MUSIC #67: THE STYLISTICS – THE BEST OF THE STYLISTICS 1975 (ENGLISH)

I remember listening to this on 8 track cassette, for the first time, on the road trip from our home in Kluang (Bat Town), Johore to my grandparents’ for holidays. By this time, dad had his Datsun 120Y, painted yellow orche... the colour of poo I used to say. I thought it was the most awesome car ever. Obviously, I had no taste as a child! Hmm...questionable now too...

The Stylistics was formed in Philadelphia in 1968 with lead singer Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. The Stylistics went on to become one of the most successful soul groups of the first half of the 1970s, achieving twelve straight U.S. R&B top ten hits. Their hits include "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)", "You Are Everything", "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "I'm Stone in Love with You", "Break Up to Make Up", and "You Make Me Feel Brand New" (my favourite).

My verdict: 4 stars.

The Stylistics: The Best Of The Stylistics 1975

Side One

1. You Make Me Feel Brand New

2. Betcha By Golly Wow

3. Rockin' Roll Baby

4. Break Up To Make Up

5. You're A Big Girl Now

6. Doin’ The Streets

Side Two

1. I'm Stone in Love With You

2. Heavy Fallin’ Out

3. Let's Put it All Together

4. You are Everything

5. People Make the World Go Round

6. I Got A Letter

MUSIC #67: THE STYLISTICS – THE BEST OF THE STYLISTICS 1975 (ENGLISH)

MUSIC #66: DASTAK 1970 (HINDI EP OST)

Dastak (Knock - on the door by using the palm of one’s hand) is directed by Rajinder Singh Bedi and stars Sanjeev Kumar and Rehana Sultan. It is one of my favourite movies from the 1970’s but somehow I don’t think it’s everyone’s cup of tea. The movie focuses on the dark side of human relationships – that of society, man vs woman and husband vs wife....and on the world’s oldest on-going profession – prostitution. For a synopsis of the movie, check out Passion For Cinema HERE.

I am pretty sure that there was no LP produced for this movie (you of course can prove me wrong...and I have been, by my friend Babu..see comments plz). Madan Mohan composed the music and Majrooh Sultanpuri is credited for the lyrics. If you are expecting anything zippy or feel good, then this is not the album for you. But if you like melancholy classical Hindi tunes, Dastak is definitely a goer. Me? I love the album (and movie) and give it 5 stars!

Dastak 1970 – The Original Soundtrack

Side One

1. Baiyaan Na Bharo Balma – Lata Mangeshkar

2. Maai Re Main Kaise Kahoon – Lata Mangeshkar

Side Two

1. Tum Se Kahoon Ek Baat – Mohd Rafi

2. Hum Hain Mataa-A-Koocha-O-Bazar Ki Tarah – Lata Mangeshkar

MUSIC #66: DASTAK 1970 (HINDI EP OST)

MUSIC #65: MORE DIRTY DANCING 1988 (ENGLISH OST)

Following the success of the first Dirty Dancing soundtrack in 1987, RCA released a second music recording from the movie, simply titled “More Dirty Dancing” in 1988. The album went multi platinum as well. For a full review of the soundtrack, go to my Dirty Dancing post HERE.

My rating: 4 stars

More Dirty Dancing 1988 – The Original Soundtrack

Side One

1. (I've Had) The Time of My Life (Instrumental Version) 1 - The John Morris Orchestra

2. Big Girls Don't Cry - The Four Seasons

3. Merengue - Michael Lloyd & Le Disc

4. Some Kind of Wonderful - The Drifters

5. Johnny's Mambo - Michael Lloyd & Le Disc

6. Do You Love Me - The Contours

7. Love Man - Otis Redding

Side Two

1. Wipe Out - The Surfaris

2. These Arms of Mine - Otis Redding

3. De Todo Un Poco - Michael Lloyd & Le Disc

4. Cry to Me - Solomon Burke

5. Trot the Fox - Michael Lloyd & Le Disc

6. Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles

7. Kellerman's Anthem - The Emile Bergsteign Chorale

8. (I've Had) The Time of My Life (Instrumental Version) 2 - The John Morris Orchestra

MUSIC #65: MORE DIRTY DANCING 1988 (ENGLISH OST)

MUTTERINGS #39: BABY'S FIRST DOCTOR VISIT

Sorry, I just could not resist adding another joke. I promise I’ll post DIRTY DANCING II tonight or tomorrow morning. Till then….

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Baby’s First Doctor Visit

A woman and a baby were in the doctor's examining room, waiting for the doctor to come in for the baby's first exam.

The doctor arrived and examined the baby, checked her weight, and being a little concerned, asked if the baby was breast-fed or bottle-fed.

"Breast-fed," she replied.

"Well, strip down to your waist," the doctor ordered.

She did. He pinched her nipples, pressed, kneaded, and rubbed both breasts for a while in a very professional and detailed examination.

Motioning to her to get dressed, the doctor said, "No wonder this baby is underweight. You don't have any milk."

I know," she said. "I'm his Grandma, but I'm glad I came."

MUTTERINGS #39: BABY'S FIRST DOCTOR VISIT

MUTTERINGS #38: TWO BEAUTIFUL POEMS

A WOMAN'S POEM:

Before I lay me down to sleep,

I pray for a man who's not a creep,

One who's handsome, smart and strong.

One who loves to listen long,

One who thinks before he speaks,

One who'll call, not wait for weeks.

I pray he's rich and self-employed,

And when I spend, won't be annoyed.

Pull out my chair and hold my hand.

Massage my feet and help me stand.

Oh send a king to make me queen.

A man who loves to cook and clean.

I pray this man will love no other.

And relish visits with my mother.

A MAN'S POEM:

I pray for a deaf-mute gymnast nymphomaniac;

With big tits who owns a bar on a golf course,

And loves to send me fishing and drinking.

This doesn't rhyme and I don't give a shit.

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PS: I know I am going to get crucified for this (LOL), but I have to agree with Henry Higgins (My Fair Lady) at times, "Why can't a woman be more like a man?" We are such complicated creatures!!! 

MUTTERINGS #38: TWO BEAUTIFUL POEMS

MUSIC #64: NASHE KI MAZAA [VOLUME 2] 2010 (HINDI OST COMPILATION)

Wow, what great responses to my NASHE KI MAZAA (The Joy of Intoxication) compilation post (see HERE). Thank you to everyone who provided comments. The post generated some really healthy discussions, e-mails as well as suggestions for Nashe Ki Mazza Volume 2…. and 3 and 4! Therefore, if you see your suggestions are not captured here, rest assured it will be in Volume 3 or 4.

PS: Mr Naidu and Nasir Saab, your suggestions will be made available in the latter compilations…I have been too busy to rip my records but will be doing so within these couple of weeks.

I have to admit I have ‘cheated’ here a bit….there are some MP3s here as there were no records for some of the songs in this list. These would be the post 1991 songs in the compilation. The reason they made it are for their tunes and obscurity (e.g. songs 12 and 18). And I have also added two non-filmi songs, listed as bonus tracks at the end of the compilation. To break the monotony, I also included a couple of dialogues

Hope you enjoy Nashe Ki Mazaa Volume 2 and I promise (well I’ll try anyway) Nashe Ki Mazaa Volume 3 and 4 will be just as entertaining if not better. So watch this space.

Nashe Ki Mazaa [Volume 2] 2010 – A Compilation of Intoxicating Music

1. Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai (Kati Patang 1970) – Kishore Kumar

2. Too Pee Aur Jee (Des Pardes 1978) – Kishore Kumar

3. Apne Dil Men Jagah Dijije (Hawas 1974) – Asha Bhosle

4. Aao Huzoor Tumko (Kismat 1968) – Asha Bhosle

5. Baagh Men Phool (Night In London 1967)^ – Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd Rafi

6. Abhi Toh Haath Men Jaam Hai (Seeta Aur Geeta 1972)^ – Manna Dey

7. Dialogue Dharmendra Drunk (Seeta Aur Geeta 1972) – Dharmendra and Hema Malini

8. Na Jao Saiyan Chhod Ke Baiyan (Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam 1962)# – Geeta Dutt

9. Hoon Abhi Main Jawaan Aye Dil (Aar Paar1954)§ – Geeta Dutt

10. Yeh Jo Halka Halka (Souten Ki Beti 1989)* – Kishore Kumar and Anuradha Paudwal

11. Nadiya Se Dariya (Namaak Haraam 1973)+ – Kishore Kumar

12. Hum Ko Hone De Sharabi (Koi Kisise Kum Nahin 1997) – Kumar Sanu and Abhijeet Bhattacharya

13. Teri Meri Yaari Badi Puraani (Charitraheen 1974)§ – Asha Bhosle

14. My Name is Anthony Gonsalves (Amar Akbar Anthony 1977)Ω – Kishore Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan

15. Dialogue Drunk Amitabh Talks To Mirror (Amar Akbar Anthony 1977) – Amitabh Bachchan

16. Din Dhal Jaye Haye (Guide 1965)# – Mohd Rafi

17. Ai Mere Dil (Daag 1952) – Talat Mahmood

18. Do Ghoont Pila De Sakhiya (Kala Suraj 1985) – Narendra Chancal

19. Hum Bekhudi Mein Tumko (Kala Pani 1958)# – Mohd Rafi

20. Hai Duniya Usiki Zamana Usika (Kashmir Ki Kali 1964)# – Mohd Rafi

21. Bonus Track: Thodi Thodi Piya Karo (Pankaj Udhas Signature Collection 2009) – Pankaj Udhas

22. Bonus Track: Paani Sharaab Mein (Paani Sharaab Mein 2002) – Arvinder Singh

Legend:

* suggested by B Seshadri

# suggested by Dusted Off

^ suggested by Bollywood Deewana

§ suggested by Shalini

Ω suggested by Ava

+ suggested by Harry K

MUSIC #64: NASHE KI MAZAA [VOLUME 2] 2010 (HINDI OST COMPILATION)

MUTTERINGS #37: FIRST DATE

Another thing I like about Sunday (apart from the obvious....NO WORK!) are the supplements that come with the weekend papers. This is where I get my dose of all the latest diet, style, travel, hot cars, celebrity goss, exercise, recipes, horoscope, yadda, yadda, yadda information (not that I pay any attention to it, usually!). One of supplements that I don’t miss is ‘The Sunday Telegraph’s BODY + SOUL’. And this week, Dr Gabrielle Morrissey (Pg 28, Sunday 24 October 2010) brings you “First Date Etiquette”.

After my last rant, it is clear that manners and etiquette is a dying art in this day and age (a fact established by all the negative comments I received on MUTTERINGS #36)....so I can understand why Dr M may be projecting on that subject. She focuses on three aspects of dating: appearances; talk the talk; and rapport.

She goes on to say that dressing well is a must and a no brainer. Ok, I agree, to an extent. Because dressing well can mean being clean i.e. no B.O.; Garments pressed (I have seen people coming to interviews with crumpled shirts etc) and dressing accordingly to the date venue, i.e. cocktail dress to a bowling alley (but who cares). But it seems appearances are everything according to Dr Morrissey. What a load of hogwash and how shallow that she thinks the human race is? But then maybe we are. I admit a nice looking guy will get my attention (I am not dead, yet!) but it is what he has to say and his values and the similarities to mine and his thoughts about ME that count the most. On the other hand, I idolize some celebrities because they are BEAUTIFUL people. But then I ask myself, “What about these days and the world of Internet dating and relationships?” Nine out of ten times, bloggers for instance, don’t post their pictures on their sites. It is the person’s values, blog matter, how and what they write about that attracts the cyber visitor, not the person’s looks.

Next on Dr M’s list is ‘talk the talk’. She says that one has to balance talking with listening. Agree. Totally. No matter how much I love my own voice (joke), I’d like a response and not be the one to do all the talking. Then she says stick to easy cultural topics such as music, books, food, hobbies and humour. So, no talking about the ex, the rash on your foot (what did you think I was going to say), what you thought about the crap labor government (oops, I just broke the rule here, didn’t I)....in other words lie??? So when do you tell the truth?

Finally one has to focus on building rapport. Somehow I think this is linked with “talk the talk” and me thinks Ms Morrissey has nothing else to say and therefore needed to come up with another point.... hence point three. “Be wary with giving away too much”, she says. Not sure what she means by this. Wouldn’t work with me, I am a blabber mouth.

After all that...I have to let you on a secret....it’s been 20 years since I have dated.....and here I am, arguing with the expert!!! So on that premise, I’d like to know what you think is essential on your first date? What emphasis do you put? What maketh the second date and the third....etc, etc? What's the clincher for you? Do tell.

MUTTERINGS #37: FIRST DATE