Another double-header for you all as these past few months have been pretty tough on a personal level and I’ve just not found the peace of mind to write. Music has been a most welcome escape though and at the most devastating moment helped to calm and uplift spirits.
Click to listen to the full #stuckonrepeat playlist here.
I blame a viral video of a rather buff, middle aged, Italian man dancing with his beloved somewhere rather fabulous for this one. It’s such a summery tune and anything with a Latin beat is guaranteed to get my hips a-shimmying!
Favourite lyric: Si dios, puso la manzana fue para morder / Ay dios, pequemo’ abrazaditos hasta el amanecer.
Tico Tico No Fuba – Carmen Miranda
Carrying on the Latin theme, the arrival of the Olympics in Rio had me randomly thinking about my favourite Carioca – Zé Carioca. He’s a dapperly dressed parrot that loves samba and features in a Disney film to introduce Donald Duck to the wonders of Brasil. The instrumental version of this song plays in the cartoon and it never fails to make me bounce. Tico Tico no Fuba isn’t a song with deep lyrics – it’s basically someone telling a naughty bird to stop eating the cornmeal supplies – and is much more like a tongue twister than a song you can sing along easily to!
Favourite lyric: O Tico-Tico tem, tem que se alimentar / Que vá comer umas minhocas no pomar (minhocas means worms in Portuguese but it’s such a brilliant sounding word, much nicer than plain old worms!)
When We Were Lovers – Jack Savoretti
Jack-of-the-gravelly-voice makes another appearance on my playlist because… Oh lord, do I even need to give a reason?! This is a release from the upcoming album (probably more tracks coming from that!) Sleep No More which I’m super excited about. The acoustic version of this sounds just as awesome if not better, as I would expect from someone who could probably sing me the phone book and it still be an amazing experience.
Favourite lyric: Look at the time and the time that it’s taken / Is this love like the love we were making
I know nothing about this song except I like it and I’m sure I’ve heard it before in an old film from the 80’s/90’s. When Shazam-ing it, it comes up as a track from a 2016 hip-hop album. I can’t find which aria or opera it’s from nor the singer or the lyrics. If anyone can help a girl out with this mystery, I’d be so grateful!!
Finally!! The song that I’ve been waiting for since I heard it at the French Cold EP party when it was but a song in its infancy, is finally released. The second track released from the upcoming Night Mill EP has been a firm favourite of mine for some time now and it’s been so interesting to hear it change and evolve from one style to another. It’s laid back and ultra-luxe, the witching hour personified. My absolute favourite version of this was a private showcase where two strums of an electric guitar against the chorus reminded me of my beloved Wicked Game. I can’t wait for the EP launch party on 5th October at Bermomdsey Social Club – if you can get a ticket – GO.
Favourite lyric: Keep me tied up / keep me far away from the crowd
He Lives In You (Reprise) – The Lion King Original Broadway Cast Recording
My darling husband bought tickets for us to attend for our wedding anniversary as I think we were one of the few people on the planet who hadn’t seen it. I have cried buckets of happy joy tears at performances I’ve seen on TV of Circle of Life or the impromptu sing-offs on planes and trains yet couldn’t believe I’d never seen the show itself. If you are one of the few remaining, just GO SEE IT NOW. You won’t be disappointed. I lasted about two notes into Nants ingonyama before my eyes were streaming, I literally couldn’t keep the happy in (nor could the woman sat next to me – I’m so glad it’s not just me!!) with the biggest smile on my face. To avoid the constant leaking of the eyes I’ve been listening to other songs from the original Broadway cast soundtrack. My favourites within the show were always the ones with the chorus of voices; I always find the sound of human voices in union incredibly spiritual. The theme of this song struck a chord with the loss of my mother-in-law and how much she still lives on in her two sons.
Favourite lyric: Wait, there’s no mountain too great / Hear these words and have faith
Some of the elements that make up this song actually make me hate it with a passion: the portrayal of women and the use of the n-word make me grossly uncomfortable. However, since watching Ballers and hearing it as the theme tune it’s been stuck in my head, or rather annoyingly the first few bars… Doo doo dooooo…
Favourite lyric: Don’t like my women single, I like my chicks in twos (major eye roll)
curiosity killed 