Favorite Song/Music Convo

Coping
#100

Today’s music is in memorium of Eric Carmen. (August 11, 1949 – March 2024) Frontman for the Raspberries group, he was also known for some solo hits, as well.

The song I’ve selected is All by Myself, in the long version including a piano solo which was cut from the radio version.

Interesting fact:

The piano solo borrows from Rachmaninov’s 2nd Concerto, which Carmen thought was public domain. It wasn’t, it was still under copyright, so after the song was released, he got a thick envelope from the Rachmaninov family’s lawyer informing him that he could choose between paying them royalties or defending a lawsuit for copyright infringement.

Happily, his lawyer got together with the Rachmaninov family’s lawyer, and they worked out a royalty deal that allowed him to also use the slow movement from the 2nd Symphony for “Never Fall in Love Again”.

Lyrics (which remind me painfully of my pre-PFS life):

When I was young
I never needed anyone
And making love was just for fun
Those days are gone
Livin’ alone
I think of all the friends I’ve known
When I dial the telephone
Nobody’s home
All by myself
Don’t wanna be
All by myself anymore
Hard to be sure
Sometimes I feel so insecure
And love’s so distant and obscure
Remains the cure
All by myself
Don’t wanna be all by myself anymore
All by myself, I don’t wanna live
Don’t wanna be all by myself anymore
When I was young
I never needed anyone
And making love was just for fun
Those days are gone
All by myself
Don’t wanna be all by myself anymore
Ohh… ohhhh
All by myself, don’t wanna live
Ehh, eh eh… ehhhh
Don’t wanna live by myself, by myself anymore…

All by Myself

1 Like
#101

I say it is high-time some lyric-less music was introduced, don’t you think? Lyrics get dull when repeated often enough.

From a video game I used to play growing up:

1:20-1:45 The best part!

I kick myself (figuratively) for all the lyrics I made up on the spot only to neglect writing them down and forgetting them, a bad habit I need to break.

2 Likes
#102

Another great song Jim. And yet again I’d not heard of the performer. That was a great version with some lovely piano. A very nice way to remember him by.

1 Like
#103

@Scotsman I was mildly surprised that you hadn’t heard of Eric Carmen or the Raspberries. I then realized the song was 50+ years old, maybe predating you by a decade or two! Boy, did I feel old!

But, everyone knows the classic movie Dirty Dancing, which features the Carmen hit Hungry Eyes. The song was recorded at Beachwood Studios in Beachwood, Ohio in 1987. “Hungry Eyes” peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Remember this?

Hungry Eyes

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#104

Well, I have not long turned 51 so it’s probably more my actually on this earth ignorance than you being particularly old as such. And talking of ignorance, I may have only seen Dirty Dancing the once, despite it being beloved by millions, so Hungry Eyes is another blind spot on my own musical odyssey. I nominate you as the head of the forum’s music department, Professor Jim of all the Wildmen.

1 Like
#105

I humbly accept the nomination and await the vote of the musical masses.

You may not know I have a famous book available, titled “King James Version, Holy Bible!” Jim. :grinning:

1 Like
#106

@Taw et al,
I must admit that as I near the age of 70 that I have never played a video game such as that. My experience has included Space Invaders, Pacman, and the ground breaking video game “Pong.”

That said I would never have guessed that a video game would have music such as that. I wonder if it is original music to the game or if it is old classical music repurposed. Can you answer that? Jim

1 Like
#107

I would like to know what musical instruments are used to make the sound at 1:20-1:45 referenced in my post above. Not an expert, but I’m sure it is not a guitar, flute, or maraca. Any ideas?

As far as I know, the theme is exclusive to the game. 3DO sold the rights then the new owners went bankrupt, so I cannot inquire to anyone.

Game-play footage of the specific level for those possibly interested:

Back when we had cartoon graphics. I say the realistic graphics of todays video games encourage violence more than the cartoon graphics. I refuse to play the modern games. Pac-Man on the Super Nintendo for the win!

1 Like
#108

Yes, research shows:

Composed by Barry Blum, Kevin Manthei, Robyn Mendheim, Brian Min and Brian Withycombe
Music © 3DO 2000
All rights to their respective owners

Sounds like horns, but unsure of which. The tail end of this section is organ, leading into that drum beat.

Good instrumentals! Jim

1 Like
#109

@Taw
Info on composer Barry Blum. Others listed above can be similarly found.

1 Like
#110

I can discern the organs and (French?) horns, now that you pointed it out at least. I shall echo @Scotsman uncontested endorsement of thee as the musical arts director.

2 Likes
#111

The year is 1974. I am a freshman at college and my girlfriend is a hot 23 year old divorcee. Have I caught your attention yet?

Our favorite hangouts are country/western bars, a huge u-turn for this Pink Floyd/King Crimson fan. I gain a new appreciation for c/w music.

One night, she says we’re over. She’s going back to her ex. I try to convince her she’s headed for disappointment, to no avail.

For the next 6 months, my go to song on the juke box is Joyride, by Jack Greene. I’m convinced the ex is taking her on a Joyride (proven correct when he dumps her a year later.)

(Things worked out well for me in the end, later that year I met my wife of 48 years!)

lyrics
You’re leavin’ and Lord knows I’m grievin’ cause you sure picked the bad train to ride
He’ll drop you like a stone when the joy is all gone from the joyride he’s takin’ you on
That’s not love in his eyes just desire that you can’t satisfy for long
And you’ll hate where you’ve been when you come to the end

Off the joyride he’s takin’ you on
Look around and you’ll may catch ‘em laughin’
At those pictures he’s been painting for you
Yet those storms out of your eyes and look closer cause darling he’s paiting them blue

Lord I wish I could save you the sorrow and the pain that you’ll be goin’ through
But they’ll be on the bill when you’ll pay for the thrill
Off the joyride he’s takin’ on you

Joyride

3 Likes
#112

Time to broaden our horizons a bit! Today’s selection is a Russian group.

Otava Yo (Russian: Отава Ё, ота́ва meaning “aftergrass”) is a Russian folk rock band from Saint Petersburg, formed in 2003. They have an interesting selection of music videos. Try this one out…

Otava Yo

#113

Well, Russian music crashed. Not a comment or a like!

This week, let’s turn to the German scene and “krautrock.” (I wish our friend @Exsexgod was here to give his take on this band!)

Who recalls Kraftwerk, a German electronic band formed in 1970.?
Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk were among the first successful acts to popularize the genre.

Their biggest American hit was “Autobahn” from 1973.

Autobahn

#114

Bringing us back to the USA in the 60’s…in a complete change of musical style, let us recall Bobby Goldsboro.

The man’s earliest hit was a 1964 tune “See the Funny Little Clown.” Through the '60s into the '70s, he released dozens of singles, with his only #1 being 1968’s Honey.

The biggest hit of his career, “Honey”, was a tearjerker about the death of a man’s wife. The song, written by Bobby Russell, was recorded in one take. It became the largest-selling record in the world for 1968 and topped the Hot 100 for five weeks!

This stroll down memory lane was prompted when I unearthed an old CD of 22 of his songs. As the CD played, I found I knew the words to nearly every song! But the kicker?

When “Honey” was a hit in '68, I was a 12 year old boy. This story of a man losing his young wife made me cry for his loss.

Now, it is 56 years later. My wife of 48 years has cancer (in remission, thank God) and I fear the day the words of this song hit home:

“One day while I was not at home
While she was there and all alone
The angels came
Now all I have is memories of honey
And I wake up nights and call her name
Now my life’s an empty stage
Where honey lived and honey played
And love grew up…”

Thanks for reading this expression of love. I heard this tune today and cried like that 12 year old boy. Jim

Honey

1 Like
#115

Never was a fan of foreign language male singers. Female counterparts however,


0:11- 0:24 I wonder what instruments were used to manifest the opening instrumental. Any expert input?

Tori Amos has a masterpiece with that exact name , “Honey”. It is symbolic for, figure it out. I’ll give the answer if you cannot find it.

Speaking of honey (the stuff bees make) I also consume the pollen, propolis, and royal jelly. Consuming the honey alone equals = missing out.

#116

It sounds to me like a stringed instrument, perhaps a simple guitar. I like the music ok, but personally I prefer to understand what she’s saying!

Honestly I can’t say I cared too much for Tori Amos’ song. Like so much music today the lyrics seem repetitive and the tune not inspired. I guess I’ll play my version of “Honey” instead!

My in-laws have some old beehives that have been ignored for probably 10 years and I’m sure the bees have long gone. Come on up and I’ll give them to you you can make your own honey! Jim

#117

Rich, sayeth the one who posted German & Russian music, unless you understand such. Any elaboration? My thing is that if I understand the lyrics, they get stale sooner. Still prefer lyric-less overall.

Tori is by no means my favorite, but the symbolic nature is a change to the rhyming trends. From another song: “An empty cage girl if you kill the bird” - “bird” is symbolic for soul and “cage” is symbolic for body. By the way, “honey” is symbolic for her cum.

Lucky! I only seem to get wasp hives (nests). I use the nesting material and the larvae to make extracts, the likes of which has a cinnamon sort of taste that blends well with coconut water/milk.

1 Like
#118

You got me there…but the krautrock was English…and the Russky was just cute!

Takes me back to “White Bird” by It’s a Beautiful Day. Same concept, trapped in a cage, longs to be free, but with the better sounds of the '60s!

Damn, you’ll eat anything, Tom! Ha. Jim

#119

Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues Passes Away

Mike Pinder, original keyboardist for The Moody Blues in both their original mid-1960s configuration as a pop/blues outfit and their better-known late-1960s/early-1970s gentle progressive rock quintet entity, died in his Northern California home on April 25, 2024, from an as-yet unstated cause. Pinder was 82.

Master of the Mellotron. RIP.

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