It’s been some time since I took part in the Song Lyric Sunday Challenge, in fact, it was even longer ago than I realised! I’ve not taken part since the 13th of February. Time flies by, it’s about time I took part again. It’s a fantastic challenge, hosted by Jim Adams.
The Last time I took part, the theme was songs that feature lyrics with the contractions of Can’t, Don’t, Shouldn’t, Won’t.
So, in my usual way, I turn to a golden oldie rather than something that’s been in the charts recently. This one is probably a very obvious one considering the prompt and I probably won’t be the only one to choose this song but I had to choose it. It dates from 1971.
The sone, The Candyman, was written for the film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley. Anthony Newley had been a child actor in the UK and had also written songs and released singles and had been in the Rex Harrison version of Dr. Doolittle. He had also been married to the actress of Dynasty fame, Joan Collins. He co-wrote this song but was not happy with the version sung in the film and he released his own version shortly afterwards.
Then the following year, Sammy Davis Junior released his version of this song and it became a huge hit for him.
I tried to find these three versions for you so you can compare and contrast them.
I hope you enjoyed these contrasting versions. Oh, and if you are interested my favourite candy bar is called a Crunchy. I don’t know if that is available in the US, but it’s fantastic.
Last week I took part in this fantastic challenge, the theme was songs that feature lyrics of Concern, Fear, Fret, Worry suggested by Fandango of This, That and the Other.
The first song that came to mind, and I’m sure will come to others, is that perennial Karaoke classic song recorded in December 1967 by Tom Jones, entitled “Delilah”. The lyrics were written by Barry Mason, and the music by Les Reed.
I had the pleasure of going to a University in Wales and every weekend you could hear this song being played or sung and it was a great crowd-pleaser. Everyone sang along to it.
Lyrics
I saw the light on the night that I passed by her window I saw the flickering shadows of love on her blind She was my woman As she deceived me, I watched and went out of my mind
My, my, my, Delilah Why, why, why, Delilah I could see, that girl was no good for me But I was lost like a slave that no man could free
At break of day when that man drove away, I was waiting I crossed the street to her house and she opened the door She stood there laughing I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more
My, my, my, Delilah Why, why, why, Delilah So before they come to break down the door Forgive me Delilah, I just couldn’t take anymore
She stood there laughing I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more
My, my, my, Delilah Why, why, why, Delilah So before they come to break down the door Forgive me, Delilah, I just couldn’t take anymore Forgive me, Delilah, I just couldn’t take anymore
The second song that came to mind, was the song by a group called Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark, entitled Enola Gay. Now you may think “What on earth has this song got to do with the theme”, but the song was actually an anti-war/anti-nuclear weapon song. I think you can glean the message from the words, particularly once you know that the Enola Gay was the name of the plane that dropped the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and the “little boy” mentioned in the lyrics was the code name for the bomb itself. It sends shivers down your spine the instant when you become fully aware of the meaning behind the words, doesn’t it?
I can’t believe it but even though the Song Lyric Sunday Challenge is one of my favourite challenges, I’ve not taken part since the 12th of December! How very remiss of me.
The Last time I took part, the theme was songs that include nonsense lyrics suggested by Amy Braun, ai love music aisasami.
The Song Lyric Sunday Challenge this week the theme is songs that feature lyrics of Concern, Fear, Fret, Worry suggested by Fandango of This, That and the Other.
Click on the link below to see Jim Adam’s post and to take part in the challenge.
Anyone who knows me knows that my musical tastes tend towards the old-fashioned or classical. If I can thrust a musical song into my posts then I tend to do so with gusto.
For the theme of Fear, Worry, Concern, Fret. I instantly thought of two musical numbers that have the same theme, feel the fear but don’t let it rule you or stop you from setting out to explore the possibilities out there. Coincidentally they were both written by the same artists, the brilliant writing due to Rodgers and Hammerstein who were clearly at the top of the pole when it came to musical writing talent.
The first song I’ve chosen comes from the musical The King and I and is entitled “Whenever I Feel Afraid”.
The Musical first appeared on stage in 1951 and the role of Anna Leonowens was performed by Gertrude Lawrence. When it transferred to film in 1956, Deborah Kerr was chosen and is often attributed as the singer of this song. However Hollywood had a habit of choosing leading ladies for their acting ability and their public profile rather than their singing ability and simply secretly dubbing their voices. Marni Nixon was the voice of Deborah Kerr here. She was also the voice of Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady and Natalie Wood in West Side Story. Deborah Kerr actually spilled the beans about Marni Nixon’s fantastic contribution to musical history.
Whenever I feel afraid I hold my head erect And whistle a happy tune So no one will suspect I’m afraid
While shivering in my shoes I strike a careless pose And whistle a happy tune And no one ever knows I’m afraid
The result of this deception Is very strange to tell For when I fool the people I fear I fool myself as well!
I whistle a happy tune And ev’ry single time The happiness in the tune Convinces me that I’m not afraid
Make believe you’re brave And the trick will take you far. You may be as brave As you make believe you are
You may be as brave As you make believe you are
[Louis]
While shivering in my shoes I strike a careless pose And whistle a happy tune And no one ever knows, I’m afraid
[Louis and anna]
The result of this deception Is very strange to tell For when I fool the people I fear I fool myself as well!
I whistle a happy tune And ev’ry single time The happiness in the tune Convinces me that I’m not afraid
Make believe you’re brave And the trick will take you far You may be as brave As you make believe you are…
The second song that I’ve chosen is surely the Maximal when it comes to big musical numbers. It was so powerful that it’s been adopted as an anthem and a theme, including for Liverpool Football Club. It speaks of holding your head high as you walk through a storm. I imagine someone about to walk through flames and rather fearing they are inflammable, believe themselves impervious, and walk through safely encased in an armour of their own self-belief.
Written for the musical Carousel in 1945 by Rodgers and Hammerstein. The film version came out in 1956. It is unusual for a big musical number that it wasn’t sung by the main character. In the film, it was sung by Americal Contalto Claramae Turner who played the role of the main character’s Cousin, who is an older, motherly figure to Julie Jordan (played by Shirley Jones), a young girl who has fallen for a bit of a rogue.
You’ll Never Walk Alone
When you walk through a storm Hold your head up high And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of a storm There’s a golden sky And the sweet silver song of a lark
Walk on through the wind Walk on through the rain Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you’ll never walk aloneYou’ll never walk alone
Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you’ll never walk alone
Last week I took part in Jim Adam’s Song Lyric Sunday Challenge, the theme was Communication, Information, News, Telephone suggested by Di of pensitivity101.
Heavenly Bodies, Planets, Moon, Sun, Stars, as suggested by King Ben’s Grandma.
The Song Lyric Sunday Challenge this week the theme is Atoll, Island, Key, Lagoon, Peninsula, Reef, Tropical suggested by Tales from the mind of Kristian (oh that’s me!) . I remember now suggesting this, but I can be so forgetful at times! This is a great challenge and I’d like to thank Jim Adams for hosting it and for including my suggestion for this week.
Click on the link below to see Jim Adam’s post and to take part in the challenge.
It made me thing quite deep and meaningfully about how we are all Islands being battered by the storms of life, occasionally we manage to build bridges with other Islands, but sometimes they are fragile and collapse and sometimes they endure.
My choice of song is called Island of Dreams, I may have posted this before but I do love it.
The Lyrics
I wandered the streets and the gay crowded places Trying to forget you but somehow it seems My thoughts ever stray to our last sweet embraces Over the sea on the island of dreams
High in the sky is the bird on the wing Please carry me with you Far far away from the mad rushing crowd Please carry me with you
Again I would wander where memories enfold me There on the beautiful island of dreams
High in the sky is the bird on the wing Please carry me with you Far far away from the mad rushing crowd Please carry me with you
Again I would wander where memories enfold me There on the beautiful island of dreams Far far away on the island of dreams
The Song was written by Tom Springfield who was the brother of Dusty Springfield who went on to have a famous solo career. The song was originally written and realeased in 1962 for the band that Tom and Dusty were in together called The Springfields, and here is a recording of them singing it.
Apart from the overly folksy sound, it’s still a great version and you could see that Dusty was bound to go far. Her voice is amazing.
Last week I took part in Jim Adam’s Song Lyric Sunday Challenge and despite being one of my favourite challenges, I don’t always manage to take part, but I just wanted to squeeze this post in.
Click on the link below to see Jim Adam’s post and to take part in the challenge.
The Song Lyric Sunday Challenge this week the theme is Heavenly Bodies, Planets, Moon, Sun, Stars, as suggested by King Ben’s Grandma.
There is something restful about listening to music about the heavens, the stars, the moon etc. It is ideal if you are struggling with life’s torments, to sit back and listen to some celestial music.
In the face of the stresses of life, I try to remain stoic, which can often come across as a cavalier attitude to life as I sit back on my recliner on holiday, but believe me, I am not unaffected by what is going on in the world around me, but just like to reflect.
Listening to these songs helps me maintain my composure.
Firstly, no lyrics, but my favourite piece of classical music is part of a suite called The Planets written by Gustav Holst, it is called Jupiter. It was written in 1916 and first performed in 1918. The middle section of the piece has been turned into a hymn/anthem, “I vow to thee my country” and also a Rugby anthem, but the lyrics do not mention the planets and so don’t count. The music is quite heavenly though.
And a bit more in-keeping with the rules, here is the song “Fly Me to the Moon“. originally titled “In Other Words“, it was written in 1954 by Bart Howard. Kaye Ballard made the first recording of the song the year it was written. Frank Sinatra’s 1964 version was closely associated with the Apollo missions to the Moon, but my favourite version is by Julie London also released in 1964.
“Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)”
Fly me to the moon Let me play among the stars Let me see what spring is like On a-Jupiter and Mars
In other words: hold my hand In other words: baby, kiss me
Fill my heart with song And let me sing for ever more You are all I long for All I worship and adore
In other words: please, be true In other words: I love you
Fill my heart with song Let me sing for ever more You are all I long for All I worship and adore
In other words: please, be true In other words, in other words: I love you
I hope you enjoy these songs. Happy Sunday.
I have also included the following word prompts in my post:
It’s been a while since I’ve taken part in Jim Adam’s Song Lyric Sunday Challenge but that was just because of a very busy schedule. It is one of my favourite challenges.
Click on the link below to see Jim Adam’s post and to take part in the challenge.
The Song Lyric Sunday Challenge this week the theme is …ahem….you know….Thingy….that thing that us Brits don’t talk about much…. or at least we didn’t and now some do rather a lot but, here goes…. SEX. (Wow not struck by lightning after all!).
As an old fashioned kind of guy. It’s impossible to talk about Sex without a slight shiver or being cryptic about it, and I instantly thought of a song from yesteryear that I used to enjoy in my innocence because I thought it was all about going for a picnic. I never dreamed it was about sex! Who can blame me?
Billie Jo Spears – Blanket on the Ground
Written by Roger Bowling and performed by Billie Jo Spears in February 1975
Come and look out through the window That big old moon is shining down Tell me now, don’t it remind you Of a blanket on the ground
Remember back when love first found us We’d go slipping out of town And we’d love beneath the moonlight On a blanket on the ground
I’ll get the blanket from the bedroom And we’ll go walking once again To that spot down by the river Where our sweet love first began Just because we are married Don’t mean we can’t slip around So let’s walk out through the moonlight And lay the blanket on the ground
Oh, remember how excited We used to get when love was young That old moon was our best buddy We couldn’t wait for night to come
Now you know you still excite me I know you love me like I am Just once more I wish you’d love me On the blanket on the ground
I’ll get the blanket from the bedroom And we’ll go walking once again To that spot down by the river Where our sweet love first began Just because we our married Don’t mean we can’t slip around So let’s walk out through the moonlight And lay the blanket on the ground
I thought of a song that was in keeping with the theme, and considering people who know me already know that I love old songs, if I expose myself to any criticism of posting old music in preference to the latest hits, I think this becomes a moot point.
So here is a song from 1952, the wonderful Kay Starr singing Wheel of Fortune.
The wheel of fortune Goes spinning around Will the arrow point my way? Will this be my day?
Oh, wheel of fortune Please don’t pass me by Let me know the magic of A kiss and a sigh
While the wheel is spinning, spinning, spinning I’ll not dream of winning, fortune or even fame While the wheel is turning, turning, turning I’ll be yearning, yearning For love’s precious flame
Oh, wheel of fortune I’m hoping somehow If you ever smile on me Please let it be now
While the wheel is spinning, spinning, spinning I’ll not dream of winning, fortune or even fame While the wheel is turning, turning, turning I’ll be yearning, yearning For love’s precious flame
Oh, wheel of fortune I’m hoping sometime If you ever smile on me Please let it be now
I had a thought on the theme and a song came to mind that was about meeting someone who instantly takes your eye, a complete stranger but one who you would happily have a dalliance but your own subconscious mind is screaming advice to you that it is dangerous and unwise.
The song is Beautiful Stranger, performed and co written by Madonna with William Orbit and was used for the Second Austin Powers film and released in May 1999. I remember when this came out I instantly loved the way it sounded modern and yet also faintly reminiscent of the 1960’s. I’ve loved this song since.
The Lyrics are:
Beautiful Stranger
Haven’t we met? Some kind of beautiful stranger You could be good for me I’ve had the taste for danger
If I’m smart then I’ll run away But I’m not so I guess I’ll stay Heaven forbid I’ll take my chance on a beautiful stranger
I looked into your eyes And my world came tumblin’ down You’re the devil in disguise That’s why I’m singing this song
To know you Is to love you You’re everywhere I go And everybody knows
To love you Is to be part of you I paid for you with tears And swallowed all my pride
Dara dara dara da da dara da Beautiful stranger Dara dara dara da da dara da Beautiful stranger
If I’m smart then I’ll run away But I’m not so I guess I’ll stay haven’t you heard? I fell in love with a beautiful stranger
I looked into your face My heart was dancing all over the place I’d like to change my point of view If I could just forget about you
To know you Is to love you You’re everywhere I go And everybody knows
I looked into your eyes And my world came tumbling down You’re the devil in disguise That’s why I’m singing this song to you
To know you Is to love you You’re everywhere I go And everybody knows
I paid for you with tears And swallowed all my pride
Dara dara dara da da dara da Beautiful stranger Dara dara dara da da dara da Beautiful stranger
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:
Tales from the mind of Kristian 
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