Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Song Challenge


I could not keep up with or commit to the 30-day Song Challenge so I settled for 15 songs (16 if you count The Carlton). So, here's my 15-songs-in-one-day challenge.




1. A song that reminds you of yourself: 
“Stronger”- Kelly Clarkson

This is a song of empowerment, of surviving through all the trials in our lives. It's a reaffirmation that we just have to carry on, no matter what. I believe that even when life's challenges seem to be weighing me down, all I have to do is look around the many blessings that came from up above. I just pick myself up, dry my tears, with head held high. I am so worth it, so just have to keep fighting, for my own survival and for those who believe in me. I am strong, I am woman, I am a child of God.






2. A song that you remember from your childhood: 
“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”- Julie Andrews

I am dating myself. This was my first movie experience and it was magical. Julie Andrews was a wonderful Mary Poppins in this 1964 Disney musical. “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” is a 34-letter mouthful that just means "something to say when you have nothing to say". I was a young child who was enamored (for life) with movie musicals. I went around the house singing the song until my mother finally told me to stop with my incessant bragging of my mastery of the word. She told me that I was even singing the song in my sleep.

A bigger challenge is: Can you spell the word?






3. A song that makes you want to fall in love:
“And I love You So”- Perry Como

“And I Love You So” was written and first released by Don McLean in 1970 for his Tapestry album. Perry Como recorded the song which reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. No surprise there, the song achieved No. 1 status on the Easy Listening chart. Perry Como's voice warms the heart and promises all those wonderful feelings, and evokes memories of those sweet moments of tenderness. The song (and the voice) can make you fall in love, even if you have sworn off it.






4. A song by a band that you wish were still together:
 “Take It Easy”-  Eagles

Well, they're still kind of together, with Glenn Frey's son replacing his father in the band after Glenn passed away. The song was written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey. Rolling Stone’s Bud Scoppa wrote that Take it Easy" was "simply the best sounding rock single to come out so far this year (1972)”. The song is catchy, danceable, calming, and such a feel good song. So much so that I envisioned myself standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona on a flatbed truck flirting with Jackson Browne or Glenn Frey look-alikes (when they were much younger).






5. A song that you think that everybody should listen to: 
"Akin Ka Na Lang"- Morisette Amon

A song and a singer that needs to be heard. Asia's Phoenix Diva Morissette, a Filipina singer, performed “Akin Ka Na Lang (Please Just Be Mine)" in a music studio bus and belted out the song effortlessly while sitting down with nary a strain on her face and in her voice. Her flawless vocal registry and unbelievable range inspires the question, "Why is she not a global superstar yet?" And that whistle? As the many reaction videos show, it is just a matter of time that Morisette will take her rightful place on the world stage.






6. A song that has many meanings to you: 
“Have I told You Lately That I love You”- Rod Stewart

At a vulnerable period in my life, as I was driving in my car, this song came up on the Delilah radio show. I started crying for all the lost chances and what it seemed to be a lonely life ahead of me. When I was grieving for my father, the song at first poked at my heart. I sobbed as I asked myself, "Have I told him that I love him?".

I have since recovered and had realized that life goes on, and in fact, has given me much more to be thankful for. The gift of Love comes from all the unexpected places and comes in many forms. I have learned to always tell my loved ones that I love them.






7. A song that makes you think about life: 
“Man in the Mirror”- Michael Jackson

This is a humbling reminder that one has to self-reflect and change within one's self before one can challenge and change the world. The mirror is truthful, and the person must accept the message loud and clear.


I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place




8. A Song that's a Classic Favorite:
O Sole Mio: Patrizio Buanne and Amira Willighagen (then 12 years old) 

Opera superstar Patrizio Franco Buanne, a Neapolitan-Austrian singer, was clearly impressed with the young singer when they performed together at a concert held in South Africa in July 2016. Goosebumps! Amira Willighagen won the sixth season of Holland’s Got Talent when she was just 9 years old.






9. A Song That Makes You Sad: 
“Goodbye To Love”- Carpenters

This plaintive song was written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis in 1972. Tony Peluso’s incredible fuzz guitar solo was just amazing. But the words tug at the heartstrings and you can only pray that someday, one can find peace and love in other ways.

So I've made my mind up
I must live my life alone
And though it's not the easy way
I guess I've always known
I'd say goodbye to love







10. A Song That Makes You Happy: 
“Happy”- Pharell Williams

With 265,078,848 views on Youtube, well, I will be ecstatic and deliriously HAPPY as I imagine Pharell is.






11. A song to drive to: 
 “I Want It That Way”- Backstreet Boys

BSB is back on tour. Darn, I missed their Las Vegas residency. Although I have not kept up with them over the years, I just could not help dancing and singing along in my car when this song comes on. Turn up the volume and groove to the music. People may stare and point at the woman (of a certain age) gesticulating inside the car. Nobody has to tell me why their song is such a good release song. Nobody has to tell me why the BSB is the biggest-selling boy band of all time.






12a. A song that makes you want to dance
 “Dancing in the Dark”- Bruce Springsteen 

Bruce!!!!!! I was a real fan girl back then, complete with a huge poster of his “Dancing in the Dark” pose. Bruce with the raw, rugged, masculine looks and that raspy voice and awkward dancing. Then he pulled a wide-eyed, short-haired Courtney Cox to the stage where she matched Bruce’s dancing with her unusual dancing moves.




12b. The Carlton Dance: Alfonso Ribeiro copied Courtney’s awesomely awkward moves and Eddie Murphy’s frenetic spirit to gift us with the iconic Carlton dance to Tom Jones’ “It’s Not Unusual.”





13. A Song That Needs to be Played Loud:
 “Don’t Stop Believing”- Journey with Arnel Pineda

In his native Philippines, Arnel performed with his new band and showed everyone that dreams do come true. In a world of cynics, there is poetic justice when success lifts you up beyond imagination.






14. A song you like with a number in the title:
“Two Less Lonely People in the World”-  KZ Tandingan

KZ covered the Air Supply song and used it as official soundtrack for the independent film “Kita Kita” as the Philippine entry for an Asian Film Festival. Something finally went right, indeed.






15. A song that you will sing at a karaoke:
“Jambalaya”- Carpenters

This is an original song by Hank Williams in 1952, the song was re-recorded by the Carpenters. I have sung this at karaoke but only when most people have gone home and I was surrounded by loving friends who did not take offense of me butchering a perfectly beautiful song. They probably just value our friendship too much. Or maybe they just think that I sound like Karen Carpenter.






SONG CHALLENGE, PART TWO: https://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2020/09/song-challenge-part-two.html



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