Category: #MusicMonday

Andy Williams #MusicMonday

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Lately, it’s seemed the death of music.  Composer Marvin Hamlisch died August 6; Burt Bacharach’s lyricist Hal David died September 1; and smooth crooner Andy Williams died September 25.

Here’s Andy singing his signature song Moon River, on his television show:

You will recognize Moon River as the song that Audrey Hepburn sang in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

And here is Andy singing in a very special duet:

Mica Paris – My One Temptation #MusicMonday

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Last week’s #MusicMonday feature of the Hal David/Burt Bacharach song I Say a Little Prayer for You, as performed Dionne Warwick, inspired me to select My One Temptation, which has a Bacharach-esque intro, as this week’s feature:


My One Temptation was composed by Peter Vale, Mick Leeson, and Miles Waters.

Although My One Temptation received play time on VH1, Mica Paris never really broke out as a star in the U.S.  In her native England, she continued to perform, succeeded Trinny and Susannah on the Beeb’s What Not to Wear, and even wrote a self-help book.

Dionne Warwick – I say a little prayer for you – #MusicMonday

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I pay tribute to lyricist Hal David, who died last week at age 91, in this week’s #MusicMonday feature.  Hal David was best known for his collaborations with Burt Bacharach.  In the 1960s, Dionne Warwick interpreted many of their songs.  Here’s a video, actually a montage of pictures of Dionne from the sixties, that features Bacharach/David’s “I Say a Little Prayer for You”:


And the relevance to what’s ostensibly a beauty blog? Check out the opening verse:

The moment I wake up 
Before I put on my make up 
I say a little prayer for you 
While combing my hair now 
And wond’ring what dress to wear now 
I say a little prayer for you.

Lebanese Blonde – Thievery Corporation #MusicMonday

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I present Lebanese Blonde by electronica duo Thievery Corporation as this week’s #MusicMonday feature:


According to a comment on YouTube,

the title is in reference to a particularly potent strain of hashish from Lebanon. the color is a light shade(blonde, not black/tar colored). no doubt they were really baked when they made this tune :)”

However, the instrumentation features a sitar, which is distinctly Indian.  If they wanted authentic Middle Eastern instrumentation, they would have chosen an oud (lute) – not to be confused with the fragrance 🙂

Bobby Short for Charlie #MusicMonday

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Following on my last #MusicMonday feature Mel Tormé for Charlie #MusicMonday, I present Bobby Short for Charlie.  Bobby Short was a fixture at New York’s Carlyle Hotel.  In 1980, heiress-turned-jeans mogul Gloria Vanderbilt (now perhaps better known as Anderson Cooper’s mom) charged that a co-op wouldn’t sell to her because of her friendship with Bobby Short.

Once again, the video features an effervescent Shelley Hack with her confident long strides:

Mel Tormé for Charlie #MusicMonday

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If Giorgio was the signature fragrance of the 1980s, if Calvin Klein Escape was the signature fragrance of the early 1990s, and if Chanel No. 5 is the forever classic fragrance, then Charlie by Revlon was the signature fragrance of the 1970s.  A lot of Charlie’s appeal came from its TV commercials featuring a confident, carefree and full of joie de vivre Shelley Hack. Here’s Mel Tormé aka “The Velvet Fog” for Charlie:


That was when songs for TV commercials were tuneful, memorable, and original.

Fun fact: did you know that Mel Tormé penned The Christmas Song (“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire …”)?