing, blood-spitting and ridiculous pyrotechnics was considered extravagant even for the 1970s and it's time to stop ignoring the group's massive influence on a generation of kids. The group received its first nomination last year, but with Alice Cooper getting inducted last year, look for the yells of the Kiss Army to grow even louder.
Rush
Eligible for induction since 1998
Years Nominated: None
Arguably the most egregious omission from the Rock Hall, this powerhouse prog-rock trio is adored by wannabe shredders around the globe (including the bass-slapping Paul Rudd in “I Love You, Man”). Rush has sold an estimated 40 million albums worldwide, can still fill arenas, and remains one of the most influential and beloved rock acts in history, Geddy Lee’s voice notwithstanding.
Journey
Eligible for induction since 2000
Years Nominated: None
If candidates were judged on commercial success alone, Journey would be a shoe-in for the Rock Hall. They’ve sold 80 million albums worldwide, on the strength of two dozen radio hits, including the mega-balled “Open Arms” and the “Glee”-approved anthem “Don’t Stop Believin’.” (Which I feel I owe them an apology for those few days back 2000 when I did actually think about not believing anymore. Sorry Steve.) Unfortunately for them, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame judges on artistic merit, something that hasn’t always been synonymous with the name Journey. With all that being said I still think they belong there.
Hall & Oates
Eligible for induction since 1997
Years Nominated: None
By many accounts the most successful duo in the history of recorded music, Hall & Oates made countless contributions to pop culture, including 34 hit singles (six of them reaching No. 1), seven platinum albums, six gold albums and John Oates’ iconic mustache. Many critics hated them, dismissing the Philly group as bland, blue-eyed soul. They were never the cool band to impress your friends with, but no other vocal duo dominated the 1980s so consistently. Even after their heyday, the group unwittingly found a second career as sampling material for everyone from Kanye West to De La Soul. Drop the veneer of coolness so we can hear a super-group cover of "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" at the ceremony.
Eligible for induction since 1997
Years Nominated: None
By many accounts the most successful duo in the history of recorded music, Hall & Oates made countless contributions to pop culture, including 34 hit singles (six of them reaching No. 1), seven platinum albums, six gold albums and John Oates’ iconic mustache. Many critics hated them, dismissing the Philly group as bland, blue-eyed soul. They were never the cool band to impress your friends with, but no other vocal duo dominated the 1980s so consistently. Even after their heyday, the group unwittingly found a second career as sampling material for everyone from Kanye West to De La Soul. Drop the veneer of coolness so we can hear a super-group cover of "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" at the ceremony.
Kraftwerk Eligible for induction since 1995
Years Nominated: None
This may fall into the category of "guilty pleasures" for me but few bands can lay claim to pioneering a single musical genre. Only a handful can say they influenced virtually EVERY genre of music that succeeded them. Listening to German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk, you can hear the roots of electro, synth-pop, techno, Krautrock, house, New Wave and hip-hop (the group's "Trans-Europe Express" and "Numbers" were famously sampled by Afrika Bambaataa for "Planet Rock," one of hip-hop's earliest and most successful singles.) The Hall has long been biased against electronic music, but inducting these guys would be akin to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five getting in for hip-hop. It's time to expand. (On a side note, maybe instead of bemoaning pioneering groups as "not rock," it's time to drop the "Rock and Roll" from the name and think of something more inclusive of all contemporary music.)
Joe Cocker
Eligible for induction since 1994
Years Nominated: None
Armed with a singularly gravelly voice and a penchant for wild arm-flapping, Cocker has enjoyed a diverse career that has included hit covers of Beatles songs, the slow-dance staple “You Are So Beautiful,” a seminal set at Woodstock, a really good impersonation by John Belushi, and the Grammy-winning No. 1 ‘80s ballad “Up Where We Belong.”
Chicago
Eligible for induction since 1994
Years Nominated: None
This funk powerhouse dominated the 1970s with classics like “Saturday in the Park” before parlaying that success into a string of chart-topping ‘80s ballads like “You’re the Inspiration” and "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love.”
Eligible for induction since 1994
Years Nominated: None
This funk powerhouse dominated the 1970s with classics like “Saturday in the Park” before parlaying that success into a string of chart-topping ‘80s ballads like “You’re the Inspiration” and "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love.”
Barry White
Eligible for induction since 1998
Years Nominated: None
This smooth-talking bass man melted the hearts of millions of women in the 1970s with a string of steamy disco hits, including “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" and "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me.” Barry White making panties moist since the mid 70's. What? Ain't that enough?
Eligible for induction since 1998
Years Nominated: None
This smooth-talking bass man melted the hearts of millions of women in the 1970s with a string of steamy disco hits, including “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" and "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me.” Barry White making panties moist since the mid 70's. What? Ain't that enough?
The Monkees
Eligible for induction since 1991
Years Nominated: None
While the artistic merit of the “Pre-Fab Four” remains questionable, one could make a strong case for the band based on their commercial impact (65 million albums sold worldwide) and their contribution of several genuinely great pop songs to the pantheon, among them the No. 1 hits “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m a Believer” and “Daydream Believer.” Add in the fact that Peter's mother invented White Out and it sounds like a sure thing they would be in there.
Eligible for induction since 1991
Years Nominated: None
While the artistic merit of the “Pre-Fab Four” remains questionable, one could make a strong case for the band based on their commercial impact (65 million albums sold worldwide) and their contribution of several genuinely great pop songs to the pantheon, among them the No. 1 hits “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m a Believer” and “Daydream Believer.” Add in the fact that Peter's mother invented White Out and it sounds like a sure thing they would be in there.
Sonny & Cher
Eligible for induction since 1990
Years Nominated: None
This duo was a pop culture powerhouse in the 1960s, with a monster hit “I Got You Babe”, a variety show and some 80 million in album sales to their name. Add in the fact they are responsible for giving us Chaz Bono and, well, c'mon, do I gotta spell it out for ya?
Eligible for induction since 1990
Years Nominated: None
This duo was a pop culture powerhouse in the 1960s, with a monster hit “I Got You Babe”, a variety show and some 80 million in album sales to their name. Add in the fact they are responsible for giving us Chaz Bono and, well, c'mon, do I gotta spell it out for ya?
The Moody Blues
Eligible for induction since 1989
Years Nominated: None
The Moody Blues’ mixture of symphonic and progressive rock was massively successful in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s. The band sold more than 70 million albums worldwide on the strength of singles ranging from 1967’s “Nights in White Satin” to 1986’s “Your Wildest Dreams.” Add in the fact that my Honey Buns likes them and you now know all that you need to.
Eligible for induction since 1989
Years Nominated: None
The Moody Blues’ mixture of symphonic and progressive rock was massively successful in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s. The band sold more than 70 million albums worldwide on the strength of singles ranging from 1967’s “Nights in White Satin” to 1986’s “Your Wildest Dreams.” Add in the fact that my Honey Buns likes them and you now know all that you need to.
Deep Purple
Eligible for induction since 1993
Years Nominated: None
Aside from helping to pioneer heavy metal, selling more than 100 million albums, and bearing the distinction of being in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “loudest pop group,” Deep Purple also gave the world one of the most-sung guitar riffs of all time from “Smoke on the Water".
Eligible for induction since 1993
Years Nominated: None
Aside from helping to pioneer heavy metal, selling more than 100 million albums, and bearing the distinction of being in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “loudest pop group,” Deep Purple also gave the world one of the most-sung guitar riffs of all time from “Smoke on the Water".
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Top 10 Songs for January 2012
Here are the top 10 songs that were in heavy rotation for the month of January
We Found Love - Rihanna and Calvin Harris
Sexy And I Know It - LMFAO
Red Solo Cup - Toby Keith
Good Life - OneRepublic
Tonight Tonight - Hot Chelle Ray
Knock Knock - Mac Miller
Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars
Father And Daughter - Paul Simon
Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
21 Guns - Greenday
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
A New Year A New Blog
So with the coming of yet another year I decided I would take a month off to collect my thoughts after getting through the holidays. I returned to work a couple of weeks ago and although the work has not gotten any easier, the location has gotten a whole lot easier to get to. No longer do I have to do the nearly one hour drive to work in order to get to Glassboro. I received a telephone call from a union representative asking me if I was OK with being transferred to the Maple Shade store, which just happens to be .59 miles from home. Gee, let me think. Now, what I want to do is keep a blogging record of the songs that I am listening to during the year. Hopefully, all of the songs will have a clicky-click that will take you to the YouTube video on the songs. And with that, here are December's Top 10 songs of the month:
Sexy And I Know It - LMFAO
The Cave - Mumford And Sons
Red Solo Cup - Toby Keith
Good Life - OneRepublic
Knock Knock - Mac Miller
You And I - Lady Gaga
Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
California King Bed - Rihanna
E.T. - Katy Perry
Edge Of Glory - Lady Gaga
January's should be up very soon.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Happy Festivus
Let's continue with some rarely heard holiday songs. Here's one from the Polish Blue Velvet master himself Bobby Vinton called The Bell That Couldn't Jingle:
When I went to YouTube to find this is was only the third time I had ever heard the song. That rare enough for ya?
I actually have this song on CD but I know for sure I've never posted it on the blog before. Once you hear it you'll have the title line stuck in your head:
Have only heard this song a few times over the years as well. Getting rarer and rarer as I dig further.
The next one, well I've heard Melissa Ethridge perform several times. This was the first time hearing Pat Benetar's version when I went looking for the version I was familiar with but I might like this version better.
Will be posting a few more before I'm done.
When I went to YouTube to find this is was only the third time I had ever heard the song. That rare enough for ya?
I actually have this song on CD but I know for sure I've never posted it on the blog before. Once you hear it you'll have the title line stuck in your head:
Have only heard this song a few times over the years as well. Getting rarer and rarer as I dig further.
The next one, well I've heard Melissa Ethridge perform several times. This was the first time hearing Pat Benetar's version when I went looking for the version I was familiar with but I might like this version better.
Will be posting a few more before I'm done.
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