#Beautiful

Featuring R&B crooner Miguel, "Beautiful" is the first single from music diva Mariah Carey's much-anticipated fourteenth studio album due in 2013 via Island Def Jam. Co-written by the singing pair, and co-produced with the help of Happy Perez, "Beautiful" is a romantic ballad with a vintage, retro vibe. Miguel and MiMi kill this vocally. "Beautiful" was world premiered on radios on May 6.

Ah ah you're beautiful
Ah ah you're beautiful

Hop on the back of my bike
Let the good the wind blow through your hair
With a a-- like that, and a smile so bright
Oh you're killing me, you know it ain't fair

Ride on through the middle of the night
Let moonlight kiss your skin
When you dance like that, your jeans so tight
Oh you're killing me, baby do it again

You're beautiful, and your mind is f-cking beautiful
And I can't pretend that that doesn't mean a thing to me, to me, yeah
You're beautiful, good lord, you're f-cking beautiful
And I can't pretend that that doesn't mean a thing to me, to me, yeah

I like when you run red lights, don't stop till you thrill me, oh how you thrill me
Always in control, how you do it I don't know
But I don't care, take me anywhere,

Cause it's beautiful, ooh you make me feel undressable
And I can't pretend that that doesn't mean a thing to me, to me, ohh yeah
You're beautiful, and your mind is f-cking beautiful
And I can't pretend that that doesn't mean a thing to me, to me, yeah
You're beautiful, good lord, you're f-cking beautiful
And I can't pretend that that doesn't mean a thing to me, to me, yeah

Ah ah you're beautiful
Ah ah you're beautiful

You don’t know what you’re doing darling
Hop on back my bike darling
Don’t you worry darling

Swing Jazz

 What is Swing Jazz?

In jazz and related musical styles, the term swing is used to describe the sense of propulsive rhythmic "feel" or "groove" created by the musical interaction between the performers, especially when the music creates a "visceral response" such as feet-tapping or head-nodding (see pulse). The term "swing" is also used to refer to several other related jazz concepts including the swung note (a "lilting" rhythm of unequal notes) and the genre of swing, a jazz style which originated in the 1930s.
As swing jazz was dance music and coevolved together with swing dances such as Lindy Hop, the term swing can be understood as music that makes you want to dance. Even though there is overlap between these concepts, music from any era of jazz or even from non-jazz music can be said to have "swing" (in the sense of having a strong rhythmic groove or feel).
While some jazz musicians have called the concept of "swing" a subjective and elusive notion, they acknowledge that the concept is well-understood by experienced jazz musicians at a practical, intuitive level. Jazz players refer to "swing" as the sense that a jam session or live performance is really "cooking" or "in the pocket."
If a jazz musician states that an ensemble performance is "really swinging," this suggests that the performers are playing with a special degree of rhythmic coherence and "feel." Although referring to a "sense of swing" is often done in the context of ensemble performances (e.g. a jazz combo or band), even an unaccompanied soloist can be said to be performing with "swing."

The History of Swing Music

 

What Makes a Song Swing?

We know it when we listen to it. Our feet tap along, our hips may move from side to side, and our fingers snap in sync with an unmistakable beat. It's easy to know what feels like swing music, but what is it that makes a song swing?
A typical swing song features a strong rhythm section supported by a more loose brass section, and later a string and/or vocal section. Improvisation is common in live swing performances, but depends on the song, band or the band-leader. As the song progresses, multiple soloists can pick up the baton and pass it on, but commonly there are two or three band members improvising. Swing bands tend to be bigger than other jazz bands, requiring a more organized and detailed composition, notation as well as more energetic arrangements. By having such a hierarchal structure, swing bands prevent chaos that may come from the improvisation of twelve to sixteen musicians.

History

Swing developed in the 1920s as a mixture of West African and Western European rhythms, and progressively evolved around America- from lively jazz experimentations in New Orleans to Kansas City and New York. While swing is a distinctly American style of music, the precursors to swing developed in places like Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and Brazil by the slave populations, though they often receive no credit in the genre because of an inability to record music and historical racism.
Although swing finds its roots in the 1920s, swing is known as the music of the 1930s and 1940s. During the 1920s, swing was mostly played and enjoyed by African Americans. As the audience grew, musicians and band-leaders were under pressure to develop "softer" music for more conservative Anglo-American listeners. White listeners found African American swing to be vulgar and low class, though this was due to racism more so than legitimately offensive content. However, by 1939, the resistance against swing music in America had vanished, and America was a proudly swinging nation.

The Swing Kids (Swingjugend)

Similar conflicts arose when swing became more popular in other countries. In Germany, swing music often confronted and even mocked Nazi ideology, and was consequently forbidden or censored. Swing music in Germany was frequently performed by African immigrants as well as Jewish musicians. The Nazi party labeled swing as "Negermusik" (nigger music) and “entartete musik" (degenerate music).
Thus, the Swing Kids (German: Swingjugend) arrived. Mostly concentrated in large cities like Berlin, the Swing Kids used music as a political tool against the Nazi party. The name of the movement itself poked fun at Nazis. "Swing Kids" or "Swing Youth" was a parody on the numerous “youth groups” promoted by the Nazi government. They also used their greeting “Swing Heil," as a parody of “Sieg Heil,” the Nazi salute.
Perhaps the most surprising information about the Swing Kids is the fact that they were literally children. The Swing Kids were composed of 14 to 18-year olds that usually still attended school. They were mostly members of the upper-class because they needed to have access to records and music that was not played on German radio. They were against Nazism, especially the Hitler Youth and they found themselves longing for the American and British way of life, and thus defined themselves through swing music. They referred to themselves as “Swings”; members were also called “Swing-Boy”, “Swing-Girl” and “Old-Hot-Boy.” Swing kids used their appearance as a primary form of protest, with boys growing out long hair, girls wearing flashy make up and both genders wearing oddly patterned, flamboyant clothing.
While swing music was forbidden in Nazi Germany, the Swing Kids experienced no threatening government opposition until August 18, 1941. An unexpected and violent police raid resulted in the arrest of 300 Swing Kids. Punishment ranged from chopping off the kids' hair and sending them to special schools, to imprisoning more prominent Swing Kid figures in youth concentration camp. This raid created a battle between the Swing Kids and the Nazi government, which resulted in years of brutal raids of underground clubs, arrests and riots. Finally, in January 1943, the Swing Kid movement took a crippling blow, when leader Günter Discher was arrested and imprisoned in the concentration camp of Moringen.
Director Thomas Carter released a film in 1993 titled Swing Kids, and the film provides a relatively accurate historical look at the Swing Kids movement by Hollywood's standards. The film stars Robert Sean Leonard (Television show House, Film, Dead Poets Society) and Christian Bale (Film, The Dark Knight).

The Decline of Swing

Swing music become less popular during World War II because of two reasons. Firstly, and most importantly, it was very difficult to start a band since many musicians went to war and overseas. Secondly, big band touring became more expensive due to war economics. This made smaller ensembles, 3 to 5 musicians, more common, which changed the sound of swing and gave rise to rhythm 'n' blues, jump blues and bebop. The last true to the era swing records were released in the year 1947 and by 1949 swing metamorphosed into several different music genres, such as r'n'b, jump blues, bebop, rock 'n' roll, country, western, funk, etc.

Famous Swing Musicians

The most famous swing musician, as many consider him to be, is Benny Goodman, nicknamed “King of Swing” because of the role he played in evolving musicians from a jazz style into swing. Another famous musician is Artie Shaw, the only one to ever challenge Benny Goodman's crown. Other famous swing musicians are Glen Miller, Count Basie, Duke Ellington (famous for his piano playing) and Cab Calloway. Some of the most famous female swing and jazz singers are Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday as well as Diane Shuur, Ivie Anderson, The Boswell Sisters and others.

Swing Dance

The traditional swing dance we think of when watching classic films developed well after swing music itself developed, several years later. Strong rhythms and loud, insistent tunes led to a new creation in the black community; an energetic, vibrant and improvised dance better known as swing dance. These swing dances originated in, and became popular in New York City, Kansas City and Chicago.

Charleston

While the Charleston did not originate as a swing dance (but instead as a flapper dance during the early 1920s), it was very popular in the swing music scene of the 1930s, and easily recognized today. The Swinging-Charleston, a modified partner form of the dance, was especially popular during the 1930s. The dance involved eight counts, and centered around the alteration of arm and leg movements to produce an almost "hop" like step in the middle.

Lindy Hop

The Lindy Hop started in Harlem, late in the 1920s and the early 1930s. It's characterized by improvisation and dancing both with and without a partner. Most people recognize the classic "swing-out" movement of the Lindy Hop Dance, where dancers hold hands and extend arms and come back together in an embrace. Famous poet Langston Hughes often frequented Harlem night clubs, where he observed and subsequently wrote about the Lindy Hop.

Saint Louis Shag

The St. Louis shag is a modified Charleston style swing dance. Unlike most swing dances, the St. Louis shag is oddly structured, with a pattern of movements: rock step, kick forward, step down, kick forward (other leg), stag, step, and stomp (repeat). The St. Louis shag is typically done to very fast swing music, with a partner kept in close contact.

East Coast Swing

East Coast Swing (know by many other names including Single-Time Swing, Triple-Step Swing, 6-Count Swing,) was a popular form of swing dancing because it used very simple footwork and could be adapted to any style of swing or jazz music. A dancer, with their partner must first rock back on one foot, forward on the other, and then step with each one, producing a "rock, step, step step" four count pattern. The single rock movement made this dance simpler than most, and was enjoyed by even the clumsiest of dancers.

Swing Revival

Even though ensembles such as the Count Basie Orchestra and the Stan Kenton Orchestra survived for decades, a new wave of swing music appeared (though lasted shortly) in the 1990s and the early 2000s. Swing music as well as swing dancing (which has always been and still is popular, unlike swing music) was brought back to life by various films (Swingers, Swing Kids & Blast from the Past) as well as commercials (Gap's advertising campaign that featured Louis Prima's song Jump, Jive and Wail). Bands of the neo-swing period base their music on the rock instrumentation of bass, guitar and drums, but with addition of a few horn instruments, and tend to be more rehearsed than the traditional "hot" improvised swing of the past.

 The Swing Era

Jazz began to "swing" as musicians began to adopt swing eighths, th estring bass, high hat cymbals, and a looser, more rythmic feeling . This change occurred gradually starting in the twenties with musicians such as Louis Armstrong, and continued on into the 40's. A lot of the music that came out of this period was played by bands of ten musicians or more. Because of this the swing era is also often known as the big band era. Some big bands didn't include a lot of improvisation. Other big bands such as that of Count Basie placed great emphasis on improvisation.

Jazz music had been played as a form as entertainment since its inception. During the swing era jazz music developed into tremendous music to dance to. Jazz groups seldom performed just for listening. Swing dansing was an extremely popular past time. During this era, jazz achieved wide popular appeal. One of Count Basie's recordings, One O'Clock Jump, sold over a million copies.

The beginnings of the swing era can be traced to developments of larger bands by Fletcher Henderson in New York, and Bennie Moten in Kansas City. Fletcher Henderson along with his brother Horace and with Don Redman created the pattern for swing arrangments. Henderson helped establish the independent use of trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and rhythm sections with the use of soloists. A swing score generally has specific notes for each instrument to play in every measure. Then the music arranger decides which measures will be used for solo improvisation. The score is then taken to a music copyist who extracts the individual parts for the various instruments.

When the depression hit the U.S. in 1929 the entire music business sudddenly failed. Some players, such as Benny Goodman were able to find employment in staff radio jobs. Others, such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington left the United States for Europe. Some jazz authorities believe that the swing era was launched in 1934 when Benny Goodman left the radio business to form his own band. However, by 1934 Duke Ellington as well as Fletcher Henderson had already formed large swing bands that played in the Kansas City area.

Swing bands started to play a large part in people's lives in the late 30's as people tried to shake off the depression by dansing. Large ballrooms were extremely common and therefore large bands were also needed.

Bands of the swing era produced a much fuller sound than the sound produced by earlier dixieland jazz bands. The resulted from the use of two to three times as many players. Because there were more players, swing music was organized in a homophonic construction. This resulted in the music sounding less complex and more organized in its effect. Block chords used by swing bands are a prime example of homophonic construction.

The swing era is dominated by the big bands that played to huge audiences during this period. Two of the largest big bands were Count Basie's and Duke Ellington's. Benny Goodman also led several influential swing bands. Within the big bands there were also many individuals who distinguished themselves. Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins were two extremely talented saxophone players who became well renowned for their improvisational prowess. Ella Fitzgerald wowed crowds with her silky smooth voice and upbeat scat singing.

 (This summary by Sean Glass using information from Jazz by Tanner, Megill and Gerow and Jazz Styles by Mark C. Gridley.)

Notable Swing Musicians

Without these legendary greats, the music scene today certainly would not be the same. They contributed their creativity, talent and lent that zing to the era of Swing. What I note here as I write this is that these musicians had a warm connection with each other, yet wer able to develop their own styles.

Source: Hans Bernhard ,CC-BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Duke Ellington (1899 - 1974)

Thought of as one of the most influential musicians in the swing era, Duke Ellington rose to fame as he performed weekly in the New York Cotton Club. His band stayed with him through decades of recording, producing such evergreens as “Take the A train”, “It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing”, and “In a sentimental mood.”
A creative mind, he experimented with harmonic and formal devices that are now considered jazz standards.

Duke Ellington In a Sentimental Mood

 

Source: Gottlieb Jazz Photos, CC-BY, via Creative Commons.

Coleman Hawkins (1904-1969)

Hawkins had a unique, raspy tone and an unquestionable command of musical improvisation, a style he developed as a member of Fletcher Henderson’s Big Band. He became famous later touring as a soloist. His 1939 composition Body and Soul has become a landmark improvisation in Jazz History. His influence has lasted through Bebop and later styles as well.

Coleman Hawkins Body and Soul

 

Source: Author Unknown, CC-BY, via Wikimedia Commons

Counte Basie (1904-1984)

A great pianist, Basie began to garner attention when he moved to Kansas, a jazz hotbed, and began playing with Bennie Moten’s Big Band. He broke off from the band to form his own group in 1935 and they became one of the most popular bands in the country. The sparse precision of his piano style was catchy and rousing. He made famous recordings with the likes of Joe Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennet. He developed a style known as the Basie Boogie.

Count Basie Orchestra

 

Source: Sean O, CC-BY, via Wikimedia Commons

Art Tatum (1909-1956)

A man ahead of his time, Art was a prodigious talent. Not really associated with any swing bands, he was a premier keyboardist during the time. What was fascinating was that his spectacular harmonic knowledge and technique was developed completely by ear. He used it to construct elegant, beautiful harmonic lines played at breakneck tempos. His music set the standard for musicians of bebop in the 1940’s and 50’s. Listen to his version of Tea for Two.

Art Tatum Tea for Two

 

Source: William P Gottlieb,Englebaet, CC-BY-NPD, via Wikimedia Commons

Ben Webster (1909-1973)

Along with Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young, Webster was one of the three titans of the saxophone during the swing era. He was versatile, and his style could growl through uptempo or sensitive ballads. He recorded a version of Cotton Tail that is seen as one of the gems from the period. He spent the last years of his career as a celebrity in Denmark. 

Benny Goodman

Source: Hans Bernhard, CC-BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Benny Goodman

A son of Jewish Immigrants, Benny Goodman moved to New York from Chicago in the late 1920s. He began leading a band for a weekly radio show in the 1930s. He is credited with bridging racial divides, making the music of black musicians popular among Caucasian audiences, therefore considered as instrumental in the bolstering of swing music. He was also thought of as one of the best jazz clarinetists of all time.

Benny Goodman Sing Sing Sing

 

Lester Young

Source: William P Gottlieb, Cherubino, CC-BY-SA via WIkimedia Commons

Lester Young

Another of the three tenor saxophone greats, Lester Young began his career in music touring with his family’s band. Versatile, he played on a variety of instruments. His more relaxed style of music was not often accepted by those more used to Hawkins’ harsher style. He became influential on bebop eventually, and was given the nickname Prez by Billy Holliday.

Lester Young These Foolish Things

The Andrews Sisters

The Andrews Sisters

Source: We Hope, CC-BY-SA, via Wikimedia Commons

So it is time for a little female power. The Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony group during this era comprising Maxene Angelyn Andrews, LaVerne Sophia Andrews and their sister, Patricia Marie, they sold well over 75 million records. They made hits like Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy was an early example of rhythm and blues. Their hits have been covered by Bette Midler and Christina Aguilera. A personal acapella favorite of mine is Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree.

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

 

 The Andrews Sisters - Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree

Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)

Source: Calliopejen1, CC-BY-SA, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Armstrong came to prominence as a Cornet and Trumpet player in the roaring ‘20s. He was given the nickname Satchmo or Pops. A foundational influence on Jazz, Armstrong had a distinctive, gravelly voice which could be heard in songs like What A Wonderful World and his popular, best selling rendition of Aint Misbehavin’. Armstrong developed his cornet playing in Fletcher Henderson’s orchestra. His artistry allowed him to be an unquestionable influence on music of the time. Together with jazz vocal greats like Ella Fitzgerald, he developed the technique of ‘scat singing”, a popular vocal technique among jazz singers which involves musically vocalizing random sounds.

Glen Miller Orchestra

Source: FloNight,CC-BY-SA 3.0

Glen Miller/The Glen Miller Orchestra (1904-1944)

A must-mention name in the Big Band Era, Miller and his Orchestra brought unforgettable, catchy and danceable compositions to audiences. One of the best selling recording artistes from 1939 to 1943, he led one of the best know big bands of the era. Evergreen (yes, I still jive to this) hits include In the Mood, Chattanooga Choo Choo and Tuxedo Junction. He and his band unfortunately disappeared in the bad weather over the English Channel in 1944 when he was asked to perform for the US troops. His official Military Status remains as Missing In Action. Many theories and books, like I Kept My Word: The Personal Promise Between a World War 2 Army Private About What Really Happened To Glen Miller by Clarence B Wolfe.

Fletcher Henderson

Fletcher Henderson Wrapping It Up

 

Famous for being a band leader who groomed greats like Louis Armstrong and Coleman Hawkins, I must definitely not leave him out of this list. He was instrumental to the swing era and the influence of his prolific black orchestra was vast. He was a director for the Black Swan label from 1921 to 1923. He provided solo accompaniment for many blues and jazz singers. He formed his own band which began playing at the Club Alabam and became widely known as the best African American band in New York. Originally a dance band, the addition of Louis Armstrong showed him that there could be a great potential for jazz. The band then grew into jazz greatness.

A legendary Big Band vocalist : Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra

Source: Ttonyb1, CC-BY-SA, via Wikimedia Commons

 

 

Truly a legendary singer of the era, Sinatra, a bobby soxers idol, released his first record The Voice of Frank Sinatra in 1946. Signed to Columbia Records, he made such hits as My Way, Strangers in the Night and Come Fly With me.
1940 marked the birth of Sinatramania, which lasted into the 1950’s. He won the award for Best Supporting Actor in From Here to Eternity. He released several critically acclaimed albums after signing with Captiol records in 1953.
Sinatra’s generation was the first of the era to grow up with the microphone. He and others after him began using a personalized, softer and more nuanced style. What was truly outstanding and drew audiences was his incomparable vocal range.
On a personal note, what is special about Sinatra was how my grandfather emulated him and constantly sang his songs. His perennial favorite was My Way, which my grandfather sang and recorded himself before passing away from cancer. We played the song as the hearse was being taken from the church at his funeral.


SOURCES: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_music
library.thinkquest.org//history/swing/swingstart.html
http://americasmusic.tribecafilminstitute.org/session/view/swing-jazz
http://www.mibba.com/Articles/History/5098/The-History-of-Swing-Music/
http://midget38.hubpages.com/hub/Music-of-the-swing-eragreat-swing-musicians-and-songs

Mirrors part.2

 “Mirrors is a love song to someone that you feel like is your other half. It became a play on that; not specifically about looking into a mirror. I think one of the most valuable things in a relationship is being able to constantly change and be individual. Look to the other side of that relationship, that person you’re with, and know that they’re changing as well individually, but somehow you two can mirror each other and be the other half of that world that you both create. So that’s where the idea for the song came from. I’ve heard a little bit from people around that it could be a good wedding song. I find it interesting that in wedding vows, you say ‘I do’ when I feel like what you should say is ‘I will’ because I think a relationship, when it’s working, is evolving because we as individuals evolve and we want to know that that person you’re with is evolving with you. People change like the seasons – we’re always growing, we’re always evolving – and to know that the other half of that special part of your life is mirroring you, but also being an individual in their own way – that’s the balance and what really the song is about. There’s a line in the second verse: ‘I can’t ever change without you.’ If you take it at face value maybe it doesn’t make sense, but more or less what it means is, knowing that you can change and that that is looked at by the other person you’re with as a blessing. That’s where the idea for the song came from.”
- Justin Timberlake on the meaning of Mirrors 

Justin Timberlake Celebrates Grandparents’ Love Story In ‘Mirrors’ Video

Justin Timberlake just released his long-awaited third album, The 20/20 Experience, and to celebrate, he has premiered an epic, eight-minute music video that celebrates the epic, decades-spanning love story of his beloved maternal grandparents, William and Sadie Bomar.
JT’s touching, tear-jerking “Mirrors” video, directed by Floria Sigismondi, begins with a sad-eyed, silver-haired actress boxing up a man’s belongings while he stands behind her, ghostlike; the implication is her husband has passed away. The real-life William, who inspired the name of Justin’s clothing line William Rast, died on December 29 last year, after a long battle with heart trouble and dementia. His health problems prevented the couple from traveling to Italy to attend their grandson’s wedding to Jessica Biel last October; the groom, however, had slices of wedding cake flown 5,000 miles to their home in Tennessee. A later scene in the “Mirrors” video, when the fictional Sadie’s wedding ring falls off and her grandson deftly catches it, hints at Justin’s intention to carry on the Bomars’ legacy and hopefully enjoy a union with his new bride that’s as loving and successful as the one his grandparents shared for 63 years.

Justin with the real-life Bill and Sadie in 2007 [photo: L. Busacca/WireImage]But before that moment, the “Mirrors” video hops from sweet scenes of the actors portraying the elderly couple merrily dancing in their bedroom, to flashbacks of their carefree bobby-socks courtship in the 1950s and a rough marital patch in the ’60s, to lump-throated scenes of the widowed Sadie living with her husband’s ghost and still mirroring his moves. It’s an extremely haunting clip that warrants multiple viewings—preferably with a box of extra-ply tissues at the ready. Justin himself doesn’t even appear in the video until the 5:45 mark, when the song segues into its coda, but that’s just fine—Bill and Sadie Bomar are the real stars of “Mirrors.” We have a feeling Justin will be paying tribute to his grandparents again at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, when he thanks them in his acceptance speeches—because this stunning mini-movie is sure to win a few Moonmen.

Here is the music video, check it out!

Buzzkill

 The first time I listened this song I was instantly in love with it so deep, I am a fan of Luke Bryan and I have collected his song since last year, I really like Country music either. so you guys gotta listen this song! Awesome!

You're like a screen flashing insufficient funds.
Cops knocking when the party's just begun.
You're a big rain cloud parked over my boat.
You're a cell phone splashing in my coffee cup.
A fumble on the one when my team was going up.
You're like brakes on my brain and all I know...

You're a buzzkill every time you come around.
Those beers might as well have been poured out.
Why are you still showing up and bringing me down?
Why do I keep letting you get to me
And mess up what that's not what's gonna be?
You walk right by crashing my high like I know you will
You little buzzkill. Baby, you're a buzzkill.

I used to do everything I could do to do nice things.
No matter what I did or didn't do it didn't change.
Everybody knows you ended us.
So, while you're showing up here on my side of the tracks
Slipping in this barn just to check out where I'm at.
I was a six pack in. Now I'm sober as a judge.

Cause you're a buzzkill every time you come around.
Those beers might as well have been poured out.
Why are you still showing up and bringing me down?
Why do I keep letting you get to me
And mess up what that's not what's gonna be?
You walk right by crashing my high like I know you will
You little buzzkill.

Cause if it didn't hurt enough now I got to see you flirt
Nailed to the stool, watching you work.
Don't you give a damn about how I feel
You little brown haired, blue eyed, beautiful buzzkill
Yea, yea, yea. You're such buzzkill.

Yea, you're a buzzkill every time you come around.
Those beers might as well have been poured out.
Why are you still showing up and bringing me down?
Why do I keep letting you get to me
And mess up what that's not what's gonna be?
You walk right by crashing my high like I know you will
You little buzzkill. You little buzzkill.

It's A Beautiful Day

I don’t know why
You think that you could hold me
When you can’t get by by yourself
And I don’t know who
Would ever want to tear the seam of someone’s dream
Baby, it’s fine, you said that we should just be friends
While I came up with that line and I’m sure
That it’s for the best
If you ever change your mind, don’t hold your breath

‘Cause you may not believe
That baby, I’m relieved
When you said goodbye, my whole world shines

Hey hey hey
It’s a beautiful day and I can’t stop myself from smiling
If I’m drinking, then I’m buying
And I know there’s no denying
It’s a beautiful day, the sun is up, the music’s playing
And even if it started raining
You won’t hear this boy complaining
‘Cause I’m glad that you’re the one that got away
It’s a beautiful day

It’s my turn to fly, so girls, get in line
‘Cause I’m easy, no playing this guy like a fool
Now I’m alright
Might’ve had me caged before, but not tonight

And you may not believe
That baby, I’m relieved
This fire inside, it burns too bright
I don’t want to say “so long,” I just want to say “goodbye”

It’s a beautiful day and I can’t stop myself from smiling
If I’m drinking, then I’m buying
And I know there’s no denying
It’s a beautiful day, the sun is up, the music’s playing
And even if it started raining
You won’t hear this boy complaining
‘Cause I’m glad that you’re the one who got away

‘Cause if you ever think I’ll take up
My time with thinking of our break-up
Then, you’ve got another thing coming your way
‘Cause it’s a beautiful day
Beautiful day
Oh, baby, any day that you’re gone away
It’s a beautiful day

MIRRORS

Justin Timberlake Mirrors is a song from the the album "The 20/20 Experience".

"Mirrors" by Justin Timberlake is currently (week 08, 2013) in the HOT100 Billboard charts at position 24.

MIRROR

Aren't you somethin' to admire
Cause your shine is somethin' like a mirror
And I can't help but notice
You reflect in this heart of mine
If you ever feel alone and
The glare makes me hard to find
Just know that I'm always
Parallel on the other side

Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul
I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go
Just put your hand on the glass
I'm here tryin' to pull you through
You just gotta be strong

I don't wanna lose you now
I'm lookin' right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold
Show me how to fight for now
And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy
Comin' back into you once I figured it out
You were right here all along

It's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me
I couldn't get any bigger
With anyone else beside me
And now it's clear as this promise
That we're making
Two reflections into one
Cause it's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me

Aren't you somethin', an original
Cause it doesn't seem really as simple
And I can't help but stare, cause
I see truth somewhere in your eyes
I can't ever change without you
You reflect me, I love that about you
And if I could, I
Would look at us all the time

Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul
I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go
Just put your hand on the glass
I'm here tryin' to pull you through
You just gotta be strong

I don't wanna lose you now
I'm lookin' right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold
Show me how to fight for now
And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy
Comin' back into you once I figured it out
You were right here all along

It's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me
I couldn't get any bigger
With anyone else beside me
And now it's clear as this promise
That we're making
Two reflections into one
Cause it's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me

Yesterday is history
Tomorrow's a mystery
I can see you lookin' back at me
Keep your eyes on me
Baby, keep your eyes on me

I don't wanna lose you now
I'm lookin' right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold
Show me how to fight for now
And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy
Comin' back into you once I figured it out
You were right here all along

It's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me
I couldn't get any bigger
With anyone else beside me
And now it's clear as this promise
That we're making
Two reflections into one
Cause it's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me

You are, you are the love of my life [x10]

Baby, you're the inspiration for this precious song
And I just wanna see your face light up since you put me on
So now I say goodbye to the old me, it's already gone
And I can't wait wait wait wait wait to get you home
Just to let you know, you are

You are, you are the love of my life [x8]

Girl you're my reflection, all I see is you
My reflection, in everything I do
You're my reflection and all I see is you
My reflection, in everything I do

You are, you are the love of my life [x16]

A Song For You

A Song For You - Celine Dion

I couldn't live
I couldn't live without your love
for one kiss
well I'd give everything up
there's no words I can describe
what I feel deep inside
so I let this song say it all

Then I hope you'll understand
once you've listened till the end

Heard the music in my head
so before I could forget

I start singing
yeah I was singing
this song
for you

Just made up the words
la la la ohhh ohhh yeah
my heart with a melody

so I am singing
this song
for you

Tiap kali denger lagu ini selalu melting, rasanya galau akut!
Selain musiknya yang syahdu, suara Celine Dion juga begitu sempurna dan kata-kata dalam lagu ini begitu dalam.
Aku selalu teringat diri mu yang kian menjauh dari ku, rasanya aku tak bisa bernapas kalau tak ada kamu.
Hati ini selalu berdebar bila melihatmu, namun apalah daya terkadang ego ku mengalahkan segalanya, saya selalu menjalani drama yang begitu menyiksa, harus berpura-pura seakan tak menghiraukan mu, seakan kau tak ada di sampingku dan itu begitu melukai jiwa.
Tampaknya sudah terlalu dalam luka ini, dan hanya kaulah yang bisa menyembuhkan.
Should I give up or should I just keep on chasing the way out? please tell me!

The most played Christmas song of the decade

Mariah Carey has most played Christmas song of the decade

November 30, 2010 by Alan Pedder

 

Music Week has named Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ as the most played Christmas song of the past ten years. Mariah came out on top in a chart compiled by PPL based on the number of plays on radio, TV and across business over the last decade, and, amazingly, was the chart’s most recently released inclusion.
We love the original but whether the new ‘Extra Festive’ version of the song featured on her second Christmas collection, Merry Christmas II You, out now, will even be remembered in another ten years is a whole other matter.

Here’s the chart in full:

01 Mariah Carey, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’
02 Wham!, ‘Last Christmas’
03 The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl, ‘Fairytale Of New York’
04 Slade, ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’
05 Wizzard, ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’
06 Band Aid, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’
07 Chris Rea, ‘Driving Home For Christmas’
08 Jona Lewie, ‘Stop The Cavalry’
09 Bing Crosby, ‘White Christmas’
10 Dean Martin, ‘Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!’
11 Greg Lake, ‘I Believe In Father Christmas’
12 Paul McCartney, ‘Wonderful Christmastime’
13 Shakin’ Stevens, ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’
14 Elton John, ‘Step Into Christmas’
15 Frankie Goes To Hollywood, ‘The Power Of Love’
16 John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band, ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’
17 Brenda Lee, ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’
18 Darlene Love, ‘Winter Wonderland’
19 East 17, ‘Stay Another Day’
20 The Pretenders, ’2000 Miles’

The Top 30 Jewish Musicians

Christmas classics may vastly out-number Hanukkah hits, but there's been no shortage of Jewish artists that have topped the Billboard charts over the years. With Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, beginning on the evening of Saturday, December 8, now is the perfect time to celebrate the Jewish musicians who have made the biggest impact on the Hot 100 over the decades. We've gathered the Tribe's biggest Billboard stars on our top 30 countdown.

 30. David Guetta

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The French DJ, whose Moroccan father is Jewish, helped EDM make a mainstream crossover with hit productions such as the Black Eyed Peas' 2009 track "I Gotta Feeling" and his own smash "Turn Me On," which features Nicki Minaj.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "Turn Me On" (No. 4, peak date: Feb. 4, 2012); "Without You" feat. Usher (No. 4, peak date: Nov. 26, 2011)

 29. Lenny Kravitz

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Kravitz, whose dad is Jewish and mom is Christian, fired up a vintage rock sound that earned multiplatinum status on albums such as 1993's "Are You Gonna Go My Way" and 1998's "Five."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over" (No. 2, peak date: Aug. 24, 1991)

 28. KISS

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The larger-than-life hard-rock act exploded after 1975 live set "Alive!," bringing songs such as "Rock and Roll All Nite" -- and the band's ever-present glam-rock makeup -- to an audience of millions. "Beth" brought Kiss to the top 10 of the Hot 100 in 1976; "Forever," which peaked at No. 8, returned them to the top 10 club in 1990.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "Beth" (No. 7, peak date: Dec. 4, 1976); "Forever" (No. 8, peak date: April 21, 1990)

 27. Donald Fagen (Steely Dan)

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Co-founded by Fagen, Steely Dan stands as of the '70s' most enigmatic groups. The band infused their sharp, sometimes sarcastic rock with jazz chops and studio perfectionism on albums such as key 1975 set "Katy Lied.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" (No. 4, peak date: Aug. 3, 1974)

 26. Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)

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Knopfler and Dire Straits hit the top 10 of the Hot 100 with 1979's "Sultans of Swing" but the MTV-era brought the rockers their biggest hit, "Money For Nothing," which name-checks the music channel and features backing vocals by Sting.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Money For Nothing" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Sept. 21, 1985)

 25. Bob Dylan

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Few artists have carried more influence or been more provocative in the rock era than Dylan, born Robert Zimmerman, whose '60s protest songs gave way to an electric epiphany and later, a gospel period as 1979's "Slow Train Coming" marked his conversion to Christianity.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "Like A Rolling Stone" (No. 2, peak date: Sept. 4, 1965); "Rainy Day Women #12 & #35" (No. 2, peak date: May 21, 1966)

 24. The J. Geils Band

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A live juggernaut, the hard-touring group drew upon soul, blues and rock throughout the '70s. The band's 1981 album "Freeze-Frame," spawned two singles that reached the top five of the Hot 100: the title song and "Centerfold."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Centerfold" (No. 1 for 6 weeks, peak date: Feb. 6, 1982)

 23. Eric Carmen

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After '70s power-pop beginnings with the Raspberries (and a Hot 100 No. 2 solo hit with "All By Myself), the rocker wrote hits for the "Footloose" and "Dirty Dancing" soundtracks, hitting the top five with his own "Hungry Eyes" in 1988.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "All By Myself" (No. 2, peak date: March 6, 1976)

22. Lesley Gore

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The '60s singer was a successful solo voice during the girl-group era with songs such as "It's My Party" and 1964's "You Don't Own Me" -- an influence on decades of independent women to come. 

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "It's My Party" (No. 1 for 2 weeks, peak date: June 1, 1963)

 21. Carole King

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The prolific songwriter rose to fame notching hits for Aretha Franklin, the Crystals and other '60s stars, and she proved her solo chops with 1971's big-selling "Tapestry" and the smash "It's Too Late / I Feel The Earth Move."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "It's Too Late / I Feel The Earth Move" (No. 1 for 5 weeks, peak date: June 19, 1971)

20. Drake

---

The "Take Care" MC, whose mom is Jewish, celebrated his heritage alongside Young Money label boss Lil Wayne in the Bar Mitzvah-themed video for "HYFR" earlier this year. His biggest Hot 100 celebration so far has been his featured spot on Rihanna's No. 1 hit "What's My Name?"

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "What's My Name?" Rihanna feat. Drake (No. 1, peak date: Nov. 20, 2010)

19. Bette Midler

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The Divine Miss M showcased her many talents on stage and screen. Her biggest hit encompassed both talents: 1989's "Wind Beneath My Wings," which reached No. 1, was from the film "Beaches," in which the singer also co-starred.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Wind Beneath My Wings" (No. 1, peak date: June 10, 1989)

 18. David Lee Roth (Van Halen)

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Exuberant frontman David Lee Roth singing atop Eddie Van Halen's Olympic-level guitar solos helped the hard-rock act dominate the late '70s/early '80s rock scene, earning a No. 1 hit with "Jump" in 1984.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Jump" (No. 1, peak date: Feb. 25, 1984)

17. Chris Stein (Blondie)

---

New York punk/new wave rockers Blondie wouldn't have been Blondie without both Debbie Harry AND guitarist Chris Stein. From 1979 to 1981, the group scored a whopping four Hot 100 No. 1s including "Heart of Glass," "Call Me," "The Tide Is High," and "Rapture."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Call Me" (No. 1 for 6 weeks, peak date: April 19, 1980)

16. Susanna Hoffs (Bangles)

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Led by singer-guitarist Susanna Hoffs, the all-female band became synonymous with the '80s thank to songs such as "Manic Monday" and "Walk Like an Egyptian."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Walk Like An Egyptian" (No. 1 for 4 weeks, peak date: Dec. 20, 1986)

 15. Herb Alpert

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The band leader reached the top 10 with The Tijuana Brass in the early '60s, but he rose to No. 1 with a memorable version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "This Guy's In Love With You" in 1968 and again with "Rise" in 1979. 

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "This Guy's In Love With You" (No. 1 for 4 weeks, peak date: June 22, 1968)

14. Carly Simon

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With "You're So Vain," the '70s singer/songwriter posed a pop culture question that's yet to be answered -- who is the song about? -- and scored a huge No. 1 hit in a decade where she also notched several other Hot 100 top 10s.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "You're So Vain" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Jan. 6, 1973)

13. Paul Simon

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Paul Simon has been such a force in popular music, he's earned a spots on this list both as a member of Simon & Garfunkel and for his own rich solo career. His reached the Hot 100 top 10 for songs such as "Mother and Child Reunion" and "Kodachrome," but the singer/songwriter's top solo hit came in 1976 with the No. 1 song "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Feb. 7, 1976)

12. Taylor Dayne

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With debut album "Tell It To My Heart," the dance-pop singer went double platinum and landed a handful of top 10 hits, including a No. 7 showing in 1988 with the synth-powered title track. She rose the highest, however, two years later with the ballad "Love Will Lead You Back," which hit the top.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Love Will Lead You Back" (No. 1, peak date: April 7, 1990)

11. Helen Reddy

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The '60s and '70s singer-actress had 14 top 40 hits, with chart-toppers such as "Delta Dawn," "Angie Baby" and "I Am Woman."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "I Am Woman" (No. 1, peak date: Dec. 9, 1972); "Delta Dawn" (No. 1, peak date: Sept. 15, 1973); "Angie Baby" (No. 1, peak date: Dec. 28, 1974)

10. Simon & Garfunkel

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Thanks "The Sounds of Silence," the New York duo comprised of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel became known as perceptive, golden-voiced icons of the '60s folk movement (and earned two weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1966 with the song while they were at it).

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (No. 1 for 6 weeks, peak date: Feb. 28, 1970); "Mrs. Robinson" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: June 1, 1968)

9. Michael Bolton

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The "Time, Love and Tenderness" singer took adult contemporary to a new level when his 1990 song "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" and his 1991 cover of "When a Man Loves a Woman," which both became Hot 100 No. 1 hits.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Jan. 20, 1990); "When A Man Loves A Woman" (No. 1, peak date: Nov. 23, 1991)

8. Adam Levine (Maroon 5)

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Since early hits such as 2002's "This Love," the pop-rockers have made climbing the charts routine, with the band's success extending to frontman Adam Levine's role as a coach on "The Voice."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "One More Night" (No. 1 for 9 weeks, peak date: Sept. 29, 2012); "Moves Like Jagger" (No. 1 for 4 weeks, peak date: Sept. 10, 2011)

7. Neil Sedaka

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The singer and composer's songs landed him his first "American Bandstand" appearance in 1958, with '60s hit "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" covered by everyone from the Partridge Family to the Four Seasons.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Bad Blood" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Oct. 11, 1975)

6. P!nk

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The "Get the Party Started" singer has become one of the decade's biggest, boldest pop divas, offering sass in hits including "So What" and "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)." Her biggest hit (so far) came as a huge collab with fellow singers Christina Aguilera, Mya, and Lil Kim on a 2001 cover of "Lady Marmalade."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "Lady Marmalade" w/ Christina Aquilera, Lil Kim, Mya (No. 1 for 5 weeks, peak date: June 2, 2001); "So What" (No. 1, peak date: Sept. 27, 2008); "Raise Your Glass" (No. 1, peak date: Dec. 11, 2010

5. Paula Abdul

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The award-winning choreographer and "Straight Up" singer, who was a regular on the Hot 100 in the late '80s and early '90s, found her next burst of fame as Simon Cowell's foil at the judge's table on the game-changing "American Idol."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "Rush Rush" (No. 1 for 5 weeks, peak date: June 15, 1991); "Straight Up" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Feb. 11, 1989); "Opposites Attract" w/ The Wild Pair (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Feb. 10, 1990)

4. Barry Manilow

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The "I Write the Songs" singer had his beloved brand of pop immortalized on the stage and screen in the musical "Copacabana."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "Mandy" (No. 1, peak date: Jan. 18, 1975); "I Write The Songs" (No. 1, peak date: Jan. 17, 1976); "Looks Like We Made It" (No. 1, peak date: July 23, 1977);

3. Barbra Streisand

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With a career spanning film, Broadway and music, the "Funny Girl" star has released No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 across decades -- and picked up Oscars and Grammys along the way.

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "The Way We Were" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Feb. 2, 1974); "Woman In Love" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Oct. 25, 1980); "Evergreen ( Love Theme From 'A Star Is Born')" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: March 5, 1977)

2. Neil Diamond

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Penning the Monkees' "I'm a Believer" made him a songwriting star, but solo hits such as "Sweet Caroline" and "Song Sung Blue" made him a music legend in his own right. 

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" w/ Barbra Streisand (No. 1 for 2 weeks, peak date: Dec. 2, 1978); "Song Sung Blue" (No. 1, peak date: July 1, 1972); "Cracklin' Rosie" (No. 1, peak date: Oct. 10, 1970)


1. Billy Joel

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The "Piano Man" and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer boasts seven Hot 100 top five hits -- spanning decades -- including a trio of No. 1s: "We Didn't Start The Fire," It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" and "Tell Her About It."

Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me" (No. 1 for 2 weeks, peak date: July 19, 1980); "We Didn't Start The Fire" (No. 1 for 2 weeks, peak date: Dec. 9, 1989)

SOURCE FROM: http://www.billboard.com