The 3rd Anniversary edition of my Amazing Songs & Other Delights can now be listened to on mixcloud.
With the help of my “band” – The Astro Travellers – I put together a beautiful show comprised of songs composed for the show, music from the vaults, some of my own instrumental music, collaborative songs by me and Francisco Silva and me and Bill Rivers, music from the vaults, still to be released music, songs that friends think represent me. This year I also picked a song that represents me. You can read the story of the 3rd Anniversary edition here Amazing Songs & Other Delights #67 – The 3rd Anniversary edition by Raquel & The Astro Travellers – programme story On the tracklist the name ahead of a song is the name of the person that picked it for me.
Tracklist: 01: Raquel Pinheiro – Big Bang with sax – Paulo Miranda’s Spectral Sound Modulation version 02: Bill Rivers & Raquel Pinheiro – Da Da Da bom 03: João Diogo Zagalo – Dead Redemption 04: Lola Flowers – This Is Not A Love Song (Pedro Mesquita) 05: digei de bairro – never been in Ibiza 06: Ed Clayton-Jones – Country Girl 07: Pernice Brothers – Working Girls (Rui Pimenta) 08: The Rolling Stones – She’s a Rainbow (Dana Detrick) 09: Francisca Fortes & Carlos Fortes – Como Um Cavalo Louco (Um Zero Amarelo cover) 11: Francisco Silva & Raquel Pinheiro – Someone Kissing You Away 12: Cake – I Will Survive (Raquel) 13: John Cale – How We See The Light (António Cunha) 14: Paulo Navarro – Atravessando as Águas 15: Bill Rivers & Raquel Pinheiro- Sweet Peace 16: Ed Clayton-Jones – Interloper 17: João Diogo Zagalo – Red Uszatek 18: Iggy Pop – The Passenger (Matt Hutchison)
My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #67 is The 3rd Anniversary edition and airs Monday 3rd, 3-4pm (gmt+1) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com (or on the app). As usual on the program anniversary my “band” The Astro Travellers and I put as radio show together from a mix of purpose created songs or instrumentals, morsels from the vaults, songs that represent me, still to be released songs and instrumentals.
Here the Astro Travellers are António (Tó) Cunha, Bill Rivers, Carlos Fortes, Dana Detrick, Ed Clayton-Jones, Francisca Fortes, Francisco Silva, João Diogo Zagalo, Laura Mesquita, Matt Hutchison, Paulo Miranda, Pedro Mesquita, Pedro Tenreiro, Rui Guerra, and Rui Pimenta.
Tó, Dana, Matt, Pedro Mesquita and Rui Pimenta selected songs they feel represent me. Interestingly, Dana choice is Tó’s choice for my 1st anniversary show She’s a Rainbow by The Rolling Stones. This year I also picked a song that reportes me Cake’s version of I Will Survive.
I threw three chords to Bill and Francisco. Two of which I didn’t even knew the name of. I strummed them on the guitar, like it, drew a diagram. Bill didn’t knew the name of one of the chords either and called it chord H. Turns out, according to Francisco, chord H, if strummed a certain way is a pompous thing, a Fmaj7#11/ whatever that may be.
What happened to those three chords – with some adds/modifications by Bill and Francisco? They become three songs, Da Da Da bom, Someone Kissing You Away and Sweet Peace. Da Da Da bom are exactly the same instrumental basis, the first on keyboards, the second on acoustic guitar. Da Da Da bom has no lyrics per se, it is Bill humming a vocal melody. The lyrics in Sweet Peace were written by Bill to his latest record with Simon Hayward. Someone Kissing You Away are a few words Francisco used instead of a vocal melody to show me how the song could turn out.
Like the cover of Um Zero Amarelo Como Um Cavalo Louco by Francisca and Carlos Fortes, the aforementioned three songs are home, living room, recordings. João Diogo Zagalo and Paulo Navarro also contributed with home done music. Paulo did a beautiful piano solo piece, Atravessando as Águas, João sent what turned into Dead Redemption that was just voices. I liked it and kept it along Red Uszatek. Pedro Tenreiro, with his digei de bairro moniker, and Ed Clayton-Jones graciously allowed me to play still to be released material. Paulo Miranda took my Big Bang with saxophone (courtesy of Rui Guerra) and with spectral audio modulation created a new ambient for my music.
The Anniversary edition is my wide family affair, a group of fabulous musician, composers, songwriters, producers. It is always a guess, a what will come of it, until the show is fully assembled. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed doing it.
01: Raquel Pinheiro – Big Bang with sax – Paulo Miranda’s Spectral Sound Modulation version 02: Bill Rivers & Raquel Pinheiro – Da Da Da bom 03: João Diogo Zagalo – Dead Redemption 04: Lola Flowers – This Is Not A Love Song (Pedro Mesquita) 05: digei de bairro – never been in Ibiza 06: Ed Clayton-Jones – Country Girl 07: Pernice Brothers – Working Girls (Rui Pimenta) 08: The Rolling Stones – She’s a Rainbow (Dana Detrick) 09: Francisca Fortes & Carlos Fortes – Como Um Cavalo Louco (Um Zero Amarelo cover) 11: Francisco Silva & Raquel Pinheiro – Someone Kissing You Away 12: Cake – I Will Survive (Raquel) 13: John Cale – How We See The Light (António Cunha) 14: Paulo Navarro – Atravessando as Águas 15: Bill Rivers & Raquel Pinheiro- Sweet Peace 16: Ed Clayton-Jones – Interloper 17: João Diogo Zagalo – Red Uszatek 18: Iggy Pop – The Passenger (Matt Hutchison)
Here I am, looking like an international woman of mystery on a cold, windy late afternoon by the salt marshes. My radio programme Amazing Songs & Other Delights airs every other Monday, 3-4pm (gmt +1) on Yé Yé Radio: https://yeyeradio.com/ (or on the app) Each edition of my show has a theme. The anniversary show, in late May is a special occasion with endless delights. All aired shows can be listened to on mixcloud: Yé Yé Radio mixcloud | Mondo Bizarre Magazine mixcloud
My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #64 – The Grandeur of Ghosts edition can now be listened to on mixcloud. It is a good soundtrack for today, 25 de Abril (April 25), is the day my country stopped being a dictatorship 50 years ago. April 25 is also Anzac (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Day. The programme includes Portuguese songs connected to 25 de Abril, an instrumental track from Mick Harvey’s Waves of Anzac and other anti war songs, instrumentals and poems from Siegfried Sassoon and Federico Garcia Lorca. You can read more about the programme here: https://mondobizarremagazine.com/2024/04/21/amazing-songs-other-delights-64-the-grandeur-of-ghosts-edition-by-raquel-pinheiro-radio-ye-ye-monday-22nd/
Tracklist: 01 – Johnny Mandel – Suicide is Painless (from M.A.S.H.) 02 – Credence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son 03 – The Cranberries – Zombie 04 – Golpe de Estado – Rev 25 05 – JP Simões – Mudam-se os Tempos Mudaram-se as Vontades feat. Ruca Rebordão, Nuno Ferreira, Márcio Pinto, Pedro Pinto (José Mario Branco song) 06 – Mick Harvey – Vietnam 07 – José Afonso – Grândola Vila Morena 08 – Vivian Kubrick – Ruins (Full Metal Jacket soundtrack) 09 – New Order – Love Vigilantes 10 – Jimi Hendrix – Machine Gun (live at the Filmore East,1st night, 31.12.1969) 11 – Jacques Brel – La colombe 12 – Siegfried Sassoon – Suicide in the Trenches read by Stephen Graham 13 – Paulo de Carvalho – E Depois do Adeus 14 – The Libertines – Shiver 15 – Federico Garcia Lorca – Balada de la gran guerra by Joan Mora 16 – Amália Rodrigues – Zé Soldado, Soldadinho 17 – R.E.M. – Orange Crush 18- Elvis Costello – Shipbuilding 19 – Tom Waits – Day After Tomorrow 20 – Manic Street Preachers – Suicide is Painless, Theme for M.A.S.H.
The Grandeur of Ghosts by Siegfried Sassoon
When I have heard small talk about great men I light my two candles; climb to bed; then Consider what was said; and put aside What Such-a-one remarked, and Someone-else replied.
They have spoken lightly of my deathless friends, (Lamps for my gloom, hands guiding where I stumble,) Quoting, for shallow conversational ends, What Shelley shrilled, what Blake once wildly muttered…
How can they use such names and be not humble ? I have sat silent; angry at what they uttered. The dead bequeathed them life; the dead have said What these can only memorise and mumble.
Today is World Book Day 2004. Here is a list of a few of my favourite books:
Eça de Queirós – A Cidade e as Serras F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby Herodotus – Histories James Gavin – Deep In A Dream – The Long Night Of Chet Baker Jean Cocteau – Les enfants terrible Sam Shepard – Crónicas Americanas (Motel Chronicles) Simon Garfield – Mauve T.E. Lawrence – Seven Pillars of Wisdom T.S. Elliot – Complete Poems Oscar Wilde – Dorian Gray
recent favourites: Charles Spencer – A Very Private School Mat Osman – The Ghost Theatre
My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #61 – The It Is All New edition a programme filled with novelties can now be listened to on mixcloud.
Monday, March 11th, 2024, 3-4pm (gmt) Running time: 60:01:12
Tracklist: 01 – The Black Keys – I Forgot To Be Your Lover 02 – Been Stellar – Passing Judgment 03 – Bodega – Tarkovski 04 – Crumbs – DIY SOS 05 – Blind Zero – Running Back To You 06 – P. S. Lucas – Black Sand 07 – James – Our World 08 – Pete Astor – Chinese Cadillac 09 – The Sex Organs – Sex Shop 10 – La Luz – Strange World 11 – Wolf Manhattan – You Can’t Always Win 12 – Nourished By Time – Hand On Me 13 – Girl and Girl – Hello 14 – Six Organs of Admittance – The Mission 15 – Liam Gallagher & John Squire – Make It Up As You Go Along 16 – JP Simões – Mariazinha 17 – The Libertines – Night Of The Hunter 18 – Corridor – Mon Angent
My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #61 – The It Is All New edition airs Monday, 11h, 3-4pm (gmt) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com
This edition is a programme filled with 18 new, newish songs like You Can’t Always Win Wolf Manhattan single from the second upcoming album, and a cover of a decades long Portuguese song, Mariazinha by José Mário Branco here interpreted by JP Simões.
As is often the case with my radio shows, the selection is eclectic, from established to new names, from Portuguese to American songs.
Tracklist: 01 – The Black Keys – I Forgot To Be Your Lover 02 – Been Stellar – Passing Judgment 03 – Bodega – Tarkovski 04 – Crumbs – DIY SOS 05 – Blind Zero – Running Back To You 06 – P. S. Lucas – Black Sand 07 – James – Our World 08 – Pete Astor – Chinese Cadillac 09 – The Sex Organs – Sex Shop 10 – La Luz – Strange World 11 – Wolf Manhattan – You Can’t Always Win 12 – Nourished By Time – Hand On Me 13 – Girl and Girl – Hello 14 – Six Organs of Admittance – The Mission 15 – Liam Gallagher & John Squire – Make It Up As You Go Along 16 – JP Simões – Mariazinha 17 – The Libertines – Night Of The Hunter 18 – Corridor – Mon Argent
Amazing Songs & Other Delights #59 The Through Mountains & Valleys aka The Epilepsy edition airs Monday, 12th , 3-4pm (gmt) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com (or on the app).Monday February 12th is International Epilepsy Day. I have two types of epilepsy, photosensitive – in my case affected both by light, and certain types of sounds – and atonic (my muscles suddenly lose contraction and I fall or things slip from my hands). For many people with epilepsy the condition is like traversing mountains and Valleys. In my case that happens mostly with photosensitive epilepsy. Through mountains and valleys is also, literally, what me and my friend Matt do. Me when walking up and down the more, or less, urbanized areas of Porto – Porto is at the end of a mountain range. Matt in Los Angeles and its sorrpunding areas. Like Laurel Canyon where many musicians lived in the 60s and 70s. Among them, Neil Young who has epilepsy. The songs selected for the programme comprise those from musicians with epilepsy as well as those from bands and artists that lived at Laurel Canyon. To me, Nirvana’s Heart Shaped Box gives the idea of the sudden, stop, motion, electrical discharges of photosensitive epilepsy which is why it is on the tracklist. The colour of epilepsy is purple-lavender, hence Prince’s Purple Rain. Prince had epilepsy until he was seven years old, a fwct he mentions in The Sacrifice of Victor.
Trackist: 01 – Antony & The Johnsons – Epilepsy is Dancing 02 – Joni Mitchell – Michael From Mountains 03 – Chris Knox – Grand Mal 04 – The Byrds – Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There Is A Season) 05 – Spandau Ballet – Gold (HD remastered) 06 – The Mothers of Invention – Anywhere The Wind Blows 07 – The Streets – Dry Your Eyes 08 – Nirvana – Heart Shaped Box 09 – Neil Young – Cinnamon Girl 10 – Joy Division – Transmission 11 – Prince – Purple Rain 12 – Elton John – Bennie And The Jets 13 – The Olympic Symphonium – Thanks a Lot 14 – Jimmy Reed – Too Much 15 – Black Light White Light – Epilepsy
My next Amazing Songs & Other Delights is #58 – Your Surprise, is My Surprise and airs Monday, 29th, 3-4pm (gmt) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com (or on the app).
This edition is wide choices range from a a excerpt of Waṯu, a song that is, at least, 60 thousand years old voiced by brothers David and Daniel Wilfred, singing in Wagiläk language (an Australian Indigenous language. David and Daniel are keepers from Arnhem Land) to just released songs thorough some that would horrify my teenage and younger self.
The programme title comes from four things. My surrprise finding a fabulous Joan Baez song – just marvel at the lyrics, the voice, the, guitar -, dad rock aka The Dire Straights mega hit Sultans of Swing being able to pass for a groovy indie song (it all depends, of context),Mantra, the gentle instrumental by Dave Ghrol Josh Homme and Trent Reznor, and the absolute beauty of a song that is Blunt Knives, by Basalto.
Elaborating a little. I’ve could never could stand Joan Baez. She was always a pet peeve for me. When, by chance, I recently happened upon Diamonds and Rust I was, amazed. The song may ecen gain a place among my all time favourite songs.
The Dire Straits’ Sultans of Swing? It played all the time, everywhere. Dad and his, friends, loved the Dire Straits. Indie kids would get anywhere, near Mark Knopfler’s band. Yet, the song, and probably always was, upbeat and danceable. Besides, Mark Knopfler plays mostly with his fingers rather than with a plectrum and for many years his guitar of choice was a, Strat the guitar he plays on Sultans of Swing. Since I start replaying guitar I have a Strat model and I have always mostly play guitar plectrum less.
Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, Trent Reznor’s Mantra came from my brother Renato. I wasn’t convinced it would be that interesting, he insisted it was, but I didn’t listen to it for a, while. Turned out to be a great instrumental.
Basalto was a fabulous surprise too. I don’t know how I hadn’t noticed Basalto before, but I’m very happy to have it sent to me. Portuguese singer-songwriter Guilherme de Sousa newest single is a delicate, intense, marvelous song.
Trackist: 01 – Basalto – Blunt Knives; 02 – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing; 03 – Corridor – Mourir Demain; 04 – Aziza Brahim – Bubisher; 05 – Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, Trent Reznor – Mantra; 06 – Dragged Up – Missing Person; 07 – Hand to Earth – Waṯu (excerpt); 08 – Joan Baez – Diamonds & Rust; 09 – Michael Platter – The Alchemist; 10 – Mitski – I’m Your Man (live @ blogotheque); 11 – Paul Weller – You Do Something To Me; 12 – Pete Astor – Model Village; 13 – Vitória & The Kalashnicoles – New World; 14 – Zenxith – She is Lying
Amazing Songs & Other Delights #55 -The Such Lovely Songs edition airs tomorrow, Monday 4th, 3-4pm (gmt) on Yé Yé Radio: https://yeyeradio.com/ (or on the app).
The Such Lovely Songs edition os a collection of bestiful songs I’ve happen upon in different ways, or have been listening to more attentively. In a way, it goes back to the joy of listening to songs on the radio. Be it on John Peel’s show (o de here listened to is am) or António Sérgio’s shows.
Some songs,Iike the Stone Roses one I had totally forgot about. Although the spirit of this edition arrises from those radio shows of the past, and the songs cross several decades, the feel is very now. A if all songs as just been released.
Tracklist: 01 De Jolie Laide (Nina Nastasia & Jeff MacLeod) – Blue as Blue; 02 – Teenage Waitress – Grey Sky; 03 – Sam Lee – Bushes and Briars; 04 – Jackson Harden – Doris Day; 05 – Genghis Cohn – She Who Calls; 06 – Wurld Series – Illustrious Plates; 07 – Jonathan Richman – I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar; 08 – Velvet Underground – Pale Blue Eyes; 09 – PJ Harvey – Seem An I; 10 Television – Venus; 11 Lloyd Cole And The Commotion – Rattlesnakes; 12 – The Stone Roses – Love Spreads;13 – Hot Apple Band – The Hill; 14 – Laura Veirs – July Flame; 15 – Frost Children – Bernardette;16 – MGMT- Bubblegum Dog
