YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE

RAY CHARLES

SONGWRITERS: JIMMIE DAVIS & CHARLES MITCHELL

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE

LABEL: ABC RECORDS

GENRE: POP

YEAR: 1962

"You Are My Sunshine" is a song popularized by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchellin 1939. It has been declared one of the state songs of Louisiana because of its association with Davis, a country music singer and governor of the state in the years 1944–1948 and 1960–1964.

The song has been recorded numerous times — so often, in fact, that it is "one of the most commercially programmed numbers in American popular music." The song, originally country music, has "virtually lost" its original country music identity, and "represent both the national flowering of country music and its eventual absorption into the mainstream of American popular culture." In 1941, it was recorded by Gene Autry, Bing Crosby, Mississippi John Hurt, Wayne King and Lawrence Welk. The versions by Autry, Crosby, and King reached the US charts of the day.

In subsequent years, it was recorded by Doris Day (1951), Nat King Cole (1955), The Marcels (1961), Ray Charles (1962), Ike & Tina Turner, The Rivingtons (1962), Andy Williams (1963), Burl Ives (1968), Frank Turner, The Beach Boys, Aretha Franklin, Anne Murray (1979), Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Norman Blake, Brian Wilson, Mouse and the Traps, Gene Vincent, Jamey Johnson, Low, Mose Allison, Bryan Ferry, Carly Simon, Papa Winnie (1989), Madeline Eastman, Yusuf Islam, Copeland, Johnny and the Hurricanes, and Barbra Lica (2012), amongst many others.

The 1940 version by Davis was added to the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress on March 21, 2013, for long-term preservation.

Virginia Shehee, a long-time Davis family friend and member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1976 to 1980, introduced legislation to make "You Are My Sunshine" the official state song

You are the sunshine of my life

That's why I'll always be around

You are the apple of my eye

Forever you'll stay in my heart

I feel like this is the beginning

Though I've loved you for a million years

And if I thought our love was ending

I'd find myself drowning in my own tears

You are the sunshine of my life

That's why I'll always stay around

You are the apple of my eye

Forever you'll stay in my heart

You must have known that I was lonely

Because you came to my rescue

And I know that this must be heaven

How could so much love be inside of you?

You are the sunshine of my life, yeah

That's why I'll always stay around

You are the apple of my eye

Forever you'll stay in my heart

Love has joined us

Love has joined us

Let's think sweet love.

A SONG FOR YOU

SIMPLY RED

SONGWRITER: LEON RUSSELL

COUNTRY: U. K.

ALBUM: SOMETHING GOT ME STARTED/A SONG FOR YOU

LABEL: SIMPLY RED

GENRE: POP

YEAR: 2006

Simply Red are a British soul and pop band which formed in Manchester in 1985. The lead vocalist of the band is singer and songwriter Mick Hucknall, who, by the time the band initially disbanded in 2010, was the only original member left. Since the release of their debut studio album Picture Book (1985), they have had ten songs reach top 10 in the UK Singles Chart, including "Holding Back the Years" and "If You Don't Know Me by Now", both of which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. They have had five number one albums in the UK, with their 1991 album, Stars, being one of the best-selling albums in UK chart history.

At the 1992 and 1993 Brit Awards, they received the award for Best British Group. They received three Grammy Award nominations: for Best New Artist in 1987, and "Holding Back the Years" and "If You Don't Know Me by Now" for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The band re-formed in 2015. Simply Red have sold over 50 million albums.

"A Song for You" is a song written and originally recorded by rock singer and pianist Leon Russell for his first solo album Leon Russell, which was released in 1970 on Shelter Records. A slow, pained plea for forgiveness and understanding from an estranged lover, the tune is one of Russell's best-known compositions. Russell not only sings and plays piano on the recording, but also plays the tenor horn that is accompanying. It has been performed and recorded by over 200 artists, spanning many musical genres. Elton John has called the song an American classic.

One of the first versions of the song that brought it broader attention was by Andy Williams, whose single peaked at #29 on the adult contemporary chart and #82 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971. Ray Charles recorded a version that earned him the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

On January 17, 2018, "A Song for You" was added to Grammy Hall of Fame.

I've been so many places in my life and time

I've sung a lot of songs, I've made some bad rhyme

I've acted out my life in stages, with ten thousand people watching

But we're alone now, and I'm singing this song for you

I know your image of me is what I hope to be

I treated you unkindly, but darling can't you see

There's no one more important to me, baby can't you please see through me

Cause we're alone now and I'm singing this song for you

You taught me precious secrets of the truth withholding nothing

You came out in front when I was hiding, but now I'm so much better

And if my words don't come together, listen to the melody

Cause my love is in there hiding

I love you in a place where there's no space or time

I love you for my life, you are a friend of mine

And when my life is over, remember when we were together

We were alone and I was singing this song for you

We were alone and I was singing this song for you.

A SONG FOR YOU

LEON RUSSELL

SONGWRITER: LEON

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: LEON RUSSEL

LABEL: SHELTER RECORDS

GENRE: ROCK

YEAR: 1970

Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942–November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling pop music records during his 60-year career. His genres included pop, country, rock, folk, gospel, bluegrass, rhythm and blues, folk rock, blues rock, surf, standards, and Tulsa Sound.

His collaborations rank as some of the most successful in music history, and as a touring musician he performed with hundreds of notable artists. He recorded 33 albums and at least 430 songs. He wrote "Delta Lady", recorded by Joe Cocker, and organized and performed with Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour in 1970. His "A Song for You", added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018, has been recorded by more than 200 artists, and his "This Masquerade" by more than 75.

As a pianist, he played in his early years on albums by The Beach Boys, Dick Dale and Jan and Dean. On his first album, Leon Russell, in 1970, the musicians included Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison. One of his biggest early fans, Elton John, said that Russell was a "mentor" and an "inspiration". They recorded their album The Union in 2010, which earned them a Grammy nomination.

Russell produced and played in recording sessions for, among others, Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Ike & Tina Turner, and The Rolling Stones. He wrote and recorded the hits "Tight Rope" and "Lady Blue". He performed at The Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, along with Harrison, Dylan, and Clapton, for which he earned a Grammy Award.

His recordings earned six gold records. He received two Grammy awards from seven nominations. In 2011, he was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Leon Russell is the debut solo album by the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Leon Russell. It followed his debut with the Midnight String Quartet and a production by Russell and Marc Benno billed as the Asylum Choir.

"A Song for You", written by Russell for this album, is a slow, pained plea for forgiveness and understanding from an estranged lover, the tune is one of Russell's best-known compositions. It has been performed and recorded by over 200 artists, spanning many musical genres. Elton John has called the song an American classic.

On January 17, 2018, "A Song for You" was added to Grammy Hall of Fame.

"A Song for You" is a song written and originally recorded by rock singer and pianist Leon Russell for his first solo album Leon Russell, which was released in 1970 on Shelter Records. A slow, pained plea for forgiveness and understanding from an estranged lover, the tune is one of Russell's best-known compositions. Russell not only sings and plays piano on the recording, but also plays the tenor horn that is accompanying. It has been performed and recorded by over 200 artists, spanning many musical genres. Elton John has called the song an American classic.

One of the first versions of the song that brought it broader attention was by Andy Williams, whose single peaked at #29 on the adult contemporary chart and #82 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971. Ray Charles recorded a version that earned him the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

On January 17, 2018, "A Song for You" was added to Grammy Hall of Fame.

I've been so many places in my life and time

I've sung a lot of songs, I've made some bad rhyme

I've acted out my life in stages, with ten thousand people watching

But we're alone now, and I'm singing this song for you

I know your image of me is what I hope to be

I treated you unkindly, but darling can't you see

There's no one more important to me, baby can't you please see through me

Cause we're alone now and I'm singing this song for you

You taught me precious secrets of the truth withholding nothing

You came out in front when I was hiding, but now I'm so much better

And if my words don't come together, listen to the melody

Cause my love is in there hiding

I love you in a place where there's no space or time

I love you for my life, you are a friend of mine

And when my life is over, remember when we were together

We were alone and I was singing this song for you

We were alone and I was singing this song for you.

DON'T YOU (FORGETABOUT ME)

SIMPLE MINDS

SONGWRITERS: KEITH FORSEY & STEVE SCHIFF

COUNTRY: SCOTLAND

ALBUM: DON’T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME)

LABEL: VIRGIN RECORDS

GENRE: POP ROCK

YEAR: 1985

"Don't You (Forget About Me)" is a song by Scottish rock band Simple Minds. It was written and composed by producer Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff, a guitarist and songwriter from the Nina Hagen band. The song was played during the opening (Forsey's demo) and closing (Simple Minds' recording) credits of the John Hughes film The Breakfast Club.

Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. Simple Minds have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for their 1985 hit "Don't You (Forget About Me)", from the soundtrack of the film The Breakfast Club. Their other prominent hit singles include "Alive and Kicking" and "Belfast Child" (UK No. 1). They have achieved five UK Albums chart number one albums and have sold more than 60 million albums. They were the most commercially successful Scottish band of the 1980s. Despite various personnel changes, they continue to record and tour. In 2016, they received the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors.

The nucleus of Simple Minds consists of the two remaining original members, Jim Kerr (vocals) and Charlie Burchill (electric & acoustic guitars, occasional keyboards after 1990, saxophone and violin). The other current band members are Ged Grimes (bass guitar), Cherisse Osei (drums), Sarah Brown (backing vocals), Gordy Goudie (additional guitar & keyboards). Notable former members include Mick MacNeil (keyboards), Derek Forbes (bass), Brian McGee & Mel Gaynor (drums).

(Hey, hey, hey, hey)

Won't you come see about me

I'll be alone dancing, you know it, baby

Tell me your troubles and doubts

Giving me everything inside and out

And love's strange: so real in the dark

Think of the tender things

That we were working on

Slow change may pull us apart

When the light gets into your heart, baby

Don't you forget about me

Don't, don't, don't, don't

Don't you forget about me

Will you stand above me

Look my way, never love me

Rain keeps falling

Rain keeps falling

Down, down, down

Will you recognize me

Call my name or walk on by

Rain keeps falling

Rain keeps falling
Down, down, down, down

(Hey, hey, hey, hey)

Don't you try and pretend

It's my beginning

We'll win in the end

I won't harm you
Or touch your defenses

Vanity, insecurity

Don't you forget about me

I'll be alone dancing, you know it, baby

Going to take you apart

I'll build us back together at heart, baby

Don't you forget about me

Don't, don't, don't, don't

Don't you forget about me

As you walk on by

Will you call my name?

As you walk on by

Will you call my name?

When you walk away

Oh, will you walk away

Will you walk away

Oh, call my name

Will you call my name?