Soundtrack of my Life – Think

Soundtrack of my LifeThis 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?



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Soundtrack of my Life – Hey Laura

Soundtrack of my LifeThis 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?



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Soundtrack of my Life – Empty Me Out

Soundtrack of my LifeThis 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?



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Soundtrack of my Life – The One You Love

Soundtrack of my LifeThis 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.



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Soundtrack of my Life – Rolling in the Deep

Soundtrack of my LifeThis 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.

Rolling in the Deep – Adele

We waited several years for new music from Adele and when her single ‘Hello’ was released in October last year, followed by the album ’25’ a month later, any doubts that she might not live up to her incredible reputation were immediately dispelled. It seems that just about wherever you go in the world, people can’t get enough of that big voice.

Today I’m looking back to 2010 and the first song I remember hearing from Adele. I saw Rolling in the Deep on a video show and being impressed by the video clip as well as the outstanding vocal and the song itself. It would seem I wasn’t the only one.

“Rolling in the Deep” was acclaimed by music critics and represented a commercial breakthrough for Adele, propelling her to international success. The song reached number one in 11 countries and the top five in many more regions. It was Adele’s first number-one song in the United States, reaching the top spot on many Billboard charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 where it was number one for seven weeks. By February 2012, “Rolling in the Deep” had sold over 7.6 million copies in the United States, making it the highest-selling digital song by a female artist in the US, the second-best-selling digital song in the US and Adele’s best-selling single outside her native country, topping her previous best-selling “Chasing Pavements”. Worldwide, it was the fifth-best-selling digital single of 2011 with sales of 8.2 million copies, later going on to sell over 14 million copies. The song spent 65 weeks on the chart, making the song at that time the fourth-most weeks spent on the chart, tying the place with Jewel with her double single “Foolish Games”/”You Were Meant for Me”. – 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 – Rolling in the Deep? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.