My songs of the summer: Part 2

 Hello!

 I said I would update this blog ages ago, and I'm sorry that I haven't, but I've been on a spontaneous holiday.  As you do. More about that later.

 Anyway, I'm ready to finish my, "Songs of the summer," post now, but first I wanted to say something - that it was with huge shock and sadness that I learned of the death of Amy Winehouse last Saturday.

 She was an amazing singer and songwriter, and she died so young - it is such a horrible thing to happen. My thoughts are with her family and friends, and I know without a doubt that because of the wonderful music that she gave to the world, she will never be forgotten.

 I will now continue my blog entry on my songs of the summer.

 After my visits to Oxford and Cambridge, and to Newcastle, I had a couple of weeks at home just relaxing, catching up with some fantastic friends of mine, and commuting to and from Manchester once a week for a project I am part of there.

 During this time, I rediscovered this song, after hearing it on the radio:

 It is even better than I remembered it to be, and I had it in my head for quite a while. I love the chorus, and the beat of the whole song - it is so 80s, and I love 80s music.

 This next song I heard twice in a few days; once was on the radio in a shop; I can't remember when I heard it the other time, but it was probably on the radio somewhere. 

                                       

 Anyway, I remember enjoying this when it first came out, and wanting Rebecca to win the talent competition in the video.

 I still don't know whether it was ever a real contest, or meant to be a spoof of reality TV shows generally. Either way, I think the video is really clever, and is always a pleasure to watch.

 I also love the song - it has a real message of hope. I now think if I was ever feeling unhappy, I would probably listen to this song to cheer me up. It's wonderful.

 Anyway; the spontaneous holiday: I went to the Lake District with my family for a few days. It was a lovely trip; we visited some incredible places, including Honister Pass, which I find to be one of the most magical places in the world.

 At some point someone made some comment; I think it was about mountains, and it reminded me of this: another 80s classic.

 If you don't like it the first time you hear it, then I advise that you listen to it again - I didn't think much of this song the first time round, but when I subsequently listened to it, it became one of my favourite songs of the 80s. Funny how things work out like that sometimes.

 When I got home after a brilliant holiday, I listened to some Deacon Blue songs. 

 I love Deacon Blue - here are some of my favourites:

                                                                                                           

                                           

                                           

   

 I only found out after researching these songs for this blog that Love and Regret, Wages Day and Fergus Sings the Blues are from the same album: When the World Knows Your Name, released in 1989. Maybe I just have a taste for the style and tone of music they were producing at that particular time.

 So... these are the songs I have enjoyed listening to so far this summer.

 I hope you enjoy them too.

 From now on I will try to add to this blog as often as I can.

 Thank you very much for reading my blog.

 Liz x

Songs: The Power of Love - Huey Lewis and the News (1985)

           Something Beautiful - Robbie Williams (2003)

           St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) - John Parr (1985)

           Love and Regret - Deacon Blue (1989)

           Dignity - Deacon Blue (1987)

           Wages Day - Deacon Blue (1989)

           Fergus Sings the Blues - Deacon Blue (1989)

My songs of the summer

 Hi!

 I'm really sorry that I haven't updated this blog for quite a while. I will now do my best to blog as regularly as possible.

 This summer I have been listening to several songs, some old and some new.

 First, as my college year was ending and I was spending a lot of time editing videos, I rediscovered this song. I was looking through music I had so I could choose music for a video I was making, and I found this.

 I had heard this already, but just bits of it. When I heard the whole thing, it enchanted me. It is just so beautiful.

 Therefore it didn't really surprise me to find that the song was written by Diane Warren, the American songwriter who wrote many songs that I like, such as "Because You Loved Me," "There You'll Be," "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," and, "If I Could Turn Back Time," songs made famous by, respectively, Céline Dion, Faith Hill, Starship and Cher.

 In the end I didn't use this song in my video; it wasn't really appropriate for it; but I was so glad that through my video project I had rediscovered this lovely song that I had overlooked for so long.

 Between college ending and the start of my summer holidays, I went on a college trip to see the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. We stayed one night in each city. In Oxford, a group of my friends and I were having a sort of party in one of our rooms, and someone played this song which they had on their iPod, on an iPod docking station so we could all hear it.

                                         

 I don't know if I had heard it before. It did sound vaguely familiar. But I really liked it, and I remember thinking, "I must look that song up when I get home."

 And I did, and I have listened to it many times since. Not only is it a really nice song, but it reminds me of the amazing trip to Oxford and Cambridge; of the great time I had there, of the old friends I got to spend time with, and the new friends I made.

 Just after this trip, I was on a car journey and I heard this:

                                     

 Normally I don't have much interest in Lady Gaga's music, but for some reason I really like this. It might be the really catchy chorus, the passion with which she sings the song, the 1980s-esque video, or the sublime saxophone solo by the late, great Clarence Clemons; or probably it is a combination of all of these factors. I just love this song.

 There are a few other songs that have been important to me this summer so far, and I will try to add them to this blog tomorrow.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

 Songs: How Do I Live - LeAnn Rimes

            In This City - Iglu and Hartly

            The Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga