Home

'Home' by the awesome Michael Buble was released in 2005. It was his debut single in the UK and didn't do very well in the charts (No.162).

I love Michael Buble , he is gorgeous and seems like a really nice guy!. His voice is magical, like velvet....and this is a beautiful song. Did I mention I am going to see him in Las Vegas in November....I am so excited!

Listen to the song and watch the video here

This song choice is perfect for today because I am flying home tomorrow, back to the UK to see family & friends. I won't be gone long, just over a week but I am really looking forward to it.

I do love living in California but I miss home, and the UK will always be my home....

I have lots planned (too much):

- I should have a roast dinner waiting for me when I get to my mums house
- I have a twilight spa day at Aqua Sana booked for the following evening (lets hope I can stay awake)
- I am going shopping for all my favourite UK food/beauty products (twiglets!)
- I am meeting friends for a meal
- Catching up with my favourite neighbours
- Going to Shipley Country Park where my dads ashes were scattered
- Going to my favourite fish n chip shop
- Going to my nieces 3rd birthday party
- Another roast dinner with my sister
- Another spa day with my mum to Ragdale Hall

I will do my very best to keep blogging whilst I am away but I only have my phone and Ipad with me. I should be able to post a few pics along the way though, I just won't be able to be very creative or comment back very often.

Wish me a good flight!

California Love

I am re-using some artwork I did back for the A-Z challenge today! Just because I heard this song on the radio yesterday.

'California Love' is a hip hop song released in 1995 by 2pac (or Tupac) and it features Dr Dre and Roger Troutman. Tupac released this song after he came out of prison where he was serving time for a sexual-assault charge. Tupac was killed in 1996 after being shot in Las Vegas in a drive by shooting.

The song reached No.1 in the USA.

I love the beat in the background and I like to turn this song up loud when it comes on in the car, wind down the windows, open the sunroof and pretend I am cool! It's one of those kind of songs.

Shake it shake it baby!

Listen to it here

Do you like hip hop music?

Sailing

I took this photo when we went Whale Watching from Dana Point back in February.

'Sailing' by Rod Stewart was released in 1975. It was previously recorded by 'The Sutherland Brothers' but I've never heard of them! Have you?

If I was asked to name a Rod Stewart song, my first thought would be 'Sailing', I don't know why?

It was a No.1 hit for Rod for 4 weeks in the UK and it remains his best selling single. It only reached No.58 in the USA.

It was re-released in 1987 as a charity single for the Zeebrugge ferry disaster.

You can listen to it here and watch the video. It looks like Rod has quite a bit of make up on!

It's a nice song, very relaxing. I'm not sure I have a favourite Rod Stewart song...I think I like them all.

Do you have a favourite song by Rod Stewart?

True Colors

'True Colors' is a song released by Cyndi Lauper in 1986. I don't care much for Cyndi Lauper but I like this song, it's so beautiful!

It reached No.1 in the USA and No.12 in the UK. Listen to it here

True Colors was written by Billy Steinberg, who also wrote 'Like a Virgin', 'Eternal Flame', 'I Drove all night' and 'I Touch Myself', I like all of these songs.

I find it hard to write 'Colors' rather than 'Colours'....this is just one of many words that is spelt differently in the USA to the UK. Another is Neighbor (USA) which I would spell as Neighbour (UK).

Why is that.....does anyone know?

Surfin' U.S.A

Good day! hope you all enjoyed your weekend.

"Surfin' U.S.A." by The Beach Boys was released in 1963. 50 YEARS AGO! It was written by Chuck Berry.  

The song reached No.3 in the USA and No. 34 in the UK. (I find it hard to believe it never reached No.1). It is such a classic, feel good song.

It featured in the 1985 film, Teen Wolf. (One of my favourite movies growing up) when he is surfing on the roof of the van.

Watch the clip from Teen Wolf here

I would love to be able to surf, but don't think I would look great in a wet suit and I would probably drown.

Any surfers out there?

Friday I'm in love

With it being Friday (Happy Friday!), I have picked 'Friday I'm in Love' by The Cure.  It was released in 1992 and became a worldwide hit, reaching No.6 in the UK and No.18 in America.

It says on Wikipedia:

During the writing process, Robert Smith became convinced that he had inadvertently stolen the chord progression from somewhere, and this led him to a state of paranoia where he called everyone he could think of and played the song for them, asking if they heard the song before. None of them had, and Robert realized that the melody was indeed his.

I wonder what made him paranoid?...

The Video for 'Friday I'm in Love' won MTV's European Viewer's Choice for Best Music Video in the same year it was released. You can watch the video and listen to the song here

I'm not crazy about The Cure, but I do like this song. My favourite is 'Close To Me'.

For some reason when I was younger, I remember the video for this scared me, it was always on MTV too. Am I being silly?


Do you like The Cure and can you think of any other songs with 'Friday in the title?

Have a lovely weekend!

Purple Rain

'Purple Rain' is a song released in 1984 by Prince and The Revolution. It is a single from the album of the same name and featured in the film of the same name too. It reached No.2 in the USA. Prince won an Oscar for best original song score.

The full Purple Rain song lasts 8 minutes!  Listen to it here (or a little bit of it anyway).

I've never seen the film but like the song, it's not my favourite Prince song though.

My favourites are 'Raspberry Beret', 'Seven' , 'Money don't matter tonight'  and 'Little Red Corvette' are my favourite songs. I guess I like more Prince songs than I realised.


Do you have a favourite Prince song?

Time to say goodbye

Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, its just the title of today's song!

'Time to Say Goodbye' or 'Con te Partiro' is an Italian song most famously sung by Andre Bocelli (and later with Sarah Brightman). It was first released in 1995 and was not originally a hit in Italy. It  became one of the best selling songs in France and the best selling song ever in Belgium and Germany.

Wikipedia says that the lyrics of the song are in the first person, and the singer is speaking to a lover, saying:

There is no light if you are not here with me. Lands that I never shared with you, I shall experience with you on ships across seas that exist no more. With you, I will go. I know you are with me, my bini, my suomi

How beautiful is that?

I adore this song, it is so moving. I had an acoustic version playing as one of our wedding songs and I want it played at my funeral too (morbid - sorry!).

You can listen to the Italian version of this song, sung by Andre Bocelli here

It featured heavily in one of my favourite shows 'The Sopranos' and is also one of the songs used for the Bellagio fountains. I went to Vegas a few years ago and watched the fountains to this song, it made me cry! I could stand all day watching those fountains.

Watch the Bellagio fountain show with the music here

I am going to Vegas again in November and cannot wait, I am so excited. We are going to drive there and I get to stay at the Bellagio again. I'm going to see Michael Buble!


Have you seen the Bellagio fountains or been to Vegas?

Tequila Sunrise

Today's song title of 'Tequila Sunrise' was suggested to me at the beginning of June by the lovely Susie!  Thank you Susie :)

It's not a song I've heard of but that's okay, it means I get to do some research (or consult Wikipedia anyway).

I think the version Susie is referring to was written in 1973 and recorded by The Eagles. Its a lovely song, very chilled. Listen to it here

Cypress Hill also did a song called Tequila Sunrise, listen here. I've not listened to Cypress Hill for a while, I like the guitar and horns in the background. It's a nice tune, one to add to my collection.


Which version of Tequila Sunrise do you prefer?

Summertime

Hey, hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Today I have illustrated the song title 'Summertime', there are so many songs with this title (see Wikipedia here for them all)..... but when I chose this title originally I was thinking of George Gershwin's version (hence the saxophone). I used to play this song on the saxophone at school in big band!

Gershwin composed this song for the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess. There are over 25,000 versions. Click here to listen to it being played by Charlie Parker on saxophone.

A different 'Summertime' is the awesome tune by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. This takes me back...happy memories! It won a Grammy Award back in 1991 for best rap song.

Listen to this awesome tune here


Do you like the saxophone version?

Bubble Toes

Yeah its Friday! I am having the weekend off again...

Today's song title is 'Bubble Toes', which is a song by the awesome Jack Johnson. I love Jack Johnson, his music is so chilled and relaxing. I often listen to it when I'm working on designs.

If you've not heard this song, you can listen to it here

I would love to see Jack Johnson live, I'm waiting for him to tour again.

Do you like Jack Johnson?

Have a great weekend everyone x

One Love

Song title today is 'One Love' which I originally planned for the legendary Bob Marley but on researching I forgot that the UK band 'Blue' also did a song by this title so I will cover both!

'One Love' by Bob Marley is a classic song. I was first introduced to Bob by an ex-boyfriend when I was 16 years old. The song was released in 1977 (before I was born!), it has been used in films/programmes (including Glee, Marley & Me) and covered by so many people (Antonio Banderas, Richard Branson?).

I love this song, its such a happy tune...listen here

UK boy band 'Blue' released their song 'One Love' in 2002, it reached no.3 in the UK Charts. The video was made in LA (just up the road from me), the boys look very cute in the video!. I love this song too, it makes me feel young and reminds me of when I went to Cornwall, it was playing on the radio all the time. I'm surprised this didn't get to No.1 in the UK.

You can watch the video and listen to it here


Which 'One Love' song do you prefer and can you think of any others?

Butterfly

'Butterfly' is a song by American group Crazy Town released in 2000.  The song reached No.1 in 15 countries, including the USA.

You can watch the video and listen to it here.

Despite its success, the song was named the 34th "Most Awesomely Bad Song Ever" by VH1.

I have to admit, I quite like it! The lyrics are a little dodgy but I like the tune.

What do you think to this song?

Ticket To Ride

I'm cheating a bit today and adapting some artwork I previously did for college, but it works for this post!

Today's song title is 'Ticket To Ride' which was released by The Beatles in 1965. The song got to No.1 in both the UK and the USA. The Beatles were the fourth consecutive British group to get to No.1 in the USA.

Wikipedia says that Lennon stated that the song related to cards indicating a clean bill of health carried by Hamburg prostitutes in the 1960s. The Beatles played in Hamburg early in their musical career, and "ride/riding" was slang for having sex.

You can watch the video and listen to the song here. It's quite an amusing video, Ringo is fake playing the drums!

Everyone likes The Beatles......what is your favourite Beatles song?

Caravan of Love

 

 

Good morning! hope you all had a lovely weekend. I had a very lazy one...sunbathing and swimming.

 

Today's song is 'Caravan of Love' which was originally a hit recorded in 1985 by Isley-Jasper-Isley from The Isley Brothers. (I didn't know this).

 

It is the version by The Housemartins released in November 1986 that I know of. Their capella version of this song reached number one in the UK in December 1986.

 

I've listened to both and still prefer The Housemartins version but maybe I am biased.

 

You can listen to them both here and here....let me know which one you prefer!

 

 

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

 

 

"Over the Rainbow" (often referred to as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow") was written for the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz.

The American Film Institute have ranked it as the greatest movie song of all time.

My favourite version of this song is by Hawaiian musician "Israel Kamakawiwo" aka "The Fearless Eyed".  He sadly died in 1997.

His version has featured in several films and TV programmes including one my favourites....ER (George Clooney!)

It is so beautiful I had it playing at my wedding, you can listen to his version here.

Have you heard this version before?

I think I am going to take the weekend off......so I will see you on Monday! x

Message in a Bottle

 

 

"Message in a Bottle" is a song by The Police from 1979....(wow I didn't realise this song was that old).

You can watch the video here on YouTube. Watching it makes you realise how much things have changed in the last 30+ years in the world of music videos and haircuts.

The song is about a story of a castaway on an island, who sends out a message in a bottle to seek love.  The single was The Police's first number one hit in the UK but amazingly it only reached 74 in the USA.

Listening to The Police reminds me of being in Tenerife when I was 15 years old. We used to go to this bar each night and the guy who owned the bar played The Police constantly. I've loved all their songs since then.

I don't think I have a favourite song, I like them all.

Do you have a favourite Police song?

Hello

 

 

 

 

 

I have created quite a simple postcard style design for today using Adobe Illustrator.

 

The song title if you have not already guessed represents 'Hello' by the legendary Lionel Richie!

 

Such a classic song and one of those music videos you always remember. It tells the story of a teacher falling in love with a blind student. You don't get music videos like this anymore!

 

The song was released in 1984 and reached number one on three billboard music charts and in the UK. You can watch the video here on YouTube. If you've not seen it, it's a must!

 

My favourite Lionel Richie song is probably 'All Night Long', it feels so summery (check out Lionel dancing in the video). Let the music play on, play on, play on....

 

 

Do you have a favourite Lionel Richie song?

Nineteen

 

 

"19" is a song by British musician Paul Hardcastle released in 1985.

 

I was very young when this song came out so I didn't really get the meaning or understand what it was about at the time. The title "19" comes from a Vietnam War documentary's claim that the average age of an American combat soldier in the war was 19, as compared to World War II's 26.

 

"19" topped the pop charts in the UK for five weeks, and reached the top twenty in the US, where it also topped the dance chart. You can listen to it here.

 

Hardcastle talks to the Guardian here about what inspired him to make the song.

  

His manager at the time was the one and only Simon Fuller who went on to manager the Spice Girls and launched American Idol!

 

Can you remember what you were doing when you were 19?

True Blue

The song True Blue by Madonna brings back so many memories for me....dancing round the bedroom, making up routines with my sister. I love it! The lyrics are so easy to remember too.

Click here to listen... 

 

The song was on her third studio album of the same name, released in 1986...wow 27 years ago, I feel very old now. I would say it's my favourite Madonna album, probably because of the memories it holds. (I'm not that crazy about her music in the last decade or so).

What's your favourite Madonna song?

The Magic Number

 

 

The Magic Number is a 1990 single by De La Soul, click here to listen.

 

 

 

Here are 3 random facts about the number 3 for you all on this lovely sunday!

 

1. Commands are given in three steps, for example:

• Lights! Camera! Action!
  
• Ready! Aim! Fire!
  
• On Your Mark! Get Set! Go!

2. There were 3 little pigs, 3 bears in Goldilocks, 3 blind mice...

 

3. We often say that bad things happen in threes (there is no reasoning for this!)

 

 

 

Can you think of any other random facts about the number 3?

June Challenge

So now I'm on my own, I've had a little time to think about what I can set myself for a June Challenge and I have decided that I am going to do something creative relating to 'song titles'. By creative, I mean an illustration, photograph, doodle...whatever really. 

If anyone wants to join in feel free... the more the merrier!

So for example, a few days ago I did the following illustration called 'Jar of Hearts':

I realised afterwards there is a song with this name by Christina Perri, click here to listen.

 

I have made a list of songs I think I might be able to illustrate or do something with creatively. My song list so far is:

 

3 is the magic number                                    Message in a bottle

Dreams                                                           Fairground

Time to say goodbye                                      Walking on Sunshine

White Moth                                                    Poker Face

Butterfly                                                         True Colors

Call Me                                                           Over the rainbow

Yellow                                                            True Blue

Red Red Wine                                                 Hello

Nineteen                                                          Caravan of Love

Sealed with a kiss                                            Black or White

Genie in a bottle                                              Umbrella

Written in the stars                                          Yellow Submarine

Bed of roses                                                     Bubble Toes      

Cookie Jar                                                        Hotel California

 

What I would like from you my lovely readers  is for you to suggest some song titles I've not thought of so that I have more of a choice. I need songs that inspire me creatively so ideally with a colour or object in the title to work with would be ideal. Can I have some suggestions please?