This is an original song from Jodie Rivera, who is also known on YouTube as the Venetian Princess. The song is also available on iTunes. Jodie's website can be found here.
The Rolling Stone interviewed Billy Joel and asked him about his song, "Christmas in Fallujah." Billy Joel told them that the song is just meant to be about a soldier.
What inspired you to write Christmas in Fallujah?
I guess just the cumulative effect of this war. We've been there longer than World War II. I've been getting mail from service people over there, and with the holidays coming on made this thing just popped out.
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Do you think it's fair to call it a protest song or an anti-war song?
I think it's a song about a soldier, about a marine. People can take it anyway they want. I don't get up on a soapbox and do political messages. I believe in talking about the human being, and the conditions humans find themselves in.
Many news articles call it an anti-war song. It certainly sounds like one but it is also about U.S. troops facing yet another Christmas in Iraq. Billy Joel's song is performed by Cass Dillon. Proceeds from the sale of the the song in iTunes benefit Homes for our Troops.
Here's the video clip.
Janet Jackson, who has sold over 100 million albums worldwide and is the newest signing to the Island Def Jam Music Group, has completed her first new single for the label with producer Rodney Jerkins. Her next single "Feedback" will be released on January 7th.
"Feedback" is from Janet Jackson's upcoming album called Discipline which will hit stores on February 26th. The new album brings together an A-list of guest producers, including Rodney Jerkins, Jermaine Dupri, Ne-Yo, Stargate, Tricky Stewart, and The-Dream. Discipline was executive produced by Antonio "L.A." Reid, Chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group.
The 50th Grammy Award nominees have been announced. Kanye West topped the nominations with eight, Amy Winehouse has six nominations, and the Foo Fighters, Jay-Z, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, and T-Pain each earned five nominations. Here's a list of some of the major nominees.
SFGate.com reports that appearing in iPod ads has been good for a Canadian band named Feist.
The Canadian band Feist was quick to realize the benefits of its Apple partnership. Headed by singer-songwriter Leslie Feist, it released "The Reminder" on May 1, a well-reviewed collection of alternative and folk songs. The record sold decently - 31,000 its first week and 21,000 the next, according to SoundScan. On Sept. 9, when its song "1234" was paired with Apple's new iPod video Nano, the band was averaging 6,000 record sales weekly for a grand total of 216,000.
During the next four weeks, as the catchy ad beamed into millions of American living rooms, weekly sales for Feist improved to 14,000 the first week, 19,000 the second, 28,000 the third and 20,000 four weeks into the ad campaign.
Two new Best of Tupac CDs called Thug and Life are being released in time for the holidays. Tupac's mother Afeni Shakur assisted in the creation of the CDs. Here is some information about the new CDs from a Amaru Entertainment/Interscope/UMe statement.
Each album contains one previously unreleased recording and one new remix along with nine classic tracks. Each album is available in edited and explicit versions. The collections were assembled with the assistance of his mother, Afeni Shakur, who is also the executive producer of the albums. The CDs represent different key phases of 2PAC's evolution and shows how his talent hit a high note right from the start and never wavered.
THE BEST OF 2PAC - PART 1: Thug features the previously unreleased "Resist the Temptation" and a fresh mix of "Dear Mama," featuring Anthony Hamilton, whose original Grammy-nominated version went Platinum and charted Top 10 Pop and #1 Rap. Also included are "Trapped" (2PAC's debut single), the Grammy-nominated "California Love" (with Dr. Dre), the double Platinum, #1 Pop/#1 Rap, Grammy-nominated "How Do U Want It" with K-CI & JoJo, and Top 10 Rap "So Many Tears." The remaining tracks are "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted," "I Ain't Mad At Cha," "Hail Mary," "Changes," and "Unconditional Love."
THE BEST OF 2PAC - PART 2: Life highlights the previously unreleased recording of "Dopefiend's Diner" featuring 2PAC using a vocal sample of the melody line of "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega in addition to the acoustic remix of "Thugz Mansion" featuring all three verses by 2PAC. The album also brings together the Top 5 Rap "Brenda's Got a Baby" and Gold, Top 15 Pop/#2 Rap "Keep Ya Head Up." The tracklisting adds "Definition of a Thug Nigga," "When I Get Free," "Until the End of Time" (RP Remix), "Never Call You B**** Again," "They Don't Give a F*** About Us," "Still Ballin" (Nitty Remix) and "Ghetto Gospel."
Tupac has sold nearly 40 million albums just in the U.S. A YouTube search for Tupac returns 53,000 results. Two great Tupac resources are The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation's website and 2Pac Legacy.
Janet Jackson, who has sold over 100 million albums worldwide and is the newest signing to the Island Def Jam Music Group, has completed her first new single for the label with producer Rodney Jerkins. Her next single "Feedback" will be released on January 7th.
The 50th Grammy Award nominees have been announced. Kanye West topped the nominations with eight, Amy Winehouse has six nominations, and the Foo Fighters, Jay-Z, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, and T-Pain each earned five nominations. Here's a list of some of the major nominees.
