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  /ˈbʌtə^rflaɪ/ (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.

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 1969 HELD IN MADRID - "BOOM BANG-A-BANG" by LULU

 

LET'S REMEMBER!

"Boom Bang-a-Bang" is a song recorded by Scottish singer Lulu. The song was written by Alan Moorhouse and Peter Warne. It was the British winning entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1969, held in Madrid. It was the joint winner with three other entries: Salomé singing "Vivo cantando" for Spain, Lenny Kuhr singing "De troubadour" for the Netherlands, and Frida Boccara singing "Un jour, un enfant" for France.

Lyrically, the song is a plea from the singer to her lover to "cuddle me tight". She then goes on to explain that "my heart goes boom bang-a-bang boom bang-a-bang when you are near", complete with appropriate musical accompaniment. The single made No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart and was a major hit throughout Europe.

LYRICS

"Boom Bang-A-Bang"

Come closer, come closer and listen
The beat of my heart keeps on missing
I notice it most when we're kissing
Come closer and love me tonight
That's right
Come closer and cuddle me tight

My heart goes 
Boom bang-a-bang, boom bang-a-bang
When you are near
Boom bang-a-bang, boom bang-a-bang
Loud in my ear
Pounding away, pounding away
Won't you be mine?
Boom bang-a-bang-bang all the time

It's such a lovely feeling
When I'm in your arms
Don't go away
I wanna stay my whole life through
Boom bang-a-bang-bang
Close to you

Your smile is so warm and inviting
The thought of your kiss is exciting
So hold me and don't keep me waiting
Come closer and love me tonight
That's right
Come closer and cuddle me tight

My heart goes
Boom bang-a-bang, boom bang-a-bang
When you are near
Boom bang-a-bang, boom bang-a-bang
Loud in my ear
Pounding away, pounding away
Won't you be mine?
Boom bang-a-bang-bang all the time

It's such a lovely feeling
When I'm in your arms
Now you are near
I wanna hear your heartbeat too
Boom bang-a-bang-bang
I love you

It's such a lovely feeling
When I'm in your arms
Now you are near
I wanna hear your heartbeat too
Boom bang-a-bang-bang
Boom bang-a-bang-bang
Boom bang-a-bang-bang
I love you

VOCABULARY

Cuddle = abrazar

Pound away = aporrear, golpear

Invite = provocar

Puedes atreverte con un karaoke

 

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band launched their European summer stadium tour this weekend with two house-rocking nights at Barcelona’s Estadi Olímpic on Friday, April 28 and Sunday, April 30. Over 117,000 fans were on hand to witness a pair of three-hour performances, which included staples like “Dancing In The Dark” “Badlands” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” alongside tour debuts each night, high-energy covers and an opening night performance of “Glory Days” featuring Patti Scialfa with special guests Kate Capshaw and former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama.

Información obtenida de la página:

https://brucespringsteen.net/news/2023/bruce-springsteen-and-the-e-street-band-kick-off-31-date-european-tour-with-a-pair-of-three-hour-barcelona-shows-to-over-117000-fans/

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums during a career spanning six decades, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. He is an originator of heartland rock, a genre combining mainstream rock music with poetic and socially conscious lyrics that tell a narrative about working-class American life. Nicknamed "The Boss",[1] he is known for his lyrics and energetic concerts, with performances that can last more than four hours.

LYRICS

Dancing in the Dark  

I get up in the evenin'
And I ain't got nothin' to say
I come home in the mornin'
I go to bed feelin' the same way
I ain't nothin' but tired
Man, I'm just tired and bored with myself
Hey there, baby, I could use just a little help

You can't start a fire
You can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancin' in the dark

Messages keeps gettin' clearer
Radio's on and I'm movin' 'round my place
I check my look in the mirror
Wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face
Man, I ain't gettin' nowhere
I'm just livin' in a dump like this
There's somethin' happenin' somewhere
Baby, I just know that there is

You can't start a fire
You can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancin' in the dark

You sit around gettin' older
There's a joke here somewhere and it's on me
I'll shake this world off my shoulders
Come on, baby, the laugh's on me

Stay on the streets of this town
And they'll be carvin' you up alright
They say you gotta stay hungry
Hey baby, I'm just about starvin' tonight
I'm dyin' for some action
I'm sick of sittin' 'round here tryin' to write this book
I need a love reaction
Come on now, baby, gimme just one look

You can't start a fire
Sittin' 'round cryin' over a broken heart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancin' in the dark
You can't start a fire
Worryin' about your little world fallin' apart
This gun's for hire
Even if we're just dancin' in the dark
Even if we're just dancin' in the dark
Even if we're just dancin' in the dark
Even if we're just dancin' in the dark
Hey baby

Fuente: LyricFind

Autores de la canción: Bruce Springsteen

VOCABULARY

Spark  /spɑːk/   (fiery particle)   chispa nf

·         The blaze was started by a spark from the fire.   El incendio comenzó con una chispa del fuego.

dump /ˈdʌmp/

dump n (rubbish tip)       vertedero /  basurero nm

·         Wendy took some garden rubbish to the dump.   Wendy llevó la basura del jardín al vertedero.

dump n figurative, informal (unpleasant, dirty place)        cuchitril nm  /  antro nm

·         Jason's house is a dump; I don't know how he can live there!  La casa de Jason es un cuchitril, no sé cómo hace para vivir ahí.

carve /ˈkɑːrv/

carve [sth]⇒ vtr        (material: sculpt)      esculpir⇒ vtr   tallar⇒ vtr

·         The sculptor uses a chisel to carve the marble.  El escultor usa un cincel para esculpir el mármol.

carve [sth] vtr            (shape: sculpt)         esculpir⇒ vtr    tallar⇒ vtr

·         With a knife, the man carved flowers and leaves into the wood.  Con un cuchillo, el hombre esculpió flores y hojas en la madera.

starving /ˈstɑːrvɪŋ/

starving adj   figurative, informal (very hungry)            muerto de hambre loc adj  famélico/a adj

·         What time will dinner be ready? I'm starving!  ¿A qué hora sirven la cena? ¡Estoy muerto de hambre!

starving adj   (having no food)      famélico/a adj  (literal)        hambriento/a adj

·         Televised images of starving children led to a flood of donations.  Las imágenes de niños famélicos en la tele hicieron que mucha gente donase dinero.

gimme /ˈgɪmɪ/

gimme interj  slang (give me) (tú) dame interj  (usted)deme  (ustedes)denme  (vosotros)dadme

·         Hey, gimme a slice of that cake.  Oye, dame un pedazo de aquel pastel.

Para los seguidores de Bruce, abajo tenéis una entrevista y la transcripción de la misma.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fkqxgFv6ZY

Bruce Springsteen on his landmark album "Nebraska"

Para facilitar el seguimiento del video, a continuación tienes la transcripción de la entrevista

0:00

like us [Music] it's Sunday morning  on CBS and here again is Jane Pauley  

0:15

just one of the many hits that over the  decades has made Bruce Springsteen a superstar  

0:21

now at age 73 he's looking back to a moment  in his career he considers a turning point  

0:28

and he's talking with our Jim Axelrod this  is where the magic happened this is the room  

0:35

where it happened that's right it may not look  like much but this small bedroom in Colts Neck  

0:40

New Jersey this is the orange shag rug that was  here 40 years ago this is the same bed good Lord  

0:48

is where Bruce Springsteen made what he considers  that's all we're standing his masterpiece [Music]  

0:57

Nebraska just a twirlin' ten songs Dark and  mournful from the town of [Music] if I had to pick  

1:13

one album out and say this is going to represent  you 50 years from now I'd pick Nebraska who do  

1:21

the Badlands the wrong man I keep leaving my pain  written 41 years ago at a time of great upheaval  

1:37

in Springsteen's inner life I just hit some sort  of personal wall that I didn't even know was there  

1:47

it was my first real major depression  where I realized though I've got to do  

1:52

something about it and you can't succeed  your way out of pain no you cannot that's  

1:57

a very good way of putting that you cannot  succeed your way out of that business [Music]  

2:02

coming off a hugely successful tour for the river  album he'd had his first top 10 hits [Music]

2:13

he was 32 a genuine rock star surrounded  by success and learning its limits

2:23

your rock 'n' roll meds singing in front of forty  thousand people all that is is anesthesia yeah  

2:29

and it worked for me I think in your 20s a lot  of things work for you your 30s is where you be  

2:35

you start to become an adult suddenly I looked  around and said where is everything where's my  

2:42

home where is my partner where are the sons or  daughters that I thought I might have someday  

2:50

and I realized none of these things are there  so I said okay the first thing I've got to do  

2:56

as soon as I get home is remind myself of who I  am and where I came from I lived in this house  

3:02

exactly half a lifetime ago home at the time was  a fixed up Farmhouse he was renting I enjoyed it  

3:10

here because I liked access to this Reservoir  I think they keep the canoes my canoe remains  

3:15

it's still there here he would try to understand  why his success left him so alienated this is all  

3:23

inside of me you can either take it and transform  it into something positive or it can destroy you  

3:28

there are records films books that don't just come  in the front door they come in the back door they  

3:39

come up through a trap door and stay with you in  Life author Warren Zanes' new book deliver me from  

3:45

nowhere offers a deep and moving examination of  the making of Nebraska here's Bruce Springsteen  

3:52

making a record from a kind of bottom in his own  life Springsteen's pain was rooted in a lonely  

4:00

childhood they were very poor and then he becomes  Bruce Springsteen he felt that his past was making  

4:09

his present complicated and he wanted to be freed  of it oh here it is this is oh wow for Springsteen  

4:16

Liberation had always come through writing while  he filled notebook after notebook it's funny  

4:22

because I don't remember doing all this work the  album didn't come together until late one night  

4:26

when he was channel surfing and stumbled across  Badlands believe I shoot people over down there  

4:34

men Terrence Malick's film about Charles  Starkweather whose murder spree in 1957  

4:40

and 58 unfolded mainly in Nebraska I actually  called the reporter who had reported on that  

4:49

story in Nebraska and amazingly enough  she was still at the newspaper and she  

4:55

was a lovely woman and we talked for a half  hour or so and it just sort of focused me  

5:00

on the feeling of what I wanted to write  about they won't know in a serial killer

5:06

Springsteen had found a muse  sir I guess you're just a man  

5:15

in his word there's a meanness in this world  that explains everything Starkweather's done yeah  

5:24

I tried to locate where their  Humanity was as best as I could  

5:29

in a surge of creativity he wrote 15 songs in a  matter of weeks this is pretty much the setup I  

5:35

think I had a little chair here mic was over  there with this tape player and one January  

5:43

night in 1982 it was time to record the Acoustics  of this room not bad the orange shag carpet makes  

5:51

it really dead you know there's not a lot of echo  so not just beautiful Not only was it beautiful  

5:57

it came in handy one of Rock's biggest stars sat  in this bedroom alone and sang at least [Music]

6:08

getting exactly the sound  [Music] he was looking for

6:18

some songs explore the confusion left  from childhood mansion on the hill my  

6:24

father's house used cars they're all written  from kids' perspectives children trying to  

6:29

make sense of the world but they were born into  she said I'm sorry son but no one by that name  

6:36

lives here and others profiled adults left  out or left behind there's that very Stark  

6:44

Dark Lonely sound it's austere very austere very  Bare Bones on a broken down Boombox Springsteen  

6:53

mixed the songs onto a cassette tape he carried  around in his pocket you got one cassette that's  

6:59

right and you're walking around with it in  your pocket for a few years in my back pocket  

7:03

I hope you had a plastic case on it I don't  think I had a case I'm lucky I didn't lose it

7:06

the band would record what he had on the cassette  but bigger and Bolder wasn't what he was looking  

7:15

for it was a happy accident I had planned to  just write some good songs teach them to the  

7:21

band go in the studio and record them but every  time I tried to improve on the tape that I had  

7:26

made in that little room it's the old story and  this gets any better it's going to be worse Bruce  

7:32

Springsteen wasn't working E Street but another  road entirely Nebraska was muddy it was imperfect  

7:40

it wasn't finished all the things  that you shouldn't put out he put out  

7:49

I didn't like if any part of you worry oh my  goodness what am I putting out there I knew  

7:56

what the Nebraska record was it was also a signal  that I was sending that I've had some success but  

8:03

I do what I want to do I make the records I want  to make I'm trying to tell a bigger story and  

8:08

that's the job that I'm trying to do for you a  few more songs that didn't make the cut [Music]  

8:16

well you probably heard them later Born in the  USA pink Cadillac all stuff that didn't make it  

8:22

songs the guy in the leather jacket who'd written  a chrome wheeled fuel-injected suicide machines  

8:28

kept in this binder with Snoopy on the cover boy  I'm glad we can see it people wouldn't believe it  

8:34

otherwise in that small bedroom Springsteen The  Rocker made an album that fleshed out Springsteen  

8:41

the poet imagine if he hadn't and then people  might be assessing a career and say oh it's great  

8:48

man seventy thousand people singing Rosalita  in the stadium but that might have been closer  

8:53

to where it ended in considering what you've done  yeah I mean I was just interested in more and more  

8:58

than that I love doing it I still love doing it to  this day but I wanted more than that you make sure

9:06

pretty baby

9:11

sitting right there on my land if they want to  enjoy your work try anything if they want to  

9:21

understand your work yeah Nebraska yeah I'd agree  with that I definitely agree with that [Music]