Soul-ja Boy Tell 'Em

Okay, so Laura's busy working on some play or opera or something musical and theatresque, and I bide my time between a not-so-challenging job and paper-writing procrastination, so I will be writing the blogs, it seems. Hooray!

I also had twelve + hours to think this week when driving through the great state of Ohio for my high school reunion (btw, music from 1999 SUCKS. We tried to download songs for our 10 year, and while I am a lover of Nsync, let it be said, 'Tearing Up My Heart' was not their best work) which meant lots of time to think and listen to music!

And a pop culture/pop music side note, did you know that the term 'Rock and Roll' was first used in Cleveland? And this is why it is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Cleveland may be 'the mistake on the lake', but if you are a music buff, it may be worth the risk to see the Hall one day. Anyways...

This post is not a tribute to the young rapper gracing the pop charts as it's title may suggest (though, I did at one point find 'Kiss Me Through the Phone' rather endearing before it was overplayed) but rather, a tribute to all those pop boys who gots SOUL.

So think more a la The Killers circa 2005: 'I got Soul, but I'm not a Soul-ja'. Mmmm...why yes, DO think about Brandon Flowers, for I believe he qualifies. He's a little more indie than pop, and not quite the mash up of pop and soul I was going for, but he's quite attractive, so he'll do :).

Speaking of Mash-Ups, how great was that episode of Glee?? I'm constantly thinking of songs I want to see done on that show. 'Again' by Janet Jackson? Anyone? But I digress...

I'm talking boys by the likes of Jason Mraz, Eric Hutchinson, Adam Levine from Maroon 5, and why yes, my boy Justin Timberlake. Pop boys with soul.

They mix up the typical Pop/Rock beats with their borderline whines (only for lack of a better word). They make you want to jam and sway, while the rock is still rockin'. And their voices generally make me melt. There's something about a tenor, I always say (I did have a thing for Jordan Knight back in the day as well, but that may be revealing too much and make my claim slightly less credible). Yes, they may sound like a girl to you, but as Justin once said in his award winning SNL clip, 'it's a perfectly acceptable way for a man to sing'. Amen.

Also, I am aware that most of the lyrics for Maroon 5 and Justin songs are rather sultry and steamy which may or may not help my case. I am a Christian woman, afterall. I know that the Bible says 'Cut off your right hand if it leads you to sin' but if 'Gone' by Nsync or 'Secret' by Maroon 5 is wrong, then I don't want to be right. And I swear they could sing, 'Mary had a Little Lamb' and it would still do it for me anyway.

So, Pop/Rock boys with the soulful sway, I salute you. Thank you for doing what you do because you do it oh so well. Soul-ja Boy(s), Tell 'Em! This girl's gonna go cool off now....