Celine Dion : Only One Road

Before Celine Dion hit it big with My Heart Will Go On (Theme from Titanic) she had a huge hit with Think Twice. Ironically, the song, while not a major hit in the States, is her second biggest selling hit in the UK.

Think Twice established Celine as a major star in the UK. Despite having minor hits like Beauty & The Beast, The Power Of Love and If You Asked Me To, up till then Celine was best known as the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1988 representing Switzerland with the song Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi ("Don't Leave Without Me").

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8pEYw8PcBas



The eagerly anticipated follow-up to Think Twice was the low-key but equally brilliant Only One Road taken off the album The Colour Of My Love. Again, the song was not a huge hit in the States, only reaching No. 93 in the Billboard Hot 100. In the UK, it fared much better, peaking at No. 8 although methinks it should have charted higher.

The song is one of my favourites. Celine's vocals rings clearly throughout the song and quivers with emotion. The arrangement, though much simpler than its predecessor, is amazing in its simplicity and the melody ... j'adore.

Check out the video below :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=przJ8xNAJ1Y

Battle Of The Covers - Nazareth v Cher : Love Hurts

Love Hurts rates as one of the best-loved rock anthems of all times but did you know that the song actually started life in the 1960s? 

In fact, Roy Orbison was one of the first to record Love Hurts in 1961 where it was a No.5 hit in Australia as a Double A-Side

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AX7azR2SaNE

Of course it's Nazareth's anthemic version which many rock enthusiasts will remember and love best. Formed in 1968 in Dumfermline in Scotland, the group was named after the town of Nazareth in Pennsylvania.

They had their first hit in 1973 with Broken Down Angel, a UK No. 9 hit, but I will wager that I'm not wrong to say that they will be best remembered and loved for their rendition of Love Hurts. Even though it was not their biggest UK hit (only reaching No. 15) but it was their biggest American hit, reaching No. 8 in the States and No. 1 in Canada and South Africa and certainly their most finest moment.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZhNW_jKrQY&feature=player_embedded

Pop Diva Cher re-recorded the song in 1991 and it became a minor hit in the UK (No. 43). It was a bigger hit in Norway where it reached No. 2. While not as big as the Nazareth, I feel that Cher managed to put her own spin on the song. Have a look at her version and see how that compares to Nazareth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKnePn-CbNA&feature=player_embedded

Olivia Newton-John : Physical

Once in a while there comes a song which works on all fronts. And with Physical everything seems to fall into place. From the music to the slightly raunchy lyrics juxtaposed with Livvy's sweet and innocent vocals everything is just right.

 Up till then, Olivia Newton-John had been known as the sweet girl-next-door.

The image had been further cemented by her role in Grease. However, much like her Grease alter- ego, she was about to undergo a metamorphosis, courtesy of Physical.

It was inevitable that Physical would shoot to the top of the charts and Livvy was even nicknamed Olivia Neutron-Bomb for her new raunchy image.

The video was fun and funny and pokes fun at the (then) emerging gym culture and even implies that the fit hot men who frequent the gyms are of the persuasion of the love that dare not speaketh its name. In fact, the only straight guy left at the end of the video is the fat guy whom Livvy quickly bags before he gets away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWz9VN40nCA&feature=player_embedded

The very sexy Kylie Minogue did a cover of the song but much as we love the divine Ms. M the original still rawwks it for me. Now, where did I put my leg-warmers?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWQS6E7W3DY&feature=player_embedded

James Bond Special : You Only Live Twice (1967)

In You Only Live Twice, Bond is sent to Japan to investigate the disappearance of American and Soviet spacecraft. As ever, SPECTRE is the culprit behind the incident which was carried out to provoke a war between the superpowers. The screenplay was written by author Roald Dahl and marks the first time that the film is only loosely based on the novel.

The distinctly Asian flavour is reflected in the two Bond girls.

Aki, an agent with the Japanese SIS, was played by Akiko Wakabayashi. Unfortunately, Aki meets her doom ... as she slept with Bond, drops of poison are dripped down a thin cord ... meant for Bond but instead enters Aki's lips.

Naturally, Bond wastes no time in finding a replacement for Aki upon her demise in the form of the equally delectable Kissy Suzuki, an Ama diving girl. Kissy was played by Mie Hama.

It is also notable to mention the appearance of German actress Karin Dor as SPECTRE assassin, Helga Brandt. Unfortunately, after a failed attempt on Bond's life, Helga was fed to the piranhas.

The title song was sung by Nancy Sinatra, daughter of Frank Sinatra. The single, too, had an oriental flavour and made No.11 in the UK.

Of course, the year before, Nancy Sinatra had hit the top of the charts with her worldwide smash, These Boots Are Made For Walkin', and she got the gig off the back of her hit single, beating Aretha Franklin to it.

James Bond Special : Thunderball (1965)

Thunderball was the fourth instalment in the Bond franchise and supposedly the most successful financially taking inflation into account. The film has Connery's Bond searching for two NATO atomic bombs stolen by SPECTRE who asked for £100 million in diamonds for ransom in exchange for not blowing up Miami. Much of the action in the film takes place underwater.

In the film, Bond is assisted by Domino, the mistress of SPECTRE's Number Two, Emilio Largo. Several actresses were considered for the role including Julie Christie, Raquel Welch and Faye Dunaway but finally the role was given to Miss France and First Runner-Up in Miss World 1958, Claudine Auger. The name of the character was changed from Dominetta Palazzi to Dominique Derval to reflect Auger's nationality but her voice was still dubbed.

The three actresses who were considered for the role of Domino :-

Julie Christie

Raquel Welch

Faye Dunaway

The other notable Bond girl in the film was Luciana Paluzzi who played SPECTRE assassin Fiona Volpe. In Never Say Never Again (the re-make of Thunderball) her name was changed to Fatima Blush and she was played by Barbara Carrera.

I must admit that I have not actually watched Thunderball but I do remember the theme song by Tom Jones. Initially a song called Mr. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang was written as the theme (recorded by Shirley Bassey but re-recorded by Dionne Warwick) but the producers wanted the title of the film in the theme song. Country singer Johnny Cash submitted a song entitled "Thunderball" to Eon Productions incorporating the plot of the film but the song was never used. Instead John Barry and Don Black hurriedly wrote a song which was recorded by Tom Jones.

 

It seems that during recording Jones fainted when singing the last note of the song. What a big girl's blouse, Tom ol' chap.

James Bond Special : Goldfinger (1964)

This third Bond film involved a plot by the villain, Auric Goldfinger, to invade Fort Knox and contaminate the US gold reserves in order to boost the value of his own stockpile. It is widely thought to be one of the finest and iconic instalments in the franchise.

The film was responsible for one of the iconic moments in history involving Bond girl Jill Masterson who reached a rather "glittering" end. Jill was played by British actress Shirley Eaton who, although appearing in a number of successful films, will forever be remembered as "the golden girl".

However, the star of the film was, of course, Pussy Galore who was played by Honor Blackman who had, at the time, found fame as the leather-wearing high-kicking Cathy Gale in The Avengers. The name Pussy Galore caused quite a controversy and it was suggested that the name Pussy be changed to Kitty. However, it is said that the name was retained after a photo of Ms. Blackman and Prince Philip was published in the papers under the heading "The Prince & Pussy".

Pussy Galore is considered the second sexiest Bond girl (after Honey Ryder) and many people's favourite despite her being completely clothed throughout the film.












The title theme was sung by Dame Shirley Bassey and is widely considered to be as iconic as the golden girl herself. It was written by John Barry with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley. Bassey's sexy growl suited the song to a tee.

The song gave Bassey her only American Top 40 hit (reaching no. 8) while in the UK the song reached no. 21.

Incidentally, Honor Blackman also had her moment in pop history when Kinky Boots, a single she recorded with her Avengers co-star, Patrick Macnee, in 1964 charted at No.5 in 1990 after being re-released. As a matter of trivia, Patrick Macnee also had a role in a Bond film (A View To A Kill) as did his co-stars Blackman, Diana Rigg and Joanna Lumley.

James Bond Special : From Russia With Love (1963)

The second instalment in the Bond franchise had Sean Connery's Bond in danger of assasination by SPECTRE as revenge for his killing of Dr. No. The delicious assasin sent to despatch Bond was Soviet agent Tatiana Romanova played by Italian actress Daniela Bianchi.

Ms. Bianchi had just emerged as 1st runner-up in Miss Universe 1960 and this was her first major English role (though her voice was dubbed in the film). However, she did not find much international  fame after this film apart from her role in 3 episodes of Dr. Kildare.

 The title track for the film was composed by Lionel Bart (who also did Oliver!) and sung by Matt Monro. However, it was felt that the lyrics of the song, while using the title, did not reflect the storyline (this was to be rectified in the next film, Goldfinger) so for the opening sequence an instrumental was used.

Nevertheless the song is a classic and became a huge hit for Monro (even though the song actually only made it No. 20 in the charts).

Incidentally, Monro represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest the year after and came in second behind Italy with "I Love The Little Things".