I turn to you

Why can’t I find anyone to sing this to?

When I’m lost in the rain,
In your eyes I know I’ll find the light to light my way.
And when I’m scared and losing ground;
When my world is going crazy, you can turn it all around.

And when I’m down you’re there; pushing me to the top.
You’re always there; giving me all you’ve got.

For a shield from the storm;
For a friend; for a love
To keep me safe and warm,
I turn to you.
For the strength to be strong;
For the will to carry on;
For everything you do;
For everything that’s true,
I turn to you.

When I lose my will to win,
I just reach for you and I can reach the sky again.
I can do anything,
‘Cause your love is so amazing; ’cause your love inspires me.

And when I need a friend, you’re always on my side;
Giving me faith that gets me through the night.

For a shield from the storm;
For a friend; for a love
To keep me safe and warm,
I turn to you.
For the strength to be strong;
For the will to carry on;
For everything you do;
For everything that’s true,
I turn to you.

For the arms to be my shelter through all the rain;
For truth that will never change;
For someone to lean on;
for a heart I can rely on through anything;
For that one who I can run to….
I turn to you.

For a shield from the storm;
For a friend; for a love
To keep me safe and warm,
I turn to you.
For the strength to be strong;
For the will to carry on;
For everything you do;
For everything that’s true,
I turn to you.

For a shield from the storm;
For a friend; for a love
To keep me safe and warm,
I turn to you.
For the strength to be strong;
For the will to carry on;
For everything you do;
For everything that’s true…

For everything you do;
For everything that’s true,
I turn to you…

Inspiration in a video

Why didn’t I re-watch this earlier?

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there’s a voice inside my head saying
You’ll never reach it

Every step I’m taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

The struggles I’m facing
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I ain’t breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I’m gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going
And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

‘Cause there’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody’s gonna have to lose

Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

my saving grace

I wish I could sing this with conviction now.

I’ve still got a lot to learn
But, at least I know where I can turn
When I’m in my times of need
Just as long
(As I know all things are possible)
Just as long as I believe

I’ve loved a lot, hurt a lot
Been burned a lot in my life and times
Spent precious years wrapped up in fear
With no end in sight
Until my saving grace shined on me
Until my saving grace set me free

Giving me peace
Giving me strength when I’d
Almost lost it all
Catching my every fall
I still exist because you keep me safe
I found my saving grace within you

Yes, I’ve been bruised
Grew up confused
Been destitute
I’ve seen life from many sides
Been stigmatized
Been black and white
Felt inferior inside
Until my saving grace shined on me
Until my saving grace set me free

Giving me peace
Giving me strength when I’d
Almost lost it all
Catching my every fall
I still exist because you keep me safe
I found my saving grace within you

And the bountiful things that you do
Lord thank you
For delivering me

And giving me peace
Giving me strength
Giving me hope when I’d
Almost lost it all
Catching my every fall
I still exist because you keep me safe
Always my saving grace
Pulls me through
I found my saving grace within you

(Yes you are – you’re my every, everything)
Within you…
(Only, only you)
Yes lord
(Only you)
My saving grace lord is
You

Why I’d like a dog

Despite my sisters’ and my ardent requests, this wish has never been fulfilled. The reasons are that it’s too troublesome, and the subsequent response to the “we’ll take care”, is “I don’t want to be tied down during holidays.” from my mum. But why would a dog matter?

First a dog is an absolute listener. It doesn’t flinch when you speak, and only makes the occasional bark that could hurt. A dog never – ever – stops to leave.

Second a dog is undivided in its sincerity. It doesn’t hide a thing, except its hurt, and even then only when it is dying. A dog tells you exactly what it’d like, and it might pine, but you remain its friend. Man’s best friend. A best friend.

And third a dog loves unconditionally.

I wish I had a dog. I just want to be happy.

Happy – Leona Lewis

Someone once told me
That you have to choose
What you win or lose
You can’t have everything
Don’t you take chances
You might feel the pain
Don’t you love in vain
Cause love wont set you free
I could stand by the side
And watch this life pass me by
So unhappy but safe as could be

So what if it hurts me
So what if I break down
So what if this world just throws me off the edge
My feet run out of ground
I gotta find my place
I wanna hear my sound
Don’t care about all the pain in front of me
Cause I’m just trying to be happy
Just wanna be happy

Holding on tightly
Just can’t let it go
Just trying to play my role
Slowly disappear
Well, all these tears
They feel like they’re the same
Just different faces, different names
Get me outta here
Well I can stand by the side
And watch this life pass me by (pass me by)

So what if it hurts me
So what if I break down
So what if this world just throws me off the edge
My feet run out of ground
I gotta find my place
I wanna hear my sound
Don’t care about all the pain in front of me
Cause I’m just trying to be happy
Just wanna be happy

So any turns that I can’t see
I’ll count a stranger on this road
But don’t say victim
Don’t say anything

So what if it hurts me
So what if I break down
So what if this world just throws me off the edge
My feet run out of ground

I gotta find my place
I wanna hear my sound

Don’t care about all the pain in front of me
Cause I’m just trying to be happy
Just wanna be happy

essential sounds Q4 2009

Mariah’s New Single

Mariah Carey: I Want to Know What Love Is

The latest single from her new album. This seems like a back-up plan to Obsessed, and shows her tracking back into “familiar territory”. It’s a cover from Foreigner, and a moving remake it is – with a modern twist and strong thrust. A light piano prelude begins, and she does her usual cooing preamble – then the chorus. “I want to know what love is, and I want you to show me…” That’s the real winner: she takes a nuanced approach towards the emotional sensitivities of the song. The song ascends and climaxes at the two-thirds mark, with sensible development. The soaring vocals come in at 3:00 or thereabouts, with excellent layering between the vocals. The ending is slightly disappointing though, because it just fades off, which is not her usual style, leaving me asking why she would waste this single on an unsatisfying conclusion. Overall it’s still a 4-star – better than the recent spate of R&B she’s been producing (addictive, but hardly vocally accomplished), but it’s not her best. She shows that her Butterfly-era voice remains even after long disuse – finally.

my little life

Well, well, how exciting can my life get?

Very.

That’s why I haven’t been posting. My life, bubbling with life, has been fun.

Besides RECAC, nothing major has happened really. I’ve starting running a little lately – and it’s always feels good after that. I’m running alongside the huge canal spanning for a few hundred kilometres and going all the way to Thailand. That’s the benefit of being me: you get to run like leona lewis. Scandals continue all around school: it gets so boring when the same people are constantly mentioned. How many pointless discreet smiles can the gossip circles contain? Stories are circling like curry, and now I’m involved as well. People go up to you and ask you in a very “by-the-way” manner: Hey are you erm… (insert long, restive pause) in a… relationship? I think it’s the facebook profile: it’s the new fiction, people read a lot there. So now I’m supposedly “with” some girls, not all from RJ. Interesting. (And for the last time, teeheehee – I’m not in anything with Lisa! We both agree: it’s complicated.)

On another note, I’ve recently added Patti Labelle and Reba McEntire to my diva favourites. (Please notice the pun.) Conan says it’s the mature singers over 40 that I like – and so I seem to be proving his silly hypothesis right, yet again. Right now the list is at CeWhLePaReRoBaMa: Celine Whitney Leona Patti Reba Roberta Barbra Mariah (ce-whle-pah-re-robama). Their songs are uncomparable, their voices divine. Obviously not all of them are still very good now, especially the last, but they all had their moment in time.

There’s so little singing talent in this world: when you see one, you jump on that opportunity to fully appreciate that talent. Speaking of talent, I’ve been watching so much talent on youtube (in the form of normal people singing phenomenally), that I’m tempted to have a little go at it myself – not that I have much to begin with of course. I have quite a queer range: I’m able to sing 1.5 octaves from middle C, and then there’s a gap, then I can sing 2.5 octaves from C onwards. So I end up going either  (i) too high or (ii) spoiling the song altogether by singing it “normally”: given a choice, it’s somehow easier to hit it high. And it becomes occasionally weird when you actually hit the notes though. (If at this point you feel uncomfortable reading about a male able to sing high notes, my sole conclusion is that either you are very unexposed to the singing world, or you only listen to rock and metal. Or both, which is classically the case.) And I’m just toying with this playful idea for a while! It’s a phase. It’d be nice to have a singing partner to kick-start these things. But giving weird looks certainly isn’t going to be a very conducive basis for that. So talk to me.

The watchword of the past few days is stress, with the workload. I’m going to start my revision schedule for Promos tonight – that means no more procrastination. Take time to me how I’m doing if you see me. Start your revision now, if you haven’t already. It’s the Promos, not a dress rehearsal.

Nick Pitera – The Climb (cover, Miley Cyrus)

Lisa Lavie – Hush Hush (cover, PCD)

Patti Labelle – If you asked me to

Reba McEntire – And Still

“If That’s What it Takes, (do this nonsense.)” – the DIVA version

Ok. Being the victim of relentless facebook tagging and msn nudging isn’t too fun, so here goes.

This is a DIVA version – that means, the songs listed here only belong to a select number of the divas. These include: Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis (she’s on her way there), Roberta Flack, Barbra Streisand. No other artistes are included, so this is a unique experiment of sorts.

1. Put your iTunes/Napster/Zune Player/WinAmp/etc on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag 10 or more friends who might enjoy doing this as well as the person you got it from.

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
I Wish You Well – Mariah Carey [Fair enough.]

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
You Are My Heaven – Roberta Flack [Once again, well done.]

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
So Emotional – Whitney Houston [Contrary to this and popular opinion, I am not emo.]

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
I Got Nothin’ Left – Celine Dion [A bad omen indeed.]

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
I Will Be – Leona Lewis [I will be what? WHAT! Tell me!]

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Pour Que Tu M’Aimes Encore – Celine Dion (So that you love me again) [Again? Ok, let's do it again.]

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
Thinking About You – Whitney Houston [Begging the question is a fallacy you know, iTunes.]

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Whitney Houston [Nah.]

WHAT IS 2+2?
Why Does it Hurt So Bad – Whitney Houston [Math... *Cough Cough*]

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Have A Heart – Celine Dion

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman – Celine Dion [I beg your pardon? (I am so tempted to change this.) ]

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Un garçon pas comme les autres (Ziggy) – Celine Dion (A Boy Unlike the Others) [I say!]

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Tout L’or Des Hommes – Celine Dion (All the Men’s Gold) [$$$ I'm going to be rich. Real rich.]

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Anytime You Need a Friend – Mariah Carey

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Take Good Care of My Heart -Whitney Houston

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Joy Ride – Mariah Carey [Fair enough.]

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Seduces Me – Celine Dion [WHAT.THE.HELL.]

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
After We Make Love – Whitney Houston [I don't think so....]

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
You’ll Never Stand Alone – Whitney Houston

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
One Sweet Day – Mariah Carey (feat. Boyz il. Men) [I am masochistic.]

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis [This is really fitting - really, really fitting.]

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
This Time – Celine Dion [Next time, maybe? Not now.]

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Halfway to Heaven – Celine Dion

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Don’t Rain on my Parade – Barbra Streisand [The lit-ness of it all!]

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Amar Haciendo el Amor – Celine Dion (You Only Love Once) [I guess... I'll only marry once? So yes, I'll get married.]

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
You’re So Cold – Mariah Carey [Aww....]

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
I Believe in You and Me – Whitney Houston

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Didn’t We Almost Have it All – Whitney Houston

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Misled – Celine Dion

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
If That’s What it Takes – Celine Dion [If that's what it takes, I shall torturetag more people.]

a birthday post

It’s an imperative that I post a birthday post.

But I’m so busy. Truly. For one, I’m doing an entire RE project in two weeks – not because I’ve been a slacker, but because the first RE was done in as the competition – scholar’s cup – and so I’m doing this simply because I like it.

I’ve grown quite a fair bit from sec3 to sec4 – no longer in terms of intellect (as comapred to my sec3 journey) – but in terms of emotions. Somehow they have become much more sentivised.
Emotional control is increasingly relevant for relationships of any sort – at least in my little world.

For some strange reason, I like to look at people’s motives for doing just about anything. It’s actually fun to “deconstruct” people’s every single action for you to analyse. It’s like mental fodder, just that it occurs so often that people rarely notice or find too trivial.

Haha.

Haha.

Haha.

Anyway, just an update about my life.

Most importantly, my parents are buying durians like buying eggs. Their expenditure on durians for this month, I calculated, is mind-boggling. The exact figure shall not be released.

Meanwhile, I have invented a new term for my favourite singers. I have no idea why I have some weird sort of preference for female singers.

It’s cewhlerobama. Which incidentally stands for : CelineWhitneyLeonaRobertaBarbraMariah.

Go google them.

They are amazing.

But the “obama” at the back was a completely unintended thing.

Anyway here’s a few good songs. You can be quite assured of listening pleasure – I spent a good 5 minutes selecting them.

[Note: If some of them "aren't available", then click on the video instead.]

The Last To Know – Celine Dion (8/10) * a thinking song.

Where Does My Heart Beat Now – Celine Dion (9/10) *best ballade

Have A Heart – Celine Dion (9.5/10) ** this should be crowned as her most emotionally powerful song

Run Wild – Barbra Streisand (8.5/10) * divine

Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis (8/10) * overhyped, but a nice song nevertheless

Better in Time – Leona Lewis (9/10) * worth listening to every second

Set the Night to Music – Roberta Flack (8.5/10) *classic 80s-90s

Tonight I Celebrate My Love for You – Roberta Flack (9/10) *possibly the most popular wedding song

I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston (10/10) ** the most popular song of the 20th century.

Run To You – Whitney Houston (8.5/10) * high powerful notes

Exhale (Shoop Shoop) – Whitney Houston (9/10) *melodious and moving song to sing to. used widely for dance.

One Moment in Time – Whitney Houston (9/10) * arguably the best Whintey performance ever

Touch My Body – Mariah Carey (8/10) * meaningless pop, pure pop

Love Takes Time – Mariah Carey (10/10) *this was posted in three posts already. I don’t have to explain, do I? This shows her when she first started – her vocal quality started out amazing.

I don’t want to strictly rank my favourite artistes, but you can be quite assured that Celine still tops the list in terms of listenability, vocal prowness and emotional portrayal.

These singers are good.

Really.

Really!!!

Haha, Happy Birthday to me then.

A Happy Song (shan’t reveal)

humoresque no.7 – A. Dvorak

There are some songs which really bring me old memories….

I remember I tried to play this song before on the piano, but not I’ve forgotten already.

Watch it, I’m sure you’ll like it.