Life isn't black and White... but I wish it was.

Wouldn't be nice if life was like a black and white movie? No? just me then, that's ok I'll convert you all yet. Just you wait!!

Firstly we'd all be followed everywhere we went by a jazz quartet playing music that fit every senario, bouncy swing for the happy upbeat moments, soft, amorous standards for the romantic ones and dark soulful melodys for when stuff isn't going too well.

We'd all be dressed impeccably. The woman sumptiously wrapped in gowns by Givency or Diors's 'New Look', our hair perfectly coiffed. It would be acceptable, if not required, to wear hats and gloves with every outfit (and I dont mean the woolie variety). In black and white films Men were Men, they were the clean cut upstanding guys you could bring home to your mother like James Stewart or they were rougish cads who would break your heart like Clark Gable. Clad in suits from Savile row or Brooks Brothers, they all oozed charm, intellgence and sophistication. they made grand romantic gestures and kissed you like there was no tommorrow.

the wonderful Jimmy stewart

Women came in a number of varieties. Gamine and quietly alluring like our beloved Audrey or Grace Kelly, sensual, voluptuous and a little bit dangerous like Rita Haworth or Jane Russell, exotic and mysterious like Greta Garbo and Ingrid Bergman or ballsy and outspoken like Bette Davis and Katherine Hepburn.

the ravishing Rita Hayworth

 We'd all dress for dinner and live in big Gatsby-esque estates on Long Island or East Hampton and throw fabulous parties on the lawn where we would drank endless champagne and eat nothing but canapes. We'd all be independently wealthy and of course there would always be a happy ending (well almost always)

bogie and bergman

Do you see the appeal yet?

the dashing cary grant

mysterious Greta Garbo

the fabulously ballsy Bette Davis

the witty and out spoken Katharine Hepburn

Dangerously beautiful Jane Russell

Happy Birthday Otis!

Otis Redding, the king of soul, would have been 70 today. So I thought I'd do a post to celebrate the incredible contribution the man made to music in his short life. He wrote some of the most soulful and beautiful songs of all time 'I've Been Loving You Too Long' and 'These Arms of mine' are some of my favourite songs and some of the most touching, gorgeous love songs ever written.  He also wrote songs like 'Love Man' 'Sweet Soul Music' 'Mr Pitiful' and the Aretha classic 'Respect' that make it impossible to sit still when you hear them you just have to dance. his version of the old standard 'Try a Little Tenderness' is most certainly the definitive and has been emulated by many others including Andrew Strong in the film 'the committments' and was recently sampled by Kanye west and Jay-Z

Born in Georgia, the son of a gospel singer and preacher, he grew up singing in church which clearly shaped his vocals. He had a rich smoky tone, at times husky and sensual and at others as smooth as chocolate. Otis was at the height of his popularity in the early 60's alongside other soul pioneers like Sam Cooke and James Brown. He was very well received in Europe and had some of his biggest success there. Otis was a big influence on The Rolling Stones and became good friends with Mick Jagger even covering The Stones' 'satisfaction'.

He died tragically in a plane crash in 1967 at just twenty six years old. I find it so hard to believe when I listen to him that he was that young, his voice had this deep emotive quality usually attributed to a much older person. Probably his most well known song '(sittin on) The Dock of the Bay' was released posthumously. His musical legacy is still touching people 40 years after his death and I think it will continue to do so as long as people 'like good music'. Happy Birthday Otis.



Otis died the day after this performance.


I LOVE this song,it's used in 'Dirty Dancing' the scene where johnny first tries to teach baby to dance you know after she carries the watermelon!!


I'm crazy about Otis' version of White Christmas I think its so moving and sad.

Sparkles, Bouffants and Harmonies, an Ode to 60's girl groups.

I want to start a girl group and call it the Vanettes. I think it it has a certain ring to it, No?? It's time for a sixties revival I say, Who's with me??

I've always loved the music of the late 50's/early 60's particularly that Motown sound. some of the greatest artists of all time came on the scene then. Smoky Robinson, Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5 and a whole heap of girl groups.

 They were incredible, all of them, the most famous were most certainly the Supreme's supported by the full strength of the powerhouse that was Berry Gordy and Motown but they were not the first and they certainly were not the only. there were probably hundreds of them and they all seemed to follow the same format. three or four young girls singing in harmony one of them usually became the lead singer and stood in the middle while the other did a bit of choreography.

Arguably one of the earliest of this type of group were The Shirelles (whose lead singer was called Shirley hence the name, up all night thinking of that one!) They were four teenagers from new jersey who were discovered while singing in a school concert. They went on to be extremely successful in the 60's with mega hits such as 'Mama Said', 'Will you still love me tomorrow', Baby its you' and 'Dedicated to the one I love' to name just a few. I'm sure you've heard of the songs but most people haven't heard of the group they didn't survive the 70's unlike the Supremes and Patti Le belle and the blubelle's who managed to change their style to fit the times.  A musical has been written based on their story and their music called Baby Its You I was lucky enough to see it in New York recently (eek Broadway) it was so fantastic. It really captures the feeling of the era and brings to light the story of this somewhat forgotten gem.

Another great band who tend not to get mentioned anymore are The Ronnettes who's biggest hits were probably 'Be my baby' and 'Baby I love you'. They benefited from the Phil Specter "wall of sound", the producing giant was once the husband of the lead singer whose was called...wait for it....Ronnie! (do we see a trend in the coming up with names?) one of their biggest moments was when they supported the Beatles on their first American tour.

there are so so many others. Martha and the Vandellas who had hits with 'Dancing in the Street', 'Heatwave' and 'Nowhere to Run'. The Chiffons who brought us 'He's so Fine', 'One fine day' and 'The Locomotion', The Crystals who did 'Then he kissed me' and 'Do run run', The Angels with 'My boyfriends Back' and The Shangri la's who did one of my favourite songs 'Leader of the Pack'.

the shangri la's

Their music, though similar, was groundbreaking at a time when the music industry had been very male dominated. It was fun and upbeat and it spoke to young people. These talented woman have inspired many other singers and styles through out the years, the late Amy Winehouse was a great fan of the Shirelles in particular, Beyonce also payed homage to this genre in her video for single ladies. I just love this style and these groups, I was always a sucker for a good harmony. I think its a shame they're not more widely remembered.

here's some YouTube links to get you going and if anyone wants to join my group start practicing your oohs and ahhs and gimme a shout!!






I particularly love this one because it so hilariously melodramatic!

Facinating People- Mario Lanza

So I've been neglecting the old blog of late, I've been mega busy with college and having a life and falling in love and stuff :)!! Anyway I thought I'd come back with a little profile of one of my all time favourite singers legendary tenor Mario Lanza. I was a strange child, when most girls were in love with Jordan Knight from New Kids on the Block, I had a crush on Mario Lanza (well I loved Jordan as well just not as much as Mario). I loved his warm handsome face and his big, beautiful voice that seemed to get under my skin and make me feel full and happy (if that makes sense) I still feel like that and some songs give me chills every time I hear them. I think it was my Grandfather who first introduced me to Lanza although my mom is a great fan of his as well I remember sitting with my Grandad on Sunday afternoons being carried away to romantic places by Mario, the ultimate Prince Charming.

His short life was filled with the drama you would expect from an opera singer, but he was hailed as the 'Voice of the century' and is revered by some of the greatest artists of all time from Callas, Domingo and Carreras to Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. He's also credited with bringing opera to the masses in his smash hit movies 'The Midnight Kiss',  'The Toast of New Orleans' and 'The Great Caruso' where he plays another legendary tenor Enrique Caruso. There is a myth that says Lanza's voice is a reincarnation of Caruso's mostly because the great Caruso died the year Lanza was born and because opera fans love a bit of a spooky story.

Mario Lanza started out as Alfredo Cocozza in Philadelphia in 1921 to Italian immigrants, He took his stage name from his mother's maiden name, Maria Lanza. His father, Antonio was an opera lover and he played records in the house on a daily basis so little Freddie began his training by singing along. he formal training as a classical singer began at the tender age of 16. Lanza's mother believed in her son's talent so deeply that she worked two jobs in order to pay for his voice lessons which is pretty cool.in 1945 he married and moved to new york to continue his training.

His big break came while singing at the Hollywood bowl in 1947, Louis .b. Mayer the head of MGM and Kathryn Grayson the well established opera singer and Hollywood leading lady, were in the audience and were suitably impressed Mario was given a screen test and then a contract with MGM. In his first two films 'The Midnight Kiss' and 'The Toast of New Orleans' he starred opposite the illustrious Ms Grayson.

Lanza went on to make several more films including 'Serenade' and 'The Great Caruso'. The film that could have catapulted him to super stardom was 'the Student Prince' however the film only features Mario's captivating voice which was dubbed over the actor Edmund Purdom. Lanza walked of the set after recording the soundtrack, many reasons are cited for this including Mario's bad behaviour and a dispute with the director over his singing of a certain song but either way MGM replaced him and terminated his contract. this sent him into a downward spiral. He became depressed and reclusive taking solace in alcohol and food, he also came very close to bankruptcy around this time.

Also around this time he began what would be a life long battle with his weight. sadly he died in 1959 aged just 38 of a pulmonary embolism said to have been brought on by a controversial weight loss program. what I find really quite sad and strange is that his wife died just five months after lanza of a drug overdose, one of his son's died aged 37 of a heart attack, another son died aged 55 also of a heart attack and one of his daughters died at 48 in a car accident.



Lanza with Kathryn Grayson



Lanza's voice was incomparable and still moves me every time I hear it, I feel that it's a crying shame that most people I know have never even heard of him, in my opinion his name should roll of the tongue like that of Elvis or Sinatra. So Please Please, I implore you, listen to his music and be transformed by his majestic voice.

This is one of my favourite songs and I think Lanza's is the definitive version but there are millions more videos on youtube so do yourself a favour and watch them!