Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Ask Mr. Music by Jerry Osborne

FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 22, 2010


DEAR JERRY: From a book at the library I made a list of 20 hit songs with foreign language titles, all of which were popular long before I was born.

Since you are probably familiar with them, will you tell me which ones are sung entirely in another language, which ones are either partly foreign, and which are really in English but just have a foreign title?
—Gina Lanza, Milwaukee


DEAR GINA: Here then is your newly-alphabetized list, with the performers commonly associated with each song, and a comment about the language.

“Al Di La”: Emilio Pericoli's Top 10 hit is all Italian; Connie Francis provides one verse in English; and, except for the title, the Ray Charles Singers' version is all English.

“Allez-Vous-En”: Kay Starr sings a few lines in French, but most of this tune is in English.

“Chanson D'Amour”: By Art & Dotty Todd, mostly in English but with a sprinkling of French here and there.

“Chantez Chantez”: Dinah Shore serves up “a little Paris song,” but with only a few words in Francais.

“Danke Schoen”: Other than the German title, and one “auf wiederseh'n,” Wayne Newton's signature song is alle Englisch.

“Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup”: Though Nat King Cole opines “wish my French were good enough,” he effectively adds several French phrases to what is mostly an English number.

“Dominique”: The Singing Nun (Sister Luc Gabriel), from the French-speaking area of Belgium, sings in French from start to finish (but not Finnish). A No. 1 hit in many countries, including the U.S.

“Enamorado”: Washingtonian Keith Colley spoke no Spanish, yet learned enough to convincingly sing this Mexican doo-wop classic entirely in Spanish.

“Guantanamera”: From the Sandpipers, this beauty is all in Spanish, except for a brief English narrative-translation.

“Innamorata”: For both Dean Martin and Jerry Vale, this is just an English tune with an Italian title.

“Je T'Aime … Moi Non Plus”: Once Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg turn up the heat, it's probably just as well all the play-by-play is called in French.

“La Bamba”: All of the hit versions (Ritchie Valens; Tokens; Trini Lopez; Los Lobos) are completely in Spanish, though the lyrics do often vary. The 1987 Los Lobos effort reached No. 1.

“Mala Femmena”: As with her treatment of “Al Di La,” Connie Francis provides a token verse in English. The rest is Italian.

“Malaguena”: A Spanish classic from Connie Francis, totally en Espanol.

“Mas Que Nada”: By Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66, this is the only tune on the list in Portuguese, or more specifically it's Brazilian Portuguese. No English heard here.

“Morgen”: Sung entirely in German by Yugoslav-born Ivo Robic and the Song Masters. “Morgen” is mornin', our abbreviated a.m. greeting. Interestingly, Robic's follow-up, and only other U.S. hit, “The Happy Muleteer,” is in English.

“Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)”: Using that title, Domenico Modugno took the tune to No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic in 1958, in Italian of course. Dean Martin did nearly as well with Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu), using equal parts English and Italian. In 1960, Bobby Rydell's mostly-English “Volare” (translation: fly) soared into the Top 5.

“Shina No Yoru (China Nights)”: Kyu Sakamoto's follow-up to “Sukiyaki,” listed first only because they are alphabetical, is all in Japanese. You'd almost think Kyu's singing “she ain't got no yo-yo.”

“Sukiyaki”: Recorded in Japan, in Japanese, by Kyu Sakamoto, and a No. 1 hit on three continents. Strangely, the song has nothing whatsoever to do with “Sukiyaki.” The word is not even used in the lyrics, but the powers that be felt the true title, “Ue O Muite Aruku,” would be too difficult for non-Japanese dee jays to pronounce. They picked “Sukiyaki” for its familiarity factor. The tune could just as easily have been titled “Sushi.”

“Senza Fine”: Another from Dino's old country songbook, though everything but the Italian title is in English.


IZ ZAT SO? Not only did The Singing Nun and Kyu Sakamoto both have No. 1 foreign language hits in 1963, about five months apart, they both died in 1985, also about five months apart.

The Singing Nun took her own life March 31, 1985, and Kyu Sakamoto died Aug 12, 1985 — one of 520 killed in the deadliest airline crash in history.

About 45 minutes after takeoff in Tokyo, Japan Airlines Flight 123 descended uncontrollably into a ridge near Mount Osutaka.


Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column.
Jerry's Question page: Ask your question here.


Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368
E-mail: jpo@olympus.net
Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com  


All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.

Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission

Music News & Notes

Them Crooked Vultures Join In On Record Store Day

Absolute Radio spoke with John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl and Josh Homme of Them Crooked Vultures on Monday night at Royal Albert Hall and found out that the band will be touring through the end of August, at which time Grohl and Homme will pick up some other projects, pushing the second Vultures album to sometime after this year.

The group is releasing a 10" vinyl picture disc to retailers participating in the April 17 Record Store Day with Mind Eraser, No Chaser and Highway One on one side and an interview on the other.

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Ten Greatest Album Covers in Roadrunner History: #3 Sepultura - Roots

Roadrunner is continuing their look at their ten best album covers, they're at #3!

Brazilian death metal contingent Sepultura's last album with frontman Max Cavalera on the mic, Roots, came out in 1996 just as the metal landscape really began to change in a nu direction. In line with the downtuned sounds of the times and honoring Sepultura's experimental traditions, Roots basically boasted the band's return to their Brazilian heritage. Accented by the affluent tribal tones fully realized in the form of thick, layered percussives -- even featuring Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown playing traditional instruments on tracks like "Ratamahatta," the title was fitting for the sonic offering.




Read the rest here:
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/Ten-Greatest-Album-Covers-in-Roadrunner-History-3-21113.aspx

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SOULFLY: 'Omen' Artwork Unveiled

SOULFLY's seventh album, "Omen," is set for for release on May 25 via Roadrunner Records. The CD will be made available in a standard edition and a special edition featuring bonus tracks.

The cover artwork for both versions of the album can be viewed below.

Standard Edition:















Special Edition:















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Official Cover Art of B.o.B's 'The Adventures of Bobby Ray'

Bobby Ray is in action, bending in front of an explosion in the official artwork of his upcoming debut album 'B.o.B Presents The Adventures of Bobby Ray'.

Gearing up to release his new album on April 27, B.o.B has debuted an artwork to be featured on the front page of the upcoming record. The Atlanta rapper is featured in bended knees in front of an explosion, wearing a black and red jacket on top of white T-shirt combined with a pair of denims and sneakers.

"B.o.B Presents The Adventures of Bobby Ray" has chart-busting song "Nothin' on You" as a lead single. Bruno Mars, Lupe Fiasco and T.I. are tagged to lend their vocal in this effort.




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MASTERPLAN: New Album, Single Artwork Unveiled

"Time To Be King", the new album from MASTERPLAN, the melodic power metal band led by former HELLOWEEN guitarist Roland Grapow, will be released on May 21 via AFM Records. The CD's first single, "Far From The End Of The World", will be issued on April 16.

Check out the cover artwork for "Time To Be King"
















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This Date In Music History-March 24

Birthdays:

Dave Appell - Applejacks (1922)

Lee Oskar - War (1946)

Nick Lowe (1949)

Dougie Thompson - Supertramp (1951)

Nena (1960)

Sharon Corr - Corrs (1970)

P.A. Pasemaster Mase - De La Soul (1970)

Benj Gershman - O.A.R. (1980)


They Are Missed:

The late Nervous Norvus ("Transfusion"-- real name is Jimmy Drake) was born in 1912. He died on July 24, 1968.

Singer with Philly soul group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Harold Melvin died in 1997 (age 57).

Neal Aspinall, The Beatles’ road manager, friend and business partner, died in New York in 2008 after an apparent battle with lung cancer (age 66) . Aspinall grew up with Paul McCartney and George Harrison and helped oversee its Apple Corps company until his ’07 resignation. "Neil's trusting stewardship and guidance has left a far-reaching legacy for generations to come," says The Beatles’ official statement.

Motown drummer Uriel Jones, died in 2009 (age 74), after suffering complications from a heart attack. Jones played on many Motown classics including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," by Marvin Gaye, "Cloud Nine" by the Temptations, "I Second That Emotion" by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and "For Once In My Life" by Stevie Wonder.


History:

Billboard published the first US LP chart in 1945. Nat King Cole was at #1 with 'A Collection Of Favourites.'

Les Baxter started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1956 with "Poor People Of Paris."

In 1958, at 6.35am, Elvis Presley reported to the Memphis draft board. From there Elvis and twelve other recruits were taken by bus to Kennedy Veterans Memorial Hospital where the singer was assigned army serial number 53310761.

Future Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Keith Richards made their professional stage debut in 1962 with the group called Little Boy Blue & the Blue Boys at a club in Ealing, England.

The Beatles continued filming ‘Help’ at Twickenham Studios, England in 1965. They shot the interior temple scenes, including the one where they "dive through a hollow sacrificial altar and into water". That scene was then cut to the swimming pool scene filmed in the Bahamas on February 23.

Bill Wyman, bass player with the Rolling Stones, was knocked unconscious by an electrical shock onstage in Denmark in 1965.

In 1966, the New York State Assembly passed a bill making it a misdemeanor to sell bootlegs.

Alice Cooper went to #1 on the US album chart in 1973 with 'Billion Dollar Babies.'



During a Lou Reed show in Buffalo, New York in 1973, a fan jumped on stage and bit Lou on the bottom. The man was thrown out of the theatre and Reed completed the show.

The O'Jays went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1973 with "Love Train."

In 1976, transvestite singer Wayne County appeared in court charged with assault after an incident at New York club CBGB's. County had attacked Dictators singer Handsome Dick Manitobe with a mike stand fracturing his collarbone.

In 1978, the British courts granted British record companies the rights to seize bootleg and pirate recordings.

The Bee Gees started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1979 with "Tragedy," the group's eighth US #1 hit.

Iron Maiden released the album "The Number of the Beast" in 1980.

Canadian singer Alannah Myles started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1990 with "Black Velvet."



In 1991, the Black Crowes were dropped as the support act on ZZ Top's tour after repeatedly criticizing the tour sponsor Miller Beer.

A Chicago court settled the Milli Vanilli class action suit in 1992 by approving cash rebates of up to $3 to anyone proving they bought the group’s music before November 27, 1990, the date the lip synching scandal broke. Milli Vanilli won the 1989 best new artist Grammy after hits like "Blame it on the Rain" and "Girl, You Know It's True," selling 30 million singles and 14 million albums. But in late 1990, the performers were stripped of the award after it was revealed that neither actually sang on the Milli Vanilli album.

“(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?” peaked at #4 on the US album chart in 1996. The Oasis album sells seven million copies worldwide.

Amway Corp. announced in 1998 that it had agreed to pay $9 million to settle a lawsuit over the company's use of songs by top artists in videotaped sales pitches.

In 2000, a film company paid $1,079,500 for over nine hours of film shot during the 70s by Yoko Ono. The film contained shots of Lennon smoking hash and talking about his political beliefs.

In 2001, a stretch of road on Highway 19 in Macon, Georgia, was named Duane Allman Boulevard, near where the Allman Brothers guitarist died (age 24) in a motorcycle crash on October 29, 1971.

R.E.M.'s "Accelerate" album was streamed in its entirety via the online social music service iLike in 2008. "Collaborating with iLike and debuting "Accelerate" across the web is in keeping with the spirit and immediacy of the album," says singer Michael Stipe. The album is streamed for three days. The CD comes out a week later.

The first of Green Day's entire catalog of studio albums and compilations was reissued on vinyl in 2009. It starts with ‘91's “1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours” and ‘92's "Kerplunk!

In 2009, the prosecutor in the Phil Spector murder retrial told the jury he was a "demonic maniac" when he drinks and "a very dangerous man" around women. Deputy District Attorney Truc Do urged jurors to find the music producer guilty of murdering Hollywood actress Lana Clarkson in 2003. During her closing argument, she also accused Mr Spector of demonstrating a "conscious disregard for human life".

Aerosmith's "I Don't Want To Miss a Thing," Boston's "Amanda,” Journey's "Faithfully," Heart's "Never," Cheap Trick's "The Flame," Whitesnake's "Is This Love,” Scorpions' "Still Loving You” and Def Leppard's "Love Bites" are featured on the “Now That's What I Call Power Ballads!” compilation in 2009.

We Have A Winner!

We have a Winner in the The Jacksons - A Family Dynasty DVD giveaway!  Congrats to Gavin, who was the first one to email me!   Look for more contests coming very soon to the CollectingVinylRecords Blog!