Listening Closely

I do so enjoy the variety of entries that we then post on this blog. Today's collection includes a number of singer-songwriters, pieces inspired by classical music or poetry, and fun stuff!

Barry Manilow - "Could It Be Magic" - Based on Chopin's "Prelude in C Minor", this is one of a number of songs that entered the "pop" charts over the years based on classical melodies. (T. Williams) (Editor's note - say what you wish about Barry Manilow's career, but this song is truly quite lovely - RBK)

Harry Chapin - "Mr. Tanner" - A hauntingly beautiful song about a man chasing his dreams and what happens when he almost gets there. It’s beautifully written and sung by Harry Chapin and delivered with great emotion. The song always gets me thinking about taking chances and trying even if you might fail. (C. Hakala)

Harry Chapin (1942 - 1981) wrote a number of songs that people remember not only for their melodies but also the empathy he has towards his subjects.  His legacy continues on with the Harry Chapin Foundation whose mission is "...to support organizations that have demonstrated their ability to dramatically improve the lives and livelihood of people by helping them to become self-sufficient."

Ted Hawkins - "Strange Conversation" -

A great singer who was discovered while playing on the street. He was a homeless man with a gift!! I used to listen to him a lot in the late 80s/early 90s. I know all of his songs by heart. He's gone now. (S. Nystrom) (Editor's note - Mr. Hawkins was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1936 and passed in 1995 in Venice Beach, California, in 1995. His life story is fascinating and his experiences color his music. Go to www.allmusic.com/artist/ted-hawkins-mn0000023982/biography for more.)

Pink Floyd - "Comfortably Numb" - Michael's favorite song of all time. It explains who he was in exquisite detail many decades ago. (B Rosenblum) - (Editor's note - One of the most popular albums of the early 1980s (released in November of 1979), the album told of the alienation of the British underclasses and created quite a stir.  Pink Floyd had already moved away from the psychedelia of its early years (1965-1970) especially with the release of 1973's "The Dark Side of the Moon" - bassist/songwriter Roger Waters was in charge of the material while guitarist David Gilmour handled the icon guitar playing.  The band had a falling out in the mid-1980s with Waters going his own way and Gilmour now fronting a revised lineup.  Both are still extremely popular and busy.)

Wild Party - "OutRight" - Wild Party has been around for a few years, but I just found them and have been enjoying quite of few of their songs. (M. Winslow) - (Editor's note - This San Antonio, Texas, quartet plays what they call "face-melting pop music."  One can certainly the influences of Elvis Costello (especially his early albums with the Attractions) and Green Day.  Such fun!)

Stu Mindeman - "Peace" - I first heard this young pianist's name late last year as a member of vocalist Kurt Elling's touring band.  Then, just last month I reviewed his new album "Woven Threads", a collection of songs inspired by the years he spent in Argentina as a young boy (click here to read the review).  In my research for that article, I came across his first album, 2014's "In Your Waking Eyes: Poems by Langston Hughes."  Instead of treating the Hughes poems as "ancient relics", Minuteman creates a program that blends elements of African and African American music with Chicago-based vocalist Sarah-Marie Young singing the lyrics with power and passion.  Timeless yet modern, the album appeals to my love of rhythm and textures. (RBK)



Enjoy and please share!