The Squeee

The song for today is by Gene Pitney and is called 24 Hours From Tulsa , about a douchebag who is driving back to his sweetheart, makes a pit stop when he's not that far from home ... and decides he's not going to come back to his sweetheart after all. Why? Because he's suddenly fallen head over heels in love with someone else. Like I said, a complete douchebag. But oh, I love the emotion in his voice, and it's a song I love to sing.

Here's for picking more Swedish classics! :D In the 1960s and 1970s, many old houses were demolished to give room for new (and, let's face it, ugly) housing developments. This 1967 song by Anna-Lena Löfgren is called Lyckliga gatan ("The Happy Street") and is about how the street where she grew up has been destroyed in order to become a part of the concrete jungle. It's a very emotional song, and I love the song for its message about wanting to preserve the environment. The video features old postcards from around Sweden, according to the person who put it together, and he also says that much of what is depicted no longer exists. :( Swedish lyrics first, followed by an English translation.

I've mentioned on occasion being an ABBA fan. I'm also a fan of Agnetha Fältskog's songs before and during the ABBA years. There are so many great songs I could share, but if I was to settle for just the one, it would be Är du som han? ("Are you like him?") from 1975. It's oddly relevant to all fellow fangirls out there, because surely everyone has wondered, at some point or other, how the object of our admiration (say, Richard Armitage), the unknown, measures up to the known, i.e. our respecive significant others ... Original Swedish lyrics first, but scroll down for an English translation!

Apparently, I haven't done a Musical Interlude since August 2010 ?! That can't be right. I'm sure I've posted music videos since then. o.O Anyway, I just wanted to share an awesome old song again. This time, it's Cat Stevens: Can't Keep It In from 1972. It just makes me happy, in much the same way that bricks don't. Also: SO MUCH GREAT MUSIC CAME OUT OF THE SEVENTIES!!!

Here’s the thing: One of my favourite music genres is – and has been for years and years – oldies. By that I mean music from the 1950s and 1960s, but you can count in 1970s as well, I suppose. I tend to think of 70s music as a separate category because it’s very different from the previous two decades, where I can’t really spot the difference. *cough* It depends; some music I definitely say is 60s rather than the generic “Oldies” category, but anyway. One of the artists I would count into this genre is Bobby Vee, who has done a number of catchy songs, but this one I listened to as I was driving into work this morning, and I think the lyrics are quite touching. A man singing to his (former) girlfriend, saying that okay, if you’ve found someone else you prefer over me, go ahead and be with him [and I’ll just be a bit emo for a while but I’ll get over it]. The clincher is the passionate ending – if you DO want me, I’m here and I’m all yours ... but if not, leave. Ahh! Gives me goosebum...