Wednesday, September 2, 2015

60 YEARS OF THE ROCK ERA This update: 1971.
60 YEARS OF
ROCK
(1955-2015)
1971
 King seated and holding a tapestry with a cat in front of her
A photo of Gaye looking away from the camera
Concertforbangladeshmovieposter.jpg
ImagineCover.jpg
-Janis Joplin scores a posthumous hit album in 'Pearl'.
-Barbra Streisand smokes a joint on stage. 
-Mick Jagges marries Bianca.
-Clyde McPhatter (ex-Drifters) dies.
-Jim Morrison dies of a heart attack in Paris.
-The Concerts For Bangla-Desh are held in New York.
-Paul McCartney forms Wings.
-The Bee Gees reach #1 in USA for the first time.
-Rod Stewart launches his solo career with #1 "Maggie Mae".
-Gene Vincent dies.

Stairwaytoheavenpromo.jpg
Mad Dogs and Englishmen (Joe Cocker album - cover art).jpgJanis Joplin-Pearl (album cover).jpg 
    
Shaft cover.jpg
Rock music managed to display its social conscience amongst the cheesy pop of The Osmonds, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Middle of the Road and The Mungo Jerry. 1971 saw the release of songs that dealt with the realities of life and serious social issues. Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Marvin Gaye and John Lennon led the charge with their music that year. Marc Bolan and T. Rex exposed a wider audience to glam and glitter rock.
Isaac Hayes released his Oscar -winning music for the film 'Shaft'. Just before the year ended, Don McLean unleashed the 'American Pie' album and Elton John issued 'Madman Across The Water'.
 In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.jpg
RSSF71.jpg  
   
Stoney End.pngTeaser & the firecat.jpg   
 Don McLean - American Pie (album) Coverart.pngElton John - Madman Across the Water.jpg

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

60 YEARS OF THE ROCK ERA Awards catch-up. New category: honouring song lyrics. This update reviews the years 1955-1970.
60 YEARS OF
ROCK
BEST SONG LYRICS
-WINNERS-

BEST LYRICS OF THE YEAR 1960
CHAIN GANG 
Sam Cooke

BEST LYRICS OF THE YEAR 1961
RUNNING SCARED
Roy Orbison

BEST LYRICS OF THE YEAR 1962
UPTOWN 
Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil

BEST LYRICS OF THE YEAR 1963
BLOWIN' IN THE WIND
Bob Dylan

BEST LYRICS OF THE YEAR 1964
A CHANGE IS GONNA COME
Sam Cooke

BEST LYRICS OF THE YEAR 1965
I AM A ROCK
Paul Simon

BEST LYRICS OF THE YEAR 1966
ELEANOR RIGBY
Paul McCartney & John Lennon

BEST LYRICS OF THE YEAR 1967
SHILO
Neil Diamond

BEST LYRICS OF THE YEAR 1968
WORDS
Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb

BEST LYRICS OF THE YEAR 1969
SPACE ODDITY
David Bowie

BEST LYRICS OF THE YEAR 1970
FIRE AND RAIN 
James Taylor
60 YEARS OF THE ROCK ERA Timeline (so far). 1955-1970. Tomorrow: 1971.
60 YEARS OF
ROCK
(1955-2015)
-TIMELINE-
1955
“Rock Around The Clock” reaches #1
1956
ELVIS PRESLEY
1957
Skiffle music   Patsy Cline
Chuck Berry 1971.JPGCHUCK BERRY   Everly Brothers     
JERRY LEE LEWIS controversy
1958
Little Richard 1958.jpgLITTLE RICHARD gives up rock music “Shout”: Isley Brothers
1959
BUDDY HOLLY dies in a plane crashThe Buddy Holly Story Vol 1.jpg
Head and shoulders shot of Ray Charles next to a microphone, his sunglasses reflecting his hands on piano keys and the shadow of the microphone cast on his faceRAY CHARLES creates soul
    The Drifters                                                          Folk Rock
1960
“The Twist” 
 SAM COOKE: “Wonderful World”
        The Shadows: “Apache”                                                         Surf rock
1961
Motown
Girl groups
       Dance craze hits
1962
James Brown-Live at the Apollo (album cover).jpgJAMES BROWN   
Peter, Paul & Mary             Phil Spector              The 4 Seasons
1963
BOB DYLAN
     JOHNNY CASH              Dick Dale
1964
THE BEATLES 
BEATLEMANIA               The British Invasion
THE SUPREMES
1965
My-Generation--2.jpgTHE WHO
     THE ROLLING STONES  
The Seekers                                     SONNY & CHER-“I Got You Babe”
1966
THE BEACH BOYS
The Monkees                                     Holland-Dozier-Holland
     CREAM Cream Clapton Bruce Baker 1960s.jpg       
1967
A colour image of the Beatles, holding marching band instruments and wearing colourful uniforms, stand near a grave covered with flowers that spell "Beatles". Standing behind the band are several dozen famous people. 
   ARETHA FRANKLIN Aretha Franklin.png“Respect”    
  THE DOORS
 “Nights in White Satin”- The Moody Blues
JIMI HENDRIX 
Psychedelic Rock: Jefferson Airplane        Summer of Love       Traffic
1968
Hairposter.jpgHair 
   “Born to be Wild”- Steppenwolf                            Prog Rock: Yes
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 
“I Heard It Through The Grapevine”
1969
Woodstock-ThreeDays.jpgWoodstock Festival
David Bowie-“Space Oddity”                                   The Who-'Tommy’   
 SLY & THE FAMILY STONE
Bitches brew.jpg  ‘Bitches Brew’
LED ZEPPELIN “Whole Lotta Love”  
1970
Heavy Metal    
Diana Ross solo
The Beatles split 
      SIMON & GARFUNKELBridge Over Troubled Water.jpg   
 The Carpenters                          Creedence Clearwater Revival
The Jackson 5

ESSENTIAL MOVIE SONGS. A new countdown begins covering songs #200-191. 
Caffe` Latte` presents…
THE 200
MOST ESSENTIAL
MOVIE SONGS

Here they are…
The definitive list of 200 songs from the movies, recorded by by rock & pop acts since the start of the Rock Era in 1955.
To be eligible, the songs need to have been first heard in association with a film from the last 60 years (although some exceptions do exist where the song gained a higher profile after its use in a motion picture)- so no songs from “West Side Story”, “Phantom of the Opera”, “Les Miserables” or “The Sound Of Music” and other films that first started out as stage musicals.


#191
SO SAD THE SONG
Gladys Knight & The Pips
(‘Pipe Dreams’- 1976)
 Pipe Dreams.JPG
 Gladys Knight co-starred with her husband at the time Barry Hankerson in a film that has largely been forgotten. The sole redeeming factor is the stunning Golden Globe nominated "So Sad The Song". Knight sings lead and pours out an emotional delivery, backed by The Pips.

#192
FLY TOO HIGH
Janis Ian
(‘Foxes’- 1980)
 Foxes ver1.jpg
 Jodie Foster co-starred with Scott Baio in a teen drama with a soundtrack that was mostly a Giorgio Moroder album. The uber-producer co-wrote the song with singer / songwriter Janis Ian. It had a pounding beat that was very different from her previous material.

#193
MAKING LOVE
Roberta Flack
(‘Making Love’- 1982)
 Postermakinglove.jpg
Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager produced a ballad they had co-written with Bruce Roberts that served as the title song from a controversial film about a triangle with a twist. MIchael Ontkean is married to Kate Jackson but gives in to his homosexual urges. The third party is portrayed by Harry Hamlin. Roberta Flack's tender soul song was nominated for a Golden Globe.

#194
TROUBLE MAN
Marvin Gaye
(‘Trouble Man’- 1972)
Trouble Man VideoCover.png
 The 1970s saw a series of blaxploitation films aimed at African-American audiences. Marvin Gaye wrote, arranged and conducted the soundtrack. The cool title song made the US Top 10. Robert Hooks starred in the leading role as "Mr. T".

#195
HOW CAN I NOT LOVE YOU
Joy Enriquez
(‘Anna And The King’- 1999)
 Anna and the king.jpg
Jodie Foster played Anna with Chow Yun-Fat as the King of Siam mentioned in the film's title. It was based on the story immortalized in the musical "The King And I". Joy Enriquez sang the Golden Globe nominated ballad.

#196
LEFT OF CENTER
Suzanne Vega
(‘Pretty In Pink’- 1986)
Pretty In Pink.jpg
 John Hughes wrote the 'Brat Pack' screenplay for this film starring Molly Ringwald and Andrew McCarthy. The soundtrack featured fresh radio-friendly music such as Suzanne Vega's song which charted in the UK.

#197
THAT'S THE WAY OF THE WORLD
Earth, Wind & Fire
(‘That's The Way Of The World’- 1975)
That's the Way of the World (film).jpg
The group Earth, Wind & Fire not only provided the music for this Harvey Keitel film, but also had cameo roles. The movie deals with the music business. EW&F's record label must have been pleased to see the group's soundtrack album climb to #1.

#198
I'VE SEEN IT ALL
Bjork  & Thom Yorke
(‘Dancer In The Dark’- 2000)
Dancer in the Dark movie poster.jpg
 Bjork starred in the Danish drama which featured this inspired duet from the quirky Icelandic vocalist and Radiohead's lead singer. Bjork's character is losing her sight. It's a clever pairing that produced a modern and unique movie song.

#199
PRISONER
(LOVE THEME FROM 'EYES OF LAURA MARS')
Barbra Streisand
(‘Eyes Of Laura Mars’- 1978)
 Eyesoflauramars.jpg
 Barbra Streisand's song from this thriller starring Faye Dunaway peaked at #21 in the US. The power ballad captures the era.

#200
THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL
George Benson
(‘The Greatest’- 1977)
 The-greatest-movie-poster-1977.jpg
 This was a film about the life of Mohammad Ali, with the champion playing himself. Years before Whitney Houston recorded the definitive version of this song, George Benson's original reached #24 in America.

Another 10 will be added next week.