The MJ Show #35 (Guests Series - Ehsaan Noorani's Top 10 Songs)
Man! This is really exciting!!!
I have for you one of the finest musicians of India in today's show. He is a brilliant guitarist, a part of one of India's hottest Bollywood music-making trios and genuinely one of the nicest and humblest guys I've had the pleasure of meeting in the few years that I've been in this music scene.
He loves playing the blues and to the best of my knowledge he also has another band (other than the obvious BIG one) where he plays the blues. :)
I know you read it in the heading of the show so I can't be all radio-like and unveil him and make it a big surprise...but yeah...today, I have the awesome, incredibly talented and super cool Ehsaan Noorani's TOP 10 songs for you!! :D
So let's get straight into it!
1st Song - Pink Floyd - Us And Them #TheMJshow
Ehsaan Noorani: Even now when I hear this song right from the organ swirl in the beginning it makes my hair stand and I get transported into that world of Dark Side Of The Moon and it affects me the same way as when I first heard the album.
Mihir Joshi: I know what you mean. The whole album is such an incredible experience. I think it was Dark Side Of The Moon that first got me hooked on to Floyd...more than any other album. Love Us And Them. What a great way to kick off the show. Here we go!
For those of you who missed it...go check out my two Floyd Specials after you've gone through tonight's show. You can see them here:
The MJ Show #25 (Pink Floyd Special Part 1 - David Gilmour in Concert)
The MJ Show #26 (Pink Floyd Special Part 2 - Complete Discography!)
2nd Song - John Lennon - Imagine #TheMJshow
EN: What do I say about this song! I think schools should teach this song as part of the syllabus or whatever for the message that it has to convey.
MJ: 'Nuff said! :)
I have GOT to give you a bonus song right now. Ehsaan this one is specially dedicated for you :)
Hope you love it as much as I do. Check it out!
Bonus Song - Eva Cassidy - Imagine #TheMJshow
3rd Song - Paul McCartney & Wings - Let Me Roll It #TheMJshow
EN: From The Wings album called "Band On The Run", this one's like a totally different rock ballad with its 6 / 8 groove and awesome guitar riff. I have loved this song since I first heard it long ago!!!!
MJ: Here's a fab live version of the song!
4th Song - The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun #TheMJshow
EN: This one's from the brilliant Abbey Road album by The Beatles. A friend of mine played this song on the guitar in school and I so loved the opening guitar part that I wanted to learn it too and play guitar!!!!
MJ: That's cool. So this song kinda got your started on the guitar eh! Wow! Really cool.
Here it is. Incidentally, I've noticed that some of my favourite Beatles songs are songs that have been written by George Harrison...just like this one. My #1 Beatles song is Something and to round off my top three I have "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", all Harrison Songs!
Of course I do love a lot of the Lennon-McCartney songs too...but there's something about the songs that Harrison wrote that just really hits home. :)
Here it is...the incredible...Here Comes The Sun!
Check out this video I have for you. Try to spot all the BIG BIG stars in the video...and tell me who you see in the comments :)
5th Song - Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water #TheMJshow
EN: The monster rock song which made any novice guitarist a
Interestingly it was only when I saw the making of Machine Head DVD did I realise that I and many other guitar players were playing the opening riff the wrong way. :)
MJ: Man! :) That's something :)
Let's see what you're talking about. Here it is...another one of India's official Rock Anthems!
First up...see what Ehsaan is talking about:
And now...are you ready!! Here we go boys and girls! Rock out with your...well fuck it! Just rock out!!
6th Song - Tears For Fears - Woman in Chains #TheMJshow
EN: This Tears For Fears is a song where the band is at it's zenith. This is where they were experimenting with progressive pop writing and awesome production
The album, "The Seeds Of Love" is and will always be a favorite of mine.
MJ: For those who may want to know about this song...
"Woman in Chains" was released as the second single from a 1989 album called "The Seeds Of Love" by British band Tears For Fears. The single reached the Top 40 in the UK, US, Australia, Ireland, Italy and New Zealand, and was a Top 20 hit in France and in the Netherlands. The studio cut features Phil Collins on drums, and is also notable for guest vocals from female singer Oleta Adams who would later go on to achieve a successful solo career.
Have a look at a live version of the song:
7th Song - Kuch Dil Ne Kaha #TheMJshow
EN: Composed by the late Hemant Kumar, this is one song which I have heard when I was a child and its melody has haunted me ever since. It is Asha Bhonsle's finest singing and in the Bhim Palasi Raag which is one of my favorites always.
MJ: Thank you so very much for this song Ehsaan. Brilliant. I'm listening to it right now and it's such a brilliant song!
Hope you all enjoy it too. Here it is, a song from Anupama,a 1966 Hindi film, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee.
The movie starred Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, Shashikala, Deven Verma and Durga Khote. The music was like Ehsaan told you was by the great Hemant Kumar.
8th Song - The Police - Wrapped Around Your Finger #TheMJshow
EN: This song is one of Sting's finest compositions always and Synchronicity, the album on which this song was featured is truly a fine album. The entire song with it's world music kind of sound contains an ambiance which engulfs you as does Sting's wonderful lyrics and singing.
MJ: Sting has always had that magic in his music and his songs. Be it his time with The Police or his phenomenal solo career. Lovely song this. Here we go...
9th Song - Johnny Winters - It's My Own Fault #TheMJshow
EN: This song from Johnny Winters And Live album is a blues standard and it was when I heard this song that I got turned on to the blues and wanted to play the blues. Johnny Winter has been a great influence since then!!!
MJ: Here's a wee bit o' history courtesy our good friends wikipedia :)
Johhny Winter caught his biggest break in December 1968, when Mike Bloomfield, well-established as one of the best blues guitarists in the United States, who admired his playing, invited him to sing and play a song during a "Super Session" jam concert Bloomfield and Al Kooper were to perform at the Fillmore East in New York. As it happened, representatives of Columbia Records (which had released the Bloomfield-Kooper Super Session jam album to surprising Top Ten chart success) were at the concert. Winter played and sang B.B. King's "It's My Own Fault" to loud applause and, within a few days, was signed to what was then the largest advance in the history of the recording industry---$600,000.
And here's me bonus song for you laddies and lasses. The KING of the Blues...doing the song...just like he does em.
Bonus Song - B.B.King - It's My Own Fault #TheMJshow
And holy shit! Here's another bonus song! Check it out!
Bonus Song - B.B King & Jimi Hendrix - It's My Own Fault #TheMJshow
10th Song - John Mayer - The Heart Of Life #TheMJshow
EN: This song shows John's strong Eric Clapton influences and I just loved it the moment I heard it and of course John's guitar playing is awesome and he keeps it so subtle he is a
MJ: I don't even want to get into how much I love John Mayer :) I've already had two shows on his music and I'm pretty sure I'll have more in the weeks to come.
For now...let's just listen to someone I consider one of the finest songwriters and guitar players of this generation.
Here is Mr.John Mayer with a live version of The Heart Of Life, a song from his brilliant album Continuum.
After Continuum was released I had the opportunity to interview him for my online music magazine eMUSICPOST.com which is incidentally in the process of making a comeback as well. I'll tell you more about that soon!
For now if you want to see that interview you can see it here:
John Mayer interview on eMUSICPOST.com
And two of the earlier shows featuring him are:
The MJ Show #27 (John Mayer - Battle Studies)
The MJ Show #9 (Best covers by John Mayer)
That's about it boys and girls. That's all the show I have for you tonight.
Do let me and Ehsaan know what you felt about his song choice in the comments here.
And if you're not already following the man on twitter...do so now!!
He can be found here: @EhsaanNoorani
I do hope you're following me as well. If not, you know that I can be found here: @musicmanmihir
Right then...take care...and good night! :)
This is your Musicman Mihir...signing off!
