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 11 - Little Star by Stina Nordenstam

As we have broken the barrier of 10 songs, I feel that I am now on the way of putting 500 songs in the Jukebox (!) I think for the next few songs I am going to try and do the songs by theme if only to help make some order on the blog; and I think I am going to with stars. The most obvious song that everyone sings about stars is "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star, How I wonder what you are?" If you didn't learn that as a child you were robbed. Stars are important part of life, something to gaze at - whether you are looking at the stars in the sky or stars of the screen, it is unsurprising that stars make up a high portion of song titles.

"Little Star" by Stina Nordenstam first came to my ear when Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet was released in 1996. A modern day adaption of Romeo and Juliet set in Venice Beach, but keeping the Shakespearian dialogue.  I remember how loud the movie was when we saw it in the Cameo Cinema in Edinburgh (or perhaps the sounds was due to was the hangover I had from this night before).  Romeo and Juliet has a soft place in my heart as I studied it for Higher English. For anyone who knows the play in any depth, there are many references to stars throughout the prose. Here is one of the most famous quotes:

"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she. . . .
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were not night.” 

The song itself, for me, captures an intimate mood between two lovers waking up together at the start of their romance. The voice of Stina has an original softness to it and stands out against some of the louder tunes on the soundtrack. It is also different from Gabrielle's "Kissing You" which became an instant hit off the soundtrack. Stina Nordenstam is a Swedish artist who could be labeled as a one hit wonder as I don't know any other records by her but this is a beautiful song to have on any jukebox. 

But like any song, you can decide for yourself by listening here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JNb93N3-ek

Written by Stina Nordenstam, 1994.
Albums: And she closed her eyes (1994) and Romeo and Juliet (1996)