Mark Pentleton » a-maj

301/365 Songs: Wonderwall – Oasis

admin — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 13:11:45 +0000

I’m not sure if what I’ve done with this song quite works, but I hope you enjoy it! Wonderwall was released by Oasis in 1995 and has been covered by various folk, including the tongue-in-cheek Mike Flowers Pops, and in a swing version by Paul Anka (which is actually very good!) I’ve tried to make it a bit bluesy / swingy or something. Not quite sure!

266/365 Songs: Gonna sing you my love song – Abba

admin — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:55:25 +0000

After the ‘guest performance’ I posted earlier today, here is today’s 365song. It’s Abba’s Gonna sing you my love song, an album track from the 1974 album Waterloo. Hope you enjoy it!

249/365 Songs: Islands in the stream – Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:26:52 +0000

A bit of classic cheese from 1983 today – Islands in the stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It was originally written by the Bee Gees and was included in their 2001 live album. The song has been covered by many artists including Ingela Forsman – in Swedish as Öar i ett hav – and Tomeu Penya in the Mallorquín dialect of Catalan as Illes dins un riu!

237/365 Songs: No matter what – Whistle down the wind

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:27:41 +0000

This song comes from the 1996 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Whistle down the wind. A pop version was released by Boyzone in the same year and reached #1 in the UK and Ireland.

208/365 Songs: From this moment – Shania Twain

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:25:23 +0000

Today’s song is Shania Twain’s From this moment from 1997. It’s especially for our friends Julie and David who celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary today. Ten years ago I accompanied the Mearns Castle Senior Choir who sang this song at Julie and David’s wedding. Happy anniversary, Julie and David!

205/365 Songs: You got it – Roy Orbison

admin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 11:36:52 +0000

This happy song has a bit of a sad story. Roy Orbison recorded You Got It in 1988 and it was released on the Mystery Girl album in 1989, a few months after his death in December 1988 from a heart attack. It reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart. It also reached #3 in the UK charts in the spring of 1989. The video of the song included footage of the only public performance of You Got It in Antwerp, just a few days before his death.

203/365 Songs: Fernando – Abba

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:49:38 +0000

We’re returning to the 1970s today with this Abba classic from 1975. This song became Abba’s biggest selling single of all time, selling 6 million copies in 1976 alone and going on to sell 10 million worldwide. It was originally written in Swedish for Frida and featured on her 1975 solo album Frida Ensam but was rewritten in English for a worldwide release by Abba.

201/365 Songs: Can’t Fight This Feeling – REO Speedwagon

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:59:40 +0000

Today’s song is the 1984 power ballad by REO Speedwagon, and was performed by the band in the 1985 Live Aid concert. It’s been used in many TV shows and films, most recently sung by Finn in Glee.

177/365 Songs: All by myself – Eric Carmen

admin — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 15:41:36 +0000

Today’s song is the 1973 Eric Carmen power ballad, All by myself. This song has been recorded by many artists, perhaps most notably Céline Dion in 1996. It has also been used in many films including Bridget Jones’ Diary. The song uses a theme from Rachmaninoff’s 2nd piano concerto, and today’s “interesting fact” is that Carmen thought the theme was in the public domain but it turned out not to be. Carmen had to come to an agreement with the Rachmaninoff family and since then, Sergei was credited as the composer along with Carmen.

125/365 Songs: Love changes everything – Aspects of love

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 07:16:59 +0000

Hmm. Not sure about this one. After working very late last night I wasn’t feeling very inspired this morning and this is all I came up with! Any suggestions for the next um… 240 days?!

111/365 Songs: The name of the game – Abba

admin — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:37:37 +0000

We’re going back to Abba for today’s song. The Name of the game was recorded for the Album – the first studio album to be recorded after the band’s 1977 tour of Europe and Australia. The introductory riff was inspired by Stevie Wonder’s I Wish from his album from the previous year, Songs in the Key of Life.

107/365 Songs: Carrickfergus – Traditional

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:30:07 +0000

After the karaoke evening at the Apple Teacher Institute we ended up back in the halls with the Irish contingent and I was playing the piano for a couple of hours. I was reminded of all the Irish tunes I used to play, one of which was Carrickfergus. I’ve recorded this today and hope you enjoy it.

69/365 Songs: When you tell me that you love me – Diana Ross

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:15:51 +0000

Cheesy pop ballad today: the 1991 Diana Ross song When you tell me that you love me. I decided to experiment with a different piano sound on my RD-700GX today – this is the “Ultimate Piano” as opposed to the “Expressive Grand” I normally use. The settings on the piano allow me to “raise” or “lower” the virtual lid and I tend to do that depending on the type of song I’m playing, but I’m curious as to your thoughts!

57/365 Songs: Bring him home – Les Misérables

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:27:31 +0000

Running a bit late today – sorry! Today I’ve had the official launch of the Euroquiz in East Dunbartonshire Council and I’ve been away all day since early this morning until late tonight. Anyway, today’s song is the beautiful Bring him home from Les Misérables. I hope you enjoy it!

365 Songs: Saving all my love for you – Whitney Houston

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:46:33 +0000

It’s Valentine’s weekend and here on 365 Songs I’m churning out the soppy tunes! Today it’s Whitney Houston’s Saving all my love for you, from her 1985 album. It won Houston the 1986 Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal performance.

365 Songs: One man, one woman – Abba

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:04:33 +0000

Back to Abba today and the song One man, one woman from The Album. This song was recorded between July and November 1977 and is said to tell of Björn’s feelings about his marriage at the time. The lyrics appear quite negative in the opening verse: “No smiles, not a single word at the breakfast table…” but the chorus and later verses reflect a more positive, deeper love between a couple: “you smile and I realise that we need a shake-up – our love is a precious thing [...] one man, one woman, two friends and two true lovers, somehow we’ll help each other through the hard times.”

365 Songs: You’ve got a friend – Carole King

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:01:21 +0000

Good morning and happy February to one and all! It’s a new month on 365 songs and I have lots of good songs planned for February. Have you voted for your favourite January song yet? Make sure you do so that I know which songs are most popular!

Today’s song is for Jenny (and Jim!) out in Spain. It’s the Carole King classic You’ve got a friend. It featured on her 1971 album Tapestry, but it was probably James Taylor’s version which made the song popular. I still prefer the original – I’ve always loved Carole King’s voice and music. I hope you enjoy this!

365 Songs – Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:48:25 +0000

Apologies for this song coming a bit late today – I hear that certain people in Canada like to breakfast listening to my music (you know who you are…) – but it’s been a really busy day!

Today’s song is the Eric Clapton ballad, Tears in Heaven. It’s such a sad, but beautiful song, written about the pain he felt on the death of his four year-old son. I hope I’ve done it justice.

365 Songs – Just the way you are – with special guest Joe Moretti

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:10:44 +0000

As part of the Apple Leadership conference happening alongside BETT I attended a dinner on the Silver Sturgeon last night and I had been asked to play a few songs with saxophonist and fellow ADE Joe Moretti. We hadn’t had the time (or piano) to rehearse anything, but enjoyed ‘busking’ our way through a few songs. I managed to record some of the songs so I’m including our version of the Billy Joel song Just the way you are recorded live last night as today’s performance.

365 Songs – Don’t Get Around Much Anymore

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 08:05:09 +0000

Today’s song is the Duke Ellington classic Don’t Get Around Much Anymore. The last time I played this song was around 1am in the bar at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow following the first day of the Scottish Learning Festival and I was joined by Derek Robertson from LTS who sang the song to the delight of those still in the bar. See the video here. I thought that since BETT starts today I should include this song in my 365 list, so this song is dedicated to everyone who is at BETT over the next few days. Come along to stand K16 and say hello if you’re there!

365 Songs – A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:19:58 +0000

I’m in London today for an Apple meeting at Hannover St so I wanted to play something appropriate. With yesterday’s snow I wasn’t even sure I’d get here, but one cancelled flight, one late flight, one late train which broke down and another train later I finally arrived last night.

According to Google Maps I’m a 17 minute-walk from my hotel at Marble Arch to Berkeley Square, so I couldn’t think of a more appropriate song than A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square. I recorded it yesterday – my piano isn’t quite that portable! – so I’m glad I made it to London and was able to post it today.

I’ve always loved this song. It dates from 1940 and has been performed by many artists ranging from Vera Lynn to Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Rod Stewart. It was also apparently featured in an episode of Torchwood! I hope you enjoy today’s interpretation!

365 Songs: Happy New Year – Abba

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:13:49 +0000

Yesterday my new piano arrived – the Roland RD-700GX and I’ve been playing it pretty much non-stop since. As we entered the new year I was thinking back ten years to the Millennium and to the fact that at the time I was playing much more regularly – on New Year’s Day 2000 I was playing in the Marine Highland Hotel in Troon, entertaining the guests at lunchtime.

This year one of my resolutions is to get back into my music and make a bit more time for it, and I’ve decided to challenge myself to posting a song each day of 2010. I’ll just be playing the piano so no need to worry about my singing! I don’t intend these to be perfect performances – I just really want to make a point of recording some stuff because it’s so long since I’ve done so. I’ve no idea if I’ll be able to keep this up to date, but I’ll try my best.

Today I’ve decided to stick to something topical, so here’s a performance of Abba’s Happy New Year. If you’re interested, here’s a bit of history about this song.