Late Night Music NBA Finals Edition Part 164........"The Buffet Line"

I realize it's been a while since I did a list, and since I'm actually off tonight I'll finish this one up that I started about 3 weeks ago. This one was inspired by "Duck Dynasty" when Uncle Si said he likes "bands that make him hungry". Yeah, that's my inspiration.

In order to receive votes in this category, the ARTIST had to have something edible in their name, and it had to specific (for this reason, Cream was disqualified). Also receiving votes in this category were "New Jack Hustler" by Ice-T, "Cruel Summer" by Bananarama, and "Save Tonight" by Eagle-Eye Cherry.

"Baby Girl"- Sugarland. Just to show you how out of the loop I am in country music, I seriously had no freaking idea that Sugarland began as a trio. This Jennifer Nettles autobiographical debut single from Sugarland's 2004 debut album Twice The Speed Of Life proved prophetic for Sugarland's future success, as it peaked at #2 on the Billboard Country Charts and #38 on the Billboard Hot 100 making it one of the most successful debut country singles of all time. I've always said that I've never been the biggest Sugarland fan in the world, but Jennifer Nettles has a great voice and an electric smile. It's also hard to remember that this video is nearly 10 years old and she looks exactly the same today as she did there. Also, seeing how he's forgotten a lot, Kristian Bush loves to bob his head doesn't he?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y75lVEv7Tqw

"Soul To Squeeze"- Red Hot Chili Peppers. This Chili Pepper classic was recorded while the band was in the studio for Blood Sugar Sex Magik, but was only included as a b-side to "Give It Away" and "Under The Bridge". When Warner Brothers produced the soundtrack to the 1993 SNL spinoff movie "Coneheads" starring Dan Akroyd, it decided to include several former b-sides from Warner Brothers artists. This song was included on the soundtrack and was accompanied by this very entertaining video. Despite the film bombing at the box office, this song went to #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Chart and #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song, like most great Chili Peppers songs, features great licks and progression that really stand out. No other group can do that on a consistent basis- at least to me. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XcN12uVHeQ

"Freak On A Leash"- Korn. If there was ever a beneficiary of the music video age of "TRL" and MTV, it was this song here. This 1998 song from Korn's album Follow The Leader was fueled by a very popular video despite only peaking at #6 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. This super creative video won two VMAs in 1999 and won the Grammy in 2000 for Best Short Form Music Video. This video also became just the 9th video ever retired from "TRL". I never really cared for Korn, but this video gave them a mainstream presence that they never got rid of.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRGrNDV2mKc

"Push It"- Salt-N-Pepa. This song has always been one of my favorite karaoke songs to watch. This 1987 early ages of rap hit for girl rappers Salt-N-Pepa gave them their first Billboard Hot 100 hit when it peaked at #19 in support of their album Hot, Cool, and Vicious. It was also around this time that Salt-N-Pepa started making appearances on WCW in support of the Rapmaster PN News. Those were funny. It would be another 6 years before Salt-N-Pepa would garner even more mainstream exsposure with their 1993 album Very Necessary. I would also like to note that this video contains actual good dancing before rap videos were taken over by trash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCadcBR95oU

"I Got A Feeling"- Black Eyed Peas. This arena anthem from the Black Eyed Peas 2009 album The E.N.D. debuted at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 behind the group's current #1 single "Boom Boom Pow", which made them one of only 11 groups in music history to occupy the top two spots on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. This David Guetta produced track was also nominated for Record of the Year at the 2010 Grammys, and won the award for Best Pop Performance by Duo or Group. When I was an intramural director, this song stayed a constant at my events. Absolutely one of the best sports songs ever.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSD4vsh1zDA

"Make It With You"- Bread. Pretty good live performance here from 1977 from "Burt Sugarman's Midnight Special" by David Gates and Bread performing their 1970 debut single and only #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit from their album On The Waters. This song makes me sleepy, next.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4R93xnKink

"Today Was A Good Day"- Ice Cube. Absolutely one of my favorite rap tracks ever! After leaving N.W.A. in 1989, Ice Cube took his amazing jheri curl into a solo career and included this track on his 1992 album The Predator. This single peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and this super cool video received heavy airplay on "Yo! MTV Raps" and other MTV shows. I guess I was in the minority of people who liked Ice Cube better with his jheri curl, because this was his first video with his new shaved head look. The fact that I've used lyrics to this song as my facebook status more than once shows that I have true street cred.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhYUma7U__c

"Mean To Me"- Tonic. Here is a song I probably never would have known had it not been for karaoke. Yet another reason to go to karaoke, because you never know what song you might learn while you're there! This single was included on Tonic's much anticipated follow up to Lemon Parade, 1999's Sugar. I never got why Tonic didn't get the kind of hype they got for Lemon Parade with this album, especially when the album included "You Wanted More" which was included on the soundtrack of "American Pie". Nevertheless, Emerson Hart remains an awesome front man, and Tonic is still one of the best live bands out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwzOthqufx0

"Today"- Smashing Pumpkins. This Billy Corgan dream themed video to accompany Smashing Pumpkins mainstream splash "Today" from their 1993 album Siamese Dream brought the band into the mainstream when this very creative video received very heavy airplay on MTV on shows like "Alternative Nation" and "Headbangers Ball". This biographical single written by Corgan was written as a response to the band's recent overcoming of several romantic, physical, and psychological issues that had plagued them to the point of near break up. This track, which peaked at #4 on the Billboard Modern Rock Track Charts, helped lead the mainstream media like MTV to crown the band as the "next Nirvana". This song remains one of my favorite 90's rock songs and one of the most fun songs to play in the entire Guitar Hero series.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmUZ6nCFNoU

"Zombie"- The Cranberries. This Irish protest song written by lead singer Dolores O'Riordan which later was performed by the band on their 1995 appearance on "Saturday Night Live" was the band's attempt to bring to light the events of "The Troubles" in Ireland. This song was written while the band was on tour in 1993 in response to an IRA bombing that killed two young boys in Dublin. This single from the band's album No Need To Argue was a huge success in Europe going to #3 in Ireland and #14 on the British Singles Chart, and #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Chart.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jcwsfns7KPQ

"Ice Ice Baby"- Vanilla Ice. Whatever. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rog8ou-ZepE

"Short Skirt, Long Jacket"- Cake. This catchy single from Sacramento rock band Cake's 2001 album Comfort Eagle made music video history when the entire video was compiled of people's actual reactions while listening to the song. This video's popularity gained the band a huge following in the United States and made this single peak at #7 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Chart. Cake is one of those bands that is super catchy, but never seems to really catch on to the mainstream. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5KmB8Laemg

"Criminal"- Fiona Apple. This ode to teenage promiscuity from Fiona Apple's 1996 album Tidal proved to be her biggest hit ever when it peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 1997. This is one of those songs that you just hate to love, but it's so awesome. Fiona Apple pulled off the drunk malnourished homeless chick look as part of her act nearly perfectly. I also have a very fond personal memory of this song, if you want to know that story, please let me know and I'll tell you privately.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFOzayDpWoI

"No Rain"- Blind Melon. How could anyone ever forget the fat bumblebee girl? This heavily rotated video gained popularity from its play on MTV and put Blind Melon at #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 with this second single from their self-titled 1992 album. These 1970's-esque hippies featured two Columbus, Mississippi natives Roger Stevens and Brad Smith who were featured on guitar and bass. This song and album belonged at the original Woodstock, and is said to be similar to the music of the Grateful Dead. Blind Melon definitely had potential to grow a Soundgarden/Smashing Pumpkins type following before the death of their lead singer to a cocaine overdose, but I guess we'll never know. This video, in the meantime, featuring an anonymous chunky middle schooler, will forever be their contribution to the mainstream music scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qVPNONdF58

"1985"- Bowling For Soup. I absolutely love this freaking song! Bowling For Soup is so freaking funny. This SR-71 cover seems meant for Jarret Reddick to sing- he just seems like someone who could be another Weird Al Yankovic. This hilarious video accompanied Bowling For Soup's 2004 single from their album A Hangover You Don't Deserve and peaked at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. This is one of those songs that stays stuck in your head while constantly thinking about the hilarity of this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K38xNqZvBJI

"Joyful Sound"- String Cheese Incident. This track from String Cheese Incident's 2001 album Outside Inside is awesome on all levels, but it is an obvious departure from their bluegrass roots that seemed to define the early part of this Colorado jam band's career. This live performance from 2007 shows that this song remains a favorite for the very loyal String Cheese Incident fans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4rbbS2hhRY

"Follow Me"- Uncle Kracker. I hate that I love this song so much, because Uncle Kracker, despite his success, has always struck me as one of the least talented guys to ever make it even sort of big. This ode to cheating and drugs from Uncle Kracker's 2001 album Double Wide went to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and remains his highest charting single. This pretty entertaining video includes Sugar Ray lead singer Mark McGrath and Cee-Lo Green's doppleganger record producer Michael Bradford. This song takes on the Mr. Holland motto of "now they can't sing, and they sing the same chords and over again, but I love it....because it's fun." Yeah, this song, despite it's simplicity will swim your veins like a fish in the sea- see what I did there? This song is also one of my all time favorite karaoke songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gjx-ZQuQ_Y

"Paradise By The Dashboard Light"- Meatloaf. This classic epic song from Meatloaf's super mega album Bat Out Of Hell in 1977 went to #31 on the Billboard Hot 100, being one of the longest songs in the history of the chart. Despite it's modest chart performance, the song remains one of the most popular songs of all time, and still receives heavy radio play on most classic rock channels. According to Meatloaf, the original length of the song was supposed to be 27 minutes. That could make some time fly huh? I've never been the biggest Meatloaf fan in the word, but I've always found him fascinating. His music is definitely distinctive, and it cracks me up that the fat sweaty guy can be a rock star. That being said, he left us with one of the best karaoke duets ever and one of the most recognizable songs ever recorded. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NTDHjVKQyo

BONUS VIDEOS- "1985"- SR-71.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sy8ulwexfY

"I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)"- Meatloaf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GNhdQRbXhc

"Linger"- The Cranberries

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Kspj3OO0s

"Aeroplane"- Red Hot Chili Peppers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV8IAOojoAA

"Happens All The Time"- Cold.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz5Bf1aK1ig

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Salt-N-Pepa

Fiona Apple

The Cranberries

Does anyone remember this Sugarland? Yeah, didn't think so.