Music Doesn't Lie - Part 39 (I'm Not the Only One / Not in That Way)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

With my continuing love of all things English, I have discovered yet another amazing singer/songwriter from our former overlords: Sam Smith. Yes, again I'm a little behind the rest of the world when it comes to discovering this talented 22-year old musician. 22?!?!? Gah! I have t-shirts older than that! I "discovered" Sam this morning on The Today Show when he performed "Stay With Me" and "I'm Not the Only One" (video).

Sam Smith was born in London, England and "rose to fame in October 2012 when he was featured on Disclosure's breakthrough single "Latch", which peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. His subsequent feature -- on Naughty Boy's "La La La" -- earned him his first number 1 single in May 2013. In December 2013, he was nominated for the 2014 BRIT Critics' Choice Award and the BBC's Sound of 2014 poll, both of which he won. He released his debut studio album, In the Lonely Hour, in May 2014 on Capitol Records. The lead single, "Lay Me Down", was released prior to "La La La". The second single was "Money on My Mind". The album's third single "Stay with Me" was an international success, peaking atop both the UK Singles chart and the U.S. Billboard Pop Songs chart (along with the Adult Contemporary, Adult Pop Songs and Radio Songs charts); it also reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart" (Wikipedia). 

After hearing this young man sing, I immediately purchased his debut album, In the Lonely Hour (Deluxe version) and listened to it obsessively all morning. (Yes, I don't have much else to do these days.) According to Smith, this album was inspired by loneliness and heartbreak, therefore it's unsurprising that I would connect deeply with this album. Here's what you can find on the album:

The catchy "Money On My Mind" (video; lyrics) is a perfect album opener and lead-up to the other songs, like the drenched in ‘60s strings and acoustic flutters "Good Thing" (video; lyrics). The gospel-tinged hit song "Stay With Me" (video; lyrics) shows some classic soul piano balladry, as Smith tugs at your heartstrings while he sings over sweeping strings and reverberant piano chords: "This ain’t love it’s clear to see, But darling stay with me". This is followed by the acoustic ballad "Leave Your Lover" (video; lyrics), a strings and light guitar plucks-infused track about being unlucky in love.

Then we segue into the country-soul of "I'm Not The Only One", before moving on to "I've Told You Now" (video; lyrics), another ballad about unrequited love. The anthemic pop track "Like I Can" (video; lyrics) is a more modern sounding song, as is the strings and piano-laced ballad "Life Support" (video; lyrics). Then we come to another country-soul song, "Not in That Way", before moving on to the gospel-ish "Lay Me Down" (video; lyrics), a piano-led ballad that starts slowly as Smith pours out his heart to his love, but builds up to an explosive, string-drenched finale. His live performance of this song on SNL is mindblowing (video)!

The up-tempo, very '80s disco-ish "Restart" (video; lyrics) is followed by "Latch"  (video; lyrics), an acoustic version of the Disclosure song that was their breakthrough hit in 2013 and on which Sam was guest-vocalist. Then he closes the album with the Naughty Boy’s number one infectious summer hit "La La La" (video; lyrics) on which Sam was also a collaborative vocalist and "Make It To Me"  (video; lyrics), a powerful piano-ballad about looking for a soul-mate: “You’re the one designed for me, A distant stranger that I will complete.”

This debut-album is filled with the kind of pop that is likely to dominate the charts for a while, as these tracks will appeal to a wide range of music lovers. Fully recommended!

It was a difficult to decide which of the songs I would feature, but I decided to go with two different songs. The first song is the one that he performed this morning and instantly made me a fan: "I'm Not the Only One" (lyrics).

The second song had me in tears when I heard it because it's my life story: "Not in That Way" (lyrics).

Music Doesn't Like - Part 38 (You Oughta Be Here With Me)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

Yep, I'm a musical theatre nerd. Despite what other people think, it is not the only type of music that I listen to, but musical theatre is one of my favorites. It's an occupational hazard when you want to be a musical theatre performer from the time you are 8 years old.

The other day I was conversing with a friend who sent me a link to the website a theatre company that she thought I would find interesting: Deaf West Theatre. DWT is an award-winning professional resident Sign Language theatre and as I have studied sign language in the past and love theatre, sending me this website is a no brainer. Funnily enough, I had already been aware of DWT's productions having seen DWT's truly transformational production of the musical Big River back in 2003 in NYC. DWT's "productions feature deaf and hearing actors working together to tell stories in a seamless ballet of movement, American Sign Language and spoken - or sung - English" (DWT's website). Their productions are simply stunning to experience.

Naturally, remembering the DWT's production of Big River inspired me to listen to the original 1985 Broadway soundtrack. If you don't know this musical, Big River is a musical retelling of Mark Twain's timeless story, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which is one of my favorite novels. The musical has a book by William Hauptman and music and lyrics by Roger Miller. Interesting, the original Broadway production of Big River included stars Rene Auberjonois and John Goodman.

I love this musical nearly as much as I love the source material. The songs include a wide variety of styles from country to jazz to gospel. However, most of the tunes cannot be pigeonholed as one style of music or the other because Roger Miller has done a beautiful job of blending several types of music into one coherent whole on many of the songs. 

In addition to the wide variety of styles, the songs also have an equally wide variety of emotions: The humorous: "Guv'ment" (lyrics) by Huck's Pappy, Tom Sawyer's "Hand for the Hog" (lyrics), plus the two songs by the King and the Duke, "When the Sun Goes Down in the South" (lyrics) and "The Royal Nonesuch" ("She's got one big breast in the middle of her chest/And an eye in the middle of her nose/So says I, if you look her in the eye/You're better off looking up her nose" - lyrics). The tender ballad: "You Oughta Be Here with Me" by Mary Jane Wilkes. The spiritual: "The Crossing". The best songs are reserved for the Huck and Jim: "Muddy Water" (lyrics) as they shove off on a raft for Freedom, "River in the Rain" (lyrics) as they spend their last moments alone on the river, and "World's Apart" (lyrics) as the recognize the gulf that exists between them. Plus Huck and Jim's trio with Mary Jane on "Leavin's Not the Only Way to Go" (lyrics). Check out the 1985 Tony Awards performance by the original Huck and Jim.

The song that has always been my favorite, but also has taken on a new meaning for me over the years is Mary Jane's song when she sings to her father's coffin - "You Oughta Be Here With Me" (lyrics). It's beautiful song about loneliness and the loss of a loved one and is yet another song being added to my catharsis playlist:

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 37 (Love of My Life)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

It's time I righted a terrible, terrible wrong. In the previous 36 postings in this series, I have never, ever mentioned one of the best rock bands of all time (or at least I think so) - Queen! <gasp> It's an awful oversight. As we are soon coming upon Freddie Mercury's 68th birthday (September 6), I thought it was time that I remedy my error and present my commentary about the timeless music from this classic band!

Background: "Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1970, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), John Deacon (bass guitar), and Roger Taylor (drums, vocals). Queen's earliest works were influenced by progressive rock, hard rock and heavy metal, but the band gradually ventured into more conventional and radio-friendly works, incorporating further diverse styles into their music" (Wikipedia). Queen have released 16 studio and 9 live albums and were one of the biggest stadium bands in the 1980s and "their performance at 1985's Live Aid is regarded as one of the greatest in rock history" (Wikipedia). (I just re-watched the performance and...OH GOD, YES!!!!! MAGICAL!) They have 18 number one albums, 18 number one singles, and 10 number one DVDs and are one of the best-selling musical artists.

I cannot remember when I first started listening to Queen. It would have been sometime in the mid-1970s, but I have been in love ever since. Although, confidentially, I have not really followed them since the tragic demise of frontman and incredible vocalist, Freddie Mercury. This posting may end up being less of a Queen retrospective and more of a Freddie Mercury love fest! (And no, I'm not a fan of Queen + Adam Lambert. Adam is fine, but he's not Freddie!)

Let's start with the great one's voice: Freddie’s speaking voice was in the baritone range but he preferred singing in the tenor range and his voice could span over 4-octaves. Incredible! There are many songs in which he would span the entirety of his voice, all without any formal vocal training. "Biographer David Bret described his voice as 'escalating within a few bars from a deep, throaty rock-growl to tender, vibrant tenor, then on to a high-pitched, perfect coloratura, pure and crystalline in the upper reaches'" (Wikipedia). Several different polls have ranked Freddie as the best male singer of all time; others have ranked him second. Regardless, Freddie is certainly among the best and quite possibly the best frontman of all time!

Interestingly enough, even though he had a flamboyant stage presence, Freddie was a very different person off stage - quiet, shy, and extremely private. Even though he was diagnosed with HIV in 1987, he kept his medical status private, despite the constant hounding from journalists. While some people think he should have let his HIV/AIDS status known long before he released a statement (the day before he passed away), I think that no one should be forced to discuss their medical woes unless they make that decision without pressure from others. Of course, times have changed since Freddie' passed away in 1991 and it would be much more difficult to deny reality today.

To give equal credit to the rest of the band: Brian May is a gifted guitarist, Roger Taylor doesn't only rock on the drums, but has a voice almost equal to Freddie's impressive vocal range (about 3 octaves), and, finally, John Deacon is an incredible bassist.

Onto the songs: Queen have released so many memorable songs. Just a really short list of some of my favorites: "Another One Bites the Dust" (lyrics), "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions" (lyrics), "Under Pressure" (lyrics), "Don't Stop Me Now" (lyrics), "My Melancholy Blues" (lyrics), "One Year of Love" (lyrics), "Fat Bottomed Girls" (lyrics), "Play the Game" (lyrics), "Killer Queen" (lyrics), and no one can ever forget, their anthem song, "Bohemian Rhapsody" (lyrics). (Yeah, okay, I had issues limiting my list of favorites.)

I wanted to find a song that really showcases (equally) Freddie's incredibly voice and Brian May's genius guitar playing, therefore I ultimately decided on "Love of My Life" (lyrics) from the 1975 album, A Night at the Opera. The song was written by Freddie about Mary Austin, with whom he had a long term relationship in the early 1970s. Mary was his long-time companion with whom he had a loving albeit platonic relationship for his entire adult life. This song is stunningly beautiful and has been added to my catharsis playlist - how I left this beautiful song off of the list before today, I do not know. It has long been one of my favorites! Truth be known, I could probably also add "One Year of Love" and "My Melancholy Blues".

Here's a live version of "Love of My Life" - performed in 1981 in Montreal (you can listen to the studio recording here):

Hearing Freddie sing and Brian play this song is the closest thing to heaven on earth. It does make me wish that I kept up my guitar lessons, although I would never have been in Brian's league. And no one is in Freddie's league, vocally!

Happy birthday, Freddie! You were taken away from us much, much too early!

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 36 (I Don't Wanna Love Somebody Else)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

Damn, I made a mistake back in February! Whenever I become aware that I err, I feel the need own up to it. I've even been known to apologize when I haven't erred. Therefore, when I discovered my mistake from the February 5, 2014 posting, I wanted to right a wrong.

That posting was about the musical group A Great Big World, which I had just discovered. Just a reminder: "Formed in 2002 by singers/songwriters Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino, A Great Big World is an American musical group from New York." The song I featured that day was their hit song "Say Something" off of their debut album Is Anybody Out There? and that where I made my mistake.

Yesterday, I was listening to the album on my way home from work and found myself in tears while listening to the album (always a dangerous thing when driving!!). The song that caused this emotional outburst was the runner up to the featured song in February, but it's such a beautiful song that it deserves a posting all on its own. Why did I decide this? For several reasons: first the song is an unabashedly romantic and beautifully melancholic ballad built on a lush instrumental bed of guitar and strings. Second, the warm falsetto infused vocals is thrilling. Third, Ian's emotional connection to the lyrics is one of the best that I've ever heard. He's been through this type of heartbreak. And finally, it's my life story.

Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I present "I Don't Wanna Love Somebody Else" (lyrics):

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 35 (Coming Home)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

What do you do when you see David Tennant in a picture with a band that is totally unknown to you (see photos below)? Naturally, you check out the band. After all, if the Doctor is a fan, the band must be good! The Doctor knows all. That's how I found out about the English indie rock band, Kaiser Chiefs, who are from Leeds and formed in 2000 under the name Parva. They renamed themselves after a soccer team in South Africa in 2003 and "have released five studio albums, Employment (2005), Yours Truly, Angry Mob (2007), Off with Their Heads (2008), The Future Is Medieval (2011), and Education, Education, Education & War (2014), one EP Lap of Honour (2005), one compilation album Souvenir: The Singles 2004–2012 (2012) and numerous singles, including the number one hit song 'Ruby'." (Wikipedia). Again, I somehow missed a fantastic band who has been around for eons! Well, okay, 14 years.

The band has been primarily inspired by new wave and punk rock music of the late 1970s and 1980s. It's challenging to place Kaiser Chiefs's influences, but The Clash, Talking Heads, The Cars, and other new wave bands of yore come to my mind. I haven't listened to all of their albums, but have been spending a good amount of time on their VEVO channel. It was time well spent! I'm going to ruin my budget by purchasing their albums!

Here are just a few of my favorite songs: "Meanwhile Up in Heaven", "Na Na Na Na Naa", and "Oh My God" are irresistible. "Everyday I Love You Less and Less" is irreverent and fun! The love song "Ruby" is very catchy. In addition to great music, they have fabulous videos. I decided to highlight the song that I listened to first. I just can't seem to stop listening to "Coming Home" (lyrics). Enjoy!

Here are the pictures I saw of David Tennant with Kaiser Chiefs. Love them!

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 34 (Feel It)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix 

Thanks to a rainy 4th of July, boredom, and Sir Elton John's Facebook page, I have a new singer/songwriter to introduce: Bright Light Bright Light. Yes, indeed, that is the artist's name - it's a reference to the movie, Gremlins. Sir Elton's Facebook page had a posting about a duet that BLBL and Sir Elton recorded in 2013 which is included on BLBL's upcoming album, Life is Easy, release date July 8, 2014. Loving Elton as much as I do, I needed to check out this new song, "I Wish We Were Leaving" and discovered a new musician along with a great song.

Born Rod Thomas, Bright Light Bright Light is a Welsh singer, songwriter, DJ, and producer, who is based out of London. "Bright Light Bright Light incorporates many elements of nu-disco into his music, also branching into synthpop, dance and house music" (Wikipedia). Leaving university before completing his education, BLBL moved to London where he set up a studio in his apartment and started busking during rush hour in the London tube. In 2009, he sent some demo tracks to a producer in Los Angeles and subsequently released his debut solo album, Make Me Believe in Hope in June 2012.

BLBL actually released quite a number of solo music as Rod Thomas before he reworked it and named himself Bright Light Bright Light. His voice is clear and crisp and truly lovely. His lyrics are heartfelt and he shows you a richness and elegance to pop music that I can only describe as delicious! The bittersweet irony is that it's so good that you want it to be top 40, but at the same time, you feel glad to have a secret passageway into a dreamy musical world that you would rather just share with a few. 

Just to give you a hint of some of the songs: "Waiting For The Feeling" (lyrics) and "Open Heart"  (lyrics) have a wonderful dance beat that makes you want to groove. "In Your Care" (lyrics) and "Moves" (lyrics) are just gorgeous. Then there's the duet with Elton John, "I Wish We Were Leaving" (lyrics) - stunner. Really, I cannot give enough props for this performer. Hands down, my favorite is "Feel It". The lyrics are amazing and powerful, and the video is fantastic. Another song that I have added to my ever expanding catharsis playlist.

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 33 (Lego House)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

After watching last night's episode of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, I have a favorite new singer-songwriter, Ed Sheeran. If you have never heard of this musician, let me enlighten you: 

Born 17 February 1991, Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter. A multi-talented musician, Sheeran sings and play guitar, BOSS Loop Pedal RC-30, percussion, piano, and violin. "Raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he moved to London in 2008 to pursue a musical career. In early 2011, Sheeran released an independent extended play, No. 5 Collaborations Project, which caught the attention of both Sir Elton John and Jamie Foxx. His 2011 debut album, +, containing the singles "The A Team" and "Lego House", was certified quintuple platinum in the United Kingdom. In 2012, he won two BRIT Awards for Best British Male and British Breakthrough" (Wikipedia). In 2012, he started becoming known here in the U.S. (except by me). He appeared on Taylor Swift's 4th album (not that I would know that - I don't have any Taylor Swift albums) and he has written music for One Direction. Additionally, he spent much of 2013 touring with Swift as her opening act.

For the first time in a long time, I learned about this artist fairly early on in his career. He has released only 1 studio album (+) with the second, x (read as multiply) scheduled to be released on June 23, 2014. I'm very impressed with this artist's music and love the songs that I've been ferreting out. "The A Team" tells the story of a young crack-addicted prostitute (video). It is hauntingly beautiful. Sheeran performed "Sing" last night on Fallon, which is the first release from his second album and has a kick ass video.  I love, love this song.  The end credits of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug features Sheeran's "I See Fire". I'm excited for the new release and can't wait to hear the entire album.

The song I'm featuring is from his first album, + - "Lego House". The video features an appearance by Rupert Grint ("Ron Weasley" in the Harry Potter movies) who plays Sheeran's doppelganger.  It's kind of freaky how much these two look alike. It's an awesome video. Also, I really love the lyrics to this song.

   

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 32 (It's a Motherf***er)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

Whatever happened to Steve Perry, the former lead vocalist from Journey? It's been a question that has often passed through my mind. Perry hasn't performed with Journey since 1991, or performed solo concerts since 1995. The reason I ask this question is that I have the answer...sort of. Perry made a brief return to the stage this past Sunday night in St. Paul, MN - of all places. He performed with the indie rock band, The Eels. You can read all about it including a video of the appearance on Yahoo! Music. Seeing Perry on stage brought me back to my high school years, but more than that, I was intrigued by the band that he was appearing with - The Eels. Who? Yet again this is a band that has been around for eons with whom I am completely unfamiliar. That has rapidly changed.

Here's some backgroundy stuff: "Eels (often typeset as eels or EELS) is an American alternative rock band, formed in California in 1995 by singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mark Oliver Everett, better known as 'E' (son of famous physicist Hugh Everett III). Band members have changed across the years, both in the studio and on stage, making Everett the only official member for the most of the band's work. Often filled with themes about family, death and lost love, Eels' music straddles a wide range of genres, which is evidenced by the distinct musical style of every album" (Wikipedia). Can we start first with the fact that a physicist's son formed a rock band?! Interesting. But also, he formed it in 1995! Where the hell have I been for nearly 20 years that I have missed this band?!?  <sigh> The band has released 11 studio albums in addition to appearing on several film soundtracks, including Scream 2, American Beauty, Knocked Up, and the first three Shrek movies.

Over the past couple of days, I have spent a goodly amount of time on their Official YouTube channel checking out their music. There is so much great music that they have released over the years that I'm still discovering. Therefore, I'm not sure where to start. Here are just some of the songs that I immediately thought were genius: "Mistakes of My Youth", "Novocaine for my Soul", "Spectacular Girl", "Kinda Fuzzy", and "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" from the film Road Trip. I could clearly go broke collecting all of their albums so I'll have to be very strategic on which ones I purchase. I've definitely earmarked two albums for purchasing: the first is their latest album, Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett and the second Daisies of the Galaxy which contains the song featured below.

Hands down, my favorite song is the one that Steve Perry covered at the concert in St. Paul: "It's a Motherf***er" (lyrics). Yet another song that I have added to my catharsis playlist. Below is a live version of E singing this heartwrenching ballad. If you'd like to hear the studio version, check out this video. The lyrics are simple, yet perfect for anyone who has experienced loss of a loved one! Fair warning: the song contains profanity (for anyone who didn't figure that out from the title).

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 31 (Hard Out Here and Somewhere Only We Know)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

Lily Allen is back! You may or may not remember, but way back in May 2012, with my third post in this series, I wrote about Lily Allen and her fabulous song, F*ck You (Very Much). I am a big fan of Ms. Allen and her music. Sadly, it had been 5 years since Ms. Allen released a new album, having taken time off from performing to marry and give birth to two children. Somehow I missed the news that Lily was back in the studio recording and it wasn't until I saw her appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon a couple of days ago that I found out that she had released a new album, Sheezus. Yes, Lilly confirmed that it is "a little nod to Kanye West", who had released an album Yeezus in 2013.

Has marriage and motherhood mellowed this outspoken firebrand? Happily, no! She is as brash and in your face as she always was. I loved Lily's first two album (Alright, Still and It's Not Me, It's You), so I was hoping that this new one would be up to the previous releases. All I can say is "Whew". While my favorite album of hers is, and probably will always be, It's Not Me, It's You, Sheezus is certainly a worthwhile purchase. As typical for Lily, the songs all sound so light and bubbly until you pay attention to the lyrics which vary from criticism of modern culture to light songs about love to teenage angst. Another home run for Lily.

I had a hard time picking just one song to feature because there are so many great songs on the album, therefore I decided to feature two songs. In addition to the two songs I'm featuring, "Air Balloon", lyrically, is as light as helium and "Miserable Without Your Love" is another song for my catharsis playlist. "Close Your Eyes" has lyrics, which are full of Allen's trademark humor. Has anyone in pop music history ever urged their lover to ride them "like a bike"? "Life for Me" is a sincere, upbeat afro-pop sounding song. All are amazing songs!

The first song that I am featuring is the one Lily sang on The Tonight Show. "Hard Out Here" is a tongue-in-cheek response to the double standards faced by women in society, and, more specifically, the music/entertainment industry. The video is pretty out there and quite explicit. For anyone who finds the video uncomfortable, hypocritical or contradictory to the lyrics, that's part of the irony and sarcasm that is Lily Allen. Lily demonstrates how bad it has become for women in the industry, as well as the unrealistic and grotesque extremes of body image set for young girls. Additionally, she shows how ridiculous the gender roles have become and it's only going to get worse, as long as society continues to differentiate people based on their genitalia, and pigeonhole them into stereotypes and manufactured identities.

The second featured song is a bonus song on the album. Last year, Lily released a cover version of the English band, Keane's song, "Somewhere Only We Know" (lyrics), which was recorded for the John Lewis 2013 Christmas advert (below). This song has been a favorite of mine for a decade when it was originally released in 2004. It's rare that I find a cover version to be as good as the original, but this song is in that category. 

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 30 (Fireflies)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been teaching a poetry unit to my Freshman. In order to liven up the unit, I teach a portion of it using songs instead of poems because after all, songs are just poems set to music. Plus it's a good way to get by the "I hate poetry" complaint of some of my students. As I teach a specific literary element, I search out songs that have that specific element in the lyrics, which brought me to a new (to me) musician. I wanted to teach hyperbole and needed a song with a lot of exaggeration and stumbled across "Fireflies" by Owl City.

Owl City is "an American electronica project created in 2007 in Owatonna, Minnesota, one of several such projects by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young" (Wikipedia). Young developed this project in his parent's basement, which differs slight from the other bands, which usually develop in parent's garages. Owl City created quite a stir and following on MySpace (does anyone still use MySpace?). After releasing two independent album, Owl City gained mainstream popularity with the 2009 major label debut album Ocean Eyes, which included the quadruple-platinum song, "Fireflies". In 2011, Owl City released his third studio album, All Things Bright and Beautiful, which was followed by The Midsummer Station in August 2012. Owl City has also recorded songs for animated films including Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, Wreck-It Ralph, The Croods (cute movie), and The Smurfs 2. Interestingly, Owl City is one of Young's many solo projects, with all music written, composed, recorded, and produced by him. During live performances he is accompanied by a group of supporting musicians.

I've only had time to check out a few other songs by Owl City and in addition to "Fireflies", I also really like "Metropolis", "Shine Your Way" from The Croods, and "Shooting Star". But I really, really love "Fireflies" (lyrics).  Adam Young described the song as "A little song about bugs and not being able to fall asleep at night." The song is built around a "bleepy" 1980s-influenced synthline and includes lyrics about insomnia, fireflies, and summer. As an oftentimes insomniac, I really like songs about sleepless nights. Makes me feel I'm not alone with my sleeplessness.  :-)  Enjoy! 

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 29 (I Dreamed a Dream)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

It's no secret, I adore musicals. Once upon a time, I would have loved nothing more than to spend the rest of my life doing musical theatre - especially on the Broadway stage, but alas it wasn't meant to be. One of my all time favorite musicals is Les Misérables, based on the amazing book by Victor Hugo. I have seen the stage musical approximately 6 or 7 times and I listen to the Broadway soundtrack with regularity. My dream role would be to play Madame Thénardier, although once upon a time in my younger days, I would have wanted Fantine or Éponine. 

Yesterday, I finally got around to seeing the 2012 movie starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway. I'm not certain why I was hesitant to see the movie. Maybe I was thinking that it would not be as good as the stage version. I was wrong! Tom Hooper's direction and the cinematography, costumes, art design, sets, and editing are nothing short of genius.

Hooper's idea to have the actors sing live really brings a deeper emotion to the film not seen in other movie musicals. Hugh Jackman is absolutely incredible as Jean Valjean and carries the film with spectacular grace. Anne Hathaway is magnificent in her fleeting role as Fantine - the film's sequence in which she goes on a downward spiral is one of the its best moments, and her ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE HEARTFELT rendition of "I Dreamed A Dream" is most likely why she won a much deserved Oscar for this role.

Also, a great supporting turn as the heartbroken Éponine from newcomer Samantha Barks, who is sure to be shot into stardom. Amanda Seyfried (Cosette), Eddie Redmayne (Marius) and Aaron Tveit (Enjorlas) are also quite good (especially Tveit), and there's some great comedic relief from Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen as the thieving Thénardiers. Russell Crowe I have mixed feelings over. Crowe's soft-voiced Javert takes some getting used to, and while it works more often than one might expect, he sometimes seems to be singing with a sock in his mouth - most notably during "One Day More", where he seems to have been mixed in at a different volume level from the rest of the cast. Yet the cinematography of "Stars" is simple yet stunning, and "Javert's Suicide" suffers nothing in this interpretation.

There is a new song added to the movie - "Suddenly" sung by Jean Valjean (Jackman) which is haunting and achingly beautiful. The song I decided to feature though is Hathaway's "I Dream a Dream". Along with "On My Own", this song hits home for me on a personal level as it closely resembles my own life and has been added to my catharsis playlist. I have long been a fan of Ms. Hathaway's performances and this version of the song kills me each time I watch/listen to it. I dare you not to weep.

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 28 (Say Something)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

It's been well over a year since I discovered a new (at least to me) musician/group that I could feature in my Music Doesn't Lie series, but today, while hanging out on the couch watching great big gobs of white crap fall from the sky, I came across A Great Big World. Formed in 2002 by singers/songwriters Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino, A Great Big World is an American musical group from New York. This group has been featured on shows that I don't watch (i.e., Glee, One Tree Hill, The Amazing Race, etc.), which is why I had never heard of them before today.  A friend posted on Facebook the lyrics to "Say Something" and I liked the lyrics enough to check out the song. Bam! I found a new group that I adore.

Yes, this group is in the pop/rock genre, which is one of my favorite genres. If you're not into pop/rock, this album probably won't speak to you. But I just loved every song on their debut album Is There Anyone Out There?, which was released on January 21, 2014. I am looking forward to hearing more from this talented duo.

Picking my favorite song from this album is very difficult. There are just so many great songs. There's  "Everyone Is Gay" which made me laugh out loud when I first heard it. "Rockstar" and "Land of Opportunity" have a great beat and wonderful lyrics. "Land of Opportunity" is particularly interesting with moving lyrics about the sadness of a lost love which contradicts the pop sound of the music. "Already Home", "Say Something", and "I Don't Wanna Love Somebody Else" are beautiful ballads and have already been added to my catharsis playlist (which has been severely updated in the past week). For me, 13 songs and 13 hits on a debut album is pretty significant! 

Which to feature??? Tough one, but I'm going to go with "Say Something" (lyrics), which eked out "I Don't Wanna Love Somebody Else" (lyrics) by an extremely narrow margin.  There are two versions of "Say Something" - one with just the band and one that has the addition of Christina Aguilera. I am not a Christina Aguilera fan at all, but the addition of her harmonies to the original song just makes it that much more special. (It should be noted that I find it hard to watch Christina in the video (below) because she does some weird things with her body, but the song is to die for.)

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 27 (The Catharsis Playlist...)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix 

As many of you are aware, I have been compiling a list of songs that comprise a "catharsis" playlist. I created this list because I've been trying to use music to push myself past a now over 3 year old heartbreak with which I just can't seem to come to grips. I'm thinking that I'm stuck with these feelings forever. Therefore, when the emotions get to be too much, I turn to my playlist and get all those emotions out and usually (but not always) feel somewhat better. Then some time goes by and the emotions well up again and I repeat the whole process. Not every song on my list fits exactly into my particular situation, but within each song there is an applicable line or two or six or... well, you get the idea. Overall though, a predominant number of songs on this list are spot on perfect for my life, especially #16.

I've featured many of these songs in my Music Doesn't Lie series, but I figured it can't hurt to assemble the list in one place. I have friends who are going through some similar issues, so I thought I'd share my catharsis playlist with everyone in the hopes that it might be of some assistance. If you are ever going through heartbreak, unrequited love, and/or relationship sadness, music just might be your best alternative for getting through the emotional baggage. After all, "music has charms to sooth a savage breast" (William Congreve, The Mourning Bride, 1697). 

Here's my playlist - they are in random order:

1. Listen to My Heart - Nancy Lamott (lyrics)
2. Let Them Talk - Hugh Laurie (lyrics)
3. I Know Him So Well - Judy Kuhn and Marcia Mitzman (Chess) (lyrics)
4. I Know the Truth - Sherie Rene Scott (Aida) (lyrics)
5. Boston - Augustana (lyrics)
6. Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye (lyrics)
7. She's Out of My Life - Josh Groban (I like Josh's version better than Michael Jackson's) (lyrics)
8. Grenade - Bruno Mars (lyrics)
9. What'll I Do? - Linda Ronstadt (lyrics)
10. With One More Look at You - Barbra Streisand (lyrics)
11. Hold On - Alison Fraser (The Secret Garden) (lyrics)
12. I'm Not That Girl - Idina Menzel (Wicked) (lyrics)
13. There's a Fine, Fine Line - Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q) (lyrics)
14. Takes That Look Off Your Face - Helen Walsh (Song and Dance) (lyrics)
15. Out of This World/So in Love - Nancy Lamott (lyrics)
16. Not A Day Goes By - Bernadette Peters (Merrily We Roll Along) (lyrics)
17. The Night It Had to End - Alison Fraser (Romance/Romance) (lyrics)
18. Who Will Love Me as I Am? - Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner (Side Show) (lyrics)
19. Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler (cheesy 80s music video - love it!) (lyrics)
20. My Junk - Original Cast of Spring Awakening (lyrics)
    
21. Feels Like Home - Josh Groban (lyrics)
22. You're the Only Place - Josh Groban (lyrics)
23. Another Train - The Poozies (lyrics) [added 1/24/2014]
24. If I Can't Have You - Etta James - duet with Harvey Fuqua (lyrics) [added 1/24/2014]
25. A Thousand Years - Christina Perri (lyrics) [added 1/24/2014]
26. Something in my Heart - Röyksopp (lyrics) [added 1/24/2014]
27. Only If You Have a Dream - Cast from Kat and the Kings (lyrics) [added 1/29/2014]
28. On My Own - Frances Ruffelle (from the musical Les Miserables) (lyrics) [added 2/2/2014]
29. I'll Never Say Goodbye (theme from The Promise) - Melissa Manchester (lyrics) [added 2/2/2014]
30. Already Home - A Great Big World (lyrics) [added 2/5/2014]
31. I Don't Wanna Love Somebody Else - A Great Big World (lyrics) [added 2/5/2014]
32. Say Something - A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera (lyrics) [added 2/5/2014]
33. Love is Blind - Janis Ian (lyrics) [added 3/9/2014]
34. In the Winter - Janis Ian (lyrics) [added 3/9/2014]
35. You've Got Me On a String - Janis Ian (lyrics) [added 3/16/14]
36. I Dreamed a Dream - Anne Hathaway (from the film Les Miserables) (lyrics) [added 4/5/14]
37. Miserable Without Your Love - Lily Allen (lyrics) [added  5/17/2014]
38. It's a Motherf***er - The Eels (lyrics) [added 5/27/2014]
39. To Make You Feel My Love - Billy Joel (lyrics) [added 7/2/2014]
40. Feel It - Bright Light Bright Light (lyrics) [added 7/4/2014]
41. Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran (lyrics) [added 7/22/2014]
42. You Got It - Bonnie Raitt from the soundtrack of Boys on the Side (lyrics) [added 8/4/2014]
43. Mad About You - Belinda Carlisle (lyrics) [added 8/4/2014]
44. Love of My Life - Queen (lyrics) [added 8/26/2014]
45. You Oughta Be Here With Me - Patti Cohenour (Big River) (lyrics) [added 9/21/2014]
46. Not in that Way - Sam Smith (lyrics) [added 12/8/2014]
47. One Year of Love - Queen (lyrics) [added 12/8/2014]
48. My Melancholy Blues - Queen (lyrics) [added 12/8/2014] 
49. It's a Heartache - Bonnie Tyler (lyrics) [added 1/18/2015]

Can you think of any songs that I may have missed? Do you already have your own catharsis playlist? My plan is to keep adding to the list as I find more and more songs. Keep an eye out for updates to this list!

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 26 (What'll I Do)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix 

I was recently searching for a song on YouTube to bring into school for my little cherubs to listen to and stumbled across Linda Ronstadt's version of the great Irving Berlin song "What'll I Do" and I just melted after hearing it again. I remember purchasing Ms. Ronstadt's album What's New? back in the mid-80s and loving all those beautiful standards, but particularly this song. Thirty years later, this song has much more meaning for me today that it ever did all those years ago. Back in my performer days, I remember discussing some of these standards to my voice coach as a suggestion for a cabaret show but somehow it never came about. Also, I remember having a heated argument over Ms. Ronstadt's American Songbook trilogy - my coach hated the albums, but I thought they were fantastic. He thought the tempo of the songs was too slow. Eh, whatever. To each their own. 

It saddened me when I heard earlier this year that Ms. Ronstadt has developed Parkinson's Disease and is unable to sing anymore. But having such fond remembrances of these albums has caused me to make digital purchases of the entire Linda Ronstadt-Nelson Riddle collection. There are so many amazing songs - like "Someone to Watch Over Me", "I Love You For Sentimental Reasons", and "My Funny Valentine".  Oooooh, how about: "Mean to Me" and "You Took Advantage of Me". Most of these songs have been added to my catharsis playlist, but top of the list is "What'll I Do?" Click here for the lyrics. Take a listen to the beauty of the lyrics and the lushness of Ms. Ronstadt's voice! You will be mesmerized.

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 25 (Tuesday)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

I was just looking through this series of blogs and realized that I have made a HUGE mistake! I have not made any mention to one of my favorite bands: The Bacon Brothers! Yes, as in actor Kevin Bacon - who along with his brother, Michael, started this band in 1995. I became aware of this incredible band when a good friend asked me along to a concert in New York, I believe, in 1996. I was immediately hooked! Thanks, Terry. The Bacon Brothers have given me years of enjoyment.

What type of music do they play? Well, it's a hodge podge of styles.  They named their first album, Forosoco, which is an amalgamation of their style of music: FOlk, ROck, SOul, and COuntry. Not only is Forosoco brilliant, you can add White Knuckles, New Years Day, Getting There, and Can't Complain to the list of amazing albums.

Today, I was listening to one of the 7 Bacon Brothers albums that I have and I just needed to post about what an awesome band these brothers have. Coming up with my favorite song or even my favorite album is a tough call. I love each of the albums and all the songs. I tried to find the song that held the most meaning for me, but again it's a tough call.  Do I highlight "Peace Dance", which always makes me happy every time I hear it? Or how about "Guess Again" or "T.M.I." which are hilarious? (Unfortunately, there aren't any videos posted of these two songs.) "New Year's Day" is another good one - here's a great acoustic version. I guess I'm going to go with the heartbreak song - "Tuesday" (I'm such a sucker for a good heartbreak song):

Music Doesn't Lie - Part 24 (Who Will Love Me as I Am?)

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world,
then it can only happen through music." – Jimi Hendrix

Back in 1997, a new musical written by Bill Russell (book and lyrics) and Henry Krieger (music) arrived in New York City called Side Show, which was based on the lives of Daisy and Violet Hilton, a circus act of conjoined twins who were famous stage performers in the 1930s. It tells the somewhat authentic story of the twins transformation from side show freaks to vaudeville performers, and the failures of their love lives due to their conjoined status. A friend of mine got tickets for us to see it for free (the show wasn't doing well, so they were giving away tickets). I thought it was a marvelous show and I couldn't quite understand why it did so poorly; running for only 91 performances before closing. 

Today, I was listening to this musical and remembered all the reasons that I loved it 16 years ago - the gorgeous voices, amazing harmonies, moving lyrics, soaring music, fabulous story, etc. Mostly though, it's also how I relate really well to the twins - between their unrequited loves, missed opportunities in love, feeling like they were duped by the people they love, etc. Well, let's just say that it hits pretty close to home.  There's one song that particularly affects me on a personal level every time I hear it - "Who Will Love Me as I Am?" (lyrics).

I suppose we've all asked that question at sometime in our lives. Doesn't everyone feel that all we're looking for in this world is someone who will accept us as we are; despite our crow's feet, cellulite, flabby butts, and all the other imperfections? I know it's all I ever searched for and alas never found. I'm going to get a little preachy right now. For those of you who found that someone who accepts you for all your faults and foibles, cherish them! Remember there are far too many people out there who have not been lucky enough to find that person; or had it (or thought they had it) and then lost it.

Here's a live performance from the Rosie O'Donnell Show of the two amazing performers who originated the roles of Daisy and Violet: Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner singing this poignant song - "Who Will Love Me as I Am?"  (An honorable mention song from this show is "You Should Be Loved", sung by the amazing Norm Lewis and Alice Ripley. Makes me weep each time I hear it!)