Song 24 - I will remember you by Sarah McLachlan

Okay today's song is about friendship; I have had a whirl wind week recently with the charity that I am involved with and the message of everything that we are doing is about being there for people and giving some the time and space to them to be  themselves. Being able to give someone the space to be themselves is probably the greatest gift you can offer someone. I know because I have so many good friends around me that allow me to be myself that sometimes I just want to give them a whole hug to say thank you for being there. Also this week, both sides of my family are having to say goodbye to people from their lives and funerals always make you thank you for who you have around you and also thankful for the ones who have past away because true friends always leave a footprint in your heart which will leave an impression on your life forever. 


Sorry, I have got quite deep before even introducing the song. The song is "I will remember you" by Sarah McLachlan, which was the Theme from "The Brothers McMullen". I do not know the song from that film; but from an episode from Dawson's Creek (I don't care if you think it is geeky, I loved Dawson's Creek, partly because of the friendship theme that ran through it) where they are celebrating friendships. I know when I listen to the song I am very thankful for all the friends and the memories that we have together. 

Written by Sarah McLachlan, Seamus Egan and Dave Merenda. The song first appeared on the soundtrack for the movie The Brothers McMullen in 1995. Sarah McLachlan has one of those haunting voices that, for me, never fails to make me reflect on whatever she is singing about. The song resulted in Sarah being nominated for her third straight Grammy Award. It may not be one a song played often on the jukebox but it is a good slow one to have a moment to reflection 

To listen to the song, it is a lovely 90s video:
Sarah McLachan's I will remember you



Written by Sarah McLachlan, Seamus Egan and Dave Merenda
Album: Mirrorball, 1995

Song 23 - Imagine by John Lennon

With the attacks in Paris last night there is only one song that feels fitting today; Imagine by John Lennon. Usually I would put information about the song and its history but today; I just want to fill the blog with Lennon's words in the hope they can offer comfort to those who maybe personally affected by what's happened in Paris. #Pray for Paris.

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

To watch the video:
John Lennon's Imagine

Written by John Lennon
Release: 11 October 1971

Song 22 - Writing on the Wall by Sam Smith

 

If the Jukebox is getting too full later in this year, this track maybe the one to be thrown out first but as I move away from the Bond Song theme to explore some different songs for the next few weeks; it feels wrong not to give room to Sam Smith's Bond theme written for the new released Spectre, the 25th Bond theme. Do I like it? Good question. The jury out.

I deliberately didn't start with this song as I wanted to see "Spectre" first. The film is brilliant, everything a Bond film should be and yes it did make me warm more to the song; but it is going to take a while. But this Jukebox is as much about new songs as old so I wanted to give it a chance to be my November wild card. The song has already past all other Bond themes as being the first theme to go straight in at number one.

Let see if it grows on your
Sam Smith's Writing on the wall

Written by Sam Smith

Released 2015

Album: Specture original songtrack

Song 21 - Die Another Day - Madonna

Die Another Day was the last James Bond Film to star Pierce Bronsan as the lead title. After the World is not enough theme title by Garbage failed to capture the imagination of the public. It was decided that the theme tune for Die Another Day needed a pop star who had the same pull as the Bond franchise themselves; enter Madonna.

Madonna is one of the most critically successful female artist of all time. Later in the Jukebox's future, there is going to be plenty of Madonna's tune in it. From "Like a Virgin" to "Hung up", Madonna has kept herself relevant for her audience throughout the decades she had been a commercial artist.  There are very few artists who could put the bang back into a Bond theme like Madonna could, and like anything that Madonna does. Madonna's "Die Another Day" became known as a electronic clash; with its mixture of electronic beats and string arrangements. Madonna's voice also had a electronic dubbing on it.

The electronic nature of the theme tune matched the plot of the film and the direction of the film came under criticism for having to much computer generate imagery. Marking the 40th anniversary of the James Bond Franchise; "Die Another Day" was the first Bond title sequences to directly reflect the film's plot since Dr No. At the start of the film, Bond is trying to survive 14 months of torture at the hands of the North Koreans.

Whether Madonna was a hit with her bond theme is highly debated. The song itself was nominated both for a Golden Globe and a Golden Raspberry Award.  Madonna actually won a Golden Raspberry for being in the film. Whether you like it or not, it belongs in the jukebox as it is a brilliant dance tune and shows that not all bonds songs needs a Bassey or Adele to become an iconic part of the James Bond History.

To have a dance to a Bond theme listen here:
Die Another Day by Madonna

Written by Madonna, Mirwais Ahmadzai
Album: Die Another Day, Original Song Track
Released: October, 2002

Song 20 - Skyfall by Adele

Adele's "Skyfall" was the theme song to the 23rd Bond film of the same name and the 3rd film that Daniel Craig played the title lead. Released in 2012, Adele's invitation to write and performed the song came at the time when Adele herself had received acclaimed success as a soul artist. For me, her voice radiates emotion and passion; which radiates throughout the lyrics of the "Skyfall" theme.

Adele had just released her second album "21" when she was approached by Sam Mendes and rumour has it that she was a little bit nervous about accepting the job of writing the Bond song, stating that all her songs had a personal reference for her. Persuaded that she could follow her usual composing, she accepted the job. Paul Epworth, a producer who worked on Adele's album, helped her write the song. It took Adele 18 months to complete as she wanted it to match the darkness of the plot of the film. Adele stated after the song won an Academy Awards that the first version of the song took 10 minutes to write. The final recorded version was cut at Abbey Road Studios in London; where she sung with a 77-piece orchestration.

The song for me without any association to James Bond is another masterpiece of Adele that shows the raw emotion of Adele's vocal talent; but when you add in the plot of the film and the ultimate ending of M played by the magical Judy Dench adds another layer to the lyrics and the dark heartache that comes through with Adele's soulful voice. I must admit this song didn't really mean anything to me the first few times I listened to it but now I recognised it for the classic it is.

The composition of the song is in C-Minor using common time of 76 notes per minute. When reviewing the James Bond Theme I had already mentioned how "Skyfall" uses the Monty Norman's theme. When Epworth and Adele were writing the song; Epworth spent along time listening to other Bond songs so that they could match the history of theme that had gone before theirs. Epworth said the song is about "death and rebirth" and avoids the romance that some themes  have contained in in the past. The song won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe and Adele's vocal has been compared to Shirley Basset.

To listen to the Soulful Bond Theme
Adele's Skyfall

Written by: Adele & Paul Epworth
Album: Skyfall Soundtrack
Released: 2012