DARK PARADISE

LANA DEL REY
SONGWRITERS: LANA DEL REY & GRANT ELIZABETH
COUNTRY: U. S. A.
ALBUM: BORN TO DIE: THE PARADISE EDITION
LABEL: UNIVERSAL MUSIC
GENRE: TRIP HOP
YEAR: 2012
 
          Elizabeth Woolridge Grant(born June 21, 1985), known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer and songwriter. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, glamour, and melancholia, containing references to contemporary pop culture and 1950s and 1960s Americana. She is the recipient of various accolades, including two Brit Awards, two MTV Europe Music Awards, a Satellite Award, and has been nominated for six Grammy Awards and one Golden Globe Award. She also has been recognized with the Variety's Decade Award at the Variety Hitmakers Awards for being ″regarded as one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 21st century″.
         Raised in upstate New York, Del Rey moved to New York City in 2005 to pursue a music career. After numerous projects, including her self-titled debut studio album, Del Rey's breakthrough came in 2011 with the viral success of her single "Video Games"; she subsequently signed a recording contract with Polydor and Interscope. She achieved critical and commercial success with her second album, Born to Die(2012), which contained the sleeper hit "Summertime Sadness". Del Rey's third album, Ultraviolence(2014), featured greater use of guitar-driven instrumentation and debuted atop the U.S. Billboard 200. Her fourth and fifth albums, Honeymoon(2015) and Lust for Life(2017), saw a return to the stylistic traditions of her earlier releases, while her critically acclaimed sixth album, Norman Fucking Rockwell!(2019), explored soft rock. Del Rey followed this with the albums Chemtrails over the Country Club and Blue Banisters, both in 2021.
          Del Rey has collaborated on soundtracks for visual media; in 2013, she wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed musical short Tropico, and performed "Young and Beautiful" for the romantic drama The Great Gatsby. In 2014, she recorded "Once Upon a Dream" for the dark fantasy adventure film Maleficent and the self-titled theme song for the biopic Big Eyes. Del Rey collaborated with Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus on "Don't Call Me Angel" for the action comedy Charlie's Angels(2019), which peaked at number 13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Outside of music, Del Rey published the poetry and photography collection Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass(2020).
           "Dark Paradise" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey for her second studio album, Born to Die (2012). It was written by Lana Del Rey and Rick Nowels, while production was handled by Emile Haynie. Nowels and Devrim Karaoglu produced the radio mix of the song. The song was released on March 1, 2013, by Universal and Vertigo Records, as the sixth and final single from Born to Die.
         The song received mainly mixed reviews from critics, many criticizing her melodramatic performance, also with the repetition of production and lyrical content. However, many believed the attraction of the criticism proved it as a highlight. Noticeably less successful than other singles from the album, "Dark Paradise" managed to gain some commercial success in Central Europe, becoming a top five hit on Polish airplay. It was also featured in an episode of The Originals, a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries.
         The song was recorded by psychobilly band Tiger Army, released in 2018 on the EP of the same name.
All my friends tell me I should move on
I'm lying in the ocean, singing your song
Ahh
That's how you sang it
 
Loving you forever can't be wrong
Even though you're not here, won't move on
Ahh
That's how we played it
 
And there's no remedy for memory, your face is like a melody
It won't leave my head
Your soul is haunting me and telling me that everything is fine
But I wish I was dead
 
Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side
Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side
 
All my friends ask me why I stay strong
Tell 'em when you find true love, it lives on
Ahh
That's why I stay here
 
And there's no remedy for memory, your face is like a melody
It won't leave my head
Your soul is haunting me and telling me that everything is fine
But I wish I was dead
 
Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side
Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
But there's no you, except in my dreams tonight
 
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah
I don't want to wake up from this tonight
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah
I don't want to wake up from this tonight
There's no relief, I see you in my sleep
And everybody's rushing me, but I can feel you touching me
There's no release, I feel you in my dreams
Telling me I'm fine
 
Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side
Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise
No one compares to you
But there's no you, except in my dreams tonight
 
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah
I don't want to wake up from this tonight
Oh-oh-oh-oh-hah-hah-hah-hah
I don't want to wake up from this tonight.

SHE WANTS TO DANCE WITH ME

RICK ASTLEY
SONGWRITER: RICK ASHLEY
COUNTRY: U. K.
ALBUM: HOLD ME IN YOUR ARMS
LABEL: RCA VISTOR
GENRE: POP
YEAR: 1988
 
         Richard Paul Astley(born 6 February 1966) is an English singer, songwriter and radio personality, who has been active in music for several decades. He gained worldwide fame in the 1980s, having multiple hits including his signature song "Never Gonna Give You Up", "Together Forever" and "Whenever You Need Somebody", and returned to music full-time in the 2000s after a 6 year hiatus. Outside his music career, Astley has occasionally worked as a radio DJ and a podcaster.
         Born and raised in Lancashire, Astley became a musician after leaving school, as the drummer for the soul band FBI. Three years later, he rose to fame through his association with the production trio Stock Aitken Waterman; releasing the 1987 album Whenever You Need Somebody, which sold 15.2 million copies worldwide. His debut single "Never Gonna Give You Up" was a number 1 hit single in 25 countries, winning the 1988 Brit Award for Best British Single. His 1988 single "Together Forever" became his second single to top the US Billboard Hot 100, and was one of his eight songs to reach the top ten on the UK Singles Chart. The title track was a Nº 1 single in seven countries, and it reached Nº 3 in the UK. In 1988, Astley followed-up his debut album with Hold Me In Your Arms. The lead single "She Wants to Dance with Me" was Astley's first single that he wrote himself, and it became a worldwide top 10 hit.
          In 1991, Astley left Stock Aitken Waterman and moved his musical direction away from dance-pop and towards soul, which he explored on his albums Free(1991) and Body and Soul(1993). His 1991 single "Cry for Help" was Astley's last single to reach the top 10 in either the US or UK. From 1994 to 2000, Astley retired from music to focus on spending time with his wife and raising their daughter. He returned to the music industry in 2000, and released the single "Sleeping" and the album Keep It Turned On in 2001. Four years later, Astley released his covers album Portrait.
        Astley became an Internet phenomenon in 2007 when the music video for his song "Never Gonna Give You Up" became integral to the Rickrolling meme, and his performance career was revitalised by the meme's popularity. In 2010, Astley released the single "Lights Out" after touring with Peter Kay. Six years later, he released his álbum 50 to celebrate his 50th birthday, which debuted in the UK at Nº 1. He released his most recent studio album Beautiful Life in 2018, and released his greatest hits album The Best of Me in 2019. His most recent albums were recorded at his home studio in Surrey.
          By the time of his brief retirement, Astley had sold approximately 40 million records worldwide. A year after the Rickrolling meme began, Astley was voted "Best Act Ever" by Internet users at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2008. His song "Never Gonna Give You Up" reached 1 billion views in July 2021, becoming the fourth 1980s song to reach this milestone (behind "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, "Take On Me" by A-ha and "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns N' Roses).
         "She Wants to Dance with Me" is a song written and recorded by Rick Astley in 1988. It is the lead single from his second studio album, Hold Me in Your Arms. The song was released in United Kingdom on September 20, 1988; it entered the chart at the number 16 and its highest chart position was number 6; it stayed 11 weeks in the UK Singles Chart. On the Billboard Hot 100, it also reached number 6. Astley kicked off Paula Abdul's "Straight Up", and stayed at number one for two weeks in Canada. It was an international success.
           "She Wants to Dance with Me" was Astley's first self-composed single that he released. Astley performed the song at the 1989 Grammy Awards, and he changed the lyrics to:
             Now I know I've been out of touch, and I never meant to wear these clads oh so much (referencing his big suit look)
                — Rick Astley at the 1989 Grammy Awards.
     In 2019, Astley recorded and released a 'Reimagined' version of the song for his album The Best of Me.
She wants to dance
(Who), she wants to dance with me
Oh, oh, yeah (dance with me)
 
There's a girl I've been waiting to see
And I really get the feeling that she likes me
'Cause she said so, but not in so many words
I've got to tell you what I've heard
 
She don't want no wild romance
When she's with me she only wants to dance
 
She wants to dance with me
'Cause I'll hold her so tight next to me
She wants to dance with me
'Cause I'll let her be what she wants to be
 
Now I know I've been out of touch
And I never meant to hurt my baby, oh, so much
'Cause I love her and I think she love me
And that's the way it's got to be
 
When we're together we never fight
We've got better things to do tonight
 
She wants to dance with me
'Cause I'll hold her so tight next to me
She wants to dance with me
'Cause I'll let her be what she wants to be
She wants to dance
She wants to dance
 
She wants to dance with me
'Cause I'll hold her so tight next to me
She wants to dance with me
'Cause I'll let her be what she wants to be
 
She wants to dance with me
'Cause I'll hold her so tight next to me
She wants to dance with me
'Cause I'll let her be what she wants to be
 
She wants to dance with me
'Cause I'll hold her so tight next to me
She wants to dance with me
'Cause I'll let her be what she wants to be.

SAY YOU'LL BE MINE

CHRISTOPHER CROSS
SONGWRITER: CHRISTOPHER C. CROSS
COUNTRY: U. S. A.
ALBUM: CHRISTOPHER CROSS
LABEL: WARNER RECORDS
GENRE: POP
YEAR: 1979
 
        Christopher Cross(born Christopher Charles Geppert; May 3, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and composer from San Antonio, Texas. Cross won five Grammy Awards for his eponymous debut album released in 1979. The singles "Sailing" (1980), and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (from the 1981 film Arthur) peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. "Sailing" earned three Grammys in 1981, while "Arthur's Theme" won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1981 (with co-composers Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen).
         Christopher Cross is the self-titled debut album by Christopher Cross, released in December 1979. Recorded in mid-1979, the album was one of the early digitally recorded albums, utilizing the 3M Digital Recording System. In 1981, it won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, beating Pink Floyd's The Wall and it has been noted for being one of the most influential soft rock albums of the late 1970s and early 1980s. That Album of the Year Grammy was bestowed upon its producer, Michael Omartian.
Say you'll be mine
Say you'll be mine until the sun shines
Say you'll be mine
And bring me the dream of a lifetime
 
I just can't hide the truth no more
I've got to get my feet back down on the floor
I love you so
I need you so
I just don't think I can let you go
 
Say you'll be mine
Say you'll be mine until the sun shines
Say you'll be mine
And bring me the dream of a lifetime
 
Well, it's you that keeps me feeling this way
I don't think I can take it even one more day
It don't seem right
That I should be alone tonight
 
Say you'll be mine
Say you'll be mine until the sun shines
Say you'll be mine
And bring me the dream of a lifetime
 
I just can't hide the truth no more
I've got to get my feet back down on the floor
I love you so
I need you so
I just don't think I can let you go
 
Say you'll be mine
Say you'll be mine until the sun shines
Say you'll be mine
And bring me the dream of a lifetime.

I DON’T WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU

FOREIGNER
SONGWRITER: MICHAEL LESLIE JONES
COUNTRY: U. K. X U. S. A.
ALBUM: INSIDE INFORMATION
LABEL: ATLANTIC RECORDS
GENRE: ROCK
YEAR: 1987
 
    Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in New York City in 1976 by veteran British guitarist and songwriter Mick Jones and fellow Briton and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald, along with American vocalist Lou Gramm. Jones came up with the band's name as he, McDonald and Dennis Elliott were British, whereas Gramm, Al Greenwood and Ed Gagliardi were American.
          In 1977 Foreigner released its self-titled debut album, the first of four straight albums to be certified at least 5x platinum in the US. Foreigner peaked at Nº 4 on the US album chart and in the Top 10 in Canada and Australia, while yielding two Top 10 hits in North America, "Feels Like the First Time" and "Cold as Ice". Their 1978 follow-up, Double Vision, was even more successful peaking at Nº 3 in North America with two hit singles, “Hot Blooded” a Nº 3 hit in both countries, and the title track, a US Nº 2 and a Canadian Nº 7. Foreigner's third album, Head Games(1979), went to Nº 5 in North America producing two Top 20 singles, including its title track.
           Reduced to a quartet, their álbum 4(1981) hit Nº 1(for 10 weeks) in the US and Nº 2 in Canada, while becoming Foreigner's break-through album outside of North America, going Top 5 in the UK, Germany and Australia. Three of 4’s singles were hits: "Urgent" reached Nº 1 in Canada and on the new US Rock Tracks chart, rose to Nº 4 on the US Hot 100 and became their first Top 15 hit in Germany; the ballad “Waiting for a Girl Like You” peaked at Nº 2 in both the US(for a record 10 weeks) and Canada, topped the US Rock Tracks chart and became their first Top 10 hit in the UK and Australia; and "Juke Box Hero" reached Nº 3 on the Rock Tracks chart and the Top 30 on the Hot 100. In 1982 Foreigner released its first greatest hits album, Records, which has gone on to sell 7 million copies in the US. In 1984 Foreigner had its biggest hit single, the anthemic ballad "I Want to Know What Love Is", which topped the US, UK, Canadian and Australian charts, while hitting Nº 3 in Germany and the Top 10 in numerous other countries. Its source album, Agent Provocateur, was the band's most successful in the UK, Germany and some other countries in Europe, where it peaked at Nº 1, and in Australia where it peaked at Nº 3, while making the Top 5 in the US and Canada.
    After a break, Foreigner released Inside Information(1987), which despite the Nº 6 US and Australian hit, “Say You Will” (which also rose to Nº 1 on the US Rock Tracks chart), had a large sales drop-off, only hitting the Top 10 in a few European countries with a Nº 15 peak in the US. The band's most recent albums, Unusual Heat(1991), without Gramm, who departed due to the band's shift towards the use of synthesizers, Mr. Moonlight(1994), with Gramm back on vocals, and Can't Slow Down(2009), once again without Gramm, were not major sellers; the highest chart positions were obtained in Germany, where the last album peaked at Nº 16. Foreigner is one of the world's best-selling bands of all time with worldwide sales of more than 80 million records, including 37.5 million in the US. Leader Mick Jones has been for many years the only founding member still involved.
         Inside Information is the sixth studio album by the British-American rock band Foreigner, released on December 8, 1987. The album debuted at 15, on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and was certified Platinum in the U.S. for sales exceeding one million copies. Although a huge standard by any country's charting method, the band's sales were certainly plummeting since the release of 4 in 1981. It was the last album to feature the '80s core lineup of Gramm, Jones, Wills, and Elliott.
          "Say You Will" was released as the album's first single. Allmusic later noted that the single was a "good example" of the band's "balancing act" as "the guitar-heavy style of their early work gave way to slick arrangements that pushed electronics to the fore...temper(ing) its rock guitar edge...and Lou Gramm's quasi-operatic vocals...by thick layers of chiming synthesizers and an array of electronic textures." The single reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became their fourth #1 hit on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, holding the top spot for four weeks. The song also became the band's third-highest charting hit in Germany, where it reached #22, faring even better in Switzerland, the Netherlands, and particularly Norway, where it reached #4. A rare CD single featured an extended remix version of the track.
        The second single, "I Don't Want to Live Without You", reached #5 on the Hot 100. Markedly softer than any of their work to date, the record was their first and only #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, after the more rousing ballads "Waiting for a Girl Like You" and "I Want to Know What Love Is" had reached #5 and #3 on that chart respectively. Allmusic would later observe that while "the end result lacked the distinctive rock touches of past Foreigner ballads, "Lou Gramm" contributes a lead vocal that avoids histrionics in favor of an emotional but very smooth delivery" over "washes of synthesizer...fleshed out by some meditative electric piano riffs". Nevertheless, the song charted at mainstream rock radio, where it peaked at #18. The #5 Hot 100 peak was their best showing in six singles, yet despite being followed up by more impassioned, up-tempo material it would be their last major pop hit to date.
          Further singles from the album included "Heart Turns to Stone", which had peaked at #7 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in an earlier non-commercial release only to rock radio but only managed #56 on the Hot 100 several months later in 1988, and the harder "Can't Wait", which matched the #18 Mainstream Rock Tracks charting of "I Don't Want to Live Without You" but failed to crack the Hot 100, as it was a non-commercial release except in Canada. The following year saw a successful solo album and singles from Lou Gramm and found Mick Jones releasing an album and producing for artists including Billy Joel.
           "Out of the Blue" was notable for being the only song in the band's catalog to be credited to all four members from the classic 80's lineup.
I find myself in a strange situation
And I don't know how
What seemed to be an infatuation
Is so different now
I can't get by if we're not together
Ooh can't you see
Girl, I want you now and forever
Close to me
I'm longing for the time
I'm longing for the day
Hoping that you will promise to be mine
And never go away
 
I don't want to live without you
I don't want to live without you
I could never live without you
Live without your love
 
I ask myself but there's no explanation
For the way I feel
I know I've reached the right destination
And I know it's real
 
I'm longing for the time
I'm longing for the day
When I'll be giving you this heart of mine
Believe me when I say
 
I don't want to live without you
I don't want to live without you
I could never live without you
Live without your love
 
Now I don't want to live without you
I don't want to live without you
I could never be without you
Be without your love
 
I don't want to live without you
Live without your love
(Live without your love)
Live without your love
(Live without your love)
You see I'm lost without your love
(Live without your love) oh, oh.