How to Have the Best Lip Sync Battle Party

A few Friday nights ago was my lip sync battle themed 30th birthday party. To say it was fun would be an understatement. Of course in all the excitement I didn't take the time to take proper pictures of the set up (just me and my friends rocking it out), but I still wanted to share with you what I did to pull off this fun party. 

First things first, most importantly you need music! What I did was have as many friends as possible give me the songs they planned to sing at the party and created a YouTube playlist but I also left it open for friends to sign up for songs the night of since many of them saw how much fun it was and wanted to participate. 
I was lucky enough that I had a friend who was a DJ and I borrowed her equipment for the party BUT there are so many other options if you don't have DJ equipment or want to spend the money on a DJ. For example, speakers like this one project amazing sound as well and can be set up for Bluetooth so you can just use your phone!

The next important item on your list is props. You can't have a lip sync battle without microphones (I purchased a pack of toy ones off of amazon)  but you also need fun props for your lip-syncers and the crowd to have too. I went to the dollar store and just walked around and grabbed random items like bead necklaces, glow stick bracelets, glow stick clappers, noisemakers, crowns , feather boas and so much more. I also purchased a 12 pack of sunglasses for everyone to grab while performing or taking pictures. 

The biggest hits of the night were definitely the glow stick hand clappers I bought from the dollar store. If you can't find them, these would work out good too, since my friends just seem to like to make noise. I encouraged everyone to grab some kind of noisemaker at the start of the evening and made sure to make noise after each lip-syncer went so that everyone encouraged everyone else on. 

Lastly, what's a party without party favors? Everyone got one of these  party favors, because everyone participated, those who chose not to lip sync got to be the judges to determine who won the award that I bought for the winner, which wasn't the greatest of awards but it was still pretty fantastic. 

Throw in some good food and drinks, fun friends, and good music and I promise you will have the best lip sync party ever! 

Redemption Song

Tomorrow it will be four years since I lost my first cat, Buddy. It feels like it's been so much longer. The anniversary of his death reminds me of his favorite song, and I felt it was appropriate to share today. I won't delve into how I lost him again, you can read about that here if you want to catch up. 

Buddy was your typical cat in the sense that he was aloof to people, even me. Sure, he'd cuddle the crap out of me at night, when no one knew about it, but the minute I woke up, he'd be sure to be out of arms reach. In fact the only person that he would cuddle with openly was Dave. Buddy loved to play, though. We used to joke that he was the dog I always wanted but could never have in an apartment. He played fetch (which Squish does now), he loved walking on a leash, he would "bark" at the door when I would come home from work. 

But he was also a typical cat in many ways. He hated the car and the vet. The very first time I took him to the vet, he got out of the crate and ran underneath a couch the vet had in the office at the time. One hour later, the vet got him out using those long poles that animal control uses to catch animals. Buddy was branded as "difficult" at the vet after that day. But he wasn't difficult, he just knew what he liked and what he didn't like. 

One of his favorite things in the world was Bob Marley's "Redemption Song". I would play the song while on car rides, it was the only thing that would quiet his cries. The minute he began to hear the guitar, he would stop crying and listen. Then, when the song was over, he'd start back up. I don't know what it was but he just loved hearing it. 

Back when I was taking guitar lessons, I begged the instructor to teach me how to play the song. The minute I got home the day I learned it, I started to practice the song on the guitar and Buddy ran into the room, sat across from me and quietly watched me play the song.

The day that we lost him, we rushed him to the hospital in my car. I could tell he was in a lot of pain, I could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. When we got into the car, Dave immediately put the song on repeat. We drove the half hour to the emergency vet listening to it over and over. He would let out a feeble cry here and there, but for the most part he just laid there, in my arms, listening to the song. 

I can't listen to the song anymore, without thinking of him. I have conflicted feelings over losing him. I miss him dearly, and still shed tears over his loss; but if I hadn't lost him, I would never have adopted Nibbler and Squishee. I can't imagine a life without them, and I shudder to think that they may have been adopted separately and would have lead a life without each other. 

Obviously this song is so much more than just a cat loving it, and by no means do I mean to diminish the message of the song. It just has so much more meaning to me now because of Buddy's love for the song. 

I'll Never Leave Your Pizza Burning

Warning! If you love songs just the way they are, I would suggest not reading this post (but please come back tomorrow!), otherwise, hope you like hearing these songs differently for the rest of your life. 

Dave has this thing where he "rewrites" songs and, quite frankly, ruins them for me. Certain songs have a moratorium on them where he cannot, under any circumstances, sing any other words other than the proper words to the song. This includes songs from our wedding. 

Today, I figured I would share some of the "classics" that we frequently sing in our house. In typical guy fashion, I have to warn you that most of these songs are changed to include bodily functions. Because fart jokes still make Dave laugh until he cries...every time. 


Beast of Burden- Rolling Stones

How the lyrics really go: I'll never be your beast of burden

What Dave sings: I'll never leave your pizza burning

I actually love Dave's version of this song, because he sings it to me and I'm pretty sure he genuinely means it. And he never has burned my pizza. 


You are a Tourist- Death Cab for Cutie

 

How the lyrics really go: When there's a burning in your heart

What Dave sings: Well, there's a burning when you fart

In the words of Forrest Gump, that's all I have to say about that. 

Always be my Baby- Mariah Carey

Okay so this one is a bit different. Dave decided one day that Mariah was singing to a fart. I took the time to listen to the lyrics and if you look at it from that perspective, it is possible she's singing to some gas:

We were as one babe

For a moment in time

And it seemed everlasting

That you would always be mine

Now you want to be free

So I'm letting you fly

'Cause I know in my heart babe

Our love will never die, no

You'll always be a part of me

I'm a part of you indefinitely

Boy don't you know you can't escape me

Ooh darling, 'cause you'll always be my baby

And we'll linger on and on

Time can't erase a feeling this strong

No way you're never gonna shake me

Ooh darling, 'cause you'll always be my baby

Machinehead- Bush

How the lyrics really go: Got a machinehead

What Dave sings: Got a mushy- head

Seriously, I swear Gavin Rossdale is singing mushy head over and over again in this song. 

Don't Stand so Close to Me- The Police

 

How the lyrics really go: Don't stand so close to me

What Dave sings: Don't stand so close to pee

Wise words from someone who laughs uncontrollably at fart jokes. 

What are some songs that you hear the lyrics differently?

Five

This week has not been very eventful, so I figured in lieu of a "End of the Week Roundup" post, I'd do another Friday Five post. This week I've been listening to a lot of the same songs over and over, and I thought I'd share them with you today!

1. Kiss Me- Ed Sheeran

Over the past few weeks I've been slowly becoming obsessed with Ed Sheeran.  I could listen to his songs over and over again all day. 

2. Photographs and Memories (album)- Jim Croce

 

I used to listen to this album on Saturdays when I would work with my Aunt Penny at the gas station she co-owned with my father. It was a really nice throwback. The link above goes to the whole album, but I decided to share just one song here, one that has always been a favorite of mine.

3. Take Me to Church- Hozer

 

Wow. Just wow. This song is so sensual, I love it!

4. Rip Tide

 

I can't help but bopping my head to this song, it's such a great summer song. 

5. Small Bump- Ed Sheeran

Yes, I'm still listening to this song, I just can't stop.


And just in case you stopped by for a picture of the boys,I shall indulge, haha.  They celebrated their 4th birthday this week, so of course I had to treat them to a nice meal for dinner on their big day!

This first pic is Squish passed out in my quilting room while I work. This is normally how he sleeps.

Next up is Nibbler. He does this odd thing on some mornings where he jumps up in between the comforter and the sheets at the end of the bed and just chills there. I snapped a quick pic of him climbing out of the bed when he was done relaxing. 

What have you been listening to this week?

Wait, What?

Have you ever listened to a song and either completely gotten the lyrics wrong or missed the whole point of the song itself? I do it all the time, and I figured I would give you the top songs that I've totally missed the mark on. 

Starting off easy....Blinded by the Light from Manfred Mann (sidebar: what kind of name is that?!?)

No matter how many times I hear this song I swear to God he's saying "Blinded by the light, woke up like a douche on a summer night". I'm pretty sure that's a common misconception, but if not you're welcome.

Seriously though, why didn't anyone step back during the recording of this song and say hey Manfred Mann, something doesn't sound right here...besides your name. 

It's "wrapped up like a noose, another rumor in the night" by the way.

Next up, Loser by Beck

For years, YEARS, I swore Beck was singing "Sore from head to toe, I'm a loser baby...". It didn't make much sense but hey, in the time of chimpanzee's he was a monkey so I figured he was sore. 

I have to thank VH1 for clearing up this mistake for me. I think it was 100 songs of the 90s or something like that, they explained he's really saying "Soy un perdedor" which is "I'm a loser" in Spanish. 

Word's still out on whether or not he was sore from his head to toes. 

Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind

This is one of those songs that I NEVER listened to the lyrics, it was just a catchy song. Then a friend of mine pointed out it was all about doing coke and crystal meth. It was like one of those moments where you realized something in your childhood wasn't what it seemed. 

And my favorite of them all Hook by Blues Traveler

Have you ever listened to the lyrics of this song? Probably not. For the longest time I thought he sang “because the heart brings you back”. Then one day I decided to look up the lyrics because I could never understand the part where he goes “Rin-tin-tin, rambling”, and then I realized that “Hook” was mocking itself and other pop songs. It’s hilarious and ironic, John Popper starts the song off with “it doesn’t matter what I say, as long as I sing with inflection” and then spends the rest of the song doing just that. Right under all of our noses, with most of us being none the wiser.

It made me love this song even more. Seriously go look up the lyrics and then listen to the song, and tell me the hook didn't bring you back. Too far? Sorry...had to.

What are some songs that you didn't quite catch the words or meaning to?

Let the Music Play

 In high school, I had this obsession with CD's so I have a ton of them. A few weeks ago I as I was going through them, certain ones stood out that had meant so much to me at the time. It brought back great memories that I thought I'd share with you. 

Before you judge me for owning an Ally McBeal CD or a Christmas CD, or an Ally McBeal Christmas CD, let me as you this: have you ever heard Robert Downey Jr sing? When he was on Ally, my friend Kristen and I became obsessed with him. We'd have weekend film fests where we'd watch as many 80's RDJ films that we possibly could. When RDJ left Ally I was crushed for weeks. "River" and "Chances Are" were on repeat for at least two weeks while I nursed my broken heart. 

My first TV heartbreak. 

When I was 16, my mom and then step dad separated. It was something I took really hard. He was my best friend, my dad, my rock. When he left, I turned to music to help me get through it. Most mornings at the bus stop I'd play "Wish you Were Here" by Incubus, the entire "Wonder What's Next Album" by Chevelle, and Default. 

Listening to these songs now still takes me back to those moments. 

My senior year in high school I worked at Hot Topic. It all started out as a joke, my friend Lola and I were walking around the mall on my birthday and we were joking that it would be funny for me, in my pink Gap shirt, to apply for a job there. I ended up getting the job and loving every minute of it. Even if I wasn't the typical "Hot Topic" shopper, I still felt like I belonged. 

My first month there I was named employee of the month. Normally, EOTM would choose three albums to play throughout the month, but my manager chose my three albums for me citing my "newness" and not having the time to get my choices from me. Secretly I think he feared I'd ask for Britney Spears or something. Anyway, on of my co-workers named Kurt, who had dreadlocks I was fascinated with, gave me this CD to "borrow" so I could acclimate myself to the music that typically played in our store. I loved this CD and it broadened my horizons to other bands I would have never paid attention to like Finch and Chevelle. 

I obviously never gave this CD back to Kurt, which I kinda feel bad about. However, if it's any consolation I think about him whenever I play it. 

I heard about The Wreckers through One Tree Hill and I loved this CD when it first came out, no scratch that, I still love this CD. It's a shame that the girls only made this one record because it is so damn good. 

There is this one song I used to listen to over and over again, "Cigarettes". The lyrics just resonated with me because the chorus sings " 'cause someday maybe somebody will love me like I need and someday I won't have to prove 'cause someday somebody will see all my worth". I was in a really terrible relationship at the time and I just longed for the day that I would be with somebody who would be good to me. Lucky for me, Dave is all that and more. Now, instead of crying when I hear that song, I smile and think about how far I've come since I first got this CD. 

What are some songs or CD's from your past that mean something to you?