Farewell Harry

Sad news today: I learned that Harry Belafonte died ar 96. At this age, it may not be a tragedy, but it is very sad all the same. He was one of my favourite singers and a wonderful human being. I think sharing this song is a fitting tribute. Farewell Harry.

A Star in the East

My wife suggested that I put more Christmas music on Vraie Fiction. I agree with her, so tonight I decided to put something from the Christmas album of Harry Belafonte. I thought about Mary's Boy Child first, as there is a version of it that is sung everywhere on the radio these days, but I shared this one in 2016, so here is another one from the album, lesser known now. It might surprise you that an atheist like myself goes for religious Christmas music instead of the many secular songs the season has given, but in fact I always preferred traditional Christmas music. Especially when sung by Belafonte, whose soothing voice has just the right level emotion,. There is genuine love and reverence in it. And this is a voice that calls back to the Christmas of my childhood, when my parents played this album over and over again.

Island in the Sun

I know we are not summertime yet, technically, but it has been sunny and hot today and it certainly felt like summer. On hot days like this, I listen to Harry Belafonte. So I decided to share tonight Island in the Sun, which fits the summery weather we have been having. And just because it's Harry Belafonte.

Jamaica Farewell

By any practical means (and that it might change notwithstanding) summer is here now: it is hot, it is sunny, it is nice... And that means for me listening to summery music. In other words, I often listen to Harry Belafonte these days. I listen to Belafonte as soon as it is hot outside since my twenties. My brothers and I spent many summer evenings listening to him. So tonight I decided to share Jamaica Farewell. Because summertime and the island of the West Indies have their own kind of melancholy.

Christmas with Harry Belafonte

My brothers and I spent the Christmastimes of our childhood with many great Christmas records and songs, among them To Wish You a Merry Christmas by Harry Belafonte. It was and it remains one of our favourite. So it made sense that it is one of the first I introduced to little Wolfie. He really enjoyed it. So tonight I am sharing Mary's Boy Child which is the first carol on the record. I think nobody beats Harry Belafonte singing it.

Didn't It Rain? (Oh yes it did!)

After a weekend that was hot, sunny and in one word summery, we've had the karmic reaction since the beginning of the week: it started raining, it rained some more and a Hell of a lot more. This reminds me of Didn't It Rain, a song I know from Harry Belafonte's repertoire. Well, it has been sung by the Belafonte Folk Singers, so here it is. I love the song and it always gets in my head when it pours on a warm day like these days. It just cheers me up and make me actually enjoy the weather. So I am sharing it with you, to keep for rainy day.

Don't Ever Love Me (Harry Belafonte)

I did not upload Harry Belafonte in a long while, not since almost a year in fact, and I am feeling like listening to him, so here is one. It is based on an Haïtian folk song, Choucoune, but Belafonte made his own version, maybe the most famous, known as Don't Ever Love Me. I love listening to Belafonte on warm summer evenings and while it is not like this just yet, I am certainly in the mood.

Old King Cole

I am not so much blogging about the nursery rhyme, which I know little about, as the song Harry Belafonte made of it and performed, which I loved. It is the kind of thing I listen to on a summer day with a drink, and it is finally starting to look like summer outside.

Christmas is coming

...the goose is getting fat, as the old song says. I never had goose for Christmas, only turkey (and in more recent some veggie/vegan substitute). It is the first day of Advent today, as I already blogged in French. First day of December too. I kick-started the month and the Season with a very profane Christmas pic, I will carry on with one of the first English Christmas song I knew, something that is semi-profane. I grew up with Harry Belafonte singing it, in what remains one of my favourite Christmas records. I didn't understand anything about the song, I just loved the voice and the music. And well, since Christmas is coming, I thought it would fit to upload here a Christmas song which is not so much about Christmas day itself that the whole spirit of the holidays, also of the general feeling of trepidation one gets into when Christmas is coming. It shows the better nature of the Season, both festive and generous. Sure, there is an allusion to God, but hey, I don't mind the old man too much when I get in the spirit. You can read about my feelings and opinions about Christmas here and here (two posts I am quite proud about). I will blog more about Christmas, obviously, put more pics and carols and I will try to be original. Until then, well, Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, be generous, be giving, be merry.

Turn the world around

I don't want to seem like I am getting obsessed by Harry Belafonte, although I probably am. As I mentioned before, I am into summery/exotic/tropical music these days. I listen to this song on my iPod every evening I do the washing up, the sunset in my face gives it a particular feel. It turns dishwashing into a totally different experience. Well, not quite, but it is still really nice to listen to. Yes, this version got the Muppets in it, but I like the Muppets from time to time and recently I learned to appreciate them even more (more on that another day).

Jump In the Line

Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far. It was very nice to have some summer weather for a change. Hot weathers means to me summery music. As for my reading, I change my musical moods with the seasons. These days, I listen to Harry Belafonte a lot. So I thought I would put here Jump in the line. it is always a pleasure to listen to Belafonte, especially with this temperature.

Saturday is another sunny day

Is it going to actually be summer for all summer? I sure hope so. It's sunny anyway. I am in the mood for some Pimm's, for walking outside, for reading outside (I am deep into Persepolis and the character's European experience, I expect to finish it today, then I'll read something more escapist), for listening to summery music (I think I might drive my wife crazy with Underneath the Mango Tree, which I will probably listen to a thousand times today, I wish I had some Harry Belafonte CD's, I can't find what I want on youtube).