Too much music, too little time! :D

Hi Thresa, good to read you on here!  “When I’m back on my feet again” is my favorite song of all-time, so I had to put it on my music blog. :D I’m really glad to hear that the song is helping you and gives you hope sweetie. As far as George Michael goes, I remember watching videos back in the early 80’s and focussing on faces a lot: I thought he was cute too, but it’s the sweetness of his tone that will always stay with me. Have you heard his “Symphonica” or his “Songs from the last century” albums? They’re really gorgeous. I borrow CDs from my local library, because I’ll never have the time or money to own everything I want to listen to... :D Anyway, I recommend those 2, if you haven’t heard them. Thanks for following my blog sweetie and feel free to share your own taste, comments, discoveries. Take good care Thresa. Big hugs, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi again everyone, I’m not sure if this will be my last entry of this year, but it’s certainly shaping up to be. I thought for a good year-capper, I would share 2 songs. First, my new holiday discovery, with possibly more to come by this artist. I was recently introduced to Dean Martin, which helped me focus on positive energy and steered me in a direction I resisted before for no apparent reason. I was told Dean didn’t have a powerful voice, but he knew what to do with what he had and after much study, I can safely say that I “got it”. The song I want to share is a truly magnificent live rendition of the classic “Silent night” that I found on, from what I can tell, a very early compilation of his. Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9WdfziVVKo

I’m not sure where it came from originally, possibly a holiday TV special. In any case, I’ve heard 1 or 2 studio recordings of it, which he sings in his trademark delicate crooning style, but the above is sung as a monument, addressing every word as if he were looking you straight in the eye, with his gorgeous low register: it gave me goosebumps! The second song I want to share is a repost, but due to the nature of it, I felt it was fitting as a wish for the rejuvenation of a new year. Coincidentally, it’s off his “Renaissance” album, Mr Ray Charles with one of my all-time favorites, “Being green”:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYbGlvO0St4

Here’s to a joyous and peaceful New Year. Thanks to all for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, well here I come with my George Michael tribute. As I’ve mentioned before, the showbiz community has been so hard hit this past year and even in the past couple of weeks, I’m afraid to be backlogged and that’s  pretty sad... Oh my, where do I begin?  I suppose I should start with the logical choice, Wham! of course. I think what I most enjoyed about Wham! was the freshness and exuberance of their musical sound and definitely George’s tone. It would be tempting to list all their great singles here from the bouncy “Wake me up before you go-go” to the catchy “I’m your man” and “Freedom”, but I do think George’s undeniable strength was in the ballads, where you could experience both his vocal power and the vulnerability in the softness of his beautiful tone. My favorite Wham! song will always be “Careless whisper”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izGwDsrQ1eQ

Funny how it’s listed as “George Michael” and not “Wham!” although it’s on their “Make it big” album. I have to say it’s even a bit difficult to sort out in your mind whether the songs are his solo eforts, since we mostly heard his voice. I do have to say “A different corner” had an impact on me too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPWHkK-_a_A\

The low key production, the memorable video and quiet statement of this song, I think helped confirmed pretty early that George would be a star beyond the duo effort. So on to bigger and better things, George geared up his burgeoning solo career with quite a whammer, if I do say so myself, a definite highlight and one heck of a way to bring attention to himself, his first contreeversial song and video, “I want your sex”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vldh7oQD-a4

During his heyday, he had a string of beautiful ballads like “Kissing a fool”, “One more try”, Jesus to a child” and “Praying for time”, all more beautiful than the previous one. As many British singers did, George was influenced by the great soul legends and success allowing, was fortunate enough to share the spotlight with one, none other than the queen of soul herself, Aretha Franklin in the song “I knew you were waiting for me”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDxzQJaA228

Speaking of soul legends, George also sang a familiar to us Stevie Wonder song, “As”, here with Mary J. Blige:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V726_HShyY

This version was recorded in 1999 and reached #4 on the U.K. chart, off George’s U.K. release of his “Greatest hits” album. Lastly, I will share something I found pretty incredible at the time, another example of George’s affinity with great soul songs. This is another one I’ve already shared, I believe on another blog. This is his vision of the magical Gladys Knight & the Pips’ “If I were your woman”, which he, of course, switched to “If you were my woman”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zAhG2kMuDA

This was from a concert for Amnisty International and a wonderful rendition. I do hope you’ve enjoyed this tribute and let’s hope the next ones I’ll be doing won’t be posthumous. Thanks very much for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, well I’ll tell you these days, I’m growing afraid to listen to entertainment news... I’m afraid we’ve lost another great voice and talent: George Michael which shocked me: he was only 53!  The BBC news site states that he died peacefully with no sign of anything suspicious. Still, poor guy... I would like to  make a decent tribute entry when I can take the time, but for now, sadly and not intentionally ironically, I’d like to share one of my favorites with his beautiful voice, “Last Christmas” I believe off Wham!’s... wow, “Music from the edge of heaven” album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI

I should be adding another  entry soon. Rest in peace George and thanks for sharing your gift. Thanks for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, since I’m a little backed up in my offerings lately, I’ll include 2 links today: 1 surprise and 1 discovery, but both soulful. The first one is something I caught on YouTube, on the YouTube home page, waiting for me, right on top of my musical cake. It’s a collaboration between Alicia Keys and Andra Day that I discovered recently. The song is a mash-up I guess, of  Mr Stevie Wonder’s “Someday at Christmas” and I believe Andra Day’s “Rise up”, though it may have other lyrics in the mix:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpaoOBroZFw

It was uploaded on December 9, but no details on which event brought us this gem. I did google it and read they duetted at the DNC last July, but most likely this is a later performance. In any case, it’s pretty darn special! My second link is from an unknown-to-me new Canadian singer called Chloe Charles. I caught this on CBC Radio 2, just before my classical show. Her song is called “Smiling” from her album “With blindfolds on” and here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFd4Q_twqjY

It’s not quite as bubbly as some I’ve shared in the past, but I would definitely put it on a cheerful compilation. :D Chloe combines, according to her Wiki page, soul, pop, jazz and classical. No luck at my local library, so guess I’ll have to go walkabout on YouTube again. This song is  a happy, old-school kind of soul-pop, so hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Hi everyone, have I got an old forgotten and perhaps not even remembered song for you today! According to my friend Wiki, it was recorded in February 1964, it’s by the Bee Gees and it’s  called “Timber”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3hv7YqjYK0

It’s from a darling album called “Peace of mind” I recently found at a thrift store. The song is adorable, with lyrics that go “My heart cries ‘Timber!’ ‘cause I’m falling for you”! lol Seriously, you gotta love the 60s, where you could get away with lyrics like that! XD Seriously, it’s a sweet album, from the very early days of the Bee Gees, that had more of a Mills Brothers feel to the music, with a dash of Beatles harmonies I suppose and not much of the sound we’ve grown to know of the Bee Gees. It was a true gem I’m glad to add to my collection. I do hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading and listening, sincerely, Sylvie <3