Review of: Madonna – True Blue

Aah! Madonna! The undisputed Queen of Pop! Truth be told, this woman has developed a habit of delivering hit after hit. Her journey from “Like A Virgin” to the recent “Give Me All Your Luvin” has been one like never before. Never did she look back on her failures (Which were VERY rare). An interesting fact about her is that she is the only Pop artist who has undergone the most number of makeovers. After all, she is known as the Queen of Pop. She’s known worldwide for her sizzling on-screen presence, her cheesy lyrics and high tempo songs. Well, although she has a HUGE number of hits in her pocket, my personal favorite is “True Blue“. It’s really innocent, and the song is… I don’t know, it’s jut REALLY addictive. It’s her 5th best song ever. I’ll be reviewing this song today. So, let’s get to it!

Madonna (Singer)

 

History: “True Blue” is the third single from Madonna’s third studio album, True Blue, which was released on September 29, 1986. The song is actually originally written by Steve Bray. It was well received by the critics, who dismissed the song as “A cute and light-hearted” retro song. This song topped almost everywhere! It peaked at the penultimate position (No. 1 position, duh!) in the U.K., Ireland and Canada. It also went on to peak at Number 3 on the Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles chart. It received a Platinum certification in Australia, Gold in U.S., and Silver in U.K. and France. For the complete list of peak positions (There are a LOT!), click here. The video is a 50’s inspired theme, and it’s really cute. I’ll provide the Youtube link below, too. Madonna dedicated this song to Sean Penn, her husband back then.

What it tries to convey to us: It’s a uber easy song to understand. It’s about a girl who falls in love for the first time with (Whom she thinks is) the man of her dreams.

Review: As always, Madonna has started this song off with high tempo drum beats and a keyboard and synthesizer rift added in between. With the occasional addition of “Hey!” (00:08) and “Listen” (00:14), the song becomes REALLY lively, and being a ‘Pop- Dance’ genre, it makes you want to dance (No, seriously!). The background vocalists also add an extra charm to the song. Actually, it’s the background vocalists who adhere to the song when Madonna goes off-track and sings out of the blue (Pun very much intended!). Anyways, she starts the vocals at 00:18. She has resorted to the voice of an innocent, 18 year old girl for this song, and BOY, has she delivered! The vocals are ever so cute, and the music just adds to the innocence of this song. That’s what make “True Blue” really click in our minds – the innocence. The first chorus starts at 00:49. The song is very fast paced, so you’ll hardly notice the verses go by. The second chorus will start at 01:38. but you’ll feel as if the first one didn’t even end. This time, the chorus is looped and played twice, with the addition of some strong background vocals in the second loop. Madonna then starts with her ‘vocal bridge’ (As I call it) at 02:12, and “True Love, Oh Baby” is looped from 02:26 to 02:42. The third stanza commences at 02:43 and ends, only for the chorus to begin again at 03:15. This time, the chorus is made cheesier with the addition of some strong background vocals. The “La la la la” makes the song REALLY innocent (I mean, just picture it. An 18 year old girl [Not this generation’s 18 year old, though], strolling down the street, singing about her first love and saying “La la la la”. You can’t help but smile at the thought). The song progresses in the same tempo, and gradually fades out at 04:05 (Ends at 04:17). After the song ends, I always smile to myself, imagining that young girl strolling down the street. Listen to the song; I’m sure it’ll have the same effect on you too!

Rating: A flat-out 10/10! Innocence filled to the brim! Awesome tempo, and REALLY awesome vocals, courtesy The Queen of Pop, Madonna. Really, they don’t make songs like these anymore!! Go eat your heart out on this one guys! Enjoy!

 

Lyrics for “True Blue” : http://artists.letssingit.com/madonna-lyrics-true-blue-7ct5n1m

Download link for “True Blue” : http://www.blueribbonfrenchbulldogs.com/audio/true-blue.mp3

Youtube link for “True Blue (Official Video)” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb8akXtOCaI

 

“True Blue” is a song from Madonna’s album “True Blue”

 

Review Of: Al Stewart – On The Border

(Note to all my readers: Sorry guys, I was out of station for a couple of
days, so I couldn’t update my blog regularly. Sure, the hotel did have Wi-fi,
but hey; who wants to write blogs with your parents watching over your
back? Anyways, I’m back now. I’ll be kicking off the song reviews with one
of my unsung heroes, Al Stewart.)

This guy is is one of those awesome people who never shot to fame (Very unfortunate!). He gained some fame with his most famous hit till date, viz. “Year Of The Cat“. Personally, I don’t like that song too much (Maybe it’s just me). His most talked about song (And my personal favorite) however, is “On The Border”. I mean, the lyrics this song contains can turn literally Medusa into stone! But unfortunately, it’s not really famous globally. Hell, even Wikipedia doesn’t have any information concerning this song! Now you can only imagine how infamous this song is! Any how, I absolutely adore this song! I’ll be reviewing it today, and make sure you guys download it and listen to it! It’s really awesome! So, Let’s get to it!

Al Stewart (Singer)

 

History: Well, now that Wikipedia doesn’t have any information containing “On The Border”, I I rummaged around and found some information. This song is from Al Stewart’s 1995 album “On The Border”. There are two versions of this song; one being the 3 Minute 24 Seconds Album Version, and the 4 Minutes 34 Seconds Live Version. I prefer the live version over the studio edit because it has more of those seductive Spanish guitar rifts.What it tries to convey to us: The meaning of the song is basically very easy to understand. It’s more of a ballad, if you ask me. It’s a story of the war of Spain, and how their people smuggled arms and guns over the harsh Spanish seas. Really touching, this. An epic tale of loyalty towards the country, valor and courage.

Review: I’ll be reviewing the Live Version of the song for you guys today, but I’ll also provide the Original Edit Version, just for comparing. Lyrics, as always, will be there. The song starts with an awesome Spanish guitar solo, and it’s sure to blow your mind. Correct me if I’m wrong, but it resembles the music in the movie ‘The Mask Of Zorro’ (Or maybe just because it’s Spanish!). The actual song music starts at 01:05; and it’s received by a HUGE applause and some cheering too. The beats settle into the song at 01:24. The tune of the song is exquisite, and I personally really like it. It’s a whole new breed of guitar rifts for me (At first, I wasn’t quite familiar with the Spanish guitar, but WOW, did it blow my mind!). The vocals (Al Stewart) start at 01:34. With his typical Scottish accent, Stewart mesmerizes us with his voice, and it’s softness. An awesome fact about Al Stewart is that all of his songs are based on an old, historical event. He was prominent for one of this quality he possessed. The lyrics of this songs are really something else. With that I must say, the English language used in this song is really simple, but damn, does it make an impact. Being a poet myself, I really envy Al Stewart for his skill of writing songs in an easy, but charismatic language (I wish I could write something like that!). Anyways, there’s a short (But really awesome) Spanish guitar bridge from 01:52 to 02:01. I have to say, the two things that this song has, which drove me crazy were the Spanish guitar, and the awesome vocals. The beats are soft, and go very well with the Spanish guitar. The second short interlude commences from 02:37 to 02:49, and Al Stewart picks up immediately. Throughout the song, there’s an addition of some cheesy guitar rifts, which sort of seem to tease you, and keep you on the edge (Check out the rift at 03:18, and you’ll know what I’m talking about). The third, and the final instrumental rift starts at 03:24, and as always, it completely blows you away. Al Stewart sings the first stanza once again, and then chants “On The Border” for 3 times, before the Spanish guitar takes over and finishes things off in style. The song ends at 04:20, with the following of some applause.

Rating: Are you kidding me? Awesome lyrics, great vocals, sexy Spanish guitar rifts all blended in one to make the perfect musical smoothie, and you think I’d give it anything less than 10? Never! 10/10! Must listen, this song! Go for it, guys! I bet you’ll love it!

 

Lyrics for “On The Border” : http://www.metrolyrics.com/on-the-border-lyrics-al-stewart.html

Download link for “On The Border (Live Version)” : http://dimensionalrift.homelinux.net/combuster/al_stewart-on_the_border.mp3

Download link for “On The Border (Studio Version)” : http://www.ghostwhisperer.us/Music/Mellow/Al%20Stewart%20-%20On%20The%20Border.mp3

“On The Border” is a song from Al Stewart’s album titled “On The Border”

 

Review of: Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven

Aah! Stairway To Heaven! One of the best goddamn Rock songs ever produced! The lyrics are out-of-this-world, the rhythm is extremely enticing, and the lyrics are impeccable. So what if it’s a long song? It still is one of the most awesome Rock songs out there. The transition from slow, acoustic rock to the high tempo hard Rock is just too good to be true. I’m not sure, but when Led Zeppelin first performed this song live, the number of people attending the concert was more than any other. My personal Led Zeppelin favorites are: “Whole Lotta Love“, “Dazed And Confused” and “Stairway To Heaven“, which I’ll be reviewing today. Let’s get to it!

Led Zeppelin (L-R): John Paul Jones, John Bonham, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant

History: “Stairway To Heaven” is a song from Led Zeppelin’s untitled album (Often called “Led Zeppelin IV“). It was released in 1971, and it completely changed the perspective of Rock forever. It is still considered to be one of the best Rock songs ever. The song did wonders all over the world, peaking at Number 3 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Rock Songs, Number 31 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time. It was also the most requested song on the radio in the 70’s. It also made it to a commendable Number 37 on the U.K. Singles Chart. [Source: Wikipedia]

What it tries to convey to us: Whoa, now I just came across this site which claims it has finally deciphered the true meaning of “Stairway To Heaven”. Now, when I read (Or tried to read it); I couldn’t make any sense out of it. Check it out here: “Stairway To Heaven Meaning Deciphered [Claimed]“. Actually, no one has been able to decipher the TRUE meaning of the song. Many say it’s a song about hope. According to Robert Plant (The lead vocalist) [And I quote], “I was holding a pencil and paper, and for some reason I was in a very bad mood. Then all of a sudden my hand was writing out the words, ‘There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold; And she’s buying a stairway to heaven.’ I just sat there and looked at the words and then I almost leapt out of my seat.” The band was reluctant to tell the public what the song really meant.

Review: (This is going to be a tough one!) The song starts with a soothing melody, consisting of a blend of the acoustic guitar and the flute. It really sounds heavenly (Pun intended!) to the ear. Interestingly, John Paul Jones (The bass guitarist) decided not to give this song a bass backbone. Instead, he used a flute and musical strings to form the bass of the song. Cool, isn’t it? Robert Plant starts with the vocals at 00:52. His vocals do magic to the song. I bet if James Hetfield (Metallica) or M. Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold) would have given the vocals to the song, it would have been disastrous. It’s those strained, but composed vocals Robert Plant uses that give the song it’s intensity. Throughout the song, the acoustic guitar and the lead guitar (Jimmy Page) completely captivate one’s mind. The sudden transition from the mellow acoustic guitar to the electric guitar (Or the double guitar, which Page used) is really awesome. The lyrics are mind boggling, with infinite intensity on the song. The first stage of the song transition starts at 01:59 with the starting of a brief guitar and flute instrumental bridge. Then at 02:13, the tempo and the volume increase notably, signaling the completion of the first transition. You’ll also notice the increased vocal tempo. The drums (John Bonham) finally join the song at 04:18. There’s a brief bridge from 04:41 to 05:06 before Plant starts the vocals again (He keeps adding these “And it makes me wonder” and “Ooh’s” to keep the bridge alive) after the interlude. The volume and the tempo will have increased notably. Then comes the most awesome part of the song – the Solo. And man, is it sublime! It just shows the pure skill Jimmy Page has. It starts with a ta-da-da, ta-da-da, ta-da-da-da-da loop (Sorry, I couldn’t think of anything else!), and then slowly converts into a full-fledged solo at 05:55. The technique is just epic! There are loops, highs, lows, keyboards, awesome beats, and what not! At 06:44, Plant starts with the last vocal stanza; in which he has used a completely different pitch and volume (More like the Hard Rock vocals). The tune of the song changes at 07:24, and it seems as if the song is going in a downward spiral (And it actually is). Plant finally finishes things off with “And she’s buying a stairway to Heaven”, and the song ends at 08:02.

Rating: This is one of the best Rock songs we’re talking about here! How can you even THINK I would give this masterpiece anything less than 10? A perfect 10/10 it is!

 

Lyrics for “Stairway To Heaven” : http://artists.letssingit.com/led-zeppelin-lyrics-stairway-to-heaven-kcpngbq

Download link for “Stairway To Heaven” : http://4b.media.v4.skyrock.com/music/4b8/d79/4b8d79f30fd7ceefcd681d1592fb78ab.mp3 (Right click on link, click “Save Link/Target As”)

 

“Stairway To Heaven” is a song from Led Zeppelin’s 1971 untitled album (Often called) “Led Zeppelin IV”

Review of: Eagles – Hotel California

According to a worldwide survey, “Hotel California” is the most common song in music playlists. Who can blame them? The song is truly a masterpiece, undoubtedly the best song delivered by the Eagles. It’s also one of the most renowned songs globally. “Hotel California” is known for it’s misinterpreted lyrics, and simple, but effective guitar rifts. Just yesterday, I was surfing the web, when I came across a fact stating that there are more than 30 misinterpreted meanings to the lyrics. Weird, huh? Anyways, I’ll be reviewing this masterpiece today. Hope you like it! Let’s get to it!

Eagles (L-R): Joe Walsh, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Timothy B. Schmit

History: “Hotel California” is a song from the Eagles’ self- titled album. It was released as a single on February 1977. Although the song has lots of misinterpreted lyrics, the Eagles say the song is about “The high life in Los Angeles”. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart for one week in May 1977. This song earned the Eagles the 1977 Grammy Award for Record of the Year at the 20th Annual Grammy Awards in 1978. The song was certified to a platinum rating after successfully crossing 1,000,000 online digital downloads. The guitar solo in “Hotel California” has been rated the Eighth ranking on the Guitar Magazine’s Top 100 Guitar Solos. There is only one *famous* version of the song viz. The Studio Version, having a duration of 6 Minutes and 8 Seconds.

What this song tries to convey to us: There are a LOT of interpretations of the song, and I’m afraid if I go on writing them, I’ll die due to exhaustion. So, I’ve provided a link, so that you can check it out anytime: Misinterpretations of “Hotel California”.

Review: The song starts off with the bass and the acoustic guitar. The song is known for its simplicity, after all. Don Henley kick starts the vocals at 00:52, after the famous ‘door knocking’ sound is heard. The context of the song is smooth, lyrics are simple and rhythm is enchanting. The vocals (Don Harley) also pack a punch, being on the softer side. The first chorus starts at 01:45, and it is the most famous part of the song, with quirky electric guitar rifts added in between. The beats are also completely different for the chorus. With the chorus ending at 02:10, Henley starts the second stanza again; and adds a little “Urgh” (02:18) in between. This verse also contains the notorious “So I called up the Captain, “Please bring me my wine”; He said “We haven’t had that spirit here since 1969″” phrase, which is referred to as a metaphorical phrase. The second chorus will start at 03:03, and just like the previous one, it’ll be added with quirky guitar rifts and high tempo beats. Anyways, the third stanza begins at 03:29; and it is considered to be the most controversial stanza. The vocals end with a bang at 04:20, and an awesome solo (Electric guitar) is initiated from the same. The beats are almost identical, and the guitar solo (From 04:20 – 06:25) just BLOWS your mind off! From highs to lows, from lows to highs – Such ease, such perfection! There are also plenty of looped rifts played, my favorite being the 05:39 – 06:25 loop. The song starts fading off from 06:08, and ends completely at 06:31.

Review: No arguments or pros/cons here, no need for special mentions, just a flat out 10/10 for this epic masterpiece. Rock on, Eagles!

 

Lyrics for “Hotel California” : http://artists.letssingit.com/the-eagles-lyrics-hotel-california-4bkfzsg

Download link for “Hotel California” : http://rocky-52.net/son/son_e/eagles/eagles_hotel.mp3 (Right click on link, click “Save Link/Target As)“

 

“Hotel California” is a song from Eagles’ self titled album, “Eagles”

 

Review of: Simon & Garfunkel – Sound Of Silence

Wow! It finally HAD to come to this! Simon & Garfunkel! What an astounding duo! The lyrics… WOW! The vocals… WOW! The melody… WOW! This duo was one to watch out for. Their songs had everything in them. With songs like “Scarborough Fair“, “Bridge Over Troubled Water“, “The Boxer“, “Homeward Bound” and “The Sound  Of Silence“; it was without a doubt that they were bound for fame. My personal favorite (And yours too, I bet) is “The Sound Of Silence”, which I’ll be reviewing today. So, let’s get to it!

(L-R) Art Garfunkel & Paul Simon

History: “The Sound Of Silence” was Simon & Garfunkel’s second most famous song (After “Bridge Over Troubled Water”) that propelled the Folk Rock band to fame. It was written in February 1964 by Paul Simon in the aftermath of the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy. This song was initially a part of their 1964 album, “Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.” but was postponed and added in their 1965 album “The Sounds Of Silence”. Later, “The Sounds Of Silence” was renamed to “The Sound Of Silence”. The duration (Studio Version) of the song is quoted to be 3 Minutes and 5 Seconds, but it’s actual duration is 3 Minutes and 9 Seconds (Minute details, remember?). The story of the origin of this song is a beautiful one. Just after the execution of Kennedy, Simon Paul was writing this song, According to him (And I quote) “The main thing about playing the guitar, though, was that I was able to sit by myself and play and dream. And I was always happy doing that. I used to go off in the bathroom, because the bathroom had tiles, so it was a slight echo chamber. I’d turn on the faucet so that water would run — I like that sound, it’s very soothing to me — and I’d play. In the dark. ‘Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again’.” Amazing, isn’t it?

Review: First, I’d like you to scroll down and open the lyrics in a new tab. Then, I want you to download the song (I’ve provided the link below) and I want you to read the lyrics while the song is playing. Now you know how difficult it is for me to write this review! I’ll try my best and try not to disappoint. The lyrics are (Simply put) “WOW!”. Seriously, I don’t think anyone has written songs any better than Paul Simon. The elegance, the grace, the vocabulary, and above all; the feel of his words- It just melts your heart away. Anyways, the song starts with a soothing guitar melody, and at 00:03, Simon & Garfunkel make this song an unforgettable one because of their vocals. They’re (The vocals) are just amazing too- Soft, subtle and haunting. When I heard this song for the first time in my life, and when I heard the lines “Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again”, I fell in love with this song. “The Sound Of Silence” is undoubtedly my dad’s most favorite song. I mean, come on. Can a song get any better than this? I guess not. The background rhythm consists of a plucking guitar, and nothing else. Finally the beats settle in at 00:39, along with “With restless dreams I walk alone (WOW! The lyrics!)”. If you listen carefully, you’ll hear an off-tune guitar tone; but it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter at all. The lyrics are so goddamn awesome that you forget everything else in the song. The vocals are majority Simon, but Garfunkel adds his voice sometimes. “Silence, like a cancer grows” (01:52). Just love that phrase! There’s really no chorus in this song, except the occasional “Sounds of silence” at the ending of each stanza. You’ll never know how many stanza’s have gone by; as they all are TOO GOOD to be true. The vocals end with the lines “And whispered in the sounds of silence”. The ending of the song is soft and haunting. It’s one of my favorite parts of the song, actually. Listen to song from 02:52 to 03:01 and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Rating: How did you even think I’d give this song anything below 10? Mind blowing lyrics! In fact, these may just be the best lyrics ever. A perfect 10/10 for this truly wonderful song!

 

Lyrics for “The Sound Of Silence” : http://artists.letssingit.com/paul-simon-lyrics-sounds-of-silence-rb4bkbn

Download link for “The Sound Of Silence” : http://ns.thcgroup.net/Music/Mp3/07%20-%20simon%20garfunker%20-%20the%20sound%20of%20silence.mp3 (Right click on link, click “Save Link/Target As”)

“The Sound Of Silence” is a song from the album “Sounds Of Silence”

Review of: Bruce Springsteen – Dancing In The Dark

No need for any introduction here. One of the most powerful and famous voices in the U.S.A., the person who helped Courtney Cox be where she is today (See the history for more details), Bruce Springsteen, a.k.a “The Boss”. Undoubtedly his best singles, “Dancing In The Dark” and “Born In The U.S.A.” rocked the charts almost everywhere in the world. I’ll be reviewing “Born In The U.S.A.” later; but first things first (Pun intended!), I’ll be reviewing “Dancing In The Dark” today. So, let’s get to it!

Bruce Springsteen

History: “Dancing In The Dark” is a song from Bruce Springsteen’s best-selling album of all time, “Born In The U.S.A.” (1984). This song was Springsteen’s first major hit, and it propelled him to fame. He experimented with some up- tempo synthesizer rifts and syncopation in his sound, and it did wonders to the song. “Dancing In The Dark” was also his greatest selling song of all time, followed by “Born In The U.S.A.”. During Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In The U.S.A. Tour” in 1984-85, he randomly picked up a girl from the front rows, and it turned out be the 20 year old, future F.R.I.E.N.D.S star, Courtney Cox. Talk about luck! Till date, she thanks Bruce Springsteen for getting her on stage to dance with him. It was released on May 4th, 1984. The Studio Version (The only version) of the song has a duration of 3 Minutes 59 Seconds (Quoted), but it’s actually 4 Minutes and 2 Seconds (Not much, I know. But still, for an audiophile, 3 seconds do count!)

What it tries to convey to us: It’s probably about a man who “tired and bored” with himself, and is dying for some company, and he finally meets a girl who feels the same way. Now, “Dancing in the dark” has two meanings- One, it signifies sexual intercourse (“Dancing” in the dark, got it?); and Two, it means “Going somewhere without any clue” (Like “walking in the dark”, except he’s dancing because he’s got company!). Either way, it’s up to you to choose.

Review: Let me tell you from the start itself, it’s a flat out awesome song. Sure, there are some quirky synthesizer rifts and jazz trumpets added to up the tempo, but that doesn’t mean it’s a pop song (Actually, many people say it’s a “Power Pop” song, but I beg to differ). For me, it’s a pure Rock song. The song starts with the synthesizer and the drum beats, kicking the tempo to a high level. The beats of the song are VERY steady, and they don’t change their tempo even once throughout the whole song. Bruce kicks in with his vocals at 00:13. When I say he’s got a superb voice, I really mean it. The effect and command he has on his songs; just epic! It’s like he dominates the whole song by himself, and the rhythm is there just to ensure he doesn’t go off-track. The vocals are loud, husky and rough; just perfect for a song like this. The first chorus starts at 00:39 (You cant start a fire (X2) without a spark, even if we’re just dancing in the dark). There’s a brief musical rift just after the chorus, before Bruce regains control over the song with his second stanza. They (The stanza’s) are short, but man, do they pack a punch! He’s well known for his powerful lyrics too, after all. Anyways, the second chorus starts at 01:24, and the brief bridge follows suit. Then at 01:50, there’s a slight change in the tempo, as Bruce ups his vocals a bit (Mind you, this is the third stanza). The roughness in his voice accentuates the song a lot, making it sound even more sexier. The third chorus starts at 02:29, but this time there’s a slight change in the lyrics. This one’s a little longer than the previous ones, with “Even if we’re just dancing in the dark” looping five to six times in a row. Then there’s the famous “Hey Baby!” at 03:21 (In the video, he spots Courtney Cox at this moment and calls out to her). The vocals end here itself, and the rest is the instrumental bridge, spiced up with some jazz trumpet rifts in the middle. The song fades out at 03:45, and finally ends at 04:02.

Rating: I would HATE to dishonor this song by giving it anything less than 10. Also, many of you readers out there might even kill me. So, a 10/10 it is!

 

Lyrics for “Dancing In The Dark” : http://artists.letssingit.com/bruce-springsteen-lyrics-dancing-in-the-dark-v8fm8p5

Download link for “Dancing In The Dark“ : http://myprofileis.com/public/music_song/1000000/1000/109/2589.mp3 (Right click on link, click “Save Target/Link As”)

 

“Dancing In The Dark” is a song from the album “Born In The U.S.A.”

Review of: Bee Gees – Tragedy

“Tragedy” is probably one of the most misconceived songs in the history of English music. Why? Because of the genre majority of the people put it in. Many of you will agree that “Tragedy” is a full fledged Pop genre song. But wait, that’s not it. Did you know that “Tragedy” is actually from a genre called “Funk Rock“? Yup, you heard it right – “Funk Rock”. Anyways, this song is undoubtedly one of the most played one in Oldies disco’s, or even modern age ones, to be precise. The Bee Gees were whirled in a wormhole to fame with this song. And wow, does it blow your mind. The song’s got so much energy, you feel like getting up from your chair and start dancing wildly. It’s just one of those songs which hypnotize you, and you involuntarily dance. It’s definitely one of my top 10 Disco Hits. Three of mt personal favorite Bee Gees songs are: “How Deep Is Your Love“, “Saturday Night Fever“, and “Tragedy“; which I’ll be reviewing today. So, let’s get to it!

The Bee Gees (L-R): Maurice Gibb, Barry Gibb & Robin Gibb

History: “Tragedy” is a song from Bee Gees 1979 album “Spirits Having Flown“. Now here’s a fact that will amaze all of you. This song peaked at Number 1 in BOTH, the U.S. and the  U.K. charts! How awesome is that? There are only a handful of songs which have been able to achieve such a feat. The song knocked Gloria Gaynor‘s “I Will Survive” off the top. The ‘exploding’ sound was actually created by Barry Gibb, as he cupped his mouth near the mic and blew hard, thus creating a sound imitating an explosion. Pretty neat, huh? There is only one version of the song (The Cover Version) having a duration of 5 Minutes and 3 Seconds. [Source: Wikipedia]

Review: The song starts with a tune that will make even the most worst dancer on the face of this planet get up and dance; or at least put a smirk on his face. The music is… Just wow. The beats are fast and help raise the tempo of the song. The tune of the song is very, very captivating. It starts up with a serious tune, but merges with the quirky synthesizer rifts to produce a song with an exceptional tune. At 00:28, Maurice Gibb starts his mind blowing vocals. Sure, they seem a little ‘to-the-feminine side’, but the impact it has on the song is just unimaginable. In fact, one of the main reasons the Bee Gees skyrocketed to fame was because of Maurice’s voice. There are certain high and low pitches ONLY Maurice Gbb could go to, and execute the song to sheer brilliance. After a LONG “You” (It’s just four seconds, but it sounds like an eternity the way he keeps saying it! It’s one of my favorite parts). Then the chorus commences at 01:05. I have to say, it’s definitely the best part of the song. Personally, my favorite part of the chorus is the time Maurice says “With no one to love you, you’re going nowhere”. The chorus loops for another time, except the “With no one to love you, you’re going nowhere” is replaced by “With no one besides you, you’re going nowhere”. After an exhilarating first chorus, an instrumental bridge is introduced into the song. The bridge is, without doubt, awesome (It’s duration is from 01:36 to 02:04). The second stanza starts right after the instrumental bridge. All this time, you can’t help but marvel at Maurice Gibbs’ astonishing voice, effortlessly cruising from highs to lows. Again, at 02:38, Maurice initiates the second “You” (The really LONG 4 second one, remember? The duration is 02:38 to 02:41), and the chorus begins again, keeping the tempo of the song intact. Maurice then shows off his class by giving a high pitched “Aah” at 03:12. It’s so effortlessly done! The instrumental bridge doesn’t fall far behind, and it commences immediately after the chorus. This time however, you’ll feel the bridge is a little different than the first one, because it has some synthesizer grooves added to it. The song goes *almost* silent at 03:30, and then we hear the famous ‘explosion’ (Courtesy Barry Gibb) at 03:35, followed by the chorus. Another of Maurice’s awesome  high pitches is introduced at 04:09 (Till 04:11). The chorus loops on for two more times, and the song gradually fades out with another of Maurice’s signature “Aah’s”, and ends at 05:05.

Rating: It’s a no-doubter! 10/10! As clear as it seems! With a voice like Maurice Gibb’s, I don’t think any of his songs will get anything less than 10. For all disco lovers, DO NOT miss this one! The same applies to other listeners too! Don’t miss it!

Lyrics for “Tragedy” : http://artists.letssingit.com/bee-gees-lyrics-tragedy-cth1hdl

Download link for “Tragedy” : http://videovortex.evan-roth.com/music/2-07%20Tragedy.mp3 (Right click on link, click “Save As”)

Review of: Bread – The Guitar Man

Aah! It’s finally time to review the song of one of the best Soft Rock bands ever, viz. Bread. Simply put, they are “The Carpenters'” rock version. “Bread” consisted of extremely talented people; people who could play any instrument, and who could give vocals. Be it David Gates (Played the guitar, bass, violin, viola, percussion and gave vocals), Robb Royer (Played bass, guitar, flute, keyboard, recorder, percussion and gave background vocals), Mike Botts (Played drums) and Larry Knechtel [Replaced Royer later] (Played bass, guitar, harmonica). Talented bunch of chaps, ain’t they? They put on 13 songs on the Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles charts between 1990 and 1997. Actually, it was Bread who brought the genre “Soft Rock” into play. Out of a handful of my favorite songs, I’ll tell you three of them: “Make It With You”, “Everything I Own“, “Baby I’m A Want You” and “The Guitar Man“, which I’ll be reviewing today. So let’s get to it!

Bread (Band)

History: “The Guitar Man” is a song written by David Gates and originally recorded by the pop rock group Bread, of which Gates was a member. It was the main song in their 1972 album titled “Guitar Man“. The song raced to fame because of the wah-wah effect introduced by Larry Knetchel. It peaked at Number 11 on the Billboard’s Hot 100 Charts. The song is composed of more than 12 different chords (A rather large number). There are also a lot of cover versions of this song. The original version, however (The Studio Version) has a duration of 3 Minutes and 48 Seconds.

Review: The song starts with the wah- wah effect of the electric guitar, immediately giving the song a Countryside feel. The drums (Mike Botts) are very subtle and calm. David Gates starts the vocals at 00:13, keeping the feel of the Countryside intact. The soft and mellow voice of Gates has a certain kind of hook to it. You’ll hear the bass, the wah-wah of the electric guitar, and the acoustic guitar grinding in the background while the vocals are active. The first stanza finishes and the second one begins instantaneously after a quirky guitar bridge. The lyrics are also very, very smooth. The famous *only-acoustic-guitar* bridge of the song begins at 01:32 and ends at 01:58, where the electric guitar takes over for a brief solo. The solo, too; has a sharp countryside feel to it. The vocal part I like the most is from 02:28 to 02:38. In the lines “Something keeps him moving, but no one seems to know; “WHAT”  it is that makes him go”, the word “what” is SO SMOOTH, it just melts you inside. The second “Only-acoustic-guitar” bridge begins right after that. The song kicks into rock mode in 02:53 and keeps the tempo up till the end. The song ends with the “Either way” and “Got to play” loop, and an applause; and fades at 03:30.

Rating: It’s a smack-in-the-middle 10/10!! For fans of soft rock, this is an absolutely UNMISSABLE song for you guys! For the others, well, the same criteria applies for you too!! Listen to the song and have fun!

 

Lyrics link for “The Guitar Man” : http://artists.letssingit.com/bread-lyrics-the-guitar-man-g8f7zw9

Download link for “The Guitar Man” : http://netanimations.net/The-Guitar-Man.mp3 (Right click on link, click “Save As”)

“The Guitar Man” is a song from Bread’s album “Guitar Man”

Review of: Carpenters – Please Mr. Postman

My favorite Oldies Pop band, The Carpenters, have delivered some of the most mind blowing songs I have ever heard of. Be it “Yesterday Once More“, “Every Sha La La”, “Only Yesterday“, “Superstar“, etc. etc. All songs sound so beautiful to the ear. Soothing melodies by Richard Carpenter, beautiful vocals by Karen Carpenter: These were two siblings who created magic. In an era where long hair, Grunge Rock and scream-on-top-of-your-voice was in great demand, The Carpenter’s produced a soft musical style, and made them one of the best selling artists of all time. Funny isn’t it? Anyways, three of their songs which are my personal favorites are “Every Sha La La”, “Only Yesterday” and “Please Mr. Postman” (Which I’ll be reviewing today). So, let’s get to it!

(L-R) Richard & Karen Carpenter

History: “Please Mr. Postman” is actually a cover version by The Carpenters (The original song was produced by The Marvelettes). Ironically, this cover version was MUCH, MUCH better than the original one. It also made more than the original song. “Please Mr. Postman” was released as a single in 1974, and did wonders all over the world. It peaked at Number 1 on The Australian Kent Music Report, Canadian Singles Chart, Oricon International Singles Chart, U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and U.S. Billboard Easy Listening (Pretty awesome, huh?) and Number 2 on the UK Singles Chart (No surprises here). There is only one version (Okay, there are many COVER versions) of the song, viz. the 2 Minutes 48 Seconds Studio Version.

What it tries to convey to us: The song’s concept is damn easy. No complex or dual meanings here. It is simply about two lovers, wherein the boyfriend lives far away from the girlfriend; and the only means of communication between them is by writing letters to each other. The girlfriend always gets nervous when the boyfriend’s letter doesn’t reach her in time. The song describes such an incident. But, being the gentleman he always is, the postman always tries to cheer her up. Simple, but extremely charismatic lyrics.

Review: Previously, I was able to start the review without any hesitation. But this song has got me STONED. I can’t think of any way to start the song, because, well; the song can’t be reviewed or rated. It’s a cut above ‘Extraordinary’. Anyways, here goes.. The drums commence as soon as the song starts, and Karen Carpenter starts her BEAUTIFUL vocals at 00:01. Undoubtedly, she had THE best female voice in the entire music industry. The entire rhythm of the song settles in at 00:08. The background vocals are also very beautiful. An awesome fact about the song (Which I have come to notice) is that the chorus of the song is sung in majority by the background vocalists, and Karen Carpenters chips in sometimes. But that transition is what makes the song so beautiful. It’s between an Opera song and a Pop song. The same condition applies in the pre-verse bridge. The actual first stanza begins at 00:22. All throughout the song, you can’t help but admire Karen Carpenter’s gorgeous voice. The background beats are steady and music is very peppy. You can hear the xylophone chime in in-between the verses. It makes the sound of a bell (Listen carefully from 00:36- 00:41). The second chorus will start at 00:50, just as peppy as the first. The tempo of the song is extremely upbeat, even though the theme of the song is sad and gloomy. It’s one of those things music artists are so good at; using Antithesis in their songs. Anyways, getting back to the song, the bridge starts at 01:05. It consists of the background vocals (Utterly astounding), the drums and trumpet, which is the perfect instrument to play in the bridge, because it is from here that the postman cheers her up. The trumpet adds a shade of cheerfulness to the song. The second stanza starts at 01:20, the chorus starting immediately after it. The “Wait a minute, wait a minute” bridge starts at 01:48, and that too adds a lot of color to the song. The vocals end with “Come on deliver the letter, the sooner the better” and then the instrumentals and the background vocals (“Ooh’s” and “Aah’s”) take over. The ending of the song has a very nice touch to it. Piano, drums, trumpet, all mixed together to weave the perfect ending. The song slowly fades out at 02:33.

Rating: This is a song, rather a band straight from Heaven. Giving it anything below 10 would be a dishonor by my side. Hence, the 10/10! Perfect scores everywhere. Vocals, check. Instrumentals, check! Go and listen to this one, guys!

Lyrics for “Please Mr. Postman” : http://artists.letssingit.com/carpenters-lyrics-please-mr-postman-w5j1wfs

Download link for “Please Mr. Postman” : http://www.yoojaa.com/music/youchaixiansheng.mp3

(Right click on link, click “Save As”)

“Please Mr. Postman” is a cover song produced by “The Carpenters”

Review of: Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) – Bad Moon Rising

Creedence Clearwater Revival (Abbreviated as CCR) is one of those bands who have skyrocketed Swamp Rock (I still don’t know why they call it ‘Swamp’ Rock!) to fame. Their songs are punchy and full of energy. Maybe it’s one of those songs you sing or play by the campfire. I absolutely adore this band, for their unique taste in music and corny lyrics. Three of my personal favorites are “Who’ll Stop The Rain“, “Born On The Bayou” and “Bad Moon Rising“, which I’ll be reviewing today. So, let’s get to it!

Creedence Clearwater Revival

 

History: “Bad Moon Rising” is a song from CCR’s 1969 album “Green River” (Maybe that’s why they call ii ‘Swamp’ Rock!). This song was the lead single from this album, and it was actually released four months before the actual album was. This song performed extremely well in the U.S. as well as in the U.K. (Surprise, surprise!). It peaked at Number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts and Number 1 on the UK Singles Chart. It is CCR’s second gold single (Born On The Bayou/ Proud Mary being the first one). Interestingly, there are over 20 different cover versions of this song, ranging from Folk to Psychedelic Rock. There is just one version of this song, viz. the 2 minutes 20 seconds Studio Version. [Source: Wikipedia]

What it tries to convey to us: John Forgerty, the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band; wrote this song after watching The Devil and Daniel Webster. According to him, the film’s hurricane scene inspired him to write the song. The song tells (Or rather warn us) to pack our things together and brave the oncoming apocalypse. According to me, “Bad Moon Rising” in this context means, “bad times ahead”, the moon being a bearer of the bad times.

Review: The song starts with a typical country type guitar (Courtesy Tom Fogerty), and the drums are introduced at 00:03 (Courtesy Doug Clifford). The tempo of the song is very upbeat, and the duration of the song being less than 2:30, is very energetic. The bass is minimal, but more than enjoyable (Courtesy Stu Cook). John Forgerty starts the vocals at 00:05. The accent he has used in this song is also the typical Country type. What makes the song click is the ambiance it presents to us. If you close your eyes while the song is playing, you’ll picture yourself around a campfire, Forgerty playing the guitar and singing the song, and the others cheering him on. It’s the typical ‘Hoedown’ music. The chorus also starts at 00:26, and the second stanza immediately after it. The chorus is small, but packs an energetic punch. After the second chorus (which begins at 00:58), the *brief* bridge is initiated. The solo is short, but amazing (Courtesy John Forgerty). Again, it brings you around the campfire scene. The bridge ends at 01:30 and the last stanza begins immediately. The funny part of the song is that even though the lyrics of the song are quite disturbing, the song doesn’t make you feel that way; and keeps your mood up (If you remember, this song is about an impending apocalypse). The last chorus will start at 01:52, and will loop again, before it ends at 02:18. The duration of the song is short, but it’s extremely fun to listen to. You’ll love the short stanza’s, the quirky music and the upbeat chorus.

Rating: Short song, short chorus, short bridge, BIG rating. It gets a perfect 10/10 for the awesome campfire feel of the song, and the corny lyrics and rhythm. Go listen to this one guys!

Lyrics for “Bad Moon Rising” : http://artists.letssingit.com/creedence-clearwater-revival-lyrics-bad-moon-rising-cfj5khw

Download link for “Bad Moon Rising” : http://frowl.org/heyjupiter/xmix/badmoonrising.mp3 (Right Click anywhere on page, and click “Save As“)

 

“Bad Moon Rising” is a song from CCR’s album “Green River”