My Musical Alphabet : L

As I keep saying, this stuff isn't mine and may very well be pulled for breach of copyright. You can, of course, go looking on YouTube, or its foreign variants, for copies. I'm sure you know how.

Like some songs on these lists, I am not sure where my liking for the following one comes from. Maybe from the 60s and some TV stuff about the war? I really do not know. What I can say for certain is that this is the version I like. Not the one my Marlene Dietrich. This is Lale Andersen with Lili Marlene. Sorry for the removed crackles but it looks like an the 78rpm shellac has been cleaned up. A nice song and tune. Associated with the "Baddies" from the war but listened to and sung by both sides. Music beats war!

Lale Andersen singing Lili Marlene

Another, C&W, lurve song next and who doesn't like the Eagles? You must - their albums, back before nicked downloads, sold by the millions. Released when I was just starting out on the love trail. I really like this one out of their repertoire. Of course, it is Lyin' Eyes.

The Eagles performing Lyin' Eyes

Now this is a bit of an oddity, even if I do say so myself. I have never heard of the movie it is from, the song, the singer, the composer. Believe it or not, I first heard this on a TV advertisement! Back then I had no shazam to find it. All I had was a search engine or two, a scientist's enquiring mind and a CSI's detecting skills. A bit of a cheek using La for my link with this. It is La ragazza dalle pelle di luna. Singer unknown at this time.

La ragazza dalle pelle di luna 

Next up in the category are Lullabys. This is not the first one I heard but it does come with a nice guitar version. The first one was Brahm's lullaby in a bright blue poodle ornament that one of my grans had. The head went around and the tune came out. I was going to post Nena, her of 99 Red Balloons fame, covering some children's songs but instead plumped for another bit of guitar. The song was written by no less than WA Mozart.

Josef Stalinsson plays some Mozart

Next up is some Lennon, not from his Beatles days but this lovely melody. It is #9 Dream. I was bottle fed the Beatles but they went weird and I lost contact. However, their songs, or their member's songs now and again popped up. No idea what he's on about but the tune is nice.

John Lennon's #9 Dream

Turn this next one up to 11. One of the best riffs written (Not the best but more of that later). It is Zep of course. Led Zep. I was never a Zep fan but did hear their stuff from fellow travellers. Back then if you liked a song you bought the album or the single (if it was available). None of this download nonsense. Anyway, I do like this one. The louder, the better.

Such a simple song. Apart from the solo.

Time to slow this down a bit with a total change of direction from metal to dance. Yes, I know.

The L this time is for the London Boys. Another piece that is on my list. I can probably lay this one on England. I was living there at this time. Possibly picked up from my, limited time, clubbing days. Never again. Not because of the music, honest, just the predatory nature of those others in the club. Seems that all singles are targets - from anyone. Anyway, now that dark secret is out, here they are:

Requiem by the London Boys

Landler. The precursor to the walz. I don't know about this one but I may be able to lay it at the door of that Children's classic, Trumpton. I found this one trawling through Youtube trying to avoid all references to the Sound of Music. This clip has it all - give it a listen. BTW, there is no yodelling in this one, it is purely instrumental.

Well, there you go. Thanks for taking the time to have a read/listen to my warblings. Feel free to like, comment or share (as they always say on YouTube). If you'd like to hear my take on any musical genre, I'll happily give it, provided it isn't too specific or so vague that I've never heard of it. Until next time...

My A to Z in musical taste: A.

It has been said that my musical taste is "odd", my musical taste is "different", my musical taste "resides in my nether regions", my musical taste is, basically, "crap".

I disagree (at least with the last description)

I have yet to come across anyone who does not like music in some form or other. It unites us at some deep level. Music exists separate to language; we all hum, whistle, tap our fingers and feet to a rhythm. Music gets to us whatever languages we may speak. So whether you get all teary-eyed to "Ode an die Freude" or a "She Done Me Wrong" blues number, I am sure this multipart bit of the blog will not cause you too much grief. Just do not blame me.

The following items aim to show that my musical taste is, indeed, varied. I would not lower myself to call any of it crap as I do not think it is - given that someone, somewhere, has put their heart and soul into producing the piece, that description also rubbishes them.

I have limited myself to only a few items that are associated with each of the letters of the alphabet. No doubt someone will read this and say, WTF! Why is so-and-so not there? How could you miss out what's-their-name? The answer is easy - they did not pop into my head quickly enough.

Also, I am a bit long in the tooth. I heard some of this stuff on the wireless (the what?), have heard it on reel-to-reel, on vinyl, on cassette, on 8-track......I will not buy it on whatever new-fangled format comes along. So if I have not yet got it onto my mp3 library it may not be listed here.

Do not despair though. If ABBA is missing from the A group, they might turn up under F - that is where Agnetha would be.

Anyway, to get started:

A is, indeed, for ABBA - first met in Eurovision 1974 (Hint. Hint. That is under E). The track I have chosen is not the Eurovision winner though. The track I have picked gets the hairs on the back of my neck tingling and has Agnetha on lead vocals, powerful lead vocals at that.

Hank B (probably listed somewhere in an upcoming blog) also covers this track.

Have you heard Waterloo in Swedish?

Or how about German?

No, I thought not, but if you click on the links.......There, isn't that better?

I'd like to point out now that I don't own any copyright on this stuff and if asked to remove it, I will.

In total contrast to ABBA is this fine track from the southern hemisphere:

 

You did turn the volume up for that AC/DC number? I do like a good old 12-bar guitar and, like many things on here, I could have picked out loads from crackly recordings from the days of slate in schools, to the "turn it up to 11" metal offerings.

I blame my Catholic upbringing for the next one, or maybe my dear old mum who was quite taken with the old tenors. It's Ave Maria. I admit I prefer the two ladies singing. The artists here are Mirusia Louwerse, Andrea Bocelli and Helene Fischer:

Again, in total contrast to these wonderful songs is a song in a less sombre vein. A bit of 12-bar punk/new wave. Fusion has a lot to answer for.

The band is Alberto y Los Trios Paranoias, and the song has an equally long title - Heads Down, No Nonsense, Mindless Boogie. A tilt of the head to Quo (see later in the series).

Also in the A's would be some damn fine accordion music that I was bottlefed. This also crossed over to the Tirol/Bavaria, but more of that later. As I am already taking up your own internet time (Good grief, where did that 5 minute browse go....) I won't give you any links for this category but believe me, you just might come across them later on.

I should end this section here and allow you to get your breath back. because, believe me, you'll need it for this final offering. My followers on Facebook and the old Status Quo message board will be familiar with this. It falls into the once seen-never unseen category.

You may be unfamiliar with this fine European outfit. They go by the name Atomik Harmonik and this is one of their best. Another fine song that ticks many of my boxes - you can decide which boxes. I'll let you track down the Nightcore/Extended mixes......

As is usual, feel free to add any comments to this or ask any questions. And a request - if you find any 12-bar, guitar heavy, yodels then please point me in the direction. Ta.

This yodeling lark.

Once upon a time, when I was but a mere lad, I used to listen to the guy below my bedroom playing his records.- yes, it was a while back.

Along with Tom Jones, Herman's Hermits and the Beatles I would regularly hear an Australian guy who went by the name of Frank. That would be Mr. Ifield. The song was about a Swiss maid who taught him how to yodel. That is where it all began.

It must have remained on the back burner of my mind for a couple of decades or more while I grew up with all the other sounds of the 60s and 70s. I came back to it in the early 80s when I started to travel about myself. As I was, by then, heavily into much Germanic stuff (more of that later), I found myself traveling the length and breadth of Germany and along with sausage and beer found myself being strangely drawn back to cowbells, thigh slapping and yodels. Now, I am no purist when it comes to yodels, I like all sorts from pure tunes to the more commercially written songs with a yodel stuck in the middle. I even listen to the cowboy yodels if I need a fix. I understand that there are yodels from all corners of the globe but have yet to find the pygmy yodels and other lesser known brands.

To give you a flavour of what I'm really into you may want to cast your ears to the following three vids: Der Berg Ruft by K2 , Edelweiss by Edelweiss and the most beautiful yodel in the world above, the Erzherzog Johann Jodler. Until the next installment "Tschüß!"

And remember, comments are always welcome!