Tag: SLS

Last week, Jim (NewEpicAuthor, A Unique Title For Me) set a theme of togetherness (my selection). This week, he gives us the theme of termination.

One of the tunes I listened to from the Nineties this week.

I posted a while ago that I was pretty go-getting in the Nineties, I spent a lot of time in the car, driving to clients’ sites, generally building my business up.

I couldn’t help noticing Alanis Morrisette. To the kids of the nineties, they regarded her much the same as I regarded Tracy Chapman in te Eighties. A breath of fresh air. Everyone was raving about her, so I went out and bought her very first album, and do you know? it wasn’t at all bad.

In fact, it Jagged Little Pill was her third album, although the first to ever leave Canada, it made #1 not just in the UK and USA, but in a dozen other countries. It is often regarded as one of the best albums of all-time. and from it came a string of singles, including my choice today.

This one was released in September 1996. It reached #7 in the UK, but #1 on both the Billboard Adult Top 40, and the Billboard Mainstream Top 40, so hopefully you’ll recognise it. This was written by Morrisette in collaboration with Glen Ballard (who co-wrote many of the songs and produced the album), and is Head over Feet.

I had no choice but to hear you
You stated your case time and again
I thought about it

You treat me like I’m a princess
I’m not used to liking that
You ask how my day was

You’ve already won me over in spite of me
And don’t be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don’t be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn’t help it
It’s all your fault

Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole
You’re so much braver than I gave you credit for
That’s not lip service

You’ve already won me over in spite of me
And don’t be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don’t be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn’t help it
It’s all your fault

You are the bearer of unconditional things
You held your breath and the door for me
Thanks for your patience

You’re the best listener that I’ve ever met
You’re my best friend
Best friend with benefits
What took me so long

I’ve never felt this healthy before
I’ve never wanted something rational
I am aware now
I am aware now

You’ve already won me over in spite of me
And don’t be alarmed if I fall head over feet
Don’t be surprised if I love you for all that you are
I couldn’t help it
It’s all your fault

Alanis Morrisette, Glen Ballard

Last week, Jim (NewEpicAuthor, A Unique Title For Me) set a theme of togetherness (my selection). This week, he gives us the theme numbers.

Numbers, eh? I thought of a few matches for this, but one of my favourites was a 1994 collaboration by Youssou N’Dour and Neneh Cherry. Written by N’Dour, Cherry, Cameron McVey and Jonathan Sharp, it was a #1 hit in many countries (in France, it remained so for 16 weeks!). It was also voted the 1994 Song of the Year by MTV Europe. It charted at #3 in the UK and at #98 on the Hot 100.

N’Dour is originally Senegalese, and has tried his hand at many things during his long career. As well as penning/performing this song, he stood for President of Senegal in 2012. Although disqualified under dubious circumstances, he went on to back the eventual winner, Macky Sall, who is still president there today.

Cherry is actually Swedish-born, although she is mostly known for her work in the UK record industry. In her career, she has won 2 Brit awards, the MTV award, and has been nominated for a Grammy. She first came onto my radar with her 1988 single hits Buffalo Stance and Manchild, both of which were Top 10 hits in the UK.

This song is their collaboration. It is called 7 Seconds.

Boul ma sene, boul ma guiss madi re nga fokni mane
Khamouma li neka thi sama souf ak thi guinaw
Beugouma kouma khol oaldine yaw li neka si yaw
mo ne si man, li ne si mane moye dilene diapale

Roughneck and rudeness,
We should be using
On the ones who practice wicked charms
For the sword and the stone
Bad to the bone
Battle is not over
Even when it’s won

And when a child is born
Into this world
It has no concept
Of the tone the skin is living in

It’s not a second
Seven seconds away
Just as long as I stay
I’ll be waiting
It’s not a second
Seven seconds away
Just as long as I stay
I’ll be waiting
I’ll be waiting
I’ll be waiting

J’assume les raisons qui nous poussent de changer tout,
J’aimerais qu’on oublie leur couleur pour qu’ils esperent
Beaucoup de sentiments de races qui font qu’ils desesperent
Je veux les deux mains ouvertes,
Des amis pour parler de leur peine, de leur joie
Pour qu’ils leur filent des infos qui ne divisent pas
Changer

Seven seconds away
Just as long as I stay
I’ll be waiting
It’s not a second
Seven seconds away
Just as long as I stay
I’ll be waiting
I’ll be waiting
I’ll be waiting

And when a child is born
Into this world
It has no concept
Of the tone the skin it’s living in

And there’s a million voices
And there’s a million voices
To tell you what you should be thinking
So you better sober up for just a second

We’re seven seconds away
Just as long as I stay
I’ll be waiting
It’s not a second
We’re seven seconds away
For just as long as I stay
I’ll be waiting
It’s not a second
Seven seconds away
Just as long as I stay
I’ll be waiting

Yousou N’Dour, Nenah Cherry, Cameron McVey, Jonathan Sharp

Last week, Jim (NewEpicAuthor, A Unique Title For Me) set a theme of Mexico (my choice). This week, theme of relationships.

The Eighties is remembered as a decade with a lot of good music, but there was also a lot of music that was truly awful! It is remembered with popular nostalgia, however, and I have recently found a tv channel devoted exclusively to the decade. I heard this one the other day. It’s a funny one which fits all my criteria for being awful, but actually, I quite liked it.

Phil Oakey was already an established singer/songwriter, being associated with some of the biggest names of the time, including being a member of The Human League and later collaboration with The Pet Shop Boys (neither band could I stand!). As you might guess from these bands, Oakey was a whizz on synths, writing very popular electro-music of the time.

Georgio Moroder is an Italian composer, who was also a pioneer in electro-sound. To this point, Moroder’s main successes had been in the area of movie sountracks, with credits like Midnight Express, American Gigolo, Superman (III), Scarface and Never Ending Story to his name – all well-known from the era.

The two musicians got together and collaborated for a brief period, and in September 1984 (UK) released the track Together in Electric Dreams. The track reached #3 in the UK, and gained some international success, including reaching #5 in Australia. In the US, it reached #20 on the Billboard Dance club chart.

It sounds very electro, very Eighties, but I quite like it. What do you think? I love all that hair in the video – even the women 🤣.

I only knew you for a while
I never saw your smile
‘Til it was time to go
Time to go away (time to go away)
Sometimes it’s hard to recognise
Love comes as a surprise
And it’s too late
It’s just too late to stay
Too late to stay

We’ll always be together
However far it seems
(Love never ends)
We’ll always be together
Together in Electric Dreams

Because the friendship that you gave
Has taught me to be brave
No matter where I go I’ll never find a better prize
(Find a better prize)
Though you’re miles and miles away
I see you every day I don’t have to try
I just close my eyes, I close my eyes

We’ll always be together
However far it seems
(Love never ends)
We’ll always be together
Together in Electric Dreams

Phil Oakey / Giorgio Moroder

and, in case that one does not play for you, here is the same song: