Closer To Your Heart

I probably have played this song a hundred times already this week.

FM sure wrote great tunes. Too bad they are not well-promoted as fellow Brit Def Leppard.

I can only write the chorus, there is no lyrics for such an old and unpopular B-sides-only song...


"Tell me what it takes girl
Help me to get closer
To your heart..."


I can never get enough of this song.

One On One

I am currently crazy about Hall & Oates song, ever since I ignorantly heard it years ago, and actually stumbled upon again just a few days ago.

This is one of a few song that you need to close your eyes and just feel the music.

Here is the live version, way back in 1983. Apparently there's lots.

Enjoy!

Melody

Stumbled upon this ballad just last night.

To my wife, listen to this, for this is for you.

Emotion

Kiranya ku diberi
Sehari bersamamu
Kan ku buka kembali hatimu
Kiranya ku diam
Tak meninggalkan dirimu sendiri
Tak mungkinkan begini
Menyesali kesalahanku
Yang menurut perasaan selalu

Kau di dalam emosi ini
Dan perasaan ku seolah tak mengerti
Kau di dalam emosi ini
Terpanggil menangis ku mengenangkan mu
Kiranya ku kembali
Sambutlah diriku
Peluklah daku
Ampunilah diri

Kiranya ku diberi
Mencari kepastian
Ku berdoa, engkau bersama ku
Menanti selalu
Kau umpama teman yg ku cari
Tak mungkin kan begini
Menyesali kesalahanku
Dan menurut perasaan selalu

FM - Frozen Heart

Everybody thinks they know the right way
We were just the same
So how did we choose the wrong way
Can you tell me who's to blame
And everyone's saying that you changed me
I won't admit it's true
Telling me
I'm telling you

Things just haven't been the same girl
But I'm dealing with the pain
Everybody says you're not the only one
I couldn't face it all again
Telling me
I'm telling you

You left me with a frozen heart
Will I ever be the same girl
You left me with a frozen heart
A frozen heart

You could have been a little more discreet girl
But not even love's that blind
Always trying not to listen to the they say
It's getting harder all the time
They're telling me
I'm telling you

You left me with a frozen heart
Will I ever be the same girl
You left me with a frozen heart
Got no more left
No more left to feel girl
You left me with a frozen heart
Oh babe
Frozen heart

I know you're gone
You won't be back
I'm left here with this frozen heart
There's no way out
No place to go
I can't find the strength to carry on
I just can't carry on

You left me with a frozen heart
Will I ever be the same girl
You left me with a frozen heart
You left me with a frozen heart
Left me with a frozen heart
You left me with a frozen heart
And it's never gonna be the same
Never be the same again now baby
You left me with a frozen heart
Got no more left
No more left to feel girl
You left me with a frozen heart
Frozen heart


PS: This is a breaking-up song, albeit with more of a soothing-the-heart than breaking-the-heart feel, that it almost felt jovial. Just see the video and see Steve Overland's smile at second chorus. And my oh my, his vocals seems so sexy!
PS2: Find "FM Frozen Heart" at http://www.youtube.com, choose the Not-Original version, and take a listen.

Notable Singers

Some singers that I noted for the past 5 years, and is worth a listen to are as below. And I don't usually listen to female singers lately, hence the singular candidate.

Tina Arena
Here is a somewhat raspy but soulful female singer. She was probably the one singer that resembles Siti Nurhaliza of Malaysia, and all Siti's vocal tricks are seemingly from her too. And why? Listen to Heaven Help My Heart, and there's some evidence of Siti here and there. And she did hers way earlier.
Notable songs:

• Heaven Help My Heart
• Be A Man
• Love Is The Answer

Steve Overland
I have never heard any other male vocalist that has a sexier voice than FM vocalist "Stiv". And I'm not talking lyrically. He has a voice that makes your hair stands on ends. And you want to listen to that same song for ten times, and it awes you more and more. And Frozen Heart can easily be the sexiest ballad of the '80s.
Notable songs

• Heart Of The Matter
• Frozen Heart
  
• Crying In The Dark

Steve Perry
Simply the legendary Journey vocalist. He popularizes the "rock falsetto" singing. It's simply using the falsetto voice to hit the high notes, but with a rock edge. And everybody else copies him afterwards. Quite a pioneer I would say.
Notable songs:

• Hopelessly In Love
• Don't Stop Believing
• Foolist Heart
  

Joseph Williams
The legendary Toto vocalist. He not only has a soulful voice, but a rocking voice too, to match the music played. And his live stint with Toto in 1987 are hair-raising, especially Till The End and Could This Be Love.
Notable song:

• Till The End
• Stop Loving You
• Pamela
  

My School Song

My primary school song (1984-1989)

Abadi sekolah dibina
Buktikan taat setia
Menuntut ilmu plajaran
majulah kehadapan

Hormat pada guru semua
Bersama ibu dan bapa
Kekallah dan dipelihara
Amanlah dan bahagia

Majulah sekolah kita
Berikan setinggi mulia
Hishamuddin sekolah kita
Majulah maju bersama

My version (until I know the real lyrics, circa 1988)

Abadi sekolah dibina
Mustika saat setia
Menonton ilmu plajaran
Majulah kehadapan

Hormat pada guru sama
Bersama ibu dan bapa
Sekarang dah tinggi hala
Amanlah dan bahagia

Majulah sekolah kita
Berikan sedikit mulia
Hishamuddin sekolah kita
Majulah maju bersama


PS: Felt so retro lately...

Music To My Ears Too

My current, and usual, play list is, and why:

Hard Rockers

Journey -

• Majestic (the guitars rules!)
• Too Late (the intro guitar-piano duel, the guitar solo, and the soaring vocals)
  
• Lovin' You Is Easy (the ultimate jazz-rock drumming, the guitars and a perfect rock vocals)

L.A. Guns -

• One More Reason (the guitars and bass combo at intro, and powerhouse drumming)
  

Lynch Mob -

• Sweet Sister Mercy (the jammability(?) and the guitars)

Poppers

Joseph Williams -

• Make Some Time (Alternative Version) (the hihat play, and the vocals)
  
• When You Look In My Eyes (the almost singable vocals, almostttt)
• One More Chance (dreamy ballad, where Joseph rules)
  

Toto -

• Till The End (Live Vienna 1987) (the intro soundtrack, the fast tempo, and Joseph Williams!)
• Could This Be Love (Live Vienna 1987) (the powerhouse backing vocals, and the soaring vocals of Joseph yet again)
  

Steely Dan -

• Aja (the drums, and the overall melody and classic feel)

FM -

• Heart Of The Matter (Live 1989) (Chris' stinging Scorpions-like guitars, the keyboards, and the soaring Steve Overland vocals)
• Everytime I Think Of You (Live 1989) (almost perfect ballad, and the vocals still rules)
  

Jay Graydon -

• Walk The Wire (Live) (the keys, and the vocal duo of Bill Champlin and Joseph Williams!)
  

Jazz

Jim Horn -

• Rio Sunrise (the Jeff Porcaro drumming, and the overall sunrise atmosphere)
  

Steve Gadd -

• Brick Lane (the ultimate paradiddle drumming)
• Gadd Groove (the ultimate drum solo, or is it?)
  

PS: So much of Joseph this time around eh?!

Joseph Williams - Make Some Time (Alternative Version)

Oh here I go
I fell in love
Baby maybe I'm wrong
But I can't get enough of you

One night of love
To me it was ecstasy
How can this be

So I'm on my way
But which way do I go
Baby it happens so fast
I just don't know

One night with you
And you got me hanging there
I just can't see

I should know it takes time
For passion
I should know it takes time
For love to come into your heart
I know it will


PS: I love Mark Towner Williams' hi-hat play in this version of the song.

Joseph Williams - One More Chance

Now I can see the lie
Written on your face and only for my eyes
Now have we gone too far
For a rescue of the heart to carry on

One more chance
Is all I ask
One more chance is all we get
To make it last

Soft are the arms of pain
You will never know the difference if I don't say
Love take these open arms
If you let me I'll never do you harm


PS: Joseph William should have been a star with this 1982 album

Music To My Ears

My current, and usual, play list is, and why:

Hard Rockers

Journey -

• City Of The Angels (simplistic excellence)
• Stone In Love (the rhythm section at epilogue)
  
• Hopelessly In Love (a perfect song for me)
  

Def Leppard -

• Don't Shoot Shotgun (the ensemble at pre-chorus)
  
• Comin' Under Fire (the drums, Steve Clark's licks, and the arpeggio)
  
• Action Not Words (the drums and Steve Clark's licks)
  

Lynch Mob -

• Sweet Sister Mercy (the chorus and guitars)
  
• For A Million Years (the intro guitar)
  

Poppers

Joseph Williams

• I'd Rather Dance By Myself (still so melodic)
  
• Pretty Face (I'm so in love with the vocals)
  

Metalers

Forbidden -

• March Into Fire (the intergalactic riff)
  
• Off The Edge (the fast chord progression)
  

Mercyful Fate -

• Curse Of The Pharaohs (the guitars)
  
• Evil (the guitars)
  
• Nightmare (the bass and guitars)
  

Self Composed

Cruwy -

• Kali Pertama (a melodic ballad composition by the ever popular MRMR)
  

Aduh Muzaffar

Muzaffar loves Mawi so much. He loves the song Aduh Saliha too much. And that's the problem.

He kept asking us to repeat that particular song everytime we are using the Wira.

Imagine going to USJ or Seremban with the same song playing. Sure gets on your nerve after quite a while, and I soon felt like singing it myself.

Now imagine going to Kuantan for a holiday. It was repeated 11 times before Muzaffar lets the music flows. And I dare not touch any button, so I just let Mawi do his thing. I am lucky if he sings the other seven tracks in the CD. So relieving.

Since I have never stopped at Kuantan before, I plan to visit Kuantan as much for this two days holiday.

Other people joining includes my love, my son, my sister and my sister in-law.

Def Leppard - Action Not Words

I'm sick and tired of the damn TV
I'm gonna make my own movie
I wanna star in a late night show
And all I need is my video

Shock me! Make it electric!
Shock me! Make it last

Curtain up let the camera roll
It's automatic it's in control
Got no script baby, ain't no lines
Just me and you and a real good time

Oh Shock me! Make it electric
Shock me! Make it last
Shock me! Gimme thunder'n'lightning
Shock me! Ooh babe I need it fast

Cause All I want is some
Action, Action, Action, not words
Gimme Action, Action, Action not words

C'mon and shock me, Let the cameras roll!

Oh! I'll be the hero, you be the star
With your wine and your caviar
No audition, a starring roll
I'll be your Bogart 'n' you be Monroe yeah

Shock me! Make it electric
Shock me! Oh bump and grind
Shock me! Make a night to remember
Shock me! Do it one more time

So cut me in on the action

Lights, camera, sound, I need action!


PS: Words fail to describe why I'm so in love with the Steve Clark solos and fills in this song.

Been Listening To...

My playlist :-

1. Forbidden's album Forbidden Evil
   
2. Lynch Mob's album Wicked Sensation
   
3. Def Leppard's albums On Through The Night and Pyromania
   
4. L.A. Guns's album L.A. Guns
   
5. Anuar Zain's song Sesucinya Cintamu (hihi)

PS: Number 5 is so out of place...

Anuar Zain - Sesucinya Cintamu

Dapat ku membayangkan
Dari senyum bibirmu itu
Terlindung dari nyata
Aku tahu semua
Terucap kata-kata
Bisikan seluhur hatimu
Ku percaya jua
Sesucinya cintamu

Kukagumi sinar
Matamu yang ayu
Bundarnya... Cantiknya...
Wajahmu sayang penyejuk rasa
Selembut hatimu
Menjadi ku bertambah sayang

Senangnya hati kini
Sejak bersamamu
Bertemu dan bermesra
Sering menghibur duka
Biar masa berlalu
Kasih sayang dipahatkan
Ku percaya suci cintamu


PS: Muzaffar's crazy with this song, especially when he saw the glamorous 3 year old girl tries to imitate Anuar Zain.

Joseph Williams - When You Look In My Eyes

Thought I was doing love
Thought it was over
Didn't need what I needed before

The never ending story
Had an ending after all
And it hurts you when you fall

Guess I didn't believe enough
Didn't think it could happen
I gave up on myself long ago

Love had me believing
Then it turns and close the door
I couldn't trust it anymore

I'm beginning to doubt my doubts
And I'm losing faith in my faithlessness
All the grey above is clearing become blue skies
When you look in my eyes

But here in reality
It gets so confusing
Why our own habit's hard to break

My hearts afraid of losing
So i havent played the game
It always seem to end the same

I'm beginning to feel again
And I'm losing what's left of my thoughtlessness
The sun has begun to come out in my life
When you look in my eyes

You gave me something more
It's like I never loved before


PS Beautiful vocals, beautiful lyrics, beautiful piano, it needs to be heard. Heard it countless times and typed it myself. No such lyrics on the Net.

Joseph Williams - What Is She Hiding

It's not too often that I see her
So many girls would like to be her
She's so easy to imagine with my eyes closed

There's such a mystery about her
She doesn't give me time to doubt her
Come to think of it she don't give me anything

What is she hiding in her heart
Keeping from everyone else
Will she let me into her heart
If she's never been there herself

She told me beauty doesn't matter
Although without it she'd be sadder
I guess that only goes to show the grass is greener

You got a heart why don't you show it
Baby you don't even know it
Let me in there for a minute and i'll show you


PS: I actually listen thoroughly to the song, and write the lyrics myself. Can't find it on the Net.