How utterly surprised and honored was I when my friend Pavel Kopecký asked me to sing at his art opening on Wednesday, November 9th? Being that the event would be taking place in a church we wanted to select songs that would reflect art, reverence, respect and comfort. Pavel asked me to open with some classical and wrap up the evening with a medley.
After several friends had been introduced and demonstrated their work I opened up with:
Schubert - Der Tod und das Mädchen
Gluck - Orfeo ed Euridice - Che farò senza Euridice
Soon Ah Will be Done (Traditional Negro Spiritual)
We then spent about an hour and a half studying and enjoying Pavel's invigorating, thought-provoking, colorful and downright trippy collection.
Then it was medley time. Despite my asking people to keep in mind that we were in a place of worship albeit a very liberal one, I had a hard time keeping a straight face as while singing I had to skip such numerous classics as "Like a Prayer", "I Touch Myself", "Sex Bomb", "Like a Virgin", "Heaven is a Place on Earth", "The Devil Made Me Do It", "Son of a Preacher Man", "Just Like Heaven", "Save a Prayer", "Faith" and "It's a Sin". However, some did slip by me. See if you can spot them!
R.E.M. - Everybody Hurts
U2 - With or Without You
Shania Twain - That Don't Impress Me Much
Bon Jovi - Livin' on a Prayer
Toto - Africa
KISS - I Was Made for Loving You
Aneta Langerová – Voda živá
AC/DC - TNT
Roxette - It Must Have Been Love
Blondie - Heart of Glass
Czech Christmas Song - Tichá noc
Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
Lionel Richie - Angel
Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
Boney-M - Rasputin
Lionel Richie - Hello
Journey - Lights
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise
Michael Jackson - You Are Not Alone
10,000 Maniacs - Because the Night
Celine Dion - A New Day Has Come
Traditional - Happy Birthday
Bon Jovi - You Give Love a Bad Name
Who - You Better, You Bet
Christmas Song - O Come All Ye Faithful (to be honest after trying to censor all the earlier stuff the minute I saw "Oh Come..." I thought, "What song is THIS?!?!?!" Then I realized how very low my mind had sunk)
The Wizard of Oz - Somewhere Over the Rainbow
No Doubt - Don't Speak
A-ha - Take on Me
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Brave Sir Robin
Geri Halliwell - It's Raining Men
Duran Duran - The Chauffeur
Cher - Believe
Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf
Alanis Morrissette - Thank U
Lionel Richie - Running with the Night
Tori Amos - China
Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet
Dido - Thank You
Phantom of the Opera - Think of Me
I am so grateful to Pavel for having me as his guest. I had one of the best evenings I can remember having in a long time. To view his artistry please visit:
http://galeriekopecky.net/
And if you're on Facebook and you'd like to see photos from that night please visit:
http://tinyurl.com/HJatVernissage
:-)
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
“WHERE DID THEY GO?” NIGHT (The Jukebox's Fear of Abandonment Uncovered)
The people who came to the show on Sunday, November 6th were an international yet mellow group. So mellow that during intermission when after half an hour absolutely no one had returned I was quite uncertain as to what my next move might be. I was later informed that 15 mins is simply not enough time to go downstairs, order a drink, receive and imbibe said drink, scan the song book and fill out medley request forms. Fair enough – I'll have to think of something to do about that. However, things did actually turn out all right, the audience returned and a good time was had!
Here's the song list:
Act 1
Carousel - You'll Never Walk Alone (I begin every show by singing something of my own choosing so that the audience can get a chance to hear what I sound like. Before I had finished my opening spiel a man called out this song. How is it that out of 1,000 songs he requested the one song I had decided to open with? Bizarre...)
Little Shop of Horrors – Suddenly, Seymour (I really enjoy singing multiple characters by myself. No seriously!)
Fugeez - Killing Me Softly (Can someone please explain Wyclef Jean to me? “Yeah, that's my girl, L!” Thanks)
Evita – Don't Cry for Me Argentina (Just wonderful to sing)
They Might Be Giants – Istanbul (Not Constantinople) (Is there anyone out there able to hear the word “Istanbul” without saying “not Constantinople”? I can't manage it. I can't)
Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved (Aaaaadammmm Leviiiiine......)
Jackson Browne – Somebody's Baby (When I hear this song I actually don't think of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” but rather of NBC's coverage of the 1992 Summer Olympics when they constantly played this song for swimmer Summer Sanders)
Beatles – Help (I was needin' some. Some of y'all know why)
Guns 'N Roses - Sweet Child of Mine (I learned a valuable lesson while singing this. I learned that my Axl Rose is funny for a medley but gets real old real fast for an entire song. Just sayin')
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody (Maybe I shouldn't have put this on You Tube)
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (Props to me as for once I did NOT lapse into “Amish Paradise”)
Meat Loaf - Paradise by the Dashboard Light (I was so dead after “Bohemian Rhapsody” that I wondered how I'd get through this 8 – yes, 8 minute song. I'm still blogging so obviously I managed)
ACT 2
ELO - Don't Bring Me Down (ELO was playing in Prague that night and I had to miss it to be at my own show so I sang this. Too bad I'm a dumbass as they weren't here but will be during my NEXT show. Guess I'll be singing it again)
Schubert - Der Tod und das Madchen (Hands down one of my favorite pieces to interpret. That's all I gots ta say about dat)
Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man (Don't think I can get through a show without doing this one)
Salt-N-Pepa - None of Your Business (A highly underrated and phenomenally amusing little S-N-P ditty)
Shania Twain - That Don't Impress Me Much (What didn't impress me much was having the words fly right out of my head after the opening line! Guess that's why I'm the Human Jukebox and not the Electronic Jukebox)
Kansas - Dust in the Wind (This song depresses the crap out of me but I can't help listening to it almost every day. The Linkin Park cover is fabulous as well)
Sinead O'Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U (How many times did I listen to this when I was 16?)
Weird Al Yankovic - Which Backstreet Boy is Gay (So wrong that it's oh so right)
Medley
Scorpions – Still Lovin' You
James Blunt – Goodbye My Lover
Tommy Tutone – 867-5309 (Jenny)
Sir Mix-A-Lot – Baby Got Back
Limahl – The Neverending Story
Married with Children – Theme Song
TV Commercial – I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke
Prince – When Doves Cry
Andrea Bocelli – Con Te Partirò
The Wizard of Oz – Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Grease – Hopelessly Devoted to You
Journey – Don't Stop Believin'
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – I Love Rock 'n' Roll
Eric Clapton – Tears in Heaven
Children's Song – Itsy, Bitsy Spider
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Wanna have Fun
Styx – Mr. Roboto
Celine Dion – My Heart Will Go On
Dire Straits – Romeo and Juliet
Schubert – Ave Maria
Frank Sinatra – New York, New York
Nek – Laura Non C'e'
Depeche Mode – Somebody
Traditional – Auld Lang Syne
Traditional – It's a Long Way to Tipperary
Maroon 5 – This Love
Tom Jones – Sex Bomb
I was excited to end the night on “Sex Bomb” as I had Tom Jones tix for Tues night. Sadly, I fell asleep at 7 that night and missed the concert. Grrr.
So everyone, the Jukebox is gonna take a break for a few months. I have two other projects that I'm working on so if you wanna catch the show before the summer your last chance will be Sunday, December 8th. Hope to see you there!
:-)
Here's the song list:
Act 1
Carousel - You'll Never Walk Alone (I begin every show by singing something of my own choosing so that the audience can get a chance to hear what I sound like. Before I had finished my opening spiel a man called out this song. How is it that out of 1,000 songs he requested the one song I had decided to open with? Bizarre...)
Little Shop of Horrors – Suddenly, Seymour (I really enjoy singing multiple characters by myself. No seriously!)
Fugeez - Killing Me Softly (Can someone please explain Wyclef Jean to me? “Yeah, that's my girl, L!” Thanks)
Evita – Don't Cry for Me Argentina (Just wonderful to sing)
They Might Be Giants – Istanbul (Not Constantinople) (Is there anyone out there able to hear the word “Istanbul” without saying “not Constantinople”? I can't manage it. I can't)
Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved (Aaaaadammmm Leviiiiine......)
Jackson Browne – Somebody's Baby (When I hear this song I actually don't think of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” but rather of NBC's coverage of the 1992 Summer Olympics when they constantly played this song for swimmer Summer Sanders)
Beatles – Help (I was needin' some. Some of y'all know why)
Guns 'N Roses - Sweet Child of Mine (I learned a valuable lesson while singing this. I learned that my Axl Rose is funny for a medley but gets real old real fast for an entire song. Just sayin')
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody (Maybe I shouldn't have put this on You Tube)
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (Props to me as for once I did NOT lapse into “Amish Paradise”)
Meat Loaf - Paradise by the Dashboard Light (I was so dead after “Bohemian Rhapsody” that I wondered how I'd get through this 8 – yes, 8 minute song. I'm still blogging so obviously I managed)
ACT 2
ELO - Don't Bring Me Down (ELO was playing in Prague that night and I had to miss it to be at my own show so I sang this. Too bad I'm a dumbass as they weren't here but will be during my NEXT show. Guess I'll be singing it again)
Schubert - Der Tod und das Madchen (Hands down one of my favorite pieces to interpret. That's all I gots ta say about dat)
Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man (Don't think I can get through a show without doing this one)
Salt-N-Pepa - None of Your Business (A highly underrated and phenomenally amusing little S-N-P ditty)
Shania Twain - That Don't Impress Me Much (What didn't impress me much was having the words fly right out of my head after the opening line! Guess that's why I'm the Human Jukebox and not the Electronic Jukebox)
Kansas - Dust in the Wind (This song depresses the crap out of me but I can't help listening to it almost every day. The Linkin Park cover is fabulous as well)
Sinead O'Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U (How many times did I listen to this when I was 16?)
Weird Al Yankovic - Which Backstreet Boy is Gay (So wrong that it's oh so right)
Medley
Scorpions – Still Lovin' You
James Blunt – Goodbye My Lover
Tommy Tutone – 867-5309 (Jenny)
Sir Mix-A-Lot – Baby Got Back
Limahl – The Neverending Story
Married with Children – Theme Song
TV Commercial – I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke
Prince – When Doves Cry
Andrea Bocelli – Con Te Partirò
The Wizard of Oz – Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Grease – Hopelessly Devoted to You
Journey – Don't Stop Believin'
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – I Love Rock 'n' Roll
Eric Clapton – Tears in Heaven
Children's Song – Itsy, Bitsy Spider
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Wanna have Fun
Styx – Mr. Roboto
Celine Dion – My Heart Will Go On
Dire Straits – Romeo and Juliet
Schubert – Ave Maria
Frank Sinatra – New York, New York
Nek – Laura Non C'e'
Depeche Mode – Somebody
Traditional – Auld Lang Syne
Traditional – It's a Long Way to Tipperary
Maroon 5 – This Love
Tom Jones – Sex Bomb
I was excited to end the night on “Sex Bomb” as I had Tom Jones tix for Tues night. Sadly, I fell asleep at 7 that night and missed the concert. Grrr.
So everyone, the Jukebox is gonna take a break for a few months. I have two other projects that I'm working on so if you wanna catch the show before the summer your last chance will be Sunday, December 8th. Hope to see you there!
:-)
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