My radio show Amazing Songs & Other Delights #96 – The We’re Still In Spring edition is broadcasted Monday 18th and 25th May, 3-4pm (London time) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com to (or on the app).
There’s seventeen songs of different genres and time periods. By new bands and longs established ones. Some of the songs aren’t an obvious Spring choice, but they make sense to me in springtime.
The programme goes from a Spring song for children, The Kiboomers – Ladybugs Fly, to fado with Rita Braga’s tropical interpretation of Amália Rodrigues and Don Byas’ Rua do Capelão.
There’s space for indie songs, Again and Again and Again by Silly Boy Blue, Sun It Rises by Fleet Floxes, Stranger Baby by Gifthorse or Whole Again by Saint Sappho. Along Schubert’s Frühlingsglaube sung by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and Test Department with the South Wales Striking Miners Choir singing Take Me Home.
The heavy weights contingent includes Taylor Swift, The Beatles, The Avett Brothers, and The Kinks.
And that’s not all.
Tracklist: 01: The Kiboomers – Ladybugs Fly 02: Taylor Swift – invisible string 03: The Kind Hills – Dance, Dance, Dance 04: Silly Boy Blue – Again and Again and Again 05: Saint Etienne – Who Do You Think You Are 06: Belle & Sebastian – Seeing Other People 07: The Beach Boys – Spring Vacation 08: Fleet Floxes – Sun It Rises 09: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau sings Schubert’s Frühlingsglaube, D. 686 10: Gifthorse – Stranger Baby 11: The Beatles – Octopus Garden (Remastered 2009) 12: Dean & Britta – Eyes In My Smoke 13: The Avett Brothers – A Fathers First Spring 14: Saint Sappho – Whole Again 15: Test Department with the South Wales Striking Miners Choir – Take Me Home 16: The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon 17: Rita Braga – Rua do Capelão
It’s Winter Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere, the return of the light. Here Comes The Sun, the Beatles song is perfect for the occasion. Happy Solstice!
words: Telma Mota (edited by Raquel Pinheiro); photos: Telma Mota
After selling out the schedule 7pm show, Japanese band Acid Mothers Temple performed a 5pm slot that we attended.
Acid Mothers Temple have a psychedelic edge and a strong influence from 60s garage rock. The band was celebrating their 30th career anniversary, showcasing the best of their portfolio—rich in Beatle-esque melodies interspersed with powerful drums, and guitar improvisations brilliantly delivered by their guitarist and leader, Makoto Kawabata.
Under the motto “Do what you want, don’t do what you don’t want,” Acid Mothers Temple played a series of memorable tracks that echoed freedom and their unique way of seeing the world.
The band closed the concert in unison with an enthusiastic audience, performing a rendition of The Beatles’ Hey Jude in honor of their openly declared admiration for the British band. What a beautiful moment it was!
The repeat of my Amazing Songs & Other Delights # 18 – The Wintry Songs edition by António Cunha & Raquel Pinheiro airs Monday 13, 3-4pm (gmt) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com (or on the app).
Tracklist: 01 – Bobby Womack – California Dreamin'(John Phillips & Michelle Phillips’ song) (Tó) 02 – Belle & Sebastian – The Fox in the Snow (Raquel) 03 – Clinic – I Can’t Stand The Rain (Tó) 04 – Billy Mackenzie – Winter Academy (Tó) 05 – Pink Floyd – Goodbye Blue Sky (2011 Remastered Version) (Tó) 06 – John Parish – How Animals Move (Raquel) 07 – Taylor Swift – Forever Winter (Taylor’s Version) (Tó) 08 – Zeca Afonso – Canção de Embalar (Raquel) 09 – The Decemberists – January Hymn (Raquel) 10 – Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow (Raquel) 11 – Finneas – A Little Closer (Finneas’ Version) (Tó) 12 – Manic Street Preachers – Die in the Summertime (Remastered) (Raquel) 13 – Lianne La Havas – Starry Starry Night (Loving Vincent OST) (Tó) 14 – The Doors – Wintertime Love (Tó) 15 – Zoot Woman – Grey Day (Tó) 16 – The Beatles – Here Comes The Sun (2019 mix) (Raquel)
Tracklist: 01 – The Beatles – While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Raquel) 02 – Dillard and Clark – Don’t Let Me Down (Bill) 03 – George Harrison – My Sweet Lord (Raquel) 04 – Junior Parker – Tomorrow Never Knows (2024 remastered version) (Bill) 05 – Bryan Ferry – Jealous Guy (Raquel) 06 – George Harrison – Try Some Buy Some (2024 mix) (Bill) 07 – Suede – A Day In The Life (MTV intro (Raquel) 08 – The Beatles – You Can’t Do That (Bill)l 09 – John Lennon – Gimme Some Truth (Bill) 10 – Paul McCartney – Waterfalls (Bill) 11 – George Harrison – Wah-Wah (2014 Remaster) (Raquel) 12 – The Beatles – Octopus Garden (Raquel)p 13 – The Carpenters – Ticket To Ride (Bill) 14 – The Beatles – Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Raquel) 15 – The Beatles – Yellow Submarine (Raquel) 16 – Robert Wyatt – Love (Bill) 17 – Ringo Starr – It Don’t Come Easy (Bill) 18 – Lucinda Williams – While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Raquel)
Amazing Songs & Other Delights # 74 – The Beatles edition by Bill Rivers & Raquel Pinheiro airs Monday 16, 3-4pm (gmt) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com (or on the app).
Amazing Songs & Other Delights # 74 – The Beatles edition is, once more a collaborative programme between me and Bill Rivers. We both love The Beatles. As a child, around Christmas tv would show The Beatles films and I would be taken to see Yellow Submarine on the big screen. Bill and I picked Beatles songs, assorted covers , songs from solo fab four. You can see who picked out on the tracklist below the text. I love to do shows with Bill. He always comes up with songs, covers, I either didn’t knew or had forgotten.
The first record my parents to me dance to was a German Beatles compilation. The Beatles were mum and her sisters band. Like me, mum is partial to George (Harrison), having a special place in her heart for the by all, myself included, beloved Ringo. Bill’s favourite Beatle is also George. Paul comes second for Bill. No wonder there’s so much George being played on the show. 🙂 Solo George, Beatles George. While My Guitar Gently Weeps by The Beatles opens the show, While My Guitar Gently Weeps covered by Lucinda Williams closes it. I’ve been fascinated by Lucinda’s version since I heard it a few weeks ago.
Interestingly, my favourite Beatles song is Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) that was written by Lennon. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) wasn’t always by favourite Beatles song. As a child it would be any from the mentioned German compilation. Or from the first album. Or a few from Yellow Submarine that, for years, for me was only an animated film. Rubber Soul ended up become by favourite Beatles album. Bill’s favourite Beatles current album is Magical Mystery Tour.Why is George pretty much everyone favourite Beatle? I don’t know. I always loved George and Ringo. I’m the person who plays bass and forgets Paul McCartney plays bass. I see Paul as a songwriter, which he, of course, is.
Back to George. George brought many Innovations to The Beatles. He was always on the look out for new things. It was George’s idea of having Eric Clapton play the guitar solo on While My Guitar Gently Weeps. George has the best solo album of the four Beatles, All Things Must Pass. There’s a great documentary about George as well, George Harrison: Living In The Material World.
Tracklist: 01 – The Beatles – While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Raquel) 02 – Dillard and Clark – Don’t Let Me Down (Bill) 03 – George Harrison – My Sweet Lord (Raquel) 04 – Junior Parker – Tomorrow Never Knows (2024 remastered version) (Bill) 05 – Bryan Ferry – Jealous Guy (Raquel) 06 – George Harrison – Try Some Buy Some (2024 mix) (Bill) 07 – Suede – A Day In The Life (MTV intro (Raquel) 08 – The Beatles – You Can’t Do That (Bill)l 09 – John Lennon – Gimme Some Truth (Bill) 10 – Paul McCartney – Waterfalls (Bill) 11 – George Harrison – Wah-Wah (2014 Remaster) (Raquel) 12 – The Beatles – Octopus Garden (Raquel)p 13 – The Carpenters – Ticket To Ride (Bill) 14 – The Beatles – Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Raquel) 15 – The Beatles – Yellow Submarine (Raquel) 16 – Robert Wyatt – Love (Bill) 17 – Ringo Starr – It Don’t Come Easy (Bill) 18 – Lucinda Williams – While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Raquel)
Good morning with Lucinda Williams cover or The Beatles’ While My Guitar Gently Weeps. While My Guitar Gently Weeps was written by George Harrison for the Beatles 1968 album The Beatles aka The White Album. Lucinda does a beautiful rendition of one of my favourite songs. Have a nice weekend.
While My Guitar Weeps
I look at you all, see the love there that’s sleeping While my guitar gently weeps I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping Still my guitar gently weeps
I don’t know why nobody told you How to unfold your love I don’t know how someone controlled you They bought and sold you
I look at the world and I notice it’s turning While my guitar gently weeps With every mistake, we must surely be learning Still my guitar gently weeps
I don’t know how you were diverted You were perverted too I don’t know how you were inverted No one alerted you
I look from the wings at the play you are staging While my guitar gently weeps As I’m sitting here doing nothing but aging Still my guitar gently weeps
Monday, 8th April 2024, 3-4pm (gmt+1)Running Tracklist: 01 – Raquel Pinheiro – Big Bang (radio edit) 02 – Old Jerusalem – Red sun over the interstate 03 – Franz Schubert – Erlkönig, (Op. 1, D. 328 – Wer reitet so spät sung by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau) 04 – The Modern Lovers – Dodge Veg o-matic 05 – Bernard Butler – Camber Sands 06 – The Fugs – Bartleby The Scrivener 07 – Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 08 – David Gray – Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (Soft Cell cover) 09 – The Beatles – Drive My Car 10 – The Clash – Lost In The Supermarket 11 – Kings of Leon – Going Nowhere (live in Nashville) 12 – Siouxie & The Banshees – The Passenger (Iggy Pop cover) 13 – The Proclaimers – I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) (2011 remaster) 14 – Aaron Copland – Going to Heaven! (Emily Dickinson poem, sung by Sanford Sylvan) 15 – Little Eve – The Loco-Motion (remaster) 16 – The June Carriers – Pastoral Epigraph
Old Jerusalem – Breeding angels – drawing by Francisco Silva
My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #63 – The Say Hello, Wave Goodbye edition is tomorrow Monday, 8th, 3-4pm (gmt+1) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com (or on the app).
The title comes from the Soft Cell song of the same name, here on a cover by David Gray. The meaning refers to saying hello to something new, goodbye to an old, beloved one. In this case, the old beloved one is Old Jerusalem that Francisco Silva is retiring with a last concert on the 20th, at Socorro here in Porto. Old Jerusalem’s farewell includes Breeding angels, a demos album that contains Red sun over the interstate – that is also on this week’s programme – a song I have the previledge of known, and often sing on my own home, for a couple of years.
If Francisco is retiring Old Jerusalem, he is bringing, given birth, to The June Carriers that release their debut album Equanimity on the 10th. And now, beginnings and endings, and metting, and journeys, and the same thing, that yet is, but isn’t, become even more interesting.
My track Big Bang, that opens the show, has the exact same guitar line as The June Carriers’s Pastoral Epigraph, that closes the show. It is a travel from the The Big Bang, from the ends, or beginnings, of The Universe to Earth. The guitar, of course, is played be Francisco on both instrumentals. As for the why and how Francisco’s guitar line ended up on my track, on both tracks, that is for another day.
What my Big Bang and Then June Carriers’ Pastoral Epigraph shows is how the exact same guitar line, although easily recognisable, can feel so different depending of its surrounding, of the musical ambience and creation. Of how two people compose differently with the same guitar line (or any other same musical bit). Other than knowing I was going to use his guitar line, Francisco had no say, nor knew, what I was going to do with it. I didn’t have a clue how he was going to use it on what become The June Carriers’ first album.
My 16 choices for this The Say Hello, Wave Goodbye edition are all about travel, journeys, inner and outer, out in space, on our planet, far from home, standing still. The Modern Lovers’ Dodge Veg o-matic is probably the best going nowhere song ever. Bartleby, the immovable, “I prefer not to” scrivener of Henry Melville’s tale as his very fixed ideais regarding is life, his views, doing, moving, changing in ways others find normal is not for him.
Some journeys don’t end well. Like in the Erlkönig a Schubert lieder, with lyrics by Goethe, in which a father rides madly through the night, on horseback, with his son, whistle the Erlking is enticing the child, that tries to draw dad’s attention. The lieder ends with the blunt “In seinen Armen das Kind war tod” (roughly “in your arms the child is dead”.
Others have twist and turns. Diferentes in perspective, depending where we find ourselves. My photos of the maze from my favourite local park are taken from inside it and I know my way around it because I know from where the whole maze can be seen. However, on a foggy day, I may, and still get lost in it. The colour and black and photo illustrate the same thing seen in two different ways.
Tracklist: 01 – Raquel Pinheiro – Big Bang (radio edit) 02 – Old Jerusalem – Red sun over the interstate 03 – Franz Schubert – Erlkönig (Op. 1, D. 328 – Wer reitet so spät sung by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau) 04 – The Modern Lovers – Dodge Veg o-matic 05 – Bernard Butler – Camber Sands 06 – The Fugs – Bartleby The Scrivener 07 – Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 08 – David Gray – Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (Soft Cell cover) 09 – The Beatles – Drive My Car 10 – The Clash – Lost In The Supermarket 11 – Kings of Leon – Going Nowhere (live in Nashville) 12 – Siouxie & The Banshees – The Passenger (Iggy Pop cover) 13 – The Proclaimers – I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) (2011 remaster) 14 – Aaron Copland – Going to Heaven! (Emily Dickinson poem, sung by Sanford Sylvan) 15 – Little Eve – The Loco-Motion (remaster) 16 – The June Carriers – Pastoral Epigraph
My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #62 – The Spring Wonders edition is a simple programme with songs that evoke Spring even if several of them aren’t Spring songs per se. I like the feeling and emotions of the chosen songs put together.
Monday 25th, 3-4pm (gmTracklist: 01 – The Learning Station – Spring Is Here 02 – Bill McKay – Glow Drift 03 – Erica Buettner – Our Most Fragile Things 04 – Candelion feat. Cody Francis – I’m Thinking of You 05 – Laura Veirs – Lake Swimming 06 – Combustible Edison – Hot and Bothered 07 – Einstürzende Neubauten – Ist Ist (Rudy Shadow percussion version) 08 – Jasmine Minks – Soul Station 09 – The Gentle Spring – Dodge The Rain 10 – Pernice Brothers – The Ballad of Bjorn Borg 11 – Six Organs of Admittance – New Year’s Song 12 – The Divine Comedy – Perfect Lovesong 13 – They May Be Giants – Birdhouse in Your Soul 14 – The Hit Parade – Apple Tree 15 – Brian Eno & John Cale – Lay May Love 16 – The Beatles – Blue Blue Sky 17- The Smiths – There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Mondo Bizarre Magazine 