Friday 16 October 2015
Music Friday Flashback: R&B Legend Etta James Wants Diamonds, Not Flowers, in 1961's 'Tough Mary'
OCTOBER 16TH, 2015
joantaras.com
Welcome to Music Friday when we often bring you vintage songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today the spotlight shines on the legendary Etta James and her 1961 satirical romp, "Tough Mary."
In this song that tells the story of a pretty girl and the boys who try to impress her with gifts, we hear Tough Mary's sassy way of expressing her distaste for posies. James belts, "Don't bring me flowers; don't bring me the sea / Just bring me diamonds, that'll suit me fine / And I'll love you forever, and you'll be mine."
"Tough Mary" is the fifth track on James' At Last! album, a release that spawned four hits. One of those was the title song, which was to become the R&B legend's signature tune. In 2012, Rolling Stone magazine ranked At Last! #119 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Born to a teen mother in 1938, Jamesetta Hawkins never knew her father and was raised primarily by her grandparents and foster families. She received her first professional vocal training at the age of five and soon became a popular singing attraction at the St. Paul Baptist Church in South Central Los Angeles. She formed the doo-wop singing group — the Creolettes — with her friends in the early 1950s and scored her first hit single as a 15-year-old.
One year later, James was going steady with B.B. King ("The King of the Blues") and believed that King's 1960 blockbuster hit "Sweet 16" was about her.
James went on to become a headliner in the early 1960s with a string of chart-toppers, including "The Wallflower," "At Last," "Tell Mama," "Something's Got a Hold on Me," "Stormy Weather" and "I'd Rather Go Blind."
Her unmistakable voice, unique style and ability to bridge so many musical genres — such as blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel — earned James coveted spots in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Blues Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Often referred to as the "The Matriarch of R&B," James passed away in 2012, just five days shy of her 74th birthday. The world misses Etta James, but her music — and her Facebook fan page with 1 million followers — lives on.
We hope you enjoy James' performance of "Tough Mary." The video and lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...
"Tough Mary"
Written by Lorenzo Manley. Performed by Etta James.
Tough Mary, Tough Mary (Yeah, that's me)
Tough Mary is tough
The boys would come from miles around, with presents every day;
But when they'd call on Mary, this is what she'd say:
Don't bring me poses, when it's shoes I need;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
Don't bring me flowers; don't bring me the sea
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough)
Just bring me diamonds, that'll suit me fine;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
And I'll love you forever, and you'll be mine
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough!)
Well, Mary, she's a very pretty girl; I guess she was born that way;
But whenever they would tell her that, this is what she'd say:
Don't bring me poses, when it's shoes I need;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
Don't bring me flowers; don't bring me the sea
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough)
Come on and bring me some diamonds, that'll suit me fine;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
And I'll love you forever, and you'll be mine
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough!)
Tough Mary
Tough Mary
Tough Mary
Don't bring me poses, when it's shoes I need;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
Don't bring me flowers; don't bring me the sea
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough)
Come on and bring me some diamonds, that'll suit me fine;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
And I'll love you forever, and you'll be mine
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough!)
Oh, I'm tough;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
Yeah, yeah I'm tough
Credits: Facebook.com/EttaJames
In this song that tells the story of a pretty girl and the boys who try to impress her with gifts, we hear Tough Mary's sassy way of expressing her distaste for posies. James belts, "Don't bring me flowers; don't bring me the sea / Just bring me diamonds, that'll suit me fine / And I'll love you forever, and you'll be mine."
"Tough Mary" is the fifth track on James' At Last! album, a release that spawned four hits. One of those was the title song, which was to become the R&B legend's signature tune. In 2012, Rolling Stone magazine ranked At Last! #119 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Born to a teen mother in 1938, Jamesetta Hawkins never knew her father and was raised primarily by her grandparents and foster families. She received her first professional vocal training at the age of five and soon became a popular singing attraction at the St. Paul Baptist Church in South Central Los Angeles. She formed the doo-wop singing group — the Creolettes — with her friends in the early 1950s and scored her first hit single as a 15-year-old.
One year later, James was going steady with B.B. King ("The King of the Blues") and believed that King's 1960 blockbuster hit "Sweet 16" was about her.
James went on to become a headliner in the early 1960s with a string of chart-toppers, including "The Wallflower," "At Last," "Tell Mama," "Something's Got a Hold on Me," "Stormy Weather" and "I'd Rather Go Blind."
Her unmistakable voice, unique style and ability to bridge so many musical genres — such as blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel — earned James coveted spots in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Blues Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Often referred to as the "The Matriarch of R&B," James passed away in 2012, just five days shy of her 74th birthday. The world misses Etta James, but her music — and her Facebook fan page with 1 million followers — lives on.
We hope you enjoy James' performance of "Tough Mary." The video and lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...
"Tough Mary"
Written by Lorenzo Manley. Performed by Etta James.
Tough Mary, Tough Mary (Yeah, that's me)
Tough Mary is tough
The boys would come from miles around, with presents every day;
But when they'd call on Mary, this is what she'd say:
Don't bring me poses, when it's shoes I need;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
Don't bring me flowers; don't bring me the sea
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough)
Just bring me diamonds, that'll suit me fine;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
And I'll love you forever, and you'll be mine
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough!)
Well, Mary, she's a very pretty girl; I guess she was born that way;
But whenever they would tell her that, this is what she'd say:
Don't bring me poses, when it's shoes I need;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
Don't bring me flowers; don't bring me the sea
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough)
Come on and bring me some diamonds, that'll suit me fine;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
And I'll love you forever, and you'll be mine
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough!)
Tough Mary
Tough Mary
Tough Mary
Don't bring me poses, when it's shoes I need;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
Don't bring me flowers; don't bring me the sea
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough)
Come on and bring me some diamonds, that'll suit me fine;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
And I'll love you forever, and you'll be mine
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary is tough!)
Oh, I'm tough;
(Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary, Tough Mary)
Yeah, yeah I'm tough
Credits: Facebook.com/EttaJames
Friday 2 October 2015
Music Friday: Bob Seger's Girl Is 'Looking So Right in Her Diamonds and Frills' in 1978's 'Hollywood Nights'
OCTOBER 2ND, 2015
Welcome once again to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today we dig through our album vault and dust off a 1978 rock and roll classic, "Hollywood Nights" by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.
This hard-driving anthem is about a Midwestern boy who moves to the West Coast and falls head over heels for a gorgeous big city girl. Seger sings, "And those Hollywood nights / In those Hollywood Hills / She was looking so right / In her diamonds and frills."
In the end, the girl who had "been born with a face that would let her get her way" abandons our hero, leaving him brokenhearted and unsure whether to return to his simpler country lifestyle.
The Detroit native told the Detroit Free Press in 1994 that he was inspired to write the song while living 2 1/2 months in a rented house in the Hollywood Hills.
"I was driving around in the Hollywood Hills, and I started singing 'Hollywood nights/Hollywood Hills/Above all the lights/Hollywood nights.' I went back to my rented house, and there was a Time magazine with [model] Cheryl Tiegs on the cover. I said, 'Let's write a song about a guy from the Midwest who runs into someone like this and gets caught up in the whole bizarro thing.'"
Seger noted that the power behind "Hollywood Nights" comes from the use of two distinctively different drum sets playing different patterns and then dubbed over one another. Drummer David Teegarden played one pattern for the initial session, and then recorded a second pattern using different a different snare, kick-drum, hit-hat, etc.
"Hollywood Nights" became the second single from Seger's album, Stranger in Town. It reached #12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and became an instant favorite of concert-goers.
The multi-talented Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Among his many hits are "Night Moves," "Turn the Page," "Still the Same," "We've Got Tonight" and "Against the Wind." He's also credited with co-writing the Eagles' #1 hit "Heartache Tonight." In all, Seger has sold more than 50 million albums and, at 70 years old, he continues to bring his youthful energy to sold-out venues across the country.
Please check out this vintage video of Seger's live performance of "Hollywood Nights." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...
"Hollywood Nights"
Written by Bob Seger. Performed by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.
She stood there bright as the sun
On that California coast
He was a Midwestern boy on his own
She looked at him with those soft eyes
So innocent and blue
He knew right then he was too far from home
He was too far from home
She took his hand and she led him along that golden beach
They watched the waves tumble over the sand
They drove for miles and miles
Up those twisting turning roads
Higher and higher and higher they climbed
And those Hollywood nights
In those Hollywood hills
She was looking so right
In her diamonds and frills
Oh those big city nights
In those high rolling hills
Above all the lights
She had all of her skills
He'd headed west cause he felt that a change would do him good
See some old friends, good for the soul
She had been born with a face
That would let her get her way
He saw that face and he lost all control
He had lost all control
Night after night
Day after day
It went on and on
Then came that morning he woke up alone
He spent all night staring down at the lights on LA
Wondering if he could ever go home
And those Hollywood nights
In those Hollywood hills
She was looking so right
It was giving him chills
In those big city nights
In those high rolling hills
Above all the lights
With a passion that kills
In those Hollywood nights
In those Hollywood hills
She was looking so right
In her diamonds and frills
Oh those big city nights
In those high rolling hills
Above all the lights
She had all of her skills
Credits: Facebook/Bob Seger; Instagram/Bob Seger.
This hard-driving anthem is about a Midwestern boy who moves to the West Coast and falls head over heels for a gorgeous big city girl. Seger sings, "And those Hollywood nights / In those Hollywood Hills / She was looking so right / In her diamonds and frills."
In the end, the girl who had "been born with a face that would let her get her way" abandons our hero, leaving him brokenhearted and unsure whether to return to his simpler country lifestyle.
The Detroit native told the Detroit Free Press in 1994 that he was inspired to write the song while living 2 1/2 months in a rented house in the Hollywood Hills.
"I was driving around in the Hollywood Hills, and I started singing 'Hollywood nights/Hollywood Hills/Above all the lights/Hollywood nights.' I went back to my rented house, and there was a Time magazine with [model] Cheryl Tiegs on the cover. I said, 'Let's write a song about a guy from the Midwest who runs into someone like this and gets caught up in the whole bizarro thing.'"
Seger noted that the power behind "Hollywood Nights" comes from the use of two distinctively different drum sets playing different patterns and then dubbed over one another. Drummer David Teegarden played one pattern for the initial session, and then recorded a second pattern using different a different snare, kick-drum, hit-hat, etc.
"Hollywood Nights" became the second single from Seger's album, Stranger in Town. It reached #12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and became an instant favorite of concert-goers.
The multi-talented Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Among his many hits are "Night Moves," "Turn the Page," "Still the Same," "We've Got Tonight" and "Against the Wind." He's also credited with co-writing the Eagles' #1 hit "Heartache Tonight." In all, Seger has sold more than 50 million albums and, at 70 years old, he continues to bring his youthful energy to sold-out venues across the country.
Please check out this vintage video of Seger's live performance of "Hollywood Nights." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...
"Hollywood Nights"
Written by Bob Seger. Performed by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.
She stood there bright as the sun
On that California coast
He was a Midwestern boy on his own
She looked at him with those soft eyes
So innocent and blue
He knew right then he was too far from home
He was too far from home
She took his hand and she led him along that golden beach
They watched the waves tumble over the sand
They drove for miles and miles
Up those twisting turning roads
Higher and higher and higher they climbed
And those Hollywood nights
In those Hollywood hills
She was looking so right
In her diamonds and frills
Oh those big city nights
In those high rolling hills
Above all the lights
She had all of her skills
He'd headed west cause he felt that a change would do him good
See some old friends, good for the soul
She had been born with a face
That would let her get her way
He saw that face and he lost all control
He had lost all control
Night after night
Day after day
It went on and on
Then came that morning he woke up alone
He spent all night staring down at the lights on LA
Wondering if he could ever go home
And those Hollywood nights
In those Hollywood hills
She was looking so right
It was giving him chills
In those big city nights
In those high rolling hills
Above all the lights
With a passion that kills
In those Hollywood nights
In those Hollywood hills
She was looking so right
In her diamonds and frills
Oh those big city nights
In those high rolling hills
Above all the lights
She had all of her skills
Credits: Facebook/Bob Seger; Instagram/Bob Seger.
Wednesday 30 September 2015
Stunning 16.08-Carat Fancy Vivid Pink Diamond Could Bring $28M at Christie's Geneva
SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2015
A stunning 16.08-carat fancy vivid pink diamond will be touring like a "rock" star before hitting the auction block at Christie's Magnificent Jewels sale in Geneva on November 10. If the cushion-shaped diamond lives up to its billing, it could bring as much as $28 million, setting an auction record for the highest price ever paid for a pink diamond of that shape.
If spirited bidding drives the price beyond $34 million, the auction headliner will break the current per-carat auction record for any pink diamond — a record held by The Vivid Pink at $2.1 million.
Christie's emphasized the pure, strong saturation of color present in the pink diamond. While most pink diamonds exhibit a hint of secondary color — such as purple, orange, brown or grey — the stone up for auction shows no trace of another color, making it both attractive and exceptionally rare.
The auction house noted that fewer than 10 percent of pink diamonds weigh more than one-fifth of a carat. In almost 250 years of auction history, only three pure vivid pink diamonds larger than 10 carats have appeared for sale.
"As large and rare colored diamonds of this calibre become increasingly hard to locate, this 16.08 carat fancy vivid pink diamond comes to market at a time when great gems are mirroring prices achieved for masterpieces in the world of fine art," noted Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewelry. "Collectors are looking to jewels as savvy investments that are both beautiful and can appreciate considerably in value over a relatively short period of time."
The importance of the postage-stamp-size pink diamond is reflected in Christie's efforts to treat this gem like an international rock star. The stone will take off on a multi-city tour starting this weekend. Gem fans in Hong Kong will get a first glimpse of the pink diamond from October 2-4. Then, the tour moves on to New York (Oct. 16-19) and London (Oct. 26-27). The diamond will make its final appearance in Geneva from November 6-10, and it will be sold on the evening of the 10th.
Billed as the largest cushion-shaped fancy pink diamond to ever be offered at auction, the gem is set in a halo-style ring. The pink diamond is surrounded by a double row of pavé white diamonds, highlighting the main stone, with a third row of small pink diamonds underneath. The band is comprised of small white diamonds set in platinum.
The current owner purchased the stone as an investment 10 years ago, according to Christie's. The bidder who walks away with the gem on November 10 will get the naming rights.
Christie's set the pre-sale estimate at $23 million to $28 million. Despite those lofty numbers, the gem is unlikely to threaten The Graff Pink, which currently owns the record for the highest price ever paid at auction for a diamond. Laurence Graff of Graff Diamonds won the 24.78-carat emerald-cut fancy vivid pink gem at Sotheby’s Geneva for $45.6 million in 2010.
Amazingly, only one day after the Christie's auction, rival Sotheby's Geneva will be taking a crack at Graff's record when the Blue Moon hits the auction block. Sotheby's has given the 12.03-carat fancy vivid blue diamond a pre-sale estimate of $35 million to $55 million.
Image credits: Christie's, Sotheby's.
If spirited bidding drives the price beyond $34 million, the auction headliner will break the current per-carat auction record for any pink diamond — a record held by The Vivid Pink at $2.1 million.
Christie's emphasized the pure, strong saturation of color present in the pink diamond. While most pink diamonds exhibit a hint of secondary color — such as purple, orange, brown or grey — the stone up for auction shows no trace of another color, making it both attractive and exceptionally rare.
The auction house noted that fewer than 10 percent of pink diamonds weigh more than one-fifth of a carat. In almost 250 years of auction history, only three pure vivid pink diamonds larger than 10 carats have appeared for sale.
"As large and rare colored diamonds of this calibre become increasingly hard to locate, this 16.08 carat fancy vivid pink diamond comes to market at a time when great gems are mirroring prices achieved for masterpieces in the world of fine art," noted Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s International Head of Jewelry. "Collectors are looking to jewels as savvy investments that are both beautiful and can appreciate considerably in value over a relatively short period of time."
The importance of the postage-stamp-size pink diamond is reflected in Christie's efforts to treat this gem like an international rock star. The stone will take off on a multi-city tour starting this weekend. Gem fans in Hong Kong will get a first glimpse of the pink diamond from October 2-4. Then, the tour moves on to New York (Oct. 16-19) and London (Oct. 26-27). The diamond will make its final appearance in Geneva from November 6-10, and it will be sold on the evening of the 10th.
Billed as the largest cushion-shaped fancy pink diamond to ever be offered at auction, the gem is set in a halo-style ring. The pink diamond is surrounded by a double row of pavé white diamonds, highlighting the main stone, with a third row of small pink diamonds underneath. The band is comprised of small white diamonds set in platinum.
The current owner purchased the stone as an investment 10 years ago, according to Christie's. The bidder who walks away with the gem on November 10 will get the naming rights.
Christie's set the pre-sale estimate at $23 million to $28 million. Despite those lofty numbers, the gem is unlikely to threaten The Graff Pink, which currently owns the record for the highest price ever paid at auction for a diamond. Laurence Graff of Graff Diamonds won the 24.78-carat emerald-cut fancy vivid pink gem at Sotheby’s Geneva for $45.6 million in 2010.
Amazingly, only one day after the Christie's auction, rival Sotheby's Geneva will be taking a crack at Graff's record when the Blue Moon hits the auction block. Sotheby's has given the 12.03-carat fancy vivid blue diamond a pre-sale estimate of $35 million to $55 million.
Image credits: Christie's, Sotheby's.
Monday 28 September 2015
Colossal Natural Pearl Poised to Break World Record of $1.37 Million at October Auction
SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2015
In May 2014, a mammoth 17.4mm natural pearl stunned the auction world when it sold for $1.37 million, a price nearly seven times the pre-sale estimate. On October 29, Woolley & Wallis gets a chance to break its own record when it puts a 18.6mm natural pearl under the hammer at its Salisbury, England, headquarters.
The slightly off-round, button-shaped saltwater pearl — which is currently set in a diamond-encrusted chandelier pendant — is one of the largest ever to come up for auction. Although it's only slightly more than 1mm larger than the current record holder, the contender weighs substantially more — 44.30 carats vs. 33.14 carats.
The Swiss Gemmological Institute described the pearl as having "an attractive slightly cream color with rosé and green overtones." It has a very fine pearl luster and smooth surface. The pearl measures exactly 17.45mm x 18.55mm x 18.65mm.
Due to its enormous size, extreme rarity and the price paid for the current record holder, some may think Woolley & Wallis' pre-sale estimate of £500,000 - £700,000 ($760,000 - $1.06 million) is a bit conservative.
When the 17.4mm natural pearl was offered for sale last year, the auction house badly missed the mark with a pre-sale high estimate of $200,000.
There's a bit of mystery swirling around the upcoming auction headliner. As for its provenance, Woolley & Wallis could only say that the gem was from the early 20th century. No information was released about how long the current owner has possessed the pearl or from whom it was acquired. The current owner was simply identified as a "private international source," according to the Daily Mail.
The reason why a single natural pearl could be worth $1 million or more is because a gem of this type is nearly impossible to find. A natural pearl is created by a mollusk totally by chance, without human intervention.
A natural pearl forms when an irritant, such as a grain of sand, slips in between the mollusk's shell and its mantle tissue. To protect itself from the irritant, the mollusk secretes layer upon layer of nacre, which is the iridescent material that eventually produces a pearl. For a natural pearl to develop to 18mm in size would take 10 years or longer.
Cultured pearls, by comparison, are grown under controlled conditions, where a bead is implanted in the body of the mollusk to stimulate the secretion of nacre.
Images: Woolley & Wallis
The slightly off-round, button-shaped saltwater pearl — which is currently set in a diamond-encrusted chandelier pendant — is one of the largest ever to come up for auction. Although it's only slightly more than 1mm larger than the current record holder, the contender weighs substantially more — 44.30 carats vs. 33.14 carats.
The Swiss Gemmological Institute described the pearl as having "an attractive slightly cream color with rosé and green overtones." It has a very fine pearl luster and smooth surface. The pearl measures exactly 17.45mm x 18.55mm x 18.65mm.
Due to its enormous size, extreme rarity and the price paid for the current record holder, some may think Woolley & Wallis' pre-sale estimate of £500,000 - £700,000 ($760,000 - $1.06 million) is a bit conservative.
When the 17.4mm natural pearl was offered for sale last year, the auction house badly missed the mark with a pre-sale high estimate of $200,000.
There's a bit of mystery swirling around the upcoming auction headliner. As for its provenance, Woolley & Wallis could only say that the gem was from the early 20th century. No information was released about how long the current owner has possessed the pearl or from whom it was acquired. The current owner was simply identified as a "private international source," according to the Daily Mail.
The reason why a single natural pearl could be worth $1 million or more is because a gem of this type is nearly impossible to find. A natural pearl is created by a mollusk totally by chance, without human intervention.
A natural pearl forms when an irritant, such as a grain of sand, slips in between the mollusk's shell and its mantle tissue. To protect itself from the irritant, the mollusk secretes layer upon layer of nacre, which is the iridescent material that eventually produces a pearl. For a natural pearl to develop to 18mm in size would take 10 years or longer.
Cultured pearls, by comparison, are grown under controlled conditions, where a bead is implanted in the body of the mollusk to stimulate the secretion of nacre.
Images: Woolley & Wallis
Friday 25 September 2015
Music Friday: You're Shining Like a Brand New Diamond in Bon Jovi's Country Favorite, 'Summertime'
SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2015
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you sensational songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Even though fall officially arrived on Wednesday, we're going to do our best to keep the summer alive with a fun song from Bon Jovi's 2007 chart-topping Lost Highway album.
It's called "Summertime" and includes this line... "I keep a postcard in the back of my mind / White sand, sunshine / And you shining like a brand new diamond."
Written by lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, lead guitarist Richie Sambora and producer John Shanks, "Summertime" blends the best elements of rock and country music to create a fun, sing-along experience that's sure to have Bon Jovi fans dancing in the aisles.
In the song, Bon Jovi describes how his girlfriend makes him feel like summertime. He reminisces about warm breezes, lazy days, beach blankets, a bottle of wine and his girlfriend shining in the sunshine like a brand new diamond.
"Like a first slow dance and a first long kiss," he concludes, "there ain't nothing, baby, better then this."
Lost Highway was described by Bon Jovi as an "album influenced by Nashville." The group's calculated maneuver into the country genre paid off big time as the album made its debut at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. It was the group's first album to debut at #1 and was so well received that it went on to be nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards and sold more than four million copies worldwide.
John Francis Bongiovi, Jr., was born in New Jersey in 1962. A blood relative of Frank Sinatra, the young Bon Jovi spent much of his youth skipping school to pursue musical activities. By the time he was 16, he was already playing in New Jersey clubs. A year later, while sweeping floors at his cousin Tony Bongiovi's recording studio, Bon Jovi got the opportunity to sing on a Star Wars Christmas album. His first official credit was on a song called "R2-D2 We Wish You A Merry Christmas."
By 1983, Bon Jovi had formed the group that bears his name. Over the past 30-plus years, the group has sold more than 100 million records and performed more than 2,700 concerts in 50 countries. Bon Jovi and Sambora were inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009.
We hope you enjoy the video of Bon Jovi's live performance of "Summertime." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...
"Summertime"
Written by Richie Sambora, John Shanks and Jon Bon Jovi. Performed by Bon Jovi.
Feels something like summertime
Top down and nothin' but time
Radio's on and your by my side
Feels something like summertime
These days life goes like this
Wake up, check that off of some list
Gotta be a little something more than this
The bottom of my coffee cup
I keep a postcard in the back of my mind
White sand, sunshine
And you shining like a brand new diamond
It's keeping me for giving up
Thinking like I had enough
You make me feel something like summertime
Top down ain't nothing but time
Radio's on and you're by my side
Feels something like summertime
Like a first slow dance and a first long kiss
There ain't nothing, baby, better then this
It's like a beach blanket and a bottle of wine
It feels something like summertime
Summertime
I was a warm breeze with a cool tan
Life mapped out on the back of my hand
When I was laughing I was making plans
But I didn't laugh when I found you
Theres a heaven baby your the proof
You make me feel something like summertime
Top down ain't nothing but time
Radio's on and you're by my side
Feels something like summertime
Like a first slow dance and a first long kiss
There ain't nothing, baby, better then this
It's like a beach blanket and a bottle of wine
It feels something like summertime
(Sum-summer-summertime)
Feel something like summertime
Top down ain't nothing but time
Radio's on for me and my valentine
It's like that first slow dance and that first long kiss
There ain't nothing baby better then this
It's like a beach blanket and a bottle of wine (Yeah)
Feels something like summertime
Top down ain't nothing but time
Radio's on and you're by my side,
Feels something like summertime
Just like summer time
(Sum-sum-summertime)
Something like summertime
Image: Facebook/BonJovi
It's called "Summertime" and includes this line... "I keep a postcard in the back of my mind / White sand, sunshine / And you shining like a brand new diamond."
Written by lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, lead guitarist Richie Sambora and producer John Shanks, "Summertime" blends the best elements of rock and country music to create a fun, sing-along experience that's sure to have Bon Jovi fans dancing in the aisles.
In the song, Bon Jovi describes how his girlfriend makes him feel like summertime. He reminisces about warm breezes, lazy days, beach blankets, a bottle of wine and his girlfriend shining in the sunshine like a brand new diamond.
"Like a first slow dance and a first long kiss," he concludes, "there ain't nothing, baby, better then this."
Lost Highway was described by Bon Jovi as an "album influenced by Nashville." The group's calculated maneuver into the country genre paid off big time as the album made its debut at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. It was the group's first album to debut at #1 and was so well received that it went on to be nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards and sold more than four million copies worldwide.
John Francis Bongiovi, Jr., was born in New Jersey in 1962. A blood relative of Frank Sinatra, the young Bon Jovi spent much of his youth skipping school to pursue musical activities. By the time he was 16, he was already playing in New Jersey clubs. A year later, while sweeping floors at his cousin Tony Bongiovi's recording studio, Bon Jovi got the opportunity to sing on a Star Wars Christmas album. His first official credit was on a song called "R2-D2 We Wish You A Merry Christmas."
By 1983, Bon Jovi had formed the group that bears his name. Over the past 30-plus years, the group has sold more than 100 million records and performed more than 2,700 concerts in 50 countries. Bon Jovi and Sambora were inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009.
We hope you enjoy the video of Bon Jovi's live performance of "Summertime." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...
"Summertime"
Written by Richie Sambora, John Shanks and Jon Bon Jovi. Performed by Bon Jovi.
Feels something like summertime
Top down and nothin' but time
Radio's on and your by my side
Feels something like summertime
These days life goes like this
Wake up, check that off of some list
Gotta be a little something more than this
The bottom of my coffee cup
I keep a postcard in the back of my mind
White sand, sunshine
And you shining like a brand new diamond
It's keeping me for giving up
Thinking like I had enough
You make me feel something like summertime
Top down ain't nothing but time
Radio's on and you're by my side
Feels something like summertime
Like a first slow dance and a first long kiss
There ain't nothing, baby, better then this
It's like a beach blanket and a bottle of wine
It feels something like summertime
Summertime
I was a warm breeze with a cool tan
Life mapped out on the back of my hand
When I was laughing I was making plans
But I didn't laugh when I found you
Theres a heaven baby your the proof
You make me feel something like summertime
Top down ain't nothing but time
Radio's on and you're by my side
Feels something like summertime
Like a first slow dance and a first long kiss
There ain't nothing, baby, better then this
It's like a beach blanket and a bottle of wine
It feels something like summertime
(Sum-summer-summertime)
Feel something like summertime
Top down ain't nothing but time
Radio's on for me and my valentine
It's like that first slow dance and that first long kiss
There ain't nothing baby better then this
It's like a beach blanket and a bottle of wine (Yeah)
Feels something like summertime
Top down ain't nothing but time
Radio's on and you're by my side,
Feels something like summertime
Just like summer time
(Sum-sum-summertime)
Something like summertime
Image: Facebook/BonJovi
Monday 21 September 2015
Flawless Blue Moon Diamond Expected to Break Two Pricing Records at Sotheby's Geneva This November
SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2015
Watch out, Graff Pink and Zoe! The 12.03-carat Blue Moon is looking to break your pricing records at Sotheby's Geneva on November 11. Sotheby's believes the internally flawless, fancy vivid blue diamond could sell for as much as $55 million, or $4.57 million per carat, when it hits the auction block at the Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale.
With Sotheby's pre-sale estimate set at $35 million to $55 million, it looks like the cushion-cut Blue Moon has a strong chance to make auction history. If the diamond sells for more than $40 million, it will break a record for the highest price ever paid per carat, which currently stands at $3.3 million.
If it exceeds the $46 million mark, it will break a second record for the highest price ever paid for any diamond of any color.
The current price-per-carat record holder is The Zoe Diamond, a 9.75-carat internally flawless vivid blue gem that was once part of the estate of Rachel "Bunny" Mellon. Back in November of 2014, a private collector from Hong Kong outbid seven suitors at Sotheby's New York to snatch the coveted diamond.
The Graff Pink currently owns the record for the highest price ever paid at auction for a diamond. Laurence Graff of Graff Diamonds won the 24.68-carat beauty at Sotheby's Geneva in 2010.
Among the largest known fancy vivid blue diamonds, the Blue Moon demonstrates the highest possible color grading for blue diamonds. Its name is a subtle reference to how often these extraordinary diamonds come along, as in “once in a blue moon.”
A GIA Monograph grading report described the hue of the diamond as “likely to have never before been seen within such a large diamond, or any gemstone.”
"The Blue Moon diamond is a simply sensational stone of perfect color and purity," David Bennett, worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s International Jewelry Division, said in a statement. “Blue, for me, is the most mysterious and magical of all the colors of diamond, and the Blue Moon will now take its place among the most famous gems in the world.”
Blue diamonds get their color from trace amounts of boron in their chemical makeup. Colorless diamonds, by comparison, are pure carbon with no trace elements.
Unearthed in January by Petra Diamonds Ltd. at its legendary Cullinan mine in South Africa, the 29.6-carat rough was heralded at the time as “one of the most important blue diamonds ever recovered” by Petra chief executive Johan Dippenaar. In February, luxury jeweler Cora International purchased the rough gem for $25.6 million. Six months later, the company unveiled its 12.03-carat internally flawless cushion-cut blue masterpiece.
Credits: sothebys.com; video captures via corainternational.com; graffdiamonds.com.
With Sotheby's pre-sale estimate set at $35 million to $55 million, it looks like the cushion-cut Blue Moon has a strong chance to make auction history. If the diamond sells for more than $40 million, it will break a record for the highest price ever paid per carat, which currently stands at $3.3 million.
If it exceeds the $46 million mark, it will break a second record for the highest price ever paid for any diamond of any color.
The current price-per-carat record holder is The Zoe Diamond, a 9.75-carat internally flawless vivid blue gem that was once part of the estate of Rachel "Bunny" Mellon. Back in November of 2014, a private collector from Hong Kong outbid seven suitors at Sotheby's New York to snatch the coveted diamond.
The Graff Pink currently owns the record for the highest price ever paid at auction for a diamond. Laurence Graff of Graff Diamonds won the 24.68-carat beauty at Sotheby's Geneva in 2010.
Among the largest known fancy vivid blue diamonds, the Blue Moon demonstrates the highest possible color grading for blue diamonds. Its name is a subtle reference to how often these extraordinary diamonds come along, as in “once in a blue moon.”
A GIA Monograph grading report described the hue of the diamond as “likely to have never before been seen within such a large diamond, or any gemstone.”
"The Blue Moon diamond is a simply sensational stone of perfect color and purity," David Bennett, worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s International Jewelry Division, said in a statement. “Blue, for me, is the most mysterious and magical of all the colors of diamond, and the Blue Moon will now take its place among the most famous gems in the world.”
Blue diamonds get their color from trace amounts of boron in their chemical makeup. Colorless diamonds, by comparison, are pure carbon with no trace elements.
Unearthed in January by Petra Diamonds Ltd. at its legendary Cullinan mine in South Africa, the 29.6-carat rough was heralded at the time as “one of the most important blue diamonds ever recovered” by Petra chief executive Johan Dippenaar. In February, luxury jeweler Cora International purchased the rough gem for $25.6 million. Six months later, the company unveiled its 12.03-carat internally flawless cushion-cut blue masterpiece.
Credits: sothebys.com; video captures via corainternational.com; graffdiamonds.com.
Friday 18 September 2015
Music Friday: Peggy Lee Wants a 'Ring, Ringa-Linga' in 1954's 'Kismet' Show Tune 'Baubles, Bangles & Beads'
SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2015
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today's nostalgic magic carpet ride down Memory Lane finds Peggy Lee singing "Baubles, Bangles & Beads" — a popular tune from 1954's Tony Award-winning production of Kismet.
Set in the year 1071, the story tells how a poor, but clever, street poet named Hajj follows his "Kismet" — his "Fate" — and rises to become the Emir of Bagdad, while his beautiful daughter Marsinah falls in love with the handsome, young Caliph. In a final triumph, Hajj goes off at the final curtain with one of the Baghdad's greatest beauties.
The Broadway success of "Baubles, Bangles & Beads" inspired a number of top singers of the day to prospect for Kismet gold — as in gold records. Four artists — including Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra — recorded the song in 1954.
In Lee's version, she sings about how jingly gifts can sometimes lead to an engagement ring: "Some day he may buy me a ring, ringa-linga / I've heard that's where it leads / Wearin' baubles, bangles, and beads."
The Sinatra version is slightly different to accommodate the gender difference. He sings, "Some day I may buy her a ring, ringa-linga."
Lee is credited with the best-selling version of the song, and over the years it has been covered by no fewer than 40 artists. The Who's Who list includes Liza Minnelli, Julie Andrews, Benny Goodman, Johnny Mathis, Mel Torme, Sara Vaughan and Dionne Warwick.
Kismet opened on Broadway in 1953 and won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1954. It was also successful in London's West End and has earned several revivals. A film version was released by MGM in 1955.
Lee had a successful career that spanned six decades. She was a singer, songwriter, composer and actress. She won three Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999. She died three years later at the age of 81.
The video of Lee's live performance of "Baubles, Bangles & Beads" was shot in Sweden in 1964 (the video quality is rough, but the audio is excellent). As a bonus, we're also posting Sinatra's version. Enjoy!
"Baubles, Bangles & Beads"
Written by Robert Wright and George Forrest. Performed by Peggy Lee.
Baubles, bangles, hear how they jing, jinga-linga
Baubles, bangles, bright shiny beads
Sparkles, spangles, my heart will sing, singa-linga
Wearin' baubles, bangles and beads
I'm just a glitter and gleam so
Make somebody dream so that
Some day he may buy me a ring, ringa-linga
I've heard that's where it leads
Wearin' baubles, bangles, and beads
Baubles, bangles, hear how they jing, jinga-linga
Baubles, bangles, bright, shiny beads
Sparkles, spangles, my heart will sing, singa-linga
Wearin' baubles, bangles, and beads
I'm just glitter and gleam so
Make somebody dream so that
Some day he may, buy me a ring, ringa-linga
I've heard that that's where it leads
Wearin' baubles and bangles, sparkles, spangles
Loads and loads of baubles, just give me those bangles
I gotta have sparkels, bangles and beads
Peggy Lee's version
Frank Sinatra's version
Credit: Peggy Lee publicity photo.
Set in the year 1071, the story tells how a poor, but clever, street poet named Hajj follows his "Kismet" — his "Fate" — and rises to become the Emir of Bagdad, while his beautiful daughter Marsinah falls in love with the handsome, young Caliph. In a final triumph, Hajj goes off at the final curtain with one of the Baghdad's greatest beauties.
The Broadway success of "Baubles, Bangles & Beads" inspired a number of top singers of the day to prospect for Kismet gold — as in gold records. Four artists — including Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra — recorded the song in 1954.
In Lee's version, she sings about how jingly gifts can sometimes lead to an engagement ring: "Some day he may buy me a ring, ringa-linga / I've heard that's where it leads / Wearin' baubles, bangles, and beads."
The Sinatra version is slightly different to accommodate the gender difference. He sings, "Some day I may buy her a ring, ringa-linga."
Lee is credited with the best-selling version of the song, and over the years it has been covered by no fewer than 40 artists. The Who's Who list includes Liza Minnelli, Julie Andrews, Benny Goodman, Johnny Mathis, Mel Torme, Sara Vaughan and Dionne Warwick.
Kismet opened on Broadway in 1953 and won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1954. It was also successful in London's West End and has earned several revivals. A film version was released by MGM in 1955.
Lee had a successful career that spanned six decades. She was a singer, songwriter, composer and actress. She won three Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1999. She died three years later at the age of 81.
The video of Lee's live performance of "Baubles, Bangles & Beads" was shot in Sweden in 1964 (the video quality is rough, but the audio is excellent). As a bonus, we're also posting Sinatra's version. Enjoy!
"Baubles, Bangles & Beads"
Written by Robert Wright and George Forrest. Performed by Peggy Lee.
Baubles, bangles, hear how they jing, jinga-linga
Baubles, bangles, bright shiny beads
Sparkles, spangles, my heart will sing, singa-linga
Wearin' baubles, bangles and beads
I'm just a glitter and gleam so
Make somebody dream so that
Some day he may buy me a ring, ringa-linga
I've heard that's where it leads
Wearin' baubles, bangles, and beads
Baubles, bangles, hear how they jing, jinga-linga
Baubles, bangles, bright, shiny beads
Sparkles, spangles, my heart will sing, singa-linga
Wearin' baubles, bangles, and beads
I'm just glitter and gleam so
Make somebody dream so that
Some day he may, buy me a ring, ringa-linga
I've heard that that's where it leads
Wearin' baubles and bangles, sparkles, spangles
Loads and loads of baubles, just give me those bangles
I gotta have sparkels, bangles and beads
Peggy Lee's version
Frank Sinatra's version
Credit: Peggy Lee publicity photo.
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