[Monday’s Notes No. 139] The Way We Were could be an ordinary song, instead it becomes something special thanks to a series of refinements in the way it was composed, arranged and sung. Barbra Streisand’s performance is also particularly poignant because the singer starred in the film for which the song was written.Continue readingBarbra Streisand, The Way We Were. How to write a good song
Category: Monday Notes
A music analysis column dedicated to the great classics of jazz and rock music: every Monday a song with technical notes and curiosities. To start the week on a good note… and learn more about music.
[Monday’s Notes No.138] For his personal history and for what he has been able to represent, Bob Marley stands alongside other rock legends such as Jim Morrison, John Lennon and Jimy Hendrix. To better understand the reggae music of which he is the most important exponent, let us analyse Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)…Continue readingBob Marley, Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)
[Monday Note no. 137] Buena Vista Social Club is a documentary film shot by Wim Wenders in 1999. The film follows the album of the same name by two years and aims to promote the music of some aged Cuban musicians brought back to the public eye by guitarist Ry Cooder. Among them is guitarist…Continue readingCompay Segundo, Chan Chan. Four chords and four towns
[Monday Note No. 136] Les Baxter is one of the most important exponents of Exotica, a genre of music that was popular in the 1950s. Exotic music was vaguely inspired by the sounds of distant and fascinating places, such as the Pacific Islands, the Orient, and South America. Let’s listen to Busy Port, taken from…Continue readingLes Baxter, Busy Port. Exotica, a precursor of New Age
[Monday Notes No. 135] Robert Johnson is a blues legend. He died at only 27 years of age, of him there remain a handful of recordings in which he sings accompanied by guitar, in the classic Delta blues style. One of these recordings, however, is very different from the others: it’s a song, entitled They’re…Continue readingRobert Johnson, They’re Red Hot. Between blues and minstrel show
[Monday Note No. 134] Amara Terra mia is a song that Domenico Modugno reinterpreted and thus brought to the attention of the whole of Italy. The original piece titled Nebbia alla valle (Fog in the valley) dates back to the early 20th century and was a work song of the olive harvesters of the Abruzzo…Continue readingDomenico Modugno, Amara terra mia. An Italian spiritual
[Monday Notes no. 133] A Place For Lovers is a song written by Manuel De Sica as the soundtrack for the film Amanti directed in 1968 by his father Vittorio De Sica. This is not one of the great director’s masterpieces, while the music is definitely worth mentioning. I have therefore tried to analyse how…Continue readingAmanti, Ella FItzgerald sings Manuel De Sica’s A Place For Lovers
[Monday Notes no. 132] Tre settimane da raccontare is a song by Alberto Testa and Walter Malgoni, performed by Fred Bongusto. This song has all the characteristics of the great ‘Italian song’. In particular, we will see what it has in common with so much Italian music of the 1960s and 1970s.Continue readingFred Bongusto and the Italian song, Tre settimane da raccontare
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Chick Webb, Blues in My Heart
[Monday Notes no. 131] Chick Webb was one of the first great jazz drummers, his career was short but many drummers were inspired by him. Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Sid Catlett, Jo Jones and others paid homage to Chick Webb and considered him a master. We listen to his orchestra playing Blues in My Heart,…Continue readingChick Webb, Blues in My Heart
[Monday Notes no. 130] Irving Berlin is one of the greatest American songwriters. He was born in Belarus and emigrated to America at the age of five. Despite having a poor musical education, he achieved success thanks to his tenacity and his ability to invent simple and effective melodies. Let us listen to and analyse…Continue readingIrving Berlin, What’ll I Do. The secrets of a good song.