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February 2020 Archive
29.02.20 > Track Notes 84: Downstairs To The Sun
Downstairs To The Sun |
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Album: |
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Writer(s) |
Katie Melua |
Length: |
3:34 |
Notes: |
Right. We have done with the official studio albums (for the time being) so now we need to poke around the various collections and live albums to see what other tracks we can find. We'll start off with an album that is only available to download or stream, "B-Sides: The Tracks That Got Away". Quite frankly, IMHO, this album was a mistake on the part of Dramatico. Why? Because this material could easily have produced a fully-promoted album in 2011 or 2012, deferring "Secret Symphony" to 2013 and "Ketevan" to 2014. By pitching it as B-sides and tracks that never made it onto other albums it kind of prepared you for songs that perhaps were of lesser quality. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is an outstanding album and contains some of my favourite KM tracks such as "Stardust" and "Market Day In Guernica". Now, of course, Katie was being managed by people that knew far more about the record industry than I ever will and opinions are subjective so you have to accept the decisions that were made. If it had been down to me, "Stardust" would have been on "Call Off The Search". But no doubt I'll bang on about that when I get to TN 90. The thing is, from start to finish this collection is a joy to listen to and there's not a single weak track on there. I've said it beforeâif this is the standard of material lying around on the cutting room floor in 2012 I for one would like to have a poke around there now and see what has been discarded in the 8 years since. |
YouTube: |
Live performances of this are a rarity but here's one from 2004 in Croydon, sadly before the days of HD Downstairs To The Sun (live). |
Lyrics: |
28.02.20 > Lyric Card: All Night Vigil
27.02.20 > Don McLean
I recently said I would have a word about Don McLean. I can put if off no longer. Now, Iâve never heard Katie mention this legend. Perhaps he just doesnât float her boat or simply hasnât wandered across her radar (though that is unlikelyâwho hasn't heard of âAmerican Pieâ?). Anyhow, I see a likeness between themâthey are both intelligent, thoughtful, unassuming song-writers that are driven by a love of music rather than a craving for fame. Don is still performing to this day (he's just secured a new record deal at 74!) but his heyday was the 70s. Heâs best known for the song âAmerican Pieâ, which was a hit on both sides of the pond despite peeving radio stations by being over eight minutes long. (The single had to be split in half, with one half on each side of the disc. Can you imagine that!) AP made number 2 in the UK singles chart (and Madonna went one better when she covered it in 2000), and though later in the decade he had a number 1 with a cover of Roy Orbisonâs âCryingâ, his biggest hit was arguably âVincentâ, which hit number 1 in 1972.
Now Iâm not sure I see Katie doing 8-minute songs (Madonnaâs version was cut down), but I absolutely can see her doing âVincentâ. Quite simply, it is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, about the painter Van Gogh, and has been criminally under-covered. Ellie Goulding had a crack at a stripped-down version of it a couple of years back (not that it was stripped-up in the first place) but frankly it was tailor-made for Katieâs considered and delicate interpretation and though my wish-list of songs I want to hear Katie sing is longer than both my arms and a significant portion of my left leg, âVincentâ is probably right at the top of that list, and I would gladly give aforementioned limbs to hear her sing it. She could also deliver gorgeous versions of âWinterwoodâ and âAnd I Love You Soâ. âChain Lightningâ is another one on that wish list. I doubt any of it will come to pass, but hey, wishing is free.
Iâd just like to end with a shout out to the album âAmerican Pieâ which, of course, spawned the single of the same name as well as âVincentâ and âWinterwoodâ. It was released in 1971, made number 1 around the world, and is, quite simply, one of the classic albums that everyone should own. The track âEverybody Loves Me, Babyâ sounds like it could have been written by Dylan (but wasnâtâall tracks were by McLean apart from the traditional arranged version of âBabylonâ). And the moving song âEmpty Chairs" inspired Lori Lieberman to write the lyrics for âKilling Me Softly With His Songâ, which gave Roberta Flack a huge hit. The album is dedicated to the legend that was Buddy Holly (inspiration, of course, for "American Pieâ) who died at the unconscionable age of 22. It is a fitting tribute.
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26.02.20 > Katie Bite: It's All In My Head
25.02.20 > Katie's Feelin' Groovy!
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Three weeks ago I mentioned that Katie would be performing with other artists at the London Palladium for the BBC Radio 2 Bridge Over Troubled Water 50th Anniversary Concert on the 20th February. Well, get your calendars and red pen out! The concert will be broadcast on Radio 2 on Friday 6th March at 8.00pm.
Katie performs "The 59th Street Bridge Song" with her usual sorceryâmaking you think you hadn't realised just what a good song it was until she sang it. Ketefans might have expected her to sing "Bridge Over Troubled Water" but that honour went to former Pop Idol Will Young for some reason. I have no idea how these things are decided. I imagine the artist suggests songs they would like to cover but I don't know what happens if three or four of them pick the same song. It could be Katie wanted to try a different song, and let's face it, Simon & Garfunkel had a hatful of gems. I can imagine Katie singing "Scarborough Fair", "The Sound Of Silence", "America", "Homeward Bound". Gosh, am I the only one who's mouth is watering? I want "Katie Sings Simon" and I want it now.
24.02.20 > Song Club
Have you written a song? How would you like to stand up and sing it in front of Katie? No, I can't imagine anything more terrifying either. But if you think it would be worth putting yourself through that in order to receive constructive criticism advice from one of the best songwriters in the business then why not see if you can grab one of the limited places available. It is part of the Spitalfields Festival 2020 and takes place at Hanbury Hall on 28th June, from 2.00 pm - 4.00pm. Price ÂŁ15.
Katie is no Simon Cowell. I'm sure she'll be extremely supportive and helpful to everyone, no matter how rubbish they are, so don't worry about being good enough. You never know, if your song is really good she may even offer to buy it from you (if she offers you a tenner, play hard and hold out for twenty). Click below to visit the festival site for more details.
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23.02.20 > Track Notes 83: O Holy Night
O Holy Night |
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Album: |
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Writer(s) |
Adolphe Adam |
Length: |
4:23 |
Notes: |
I'm going to need a bigger thesaurus. How else can I keep describing Katie's brilliance without sounding like a broken mp3? The thing is though, this version of the classic carol is just about as close as you'll get to distilling Christmas into a pure essential oil. Not since Enya's OĂche ChiĂșin (Silent Night) has the spirit been so beautifully captured. (Though if your idea of Christmas spirit centres around Roy Wood and Slade then you're probably in the wrong place right now.) |
YouTube: |
Official video. Sumptuous. Katie must really get in the zone not to be put off by having a ruddy camera in her face throughout. It also contains the most impressive 15-second "ooh" in the history of music at 3:37 O Holy Night. But, can she perform it live without the Gori Women's Choir? Course she can. If anything, this is even better! O Holy Night (for German TV) |
Sheet Music: |
If you fancy having a go at this yourself next Christmas then take a look at Oxford University Press where you can buy the sheet music for this and other "In Winter" songs. |
Lyrics: |
22.02.20 > Lyric Card: Cradle Song
21.02.20 > Soundalikes
I've been thinking about songs that remind you of other songs. I thought Iâd mentioned this not long ago but it turns out it was over a year ago, wow, tempus fugit and all that.
Now Iâm not about to tiptoe through the murky minefield of plagiarism in musicâthat's for legal boffins to lock horns with. Iâm more interested in how you hear something in one song that brings another to mind. I actually believe there are very few songwriters that steal from others; there are always bad apples and Iâm sure one or two have been guilty of it but most of the time it isn't about money itâs about music and people want to create their own. But there is one explanation why soundalikes happenâsubconscious subliminal suggestion. Imagine you are on a plane, eyes closed, dozing off. The person next to you is listening to music through earphones. The sound isnât enough to stop you drifting off but as you do so a repetitive little riff drifts in to your subconscious and nestles in. A week later, you are sat at a piano tinkering with the keys and trying to come up with a new idea. All of a sudden, your brain says âoh, hang on a minute, how about this little thing I stored away while you were sleepingâ. The little subliminal riff finds its way through to your fingers and you think âooh, now, this is interestingâ. Obviously, this only works with songs youâve never heard before but there are an awful lot of songs out there and youâd be surprised how many of them you havenât heard, or at least taken notice of. There are many times when you might have heard a song without realising, usually in the background on radio or television when you are talking to someone and not paying attention. But your brain is often paying more attention than you realise. SSS can lead to a situation where you come up with a song that you genuinely consider to be your own work, and it can come as quite a shock when someone points out a similarity to another song.
The example I gave last year was Katieâs âIf The Lights Go Outâ, which reminded me of âBrilliant Disguise" by Bruce Springsteen. Now, Springsteen wrote his song in the late 80s, when Katie was a mere sprog, (albeit an exceptionally cute one, no doubt), but, âIf The Lights Go Outâ was written by Mike Batt for The Hollies, who released it in 1983. Which means that âBrilliant Disguise" sounding similar was either a complete fluke or a case of SSS for Bruce. (The songs are quite different but that chord sequence G D C Em in Battâs song does remind you of the chords in Bruceâs, even though they are different.)
You can probably think of your own examples, but here are a few more of mine. Remember âThe Greatest Love Of Allâ by Whitney Houston? There are lines in it like âI decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadowsâ. It always makes me think of âI don't know where we went wrong, but the feeling's gone and I just can't get it backâ in Gordon Lightfootâs âIf You Could Read My Mindâ. Again, not identical but one puts me in mind of the other.
Springsteen is involved with two more of my examples. Pink Floyd's âLost For Wordsâ features some acoustic guitar strumming that reminds me of the melody in Springsteen's âIndependence Dayâ. Just saying.
Finally, let me end with one where the mystery has been solved! Springsteenâs âJunglelandâ from his classic album âBorn To Runâ has a rather catchy little piano riff near the start performed by The Professorâa.k.a. E. Street Band member Roy Bittan. But listen to Mark Knopflerâs guitar at the opening of âRomeo And Julietâ on Dire Straitsâ âMakinâ Moviesâ. Slower, but very similar. Mmmm. Guess what? Turns out Roy Bittan played as a session musician for Dire Straits on âMakinâ Moviesâ. Knopfler had been taken with Bittanâs playing on Springsteen's âBecause The Nightâ. When he was looking for an intro into âRomeo And Julietâ, Bittan saw nothing wrong with re-purposing his own little riff from âJunglelandâ. Knopfler loved it and adapted it for guitar. Boom. Tangled webs, eh?
20.02.20 > Sketch Effect
19.02.20 > A Word on Lyrics Sites
I want to have a quick word about the plethora of web sites devoted to song lyrics. Pants. That's the quick word. I do, however, feel I need to back up such a mighty assertion with some kind of explanation. If you've poked around AllAboutKatie you'll have noticed that the lyrics to all her recorded songs can be found on this site. No need to Google them and go trawling through the lyrics sites yourself. In fact, I urge you not to do that because they are largely awful. I'll tell you why. Most of them use lyrics submitted by fans rather than going to the trouble of obtaining them from an official source. And most of the people contributing clearly do not have English as a first language. Some are untidy, some inaccurate and there are even some that are clearly not even the same song. If you doubt this, try Googling "kviteli potlebi lyrics" â instead of finding Georgian lyrics about yellow leaves you'll find this
You surely are a truly gifted kid But you're only good as The last great thing you did And where've you been since then Did the schedule get you down I hear you've got a new girlfriend How's the wife taking it?
If you're not thinking, like me, WTAF? then fire up Live At The O2 Arena and give track 3 a careful listen. In fact, it doesn't even have to be careful. It should be immediately obvious that the song is not about gifted kids. "But wait", I hear you protest. "Isn't she singing in Georgian? Maybe those lyrics are just a translation." No. They're not. The song talks about yellow leaves. The clue is in the title.
And it gets worse. Many of these sites (and you won't believe just how many lyrics sites there are) don't do any work or research for themselves, they just nab the lyrics from other sites. So you can visit a dozen of them looking for Kviteli potlebi and all you'll get served up is this stuff about a gifted kid. Go figure. Lyrics sites are fake news spreaders.
Unfortunately, what should be the definitive source of Katie's lyricsâin other words (excuse the pun), her own web siteâis run by people that simply don't care and there are songs riddled with errors and some are missing altogether. (My favourite example is "from death til birth", which should, of course, be "til death from birth".)
Don't despair thoughâAAK is here for you. I don't like blowing my own trumpet because it makes a god-awful noise but on this site I try to ensure the song lyrics are as accurate as I can get them. There are over a hundred but I go through them one by one to check there are no mistakes. It is a time-consuming task but I feel it is important there is a trusted place to go to for these lyrics and I care enough to try to get it right. If you have tried looking for these songs on other lyrics sites you may already have noticed that Katie's versions of songs sometimes differ. Sometimes she changes words slightly, other times whole verses are omitted. My goal is to give you the lyrics as Katie sings them so that you can confidently sing along without feeling a complete idiot when she deviates. I patiently await an OBE for this noble work...
I'm currently ferreting about a lot in the lyrics pages so if you hear banging in the loft it's just me going through the files and trying to weed out gremlins. I'm also performing cosmetic and stylistic adjustments to make all the lyrics pages look consistent and until this work is complete you may spot discrepancies here and there. Apologies for that but it should all be hunky dory in a few days. I don't know why I'm telling you this because no one is ever going to notice anyway. đ
18.02.20 > Satrpialo (áááźáŁá á áĄááąá á€áááá)
Satrpialo is a folk song from Kakheti (áááźááá), the eastern-most region of Georgia and a notable wine-making region. It is an achingly beautiful love song performed by Katie and the Gori Women's Choir but unless you have the Special Edition of In Winter you may not be aware of it since it only appears on the "Live In Berlin" bonus CD. Never fear, have a look here.
The lyrics took a bit of detective work. Confusingly, there are two Georgian folk songs called Satrpialo. The other is a Mingrelian love song. Even more confusingly, one of Katie's other Georgian recordings, If You Are So Beautiful, can sometimes be found under the title of, you guessed it, Satrpialo. But they are different songs, and both beautiful. So, you can find the lyrics here, along with a translation in English (not sure I'd be particularly flattered being likened to a pheasant's voice but Georgians have an utterly unique way of looking at things and it is certainly more original than comparing someone to a rose or a summer's day).
17.02.20 > Katie Bite: Halfway Up The Hindu Kush
16.02.20 > Track Notes 82: All Night Vigil - Nunc Dimittis
All Night Vigil - Nunc Dimittis |
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Album: |
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Writer(s) |
Sergei Rachmaninoff |
Length: |
4:15 |
Notes: |
The fifth of fifteen movements from Rachmaninoff's All Night Vigil, considered by many to be his finest work. Nunc Dimittis was chosen by Rachmaninoff to be sung at his funeral. Apparently, the song ends with a low b-flat, the third below middle C, which is notoriously difficult even for men, so I'm not quite sure how the GWC negotiated it. As you would expect, Katie's version is just achingly beautiful and moving and would have had Sergei himself mopping up the odd tear. |
YouTube: |
Here you go. See if you can watch this without melting into a pool of bliss down the back of the sofa All Night Vigil - Nunc Dimittis, Live in Berlin. And here's the recording of it for Songs Of Praise All Night Vigil - Nunc Dimittis, BBC Songs Of Praise |
Lyrics: |
15.02.20 > Using Synonyms and Rhymes in Lyrics
Many people find writing poems and lyrics difficult. So hereâs my tipâ
keyword brainstorming.
Say you wanted to write a song about being dumped via a text message. Identify the keywordsâin this case âtext" and âdumpedâ. Then for each one make a synonym and rhymes list. First, write down any synonyms or similar words you can think of for your keyword. Then make a list of all the rhymes you can think of for your keyword and synonyms. For âtextâ it might look something like:
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Having a word bank laid out in front of you can help you to form sentences in your mind. From the above example you might come up with:
How could you send a text to tell me Iâm your ex? Itâs left me really vexed Iâm overcome with stress since your thoughtless SMS has left me in a mess A message on my phone and now Iâm all alone my heart has turned to stone
Okay, perhaps needs polishing, but you get the idea. You might do another list for âdumped" and begin to intertwine the lines. My little example uses triplets of rhyming lines to highlight the rhyming but it would be more usual to rhyme on alternate lines, like:
A message on my phone has torn my world apart and now Iâm all alone with the silence in my heart
This technique is basically something Iâve been doing in my head since God was in the cubs but if you find poems or lyrics a struggle you may well find writing out word charts helpful. And bear in mind they can be re-usedâyou could write bunches of them on index cards then pick out a few for the keywords in your song, pin them up on the wall and just see what words jump out at you. It wonât work for everyone but it may work for you. Failing that, another good technique is to find yourself a lyricist and let them worry about it all.
14.02.20 > Playlist: Valentine Vocals
Itâs Valentineâs Day again. Shame it couldn't be on the 29th. Anyway, I know some of you actually buy in to this kind of thing and might be harbouring thoughts of a cosy night in by the fire, dipping strawberries in chocolate and sipping blush prosecco, amongst other less mentionable things. And youâll probably want a suitable soundtrack for your amorous antics. Katie to the rescue again. Ostensibly, itâs not hard to find a hatful of love songs in Katieâs back catalogue but you need to be a little carefulâshe has a habit of throwing in the odd booby trap where things aren't quite what they seem. Iâve tried to weed them out for you so hopefully this list is weed-free. And yes, âIf You Were A Sailboatâ is a weed. Deal with it.
I suggest you play this list on repeat, though frankly if it does get to the end and stop I imagine youâll be too preoccupied by then to notice.
Valentine Vocals
- Call Off The Search
- Nine Million Bicycles
- The Closest Thing To Crazy
- My Aphrodisiac Is You
- No Fear Of Heights
- Better Than A Dream
- All Over The World
- When You Taught Me How To Dance
- Chase Me
- If The Lights Go Out
- What It Says On The Tin
- The Walls Of The World
- Secret Symphony
- Thank You, Stars
- Deep Purple
- Anniversary Song
- This Yearâs Love
13.02.20 > Katie Bite: Heartstrings
Tomorrow is February 14th. Means nothing to me, but if it is something that gets you all twinkly then perhaps this will get you in the mood...
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12.02.20 > Brenda, The Doll Lady
A while ago, I posted a piece about my Dad, Dennis. The link with Katie was musicalâhe was a drummer in jazz and swing bands. Today I want to talk about the other half of my DNA and my inventor, my mum, Brenda. She was a poet, an artist and incessant creative, and absolutely where I get my creativity from (I didn't inherit Dad's penchant for making noise). Another of her passions (obsessions?) was dolls (there's a link to Katie!). She used to make sophisticated period costumes for them. She even sent one to The Queen and received a thank-you letter from Buckingham Palace. That got her a newspaper mention and a spot on local TV newsâI well remember coming home from school to find the front room full of camera crew and cringing as Mum added a "you know" to every sentence. Like me, she wasn't cut out for limelight. Her bedroom was crammed with dollsâin chairs, lined up along the top of the wardrobe, everywhere. In the night it looked like a creepy scene from a horror movie. There was even a doll with a lazy eye in a rocking chair, real nightmare stuff. But since these days we are encouraged to show rather than tell, you can see examples of her painting and doll dressing below. She contributed many articles and stories to village magazines and she wrote hundreds of poems. I've put around sixty of them on a website for her at Brenda S. Warhurst. She was ill for most of her final years and died too young at 74, still with so much more to create. I have it on good authority she now dresses up angels. Our time on Earth is so fleeting, we should all endeavour to leave our mark. My Mum did.
![]() Little dog by Brenda |
![]() Dolls in costumes |
![]() Manchester, circa 1935 |
![]() In the mid 60s, with yours truly! |
![]() Evidence of her deep red hair |
![]() One of the last photos, 2005 |
11.02.20 > Lyric Card: Dreams On Fire
10.02.20 > Playlist: Animal Crackers
When it comes to playlists, these days Iâm having to scrape the barrel get more creative. Todayâs collection are songs that all mention some kind of animal, bird or insect. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, (and you wonât), is to identify them all. Some songs may have more than one! Iâm not one for giving away too many clues but I have a feeling in some instances the song title is going to help you.
Animal Crackers
- Belfast (Penguins and Cats)
- Halfway Up The Hindu Kush
- Mockingbird Song
- Moonshine
- My Aphrodisiac Is You
- Nobody Knows You When Youâre Down And Out
- River
- Shiver And Shake
- Spiderâs Web
- Stardust
- The Cry Of The Lone Wolf
- The Little Swallow
- The One I Love Is Gone
- Two Bare Feet
- Wonderful Life
09.02.20 > Mitchell Parish
Today I would like to bring to your attention the life of an American man who was born in the year 1900. I hope youâre thinking âgreatâ but more likely it is âWhy? Who he?â. Well Iâll tell you who he. The why is simple enoughâthereâs a Katie connection. Mitchell Parish was a legendary lyricist, and Katie has recorded two of his songs: Stardust and Deep Purple. Stardust is one of my favourite songs ever, and Deep Purple is up there, so clearly Mr Parish has a spot reserved in my heart. Naturally, he has a ton of other credits to his name such as Moonlight Serenade, but the two Iâve mentioned are extra special because of Katie's sublime renditions. Katie has something else in common with Parishâthey were both born in former Russian states and found themselves being dragged off to the West as children. Parish was born Michael Pashelinsky in Lithuania and his parents moved to America when he was just a baby in 1901 (in which respect he's closer to Katieâs younger brother ZurabâKatie was an almost world-weary 8 when she left Georgia!)
Parish died in New York in 1993, aged 92. Like Katie, he grew up in a land not of his birth but recognized the opportunities it opened up for him and seized them with both hands. Itâs all about being the best you can be whatever your circumstances. Mitchell Parish was a legend. Katie is well on her way to emulating that status and attaining the fairly unique accomplishment of being regarded as a national treasure in two different countries.
08.02.20 > Katie Bite: Tiny Alien
07.02.20 > Track Notes 81: Dreams On Fire
Dreams On Fire |
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Album: |
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Writer(s) |
Katie Melua & Don Black |
Length: |
4:05 |
Notes: |
Another stunner drops off the production line. A song so beautiful that you don't notice it has nothing to do with winter and hence is something of a gatecrasher to the In Winter party. (You haven't read that last sentence.) |
YouTube: |
The official video featuring Katie performing with the Gori Women's Choir is exquisitely filmed with some stunning close-ups of Katie and Teona as they weave their magic. Delightful and flawless. Dreams On Fire ft. Gori Women's Choir. |
Lyrics: |
06.02.20 > Diamonds
Perhaps Katie has a bit of a thing for diamonds. Not in a physical senseâsheâs certainly no bling bunny. Ize talkin bout songs, innit. (No, I donât know what that was either.) Hereâs the thingâsheâs sung about diamonds being forever and how Lucy, whoever she may be, is in the sky with them. Sheâs even written about diamond raindrops humming when youâre crazy with love. Now, you probably think you can see where Iâm going with this but no, I am not about to suggest she goes all Marilyn and sings about a girlâs best friend. I mean, she could do thatâafter doing Bassey all bets are offâbut no, I donât think so. Now, this is where you didnât see me comingâshe could sing Neil Diamond. I donât mean literally, you understand. Iâm not suggesting she writes a song about the guy. That would be a tad odd. I just think he writes amazing songs and many of them are ripe for a little Katiefication (I love the idea of something being Katiefied.) But which one? So many to choose from. Not the Reverend Blue Jeans, no. Iâm thinking maybe Play Me. You know the one? âYou are the sun, I am the moon, you are the words, I am the tune, play me.â Beautiful song, just made for Katieâs lower register and artful picking. She might want to change the âsheâ to âheâ here and there but thatâs hardly a controversial tactic when a girl covers a boyâs song. It would work. I have the happy ability to hear Katie sing any song in my head (I imagined her singing Fields Of Gold and Bridge Over Troubled Water long before she actually did), and this one was a keeper. It can be both a gift and a curse of courseâIslands In The Stream was an ear worm that took a while to coax out. As for gifts, well, another time Iâll discuss Don McLean but this entry was just about the diamond connection. Time will tell if Katie polishes any more.
05.02.20 > Katie at the London Palladium
As part of the BBC Radio 2 at the Palladium concerts, Katie will perform at the Bridge Over Troubled Water 50th Anniversary Concert on Thursday, 20th February. Other performers include The Shires and Will Young. They will be re-creating the entire track list of the iconic album. I think we have an inkling of which track Katie will sing. If you fancy attending the details are at BBC Radio 2 at the Palladium, where you'll find a link to the ticket booking system.
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04.02.20 > Katie Bite: Blame It On The Moon
03.02.20 > Quick Fact
My phone ring tone is "Faraway Voice". See what I did there? Oh, okay. Some people are hard to please.
How about the fact that yesterday's date was a universal numeric palindrome? 02/02/2020 is the same date backwards in both UK and US formats. That hasn't happened since the year 1111 so it is pretty rare, though it will happen again (for the UK only) in a couple of years on 22/02/2022. America will have to wait another 200 years for 02/22/2220.
02.02.20 > Updates
Donât you just hate it when apps constantly pester you that an âupdate is availableâ? If you can be bothered to click on the âlearn moreâ link it usually just says âbug fixes and performance improvementsâ. Thatâs a classic coderâs clause. âBug fixesâ is the true reason for the updateâthey screwed something up and didnât notice it before the app was released so theyâve had to fix it and hence the update. âPerformance improvementsâ is bull. The developers know full well that users are going to be seriously piqued at having to mess about installing an update which is for no other reason than to address some programmerâs incompetence so they dangle this carrot of leading you to believe the app will suddenly run a lot faster than it did. It wonât. The only sense in which it can be considered a performance improvement is that it should crash less often than before thanks to the bug fix. (In reality, this isnât always true eitherâwhat generally happens with software is that when you fix one bug it allows two others to come into play. Which is why most apps need updating about once a week.)
At this point youâre probably wondering what on earth all this has to do with Katie (either that or youâre fast asleep). The answer, of course, is nothing. There are no bugs in Katie (though that may not necessarily be trueâafter all she did have a spider living in her ear a few years back. I have no idea if other orifices were investigated for invertebrate inhabitation following that incident). But youâll be relieved to know that my point has finally lumbered over the horizon and it is this: Iâve been updating a lot of the pages of All About Katie over the past few days. This is for bug fixes and performance enhancementsâŠ
I hasten to add that this is a web site, not an app, and hence my performance enhancements are realâfor example, Iâve replaced animated gifs with static thumbnail images of the lyric cards in the song index page. This difference is hardly noticeable yet dramatically improves page loading time. Itâs not as though you could read the lyrics at that size anyway. Iâve also made some cosmetic enhancements here and there. Iâm not going to bore you with specifics. Maybe youâll spot some of the changes, maybe you wonât. If you do Iâll send you a free peanut (please specify whether youâd prefer unsalted, salted or dry roasted).
01.02.20 > Lyric Card: If You Are So Beautiful
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