New stories on MusicTales

1. 

   Songwriter

   Vivir Mi Vida: meaning and origin of Marc Anthony's salsa hit

   Vivir Mi Vida is a life-affirming hit by Marc Anthony, released on his 2013 album 3.0. The song marked his return to…

   July 28, 2021

2. 

   Meditation

   Rudra Veena: evolution of the instrument and Lydian mood of the Yaman raga

   Rudra veena is a string instrument originating from the Indian subcontinent where different types of veena have existed…

   July 26, 2021

3. 

   Songwriter

   Ramblin' on My Mind: Delta blues masterpiece cut in a hotel room

   Ramblin' on My Mind is an iconic blues song cut by the Delta blues singer Robert Johnson as a part of his first…

   July 24, 2021

4. 

   Music Theory

   No Quarter: two minor modal modes of Led Zeppelin's psychedelic track

   No Quarter is one of Led Zeppelin's more psychedelically inclined tracks first released on the 1973 album Houses of the…

   July 22, 2021

5. 

   Orchestra

   Valse triste: why wasn't Sibelius' famous piece performed on his 150th birthday?

   Valse triste or Sad Waltz is a short orchestral composition written by Jean Sibelius in 1903 for Kuolema, a drama by…

   July 19, 2021

6. 

   Songwriter

   Harry Hippie: Bobby Womack's recollection of his brother tragic death

   Harry Hippie is one of the best-known songs released by Bobby Womack who, throughout his sixty-year long career, has…

   July 17, 2021

7. 

   Songwriter

   Desafinado: a song for those who cannot sing

   The Portuguese word Desafinado, meaning "out of tune" or "off-key," is a rather strange name for a classic bossa nova…

   July 14, 2021

8. 

   Songwriter

   Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On: the record that shot Jerry Lee Lewis to fame

   Recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis in 1957, Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On instantly became a major hit in America, highlighting…

   July 12, 2021

9. 

   Music Theory

   Beatles songs featuring Lydian mode

   One of the main reasons for the long-term popularity of The Beatles songs is undoubtedly their developed and varied…

   July 9, 2021

10. 

    Piano

    Berceuse: Chopin's variations on his mother's favorite lullaby

    Berceuse is a lyrical piano piece written by Frédéric Chopin late in his career and first published in 1844. The work…

    July 7, 2021

11. 

    Songwriter

    Burbujas de Amor: playful and saucy lyrics by Juan Luis Guerra

    Burbujas de Amor is one of the best-known songs by Juan Luis Guerra, a Dominican pop singer and accomplished songwriter…

    July 5, 2021

12. 

    Meditation

    Sri Lalitha Sahasranama: 1000-name lyrics praising the beauty of Goddess Shakti

    Lalita Sahasranama is a Hindu chant dedicated to the Divine Mother known as Shakti who manifests as the triple…

    July 3, 2021

13. 

    Songwriter

    Flat Foot Floogie: vulgar meaning of the swing hit song

    Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy) is a jazz swing song that became a nationwide hit when it was released in the US…

    July 1, 2021

14. 

    Songwriter

    The Bells of Rhymney: two major modal modes of famous protest song

    The Bells of Rhymney is one of the best-known protest songs of the past century, first recorded in 1958 by the American…

    June 29, 2021

15. 

    Flute

    Flute Sonata: canonical performance of Poulenc's best-known piece

    The Sonate pour flûte et piano or Flute Sonata is among Francis Poulenc's best-known works, a French composer whose…

    June 26, 2021

16. 

    Songwriter

    Hypnotized: Fleetwood Mac's song about aliens

    Hypnotized is the best-known track from Fleetwood Mac's 1973 album Mystery To Me, written by guitarist Bob Welch who…

    June 24, 2021

17. 

    Songwriter

    Dos Gardenias: romantic lyrics of the famous Cuban bolero

    Dos Gardenias is a well-known Cuban song with soulful and gentle lyrics composed in the form of bolero—a vocal style…

    June 19, 2021

18. 

    Songwriter

    Reelin' In the Years: the tandem of effective lyrics and one of the best guitar solos of all time

    Reelin' In the Years is one of the most successful tracks of the American jazz-rock band Steely Dan who are known for…

    June 16, 2021

19. 

    Songwriter

    Bony Moronie: blues roots of the seminal rock and roll hit

    Bony Moronie is one of the best-known tracks of New Orleans singer Larry Williams which, along with his other songs,…

    June 14, 2021

20. 

    Piano

    Le Tombeau de Couperin: Ravel's only wartime piece shaped by Baroque canons

    The musical output of the leading French impressionist Maurice Ravel was almost completely halted by the arrival of…

    June 11, 2021