Monday, August 18, 2008

THE SONGS OF SUMMER

My favorite season will soon be over and that makes me a little gloomy.

This southamerican soul still can't find the way to conquer the three short months of shiny and warm days that the New York weather bring us every year.

Showing more than respect to these graceful days, here's my favorite songs with that vivid word included in their title.




TOP 20 SONGS OF SUMMER


20. Summer in the city - REGINA SPEKTOR (2006)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kW1IjLkr0I&feature=related

This is a video of Regina's performance in my first Lollapalooza experience last year. Regina Spektor's angelical image makes impossible not to fall in love with her enchanting voice.


19. Summer Wine - VILLE VALO FT. NATALIA AVELON (2007)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOs2TSXTOkQ

This cover version of the 1967's Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood duet is included in the soundtrack of the german movie Das Wilde Leben (The Wild Life) which is set in the 1960s and depicts the "wild life" of Uschi Obermaier, the first known German groupie performed by Natalia Avelon.

In the song's 2007 version, the german artist shares credits with the singer of Finnish gothic rock band HIM, Ville Valo.




18. Hot Fun In The Summertime - SLY & THE FAMILY STONE (1969)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdOJPmnaeuE&feature=related

"Hot Fun in the Summertime" is a dedication to the fun and games to be had during the summer, although it has also been analyzed as a commentary on the race riots of the late-1960s. Rolling Stone ranked it #247 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.


17. The violence of summer (Love's taking over) - DURAN DURAN (1990)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQR3OxPF2Vo

Liberty is by far the worst album released by Duran Duran in their more than 25 years of successful musical career.

Along with Serious, The violence of summer are the only two outstanding tunes taken from this disastrous 1990 production.

Unfortunately, the lack of success for this song would shadow the band for the next few years, until 1993's "Ordinary World" gave them a new lease of life.






16. Summer Son - TEXAS (1999)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uIFISklvXY

Texas is one of the most underestimated bands that Scotland has introduced to the music word. They have been around since the late 80's and singer Sharleen Spitteri possesses a unique soulful voice that makes Texas one of my favorite bands.
This song is included in the album The Hush.


15. Summer Rain -BELINDA CARLISLE (1990)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s67FEby4pE8

Rain during the summer is so unusual in Lima but El Niño phenomenon brought us some of the wet summers during its short visit in February of 1990. This song reminds me of that crazy and fun time during the summer of my last year in high school. Good times!!




14. Endless Summer Nights - RICHARD MARX (1988)




Is RICHARD MARX!!! And this guy here is one of his biggest fans of all time. I can't forget the day that I saw him sitting next to me in the plane that flew me to my first Coachella festival in 2006. I almost lost it!! He was very nice when I told him that I grew up listening to his songs and admiring his talent as a songwriter. This song was his third top ten from his self title debut album of 1987.




13. Summer Madness - KOOL & THE GANG (1974)
One of the most sexiest instrumental pieces that I've heard in my life. The song is pure 70's, a mix of smooth melodies and a mesmerizing synthesizer. Hard to believe that is the same band that gave us that "Celebration" tune.


12. Summer In The City - THE LOVIN' SPOONFUL (1966)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWXcjYNZais&feature=related

The song that replaced "Wild thing" by The Troggs from the #1 spot during the summer of 1966 was originally a poem wrote by singer Mark Sebastian when at Blair Academy. That poem, entitled "Summer In the City," had the refrain "but at night it's a different world, go out and find a girl, come on, come on and dance all night, despite the heat it'll be alright, and babe don't you know it's a pity, the days can't be like the night, in the summer in the city." The song featured a series of car horns, during the instrumental bridge, starting with a Volkswagen Beetle horn, and ending up with a jackhammer sound, in order to give the impressions of the sounds of the summer in the city.





11. Summertime - DJ JAZZY JEFF AND THE FRESH PRINCE (1991) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_PDns23RWY

Time for you you to listen a new definition of the #13 song. Summertime is one of those songs that makes a very effective and majestic use of a sample music for a song. This masterpiece of the hip hop music features samples of Summer Madness, you know, that sexy Kool and The Gang tune. The rap duo once leaded by Will Smith, earned their second grammy award in 1992 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo.





10. Summertime Blues - EDDIE COCHRAN (1958)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm2Mdma2dXw

The oldest song is this countdown is a blues standard song by Eddie Cochran and Jerry Capehart about the trials and tribulations of teenage life in America. The song was used in the 1980 movie Caddyshack and is ranked #73 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.




09. Summertime - THE SUNDAYS (1997)

One of the most positive songs of this english band from the 90's. The song was included in their last album released in 1997, Static and Silence. I really miss this band!! Their music, influenced by The Smiths and The Cocteau Twins brought a fresh air to the plastic and mixed scene of the 90's music.




08.Summer Of '69 -BRYAN ADAMS (1984)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GscyrACOKJA

The song has been conventionally interpreted as a nostalgic, somewhat melancholy recollection of a previous era during which the singer was among a group of optimistic adolescents.



Well, if you thought that this was your anthem because you were born in the summer of 1969, let me explain to you that this song has nothing to do with that year. Bryan Adams played a joke on you for more than 20 years and during and interview during 2005 he implied that this song was written as a reference to the sex position... The old and always joyful 69!!!

The song became a hit in the US, reaching #5 on the Billboard Top 100. The line "Jimmy quit, Jody got married" refers to two actual people. "Jimmy" is Jim Wesley, Adams' drummer in his early days (1979–1983) who quit the band because he and Bryan did not get along; he went on to sell carpeting as a means to earn money he wasn't making as a musician. As of 2008, Jody Perpick still worked for Adams as his tour manager and sound engineer.

"Summer of '69" was voted the #1 song to drive to in Canada in 2006, some 22 years after its release.




07. Summer nights - JOHN TRAVOLTA AND OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN (1978)




If you were a little kid during the second half of the seventies, the music of the Grease movie has to be part of the soundtrack of your life. The song interpreted by the classic duo of Sandy and Danny peaked #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA. The follow up single to their earlier release You're The One That I Want, it was a massive hit in the UK spending seven weeks at number one, taking the duo's total at number one that year to 16 weeks for their two hits.




06. Doin' time (Summertime) - SUBLIME (1997)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd39XDZOjhw

During those "smoky" days of my life in 1996, Bradley Nowell lyrics felt like a super cool buddy and his music a good complement for my college years laziness. Sadly Brad died of an heroin overdose and I was forced to be responsable when I got my own place in 1997.






05. In The Summertime - MUNGO JERRY (1970)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc9wIzi96_E&feature=related

The original version of the Shaggy's popular summer hit of 1995. This song, which celebrates the carefree days of summer, reached the No. 1 position on charts around the world (including seven weeks in the UK) and #3 in the US. It is considered one of the highest selling recordings of all time with an estimated 23 million copies sold.


04. Summer Breeze - SEALS AND CROFT (1972)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLhDNvbtFp4

The texas duo were members of the 50's band The Champs (Remember the Tequila song?). This classic song is such a carefree tune that makes me feel so fine, blowin' through the jasmine in my mind... Wow!! What a trippy line!! Summer Breeze really puts you in the mood to light up a funky smoke while watching the sun set on a beautiful day. So relaxing...



03. Suddenly Last Summer - THE MOTELS (1983)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGlRyazqCGM

The song has the distinction of being the only Motels song to reach the #1 position on any music chart. Lead singer Martha Davis has said in various radio interviews that the song was written while reflecting on her life and how you know summer is ending when you hear the ice cream truck go by for the last time and you know he won't be back for a while. She also has stated the song is about losing one's virginity.




02. Cruel Summer - BANANARAMA (1983)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n6chxpEINs



"Cruel Summer" was a top ten hit in Britain in 1983, but wasn't an international success until its inclusion in the 1984 movie The Karate Kid, a year after its original release. The group didn't allow the record to be included in the film's soundtrack, but it was still their first top ten hit in the USA.



01
The Boys Of Summer - DON HENLEY (1984)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSeB-023VqU&feature=related




This is the one! My favorite summer song.

With its memorable and artistic video (check out the beautiful cinematography!!), The boys of summer by Don Henley is that haunting and perfectly made song that makes you think of the realization that relationships are often destroyed by one's own restless youth, even though there is a conflicting internal desire for that love to flourish.

"My love for you will still be strong, after the boys of summer have gone"

The song was a big hit, reaching number 5 on the U.S. pop singles chart. It was also a hit in the United Kingdom, reaching number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.

In 1985, Henley won the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for the song.

Later that year, the video won Video of the Year at the MTV Music Video Awards and also the awards for the most important technical and artistic achievements in a music video: Best Direction, Best Art Direction, and Best Cinematography.

"The Boys of Summer" was ranked #416 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Cheers amigos!!!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

WHO'S GONNA SAVE MY SOUL NOW?


I've been feeling a little down lately and this video describes how vulnerable I am right now.

This is a low for me; my heart aches, my soul is sad.

I guess life goes on...

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

THE PERFECT SUMMER SONG



Picture yourself on a beautiful sunny day laying on the beach (or on the grass of a beautiful park).

Maybe a cold drink, a few snacks, the company of your favorite person laying next to you... and the song that makes this time the most enjoyable!!

It's a lovely tune called 5 YEARS TIME by NOAH AND THE WHALE. This british band formed in 2006, take their name from the marriage of the title of one of the band's favorite films, "The Squid and the Whale," and the name of the director (Noah Baumbach).


Already included in the Top 50 songs of the first half 2008 (#21), 5 YEARS TIME is what I consider the perfect song for this brightful season.

Enjoy the music and your summertime... You deserve it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8YCSJpF4g4





Cheers amigos!!!!!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

THE ULTIMATE TOP 100 SONGS OF THE 80s (PART 3 & 4: 80 - 61)

80
Just like heaven - THE CURE, 1987

KISS ME KISS ME KISS ME was the soundtrack of my summer of 1987, the summer that I lost my innocence when I saw (for the first time) a young couple having sex in a tent during a summer camp at the beach...

Talking about show me, show me, show me how you do that trick!!!

Just like heaven was The Cure's eleventh top 40 hit in the UK, and stayed on the charts there for five weeks during October and November of 1987, peaking at number 29. In the US, the song became The Cure's first top 40 hit when in January of 1988 it reached number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week.





The group largely wrote the song during recording sessions in Southern France in 1987. The lyrics were written by the band's frontman Robert Smith, who drew inspiration from a past trip to the sea shore with his future wife, Mary Poole.

The video was filmed in England in October of 1987. Set on a cliff overlooking a sea, the video recreates many of the memory detailed in the song's lyrics. While Smith had claimed for years that the video was shot at the same place that inspired the song, he later admitted that the bulk of it was filmed in a studio, utilising footage of the water and cliffs of Beachy Head taken for the band's 1985 video for "Close to Me".
During the song's piano solo, the sky turns to nighttime and the band is shown clad in white shirts. Mary Poole appears in this sequence as a woman dressed in white dancing with Smith. As Smith explained, "Mary dances with me in the video because she was the girl [in the song], so it had to be her."

http://youtube.com/watch?v=z-nkSGg0lk4

Smith met Mary Poole in school when he was 14 years old. The couple married in 1988 and have been together ever since. Turns out guys who wear black eyeliner can be happy...

79

Push it - SALT N' PEPA, 1987


"Push It" was the first Salt-N-Pepa single to be a success at mainstream radio and also appear on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, perhaps promoting the overall emergence of rap music in the late 1980s.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BCV5yGKWjv4

The song became Salt-N-Pepa's signature single and was the beginning of a successful career for the female rap trio that would carry on into the mid-1990s, as the group would become the most successful female rap act and one of the most successful rap acts ever.

Sorry Neneh Cherry, no more female rappers in this countdown...

78

Call me - BLONDIE, 1980


The song was the main theme of the film American Gigolo. European disco producer Giorgio Moroder originally asked Stevie Nicks to help compose and perform a song for the soundtrack, but she declined. It was at this time that Moroder turned to Debbie Harry. Harry was asked to write the lyrics and melody, a process that Harry states took only a few hours. The completed song was then recorded by the band, with Moroder producing. The bridge of the original English language version also includes Harry singing "Call Me" in Italian ("Amore, chiamami") and French ("Mon cheri, appelle-moi").

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MeSw6P1TC0


77 Video killed the radio star - THE BUGGLES, 1980



Originally released in 1979, the lyrics of this song refer to a period of technological change in the 1960s, the desire to remember the past and the disappointment that children of the current generation would not appreciate the past. In the 1950s and early 1960s, radio was an important medium for many, through which "stars" were created.

It's in the 80's that a new generation of pop stars were born when on the midnight of August 1st of 1981, MTV launched on the american cable television network with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll"

Appropriately, the first music video shown on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWtHEmVjVw8

On February 27, 2000 The Buggles' video became also the millionth video to be aired on MTV.


76
I melt with you - MODERN ENGLISH, 1982

The song, produced by Hugh Jones, was a single from the 1982 album After the Snow. While never reaching the Top 40, it gained popularity due to its airplay on MTV in early 1983 and its inclusion during the closing credits in the movie Valley Girl. The band re-recorded the song in 1990 for their album Pillow Lips reaching #76 in Top 100.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd9Ajmvvn6A&feature=related

I melt with you has been also used in many commercials including Burger King, Ritz cracker, M&M's and Taco Bell.


75

Pour some sugar on me - DEF LEPPARD, 1987

Back in 1986 while Def Leppard was nearing the end of the recording sessions for Hysteria, producer Mutt Lange felt that the album was still lacking a song that would have an appeal beyond the hard rock fans who had bought Pyromania. That song came to him during a bathroom break... The name, POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME.

Attention all strippers...This is your anthem!!!


I'm hot, sticky sweet from my head to my feet, yeah!!!




The band's signature song reached #2 in the US Top 100 and its success would send sales of Hysteria into the stratosphere. It finally reached number 1 on the Top Pop Albums a year after its release, and sold four million copies during the single's run.

Pour some sugar on me caught on with pop radio with an arena rock anthem feel in the style of Queen's "We Will Rock You" and Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'N Roll" (in fact, the verses of Pour Some Sugar On Me strongly resemble the verses from We Will Rock You, while the chord progression of the chorus of Pour Some Sugar On Me is exactly the same as the one in I Love Rock 'N Roll). The band later confessed that the semi-rap verses were inspired by the Aerosmith/Run-D.M.C. version of "Walk This Way"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSaAXDBvfho


74

The message - GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE, 1982


An old school hip hop song which lyrics were some of the first in the genre of rap to talk about the struggles and the frustrations of living in the ghetto. The song was written by Sugar Hill session musician Ed "Duke Bootee" Fletcher and Furious Five MC Melle Mel.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3kRuJhIVIo



THE MESSAGE's signature synthesizer riff became so popular during the summer of 1996 when the then Puff Daddy sampled it on his first top 10 hit "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down"

The song's chorus of "Don't push me 'cuz I'm close to the edge" has become one of the most well known choruses in rap music history.


73
I ran - A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS, 1982

I can't imagine a list of greatest songs of the 80's without this song included. And is the combination of essential elements that made this tune an emblematic piece of this decade:

Fashion style, new wave music, low budget video, HAIRDOS!!




I ran became a huge hit in the US during the summer of 1982 reaching to #9.
The single was promoted by a distinctive music video that received heavy rotation on MTV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUjIA3Rt7gk

Despite success in the States the single did not enjoy similar success in the band's home country of the United Kingdom, failing to make the top 40.


72
Superfreak - RICK JAMES, 1981

IT'S RICK JAMES, BITCH!!
...And this 80s classic his most popular song.




The one described by James as a "punk funk" song features features Motown vets The Temptations on vocals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75qXUfp4wtw


Super Freak is that kind of song that is well known by EVERYBODY, especially by those who grew up in the late 80s/early-90s for being sampled by M.C. Hammer on his smash hit "U Can't Touch This". However, the "Rick James" segments featured on Chappelle's Show have brought the original song back into general familiarity.



71
Faith - GEORGE MICHAEL, 1987

21 years before becoming Eli Stone's visions, George Michael introduced to the world the definitive image of the 80's: HIS BUM!!

Ahem... I mean, the whole ensemble:
Michael in shades, leather jacket and a particularly memorable pair of tight Levi's blue jeans and cowboy boots, playing a guitar near a classic-design jukebox that it was blown 3 years later in the Freedom video

Faith became the top-selling single of 1988 and the album is widely considered one of the greatest in pop music history and produced an amazing string of hit singles, including six Top 5 hits, four of which ("Faith," "Father Figure," "One More Try," and "Monkey") reached #1, making him the only British male singer to have four #1 singles from one LP on the Billboard Hot 100.

*There's something that I just noticed today. Pay attention to the first 37 seconds of the song... When you hear that fade-up organ introduction, you will hear a familiar tone that is based on the Wham! song "Freedom".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmd83LIADnE




70 Total eclipse of the heart - BONNIE TYLER, 1983

Produced by the power ballad genius Jim Steinman, Total eclipse of the heart remains his most successful commercial composition to date.


Story tells that Steinman had given the song, along with "Making Love (Out of Nothing At All)," to Meat Loaf for his Midnight at the Lost and Found album. However, Meat Loaf's record company refused to pay for Steinman and he wrote the songs himself. Steinman's songs were then given to Bonnie Tyler.



Tyler's career reached new heights with this release and put her in the history books as the only Welsh artist to hit the number-one slot in the U.S Billboard magazine charts.

At its peak, the single of this song sold 60,000 copies per day, and approximately 5-6 million copies in total, and was number one throughout (almost) the entire world charts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55nTwg5NIPM


69
She blinded me with science - THOMAS DOLBY, 1982


The quirky, playful synth-pop number built around bouncy synthesizer hooks, peaked at #5 in the US and failed to make the Top 40 in Dolby's native United Kingdom.

The song features interjections from the British scientist and TV presenter Magnus Pyke, who repeatedly shouts "Science!" and delivers other lines in a deliberately over-the-top "mad scientist" voice, the most famous line of which was, "Good heavens, Miss Sakamoto! You're beautiful!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IlHgbOWj4o



68
Let's dance - DAVID BOWIE, 1983

Heavily influenced by producer Nile Rodgers’ work with his band Chic, “Let’s Dance" features a thumping bassline, and was arguably Bowie’s most commercial record up to that point becoming his first #1 song in the UK and the US.



While the lyrics are ostensibly just those of a dance song, there is some discord struck by lines such as “Let’s dance, for fear tonight is all”. This loneliness and desperation seeps into the music video, made with David Mallet on location in Australia including Sydney Harbour, which features Bowie watching an Aboriginal couple’s struggles against metaphors of Western cultural imperialism impassively while playing with his band.

“Let’s Dance” would introduce Bowie to a new younger audience oblivious to his former career in the 70’s. That includes me!!

Don't know if you agree with me but I think that the Craig David's song HOT STUFF from 2007, makes a dynamic and effective use of the sample of this bowie's classic. What do you think?


67
In the air tonight - Phil Collins, 1981



It is the song most often associated with Collins' solo career and notable for its atmospheric production, macabre theme and the famous explosive burst of drums that releases the musical tension.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz7gajAb2ww

The lyrics of the song take the form of a dark monologue directed towards an unnamed, possibly prominent person; the singer describes having witnessed an unspecified act perpetrated:


I was there and I saw what you did
saw it with my own two eyes
and anticipating an equally unspecified consequence
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
I've been waiting for this moment for all my life



Even when Collins wrote the song in the wake of a failing relationship with his then-wife, an urban legend has arisen around the song. According to the legend, the lyrics are based on a tragic event Collins witnessed, usually a drowning in which a man could have helped the victim, but did not do so.

Another version of the story is that Collins came home one afternoon to find his best friend in his house. Allegedly his best friend had just raped his wife, and ran out the back door of the Collins' house. The friend, in his haste, fell into the Collins' pool, became entangled in the cover, and drowned. Supposedly, Collins watched his friend drown and did nothing.

26 years after its original release, Cadbury Schweppes used the song in their 2007 advertising campaign for its Dairy Milk chocolate bar. The commercial features a gorilla playing the piece's famous drum sequence. After its premier week in September, the song reached number 14 in the UK singles chart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy52yueBX_s&feature=related



66
Wake me up before you go-go - WHAM!, 1984

Even when the song wrote by George Michael was inspired by a scribbled note left for him by his Wham! partner Andrew Ridgeley at a hotel, I want to share with you my own interpretation about the origin of this song. Wake me up before you go-go was written for Michael's former lover who was a "go-go" dancer. Got it?

I truly believe that George Michael has been hiding his homosexuality ever since he started his music career. Here are some facts:

Debut album title: MAKE IT BIG --- Gay!

Titles of popular songs by the duo: BAD BOYS, I'M YOUR MAN, FREEDOM, CREDIT CARD BABY, CARELESS WHISPER --- Mega Gay!

Colourful clothing and tight shorts wore by Michael for this music video --- Super Gay!

Luminous gloves and Michael's eyes while holding himself for this music video --- Ubber Gay!!

Ummm, I don't know... All these elements brings me to this conclusion. You see what I mean?

The song became their first UK number one hit, the album, Make It Big, was an unqualified success. At their height of popularity the duo split in 1986.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wsCZ7Ft_Z8


65
Don't worry, be happy - BOBBY MCFERRIN, 1988

Inspired by the expression's charm and simplicity taken from a famous quote by spiritual master Meher Baba, Don't worry be happy is the only a capella song in the countdown and was also the first to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, holding that position for two weeks in September of 1988.



This classic tune was originally included in the soundtrack of Tom's Cruise movie "Cocktail", and won the awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, respectively at the 1989 Grammy Awards.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DzHJhmHSYXY



64
Once in a lifetime - TALKING HEADS, 1980



From the excellent album Remain in Light, the song is considered one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century by National Public Radio.

The verses of the song consist of David Byrne speaking rather than singing. With the lyrics "Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down", the song has a rather existential vibe to it, although it is usually interpreted to be a song dealing with the middle age crisis and the inevitable sacrifice of youthful ideals and dreams for conventional success:

And you may ask yourself
How do I work this?
And you may ask yourself
Where is that large automobile?
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful house!
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful wife!

The main portion of the lyric is said to be based on a preacher heard on the radio by Byrne and producer Brian Eno while they were driving through New York.
The music video features a bespectacled David Byrne dancing much like a marionette. The choreography was done by Toni Basil, famous for her hit song "Mickey", song that will featured in this countdown later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZONBKy7qNw

63
Don't stop believing - JOURNEY, 1981

An inmortal tune and the band's signature song.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip1zsUIosoA

Don't stop believing is well-known for its lyrics and its distinctive detuned piano introduction, described as "one of the best opening keyboard riffs in rock."

The song reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has appeared in a number of popular media productions.

In recent years, the song has received a major resurgence in popularity. Remember the final scene of The Sopranos show finale?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rnT7nYbCSvM

Singer Steve Perry was initially hesitant in allowing the song to be used in the show but later agreed. Due to all this over-whelming popularity, the song was reborn in 2007, leading the track to #1 on the iTunes charts 26 years after its release.


62
Welcome to the jungle - GUNS N' ROSES, 1987

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYRC4H64EFk&feature=related

Is the "good ol' kickass American rock 'n' roll" song that made military dictator of Panama, Manuel Noriega surrender in 1989 after years of cruelty and dirty maneuvers as the "chief executive officer" of that country.

When Manuel Noriega fled to the Vatican Embassy in Panama where he had taken refuge, U.S. troops surrounded the embassy and played loud music. Noriega enjoyed opera and detested rock music in general. The Washington Post News Service reported, "With U.S. troops at the Vatican embassy continuing to wage psychological warfare against Noriega by blaring rock music over loudspeakers and greeting him with a hearty 'Gooood Morning Panama'." And so, to irritate and intimidate him (and to enjoy themselves in the process), the troops set up their loudspeakers and blasted the Vatican embassy with loud american hard rock tunes.


Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" was the first song to come roaring through the speakers. These were eventually stopped upon request by the Vatican. A few days later, Noriega surrendered.

The song peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's first significant hit single. It is also considered by Slash the first song the band ever wrote together.

According to Axl Rose, the inspiration for the lyrics came from an encounter he and a friend had with a homeless man while they were coming out of a bus into New York. Trying to put a scare into the young runaways, the man yelled at them:


"You know where you are? You're in the jungle baby; you're gonna die!"




61
Eye of the tiger - SURVIVOR, 1982

Written at the request of Sylvester Stallone for the film Rocky III, this classic tune has became the ultimate "ready to fight" song. Just think of how many times you have heard this song in your lifetime!! Is the kind of stereotypical song that you know you are going to hear in a box ring fight, football game or whatever there's a competition between two powers involved.

The intro of the song says it all... You know, that Prum! Prum-prum-prum, prum-prum-prum, prum-prum-prum!!!

The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks from July 24, 1982.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYVrTQwUJEI




(To be continued...)

Monday, July 14, 2008

THE ULTIMATE TOP 100 SONGS OF THE 80s

We are baaaack!!!

Part 3 and 4 are about to be published tomorrow. In the meantime here's a recap from # 100 to #81.

POSITION

TITLE

ARTIST

100

Let The Music Play

SHANNON

99

The Promise

WHEN IN ROME

98

Fast Car

TRACY CHAPMAN

97

What I Like About You

THE ROMANTICS

96

Walking On Sunshine

KATRINA & THE WAVES

95

We Are The World

USA FOR AFRICA

94

I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)

HALL & OATES

93

Head Over Heels

THE GO-GO'S

92

Should I Stay Or Should I Go

THE CLASH

91

Back On The Chain Gang

THE PRETENDERS

90

In Your Eyes

PETER GABRIEL

89

Dancing In The Dark

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

88

Do They Know It's Christmas Time?

BAND AID

87

Just Can't Get Enough

DEPECHE MODE

86

Uptown Girl

BILLY JOEL

85

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

THE SMITHS

84

Bette Davis Eyes

KIM CARNES

83

London Calling

THE CLASH

82

Dancing With Myself

BILLY IDOL

81

Don't Dream It's Over

CROWDED HOUSE

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

LET'S WATCH SOME 70'S PORN!!!



DO YOU REALLY THINK I'M THAT TWISTED!!??


What you are about to watch is the new video of my favorite DJ of all time: Norman Cook aka FATBOY SLIM!!


Taking a break from his popular alias and with a little help of the great David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal on vocals (which by far is one of the best rappers that I've heard in the last 5 years),
the now BPA (Brighton Port Authority) has produced this ska-pop-hip hoppery tune titled TOE JAM.

The "à la deep throat" music video is the result of pure genius creativity and I think it has to be considered one of the best videos of this year!


Enjoy it!!!!

TOE JAM - BPA featuring DAVID BYRNE and DIZZEE RASCAL






Cheers amigos!!!

Sunday, July 6, 2008

AWWW...QUE LINDO!!!

God bless facebook and all the friends that I've found on this magnificent social networking website!!!

Couple of weeks ago I found high school friends that I haven't seen in decades!!

One of them, Javier Martinez who is living in Chile since 1990 sent me an old picture of his birthday party. He doesn't remember the year but I'm pretty sure that it was taken in 1985 when we were in 5th grade. That was the year that I used to dance to that Glenn Frey tune, THE HEAT IS ON, in front of the mirror wearing nothing but my underwear.







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-mU-YSk32I

Damn! I was such a queer!! LOL!!!

Let's see if you can find me in this picture...

I'll give you a clue. My mom used to dress me up with flannel shirts that by the time was so 70's!!! Who would have thought that I was such a fashionista wearing clothing that will become so popular 6 years later. Remember the grunge years during the early 90's?

One more clue, I was a little chubby, ready for puberty and awww... so cute...