Song 127 - America from West Side Story by Sondheim and Bernstein

With it being International Woman's day being today, it has taken me most of the day to decide on a track that would celebrate women in music. Then, it came to me, America from the musical West Side Story, which is vibrate, lively and brave sung by women who are setting up a new life in New York City; whilst the males are trying to convince them that life would be better back where they came from. I also think it is rather fitting to have this track to celebrate the life of Nancy Regan, who died yesterday at the age of 94. She became the first lady of America when Ronald Regan took office in 1981 and became the 40th President of the United States of America. Nancy Regan was strong and independent whilst standing by her man and sticking up for him when others laughed at the first stages of his memory loss.

Anyway I am getting side tracked, lets get back to the music, America is one of the outstanding tracks from West Side Story written by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein. In the original stage version, Anita praises America while a fellow Puetro Rico. This version of the song deprecates of the island and highlights the positive qualities of American life. The irony of this supposedly pro-American number, however, is its vibrantly Hispanic musical style, with Latin percussion, complex cross-rhythm and Spanish guitar.

West Side Story arrived on Broadway in 1957 and since then had been sparkling the world. Based on Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, the music together to the excellent choreography by Jerome Robbins, has ensured that the music never ages; and issues over people moving countries to create a better life are as relevant today as they were in the 1960s. When the film version of musical was released in 1961, it was nominated for 11 Oscars; winning 10 including the best supporting actress for Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the film. The image of Anita in her purple dress dancing on the roof top in this number is one of the stronger image of musical film I have.


To bring some colour into this Monday; enjoy this clip and take an action to watch the whole film:

America, sung by Rita Moreno from West Side story.

Written by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein
Released: 1957

Song 105 - America by Simon & Garfunkel

Simple beautiful are the two words that come to mind when I hear the opening bars of this Simon & Garfunkel's song. America, taken from their fourth album Bookends, is about a pair of lovers hitchhiking around America, and is drawn from Paul Simon's own experiences with an old girlfriend. There is a deeper message behind the lyrics suggesting that America had lost its own cultural identity. If you think about America in late 1960s, it was disjointed and discontented with the Vietnam War and the corruption of Nixon in the early 1970s; and the album was released 24 hours before the assassination of Martin Luther King; the song fitted an America so far away from the American dream.

Arguable one of the best singer/songwriter duos of the 20th Century, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel met and started harmonising their voices together in the 1950s, under the stage name of Tom and Jerry. Receiving their first record deal signing whilst they were only 15,  they released their first album in 1964, Wednesday Morning AM, and released 5 albums before they went their separate ways in 1970.   The album Bookends is a concept album and was heavy influenced by albums like Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in the lyrics and the production of the album.

When I hear Simon and Garfunkel's songs, I am taken back to my childhood as they were another favourite in the Boxer household. It was only listening to their Greatest Hits did I realise how well I knew their songs. America for me also makes me think of my relationship with my husband as one of the first holidays we had together was in America so the opening lines "Let us be lovers and marry our fortune together" rang through my ear as we travelled from Washington D.C. to New York. I also considered using the line on our wedding order of services.

To hear a mellow tune for a Tuesday and go to America
America by Simon and Garfunkel


Written by Paul Simon
Album: Bookends, 1968

Song 99 - White Diamond by Kylie Minogue

With the amount of songs going into the Jukebox to pay tribute to artists, I thought I would change tempo today and the idea of a diamond came into my head and with it this little beautiful track by Kylie Minogue. White Diamond written with the Scissor Sisters  is taken from her 10th studio album, X, and the first album she released after being treated successfully for cancer.

One of the most pleasing aspects of this song is the two different versions there are of this track; one is perfect for a slow dance and the other will help you prepare for a night out.

The album version is a slower version. Appearing as the last track of the album, the tempo is soulful making the lyrics sound very reflective and, placed in context to what Kylie was going through at that point, the word seem to reflect  the pressure of going through radiotherapy and her inner fight against the horrible disease.

Then for her Showgirls - homecoming album, which is an album of the resumed tour she started again in 2007, the version of White Diamond is a classic pop song, and it is unmistakable a track that has been written with Scissor Sisters' Jake and Babydaddy. When you hear it, all you want to do is dance.

For me, Kylie is one of those artists that I had a fondness for as I was ten when Neighbours was at the height of the Kylie and Jason mania that led to the pair of them signing with Stock, Aitken and Waterman and I remember have all the posters around my bedroom walls. But like me, Kylie grew up and her music and image changed and with it, her fan base and popularity grew and grew. She is pop royalty and an icon of pop for my generation. Kylie will be given more space and time in the jukebox over the next few months.

The pop version
Showgirl Homecoming Live Version of White Diamond

The slower version
White Diamond by Kylie Minogue

Written by: Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears and Babydaddy
Album: X,
Album released: 2007.

Song 94 - Blackstar (the album) - David Bowie

In this week where we have now lost two great artists in their respective fields, the Friday album into the Jukebox is David's Bowie's Blackstar which was released a week ago today  before his tragic death was announced three days later. The title track was released in November 2015, and was used as the theme song of the TV programme The Last Panthers. We now know that it was in November that Bowie received the news that his cancer has spread across the rest of his body and that this would be his last studio album.  What a statement to leave us all with.

In Rolling Stone Magazine, Bowie's producer Tony Visconti, paid tribute to his friend by saying "He was so brave and courageous"... "And his energy was still incredible for a man who had cancer. He never showed any fear. He was just all business about making the album." If you want to read more of this interview, the link is at the bottom on the page.

Blackstar was Bowie's 26th album in a career spanning five decades. Recorded in New York City, Bowie began writing songs for his last album straight after he had finished his last album The Next Day. Two songs that appear on the album had been previously release, Sue (In a Season of Crime) and Tis a Pity She was a Whore were re-recorded for the album. Like other Bowie Albums, it foundations came from Bowie being inspired by different artists like Kendrick Lamar,  Boards of Canada and Death Grips.

There are no surprises that the songs and their lyrics are very clearly the words of a man trying to come to terms with his own death, and for me, it doesn't feel right to pick over the lyrics  highlighting what they might refer to. For me, we just have to be thankful that Bowie gave us the music that he did and he shared his incredible journey and talent with us.

To see the haunting video of Blackstar:
Blackstar by David Bowie

Written by David Bowie
Album: Blackstar
Released: January 2016

To read the Rolling Stone Article, please see the link below
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/david-bowie-planned-post-blackstar-album-thought-he-had-few-more-months-20160113#ixzz3xFW8HLwI