This is one of a regular series of articles highlighting some of the music that has played a part in my life.
You’ll find a range of songs from old to new. You’ll probably find music that has been part of the soundtrack of your life too.
You can also check out some of the other songs that make up the soundtrack of my life.
Think – Aretha Franklin
I’d have to admit that the main reason this song is part of the soundtrack of my life is that it’s part of the soundtrack of The Blues Brothers movie. I saw that movie one Saturday night in 1980. I didn’t really want to see it but the group I was going to the movies with wanted to see it. I couldn’t stop talking about it for the next week and the next Saturday night I was back there with some more friends. I reckon I’ve seen that movie at least a dozen times in cinemas and many more times on video or DVD.
I should say that the movie isn’t the only reason I love Aretha’s music and that I’m thankful that it led me to explore more of her work. She is an incredible talent.
Of course Think wasn’t written for the movie. Aretha released the song reached number 7 on Billboard Hot 100, becoming her seventh top 10 hit in the United States. Think also reached Number 1 on the magazine’s Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles. It was co-written by Aretha Franklin and Ted White.
If you’re not already a fan, I’d encourage you to find some of her music and learn about what a true legend she is. Aretha is currently 73 years of age but she proved she’s still got it with an inspirational performance at the White House late last year. And if you’ve never seen the orignal Blues Brothers movie, make sure you fix that situation soon. The clip below comes from the movie.
I’d encourage you to get involved too. Let me know about some of the songs that are etched in your mind. What are the tunes that bring back a flood of memories every time their opening notes start cranking out on your stereo? Are there songs you love for their music and others that speak deeply through their lyrics?
Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Soundtrack of my Life – Think? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.
This is one of a regular series of articles highlighting some of the music that has played a part in my life.
You’ll find a range of songs from old to new. You’ll probably find music that has been part of the soundtrack of your life too.
You can also check out some of the other songs that make up the soundtrack of my life.
Hey Laura – Gregory Porter
Hey Laura comes from Gregory Porter’s 2013 album Liquid Spirit. It’s my firm belief that friends don’t let friends go through life without hearing Gregory Porter music. I first discovered him early last year and instantly needed to get my hands on more of his music. How did it take so long for me to hear something from him? Why didn’t anybody tell me? His voice is so incredibly smooth.
Gregory Porter was born in Sacramento and was raised in Bakersfield, California, where his mother was a minister. A 1989 graduate of Highland High School, he received a full-ride athletic scholarship to San Diego State University (SDSU Aztecs). A shoulder injury during his junior year of high school restricted his football career.
Porter moved to the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn in 2004, along with his brother Lloyd. He worked as a chef at Lloyd’s restaurant Bread-Stuy (now defunct), where he also performed. Porter performed at other neighborhood venues including Sista’s Place and Solomon’s Porch, and moved on to Harlem club St. Nick’s Pub, where he maintained a weekly residency. Out of this residency evolved what would become Porter’s touring band.
Porter released two albums on the Motéma label, 2010’s Water and 2012’s Be Good, before signing with Blue Note Records (under Universal Music Group) on May 17, 2013. His third album, Liquid Spirit, was released on September 2, 2013, in Europe and on September 17, 2013, in the US. The album was produced by Brian Bacchus. The album won the 2014 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
Liquid Spirit enjoyed commercial success rarely achieved by albums in the jazz genre, reaching the top 10 on the UK album charts. It was certified gold by the BPI, selling over 100,000 units in the UK. – Wiki
I’d encourage you to get involved too. Let me know about some of the songs that are etched in your mind. What are the tunes that bring back a flood of memories every time their opening notes start cranking out on your stereo? Are there songs you love for their music and others that speak deeply through their lyrics?
Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Soundtrack of my Life – Hey Laura? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.
This is one of a regular series of articles highlighting some of the music that has played a part in my life.
You’ll find a range of songs from old to new. You’ll probably find music that has been part of the soundtrack of your life too.
You can also check out some of the other songs that make up the soundtrack of my life.
Empty Me Out – Liz Vice
One of the newer songs that has very quickly become part of the soundtrack of my life is Empty Me Out from Liz Vice. To tell the truth, her entire There’s a Light album is part of that soundtrack.
I discovered Liz’s music last year and have been enjoying it ever since. There’s an incredible freshness to her music but there are tracks, such as Empty Me Out, that would feel at home on a classic album from any great soul singer. You can listen to her album just for the outstanding music but then you’d be missing the amazing way she weaves her faith into her lyrics.
Gospel, Soul, and R&B-infused artist Liz Vice is from Portland, Oregon. The songs from the album feature dynamic, soulful vocals, with lyrics that are classically influenced enough to feel timeless and reference her deep-rooted spirituality.
Some music takes years to find it’s way to my heart and to truly become part of the soundtrack of my life. Empty Me Out and the other tracks on There’s a Light were added to that soundtrack almost immediately. I hope Liz Vice’s music becomes part of the soundtrack of your life too. It deserves its place in many lives.
I’d encourage you to get involved too. Let me know about some of the songs that are etched in your mind. What are the tunes that bring back a flood of memories every time their opening notes start cranking out on your stereo? Are there songs you love for their music and others that speak deeply through their lyrics?
Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Soundtrack of my Life – Empty Me Out? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.
This is one of a regular series of articles highlighting some of the music that has played a part in my life.
You’ll find a range of songs from old to new. You’ll probably find music that has been part of the soundtrack of your life too.
You can also check out some of the other songs that make up the soundtrack of my life.
Last week I highlighted three songs from David Bowie to mark his passing. Today I’m marking the loss of another great musician.
The One You Love – Glenn Frey
Glenn Frey’s music covered a wide range of genres that it’s hard to choose a song that truly represents his career but as this is the ‘soundtrack of my life’ I had to choose a song from his first solo album, No Fun Aloud. The album was released in 1982, back when I was 19 and some people that are reading this post weren’t even born. I bought the vinyl copy because back then it was either vinyl or cassette.
The album quickly became a favourite with schmaltzy (and I mean that in a very good way) tracks like today’s choice, The One You Love, through to a little rock and a wonderful version of Sea Cruise. The album rose to 32 on the U.S. charts and featured two top 40 singles, “The One You Love” and “I Found Somebody”. No Fun Aloud reached gold status, selling half a million copies in the U.S. alone.
The One You Love has a huge helping of eighties saxophone and tells the all too familiar tale of seeing someone you love choosing someone else, or at least it was all too familiar for the 19 year old me when it was released. 🙂
Are you gonna stay with the one who loves you
Or are you goin’ back to the one you love?
Someone’s gonna cry when they know they’ve lost you
Someone’s gonna thank the stars above
The song reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100, #12 in Canada, #36 in New Zealand and #50 in Australia. It also peaked at #2 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart.
While Glenn Frey will be remembered more for being a co-founder of The Eagles than his solo work, I’ll always love his own music, right from that first album through to songs with a strong social conscience like I Got Mine with lyrics like the following.
There’s another kind of poverty
That only rich men know
A moral malnutrition
That starves their very souls
And they can’t be saved with money
They’re all running out of time
And all the while they’re thinking
It’s OK ‘Cause I’ve got mine
Check out the rest of the song some time. It’s powerful.
Glenn’s most recent solo work, his fifth and final studio album, was After Hours, a lush lounge album that highlighted his smooth vocals and displayed his incredible versatility.
So now, it’s time to soak in one of the songs that makes up the soundtrack of my life. Enjoy Glenn Frey’s The One You Love.
I’d encourage you to get involved too. Let me know about some of the songs that are etched in your mind. What are the tunes that bring back a flood of memories every time their opening notes start cranking out on your stereo? Are there songs you love for their music and others that speak deeply through their lyrics?
This week I’d be particularly interested in your favourite Glenn Frey music, whether it was anything from his solo work or a favourite Eagles track. I look forward to reading your memories.
Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Soundtrack of my Life – The One You Love? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.
This is one of a regular series of articles highlighting some of the music that has played a part in my life.
You’ll find a range of songs from old to new. You’ll probably find music that has been part of the soundtrack of your life too.
You can also check out some of the other songs that make up the soundtrack of my life.
David Bowie
While my regular Soundtrack of my Life posts feature one song that means something to me, I can’t just choose one David Bowie song. Since I heard of his death several days ago I’ve had a couple of hundred of his songs playing over and over on my iPod. I think I’m almost at the place where I can start listening to other music again. Obviously I can’t include all his songs here so I’ll limit myself to three. Choosing those three will be hard enough.
So much has already been written about Bowie over many years and especially this past week so I won’t try to give any kind of comprehensive history of his career. I’ll just add a few of my personal reflections. I couldn’t possibly write all that Bowie’s music has meant to me over the years because different songs and albums have played their part in so many seasons in my life. Let’s just say that hearing that he had passed away was devastating for me, especially as he had kept his illness so quiet. It was so totally unexpected.
Bowie’s music and lyrics have resonated so strongly with me over so many years that mourning his loss was like mourning a close friend. He was no saint but he has played a significant part in my life through his music over several decades.
Space Oddity
The first song I recall from Bowie is Space Oddity. Released back in 1969, when I was just six years old. It charted in Australia when I was nine, in early 1973. It’s a fabulous track from an amazing album. There’s so much more to the Space Oddity album than the title track so make some time to check out the rest of the tracks.
I’ve collected quite a few Bowie albums over the years and while critics have praised some more than others, I love them all. Some thought that Bowie ‘sold out’ with his more commercially acceptable Let’s Dance album, but I reckon anything that would put his music in front of a wider audience was a good move. I was particularly pleased that the album sparked a world tour. The Serious Moonlight Tour came to Perth in November 1983. I was there at the Perth Entertainment Centre to see him perform a mixture of old and new material. What a show.
David Bowie never seemed to simply stage concerts; they were theatrical performances, each one featuring his latest creation. Bowie didn’t ‘reinvent himself’ as some suggest, he would instead create characters that he would inhabit. The stories from so many since his passing paint the picture of a private, caring man, that was so different to many of the characters we saw on stage throughout his career.
The Let’s Dance album and the Serious Moonlight Tour meant that Bowie was everywhere at the time. He was all over the TV, the radio and definitely on my turntable and in my car cassette player.
This is one of the biggest hits from the Let’s Dance album.
Modern Love
There are so many other songs and stories I could tell about Bowie, like the moment the clock struck midnight on the 1st of January 1984, throwing open the doors of my Ford Transit and blasting his song 1984 as loud as the stereo could handle it. I was at a youth camp and while most stayed inside for their new year’s celebrations, there was a small group pf us that felt that playing Bowie’s Orwell inspired song was the only way to ring in that year.
There was the time that I had to drive home from the country very late at night and playing the Black Tie White Noise album on repeat at fairly high decibels was the only thing keeping me awake on the road.
Yes, there are many, many other times when David Bowie provided the soundtrack to my life, but I’ll post one more song, and that is the soundtrack that plays behind the news of Bowie’s death. None of us knew that the album released just days earlier, on his 69th birthday, would be his parting gift to millions of fans around the world. It’s already been watched well over 20 million times on YouTube and no doubt will be played many more times in coming days, weeks and years.
Lazarus
Whether you’re a Bowie fan or not, his music has probably provided the soundtrack to some of your own life. I’d love to hear your recollections of David Bowie and his music. Please leave your memories and tributes in the comments section of this post.
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