Couch Tomato

Yes Happy Saturday. I actually have the day off. No jobs to work today. I'm going to the famers market which we do every saturday and then going to do some cleaning. Hope everyone has a great day.

Dill pickles don't do that much for me. One is always enough. But I definitely have to be careful around bread and butter pickles.

Sunday is my most taped night I think. So much on but damn Amazing Race Fans. Just in case you haven't watched yet. DAMN. I won't say anything. So Clay is watching Celebrity Apprentice, did he say. Thank God I never have to watch it again.

So one of this year's idol contestants TRIED to sing BOTW this past week. It was a trainwreck. It was nice to see Clay's name pop up in a few places as people still remember the fabulousness of his version.

Perusing One happy belated. Hope you had a great one.

LOL at that. I almost posted the same exact thing on facebook yesterday -- but my chosen bottle of choice was shampoo. LOL.

Kelly is killing it.

I took 2 days off just because I was sick of going to work. I felt so exhausted. So back to work tomorrow!

Snow days. I wish I had them LOL.

I know I'm a bit stress when I listen to Good News 20 times in a day.

Oh that's so very nice of him. I was a member of Clayboard for a few years but never settled in there. They were good for concerts. They were the first IIRC to bring concert reports. They were a hoot. Congrats Clayboard!

Lucky I think you are an honorary north Carolinian

I may try to do something like last year where I attached a vacation to the gala week but most of my ideas are on west coast. When do tickets normally go on sale.

I see the champions gala is in charlotte this year on October 12th. I loved it last year but honestly the DC location is what really enticed me.

Eh that's not bad about Clay although I'm sure Clive's memories only allows himself to be right on all counts. But I still tend to believe Kelly's point of view. I don't think he cares for people that don't cowtow to him and I remember that fight over that one album. I do believe he sabotaged it and that every word she wrote in her blog was true. When I think of Clive he reminds me so much of Al Davis, Raiders owner. Genius, sure but also believing only what they think has any meaning. I also think he is petty and vindictive and I hope Kelly doesn't suffer more of his pettiness by speaking out against him. It was quite brave and I have a feeling it wasn't a rash decision to do so. Since she's already backtracked a bit I have a feeling that pressure it being applied all around.

Well crap. I don't usually get home until about

I made it with 6 minutes to spare. Happy Birthday desertrose. Luckiest I read your facebook so KNOW you had a great birthday.

JMH loved your email story.

Sounds like a fun gig for Clay. For those that can, enjoy!!

I watched but then I turn the channel before the talking heads start up.

Good for you Fear. I'm trying to find the perfect volunteer opportunity. I'm thinking about doing some tutoring.

I finished my taxes on Sunday. Just waiting for the refund.

So sorry to hear about Dolce. I saw her at the gala as well. And we've had a couple of clayventures together.

Methinks he really likes Beyonce...

LOL..this made me laugh so hard. She is a beauty. I wonder why she chose to lip synch at that event. It's not like she's Ashley simpson. She CAN sing. I don't understand these people that want to be perfect. Let us hear and see the real emotion. Even when I watched the event I thought Kelly's song was so much better despite her imperfections and nervousness. Plus I just loved that moment when she seemed to get a bit flustered. I love Kelly Clarkson and if you know me you know I've come a long way.

JMH

Love your list. I really agree about Something About US. It is just gorgeous. I thought Clay did an amazing job on When Doves Cry. I mean it's a PRINCE song. Prince! LOL He did it justice.

I've been listening to a lot of my favorite songs lately. And Clay has sung so many of them. A song I really love is Fantasy by Earth, Wind and Fire. Every time I listen to it I can see Clay on that Idol stage.

This has been an extremely busy week at work. We're short handed but nobody cares. They just expect the work to get done. On top of my normal work load, there are 3 American ships and 4 cruise ships we're working on. Last night I fell asleep at 7:30 and still didn't want to get up this morning.

That was very sweet. Thanks for posting!

Thanks Merrieee. Looking forward to watching. I'm sure it's wonderful.

LdyJ, yes I'll start a new thread and post all the top 13 lists. Probably tomorrow.

Merrieeee...are you talking about the xmas concert in 2012? I'd like one if there are any left.

6. There is the most kickass version of Rosanna out there - I heard it on a cellcert - and we never got audio - but it lives in my memory

Loved your list K. I LOVE Roseanna. It was the last song I kicked off my list and kept Solitaire instead. What's this version of which you speak!

Glad you are loving your job!!

I don't have a radio. I only listen in my car and even then it's mostly sports. But my car has been parked for the last couple of years so it's only when I'm in my sister's car and my niece seems to control that now with the pop station.

I wish him a lot of luck. I think he'd enjoy it. It would be kinda ironic if he had a hit radio show after all his struggles with getting on with his singing..

LadyJ..thanks for the Dolly version. I love her. And I like her version.

Here's my list. i am a concert ho and I am mostly influenced by the songs he sang in concert. Very few of his songs sound better on a recording than in concert. When I was making up my list I realized I am Clay's perfect little fan. I love his type of music. It's my type of music. All of my favorite artists are balladeers e.g. Luther Vandross, Marc Anthony, Marvin Gaye (well most people wouldn't describe him as a balladeer but that's what HE wanted to be and had to fight to put out some music of that type ha ha). A lot of the songs I love build to this wonderful crescendo that just pulls me in.

13. These Open Arms -- I can listen to two lines of this song forever. "And what if every one you ever loved was torn from the pages of your life, would you reach out for tomorrow or try to turn back time" My heart just melts every time he says "torn" with that little break in his voice. I have hit replay a thousand times just to hear that part again. I have no idea who sings the original. Never heard it.

12.

- Unlike most folks it wasn't Idol or even the single that did me in. I liked those but wasn't wowed. Idol version was just too cut up and short. It was seeing it in Greensboro live for the very first time. And then the next night in Greenville. I still listen to the Greenville version of that song. It wasn't perfect either. But deep voiced Clay. Holding out the long note. The drama of the final note. I was STUNNED.STUNNED I tell you. I remember just sitting there in complete awe.

11. Broken Wings I loved the original. And I love this even better. Love the duet. Love her voice with his. Love the poetry. It's just a lovely lovely song.

10. Because You Loved Me - Is this a shock? ha ha. This is one of my favorite recordings from Clay. Why? Because I did my one and only slideshow with this song. The year I was unemployed and couldnt' give xmas presents I made a slideshow of the kids and gave it to my sister as a Xmas present This was one of the songs I used. I heard it over and over and over and over again as I pieced together that thing. And then when I was almost done with it, my computer crashed and I lost it and I had to do it all over. I know this song like the back of my hand. And man, I looked at it the other day. I hadn't seen it in YEARS and it made me cry. The kids are 13 and 10 now so seeing them as 1-6 year olds just brought back a lot of memories. I will always feel connected to this song.

9. The Prayer - Clay and Hannah - OMG, this was one of the best days ever. My lurker friend told me about this event and suggested I should get tickets because just maybe, MAYBE, Clay will show up. They were dirt cheap so I bought tickets to both nights. Not only was it a fabulous event but Clay did indeed show up on the second night and sang this. And while the whole bit is this comedy thing with laughter in the background - the two of them sang it perfect straight. I loved it. Hannah was my girl friend for a few months during the Spam run LOL. And they sounded so fabulous and had such a great reception. This is one of my favorite Clay events EVER.

8. To Love Somebody - Favorite song from IDOL. So happy to finally here it sung live.

7.

- As Fear I think said - very romantic song. And I loved it the first time I heard it. And then I saw this slide show with the First Couple and damn if my love for it didn't increase ten fold.

6. Lover All Alone - He wrote it. The words are beautiful but so is the music. A perfect partnershp!

5. Suspicious Minds - Jukebox tour - favorite tour STILL - so many songs I loved from that tour. But this was the song that I fell in love with it. I hadn't heard the Elvis version before the tour. It was a different type of song for him. Not a ballad. No really the big bombastic notes. it was fun. I like that I have the recorded version though as the girls tended to be a bit shrill on the live versions.

And here is where my childhood comes in. I'm a preachers kid. I spent much of my early life in church. And while I have as they used to say backslided - what I remember most from all those nights in church is the music. I was in the choir. I played the piano or organ in church services. I love gospel music. I love inspirational music. And Clay sang it with such a sincerity and passion and conviction. I would have been perfectly happy if he put out a gospel album. Which is why 2 of those songs are in my top 4.

4.

- This song for me is all about Clay's performance. El Cajon Good News JNT04 may still count as my favorite concert moment ever. When he gets to the part toward the end that goes "Oh I bring you good news... and he does those high note riffs..man he hits me right where I live.

3. You Were There - From the first note to the last I believe. I love every last note of this song. But when he gets to the end it takes me right back to my childhood. I love it. He kills it.

You were the Victor and the King

You were the power in David's swing

You were the calm in Abraham

You are the God who understands

You are the strength when we have none

You are the living, Holy one

You were, You are and You will always be

the Risen Lamb of God

2. Tears Run Dry -- favorite song that never made an album.

1. As Long As We're Here -- favorite Clay song of all time. I love the words, the celtic beat, the change of tempo, the wailing - everything about it

And that's it. I weep for some songs that just missed the list. One was actually on the list until I started writing this note but I felt Solitaire just had to be on the list.

JMH, yes Geekette just helped me recover my password and I was able to download some things that I've lost over the years.

Fear's list:

Fear we share 5 favorite songs. I love your list.

1. As Long as We're Here- Best song ever. I almost melted hearing him sing it at the 2011 gala.

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS Song

3.Without You- My heart always skips a beat during the part where he has a little sob.

lsitI heard thsi song the other day in Lucky supermarket Ha ha. It took me a second to realize it was Clays' version. A couple of weeks ago on Undercover Boss they had the guy from Mood Music formerly Muzak. I love him a lot. Glad to see clay is on their playlists.

5.Something About Us- Best romantic song ever.

yep yep

6. Suspicious Minds- Better than Elvis.

I loved Elivs group up but mostly through the movies. As a pk I didn't get to hear much popular music. I never heard his version of this song. Still havent' heard it.

9.Broken Wings- Love the poetry combined with the song.

Me too

JMH..wow, how unexpected. And what a journey you took with him. I'm glad that you were able to finish. I hope, as he wanted, that it gets published. He sounds like an interesting character.

So I went in seach of the wallingford Good News but couldn't find it in audio. My favorite version is from El Cajon but I couldn't find just the full audio of just it. So then I started just looking for other concerts from 2004 JNT and finally hit one that sounds good and is a good recording. Canfly's version from Detroit. Shortyjill...do you have your Wallingford version just in audio or is it on video.

Luckiest - watched the videos (finally). Both Sides Now is beautiful. But yes Clay we really won't watch you when you're singing. LOL

LadyJ's top 13:

• "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" -- the first time I heard this song, I was driving to work. I almost drove off the road! I immediately said to myself "he was born to sing this song." Such a romantic song, and he sings it so well! I also have to recommend it because it was during the banter before this song that he talked to me and my husband during the 2012 Christmas tour!
  

I love this song LdyJ.

• "Here You Come Again" -- when he hits those low notes during the song, it makes me shiver. I really wish more people could hear this song, and I was really hoping that this would have been released as a single from ATDW. It's such a radical departure from the original version, and I think it would have gotten some major attention.
  

One of my favorites from the album but didn't make my top 13. I think with this song and a few others on this album, I didn't know the original so Clay's was my only version.

Jesus is Love" -- the AMA night was magical. When Clay hit that long note, with the camera swirling around him, I fell off my couch. Amazing.

wow, blast from the past.

Only 2 duets made my list. And honestly I have a bunch of songs that I absolutely adore from the whole gang of Clay, Quiana and Angela and Jacob. I thought they were absolutely marvelous together. I know he was a pain in the ass but I missed Jacob's voice when it was gone from the group.

• "In My Life" -- Clay sings the Beatles. It's a beautiful song, and his tenderness and emotion made me tear up when I heard him do this live.
  

Where did he sing this?

• "Perfect Day" -- such a joyful song, IMO. Past that, I really don't know how to sum up why I like it so much, I just do!
  

My absolute favorite song from the album but some reason it wasn't a concert favorite so overall it didn't make my list.\

I Survived You" -- I'm sure it was projection, but I always wondered who he was directing the emotion in this song during the NAT. I truly love the performance I captured in Dayton. The joy of being in crappy seats...except that they were great for getting clack via the jumbotrons!

I think in the early days I thought Clay was fighting some deep dark demons but later came to believe he was acting. I'm probably wrong on both counts. Anyway had I done this list 5 years ago ISY would have been in my top 5 but with everything else Clay has done it fell out. Still love the concert versions though.