TOP OF THE STAIRS MUSIC

Working through Madeleine Peyroux's new CD BARE BONES, this time self penned rather than covers. Love her minimalist style, no track is over orchestrated so it makes you focus on her warm voice and straightforward lyrics. Think the lyrics to the opening song is worth a listing here. Though a love song it does have very positive messages which i think we are all in need of.
Instead lyrics

Instead of feeling bad
Be glad you got somewhere to go
Instead of feeling sad
Be happy you're not all alone
Instead of feeling low
Get high on everything you love
Instead of wastin' time
Feel good 'bout what you are dreaming of

Instead of trying to win something you never understood
Just play the game you know eventually you will you both look good

It's silly to pretend to have something you don't own
Just let her be a woman and you'll be her man

Instead of feelin' broke
Buck up and get yourself in the black
Instead of losing hope
Touch up the things that feel out of whack
Instead of being old
Be young because you know you are
Instead of feeling cold
Let sunshine into your heart

Instead of acting crazy chasing things that make you mad
Keep your heart ahead, it'll lead you back to what you have
With every step you are closer to the place you need to be
It's up to you to let her love you sweetly

Instead of acting crazy chasing things that make you mad
Just keep your heart ahead, it'll lead you back to what you have
With every step you are closer to the place you need to be
But it's up to you to let her love you sweetly

Instead of feeling bad
Be glad you got someone to love
Instead of feeling sad
Be happy there's a god above
Instead of feeling 'lone
Remember you are never on your own
Instead of feeling sad
Be happy that she's there at home
She's waitin' for by the phone
So be glad she all your own

Get happy...
Watin' for you by the telephone...

I write of quiet and calm that emanates from my home office window. Just about to close down for the day and grab some TV time. All I can hear is the gentle whirring of my Mac and some stay out late birds flapping in the Oaks Trees behind my house. A gentle, cool breeze fluttering through the open window. I have allowed myself to get stressed today and I am stressed about getting stressed but just listening to the birds and feeling that air, revives me and all is well. Plus seen weather forecast earlier and it's more sunshine tomorrow.

Got into my stride with Twittering and I like it, managed to get it to show on my blog as well which makes me feel a bit know-it-all

So this is how it goes. My sister came up with the idea of her, me and my partner coming up with 10 Cheese Tracks to play to one another. You know, those tracks that you very secretly just love but are ashamed to admit it. We started this over Christmas and it went down really well, so for Easter we all did another 10. So here goes with mine:

Secret Love Kathy Kirby
Love Is Blue Paul Mauriat
Big Man The Four Preps
How Can I Be Sure David Cassidy & The Partridge Family
Chain Reaction Diana Ross
Bob the Builder Bob the Builder
Step Inside Love Cilla Black
Where Are You Now (My Love) Jackie Trent
You're The Voice John Farnham
Love Will Keep Us Together Captain & Tennille

Please don't ask for an explanation about Bob The Builder, I just don't know why but I love it. Look on it as a new Obama campaign song 'Yes, we can'.

We all got a little competitive the 2nd time around and some were not deemed 'true cheese' by others. Apparently I fell at the first fence with Love is Blue and then again with Step Inside Love. 'These are classics' it was shouted so I will have to try harder on Late May Bank Holiday when we are doing 10 Anthemic Cheese tracks - suggestions please!

What was BBT on? Check the interview he kind of gave on Canadian radio station Q, it's bizzare, rude and stupid. I like Thornton as an actor and as a singer but this was just ridiculous. Apparently he had asked that his acting career was not to be mentioned, he had 'instructed' the producer apparently. As the radio presenter said it would have not sounded right if he hadn't of mentioned it. Power to this guy, he did apologise, retain dignity and win the day - not like Thornton who looked a complete idiot, a sulky kid plus he didn't even play with his band when they did a live number.
Don't these 'artists' realise that with phone video's etc., everything will be exposed on You Tube and other places. God, even the Queen was caught out last week!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeUSF5MncwQ

Good Friday: Started with a long lay in and then rambling on hospital radio with a easy show [literally] as I did an hour of Easy Listening including such gems as Sucu Sucu, Swinging Safari and the theme to Jason King!

Home and listened to Kevin Costner and his band Modern West's new album Untold Truths. I have heard him sing before and he's not bad, here he's very good with a country twang and a decent range. The band has obviously been together a while as they sound tight but have to say that most of the songs are very samey and you do tend to drift off a little. The lyrics are also much stronger than the melodies.

"The causes I had and the corners I turned
The friends that I left and the bridges I burned
They were part of a pace A rhtyhm of life
That no longer will do"

Have just succumbed to downloading this from iTunes:Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny) [feat. Nicole Scherzinger] by Ar Rahman & The Pussycat Dolls. I did enjoy Slumdog Millionaire and thought it a great story but I think it had a little too much hype and so was just a tad disappointed with it. This song has such atmosphere, love it.

Also downloaded a couple of visual podcasts to see how that works on my new iPod Touch.

Easter soon thank goodness, hope to be listening to a lot of music and eating copius amounts of chocolate [whilst watching the rain no doubt]!

Well, I am one week into my new, shiny iPod Touch and loving it. My only groan is the short battery life but I have learnt not to have the Wi Fi on unless I need it as does drain the battery plus I have ordered a small back up battery which gives it extra life. The design is perfect and it's info-on-the-go mentality is just superb. I had my lunch break yesterday in my local Costa where they have free Wi Fi and I clicked it on and in a few seconds a window popped up asking me if I wanted the Costa connection, so I sat there with soya latte whizzing round the web! And yes, you have guessed, I am a nerd!

My new additions to the pod are:
Melody Gardot's new album, quite unsure about this so am going to listen once more.
Stumble Into Grace by Emmy Lou Harris for my country-loving partner.
In My Life - Judy Collins first album, read a great article on Leonard Cohen in Mojo and didn't realise how instrumental in his career she was.
Essex by Alison Moyet, the best Moyet album so my sister says so will dutifully have a listen.
Mambo Sinuendo - my fave Ry Cooder album.
The Best of Doris Day - well you have to don't you?

Listening to today: Canuckteach Crooners on Live 365 internet radio.

Am posting this from my new iPod touch which I am totally thrilled with to say the least, hopefully it will enable me to blog more regilarly. Just signed up to Twitter, what a palaver that was, tkink life is too short for twittering.