Z is for...

ZYX...They Might Be Giants, 2005

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

Here it is folks. We made it!

Y is for...

You Belong With Me...Taylor Swift, 2009

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

My daughter was nine when this one broke, and I am not going to pretend for a second that I didn't enjoy it. Nothing like feeling like a teenager again, while simultaneously being relieved you aren't. 

X is for...

Xtras...

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

Bloggers unite! Kari, and her Graceful Life, celebrate another trip around the sun every year during the a-z challenge. This year her birthday falls on a Sunday, a challenge day of rest, so let's take today to honor her a day early with a few "xtras".

Boom Boom Pow...Black Eyed Peas, 2009

Set the beat...

Get The Party Started...Pink, 2001

Yes, let's!

Party In The USA...Miley Cyrus, 2009

Yes there is!

Take Your Mama...Scissor Sisters, 2004

Just because it's fun!

W is for...

What Goes Around...Justin Timberlake, 2006

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

Well, well, well! Justin has finally arrived! Perhaps you expected to see him much sooner Bringing Sexy Back? Better late than never...

V is for...

Viva La Vida...Coldplay, 2008

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

Did I know even half of the words to this song? Nope. But did I still feel something when I heard it? You betcha! Choked up without really knowing why. Then my son's jr high orchestra played this song in his final concert there. Luckily I knew it was coming.

U is for...

Unwritten...Natasha Bedingfield, 2004

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

This song! Can you feel the rhythm, the inspiration, the sense that you can do something...anything! Open up that dirty window, and she says nothing about cleaning said dirty window, which speaks to me even more. I think if I played this song on a continuous loop for an entire afternoon I could really get my act together. The problem has always been that I hear the song when I am driving in the car and lose the oompf by the time I get the groceries inside. Let's go people- no one else can feel it for you!

T is for...

This Love...Maroon 5, 2002

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

This is the voice of Maroon 5 that I still want to hear. How much fun is this chorus to sing along with...no matter how out of tune and poorly by comparison! 

S is for...

Stacy's Mom...Fountains of Wayne, 2003

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

This song was utterly inescapable when it came out. I never got tired of it though. We had all of their cds and each had our favorite song that we would sing louder than anyone else in the car. I think mine was either Radiation Vibe or Red Dragon Tattoo (a 1996 and 1999 song, which is why neither showed up for R). My husband and I went to see them in concert in 2004. Not only was it a great concert, but there was something believable and relatable in their performance. 

R is for...

Rehab...Amy Winehouse, 2006

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

This is not the first song this month that has had an upbeat tempo to encourage you to sing along and almost not pay attention to the gravity of the words passing your lips. (I'm looking at you How to Save a Life.) 

Q is for...

QU...They Might Be Giants, 2005

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

I am really thankful we had so many They Might Be Giants children's albums to keep us entertained during so many hours in the car. Plus, Here Come the ABC's is also super helpful for the a-z challenge tough letters!

P is for...

Promiscuous...Nelly Furtado, 2006

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

Before we get to today's letter, we should recognize that it is actually yesterday's letter because I missed a day. I also realized that there was a different song I meant to post for the letter O. Oops! I am not sure we can fully revel in that which was the 2000s without Miss Britney...

The aughts really were a glorious time to have young children who wanted to listen to the top forty station. Such wholesome family music.

O is for...

Ooh La! Ooh La!...They Might Be Giants, 2008

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

If you liked Clap Your Hands at letter C, here is another one that is even more fun. You're welcome!

N is for...

Numb...Linkin Park, 2003

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

Oof! These lyrics...eighties level angst right here.

Rest in peace Chester Bennington.

M is for...

Mr. Brightside...The Killers, 2004

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

It's kind of funny to consider how often I have belted out the lyrics to this song, but possibly not gotten the emotion behind it. Maybe I just haven't properly separated jealousy from other typical relationship woes like sadness and regret. I do know that by the final chorus there is usually some steering wheel drumming and disappointment when it ends, so I have definitely always felt something.

L is for...

Low...Flo Rida, 2008

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

Even without the video, that once again I have probably never seen, I think you can see the club...and once I deciphered some of the words, the baggy sweatpants and the Reeboks with the strap. The picture is so vivid and you can literally feel the beat of the club as well as the vibe.

K is for...

Kryptonite...3 Doors Down, 2000

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts and the music they brought for the a-z challenge this year

I was such an MTV junkie back in the eighties, spending many a summer afternoon waiting for some favorite video that I wouldn't know until I saw it. Here we are decades later, and I am not even sure if they play actual music videos on MTV anymore. Every year when I do this challenge though, there are the videos. Of course I remember this song, but I am certain I have never seen this video before, as I would definitely remember! There is even an awesome cape!

J is for...

Just Dance...Lady Ga Ga, 2008

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

And then...there was Ga Ga! She swept in with her Pokerface and her Paparazzi getting us to Just Dance. She was mysterious, she was outrageous, but also talented. She certainly has had staying power.

I is for...

I'm Different...Butterfly Boucher, 2004

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts and the music they brought for the a-z challenge this year

We had music for home, when we fired up the disco ball, to dance to. However, we were also always on a quest for music to listen to in the car. My husband found For the Kids in 2002, a compilation of primarily kids' songs sung by contemporary artists. We loved it. In 2004 it was followed up by For the Kids Too! Once again, we were instantly hooked. I think I might have to throw these cds back in my car because not only do they bring back dear sweet memories, but they certainly are uplifting. Take a listen and I think you'll see what I mean.

H is for...

How to Save a Life...The Fray, 2005

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts and the music they brought for the a-z challenge this year

I don't have a lot to say, or maybe the issue is that I'd have too much to say if I got started. A song that makes you think and feel? Look no further. 

G is for...

Gives You Hell...The All-American Rejects, 2008

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts and the music they brought for the a-z challenge this year

Seriously? The band's name alone? Fantastic. I so enjoyed this incredible telling off. Can you imagine if you had even a slight inkling that this song was about you? 

You can sing along, but I hope you enjoy yourself, as I wish you well!

F is for...

Firework...Katy Perry, 2010

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts, and the music they brought, for the a-z challenge this year

It was nearly impossible to drive even short distances with the radio on after this song came out and not hear it. Seems like the tune was everywhere in fact. It has a fun beat and certainly wasn't the worst message coming through the speakers.I might have felt a little old for her music, but not for the pep talk.

E is for...

Empire State of Mind Part 2...Alicia Keys, 2009

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts and the music they brought for the a-z challenge this year

No disrespect to Jay-Z, but this is the version of Empire State of Mind I love best. It feels inspirational, empowering, and makes me feel like I can DO something. Unfortunately, I rarely know what. I seem to recall times when this song convinced me that I could last a few more minutes on the elliptical though. (Super lofty goals here.) There's nothing you can't do!

D is for...

Don't Cha?... The Pussycat Dolls, 2005

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts and the music they brought for the a-z challenge this year

Have you ever been singing along with the radio, having no idea what words are passing over your lips? I guess I would liken it to when you travel the same route over and over, and just sort of arrive at the destination with no conscious effort made to consider your path. There I was on autopilot, badly in need of Auto-Tune, not paying much attention to the song lyrics coming from the speakers. However, my ears perked up when my then five year old daughter joined the chorus "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me? Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?" Hm...Interesting. Adorable. Uncomfortable. Funny.

C is for...

Clap Your Hands...They Might Be Giants, 2002

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts and the music they brought for the a-z challenge this year

I have to give my husband credit for finding some great music for us to listen to as a family. There was sort of a limbo period when we started to outgrow Raffi, Tom Chapin and Red Grammar, but at least one of us wasn't ready for pop music all day long. The first They Might Be Giants album intended specifically for children was No! We were hooked immediately. Try to resist this beat...

B is for...

Breakeven...The Script, 2008

The time has finally come when I ought to celebrate the aughts and the music they brought for the a-z challenge this year

By the time today's song was released, I had refined my chauffeur skills. I was increasingly outvoted for music selecting rights. Top forty pop music was often the order of the day. It was fun to taunt unsuspecting passengers with the first line of the chorus - loudly and with feeling. Now that both kids have left for college, that question on its own, "What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?" has crossed my mind from time to time. I suppose the entire chorus, outside the context of the song, has taken on even more meaning as our car drives away.

No Fooling - It's A-Z Time!

It does seem like a pretty decent April Fools' prank to suggest that I am going to breathe some life back into this blog. I guess we will just have to see what happens tomorrow, and enjoy today in the meantime. We've had some fun singing our way through a few decades to pass the Aprils away. There is one other era we ought to do...aughts to do! The approach of Y2K had people all fired up - especially those of us who were just over five months pregnant when that ball dropped. Partying like it was 1999 looked exhausted with a less than extensive, or stylish, wardrobe. Yes, the new decade brought our second child and our first minivan. As was the case with several other things, I increasingly lost control over what songs we listened to.

I am going to start this year's a-z off right...with a cheat! That should take a lot of pressure off if this thing actual sticks for the rest of the month. Our first song was released in May of 1999, but Shrek gave it the ogre bump in 2001.

I wanted to show you why All Star will always belong in the aughts for me. Within ten minutes I found three different versions of proof, and I know more exist. This...this is what will always play in my mind when I hear this song.