Completely having kittens.. ..with Cliff Richard

High time for another post...

so..

I am going to completely having kittens

and join Michelle (hope you will be feeling better soon again, dear!!) at THE TRUE BOOK ADDICT again for a new issue of 

My guest today is British singer Cliff Richard...

I just found this song.. and I simply had to share it with you:

I don't even know whether I love it because it's so cute or if I should be worried about a guy singing about unicorns...

Anyway.. Here is my cat picture of the day - no unicorns.. don't be afraid.. 

It's a really young Cliff Richard - with two really young kitten...

~ ca. 1963 ~

Thank you very much for visiting!!

Irene

Let's have a little bit of classic.. how about some moonlit night?

I think it's time for a new series here.. Oh - you were waiting for that - weren't you? And since I happen to also like classic music - why not featuring some of that? I hope that some of you who are interested but not too much into it yet get some pieces of information and maybe will go on explore the world of classic music on their own.. I certainly hope so.. I am trying to pick not too difficult pieces - just because I wish to be those posts kind of "amuse-gueule" or "appetizer"..

Since it is the birthday of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau today (who passed away some days ago) it might be a good moment to make his acquaintance, too.. So instead of presenting the composer or writer this time I will focus on the singer.. Not too much info - this shall merely give you enough info to not feel inferior when someone starts talking about him.. (well.. actually this is how most of my blog posts are meant..)

So here are just a few facts about

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau 

(May 28, 1925 (Berlin, Germany) - May 18, 2012 (Berg, Germany) 

• He was the singer who is most recorded - of all-time.

• He sung Operas, Oratorio and Lieder (=art songs) - which means that he had quite a wide range in his repertoire - in German, Italian and English. He also recorded songs in Hebrew, French, Russian and Hungarian.

• He was one of the most influencual singers of the 20th century. 

Though his "speciality" were Lieder by Schubert - I will present today Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau singing MONDNACHT (Night of the Moon) by Robert Schumann (1810-1856).

~ Robert Schumann ~

It is part of Schumann's LIEDERKREIS (= song cyrcle) - that means it is a collection from several songs - in this case 12 Lieder/songs. It was released in 1840. The texts are from German poet Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788-1857) - one of my favourites. This is also why I picked this song - I simply love the lyrics which are just beautiful - please excuse my crumbled English translation.. I hope it works..

German:

English:

Es war, als hätt' der Himmel

It was like Heaven had

Die Erde still geküßt,

Quietly kissed the Earth,

Daß sie im Blütenschimmer

That in blossom's shimmer

Von ihm nur träumen müßt.

She had to dream of him.

Die Luft ging durch die Felder,

The air went through the fields,

Die Ähren wogten sacht,

The ears of corn were heaving gently,

Es rauschten leis die Wälder,

The woods swept quietly,

So sternklar war die Nacht.

This starlit was the night.

Und meine Seele spannte

And my soul spanned

Weit ihre Flügel aus,

It's wings widely,

Flog durch die stillen Lande,

Flew through the silent lands

Als flöge sie nach Haus.

As if it was flying home

Well.. yes.. my translation does not rhyme.. but it's true to the original.. at least.. 

~ DAS KOLOSSEUM IN EINER MONDNACHT (The Colosseum in a moonlit night)
by Carl Gustav Carus (1789-1869)

Here is finally the song:

Thank you very much for listening!

Yours 

Irene

Lyrical Tuesday (5) - Summer Is A Comin' In

This is part of a meme hosted by Juli Rahel @ UNIVERSE IN WORDS

Here are the rules:

• Think of a song that has inspired you
• Choose two sentences
• Explain what they mean to you
• Post a link to the song
• Post the Button Juliy Rahel created and leave a link at her Lyrical Tuesday post.

(it would be awesome if you'll join the fun! Please?)

The song I picked today is
SUMMER IS A COMIN' IN(1952) by Nat King Cole. 

I love Nat King Cole. I love this song.. 

The senctences I chose this time are:

"Feel a strange kind'o stirrin'

Something's bound to begin.

The world is dressed in her Sunday best

Summer is a-comin' in."

Here in Northern Hemisphere we're about to head into summer.. For me it always feels like a new beginning - I have that feeling everytime a new season of the year beginns. And for sure these days the world is dressed "in her Sunday best" - I think May is my favourite month. The world looks great - I love all that green.. and it's not too hot yet.. I like Summer best in it's beginning - for I am not too much into heat.. 

You see - this time I did not write that much - and here is the song:

Thank you very much for listening - and also if in your part of the world by now  "Winter is a comin' in" - enjoy!

Yours

Irene

Happy Birthday, Alma Cogan!

Happy Birthday to singer Alma Cogan!

In case you want to listen - while reading the post - or merely looking at the pictures..:

Just a little info so you know a bit about her when someone mentions her name..

Alma Cogan was born in 1932 in London, UK - and sadly died at the age of 34 on October 26, 1966 caused by ovarian cancer. In the 1950s and 1960s she was one of the most successful British singers. 

The home (it was merely a flat) she shared with her sister Sandra Cogan - yes.. the actress..  - and her mother was quite famous amongst people of showbusiness who frequently spent time there - just to name a few: there were Danny Kaye, Cary Grant, Ethel Merman, Michael Caine or Sammy Davis, jr. 

And of course those four fellas Alma Cogan met in 1964 who had a similar humour to hers. She became friends immediately with John (who during his schooltime used to make funny impersonations of her - and became later a very, very close friend), Paul, George and Ringo - who would use Alma's home as kind of a refugee.

Alma would later re-record two Beatles songs.

She was a talented designer for clothes - and most of her costumes were designed by herself.

 Thank you very much for listening!

Yours

Irene

Completely having kittens.. ..with Sylvie Vartan

Welcome to an issue of Completely having kittens at NOT SOPHISTICATED

~ this is part of a meme hosted by Michelle @ THE TRUE BOOK ADDICT ~

I am not sure that all of you will know her - but here is my guest for today:

Wonderful French singer Sylvie Vartan!

In case you want to hear a bit of her:

(I suggest that you listen to her while you're looking at the pics below the music clip..=

...

She not only met and had fun with The Beatles:

No - She had some covers with cats:

1962 

1965

And there are also some photos showing her with feline friends:

... somehow I am feeling sorry for this cat.. doesn't look too happy.. no?

And again the last are my favourites:

well.. I guess that's enough raving about Sylvie Vartan for today..

Have a great Cat Thursday!

Thank you very much for listening!

Yours

Irene

Lyrical Tuesday (4)

Yay! One of my favourite memes ever is back!! It is hosted @ Uniserve in Words by Juli Rahel (Thank you soo very, very much, love!!)

For those of you who don't know the meme - or don't remember the rules - here they are again:

• Think of a song that has inspired you
• Choose two sentences
• Explain what they mean to you
• Post a link to the song

So - here is my song for this week:

I AM A ROCK by Simon & Garfunkel (1966)

Now this song really means a lot to me. From time to time I suffer from really, really dark moods. Not the simple "I eat a bowl of icecream and life will smile again when I go to the gym to get rid of my sadness-fat"-kind. It's caused due to several certain "incidents" that happened to me when I was a child - and later on when I grew up. I don't talk too much about it - and actually I am very much aware that this isn't very interesting or special. And for sure I am not asking for your sympathy. I am just trying to explain what I AM A ROCK means to me and how I can relate to it.
This song is going along with me for several years now - actually since my childhood for my mother owned some of Simon & Garfunkel's albums.. I do by now, too - though mine are not vinyl.. 

Here is my first pick of a part of the song:

I've built walls,

A fortress deep and mighty, 

That none may penetrate.

Oh - and how I built walls!  In case you are a friend of mine on facebook you will be maybe aware that I very rarely post about myself. I post about films I watched, books I read or other things - but not about me - which means my personal life. Maybe you won't be aware: I guess most people are at facebook to post about themselves - not to read about others. 

Of course those walls of mine are not "unconquerable" - I just need some time until I really become friends with people and tell them about me. 

The following part (which is obviously more than a sentence.. sorry for straining the rules here.. nah.. not really..) says basically the same as the first but has this hiding behind books part - I "show" it to you because it shall fortify the first part:

I have my books

And my poetry to protect me; 

I am shielded in my armor,

Hiding in my room, safe within my womb.

The "real" second part I choose is the following:

I touch no one and no one touches me.

"I touch no one." - this besides the actual touching of a person means for me: no one is really needing me - my person does not really have an impact on others. Besides my cats that is. Though even they will carry on after I am gone. It will just mean some stress for a few weeks or months. This is at the same moment sad and consoling for me.

"... and no one touches me." - Have you heard about or even met these people who you do not really know but who put their hands on your arm/hand/leg when they talk to you? Maybe I am alone with this but: I really do not like that - esp. if I do not know the person.

I will add a third part

And a rock feels no pain - And an island never cries.

And that's actually something I wish for at some days. Everything I feel seems to be so overdone. It's either love or hate in my universe. There is no inbetween. And it changes very fast - not frequently - but when it changes it changes in a wink. It's eating me up while I am alive - and for that on my "dark days" I wish to have no feelings at all - because I am afraid that one day I won't be able to fight anymore. I am sure that I will be able as long as my cats are around though - they are my "raison d'être". Luckily the "bright days" outnumber that "dark moments". 

So that's what this song means to me. A song with a wonderful melody you may now want to hear actually.. So please - enjoy one of my most favourite songs ever:

(yes - I chose that video with this "This is probably my most neurotic song"sentence on purpose..)

Thank you very much for listening!

Yours

Irene 

(not really untouched)

Meet me on Monday (9)

This is part of a meme hosted by Java @ NEVER GROWING OLD 

Here are the Questions:

1.  Tomorrow I am _________


2.  When is your birthday?


3.  What are you currently excited about? 


4.  Do you have any secrets?


5.  What do you normally eat for lunch?

1. Tomorrow I am..

.. spending some time with a friend who visits me. 

2. When is your birthday?

In September

3. What are you currently excited about?

..uhm.. nothing really.. But I am looking forward for a nice hot cup of really dark coffee for I am a bit tired.. oh.. well - and maybe I will be visiting the US of A next year.. 

4. Do you have any secrets? 

sure

5. What do you normally eat for lunch?

A slice of bread (yes, I like "dry bread") - and two cups of coffee

Thank you very much for visiting!

Have a great start into your week!

Irene