#best songs tributed to diana

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

About Harold and P.Diddy

The pictures in the DM story are definitely from the Diana concert in 2007. If you look innthe background of them, you see Prince William and then CH press secretary Paddy Haverson (2003 - 2012). 

The pictures were widely circulated in UK media at the time. Harold looked super chuffed to be hanginb out with Kanye and P.Diddy and other musicians while William floated about in the background though i think he also took a picture with Kanye and P.Diddy.

As for when P.Diddy's parties started.....i was a teen in the 90s. Just as there were stories about R. Kelly and Aliyah and shoddy behaviour, so were stories about P.Diddy.

Though at the time there was this wierd criminal gangs thing going on with East coast rappers ( led by Biggie Smalks and P.Diddy) vs West coast rappers led by Suge Knight. The entire thing seemed dangerous as hell because you heard about Dr Dre and Vanilla Ice being bodily threatened into signing away the rights to their records and or being pressed into signing with the record company he ran. East vs West feud culminated in Tupac and Biggie being shot. 

Somehow, P.Diddy made his image over witn that Police song tribute to Biggie and then started dating JLO whilst pretending to be a reformed man at best or the innocent victim of that East vs West coast feud with fingers pointing at Suge Knight who didn't help matters by being a genuinely scary guy. 

Then on a night out to a club, soneone either got shot or there was a drive by, and the guns were discovered in the car that P.Diddy and JLO was travelling in. 

JLO dropped and ran away from P.Diddy the minute she was released from the police station and she's never looked back. 

P.Diddy started throwing these huge public parties - His White parties became legendary. Even featured on an episode of Sex and the City except they substituted P.Diddy for Richard. 

However, you'd hear all this other stuff going on at the same time. Different parties. JayZ was mentioned at these other parties. As Wendy Williams says,' the streets were talking...'

You heard about the s3xual grooming of young stars in the R& B/ Hip Hop world especially male stars was merely whispered eg then 14yr old Usher, Little Bow Wow, Tevin Campbell. All alleged to have been groomed by P.Diddy. These days Usher gives interviews in which he admits to attending wild private parties with P.Diddy when he lived with him for a year. Everyone glosses over his age when he was doing this.

And that girlband, Danity Kane that he created in 2005 were already accusing him of sordid behaviour and abuse though everyone dismissed them as sour grapes because they didn't become stars on the level of an Usher / Tevin Campbell / Little Bow Wow. 

By the time 2010 rolled around, the streets were talking louder, but everyone ignored it because P.Diddy wasn't as much in our faces. 

I honestly think that if Cassie his ex-girlfriend hadn't sued him and he settled that suit less than 24hrs after it was filed to the tune of $30M, i think he'd have gotten away with this. 

But trust me when i say that P.Diddy's misdeeds are as sordid as R. Kelly and possibly worse if the whispers of what he did in that West vs East coast feud are true. 

The only shocker about all this is T.D. Jakes who was outed as a frequent attendee at these other parties. 

I'm so tired of reverred preachers having rotten, margot filled feet of clay. 

*****

All of this. 💯.

I was going to reblog one of my posts from last week where I said “there’s nothing happening. Wait till the next celeb scandal breaks and then worry if KP is still in the news” (because the new celeb scandal is here) and decided not to dredge up old feelings since Kate’s Friday Statement quelled a lot of it.

But I still want to say what I was going to say and anon, you’ve submitted the PERFECT post.

This P. Diddy lawsuit, especially the RICO part and yesterday’s raid, is huge. The ripple effects are going to be significant.

Just look at all the people mentioned in anon’s post. They mentioned everyone I was writing about - Jennifer Lopez, R. Kelly, Aaliyah, Suge Knight, East Coast vs West Coast.

The rap industry is quaking in their boots. It’s going to get messy.

And also, Jennifer Lopez is having a mini-PR crisis of her own. It’s not as bad as what KP has been going through, but it has the potential to be - people are calling out her ego and bad behavior (she consistently ranks in top 10 worst celebs to meet) and her new film bombed. If she wants to stop all the bad press she’s getting, she’s going to roll on P. Diddy in a tell-all couch confession about how horrific life was with him and now she can finally speak out.

But there’s one guy having a good time with this:

50 Cent has been telling about P. Diddy for YEARS.

His victory lap on Twitter is most deserved.

[cityelf]

My brain is trapped in a box labelled "worst hypothetical episodes of Glee based on the concept of the show existing at an earlier point of time in history"

It's September 1997. The world is mourning the People's Princess. Schue inexplicably decides the best way to pay tribute to Oor Di is by compiling a jukebox musical in her honour. Rachel is immediately furious at the baseless assumption that Quinn will get the lead role based on looks alone. Naturally this is solved by auditions being held blindfolded, culminating in the horror of everyone involved when Kurt's pearly pipes snag him the role of Princess Diana with a gut-wrenching rendition of Don't Cry For Me Argentina

December 1969. Schue gives everyone the assignment to pick a historically significant event from the 60s to inspire their performances for a big NYE bash they've been invited to perform at, for some reason. The writers shoehorn Mercedes into celebrating MLK JR's I Have A Dream Speech, obviously. Finn picks the assassination of JFK, but confuses him with Abraham Lincoln and dresses accordingly. Brittany and Santana do a gorgeous tribute to Marilyn Monroe. Rachel, highly inappropriately, picks the Vietnam War. Kurt does Stonewall. Almost every single song is a Beatles cover.

The Ides of March. Yes, the original one. Exploited travelling band of Greek entertainers, Νέες κατευθύνσεις, are roped into the plot to stab Caesar. They do the ancient Greek equivalent of Hit Me Baby One More Time as good ol' Jules gets got.

The crucifixion of christ is low-hanging fruit

Although, Lady Gaga's Judas is right there,

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 04/05/2024 (Taylor Swift, Tommy Richman, Kendrick Lamar's "euphoria")

Just a week after her album’s impact, Taylor’s been dethroned by… Sabrina Carpenter! She grabs her first #1 on the UK Singles Chart with the smash hit “Espresso” and welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

content warning: language, Yeat praise

Rundown

As always, let’s start with the notable dropouts, which are songs exiting the UK Top 75 - that’s what I cover - after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40. Now this week, we bid adieu to: “The Tortured Poets Department” by Taylor Swift (it got three-song-ruled and dropped out from #3, more on that later), “act II: date @ 8” by 4batz featuring a remix by Drake (not his best week, more on that later), “Von dutch” by Charli XCX, “Kitchen Stove” by Pozer, “Whatever” by Kygo and Ava Max, “Murder on the Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor and FINALLY, “Lovin’ on Me” by Jack Harlow.

As for our gains, we see healthy boosts for “Pedro” by Jaxomy, Agatino Romero and the late Raffaella Carrá at #60, “Outside of Love” by Becky Hill at #54, “Evergreen” by Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners at #46, “The Sound of Silence” by Disturbed at #42 (yeesh), “These Words” by Badger and Natasha Bedingfield at #22, “I Don’t Wanna Wait” by David Guetta and OneRepublic at #20 - I guess obvious covers and remixes have a good week - then finally, a song hitting the top 10 I’m personally very happy with: “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey at #6. #1 incoming? Please?

We also continue to see the rise or, rather, resurgence of Amy Winehouse’s catalogue due to the biopic, with “Valerie” with Mark Ronson at #38, “Back to Black” at #39, and a re-entry for “Tears Dry on Their Own” at #49, which peaked at #16 when Ye’s “Stronger” was #1 in 2007. On that same album, he says he hates Nazis, look how far we’ve come. Anyways, “Tears Dry” contains a sample of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, made famous by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, which didn’t chart in its original form for the longest time here. It peaked at #6 in 1970 but only in the form of a cover by Diana Ross, whose version charted whilst Freda Payne’s “Band of Gold” was #1 - just shows that we don’t really remember the bigger hits of the time. The Boys Town Gang reached #46 with their cover in 1981, Whitehouse and Jocelyn Brown both charted with covers coincidentally in August of 1998 - they peaked at #60 and #35 respectively - and finally, the original first charted at #80 in 2013, amazingly still its peak, and briefly re-entered earlier this year. “Tears Dry” itself was sampled the last time Amy made the top 40 in 2023, with Skepta’s #28-peaking tribute “Can’t Play Myself”.

As for our top five this week, we start in the dregs with “i like the way you kiss me” by Artemas at #5, “Beautiful Things” by Benedict Cumberbatch at #4, “Too Sweet” by Hozier at #3, then of course Taylor Swift’s “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone at #2 and “Espresso” at #1. It’s an interesting one today, folks, with a lot of unique and frankly, fantastic stuff to cover, so let’s start with… Kygo?

New Entries

#75 - “For Life” - Kygo and Zak Abel featuring Nile Rodgers

Produced by Kygo, Nile Rodgers, Ollie Green and Franklin

I’m honestly a bit surprised Kygo is still notching chart hits, especially without a big name attached this time. Sure, Nile Rodgers is a legend, but he’s doing so much dance-pop garbage in his later years that I don’t think many people check specifically for his collaborations, so there’s got to be something in this that’s unique, right? Aaaaaaand it’s a sample. It’s a nostalgia bait sample of a 2000s EDM track because of course it is. French house act Modjo debuted with “Lady - Hear Me Tonight”, which spent two weeks at #1 in 2000 and is an absolute classic I still return to today, even if Modjo were basically a one-hit wonder. “Lady” of course is built on a sample of “Soup for One” by Rodgers’ own band CHIC, which comes from a 1982 soundtrack album, never charted and kind of been eclipsed by “Lady”, largely because the original is honestly pretty bad, uninteresting and surprisingly stiff for an 80s funk track, with some of the weakest and most slap-dash implementation of synths. “Lady” really took the best parts of that song - its undeniable guitar melody, that isn’t even put to great use in the original - and constructed an entirely new, incredible song out of it. So I can’t tell if it’s pathetic and desperate for Rodgers to try and reclaim it, or something that speaks to the power of musical transformation. Oh, what am I kidding? It’s Kygo, it’s just kind of boring. It’s a rote piano house track that goes for the same tropical atmosphere Kygo has been doing for years - a lot of the same festival synths are there, it’s all full of bubbly swooshing that actively sound like pastel colours. The only real hook of the song is taken from Modjo and re-sang by Zak Abel, with slight lyric modifications taken from the “I’m Good (Blue)” department of refusing to allow for fun in your dance songs, and even that just feels desperate. What did Nile Rodgers even do here, man? Sign a legal document saying you can use the hook? It’s not even his Goddamn hook.

#69 - “Solo” - Myles Smith

Produced by Peter Fenn

Myles Smith is a singer-songwriter I hadn’t heard of until today but has been active since at least last year and is making at least some consistent buzz so I was interested to see what his first slow-burning chart hit here has to offer and… are we just, IN, 2012, 2013 now? We had festival house with the last song, the next song is heavily Yeezus-inspired, and this is a full-on Aloe Blacc stomp-rock song. It isn’t bad either - I actually had to get used to hearing his richer voice on this kind of scattered clap-stomp-holler folk track, and whilst this is nothing unique given the solemn pianos, spattering of strings and of course, that jingling indie folk rolick, that doesn’t feel particularly organic on this one, it still is far from bad. The lyrics are somewhat generic but not in an awful way, and the “so low”/”solo” double meaning is somewhat clever or at least, would be if in the context of the song, they actually meant separate things. It’s a bit annoying that it’s the main conceit because both have negative connotations for Mr. Smith here, so it just feels like he’s repeating himself rather than elaborating on his feelings or presenting a dichotomy. I imagine it’ll be a lost on a few people due to botched execution, which bothers me because it was an active attempt at clever songwriting that gets kind of lost in sonic translation. This sounds like I’m picking apart the song’s flaws but it is really just a fine little woodlands jams with a great singer, infectious hook and by the end, a damn fine melodramatic string section. I can see it growing on me, especially due to its gorgeous outro, but for right now, I’m somewhat lukewarm, not going to raise a fuss if it ends up smashing though and in a Noah Kahan world, I suppose it’s quite likely.

#64 - “If We Being Real” - Yeat

Produced by Synthetic, Radiate, Fendii, LRBG, Perdu and Dreamr

So terrible news: I like Yeat now. I’m still not granting him his silly little umaluts, and I won’t go too in-depth here, mostly because there’s another song worthy of in-depth analysis, and every piece Yeat’s put out fits into the jigsaw of the album’s narrative as a whole… it would require a lot more time and space, and frankly words, that I’m willing to give #64. No track feels unnecessary on 2093, the atmosphere is consistent across all 24 tracks, and lyrically, it’s a concept album, which I would have never expected from Yeat and he pulls it off brilliantly both sonically and thematically without straining himself to areas he probably couldn’t reach like trying to be super lyrical or stepping away from rage pads. Given the album’s experimentation and length, I wasn’t surprised by the lukewarm commercial reception, but I did at least expect maybe the songs with Future, Wayne or Drake on the deluxe, to have charted by now, when this hasn’t even happened in the US. So when the penultimate track on an album that’s over an hour in its standard issue becomes his first solo hit in the top 75, I have to assume TikTok virality is involved.

Regardless, I’m glad it’s here because it’s brilliant. Sonically as a separate track, it’s one extended verse over a corrupted industrial beat that cracks in right after a mystical intro full of textured but meandering strings, that get swooshed out of existence by a cinematic, malfunctioning clunker incorporating Yeat’s inhuman ad-libs, manipulated behind vocal recognition, into infectious loops within the beat. This is one of few songs - another’s coming later - where I can understand the sheer amount of producers. Lyrically, the title refers to Yeat or more accurately, his psychopathic billionaire character, attempting to shed some of his CEO veneer and ultimately failing, adopting a lot of the violent, power-hungry rhetoric the rest of the album relies on, making it a pretty ironic and depressing title, especially when considering its place in the rest of the album, coming right before the… actually honest and heartbreaking closer, “1093”. In the backhalf of this album, Yeat’s bragging sounds increasingly monotone and routine, and him rapping in and out of distorted filters or going up and down from his traditional murmur to a choking yell, exemplifies how sick and tired he is of the lyfestyle he curated for himself. This song in particular ends with him barely on beat for a beat that doesn’t even really have a beat, becoming a factorial ambiance more so than anything coherently rhythmic. I have no idea why this song in particular is going viral - it doesn’t have a chorus or even really some of the catchier, more potent lyrics on the album, and its beat barely functions as such for the vast majority of the song - Hell, it’s not even one of the album’s integral moments like the opener, “Bought the Earth”, “ILUV”, “Shade”, “Riot & Set it off”, or really countless others, but I’m not complaining because the sound design, the care placed into thematic and narrative consistency, it’s all still here. This is a 10/10 album, and if this song gets more people to check it out, I really can’t be upset with that.

#58 - “Love Me JeJe” - Tems

Produced by Guilty Beatz and Spax

So what’s “Love Me JeJe” actually mean? Well, in Nigerian Pidgin, it means “gentle” or “tender”, and the use of a more regional term rather than the English actually contributes greatly to why I think this song works: Tems’ buttery voice has always been able to display both coldness and a sensual warmth, often at the same time, but on some of the bubbliest guitars I’ve heard over an Afrobeats rhythm since the genre started charting consistently, she’s fully in that second category. Hell, most of the lyrics are pretty basic here, especially the practically meaningless chorus, but that’s to its benefit because thinking too much about this song defeats its purpose: to be gentle. It’s a frankly adorable expression of love and care at its most optimistic extent possible. Despite the clean, tropical percussion, it still feels cute and homegrown. Hell, the second verse, after a nice back-and-forth choir vocal, even references the Nigerian electricity provider that’s apparently nationally infamous for its power outages, with the lyric comparing the love she feels with her partner to the feeling when electricity comes back on in the village and all her neighbours inform the locals. Combine that with how breezy this is, the easy-flowing bridge into an outro full of murmuring, chatter and reverb-drenched laughing, it just makes for a really cute, likeable song. Not necessarily what I expected out of a lead single from Tems, but a delightful surprise. Now to balance that with pure hatred.

#50 - “euphoria” - Kendrick Lamar

Produced by Cardo, Kyuro, Sounwave, Johnny Juliano, Yung Exclusive and Matthew “MTech” Bernard

There’s part of me that finds it quite funny that Drake gets into serious beef with an incredibly analytical and perfectionist rapper like Kendrick right after putting out his own exposé of himself. For All the Dogs is as much of a dissection of Aubrey Drake Graham, albeit perhaps unintentionally, as Kendrick or really anyone could perform, as long as you’re paying attention. It’s been like that (no pun intended) for a while, but his latest is the most obvious and desperate attempt at clinging to status and image that it places his insecurities fully on display. You could recite lyrics from that album on a jazz beat and call it a diss track, so the fact that Kendrick went back to back with damn near dissections of Drake’s paranoia - especially on the Instagram follow-up track he made that is chilling - as well as a myriad of different issues he has with Drake, simply because… well, he doesn’t fuck with Drake. One could argue that this feud is complex and storied, with so many different  beligerents… but the motives behind it are genuinely a lot simpler than most rap feuds, and the diss tracks that are made from it are way more straightforward. They just outline the reasons they dislike each other, almost systematically, it’s genuinely refreshing, or at least a lot more than what’s going on with Quavo and Chris Brown, yeesh.

This track in particular is as calculated as can be, acting as a dissertation on why K-Dot doesn’t really like Drake too much. It’s condescending, damn near academic, with its smooth jazz intro and categorical shoot down of each possible avenue you could hit Drake from. We have sextuple entendres on this thing, a total of three beats, two of which are cheap-sounding but absolutely murderous drill bangers, and Genius annotations that rival War and Peace when combined. I’m not a lyrical expert, and there’s so much in here that I didn’t get until I was pointed towards that direction by Genius annotations, Reddit, X, or, embarrassingly, YouTube Shorts. You don’t need to research or analyse for this to hit hard though, there are plenty of lines that aren’t going over anyone’s heads… until you look into the exact way the bars are constructed and suddenly they have 20 double meanings and hidden easter eggs. This is really sheer venom, filled with so many layers that I wouldn’t be surprised if he genuinely wins a GRAMMY for it - and it would be in character considering Drake doesn’t even nominate his songs anymore. It’s already having an effect too, that 4batz album came out today, and he’s not signed to OVO as rumoured. Ye’s on the record… but not the already existing and heavily-streamed Drake remix. Already, he may be losing some of that prestige.

As far as it is sonically, it’s six minutes of murder, and Kendrick’s delivery is energised, violent, damn near deranged at times, to perfectly balance how, somewhat subtly through his meta commentary about his own bars and albums, the lyrics are basically an essay. It has an introduction, a conclusion, a hypothesis, written examples, he even presents counter-arguments and weaves them into his own analysis. By the time he was going extremely in-depth about his experiences as a father, and just repeating that Drake knows nothing about that, it almost felt like overkill. My personal favourite lines and ideas presented here are the concise slow dagger of the intro verse, the “Demun”/”throwaway” scheme, the voice and character he puts on between “Cutthroat business” and “I’ll explain that phrase” - he’s like a disappointed teaching assistant, obviously the YNW Melly line and its set-up, the incredible Daft Punk line that got a cackle out of me on first listen, then followed up by a mocking interpolation of one of Drake’s most revered songs, the straightforward rant about everything he hates that references an iconic moment of DMX’s trademark honesty (rest in peace), the “record” scheme in verse three, and when he started the fake Canadian accent, I just lost it. Drake’s biggest weakness here is that when he’s funny, I’m laughing at him, but when Kendrick’s funny, I’m laughing with him, and much louder. If he does respond, unless the man tells us that Kendrick’s whole life and career has been a farce, or he brings, like, the actual former President Obama on the track or something, I can’t see how it tops this. This is one of the best diss tracks ever in terms of sheer detail, and might honestly be one of the greatest throwaway rap singles period. It’ll be tough to beat.

#31 - “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” - Tommy Richman

Produced by Max Vossberg, Jonah Roy, Mannyvelli, Sparkheem and Kavi

This is the sudden breakout hit for Virginia rapper-turned-singer Tommy Richman, which actually comes in two versions on Spotify, the original and a more distorted “VHS” version. Also, this is brilliant. Sure, Richman just sounds like Brent Faiyaz, but a trend I haven’t been able to talk about on here necessarily but has been very exciting for me is the return of grittier, groovier synth funk and hyphy beats into underground hip hop and R&B, with this representing the more melodic end of that sound, which is typically restricted to Midwest and Dirty South rappers. The sound design on this one is actually even unique to that sound, starting with a bizarrely British-sounding Memphis rap vocal loop which I think isn’t a sample and is just him doing a bad impression, filtered below an infectious beat that actually took me by surprise. It even has cowbells and the type of punchy jabbing drums that I love from classic southern rap, but instead of the smooth-talking rappers you usually expect over this, we get a Brent Faiyaz impression that didn’t click with me until hearing this song. I never really got his appeal until I hear it over this and I start to realise the very distinct new jack swing element to his vocals, as he pretty seamlessly transitions from soulful double-tracked harmonies to much more rhythmic, half-rap flows. Now this ISN’T Brent Faiyaz… and I still don’t really like Brent Faiyaz, but hearing his wannabes I think helped me gather what was distinct about him, and the literal Richman North of Richmond here pitting his filtered splatter of vocal ideas and riffs over the beat in a very Devil-may-care fashion exemplifies the elements I do like about him, just with an instrumental that I personally like a lot more. Also, the VHS version is labelled as such but is really just like a bass-boosted version of the song that sounds like it was done in 10 seconds in Audacity, though the vocal mixing sounds a bit different too. I would love for someone to explain why that was the version I ended up adding to my playlist, because I couldn’t tell you.

#8 - “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart” - Taylor Swift

Produced by Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift

I know I wrote my whole Taylor spiel last week, but I’m not bothered about this one at all, and I really did expect it to be a fan favourite, mostly because, as the one track I actually enjoy on the standard version, she’s having fun! The lyrics are actively vapid, which doesn’t feel like the intention when she’s singing over soppy adult contemporary but very much feeds into the almost childish character she plays here over synthpop with an actual pulse. The synths here sound like a theme park she’s taking the boy to, especially with the backing vocals and chatter samples implemented into the ambiance and classic Antonoff wonky synths - though some of this doesn’t even sound like it’s in his ballpark. Like were Marian Hill or Sofi Tukker ghost-producing this? Some of these loop choices and flashy sound effects are frankly ridiculous, in the best way of course because the song is camp and fun. Sure, some of Taylor’s lyrics still come off a bit awkward, mostly because of her choice of slower melodies sometimes clashing with the fast-paced patter of the synthscape, but that’s a nitpick. I do love this song, I think it’s fun, Hell, I think it’s funny which is something Taylor has always kind of failed to translate to me in the past, so that is something. I just don’t think we have the same sense of humour. Does she like Norm Macdonald? I don’t feel like she does. Correct me if I’m wrong, Swifties.

Conclusion

It should be incredibly obvious who gets Best of the Week, it’s Kenny, easily, with “euphoria”, and I’m sorry, Swifties, but Yeat better. “If We Being Real” takes away with the Honourable Mention pretty easily as well, though really, strong competition and strong week all around - Tems was close too. There can’t be a Dishonourable Mention in this climate so, Worst of the Week goes to Kygo and Zak Abel for “For Life” that “features” Nile Rodgers, it genuinely just is a lazy template of a song. As for what’s on the horizon, I’m not sure. Dua’ll have some impact, but outside of that, time may have to tell. For now, thank you for reading, long live Cola Boyy, and I’ll see you next week!

[weaversweek]

46: "Prince Charming" - Adam and the Ants

Written by Adam Ant and Marco Pirroni

Part of the UncoolTwo50 project, marking the best singles from 1977-99.

A massive stuff-you to the git who assassinated John Lennon in 1980. Not just for killing one of The Beatles, but for sending the music world into an introspective frenzy.

And for sending Lennon's records flying off the shelves, blocking so many other great records from the top spot. Jona Lewie would have put "Stop the cavalry" to the top, "In the air tonight" and "Vienna" would satisfy Phil Collins and Ultravox fans. And Adam and the Ants were denied two chart-toppers, "Antmusic" and "Kings of the wild frontier" were held off by John Lennon tributes.

Nevertheless, Adam persisted. "Stand and deliver" was an obvious chart-topper in spring 1981, followed by "Prince Charming" in the early autumn. The band was intensely visual, telling clear stories through music and stagecraft, almost as if they'd been crafted as a package.

Here, Adam takes on the character of Cinderella, with Diana Dors as his fairy godmother. You shall go to the ball, you shall dance the Prince Charming. The driving beat makes it difficult to dance normally, so Adam demonstrates a pattern dance to the lolloping rhythm.

Something for all the family here: Mums might want to, um, have Mr. Ant round for tea; dads get to see Diana Dors' charms. Us youngsters get an easy-to-follow song with a banging beat. Our older siblings have some clever lyrics to dissect, and enough bang to annoy parents.

Fashion moved on, already Smash Hits was asking "Is he past his peak?", and Adam was soon tumbling down pop's Dumper. Like a supernova, he'd burned so bright in those eighteen months of fame.

[dnaamericaapp]

Martin Luther King Day: The Song That Changed The US

On 15 January 1981, music legends Diana Ross and Gladys Knight, along with the "godfather of rap", Gil Scott-Heron, joined renowned musician Stevie Wonder on stage at the National Mall in Washington, DC. The 50,000-strong audience chanted: "Martin Luther King Day, we took a holiday," according to Scott-Heron’s 2012 memoir, The Last Holiday, as the stars began to sing Wonder's hit song, Happy Birthday, a tribute to the murdered civil rights leader.

"I just never understood/ How a man who died for good/ Could not have a day that would/ Be set aside for his recognition," they sang, electrifying the crowd.

The 1980 song had represented the start of Wonder's campaign to make the birthday of renowned peace activist, Martin Luther King Jr, into a federal holiday. For three years Wonder put his life on hold and dedicated tours, rallies and marches to bring his vision to life – a quest that would establish the first holiday in the US that honoured a black American.

After Dr King's assassination in April 1968, US Representative John Conyers Jr from Detroit, Michigan, and Wonder's congressman, introduced a bill to make the activist's birthday a federal holiday. But for 13 years, the bill languished, facing opposition from southern Democrats and conservative Republicans. For years, Wonder had quietly advocated for the holiday. But then, in 1979, he shared a dream he had with King's widow, Coretta Scott King. In a 2011 interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Wonder said: "I said to her… 'I imagined in this dream I was doing this song. We were marching with petition signs to make Dr King's birthday a national holiday.'"

"I think that artists have been the catalyst for expressing social conditions since the beginning of all time,” Stevie Wonder said in 1980, when he first announced his drive for a national MLK Day. "I am not political. I am not a leader. I am a human being given the honour and gift of song. And with it, I give the best possible." -(source: bbc)

DNA America

“It’s what we know, not what you want us to believe.”

#dna #dnaamerica #news #politics #mlk #correttascottking

[nityarawal]

9/21/2024

Orphan States

(DEAD-NAMING; NOT A PROBATE)

Morning Songs

Are You From California

The Orphan State

Or New York

Stolen From Paris

By Jewish Parents

Are You From Another

Universe

My Beloved Orphan

You Belong

Forty Thousand

Bartered And Sold

Annually

In California

Attys Couldn't Get

Enough

Forty Thousand

Bought And Sold

California Has A

Gluttony

They Want Our

Babies

They Want Our

Moms

Got A Fuzzy Bunny

From The Universe

And It Says No

Robert Presley Detention

Center

We're Filling Up

With Fluff

Mommies Caged

After Gay Rapes

Starved For Wholesome

Love

Diana Zeppeda Was Kicked 

Around

Like A Chihuahua 

Naked

A Dyke Cop Poked

Out Her Glass Eye

Ball 

Diana Was Trafficked

In Prison

Whilst Her Kids

Were Raped

Groomed By

Gays

Incest

She Got Conjugal

Visits

Every Weekend

From Her Abuser

X Husband

Kicked Around

Naked In

An Apartment

For Court

Amber Got Raped

In A U-Haul

By A Gay Officer's

Son

She Bloated To Over 300

Pounds

On Big Pharma

Serving

As A Jail Maid

Trying To Go Home

To Her Marijuana

Farm

A Jewish Teacher

Lost Her Baes

To A Principal

Only Toddlers

We're They Invitros

Did He Have Buyers

Remorse

In Trans Gender Affirming

Terrorism

Like So Many

Attys In Divorce 

Court

We Couldn't Believe

My X Got A Pound

Of Meth

Fed Exed

But Trans Vampires

Will Seduce The Best

Of Them

A Slave For Beyul

Club

Chris Attwood

Christopher Stapleton

And Christopher

Sunnen

What's With 

Defaming The Chris

Club

Christopher Gannon

Chris Lord

Chris Hall

Chrissy Dear Heart

My Marine

Bro

In Braids

You Gonna Trans

Widow Me

Already 

'Cuz I'm Not A

Probate

Chrissy In French 

Braids

Did You Get A 

Marine Job

Feeling Like A Big 

Man

On Your Own

Marijuana Farm

Chrissy I Saved

You From Fires

Prayed On My

Past Birthday

Visits

Chrissy I Saved

You From Fires

All You Heathens

Trashed My Family

For  Princess

Bribes

Chrissy I Saved

You From Fires

I Went Skiing 

Chrissy How Could

You Get The

Dyke Discrimination Dammers To

Terrorise Me

Chrissy I Had

Your Back

After The Cage

Chrissy You Sold

Out The Likes

Of Me

Chrissy You Tried

To Sabbotage

The Sisterhood

Chrissy The Girls

Spoke

And Will Be Free

Chrissy

You Broke My

Heart

Baptizing Sunil

In Your Boys' Club

With Stirling Bros

Chrissy

These Attys Gotta'

Be Put To Rest

Chrissy 

Get The "T"

Back In Your Name 

Chrissy

We Mean It

Christopher 

Where's The

Christ

Chrissy Get The

"T" Back In

Your Name

Please

Chrissy Get The Tea

Back For Us

Today

Peace

Chrissy Let's

Go To Nitsa Pizza

Chrissy

Send Hollie

Isha June

And Whomever

You've Dead

Named In My

Family

With Anjali

And Put The Seance

To Rest

The Dojo Failed

At Best

Put The Doje

To Rest

Rapes Are No

Tribute

"O" It Out

And Refund 

Moms First

And Foremost

For The Ultimate

Karmic Love

Refund Moms

First And Foremost

Leave Britney

Spears Dad's Legs

Alone

Refund Moms

First And Foremost

Stop Substituting 

Heroines

Like Melinda Gates

With Tranny

Ghosts

No Bargains

No Pleas

No Deals

With Ella Emhoff On

Her Knees

No Bargains

No Deals

The Pope And

I Demand

Cease

Fire Please

Sunil Christopher

Rawal

Catholics

Leave Our Families

Alone

From UK

To Encinitas 

Alan Silverman

And Whomever

You've Deadnmamed

With The Cohen 

Clan

Release Us

Merci

Peace And Love Eternal,

Nitya Nella Davigo Azam Moezzi Huntley Rawal 

Encinitasbeachhome.com 

[influencermagazineuk]

Chart-Toppers: The Most Sold Songs That Echo Through the Ages

Music, the universal language of emotions, has the extraordinary power to transcend time and borders. Certain songs have not only captured the hearts of millions but have also broken records by becoming some of the most-sold songs in the history of music. These chart-toppers have left an indelible mark on the world, resonating with people across generations. In this article, we'll journey through the decades to explore some of these iconic tunes that have stood the test of time. - "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby: Released in 1942, "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby is a timeless holiday classic. With over 50 million copies sold worldwide, it remains the best-selling single of all time. - "Candle in the Wind 1997" by Elton John: Originally written as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, Elton John's reworked version of "Candle in the Wind" in 1997 paid homage to Princess Diana. This touching ballad became the second highest-selling single ever, with over 33 million copies sold. - "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles: The British invasion led by The Beatles in the 1960s saw the release of "I Want to Hold Your Hand." This song played a pivotal role in introducing the Fab Four to the American audience, selling over 12 million copies. - "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson: Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" from his album "Thriller" was a game-changer in the world of pop music. With more than 10 million copies sold, it solidified Jackson's status as the King of Pop. - "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen: Queen's magnum opus, "Bohemian Rhapsody," defied convention and became a rock masterpiece. This legendary song has sold over 7 million copies worldwide. - "We Are the World" by USA for Africa: In 1985, a star-studded lineup of musicians and artists came together as USA for Africa to record "We Are the World." This charity single sold over 7 million copies, with proceeds going toward famine relief in Africa. - "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston: Whitney Houston's rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" for the movie "The Bodyguard" became an instant classic. With over 6 million copies sold, it remains one of the best-selling singles by a female artist. - "Smooth" by Santana featuring Rob Thomas: "Smooth" by Santana featuring Rob Thomas dominated the airwaves in the late '90s. With its infectious melody and guitar riffs, it sold over 6 million copies and won several Grammy Awards. - "Macarena" by Los Del Rio: The catchy dance track "Macarena" by Los Del Rio became a global phenomenon in the mid-'90s. It sold over 6 million copies and had people around the world doing the Macarena dance. - "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion: Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On," the theme song from the blockbuster film "Titanic," touched the hearts of millions. With over 5 million copies sold, it's a ballad that continues to stir emotions. These songs are not just musical creations; they are cultural landmarks that have shaped the collective memory of generations. Their enduring popularity speaks to the ability of music to unite people and evoke powerful emotions. Whether it's the nostalgia of "White Christmas" or the timeless appeal of "Bohemian Rhapsody," these most sold songs continue to resonate with listeners young and old, reminding us of the profound impact of music on our lives. Read the full article

[peternelthorpe]

The Most Popular Christmas Songs of All Time

New Post has been published on https://wr1tepress.com/the-most-popular-christmas-songs-of-all-time/

The Most Popular Christmas Songs of All Time

The most popular Christmas songs are much loved timeless classics which have become part of tradition. They have sold millions of copies worldwide with their messages of celebration, happiness and romance. Performed by many of musics most iconic stars their popularity transcends time and generations.

Band Aid was the super group formed by Bob Geldof in 1984 to raise awareness and money for the famine in Ethiopia. Their Christmas number 1 “Do They Know Its Christmas” sold over 3.5 million records in the UK alone and involved artists such as George Michael, Boy George and Paul Young. It was an impromptu affair with the studio only giving Bob Geldof 24 hours to record most of the song.

On the 25th of November many of the biggest recording artists in the UK visited SARM studios, Notting Hill to record their performances. The single later went on to cause controversy when Bob Geldof promised every penny made by sales would go to charity. The government responded by refusing to donate the VAT, Mr Geldof lambasted the act and made a public appeal which gathered support across the country. This led to the government backing down and donating the tax to the appeal.

One of the best selling Christmas singles is called “Candle in the Wind” and was written and performed by Elton John in 1997 as a tribute to Princess Diana who died earlier in the year, the song sold almost 5 million units in the UK and over 33 million copies worldwide.

It was originally written for Marilyn Monroe and released in 1973 by Elton John.

but did not even nearly enjoy the same amount of success.

As a sincere gesture Elton John later stated that he would only ever perform the song live at the request of Prince William and Harry of Wales.

According to the Guinness Book of records and selling in excess of 50 million copies worldwide, Bing Crosbys “White Christmas” is considered the best selling single of all time. The song was originally written by Irving Berlin and was performed and released by Bing Crosby. The song initially spent 11 weeks at number in the US Billboard charts in 1942, but was re-released reaching the top of the charts again in 1945 and 1946. Bing Crosby went on to release two other well known Christmas anthems “Silent Night” and “Jingle Bells” with both exceeding sales of over 30 million copies worldwide. They are to this day thought to be two of the most popular Christmas songs in history.

Another golden oldie which has sold millions of copies is “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” written in 1939 by Robert L. May, a copywriter for the Chicago-based Montgomery Ward department stores, it was originally created as a promotional gift for the stores customers. Gene Autry later recorded and released it in 1949, since that time it has sold over 25 million copies worldwide and continues to be a staple of Christmas tradition.

[criticalbennifer]

Jennifer Lopez’s Motown tribute on the Grammys: What was that insulting foolishness?

Sunday night’s performance was a slap in the face to history — in particular black women’s, who were the backbone of many of Motown’s greatest musical contributions.

Elizabeth Wellington

February 11, 2019

This is hard for me to write because when it comes right down to it, I’m a fan of Jennifer Lopez going back to her days as an In Living Color fly girl.

In fact, when it was announced earlier this month that J. Lo was going to lead the Grammy tribute to Motown, I defended the choice. Lopez, I surmised, had every right to honor the legendary Detroit record label’s 60th anniversary. It was the soundtrack of her youth, just like it was mine.

But the rest of the world — including my mom who lived through Motown’s heyday — wasn’t having it.

Now, I see why.

Sunday night’s performance was a slap in the face to history — in particular black women’s, who were the backbone of many of Motown’s greatest musical contributions. And I know the Grammy’s know better because Miley Cyrus’ rendition of “Jolene” with her godmother Dolly Parton for Parton’s own tribute was just the perfect touch. In contrast, Lopez in all of her J. Lo glory gyrated in wanna be Beyoncé style in several places where we all know she shouldn’t have. Berry Gordy’s Motown was all about showcasing black people’s decorum during an era when it was believed they didn’t have any, so this whole hot mama business was a total mess.

But that performance reeking of poor taste was just the beginning: Lopez’s voice faltered terribly in her tired rendition of Martha and the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street” and The Marvelettes’ "Mr. Postman.” When she erroneously channeled “Proud Mary” Tina Turner for her rendition of Barrett Strong’s chart topper, “Money (That’s What I Want),” I cringed. (Even though Gordy wrote “Money,” Turner was never on Motown. In fact she recorded that song with her husband, Ike, on Liberty Records in 1971 in direct competition with Motown.)

Lopez’s followed that foolishness up with The Contours’ “Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)” and a snippet of the Jackson Five’s beloved “ABC” in booty shaking tackiness that was more Vegas revue rather than classy Motown choreography. I so wish that she had left The Temptation’s “Papa was a Rolling Stone" all the way alone. And if it wasn’t for Neyo standing in for Stevie Wonder on “Another Star” I think I may have jumped through my television and kicked her off the stage myself.

To quote Russell from Fat Albert, the entire performance was the epitome of N.C. — No class.

I’m not saying that J. Lo shouldn’t have been a part of the celebration, there was no doubt she was inspired by the music. Like Smokey Robinson said in his defense of the performance, Motown music was made for everyone. But we shouldn’t ignore that the label was created back in 1959 because white-owned record labels were slow to let black people record their music. Motown turned black women, like Diana Ross, into stars. Black women were seen as more than mammy’s and cleaning ladies. We were glamorous and sexy and well-dressed without being Venus Hottentots.

To completely leave out black women in this tribute — especially with Janelle Monae and Ella Mai, the British singer who won a Grammy for best R & B song Sunday night for her 2018 summer hit “Boo’d Up” were in the audience and Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson and Jill Scott presumably still breathing — the Grammys effectively erased black women from our own history. That was way beyond problematic. It was a stone cold mess.

[professorsparklepants]

So my criteria on these are:

1. Are there multiple parts that are distinct sonically and/or lyrically from each other? Bohemian Rhapsody is made up of several very different parts stitched together with key changes and lyrics that border on nonsensical. I want you to listen to it and think "what the fuck did they just do here (positive)." Take me on a journey.

(I Got A Boy does this beautifully; the first verse is a group of women discussing a change in their friend, the second verse is the friend talking about her new boyfriend, and the third verse is about her inner insecurities over the relationship.)

2. Is it iconic? Bohemian Rhapsody is one of the best selling singles of all time. It charted in the US in three different decades. It's the #3 best selling UK single of all time, topped only by a Christmas song written for charity and a Princess Diana tribute. To be considered it's equal the band needs to be extremely prominent within its genre and the song needs to be a celebrated part of their discography.

(Has I listened to Jesus of Suburbia before I made this list? No. But I had heard of the song, to say nothing of the band!)

3. Is it long? This is admittedly a silly question but it is one I consider, especially in an era where we get 2 minute songs released for radio. You can't do an entire suite of music in three minutes or less 😤.

(Hilariously I think Bohemian Rhapsody is the second shortest song on this list right now, but it is over 5 minutes!)

making a list. i AM taking suggestions.

[obsessive-and-crazy]

Gwyn’s favourite song is Diana by 1D and that’s a fact no one can argue with

[loustyleshtommo]

Louis & Taylor are best gay besties.

Here’s why:

Louis’s infamous “if that” expression of distaste towards Haylor was immediately followed by him saying “I’ve met her before, she’s a lovely girl.”

Not only that, he mentioned how great she is UNPROMPTED at least twice in his interview with Forbes and Telegraph.

They literally partied together.

Taylor’s AT&T NOW commercial ft. Her locked in the closet, her climbing out of the closet through the air vent before arriving in the studio to record music.

Taylor’s AT&T NOW commercial also included her googling the picture she saw on a guy’s shirt.

Louis wearing MJ’s Billie Jean t-shirt in Back To You teaser for everyone to Google the lyrics: Billie Jean is not my lover. She's just a girl who claims that I am the one. But the kid is not my son

In another commercial, Taylor wore rainbow, and rode a unicorn cat. (Hint: What word did Harry use to call a cat and got grounded for being inappropriate?)

There is no subtlety in this household.

Louis’s rainbow Apple t-shirt which led to the Bullshit 2.0 and the dagger tattoo, probably.

Oh yeah, let’s talk about tattoos.

1. Harry, birds don’t have eyebrows. (They kinda do. But it’s a meme at this point.)

2. Louis, Kevin is a pigeon, not a swift bird. HOW COULD YOU?

What a coincidence that Louis randomly picked the name DIANA as promo song for Midnight Memories. Almost like a tribute to Dianna Agron who was once aboard SS Swiftgron with Taylor while Haylor was happening on paper. Or that Harry’s Fine Line theme colors being 🏳️‍⚧️ a trans flag and STYLE music video from Taylor’s 1989 included a scene of this man looking at himself in the mirror only to see a reflection of a woman.

Or that Louis’s song Fearless seemingly referenced Karlie Kloss as the second wife of Taylor in (colourful) Suit & Tie era, aka Lover. Just for the first Taylor’s Version album to be FEARLESS.

It’s almost like they’re all closeted queers in the same industry or a Copy of A Copy of A Copy or something.

[gemm08mu]

Elton John and Lady Diana

This week I want to talk about Elton John’s song “Candle in the Wind” as it is related to the chapter of “Histories”.

“Candle in the Wind” was originally written in 1973 in honour of Marilyn Monroe, who had died in 1962. And in 1997, Elton John performed a rewritten version of the song as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales. This song serves as a memorial to Diana, who died from injuries caused by a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris on 31 August 1997.

Elton John and Lady Diana became friends in 1981 at Prince Andrew's birthday party at Windsor Castle. The Queen Mother and Princess Anne were huge fans of Elton John since his early days, therefore he had been invited to several intimate family events, including Prince Andrew's birthday party. Some people say it was friendship at first sight when the pair met. That night, they danced together for 20 minutes. Over the years, they have become very close friends.

As one of Diana’s true friends, Elton John performed “Candle in the Wind 1997” at her funeral, which is considered to be one of the singer's greatest performances. The version of 1973 differs from the version of 1997 with the opening lyrics that were changed from “Goodbye Norma Jean, though I never knew you at all” to “Goodbye England's rose, may you ever grow in our hearts”. Elton John’s touching tribute captured the emotion of the British audience after Diana’s death. Nowadays, “Candle in the Wind 1997” is widely remembered as a historical memento. Many audiences were touched by this song which resonated with the entire world. This week, we talked about a continuum between history and popular music, and I think that the idea of a connection between history and popular music can be made here with “Candle in the Wind”. In class, we also said that music can be part of history and can be about history as well. Princess Diana’s death is part of history and as she was deeply loved, the song of Elton John was highly appreciated and supported by the world. “Candle in the Wind” regards a part of history but Elton John’s performance at Diana’s funeral is also a historical event that marked the music industry and is now part of the history of the popular music industry. To conclude, “Candle in the Wind” is historic and memorable because it is the highest-selling single of all time, since records began, and Elton John won a Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Pop Performance.

Sources:

https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/elton-john/princess-diana-friendship-history/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candle_in_the_Wind

[educatedinyellow]

2021 Fanworks Masterlist

I’m rachelindeed on AO3, and educatedinyellow here on tumblr. Here’s a round-up of my fan creations this year :)

(vid) Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane: You Matter to Me. A tribute to Peter and Harriet's evolving romance, from the 1987 BBC series starring Edward Petherbridge and Harriet Walter. 

(vid) Destiel: Fighting the Narrative. The forces of heaven, hell, and the narrative constantly put Dean and Cas into unwinnable, tragic situations, but they always fought to defy fate. Ultimately when the story ends, they break free and can write their own future together.

(fic) best things dwell out of Sight (Holmes/Watson, 9.5K, Ritchie Holmes) In a society where telepathic ability is too often equated with worth, Miss Mary Sutherland is short-Sighted. But that didn't stop her from smelling a rat in Mr. Hosmer Angel's courtship, and her case gives Holmes and Watson the chance to prove that the marriage of true minds requires no magic at all.

(vid) Holmes/Watson multiverse: Just Dance! It's a Holmesian dance party and everyone's invited!

(vid) Emma: Judge of your own happiness Emma learns the workings of her heart. A tribute to the lovely 2009 adaptation of Austen's "Emma."

(vid) Dean Winchester: My Kind of Man Dean's father taught him to be a certain kind of man, but throughout his life his loved ones try to help him figure out what kind of man he truly wants to be.

(vid) Destiel: Scarborough Fair Remember me to one who lives there; he once was a true love of mine.

Total number of completed things: 6 vids, 1 fic, plus 2 pencil sketches

Total word count: 9,600 words

Fandoms created for: Dorothy L. Sayers mysteries, Supernatural, Ritchie Holmes, Emma 2009 miniseries, plus a whole lot of Holmesian adaptations for my multiverse vid

Looking back, did you create more than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected? A little less, I think. This wordcount is pretty average for me, I usually bow out at around 10K words a year. But in recent years I've tended to make a few more fanvids than I did this year. In the last quarter of the year real life concerns took precedence, and that's fine.

What’s your own favorite creation of the year? I can honestly say I like them all, but my favorite vid is Scarborough Fair -- I've always thought the song was beautiful, and I think the match of lyrics and images turned out quite lovely. And I'm always pleased whenever I get a story written, because that's a good deal harder for me than any of my other creative endeavors. I loved taking the opportunity to add a little magical realism to a Victorian Holmes verse, I adore that kind of thing.

Did you take any creative risks this year? Not…really? Mostly I just did My Usual Sorts of Things :) I did see some progress this year though. I'm proud of the Diana Rigg portrait, it's a definite improvement for me in my sketching.

Do you have any goals for the new year? I have one fanvid already made that I'll be posting in the new year, but otherwise I have no idea what I'll be working on next. I tend to play things very much by ear.

Most popular creation of the year? Ahaha, this one is hilarious! So, the Ever Given got stuck in the Suez Canal, yes? Well, apparently YouTube's algorithms took that as a sign to start promoting the hell out of anything whatsoever with a nautical theme…As a result, a Master and Commander fanvid that I made in 2019 for a small Festivids exchange suddenly and completely unexpectedly took off. This thing had less than 10 likes on tumblr, but purely thanks to mysterious algorithm magic it's currently clocking in at 33,000+ views on YouTube. Truly the funniest and most random thing I could ever have achieved popularity with, LOL!

Creation of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: I'm glad whenever anyone looks at anything of mine! I do regret a little bit, though, that there is no online place within the large Destiel fandom devoted to sharing fanvids. I think Destiel fans might enjoy some of mine, but there's really nowhere in particular I can put them where they will be seen. I mean, I put them on AO3, obviously, but in my experience most people on AO3 are there looking for fic, not vids. And YouTube is not well organized for fandoms, there's too much else going on over there so these things tend to vanish quickly into the ether. *shrug* C'est la vie.

Most fun thing to make: Just Dance!! So many Holmeses, so many Watsons, even so many Moriartys! It finally introduced me to Sherlock Hound, which was a delight. Also, Lady Gaga's song is a bop and it was very cheering listening to it endlessly as I worked.

Most unintentionally telling thing: This was intentional, actually, but best things dwell out of Sight was the first fic in which I have been conscious of incorporating some of my feelings as an asexual person into my writing (not in a literal sense, the characters in the fic are not ace, but I'm personally aware of that element influencing some parts of the story).

Biggest disappointment: I've left Vimes/Vetinari languishing too long! Let's get those wheels moving again!!

Biggest surprise: I was so happy to hear that one of my tumblr friends enjoyed my Peter/Harriet vid and was prompted to check out the 1980s miniseries as a result, which they enjoyed very much! What a pleasure, to have gotten to introduce them to something they wound up falling in love with the same way I did!

Wishing you all the best for 2022, creatively and in all other ways, too!

[brn1029]

On this date in music!

April 20th

1949 - Phil Spector

Phil Spector's father commited suicide when Phil was just 9 years old. The title of the song 'To Know Him Is To Love Him,' which Phil Spector wrote for the Teddy Bears, (the only vocal group of which he was a member), comes from the inscription on his father's headstone.

1957 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley started an eight week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'All Shook Up.' It went on to be the biggest single of 1957 selling over 2 million copies.

1959 - Dolly Parton

Goldband Records released 'Puppy Love' by a 13-year old Dolly Parton in the US, a song that was recorded two years earlier when she was just eleven years old. The song didn't chart.

1968 - Deep Purple

Deep Purple made their live debut at a gig in Tastrup, Denmark. Formerly known as Roundabout, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore suggested a new name: Deep Purple, named after his grandmother's favourite song (which had been a hit for Peter De Rose), after his grandmother had repeatedly asked if they would be performing the song.

1971 - 420

Five friends at San Rafael High School in California coined the term "4:20" as a euphemism for smoking pot. April 20th became a popular day to spark one up, as does 4:20pm. Fans of the Grateful Dead helped spread the phrase, the Boston song 'Smokin'' clocks in at 4 minutes, 20 seconds, and if you multiply the title numbers in Bob Dylan's 'Rainy Day Women #12 And #35,' you get 420.

1976 - George Harrison

George Harrison, who is good friends with Eric Idle, joined Monty Python on stage at New York's City Center. Dressed as a Canadian Mountie, Harrison joined the chorus for 'The Lumberjack Song.' No mention was made of Harrison's appearance, and few in the audience recognised him. The next night, Harry Nilsson showed up to perform the same feat, but with disastrous results, as he fell into the audience and broke his arm.

1980 - George Burns

84 year old George Burns, who starred in the movie Oh God with John Denver, became the oldest person to have a hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when 'I Wish I Was 18 Again' peaked at No.49. When asked if he wished he were 18 again, Burns replied "I wish I was 80 again." Before this, his most recent charting record had been a spoken word comedy routine with his wife and partner Gracie Allen in the summer of 1933.

1981 - John Phillips

John Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to drug possession charges; the sentence was suspended after 30 days. Phillips started touring the US lecturing against the dangers of taking drugs.

1985 - Bruce Springsteen

The charity record 'We Are The World' by USA For Africa was at No.1 on the UK singles chart. The US artists' answer to Band Aid had an all-star cast including Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Ray Charles, Billy Joel and Paul Simon plus the composer's of the track, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.

1991 - Steve Marriott

Steve Marriott leader of Small Faces and Humble Pie, died in a fire at his home in Essex. His work became a major influence for many 90s bands. Small Faces had the 1967 UK No.3 & US No.16 single 'Itchycoo Park', plus 1968 No.1 UK album 'Ogden's Nut Gone Flake', Humble Pie, 1969 UK No.4 single 'Natural Born Bugie'. As a child actor he played parts in Dixon of Dock Green and The Artful Dodger in Oliver.

1992 - Freddie Mercury

'A Concert For Life' took place at Wembley Stadium as a tribute to Queen singer Freddie Mercury and for aids awareness. Acts appearing included; Elton John, Roger Daltrey, Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), David Bowie, Mick Ronson, James Hetfield, George Michael, Seal, Paul Young, Annie Lennox, Lisa Stansfield, Robert Plant, Joe Elliott and Phil Collen, Axl Rose and Slash.

1993 - Aerosmith

Aerosmith released 'Get A Grip' their 11th studio album which became their best selling album to date with sales over 20m. The album which featured the hits: 'Livin' On The Edge' and 'Crazy' also featured guests Don Henley and Lenny Kravitz.

2001 - Peter Frampton

A memorial concert for former Small Faces and Humble Pie front man Steve Marriott took place at the London Astoria with Peter Frampton, Midge Ure, Chris Farlowe and Humble Pie.

2020 - Willie Nelson

Stuck at home in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, Willie Nelson staged the "Come And Toke It" live stream (in reference to 420 day, "the unofficial weed holiday"), to support efforts to legalize marijuana and free those incarcerated for it. Other guests included Ziggy Marley, Kacey Musgraves, Billy Ray Cyrus and Toby Keith.