spirit in the sky Norman Greenbaum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPPlGFh6OpQ

These two songs are from the 60's,but are very cheerful.

"Downtown",and "A sign of the times" by Petula Clark. BF

Dear Friend,
I like those two as well because they are upbeat.
M.

Mari They sure are. I don't think that songs are written like that anymore,or it's Petula Clarks talent that makes these songs so wonderful. BF

I love Martha and the Vandellas.

Pam

Here's Downtown. i love this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=FKCn...eature=related

i think Petula is very pretty. but yes, she seems so bright and chipper - i just wish i could absorb that.

and here's A Sign of the Times

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=z56q...eature=related

these may disappear. i had two versions of Downtown bookmarked from sometime last year, but both had been removed. i just found these.

~ waves ~

p.s. Pam, sorry to say, i tried to link Dancing in the Street for you, but none of the videos i found for it would load

Thank you Waves. Those Petula Clark songs are so cheerful. I remember hearing her songs when I was a child. They sound better now on Youtube. They where played on AM radio when I was a kid. They sound better now in stereo. BF

in regard to how songs are written i'll say something regarding Downtown - she does interesting things modifying the meter and rhyme ... apart from varying them in a more usual sense... the lead into the refrain has a cute little twist which "wakes you up"

the light's so much brighter there (briefly syncopated)
(migrates into new 'straight' rhythm)
you can forget all your troubles
forget all your cares
and go....

and the rhyming at the end of the refrain follows rhythm migrations too.

Petula Clark is also talented in her expression of her songs... she embodies the feel of the song.

there are some modern musicians who do clever things but... sadly there is also a lot of stuff out there that doesn't differentiate itself well, as being written by a perspicacious, sentient being.

La vie en rose

Original song, in French, by Edith Piaf:

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=rKgc...eature=related


extended instrumental and English version, by Louis Armstrong:

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=8IJz...eature=related

Thanks for the explanation of the song and the help with seeing"Amie" as nostalgic.

M.