This song has possibly just converted me into a Beyonce fan. Recently, I heard people talking about a ‘stiletto camp’ that was being run by a beauty pageant, which I found out later was Miss Universe New Zealand. I’m shocked that these competitions still exist. It’s great that there is a little more emphasis on the minds and intellectual thoughts of the entrants than there was before, but there is nothing empowering in beauty pageantry.
Fashion, beautiful clothes, heels, and make-up are all so much fun, and I love them, but not when they start to define us. Of course, intellectualism and physical beauty are not mutually exclusive, but we have to wonder, as women are reaching higher levels of education than ever before, why are we still continuing to rely on and resort to physical beauty? We want respect and equality, but when we support and praise conventional ideals of beauty, what message are we actually sending?
The awful tragedy in Isla Vista last week reveals just how detrimental the idea of ‘perfection’ is when it infiltrates our psyche. It’s astounding that any self-respecting woman would put herself up to be judged and objectified in such a manner, or pay any attention to a competition that has made ‘Keep Calm and Wear a Tiara’ its slogan. A couple of years ago there was also talk of an American company looking to bring child pageantry to NZ. Why any parent would even consider entering their child is beyond me.
And we wonder why insecurity, over-sexualisation, misogyny, eating disorders, and depression continue to plague society. As a nation that became the first to give women the vote, why are we still entering and supporting such ridiculous competitions?
I’m not saying that we should disregard ‘fashion’ altogether, but I think it’s important to be critical of what we are feeding our minds.
I have heard this song a lot, but had no idea who it was by until my friend in Italy posted this on Facebook. By the New Zealand band The Babysitters Circus, this is the music video for Everything's Gonna Be Alright, featuring a flash mob in Auckland city.
'The Babysitters Circus (TBC) is a four piece New Zealand Electronica/Bass and Funk/Groove freak show that was born when the quartet began throwing sounds and ideas together while babysitting for a friend. It soon became apparent that what started out as simply a creative outlet for it’s members was too good to keep hidden away and it just felt wrong to not give everyone the chance to shake their shaky bits to tracks oozing with infectious fleshy hooks.
Although relatively new to the music scene, TBC’s members most certainly aren’t. Jason Kerrison has spent many years at the top of the NZ Music Scene with his band OPSHOP, enjoying not only commercial success, but also picking up numerous NZ Music Awards and the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll Award along the way. Jamie Greenslade, better known as solo hip-hop artist Maitreya, is another Silver Scroll winner, taking away the APRA Maioha Silver Scroll Award in 2010. Tim Skedden has enjoyed a long musical career, being a founding member of both The Feelers and also OPSHOP and while Tim has previously thrilled fans with his guitar playing, he is now stepping more into the limelight and unleashing his too long kept hidden song-writing and vocal talents. Newcomer Selwyn Leaf completes the TBC line up. A natural entertainer, he brings a big top boom to each and every occasion and adds a soulful tone to the groups high energy performances.
TBC delivers a recorded and live experience that is as uplifting as it is refreshing and has now evolved into a fully fledged live act that has left crowds up and down the country eagerly awaiting the next time the Circus rolls back into town. Maybe it’s the songs, maybe it’s the on stage chemistry, maybe it’s the guy wearing face paint, maybe it’s all of the above, maybe we’ll never really know…'
I cannot believe that this is the song that currently holds the top spot in the Italian music charts! I love how ridiculous it is, and admittedly, have been listening to it on repeat for at least ten times, but I'm so glad they don't play it in New Zealand.
Il Pulcino Pio is an Italian version of the Brazilian song O Pintinho a song written in the 80's by Erisvaldo Da Silva. It is sung in Italian by Morganna Giovannetti and broadcast by Radio Globo. Radio Globo has released another version in which the chick defeats the tractor that crushed it in this first version.
Hayley Westenra singing God Defend New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup 2011 final between The All Blacks and France
This song never ceases to send a strange feeling through me, one of strong emotion and perhaps what you could call patriotism. As New Zealanders, in general, we are not particularly patriotic, content to be quietly proud of our nation, which is so far away from the rest of the world not only geographically but in our mentality also. However, for the rugby, for the All Blacks, it really does seem that this nation bands together in solid support of our team, who play such a large part in placing New Zealand on the map. When I travelled around Italy, people would hear my accent and assume I was Australian. Even after having explained I was from New Zealand, they either had no real idea where it was, or only knew our country for either the All Blacks or The Lord of the Rings films. Although they have equal legal status, God Defend New Zealand is the more commonly used national anthem over God Save the Queen.
Irish-born, Victorian-raised Thomas Bracken settled in Dunedin and and wrote the lyrics in the 1870's, originally written as a poem. In 1876 The Saturday Advertiser ran a competition to compose music for what would become God Defend New Zealand. Tasmanian-born John Joseph Woods who lived in Lawrence won the competition, and on Christmas Day 1876, the song was performed for the first time at the Queen's Theatre in Dunedin. The hymn grew in popularity throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries; the New Zealand Government bought the rights to the song and it became the official national hymn in time for the centennial celebrations of 1940. In 1976 on the 21st of November, God Defend New Zealand became the second official national anthem, alongside God Save the Queen.
The song has five verses, in both English and Maori. The Maori version was written by Thomas H. Smith, and is not a direct translation of the English version. I love this hymn a lot, the words are so meaningful and encapsulate the spirit in which those who came before us dedicated the country to God. While singing this song in church this morning, I realized that New Zealand is one of the only countries where we have the privilege of having a hymn as our national anthem; and I am grateful that we have the freedom to sing such beautiful words.
English
God of Nations at Thy feet, In the bonds of love we meet, Hear our voices, we entreat, God defend our free land. Guard Pacific's triple star From the shafts of strife and war, Make her praises heard afar, God defend New Zealand.
Men of every creed and race, Gather here before Thy face, Asking Thee to bless this place, God defend our free land. From dissension, envy, hate, And corruption guard our state, Make our country good and great, God defend New Zealand.
Peace, not war, shall be our boast, But, should foes assail our coast, Make us then a mighty host, God defend our free land. Lord of battles in Thy might, Put our enemies to flight, Let our cause be just and right, God defend New Zealand.
Let our love for Thee increase, May Thy blessings never cease, Give us plenty, give us peace, God defend our free land. From dishonour and from shame, Guard our country's spotless name, Crown her with immortal fame, God defend New Zealand.
May our mountains ever be Freedom's ramparts on the sea, Make us faithful unto Thee, God defend our free land. Guide her in the nations' van, Preaching love and truth to man, Working out Thy glorious plan, God defend New Zealand.
Māori
E Ihowā Atua, O ngā iwi mātou rā Āta whakarangona; Me aroha noa Kia hua ko te pai; Kia tau tō atawhai; Manaakitia mai Aotearoa
Ōna mano tāngata Kiri whero, kiri mā, Iwi Māori, Pākehā, Rūpeke katoa, Nei ka tono ko ngā hē Māu e whakaahu kē, Kia ora mārire Aotearoa
Tōna mana kia tū! Tōna kaha kia ū; Tōna rongo hei pakū Ki te ao katoa Aua rawa ngā whawhai Ngā tutū e tata mai; Kia tupu nui ai Aotearoa
Waiho tona takiwā Ko te ao mārama; Kia whiti tōna rā Taiāwhio noa. Ko te hae me te ngangau Meinga kia kore kau; Waiho i te rongo mau Aotearoa
Tōna pai me toitū Tika rawa, pono pū; Tōna noho, tāna tū; Iwi nō Ihowā. Kaua mōna whakamā; Kia hau te ingoa; Kia tū hei tauira; Aotearoa
Flight of the Conchords have written this wonderful song, Feel Inside (and stuff like that), for the Cure Kids' Red Nose Day, a national campaign in New Zealand to raise money for medical research into children's life-threatening illnesses. This clip shows the comedy duo, Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, interviewing adorable school children for inspiration. Alongside the writers, the song was performed by a special collective of other New Zealand musicians; Dave Dobbyn, Anika Moa, Savage, Elizabeth Marvelly, PNC, Boh Runga, Zowie, Nathan King, Peter Urlich, and Brooke Fraser. This is what I love about New Zealand! The song is available here: iTunes with proceeds going towards the amazing cause.
I don't normally post English music videos on this blog, they usually go onto my tumblr instead; but this song Someone Like You,by Adele, is just so magical in its bittersweetness, it makes me teary every time. Even this one time at the supermarket. The music video was filmed in Paris; and some of my first moments in the city were spent walking along this same path on Pont Alexandre III.
One of Italy's most famous and most loved Christmas carols is Tu scendi dalle stelle, (You Come Down from the Stars), written by the Neapolitan priest Sant'Alfonso Maria de Liguori in 1754. Years later, de Liguori wrote new lyrics for the same tune, but this time in the Neapolitan dialect, naming the song Quanno nascette Ninno, (When the Child was Born). de Liguori was staying at the Convent of the Consolation, Celiceto, Foggia in 1744 when he wrote the song.
In this video, Andrea Bocelli gives his rendition of the song, though it is traditionally performed with the zampogna, the Italian bagpipe.
There have been numerous translations of Tu scendi dalle stelle into English, here is one based on the language of the King James Bible, and another in modern English.
(Italian Version) Tu scendi dalle stelle, o Re del Cielo, e vieni in una grotta al freddo e al gelo, e vieni in una grotta al freddo e al gelo. O Bambino mio divino, io ti vedo qui a tremar, o Dio beato! Ah, quanto ti costò l’avermi amato! Ah, quanto ti costò l’avermi amato!
A te che sei del mondo il Creatore, mancano panni e fuoco, o mio Signore, mancano panni e fuoco, o mio Signore. Caro eletto pargoletto, quanto questa povertà più m’innamora, giacché ti fece amor povero ancora! Giacché ti fece amor povero ancora!
(King James Version)
From starry skies descending,
Thou comest, glorious King,
A manger low Thy bed,
In winter's icy sting;
O my dearest Child most holy,
Shudd'ring, trembling in the cold!
Great God, Thou lovest me!
What suff'ring Thou didst bear,
That I near Thee might be!
Thou art the world's Creator,
God's own and true Word,
Yet here no robe, no fire
For Thee, Divine Lord.
Dearest, fairest, sweetest Infant,
Dire this state of poverty.
The more I care for Thee,
Since Thou, o Love Divine,
Will'st now so poor to be.
(Modern English Version) You come down from the stars Oh King of Heavens, And you come in a cave In the cold, in the frost. And you come in a cave In the cold, in the frost. Oh my Divine Baby I see you trembling here, Oh Blessed God, Ah, how much it cost you, Your loving me. Ah, how much it cost you, Your loving me.
For you, who are of all the world The creator, No robes and fire, Oh my Lord. No robes and fire, Oh my Lord. Dear chosen one, little infant This dire poverty, Makes me love you more Since Love made you Poor now. Since Love made you Poor now.
Nina Zilli represented Italy with this song, L'Amore È Femmina (Out Of Love), at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012. Here is an interview with Nina Zilli:
I was on the hunt for a Romanian version of Happy Birthday for a friend, but couldn't find anything on youtube. My amazing lack of Romanian language almost led me to post a Happy New Year song instead; until I came across this gem of choral music by Baietii din Brasov, Cantam toti de fericire. No idea who they are or what they are singing so beautifully; the tune sounds strangely familiar, but I can't quite pin it.
Danger Mouse and Italian composer Daniele Luppi have collaborated on an album entitled, Rome; which pays homage to the music of spaghetti western films. To stay true to the feel of vintage Italian soundtracks they worked with some of the original musicians who worked on films of the 1960's and 70's, and they recorded at Rome's Forum Studios, founded by the iconic composer Ennio Morricone. The music was recorded with original equipment, directly to tape. Rome captures the mood of spaghetti western soundtracks while adding a contemporary flavour with the vocals of Norah Jones and Jack White.
Today I was buying the new Norah Jones' CD as a birthday present and came across Patrizio Buanne's The Italian and Forever Begins Tonight CDs for $2.99 each. I had never heard of him or his music, but thought I may as well give it a listen. Though they aren't incredible, I am glad I bought them; they are perfect for some sappy winter nights writing my thesis. This music video covering That's Amore is hilarious.
