I first heard this song while watching the movie ADAM, starring Hugh Dancy in November 2009. Classic tune.
Joshua Radin is an American recording artist, songwriter and actor. He was born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and is of Swedish, German, Polish, Russian, and Austrian descent. He studied drawing and painting at Northwestern University, following his college years with stints as an art teacher, screenwriter, and art gallery employee. He turned to music when he moved to New York City, bought a guitar, and taught himself to play and write music. In 2004, American actor Zach Braff introduced Radin's first composition, "Winter," to Scrubs' show creator, Bill Lawrence, who ultimately used several of Radin's songs within various scenes of the hit television series. Soon after, Radin's songs were heard on TV shows such as Grey's Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, American Idol, One Tree Hill, among others. In total, Radin has amassed over 75 film and television placements.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Smoothies (Hal Kemp and Orchestra) - "Three Little Fishies" (1939)
Hal Kemp (March 27, 1904 – December 21, 1940) was a jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader, composer, and arranger. He was born in Marion, Alabama and died in Madera, California following an auto accident. Art Jarrett took on leadership of Kemp's orchestra in 1941. His major recordings were "There's a Small Hotel", "Where or When", "This Year's Kisses", "When I'm With You", "Got a Date With an Angel" and "Three Little Fishies".
At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill he formed his own campus jazz group, the Carolina Club Orchestra. The band recorded for English Columbia and Perfect/Pathe records in 1924-5. This first group toured Europe in the summer of 1924 under the sponsorship of popular bandleader Paul Specht. Kemp returned to UNC in 1925 and put together a new edition of the Carolina Club Orchestra, featuring fellow classmates and future stars John Scott Trotter, Saxie Dowell, and Skinnay Ennis. In 1926, he was a member of the charter class of the Alpha Rho chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity, installed on the Carolina campus in February of that year. In 1927 Kemp turned leadership of the Carolina Club Orchestra over to fellow UNC student Kay Kyser and turned professional. The band was based in New York City, and included Trotter, Dowell, and Ennis, and a few years later trumpeters Bunny Berigan and Jack Purvis joined the group. The sound was 1920s collegiate jazz. Kemp once again toured Europe in the summer of 1930. This band recorded regularly for Brunswick, English Duophone, Okeh and Melotone Records.
In 1932, during the height of the Depression, Kemp decided to lead the band in a new direction, changing the orchestra's style to a that of a dance band (often mistakenly referred to as "sweet"), using muted triple-tonguing trumpets, clarinets playing low sustained notes in unison through large megaphones (an early version of the echo chamber effect), and a double-octave piano.
One of the main reasons for the band's success was arranger John Scott Trotter. Singer Skinnay Ennis had difficulty sustaining notes, so Trotter came up with the idea of filling in these gaps with muted trumpets playing staccato triplets. This gave the band a unique sound, which Johnny Mercer jokingly referred to as sounding like a "typewriter." In 1992, Hal Kemp was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.
At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill he formed his own campus jazz group, the Carolina Club Orchestra. The band recorded for English Columbia and Perfect/Pathe records in 1924-5. This first group toured Europe in the summer of 1924 under the sponsorship of popular bandleader Paul Specht. Kemp returned to UNC in 1925 and put together a new edition of the Carolina Club Orchestra, featuring fellow classmates and future stars John Scott Trotter, Saxie Dowell, and Skinnay Ennis. In 1926, he was a member of the charter class of the Alpha Rho chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity, installed on the Carolina campus in February of that year. In 1927 Kemp turned leadership of the Carolina Club Orchestra over to fellow UNC student Kay Kyser and turned professional. The band was based in New York City, and included Trotter, Dowell, and Ennis, and a few years later trumpeters Bunny Berigan and Jack Purvis joined the group. The sound was 1920s collegiate jazz. Kemp once again toured Europe in the summer of 1930. This band recorded regularly for Brunswick, English Duophone, Okeh and Melotone Records.
In 1932, during the height of the Depression, Kemp decided to lead the band in a new direction, changing the orchestra's style to a that of a dance band (often mistakenly referred to as "sweet"), using muted triple-tonguing trumpets, clarinets playing low sustained notes in unison through large megaphones (an early version of the echo chamber effect), and a double-octave piano.
One of the main reasons for the band's success was arranger John Scott Trotter. Singer Skinnay Ennis had difficulty sustaining notes, so Trotter came up with the idea of filling in these gaps with muted trumpets playing staccato triplets. This gave the band a unique sound, which Johnny Mercer jokingly referred to as sounding like a "typewriter." In 1992, Hal Kemp was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Nena - "99 Red Balloons" (1982)
"99 Luftballons" is a protest song by the German pop-rock band Nena. Originally sung in German, it was later re-recorded in English as "99 Red Balloons".
While at a June 1982 concert by the Rolling Stones in West Berlin, Nena's guitarist Carlo Karges noticed that balloons were being released. As he watched them move toward the horizon, he noticed them shifting and changing shapes, where they looked nothing like a mass of balloons but some strange spacecraft (referred to in the German lyrics as a "UFO"). He thought about what might happen if they floated over the Berlin Wall to the Soviet sector.
Both the English and German versions of the song tell a story of two children who buy a bag of red balloons in a toy shop in Cold War era Berlin and release them into the air at dawn, where they are spotted by the military who don't recognize them as balloons but instead think they are some kind of incoming weapon. They immediately put their troops on red alert and call out jet fighters to intercept which ultimately triggers a nuclear war between the two Cold War adversaries. In the apocalyptic aftermath, one of the children stands in the rubble of the city and finds a single remaining red balloon. Thinking of the other child, he or she then lets the balloon go. The music was composed by Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, the keyboardist of Nena's band, while Karges wrote the original German lyrics.
Having achieved widespread success in Germanic Europe and Japan, plans were made for the band to take the song international with an English version by Kevin McAlea, titled "99 Red Balloons". The English version is not a direct translation of the German and contains a somewhat different set of lyrics.
VH1 Classic, an American cable television station, ran a charity event for Hurricane Katrina relief in 2006. Viewers who made donations were allowed to choose which music videos the station would play. One viewer donated $35,000 for the right to program an entire hour and requested continuous play of Nena's "99 Luftballons" and "99 Red Balloons" videos. The station broadcast the videos as requested from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EST on 26 March 2006.
The translation of the title is sometimes given as "Ninety-Nine Air Balloons", however "Ninety-Nine Balloons" is also correct. A Luftballon is a colourful toy balloon, rather than a balloon for transport or research. The name is derived from Luft, German for air, but the meaning of Luft does not qualify the type of balloon. The title "99 Red Balloons" almost scans correctly with the syllables falling in the right places within the rhythm of the first lines of lyrics, with "red" replacing "Luft"; the only difference is that neunundneunzig has one syllable more than ninety-nine. The 2002 re-release also features lyrics in French.
THE GERMAN VERSION:
While at a June 1982 concert by the Rolling Stones in West Berlin, Nena's guitarist Carlo Karges noticed that balloons were being released. As he watched them move toward the horizon, he noticed them shifting and changing shapes, where they looked nothing like a mass of balloons but some strange spacecraft (referred to in the German lyrics as a "UFO"). He thought about what might happen if they floated over the Berlin Wall to the Soviet sector.
Both the English and German versions of the song tell a story of two children who buy a bag of red balloons in a toy shop in Cold War era Berlin and release them into the air at dawn, where they are spotted by the military who don't recognize them as balloons but instead think they are some kind of incoming weapon. They immediately put their troops on red alert and call out jet fighters to intercept which ultimately triggers a nuclear war between the two Cold War adversaries. In the apocalyptic aftermath, one of the children stands in the rubble of the city and finds a single remaining red balloon. Thinking of the other child, he or she then lets the balloon go. The music was composed by Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, the keyboardist of Nena's band, while Karges wrote the original German lyrics.
Having achieved widespread success in Germanic Europe and Japan, plans were made for the band to take the song international with an English version by Kevin McAlea, titled "99 Red Balloons". The English version is not a direct translation of the German and contains a somewhat different set of lyrics.
VH1 Classic, an American cable television station, ran a charity event for Hurricane Katrina relief in 2006. Viewers who made donations were allowed to choose which music videos the station would play. One viewer donated $35,000 for the right to program an entire hour and requested continuous play of Nena's "99 Luftballons" and "99 Red Balloons" videos. The station broadcast the videos as requested from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EST on 26 March 2006.
The translation of the title is sometimes given as "Ninety-Nine Air Balloons", however "Ninety-Nine Balloons" is also correct. A Luftballon is a colourful toy balloon, rather than a balloon for transport or research. The name is derived from Luft, German for air, but the meaning of Luft does not qualify the type of balloon. The title "99 Red Balloons" almost scans correctly with the syllables falling in the right places within the rhythm of the first lines of lyrics, with "red" replacing "Luft"; the only difference is that neunundneunzig has one syllable more than ninety-nine. The 2002 re-release also features lyrics in French.
THE GERMAN VERSION:
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Domenico Modugno - "Volare" (1958)
"Nel blu dipinto di blu" ("In the blue, painted blue"), popularly known as "Volare" (Italian for the infinitive form of the verb "to fly"), is Domenico Modugno's signature song. Modugno's recording became the first Grammy winner for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1958. It is the only foreign-language recording to achieve this honor. It spent five non-consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100 in August and September 1958 and was Billboard's number-one single for the year. It is one of only three one-hit wonders to become single of the year in the history of the Hot 100 (followed by "Stranger on the Shore" by Acker Bilk in 1962 and "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter in 2006).
The song became widely known as "Volare", from its refrain, and reached the top of the charts all over the world through translations into various languages.
The song has been covered at least 100 times over the years. Versions were quickly recorded after the initial success - partly in English, partly in Italian - by The McGuire Sisters and Dean Martin. Bobby Rydell had a hit with his version, reaching #4 on the Hot 100 in the summer of 1960 (this version was later played over the end credits of the 1986 movie Vamp). An up-tempo Spanish version (partly in Italian) was recorded by the Gipsy Kings in 1989, and an English/Spanish salsa version is also sung by Son Boricua of Jimmy Sabater and Jose Mangual Jr. in 2000.
DEAN MARTIN version:
GIPSY KINGS 1989 version:
The song became widely known as "Volare", from its refrain, and reached the top of the charts all over the world through translations into various languages.
The song has been covered at least 100 times over the years. Versions were quickly recorded after the initial success - partly in English, partly in Italian - by The McGuire Sisters and Dean Martin. Bobby Rydell had a hit with his version, reaching #4 on the Hot 100 in the summer of 1960 (this version was later played over the end credits of the 1986 movie Vamp). An up-tempo Spanish version (partly in Italian) was recorded by the Gipsy Kings in 1989, and an English/Spanish salsa version is also sung by Son Boricua of Jimmy Sabater and Jose Mangual Jr. in 2000.
DEAN MARTIN version:
GIPSY KINGS 1989 version:
Monday, July 18, 2011
Kim Larsen - Papirsklip (Paper Cutting), (1983)
Kim Melius Flyvholm Larsen (born October 23, 1945 in Copenhagen) is a Danish rock musician. Inspired by The Beatles and rock and roll, Larsen began as a songwriter and guitarist. In 1969 he met Franz Beckerlee and Wili Jønsson, and the three founded Gasolin' which, later joined by drummer Søren Berlev, became one of the most successful Danish rock bands. The band dissolved in the late 1970s and has always refused to reform although they remain very popular decades after their seventies heyday, which has contributed to their myth and magic. In 2006, the documentary movie Gasolin' directed by Anders Østergaard, gave the history of the band and became a big hit in Denmark.
Kim Larsen released a number of solo albums in the eighties, topping in 1983 with the album Midt om natten (In the Middle of the Night), which became the most sold Danish music album in history, with more than 532,000 copies sold. "Midt Om Natten" is a Danish film and the above film clip demonstrates the 'Papersklip' tune.
Kim Larsen released a number of solo albums in the eighties, topping in 1983 with the album Midt om natten (In the Middle of the Night), which became the most sold Danish music album in history, with more than 532,000 copies sold. "Midt Om Natten" is a Danish film and the above film clip demonstrates the 'Papersklip' tune.
Sarah Mclachlan - "I Will Remember You" (1995)
"I Will Remember You" is a song written by Sarah McLachlan, Séamus Egan and Dave Merenda. The song first appeared on the soundtrack to the movie "The Brothers McMullen" in 1995, and was featured on her remix album Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff. It became a hit when McLachlan released a live version of the song from her 1999 album Mirrorball placing at #14 in the US on July 20, 1999, after reaching the Top 40 on June 8. The song also earned McLachlan a Grammy Award in 1999.
The Rarities version of the song has three verses, the first of which is omitted during live performances (as heard on Mirrorball). This song was covered by Kenny Rogers on his 1999 album, "She Rides Wild Horses", sampled by Lil' Crazed for his song "I Will Remember You (Graduation Song)", and recorded by Séamus Egan and band Solas in 2000 on their album The Hour Before Dawn. Sarah McLachlan performed this song during an "in memoriam" slide show at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards, held on September 20, 2009.
The Rarities version of the song has three verses, the first of which is omitted during live performances (as heard on Mirrorball). This song was covered by Kenny Rogers on his 1999 album, "She Rides Wild Horses", sampled by Lil' Crazed for his song "I Will Remember You (Graduation Song)", and recorded by Séamus Egan and band Solas in 2000 on their album The Hour Before Dawn. Sarah McLachlan performed this song during an "in memoriam" slide show at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards, held on September 20, 2009.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Bobby McFerrin - "Don't Worry Be Happy" (1988)
"Don't Worry, Be Happy" is a song by musician Bobby McFerrin. Released in September 1988, it became the first a cappella song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a position it held for two weeks. On the UK Singles Chart, the song reached number 2 during its fifth week on the chart. At the 1989 Grammy Awards, "Don't Worry Be Happy" won the awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. The song's title is taken from a famous quote by Meher Baba. The original music video stars Robin Williams and Bill Irwin. The "instruments" in the a cappella song are entirely overdubbed voice parts and other sounds made by McFerrin, using no instruments at all. The music video for the song is considerably shorter than the album version. It is ranked #31 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s.
The Indian mystic and sage Meher Baba (1894–1969) often used the expression "Don't worry, be happy" when cabling his followers in the West. However, Meher Baba communicated variations of the sentiment; fuller versions of the quote—such as, "Do your best. Then, don’t worry; be happy in My love. I will help you" -- also incorporate responsibility ("do your best...") alongside the detachment ("don't worry..."), as well as the master/disciple spiritual relationship ("I will help you").
Originally released in conjunction with the Tom Cruise film "Cocktail" in 1988, the song originally peaked at No. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was re-released the same year and peaked at No. 1 on September 24, 1988. The song also peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks chart and No. 7 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. The song was also a hit in the United Kingdom and peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
The Indian mystic and sage Meher Baba (1894–1969) often used the expression "Don't worry, be happy" when cabling his followers in the West. However, Meher Baba communicated variations of the sentiment; fuller versions of the quote—such as, "Do your best. Then, don’t worry; be happy in My love. I will help you" -- also incorporate responsibility ("do your best...") alongside the detachment ("don't worry..."), as well as the master/disciple spiritual relationship ("I will help you").
Originally released in conjunction with the Tom Cruise film "Cocktail" in 1988, the song originally peaked at No. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was re-released the same year and peaked at No. 1 on September 24, 1988. The song also peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks chart and No. 7 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. The song was also a hit in the United Kingdom and peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
Billy Swan - "I Can Help" (1974)
"I Can Help" is a song written and performed by Billy Swan. Released in September 1974, the song was a big crossover smash, reaching #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Singles charts late that fall.
Although Swan had other charting singles on both the Hot 100 and country charts, the song is generally recognized as being Swan's only major hit single release. However, Swan — later a member of the band Black Tie — had continued success as a songwriter for other artists and as a session musician.
In addition to being a No. 1 country and pop hit, "I Can Help" reached No. 6 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Singles chart and No. 6 on the United Kingdom's Record Retailer chart. In addition, the song was a hit throughout most of Europe and also reached #1 in Australia.
"I Can Help" is certified gold for sales of 1,000,000 units by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Although Swan had other charting singles on both the Hot 100 and country charts, the song is generally recognized as being Swan's only major hit single release. However, Swan — later a member of the band Black Tie — had continued success as a songwriter for other artists and as a session musician.
In addition to being a No. 1 country and pop hit, "I Can Help" reached No. 6 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Singles chart and No. 6 on the United Kingdom's Record Retailer chart. In addition, the song was a hit throughout most of Europe and also reached #1 in Australia.
"I Can Help" is certified gold for sales of 1,000,000 units by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The Spinners - "Games People Play" (1975)
"Games People Play", also known as "They Just Can't Stop It the (Games People Play)", is a song recorded by American R&B vocal group The Spinners. Released in 1975 from their Pick of the Litter album, featuring lead vocals by the group's main lead singer Bobby Smith, the song was a crossover success, spending a week at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart and peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. Female backing vocals on the song were by Barbara Ingram.
In 1954, a group of friends who grew up together in Royal Oak Township, Michigan, just outside Detroit, came together to make music. For a time, several of the band members resided in Detroit's Herman Gardens public housing projects. Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, C. P. Spencer, and James Edwards called themselves The Domingoes, however James Edwards lasted only a few weeks. He was replaced by Bobbie Smith, who sang lead on most of the Spinners' early records (and many of their biggest Atlantic hits). C. P. Spencer left the group shortly afterwards, and would later go on to be a member of the Voice Masters and The Originals. He was replaced by George Dixon. The group renamed themselves The Spinners in 1961. This name was chosen after looking at popular car hubcaps and noting how they spun around on a car's wheel.
In 1954, a group of friends who grew up together in Royal Oak Township, Michigan, just outside Detroit, came together to make music. For a time, several of the band members resided in Detroit's Herman Gardens public housing projects. Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, C. P. Spencer, and James Edwards called themselves The Domingoes, however James Edwards lasted only a few weeks. He was replaced by Bobbie Smith, who sang lead on most of the Spinners' early records (and many of their biggest Atlantic hits). C. P. Spencer left the group shortly afterwards, and would later go on to be a member of the Voice Masters and The Originals. He was replaced by George Dixon. The group renamed themselves The Spinners in 1961. This name was chosen after looking at popular car hubcaps and noting how they spun around on a car's wheel.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
The Babys - "Everytime I Think of You" (1979)
"Every Time I Think of You" is a the title of a song written by Jack Conrad and Ray Kennedy which was a Top 20 hit single for the Babys in 1979.
Released as the lead single from the Head First album in January 1979, "Every Time I Think of You" ascended to a Billboard Hot 100 peak of #13 that April. The Babys' previous Top 40 hit "Isn't It Time" had also peaked at #13; like "Isn't It Time" - which was also a Jack Conrad/Ray Kennedy composition - "Every Time I Think of You" augmented the vocal of Babys' frontman John Waite with prominent female vocals: whereas "Isn't It Time" had featured a female chorale, "Every Time I Think of You" featured a vocal solo by Annie Bertucci. Jimmie Haskell arranged and conducted the string section heard on the track.
"Every Time I Think of You" rose as high as #8 on the Cashbox Top 100 Singles chart - that chart's only Top 30 showing for the Babys, "Isn't It Time" having peaked there at #38. "Every Time I Think of You" afforded the Babys a hit in Australia, Canada and the Netherlands with respective peaks of #6, #8 and #11; the track also reached #41 in New Zealand.
The track which had served as B-side to "Every Time I Think of You": "Head First", was issued as the A-side of the Babys' next single with another track from the Head First album: "California", as B-side. The "Head First" single peaked at #77 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Babys would have a third and final Top 40 charting in 1980 with "Back on My Feet Again" (#33).
A #11 hit on Belgium's Flemish charts via a 2000 a remake by Get Ready!, "Every Time I Think of You" was remade in 2006 by Marco Borsato and Lucie Silvas whose version - with the spelling adjusted to "Everytime I Think of You" - was released for download 2 October 2006 to chart on the Dutch Top 40 dated 7 October 2006 at #35; released as a CD single on 6 October 2006 the track was #1 in the Netherlands for the week of 14 October 2006 remaining at #1 for three subsequent weeks. A hit on Belgium's Flemish charts at #5, "Everytime I Think of You" was added to the track listing of Lucie Silvas' album The Same Side for its release in the Netherlands.
Released as the lead single from the Head First album in January 1979, "Every Time I Think of You" ascended to a Billboard Hot 100 peak of #13 that April. The Babys' previous Top 40 hit "Isn't It Time" had also peaked at #13; like "Isn't It Time" - which was also a Jack Conrad/Ray Kennedy composition - "Every Time I Think of You" augmented the vocal of Babys' frontman John Waite with prominent female vocals: whereas "Isn't It Time" had featured a female chorale, "Every Time I Think of You" featured a vocal solo by Annie Bertucci. Jimmie Haskell arranged and conducted the string section heard on the track.
"Every Time I Think of You" rose as high as #8 on the Cashbox Top 100 Singles chart - that chart's only Top 30 showing for the Babys, "Isn't It Time" having peaked there at #38. "Every Time I Think of You" afforded the Babys a hit in Australia, Canada and the Netherlands with respective peaks of #6, #8 and #11; the track also reached #41 in New Zealand.
The track which had served as B-side to "Every Time I Think of You": "Head First", was issued as the A-side of the Babys' next single with another track from the Head First album: "California", as B-side. The "Head First" single peaked at #77 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Babys would have a third and final Top 40 charting in 1980 with "Back on My Feet Again" (#33).
A #11 hit on Belgium's Flemish charts via a 2000 a remake by Get Ready!, "Every Time I Think of You" was remade in 2006 by Marco Borsato and Lucie Silvas whose version - with the spelling adjusted to "Everytime I Think of You" - was released for download 2 October 2006 to chart on the Dutch Top 40 dated 7 October 2006 at #35; released as a CD single on 6 October 2006 the track was #1 in the Netherlands for the week of 14 October 2006 remaining at #1 for three subsequent weeks. A hit on Belgium's Flemish charts at #5, "Everytime I Think of You" was added to the track listing of Lucie Silvas' album The Same Side for its release in the Netherlands.
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