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| NOVEMBER 2007 | JANUARY 2008 |
Song of the Day #861
Song
of the Day: Jingle
Bell Rock, written by Joe
Beal and Jim Boothe, is a fun-filled holiday tune. Listen to audio
clips by Bobby
Helms, Brenda
Lee, Amy
Grant, Randy
Travis, and even Billy
Idol (on YouTube)!!! Have
a Rockin' (and Safe) New Year's Eve!
Song of the Day #860
Song
of the Day: Last
Christmas, written by George
Michael, has been recorded
by so many artists, but it was first released by Wham.
Listen to audio clips of renditions by the Cheetah
Girls and Hilary
Duff (the clip is actually available on the link labeled "Same Old
Christmas"), and take a look on YouTube for a sweet ballad-to-dance version by Ashley
Tisdale, a nice house-inflected version by Cascada,
and the original
Wham video.
Song of the Day #859
Song
of the Day: Rockin'
Around the Christmas Tree, words
and music by Johnny
Marks, is a fun-filled
seasonal romp. Listen to audio clips of renditions by Brenda
Lee, Ronnie
Spector and Darlene Love, and a Hannah
Montana YouTube Clip.
Song of the Day #858
Song
of the Day: Carol
for Another Christmas, composed by Henry
Mancini, was the title
track of a classic 1964 Rod
Serling-scripted TV take on "A
Christmas Carol," directed by Joseph
Mankiewicz. I was first exposed to this beautiful instrumental as a
child, watching the
great Yule Log on WPIX-TV. It's one of those sensitively performed
compositions, which has had a tendency to bring a bit of a puddle to my tear
ducts. Listen to an audio clip of Henry
Mancini (here too).
Song of the Day #857
Song
of the Day: Coventry
Carol is a traditional English carol from the sixteenth century whose
words are attributed to Robert
Croo. I always associated this gorgeous, haunting carol with the
alternate version of "Away
in a Manger," because it was recorded in a medley by the Living
Strings (featured on an album, "The
Spirit of Christmas," which I finally got after about 35 years of
searching for it!). Listen to audio clips of versions by The
King's Sisters, the Mediaeval
Baebes, and the Swingle
Sisters.
Song of the Day #856
Song
of the Day: A
Holly Jolly Christmas, music and lyrics by Johnny
Marks, has been recorded by several artists, including Burl
Ives and Alan
Jackson (audio clips at those links). I was first introduced to this
song as a kid, in my annual viewing of one of my favorite animated Christmas
tales of all time: "Rudolph
the Red-Nosed Reindeer."
Song of the Day #855 (RIP, Oscar Peterson)
Song
of the Day: A
Child is Born, words and music by Alec
Wilder and Thad
Jones, is a song that has come to be identified with this day, but it
has also become a jazz standard. Listen to audio clips of renditions by Thad
Jones and Mel Lewis, Diane
Reeves, Bill
Evans, Bill
Evans and Tony Bennett, and, finally, Oscar
Peterson, who passed away on Sunday,
December 23, 2007. A sad loss for lovers of music to contemplate on
this Christmas
Day. Rest in peace.
Posted by chris at 12:45 AM | Permalink |
Posted to Music | Remembrance
Song of the Day #854
Song
of the Day: It
Came Upon a Midnight Clear, words by Edmund
Hamilton Sears, music by Richard
Storrs Willis, is one of those Christmas songs that has been recorded
by many artists. Listen to audio clips of renditions by Josh
Grobin, Mannheim
Steamroller, and guitar greats Joe
Pass and Jack
Wilkins, each of whom casts his own magic on this classic carol.
Meanwhile, it's Christmas
Eve: Don't forget to Track
Santa!
Song of the Day #853
Song
of the Day: Here
Comes Santa Claus, words and music by Gene
Autry and Oakley
Haldeman, is another holiday favorite. Listen to an audio clip of
the Gene
Autry version.
Song of the Day #852
Song
of the Day: Frosty
the Snowman, words
and music by Steve
"Jack" Rollins and Steve
Nelson, is the perfect song for the Winter
Solstice, which arrives at 1:08 a.m., Eastern time. And now begins
the march back toward the light! Listen to an audio clip of the famous Gene
Autry and the Cass Country Boys version of this seasonal favorite.
And check out a YouTube video clip of the Rankin-Bass
animated classic, with Jimmy Durante singing the title track.
Song of the Day #851
Song
of the Day: Grandma
Got Run Over By a Reindeer, written by Randy
Brooks, was recorded by Dr.
Elmo. This crazy comedy Christmas classic can be viewed on YouTube.
And check out the rap
version and the remix too.
Today begins our Annual Holiday
Music Tribute!
Posted by chris at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments
(2) | Posted to Music
Hi! I work for Dr. Elmo. Thank you for putting his song up! If you give me your
email address, I will send you his newest - "Twas the Night Before Kwanzaa"!
Pam
Posted by: Pam
Wendell | December
22, 2007 12:42 PM
Thanks so much, Pam! I'll write to you offlist! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Posted by: Chris
Matthew Sciabarra | December
27, 2007 08:01 AM
Song of the Day #850
Song
of the Day: Everybody
Dance (Clap Your Hands), words and music by Bernard
Edwards and Nile Rogers, was a huge hit for Chic (YouTube
clip at that link). And for a nice twist on an old dance classic, check out a new
version recorded by the great Deborah
Cox (YouTube clip at that link).
Song of the Day #849
Song
of the Day: It's
Impossible is the English language version by Sid
Wayne of a Spanish standard "Somos
Novios" by Armando
Manzanero. Listen to audio clips of Spanish-language renditions by Manzanero
himself, Luis
Miguel, and, in a YouTube clip, Andrea
Boccelli and Christina Aguilera. Then check out audio clips of
English-language renditions by Elvis
Presley, and, my favorite, Perry
Como (check out a YouTube
full-length version of the Como classic).
Song of the Day #848
Song
of the Day: That's
All, words and music by Alan
Brandt and Bob Haymes, is a standard of the Great American Songbook
(and I especially love a version recorded by my sister-in-law, jazz singer Joanne
Barry). Listen to audio clips of renditions�some sweet, some
swing�by Nat
King Cole, Michael
Buble, and Bobby
Darin.
Song of the Day #847
Song
of the Day: A
Song for You, words
and music by Leon
Russell, has been recorded
by countless artists. Listen to audio clips from renditions by Leon
Russell himself, Carmen
McRae, the
Carpenters, Dusty
Springfield, Andy
Williams, Ray
Charles, Natalie
Cole, the
Temptations, Donny
Hathaway (Elliot
Yamin sure was influenced by him), and, my favorite recent recording,
by Christina
Aguilera and Herbie Hancock.
Song of the Day #846
Song
of the Day: Makes
Me Wonder features the words and music of Adam
Levine, Jesse
Carmichael, and Mickey
Madden of Maroon
5. Check out the YouTube
video clip of this infectious
pop hit.
Song of the Day #845
Song
of the Day: Proud
Mary, written by John
Fogerty, has been recorded
by many artists. Though I do enjoy the original Creedence
Clearwater version, my favorite version remains that of the Ike
and Tina Turner Revue. Ike
Turner, who passed away on December
12, 2007, provided the deep vocal counterpoint to Tina
Turner's "nice and rough" vocals on their classic take of this song.
They won a 1971
Grammy award for Best R&B Performance by a Group. Listen to audio
clips of the original Creedence
Clearwater Revival version and the scalding rendition of the Ike
and Tina Turner Revue.
Song of the Day #844
Song
of the Day: You
Should Be Dancing, written and performed by the Bee
Gees, features that soaring Barry
Gibb falsetto. This song famously framed John
Travolta's classic disco dance sequence (YouTube clip at that link)
on the flashing
floor of Brooklyn's 2001
Odyssey (which later became a famous gay dance club known as Spectrum).
Yes, I'd been to that club, and had danced on that floor, long before the
establishment closed for good. Ah, memories ... Listen to an audio clip of this
track here.
And so concludes our 9-day
tribute to "Saturday
Night Fever," which debuted on this date, 30 years ago. I'm goin'
dancin'...
Posted by chris at 06:20 AM | Permalink | Comments
(2) | Posted to Music
Chris, didn't that particular track pre-date the film? I think it does, not 100%
sure.
Posted by: Aeon J. Skoble | December
14, 2007 12:15 PM
Absolutely correct! It's from the 1976 album Children
of the World.
The song went to #1 from that album, and had a second life with "SNF."
Posted by: Chris
Matthew Sciabarra | December
18, 2007 10:09 AM
Song of the Day #843
Song
of the Day: K-Jee,
composed by Charles
Hearndon and Harvey
Fuqua, was performed on the soundtrack by MFSB,
giving disco an added dash of Philly soul. This one can be heard in full on YouTube;
it's a remake of a recording by the Nite-Liters (audio
clip at that link).
Song of the Day #842
Song
of the Day: Disco
Inferno, music and lyrics by L.
Green and R. Kersey, was one of the hottest dance cuts featured on
the soundtrack of "Saturday
Night Fever" (nice Travolta interview at that link). A #1
dance hit by the Philly dance band, The
Trammps, this one still sizzles ("Burn Baby, Burn!"). And it also
reminds us that the soundtrack brought together not only music from the Bee
Gees, but music from an era. The soundtrack may not have even been nominated for
an Oscar, but it took the 1978 Grammy for "Album
of the Year." Take a look at the original Trammps
video, and then check out alternative YouTube moments, renditions by Cyndi
Lauper (another Cyndi audio mix here), Tina
Turner, and Madonna (in
an "Inferno"-laced remix of "Music,"
that is a tribute to the "Saturday
Night Fever" disco era).
Song of the Day #841
Song
of the Day: Salsation (YouTube
clip at that link), written and performed by David
Shire, is another classic instrumental dance cut, an integration of
disco, jazz, and Latin influences, from the "Saturday
Night Fever" soundtrack. Listen to an audio clip of this track here.
Song of the Day #840
Song
of the Day: Manhattan
Skyline (a poignant YouTube clip at that link) was written and
performed by David
Shire. Featured on the "Saturday
Night Fever" soundtrack, it is a lyrical disco paean to a skyline of
hope for the young Brooklynite, Tony
Manero, played by John Travolta. Also listen to an audio clip of this
track here.
Song of the Day #839
Song
of the Day: More
Than a Woman, music and lyrics by the Bee
Gees, was featured in two versions on the "Saturday
Night Fever" soundtrack. Listen to audio clips of renditions by the
famously falsetto Bee
Gees and a group of five brothers, who formed a super R&B, disco, and
soul band named Tavares.
Posted by chris at 12:05 AM | Permalink | Comments
(2) | Posted to Music
Is it heretical for me to suggest that the Tavares version is better? I don't
dislike the Bee Gees version, but I always preferred the Tavares.
Posted by: Aeon J. Skoble | December
12, 2007 10:36 AM
Not at all heretical! I agree! :)
Posted by: Chris
Matthew Sciabarra | December
18, 2007 10:06 AM
Song of the Day #838
Song
of the Day: If
I Can't Have You, written by the Bee
Gees, was performed by Yvonne
Elliman on the soundtrack to "Saturday
Night Fever." Listen here to
an audio clip of this sweet melodic song about the tribulations of love.
Song of the Day #837
Song
of the Day: How
Deep is Your Love, written and performed by the Bee
Gees, was a #1 hit for an astounding 17 weeks in 1977-1978. Listen to
an audio clip of this melodic "Saturday
Night Fever" song here.
Song of the Day #836
Song
of the Day: Stayin'
Alive, written by Barry,
Robin, and Maurice Gibb, was a huge
#1 hit for them, as the Bee
Gees. It was the opening theme of a movie that encapsulated so much
about the disco era: "Saturday
Night Fever." When I first saw the film on the big screen in 1977, I
found it a bit depressing in its depiction of the tragic lives of so many of its
characters. The film and even its Broadway
incarnation provided more than a few moments of both reflection ...
and entertainment. And while I've mentioned other cuts from the famous
soundtrack, including "Open
Sesame," "Night
on Disco Mountain," and "A
Fifth of Beethoven," none is more identified with the film than this
one. It even shows up again in the film's
sequel of the same title. And it has been spoofed countless times ("Now
you can tell by the way I wear my pants / that I'm a man / Can't take no chance"...).
Today begins a 9-day tribute to the soundtrack of "Saturday
Night Fever," still one of the biggest-selling, and most influential,
albums of all time. The film celebrates the 30th
anniversary of its debut on December 14, 2007. Many covers of this
song have been recorded, but it's always best to begin at the beginning. Listen
to an audio clip of this track by the Bee
Gees.
Posted by chris at 01:10 AM | Permalink | Comments
(6) | Posted to Film
/ TV / Theater Review | Music | Remembrance
I am the genie of sound!
Everybody get down!
Posted by: Aeon J. Skoble | December
6, 2007 09:08 AM
Chris; I must add that I saw Saturday Night Fever soon after it opened. I was
impressed. Thanks for the reminder.
Posted by: Chris Grieb | December
7, 2007 01:21 PM
Wonderfull song... Still very famous here in The Netherlands, on radio and in
clubs.
Wondering if I am going to hear it that often in the USA :)
Posted by: Geld
Lenen | December
11, 2007 09:15 AM
Well, it still is being played on American radio, that's for sure!
They've had a few very nice "Saturday Night Fever" tributes on television over
the past week too.
Posted by: Chris
Matthew Sciabarra | December
18, 2007 09:58 AM
Great song:)! Still very popular for sure!
Posted by: Brommerverzekering | January
12, 2008 07:47 AM
Amazingly so!
Posted by: Chris
Matthew Sciabarra | January
20, 2008 07:51 PM
Inside Higher Ed: Around the Web
Scott McLemee takes a look "Around
the Web" at Inside Higher Ed, and mentions me and some of my
recommendations for blog reading.
Cross posted to L&P.
Posted by chris at 10:00 AM | Permalink |
Posted to Blog
/ Personal Business | Culture | Education | Politics
(Theory, History, Now)
Song of the Day #835
Song
of the Day: Say
it Right (lyrics and YouTube clip at that link), words and music by Nelly
Furtado, Tim
"Timbaland" Mosley, and Nate
Hills, has a killer sleaze beat hook. Listen to an audio clip of this
track from the album "Loose."
Song of the Day #834
Song
of the Day: All
Across the City was composed by Jim
Hall, the
great jazz guitarist, who was born on this
date in 1930. Listen to various audio clips of this haunting jazz
classic: the brilliant Jim
Hall-Bill Evans duet; a lush Jim
Hall version; and sensitive collaborations of Jim
Hall with Paul Desmond and with the
great Pat Metheny too. Happy
birthday, Mr. Hall!
Song of the Day #833
Song
of the Day: The
Way I Are features the words
and music of T.
Mosley, N.
Hills, B. Muhammad, C. Nelson, J. Maultsby, and Keri
Hilson, who can be heard along with rapper
D.O.E. and, of course, Timbaland,
on vocals. Take a look at the YouTube
video clip of this sizzling dance track.
Laissez Faire Books Lives!
Back in October, I reported that Laissez
Faire Books was closing its doors after 36 years of business. I've
recently learned that LFB will live on, thanks to the efforts of the International
Society for Individual Liberty. Taking "over the reins" of this
"truly iconic institution," ISIL "will continue to offer a wide selection of
books of special interest to libertarians," while "publishing new books as well
as reprinting classics from the past."
Mucho congratulations to all those who worked hard to save this institution.
Posted by chris at 06:14 PM | Permalink |
Posted to Blog
/ Personal Business
Song of the Day #832
Song
of the Day: Beat
It, words, music, and performance by Michael
Jackson, was one
of the biggest hits from the album, "Thriller,"
which was released twenty-five years ago today. Jim
Farber's recollection gets it right; this brilliant Quincy
Jones-produced album defined a remarkable moment in pop cultural
history on so many levels. Listen here to
an audio clip of this classic track, with its scintillating Eddie
van Halen electric guitar solo, and watch
the video that had a huge impact on pop music.