R.E.M. and Paul Young

 Hi

 I know you may be wondering what R.E.M. and Paul Young have to do with each other; the answer is: not a lot, really, except that I've recently been listening to and enjoying music from both of them.

 When I first heard that R.E.M. had split up, it didn't really mean a lot to me. I wasn't really familiar with R.E.M.; the only song I could have named as being by them was Everybody Hurts.

 However, I quickly found out that they were the ones who sung Losing My Religion; a song that has gained special significance for me this summer. And further investigation revealed that they were also the band behind Bad Day, the iconic video for which I had seen once on TV; I had enjoyed the song since but never really knew who it was by.

 So, it turns out I have enjoyed R.E.M.'s music for a long time without realising it. Bad Day, I am so happy to have rediscovered. It is what it says on the tin really; just the perfect song to listen to when you've been having a bad day.

 And I still find the video really impressive. It is one of those where you keep spotting new things everytime you watch it. I would post the official video if I could but it seems you can't post it on Blogger : ( So you will just have to YouTube it, I'm afraid.

 Losing My Religion I first heard properly on a minibus on the way to a Duke of Edinburgh's Award expedition in the Lake District. It therefore stuck in my head the whole time I was there; trekking through forests, scrambling over walls, fighting my way through ferns taller than me which made me feel like a fairy or a pixie.

 The group I was in were really lovely, and so were the places we walked through. But the weather was terrible the second day, and I was slowly losing the will to live and wishing I could go home, and this song was in my head, playing over and over, the only bit I really knew...

 "I thought that I saw you laughing,
I thought that I heard you sing,
I think I thought I saw you try..."

 Except I thought the last line was, "I think I thought I saw your smile."

 And those few lines became the soundrack to that D of E expedition for me. It has a special significance for me now. I don't know what the supposed religious connotations are; I haven't listened to the whole song enough for that, nor seen the video properly. I listen to it because of what it means to me. It gave me hope and it kept me going. It will always be special to me now.

 I also like Shiny Happy People, which I discovered through Bad Day, and I really like it and especially the female singer(Kate Pierson?)'s voice, which I think is beautiful and adds so much to the song.

 Now for Paul Young... I was listening to Senza Una Donna, which I have enjoyed since I was a child, even before I understood what the Italian lyrics meant, and I saw in the related videos Everytime You Go Away, which I was pretty sure I had heard once on the radio in the car, and which I had liked. 

 So, I listened to it, and yes, it was the same song, and yes, I did enjoy it - even more, in fact, now that I heard the intro, which I think is one of the the most beautiful intros to a song that I have ever heard (it also reminds me of Love and Regret by Deacon Blue), and which epitomises the very best of the synth sound of the 80s. It is a simply beautiful song.

 So, this week I have discoevered - or re-discovered, a great deal of good music. It's just a shame that it took R.E.M. breaking up for me to realise how good they were, and how much I had always enjoyed their music without even knowing who they were.

 Thanks for reading.

 Liz x

Songs: Bad Day - R.E.M. (2003)

           Losing my Religion - R.E.M. (1991)

           Shiny Happy People - R.E.M. (1991)

           Senza Una Donna - Zucchero and Paul Young (1991)

           Everytime You Go Away - Paul Young (1985)

P.S. I hadn't realised they were all from 1991! Must have been a good year for music! But then I guess every year is.

 Liz x

Strictly good music

 Hi!

 Yes, Strictly Come Dancing is almost upon us once more, so I thought I would do a blog post about songs I have discovered through the programme. I watched it on-off for the first few series, then started watching it regularly the year Tom Chambers won. Over the years I've supported Denise Lewis, Colin Jackson, Tom Chambers, Ricky Whittle, Scott Maslen and Matt Baker - as you will probably have noticed if you are an avid fan, my favourites do tend to come second for some reason : (

 Probably the best musical discovery I have made through the show is this song:

 Through this dance:

                                          

 Come on, you have to love it! I would learn to salsa just to be able to do that dance! As for the song, I had heard bits of it previous to it featuring on Strictly, but this was the first time I heard a good amount of it, and I realised it's a really good song - whether performed by Deniece Williams or the Strictly band. And I love the instrumental, and what they do with it in this salsa! Plus, the lyrics are just so sweet.

 Secondly, I discovered this through another of Natalie Lowe's superb dances: her waltz with Ricky Whittle.

 This is so beautiful; I loved this pair and was deperate for them to win (they came second overall). And I love the song, and I think this dance makes perfect use of it. It's truly mesmerising.

 There is also this gorgeous dance - again Natalie Lowe; this time with her professional partner Ian Waite.

 I have seen this pair live and met them afterwards, and they are both lovely : ) This dance is so moving. It also led me to the song, which I am now a huge fan of. And her dress is so stunning! I wish I had a dress just like that! Overall, an amazing song and dance, united perfectly by two brilliant dancers and choreographers.

 This final song is one I mentioned a while ago on this blog as being a real favourite of mine. I discovered it through the Strictly Come Dancing tour, where Chris Hollins and Ola Jordan danced to it. I had never heard it before, and now I don't know how I ever managed without it. It is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever come across.

 So, roll on the new series of Strictly! As a Natalie fan I will have my eye on Audley, and I am also looking forward to seeing Edwina Currie; I have met her and she is lovely. I think Harry Judd and Jason Donovan are my favourites to win. I know a lot of people have their money on Holly Valance, but I don't know much about her, so I will have to wait and see how she dances on her first Strictly show.

 I know how I have to finish this, cheesy as it may be...

 Keeeeep listening!

 (I know, I know.)

 Thanks for reading.

 Liz x

 Songs: Let's Hear It for the Boy - Deniece Williams (1984)

            Kissing You - Des' ree (1997)

            You Don't Bring Me Flowers - Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand (1978)

            Don't Know Much - Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville (1989)

Hope and Céline Dion

 Hi

 I love this song by Céline Dion; it is such a message of hope; not just in love,which seems to be the main focus of the song, but in life generally. It's a song which tells us not to give up, never to give up. Plus it's a nice song musically too!

 Because Dion does a lot of covers, I thought before hearing this song that it would be a cover of The Way It Is by Bruce Hornsby and the Range (which I like), yet it is a completely different song. A very nice song, too.

I quite like how basic and minimalist the video is; in fact I generally approve of Céline Dion videos more than those of similar artists whose videos are often over-the-top and not worthy of the song they are supposed to be showcasing. Yet Céline's videos tend to be sensible and show the song in it's best light - they let the song do the talking instead of distracting from it.

 I love Céline Dion's voice. It is simply amazing. So beautiful and distinctive. She deserves a lot of the credit as she must have spent so long training it and taking care of it, yet to have a voice so unique I believe is something you have to be blessed with. And some people just are: Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Nicks and Marie Fredriksson from Roxette to name a few.

 Anyway, I will sign off for now, and remember, never give up hope.

 Liz x

 Song: That's the Way It Is - Céline Dion (1999)

Roxette and others

 Hi!

 I am back at college after the long summer, and I am enjoying it.

 Recently I have been listening to a lot of music by Deacon Blue, as well as by Céline Dion.

 I also like some of the music that is in the charts at the moment, my favourite songs in the current Top 40 being Set Fire To the Rain by Adele, and The Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga.

 I have started to appreciate the sad but quite beautiful The A Team by Ed Sheeran; I didn't think a lot of it at first, but the I went to a party where I heard it a lot. I'm not complaining; I have really come to like this song.

 And, of course, there is always Roxette. They are probably my favourite band, and I will never grow weary of hearing their amazing songs such as Almost Unreal, Dangerous, It Must Have Been Love, How Do You Do, Neverending Love and Soul Deep.

 There are also the forgotten album tracks that I think are amazing and often better than their big hits.

 These include: Turn To Me, From One Heart To Another and Secrets That She Keeps from their first album Pearls of Passion and Dance Away and Half a Woman, Half a Shadow from their second album (and arguably their breakthrough album) Look Sharp!.

 There is also Small Talk and Perfect Day from Joyride and Bringing Me Down To My Knees from their 2001 album Room Service.

 Here is Turn To Me; probably my favourite Roxette song of all time. It is so chirpy and hopeful, and Marie Fredriksson's voice is stunning, as always.

 It's strange to think that this song was left off the original album of 1986, and was only included as a bonus track when Pearls of Passion was re-released in 1997. 

 I personally believe that Turn To Me is the best song on the album - a strong accolade from me, as I believe this whole album is a true gem, forgotten for too long. 

 It mixes the classic synth sounds and strong beats of the 80s with the unique Roxette sound, and in my opinion it may well be Roxette's finest album.

 That's not to say I don't love the others! Roxette went from strength to strength, and are still doing so to this day. Here is one of their recent songs, wheich I love, especially the official video.

 As you can see, I love Roxette, and I will probably tell their whole story on this blog sometime. For the time being, though, I'll sign off.

 Back to work!

 Adios.

 Thanks for reading.

 Liz 

 Songs: Turn To Me - Roxette (1986)

            Way Out - Roxette (2011)