Too much music, too little time! :D

Hi everyone, well I’m a couple of days late posting something for Bastille Day, but my heart is in the right place. Here’s an artist I’ve been meaning to share for a couple of weeks. My son-in-law is a big music fan too and he had me hear this guy called Christophe Maé. The song I picked is called “Belle demoiselle”, which means “Pretty young lady”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLZJ7exiqj4
I included a link with lyrics if you’d like to translate. :D I have to say that I’m not crazy about his voice, because though he’s passionately delivering his lyrics, his tone is an acquired taste and I usually prefer voices with more fullness. I can however be swayed by a good lyricist and well-constructed melody. I’m not crazy about John Mayer’s voice either, but I own all his CD’s. Back to Christophe, I really love his style. To me, it’s fresh and it’s pure, without having to add layers and layers of production to his music. I checked him out on Wikipedia and he cites Stevie Wonder as his biggest influence, so that’s pretty good! :D Listen to this one called “Je veux du Bonheur”, which means “I want happiness” and the link has lyrics too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz6B0Fp8Fzs
He generally has family oriented themes to his songs and he’s just nicely refreshing to me, hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, today, I want to share a song I found in my YouTube recommendations.  It’s a song we all know, done in a very different way. Here’s Amos Lee with Madonna’s “Like a virgin”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyaOivxqcdE

I think that sung in that way, by a man, brings a whole new, somehow more profound  dimension to it. This is apparently, from something I read on YouTube, part of a new initiative by the research team on “Grey’s anatomy” to bring back old music from the 80’s and seemingly breathe a new life into it and probably into the show too. The lyrics are certainly more significant presented this way. Just goes to show what our Michael always says about good songs... Well who knew? In any case, hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi all, I’m posting today because I got one heck of a surprising E-mail today. I’ve told you before all about the Canadian group Jacksoul, who’s front man Haydain Neale passed away a few years back. Well, I got my first E-mail from them just today! It was technically sent from Sony Music Canada and here’s what it said:

“We have an exciting new song, discovered from the archives of Haydain Neale that we wanted to share with jacksoul fans first. This will be included as part of a new jacksoul Greatest Hits album being released later this year, along with a selection of other previously unreleased songs.”

I was showing off some of my favourite tracks recently, missing this guy’s great voice and this message was quite a surprise. Well anyway, here’s the new song:

Jacksoul “Got to have it”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_9xdODcgx0&utm_content=nllink-3...

It’s so cool: it kind of reminds me of Pharrell! Well anyway, it’ll be wonderful to hear Jacksoul again, whether this was planned or not and although I have all their albums, I’ll be getting that one too. :D Hope you enjoy the song as much as I do and thanks much for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi all, well today’s entry has to do with another unexpected cover. I caught a new song from John Mayer on digital cable in the past couple of weeks and with a little research, I found it was not an original, which surprised me. The song title is simply “XO” and is a Beyoncé cover of all people!  Here’s Beyoncé’s version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xUfCUFPL-8

...and here’s John Mayer’s version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L-Rwxoc2jU

I was reading the comments on the John Mayer video, people saying this one or that one video was better, but I think people should stop comparing apples and oranges and accept each for what they are. In any case, I’m just glad to hear something new by John. Hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, today, June 15, I want to post a special tribute for a dearly departed “friend”, Mr Casey Kasem, who passed away earlier today at age 82. For those who don’t know, he was a radio DJ, starting his professional radio career in the 50’s, moved to syndicated programming throughout the 70s and 80s on both radio and TV and back to radio until only 5 years ago, when Ryan Seacrest took over the duties on the  “American Top 40” radio countdown. He was also known as the voice of “Shaggy in many animated “Scooby Doo” series and I remember him as Robin in the "Superfriends" series too. Casey was my favourite DJ for years, with his great radio voice and he was one of the first instigators of my ravenous hunger/thirst for musical knowledge/trivia and he was such a huge part of my youth, I feel like I've lost a friend...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuXkC1DvuWI

As this video says, he pioneered the countdown format and the “Long-distance dedication”. The first one he read on the air, which I was told, was the inspiration for them, was simply a letter sent from a Beatles fan named Elena, as a “thank you” for George Harrison:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf3pb-DPYQ0

This was in 1964. He apparently started reading dedications as “Letters from the sweetheart tree”. My eldest daughter told me years ago that she’d noticed that no substitute guest host could ever read a dedication in the exact same special way he did... Born Kemal Amin, in Detroit in 1932 to Lebanese parents, he first tried radio during his school days, as a sportscaster for his high school radio station and acted in radio dramas, while studying at Wayne State University. Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952,he worked on the Armed Forces Radio Korea Network as an announcer and both coordinating and again, acting in radio dramas. He began building his professional radio career in the mid 50s in Flint Michigan and sharpened his knowledge of rock trivia and developped his special storytelling style during streches at radio stations in California in the early 60s. Casey apparently started his countdowns on July 4th 1970 and closed up shop exactly 39 years later: July 4th2009. I remember I took it hard...Aside from the radio, I remember him also like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atndzmBqnHU

I heard about Casey’s passing and only read one article. I just want to remember him for the joy he brought to my life, by just being there, my faithful friend, every Sunday morning, for his guiding hand into deepening my knowledge and appreciation  of music, which has been my greatest joy in life. I did hear that he was now on Syrius radio, so I’m really glad to know more generations of music fans will get to know him. I’m truly saddened and my heart goes out to his family and to all loving fans of this much loved radio icon of the 20th century.  Rest in peace Casey buddy and God bless. I’d like to sign off with my “Long-distance dedication” to him, that I’m sending into the universe, Diana Ross’ Missing you”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVlbbk4SPC4

As he used to say at the end of his countdowns: “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!”... and keep your blog-viewing tuned, right where it is... :D Thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, today’s entry has to do with unexpected English covers of French songs. On my “C’est si bon” show yesterday, I heard this pretty song by the fabulous Sam Cooke  called “I wish you love”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEcFDMcvMsw

...which was originally written and recorded by French singer/songwriter Charles Trenet in 1942 and called “Que reste-t-il de nos amours?” (What’s left of our love?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muTtoG399kM&list=PLpTpd_G3agN0T-...

I love how Sam “Cookes” up his own renditions of songs with his warm soulful voice... :D Now, on the punk end of the musical spectrum, this morning, I heard this guy on my 80’s station, Elton Motello singing “Jet boy jet girl”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9B2D2gwms0

My husband recognized the melody and had me hear it, I could not believe it! This is a 1977 song, originally performed by (another) Belgian singer called Plastic Bertrand  with his own version of « Ça plane pour moi » :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVDfmn_TMkI

Despite the nonsense lyrics in 2 languages, this original has the particularity of having been popular and topped some charts in non French-speaking countries and entered the U.S. Billboard chart and peeked at #47 in 1978, according to Wikipedia. Funny thing is, it followed by 10+ years, the footsteps of another Belgian singer: the Singing Nun with “Dominique”. “Ça plane pour moi” has apparently been used in quite a few movies, most likely because of the catchy simplistic repetitive beat and slightly distorted guitar. I wasn’t extremely impressed with it at first, but did enjoy quite a few of Plastic’s other hits, always singing with  a monotonic, nasal cartooney voice. He was crazy popular in the late 70’s and early 80’s here in the province of Quebec: talk about blast from the past! :D Well anyway, I hope you enjoy some of these, thanks for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi all, today, I’m sharing a voice I've just discovered, singing an old favourite. The song is “Body and soul” sung by Julie London:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FaEa0J-Y48

She has a really nice rich tone and nicely laid out delivery. At first, I thought she sounded like k. D. Lang, definitely style-wise, so I double-checked with the radio station. Mr Saucier from the “C’est si bon” show on Espace Musique was kind enough to let me know, so I’ll go on another library expedition! :D It’s a really nice vintage oldies show that has mostly standards, big band and jazz favourites and the perfect wind down after the Saturday opera. Well anyway, hope you enjoy this one and I’ll bring over any new favourites I find in my library dig. :D Thanks for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, I want to share a song I heard on the radio yesterday. It’s by a Montreal-based band called Half Moon Run and the song is called “ Full circle”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azV0Y7v6wsg

I don’t want to promote them simply because they’re from Montreal, but because they have a fresh sound and I love both singles I’ve heard so far, which is pretty rare. Their first single  that came to my attention was called “Give up”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIe-_PdZELA

I have to say I haven’t taken the time to  study their lyrics, but their indi sound is really ear-opening, with 3-part old-school harmonies and very interesting arrangements. Another one to throw on the listening pile, but sounds very promising. Thanks for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, in honor of Mother’s Day today, here’s one for my own mom:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVsPLnT3WiE

That’s a newly discovered version of “Yesterday” by Elvis, the one and only. All right, here’s one for our Michael’s mom, Mario Lanza’s “Addio a la madre”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrmE-JLZHZs

:D I know she won’t see it, but it’s simply to celebrate a very special lady... :D Now I was searching for something for a mother-to-be on YouTube and couldn’t find a song for the occasion, but I did find one my mom used to sing to me and my siblings as a kid, so posting it here as a special:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADABDaEh93g

I’m sorry but this child is too adorable, so I hope you’ll forgive me the transgression... :D BTW, it’s a song about kittens who lost their mittens... :D Thanks for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3