The Soundtrack of my life III- Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye is a 1944 song written by Cole Porter. It became a jazz standard and was recorded by several artists such as Ella Fitzgerald , Dinah Washington, John Coltrane, Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Carly Simon, Rod Stewart, Robbie Williams, Chet Baker, Eden Brent, and Diana Krall.

It became part of my personal soundtrack a couple of times. The first, around 86, as sung by Mick Hucknall and Simply Red. I recorded it on a long lost cassette next to Kate Bush & Peter Gabriel's Don't Give Up. It was only a pretty song when I did it, but after a few months time, it proved to be almost prophetic.

And, for a second time in my life, I put it on my walkman in 1990 as a part of the first project of Red Hot organization, called Blue. The Red Hot + Blue CD was arguable the first AIDS charity, and featured several early 90s artists reinterpreting Cole Porter songs. Annie Lennox did the honors for Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye. No broken hearts to report on this occasion, though.

The soundtrack of my life II - The New Romantics

Without going into to much detail, I used to be a fan. A huge fan. The New Romantics emerged in the UK music scene in the early eighties, as an alternative to the punk movement. As they would say in Spain, para muestra, un boton (which more or less translates as the proof is in the pudding):

Duran Duran were originally from from Birmingham (UK). They were one of the most successful band of the eighties bands and a leading band in MTV. They group was started off by Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Stephen Duffy, with the latter addition of Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor, and Simon Le Bon. (None of the Taylors are related.) They has never disbanded, but the line-up has changed to several times. They have release 13 albums: Duran Duran (1981), Rio (1982), Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983), Arena (1984) Notorious (1986), Big Thing (1988), Liberty (1990), Duran Duran (The Wedding Album) (1993), Thank You (1995), Medazzaland (1997), Pop Trash (2000), Astronaut (2004) and Red Carpet Massacre (2007. Duran Duran was also my first concert ever, in the old Pavilhao Dramatico de Cascais.

Save a Prayer is a song from Rio, released as a single in 1983:

Spandau Ballet are a British band who formed in London in the late seventies. They were one of the most successful bands of the eighties. The band split not in very good terms during the in 1990, but announced their reunion in March of 2009, complete with a tour that begins in October of 2009. They have released 5 albums: Journeys to Glory (1981), Diamond (1982), True (1983), Parade (1984), Through the Barricades (1986) and Heart Like a Sky (1989). Their song travelled through time a bit better, but still sound a bit too eighties... One of the best songs of the decade: True, released in 1983:

Classix Noveaux never survived 1984, and probably they were only popular in Portugal (and Poland). They released only 3 records: Night People (1981), La Verite (1982) and Secret (1983). This song is called Never Again, and it was released in 1981:

How to convert a 10 favorite songs CD into a convoluted exercise- The soundtrack of my life I - Golden Brown

One thing you get used to when living in Zurich is farewell parties. For one reason or the other, people come and go all the time. But, not all farewell parties are born the same... A few months back, a dear friend threw a memorable see you all soon party, that was not exactly the usual Swiss apero. Together with the invitation, there was a request: bring along a CD with your favorite songs. "Only 10?" I replied in shock and horror. "Yes, only 10. Whatever you like, but only 10".

How could I possibly decide on just 10 songs? Should I pull eighties songs to remind myself how happy and gay these times were? Or, chose whatever two songs for decade, for experience sake? Maybe delegate on Itunes the decision and burn a CD with the 10 more played songs? I couldn't help remember another of these exercises, done sometime during the late 90ies. But, we sort of cheated a little, and instead of a 10 favorite songs lists, we ended up with several lists, ranging from songs we like for sentimental reasons, to feel good songs, passing to pub and clubsongs and memories of vacations categories. Much to my dismay, the lists seems have been lost in time and cyberspace... And, anyway, this poetic license would be stretching it too much.

After a few weeks struggling with several ideas and lists, it soon became clear that it was com-ple-te-ly-im-po-ssi-ble to create a 10 favorite songs list. I cowardly showed up at the party with a _gasp_ Best of the 80's compilation and a big smile. It was not the spirit of the thing, but it was the best I could do under the circumstances... At least, it was a directionally correct effort - the compilation had a good part of the soundtrack of my life. Songs like Tears for Fears' Shout, The Cars' Drive or The Boomtown Rats' Tell Why I Don't Like Mondays, that I used to listen on the radio, and had always been there, but never owned.

In a way, I still owe my friend that CD. And in a totally different way, it would be probably better to keep these lists and songs at a safe place, before they are washed away. As the Chinese say, an used pencil lasts longer than a good memory.

In the very early eighties, I used to come back from school and listen to the Radio. TV was not open 24h a day, and even if it were, there would be only RTP1 and RTP2. Not much of a choice, really... But Radio, that was something else. There seemed to be unmissable programs going on, even if there were only an handful of FM stations. I mostly kept it tuned with Radio Comercial, one of the public radio stations (It was named Comercial because it had advertisements and sponsors, as opposed to the other stations, who had no ads at all). After lunch, I would listen to programs like TNT (All at the Top), the more mainstream program, or O Som da Frente (The Sounds of the Front), what we would call indie music, or Rock em Stock (Rock in Stock).

My soundtrack had songs like Foram Cardos, Foram Prosas (It Were Thistles, It Were Proses) by Manuela Moura Guedes, Amor (Love) by Herois do Mar, by Herois do Mar (Heroes of the Sea, that happens to be the opening lines of the Portuguese National Anthem), Planet Earth by Duran Duran, Just Can't Enough by Depeche Mode or Tainted Love by Softcell (in no particular order). Some of these songs traveled through time better than others, I have to add. But, if I had to choose one single song from these days, it would be The Strangler's Golden Brown:

Para mim o mundo bastava ser este cantinho (de calor)*

Sometimes, because we know someone for so long, we believe we everything about that person. But, the truth is that old friends still have something new to show and might just surprise you on a lazy Sunday morning.

The video is in Portuguese language. It is called filme agua (water film). Music is All I need by AIR.

*To me the world would be enough to be just this little corner (of warmth)

Takashi Murakami - Superflat First Love

First, Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton united efforts to revamp the old Monogram Canvas pattern. Six years after, they resume their collaboration to create Superflat First Love. This animation was released earlier this year as a download available for Japanese mobile phones only (you could take a look at the trailer, though). The full blown video is now on YouTube: