"The Girl from Ipanema" ("Garota de Ipanema") is a well-known bossa nova song, a worldwide hit in the mid-1960s that won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965. It was written in 1962, with music by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Portuguese lyrics by Vinicius de Moraes. English lyrics were written later by Norman Gimbel.
The first commercial recording was in 1962, by Pery Ribeiro. The version performed by Astrud Gilberto, along with João Gilberto and Stan Getz, from the 1964 album Getz/Gilberto, became an international hit, reaching number five in the United States pop chart, number 29 in the United Kingdom, and charting highly throughout the world. Numerous recordings have been used in films, sometimes as an elevator music cliché (for example, near the end of The Blues Brothers). In 2004, it was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.
Ipanema is a seaside neighborhood located in the southern region of the city of Rio de Janeiro.
The song was composed for a musical comedy titled Dirigível (Blimp), then a work-in-progress of Vinícius de Moraes. The original title was "Menina que Passa" ("The Girl Who Passes By"); the famous first verse was different. Jobim composed the melody on his piano in his new house in Rua Barão da Torre, in Ipanema. In turn, Moraes had written the lyrics in Petrópolis, near Rio de Janeiro, as he had done with "Chega de Saudade" ("No More Blues") six years earlier.
The song was inspired by Heloísa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto (now Helô Pinheiro), a fifteen-year-old girl living on Montenegro Street in the fashionable Ipanema district in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[citation needed] Daily, she would stroll past the popular Veloso bar-café, not just to the beach ("each day when she walks to the sea"), but in the everyday course of her life. She would sometimes enter the bar to buy cigarettes for her mother and leave to the sound of wolf-whistles.[3] In the winter of 1962, the composers watched the girl pass by the bar, and it is easy to imagine why they noticed her — Helô was a 173-cm (five-foot eight-inch) brunette, and she attracted the attention of many of the bar patrons. Since the song became popular, she has become a celebrity.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Dr. Hook and The Medicine Show - "Sylvia's Mother" (1972)
I was at a New York City dinner party last night (May 14, 2011) and there was a woman named Sylvia (who happened to attend my high school: Alameda High School, Class of 1988). Her name made me think of this song.
"Sylvia's Mother" was a 1972 single by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show and the group's first hit song. It was written by Shel Silverstein and was highly successful in the United States, reaching #5 on the Billboard singles chart,as well as #1 in Ireland and #2 in the United Kingdom. It also spent 3 weeks at #1 on the Australian music charts, making it the 15th ranked single in Australia for 1972. It appeared on the group's first album, Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show.
The song tells the story of a man trying to telephone his ex-girlfriend, presumably named Sylvia Avery, to say one last goodbye, but unable to get past her mother.
The song is autobiographical. Shel Silverstein was in love with Sylvia Pandolfi and called her up just when she was packing for her wedding. Her mother, Louisa Pandolfi, tried to convince Shel Silverstein that the love was over.
The song was covered by Bobby Bare in 1972 and became a country hit reaching US Billboard country chart number 12 position.
The song was covered by Bon Jovi on This Left Feels Right Live. A sequel, titled "Mrs. Avery," has been written and performed by the British folk rockers The Men They Couldn't Hang. This song begins where "Sylvia's Mother" ends and concerns what happens next.
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show was a pop-country rock band formed around Union City, New Jersey in 1969. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles including "Sylvia's Mother", "The Cover of the Rolling Stone", "A Little Bit More", "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" and "Sexy Eyes". In addition to their own originals, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show performed songs written by poet Shel Silverstein, of children's book fame.
"Sylvia's Mother" was a 1972 single by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show and the group's first hit song. It was written by Shel Silverstein and was highly successful in the United States, reaching #5 on the Billboard singles chart,as well as #1 in Ireland and #2 in the United Kingdom. It also spent 3 weeks at #1 on the Australian music charts, making it the 15th ranked single in Australia for 1972. It appeared on the group's first album, Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show.
The song tells the story of a man trying to telephone his ex-girlfriend, presumably named Sylvia Avery, to say one last goodbye, but unable to get past her mother.
The song is autobiographical. Shel Silverstein was in love with Sylvia Pandolfi and called her up just when she was packing for her wedding. Her mother, Louisa Pandolfi, tried to convince Shel Silverstein that the love was over.
The song was covered by Bobby Bare in 1972 and became a country hit reaching US Billboard country chart number 12 position.
The song was covered by Bon Jovi on This Left Feels Right Live. A sequel, titled "Mrs. Avery," has been written and performed by the British folk rockers The Men They Couldn't Hang. This song begins where "Sylvia's Mother" ends and concerns what happens next.
Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show was a pop-country rock band formed around Union City, New Jersey in 1969. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles including "Sylvia's Mother", "The Cover of the Rolling Stone", "A Little Bit More", "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" and "Sexy Eyes". In addition to their own originals, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show performed songs written by poet Shel Silverstein, of children's book fame.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Stevie Wonder - "Living For The City" (1973)
I was at a famous restaurant in New York City (Harlem) last night (May 12, 2011) called RED ROOSTER and later into the dining experience I heard this song. It was so perfect to hear at the time. Stevie Wonder is a 'wonder' and a classic musical artist.
Stevie Wonder was born in Saginaw, Michigan in 1950, being the third of six children to Calvin Judkins and Lula Mae Hardaway. Owing to his being born six weeks premature, the blood vessels at the back of his eyes had not yet reached the front and their aborted growth caused the retinas to detach.[3] The medical term for this condition is retinopathy of prematurity, or ROP, and while it may have been exacerbated by the oxygen pumped into his incubator, this was not the primary cause of his blindness.
On August 6, 1973, Wonder was in a serious automobile accident while on tour in North Carolina, when a car in which he was riding rear-ended a flatbed truck, sliding under the back of the truck and causing the bed of the truck to crash through the car's windshield, striking Wonder in the head. This left him in a coma for four days and resulted in a partial loss of his sense of smell and a temporary loss of sense of taste.
Despite the setback, Wonder recovered all of his musical faculties, and re-appeared in concert at Madison Square Garden in March 1974 with a performance that highlighted both up-tempo material and long, building improvisations on mid-tempo songs such as "Living for the City".
Wonder's songs are renowned for being quite difficult to sing. He has a very developed sense of harmony and uses many extended chords utilizing extensions such as 9ths, 11ths, 13ths, b5s, etc. in his compositions. Many of his melodies make abrupt, unpredictable changes. Many of his vocal melodies are also melismatic, meaning that a syllable is sung over several notes. Some of his best known and most frequently covered songs are played in keys which are more often found in jazz than in pop and rock.
Stevie Wonder was born in Saginaw, Michigan in 1950, being the third of six children to Calvin Judkins and Lula Mae Hardaway. Owing to his being born six weeks premature, the blood vessels at the back of his eyes had not yet reached the front and their aborted growth caused the retinas to detach.[3] The medical term for this condition is retinopathy of prematurity, or ROP, and while it may have been exacerbated by the oxygen pumped into his incubator, this was not the primary cause of his blindness.
On August 6, 1973, Wonder was in a serious automobile accident while on tour in North Carolina, when a car in which he was riding rear-ended a flatbed truck, sliding under the back of the truck and causing the bed of the truck to crash through the car's windshield, striking Wonder in the head. This left him in a coma for four days and resulted in a partial loss of his sense of smell and a temporary loss of sense of taste.
Despite the setback, Wonder recovered all of his musical faculties, and re-appeared in concert at Madison Square Garden in March 1974 with a performance that highlighted both up-tempo material and long, building improvisations on mid-tempo songs such as "Living for the City".
Wonder's songs are renowned for being quite difficult to sing. He has a very developed sense of harmony and uses many extended chords utilizing extensions such as 9ths, 11ths, 13ths, b5s, etc. in his compositions. Many of his melodies make abrupt, unpredictable changes. Many of his vocal melodies are also melismatic, meaning that a syllable is sung over several notes. Some of his best known and most frequently covered songs are played in keys which are more often found in jazz than in pop and rock.
Coldplay - "The Scientist" (2002)
"The Scientist" is the second single from English alternative rock band Coldplay's second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. The song was written collaboratively by all the band members for the album. It is built around a piano ballad, with its lyrics telling the story about a man's desire to love and an apology. The song was released in the United Kingdom as the second single from A Rush of Blood to the Head and reached number 10 in the UK Charts. It was released in the United States as the third single and reached number 18 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks.
Critics were positive towards "The Scientist" and praised the song's piano ballad and falsetto. Several remixes of the track exist, and its riff has been widely sampled. The single's music video won three MTV Music Video Awards, for the video's use of reverse narrative. The song was also featured on the band's 2003 live album Live 2003.
Vocalist Chris Martin wrote "The Scientist" after listening to George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass."
Critics were positive towards "The Scientist" and praised the song's piano ballad and falsetto. Several remixes of the track exist, and its riff has been widely sampled. The single's music video won three MTV Music Video Awards, for the video's use of reverse narrative. The song was also featured on the band's 2003 live album Live 2003.
Vocalist Chris Martin wrote "The Scientist" after listening to George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass."
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Vladimir Cosma, composer - "Sentimental Walk" (1981)
This is one of my favorite instrumental tunes. It's so soothing to the mind. It's from a scene in a French film known as "DIVA" (which is quite an exciting/adventurous film). "DIVA" was a 1981 film directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix, adapted from a novel of the same name by Daniel Odier (under the pseudonym Delacorta). It is one of the first French films to let go of the realist, harsh mood of 1970s French cinema and return to a colourful, melodic style, called cinema du look. The film made a muted debut in France in 1981, but had success in the United States the next year. The film became a cult classic and was internationally acclaimed.
Vladimir Cosma was born April 13, 1940 in Bucarest, Romania, into a family of musicians. His father, Teodor Cosma, is a pianist and conductor, his mother a writer-composer, his uncle, Edgar Cosma, composer and conductor, and one of his grandmothers, a pianist. Vladimir received two César Awards for the best movie score, for "DIVA".
Vladimir Cosma was born April 13, 1940 in Bucarest, Romania, into a family of musicians. His father, Teodor Cosma, is a pianist and conductor, his mother a writer-composer, his uncle, Edgar Cosma, composer and conductor, and one of his grandmothers, a pianist. Vladimir received two César Awards for the best movie score, for "DIVA".
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Ella Fitzgerald - Let's Do It, Let's Fall In Love (1956)
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist.[1] With a vocal range spanning three octaves (Db3 to Db6), she was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing and intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing.
She is considered to be a notable interpreter of the Great American Songbook. Over a recording career that lasted 59 years, she was the winner of 13 Grammy Awards and was awarded the National Medal of Art by Ronald Reagan and the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George H. W. Bush.
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" (also known as "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)" or simply "Let's Do It") is a popular song written in 1928 by Cole Porter. It was introduced in Porter's first Broadway success, the musical Paris (1928) by French chanteuse Irène Bordoni for whom Porter had written the musical as a starring vehicle. Bordoni's husband and Paris producer Ray Goetz having convinced Porter to give Broadway another try with this show. The song was later used in the English production of Wake Up and Dream (1929). In 1960 it was also included in the film version of Cole Porter's Can-Can.
She is considered to be a notable interpreter of the Great American Songbook. Over a recording career that lasted 59 years, she was the winner of 13 Grammy Awards and was awarded the National Medal of Art by Ronald Reagan and the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George H. W. Bush.
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" (also known as "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)" or simply "Let's Do It") is a popular song written in 1928 by Cole Porter. It was introduced in Porter's first Broadway success, the musical Paris (1928) by French chanteuse Irène Bordoni for whom Porter had written the musical as a starring vehicle. Bordoni's husband and Paris producer Ray Goetz having convinced Porter to give Broadway another try with this show. The song was later used in the English production of Wake Up and Dream (1929). In 1960 it was also included in the film version of Cole Porter's Can-Can.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Zager and Evans - "In The Year 2525" (1969)
"In the Year 2525" is a hit song from 1969 by the Lincoln, Nebraska duo Zager & Evans which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks commencing July 12.
The song was written by Rick Evans in 1964 and originally released on a small regional record label (Truth Records) in 1968. A year later, an Odessa, Texas radio station popularized the disc, which RCA Records quickly picked up for nationwide distribution.
The song describes a nightmarish vision of the future as man's technological inventions gradually dehumanize him. It includes a colloquial reference to the Second Coming (In the year 7510, if God's a-coming, He ought to make it by then.), which echoed the zeitgeist of the Jesus Movement.
The song also references examples of technologies and concepts that were not fully developed but were known to the public in 1969, such as robots, as well as future technology that would come into existence long before their prediction in the song, the science of In vitro fertilisation and genetic selection by parents of their future children.
The song has no chorus. Amid ominous-sounding orchestral music, the final dated chronological verse is, "In the year 9595, I'm kinda wonderin' if Man is gonna be alive.He's taken everything this old Earth can give, and he ain't put back nothing in, whoa-whoa...,"
The song was written by Rick Evans in 1964 and originally released on a small regional record label (Truth Records) in 1968. A year later, an Odessa, Texas radio station popularized the disc, which RCA Records quickly picked up for nationwide distribution.
The song describes a nightmarish vision of the future as man's technological inventions gradually dehumanize him. It includes a colloquial reference to the Second Coming (In the year 7510, if God's a-coming, He ought to make it by then.), which echoed the zeitgeist of the Jesus Movement.
The song also references examples of technologies and concepts that were not fully developed but were known to the public in 1969, such as robots, as well as future technology that would come into existence long before their prediction in the song, the science of In vitro fertilisation and genetic selection by parents of their future children.
The song has no chorus. Amid ominous-sounding orchestral music, the final dated chronological verse is, "In the year 9595, I'm kinda wonderin' if Man is gonna be alive.He's taken everything this old Earth can give, and he ain't put back nothing in, whoa-whoa...,"
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Men At Work - "Who Can It Be Now?" (1981)
Men at Work are an Australian rock band who achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to have a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United States (Business as Usual and "Down Under" respectively). They achieved the same distinction of a simultaneous #1 album and #1 single in the United Kingdom. The group won the 1983 Grammy Award for Best New Artist and sold over 30 million albums worldwide. The band's sound is distinguished by its use of woodwind and brass instruments.
In 1981, Columbia Records signed Men at Work. Their second single, "Who Can It Be Now?", reached #1 on the Australian chart in August 1981. In October 1982, "Who Can It Be Now?" hit #1 in the USA.
The lyrics of "Who Can It Be Now?" feature the narrative of a reclusive, perhaps paranoid man who hears knocking at his house door and wishes to be left in solitude. The presence of a "childhood friend" is mentioned, and the bridge lyrics give the impression that the narrator fears once again being taken away to a mental institution. Musically, the song features prominent saxophone lines and a mid-tempo beat. Its chorus vocals, which make up the song title, feature a melody that is echoed through saxophone in a call and response fashion. The second chorus pushes the anxious lyrics further and becomes flush with vocal harmony.
"Who Can It Be Now?" remains a popular symbol of New Wave music and has been featured on numerous 1980s compilations.
In 1981, Columbia Records signed Men at Work. Their second single, "Who Can It Be Now?", reached #1 on the Australian chart in August 1981. In October 1982, "Who Can It Be Now?" hit #1 in the USA.
The lyrics of "Who Can It Be Now?" feature the narrative of a reclusive, perhaps paranoid man who hears knocking at his house door and wishes to be left in solitude. The presence of a "childhood friend" is mentioned, and the bridge lyrics give the impression that the narrator fears once again being taken away to a mental institution. Musically, the song features prominent saxophone lines and a mid-tempo beat. Its chorus vocals, which make up the song title, feature a melody that is echoed through saxophone in a call and response fashion. The second chorus pushes the anxious lyrics further and becomes flush with vocal harmony.
"Who Can It Be Now?" remains a popular symbol of New Wave music and has been featured on numerous 1980s compilations.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Herbie Hancock - Rockit (1983)
"Rockit" is a song recorded by Herbie Hancock. It was released as a single from his 1983 album Future Shock. The song was written by Hancock, bass guitarist Bill Laswell and synthesizer/drum machine programmer Michael Beinhorn.
Constructed and composed during the recording process at various studios, including Martin Bisi's in Brooklyn NY, "Rockit" was perhaps the first popular single to feature scratching and other turntablist techniques, performed by GrandMixer D.ST - an influential DJ in the early years of turntablism - using turntables as a musical instrument. Later turntablists, such as DJ Qbert and Mix Master Mike, cited "Rockit" as revelatory in the documentary film Scratch, inspiring their interest in the instrument. The record GrandMixer D.ST. used for scratching in Rockit was the B-side of Change The Beat by Fab Five Freddy, released in 1982 on Celluloid Records.
The single was a major radio hit in the United Kingdom and a popular dance club song in the United States. The music video, directed by duo Godley & Creme and featuring robot-like sculptures (by Jim Whiting) moving in time to the music, was among the earliest videos to feature African Americans on MTV and garnered five MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, including Best Concept Video and Best Special Effects. Hancock himself appears and plays keyboard only as an image on a television, which is smashed on the pavement in the closing shot.
Bobby Darin - Dream Lover (1959)
I love a song that includes the word "dream".
Dream Lover" is a song written and recorded by Bobby Darin on March 5, 1959. It was produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler and engineered by Tom Dowd. It is considered a soulful rock song. The song became a multi-million seller, reaching #2 in US charts and was #1 in UK for three weeks during July 1959. It was released as a single on Atco Records in 1959. In addition to Darin's vocal, the song features Neil Sedaka on piano.
The song was also used in Michael Apted's movie "Stardust" (1974) and Barry Levinson's debut film "Diner" (1982).
Dream Lover" is a song written and recorded by Bobby Darin on March 5, 1959. It was produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler and engineered by Tom Dowd. It is considered a soulful rock song. The song became a multi-million seller, reaching #2 in US charts and was #1 in UK for three weeks during July 1959. It was released as a single on Atco Records in 1959. In addition to Darin's vocal, the song features Neil Sedaka on piano.
The song was also used in Michael Apted's movie "Stardust" (1974) and Barry Levinson's debut film "Diner" (1982).
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