Lionel Would Be So Proud

It is no secret that I love Cheesy Pop. Especially Cheesy Love Pop. There's something magical about the lyrical rehashing of separations, romance, and general spiritual demise that touches even the grinchiest Grinch, whether it's Whitney Houston saving all her love for a married man, Eric Carmen losing control in his girlfriend's convertible, or Celine Dion convincing herself Jack's untimely death in the middle of the ocean (because Rose was too self-absorbed to scoot her @$$ over a few inches and GIVE HIM A CHANCE AT LIFE, YOU LAZY BITCH) doesn't provide sufficient grounds for her heart not to go on. At twelve years old, a.k.a. the height of my parents' anti-rap campaign, I sought refuge from the trials and tribulations of middle-school hell by falling asleep to mixed tapes of my favorite ballads, providing a soundtrack to the tears I shed over Randy Wooten never liking me in "that" way. Five years, four crushes, and one boyfriend later (who wasn't, unfortunately, Randy Wooten), my collection had grown from one to four.

Last spring, Sarah of Misanthropic-Tendencies decided that bloggers around the world needed to come together and share the music that saw them through their high school years, and really, don't we owe it to Cheesy Love Pop to do the same?

I think we do.

So, without further adieu, Dawnie and I proudly present the

Internet Swap.

Are you psyched? Because we are SO PSYCHED.

Here's the low-down:

Anybody residing in the United States or Canada is welcome to participate. And I hope you do. Not only does this swap allow you to make public your unexplainable attraction to Phil Collins's groovy kind of love, it also provides a way to make new friends and advertise your own blog (though it's not required that you have one to join in the fun). All you have to do is send an e-mail to me with your name and mailing address by Friday, November 17, to reserve your place. All participants will be randomly matched into groups of four, which means you'll be committing yourself to burning CDs for three other people. (To make sure everyone's playing nice and mailing their CDs on time, either Dawn or myself will be one of your three.) Assignments will be distributed that following Monday. All CDs should be mailed on Friday, December 1.

Your CD package should include the CD (duh), which should be protected in some kind of plastic disc case or sleeve, and either a list of the songs or a URL where the list can be found. I did both.

Please include at least sixty minutes' worth of music. To quote Sarah, "Don't be stingy."

Please don't sign up if you can't follow through. The process will involve selecting your songs, buying some CDs from Target or wherever, burning the song list three times, and surrendering six or seven dollars to the post office for mailing. Not a big deal by any means, and I had an absolute blast doing it for Sarah's swap, but Dawn and I were both shortchanged one CD from one of our group members. That sucks. Don't be a party-pooper.

Spread the word! The Lionel button in my sidebar will link back to this post until November 17 so potential Cheesers have easy access to the swap guidelines. Whether you sign up or not, feel free to add it to your own blog with a little linky-link back here so others can get in on the Cheesy Love Song action. (Just be sure to save it to your desktop first. Something about bandwidth?)

Once the CDs are mailed and the song lists have been shared with the masses, maybe we can vote on the Cheesiest Love Song as a fun way to give the whole thing some closure.

What are you waiting for? Lionel's waiting for your iTunes download today!

Comments

[Isabel]

This idea makes me happy and sounds like so much fun. But I am lazy and know I would never follow through.

(And also, my CD would only include Old 97's song. So that wouldn't really count.)

[Lost A Sock]

Count me in baby!

Also I love how, in discussing Rose's selfishness you gently mask the word @$$, to only moments later refer to her as a LAZY BITCH, in caps. You da bomb.

[Silly Hily]

Oh shit, I totally LOST IT on that whole Titanic thing. You called Rose a lazy bitch b/c she wouln't scoot her ass over to give Jack enough room to lay on the damn door with her therefore she had to literally break him off of her and let him float down to the bottom of the ocean and make me cry! Damn her! I never realized Rose made me so angry.
Once again, you crack me up.

This idea? Rocks! But, I'm pretty much a lazy ass, or a busy bitch with NO extra time, so I'm going to be fair and not say yes until I know I can follow through. But I'm gonna try because I do love me some cheesy love songs. Can you say Air Supply?

[debi]

I want to see how many cheesy songs I have and then if I have enough,I will be in. Sounds fun. MY cheesy will be different from yours as I was a teenager in the 60"s and 70"s. Hope that's okay.

[mjd]

What a wonderful idea. I will not have time to participate, but I would love hearing the cheese that others choose. Here is my short list of love songs. I am not sure if they are cheesy, but I like them.

Richie Valens - Donna
The Righteous Brother – Unchained Melody
The Beatles -Yesterday
Air Supply - Making Love Out of Nothing at All
Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender
Bobby Vinton – Blue Velvet
The Platters – Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

[Art Nerd Lauren]

I am soooooo in, Frema! There's nothing better than a mix CD exchange! Woo hoo!

[Art Nerd Lauren]

I am such a hardcore procrastinator (should be grading exams, but I don't waaaaaannaaaa!) that I'm done. I wonder how one person's idea of cheesy will differ from anothers? I can't wait to see!

[Katie]

I'm in, if you'll allow it. :)

[culotte]

For the love of all things holy (Britney Spears, guacamole, and chicken pad thai), sign me up.

[Brooke]

Sign me up too!!!

[takin chances]

I won't have to buy or download a thing. Why, you ask? Because I have enough cheesy love songs already taking up mucho hard drive space that I could do 4 different CDs on my own.

SSB= secret single behavior...of a feminist. :)

I'm in!

[Angela]

Very way cool, I'm totally up for the challenge. I'll shoot you an email when I get home today.

[Sambo V.]

You are so frickin' cute!! ;)

[Number Twelve]

God... if I could only get Smoochie to participate somehow. He had the BEST CHEESIEST 80's rock collection back at Saint Joe complete with Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, you name it!

[Isabel]

I'm in.

[squisita]

I am excited but trying not to get my hopes up. Four years ago I participated in a Panty Chain Letter and dutifully mailed away four pairs of knickers, eagerly awaiting the SIXTEEN that were promised me. I'm still waiting.

[squisita]

That's not as dirty as it sounds. They were NEW underwear.

[alyndabear]

WAHHHH

As an Aussie, I'm going to sit here and whine and hope someone will at least send me the list of songs in their playlist, so I can be lonely and just download the damn things myself.

The end. ;)

[Pam Porter]

Sounds like fun! Please add me if you have room, or if it is not too late.

Thanks!

Pam Porter
Cumming, GA
[email protected]

[Pam Porter]

I just read through the comments, and had to laugh at Isabel's. I love the song from Old 97's about the cat getting lost (murder or a Heart Attack). Now thats not cheesy!!! :) :)