Lola Shuffle - The Book Fair Weekend Edition

The most wonderful time of the year! Let's see what Lola shuffles up for us...

Ready to Take a Chance Again by Barry Manilow - Love him! This is a great song!

32 Flavors by Ani DiFranco - Such a prolific talent as a singer and a songwriter. This is one of my favorites.

Reasons by Earth, Wind and Fire - EPIC slowdance song! Clocking in at around EIGHT minutes, you wanted to be dancing this with that one special boy! I was around 12 or 13 when this came out...and I had a special boy with whom I used to dance this. <swoony>

 

 

Waterfalls by TLC - A great song, with a message that was very powerful for its time. For me all their songs will always be tinged with sadness because of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes' tragic death. It makes this song that much sadder. And remember the groundbreaking (for its time) video? Classic!

 

 



Seasons of Love by the cast from RENT (the movie) - One of my favorite movies, and one of the most beautiful songs ever. Perfect.

 

 

Wow! Lola was on fire today! All great songs.

Have a wonderful weekend...don't forget to listen to some music.

The Rainy Day Friday Lola Shuffle

It's not actually rainy...it's gray and blah.  Let's see if Lola can shuffle us up a brighter day...

Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley - While Leonard Cohen's classic is beautiful, it's certainly not cheery.

Jungle Love by The Steve Miller Band - Hop on the way-back machine with me, let's go back to 1977! This is a fun song - Jungle love. it's driving me mad, it's making me crazeeeeeeee....

This is How a Heart Breaks by Rob Thomas - Great song! I love Rob Thomas' voice, and pretty hot as a bonus. These lyrics are so good and the pacing adds to their anger and desperation.

Big Rock Candy Mountain by Harry McClintock - This is from the phenomenal soundtrack for "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" It's sounds like a sweet little song, but listen to the lyrics!

Angie Baby by Helen Reddy - Whoa...again  not the happiest song in the world and pretty creepy! "You're a little touched, you know, Angie Baby...". I found this weird little cartoon for the song. Enjoy!

So Lola wasn't in a sunshiney mood it seems. Oh well, there was some good stuff I hadn't heard in a while.

Have a great weekend!

The Lola Shuffle - The Black Friday Edition

image source


Moonglow by Rod Stewart - I love that he decided to perform American standards. Those clasic songs with his unique voice are a great combination. "Moonglow" has always been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl - there was a lot of big band music in my house growing up.  

Crazy by Patsy Cline - What can be said about this song and this rendition that hasn't already been said? Perfection. I mean it's a great song regrdles of who sings it Willy Nelson's lyrics are poetry, and his version is great. But Patsy  captures the wistful resignation that the lyrics talk about.

(Where Do I Begin) Love Story by Tony Bennett - Hmmm...I love Tony Bennett, and I really like the love Sotry theme. However, although Bennett's voice is as always wonderful, I prefer Andy Williams' version. Maybe it's because that's the one I heard first. But,come on! It's still Tony Bennett!

Still Crazy After All These Years by Paul Simon - Well, Lola decided to move up a decade or two. And what a great choice. Honestly, does Paul Simon have any *bad* songs? I mean - there may be some I like less than others, but still - his worst are still good.

Suavecito by Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Piñeiro (from he "Lost City" soundtrack) - Love, love, love this song! Written in 1925 by Cuban gem Ignacio Piñeiro, this is a classic in the Cuban "son" canon.

I'll Fly Away by Alison Kraus and Gilliam Welch  (from the "Brother Where Art Thou?" soundtrack) - Both of these women have beautiful voices, but when they sing together it's a little bit of magic. 

Just The Way You Are by Billy Joel - Doesn't everyone in love want to hear this from the one they love? And obviously it works best when it's a long time relationship.

Good Riddance (Time of You Life) by Green Day - definitely one of my favorite songs. There are so many apt moments or this song. I included the lyrics in the high school graduation cards for all of my friends' kids. I really do hope they have the time of their lives!

The Girl From Yesterday by The Eagles - Heartbreaking song! Kills me!
"The light's on in the window; she's waiting by the phone
Talking to a memory that's never coming home
She dreams of his returning 
and the things that he might say
But she'll always be the girl from yesterday"
OMG - sob!  

Luck Be a Lady by Frank Sinatra - Another classic! And no one sings this like Sinatra...that vocal swagger - perfect.

It seems Lola is in a nostalgic mood, she didn't shuffle up *any* songs from this century! Haha! That's OK - nostalgia's good.

I hope your Black Friday was sane and that the rest o the weekend is fantastic. 

The Lola Shuffle - The "It's Coldish Edition"

Lola's back!  You know Lola always has something fun for us. Let's see what she shuffles up for us.

Siboney - Desi Arnaz - Lola went out school to start us off! This instrumental interpretation of Lecuona's 1929 Cuban classic is fantastic. Desi was more than Lucy's flummoxed husband, and a much better musician and band leader than we saw on "I Love Lucy". This is a great intro to the real musical abilities of Desi Arnaz.

Relax Max - Dinah Washington - How smooth is this? Washington's voice is sexy, slinky and so so cool. She's telling Max to take it slow before ñaca-ñaca happens.

Rocky Mountain High - John Denver - Awwww...I love this song. I can almost smell the clean crisp Rocky Mountain air. I've been to the Rocky Mountains - and the song captures their gentle majesty perfectly.

How Deep Is Your Love - The Bee Gees - Another classic! Such a romantic song: "I know your eyes in the morning sun I feel you touch me in the pouring rain And the moment that you wander far from me I wanna feel you in my arms again", I mean - come on! Melty...

The Fool on the Hill - The Beatles - Not my favorite Beatles song, but a good one nonetheless. I have a great story associated with this song. A Cuban artist and movie director that was living in Cuba in the 80s made a documentary about Fidel Castro, of course with government sanction. The film ended with Fidel standing on a mountain looking over the Cuban countryside as the credits rolled. In post-production, the director added this song for the ending. Long stoory short - the film was never released, the director was arrested and put into a mental institution where he was subjected to multiple unnecessary sessions of "electro-shock treatments". Eventually he got out of Cuba, but sadly, severe damage had been done. He was a broken man - albeit a brilliant painter. Sorry to be a downer, but I always think of him whenever I hear this song.

Russians - Sting - Ha! See what Lola did there? Irony. Sting's plea for humanity despite the Cold War. It's a fantastic song, just around the time Glasnost was becoming a *thing*. It still applies actually if you replace Russians with Muslims. The more things change...

Penny Lover - Lionel Richie - Way to lighten things up Lola - good call. This song...meh. Not much to say. Sappy Lionel Richie 80s love song. It's perfectly fine.

Everything's Bigger - Zack King - YAY! My brother-in-law Kevin is the bass guitarist for this band! Hurry - go to their web site! They're based out of the Dallas-Fort Worth area and their music has a funky rock vibe. This song is a play on the famous "Everything's Bigger in Texas" expression. Yay Kevin!

Rockin' All Over the World - John Fogerty - This is a kick-ass song! I like this, the original version as well as Status Quo's even *rockinger* cover. This song begs for jeans, a beer and some dancing. Great weekend song Lola!

Roundabout - Yes - So yeah...Yes...not really my thing - I think this is here for Hubby. But if I *must* listen to Yes, I guess this'll do. It's perfectly fine, it's just not my genre. But it is a classic nonetheless. Way to mix it up Lola!

Lola started us off and ended with two very different classics, but classics nonetheless - and in between a little bit of everything. Good job!

Have a great weekend and stay safe. Please spare a thought or two for those still dealing with the aftereffects of Superstorm Sandy and if there's something you can do to help - do it!