Hot Blooded

Hello fellow bloggers!  Sorry I have been a bit MIA this week.  It has been a bit crazy, and I have been away from my computer for much too long.  That being said, I wanted to make sure to pick an absolute winner for today's 80s song of the day.  One of my very favorite bands from the 80s is Foreigner, and I guess I am cheating once again since they started back in '76 and released "Hot Blooded" in '78.  Nevertheless, they had a huge string of hits throughout the 80s, including Urgent, Juke Box Hero, Feels Like the First Time...and the list goes on and on.  Some of their greatest hits can be found on this page of their website: http://www.foreigneronline.com/music.html?dd_id=22.

So, back to the song.  Kind of hard to misinterpret the meaning of this one. Yup, it is pretty straightforward.  No confusion, no debate of the plot or intention of the lyrics.  "Come on baby, do you do more than dance?"  Uh, well, that line may seem a bit sleazy if you heard it in casual conversation, but I don't think anyone other than an awesomely rockin' group like Foreigner could pull it off with such pizazz.  I have to say, it's also not everyday that you hear the word "rendezvous" in a rock song, so kudos to Foreigner for throwing that into the mix with suave style and panache.  I hope you will enjoy this song as much as I do.  Crank up the volume and enjoy those power chords!  This song is number 59 on the MP3 Player on the right.  If you ever wondered how this tune would sound "unplugged," well I found a version of that, too!  Enjoy!

Heartbreaker

One of my absolute favorite songs of all time is "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar.  I wanted to say it was my all-time favorite 80s song, but I did a bit of research this evening and found out that it was released in October of 1979.  So, it technically just squeezed itself in before the new decade.  Pat was always a visionary in my opinion, so I think it is fitting!  What can I say about this song?  It truly rocks.  It is the epitome of rock.  With high energy drums and guitar breaking way for Pat's extraordinary voice, the song takes off from the beginning and just keeps cranking and rocking all the way through.  It's sort of a "super power" rock song, and the lyrics are incredible as well.  Take a listen, and you can hear them clearly as Pat delivers them with a punch.  She sings about a man who sounds like a rock version of Cassanova or Don Giovanni.  I absolutely LOVE the chorus: "You're a heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker don't you mess around with me...you're a heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker don't you mess around--no, no, no!"  Guitars fuel the force, and the song itself is a virtual rock tidal wave.  As I was thinking about the song, I realized that the chorus is very clever and creative.  I wondered what it would be like to switch around parts of the words, since some were essentially "created" with word combinations..."heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker..."  If we sing "heart breaker, dream taker, love maker" it would get the same message across.  It would be awesome to hear Pat sing that variation, all the while pointing at you with super rock intensity.  Ms. Benatar...we concede to your greatness!!!!!!  So glad that you chose rock over opera, even though you have the powerhouse voice for both.  

Hope you enjoy Heartbreaker.  It is number 24 on the Amazon MP3 Player to the right.  Just for fun, I've also included two video versions of the song (one retro and one more recent --both are terrific!).

When It's Love

It's getting pretty late, so I wanted to leave everyone with a nice, peaceful, calming song before signing off for the night.  Van Halen's "When It's Love" begins with a beautiful synthesized opening -- perhaps a bit unexpected for the group.  This song was written when Sammy Hagar joined as lead vocalist, which definitely put a new twist on the group's sound, look, and feel.  "When It's Love" quickly pulls into high gear after the instrumental opening, and Sammy's voice ignites the engine so to say.  Drums and guitar ad horsepower, and a full-fledged rock love song is created.  I am not sure if it falls into the category of ballad because it's tempo and style are definitely much more upbeat than a typical rock ballad.  As the song develops, the full band provides back-up vocals for the chorus, which repeats several times -- each time giving more momentum to the song.  How do you know when it's love?  How does it feel when it's love?  Well, Van Halen tells us that we'll know.  It is something that will last forever, something people feel together.  I think I would agree.  The beautiful synthesized instrumental section from the opening comes back in the end, with a bit of high hat, and voila!  We feel love.  Great song.  Always makes me smile.

Jessie's Girl

Ah...Rick Springfield.  His "Jessie's Girl" is probably a certified anthem of the 1980s.  I have to admit that he certainly did look cute in the video with his hair so perfectly coiffed.  In the 80s, there were certain hair styles that were so popular...they are essentially legendary.  I don't think one particular hair style dominates today.  Anyway, his hair did look perfect in the video, and he was definitely what we would call in the 80s a "heart throb."  Makes me think about Tiger Beat magazine.  I wonder what ever happened to that..

So, back to the song.  The lyrics are simple and very direct.  Rick is singing about being jealous of his friend's girlfriend.  It's okay.  His jealousy in the song is kind of endearing -- nothing hostile.  He just wants to find a woman like that, too.  I think the best part of the song would be the guitar.  Actually, both the bass and lead guitar parts are awesome.  The song begins with an excellent bass line (which we hear in many, many songs of the 80s).  In fact, the bass line is a very standard chord progression that even is kind of an "abbreviated" version of Pachelbel's Canon (for my fellow music geek friends).  Very standard yet still groovy and cool.  The lead guitar has an excellent solo as well.  All in all, this song is a winner.  Some of you might also remember Rick Springfield from "General Hospital."  Many, many actors and some singers got their start on soaps...very common for the day.  "Jessie's Girl" is song number #33 on the Amazon MP3 player at the top.  Just for fun, I am including his video and the cover of the album that includes "Jessie's Girl."  This particular cover scared me as a little girl, probably because it didn't seem "right" to see a dog dressed in a shirt and tie.  Still seems a bit weird, but kind of funny as well.  Enjoy!

Into the Night

So, I have been reading quite a bit about Benny Mardones and "Into the Night."  It seems to be quite the controversial song because of its lyrics -- especially the beginning.  Let's take a look: "She's just 16 years old, leave her alone, they say..."  Well, okay -- I can imagine that those lyrics could case a ruckus.  People often take the lyrics for face value and claim that the song is about a man in love with a young woman who is, well, not legal.  I may be in the minority, but to me, lyrics are lyrics.  Sometimes they are true, direct, plain, simple -- but many times (more often than not) they are a metaphor or have been written to "fit nicely" with the song.  If you think about Billy Joel's "Allentown" (which you can hear in my blog entry "Sunday Night Block"), I read that the original song was supposed to be "Bethlehem," as in Bethlehem, PA.  But,  "Allentown" sounded better -- so he used it (probably because it ends in "town").  Allentown is near Bethlehem anyway, so it works!  Point being, Benny Mardones could have put other lyrics in for the girl's age, or he could have changed the lyrics entirely.  I'm here writing this blog, and I could easily sing, "I'm just sitting at home, writing a blog, to-day..."  It doesn't really matter.  The song is beautiful with gorgeous vocals and kind of a "romantic" piano line.  There's a general sense that this man is deeply in love with a woman and wants to give her his heart.  That's all.

The more interesting part of this story is Benny Mardones and his life.  He had written many songs for other artists and was encouraged to record one of his own.  The song is kind of a "one hit wonder," but it is pleasant, soothing, distinctive.  Mr. Mardones suffered from drug addiction after he made it big.  We have seen this happen with so many gifted musicians.  The good news was that someone in his life took him to Syracuse, NY to recover and get his life together.  Today, supposedly, he still has a huge following in Syracuse, which makes me smile since I am from Upstate NY, too.  Yes, the good people of our state helped this man recover and supported him through hard times.  Upstate NY is a great place with good people!  That aside, the song is simply a good tune.  Make what you want of it, and enjoy it's melody and vocals.  It is number 5 on the Amazon MP3 Player II to the right.  There is no official video, either, so I picked something general from YouTube with a nice picture of Benny from back in the day.  Enjoy!

Caught Up in You

Happy Weekend!  It is nice and quiet in becky's world, which is terrific.  It is the weekend, so it's time to let loose and enjoy.  One of my favorite songs for getting "up and at 'em" is "Caught Up In You" by 38 Special.  I admit, I would have to look up the lyrics to understand each word clearly, but the chorus is just fine for me to get the point.  Yup, he's in love with this girl and definitely makes that clear by singing "and if ever, comes a day, when you should turn and walk away...oh no...I can't live without you...."  So, we get the point for sure.

Musically, this song has some pretty impressive guitar playing.  That coupled with the tempo, lyrics, and steady drum beat make it very upbeat and, well, fun in my opinion.  The video is a classic look into the lifestyles and fashion of 1982, which is when the video was released.  Complete with leg warmers, an electronic bull, video games, and arm wrestling, this is definitely a treasure for the time capsule.  The main couple in the video is a testament to the style of the day--which may look a bit like "Barbie and Ken," but it is still refreshing to look back and see.  And, check out that huge hotel room key at the end...  

This song is also #17 in the Amazon MP3 player at the top of the page...if you can't live without it :)



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Time Cast A Spell on You

Okay, I have that particular lyric stuck in my mind, playing over and over again.  It's from Fleetwood Mac's "Silver Springs," which is probably my favorite song by the group.  I actually only discovered it this past year when I was driving along through the Berkshires.  I thought, "What a beautiful song, but what terribly depressing lyrics."  I guess it's really not that bad.  I just always feel a bit of a sting when I hear women singing about the not-so-pleasant parts of relationships -- namely, heartbreak.  Anyway, I guess I am being overly pensive this evening.  This song is helping me relax after a long week -- kind of winding things down.  Plus, it certainly has more seasonally appropriate lyrics (with spells and voices haunting you).  Kind of fun if you think about it.  I hope you enjoy this beautiful tune.

Abracadabra

I'm a bit behind on posts, so  I wanted to make sure and get a song of the day in this morning.  Since it is almost Halloween, I thought "Abracadabra" by the Steve Miller Band would be perfect.  I remember when this song was released -- I was a very little girl.  Quite frankly, the video scared me, but in retrospect, it really is nothing to be afraid of today.  I doubt anyone would be frightened of the very simple yet astoundingly creative for the day imagery in the video.  It definitely gives us a peak into the styles of the 1980s and was a groundbreaking video in the time when MTV had only been on the air for a year.  The song itself is simple -- good bass line, steady drum beat, and very catchy lyrics for the chorus - "abra abra cadabra...I want to reach out and grab ya."  Breaking up "abracadabra" into three parts in the chorus gives it a boost for sure.  This song is number 4 on the Amazon MP3 Player II to the right.  Enjoy!

What A Feeling

This evening, I was listening to several songs from the mid to late 1980s, when dance music with lots of synthesizers and drum machines was really popular.  I read that this was the next wave in dance music after disco fizzled out in the early 1980s.  Every piece of music has its place in the world, and this genre seems to be just sort of light and enjoyable.  For die-hard dance fans, I am sure this is the meat and potatoes.  There are so many songs that simply make me smile from this genre, probably because they are fun and really do not have lyrics or harmonies that permeate your mind or tug at your heartstrings.  I was glad to come across "What A Feeling" by Irene Cara.  This song was released in 1983 and was featured on the soundtrack for the movie "Flashdance."   I have probably seen "Flashdance" at least 50 times.  Again, simple, kind of silly in a way, but enjoyable.  The story line is that of a hard-working young woman who aspires to become a dancer.  She works at a steel mill during the day, dances in kind of sketchy places by night, and eventually meets her prince, who helps her get into a prestigious dance school.  When she finds out he helped her get into the school, of course she is upset, but they kiss and make up anyway, and everyone lives happily ever after.  The audience is left with a feel-good sentiment of "I can do it!  I can make anything happen.  I can make my dreams come true."  Seemed to be the popular mindset of the 1980s, which isn't so bad in retrospect.  Hope you enjoy this song!

Late Night Blog Bit #2 - Maneater

It is pretty late, and I am just about to go to bed.  Wanted to make sure and leave everyone out there with one of my favorite nocturnal type of tunes - "Maneater" by Daryl Hall and John Oats.  I can always remember the first two lines of the lyrics, and that's about it until the chorus.  But, it's okay.  The song is simple and pleasing with its steady drum beat and subtle bass line.  Of course, the huge saxophone solo does add color and dimension to the song.  If it is late enough, and you think about the sax solo (playing it through your mind), it kind of does sound like a sneaky, slithering panther.  Pretty cool, and the video is also simple but something I could watch again and again.  Love the panther.  Hope you enjoy.  This song is number 1 on the Amazon MP3 Player II on the right.

Bring Me Some Water

There are many different genres of music that were popular throughout the 80s.  I mostly listened to rock, R & B, pop, and some rap, and I always felt that country music was not my thing.  I didn't spend much time listening to it, but as I got older, country stations would pop up as I scanned the radio in my car (believe it or not, I still don't have a CD player in my current vehicle).  I'd stop on the occasional country song, mesmerized by the very "human" lyrics.  There was something very sincere and direct in the lyrics, and the instrumental factor was purely instrumental -- no overdose of synthesizers.  There were real musicians playing real stringed instruments, keyboards, and drums.

I'm often blown away by the ease in which country singers perform -- and they seem to really enjoy what they are doing.  That is what it is all about.  Making music should be about enjoying what you are doing and expressing yourself.  Too often, we get caught up in fear as musicians about "messing up."  When I see a great performance with musicians having fun, I really enjoy it, regardless of the genre.  The show "Crossroads" on CMT is an amazing program that "crosses" singers of various genres and has them perform each other's songs.  My all time favorite episode is the one with Dolly Parton and Melissa Etheridge.   When Dolly sings "Bring Me Some Water," the intensity and depth of her performance is made even better by the support of Melissa and the instrumentalists.  Everyone blends so well and gives it their all.  Awesome performance.

'Till Now, I Always Got By on My Own

The words in this post's title have been in my head all day.  I'm sure many of you know they are from Heart's "Alone."  Of course, the rest of the chorus follows in my mind as well...and then the guitar solo....and repeat.  Ann Wilson's vocals are truly amazing on this.  Beautiful piano intro followed by lyrics with equal beauty and depth make this song one of my favorite from the 80s.  I've also realized that it is just as beautiful "unplugged" and found a great video of Heart accompanied by a small chamber orchestra.  Amazing, powerful, and relaxing all at the same time.  This is a perfect Saturday night song whether you are with loved ones or just enjoying some nice, quiet alone time. 

More Than a Feeling

Okay--so I am cheating a bit here.  I was looking for the perfect song for the weekend.  I wanted something upbeat and uplifting, something to make you want to get in the car and crank up the radio (and sing along of course).  I came across Boston's "More Than a Feeling," and could not resist this one -- even if it was written in the 70s.  A great song is a great song -- and this surely is one.  Simple lyrics, excellent guitar, beautiful harmonies, and a full rockin' sound.  Break out the air guitar (or real guitar if you can) and enjoy! 

Nightshift

It's getting pretty late this evening--much too late for a song of the day.  I thought I would pick something with the word "night" in the title, and there are many good songs from which to choose.  I thought about "Nightshift" by the Commodores, which is a beautiful, timeless song.  It's soulful, rich vocals and beautiful harmonies make it the perfect song for many occasions.  Although the Commodores were popular long before the 1980s, I think this song ads to the rich collection of musical genres we heard in the 80s - pop, rock, R&B, rap - and the list goes on.  Hope you enjoy this beautiful tune.

Stevie and Rod on Tour

Last night, I was watching some clips on YouTube and stumbled upon a couple with Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart singing "Leather and Lace" on tour this past April.  I had no idea they were touring together!  I must say that I really enjoy their music--individually.  But, well...hmm....when they sing together on this, it's...uh, different.  Stevie really has great chemistry with Lindsey Buckingham and others (Don Henley on this particular song).  Not sure that Mr. Stewart works with her to perform this song to its highest potential.  Poor Stevie.  Take a look at the video with Rod Stewart, followed by a clip of just the song with Stevie and Don Henley.

Take It On the Run

I am so behind in posts!  For some reason, I woke up this morning thinking about REO Speedwagon's "Take It On the Run."  This is another classic song that always puts me in a good mood -- especially when I am driving.  Listen to the lyrics.  Obviously, it is not a good story (the cheating woman), but it sure does have a well-written lyrics.  I especially like "talk is cheap when the story is good."  Always makes me smile.  REO Speedwagon is definitely still rockin'.  Hope you enjoy this song -- it is number 19 on the Amazon player at the top of the page.

Sunday Night Block

So, I was driving home this evening and heard Billy Idol's "White Wedding."  Definitely a great song, but I remember thinking the video was kind of creepy back in the day.  So, I thought I would look for a different song--something more relaxed for this evening.  Stumbled upon Meatloaf, which seemed fitting since all the Halloween candy is out now (his "Anything for Love" video seems perfect for this time of the year).  But, I just wanted something simple, something relaxing.  I stopped to think about some of my very favorite songs from the 80s -- some that  I never get tired of listening to and that put me in a good mood.  Since the work week is upon us, I thought "Allentown" by Billy Joel would be perfect.  Billy Joel has to be one of the most gifted song writers of our time.  His lyrics are meaningful, and his melodies beautiful.  His voice is so controlled and melodic in this song.  Hats off to you, Mr. Joel -- you are a legend.

Weekend!

Happy weekend to everyone.  Thank goodness.  Everybody's working for the weekend most definitely - at least in Becky's world.  I am a bit behind with the song of the day, but I just added four more great tunes to the mp3 player.  I think today's song should definitely be Loverboy's "Working for the Weekend."  Nothing is more perfect to kick off the weekend than this tune.  Check it out over on my mp3 player - it's #20.  Enjoy!

Song of the Day - "Any Way You Want It," Journey

Of all songs from the 80s, this has to be one of my all time favorites.  So simple yet completely full of energy, and Steve Perry's voice is always amazing.  I hope one day he will come back just for a reunion concert.  If you listen to the song and notice how powerful Steve's voice is, well, it just truly rocks.  The chorus is harmonized by all members of the band to really add some kick.  Steady beat, a couple of guitar "punctuations," and that famous cowbell really put this on the high octant list.  Of course Steve's voice carries like a powerhouse when he is singing extended "ohs" throughout.  Awesome song.  It will start your day and lift your spirits.  I probably enjoy listening to this song the most when I am driving.  It is the 6th song on my Amazon mp3 player to the right.  Enjoy!

Late Night Blog Bit

It is pretty late, and I am ready for sleep.  Did a ton of cleaning and housework this evening, but I promised myself I would try to write everyday.  I guess it's technically tomorrow already.  Anyway, I am going to start posting an 80s "song of the day" beginning tomorrow, so stay tuned...

Music Player

Success!  I have finally added an Amazon mp3 player widget.  Lots of great music on there -- 53 great 80s songs at the moment.  I am sure I will be adding more as I can remember them.  Had several songs on Facebook, but I am not sure what happened there.  So many changes with Facebook.  I can't keep up. I guess I don't have to now that I have my 80s music on here!

Designing

So, it looks like I am still working on the design of this page.  My goal is to have a great widget that plays internet radio or videos of some sort.  I've passed by those as I've been working on the page.  Figured I would come back to it.  So, stay tuned, because I believe Becky's World will be complete with music very soon.

Welcome

Thanks for stopping by.  I admit that I am new to the blogging world, so it may take me a bit of time to get fully acquainted with how things work.  I've been thinking about a blog for a long time and was not sure exactly how to begin.  I finally realized that I should simply build a space that was fun, relaxing, and filled with positive things that I enjoy and would like to share.  So, take a look as I build this space.  I'll be sharing some reviews of products, music, and a television show or movie from time to time.  In the past, Ii have spent hours researching everything online before I choose a product or service of any type, so I do hope this site will be helpful.