Song of the Day: Right Here Waiting (by Richard Marx)

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Arleigh

Another day and another entry leading up to Valentines Day. Yeah, I know some don’t like this particular holiday. Some think it’s become too commercialized, but I’ve always remained a romantic at heart and I can’t help but look forward to this day.

Even when single this day was a special day to reflect on relationships past. Remembering the good and fun times while trying to learn from the mistakes.

The latest “Song of the Day” comes straight out of my high school days of 1989. I first heard this song on the radio while on break from my very first line reading for a school play. There was a piano in the room where everyone broke for lunch. Someone decided to play this song and soon every guy began to sing the song while the ladies either looked at us with dreamy eyes or something.

When the saying from people of my generation parrot the same lines our parents and their parents before them comes up I believe it to be true. They really don’t make ballads like this anymore. There’s a sincere sense of earnestness and romance to the lyrics and the overall sound of the song.

Over the years some have tried to mock this song and Richard Marx, but it never really goes anywhere. This song remains timeless and for those who look forward to what Valentines Day truly mean beyond the crass commercialism.

Right Here Waiting

Oceans apart day after day
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice on the line
But it doesn’t stop the pain

If I see you next to never
How can we say forever

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I took for granted, all the times
That I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
But I can’t get near you now

Oh, can’t you see it baby
You’ve got me goin’ crazy

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I wonder how we can survive
This romance
But in the end if I’m with you
I’ll take the chance

Oh, can’t you see it baby
You’ve got me goin crazy

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you
Waiting for you

Song of the Day: More (Theme from Mondo Cane) R.I.P. Riz Ortolani

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Arleigh

The latest “Song of the Day” is dedicated to a great film composer who passed away today. Riz Ortolani is well-known in the virtual and brick-and-mortar halls of Through the Shattered Lens. In fact, I would say that his work would be a perfect soundtrack for the site if it ever decided to have one.

Ortolani was born in March 25, 1926. Music seemed to be in his blood as his musical career first began as part of an Italian jazz band before he eventually move to composing scores for Italian films. While many grindhouse and exploitation film fans got to know Ortolani through his work on Ruggero Deodato’s famous (infamous in some circles) cannibal exploitation film Cannibal Holocaust ( especially for it’s serene-like opening theme) his film scores ranged through several genres from mondo films, spaghetti westerns, eurospy flicks and Italian giallos.

For someone in elite circles would considered as beneath their notice for doing work in the so-called video nasty genre, ORtoani’s work has been hailed as genius and one of his compositions even won him an Academy Award in 1964. It’s this award-winning song that I’ve chosen to focus on.

“More” from the shockumentary Mondo Cane won Ortolani an Oscar in 1964 and even had an admirer in the Chairman of the Board himself that he would cover the song the very same year.

With each passing year the film and entertainment community loses one more of the earlier generation who were instrumental in making many at this site in falling in love with film and music. Time to appreciate what they’ve contributed to film and music and remind ourselves that sometimes just because something is old and dated doesn’t mean it’s still not better than something newer and more advanced.

R.I.P. Riz Ortolani and thanks for the music and memories.

Even the Ol’ Blue Eyes covered the song…

More (Theme From Mondo Cane)

More than the greatest love the world has known,
This is the love I give to you alone,
More than the simple words I try to say,
I only live to love you more each day.
More than you’ll ever know, my arms long to hold you so,
My life will be in your keeping, waking, sleeping, laughing, weeping,
Longer than always is a long long time, but far beyond forever you’re gonna be mine.
I know I’ve never lived before and my heart is very sure,
No one else could love you more.

[musical interlude]

More than you’ll ever know , my arms they long to hold you so,
My life will be in your keeping, waking, sleeping, laughing, weeping,
Longer than always is a long long time, but far beyond forever you’ll be mine,
I know that I’ve never lived before and my heart is very sure,
No one else could love you more, no one else could love you more.

Song of the Day: Brand New Day (performed by Neil Patrick Harris)

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

It’s the first day of a brand new year and that means that it’s time for a new song of the day. And what better choice could there be than Neil Patrick Harris singing Brand New Day from Joss Whedon’s Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog.

By the way, Dr. Horrible was right. The keys to shiny new Australia are the perfect way to unlock a girl’s heart…

Song of the Day: Let’s Fighting Love (by Matt Stone and Trey Parker)

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Arleigh

What’s more Christmas than some good old cheer song about fighting love from the creators of South Park.

Let’s Fighting Love

I have a wonderful penis
There is hairs on my balls
Is that the sound of a baby monkey?
No! Ninjas are here!
Hey hey let’s go! Getting in a fight!
The important thing is to protect my balls!
I am badass, so let’s fighting
Let’s fighting love!
Let’s fighting love!

This song is a little stupid
It doesn’t make any sense
English is all fucked up
But that’s ok, we do it all the time!
Hey hey let’s go! Getting in a fight!
The important thing is to protect my balls!
I am badass, so let’s fighting
Let’s fighting love!
Let’s fighting love!

Song of the Day: Scream & Shout (performed by will.i.am feat. Britney Spears)

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Much as with yesterday’s song of the day, there’s no great or secret reason why I selected Scream & Shout. It’s a fun song and great to dance to and what more can you really ask?

When I’m at work, I’m always tempted to answer the phone with, “It’s Lisa, bitch.”

Song of the Day: Crown On The Ground (performed by Sleigh Bells)

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I could offer up a lot of reasons why Sleigh Bells’ Crown On The Ground is today’s song of the week.

I could say that it’s because the Holiday Season is upon us and what better time to feature a song performed by Sleigh Bells.

I could also point out that this song is prominently featured in The Bling Ring.

But, ultimately, the main and most important reason is that I just happen to like the song.

Song of the Day: Can You Dig It (by Brian Tyler)

Posted on November 2, 2013 by Arleigh

In continuing the horror detox from this past month we bring to you one of the more fun film music from this past summer’s slew of blockbusters. The latest “Song of the Day” comes courtesy of Brian Tyler’s score for Shane Black’s Iron Man 3.

The first two Iron Man films had their score composed by Ramin Djawadi and John Debney, respectively. The first score was considered one of the finer efforts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film scores. Djawadi brought a much needed fun tone to set-up the wise-ass persona of billionaire, playboy genius Tony Stark. It also had a very metal and hard rock component to it’s sound that put into the forefront that this was Iron Man.

The second film’s score by John Debney wasn’t as well-received by fans and critics alike. Which just goes to show just how much of a misfire the middle film in the trilogy was. It tried to build on what Djawadi did in the first score, but ended up becoming just a derivative version that brought nothing new to the Tony Stark series.

Now this third film brings a new film composer in Brian Tyler who has had some experience in scoring big-budget spectacles and he doesn’t disappoint with his new take on the Iron Man score. While this third score doesn’t bring back any recognizable leitmotifs from Djawadi’s score it does bring in a new sound that’s more reminiscent of 60’s action spy thrillers like the Connery and Moore Bond films. It actually evokes quite a heavy, fun 60’s psychedelic tone. This is best heard in the film’s main end titles credit sequence which brings an animated look back at the trilogy and it’s many characters.

“Can You Dig It” is just a very fun song and it brings much hope that Brian Tyler being assigned to do the film score for Thor: The Dark World will do for that series what he did to finish off the Iron Man trilogy.

Horror Song of the Day: Every Woman In the World (by Air Supply)

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Arleigh

Who said a song from a horror film had to be horrific. Some songs just attaches it’s hooks into you and won’t let go and one such song that one wouldn’t associate with the horror film genre just does that with the latest “Song of the Day”.

In 2006, a little horror-comedy film came out directed by James Gunn called Slither. There’s a repeating gag in the film that both highlights the film’s horror and comedy. It’s scored by a classic Air Supply ballad by the title of “Every Woman In the World”. It’s the love song of Grant Grant (played Merle Dixon himself, Michael Rooker) and his loyal and faithful wife, Starla (played with earnestness by Elizabeth Banks). It comes on whenever the two share a tender moment even when things get thick and slithery.

Every time this song plays on the radio now I can’t help but think back to Slither.

Every Woman In the World

Overnight scenes dinner and wine
Saturday girls
I was never in love, never had the time
In my hustle and hurried world
Laughing my self to sleep, waking up lonely
I need someone to hold me, oh

It’s such a crazy home town
It can drag you down
Till you run out of dreams
So you party all night to the music and lights
But you don’t know what happiness means
I was dancing in the dark with strangers
No love around me
When suddenly you found me, oh

(Chorus) Girl, you’re every woman in the world to me
You’re my fantasy, you’re my reality
Girl, you’re every woman in the world to me
You’re everything I need, you’re everything to me
Oh girl

Everything good, everything fine
That’s what you are
So put your hand in mine and together we’ll climb
As high as the highest star
I’m living the lifetime in every minute
That we’re together
And I’m staying right here forever, oh

Horror Song of the Day: Kanon For Orchestra and Tape (by Krzysztof Penderecki)

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Arleigh

The previous “Song of the Day” was Polymorphia and comes courtesy of one Krzystof Penderecki. Why stop a good thing and go with someone else for the latest one when Penderecki continues to bring in the horror.

“Kanon For Orchestra and Tape” was also used in William Friedkin’s The Exorcist and one could tell just from listening to it that it fit perfectly. Like Polymorphia, this particular piece uses the string section to help create that encroaching dread and horror while adding some nontraditional sounds to keep the listener off-balance.

Just listening to this piece one could be made to believe that there is a Hell and the Devil’s just waiting to get out and play.

Horror Song of the Day: Polymorphia (by Krzysztof Penderecki)

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Arleigh

A couple weeks ago site music writer necromoonyeti wrote up quite an article about what just makes a piece of music a “horror music”.

Using some of what necromoonyeti wrote about I decided to look at some horror and non-horror films with music that evokes that sense of terror and horror that sometimes come from music that we wouldn’t associate with such emotions. It’s a much more difficult task than one would think. Yet, while I didn’t find one of those non-traditional pieces of horror music I did come across one that I should’ve used in this segment a long time ago.

The latest “Song of the Day” is a piece of disturbing music titled “Polymorphia” by Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki.

This musical composition has been used in two classic horror films (some would say some of the best in their genre) to help build the sense of horror and dread for the audience. The two films in question would be William Friedkin’s The Exorcist and Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. I know that in the former it more than added to that film’s creeping dread from the moment the song came on. It made one feel like Hell itself was about to break through the screen. It’s that sense that one’s skin was sensing something evil was afoot.

I found a particular youtube video that used this song and the chosen imagery to great effect. I dare anyone to watch the video, listen to the music in a dark room and in the middle of the night while alone.