Popular Songs Our Students Love, 2021

by Mel Rosenberg - מל רוזנברג

After fruitful careers as a scientist and inventor I've gone back to what I love most - writing children's books Read More

Joined Oct 2013
Published Books 1552

Last week we talked about songs and what makes them immortal. We looked at Somewhere Over the Rainbow (1939) and discussed:

The melody (especially the octave jump at the start)

The sound of the words themselves (prosody)

The relationship between the melody and the words

The song as being part of a movie.

Covers of a song

We talked about what is a popular song? Can it be a prayer? A national anthem? Does it have to have words? Does it have to have a melody?

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Nitsan and I made a list of great songs to share and discuss:

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE FULL LIST (IF YOU ARE ON LAPTOP OR TABLET)

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But then you came along and made a list of your own (well, almost your own)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let’s compare mythologies!!!!

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Foreign origins

Volare – 1958 – Both Sanremo and Eurovision!

Autumn Leaves – 1945-1950 (English translation)

La Vie en Rose – 1945-1947

Musicals and Movies

Do Re Mi – 1965

Till There Was You

Que Sera Sera – 1955/6

Singing in the Rain – 1952

Jazz

Take Five – 1959

Fly Me to the Moon

In the Wee Wee Hours of the Morning -1955

Take the A Train -1940/41 – Billy Strayhorn

It Don’t Mean a Thing – 1943

Summertime – 1934

Blues

The thrill is gone – Hawkins (1951) B.B.King cover 1969

Cross road blues – Robert Johnson 1936

In the Pines

Early Rock, Roll and Elvis

Can’t help falling love with you – Elvis 1961

The Devil in Disguise – Elvis 1963

Put Your Head on My Shoulder 1958 Paul Anka

Jailhouse Rock by Leiber and Stoller, 1957

Disney

Hi Ho (from Snow White) – 1937

When You Wish Upon a Star – 1940

Once Upon a Dream – 1959

The Bear Necessities – 1967

or

I Wanna Be Like You – 1967

Seventies

Rocket Man – Elton John and Bernie Taupin, 1972

We Will Rock You – 1977

Leonard Cohen (poet singer songwriter)

Suzanne – 1966/1967

Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash, 1963

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Foreign origins

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Volare

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Musicals and Movies

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Do Re Mi

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Till There Was You

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Que Sera Sera

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Jazz

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It Don’t Mean a Thing

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Is Sinatra jazz?

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Fly me to the moon

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In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning

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Take Five by Paul Desmond.

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Rock and Roll Era

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Blues

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Original 1951 recording

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In the Pines

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Robert Johnson, Cross Road Blues, 1936

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Disney

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When you wish upon a star 1940

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Bear Necessities

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Sleeping Beauty a la Tchaikovsky

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Country

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Elton John

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Songs by Poets – Suzanne

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Popular Songs Our Students Love, 2021

by Mel Rosenberg - מל רוזנברג

Nitsan and I made a list of great songs to share and discuss:

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE FULL LIST (IF YOU ARE ON LAPTOP OR TABLET)

80’s – Dance me to the end of love – Dm

70’s – Bohemian rhapsody – C

70’s – You’ve got a friend – Am

60’s – Your song – D

60’s – The Sound of Music – Do-Re-Mi – C

60’s – Bare necessities – F

60’s – Stand by me – A

50’s – Autumn Leaves – Em

50’s – Fly Me to the Moon – C

50’s – Jailhouse rock

40’s – Nature boy – E

30’s – Blue moon – F

Blue moon

30’s – Somewhere over the rainbow – C

Dream a little dream of me – C/F

30’s – Cheek to Cheek – C

20’s – My heart stood still

20’s – Blue skies

20’s – Can’t help loving that man of mine

But then you came along and made a list of your own (well, almost your own)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let’s compare mythologies!!!!

Foreign origins

Foreign origins

Musicals and Movies

Jazz

Rock and Roll Era

Country