Wipe Those Tears Away... Just Be Happy

She's got the most sung about eyes in the world...

She's the 'First Lady of the American Screen'...
And she was born today in 1908...
She's BETTE DAVIS... and her eyes were made famous by Kim Carnes.

When that song became a hit in 1981, Bette Davis wrote the singer letters saying she was a fan and thanked her for making her “a part of history."

How many songs do you know about Eyes? Was just checking the archives on this blog and came across two posts with collections of songs on eyes... Eyes Wide Open (on World Sight Day) and Eyes Wide Shut (on World Braille Day).

While this next song did not feature on either of the posts, it features here since the Platters took it to a #1 position in the US and UK in 1958... and their lead singer at the time was born exactly 20 years after Bette Davis... on this day in 1928... Tony Williams of the Platters

What happens when Smoke Gets In Your Eyes... maybe there'd be tears... Tears of A Clown.

 

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles including Ronnie White born today in 1939... Among the many hits that he wrote with Smokey, the one that probably stand out most is My Girl. And that reminds me of the 'girl with golden hair' Agnetha Fältskog from ABBA who's 67 today... I'd love to call her the Dancing Queen.

The latest update on the band was around six months ago when it was reported that ABBA were getting back together for a ‘groundbreaking venture that will utilise the very latest in digital and virtual reality technology’. 

 I'm sure that would have made them and all the ABBA fans of yesteryear Happy. 

Have you been clapping along.... Pharrell Williams is 44 today. Just last week, there was news that his childhood is set to inspire a big-screen musical called Atlantis.

We've spanned 65 years of time across the five songs above to mark birthdays of #ThisDayInMusic.

But the biggest event #ThisDayInMusic was in 1985 

At 3:50pm GMT, over 5,000 radio stations worldwide aired the charity single by USA for Africa - We Are The World. The single went on to be a No.1 in the US & UK, and most Western territories.

\

We Are The World featured in my earlier post Tolerance. The song has special memories for me as a teenager when I used to sing it with my siblings. We've also done a really good version of that with all my paternal cousins at my grandmother's 75th birthday. But more recently, the song was sung by my seven-year old son at the school Annual Day. More about that at Annual Days and Fun Fairs... Keeping The Music Alive. 

Money Money

A sudden announcement by the Indian Prime Minister on Tuesday evening demonetizing high denomination currency notes... and all of India has the M word on their lips - MONEY.

Meja - All 'Bout The Money

While public debates and discussions continue on the validity and the impact of the announcement and whether or not it will result in the achieving the stated objectives, the banks are overworked, the general public is stranded, the poor vegetable or fruit vendor unable to sell his wares since the common man does not have enough small currency to buy the things they need or auto driver who does not make enough trips for the same reason. Money Makes the World Go Round.

Liza Minelli & Joel Grey- Money Makes The World Go Round (Cabaret)

Its three days now since the announcement, and all of us are digging any reserves looking for currency notes of 100 or below that we may have. Banks are hitting the records in terms of the serpentine queues to withdraw cash. 

Hey guys, don't you know we all Work Hard For the Money.

 Donna Summer - She Works Hard For The Money

On a lighter vein, some people have found treasures back in their homes - in multiple purses and wallets, under the mattress, in the folds of the sari and in every possible places. Came across some people who have made big finds of money stashed away for the rainy day. It's all Money Money Money.

ABBA - Money Money Money

I need to find one working ATM where I can get some cash to buy some basic necessities. So while I spend the next two to four hours waiting, maybe I'll spend some time dreaming of being rich someday.

 If I Were A Rich Man (Fiddler On The Roof)

If I Were A Rich Man, I could be the other hot topic of this week - even the President of the United States of America (like Donald Trump). While Trump gears up to take on the Oval Office, in what many call a surprise victory, we be seeing a lot more of him than in The Apprentice. 

Celebrate MUSIC....The Elixir Of Life

But how did music come along? Let's hear about The Evolution of Music from Pentatonix.

I was born with music inside me. 

Music was one of my parts. 

Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. 

Like my blood. 

It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. 

It was a necessity for me - like food or water. 

- Ray Charles

Like Ray Charles, I too have been born with music inside me. I may not be famous, but music has this way of inspiring me. And I must say 'Thank You For The Music'

And I just can't keep it to myself... I just have to share it...

Over the past two years, I've been sharing this wonderful gift of music by leading the singing in Church every weekday morning. Having changed my work timings, I had to skip this music in my life. I'm back to my old timings now and back to praising God for the talents He has given me by sharing it with others - not just by singing but also by teaching. I'd Like to Teach The World To Sing.

I've taught my children to sing... and then even worked with choirs... I've also taught young music enthusiasts to play music on the keyboard and the guitar... 

And nowadays, thanks to the social media, I get to share a lot more music with anyone who's interested with daily posts on my Facebook and Twitter pages including Musical News, Trivia, Birthdays and more... If you're not yet a fan or follower, go ahead and connect now. 

On World Music Day today, I wish you all not just today... but everyday filled with music. Here's something to celebrate the difference that Music makes...

Name One Thing You Can't Live Without?

Take a minute to think...





I'm quite sure the answer will be unaminous...









Our CELLPHONE or MOBILE PHONE??






Well... today we remember the man who invented the earliest version of the phone. Who else... Alexander Graham Bell, born on this day (3rd March) in 1847.

As we celebrate this great inventor, I thought I'd share some songs about him and his invention...

Talking of Alexander Graham Bell, I recall a lazy Sunday afternoon back in 1987, when we sat watching TV and heard this song;

Graham Bell, Graham Bell,

You’re dead and its just as well;

But if you saw the phones in Goa.

You’d jump into the well.

The singer was a little known artiste from Goa (where else) performing at the Aid Bhopal' - a concert held to raise funds for the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy ('Live Aid' was held in 1985 in London and Philadelphia to support the victims of the Ethiopian famine). 

That song along with 'Pack That Smack' won recognition and accolades for Goan singer Remo Fernandez who made it to Indian and International fame and fortune.

While that's for the inventor, the invention has heard (or had) many many referrals throughout the ages, the most recent being Telephone by Lady Gaga and Payphone by Maroon 5 - both of which I have not posted here for reasons of taste.

The first song that I remember hearing though about the phone was by Swedish Group ABBA.

Much later in the 90s, I fell in love with this song by the jazz group Manhattan Transfer. One of the songs I particularly enjoyed, was titled 'Operator'.... Go ahead, listen, and CALL.