DJ Allyn – The Soundtrack for my Life

Save Tonight – Eagle-Eye Cherry  

Eagle-Eye Cherry is a Swedish musician. He is the son of jazz artist, Don Cherry, and half brother of singer Neneh Cherry.

Cherry was christened Eagle-Eye because the first time he looked at his father, he did so with only one eye open. As children, Eagle-Eye and his older sister Neneh spent months on the road with their father, the trumpeter Don Cherry. At the age of 12, Cherry was sent to school in New York, where he stayed on to work as an actor, and a drummer in various bands. In 1988, he was credited as “teenager” in the film Arthur 2: On the Rocks. In 1993 he starred on the short lived NBC action/adventure television show South Beach.

His father died in 1995, and in 1996 he returned to Sweden to begin writing and making his debut album, Desireless, which became a commercial success throughout the world during 1998 and 1999.

Save Tonight

Go on and close the curtains
‘Cause all we need is candlelight
You and me … and the bottle of wine
And hold you tonight [ ohh ]

Well we know I’m going away
And how i wish – i wish it weren’t so
So take this wine and drink with me
Let’s delay our misery

Save tonight and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow – tomorrow I’ll be gone
Save tonight and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow – tomorrow I’ll be gone

There’s a log on the fire
And it burns like me for you
Tomorrow comes with one desire
To take me away [ ohh it's true ]

It ain’t easy to say good bye
Darling please – don’t start to cry
‘Cause girl you know I’ve got to go [ohh ]
And Lord i wish it wasn’t so

Save tonight and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow – tomorrow I’ll be gone
Save tonight and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow – tomorrow I’ll be gone

Tomorrow comes to take me away
I wish that i – that i could stay
But girl you know I’ve got to go [ohh ]
and Lord i wish wasn’t so

Save tonight and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow – tomorrow I’ll be gone
Come tomorrow – tomorrow I’ll be gone
Come tomorrow – tomorrow I’ll be gone
Come tomorrow – tomorrow I’ll be gone

Tomorrow I’ll be gone
Tomorrow I’ll be gone
Tomorrow I’ll be gone
Tomorrow I’ll be gone

Save tonight
Save tonight
Save tonight
Save tonight
Oh that’s right
Save tonight – save tonight

• Audio from the 1998 album, Desireless:

Those Were The Days – Cream  

Cream were a 1960s British rock band consisting of bassist/lead vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker. Their sound was characterised by a hybrid of blues, hard rock and psychedelic rock. Retrospectively determined to be “the first supergroup”, Cream combined Clapton’s blues guitar playing with the powerful voice and intense basslines of Jack Bruce and the jazz-influenced drumming of Ginger Baker.

Cream’s music included songs based on traditional blues such as “Crossroads” and “Spoonful”, and modern blues such as “Born Under a Bad Sign”, as well as more eccentric songs such as “Strange Brew”, “Tales of Brave Ulysses” and “Toad”. Cream’s biggest hits were “I Feel Free”, “Sunshine of Your Love”, “White Room”, “Crossroads”, and “Badge”.

Cream, together with The Jimi Hendrix Experience, made a significant impact upon the popular music of the time, providing a heavy yet technically proficient musical theme that foreshadowed the emergence of bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and The Jeff Beck Group in the late 1960s. The band’s live performances influenced progressive rock acts such as Rush, and jam bands such as The Allman Brothers Band, Grateful Dead and Phish, and heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath.

Those Were The Days

When the city of atlantis
Stood serene above the sea
Long time before our time
When the world was free
Those were the days

Golden symbols flying
On ocarina sounds
Before wild medusa’s serpents
Gave birth to hell
Disguised as heaven

Those were the days
(yes they were)
Those were the days
Those were the ways
Miracles everywhere where are they now?
(they’re gone)

Those were the ways
(yes they were)
Those were the ways
Those were the days
(yes they were)
Those were the days

Tie your painted shoes and dance
Blue daylight in your hair
Overhead a noiseless eagle fans a flame
(finally)
Wonder everywhere

Those were the days
(yes they were)
Those were the days
Those were the ways
Miracles everywhere where are they now?
(they’re gone)

Those were the ways
(yes they were)
Those were the ways
Those were the days
(yes they were)
Those were the days

Audio from the 1968 album, Wheels of Fire:

So Into You – Atlanta Rhythm Section  

Atlanta Rhythm Section is an American southern rock band. The band unofficially formed in 1970 as former members of the Candymen and the Classics IV became the session band for the newly opened Studio One in Doraville, Georgia.

The story of the Atlanta Rhythm Section began in Doraville, Georgia, a small town northeast of Atlanta, in 1970. Local Atlanta engineer Rodney Mills built a new studio in Doraville with the support of music publisher Bill Lowery, producer/songwriter/manager Buddy Buie, and songwriter/guitarist J.R. Cobb. The studio was dubbed Studio One and would become one of the preeminent studios in the Atlanta area. Over the years, artists who recorded there included Al Kooper, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe South, Bonnie Bramlett, Dickey Betts, B.J. Thomas and Billy Joe Royal.

The Atlanta Rhythm Section originally came together as the house band at Studio One. Buie recruited three musicians he had worked with previously in the Candymen (a group that had backed Roy Orbison), singer Rodney Justo, keyboardist Dean Daughtry and drummer Robert Nix. Buie, Cobb and Daughtry had been part of the group the Classics IV – remembered for such hits as “Spooky”, “Stormy” and “Traces”. Two talented local session players also joined in – guitarist Barry Bailey and bassist Paul Goddard. These musicians played on a number of other artists’ records and the decision was made to make an album of their own in 1971.

So Into You

When you walked into the room
There was voodoo in the vibes
I was captured by your style
But I could not catch your eyes
Now I stand here helplessly
Hoping you’ll get into me

I am so into you
I can’t think of nothing else
I am so into you
I can’t think of nothing else

Thinking how it’s going to be
Whenever I get you next to me
It’s gonna be good, dont you know
From your head to your toe
Gonna love you all over, over and over
Me into you, you into me, me into you

I am so into you
I am so into you, ooh

When you walked into the room
There was voodoo in the vibes
I was captured by your style
But I could not catch your eyes
Now I stand here helplessly
Hoping you’ll get into me

I am so into you
I can’t get to nothing else
I am so into you baby
I can’t get to nothing else
No no no come on baby
I am so into you
Love the things you do

Listen baby
Driving me crazy, oooh
Come on baby, oo-ooh
I am so into you
Love the things you do
Come on baby
I am so into you
I am so into you
I am so into you

Audio from the 2009 album, Live At The Savoy:

Infecting The Crypts – Suffocation  

Suffocation is an American death metal band that was formed in 1989 in Long Island, New York. The band comprises vocalist Frank Mullen, guitarists Terrance Hobbs and Guy Marchais, drummer Mike Smith and bassist Derek Boyer. Suffocation rose to prominence of death metal and created a blueprint for the genre for the 1990s with their 1991 debut album Effigy of the Forgotten and released six studio albums since its formation.

The band’s grindcore-influenced technical death metal style uses guttural vocals with a bottom-heavy guitar sound; complex, fast guitar riffs and drumming, and “sophisticated” sense of songwriting.

Suffocation was formed in 1989 in Long Island, New York, comprising vocalist Frank Mullen, guitarists Terrance Hobbs and Doug Cerrito, bassist Chris Richards, and drummer Mike Smith.  Smith left the band in 1993 and was replaced by Doug Bohn. In 1998, Suffocation disbanded and reformed in 2003 with Smith again.

Suffocation’s technical death metal style is influenced by grindcore. The band uses

“outrageously guttural vocals with a bottom-heavy guitar foundation, [...] blistering speed, unparalleled brutality and [...] sophisticated sense of songwriting, complex time changes and lead and rhythm guitar acrobatics”. - Allmusic

With their debut album, Effigy of the Forgotten, Suffocation rose to prominence of death metal and created a blueprint for the genre for the 1990s, retaining their typical style after the reunion in 2000’s. According to Allmusic, Mullen is one of the best vocalists in the genre.

Infecting The Crypts

Exhume the wretched body from its timeless slumber
Thrashing the tomb to reveal what’s inside
A maggot-infected corpse stares dismal
Inhabited by worms chewing holes through your carcass

These ancient lands beckoned the burial of humans
The unfertile soil infecting the crypts
Of the once deceased bodies not through decomposure
Ending their peace, their chances of hell

A vomit-type substance is formed from its innards
A festering slime that revels inside

The substance erupts and the stomach bursts open
Forced down your throat to regurgitate life

Audio from the 1991 album, Effigy Forgotten:

On The Turning Away – Pink Floyd  

Pink Floyd are an English rock band that initially earned recognition for their psychedelic or space rock music, and, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. They are known for philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative cover art, and elaborate live shows. One of rock music’s most successful acts, the group have sold over 200 million albums worldwide including 74.5 million albums in the United States alone.

Pink Floyd had moderate mainstream success and were one of the most popular bands in the London underground music scene in the late 1960s as a psychedelic band led by Syd Barrett; however, Barrett’s erratic behavior eventually forced his colleagues to replace him with guitarist and singer David Gilmour. After Barrett’s departure, singer and bass player Roger Waters gradually became the dominant and driving force in the mid-1970s, until his eventual departure from the group in 1985. The band recorded several albums, achieving worldwide success with The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977), and The Wall (1979). In 1985, Waters declared Pink Floyd “A spent force”, but the remaining members, led by Gilmour, continued recording and touring under the name Pink Floyd. Although they were unsuccessfully sued by Waters for rights to the name, they again enjoyed worldwide success with A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and The Division Bell (1994). Eventually they reached a settlement out of court with Waters allowing them use of the name.

Waters performed with the band for the first time in 24 years on July 2, 2005 at the London Live 8 concert.

Richard Wright, keyboardist and pianist for the band and wrote significant parts of the music for classic albums such as Meddle, The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, as well as for Pink Floyd’s final studio album The Division Bell. He frequently sang background and occasionally lead vocals onstage and in the studio with Pink Floyd (most notably on the songs “Time”, “Echoes”, and on the Syd Barrett composition “Astronomy Domine”).

Richard Wright passed away on September 15, 2008 at the age of 65 from an undisclosed form of cancer.

On The Turning Away

The song references issues of poverty and oppression, lamenting on the tendency of people to turn away from those afflicted with such conditions. It ends on a hopeful note, with the last stanza beginning, “no more turning away …”.

The following is the  “Delicate Sound Of Thunder” concert video version from 1988. The lighting is still innovative even 18 years later! If you look closely you can see the droids flying around above the band (sometimes in front of the round screen) and other ones popping up and down from under the stage shooting lasers….

On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won’t understand
“Don’t accept that what’s happening
Is just a case of others’ suffering
Or you’ll find that you’re joining in
The turning away”

It’s a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting its shroud
Over all we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that we’re all alone
In the dream of the proud

On the wings of the night
As the daytime is slurring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night

No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
It’s not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there’ll be
No more turning away?

• Live version audio from the 1988 album, Delicate Sound of Thunder:

The Middle – Jimmy Eat World  

Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind.

Jimmy Eat World formed in Mesa, Arizona in 1993. Singer/guitarist Jim Adkins and drummer Zach Lind, who had been friends since pre-school, joined with guitarist Tom Linton and bass player Mitch Porter to try their hand at music. In its early years, Jimmy Eat World was a punk rock band, with Linton serving as their primary singer. Within the span of a couple of years, the band recorded and released three singles and a full-length on local label Wooden Blue Records.

The band’s name came from a crayon drawing made after an incident between Linton’s younger brothers, Jim and Ed, who fought frequently. Jim usually won, but Ed got his revenge by drawing a picture of Jim shoving the Earth into his mouth; the picture bore the caption “Jimmy eat world”‘

The Middle

“The Middle” was written after Jimmy Eat World had been dropped from Capitol Records after its previous album Clarity had been released. Its first album Static Prevails had sold just 10,000 copies in 1996 and Capitol Records decided to drop the band in 1999 due to a change in priorities. Singer/guitarist Jim Adkins explained to the Dallas Observer “We were just about invisible there and it wasn’t going to get any better.” 

“The Middle” reflects these trying times for the band with lyrics about “Don’t write yourself off yet” when feeling “Left out or looked down on.” It was just one of a number of tracks that was receiving a strong positive response from fans at concerts. The band decided to finance the recording of the album and decided to keep things simple on the new record rather than experiment, as they had done on previous records. “On our new stuff, rather than challenging ourselves [by] getting real experimental, we kind of went in the other direction, challenging ourselves by getting very simple”

Hey,
Don’t write yourself off yet.
It’s only in your head you feel left out,
Or looked down on.
Just try your best,
Try everything you can.
And don’t you worry what they tell themselves
When you’re away.

It just takes some time,
little girl, you’re in the middle of the ride.
Everything, everything will be just fine,
Everything, everything will be alright. (alright)

Hey,
You know they’re all the same.
You know you’re doing better on your own, (on your own)
So don’t buy in.
Live right now.
Yeah, just be yourself.
It doesn’t matter if it’s good enough (good enough)
For someone else.

It just takes some time,
little girl, you’re in the middle of the ride.
Everything, everything will be just fine,
Everything, everything will be alright. (alright)

It just takes some time,
little girl, you’re in the middle of the ride.
Everything, everything will be just fine,
Everything, everything will be alright. (alright)

Hey, don’t write yourself off yet.
It’s only in your head you feel left out, (feel left out)
Or looked down on.
Just do your best, (just do your best)
Do everything you can. (do everything you can)
And don’t you worry what their bitter hearts (bitter hearts)
Are gonna say.

It just takes some time,
little girl, you’re in the middle of the ride.
Everything, everything will be just fine,
Everything, everything will be alright. (alright)

It just takes some time,
little girl, you’re in the middle of the ride.
Everything, everything will be just fine,
Everything, everything will be alright. (alright)

Audio from the 2001 album, Bleed American:

White Wedding – Billy Idol  

Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. He first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X. He then embarked on a successful solo career, aided by a series of stylish music videos, making him one of the first MTV stars. Idol continues to tour with guitarist Steve Stevens and has a worldwide fan base.

Idol was born in Stanmore, Middlesex, the son of a salesman. He attended Tideway School in Newhaven, Sussex. The name Billy Idol was inspired by a schoolteacher’s description of Broad as “idle”. His family emigrated to the United States in 1958, but returned to the U.K. in 1962,settling in Bromley, Kent. In October 1975, Idol went to Sussex University to do an English degree and lived on campus (East Slope) but left after year one (1976). He then went on to join the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans. Idol first joined the punk rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees (before the band had decided on that name) in 1976, but soon quit and joined Chelsea in 1977 as a guitarist. However, he and Chelsea bandmate Tony James soon quit that group and co-founded Generation X, with Idol switching from guitarist to lead singer.

White Wedding

Although “The Big 80’s: Episode I” of VH1’s Pop-up Video trivia show claims Idol wrote the song to voice his displeasure with his sister’s fiance (who impregnated her before marrying her), this has turned out not to be the case. On an episode of VH1 Storytellers, Idol claims that there was never any family resentment towards his sister, and that the song simply heightened fantasy and nothing more.  Years after the video, Idol’s sister is still married with three children.

The song is actually in two parts, the first part appearing his 1982 album, Billy Idol and the one that typically gets played on the radio.  Part II came out in 1987 on the Vital Idol album.

Hey little sister what have you done
Hey little sister who’s the only one
Hey little sister who’s your superman
Hey little sister who’s the one you want
Hey little sister shot gun!

It’s a nice day to start again
It’s a nice day for a white wedding
It’s a nice day to start again.

Hey little sister what have you done
Hey little sister who’s the only one
I’ve been away for so long (so long)
I’ve been away for so long (so long)
I let you go for so long

It’s a nice day to start again (come on)
It’s a nice day for a white wedding
It’s a nice day to start again.

(Pick it up)

Take me back home
There is nothin’ fair in this world
There is nothin’ safe in this world
And there’s nothin’ sure in this world
And there’s nothin’ pure in this world
Look for something left in this world
Start again
Come on

It’s a nice day for a white wedding
It’s a nice day to start again.
It’s a nice day for a white wedding
It’s a nice day to start again

• Audio from the 1987 album, Vital Idol:

What Was It You Wanted – Bob Dylan  

Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, author, poet, and disc jockey who has been a major figure in popular music for five decades. Much of Dylan’s most celebrated work dates from the 1960s, when he became an informal chronicler and a reluctant figurehead of American unrest. A number of his songs, such as “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are a-Changin’”, became anthems of the anti-war and civil rights movements.

Dylan’s early lyrics incorporated politics, social commentary, philosophy and literary influences, defying existing pop music conventions and appealing widely to the counterculture. While expanding and personalizing musical styles, he has shown steadfast devotion to many traditions of American song, from folk and country/blues to gospel, rock and roll and rockabilly, to English, Scottish and Irish folk music, and even jazz and swing.

What Was It You Wanted

Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan get together to do this song.

What was it you wanted?
Tell me again so I’ll know.
What’s happening in there,
What’s going on in your show.
What was it you wanted,
Could you say it again?
I’ll be back in a minute
You can get it together by then.

What was it you wanted
You can tell me, I’m back,
We can start it all over
Get it back on the track,
You got my attention,
Go ahead, speak.
What was it you wanted
When you were kissing my cheek?

Was there somebody looking
When you give me that kiss
Someone there in the shadows
Someone that I might have missed?
Is there something you needed,
Something I don’t understand.
What was it you wanted,
Do I have it here in my hand?

Whatever you wanted
Slipped out of my mind,
Would you remind me again
If you’d be so kind.
Has the record been breaking,
Did the needle just skip,
Is there somebody waiting,
Was there a slip of the lip?

What was it you wanted
I ain’t keeping score
Are you the same person
That was here before?
Is it something important?
Maybe not.
What was it you wanted?
Tell me again I forgot.

Whatever you wanted
What could it be
Did somebody tell you
That you could get it from me
Is it something that comes natural
Is it easy to say,
Why do you want it,
Who are you anyway?

Is the scenery changing,
Am I getting it wrong,
Is the whole thing going backwards,
Are they playing our song?
Where were you when it started
Do you want it for free
What was it you wanted
Are you talking to me?

Audio from the 1989 album, Oh Mercy: