Dust Bunny Queen said....The phrase Gloria in Excelsis Deo (glory to God in the highest) appears in a familiar traditional Christmas carol...the one with the long, melismatic vowel movement inside "gloria." You will recognize it:
Listen to this while contemplating.....Gloria en Excelsis Deo or a clunky rendition of Michael Row the Boat Ashore.
December 20, 2016 at 10:48 AM
I put up the French/English video to recognize the original French carol -- no matter how Latin the refrain.
I also put up Van Morrison's "Gloria" to see if he had used a bit of melisma in his 1964 hit:
14 comments:
Van the man, still making great music 50 years on. Good on ya, lad.
Last evening while wandering around in YouTube I chanced upon Patti Smith singing Hard Rain - that was the first time I ever heard her sing - she has a curious but interesting voice. Didn't hate it.
I love Van Morrison, but songs that spell or count just suck unless you're 5 years old. That's the songwriter version of sleeping on the job.
Laura Branigan died more than 20 years ago. Surprised, and sad I didn't remember that.
Whoa, G-L-O--R-I-A!! is way too much this early in the morn :)
Van Morrison does not get nearly the credit he deserves. A great artist, as Sixty pointed out, for 50 years. I put Morrison in the same category as someone like Leon Russell. First class for decades. Not seeking attention, just producing great music until they die.
I think it's on the cover of "Saint Dominic's Preview" that he has a split in his pants. A lot of his songs are dear to me. Some have made me cry at one time or another. Same as a lot of pop music, with Van Morrison I've found that it's often better not to pay close attention to the lyrics.
A "Gloria" song that made me cry? You'll never guess.
¡Viva la Gloria from Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown." Yeah. I know kind of weird.
But I went about it just right. Never paid much attention to the lyrics. Managed to catch something about being cast out of the garden, having to fight a war, imminent doom, and undying love.
Best to leave it at that.
Leon Russell was another great musician who kept making music for decades. I watched a video of him singing A Song For You - he sure could put together a good tune. I hadn't listened to him much lately and had forgotten just how good a piano player he was.
Play it, Leon.
G-L-O-R-I-A....1964, my soph/jr year in college....memories..
GLORIA Manhattan Transfer
When it is really raining, dreary I put on this song and bop around the house Trickle Trickle You cannot be depressed about the rain. Hell,play the whole album.
When it comes to melismatic vowel movements, All We Like Sheep by G F Handel takes the cake and runs away with it. Double Trouble auditorily presented for ears, heart and mind to receive and comprehend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmeyG5LlFWU
Damn, DBQ, stellar song.
Sixty, Last May I stayed @ Harrah's in Reno. Leon was playing there. I saw him ambulating slowly through the casino using a cane. It came as no surprise when I read his obit a few months later. He was instrumental in producing the Joe Cocker classic, Mad Dogs and Englishmen.
Leon was a member of the famous Wrecking Crew studio musicians in LA back in the 60's.
Post a Comment