I’ve found that trying to create a list of the greatest Beatles songs of all time is an impossible task for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there are simply way too many amazing songs to try to put the best in order. I could pick 10 or 20 of my favorite Beatles songs (with difficulty), but putting them in order would be impossible. Secondly, part of what makes the Beatles great is their ability to cover a wide variety of sounds to the extent that picking favorite songs can only accurately be accomplished by album. Alas, this list has been made before, many, many, times. Instead, I’ve decided to make a list comprised of one song from each album that I find to be underrated. There are millions of music lovers who consider themselves “Beatles fans”, but far fewer who really understand the Beatles. Many listen to the same few songs over and over again. The Beatles composed hundreds of songs, thus leaving fans with an overwhelming list to choose from. I hope this list will help those who love the Beatles and could use some pointers in the right direction of some new songs to listen to. This list has one underrated song (in my honest opinion) from each Beatle album written down in chronological order from when the album was released. This list is long, and composed in the extreme boredom of my last few days of Winter break so feel free to skim it, skip around, or peruse it if you are very interested. I encourage you to agree and disagree with me as necessary.
Jacob L. Shapiro,Founding Editor Phil Levin,Founding Editor Michael Shapiro,Managing Editor Doug Yolen,Entertainment Editor Ari Frydman,Staff Writer Rahul Gupta,Staff Writer Scott O'Connor,Staff Writer Seth Samuels,Staff Writer
[As published in the Columbia Daily Spectator on Tuesday, February 2, 2010].
Of the many factors that bring sports fans to the arena, the opposing team is certainly a major motivation.
If your team is good, watching an intense matchup against a top contender is highly enticing. And if your team is bad, heading to the stadium to watch a strong opponent might be your only chance to see the game played correctly for the entire season.
Such was certainly the case two weekends ago when students took the advice of my colleague, Bart Lopez, and “packed the house” for the men’s basketball game against Cornell (which was just ranked No. 25 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll). While Columbia’s chances of winning were slim, many students wanted to get a glimpse at the best Ivy League team in over a decade, the team that almost knocked off No. 1 Kansas over winter break.
[As published in the Columbia Daily Spectator on Thursday, January 21, 2010]
I’m getting really tired with “kicking” in professional football. Does anybody else feel this way?
Football is supposed to be about quarterbacks, receivers, running backs and tough defenses—not kickers and special teams. Yet, as was evident last weekend, kicking and everything that goes along with it is increasingly taking over the game.
Let’s examine the most common uses of kicking from best to worst:
THE PUGNACIOUS PUNT In all honesty, I don’t have too many problems with the punt. It’s relatively fast, doesn’t require any commercials and it serves as a decent way to turn the ball over to the other team. Punters are also pretty skilled when you think about it, and this is especially evident when they try to place the ball within a few yards of the end zone.
But where punting bores me is on the return. The majority of the time, the punt returner “fair catches” the ball, meaning he chooses not to return it. When the receiver does return the punt, he is usually tackled immediately, given the limited range of the punter’s leg compared to the kickoff, where the ball is situated on a tee. Even worse are the monotonous occasions where the returner simply lets the ball bounce.
“The film’s over, it’s as simple as that,” thought director and writer Terry Gilliam’s after receiving news that his lead actor for his new film, Heath Ledger, had died. Gilliam received this shocking news on January 22, 2008 and, within two days, the film’s production was indefinitely suspended. It seemed as if a 30 million dollar budget would be all but wasted. However, Gilliam was determined to finish the film as a tribute to Ledger and decided to find a way to complete it. He weighed several options including digitally inputting Ledger into the film. Luckily, the movie’s bizarre storyline seamlessly allowed for four different actors to contribute to a single character. Therefore, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell, all friends of Gilliam and Ledger, took turns playing Ledger’s character Tony. The three actors agreed to give their earnings from the film to Ledger’s baby daughter, who was left out of an old version of his will. The pressure was on to make Ledger’s last on-screen performance a success. Gilliam did not disappoint with The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
The greatest band you’ve never heard of, Them Crooked Vultures (aka TCV) is comprised of Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, and Queens of the Stone Age lead singer and guitarist Josh Homme. Together this tripartite, with the help of former QOTSA backup guitarist Alain Johannes during live performances, has been making a lot of noise at their live shows. Since their intimate live debut at the cozy Metro in Chicago on August 9, 2009, the Vultures have stirred speculation in the rock world about when an album would be released. With releasing just a few less-than minute long clips of studio songs, the Vultures still sold out most of their domestic and international shows.
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Former University of Illinois mascot Chief Illiniwek
[As was published in the Columbia Daily Spectator on October 28, 2009]
What’s in a name?
In sports, a team’s nickname rarely merits a second thought. If you’re from the Bay Area, you might root for the Raiders and your best friend may support the 49ers. More than likely, you have an amiable rivalry.
But what if your team’s name might be considered offensive by some other party? What if you root for the Redskins or the Indians or the Braves or the Seminoles? Even team names like the Padres or the Yankees touch a nerve from time to time.
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