Well, it's kind of late here in Becky's World. Long day, and I am pretty tired. Well...I was pretty tired, until I found out that Survivor is on tour now. In fact, they will be performing in Rhode Island, which is not far from me. I might just have to go see them! I am feeling super-excited about this for some reason. I think I can "feel the hand of fate" reaching out to me...just like in their song, "I Can't Hold Back." Check out the lyrics -- they are pretty gripping and enchanting. That coupled with lead singer Jimi Jamison's magical voice -- ah, yes, "I can't hold back, I'm on the edge." What a fun song! I had forgotten about it. I'm sure "Eye of the Tiger" is their biggest. Everyone remembers that from Rocky III, but Survivor had lots of great tunes. I am officially naming "I Can't Hold Back" as my personal favorite. Check out these lyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-cant-hold-back-lyrics-survivor.html
The video is captivating as well. The lead singer and the girl he's swooning over are at the book store (turning the pages of desire no doubt). He sings the first two verses with acoustic guitar, and when the drums come in,,,BOOM! A flash of light...and they are in the concert arena. She is all glammed up super '80s style, and he is on stage sporting red leather pants with zippers all over the place (leather parachute pants I suppose -- remember those?). The video continues, and they eventually have quite the subway ride home. When I saw that, I thought, "Hey, is that the L in Chicago?" Yup, it is. The band is from Chicago. Love that city! Toward the end of the video, we see that the whole thing was a day dream, and he chases after her when she leaves the bookstore. Alas, he misses her, and she rides away on the L all alone... It's okay. I am sure they found each other eventually and lived happily ever after :)
So, I was looking on YouTube for some good acoustic versions of songs from the 80s when I stumbled upon the classic hit "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection" by Nelson. I'm technically cheating again since it was released in 1990, but that's okay. You can tell by the clothing styles in the video that the 1990s had arrived -- but with just a hint of '80s flare. I think the first year of a new decade is kind of like a crux or a pivot. So, you'll see lots of long, awesome rock star hair, tight jeans, leather, boots, and all that good stuff from the 80s, but with different colors and less teasing in the coiffures (more 90s). I am still completely ga-ga over these guys' hairdos. Their hair is amazing. Hard to get past that, but...
The song is really awesome. Love that acoustic guitar, and the lyrics are really well-composed. It's kind of like a nice narrative of this guy who is feeling ignored by a girl. He's fallen for her, and she doesn't even know he exists. But, he can't live without her love and affection. He can't spend another night on his own. How many times do we hear this in a song? Well, probably quite a bit, and mostly in metaphors. But, this is straight and to the point. I am sure that when this song came out (and I was in high school), there were tons of girls screaming for Nelson's love and affection. Anyway, this is just a nice tune that can make you smile -- especially if you think back to when it came on the radio. Were you in high school? Middle school? Perhaps grown and married? Whatever the case, it was "back in the day," and it is always nice to reminisce over a good tune with acoustic guitar and happy lyrics about love...and affection.
I'm cheating a bit here since this song was written in 1991, but the band Mr. Big was formed in 1988, so I think it's okay :) "To Be with You" is one of my all time favorite songs of any decade. It's definitely a tune that you can enjoy, and it won't have any intense or weird effects on you - no heart palpitations or feelings of anxiousness, no sadness, no sense of urgency to get up and run around or dance like a maniac. Nope, it's just a nice little song with beautiful vocals, acoustic guitars, and a touch of bass drum (not a concert bass for fellow band geeks, but rather a drum set bass). This song is really touching in its simplicity, and it is a perfect package of melody and harmony. The guitar lines are played with such beauty and sensitivity - especially in the big guitar solo. It's so crisp and clear, too. The lead vocals are perfect. The sound quality of the lead singer's voice is just perfect - mellow, strong, and delivered with sincerity. Also, this song has one of the most awesome modulations ever (at 2:26 in the video). For non-music geeks, that's a fancy term for "key change."
The video is simple as well, and it is completely fitting for the song. When you hear the song on the radio, you can almost picture a band just sitting down to sing a nice, mellow tune about love. The video captures that picture perfectly. The guys in the band are really handsome as well, and their hair is amazing. That's probably neither here nor there as far as the music is concerned, but it does show that they have a sense of uniqueness in their style. I think they helped us transition smoothly from the 80s to the 90s with their look. It's always a bit weird in the first year of a new decade. Older styles seem to carry over a bit as new ones develop, but I really feel that the look and sound of this group is timeless.
So, you've probably figured out the basic story line from the lyrics, which are delivered beautifully through the lead vocals. A young woman is broken-hearted, and the guy is giving her reassurance that everything will be okay. Not only that, but he is telling her to essentially keep her chin up, and.... drum roll please... he is the one who wants to be with her! Yes! Well, I hope she feels it, too. It's not everyday that Prince Charming comes along and rescues you from heartbreak--extending his hand and carrying you off into the sunset. So, go for it! Hold on little girl, this guy is the one who wants to be with you. So let him be the one to show you... You can make his life worthwhile...he can make you start to smile. Sounds good to me! :)
