Monday 25 November 2013

Lexie's Chain: The Hundred and Forty Ninth Chain



Hello pals! Welcome to week 149 of #lexieschain. Bertie wiv Roger Whittaker an  New World in the Morning. Well done Bertie! Lets see what we gots dis week.


@skye613
Well done Bertie. Great song by Roger Whittaker. Not knowing much about him the research began. He is an esteemed singer songwriter who has earned over 250 silver, gold and platinum records. He also covered some great songs. "Both Sides Now" is a recurring part of his live concerts. This song was written by Joni Mitchell and has been covered many times by other artists. In October 2013 Mary Fahl covered it on her Love and Gravity EP. She is the former lead singer of 90's group October Project. My link ,the beautiful " Return To Me" a song of hopeful longing. Wanted to share some beauty this week with my chainy pals.



@smcheetham
Well done Bertie last week. I am afraid that I have used the whistling link this week even though as Freddie says Roger Whittaker was about more than whistling. Its surprising how many recent songs include whistling so there was plenty to choose from. I saw this band at Latitude a couple of years ago and the version of this song was such fun and evoked sunny days and warmth. So my link this week is whistling and the song is Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Enjoy and have a good week everyone.






@claptonterrier
Hello Miss Lexie…last week Uncle Bertie won with a song by Roger Whittaker….I have to confess that we knew nothing at all about Mr Whittaker apart from his music. Imagine my surprise when I found out that after moving to Britain in 1959he studied zoology, biochemistry and marine biology at Bangor University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree. !! So this week we have chosen our favourite song about science….its She Blinded Me With Science by Thomas Dolby…




@bunnersandharvs

So a big well dun to dat Bertie fur his wining selecshun sung by Roger Whittaker's songy, New World in the Morning which gots us thinking and our paws taping over a few songies but furst of all did you know der was a guy called Robert Whitaker who was an unknown photographer but did take sum pics of a famoos group called da Beatles! Sooo dis gots our paws tapping thinking bowt lots of der songys but one in particular which wuld have lots of mornings....you gots it. It dus be da songy, Eight Days A Week. Oh I need yur love babe, yes you know is truuu...





@freddie_bt
Luvly song fwom Roger Whitaker n da phrase New World obviously made us fink of America. Our choice is Aaron Copland who defined a distinctly American composing style lyrical n expansive music which truly captured da beauty, variety n scale of da landscape. Appalachian Spring, Rodeo n other pieces often incorporated traditional tunes in his celebration of da country n tho he wuz a patriot he wuz aware of its faults n therefore investigated by McCarthy. As Thanksgiving falls on Thursday 28th our linky is "The Promise of Living" his setting of a Thanksgiving hymn, the music is a fine example of da gentle lyrical beauty of his music.




@maggietkat

Roger Whittaker was a favorite in the grandparents' home, so congrats to Diamond Bertie. The whistling reminded me of another Roger, Roger Miller, who is also famous for his whistling. The tune that came to mind is Roger as the Rooster Alan ADale in the Disney version of Robin Hood. Miller entertained us during the 60s and 70s with such songs as "King of the Road" and "Dang Me". However my tune for the day is "Can't Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd" . It is a fun way to be reminded not to take life too seriously.








@djladylexie

Hmm roger whittaker famous for whistlin fings. Lots of songs wiv whistlin in em so I fort about what else whistles .. Well a train can blow his whistle! Pardon me Bertie? Is dat the Chattanooga Choo Choo? Well yes, it dus be and it by Glenn Miller Orchestra wot epotomises the sound of a big train on da big rail! So dat our linky!



An da winner .............. as chosen by @diamondbertie  .......... dus be ............ @claptonterrier!  Yay brilliant linky ma pal!!! So it mean you CT dus be choosin next week. 

Ere wot Bertie said bowty it: I forgot how hard it is to choose a winner, especially when each one was such a great choice. In the end she had to ask Master for his help, two heads together, we came up with Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science. Well done everyone and well done to the winner

It's over to you! Email me: lexie at toxicpenguin dot com or DM me on twitter (@dogstoyevsky) wiv your link suggestion followin on from dis one! You has until noon (GMT) 1st December 2013 (gets it to me by 2pm UK time if poss). Oh sometimes I dus accidentally delete em! Heehee. So good idea to type DO NOT DELETE in the title!

Lexie's Chain dus be inspired by da pawsome Radcliffe & Maconie Show wot you can has a listen to on dere website. Follow me @dogstoyevsky or #lexieschain on Twitter to join da fun. Remember anyfink goes! Rock, classical, opera, ballads, punk, reggae - is up to you! Fanx for playin!

Monday 18 November 2013

Lexie's Chain: The Hundred and Forty Eighth Chain




Hello pals! Welcome to week 148 of #lexieschain. The chainy is still goin strong an we gettin ever closer to findin out who dis will be da Chain Champ this year! Sadness that our dear pal Tucker will not be wiv us dis year to enjoy the fun. Last week the winner was Freddie wiv Four Brothers singing Makorokoto. So, let us see what we dun this week.

@claptonterrier
Mr Freddie chose a song by the Four Brothers….I did not find a band with four brothers in it but I did find a band with two pairs of brothers. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger. The rest of the band is composed of: twins Aaron (guitar and keyboard) and Bryce Dessner (guitar) and Scott (bass) and Bryan Devendorf (drums). And they are The National and I have chosen their song "England" as my link this week.



@maggietkat
What a joyful tune for this weeks winner! The artists this week are Four Brothers who record on the Cooking Vinyl label. There are 2 names that stand out to me, but my pick is Madness. I loved that band on the early days of MTv. There are several things about my choice; 1. From joyful sounds, I have moved to a minor key. 2. My choice is still a dance number, but it is a tango. 3. For those who may not know mom, she is a pharmaceutical chemist (not what we would call a druggist). Her company makes prescription pain relievers, the good kind if you get my drift. So the name of this number fits in perfectly with her job, "The Opiate Eaters" by Madness.



@skye613
Congrats to @freddie_bt!! Great tune from " Makorokoto " by the Four Brothers. Got these paws moving and grooving. Seems the Four Brothers were not brothers at all - just friends. That got the brain moving about band names. Well we've done brothers before . So what about sisters? And what about bands with the name of sister that weren't sisters at all? Hm.. My linky this week " I Don't Feel Like Dancing" by the Scissor Sisters . Take it away me paws!!!



@wonderwinger
Congratulations Freddie on your win last week giving us Four Brothers. The band members in Four Brothers were not related and sometimes there were many more than four musicians. So I thought i know i'll try to find a band of 4 brothers but the closest i got was 3 brothers and a cousin. The group is from the Followill family of Tennessee going by the name "Kings of Leon" and my song selection shall be Radioactive.



@smcheetham
Well that Freddie has some good suggestions on here though I think his Dad might help him a little bit. For my suggestion this week I have used the reference to John Peel and his desert island discs to take me to a song that was famously much loved by John Peel and is also Loved by me. That is Teenage Kicks by The Undertones. Oh those fast guitars and that youthful exuberance takes you back well it takes me back. Not sure about the polo neck in this video though. Enjoy.




@diamondbertie
Here is my choice, Roger Whittaker singing New World in the Morning
Why? Clever @freddie_bt won last week with his choice of Four Brothers singing Makorokoto, a post apartheid song, the first time I heard it, after many times playing it I got into it. New World in the Morning is an optimistic song with a message of hope.



@bunnersandharvs
Well we gots to say da Freddie you dus know how to get sum paws tapping and bellies shimmying wid a songy lyke dat! Well dun fur an egcellent win too. So when I wos simmying rown da sitting room dansin to da songy, Makorokoto by da Four Brothers, it gots us thinking about Paul Simon. Why? He did have an album called Graceland which was based around South African singers but den dis also got us thinking about another one of his songs wid da Art Garfunkle called Mrs Robinson which also gets our paws tapping too. Chookchoookachoo....




@djladylexie
A wonderful linky and a great track. Such upliftin moosic and a sound we associate with Zimbabwe. It reminds of the Paul Simon Album Gracelands which features South African Mbaqanga music with rural Zulu roots – in particular the track Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes. Makes us wanna dance dance dance! But wait, dat not our linky!! What you says? Well let us move on from wot they calls this .. Well there ain't no name for it really is there? Some people say eclectic, some say is a mash up or fusion! Whateva is called we does love a mash up of cultural music with roots deep in history. One of our favourite bands dus be Afro Celt Sound System. Dis be a mash up of west african an Irish celtic moosic, a super duper combo of beats you can really get movin to! I dare you to sit still!



An da winner .............. as chosen by @freddie_bt  .......... dus be ............ @diamondbertie! *whistle whistle we loves a bit of whistlin*  Yay brilliant linky ma pal!!! So it mean you Bertie dus be choosin next week. 

Ere wot Freddie said: Dis is always vewy difficult n we weally wuz tempted by all da choices coz da songs is so gud, speshully The National, Simon n Garfunkel n of course The Undertones. In da end we narrowed it down to linkys 6 n 8. Dad wuz vewy tempted by Afro Celt Sound System as it's vewy much da music he likes but he's picking linky 6 as it's made him appreciate Roger Whitaker as a singer with a message not just someone dat whistled a tune. A message of hope does evwyone gud.

It's over to you! Email me: lexie at toxicpenguin dot com or DM me on twitter (@dogstoyevsky) wiv your link suggestion followin on from dis one! You has until noon (GMT) Sunday 24th November 2013 (gets it to me by 2pm UK time if poss). Oh sometimes I dus accidentally delete em! Heehee. So good idea to type DO NOT DELETE in the title!

Lexie's Chain dus be inspired by da pawsome Radcliffe & Maconie Show wot you can has a listen to on dere website. Follow me @dogstoyevsky or #lexieschain on Twitter to join da fun. Remember anyfink goes! Rock, classical, opera, ballads, punk, reggae - is up to you! Fanx for playin!

Sunday 10 November 2013

Lexie's Chain: The Hundred and Forty Seventh Chain





Hello pals! Welcome to week 147 of #lexieschain. The chainy is still goin strong an we gettin ever closer to findin out who dis will be da Chain Champ this year!

Last week the winner was Maggie wiv Sister Rose by Neville Brothers. So, let us see what we dun this week.

@skye613
Great link last week from @maggietkat, Congrats! "Sister Rosa" was a song by the New Orleans Neville Brothers depicting the story of Rosa Parks. In 1955 she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white person and was arrested. Three days later the historic Montgomery Bus Boycott began. There were many musical " firsts" in 1955. Opera singer Marian Anderson became the first black to perform at the Met. Elvis made his first TV appearance singing " Shake, Rattle and Roll ". Simon & Garfunkel formed a duo while in high school. And a 13 year old from Brooklyn recorded her first record at NoLa studios in NYC. Barbra Streisand "You'll Never Know " from 1955 my linky this week.



@diamondbertie
Here is my choice for this weeks chain, I know it wont win but I feel it deserves an airing.
Last weeks winner was Neville Brothers singing Sister Rose, a really impressive choice which reminds us of how far we have moved from those dark days of oppression of people who only were regarded as inferior because of the colour of their skin.
Another oppressed group were women, I choose the Suffragette Anthem, or March of the Women. We have come a long way just in my lifetime.




@maggietkat
Hey everyone! My name is Maggie, and I am a Chain Addict. I am here to confess that even though I won, I HAD to submit something for you guys to ponder. *embarrassed* My link is another New Orleans musician, Dr. John with "Right Place, Wrong Time". The lyrics echo the mixed feelings of those long ago times but yet are about modern life. Here is Dr. John with CLAPTON!!!! Enjoy!





@freddie_bt
Rosa Parks courage in refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white was a turning point for Civil RIghts in USA, in Rhodesia a long Civil War was required to overthrow white miority rule. Discrimination took many forms, black professional musicians were not allowed to sing in Shona their native language nor play traditional instruments, instead dey had to sing white pop music. After Zimbabwe was formed traditional music n Shona singin was combined with Western instruments n pop. The Four Brothers were one of da finest exponents of Jit as it became known, fast, melodic dance music, lots of Hi-hat n high pitched sweet guitar recreating da sound of da Mbira. John Peel included one of their songs in his Desert Island Discs selection but our favourite is Makorokoto, I defy you not to dance or feel better for listenin to this joyful sound.




@bunnersandharvs
Well dat Maggie did make a grand seleckshun last week wid da songy by da Neille Brothers's songy Sister Rosa. We dus lyke dem Neville Brothers but we going onwards down da root of brothers, wot be family wot sumtimes dus have sisters too....so dat mean our linky be an old one by Sister Sldedge called....you gots it....We Are Family...... Tap dem paws....





@smcheetham
So last week Maggie won with a song by the Neville brothers. So I am going to take brothers in bands as my link this week. There are so many to choose from The Cribs, The national, oasis but I am going for something a little earlier and choosing a band where the brothers were often at war with each other. That is The Kinks. So in a tribute to Claptons lovely Border Terrier my link is brothers which takes us to Lola by The Kinks




@djladylexie
Great song last week wot was Sista Rosa a song about Rosa Parks refoosin to give up her seat on a bus … Go Rosa!! Hmmm how to find a linky. Well, dis was all abowty the fight against discrimination and tryin to bring about changes to the way people were treated. Another country that suffered terribly under the power of discrimination and apartheid was South Africa. A man who will never be forgotten for change in that country Is Nelson Mandela. However, a slightly lesser known protester and believer in change was Steven Biko who was killed during interrogation when he sustained serious head injuries. Peter Gabriel sang Biko to bring about awareness of his tragic story and the anti-apartheid movement. That is my choice.




An da winner .............. as chosen by @maggietkat  ... dus be ..... @freddie_bt. Yay brilliant linky ma pal!!! So it mean you dus be choosin next week. 

Ere wot Maggie said bowty it: Thanks to everyone for the incredible links! I love to win, but it is SO hard to chose the next winning link. I choose The Four Brothers with Makorokoto. The band displays the exuberance of freedom and I can hear the same roots in some of the Neville Brothers music. 

Love you all! Maggie

It's over to you! Email me: lexie at toxicpenguin dot com or DM me on twitter (@dogstoyevsky) wiv your link suggestion followin on from dis one! You has until noon (GMT) Sunday 17th November 2013 (gets it to me by 2pm UK time if poss). Oh sometimes I dus accidentally delete em! Heehee. So good idea to type DO NOT DELETE in the title!

Lexie's Chain dus be inspired by da pawsome Radcliffe & Maconie Show wot you can has a listen to on dere website. Follow me @dogstoyevsky or #lexieschain on Twitter to join da fun. Remember anyfink goes! Rock, classical, opera, ballads, punk, reggae - is up to you! Fanx for playin!

Sunday 3 November 2013

Lexie's Chain: The Hundred and Forty Sixth Chain



Hello pals! Welcome to week 146 of #lexieschain. The chainy is still goin strong an we gettin ever closer to findin out who dis will be da Chain Champ this year!

Last week the winner was Stella wiv Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke. Well, let us see what we dun this week.

@maggietkat
Well done! "a change is gonna come" became one of the hallmarks of the civil rights movement and was extensively covered. One of my favorite New Orleans group also covered this song on their 1989 Yellow Moon album. A powerful song about a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement was penned by one of The Neville Bothers. My choice is "Sister Rosa".



@freddie_bt
Egsellent winner last week, a gweat song demandin change. Made Dad fink of his favwite LP "Inflammable Material" by Stiff Little Fingers, packed wiv songs dat exposed da difficulties of livin in Northern Ireland n shouted fer change. Wasted Life n others were controversial songs at dat time, Dad wuz ejected fwom a record shop in Brighton wen he asked if dey ad da 45 of Alternative Ulster. However coz of da questionable circumstances of Sam Cooke's death our linky is not a song demandin change but a lament fer someone shot by accident. At 8 minutes its long fer a Punk song, even featurin guitar solos, ere's da passionate angry Johnny Was wiv wonderful jagged guitar n impassioned singin by Jake Burns.




@claptonterrier
Hello Miss Lexie….last week Miss Stella picked A change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke….one of the most idealistic and hopeful of songs….we wondered if Mr Cooke would feel that his hope had been fulfilled if he was still alive today…I suspect not….so this week we have focused on the “change” bit of the song ….change ….coins ….money……and our link this week is “Material Girl” by Madonna…



@bunnersandharvs
Well here we is wid anuther week fur da Lexie's chain as ever we dus be rilly proud of our pal Stella fur a great winning linky. So where dus we go from 'A change is gonna come'...well is simple...cos we going wid a guy wot dus loves to sing a songy about changes. Dat's right, we going wid David Bowie's Changes. Why? Cos dis songy was about changes in himself and changes in da world too and we tells Mum dat da only way to make a change is to start right where you is so hit it David.....




@terenceterrier
Last week’s winning linky woz “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke. I find a linky on da same feem wot be “The Times They Are A -Changin’” by Bob Dylan.




@kelsoterrier
A change is gonna come is a song which exemplifies the Civil rights movement in 1960's America. Sam Cooke was a major influence for James Brown who was also an advocate of civil rights. Another James (James Farmer) was one of the leaders of the Civil rights movement. During the movement lots of peaceful protests went on such as sit-ins. So my link this week is Sit Down by, you guessed it, James. 




@diamondbertie
Last weeks winner was Sam Cooke singing A Change is Gonna Come, he also sang Wonderful World, now Louis Armstrong sang the lovely song What a Wonderful World. A wonderful song.





@skye613
Big congrats to Stella for choosing the great Sam Cooke song " A Change is Gonna Come". Issued in 1963 the song foretold of changes that needed to happen and happen they did. The 60's was a time of turbulent change around the world, from Vietnam to Angola to Alabama. Dylan sang " The Times They are a Changing " . And Pete Seeger put a few words to a Bible verse " Turn! Turn! Turn!



@djladylexie
Sam Cooke was killed at Hacienda Motel under, what some believe, are suspicious circumstances. I started finkin about songs an movies wot as featured motels. Course, there's the obvious Bates Motel from da movie Psycho but I dussnt fink there is a song abowty that motel fanx dogness. So, what else? Ow about Wild at Heart by David Lynch featurin Nicolas Cage an Laura Dern. Chris Isaak's Wicked Game features on da soundtrack of da movie. So we choose a Chris Isaak song – Blue Hotel.




An da winner .............. as chosen by @smcheetham  ... dus be ..... @maggietkat . Yay brilliant linky Maggie!!! So it mean you dus be choosin next week. 

Ere wot Stella said bowt it: Wow this judging business is hard.  All these suggestions are very good with good links as well. Have watched the videos and thought about the links.  I was very tempted by Stiff Little Fingers as they are one of my very faves and if the selection had been Alternative Ulster then that would have won.  Got to love Bob Dylan and to get from Sam to Madonna was a clever link.  I have been heavily swayed by the subject matter of the song and also the great video that accompanied it this week so my choice is Linky 1 the Neville Brothers with Sister Rosa which I found very moving.  Also Brothers gives us all lots of places to go for next week.  Take care pals and enjoy next week.  Thank you Lexie.

It's over to you! Email me: lexie at toxicpenguin dot com or DM me on twitter (@dogstoyevsky) wiv your link suggestion followin on from dis one! You has until noon (GMT) Sunday 10th November 2013 (gets it to me by 2pm UK time if poss). Oh sometimes I dus accidentally delete em! Heehee. So good idea to type DO NOT DELETE in the title!

Lexie's Chain dus be inspired by da pawsome Radcliffe & Maconie Show wot you can has a listen to on dere website. Follow me @dogstoyevsky or #lexieschain on Twitter to join da fun. Remember anyfink goes! Rock, classical, opera, ballads, punk, reggae - is up to you! Fanx for playin!