sábado, 14 de febrero de 2026

FEELING GOOD. Written by British songwriters Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse 1964

 

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roar_of_the_Greasepaint_%E2%80%93_The_Smell_of_the_Crowd

The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd es un musical con letras y música compuestas por Leslie Bricusse y Anthony Newley. El título de la obra es una transposición de la frase "the smell of the greasepaint, the roar of the crowd", refiriendo a la experiencia de intérpretes de teatro.


Los siguientes textos se han obtenido de la página:

https://ig.ft.com/life-of-a-song/feeling-good.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CFeeling%20Good%E2%80%9D%20was%20written%20to,comes%20with%20liberation%20from%20oppression.

Financial Times

Life of a Song

Feeling Good — Nina Simone’s anthem of liberation

Written for a 1964 musical, this exhilarating track has been covered by dozens of artists.

More than any other art form, music has the power to make us feel good: a guitar riff that gets the spine tingling, a soaring crescendo that makes us swoon, an aria that sets nape-hairs bristling.

And “Feeling Good” is perhaps the ultimate feelgood song: it soars and swoops, invoking the joy of nature, the freedom of a bird flying high. It thrills.

“Feeling Good” was written to express a particular kind of euphoria: that which comes with liberation from oppression. It was written by British songwriters Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for their stage musical, The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd; the show toured provincial British theatres in 1964 (with a young Elaine Paige making her professional debut in the chorus) before opening on Broadway in 1965.

Nina Simone in 1964

(...) As has often been the case in this column, it took Nina Simone to find the song’s essence. In 1965 she and her arranger Hal Mooney brought in a big band, gave it a swing and a kick, emphasised the first and third beats like the strides of loping giant, introduced a tingling piano triplet, and unleashed Simone’s rebel spirit in a stunning vocal performance. Released during the ferment of the civil rights protests, Simone’s “Feeling Good” was a manifestation of that movement’s burning desire for freedom.

Nina Simone's version, arranged and produced by Hal Mooney, was recorded in New York in January 1965 and appeared on her album I Put a Spell on You. It was not released as a single at the time. 

Michael Bublé’s swinging, blowsy interpretation (2005) and its accompanying video channelled James Bond theme songs — aptly, as Newley had co-written “Goldfinger”.


In 1994, Simone's recording was used in a British TV commercial for Volkswagen, and became popular.



George Michael went big band on his Symphonica album, in a version that was his last single before his death in 2016.


LYRICS

FEELING GOOD

Birds flying high, you know how I feel
Sun in the sky, you know how I feel
Breeze driftin' on by, you know how I feel

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life for me, yeah

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life for me, ooh
And I'm feeling good

Fish in the sea, you know how I feel
River running free, you know how I feel
Blossom on the tree, you know how I feel

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life for me
And I'm feeling good

Dragonfly out in the Sun
You know what I mean, don't you know?
Butterflies all havin' fun, you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done, that's what I mean
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world for me, yeah, yeah

Stars when you shine, you know how I feel
Scent of the pine, you know how I feel
Oh, freedom is mine!
And I know how I feel

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life for me

I'm feeling good!

VOCABULARY

drift /ˈdrɪft/ (float on water), (float on air)  ir a la deriva,   andar sin rumbo

·     There was a boat drifting in the middle of the lake.

·     The leaves drifted on the wind.

dawn /ˈdɔːn/ (earliest time of day)  alba, amanecer

·     Helen watched the dawn as she drank her morning coffee.

blossom /ˈblɒsəm/ (flower or flowers on a tree) flor

·     Magnolia trees have blossoms all summer.

bold /ˈbəʊld/  (courageous, daring) (valor)           valiente, audaz, atrevido/a

·     That was bold of you to go into the burning house to save the cat.

dragonfly /ˈdrægənflaɪ/ (flying insect) libélula

·     Dragonflies have four wings.

butterfly  /ˈbʌtərflaɪ/ (insect) mariposa

·     Can you see the beautiful butterfly?

scent /ˈsɛnt/ (pleasant smell) olor , perfume, aroma

·     Wendy loves the scent of freshly baked bread.


OTHER COVERS






The English rock band Muse recorded a version for their 2001 album Origin of Symmetry.







viernes, 6 de febrero de 2026

I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. DOLLY PARTON / WHITNEY HOUSTON


"I Will Always Love You" is a song written and originally recorded in 1973 by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. Written as a farewell to her business partner and mentor Porter Wagoner, expressing Parton's decision to pursue a solo career, the country single was released in 1974.

VOCABULARY

farewell  /ˌfɛərˈwɛl/

farewell n           (parting wishes)              = despedida

He made his farewells and left. = Dijo unas palabras de despedida y se fue.

farewell n           (departure)       = partida

He went so suddenly that I missed his farewell. = Se fue tan repentinamente que no pude estar presente en su partida.

farewell interj   dated, literary (goodbye)            = adiós

I must go now. Farewell.= Ya me tengo que ir. Adiós.

 

pursue  /pərˈsjuː/

pursue [sb] vtr             (follow: physically)         = perseguir a , seguir a

The police officer pursues the thief along the street. = El policía persiguió al ladrón por la calle.

pursue [sth] vtr           (try to attain) (estudios)              = hacer, seguir, proseguir

Melanie is pursuing a career in medicine.= Melanie hace la carrera de medicina.

pursue [sth] vtr               (follow: information)     = seguir

The police are pursuing a number of leads in their hunt for the suspect.= La policía sigue varias pistas para cazar al sospechoso.

pursue [sth] vtr               (apply yourself to [sth])               = dedicarse a

James is pursuing his studies in comparative literature.= James se dedica a sus estudios de literatura comparada.


We will always love Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You." Written by Dolly Parton and originally released as a chart-topping country hit by the legendary musician in 1974, the iconic ballad reached new heights once Houston recorded it for the soundtrack to the 1992 film The Bodyguard.


LYRICS


I Will Always Love You   Whitney Houston

 

If I should stay
I would only be in your way
So I'll go, but I know
I'll think of you every step of the way

And I will always love you
I will always love you
You, my darling, you

Bittersweet memories
That is all I'm taking with me
So goodbye, please, don't cry
We both know I'm not what you, you need

And I will always love you
I will always love you, oh

I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you'll have all you've dreamed of
And I wish you joy and happiness
But above all this, I wish you love

And I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you
I, I will always love you, you

Darling, I love you
I'll always, I'll always love you

T


COVERS


The Bodyguard - I Will Always Love You // Danish National Symphony Orchestra (live)






sábado, 31 de enero de 2026

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE. The Beattles

 

"All You Need Is Love" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in July 1967. It was written by John Lennon[4] and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song was Britain's contribution to Our World, the first live global television link, for which the band were filmed performing it at EMI Studios in London on 25 June. The programme was broadcast via satellite and seen by an audience of over 400 million in 25 countries. Lennon's lyrics were deliberately simplistic, to allow for the show's international audience, and captured the utopian ideals associated with the Summer of Love. The single topped sales charts in Britain, the United States and many other countries, and became an anthem for the counterculture's embrace of flower power philosophy.

Our World coincided with the height of the Beatles' popularity and influence, following the release of their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Rather than perform the song entirely live, the group played to a pre-recorded backing track. With an orchestral arrangement by George Martin, the song begins with a portion of the French national anthem and ends with musical quotations from works such as Glenn Miller's "In the Mood", "Greensleeves", Bach's Invention No. 8 in F major, and the Beatles' 1963 hit "She Loves You". Adding to the broadcast's festive atmosphere, the studio was adorned with signs and streamers and filled with guests dressed in psychedelic attire, including members of the Rolling Stonesthe Who and the Small FacesBrian Epstein, the Beatles' manager, described the performance as the band's "finest" moment.[5]

"At one level it means that love is the most important thing in the world, but it can also mean that love is the one thing you are lacking, the thing you haven't got."

LYRICS

Love, love, loveLove, love, loveLove, love, love
There's nothin' you can do that can't be doneNothin' you can sing that can't be sungNothin' you can say, but you can learn how to play the gameIt's easyNothin' you can make that can't be madeNo one you can save that can't be savedNothin' you can do, but you can learn how to be you in timeIt's easy
All you need is loveAll you need is loveAll you need is love, loveLove is all you need
All you need is loveAll you need is loveAll you need is love, loveLove is all you need
There's nothin' you can know that isn't knownNothin' you can see that isn't shownThere's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to beIt's easy
All you need is loveAll you need is loveAll you need is love, loveLove is all you needAll you need is love (all together now)All you need is love (everybody)All you need is love, loveLove is all you need
Love is all you need (love is all you need)Love is all you need (love is all you need)Love is all you need (love is all you need)Love is all you need (love is all you need)Love is all you need (love is all you need)Love is all you need (love is all you need)Love is all you need (love is all you need)Love is all you need (love is all you need)Love is all you need (love is all you need)Love is all you need (love is all you need)Love is all you need (love is all you need)Yee-hay (love is all you need)(Love is all you need)(Love is all you need)Yesterday(Love is all you need)OhLove is all you needLove is all you need (oh yeah)Love is all you need(She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah)(She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah)(Love is all you need)(Love is all you need)(Love is all you need)(Love is all you need)(Love is all you need)(Love is all you need)
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: John Lennon / Paul McCartney



COVERS







viernes, 30 de enero de 2026

Listening and reading. Life in a Day. Spotlight

 Escuchar es una práctica muy buena para aprender inglés. Es recomendable escuchar sin el apoyo de la lectura en alguna ocasión. Se puede alternar la escucha y la lectura.



viernes, 16 de enero de 2026

IMAGINE. JOHN LENNON. 30th JANUARY .- International School Day of Non Violence and Peace

 

On January 30, the International School Day of Non-Violence and Peace is celebrated, on the anniversary of the death of Mahatma Gandhi (India, 1869-1948), a pacifist leader who defended and promoted non-violence and peaceful resistance against injustice and that he was assassinated for defending these ideas. 

An education inspired by a culture of non-violence and peace allows schoolchildren to acquire (/əˈkwaɪər/ ) knowledge, attitudes and skills that reinforce their development as critical global citizens committed to their rights and those of others.

"Imagine" is a song by British rock musician John Lennon from his 1971 album of the same name. The best-selling single of his solo career, the lyrics encourage listeners to imagine a world of peace, without materialism, without borders separating nations and without religion.

You can work and learn some vocabulary and lyrics.

Now you can check
In 2014, to celebrate 25 years of UNICEF's Convention on the Rights of the Child, the organisation launched an initiative using the song. Performers including Ono, Hugh Jackman and ABBA announced the initiative at an event at the UN General Assembly in New York, with the intention of spreading the message that every voice matters. To do this, various celebrities and singers recorded cover versions of the song, which can be played on a downloadable app for people around the world to virtually sing with the celebrities and then share the videos on social media with related hashtags.

Pau Gasol tes una de las celebrities mencionadas arriba. Puedes verlo en el video.



(Información de la página: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine_(John_Lennon_song))
Numerous artists have recorded cover versions of "Imagine".[81] Joan Baez included it on 1972's Come from the Shadows and Diana Ross recorded a version for her 1973 album, Touch Me in the Morning.[82] In 1995, Blues Traveler recorded the song for the Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon album[83] and Dave Matthews has performed the song live with them.[82] American singer and guitarist Eva Cassidy recorded a version for her 2002 album of the same name;[84] this version failed to reach the top 100 in the United Kingdom but peaked at number 35 on the UK Indie Chart.[85] Dolly Parton recorded the song for her 2005 covers album Those Were the Days.[86] David Archuleta reached number 36 in US and number 31 in Canada with his rendition.[87] A cover version of the song, performed by Italian singer Marco Carta, entered the top 20 in Italy in 2009, peaking at number 13.[88]

Esta versión a cappella y reivindicativa es interesante.

Como indica el título de la entrada, el 30 de enero es el Día Escolar de la no violencia y la paz.
Como verás a continuación, se eligió el día de la muerte de Gandhi para esta celebración.
A continuación tienes un texto sobre la biografía de este líder y el acceso a la página web donde encontrarás (al final del texto con el título Activities: Listen to a recorded reading of this page)  el audio para ejercitar la habilidad de listening (escucha) - Fíjate en los 3 puntos que hay a la derecha y haz click sobre ellos).

https://www.ducksters.com/biography/mohandas_gandhi.php

Mohandas Gandhi

Biography for Kids


Acceso a la página web y audio


Mohandas Gandhi


  • Occupation: Civil Rights Leader
  • Born: October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, India
  • Died: January 30, 1948 in New Delhi, India
  • Best known for: Organizing non-violent civil rights protests

Biography:

Mohandas Gandhi is one of the most famous leaders and champions for justice in the world. His principles and firm belief in non-violence have been followed by many other important 
civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela. His renown is such that he is mostly just referred to by the single name "Gandhi".

Where did Mohandas Gandhi grow up?

Mohandas was born in Porbandar, 
India on October 2, 1869. He came from an upper class family and his father was a leader in the local community. As was tradition where he grew up, Mohandas' parents arranged a marriage for him at the age of 13. Both the arranged marriage and the young age may seem strange to some of us, but it was the normal way of doing things where he grew up.

Mohandas' parents wanted him to become a barrister, which is a type of lawyer. As a result, when he was 19 years old Mohandas traveled to England where he studied law at the University College London. Three years later he returned to India and started his own law practice. Unfortunately, Mohandas' law practice wasn't successful, so he took a job with an Indian Law firm and moved to South Africa to work out of the South African law office. It was in South Africa where Gandhi would experience racial prejudice against Indians and would begin his work in civil rights.

What did Gandhi do?

Once back in India, Gandhi led the fight for Indian independence from the British Empire. He organized several non-violent civil disobedience campaigns. During these campaigns, large groups of the Indian population would do things like refusing to work, sitting in the streets, boycotting the courts, and more. Each of these protests may seem small by themselves, but when most of the population does them at once, they can have an enormous impact.

Gandhi was put in prison several times for organizing these protests. He would often fast (not eat) while he was in prison. The British government would eventually have to release him because the Indian people had grown to love Gandhi. The British were scared what would happen if they let him die.

One of Gandhi's most successful protests was called the Salt March. When Britain put a tax on salt, Gandhi decided to walk 241 miles to the sea in Dandi to make his own salt. Thousands of Indians joined him in his march.

Gandhi also fought for civil rights and liberties among Indian people.

Did he have other names?

Mohandas Gandhi is often called Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma is a term that means Great Soul. It's a religious title sort of like "Saint" in Christianity. In India he is called the Father of the Nation and also Bapu, which means father.

How did Mohandas die?

Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948. He was shot by a terrorist while attending a prayer meeting.

Fun Facts about Mohandas Gandhi

  • The 1982 movie Gandhi won the Academy Award for best motion picture.
  • His birthday is a national holiday in India. It is also the International Day of Non-Violence.
  • He was the 1930 Time Magazine Man of the Year.
  • Gandhi wrote a lot. The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi have 50,000 pages!
  • He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times.
 
Imagine.
Artistas de todo el mundo participaron en esta grabación.

In 2015, American singer and songwriter Lady Gaga performed the song at the 2015 European Games opening ceremony. The song was played for 70,000 people in BakuAzerbaijan, that served as host of the event.[95] In 2018, the song was performed at the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Pyeongchang (South Korea).[96] 


Y si quieres cantar, aquí tienes con la letra (lyrics)