MESSAGE OF LOVE

THE PRETENDERS

SONGWRITER: CHRISSIE HYNDE

COUNTRY: U.K./U. S. A.

ALBUM: PRETENDERS II

LABEL: WMUK

GENRE: ROCK

YEAR: 1981

 

         Pretenders are an English–American rock band formed in March 1978. The original band consisted of founder and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde(lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott(lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon(bass guitar, backing vocals), and Martin Chambers(drums, backing vocals, percussion). Following the deaths of Honeyman-Scott in 1982 and Farndon in 1983, the band experienced numerous personnel changes; Hynde has been the band's only consistent member.

          Pretenders' hit songs include "Kid" (1979), "Brass in Pocket" (1979), "Talk of the Town" (1980), "Message of Love" (1981), "My City Was Gone" (1982), "Back on the Chain Gang" (1982), "Middle of the Road" (1983), "2000 Miles" (1983), "Don't Get Me Wrong" (1986), "My Baby" (1986), and "I'll Stand by You" (1994). The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

Curated by Chrissie Hynde, Pretenders’ second studio album Pretenders II is packaged in a brand-new, striking 3CD deluxe book.

      In 1981, Pretenders followed up their massive eponymous debut album with Pretenders II. The last album with Pretenders’ original line-up, the band continued the tremendous form of their debut album.

           Curated by Chrissie Hynde, Pretenders II (Deluxe Edition) features the original album remastered by Chris Thomas, alongside demos, rarities, and two live performances. One is from a performance in Central Park, New York City, and the other from an electric performance at The Santa Monica Civic. The package contains a high-quality book, featuring several rare, unseen photos as well as brand-new liner notes from acclaimed music journalist Will Hodgkinson.

     Following their debut album, Pretenders released two singles in the UK, Talk Of The Town and Message Of Love before Pretenders II arrived, with the former reaching #8 and the latter #11 in the UK singles charts. The appetite in the US maintained too, with Pretenders releasing an EP in the interim named “Extended Play”, containing five tracks that would later be on the Pretenders II album. With a clamouring for more Pretenders material, Pretenders II was released on 15th August 1981 to great fanfare. The album would end up peaking #7 in the UK, and #10 in the US, being certified Silver and Gold respectively in the process. Further highlights of the album include another cover of The Kinks, in the form of I Go To Sleep.

Now the reason we're here

As man and woman

Is to love each other

Take care of each other

When love walks in the room

Everybody stand up

Oh it's good, good, good

Like Brigitte Bardot

 

Now look at the people

In the streets, in the bars

We are all of us in the gutter

But some of us are looking at the stars

Look round the room

Life is unkind

We fall but we keep gettin' up

Over and over and over and over and over and over

 

Me and you, every night, every day

We'll be together always this way

Your eyes are blue like the heavens above

Talk to me darlin' with a message of love

 

Now the reason we're here

Every man, every woman

Is to help each other

Stand by each other

When love walks in the room

Everybody stand up

Oh it's good, good good

Say I love you, I love you,

 

I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you

Talk to me darlin'.

MOUNTAINS O’ THINGS

TRACY CHAPMAN

SONGWRITER: TRACY L. CHAPMAN

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: TRACY CHAPMAN

LABEL: ELEKTRA RECORDS

GENRE: FOLK

YEAR: 1988

 

          Tracy Chapman is the self-titled debut album by singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on April 5, 1988, by Elektra Records. The album was recorded at the Powertrax studio in Hollywood, California. In 1987, Chapman was discovered by fellow Tufts University student Brian Koppelman. He offered to show her work to his father, who owned a successful publishing company; however, she did not consider the offer to be serious. After multiple performances, however, Koppelman found a demo tape of her singing her single "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", which he promoted to radio stations, and she was eventually signed to Elektra Records.

         In early attempts to produce the first album, many producers turned down Chapman as they did not favor her musical direction. David Kershenbaum, however, decided to produce it as he wanted to record an acoustic music album. It was recorded in Hollywood, California in eight weeks. Most of the writing is based on political and social causes.

        Tracy Chapman gained critical acclaim from a wide majority of music critics, praising the simplicity, Chapman's vocal ability and her political and social lyrical content. The album received commercial success in most of the countries it was released, making it to the top of the charts in many countries, including Austria, New Zealand, Switzerland, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. It peaked at Nº 1 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified six-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America(RIAA), with sales exceeding over six million copies in the United States alone.

       Three singles were released from the album, with the most commercially successful single being "Fast Car". The song was performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute. It rose to the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also did well in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and other European countries. Tracy Chapman is one of the best-selling albums of all time.

The life I've always wanted

I guess I'll never have

I'll be working for somebody else

Until I'm in my grave

I'll be dreaming of a live of ease

And mountains

Oh mountains o' things

To have a big expensive car

Drag my furs on the ground

And have a maid that I can tell

To bring me anything

Everyone will look at me with envy and with greed

I'll revel in their attention

And mountains, oh, mountains o' things

 

Sweet lazy life

Champagne and caviar

I hope you'll come and find me

Cause you know who we are

Those who deserve the best in life

And know what money's worth

And those whose sole misfortune

Was having mountains o' nothing at birth

 

Oh they tell me

There's still time to save my soul

They tell me

Renounce all

Renounce all those material things you gained by

Exploiting other human beings

Consume more than you need

This is the dream

Make you pauper

Or make you queen

I won't die lonely

I'll have it all prearranged

A grave that's deep and wide enough

For me and all my mountains o' things

 

Oh they tell me

There'a still time to save my soul

They tell me

Renounce all

Renounce all those material things you gained by

Exploiting other human beings

 

Mostly I feel lonely

Good good people are

Good people are only

My stepping stones

It's gonna take all my mountains o' things

To surround me

Keep all my enemies away

Keep my sadness and loneliness at bay

 

The life I've always wanted

I guess I'll never have

I'll be working for somebody else

Until I'm in my grave

I'll be dreaming of a life of ease

 

And mountains, oh mountains o' things

I'll be dreaming, dreaming, dreaming...

I’LL WRITE A SONG FOR YOU

EARTH, WINDS & FIRE

SONGWRITERS: PHILIP JAMES BAILEY; STEPHEN BECKMEIER & ALBERT MC KAY

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: ALL ‘N ALL

LABEL: COLUMBIA RECORDS

GENRE: SOUL

YEAR: 1977

 

          Earth, Wind & Fire(EW&F or EWF) is an American band that has spanned the musical genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, EDM, Latin, and Afro pop. They have been described as one of the most innovative and are among the most commercially successful acts in history. With sales of over 90million records, they are one of the world's best-selling bands of all time.

       The band was founded in Chicago by Maurice White in 1969, having grown out of a previous band known as the Salty Peppers. Other prominent members of EWF have included Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Ralph Johnson, Larry Dunn, Al McKay, Roland Bautista, Robert Brookins, Sonny Emory, Fred Ravel, Ronnie Laws, Sheldon Reynolds and Andrew Woolfolk. The band is known for its kalimba sound, dynamic horn section, energetic and elaborate stage shows, and the contrast between Philip Bailey's falsetto vocals and Maurice White's baritone.

      The band has won 6 Grammys from their 17 nominations and four American Music Awards out of 12 nominations. They have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the NAACP Image Award Hall of Fame, and Hollywood's Rockwalk, in addition to receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The band has also received an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award, BET Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Soul Train Legend Award, as well as a NARAS Signature Governor's Award, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2012 Congressional Horizon Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2019. Rolling Stone called them "innovative, precise yet sensual, calculated yet galvanizing" and declared that the band "changed the sound of black pop". VH1 has also described EWF as "one of the greatest bands" ever.

        All 'n All is the eighth studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in November 1977 by Columbia Records. The album reached Nº 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and Nº 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. All 'n All has also been certified Triple Platinum in the US by the RIAA, Gold in Canada by Music Canada and Silver in the UK by the BPI.

         All 'n All was produced by Maurice White for Kalimba Productions. His inspiration for the album was a month-long trip to Argentina and Brazil. 

I thirst, but never quench

I know the consequence, feeling as I do

We're in a spinning top

Where, tell me, will it stop

And what am I to say

Open our music book, that only few can look

And I'll write a song for you oohh

 

Oohh Love is a symphony, hearts in one melody

Cause I'll write a song for you

Sounds never dissipate, they, only recreate

In another place

There's in your silent night

Joy of a song's delight

Cause I'll write a song for you

You'll write a song for me

We'll write a song of love, of love

(Ahhh-aha-Ahhh)

 

My magical mystique, finding it all complete

In your lovely face, feelings we try to chase

Memories that won't erase, stay forever new

We have a magic box in which is never locked

 

Cause I'll write a song for you

You'll write a song for me

We'll write a song of love, of love

Yeah (Ahh)

 

We'll write a song of love my baby

Write a song of love

(Dooboodoo for you, you, for you, you)

(You)

 

We have a magic box

We write a song of love

We write, write a song of love

 

Sounds they never dissipate

They only recreate

To another place or time

Ohhhh-ooohhh

We write a song, we write a song

Just you and me baby

(For you) Ohhhhh (you)

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh (you)

(For you, you) Ohhhhhh

We're, we're on a spinning top

We write a song

We write a song

We write a song. 

NEVER BE ME

MILEY CYRUS

SONGWRITERS: MILEY CYRUS; MARK RONSON & ILSEY JUBER

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: PLASTIC HEARTS

LABEL: RCA RECORDS

GENRE: ROCK

YEAR: 2020

 

        Miley Ray Cyrus(/ˈmaɪliːˈsaɪrəs/MY-lee-SYE-rəs; born Destiny Hope Cyrus, November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music incorporates elements of varied styles and genres, including pop, country pop, hip hop, experimental, and rock. She has attained the most US Billboard 200 top-five albums in the 21st century by a female artist, with a total of thirteen entries.

           Cyrus, a daughter of country music singer Billy Ray Cyrus, emerged as a teen idol while portraying the title character of the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana(2006–2011). As Hannah Montana, she attained two number-one and three top-five soundtracks on the US Billboard 200, including the US Billboard Hot 100 top-ten single "He Could Be the One". Cyrus's own discography includes the US number-one albums Meet Miley Cyrus(2007), Breakout(2008), and Bangerz(2013); the top-five releases Can't Be Tamed(2010), Younger Now(2017), Plastic Hearts(2020) and the free album Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz(2015). Cyrus's EPs The Time of Our Lives(2009) and She Is Coming(2019) also debuted in the top-five. Plastic Hearts became Cyrus's most acclaimed record, and her first entry on the Billboard Rock Chart, debuting atop the chart. It included the lead single "Midnight Sky". Her other singles include the US top ten-charting "See You Again", "7 Things", "The Climb", "Party in the U.S.A.", "Can't Be Tamed", "We Can't Stop", "Malibu", "Without You"; and the chart-topping "Wrecking Ball". In 2020, the Recording Industry Association of America(RIAA) awarded Diamond certification to "Party in the U.S.A.", recognizing single sales of ten million.

          Plastic Hearts is the seventh studio album by American singer Miley Cyrus. It was released on November 27, 2020, by RCA Records, and was her final album with the label; she signed with Columbia Records in early 2021. Marking a departure from Cyrus' previous releases, Plastic Hearts is primarily a rock, pop, synth-pop, and glam rock record, with influences from country, punk rock, new wave, arena rock, industrial, disco, and power pop. Most of the album was produced by Andrew Watt and Louis Bell, with further collaboration with Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. Guest vocals include Dua Lipa, Billy Idol, Joan Jett and Stevie Nicks.

           Plastic Hearts debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and received positive reviews from music critics. Three singles were released from the album, "Midnight Sky", "Prisoner", and "Angels like You".

I know I do this every time

I walk the line, I play with fire

And I stop myself before the crime

I walk the line, yeah, I play with fire

 

I don't wanna push you way too much

I don't wanna lean that way too far

I don't wanna ever learn the hard way

 

But if you're looking for stable, that'll never be me

If you're looking for faithful, that'll never be me

If you're looking for someone to be all that you need

That'll never be me

(Hard as I try)

That'll never be me

(I play with fire)

 

Dry your tears now, don't you cry

I'm by your side, at least for a while

I know I do this every time

I walk the line, yeah, I play with fire

 

I don't wanna push you way too much

I don't wanna lean that way too far

I don't wanna ever learn the hard way, no

I don't wanna keep you in the dark

I don't wanna gamble with your heart

I don't wanna ever leave you lonely

 

But if you're looking for stable, that'll never be me

If you're looking for faithful, that'll never be me

If you're looking for someone to be all that you need

That'll never be me

(Hard as I try)

That'll never be me

(I play with fire)

 

Can't get too close to the sun (fire)

Baby, you're the only one, oh, I

I'd never lie to you, baby, oh (fire)

You give me a reason to run from the fire

'Cause, baby, you're the only one

Oh, I swear I'd never lie

 

If you're looking for stable, that'll never be me

But I hope that I'm able to be all that you need

If you think that I'm someone to give up and leave

That'll never be me, no

If you think that I'm someone to give up and leave

That'll never be me

(Hard as I try)

That'll never be me, no

(I play with fire)

That'll never be me.