Featured Flashback - "Seasons in the Sun" by Terry Jacks
Canadian singer Terry Jacks had some success in Canada along with his wife Susan in a band called The Poppys in the last 60's-early 70's. But when the Beach Boys decided not to release "Seasons in the Sun", Terry Jacks jumped at the chance to release it himself in 1974 and 36 years ago this week it went to #1 in the US, Canada and UK. Definitely one of the saddest songs ever written & recorded, you can't help but feel for the artist as the lyrics and melody work together perfectly to paint their very last goodbye. The song "Seasons in the Sun" is actually an English-language adaptation of the song "Le Moribond" by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel who passed away in 1976 sooner after the songs huge success. If you haven't ever heard this song take a few moments and take a listen. It will help you appreciate what you have and want to spend more time with the ones you love: "Seasons in the Sun" by Terry Jacks (YouTube)
Yeaaa weekends here and the Snow has finally stopped
I'm happy to report that the weekend has finally arrived and the snow finally stopped (although some reports call for yet another storm in the Northeast next week :)). I'm spending the weekend catching up on some song projects and making some new updates to the website.
Have a super weekend and please check back Monday for a new blog post, a new featured song and to see whats new on LoveSongs.com woooohoooo!
~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
ITunes sells its 10 BILLIONTH SONG!
In less than 7 years Apple's ITunes has managed to sell 10 Billion songs...that is a little more than one song for every second since they launched...that is just amazing. All that and they claim they still aren't making money hand over fist. Yes I know the record labels take a nice cut from each song sold (so the artists and songwriters can be paid and the labels kept on life support). But 10 BILLION Songs...I mean even if Apple was making just a nickel per song thats $ 500 Million dollars in just under 7 years. That's a lost of song cashola for any company don't you think? And add into that all the Apple hardward they sold along with it (Ipods, Iphones, soon the iPad maybe ha :)). Apple really has got a huge thing going on and by the looks of it will only get bigger and bigger. Remember when Microsoft was the big bad wolf to look out for and Apple was the underdog favorite....maybe just maybe those times are changing we'll have to wait and see. For an interesting article on the 10 BILLIONTH song, who bought it and what they got check out the full article here: ITunes sells 10 Billionth Song
American Idol says goodbye to 4
Just finished watching the first results show and there were a lot of surprises...Tyler Grady? Ashley Rodriguez? Even Joe Munoz really connected with his performance (not a great song but he has the stage charisma)...and Janelle Wheeler going home instead of Lacey Brown. I mean what is America thinking? I don't know but definitely some of the front runners in my mind went home the first week. I hope the trend doesn't continue or it will be hard to watch the final 12 be whittled down to one when its all over.
That's all for tooooday folks - its another snowy Thursday nite (but hey its not sticking yet :))....we'll be back with another post and our weekend song feature tomorrow!
~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com
In less than 7 years Apple's ITunes has managed to sell 10 Billion songs...that is a little more than one song for every second since they launched...that is just amazing. All that and they claim they still aren't making money hand over fist. Yes I know the record labels take a nice cut from each song sold (so the artists and songwriters can be paid and the labels kept on life support). But 10 BILLION Songs...I mean even if Apple was making just a nickel per song thats $ 500 Million dollars in just under 7 years. That's a lost of song cashola for any company don't you think? And add into that all the Apple hardward they sold along with it (Ipods, Iphones, soon the iPad maybe ha :)). Apple really has got a huge thing going on and by the looks of it will only get bigger and bigger. Remember when Microsoft was the big bad wolf to look out for and Apple was the underdog favorite....maybe just maybe those times are changing we'll have to wait and see. For an interesting article on the 10 BILLIONTH song, who bought it and what they got check out the full article here: ITunes sells 10 Billionth Song
American Idol says goodbye to 4
Just finished watching the first results show and there were a lot of surprises...Tyler Grady? Ashley Rodriguez? Even Joe Munoz really connected with his performance (not a great song but he has the stage charisma)...and Janelle Wheeler going home instead of Lacey Brown. I mean what is America thinking? I don't know but definitely some of the front runners in my mind went home the first week. I hope the trend doesn't continue or it will be hard to watch the final 12 be whittled down to one when its all over.
That's all for tooooday folks - its another snowy Thursday nite (but hey its not sticking yet :))....we'll be back with another post and our weekend song feature tomorrow!
~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Today's Featured Song - "Break Even" by The Script
I heard a very different and cool song a few weeks back and I didn't catch the name or band. Then I went searching today and found it - "Break Even" by The Script. An Irish rock band very popular across the pond, The Script has started to make inroads in the states. "Break even" really gets your attention from opening notes and by the time it hits the soaring end of the chorus "I'm falling to piecessssss ...." you are completely hooked. If you haven't heard it yet you are missing it out - please check out The Script right here: "Break Even" by the Script (YouTube)
American Idol Guys debut Tonight on FOX
I just finished watching the guys do their thing live for the first time on American Idol...I missed the first 4 contestants and unfortunately most of the rest never really got my attention either. Probably the one that really has potential is Joe Munoz...I wasn't bowled over by his performance but definitely a lot of potential..same thing for Tyler Grady and Casey James. Its good these guys and the girls will get 3 weeks to develop their chops some more before the Top 12 are announced in 3 weeks. Those that remain will really benefit from this extra development and some will start to shine even more as their confidence builds. In the end my favorite of the nite was Lee DeWyze who I almost forgot about simply because his name is kinda different (makes no sense right). Other then being a little pitchy his version of "Chasing Cars" by Sno Patrol was excellent. Tomorrow nite we'll find out which 2 girls and 2 guys are going home and see if my original Top 8 are still intact ha!
Have a great Wednesday nite folks we're in for more snow hear in Philadelphia (noooo nooo make it stop :)). Will be back tomorrow with another post!
~Vincent
I heard a very different and cool song a few weeks back and I didn't catch the name or band. Then I went searching today and found it - "Break Even" by The Script. An Irish rock band very popular across the pond, The Script has started to make inroads in the states. "Break even" really gets your attention from opening notes and by the time it hits the soaring end of the chorus "I'm falling to piecessssss ...." you are completely hooked. If you haven't heard it yet you are missing it out - please check out The Script right here: "Break Even" by the Script (YouTube)
American Idol Guys debut Tonight on FOX
I just finished watching the guys do their thing live for the first time on American Idol...I missed the first 4 contestants and unfortunately most of the rest never really got my attention either. Probably the one that really has potential is Joe Munoz...I wasn't bowled over by his performance but definitely a lot of potential..same thing for Tyler Grady and Casey James. Its good these guys and the girls will get 3 weeks to develop their chops some more before the Top 12 are announced in 3 weeks. Those that remain will really benefit from this extra development and some will start to shine even more as their confidence builds. In the end my favorite of the nite was Lee DeWyze who I almost forgot about simply because his name is kinda different (makes no sense right). Other then being a little pitchy his version of "Chasing Cars" by Sno Patrol was excellent. Tomorrow nite we'll find out which 2 girls and 2 guys are going home and see if my original Top 8 are still intact ha!
Have a great Wednesday nite folks we're in for more snow hear in Philadelphia (noooo nooo make it stop :)). Will be back tomorrow with another post!
~Vincent
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
American Idol Girls Debut - Song choice song choice song choice
Its like real estate - its all about location, location, location. If you don't have a great location then nothing goods gonna happen. Same with song choice for singers. If you don't sing a song that shows off your voice in a flattering way, no good can happen. Don't pick a song by the same gender artist and sing it the same way, especially if the original singer has a monstrous voice. Janelle Wheeler tried "What about Love" by Heart and you're just never gonna compare favorably to Anne Wilson from Heart not ever ever. Then Katie Stevens is all of 17 years old and they say she's gonna sing a song by Michael Buble....o my goodness I love Michael Buble but his music is geared for people 30+ years older then Katie. Pick a song that hasn't been done by a singer like yourself (ie. different gender is a start)...pick a song that's suitable for your age (ie. that's current) and sing that song in a way unlike anyone else has ever sung that song. I know this is a tall order for many singers especially when they are so young. But that is what is going to get attention from the AI judges and more importantly by America as they are voting.
Best performance of the nite was Michelle Delamore who sang Fallin' by Alicia Keys...she broke the song rule but she actually pulled it off. Another one I really liked which the judges didn't was Haeley Vaughn's interpretation of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles. Honestly I thought it was a bold move and that it was a refreshing take on a song thats been extremely popular for no less then 46 years. Well done in my book!
Worse of the nite was unfortunately Lacey Brown who was beat out by Megan Joy for a top spot last year. Lacey sang "Landslide" and between the pitchiness and the tone of her voice nothing really sounded right. I don't recall her voice ever being so annoying so I'm not sure what happened but it just didn't work for her tonight. For her sake I hope she gets another chance but she may be saying goodbye after Thursday nites results show.
Check back tomorrow as we review the AI guys live on stage for the first time. For full-size edition of what happened tonight on IDOL check out the USAToday blog here: American Idol Girls take to the stage
New Featured Song back tomorrow!
We'll be doing a new song feature 3X/week Mon/Wed and Friday to give us a chance to really find the gems out there. So "Hey Soul Sister" by Train gets a ride for another day check it out here: "Hey Soul Sister" by Train (YouTube)
See ya'll on Wednesday folks!
~Vincent
Its like real estate - its all about location, location, location. If you don't have a great location then nothing goods gonna happen. Same with song choice for singers. If you don't sing a song that shows off your voice in a flattering way, no good can happen. Don't pick a song by the same gender artist and sing it the same way, especially if the original singer has a monstrous voice. Janelle Wheeler tried "What about Love" by Heart and you're just never gonna compare favorably to Anne Wilson from Heart not ever ever. Then Katie Stevens is all of 17 years old and they say she's gonna sing a song by Michael Buble....o my goodness I love Michael Buble but his music is geared for people 30+ years older then Katie. Pick a song that hasn't been done by a singer like yourself (ie. different gender is a start)...pick a song that's suitable for your age (ie. that's current) and sing that song in a way unlike anyone else has ever sung that song. I know this is a tall order for many singers especially when they are so young. But that is what is going to get attention from the AI judges and more importantly by America as they are voting.
Best performance of the nite was Michelle Delamore who sang Fallin' by Alicia Keys...she broke the song rule but she actually pulled it off. Another one I really liked which the judges didn't was Haeley Vaughn's interpretation of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles. Honestly I thought it was a bold move and that it was a refreshing take on a song thats been extremely popular for no less then 46 years. Well done in my book!
Worse of the nite was unfortunately Lacey Brown who was beat out by Megan Joy for a top spot last year. Lacey sang "Landslide" and between the pitchiness and the tone of her voice nothing really sounded right. I don't recall her voice ever being so annoying so I'm not sure what happened but it just didn't work for her tonight. For her sake I hope she gets another chance but she may be saying goodbye after Thursday nites results show.
Check back tomorrow as we review the AI guys live on stage for the first time. For full-size edition of what happened tonight on IDOL check out the USAToday blog here: American Idol Girls take to the stage
New Featured Song back tomorrow!
We'll be doing a new song feature 3X/week Mon/Wed and Friday to give us a chance to really find the gems out there. So "Hey Soul Sister" by Train gets a ride for another day check it out here: "Hey Soul Sister" by Train (YouTube)
See ya'll on Wednesday folks!
~Vincent
Monday, February 22, 2010
Mondays Featured Tune - "Hey Soul Sister" by Train
The rock band Train hit it back in 1999 with the song "Meet Virginia" off their debut self-titled CD...then hit paydirt again in 2001 with "Drops Of Jupiter" that went all the way to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. They took a break in 2006 to spend more time with family and came back in 2009n there was a bit of a dry spell before last year when they hit #7 with "Hey Soul Sister" which really is a catchy number. I'd only heard it a few times and then I came across it again tonight on the radio and its such a cool little song that makes you wanna dance around and sing it :) Check out "Hey Soul Sister" here:
"Hey Soul Sister" by Train (YouTube)
Voting starts on American Idol Tuesday Nite with da Girls!
The Top 12 girls of this years American Idol class kick off the live singing and voting tomorrow nite. Will be our first chance to see and hear Ellen live on the show and hear how some of our favorite singers this year do singing live. The girls kick it off Tuesday then the boys on Wednesday with the results for both coming on Thursday. I made my top 8 prediction last week we'll see if any of my favorites start dropping off (don't ask me why top 8 I just picked the 8 I thought could really win based on what I'd seen and heard so far).
Here's hoping for a great week for everyone - will be back at ya tomorrow/Tuesday with another post and possibly another great pop song to tell you about...I love finding great new (and old) songs!
~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com
The rock band Train hit it back in 1999 with the song "Meet Virginia" off their debut self-titled CD...then hit paydirt again in 2001 with "Drops Of Jupiter" that went all the way to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. They took a break in 2006 to spend more time with family and came back in 2009n there was a bit of a dry spell before last year when they hit #7 with "Hey Soul Sister" which really is a catchy number. I'd only heard it a few times and then I came across it again tonight on the radio and its such a cool little song that makes you wanna dance around and sing it :) Check out "Hey Soul Sister" here:
"Hey Soul Sister" by Train (YouTube)
Voting starts on American Idol Tuesday Nite with da Girls!
The Top 12 girls of this years American Idol class kick off the live singing and voting tomorrow nite. Will be our first chance to see and hear Ellen live on the show and hear how some of our favorite singers this year do singing live. The girls kick it off Tuesday then the boys on Wednesday with the results for both coming on Thursday. I made my top 8 prediction last week we'll see if any of my favorites start dropping off (don't ask me why top 8 I just picked the 8 I thought could really win based on what I'd seen and heard so far).
Here's hoping for a great week for everyone - will be back at ya tomorrow/Tuesday with another post and possibly another great pop song to tell you about...I love finding great new (and old) songs!
~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sunday's Flashback Song - "Shannon" by Henry Gross
Henry Gross first knew fame as founding member of the 60's rock'n'roll vocal group Sha Na Na that performed at Woodstock and other well known venues of the time. Henry left Sha Na Na to pursue a solo career in 1970 and after six years of mostly struggling hit pay dirt with this incredibly moving song that was dedicated to Beach Boy Carl Wilson's Irish Setter dog of the same name that had drowned. I remember first hearing this song back in the late 70's and really being drawn to it ....even today I still get chills whenever I hear it. If you have never heard "Shannon" or its been a while you are in for a treat please take a listen here:
"Shannon" - Henry Gross (YouTube)
Does Playing an Instrument makes us smarter??
A recent article suggests that those of us that play an instrument (any instrument) actually improve our ability to focus and remember as well as motor skills. That's great news for me - if I hadn't started playing piano and guitar all those years ago I would be a lot dumber than I already am ha ha :) Seriously though if you have children (or will have them somday) its probably worthwhile to get them hooked on an instrument and music early in life - you might just have some real smart kids on your hands and have a lot of musical fun along the way. For more info on how playing music makes us smarter check out the full article here: Playing Music Makes us Smarter
After last Saturday's running around playing at 7 different Borders (supposed to be 8 but the traffic was unwielding :)) this weekend has been quite and peaceful which is nice. We're in the planning stages for a big Mothers Day week mini-tour so stay tuned for more info on that.
Please enjoy the rest of your Sunday and weekend and we'll be back with another post manana!
~Vincent
Henry Gross first knew fame as founding member of the 60's rock'n'roll vocal group Sha Na Na that performed at Woodstock and other well known venues of the time. Henry left Sha Na Na to pursue a solo career in 1970 and after six years of mostly struggling hit pay dirt with this incredibly moving song that was dedicated to Beach Boy Carl Wilson's Irish Setter dog of the same name that had drowned. I remember first hearing this song back in the late 70's and really being drawn to it ....even today I still get chills whenever I hear it. If you have never heard "Shannon" or its been a while you are in for a treat please take a listen here:
"Shannon" - Henry Gross (YouTube)
Does Playing an Instrument makes us smarter??
A recent article suggests that those of us that play an instrument (any instrument) actually improve our ability to focus and remember as well as motor skills. That's great news for me - if I hadn't started playing piano and guitar all those years ago I would be a lot dumber than I already am ha ha :) Seriously though if you have children (or will have them somday) its probably worthwhile to get them hooked on an instrument and music early in life - you might just have some real smart kids on your hands and have a lot of musical fun along the way. For more info on how playing music makes us smarter check out the full article here: Playing Music Makes us Smarter
After last Saturday's running around playing at 7 different Borders (supposed to be 8 but the traffic was unwielding :)) this weekend has been quite and peaceful which is nice. We're in the planning stages for a big Mothers Day week mini-tour so stay tuned for more info on that.
Please enjoy the rest of your Sunday and weekend and we'll be back with another post manana!
~Vincent
Friday, February 19, 2010
Fridays Featured Song - "Our Song" by Taylor Swift
I first heard this song a year or so ago and thought wow this is a really cool uptempo pop song I wonder who sings it. This was of course before Taylor Swift had become absolutely huge on both both pop and country radio. "Our Song" was the 3rd single off her debut CD "Taylor Swift" from 2006 (when she was like 17 years old) and went to #1 on the Country chart and #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...this is before "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me" off her 2008 "Fearless" CD that is still hotter than ever. Also on her debut was another really good song "Teardrops on my Guitar" (my daughter just loves that song). Altogether Taylor has sold over 9 Million copies of her first two CDs in the US alone and holds the record (24 million) for the most digital tracks sold by any artist ever. Pretty heady stuff for someone who just recently turned 20 (think its too late for me to adopt her?? ha ha). Well "Our Song" was my first introduction to Taylor Swift and its as catchy as any uptempo pop ditty there is. If you haven't heard it recently or at all check it out along with the video here:
"Our Song" by Taylor Swift (YouTube)
New Free Austrailian Music Streaming Website launches March 30th
There's a new free music streaming site called Guvera coming online March 30th from the land down under. It will be ad-supported but instead of having the ads delay the music the webpages will be branded with an advertiser thats suited for that particular style of music. So you'll see the ads but won't have to wait to hear the music you want to hear. For more info on the beta launch coming next month check out this article on Wired.com
That's all for Friday fellow music lovers - I'll be back tomorrow with another post and perhaps another song post - We'll have a flashback weekend favorite coming right at ya!
~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com
I first heard this song a year or so ago and thought wow this is a really cool uptempo pop song I wonder who sings it. This was of course before Taylor Swift had become absolutely huge on both both pop and country radio. "Our Song" was the 3rd single off her debut CD "Taylor Swift" from 2006 (when she was like 17 years old) and went to #1 on the Country chart and #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...this is before "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me" off her 2008 "Fearless" CD that is still hotter than ever. Also on her debut was another really good song "Teardrops on my Guitar" (my daughter just loves that song). Altogether Taylor has sold over 9 Million copies of her first two CDs in the US alone and holds the record (24 million) for the most digital tracks sold by any artist ever. Pretty heady stuff for someone who just recently turned 20 (think its too late for me to adopt her?? ha ha). Well "Our Song" was my first introduction to Taylor Swift and its as catchy as any uptempo pop ditty there is. If you haven't heard it recently or at all check it out along with the video here:
"Our Song" by Taylor Swift (YouTube)
New Free Austrailian Music Streaming Website launches March 30th
There's a new free music streaming site called Guvera coming online March 30th from the land down under. It will be ad-supported but instead of having the ads delay the music the webpages will be branded with an advertiser thats suited for that particular style of music. So you'll see the ads but won't have to wait to hear the music you want to hear. For more info on the beta launch coming next month check out this article on Wired.com
That's all for Friday fellow music lovers - I'll be back tomorrow with another post and perhaps another song post - We'll have a flashback weekend favorite coming right at ya!
~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Thursdays Featured Song - "Not Meant to Be" by Theory of a Deadman
Definitely one of the strange band names I've come across, but the song "Not Meant to Be" is a great pop tune...about love that maybes not gonna go anywheres and coming to grips with having to walk away...never easy. Theory of a Deadman (also known as TOAD) hails from Canada and is very popular up there and also managed to sell 500,000 copies off their 2008 CD "Scars and Souvenirs" where "Not Meant To be" is from. The song itself peaked at #55 on the Billboard chart and if they were more known in the states would have gone much higher - its thats good a song. Check out the song and video here:
"Not Meant to Be" by Theory of a Deadman (YouTube)
American Idol Top 24 is Ready to GOOO!!!
Watched both episodes of AI this week as they rounded down the numbers to the best 24 in the group. There were a few surprises in the selection but not many. Some of my favorites to make it to the top 12 are Aaron Kelly, Casey James, Ashley Rodriguez, Janelle Wheeler, Katie Stevens, Lily Scott, Todrick Hall and Tyler Grady. There thats my top 8 ha ha...I'll check back with you next week to see how many of these make it to the Top 12. Definitely looking forward this year as its a great crew of performers and as they get better each week some will be amazing (and of course some will falter as the pressure builds up). That's what makes it so much fun to watch because its as real as you get in the music biz.
That's all for Thursday folks - will be back tomorrow with another song and some more music fun for you!!
~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com
Definitely one of the strange band names I've come across, but the song "Not Meant to Be" is a great pop tune...about love that maybes not gonna go anywheres and coming to grips with having to walk away...never easy. Theory of a Deadman (also known as TOAD) hails from Canada and is very popular up there and also managed to sell 500,000 copies off their 2008 CD "Scars and Souvenirs" where "Not Meant To be" is from. The song itself peaked at #55 on the Billboard chart and if they were more known in the states would have gone much higher - its thats good a song. Check out the song and video here:
"Not Meant to Be" by Theory of a Deadman (YouTube)
American Idol Top 24 is Ready to GOOO!!!
Watched both episodes of AI this week as they rounded down the numbers to the best 24 in the group. There were a few surprises in the selection but not many. Some of my favorites to make it to the top 12 are Aaron Kelly, Casey James, Ashley Rodriguez, Janelle Wheeler, Katie Stevens, Lily Scott, Todrick Hall and Tyler Grady. There thats my top 8 ha ha...I'll check back with you next week to see how many of these make it to the Top 12. Definitely looking forward this year as its a great crew of performers and as they get better each week some will be amazing (and of course some will falter as the pressure builds up). That's what makes it so much fun to watch because its as real as you get in the music biz.
That's all for Thursday folks - will be back tomorrow with another song and some more music fun for you!!
~Vincent James @ LoveSongs.com
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Wednesdays Featured song - "We are the World" for Haiti - 25 years!
After a crazy weekend with 7 shows at different Borders Stores on Saturday we're finally catching back up online today. We started at 9 AM in Newark, Delaware and ended up 7 stores later in Wynnewood PA playing at least 30 minutes in every store to a very receptive audience. We were soooo sorry to miss Plymouth Meeting Borders but traffic on Route 202 going to King of Prussia was unbelievable...combine cabin fever from the recent snow storms and two holidays in one weekend it was just too much :) We made it to King of Prussia about an hour late and then struggled to get out of King of Prussia area to make it to Bryn Mawr for scheduled time at 7:30. What a crazy fun day playing love songs for folks everywhere - can't wait to do it again!
"We are the World" - Hope for Haiti
"We are the World" 2010 Version was recorded a few weeks back and you can catch the entire video here featuring many of the great singers and performers of today plus spliced in footage of Michael Jackson singing some of his parts from 1985...its a moving song and video you won't want to miss:
"We Are the World 2010" - YouTube
Written by Lionel Richie and the late amazing Michael Jackson, the song was originally used to help raise funds for hunger in Africa. This time around the focus is on helping to rebuild Haiti after the devastating earthquake just a few weeks ago. I wonder if we'll also see another "Hands Across America" next year in 2011 for the 25th Anniversary of that historic event in 1986. Music wil always help bring people together..that's why I love it soooo much!
That's all for today - we'll be back with a Daily Blog again starting tomorrow and we'll be featuring just 2-3 new songs per week - The very best that we can find on radio and beyond!
~Vincent
After a crazy weekend with 7 shows at different Borders Stores on Saturday we're finally catching back up online today. We started at 9 AM in Newark, Delaware and ended up 7 stores later in Wynnewood PA playing at least 30 minutes in every store to a very receptive audience. We were soooo sorry to miss Plymouth Meeting Borders but traffic on Route 202 going to King of Prussia was unbelievable...combine cabin fever from the recent snow storms and two holidays in one weekend it was just too much :) We made it to King of Prussia about an hour late and then struggled to get out of King of Prussia area to make it to Bryn Mawr for scheduled time at 7:30. What a crazy fun day playing love songs for folks everywhere - can't wait to do it again!
"We are the World" - Hope for Haiti
"We are the World" 2010 Version was recorded a few weeks back and you can catch the entire video here featuring many of the great singers and performers of today plus spliced in footage of Michael Jackson singing some of his parts from 1985...its a moving song and video you won't want to miss:
"We Are the World 2010" - YouTube
Written by Lionel Richie and the late amazing Michael Jackson, the song was originally used to help raise funds for hunger in Africa. This time around the focus is on helping to rebuild Haiti after the devastating earthquake just a few weeks ago. I wonder if we'll also see another "Hands Across America" next year in 2011 for the 25th Anniversary of that historic event in 1986. Music wil always help bring people together..that's why I love it soooo much!
That's all for today - we'll be back with a Daily Blog again starting tomorrow and we'll be featuring just 2-3 new songs per week - The very best that we can find on radio and beyond!
~Vincent
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Saturdays Feature - "Nothings Gonna Change My Love" by Glenn Medeiros
Perhaps the most romantic song ever written and my personal favorite is "Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You" by Glenn Mereiros. From his native Hawaii at age 17 , Glenn recorded a cover of George Bensons original version ..won a radio station contest with it and ended up with a huge radio hit going all the way to #12 on the Billboard chart and #1 in UK for 4 weeks. A few years after that Glenn had a #1 hit on the US with "She Ain't Worth It" with Bobby Brown on vocals as well. Now residing in Hawaii again Glenn teaches music and history and performs still on the islands. This song will always have special memories for me and my wife Joann as it was our Wedding Song and we had a chance to see Glenn perform when he did a radio tour in the early 90's. If you have never heard this beautiful song or want to remember please watch and listen here:
"Nothings Gonna Change My Love" by Glenn Medeiros (YouTube)
Whirlwind Valentines Tour - Today in Philadelphia area!
Todays the day I attempt to perform a 30 minute Love Song set at 8 different Borders Bookstores in the Philadelphia area. If you'd like to catch me along the way here are the locations:
9 AM - Borders Newark - 101 Geoffrey Drive, Newark, DE
11 AM - Borders Wilmiington - 4221 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE
1:30 PM - Borders Concordville- 968 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA
3 PM - Borders Exton - Exton Square Mall, Exton, PA
4:30 PM - Borders King of Prussia - King of Prussia Mall - The Court
6 PM - Borders Plymouth Meeting - Plymouth Meeting Mall, PA
7:30 PM - Borders Bryn Mawr - Rosemont SHopping Center, Bryn Mawr PA
9 PM - Borders Wynnewood - 80 E. Wynnewood Road, Wynnewood, PA
And here is the Facebook Event: Whirlwind Valentines Tour
Just one more day to Valentines Day and it looks like a beautiful weekend (ie. no more new snow till at least Monday ha ha)
Have a great Saturday and will be back with a new post on Valentines morning!
~Vincent
Perhaps the most romantic song ever written and my personal favorite is "Nothings Gonna Change My Love For You" by Glenn Mereiros. From his native Hawaii at age 17 , Glenn recorded a cover of George Bensons original version ..won a radio station contest with it and ended up with a huge radio hit going all the way to #12 on the Billboard chart and #1 in UK for 4 weeks. A few years after that Glenn had a #1 hit on the US with "She Ain't Worth It" with Bobby Brown on vocals as well. Now residing in Hawaii again Glenn teaches music and history and performs still on the islands. This song will always have special memories for me and my wife Joann as it was our Wedding Song and we had a chance to see Glenn perform when he did a radio tour in the early 90's. If you have never heard this beautiful song or want to remember please watch and listen here:
"Nothings Gonna Change My Love" by Glenn Medeiros (YouTube)
Whirlwind Valentines Tour - Today in Philadelphia area!
Todays the day I attempt to perform a 30 minute Love Song set at 8 different Borders Bookstores in the Philadelphia area. If you'd like to catch me along the way here are the locations:
9 AM - Borders Newark - 101 Geoffrey Drive, Newark, DE
11 AM - Borders Wilmiington - 4221 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE
1:30 PM - Borders Concordville- 968 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA
3 PM - Borders Exton - Exton Square Mall, Exton, PA
4:30 PM - Borders King of Prussia - King of Prussia Mall - The Court
6 PM - Borders Plymouth Meeting - Plymouth Meeting Mall, PA
7:30 PM - Borders Bryn Mawr - Rosemont SHopping Center, Bryn Mawr PA
9 PM - Borders Wynnewood - 80 E. Wynnewood Road, Wynnewood, PA
And here is the Facebook Event: Whirlwind Valentines Tour
Just one more day to Valentines Day and it looks like a beautiful weekend (ie. no more new snow till at least Monday ha ha)
Have a great Saturday and will be back with a new post on Valentines morning!
~Vincent
Friday, February 12, 2010
Friday's Featured Song - "Stop and Stare" by One Republic
One Republic has a different single on the charts right now "All the Right Moves" which has a pretty cool chorus - but the song I really like (apart from their monster hit "Apologize") is "Stop and Stare" - haunting verse and chorus that are perfectly matched and the orchestrated background is just perfect. "Stop and Stare" went all the way to #12 on the Billboard Chart in 2008. One Republic originally formed out of Denver, Colorado in 2002 and at one point became the most popular unsigned band on MySpace (which will tend to get you some serious attention :)). "Apologize" from their debut CD hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and was followed up by this really cool song check it out:
"Stop and Stare" - One Republic (YouTube)
Warner Music may pull their music from Streaming Sites
Warner Music has said they don't support streaming only sites (aka Last.fm and Pandora) that are advertiser supported as they take away sales of MP3s through other sites. Instead they may support sites that offer paid subscriptions to hear unlimited tracks. This whole music streaming battle is far from over will be interesting to see how it all plays out over the next few years. Here's a recent article on Warner Musics position: Warner Music to pull music from Streaming Sites
Valentines Day just two days away!
Valentines Day is not just around the corner but its two doors up the street and moving fast. Fortunately the snow has actually stopped and we are almost dug out of our neighborhoods so maybe we can enjoy Valentines weekend. Tomorrow I'll be doing my crazy Whirlwind Valentines Tour visiting 8 different Borders - should be a fun time and I'll get to actually celebrate Valentines with the Mrs on Sunday whooo hoooooo!
Have a great Friday and will be posting another update and tune early tomorrow before we head out for the shows - first show is at 9 AM (man thats early :))
~Vincent
One Republic has a different single on the charts right now "All the Right Moves" which has a pretty cool chorus - but the song I really like (apart from their monster hit "Apologize") is "Stop and Stare" - haunting verse and chorus that are perfectly matched and the orchestrated background is just perfect. "Stop and Stare" went all the way to #12 on the Billboard Chart in 2008. One Republic originally formed out of Denver, Colorado in 2002 and at one point became the most popular unsigned band on MySpace (which will tend to get you some serious attention :)). "Apologize" from their debut CD hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and was followed up by this really cool song check it out:
"Stop and Stare" - One Republic (YouTube)
Warner Music may pull their music from Streaming Sites
Warner Music has said they don't support streaming only sites (aka Last.fm and Pandora) that are advertiser supported as they take away sales of MP3s through other sites. Instead they may support sites that offer paid subscriptions to hear unlimited tracks. This whole music streaming battle is far from over will be interesting to see how it all plays out over the next few years. Here's a recent article on Warner Musics position: Warner Music to pull music from Streaming Sites
Valentines Day just two days away!
Valentines Day is not just around the corner but its two doors up the street and moving fast. Fortunately the snow has actually stopped and we are almost dug out of our neighborhoods so maybe we can enjoy Valentines weekend. Tomorrow I'll be doing my crazy Whirlwind Valentines Tour visiting 8 different Borders - should be a fun time and I'll get to actually celebrate Valentines with the Mrs on Sunday whooo hoooooo!
Have a great Friday and will be posting another update and tune early tomorrow before we head out for the shows - first show is at 9 AM (man thats early :))
~Vincent
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Thursdays Feature - "Waiting for a Star to Fall" by Boy Meets Girl
Can't believe its been 22 years since this song first came across the radio airwaves. "Waiting for a Star to Fall" went to #5 on the Billboard Chart in 1988 and was the only big hit from pop duo "Boy Meets Girl" that hailed from Seattle, Washington area. Prior to this big hit they also penned two #1 hits for Whitney Houston "How Will I Know" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and have written for many other big names as well. When I hear "Waiting for a star..." its like the most perfect pop song there could ever be - definitely in my all time Top 10 pop songs ever. If you have never heard it or want to remember what it was like check it out here:
"Waiting for a Star to Fall" by Boy Meets Girl (YouTube)
Just Three Days Till Valentines Day - Whatcha gonna do??
Well folks Valentines is almost upon us and will be here in just three days. I know in the Mid-Atlantic states we're digging out from the latest snowstorm and hopefully we'll be done in time to have some fun this weekend. We at LoveSongs.com would love to hear how you plan to spend Valentines. Email us at vj@lovesongs.com or simply post a comment here on the blog and we'll post some of your replies this Saturday before we head out on our crazy Borders/Valentines tour of 8 stores.
That's all for today folks - I'm totally beat from shoveling (again) and need to go find a couch to rest on. Hope you have a great day and we'll be back tomorrow with another great love song for Valentines week!
~Vincent
Can't believe its been 22 years since this song first came across the radio airwaves. "Waiting for a Star to Fall" went to #5 on the Billboard Chart in 1988 and was the only big hit from pop duo "Boy Meets Girl" that hailed from Seattle, Washington area. Prior to this big hit they also penned two #1 hits for Whitney Houston "How Will I Know" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and have written for many other big names as well. When I hear "Waiting for a star..." its like the most perfect pop song there could ever be - definitely in my all time Top 10 pop songs ever. If you have never heard it or want to remember what it was like check it out here:
"Waiting for a Star to Fall" by Boy Meets Girl (YouTube)
Just Three Days Till Valentines Day - Whatcha gonna do??
Well folks Valentines is almost upon us and will be here in just three days. I know in the Mid-Atlantic states we're digging out from the latest snowstorm and hopefully we'll be done in time to have some fun this weekend. We at LoveSongs.com would love to hear how you plan to spend Valentines. Email us at vj@lovesongs.com or simply post a comment here on the blog and we'll post some of your replies this Saturday before we head out on our crazy Borders/Valentines tour of 8 stores.
That's all for today folks - I'm totally beat from shoveling (again) and need to go find a couch to rest on. Hope you have a great day and we'll be back tomorrow with another great love song for Valentines week!
~Vincent
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wednesdays Featured Song - "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles
Yes its been almost 3 years since "Love Song" was released but hey its our first chance to feature it for Valentines week :) "Love Song" was offered as the free song of the week by Itunes in June 2007 and it gradually picked up steam from there week after week. After appearances by Sara on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Today Show it eventually peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and went on to sell 3 Million copies. The album from which it came is called "Little Voices" and that managed to go Gold selling 500 thousand copies and peaking at #7 on the Billboard album chart. Unfortunately for Sara, recovering from this one monster hit song may prove to be impossible. "Love Song" is such a catchy uptempo tune - talking about how she doesn't have to write him a love song just to prove how she feels - it's infectious, so well written and performed that anything else Sara does will most likely pale by comparison. I have to say most likely because we just never know. Hopefully Sara will be out with a new CD sometime later this year or early next and we'll get to hear where she's going with her music. For now check out this amazingly good song and video for Valentines week called "Love Song"
"Love Song" by Sara Bareilles - YouTube
Ellen has arrived on Idol -and it was cool!
We all got a chance to see Ellen on American Idol for the first time and she was everything we hoped she would be. Funny, interesting and definitely honest when she needed to me (no more Paula praising how some one looks because the performance was terrible). Was absolutely a fun show and looking forward to more from Ellen. The one Paula related note that was a highlight was an amazing performance of Paula's "Straight Up" by 24 years old dad Andrew Garcia. His acoustic rendition and arrangement was exactly as fellow judge Kara Dioguardi stated last night...absolutely genius. I'm hoping Andrew can keep the momentum going as we go into group night tonight which always proves to be the undoing of some of the better contestants. Working well with others is such a hard thing to do for some :) For more info and clips of last night Idol show check out this article:
Ellen has arrived on American Idol
That's all for Wednesday folks - The snow is moving in again to the mid-Atlantic area so I see more snow shoveling in my future (as in today :)). Will be back tomorrow with another Valentines week feature and music news!
~Vincent
Yes its been almost 3 years since "Love Song" was released but hey its our first chance to feature it for Valentines week :) "Love Song" was offered as the free song of the week by Itunes in June 2007 and it gradually picked up steam from there week after week. After appearances by Sara on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Today Show it eventually peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and went on to sell 3 Million copies. The album from which it came is called "Little Voices" and that managed to go Gold selling 500 thousand copies and peaking at #7 on the Billboard album chart. Unfortunately for Sara, recovering from this one monster hit song may prove to be impossible. "Love Song" is such a catchy uptempo tune - talking about how she doesn't have to write him a love song just to prove how she feels - it's infectious, so well written and performed that anything else Sara does will most likely pale by comparison. I have to say most likely because we just never know. Hopefully Sara will be out with a new CD sometime later this year or early next and we'll get to hear where she's going with her music. For now check out this amazingly good song and video for Valentines week called "Love Song"
"Love Song" by Sara Bareilles - YouTube
Ellen has arrived on Idol -and it was cool!
We all got a chance to see Ellen on American Idol for the first time and she was everything we hoped she would be. Funny, interesting and definitely honest when she needed to me (no more Paula praising how some one looks because the performance was terrible). Was absolutely a fun show and looking forward to more from Ellen. The one Paula related note that was a highlight was an amazing performance of Paula's "Straight Up" by 24 years old dad Andrew Garcia. His acoustic rendition and arrangement was exactly as fellow judge Kara Dioguardi stated last night...absolutely genius. I'm hoping Andrew can keep the momentum going as we go into group night tonight which always proves to be the undoing of some of the better contestants. Working well with others is such a hard thing to do for some :) For more info and clips of last night Idol show check out this article:
Ellen has arrived on American Idol
That's all for Wednesday folks - The snow is moving in again to the mid-Atlantic area so I see more snow shoveling in my future (as in today :)). Will be back tomorrow with another Valentines week feature and music news!
~Vincent
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Tuesdays Featured Song - "Smile" by Uncle Kracker
Not as popular (or as egotistical) as his Top 5 hit "Follow Me", Uncle Kracker's newest hit "Smile" has a catchy bouncy hook with an upbeat message that feels so much better than "follow me cause I so goood la la la" ha ha :). Seriously I think "Smile" is the better song but unfortunately for Kracker his popularity had already started to wane (that old 15 minutes of fame thing) so this song didn't have as much of a chance. Uncle K also hit the Top 10 chart a few years back with a cover of Dobie Grays 1973 hit "Drift Away" with Gray singing again on the song bridge...it was nice to hear that song come back it was a good one. "Smile" did manage to hit 43 on the Billboard chart and if you want to hear a song that didn't get its due check it out here:
"Smile" by Uncle Kracker (YouTube)
Simon and Ellen together on IDOL - Tonight!
The long awaited pairing of Simon and Ellen DeGenerous on Idol will happen tonight as Hollywood round begins. Okay okay so it probably happened a few months ago but we're just getting to see it now. I'm looking forward to hearing the comments that come between them and how this years batch of performers holds up under the real pressure. If they thought auditioning was the hard part boy were they wrong :) When your in direct competition with other singers in the same room, on the same stage (and yes its a stage now) and with songs you haven't prepared forever its gonna be a lot harder. The audition round in the beginning is always amusing but when we hit the Hollywood round I think thats when the real fun starts.
Hope you all have a great Tuesday - we're due for another round of snow in the Northeast sheeeeesh its getting a little crazy up here :) Will be back tomorrow with another song, a LoveSongs.com newsletter and more!
~Vincent
Not as popular (or as egotistical) as his Top 5 hit "Follow Me", Uncle Kracker's newest hit "Smile" has a catchy bouncy hook with an upbeat message that feels so much better than "follow me cause I so goood la la la" ha ha :). Seriously I think "Smile" is the better song but unfortunately for Kracker his popularity had already started to wane (that old 15 minutes of fame thing) so this song didn't have as much of a chance. Uncle K also hit the Top 10 chart a few years back with a cover of Dobie Grays 1973 hit "Drift Away" with Gray singing again on the song bridge...it was nice to hear that song come back it was a good one. "Smile" did manage to hit 43 on the Billboard chart and if you want to hear a song that didn't get its due check it out here:
"Smile" by Uncle Kracker (YouTube)
Simon and Ellen together on IDOL - Tonight!
The long awaited pairing of Simon and Ellen DeGenerous on Idol will happen tonight as Hollywood round begins. Okay okay so it probably happened a few months ago but we're just getting to see it now. I'm looking forward to hearing the comments that come between them and how this years batch of performers holds up under the real pressure. If they thought auditioning was the hard part boy were they wrong :) When your in direct competition with other singers in the same room, on the same stage (and yes its a stage now) and with songs you haven't prepared forever its gonna be a lot harder. The audition round in the beginning is always amusing but when we hit the Hollywood round I think thats when the real fun starts.
Hope you all have a great Tuesday - we're due for another round of snow in the Northeast sheeeeesh its getting a little crazy up here :) Will be back tomorrow with another song, a LoveSongs.com newsletter and more!
~Vincent
Monday, February 8, 2010
Monday's Featured Song - "Down Down Down" by Jay Sean
Okay so its only one "Down" but this ones just so catchy I keep repeating "Down". Dance music may be making a comeback if this track is any indication - with a beat straight from the Freestyle music days, the melody is infectious and the lyrical hook pulls you in deep. Jay has been around a little while being signed to UK Virgin Records and having two top 10 UK singles in 2004. He later parted ways with Virgin records and made his American debut on Cash Box Records with the CD "All or Nothing". Definitely leaning towards the ALL as "Down" went all the way to #1 on the Billboard 100 chart in the US and 2nd single "Do You Remember" cracked the Top 10 as well. Check out "Down down down" :) here on YouTube - once you hear it you'll want to hear it again:
"Down" by Jay Sean - YouTube
Jay Letterman on CBS last night :)
No you weren't dreaming when you saw Jay Leno, David Letterman and Oprah together in a commerical on the Super Bowl last night. Dave complaining they were at the worse Super Bowl Party ever and Jay chiming in that its only because he's there ha :) Nicely done Jay and Dave with Oprah in the middle as mediator. When Jay returns to late night in a few weeks it'll make the Late Night wars interesting again with Jay and Dave going at it night after night. Nothing like real competition to get the creative juices flowing.
First AM Blog Post
This is my first time posting in the AM/Morning - So Mondays post is actually visible most of Monday instead of coming out Monday nite (and maybe even more typos :)). We'll see how long I can get up early and make this happen every day. Have a great Monday and we'll be back on Tuesday with another featured song!
~Vincent
Okay so its only one "Down" but this ones just so catchy I keep repeating "Down". Dance music may be making a comeback if this track is any indication - with a beat straight from the Freestyle music days, the melody is infectious and the lyrical hook pulls you in deep. Jay has been around a little while being signed to UK Virgin Records and having two top 10 UK singles in 2004. He later parted ways with Virgin records and made his American debut on Cash Box Records with the CD "All or Nothing". Definitely leaning towards the ALL as "Down" went all the way to #1 on the Billboard 100 chart in the US and 2nd single "Do You Remember" cracked the Top 10 as well. Check out "Down down down" :) here on YouTube - once you hear it you'll want to hear it again:
"Down" by Jay Sean - YouTube
Jay Letterman on CBS last night :)
No you weren't dreaming when you saw Jay Leno, David Letterman and Oprah together in a commerical on the Super Bowl last night. Dave complaining they were at the worse Super Bowl Party ever and Jay chiming in that its only because he's there ha :) Nicely done Jay and Dave with Oprah in the middle as mediator. When Jay returns to late night in a few weeks it'll make the Late Night wars interesting again with Jay and Dave going at it night after night. Nothing like real competition to get the creative juices flowing.
First AM Blog Post
This is my first time posting in the AM/Morning - So Mondays post is actually visible most of Monday instead of coming out Monday nite (and maybe even more typos :)). We'll see how long I can get up early and make this happen every day. Have a great Monday and we'll be back on Tuesday with another featured song!
~Vincent
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Sunday's Flashback Feature - "Lonely Boy" by Andrew Gold
I first heard this song back in the late 70's and from the very first listen I was hooked for a lifetime - I must confess I don't know exactly what its all about (I'm a just a melody guy who occasionally writes a semi-decent lyric :)), but "Lonely Boy" is just a monster of a pop song....great verse melody and incredible hook...driving piano background - and then they hit you with a way cool guitar solo which just puts the icing on the cake that's already tasting good ha :) If you are not familiar with "Lonely Boy" I highly recommend you check it out - both a studio and live version are posted below. Andrew also penned "Thank You For Being a Friend" from Golden Girls TV show and many other songs covered by big artists. "Lonely Boy" went all the way to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977 was a nice ride:
"Lonely Boy" - YouTube (Live version)
"Lonely Boy" - YouTube (Studio Version)
Super Bowl Halftime brings us The Who
Well tonight is SuperBowl nite (starts in about 30 minutes) and since the Eagles arent' playing I'm not too worried about who will win. The Saints are definitely a sentimental favorite so I'll definitely be happy for New Orleans if they win. At halftime this year, they'll bring out another super group that started well even before my time ha. The Who is one of my favorite bands from that era...so many of their songs deliver emotion like nobodies business..."This Song is Over", "Baba O'Reilly", "Behind Blue Eyes"...and songs from the Rock opera "Tommy" - quite a legacy that will live on long after Pete, Roger and John stop making music together. Sadly original members Keith Moon and John Entwistle won't be there to join them....both died of drug related incidents....Keith in 1978 and John in 2002...behind the sadness of them not being alive with their family and friends...the live version of the Who could never be the same after their passing.
Enjoy the game and the music tonight and we'll be back with another song and some fun tomorrow!
~Vincent
I first heard this song back in the late 70's and from the very first listen I was hooked for a lifetime - I must confess I don't know exactly what its all about (I'm a just a melody guy who occasionally writes a semi-decent lyric :)), but "Lonely Boy" is just a monster of a pop song....great verse melody and incredible hook...driving piano background - and then they hit you with a way cool guitar solo which just puts the icing on the cake that's already tasting good ha :) If you are not familiar with "Lonely Boy" I highly recommend you check it out - both a studio and live version are posted below. Andrew also penned "Thank You For Being a Friend" from Golden Girls TV show and many other songs covered by big artists. "Lonely Boy" went all the way to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977 was a nice ride:
"Lonely Boy" - YouTube (Live version)
"Lonely Boy" - YouTube (Studio Version)
Super Bowl Halftime brings us The Who
Well tonight is SuperBowl nite (starts in about 30 minutes) and since the Eagles arent' playing I'm not too worried about who will win. The Saints are definitely a sentimental favorite so I'll definitely be happy for New Orleans if they win. At halftime this year, they'll bring out another super group that started well even before my time ha. The Who is one of my favorite bands from that era...so many of their songs deliver emotion like nobodies business..."This Song is Over", "Baba O'Reilly", "Behind Blue Eyes"...and songs from the Rock opera "Tommy" - quite a legacy that will live on long after Pete, Roger and John stop making music together. Sadly original members Keith Moon and John Entwistle won't be there to join them....both died of drug related incidents....Keith in 1978 and John in 2002...behind the sadness of them not being alive with their family and friends...the live version of the Who could never be the same after their passing.
Enjoy the game and the music tonight and we'll be back with another song and some fun tomorrow!
~Vincent
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Saturdays' Snowy Featured Song - "Misery" by Suzanne Gorman
Well the snow finally stopped coming down and when it was all over it was 2+ feet and higher due to drifting..unbelievable! I finally managed to drag myself in the house so I could do a blog post. Today we're featuring another indie pop song this time in the country vein. "Misery" by Suzanne Gorman has an extremely cool vibe to it and gets your attention from the first notes in the introduction..then the first vocal line seals it with "I don't feel real pretty today..."..totally not true in Suzanne's case but her delivery of the line is so sincere and heartfelt you are drawn into the rest of the song. We always say that "misery loves company" and this song makes it feel all too real for the listener. Another great song on her site is "Heartbreaker" - to hear "Misery", "Heartbreaker" and several other really good songs please visit Suzanne Gorman on MySpace here: www.myspace.com/suzannegorman
Whirlwind Valentines Tour @ Borders in 1 Week!
Just one week from today on Sat Feb 13th, I'll be running around the Philadelphia area playing a 30 minute set at 8 different Borders Bookstores...trying to keep my voice and my sanity intack at I go. For more information on tour locations visit me at www.vincentjames.com . We'll also be posting updates on Facebook from each location look for Facebook links on LoveSongs.com shortly.
That's all for today folks - I'm pooped and need to go practice some more - 8 mini-shows in one day is like running a marathon and have to almost train like one :) Have a great nite and we'll be back tomorrow with another song and some more music news!
~Vincent
Well the snow finally stopped coming down and when it was all over it was 2+ feet and higher due to drifting..unbelievable! I finally managed to drag myself in the house so I could do a blog post. Today we're featuring another indie pop song this time in the country vein. "Misery" by Suzanne Gorman has an extremely cool vibe to it and gets your attention from the first notes in the introduction..then the first vocal line seals it with "I don't feel real pretty today..."..totally not true in Suzanne's case but her delivery of the line is so sincere and heartfelt you are drawn into the rest of the song. We always say that "misery loves company" and this song makes it feel all too real for the listener. Another great song on her site is "Heartbreaker" - to hear "Misery", "Heartbreaker" and several other really good songs please visit Suzanne Gorman on MySpace here: www.myspace.com/suzannegorman
Whirlwind Valentines Tour @ Borders in 1 Week!
Just one week from today on Sat Feb 13th, I'll be running around the Philadelphia area playing a 30 minute set at 8 different Borders Bookstores...trying to keep my voice and my sanity intack at I go. For more information on tour locations visit me at www.vincentjames.com . We'll also be posting updates on Facebook from each location look for Facebook links on LoveSongs.com shortly.
That's all for today folks - I'm pooped and need to go practice some more - 8 mini-shows in one day is like running a marathon and have to almost train like one :) Have a great nite and we'll be back tomorrow with another song and some more music news!
~Vincent
Friday, February 5, 2010
Friday's Feature - "Replay" by Iyaz
Well I have to admit I thought he was saying "Charlene's like a melody...." but actually its "Shawty's like a melody..."...glad I looked that one up :) This is definitely a catchy song that you just want to play again and again. Born Keidran Jones, the artist known as Iyaz. Sean Kingston found Iyaz's music online and tried unsuccessfully to contact him a few times, then finally Iyaz responding just incase it really was Kingston's email :) Well the rest as they say is history...Iyaz signed with a Warner Brothers affiliate..his debut CD "My Life" came out in 2009 and "Replay" went all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (not a bad debut :)). More music is on the way from "My Life" listen for it on radio..for now check out this infectious tune and video:
"Replay" - YouTube
Record Label Giant EMI lost 1.7 Billion Pounds (as in $$$)
In the past year, UK record label giant EMI REcords lost a staggering 1.7 Billion pounds. Not sure what that exactly translates to in dollars (about $ 2.5 Billion Dollars I believe) but its huge. Home to Katy Perry, Coldplay, David Bowie and many other successful artists. Currently they have 4 albums in the Top 10 charts in the US and have about 18% of the market. But illegal MP3 downloads are continuing to take a big bite out of EMI and other companies as they try to stay relevant in the digital age (would have helped if they had jumped on the Itunes/paid Napster situation much sooner). Check out the full article here: EMI Records loses 1.7 Billion Pounds
That's all for Friday nite folks - BIIGGG snowstorm coming in tonight to Philadelphia area - 12-18 inches should be a long white weekend. Be back tomorrow with an Indie song favorite and some more music news!
~Vincent
Well I have to admit I thought he was saying "Charlene's like a melody...." but actually its "Shawty's like a melody..."...glad I looked that one up :) This is definitely a catchy song that you just want to play again and again. Born Keidran Jones, the artist known as Iyaz. Sean Kingston found Iyaz's music online and tried unsuccessfully to contact him a few times, then finally Iyaz responding just incase it really was Kingston's email :) Well the rest as they say is history...Iyaz signed with a Warner Brothers affiliate..his debut CD "My Life" came out in 2009 and "Replay" went all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (not a bad debut :)). More music is on the way from "My Life" listen for it on radio..for now check out this infectious tune and video:
"Replay" - YouTube
Record Label Giant EMI lost 1.7 Billion Pounds (as in $$$)
In the past year, UK record label giant EMI REcords lost a staggering 1.7 Billion pounds. Not sure what that exactly translates to in dollars (about $ 2.5 Billion Dollars I believe) but its huge. Home to Katy Perry, Coldplay, David Bowie and many other successful artists. Currently they have 4 albums in the Top 10 charts in the US and have about 18% of the market. But illegal MP3 downloads are continuing to take a big bite out of EMI and other companies as they try to stay relevant in the digital age (would have helped if they had jumped on the Itunes/paid Napster situation much sooner). Check out the full article here: EMI Records loses 1.7 Billion Pounds
That's all for Friday nite folks - BIIGGG snowstorm coming in tonight to Philadelphia area - 12-18 inches should be a long white weekend. Be back tomorrow with an Indie song favorite and some more music news!
~Vincent
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Thursdays Feature - "All Around Me" by Flyleaf
Flyleaf and this song in particular reminds me of Evanescence at their very best. The haunting, silky voice of lead singer Lacey Mosley pulls you in, the amazing melody feeds on your ears and any song that sings "my tongue dances behind my lips for you" has got to be something special. The contrast between the verses and chorus is so intense with the chorus guitars and lead vocal pounding the message into you...its just way past cool. "All Around You" by Flyleaf actually came out in 2007 as a single from their 2005 debut CD and cracked the Billboard Top 40. They've been quiet on the Top 40 charts lately with one song "Again" from their new CD getting played on Rock and Alternative radio...but I wouldn't count these guys and gal out yet. Currently touring the US with Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace look for more good stuff to come from Flyleaf. Watch and listen "All Around You" here:
"All Around Me" - YouTube
Kenny Rogers to mark 50 years in the Music Biz with TV Special
That man who first brought us "Lady" (written by Lionel), "You Decorated My Life", "The Gambler" and many many other great hits will be taping a TV Special in April that will include Dolly Parton and other special guests. For more info check out the news here: Kenny Rogers TV Special
That's all for Thursday folks. A BIG Snow is coming our way tomorrow so I'll be snowed in, writing and playing music and will post another blog entry with a new song. This weekend I'm also gonna switch to posting in the mornings so starting Saturday morning the posts will be early...that way Mondays post will actually be out all of Monday (instead of Monday nite into Tuesday ha ha). Have a great nite all and see ya manana!
~Vincent
Flyleaf and this song in particular reminds me of Evanescence at their very best. The haunting, silky voice of lead singer Lacey Mosley pulls you in, the amazing melody feeds on your ears and any song that sings "my tongue dances behind my lips for you" has got to be something special. The contrast between the verses and chorus is so intense with the chorus guitars and lead vocal pounding the message into you...its just way past cool. "All Around You" by Flyleaf actually came out in 2007 as a single from their 2005 debut CD and cracked the Billboard Top 40. They've been quiet on the Top 40 charts lately with one song "Again" from their new CD getting played on Rock and Alternative radio...but I wouldn't count these guys and gal out yet. Currently touring the US with Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace look for more good stuff to come from Flyleaf. Watch and listen "All Around You" here:
"All Around Me" - YouTube
Kenny Rogers to mark 50 years in the Music Biz with TV Special
That man who first brought us "Lady" (written by Lionel), "You Decorated My Life", "The Gambler" and many many other great hits will be taping a TV Special in April that will include Dolly Parton and other special guests. For more info check out the news here: Kenny Rogers TV Special
That's all for Thursday folks. A BIG Snow is coming our way tomorrow so I'll be snowed in, writing and playing music and will post another blog entry with a new song. This weekend I'm also gonna switch to posting in the mornings so starting Saturday morning the posts will be early...that way Mondays post will actually be out all of Monday (instead of Monday nite into Tuesday ha ha). Have a great nite all and see ya manana!
~Vincent
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Wednesday's Feature - "Life After You" - by Daughtry
Talk about a Cinderella story. One moment he's working as a service advisor for a car dealership, and then a few short months later he's got 4th place on American Idol. In 2006 that same year his debut CD comes out and sells almost 5 million copies and spawns 7 top 40 singles. Perhaps the most amazing thing is that all 7 are really great songs which is so rare these days. Well Chris Daughtry and the band Daughtry are back with a new CD called "Leave this Town". The first single that I really liked was a song called "No Surprise" and #2 is this song called "Life After You". Once again he delivers with really solid songwriting, great lyrics and emotion for the listener. Check out Daughtry's latest musical offering here:
"Life After You" - Daughtry
The Day the Music Died - 51 years ago
Long long ago a small plane crash took the lives of 3 very special musicians along with some other folks. Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valenes ("La Bamba") all met their terrible fate that day and Don McLean memorialized is many years later with the song "American Pie". For some interesting details on the events leading up to that day and who traded fates before the flight check out this Wiki article:
"The Day the Music Died"
That's all for Wedddddnesday...will be back tomorrow with another tune and some more music newzzz!
~Vincent
Talk about a Cinderella story. One moment he's working as a service advisor for a car dealership, and then a few short months later he's got 4th place on American Idol. In 2006 that same year his debut CD comes out and sells almost 5 million copies and spawns 7 top 40 singles. Perhaps the most amazing thing is that all 7 are really great songs which is so rare these days. Well Chris Daughtry and the band Daughtry are back with a new CD called "Leave this Town". The first single that I really liked was a song called "No Surprise" and #2 is this song called "Life After You". Once again he delivers with really solid songwriting, great lyrics and emotion for the listener. Check out Daughtry's latest musical offering here:
"Life After You" - Daughtry
The Day the Music Died - 51 years ago
Long long ago a small plane crash took the lives of 3 very special musicians along with some other folks. Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valenes ("La Bamba") all met their terrible fate that day and Don McLean memorialized is many years later with the song "American Pie". For some interesting details on the events leading up to that day and who traded fates before the flight check out this Wiki article:
"The Day the Music Died"
That's all for Wedddddnesday...will be back tomorrow with another tune and some more music newzzz!
~Vincent
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Tuesdays Feature - "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon
This is an interesting song..it starts out hard driving and then it hits the breaks when the vocals start in the verse (which is a very cool contrast). And that voice is so expressive it really makes you want to listen to the words being sung. This song and production was in fact so cool that Grammy voters gave it the Record of the Year in Sunday nites broadcast. Not bad for a band of brothers from Nashville that formed in 1999, put out their first studio album in 2003 - Kings of Leon initially had success in Austrailia, Ireland and the UK and only with their 2008 release "Only By the Night" did they start to get attention in the US. The single "Sex on Fire" went to #56 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and "Use Somebody" went all the way to #4. If you haven't heard it yet check out this very interesting tune you'll be glad you did :
"Use Somebody" - YouTube
The well of what I call great songs is starting to run dry on the current charts. That just means if I'm gonna feature a new song every day I'm gonna have to dig a little deeper. If there is a really cool song (I mean awesome :)) that you've heard and I haven't featured it yet - post it to the blog here and I'll take a listen.
American Idol in Denver Tonight - High Pitch Bare Back goes to Hollywood
Tonights broadcast was pretty interesting - definitely some good folks going through and a few went through I was surprised - the girl with the high speaking voice who flew all the way from Italy to audition and then there was the guy who only got his golden ticket after he took off his shirt (well sex sells in Denver as well as anywhere else :)). I know they have to put some interesting folks through so we get to see some of the fun drama in Hollywood week. I definitely think some of the folks in Hollywood will surprise - some will go much farther then we expect - while frontrunners may be quickly gone - Thats how it is in the rough and tumble entertainment business - If it were easy, EVERYONE would be doing it!
Have a great Tuesday nite (stay out of the snow) and be back tomorrow with another tune - gotta dig deep now :)
~Vincent
This is an interesting song..it starts out hard driving and then it hits the breaks when the vocals start in the verse (which is a very cool contrast). And that voice is so expressive it really makes you want to listen to the words being sung. This song and production was in fact so cool that Grammy voters gave it the Record of the Year in Sunday nites broadcast. Not bad for a band of brothers from Nashville that formed in 1999, put out their first studio album in 2003 - Kings of Leon initially had success in Austrailia, Ireland and the UK and only with their 2008 release "Only By the Night" did they start to get attention in the US. The single "Sex on Fire" went to #56 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and "Use Somebody" went all the way to #4. If you haven't heard it yet check out this very interesting tune you'll be glad you did :
"Use Somebody" - YouTube
The well of what I call great songs is starting to run dry on the current charts. That just means if I'm gonna feature a new song every day I'm gonna have to dig a little deeper. If there is a really cool song (I mean awesome :)) that you've heard and I haven't featured it yet - post it to the blog here and I'll take a listen.
American Idol in Denver Tonight - High Pitch Bare Back goes to Hollywood
Tonights broadcast was pretty interesting - definitely some good folks going through and a few went through I was surprised - the girl with the high speaking voice who flew all the way from Italy to audition and then there was the guy who only got his golden ticket after he took off his shirt (well sex sells in Denver as well as anywhere else :)). I know they have to put some interesting folks through so we get to see some of the fun drama in Hollywood week. I definitely think some of the folks in Hollywood will surprise - some will go much farther then we expect - while frontrunners may be quickly gone - Thats how it is in the rough and tumble entertainment business - If it were easy, EVERYONE would be doing it!
Have a great Tuesday nite (stay out of the snow) and be back tomorrow with another tune - gotta dig deep now :)
~Vincent
Monday, February 1, 2010
Mondays Featured Song - "Never Gonna Be Alone" by Nickelback
Its hard to believe Nickelback started out way back in 1995, had their first mainstream success in 2000 and 38 million albums sold later can still crank out the hits. Criticized for their lack of originality (which I agree they are not the most original sounding band or songs), Nickelback has that knack for writing a pop-hook and building up a production that gets you singing it over and over. Hey if it was so easy every other band and label would be doing it - you can't tell me they don't want a piece of 38 million albums sold in 10 years in the US alone. And being from Canada, they are the 2nd biggest foreign act (record sales wise) in the 2000's decade just behind the Beatles. What can we say..the bigger you get, the louder your critics are :) Well the current Nickelback song caught my attention with its strong anthemic chorus and heartfelt verse lyrics. The story line is so simple but sometimes that is the best message to deliver. What girl doesn't want to hear "You're never gonna be alone"? Check out the tune and video here:
Never Gonna Be Alone - YouTube
Whirlwind Valentines Tour at Borders Books - Sat Feb 13th.
On Saturday February 13th I'll be attempting to play a 30 minute set at 8 different Borders Bookstores in one day. I'll be starting at 9 AM in Newark, Delaware and circling the city of Philadelphia to end up in Wynnewood, PA at 9 PM. If nothing else it will be a day to remember (and one to see how my voice holds up :)). To get more details and the locations/times please visit me at http://www.vincentjames.com/ . We'll also be posting updates on a new Facebook fan page we'll be launching this week we'll post that info mid-week.
Well Monday's a wrap folks - I hope you enjoyed the Grammys last night - certainly was one of the more interesting broadcasts in a while with the highlight being Michael Jacksons Lifetime achievement award being accepted by his children. I am glad to see that Michael's memory will live on in both his music and his family.
Please have a great nite and we'll be back tomorrow with another tune and American Idollll talk!
~Vincent
Its hard to believe Nickelback started out way back in 1995, had their first mainstream success in 2000 and 38 million albums sold later can still crank out the hits. Criticized for their lack of originality (which I agree they are not the most original sounding band or songs), Nickelback has that knack for writing a pop-hook and building up a production that gets you singing it over and over. Hey if it was so easy every other band and label would be doing it - you can't tell me they don't want a piece of 38 million albums sold in 10 years in the US alone. And being from Canada, they are the 2nd biggest foreign act (record sales wise) in the 2000's decade just behind the Beatles. What can we say..the bigger you get, the louder your critics are :) Well the current Nickelback song caught my attention with its strong anthemic chorus and heartfelt verse lyrics. The story line is so simple but sometimes that is the best message to deliver. What girl doesn't want to hear "You're never gonna be alone"? Check out the tune and video here:
Never Gonna Be Alone - YouTube
Whirlwind Valentines Tour at Borders Books - Sat Feb 13th.
On Saturday February 13th I'll be attempting to play a 30 minute set at 8 different Borders Bookstores in one day. I'll be starting at 9 AM in Newark, Delaware and circling the city of Philadelphia to end up in Wynnewood, PA at 9 PM. If nothing else it will be a day to remember (and one to see how my voice holds up :)). To get more details and the locations/times please visit me at http://www.vincentjames.com/ . We'll also be posting updates on a new Facebook fan page we'll be launching this week we'll post that info mid-week.
Well Monday's a wrap folks - I hope you enjoyed the Grammys last night - certainly was one of the more interesting broadcasts in a while with the highlight being Michael Jacksons Lifetime achievement award being accepted by his children. I am glad to see that Michael's memory will live on in both his music and his family.
Please have a great nite and we'll be back tomorrow with another tune and American Idollll talk!
~Vincent
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