Musicman-ia

Friday, June 29, 2012

The MJ Show #143 - "Magic" Songs

A few weeks ago I started off a series called the "Song Names Series"...and I told you that we'd have more episodes which revolved around a certain word. We had the "Midnight" Songs episode which had songs that featured the word "Midnight" in the title.
Today, thanks to my dear friend, fantastic writer and music aficionado, Parag Kamani I have another episode for you. Tonight we have songs that feature the word "Magic" in the title.
A few of the songs on the list are his picks and a few of them are mine :)
Some really interesting songs. Some you may have heard...and some that even I hadn't heard.
Let's check them out!
Thanks Parag! :)

Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride

The Lovin' Spoonful- Do You Believe in Magic?

The Drifters - This Magic Moment

Peter Paul and Mary - Puff, The Magic Dragon

Fleetwood Mac / Santana - Black Magic Woman

ELO - Strange Magic

The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

Van Morrison - Magic Time

The Who - Magic Bus

Van Halen - Could This Be Magic

Jimi Hendrix - Spanish Castle Magic

Queen - A Kind Of Magic

Oasis - Magic Pie

Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Magic Johnson

David Bowie - Magic Dance

Elton John - She Sold Me Magic

Barry Manilow - Could It Be Magic?

America - You Can Do Magic

Take That - Could It Be Magic?

Ocean Colour Scene - Magic Carpet Days

Heart - Magic Man

Doris Day - It's Magic

Celine Dion -The Magic of Christmas Day

Joe Cocker - Now That the Magic Has Gone

Don Williams - It's Gotta Be Magic

Johnny Cash - We Must Believe In Magic

Johnny Cash - Little Magic Glasses

Jimmy Buffett - Bring Back The Magic

Jimmy Buffett - Little Miss Magic

Sha Na Na - Those Magic Changes

Bay City Rollers - You Made Me Believe In Magic

Frank Sinatra - That Old Black Magic

And now finally the songs just named "Magic"
Ben Folds Five - Magic

Colbie Caillat - Magic

Bruce Springsteen - Magic

Olivia Newton-John - Magic

Pilot - Magic

The Temptations - Magic

And finally the song that spawned this show :)
The Cars - Magic

Magic eh!
Did I miss any song? :) Let me know on: https://www.facebook.com/mihirjoshipage

Right then...it is now time for me to say good night and take care! :)

This is your Musicman...Mihir Joshi...signing off!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The MJ Show #142 - David Guetta - Nothing But The Beat

I think it's safe to say that pretty much everyone loves David Guetta. I thought I'd share something with you today that'll help you know a bit more about the man.

What I have is..."Nothing but the Beat, The Movie"!
It is a full-length, hour-and-six-minute documentary-style film chronicling Guetta's life, career and meteoric rise from underground house DJ to global superstar.

Get to know your favourite DJ a little better!
Here we go!

Check out the singles from the new album - Nothing but the Beat:

"Where Them Girls At", featuring American rappers Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj

"Little Bad Girl" featuring Taio Cruz and Ludacris

"Without You", featuring Usher

"Titanium" featuring Sia

"Turn Me On" featuring Nicki Minaj

"I Can Only Imagine" featuring Chris Brown and Lil Wayne

And what the heck :) Here are the remaining songs in the album
"Sweat" (Snoop Dogg vs. David Guetta)

"Nothing Really Matters" (featuring will.i.am)

"Crank It Up" (featuring Akon)

"I Just Wanna F." (featuring Afrojack, Timbaland and Dev)

"Night of Your Life" (featuring Jennifer Hudson)

"Repeat" (featuring Jessie J)

Now...go out and buy the album! :)

Right then...it is now time for me to say good night and take care! :)

This is your Musicman...Mihir Joshi...signing off!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The MJ Show #141 - Muddy Waters - Rare Performances 1968-78

I've been getting into the blues in a big way these days. Was watching an Eric Clapton concert/documentary where he talked about how much Muddy Waters was an influence on him.
I've heard a lot of Muddy Waters' songs and tonight I thought I'd share a few with you.
Find out...just why he's such a massive influence...not just on Clapton but on thousands of other blues and blues-rock musicians.

Here are some of his rare live performances between 1968-1978

Right then...it is now time for me to say good night and take care! :)

This is your Musicman...Mihir Joshi...signing off!

Monday, June 25, 2012

The MJ Show #140 - Michael Jackson - Rare Duets

Michael Jackson passed away 3 years ago today and I know that like me, millions of his fans are missing him tons even today.
I thought that today I'd show you another aspect of the awesomeness of Michael. He has over the years collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music world. I thought I'd find some of the rarer/relatively rarer songs for you today as a special way to remember him today.
(If you're a mega-fan and know every song the word "rarer" was not for you...but I'm making a general assumption that not too many people may have seen some of the videos I've got here tonight.) :)
Hope you enjoy these. Spent quite a lot of time looking these up for you.

Michael Jackson, Anastacia, Celine Dion and Shakira - What More Can I Give

Michael Jackson and Celine Dion - If You Only Believe

Michael Jackson and Britney Spears - The Way You Make Me Feel

Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney - Say Say Say

Michael Jackson and Paul Mccartney - The Man

Those are the rarer songs but my favourite duet my PM and MJ is from Thriller. Here it is:
Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney - The Girl Is Mine

Michael Jackson and Boyz II Men - Heal The World/ We Are The World

Michael Jackson and Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me

Michael Jackson and Eddie Murphy - Whatzupwitu

Michael Jackson and Lenny Kravitz - Another Day

Michael Jackson And Barry Gibb - All In Your Name

Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger - State of Shock

Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury - There Must Be More to Life Than This

And though the next song I have for you is not a rare song, it is one of the greatest songs in my opinion that Michael was an integral part of. And just look at the people in the video. It's pretty much the biggest names in music at that time all together...on one song...brought together by Michael and Lionel Richie.

And before I wrap things up, I have to add one more song. This is a tribute from one MJ to the original MJ. (I love that my initials are the same as his. Always have...since I was a kid.)
Hope you like it!

We miss you Michael Jackson. Thank you for the music!

Right then...it is now time for me to say good night and take care! :)

This is your Musicman...Mihir Joshi...signing off!

Saturday, June 23, 2012

The MJ Show #139 - Let It Be & The Rooftop Concert

Tonight's show is pretty straightforward. A little while ago I was humming "The Long And Winding Road", one of my favourite songs by The Beatles...and so I looked up the Let It Be album.
Was going through the songs and I thought, I must share the entire album with you here on the show.
The greatest thing about The Beatles is that you can sit and listen to complete albums...every time!
So...finish off your work...have dinner...get done with everything else...and sit back...and listen to the complete album right here!

The Beatles - Let It Be (Complete Album)
In this video the following songs come up at the following times:

Title Singer
Two of us 0:00
Dig a Pony 3:45
Across the Universe 7:31
I Me Mine 11:19
Dig It 13:50
Let it Be 14:33
Maggie Mae 18:39
I've Got a Feeling 19:19
One After 909 22:55
The Long and Winding Road 25:50
For You Blue 29:30
Get Back 32:00

And if you felt that wasn't enough. You want a bit more...well I've got a bit more.

The Beatles, with Billy Preston, gave their final live performance atop the Apple building at 3 Savile Row, London, in what became the climax of their Let It Be film.
30 January 1969 in London was a cold day, and a bitter wind was blowing on the rooftop by midday. To cope with the weather, John Lennon borrowed Yoko Ono's fur coat, and Ringo Starr wore his wife Maureen Starkey's red mac.

The 42-minute show was recorded onto two eight-track machines in the basement of Apple, by George Martin, engineer Glyn Johns and tape operator Alan Parsons. The tracks were filled with the following: Paul McCartney, vocals; John Lennon's and George Harrison's vocals; Billy Preston's organ; McCartney's bass guitar; a sync track for the film crew; Starr's drums; Lennon's guitar; Harrison's guitar.

The songs performed on the roof:
Get Back (five versions)
I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Don't Let Me Down (two versions)
I've Got A Feeling
One After 909
Danny Boy
Dig A Pony (two versions)
God Save The Queen
A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody

Brief, incomplete and off-the-cuff versions of I Want You (She's So Heavy), God Save The Queen and A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody were fooled around with in between takes - as was Danny Boy, which was included in the film and on the album. None of these were serious group efforts, and one - the group and Preston performing God Save The Queen - was incomplete as it coincided with Alan Parsons changing tapes.

The Beatles' rooftop show began at around midday. The timing coincided with the lunch hour of many nearby workplaces, which led to crowds quickly forming. Although few people could see them, crowds gathered in the streets below to hear The Beatles play.

Traffic in Savile Row and neighbouring streets came to a halt, until police from the nearby West End Central police station, further up Savile Row, entered Apple and ordered the group to stop playing.

(Courtesy: http://www.beatlesbible.com/1969/01/30/the-beatles-rooftop-concert-apple-building/)

The Beatles Rooftop Concert
In this video the following songs come up at the following times:

Get Back - 01:03
Don't let Me Down - 04:18
I've Got a Feeling - 07:53
One After 909 - 11:35
Dig a Pony - 14:38
Get Back 18:30

Now that's what I call a show!
The next episode, Ep #140 will be dedicated to Michael Jackson and I'll put it up on 25th June, his 3rd death anniversary.
If you have any requests, ideas or thoughts for the show...let me know on: https://www.facebook.com/mihirjoshipage
I've had about 4 other shows on Michael in the past. Go through the archived shows if you want to see them :)

Right then...it is now time for me to say good night and take care! :)

This is your Musicman...Mihir Joshi...signing off!

Friday, June 22, 2012

The MJ Show #138 - George Michael

A couple of days ago, I read that Wham! was supposed to get together for a 30th anniversary reunion but now George Michael's reps have said that that isn't true. The fact is the George has a new album coming out some time this year and he's focused on that.
Now irrespective of whether Wham! gets back or not, there's no denying that George Michael post his Wham! days has given us some really cool songs.
In my opinion he's got one of the smoothest voices in pop music and I've always loved the grooviness of his songs.
I thought, tonight, with George Michael on my mind...I'd share my favourite George Michael songs with you here on The MJ Show.

In chronological order here they are:

Careless Whisper

Faith

I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) (with Aretha Franklin)

Father Figure

Freedom! 90

Heal The Pain (with Paul McCartney)

Waiting For That Day

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (with Elton John)

Too Funky

Somebody To Love (with Queen)

Jesus To A Child

Fastlove

You Have Been Loved

Outside

As (with Mary J. Blige)

Roxanne

If I Told You That (with Whitney Houston)

This Is Not Real Love (featuring Mutya Buena)

What incredible songs!!
Which was your favourite?! :) Let me know!

Right then...it is now time for me to say good night and take care! :)

This is your Musicman...Mihir Joshi...signing off!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The MJ Show #137 - Sinatra Sings Gershwin

I've always said that Sinatra sounded best when he was younger. His work with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and his solo albums in his Columbia Records days...were absolutely incredible!
I remember picking up a whole bunch of albums in the Sony Music and Universal Music sales that happened in Mumbai and I think I found this rare gem in one of those sales. I tried looking it up on youtube and realized that no one had put it up...so I thought that I MUST do so.
This is an album you MUST listen and hopefully go and buy. If you're a Sinatra fan...you NEED this album! :)

I was looking for a photo of tha album on Amazon.com and I came across this fantastic write up about the cd written by someone called "Mark Blackburn". I just had to share it with you. Read it. He writes beautifully about the album and the last few tracks on the album.
This is excerpt from his complete review of the album.

On a CD that runs a satisfying 50 minutes almost half the songs (the final seven tracks, and the highlight of the disc) comprise a 'Tribute to George Gershwin' radio show from 56 years ago: This recently-uncovered treasure hasn't been heard publicly since the night of its broadcast -- June 4, 1947. These are direct-to-digital transfers from the original disc recordings; and on some of these tracks the pristine sound is actually cleaner than subsequent reel-to-reel recordings (with inherent tape hiss) from the early 1950s. The performances themselves are superb; but if you're like me, then prepare to be emotionally undone by the "live-in-studio" radio broadcast, comprising the second half of this CD.

The radio show is titled "Songs by Sinatra." And after a snippet of the show's regular theme music -- with Sinatra singing the opening bars of one of his signature tunes "Night and Day" -- the singer launches into his heartfelt tribute to composer George Gershwin. Sinatra first praises orchestra conductor Axel Stordahl "for preparing 30 minutes of fine arrangements" -- then alerts his radio audience to the special treats in store: "Janie Powell just flew in (to New York) from set 17 at MGM to sing 'Summertime' AND the celebrated Pied Pipers have a few diminished ninths they'd like to slip into your loudspeaker . . . AND we've brought over a fine mixed chorus, headed by Ken Lane . . . so relax and enjoy the immortal music of George Gershwin."

Sinatra immediately launches into one of the composer's lesser-known songs -- "Soon" -- then, in his own words, smoothly segues through an off-the-cuff, witty introduction to "Embraceable You" -- which he dedicates as a "seventh birthday" tribute to daughter Nancy ("Happy Birthday sweetie!"). This gorgeous version includes a seldom-heard alternate lyric for the song's opening stanza for which the composer's lyricist brother Ira incorporated endearingly quaint old English -- and a fresh rhyme for "Embraceable."

. . . my silk & laceable you . . .
I'm in love with you, I am
And VERILY so . . .
But you're much too shy --
Unnecessarily so!"

A wrenchingly beautiful "Porgy & Bess" medley (8:36 in length) follows, with Jane Powell's exquisite, voice interpreting "Summertime." Some rousing applause -- and periodic delighted squeals -- from the studio audience precedes "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York." Sinatra recalls "the street cries of Gershwin's 'Catfish Row'" (as the orchestra alludes to "Strawberry Woman"/"Crab Man") and then Sinatra & Powell, orchestra & chorus resolve the Porgy & Bess segment, with an amazing duet of "Bess, You Is My Woman."

There's still three more tracks to go in this remarkable Gershwin tribute: What follows is a show-stopping take of "Someone to Watch Over Me." The sheer beauty and emotional delicacy of this offering is (almost) enough to make you forget Sinatra's later, masterful (and with better-recorded orchestra) 'Capitol Years' interpretation of what some consider the most poignant love song of all time.

The final musical gem of this half-hour tribute show is "Love Walked In" -- which Sinatra alone performs, after reminding listeners this was "one of the last songs Gershwin wrote." To bring down the curtain, we hear a snippet of "Rhapsody in Blue" before Sinatra's personal reflections on the enduring greatness of his musical hero. (A verbatim transcript is included here, just to entice kindred spirits craving the rare sound of 'The Voice' in his own words.)

Okay then...enough writing and talking. Let's get to it.
Here it is...uploaded by me for you...exclusively for The MJ Show :)
Enjoy!

1. Somebody Loves Me

2. I've Got A Crush On You