As a dog's coat is to burrs from the plants it rubs against, so is my brain to the tunes it hears - it hooks them in the musical memory and they remain firmly stuck.
Years ago I was taken by the catchy song used to back an advertisement for investment trusts but I didn't know what it was. Earlier this week I heard it again, in a restaurant, and now thanks to Youtube, I've tracked it down. And for your delectation, ladies and gentlemen, here is a true renaissance man: poet, painter, musician and lawyer (yes!), it's Paolo Conte, performing his wonderful Come away with me (the rest of the world probably knew this, but I didn't). Go and listen, and don't tell me you didn't tap your feet to that!
Unenamoured by my musical taste, my children thrust headphones at me, pointedly shut doors and caution me not to snap my fingers in time to the music even. Huh! They're used to the pattern, you see - Mum gets a craze and listens ad infinitum. They don't understand my capacity to hear the same piece over and over again (the youth of today have no staying power...). We had it last summer with Astor Piazzolla's Libertango (first heard on a programme about physics, then rediscovered on Tower of Goo the computer game) now here it is 'for real' with YoYo Ma. Then there was Music for a Found Harmonium (Terry Wogan chat show, Irish seaweed piece in the series Coast), and previously The Divine Comedy's Songs of Love (Father Ted - of course - and accompanying a Gary Rhodes dish involving cabbage, as I recall).
But now I have the rest of Paolo Conte's oeuvres to discover (and I feel a CD purchase coming on...)
Apparently the Germans have a name for a tune that went get out of your head. It translates as an EARWORM !!
Posted by: Ruth | 19 July 2008 at 11:52 AM
Yep, a toe tapper.
Yep, I'd heard it before as well.
Nope, I didn't know who did the original.
Yep, it was a great first thing in the morning listening treat.
Yep, it did mention little blue flowers in the subtitled lyrics.
Posted by: Cheryl | 19 July 2008 at 02:02 PM
I mush have Paolo Conte's opera omnia and lately I've been listening to him a lot. I don't know how fully his songs can be appreciated by those who didn't grow up or live in Italy for an extended period of time as it's all about slices of life in northern Italy, the characters, the smoky bars, etc. But then, life is life and emotions and stories transcend location. Still, you need to understand Italian to get the subtleties in his lyrics. Have you listened to "La donna d'inverno", "Dal loggione", "Un gelato al limon"? And if you want to tap your feet some more… "Happy Feet".
Posted by: Francesca | 19 July 2008 at 09:02 PM
Lovely post, thank you so much. I didn't know any of these......will certainly listen again. I was meaning to ask for music after your yesterday's post, also love photographs, and news about your house.
Posted by: carole | 19 July 2008 at 10:20 PM
Paolo Conte's song is also featured in the movie "French Kiss" staring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline although it has a slightly slower tempo. I love it either way!
Posted by: Joanie | 21 July 2008 at 02:32 AM
Paolo Conte's song is also featured in the movie "French Kiss" staring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline although it has a slightly slower tempo. I love it either way!
Posted by: Joanie | 21 July 2008 at 02:33 AM