"All The Love In The World" by The Corrs (2000)

The Corrs hit evokes memories of school prom

I was a high school sophomore when I first heard about The Corrs. My mother and my sister liked them, so I was curious to know more about the band that hails from the same country as U2, Boyzone, and Westlife.

Thanks to FM radio and music video CDs, I got to know about their music, their notable songs being "Breathless", "Irresistible", and "All The Love In The World" which was the soundtrack to the movie America's Sweethearts, starring starring Julia Roberts, Billy Crystal, John Cusack, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

The movie to the song (Image from Wikipedia)

If I could go back time, I'd like to maul to death the people who picked and approved "All The Love In The World" as music for the prom dance when I was a high school junior. Though I didn't get to dance (because I refused to), I can't stand the blasphemy that took place. It's horrible to relieve the painful memory. It's something I'd like to forget... or rectify if I ever had the chance.

Why "All The Love In The World", and not anything from Disturbed, System Of A Down, or Linkin Park? Too bad the lord of the underworld did not bestow upon me the spirit of Jessica Priest when I needed it.

I'd like to push a bullet down the throat of one schoolmate who had the gall to complain about our meager food on our poor-looking table. You see, we had groupings in our prom, and I was grouped with fellow juniors and seniors who didn't dance - and yes, we were not moneyed enough to provide for ourselves a nice table and lots of good food, just a pitcher of juice and some bread. The other groups had a feast. And that schoolmate, he didn't even contribute.

Next year, I'd endure another horrible moment at the prom, this time I was forced to dance. I forgot the music, though, but it was the appropriate music for the dance, if you ask me. But what about the songs played as interval music for the affair? It wasn't screaming music.

I was glad I left before things can get mushy or embarrassing for me. I asked a cousin to hold my bag for me while I had something to eat. (How wicked of me!)

Later, I sneaked out and headed for home. I got away just in time to escape from embarrassment. Hours after arriving home, I watched music videos of Mel C (of the Spice Girls fame), Jennifer Lopez, Macy Gray, Mandy Moore, and yes, The Corrs.

Ban proms now

Those high school proms took place around the time when I was going through some sorts of problems and I was alone in facing them. Perhaps I can't still move on from those sad and painful moments, reason why I hate proms, but proms don't serve any purpose at all, just only to get people wear fancy clothes and spend a lot of money.

I pray for the day the government will ban proms, and if I have the resources to fight a war to implement the ban, I'd do it. But I have to watch the movie first.

"All 'Bout The Money" by Meja (1998)

One song, many problems, no money

Until now, I still have money problems. Life is indeed all about the money. For some people, no money, no life. No money, no love, no respect. What a life!

I believe all of us did go through some money problems in life. We had seen our parents fight over money. We broke up with relatives and friends over money. We failed to take our exams because we didn't pay our school fees. We skipped meals. We were overdue on our rent. We cried.

Worse, we had to resort to crime to make ends meets. We stole from people, including our loved ones. We robbed students, old people, and even children. We even had to steal from the treasury. We renegaded on our promises of payments to people whom we owe money. We put on a thick face every time we had to face them. If we're lucky, they'd forget to collect and we'd forget to pay. We even hide from our creditors. We lied.

Some others committed suicide. This is life. 

Life is all about the money. What a life!

MTV Fantastic Females Vol. 1 (Image from http://www.cduniverse.com/)

Memories of 2003 high school prom

First heard Meja way back in 2003. I borrowed a MTV Fantastic Females 1999 CD from a cousin twice removed, played it that night, and I was blown right away with the song from Meja. Simple lyrics and edgy tune. It was my last song syndrome of February 2003.

Okay, that was days before I heard Evanescence and t.A.T.u. That time, we high school junior and seniors were busy preparing for the prom. Though I had a choice not to attend, I'd still end up paying for the affair, because no prom payment, no clearance. It was not fair. Too bad I can't do nothing that time.

The track is #4 in Meja's Seven Sisters, her second studio album released in 1998 (Image from http://eil.com/)

Fuck we had to dance to the tune of "All The Love In The World" by The Corrs. I love The Corrs, but I hate proms. I hate paying for that event. The money would be better used for music magazines and cassette tapes. But I forgot I had no money. I had to ask prom payment from my father and cassette tapes from my mother.

Too bad I have to live in a society where people look up to people based on material and financial wealth, not principles and ideologies. Money, not ideas, rule my society.

Life is all about the money. We do crazy thing for it. What a life!

"Summer Sunshine" by The Corrs (2004)

Memory of a great Irish folk rock band

I miss summer vacation, and I miss the songs that popped out many summers ago. I'm not talking about the singles of lady gaga or demi lovato.

I'm talking out this one, "Summer Sunshine" by the Irish band The Corrs. One talented lad plus three beautiful and equally talented ladies equal one great band, and they were gone. They make Irish / Celtic music sound cool. Like many artists of the yesteryears, they made good music...real music.

They are great musicians, them Corr siblings: Multi-talented, multi-instrumentalists, and good-looking too. They are one of the best music acts to come out of Ireland. The others include U2, Boyzone, Westlife and to some degree, B*Witched and Bellefire.

Back in high school, we played one of their popular songs for the prom dance. In the summer of 2004, "Summer Sunshine" came out, and a midnight music show played their songs almost every midnight for the whole summer. While going through this classic, I recalled a number of past songs. (They will be featured later in this blog.)

Too bad I hear less of The Corrs on the radio today. People now care about justin bieber, one direction, taylor swift, kanye west, nicky minaj, ariana grande, iggy azalea, etc. Even if these things combine, they would still end up less talented than The Corrs. Music is so relaxing back in the days, and it was all about music. But now... never mind.

Sorry, it's just another bout of generation gap. I have no right to criticize today's youth's choice of music. Blame it on the FM stations, blame it on the record shops and blame it on us elders who fail in our mission to spread good music.

But let today's youth know, music is all about music back in the days, not striptease and good looks.