A friend who has known me for six years let me listen to a new (but actually 2 years old) song today which he knew I would like.

Now I am very picky and snotty about the songs I listen to and very few people have managed to pin it down. But he managed to. *bravo!* Okay, I am very much a melody and lyric person. It all has to come together very well and actually say something. And even better, stir some emotion in this hardened heart of mine =).

Anyway, this post is more about the song than me. It's actually India.Arie's cover of Don Henley's "The Heart of the Matter" which I first heard in 1990 when I bought his album "The End of the Innocence" (which I thankfully still have!!) for the title song.

India actually released her cover of this song in her last album back in 2006. But it recently received fresh attention as one of the songs from the Sex and the City movie (not the Singapore version of course) soundtrack.

I would classify it as an adult love song though like any good piece of art, it can be read/interpreted in more ways than one.

Listening to it as a young lad back then, I couldn't really appreciate it even though I like the melody and lyrics a lot. But now, 18 years later, after living life, stumbling, bruising, picking myself up and carrying on, there's a new poignancy to it that I totally missed back then.

I think it takes a person who has lived and experienced life long enough to be able to write a song like this. And it takes the same type of people to able to sing it with credibility, great emotion and gravity that I doubt a young 20ish singer can. And on this count, Don Henley and India.Arie have acquitted themselves well.

I have to admit that I was a bit biased against India because I thought Don did an excellent job. But after giving it a listen, I have to admit that India has done the song great justice and brought a fresh new sound to what I would call a classic.

The original video which is quite dated in style:



Concert acoustic version featuring Don and the Eagles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLgUuHl2xJo

India.Arie's concert version sung with Umbrella (wha..?):



The album version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8H4KojRX4g

I got the call today, I didn't wanna hear
But I knew that it would come
An old, true friend of ours was talkin' on the phone
She said you found someone
And I thought of all the bad luck,
    and the struggles we went through
And how I lost me and you lost you
What are these voices outside love's open door
Make us throw off our contentment
    and beg for something more?

I'm learning to live without you now
But I miss you sometimes
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again
I've been tryin' to get down
    to the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
    and my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

These times are so uncertain
There's a yearning undefined
...People filled with rage
We all need a little tenderness
How can love survive in such a graceless age?
The trust and self-assurance that can lead to happiness
They're the very things we kill, I guess
Pride and competition
    cannot fill these empty arms
And the work I put between us,
    doesn't keep me warm

I'm learning to live without you now
But I miss you, Baby
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I figured out
I have to learn again
I've been tryin' to get down
    to the heart of the matter
But everything changes
    and my friends seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

There are people in your life who've come and gone
They let you down and hurt your pride
Better put it all behind you; life goes on
You keep carryin' that anger, it'll eat you up inside

I've been tryin' to get down
    to the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
    and my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

I've been tryin' to get down
    to the heart of the matter
Because the flesh will get weak
    and the ashes will scatter
So I'm thinkin' about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore

PS: Guess which is my favourite line.

Labels: music

Okay, I am not a Kelly Rowland's fan and the song is okay hot. But the video absolutely sizzles!

Don't you think she looks a bit like Gladys Knight from Gladys Knight and the Pips?

Labels: music

I first saw this a few months ago, thought it was kind of cute and left it at that. Then I saw it again this afternoon being used in the new iPod Nano commercial and decided to revisit it on YouTube. That's when I noticed that the whole video was taken in one long take without any cuts. Meaning the whole thing will need to be redone if there were any screw-ups.



A cute and happy song by the Canadian Leslie Feist, better known as Feist. The iPod Nano commercial is available here.

Labels: music

I am listening to Pet Shop Boy's latest album entitled "Fundamental" (their most political album to date) that was strongly recommended by my friend Euan. I actually bought it for the last track "Integral", which if you read from Singapore's perspective is quite... err... interesting? Or maybe "damning" is a more appropriate choice of word. :-)

But besides the overt political content, the song is enjoyable in the classical foot-stomping PSB electronic style. Those old enough to have dance through their much earlier stuff would know what I mean.

If you've done nothing wrong,
You've got nothing to fear
If you've something to hide
You shouldn't even be here

Long live us
The persuaded we
Integral
Collectively
To the whole project
It's brand new
Conceived solely
To protect you

One world
One reason
Unchanging
One season

If you've done nothing wrong
You've got nothing to fear
If you've something to hide
You shouldn't even be here
You've had your chance
Now we've got the mandate
If you've changed your mind
I'm afraid it's too late
We're concerned
You're a threat
You're not integral
To the project

Sterile
Immaculate
Rational
Perfect

Everyone has
Their own number
In the system that
We operate under
We're moving to
A situation
Where your lives exist
As information
One world
One life
One chance
One reason
All under
One sky
Unchanging
One season

If you've done nothing wrong
You've got nothing to fear
If you've something to hide
You shouldn't even be here
You've had your chance
Now we've got the mandate
If you've changed your mind
I'm afraid it's too late
We're concerned
You're a threat
You're not integral
To the project

Sterile
Immaculate
Rational
Perfect

Labels: music, politics, singapore