Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of familiar, and some not so familiar, songs.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourites you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
I am totally cheating this week in that this is an instrumental video, it is NOT A SONG, and there are NO LYRICS. However, it is the end music to the film “Mutiny on the Bounty” from 1984, so it sort of fits the bill.
It really is great music, in the very recognisable form of Vangelis, although, in this video, sequenced with sonar and tyros 3 and performed by Albertvvl.
Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of familiar, and some not so familiar, songs.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
The theme for this week posed a bit of a problem for me as I could quite happily live without television in my life!
I was 14 when we first had a television. Black and white of course, and only one channel. At 16, I joined the army and went to college for 3 years. No television. At 19 I deployed to the Middle East. No television. At 21 I went to Germany. Very little television. My daughter grew up with Sesame Street in German. So it goes on. I watched TV intermittently. Today, if the television is on, the chances are that I am reading blogs rather than watching it.
However, I think it is impossible to be untouched by television. I have seen a fair selection along the way, and one thing I MUST see, when it is on, is Later……with Jools Holland. He is a consummate musician and performer in his own right and , over the years, has introduced a gargantuan list of artists of every genre imaginable, and then some! You can see the list here.
So I thought here we have a huge number of songs I can use for my SLS choice this week.
WRONG!
Instead, I suddenly thought of one show that I found to be both funny, thought provoking, and, at times, downright sad!
M*A*S*H(an acronym for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) was an American war comedy-drama television series that aired on CBS from 1972 to 1983. It was developed by Larry Gelbart, adapted from the 1970 feature film M*A*S*H, which, in turn, was based on Richard Hooker’s 1968 novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors. The series, which was produced with 20th Century Fox Television for CBS, follows a team of doctors and support staff stationed at the “4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital” in Uijeongbu, South Korea, during the Korean War (1950–53). The show’s title sequence features an instrumental-only version of “Suicide Is Painless,” the original film’s theme song. The show was created after an attempt to film the original book’s sequel, M*A*S*H Goes to Maine, failed. The television series is the best-known of the M*A*S*H works, and one of the highest-rated shows in U.S. television history. (wikipedia)
This was, of course, being shown at the time of the Vietnam War, and was highly controversial. What started out as a comedy, with drama overtones soon became a drama with added comedy!
It’s a long time ago now, but I seem to remember that the “squaddie” humour really came across well, and could evoke real feelings of sadness, even the odd tear or two.
Suicide Is Painless is a song written by Johnny Mandel (music) and Michael Altman (lyrics). It was thetheme songfor both themovieandTV seriesM*A*S*H.
Director Robert Altman had two stipulations about the song for Mandel: it had to be called “Suicide Is Painless” and it had to be the “stupidest song ever written”. Altman attempted to write the lyrics himself, but upon finding it too difficult for his 45-year-old brain to write “stupid enough,” he gave the task to his 14-year-old-son Michael, who wrote the lyrics in five minutes. Ironically, the son’s income from royalties for the song far exceeded his father’s income for the film.
So here it is. The Tongue-in-cheek theme song for the very sad tongue in cheek comedy about the Korean war. The film was released in 1970, at the height of the Vietnam war, and the TV series debuted in 1972, appealing to the growing anti war crowd, lasted 11 years, and was arguably one of the most successful series ever.
The TV series used instrumental versions of the song only.
Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of familiar, and some not so familiar, songs.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
The theme for this week is “A song featured prominently in a movie.” Now, it depends on your definition of prominently doesn’t it! Music is pretty important to the movie industry, and a film can become a huge success, or failure, purely because of the choice of music.
The movie that I’ve chosen has 53 different songs, so it cannot really be argued that any of them feature prominently.
Watchmen is a 2009 American superhero film directed by Zack Snyder, based on the 1986–87 DC Comics limited series of the same name. Both a soundtrack and excerpts from Tyler Bates‘ film score were released as albums on March 3, 2009. The soundtrack features three songs written by Bob Dylan—”Desolation Row“, “All Along the Watchtower” and “The Times They Are a-Changin’“—with only the latter performed by Dylan on the soundtrack. It includes some songs mentioned in the comic, such as Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah“. Dylan’s “The Times They Are a-Changin'” and “All Along the Watchtower” are also quoted in the graphic novel.
I think my choice of video gives you not only a classic song but also a good idea of what to expect of the film. I hope you enjoy it.
The Times They Are A-Changin’ (Witmark Demo – 1963)
Come gather ’round, people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You’ll be drenched to the bone If your time to you is worth savin’ And you better start swimmin’ Or you’ll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin’
Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won’t come again And don’t speak too soon For the wheel’s still in spin And there’s no tellin’ who That it’s namin’ For the loser now Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin’
Come senators, congressmen Please heed the call Don’t stand in the doorway Don’t block up the hall For he that gets hurt Will be he who has stalled The battle outside ragin’ Will soon shake your windows And rattle your walls For the times they are a-changin’
Come mothers and fathers Throughout the land And don’t criticize What you can’t understand Your sons and your daughters Are beyond your command Your old road is rapidly agin’ Please get out of the new one If you can’t lend your hand For the times they are a-changin’
The line it is drawn The curse it is cast The slow one now Will later be fast As the present now Will later be past The order is rapidly fadin’ And the first one now Will later be last For the times they are a-changin’
Lots of information gleaned, and copied, from Wikipedia, to whom I regularly donate. It is a free service but can only remain so if supported by its users!
Helen’s theme for SLS this week is take/taking. Fancy joining in with this great way of listening to some old favourites, and, often, some new music? If so, you can see all of the entries here and read all about the way to get involved.
This week I’ve chosen a song from Phil Collins, written for the movie of the same name, “Against All Odds”. The song is better known as “Take a look at me now”.
Originally titled “How Can You Just Sit There?”, the song was initially from the sessions for Collins’ debut solo album Face Value (1981). Collins wrote the song, while Arif Mardin produced it. The piano performance is by New York musician Rob Mounsey. Piano, keyboard bass, and a string section, arranged and conducted by Mardin, were recorded at RCA Studios, New York, while Collins recorded vocals and drums in Los Angeles.
The video has a hunky male form for those who are interested in that sort of thing. Yes, I’m thinking of you Sandra!
Helen’s theme for this week is “Smile”. It was supposed to be “Simile” apparently, but I’m happy the way it turned out.
My immediate thought was a song based on the instrumental theme used in a film that came out the year my big sister was born.
In 1936 Charlie Chaplin starred in Modern Times, a film based on the Great Depression. The theme tune had lyrics added in 1954 which were based on the lines, and themes, of the film. This was recorded, as Smile, by Nat King Cole, and the rest, as they say, is history.
In looking for a worthy version to offer I discovered Madeleine Peyroux, and what a discovery she is. I do hope you enjoy this, but more than that, I hope that the video really does make you smile. It is delightful.
Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it’s breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for youLight up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smileLight up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile
Songwriters: Charles Chaplin, John Turner, Geoffrey Parsons
I’m going to become really nostalgic this week and opt for a quintessential love song that was written in 1938 and, I imagine, predates everyone who will read this.
There have been many recordings of this song over the years and I am offering what I consider to be the best two.
I’ll be seeing you In all the old familiar places That this heart of mine embraces All day through In that small cafe The park across the way The children’s carousel The chestnut trees The wishing well
I’ll be seeing you In every lovely summer’s day In everything that’s light and gay I’ll always think of you that way
I’ll find you in the morning sun And when the night is new I’ll be looking at the moon But I’ll be seeing you
I’ll be seeing you In every lovely summer’s day In everything that’s light and gay I’ll always think of you that way
I’ll find you in the morning sun And when the night is new I’ll be looking at the moon But I’ll be seeing you
Shadow is Helen’s prompt for this week and it immediately made me think “The Shadows“. They were the backing group for Cliff Richard, from 1958, and so were a huge influence, for me, from the age of 10.
The song I’ve chosen is very appropriate for a 10 year old – “The Young Ones“, the title song from their 1961 film, which in the USA was called “It’s Wonderful to Be Young.” Oh, how innocent it all seems now!
Debbie, a blogging colleague, and friend, has set herself a 1,000 words a day challenge for the New Year, and yes, she does write with a pen! See what she says here:
Debbie is relatively new to the blogosphere but has already had success in writing a script for a small budget film, produced in Derby. You can read about this here:
I AIM TO PLEASE THE YOUNG AND YOUNG AT HEART WITH POEMS DESIGNED FOR KIDS. READ ALONG WITH YOUR SMALL TOTS FOR FUN.. LET'S MAKE RHYMING FUN AND EXCITING!!!
Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of familiar, and some not so familiar, songs.
Helen’s theme for SLS this week is take/taking. Fancy joining in with this great way of listening to some old favourites, and, often, some new music? If so, you can see all of the entries 
Helen has set the 
Shadow is 
