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Tag: Billy Joel

  • Cheery songs…

    Cheery songs…

    Last week, I had the blues. This week, I’m focusing on cheery songs…

    Last week was not so good for me. A bunch of stuff piled up, causing me to go into minor crisis mode. I found myself listening to the blues a bit, because sometimes a little musical empathy is good for the soul. As the week wore on, I decided to think about more positive things. I realized that cheery songs are better than the blues when it’s time to get over it and move on. So that’s what today’s post is about, cheery songs. And there are a lot of ’em!


    Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy” is an obvious entry…

    “Don’t Worry Be Happy” is kind of the anthem for getting over yourself. This song was popular when I was a high school sophomore. It was a huge hit and Bobby McFerrin enjoyed some sudden fame as he was tapped to record the theme song for The Cosby Show during its fourth season on the air. In 1988, George H.W. Bush used the song in his run for president. Bobby McFerrin was notably upset since he neither gave permission for Bush to use “Don’t Worry Be Happy”, nor did he even plan to vote for Bush. But twenty-six years later, it’s still one of my go-to cheery songs.


    A live video of Dr. John singing “Accentuate the Positive”.

    “Accentuate The Positive” is another great song for chasing away the blues. This song is a classic, having been penned by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. It’s been covered by a whole lot of people, from Aretha Franklin to Bette Midler. I’m partial to Dr. John’s version, which has sort of a sassy New Orleans flair. I liked it even before New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, but having seen that city bounce back in the years since that huge storm, I appreciate it even more.


    Randy Newman’s “Happy Ending” from his musical, Faust, is another entry in my list of good cheery songs.

    This song is included on the Faust’s 1995 soundtrack for his musical, Faust. On that album, he plays Faust, and at the very end of the album, he sings a song called “Happy Ending”. It’s about moving to Las Vegas, where they’ve got everything! It’s hard not to tap your toes to the jaunty rhythm and the lyrics are pretty funny, too. Randy Newman in general cracks me up, so a lot of his songs are a good bet for snapping me out of a mood. On the other hand, he’s done some bluesy songs, too.


    “Let It Go” from Walt Disney’s Frozen is another song that begs listeners to cheer up.

    I don’t generally get into Disney songs that much, since I don’t have kids and my days of watching Disney movies are long over. However, I can’t overlook “Let It Go”, an anthem from the movie Frozen. This is a song that will resonate with a lot of people who need to snap out of it.


    Billy Joel’s “You’re Only Human (Second Wind)” is an anti-suicide song with a jaunty beat that begs listeners not to forget their “second wind”…

    The melody is very spunky and the video is a bit silly, but the words are surprisingly moving. In fact, even as I smile at the video, I feel tears welling up in my eyes. Maybe it’s not one of the best cheery songs for me, but the message is definitely a consolation for many people.


    “Always Look On The Bright Side of Life”… Yes, Monty Python is probably a better choice for me.

    British humor always makes me giggle, so it’s probably best if I stick with silly songs by Monty Python when I need a mood booster. I love absurd humor, so as I recover from “Second Wind”, I can laugh at the guys in Monty Python as they hang around on their crosses. Blasphemous? Maybe it is… but it made me smile. As a matter of fact, listening to Monty Python Sings never fails to cheer me up.

    Anyway, I’m hoping this week will be somewhat better for you and me. Cheers!

  • The Drummer vs. The Piano Man

    Drummer Liberty DeVitto has sued Billy Joel in a Manhattan court according to the New York Post.  The drummer also named Sony Music, but a quick tour of entertainmnent lawyers posting online under their names suggest that Sony will quickly be dropped from the matter.

    Did this man stiff his drummer? Liberty DeVitto is suing former pop star Billy Joel for royalties.
    Did this man stiff his drummer? Liberty DeVitto is suing former pop star Billy Joel for royalties.

    Meanwhile, the contentiousness between Joel’s drummer of 30 years and the artist’s fans is reaching a hyperbolic state.  DeVitto says that he was fired from Joel’s band in 2005 without even a telephone call.  Fans on both sides are defending DeVitto’s drumming or Joel’s music and seemingly drawing sides based on their affinity for either..

    DeVitto was part of the band that played on what is essentially the soundtrack of a 10 year period from the mid 1970s to the mid 19880s.   You may also know DeVitto’s daughter, Torrey, who recently appeared in a 16 episode arc on One Tree Place.  [She also went to the same small elementary school I attended in a secluded part of Suffolk County, but maybe she attended a little later…]

    Cases like this often flare up and are settled years later.   You won’t see Paula Abdul talking about the suit she went through when a backup singer claimed she also sang leads. Nor will you hear much about songwriter claims very often unless it’s the delicious Joe Satriani and Coldplay allegations.   

    Watchers are asking why DeVitto, who claims no contact with Billy Joel, waited years before filing.    There may indeed have been unaswered letters or unreturned calls, and answers won’t be forthcoming until this case has its day in court.

  • New Music In Stores & Online: 7/8/08: Beck, Yaz, Billy Joel & More!!

    Looks like the dog days of summer have arrived early, because there are very few releases of note this week. Let’s jump right into it.

    Beck's Modern Guilt

    Beck-Modern Guilt: Beck switches it up on his first album in two years, installing Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley) into the producer’s chair. On paper, the two seem like a perfect fit, and the album has gotten pretty good advance notice. Then again, do you remember any Beck album that didn’t get good reviews? Critically, he’s as much of a sure bet as any artist out there.

    http://www.modernguilt.com/

    Alison Moyet-The Turn/Yaz-In Your Room: Our very own Paul wrote a column a couple of weeks back on British synth-pop duo Yaz and their return to the concert stage a quarter-century after their split. In order to commemorate that tour, we have “In Your Room”, an exhaustive box set containing basically every note the two played and sung together. Yaz’s vocalist, Alison Moyet, also sees the U.S. release of her latest album, “The Turn”, which was released in the U.K. last October.


    Billy Joel-“The Stranger: Legacy Edition”: “The Stranger”‘s probably Billy Joel’s best-loved album, with hits like “Only the Good Die Young”, “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)”, the title track, and “Just the Way You Are”. This thirtieth anniversary edition of the hit album is remastered and comes in two versions: one adds a second disc from a Carnegie Hall concert, while another includes the concert and a DVD from the old British musical variety show “The Old Grey Whistle Test”.

    Home

    Um…after that? Crickets, pretty much. Strokes frontman Albert Hammond Jr. releases his second solo album, entitled “Como Te Llama?”, and there are a couple of interesting collaborative efforts out today: one from Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis (there’s a joke in there somewhere that I can’t quite figure out), and the other from Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Patti Smith and My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields. “Country Sings Disney” finds the likes of Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts and Brad Paisley tackling some of the Mouse’s favorite songs, while in the “curiosities” section, there’s a new album from Devin Lima of former C-List boy banders LFO. Yay!!

    Enjoy that Beck CD!!

    A full list of releases can be found here: http://www.pauseandplay.com/cdfront.htm