My music blog

June 27th

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, aka Wacko Jacko, has died, I'm not sure if an untimely death. I mean, whereas people, especially diehard fans, mourn him across the world, I can't help but feel that for MJ death was a sort of liberation. The ultimate 20th century music icon, the child star who was robbed of his childhood, the boy-man who recorded the biggest-selling album of all time, never seemed to enjoy a decent personal life. Over the last 8-10 years it was more the person and his life of scandal, his freakish looks, than the artist and his work that both the media and the general public were interested in. So sad considering the enormous talent he was wasting. That's why I believe death, whose circumstances need to be explained now, came to the rescue for one the loneliest, most reclusive artists, even if he was a father (?) of three. A person who shared a toilet with a chimp, who had a Peter-Pan-like funfair ranch built to invite myriads of kids, whose skin colour changed from black to white to turn him him into, literally, a monster, was rehearsing for what was intended to be his comeback tour in London's O2 arena, no less. Honestly, I think he would have been the laughingstock of the critics. I still remember one of his last appearances back in 2006 when he could barely sing a word or two. The artist who had been deemed the new Stevie Wonder when he was only a kid, the performer who reinvented dancing (the famous "moonwalk"), was now a shadow of his former self.

Well, enough reflections of MJ's life and career. The thing is that I belong to the generation who sort of grew up with his music in the late 70s, early 80s. I even remember, still a young boy, watching on TV the cartoons of the acclaimed Jacksons 5. Though I became a true rock fanatic in my teenage years, I started to appreciate pop music thanks to Michael. So that's the reason I thought I should revive this music blog by paying a modest tribute to the singer-dancer who took the world by storm with his now more legendary than ever album, Thriller. But this time I won't embed here stuff from the most successful vinyl record in history. I mean, who doesn't remember the string of pop masterpieces contained in that album: the scary namesake single (and specially the 15-minute long John Landis videoclip), the catchy tunes of Billy Jean and Beat it, the celebrated duet (and duel) with Sir Paul McCartney in The Girl is Mine, the powerfully rhythmical Wanna be Startin' Something ... Still, I've always believed Thriller wouldn't have been possible without the songs I'm going to insert, all featured in an album, that, to me, musically (and emotionally), is MJ's best: Off the Wall. Recorded in 78-79, OTW is an uncut diamond, a gem, I dare say. The"germ", in fact, of the idea behind Thriller. Off the Wall sold really well in America, but, more importantly, made the young, enormously talented teenager into a stylish, world-class performer. Only in his early 20s, Michael showed in this record his true potential as a funk, soul, R&B singer, which unfortunately was, to my mind, never fully developed after Thriller, as he was sort of gobbled up by the mind-blowing commercial success of the ultimate pop masterpiece. I mean, he raised the bar so high that never again was he able to live up to his fans' (and the critics') expectations.

Anyway, down below you can find my favourite bunch of songs from Off the Wall (i still keep the vinyl!). Starting with Rock with you, which grabs you immediately with his heavenly funk beat (I love the Motown-like string and wind arrangements) and Michael's whispering voice:

Lyrics | Michael Jackson Lyrics | Rock With You Lyrics

Next comes the fun "explosion" called Working Day and Night. You can't stop moving your feet the moment you hear the keyboard and rhythm guitar, can you?

Third on my list comes a dance floor favourite in the early 80s. I still remember those summer evening when I would go with my pals to a local disco called Tartana (probably most of you haven't heard of the place), and the DJ used to invariably play Don't stop till you Get Enough. Man, the beat, punctuated by Michael's occasional shrieks, was contagious, and the song would hurl everybody from the seats onto the floor, including me, the "duck", can you believe it!

Vow, I hope you're not getting a Wacko Jacko indigestion, so just in case I'll treat you to one final song, probably my OTW fave. I've never known why, but it really touches my soul. It's called I Can't Help it (=No puedo evitarlo) and, oddly enough (so annoying!), it's not available on goear.com or YouTube. So, I've had to resort to the invaluable help of DailyMotion.com and managed to find this clip that someone put together with the music of ICHI and the mixed images of other MJ clips (Beat it, Thriller and stuff). A bit weird, but it's the only way to play you the song ... Why do I like it so much? Well, Michael's voice strongly resembles another music great, Stevie Wonders, who he should have naturally replaced had he followed a normal course in his life. Sheer class, judge by yourselves:

Well, I should end my tribute to MJ right now, I just hope it hasn't bored you much! But I tell you what: it feels weird to have been talking about Off the Wall and see a video of his Thriller era. So I think I'd rather put an end to this entry by embedding another clip, this time of Don't Stop till you get Enough, courtesy of Dailymotion. How different, so classy, full of life and, if I may say so, "truly black", he looked in those days, didn't he? Worlds apart from the outlandish monster he later became!

Well, I'd love to hear your views about Michael, both the artist and the persona, and of course his music. C'mon guys, give it a go!

June 14th

Welcome back to another entry of this music corner.

Plain and simple: this song is dedicated to all you girls, but if you don't mind, to a special friend who's going through a bad patch, yet honestly I don't want you to think me pretentious. She even might be reading this ...

The story behind this song? You see, this early afternoon, my wife, my kids and myself were driving on our way to Medina. My two kids in the back seats, David locked in his own world of rock music, cut off from the rest of us by means of his PSP and headphones, Laura merrily singing along precisely this tune, which was ringing in the car Cd player.

I must admit that I had heard the tune a few times before on the radio but I hadn't paid much attention to it. Just another romantic pop song, I thought. But the fact that my daughter was karaoke-ing it out loud made me focus on its lyrics. "Mm, interesting", I said to myself, and I related it to this troubled friend of mine. Yes I know, I haven't told you: It's called Big Girls don't Cry by (I know now) a Californian girl who goes by the name of Fergie. I guess the song deals with breaking up with someone and the bittersweet feelings brought about by remembering what those days were like. It talks about how the girl needs time to work out what it is she wants and needs to do because "fairytales don't always have a happy ending" and "I foresee the dark if I stay". Though she is grown-up and mature, she sometimes feels like a little child, above all when she is alone and scared. Whatever the reasons behind the song, it made me think of this special person and the plight she's going through, and I decided I should insert it onto our blog. It's not very often that I embed pop songs, is it, but this is one with somewhat a special feel to it. Hope you enjoy it and so does she if she ever reads this stuff ... Are you there, big girl?

May 6th

Hi there! After quite a long while, we're back with another addition to this music blog, this time by Ana:

I’m sure all of you know this singer, but amazingly enough I discovered this British girl only two months ago when I was buying a CD for a friend’s birthday. I was surprised by her powerful and sweet voice.

She’s Amy Macdonald and her debut album, maybe her only one, is “This is the life”.

Quite frankly, I don’t like the whole album. In fact when I like the song’s lyrics I don’t find its music very appealing. Anyway “This is the life” is a really catchy song and a perfect example of her interesting voice.

Thanks a million Ana! What would I do without you? Well, down below is the audio clip, courtesy, as usual, of the ever so useful goear.com and a bit further down the lyrics scroller and a live rendition of Amy's song in her native Scotland, to be precise in the HMV store in Braehead'shopping centre. By the way, I've read Amy's biography on her web and she explains how she came to write the song:

"I saw Pete Doherty's first gig in Glasgow after he left Libertines. It was a great night - he did a little acoustic thing at the aftershow party too, and we got into that. Then me and my pals went back to someone's house and just sat, passing the guitar round, singing songs. It was a brilliant night. The next morning I wrote 'This Is The Life' about it, cause I realized, this is the life."

Personally, I feel the beginning is promising but the lyrics get kind of repetitive towards the end, but an interesting song, all in all, by a talented young artist. Would you like to express your views? Well, this is the spot!

April 15th

Hello guys, welcome back!
Well, I hadn't written anything in this section of the blog, until today when I found the perfect excuse to do so again. You know, I was driving to school while listening to Carles Francino on Cadena Ser when I heard the news. "Interesting", I thought to myself. "I should read the British press to confirm the story". And that's what I did about 20 minutes ago, I had nearly forgotten! So I found this article in the Telegraph (open your mail for the PDF) with the headline: Whiter Shade of Pale is Britain's most-heard record. The PPL (the equivalent to our SGAE) is celebrating its 75th anniversary and has disclosed the list of the most popular songs in the UK throughout all these years. And on the very top is Procol Harum's haunting classic. Boy, do I love the Bach-flavoured organ, the mysterious lyrics talking about a ghostly face and vestal virgins, a collection of abstract phrases which I've never been able to understand well, but I couldn't care less. No doubt this is one of the most memorable songs of the 60s, the foundation of what would become progressive psychedelic rock. And it is top of the list, ahead of rock anthems (Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody) and pop superhits (Wet Wet Wet's Love is all Around). I'm sure many, most of you have heard the melody before but in case you haven't this is my personal tribute to one of the greastest British bands of the late 60s. Would you like to express your views about A Whiter Shade of Pale ("Con su blanca palidez" was the translation into Spanish, not very fortunate I should say)? Right-oh, this is the place, isn't it? Just one curiosity: do you know which song is the most heard in Spain, according to the SGAE? A rock classic, a classical piece? Nope! The ever so festive Paquito Chocolatero, no less! At least that's what Carles Francino said ... Surprised, are you?








I also embed the original videoclip. So fresh and funny, rather Beatles-like (with some shots on location in the streets of London) but anyway nothing to do with today's excessively elaborate big-budget MTVish shorts. Whenever I listen to the song it partly reminds me of another 60s classic: Percy Sledge's When a man loves a woman. Some of the chords are so similar ...
Well, this is all for now. See you tomorrow!

March 16th

Hi again! Welcome to St. Patrick's day's musical entry.
Well, everybody knows best-selling Irish artists like The Corrs, U2 and stuff. But the song I've chosen to celebrate Paddy's Day is by a singer who is virtually unknown in Spain. I "discovered" her during my first trip to the island way back in '92. My newly-made Irish friends took me to a gig in the Olympia by a performer I had never heard of before, Mary Black. I can assure I was absolutely blown away by her warm voice and stage presence, so much so that the very next day I went to the HMV megastore and bought every record available (and I'm not exaggerating).
Whatever. There are many songs by my beloved Mary I could have embedded here but since I had to choose just one, I thought of The Holy Ground (meaning Ireland, of course). You know, Mary is not a songwriter but simply sings other people's material, mind you, carefully selected. This one is written by the great Gerry O'Beirne and tells the story of an Irishman who, despite being deeply-rooted to his native land, emigrates to Mexico looking for adventure and gets involved in the War of Independence. I love Mary's serene, achingly beautiful voice accompanied by the soothing sound of an acoustic guitar and a tin whistle. And the lyrics are so moving! Hopefully you'll like The Holy Ground and feel sort of Irish for a while ...

March 12th

Hi there! Welcome to another addition of my music blog (and it's not Weird Al's I'll Sue Ya, which I'm embedded just for the sake of the topic in module 6)
No, this is something totally different, stuff that I really like. You know, this morning - afternoon, rather - I was driving to El Tormes for some shopping while listening to Rock 'n' Gol when the DJ announced that today was James Taylor's 61st birthday. I don't know if you've ever heard of this great artist, one of my favourite American singer songwriters. He's gone through so many ups and downs, both personally and musically, while recording fantastic songs. The one they played was How Sweet it Is (to be loved by you), not bad at all, but definitely not among my favourite. The thing is that it instantly dawned on me that it was a song by James Taylor that I could insert here, to share with you guys. I've always liked his introspective music, his intimist voice, but, most of all, his sensitive lyrics. And this one ranks among the best, in my modest opinion, he's ever written, Fire and Rain, which, legend has it, he composed in the late 60s at different stages of his then turbulent life. It's said James started writing it in London while auditioning for the Beatles' Apple Records and finished it during drug rehab back in his native Boston while coming to terms with the death of a best friend, Suzanne (see the first two lines). There's so many feelings Fire and Rain (beautiful title indeed!) expresses, the battle against depression and heroine addiction, the devastation caused by Suzanne's death, but I'd really like you to discover them when you listen to the music and read the awesome words carefully. Sheer poetry within a powerful emotional song, I must say! Hope you like it, folks, and send in your comments ...







Then, a recent, heartfelt live rendition of the song in NY. A seasoned mature (and bald!) artist, worlds apart from the fickle long-haired "junkie" he once was. Lovely to hear the sound of the cello shrouding James's soft voice.

March 5th

Ana - who else! - wishes to contribute to the blog with another song, by Queen no less! You know how much she likes stuff by Freddie Mercury and Co (and so do I). It goes like this:

Death on two legs is one of my favourite songs by Queen. This song belongs to the album "A night at the opera".

A long time ago when I was given this album as a present by one of my best friends I didn't know anything about Queen and their music and of course my English was very naïve. By then I could just perceive the music and the only thing I could do was "guess" the idea of the songs.

It's weird, but when I listened to "Death on two legs", it reminded me of Che Guevara: "It's better to die on your feet that die on your knees". Knees, legs... they both were parts of the body.

But in fact I loved this song, music aside; I vibrated with Queen’s stirring and powerful voices, full of nuances.

The funny thing is that until now I didn't know the meaning of the song, and in some way I am a bit surprised by the lyrics, because I couldn't imagine that this song referred to very materialistic issues. Apparently Death on two legs is about Queen's ex-manager, Norman Sheffield, who is reputed to have mistreated the band and abused his role as their manager from 1972 to 1975.

Anyway, most of the guitar parts on Death were initially played on piano by Mercury, to demonstrate to Brian May how they needed to be played on guitar. The song starts with a complex introduction of arpeggios in crescendo which reaches devilish levels, and ends with a deeply evil riff.

The combination of the grand-piano and the guitar is powerfully appealing, and the voices, as in other Queen's songs, make you feel as if you were transported back in time by an odd strength to an oniric place.

Fair enough. This is the corresponding videoclip, featuring Queen live in 1977 at the legendary Earl's Court, with good old Freddie sporting one of his outrageous harlequin costumes!

Death on two legs

February 25th

Hello folks, how's life?
I don't know if you've already had a look at Cutting Edge's next module, which is called "In the money" (we'll talk about phrases in English like this one meaning "forrado"), but the thing is that all of a sudden I came up with the idea of inserting a new song onto our blog related to the so called "filthy lucre" (el vil metal, that is). Actually, there's quite a few in pop rock dealing with the subject, from Beatles classics like Can't buy me love and Abba's Money money money to more modern stuff such as Dire Straits' Money for Nothing or Madonna's Material Girl. The list would be endless, because as another famous tune goes "Money makes the world go round" (from Liza Minelli's Cabaret).

But none of them is the chosen one. You see, I don't know if you remember the scene I played from Pink Floyd's The Wall, when an angry old teacher canes a student as he reads out, to the hilarity of his classmates, what the poor chap has been scribbling down on a scrap of paper: a few rhymed lines, kind of a poem. Well, actually they are the lyrics to one of Pink Ployd's most famous songs, from the internationally acclaimed 1973 album "Dark Side of the Moon". It's titled just that, Money , and arguably one of my favourite themes of my favourite LP by the legendary British band. Probably not an easy song to listen to by today's standards, but still a masterpiece of rock.
Its lyrics reflect on the bad things that money can bring (ironically it has made a lot of cash for PF as the album has sold - and still does - over 40 million copies worldwide!). The song begins with brilliant studio effects: the sound of coins and cash registers punctuated by the rhythms of the guitar and bass. Actually the album was engineered by the famed British producer and studio genius Alan Parsons at the mythical Abbey Road (where the Beatles recorded their best stuff). Money is 70 percent instrumental, 30 percent lyric but the words are cleverly crafted and filled with humour, so this song can be the perfect introduction to our next unit. Hope you enjoy it!
I forgot: the video is a brilliant cover version by my son's favourite band, progressive metal virtuosos Dream Theater. It's only that I haven't been able to find on the Net a good-quality rendition of the original song by Pink Floyd. Mind you, DT make good stuff!

February 16th

Hello folks! You must be wondering where I've been "hiding" all this time. Looks as if I'd vanished into thin air ... I mean, I've sent you mail and stuff but I haven't done much blogging of late. Not that you have contributed a lot either...

Anyway, I feel like inserting another song. I wasn't sure if St. Valentine's Day was the perfect occasion for another entry, perhaps a classic love song like Whitney Houston's I will always love you or Elton John's Can you feel the love tonight? The truth is that I don't believe in these money-oriented dates, so instead I'm inclined to go for a song that sort of deals with desamor, lack of affection in its crudest shape. Actually it's about child abuse and tells the story of a frightened boy who cannot vent his feelings and talk about the ordeal he's going through. It belongs to a great album by American singer songwriter Suzanne Vega, actually her second in the studio recorded in 1987 under the name Solitude Standing (I still keep the vynil, which definitely launched her to stardom) and the song is called Luka. I was priviledged to see Suzanne perform live here in Salamanca (maybe so were some of you) at the Palacio de Congresos some 5-6 years ago, a great gig. You may have heard the song before, as it was a big hit in Spain at the time and is still aired on radio stations now and then. The thing is that during the abovementioned gig she sang Luka in its Spanish cover version (incidentally Suzanne's stepfather, as she explained, is Puerto Rican so she has a smattering of Spanish) and it sounded so weird to me that I was a little put off by it, having heard the original stuff so many times. And all this has to do with the tired old story of film dubbings and how the characters lose their spirit, their soul, when dubbed into another language. For me it's the same with Luka, the translation sounds contrived and unnnatural. That's why I've embedded the goear original sound clip and further down below, after the scroller, the YouTube video featuring Suzanne's "unplugged" live rendition of the song in Spanish, actually during a gig in Barcelona. Judge for yourselves ...

Well, this entry is getting kind of long so it's time to stop. I hope you enjoy Luka in whichever version. See ya tomorrow guys!

February 9th

Hello guys, welcome back to the show! First, a quick music news update: Coldplay, Adele, Duffy and Radiohead have toasted more British success, this time at the Grammies in L.A. last night. Coldplay, who had notched up seven nominations, picked up song of the year for Viva la Vida (it

seems everything I "touch" turns to gold, ha ha!) and best rock album, even if, as you may remember, they've been accused of plagiarism by guitarist Joe Satriani (See photo of the band wearing Sgt. Pepper-style outfits, a tribute to the Beatles no doubt)

But on another sentimental note, it was legendary Led Zepellin's front-man Robert Plant who, blending styles with American country singer Alison Krauss, enjoyed the biggest success by winning five awards, including record of the year for Please read the letter. You know, I always loved Led Zep as a youngster (and still do) and Plant's powerful rock howl, but honestly I find the song utterly boring. You can judge for yourselves anyway if you listen to the goear file:

But today I cannot end this entry without talking about a famous anniversary: Exactly 45 years ago, on February 9th 1964 (they had arrived in the US a couple of days earlier) the Beatles became the first British band to really break into the American market with their legendary television appearance in the iconic Ed Sullivan Show performing songs (a bit sappy - "ñoñas"- and unpolished by their later standards) like All my Loving, She Loves You and I Want to Hold your Hand. You may like or not the sound of them but there's no doubt whatsoever that they changed music forever: the so-called Beatlemania had officially begun as you can see in the now historic black-and-white documentary down below. Being what I am, there's just one more thing I can say: Which English teacher across the world hasn't at least once used Beatles' songs in their lessons? Penny Lane, Let it Be, Yesterday, When I'm 64, ... you name it, the list would be endless. So, on such a meaningful anniversary, this is my personal tribute to the Fab Four.

February 8th

Ana says in her latest comment added to this blog:

Last night I went to see the rock opera "Jesucristo Superstar", of course in Spanish, but I wanted to share with you my feelings about this musical.

Even though thinking the original -in English- is the best, this one made a deep impression on me; the musical arrangements are brilliant, the production is fascinating and the main characters, Jesus Christ (Gerónimo Rauch) and María Magdalena (Sandra from O.T.) are absolutely wonderful. Specially their compelling voices fill the stage.

If I were eighteen years old I wouldn't doubt it: I would dedicate all my life to it (it's my hidden vocation).

Yesterday I left the theatre extremely overjoyed ... and with a wholesome envy.

Dear Ana, thank you so much for the great review and for the whirpool of memories it triggers in me. You know, I was only a kid (barely 12-13 years old) when I first heard JCS on one of these basic primitive turntables whose lid was the loudspeaker (those were the days!) You see, my neighbours in the flat above were great music buffs and God only knows how this fantastic rock opera reached them, but in any case when I listened to the first few notes it literally blew me away, even if my English was rudimentary, if any at all. Such fantastic voices! Anyway I don't want to get into it and make this too long, but I would like to insert a couple of clips which I really love, from the famously controversial 1973 Oscar-nominated film adaptation, featuring the awesome voices of Carl Anderson, Ted Neely and Yvonne Elliman in the roles of Judas (very much the focus of the film), Jesus and Mary Magdalene, respectively. Great stuff!

February 6th

Sara says:

I was thinking about uploading a song onto the blog. At first I thought I could use "Your song" by Elton John. When I had already found the lyrics and logged on to the blog... I couldn't believe it, it was already there!! And here I am, trying once again. Let me tell you that I can't believe this song isn't in the music blog yet... it's just unbelievable!

The song is "Time after time" and I really like the cover version (the original is by Cyndi Lauper) that Quietdrive made some years ago.

This song is hugely important to me, because although I have listened to it so many times that I can't count them, I still feel moved everytime I listen to it. It's a song about somebody who is giving you their support, who will always be there when you haven't got anyone else to trust. I think a person like that is the best thing we can find, and I hope all of us have one of those people who are extremely important to get to be happy. Because people can tell us that they love us, that they can help us if we've got a problem... but what this song is talking about is unconditional love, whatever the situation. And this is what we should be trying to find in people. That's what this song means to me, and I wanted to share it with all of you, classmates! Hope you enjoy it!

So, courtesy of Sara, this is "Time after Time". First, as originally performed by Cyndi Lauper in her 1984 hit, further down below Quietdrive's cover version over 20 years later. This way you can decide which one you like best ...

February 5th

Hi there and welcome to another musical addition of this blog. You know, some of you must be thinking that I only upload old songs, that I just enjoy classic acts like the Who, Elton John, Don McLean and stuff. In a word, that I'm the ultimate "old fogey" (=carroza) Wrong. I mean, I could talk about hundreds of English songs covering all genres, from classic rock to modern pop, regardless of their age. It's true that I am very fond of the 60s and 70s (I was brought up on the latter but emotionally I'm attached to the former). Mind you, whichever the style, something in that song has to move me, stir my feelings, either the music or, specially, the lyrics.

So today I've selected a theme song by a rather modern artist. This is 1998 (though it seems like yesterday!) by a Manchester-born, Dublin-based songwriter called David Gray and belongs to a fantastic album called White Ladder. I can only say that I love the words in this song, Babylon, which you may have heard before, or not. You see, basically it is about a guy whose girlfriend has left him. Once he realises he has allowed fear to block his love, he decides he wants her back. David probably uses Babylon (the ancient biblical city) as a metaphor for a strong and seemingly perfect relationship which eventually, like Babylon in its day, crumbles and falls apart. What I really love is David Gray's half Van Morrisonian, half Dylanian voice. One final thing: I remember once reading that he recorded the whole album in his modest home studio on a relatively low budget and played most instruments himself. Hope you enjoy it! See you later for the test ...

February 3rd

"Something touched me deep inside / THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED ..." Are these words familiar to you in any way? Well, they belong to one of the most famous 1970s classics, Don McLean's American Pie. You know, I've just read on the BBC website that on February 3rd 1959, exactly 50 years ago, Buddy Holly, the rock 'n' roll pioneer and one of the most influential musicians of his time, was killed in a plane crash. And 13 years later, in 1972, Don, a great singer-songwriter, who was only a "paperboy" - read the lyrics - when Holly died, immortalised the tragedy with this universal hit, a song which surely all of you must have heard sometime (very often aired on radio stations) and is one of my all-time favourites. So, I wish to pay my personal tribute to Holly (and McLean for that matter) on this blog.
Why is the song called American Pie, you may wonder? Well, it's a metaphor for the lost post-war American dream, a requiem for the teenage world of innocence, abundance and unity that accompanied the R 'n R movement of the 50s. If you read the lyrics carefully, Don McLean writes about what happened in the US in the decade following Holly's death: the loss of national identity, the triumph of rock excess and the gradual collapse of beliefs. It's kind of an eulogy, not just for Buddy Holly but also for America as a nation.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this 8-minute plus masterpiece which, funnily enough, was censored in Spain by the Franco regime for considering part of its lyrics "politically incorrect", God only knows on what grounds!





Don McLean Lyrics
American Pie Lyrics

Carmen says:

Dear all,

If I had to choose some music, I would prefer the one in the 1980s, I suppose this is due to my age. I've chosen a pop music group called "Spandau Ballet". Probably those of you who are very young, have never heard of them. They bring me adolescence reminds back. In that period I used to compile all their interviews, their photos and everything related to them.

I liked many of their songs but I have selected one titled "True". I hope you like it. See you tomorrow.

Thanks a million, Carmen. This music spot is getting more and more interesting ...

Now, before I upload the song the song and lyrics, let me tell you all something, in case you don't know, about this band who had massive hits worldwide back in the 80s. Guess where their name comes from? Spandau was a prison built for Nazi war criminals at the end of the Nuremberg trials. Well, a "Spandau ballet" was the homosexual courtship between the inmates! Shocking, eh? Anyway Carmen, I cannot help saying that this song's music always felt nice when I used to listen to it in my early 20s but hell if I ever understood what the lyrics meant! Can anyone tell me, can you Carmen?

Whatever, courtesy of Carmen, this is the one and only True by Spandau Ballet (oh, those funny clothes and hairdos!)

February 1st

Ana "Cleo" says:

DON'T CRY by Guns N' Roses is a ballad, a great ballad in my opinion. As you know they are a hard rock band born in Los Angeles in 1985. It was a musical revolution because they performed a pretty special kind of Rock and Roll when everybody was listening to pop.

This song belongs to the album "Use your Illusion I", and together with "November rain" they are the best two ballads by this group, although they usually play hard rock.

I don't know why but this song reminds me of some ballads by Metallica.

I think that bands are like people: the harder, ruder, stronger they are, the sweeter they seem when they want to.

So, without further ado, here's Guns 'n' Roses. Dear Ana, I have to admit they've never been my favourite band (honestly I don't like the way Axl sings much) but still they pull off this one nicely. And anyway I cannot thank you enough whenever anyone of you contributes, however little it may be, to this blog, and you do ... a lot!

www.quedeletras.com

January 31st

Morning guys!

The next song I want to insert onto this blog is dedicated to my loving wife, because it's "her song". You know, she keeps asking me "What is it that you're typing endlessly in you portable?". And I will answer: "It's our blog, darling". "Blog? What blog? Show me". And after flicking through the music corner she once half-jokingly said: "You might as well dedicate a song to me". Well, her wish is my command. You see, she's not into pop/rock music in English as much as I am, but after all these years putting up with me she has listened to a song or two, and this is definitely one fo her all-time favourites. She becomes very emotional whenever she listens to it, and I've even seen her shed a tear. She doesn't know why but this song makes her sad and she can't help crying. It also brings fond memories of our years in Leon, newly married, when we would often listen to Elton John. Because the song I'm talking about is Your song by the great Sir Reginald Dwight (his true name). Let me tell you something about it: This is 1970 stuff (I do like the oldies!), Sir Elton's first single to chart and one of the first he wrote with his inseparable lyricist Bernie Taupin (probably the most legendary partnership in rock history, together with Lennon-McCartney or Jagger-Richards). I really don't know the story behind Your song, but to me it is basically a heartfelt love song, the perfect blend of beautiful lyrics and a great piano tune. By the way, if you know the modern Elton John, don't miss the video down below: funny to see him perform on a TV show in the early 70s, when he was the shy, plainly-dressed guy (and gay) with goggles, worlds apart from the big-selling artist who over the years has become known for his outrageous costumes and flamboyant personality, especially on stage. Anyway, from me and my wife this is "your song". Happy Saturday!

January 30th

Milagros says:

I want to tell you about one of my favourite bands, which is REM. I discovered this group when I was about ten and I started going to computers classes. I mean, the academy was called "REM PC" and it was because the teacher (Aurelio) was a fanatic of the group. Fridays were destinated to play with the computer and to listen to REM songs, so teacher and pupils had a very good time. I think the most representative is LOSING MY RELIGION ...

So, courtesy of Milagros, here's the song, lyrics and video. Thanks a million, Mila!

January 29th

Hi again! I'm still waiting for your songs, mates! I really want to "savour" the sweet taste of your music. Be it rock or rap, pop or pap (only joking!) as long as it is in English and you take some time to write in a comment about that particular song - you can always send me an email and I'll publish the stuff on this blog - I'm (we're) interested ...

Anyway, this is another addition. You know, my wife and I were doing a bit of DIY, namely, assembling a piece of furniture (a shoe cabinet to be precise) and, as the task would take some time, I thought I could play some music to make it more relaxing. So I went up to my CD rack, picked one at random ... and there it was, Billy Joel's The Stranger (lovely album, needless to say I recommend it 100%). And as I was listening to it while DIYing then came this great song, which I've always loved, called Scenes from an Italian restaurant - actually I've used it a couple of times in class to revise narrative tenses. Whatever. Probably some of you have heard of Billy Joel, Mr Piano Man, but I don't think this is his most popular tune in Spain. But to me it's one of his best, both musically and lyrically. Blending the styles of a ballad, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, even jazz, Scenes is a 7-minute urban tale about Brenda & Eddie, a couple who everybody envied in high school, peaked too early but crashed back to earth and eventually went nowhere in life. There's so much of the late 60s, early 70s American dream in this song that I decided I should share it with you. Awesome music (I never get tired of the piano and saxo solos), wonderful lyrics, simply a song to savour relaxedly. Hope you enjoy it as I do! Additionally, of course, you can find the lyrics scroller and one of the many live renditions on offer on YouTube. Hats off to Billy!

January 22nd

Hello guys! I had thought about this for a while. You know, creating an entry exclusively, specifically for the music I'd like to share with you all, but I'd never quite made up my mind ... until today. Because there's three things I can't live without: my wife and kids, English and ... music. You see, when I played the Pepsi ad yesterday and heard the first chords of The Who's My Generation, I said to myself: This is it, man. Go for it! So now and then I'll insert audio and/or video clips of those songs - mind you, only in English - which, for whatever reason, have made an impression on me, or been of a significance in my life, or simply bring fond memories. Of course, it would be great if you could also contribute your own songs (in English for the sake of the lyrics) with your own comments on this blog. You can send me an email with the title and the thoughts you want to attach to it and I'll upload it for you. How about that?

Anyway, I'm going to "christen", so to speak, this musical spot with My Generation, one of my top ten favourites by this great British band who arguably "refreshed" their generation, but undoubtedly, literally, "smashed" it into pieces as you can see on the legendary clip of their first appearance on American television - such funny interview - featured on their no less legendary film The Kids are Alright. My generation is a 1960s hymn, a creed for the rebellious youth of the time who opposed their parents' ideas. Sheer energy! Listen for Roger Daltrey's famous stutter (tartamudeo) and John Entwistle's great bass rhythm.

Ana "Cleo" says: "I have a lot of songs in my life.. but one of them is "Two out of three ain't bad" by Meat Loaf.. I think that some of you probably don't know him, do you?"

Well, Ana, here you are, the one and only Meat Loaf. Not my favourite singer, I mean, I'd rather listen to his music than watch him, with his nasty looks - see video further down below - but he's got a bunch of nice songs, I admit, and he can sing alright. Anyway, thanks so much Ana for sharing the tune with us!

January 2009

January 1st

Happy New Year to you!

May every great new day

Bring you sweet surprises-­

A happiness buffet.

Happy New Year to you,

And when the new year's done,

May the next year be even better,

Full of pleasure, joy and fun.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

Another year, another chance

To start our lives anew;

This time we'll leap old barriers

To have a real breakthrough.

We'll take one little step

And then we'll take one more,

Our unlimited potential

We'll totally explore.

We'll give up all bad habits;

We'll read and learn a lot,

All our goals will be accomplished,

Sigh ... or maybe not.

Oh well, Happy New Year anyway!

By Joanna Fuchs

***

This year I am gonna fly.

Reach up and touch the sky.

Love all and live in peace.

And each moment I shall seize.

This year I am gonna achieve.

Bad habits I shall leave.

Fulfil what I believe.

Give hand to ones in grief.

By Lost Soul

Actually, this is not mine, but taken - yet again - from the latest issue of the free newspaper Gratis, as well as the other attachment you will find if you check your mail, called Resolutions you can act

ually keep - though hopefully none of you will!
Anyway, a new year, a new entry on our blog. And I thought it came handy to scan the Gratis feature yet again (I should phone Lost Soul and thank him personally or acknowledge his invaluable "help" on this blog, lest he sues me for stealing copyrighted material!)

All is quiet on New Year's Day
A world in white gets underway
I want to be with you (be with you) night and day
Nothing changes on New Year's Day ...

This stuff is not mine, either, but I'd like to treat you to something of my choice: probably the most famous song about this day and one of my all-time favourites by this Irish band (br

ings back so many happy memories!). Yes, some of you might have guessed right: U2's New Year's day.
I can tell you some stuff related to the song: It was U2's first UK top ten and their first single to chart in the US. But more importantly, the lyrics refer to the movement for solidarity led by Polish trade unionist Lech Walesa in the late 70s, early 80s. After the song was recorded, the Communist government in Poland announced they would abolish martial law, coincidentally, on New Year's Day 1983. So turn on your speakers and enjoy!

New Year's Day Lyrics

I decided to upload it on GOear.com since, unfortunately, I cannot embed the Youtube feature on the blog (oddly enough, Bono and the rest of the guys won't let me). But you can still watch the original cl

ip on the famous web by clicking here. Actually, it was the first U2 video to get massive airplay on MTV.

That's all my dear bunch. HAPPY NEW YEAR'S DAY!


January 4th

Hi everyone! How's life? You know, the three Kings are on their way for the final Xmas treat on the so-called Twelfth Night (our Dia de Reyes) so you must all be very thrilled awaiting your hard-earned presents.
I've taken a few days' rest before editing a new entry on our blog. I know many of you are studying hard for your January exams at university so I hope you're not that stressed ou

t and still have some free time to visit this blog, YOUR blog. By the way, I want to sincerely thank those of you who have made comments or written me emails these days, which keeps me going. Also those of you who were gullible enough (my dear December fools) to "swallow" my inocentada but still wrote in support of this modest blog. However little your contribution may be, it means the world to me. And I just hope it does some good to your English. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
This evening I'm going to the pictures with my wife to see a film, Australia. Unfortunately, it's dubbed into Spanish, of course, but we need some entertainment away from the kids and the rest of the family after so many meals, drinks and stuff!
Before I leave you, I'd like to send you a link I'm sure you'll enjoy. You see, early this afternoon I talked on the phone to a couple of Irish friends and one of them, Brendan, told me that a few days ago he had read this interesting article on the Sunday supplement of the Irish Independent about our lovely town. Right away I started googling for it, to no avail unfortunately, but instead, quite by chance, I found this great 10-minute video in its British counterpart, The Independent on Sunday courtesy of famed UK travel writer and BBC broadcaster, Simon Calder. It's only a shame I cannot embed it here, but no worries, you can watch it on the Net just by clicking on this link. It's called "48 hours in Salamanca" and I'm sure you'll unders

tand Simon very well, as he's got this eloquent, lively manner of speech with a truly standard English accent. I bet you'll find it all very appealing and, who knows, there might even be a shot of yourselves roaming some familiar location!
Keep clicking!

January 5th

Well, here I go again, this time to briefly talk about Australia, Baz Luhrman's (remember Moulin Rouge?) latest epic (click on the title for a quick trailer and some interesting extra features from the official web). A good story set against the backdrop of the 2nd World War, great cinematography

highlighting the Australian Outback's spectacular landscape, action and drama and, of course, on-screeen chemistry between modern sex symbols Nicole and Hugh (Kidman and Jackman, that is). So, does the film have the ingredients to become a masterpiece epic? Well ... not quite. It's definitely a good film, but not a great one, or that's my modest opinion. At nearly three hours long, modelled on classics like "Gone with the wind", the film needs more than a good cast (the pleasant surprise is the young Brandon Walters in the role of Nullah) and a compelling story to make it unforgettable. You see, there are great moments, specially during the first half, but the flick fades in intensity towards the end as it is too "happy" and predictable and definitely lacks originality, but obvi

ously I won't give much detail in case you want to see it. The performances are OK, but to me Nicole Kidman (one of my favourites) fails to deliver at times as the character is sometimes thinly drawn. Hugh Jackman is more credible in the role of the strong-willed cowboy (you could hear some ladies in the audience literally sighing for him, as he is said to be the sexiest man alive), but I definitely favour the lovable young Aborigine. But all in all, despite its flaws, good entertainment and the kind of film you need to see on the huge screen of a theatre to enjoy its visual grandeur fully rather than download it from the Net.
Now

, have you seen the film too and completely disagree with my review? Why not send in your comments onto this blog? It should be great fun to hear from you guys!
Besides, the holiday is coming to an end and you want to practice your English again before going back to school, don't you? Have you seen any other flicks this Xmas season? Will you share your opinions with us? And, of course, don't forget that the quiz is still on until midnight!

Anyway, happy Noche de Reyes to all of you!

January 6th

Hi everybody and a happy "Twelfth Day"! Should be, because you must have gotten lots of presents surely? The 3 Kings have been fairly good to me and my family, but I am never too demanding anyway.
Well, t

his is only to announce that we have a winner of the 2008 quiz competition: Alberto, who scored 46 out of a total 60 questions. Well done, mate! I really want to thank both him and Ana, who have been the only entrants, but no, I won't sulk this time, I suppose that's the way things are ...
Fair enough. I'm going for lunch to my bro-in-law's (perhaps more presents there?) so beofre I leave you I just want to wish you again a happy day and hope you enjoy your presents as you deserve. I'll get back to you tonight if I can ... Cheerio!


Hiya again! Well, Dia de Reyes is over, the holidays are coming to an end, so kind of mixed feelings, aren't there? But the show must go on and things will get back to normal

.
I don't know why but I needed to send you a kind of present and I remembered a song (music is always the nicest of gifts, isn't it?) that could come in handy with this day. Not particularly because of the song itself, which indeed is really nice and I'm sure you must have heard before (remember the film Pretty Woman?), featuring the lovely voices of soul legend Randy Crawford and our own Sole Gimenez, but because of the photomontage that comes with it on this YouTube clip. Today it was meant to be, above all, a day for kids, and the images in the song very much reflect that. Anyway, I hope you like it, it's my humble regalo de Reyes to you all.
You know, it's been a long day for me and I'm kind of drained, so I will close now, but tomorrow morning I'll email you with the answers to the 2008 quiz and some other stuff.

Sweet dreams!






January 8th

"Back-to-school" day, which is always tough, so let's make it a bit more merry and fun. Since my last entry was a song, I wish to continue on the same wavelength, this time with something not so musical, but equally creative, courtesy of Ana, whose email you've probably read by now. Yes, that's right, it's Uncle Jay's year review, much lighter than the serious EP quiz, and cleverly sung to the sound of Xmas tunes. Mind you, it's American-based, so some of the faces, especially politicians, may be unfamiliar (for me too), but no worries, just listen to it for the sake of the English rhymes.
Well, it's only a few hours before we meet again - or not, since I guess many of you are so "snowed under" by the pressure to do well in the coming final exams that you don't even have time to think of your language school duties - so I can only say: Good luck mates and cheer up!

January 10th

Hello guys!

I'm starting to think that Ana reads my mind. You know, I was about to edit this blog by adding a new entry when I saw that there was a brand new comment, by Ana - yet again. And this is what she wrote:

"Have you seen the news? Aretha Franklin the best singer in the History, according to Rolling Stones Magazine.... and I agree with them, of course"

Well, I couldn't believe it. I mean, I bought the latest issue of the Spanish edition of RS (see

cover) a few days ago, which I do once in a blue moon, because this headline caught my attention: LOS 100 MEJORES CANTANTES de todos los tiempos. And since Aretha Franklin, who else, is top of the list and you know how much I love her, or rather, worship her, I thought I should send you the original RS article - in English of course - written by American singer Mary J. Blige, who literally showers Lady Soul with praise, and then post a video of my favourite Aretha's song, (You make me Feel) Like a Natural Woman, a milestone in the history of soul music. So thank you so much, dear Ana, because you had the same idea ahead of me. Anyway, this is what Mary J. Blige wrote in support of Aretha as the best singer of all time. And at the end there ¡s this great 1968 videoclip (this time taken from another fantastic music website, dailymotion.com), which is sheer magic. Now folks, who is your favourite singer? Why not write a comment expressing your preferences?

You know a force from heaven. You know something that God made. And Aretha is a gift from God.

When it comes to expressing yourself through song, there is no one who can touch her. She is the reason why women want to sing.

Aretha has everything — the power, the technique. She is honest with everything she says. Everything she's thinking or dealing with is all in the music, from "Chain of Fools" to "Respect" to her live performances. And she has total confidence; she does not waver at all. I think her gospel base brings that confidence, because in gospel they do not play around — they're all about chops, who has the vocal runs. This is no game to her.

As a child, I used to listen to Aretha's music because my mom played "Do Right Woman" and "Ain't No Way" every single day. I would see my mother cry when she listened to those songs, and I'd cry too. Then I discovered her on my own with the Sparkle soundtrack. I must have played "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" 30 times in a row; eventually, I connected the dots to that voice my mom was listening to.

Even the way she pronounces words is amazing: In "Giving Him Something He Can Feel," when she sings, "Many say that I'm too young" — the way she says "I'm," you can almost see her saying it, like she's all in your face, but you're still right with her. You can really visualize her hands when she sings, "You're tying both of my hands," on "Ain't No Way" — it's the powerful way she hits the word "both."

When you watch her work, you can see why Aretha is who she is. When we did the song "Don't Waste Your Time" on my album Mary, she just went in there and ate that record like Pac-Man. She could be doing a church vocal run, and it would turn into some jazz-space thing, something I never encountered before. You'd say, "Where did that come from? Where did she find that note?"

It's beautiful to see, because it helps people with a lack of confidence in their ability, like myself. I look at her and think, "I need a piece of that. Whatever that is."

Aretha Franklin
Uploaded by alternativa

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Lyrics

January 12th

Hello there!

Well, it wasn't to be. Pe and Ja (Cruz and Bardem, that is) couldn't win the Golden Globes on their way to the Oscars. Unfortunately, Kate Winslet and Collin Farrell respectively stole the accolades from our compatriots, but at least Vicky Cristina Barcelona triumphed over its rivals as best comedy. Apparently Woody Allen's Spanish extravaganza has had a warmer reception in the US than here in our own country, as I feel it came and went almost unnoticed in our cinemas. You know, I haven't seen the film myself so maybe some of you would like to review it on this blog, wouldn't you?

But it was an underdog, so to speak, Slumdog millionaire, a little film with a mere $15m budget, that swept the board with four awards, including best drama, best director (Danny Boyle) and best screenplay. The story of a poverty-raised orphan who goes on the Indian version of quiz show "Who wants to be a millionaire", its success was completely unexpected, which is OK because occasionally the foreign press in America acknowledges talent beyond excessive Hollywood hype. I downloaded the film this afternoon (original version, English and Hindi) and though I haven't finished seeing it (in fact I'm half-way through) I can only say I do like the powerful script and the credible performances. Needless to say you can borrow it from me just by bringing your pen drives.

Also worth mentioning is the posthumous award to Heath Ledger for his role as the sinister Joker in Batman's The Dark Knight. Anyway, if you want to see the BBC highlights on the event, click on this link. See you tomorrow!

January 13th

Wow, what a fabulous masterpiece! That's the least I can say after watching the full length of Slumdog Millionaire, possibly the best film I've seen in the last ten years, and I promise I'm not exaggerating the slightest bit. Not only the plot is excellent, the cinematography is mind-blowing, the music out of this world, the characters totally engaging and the ending ties up everything beautifully. Remember the famous lines in Gone with the Wind: "Rhett, where shall I go, what shall I do?" "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!" Well, after watching Slumdog, the final dialogue between Jamal and Latika will likewise stick in your mind for a long time to come. As a caption from Time magazine in the official Foxsearchlight trailer (see right down below) reads, this is "a movie to celebrate". Listen guys, I cannot recommend this flick enough! To say this is a must-see film is the understatement of the year. If you enjoyed Danny Boyle's terrifying depiction of the crude reality of drugs (not my favourite movie, I should say) in Trainspotting or the atmospheric suspense of 28 weeks later - I've got them both by the way - don't miss the British director's latest work.
Anyway, you know what we say in Spain: 13 y martes ... well, I hope you embark on this little adventure of ours this afternoon. See you then!

January 15th

Welcome back! Today I'd like to share with you guys something I watched on TV (La 2) late last night. No, it wasn't a film this time, but a documentary you might have heard of before as it stirred a good deal of controversy in Spain when it was premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival, if I'm not wrong, amidst heated mixed reviews. It's called (beautiful title) La pelota vasca. La piel contra la piedra and it features countless short interviews with social, political, cultural figures in the Basque Country and out. I'm not going to get into politics, you know, as the thing that drew my attention was a short excerpt at the beginning of the programme of an old travelogue directed by screen giant and American director Orson Welles (remember Citizen Kane?), who I've always felt a kind of weird fascination for. Such an enigmatic personality! Anyway, the travelogue I'm talking about was made in the mid 50s within a series produced by the BBC called Around the world with Orson Wells, which focused on different European locations from Vienna to Madrid and the Basque Country. Apparently, Welles was hooked on Spain (like Hemingway before him) and as a matter of fact his ashes are buried in the former property of legendary Spanish bullfighter Antonio Ordoñez, who he befriended in the 50s. Obviously the programme is in English and its content, though rather strange at times - and arguably not totally accurate - tries to reflect the idiosincracy of the Basque people, their language, pride and traditions, even if the highlight is more on the northern French territory.
Fair enough. I have embedded the Youtube clip - amazing how you can find literally everything on this web - for you all to see. Hope you enjoy it! Mind you, it's subtitled in French ...



Now, a couple of things before I say goodbye: Firstly, earlier today the nominations to the BAFTAs (kind of the British Oscars) were announced, and guess which film leads the way with a staggering 11 nominations: spot on, the brilliant Slumdog Millionaire! (even more than in the Golden Globes, these British people recognize a good movie when they see it, but we shouldn't forget that the director, the producers and part of the cast are British!) Whatever, so many critics and film buffs can't be wrong if they shower the film with praise, so what are you waiting for? Hey mates, bring your "pinchos" righ today!
And second, I wonder if you have made up your mind to write emails to each other to practice the things we learned on Tuesday. C'mon guys, don't be lazy!
See you later ...


January 18th

Happy Sunday everyone!
From the sublime to the ridiculous. This is how I can put down in words my "transition", so to speak", from the awesome experience of Slumdog to watching a film like Get Smart (Superagente 86). Mind you, a rather funny comedy for the whole family, with the ever so charming Anne Hathaway and the effective Steve Carell, who are on a mission to thwart the latest plot for world domination by an evil crime syndicate. Honestly I watched it not only for the sake of the kids but also for the memories. I mean, as I young boy I used to watch the original TV series (those were the days of black and white!) created by Mel Brooks, which hilariously satirized the figure of secret agents. It starred the unforgettable Don Adams, walking through endless armoured doors on his way to the Headquarters and holding the infamous shoe phone (see photo). Nothing to do with the current remake, packed with special effects and digital sound editing, but definitely lacking the charm. It is good fun, though, and Carell's impassive expression will draw a laugh or two.

Fair enough. Talking about "transitions" it's only a couple of days before Obama's historic inauguration in Washington. History in the making, analysts say, and I quite agree. By the way, guess who is singing for Obama at the event: Who else? Lady Soul, the best pop singer of all time, Miss Aretha Franklin. Now in her mid 60s, I wonder what it would have been like to hear her unleash her powerful voice on the steps of the Capitol at the peak of her career. Surely it would have made Obama's hair stand on end. I mean, she's still a great singer, but way past her prime. Now that I come to think of it, Obama's swearing-in ceremony might coincide with our lessons so who knows, perhaps we will watch it live!
Finally, more history in the making. Perfumerias Avenida has won 12 games in a row in the domestic league, which is a new record for the club so hats off to the girls before the historic clash with Russian giants CSKA in barely two weeks. By the way, I bumped into Teresa"Ana Montañana" Pérez at the match and then Javi (Becerro) at the Cipreses shopping mall.
That's all folks. Have fun and keep clicking!

PS: Latest download? Brad Pitt's The curious case of Benjamin Button, which is an Oscar favourite this year. I'll bring it to class on Tuesday, so get your "pinchos" ready, OK?

January 19th

Something funny to watch I've just found on CNN during the run-up to Obama's inauguration. Let's say it loud and clear: PISS OFF GEORGE!


"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God"

And more than God's help he will need, as a huge task lies ahead of him. I mean, he oozes charm and charisma and he's created such an atmosphere of great expectation, not only in America but across the world, that if he fails to deliver the goods there will be worldwide disappointment. Because we cannot deny, can we, that the odds are against him: a global recession, deeply-rooted tension in the Middle East, huge pressure to withdraw the US troops from Irak and Afghanistan, you name it. So I just wish him (and his lovely wife) well and keep my fingers crossed that nothing wrong happens to him just like it did to JFK and MLK before him. You know, I don't want to sound ominous (=agorero) but I've got this nasty feeling that someone in his own country or overseas (say Al Qaeda) may attempt to assassinate him. Hopefully not!
Anyway, talking about MLK (Martin Luther King, that is) the CNN showed today in its entirety the civil rights leaders's historic 1963 speech,"I have a dream", and as I was listening to it I thought how his words are still powerful and wished he had lived to see an African-American President take office. So I want to pay a humble tribute to the great man that fought hard for that dream by inserting the Youtube Clip that remembers the event. And before I close I'd like to write down some key excerpts of MLK's speech:

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. This is our hope"

Well, that's all guys. My daughter is back from her basketball training so it's dinner time now. See you tomorrow.

January 21st

Have you seen Pepsi's latest advertising campaign? It's called "Refresh everything". But I hear the actual ad in the media will be aired to the music of The Who's My Generation. Awesome song!

Well, apparently Ana cannot watch the ad, which is weird because I can alright. I'll play it tomorrow, no worries Ana. Anyway, it's shocking to think that Obama is being used already for marketing purposes, isn't it? You can even upload your own domestic videos asking Mr President what you would like him to achieve during his term in office. Surely Obama's going to see'em all!

But let's not forget yesterday's event. Down below you can see him take the Oath and deliver his inaugural address, courtesy - yet again - of YouTube. And if you open your mail you will find the PDF file containing the full transcript. I felt a bit upset that some of you couldn't understand much so this is the chance to make up for it.

I've found the Pepsi commercial ... and in HQ! A masterpiece depiction of the passage of generations to the sound of one of the greatest R'n'B bands of all time, the Who: "People try to put us down, talking 'bout my generation", they used to sing. Enjoy!

January 26th

Hi again! I'd given myself a break this weekend to see if that way you'd be more "tempted", so to speak, to write in. But apparently not!

Anyway, I guess some of you might have already seen the new entry, which is aimed at music lovers, and I hope you will all like.

So, how's life going? I want to believe that most (if not all) of you are over and done with your exams and hopefully will be back in class tomorrow and attend lessons more regularly. By the way, we have to agree on the date for the "prueba de progreso" which is scheduled within the first fortnight of February. But we'll talk it over tomorrow, won't we?

Latest cinema news: Slumdog continues its irresistible rise, this time with another two accolades: the Producers Guild Award for best feature film and the Screens Actors Guild Award for best ensemble cast. Moreover, it remains top of the UK box office, beating Hollywood big-budget rivals like Benjamin Button and the much-hyped Nazi drama Valkyrie Tom Cruise's latest offering.

Talking about films, I'll bring VC Barcelona to class tomorrow in case anyone wants to watch it. Not that I am impressed by it nor do I understand, to be honest with you, what the members of the academy have seen in Penelope's shrill - to my modest unskilled judgement- performance so as to nominate her for the best supporting actress category. The thing I really liked about the flick was the use of a voice-over, which makes it kind of a modern fairytale. But all in all, I was pretty disappointed. Want to disagree with me? This is your space to do it!

Well, I have to close now, but not without previously thanking Antonio for his first effort in contributing this blog and suggesting the book website. Cheers everyone!

January 27th

Forget about Slumdog. Forget about Aretha. If only for a few hours, my heart belongs to Perfumerias Avenida. What a fantastic match I've just seen! They played 24-carat basketball against one of the best teams in Europe, if not in the world, and, needless to say, won 80-69. And what can I say about us, the afición? Team and supporters beating like one. In a football-oriented country it's good to feel that there's more to sports than "the opium of the people". An incredibly fast-paced game, great tactics, highly-skilled players ... and true team spirit. Believe me, I've played both sports, watched both sports, and barely can football compare to basketball. So more history in the making for our local squad. And in the worst-case scenario there'll be a third showdown next Wednesday in this three-match playoff series. OK, enough basketball, but just let me cry out, say loud and clear: GO AVENIDA, AUPA AVENIDA!!

Now, how disappointing it was not to find the way to play my home video this evening, with sound I mean. I really want to talk you into this video activity, but honestly I wouldn't like to push you too hard and make you uncomfortable. You know, I've done this before and, after the initial reluctance, most students end up feeling at ease with the camera and the mike. Besides, I assure you it can be good fun, and benefitial for your English. Fair enough, I'll make one more try next Thursday.
Good night everyone!

PS: Let me tell those of you who didn't come to school this evening that the Prueba de Progreso will be held on Thursday 5th, as everyone present agreed.