Candle in the Wind

Candle in the Wind is a popular Elton John song about Marilyn Monroe. Elton John wrote the song with Bernie Taupin. The reference to “goodbye Norma Jean” is a reference to Marilyn’s birth name before she reached stardom and changed her name. The song debuted on Elton John’s 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.  In Read More

Here Comes the Sun

Here Comes the Sun is a popular Beatles’ song. The song was written by one of the members of the popular group known as the Beatles, George Harrison.  Harrison wrote the song at the country house of his friend, and fellow musician, Eric Clapton.  The lyrics reflect Harrison’s relief of both the arrival of spring Read More

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!

With the arrival of spring, comes a spring in the step and a song in the heart.  Everyone enjoys that beautiful feeling. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ is the opening song from the musical Oklahoma! Oklahoma! was the first collaboration and hit for composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II. Oklahoma! on the Broadway Read More

Lullaby of Broadway

Lullaby of Broadway was a popular Doris Day song in the 1950s. However, it was first published in 1935.  The words were written by Harry Warren and the lyrics by Al Dubin. The song was written for Gold Diggers of 1935, a musical film. The song was also used that same year as background music Read More

It Might As Well Be Spring

Spring time is in the air and we are restless and jumpy knowing it’s springtime. The song It Might As Well be Spring was written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II for their musical State Fair. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1945, the year it was written. State Read More

April in Paris

The term April in Paris originated with the Broadway song. The song was composed in 1932, by Vernon Duke {music} and E. Y. Harbug {lyrics}.  April in Paris first premiered in that year’s play, Walk a Little Faster. The following year, Freddy Martin recorded the song.  Almost two decades later, the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, recorded the Read More

Flower of Scotland

Flower of Scotland is a popular Scottish song often heard at special occasions and sporting events. This is also a popular song for the bagpipes. Flower of Scotland, along with Scots Wha Hae and Scotland the Brave, are considered unofficial national anthems of Scotland. Roy Williamson of the Corries wrote both the lyrics and music Read More

Scotland the Brave

Scotland the Brave is a Scottish patriotic song and considered one of the unofficial national anthems of Scotland, alongside Flower of Scotland and Scots Wha Hae. The earliest known version of the song appeared in 1911. The lyrics best known today were written by Cliff Hanley, a Scottish journalist, around 1950. He wrote the lyrics Read More

Scots Wha Hae

Scots Wha Hae is another patriotic song for Scotland.  The song usually comes in third after Scotland the Brave and Flower of Scotland. The lyrics were written in 1793 by the national Scottish poet, Robert Burns.  The poem is a speech given by Robert the Bruce before the Scots fight England in the Battle of Read More

The Irish Rover

“The Irish Rover” is an Irish folk song about an improbably, sailing ship which reaches an unfortunate end. The song describes “a gigantic twenty-seven masted ship with a colourful crew and varied types of cargo in enormous amounts.” Each verse builds from the previous verses, making the ship more extravagant and wonderous than the last Read More