Welcome to a new section of our blog, which is devoted to the biggest film event of the year, The Oscars. You know, it makes me mad to think that I forgot to organize the traditional "porra" in class on Thursday. I've been just too busy these last couple of weeks and I had completely lost track of time, so to speak, and I realised only yesterday that this Sunday is Oscars night in L.A. If you have a satellite dish you can watch the ceremony live - in English - on the German channel ProSieben (mind you, you'll have to rise early, at 2:00 a.m. Monday). Ladies, Hugh Jackman is hosting the show, and rumour has it that he'll be dancing and singing now and then ...
It would have been fun, wouldn't it, to set up a class competition so that you could make your predictions. Will Slumdog sweep the board as in the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs? Will Penelope bring the famous statuette home?
Anyway, to compensate for my forgetfulness, I'm going to embed the trailer of the five movies nominated for Best Picture, beginning with, that's right, my sentimental favourite, the moving Indian urban tale, Slumdog Millionaire:
However, I have a hunch that the all-American Milk, Gus van Sant's portrait of California's first openly gay official, is going to sneak ahead. A masterly performance, as usual, by the great Sean Penn, in my view one of the finest actors of his generation:
Next we find The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, the fantasy drama inspired by Scott-Fitzgerald's short story, starring two big Hollywood names, Cate Blanchet and Brad Pitt. The film leads the pack with 13 award nominations, but I've got the gut feeling that it's going to be the upset of the night. Personally I feel it's the most overrated movie of the five, but still a good flick:
Everyone says Kate Winslet is a sure bet on the Best Actress category, and who can deny this is being her year, winning accolade after accolade while delivering tearful, somewhat silly acceptance speeches. Whatever, The Reader, the drama telling the story of a love affair set in a Nazi concentration camp, could be the dark horse:
Last but not least comes another historical drama, Frost / Nixon, directed by the always effective Ron Howard, which dramatises the legendary 1977 televised interview between the former US President and British journalist pioneer Sir David Frost. The film is a fantastic face-to-face showdown between two brilliant actors, Frank Langella (nominated for best actor) and Michael Sheen (remember his role as Tony Blair in The Queen?), but I don't think (at least that's what film buffs predict) it stands many chances:
Well, ladies and gentlemen, that's all for this special edition of the Oscars blog. I'm really sorry we couldn't organise the game, but I guess it's too late now to do it by mail.
If you want more stuff on the Awards, you can visit the academy's official web, featuring lots of trailers, videos, photos, reviews, you name it. As an example I insert down below a video called "Road to the Oscars" with some interesting behind-the-scenes interviews.
Even if you disregard the glitz and glamour of Hollywood (so do I in a way) it's all for the sake of English.
By the way, I will be recording the whole ceremony on my home DVD in case some of you want to watch it later on ... Cheerio and happy Carnival!
February 23rd
Morning everyone! Here I am, at nearly 3 o'clock in the morning, watching (and recording for posterity and potential watchers among you guys) the Oscars ceremony live on ProSieben. Well, may I say I'm starting to doubt my judgement on film excellence, because only a few minutes ago Pe did it again: Yes, she's won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, and I must admit she delivered her acceptance speech brilliantly, a mix of emotion and thankfulness. I've always questioned her acting talent, so perhaps it's true after all, as the saying goes, that no man (woman in this case) is a prophet in his / her own land ... Anyway, hats off to Penelope, however little I liked her performance in VCBarcelona.
Now, Slumdog has collected its first award of the night, Best Adapted Screenplay, which says a lot about the quality of the story, written by Simon Beaufoy (remember The Full Monty?) Surely it won't be the last ...
Will I be able to overcome sleep throughout the ceremony? You know, it had a promising start featuring Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway on a musical sketch, and hopefully the speeches won't be too boring or tear-jerking, so fingers crossed! But if eventually I fall asleep, it's no big deal, I can watch and edit the show first thing in the morning. And anyway I'm not supposed to bore you all with endless comments on every single award presented, so I'd better quit now and resume the blog within a few hours when the whole thing is over and the full list of winners is known to the world. GOOD LUCK SLUMDOG!
5 hours later ...
Hi again! This is your sleepy, weary-eyed teacher reporting from L.A. Ha ha, only joking! Now seriously, what an extraordinary night for Slumdog, which did sweep the board scooping all the major awards, Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Cinematography and Best Editing among others. A total eight accolades out of ten nominations, the best success for a British film since The English Patient, can you believe it! It was great to see all the cast and crew on stage at the end of the show, like a big family coming all the way from England and Mumbay to taste Hollywood glory, and earlier good Danny Boyle jumping up and down "in the spirit of Tigger from Winnie the Pooh".
You know guys, I know I've been a little too emotional about this flick, but I'm overjoyed that a small-budget movie, nearly an independent one, has gained massive recognition after a very modest beginning, when it was on the point of not being released theatrically. It was Danny Boyle's determination that pushed the film to international fame, so I'm delighted for the guy.
The other highlights of the ceremony were, of course, Kate Winslet and Sean Penn (probably the biggest upset was Micky Rourke not winning the Oscar for Best Actor that many had predicted) and Heath Ledger's family picking the posthumous award. There was also the glitz and glamour of the red carpet, which I detest, but anyway it's part of the show, isn't it?
As for the host, well, Hugh Jackman did a good job, with his singing and dancing and the odd joke in his thick Aussie accent, but I specially liked the way the awards were presented, with former winners on the stage praising the nominees before duly announcing the lucky one.
Needless to say I've recorded the whole event, conveniently edited, for you to see if you wish. Some of the speeches and presentations are worth watching for its wittiness and good humour.
Well, I will close now, but if you want to write in your reaction, your feelings about the film if you've watched it, either in English or dubbed into Spanish, that'll be great, won't it?
Hooray for Slumdog Millionaire!
Hi again! Well, it's been a great "hangover day" for Slumdog and the international media can only praise the film and tell all the details surrounding its humble beginnings and its final glory. For me, regardless of the overwhelming success at the Oscars, which I couldn't predict only a couple of months ago, it's simply one of the finest films I've ever seen in recent years. Anyway, I want to close this " Oscars Special" by inserting a recap from last night of the best moments throughout the ceremony. Remember you can watch the full event in English if you ask me to bring the DVDs I will edit and record in due course tomorrow. Sweet dreams!
Hi guys! Right now I'm at the language school invigilating a 1st year exam for my colleague and good friend Gregorio, who is going through a rough personal patch these days. And as the students are doing their stuff I've logged on to my blog and I thought I could add something I've seen on Larry King's CNN website. It's an interesting interview with American stand-up comedian and political commentator Bill Maher on Obama's first weeks as President. How is Barack doing so far? He's had his wise moves but also his gaffes, specially as regards Cabinet's picks. As Maher jokingly remarks "the President doesn't know anybody who pays taxes", referring to the scandals surrounding some members of his Cabinet, namely former senator Tom Daschle, who Barack had appointed as his Secretary of Health but had to withdraw after he allegedly failed to pay his income tax.
Anyway, you may not find American politics the most exciting of issues, and you probably will not know everybody's names during the interview, but that's no big deal. The important thing is to listen relaxedly, understand the gist and, little by little, get used to real material at different speeds and accents. And I assure you that both Larry's and Bill's accents are quite mild ...
February 11th:
Hello guys, how's life? Well, I'm watching the Spain-England match on and off but since it's pretty one-sided (Spain is winning 2-0) I thought I'd rather do some blogging instead.
So, I've found out that Ana has made the following comment in response to the controversial news that has hit the local headlines today:
This morning I have heard, in my opinion, of course, a crazy piece of news: Colegio Montesori has decided to separate the boys from the girls in nursery school (three to six year old children). Among other reasons they argue that males and females have different speed because of hormones and genes.
I can't believe it! As far as I know we are different in a way but we can live together and complement each other.
Kike, you're lucky, fortunately you're a bit older, ha,ha!
You know, there's extensive research on the issue concerning the influence of the opposite sex on children's education. I once read somewhere how some experts claimed that girls had a positive influence on boys but the latter got distracted by the former. Rosa Peñalver, the director-general of territorial cooperation for the Ministry of Educaction, remembers that our education law, the LOE, clearly dictates "there cannot be any discrimination whatsoever among students on the grounds of sex". Fair enough. It would be nice, now that we're talking about education in module 5, to hear your views on the matter. In the meantime I've found this interesting 2006 article in The Guardian which emphasizes the idea that girls don't derive much benefit from single-sex education. Also that there's a growing movement in the US which argues that boys' and girls' brains develop differently (apparently it's the boys that lag behind) so they benefit from separate teaching styles. However it goes, the article is good reading comprehension practice, don't you think? Once you've read it you may have formed a clearer opinion on the subject ... or may you?
February 9th
Good evening everyone ! Well, it's a few minutes past midnight and I've just heard the news on Sky: Slumdog has swept the board - yet again - at the BAFTAs with 7 awards out of 11 nominations, including the top gongs, best film and best director, beating the likes of Benjamin Button, The Milk, Frost/Nixon and The Reader, which is no small achievement. So what can I say, I'm overjoyed that a film I've recommended you tirelessly, way before it started receiving so many accolades, is getting the recognition I think it well and truly deserves. I cannot find the video highlighting the awards on Sky's web just yet so in the meantime I'll make do with this clip shot before the ceremony began. It was obvious by then that Slumdog and Kate Winslet were the hot favourites, tipped to take the top prizes. By the way, you know she's not my cup of tea but Pe(nelope) has done it again: best supporting actress. Fair enough, as a fellow countryman I'm glad for her. More to come tomorrow! Sweet dreams ...
Hi again! Well, this is more like it. The Sky News video highlighting Slumdog's actual success as well as the acceptance speeches by Danny Boyle (hugely indebted to the people of Mumbai), Kate Winslet (no tears this time) and (the most "colourful" of the night) Mickey Rourke. Gosh, how he's changed, from 80s sex symbol to down-and-out "comeback" star ... Good for old Mickey!
February 8th
Hey guys! You know, there's an American comedian and political satirist called Jon Stewart who hosts this hilarious comedy programme, The Daily Show, which you can see Sunday mornings @ 10:30 on CNN. Probably you remember Jon because he presented last year's Oscars ceremony (or was it 2 years ago, my memory fails me), such a witty funny and sometimes politically-incorrect guy! Anyway, I hadn't watched the programme for a while until this morning and guess who he interviewed on the show: Slumdog's star Dev Patel (Jamal). Jon really praises the film and wishes Patel and Slumdog the best luck for this year's Oscars. Would you like to see the interview? Well, I've been able to find it on the Net and it is embedded right down below. Very interesting to compare Patel's southern English (notice how skillfully he can imitate Indian English!) and Jon's NY accent. C'mon guys, it's only 6 minutes long and it's always good to practice listening skills, don't you think?
By the way, I've already told you that Slumdog premieres this week in Spanish cinemas so I guess you would like to see (specially if you've seen the original film) the official Filmax trailer. So weird (and annoying if I may say so) to hear the voices dubbed into our language! I mean, the characters lose their spirit completely!
February 5th
Morning guys! Let me yell the name loud and clear: A-VE-NI-DA! Boy, o boy, what a game! On a day when Salamanca was hitting the headlines for the ETA-related car (motherfu...!), a women's basketball team shocked the almighty CSKA with an 83-74 epic victory after playing overtime ... twice! And today is Las Aguedas (happy day, girls!), what a date to celebrate for them. Did anyone watch it on TV? You know, I was drained after the game, both physically and emotionally, literally deprived of my voice with so much screaming and yelling, cheering and booing. Luckily today I won't have to "work" much with you guys!
So what next? Well, Avenida advance to the Euroleague quarterfinals, and will play Hungary's Mizo Pesc with the home-court advantage, so they are ony one step away from the moment everyone is dreaming of: The Final Four ...
Anyway, I'd like to pay a small tribute to the girls by inserting the game's chronicle - in English, of course - from the official Euroleague website. A bit of basketball jargon won't do you harm, will it?
CSKA Fall To Resilient Avenida After Thriller
Halcon Avenida and their passionate fans in Salamanca will be partying into the early morning hours of Thursday after stunning CSKA Moscow in double overtime to advance to the EuroLeague Women Quarter-Finals. In the Game 3 decider, the Spanish outfit prevailed 83-74.
Anke De Mondt's three-pointer late in regulation knotted the game at 60-60 to force the first extra period. Then the outstanding Donnette Snow drilled a three with just four seconds left in overtime to send the contest to a second OT.
With the game level at 68-68 in the second extra period, Avenida made five straight free throws - four by Spain international Isa Sanchez - and stayed on top for the remainder of the game.
CSKA led by as many as 12 points in the first half and were on top 49-36 with 3:57 to go in the third period after a Becky Hammon three-ball.
Avenida outscored CSKA 8-2 to end the frame and trailed 51-44, and they continued to scratch and claw their way back before tying the game with De Mondt's three-pointer. With 58 seconds to go in the first overtime, Edwige Lawson-Wade's jump shot gave CSKA a 66-63 lead but Snow launched and hit her only three-pointer of the game to send the game to the second overtime.
After Ann Wauters tied the game at 68-68, Snow was off target with a jumper and CSKA had two chances to take the lead. Lawson-Wade failed to connect from behind the arc but Olexandra Gorbunova grabbed the offensive rebound. Young Spanish international Silvia Dominguez intercepted a pass by Wauters, though, and was later fouled by Gorbunova. She split one of two at the line and after Lawson-Wade again missed from long range, Sanchez drew a foul. Sanchez went on to make the four free throws and Avenida celebrated one of the finest nights in their recent basketball history.
For CSKA, the defeat closes a disappointing and bizarre campaign in the EuroLeague Women. During the Regular Season, the club almost went out of business and even forfeited a game before new owners were found. The team's coach, Gundars Vetra, left to lead UMMC Ekaterinburg and that paved the way for ex-CSKA and Russia boss Igor Grudin to return to the helm. CSKA made the play-offs, but suffered their earliest exit from the post-season since 2004.
Avenida out-rebounded CSKA 39-34 with Snow pulling down 14 of those boards. She also led the winners with 23 points. Sanchez had 13 points while CSKA got 21 from Wauters. Hammon also weighed in with 20.
QUOTES HALCÓN AVENIDA VS. CSKA MOSCOW:
Jose Ignacio Hernandez (Avenida coach):
"I´m very happy. It was really fantastic. Now we have to continue working like this and we´ll see what happens in the next round. We have possibilities but we must not relax."
Silvia Dominguez (Avenida player):
"It´s amazing. I´m really happy and I´m very proud of my teammates."
Isabel Sanchez (Avenida player):
"I´ve never played 50 minutes like this. We were exhausted but [the feeling] is unbelievable."
February 1st
What a better way to begin this month's entry than talk about the great Aussie Open final,
probably the greatest rivalry in sport right now: the stylish Swiss maestro vs the feisty left-handed matador. After the 5-hour epic against Verdasco, many doubt if Rafa will have enough petrol left in the tank for a GS final against Federer, who has enjoyed a three-day rest after his walkover semifinal against Roddick.
Well, I'm watching the match live as I'm writing down these lines, and I can only say Rafa is leading two sets to one after three hours. Does that mean he will finally make it? Who knows? I see Rafa a bit tired, which is only natural, but I take my hat off to him for what he's doing, for his amazing stamina and unyielding faith in himself. And in any case, if Roger eventually succeeds, it will only make his victory and GS record all the greater. OK, I'll get back to you guys later on as Federer has just broken Rafa's service and leads 2 love in the fourth set ...
What a key game with 2 all! Rafa's had at least 4-5 chances to break serve, but Roger has stood firm and leads 3-2. The battle continues ...
After nearly 4 hours we're in for the decider. And there cannot be a tie-break so only the tennis gods know how long this extraordinary match can last (such amazing points!). Another brilliant page in the history of the sport is being written and if Rafa wins he can officially become Federer's nemesis, so to speak. So fingers crossed for the Majorcan!
Unbelievable! 5-2 ahead and love-30. Rafa is on the verge of winning his first Australian Open ...
And he's done it!! Rafa is ... AUSSOME! 40 years after another Spaniard, Andres Gimeno, played (and lost to an Aussie, the true Grand Slam champ Rod Laver) the first Australian Open final, Rafa Nadal, at 14:14 pm Spanish time, extended his status of tennis legend after beating Federer in 5 hard-fought exciting sets. What an image! Roger weeping inconsolably like a baby (end of an era?) and Rafa, gracious in victory, embracing him with the trophy in his hands. That's what makes Rafa not only an amazing sportsman, but, most important of all, a great human being. So humble, so self-effacing, truly respected by his opponents. Congrats Rafa!
Enough tennis from me, I don't want to bore you. But if you want to send in your thoughts on Nadal's triumph, this is the place. Happy Sunday guys!
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:
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!
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!
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 Rollwhen 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!
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!
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 
