Pop Culture
While I’m incredibly slow when it comes to binge-watching TV shows, I’m a master at re-watching the shows I love. I recently finished my 3rd (or maybe 4th, I’m not sure) re-watch of one of my favorite shows: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019). Now, if you read this post from a few years ago, you already know about my obsession with, and connection to, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. But even though I’ve changed a lot since the first time I watched the show, I feel that I relate to it now even more than I did back then.
Now, I could go on and on about why I love this show so much, but instead I’m going to make this post short, sweet, and to the point. And the point is…the music is the absolute best part of any episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. And how could it not be? All of the songs were written by Rachel Bloom (the writer and star of the show), Jack Dolgan, and the late Adam Schlesinger (the guy who wrote the top-tier MILF anthem, “Stacy’s Mom”). And, since you all know how much I love a good list, I’m here today to talk about my favorite songs from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Throughout its 4 seasons, the show featured 157 original songs. Now, it would be ridiculous for me to discuss all of them, so I’ll include just my top 15. Also, please keep in mind that I’m not saying these are the best songs from the show. They’re just my own personal favorites. Also also, this show is definitely not for everyone! There is a lot of innuendo and some cussing when they can get away with it. So while it’s one of my favorite shows, I absolutely do not think that everyone should watch it. Anyway, on to the list! 1. “Let’s Generalize About Men” (Season 3 Episode 1) Favorite Lyric: “All men are emotionally stunted / When asked how they feel, every man’s always grunted / And why do men never listen and only think about themselves / As opposed to women / Who always listen and never think about themselves? / Ooh, I hear ya girl!” 2. “You Stupid Bitch” (Season 1 Episode 11) Favorite Lyric: “I was so close to Paradise / But now the only thing I’m close to is defeat / These shards are a metaphor for my soul / Won’t stop the self-pity cause I’m on a roll / Yes, Josh completes me, but how can that be / When there’s no me left to complete?” 3. “Love Kernels” (Season 2 Episode 1) Favorite Lyric: “I know when you say, ‘I wanna go to Colorado sometime’ / It means you’re thinkin’ ‘bout the future with me / I know a 3 a.m. text means / I was in your dreams before you woke up to pee / And I know you care when you say / ‘I’m going to a movie tonight, my friend bailed, wanna come?’ / It means I’m the most important person in his life / Next to his friend.” 4. “Strip Away My Conscience” (Season 3 Episode 2) Favorite Lyric: “So tell me ‘bout your sins / And shock me with their luridness / Let me be your pupil / Let me choke on your cocksuredness.” 5. “Hey, Sexy Stranger” (Season 1 Episode 4) Favorite Lyric: “Hey, sexy stranger, let’s go to my place / And please don’t harvest my kidney / Don’t give me that incredulous face / I saw a movie like that on Lifetime.” 6. “Feelin’ Kinda Naughty Tonight” (Season 1 Episode 2) Favorite Lyric: “I wanna kill you and wear your skin like a dress / But then also have you see me in the dress / And be like ‘OMG, you look so cute in my skin!’” 7. “The Sexy Getting-Ready Song” (Season 1 Episode 1) Favorite Lyric (not so much a lyric, as a spoken section in the middle by guest star Nipsey Hussle): “This is how you get ready? This is some…this is horrifying, like a scary movie or something. Like some nasty-ass patriarchal bullshit. You know what? I gotta go apologize to some bitches. I’m forever changed after what I’ve just seen.” 8. “You Go First” (Season 2 Episode 7) Favorite Lyric: “Go ahead and say you’re kind of sorry! / So I can say ‘Oh, no, no, no, please!’ / Just like I rehearsed! / If you open the door / I’ll apologize so much more / Yes, I will! / But you go first.” 9. “Let’s Have Intercourse” (Season 2 Episode 11) Favorite Lyric: “Unfortunately, I want to have sex with you / I don’t know what happened / Maybe you lost some weight / For some reason, you’re now on the top of my to-do list / Let’s get this over with / So I can focus on other tasks.” 10. “I’m the Villain in My Own Story” (Season 1 Episode 14) Favorite Lyric: “I’m the villain in my own story / I’m the witch in my own tale / Though I insist I’m the protagonist / It’s clear that my soul is up for sale.” 11. “Face Your Fears” (Season 1 Episode 3) Favorite Lyric: “If a bear runs at you in the woods, don’t run away / Look it deep in the eyes, put your hand on its chest / And say, ‘Bear, I’m not afraid!’ / If you’re in a burning building and smoke is everywhere / Keep calm, take a deep breath and stay right there.” 12. “It Was a Shit Show” (Season 2 Episode 4) Favorite Lyric: “Chernobyl next to us looks like a campfire / Hurricane Katrina was just bad weather / We have chemistry, of course, but that’s a formula for divorce / A play about pieces of feces is what we are together.” 13. “Settle for Me” (Season 1 Episode 4) Favorite Lyric: “So won’t you settle for me? / Come and settle for me / Say yes or no before I choke on all this swallowed pride / I have no problem being picked out from the bottom / If he’s your broken condom / I’m Plan B! / So lower those expectations and settle for me.” 14. “Oh My God, I Think I Like You” (Season 1 Episode 17) Favorite Lyric: “Are there condoms that can prevent these feelings? / Is there spermicidal lubricant that can kill / The fluttering in my heart? / Is there an IUD / That can stop the image of you and me / Getting married on a hillside, surrounded by ducks / And then we get into a rowboat? / Oh my God, I think I like you!” 15. “We Tapped That Ass (All Over This House)” (Season 2 Episode 4) Favorite Lyric: “On the stove / Over the sink / And sort of in the fridge one time, I think / And then we hit the back patio / That’s where we hit your back pati…Oh! / We tapped that ass all over this house.” Overall, I probably liked the first two seasons the best, mostly because Original Greg was my favorite (though I did also learn to love Nathaniel). However, this list was hard to make because I loved so many of the songs from this show. So if you’ve already watched Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, or decide to watch it, let me know which songs you like the most!
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Daria (1997-2002) has been one of my favorite shows since I was way too young to watch it. In fact, I’m positive that my sisters letting me watch it when I was little is the reason I talk the way I do. Several years ago, I stumbled upon the complete series boxed set at Walmart and of course purchased it immediately. Since then I’ve re-watched it multiple times, but on my most recent re-watch, I decided to do some ranking. Those of you who’ve read my blogs for a while are likely not surprised at all, as making lists is one of my favorite things to do.
So, for the enjoyment of the people who actually watched Daria and know what I’m talking about, here are my top 5 characters and top 5 episodes. Characters 1. Daria This one could probably go without saying. After all, if you know me in real life, then you already know that I am basically the live-action version of Daria. We both have brown hair, wear glasses, have almost zero facial expressions, speak in a mostly monotone voice, and will always choose reading alone to hanging out with other people. I love Daria because I am Daria. 2. Jane I wish I was as cool as Jane Lane. She’s an amazing artist, has a very punk-rock sense of style, rarely lets anything bother her, and is just effortlessly badass at all times. She does have some jealousy issues, but other than those, she’s the best friend anyone could ask for. 3. Mr. DeMartino This might seem like a weird pick, and just a few years ago Mr. DeMartino wouldn’t have even cracked the top 10, much less the top 5. But the longer I teach, the more I understand where he’s coming from. And honestly, if I could make my eyeball bug out of my head like he does when he’s pissed off at his students, you can bet I would utilize that daily. Also, I wish I could get away with some of the insults he uses on some of the dumb kids. But I’m trying to avoid having parents mad at me, so I will continue to keep my remarks to myself. 4. Trent Yes, I know that Trent is lazy and unmotivated and will never be a famous musician and will never move out of his parents’ house. I know all of that. But I still have a soft spot for Trent. In fact, I once dated a guy specifically because he reminded me of Trent Lane. However, just as Daria eventually recovered from her crush on Trent, I also figured out that I couldn’t handle being with someone who had so little drive to really accomplish anything. But even despite all of that, I’m still kind of in love with Trent Lane. Plus, he’s a great older brother to Jane. 5. Ms. Barch Ms. Barch is a massive bitch and I am 100% here for it. She never hesitates to remind everyone that men are trash, and she always goes for whatever she wants. Even if that happens to be Mr. O’Neill. Episodes 1. Season 5 Episode 12: “My Night at Daria’s” --Daria and Tom consider taking their relationship to the next level, but then Daria decides she’s not ready to have sex yet.-- I was definitely too young to watch this episode when I first watched it, but maybe that was a good thing. Daria made her feelings clear about not wanting to have sex yet, and Tom listened and accepted that without trying to pressure her. It’s a great message for teenagers (and adults) that you have to communicate in your relationships. 2. Season 4 Episode 13: “Dye! Dye! My Darling” --Daria messes up Jane’s hair and Jane thinks she did it on purpose so she’d look stupid in front of Tom. Daria and Tom kiss, which leads to Jane and Tom breaking up and Daria and Jane now having a strain on their friendship.-- Every single time I re-watch this show, I hate Tom. Until this episode. Every time. And I think it’s because I don’t like who he tries to be with Jane, but I love who he becomes for Daria. Now, I don’t like that their relationship starts with them kissing behind Jane’s back, and I hate that it temporarily ruins one of the best friendships in television history, but I get it. This show was great at showing that teenagers have complex emotions and that sometimes broken friendships can’t be fixed in one episode. 3. Season 4 Episode 10: “Legends of the Mall” --Stacey, Trent, and Jane share urban legends about Lawndale.-- This episode legitimately creeps me out. I know it shouldn’t. The urban legends aren’t even scary. But for some reason, the story about the metal teeth always gets to me. And the laugh that the legend-version of Daria does is terrifying. 4. Season 5 Episode 6: “Lucky Strike” --The teachers go on strike and Daria is brought in to take over the English class. Quinn actually pays attention while learning about Romeo and Juliet and does really well on her test.-- I don’t know if I like this episode so much because I’m a teacher or if it’s just because it’s a genuinely great episode. And while I know it’s stupid, my favorite part is when the sub keeps calling Daria “Darlene,” and when she’s corrected she says, “Daria is a hippie name; I’ll call you Darlene.” I don’t know why, but it cracks me up every single time. 5. Season 4 Episode 8: “Psycho Therapy” --Daria and her family have to go to a spa where they’re forced into therapy sessions that lead to them hurting each other’s feelings and cause Helen to lose out on a partnership at her law firm.-- I love the Morgendorffer family. They’re all crazy, but it’s obvious they really love each other. And while this episode has them mostly trying to sabotage each other, it showcases their personalities perfectly. Those of you who’ve watched Daria, let me know if you agree or disagree with my choices. And for everyone who hasn’t watched it, come on over. I have all the DVDs. We’ll get pizza. When I set out to make a list of my 100 favorite movies, I thought it was going to be much easier. However, I quickly discovered that most of my movie-viewing consists of watching the same few movies from my childhood over and over. After a lot of digging, though, I managed to come up with this list.
Quick note: I thought about explaining my love of each one, but most of them are just movies that I find comforting to watch or that always make me laugh. 1. Heathers (1988) 2. The Women (1939) 3. Booksmart (2019) 4. Beauty and the Beast (1991) 5. The Sound of Music (1965) 6. Gone With the Wind (1939) 7. The Addams Family (1991) 8. Anastasia (1997) 9. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) 10. Moulin Rouge (2001) 11. Juno (2007) 12. Always Be My Maybe (2019) 13. Titanic (1997) 14. The Princess Bride (1987) 15. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) 16. Mean Girls (2004) 17. The Wizard of Oz (1939) 18. Bridesmaids (2011) 19. Beetlejuice (1988) 20. Easy A (2010) 21. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) 22. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) 23. Young Frankenstein (1974) 24. The Last Five Years (2014) 25. The Princess Diaries (2001) 26. Practical Magic (1998) 27. Double Indemnity (1944) 28. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) 29. Mulan (1998) 30. Miss Congeniality (2000) 31. The Dark Knight (2008) 32. Gone Girl (2014) 33. Legally Blonde (2001) 34. Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) 35. Dead Poets Society (1989) 36. Singin’ in the Rain (1952) 37. Clue (1985) 38. Chicago (2002) 39. Frozen (2013) 40. Matilda (1996) 41. Enchanted (2007) 42. The Help (2011) 43. The Devil Wears Prada (2006) 44. Coraline (2017) 45. Atonement (2007) 46. The Sandlot (1993) 47. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) 48. Harriet the Spy (1996) 49. The Shining (1980) 50. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 51. Mildred Pierce (1945) 52. Coco (2017) 53. Carrie (1976) 54. Love & Basketball (2000) 55. School of Rock (2003) 56. A Christmas Story (1983) 57. (500) Days of Summer (2009) 58. Alice in Wonderland (2010) 59. Big Fish (2003) 60. Stand By Me (1986) 61. Black Panther (2018) 62. Save the Last Dance (2001) 63. Liar Liar (1997) 64. She’s the Man (2006) 65. Grease (1978) 66. A Quiet Place (2018) 67. Maleficent (2014) 68. The War of the Roses (1989) 69. Stardust (2007) 70. Amadeus (1984) 71. Black Swan (2010) 72. The Babysitter (2017) 73. The Florida Project (2017) 74. V for Vendetta (2005) 75. Burlesque (2010) 76. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) 77. Elf (2003) 78. Ever After (1998) 79. Private Lives (1931) 80. The Prince of Egypt (1998) 81. Jumanji (1995) 82. Silver Linings Playbook (2012) 83. True Grit (1969) 84. Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019) 85. The Parent Trap (1998) 86. Stick It (2006) 87. Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999) 88. Van Helsing (2004) 89. My Neighbor Totoro (1988) 90. Holes (2003) 91. The Skeleton Twins (2014) 92. Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985) 93. Annie (1982) 94. Balto (1995) 95. Easter Parade (1948) 96. Across the Universe (2007) 97. Whiplash (2014) 98. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) 99. His Girl Friday (1940) 100. The Cowboys (1972) Those of you who have followed my blog for a while already know how much I love making lists. You also probably know how much I love music. Therefore, I decided to bring those two loves together and make a list of my favorite songs. I intended to just do my top 10, but then the list just kept growing until I finally forced myself to stop at 100. It was very difficult. I probably could have made a top 500 list if I’d kept going.
I wanted to attach the YouTube link for each of these songs, but I wasn’t sure of the copyright issues that might come with that. So instead I’m including either my favorite lyrics from each song or a brief explanation of why I love it. Also, I made the rule for myself that I could only have one song per artist, because otherwise this list would be made up of about three or four artists and that would be boring. (Thinking back, I probably should have made a separate list for songs from musicals, but it’s too late now.) Also, yes, I often like the covers of songs more than the originals. I don’t know why. And I apparently like a lot of love songs, which makes no sense to me. Oh, well. *Indicates a fantastic music video. 1. “Party of One” by Brandi Carlile* (Not the duet with Sam Smith!) Favorite Part: “Don’t even think about your freedom or taking that flight / Or going back upon your promise after fighting for the right / Because your eggshells and your “I” statements and your weaponized words / Are paper tigers now / Oh, your constant overthinking and your secretive drinking / Are making you more and more alone.” 2. “The Devil’s Backbone” by The Civil Wars Favorite Part: “Give me the burden, give me the blame / I’ll shoulder the load, and I’ll swallow the shame / Give me the burden, give me the blame / How many, how many Hail Marys is it gonna take?” 3. “Everyone’s Waiting” by Missy Higgins* Favorite Part: “When everyone’s waiting / It makes it harder to hear what my heart keeps saying / Turn it off, I wanna turn it all off / But everyone’s waiting / I hear that answers appear when you just stand still.” 4. “Good for You” by Dessa Favorite Part: “I don’t bring this up lightly / Don’t you think that I might be / Someone you can’t forget? / But if you don’t think that there’s lightning / At the end of the kite string / I don’t need another friend.” (Side note: This one was so difficult, because Dessa is such an amazing lyricist! I wanted to just write out the whole song. Seriously, every line is perfect.) 5. “The Night We Met” by Lord Huron Favorite Part: “I had all and then most of you / Some and now none of you / Take me back to the night we met / I don’t know what I’m supposed to do / Haunted by the ghost of you.” 6. “Only Love Can Hurt Like This” by Paloma Faith Why I Love It: The lyrics in this song are pretty repetitive, which I’m usually not a fan of. However, I fell in love with this song the first time I heard it and I think it’s mostly because of how much pain is in Paloma Faith’s voice when she jumps up into her higher range. 7. “When the Right One Comes Along” by Clare Bowen & Sam Palladio Favorite Part: “Every single broken heart will lead you to the truth / You think you know what you’re lookin’ for / ‘Til what you’re lookin’ for finds you.” (Side note: If I ever get married and don’t find some way to incorporate this song into my wedding, then I am not marrying the right person and I need one of you to object to the marriage.) 8. “She Used to be Mine” by Alison Luff Favorite Part: “If I’m honest, I know I would give it all back / For a chance to start over and rewrite an ending of two / For the girl that I knew / Who’ll be reckless, just enough / Who’ll get hurt, but who learns how to toughen up / When she’s bruised and gets used by a man who can’t love.” (Side note: It took forever to decide which version of this song to use, because I love all of them. But I wanted to use Jessie Mueller, Sara Bareilles, and Shoshana Bean elsewhere on the list, so I finally went with Alison Luff for this one.) 9. “Hate to See Your Heart Break” by Hayley Williams & Joy Williams Why I Love It: The lyrics aren’t anything outstanding, but the harmonies are absolute perfection. 10. “The Moon Over Georgia” by Shenandoah Why I Love It: This is a pretty standard 90’s country song, but I have always loved it. It’s also a contributing factor of my desire to move to Georgia. 11. “Let’s Generalize About Men” from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend* Why I Love It: The video that goes along with this video is stellar. And I love the whole girl power, down-with-the-patriarchy vibe. 12. “Girl Crush” by Little Big Town* Why I Love It: I likely wouldn’t have noticed this song if it weren’t for all of the old-school country fans throwing a fit about this song being about lesbians. Which it clearly is not if you actually listen to the lyrics. 13. “Rose-Colored Boy” by Paramore* Favorite Part: “You got me nervous / I’m right at the end of my rope / A half-empty girl / Don’t make me laugh, I’ll choke / Just let me cry a little bit longer / I ain’t gon’ smile if I don’t want to / Hey man, we all can’t be like you / I wish we were all rose-colored, too.” 14. “Chant” from Hadestown (Patrick Page/Amber Gray version) Favorite Part: “If you don’t even want my love / I’ll give it to someone who does / Someone grateful for her fate / Someone who appreciates / The comforts of a gilded cage / And doesn’t try to fly away / The moment Mother Nature calls.” 15. “Carry Me Home (acoustic)” by The Sweeplings Why I Love It: This is another one that’s pretty repetitive, but I never mind getting it stuck in my head. 16. “Good Kisser” by Lake Street Dive Why I Love It: I love the idea of a woman who’s been used by some lame dude telling him that he can smear her reputation all he wants as long as he remembers to mention that she’s a good kisser. 17. “Crazy” by Patsy Cline Why I Love It: I have a soft spot for old country songs and Patsy Cline is one of the all-time greatest. 18. “First Burn” from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s HamilDrops Favorite Part: “Heaven forbid someone whisper / ‘He’s part of some scheme’ / Your enemy whispers / So you have to scream / I know about whispers / I see how you look at my sister.” 19. “Hallelujah” by Pentatonix Favorite Part: “Well, maybe there’s a God above / But all I’ve ever learned from love / Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya / And it’s not a cry that you hear at night / It’s not somebody who’s seen the light / It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah.” 20. “Hell No” by Ingrid Michaelson* Why I Love It: The video she made with the Deaf West Theatre members is the best and I am determined to learn this song in sign language. 21. “I Can’t Do That Anymore” by Faith Hill Favorite Part: “I keep on giving / But I can’t stop living / A woman needs a little something of her own.” 22. “I Did Something Bad” by Shoshana Bean & Cynthia Erivo* Why I Love It: The lyrics to this song aren’t great, because it’s actually a T-Swift song. But the way Bean and Erivo perform it is phenomenal. 23. “If She Ever Leaves Me” by The Highwomen Favorite Part: “If she ever leaves, it’s gonna be for a woman with more time / Who’s not afraid to let her dreams come true / If she ever gives her careful heart to somebody new / Well, it won’t be for a cowboy like you.” 24. “Bees” by The Ballroom Thieves Favorite Part: “I think she fears I’ll be a servant to my history / Or worse, a slave to someone else’s misplaced doubts / So I try too hard to kill what’s out to kill me / Till I’m blind and hiding in the lion’s mouth.” (Side note: This was another difficult one. The entire song reads like a poem, so it took forever to decide which set of lyrics I liked the most.) 25. “Gravity” by Sara Bareilles Favorite Part: “I live here on my knees as I try to make you see / That you’re everything I think I need here on the ground / But you’re neither friend nor foe though I can’t seem to let you go / The one thing that I still know is that you’re keeping me down.” 26. “Show Yourself” from Frozen II Why I Love It: I love most of the songs from Frozen and Frozen II, but this one has both Idina Menzel and Evan Rachel Wood, so it won out. 27. “Tightrope” by The Hound + The Fox Why I Love It: The version from The Greatest Showman was fine, but this cover is absolutely gorgeous. 28. “The Devil” by Sierra Boggess Favorite Part: “He will mask his face / Anytime or place / But beneath is one hell of a man.” 29. “Five Tattoos” by Ella Henderson Favorite Part: “Brown eyes, with your old woolly hat / Five tattoos from your shoulders to your hands / You can give me what I never had / Boy, you keep leading me on.” 30. “Lies (acoustic)” by Marina and the Diamonds Favorite Part: “You only ever touch me in the dark / Only if we’re drinking, can you see my spark / And only in the evening could you give yourself to me / ‘Cause the night is your woman, and she’ll set you free.” 31. “The Mariner’s Revenge Song” by The Decemberists Why I Love It: This is an entire movie condensed into an 8-minute song. And it is captivating. And dark. And super, super weird. 32. “Loving Her (OurVinyl Sessions)” by Katie Pruitt Why I Love It: Katie Pruitt gives off such a Brandi Carlile vibe and I am 100% here for it. She also has amazing vocal control for someone so young. (I say this, having no idea how old she is. But she looks like she’s 15, so I’m going to assume she’s way younger than I am.) 33. “With You” from Ghost the Musical (Caissie Levy version) Why I Love It: I’m glad this song is from a musical, so I never have to worry about randomly hearing it in public. Because if this would start playing while I was at the grocery store, I would absolutely have a complete tear-filled breakdown in the middle of the bread aisle. 34. “Panic Room (acoustic)” by Au/Ra Favorite Part: “My phone has no signal / It’s making my skin crawl / The silence is so loud / The lights spark and flicker / With monsters much bigger / Than I can control now.” 35. “The Way That I Loved You” by Annika Odegard Favorite Part: “And I don’t know why / The tears keep falling down even when you’re not around / And I know I don’t blame you / And I’m not mad that you broke my heart in two.” 36. “Omar Sharif” from The Band’s Visit* (Katrina Lenk version) Why I Love It: The way Katrina Lenk’s voice cracks during the Tony Awards performance seems like it was intentionally part of the song because it’s so perfect. 37. “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion Why I Love It: I love Celine Dion and I love this song and I love Titanic and I refuse to let anyone judge me for that. 38. “Always Be My Baby” by Mariah Carey Why I Love It: This song should be considered a guilty pleasure, but I feel absolutely no guilt for how happy it makes me to sing along with it. 39. “Let’s Make Out” by Casey Abrams Why I Love It: This song is fun and kind of dumb, but I’m in love with the rasp in his voice. 40. “Bottom of the River” by Delta Rae* Favorite Part: “The wolves will chase you by the pale moonlight / Drunk and driven by a devil’s hunger / Drive your son like a railroad spike / Into the water, let it pull him under / Don’t you lift him, let him drown alive / The good Lord speaks like a rolling thunder.” 41. “My Whole World Stopped Without You” by Vintage Trouble Favorite Part: “Time used to fly ‘til you walked out that door / The sand doesn’t fall through our glass anymore / And the hands on the clock / They don’t get around now I’m sure / My whole world stopped without you.” 42. “Oh Eleanor” by Forest Fire Gospel Choir Why I Love It: I first heard this song the day after my grandma died. Her name was Eleanor. And this song has stuck with me ever since. 43. “Revenge Party” from Mean Girls the Musical (Barrett Wilbert Weed version) Favorite Part: “Imagine a party with dresses and cake / And singing and dancing and cake / And there’s a magic act that saws Regina in half / And this time it will take / Now that’s a party / A revenge party / A party that ends / With somebody’s head on a spike.” 44. “Superstar” by Sonic Youth Why I Love It: Of course I love the version by The Carpenters as well. But the inclusion of this version in Juno really solidified my love for it. 45. “Samson” by Regina Spektor Favorite Part: “You are my sweetest downfall / I loved you first, I loved you first / Beneath the stars came fallin’ on our heads / But they’re just old light, they’re just old light.” 46. “If I Didn’t Believe in You” from The Last Five Years (Jeremy Jordan version) Favorite Part: “If I’m cheering on your side, Cathy / Why can’t you support mine? / Why do I have to feel / I’ve committed some felony / Doing what I always swore I would do? / I don’t want you to hurt / I don’t want you to sink / But you know what I think? / I think you’ll be fine! / Just hang on and you’ll see / But don’t make me wait till you do / To be happy with you / Will you listen to me?” 47. “Space Cowboy” by Kacey Musgraves Favorite Part: “I know my place, and it ain’t with you / Well, sunsets fade, and love does too / Yeah, we had our day in the sun / When a horse wants to run, there ain’t no sense in closing the gate / You can have your space, cowboy.” 48. “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo Why I Love It: This song is so far outside of what I usually listen to, but it cheers me up every single time it comes on the radio and I always sing along with it. 49. “All I Ask” by Adele Favorite Part: “If this is my last night with you / Hold me like I’m more than just a friend / Give me a memory I can use / Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do / It matters how this ends / ‘Cause what if I never love again?” 50. “The Mother We Share” by CHVRCHES Why I Love It: Lauren Mayberry has such a sweet voice. I always get sucked in immediately when she starts singing. 51. “And Still” by Reba McEntire Favorite Part: “And still / My world stood still / I couldn’t move / And all I could feel / Was this aching in my heart / Saying I loved him / Still.” (Side note: Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to pick just one Reba song?!) 52. “How Long Will I Love You” by Ellie Goulding Why I Love It: This song is incredibly sweet and cheesy and not my normal style at all. But it always makes me happy to listen to it. 53. “You’re the One That I Want” by Lo-Fang Why I Love It: He took an up-beat, fun song from Grease and made it dark and sexy. What more could you possibly want in a song? 54. “Torn” by Cassadee Pope Why I Love It: I was already vaguely familiar with Cassadee Pope from her Hey Monday days, but I’m pretty sure that when she sang this for her blind audition on The Voice, we all knew she was going to win. 55. “Not Ready to Make Nice” by Dixie Chicks* Favorite Part: “It’s too late to make it right / I probably wouldn’t if I could / ‘Cause I’m mad as hell / Can’t bring myself to do what it is / You think I should.” 56. “Emmylou” by First Aid Kit Favorite Part: “And yes I might have lied to you / You wouldn’t benefit from knowing the truth / I was frightened but I held fast / I need you now at long last.” 57. “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer Favorite Part: “Kiss me down by the broken treehouse / Swing me, upon its hanging tire / Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat / We’ll take the trail marked on your father’s map.” 58. “Whiskey Lullaby” by Brad Paisley & Alison Kraus Why I Love It: Have you heard Alison Kraus sing? She sings like an angel. And I’m a sucker for a song that tells a story. 59. “What Baking Can Do” from Waitress the Musical (Jessie Mueller version) Favorite Part: “Make it soon / Make it better / Though, better never lasts forever / I’ll make it small so it fits / Even this / Even now / Even as the walls come tumbling down / Even as I can’t stop remembering how / Every door we ever made, we never once walked out.” 60. “If It Kills Me (Casa Nova Sessions)” by Jason Mraz Favorite Part: “If I should be so bold / I’d ask you to hold my heart in your hand / Tell you from the start how I’ve longed to be your man / But I never said a word / I guess I’m gonna miss my chance again.” 61. “Busy for Me” by Aurea Favorite Part: “I try every day / I cry every night / For a second of your time / But you’re so busy for me / You don’t care for my plea.” 62 “After Thought” by Company of Thieves (Taste of Lincoln Ave live version) Favorite Part: “And I am not the answer / I am not the aftermath / Or picture of the past.” 63. “The Man That Got Away” by Judy Garland Favorite Part: “Good riddance, goodbye / Every trick of his you’re on to / But, fools will be fools / And where’s he gone to?” 64. “Bust Your Kneecaps” by Pomplamoose Favorite Part: “Johnny, you told me / You were no fool, you were no chump / Then you got cold feet / Now all you’ll be is a speed bump.” 65. “He Comes for Conversation” by Laura Benanti Favorite Part: “She speaks in sorry sentences / Miraculous repentances / I don’t believe her / Tomorrow he will come to me / And speak his sorrows endlessly / And he’ll ask me why / ‘Why can’t I leave her?’” (Side Note: This is a Joni Mitchell song, so it’s perfect. But I love Laura Benanti, which is why her cover made the list.) 66. “The Keeper of the Stars” by Tracy Byrd Why I Love It: This is another song that absolutely must be played at some point if I get married. So, again, if you don’t hear it, it is your responsibility to object to the marriage. 67. “Holding Out for a Hero” by Ella Mae Bowen Why I Love It: I like to ignore the fact that this is from the crappy remake of Footloose and just appreciate how pretty it is. 68. Idina Menzel: “Funny Girl” by Idina Menzel Favorite Part: “A girl ought to have a sense of humor / That’s the one thing you really need for sure.” (Side Note: Idina Menzel is one of my favorite singers. I’ve seen her live 3 times and will definitely see her again as many times as I can. So it was very difficult to pick just one song from her and I have no explanation for choosing this one.) 69. “You Had Me From Hello” by Kenny Chesney Favorite Part: “Inside I built a wall so high around my heart, I thought I’d never fall / One touch, you brought it down / The bricks of my defenses scattered on the ground / And I swore to me I wasn’t going to love again / The last time was the last time I’d let someone in.” 70. “Please Don’t Make Me Love You” from Dracula the Musical (Kate Shindle version) Favorite Part: “I grow weak when we talk / I’m confused when we touch / I should just walk away / But that’s asking too much / Please don’t make me do this / Please don’t make me want this / All my dreams were taken / Until I met you.” 71. “Bad Things” by Jace Everett Why I Love It: The way he growls “I wanna do bad things with you.” That’s all. That’s the whole reason I love this song. 72. “Belief” by Ben Fankhauser Why I Love It: I would listen to this boy sing riffs all damn day. 73. “Sixteen Tons” by Della Mae Why I Love It: I believe men usually sing this song. But, this version just does more for me than any of those dudes singing it. 74. “Matchmaker” from the 2015 Revival of Fiddler on the Roof Favorite Part: “Matchmaker, Matchmaker / Plan me no plans / I’m in no rush / Maybe I’ve learned / Playing with matches / A girl can get burned.” 75. “Burning Love” by Laye Why I Love It: I’ve never been big on Elvis, but I really dig this cover of his song. 76. “Slow” by Julie Moffitt Favorite Part: “It was just one night / It was only one dance / Like a scene from a movie / Their whirlwind romance / Maybe unwise / Looking back with clear eyes / But that’s just the way love sometimes wants to go / And with a hunger like that / They couldn’t have taken it slow.” 77. “That Summer” by Garth Brooks Favorite Part: “She had a need to feel the thunder / To chase the lightnin’ from the sky / To watch a storm with all its wonder / Ragin’ in her lover’s eyes / She had to ride the heat of passion / Like a comet burnin’ bright.” (Side Note: I know a lot of people are creeped out by the implication of a “lonely widow woman” having an affair with a teenage boy, as if widows have to be old women. I, however, like to think of it as a woman in her mid- to late-twenties whose husband died and she’s finding comfort in this nineteen-year-old who’s working on her farm for the summer. And even if she is an older woman, as long as the dude’s of legal age and they’re both consenting, well then, get it, girl!) 78. “We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off” by Ella Eyre Why I Love It: As you’ve probably noticed, I’m a big fan of taking up-beat songs and slowing them down and making them sexier. And that’s exactly what Ella Eyre does with this song and I am here for it. 79. “Tin Man” by Miranda Lambert Favorite Part: “You can take mine if you want it / It’s in pieces now / By the way there, Mr. Tin Man / If you don’t mind the scars / You give me your armor / And you can have my heart.” 80. “Back of the Church” by Michelle Featherstone Favorite Part: “I will wait in the back of the church and watch you say, ‘I do’ / I won’t cry when someone else is standing next to you.” 81. “Ring of Fire” by Home Free Why I Love It: I enjoy Johnny Cash as much as the next person, but I tend to prefer a lot of his songs when other people sing them. And I’m kind of a nerd for acapella. 82. “White Summer Dress” by Taylor John Williams Favorite Part: “And there’s so much inside, and too much to say / And I need to be better with each passing day / And they’re looking at me, and there’s nowhere to hide / And I’m cool on the surface but burning inside.” 83. “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” by The Postal Service Why I Love It: Don’t get me wrong; I love the original Phil Collins version. But the beginning of this version is just so unsettling. I can’t help but love it just a little more. 84. “I’m Not the Only One” by Sam Smith Favorite Part: “You’ve been so unavailable / Now sadly I know why / Your heart is unobtainable / Even though Lord knows you kept mine.” 85. “Soul of a Man” by Brendon Urie Why I Love It: I know almost nothing about the musical Kinky Boots, but I am obsessed with Brendon Urie’s voice and all of the vocal gymnastics he does with this song. 86. “Humble” by Kendrick Lamar* Why I Love It: I so rarely work out, but when I do, Kendrick Lamar is always my go-to. 87. “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye (feat. Kimbra)* Favorite Part: “You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness / Like resignation to the end, always the end / So when you found that we could not make sense / Well you said that we would still be friends / But I’ll admit that I was glad it was over.” 88. “Think of You” by MS MR Favorite Part: “You made pain your lover / Infidelity not discrete / I knew you found another / How could I compete / Abusive words covered me like dust / I waited to know for sure / You only give loveless lust.” 89. “Let Her Go” by Passenger Favorite Part: “Well you see her when you fall asleep / But never to touch and never to keep / ‘Cause you loved her too much and you dive too deep.” 90. “January Wedding” by The Avett Brothers Favorite Part: “I hope that I don’t sound too insane when I say / There is darkness all around us / I don’t feel weak but I do need sometimes for her to protect me / And reconnect me to the beauty that I’m missin’.” 91. “Breathe” from In the Heights (Mandy Gonzalez version) Favorite Part: “They are all counting on me to succeed / I am the one who made it out / The one who always / Made the grade / But maybe I should / Have just stayed home.” 92. “Fame” by Amy Gerhartz Why I Love It: To me, this is what the kids from Fame would have sang after they’d burned out and become has-beens, doing everything they could to hold onto what little spotlight they have left. 93. “Say Something” by A Great Big World (feat. Christina Aguilera) Favorite Part: “It was over my head / I know nothing at all / And I will stumble and fall / I’m still learning to love / Just starting to crawl.” 94. “Seventeen” from Heathers the Musical (Barrett Wilbert Weed version) Favorite Part: “Yeah, we’re damaged, badly damaged / But your love’s too good to lose / Hold me tighter, even closer / I’ll stay if I’m what you choose.” 95. “Everytime” by Jennifer Damiano Why I Love It: I love Britney Spears, and this is one of my favorites of her songs. But, I love Jennifer Damiano even more. 96. “9 to 5 (Morning Train)” by Sheena Easton Why I Love It: I honestly have no idea. I just really, really love it. 97. “You Love Who You Love” from Bonnie and Clyde (Laura Osnes version) Favorite Part: “There’s a part of him you know is wild / Maybe that’s what made you love him all along / Most girls would hate to be standing in my shoes / But true love’s something you don’t choose.” 98. “Calling the Moon” by Dar Williams Favorite Part: “When I called the moon back to me / I thought she wanted my beauty / I shone in the best that vanity buys / I covered the path where my life turned to lies.” 99. “Red” by Tara MacLean Favorite Part: “So when you’re between her lips / And the spine of her bed / When everything turns red / Well I see red as well / When you see the color of love / I see the color of hell.” 100. “I’ll Take Care of You” by Beth Hart Favorite Part: “I loved and lost / The same as you / So you see I know / Just what you’ve been through / And if you’ll let me / Here’s what I’ll do / I just have got to take care of you.” For those of you who made it through the whole list, thank you for taking the time. And if you have any song recommendations, send them my way. Unless it’s for T-Swift or Ariana Grande. Because I will refuse. I have been obsessed with musicals for most of my life and I’ve loved almost every one I’ve seen and those to which I’ve worn out the cast recordings. But out of all of these musicals I’ve watched, listened to, and loved, there are five that soar above the rest.
Keep in mind, these opinions are mine. You can like whatever musicals you want to like. No judgement. (Maybe a little judgement. I mean, come on, Cats? Rock of Ages? Really?) Also, these are in the order in which they came into my life. I tried to rank them by actual favorite on down, but numbers 2-5 change position depending on the day. 1. The Phantom of the Opera I know, I know, every soprano loves The Phantom of the Opera. I’m being very unoriginal by loving this musical. But the titular song is the first piece of music I actively remember hearing. My mom claims that I spent the first few years of my life singing and dancing with Barney, but I don’t remember that. Instead, I remember her playing those opening chords of “The Phantom of the Opera.” Her copy of the songbook is falling apart because I’ve asked her to play from it so many times. One of my proudest musical accomplishments was finally hitting all of those crazy high notes Christine belts out at the end of the song. (I can’t promise they sounded good, but at least they came out.) Song That Means the Most to Me: “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” This song doesn’t get enough credit because it’s the easiest one to sing. But it’s by far the most emotionally devastating. I tended to ignore it when I was a kid, but now it’s an immediate go-to when I need a sad song. 2. Into the Woods When I was a junior, our high-school play was The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon. In the first act, I played the witch who imprisons Rapunzel and in the second act I was the evil queen who poisons Snow White. (Clearly, they were typecasting me.) The director gave me her copy of Into the Woods and told me to pay attention to Bernadette Peters’ portrayal of The Witch. I watched that VHS tape three times that night. It was my first exposure to Stephen Sondheim’s music and I was immediately hooked. I still re-watch the stage version every couple months and manage to notice something new in it every time. The remake with Meryl Streep as The Witch was fine, but I will always go back to that original stage recording. The score is so difficult and the lyrics so precise and all I want is to play any of the female leads in that show. (I mean, I would obviously prefer to play The Witch, but Cinderella or the Baker’s Wife would be fine, too.) Song That Means the Most to Me: “Last Midnight” The Witch spends the whole show being treated as the villain, but this song gives her the chance to point out to the others that their actions also have negative consequences, forcing them to accept some of the blame they’re trying to heap onto her. It also gives her such a great dramatic exit. 3. Next to Normal This is my absolute favorite musical and part of that is because it came into my life at the exact right time. For reasons I may never understand, my mental health took a sharp nose-dive during my senior year of high school and I spent most of that year drowning in a depression that refused to release me. The summer after graduation, I was lying on my parents’ couch, watching the Tony Awards, and hoping for a glimpse of Idina Menzel in the audience. Instead, Carrie Fisher introduced a performance from a musical I’d never heard of. The stage lights came up and Alice Ripley sang, “Do you wake up in the morning and need help to lift your head? Do you read obituaries and feel jealous of the dead? It’s like living on a cliffside, not knowing when you’ll dive. Do you know, do you know what it’s like to die alive?” And I knew. Everything she was singing about perfectly captured how I’d been feeling for the past several months. I ordered the cast recording as soon as the Tonys ended, and after it arrived I listened to it on repeat until I had every song memorized. (And it’s a two-disc musical, so that took awhile.) As I’ve gotten older and continued to struggle with depression and anxiety, I find myself constantly going back to Next to Normal. While my issues weren’t triggered by the same events as the main character’s, it helps to know that we share many of the same fears and feelings. Song That Means the Most to Me: “How Could I Ever Forget?” Up until August 2017, I would have said “You Don’t Know” was my song. It was the first one I heard and the one that made me fall in love with the show. But after my niece died, “How Could I Ever Forget?” took over as the song I needed. The line that hits me hardest is when the main character and her husband sing, “The day that I lost you, it’s clear as the day we met,” because I was one of the first people to see my niece after she was born and I was one of the last to leave the room after she died. 4. The Last Five Years Full disclosure: I like the movie version better than the stage version. It might be because I love Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick so much. The stage version is fine, but the movie version is the one that has my heart. For those of you who don’t know, The Last Five Years is a musical told from two points of view through two timelines. Jamie’s timeline follows his relationship with Cathy, starting with their first encounter and ending with him writing a note to say he’s leaving her. Cathy’s timeline follows her relationship with Jamie, starting with her grieving the end of her marriage and working backward to the morning after her first night with Jamie. Every scene jumps back and forth between their two timelines. (Does this sound confusing? I swear it’s not. Just watch it; it will make sense.) The reason I love this musical, though, is because I see myself in the characters. Which, if you’ve seen the musical, you’ll understand why I’m kind of horrified by that. But, in all of my post-high-school relationships, I have always been either a Jamie or a Cathy. If you don’t know what this means, it means I’m either a pompous ass who thinks my career and needs are more important than my partner’s and I see them as holding me back, or I’m the one doing all of the emotional heavy-lifting in the relationship while receiving nothing from my partner but their constant reminders that they are superior to me. I’m not proud of the times I’ve been the Jamie, but I also wish that I’d been more vocal about my own needs during the times I’ve been the Cathy. For those of you who have no clue what in the world I’m talking about, please go watch the movie version of The Last Five Years. It’s perfect and I want everyone to experience it. Song That Means the Most to Me: “If I Didn’t Believe In You” There is one section of this song that really hits me, regardless of whether I’m the Jamie or the Cathy in my current relationship. This is one of Jamie’s songs and he sings, “No one can give you courage. No one can thicken your skin. I will not fail so you can be comfortable, Cathy. I will not lose because you can’t win.” As the Jamie, I recognize his frustration with her seeming to resent him for the success he’s found. As the Cathy, I know how much it hurts when he pushes aside her feelings so he can shove his success in her face. 5. Waitress I bet you all thought Wicked or Hamilton would be on this list, right? While I do love both of those musicals, they just don’t quite break my top 5. So I’ll end this list with Waitress. I’ve never seen the Keri Russell movie version of Waitress, and I only listened to a song from the musical because I love Jessie Mueller. And from the moment she started singing “She Used to Be Mine,” I knew that this musical would live in my heart forever. I have basically nothing in common with any of the characters in this show, but the music just buries itself in me and I constantly go back to it. Sure, it’s kind of cheesy and the character development isn’t the greatest, but I love it. And there are at least three songs in it that make me cry every damn time. Song That Means the Most to Me: “She Used to Be Mine” I mean, obviously. I want this entire song tattooed on my body. I won’t, because that would be insane. But I will occasionally consider it. Around this time last year one of my friends asked me if I listened to the Serial podcast. I didn’t. Every second of my free time is consumed by music or books, so I claimed I didn’t have time to listen to a podcast. After a few days of hearing how amazing it was, I finally decided to give it a try.
Serial lives up to the hype in every way. (Disclaimer: I’m referring to the first season of the podcast, about Adnan Syed fighting to clear his name of the murder of his ex-girlfriend; a crime which occurred in 1999. I can’t speak for the second season, as I’m not yet caught up on it.) After devouring the 12 episodes of Serial available at the time, I immediately wanted another podcast to obsess over. I accepted a few recommendations from the same friend who introduced me to Serial, and I also began to branch out on my own to find new ones. For those of you who have never listened to podcasts, maybe you’ll read some of these descriptions and find something that sparks your interest. For those of you who already subscribe to several podcasts, maybe you’ll find a few new ones. And please, if you have a recommendation for one I need to check out, let me know. (Also, the best episode line, that’s obviously my own opinion. Feel free to disagree.) If you’re interested in books… All the Books features Liberty Hardy (@MissLiberty on Twitter) and Rebecca Schinsky (@RebeccaSchinsky on Twitter) talking about many of the new books coming out each week. If you want to hear two people gush unashamedly about books, you have to listen to these two. They’re my book nerd heroes (plus they have tattoos and not-necessarily-normal colored hair, so they’re totally my people). Best Episode So Far: “Episode #27: New Releases for Nov. 10, 2015” (It was incredibly difficult to pick a favorite, so I went with the episode recorded at Book Riot Live.) Get Booked features Amanda Nelson (@ImAmandaNelson on Twitter) and Jenn Northington (@jennIRL on Twitter) offering personalized reading recommendations based on emails and tweets people send them, asking about what books they should read next. If you’re like me and can’t get certain books out of your head, this podcast is a great way to find out about similar books that can give you the same fix. And, like everyone who works for Book Riot, these two are hilarious and have read way more books than any human being should have time to read. Best Episode So Far: “Episode #16: Mermaids Because of Reasons” If you’re interested in Broadway… Broadway Bullet: Theatre from Broadway, Off-Broadway and beyond features interviews with performers, writers, and directors, as well as live performances from a variety of shows. Best Episode So Far: “Vol. 04 - Sept. 6, 2006 - NYMF pt. 4” Theater People features interviews with a specific Broadway performer in each episode. Best Episode So Far: “Laura Benanti Part 1 (Episode 45)” and “Laura Benanti Part 2 (Episode 46)” If you’re interested in comedy… Barely Friending is the ongoing saga of MJ Riggins and Eddie Della Siepe who used to date and now kind of hate each other, but decided to start a podcast together. Just a heads up, there is a lot of cursing on this show and they talk about sex all the time; so if that’s not your thing, you should probably skip this one. Best Episode So Far: “Episode 12: Online Dating” If you’re interested in creeping yourself out… Archive 81 tells the story of an archivist who’s been tasked with listening to a set of mysterious tapes that involve residents of an apartment complex being interviewed. The archivist sends these tapes to one of his friends shortly before disappearing. Now, the narrator is making his way through the tapes in an attempt to discover what happened to his friend. (Disclaimer: The first couple episodes are great and set up the story perfectly. Then it falls apart a little in the middle because all of the tapes seem to give the same information. But the last couple episodes definitely make up for the slack in the middle.) Best Episode So Far: “Episode 9: An Implosion of an Idea” Limetown tells the story of a small town in Tennessee where, just over a decade ago, more than 300 citizens disappeared. The podcast picks up when a reporter, Lia Haddock, decides to start digging to find out what happened to these people. Unfortunately, her investigation leads her into some dangerous territory and she quickly finds herself in over her head. Best Episode So Far: “Episode 3: Napoleon” Lore is written and narrated by Aaron Mahnke and provides insight into the truth and history behind common myths, folklore, and urban legends. (Disclaimer: The early episodes are significantly better than the more recent ones. I don’t know what happened. They just haven’t been as good lately.) Best Episode So Far: “Episode 10: Steam & Gas” The Message is written by playwright Mac Rogers and narrated by Nicky Tomalin. Nicky is interviewing a group of scientists and government officials who have been tasked with decoding a message received from outer space 70 years ago. The main problem with this is that the message acts much like the videotape in The Ring. If you listen to the recording, you’re probably going to die. Best Episode So Far: “Episode 5” If you’re interested in just plain weird… Alice Isn’t Dead comes from the creators of Welcome to Night Vale. Jasika Nicole voices a truck driver as she drives across America in search of her possibly dead wife. Along the way she runs into murderers, conspiracies, unexpected allies, and some interesting bulletin boards in Kansas. Best Episode So Far: “Part 1, Chapter 5: Signs & Wonders” Hello from the Magic Tavern follows the adventures of Arnie, who fell through a portal behind a Burger King and is now trapped in the land of Foon. Luckily, he had his podcasting equipment with him, so he’s set up shop in the local inn and attempts to communicate with his own world, usually accompanied by a talking badger (technically a shapeshifter, but whatever) and a somewhat incompetent wizard. Heads up, a lot of cursing and discussions of sex. Best Episode So Far: “14 - Music of Foon” Welcome to Night Vale is created by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor and is narrated by Cecil Baldwin. Each episode consists of Cecil broadcasting his radio show to the citizens of Night Vale, a small desert town occupied by dark hooded figures, a mysterious glow cloud (All Hail!), the Sheriff’s Secret Police, murderous librarians, a beautiful scientist named Carlos (and his perfect hair), as well as countless others. Best Episode So Far: “26 - Faceless Old Woman” Random Episodes of Other Podcasts to Check Out Book Riot - The Podcast - “#9: Bad Job, Old Dudes Drunk Booksellers: The Podcast - “Ep 2: Katelyn Phillips, WORD Bookstore” Invisibilia - “Fearless” Pop Culture Happy Hour - “A Conversation with Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling)” This American Life - “And the Call Was Coming from the Basement” You Must Remember This - Episodes 44-55 are all about Charles Manson and his various connections to Hollywood. They’re fascinating and horrific. |
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