The late, great British actor Oliver Reed was born 87 years ago in London. Reed was one of those actors who was so infamous for his often alcohol-fueled exploits off-screen that it was often overlooked that he was also a very talented man whose ability to create intriguing characters was appreciated by directors Ken Russell and whose powerful screen presence went far beyond his famously scarred face. Oliver Reed was one of the actors considered for the role of James Bond after Sean Connery left the part. With his physicality and his dangerous smile, Reed would have offered an intriguing take on the character.
A British cultural icon, Oliver Reed was someone who tended to show up in the least expected places. In 1992, The Troggs rerecorded and rereleased their best-known song, Wild Thing. Accompanying them in the recording was none other than Oliver Reed. In honor of an actor who could do it all, here is today’s song of the day!
Wild thing, you make my heart sing You make everything groovy, wild thing Wild thing, I think I love you But I wanna know for sure Come on and hold me tight I love you
Wild thing, you make my heart sing You make everything groovy Wild thing
Wild thing, I think you move me But I wanna know for sure Come on and hold me tight You move me
Wild thing, you make my heart sing You make everything groovy, wild thing C’mon, c’mon, wild thing Check it, check it, wild thing
Songwriters: Matt Dike / Marvin Young / Anthony Terrell Smith
Seeing as today is Lincoln’s Birthday, it seems appropriate that today’s song of the day should come from John Williams’s score of Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, performed here by the Film Symphony Orchestra.
Jimi Hendrix was arguably one of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century. Some may dispute that label and maybe pigeonhole him as one of the greatest rock musician, but his impact on the musical landscape goes beyond just rock music, but all of music no matter the genre or style.
He was that one singular musician, just like any prodigy, who came along and burned bright for a short period of time before being snuffed out by the very gift and genius for creativity he became known for. There has been other musicians who have attained legend status since Jimi Hendrix’s untimely death on September 18, 1970, but even they would say that they still couldn’t comprehend what Hendrix was able to do with an electric guitar and in the short time he had in the limelight.
Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing” is a microcosm of why musicians and rock historians almost look at Hendrix’s work with nigh-mythical status. The song, released on December 1, 1967, begins with Hendrix’s much slower chord progression accompanied by the haunting use of the glockenspiel that then leads to Hendrix’s vocals and drums. It is around the 1:45 minute mark when the song follows through on its vocals with one of the most precise and a nominee for greatest guitar solo of all-time.
The song itself is not very long, but even in the its two-and-a-half minute running time “Little Wing” achieves what most musicians could only dream of and that is a song that continues to inspire and bewilder (the song has been covered and studied countless times, but no could ever agree how Hendrix did his magic on the song).
Little Wing
Well, she’s walking through the clouds With a circus mind that’s running wild Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams And her fairy tales That’s all she ever thinks about Riding with the wind When I’m sad, she comes to me With a thousand smiles, she gives to me free “It’s alright” she says, “It’s alright” Take anything you want from me, take anything Anything Fly on, little wing
The late composer Jerry Goldsmith was born 96 years ago today. Over the course of his long career, he composed many classic film scores. He was nominated for 18 Oscars and won for his score for The Omen.
Today’s song of the day comes from Goldsmith’s score for 1968’s Planet of the Apes! Listen to this and try not visualize Charlton Heston being chased by a bunch of gorillas on horseback.
Today’s song of the day is an instrumental that was recorded and released in 1972. Frank Vincent is playing the drums. Joe Pesci is on guitar. Even if not for the celebrity connection, I would love this song. It’s really good!
Today is the 93rd birthday of the great composer John Williams and today’s song of the day is one of his greatest compositions. Here’s is John Williams, conducting Raiders March (from the Indiana Jones films) in Vienna.
Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy 94th birthday to actress and singer, Mamie Van Doren! Here she is performing today’s song of the day, The Girl Who Invented Rock and Roll!
On this date, 119 years ago, the great actor John Carradine was born in New York City.
Over the course of his career, Carradine worked for just about everyone. He appeared on stage. He appeared in film and television. He played the great roles of Shakespeare and he also played Dracula. He was a part of both the John Ford and the Fred Olen Ray stock companies. He had a reputation for taking almost any role offered to him and, as a result, his huge filmography offers up a wonderful amount of variety.
He was also a singer! Here he is performing today’s song of the day, Night Train to Mundo Fine! This song was featured Coleman Francis’s Red Zone Cuba. Say what you may about the song or the film, how can you not love Carrdine’s dramatic (and perhaps slightly mocking) delivery of the lyrics?
The latest “Song of the Day” is very near and dear to my blues-covered metal heart. I consider it one of the best rock ‘n’ roll songs ever created. It’s been covered by numerous bands in the decades since it’s initial release but I will always consider the original as the best. The latest song of the day is The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil”.
This song was released in the early days of December 1968. It was the opening track for The Rolling Stones’ latest album (Beggars Banquet) at that date. What makes this song so great is how simple the song really comes across. It doesn’t have the typical blues rock tone of previous Stones’ songs until Keith Richard’s guitar solo around the 2:55 mark. The song definitely sounds more like a combination of folk rock (by way of it’s spoken word-like lyrics) and a samba (due to the incorporation of additional percussions like the congas).
“Sympathy for the Devil” has been called a confession song while others see it as the narcissistic bragging of the narrator. Both viewpoints are quite valid and there are more as every listener of this song hears and imagines different themes. I always saw it as a combination of the two. It’s Lucifer’s confession and bragging about his role in the tumultuous and evil events in man’s history. It’s a song that its narrator wants to understand and admit that while he has been there through all those dark moments in history, he wouldn’t have been able to do what he’s done if not for people allowing him in and becoming complicit.
Sympathy for the Devil
Please allow me to introduce myself I’m a man of wealth and taste I’ve been around for a long, long years Stole many a man’s soul and faith
And I was ’round when Jesus Christ Had his moment of doubt and pain Made damn sure that Pilate Washed his hands and sealed his fate
Pleased to meet you Hope you guess my name But what’s puzzling you Is the nature of my game
I stuck around St. Petersburg When I saw it was a time for a change Killed the czar and his ministers Anastasia screamed in vain
I rode a tank Held a general’s rank When the blitzkrieg raged And the bodies stank
Pleased to meet you Hope you guess my name, oh yeah Ah, what’s puzzling you Is the nature of my game, oh yeah (woo woo, woo woo)
I watched with glee While your kings and queens Fought for ten decades For the gods they made (woo woo, woo woo)
I shouted out, “Who killed the Kennedys?” When after all It was you and me (who who, who who)
Let me please introduce myself I’m a man of wealth and taste And I laid traps for troubadours Who get killed before they reached Bombay (woo woo, who who)
Pleased to meet you Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah (who who) But what’s puzzling you Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby (who who, who who)
Pleased to meet you Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah But what’s confusing you Is just the nature of my game (woo woo, who who)
Just as every cop is a criminal And all the sinners saints As heads is tails Just call me Lucifer ‘Cause I’m in need of some restraint (who who, who who)
So if you meet me Have some courtesy Have some sympathy, and some taste (woo woo) Use all your well-learned politesse Or I’ll lay your soul to waste, um yeah (woo woo, woo woo)
Pleased to meet you Hope you guessed my name, um yeah (who who) But what’s puzzling you Is the nature of my game, um mean it, get down (woo woo, woo woo)
Woo, who Oh yeah, get on down Oh yeah Oh yeah! (woo woo)
Tell me baby, what’s my name Tell me honey, can ya guess my name Tell me baby, what’s my name I tell you one time, you’re to blame
Oh, who woo, woo Woo, who Woo, woo Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Oh, yeah
What’s my name Tell me, baby, what’s my name Tell me, sweetie, what’s my name
Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Woo, who, who Oh, yeah Woo woo Woo woo
Through the Shattered Lens 