Still more lazy thoughts from this one…

Posts tagged ‘song’

Same Song, Different Movie: Wheel of Fortune by Bennie Benjamin and George David Weiss

This entry examines one of the classic pop songs of the 50s. In fact, this version of Wheel of Fortune, written by Bennie Benjamin and George David Weiss, is the cover song of the 1951 original performed by American jazz singer Johnny Hartman. Kay Starr’s stirring number out a year later was given a special verve by the versatile pop and jazz singer in her rendition. Her biggest hit, #1 for 10 weeks, tied together two critically acclaimed film adaptations, each of whom lost out big time come awards season, fourteen years apart.

Same Song, Different Movie: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach

To start the new year of 2015 right, I thought to highlight a well-known (and well used) piece of Baroque music by one of the all-time great classical composers. Johann Sebastian Bach. His instantly recognizable Toccata and Fugue in D Minor a thundering piece, and one of the most famous works in the organ repertoire of the era (1600-1750). Once heard, likely one of most ominous too. Used many times over in cinema by a plethora of filmmakers for decades, two of which come instantly and contrastingly to mind.

Friday Forgotten Song: Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears

Reason why the British group so wonderfully named for the era, Tears for Fears, and their best album and song still registers with me. Everybody Wants to Rule the World, written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, and Chris Hughes, remains their biggest hit of the period. Even if it wasn’t the headlined single from the Songs From The Big Chair album. Producers thought it a bit bland and not important at the time.

Wrong they were as such is how pop hits are born, especially in this decade.