TOP OF THE STAIRS MUSIC

Whilst I was listening to weird Soundtrack Music [primarily Mr John Barry] throughout most of the 70's/80's, my sister was listening to some groovy stuff. She burnt a CD for me earlier this week and it's been my car music for the last few days. Makes me wonder where my head was in the 70's. Course I know some of the tracks and 'subconsciously' know of others it's a great mix with a sensational opening track:-

Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Crosstown Traffic - Jimi Hendrix
Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones
Alright Now - Free
Sympathy For The Devil - Rolling Stones
F.N.T. - Semisonic
One Time Too Many - PJ Harvey
(Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Öyster Cult
Let's Work Together - Canned Heat
Can't Get Enough - Bad Company
Spirit In The Sky - Dr & The Medics
Start Me Up - The Rolling Stones
Stone Free - Jimi Hendrix
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
The Great Gig In The Sky - Pink Floyd Rock
Hey Jude - The Beatles

Lots of hospital radio stuff to do today so listening to some soundtracks which I am not sure I want to keep.

MANHATTAN - Woody Allens classic film, all Gerswin tracks. Kept a few tracks on the ipod. Lovely romantic feel about the CD and of course opens with Rhapsody In Blue which everyone in the world should listen to.

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON Tan Dun, lots of sad violins but a majestic score which is a keeper. Track Night Fight is total percussion, love it.

FIELD OF DREAMS - James Horner Spine tingling opening theme. A very melancholy score and track The Drive Home always makes me teary.

MATRIX REVOLUTIONS - Various Pounding and slightly infuriating so have kept first & last track.

THE ABYSS - Alan Silvestri Fab film. Great Main Title, lots of snare drums, remaining track eerie as befits the movie.

MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON - Michael Small Obscure little movie, all about finding the source of the Nile. 1990. Some track capture the essence of Africa.

1492 - Vangelis Much used score in TV ad's etc. Rich and beautiful and possible the best thing Vangelis has ever done. Keeper.

THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER - Basil Poledouris Not sure why I bought this, don't like.

That's for now, listening to k.d. Lang now.

Always been a fan and sad about her passing over Christmas. Realised that I hadn't got that many tracks on her so bought this splendid collection which starts with Just An Old Fashioned Girl. It's a lyric rich CD which prompts me to blog the lyrics to this song so closely related with her as they are such fun:

JUST AN OLD FASHIONED GIRL
I'm just an old fashioned girl with an old fashioned mind
Not sophisticated, I'm the sweet and simple kind.
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And an old fashioned millionaire.
I want an old fashioned car, a cerise Cadillac,
Long enhough to put a bowling alley in the back.
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And an old fashioned millionaire.
I'll stay weaving at my loom,
Be no trouble to my groom,
If he'll keep the piles of money mounting.
In our cottage there will be
A soundproof nursery
Not to wake the baby while I'm counting.
I like the old fashioned flowers, violets are for me -
Have them made in diamonds by the man at Tiffany.
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And an old fashioned millionaire.
I'm just a pilgrim at heart, oh so pure and genteel.
Watch me in Las Vegas while I'm at the spinning wheel!
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And an old fashioned millionaire.
I'll ask for such simple things when my birthday occurs:
Two appartment buildings that are labelled 'Hers' and 'Hers'.
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And an old fashioned millionaire.
I like Chopin and Bizet
And the songs of yesterday,
String quartets and Polonesian carols.
But the music that excels
Is the sound of oil wells
As they slurp, slurp, slurp into the barrels.
Our little home will be quaint as an old parasol,
And instead of carpet I'll have money wall to wall.
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And an old fashioned millionaire

There are tracks which start with a monologue and it occurred to me that not that many songs do this anymore which is sad as it's cool, the best being the intro to Night & Day.
It includes her famous version of Mack The Knife.

As well as the voice and the emphasis, Kitt just seems to honey drip from lyric to lyric. Like the one below.
She is missed.

"All I want is all there is and then some"

Lured by the 50's artwork cover I have added The Golden Age Of American Popular Music - Hits With Strings And Things to the CD collection. First track, More by Kai Winding sounds like it's played on a Stylophone but then moves on to the luscious Love Is Blue by Paul Mauriat.Then comes the very heavy banjo orientated track Washington Square by the Village Stompers making way for the arrival of Tijuana brass and Mexico. Yes, there is something for everyone.
Listening to old recordings makes me realise the dominance of the bass guitar we have today. Bass of these tracks is from the drums mainly making the overall sound a little flat. I miss my bass.
Track 5: Our Winter Love - Bill Pursell, piano and strings - heavy on the strings. One of the strongest tracks is a sexy mamba treatment given to Fly Me To The Moon. There is something about this song where you just cannot hear a bad version of it. Track 8 has a very sultry saxaphone delivering Imagine. We then dive into the Enchanted Sea with Enchanted Sea by The Islanders complete with the sound effects of lapping waves and a man whistling his head off in the background.
Delighted to see Baby Elephant Walk there but this cover by The Miniatures sounds like it's being played through a squeeze box or maybe it's the Baby Elephants trunk or maybe a squeak in a children's toy?
The gem is Soul Coaxing by Raymond Lefevre, haven't heard this in a while. There is a curious track with an even more curious The Great Disadvantages of You, shame there are no lyrics .. would have been interesting.
All in all a mixed, fun bag.
It's nice to know that America had the same comforting muzak as us bubbling away under the emergence of rock and roll. To 2 genres running side by side makes you completely understand the explosion and division in music culture during the early 50's.

I am into 2nd week of Twittering and loving it. Not really sure why but I do. Anyway be patient when you load my blog page and if the Tweets don't show [you just have an ugly black clock] just refresh the page and they will appear like magic.

Just discovered Link Wray, where have I been all these years?
Again found through the life saving magazine Mojo.
Downloaded 5 tracks from iTunes. Just listen to the opening of Rebel Rouser to be transported back when music was all embracing and fun!
This will be my weekend listening.

http://www.rockabillyhall.com/LinkWray.html