The Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles during the decade. Susanna Hoffs joined sisters Vicki and Debbi Peterson and Annette Zilinskas to form a band in Los Angeles in December, 1980. The band was part of the Los Angeles Paisley Underground scene, which featured groups that played a mixture of 1960s-influenced folk-rock and jangle pop with a more modern punk–ish/garage band undertone. All this went some way to attracting the attention of Prince, who later wrote "Manic Monday" for the group. "Manic Monday" went on to become a #2 hit in the US, the UK and Germany.
Andrea Corr, one of the siblings which made up Irish successful 90s pop-group The Corrs, is just back with her second solo-album of cover versions "LIFELINES". In it, she collects songs by Lennon, Roy Orbison, Velvet Underground, Kirsty McColl, Harry Nilsson, Ron Sexsmith, Nick Drake & The Blue Nile. Songs and artists which have meant something to her in her life. Here's her video and a promotional interview from BBC1.
Video interview from BBC1:
Video "TINSELTOWN IN THE RAIN" (single):
Lyrics: Why did we ever come so far ? I knew I'd seen it all before Tall building reach up in vain Tinseltown is in the rain I know now love was so exciting
Tinseltown in the rain Oh men and women Here we are, caught up in this big rhythm
One day this love will all blow over Time for leaving the parade Is there a place in this city A place to always feel this way And hey, there's a red car in the fountain
Tinseltown in the rain Oh men and women Here we are, caught up in this big rhythm
Do I love you ? Yes I love you Will we always be happy go lucky ? Do I love you ? Yes I love you But it's easy come, and it's easy go All this talking is only bravado yeah
Oh, Tinseltown
Tinseltown in the rain Oh men and women Here we are, caught up in this big rhythm Tinseltown in the rain Oh men and women Here we are, caught up in this big rhythm Tinseltown is in the rain Tinseltown is in the rain Tinseltown is in the rain Tinseltown is in the rain
Do I love you ? Yes I love you Will we always be happy go lucky ? Do I love you ? Yes I love you But it's easy come, and it's easy go All this talking, talking is only bravado
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Tinseltown is in the rain Tinseltown is in the rain Tinseltown is in the rain Tinseltown is in the rain
"Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution'" is the second single from African American contemporary folk artist Tracy Chapman. The politically aware song was released in August 1988. Internationally, this single was a big hit, reaching the Top 40 in several countries, including France and New Zealand, becoming a classic in Chapman's song repertoire. The song received heavy radio play in Tunisia in 2011 during the Tunisian Revolution and it appears here as a possible soundtrack to these days Spanish Revolution sit-ins on our streets, as the lyrics show a situation of crisis and unemployment. Here's the video with lyrics.
Video "TALKIN' 'BOUT A REVOLUTION", Tracey Chapman:
The PS22 Chorus is an elementary school chorus from Public School 22 in Graniteville, Staten Island (New York). It is composed of 60-70 fifth-graders (10 year-olds), and is directed by Gregg Breinberg. Students are assigned to the chorus after an annual auditioning process at the beginning of each school year. PS22 is the largest elementary school in Staten Island which draws students from a wide cross section of ethnic groups and socio-economic levels. The chorus meets twice a week during school hours to practice, and performs throughout the year at school functions, local events, and on special requests. It has been featured on several major national news and music networks after its videos had gained international attention within the popular video-sharing site YouTube. As of April, 2011 the chorus’s videos have been watched more than 32,000,000 times. The PS22 chorus was founded in 2000 by the school's music teacher, Gregg Breinberg, who started blogging about it in September 2006 following requests on a Tori Amos fan page, where he had shared some of his videos. Since then the chorus has become an Internet phenomenon. The students performed at the 83rd Academy Awards on February 27, 2011, as you can see on this video:
Their latest is a cover version of Roxette's "Listen to Your Heart" –which has, in just over a day, already had over 25,800 views.
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born in Tottenham, North London, on 21 May 1988. She began singing at age four and asserts that she became obsessed with voices. Adele claimed she was then influenced by the music of the Spice Girls, The Cure, Etta James and Peggy Lee in her teens. Now with her second album "21" she has topped the British charts for 10 weeks, at the same time, her first album "19" has been at nº2, and her single "SOMEONE LIKE YOU" nº1 at the chart singles, too. So Adele is breaking records in the UK, and here is the video of her latest hit with English & Spanish subtitled lyrics.
Video "SOMEONE LIKE YOU", Adele [English & Spanish subtitles]:
Mistakes: you're instead of your at: you're settled/married
Today's Friday, the weekend begins and we're in the mood for a song, with which we can practice the days of the week: "Friday, I'm in love" by The Cure.
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member, as part of the post-punk and new wave music that had sprung up in the wake of the punk revolution in the United Kingdom. During the early 1980s, the band's increasingly dark and tormented music helped form the gothic rock genre. By the start of the 1990s, The Cure were one of the most popular alternative rock bands in the world. The band is estimated to have sold 27 million albums as of 2004. The Cure have released thirteen studio albums and over thirty singles during the course of their career. As of February 2011, the band are in the studio recording a fourteenth album
"Friday I'm in Love" written and performed by The Cure is the second single taken from the album "Wish" (1992). It is among the band's most well-known songs. It was nominated for a Grammy Award and won the award for European Viewer's Choice for Best Music Video at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. And it's a good way to check on the days of the week in English.
Video "FRIDAY, I'M IN LOVE", The Cure:
Video "FRIDAY, I'M IN LOVE", The Cure +lyrics on screen:
Saint Patrick's Day (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig) is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It is named after Saint Patrick (c. AD 387–461), the most commonly recognised of the patron saint of Ireland.
The day is generally characterised by the attendance of church services,wearing of green attire (especially shamrocks), and the lifting of Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking, which is often proscribed during the rest of the season. Saint Patrick's Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland,Newfoundlan and Labrador in Canada. It is also widely celebrated by the Irish diaspora, especially in places such as the Great Britain, the United States, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.
Over the years the colour green and its association with Saint Patrick's day grew.Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century. He is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the day. In the 1798 rebellion, in hopes of making a political statement, Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on 17 March in hopes of catching public attention. The phrase "the wearing of the green", meaning to wear a shamrock on one's clothing, derives from a song of the same name.
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by the Irish and Irish at Heart in big cities and small towns alike with parades, "wearing of the green," music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games. Its a time for fun. Some communities even go so far as to dye rivers or streams green!
Video lesson on St. Patrick's Day:
Video "How to celebrate St. Patrick's Day":
Video St. Patrick's Day parades in Dublin:
Video St. Patrick's Day song:
Lyrics to the song:
Happy St. Patrick's Day! The story of St Patrick's Day began so long ago
The lyrics in this song will tell you all you need to know
the seventeenth of March is when this joyous holiday
is celebrated happily with colorful parades.
Patrick was only sixteen when the pirates captured him
they sold him to slavery and took him to Ireland
He kept the faith and made his escape when he was twenty-two
and made it back to Britain 'twas the only home he knew
Patrick had a vision to return to Ireland and vowed to teach Christianity
until the bitter end legend says that Patrick used the shamrock to explain
that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are all and one the same
On this day the Irish dress in many shades of green and some are feeling lucky
with the leprechauns they've seen it's music and fun for everyone
Roxette is a Swedish pop music duo, consisting of Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle. The group enjoyed worldwide success from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s, gaining nineteen UK Top 40 hits and four US #1 singles with, "The Look", "Listen to Your Heart", "It Must Have Been Love" and "Joyride", "Dangerous", "Fading Like a Flower","Dressed for Success".
After a stop in the mid-1990s, their popularity continued in other territories such as Europe and South America, where they earned various Gold and Platinum awards until the beginning of the new millennium. The duo took a break from recording and touring, when in 2002, Fredriksson was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Roxette took to the stage together again for the first time in 8 years, in 2009 and 2010.
Their songs continue to receive radio airplay, with "It Must Have Been Love" and "Listen to Your Heart" both recently receiving awards for achieving four million radio plays. They have sold an estimated 60 million records worldwide. On 23 October 2009, the Swedish newspaper Expressen reported that Roxette were recording new songs. Per stated that he had been working on new material for an upcoming album since May 2009. In early November 2010 it was announced that Roxette would undertake a full world tour, expected to start on March 1, 2011 in Russia with the latest concert announced to date being 31 July 2011 in Belgium. On 3rd December 2010 Per Gessle confirmed that the 8th Roxette album, Charm School, will be released on February 11 2011 and preceded by the first single "She's Got Nothing On (But The Radio)" on January 10 2011. Here's the video with the lyrics below.
Video "SHE'S GOT NOTHING ON (BUT THE RADIO)", Roxette:
What she got she got to give it to somebody What she got she got to give it to someone It's not a case of growin' up or lots of money It's just the fundamental twist of the sun What she got she got to let somebody find it (- "Really?") What she got is not for her to keep alone (- "Oh!") Nobody's got a clue if there is such a reason (- "Yea?") Why she wanna play it o-on her own She's got nothing on but the radio She's a passion play And like the break of day She takes my breath away What she got she got to give to some contender What she got is just like gold dust on a shelf And no one's got a clue what's on her brave agenda Why she wanna keep it keep it to herself (Repeat chorus) Who did the painting on my wall? Who left a poem down the hall? Oh I don't understand at all, he-he-hey (Repeat chorus)
And here's some of their greatest hits with lyrics & translations included:
Video !IT MUST HAVE BEEN LOVE"+lyrics:
Video "SPENDING MY TIME"+lyrics:
Video "LISTEN TO YOUR HEART"+lyrics:
Link to "FADING LIKE A FLOWER", Roxette+translation subtitles:
Lady Antebellum's country music bursted out to stardom at last night's 53rd Grammy Awards, with 5 awards in the categories: Best Recording-Procution, Best Country Album, Best Song-Writing, Best Country Song, Best Performance for "NEED YOU NOW"."It's the song that has put us upside down. It's changed our lives", said Hillary Scott, the group's vocalist. They were the moral winners as they won 5 out of 6 nominations. Lady Antebellum is a country music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Made up by Charles Kelley (lead & background vocals), Dave Haywood (background vocals, guitar, piano, mandolin) & Hillary Scott (vocals)
Video "NEED YOU NOW", Lady Antebellum (+lyrics & Spanish translation subtitles):
The “School Day of Non-violence and Peace”, founded in 1964 and also known as World or International Day of Non-violence and Peace, is a pioneering, non-state, non-governmental, non-official, independent, free and voluntary initiative of Non-violent and Pacifying Education, which is now practised in schools all over the world and in which centres of education, teachers and students of all levels and from all countries are invited to take part. It advocates a permanent education in and for harmony, tolerance, solidarity, respect for human rights, non-violence and peace.It is observed on January 30 or thereabouts every year, on the anniversary of the death of Mahatma Gandhi.
As usual the IES Rafael Dieste's library is organizing an activity for Friday January 28th with some classes during one of the morning sessions (5th hour). They'll be listening to some songs related to peace, some of them in English.
One of them is "BLOWING IN THE WIND" original by Bob Dylan. Today we're posting versions of the song: Peter, Paul & Mary's audio with lyrics, and more recent singers: Katie Melua & Alanis Morisette, who have covered the song in live concerts. Enjoy peacefully!
Video "BLOWING IN THE WIND", Peter, Paul & Mary's:
Video with Katie Melua's live version:
Video with Alanis Morisette's version:
Another song is Oscar Peterson's "HYMN TO FREEDOM". Here's the video of the choir version with on screen-lyrics:
On Wednesday, 26th January, 3rd and 4th year ESO students will attend a musical-lecture play at our assembly hall. Its name is "AQUARIUS". Rupert Marshall, anthropologist, musician and director of Firewalk Theatre will perform his musical-lecture and he will check on old rock hits from the 50s and 60s and their meaning within the social context in which they were successful. On this blog we're going to try to post as many of the songs which appear on the play as we can. We are posting the audios with the lyrics, so you can follow and understand them and also practice listening as usual. Here are the ones we've found:
Audio+lyrics "ACROSS THE UNIVERSE", The Beatles:
Audio+ lyrics "SATISFACTION", Rolling Stones:
Audio+lyrics "WISH YOU WERE HERE", Pink Floyd (On a post on this blog dated 22-09-2010, there's the same song in a cover version by Spanish singer Ana Torroja also with audio+lyrics):
Audio+lyrics "WHERE DO THE CHILDREN PLAY?", Cat Stevens:
"Happy New Year" is a popular song by Swedish pop group ABBA from their 1980 album "Super Trouper". Although recorded in 1980, the song wasn't released as a single until in 1999. "Felicidad" was the Spanish language version of the song. So wishing you a happy 2011, we leave you with the original video by Abba and another one with the lyrics.
Video "HAPPY NEW YEAR", Abba:
Video with the song's lyrics:
"Happy New Year" (noted in red the mistakes found in the previous video lyrics)
Another voice that singing Christmas is Annie Lennox (former leader of 80's British pop duo Eurythmics). This year she has released her forth solo-album devoted entirely to cover Christmas classic songs, here's "GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN".
Video "GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN":
Audio + lyrics of the same song in another version:
Another new 2010 Christmas song entering to be British nº1 hit this Christmas: Coldplay with "Christmas lights".
Lyrics of "CHRISTMAS LIGHTS" - Coldplay
Christmas night, another fight Tears we cried a flood Got all kinds of poison in Poison in my blood I took my feet To Oxford Street Trying to right a wrong Just walk away Those windows say But I can't believe she's gone
When you're still waiting for the snow to fall Doesn't really feel like Christmas at all Up above candles on air flicker Oh they flicker and they float But I'm up here holding on To all those chandeliers of hope Like some drunken Elvis singing I go singing out of tune Saying how I always loved you darling And I always will
Oh when you're still waiting for the snow to fall Doesn't really feel like Christmas at all Still waiting for the snow to fall It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all
Those Christmas lights Light up the street Down where the sea and city meet May all your troubles soon be gone Oh Christmas lights keep shining on
Those Christmas lights Light up the street Maybe they'll bring her back to me Then all my troubles will be gone Oh Christmas lights keep shining on Oh Christmas lights Light up the street Light up the fireworks in me May all your troubles soon be gone Oh Christmas lights keep shining on
Another Christmas song for 2010 is Kylie's version of an all-time Christmas classic "LET IT SNOW". "Let It Snow", is a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in 1945. It was written in July 1945 in Hollywood. First recorded by Vaughn Monroe, it became a popular hit, reaching number one on the Billboard music chart the following year. One of the best-selling songs of all time, "Let It Snow!" has been covered countless times. Due to its seasonal lyrics, it is commonly regarded as a Christmas song. Yet despite its cheery, holiday feel, it is a love song that never mentions Christmas. Here's the latest by Kylie 2010.
Video "LET IT SNOW", Kylie Minogue live at the Rockefeller Center 30-Nov-2010:
In Britain there's a struggle every Christmas among singers and pop groups to become the number 1 bestselling single in the charts during the Christmas holidays. So, every year, many of the greatest artists of the moment try to reach number 1 on Christmas Eve. Today we post one of this year's contestants: It's the British group Hurts again. December 14th was the release daet of the single "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS NEW YEAR'S DAY".
Audio "ALL I WANT FOR XMAS IS NEW YEAR'S DAY", Hurts:
Lyrics* "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS NEW YEAR'S DAY", Hurts:
*Mistakes of the lyrics in this video:
where it says:"all of the pass waiting out for Christmas"
should say:"All of the bells ringing out for Christmas"
British songwriter & singer James Blunt is back. James Blunt (born James Hillier Blount; 22 February 1974) is the stage name adopted by the Grammy Award-nominated English singer-songwriter whose debut album, "Back to Bedlam" and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005. His repertoire is a mix of acoustic-tinged pop, rock and folk. Blunt won two BRIT Awards, two Ivor Novello Awards, and by 2006 was nominated for five Grammy Awards. The following year, he released his second album "All The Lost Souls" (2007). Blunt's third studio album, "Some Kind of Trouble", is due to be released in November 2010. Blunt was an officer in the Life Guards, a Cavalry regiment of the British Army, and served under NATO in Kosovo during the conflict there in 1999. While posted to Kosovo, Blunt was introduced to the work of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF or "Doctors Without Borders"). Since then, Blunt has supported MSF by holding meet-and-greet auctions at many of his concerts. Blunt's primary residence is now on the Spanish island of Ibiza.
Here is his new single "Stay the night" on its official video and audio with lyrics to sing along.
"Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" is originally a hit single from the pop group The Korgis. The song was released in 1980 from the album "Dumb Waiters". This was the peak of The Korgis's success, peaking at #5 in the UK Singles Chart. "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" is currently the second single by Irish singer–songwriter Sharon Corr from her debut solo album "Dream of You". Sharon Corr was one of the original members from Irish family-group The Corrs, who are a Celtic folk rock band from Dundalk, Ireland. The group consists of the Corr siblings: Andrea (lead vocals, tin whiste); Sharon (violin, vocals); Caroline (drums, piano, bodhrán, vocals); and Jim (guitar, piano, vocals).
Today we present the original song by the Korgis with the lyrics and the video by Sharon Corr.
Video with lyrics "EVERYBODY0S GOT TO LEARN SOMETIME"; Korgis version:
Video "EVERYBODY'S GOT TO LEARN SOMETIME" by Sharon Corr
(Video shot in Nerja and the Alhambra of Granada):
Hurts are a British synthpop duo from Manchester composed of singer Theo Hutchcraft, (From Richmond, North Yorkshire), and synth player Adam Anderson.
Their debut album called "Happiness" was released on 6 September 2010 and went straight to nº4. Their hit "Wonderful life". We include the video of the song and the lyrics.
