Looking For Song Suggestions.....

Have you ever wondered what would happen if your favourite superheroes started a heavy metal cover band? Hint: the answer is Heavy Metal Heroes. You no longer have to wonder. Heavy Metal Heroes have heard the cries from hypotheticals on the internet and from within your imagination. From the depths of the internet, of the expansive wonder that is the Youtube universe, comes a band unlike any other. This band has been born from a combination of superheroes and metal music to cover your favourite songs. Introducing These Metal Superheroes They describe themselves as, “A band of superheroes playing hard rock covers of your favourite songs. Saving one song at a time.” And of course, Deadpool is the lead singer. Included in the band is Wolverine, Captain America, Spiderman, Deadpool, Iron Man, and weirdly enough Batman. Batman isn’t Marvel like the rest of his bandmates, and they are very well aware. During the music video covering “ Break up with your girlfriend ” originally by Ariana Grande, he even sports a t-shirt saying, “I know I’m not Marvel”, which is beautifully meta. They do have other characters from the DC universe come into their music videos to add a bit of mystery and playful fourth wall breaking. Heavy Metal Heroes Music I’ve compiled several of their awesome covers below. Including one with a music video that is biasedly, my favourite. Mainly because I adore Deadpool’s sassy attitude in all of it’s forms. “Baby One More Time” originally by Britney Spears is decidedly my favourite. Deadpool dressed up as a schoolgirl, for some reason, just seems to fit both stylistically and for his personality. “It’s Gonna Be May” originally by NSYNC “Break Up With Your Girlfriend” originally by Ariana Grande. You can even see the behind the scenes of the music video, which is pretty majestic. Although it’s not Christmas (and Christmas music before the holidays is a bit of a bummer), here’s “All I want for Christmas” Originally by Mariah Carey. It’s complete with Deadpool attitude and holiday cheer. “The New Year’s Anthem” Originally by Auld Lang Syne And we’re finishing this list strong with “Livin’ La Vida Loca” Originally by Ricky Martin Tell me what you think of these metal superheroes in the comments below!!!

Our writer attended the highly anticipated Postmodern Jukebox performance at the Edmonton Winspear. The audience was left spellbound with reimagined hits and vintage flair. Postmodern Jukebox (PMJ) is known for their genre-bending arrangements. They delivered a show that was a musical journey. It was also a theatrical spectacle. PMJ performance at the Winspear March 10th. Photos were taken by Dylanna Fisher Enthralling. Engaging. Entertaining. And simply excellent. From those leaning forward in the seats enthralled by the vocals of some of  PMJ ‘s finest, to the couples swing dancing in the aisles to the versatile instruments. This performance had a captured audience. Watching the Post Modern Jukebox ensemble perform felt like you were the only person in the auditorium. The performance itself was unlike any concert I’ve ever been to. Post Modern Jukebox, otherwise known as  PMJ , is a musical collective of music covers. Specifically, they are known for recreating the iconic music styles of the ’20s. Swing, Jazz, and other vintage genres are how they recreate songs to be uniquely  PMJ . The concert was full of cover songs, which is right up Switching Styles Alley. The vocalists bringing new life to the old classics included  Cunio ,  Dani  Armstrong, David Simmons Jr., and the original  PMJ  voice, Robyn Adele Anderson. But the music wasn’t ‘  the only jazzy feel to the performance. Sarah Reich, a tap dancer, creates an amazing accompaniment with her dancing shoes. She adds energy to the stage that both the audience and her peers feed off of. It’s an amazing thing to see. A standing ovation awaited the end of the performance. This is their “Welcome to the Twenties 2.0 Tour”. Do you see what they did there? It’s a play on words to usher in a new decade for the  2020s . Postmodern Jukebox creator Scott  Bradlee  hopes this new decade will see a revival of art and culture like the 20s decade of the  1900s . “Last time around the ‘Twenties gave us Jazz, America’s one true art form. Who knows what is possible in the 2020s?” says  Bradlee  in an interview with  DRW  Entertainment , “One thing that is for sure is that there are a lot of folks that are tired of the click-bait headlines, mindless reality TV, and smartphone addiction that has only served to divide people in the last decade. We’re using our small corner of the pop culture space to tell people to forget their troubles, and come join us for a night of celebrating true musical talent and timeless style — live and in real life.” Check out PMJ and let me know what you think in the comments below!!

Disney brings magic to every home and Switching Styles is bring magic to you with Lion King Cover Songs. “Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or… learn from it.” -Rafiki, Lion King (1994) Disney’s Lion King The Lion King is a heartwarming classic Disney film that pulls on your heartstrings. From Simba’s birth to Timon and Pumba’s friendship to Simba’s first love, it’s a movie that warms the heart. Not to mention the heartbreak of watching Simba trying to wake up Mufasa. This film can bring tears to the viewer, not just me but many other people within the audience (see previously mentioned scene). An IMDB reviewer shared the sentiment about the film, “I watched the film today and I have come to the conclusion that this Disney film is one classic that will keep on delivering to Disney fans like myself…TLK (The Lion King) is a wonderful film with great characters and songs with a powerful message that you can always find your way back no matter how hard the journey … I do believe that in 2006 and many years from now, The Lion King will Shine and still Roar with Success”. With the new remake coming up, you can be sure that I will also be looking at the soundtrack of the new one and how it compares with Disney’s original. There’s already a comparison between the 1994 Lion King Trailer and the 2019 Lion King Trailer. It’s impressively similar. Beyond that,  James Earl Jones ,  Hans Zimmer , and  Elton John are the only people who worked on the original animated film. They will fill the roles as the voice of Mufasa, the film composer, and the songwriter. It’ll be interesting to see how everything else compares. We’ll just have to wait until July 19 of this year to see for ourselves. Though these aren’t the only The Lion King films. There are also The Lion King 1 1/2 and The Lion King 2, which each have their own fantastic soundtrack. But for now, we’re looking at covers of the soundtrack of the 1994 film; the original Disney The Lion King. Don’t get me wrong the ones that came after are hilarious and majestic but there’s something about the classics. Call it nostalgia. Lion King Cover Songs For this segment of ‘Dreams and Disney,’ it was hard to choose just one iconic song from the film. But I went with “Circle of Life” because it’s the opening song, and everyone (arguably) knows it. Alex Boye’s cover of ‘The Circle Of Life” featuring Loyaban Lemarti and Alisha Popat Daniel J Edwards ‘s cover of “The Circle of Life” Matisyahu’s  reggae cover of “The Circle of Life” PelleK’s  metal cover of “The Circle of Life” Cat Rox’s EU Portuguese cover of “The Circle Of Life” Lucid’s  trap remix of “The Circle of Life” Marit “Minniva” Børresen’s Italian cover of “The Circle of Life” featuring Charly Urso Those were amazing remakes of the song “The Circle of Life”. But the film’s soundtrack has so many amazing songs. Here are some amazing covers of the other songs within the soundtrack. It’s hard to leave out songs from such a great album. These are our honourable mentions. Leo Moracchioli’s cover of “Hakuna Matata” Tyler Ward’s Cover of “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” Let me know what your favourite Lion King Cover Song is in the comments below!!And feel free to suggest more!

“Follow your dreams even if they seem unachievable. Because you won’t achieve your dreams if you won’t even give it a shot.” Veronica Pineapples Veronica Pineapples View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂 𝑷𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒔 (@roni.pineapples) Why pineapples you ask? Because she loves them, but at one point, she feared them. “I have an obsession with pineapples.” She explains, “I don’t know even know what sparked my obsession with pineapples. I was looking back at the old social media I had back when I was ten. I was posting about pineapples and my love for them”. Why pineapples you ask? Because she loves them, but at one point, she feared them. “I have an obsession with pineapples.” She explains, “I don’t know even know what sparked my obsession with pineapples. I was looking back at the old social media I had back when I was ten. I was posting about pineapples and my love for them”. Switching Styles is an online publication founded by Dylanna Fisher to bring you all of the weird, obscure, niche music you could ask for. We focus on remaking your idea of music. “I have an obsession with pineapples.” She explains, “I don’t know even know what sparked my obsession with pineapples. I was looking back at the old social media I had back when I was ten. I was posting about pineapples and my love for them”. Switching Styles is an online publication founded by Dylanna Fisher to bring you all of the weird, obscure, niche music you could ask for. We focus on remaking your idea of music. Switching Styles is an online publication founded by Dylanna Fisher to bring you all of the weird, obscure, niche music you could ask for. We focus on remaking your idea of music. It’s a love and an aesthetic all rolled into one. However, it wasn’t always that case. She used to be terrified of pineapples because she choked on one when she was really little. That experience stayed with her for years, until she faced what scared her and gave pineapples another chance. “At one point, I embrace the fear. I stood up to the fear. And I’ve just tried pineapple again and I fell in love with it. So now I’ve got all these pineapples, I have ceramic pineapples in my room, pineapples hanging on my wall. The cup I’m using right now for my tea has pineapples on it”. The obsession with pineapples is only a part of the quirky name. Veronica Pineapples became the name of her as a musician because she got a mixed CD as a gift from someone she really looks up to. They titled it Veronica Pineapples and the name stuck. “I hope it interests people, and they look into me,” she explains, talking about the impact of the quirky name. “I’ve been to Naked Cybercafe a lot. I love that place,” she said. Veronica frequents the cafe. It’s one of the few venues that are open to all ages. As a 17-year-old musician, there aren’t many venues that cater to minors. Most venues that have live music are 18+. Veronica frequents the cafe. It’s one of the few venues that are open to all ages. As a 17-year-old musician, there aren’t many venues that cater to minors. Most venues that have live music are 18+. Photography by Dylanna Fisher “I’ve been to Naked Cybercafe a lot. I love that place,” she said. From the article on Naked Cybercafe & Espresso Bar, she’s one of the artists from the Open Mic Night. It’s an event that she goes to often, to share her music. Veronica frequents the cafe. It’s one of the few venues that are open to all ages. As a 17-year-old musician, there aren’t many venues that cater to minors. Most venues that have live music are 18+. Veronica frequents the cafe. It’s one of the few venues that are open to all ages. As a 17-year-old musician, there aren’t many venues that cater to minors. Most venues that have live music are 18+. Veronica frequents the cafe. It’s one of the few venues that are open to all ages. As a 17-year-old musician, there aren’t many venues that cater to minors. Most venues that have live music are 18+. Veronica frequents the cafe. It’s one of the few venues that are open to all ages. As a 17-year-old musician, there aren’t many venues that cater to minors. Most venues that have live music are 18+. “I’ve been to Naked Cybercafe a lot. I love that place,” she said. Photography by Dylanna Fisher Veronica Pineapples is one of Naked Cybercafe and Espresso Bar’s regular patrons at the open mic night. Veronica frequents the cafe. It’s one of the few venues that are open to all ages. As a 17-year-old musician, there aren’t many venues that cater to minors. Most venues that have live music are 18+. From the article on Naked Cybercafe & Espresso Bar , she’s one of the artists from the Open Mic Night. It’s an event that she goes to often, to share her music. “I’ve been to Naked Cybercafe a lot. I love that place,” she said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂 𝑷𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒔 (@roni.pineapples) She’s a versatile artist with influences ranging from country to metal to polka. Together these genres make an eclectic combination that inspires her. Veronica’s love for music started when she was young. Family was a major part of her musical start. Some of her first memories of her loved ones are intertwined with music. “My earliest memory that I can remember was my dad holding me when I was really little, and we would dance to the hits of the ’70s,” She said, “Then my mom gave me a little music box toy that would play different genres. I would just constantly annoy everybody by pressing all the buttons on it.” It wasn’t until she was a bit older that her love for music turned into a love for making music. When she was 8, she got the game Guitar Hero and that’s what really started her into music. She remembers, “I played that for hours”. It wasn’t easy. As she started with her first guitar, she had no idea how to play it. She started with YouTube instructional videos, a little bit here and there while she taught herself. “It would frustrate me,” she explained. And that led her to quit. In 2012, she picked up her guitar again after convincing her Dad for guitar lessons over the next two years. After leaving the guitar lessons, she had a base knowledge. From there she was able to teach herself and learn on her own. It has been a bit of a struggle for Veronica, but she keeps coming back to music. “Honestly I’m not very musical. Music is a struggle for me,” Veronica explains that some musicians have natural musical talent, but for her, it’s not the case, “They got the rhythm and an ear for it, whereas my rhythm is going to struggle. But you just gotta keep on keeping on.” With over 7 years of practice and learning, she’s gained experience and technique through hard work. There’s more to come, and she wants to continue learning to get better. Music is a part of her life and an industry she wants to be in. “I always dreamt of being a rock star,” Veronica said, “Now I’m playing open mics and I’ve got my first gig at the Naked Cybercafe”. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂 𝑷𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒔 (@roni.pineapples) It was never about fame for her, however. It was about the music, about sharing it with people. Fame, it seems, comes with compromises. For Veronica, the lack of privacy is something she doesn’t want to compromise. Instead of fame, she wants a simple life. Music, for her, is not about fame. Music is about connecting with people. For many people, music is a way to cope through rough times. There’s music for when you’re heartbroken, for when you’re mourning, for when you’re angry. For Veronica, that’s the main aspect of music for her. If she went through anything hard, music was and is there for her. She wants to be there for people in the same way. “Music has always been a comfort for me. It was one of the only things that made me happy for a while because I was going through a bunch of tough times” She said, opening up to the impact that music has for her. Through her music, she wants to have, “lyrics that people can relate to or that really speak to them even if it’s not relatable. Something that’s kind of comforting. Sparks something inside of them.” At the moment, Veronica is working on an acoustic album with 3 songs so far. It takes time but it’s something she and her fans are excited for. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂 𝑷𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒔 (@roni.pineapples) For young musicians like her, she says that perseverance is key. “Don’t give up on it. There will be points where you’re learning and feel like you’re at a point where you know what you’re doing, and you realize there’s so much more to learn. You’re like ‘whoa I don’t know what I ‘m doing’. It’s super discouraging.” “It just takes time,” she said. It’s not easy but if that’s what you love, it’s worth it. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂 𝑷𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒔 (@roni.pineapples) Let me know what you think in the comments!!

Metal Christmas comic from the artists of the Beelzebubs comic at belzebubs.com Metal Christmas Songs are the holiday soundtrack you didn’t know you needed. Metalheads have this stereotype of being hard, dark, and cynical. Though that may be the case, they can still enjoy the festive tunes of the Christmas Holidays. Just because you’re a metalhead doesn’t mean you can’t like Christmas music. Here’s a list of metal Christmas covers to bring a moshpit to the holidays. Metal Christmas Cover Songs To start, we have a rather dark metal with fantastic vocals. Edicius’ Dream provides a phenomenal metal cover of Carol Of The Bells. Adrienne Cowan, Jack Kosto, and Mike Kerr give a hauntingly beautiful cover of “O Holy Night.” The metal instrumentals combine with Adrienne’s gorgeous voice for a haunting metal cover. Jonathan Young and RichaadEB provide a rather hard metal cover of “Carol of the Bells” with amazing instrumentals. Jonathan Young also has a cover of “ Frosty the Snowman .” Orion’s Reign and Minniva create an upbeat metal cover of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” This song will make you want to create a mosh pit during a family dinner. They also have an eerily beautiful “ Joy to the World ” cover. This is Korn’s cover of “Jingle Bells”. It is everything that a metal song should be: dark, deep, and just a little bit scary. Leo Moracchioli  takes “ Last Christmas, ” originally by Wham, and gives us something amazingly hard and dark. He has several other Christmas covers, including “ All I Want For Christmas is You ,” “ Santa Claus is Coming to Town ,” and “ Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree .” Do you have a favourite metal Christmas song? Let me know in the comments below!! Another dark Christmas comic from belzebubs.com

Disney brings magic to every home and Switching Styles is bring magic to you with Cinderella Cover Songs. “Have faith in your dreams and someday Your rainbow will come smiling through No matter how your heart is grieving If you keep on believing The dream that you wish will come true” A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes, Cinderella 1950. One such movie is Cinderella, which was released over 60 years ago! Though, the soundtrack is still loved to this day! The original soundtrack includes classic songs such as “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes”, “A Visitor/Caught in a Trap”, “The Kings Plan”, “Little Dressmakers”, “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo”, “So This is Love”, “The Stroke of Midnight”, “Locked in the Tower”, and “I’m in the middle of a Muddle”. altogether these melodies create a soft atmosphere for a soft fairytale movie. Cinderella Cover Songs of “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” Of all of them, “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” is the most popular and well-known song from the Cinderella movie. This is why this article is focusing on it. Here are some amazing covers of the ever so sweet song, “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes”. AnnaPantsu’s cover of “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” combines French and English lyrics resulting in a fairytale lullaby. Her vocals and the soft instrumentals are soothing. This cover of “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” is unlike many of the soft covers in this article. Shakey Graves  gives it a gritty bluesy sound that contrasts the softness of the Disney Princess. Thomas Sanders , an American singer, actor, scriptwriter and well-known Viner, covers “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” with a deep and jazzy voice, accompanied by pianist, Jacob Fjeldheim . Bianca Nelwan provides a beautiful cover with gorgeously soft vocals keeping true to the soft sound of the original Disney princess. This cover is an amazing genre shift in this rock Disney cover. Thomas Traverso  provides amazing deep vocals and rock instrumental to the originally soft Disney song. David Choi ‘s jazzy cover of “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” is simply and utterly fantastic. It features Dylan Wilson on upright bass, Mike Cottone on trumpet, and David Greiman on piano. Let me know in the comments what your favourite dreamy cover!!

It all started in San Diego in 2008. Steam Powered Giraffe is a steampunk music group with exceptional talent, but they didn’t start out that way. The members met while taking Theatre Arts at Grossmont College and together became members of Troupe SD, a local San Diego pantomime group. This is where they evolved the quirky robotic personas. From there, they decided to take their personas in a musical direction and release their first album in 2009. This album was cleverly called Album One . The personas are steampunk robots. This steampunk subculture provides an interesting aesthetic in both its music and its wardrobe. However, this is much more than a simple gimmick. It’s amazingly in-depth. There’s a background to the group, explaining why these robots were created and even how they got into music. The story begins in the late 1800s with the Cavalcadium, an elusive organization of remarkable scientists and intellectuals in the fields of science, arcana, alchemy, and art. Thadeus Becile and Peter Walter were the highest of the order, matched by only the other. They were friends, inseparable and competitive.  Though even men of science can fall prey to the mysteries of the heart. Delilah Morreo was a starry-eyed chemist, the most eligible bachelorette within The Cavalcadium. Their attempts to impress her only met with her neutrality. It began with a copper elephant by Thadeus and Peter’s steam-powered giraffe as a rebuttal (thus the band’s namesake). It kept escalating, including three humanoid robots intended to serenade Delilah. Neither won her hear,t regardless of their efforts. Their efforts only ended in death and, strangely enough, music. This is just a quick summary of the lore. The rest, you can read  here . I’d highly suggest it. This website goes really, really in-depth into the lore and mythos of the background. Each character has a story that explains their origin, style, and personality. They also have webcomics outlining their adventures. Members of Steam Powered Giraffe There are a few main people within their group. There has been some turnover in the band over the past few years. As of their most recent album, Quintessential , there are three current band members including…. The Spine (David Michael Bennett), named so for the extended titanium alloy spines poking through his formal attire. He’s a futuristic dieselpunk robot that’s rather convincing as a human in his movements and mannerisms. He stands out from the rest of the band in terms of stylistic aesthetic.  He’s one of the vocalists; he also plays guitar primarily, as well as banjo, mandolin, and keys. Rabbit (Isabella Bunny Bennett) is a copper clockwork robot that’s quite glitchy. In fact, the glitchiest of the robots is her persona. She was  gender-swapped  in 2014 as her performer came out as transgender.  Besides a vocalist, She plays the accordion, melodica, keytar, accordion, tambourine, and kazookaphone. Zero (Bryan Barbarin) originally began as a robot with a fully loaded arsenal, designed for the Great Robot War of 1896. After the war, the need for a robotic soldier no longer existed, and Zero was abandoned in a facility deep beneath Walter Manor. Enchanted by Zero’s deep voice, Peter brought him to the surface to join the Steam Powered Giraffes as a bassist and pianist. Together, they create the steam-powered giraffe. They’ve performed in various quirky venues, including the San Diego County Fair, the San Diego Zoo, the Wild Animal Park, Legoland California, Ontario Mills, The Queen Bee’s Art & Cultural Center, and numerous science fiction, fantasy, and steampunk conventions. They’ve contributed to the soundtrack for the game  SteamWorld Heist  and put those songs into a separate album titled Music From SteamWorld Heist . Steam Powered Giraffe’s Music and Covers As for music, they have a fantastic mix of covers and original works. Let’s start with the originals, such as  “Fire Fire” ,  “ I Don’t Have a Name for it “,  “ Honeybee”  and “ Malfunction” . They also have phenomenal covers of several pop songs. With the sounds and vocals of Steam Powered Giraffe, these already catchy songs got even catchier. And here we have some cover inception. Here are some covers of the originals from the above cover artists.

“Weird Al” Yankovic’s “Word Crimes” is a parody of “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke. “Blurred Lines” came out in 2013 and became a hit. It was a perfect candidate for a parody. “It was the big song of the summer of 2013 and I felt if I put out my album and didn’t have a “Blurred Lines” parody, it would be a glaring omission. Like,  Why didn’t you do “Blurred Lines?!,”  Weird Al tells Vulture in an  interview . Weird Al released “Word Crimes” in 2014, as a part of the album Mandatory Fun . It quickly became a hit and was 39th on the   Hot 100, making it one of the top 40 songs at the time. This parody differs from other “Blurred line” parodies Weird Al explains . “I’ve done satires on a small handful of occasions — with Nirvana and Billy Ray Cyrus and Lady Gaga. But for this one, that ground had been well-trod. In the YouTube world we live in, a week after Robin Thicke had his hit, there were 10,000 parodies of it. Most of them were takes on him being misogynistic and a little  rape-y . I knew that, whatever I did, I couldn’t go down that path.” Weird Al changed the song from borderline  rape-y  to a satire about both ‘grammar nazis’ and those that infuriates them. He continued to explain that it was “a sweet thing for me to be able to take that song, which is pretty sexually charged, and turn it into a song about proper grammar usage.” People can argue that grammar and writing conventions aren’t important, but they really are to convey the proper meaning. It’s one thing to just talk, it’s another to be understood. Weird Al tells The Enquirer  that grammar is important to him, “Maybe it’s a little OCD of me to always want things to be correct. I let people slide more if it’s casual conversation or even social media, but when I get a press release from a record label or see an article in print with a glaring grammatical mistake, the hairs on the back of my neck go up. I don’t know why. It just feels like people should know better.” The song “Word Crimes” highlights the common grammatical errors that people tend to make. Here’s the music video that also provides visualization for the errors. As well, it adds some of its own such as the misspelling of the word moron by replacing the last O with an A . What grammatical errors appear in “Word Crimes”? There are quite a few grammatical issues that the song brings up as well as some potentially not well-known definitions. Let’s go through them all in the order they appear in the song so you can listen along. Conjugate Definition Grammar – Give the different forms of (a verb in an inflected language such as Latin) as they vary according to voice, mood, tense, number, and person. ‘Conjugating allows a sentence to vary. Like the moon or politicians’ Nomenclature Definition The devising or choosing of names for things, especially in a science or other discipline. ‘The scientific nomenclature for a narwhale is Monodon monoceros. The Tumblr nomenclature of a narwhale is a sea unicorn’ Noun  Definition  A word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things (common noun), or to name a particular one of these (proper noun). ‘Weird Al, Dylanna Fisher, Keyboard, “Blurred Lines”, Doodle and Teddy bear are all nouns Preposition Definition A word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause, as in ‘the man on the platform’, ‘she arrived after dinner’, ‘what did you do it for?’. Examples include on, in after, during. When It’s Less or It’s Fewer Less and fewer both mean that something isn’t as much as another thing, but they have two different applications. Less refers to singular mass nouns or quantity or a mass of things. These are things that can’t be counted. Fewer refers to specific numbers or specific nouns. These are things that are easily counted. In the video, it compares bottles and the liquid in the bottles. There is less liquid in the bottle but fewer bottles. You have less money but fewer dollars She has less morality. She has fewer puppies. (not necessarily related) I have less trust. I also have fewer cookies. (Also not necessarily related) I Could Care Less In a typical conversation,  and  generally mean the same thing – that someone just doesn’t care. The literal interpretation, however, sets these two as very different. I couldn’t care less means that you already care the least you possibly can. It’s not possible for you to care less. You just don’t give a fudge. Though with the literal interpretation of I could care less,  it means that you do care at least a little. There is some amount even if it’s just teeny-weeny. This phrase literally means that you care. The Right Pronoun This could mean the politically correct use of proper pronouns for those that are transitioning or non-binary. In this case, he may be going for more of the grammatical spin of using the right pronoun for writing a point of view for first person, second person, and third person. First Person is how we talk when we talk about ourselves, our ideas, our actions. This perspective uses first-person pronouns such as  I, me, my, mine ,  myself, we, us, our,  and  ourselves “I’m writing this example while listening to Weird Al” Second-Person Point of View is where someone is talking about someone else. It uses second-person pronouns of  you, your, yours, yourself, yourselves . “You are an amazing writer; writing all the things.” Third-Person Point of View takes it a step away from the second person and uses third person pronouns such as  he, him, his, himself, she, her, hers, herself, it, its, itself, they, them, their, theirs,  and  themselves . It’s typically seen as the disembodied narrator in novels. ‘Sarah was still looking for that pineapple when the sun came up’ People do talk about themselves in the second or third person which can get kind of weird in normal conversation. However, it’s used for comedic effect or impressions or emphasis. Here’s an example from Ellen DeGeneres. It’s Versus Its Its is possessive which means that whatever the subject is, is in possession or ownership of something else. It doesn’t have an apostrophe. “The cat ate its dinner loudly” “The monkey freaked everyone out by escaping from its cage” It’s is a contraction for it is or it has . For this one, you use an apostrophe. “It’s an amazing keyboard you have there” “It’s been great having you here with me. Awkward but great.  Contraction Definition The process of becoming smaller. ‘The girl seemed to contract into herself at the mention of an oral presentation ’ A word or group of words resulting from shortening an original form. ‘Would’ve is a contraction of would and have’ The word contraction means to push or crush things together. In grammatical terms, it means to squeeze two words together to make it shorter by taking away letters and replacing them with an apostrophe. Such as It’s in the previous paragraph. Other examples of contractions include Haven’t (have not), Shouldn’t (should not), Goodbye (God be with ye), and ’tis n’t  (it is not). The last one is rather old and not used much but it just sounds cool. Syntax Definition The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language. ‘The syntax of English is rather complicated making it beautiful in a confusing way’ Words That Don’t Have X in Them This is a kind of commonly misspelled words; words that sound like they should have an X, but they don’t. Neither espresso nor ecstasy has an X in it. Some other commonly misspelled words include schedule, weather, tomorrow, dilemma, and necessary. Dangling Participles When a participle dangles, it means that the subjects aren’t connected to the action in a way that makes sense. “Walking to the kitchen, the garbage can tripped me” is a dangling participle. It seems like the garbage is walking to the kitchen as it’s tripping me. A correct version of the sentence that fixes the dangling participle is “Walking to the kitchen, I trip over the garbage can”. There are other ways to fix a grammatically incorrect sentence including completely rewriting the sentence to not include a participle. “I walked into the kitchen and tripped on the garbage can” or “In the kitchen, I tripped on the garbage can” or “The garbage can is possessed and it tripped me”. There are options. Oxford Comma Definition A comma used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, before ‘and’ or ‘or’.  Also, it’s called the serial comma “In your tea, would you like honey, sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, demerara Sugar, stevia, or agave sugar?” This is an optional comma, according to the Oxford Dictionary. “It’s known as the Oxford comma because it was traditionally used by printers, readers, and editors at Oxford University Press.  Not all writers and publishers use it, but it can clarify the meaning of a sentence when the items in a list are not single words” As long as you are consistent throughout your document and are complying with the style guide put out by the publisher or company or style that you’re writing for, you can choose to have it or not. Using Letters For Words This is a kind of text speak as it’s easier to type a single letter rather than a whole word. Using letters for words is really common while texting or on social media. In formal writing such as academics, professional, and romantic letters, it’s best to use the full words. Use A Spell Checker The quickest way to check for small errors is to use a spell checker. In Microsoft Word documents you can edit the settings of the spell checker to check for a range of things or to ignore certain mistakes. If you’re on the internet you can add extensions to your browser to add a spell checker or a grammar checker such as Grammarly or Language tool. These will automatically check for any errors in your typing. There are also online grammar checkers that you simply copy and paste your writing into and it’ll check for more than just spelling. Some of them check for passive language, informal terms, hidden verbs, capitalization errors and so on. However, it never hurts to check your writing one last time through proofreading. Write Words Using Numbers This is similar to other kinds of text-speech. It’s easier to replace a string of letters with one number. Gr8 instead of Great or  4 instead of for are examples. Weird Al references Prince in this section as he has several albums that use numbers for words in their titles such as  20Ten (2010),  Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999),  The Vault… Old Friends 4 Sale (1999), and Girl 6 (1996) . He isn’t the only artist that does this but Weird Al added it in as a bit of a “nudge”. He tells Vulture that there’s another reason for referencing Prince. “Well, you know, it’s a direct reference to the fact of his song titles that use the numbers and the letters and things like that. But also, it’s a little nudge. At the time, Prince was still with us and for decades, he’s sort of been my scapegoat because he was always the one guy that has historically and famously never let me do any parodies. So, any time I could give him a little nudge.” Proofreaders Proofreading is one of the best ways to edit work. Whether you do it or someone else does, it’s a great way to catch any errors that computers just can’t catch. These are things like flow, rhythm, meaning, context, and semantics. There are a lot of resources that can help including CP style guide, Canadian Writer’s Reference, and Purdue Online Writing Lab to name a very limited few. Cunning Linguist This is a bit of a double entendre for the word cunnilingus. When sung, it sounds like cunnilingus which is the female form of fellatio. Weird Al explains , “I know a lot of kids listen to my music, but that’s one of the kinds of things where hopefully the parents will get a kick out of it and it’ll go over the kid’s head.” Homophones  Homophones are words that sound similar but have different meanings. It’s important to use the right one to keep the meaning of your writing exact and correct. “They’re, There, and Their” “To, Two, and Too” “New and Knew “ Homophones are different from synonyms which are words with the same meaning that don’t sound alike. “Sadness and Misery” “Anger and Rage” “Water and H2O” Diagram A Sentence Diagramming a sentence is a way of breaking down the sentence and being able to visually see all the different building blocks that make up the sentence. It’s not used a lot but it is helpful for learning how sentences are put together. If you want to know the steps, head over to  Wikihow  to diagram your own sentences. Who Versus Whom Who and whom are really similar. Only a letter apart but like son and sun, there is a difference. Who means to ask “what or which person or persons?”. Whom is used instead of who as the object of the verb or preposition, the object is having something done to them. If you answer the question with he/she/they then it’s who ‘Who is that?’ ‘Who is the host of the party?’ If you answer the question with him/her/them then it’s whom ‘He kissed whom?’ ‘Whom did you choose?’ Quotation Marks for Emphasis To be grammatically correct, there are a few ways to use quotation marks and a few ways to not. Yes. Do use quotation marks. Put them around direct quotes. James said, “I love fireworks” Use them to mark the titles of smaller works like articles, songs, poems, chapters. You use italics or underlining for larger ones, like books, plays, anthologies, and albums. “Interviewing Chetreo “, “Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia, “Ten Honest Thoughts on Being Loved by a Skinny Boy” by Rachel Wiley If there’s a term that’s unfamiliar to your audience or is used in a nonstandard way, then use quotations. Then the concept of “Otaku” culture is further discussed in the lecture If a non-technical term is used in a technical sense use quotations. The theory examines the way that messages “travel” from the speaker to the audience No. don’t use quotations marks. Don’t use quotation marks for emphasis, use italics instead. I’m for sure, “absolutely” sure.  Don’t put quotation marks around indirect quotes or paraphrasing. Yeah, I heard him say that he “wanted to ask her out”  If you’re using cliches or other overused expressions, don’t use quotation marks. It’s just “water under the bridge” Janet.  Don’t put quotation marks around yes or no if they’re used alone. He said “no”.  If you use the phrase so-called, don’t use quotation marks around the word afterward. They’re the so-called “owner” of the restaurant. Doing Good or Doing Well These are two often used responses to the question “How are you doing?” Doing good means that you are actively doing good, or participating in making the world a better place. It’s altruistic but doesn’t really answer the question. Doing well means that you and your circumstances are good. This is what people mean when they say they’re doing good. Irony Versus Coincidence  Irony and coincidence are very often confused with one another. Irony suggests a binary, an opposite or a contradiction to the outcome. For example, irony would be a fire engine on fire or a vegan chef at a BBQ restaurant. Coincidence suggests chance or fate or a fluke. Rain on a parade isn’t ironic, it’s just a coincidence. Seeing two people on the train that don’t know each other but are wearing the same outfit is an eerie coincidence but not ironic. Figurative Versus Literal Literal  Definition In a literal manner or sense; exactly. ‘She literally punched me’ [informal]  Used for emphasis while not being literally true. ‘I was laughing so hard, I literally died’ Literally is meant to be used in the exact sense, without exaggeration. It’s what’s actually happening. However, it’s been used more and more in informal settings to be used as an intensifier. It’s becoming synonymous with figurative even to the point of being included in the definition in some dictionaries.  Figurative Definition Departing from a literal use of words; metaphorical. ‘She was figuratively flying’ Artwork representing forms that are recognizably derived from lifeTheir artwork is figurative of something. ‘This artwork is figurative of 1920’s romanticism’ Figuratively is meant for the figurative, the metaphorical. It’s about what’s happening in a figurative sense. Errant Definition  Straying from the accepted course or standards.‘ An errant poet decides to write in full sentences’ Not in the right place; having moved from the correct position or course. ‘An errant string hangs from her Bruce Banner sweater’ Writing in Emoji’s Emojis are fun and cute. In a casual setting, they help to convey meaning in text messaging when there isn’t any tone or body language or facial expressions. However different emojis could mean different things to different people and different situations. They’re great for casual conversations as long as they add to the meaning and don’t muddle it. Also, don’t use them in an academic essay. Tell me in the comments, what word crime annoys you the most?

The music world is in deep mourning over the loss of Dolores O’Riordan, the iconic lead singer of the Irish rock band The Cranberries. “It is with great sadness that I have learned of the death of Dolores O’Riordan, musician, singer and songwriter. Dolores O’Riordan and The Cranberries had an immense influence on rock and pop music in Ireland and internationally. I recall with fondness the late Limerick TD Jim Kemmy’s introduction of her and The Cranberries to me, and the pride he and so many others took in their successes. To all those who follow and support Irish music, Irish musicians and the performing arts, her death will be a big loss,” says Michael Higgins, President of Ireland. The world has lost another fantastic musician. The lead singer of the band, Cranberry , died earlier this January. Dolores O’Riordan died at the age of 46 at a London hotel . Tragically, she passed away unexpectedly on January 15, 2018, at the age of 46. Her sudden death, which occurred in a London hotel, sent shockwaves rippling through fans and the music community worldwide. In the aftermath of this devastating news, many people are taking time to reflect. They are considering her profound impact on music and culture. History of the Band The Cranberries were an alternative rock band from Limerick, Ireland that formed in 1989 and rose to mainstream popularity in the early 1990s. Niall Quinn initially led the band. A year later, O’Riordan became the lead singer. The name then changed to simply The Cranberries shortly after. Along with guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan, and drummer Fergal Lawler, they made up the indie rock band. They brought classics such as “Linger” (1993) and “Zombie” (1994). During the 1990’s they had risen to global fame with O’Riordan as their new lead singer. Through the 1990s, the Cranberries sold over 15 million albums in the United States alone. My first time hearing Dolores O'Riordan's voice was unforgettable. It threw into question what a voice could sound like in that context of Rock. I'd never heard somebody use their instrument in that way. Shocked and saddened to hear of her passing, thoughts are with her family. — Hozier (@Hozier) A Voice Like No Other Dolores O’Riordan’s passing is a significant loss, but her music continues to inspire. With over 40 million albums sold worldwide, her voice remains a testament to her artistry and spirit. Whether through the defiant cry of “Zombie” or the tender strains of “Linger,” her songs endure, offering solace and inspiration to generations. “‘Linger’ was the first song I wrote after joining the Cranberries,” O’Riordan told  Rolling Stone  during an interview in 2017, “We never imagined it’d be such a big hit.” She wrote the song after being publicly dumped by a guy. O’Riordan explains in an interview with The Guardian. “I couldn’t wait to see him again. But at the next disco, he walked straight past me and asked my friend to dance. I was devastated. Everyone saw me being dumped, publicly, at the disco. Everything’s so dramatic when you’re 17, so I poured it into the song,” She continues. “Linger” Covers Originally by Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries Choir! Choir! Choir! Choral Cover of “Linger” Brenda Andrus, Mike Massé, and Jeff Hall’s Cover of “Linger” Mariachi Entertainment System ‘s Mariachi Cover of “Linger” Brendan Ryan ‘s Cover of “Linger” Estranged ‘s Cover of “Linger” Ramona Rox ‘s Cover of “Linger” The Heat & the Homespot ‘s Cover of “Linger” Rest in peace, Dolores O’Riordan. A Legacy That Endures In conclusion, the passing of Dolores O’Riordan marks a significant loss not only for The Cranberries and their fans but also for the entire music world. Through her unforgettable voice and heartfelt lyrics, she connected with millions, leaving a legacy that will undoubtedly endure for generations to come. Moreover, as fans revisit her iconic hits like “Zombie” and “Linger,” they are reminded of the emotional depth and powerful messages embedded in her music. Furthermore, her influence continues to resonate, inspiring countless musicians and listeners alike. While the world grieves this extraordinary loss, the outpouring of tributes and shared memories serves as a testament to the profound impact she had. Ultimately, Dolores O’Riordan’s life was tragically cut short. However, her artistry will forever echo as a beacon of creativity. It also displays passion and resilience.

“Once I rose above the noise and confusion Just to get a glimpse beyond the illusion I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man Though my mind could think I still was a mad man I hear the voices when I’m dreamin’, I can hear them say” “ Carry On My Wayward ” by Kansas Wayward Sisters of Supernatural Wayward Sisters is a spin-off series of S upernatural . Their first episode was a backdoor pilot on Supernatural’s season 13 episode 10 of the same name. It’s pretty exciting for everyone in the fandom (Trust me, I’m in the fandom). The spin-off series lets the Supernatural universe branch off in a different way. The series is telling stories from the perspective of Supernatural’s women. Female Representation within Wayward Sisters In an  interview  with Sydney Bucksbaum of  The Hollywood Reporter , Kim Rhodes, the actor who plays Sheriff Jody Mills, explains it really well. This spin-off series is not about women taking the spotlight away from men; it’s about sharing the spotlight. Rhodes explains, “I want a bigger game. I want a bigger playing field. I want more. This isn’t about, ‘Finally, it’s the girls’ turn!’ It’s more about expanding the perspective and honouring the fact that we are now able to tell a story from points of view that we haven’t seen before.” In the same interview , Briana Buckmaster, who plays Sheriff Donna Hanscum, agrees, “We’re not trying to say, ‘Our turn or move over.’ We’re trying to say, ‘Here we come.’ Equality in terms of ‘We want to play, too.'” They agree that this can provide a kind of empowerment to women without taking anything away from the narratives and characters that already exist. It’s a way to add to the universe, not replace it. “I want empowerment for everyone through good storytelling and valid points of view that represent voices that haven’t been represented yet. Within that, if people tie that to political movements and to the explosion of feminine power, I love that and I want that to be done in the spirit of inclusivity and expansion.” Rhodes continues. Carry on My Wayward Son Song Covers To drive the point, the title of  Wayward Sisters is a wordplay on the lyrics of Supernatural’s theme song, “Carry on my Wayward Son”. This title is so perfect for a lot of reasons. The main characters in the shows are sisters and are as wayward as you can get in the Supernatural universe. It is a beautiful wordplay on the iconic Kansas song. Since a spin-off is kind of like a cover, this post is meant to look at cover songs of the ever-so-fantastic and iconic song. Here are some covers of the theme song. A powerful and phenomenal cover by Barone Produções A fantastic cover and CMV or cosplay music video by Iacovos  A soft and gorgeous lullaby cover by Tessa Netting A stunning and simple cover by Styna Lane A gorgeous violin cover by  dcrow4 A fantastic cover by Quietdrive A gorgeous cover at an open mic night by Daniel Mooney A wicked metal cover by Within the Ruins A fantastic a acapella cover by Peter Hollens and Stevie T. An excellent ASL cover by MPextended .

Effect of Popular Music Covers Designed in Different Styles on Acclaim of Pre-Service Teachers by Murat Devrim Babacan What? An academic journal article? For a blog about song covers? Say what?? Yep, covers are a cool topic, and anything can be a topic for an academic article. Try searching for gummy bears or tattoos on Google Scholar, and you’ll see what I mean. This article, written by Murat Devrim Babacan, explores the differences between original songs and their cover versions. The research involves junior and senior pre-service music teachers as participants and examines the concept of cover songs. Using a qualitative research method, the researcher collected subjective data rather than just numerical figures. The participants listened to three original songs, each accompanied by two cover versions, and then completed a survey afterward. Murat Devrim Babacan aims to find out. What is the distribution of music types that the subjects would like to listen to What are the criteria that the subjects consider when deciding to like or dislike a song? What is the distribution of the preferences between original and cover versions of songs? What are the reasons for liking the song chosen by the subjects? There’s a lot of helpful information in the article, so feel free to read it here . For this post, we’re going to focus on the cover songs and the participants’ opinions of them. First Set Original 1 Billie Jean by Michael Jackson Cover 1 Billie Jean by The Civil Wars Cover 2 Billie Jean by Anderson & Roe Song/Cover N % Michael Jackson 14 28.6% The Civil Wars 26 53.1% Anderson & Roe 9 18.4% The Civil Wars' cover was preferred over both the original version and another cover. Compared to the original, The Civil Wars' cover better resonated with listeners in terms of the sensations and emotions it evoked. This rendition is more sentimental, sincere, and soulful. Essentially, The Civil Wars' cover has a greater emotional appeal than the other versions. Second Set Original 2 All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor Cover 1 All About That Bass by Avi Kaplan Cover 2 All About That Bass by Kate Davis Song/Cover N % Meghan Tailor 17 34.7% Avi Kaplan 12 24.5% Kate Davis 20 40.8% The cover of this song by Kate Davis is preferred over the original because of her impressive vocals. Unlike the original, which may not have emphasized the human voice, Davis’s rendition is delivered entirely through singing. Listeners appreciated her vocal performance for its distinct style and captivating quality. As a vocalist for Postmodern Jukebox, Kate Davis brings a fresh sound to the song, giving it an extra stylistic edge. Third Set Original 3 Değirmenler by Bülent Ortaçgil Cover 1 Değirmenler by Deniz Sipahi Cover 2 Değirmenler by Teoman Song/Cover N % Bulent Ortaçgil 16 32.7% Deniz Sipahi 17 34.7% Teoman 16 32.7% Deniz Sipahi's cover outperformed the others due to its unique instrumentation and arrangement. The guitar, in particular, was noted for adding a distinct quality to the song. This cover succeeded because of the way the music was presented to the audience, offering a fresh sound through its instrumental choices. Concluding Thoughts In conclusion, these specific cover versions seem preferred over the originals. Yet, the reasons for this are extremely diverse. They range from emotional response and vocal quality to instrumental and arrangement. Thus, covers can be seen as better than the originals for a vast variety of reasons. However, this article provides the evidence of three songs and two corresponding covers. This doesn’t provide a complete view of all songs or all covers. I think it does offer an interesting point that cover songs are legitimate as a musical form. It also highlights that everyone has their own subjective tastes in music. Babacan, M.D. (2016). Effect of Popular Music Covers Designed in Different Styles on Acclaim of Pre-Service Teachers. Educational Research and Reviews, 11 (8), 812-822. Do you agree with the participants' responses?  Check out the song links and let me know what you think.

Switching Styles, a music blog, started during a car ride with my family  when I had the AUX cord . “Not another cover,” groans my little sister, “Don’t you have other music?” “Nope, not really,” I tell her unapologetically. This is how it all started. My sister’s annoyance with my fascination for covers, parodies, and remixes. This publication began with the sentiment, “Tell someone that cares.” This fascination has led to a blog all about the different styles of songs and artists, from comedy to reggae to metal to anything you can imagine. Switching Styles is a way to connect with others who love weird and obscure music. When it’s all said and done, she has to admit there are a lot of great covers out there. Switching Styles is here to bring you content centred around covers and parodies. Switching Styles is an online blog or publication that follows the topic of music. It focuses on weird, obscure, and random topics, as well as overarching music news. It’s a bit of a mixed bag. Focusing on music, this blog aims to provide its audience with exciting content and musical suggestions. Why start a blog on cover and parody songs? The short answer is that I like them enough to put them into a blog. I find them on YouTube, or I stumble upon them on Facebook . It interests me as a writer and a journalist, so I research them. I talk with people about them. The more I do those things, the more interested I get. I’m delighted by them, and I want to share that with people. What’s the story behind the blog? The Long Answer? The long answer starts with being an older sister. I grew up with a little sister. She’s annoying, but she’s my best friend. Anyway, we both have a love of music, but our musical tastes don’t always seem to mesh. We both like music that ranges from metal to rap, to reggae, to pop, and beyond. Though there’s a lot of chance for crossover, it doesn’t mean it happens often. Thus, to avoid any hassle while driving anywhere, we would take turns controlling the AUX cord. Either you get to control the music, or you get to have the front seat. With the AUX cord, it’s a chance to show off new songs and hear the grumbling coming from the front seat. Both of us are guilty of this grumbling at one point or another. The main thing my sister complains about is the number of covers I have on my phone. For certain songs, I have numerous versions. For other songs, I don’t even have the original. This is her main complaint, as she generally prefers the originals to the covers. Later, I knew I wanted to start a blog and asked my baby sister what I should write about. She was really helpful and said that I could write about anything my heart desires. Since that didn’t narrow it down, I knew I wanted to write about something that I care about, that I find cool, and that I spend time on anyway. Thus, covers seemed like a decent idea. The more I considered it, the more I realized that I could do it and enjoy it. And if you're reading this, it means you probably enjoy it too. Music Blog Conclusion The simple answer to the long story is that I started a blog about covers and parodies because I wanted to share them with people. I want to write about unique songs because they aren’t the original.