Hello! As you may have guessed from the name of this blog, my name is Liz and I am fascinated by song lyrics. I hope you enjoy my waxing lyrical about lyrics and about music generally. I also review albums and gigs and have interviewed several wonderful musicians. Enjoy!
Today I have something special for you - an interview with Rory O'Grady of Wigan indie rock band Boomin. The band are currently celebrating ten years together so I caught up with Rory to learn about the band's origins, inspirations, highlights and aims for the future.
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Congratulations on ten years! How did the band begin?
It started at Wigan and Leigh College back in 2003 where I met Edd and Adam. We first started a metal original band and there were six of us back then. Edd was the lead vocal frontman and Adam and myself were rhythm and lead guitarists.
Over time members left, then we decided to originally start a cover band and that's how it all happened.
Who are your musical heroes?
We all have slightly different influences. Adam likes blues, Edd likes 80s and I like alternative rock but we're all fans of the likes of Queen, Foo Fighters, Prince, Billy Joel and Sum 41.
You have some imaginative videos, such as Chocolate: how do you come up with ideas?
As musicians and artists you are always looking and listening to everything around you to give yourself ideas. Sometimes you can steal an idea as long as you put your own spin on it.
Do you feel your style and/or direction has changed over the years?
Yes. It started with the classic cover songs (Johnny B. Goode, Mustang Sally, Brown Eyed Girl) and now we do more genres and do medleys. At the start it was more Adam lead vocal and now we all sing lead. We also chuck in some original material as well.
You travel a lot, do you enjoy life on the road?
It can be the worst part of being in a band but sometimes we can turn it into a positive by having a jam on the acoustics and doing live videos.
What would you say is your biggest achievement?
Getting our album in the iTunes rock chart at no. 22 without any PR or team. Other highlights include performing an original song on stage with Newton Faulkner, supporting McFly and finishing 12th out of 12,000 bands worldwide in Hard Rock Rising 2013.
What are your plans for 2016 and beyond?
Releasing an acoustic album that's more heartfelt and serious for us but it's something totally different for the fans, Then recording more original music hopefully. Just keep touring and making records and see how far we can go.
What advice would you give to young musicians?
Cliché but do what you love and stick at it. Don't change for anyone, be different, don't follow what others do. Hard work equals success, not Lady Luck.
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It's been great talking to Rory - I hope you have enjoyed the interview. If you did, check out my interviews with Eddi Reader and The Kennedys.
Having reviewed all the music from the two semi-finals, I'm going to turn my attention to the songs of the six countries that had a fast-track pass to the final. They are the Big 5 - the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Italy - and the host nation, Sweden.
I found this year's Big 5 showing to be very poor, with only Germany really impressing me musically, though even they were let down staging-wise. Sweden, on the other hand... Wow.
Let's go through act by act. As always, I'll give a rating out of twenty; this is for the song first and foremost, with my comments supplying my views re vocals, performance and staging.
UK - I must admit, this is by far the best thing we've sent for years, and the smartest: it has Eurovision written all over it.
However, it still isn't amazing and Joe and Jake's performance could have been better, more dynamic. I do like how Graham Norton made an appearance in one of the background photos! 14/20
France - My mother, brother and cat liked this but I found it slightly dull.
It's also very similar to "Moustache", France's 2014 entry, and in turn to Stromae's "Papaoutai" (to which parts of Moustache are almost identical).
Amir did perform with a good energy and a winning smile but the song is forgettable though, of course, it had its life prolonged after the contest by the big meme made out of Elodie Gossuin, who presented France's votes, attempting to sing it.
I think she was sweet and did her job pretty well, and many spokespeople reference their country's song. Anyway, "J'ai cherché" is okay but nothing special. 10/20
Spain - This song appears to be massive in Spain and, while it's upbeat and easy to dance to, I don't think it's that great. I'd pretty much forgotten what it sounded like until I re-watched it.
What did stick in my mind was Barei's performance - she is full of life and fun and clearly didn't take the contest too seriously; she just wanted to enjoy it, and her joy was infectious. I loved her hair, too! The part where she fake-falls would have terrified me if it weren't for Graham Norton warning us!
11/20
Germany - This is definitely the best Big 5 song - it reminds me of "Ghost" by Halsey in theme and tone.
Unfortunately, it was let down by the staging - the Twilight-esque backdrop looked tacky, when, done well, it could have been really effective.
While the singer, Jamie-Lee, has a right to dress to suit her personality, I felt it was way over-the-top and it made it hard to take her seriously. It was a shame, as the song was really very good. 16/20
Italy - I couldn't remember any of this before re-watching! The song's okay, but not really Eurovision and the staging was odd in the extreme, though at least that was memorable: all the random things on sticks.
The cartoon-y after-effects - the ripples, stars etc that appeared to be drawn across the screen - were actually quite pretty. Normally any heavy effects of that kind in Eurovision annoy me as I think we should just see what's on stage, but these ones added a bit of umph to a dull performance. 8/20
Now, from the rather ridiculous to the sublime, and to the song I voted for myself.
Sweden - The first time I heard this properly was the final and I was struck by how Nate Ruess it was, in both style and vocals! I liked the understated performance and staging and found it hard to believe Frans was only seventeen, he had such presence and power.
I voted for Sweden, but it was only later that I went from liking the song to loving it. A lot of people have compared it to "Catch and Release" by Matt Simons.
There is a resemblance, but not too much of one. I like both songs but prefer Frans and "If I Were Sorry". 18/20
So, that was the Big 5 and Sweden. Watch this space for my post about the final - and expect plenty of gushing about the wonders of Petra and Måns!
Shortly after returning to Manchester after my wonderful Spanish summer, I saw that a Gabrielle Aplin gig was up for grabs to review for The Mancunion. I had heard a few songs by Gabrielle and liked them, and claimed the gig in the hope of getting to know her better.
There was then a lot of confusion between The Mancunion and her people and I was told by The Mancunion not to bother going as they weren't sure whether or not I would be on the guestlist. However, I decided to go to the venue - The Deaf Institute - and see what I could find out.
It transpired that I wasn't on the guestlist but when I explained what had happened they let me in anyway. Relieved, I got a San Pellegrino, took a seat and sat back to watch what turned out to be a pretty great show.
My review for The Mancunion of Gabrielle and her support Sample Answer can be found here but I also wanted to share with you some general thoughts about her music.
She has released two albums, the folksy English Rain and the rockier Light Up The Dark. The thing is, when performed accoustically, any of the songs could be from either album. It's purely the production that separates them. Gabrielle has a very definite songwriting and performing style that remains unchanged.
One of my favourites, as mentioned in the piece, is Don't Break Your Heart On Me.
This is actually a secret track on Light Up The Dark - you have to wait a while after the last official song for it to appear. I like the general concept of secret songs (although in these Internet days, can any track really be secret?) but think this one is so good it should be on the main album.
It's a classic example of what is clearly a folk song at heart, made grungier and darker by the production. I loved it sung accoustically on the night and was doubtful at first about the album version. But I've learnt to really like it.
Another song from Light Up The Dark that I love is Hurt.
Hurt is kind of the opposite of Don't Break Your Heart On Me in that I wasn't ecstatic about her live performance of it but fell in love with the studio version.
The song really reminds me of the relationship between Emily Starr and Dean Priest in Emily of New Moon and its sequels by LM Montgomery. Emily never loves the much older Dean but admires him and feels sorry for him as he has a humpback and has been spurned by society as a result.
For me, Emily's feelings towards him are evoked so strongly by this song and I wish they would make a video for it telling the story - I can imagine exactly how it would look, scene by scene! Gabrielle looks enough like Emily that she could play her and it could be amazing. The Emily books need more attention - for me they are far superior to the Anne (of Green Gables) books.
The final song I want to highlight is from English Rain and is How Do You Feel Today?
After the show I could not get this song out of my head but I wasn't totally sure it was actually by Gabrielle and not just some random other song that had invaded my mind. I kept forgetting to check it when I was online and it was getting annoying!
All the time I was remembering more and more of the song and it was coming to me more and more clearly. Eventually I looked it up and found it and love it so much. Her voice is perhaps the best in the above video that I have ever heard it (though it is always lovely) and the guitar is brilliant, too.
I hope you've enjoyed learning about Gabrielle Aplin - I have high hopes for this talented young woman.
Thanks for reading,
Liz x
Songs: Don't Break Your Heart On Me - Gabrielle Aplin - 2015
You may remember that I have been to two Nanci Griffith tribute concerts in Southport - one in 2013 and one in 2014. Both times, Edwina Hayes was present and I had the privilege of hearing her beautiful and unique voice. Both times, I also met her - last time, I literally ran into her - and she was lovely.
So, it is a great pleasure to be able to listen to and review her album Pour Me a Drink. Released in 2008, it is Edwina's second solo album.
I must begin by commenting on its beautiful artwork: it is incredibly pretty and I feel that the blossoms decorating both the cover and some of the inside pages of the sleeve represent the album really well: the songs are soft, delicate and fragile like blossoms, yet also very strong, as is a cherry tree.
The album opens with Run, a rather dark, sad song which I personally would not have chosen as an opener but which is very good nonetheless. The next track is one of my favourites, Leave a Light on for You, which is simple but very sweet and for me is reminiscent of a Nanci Griffith song.
Season of Love is more bluegrass and I like it, especially the chorus.Very American-sounding. Call Me flows in the same vein as Leave a Light on for You and is similarly sweet and delicate. One of several songs on the album written by Edwina alone rather than in collaboration, it is a good example of her song writing - a simple but beautiful song about a never-ending love.
The title track, which I saw Edwina perform live in Southport, is slow and haunting and very sad. It's followed by her take on the traditional Froggie Went a Courting, which is smooth and pleasant to listen to and has a happy ending!
Edwina's cover of Randy Newman's Feels Like Home is the first song I heard her sing, due to its use in the film version of My Sister's Keeper. It also became very important to me when I moved from one University hall of residence to another and felt much more at home in the second one. I kept playing this song in my head and I now associate it with that time.
It is a marvel in that it manages to be smooth and very easy on the ear while being extremely raw and emotional. It is probably still my absolute favourite of her songs, although I have discovered several new favourites on this album.
The album ends with Irish Waltz, a lovely piece that sounds genuinely like it could have been written centuries ago in Ireland unlike certain other modern pieces designed to sound so that don't. Edwina's voice is always lovely but here it is divine, and Jack McKeague's guitar work and especially his dobro work are stunning. It is a wonderful end to the album.
I enjoyed this album. While most of the songs are quite similar in that they are simple, delicate love songs with an acoustic guitar, each one does create its own unique ambience. Edwina's guitar work is very nice and her voice is gorgeous.
As a writer, one measure of what I think is a good song is one that I would use in a film of one of my books. I would certainly consider this for both Leave a Light on for You and Edwina's version of Feels Like Home (although the latter has already been done).
Overall, a lovely album and one which I am sure I will listen to a great deal.
I'm still on my Easter holidays and am enjoying having some rest and relaxation. Last weekend I went with my family to Northumberland for a few days, and I wanted to tell you about the trip, through, as always, music.
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Firstly, the way there was as much an adventure as the stay itself: the scenery was beautiful and an unexpected road diversion meant we had to go a very long-winded route that brought us even more moody views of mountains, lakes and heathland. It was very atmospheric.
We listened to two different compilations of 00s music. Here are some of the highlights:
This song always reminds me of a friend's birthday party I went to when I was young. Very nostalgic!
I remember Pop Idol being the first talent show I ever experienced, when I watched the last few shows and the final. I wanted Will to win and was so glad when he did.
I also did a post about Westlife's song Flying Without Wings.
This has inspired me to do a whole post about Dido, so watch this space!
Ah, the memories!
We also listened to the radio and this song played.
It is so typically Coldplay. If asked to identify the band you wouldn't hesitate a minute. While I'm not completely bewitched by it (see what I did there) I do find it quite pretty, and it will now always remind me of our journey to Northumberland.
I also found out through research for this blog that it was released on my 20th birthday!
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When we got there, we explored Kielder Water and the surrounding woodland - it's very scenic and peaceful. We also did some stargazing as the skies were dark and clear, and the moon was incredibly beautiful.
The first line from Annie's Song sprung to mind on more than one occasion.
"You fill up my senses, like a night in the forest."
For a while this was the only line I knew in the song, and I was almost disappointed when I heard that the song consists of similar analogies. For me, that one analogy was enough. "A night in the forest" on its own is such a powerful, evocative, lustrous image that I don't see the need for any others, although I do find the rest of the song very lovely.
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We also visited a bird of prey centre, where we saw some amazing owls and falcons. Let me share one of my favourite songs about flying. I hope to do a whole blog post about flying songs soon.
A talented singer performed this song at my school talent show; that was the first time I heard it and I immediately liked it. It remains one of my favourite songs.
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We saw lots of birds in the wild - chaffinches, a siskin, ducks and crows - as well as a red squirrel, rabbits - lots of rabbits -, deer and wallabies. Yes, wallabies.
We visited a castle, got lost in a maze and sat in a giant artwork.
The artwork
Our trip finally ended, and we drove home, going through Scotland this time. This song came on the radio. At the time, I thought I'd never heard it before, but now I think I may have done; I have a bit of déjà vu.
I really like it; it's very simple but I love simple love songs. It goes without saying that Heather Small's voice is amazing.
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Our weekend was brilliant and really refreshing, and one I'll always remember. I hope we can return to Northumberland in the future.
I will start this post by explaining what D of E is, as readers outside the UK may not have heard of it. D of E stands for Duke of Edinburgh's Award. It is a programme available to 14-25 year olds in the UK, which involves volunteering, learning new skills, doing a physical activity on a regular basis and the expedition.
The expedition involves spending one to four days walking eight hours a day in a scenic part of the UK - with me it was the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales - and spending the nights camping.
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There are three levels of D of E; Bronze, Silver and Gold. I did Silver between the ages of fifteen and sixteen, and Gold between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. Each level involves different lengths of expeditions. For my Silver I did two practices of one and two days and an assessed expedition of three days.
For Gold I undertook three practices of between one and three days, one assessed that ended prematurely due to bad weather, and finally the assessed that I saw through to the end.
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The reason that I am doing this post isn't to promote D of E, although I would recommend doing it if you live in the UK as I found it to be a great experience.
No, the reason I am writing this post is because there are various songs that remind me of my D of E expeditions for various reasons, and I wanted to share with you these songs and the stories behind them, and to demonstrate how powerful music can be in bringing back memories.
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My first ever experience with D of E expeditions was my one-day practice walk for Silver, which took place in the Yorkshire Dales, near Malham to be precise. As we travelled there by minibus I was nervous about the day ahead; I didn't know what to expect or whether I would be able to keep up with the others, navigate well enough, etc.
This song came on the radio, and I think I had heard it before but I had never realised how much I liked it.
Now this song reminds me of that first journey to the Yorkshire Dales for D of E.
That day turned out to be really enjoyable; we saw lots of sheep and some really nice views from the top of hills. It was good to get to know the group with whom I'd be doing the rest of my Silver expeditions.
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Next came our two day practice in the Lake District. We saw some cows this time, which made a nice change to sheep, and some more lovely scenery.
This had been playing on the radio on the way there and it stayed with me throughout the weekend.
Somehow it turned into "I walked all night" in my head, what with all the walking we did!
We spent the night camping at Gibraltar Farm, one of the best campsites I have ever been to. It was big and spacious, with amazing stars due to lack of light pollution, and a view of the sea. The sunset was sensational.
At night I had to find my way to the toilet block by torchlight - and it was quite a long way from where we had pitched our tent. I was slightly scared of falling over or walking into something, when I heard someone playing "Telephone" by Lady Gaga and Beyonce in their caravan.
I won't post the video as I know people who don't like it, and I find parts of it questionable. But it was kind of reassuring to me to hear a familiar song in such an unfamiliar place, and I stopped feeling scared and realised how wonderful the stars were, and altogether felt much better.
I survived that trip to the toilets and back, and in the morning I was sad to leave Gibraltar Farm. I'd love to go back there some day.
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My next adventure was our final and assessed Silver expedition in the Yorkshire Dales. We saw some beautiful places - including Malham Cove, which I was pleased to later see feature in one of the last two Harry Potter films - but I was very homesick and felt ill during the weekend.
I got through it, and got my Silver Award. But during that expedition I couldn't help playing this over and over in my head.
I had got into a tradition of having my mam's homemade pizza and listening to Nick Grimshaw and Annie Mac on Radio 1 the Sundays I returned from a D of E expedition. When I got back from my Silver assessed, this was on the radio and, bizarrely, will always reminds me of D of E:
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The next year I started my Gold expeditions. The first was a day's practice near where I live, and it was an enjoyable day.
We then had a two-day practice in Yorkshire and that was also nice - I had a new team this time, different to my group for Silver, and we played cards and word games (I went to the moon and I brought...).
This song by Jean-Jacques Goldman really reminds me of that weekend; it's a song about setting out on an adventure and leaving all the baggage behind.
We then had our assessed expedition in the Lakes which went pear-shaped due to bad weather but while it lasted, Losing My Religion by R.E.M. - again, it had played on the minibus radio on the way to our starting point - was its soundtrack for me.
As I plodded on through the rain I played it over and over again in my head, even though my grasp of the lyrics was shaky and I only knew parts of it. What I did know, I held onto. It kept me going through what was for me a very challenging couple of days.
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Happily I got the chance to finish my Gold D of E expedition the next summer. We would be in the Lake District again, which suited me as I love that part of the world.
I have written a blog post describing the practice expedition and the two songs I associate with it in more detail, which you can reach via the green link above.
I will recap here though: the two songs were We Don't Need Another Hero by Tina Turner, which stuck in my head at a particular point - it was the third and last day and we were gradually ascending a mountain and it was drizzling rain and it generally wasn't very nice, and I used this song to spur me on.
The other song was in my head more generally over the three days, and was These Days in an Open Book by Nanci Griffith. As this song has other significances for me, it is weaker as a D of E memory song than others such as Losing My Religion which I associate more with D of E than with anything else.
It's not the song's fault, it's just that I happen to have other memories linked with it. Still, it certainly played a part in motivating me during that Gold practice expedition.
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The day arrived of my Gold assessed expedition. It's strange, I had to hope this would be my last one as that would mean I had passed Gold D of E, as opposed to having to redo it. Yet in another way I wished it wasn't my last, as D of E had been such a big part of my life and the expeditions had been so special and I would be sad when they were over.
I felt really comfortable with my group after the practice, and really enjoyed travelling with them through the Lakes. The first night we camped on a farm by Lake Ullswater, and across the lake was what I think must have been either a hotel or some kind of party boat, and it played 80s music so we could hear it clearly all the way across the lake - either sound carries really easily or they were just playing it really loud!
Among the songs were Livin' on a Prayer and Sweet Child of Mine, and it was nice drifting to sleep in our tents with these old, familiar songs playing in the background.
We walked around Ullswater, we saw Aira Force, we followed the old coach road and felt like we were walking on the top of the world.
Overall it was a really brilliant weekend, we passed, and I'm so glad that my last D of E expedition was probably the best I've ever been on.
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Music for me played a huge part in the D of E expedition experience, as it has in all aspects of my life. I can hear a song and I'm back there, in the hills or the forest or the meadow or at camp. I'm glad I have this musical memory, as it means I can bring back magical moments in seconds just by listening to a song. Never underestimate the power of music!
Thanks for reading,
Liz x
Songs:
Gravity - Pixie Lott - 2010
I Drove All Night - Roy Orbison - 1992
Home - Michael Bublé - 2005
Rock That Body - Black Eyed Peas - 2010
On Ira - Jean-Jacques Goldman - 1999
Losing My Religion - R.E.M.- 1991
We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) - Tina Turner - 1985
It is Friday and it has been a while since I last posted on this blog, so I apologise for that. There have been times when I have really wanted to write a post to share a song or memory but I have had to put university work first.
However, I am planning on making myself a blog schedule so that I can fit blogging into my week and still get everything else done. I am aiming to write at least two posts a week on this blog from now on. That is the plan!
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How am I? Okay, on the whole. Tired! But enjoying Uni so much. I keep meeting amazing people and making wonderful friends.
I really love the seminars and the style of teaching and I really look forward to lectures and learn a lot.
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I also love living in Uni accommodation - it is really nice living with so many of my friends and being able to see them every morning and evening at breakfast and dinner - one of the many joys of being in a catered Hall.
We had a formal dinner on Tuesday - it was the Hall's second one this year but my first. It had a Harry Potter theme so there were a handful of wizards and other spooky characters, and cobwebs draped over the wine bottles. The food was lovely, as it always is in Halls, and we got to wear gowns, which was fun. I had a nice evening.
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Manchester looks very beautiful right now, in that bit of time when autumn and winter overlap, with the trees all green and gold and yellow. There have been some truly gorgeous sunsets and I am so proud and happy to call this place my home.
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Over reading week, which happily coincided with my brother's half-term, I went with my family to Glasgow, another city I adore. The Clyde was as stunning as ever, especially at night with all the lights from the buildings and the bridges reflected in it.
We visited the city centre at night, something we hadn't got around to doing before, and it was so scrumptious; all the lights and the beautiful buildings illuminated and the hustle and bustle of people doing their shopping and chattering and laughing.
And somebody was playing an oboe in the street which was lovely and is a bit of a coincidence considering my last post on this blog was about an oboe piece!
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We visited the Kelvingrove Museum and the Glasgow Science Centre; both were amazing as always and in the latter I watched a show in their planetarium which was really good. As I've mentioned before on this blog, I adore stargazing, and I learnt a few things that I hadn't known before. It was so soothing just sitting gazing up at the stars while gentle, relaxing music was played. A lovely experience.
All of my trip to Glasgow was lovely and I was sad to leave, but it was nice returning first to my home in Wigan and then to Manchester. How lovely to have so many places you feel you can call home.
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Music-wise I have been listening to a lot of The Cure, Nanci Griffith, Alison Moyet and Martika.
"You've Placed a Chill in my Heart," by Eurythmics, got stuck in my head for a while for some reason, and at times I found it merging with with "Why" by Annie Lennox. Which is understandable in a way, because in my opinion the two songs are quite similar and of couse they both feature Annie Lennox's excellent vocals.
I comment on Why in my post, "The Best of British," if you are interested in hearing my views on it.
2.19 to 2.27: I love this bit! You go, girl! The above version of You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart is the original uptempo version, but for most of my life the only version I knew is the acoustic one below.
I love both versions but I think I slightly prefer the acoustic one because it feels, as acoustic performances often do, more raw and natural and honest, and straight from the heart. In fact, when I first discovered the faster version I wasn't keen on it, but have come to love it and see it as a great song in its own way.
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I'll sign off here for now, but I will hopefully be back very soon! I still have some really good news to tell you, so watch this space!
Thanks for reading!
Liz x
Songs: Why - Annie Lennox - 1992
You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart - Eurythmics - 1987/8
You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart (Acoustic Version) - 1988
Today is Tuesday - in my part of the world anyway.
The Olympic Closing Ceremony was on Sunday night, as you may well already know, and I found it very enjoyable. For me, it was definitely as good as the Opening Ceremony, if not slightly better because it was more music-based and, as you may have guessed from this blog, I love music!
The emphasis was on British music and I was very glad to see Queen, John Lennon (I'm not a massive Beatles fan, but I have to admit that they are icons of British music) and George Michael (Freedom '90 is stuck in my head now! And his second song seems to have attracted controversy, but I liked it).
I also enjoyed the performances by Emeli Sandé (how much coverage did she get these Olympics?! But she deserves the attention because she is amazing! ♥ ), Elbow and Madness.
I even liked the music by Blur and Muse, neither of whom I'm usually a fan of, because I just felt that they fitted into the ballot of music so well. Overall, it was a great show.
I was pleased that Annie Lennox featured in the show, but I wish she had sung Why, which I love. However, I understand that it's a bit too sad to have at a Ceremony which was billed as having a "party" vibe. Still, I have always loved this song.
"I may be mad, I may be blind, I may be viciously unkind, but I can still read what you're thinking.
And I fear I've said too many times that you'd be better off; besides, why can't you see this boat is sinking?"
It is a very sad, beautiful song that I was lucky enough to know from quite a young age as it was on one of the compilation tapes we used to play in our car. These tapes were also how I discovered the great band Niagara, who were supposedly often compared to Eurythmics, Annie Lennox's band.
However, I really can't see much similarity except that both groups consisted of a man and a woman, and that the woman in both groups has a distinctive, strong voice and that they both produced quite adventurous music videos. But otherwise I don't think the groups are alike at all - they each have their own unique style of music and of performing. And I like them both!
Here is one of my favourite songs from Niagara, "La vie est peut-être belle," and you can decide for yourself if they and Eurythmics are a bit alike.
I will probably do a blog entry all about the brilliant Niagara, but for now I will get back to British bands (Niagara being French) for this "Best of British" blog entry. The Closing Ceremony was a celebration of British music, and I want to celebrate British music too, in my blog.
In my opinion, you can't talk about British music without mentioning David Bowie. He has given so much to the music world over his long and wonderful career. Life on Mars was always my favourite of his songs, although I came to really like Let's Dance as well, as my family seems to possess a lot a of 80s compilation CDs that involve Let's Dance and we usually end up listening to it in the car!
I'd never seen this video, and I must say there is rather a lot of David Bowie in it, and not a lot else! It may seem a tad self-indulgent, but I don't mind because he's gorgeous as ever! But I do think that with such interesting lyrics he could have created a more elaborate video; however, maybe the point is to leave the lyrics open to the listener's interpretation. Hmm.
"Let's sway, under the moonlight, the serious moonlight..."
This makes me want to go and visit Australia ♥ It really does seem like a magical place. And I would love to experience the Aboriginal culture - at high school we did a lot of Aboriginal art and I really enjoyed it. I love discovering new ways of life and new ways of seeing the world. I've never been to Australia, but I'd love to go some day. There are many places I'd love to go and people I'd like to meet... One day I will travel the world! One day.
I am also quite fond of Modern Love by David Bowie, but now it has got stuck firmly in my head and won't go away! Still, it's a good song so I don't really mind.
Next, we have to have Rod Stewart - I was quite surprised and disappointed that he wasn't a performer at the Olympic Closing Ceremony. I would have loved for him to have sung Baby Jane - that would have got the crowd on their feet!
This is one of those songs I have loved for a long, long time and I never seem to get tired of. It is just so good! And I feel this is perhaps the best of his songs for showcasing his unique and fantastic voice. I love Rod!
Also, a bit of Dire Straits would have been great at the Closing Ceremony - my favourite songs by them have to be Brothers in Arms and Romeo and Juliet. Maybe not completely suitable for the Closing Ceremony, but amazing songs nonetheless.
I did my last blog post on Christine McVie, another wonderful British musician... She seems to have stepped out of the public eye a bit in recent years but I wish she could have been at at the Closing Ceremony... she is truly amazing and inspirational.
We have so much talent here in Britain! I am becoming quite proud to be British; seeing all the amazing musicians this country has produced (and some of the great Olympians as well, although I would rather be a musician than an athlete any day).
I have mentioned this next song on my blog already, but I have to say I think it would have been great for the Closing Ceremony: Shake it Out by Florence + the Machine.
This song would just fill that stadium so easily, and sweep everybody up in its power and emotion. It is one of those songs that means something to everyone. And perhaps she and Dizzee Rascal could have performed their version of You've Got the Love - two great British artists merging their talents, and a sure-fire crowd pleaser.
Finally, of course, I would have loved to have seen The Cure - I love The Cure, as any of my regular blog readers will know. Friday I'm in Love would have been amazing, if only the Ceremony had been on a Friday! In Between Days, Just Like Heaven, Love Cats and Close to Me would all have been good. Oh, I wish there had been a bit of Cure in that Ceremony!
But still, I can't complain, because it was brilliant and I really enjoyed it. It was a lovely night and one I will remember for a long time. The London 2012 Olympics have been sensational and I have enjoyed every minute.
I'm sad that they're over, but who knows what the next big excitement will be... Hopefully something amazing.
Today I thought I would share a current song that I really like: Black Heart by the British girl group Stooshe.
I discovered this song at zumba, where at the minute we are using it as the song we do our cool-down and stretches to after the main zumba session. I've discovered some brilliant music through zumba, and this is no exception.
At first I thought it must be a really old song; from the sixties or seventies. It certainly has that "old-school" vibe about it, and I just really love the whole song. It is quite unconventional; the way the tune is quite upbeat but the lyrics tell a very bleak story. Their voices are really good, especially the girl who sings first in the song.
Stooshe's songs tend to be somewhat loud and pop-y, and this is so different... it must have been a bit of a risk releasing it. However, the risk seems to have paid off because they got to number four on the UK Singles Chart, which surprised me because there is usually so much rubbish at the top of the charts (and here still is) but somehow this lovely little song made it up there. People must appreciate its individuality and the way it harks back to the Sixties, both in the song and the video.
I was a bit disappointed to find out that they didn't write the song; I like it when singers write their own material. But the fact that this song got written at all is something I am very happy about, and I think Stooshe are just the right band to do justice to it, so I'm glad that it was they who recorded it.
