Renditions of Good songs

"I Can See Clearly Now" is a song written and recorded by Johnny Nash. It was a single from the album of the same name and achieved success in the United States and the United Kingdom when it was released in 1972. It was covered by many artists throughout the years, including a 1993 hit version by Jimmy Cliff.

I cannot sing. But that does not mean I will not sing. Comedy. Grateful Thanks to Bobby Darin and Wikipedia's dinosaur listing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_darin The amazing Vaporman tells me "I think the song was actually written by Leslie Bricusse for the Musical Film "Dr. Doolittle" (1967). Bobby Darin recorded it later that year for his album "The Music of Dr. Doolittle". Just a few years back (1998?), Bricusse tried a Broadway version of the film, but I don't think it went over very well." audio was posted at the defunct iCompositions site reputedly established by Steve Jobs If I could talk to the dinosaurs, just imagine it, Chattin' with a therapod with ease, Imagine talking to a t-rex, chatting with Archaeopteryx, What a neat achievement it would be! If we could talk to the dinosaurs, learn all their languages, I could take the dinosaur degree, I'd study jurassic and triassic, gastroliths and feathers, Archosaur, feces, and flea! I would converse in Protoceratopsidae, And I would curse in fluent Tetanurae, If people ask me "can you speak Thecodontosaurus?" I'd say "of courserous! Can't you?" If I conferred with our feathered friends, man to dinosaur, Think of the amazing repartee If I could walk with the dinosaurs, talk with the dinosaurs, Grunt and squeak and squawk with the dinosaurs, And they could talk to me! If I consulted with quadrupeds Think what fun we'd have asking over crocodiles for tea! Or maybe lunch with two or three Brachiosauridae What a lovely place the world would be! If I spoke slang to Tetanurae The advantages why any fool on earth could plainly see! Discussing Eastern art and dramas With intellectual Stegosauria That's a big step forward you'll agree! I'd learn to speak in Ceratopsia And my Iguanodontia would be extremely good If I were asked to sing in coelurosaur I'd say "whynotasaur?" and I would! If I could parlay with Deinonychosauria It's a fairy tale worthy of Hans Anderson and Grimm A man who walks with the dinosaurs and talks with the dinosaurs Grunts and squeaks and squawks with the dinosaurs and they could talk to him! Let me hear 'em talk I'd study every creature's language So I could speak to all of them on site If friends said "can he talk in crab or maybe Ankylosauria?" You'd say "I canny can" and you'd be right! And if you just stop and think of it Ain't no doubt of it I'm gonna win a place in history If I could walk with the dinosaurs Talk with the dinosaurs Grunt, squeak, squawk with the dinosaurs And they could squeak and squawk and speak and talk to me! Roar! T Rex! You slay me! Have some heart. No! Not my heart! Et Tu Raptor?

"Ol' Man River" (music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II) is a song in the 1927 musical Show Boat that expresses the African American hardship and struggles of the time with the endless, uncaring flow of the Mississippi River; it is sung from the point-of-view of a black dock worker on a showboat, and is the most famous song from the show. Meant to be performed in a slow tempo, it is sung completely once by the dock worker "Joe" who travels with the boat, and, in the stage version, is heard four more times in brief reprises. Joe serves as a sort of musical one-man Greek chorus, and the song, when reprised, comments on the action, as if saying, "This has happened, but the river keeps rolling on anyway." === This video is for faith I was raised as an Atheist. I learned, after reading the Bible, that God loves me, and you. This is his song for you too. He loves you, and wants to be with you. All the elements are me and mine. ARIA ISRC number AUAWN1211122 === http://conservativeweasel.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/ol-man-river.html

Botany Bay is a song from the musical burlesque, Little Jack Sheppard, a comedy staged in London, England in 1885 and Melbourne, Australia in 1886. The show was written by Henry Pottinger Stephens and William Yardley, though the music for "Botany Bay" was written by Florian Pascal, a pseudonym for Joseph Williams, Jr. (1847-1923), a music publisher and composer. The song shares two verses with Fairwell to Judges and Juries which had been performed in 1820. Botany Bay was the designated settlement for the first fleet when it arrived in Australia in the eighteenth century. It was a settlement intended for the transport of convicts to Australia. The song describes the period in the late late 18th and 19th centuries, when British convicts were deported to the various Australian penal colonies by the British government for seven-year terms as an alternative to incarceration in Britain. The second verse is about life on the convict ships, and the last verse is directed to English girls and boys as warning not to steal. After the production of Little Jack Sheppard, the song became a popular folk song and has been sung and recorded by Irish folk singers, Burl Ives, and many others. It is played as a children's song on compilations, particularly in Australia. The song is referenced in many documentaries researching the transport of convicts to Australia, a practice that had ceased before the song was made

Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Chitty (born 1947) worked part-time selling tickets at the Railway Inn Folk Club in Brentwood, Essex, UK in 1964. She became the girlfriend and muse of Paul Simon when he lived in England in 1964 and 1965. She is referred to directly or indirectly in at least four of his songs. === It is a depressing lyric and not one I agree with, but I am feeling sick and it feels appropriate.

"Leaving on a Jet Plane" is a song written by John Denver in 1966 and most famously recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary. The original title of the song was "Oh Babe I Hate To Go" but Denver's then producer, Milt Okun, convinced him to change the title. The song was initially recorded in 1967 by the Chad Mitchell Trio, and later that same year by Spanky and Our Gang. Peter, Paul and Mary's version first appeared on their 1967 Album 1700; however, it did not become a hit until they released it as a single in 1969. It turned out to be their biggest (and final) hit, becoming their only #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. It was the second to last #1 single of the 1960s. The song also spent three weeks atop the easy listening chart

Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, MBE (born 9 December 1950) is a British singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Armatrading is a three-time Grammy Award-nominee and has been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist. She also received an Ivor Novello award for Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection in 1996

"Ain't We Got Fun?" is a popular foxtrot published in 1921 with music by Richard A. Whiting, lyrics by Raymond B. Egan and Gus Kahn. It was first performed in 1920 in the revue Satires of 1920, then moved into vaudeville and recordings. "Ain't We Got Fun?" and both its jaunty response to poverty and its promise of fun "Every morning / Every evening", and "In the meantime, / In between time" have become symbolic of the Roaring Twenties, and it appears in some of the major literature of the decade, including The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and in Dorothy Parker's award-winning short story of 1929, "Big Blonde".

"Without You" is a song written by musicians Pete Ham and Tom Evans of British rock group Badfinger. According to ASCAP, the ballad has been recorded by more than 180 artists and has made many appearances on the Billboard Hot 100, including the number one position. Beatle Paul McCartney once described the ballad as "...the killer song of all time."

"Vincent" is a song by Don McLean written as a tribute to Vincent van Gogh. It is also known by its opening line, "Starry Starry Night", a reference to van Gogh's painting The Starry Night. The song also describes different paintings done by the artist. McLean wrote the lyrics in 1971 after reading a book about the life of the artist. The following year, the song became the number one hit in the U.K. and No. 12 in the U.S

I don't know about this song yet, it is a gospel song sung at my church, and which was part of the wedding of some friends. It is an awesome song, for an awesome god. I understand it is a Chris Tomlin number. === My voice is not good at the moment. But I am really keen to get this out .. and four others like it. === chris tomlin how great is our god The splendor of a King, clothed in majesty Let all the Earth rejoice All the Earth rejoice He wraps himself in light And darkness tries to hide And trembles at His voice Trembles at His voice How great is our God, sing with me How great is our God, and all will see How great, how great is our God Age to age He stands And time is in His hands Beginning and the end The Godhead Three in One Father Spirit Son The Lion and the Lamb The Lion and the Lamb How great is our God, sing with me How great is our God, and all will see How great, how great is our God Name above all names Worthy of our praise My heart will sing How great is our God You're the name above all names You are worthy of our praise And my heart will sing How great is our God How great is our God, sing with me How great is our God, and all will see How great, how great is our God How great is our God, sing with me How great is our God, and all will see How great, how great is our God The whole world sings, the whole world sings How great is our God How great is our God How great, how great is our God

"An Old Fashioned Love Song" is a 1971 song by the American pop-rock band Three Dog Night. Chuck Negron performed the lead vocal on this track. Taken as the lead single from their 1971 album, Harmony, the song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1971, becoming the band's seventh top-ten hit. It was Three Dog Night's first record to top the U.S. easy listening chart. "An Old Fashioned Love Song" was written by the noted songwriter Paul Williams. Its lyrics suggest the straightforward and melodic nature of the tune: Just an old fashioned love song / Comin' down in three part harmony / Just an old fashioned love song / One I'm sure they wrote for you and me. === I have good friends and they tell me not to do things like this ..

Agnus Dei is a Latin term meaning Lamb of God, and was originally used to refer to Jesus Christ in his role of the perfect sacrificial offering that atones for the sins of humanity in Christian theology, harkening back to ancient Jewish Temple sacrifices. The phrase "Agnus Dei" refers to several uses of this title. Michael W. Smith (born October 7, 1957) is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, musician, Billboard Top Ten recording artist, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in contemporary Christian music, and he has achieved considerable success in the mainstream music industry as well. Smith is a three-time Grammy Award winner, and he has earned 40 Dove Awards. Over the course of his career, he has sold more than 13 million albums and recorded 29 number-one hit songs, fourteen gold albums, and five platinum albums. Smith is an American Music Award recipient; he was also named one of People magazine's "Most Beautiful People". === I find this music and lyric humbling.

The fact I cannot sing does not mean I will not "If I Were a Carpenter" is a song written by Tim Hardin. Hardin's recording appeared on his 1967 album Tim Hardin 2. It was a Top Ten hit for Bobby Darin in 1966, reaching number 8 in the US

"Cat's in the Cradle" is a 1974 folk rock song by Harry Chapin from the album Verities & Balderdash. The single topped the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1974. As Chapin's only #1 hit song, it became the best known of his work and a staple for folk rock music. The lyrics to the verses of the song were originally written as a poem by Chapin's wife, Sandy Chapin, who is credited as the song's co-writer. The poem itself was inspired by the awkward relationship between Sandy Chapin's first husband, James Cashmore, and his father, a New York City politician. She was also inspired by a country music song she'd heard on the radio.

Agnus Dei is a Latin term meaning Lamb of God, and was originally used to refer to Jesus Christ in his role of the perfect sacrificial offering that atones for the sins of humanity in Christian theology, harkening back to ancient Jewish Temple sacrifices. The phrase "Agnus Dei" refers to several uses of this title. Michael W. Smith (born October 7, 1957) is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, musician, Billboard Top Ten recording artist, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in contemporary Christian music, and he has achieved considerable success in the mainstream music industry as well. Smith is a three-time Grammy Award winner, and he has earned 40 Dove Awards. Over the course of his career, he has sold more than 13 million albums and recorded 29 number-one hit songs, fourteen gold albums, and five platinum albums. Smith is an American Music Award recipient; he was also named one of People magazine's "Most Beautiful People". === I find this music and lyric humbling. === Many thanks to Cathy N for touring the holy lands and allowing me to use some of her pictures among the montage.

"Walking in Memphis" is the signature song of American singer-songwriter Marc Cohn, from his self-titled 1991 album. The song became Cohn's biggest hit, peaking at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and, after being re-released in fall 1991, reached #22 on the UK chart. The popularity of this song helped Cohn win the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1992. The song is about a spiritual awakening (according to Marc Cohn) The reference to "Blue Suede Shoes" is not about Elvis Presley, but about Carl Perkins who recorded the song in Memphis for Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Perkins' ill-luck in a car wreck stopped him touring to promote the record, allowing Elvis' cover version to become a massive hit. Presley's copy was done at RCA studios in Nashville. The narrator tells of seeing "The ghost of Elvis up on Union Avenue and followed him up to gates of Graceland". Sam Phillips' studios were called "Memphis Recording Service" and were at 706 Union Avenue. "Security didn't see him" is probably a comment on the story that Bruce Springsteen once successfully scaled the wall at Graceland, trying to deliver a song he wrote. Apparently Elvis wasn't there. "There's catfish on table and gospel in the air" marks the dichotomy between secular and sacred. Catfish is the standard blues metaphor for sexual intercourse. (The word is also interchangeable with the slang expression for the female sex zones). "Catfish" thus would appeal to the bodily instincts, whereas "gospel" would be to the intellect. The metaphor gains more credence since Al Green supposedly renounced secular music after being scalded with grits by a jealous girlfriend.

Weakness in me Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, MBE (born 9 December 1950) is a British singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Armatrading is a three-time Grammy Award-nominee and has been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist. She also received an Ivor Novello award for Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection in 1996

"I Still Call Australia Home" is a song written and performed by Peter Allen in 1980. In it, Allen sings of the Australian expatriate's longing for home. It has been used to suggest Australian patriotism and nostalgia: for example, in Qantas television commercials where it was sung by the National Boys Choir of Australia and Australian Girls Choir (sometimes the group is collectively called the 'Qantas Choir'). And in 1984 Summer Olympics's Opening Gala TV special (in Los Angeles), Olivia Newton-John who sung Allen's most famous song I Honestly Love You, performed this song from Sydney, Australia with the Choir as medley Waltzing Matilda. Later, both songs were also used in a musical The Boy from Oz, about Allen's life, which starred Hugh Jackman.

"Streets of London" is a song written by Ralph McTell. It was first recorded for McTell's 1969 album Spiral Staircase but was not released in the United Kingdom as a single until 1974. It was his greatest commercial success, reaching number two in the UK singles chart, at one point selling 90,000 copies a day and winning him the Ivor Novello Award and a Silver disc for record sales. === It translates well into a protest song against the senseless riots 2011. I love the song. I despise the rioters who hurt and maim the strugglers trying to get by, complaining that they lack educational opportunity or respect. http://conservativeweasel.blogspot.com/2011/08/streets-of-london-protesting-riots.html

"Hopelessly Devoted to You", written by John Farrar, is a song originally performed by Olivia Newton-John. The song, featured in the film version of Grease, received an Oscar nomination as Best Original Song, losing to "Last Dance" at the 51st Academy Awards. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming another hit from the film.

"Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" is a song from Agnetha Fältskog's 2004 comeback album, My Colouring Book. The song was written by Mike Batt, once famous as the writer of songs for The Wombles and was originally recorded by Art Garfunkel. Katie Melua also covered this song on the Piece By Piece (Special Bonus Edition) album. === I have good friends and they tell me not to do things like this ..

Turn your eyes upon Jesus H H Lemmel circa 1922 AUAWN1101110

"Top of the World" is the name of a 1973 song by The Carpenters. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973, becoming the duo's second U.S. number-one single. Originally intended to be only an album cut for the Carpenters, Lynn Anderson covered the song; Anderson's version reached #2 on the U.S. country singles charts in mid-1973. The success of Anderson's version prompted the Carpenters to release a new version as a single, where it topped the U.S. pop singles chart. Karen Carpenter re-recorded the song for the band's first compilation as she was not quite satisfied with the original. Brother Richard Carpenter has remixed the song's vocals, most recently for their 35th Anniversary Gold compilation.

"What a Wonderful World" is a song written by Bob Thiele (as George Douglas) and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released as a single in 1968. Thiele and Weiss were both prominent in the music world (Thiele as a producer and Weiss as a composer/performer). Some have suggested that pianist Dana Pelkie collaborated on the song using "George Douglas" as a pseudonym, but this has never been confirmed. Armstrong's recording was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.