Passion For Muzik

Films to Watch Out for in 2009

2008-08-05T23:08:00.000-07:00

Source: PFC

Rendezvous with Rama

Director: David Fincher
*ing: Morgan Freeman

Rendezvous with Rama is a novel by Arthur C. Clarke published in 1972. Set in the 22nd century, the story involves a thirty-mile-long cylindrical alien starship that passes through Earth’s solar system.The story is told from the point of view of a group of human explorers, who intercept the ship in an attempt to unlock its
mysteries. Because all extant names for Roman and Greek gods have been used on other newly-discovered celestial objects at this point, the Hindu god Rama is invoked in naming the object.

Freeman says “It’s a very intellectual science fiction film, a very difficult book to translate cinematically. [At least] we have found it very difficult to translate, to get ready for film”.

About the problems he was having with studios, he says “These things, they always want to make it into an action film, You can’t do it with this. And we’ve been having trouble getting someone to see the science
aspect of this, the exploratory aspects of it, rather than the blood and guts and stuff”.

This should be an absolute treat to the fincher fans.

Shantaram

Dir: Mira Nair
*ing: Jhonny Depp

Fact file of Gregory David Roberts after he escapes from Australia and enters India.

FROM 1982 to 1991
* Six months in remote Maharashtrian village, learn to speak Marathi language
* Live in Bombay slum, establish and operate free clinic for slum dwellers
* Imprisoned in India for 4 months
* Recruited by Bombay mafia, training in currency crime, gold smuggling, passports
* Gunrunning operation to unit of mujaheddin fighters in Afghanistan
* Wounded in action, evacuated to Pakistan, recover and return to Bombay
* Appointed controller mafia forgery unit, write short stories, published in popular series
* Passport smuggler to Nigeria, Zaire, Iraq, Iran, Mauritius, SriLanka
* Establish casting agency for foreign extras in Bollywood movies, act in movies
* Arrive in Germany, work as singer, establish rock band, receive recording contract
* Manhunt by European police, escape custody in Italy & Switzerland,escape to India
* Act in Bollywood movies & TV dramas, establish travel agency in Bombay
* Passport smuggling to Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Nigeria, Zaire,Mauritius, etc.
* Break with Bombay mafia council, freelance drug smuggling missions to Europe
*Captured Frankfurt, 1990, imprisoned in Preungesheim prison with terrorists, 1990-91
* Extradited to Australia, end 1991

If you wont make a movie on him, then who else?

Inglorious Bastards

Dir: Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino has supposedly worked on this script for almost a decade , a decade …ok,this must be something special.

And the reviews for the script that are coming out are encouraging:
“If you took the bad guy swagger of RESOVOIR DOGS, the uber coolness and structure of PULP FICTION, throw in the revenge angle of KILL BILL, set it in World War II – you get INGLORIOUS BASTERDS.”

The plot goes as something like this:

A band of US soldiers facing death by firing squad for their misdeeds are given a chance to save themselves - by heading into the perilous no-man’s lands of Nazi-occupied France on a suicide mission for the Allies.
The lead character is named Lieutenant Aldo Raine .Raine leads a blood thirsty squadron of soldiers called the “Bastards” for a final mission that involves ruining Nazi party plans to premiere a propaganda film in Paris.

InterStellar

Dir: Steven Spielberg

Inter stellar is a science fiction movie directed by Steven Spielberg (and screenplay by Jonathan Nolan) based on Kip Thorne’s theories of gravity fields, wormholes and several hypotheses. This movie is basically about “a group of explorers who travel through a worm hole and into another dimension”.

Kip Stephen Thorne is an American theoretical physicist, known for his prolific contributions in gravitation physics and astrophysics. Kip Thorne is one most of the top most theoretical physicist of the second
half of the 20th century along with Richard Feynman and Stephen Hawking.

Wiki explains worm hole as a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that is basically a ’shortcut’ through space and time. A wormhole has at least two mouths which are connected to a single throat or tube. If the wormhole is traversable, matter can ‘travel’ from one mouth to the other by passing through the throat. While there is no observational evidence for wormholes, spacetimes-containing wormholes are known to be valid solutions in general relativity.

Che

Dir: Steven Sodenberg
*ing: Benicio del Toro

Steven Sodenberg has been one of my fav. Directors. Always loved his movies be it Sex,Lies and videotape, Erin Brockovich, Traffic or Oceans Eleven.

His next release is a movie about Ernesto Che Guevara. Che is a two-part(Guerilla and the Argentine), four-and-a-half-hour bio-pic on one of the 20th century’s greatest revolutionary figures.

Steven Sodenberg has himself said that this can be considered as a part of the trilogy , the first being The Motorcycle Diaries directed by Walter Salles.

Benicio del Toro( a superb actor) won the best actor award at cannes this year for the portrayal as Che .
Any movie on such a controversial figure is something to look forward to.

Tree Of Life

Dir: Terrence Mallick
*ing: Sean Penn, Brad Pitt

He made only 4 movies in his life – Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line and The New World.
All of them except the last are a classic, especially The Thin Red Line.

I was blown away by The Thin Red Line and it is easily one of the best war movies I have seen.
His last movie the new world might not have lived up to the expectations but the cinematography and music was outstanding.

He is back with his latest offering called Tree of Life . Imdb says explains the plot as : In a mystical world of folklore, several individuals embrace in a race to find the Tree of Life, said to give immortality, fertility, and other supernatural powers.

Other movies that are interesting are The fighter by Darren Aronofsky, Burn after reading by the Coen brothers , The curious case of Benjamin Button by Fincher again and The human factor - a biopic on Nelson
Mandela by Clint Eastwood.

Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na -- Mp3, Lyrics, Videos

2008-07-07T04:13:00.000-07:00

Music: A.R.Rahman
Lyrics: Abbas Tyrewala

1. Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi

Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi Me Yun Hi Koi Apna Lagta Hai
Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Woh Bichad Jaaye Toh Ek Sapna Lagta Hai

Aise Me Koi Kaise Apne Aansuon Ko Behnay Se Roke
Aur Kaise Koi Sochle Ki Everything'S Gonna Be Okay

Kabhi Kabhi Toh Lage Zindagi Me Rahi Na Khushi Aur Na Maza
Kabhi Kabhi Toh Lage Har Din Mushkil Aur Har Pal Ek Saza

Aise Me Koi Kaise Muskuraaye, Kaise Has De Khush Hoke
Aur Kaise Koi Sochle Ki Everything'S Gonna Be Okay

Soch Zara Jan-E-Jaan Tujh Ko Hum Kitna Chahte Hain
Rotay Hain Hum Bhi Agar Tere Aankhon Me Aansun Aate Hain

Gaana Toh Aata Nahi Hai Magar Phir Bhi Hum Gaate Hain
Hey Aditi Maan Kabhi--Kabhi Saare Jahan Me Andhera Hota Hai

Lekin Raat Ke Baad Hi Toh Savera Hota Hai

Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi Me Yun Hi Koi Apna Lagta Hai
Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Woh Bichar Jaye Toh Ek Sapna Lagta Hai

Hey Aditi Has De Has De Has De Has De Has De Has De Tu Zara
Nahi Toh Bas Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Muskura

Tu Khush Hai Toh Lage Kay Jahan Main Chaiyi Hai Khushi
Sooraj Nikle Baadalon Se Aur Bantay Zindagi

Sun Toh Zara Madhosh Hawa--Tujhse Kehne Lagi
Ki Aditi Woh Jo Bichadte Hain Ik Na Ik Din Phir Mil Jate

Yeh Aditi Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na Phool Phir Khil Jate Hain
Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi Me Yun Hi Koi Apna Lagta Hai

Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Who Bichad Jaye Toh Ek Sapna Lagta Hai
Hey Aditi Has De Has De Has De Has De Has De Has De Tu Zara -- 5X

Nahi Toh Bas Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Muskura -- 5X

2. Nazrein Milana Nazrein Churana

Dil Kabhi Gandha, Kabhi Hai Nek Bandha
Dil Ka Bharosa Kaise Koi Karen
Dil Kabhi Tanda Kabhi Hai Atom Bomb Sa
Yeh Dhamaka Kaise Koi Sahe

Dil Ki Yahin Khatha Hai, Dil Ko Nahin Patha Hai
Dil Ki Yahin Khatha Hai, Dil Ko Nahin Patha Hai

Ki Woh Chaahtha Hai Kya
Nazrein Milana, Nazrein Chua Na,
Kahi Pe Nigaahen, Kahi Pe Nishaana
Nazrein Milana, Nazrein Chua Na,
Kahi Pe Nigaahen, Kahi Pe Nishaana

Niyyath To Dil Ki Hamesha Hi Sahi Thi
Dil Ka Iradha Bhi Samjo Nek Tha
Kudrath Awaara To Kya Kare Bechaara
Uska Ho Jaaye Dil Jisko Dekhtha

Din Mein To Woh Sathaayein,
Raathon Mein Gul Jagaayein
Din Mein To Woh Sathaayein,
Raathon Mein Gul Jagaayein
Are Chaahtha Hai Kya

Nazrein Milana, Nazrein Chua Na,
Kahi Pe Nigaahen, Kahi Pe Nishaana
Nazrein Milana, Nazrein Chua Na,
Kahi Pe Nigaahen, Kahi Pe Nishaana

Aankhon Mein Koi Hai Basa Jaane Kyun Lage Yeh Dil Khaali
Jaan Lo Yeh Dil Bajaa Raha Kyun Ek Haath Se Taali
Hoton Se Jaane Kya Kaha Phir Bhi Dil Ki Baathein Hai Dil Mein
Yeh Raha Tera Humsafar Kis Ko Doonde Dil Ke Mehfhil Mein
Jaan Hai Phasi Ke Bina Hasin Aaye Hal Dil Pe

Nazrein Milana, Nazrein Chua Na, Kahi Pe Nigaahen, Kahi Pe Nishaana
Nazrein Milana, Nazrein Chua Na, Kahi Pe Nigaahen, Kahi Pe Nishaana

3. Tu Bole Mein Boloon

Tu Bole Glass Adha Khaali,
Mein Boloon Adha Bhara

Mein Boloon Kithna Saara,
Tu Bole Zara Zara

Mein Boloon Din Hai To,
Tu Bole Raath Nahin

Baath To Wahin Hai Na,
Bas Wahin Baath Nahin

Baath To Hai Bas Yahin Hai,
Meri Baath Hai Bas

Jaane Tu Jaane Tu Yeh Jaane Na
Maane Tu Maane Tu Yeh Maane Na

Jaane Tu Jaane Tu Yeh Jaane Na
Maane Tu Maane Tu Yeh Maane Na

Tu Soche Yeh Zindagi Yeh Na Badlegi Kabhi
Mein Sochoon Sab Badaltha Hai, Yeh Na Badle Kabhi
Mein Socho Sirf Tu, Mera Koi Aur Nahin
Tu Soche Mein Hoon Tera, Bas Tera Koi Aur Nahin
Koi Aur Ho Ya Na Ho, Tu Hai Bas Mein Hoon

Jaane Tu Jaane Tu Yeh Jaane Na
Maane Tu Maane Tu Yeh Maane Na

Jaane Tu Jaane Tu Yeh Jaane Na
Maane Tu Maane Tu Yeh Maane Na

4. Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hai

Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hai, Jaane Tu Mera Kya Tha
Tu Hi Mera Har Pal, Tu Hi Har Lamha Tha
Jaane Kaisi Kashish Hai, Jaane Kaisi Khalish Hai
Kyun Yeh Saans Thami Hai, Aankhon Mein Kyun Nami Hai
Hai Dosthi Humko Yakeen Tha, Hai Yeh Dosti Aur Kuch Bhi Nahin Tha
Hai Kaisa Dard Naya Sa Kyun Dil Lagtha Toota Toota Sa
Jaana Dil Jaana Kaise To Meine Na Jaana
Yeh Pyar Yahin Hai, Yeh Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Jaana Dil Jaana Kaise To Meine Na Jaana
Yeh Pyar Yahin Hai, Yeh Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na

Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hai, Jaane Tu Mera Kya Tha
Tu Hi Mera Har Pal, Tu Hi Har Lamha Tha

Oooo Hothi Thi Tujh Se Saka Har Din Ki
Teri Dopehar Se Shyam Ki Dhun Thi
Hothi Thi Raathein Teri Baathon Mein Khoye
Tere Khayalon Mein Jaage Aur Soye
Tu Jo Nahin To Kya Raha

Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hai, Jaane Tu Mera Kya Tha
Tu Hi Mera Har Pal, Tu Hi Har Lamha Tha
Jaane Kaisi Kashish Hai, Jaane Kaisi Khalish Hai
Kyun Yeh Saans Thami Hai, Aankhon Mein Kyun Nami Hai
Jaana Dil Jaana Kaise To Meine Na Jaana
Yeh Pyar Yahin Hai, Yeh Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Jaana Dil Jaana Kaise To Meine Na Jaana
Yeh Pyar Yahin Hai, Yeh Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na

Mithya

2008-02-12T16:13:00.000-08:00

Source: PassionForCinema

1. Mithya – Myth Buster? If only Half-Way

In one of his introductions to the film, Rajat Kapoor discussed his inspiration behind Mithya: his film was a take on the mythological story on how Vishnu lets Narad muni change his identity into a common householder and the latter starts believing in it. The experience was to teach him (and us) the difference between illusion and reality.

In Mithya, an out of work actor VK (Ranvir Shorey) is offered to play the role of a real life Mumbai gangster with a promise of one crore rupees as remuneration. The proposition coming from mobsters, VK can’t refuse the offer. Their plan is to bump off the dangerous don Raje Bhai (Ranvir Shorey) and VK to take his place. In the course of the film, VK ends up believing he actually is the don and head of Raje Bhai’s extended family, only to be hit hard by reality.

Kapoor’s story idea had great potential. In fusing the ol’ Indian philosophy as its theme with the most celebrated elements on Indian screen – Bollywood and Underworld – as its context, Kapoor surely had a winner in his hands. Although the film at its basic story is original and made with taste, there are notable problems with the screenplay and its execution.

If the idea was to explore the mithya (lie or illusion) of the glitter of bollywood and underworld, the screenplay fails to bring it out and create the narrative strength it needs. The half-comic first part, where the actor VK unwittingly gets dragged into the rivalry of two gangs, goes well with some credible work put in by the actors. However, there is a certain lack of movement in the narrative once VK gets into the Don’s den. But the real problem comes with the narrative twist when the actor loses his memory and starts believing he is actually the Don. This twist just fails to click.

The character of the Don, Raje Bhai is never analyzed. Except for one short video, one doesn’t see him much. So when VK prepares to play Raje Bhai, he is mostly working on his muscles or his moustache and perhaps a certain tone of voice. One is not surprised he loses confidence within days of entering Raje’s household. This lack of characterization also means that one doesn’t see the dramatic change in VK’s behaviour once he loses his original identity. For dramatic purposes and also for the irony of the situation to work, it was imperative that the audience see the contrast between the earlier VK and the new one. This failure of irony (of the actor now living the part he was supposed to play) also affects the unfolding tragedy of his being discovered.

And it certainly doesn’t help that the protagonist dies. After all, the whole idea of illusion versus reality was to be played through his conscience. It is then aesthetically and narratively jarring to see the protagonist die and the director take over to show what happened to other characters.

It is curious that Rajat Kapoor does not discuss his original idea in his more recent interviews and instead calls his film ‘an ode to the old Hollywood gangster films – like Little Caesar and Scarface.’ Now if one were to see Mithya as a gangster film it would do the film even less credit. Rajat could have been referring to the Hollywood classics in matters of story and setting (in fact, Mithya has a greater semblance, if only in passing, with the Indian film, ‘Don’, directed by Chandra Barot), but situating his film in the above category – threatens to completely take away its original & novel conception.

Ranvir Shorey does well as the half-comic struggling actor but falls short of creating the pathos necessary for the tragic end. Neha Dhupia has more screen time than spoken lines, which is just as well. As mentioned earlier the supporting cast does a great job (notably, Vinay Pathak and Naseeruddin Shah). The dialogues are not extraordinary but serve the purpose and are occasionally funny. More work was needed if they were to carry the black humour that Rajat seems to be attempting in many of the scenes. Some of the locations used in the film work well in creating the realistic framework.

Mithya is not a bad film, but knowing the director, it could have been better.
- Padmaja Thakore

2. Mithya: A Quasi Tragic Thriller

“Mithya” is the one that appears to be Sat (the existent – the past, present, and future) at first sight, but is really Asat (the non-existent). Yeh main nahin keh raha hoon; yeh Bhagvad Gita main likha hain.

“Mithya” is the third offering of Rajat Kapoor whose previous ventures were the unconventional, but laudable “Raghu Romeo” and “Mixed Doubles”. Here he teams up with Saurabh Shukla for the Screenplay.

There have been plenty of Hindi movies which have been focusing on the heady rise and fall of Dons, their lives, their molls, their pet peeves and their eccentricities. But there have been very few movies that have been focusing on the fate of small fry who are used as pawns by the kingpins. Mithya is one movie that attempts to weave a story around one such pawn.

The movie traces the life of VK (Ranvir Shorey), a wannabe actor, who struggles even to get a decent role as an extra. He goes through the grind by begging for work on a daily basis, sucking up role coordinators, bargaining with the friendly wine shop owner and losing temper in midst of all this. But he’s never disheartened and is always full of hope that his talent will be noticed someday and he’ll gain fame. As fate would have it, he does get noticed finally. Only it’s not a producer who notices, but it’s a gang that’s headed by Shetty (Saurabh Shukla) and Gawde (Naseruddin Shah). Instead of gaining fame, his life turns upside down forever and ever after that.

The first half has its share of gags and laughs which range from witty to hilarious. The presence of cronies Ram (Vinay Pathak) and Sham only elevates the hilarious situation that VK finds himself in. The story is built up very nicely and the ending of the first half does leave you gasping for more. The second half of the film in contrast is more somber and a tad serious. As VK’s life seems to spiral more and more out of control you can’t help but feel sorry for the sad situation that he unwittingly and unknowingly finds himself in.

The movie’s hero without any doubt is definitely the screenplay of the movie. The narrative’s pretty smooth and there’s hardly any loose end in the entire movie. The screenplay has quite a few twists that you won’t be able predict but none of the twists seems to be convoluted or forced. The editing and cinematography is top-notch. The movie is quite well paced and picks up pace big time in the second half. The background music is above par and does a wonderful job in setting up
the mood of the scenes. Some of the music strangely reminded me of Requiem for a Dream. Co-incidentally even in that movie the protagonists find themselves in a situation which has no outlet what so ever.

Ranvir Shorey as VK turns up with a first class performance as a struggling actor who effortlessly spews out “To Be or Not To Be” in Hindi. The role seemed to be tailor made for him and he does full justice to the character. He carries the film in his shoulders quite well. Hope to see him in more lead roles. Neha Dhupia as his love interest does a decent job. Naseruddin Shah, Vinay Pathak, Saurabh Shukla, Harsh Chaya – all turn up in important character roles and deliver commendable performances.

The director Rajat Kapoor does a fine job in expounding a tad intricate screenplay which has been co-authored by him. The scale and canvass of this movie is much larger than his earlier movies but he pulls it off quite well. All the actors admirably support him to make the movie all the more believable. The movie is replete with his quirky sense of humour which ensures that there’s hardly any dull moment in the narrative. A special mention must be made of Planman Motion Pictures who have produced the movie. Here’s wishing that more such movies will come out of their stable. (NB: Please don’t give us more “Rok Sako Toh Rok Loh”)

A must watch movie for its unconventional treatment; the casting of proper actors in all the roles; and above all watch it for finally seeing a movie that does not succumb to the so called market-diktats.
- Sudhir Nair, Mumbai

Room 999

2008-02-12T12:06:00.000-08:00

Source: PassionForCinema

How does arthouse or independent film relate to growing commercialism?

Interviews:

Check this out: http://www.room999.nl/index.php

Partho Sen Gupta -- "I don't make products I make films!"

Backgrounds:

We've invited filmprofessionals from around the world to answer this question in our contemporary, but nonetheless equally urgent, spin off: Room 999.

Nowadays, cinema has a central position as a source of imagery, supplying our encompassing audiovisual culture. Still, as an artform, cinema is under fierce pressure. Development of thought and language has been narrowed down to elite arthouse cinema, which has troubles in reaching it's audience. The loss which Wenders was fearing, has appeared to be the alienation between cinema and the public.

PAf (Pressure group Arthouse film) strives to keep the debate alive about the positioning of filmart in our society. Not because we don't have a clue, but rather to sharpen our ideas, and to get them known. Our films contain these ideas too, but they need to be backed up by a contemporary discussion. Room666 was dominated by a postmodern frenzy, but it's central concern seems actual as never before.

Interviews
We've invited a selection of international directors, producers, distributors and sales agents - all IFFR guests - to reflect on our central thesis: How does arthouse or independent film relate to growing commercialism? Cinema is an expensive artform and every fim is a challenge to finance. We ask ourselves if pure artfilm is possible to maintain itself in these circumstances. Isn't a director forced to bend to the wishes of financers, funds, televisionstations, private parties, or the bigger audience? What we call arthouse today seems to be subjected to market mechanisms. It seems that artistic freedom is only reserved to the few big directors like Almodovar, Ozon, von Trier and Wong Kar Wai - and still just possible with the coöperation of celebrities, respectively Penelope Cruz, Catherine Deneuve, Nicole Kidman and Norah Jones.

Others wil have to submit to smaller budgets and the consequential lesser public appeal.

We've asked a reaction to the following statements:

Arthouse cinema nowadays is subject to market-mechanisms.

The director's artistic freedom is a fairytale.

A film involves many financing partners. This limits the director's artistic freedom.

What do you choose: an author's signature, or box office success?

Room999 is intended as a survey. After the IFFR 2008 we will research our material and publish our learnings in Dutch national filmmagazine De Filmkrant

Taare Zameen Par

2007-12-24T16:31:00.000-08:00

One of the best bollywood movies made ever... A must watch for anybody who is passionate about cinema.

Give Me The Freedom To Choose

2007-12-24T06:21:00.000-08:00

It's pretty sad to see nasty feedback and reviews about the movie - No Smoking. It's not surprising though... Indian audience (in general) has never really been willing to understand such movies... and they will never be... I hope there are a few who understand the masterpiece Anurag Kashyap has created... Anurag Kashyap has been one of my favourite actors since I saw him first at Prithvi Theatre performing in a play "Sir Sir Sarla". I started liking him as a director and writer when I watched Black Friday and I like him even more after watching "No Smoking". He continues to make something different and meaningful unlike most others in the industry.

So what is No Smoking about? Is it about quitting smoking?

Read what Anurag Kashyap writes about it (http://passionforcinema.com/i-smoked-classic-milds/) :

"...Yes it is an arrogant film..it is a film about arrogance.. of two kinds..why i made it , the way i made it, the reasons i have never discussed it before.. it is (like thani said) my most personal movie.. i am K.. K’s arrogance is the obvious arrogance, that everyone sees everyday.. he smokes..he breathes nicotine.. he says no one tells me what to do.. i breathe cinema.. and forever everyone has been telling me not to make the kind of cinema i do.. NO SMOKING is a tale of an arrogant man and another who is much more arrogant, who lives in his world, where he controls everything and he thinks he is morally superior to anyexisting Homo sapiens, he is the kind of man who thrives on minorities and underpriveleged, he worships the dictatorian attitude and all he wants from you is to lose your soul and convert….it,s a tale about an arrogant man’s descent into morality.. and the architecture of the moral world is so absurd that it sometimes beats reality.. what happens in the film is a parallel to what happens in the real world..

...baba bengali is like that man, who has already deciced what kind of cinema should be made and should exist.. the film is about my struggle against the system to have the freedom to (smoke)make films..

GIVE ME THE LIBERTY TO KNOW , TO UTTER , TO ARGUE FREELY ACCORDING TO MY CONSCIENCE ABOVE ALL LIBERTIES

since i do not have the liberty, and i get banned everytime i am directly stating my opinions(we started shooting much before Black friday got the clearence), one has to wage a guerilla war.. no smoking is my guerrilla war.. and in the end the man loses to the system and the only way he can survive is after having lost his soul(freedom).. everyone expects a good versus evil film, where good wins over evil, where the end sums it up, and all is well at the end.. well it doesn’t happen here.. here K doesn’t want to, but never comes to know how and when he gave in to the system, but accepts it and starts to do what his own people did to him,,why? in order to survive.. why his treatment becomes an incomprehensible nightmare, because it does in real life, i am the living proof..this film is just the treatment the powerful(baba Bangali) puts K(the man whose allusions are of greatness, seemingly invincible) through to bring him over to his side and manages.. there is nothing more.. i have seen the industry’s waking conscience when FANAA got banned in gujrat, and reading hrithik roshan’s democratic rights speech in midday the next mornig,, never saw none of that solidarity when my two films got banned..
Have had my film scripts stolen from right under me by the most powerful, respected and supposedly just people and did not see anyone even whispering it..and yes i am arrogant, because i work very hard to put my neck and my sense of security and my goodwill on line.. i do not scratch anyones back.. i criticise those who will always get the oppurtunity to trash me like they have this time.. i live on my own terms in this spineless world and that makes me arrogant, and i would rather have a good review when people like my film than by being on good terms with them..
in the end i do not want to explain no smoking anyfurther and would say i prefer it over Black Friday and i love every bit of it and i still hope it finds it’s audience and makes money for my producer who trusted me to make this film."

Siddharth Pillai writes:

"...Superficially the movie may seem to be a shocking depiction of addiction and withdrawal that follows a common template for a horror flick, but deep down it ponders on the very philosophical issue that concerned ‘A Clockwork Orange.’ What is the notion of a ‘human being’? When K places his palm on the touch-screen at the Prayogshala the data arrives as ‘Species: Homo Sapiens’. The soul is disregarded. The nightmare of K is not one of addiction but of social dystopia. The Holocaust is invoked and Baba Bengali is shown in photograph sharing space with Hitler. Bengali’s appellation of ‘Shri Shri’ and the paranoid fervor with his inmates later spread his word are all an indictment of a system that runs on herd mentality. Baba’s methodology for curing addiction is a bloodlust driven by fanaticism. There is little to distinguish between him and a religious fundamentalist. It is like Kurt Vonnegut wrote in Mother Night- ‘True evil is hating someone and believing that God in on your side.’ Director Kashyap cheekily but furiously lashes out these extremist systems which require one and all to conform, submit and reject absolutely anything that is beyond...

...He strives for the right to choose, for human endeavor and he does it in style."

Another review:

"...Wow, finally there is someone out there who tests the audience and at the same time explores the subconscious mind so beautifully that I felt I was dreaming, because that’s how dreams are and that’s what No Smoking is, the nightmare of a chain smoker.

Well, all the people who said it was absurd and hopeless have you ever got a dream in which you thought you were dreaming?

I can’t stop appreciating the guy who made it; for that matter any one can’t stop doing that once they get the point. Because it’s his proper understanding of the subconscious mind and applying that on an impulsive smoker combining this with a cool, slick look and a terrific sound track he delivers No Smoking. Kudos to you Anurag Kashyap.After listening to my fellow audience’s frustrated comments during some parts of the movie I thought of that musician’s character in Atlas Shrugged. What was his name?

And yes this aint an only bouquets to you thing hold this brick too Anurag. Why was the Natural Born Killer’s sitcom parody brought in? That seemed a little out of place. But the Schindler’s List’s gas chamber scene on TV and the mass bathing scene was subtle. Especially the frame when K looks up.

I don’t know what reviewers see in a film when they write a review. Seems like there is a greater urgency in delivering their product. Unfortunately these kinds of things give the audience a wrong idea.

In one line No Smoking is David Fincher and David Lynch having a hell of a party with Anurag Kashyap in desi style."

All I can say as an audience -- I want more of such movies. I'm tired of sentimental crap like -- "It's all about loving your parents..."

Jab Bhi Cigarette

2007-11-22T23:58:00.000-08:00

Lyrics: Gulzar
Singer: Adnan Sami
Music: Vishal Bharadwaj

Hey I Waana Tell You About This Thing
This Stick Of Cigarette, Yeah
Phir Talab, Talab, Hai Talab, Talab
Besabab, Besabab Phir Talab, Talab
Shaam Hone Lagi Hai, Shaam Hone Lagi
Laal Hone Lagi Hai, Laal Hone Lagi

Jab Bhi Cigarette Jalati Hain, Main Jalata Hoon
Aag Pe Paanv Padata Hai, Kambakht Dhuyein Mein Jalta Hoon
Jab Bhi Cigarette Jalati Hain, Main Jalata Hoon

Phir Kisine Jalaayi Ek Diyaasalaayi - 2
Aasmaan Jal Utha Hai, Shaam Ne Raakh Udaayi
Ufalein Jaisa Sulgata Hoon, Kambakht Dhuyein Mein Jalta Hoon

Lambe Dhaage Dhuyein Ke- 2, Saans Silne Lage Hai
Pyaas Udhadi Huyi Hain, Honth Chhilane Lage Hai
Shaam Hone Lagi Hai, Shaam Hone Lagi
Laal Hone Lagi Hai, Laal Hone Lagi

Kadwa Jo Dhuaan Woh Nigalata Hoon, Kambakht Dhuyein Mein Jalta Hoon
Jab Bhi Cigarette Jalati Hain, Main Jalata Hoon
Aag Pe Paanv Padata Hai, Kambakht Dhuyein Mein Jalta Hoon
Jab Bhi Cigarette Jalati Hain, Main Jalata Hoon

Phoonk De

2007-11-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Lyrics: Gulzar
Singer: Sukhwinder Singh
Music: Vishal Bharadwaj

Peele Peele Se Jungle Mein Behta Dhuaan - 2

(Ghoont Ghoont Jal Raha Hoon, Pii Raha Hoon Pattiyaan
Aankhein Hai Dhuaan Dhuaan, Num Hai Saari Battiyaan) - 2
Aaspaas Kuchh Nahi, Ji Udaas Hai Jara
Dard Sabj Hai Abhi, Mujhko Raas Hai Jara
Toh Phoonk De Re, Phoonk De, Phoonk De.... Re
Phoonk, Phoonk, Phoonk De Re, Phoonk De Re Phoonk..........
Hayaat Phoonk De, Hawaas Phoonk De
Ke Saans Se Sila Huva Libaas Phoonk De
Phoonk, Phoonk, Phoonk De Re, Phoonk De Re Phoonk..........

Sar Chadhi Hai Khumaari, Aur Jamin Dolati Hai
Bejubaan Daastaan Yeh, Raatbhar Bolati Hain
Lab Pe Jal Rahi Hain, Woh Baat Phook De
???? Raakh Phoonk De
Phoonk De Yeh Raakh Phoonk, Phoonk De Yeh Raakh Phoonk
Phoonk De Woh Baat Phoonk, Phoonk De
Phoonk, Phoonk, Phoonk De Re, Phoonk De Re Phoonk..........

Jab Nasha Tutataa Hai, Kitne Tukade Gire ????
Hosh Chunane Lage Hum, Hum Bhi Kya Sar Phire Hain
Lab Pe Jal Rahi Hain, Woh Baat Phook De
???? Raakh Phoonk De
Phoonk De Yeh Raakh Phoonk, Phoonk De Yeh Raakh Phoonk
Phoonk De Woh Baat Phoonk, Phoonk De
Phoonk, Phoonk, Phoonk De Re, Phoonk De Re Phoonk..........
Hayaat Phoonk De, Hawaas Phoonk De
Ke Saans Se Sila Huva Libaas Phoonk De
Phoonk, Phoonk, Phoonk De Re, Phoonk De Re Phoonk..........
Hayaat Phoonk De (Phoonk, Phoonk, Phoonk De Re)
Hawaas Phoonk De (Phoonk, Phoonk, Phoonk De Re)
Ke Saans Se Sila Huva Libaas Phoonk De - 3
Phoonk, Phoonk, Phoonk De Re, Phoonk De Re Phoonk..........

Kash Laga

2007-11-21T23:57:00.000-08:00

Lyrics: Gulzar
Singer: Sukhwinder Singh, Daler Mehndi, Vishal Bharadwaj
Music: Vishal Bharadwaj

Kash Laga, Kash Laga, Kash Laga, Kash Laga.........
Kash Laga, Kash Laga, Kash Laga - 2

Jindagi Ai Kash Laga - 2
Hasraton Ki Raakh Uda

Yeh Jahaan Paani Hai, Bulbula Hai, Paani Hai
Bulbulon Pe Rukna Kya, Paaniyon Pe Behta Ja, Behta Ja

Kash Laga, Kash Laga, Kash Laga.............
Jalati Hai Tanhaayiyaan, Tapi Hain Raat Raat Jaag Jaag Ke

Udati Hain Chingaariyaan, Guchchhe Hain Laal Laal Geeli Aankh Ke
Khilati Hai Jaise Jalte Jugnoo ??? Mein

Aankhein Lagi Ho Jaise Ufalon Ki Dheriyon Mein
Do Din Ka Aag Hai Yeh, Saare Jahaan Ka Dhunaan

Do Din Ki Jindagi Mein, Dono Jahaaan Ka ???
Yeh Jahaan Paani Hai, Bulbula Hai, Paani Hai

Bulbulon Pe Rukna Kya, Paaniyon Pe Behta Ja, Behta Ja
Kash Laga, Kash Laga, Kash Laga.............

Chhodi Huyi Bastiyaan, Jaata Hoon Baar Baar Ghum Ghumke
Milte Nahi Woh Nishaan, Chhode The Dehleej Chum Chumke

Jo Paaye ??? Jaayenge, Jungle Ki ??? Hain
Hathgadiyon Pe Milna Do Din Ki Yaariyaan Hain

Kya Jaane Kaun Jaaye, ???? Aaye
Hum Bhi Kataar Mein Hain, Jab Bhi Sawaari Aaye

Yeh Jahaan Paani Hai, Bulbula Hai Paani Hai
Bulbulon Pe Rukna Kya, Paaniyon Pe Behta Ja, Behta Ja

Kash Laga, Kash Laga, Kash Laga.............
Jindagi Ai Kash Laga - 2

Hasraton Ki Raakh Uda
Yeh Jahaan Paani Hai, Bulbula Hai, Paani Hai

Bulbulon Pe Rukna Kya, Paaniyon Pe Behta Ja, Behta Ja
Kash Laga, Kash Laga, Kash Laga.............

Ash Tray

2007-11-21T23:48:00.000-08:00

Lyrics: Gulzar
Singer: Deva Sen Gupta
Music: Vishal Bharadwaj

Bahut Se Aadhe Bujhe Huye Din Pade Hain Is Mein
Bahut Si Aadhi Jali Huyi Raatein Gir Padi Hain

Bahut Se Aadhe Bujhe Huye Din Pade Hain Is Mein
Bahut Si Aadhi Jali Huyi Raatein Gir Padi Hain
Yeh Ash Tray Bharati Ja Rahi Hai - 2

Ke Surkh Tukade Hai Kuchh Talab? Ke
Sulag Rahe Hain, Sulag Rahe Hain
Yeh Ash Tray Bharati Ja Rahi Hai

Dhunaan Lipatataa Hai Dhunaan
Dhunaan, Dhunaan, Dhunaan, Dhunaan......
Dhunaan Lipatataa Hai Baajigar Ki Tarah Hawa Se - 2
??? Pe Balkhaake Uth Raha Hai, Uth Raha Hai, Uth Raha Hai
Tamaam Kartab Dikha Raha Hai, Dikha Raha Hai, Dikha Raha Hai
Yeh Ash Tray Bharati Ja Rahi Hai

Bahut Se Aadhe Bujhe Huye Din Pade Hain Is Mein
Bahut Si Aadhi Jali Huyi Raatein Gir Padi Hain
Na Haath Daalo, Na Haath Daalo
Ki (Waqt Se Chhile Huye Lamho Ki Raakh Garm Hain - 2)
Ungaliyaan Jalengi, Yeh Ash Tray Poori Bhar Gayi Hai

1 Year In Singapore

2007-01-05T23:33:00.000-08:00

Wow, time has flown. Exactly one year ago today, I landed in Singapore. Since then a lot has happened; I've changed / grown personally and professionally. I still remember those few days in december 2005 when I was really confused and wasn't sure whether I was going to end up here or not. As I look back on the year, I feel I made the right choice. Here are a few experiences, events and unique things (in no particular order) that defines my journey in last one year:

Working on a project called "Day 2". I am proud to have been a part of the wonderful team. They say - "This was a dream. It took a tremendous amount of teamwork and trust in each other to make this dream a reality". This indeed was a dream for me especially because this was the first project of this kind in my professional career. Long, long hours put in were enjoyed thoroughly. Apart from work, a few other memories associated with this project are -
- Crazy team parties after each milestone
- Taking out an hour or two in the evenings, whenever possible, to visit Beach Hut (for a local band Hearts) and Boat/Clark Quay
- Watching Cricket, 2006 FIFA world cup, EPL & Champions League matches while working in the evenings
- Eating out in a 24 hr open prata place Al-Jilani early in the mornings
- Listening to "Himesh Reshamiya" songs with friends
This pretty much sums up my first 7 months in Singapore.

Rocking out with my friends and "The UnXpected" week after week after week in Wala Wala, Timbre & Muddy Murphy's - like there's no tomorrow. I have lived my passion with them and I feel much closer to the music today.

Learning Salsa in Two-Left-Feet dance school. This was so much fun. I have stopped it though for unknown reasons.

Breaking promises for salsa again and again - unknowingly

Messing up my finances really bad

Missing a flight and an important meeting. Missing another flight and a critical meeting - a weekafter

Forgetting a friend's camcorder, that had many memories associated, in a cab and not being able to find it inspite of chasing comfort immediately. Forgetting again - a friend's life in cab this time and being lucky to find it.

Watching "Under Pressure" and "Bohemian Rhaphsody" video from the Queen - Live at Wembley Stadium DVD innumerous number of times with friends

Discovering Dream Theater, Rush, Electric Light Orchestra and many others while continuing to be learn more about John Lennon and The Beatles.

Resuming guitaring after a break of 3 years and stopping again. No excuses.

Skipping lunches and dinners. My friends say - "I don't eat".

Drinking Cafe Latte from Food Barn almost every single working day between 8AM & 10 AM

Here are a few dates I will remember:

5th Jan 2006 - First day in Singapore

21st Apr 2006 - The Beach Hut party with project team

22nd Jun 2006 - First visit to Wala Wala 1st floor with a friend - one day before a project party, discovering The UnXpected

28th Jul 2006 - Had to return back from the Esplanade without being able to watch the Newfound Jealousy concert, because of bad planning.

4th Aug 2006 - "Day2" go-live

21st Sep 2006 - First visit to Wala Wala with the newly married friends

7th Oct 2006 - Celebration of John Lennon's birthday in Wala Wala with The UnXpected. Video shooting the experience.

28th Oct 2006 - In school dress - Salsa graduation party and rocking evening with The UnXpected

9th Nov 2006 - Malmsteen concert in Fort Caning Park. Being able to reach next to the guitar god

24th Nov 2006 - Party that shook me and my friends

28th Nov 2006 - Lunchbox concert in Esplanade concert hall. Watching The UnXpected on big stage - in a concert hall for the first time.

14th Dec 2006 - Recording starts for Shirlyn's first album

31th Dec 2006 - NYE with friends @Timbre

I realize I have come a long way. I am fortunate I got a chance to know so many wonderful people and to make some really good friends. I have a lot to be proud of and to be thankful for.

Theoritically, I am on an assignment in Singapore and travelling but I know I am not.

When I leave home in the morning for work, I reach another home. I am proud to be working with people who are wonderful human beings in addition to being outstanding in what they do.

I feel home rocking out in the evening after work. It's wonderful being able to see a few talented and passionate people living their passion every minute.

Singapore feels like home.

I feel priviledged.

Jakarta

2007-01-02T21:23:00.000-08:00

So... My 2007 started with a travel. Before I could recover from the heavy duty NYE rockgiri @Timbre, I found myself in Jakarta. Somehow managed to take out an hour yesterday to visit Hard Rock Cafe.

HRC Cafe Jakarta's theme is primarily The Beatles :). The main entrance has following lines from the song "Don't Stop Me Now" written by Freddie Mercury - "Tonight Im gonna have myself a real good time I feel alive and the world turning inside out yeah!". There was a local band that responded to my request and played their rendition of Imagine (John Lennon) in indonesian accent. Quite funny but sung from the heart :) I LOVED it. Other 2 songs I could relate to were - No Woman No Cry (Bob Marley) & Sweet Home Alabama (Lynrd Skynyrd). They were a 8-piece band with 4 vocalists (1 male & 3 females). It was basically a good experience.

The client meeting today went quite well - much better than I expected. I better get going now in search of a good live rock music place. Have heard a lot about Jakarta's music scene from a friend of mine who is not reachable currently. I'll try to explore it myself...

Fantastic Music Machine

2006-12-31T15:40:00.000-08:00

Beatles Biggest Secrets!

2006-12-31T14:06:00.000-08:00

Tune into Star World now to watch the program (duration 90 mins).

Afreen Afreen (آفریں آفریں)

2006-12-29T22:34:00.000-08:00

Sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, one of the greatest musical talents of Pakistan & Asia. Written by Javed Akhtar, one of the greatest Lyricist of India. Lisa Ray looks mind bogglingly gorgeous in the video too!!! The video was shot in Rajasthan, the place where I belong to :)

Lyrics:

Husn-e-jaana ki tareef mumkin nahi
Afreen afreen
Afreen afreen
Tu bhi dekhe agar to kahe hum-nashi
Afreen afreen
Afreen afreen

Aisaa dekha nahi khubsoorat koi
Jism jaise Ajanta ki murat koi
Jism jaise nigahon pe jadoo koi
Jism nagma koi, jism khusboo koi
Jism jaise machalti hui raagini
Jism jaise mehakti hui chandni
Jism jaise hai khilta hua ek chaman
Jism jaise hai suraj ki pehli kiran
Jism tarsha hua, dilkash-o-dilnashi
Sandali sandali
Makhmali makhmali

Afreen afreen
Afreen afreen

Aankhen dekhi to main dekhta reh gaya
Jaam do aur dono hi do aatisha
Aankhen ya maikade ke do baab hain
Aankhen unko kahoon, ya kahoon khwaab hai
Aankhen neechi hui to hayaa ban gayi
Aankhen oonchi hui to dua ban gayi
Aankhen uth kar jukhi to adaa ban gayi
Aankhen jhuk kar uthi to fazaa ban gayi
Aankhen jin mein hain qaid aasmaan-o-zamin
Nargisi nargisi
Surmayi surmayi

NYE @Timbre

2006-12-26T18:22:00.000-08:00

Get ready to be a part of the most rocking New Years Eve party in Singapore :) "The UnXpected" & Timmy will be performing @ Timbre from 9pm until 3am. Click here for more details.

Comfortably Numb

2006-12-25T18:55:00.000-08:00

One of my all time favorite songs...

Songfacts:

This was the last song Waters and Gilmour wrote together.

According to Rolling Stone the lyrics came from Roger Waters' experience when he was injected with tranquilizers for hepatitis by a doctor prior to playing a Pink Floyd show in Philadelphia. "That was the longest two hours of my life," Waters said. "Trying to do a show when you can hardly lift your arm." The experience gave him the idea which became this song.

This song tells a part of the story of Pink, "The Wall" album's protagonist. Pink, feeling completely isolated from society, cannot stand the pressures of life as a rock star and collapses in his hotel room before leaving for his concert. A doctor is sent into the room and gives Pink an injection that gives him the energy he needs to perform. The lyrics are written as a conversation, with Waters voicing the doctor and Gilmour voicing Pink.

This song features two guitar solos by David Gilmour, and is a particular favourite with Pink Floyd fans. The final solo (outro, coda, or fade out), is widely revered by fans and air-guitarists worldwide as one of Gilmour's best, and is an archetypal rock guitar solo.

When they played this on The Wall tour, a 35 foot wall was erected between the band and the audience as part of the show. As the wall went up, Gilmour was raised above it on a hydraulic lift to perform the guitar solo. It was his favorite part of the show.

Lyrics:

Hello.
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone home?

Come on, now.
I hear youre feeling down.
Well I can ease your pain,
Get you on your feet again.

Relax.
I need some information first.
Just the basic facts:
Can you show me where it hurts?

There is no pain, you are receding.
A distant ships smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I cant hear what youre sayin.
When I was a child I had a fever.
My hands felt just like two balloons.
Now I got that feeling once again.
I cant explain, you would not understand.
This is not how I am.
I have become comfortably numb.

Ok.
Just a little pinprick. [ping]
Therell be no more --aaaaaahhhhh!
But you may feel a little sick.

Can you stand up?
I do believe its working. good.
Thatll keep you going for the show.
Come on its time to go.

There is no pain, you are receding.
A distant ships smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I cant hear what youre sayin.
When I was a child I caught a fleeting glimpse,
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone.
I cannot put my finger on it now.
The child is grown, the dream is gone.
I have become comfortably numb.

Elvis - Suspicious Minds

2006-12-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

We're caught in a trap
I can't walk out
Because I love you too much baby

Why can't you see
What you're doing to me
When you don't believe a word I say?

We can't go on together
With suspicious minds
And we can't build our dreams
On suspicious minds

So, if an old friend I know
Drops by to say hello
Would I still see suspicion in your eyes?

Here we go again
Asking where I've been
You can't see these tears are real
I'm crying

We can't go on together
With suspicious minds
And be can't build our dreams
On suspicious minds

Oh let our love survive
Or dry the tears from your eyes
Let's don't let a good thing die

When honey, you know
I've never lied to you
Mmm yeah, yeah

The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time

2006-12-21T18:10:00.000-08:00

Source: Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time

With 23 songs on the list, The Beatles are the most represented musical act. They are followed by The Rolling Stones (14 entries); Bob Dylan, who also topped the list with "Like a Rolling Stone", (12 entries); Elvis Presley (11 entries); The Beach Boys and Jimi Hendrix (seven entries each); and Chuck Berry, U2, James Brown, Prince, Led Zeppelin, and Sly & The Family Stone (six entries each).

1. Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan

2. Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones

3. Imagine, John Lennon

4. What's Going On, Marvin Gaye

5. Respect, Aretha Franklin

6. Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys

7. Johnny B. Goode, Chuck Berry

8. Hey Jude, The Beatles

9. Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana

10. What'd I Say, Ray Charles

11. My Generation, The Who

12. A Change Is Gonna Come, Sam Cooke

13. Yesterday, The Beatles

14. Blowin' in the Wind, Bob Dylan

15. London Calling, The Clash

16. I Want to Hold Your Hand, The Beatles

17. Purple Haze, Jimi Hendrix

18. Maybellene, Chuck Berry

19. Hound Dog, Elvis Presley

20. Let It Be, The Beatles

21. Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen

22. Be My Baby, The Ronettes

23. In My Life, The Beatles

24. People Get Ready, The Impressions

25. God Only Knows, The Beach Boys

26. A Day in the Life, The Beatles

27. Layla, Derek and the Dominos

28. (Sittin on) the Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding

29. Help!, The Beatles

30. I Walk the Line, Johnny Cash

31. Stairway To Heaven, Led Zeppelin

32. Sympathy for the Devil, The Rolling Stones

33. River Deep - Mountain High, Ike and Tina Turner

34. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', The Righteous Brothers

35. Light My Fire, The Doors

36. One, U2

37. No Woman, No Cry, Bob Marley and the Wailers

38. Gimme Shelter, The Rolling Stones

39. That'll Be the Day, Buddy Holly and the Crickets

40. Dancing in the Street, Martha and the Vandellas

41. The Weight, The Band

42. Waterloo Sunset, The Kinks

43. Tutti-Frutti, Little Richard

44. Georgia on My Mind, Ray Charles

45. Heartbreak Hotel, Elvis Presley

46. Heroes, David Bowie

47. Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon and Garfunkel

48. All Along the Watchtower, Jimi Hendrix

49. Hotel California, The Eagles

50. The Tracks of My Tears, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

51. The Message, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

52. When Doves Cry, Prince

53. Anarchy in the U.K., The Sex Pistols

54. When a Man Loves a Woman, Percy Sledge

55. Louie Louie, The Kingsmen

56. Long Tall Sally, Little Richard

57. Whiter Shade of Pale, Procol Harum

58. Billie Jean, Michael Jackson

59. The Times They Are A-Changin', Bob Dylan

60. Let's Stay Together, Al Green

61. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On, Jerry Lee Lewis

62. Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley

63. For What It's Worth, Buffalo Springfield

64. She Loves You, The Beatles

65. Sunshine of Your Love, Cream

66. Redemption Song, Bob Marley and the Wailers

67. Jailhouse Rock, Elvis Presley

68. Tangled Up in Blue, Bob Dylan

69. Crying, Roy Orbison

70. Walk On By, Dionne Warwick

71. California Girls, The Beach Boys

72. Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, James Brown

73. Summertime Blues, Eddie Cochran

74. Superstition, Stevie Wonder

75. Whole Lotta Love, Led Zeppelin

76. Strawberry Fields Forever,The Beatles

77. Mystery Train, Elvis Presley

78. I Got You (I Feel Good), James Brown

79. Mr. Tambourine Man, The Byrds

80. I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Marvin Gaye

81. Blueberry Hill, Fats Domino

82. You Really Got Me, The Kinks

83. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown), The Beatles

84. Every Breath You Take, The Police

85. Crazy, Patsy Cline

86. Thunder Road, Bruce Springsteen

87. Ring of Fire, Johnny Cash

88. My Girl, The Temptations

89. California Dreamin', The Mamas and The Papas

90. In the Still of the Nite, The Five Satins

91. Suspicious Minds, Elvis Presley

92. Blitzkrieg Bop, Ramones

93. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, U2

94. Good Golly, Miss Molly, Little Richard

95. Blue Suede Shoes, Carl Perkins

96. Great Balls of Fire, Jerry Lee Lewis

97. Roll Over Beethoven, Chuck Berry

98. Love and Happiness, Al Green

99. Fortunate Son, Creedence Clearwater Revival

100. You Can't Always Get What You Want, The Rolling Stones

Maand - Kesariya Balam

2006-12-19T23:43:00.000-08:00

Maand is a classical style of folk music centered on the romantic life style of Rajasthan's rulers, and Maand Raag recreates the old world charm and graceful dances of the desert.

Another Rocking Week With The UnXpected

2006-12-18T04:59:00.000-08:00

It all began on thursday during lunch at a malay food joint near Avago Yishun Plant.

HL : Zaile, Do you have any plans for today evening?
Zaile : No.
HL : Let's check out Peninsula Plaza then Wala
RJ : Yay! We will show you the best band in town - 'The UnXpected'. You know - they play Dream Theater & Rush. And ofcourse my all time favorites The Beatles :)
Zaile : Allrite! Wala it is then...

HL & RJ accompany Zaile to Peninsula Plaza.

Zaile : Alamak! This is musician's paradise.
HL : Yay! This is heaven.

Zaile quickly picks one small lead guitar for his son from Davis Guitar Shop who refused to give any discount. Never mind. The price was quite reasonable.

HL, Zaile & RJ reach Wala right on time to grab the most wanted table :) Victor plays acoustic before The UnXpected start their gig @9:45pm.

Victor: Thanks for the cheeky smile :) You know - just now during the break bartenders were telling - Look at them sitting in the first row with a guitar. They look quite powerful with the guitar, isn't it?
RJ : Mine is a kid guitar. cannot be powerful
Victor : Allrite guitar god! Wait Shirlyn suan you

As usual, it was an amazing gig by The UnXpected packed with varities of songs - from babies-making-ones to not-so-babies-making-ones. Zaile was a full time musician (lead guitarist) until he got married and started doing what he does today. Apparently, Rene has played with Zaile's band members in Penang. Brandon also knows Zaile's drummer which reinforces - it's a small world :) Zaile was quite impressed with the band and will hopefully plan to have future project meetings in Singapore rather than asking RJ to come to Penang :)

Vineet, another friend of RJ finally decides to visit Singapore. After a hectic day, Vineet & RJ manage to reach Wala on saturday night just in time to grab a not-so-far-from-the-most-wanted table.

Brandon : Where is HL?
RJ : Umm, I think he is meeting a few friends for dinner

RJ sends SMS to HL to check what time is he reaching wala

HL replies : I'm still with the girls. C u later @ wala's

As expected, HL couldn't turn up and was missed. 2nd set by The UnXpected on saturday was probably one of the most enjoyable and rocking sets so far. In addition to The UnXpected playing expectedly great, the crowd was very responsive too. A few songs that were played in 2nd set - The Beatles Medley (From Me To You, Ticket To Ride, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Help!), Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love, Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water, Queen - Under Pressure. Vineet very well understood what RJ had been trying to explain for long, after watching The UnXpected live.

Sunday evening at around 2pm RJ calls HL.

RJ : So... What's the plan?
HL : But you saw them yesterday only.
RJ : As if we ever counted :) And Vineet is also going back tonight so it will be good if he can see them again. So?
HL : Suuuuure! ha ha

We don't get to see Joan (Violin, Keyboard) & Colin (Bass Guitar) in Wala so it's always good to visit Muddy Murphy's on Sunday evenings at 4:30pm. Danny (from the ublues group) also jams here often with The UnXpected. I will let pictures do the talking now.

Closer To The Heart

2006-12-14T15:36:00.000-08:00

And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones to start
To mould a new reality
Closer to the heart

The blacksmith and the artist
Reflect it in their art
Forge their creativity
Closer to the heart

Philosophers and ploughmen
Each must know his part
To sow a new mentality
Closer to the heart

You can be the captain
I will draw the chart
Sailing into destiny
Closer to the heart

Metropolis

2006-12-14T15:14:00.000-08:00

The smile of dawn
Arrived in early May
She carried a gift from her
home
The night shed a tear
To tell her of fear
And of sorrow and pain
She'll never outgrow

Death is the first dance, eternal

There's no more freedom
The both of you will be
confined to this mind

I was told theres a miracle for each day that I try
I was told theres a new love thats born for each one that has died
I was told thered be no one to call on when I feel alone and afraid
I was told if you dream of the next world
Youll find yourself swimming in a lake of fire

As a child, I thought I could live without pain without sorrow
But as a man Ive found its all caught up with me
Im asleep yet Im so afraid

Somewhere like a scene from a memory
Theres a picture worth a thousand words
Eluding stares from faces before me
It hides away and will never be heard of again

Deceit is the second without end

The citys cold blood teaches us to survive
Just keep my heart in your eyes and well stay alive

The third arrives...

Before the leaves have fallen
Before we lock the doors
There must be a third and last dance
This one will last forever
Metropolis watches and thoughtfully smiles
Shes taken you to your home

It can only take place
When the struggle between our children has ended
Now the miracle and the sleeper know that the third is love

Love is the dance of eternity

The End

2006-12-09T00:12:00.000-08:00

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
Ill never look into your eyes...again

Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free
Desperately in need...of some...strangers hand
In a...desperate land

Lost in a roman...wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane
All the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah

Theres danger on the edge of town
Ride the kings highway, baby
Weird scenes inside the gold mine
Ride the highway west, baby

Ride the snake, ride the snake
To the lake, the ancient lake, baby
The snake is long, seven miles
Ride the snake...hes old, and his skin is cold

The west is the best
The west is the best
Get here, and well do the rest

The blue bus is callin us
The blue bus is callin us
Driver, where you taken us

The killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on
He took a face from the ancient gallery
And he walked on down the hall
He went into the room where his sister lived, and...then he
Paid a visit to his brother, and then he
He walked on down the hall, and
And he came to a door...and he looked inside
Father, yes son, I want to kill you
Mother...i want to...

Cmon baby, take a chance with us
Cmon baby, take a chance with us
Cmon baby, take a chance with us
And meet me at the back of the blue bus
Doin a blue rock
On a blue bus
Doin a blue rock
Cmon, yeah

Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

It hurts to set you free
But you'll never follow me
The end of laughter and soft lies
The end of nights we tried to die

This is the end

When The Music's Over

2006-12-07T12:22:00.000-08:00

Yeah, c'mon

When the music's over
When the music's over, yeah
When the music's over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights, yeah

When the music's over
When the music's over
When the music's over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights

For the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end
Until the end
Until the end

Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection
Send my credentials to the House of Detention
I got some friends inside

The face in the mirror won't stop
The girl in the window won't drop
A feast of friends
"Alive!" she cried
Waitin' for me
Outside!

Before I sink
Into the big sleep
I want to hear
I want to hear
The scream of the butterfly

Come back, baby
Back into my arm
We're gettin' tired of hangin' around
Waitin' around with our heads to the ground

I hear a very gentle sound
Very near yet very far
Very soft, yeah, very clear
Come today, come today

What have they done to the earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn
And tied her with fences and dragged her down

I hear a very gentle sound
With your ear down to the ground
We want the world and we want it...
We want the world and we want it...
Now
Now?
Now!

Persian night, babe
See the light, babe
Save us!
Jesus!
Save us!

So when the music's over
When the music's over, yeah
When the music's over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights

Well the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end
Until the end
Until the end!

Parikrama - But It Rained!

2006-12-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

One of the best rock songs composed by an Indian band ever. I remember college days when I used to listen to this song back to back day and night... This is still one of my all time favorites. Click here to know more about Parikrama.

Lyrics

Wrapped in a polythene tucked away safe in my mind
A little goodbye maybe or just a passing smile

The birds fly away to the southern sky searching a home
A bunch of paper flowers or a little boy left all alone
Can somebody hear me I'm screaming from so far away
Morning who will calm you now, the evening is eclipsed again

Well does life get any better
More yesterday than today
How I thought the sun would shine tomorrow
But it rained . . .

They justified the cause for which Daddy might give up his life
It's been so long, so long a time, still I miss Daddy at night
The ache is long gone but the never keeps staring along
The waters in the seas are high
and all the sand castles have drowned

Well does life get any better
More yesterday than today
How I thought the sun would shine tomorrow
But it rained . . .

George Benson In Singapore

2006-12-03T11:34:00.000-08:00

Date : 06th December 2006
Venue : Esplanade Concert Hall
Time : 7:30pm
Duration: Approx 75 mins

For more details, click here.

In My Life

2006-12-01T19:59:00.000-08:00

Report Card

2006-12-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

Eric Clapton – Live In Singapore!

2006-12-01T03:21:00.000-08:00

Date : 13th January 2007
Venue : Singapore Indoor Stadium
Time : 8.00pm
Duration : Approx 2 hrs (Inclusive of Interval)

Boo hoo...

For more details, click here.

Blues Night @Timbre

2006-11-30T19:35:00.000-08:00

Free entry, amazing ambience, yummy pizzas, superb muzik and a great crowd. The blues night on November 25th at the Timbre was a night to remember.

The Line-Up

Steve White - Acoustic One Man Band

Ublues (Danny Loong, Francis Chan & Gary Tan)

Kelvin "Smokey" Ng

A few other jammers

Steve White demonstrated what a man can possibly do single handedly. He sang, played acoustic guitar & harmonica, and tapped feet on his custom made floor box.

It was truly an experience to watch him live.

This is what people say about him:

“...Even the songs he hasn't written himself become his when he plays them. His style is expressive and highly percussive. Listen to Steve. Here is what you get: His guitar in a low tuning of his own invention, he plays a bass line while alternating a slap-string right hand style with rhythmic accents on the off-beats, playing the guitar-top like a drum. With a slide on his pinky, a wailing blues harmonica on a rack in front of his mouth filling the breaks between raspy-voiced verses, and his clog-shod feet drumming away on an amplfied footboard of his own design - the concert audience experiences a musical thunderstorm.”

Ublues (Universal Blues Band) & Smokey played the last set with other jammers. They jammed with Steve White as well.

Danny on keyboard & lead guitar, Smokey on Harmonica, Francis on Bass, Gary on Drums & many others - last set was full of solos. They clearly enjoyed themselves and showed us a different side of blues.

Ublues is an Australian-born, Singapore-based band who play now in exclusive events only. Know more about them here and here. This is what people say about them & their album "get on the blues train":

"Every few years in our local music scene, a musician or band appears which excites me when I listen to them. The UBlues band is one such band. They have become an important component of the Singapore music scene and they have also piqued the interest of Blues fans in the region and beyond. Blues music seems like a simple genre of music to play, mostly because most of the tunes only have three or four chord changes. It is an artform that is easy to learn but difficult to master. As a result, if not played well, I usually get restless and need to leave after two or three tunes. However, the UBlues Band plays the Blues with such authenticity and heart that I usually end up staying all night to listen to them. The Ublues band is the real thing."
- Jeremy Monteiro - Singapore's King of Swing and Cultural Medallion winner

"The Universal Blues Band plays and sings the blues with deep feeling and real taste. They are excellent musicians who compare favorably with the finest American blues bands. The intensity and honesty of their music truly moved me."
- Bruce Iglauer - Founder of multiple-Grammy nominated Alligator Records, USA

I ended up learning a lot about the blues genre of muzik and I know I will surely explore it further in future.

All My Loving

2006-11-25T05:20:00.000-08:00

Close your eyes and I'll kiss you,
Tomorrow I'll miss you;
Remember I'll always be true.
And then while I'm away,
I'll write home ev'ry day,
And I'll send all my loving to you.

I'll pretend That I'm kissing
the lips I am missing
And hope that my dreams will come true.
And then while I'm away,
I'll write home ev'ry day,
And I'll send all my loving to you.

All my loving I will send to you.
All my loving, darling I'll be true.

Close your eyes and I'll kiss you,
Tomorrow I'll miss you:
Remember I'll always be true.
And then while I'm away,
I'll write home ev'ry day,
And I'll send all my loving to you

All my loving I will send to you.
All my loving darling I'll be True.
All my loving All my loving ooh
All my loving I will send to you

Day Tripper

2006-11-25T05:06:00.001-08:00

Got a good reason for taking the easy way out
Got a good reason for taking the easy way out now

She was a day tripper, one way ticket yeah
It took me so long to find out, what I found out

She's a big teaser, she took me half the way there
She's a big teaser, she took me half the way there now

She was a day tripper, one way ticket yeah
It took me so long to find out, what I found out

Tried to please her, she only played one night stands
Tried to please her, she only played one night stands now

She was a day tripper, Sunday driver yeah
It took me so long to find out, what I found out

Day tripper
Day tripper yeah

Day tripper
Day tripper yeah...

And I Love Her...

2006-11-25T05:03:00.000-08:00

I give her all my love
That's all I do
And if you saw my love
You'd love her too
I love her

She gives me ev'rything
And tenderly
The kiss my lover brings
She brings to me
And I love her

A love like ours
Could never die
As long as I
Have you near me

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her

Anytime At All

2006-11-25T04:58:00.000-08:00

Any time at all, any time at all, any time at all , all
you've gotta do is call and I'll be there.
If you need somebody to love, just look into my eyes, I'll
be there to make you feel right.
If you're feeling sorry and sad, I'd really sympathize.
Don't you be sad, just call me tonight.
Any time at all, any time at all, any time at all , all
you've gotta do is call and I'll be there.
If the sun has faded away, I'll try to make it shine,
there's nothing I won't do
If you need a shoulder to cry on I hope it will be mine.
Call me tonight, and I'll come to you.
Any time at all, any time at all, any time at all , all
you've gotta do is call and I'll be there.
Any time at all, all you've gotta do is call and I'll be there

If I Fell

2006-11-25T04:44:00.000-08:00

If I fell in love with you
would you promise to be true
And help me understand
'Cause I've been in love before
And I've found that love is more
Than just holding hands

If I gave my heart to you
I must be sure from the very start
that you would love me more than her

If I trust in you, oh please
don't run and hide,
if I love you too, oh please
don't hurt my pride like her

'Cause I couldn't stand the pain
And I would be sad
If our new love was in vain

So I hope you see that I
would love to love you
And that she will cry
when she learns we are two

'Cause I couldn't stand the pain
And I would be sad
If our new love was in vain

So I hope you see that I
would love to love you
And that she will cry
when she learns we are two
If I fell in love with you

:-)

2006-11-25T01:35:00.000-08:00

Lunchbox: A Jazz Pop Crossover with Shirlyn featuring The UnXpected

2006-11-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

Shirlyn featuring The UnXpected
Singapore
28 Nov 06, Tue, 12.45pm, Esplanade Concert Hall
After the success of her Late Night concert and opening act performance for Jason Mraz at Esplanade, Shirlyn Tan returns with The UnXpected for a performance of songs that fuse jazz and pop from artists from the 1980's such as Swing Out Sister and Basia. Joan Chew on piano, Colin Teo on bass, Rene Hombre on lead guitar and Brandon Khoo on percussion, Shirlyn Tan & The UnXpected promise a great afternoon of music.(30mins, no intermission)

Paint It Black

2006-11-23T18:15:00.000-08:00

Brian's Sitar-ing is mind-bogglingly cool :)

Lyrics

I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
I see a line of cars and theyre all painted black
With flowers and my love both never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a new born baby it just happens evry day
I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door and it has been painted black
Maybe then Ill fade away and not have to face the facts
Its not easy facin up when your whole world is black

No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
I could not foresee this thing happening to you
If I look hard enough into the settin sun
My love will laugh with me before the mornin comes

I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
Hmm, hmm, hmm,...
I wanna see it painted, painted black
Black as night, black as coal
I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky
I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black
Yeah!

Steve White Blues Returns to Singapore!

2006-11-21T16:42:00.000-08:00

For the month of November, 24th and 25th, Audio Electric Research (AER) and Martin Guitar & Co are proud to present acoustic blues entertainer, Steve White from the USA.

For those who missed him last year and also for his fans who cannot get enough of him, here's your opportunity!

A unique and talented acoustic blues performer, Steve White sings, plays the harmonica and his Martin guitar (installed with AER pickup), taps his feet on his custom made floor box, all amplified through his AER Domino acoustic amp. It's always entertaining to watch his unusual performance.

Steve is the ultimate self-contained band, a tornado of synchronous polyrhythms lubricated with viscous swamp funk and propelled by serpentines slides and undulations. Earthy, rural idioms are infused with a worldly sophistication and autoorchestrated with masterful, wary lyrics, engaging vocals, compelling footwork, and mouthharp playing that defies the presumed limitations of a neck brace holder.

His songs document life's journey and the stops along the way, new vistas' around the corner, capturing the images and chance encounters and magical mystery spots. He grew up in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and later studied painting and fine arts in the US.

FREE ADMISSION!

Live in Concert
24 November 06, 8pm, EarShot @ The Arts House (The Old Parliament House)

25 November 06, 9pm, Timbre Music Restaurant & Bar (The Substation Garden)
Exclusive performance by one of Singapore's top bands, Ublues feat. Smokey plus all-star blues jam with Steve White with other guests.

Acoustic Workshop
25 November 06, 3pm, City Music Showroom
See Steve White up-close and get inspired to play the acoustic guitars!

For more information, please visit:
www.citymusic.com.sg
www.stevewhiteblues.com
www.theartshouse.com.sg
www.timbre.com.sg
www.ublues.com

SISF Performances

2006-11-21T09:26:00.000-08:00

What is Progressive Rock?

2006-11-11T17:18:00.000-08:00

Excerpts From Wikipedia...

Progressive rock artists reject the limitations of popular music and aspire to create music for serious listening, often aspiring to the sophistication of jazz and classical music, sometimes incorporating folk and world music influences in as well.

...progressive rock is very much a musician's form of music, designed to be analyzed, studied and appreciated by knowledgeable listeners. Although some progressive rock artists have enjoyed phenomenal success, progressive rock by nature appeals to a more specialized set of listeners than the broader target audiences of popular music.

The major acts that defined the genre in the 1970s are Jethro Tull, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) , Rush, Gentle Giant, Supertramp, Van der Graaf Generator and King Crimson.

Malmsteen in Singapore!

2006-11-09T13:16:00.000-08:00

A rare chance to experience one of rock's most gifted and influential guitar players unleashing his devistating fusion of neo-classical rock, metal and blues in Singapore today at Fort Canning Park. This tour is in support of Yngwie's latest release "Unleash The Fury".

Yngwie Johann Malmsteen's "Unleash The Fury World Tour" also features RISING FORCE with Dougie White on Vocals, Derek Sherinian on Keyboards, Mick Cervino on Bass & Patrik Johansson on Drums. Yngwie J. Malmsteen arrived on LA's Sunset Strip in the early 1980's with little more than a Fender guitar and a spare pair of jeans, yet quickly established his place in guitar history as one of rock's premier virtuoso guitarists. Along with Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Eddie Van Halen, and a handful of others, Yngwie has dominated the world of solo guitar for two decades. Yngwie created a guitar sound and approach that is totally unique and different from any other rock guitarist. An ear-searing blend of metallic bombast and classical beauty. He has elevated classical chops to new heights, adding a distinctive European stamp. Both enchantingly dark-sounding and blindingly fast. His 1984 album, "Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force," established neo-classical melodic rock.

A legend in both style and technique, Yngwie's long career reached new heights when his totally classical work for orchestra and solo electric guitar, "Concerto Suite," was released, proving that his classical credentials were genuine. A respected musician among both his peers and his fans, Yngwie continues to play and compose at a level of mastery that many career musician only dream of.

Check out these videozzz:

Yngwie Malmsteen - Rising Force

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC4qhD8BOk0]

Yngwie Malmsteen Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in E Flat Minor LIVE with the New Japan Philharmonic

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN5FAcd2sbM]

Enjoy guyz!!! Concert ticket says:

"No Ice coolers and glass bottled drinks will be allowed into the venue. This is a Rain or Shine event" :)

The UnXpected Videozzz!

2006-11-06T11:44:00.000-08:00

UHLI is thrilled to release some more UnXpected Videozzz!

A modified version of "Money for Nothing" which came into existence one fine evening in Wala when RL was singing the song along with the UnXpected, knowingly or unknowingly as - "I want my M P Three" :) He was spotted by the sharp drummer - Brandon who improvised the song further. The most recent version of this song includes some, or all of the following:
I want my M P Three
I want my PAP
I want my SDP
I want my MTP
I want my ATP
I want my CTP
I want to watch TV...

Metallica - Enter Sandman

Miserlou (Pulp fiction soundtrack)

Enjoy!! :))

A Night of Salsa and The-UnXpected!

2006-10-31T13:07:00.000-08:00

Last saturday night was the night of our salsa graduation cum Halloween party @ Xenbar and the night of The UnXpected @ Wala Wala.

Pics for now... Words later...

Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)

2006-10-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

Facts about the song:

Lennon wrote this for his second son, Sean, who he had with Yoko Ono. Sean was born in 1975.

It was released on the 1980 album Double Fantasy, the last album Lennon released before his death.

It begins with John comforting his son from what is presumably a nightmare and develops into John passionately describing the love he has for his son and the joy Sean gave him. At the end of the song, John whispers "Goodnight Sean, see you in the morning.

The line, "Every day and in every way I am getting better and better" is a self-improvement mantra. It was popularized by a French psychologist named Emile Coue, who made his patients repeat the lines "Day by day, in every way, I am getting better and better" (Tous les jours à tous points de vue je vais de mieux en mieux) over and over again as part of therapy.

The lyrics of "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" also contain a famous Lennon quote: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

It is featured in the movie Mr. Holland's Opus featuring Richard Dreyfuss.

"The song 'Beautiful Boy' was written for, or about, me. It was also just a story of a father. It was a father-not particularly John, any father-talking to his son, saying, before you cross the street, take my hand. Don't worry because the monster's not there and you can sleep, there's no turtle under the bed trying to eat you up. It was just a beautiful song written about all the things that fathers say to their little boys before they go to sleep." - Sean Lennon

Lyrics

Close your eyes,
Have no fear,
The monsters gone,
He's on the run and your daddy's here,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,

Before you go to sleep,
Say a little prayer,
Every day in every way,
It's getting better and better,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,

Out on the ocean sailing away,
I can hardly wait,
To see you to come of age,
But I guess we'll both,
Just have to be patient,
Yes it's a long way to go,
But in the meantime,

Before you cross the street,
Take my hand,
Life is just what happens to you,
While your busy making other plans,

Beautiful,
Beautiful, beautiful,
Beautiful Boy,
Darling,
Darling,
Darling Sean.

IIT Bombay Rocks!

2006-10-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

Found these videos on google.

Reminds me of IITB days. I am what I am because of IITB.

IITB taught me what is Passion.

IITB taught me what is Muzik.

IITB taught me what are Dreams.

IITB taught me what are Friends.

I still have Passion.

I am still into Muzik.

I still Dream.

I do have Friends.

Life's been quite good since I passed out from IITB 4 years ago. Only regret is that I am not doing what I love to do but I will... I surely will... someday. Life has just begun. There is still a long a way to go...

Jeff Lynne Discovered!!!

2006-10-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

HEARTS, a local singapore band helped me discover ELO & a genius called "Jeff Lynne". I bought ELO's definitive collection a few weeks back and fell in love with them immediately. Balraj (John Lennon of HEARTS) recommended me another wonderful album called "Discovery". Balraj/Clarence/Roger/Francis, Thanks a lot guyz!! You have given me something really great to explore. Thanks to A & D who generously gifted me the "Discovery" audio cd. Thanks guyz!!

I have been listening to this album back 2 back since yesterday and it continues to sound better everytime. "Jeff Lynne" is surely the most underrated GENIUS.

Line up for "Discovery" album:

JEFF LYNNE: Lead vocals, backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, piano and synthesizer, strings and choir arrangements
BEV BEVAN: Drums, roto toms, percussion
KELLY GROUCUTT: Bass guitar, vocals, backing vocals
RICHARD TANDY: Grand piano, all synthesizers, electric piano and clavinet, strings and choir arrangements

A few good ones from the album that you might wanna discover :)

Midnight Blue

The Diary of Horace Wimp

Last train to London

Shine A Little Love

Confusion

On The Run

Njoy!!!

The more I see the less I know for sure

2006-10-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

John Lennon's 66th birthday was extra special to me for various reasons:

I celebrated it in Wala Wala Singapore on 7th Oct 2006 (Saturday night) with "The UnXpected". It surely couldn't have been any better. "The UnXpected" performed Beatles Medley. Find below the video captured in Wala, that will always remind me of the big nite:

The UnXpected played many other rocking numbers that nite like:

Metallica - Enter Sandman

Dire Straits - Money For Nothing

U2 - Vertigo

Black Sabbath - War Pigs

The Doors - Roadhouse Blues

I will upload some of those videozzz very soon.

A & D gifted me following and kept me busy all night on 9th Oct. Thanks guyz! You are the best:

I couldn't sleep before I finished reading "Lennon Legend". It's an amazing and must have collection for all John Lennon fans. I used to think that I know quite a lot about John Lennon & The Beatles but have realized lately that "The more I see the less I know for sure"... :)

Strawberry Fields Forever

2006-10-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

Another Lennon Classic!!

Lennon and McCartney's songs shared a similar theme of nostalgia for their childhood in Liverpool and both referred to actual locations there, but they also had strong surrealistic and psychedelic overtones. Strawberry Field was a Salvation Army orphanage just around the corner from Lennon's boyhood home in Woolton. Lennon and his childhood friends Pete Shotton and Ivan Vaughan used to play in the trees behind the orphanage. One of Lennon's childhood treats was the garden party that took place each summer in the grounds of Strawberry Field. Lennon's Aunt Mimi recalled: "As soon as we could hear the Salvation Army band starting, John would jump up and down shouting, 'Mimi, come on. We're going to be late.'"

The period of its composition was one of momentous change and dislocation for Lennon: The Beatles had just retired from touring after one of the most difficult periods of their career, including the infamous "more popular than Jesus" controversy and their disastrous tour of the Philippines; Lennon's marriage was failing; perhaps most significant of all, he was using increasing quantities of drugs, especially the powerful hallucinogen LSD. Although there are no obvious references to drugs, the song's style and tone and oblique, stream of consciousness lyrics often are thought to have been influenced by his LSD experiences.

Quotes

"Strawberry Fields is a real place. After I stopped living at Penny Lane, I moved in with my auntie who lived in the suburbs in a nice semidetached place with a small garden and doctors and lawyers and that ilk living around - - not the poor slummy kind of image that was projected in all the Beatles stories. In the class system, it was about half a class higher than Paul, George and Ringo, who lived in government-subsidized housing. We owned our house and had a garden. They didn't have anything like that. Near that home was Strawberry Fields, a house near a boys' reformatory where I used to go to garden parties as a kid with my friends Nigel and Pete. We would go there and hang out and sell lemonade bottles for a penny. We always had fun at Strawberry Fields. So that's where I got the name. But I used it as an image. Strawberry Fields forever. [Singing] "(Living is easy) With eyes closed. Misunderstanding all you see." It still goes, doesn't it? Aren't I saying exactly the same thing now? The awareness apparently trying to be expressed is -- let's say in one way I was always hip. I was hip in kindergarten. I was different from the others. I was different all my life. The second verse goes, "No one I think is in my tree." Well, I was too shy and self-doubting. Nobody seems to be as hip as me is what I was saying. Therefore, I must be crazy or a genius -- "I mean it must be high or low," the next line. There was something wrong with me, I thought, because I seemed to see things other people didn't see. I thought I was crazy or an egomaniac for claiming to see things other people didn't see. As a child, I would say, "But this is going on!" and everybody would look at me as if I was crazy. I always was so psychic or intuitive or poetic or whatever you want to call it, that I was always seeing things in a hallucinatory way. It was scary as a child, because there was nobody to relate to. Neither my auntie nor my friends nor anybody could ever see what I did. It was very, very scary and the only contact I had was reading about an Oscar Wilde or a Dylan Thomas or a Vincent van Gogh -- all those books that my auntie had that talked about their suffering because of their visions. Because of what they saw, they were tortured by society for trying to express what they were. I saw loneliness." - John Lennon, Playboy, 1980

"The reason that Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane didn't appear on the album [Sgt. Peppers] is that Brian Epstein, their manager, was worried. He said to me, 'The boys need a lift - they need a great sequel and what have you got.' Well, I said, 'We've got two wonderful songs - let's issue them both.' In those days we didn't include single releases in albums as we thought we were conning the public. One of the biggest errors I ever made." - George Martin on why the song was not included on 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'

Lyrics
Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out.
It doesn't matter much to me.

Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.

No one I think is in my tree, I mean it must be high or low.
That is you can't you know tune in but it's all right.
That is I think it's not too bad.

Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.

Always know sometimes think it's me, but you know I know when it's a dream.
I think a "No" will mean a "Yes," but it's all wrong.
That is I think I disagree.

Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.
Strawberry Fields forever.
Strawberry Fields forever.

(music fades out and slowly come back on. In the background, John Lennon says "Cranberry Sauce." Some believe that he says "I buried Paul." :) )

More Popular Than Jesus Controversy

2006-10-05T16:20:00.000-07:00

Lennon often spoke his mind freely and the press was used to querying him on a wide range of subjects. On 4 March 1966 in an interview for the London Evening Standard with Maureen Cleave, who was a friend, Lennon made an off-the-cuff remark regarding religion.

"Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. ... I don't know what will go first, rock 'n' roll or Christianity. We're more popular than Jesus now. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me."

The article was printed and nothing came of it, until five months later when an American teen magazine called Datebook reprinted part of the quote on the front cover.

A firestorm of protest swelled from the southern U.S. Bible Belt area, as conservative groups publicly burned Beatles records and memorabilia. The Beatles looked at this in a wry way, by saying, "They've got to buy them first before they burn 'em."

Radio stations banned Beatles music and concert venues cancelled performances. Even the Vatican got involved with a public denunciation of Lennon's comments. On August 11, 1966, The Beatles held a press conference in Chicago, in order to address the growing furor.

Lennon: "I suppose if I had said television was more popular than Jesus, I would have got away with it, but I just happened to be talking to a journalist friend (Maureen Cleave), and I used the words "Beatles" as a remote thing, not as what I think — as Beatles, as those other Beatles like other people see us. I just said "they" are having more influence on kids and things than anything else, including Jesus. But I said it in that way which is the wrong way."

Reporter: Some teenagers have repeated your statements — "I like The Beatles more than Jesus Christ." What do you think about that?

Lennon: "Well, originally I pointed out that fact in reference to England. That we meant more to kids than Jesus did, or religion at that time. I wasn't knocking it or putting it down. I was just saying it as a fact and it's true more for England than here. I'm not saying that we're better or greater, or comparing us with Jesus Christ as a person or God as a thing or whatever it is. I just said what I said and it was wrong. Or it was taken wrong. And now it's all this."

Reporter: But are you prepared to apologise?

Lennon: "I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious thing. I apologise if that will make you happy. I still don't know quite what I've done. I've tried to tell you what I did do but if you want me to apologise, if that will make you happy, then OK, I'm sorry."

The governing members of the Vatican accepted his apology and the furor eventually died down, but constant Beatlemania, mobs, crazed teenagers, and now a press ready to tear them to pieces over any quote was too much to handle. The Beatles soon decided to stop touring, and never performed a scheduled concert again. A firework was thrown on the stage at one of their last concerts and McCartney later said that the band all looked at Lennon - fearing a gun had been fired at him. The pressure of dealing with incidents like that convinced even McCartney to say that he had had enough. Lennon wrote later "I always remember to thank Jesus for the end of my touring days."

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody

2006-10-02T18:42:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest songs made ever. The song has pretty interesting structure.

Song structure

The song is nearly six minutes in length and is composed of six distinct sections - introduction, ballad, guitar solo, opera, rock, and an outro.

Introduction (0:00-0:48 )

The song begins with close four-part harmony a cappella introduction in B-flat, which is entirely multitrack recordings of Mercury. The lyrics question whether life is "real" or "just fantasy" before concluding that there can be "no escape from reality." After 15 seconds, the grand piano enters, and Mercury's solo voice alternates with the chorus. The narrator introduces himself as "just a poor boy" but declares that he "need[s] no sympathy" because nothing matters: chromatic side-slipping on "easy come, easy go" highlight the dream-like atmosphere. The end of this section is marked by the bass entrance and the familiar cross-handed piano vamp in B-flat.

Ballad (0:48-2:36)

The grand piano continues the 2-bar vamp in B-flat. Deacon's bass guitar enters playing the first note, and the vocals change from harmony to an impassioned solo performance by Mercury. The narrator explains that he has "just killed a man," and with that act thrown his life away. The chromatic bass line at the end of brings about a modulation to E-flat. Here Taylor's drums enter (1:19), and the narrator makes the first of several invocations to his "mama" in the new key, reusing the original theme. The narrator explains his regret over "mak[ing] you cry" and urging mama to "carry on" as if "nothing really matters." A truncated phrase connects to a repeat of the vamp in B-flat. As the ballad proceeds into its second verse, the narrator shows how tired and beat down he is by his actions (as May enters on guitar and mimics the upper range of the piano 1:50). May sends "shivers down my spine" by scratching the strings on the other side of the bridge. The narrator bids the world goodbye and prepares to "face the truth" admitting "I don't want to die / I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all." Another chromatic bass descent brings a modulation to the key of A, and the "Opera" section.

Guitar solo (2:36-3:02)

As Mercury sings the rising line "I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all," the band builds in intensity, leading up to the song's first highlight: a guitar solo by May that serves as the segue from ballad to opera. May's solo continues to build intensity, but, once the bass line completes its descent establishing the new key, the entire band cuts out abruptly at 3:02 except for quiet quaver chords on the piano: the "opera" has begun. In live performances, the stage would go dark and all the members of the band would walk offstage and allow the entire opera section to play from the recording.

Opera (3:02-4:07)

A rapid series of rhythmic and harmonic changes (E flat major to F minor to A major, among others) introduces a pseudo-operatic midsection, which contains the bulk of the elaborate vocal multitracking, depicting the narrator's "descent into hell". While the underlying pulse of the song is maintained, the dynamics vary greatly from bar to bar, from a single Mercury voice and solo piano, to a multi-voice choir. The choir effect was created by having May, Mercury, and Taylor sing their vocal parts continually for ten to twelve hours a day, resulting in 180 separate overdubs.^[2] The band used the bell effect for lyrics "Magnifico" and "Let me go". Also, on "Let him go", Taylor singing the top section carries his note on further after the rest of the "choir" have stopped singing. Lyrical references in this passage include Scaramouche, the fandango, Galileo, Figaro, "Bismillah," and Beelzebub, as rival factions fight over the narrator's soul. The introduction is recalled with the chromatic inflection on "I'm just a poor boy...easy come, easy go." The section concludes with a full choral treatment of the lyric, "Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me."

Hard rock (4:07-4:55)

The operatic section leads (with the voices singing "for me" on a block B-flat major chord, topped by a sustained high B-flat falsetto from Taylor) into an aggressive hard rock musical interlude with a guitar riff that was written by Mercury. During group singalongs (including the famous scene in the film Wayne's World), it is traditional to headbang during this passage. At 4:14, a double-tracked Mercury sings angry lyrics addressed to an unspecified "you," accusing him/her of betrayal and abuse and insisting "can't do this to me, baby." There follows three ascending guitar runs, which May described as something he had to "battle with" when performing the song live. The third guitar run is then imitated by Mercury on the piano.

Outro (4:55-5:55)

After Mercury plays ascending octaves of notes from the Bb mixolydian scale, the song then returns to the tempo and form of the introduction. A guitar accompanies the chorus' "ooh yeah, ooh yeah", to give the effect of trumpets. This effect was achieved by playing the guitar through an amp designed by Deacon, affectionately nicknamed the "Deacy Amp". The song progressively becomes quieter while Mercury again sings "nothing really matters to me..." The final line, "any way the wind blows," is followed by the barely audible sound of a gong.

Lyrics
Is this the real life-
Is this just fantasy-
Caught in a landslide-
No escape from reality-
Open your eyes
Look up to the skies and see-
Im just a poor boy,i need no sympathy-
Because Im easy come,easy go,
A little high,little low,
Anyway the wind blows,doesnt really matter to me,
To me

Mama,just killed a man,
Put a gun against his head,
Pulled my trigger,now hes dead,
Mama,life had just begun,
But now Ive gone and thrown it all away-
Mama ooo,
Didnt mean to make you cry-
If Im not back again this time tomorrow-
Carry on,carry on,as if nothing really matters-

Too late,my time has come,
Sends shivers down my spine-
Bodys aching all the time,
Goodbye everybody-Ive got to go-
Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth-
Mama ooo-
I dont want to die,
I sometimes wish Id never been born at all-

I see a little silhouetto of a man,
Scaramouche,scaramouche will you do the fandango-
Thunderbolt and lightning-very very frightening me-
Galileo,galileo,
Galileo galileo
Galileo figaro-magnifico-
But Im just a poor boy and nobody loves me-
Hes just a poor boy from a poor family-
Spare him his life from this monstrosity-
Easy come easy go-,will you let me go-
Bismillah! no-,we will not let you go-let him go-
Bismillah! we will not let you go-let him go
Bismillah! we will not let you go-let me go
Will not let you go-let me go
Will not let you go let me go
No,no,no,no,no,no,no-
Mama mia,mama mia,mama mia let me go-
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me,for me,for me-

So you think you can stop me and spit in my eye-
So you think you can stop me and leave me to die-
Oh baby-cant do this to me baby-
Just gotta get out-just gotta get right outta here-

Nothing really matters,
Anyone can see,
Nothing really matters-,nothing really matters to me

Abbey Road - Beatles comments on each of the songs

2006-09-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

COME TOGETHER

(Lennon/McCartney)

JOHN 1969: "'Come Together' changed at the session. We said, 'Let's slow it down. Let's do this to it, let's do that to it,' and it ends up however it comes out. I just said, 'Look, I've got no arrangement for you, but you know how I want it.' I think that's partly because we've played together a long time. So I said, 'Give me something funky and set up a beat, maybe.' And they all just joined in."
PAUL 1969: "On the new album I like 'Come Together,' which is a great one of John's."
JOHN 1980: "'Come Together' is me-- writing obscurely around an old Chuck Berry thing. I left the line 'Here comes old flat-top.' It is nothing like the Chuck Berry song, but they took me to court because I admitted the influence once years ago. I could have changed it to 'Here comes old iron face,' but the song remains independent of Chuck Berry or anybody else on earth. The thing was created in the studio. It's gobbledygook-- 'Come Together' was an expression that Tim Leary had come up with for his attempt at being president or whatever he wanted to be, and he asked me to write a campaign song. I tried and I tried, but I couldn't come up with one. But I came up with this, 'Come Together,' which would've been no good to him-- you couldn't have a campaign song like that, right? Leary attacked me years later, saying I ripped him off. I didn't rip him off. It's just that it turned into 'Come Together.' What am I going to do, give it to him? It was a funky record-- it's one of my favorite Beatle tracks, or, one of my favorite Lennon tracks, let's say that. It's funky, it's bluesy, and I'm singing it pretty well. I like the sound of the record. You can dance to it. I'll buy it!" (laughs)

SOMETHING

(Harrison)

JOHN 1969: "I think that's about the best track on the album, actually."
PAUL 1969: "I like George's song 'Something.' For me I think it's the best he's written."
GEORGE 1969: "I wrote the song 'Something' for the album before this one, but I never finished it off until just recently. I usually get the first few lines of words and music together, both at once... and then finish the rest of the melody. Then I have to write the words. It's like another song I wrote when we were in India. I wrote the whole first verse and just said everything I wanted to say, and so now I need to write a couple more verses. I find that much more difficult. But John gave me a handy tip. He said, 'Once you start to write a song, try to finish it straight away while you're still in the same mood.' Sometimes you go back to it and you're in a whole different state of mind. So now, I do try to finish them straight away."
GEORGE 1980: "'Something' was written on the piano while we were making the White Album. I had a break while Paul was doing some overdubbing so I went into an empty studio and began to write. That's really all there is to it, except the middle took some time to sort out. It didn't go on the White Album because we'd already finished all the tracks."

MAXWELL'S SILVER HAMMER

(Lennon/McCartney)

JOHN 1969: "He (Paul) did quite alot of work on it. I was ill after the (automobile) accident while they did most of the track, and I believe he really ground George and RIngo into the ground recording it. We spent more money on that song than any of them on the whole album, I think."
GEORGE 1969: "The song 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' is one of Paul's which we've been trying to record for ages. It's one of those instant whistle-along tunes which some people hate, and other people really like. It's a fun song, but it's kinda sick because Maxwell keeps on killing everyone."
PAUL circa-1994: "'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' is my analogy for when something goes wrong out of the blue, as it so often does, as I was beginning to find out at that time in my life. I wanted something symbolic of that, so to me it was some fictitious character called Maxwell with a silver hammer. I don't know why it was silver, it just sounded better than Maxwell's hammer. It was needed for scanning. We still use that expression now when something unexpected happens."

OH! DARLING

(Lennon/McCartney)

JOHN 1980: "'Oh! Darling' was a great one of Paul's that he didn't sing too well. I always thought that I could've done it better-- it was more my style than his. He wrote it, so what the hell, he's going to sing it. If he'd had any sense he should have let me sing it." (laughs)
PAUL circa-1994: "I mainly remember wanting to get the vocal right, wanting to get it good, and I ended up trying each morning as I came into the recording session. I tried it with a hand mike, and I tried it with a standing mike, I tried it every which way, and finally got the vocal I was reasonably happy with. It's a bit of a belter and if it comes off lukewarm then you've missed the whole point. It was unusual for me-- I would normally try all the goes at a vocal in one day."

OCTOPUS'S GARDEN

(Starkey)

GEORGE 1969: "'Octopus's Garden' is Ringo's song. It's only the second song Ringo has ever written, mind you, and it's lovely. Ringo gets bored with just playing drums all the time, so at home he sometimes plays a bit of piano, but unfortunately he only knows about three chords. He knows about the same on guitar too. This song gets very deep into your consciousness, though because it's so peaceful. I suppose Ringo is writing cosmic songs these days without even realizing it."
RINGO 1981: "He (a ship captain) told me all about octopuses-- how they go 'round the sea bed and pick up stones and shiny objects and build gardens. I thought, 'How fabulous!' because at the time I just wanted to be under the sea, too. I wanted to get out of it for a while."

I WANT YOU (SHE'S SO HEAVY)

(Lennon/McCartney)

GEORGE 1969: "It is very heavy. John plays lead guitar and sings, and it's basically just an old blues riff he's doing, but again, it's a very original John-type song as well... It's a very good chord sequence he used on this particular one."
JOHN 1969: "We used a Moog synthesizer on the end. That machine can do all sounds and all ranges of sound."
JOHN 1971: "Simplicity is evident in 'She So Heavy.' In fact a reviewer wrote: 'He seems to have lost his talent for lyrics, it's so simple and boring.' When it gets down to it-- when you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."
JOHN 1980: "That's me, about Yoko."

HERE COMES THE SUN

(Harrison)

GEORGE 1980: "...written at a time when Apple was getting like school, where we had to go and be businessmen-- all this signing accounts, and 'sign this' and 'sign that.' Anyway, it seems as if winter in England goes on forever; by the time spring comes you really deserve it. So one day I decided, 'I'm going to sag-off Apple,' and I went over to Eric Clapton's house. I was walking in his garden. The relief of not having to go and see all those dopey accountants was wonderful. And I was walking around the garden with one of Eric's acoustic guitars, and wrote 'Here Comes The Sun.'"

BECAUSE

(Lennon/McCartney)

PAUL 1969: "I like John's 'Because' on the second side. To say, 'Because the world is round it turns me on' is great. And 'Because the wind is high it blows my mind'"
GEORGE 1969: "I think my favorite one on the album is 'Because.' The lyrics are uncomplicated... but the harmony was actually pretty difficult to sing. I think it's one of those tunes that will definitely impress most people."
JOHN 1980: "I was lying on the sofa in our house, listening to Yoko play Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' on the piano. Suddenly, I said, 'Can you play those chords backward?' She did, and I wrote 'Because' around them. The song sounds like 'Moonlight Sonata,' too. The lyrics are clear, no bullshit, no imagery, no obscure references."

YOU NEVER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY

(Lennon/McCartney)

GEORGE 1969: "It does two verses of one tune, and then the bridge is almost like a different song altogether, so it's quite melodic."
PAUL 1988: "We wanted to dabble, and I had a bit of fun making some of the songs fit together, with key changes (into the long medley). That was nice. It worked out well."

SUN KING

(Lennon/McCartney)

JOHN 1969: "We just started joking, you know, singing `quando para mucho.´ So we just made up... Paul knew a few Spanish words from school, you know. So we just strung any Spanish words that sounded vaguely like something. And of course we got `chicka ferdy´ in. That´s a Liverpool expression. Just like sort of-- it doesn´t mean anything to me but (childish taunting) `na-na, na-na-na!´ `Cake and eat it´ is another nice line too, because they have that in Spanish-- 'Que' or something can eat it. One we missed-- we could have had 'para noya,' but we forgot all about it."
JOHN 1980: "That's a piece of garbage I had around."
GEORGE 1987: "At the time, 'Albatross' (by Fleetwood Mac) was out, with all the reverb on guitar. So we said, 'Let's be Fleetwood Mac doing Albatross, just to get going.' It never really sounded like Fleetwood Mac... but that was the point of origin."

MEAN MR. MUSTARD

(Lennon/McCartney)

JOHN 1980: "I'd read somewhere in the newspaper about this mean guy who hid his five-pound notes, not up his nose but 'somewhere else.' No, it had nothing to do with cocaine."
PAUL circa-1994: "'Mean Mr Mustard' was very John. I liked that. A nice quirky song."

POLYTHENE PAM

(Lennon/McCartney)

JOHN 1980: "That was me, remembering a little event with a woman in Jersey, and a man who was England's answer to Allen Ginsberg, who gave us our first exposure... I met him when we were on tour and he took me back to his apartment, and I had a girl and he had one he wanted me to meet. He said she dressed up in polythene, which she did. She didn't wear jackboots, and kilts, I just sort of elaborated. Perverted sex in a polythene bag-- Just looking for something to write about."

SHE CAME IN THROUGH THE BATHROOM WINDOW

(Lennon/McCartney)

GEORGE 1969: "A very strange song of Paul's with terrific lyrics, but it's hard to explain what they're all about."
JOHN 1980: "He wrote that when we were in New York announcing Apple and we first met Linda. Maybe she's the one that came in the window."

GOLDEN SLUMBERS

(Lennon/McCartney)

GEORGE 1969: "Another very melodic tune of Paul's which is also quite nice."
JOHN 1969: "It was up to Paul where he went with violins and what he did with them, and I think he wanted a stright kind of backing-- nothing freaky."
PAUL 1969: "I was just playing the piano in Liverpool at my dad's house, and my sister Ruth's piano book... she was learning piano... and 'Golden Slumbers and your old favorites' was up on the stand, you know-- it was a little book with all those words in it. I was just flipping through it and I came to 'Golden Slumbers.' I can't read music so I didn't know the tune... I can't remember the old tune... so I just started playing 'my' tune to it. And then, I liked the words so I just kept that, you know, and then it fitted with another bit of song I had-- which is the verse in between it. So I just made that into a song. It just happened 'cuz I was reading her book."

CARRY THAT WEIGHT

(Lennon/McCartney)

JOHN 1980: "That's Paul. Apparently he was under strain at that period."
PAUL circa-1994: "I'm generally quite upbeat, but at certain times things get to me so much that I just can't be upbeat anymore and that was one of those times. 'Carry that weight a long time'-- like forever! That's what I meant... in this heaviness there was no place to be. It was serious, paranoid heaviness and it was just very uncomfortable."

THE END

(Lennon/McCartney)

JOHN 1980: "That's Paul again, the unfinished song, right? Just a piece at the end. He had a line in it, (sings) 'And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make,' which is a very cosmic, philosophical line-- which again proves that if he wants to, he can think."
PAUL 1988: "Ringo would never do drum solos. He hated drummers who did lengthy drum solos. We all did. And when he joined the Beatles we said, 'Ah, what about drum solos then?' and he said, 'I hate 'em!' We said, 'Great! We love you!' And so he would never do them. But because of this medley I said, 'Well, a token solo?' and he really dug his heels in and didn't want to do it. But after a little bit of gentle persuasion I said, '...it wouldn't be Buddy Rich gone mad,' because I think that's what he didn't want to do. ... anyway we came to this compromise, it was a kind of a solo. I don't think he's done one since."
PAUL 1994: "We were looking for the end to an album, and 'In the end the love you take is equal to the love you make' just came into my head. I just recognized that would be a good end to an album. And it's a good little thing to say-- now and for all time, I think. I can't think of anything much better as a philosophy, because all you need IS love. It still is what you need. There aint nothin' better. So, you know, I'm very proud to be in the band that did that song, and that thought those thoughts, and encouraged other people to think them to help them get through little problems here and there. So uhh... We done good!!"

HER MAJESTY

(Lennon/McCartney)

PAUL 1969: "That was just... I don't know. I was in Scotland, and I was just writing this little tune. I can never tell, like, how tunes come out. I just wrote it as a joke."

THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO

(Lennon/McCartney)

JOHN 1980: "Well, guess who wrote that? I wrote that in Paris on our honeymoon. It's a piece of journalism. It's a folk song. That's why I called it, 'The Ballad Of...'"
PAUL 1988: "John came to me and said, 'I've got this song about our wedding and it's called The Ballad Of John And Yoko, Christ They're Gonna Crucify Me, and I said 'Jesus Christ, you're kidding aren't you? Someone really is going to get upset about it.' He said, 'Yeah, but let's do it.' I was a little worried for him because of the lyric but he was going through alot of terrible things. He came around to my house, wanting to do it really quick. He said, 'Let's just you and me run over to the studio.' I said 'Oh alright, I'll play drums, I'll play bass.' John played guitar. So we did it and stood back to see if the other guys would hate us for it-- which I'm not sure about. They probably never forgave us. John was on heat, so to speak. He needed to record it so we just ran in and did it."

OLD BROWN SHOE

(Harrison)

GEORGE 1980: "I started the chord sequences on the piano, which I don't really play, and then began writing ideas for the words from various opposites... Again, it's the duality of things-- yes no, up down, left right, right wrong, etcetera."

REGARDING 'THE MEDLEY' ON ABBEY ROAD

JOHN 1969: "We always have tons of bits and pieces lying around. I've got stuff I wrote around Pepper, because you lose interest after you've had it for years. It was a good way of getting rid of bits of songs. In fact, George and Ringo wrote bits of it... literally in between bits and breaks. Paul would say, 'We've got twelve bars here-- fill it in,' and we'd fill it in on the spot. As far as we're concerned, this album is more 'Beatley' than the double (White) album."
RINGO 1976: "The second side of Abbey Road is my favorite. I love it. 'She Came In Through The Bathroom Window,' and all those bits that weren't songs, I mean, they were just all the bits that John and Paul had around that we roped together."

ON THE ALBUM COVER & 'PAUL IS DEAD' CLUES

PAUL 1974: "I had just turned up at a photo session, and it was a hot day in London, a really nice hot day... and I think I wore sandals. I only had to walk around the corner to the crossing because I lived pretty nearby. And for the photo session I thought, 'I´ll take my sandals off.' You know, so what? Barefoot, nice warm day-- I didn't feel like wearing shoes. So I went around to the photo session and showed me bare feet. Of course, when that comes out and people start looking at it they say, 'Why has he got no shoes on? He´s never done that before.' Okay, you´ve never seen me do it before, but in actual fact it´s just me with my shoes off. Turns out to be some old Mafia sign of death or something."

ON BRAINSTORMING FOR ALBUM TITLES

RINGO 1969: "We went through weeks of all saying, 'Why don't we call it Billy's Left Boot,' and things like that. And then Paul just said, 'Why don't we call it Abbey Road?'"
PAUL 1988: "You see, when you're thinking of album titles, alot of loose talk goes around. It's what American film people or advertising people call 'Off the top of my head.' You have alot of thoughts that are going to be rejected. We were stuck for an album title and the album didn't appear to have any obvious concept, except that it had all been done in the studio and it had been done by us. And (studio engineer) Geoff Emerick used to have these packets of Everest cigarettes always sitting by him, and we thought, 'That's good (Everest), it's big and it's expansive.' ...but we didn't really like it in the end. We said, 'Nah, come on! You can't name an album after a ciggie packet!'"

Come Together

2006-09-30T00:08:00.000-07:00

The UnXpected played this song yesterday evening in Wala. This is another amazing song from the album "Abbey Road" - My favourite Beatles album.

Little bit about this song from Wikipedia:

Origin

The song's history began with Lennon writing a song for Timothy Leary's failed gubernatorial campaign in California against Ronald Reagan, one which promptly ended when Leary was arrested for possession of marijuana. It was transformed by Lennon into a track with digs at McCartney and Harrison interspersed alongside tales of his Bagism movement with wife Yoko Ono. It was the subject of a lawsuit brought against Lennon by Chuck Berry's music publisher, Morris Levy, due to the fact that one line in "Come Together" closely resembled a line of Berry's You Can't Catch Me: (i.e. The Beatles' "Here come ol' flattop, he come groovin' up slowly" vs. Berry's "Here come up flattop, he was groovin' up with me"). After settling out of court, Lennon promised to record other songs owned by Levy, all of which were released on Lennon's 1975 album Rock 'n' Roll. Perhaps the song refers to the late eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes. Lines such as "hair down to his knees" and "shoot coca-cola" parallel the billionaire's behavior at the time this song was written. The line "Got to be good lookin cause he's so hard to see" could refer to the billionaire's reclusivity. Another, possibly apocryphal story is that John Lennon grew frustrated at the tendency of music critics to read heavily into and interpret his lyrics, and wrote nonsensical lyrics simply to spite them.

Lennon played rhythm guitar in addition to singing the vocal. Each exclamation of 'shoot' one hears during the opening bass line is actually 'shoot me', although 'shoot' is immediately followed by a handclap which drowns out the word 'me'. McCartney played bass and the electric piano (estimated as "southern" by John), Harrison lead guitar, and Ringo Starr drums and maracas. It was produced by George Martin and recorded at the end of July 1969 at Abbey Road Studios.

Rocking Saturday Evening With The UnXpected, As Expected

2006-09-29T02:30:00.000-07:00

If you are a rocker in Singapore, there is no better place than "Wala Wala" to be in on saturday evenings! The UnXpected performs there from 9:30PM until 1:30-2:00AM. Let me give you the ingredients of last saturday evening (23rd Sep 2006) and it will prolly explain why I say – “there is no better place than Wala Wala...”

Window (Original Song)

Walk Away (Original Song)

Radiohead - High & Dry

Oasis - Wonderwall

Coldplay – Yellow

Pearl Jam - Black

Skid Row - I remember you

Dire Straits - "I Want My MP Three" oh..i meant "Money For Nothing" :)

U2 - Vertigo

Black Sabbath - War Pigs

Metallica - Enter Sandman

Beatles Medley
- From Me To You
- Ticket To Ride
- I Wanna Hold Your Hand
- Help!
- Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da

John Lennon/The Beatles - Don't Let Me Down

Queen - Don't Stop Me Now

Queen - Under Pressure

The Doors - Roadhouse Blues

I must say you have to see them perform once to feel the magic. Once again, The UnXpected is:

Shirlyn - Lead Vocals & Rhythm
Rene - Lead Guitar
Brandon - Drums
Asri / Colin - Bass Guitar
Joan – Keyboard & Violin (Catch her in Balaclava & Muddy Murphy’s)

“Wala Wala” also offers Non-Smoking Chicken-Wings-Smelling Cozy Ambience (As Shirlyn describes it), friendly staff & 1-for-1 drinks all night. So guyz if you were not aware about "The UnXpected" and Wala Wala earlier, it's never too late. Mark your calendars now for tomorrow evening in Wala. A few conditions –

Vote for your Favourite Singapore Band first. Email your votes to vote@power98.com.sg with your name, IC and contact number. Make sure you vote for "Shirlyn and The UnXpected".

“Don’t grab my table in Wala – The one right next to the stage” :)

Electric Light Orchestra!

2006-09-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

I bought their "Definitive Collection" audio CD day before yesterday and have been listening to it back to back since then. I had discovered this band a few months back [Thanks to Hearts - Clarence Chan, Balraj Gopal, Francis Sta Maria & Roger Perera] but I couldn't quite understand their greatness earlier. Their music is greatly inspired from Beatles and they are just too good.

Check out these songs and find it out yourself:

Can't Get It Out Of My Head

Strange Magic

The Scientist

2006-09-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

Awesome song!! Awesome video!!!

Lyrics

Come up to meet you, Tell you I’m sorry, You don’t know how lovely you are
I had to find you, Tell you I need you, Tell you I set you apart
Tell me your secrets, And ask me your questions, Aww let’s go back to the start
Runnin’ in circles, Comin’ our tails, Heads on the science apart

Nobody said it was easy
It’s such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard

I was just guessin’, At numbers and figures, Pullin’ the puzzles apart
Questions of science, Science and progress, Do not speak as loud as my heart
Tell me you love me, Come back to haunt me, Oh when I rush to the start
Runnin’ in circles, Chasin’ our tails, Comin’ back as we are

Nobody said it was easy
Aww It’s such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard
I’m goin’ back to the start

Ahhooooooooooooooooo
Ahhooooooooooooooooo
Ahhooooooooooooooooo
Ahhooooooooooooooooo

Yellow

2006-09-26T19:05:00.000-07:00

Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do,
Yeah they were all yellow,

I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called yellow

So then I took my turn
Oh all the things I've done
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know you know I love you so
You know I love you so

I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh all the things you do
Cause you were all yellow

I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh what a thing to do
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know for you i bleed myself dry
For you i bleed myself dry

Its true look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine
look at the stars look how they shine for you

Across The Universe!

2006-09-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

Somebody requested this song yesterday night at Wala Wala. I was a bit surprised as I always thought people don't follow "The Beatles" here in Singapore. Good for me :) Looks like Beatlesmania is starting to grow.

All credit goes to Shirlyn and the UnXpected! You guyz have given "The Beatles" numbers a different meaning. Shirlyn's amazing vocals & stunning stage presence does full justice to the gr88 John Lennon. Rene, Brandon, Asri, Joan & Colin are awesome in their respective departments too.
Rene - Lead Guitar
Brandon - Drums
Asri / Colin - Bass Guitar
Joan - Keyboard

I have seen the UnXpected performing following Beatles numbers so far:
1. Help!
2. Oh! Darling
3. Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da
4. Across The Universe
5. From Me To You
6. I Wanna Hold Your Hand
7. Ticket To Ride
8. We Can Work It Out

Desperately waiting for this John Lennon number:
- Don't Let Me Down

and many more...

So guyz, if you happen to be in Singapore, you know where to catch the UnXpected. Check out their Calendar

Coming back to "Across the universe" (I will write more about the UnXpected later), here are a few details about the song (Courtsey Wikipedia):

________________________________________________________________

"Across the Universe" is a song by The Beatles that first appeared as a charity single release in December 1969, and later, in modified form, became a standout track on their May 1970 album, Let It Be. The song features John Lennon singing lead, who was also the primary composer (though, as with all Beatles songs written by either composer, the song is formally credited to Lennon-McCartney). It is widely considered to be one of Lennon's most heartfelt and beautiful pieces, yet it had one of the most convoluted production and release histories of any Beatles' song.

Composition

In 1967, John's relationship with his wife, Cynthia Powell was falling apart. One night, the phrase "words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup" popped into his mind. Intrigued, he rushed to grab a paper and pencil. He began to write the rest of the lyrics, and when he was done, he went to bed and forgot about them.

In the morning, John found the paper on which he had written the lyrics and brought them down to his piano, where he began to play chords, and find pitches to match the words. The flavor of the song was heavily influenced by Lennon's and The Beatles' short-lived interest in Transcendental Meditation in late 1967 - early 1968, when the song was composed. Based on this he added the mantra (Jai Guru Deva Om) to the piece, which served as a link between the bridge and verse.

The structure of the lyrics is straightforward: three repetitions of a unit consisting of a verse, the line "Jai Guru Deva Om", and the line "Nothing's gonna change my world" repeated four times. The lyrics are highly image-based, with abstract concepts reified with phrases like thoughts "meandering", words "slithering", and undying love "shining". The title phrase "across the universe" appears at intervals to finish lines.

Lyrics

Words are flying out like
endless rain into a paper cup
They slither while they pass
They slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
are drifting thorough my open mind
Possessing and caressing me

Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Images of broken light which
dance before me like a million eyes
That call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a
restless wind inside a letter box
they tumble blindly as
they make their way across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Sounds of laughter shades of life
are ringing through my open ears
exciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which
shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe

Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Jai guru deva
Jai guru deva
________________________________________________________________

Beatles are undoubtedly the BEST...

A Day In The Life

2005-08-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

A momentous recording in every way, melding riveting Lennon lyrics and a contrasting yet perfectly applicable verse penned by Paul McCartney to two superb and effective orchestral buildups and a seemingly everlasting coda - the long, long crashing piano and harmonium chord which slowly evaporates into silence and the end of the album.
David Crosby was at Abbey Road studios when The Beatles were recording this. In an interview with Filter magazine, he said: "I was, as near as I know, the first human being besides them and George Martin and the engineers to hear A Day In The Life. I was high as a kite - so high I was hunting geese with a rake. They sat me down; they had huge speakers like coffins with wheels on that they rolled up on either side of the stool. By the time it got the end of that piano chord, man my brains were on the floor."

Lyrics:

I read the news today oh boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And though the news was rather sad
Well I just had to laugh
I saw the photograph.
He blew his mind out in a car
He didn't notice that the lights had changed
A crowd of people stood and stared
They'd seen his face before
Nobody was really sure
If he was from the House of Lords.
I saw a film today oh boy
The English Army had just won the war
A crowd of people turned away
but I just had to look
Having read the book.
I'd love to turn you on
Woke up, fell out of bed,
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,
And looking up I noticed I was late.
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke,
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream
I read the news today oh boy
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall.
I'd love to turn you on

Riders On The Storm

2005-08-11T20:02:00.001-07:00

Facts about the song:

This was the last song Jim Morrison recorded. He went to France and died a few weeks later. The single was released in June, 1971, shortly before Morrison's death.

If you listen closely, you can hear Jim Morrison whispering the lyrics over his own singing. This causes a kind of creepy effect.

The Doors brought in bass players Marc Benno and Jerry Scheff to play on the album. Scheff came up with the distinctive bass line after Manzarek played him what he had in mind on his keyboard. It took a while to figure out, since it was much harder to play on a bass than a keyboard.

This evolved out of a jam session when the band was messing around with "Ghost Riders In The Sky," a cowboy song by Stan Jones.

Ray Manzarek used the electric piano to create the effect of rain.

Paul Rothchild, who produced The Doors' first 5 albums, decided not to work on this because he didn't like the songs. He thought this sounded like "cocktail music." The Doors ended up producing it themselves with the help of their engineer, Bruce Botnick.

Some interesting comments about the song:

Definitely appreciated on a new level when stoned. Next time it rains sit in a room with a joint, crank up the sound and watch the rain...very eery, feels like Jim comes back to say hello... Nice touch being it was the last most of us heard of his voice. A beautiful song, I believe it is about us being thrown into this life with no choice and no idea where we are from, maybe another piece he tuned into in from the other side..just before he crossed over...

jim will always be with us! long live the lizard king!

this is one of the greatest doors songs and yes you do appreciate it more when youre high! you really get lost in it, especially ray's solo

One of my all time favs........i realised there was JIM whispering in the background after listenin to it UNDER WEED......hehe.....makes it sound as if its a voice coming from inside..... Jim really knew how to CREATE pictures in front of ur eyes.....

excellent song, the way it flows just makes you feel something inside yourself. powerful in a way that I can't really understand.

Lyrics:
Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Into this house we're born
Into this world we're thrown
Like a dog without a bone
An actor out on loan
Riders on the storm.

There's a killer on the road
His brain is squirming like a toad
Take a long holiday
Let your children play
If you give this man a ride
Sweet memory will die
Killer on the road, yeah.

Girl you gotta love your man
Girl you gotta love your man
Take him by the hand
Make him understand
The world on you depends
Our life will never end
Gotta love your man, yeah.

Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Into this house we're born
Into this world we're thrown
Like a dog without a bone
An actor out on loan
Riders on the storm.

Fade to Black

2005-06-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

Life it seems, will fade away
Drifting further every day
Getting lost within myself
Nothing matters no one else
I have lost the will to live
Simply nothing more to give
There is nothing more for me
Need the end to set me free

Things are not what they used to be
Missing one inside of me
Deathly lost, this can’t be real
Cannot stand this hell I feel
Emptiness is filling me
To the point of agony
Growing darkness taking dawn
I was me, but now he’s gone

No one but me can save myself, but it’s too late
Now I can’t think, think why I should even try

Yesterday seems as though it never existed
Death greets me warm, now I will just say good-bye

Something In The Way!

2005-06-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

A George Harrison classic! He was just amazing though very quiet and most unnoticed of all but definitely one of most talented Beatle.

Something in the way she moves
Attracts me like no other lover,
Something in the way she woos me.
I don't want to leave her now,
You know I believe her and how.
Somewhere in her smile she knows
That I don't need no other lover.
Something in her style that shows me.
Don't want to leave her now,
You know I believe her now.

Other good ones from him are:
Here comes the sun
Taxman
While my guitar gently weeps

Njoy!

The Beatles - Don't Let Me Down!

2005-06-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

Don't let me down, don't let me down.
Don't let me down, don't let me down.

Nobody ever loved me like she does,
oo, she does, yeh, she does.
And if somebody loved me like she do me,
oo, she do me, yes, she does.

Don't let me down, don't let me down.
Don't let me down, don't let me down.

I'm in love for the first time.
Don't you know it's gonna last.
It's a love that lasts forever,
It's a love that had no past.

Don't let me down, don't let me down.
Don't let me down, don't let me down.

And from the first time that she really done me,
oo, she done me, she done me good.
I guess nobody ever really done me,
oo, she done me, she done me good.

Don't let me down, don't let me down.
Don't let me down, don't let me down.

John Lennon Quotes

2005-06-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

"Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it."

"You don't need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are!"

"I'm not going to change the way I look or the way I feel to conform to anything. I've always been a freak. So I've been a freak all my life and I have to live with that, you know. I'm one of those people."

"The more I see the less I know for sure."

"There's nothing you can know that isn't known."

"Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted."

"Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans."

"God is a concept by which we measure our pain."

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"Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one."

"All we are saying is give peace a chance."

"I don't believe in killing whatever the reason!"

"You either get tired fighting for peace, or you die."

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"Everything is clearer when you're in love."

"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality."

"As usual, there is a great woman behind every idiot."

"Love is a promise, love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear."

"Rituals are important. Nowadays it's hip not to be married. I'm not interested in being hip."

"When I hold you in my arms and I feel my finger on your trigger I know no one can do me no harm because happiness is a warm gun."