What's Love Gotta Do With a Little Ménage?

For the second day of Christmas, I had something else for you, but those damn doves flew away and escaped. Instead, here's another little throwback courtesy of two names I bet you haven't heard in a while: Fat Joe and Ashanti.

What's Luv? (Featuring Ja-Rule...

"What's Luv?"

Fat Joe feat. Ashanti

Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.)

Atlantic Records/Murder Inc., 2002

Trivia: "What's Luv" has the somewhat dubious honor of belonging to the "#2 Club," having spent five consecutive weeks in the second spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2002 but never quite making it all the way to the peak. That may have only been a bummer for one of the two collaborators, however: the pesky single whose two-month reign atop the chart prevented "What's Luv" from claiming the crown was "Foolish," the smash hit of 2002 by none other than Ashanti.

Similar Pose...Odd

I swear I didn't plan that.

Under Armed

The Only Place You'll Wanna Be (Is Underneath Her Christmas Tree)

Now, don't look too much into the fact that the first of what I assure you will be many times the incomparable Lady Gaga shows up on this blog: just look at the date. Of the scores of opportunistic holiday-themed products created over the years by typically new to new-ish pop stars or wannabes, most of which I wouldn't wish on prisoners at Guantanamo, I challenge you to find one that's more joyous and true to the spirit of the season than this.

Christmas Tree - Lady GaGa

"Christmas Tree"

Lady Gaga feat. Space Cowboy

Streamline, Kon Live, Interscope, Cherrytree Records, 2008 (Digital Download)

Trivia: Although it garnered significantly more attention this holiday season, this satirical pop Christmas carol was released as a digital download during the winter of 2008, when, if you can imagine, Gaga's debut single "Just Dance," which had been out since that April and had been inching its way largely unnoticed up the Billboard Hot 100. In fact, "Just Dance" didn't hit the top spot on the chart until January 10 of this year. Gaga's subsequent four top ten singles (including a second #1 with "Poker Face" and a current #3 for "Bad Romance"), six Grammy noms, fascinatingly bizarre televised performances, two headlining tours and intense critical adoration make it easy to forget how little the industry cared about her a year ago.


Get Lady Gaga's amazing debut album as rereleased as The Fame Monster, featuring eight new and incredible tracks.

Ho Ho Ho

 

Merry Xmas

Praise You Like I Should

Since it's the day before the biggest Christian holy day, I thought it might be appropriate to feign some sort of piety here. So if you feel the need to assume the subject of this Fatboy Slim track from a decade ago is the Big Guy Upstairs, I think today that ought to count.

Praise You - Fatboy Slim

"Praise You"

Fatboy Slim

You've Come a Long Way, Baby

Astralwerks/Skint Records, 1999

Trivia: The somewhat infamous video for "Praise You" (below) was directed by Spike Jonze (Where the Wild Things Are), who used the pseudonym Richard Koufey. It featured a Jonze (as Koufey) and a fictional dance troupe called the Torrance Community Dance Group, and was shot outside a movie theatre in Westwood, CA in front of an unforewarned crowd of amused passersby. It won three MTV Video Music Awards, including "Breakthrough Video" and "Best Direction."

On the Lookout

Time to Get Out?

'Cause I Love The Way You Call Me Baby

If you haven't already added this to your own collection, you may recognize this fantastic, precious little number from winter Old Navy commercials a couple years ago. And isn't "I'd buy you Rogaine when you start losing all your hair" the most adorably romantic promise?

The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaels...

"The Way I Am"

Ingrid Michaelson

Girls and Boys

Cabin 24 Records, 2006

Trivia: After becoming known following the 2007 Old Navy campaign as well as when several of her songs were featured on Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs, and One Tree Hill, Michaelson toured as the opening act for Jason Mraz on the European leg of his 2008 world tour. She embarked on her first headlining tour in 2009.

Get Ingrid Michaelson's latest album, Everybody.

Oh Look, Aida's Playing

Barrel of Yum

Take a Chance You Stupid Ho

Since it came up yesterday, how about a little more Linda Perry-penned pop goodness with Gwen Stefani's solo debut single, "What You Waiting For?"

What You Waiting For? - Gwen S...

"What You Waiting For?"

Gwen Stefani

Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

Interscope, 2004

Trivia: Indie rock band Franz Ferdinandperformed this song in their appearance on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge, where it is traditional for well-known artists and bands to perform a cover of a popular recent hit by another artist, often one of quite a different style. I have a recording of that as well that I may put up sometime if requested (or it's also on the first Live Lounge compilation album, along with quite a few other awesome covers I'd recommend: follow the link to check out new/used prices on Amazon).

 

Get Gwen Stefani's awesome debut album Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

Another Hat

Dressed for the Weather

Why Donate?

I've created this blog to bring the joys from my two main projects together, those being The Adonis Complex Blogs and my pop music blog Vertigo Shtick, in a way people might uniquely enjoy. And I enjoy it too!

Each track/song that I make available on Songs and Studs for you to enjoy for free is there because I've paid for the right to post it. It's not much, but it does add up, as do the hours of research that (believe it or not) go into this as well as Vertigo Shtick.

Though there is no obligation whatsoever to do so, any amount you may feel compelled to contribute to the ongoing upkeep of this blog and its parent blogs will be received with the utmost gratitude, whether that be 50 cents, $1, $5 or anything beyond or between. And if you are so moved, please feel free to make any requests in exchange for your generosity!

Thank you!

I'm Comin' Up, So...

What better way to get the party started than with a little semi-old school Pink?

Get The Party Started - P!nk, ...

"Get the Party Started"

Pink 

M!ssundaztood

Arista Records, 2001

Trivia: "Get This Party Started" was written by Linda Perry (of 4 Non Blondes), as were a ton of other pop hits you wouldn't have guessed. Other smashes written or co-written by Perry include "Beautiful" (Song of the Year Grammy nominee), "Candyman," "Hurt" and "Keeps Gettin' Better" for Christina Aguilera*; "What You Waiting For?"with Gwen Stefani; "Superwoman"for Alicia Keys**, and most of the stuff Courtney Love has sung recently.

*The latter three were co-written by Aguilera.
** Co-written by Keys and Steve Mostyn


Get Pink's latest album, Funhouse.

Starting Off

Thought I'd let a few of my all-time favorites get this party started. Hey, that sounds like it could be a song, doesn't it?

Welcome

Hey there and welcome to Songs & Studs, a new and unique multisensory blog experience for the eyes and the ears. Here you will find plenty of eye candy in the form of some of my favorite images of the hottest men around the world, updated daily from the large collection of webfinds I've accrued over the years. But that's not all: you'll also be able to have a listen to selections from my similarly sizeable music library as well, also via daily updates. In other words, this is your one stop shop for your eye candy and ear candy needs!

I hope you'll enjoy this new hybrid of a blog, and if so then by all means leave a comment or shoot me an email to let me know, as well as any requests (for either kind of confection) you might have. I look forward to sharing in the visual and aural excitement with you!

-D