About a week ago I put of a post about my wifes copy of Tortured Poets Department having major defects. Can be seen here: Original Post
To the credit of the Taylor Swift online shop they replaced the record without question and did not request we return the defective one.
Replacement record was received today and it is worse than the previous one. Same transient issues in her vocals. They seem to hit on the same phrases of a track - where the song builds to a loud "Florida" passage. It happens multiple times on that track.
The outside shrink wrap is stamped with "VINYL MADE IN MEXICO".
The text in the matrix runout is nearly impossible to read since it is barely there.
I'm going to run the first copy through my ultrasonic cleaner; maybe there is some funk in there but I highly doubt it.
I called my local record shop where I buy everything and he has had zero issues with the 100+ copies he's sold.
He said the issue sounds like "Non-Fill" from stamping them out too fast. I looked that up and found this article; https://www.analogplanet.com/content/what-non-fill-looks
Both of my copies have this "pearl necklace" look to them.
He also said its likely I will get yet another bad pressing since they are going to pull from the same inventory.
In his case, if he has a bad pressing he does not purchase from the same distributor as they are going to pull from the same inventory to its likely a replacement will be bad.

Going crazy trying to remember what the song/ artist is and can't hear the melody, but have had the vague phrase "the voices in her head are getting very familiar" stuck in my brain for a few days and would like it out. I might have the specific words wrong, but the general sentiment is right. It'd be a rock or mellow song, maybe something from 2000's or 90's? Help!

T-Minus 1 week until the next edition of the very contest we all love and enjoy. We are approaching the best of the best that this contest has to offer, as we are in the top 20! These countries represent 40 of the 50 highest ranked songs since 1975, which just shows how much all of these countries have contributed to the longest running singing competition.

The Countries

Placement	Country	Score
16	Malta	140231.278
17	Spain	138804.573
18	Austria	125761.301
19	Finland	120225.116
20	Turkey	118659.853

We are getting some big hitters now! At #20, we have Turkey, who first participated at the start of this time period and is really a late bloomer to this competition, as they started to get consistently great results in the 2000s, the last full decade they would participate in. Coming in in front of Turkey is our second Nordic nation in Finland, who like Turkey really struggled to place well at this competition until their Magnum opus arrived, which really shook the foundation of who could win at this contest, and since then have really started to come into their own, embracing their wacky nature. Above them is Austria, who is the oldest ESC nation on this list so far, getting their start in only the contest’s second year, 1957. They actually had one of the longest winless streaks in Eurovision since their first win in 1966, taking 48 tries after that to claim their second crown. Our first “Big Five” nation comes up at #17, with Spain, as they are part of some of the wackiest results ever at this contest, and in back to back years as well! The reason why they are the lowest ranked “Big Five” nation is because they really bottomed out in the 2000s and 2010s, only recently finding redemption in the early 2020s. And at #16 on our list is Malta, who have participated in every edition of ESC since ‘91, and is the best performing country to never win Eurovision, considering that they are the only country in the top 20 to not have one ESC crown on their resume, which is a big shame, considering the bangers they have given us over the years.
Some Notable Artists: Athena (Turkey), Blind Channel (Finland), Bravo (Spain), Chanel (Spain), Chiara (Malta), Anabel Conde (Spain), Sergio Dalma (Spain), Destiny (Malta), Sertab Erener (Turkey), Thomas Forstner (Austria), Grup Etnik (Turkey), Hadise (Turkey), Käärijä (Finland), Lordi (Finland), Ira Losco (Malta), Manga (Turkey), Betty Missiego (Spain), Şebnem Paker (Turkey), Pihasoittajat (Finland), Alf Poier (Austria), Anneli Saaristo (Finland), Cesár Sampson (Austria), Mary Spiteri (Malta), Conchita Wurst (Austria), Zoë (Austria)

The Worst Years

Austria 2015 The Makemakes - I Am Yours

Contest Ranking: 26th (last, 0 pts) My Ranking: 39th (last, -3.9)
What a difference a year makes! Coming off high from their win in 2014, their first in almost 50 years, Austria was set to host this year’s edition. As such, they had a free pass to the Grand Final, with their song “I Am Yours” performed by The Makemakes, an Austrian pop rock band. I didn’t think much of this song when I initially heard it, so imagine my shock when I saw that it didn’t receive a single point on the final scoreboard. I actually don’t know why this got last place, maybe this entry is an example of the douze points system rearing its ugly head, or maybe no one remembered to vote for this song at the end. Either way, this is a confusing entry in the Hall of nul points. And because there were so many countries that year, this song sinks far to the depths of this club.

Turkey 1987 Seyyal Taner and Grup Lokomotif - Şarkım Sevgi Üstüne

Contest Ranking: 22nd (last, 0 pts) My Ranking: 22nd (last, -2.1)
A common theme you will see here for countries like Turkey or Finland or any non Western European Country (besides Portugal), is that with the language rules, they would struggle to do well at all, especially in the 80’s and 90’s, where English was overtaking French as the dominant language of Eurovision. It would take some time for these countries to find a formula that transcends language (see Turkey 1997 for more details), but for now it would be rough sailing for Turkey and these other countries to appeal the juries. That doesn’t mean that bangers weren’t being sent in though! This song seems like it would be the opening for a space odyssey or something, it just has that feel. Unfortunately, a little nervousness would doom this performance, scoring zero points** in Belgium.

Spain 1983 Remedios Amaya - Quién maneja mi barca

Contest Ranking: 19th (last, 0 pts) My Ranking: 19th (last, -1.9)
Ok, so I kind of take back what I said about only Western European countries doing well in this era of ESC. Spain, like Portugal, struggled mightily when they entered in 1961. They already had two last place, nul point entries by the year 1968, where they would pull off one of the most infamous wins in Eurovision history, pipping the United Kingdom by a singular point. The year after they would have another infamous win at this contest, sharing the win with the UK, France, and The Netherlands. Since then, it would be alright for Spain… until this year, where they would have *another last place, nul point entry. This one probably didn’t deserve the honor, and I say “probably” because after listening to this song, I’m confused on where it should place. Probably not last though. People say that ESC was not ready for this type of music, which I probably agree with, I just don’t know when ESC would be ready for this type of music though.
** Turkey only has two entries that have scored nul points at ESC, with the other one being in 1983

Finland 1982 Kojo - Nuku pommiin

Contest Ranking: 18th (last, 0 pts) My Ranking: 22nd (last, -1.7)
Like I said, tough sledding for the non Western European Countries, especially tough for the Nordic nations, who really were seen as jokes at this competition for the longest time (really until Sweden and Norway went back to back in ‘84 and ‘85). Fortunately for Finland, this time period gets rid of two other last place, nil point performances in 1963 and 1965. This also doesn’t count their 1 point performance in 1968, but I think you get the point. They have finished last six** Other times since 1975 however, and since they do not have as many hits as their Nordic contemporaries (sans Iceland), they are only 19th. Anyway, while Germany ran away with the contest singing a song about peace (another ESC staple), Finland would obtain last place with a song about peace, in particular a song about protesting nuclear bombs. While Germany’s song was a neatly composed song that was nice on the ears, this one is the complete opposite, so it’s fitting that this one finished last. I would say more but I don’t want to listen to this song again, so…
** Six last place performances in the Grand Final, they have an additional two last place finishes in the semifinals.

Malta 2017 Claudia Faniello - Breathlessly

Contest Ranking: DNQ (16th 2nd Semifinal , 55 pts) My Ranking: 22nd (41st, 0.062)
Malta surprisingly has not had an entry receiving nul points (though 2016 and 2023 are very, very close). But they have struggled to qualify in the last 8 years, only qualifying twice in that span. This entry was one that did not make the cut, a decent ballad that just didn’t work with enough people, which is unfortunate. Malta used to rule with dramatic ballads, in fact, all of their top 3 finishes (sans 2002), were ballads, so they do know what they are doing in this department. Maybe like Ireland, their type of ballads just don’t work anymore in modern Eurovision, which is sad to say, but maybe Malta can reinvent themselves and be back on top one day!

The Best Years

Malta 2021 Destiny - Je me casse

Contest Ranking: 7th (255 pts) My Ranking: 6th (398.4*)
Surprised? Like I said earlier Malta have sent in some classics to this competition, this one included. Despite the fact that there are at least 3 other songs with higher placements, none of them were able to outperform Destiny, our second COVID participant! Before this entry, she was more well known for winning Eurovision for Malta! Well, it was actually Junior Eurovision, but still, that is a heck of an achievement to have in your locker. She has also appeared on Britain’s Got Talent, and she has also won the X Factor in Malta, so safe to say she definitely has the talent to compete! From the ESC website, she says that her dream was to represent Malta and obtain that first victory for her country, and with the support of former Maltese entrant Ira Losco, she would get the chance to do so with her song “All of My Soul” for ESC 2020… and well you know what happened after that. But for 2021, she will have another opportunity to achieve her dream with her new song “Je Me Casse”. This song is just energy personified. Destiny said that her influences for singing were Lizzo, Beyonce, Aretha Franklin, Cardi B, and Megan Thee Stallion, women who are known for their energy that they bring to every performance. She definitely brings it here, with her song about empowerment and breaking free. Destiny has a powerful voice as well, which really helps bring out the emotion in this song, commanding the attention of everyone who watched it! When I heard this song for the first time, I immediately thought she would win, the song just has that winning energy surrounding it, and Destiny is the main reason why. Unfortunately for Destiny and for Malta, while this song would finish in the top 10, it would not be the one for the country, as they end up 7th, which is pretty respectable considering the stacked lineup for this year. Even more unfortunately for Malta, they haven’t qualified to the Grand Final since that year (even though it’s only been two years). Who knows, maybe in the future Destiny can come back for Malta to get the elusive crown, if Portugal can win one, anything is possible.

• This song is ranked 68th of all entries since 1975

Turkey 2004 Athena - For Real

Contest Ranking: 4th (195 pts) My Ranking: 4th (401.842*)
The most points Turkey has ever received at Eurovision, which is crazy to say considering the renaissance they were going through at the time. No it’s not their only win that takes the top spot (3 way battles tend to make the winner’s score weaker, and according to my formula Turkey didn’t even win this year), but rather the entry after it, that does. Meet the rock/ska band Athena, regarded as one of the best rock bands in Turkey. The band got their start in 1987, formed by twin brothers Gökhan Özoğuz and Hakan Özoğuz. After releasing their first album, they switched their style from rock centered to ska centered, which is like a fusion of punk rock and ska music (basically there are a lot of trumpets, trombones, and woodwind instruments). Once they switched their style they caught fire in Turkey, which culminated in a large tour of their country as well as opening for the Rolling Stones(!). They were selected by the Turkish broadcaster to be the host’s act for ESC 2004. I was wondering what this song was, considering that I didn’t recognize it when I started writing this piece. But then the song started, and I was like “Oh, this song”, which is nothing against the band, because this song is pretty decent! The ska influence still rings large in this entry, with the horns blaring throughout the song. Songs like this tend to be really catchy, with this one being no exception. Other examples of songs like this that I can name off the top of my head are “Alcohol is Free” in 2013 and Turkey’s future entry in “We Could Be The Same” in 2010. While "For Real" may not have been immediately recognizable to some compared to the other two, its infectious charm quickly captures attention. It finished 4th, showcasing the future promise of songs from this region, while continuing Turkey’s strong period that would disappointingly end with their withdrawal in the early 2010s.
This entry is ranked 65th of all songs since 1975.

Spain 2022 Chanel - SloMo

Contest Ranking: 3rd (459 pts) My Ranking: 3rd (481.959**)
Their best result in decades, and it is in the most sexy Spanish way! After a turbulent 2010s, which included several finishes in the 20s, a last place finish (which contained a legendary voice crack), it seemed to be more of the same in the 2020s, as their 2021 entry only received 6 measly points and a 24th placement. Then Chanel appeared. Born in Cuba, Chanel Terrero Martínez moved to Spain at the age of 6. Once she moved to Spain, she began taking acting, singing, and ballet classes, culminating in her beginning her musical theater journey when she was 16. Chanel featured in many Spanish shows and musical productions, and she almost got the part of the musical West Side Story, directed by Steven Spilburg. Notice how I haven’t mentioned much about her singing, it’s because her musical career started very recently! Chanel decided to participate in Benidorm Fest 2022, with her debut single called “SloMo”. This song had a lot of hands in production, as Chanel worked with stars like Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, among others. The effort would be worth it, as she won the Festival, claiming her ticket to Turin for ESC 2022. The last time Spain finished in the Top 5, you would have to go all the way back to the year 1995, with Anabel Conde delivering a Eurovision classic with the song "Vuelve conmigo", which finished 2nd to Norway’s entry. That song was a slow, methodical ballad, this song is the complete opposite, it leaves almost everyone (including the singer) breathless! Like with Destiny, this song is pure energy, but this entry falls in line with the typical “sexy Spanish energy”, and when you look at the performance (this link is for the Benidorm version), I mean, the woman literally says “booty hypnotic” about 6 times! Singing wise, it’s nothing special, but the performance really takes this to another level. It’s like Spain got the memo that Latvia sent out about how performance really drives an entry about 20 years too late. But they definitely got the message alright! It must be difficult to be a fan of Spain at Eurovision, considering that the country has been swimming in mediocrity along with its fellow Big Five brethren (except for Italy and sometimes France/UK, but definitely with Germany). But when the stars align, this is what Spain can do, and it’s so amazing when they do it! Spain in this contest's history really surprises you when they do well, and then you wonder why they can’t do this more often, only to disappear until the next great performance, rinse and repeat. Maybe after this entry and last year’s one (which got robbed of a better placement), Spain can finally flex their might at this competition, and one day we may go back to Spain for an ESC!
** This song is one of the Top 50 ESC songs since 1975.

Austria 2014 Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix

Contest Ranking: 1st (290 pts) My Ranking: 1st (602.765**)
48 years between podium finishes, but what a way to do it! Austria occupies an interesting place within ESC lore. At the beginning of their journey, they weren’t much of anything, and it took a certain Udo Jürgens performing three times in back to back to back years to finally take the crown for the country. Since then, nothing much, just wading in the ESC waters, with the occasional decent tune once in a while. Then comes 2014. Austria up to this point were not known to be that influential in Eurovision, but then there was Conchita Wurst, who changed that perception in about 3 minutes. But first, some backstory. Conchita Wurst is the drag persona of Tom Neuwirth, who had a long career before joining the ESC stage. He was the founding member of a boy band in the early 2010s, and before that embarked on his singing career through an Austrian casting show. In 2011, Tom would start appearing as Conchita Wurst, a name literally meaning “Vagina (Spanish slang) Penis (German slang)” Conchita is also well noted for having a beard, a decision consciously made because as Tom/Conchita put it, “you can achieve anything, no matter who you are or how you look”. In 2012, Conchita almost became the representative for Austria at Eurovision, but narrowly lost out to Trackshittaz by 2% of the vote. In 2014, Conchita would not need a vote, as the national broadcaster would select Wurst and the song “Rise Like A Phoenix” to perform in Copenhagen. Now Conchita’s inclusion in ESC did not come without its outroar of disapproval, specifically from conservative groups in Eastern Europe. There were even petitions made for the local broadcasters to cut out Conchita’s performance entirely. Of course there were comparisons made between Conchita and Dana International, not only because of the LGBT likeness but also because of the threats and disapproval they both received prior to the contest. This disapproval would extend onto the ESC stage, as Armenia’s representative that year would make various remarks about how Conchita wasn’t living a “natural life”. That wouldn’t stop the drag queen however, as Wurst would go on to deliver a stunning ballad, appropriately about how she would rise from the ashes of her haters to become stronger. It reminds me of James Bond music, just with the horns and the overall vibe of the song. The entry was meant to be serious and on that note it succeeded, and overall it just has the commanding energy that so many winning songs demonstrate. This entry would not only win for Austria, breaking a nearly 50 year drought*, but would become one of the most iconic ESC entries of the 21st century, maybe even ever! Like with 1998, this would open the door for LGBT visibility in this contest, something that would only be embraced more and more in the years since this song took gold.
** This song is one of the Top 50 ESC songs since 1975. *** He would say that those comments were a joke, but you get the picture **** The 2010’s (and some of the 2020s) overall were really an era of breaking droughts. You got Germany (first since 1982), Azerbaijan (first ever), Sweden (first since 1999), Denmark (first since 2001), Austria (first since 1966), Sweden (first since 2012 lol), Ukraine (first since 2004), Portugal (first ever), Israel (first since 1998), and the Netherlands (first since 1975) all winning. Maybe countries like France (1977), Spain (1969) the UK (1998), even Ireland (1997, and who am I kidding, this drought will not be broken for a long time) could break their droughts as well?

Finland 2023 Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha

Contest Ranking: 2nd (526 pts) My Ranking: 1st (732.848**)
All of the songs on this list have surprised me, sans Austria and Spain. Finland’s best ever performing entry prior to 2023 was Lordi’s “Hard Rock Halleujah”, an entry that broke the barrier on what type of entries could win at this competition. Lordi’s song will forever remain in ESC lore, and for Finland it would be at the top of a surprisingly lackluster list. Outside of Lordi,there is only one other entry that has a score of over 150 (basically Top 7ish) prior to 2023, which was Blind Channel’s song “Dark Side” in 2021. Finland when it comes to the power of Scandinavia at this contest are really only above Iceland when it comes to performance and impact. The other three countries are loaded with iconic songs and impact to this competition, something that Finland has been lacking, until recently. Of course there’s Lordi and in 2021 there was Blind Channel, but both of those songs demonstrate what Finland can bring to this competition, which is hard party rock, and that is perfectly demonstrated with the song many people thought should have won, “Cha Cha Cha”, performed by Käärijä. Käärijä, or Jere Mikael Pöyhönen is a rapper and songwriter, known for his bowl cut and his shirtlessness, with the ladder having a nice sentiment driving it.*** There are many more things that he is known for and has done, from how his name is a play on the word for gambling in Finnish, to how he mostly performed shirtless due to the fact that his original yellow suit would get too hot, but you are all here for me to talk about the song, so let’s get to it. There are many similarities between this song and “Hard Rock Hallejah”, but the similarity that matters most is the fact that these songs are so unapologetically themselves. They both invite you to join their worlds, promising a hell of a time if one were to accept the invitation. While Lordi’s song involved the “acrocoplis” this song involves a party, a crazy party, nonetheless. I think what works the best for this song is that despite the fact that all of the lyrics are in Finnish, the first time that has happened for Finland since 2010, the chorus is where everyone can let loose, and boy does it let you. The roars you hear when the audience says “CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA EY” are really a testament to how much energy this song has (I feel like I’ve said this a lot today). This song is pure fun, and it’s such a joy to go through all of the acts with Käärijä. Did this song deserve to win? Well… yes and no. This song did get the highest televoting percentage of any entry not named “Stefania”, even surpassing Portugal’s entry in 2017. And if you see my contest ranking, according to my formula it placed first. On those fronts, it deserved to win. Does this song carry more winning energy than Sweden? Yes, but then I’m reminded of 2007, and how the more serious song (“Molitva”) won over the more campy fun song ("Dancing Lasha Tumbai"). From the history of ESC, the more serious songs win out most of the time, so I can see why this song didn’t surpass Sweden. Do I think this song deserved to win? Well I’m torn. Both songs have the potential to win, and I love both of them for different reasons. I could talk about it more, but this is a Finland post, and this song could have the impact of Ukraine 2007, even if it didn’t win. What this song has done is raise Finland’s profile in ESC and in my rankings, because without this song Finland may be below Iceland in the rankings.
** This song is one of the Top 50 ESC songs since 1975. *** Basically Käärijä said that going topless should be more accepted, no matter what size you are, which is a pretty cool message if you ask me.

Final Thoughts

So what do you think? Do you believe that Finland deserved to win last year? Which country here has delivered the biggest impact to ESC? Will Malta ever join the winner’s circle at Eurovision? And who will be next?

Sorry for the long post but this has been eating into me for a while now and I really don't know where else to address this.
I also just want to mention that I do not want to self diagnose myself or assume anything and if these are all unrelated to autism or this post offends you in any way, please forgive me.
Hi, around 8 months ago when i first started university, I made a really close friend, the only one person i could really be myself around here (like a safe person) [i moved for university]. We immediately clicked and were ourselves around each other and about 2 weeks- a month into the friendship she asked me if I was autistic. I said no and asked why she thought so. She told me that she noticed i do a lot of stuff that seem off to her in that sense like :

1. being able to listen to the same song on repeat for hours or days on end
2. Having always had to script my conversations (like introduction when i moved to a new school, phonecall to order food), and learn certain phrases or general responses to other phrases. If i make new friends who use different phrases I'm unfamiliar with i will see how other people or they respond to those types of phrases and then learn them and use them myself. Sometimes if someone texts me a phrase I've never heard of ill go through all my other chats or groupchats in general to see what people would have or have responded to similar or the same phrase and then use those and if i cant find it ill go onto google and if that doesn't work either ill just ask my friends and family.
3. having to sit symmetrically opposite her anywhere because if were not directly opposite each other (if i feel like the midpoints of our bodies arent in line - i call it a longitudinal plane - it feels like the world is wrong and uneven). This is especially excruciating when i need to start work on my computer or sit somewhere because i always have to take a while to adjust myself into a plane that is symmetrical and feels right
4. having sensory issues with clothes growing up and even now - certain textures like sequence, or it really depends cuz sometimes even cotton feels wrong on my skin depending on the clothing item and then i just wont wear it because now i feel like tearing my skin off. This also applies to if my clothes don't sit right on me - it could be a shirt I've worn a thousand times but sometimes it just feels a little bit tighter some places or just off and then i have to adjust and make it right or just change the shirt or clothing item all together. This also applies to food - i absolutely cannot stand mushy textures or even changes in textures for certain food like oats to a point where i will only buy one brand and eat it repeatedly cuz i know i like that texture and it feels safe and good.
5. once we were in a mall and they started playing forest noises and my friend found it calming but i was severely disturbed and told her that its because i can hear like 80 different mini noises in this one big sound (i can hear the smallest and farthest noises immediately and sometimes it bothers me because i can hear the clock ticking and now I'm distracted because the ticking is so loud and never ending and it makes me wish i could stop time all together)
6. I have to walk up and down in my room (in a set linear path that i set for myself) in the morning before i leave for uni and before i got to bed (cant go to bed without at least an hour of this) and also in between tasks. I could finally get up to use the washroom in between my work (i like to wait till my bladder physically hurts for some reason or till i feel like I've earned it idky) and when i come back i cant sit back to work without walking for at least 20 mins. I literally wake up 2 hours before i really need to for uni just to be able to walk and i thought this was normal because its calming. She also noticed I do this thing with my fingers where I like to trace my nails with my thumb all the time but I thought that was normal? Sometimes if I know I'm going to be doing something super nerve-wracking I like to keep my nails long and press them into my palm really hard because the pain kinda calms me down.
7. She thinks its weird that before i eat something i will segregate and eat my food from "least satisfactory bite" to "most satisfactory bite" or when I'm eating something with slices or diff pieces like a pizza i have to eat from smallest to biggest slice or the world feels wrong. Sometimes if I'm eating a frozen pizza or sm i will purposely cut the slices a bit unevenly so its easier for me to tell smalest to biggest.
8. I always eat my sandwiches crust first (fully) the inside and stick icecream that have those chocolate layers in the same way - always full outer layer and then inner layer or its wrong.
9. Once we wanted to divide notes for one of our tests and she told me to start from the 9th topic onwards and that made me feel like the whole number order is now disrupted and that not how things are supposed to be so i did her part of the notes too so ic ould start from no 1.
10. I had horrible separation issues from my mother as a child to a point where it was hard for my mom to get me to school or even social gathering because i would hate any sort of party or group gathering as a child to a point where id cry and itd end with my mom and i sitting out of it together. - this is actually the reason that when i was a kid my aunt in one of her raging sessions accused me of being the reason her child is autistic. Her child is diagnosed with autism and is non-verbal.
11. I have been picked on by classmates and even teachers literally since playschool (or pre-kg as they'd call it where i was from) -> which my friend said is apparently a sign?
12. I was never taught how to read by my mom but i could read by the age of 3 and i just learnt by picking up phrases from the kids shows id watch and apply them to my books. Also my mom would read to me everyday so i just picked it up through that too.
13. All my friendships since kindergarten were me having this one safe person that i follow around everwhere kinda like a mother duck? This also resulted in me not being able to end my friendship with my best friend in highschool because i was so comfortable with her (even her bad treatment towards me) and i was scared id never be close enough with someone else or no one else would accept me like she did (luckily i recently discovered that's not true)
14. I always have too much anxiety before trying new things that i need someone there to be with me and help me along (even basic life tasks like withdrawing money for the first time or going to the doctor by myself - sometimes this results in me putting really important errands off for months on end even though i feel horrible about it but it feels paralyzing when I think of actually going to get that job done). However, I've suffered with anxiety in general whether that is to leave the house (since i was a child - way before covid too), especially in crowds.
15. Back in school when I would write in notebooks (thankgod I use an iPad now) if there was something I thought was even a little off (like the curve of my g or the dot on my i - god forbid a spelling mistake) I would rip the whole page off and rewrite it as many times as I'd have to for it to be perfect.

Now the thing is i keep denying it even now but for as long as i can remember since i was a child and since my aunt accused me my mother would say she was proud of me for outgrowing my weird autistic like behaviours as a child like how she taught me to make eye contact and actually say hello to people so i don't look mean. And the weird thing is a week ago I was having a normal conversation with one of my friends flatmates who was actually diagnosed with autism when he was a kid, and he straight up asked me at the end of it - "you're a little bit autistic arent you?" and i was like huh??? no I'm not and i asked him why he thought so and he said he could just feel it. At this point my other friend is convinced I'm autistic even though i don't think so but i don't know. I want to ask my therapist about this but i don't want to look like a poser or like I'm just begging to be diagnosed with something you know? I just want to know why the only girl who has ever really seen or heard of my behaviours is convinced I'm neurodivergent ( i have never revealed these habits of mine or explicitly behaved this way in front of others and tend to hide it for some subconscious reason). Please some advice would be highly appreciated and I'm really sorry for ranting :)

I'm trying to find this electronic (pop) song that was played for a short while but regularly on MTV (Finland) in the beginning of 2000. I can't say did it had lyrics (most likely not) but it was still catchy.
The music video was animated and I remember there were fast cars (Lamborghinis?) driving/racing around hill tops for a long period at night(?). It had 80"s style I might say.
That's all I can describe from my early days about the song/video.
And no, it's not the Kylie Minogue"s song.

I need help to find the source of a silly song.

Context: I grew up as an emo kid in the mid to late 2000s. I had a rough week at work and the phrase “what a week this day has been, what a day this week has been” popped into my head and I swore it was a song lyric (likely emo or pop punk) or something else from pop culture around that time. My immediate vibe of the words were motion city soundtrack, death cab, or something similar.
I texted my best friend who says she remembers the same but has no idea.
I could be misquoting- it could be “what a year..” etc. and I could be totally off base about genre or the fact that it’s even a song but now it’s in my head and idk what it is!
Thanks!

Out of all the songs sung on The Office, which one gets stuck in your head the most? This is a tough one because there are a lot of catchy ones. My top two are "Threat Level Midnight" and the Song Creed sings in Benihana Christmas, "Spinnin N Reelin." I much prefer the karaoke version to the original! Ok, one more, "That One Night!"
There are so many other good songs to choose from. This is a hard one!

So I discovered this band with Into The Electric Castle and I fell in love... The pacing on that first side, the songs, it's catchy, it's epic, it's fun... It reminds me a lot of 70s prog rock. Side B isn't as interesting and I find that observation grows stronger with every Ayreon release I check out. I find it a lot more bland and far less colorful than Into The Electric Castle...
From the intro song "Isis and Osiris" to "the rainbow bridge", it's just insanely catchy and I haven't heard that replicated in any of the other releases.
I listened to Human Equation, 01101010110 something, Theory of Everything... it just doesn't sound as good. Into The Electric Castle has that 70s/80s prog rock flair that just elevates it into a category of its own. Universal Migrator CD2 is the closest it gets to it but still not on the same level.

OK the title can be misleading but I don't know how to phrase it other way.
I'm not black, I'm not american, and english isn't my native language so I have a lot of things to learn from this.
I don't understand why white americans can never use the n word. I understand why they can't call someone with it or talk about someone with it.
But why can't they use it in case of a song lyric, title, movie title, or even say "this word exists".
In my language, nègre is the n word with a hard R, and negro is like the slang term (hope you understand me), obviously I can't talk about anyone or call them like that. But I can say that those words exist and what they mean, etc...
I can say titles or lyrics with these words in it without being labeled a racist. But if I understand correctly, I can't say that in America but I don't know why.
And there is another thing I don't understand is why other races can say it ? Like latinos for example.
So if someone can educate me on this matter, I'll be grateful !
Ps : As the sub I post in, I'm too afraid to ask, I don't want to offense, I want to keep it civile and just learn things. I'm sure there will be some answers that say "White people want to say the n word so bad", I don't, I just want to genuinely understand.
Thanks for the answers.

Hi, my boyfriend sent me a voice message and at the beginning he "sang" a beat to a song he was listening to. It sounded really catchy and when i asked him "what song were you singing" he said he forgot but it was an older song that he was listening to on shuffle but he can't find it now. Older meaning 60s to 90s since he only listens to rock and other songs from that era. https://voca.ro/18h16jfFKOm8 or it could be something random I'm not sure. thanks

And other terms of high praise, like “phenomenal.” I realize it’s a subjective term, but it’s used so flippantly now that it pretty much lost all meaning. “Masterpiece” is supposed to be reserved for those rare works of art that are the absolute best of the best, from masters of their craft, that don’t happen very often. They should represent the state of the art and set the bar for greatness, and there should be a strong list of reasons why they stand out from the crowd in multiple ways. A song isn’t a “masterpiece” just because you found it catchy, a movie isn’t a “masterpiece” just because it had a cool story. There are a lot of factors and considerations that go into this term, and I highly doubt the newest song from your favorite TikTok artist qualifies.

S1E3: The Ticket Master! Another slice of life episode. This time, it focuses on the first rift between the new group of friends. Twilight Sparkle has an extra ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala and each of her friends would like to attend. Applejack wishes to drum up business for the farm. Rainbow Dash wants to meet her Wonderbolt heroes. Rarity yearns to find her true love. Fluttershy craves to view the private garden full of fauna and flora. Pinkie Pie craves to attend as it’s the biggest party in Equestria. All the discord and bickering stresses Twilight out and she can’t determine which friend to take with her.
Rewatchability: 2/10 rank. You can absorb everything in this episode upon the first playthrough There’s no stand out moments that cause a reason to rewatch it past the initial viewing. Also, Rarity’s demeanor irks me in this one. She acts like a total snob to Twilight and it’s a total contrarian to her earlier behavior the past two episodes.
Humor: 3/10 rank. There’s not many moments. I did enjoy the Yakety Sax parody when the denizens of Ponyville chase Twilight and Spike and clamor for the extra ticket. That was refreshing. Also, the repeated disgust Spike makes about the Gala. Calling it “girly gala gunk” and “frilly frou-frou nonsense”. Shows he has a boy’s attitude. Though, the ending when he parades giddily from receiving a ticket to the event was humorous too. Oh, and who could forget “And then I said oatmeal? Are you crazy?” Classic quote of this tremendous show.
Songs: 2/10 rank. Similar to the precious episode, there’s not many. Only two are included and both were random whimsical bellows from Pinkie Pie. Her “Fantasy Song” when she imagines herself at the Gala is quirky and cute. The effervescent party pony does make some adorable expressions during the ditty. But neither song is catchy or becomes an earworm. Both are short quick melodies that fill the time to this episode.
Plotline Enjoyment: 3/10 rank. Granted, it was nice to see an episode that showed disharmony in the Mane Six. This episode did a great job of showcasing their first rift. An extra ticket to an event that all wanted to attend is a very believable real world allegory that friends could quarrel over. However, it was a bit disheartening to see such arguments. Rainbow Dash and Applejack clashed. Rarity acted spoiled and stuck up. Plus, the other five ponies tried earning brownie points to Twilight by doing favors. The friendship lesson Twilight learned at the end about blessings was sweet though.
Would I recommend this episode: No.
Overall: 3/10 rank. A grade of D+ It’s not an awful episode, per se, but it leaves a lot to be desired. Sort of seems like a filler episode. I’d have preferred if there was an immediate follow up episode, similar to the previous two-parter. Twilight should’ve admonished her friends’ behavior a bit. I would’ve liked to see who she ultimately chose to go with her in the end. The Ticket Master does an okay job with its presentation, but the conclusion did feel a tad rushed.
Question: Which pony had the best reason to attend the gala and deserved the extra ticket?
In conclusion, The Ticket Master is an early episode in the series that doesn’t really warrant a viewing. It feels like a filler episode in a way, and leaves a lot to be desired. This episode isn’t bad, but falls below an average rank in my opinion. It has some nice moments like the Yakety Sax parody and Spike’s behavior, but those aren’t enough to cement this episode as one of the bottom of the barrel in my season one rankings.

so, in my most recent rewatching of the bronycon video i decided to look up the songs from friendship is witchcraft. and THEY ARE SO DAMN CATCHY. jenny is such a good singer wth 😭😭😭and why do the pinkie pie songs slap so bad 😭😭 i cant stop listening to them and im not proud of that but it's her fault for making the songs so catchy

Some albums have grown on me, and others I really liked upon first listen but didn't end up sticking with me. I think I may have been overly harsh with the Nirvana album, which I have revisted since then. And while I thought happy monday's was awesome the first time I heard them, I feel almost no desire to listen to them now.
Worst to best
Oar - Alexender spence- 1
Can't help but feel this album made the list due to the mentally unstable- genius romanticism. But this isn't Brian Wilson making Smile.
There are moments that album show's some potential, but it is so half-assed in it's production and performance that it makes it very difficult to listen to.
I don't enjoy listening to someone having a mental breakdown, it's just sad
Cheap Thrills Big Brother & The Holding Company 2
Average sounding blues/rock band with a singer who stands out.
Listening to a song or 2 with can be enjoyable given the sheer power of Janis Joplin, but can't make up for songwriting and instrumentation which doesn't sound particularly good.
Listened to about half the album, before I got tired of it.
Cross Justice 2
Found this grating to listen to, was disappointed because I expected more from this album
The Bones Of What You Believe CHVRCHES 2
Catchy, well done pop.
The voice sounds so neutral, that it doesn't express any emotion at all to me, the music has it moments but tires fast as it doesn't swing. Ultimately it's well done but sounds sterile to me.
Dare! The Human League 2
Not offensive but not memorable, which I think is among the worst things an album can be. Other albums might be harder to listen to, but have interesting moments that stick with me.
Bat Out Of Hell Meat Loaf 2
I respect the ambition to create this, but don't enjoy listening to it
2. Rem Automatic For The People R.E.M. 2
While I really like some of REM's songs, I found to chord progressions to be relatively uninteresting, and the album doesn't have the attitude or transcendent performance to make up for it.
I have to admit though, that I don't think I gave it a deep listen, and that my opinion might change if I do
Siamese Dream The Smashing Pumpkins 2
Instantly recognizable as a band. They found their space in the scene and I understand their popularity. The songwriting is alright, and the band also sounds tight.But I just can't tune into their music, stylistically the production sounds too crisp. Corrigan's voice is grating and the songs don't stick with me. I appreciate the fact that the lyrical themes are dark, in a way that seems genuine. But it's easier to relate to that if you dig the music (which I experience when I listen to Alice in Chains)
The Colour Of Spring Talk Talk 3
Interesting elements, but couldn't really get into it
A Little Deeper Ms. Dynamite 3
Decent album, first artist I hadn't heard of at all from the generator. When I heard "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee" I thought I might be in for a banger of an album. But it turned out to be the best song on the album.Very of it's era, both in it's production/performance and lyrical themes.There are occasionally pretty original arrangements and Ms.Dynamite is a very good singer, I can understand why it resonated at the time it was released but can also understand why it isn't viewed as a classic album all these years.
The Village Green Preservation Society The Kinks 3
Global reviews
Good melodies and guitar-work, with at times clever lyrics.
Also interesting that each song is a character study.However this nostalgia for all things traditionally english (which I and most people can't relate to at all) , and it clearly taking place in it's time gives it character but also dates it.(The Beatles have kind of similar themes in songs like Penny Lane, but the visuals / story-telling and central themes are so good that it makes it universal and timeless)
To me the album is imaginative and upbeat but simply sounds kind of dated, and doesn't transcend in such a way that I feel really compelled to revisit it again beyond a couple songs.Would give it 3.5 stars as I thought it was pretty good, but not amazing
Hotel California Eagles 3
While the Eagles are one of the best selling bands of all time, it's notable that they aren't really loved by the younger generations. Certainly not at all the way Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin or of course The Beatles are
They do almost everything very well; they all are very strong instrumentalists, the harmonies are on point, they have good musical chemistry and occasionally can churn out a strong lyric. Morever if the rest of the album was as strong as the first two songs the album would merit a really high rating, but the album decreases in quality (mostly songwritingwise) after that. And exposes the fact that The Eagles can be cheesy and boring at times. Still "New kid in town" and particularly Hotel California are fantastic songs fully deserving of being classics. Try and love is alright as well.
25 Home Is Where The Music Is Hugh Masekela 3
I appreciate his influence in South Africa as a jazz pioneer, but I didn't find the album particularly inspiring. The playing is solid and grooves, and there are high moments but I don't have the feeling that this is something I have to revisit
From Elvis In Memphis Elvis Presley 3
By 1969, Elvis had lost a lot of his cultural relevancy. With the Beatles and psychedelia taking over.Just as Sinatra wasn't welcoming to Elvis, when Elvis became huge. Elvis put down the Beatles (remarking to Nixon that they were a bad influence)His move to las vegas where his act was once too risqué is an indication that he was no longer the cool rebel but rather a symbol of times past.Still Elvis, rather than change stylistically to keep with the times sticks with what he knows .Vocally he sounds fantastic and the backing band sounds great too.The album does drag a little bit though, and doesn't seem to acknowledge the incredibly interesting changes happening at the time in popular music. At times it swings but at others it sounds dated. The guitar's bass and drums sound earthy and great but the string arrangements sound cheesy.Rather than listening to the whole album, I might re-visit specific songs.
Daydream Nation Sonic Youth 3
I admit I went into this with a bias against Sonic Youth.
They seemed to me to be the definition of style over substance, and they seemed like they viewed themselves as the coolest people ever. (See their interview with Nardwuar) Already in the first song I could hear that they were pretty innovative, as they sound like a 90s band despite the fact the album was made in the 80s. I could hear how the instrumentation(particularly the guitars) influenced great bands and albums (Loveless, The Bends) I would say they sound like an assortment of important 90s bands, but in reality I guess many 90s bands sound like them. Despite that, listening to the album confirmed some of my prejudices; the spoken word sections are meaningless and pretentious. The social critiques (lyrically) sound really basic and the album is excessively long. Still there are really interesting moments musically, particularly in the instrumental sections. The music sounds raw and at the same time very clear and layered. It sounds DIY but sophisticated and even when it's noisy and wild they create an interesting atmosphere.
3.5/5 because while it's innovative and interesting, it has it's drawbacks and to my ear's doesn't have that much replay value.
MTV Unplugged In New York Nirvana 3
Was expecting more from this, based on the couple songs I had heard in the past.Part of the appeal of Nirvana is the fact that they combine really catchy almost pop-ish melodies with explosive instrumentation that has a genuine edge. Kurt Cobain can sing the living hell out of a song, and his voice has a yearning, an anger and delicateness which puts all of Nirvana's elements together.The issue I have with the unplugged, is that a lot of songs don't hold up as well in the acoustic format. Songs like "Come as you Are" "I'm on a plain" lose of all their thrill factor and don't hold up well enough as compositions to excel in that context. Others though, like "All Apologies and Something in the way" lend themselves better to an acoustic format. The stand out of the show is Leadbelly's "Where do you sleep at night" where Kurt Cobain delivers an incredibly heart-felt vocal.The album attained a legendary status, in part because seeing the top grunge icons of the day (especially one so punky) playing acoustic with a really beautiful setting was no doubt really interesting at the time, and Kurt Cobain's pre-mature death gives seeing such an intimate performance an added dimension.If you take out Nirvana's status as grunge legends and all the mystique that exists around them, what you have is a band with an exceptional singer that doesn't sound it's best in an acoustic format.
8 Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches Happy Mondays 4
Very funky and original.Well performed and produced, even though its at times deeply layered you can hear every element clearly and it's never overloaded.The lyrics are fun and catchy too.Particularly excellent guitar playing and bass playing. Lastly, making good happy music isn't easy, and they really pull it off so there's that too
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs Marty Robbins 4
Global reviews
Very good storyteller, the songs are basically like short stories.And the music is really enjoyable to listen too also
Third Portishead 4
A very hard album to rate.Full of dissonant chord changes and melodies, hypnotic arrangements/loops. The singer captures isolation and trauma almost uncomfortably well.
The lack of emotional diversity (it almost all sounds isolated/alienated to me) hurts the replay value of it, this is an album to listen to when in a specific mood. I also think it's a very good album to listen to in small doses. There's a ton of interesting ideas and arrangements and they certainly accomplish what it is they seemed to be going for (capturing said isolation)
3.5 stars for the many fresh interesting ideas, I don't feel good giving the album 3 stars (seems to low for such a well executed album) but 4 seems excessive given that I didn't enjoy listening to the whole album much.
Going to give it 4
Do check out individual songs though
Machine head, Nylon Smile, We Carry on
Surrealistic Pillow Jefferson Airplane 4
Somewhat inconsistent album, and sometimes to hippy-ish.
But the standout tracks are really amazing.
I love the poetry of Today and particularly of Comin Back to Me, just beautiful songwriting.
As well as the power of Grace Slick and catchiness of Somebody to Love.
Interesting production choices too, what an insane amount of reverb on the drums. Sounds like someone is playing far in the distance.
The band plays well, has two very good singers (who compliment each other perfectly) and the songwriting is at times amazing. That trascends any weaknessess the album may have
Joan Armatrading Joan Armatrading 4
Really good songwriting, which in my mind is one of the most valuable and hardest things to find in music.
Younger Than Yesterday The Byrds 4
A rare example of an album who's second half is much stronger than the first.
The Byrds are at their best when they go introspective and personal. Everybody's Been Burned is beautiful and mysterious song with a lyric that reflects on the nature of love. Crosby's odd phrasing works perfectly in the song making it sound like he has deeply meditated both emotionally/spiritually on whether it is worth it to become vulnerable in the face of love with inevitable brevity and pain that certainly comes with it. Mind Gardens is also a fantastic song with with reflects on coping mechanisms in a very fresh and different way. The song builds perfectly along with the lyric, holding you the whole time.
There are times where the Byrds can sound just pleasant and not particularly interesting or deep, but Crosby's compositions elevate the album and give it a different dimension. It's a shame the album consists mostly of other writer's compositions. Most of the album is a 3, but because it has a couple incredible songs I'm going to round up to 4
Best songs: (in order)
Everybody's been burned
Mind Gardens
My Back Pages
Renaissance Fair
Highway 61 Revisited Bob Dylan 4
Bob Dylan goes electric, with a fantastic backing band (The Band)
What's interesting about Bob Dylan (from a lyrical perspective) is how the lyrics seem at once polished while simultaneously seeming like a total stream of consciousness. The lyrics sound good, the story-telling is amazing (and at many times funny) and yet something about his delivery and perhaps his willingness of veer off course narratively (though he always finds his way back) make it seems fresh.It's an interesting contrast with Leonard Cohen, who's lyrics sound totally perfect and thought-out. Dylan instead comes across as kind of wild and unpredictable (Cohen can be unpredictable too in his words, but everything seems pre-meditated) While with Dylan it's like fuck it, "the sun's not yellow it's chicken!"
The first song is a masterpiece, just incredible story-telling. Every line is piercing, and often clever and devastating. You feel mixed about the once-rich main character who was fucked over by a diplomat with a siamese cat, yet was oblivious to inequality and suffering when they were well off.
Tombstone blues is fantastic too, so fun and stimulating.
Musically the album has it's high points but is less interesting than it's lyrics with some songs in my opinion being almost a little boring. The Band sounds better playing their own songs.
However the high points are awesome, so I think 4 stars make sense. 5 stars lyrically, 3 stars musically.
Vol. 4 Black Sabbath 4
Black Sabbath are one of the central pioneers in the metal genre, while
Beatle song's such as Helter Skelter or I want you or Jimi Hendrix's Manic depression were also very heavy it's Black Sabbath that puts the whole package together. The low end heavy and at times dissonant riffs, the iconic imagery, the often times dark lyrical themes. What sets Sabbath apart though from other metal icons is their versatility, the drummer's funkiness, the authentic vulnerability of Ozzy's lyrics on songs like changes. The riffage of Tony Iommi sometimes leading the way to beautiful almost celtic sounding ballads. This is pure metal, darkness explored in a way that is meaningful and real. Not the cartoonish "edgy-ness" of later bands, nor the dick-measuring contest of who can shred faster or play louder. Heavy, funky and at times beautiful
4.5 stars
Ellington at Newport Duke Ellington 5
The band sounds so crisp, sharp and sexy. So full of life, big band music at it's best
42 The Dark Side Of The Moon Pink Floyd 5
Pink Floyd's greatest album.
I also gave Exodus by Bob Marley a 5—
And didn’t review Sade- Diamond life but really liked it too.

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So I'm in Bye Bye Birdie for the first time. There are SO many references that I feel like I had to do research to figure out. I can't believe how much I miss of the references and context. The only place I found these compiled was this text-based personal website last dated 16 years ago, and even then it's only a few (though really key ones!) and some of them don't show up in my 2024 copy - I wonder if they were pared down. Regardless, figured I'd make a context and reference list based on the copy I have!
I can't fit it all in one post, I exceed the text limit, so we'll start with Act 1 with general context stuff and the second post will be Act 2 only :)

Context

How Dated Was the Musical When Released?
Bye Bye Birdie is famously a direct reference to Elvis Presley getting drafted in 1957 and the stir it caused. But note the musical was written and published in 1958, and went on Broadway in 1960. It's like if a musical went on Broadway this year (2024) about a blonde-haired pop star named Tay-lee Quick (instead of Taylor Swift) who performed a world tour, but didn't initially book any dates in Canada, causing a massive outcry, leading to several Canadian officials and the president "Justice Troodoo" to beg her to stop there and... something else silly happens involving her, then she gets punched by a jealous girlfriend, and silliness ensues.
That is how on-the-nose this musical really is. There are many references to what would have been VERY modern events in this musical. For that reason, I'll try to give some equivalences of how the references in the musical would sound if it was written today.
Elvis' Perception in America
This extensive Wikipedia article does a great job of saying in many words that Elvis was insanely influential and deeply controversial. 1956 was a major year of stardom for Elvis -
Phone Calls
Phones are obviously a huge part of this musical! Wanted to combine all the phone references here.
Kim's Phone Number: Kim's number is, according to Rosie in Act 1, Scene 1, "Capitol 7 - 8820". In the 50s, the previous system which used 6-digit phone numbers started to be replaced by one that used an "exchange prefix" and 5 digits after. (Source) (Source) At the time, phone numbers that didn't connect to anyone were given out for shows like I Love Lucy, so that may be what happened here as well, though I don't know.
One Phone Line to Share: Kim's mother asks her to get off the phone early in the play so she can take a phone call. For a long time before cell phones, each home had a "home number" and you couldn't use it at the same time. This is why Kim's mother is asking her to finish up her call so she can call someone and eventually get a phone call as well.
Picking Kim's Number: Rosie uses a rolodex she randomly flips through to pick Kim - which would have been very standard in the 1950s.
The Operator Trying to Get Through: Calls were pushed through using real people, usually women, plugging lines into a "switchboard" to connect them manually. So when Kim's mom says the operator has been trying to get through for nearly three quarters of an hour, she's been trying to not get a busy signal when manually connecting the lines for 45 minutes! That's dedication!
Mr. MacAfee Frustrated with Long Distance Calls: Cost of international calls at this time was per-minute - so calls to New York, Chicago, Fairbanks, Alaska, and Hong Kong would have cost a pretty penny - over $100 for the first 3 minutes in a similar estimation! It sounds like Conrad and Albert didn't really offer to cover this cost, so you can see why Mr. MacAfee is so cross.
Getting Pinned/Going Steady
"Going steady" referred to, in short, being exclusive with someone. "As Time reported in 1957, "Boys and girls who go steady dance together exclusively (cutting in is frowned upon), sip their sodas, absorb their double features and spin their platters in each other's company or not at all. Steady-going girls indicate their unavailability in various ways, [like] the old-fashioned fraternity pins." (Source) It's mentioned in other sources that this could also be school pins, or rings. Something to show your commitment. One of the heads of my production described it like a "promise ring". It's definitely a firmer promise and commitment then just going out with someone, but not quite an engagement.
However, why, if this is such a sweet gesture of romantic love and commitment, would everyone be freaking out about it, and Kim's parents potentially not reacting well to "getting pinned" or "going steady"? (Kim has a line where she exclaims to her mother that she thinks her dad took the announcement "awfully well"). Truth be told, going steady in high school was actually highly discouraged by adults and especially church at the time. This article/Reddit thread sheds some light. I'll copy the first comment here by u/Gfrisse1. "It was felt that going steady would encourage the relationship to develop into one of physical intimacy, something parents wished to avoid. On the other hand, dating a wider, more diverse number of individuals would give them the experience of being exposed to a greater number of character and personality types, thereby helping to hone their mate-selection skills for later on. In the meantime, the short-term relationships were not expected to get much beyond the first- or second-date stage of intimacy. (One-night-stands, or casual hook-ups were not as common-place as they are today.)"
Cigarettes/Age
There are many references to smoking, cigarettes, and how old you should be in this play. It's complicated, but just know that in the 1950s, EVERYONE smoked. Everywhere. In the early 1950s, though, the first studies were coming out with the link to lung cancer, and tobacco companies used every trick in the book to try to squash that. It's genuinely fascinating (and terrifying) how much money and strategy was poured into this misinformation campaign. Read about it here. Anyway, what this means is in the late 1950s, it's not like most were giving up smoking, but because tobacco companies had started more explicitly advertising to minors, several states were in debate about the smoking age. It varied from 21 to 16, but just know that Kim was not considered old enough to be doing it. (Source.)) However, MANY minors did. Think of it like underaged drinking today as the best analogy. There's some specific cigarette references that will pop up in specific scenes, but just know that's the standard.
Patriotism
Fresh(ish) off of the victory of World War II, which was filled with MASSIVE pushes for increased American patriotism (to the degree that Disney even got in on it!), love for the USA was very culturally acceptable and a way to show you were a good person! It was easy to rally around (especially if you ignored the growing civil rights movement of Black people trying to achieve equality, which many white people at the time were very happy to do until they could no longer ignore it - obviously, not touched on in this musical, but significant. Several racist references have been either removed or are requested to be removed by current versions.) But that's why we hear so many classic American anthems in this play!

References by Order of Appearance (Act 1)

Almaelou Music Corporation

This is the end of Almaelou Music Corporation!

Almaelou may very well be a parody of Aldon Music, which would fit due to its major success being in the late 50s, and it's influence in music written for teen girls at the time.
Arpege

Rosie: A five-dollar raise in 1954 and a bottle of Arpege last Christmas.

Arpege is a perfume that was released in 1927 and remained the best-selling perfume of well-loved fashion line Levine for decades. (Source) Albert is quoting a commercial tagline tied to the perfume that was very well-known at the time. It continued to be used in commercials for many years. (Commercial example). It was possible to see 1/2 oz bottles at the time (Source), but Albert gave her a laughably small amount at 1/16 of an ounce. You can still buy this perfume today!
A five-dollar raise in 1954. Secretaries in metropolitan areas could earn around $75 a week. (Source) A five-dollar raise bringing that to $80 a week would, ironically, be about a 1/16 increase in earnings. Also, Rosie is pointing out in an earlier line she has put in 90 hour weeks and hasn't gotten a raise in four years.
Modern example:

Rosie: My last raise was four years ago and you got me that jewelry from Kay Jewelers once
Albert: "Every Kiss Begins with Kay", Rosie. Rosie: Not when that "Kay" is a .25 karat discontinued friendship ring!

Music Business Bum Vs. English Teacher
This is related to the prestige of being an English teacher who is helping people learn a scholarly subject vs. the "seedy" music industry.
Ugga Bugga Boo

"When you wrote Conrad's last hit 'Ugga Bugga Boo' then I knew this was it/You were thru with English forever."

Ugga Bugga Boo is a real song released 1947. It's a comedy song, written by voice acting legend and radio host Mel Blanc (voice of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and many others) for his comedy radio show. I do wonder if Elvis had a song in this vein, as the Jetsons did a similar parody with an Elvis expy a few years later, but I couldn't find one.
Geoffrey ChauceWilliam Morris

"It was goodbye, Geoffrey ChauceHello, William Morris"

Geoffrey Chaucer is considered one of the greatest English writers, specifically poets, of all time. Born in the 1400s.
As for William Morris, this could be two references, possibly combining.
William Morris Agency was an incredibly famous music talent agency that would have likely been known by some audience members in the 1950s. They've represented tons of major talent. This is what I believe is the most likely reference given the song context.
However William Morris was a man also considered a legendary poet during his life, born in the 1830s. However, he also made wallpapers and textiles. After his passing, he became infinitely more famous in the public eye for his wallpaper designs than he did for his poetry. This is could be a dig at that Alfred could be great in the English world, but like Morris, his legacy will be for something "silly" instead. (Important to note that his works, both art and poetry, had great impact - and this may just be a coincidence reference, I don't know)
Bliss! Kiss! That rhymes! I wonder if anyone's ever used it before?
Many people had and have, this is a joke of him being unaware of current trends. Dean Martin had a #1 song in 1955 with this very rhyme for instance that audiences may have remembered at the time.
Dentifrice

Albert: Oh one last kiss; it gives so much bliss... what is your dentifrice! No, that's too clinical...

Basically, toothpaste. Which is, kind of, related to kissing? It could actually be a paste or powder for cleaning the teeth, though in the 50s it wouldn't have been the default way to refer to what you used it seems from my research, like in this commercial. May be a way to show off that Albert really does have an excellent English teacher level vocabulary!
A modern example may be "do you use fluoride? No, that's too clinical..."
"What's the story? Morning glory?"
This is most likely a reference to the song "What's Your Story, Morning Glory?" by jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald released in 1958, another topical reference. It's very possible Helen, the teen who says this line, would be aware of the song because Ella Fitzgerald in 1956 had released her "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book" album, her attempt to pull in a non-jazz audience. (Source on Ella's Discography)
"What's the tale, nightingale" is most likely an original line to match the "Morning glory" one, same with the hummingbird line.
"Go to a fancy night club and stay out after ten!"
A nightclub was different from what we think of today. Think tables and chairs, late night musical performances (not the NSFW kind), and in some of the most famous like the Copacabana night club, rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. And drinking, of course! Source on Nightclub Definition
18 in World War II

Mr. MacAfee: I am not an old man! I was 18 in World War II.

This is one that may get a bit better with time. WWII ended in 1945, but the play is in 1958 at the earliest. It's better to demonstrate with a modern example written for 2024. "I am not an old man! I was 18 when Facebook first launched." Not quite the same impact as WWII, but the timeline is similar. Essentially this is not a flex and just shows he definitely is old to a teenager.
No Smoking 'Till You're 14

Albert: Remember the Conrad Birdie Creed dear. No smoking till you're fourteen.

As mentioned in my blurb above, 14 was too young to smoke. A modern version may say "No drinking 'till you're 16" or something. Similar to the line "and stay out of the bar!" later on.
"Go down to Track 12"

Albert: Why don't you girls go down to Track 12 and I'll talk to her.

This is one of the many train tracks that must have run through this station. This station is located in New York, so it would make sense for there to be at least 12.
Wear your rubbers

"Keep your money in your inside pocket. Wear your rubbers. And eat a hot lunch..."

While "rubber" as slang for a condom definitely did exist in the 1950s, I believe it's far more likely Mae is referring to overshoes due to the context, though to be fair, I can't find a source to this being "official slang" besides casual mention in posts like these. Something tells me Mae is not randomly mentioning condoms lol.
A Plain G.I.

Albert: Proud to be a plain G.I.!

Mentioning this because it's faded away from current use and surged in usage most recently at WWII, this is just referring to being a soldier. (Source) Hence, G.I. Joe, if you're old enough to remember that.
Appealing for the Draft

Albert: And that's why he volunteered for...

Men were drafted to join the US armed forces until 1973. (Source)
Jerries

Albert: "Say Mr. Peterson," he cried eagerly, "Do you suppose I can get assigned to the front-line trenches? That way I'll be sure to get one of those dirty jerries..."

"Jerries" is slang for German soldiers and was most popular during WWII. The joke here is that WWII is over at this point - the enemies Conrad would be facing at this time would be the Vietnamese, not the Germans. When Rosie tries to correct him, he just says "whoever's dirty this time!".
2024 equivalent: "Conrad said 'Is there any way I could be placed on Seal Team 6? That way I'll be sure to get that Osama Bin Laden for sure!'" "Albert!" "...Or whoever the terrorist is this time!"
Rosie + Albert's "Origin Stories" for Conrad
Just a few references from Rosie's and Albert's stories in "Healthy Normal American Boy" that may be interesting.
Old Virginie - This may be known as a historical fact for people in Virginia, but Carry Me Back to Old Virginny was popular enough in the state of Virginia that it was the state song starting in 1940. In 1940, the version that became the state song had "Virginia" instead of "Virginny", but people watching the musical would definitely be familiar with the original version as this play was only 20 years later.
Indo-China - An eastern territory that got independence from France claim in 1954, and comprised Cambodia, Laos, and parts of Vietnam. Audiences would have been very aware of what Indochina was - according to Wikipedia, "The events of [Indochina getting independence in 1954 through the Geneva Convention and the political tensions of that between S/N Vietnam and other countries] marked the beginnings of serious United States involvement in Vietnam and the ensuing Vietnam War." (Source) Remember, that's the current war during the events of the play!
Dirty Hong Kong moon - We had a complicated relationship with Hong Kong in the 1950s-60s. Read more here. Though I'm not sure if this is meant to be a mis-insult like when Albert said "dirty Jerries".
A wire to New York

Another Reporter: I'll make sure we've got a wire to New York.

This is almost certainly setting up a telegraph communication to New York, which was still happening (though declining in popularity) by 1960. (Source)
I mean I really feel that girl

Conrad: When I sing about a tree/I really feel that tree!/When I sing about a girl,/I really feel that girl,/I mean I really feel sincere!

This isn't necessarily specific to the 50s or 60s but I think this joke gets missed because it seems so tame today. A huge part of Elvis' appeal was his explicit sex appeal at the time (in the form of - gasp! - hip thrusts!) so he's slipping in accidentally a reference to "feeling up" a girl%20for%20sexual%20pleasure) here. Yeah, that slang started in the 1930s!
Mr. MacAfee's Speech
Just know that this is a lot of great historical references, nothing specific to 1950 - 60.
Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan was the nationwide sensation that lead The Ed Sullivan Show, a TV program considered one of the most iconic of all time in US television history. You have to understand just how influential and huge the Ed Sullivan Show was at this time. It's genuinely difficult to think of an equivalent in 2024 - today, people get entertainment from tons of sources on the internet, TV, etc. but in 1960 there were THREE television channels. That was it. THREE. To be fair, there were many, many more radio stations that could deliver information and entertainment, but by 1960 it was a TV nation - as the Library of Congress says, "In 1950 only 9 percent of American households had a television set, but by 1960 the figure had reached 90 percent." The Ed Sullivan Show was well watched and well loved by all of the United States. (And Albert saying that they would appear on Sunday at 8:05 was right, as that's when it aired in real life!)
One reason Ed Sullivan is specifically picked is the absolute bombshell of a privilege to be a normal family on this show beamed in practically every household in the United States. But another is Elvis' relationship with the show. When Elvis finally appeared on the show in 1956, it set a record of the most-viewed TV program ever in the US. In fact, it still holds the record TODAY of having the highest share of TV viewers in all of television history in the US. No other TV program has ever had a higher percentage of people tune in vs. other stations. (I mean, that's helped by the fact that there were only 3 choices, but still!) So yeah - this was a cultural phenomenon that was easy to reference in this show!
Margo out of Shangri-La

Mrs. Peterson: She looks like Margo when they took her out of Shangri-La.

Going to take this one right from that personal website I referenced above!

In the 1937 [movie] "Lost Horizon)" [...] a group of travelers are stuck in a utopia called Shangri-La, somewhere in the Himalayas. One of the residents of Shangri-La is Maria, played by Margo), a Mexican dancer and actress. When the travelers finally escape, Maria insists on going with them. But outside the realm of Shangri-La, her youthful beauty can no longer be maintained and she reverts to her true age, causing her to die and her appearance to transform to the hideously withered, wrinkled features of someone who has lived way beyond a normal life span.

You can watch the movie free with ads here, if you're curious! Also, according to the synopsis, Maria never actually escapes Shangri-La. She just dies and "reverts to her true age". AKA looks very very very decrepit. I'm guessing this is more of an easy thing to misremember and better shorthand, though. See the face at 2 hr 3 minutes in abouts!
Suwannee River

Gloria: Mae, can you hum Suwannee River?

While this is a nice convenient copyright-free tune, it would definitely have been publicly known at the time. It had been sung at least partially by Bing Crosby, on the Honeymooners, etc. in recent years before the musical premiered. Unsure if this is what they were going for, but the original lyrics are racist - no wonder it was Mae's "favorite selection".
Ruby Keeler

(Stage direction) Gloria tap dances as Mrs. Peterson hums gaily. Sort of Ruby Keeler-ish steps with a lot of feet-slapping.

Ruby was a well known actress and dancer in the 1920s-30s (and then later after a break). Here's some footage of her dancing! Interestingly, in her early career she was cast in a musical called Bye, Bye, Bonnie. In a newspaper article review, it seems the plot wasn't very similar to Bye Bye Birdie, though it did involve someone going to jail. (Source)
The Touch System

Mrs. Peterson: I'll find you a typewriter (Exits) Albert: [TO GLORIA] Do you use the touch system? Gloria: Whenever possible.

Albert is just referring to the touch system of typing - basically, not looking at the keyboard while you type. Still relevant today, though not with typewriters, which were standard until the 1980s, so that fits here. Of course, Gloria is of course referring to, uh, something a bit more sensual. (Read: She wants to touch him and not like a friend.)
Kodak Ad

Sullivan: So remember: your surest way to the best in color slides is to insist on the new Kodak! And now, the young man you've all been waiting to see.

Just like media today, the Ed Sullivan Show certainly included ads. This included ad deals where Ed himself would promote a product, kind of like YouTubers do with "This video is sponsored by...". And, as you can guess, one of those products was Kodak cameras and camera related products. Kodak was still a huge brand at the time (there were not cell phone cameras as competition, so it was way more likely your home owned a camera or two), Kodak absolutely was sponsoring the Ed Sullivan show and had been for a few years (Source). Here's an example from the time period. What you may miss about this ad in the musical is that it's not actually advertising a camera! Cameras at the time required physical film be loaded into them, and wouldn't you know it, Kodak released a new high-speed color film in 1959! (I think this may be a coincidence, as Kodak had been selling color film for quite a bit before this) Yet another reference that's right on the nose of the current times (of the time)!
Wear it in good health

Albert: Who let that kid in here? Rosie: I did Albert. Albert: Rosie! Rosie: It's a sort of farewell present to you and Miss Rasputin. Wear it in good health.

Not invented in the 50s by any means, but this phrase really isn't used as much today I think. There's not really a deeper meaning here besides sarcasm that I can find - it's just wishing someone well. Obviously, the sarcasm is dripping here lol.
Dinah Shore

STAGE DIRECTION: ...as Mr. MacAfee throws a tremendous Dinah Shore kiss to the audience.

Dinah Shore was an actress and entertainer that had been popular for years at that point. Super interesting career if you want to give it a read. This is referencing her famous "Dinah Shore kiss" that she would give at the end of her show broadcasts and was a huge part of her brand. Here's an example!
Stay tuned for Part 2! :)

Original post here.
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Words have always been lauded as powerful.
I stand alone on the hilltop, looking down at the city below.
In ages past, scholars meant this figuratively. A turn of phrase to sway the masses, or a swish of a pen on paper to declare war and signal the death of millions. A means to sway the hearts and minds of men.
The towers and spires are sparkling in the afternoon sunlight, and clouds drift lazily overhead.
In the modern era, humanity must grapple with a much more insidious prospect. Words that form and destroy; not just hopes and dreams, but physics and the fundamental underpinnings of reality.
Birds flock up on the afternoon thermals, forming great swirling masses.
When the language of power was first discovered, hundreds of years ago, it was codified into lexicons. Long and dusty books that described at length the incantations, the ritual songs and hymns, that were necessary to channel the mythic force.
The birds are drifting up now, higher and higher.
From these lexicons, many generations of wielders derived their own syntaxes and forms, and a pattern emerged. Though words form the basis of all wielded power, they also limit it. A lengthy incantation may conjure a spirit or disintegrate a foe, but each word used serves as a safeguard, a restriction, through which raw power is formed and controlled.
I raise my hands above my head, and tune my spirit to the frequency of the weave.
The words we use limit our power. We use them because we are afraid of what we might achieve, beyond our intentions.
I take one last deep breath, and focus the weave into my palate and vocal chords.
My life has been an extraordinary one, and in my twilight years I find I have little patience for the insipid whisperings of fear.
Only my ambition remains.
I close my eyes and speak a single word. In the old tongue it has only one meaning.
Just one.
It means rise.
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There is a brief moment where nothing happens. Then there is a cracking, rumbling sound. Along the edges of the city, the ground begins to swell upwards, cracking as the city begins to pull away from its moorings. The birds above, outraged at this perversion of the laws of physics, scatter in all directions.
Then the city truly comes free.
It floats upwards, freed from the tyranny of physics and gravity. The clouds separate above it, as though admitting it to some entirely other realm.
I realise I am not breathing.
I fall to my knees, agony wracking my throat, larynx, and mouth. I cannot even scream in pain. I try anyways, and realize my lips and tongue are burned away.
The departing city has left an enormous circular crater. At its edge, emerging from the forests, I spy groups of men. They are wearing armour and carrying swords. They look upwards, and though I cannot see there faces, their expression is clear. Anger, frustration, denial.
They are hunters, and their hunt has been denied. They ring the crater that was once their target in the thousands, and I hear their exclamations of rage float up from their low vantage. The sound is sweet and satisfying.
My vision greys out, and I topple sideways from my kneeling position. I hit the ground hard, but despite the snow covering it, I find it is warm and comforting.
I try to smile through my lipless mouth.
No more words for me.
Then I close my eyes, and my heart stops.
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As always please feel free to drop any feedback below, positive or negative, it really helps me develop my writing.
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