Blog Archives
FlinterFile: Neil Diamond- Skybird
This Neil Diamond song came from the soundtrack of the movie Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: America- California Dreamin’
The movie California Dreaming was released in 1979. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: Electric Light Orchestra- All Over The World
The movie Xanadu was released in 1980. Read the rest of this entry
FlinterFile: B.J. Thomas- Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
In 1969, Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote a song for a movie. They gave it to Ray Stevens, who turned it down, and Bob Dylan, who did the same. At the time, Dionne Warwick was recording songs on the same label as B.J. Thomas. She took one of his tapes and gave it to Bacharach, who then offered him the song. He recorded it when he just had been ill, which made his voice sound raspy. A few weeks later he recorded the single version. The raspy version was good for the movie, the other version (made from three different takes) was good for the number 1 position in the US. Enjoy
B.J. Thomas- Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
Song of the day: Frank Stallone- Far From Over
In 1983, Saturday Night Fever got a sequel. John Travolta and Sylvester Stallone were the stars in the movie, which, well, flopped. The younger brother of Sylvester Stallone grabbed a guitar (as you can see) and sang one of the songs in the movie, which did become a big hit: number 10 in the US. Enjoy
Frank Stallone- Far From Over
Song of the day: Sheena Easton- For Your Eyes Only
In 1981, the soundtrack of the James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only was released. It would be number 4 in the US and number 8 in the UK. Actually, Blondie also wanted to make the theme song, but this song was not good enough for the producers. Bill Conti and Mike Leeson wrote this song, with singers like Dusty Springfield or Donna Summer in mind to sing it. United Artists suggested Sheena Easton, a rising star. Conti wasn’t convinced, but decided to have a talk. In the end, she sung it! Enjoy
Sheena Easton- For Your Eyes Only
Song of the day: Giorgio Moroder- Chase
Giorgio Moroder was the man behind the success of Donna Summer, especially for composing the music for I Feel Love. Because of this success, Alan Parker asked Giorgio Moroder to compose music for his movie Midnight Express. Moroder did so and made the piece Chase, which is an electronic instrumental music piece. It would be a number 33 hit in the US, and later, in a remixed version, even a number 1 in the club chart. Enjoy
Giorgio Moroder- Chase
Song of the day: Europe- Rock The Night
This song was written in 1984, by Joey Tempest, the singer of Europe. The band already performed the song during the concert tour of Wings of Tomorrow, the song itself was released on the album The Final Countdown in 1986. The year before it was already featured on the soundtrack of On the Loose. The song made it to number 12 in the UK and number 30 in the US. Enjoy
Europe- Rock The Night
Song of the day: Tom Cochrane- Life Is A Highway
In 1991, Tom Cochrane released his album Mad Mad World. On this album, one song became a hit. Number one in Canada and number 6 in the US, it would be Tom’s best known song. The song would later be used in a cover version on the soundtrack of the movie Cars. This version would make it to number 7 in the US. Enjoy
Tom Cochrane- Life Is A Highway
Song of the day: Ben E. King- Stand By Me
This song was written by Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and released in 1961 by Ben E. King. The song was inspired by the religious Lord Stand By Me. Ben E. King actually wrote it for the Drifters, who never recorded it. Ben E. King recorded the song after Spanish Harlem, and a hit was born. A number 1 in the US and a number 27 in the UK, which would also become number 1 after the re-release due to a commercial. Enjoy
Ben E. King- Stand By Me
Song of the day: Gerry & the Pacemakers- Ferry Cross The Mersey
A sixties song, released in 1964! The song was written by Gerry Marsden, the Gerry from the band. It was a hit in both the UK and the US, respectively number 8 and number 6. It actually was a soundtrack song, from the movie with the same name. The Mersey is a river, which flows through Liverpool. The band was from Liverpool, and that was not the only thing that’s the same as the Beatles. They shared their manager (Brian Epstein) and their producer (George Martin), too. Enjoy
Gerry & The Pacemakers- Ferry Cross The Mersey
Song of the day: Rita Coolidge- All Time High
Another James Bond theme song today, one from the movie Octopussy, released in 1983. The music was written by John Barry (who normally composes the music, though not for For Your Eyes Only) and the lyrics were written by Tim Rice. Before Rita Coolidge was chosen, another singer was on the radar: Mari Wilson. She did not become the singer, since she had not enough potential for the US market, since she was British… Laura Branigan also was an option, but Laura Broccoli wanted Rita Coolidge after playing some records by her. Enjoy
Rita Coolidge- All Time High
Song of the day: Rose Royce- Car Wash
In 1976, the group Rose Royce debuted with a single which established their position in disco. The song was written by Norman Whitfield and also produced by him, and it was made for the movie with the same name. This because Motown, the label the band was with, had some financial problems and Rose Royce only was a backing band. It turned out to be a good decision, since the song would make it to number one in the US and number nine in the UK. Enjoy
Rose Royce- Car Wash
Song of the day: Chesney Hawkes- The One And Only
A summerhit from a movie today! In 1991, the movie Buddy’s Song was released. Though the movie was not a smashing success, the song which was in it was. It is written by Nik Kershaw and performed by Chesney Hawkes (who also was playing a role in the movie). In the UK, the song peaked at number one, where it stayed for five weeks. Later it would become clear that this song would be the one and only hit for Chesney Hawkes, so he ended up as a one hit wonder. A nice detail about the movie: it also features Roger Daltrey of the Who. Enjoy
Chesney Hawkes- The One And Only
Song of the day: Diana King- Shy Guy
A song from a soundtrack today! This song was a song on the Bad Boys soundtrack, and it also appeared on the debute album of Diana King. It was the lead single of the album, and is seen by some as the best song on the section of reggae fusion. It would be Diana Kings only success (depending on how you look at the charts: it certainly was her biggest success), charting in the UK on number 2 and in the US on number 13. In most countries it was in the top 5 of the charts. Enjoy
Diana King- Shy Guy
Song of the day: Big Mountain- Baby I Love Your Way
The story of today starts in the year 1975. Peter Frampton (Show Me The Way) releases a single called Baby I Love Your Way. In some countries it is a hit, in the US the single reaches place 12. In 1994 a movie called Reality Bites comes in existence. There is a need for a soundtrack, so the band Big Mountain is called to make a song. They choose the song Baby, I Love Your Way, and make a reggae song of it. It even becomes a bigger hit than the original, reaching number 6 in the US and number 2 in the UK! In the movie, there still is a reference to the original song. A character called Michael Grates explains how the song by Peter Frampton came into existence. Enjoy
Big Mountain- Baby, I Love Your Way
Song of the day: Billy Ocean- When The Going Gets Tough The Tough Get Going
Saturday = disco night. For today, I tried to find something which is a bit in the line of the summer. Whether I succeeded, you may decide for yourself. It was written in 1985 as title track for the movie Jewel of the Nile. Together with the video, which featured the stars of the movie, it made it to the first place in the UK and the second place in the US. I would say: put on your dancingshoes and get dancing to
Billy Ocean- When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going
Song of the day: Yvonne Elliman- If I Can’t Have You
Another song from a very successful soundtrack. Of course this was the comeback of the BeeGees, as a disco formation, but there were songs that weren’t made by the BeeGees. This is one of these songs. It was recorded by the BeeGees, but never released on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Instead there was this version, which became known as ‘THE’ version. Enjoy
Yvonne Elliman- If I Can’t Have You
Song of the day: Irene Cara- Flashdance (What A Feeling)
It has been a long time since I have first seen the movie, and that was the only time I’ve seen it. It was quite a nice movie, but not that I’m very enthousiastic about it. The soundtrack, however, is more interesting. There was a woman, Irene Cara, who also did Fame!, and who worked on this soundtrack, too. And she had a big hit with it. Enjoy
Irene Cara- Flashdance (What A Feeling)
Song of the day: Jan Hammer- Crockett’s Theme
Oh, yes. This is really eighties. For the ones who’ve missed it, Crockett’s Theme is the themesong of Miami Vice. And for the ones who don’t know that one, it was a popular series in the eighties. I’ve never seen it, but I know this song. Instrumental and a very good song! I must say that they drove around in pretty cars, but that’s just some side note. Listen to the lovely music of the synthesizer eighties:
Jan Hammer- Crockett’s Theme
Song of the day: Mark Knopfler- What It Is
Dear me, I didn’t feature Mark Knopfler yet! Well, in a way I did, with the Dire Straits (best band ever!(Sorry, I’m now in the Dire Straits-stage)), but solo I didn’t. Perhaps it was his biggest hit solo, and it is one of the best. Why did I choose to feature it, you might ask. That has to do with an assignment we have for ICT. The coming months, we will be making a movie (good album by the Dire Straits), and we were discussing the soundtrack. Then I thought: for the trailer, Mark Knopfler would be something. After Redbud Tree (great song from Privateering) had been cancelled, I thought of What It Is. And guess what? It’s the song for the trailer!
Mark Knopfler- What It Is
Song of the day: Nancy Sinatra- These Boots Are Made For Walkin’
Okay, I got a remark: what a bunch of eighties music on your blog! Do you only like eighties music? No I don’t! I like all kinds of music, from the sixties until now. And therefore I will put on some older songs on the blog in the coming days. Let’s start with this golden oldie! It’s the daughter of Frank Sinatra, and she made some incredible records. Apart from her James Bond soundtrack (which is absolutely a good soundtrack) she made this song. Apart from the music, the sound of Nancy is very good! Her voice can’t be described. So good! Enjoy:
Nancy Sinatra- These Boots Are Made For Walkin’
Song of the day: Four Tops- Loco In Acapulco
Some songs come around every summer, but are 1) not played on the radio in other seasons (or I miss them) and 2) nevertheless good.
This is one of these songs. And that’s quite strange, since it was a song made in 1988, so it is quite recently if you compare it with their other songs, which are all made around the sixties/seventies.
So what went wrong? I couldn’t tell: it isn’t the melody, not the text (partly written by Phil Collins), and not the purpose as soundtrack.
Nothing seems wrong, but you only hear it in summer. However, it’s a perfect summer song, so we should enjoy it now…
Enjoy
The Four Tops- Loco In Acapulco
Song of the day: Starship- Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now
I heard this song on the radio lately, and thought: yes, this is a good song, too. It’s made by a band who had several incarnations, such as Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, Starship, etc. This single is made by Starship, just as We Built This City. However, it’s not that single I want to discuss. It’s an other hit by them.
This song was made for the movie Mannequin. I’ve never seen it, but I know the single, which has been on number one in several hit charts. Grace Slick was singing, and until that time she was the oldest female singer to reach number one (the record was broken by Cher with Believe)
Let’s enjoy
Starship- Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now
Summer Song of the Day #7: Ritchie Valens- La Bamba
Yes, I know. Yesterday a song which was song of the day before, and today again. But this time I want to focus a bit more on the cover by Los Lobos.
In 1987 a movie with the same name, La Bamba, appeared in the cinemas. Los Lobos made a song for the soundtrack, and this was a cover of Ritchie Valens’ song.
However, Ritchie Valens wasn’t the first artist to sing the song. Although he wasn’t the first to sing it, he was the first to put it on a record. Originally, it was a folk song, so only sung by the ‘normal’ people.
Number 7: Ritchie Valens- La Bamba
Song of the day: Glenn Frey- The Heat Is On
Oh yeah! The song of the day is made by a member of the Eagles, when he was on a solotrip. He had a big hit with a song which was the tune of Beverly Hills Cop, too.
So who am I talking about? Yes, about Glenn Frey, the guitar player of the Eagles. He made a song called The Heat Is On, which is a (hot) sunny song! I especially like the saxophone in the song!
And today it is song of the day! Enjoy The Heat Is On!
Vote for the Summer Song of the Day Top 20! >>>>
Music documentary 2: About the Bee Gees
If you ask me to name a band which was important in different streams of music, I will think some time and then give an answer: the Bee Gees.
They had lots of hits in different years, varying from the sixties to the nineties, and they were important in the music for the disco. As they say in the documentary, they actually made the disco.
The documentary I want to discuss is called In Our Own Time. It is made up out of several interviews, with some nice performances. In the documentary, all their years come along, and it is build up logically. Starting with a live performance, then going on with the prehistory of the Bee Gees, then the start, the “in between” years, and then the Fever.
Unfortunately two of the three members died in the past years. The strange thing is that the oldest is still standing!
Enjoy this documentary, you can find it in several parts on YouTube. Here’s part 1 of In Our Own Time.
Song of the day: John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John- Summer Nights
Mmm… I think this must be one of the best movie soundtracks ever, with a lot of hits on it. We’re not going to talk about the covers of Sha-Na-Na, because that’s something I rather not discuss now.
Let’s discuss the summer song on the album, sung by the main characters: John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John!
Summer Nights, a big hit, the follow up of You’re The One That I Want, was I think number one, too…
At least I love the movie and the song!
Song of the day: Aretha Franklin- Respect
Since 1952 active, still active, and hits in the sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties and the zeroes.
There are not a lot of people who can say that. Aretha Franklin can.
She had a lot of hits, and a lot of them are on this 2cd collection. And there is another nice detail: She also appeared on the soundtrack of the Blues Brothers, a few days ago. That song was called Think, an really good song!
However, it’s not the song of the day. And a lot of other hits are not song of the day either: there’s one song lucky.
And that is Respect! Respect for this woman, who enriched the music a lot!
Song of the day: The Blues Brothers- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
Oh, the soundtrack of the Blues Brothers! What a good soundtrack, and what a movie!
In this movie there were certainly a lot of car crashes, and maybe it was the highest number of cars destroyed in a movie.
Anyway, the movie is brilliant, and I chose a song that everyone knows from the movie, with some good dancing:
The song of the day is Everybody Needs Somebody To Love!
And if you don’t know the movie, watch it: it’s fun!
Song of the day: Celine Dion- My Heart Will Go On
The last soundtrack as song of the day!
Maybe a bit too predictable, but okay, it’s a good song.
The song of today ment the breakthrough of the singer who sung the song.
It’s Celine Dion with My Heart Will Go On, the soundtrack from the movie with that sinking ship…
How was it called? mmm… Oh, of course! Titanic!
Song of the day: The Trammps- Disco Inferno
More soundtracks are on their way!
Today a song from the soundtrack which was the comeback for the BeeGees!
But it aren’t the BeeGees which provide the song of the day…
It are the Trammps with Disco Inferno, the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever!
Tomorrow the last soundtrack song, and after that, I’m going to change the song of the dayposts a bit…
More information tomorrow!
Song of the day: Olivia Newton-John & the Electric Light Orchestra- Xanadu
Hi there,
Another soundtrack today! Earlier on, we had Grease as soundtrack.
The woman who played the main character in this song sings the soundtrack of today, together with a band.
Yes, it’s Olivia Newton-John together with the Electric Light Orchestra singing Xanadu from the movie with the same name.
Tomorrow more soundtracks!
Song of the day: Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes- Up Where We Belong
Hi there,
The new song of the day is here!
Although I have not seen the movie where the song of the day comes from, I do know the song, and I think it’s a very good song.
It’s sung by a woman who made a song for Dirty Dancing, too, and the man had a hit with a cover of the Loving Spoonful.
It are Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes with Up Where We Belong.
The song comes from the movie An Officer And A Gentleman, Jennifer Warnes sung the song I’ve Had The Time Of My Life in Dirty Dancing, and Joe Cocker made a cover of the song Summer In The City.
More information?
Tomorrow another song!
Song of the day: John Travolta- Greased Lightening
Hi there,
More soundtracks are on their way!
I have just bought some albums, including one with (almost) all titlesongs of James Bond.
However, the soundtrack of today is a song in a movie which I find very funny.
The song can be found in Grease, it’s John Travolta with Greased Lightening!
Tomorrow more soundtracks!
P.S. Sorry for the late publishing. I thought I published it, but it still was a draft…
Song of the day: Vangelis- Conquest of Paradise
Hi there,
Firstly, I think I made a mistake yesterday. Apparently, I thought that it would be friday today, but it isn’t.
A simple case of Michael Gray, or simply: The Weekend (I Can’t Wait For The Weekend To Begin).
But okay, then there is a new song of the day, a soundtrack!
The soundtrack of today was successful, but the movie wasn’t! The movie was about Columbus, but it was no big hit.
The song became a success when a boxer used it when entering the ring.
It’s Vangelis with Conquest Of Paradise!
Tomorrow there are two songs, because then it is Friday! (Checked it)
Song of the day: Berlin- Take My Breath Away
Hi there,
I thought it might be nice to make a soundtrack song of the day.
It’s a fact for me that it’s an excellent record, I really can’t say if the movie is the same, since I have not yet watched it.
However, I have recorded it, so I’m going to watch it in the weekend or sometime in the near future!
The soundtrack I do know, so I know that it’s made by Berlin, and that it is called Take My Breath Away!
And of course it’s eighties= good music.
Tomorrow two new songs, and then more soundtracks!
The FlinterFiles 