I’ve featured this song once before, but it recently came up in conversation again and I realized more people really do need to hear it. It’s a live recording of T-Pain from Fuse Network where he performed playing piano and singing without auto-tune. Without auto-tune? Yep, you heard me right!

He recently said he would no longer be using auto-tune as he has moved on to a new technology. Unfortunately we haven’t heard much of this new technology because he has said he won’t release his new album until he get 1,000,000 followers on Twitter. Yes, that is kinda dumb reasoning, but for my own selfish curiosity, I’m asking you to follow T-Pain on Twitter so I can hear this new album. I’m really hoping that there are some more “pure” T-Pain tracks on it when it finally releases.

T-Pain – Drowning Again (Live) (No Auto-tune) [YSI]

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Not throwing it back too far this week. Only to 1999. Wow, that’s still 12 years ago. If 1970′s rock was considered classic rock in the 90′s, is 90′s alt rock considered classic now 20 years later? Just wondering.

Anyway, here’s an odd Youtube recording of BNL’s “One Week.” It’s part of their Bathroom Sessions on Youtube. The quality is really poor but the reason I’m posting is because I really enjoy the slightly modified lyrics. Hope you do too.

Barenaked Ladies – One Week (Bathroom Sessions) [YSI]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69cR9J-V-Qg[/youtube]

I don’t know what it was but I was having so much trouble choosing a song to post today. Then in the background I could hear my sister playing some Foxy Shazam. And instantly I knew what I wanted post. If you’ve been following my blog, you may have noticed that Foxy is had become one of my favorite bands. I first posted their music back in May but it certainly didn’t end there. I then found an a cappella version of their song “Evil Thoughts.” It turns out they do that song a cappella live too. And most recently, they appeared on my Favorite Albums of 2010 in the #1 spot.

Well today, here’s another slightly more rare song for you. It’s an acoustic version of their song “Oh Lord.” I’m not sure exactly where I found this because somewhere in the realm of 4 hours watching Foxy videos yesterday. The video is below and it’s worth a watch with Eric’s zany antics.

And oh yeah, after watching all those videos, I can finally give an accurate description of what Foxy sounds like when people ask. They are a Salvador Dali painting of James Brown, Queen, and Iggy Pop juggling fire at a carnival run by Rob Zombie and Willy Wonka. Listen and tell me I’m wrong. Don’t think so.

Foxy Shazam – Oh Lord (Live Acoustic) [YSI]

Usually on a Tuesday, I choose one artist and give you two songs by that person. With Cee-Lo Green’s album officially being released today, he would seem like the obvious choice. But his new stuff has already blown up all over the internet for the past week. Instead, it was Cee-Lo that inspired the choice of the today’s songs.

The first song is called “Open Happiness.” It’s actually from a 2009 Coca Cola campaign but I dig the overall message for the most part. If it was “Find Happiness” instead of “Open Happiness,” I think it’d be a great uplifting song without the Coke overtones. The song isn’t actually Cee-Lo’s. He was one of the collaborators who helped write it along with the producers Polow da Don and Butch Walker.

The second song actually has nothing to do with Cee-Lo Green except that it premiered on his new Fuse show “Lay It Down.” (By the way, check out his show here.) T-Pain, or Tallahassee Pain, is going to be releasing a new album in 2011 and is starting to experiment away from the Auto-Tune sound. Last Wednesday he performed a new song called “Drowning Again” and it was really moving. It was a new side to the man that made Auto-Tune a signature. Here they are for you.

Cee-Lo Green – Open Happiness (ft. Patrick Stump, Travis McCoy, Janelle Monae, & Brendon Urie) [YSI]

T-Pain – Drowning Again (Live) [YSI]

I believe that the pairing of Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse was a match made in pop heaven and my favorite work Danger Mouse has done. I might be wrong about the latter part of that statement because DM has done so much amazing work in his career. Something about his musicality mixed with Cee-Lo’s smooth vocal style drew me into their 2006 album, St. Elsewhere. The extremely famous first single, Crazy,  off St. Elsewhere change so much with how we acquired music. I don’t know if it still holds the record but for the longest time, Crazy was the most legally downloaded song. It boosted iTunes users and overall sales and has been on too many top songs lists to count, yet it never reached number 1 on any US chart.

I believe Crazy will live on as one of those songs epitomizing the first decade of the 21st century. And once again to further their musical talent, Gnarls Barkley have morphed Crazy into a song that has more than one sound. The first song in today’s post is a live stripped down version of the song that Gnarls performed for a website called From The Basement (video below). I love the vocals on this version so much and the purity and truth in Cee-Lo’s voice.

For the second song today, I so wanted to post something from their 2008 album, The Odd Couple, but I just couldn’t. The album just didn’t live up to St. Elsewhere in my opinion. And for as much as I love some songs on it, none can top the joy that Smiley Faces gives me. It’s so upbeat musically, and the lyrics paint just enough of a picture for you to fill the rest in with your life.

I want to be you – whenever I see you smilin’
Cause it’s easily one of the hardest things to do
Your worries and fears become your friends
And they end up smilin’ at you
Put on a smilin’ face

Gnarls Barkley – Crazy (Live Stripped Down Mix) [YSI]

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Gnarls Barkley – Smiley Faces [YSI]

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Gnarls Barkley – Crazy (Live From The Basement)

I’m going to see Third Eye Blind in concert this evening. I think this is artist number 116 for me now that I have seen live. Should be a fun show.

Here’s a live acoustic version of Jumper 3EB performed in Radio 104.5 studios in Philly. The song is off 104.5′s compilation album “Studio Sessions, Vol. 2″ available for free here with a donation to Philabundance. Enjoy the song.

Third Eye Blind – Jumper [YSI]

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Bonus: Rise Against – Swing Life Away (Live acoustic) from “Studio Sessions Vol. 2″ as well.

Like her or not, you have to respect the amount of success Gaga has had in the past year.

And today Miss Stefani Germanotta turns a mere 24 years old. I wish her a very happy birthday and great success in the future. Posted for you today is Gaga’s medley from the 52nd Grammys featuring Elton John. If you are interested in the video too, contact me (contact link on home page).

Lady Gaga (ft. Elton John) – Grammy Medley (Poker Face, Speechless, Your Song) [YSI]

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At Bonnaroo 2008, Ben Folds once again preformed his cover of Dr. Dre’s “Bitches Ain’t Shit.” As you’ll hear in the song, he claims that this will be the final live performance of it and he’s only playing it out of popular demand. I also felt compelled to add Ben’s picture to this post so that you can get a real good look at just exactly who is singing these words.

Whenever I hear Ben Folds speak, it reminds me of Harry Carey so now you know where I’m coming from.

Ben Folds – Bitches Ain’t Shit (live at Bonnaroo 2008) (Dr. Dre Cover)

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Philly’s Radio 104.5 released a compilation album this year free of charge with 11 different studio sessions from throughout the year by different artists. The album opened with Rise Against’s “Swing Life Away.” Although somewhat hesitant to perform it at first, they killed it and it has become one of my most listened to songs this week. The album was provided free of charge through Clear WiMax and with a donation (amount of your choice) to Philabundance. Check ‘em out. It’s a great charity.

Rise Against – Swing Life Away (Live acoustic studio session)

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Alicia Keys’ newest album, The Element of Freedom (Deluxe Version), was released a week ago on Dec. 15, 2009. As part of her promotion for the album, she appeared on The Colbert Report and performed her newest single; a broken down version of Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind.”

Instead of a second verse by Alicia, though, Stephen rapped about his own life and living in New York City’s sixth borough… Connecticut.

Alicia Keys – Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down (ft. Stephen Colbert) [YSI]

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