Friday, October 4, 2024: Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out

 

Me, after staying inside all Summer because the temperature outside was 115+ degrees, but now the temps are going back down into the 90s.

Tuesday, June 18, 2024: TWOfer Tuesday - The "Look Of Love" Edition

 

What, exactly, is The Look of Love? 

Is it characterized by a sophisticated, smooth, jazzy arrangement, with lush orchestration, a relaxed bossa nova rhythm, and a sultry vocal performance by the incredibly talented Diana Krall?

Or is it a high-energy slice of early 1980s new wave pop music, with an upbeat tempo, catchy melody, and a prominent use of synthesizers and electronic instrumentation?

One of the great things about doing this particular blog is the ability to really step back and do some old school, High School level "Compare and Contrast" type of musical essays. 

1967s "The Look Of Love" was composed by Burt Bacharach with lyrics by Hal David, and was originally performed by Dusty Springfield for the James Bond film "Casino Royale."

1982s "The Look Of Love" was written and performed by the English band ABC, and was the third single from their debut studio album, "The Lexicon of Love."  Which, remains to this day, one of the greatest albums to come out of the 1980s, and that's a hill I will, in fact, die on. 

ABC was part of the New Romantic movement, an subculture movement that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s, and characterized by flamboyant, eccentric fashions.  Bands like Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, A Flock of Seagulls, and Culture Club were all thrown under this banner.

Burt Bacharach is an Old Romantic, in the very best ways. 

But, where does all this leave us, really?  Are we any closer to knowing what, exactly, "The Look Of Love" really is?

I didn't think so.  Listen, I barely graduated High School, so maybe I'm not the best person you should be reading essays from.  How about just listening to two very different, and very cool, variations on a theme.

Enjoy.

 

Saturday, January 22, 2011: Diana Ross & The Supremes - Reflections

1967.

A year before I was born.

The Doors released their debut album, Jefferson Airplane released Surrealistic Pillow, The Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Velvet Underground & Nico, Are You Experienced and The Piper at the Gates of Dawn are also some of the albums released during that year.

And, of course, the newly re-titled group Diana Ross & The Supremes (after founding member Florence Ballard was booted from the group) release Reflections, one of the most amazing songs ever released by Motown.

And that's saying something.

I mean, just look over any overview of The Year In Music for 1967 and try not to be awestruck.

Ecclesiastes 7:10 says, "Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions."

And, usually, I preach this verse. For the most part I do believe things were not "better" in the past. I believe that, on the whole, these days are much better than whatever era people talk about as "the good old days".

But then I come to 1967. And, damn.

I mean, just listen to "Reflections" and try to compare it to anything made in the last year. The last ten years. It's all bollocks, I tell you, bollocks.

Here's to timelessness. Here's to magic.

Here's to the Supremes.