They Long To Be...!

In a moment of self-discovery, I remembered this song, sung by brother-sister duo The Carpenters in the early '70s. Reading up on them, I learned the sister, Karen Carpenter, died of heart failure in 1983 due to complications from anorexia nervosa. 

Since I first heard this song, I've always wanted to learn it, and now, I'll try. And while I sort-out left-right hand movements...

Enjoy "(They Long To Be) Close To You" written by Burt Bacharach, sung by Karen Carpenter, performed by The Carpenters.

Those Indie Tracks

In music terms, indie means independent, groups not associated with a record label. For this entry, I refer to musicians or bands associated with small record labels-- this usage being around since the mid-2000s.

I found all three songs (and artista) in a music sampler on Amazon's MP3 website (U.S. only) and didn't pay much attention to it the first time around. Lately though, while listening to music in my animation class, I heard these  and they got stuck in my head... enough so that I actually sang them in the shower.

If it gets to that point-- it's well established.

For your listening enjoyment today, is Sea Wolf's "Turn the Dirt Over," the Sensation Junkies', "Olalla," and Part Time's "Cassie (Won't You Be My Doll)."

"At last!"

This afternoon, I went on CNN's website to read that singer Etta James (b. 1938) was terminally-ill with leukemia, a cancer affecting the blood. Well, I looked her up and found out she was a very accomplished blues, R&B, and jazz singer. And she sang "At last" which I guess we've heard at some time.

So for you listening pleasure, 

"At last" written by Mack Gordon, Harry Warren, sung by Etta James.

Nostalgia!

About two weeks, during my vacation here, I found this song somehow, sung in both its English and Russian languages. I found out it was a Russian folk song and that it was arranged for the West in the 60's. Here is a little culture for you people.

In three languages, we have the Russian folk song titled "Those Were the Days" in English, "悲しき天使" in Japanese and  "Дорогой длинною (By the Long Road)" in Russian. Singers are Mary Hopkin (English), Niizuma Seiko (Japanese), and the Red Army Choir, sung by soloist Ivan Stolyar.

Enjoy! Наслаждайтесь! お楽しみください！

Last Christmas...!

Last Christmas, I didn't give you my heart... but I gave you my dislike... and hatred as well.
*cries into maroon sweater*

From their 1986 album Music from the Edge of Heaven, here is "Last Christmas" from the English pop-duo Wham!