Song of the Week - Election Special

It's Song of the Week time.

The federal election campaign continues and on August 21 we will have to choose between political candidates who are all singing the same tune:

“Would I Lie to You?”

But in the spirit of the election I am giving you the choice of either the Eurythmics or the Charles and Eddie versions of songs titled “Would I Lie to You?”

or

Exercise your democratic right and tell me which song you prefer!


(includes obligatory high-drama 80’s music-video intro)

Eurythmics

Lyrics

CHORUS:
Would I lie to you?
Would I lie to you honey?

Now would I say something that wasn't true?
I'm asking you sugar
Would I lie to you?

My friends - know what's in store.
I won't be here anymore.
I've packed my bagsI've cleaned the floor.
Watch me walkin'.
Walkin' out the door.

(Believe me - I'll make it make it)

CHORUS

Tell you straight - no intervention.
To your face - no deception.
You're the biggest fake.
That much is true.
Had all I can take.
Now I'm leaving you

(Believe me - I'll make it make it)

CHORUS repeats

My friends - know what's in store.
I won't be here anymore.
I've packed my bags
I've cleaned the floor.
Watch me walkin'.
Walkin' out the door.

CHORUS






Charles and Eddie

Lyrics

Oh baby oh would I lie to you?
Look into my eyes
Can't you see they're open wide
Would I lie to you?

CHORUS
Look into my eyes
Can't you see they're open wide
Would I lie to you baby?
Would I lie to you??...oh yeah
Don't you know it's true
Girl there's no-one else but you
Would I lie to you baby?
Would I lie to you?

Everybody wants to know the truth
In my arms is the only proof
I've hidden my heart behind the bedroom door
Now it's open I can't do no more
I'm telling you baby...
You will never find another girl in this heart of mine

CHORUS

Everybody's got their history
on every page - a mystery
You can read my diary you're in every line
jealous mind never satisfied
I'm telling you baby...
You will never find another girl in this heart of mine

CHORUS

When you wanna see me night and day (would I lie?)
If I tell you that I'm here to stay (would I lie to you?)
Do you think I give my love away? (would I lie?)
That's not the kind of game I play
I'm telling you baby...
You will never find another girl in this heart of mine

CHORUS

Trust me baby
Hey aint no-one else but you child
Come on, Come on, Come on...
Trust me babyI wouldn't lie to you baby

---------------
Random facts:

Eurythmics’ song was released 25 years ago (1985) and only made it as high #17 in the UK, #5 in the US but it was #1 in Australia.

The Charles and Eddie song was released in 1992 and reached #13 in the US but #1 in the UK and Australia. It was knocked from the #1 spot by Whitney Huston’s I Will Always Love You

Charles and Eddie were American. Charles died of cancer in 2001 aged 37. Eddie wrote songs for 90’s British girl group Eternal

I am Woman (well our Prime Minister is)

In honour of Australia’s first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard, pictured at her swearing-in ceremony today, the Song of the Week has to be I am Woman, the powerful, emotive feminist anthem written and performed by another successful Australian woman, Helen Reddy.

2010 has been a big year for the song, written in 1971. The song featured in Sex and the City 2 (it was sung by the cast members when visiting a culture with questionable women's rights) and was also played during the Oscars Ceremony when Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win Best Director.

With I am Woman Helen Reddy was the first Australian to have a #1 single in the United States and the first Australian to win a Grammy Award.

I am Woman
By Helen Reddy

I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again

CHORUS
Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman

You can bend but never break me
'cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
'cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul

CHORUS

I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin' arms across the land
But I'm still an embryo
With a long long way to go
Until I make my brother understand

Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to I can face anything

I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
Oh, I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong

FADE
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman

---

It is such an empowering song that I almost wish I was a woman so I could sing it without getting my gender confused.

On the Road Again

Hi all,

Song of the Week time.

Today is Moving Day! I am moving to my fourth government department in less than two years. My stationery, files and Tintin posters are packed into boxes and I am waiting for someone wearing King Gees or Stubbies to move them to Victoria Square for me.

How naïve I was to think my peripatetic work life might cease when I scored a permanent job. HA! Instead I am… On the Road Again…

On the Road Again
by Willie Nelson

The song title is appropriate but if you read the lyrics Willie seems a bit happier with being ‘on the road’ than me…(that might be due to his marijuana intake though)


On the road again
Just can't wait to get on the road again
The life I love is making music with my friends
And I can't wait to get on the road again

On the road again
Goin' places that I've never been
Seein' things that I may never see again
And I can't wait to get on the road again

On the road again
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends
Insisting that the world keep turning our way and our way

Is on the road again
I just can't wait to get on the road again
The life I love is making music with my friends
And I can't wait to get on the road again

On the road again
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends
Insisting that the world keep turning our way and our way

Is on the road again
Just can't wait to get on the road again
The life I love is making music with my friends
And I can't wait to get on the road again
And I can't wait to get on the road again

Eye of the Tiger - Song of the Week

One happy-happy-gay-gay fortnight ago I was feeling, “absurdly happy” and chose the 1960’s glee-filled pop classic Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows by Lesley Gore as my Song of the Week. This week I am wallowing in the misery caused by the fact that I have been forcefully moved to another department to do a job thatI have very little interest in. The grotesquely corpulent cherry on this pie-in-the-face is that I will have to work with my least favourite colleague, an obnoxious, obese and verbose bore. A Yogi Bore in fact.

What have I done to deserve this? I keep asking myself a question that Travis asked too, Why does it always rain on me? And yes, LeAnn Rimes – I feel Blue too.

But I cannot allow my Song of the Week to assist my slide into misery. Instead I need a self-empowerment song that will inspire (and possibly delude) me. I need to be a Survivor! I need the “will to Survive.” What I need is the…

Eye of the Tiger
by Survivor



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS4giqtbRBM

Risin' up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive

So many times, it happens too fast
You change your passion for glory
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive

Chorus:
It's the eye of the tiger,
it's the thrill of the fight
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night
And he's watchin' us all in the eye of the tiger

Face to face, out in the heat
Hangin' tough, stayin' hungry
They stack the odds 'til we take to the street
For we kill with the skill to survive

Chorus

Risin' up, straight to the top
Have the guts, got the glory
Went the distance, now I'm not gonna stop
Just a man and his will to survive

Chorus

The eye of the tiger (repeats out)...



1 For more info on my colleague Yogi Bear read my blog here http://infense.blogspot.com/2010/02/unbearable-yogi.html and here
http://infense.blogspot.com/2010/01/rise-and-fall-of-yogi-bear.html.

Song of the Week time.

I am feeling absurdly happy (‘absurdly’ because there is no real reason for this. I am at work when I could be in Paris watching tennis, drinking champagne, debonairly ensconced in Prada and elegantly laughing at witty bon mots with minor European royalty. But I am not). But I digress. I am happy, therefore this week’s song is buoyant, fluffy, fruity, fun, bubbly and joyful. I defy you to listen to his and not smile a little.


The song is the 1960’s glee-filled pop classic…

Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows
by Lesley Gore

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_v468ptuXw

Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
Everything that's wonderful is what I feel when we're together,
Brighter than a lucky penny,
When you're near the rain cloud disappears, dear,
And I feel so fine just to know that you are mine.

My life is sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
That's how this refrain goes, so come on, join in everybody!
Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
Everything that's wonderful is sure to come your way
When you're in love to stay.

Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
Everything that's wonderful is what I feel when we're together,
Brighter than a lucky penny,
When you're near the rain cloud disappears, dear,
And I feel so fine just to know that you are mine.
My life is sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
That's how this refrain goes, so come on, join in everybody!
Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows,
Everything that's wonderful is sure to come your way
'Cause you're in love, you're in love,
And love is here to stay!

Random facts:

· "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows" was used in the Simpsons episode Marge on the Lam, and is currently being used by the Red Spot Boutique’s homewares TV advertisement in 2010.

· Lesley Gore is a lesbian.

· Her most famous song was “It’s My Party (And I Will Cry If I Want To) which was #1 and nominated for a Grammy (in the Rock'n'Roll category, which seems odd in these post-heavy metal days)

· She was nominated for an Oscar for a song she wrote for Irene Cara in the film Fame.

· David wishes he could get paid to do this stuff…