2015年7月16日 星期四

作曲人Michael Masser去世

作曲人Michael Masser七月九日於加州Rancho Mirage去世 74),他曾寫過Diana Ross的名曲"Touch Me In The Morning" (#1-1973) "Theme From 'Mahogany'" (#1-1976) "Last Time I Saw Him" (#14-1974) "It's My Turn" (#9-1981)2007年並獲選進入作曲家名人堂, 但三年前心肌梗塞後身体狀況即日益惡化。
Michael Masser其它作品還有"The Greatest Love Of All"此曲於1977年由George Benson推出獲得第241986Whitney Houston重唱則獲得三週排行榜冠軍另外"Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You"則由Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson合唱獲得過第16
Michael Masser曾因"Theme From 'Mahogany'"獲得1975年奧斯卡最佳原創歌曲提名但敗給Keith Carradine所寫及演唱的電影 Nashville主題曲"I'm Easy"
"Theme From 'Mahogany'Do You Know Where Youre Going To"這首歌作曲是Michael Masser作詞則是Gerry GoffinDiana Ross主演的電影'Mahogany'的插曲1975年底曾獲得單週排行榜冠軍

The Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)
Diana Ross

Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you
Where are you going to?
Do you know?

Do you get
What you're hoping for
When you look behind you
There's no open door
What are you hoping for?
Do you know?

Once we were standing still in time
Chasing the fantasies
That filled our minds
You knew how I loved you
But my spirit was free
Laughin' at the questions
That you once asked of me

Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you
Where are you going to?
Do you know?

Now looking back at all we've planned
We let so many dreams
Just slip through our hands
Why must we wait so long
Before we'll see
How sad the answers
To those questions can be

Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you
Where are you going to?
Do you know?

Do you get
What you're hoping for
When you look behind you
There's no open door
What are you hoping for?
Do you know?


2015年7月9日 星期四

Ringo Starr生日


Ringo Starr七月七日以和平與愛慶祝75歲生日

Beatles披頭合唱團團員的他在加州好萊塢Capital唱片大樓現身Ringo不大回答他生日的問題,他說生命就是為生活,我為生命注入越多和平、愛與冥想,我感覺越好。

幾位音樂界人士為他慶生,其中有EaglesJoe Walsh,他認同Ringo的說法,他表示暴力、篇狹不寬容把我們搞得一團糟,和平、愛、同情與互相了解能讓大家走出去。

Ringo的粉絲也應邀參加這個活動Janet Carper表示她喜歡Ringo的聰明幽默魅力,和平、愛正是Beatles的象徵。

Ringo Starr 本名Richard Starkey 1940年生於英格蘭利物浦Dingle1962年加入披頭合唱團1970年開始錄個人的唱片,除音樂之外他也演過一些電影並一直與一些大牌歌手組The All Star Band巡迴演唱

Ringo Starr最受歡迎的歌是Beatles時代他主唱的Yellow SubmarineAct Naturally With A Little Help From My FriendHoney Don’t

With A Little Help From My Friend沒有推出單曲但於滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜獲得第304


 

With A Little Help From My Friends

 

What would you think if I sang out of tune,

Would you stand up and walk out on me?

Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song

And I'll try not to sing out of key.

 

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends

Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

 

What do I do when my love is away

(Does it worry you to be alone?)

How do I feel by the end of the day,

(Are you sad because you're on your own?)

 

No, I get by with a little help from my friends

Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends

Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

 

Do you need anybody

I need somebody to love

Could it be anybody

I want somebody to love.

 

Would you believe in a love at first sight

Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time

What do you see when you turn out the light

I can't tell you but I know it's mine,

 

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends

Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

 

Do you need anybody

I just need someone to love

Could it be anybody

I want somebody to love.

 

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

with a little help from my friends.

 

2015年7月2日 星期四

Mama Cass留名星光大道


2016年好萊塢星光大道的提名名單六月22日公佈其中包括已故歌手"Mama" Cass Elliot

"Mama" Cass Elliot  1941年九月19日出生於馬里蘭州巴爾的摩本名Ellen Naomi Cohen1974年七月29日因心肌梗塞去世,但也有流言說她因吃東西梗塞在喉嚨致死

"Mama" Cass Elliot是曾唱紅California Dreamin’Monday Monday等名曲1960年代著名的名謠搖滾合唱團The Mamas The Papas團員,但是他們1968年就解散了,而 "Mama" Cass Elliot持續個人的歌唱生涯,旦不幸32歲即去世。

The Mamas The Papas團中藝名Mama Cass的她,排行榜上名次最好的歌是1968年第12名的Dream A Little Dream Of Me,是一首動聽的情歌,原是Wayne King 1931年的一首受歡迎的歌。


 

Dream A Little Dream Of Me

Words by Gus Kahn and Music by Wilbur Schwandt and Fabian Andree

 

Stars shining bright above you

Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"

Birds singing in the sycamore tree

Dream a little dream of me

 

Say "Night-ie night" and kiss me

Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me

While I'm alone and blue as can be

Dream a little dream of me

 

Stars fading but I linger on, dear

Still craving your kiss

I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear

Just saying this

 

Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you

Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you

But in your dreams whatever they be

Dream a little dream of me

 

2015年6月25日 星期四

Please Love Me Forever

  1960年代早期的四人合唱團The Roomates的男高音及假音和聲Jack Carlson六月12日去世
這個合唱團最初於紐約Queens Sage中學組成,曾幫他們的經紀人的Valmore唱片公司灌過唱片,第一張暢銷曲是擔任Cathy Jean Giordano 1961年第12名的"Please Love Me Forever"的背景和聲,但是當年他們在唱片推出之前從來沒見過面,接著The Roomates自己推出的"Glory Of Love"則於1961年僅獲得第49名。
沒有Cathy JeanRoomates很難有作品進排行榜,就在這種時有時無Cathy Jean的狀況下,The Roomate1965年終於解散,Jack後來搬到科羅拉多州Littleton
"Please Love Me Forever"1958年由Tommy Edwards最早推出只得到第61Cathy JeanThe Roomates的版本得到12名後,Bobby Vinton1967年翻唱的版本名次最好,獲得過第六名。

Please Love Me Forever
Words and Music by Johnny Malone and Ollie Blanchard

Please love me forever
Don't forget me ever
Just listen to my plea
Please don't stop loving me

You're in my dreams nightly
Don't take my love lightly
Begging on bended knee
Please don't stop loving me

Oh, when I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord your love I'll keep
If I should die before I wake
I'll come back for you
That's no mistake

Oh, I'll love you forever
Can't forget you ever
Our love was meant to be
Please don't stop loving me

I'll love you forever
Can't forget you ever
Our love was meant to be
Please don't stop loving me



2015年6月18日 星期四

懷念的老歌The Three Bells

鄉村歌星Jim Ed Brown六月11日去於田納西州 Franklin去世了(81歲),Jim與妹妹Maxine出生於阿肯色州 Sparkman,最初在Ernest Tubb的廣播節目演唱,1954年曾有一首"Looking Back To See"獲得過排行榜第八名,後來另一位姐妹Bonnie加入變成三重唱the Browns
1954-1968年他們有21首鄉村歌曲排行榜暢銷曲,其中有13首歌同時也是熱門歌曲排行榜暢銷曲,包括"The Three Bells" (#1 pop,country-1959), "Scarlet Ribbons" (#13 pop, #7 country-1959) and "The Old Lamplighter" (#5 pop, #20 country-1960)這些受歡迎的歌。
1965Jim Ed Brown開始推出個人的唱片,the Browns二年後宣告解散,他個人的暢銷曲則有"Pop A Top" (#3 country-1967),他另與Helen Cornelius合作以二重唱的身份推出"I Don't Want To Have To Marry You" (#1 country-1976) "Lying In Love With You" (#2 country-1979),並於1977年獲鄉村音樂協會頒年度二重唱獎。
1983 1989Jim Ed Brown主持過電視節目"You Can Be A Star!",也在"Nashville On The Road"電視節目當助理主持人。
The Browns今年初獲選進鄉村歌曲名人堂,Jim Ed Brown曾在醫院的病房裡展示榮譽獎章給歌迷們看。
The Browns的冠軍曲The Three Bells原是1945年的一首法語歌,1952年版的Les Compagnons de la Chanson獲得過14名,此曲也以"Les Trois Cloches" "While the Angelus Was Ringing"之名灌唱。



The Three Bells
Original French words by Bert Reisfeld and Music by Jean Villard
English words added by Dick Manning

There's a village hidden deep in the valley
Among the pine trees half forlorn
And there on a sunny morning
Little Jimmy Brown was born

(bung, bung, bung, bung)
All the chapel bells were ringing in the little valley town
And the song that they were singing was for baby Jimmy Brown
Then the little congregation prayed for guidance from above
"Lead us not into temptation, bless this hour of meditation"
"Guide him with eternal love"

There's a village hidden deep in the valley
Beneath the mountains high above
And there, twenty years thereafter
Jimmy was to meet his love

(bung, bung, bung, bung)
All the chapel bells were ringing, 'twas a great day in his life
'cause the songs that they were singing was for Jimmy and his wife
Then the little congregation prayed for guidance from above
"Lead us not into temptation, bless, oh Lord this celebration"
"May their lives be filled with love"

>From the village hidden deep in the valley
One rainy morning dark and gray
A soul winged its way to heaven
Jimmy Brown had passed away

(bung, bung, bung, bung)
Just a lonely bell was ringing in the little valley town
'twas farewell that it was singing to our little Jimmy Brown
And the little congregation prayed for guidance from above
"Lead us not into temptation, may his soul find the salvation"

"Of thy great eternal love"

2015年6月11日 星期四

James Last去世

德國出生的作曲家James Last六月九日於佛羅里達州家中去世(86歲),他的樂團推出由李察基爾主演的著名電影"American Gigolo"「美國舞男」的插曲"The Seduction (Love Theme)",於1980年曾獲得熱門排行榜第28名,「美國舞男」的電影插曲專輯裡的歌大多由Giorgio Moroder所寫,最有名的歌是Blondie合唱團的六週冠軍曲"Call Me (Theme from American Gigolo)"
James Last其它在排行榜上有名的歌還有1969年由Andy Williams唱紅得過22名的"Happy Heart",而貓王Elvis Presley1973年第17名的"Fool",與Eddie Fisher "Games That Lovers Play" (#45-1966)也是他的作品。
英國排行榜的記錄,從19671986James Last52張專輯唱片進榜,僅次於貓王。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyB_cF7ZuD0


2015年6月4日 星期四

前衛搖滾

前衛搖滾樂團Yes的貝斯手Chris Squire五月19日在鳳凰城家中宣佈,因急性紅白血病需好幾個月的治療,他無法參加即將開始的YesToto這二個超級合唱團聯合巡迴演唱會,這也是Yes首度沒有他的演出。
Yes是於倫敦組成的Progressive-Rock Band前衛搖滾樂團,主唱是Jon AndersonChris Squire也是創團人之一,他們1972年獲得13名的Roundabout被收進搖滾樂名人堂,而1983年的Owner of A Lonely Heart則獲得過排行榜冠軍。
Progressive-Rock1960年代晚期源自英國的一種搖滾樂派,Yes是其中代表性團体,他們直接承襲迷幻搖滾,與藝術搖滾類似,但擺脫短短的流行單曲的框框,而在作曲與樂器譜寫上下功夫,讓搖滾樂與爵士樂及古典音樂同樣受人尊敬。
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpIduDaggVA

Owner of a Lonely Heart
Yes

Move yourself
You always live your life
Never thinking of the future
Prove yourself
You are the move you make
Take your chances win or loser

See yourself
You are the steps you take
You and you - and that's the only way

Shake - shake yourself
You're every move you make
So the story goes

Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Much better than - a
Owner of a broken heart
Owner of a lonely heart

Say - you don't want to chance it
You've been hurt so before

Watch it now
The eagle in the sky
How he dancin' one and only
You - lose yourself
No not for pity's sake
There's no real reason to be lonely
Be yourself
Give your free will a chance
You've got to want to succeed

Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Much better than - a
Owner of a broken heart
Owner of a lonely heart

Owner of a lonely heart

After my own decision
They confused me so                                      Owner of a lonely heart
My love said never question your will at all
In the end you've got to go
Look before you leap                                     Owner of a lonely heart
And don't you hesitate at all - no no

Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Much better than - a
Owner of a broken heart
Owner of a lonely heart
(repeat)

Owner of a lonely heart

Sooner or later each conclusion
Will decide the lonely heart                             Owner of a lonely heart
It will excite it will delight
It will give a better start                              Owner of a lonely heart

Don't deceive your free will at all
Don't deceive your free will at all                      Owner of a lonely heart
Don't deceive your free will at all

Just receive it

Murray Head -One Night In Bangkok

     本周要介紹一首 1985年獲得過第3名 的歌 , Murray Head 主唱的 (One Night In Bangkok)。     1946年3月5日出生於英國倫敦 的 Murray Head。 是一位 流行歌手/演員。 曾參與1970年搖滾...