Careless Whisper
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Careless Whisper

Here’s my version of George Michael’s first solo hit, Careless Whisper, dating from 1984. Careless Whisper knocked Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s Two Tribes off the #1 spot, and went on to become the fifth best-selling single of 1984, along with Two Tribes, Relax, Do They Know It’s Christmas and I Just Called To Say I Love You.

If it’s your first time on the site, find out more about the 365 Songs project or see all of my October songs here.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pentleton/careless-whisper/s-2GDN8

Me And I
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Me And I

Today’s song, Me and I, is from the 1980 ABBA album Super Trouper. It tells the story of someone with a split personality, including the line “I am to myself what Jekyll must have been to Hyde”. According to ABBA biographer Carl Magnus Palm, the song’s “split personality theme combined with Frida’s forceful delivery put a welcome darker spin on ABBA‘s largely bright and wholesome universe”. I find the song interesting because of the way it moves between A, E and B, and there’s a great modulation bringing it into F# major. It’s one of the rare songs which is written with clear C# major chords, and probably one of only a handful which features E# notes!

I’ve pianoified Me And I a bit and made it a bit more of a ballad. I hope you enjoy it. If it’s your first time on the site, find out more about the 365 Songs project or see all of my October songs here. If you’re looking for more ABBA songs, have a listen to my Tribute to ABBA album or check out this year’s ABBA songs from my archives.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pentleton/me-and-i

The Power Of Love
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The Power Of Love

It’s officially “Back to the Future day” – the day Marty and Doc Emmett Brown travelled to in Back to the Future 2. I decided to play the song I always associate with the Back to the Future franchise, Huey Lewis and the News’ The Power of Love, dating from 1985. Although mainly associated with the first film, The Power of Love is the song Marty McFly tries to play on the guitar just after being fired, and it reappears in the final film during the car race.

I hope you enjoy my version. If it’s your first time on the site, find out more about the 365 Songs project or see all of my October songs here.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pentleton/the-power-of-love

Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring
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Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring

This lovely cantata, also known as Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben or simply Cantata 147, was composed by Bach around 1723. The reason it came to mind to play today was as a result of a fantastic video I saw today featuring a wooden ball being rolled down a mile-long xylophone in the middle of a Japanese forest. Unfortunately the video turns out to be an advert for a mobile phone company, but it doesn’t take away from the creativity in the video. How do advertising companies think come up with things like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c84C6YZirzE

There’s more classical music in my collection here, and if it’s your first time on the site, find out why I’m playing one song a day for the whole of 2015 or listen to my October songs here.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pentleton/jesu-joy-of-mans-desiring

Don’t
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Don’t

This is the final song in my small collection of songs from the musical Martin Guerre. Don’t tells of the forbidden love between Bertrande and Arnaud who is assuming the character of Martin Guerre.

There’s more Martin Guerre here and if it’s your first time on the site, find out why I’m playing one song a day for the whole of 2015 or listen to my October songs here.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pentleton/dont/s-oT9ZN

When Will Someone Hear?
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When Will Someone Hear?

Continuing from yesterday, I’m working through four of my favourite songs from the Schönberg/Boublil musical Martin Guerre. This song is called When Will Someone Hear?

There’s more Martin Guerre here and if it’s your first time on the site, find out why I’m playing one song a day for the whole of 2015 or listen to my October songs here.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pentleton/when-will-someone-hear/s-uO5n6

How Many Tears?
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How Many Tears?

Running a bit late tonight after a very busy day at the Language Show in London. Over the next few days I’m going to be playing some of my favourite pieces from the musical Martin Guerre, written by by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg of Les Miserables and Miss Saigon fame. Today’s song is called How Many Tears.

If it’s your first time on the site, find out why I’m playing one song a day for the whole of 2015 or listen to my October songs here.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pentleton/how-many-tears

Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)
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Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)

Today’s song is the Green Day classic Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life). This song always takes me back to my time teaching at Mearns Castle where it was performed by one of my Spanish students in a charity concert. I hope you enjoy my version of this song.

If it’s your first time on the site, find out why I’m playing one song a day for the whole of 2015 or listen to my October songs here.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pentleton/good-riddance-time-of-your

You Go To My Head
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You Go To My Head

Today’s song is the lovely 1938 song You Go To My Head, written by Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie which has become a jazz standard with some wonderful jazzy chords. It has been recorded by many artists and I think one of my favourite versions is Linda Ronstadt’s on her wonderful 1988 album For Sentimental Reasons.

If it’s your first time on the site, find out why I’m playing one song a day for the whole of 2015 or listen to my October songs here.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pentleton/you-go-to-my-head/s-vZyso

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