- Duran Duran -
"Beautiful Colors"
Roger will say the rest of it.
Enjoy the videos below.
- Daft Punk -
"Around the World"
"Around the World"
Second single on French duo Daft Punk's debut album, Homework (1997)
Genre considered - French house
Daft Punk genres considered - House, Funk, Techno, Disco, Rock, Synthpop
No. 1 on dance charts in Canada, the UK, and the U.S.
No. 1 in Iceland and Italy
Point of intrigue -
"Around the world" is the only lyric in the song.
Certification -
Gold in Italy and the UK
Homework
Genres considered - French House, Techno, House
Point of intrigue -
Daft Punk produced tracks without intent on being an album. Work meant to be singles turned into an album.
Charted in 14 countries
No. 3 on French Albums Chart
No. 150 on Billboard 200
No. 8 on UK Albums Chart
No. 37 on Australian Albums Chart
Exceptional demand upon release
More than 2 million copies sold as of February 2001
Over 600,000 copies sold in the U.S. alone as of September 2007
"Around the World" - No. 61 on Billboard Hot 100
"Around the World" - No. 1 on Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play
Profound point of intrigue -
"...increasing popularity of Daft Punk's singles led to a bidding war among record labels..."
Certifications -
Gold in the U.S.
Platinum in Belgium, France, New Zealand, UK
2x Platinum in Canada
Based on the genres alone, I can see how Daft Punk is of interest and influence to Roger Taylor for his side work as a DJ. "Around the world" as the only lyric in the song is unusual but I suppose defines the duo's uniqueness and success. It worked.
My Set List motto, Play it, is definitely one to consider in the House, Funk, Techno, Disco, Rock, and Synthpop genres as noted in this post...Play it indeed.
In this edition of Just Another Tuesday, I am highlighting the source of Madonna's lead single, "Music" - Music.
"Music"
Genres considered - Disco, Electro-Funk, Dance Pop
No. 1 in Australia, Canada, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK, the U.S.
12th and final No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100
Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
- Physical Certification -
Gold in Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK
Platinum in Sweden and the U.S.
2x Platinum in Australia
- Digital Certification -
Gold in Brazil
- Video Certification -
Gold in the UK and the U.S.
Inspired is about anything music that holds personal meaning to the listener, especially for emotional reasons that inspire positive hope and outlook.
In this edition of Inspired, my inspiration is "Nash Descends into Parcher's World" as a musical composition for the 2001 film, A Beautiful Mind.
A Beautiful Mind is a biographical drama about John Nash - a Nobel Prize recipient in Economics as well as the winner of the Abel Prize (Norwegian prize awarded annually to one or more outstanding mathematicians ... Modeled after the Nobel Prizes). The core of the film is the real life portrayal of Nash's descent into paranoid schizophrenia and delusional episodes.
On a positive note, A Beautiful Mind won four Academy Awards - Best Picture, Best Director (Ron Howard), Best Adapted Screenplay (Sylvia Nasar's 1998 A Beautiful Mind book), and Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Connelly). The film was nominated for Best Original Score, Best Makeup, Best Film Editing, and Best Actor (strongly controversial when Russell Crowe, who was slated to win for his portrayal of John Nash, was passed on at the Oscars).
The film received four nominations and two wins at the BAFTA Awards (British Academy of Film and Television Arts). Russell Crowe won Best Actor and Jennifer Connelly won Best Supporting Actress.
The film received two nominations and four wins at the Golden Globe Awards (Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress).
Best Original Score by James Horner was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
Of the many supporting roles in the movie, two stand out the most - Ed Harris and Paul Bettany. Their characters were delusions in Nash's schizophrenic mind...especially with his interactions with Ed Harris's character, William Parcher.
"The beauty of mathematics" was inspired by the idea of a kaleidoscope. Inspired...
I am not schizophrenic. I am not delusional. I am, however, epileptic by psychiatric definition. I have Temporal Lobe Seizure Disorder - tapping into the portion of the brain that controls emotions. Aside from depression and mania, I can easily swing into devastating rage that first became evident when I was six years old. I was diagnosed in 2004, just shy of my 21st birthday. The stretch of time truly was risky.
"Nash Descends into Parcher's World" is not necessarily inspirational in a positive sense, but the darkness he fell into is darkness that I can relate to with regards to painful depression, multiple psychiatric ward admissions, and attempts.
"Parcher" was very real to the ill mind, whether schizophrenic or epileptic.
An ill mind for life.
"Nash Descends into Parcher's World" - Inspired
Some time ago, I noticed a YouTube clip of a zZounds exclusive interview with John Scofield. I have since noticed John Scofield on several YouTube videos. And so I thought I would honor John as my Saturday Recommended.
Who is John Scofield?
John is an American jazz-rock guitarist in the bebop, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul, and rock genres. He has collaborated with such names as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, John Mayer, and many more.
John's background is impressive and quite detailed, so if you choose to want to learn more, follow Wikipedia. His discography dates from 1977 to the present and with very little downtime, so follow his work on Wikipedia.
And then there are awards and honors -
Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee (1997)
Miles Davis Award, Montreal International Jazz Festival (1998)
Grammy nominations (2002, 2004, 2006, 2010)
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres - Order of France by the French Ministry of Culture (2010)
Grammy Awards (2016, 2017)
The answer to the question, Who is John Scofield, is very extensive to write here. For now, follow the Wikipedia links and enjoy the video above!
In this edition of Set List Reader's Choice, your top favorite is:
Desert Island Discs Vol. 2 - Chic
Roger Taylor's top favorite by Chic is "I Want Your Love."
The link will say the rest of it.
Last thought -
Where Chic is known for "I Want Your Love," Duran Duran is known for "I Don't Want Your Love."
In the Friday Eve post featuring "Uprising" by Muse, my words were very minimal. Straight to the point I suppose.
In this post, I thought I would go into more detail about the Friday Eve song, album, and band.
"Uprising"
Released in September 2009
Lead single from Muse's 2009 album, The Resistance
Genres considered - Electronic Rock, Glam Rock
Top 10 in seven countries - Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Scotland, Switzerland, and the UK
No. 9 on UK Singles Chart
No. 1 on Billboard Alternative Songs
No. 37 on Billboard Hot 100
Best Single at the 2010 Music Producers Guild Awards
Certifications -
Gold in Australia, Belgium, and Canada
Platinum in France, Switzerland, and the UK
Double Platinum in the U.S.
Muse's best-selling single
The "Uprising" official music video is rather obscure but is defined as a modern Libertarian song.
There are two lines in the chorus that really stand out and best sum up the meaning behind "Uprising" -
"They will not control us" (government rule)
"We will be victorious" (civil unrest and uprising)
The Resistance
On this Thursday - Friday Eve - I am featuring Muse and their official music video for "Uprising."
As always,
Play it!
- Chic -
"I Want Your Love"
"I Want Your Love"
On Chic's second album, C'est Chic (1978)
(First track, side 2)
Genre considered - Disco
No. 1 on Billboard Dance Club Songs
No. 5 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
No. 7 on Billboard Hot 100
No. 4 on UK Singles Chart
Certified Gold in the U.S.
C'est Chic
Genres considered - Disco, R&B, Funk
Includes Chic's signature song, "Le Freak"
No. 4 on Billboard's Album Chart
No. 1 on R&B Chart
Billboard R&B Album of the Year (1979)
No. 2 in the UK
Certified Platinum in Canada and the U.S.
Certified Gold in France, Hong Kong, and the UK
I am generally familiar with Chic's single, "Le Freak." The genres considered were Disco and Funk. Disco was a genre that Roger Taylor and other members of Duran Duran aspired to - something people could really dance to. Although Duran Duran is best known for the Synth-Pop genre, I can see Roger Taylor's point in being inspired by Chic and "I Want Your Love."
My Set List motto, Play It, is definitely one to consider in the disco and funk genres as noted in this post...Play it indeed.
In this edition of Just Another Tuesday, I am highlighting the source of Billy Squier's hit single, "Everybody Wants You" - Emotions in Motion.
"Everybody Wants You"
Genre considered - Hard Rock
No. 32 on Billboard Hot 100
No. 32 on Billboard Top 40
This week featured musical icons with profound influence in entirely different genres. This week further featured iconic songs that could easily be described by fans as signature songs.
I suppose I could reflect on Miles Davis, Kind of Blue (of course one of many notable albums), and his impact in modern day classic jazz. Chris Botti is an excellent example of being inspired by Miles Davis.
On the other hand, I could reflect on Stevie Wonder, his impressive successes and honors gained from an early age, and his impact not only in music but also in historic pop culture...
...Let's go with this route. Consider Eddie Murphy's portrayal of Stevie Wonder on Saturday Night Live -
In this edition of Set List Reader's Choice, your top favorite is:
The link will say the rest of it.
Last thought -
On this Friday, think so what...
...by Miles Davis on Kind of Blue.
Performances at Wembley Stadium in London.
Point of intrigue - The stadium is primarily meant for sports, especially British football. The maximum capacity is 90,000 seats. As for music, the first concert performance in the new Wembley Stadium was George Michael in 2007. Muse was the first band to sell out in the new Wembley Stadium. (Wikipedia)
I personally am only familiar with Wembley because of Duran Duran's filmed concert so many years ago. Wembley appears to be the ultimate venue for musicians, especially British musicians...
...Which lends to this edition of Friday Eve. On this Thursday - Friday Eve - enjoy "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" as performed by Genesis at Wembley Stadium in 1987.
As always,
Play it!
- Stevie Wonder -
"Superstition"
Unique note -
Stevie Wonder was born six weeks early and was placed in an "oxygen-rich" hospital incubator. This caused retinopathy of prematurity where the growth of the eyes is aborted and the retinas detach. He, then, became blind. (Wikipedia)
- Stevie Wonder Impressive Notes -
Refer to Wikipedia for Stevie Wonder's full career background.
"one-man band"
Influence in rhythm and blues, pop, soul, gospel, and jazz
Child prodigy ... Signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of 11
"Fingertips" - No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 ... Stevie was 13 years old - Youngest artist to top the Billboard chart
Over 100 million records sold worldwide - one of the best selling artists of all time
- Stevie Wonder Honors -
Innervisions (1973) ... Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974) ... Songs in the Key of Life (1976) - Grammy Award for Album of the Year
Academy Award for Best Original Song (for the 1984 film The Woman in Red)
Refer to Wikipedia for Stevie Wonder's full awards and recognition.
25 Grammy Awards - Most awarded solo artist of all time
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1996)
Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame
Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a federal holiday
1996 - Honorary Doctor of Music, University of Alabama at Birmingham
2009 - United Nations Messenger of Peace
2009 - Gershwin Prize
2014 - Presidential Medal of Freedom
2017 - Honorary Doctor of Music, Yale University
- Stevie Wonder Discography -
The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie (1962)
Tribute to Uncle Ray (1962)
With a Song in My Heart (1963)
Stevie at the Beach (1964)
Up-Tight (1966)
Down to Earth (1966)
I Was Made to Love Her (1967)
Someday at Christmas (1967)
Eivets Rednow (1968)
For Once in My Life (1968)
My Cherie Amour (1969)
Signed, Sealed & Delivered (1970)
Where I'm Coming From (1971)
Music of My Mind (1972)
Talking Book (1972)
Innervisions (1973)
Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974)
Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" (1979)
Hotter than July (1980)
The Woman in Red (1984)
In Square Circle (1985)
Characters (1987)
Jungle Fever (1991)
Conversation Peace (1995)
A Time to Love (2005)
Impressive indeed, but let's go back to Talking Book...
In this edition of Monday Blues, I am featuring "blues" by album title - Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. In this post, I am sharing the iconic "Flamenco Sketches."
Kick off the week and the Monday blues with "Flamenco Sketches" on Kind of Blue.
