B. J. Thomas empezó cantando en el coro de la iglesia antes de unirse a The Triumphs. Esta banda consiguió un relativo éxito versionando I´m so lonesome I could cry, de Hank Williams, que más tarde colaría Johnny Cash en sus American Recordings. Pero eso es otro tema.

El verdadero salto a la fama lo dio con su carrera en solitario, cuando en 1968 sacó el single Hooked on a Feeling (seguro que la conocéis mejor como “la canción de uka shaka, uka uka uka shaka, aunque esa parte la añadieron en una versión posterior). Al año siguiente llegó a la cima gracias a la banda sonora de Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (titulada creativamente en España, Dos hombres y un destino) donde cantaba precisamente la canción de hoy. El tema no era suyo, sino de uno de esos expertos en componer hits para otros, en este caso Burt Bacharach, junto a su colega Hal David. En principio querían otro cantante, pero todos les rechazaban, incluido Dylan; por fin, encontraron a Thomas, que aceptó encantado. Mal no se les dio, porque se llevaron el Óscar de ese año.

En los 80 su éxito disminuyó relativamente, aunque aún colaba algún single en las listas. Además, su canción As Long As We Got Each Other, se convirtió en la cabecera de Growing Pains, más conocida en por aquí como Los problemas crecen. Ya la pondremos por aquí en el próximo especial de sintonías.

Raindrops es una canción bastante más positiva de lo que se espera de una letra en la que no deja de lloverte encima. La verdad es que el meollo está en la tercera estrofa, cuando canta: “But there’s one thing I know / The blues they send to meet me won’t defeat me / It won’t be long till happiness steps up to greet me”. Al final es una cuestión de tomarte las cosas con filosofía, ¿no? Por mucho que llueva, ya escampará. Digo yo…

Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothin’ seems to fit
Those raindrops are fallin’ on my head, they keep fallin’

So I just did me some talkin’ to the sun
And I said I didn’t like the way he got things done
Sleepin’ on the job
Those raindrops are fallin’ on my head, they keep fallin’

But there’s one thing I know
The blues they send to meet me won’t defeat me
It won’t be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turnin’ red
Cryin’s not for me
‘Cause I’m never gonna stop the rain by complainin’
Because I’m free
Nothin’s worryin’ me

It won’t be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turnin’ red
Cryin’s not for me
‘Cause I’m never gonna stop the rain by complainin’
Because I’m free
Nothin’s worryin’ me

It’s not often that a big time composer provide articulate direction for artists or labels committed to releasing commercial work.  His discography commands respect, and his compositions are covered by the greats.  Burt spelled it out on NME-The Band’s Blog a few weeks back.  His experience will  be useful to some, and cause for argument with others.  Either way, he is a living legend.

Chart Position: 1

• ‘Friends’ are Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder
• #61 on Billboards list of 100 all-time top songs
• This is Billboard’s #1 song of 1986
• Written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager
• This recording raised funds for AIDS research
• Originally recorded by Rod Stewart for the film Night Shift (1982)
• Each of the four superstar vocalists has their own #1 record (Warwick’s was with the Spinners on ‘Then Came You’ in 1974)
• Also recorded by Cilla Black (1993), Perry Como (1987), Shirley Bassey (1991), Starlite Orchestra (1995), Ron Sanfilippo (1994) and Gunther Neefs (1999)

The Silly Girl took some time off this evening to de-stress and was listening to her collection of jazz, when she found this song in her playlist (hers was a jazz version sung by Ilona Knopfler).

Taken from the 1966 British classic starring  Michael Caine, the silly girl loves this song for the messsage that it brings across… And other than her love for jazz, this song really helps one to wind down in this cold breezy evening. 

“Find somebody to love, and live every day like it’s your last”. 

What’s it all about, Alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live?
What’s it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?
Are we meant to take more than we give
or are we meant to be kind?
And if only fools are kind, Alfie,
then I guess it’s wise to be cruel.
And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie,
what will you lend on an old golden rule?
As sure as I believe there’s a heaven above, Alfie,
I know there’s something much more,
something even non-believers can believe in.
I believe in love, Alfie.
Without true love we just exist, Alfie.
Until you find the love you’ve missed you’re nothing, Alfie.
When you walk let your heart lead the way
and you’ll find love any day, Alfie, Alfie.

"  "Alfie" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

It was the theme from the 1966 film Alfie. It was performed in the film during the end credits by Cher in an arrangement by Sonny Bono.

In 1966, Cher released her version (also the original version of this song) as a single. Released on the Imperial label, this version became a top forty hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Also in 1966, Cilla Black released her version of "Alfie" as a single. It became a top ten hit on the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at number nine. It was also a minor hit for her on the Billboard Hot 100.

On the Billboard adult contemporary chart, two further versions competed in 1966. While Carmen McRae took her version to number 29 on that chart, the version by Joanie Sommers enjoyed greater success, peaking at number nine.

In 1967, Dionne Warwick released her cover version as a single. This version outperformed both Black’s and Cher’s in the United States, going all the way to number 15 on the Hot 100 and number five on the Billboard R&B chart.

In 1968, Stevie Wonder released a harmonica instrumental version. This version also made the Hot 100, peaking at number 66. It was also a top twenty adult contemporary hit. Wonder released the single for Gordy Records under the pseudonym Eivets Rednow  (Stevie Wonder).

Other artists to record versions of "Alfie" include several versions by Burt Bacharach himself, Vikki Carr, The Delfonics, Bill Evans, Percy Faith, Blossom Dearie, Maynard Ferguson, Stan Getz, Dick Hyman, Jack Jones, The Anita Kerr Singers, Johnny Mathis, Brad Mehldau, Matt Monro, Mina Mazzini, Olivia Newton-John, Elaine Paige, Buddy Rich, Joss Stone (for the 2004 remake of Alfie), Barbra Streisand, The Sweet Inspirations, McCoy Tyner, Patricia Barber, Midge Ure, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson and Vanessa L. Williams.

In a deleted scene from the movie Austin Powers in Goldmember, they parody the song, replacing Alfie with Austin. The song is sung by most of the main characters. Michael Caine, who plays Austin Powers father, also played "Alfie" in the original movie. Scenes from the 1966 film Alfie can be seen in the background while he is singing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfie_(song) . "

In this video, Tom Hope is on piano and my friend,

Jazz singer, the FABULOUS Kimberly Gordon

singing one of my favorite Burt Bacharach 

and Hal David songs, check it out! Kimberly has a CD

with her Trio called Melancholy Serenade which has

a wonderful and PROFESSIONALLY recorded version

of "Alfie".

3 years ago, someone introduced this song to the silly girl and till this very day, she is still in love with this beautiful song.

Have a great evening ahead!

From Playbill.com:

Previews at the Broadway Theatre will begin on Sunday, March 28th, 2010, with an opening night slated for Sunday, April 25th, 2010.Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth and “Will & Grace” star Sean Hayes will star in a new revival of the Burt Bacharach-Hal David-Neil Simon musical Promises, Promises, which will arrive in spring 2010.

Tony and Emmy Award winner Rob Ashford will also make his Broadway directorial debut and choreograph. More casting and creative team members will be announced in the near future.

Chenoweth will portray Fran Kubelik and Hayes will by ladder-climbing executive Chuck Baxter in an upcoming Broadway revival. Broadway Across America, Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Candy Spelling and The Weinstein Company will produce.

Promises, Promises is a musical adaptation of Billy Wilder’s popular film, “The Apartment”

hello nice reederz its dennis the vizsla dog hay thats rite its time for the sunday awards and meem show!!! now as yoo may rekall i reesently tryed to up the produkshun valyooz of the show by hiring a prodooser but that effert went a littel bit awri however i hav come up with an eeven better way to improov the show i hav brawt in the faymus minstrel bert bockarock to rite me a theem song!!!

ha ha of korse yoo ar not yohan sebastchin bock i noo that ennyway it is time to git on to the awards!!! first we hav this frum my frends at crumsnatchers its the clever foto capshun award!!!

to see the orijinal foto and the capshuns yoo can visit crumsnatchers heer!!! thanks to evrywun hoo voted for my capshun!!!

ha ha wot a silly guy thinks he wrote the theem frum the big lebowski!!!! ok my other award of the week is the best of pals award frum my gud frends martha and bailey basset!!!

now yoo wil no dowt rekognize this award as the wurk of the verry talented purple hatter!!! thanks for mayking all theez wunderful awards purple hatter!!! martha and bailey passd this award on to all there frends so i wil do the saym!!! and thats a rap for this week thaynks for watching!!! ok bye

Colgems COSO 5005 – United States – 1967

Decca MUPS 450 – Great Britain – 1965

FOOTLIGHTS: Last week Vanessa Williams started her fourth season as Ugly Betty’s ever-scheming yet oddly lovable magazine editor Wilhelmina Slater,

WILLIAMS: Sondheim serenader

a roie which has won her three consecutive Emmy Award nominations to date. This week the former Miss America is plotting her return to Broadway with powerhouse Barbara Cook in a new nightly tribute to Stephen Sondheim. Williams starred as the Witch in the 2003 revival of Sondheim’s Into The Woods. “Ugly Betty is my priority,” she says candidly, “and we shoot in the spring — so there are going to be some days that I may not be able to do the Sondheim show. But we’re going to do as much as we can so I can do an eight-show week.” The new musical, Sondheim On

CHENOWITH: Bacharach baby?

Sondheim, will be directed by her Into The Woods champion James Lapine and is scheduled to open early next year … remember Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon in the 1960 Billy Wilder film classic The Apartment? Remember Jerry Orbach and Jill O’Hara in the 1968 Broadway musical version, Promises, Promises? Remember all those hummable Burt Bacharach-Hal David tunes like I’ll Never Fall In Love Again? Word on the Great White Way is that Wicked scene-stealer Kristin Chenowith will return

LAHTI: Carnage

to the New York stage to play opposite Will & Grace funnyman Sean Hayes in a modernized 2010 revival of the hit musical. Stay tuned … and here’s one for the Change Partners & Dance Dept.: A new cast for Yasmina Reza’s Tony-winning black comedy God of Carnage will begin performances on November 17 on Broadway. Christine Lahti will replace Marcia Gay Harden; Annie Potts has signed on to replace Hope Davis; Jimmy Smits will replace Jeff Daniels; and original West End cast member Ken Stott will recreate his performance as Michael, replacing James

SMITS: replacing Jeff Daniels

Gandolfini.

FLICKERS: The 10^th annual Planet in Focus film festival, which opened here yesterday, features over 85 films on environmental issues from 25 countries, with pre- and post-screening discussions and panels and special programs for children and schools. A special section of the festival, Land & Conflict screenings, include Canadian premieres of Voices from El Sayed. The 2008 film set in the Bedouin village that is home to the largest community of deaf people in the world; and Jerusalem Moments 2009, a showcase of short films by seven young Palestinian and Israeli directors. To get all the W5, click here … and following a successful pitch at RomaFictionFest, veteran producer Pat Ferns is teaming up with Britain’s Scenario Films to

TOMLIN: class consciousness

develop Shakespeare in Venice, a dramatic series in the tradition of Shakespeare in Love. Based on exhaustive research by Alessandro Bettero, the screenplays will be co-written with award-winning British screenwriter Gareth Jones … and David Cronenberg is set to appear at tonight’s TIFF Cinemateque screening of Videodrome, his prescient 1983 thriller with James Woods, Deborah Harry and Sonja Smits, tonight at 9 pm at the AGO.

QUOTABLE QUOTES: “I lived in a racially diverse and financially diverse neighborhood and I knew who was favored and who wasn’t and who had “nicer” material circumstances and who didn’t. It was the practice at our grade school in those days to stand and tell the class what you’d received for Christmas that year and it was gruesome because it was clear when a kid was lying or exaggerating out of shame, and I can remember being one of them. You might say you’d gotten a sweater and boots and a new coat and all kinds of things that you never showed up in. I can’t imagine what teacher would support such a practice today unless it was used anonymously to raise political and social consciousness and make it an illuminating exercise.”

The speaker? Lily Tomlin, on becoming class conscious at the age of 7.

MAPLE LEAF JOKES? WE’VE GOT A MILLION OF ‘EM!:

Q: What do the Toronto Maple Leafs and possums have in common?
A. Both play dead at home and get killed on the road.

TOMORROW:

Liz Smith goes on a tear, Jacqueline Bisset goes Italian,

and Ragtime returns to Broadway — without Garth.

-/-

Só para constar, está passando no Sony AGORA (22h22min) O Casamento do Meu Melhor Amigo (My Bestfriend Wedding, 1997, JP Hogan). É uma das minhas comédias românticas preferidas, com uma das minhas cenas de abertura preferida e uma das atrizes mais lindas, na minha opinião (Cameron Diaz). A trilha sonora é toda do Burt Bacharach, ainda por cima, e tem cenas inesquecíveis como a Cameron Diaz no karaokê, a estátua de gelo de David, o pequeno musical na janta de noivado, o telefone sem fio no banheiro da estação e “ele não quer Creme Brulée. Ele quer gelatina”.

Quem ainda não viu, é uma comédia romântica que, enfim, vale a pena ser assistida. Apesar da Julia Roberts, que passa longe de ser do meu gosto…

[ ένα ποστάκι με χαμόγελο για το Σαββατοκύριακο, μέχρι να πάρω δυνάμεις και να γράψω ξανά τίποτα ( έρχεται το κλασσικό ... ) της προκοπής ]

Κάποια μέρα του Αυγούστου ανέβασα ένα ποστ – φαντομά με τον αγαπημένο μου γιουτουμπίσιο γατούλη ( είμαι φαν ), του Bonk bonk bonk bonk ! a.k.a. Bonky a.k.a. Bonkerton the 4th of Scottland . Αν δεν τον θυμάστε πάρτε μια γεύση από τα ” παιδικά του χρόνια ” :

Ε, λοιπόν ο Bonk x 4 μεγάλωσε, είναι πια ενός χρονού ( και κάτι ) και μπορεί πλέον να κάθεται στα δυο του πόδια όπως όλες οι γάτες της ράτσας του ! Και φυσικά οι ιδιοκτήτες του ο Joe και η Tessa έσπευσαν να ενημερώσουν τους θαυμαστές του για την πρόοδο :

Δεν είναι τέ-λει-ος ?????

Και η απαραίτητη μουσική νότα … ( τα χαμόγελα συνεχίζονται )

Φοβερό στυλ ο Tom Jones ? Χα, χα !

Το ” What’s New Pussycat “ γράφτηκε από τον Burt Bacharach το 1965 για την ομώνυμη ταινία με πρωταγωνιστή τον Peter Sellers και η μουσική του είναι εμπνευσμένη από τον χαρακτήρα του ήρωα που έπαιζε ο διάσημος κωμικός . Το σενάριο της ταινίας ήταν το πρώτο που έγραψε ο μεγάλος  Woody Allen !

Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο και να χαμογελάτε ! 

“Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head”

(Hal David /Burt Bacharach)

B.J. Thomas

Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothin’ seems to fit
Those…
Raindrops are fallin’ on my head, they keep fallin’

So I just did me some talkin’ to the sun
And I said I didn’t like the way he got things done
Sleepin’ on the job
Those…
Raindrops are fallin’ on my head, they keep fallin’

But there’s one thing
I know
The blues they sent to meet me
Won’t defeat me
It won’t be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turnin’ red
Cryin’s not for me
‘Cause…
I’m never gonna stop the rain by complainin’
Because I’m free
Nothin’s worryin’ me

It won’t be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turnin’ red
Cryin’s not for me
‘Cause…
I’m never gonna stop the rain by complainin’
Because I’m free
Nothin’s worryin’ me…

In Memoriam

Steve McQueen in The Blob (1958)

 

The Blob is an independently made American horror/science-fiction film from 1958 depicting a giant amoeba-like alien that terrorizes the small community of Downingtown, Pennsylvania. It was not until star Steve McQueen became famous with the TV series Wanted: Dead or Alive that the film became a hit at the drive-in theatres. Today, the film is recognized as one of the quintessential 1950s American sci-fi/horror films.

The film was Steve McQueen’s debut performance, and also starred Aneta Corsaut. The film’s tongue-in-cheek theme song, “Beware of the Blob” (recorded by studio group The Five Blobs), was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and was a nationwide hit in the U.S.

Buy this Title on DVD

Trivia:

27"x 40" Movie Poster

Acabei descobrindo por acaso essa banda italiana. Colocar Bacharach o nome de uma canção é uma grande publicidade, como grande fã do compositor norte-americano, tive a curiosidade imediatamente despertada. A primeira vez que ouvi, legal, a segunda, é bom, a terceira eu já fui atrás do disco e não deu outra: Personal Train é meu novo favorito. Apesar do nome, o Fitness Forever canta em italiano, algo que intensifica a doçura cafona e napolitana de um power-pop mais pra pop que pra power. As influências, que vão de João Gilberto a Stereolab, The Who a High Llamas, Scott Walker a Piero Umiliani, são certeiras. Pelo menos é muito do que adoro dos últimos 50 anos. E o grande mérito do Fitness Forever é exatamente o equilíbrio entre o cuidadoso e o descartável, entre o apuro de timbres e arranjos, o disco é cheio de orquestras e harmonias vocais, e o imediatismo de um bom e inevitável refrão.

Traincha & the Metropole Orchestra: This Girl’s In Love With You: Burt Bacharach Songbook (Blue Note 698911)
The Metropole Orchestra is a specifically pop orchestra directed by Vince Mendoza, producer and arranger is Patrick Williams, engineering is by Al Schmitt, and a certain Mr Bacharach is guest on a few tracks. And they have all come to the party of a young singer called Trijntje Oosterhuis who has been relatively unknown outside of the Netherlands (the phonetically translated name change seems to be to make her more acceptable to the non-Dutch speaking world).

Now, I have pretty firm views on singers and the Burt Bacharach canon. With a few exceptions I take the purist line that Bacharach/David and Dionne Warwick go together like a horse and carriage – or should that be like raindrops and a head? – and attempts to improve on them, or even offer an alternative, are pointless.

And the exceptions? Well, ‘Retha and I Say A Little Prayer, obviously, and any of the handful of Bacharach songs Luther Vandross covered. My daughter is particularly partial to a set of Bacharach the Scandinavian singer Rigmor Gustafsson made with the Jacky Terrasson Trio. And I applaud her fine taste in this. I can’t remember if Dusty covered any, but if she did I am sure I would approve of those as well.

And isn’t it interesting that jazz singers don’t seem to manage Burt very well at all? Jazz singers muck around too much, and these songs already have all the interest in them that is needed, so a relatively plain, old pop reading works best. And I say “old pop” on purpose. The melismatic overload that blights modern pop (Yes, Maria Carey and all those Gospel-turned-pop singers are guilty, and so are the TV talent contests for encouraging it) is anathema to Bacharach, just as it is anathema to Steely Dan songs. These are, for the most part, one note to a syllable writers, and more power to their composers’ elbows.

So what about Traincha? Well, she is just fabulous. The best singer of Bacharach since Dionne. At times  - the light vibrato at the end of a line, as on the words “car” and “star” in Do You Know The Way To San Jose, for example – she actually refers back (intentionally, I presume) to the great Ms Warwick in her phrasing and tone. But she is also her own singer, taking a more contemporary tone and style on some tracks – Don’t Make Me Over for starters – and able to raise the emotional heat without ever drawing attention away from the songs themselves.

Maybe that is what Burt himself saw in her singing and why he became involved in the recording; her relatively ego-less approach must be every songwriter’s dream.

It’s great, too, to hear new arrangements – mostly by Patrick Williams, but some by Mendoza – of these mostly familiar tunes. I am less acquainted with Bacharach’s recent work, partly because Elvis Costello’s singing irritates me. So songs like God Give Me Strength and This House Is Empty Now are very pleasant surprises. There is also a brand new one, Who’ll Speak For Love, written by Burt and Tim Rice.

Of course, the disc every record collection needs is Dionne Warwick sings the Bacharach and David Songbook, but coming a close second is This Girl’s In Love.

Als Abschlusskonzert des diesjährigen Seebühnenzaubers präsentierten die Veranstalter im Mannheimer Luisenpark noch einmal eine der ganz Großen des Musikgeschäfts: Dionne Warwick. Neben dem besonderen Umstand, dass der Auftritt auf der Amphitheater-ähnlichen Seebühne mit idyllischem Blick auf den Kutzenweiher stattfand, hatte der Abend mit dem einzigen Deutschlandauftritt der Soul-Diva einen exklusiven Rahmen.

Kaum hatte Dionne Warwick mit “Why do Birds suddenly appear…” die Eröffnungszeilen aus (They Long to Be) Close to You gesungen, inszenierte sich im Hintergrund bereits routiniert eine Entenfamilie in gestaffelter Aufstellung. Der Song, mit dem vor allem die Geschwister Carpenter einen großen Erfolg in den 1970er Jahren feiern konnten, stand dabei schon sinnbildlich für das musikalische Konzept des Abends. Die 59-jährige Dionne bot heute einen Querschnitt aus ihrer beachtlichen Karriere, wobei der Schwerpunkt jedoch auf der sehr erfolgreichen Schaffensphase zusammen mit dem Komponisten Burt Bacharach und dem Songwriter Hal David von Mitte der 60er bis rein in die 70er Jahre lag.

Interessanterweise befanden sich unter den Titeln nahezu keine Cover-Versionen. Miss Warwick wurde nämlich als Muse von Bacharach – der das Monopol auf melancholische Melodien innehat – immer als eine der ersten Chanteusen bedacht. So auch für den Soul-Klassiker Walk on by, den sie 1964 gemeinsam aufnahmen. Begleitet wurde die in New Jersey geborene Sängerin diesmal von Keyboard, Drums, Gitarre, Percussion und natürlich Piano.

Burt Bacharach & Dionne Warwick

Immer wenn die von den Keys dominierte Soundkulisse eine Spur zu glatt wurde, kompensierte Dionne Warwick mit ihrer nach wie vor einwandfreien Wunderstimme. Anyone Who Had a Heart und I’ll Never Fall in Love Again waren die Vorlage – vollends entfaltete sich der Seebühnenzauber im lilafarbenen Neonlicht nach Dämmerung. Zum Tod von Michael Jackson äußerte sich Dionne nicht, vielleicht würdigte sie dem King of Pop im Stillen zu Message to Michael. Anschließend präsentierte die Cousine von Whitney Houston ein Neuarrangement von I Say a Little Prayer, das man vorrangig wohl eher Aretha Franklin zurechnet. Doch auch hier hatte das Duo Bacharach/David zunächst Warwick bedacht, ehe Franklin 1968 damit durchstartete.

Einer der größten Hits von Dionne Warwick ist Heartbreaker, das unverkennbar die Handschrift der Bee Gees trägt und dessen Chorus nun von den fast restlos besetzten Rängen aus beigesteuert wurde. Überhaupt wurden die Fans nach freundlichen Aufforderungen der Diva jetzt aktiver. Mittlerweile lebt Dionne Warwick in Brasilien, was sich besonders auf ihre neueren Veröffentlichungen niedergeschlagen hat. Mit Brazil (Aquarela do Brasil) wechselten die Rhythmen schlagartig in Richtung Copacabana. Zum Ärger ihres Bodyguards kam Dionne einer Einladung eines Tänzers aus dem Publikum gleich mit einer gemeinsamen Runde Samba nach. Das brachte ihr zusätzliche Sympathiepunkte ein. Erst mit Do You Know The Way To San José ging der Ausflug nach Brasilien dann allmählich zu Ende.

Da ausnahmslos alle Warwick-Lieder von der Liebe handeln, bewegt sie sich automatisch immer auf dem schmalen Grad zwischen herzergreifendem Song und Schmonzette. Dennoch legt sie so viel Ausdruckskraft in ihre Stimme, dass man ihr die einfühlenden Texte gerne abnimmt. Als Warwick von Bacharach und David den Song What the World Needs Now Is Love angeboten bekam, lehnte sie zunächst dankend ab. Jackie DeShannon machte den Titel schließlich doch noch zum Hit und nun zählt er auch zu Dionnes Lieblingsstücken, wie sie heute erzählte.

Zwar ohne ihre Freunde Gladys Knight, Elton John und Stevie Wonder, aber dafür mit fast 1000 neuen Freunden im Publikum beendete Dionne Warwick nach knapp einer Stunde ihren guten Auftritt mit der Ode an die Freundschaft That’s What Friends Are For.

Andreas Margara (31. August 2009)

Owner Jayne Battle loves to “work the room.” She asks: “Isn’t that what it’s all about?”

We were thrilled to see that Citysearch included Jaynes in its list of San Diego restaurants “where the owners still work the room.”

When you come to visit our restaurant, for us, it’s like you’re coming to visit us in our home: of course we’re there to greet you! Our restaurant is about sharing food, drink, and music (and laughter) with people we love.

So you want to be a songwriter. How do you go about that?

Do you go to music school, study real hard, graduate, start writing as many songs as you can, form a band to perform your compositions, practice incessantly so you’ll be signed by a record label, then once you’re signed record all your songs and release them hoping they will sell millions of copies and you’ll be called the greatest songwriter of all-time?

Dr. Nick Troop (right) composes ideal song for legend David Bowie (left).

Or do you become a lecturer in healthy psychology, use a program called Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) to break down all the songs of a famous British singer, use what you learned to write and record that song and then upload the video of you performing the song onto YouTube in the guise of an scholarly experiment?

Okay, you don’t have to answer our question. We know it’s silly—like they have schools that teach music. Besides we all know Burt Bacharach’s career didn’t blossom until he got that elusive masters in childhood psychology.

A doctor and psychology expert from the University of Hertfordshire (the British equivalent to the University of Miami) examined the songs of David Bowie and came up with what he calls the “ideal Bowie song.” This doctor believes this song would lead to chart success and “improved health for the singer.”

This idea belongs to Dr. Nick Troop, the Principal Lecturer in Health Psychology at the aforementioned university. The doctor is an avid Bowie fan just like the Land of Punt.

“Although my interest in Bowie started as a hobby, I was motivated by studies which I and others have carried out that prove that writing about trauma and life goals have long-term benefits to health.”

He analyzed the Thin White Duke’s 26 albums and 266 songs to find links between words and chart success (what a great excuse to listen to Bowie’s music, hopefully he got paid for this).

“I looked at the link between the language used and how long Bowie’s albums had spent in the charts.”

It should be noted that Bowie (including his days with Tin Machine) had twenty-three top ten albums in the U.K. (seven No. 1’s) but only five in the U.S.

Troop used a program developed by James Pennebaker, a psychologist at the University of Texas. This program “investigates psychological constructs represented in text.” Meaning the program breaks down Bowie’s words based on psychological processes not on what his lyrics actual mean.

“I found that the songs with positive emotion and social processes were more successful than the songs that talked about mortality.”

Troop does point out that there are some slight variations. For instance, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” contains the negative word “suicide” but it’s a great and popular Bowie song.

The good doc put all this hard work together and wrote a song called “Team, Meet Girls; Girls, Meet Team.” He believes if Bowie recorded it he would have great success.

You can hear the doctor give a brief explanation of his experiment and hear him sing the song below. If you already have your psych degree and have no desire to sit through a lecture, the song starts at 4:24.

Be forewarned, while it does sounds like Bowie, Space Oddity era, it’s extremely long and monotonous (keep your hand on the volume knob too). Also the words don’t seem to flow very well or make any sense. Perhaps if Bowie tinkered with it a good song might be salvaged after all.

The reason we believe Dr. Troop is using his experiment to increase traffic to his YouTube page and maybe spark some interest in his music career is he only takes into account the lyrics.

We understand why, it’s hard to examine the psychological processes of a guitar riff. Yet there are many other aspects of music besides the lyrics, like the rhythm and the melody. Both of which could be easily analyzed. The rhythm could be boiled down to beats per minute and melody lines could be charted on a graph and averaged out.

An original song that has been created using an analysis of lyrics, rhythm and melody would be utterly fascinating.

Furthermore, the doctor seems to make the assumption that chart success is a sole product of quality songwriting, perhaps even just lyrics. There are many factors that go into making a song a chart success such as when it’s released, the current music scene at the time, marketing, and technology.

In the video the doctor goes into deeper detail about the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count. He reveals that songs containing words about social processes (talk, share) and/or positive words (join, love, elegant) did better than albums with words relating to motion, travel, the senses, and death.

A curious conclusion considering popular music is dominated by the whims and fancy of young people. And young people seem more motivated by words relating to motion, travel, the senses and death then they do by words relating to social or positive processes.

That contradiction is part of why Troop’s work is so interesting and clever. Not only that but the potential for studying of other artists (The Beatles in particular) is quite intriguing.

Has Dr. Troop created the ideal Bowie song? No, but he has given us something to think about and another way to think about music. That’s always a good thing.

Team, Meet Girls; Girls, Meet Team (© Nick Troop, 2009)

Buddy loves good loving : Calm and proud while peace wins
Warmth and conversation : Heaven’s energy and an elegant charm
Truth wins – an adult love to win awards
Sweet faith : Secure in the affection of a better boy
Feeling admiration : A cheerful kiss, kiss the phone
Truth wins – an adult love to win awards
Team, meet girls; girls, meet team
They met and were loving : Perfectly amazed, comfort and cared for
A loyal companion : Share, relax, creating humans XXX
Dear charm, playing nice give paradise smiles
Truth wins – an adult love to win awards
Team, meet girls; girls, meet team
Team, meet girls; girls, meet team
Special persons with casual ease enjoy the band
Lucky and rich, a special guest hero
Team, meet girls; girls, meet team
Team, meet girls; girls, meet team
Girls, meet team; team, meet girls