The head and the heart

Hello hello..It has been a while little blog.
Things here have been a bit busy of late. I'm in the middle of a few big projects but I found this fantastic band that I wanted to share with you. Its the perfect music for a lazy sunny friday so enjoy .
Have a great weekend lovely people xxx
link 

Post Modern Jukebox

I just love old music from the 1930's all the way to the 1960's and this band makes my heart sing.
They are a cover band that bring in different singers and musicians for the songs.
Their name is Post Modern JukeBox and they are the kings (and queens) of swing.

I love it! I hope you do too.

Post Modern Jukebox


It would be my dream to sing in a band like this...I might have to start bugging people out here in Korea to give it a go.

By the light of the silvery moon

After a night of watching my favourite film in the world, It's a Wonderful Life, i'm full of smiles and I will be listening to this on repeat today.
(click the picture for some lovely tunes)

Romantic mood

I don't know why but I'm in a very romantic mood today so I thought i'd send some lovely tunes out into the Ether.

Tony has to be mention of course:
The way you look tonight

Then we have to include the silk voice himself:
Mr Nat King Cole

And lastly I found this fantastic choir today that do a many covers but have really made this song stand out:
Wouldn't it be nice

Lastly I think I am going to go home and watch one of the greatest love stories of all time (Thats right I said it)
Wall.e with features the talented Louis Armstrong

Ella

I am sure you have all seen this on Google because lets face it we all go on Google at least once a day, but I wanted to post it here as I think it’s a fantastic drawing.
The Google here is Korean but I instantly knew who it was for. The lovely Miss Ella Fitzgerald of course.

Her music is a gift that we should all appreciate. I am glad that I discovered her as early as I did in my childhood but I am jealous when I see someone discover her for the first time.
It’s impossible to choose a favorite but here are a few selections:
 That Lady Is a Tramp
What are you doing New Year's?
Night and Day
Summer time

Have a lovely day everyone and Happy Birthday Ella x

Friday sunshine

Its Friday here and almost time for lunch, home and good times.
This weekend is going to be a trip to the beach with my South African friends.
I'm expecting it to be loud.

So here is a lovely sunny song for you

She & Him

Mad Men Music

The music at the end of Mad Men always gets me.
Its always so lovely and something new to my ears.

I was especially happy to find a new Etta James song.

So here is some lovely sad Draper tunes for your wednesday
Draper Tunes

Song of the Night

Love this song
Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford

I'm making my way through Mad Men. I have watched 3 series in about a week. It is safe to say: I'm addicted!
This song was in the credits.
I think it would be the song I did a Burlesque routine too if I ever got a chance.
I have loved it for a long time but only seemed to get 4 episodes in every time. By the time I got to watch another i'd have forgotten and had to start again.

I love every second though. New favourite!

Heres some Mad Men prettiness for you:

Favourite Classic Smokey Bar Songs

Been trying to find inspiration for songs the last few weeks so thought I'd share some ideas: (so hard to narrow these down to eleven)

.Fever - Peggy Lee
.Why don't you do right - Peggy Lee
.Cry  me a river - Julie London
. Summertime - Ella Fitzgerald
.Dream a little Dream of me - Doris Day  or Mamma Cass (couldn't decide which version)
.Georgia on my mind - Ray Charles
.What a difference a day makes - Dinah Washington
.Danke Schoen - Brenda Lee
. Something's got a hold of me - Etta James  (I wish I could sound like this woman!)
. Fool's Rush In - Peggy Lee


I'm starting to realise there are few songs that suit my voice but they have to be specific. The huskier the better so its lucky that all my favourite Lady's and gentlemen are husky piano bar singers.
I know these ones are quite obvious choices but they are the ones playing on loop at work this week so they make the list oh and this one, a modern one for all you modern muggles out there Imelda May (this girl can sing!)

The start of a song

When I was little all I did was draw and sing.
All day long. I would sing every song possible and a lot of the time I'd just make up songs on the fly. This sounds inventive but for a 5 year old to be making up songs about forgotten love while on a swing set is slightly creepy. Think 'The Shining'.

One holiday my older cousins dragged me on stage to enter a talent competition and some how, I won. That was the moment I was hooked. I was allowed to stand on stage and sing. It was the best feeling I had ever had. Even at 5 I can remember thinking 'this is it!' (I was a very dramatic 5 year old)
I use to tell my mum that I would be a animator for half the week and a singer in the nights. (I also wanted to be a lolly pop lady for a while so i wasn't as insightful as you think)

During a competitions  I was on stage, singing 'dont you make my brown eyes blue' and I forgot the words. well I thought I forgot the words. I've since watched it and realised that to anyone else I had sung the song perfectly fine but my tiny crazy mind was in charge and I decided I had completely ruined it. I ran off the stage crying and didn't sing again for about 18 years. (Like I said, A very dramatic 5 year old)


Despite all this I have some of my fondest memories from this time. The major reason for these memories is because I was lucky enough to have a mum that only wanted me to have fun and checked regularly that we still were having a good time.


Thinking back on it all I understand that I was probably only winning on the grounds of peoples expectations. A 5 year old in a pink dress and ringlets is expected to sing ' Mary had a little lamb' whereas my fantastic mother taught me Patsy Cline and Elvis Presley songs. So maybe shes to blame for my love of all things vintage.

Still its a nice memory. This was all behind me until I started working at a bar , which of course had an obligatory karaoke night. (damn!) I sung and loved every hyperventilating, tequila induced moment, even if I was singing 'opphs I did it again' by Brittney Spears (not my choice!). I couldn't believe I'd done it because It had become an actual fear. My throat would swell up and the sound would stop before it hit the air but once the curse was broken I had the love for singing back and firmly stuck but none of the talent left.

Since then I've started practising. very slowly. In my house with Mr B sat across the room .A very patient man. In the beginning it would take me about an hour of apologising and procrastinating just to get a note out. I've got louder and tried harder and Its a feeling in my chest that I just need to sing.
So I decided to bite the bullet and even if I fail I'm going to try.

I don't want fame, I don't want fortune. I'll sing for free but the mission is to one day sing in a smokey burlesque bar , with a piano and a band.
Just once would be good but fingers crossed the plan of action will happen and I will find someway to do it more and more. So this is a warning that I'm going to write about what I'm learning and convince myself through the power of blog to sing in public properly.


So singer of the week has to be, Miss Patsy Cline