Not as bad as some, but a little tricky, U sets a challenge. This is the second post in this series for today, as I am coming close to the end now. At least I had a top pick in mind from the start. Please play along; any group, song, album, or singer, as long as the name begins with ‘U’.
Big ballad, powerful voice, and a song about lost love, from a strong female vocalist. That ticks all my boxes, and this song from Toni Braxton is just great too.
Un-Break My Heart
Released in the UK in 1952, the same year I was born, this song has endured throughout my whole life, with many versions and covers of the original bringing new audiences at least once a decade. This is the original though, with the incomparable tones of Nat King Cole.
Unforgettable
Aretha Franklin is one of the great soul singers of all time. Her back catalogue of songs is huge, and she has been popular for more than fifty years, since signing her first recording contract in 1967. Rightly known as The Queen of Soul, she is famous for both ballads, and more up-tempo songs. Over the years, she has collaborated with many other famous singers, and also appeared in two feature films. This quiet love song has always been my favourite though, and I waited for ‘U’ to use it.
Until You Come Back To Me
British band Squeeze have a distinctive London sound. They were hugely popular here, with their songs about everyday life, great guitar work, and the distinctive vocals of Glenn Tillbrook. Over the years, they have split, then reformed, and changed some of the line-up too. They still continue to tour, with the original singers and guitarists, Difford and Tillbrook. Their big hits showed a talent for musical construction, interesting and often meaningful lyrics, and a sense of time and place too. Here’s a good one from 1979, when Jools Holland still played keyboards.
Up The Junction
An up to date entry for a change. From the talented arranger and producer Mark Ronson, and the vocal talents of the likeable Bruno Mars. A huge hit from 2014, and a real toe-tapper. Sassy video too.
Uptown Funk
Utah Saints are a British electro-pop band. They specialise in sampling, mixing, and DJ work, delivering driving beats well-suited to the Dance and Rave scene. Not really the sort of thing you might expect to find here, I agree. However, this video is great fun, and I always enjoy seeing it.
Something Good.
Always going to be my top pick, and featured many times on this blog. And why not? Massive Attack are a powerhouse of overwhelming songs and music, and they have sold millions of records. In 1991, they released the album ‘Blue Lines’, hailed as one of the best albums of all time. And it featured this orchestral wonder, a wall of sound, behind the flawless vocals of Shara Nelson. Drift away, on this modern masterpiece.
Unfinished Sympathy
“Ugly Man” by Rickie Lee Jones, “”umbrella” by Rihanna, “until It Sleeps” by Metallica “Use to Love Her” by Guns N Roses and “Up The Pool” by Jethro Tull….okay next…chuq
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Always happy to see Rickie Lee featured, chuq.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I cannot take a couple days away…it is hard work trying to catch up…LOL chuq
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Don’t feel any pressure, chuq. I know you are there!
Best wishes, Pete.
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But it is fun…trying to make up for lost time keeps the brain in high gear….chuq
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This whole list is great, that Utah Saints video is just great!! 🙂 Nat King Cole, Aretha Franklin, Squeeze, Massive Attack, these are all excellent.
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Thanks, Robert. One of my favourite letters! Glad you liked the Utah Saints video. I love it. Like a short comedy film. The music is pretty much irrelevant, and I only included this for the clip.
Best wishes, pete.
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Oh, great choice!
My heart is with Cindy Bruchman – U2!
And I add the German Band Unheilig (unholy) and don`t forget Uriah Heep!
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How could I forget Uriah Heep, Irene! You are all welcome to U2, not my thing.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Another shower another thought. “Up,Up, and Away.” Then the “we’re not a cult” Up With People.
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Thanks, Elizabeth. I had forgotten about ‘Up Up and Away’. Huge at the time.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Love Unbreak my Heart. Under the Bridge is a fantastic song too.
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That’s my favourite song by the RHCP, V.
Cheers, Pete.
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It always sticks in my head.
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Yes, Unforgettable is wonderful. I will also add ‘Unchained Melody’ (even though I already mentioned it for the Righteous Brothers under R!)
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A cheeky ‘double mention’ is always worth sneaking in, Susanne! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Has anyone come up with “Unbreak My Heart” yet? I had Unforgettable and Under Pressure, but I see them mentioned – this was all I had left.
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Un-Break My Heart was the first clip on the post, GP.
Never mind, it was worth a second mention!
Best wishes, Pete.
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Sorry about that. I must have read too fast.
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No problem, GP. Always happy to see your comments.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Good choices, Pete.
I’ve not much to add, except Union City Blues, which is, I think, one of Blondie’s better songs. I also keep playing Born Slippy by Underworld.
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Born Slippy is a great choice, Ian. That worked so well in Trainspotting, but it is easy to forget the song was more than just a film soundtrack.
Cheers mate, Pete.
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I love your choices as always Pete! I have to go with Cindy on this and add U2 and Under Pressure.😊
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Thanks as always, Kim. I expected a few votes for Under Pressure, so thanks for getting that one in.
Best wishes, Pete.
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As you can see, U wasn’t all that difficult 🙂
Warmest regards, Theo
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Tip of my tongue, that one…Would have preferred the Gene Wilder version of course. 😉
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I wasn’t expecting that!
🙂 Best wishes, Pete.
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U2, U2, U2
“Under Pressure” Queen/Bowie
“Undercover of the Night” Stones
“Underneath it All” No Doubt
“Universally Speaking” Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Unwell” Matchbox 20
and “Us and Them” by Pink Floyd.
What are you gonna do when you run out of the musical alphabet? What will I do? 😉
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OK, I know people like U2, even if I cannot understand why…
Thanks for your other picks too, Cindy.
I might just go back to ‘normal’ blogging for a while, but I do have an idea for a ‘Film-makers’ theme in draft… 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Argh you beat me to Uptown Funk, I love that song. Phil really likes the Toni Braxton woman but I cannot stand her or that song lol.
U2 (who are not my thing normally) duetted one of their songs called “One Love” with Mary J Blige doing a phenomenal vocal, so I’m just going to leave it here, well worth a listen.
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Aargh! Now I have a photo of Bono on my blog! 🙂
I have heard that song, but would have preferred an MJB solo myself.
Sorry to pinch Mark Ronson, but that’s funky stuff!
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes would’ve been better if he hadn’t sang on it and just kept in the background, but she was amazing!
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Great choices once again Pete. I’ll add “Up On The Roof” by The Drifters in 1962, and The Rolling Stones with “Under My Thumb” – and if you want an obscure album track for your list, I offer up, from the “Private Eyes” album by Daryl Hall & John Oates, the catchy “Unguarded Minute” – you know why? Because the lyrics are: “An unguarded minute, has an accident in it” and how can you argue with that?
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Good call with your extras as always, John. I left off the Drifters, sure that a few people would go for one version or another of that song. I saw Carole King sing it once, and she was great. But after all, she wrote it! (With Goffin)
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes Pete, I was going to mention Carole King’s version – what an amazing collection of songs came out of the Brill building in the 60’s!
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I’m featuring a Carole song in the letter ‘Y’. No prizes for guessing which one! 🙂
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Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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Many thanks for that reblog, Michael.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Also to you, Pete. 😉
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In the shower(where my mind is the sharpest, must be the ozone) I remembered the theme song from “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.” Unfortunately it appears the song had a different title. I’ll keep pondering.
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Ponder away, Elizabeth! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I saw that you were doing ‘U’ and my first thought was Toni Braxton Unbreak My Heart and my second Unforgettable by the wonderful Nat King Cole and lo and behold they were your first two choices too.
I’ll add Under the Moon of Love by Showaddywaddy, I loved it as a child! Also Bette Midler’s version of Under the Boardwalk.
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Thanks, Heart. Great minds thinking alike! Thanks for the Showaddywaddy memories too!
Best wishes, Pete.
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