Alison Moyet • Coventry Carol

Since the days of Yazoo (aka Yaz here in the United States), I have been fascinated by Alison Moyet's voice. As a vocal instrument, it is incredible, offering some sweet and tender quiet moments, as well as big and bodacious one, and always charged with emotion. There is such a richness in her voice, and a sweetness to the tone, I continue to love hearing her sing. All that is evident in her recording of the "Coventry Carol", a 16th century Christmas carol that is still sung today. I first heard Alison's version on 'A Very Special Christmas', released in 1987 to raise money for the Special Olympics. This is Alison singing the "Coventry Carol".

By 1998, 'A Very Special Christmas' was certified quadruple Platinum, having sold over 4 million units in the United States alone. It included some of the top names in music, from all different genres. It is still a wonderful part of my Christmas music collection. Enjoy your weekend!

A Valentine From The 1980s

Clockwise: Alison Moyet; New Order; Sade, and Sigue Sigue Sputnik.

So kick off your St. Valentine's Day with a bit of spicy love, I decided to go back into the vaults and haul out some great songs from the 1980s with the word 'love' in the title. Now, there were many, and some I have even used before, so I thought I'd go for a different mix this time out. I will begin with the gorgeous voice of a women first known as the voice of a New Wave group before she flew on her own to be a Pop Princess. I am of course speaking about Alison Moyet, who partnered with Vince Clarke as Yazoo, or Yaz in the United States. After the success of the band with the album 'Upstairs at Eric's', which spawned several solo hits, Clarke and Moyet parted ways, and soon Alison was making solo albums. In 1984, Alison Moyet had a hit with "Love Resurrection", off her stunning solo debut,  'Alf'.

After the break up of the wildly popular Joy Division, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Stephen Morris, were looking to continue to make music together. In 1980 they, along with Gillian Gilbert, formed the brilliant band New Order, who made some great music in the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1986, New Order had a massive hit with the song "Bizarre Love Triangle", a song that played everywhere, from the radio to the clubs. This is "Bizarre Love Triangle".

That same year, another British band was coming out with intriguing music, only they both looked and sounded so very different. While there are many theories as to why the band was named Sigue Sigue Sputnik, it was hard not to notice them, with the futuristic look and sound. The six-person group was made up by Tony James, Neal X, Martin Degville, Yana YaYa, Ray Mayhew, and Chris Kavanagh. In 1986, Sigue Sigue Sputnik released the amazing single "Love Missile F1-11".

Just a few years before, another new face and creative force was about to take the world by storm. The the release of her first album, 'Diamond Life', Sade strated with a string of hit songs that showcased her gorgeous looks and amazing voice. But it was in 1988 that she produced one of my favorite songs, "Love Is Stronger Than Pride". It was off her third album, 'Stronger Than Pride'.

Will you be my valentine?

Contemporary Blue

Clockwise: Alison Moyet; Trio, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton & Emmylou Harris; Cyndi Lauper; and Bette Midler.

Sometimes a modern-day girl can get the blues, you know? I know I've featured singers from the 1930s and 40s on Saturday nights, but this collection of ladies proves that the blues haven't gone away. And every woman has a right to sing the blues. I will begin with the woman who actually was the inspiration for this post, Alison Moyet. I have been a fan of Alison since her days recording with Vince Clarke in Yazoo. Once they both moved on, I continued to love her solo music, and the 2004 album The Voice was no exception. The album was a collection of smokey songs sung form the heart. She included a song written by Declan Patrick MacManus, someone we might better know by his stage name, Elvis Costello. "Almost Blue" is a gorgeous song, and Moyet delivers it perfectly. Here is a live performance of the song.



Sadly, if you are in the US, you can only find The Voice as an import, and no downloads. I was insane for the music put out by Trio, a project combining the talents of Dolly Parton, Emylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt. Their voices were spectacular together, and the music they sang was a perfect combination of nostalgia, Country, Bluegrass, and Pop. One of the songs they sung was the fantastic "I Feel The Blues Moving In", written by Bluegrass legend Del McCoury. This was on their Trio II album.



You can find Trio II on iTunes and Amazon. Honestly, you can buy the 1987 Trio album, or the 1999 follow-up, and you will be very happy. Next up, we move to a song recorded for an album released in 1972 by Bette Midler. She was just starting out her career, and really beginning to turn the heads of people in the industry. And not just for her outrageous live performances, but because her talent was just so obvious, it would not be denied. It is impossible to deny her recording of "Am I Blue", a song written by Harry Akst and Grant Clarke in 1929, is fantastic, and still sounds perfect forty years later.



You can find The Divine Miss M on iTunes and Amazon. For the final song tonight, I call on a singer who is really a national treasure, at least in my book. Cyndi Lauper came to the attention of the world in 1983 with the release of She's So Unusual, the album that introduced her to us all. Whether it was "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" or "True Colors" or "Time After Time", all of which Lauper had a hand in writing, she showed herself to be a great artist. Fast-forward twenty-seven years, and Cyndi is still blowing us away with the release of Memphis Blues, a brilliant collection of blues songs recorded in Memphis. The album was almost unanimously listed as one of the Top 10 albums of the year by music critics world-wide. She recorded "How Blue Can You Get", a song credited to jazz critic Leonard Feather and his wife, Jane Feather, although many believe it was just Jane. A blues classic, the song has ben recorded by the greats, including BB King. Once again, Cyndi proved her talent was endless, as she sings the song with the great Jonny Lang.



You can find Memphis Blues on iTunes and Amazon. If you don't have it, you should!

Alison Moyet Carries A Torch

In 2004, Alison Moyet released a great album with the simple title, Voice. Now, I have long held that Moyet has an impeccable voice, with a rich sound and a fullness that are hard to top. I was a fan since she was singing with Yazoo with Vince Clark, also known as Yaz here in the the States. Then there was her solo work, which was also amazing. When I discovered the 2004 album, I was delighted, for it was so great to hear her offering a jazz-influenced softness to the songs. Take, for example, her version of "Cry Me A River," written by Arthur Hamilton and first published in 1953. It was made famous by a 1955 recording by Julie London.



"Windmills Of Your Mind" was written in 1968 for the film The Thomas Crown Affair, featuring sexy performances by Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. The English lyrics were written by Marilyn & Alan Bergman, and the music by the ever-so-talented French composer Michel Legrand. It won the Oscar for Best Song, as sung by Noel Harrison, son of movie legend Rex Harrison. It was covered by Dusty Springfield in 1969, and the single made it to #31 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and #3 on the adult contemporary chart. In the 1999 remake of the movie, the producers used a cover of the song by Sting. In truth, the song has been covered by countless people, all looking to discover that mystical quality that can help a poetic and obscure lyric communicate to the public, much like Alison Moyet delivers with this stunning performance.



In 1969, Marilyn & Alan Bergman, and Michel Legrand once again collaborated for another film score. Once again, their work was nominated for an Academy Award, but this time they did not win for the song from The Happy End. In 1974, Barbra Streisand recorded a version for her album The Way We Were which was lush and moody, stunning really. Give a listen to Moyet's version of "What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life".



The sixth track on the Elvis Costello & the Attractions' 1982 album, Imperial Ballroom, "Almost Blue", written by Declan Patrick MacManus. For those who don't know who that is, he was better known as Elvis Costello. In the 1990s, the song was recorded by Gwen Stefani and Chet Baker. In the first decade of the new millennium, the song has been covered by Everything But The Girl, Dianna Krall (aka Mrs. Elvis Costello), The Reputations, Judy Wexler, and, of course, Alison Moyet. This is another moody and jazz tinged song that fits perfectly with Moyet's voice.



This album is not available for download in the United States, but you can find import copies of the CD on Amazon here. Really, just purchase any album you can, for Alison Moyet never fails to deliver.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Clockwise: Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Alison Moyet, and Dolly Parton.

Valentine's Day is a made-up holiday made popular by greeting card companies eager to sell their wares to the unsuspecting public. We do, after all, live in a world obsessed with love in all it's forms, be it sweet and romantic, or hot and sexually charged. It has all been chronicle in music, in movies, in plays and all forms of art. And one day each year, the world of business celebrates their opportunity to take advantage of it all, and call it Valentine's Day. However, I would prefer to look at how music thinks about love, and so I shall start with some of the diva singers, and pull some songs from 4 different decades. Who better to begin with than Barbra Streisand? I found a video of her singing a song written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, Love Is A Bore. It appeared on her 1964 album People. It was the first of Barbra's albums to go to #1, and the first to be certified Platinum in sales. The song celebrates love with a slightly jaded eye, with a tongue-in-cheek approach. This was recorded in 1967, at her live concert in Central Park.



You can find Love Is A Bore and the album People on iTunes and Amazon.

The next song is a 1991 release from the great Diana Ross. When You Tell Me That You Love Me was written by Albert Hammond and John Bettis, and is a classic approach to the love song, unlike the previous song. This explains how love lifts us up, and makes us better people. And, of course, we all know that if you want a singer to lift up a song, make it be The Boss...



You can find When You Tell Me That You Love Me and the album The Force Behind The Power on iTunes and Amazon.

Now, we've covered Pop, R&B and soul, so it seems like time to take a look at Country, and the biggest diva on just so many levels is Miss Dolly Parton. While it might be easy to bring out her song I Will Always Love You, and have the late Whitney Houston sing it, I think I will instead visit a different song, and one I have always loved. In 1974, Dolly released the single Love Is Like A Butterfly, off an album of the same name. There is a sweetness in the feeling, and a complexity in the music that I just love. It was Parton's fourth solo single to reach #1 on the Billboard Country chart.



You can find the single Love Is Like A Butterfly on iTunes and Amazon.

And that leaves only the 1980s, and if I was going for a diva in the 80s, I move to Alison Moyet. She was a diva for me, from the time I heard her as part of Yaz, to her solo career, which I followed intently. In 1985, Moyet had a non-album single, written by Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher, and sung by Billie Holiday in 1944. She delivered That Ole Devil Called Love with a beauty and simplicity I just love.



You can find That Ole Devil Called Love on iTunes.

So there you have it, four amazing ladies talking about love in four different decades. I'm sure you all have your own favorites from these years, and today it a great day to dust them off and give them a listen. You can listen to these, or make up your own "Valentine" play-list. Just enjoy!

Whispering Alison Moyet's Name

You know, as far as I am concerned, Alison Moyet is all kinds of brilliant. There can be no argument. I mean, listen to that voice, that delivery, that control. All of that combined just mesmerizes me. Whether she was with Vince Clarke in Yaz/Yazoo, or in her colo career, I just can't help but stop and give a listen. One example of this would be the incredible Invisible from the 1984 album Alf. It is impossible not to adore this song.



At first I was enchanted by the charm of this video. Soon I realized it was also a wonderful song, and Alison was singing her heart out on it! Is This Love? is from the 1987 album Raindancing.



From the same album, Ordinary Girl continues to deliver on a recurring theme for Moyet - love. In this case, it is love that is broken, but love nonetheless.



In a great appearance on the UK TV show Top of the Pops, All Cried Out from the 1984 album Alf just soared with Alison on vocals.



In 1994, Alison released the album Essex, and it has this fantastic song on it.
Whispering Your Name also included the outrageously funny Dawn French in the video, sure to make everyone laugh!



I've seen in interviews that the song Weak In The Presence of Beauty from Raindancingwas inspired by the birth of her first child, and how she felt every time she looked at him. That warms my heart even more. Here is the song.



To find out more about Alison Moyet, be sure to stop in and visit her official website here. You can purchase her music wherever music is sold, including on iTunes, which you can find here.

A Very Special Christmas

The album was released in 1987, and had some of the biggest performers of the day contributing their talents to raise money for the Special Olympics. There were 15 cuts on the album, and few had an official video produced. However, I managed to find a video of each one, from 'official' to to live to fan-made, and will share them all with you tonight. I would imagine this post is going to be way too long, but I just couldn't really leave anyone out. So here are all 15 tracks from the album, in order.

The Pointer Sisters - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town



The Eurythmics - Winter Wonderland



Whitney Houston - Do You Hear What I Hear?



Bruce Springsteen - Merry Christmas Baby



The Pretenders
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas



John Cougar Mellencamp
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus



Sting - Gabriel's Message



Run-DMC - Christmas In Hollis



U2 - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)



Madonna - Santa Baby



Bob Seeger & the Silver Bullet Band
The Little Drummer Boy



Bryan Adams - Run Rudolph Run



Bon Jovi - Back Door Santa



Alison Moyet - Coventry Carol



Stevie Nicks - Silent Night



Merry Christmas!

Love Resurrection - Alison Moyet

I love her so very much, her voice is just incredible. So, in getting ready to celebrate Easter, I thought it a perfect time to post her resurrection song, Love Resurrection. Fresh off her success with Yazoo [better known as Yaz here in the Sates], Alison released Alf, an incredible solo debut. This was the first single, released in 1984. It made it to #10 on the UK single chart, and broke into the Top 100 on the US Chart. I remember seeing this video and running out to buy the album!

Worth Another Listen - Alison Moyet

I was watching Graham Norton Saturday night [yes, I lead such a glamorous life] and on came Alison Moyet, looking rather sharp. I have loved her voice for so long - since she was in the band Yaz [Yazoo for th0se outside the US], her voice wailing on some remarkable songs. She went on to Graham's show to promote the release of a new greatest hits collection. She was rather amusing during the chat part, and sang All Cried Out for the musical portion. I love that song.



Her first solo project after Yaz was a wonderful album named Alf in 1984. The second single was All Cried Out, but her first single was Love Resurrection. Both went top 10 in the UK singles chart, and Resurrection made it into the US top 100, hitting #82. But it is one of the many favorites I have, with my enduring love for Alison.



Alison continued to put out albums over the next decade, and in 1985 put out Singles, a greatest hits collection. It included a cover of First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, with was a thrilling and interesting take on a classic. It was previously unreleased. The richness of her voice is just mesmerizing to me.



To find more about what Alison Moyet is up to, visit her website here. If, like me, you have to have her latest, you can find it here.