Came across this exquisitely choreographed dance routine to the Michael Buble song Feeling Good, on Facebook recently. It’s performed by a couple known as Duo Flame, who stunned the judges at the Ukraine’s Got Talent show.
Glad I found it on YouTube. Enjoy!
I must be turning into a sentimental old fool for digging up this song, but there you have it. I really like I’ve Never Been To Me by Charlene, full name Charlene Marilynn D’Angleo Oliver.
When first released in 1976 it did not make much of an impression, but when a disc jockey on a radio show played it in 1982, it became a hit. A one-hit wonder, off course.
Some of you may remember the song from the opening titles in the hit 1994 film Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, being mimed by a drag queen.
Lyrics: I’ve Never Been To Me
Hey lady, you lady, cursing at your life
You’re a discontented mother and a regimented wife
I’ve no doubt you dream about the things you’ll never do
But, I wish someone had talked to me
Like I wanna talk to you…..
Oh, I’ve been to Georgia and California and anywhere I could run
I took the hand of a preacher man and we made love in the sun
But I ran out of places and friendly faces because I had to be free
I’ve been to paradise but I’ve never been to me
Please lady, please lady, don’t just walk away
‘Cause I have this need to tell you why I’m all alone today
I can see so much of me still living in your eyes
Won’t you share a part of a weary heart that has lived million lies….
Oh, I’ve been to Niece and the Isle of Greece while I’ve sipped champagne on a yacht
I’ve moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo and showed ‘em what I’ve got
I’ve been undressed by kings and I’ve seen some things that a woman ain’t supposed to see
I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me
Hey, you know what paradise is?
It’s a lie, a fantasy we create about people and places as we’d like them to be
But you know what truth is?
It’s that little baby you’re holding, it’s that man you fought with this morning
The same one you’re going to make love with tonight
That’s truth, that’s love……
Sometimes I’ve been to crying for unborn children that might have made me complete
But I took the sweet life, I never knew I’d be bitter from the sweet
I’ve spent my life exploring the subtle whoring that costs too much to be free
Hey lady……
I’ve been to paradise, (I’ve been to paradise)
But I’ve never been to me
(I’ve been to Georgia and California, and anywhere I could run)
I’ve been to paradise, never been to me
(I’ve been to Neice and the isle of Greece while I’ve sipped champagne on a yacht)
I’ve been to paradise, never been to me
(I’ve been to cryin’ for unborn children that might have made me complete)
I’ve been to paradise, never been to me
(I’ve been to Georgia and California, and anywhere I could run)
I’ve been to paradise, never been to me
Sarah Brightman may well be better known for her roles in Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, but she is an accomplished solo artist in her own right. And being able to sing in English, Spanish, French, Latin, German, Italian, Russian, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese is no small feat.
The duet Time To Say Goodbye with Andrea Bocelli is a well-loved and well-known classic, but I had all but forgotten that she fronted for the 70′s band, Hot Gossip, who had a disco hit with I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper.
However, my favorite Brightman songs remain:
Nella Fantasia
Il Mio Coure Va
The 60′s is perhaps my favorite musical era. Sadly, one of that era’s musical greats, Reg Presley who founded and fronted for The Troggs, has passed away after succumbing to cancer.
Reg had a strange interest in the paranormal, Crop Circles and UFO’s, and even wrote a book about it, but like most people, we all have our little quirks. Who knows, he may be designing the mother of all crop circle somewhere in his beloved Hampshire, and plotting to prove us skeptics all wrong.
The Troggs will be perhaps be remembered most for that all-time classic Wild Thing, but With A Girl Like You, is my personal favorite.
Take it away Reg… or should I say thanks for leaving this wonderful testament of your genius behind, for us all to enjoy in perpetuity.
Today I thought I would share with you two songs from the movies which have not only made an impression on me cerebrally, but always puts a smile (smirk) on my face.
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, from Monty Python’s Life of Brian
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life was written by Eric Idle and sung by him in the film while strung up on a cross, just prior to the closing credits.
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So Long And Thanks For All The Fish, from The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy
So Long And Thanks For All The Fish is featured in the opening titles of the film sung by Hilary Summers, Kemi Ominiyi and The R’SVP Voices, to a Joby Talbot soundtrack. A reprise version is also available on the movie soundtrack with vocals by Neil Hannon.
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In truth, I like these songs so much because they provide irreverent commentary on man’s feeble belief systems. So come on now, give a whistle.
I’ve been feeling a little nostalgic this week, so here’s one all the way back from 1969. These Eyes was written by guitarist Randy Bachman who later went on to found Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and lead singer Burton Cummings who I remember best for Break It To Them Gently.
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Feel proud Canucks; they’re one of your’s…
Ravi Shankar was a musical genius with instrument of choice, the sitar. The world loses another gifted musician, but through his daughters Anoushka and Norah Jones, his genius will live on.
Here he will be remembered for imparting the gift of musical knowledge to Anoushka.
It’s kinda hard to believe that the James Bond franchise is 50 years old. Starting way back in 1962 with Dr. No starring Sean Connery, and Skyfall, the latest in the series starring Daniel Craig, which is about to hit cinemas across the globe.
While it’s great fun looking back over the years at all the different exotic cars, stunning girls, evil villains, high-tech gadgets and actors who played the Bond character, another fascinating aspect of the franchise are the memorable theme songs that characterise every film. From the original Dr. No by James Barry & Orchestra to Adele’s Skyfall, I’m sure everyone has their own personal favourite.
Here follows my personal selection of opening title sequence themes, in descending order of preference:
1. Goldfinger by Shirley Bassey, from Goldfinger, 1964
2. Live And Let Die by Paul McCartney & Wings, from Live And Let Die, 1973
3. For Your Eyes Only by Sheena Easton, from For Your Eyes Only, 1981
4. Nobody Does It Better by Carly Simon, from The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977
5. Diamonds Are Forever by Shirley Bassey, from Diamonds Are Forever, 1971
And who can forget that scene from Dr. No with Ursula Andress’s character Honey Ryder emerging from the sea in a white bikini. A real classic piece of cinema history. And what better way to remember it, than to Under The Mango Tree by Diana Coupland:
A special shout out needs to go to the only duet from a James Bond film, Another Way to Die by Jack White & Alicia Keys. However it’s a real pity it came from one of the worst Bond films in my opinion, Quantum Of Solace, and starring my least favorite Bond, Daniel Craig.
To round off, the worst choice for a Bond film has to go to Madonna’s Die Another Day from the 2002 film starring Pierce Brosnan. Don’t get me wrong, the song is good, but it just does not sit well with the whole Bond theme somehow. So I’m not gonna bother with a video clip either…
I got talked into attending Joburg Pride. I’m so glad I did.
It’s simply marvellous really, that the event is attended by so many heterosexual men and woman. I had no idea.
The theme this year was “Protect Our Rights.”
I was truly amazed at the outpouring of love and camaraderie from the LGBTI community. After the Parade March was over, the spontaneous party atmosphere at the gathering point in Zoo Lake Sports Club had me dancing along with thousands of other people.
The really strange thing was not feeling like an outsider; it just felt so natural being there, celebrating our wonderful sexual diversity.
I’m definitely attending again next year. Maybe I’ll get into the whole costume thing this time…
And now for something completely different [with apologies to Monty Python's Flying Circus]…
My posts about music usually revolve around great guitar riffs, but today it’s about a different kind of music, one I presume many people won’t be too familiar with. Tuvan throat singing as practised by the Tuvan people of Southern Siberia in the region of Mongolia, is a very old art-form which involves producing one or more pitches of sound from deep within the throat.
One of the more accomplished practitioners of this amazing art is Kongar-ol Ondar who hails from Tuva and is a master of the khöömei style of throat singing (the others being kargyraa and sygyt). Ondar is relatively well-known in the West and has brought a modern touch of fusion to this old art with compositions such as this:
And even an attempt at rapping that has me re-appraising my antipathy towards rap music:
Kongar-ol Ondar has collaborated with Western artists such as Paul Pena and Bela Fleck. This collaboration with Bill Miller, a Native American, is simply astounding as it showcases the vocal abilities from two different continents and cultures.
However he does enjoy some light-hearted moments, such as in concert here with Bela Fleck and the Fleckstones:
If you listened carefully to the song, you will have heard a reference to Richard Feynman, the famous American physicist who shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 with Julian Schwinger and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga for his work in quantum electrodynamics. Feynman also shared a keen interest in, and fascination of Tuvan throat singing, and is considered the “patron saint” of the informal group Friends of Tuva.
