Blythe Spirit

Viva la VIVA

I believe I’ve mentioned that there are just two television stations in our hotel that I am able to understand. CNN International is one. It is definitely the lowly ancestor of Ted Turner’s blockbuster news conglomerate in Atlanta. The newscasters are fine, but they just keep showing the same stories over and over and over and over and over again. I just watched a feature on Marrakesh that I saw for the first time at least two weeks ago. The way my luck is going this week, however, I should probably count my blessings that there’s somewhere for me to turn 24 hours a day in case something major happens in the world. Though they didn’t report on Katie Holmes’s pregnancy, and I’d say that’s major news. What is up with those two? The whole thing is making me regret all the hours I spent belting out “Danger Zone” as I drove my Pinto down Main Street, fantasizing about Maverick as my prom date (though I secretly had the hots for Iceman). It also makes me even more curious about Nicole Kidman. What was she dealing with for all those years?

Here ends the digression.

This post is actually about VIVA, the second TV station that I watch each and every day. VIVA is Germany’s version of VH-1, which seems to be sponsored and/or owned by those evil cell phone ringtone peddlers who brought you Crazy Frog, since the only commercials it airs are those exhorting me to download the latest Sugababes ringtone. Between the ads, I’ve rediscovered my love of music videos. Where are they in the USA? MTV sure doesn’t play them anymore (or at least it didn’t a month ago when I could watch it). I’ve also found some music I enjoy. Here’s a rundown of my latest downloads:

-It took me a couple of listens to warm up to You’re Beautiful by James Blunt. I thought his voice was a little squeaky at first, but I’ve become a convert. I’m sure he’ll show up on the US charts one of these days; he will suck in all the David Grey/Howie Day/Gavin DeGraw/Damien Rice fans (like me).

-Who knew I was a hip-hop follower? I wouldn’t have labeled Emanuela by Fettes Brot (yes, that translates as “Fat Bread,” see those German classes are paying dividends)a hip-hop song, but according to iTunes that’s what it is. To fully appreciate the song you really must watch the video, it features baton-twirling. And who doesn’t like baton twirling?

-When I saw the video for Lass Mich, I thought, “Who is that sleek looking singer in this cool video?” And I then learned that it was Nena. Yes, THAT Nena, 99 Luftballoons Nena. Further proof that all of us look better now than we did in the 80′s. Except Billy Idol. By the way, don’t tell anyone, but my best friend’s older brother told us that 99 Luftballoons has dirty German words in it and that’s why they had to release the censored English version in America. I’ll let you know what the dirty words are when I learn them in my German class.

-I practically had a party in the lobby of the hotel (that’s where the wireless access is) when I downloaded Fiona Apple‘s new album. I’ve been waiting 8 years for this. Can’t wait to see her first video when it hits VIVA.