“The Playlist” Goes Hollywood To Name-Check The A-List

Hollywood has had a great deal of attention over the 1st month of 2012, with numerous award shows saluting the best in film and TV, and inching closer to the biggest prize for any actor - the Academy Award.  This week's version of "The Playlist" attempts to come up with a set of music that name-check those stars who you know and still have some relevance.

We have seen many hit songs over the years have their roots in stories about famous people.  Alanis Morissette had a monster hit of the 90s with"You Oughta Know", and it was believed to be about her ex Dave Coulier (who you remember from Full House).  Billy Joel has his classic "Uptown Girl" initially inspired by his ex-girlfriend Elle Macpherson, but it ended up becoming about his ex-wife Christie Brinkley.   INXS wrote "Suicide Blonde" supposedly about Kylie Minogue, just to give you some examples.

There are many songs that mention historical figures, like U2 speaking of Martin Luther King in "Pride", or Falco pulling up Mozart in "Rock Me Amadeus".  Many songs pay tribute to those who have passed on but who have had a great influence - Bon Jovi salutes Sinatra and they way he did it in "It's My Life", Elton John salutes his dear friend John Lennon in "Empty Garden", and Kim Carnes speaks of "Bette Davis Eyes" just to name a few.

What the focus is of this version of The Playlist is those Hollywood stars that are alive in one way shape or form today, potentially creating an A-List of Talent that could make a great cast for a movie (although no movie studio could afford it!)  The songs feature some of the hottest in Hollywood, some of the legends still going, and a few who have stumbled but are still trying:

Hot Chelle Rae - Tonight Tonight ("Kind of looks like you, mixed with Zach Galifianakis", who you see pictured and remember from "The Hangover")

Toto -- Rosanna (referring to Rosanna Arquette, who apparently was the inspirations for In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel)

Weezer -- Buddy Holly ("....and you're Mary Tyler Moore", recently the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient at the SAG Awards)

ABC -- When Smokey Sings (saluting Smokey Robinson, whose acting career have included roles in "Hollywood Homicide" on the big screen, and a recurring role in "One On One" on television)

Shawn Mullins -- Lullaby (talking big parties with Cher showing up - quite the party!)

Bowling For Soup -- 1985 (mentions our own "Boss", but for our purposes of The Playlist we bring Madonna on board and name-checked!)

Ne-You feat. Pitbull -- Give Me Everything ("Got it locked up like Lindsay Lohan", who sued for this mention)

Bananarama -- Robert DeNiro's Waiting (Top-10 hit throughout Europe in '84, and it's DeNiro!)

Gorillaz -- Clint Eastwood (Never mentioned in the 2001 song at all, but he's in the title.  In 2005, the group recorded Dirty Harry ........ obsessed much?!?!)

Eminem -- The Real Slim Shady ("Will Smith does not have to curse", and he has 2 Oscar nominations while Marshall Mathers has not done a film in 10 years)

Jewel -- Intuition ("You learn love from Charlie Sheen", which is a good thing how?)

Outkast -- Hey Ya ("Now Beyonce and Lucy Liu", do a film together maybe.  While motherhood has interrupted Ms. Knowles life, Lucy can be seen on "Southland" on TNT)

Shania Twain -- That Don't Impress Me Much (even if you are Brad Pitt and are up for an Oscar)

Cracker -- Teen Angst ("What the world needs now is a new Frank Sinatra", who lives through the next comedic actor who is very much alive)

Tom Petty -- Jammin' Me ("Take back Joe Piscopo".  Jersey's own SNL alum who tours as Sinatra performing an act that should be experienced)

Elton John -- Candle In The Wind (Norma Jean in the song is Marilyn Monroe, which is her birth name.  She's come back to life this year through Michelle Williams and her Oscar nominated performance for "My Week With Marilyn")

Blessid Union of Souls -- Hey Leonardo (The charm of Robert Redford, makes you laugh like Jim Carey, and the song is named for Leonardo DiCaprio.  Also mentioned is that guy from "Fargo" who is Steve Buscemi)

Ke$ha - Tic Tok ("Wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy".  The actor side of Diddy goes by his real name Sean Combs, and his resume includes "Monster's Ball" and "Get Him To The Greek")

New Radicals - You Get What You Give (Courtney Love gets mentioned, and she has received strong reviews for films like "Feeling Minnesota", "The People Vs. Larry Flynt" and "Man On The Moon")

Billy Joel -- We Didn't Start The Fire (I believe 46 people are name-checked, including Eddie Murphy)

Program these 20 songs into your iPod and enjoy "The Playlist" for this week.  Feel free to add to this list with your own ideas.