I Found You (Classic Remix) – Axwell

I Found U (2007)

Axwell, one of the three musical geniuses behind the Swedish House Mafia, has had quite a year since the Swedish House Mafia Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1, and the subsequent tours and recordings! The classic mix of Axwell’s I Found U is the best of all the mixes available for this track. It has the cutest little melody that you end up wanting to hear over and over.  This song has special significance for me, as it came out when Perfect and I were falling in love. The lyrics say exactly what I was feeling at that time:

Thank god I found you
I never really had a love
Sent from heaven up above
I’m just so happy because
Thank god I found you

This song is perfect for those moments when you are dancing in a crowded club with your loved one, and it feels like no one else is there,  no one except the two of you, the love, and the music!

Hopefully – My Morning Jacket

At Dawn (2001)

My Morning Jacket’s Hopefully has a certain beautiful tragic element to it, a desperation in the emotion filled vocals that sing:

Hopefully, it occurs to me
That there’s one thing I can’t stand
That’s the thought of a single day
Without your head in my hand

The lyrics sing of a long term love, one that sees many trails through the day to day of normal life. With all its desperation, this track is beautiful to listen to, with Jim James’s vocals soaring over the acoustic guitar and keyboard sound-scapes. This song is perfect for gazing into the eyes of your loved one, and re-discovering why you feel in love in the first place.

My Morning Jacket are wrapping us a touring in Australia and Japan in promotion of their latest album Evil Urges, which was released in June of last year.

In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel

Single World Tour (1994)

Likely best know for it’s integral role in the 1989 film Say Anything. The often imitated scene when John Cusak holds the stereo high above his head outside her window, is one of the most romantic moments in 1980s cinema. The song itself powerfully shows Peter Gabriel’s sensitive side (not that this is a rare occasion), with lyrics he wrote in response to the failure of his relationship with Rosanna Arquette. The lyrics clearly paint that wonderful, inescapable feeling you get when you gaze into the eyes of the one you are in love with. This particular version is from Gabriel’s Secret World Tour recorded back in 1994. The live version is particularly long, but it’s well worth the listen. It is good music to accompany cuddles on the couch, particularly with the jam session towards the end featuring the vocal stylings of Youssou N’Dour.

Peter Gabriel is going to be touring Mexico and South America through March, if you have the opportunity to go, do! He puts on quite a show.

At Last – Etta James

At Last (1960)

Arguably the most romantic songs that has ever been recorded, At Last has stood the test of time. Originally, written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical film Orchestra Wives in 1941, the song has been covered many times, by artists such as Etta James, Jason Mraz, Miles Davis, Christina Aguilera, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks, Norah Jones, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, and Beyonce Knowles. The lyrics tell of the fabulous moment when you recognize that love has finally arrived.

At last, my love has come along
my lonely days are over
and life is like a song

The song has held a very special place for me since it was featured in one of my favourite movies, Pleasantville. Ah… Tobey Maguire, he’s so dreamy (not as dreamy as my Perfect though, of course!).

Watch for my next post, another special Valentine’s edition!

No Kind Words – The Maccabees

The Maccabees have posted a new song from their upcoming album up on their website for free download. The Maccabees told NME the rest of the album is not as dark as this track, so we should not take No Kind Words as an indication of what the new album is going to be like. The track is quite dark, it has a very serious feel to it with thick electric guitars, and ominous lyrics. It has a similar feel to Running Up that Hill by Placebo.

The track is definitely worth a listen, particularly at this price!

Well Now – Jesse Rose

DJ, producer, and remixer, Jesse Rose is set to release his next album, What do you do if you don’t any day now. I’ve had to opportunity to hear a couple of the new tracks, and I’ll admit, I’m excited! Well Now is the first track getting some airplay in promotion for this release. I was listening to the radio, minding my own business when I heard this funky track. It immediately caught my ear… wait a second, is that? Yes it is! The rough sounds of Howlin’ Wolf, put to beats, was making me dance in my cubicle.

Down in the Bottom – Howlin’ Wolf

A little research proved that the Howlin’ Wolf sample Jesse Rose masterfully uses in his new track is from the 1962 song Down in the Bottom. Originally written by Willie Dixon for Holwin’ Wolf, the track has been covered many times since, by the likes of The Rolling Stones, John Mellencamp, and Colin James. It’s a good one, and Holw’in Wolf’s version remains the best!

Do the Do – Howlin’ Wolf

This brings me to another little ditty that Howlin’ Wolf recorded back in 1970, Do the Do. I cannot talk about Howlin’ Wolf and not include this song, because it’s just too darn SEXY! With super funky blues guitar, and hot lyrics like this:

Well I know
I’ve got a babe
And I know her
Love is true
But you ain’t seen nothing
‘Til you see her, see her
Do the do
Do the do

Shake her shoulder
Take her time
Mover her body
Like I move mine
When she’s dancing
You’ll love her too
When you see her
Do the do
Do the do

34 bucks
20 to waste
Everything
Right in place
Cool disposition
Love her too
When you see her
Do the do
Do the do

Well, well there
Ain’t nothing like
When you see her
Do the do
Do the do

Well I know
I’ve got a babe
And I know her
Love is true
But you ain’t seen nothing
‘Til you see her, see her
Do the do
Do the do

You really cannot miss this song… and play it for your girl, I bet she’ll like it!

In this very emotional edition of Cover-licious, I pay tribute to those salty droplets of water that only love could have summoned. The tears of love, the only ones that really matter.

Crying – Roy Orbison

I had to include Roy Orbison’s beautiful original of this song. His powerful voice is so full of emotion in this song that you believe that he was feeling that pain each time he sang this song. There is no other like Roy Orbison, nor will there ever be. This version of this classic tune comes from Roy Orbison’s live DVD, A Black and White Night, that included a whack of big names playing back up for the much loved and respected man, including Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, and Bonnie Raitt. I highly recommend this DVD, both the audio and the video are well worth the time.

Llorando – Rebekah Del Rio

Featured both on Rebekah Del Rio’s second release, All My Life, as well as on the Mulholland Drive Soundtrack, this stunningly beautiful Spanish rendition of Orbison’s classic will grab your heart, and make you feel a little like crying yourself. Rebekah Del Rio’s powerful vocals stand alone, in large concert hall sound, requiring no accompaniment. Check out Rebekah Del Rio story beind the song Llorando (Crying) on her website.

Cry (Extended Remix) – Godley & Creme

This 1985 Top 40 hit was the only hit in America for the duo Kevin Godley and Lol Creme who started making records after their pop band 10cc disbanded. This remixwas included on the single. While the track definitely has that 80s feel that is so loved these days, it maintains staying power through the emotion and soul that come through both the lyrics and music.

Cry – The Philosopher Kings

The Canadian band, The Philosopher Kings, covered Godely & Creme’s track for their 1997 album, Famous, Rich and Beautiful. Their updated version carries the powerful emotions of the original, but adds a little more with Jamaican born Jarvis Church (Gerald Eaton)’s soulful voice. While I like the original, I prefer this version.

Firstly, if you don’t know what Songbird is, it is a brand new, very shiny with that new car smell, desktop mp3 player. Songbird’s recent 1.0 release has set them up to take on iTunes with a new take on music. Integrating the web into the robust player, Songbird aims to enhance and broaden the music listening experience. It’s an Open Source effort, built on the Mozilla engine. Give Songbird a try… I like it!

Kalemba feat. Pongo Love – Buraka Som Sistema

Buraka Som Sistema is considered to be Progressive Kuduro from Portugal. Kuduro music originated in Angola, but quickly moved to Portugal, which explains the bit in the lyrics about raising the Angolan flag. I ran the lyrics through an online translator. The gist of the song is basically, “We are awesome”, but I couldn’t get much else from the translation. There’s still a lot work to do in the automated translator industry.

The song is super fun to listen too, it’s quite difficult to not move to this song. The style of Kuduro is somewhere between African and Latin beats. The vocals are fun too, even for those of us who don’t understand Portuguese, there something inticing about the vocals, specially the Wegue Wegue part!

Brooklyn – Jay Z & Santogold

Jay-Z, Santogold and Kayne West came together to create this multi-purpose track. It’s to appear on Jay-z’s next album, The Blueprint 3, due to be released next month. It also has a place on the Nortorious Soundtrack. The track was originally released as a bonus track for the subscribers to online magazine (RED)Wire, with partial proceeds going to Bono’s Product Red.

The track has an epic feel to it, with Santogold chanting “Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard” through the song, and Jay-Z rapping about his home town, Brooklyn. Santogold comes in mid-song with her rap about Brooklyn. These two are clearly proud of their roots, as well they should be!