Songs to take you into the wild blue yonder

The Beatles, ELO, Jamiroquai, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons, Tom Baxter – they’ve all written inspiring songs about the sky. In our cloudy, overcast lives we need to explore beautiful blue skies and optimistic horizons. A whole show in two one hour instalments  about skies and hope.

Originally broadcast on 96.3 Seahaven FM on the tenth of May 2012 and on www.seahavenfm.com – The Whole Nine Yards with Roy Stannard every Thursday 7-9pm.

 (Theme) Renegades of Jazz – Cascade 4.16

 Supergrass – Sun Hits the Sky 3.41 (In it for the Money 1997)

Supergrass were an English alternative rock band from Oxford. The band consisted of brothers Gaz (guitar and lead vocals) and Rob Coombes (keyboards), Mick Quinn (bass and backing vocals) and Danny Goffey (drums and backing vocals). Gaz Coombes, Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey formed Supergrass in 1993 in Oxford with Gaz’s brother Rob Coombes officially joining the band in 2002. The band signed to Parlophone records in 1994 and produced I Should Coco (1995), the biggest selling début album for the label since the Beatles’ Please Please Me. Their first album’s fourth single Alright was a huge international hit that established the band’s reputation. Since then the band have released five albums: In It for the Money (1997), Supergrass (1999), Life on Other Planets (2002), Road to Rouen (2005) and Diamond Hoo Ha (2008), as well as a decade-ending compilation called Supergrass is 10 (2004).

In August 2009 they signed to Cooking Vinyl and began work on 7th studio album Release the Drones. It remained unreleased and unfinished as, on 12 April 2010, the band announced that it was splitting up due to musical and creative differences. The group disbanded after four farewell gigs, the final one at La Cigale, Paris on 11 June 2010.

“Sun Hits the Sky” is a song by the Britpop band Supergrass. It was the third single from the band’s second album In It for the Money. It was released in June 1997, and reached #10 in the UK Singles Chart. The B-side “Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others” is a cover of The Smiths’ song of the same name, and is a slightly more rock based version than the original.

ELO – Mr Blue Sky 5.04 (Out of the Blue 1977)

“Mr. Blue Sky” is a song by English rock group Electric Light Orchestra, featured on the band’s seventh studio album Out of the Blue (1977). Written and produced by frontman Jeff Lynne, the song forms the fourth and final track of the “Concerto for a Rainy Day” suite, on side three of the original double LP. “Mr. Blue Sky” was the second Billboard Hot 100 top-40 single to be taken from Out of the Blue, peaking at number 35 in the United States. The single also reached number six on the UK Singles Chart. The song was played as a wake-up call to astronaut Christopher Ferguson on Day 3 of STS-135, the final mission of Space Shuttle Atlantis.

In a BBC Radio interview, Lynne talked about writing “Mr. Blue Sky” after locking himself away in a Swiss chalet and attempting to write ELO’s follow-up to A New World Record:

It was dark and misty for 2 weeks, and I didn’t come up with a thing. Suddenly the sun shone and it was, ‘Wow, look at those beautiful Alps.’ I wrote Mr. Blue Sky and 13 other songs in the next 2 weeks.

The song’s arrangement has been called “Beatlesque” bearing similarities to Beatles songs “Martha My Dear” and “A Day in the Life”.

Yellowcard – Light up the Sky 3.37 (Paper Walls 2007)

Yellowcard is an American pop punk/alternative rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1997, and based in Los Angeles, California since 2000. Their music features the use of a violin, unusual for the genre. They are best known for their songs “Ocean Avenue,” “Way Away,” “Only One,” “Lights and Sounds,” “Light Up the Sky,” and “For You, and Your Denial.” The band went on to a two-year hiatus then announced their return in August 2010 and released their latest album, When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes, in mid-March 2011.

“Light Up the Sky” is the first single from Yellowcard’s album Paper Walls. The live acoustic version was first heard on March 30, 2007, at their concert at the Troubador in West Hollywood, California. It was then played electric in later shows. On May 15, 2007, the fully mixed album version was put on their Myspace page. It was released on iTunes on June 5, 2007, and it was the most added single to US Alternative/Modern Rock radio stations for the week ending June 8, 2007, and peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song also reached number 32 on the Adult Top 40 chart.

We The Kings – Skyway Avenue 3.25 (We The Kings 2007)

We the Kings is an American Power Pop band formed in 2005 from Bradenton, Florida, currently signed to record label S-Curve Records. The group released their self-titled full-length debut album in 2007, which peaked at No. 151 on the Billboard 200. Their second full-length album, Smile Kid, was released in December 2009, and the band has since completed a variety of tours. The band released a new album on July 5, 2011 entitled Sunshine State of Mind, achieving minor commercial success. They have toured extensively, playing in music festivals as well as supporting other acts. We the Kings also host their own miniature series of webisodes, entitled “The King’s Carriage”, detailing life on their tour bus.

We the Kings is the self-titled debut album by American pop punk band We the Kings. It was released on October 2, 2007. The album peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart, and at No. 151 on the Billboard 200. We the Kings was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for the shipment of 70,000 copies. Three singles were released from the album. The second single, “Check Yes Juliet”, was featured as “The iTunes Single of the Week” in early 2008, and it peaked at No. 84 on the Pop 100 and No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US,[7] and No. 26 in Australia where it was certified platinum by the ARIA.

The Calling – Anything 4.05 (Two 2004)

The Calling is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, best known for their hit single, “Wherever You Will Go”. The group formed in 2000 and have released two albums. They have been on an indefinite hiatus since 2005.

Two (also stylized as II) is the second studio album by American rock band The Calling, released on June 8, 2004 through RCA Records. The record only features original members Alex Band and Aaron Kamin along with a variety of session musicians.

Despite radio-friendly singles and relentless touring by the band, the album was viewed by many as under promoted by the label and disappointing compared to the success of their first album.

Owl City – To the Sky (All Things Bright and Beautiful 2011 – Bonus Track)

All Things Bright and Beautiful is the third studio album by American musical project Owl City. It was released on June 14, 2011

The album sees for the most part Owl City leader Adam Young staying true to his synthpop roots; however, he also dabbles in indie rock, folk, European trance in “Galaxies” and on “Alligator Sky”, rap. Guest musicians on the album include Shawn Chrystopher, Matthew Thiessen, Lights, Breanne Düren and Adam Young’s mother, Joan Young.

The album was originally planned to have a worldwide release date of May 24, 2011. It was then changed to May 17. On April 6, however, Young posted on his official site that the release date had been bumped to June 14, 2011. He stated that the reason for this was, “In an attempt to better connect the dots and ensure that every cloud in the sky is stitched together with its own special silver lining”, and “with school finally out for the summer, it’ll be a perfect time to sit back and watch the fireworks.” Along with this post were previews of four tracks from the new album, each being 1:30 long. The previews posted were of “Alligator Sky (ft. Shawn Chrystopher)”, “Deer in the Headlights”, “Galaxies” and “Dreams Don’t Turn to Dust”.

On the introductory track to “Galaxies”, entitled “January 28, 1986” (the date of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster), Ronald Reagan’s State of the Union speech is sampled.

Jigsaw – Sky High 2.53 (Sky High 1975)

Jigsaw were an English pop music group, fronted by the singer-songwriter duo of Clive Scott and Des Dyer. In Australia the group was called “British Jigsaw” due to the existence of a local band of the same name.

Originally a six piece band, formed from musicians in Coventry and Rugby by Tony Campbell in April 1966, they went on to score a number of hit singles around the world. They also released thirteen albums. The group was partly influenced by fellow British musicians The Beatles, at times sounding Beatle-esque, especially their ballads, which show leanings towards Paul McCartney’s musical and vocal arrangements.

Their first single for their new label, entitled “Sky High”, was recorded for the film The Man from Hong Kong, a 1975 martial-arts action movie starring George Lazenby. Splash pressed a couple of hundred promotional copies and reaction to the song was good, especially from Radio Luxembourg which began playing the song with high rotation during its nightly English pop music broadcasts to the UK. “Sky High” subsequently made the UK Top 10 in November 1975. Chelsea Records released it in the U.S. (where Splash had no pressing plant) and it was a hit there, going to #3. It charted all over the world and was #1 in Japan. A famous Mexican wrestler called Mil Mascaras used “Sky High” as his theme tune. He would walk to the ring with the song playing in the background. His popularity in Japan helped “Sky High” to become a hit twice over in that country in consecutive years.

Their album also entitled Sky High sold very well too, especially in Japan, and the next single “Love Fire” was another hit, although not in the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, “Love Fire” was followed by two new albums, one for the British market called Pieces of Magic and another for the American market simply named after the band, Jigsaw.

Sky High is the name of a 1975 single by British pop music group, Jigsaw. The song, the main title theme to the film entitled The Man from Hong Kong, was a world-wide hit in the latter part of 1975, reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and #9 in the UK Singles Chart.

Two years later the song gained more striking commercial success in Japan, peaking at the #2 on the Oricon singles chart and selling approximately 570,000 copies. There are two versions of this song, the latter being almost three minutes longer. A remixed version of the original Jigsaw cut by PWL remixer Pete Hammond was a minor dance hit in the U.S. in the spring of 1989. On the 1975 Australian record it displayed “British Jigsaw” because there was an established and popular local band called “Jigsaw”.

Sade – The Moon and the Sky 4.28 (Soldier of Love 2010)

Sade (pronounced /ʃɑːˈdeɪ/ shah-DAY) is a British smooth jazz band that formed in 1983, named after their lead singer Sade Adu. Their music features elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and soft rock.

Sade’s debut album, Diamond Life, was released in 1984, reaching No. 2 in the UK Album Chart, selling over 1.2 million copies in the UK, and won the Brit Award for Best British Album in 1985. The album was also a hit internationally, reaching No. 1 in several countries and the top ten in the US where it has sold in excess of 4 million copies. In late 1985, Sade released their second album, Promise, which peaked at No. 1 in both the UK and the US. It was certified double platinum in the UK, and quadruple platinum in the US. In 1986 the band won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Sade’s sixth studio album, Soldier of Love, was released worldwide on 8 February 2010, and peaked at No. 4 in the UK, and No. 1 in the US. In 2011, the band won their fourth Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

Sade’s US certified sales so far stand at 23.5 million units according to Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and have sold more than 50 million units worldwide to date. They were ranked at #50 on VH1’s list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.

Soldier of Love is the sixth studio album by the English group Sade. It is their first album of original material since Lovers Rock (2000). The album was initially released on 5 February 2010 in Germany, and it was released worldwide on 8 February 2010 and in the United States on 9 February 2010. The first single “Soldier of Love” premiered on 8 December 2009 on the group’s official website.

The album debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart, becoming their highest debut since Stronger Than Pride (1988). It also debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 502,000 copies in the United States, making it Sade’s first US number-one debut, and topped music charts in several other countries. Upon its release, Soldier of Love received generally positive reviews from most music critics and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The band promoted the album with their first concert tour in ten years, Sade Live.

Bonobo – Walk in the Sky (Feat. Bajka) 4.35 (Days to Come 2006)

Simon Green (born March 30, 1976), also known by his stage name Bonobo, is a British musician, producer and DJ.

Green has recorded and performed solo DJ sets under the name Barakas, and together with Robert Luis from Tru Thoughts as Nairobi and Barakas.

Days to Come is the third album of original studio material from British musician Bonobo. It was released on 2 October 2006 on the Ninja Tune independent record label. It has been released in two versions – a standard 1 disc edition (ZENCD119) and a limited edition (ZENCD119X) with a second disc containing instrumental versions of the album’s vocal tracks. The album was voted Album of the Year in the 2006 Worldwide Awards on Gilles Peterson’s BBC Radio 1 show. The track “Ketto” was used in the commercial for the launch of the Citroen C4 Picasso in 2007.

Kid KuDi – The Sky Might Fall 3.41 (Man On The Moon: The End Of The Day 2009)

Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), better known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( /ˈkɪd ˈkʌdi/ KID KUD-ee), sometimes stylized KiD CuDi, is an American alternative hip hop recording artist, singer-songwriter, guitarist and actor. He first gained major attention after the release of his debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi. In 2009, his single “Day ‘n’ Nite” reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. “Day ‘n’ Nite” was included on Cudi’s debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day, which was later certified Gold. In 2010 he released his second studio album Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, preceded by the release of two singles “Erase Me” and “Mr. Rager”. In October 2010, Cudi announced that he would be forming a rock band with Dot da Genius tentatively called ‘Wizard’, later renamed WZRD. Their self-titled debut album will be released on February 28, 2012. Kid Cudi has sold over 4.6 million digital singles and has worked with Kanye West, Common, David Guetta and other artists signed to the GOOD Music label.

In 2009 Cudi, along with record producers Patrick “Plain Pat” Reynolds and Emile Haynie launched their record label, Dream On, in partnership with Kanye West’s GOOD Music and Universal Motown. On February 26, 2011 Cudi took to his Twitter account to announce that the label had been dissolved due to differences.

In April 2011, while performing at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom Kid Cudi announced he was launching his own label: “Wicked Awesome Records”.

Man on the Moon: The End of Day is the debut album of American rapper Kid Cudi, released September 15, 2009, on GOOD Music. A concept album, it follows the release of his first mixtape A Kid Named Cudi (2008). Production for the album took place during 2007 to 2009 and was handled by several record producers, including Cudi, Kanye West, Emile Haynie, Plain Pat, No I.D., Dot da Genius, and Jeff Bhasker, among others.

Man on the Moon: The End of Day spawned three singles–”Day ‘n’ Nite”, “Make Her Say” and “Pursuit of Happiness”–that attained chart success, including the former, which became a US platinum-certified hit single. To further promote the album, he toured with Asher Roth and Lady Gaga. Upon its release, Man on the Moon: The End of Day received positive reviews from most music critics, who praised it for its music composition and different approach to being a hip-hop record. Aside from being included on music critics list of the best albums of the year, Man on the Moon: The End of Day received three Grammy Awards nominations.

The album debuted at number four on both the US Billboard 200 and Billboard Top Rap Albums chart, selling 104,000 copies in its first week of release in the United States. It later became certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments exceeding 500,000 copies in the US. Outside of the US, the album was less commercially successful, generally peaking outside of the top fifty positions of album charts.

Jamiroquai – Blue Skies 3.51 (Rock Dust Light Star 2010)

“Blue Skies” is the second single from British alternative group Jamiroquai’s studio album, Rock Dust Light Star.[ The single was released via Digital Download on November 1, 2010. The song was written by band frontman Jay Kay and Matt Johnson. It is the band’s second single to be released under Mercury Records. The single did not receive an official physical release due to the fact it was released on the same date as the group’s album. It appears that the Jamiroquai logo typeface has been stretched vertically for this release. The video for the single was made available on the group’s YouTube account on September 25. The track peaked at #76 on the UK Singles Chart.

Elton John – Skyline Pigeon 3.53 (Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player – originally 1972 then re-issue as a bonus track in 1995)

“Skyline Pigeon” is a song by Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. It is the eighth track off his first album, Empty Sky. It was originally released in August 1968 as a single on the Pye label by Guy Darrell and simultaneously by Roger James Cooke on Columbia Records. It was also recorded by Deep Feeling, a short lived band formed by Jim Capaldi and Luther Grosvenor, in 1970.

In 1972, John re-recorded the song with his band (Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson and Davey Johnstone) during the sessions for “Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only The Piano Player.” The new recording featured piano instead of harpsichord, and strings and oboe arranged by Paul Buckmaster.

Originally issued as the B-side of the hit-single “Daniel”, it first appeared on CD in 1988 as part of the DJM issue of the “Lady Samantha” compilation album, then just a few years later in the U.S. and abroad on the 1992 Mercury release Rare Masters, and finally as a bonus track on the 1995 reissue of Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player.

Tom Baxter – Skybound 6.41 (Skybound 2007)

Tom Baxter (born Thomas Baxter Gleave, 29 October 1973) is an English singer-songwriter based in London. He was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, and grew up in Cornwall with his sister Vashti Anna, two brothers, Jo Spencer and Charlie Winston, and parents Jeff and Julie Gleave (who were regulars on the folk music circuit in the late sixties and early seventies). Tom and his siblings use their middle names as stage surnames.

After moving to London at age 19 to attend music college, he spent many years on the gig circuit before successful residencies at Bush Hall in Shepherds Bush and The Bedford in Balham brought him to the attention of record labels.

A self-titled EP was released by Sony Music through the Columbia Records label in May 2004 and included the tracks “Joanna”, “Half a Man” and “My Declaration”.

His debut album, Feather and Stone, was released by Columbia in October 2004 to critical acclaim, and was a regular on the BBC Radio 2 playlist. Singles from the album included “This Boy” and “My Declaration”. The album release was followed by a headlining UK tour. He also supported Nerina Pallot on her UK tour in January 2007.

His second album Skybound (released 7 January 2008) was recorded independently and released on the revived Charisma Records label through EMI [1] after he split with Sony in 2007. The first single, “Better”, was released in January 2008 and was subsequently used on the soundtrack for the motion picture Run Fatboy Run. “Miracle” was used in its entirety by the BBC to cover the final montage of their Olympics and Paralympics coverage. The second single was “Tell Her Today”.

Hour Two

Lily Allen – Mr Blue Sky 3.38 (It’s Not Me, It’s You 2009)

Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper (born 2 May 1985), better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist, actress and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative. Allen abandoned school and concentrated on improving her performing and compositional skills. Afterwards, she created several demo songs and, near the end of 2005, she created a profile on MySpace where she made some of her recordings public.

A contract was signed with the label Regal Recordings, as the views on MySpace rose to tens of thousands. In 2006, she began to work on completing what would be her first studio album and its first mainstream single “Smile” reached the top position on the UK Singles Chart in July 2006. Her debut record, Alright, Still, was well received on the international market, selling over 2.6 million copies and brought Allen a nomination at the Grammy Awards, BRIT Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. She then began hosting her own talk-show, Lily Allen and Friends, on BBC Three.

Her second major album release, It’s Not Me, It’s You, saw a genre shift for her, having more of an electropop feel, rather than the ska and reggae influences of the first one. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and the Australian ARIA Charts and was appreciated by the critics, noting the singer’s musical evolution and maturity. It spawned the hit singles “The Fear” and “Fuck You”, popular mostly in Europe. Allen and Amy Winehouse have been credited with starting a process that led to the media-proclaimed “year of the women” in 2009 that has seen five female artists making music of “experimentalism and fearlessness” nominated for the Mercury Prize.

During the autumn of 2010, Allen opened a fashion rental shop “Lucy in Disguise” with her sister Sarah, followed by the 2011 launching of her own record label.

The Beatles – Dear Prudence 3.56 (The White Album 1968)

“Dear Prudence” is a song written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released by The Beatles as the second track on their 1968 double-disc album entitled The Beatles, commonly known as The White Album.

The subject of the song is actress Mia Farrow’s sister, Prudence Farrow, who was present when The Beatles went to India to study with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Farrow became so serious about her meditation that she “turned into a near recluse” and “rarely came out” of the cottage she was living in. John Lennon was asked to “contact her and make sure she came out more often to socialize”. As a result, Lennon wrote the song “Dear Prudence”. In the song Lennon asks Farrow to “open up your eyes” and “see the sunny skies” reminding her that she is “part of everything”. The song was said to be “a simple plea to a friend to ‘snap out of it'”. Lennon said later that “She’d been locked in for three weeks and was trying to reach God quicker than anyone else”. According to Farrow: “I would always rush straight back to my room after lectures and meals so I could meditate. John, George and Paul would all want to sit around jamming and having a good time and I’d be flying into my room. They were all serious about what they were doing, but they just weren’t as fanatical as me”.

Lennon did play the song for Farrow while they were in India together. According to Farrow, “I was flattered. It was a beautiful thing to have done”. The lyrics of the song are simple and innocent and praise the beauty of nature in the lines: “The sun is up, the sky is blue, it’s beautiful, and so are you”.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Purple Haze 2.50 (are You Experienced? 1967)

“Purple Haze” is a song written in 1966 by Jimi Hendrix and recorded in 1967, released as the second single by The Jimi Hendrix Experience in both the United Kingdom and the United States. It later appeared on the American version of the band’s 1967 album Are You Experienced. “Purple Haze” has become one of the “archetypical psychedelic drug songs of the sixties” “Purple Haze” has been identified as possibly the first heavy metal hit and Hendrix’s virtuosic techniques would be emulated by many metal guitarists.

The single was released in the UK as Track single 604001 in March 1967; it entered the charts at number 39 and peaked at number three, spending 14 weeks in the chart. It was released in the US as Reprise single 0597 in June 1967, where it peaked at number 65, spending only eight weeks in the chart. In March 2005, Q magazine ranked “Purple Haze” at number one in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. Rolling Stone magazine placed the song at number 17 in their “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.

“I dream a lot and I put a lot of my dreams down as songs,” Hendrix said in a 1969 interview with the New Musical Express, “I wrote one called ‘First Around the Corner’ and another called ‘The Purple Haze’, which was all about a dream I had that I was walking under the sea.”

The term “purple haze” has been used to refer to LSD, due to the form sold by Sandoz, called Delysid, which came in purple capsules. The phrase itself appears in print as early as 1861, in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, chapter 54: “There was the red sun, on the low level of the shore, in a purple haze, fast deepening into black…”

Although, Hendrix himself stated that the song was partially in reference to a sci-fi story entitled “Night of Light” by Philip José Farmer. In it, “purple haze” is used to describe the disorienting effect of sunspot activity on the inhabitants of a planet called Dante’s Joy.

A common misheard lyric in the song is “excuse me while I kiss this guy”. The actual line is “excuse me while I kiss the sky”. In fact, it has even been documented that Jimi Hendrix himself perpetrated this mondegreen by actually using it as a joke while singing “Purple Haze” live in concert, particularly at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. In Cheech & Chong’s film Nice Dreams, the line is parodied as “excuse me while I kiss this fly”.

The Horrors – Endless Blue 5.15 (Skying 2010)

The Horrors are an English band formed in Southend on Sea in 2005. Their debut Strange House, was released in 2007 and reached number thirty-seven on the UK Albums Chart, their second album Primary Colours was released in 2009 and peaked at number 25 in the UK. In July 2011 The Horrors’ third album Skying was released, and reached number five in the UK album chart.

Skying is the third studio album by British band The Horrors. The album was released on 11 July 2011 in the UK and on 9 August 2011 in the US on XL recordings. Recorded by the band in their self-built London studio, it is the first record the band has produced themselves. Two months prior to the album’s release the song “Still Life” was premiered on Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 show as his ‘Hottest Record in the World’ where it was played in its entirety. This was the first track to be released from the album and the first indicator to fans of the direction the album would take.

Pink Floyd – Goodbye Blue Sky 2.48 (The Wall 1979 Disc 1)

Pink Floyd—The Wall is a 1982 British live-action/animated musical film directed by Alan Parker based on the 1979 Pink Floyd album The Wall. The screenplay was written by Pink Floyd vocalist and bassist Roger Waters. The film is highly metaphorical and is rich in symbolic imagery and sound. It features very little dialogue and is mainly driven by the music of Pink Floyd. The film contains fifteen minutes of elaborate animation sequences by the political cartoonist and illustrator Gerald Scarfe.

Lyric: In a brief prologue, birds are heard chirping peacefully. The sound of approaching bombers catches the attention of a child (voiced by a young Harry Waters), who states, “Look mummy, there’s an aeroplane up in the sky”.

The lyrics go on to describe the memory of the Blitz: Did you see the frightened ones? Did you hear the falling bombs? Did you ever wonder why we had to run for shelter when the promise of a brave new world unfurled beneath a clear blue sky?… The flames are all long gone but the pain lingers on. Goodbye, blue sky.

Alan Parsons Project – Sirius/Eye in the Sky 6.27 (Eye in the Sky 1982)

The Alan Parsons Project was a British progressive rock band, active between 1975 and 1990, consisting of singer Eric Woolfson and keyboardist Alan Parsons surrounded by a varying number of session musicians.

Behind the revolving lineup and the regular sidemen, the true core of the Project was the duo of Parsons and Woolfson. Woolfson was a lawyer by profession, but also a composer and pianist. Parsons was a successful producer and accomplished engineer. Almost all songs on the band’s albums are credited to “Woolfson/Parsons”.

Englishman Alan Parsons met Scotsman Eric Woolfson in the canteen of Abbey Road Studios in the summer of 1974. Parsons had already acted as assistant engineer on The Beatles’ Abbey Road and Let It Be, had recently engineered Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, and had produced several acts for EMI Records. Woolfson, a songwriter and composer, was working as a session pianist; he had also composed material for a concept album idea based on the work of Edgar Allan Poe.

“Eye in the Sky” is a 1982 song by the Alan Parsons Project from the album Eye in the Sky. Possibly the most successful song the group has ever had, it hit #3 on the Billboard charts in the United States in October 1982 and #6 in Canada and New Zealand. Says Parsons of the song, “…I hated the song when we first started recording it — I was quite ready to drop it altogether. Then we hit upon the hypnotic guitar chugs and it all came together.” However, it did not fare as well in the UK.

The song is in part a reference to George Orwell’s classic novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, regarding a possible future in which individual privacy is virtually non-existent due to the ever-watching eye of Big Brother. In the novel, citizens are constantly monitored by hidden video recording equipment.

It has also been noted by Eric Woolfson, the songwriter and vocalist of this song, spent a lot of time in casinos and in commercial districts, fascinated by the hidden security cameras that monitor gamblers and shoppers, hence the theme of the song. See “Eye in the Sky.”

Goldfrapp – Melancholy Sky 4.29 (Single Melancholy Sky on The Singles 2012)

Goldfrapp are an English electronic music duo, formed in 1999 in London, England, UK, consisting of Alison Goldfrapp (vocals/synthesizer) and Will Gregory (synthesizer).

Despite favourable reviews and a short-listing for the Mercury Prize, the ambient sound of their 2000 debut album Felt Mountain did not chart highly. Goldfrapp’s second album Black Cherry, which incorporated glam rock and synthpop sounds into their music, was released in 2003. The album influenced the same dance-oriented sound of their third album Supernature which took Goldfrapp’s work further into dance music, and enjoyed international chart success. It produced three number-one US dance singles, and was nominated for Best Electronic/Dance Album at the 49th Grammy Awards. Their fourth album Seventh Tree placed a greater emphasis on ambient and downtempo music, drawing inspiration from nature and Paganism, while their fifth album, Head First, found the group exploring 1980s-influenced synthpop, and brought the formation a Grammy Award-nomination for Best Electronic/Dance Album in 2010.

Some of their charting singles include “Utopia”, “Strict Machine”, “Train”, “Black Cherry”, “Number 1”, “Ride a White Horse”, “A&E”, “Happiness” and “Ooh La La” – their most successful single to date.

Aha – Minor Earth, Major Sky 5.25 (Minor Earth, Major Sky 2000)

A-ha (spelled “a-ha” in lower-case on their releases) was a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket (vocals), Magne Furuholmen (keyboards), and Pål Waaktaar (guitars). The group initially rose to fame during the mid 1980s after being discovered by musician and producer John Ratcliff and had continued global success in the 1990s and 2000s.

A-ha achieved their biggest success with their debut album, Hunting High and Low, in 1985. That album peaked at number 1 in their native Norway, number 2 in the UK and number 15 on the U.S. Billboard album chart, yielded two international number-one singles, “Take on Me” and “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.”, and earned the band a Grammy Award nomination as Best New Artist. In the UK, Hunting High and Low continued its chart success into the following year, becoming one of the best-selling albums of 1986. In 1994, after their fifth studio album, Memorial Beach which failed to achieve the commercial success of their previous albums, the band went on a hiatus.

Following a performance at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 1998, the band returned to the studio and recorded their sixth album, 2000’s Minor Earth Major Sky, which was another number-one in Norway and resulted in a new tour.

A seventh studio album, Lifelines, was released in 2002, and an eighth album, Analogue, in 2005, was certified Silver in the UK — their most successful album there since 1990’s East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Their ninth album, Foot of the Mountain, was first released on 19 June 2009 and returned the band to the UK Top 5 for the first time since 1988, being certified Silver there and Platinum in Germany. The album peaked at number 2 in Norway (their first not to reach number 1 in their home territory). On 15 October 2009, the band announced they would split after a worldwide tour in 2010, the Ending On A High Note tour. Thousands of fans from at least 40 different countries on six continents congregated to see A-ha for the last time.

The band have sold over 36 million albums and 15 million singles worldwide In less than a year, during 2010, the band earned an estimated 500 million Norwegian Kroner on touring tickets, merchandising and release of a greatest hits album, making them one of the 40-50 largest grossing bands in the world.

Morten Harket – Scared of Heights 3.22 (New single 2012 from album Out of my Hands) Ex A-Ha

Morten Harket (born 14 September 1959) is a Norwegian musician, best known as the lead singer of the Norwegian synthpop/rock band A-ha, which released nine studio albums and topped the charts in several countries after their breakthrough hit “Take on Me” in 1985. A-ha disbanded in 2010. Harket has also released four solo albums. Before joining A-ha in 1982, Harket appeared on the Oslo club scene as the singer for blues outfit Souldier Blue. In April 2012 Harket released his new solo album, Out of My Hands in both Norway and Germany.

Nelly Furtado – I’m Like a Bird 4.05  (Whoa, Nelly! 2000)

Nelly Kim Furtado (born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly! and its single “I’m Like a Bird”, which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Her second studio album, Folklore, was released. It was less commercially successful in the US but produced three international singles: “Powerless (Say What You Want)”, “Try”, and “Força” (the theme of the 2004 European Football Championship. Her third studio album, Loose was her biggest success worldwide. It produced the number-one hits “Promiscuous”, “Maneater”, “Say It Right” and “All Good Things (Come to an End)”. After a three-year break, she released her first full-length Spanish album, Mi Plan For this Furtado received the Latin Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Album. Furtado’s fourth English-language studio album, The Spirit Indestructible, is set for release on June 19, 2012.

Ben Howard – Keep Your Head Up 4.25 (Every Kingdom 2012)

Ben Howard (born 24 April 1987) is an English singer-songwriter, born in London. He moved to Totnes, Devon when he was 8 and is currently signed to Island Records and Communion Records. Howard was raised by musical parents who exposed him to several of their favourite records from singer-songwriter artists from the 1960s and 1970s including Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, by whom he was strongly influenced.

Ben Howard signed to Island Records in 2011, due to the label’s history of UK folk singers, including Nick Drake and John Martyn. After singles “Old Pine” and “The Wolves” were released in 2011, Howard recorded his debut album entitled Every Kingdom, which was released on 6 October 2011.

In 2012, Howard launched his music in America with Every Kingdom being released on 3 April 2012, and appearances at SXSW in Texas and a US tour confirmed. His song “Promise” was featured at the end of Season 8, Episode 12 of TV show House.

Ben Howard is confirmed to play at the 2012 Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. [6]. He has also been confirmed to be performing at the 2012 T in the Park music festival in Scotland, as well as Beach Break Live 2012 in South Wales. He is also confirmed to play at Splendour in the Grass 2012, no other Australian dates have been announced.

The Bible – Skywriter 4.35 (Eureka 1988)

The Bible are an English rock band. The band released two critically acclaimed albums in the mid 1980s and are best known for the independent chart hits “Graceland” and “Mahalia”. Lead singer Boo Hewerdine has also maintained a solo career since the band’s first split in 1990.

In 1985 Hewerdine and his bandmate Kevin Flanagan from earlier ensemble The Great Divide, formed The Bible, recruiting jazz drummer Tony Shepherd (who had previously drummed for Freddie Starr) and bassist Clive Lawson. The band released the mini-LP Walking the Ghost Back Home in 1986 on the independent record label, Backs Records, giving them a top-ten hit on the UK Independent Chart, staying in the chart for ten weeks. This was followed by the first release of “Graceland” as a single, which gave them a minor hit in the UK, after which Lawson was replaced by Leroy Lendor.

After follow-up single “Mahalia”, which reached number 15 on the UK Independent Chart, Flanagan left, to be replaced by Dave Larcombe, with guitarist Neil MacColl (brother of Kirsty MacColl and formerly a member of The Roaring Boys) also joining. The album was well received by music pundits, and this brought the band to the attention of Chrysalis Records. Signing to Chrysalis, “Graceland” was re-released as a single in February 1987, but only charted slightly higher than the original release. Greg Harewood joined on bass guitar, replacing temporary member Constance Redgrave.

In January 1988, the band’s second album, Eureka, was released. It peaked at number 71 on the UK Albums Chart. Two singles taken from the album failed to chart, but a re-recorded “Graceland” gave them their highest charting single, reaching number 51 in the UK in April 1989. “Honey Be Good” gave them a second hit later that year, reaching number 54. In 1989, Hewerdine decided to leave the group and pursue solo projects. The remainder of the group renamed themselves Liberty Horses.

In 1993, The Bible reformed for a tour and released the Dreamlife EP in 1994. Tracks for a new album were recorded but the band split up again before this could be released. The album was eventually released posthumously in 2000, under the name of Dodo.

In late 2011, The Bible announced that they had reformed again (with a lineup including Boo Hewerdine, Tony Shepherd and Neill MacColl) and performed two concerts (at the ABC 1/2 in Glasgow on September 29 and The Grand in Clapham, London on September 30) to promote the new Red Grape Records reissue of Walking the Ghost Back Home. The band are also apparently writing new material together.

Andrew Belle – Sky’s Still Blue 3.22 (The Ladder 2010)

Andrew Belle is an American singer-songwriter. Andrew (born Drew Fortson) is originally from Wheaton, Illinois. Andrew moved to Nashville in 2009. He is currently touring clubs and universities across the country, and is also a member of the critically acclaimed national tour Ten Out of Tenn. He has shared the stage with numerous artists including Ben Folds, Brian Vander Ark (The Verve Pipe), Greg Laswell, Barcelona (indie rock band), and Boyce Avenue (band).

Andrew released his debut EP All Those Pretty Lights in September 2008, containing songs featured in hit TV shows including CW’s “90210”, MTV’s “The Real World”, CBS’s Ghost Whisperer, and E!’s “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. His debut full-length album The Ladder was released in February 2010.

Songs from The Ladder have been featured on hit TV shows including Grey’s Anatomy and CW’s The Vampire Diaries and One Tree Hill and ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game . His song “Sky’s Still Blue” was featured in a Microsoft commercial/documentary promoting the Windows 7, Windows Live and Windows Phone 7 exosystem. It was made available as a free download from Microsoft. His songs have garnered nationwide airplay including Chicago’s WXRT, Nashville’s WRLT, Philadelphia’s WXPN, Indianapolis’s WTTS, and Los Angeles’s KCRW. Andrew was named “Best Breakout Artist, Chicago” by MTV in 2009. His music and vocal stylings draw comparisons to Coldplay, The Fray, and John Mayer. He recently announced in February 2012, that he is engaged and plans to marry in June of 2012.

Hour One Here:

http://www.mixcloud.com/roystannard/blue-skies-1-tw9y-with-roy-stannard-10512-wwwseahavenfmcom/

Hour Two Here:

http://www.mixcloud.com/roystannard/blue-skies-2-tw9y-10512-with-roy-stannard-on-wwwseahavenfmcom/