Too much music, too little time! :D

Hi everyone, I thought I’d start off the week with an eclectic playlist with a theme. Lets’s start with an oldie but a goodie, Buddy Holly “Crying, waiting, hoping”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWdJ7Dy-3iY

I first became aware of this song in the movie “La bamba”, which had a terrific soundtrack. Funny how I clicked on the first link on YouTube and ended up with the movie clip! :D I might explore Buddy Holly in a future instalment. I must say I was surprised at how many songs of his I knew from other people’s covers when I bought a terrific compilation. Okay, moving on with my theme, here’s a less old but just as good to me, from her album “Clearly love”, Olivia Newton-John “Something better to do”

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

This was early on in my discovery of Olivia and I first heard this song on her “Greatest hits” album, after I discovered her in the movie “Grease”. All right, getting a bit deeper in my theme, here’s Richard Marx “Right here waiting”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq8gIQ41wgA

I love this video and the story behind it... I heard that Richard almost didn’t record it, because he just felt it was too personal, but thank God he did. :D Okay, to wrap this up with a bow, here’s one of my favourites and a special performance of it,  Stevie Wonder & Aretha Franklin “Until you come back to me”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md7pchh9A48

May I just say, in case I haven’t mentioned it before, that Aretha Franklin has the absolute best backups in the world, ever? I don’t know what it is, but their sound was beautiful and just perfect, their phrasing tight and wonderfully complimentary to Aretha, just like the Jordonaires to Elvis, the Raylettes to Ray Charles and Alicia Keys’ backups. My favourite performance of the latter being this one and I think should just be frozen in time, Alicia Keys, from her “Unplugged” album, “If I was your woman”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XisnISMLnA

I get goosebumps listening to that one, phew! Sorry to get off track from my theme, but just couldn’t pass this one up... :D That’s it for now, thanks for reading and listening. God bless you all and have a great week, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, I want to take the opportunity presented to me today to add some Canadian contents to my blog. I remembered a specific song today and was happy to find out they were Canadian eh! That actually got me to check out the list of Canadian bands on Wikipedia and starting to go through the list, it reminded me of the good old days of CKGM radio in Montreal, which was the best in the 70's and anyone who lived here then and listened to anglophone radio would agree. Anyway, here is Chalk Circle  with “April Fool”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2cDsqu91q8

Maybe I'll have time to do another Canadian band study in time for the next Canada Day eh! lol Hope you enjoy this fun rock/pop blast from the past. Take care and thanks for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, well here’s a Friday night special, if I’ve ever put one together… I just heard this delicious song by Daryl Hall on TV, it’s called:  “Eyes for you (ain’t no doubt about it)”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xOs6D9W_oo

It’s off his latest solo album called “Laughing down crying, that’s a couple of years old by now. If you just listen to the few first keyboard notes, it’s reminiscent  of the Hall & Oates song “I can’t go for that”. :D So it got me to thinking of a few other of my favorites from Darayl’s solo efforts. Here’s one from his album “Can’t stop dreaming” called: “All by myself”, but it has nothing to do with Eric Carmen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmWy-3X2gD4&list=PL32C20F12EF9B2336

Oh yeah,  nothing like a good old soul song! Speaking of which, off Daryl’s “Soul alone” album, his rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “When did you stop loving me, when did I stop loving you”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFJTov2-V-A

As a general rule, I’m not crazy about people covering Marvin Gaye, but if you do a good job, it’s okay. The last time I  attended a Hall & Oates concert, they sang “What’s going on”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dauTfSvXb0

Daryl said this was a song that should be sung by everyone, every day… :D All right, off his CD “3 hearts and the happy ending machine”, the song “Foolish pride”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5X8S5TCrmc

I could sit here and make a 20 mile long Hall & Oates playlist, but just wanted to point out the sweetest element in their music that I enjoy: the soul. Here’s a good example, “Soul violins”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Giu6mqZlBXY

That one is an original off their “Our kind of soul” album. I love the fact that for that album, Daryl said he and John picked favourites, as they remembered them, making up lyrics if they forgot them or adding to them: it is called “Our kind of soul” after all. :D All right, I won’t pick anything off his “Sacred songs” album that sounds completely different, but my final selection is again from “Soul alone”, a deep and delicious, triple fudge song called « I’m in a Philly mood » :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTw7SYd05vc

Phhhhhew, satisfying and non-fat, 0 calories! Lol Hope you’ve enjoyed this playlist at least half as much as I did. Thanks for reading and listening, keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!;D sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi all, I want to start the week off on a good, or should I say happy note. I’ve discovered this song recently, but mostly on TV, since my pop radio is getting edgyer. Plus, I just learned how to spell his name! Lol Anyway, a perfect bouncy song to energize your week, whatever you’re doing. Here's Pharrell Williams with « Happy »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM

While I’m at it, I’ll add another one I think I’ve heard in a commercial, which seems to be the way to go these days. Obviously, it’s working because it sure brought my attention to it. Actually, I caught on to it because someone sang it on “American Idol”, so here’s   Janelle MONÁE's  “tightrope”

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

I had to look up the  lyrics on that one and here they are:

Janelle MONÁE “tightrope” lyrics:

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/janellemone/tightrope.html

I was having fun reading them, but for some reason, it reminded me of an old Steve Allen bit he used to do, not sure if it was on his show or the “Tonight show” a couple of generations ago. Anyway, he would  point out how “poetry” has changed over the years, by reading aloud, as if he was reading poetry, with a serious tone and some cute little music as background, the lyrics to “Bee bop-a-lula”! lol Rick Dees did this on his own weekly countdown a few years back too.  It’s too bad they don’t have it on YouTube though... Well anyway, hope this helps start off your week nicely, it sure did mine. Thanks for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, I’m posting only one link today. Like most people, I’ve heard this song for the first time on the Grammy awards show last January. I had caught on to some lyrics, but paid more attention this past week, because an “American Idol” contestant sang it. It’s beautiful musically and just wonderful lyrically. As a matter of fact, it’s wonderful enough to post the lyrics, so here you go:

Hunter Hayes “Invisible”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucA63CEuXpo

Invisible lyrics

Crowded hallways are the loneliest places

 For outcasts and rebels

 Or anyone who just dares to be different

 And you've been trying for so long

 To find out where your place is

 But in their narrow minds

 There's no room for anyone who dares to do something different

 Oh, but listen for a minute

Trust the one

 Who's been where you are wishing all it was

 Was sticks and stones

 Those words cut deep but they don't mean you're all alone

 And you're not invisible

 Hear me out,

 There's so much more to life than what you're feeling now

 Someday you'll look back on all these days

 And all this pain is gonna be invisible

 Oh, invisible

So your confidence is quiet

 To them quiet looks like weakness

 But you don't have to fight it

 'Cause you're strong enough to win without a war

 Every heart has a rhythm

 Let yours beat out so loudly

 That everyone can hear it

 Yeah, I promise you don't need to hide it anymore

 Oh, and never be afraid of doing something different

 Dare to be something more

Trust the one

 Who's been where you are wishing all it was

 Was sticks and stones

 Yeah, the words cut deep but they don't mean you're all alone

 And you're not invisible

 Hear me out,

 There's so much more of this life than what you're feeling now

 And someday you'll look back on all these days

 And all this pain is gonna be invisible

These labels that they give you

 just 'cause they don't understand

 If you look past this moment

 You'll see you've got a friend

 Waving a flag for who you are

 And all you're gonna do

 Yeah, so here's to you

 And here's to anyone who's ever felt invisible

Yeah, and you're not invisible

 Hear me out,

 There's so much more to life than what you're feeling now

 And someday you'll look back on all these days

 And all this pain is gonna be invisible

 It'll be invisible

Hunter’s next CD “Storyline” on which the song is featured, will be available in May, but the song is available to download as a single. I think this is gonna be a keeper. Hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, well today being Woman’s Day, I thought I’d share a women theme and luckily, I watched a documentary last night about the Spice Girls. :D Oh yes, I love the Spice Girls, a lot of their songs and their silly movie too. :D Of course, I was with my daughter in that trip in the 90’s, but they did have some nice little pop tunes. Now when you think Spice Girls, there are a few songs you can’t skip over like “Wannabe”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJLIiF15wjQ

And yes, I did learn all the words! Lol This next one is a great dance favourite, “Who do you think you are”:

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

These first 2 were from their album “Spice” and so is the next one that always got to me, of course, “Mama”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsNbhwSXDB8

I know it’s a bit cheesy, but it’s really sweet. :D Next one, from their movie and “Spice World” album, to me, sounds like it could have been sung by the Supremes, had they still been together in the 90’s and it’s called “Stop”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JD6ejmlpa8

I don’t know, it’s just that kind of song and obviously, one of my favourites. Now on a completely different mind frame, here’s a silly little B side my daughter loved called “Spice Invaders”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27eYCTA_rQM

Heehee, I admit, another guilty pleasure... :D All right, let’s go for something a little craftier for the next one, from their 3^rd album “Forever” produced by Darkchild, the song “Holler”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFBWbH5CeRE

I actually really love that album, even though I got it as a gift. My other favourite from it is called “Let love lead the way”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtczIm5XrNo

Say what you will about the Spice Girls, but they were popular enough to be in a Pepsi commercial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnuCDXMoZd4

...and to sing with my buddy Luciano Pavarotti:

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

...at the peek of their career. Speaking of “Viva forever”, in the documentary I was watching again, I realized I had forgotten about a musical that was made, soundtracked by Spice Girls songs in 2012 that was called “Viva forever”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_0kyAoZzj0

From what I understand, it’s the same concept as “Mama mia”, an independant story, using their music. Well anyway, that’ll be enough spice for one sitting, gotta watch for that heartburn... :D I could have done a study of girl groups or something, but thought this would be different and fun. One thing that stood out from that documentary is that aside from Posh (Victoria Beckam), the girls didn’t get into designer clothes and such and just wanted to use regular clothes and be  like every woman or every girl, which added to their appeal. Of course, you know I’ll have to listen to all of those songs tomorrow, but nostalgia is a powerful and beautiful thing. :D Thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, here’s another playlist I’ve been meaning to share for a while. While searching for something on YouTube, I came across this wonderful treasure: it’s sir Michael Crawford’s very last performance in “Phantom of the opera” of the timeless “Music of the night”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJd-EZGps5s

I first became aware of Mr Crawford through a friend who showed me excerpts from his “Performs Andrew Lloyd Webber” CD. I fell completely in love with his beautiful tone, tremendous control and phenomenal sensitivity. I first became very curious about “Phantom of the opera” and got the highlights CD. I pieced the story together through the music and though I’d discovered the POTO theme and MOTN before, he completely captured my heart with this one:

“All I ask of you, reprise”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K0hj0SXpGQ

The emotional ride he takes you on just in this short excerpt  and throughout this musical is almost beyond words… The fact that Andrew Lloyd Webber recognized his potential was a stroke of genius. You see, British fans had been accustomed to seeing Mr Crawford more like this:

“fat cat song”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glkn5aoGW2A

lol This was from an unbelievable  70’s British sitcom called “Some mothers do ‘ave ‘em”. Who would have thought he could go from being a gentle bumbling, accident-proned Frank Spencer, to this powerful Phantom:

Music of the night, as on the cast recording album:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86uFsfbFYbs

Another one that makes my liver quiver… :D Let me take you through a few examples of his range as a singer and an actor.  One of his first singing roles was as the awkward store clerk Cornelius Hackle in the sweet 1969 movie “Hello Dolly” with Barbra Streisand. Here they are with the adorable “Put on your Sunday clothes”:

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

It’s one of my favorite feel-good movies. :D Okay, now to demonstrate the vocal range, here is “Being alive”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOrSTD36PhA

…then moving to  the sensibility range, “Bring him home” from “Les misérables”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NucVZjZKvGQ&feature=related

I’ve discovered in recent years that the high pitch singing like in this one and in the AISOU reprise, is a device to depict being tearful, for obvious reasons. All right, now going for even more dramatic, if that’s possible, from “Jesus Christ Superstar”, the song “Gethsemane”, here in concert:

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

In 1999, he’d start his concerts with that one, saying that if he could sustain that note in the middle, he should be secure for the rest of the evening! :D Mr Crawford has recorded about a dozen albums or so, plus some cast albums and mostly sticks to easy-listening standards, along with Broadway selections. In 1995, he was in a  Las Vegas show called “EFX” and in the cast album, he sang a gorgeous reworking of the John Barry score of the 1980 movie “Somewhere in time”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHy2hpWejNc

…and growing in sweetness, from his “Disney album”, originally from the movie “Dumbo”, “Baby mine”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA4mZQBMLEc

That one brings back sweet memories… Well anyway, I hope you’ve enjoyed at least some of these. Take care and thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi all, today, I just wanted to share a song I didn’t know from U2 called  “I will follow”,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2BqLlVHlWA

Apparently, Bono wrote it for his mom, whom he lost when he was 14. I was listening to a Bono interview last week and they played several U2 songs to make it a special. I’ve always, well almost always liked U2, except in the very beginning. I remember as a teen they always played “Sunday bloody Sunday” on the radio and I wasn’t much of a politically-inclined listener andI remember also that they seemed to have only 1 picture of U2 in teen magazines,)remember those?)  which wasn’t very flattering. Anyway, listening to the special, I realized I was singing along, at least in part, to all the songs they were playing. This reminded me of a scene in the movie “Amadeus”  I rewatched recently, which I luckily found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCnOx4lmnbg

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s fellow composer Antonio Salieri, is explaining to a priest how Mozart had a gift for composing timeless memorable music. This movie makes a great point about it.  So all this to say that I admire how U2 have always managed to stay fresh in people’s consciousness and some of their songs will live on for decades to come. Hey, while I’m at it, I’ll share 2 of my favorites. Being an opera fan, my first choice is pretty obvious, “Miss Sarajevo” with "my buddy" Luciano Pavarotti:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuEt7EvPMVU

Such a beautiful song… Okay so my other favorite wasn’t a single, but a sweet little discovery off the “All that you can’t leave behind” CD my husband brought home one day. The song is called “Wild honey”:

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

I love the whole album, but this song was just a sweet surprise for me style-wise and it just brought pretty images to my mind, so it’s been a repeat button favorite since then. :D That’s it for now folks, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi all,  another quick discovery tonight. Well, it was actually last night, but I just now remembered the title I had to check. I came across this song on Galaxy Jukebox Oldies yesterday”

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

It’s Bobby Darin’s “Plain Jane”. The song wasn’t particularly fantastic, but the lyrics caught my ear in the chorus and the repeated line “Won’t you come out tonight”. I thought it was a cover of this cute little diddy called “Buffalo gal” I’ll share with the help of one of my favourite movie clips:

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

I just love “It’s a wonderful life” and those 2 are so cute... :D Thanks everyone for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3