Westlife • Catch My Breath

Last night, I brought you a group of songs sung by popular boybands of another time. It reminded me of my all-time favorite boyband, which I did not include in that post. So now, Westlife will get a post of their own. Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne, Mark Feehily, and Kian Eganmade some beautiful music together, and I love to listen to it. Even though the Irish boys are no longer together, listening to them just makes be so happy. This is the boys of Westlife singing "Catch My Breath" at their live show at Croke Park, a fantastic stadium in Dublin, Ireland.

"Catch My Breath" can be found on the album 'Back Home', the 2007 release with several great songs. I love "Something Right", "Home". "I'm Already There", and "Us Against the World", there is something about "Catch My Breath" that I cannot deny. It just charms me to the core. You can purchase 'Back Home' from iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about Westlife, visit the official website.

Westlife • Allow Us...

Left to right: Nicky Byrne; Mark Feehily; Kian Egan; and Shane Filan.

Almost nine years ago, way back in 2004, Irish boyband Westlife were still riding high on a wave of popularity, with an amazing string of #1 songs and albums in the UK charts. They seemed nigh on unstoppable, keeping manager Louis Walsh and record exec Simon Cowell in the center of the music industry. The two industry insiders decided to jump on board the nostalgia craze, and set to work on music Mark, Kian, Shane and Nicky would record next. They picked the music of 'The Rat Pack', and the boys managed to add amazing harmonies to the songs. This is the boys singing the gorgeous song by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields, "The Way You Look Tonight".

We also have a stunning song written by Edward Heyman and Victor Young that was first a hit when sung by Doris Day in 1952. This is "When I Fall In Love".

As I have admitted on this blog time and time again, I was a big fan of Westlife for a long time. So I was sad to hear they had broken up in 2012. I had never had the opportunity to see them performing live, except for the concert DVDs I purchased. They sounded great on them all, so I really do wish I had that chance. You can purchase 'Allow Us To Be Frank' or any of the individual songs on iTunes or Amazon.

Westlife • "Thank You"

Left to right: Kian Egan, Brian McFadden, Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, and Mark Feehily.

To celebrate Thanksgiving, here is Westlife singing "Thank You."



Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

Donna Summer Works Hard For Her Money

This is Labor Day Weekend, a national holiday in the United States that looks to appreciate the working men and women. As it is a holiday, I will be just featuring some light posting over the weekend, and taking some time to recharge the batteries. I thought it might be great to start the celebration with Donna Summer's 1983 classic She Works Hard For The Money. Actually, it celebrates the workers of the fairer sex, at a time when equal pay for equal work was certainly not the order of the day. Here is Donna making a statement of her own, and singing it live.



And while it might not be about working, I thought I would post another performance my the late, great diva. Only this time, she is making the dreams of one gay boy come true. You see, she sings "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" and Mark Feehily lives a dream, and sings harmony with the great singer. Of course, Mark is joined on the stage by his brothers in song, Shane Filan, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. This is actually a pretty good version of the song. Enjoy.



You can purchase Donna Summer's Greatest Hits on iTunes and Amazon.

Westlife Gives Notice

Top: Shane, Kian, Mark and Nicky.

You must excuse me if, over the course of the next few days, I am found weeping uncontrollably. Or slumped over in my chair, following each heavy sigh with another. But I just heard the news, following the December release of a greatest hits collection, and a subsequent tour, Westlife will be ending their collaboration. It seems Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne have decided that 14 years together was enough for them. While it might be popular to make fun of the Irish boyband, I have never been anything but out of the closet in my love for them. So, in the thought of asking the question "How am I supposed to live without you," I offer the video for When You're Looking Like That.



That was a live performance, for I have to now believe that my dream of seeing the lads performing live is now dashed. For years I have wanted Westlife to come to the US, so I could hear them with my own ears, to see them with my own eyes. Alas, I sincerely doubt that the US will be included in their final tour, so I must let that dream go. But I can't help but think that I have wanted to see them since the first time I heard Swear It Again back in 2000. I have been a fan since.



Yes, I stood by them when Brian left, and cheered when my favorite, Mark, came out as a proud gay man. I bought the CDs, and I purchased the DVDs. And while I might have watched every live clip I could, I never got the chance to see them myself. Oh, how I would have loved to see them sing World Of Our Own.



I love it when Mark takes his part of the song and really owns it, like he did in the clip above. And most certainly he did it again in the final clip, with another of the trademark songs for the band. In this particular live performance, the lads were strapped in and flying above the audience in Dublin, Ireland. They sing a beautiful version of Flying Without Wings.

However, I suppose I should be grateful that another tour will mean tons more clips on YouTube, and possibly a new DVD. And many more years with the music they have made.

Westlife • You Raise Me Up

Sometimes on a Sunday morning, I just need my Irish boys to sing to me. So here are Mark, Kian, Shane and Nicky to make my morning better with You Raise Me Up.

Celebrate With Some Irish Boys!

Here are those handsome Irish boys from Westlife, singing a live version of their song, You Raise Me Up. For their 10th Anniversary concert, they use a lovely Celtic sound for it.

Westlife - New Single 'Safe'

Top: Westlife on stage. Middle: Kian Egan & Nicky Byrne. Bottom: Mark Feehily & Shane Filan.

Four of my favorite Irish boys appeared on X-Factor in the UK over the weekend to perform the first single from their soon-to-be-released album, Gravity. The new single, Safe, is a power ballad written by album producer John Shanks and James Grunder, of the rock group Golden State.



I ordered my import copy of the album from Amazon here. It is supposed to be in my possession before Thanksgiving, so I am excited! For more on the band, you can check out their official website here.

Westlife - Something Right

I really love this song - although I actually love many of their songs, so it isn't all that unusual. But this does seem like a great song for a Saturday morning - a beautiful video, with a great song and a fantastic message. So enjoy the stylings of Shane, Mark, Kian and Nicky.



Enjoy the online experience at their website here.

Westlife - Swear It Again

Left to right: Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne.

I can tell you when I first fell for Westlife, and it was a long time ago, 10 years in fact. I remember hearing one song, and knowing it was over for me. They are purveyors of Pop, pure and simple. And I love me some Pop music! It is the only Westlife song I remember being played on the radio in the US, but it was enough to hook me. This is Swear It Again.



While they started with five, in 2004 they became four with the departure of Brian McFadden. Despite being a few decades removed from their target demographic, I buy all the albums and the DVDs, with a strong desire to see them live at some point. In 2005, Mark Feehily came out, announcing his relationship with Kevin McDaid, which continues today. He had the full support of Shane, Kian and Nicky, as well as the fans, which is fantastic. I continue to enjoy the music, including this song from 2009, Something Right.



Enjoy the online experience at their website here.

When Old Favorites Become Medleys - Westlife

Top & bottom, left to right: Shane, Kian, Nicky & Mark

I come right out and admit I have an addiction to this band, one that I once thought would pass with time, yet that has not been the case at all. Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne, four Irish lads, as well as former member Brian McFadden, managed to captivate much of the world market, save the US, as well as my affections. I fully own up to having all their albums, as well as their concert DVDs, and I revel in the sheer Pop of their sound. One of the men responsible for their career is Simon Cowell, who signed them for the label, and has been instrumental in many of the decisions since. For the first 10 years of their careers, they were constantly working, either on tour or working on the next album. Having seen the DVDs, I can tell you Cowell doesn't stray far outside that box, for a formula quickly set in. That included taking up about 10 minutes of the concert with a medley of classic hit songs, easily warming the hearts of the parents and grandparents bringing their children to see the immensely popular group. And today is Mark's birthday!



Take, for instance, the 2008 Back Home Tour, which concluded with a fantastic two-night stand in Croke Park outside of Dublin, after which the boys took a well-deserved year off. The medley ran just under 10 minutes, and included the songs Sexy Back, Blame It On The Boogie, Get Down On It, I'm Your Man, and Let Me Entertain You by original artists Justin Timberlake, The Jackson 5, Kool & The Gang, Wham! and Robbie Williams. The selections span the generations, are all up-beat, fun songs, and are rather fun to watch. It also gives Kian and Nicky a chance to take the lead vocal role, something rarely done in the studio.



In 2005 they embarked on the Number Ones Tour, which included a 10 minute medley of its own. The songs included in this one were Disco Inferno, Pretty Woman, I Feel Fine, Don´t Stop Til You Get Enough and Footlose, by original artists Earth, Wind & Fire, Roy Orbison, Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Kenny Loggins. Again, one could see these songs by these artists more appealing to the custodians of the youngsters wanting to go to the concert, making them very popular segments of the show.



Hey, don't get me wrong, I enjoy the medleys - after all, I fall into the target age range - and think the boys do them well. They have a great deal of fun with them, fueled by their own energy, as well as that of the screaming crowds. I just think there is a laziness to them, and that the boys might be capable of doing a show without them. However, the songs do bring back great memories, and I fall for it every time. And while I have no idea if I will see them live as they don't tour the States, the DVDs does give me a chance to pretend I've had the honor of doing that.

Worth Another Listen - Westlife

In 2004, Westlife released Allow Us To Be Frank, an album of jazz standards, songs inspired by and/or sung by the Rat Pack. I have long ago confessed my affection for Westlife, and especially member Mark Feehily, who came out as a gay man and did so with dignity. Feehily, along with bandmates Shane Filian, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne, prepared a loving tribute to the music and the era itself. I enjoy the album immensely.



The first release from the album was a song written in 1960, music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Sammy Cahn. Ain't That A Kick In The Head was first recorded in 1960 by Dean Martin, and conducted by Nelson Riddle, it became closely identified with the era.



Smile was a song originally used as an instrumental theme in the soundtrack for the 1936 Charlie Chaplin movie Modern Times. Chaplin composed the music. There is some discussion as to who wrote the words, with John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons often mentioned. The sheet music was sold with the lyrics accredited to Chaplin. The song was originally sung by Nat King Cole, charted in 1954.



Fly Me To The Moon was a popular standard song written by Bart Howard in 1954. It was titled originally In Other Words Frank Sinatra recorded the song on his 1964 album It Might as Well Be Swing accompanied by Count Basie. The arrangement by Quincy Jones, and that version went on to be thought of as the gold standard.



Mack the Knife or The Ballad of Mack the Knife, originally Die Moritat von Mackie Messer, is a song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their music drama Die Dreigroschenoper, or, as it is known in English, The Threepenny Opera. It premiered in Berlin in 1928. Mack the Knife was introduced to the United States hit parade by Louis Armstrong in 1956, but the song is most closely associated with Bobby Darin, who recorded his version at Fulton Studios in New York City in 1958. In 1959 Darin's version reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the Black Singles chart, and earned him a Grammy Award for Record of the Year.