Tag: lyrics

Song Of The Day : DON DOKKEN – When Love Finds A Fool (1990)

Today I picked Don Dokken‘s “When Love Finds A Fool” to be my song of the day. These days I’ve been listening to Don‘s solo album “Up from the Ashes” (1990) quite often and I gotta say – out of all the breathtaking memorable rockers on that glorious release, no other song impressed me as much as “When Love Finds A Fool”. I am into power ballads, that’s well-known but it’s not the main reason why I am obsessed with this song. There’s just something so mesmerizing about Don‘s vocals and don’t you even get me started on the lyrics. They hold a personal significance for me so I guess that might be the biggest reason behind my strong connection with this song. Anyhow, don’t forget to play it and appreciate it! It’s a one of a kind power ballad, definitely in my list of Top20 rock ballads of all time!

P.S. Interesting fact,“When Love Finds A Fool” is the only track on the album that was co-written by Don Dokken and Glenn Hughes! No wonder I fell for it – I love those two with all my heart and soul!

“When Love Finds A Fool”

I could’ve told you
All these tears, what good to they do
All these years my life’s been living
It’s a shame you’ve not been giving

So tell me what to do
And I’ll be there for you, only for you

[CHORUS:]

When love finds a fool like me, it doesn’t see
When love finds a fool, baby, like me
I could’ve been the one

Sad empty faces look to my eyes
They seem to know me
I can take the rejection
All I need is your affection

I should’ve seen it coming
You should’ve said ‘goodbye’
I guess you were right

…

References:
“When Love Finds a Fool” Lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/dokken/whenlovefindsafool.html
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

The Story of White Lion’s “Wait” (1987)

The Album

white-lion-prideOne word (well, actually two) – Mike Tramp! He is one of the best and most memorable voices of hard rock, at least to me he is. Danish-born singer fronts White Lion – a charismatic and immensely talented rock band that made quite the splash in the late ‘80s. Take Mike Tramp and put him alongside guitarist Vito Bratta and you will get the heart and soul of White Lion! Their coming-out party took place in 1987 with a heart-stirring sophomore album, titled “Pride”. 1987 is such a special year in my book and this album is one of the reasons why. That simplistic white design of the cover artwork is unforgettable. What’s inside is even better, though.

Full of exciting hard rock staples, like “When the Children Cry”, “Tell Me”, “Hungry” and of course the song I will be talking about, “Wait”, along with other notable achievements like keeping a position on the Billboard Top 200 chart for a full year, “Pride” may as well be referred to as one of the crown jewels of the genre.  Mike Tramp and Vito Bratta were at their songwriting heydays and they should definitely take “Pride” in what they did…

mike-tramp-and-vito-bratta

The Song

  • Written by vocalist Mike Tramp and guitarist Vito Bratta, “Wait” became the first single of “Pride”. The initial impact wasn’t as big as expected – the song didn’t even chart. It wasn’t until 1988 when MTV secured a regular rotation for the music video that the track finally got what it deserved – a top 10 chart position in the States, along with international recognition as a bonus. Moreover, “Pride” settled at the way cozier #11 chart position. It took “Wait” about 7 months to get noticed from the general public but when it did, all hell broke loose!
  • The mid-tempo rocker conquered the hearts of millions of people all over the world with its sincere lyrics and gentle yet soul-grabbing riffs. Let’s give a round of applause for Mike who turned “Wait” into one monumental sonic experience.

The MV

  • The iconic music video features Christie Muhaw of the dance/electronic pop trio The Flirts. Unfortunately, less than a year after the music video turned this song into a sensation, Christie died at the age of 24.
    In addition to the scenes, featuring Christie and Mike, holding hands, walking around different places and her, running near a beach and posing for close-up shots, the MV follows a well-established formula, according to which a band performance in an empty room is absolutely mandatory.

The Lyrics

“Wait, wait
I never had a chance to love you…”

  • Sometimes in life, people leave out of the blue. All of a sudden, you are left alone, in a white room, with nothing but your love and adoration for that person, burning inside of you. You feel unfulfilled and desperate to get him/her back so that they can truly feel the strength of your love. This is what Mike Tramp is singing about. “So if you go away, I know that I will follow” …because when love is that big you can’t just “let that feelin’ walk out through the door”; you can’t just say goodbye! You have to fight at all costs! The lyrics are quite simple, yet meaningful. I wish more people would protect that pure feeling with all they have, instead of watching it slip away…
  • The death of Christie Muhaw made the lyrics of the song quite poignant.

 

“Wait” Lyrics

Wait just a moment before our love will die
Cause I must know the reason why we say goodbye
Wait just a moment and tell me why
’cause I can show you loving that you won’t deny

Wait and show your loving like it was before
Cause I won’t let that feeling walk out through the door
Yeah wait just a moment and try once more
Cause babe I need to hold you like I did before

So if you go away I know that I will follow
Cause there’s a place inside my heart that tells me
Hold out, hold out, hold out

Wait – wait
I never had a chance to love you
Wait – wait
If only our love could show you
Wait – wait
I never wanna be without you
Wait – wait
No I never had a chance to love you
Now I only wanna say I love you
One more time

[solo]

Wait – wait
I never had a chance to love you
Wait – wait
If only our love could show you
Wait – wait
I never wanna be without you
Wait – wait
No I never had a chance to love you
Now I only wanna say I love you
Wait…

References:
“Wait” Lyrics, retrieved from http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/whitelion/wait.html
“Wait Official Wikipedia Page” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wait_(White_Lion_song)
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

Inspirational Hard Rock Tunes For When Life is Tough

powerful-tunesI’ve never been that good of an inspirational talker to be honest. Life is one crazy mess, full of challenges and obstacles. Nothing is ever steady and things can turn around at any given second. What else is there to say? I don’t want to sound too pessimistic but it is what it is – people are dealing with struggles of every kind on a daily basis. Some of us are going through an emotional meltdown, others are heartbroken; some can’t fulfill their dreams and feel lost, others are dealing with depression – all that and way more!

I’ve always thought that when you feel like the whole world has unleashed its might on your fragile self, music is the only thing to help you stand up on your feet and give you that much needed strength to move on. I’ve always sought empowerment from my music and as I matter of fact, I’ve always found it in it! Every time, I’ve felt like I just can’t take it anymore, music has always been there, right next to me. Every time I wanted to just screw it all and give up on everyone and everything, music was there to remind me that I shouldn’t.

There is something quite powerful about the thought that someone somewhere, years ago, was able to create this beautiful piece of art I am listening to right now and that gives me comfort – it tells me that songs like these are the reason why this world is not such a bad place after all. Then, there’s also that “little” role lyrics and melody play when it comes to inspiration. Nothing…absolutely nothing in life can give me the same amount of confidence and extra push as I get from pounding guitar riffs and thunderous drums, decorated with well-written passionate words. I’m sure many other music enthusiasts out there are feeling the exact same way! There are many things people do when life is tough and giving up on it seems like the only option. My way is experiencing the pain through music. Enjoy these gorgeously-written encouraging tunes and I hope your day feels a little bit brighter!

Survivor – Eye of the Tiger (1982)

survivor-eye-of-the-tiger-rocky

Rising 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…

Triumph – Never Surrender (1983)

triumph-never-surrender

Never Surrender – keep your dreams alive
Never Surrender – hold your head up high…

Triumph – Magic Power (1981)

triumph-allied

I’m young, I’m wild and I’m free
Got the magic power of the music in me…

Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’ (1981)

journey-dont-stop-believin

Workin’ hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin’ anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Some will win
Some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues…

Don’t stop believin’
Hold on to that feelin’…

Van Halen – Dreams (1986)

51 50 VAN HALEN

World turns black and white
Pictures in an empty room
Your love starts fallin down
Better change your tune
Reach for the golden ring
Reach for the sky
Baby just spread your wings…

Foreigner – I’m Gonna Win (1981)

Foreigner - 4 Woman in Black

I was not born, to be a fighter
But now’s the time I have to learn
To keep my head, above the water
Gotta play with fire, but not get burned…

Fair Warning – Don’t Give Up (1995)

fair-warning-rainmaker

Don’t give up
Whatever may come
There still shines a light
Keep your dreams
When the walls come tumbling down
Just stand up and fight…

Tesla – Hang Tough (1989)

tesla

Sometimes love can make you blue.
A heartache made just for you.
But you can’t let it bring ya down.
If you should stumble, if you should fall,
Pick yourself up off the floor.
Fight for what’s right and stand your ground…

Ramones – Strength to Endure (1992)

ramones-mondo

Walking through the cross fire heart
Feeling heavy and hopeless.
Wonderin’ how I ever willsee
Through this darkness.
Every drop of blood can be
So beautiful
And I sure was bleedin’ the drops by
The bucketful…

Rainbow – Power (1982)

rainbow-straight

Everybody’s sayin’ that the times are gettin’ rough
You gotta stay loose baby and you gotta be tough… oh
I get knocked down… get right back up again
Cause I never give up and I never give in…

+ Bonus Tracks

Bon Jovi – It’s My Life'(2000)

bon-jovi-its-my-life

It’s my life
It’s now or never
I ain’t gonna live forever
I just want to live while I’m alive…

QUEEN – The Show Must Go On (1991)

queen-show-must-go-on

Whatever happens, I’ll leave it all to chance
Another heartache, another failed romance
On and on, does anybody know what we are living for?
I guess I’m learning, I must be warmer now
I’ll soon be turning, round the corner now
Outside the dawn is breaking
But inside in the dark I’m aching to be free…

P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

Song Of The Day : TREAT – LEARN TO FLY (1992)

Once again, 1992 doesn’t really disappoint when it comes to rock releases and awesome tunes! My song of the day comes from Swedish melodic rockers, Treat who I believe should’ve been way bigger than they actually were. Sweden spawned some great artists and Treat definitely fall under the category of the most underrated ones! Worthy albums like “Scratch and Bite” (1985) and  “Dreamhunter” (1987) can easily win the hearts of any rock/heavy metal fan out there. For today, however, I want to focus to their 1992 self-titled release and explicitly to one of the most moving and heartbreaking songs of all time (at least to me) – “Learn to Fly”. As a ballad enthusiast and obviously an absolute pain-seeking psycho, no wonder I always fall for the songs that make me depressed and overly-emotional. This one is a very special tune, because not only it carries a personal meaning to me, but is one of the most lyrically and melodically-rich ballads in the whole world (there’s an unpopular opinion). I wanted to share it with my readers because in case you haven’t heard it yet (or you forgot about it), it could almost certainly become your next favorite ballad… Imagine if this song came out in the ’80s? It would’ve killed every other song on its way. Hope you will find pleasure in “Learn to Fly” and the superb vocals of Mats Levén.

If not, just for those lyrics….

Lady’s gonna learn to fly now
gonna find the strength to try now
gonna wave the past goodbye now
gonna learn ’bout love

Learn to Fly Lyrics

You took it for granted
till it came undone
never thought you’d loose so much so young

The tears on your pillow
tell more than the tale
gotta get some wind beneath your sail

‘Cause in time you’ll see
it’s one more memory
once your heart breaks free

Lady’s gonna learn to fly now
gonna find the strength to try now
gonna wave the past goodbye now
gonna learn ’bout love

Lady’s gonna stop her cryin’
rise above the sigh she’s sighing
gonna find the life she’s hidin’
gonna learn ’bout love

So pick up the pieces
start over again
let out your feelings, don’t pretend

And don’t stop to wonder
’bout songs you ain’t sung
cause the best is yet to come

There’s no ghost to flee
no -one else to be
so let your dreams run free

‘Cause in time you’ll see
it’s one more memory
so let your dreams all run free

Learn to fly
Learn to fly
Learn to fly

References:
“Lear to Fly” Lyrics, retrieved from http://lyrics.wikia.com/wiki/Treat:Learn_To_Fly
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

 

 

The Story of DEF LEPPARD’s “Rock of Ages”

🔥Time to…. Rise up, gather round and rock this place to the ground!🔥

Def Leppard’s “Pyromania” – do I have to say more? It’s one of those groundbreaking hard rock albums which don’t really need an introduction or a bunch of fancy words, describing how awesome and influential it is. I will just say one thing, though – if I have to choose one album to be buried with, it’s going to be “Pyromania” (together with “Hysteria” most probably). Yes, it’s that special to me!

“Pyromania” defined Def Leppard’s career like no other album. Most importantly, it gave birth to a couple of smashing hit singles, including “Photograph”, “Too Late for Love”, “Foolin” and of course, the absolute fan-favorite, “Rock of Ages”. I could write books about each one of the songs on “Pyromania” because they are that valuable and worthy to me and to the history of hard rock in general. However, this time I would like to focus on “Rock of Ages”, mainly because of its significant presence in popular culture, which is a reason enough to know a little bit more about the background of the tune. Also, there are a couple of really interesting facts, surrounding the making of “Rock of Ages”,which some of you might not know. [My Rock Mixtapes] gives you the story of Def Leppard’s “Rock of Ages”.

  •  “Rock of Ages” was released as the second single from Def Leppard’s multi-platinum 1983 album “Pyromania”, following the highly successful debut album single, “Photograph”. The song became an instant hit, peaking at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and topping the Top Tracks rock chart.
  • “Rock of Ages” was written by Joe Elliott, Steve Clark, and producer Mutt Lange. The music was all set and done, however coming up with the lyrics turned out to be a challenge for the guys. Until of course, that faithful discovery of a bible, left behind in the studio by a bible study group. The book was open to the hymn “Rock of Ages”…the rest is history. Another example of how ideas and inspirations can come from all sides of the world, as long as we pay attention to the signs of the universe!

MV

  • The iconic music video of “Rock of Ages” was directed by David Mallet and shot at the end of 1982. Here’s what Joe Elliott had to say about it:

mtv“It was the ridiculousness of it, which is exactly what the video needed to be. (Director David Mallet) was like, ‘I want you to walk down this drawbridge holding this sword.’ It’s like, ‘Oh, f–k off. Don’t make me do that!’ Of course, like an idiot, I submitted to his blinked eyes, looking at me like some long-lost dog. David Mallet‘s got a great way of manipulating people like that. I was young and dumb and went ‘OK.’ I look at that now, and I think ‘What the hell was I thinking?'”

(MTV Ruled the World – The Early Years of Music Video)

  • The verses contain no guitars, focusing entirely on the strength of the vocals. However, that turned out to be a problem for the MV making. Here’s what Joe Elliott said about it:

“There’s a couple of shots where Phil  was clapping along on the verse – because there’s no guitars – and he’s standing directly behind me, so I look like I have these clapping antlers coming out of my head.”

“Pretty funny when you look back. The robe thing took about 30 seconds to film. You kind of forget about that,” said guitarist Phil Collen.

(MTV Ruled the World – The Early Years of Music Video)

  • An owl appears on the music video right when Joe says “all right”. Director David Mallet thought that it sounds like “owl right” so he decided to include the owl as a joke!

owlleppard

  • One of the most peculiar and heavily-discussed aspects of the song is the opening phrase. The German-sounding “Gunter Glieben Glauchen Globen”, said by producer Mutt Lange doesn’t really mean anything in particular. It’s a rather funny way of simply saying “1…2…3…4…!” For those of you who are familiar with Mutt’s obsession with achieving that perfect recording, it won’t come as a surprise to find out that at one point, he got actually pretty tired of counting “1…2…3…4…!” Instead, he decided to make things more entertaining and used this gibberish. The combination of “Gunter Glieben Glauchen Globen”, followed by the laughs of Joe Elliott and the famous line “All right, I’ve got something to say! It’s better to burn out, than to fade away”, has to be one of the most memorable openings of all time!

  • The instantly-recognizable slogan was re-used in 1989 for The Offspring’s Pretty Fly (For a White Guy).

  • bettertoAnother curious (lyrical) “Rock of Ages” moment is of course that empowering saying “It’s better to burn out, than to fade away” at the beginning. The lines are a reference to Neil Young‘s song “My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)”. According to some sources, however, Joe Elliott saw those lines on someone’s T-shirt and took them for the song, without actually knowing who they belong to.
  • The lines “It’s better to burn out, than to fade away” became even more important for the history of rock music when they appeared on Kurt Cobain’s suicide in 1994.
  • Def Leppard’s four-line version was used in the movie Highlander (1986) by the villain, the Kurgan.
  • “Rock of Ages” also appears on the Season 5 finale of the TV show Supernatural .
  • “Rock of Ages” is one of Def Leppard‘s most beloved live staples. It has been an inseparable part of their live shows, ever since its release.

1988 Live (Hysteria Tour)

2013 Live (Viva! Hysteria, The Hard Rock Hotel, Las, Vegas NV)

  • Similarly to Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock & Roll”, “Rock of Ages” is a powerful anthem, written to inspire and spread that fiery rock & roll spirit. Here is what Joe Elliot said about the connection between “Rock of Ages” and “I Love Rock & Roll” in an interview with Kaos 2000 magazine.

“We’d have never written ‘Rock Of Ages’ if we hadn’t have heard ‘I Love Rock And Roll’ by Joan Jett. But we didn’t steal her entire sound. We took that one song and thought, ‘This is very anthemic. We could get away with writing songs of this standard and style.’ And that’s what we did. It doesn’t particularly sound that much like her, the chorus a bit. The actual structure of the song is nothing alike.”
(Quote, retrieved from http://www.songfacts.com/)

  • A high-praised musical, titled “Rock of Ages” opened on Broadway in 2009. The show featured some of the biggest music hits of the ‘80s; however despite named after Def Leppard’s song, “Rock of Ages” doesn’t appear on it.

  • In 2012, the musical was turned into a movie, in which Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me” was performed by Tom Cruise.
  • In 2012, Def Leppard re-recorded the song with the title “Rock of Ages 2012”. It was released in the summer of 2012, along with a newly-recorded version of “Pour Some Sugar On Me”.

rock-of-ages-2012

  • “Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection” was released in 2005 and it featured some of the band’s most definitive classics.

the-definitive-collection

dl-433

 

“Rock of Ages” Lyrics

Gunter glieben glauchen globen

All right
I got something to say
Yeah, it’s better to burn out
Yeah, than fade away
All right
Ow Gonna start a fire
C’mon!
Rise up! gather round
Rock this place to the ground
Burn it up let’s go for broke
Watch the night go up in smoke

Rock on! Rock on!

Drive me crazier, no serenade
No fire brigade, just Pyromania

What do you want? What do you want?
I want rock’n’roll, yes I do
Long live rock’n’roll

Oh let’s go, let’s strike a light
We’re gonna blow like dynamite
I don’t care if it takes all night
Gonna set this town alight

What do you want? What do you want?
I want rock’n’roll, Allright!
Long live rock’n’roll

Rock of ages, rock of ages
Still rollin’, keep a-rollin’
Rock of ages, rock of ages
Still rollin’, rock’n’rollin’

We got the power, got the glory
Just say you need it and if you need it
Say yeah!

Heh heh heh heh
Now listen to me
I’m Burnin’, Burnin’, I got the fever
I know for sure, there ain’t no cure
So feel it, don’t fight it, go with the flow
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme one more for the road

What do you want? What do you want?
I want rock’n’roll, You betcha
Long live rock’n’roll

[Repeat Chorus]

We’re gonna burn this damn place down
Down to the ground

Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh

References:
“Rock of Ages” lyrics, retrieved from http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/defleppard/rockofages.html
“Rock of Ages” on SongFacts: http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1151
“Rock of Ages” Official Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_of_Ages_(Def_Leppard_song)

P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.

Cheers~

The Story of ALIAS’ “More Than Words Can Say”

Canadian glam rockers Alias debuted in 1990 with a self-titled AOR treasure album which in a blink of an eye turned into an absolute sensation, conquering chart after chart and breaking record after record. No one even saw it coming – out of the blue vocalist Freddy Curci and guitarist Steve DeMarchi (Sheriff), along with Roger Fisher, Steve Fossen, and Mike DeRosier (Heart) formed this impressive, though very short-lived supergroup and …well, the rest is history. “Alias” entered the musical battlefield, armed with top notch radio hit singles, like “Waiting for Love”, “Heroes” and “Haunted Heart”. However, the song that truly stood out and made history was the astonishing power ballad, titled “(I Need You Now) More Than Words Can Say”. Every power ballad discussion, mixtape or playlist should feature this tune. As a matter of fact that’s how I got introduced to Alias – through a power ballad compilation CD I got a couple of years back.

There are a number of reasons why I thought this song deserves to get the spotlight! [My Rock Mixtapes] gives you the story of Alias’ “More Than Words Can Say”.

  • alias-i-need-you-now“(I Need You Now) More Than Words Can Say” was released as the second single from their 1990 eponymous debut album. The title is also known as just “More Than Words Can Say” – the (I Need You Now) part was added merely for convenience and advertising purposes. It does look more colorful, poetic and lyric-like, doesn’t it? You can just sing through the title… Also since the phrase “I Need You Now” is repeated so many times in the chorus, the audience thought that was the actual name of the song. Naturally, to make it less confusing and more accessible, they changed the title.
  • The song bears a striking resemblance to Sheriff‘s number one hit “When I’m With You”. Unfortunately, the band didn’t live long enough to enjoy the gains of their single or to release a worthy follow-up while the momentum was still there. After the break-up, Freddy and Steve assembled a new supergroup and were more than ready to once again taste that sweet success. They didn’t wait that long…
  • “More Than Words Can Say”- the brainchild of vocalist Freddy Curci and guitarist Steve DeMarchi, turned into an instant hit, topping the charts in Alias’ homeland of Canada and peaking at #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It took the track just a couple of weeks to get from the Top100 to the Top3 – that’s quite the speed, wasn’t it? The sudden and unanticipated commercial success of the song, however, disappeared as quick as it came. Many people refer to Alias as “one-hit-wonders”, though I never actually liked that phrase, especially when there’s talent and hard work.
  • Freddy Curci – the lead singer and songwriter of Alias was presented with BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)’s “Million-airs Award” for “More Than Words Can Say”. To get а sense of what а million airs means, it’s basically equivalent to 50,000 broadcast hours, which is around 5.7 years of on-going airplay. That’s incredible, isn’t it? How many songs do you think reached such milestones? You’d be surprised – only around 1,500 out of the 4.5 million songs by 300,000 BMI represented artists got this recognition! That should tell you something about the big splash this song made in 1990. “More Than Words Can Say” was basically playing everywhere, all the time! For that acknowledgment itself, this song deserves to take its honorable place in the history of popular music as one of the top played songs on the air. Of course, that’s not the only reason why this song is so worthy and valuable. Musically speaking, the tune has a lot to offer – at least to power ballad enthusiasts like me.
  • The lyrics of “More Than Words” are simple, elegant and up to the point. Words are meaningless when we are faced with a great deal of pain over a loved one who left us. Thinking about that person, imagining that he/she is right there with you – you can’t describe that feeling, you just need that person back in your life or you feel like you might lose your mind. It’s a beautiful ballad to send to someone who you wish to get back with.

…and then there’s this gorgeous live performance

“More Than Words Can Say” Lyrics

Here I am at six o’clock in the morning
Still thinking about you
It’s still hard, at six o’clock in the morning
To sleep without you

And I know that it might
Seem too late for love
All I know

I need you now
More than words can say
I need you now
I’ve got to find a way
I need you now
Before I lose my mind
I need you now

Here I am, I’m looking out my window
I’m dreaming about you
Can’t let you go, at six o’clcok in the morning
I feel you beside me

And I know that it might
Seem too late for love
For love Oh, Oh, Oh

I need you now
More than words can say
I need you now
I’ve got to find a way
I need you now
Before I lose my mind
I need you now
More than words can say
I need you now
Oh I got to hear you say
I need you now
Before I lose my mind
I need you now
I need you now

References:
Lyrics, retrieved from www.lyricsfreak.com
“More than Words Can Say” Official Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_Than_Words_Can_Say
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

The Story of DOKKEN’s Breathtaking Ballad “Alone Again”

I guess there are a couple of tunes you could totally skip when you craft your “’80s power ballad playlist” but Dokken’s “Alone Again” should definitely not be one of them. In fact, when I talk about Dokken with other rock fans or introduce them to people who aren’t so familiar with their career and music catalog, the discussion always starts with “Alone Again”, the highest point of their 1984 sophomore album “Tooth and Nail”. I think it was because in general I am the type of person who always searches and falls for the power ballads, but it took “Alone Again” literally just a couple of seconds to become an instant favorite and a tune I simply can’t live without; there is just something so magical about that song, Don Dokken’s spellbinding vocals, astonishing melody transformations, jumping from gentle acoustic sounds to heavy electric tornadoes; and those lyrics that fill your heart with nothing but beautiful sorrow. It’s a gorgeous but heartbreaking rock tune and it’s my duty to remind you of it, give you another reason to play it just or introduce it to you for the first time.
[My Rock Mixgtapes] presents the story of Dokken’s “Alone Again”.

  • dokken-tooth-and-nailWritten by vocalist Don Dokken and bass guitarist Jeff Pilson, the power ballad “Alone Again” was released as a single from Dokken’s 1984 album “Tooth and Nail”. After a highly unsuccessful debut album, it was do or die for Dokken. The label barely agreed to give them a second chance but thank God they did, otherwise brilliant songs such as “Alone Again” would’ve remained on a paper, rotting somewhere under a pile of music notebooks.

  • Don Dokken wrote the song back in the 1970s, when he was barely 25 years old. Here’s what he recalls about the birth of “Alone Again” during an interview with the Sioux Falls, South Dakota radio station, KBAD 94.5 FM:

“I wrote it on a little 4-track recorder, put it on a cassette and it ended up in a box for, like, eight years. And the record company, on Tooth And Nail, our second album, they said ballads are the thing. Journey had a big hit with ‘Lights’ and Night Ranger… Everybody had ballads, and we didn’t have any ballads. So I dug out a bunch of times, and [I went], ‘What’s this? ‘Alone Again’ I don’t even remember it.’ So I listened to it, and Jeff Pilson, the [Dokken] bassist, listened to it, and he said, ‘That’s a cool chorus. Maybe we [can] revamp it.’ So we recorded ‘Alone Again.'”
(extract retrieved from http://www.blabbermouth.net)

  • Chart positions have never been a merit for the brilliance, quality or emotional impact of a song and the fact that “Alone Again” barely broke into a top 70 position on the Billboard charts, backs up my claim. Charting at #64 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #20 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart most certainly doesn’t make the song unworthy. On the contrary, I do believe that it’s one of the most beloved (though underappreciated) ‘80s power ballads of all time.
  • The lyrics of “Alone Again” have provoked the curiosity of many fans and music journalists and that’s not only in regards to the depressive, post-break up theme they carry. The sensual vocal delivery of Don Dokken truly makes us think whether there’s something more behind those mournful choruses. He was repeatedly questioned about the true story behind those touching words. Here’s what he says about it:

“This is a thing I wrote when I was very young, very naïve. Everybody says, ‘Who’d you write about?’ ‘I don’t know.’ ‘What was the girl’s name?’ ‘I don’t know.’ I must have been in love – it’s a very sad song – but I don’t remember who I wrote it about. I don’t know. It was just a song that came out, I always say, from here [points up above his head] – whatever that higher power is.”
(extract retrieved from http://www.blabbermouth.net)

  • Nothing obscure or overly-poetic about the lyrics; in fact the strength of those words is their simplicity, universalism and the way they are delivered to the public. Losing someone you love with all your heart can be one of the most traumatic and painful experiences of one’s life. You want to see this person “in the morning light” and feel him/her “when it comes to night” but for one reason or another you are all alone and can do nothing but feel sorry for yourself and let the tears “fall like rain”. Yes, for a couple of agonizing moments you will feel like you lost your way but this is life and unfortunately, we have to go through all that and hope that these terrible times will pass as soon as possible.

Alone Again Lyrics

I’d like to see you in the morning light
I like to feel you when it comes to night
Now I’m here and I’m all alone
Still I know how it feels, I’m alone again Tried so hard to make you see
But I couldn’t find the words
Now the tears, they fall like rain
I’m alone again without you
Alone again without you
Alone again without you I said stay, but you turned away
Tried to say that it was me
Now I’m here and I’ve lost my way
Still I know how it feels, I’m alone again

Tried so hard to make you see
But I couldn’t find the words
Now the tears, they fall like rain
I’m alone again without you

I tried so hard to make you see
But I couldn’t find the words
Now the tears, they fall like rain
I’m alone again without you

 

References:
Lyrics, retrieved from: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/dokken/aloneagain.html
Quotes and Extracts, retrieved from: “The Story Behind DOKKEN’s Most Famous Ballad ‘Alone Again”,  http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/the-story-behind-dokkens-most-famous-ballad-alone-again/#L9xtCYpi0LVSdxfS.99

P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

NEW VIDEO for KANSAS’ “Rhythm in the Spirit” (The Prelude Implicit)

It may have taken Kansas 16 years to come back to the music scene, but what’s important is that they did it! After the departure of Steve Walsh – a founding member, lead vocalist and keyboardist of Kansas, Ronnie Platt stepped in as their new frontman. The results came in late September 2016, when Kansas finally released the long-awaited comeback album, titled “The Prelude Implicit”. The elevating, colorful mixture of progressive and hard rock, along with the refreshing vocals of singer Ronnie Platt create the perfect rock experience. As a matter of fact, I recently placed “The Prelude Implicit” at #1 on my list of TOP 10 Rock Albums of 2016. Kansas‘s new musical journey was totally worth the wait!

Kansas celebrated their comeback with a tour, where fans were able to catch up with their newest release, as well as enjoy timeless classics from their hey days. The wonderful experience of performing on stage once again was captured in a very honest, quite charming music video for the song “Rhythm in the Spirit”. The exciting hard rocker most certainly deserves the spotlight it was given; so thank you Kansas for giving us a chance to  experience (though second-handedly) the magic of your live shows. Catch the new MV below and make sure you listen to the album in case you haven’t! I wonder which song will be the next to get a music video? I hope it is “Camouflage”.

Read My Full Album Review Here: Kansas – “The Prelude Implicit” Album Review

Rhythm in the Spirit Lyrics

Trying to find a change
Bad habits have a way
Of numbing all the pain
Inherent in what we see
And what we’ve come to know
We emulate the ones we want to be

Answers hard to find
With a mind that lives confined
Blind and unaware
Doesn’t mean it isn’t there

(Chorus)
If you can change your mind
And see what’s there to find
There’s rhythm in the spirit
A new light will arise
And let you recognize

Reaching to fill the glass
This one is number eight
Behaviour is innate
With all sensation gone
Not knowing to refuse
Be careful now,
There’s everything to lose

Answers hard to find
With a mind that lives confined
Blind and unaware
Doesn’t mean it isn’t there
But knowing what we know
There are better things to share

(Chorus)

Answers hard to find
With a mind that lives confined
Blind and unaware
Doesn’t mean it isn’t there
But knowing what we know
There are better things to share

(Chorus)

References:
Lyrics, retrieved from http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kansas/rhythminthespirit.html
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

The Story of DEEP PURPLE’s “Stormbringer”

First time I listened to Deep Purple’s “Stormbringer” was a life-changing moment for me. I may have been just a little girl but I knew well how to experience music and let it flow through my body and soul. After the first couple of times I played it, I knew two things: first, that male vocalist will occupy an important part of my life; second, this will be one of the tunes I will be seeking empowerment and strength from.

I don’t know a person who doesn’t love Deep Purple, even though fans’ preferences when it comes to line-ups are sometimes different. I love the classic Purple years, as well as their grandiose 80s comeback with “Perfect Strangers” but the Coverdale years, I believe, are always what I come back to. That’s why I wanted to give the spotlight to a beloved Deep Purple track of mine, performed by the magnificent David Coverdale. On top of all, he introduced the song to a whole new generation a couple of years ago on Whitesnake‘s 2015 “The Purple Album”. With all that in mind, I believe we have to acknowledge the significance of “Stormbringer” and most importantly, never forget to play it as loud as possible!

  • deep-purple-stormbringer“Stormbringer” is the opening track to Deep Purple’s 1974 album of the same name. It’s the second release, after “Burn” to feature David Coverdale as the lead vocalist of Deep Purple. The album failed to match the commercial excellence of the band’s previous releases, such as the iconic “Machine Head”, “Who Do We Think We Are!” and even “Burn”; however it did give birth to some outstanding classics. “Stormbringer”, “Soldier of Fortune” and “High Ball Shooter” are some of the tunes from the album that surely stood the test of time. Moreover, it will always be remembered as the album that brought the (temporal) departure of Ritchie Blackmore and the album with the perfect Coverdale/Hughes vocal collaboration.

  • Written by Ritchie Blackmore and David Coverdale, “Stormbringer” is a powerful heavy metal blast, showcasing the band’s love for hard solid rock&roll, soul and even funk music. The tune grabbed everyone’s attention with its peculiar lyrics and intriguing title, making it one of Deep Purple’s essential live acts during the ‘70s.

  • The title and theme of the song have always been subjected to questions and constant fan interest. The charismatic mysticism that surrounds “Stormbringer” has often been associated with Michael Moorcock who uses the same name to describe a magical sword, appearing on a couple of his fantasy novels. David Coverdale, however, denied any relation with Moorcock’s works or that he had any prior knowledge of his work, before writing the song.

“I wrote the lyrics about a mythical creature called Stormbringer who, in a surrealistic story, creates a lot of trouble. But I never even considered Michael Moorcock‘s work,” David Coveradle explained in a 1974 interview with New Musical Express.

  • At the beginning of “Stormbringer”, David Coverdale speaks some gibberish which always sounded quite spooky and devilish, at least to me. According to Glenn Hughes, this was in fact the “dialogue that Linda Blair’s character utters in the film The Exorcist when she is questioned by the priest.” [?]

  • “Stormbringer”’s hook line – “Ride the rainbow, Crack the sky” is supposedly where Ritchie Blackmore got the idea to name his next band “Rainbow”.
  • whitesnake-the-purple-albumIn 2015, Whitesnake released “The Purple Album”, consisting of interpretations of classic songs from Deep Purple band lineups Mark III and Mark IV – the time when David Coverdale was DP‘s frontman. Among the remakes were tunes such as “Burn”, “Soldier of Fortune”, “Might Just Take Your Life”, “Mistreated” and of course “Stormbringer”. This newer version of the 1974 gem was heavier, more intense and in my personal opinion, better than the original.

Whitesnake‘s version of “Stormbringer” (The Purple Album, 2015)

 

Stormbringer Lyrics

Comin’ out of nowhere
Drivin’ like rain
Stormbringer dance
On the thunder again
Dark cloud gathering
Breaking the day
No point running
‘Cause it’s coming your way

Ride the rainbow
Crack the sky
Stormbringer coming
Time to die
Got to keep running
Stormbringer coming
He’s got nothing you need
He’s gonna make you bleed

Rainbow shaker
On a stallion twister
Bareback rider
On the eye of the sky
Stormbringer coming down
Meaning to stay
Thunder and lightning
Heading your way

Ride the rainbow
Crack the sky
Stormbringer coming
Time to die
Got to keep running
Stormbringer coming
He’s got nothing you need
He’s gonna make you bleed

Coming out of nowhere
Drivin’ like a-rain
Stormbringer dance
On the thunder again
Dark cloud gathering
Breaking the day
No point running
‘Cause it’s coming your way

 

 

References:
Lyrics retrieved from http://www.azlyrics.com
DEEP PURPLE’s Stormbringer Turns 40 – “I’ve Never Embraced The Expression Heavy Metal Because All My Themes Are Emotional”, retrieved from http://bravewords.com/features/deep-purples-stormbringer-turns-40-ive-never-embraced-the-expression-heavy-metal-because-all-my-themes-are-emotional
“Stormbringer” (Album) Official Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stormbringer_(album)
“Stormbringer” SongFacts, retrieved from http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=14243
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

Song Of The Day : THE FIRM – Satisfaction Guaranteed (1985)

What happens when brilliant musicians like Paul Rodgers, Jimmy Page, Chris Slade and Tony Franklin get together? Pure magic – that’s what happens! In the mid-80s, hungry for new adventures, Page and Rodgers formed an exciting supergroup which despite its short life spawned some rockers of a lifetime! Second only to his collaboration with Coverdale, I think this project is my favorite work of Jimmy Page, after the classic Led Zeppelin years, of course.

Their self-titled debut album was brought to the world in 1985. Skilfully incorporating friendlier and more radio-ready sound to their bluesy and soulful musical approach, “The Firm” is a good example of a laidback, upbeat ‘80s record, worthy of checking out!

A song of theirs that left the greatest impression on me is “Satisfaction Guaranteed”. The slow-paced, light-hearted tune immediately captivated me with its rhythms. Not to mention Paul Rodgers who keeps on giving me the time of my life every time he starts singing. He sounds sexy, free and so natural on “Satisfaction Guaranteed”; his sweet voice can simply be the end of me, I swear. Jimmy Page is (of course) delivering quite the guitar performance!

Watch the classic MV below and enjoy the feelgood tune!

 

“Satisfaction Guaranteed” Lyrics

Mystery surrounds me, and I wonder where I’m going
There’s a cloud above me and it seems to hide the way
I’m going straight ahead, ’cause it’s the only way I know
I want to leave the past, and leave just for today

Now then tell me baby, do you need my love?
Tell me baby, are you thinking of me?
Tell me baby, what it is you need?
What kind of satisfaction guaranteed?

Sitting in the gutter with my head wrapped in my hands
I’ve been drinking all night, and I just can’t stand the pain
It took an awful lot of trouble just to make me understand
Now it’s clear to me, but will it ever be the same?

Now then tell me baby, do you need my love?
Tell me baby, are you thinking of me?
Tell me baby, what it is you need?
What kind of satisfaction guaranteed?

Now then tell me baby, do you need my love?
Tell me baby, are you thinking of me?
Tell me baby, what it is you need?
What kind of satisfaction guaranteed?

Head upon the highway, just as fast as I could go
I rode through the night, and halfway through the day
I had no direction I didn’t even want to know where I was going
The only thing I knew, was that I had to get away

Now then tell me baby, do you need my love?
Tell me baby, are you thinking of me?
Tell me baby, what it is you need?
What kind of satisfaction guaranteed?

Tell me baby, tell me baby, tell me baby, do you need my love?
Now that I’m here, yeah, do you need, do you need my love?

References:
Lyrics retrieved from http://www.metrolyrics.com/
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~