I am so thrilled that the beautiful and talented Laura Nyro was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. She wrote so many classic songs such as “Wedding Bell Blues”, “And When I Die” and “Stoney End” and she was such a powerfully soulful performer too. This was long overdue to say the least.
Laura died of ovarian cancer at age 49 in 1997, far too soon but thankfully she left us so many great songs from her heart and soul.
Here’s Laura singing “Stoney End”
In this information age replete with data overload and this TMI generation, the fine art of mystery and all its glory and power has all but been extinguished. In the past, we were intrigued and fascinated with mythic figures such as movie stars, professional athletes and such because we knew so little about them. Now we know WAY too much about EVERYONE and thus there went the magic.
Some will say this is a good thing…knowledge and information can only be a good thing but sometimes I wonder if that is true in all cases, especially when it comes to escapism with our movie stars and athletes. Do we really need to know how much money they make per inning or per movie? Also, do we really need to know that so and so is a bad tipper or was a bed-wetter?
Overexposure only hurts your “brand” as in the case of J.Lo who is EVERYWHERE…OK so she has a new album out, do your video and guest appearances on all the talk shows to push it but to be on national TV every week on American Idol and perform it there too and debut the video too? Then push your clothing line and perfume and pet day care service (OK I made that one up but don’t be surprised it comes next!) They think it’s promoting their work but it backfires a lot in most cases. Less is more. Give us back the mystery and you’ll get more interest and attention.
The recent public feud between Madonna and Lady GaGa isn’t anything new to the material girl. She’s endured copycats and clones ever since day one when she started back in the early 80s. Here are a few of the ones that I remember and actually liked. Obviously, none of them had careers as successful or as long as Madonna. Some of them still perform shows and have fan bases from the 80s who enjoy reminiscing about their club days.
Let me start with my favorite clone.. Alisha who had a few hits so she wasn’t a one-hit wonder like the rest.
Baby Talk
All Night Passion
Stargazing
Here’s Nocera who also had a couple of hits. She wasn’t only Italian like Madonna but actually from Sicily.
Let’s Go
Summertime Summertime
Regina had a hit called Baby Love that not only sounded like a Madonna song but the music video reminded me of Borderline.
I just can’t get enough of “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye and Kimbra. It’s currently a big smash all over the world reaching number one in several countries including the UK. The weird thing is that most people in the USA didn’t hear it from him first but instead by another artist called Walk Off the Earth which did an interesting version which went viral because of the unique music video that had all five members playing one guitar.
Here’s the original version by Gotye and Kimbra
Here’s the Walk Off the Earth version that went viral
Here’s Gotye talking about the song
“Somebody That I Used To Know”
(feat. Kimbra)
[Gotye:]
Now and then I think of when we were together
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
Told myself that you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
But that was love and it’s an ache I still remember
You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Like resignation to the end, always the end
So when we found that we could not make sense
Well you said that we would still be friends
But I’ll admit that I was glad it was over
But you didn’t have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don’t even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
No you didn’t have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don’t need that though
Now you’re just somebody that I used to know
Now you’re just somebody that I used to know
Now you’re just somebody that I used to know
[Kimbra:]
Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I’d done
But I don’t wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say
You said that you could let it go
And I wouldn’t catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know
[Gotye:]
But you didn’t have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don’t even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
And you didn’t have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don’t need that though
Now you’re just somebody that I used to know
[x2]
Somebody
(I used to know)
Somebody
(Now you’re just somebody that I used to know)
(I used to know)
(That I used to know)
(I used to know)
Somebody
Every once in a while I hear something that grabs my attention no matter what I’m doing. That happened today when I had the TV on in the background on HBO and it played a promo of movies coming up this year and the music just caught my attention. I whipped out my shazam app and it found out the name of the song and artist, “All at once” by The Airborne Toxic Event. I just loved the song so much…the music and the lyrics. It’s such a rare treat when it all clicks together like that. Here are a couple of different versions of the amazing song.
Here’s the black and white performance video of All At Once by The Airborne Toxic Event
Here’s the recorded version with lyrics
“All At Once”
We were born without time
Nameless in the arms
Of a mother, a father, and God
When the world would wait for us
A thousand years in the crush
Of our eyes, fearless, and awed
So quietly, we’d fade into sleep
With nothing on our mind(s)
Hoo, hoo, hoo..
And then we longed to be loved
In the rush, we become
Some things we thought we’d never be
We were surprised by how hard
Left wary and scarred
From the nights spent feeling incomplete
And all those evenings swearing at the sky
Wishing for more time
All the promises we broke when we tried
Just wastin’ all our time
Hoo, hoo..
We grow old all at once
And it comes like a punch
In the gut, in the back, in the face
When it seems someone’s lied
And our parents have died
Then we hold onto each other in their place
And I feel the water risin’ around us
Maybe that’s okay
Yeah, I feel the world changin’ all at once
I guess it’ll be okay
Hoo, hoo, hoo..
And we all had one hope
There was someone lookin’ down
To return our bodies to each other
And the ground
I’ve always loved Ellen Foley. Most people don’t know the name but once they hear that she sang the female part on Meatloaf’s “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” they remember her. Sadly, though, they think she’s the singer that appeared on Meatloaf’s music video for the song but that was Karla Devito who lip synced to Ellen’s powerful voice. It should have helped launch Ellen’s career and it did lead to her critically acclaimed solo album “Night Out” but sales were not great despite praise from Rolling Stone magazine a cult following. I really liked her solo efforts too but for whatever reason she never really made it big commercially but everyone agrees that she was a great singer and a dynamic performer. Checkout the songs below. She also did a stint on the popular TV series Night Court but it was only one season.
As for her personal life, Ellen dated Mick Jones from the clash at their peak and this ill-fated relationship was the inspiration to one of their biggest hits, “Should I Stay or Should I Go” which covered their tumultuous times.
Here’s her Facebook page
Here’s the most popular song she did. Meatload’s Paradise by the Dashboard Light. Such a shame that Ellen didn’t get to perform in the popular music video which featured Karla DeVito instead.
Another popular collaboration was with Ian Hunter on his big hit “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”
Here’s a live version with Ian Hunter
Stupid Girl from The Kenny Everette Video Show
Stupid Girl
We Belong to the Night
What’s a Matter Baby
Shattered Palace (Sons of Europe)
Another version of Shattered Palace. Ellen was never more beautiful here
From a TV special called 3 Girls 3, here Ellen sings the Eagles’ New Kid in Town.
Ellen performing the song written about her in recent times. “Should I Stay or Should I Go”
The old adage is so true. We don’t know what we need, want, or love until it’s gone.
I love this song by Alex (not Adam!) Lambert from American Idol. He only made the top 12 because he was just too nervous in front of a live audience but he sure has come a long way. Check him out in this wonderful video as he performs all over the world including in the middle of Times Square.
Love his voice…sounds familiar but I can’t remember who..perhaps a little bit like Curtis Stigers? In any event, I think the kid has a bright future.
“I Didn’t Know”
Verse:
I thought I knew
But this just doesn’t feel right without you
I tried so hard to push away your heart when I should’ve let it through
I miss your voice
Anything else that I hear is just noise
Cause you changed my world, should’ve seen it girl, but I didn’t know
Chorus:
I didn’t know who you were ’til you were gone
I didn’t know you’d be so special to me
I didn’t know, didn’t know myself
I didn’t know all the love I felt for you
So baby please don’t go, I didn’t know
Verse:
I was convinced
That I could go through one day without your kiss
I never felt the way you made me melt
Oh since I touched your lips
Chorus:
I didn’t know who you were ’til you were gone
I didn’t know you’d be so special to me
I didn’t know, didn’t know myself
I didn’t know all the love I felt for you
So baby please don’t go, I didn’t know
Bridge:
Na na na na na na na na I didn’t know
Na na na na na na na na I didn’t know that I could fall so deep in love
I wanna be there when the morning sun comes up
Can you forgive me this time, baby please
I thought I knew, but this just doesn’t feel right without you
Chorus:
I didn’t know who you were ’til you were gone
I didn’t know you’d be so special to me
I didn’t know, didn’t know myself
I didn’t know all the love I felt for you
Please don’t let me go, so baby please don’t go
Outro:
I didn’t know, didn’t know, how beautiful, didn’t know
Didn’t know, I didn’t know, didn’t know
I just love this song “No Regrest” by Dappy which is a monster number one smash overseas in the UK right now. The music video is very well-done too. It shows several nice storylines of people rising above their situations and circumstances. We always have the choice to just blame our lot in life and make excuses or choose to overcome it all.
This song is so good. The lyrics share a powerfully positive message about changing who you are which then changes your life and the world around you. It’s all connected. We can become a victim or the victor. It all starts with being honest with ourselves about who we are and who we want to be. This lyric demonstrates the self evaluation…point blank.
“Inside there’s a fire, cause I’m no longer looking at a reflection that i admire”
NO REGRETS
Dappy
oo-oh-oo-oh-oo-oh Na Na Na Na Na
oo-oh-oo-oh-oo-ohhh
hear me ouutt
this is my kings speech, im no where near the end,
if i s-s-s-start a sorry i aint heaven sent,
i messed my life up, and yeah ive been down
im a changed man now Chris Brown,
you know i feel your pain, coz i done been through it,
im Kurt Cobain, but i just couldn’t do it,
no point in turning back, just to hit rewind,
back to the future, ma marty mcfly
Inside theres a fire, coz im no longer looking at a reflection that i admire,
i paint a picture of a fighter, but as im looking back at me since im a liar
if i should die before i wake, the least that i could ever say, i made mistakes but held on to my faitthh,
Cause when i look in a mirror i don’t even recognize My Self,
got the heart of a winner,
but looking back at me is someone else.
No Regrets (x2),
No point in crying over yesterday
eh
No Regrets (x2)
cause we ain’t even seen the best of days!
oo-oh-oo-oh-oo-ohhh Na Na Na Na Na
oo-oh-oo-oh-oo-ohhh
second verse:
this is my last chance, im on my final straw,
i came so close to b b breaking like a spinal cord,
i came from nothing, some kid in camden,
now im flier than the birds richard branson
I’m a Prince and yes I will get the crown, Kate stays in my dungeon when her sister’s round,
so please forgive me, if i make mistakes,
but il blow the bloody doors off michael caine
if i should die before i wake, the least that i could ever say, i made mistakes but held on to my faitthh,
Cause when i look in a mirror i don’t even recognize My Self,
got the heart of a winner,
but looking back at me is someone else.
No Regrets (x2),
No point in crying over yesterday
eh
No Regrets (x2)
cause we ain’t even seen the best of days!
im freeeeee to be whatever i, coz im famous call me gallager coz im so shameless,
the papers saw the pages like the cost of my failures, victimised by the public dont know if i cant take this, so i sing,
so when you feel like theres no more, nothing left but the life youve broken, no regrets no turning back,
pick up yourself and tell em im just being me!
Cause when i look in a mirror i don’t even recognize My Self,
got the heart of a winner,
but looking back at me is someone else.
No Regrets (x2),
No point in crying over yesterday
eh
No Regrets (x2)
NO REGRETTTSSSSS
Cause when i look in a mirror i don’t even recognize My Self,
got the heart of a winner,
but looking back at me is someone else.
No Regrets (x2),
No point in crying over yesterday
eh
No Regrets (x2)
cause we ain’t even seen the best of days!
I have been a lifelong fan of Vince Clarke. I’ve loved his music from Depeche Mode (Just Can’t Get Enough) to Yazoo with Alison Moyet and Erasure with Andy Bell. The common thread being groundbreaking beautiful synthesizer music. Here are some of my favorite songs from Mr. Clarke.
Just Can’t Get Enough (Depeche Mode 1981)
Only You (Yazoo 1982)
Don’t Go (Yazoo 1982)
Situation (Yazoo 1982)
Nobody’s Diary (Yazoo 1983)
Walk Away from Love (Yazoo 1983)
Vince Clarke & Alison Moyet talk about joining forces for Upstair’s at Eric’s. Vince shares just how close he came to giving up on music after leaving Depeche Mode!!! If he couldn’t get a record deal with his music for Yazoo then he was prepared to get a regular day job! Amazing.
Vince and Alison reunited for the Reconnected world tour in 2008!
Who Needs Love Like That (Erasure 1985)
Oh L’Amour (Erasure 1986)
Sometimes (Erasure 1986)
Victim of Love (Erasure 1987)
Chains of Love (Erasure 1988)
A Little Respect (Erasure 1988)
Here’s his Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Here’s a hilarious alternate music video version of the Lazy Song by Bruno Mars starring the legendary Leonard “Mr. Spock” Nimoy! It seems to be homage to the Big Lebowski by the Coen brothers as he goes shopping in his robe just like the Dude.
