Rory, who’s blog, A Guy Called Bloke, is definitely one to add if you aren’t already aware of it, has posted a challenge. (actually it’s the third one, but I’ve been a bit lax). Click on the link to take part.
Although there’s something about they way they are dressed in the video that reminds me of when my Aunts used to get up and dance at a family wedding after a few glasses of wine!
A song that is almost hypnotic to listen to? Albatross by Fleetwood Mac – (This probably works for the next question too) I find the repeating bass so hypnotic and relaxing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXeKi6ZkbOw&t=62s
In doing my research I realised that there are probably as many songs about heartache and breaking up as there are about falling in love in the first place! That shows that it pretty much happens to everyone at some point.
I wanted to be particularly thorough with this subject and nobody did break up songs quite as well as Fleetwood Mac. Both “Go your Own Way” and “Dreams” were both about the break up of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. Lindsey Buckingham wrote “Go your own way” and Stevie Nicks wrote “Dreams” and knowing that their ex partner would have to perform it with them! Revenge is bitter and sweet!. They must have been incandescent with rage when writing them.
Lyrics – Written by Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac. Released in 1977.
Now here you go again, you say you want your freedom Well, who am I to keep you down? It’s only right that you should play the way you feel it But listen carefully to the sound of your loneliness
Like a heartbeat drives you mad In the stillness of remembering what you had And what you lost And what you had And what you lost
Oh, thunder only happens when it’s raining Players only love you when they’re playing Say, women, they will come and they will go When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know You’ll know
Now here I go again, I see the crystal visions I keep my visions to myself It’s only me who wants to wrap around your dreams And have you any dreams you’d like to sell? Dreams of loneliness
Like a heartbeat drives you mad In the stillness of remembering what you had And what you lost And what you had Oh, what you lost
Thunder only happens when it’s raining Players only love you when they’re playing Women, they will come and they will go When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know
Oh, thunder only happens when it’s raining Players only love you when they’re playing Say, women, they will come and they will go When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know You’ll know You will know Oh, you’ll know
Lyrics – Written by Lindsey Buckingham. Released in 1976
Loving you Isn’t the right thing to do How can I ever change things That I feel
If I could Maybe I’d give you my world How can I When you won’t take it from me
You can go your own way Go your own way You can call it Another lonely day You can go your own way Go your own way
Tell me why Everything turned around Packing up Shacking up is all you want to do
If I could Baby, I’d give you my world Open up Everything’s waiting for you
You can go your own way Go your own way You can call it Another lonely day You can go your own way Go your own way
You can go your own way Go your own way You can call it Another lonely day Another lonely day You can go your own way Go your own way You can call it Another lonely day
You can go your own way You can call it Another lonely day You can go your own way
But anyone who knows me, knows I like to finish on a positive note and so I chose this song performed by the Ronettes in 1964 ” The Best part of Breaking up is when you’re making up”.
Lyrics
Baby when we break up from a quarrel or a fight I can’t wait to have you back and hold you oh so tight Tell me why, I want to know oh oh Tell me why is it so oh oh
That the best part of breaking up is when you’re making up Best part of breaking up is when you’re making up But after breaking up, be sure you’re making up with me
Everytime you leave, I get those teardrops in my eyes But they seem to go away when you apologize Tell me why, I want to know oh oh Tell me why is it so oh oh
That the best part of breaking up is when you’re making up Best part of breaking up is when you’re making up But after breaking up, be sure you’re making up with me
C’mon baby, c’mon baby Don’t say maybe Well it makes no difference who was wrong Just as long as I’ll be with you
Baby I’ll be lonely til you’re back where you should be But baby I belong to you and you belong to me Tell me why, I want to know oh oh Tell me why is it so oh oh
That the best part of breaking up is when you’re making up Best part of breaking up is when you’re making up But after breaking up, be sure you’re making up with me The best part of breaking up is when you know you’re making up with me
We also have word prompts from Fandango – Terrible and Word of the Day is Controversy.
I remembered a song that came out in the 1980’s that my Mum and I would enjoy on the radio called “Breakfast in Bed”. This version was by the band UB40 and featured Chrissy Hynde (singer from the band ‘the Pretenders’).
The original song was written as a soul song by Eddie Hinton and Donnie Fritts and performed by Dusty Springfield in 1969. It interestingly contains the line “You don’t have to say you love me” which was a deliberate reference to Dusty’s huge hit song of that title. Some people would say to take a Soul song and add a reggae beat to it would be terrible but here is the controversy, UB40 did just that, and this was the version I knew best and still prefer!
Here is Dusty’s version:
and here are the lyrics:
You’ve been cryin’ Your face is a mess Come in baby You can dry the tears on my dress She’s hurt you again I can tell Oh, I know that look so well
Don’t be shy You’ve been here before Pull your shoes off, lie down And I will lock the door
And no-one has to know You’ve come here again Darling it will be Like it’s always been before Come on over here
Breakfast in bed And a kiss or three You don’t have to say you love me Breakfast in bed Nothing need be said Ain’t no need
What’s your hurry? Please don’t eat and run You can let her wait, my darling It’s been so long Since I’ve had you here You will come again Darling it will be Like it’s always been before Hey child
Breakfast in bed And a kiss or three You don’t have to say you love me Breakfast in bed Nothing need be said
Breakfast in bed And a kiss or three You don’t have to say you love me Breakfast in bed Nothing need be said, yeah You don’t have to.
And if you’d like some more controversy, well here is a link to my post of last week which is about brutality:
For those of you who know my taste in music or who have read some of my posts will glean that I like music that could be considered old-fashioned. In choosing something that meets the challenge, I decided to choose music that tackle the theme of brutal injustice.
Firstly this song, that uses a vocal technique to evoke the struggling of people working in a forced labour gang. Sam Cooke’s song – Chain Gang.
This song was released in July 1960 and was written by Sam Cooke and Charles Cook Jr.
[Verse 2] Can’t you hear them singing, mmm hoh ah I’m going home one of these days I’m going home, see my woman Whom I love so dear But meanwhile, I gotta work right here
[Chorus] Well don’t you know That’s the sound of the men Working on the chain, gang That’s the sound of the men Working on the chain, gang
[Outro] All day long they’re singing, mm hoh ah My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my work is so hard Give me water, I’m thirsty, my, my work is so hard Woah oh My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my work is so hard
Secondly I thought of another powerful song about brutal injustice – Strange Fruit performed by Billie Holliday
This song was written by Abel Meeropol and recorded by Billie Holliday in 1939.
While these songs are from the past, its a shame that what they were written about has not been consigned to history.
For various reasons, (a break away to Edinburgh and then a lot of work), I did not partake in this challenge the last couple of weeks but this week I have decided to have a go. It’ a great challenge.
The Song Lyric Sunday Challenge this week we the theme of Greet, Hey, Howdy.
Click on the link below to see Jim Adam’s post and to take part in the challenge.
My Colleague, Fandango chose a song “Hey Girl” and this made me think of another song.
I also remembered that the most polite way to introduce yourself, according to outdated etiquette books, was to say “How do you do?” and that made me think of this song by Gerry and the Pacemakers: How do you it?
Gerry and the Pacemakers – How do you do it?
Strictly, they aren’t saying How do you do? but it’s close enough and I wanted to share this great song. It was written by Mitch Murray and was a UK Hit for Gerry and the Pacemakers in April 1963.
How do you do what you do to me?
I wish I knew
If I knew how you do it to me
I'd do it to you
How do you do what you do to me?
I'm feeling blue
Wish I knew how you do it to me
But I haven't a clue
You give me a feeling in my heart
Like an arrow passin' through it
Suppose that you think you're very smart
But won't you tell me how do you do it?
How do you do what you do to me?
If I only knew
Then perhaps you'd fall for me
Like I fell for you
You give me a feeling in my heart
Like an arrow passin' through it
Suppose that you think you're very smart
But won't you tell me how do you do it?
How do you do what you do to me?
If I only knew
Then perhaps you'd fall for me
Like I fell for you
When I do it to you
And going back to Fandango’s Hey Girl. This made me think of another song by Eddie Holman, “Hey there, Lonely Girl”. This was released in 1969.
And in doing my research I discovered that this was originally released as “Hey there lonely boy” by Ruby and the Romantics in 1963!
The Lyrics were written by Earl Shuman and Leon Carr.
Hey there, lonely boy, lonely boy
Let me make your broken heart like new
Oh, my lonely boy, lonely boy
Don't you know this lonely girl loves you?
Every since she broke your heart
You seem so lost each time you pass my way
Oh, how I long to take your hand
And say "Don't cry, I'll kiss your tears away"
Hey there, lonely boy (lonely boy), lonely boy (lonely boy)
Let me make your broken heart like new
Oh, my lonely boy (lonely boy), lonely boy (lonely boy)
Don't you know this lonely girl loves you?
You think that only her two lips
Can kiss your lips and make your heart stand still
But once you're in my arms you'll see
No one can kiss your lips the way I will
Hey there, lonely boy (lonely boy), lonely boy (lonely boy)
Let me make your broken heart like new
Oh, my lonely boy (lonely boy), lonely boy (lonely boy)
Don't you know this lonely girl loves you?
Hey there, lonely boy (lonely boy),
lonely boy (lonely boy)
>Ruby> Let me make your broken heart like new
Hey there, lonely boy (lonely boy),
lonely boy (lonely boy)
Don't you know this lonely girl loves you?
Oh, my lonely boy (lonely boy), lonely boy (lonely boy)
Let me make your broken heart like new
FADE
My lonely boy (lonely boy), lonely boy
The Song Lyric Sunday Challenge this week the challenge is to select two songs and discuss some type of relevant association between them, compare and contrast. Click on the link below to see Jim Adam’s post and to take part in the challenge.
Also, Fandango has chosen the word Oxymoron as his word of the day and so I thought of two songs that have titles that are both Oxymorons.
Firstly, by Simon and Garfunkel, The Sound of Silence.
Silence is, of course, the absence of sound and therefore how can it have any sound at all? However, we have all felt the intense pressure that can come about when there is a heavy silence in the room.
This song was originally written by Paul Simon in 1964 and recorded in October on their debut album which was a commercial failure, then two years later the song was included in their second album, remixed and it was a hit in 1966.
The Lyrics are:
Hello darkness, my old friend I’ve come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains Within the sound of silenceIn restless dreams I walked alone Narrow streets of cobblestone ‘Neath the halo of a street lamp I turned my collar to the cold and damp When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light That split the night And touched the sound of silenceAnd in the naked light, I saw Ten thousand people, maybe more People talking without speaking People hearing without listening People writing songs that voices never share And no one dared Disturb the sound of silence”Fools”, said I, “You do not know Silence like a cancer grows Hear my words that I might teach you Take my arms that I might reach you” But my words, like silent raindrops fell And echoed In the wells of silenceAnd the people bowed and prayed To the neon god they made And the sign flashed out its warning In the words that it was forming And the sign said, “The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls And tenement halls” And whispered in the sound of silence.
In contrast, I wanted to fly the flag for another band from the 60’s, The Mamas and the Papas. They recorded a version of the Rodgers and Hart song, Glad to be Unhappy, another Oxymoron and another hit in the 60’s this time 1967.
It takes a lot of gumption to record a song from the classic era of musicals written by one of the top writing duos of the 1930’s, but then The Mamas and The Papas never lacked gumption and never failed in making beautiful music together.
The Lyrics:
Look at yourself, if you had a sense of humor You would laugh to beat the band Look at yourself, do you still believe the rumor That romance is simply grand? Since you took it right on the chin You have lost that bright toothpaste grin My mental state is all a-jumble I sit around and sadly mumble Fools rush in, so here I am Very glad to be unhappy I can’t win, but here I am More than glad to be unhappy Unrequited love’s a bore And I’ve got it pretty bad But for someone you adore It’s a pleasure to be sad Like a straying baby lamb With no mammy and no pappy I’m so unhappy But oh, so glad
I hope you enjoyed these contrasting songs that are both hits of the 60’s and both oxymorons, well you’d be a bit of an oxymoron not to! 🙂
The Song Lyric Sunday Challenge this week the challenge is Elevator Music. Click on the link below to see Jim Adam’s post and to take part in the challenge.
I thought of this song by The 5th Dimension, Up, up and Away, which is really upbeat, uplifting and it may not be played in many elevators (or Lifts as I stubbornly still like to call them) but this song should be played in a lift, in fact it should be mandated by law!
The Song was written in 1967 by Jimmy Webb and recorded by The 5th Dimension.
Their version reached number 7 in the US charts and Number 1 in Australia and Canada, but it was a different version recorded by Johnny Mann Singers that charted in the UK reaching number 6.
[Verse 1] Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon? Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon? We could float among the stars together, you and I For we can fly (we can fly)
[Chorus] Up, up and away My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
[Verse 2] The world’s a nicer place in my beautiful balloon It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky For we can fly (we can fly)
[Chorus] Up, up and away My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
The Song Lyric Sunday Challenge this week is we have songs that are associated with Heaven and/or Hell in the title or the lyrics. Click on the link below to see Jim Adam’s post and to take part in the challenge.
There is a song from a musical, called Paint Your Wagon, which mentions both Heaven and Hell. This is actually a great musical but you don’t see it mentioned much, I think it’s well overdue for a Broadway and West End revival.
The Song is called “I was born under a wandering star” and was sung by Lee Marvin. He certainly was no singer but his raspy voiced rendition is quite something!
I hope you enjoy it.
Wand’rin’ Star
I was born under a wandrin’ star I was born under a wandrin’ star Wheels are made for rollin’ Mules are made to pack I’ve never seen a sight that didn’t look better looking back
I was born under a wandrin’ star
Mud can make you prisoner, and the plains can bake you dry Snow can burn your eyes, but only people make you cry Home is made for comin’ from, for dreams of goin’ to Which with any luck will never come true
I was born under a wandrin’ star I was born under a wandrin’ star
Do I know where hell is? Hell is in hello Heaven is goodbye for ever, it’s time for me to go
I was born under a wandrin’ star A wandrin’ wandrin’ star
When I get to heaven tie me to a tree Or I’ll begin to roam, and soon you know where I will be I was born under a wandrin’ star A wandrin’ wandrin’ star
Source: LyricFindSongwriters: Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe
The Song Lyric Sunday Challenge this week is we have different ways of saying goodbye as the prompt, and the song that you chose must contain either Arrivederci, Bon-voyage, Ciao, Farewell, Goodbye, Hasta la vista, Sayonara or Shalom in the title or the lyrics. Click on the link below to see Jim Adam’s post and to take part in the challenge.
I thought I would share this hit written by James Dean (no not THAT one) and William Weatherspoon for that Soul singer, Jimmy Ruffin. In 1970 he sang “Farewell is a lonely sound” which reached number 8 in the UK charts but only 104 in the US.
I hope you like this song.
“Farewell Is A Lonely Sound”
(Farewell farewell my love, farewell farewell my love)
Farewell is a lonely sound When told to someone you love You know, you hurt inside as you wonder why You must leave the one that you love
Saying goodbye to someone you love Is so hard for any man You say it’s just for a while, then you force a smile And you hope she’ll understand
Then a tear appears in her eyes As she tightly holds your hand Then you let her know that it’s time to go You must leave while you can
Oh but, farewell is a lonely sound When told to someone you love You know, you hurt inside as you wonder why You must leave the one that you love
(Farewell farewell my love, farewell farewell my love) I’m leaving darling, but I’ll be, back one day
Ooh every silent step you take Each one hurts your heart As you board the train, you feel the pain That starts as you depart, yeah
You wipe your eyes so she can’t see Cos a man should never cry Now there’s just a trace of her crying face As you wave to her goodbye, that’s why
Farewell is a lonely sound When told to someone you love You know, you hurt inside as you wonder why You must leave the one that you love
I don’t wanna leave you baby, I don’t wanna say goodbye no, no Oooh cos it hurts inside, and you wonder why You must leave the one that you love
The Song Lyric Sunday Challenge is to post a song with girls name in the title that begins with the letter S. Click on the link below to see Jim Adam’s post and to take part in the challenge.
This is the song that came into my mind, but I’m sure I will not be the only one.
Sandy – Written by: LOUIS ST. LOUIS, SCOTT SIMON (of Sha Na Na) and performed by John Travolta in the film Grease.
Stranded at the drivin', branded a fool
What will they say Monday at school?
Sandy, can't you see I'm in misery?
We made a start, now we're apart
There's nothing left for me
Love has flown, all alone I sit and wonder why yi-yi-yi
Oh why you left me, oh Sandy, oh Sandy
Baby, someday, when high school is done
Somehow, someway, our two worlds will be one
In heaven forever and ever we will be
Oh, please say you'll stay, oh, Sandy!
Sandy, my darlin'
You hurt me real bad
You know it's true
But, baby, you gotta believe me when I say
I'm helpless without you
Love has flown, all alone, I sit
I wonder why yi-yi-yi,
Oh why
You left me,
Oh Sandy
Sandy, Sandy
Why yi-yi-yi
Oh Sandy
So how about this one from the same great musical?
Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee
Lousy with virginity
Won't go to bed 'til I'm legally wed
I can't I'm Sandra Dee
Watch it! Hey I'm Doris Day
I was not brought up that way
Won't come across, even Rock Hudson lost
His heart to Doris Day
I don't drink (No)
Or swear (No)
I don't rat my hair (Ew)
I get ill from one cigarette
Keep your filthy paws
Off my silky draws
Would you pull that crap with Annette?
As for you Troy Donahue,
I know what you wanna do
You've got your crust
I'm no object of lust
I'm just plain Sandra Dee
Elvis, Elvis, let me be!
Keep that pelvis far from me!
Just keep your cool
Now your starting to drool
Hey Fongool, I'm Sandra Dee!
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