As it is quite a miserable cold dark January evening I thought I'd put on some cheerful music. It's 'Guantanamera' - seems to be lots of versions with lots of different verses of this song. You can add your own cheerful music if you want to Not just oldies - anything happy.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci_2ETb3Gj4

Ah well I suppose all other oldies are asleep but since I'm in a latin mood tonight I'm putting on La Bamba by Los Lobos (not Ritchie Valens unfortunately)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLAWPrCUQQ0

And some Shakira because she always cheers me up



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZUzX4kbtDU

something Latin to remind of sultry summer days......

Santana with Rob Thomas..........'Smooth'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Whgn_iE5uc

Aaahhh.......muy muy buen - come back summer!

Ooops - something strange just burst out of me - can't keep my rock side down - and I know it's probably seen as bad oldie taste but, don't care - it cheers me up



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKjZuykKY1I

and.....as someone else said:

'Any video that uses guitar born laser beams to fight off a space squid is good in my book'



As a kind of bonus for the most depressing Monday of the year have added Joan Baez's (unfortunately not moving) version of Guantanamera:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRTC3cfWfGk

The only version of Guantanamera I have is by Jamaican reggae artist Freddie McGregor who reached the UK top 40 in the mid-eighties with a cover of The Main Ingredient's "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" (the group which featured Cuba Gooding Senior).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIQ9LMr7JGg

Guantanamera is a very interesting song - I've listened to the old 1920s version which is really a cha cha cha beat, here a Jamaican slant, Baez 's is almost Peruvian, I've heard Mexican versions, jazz versions, solo, band, quicker, slower. Also the verses are sometimes different and even the actual words can be changed around. It is a Cuban song, often to a rumba beat. and some of the verses were taken from the poet and political activist Jose Marti. It became a nationalistic song and a protest/revolutionary one. It is made for improvisation. I really like the version in my first post in particular the contrast between strings and drums, dainty girls v street men, rougher voices singing to the lovely voice of the girl etc.Young and old - It's inclusive For some reason this song always cheers me up. The meaning when you translate it into English is lovely too. I've also heard it played by a native south American in striped trousers in a plaza in Malaga - wonderful!

Something to lift the spirits and jump around to when it's a gloomy January (and any other time!)

Mud - Tiger Feet

This is the happiest song ever recorded.

Happy tune, happy lyrics, happy happy happy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EVSJoJiRiE

Just another favourite - it's sort of telling you to keep your chin up, I think - anyway good music


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM0im3V8HlU

A cheerful song from music's Mr Grumpy. Van Morrison's "Bright Side of the Road"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCDZzf4ragg

Here's another version of Guantanamera - also very good



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLLRNfnPi0w

Keeping to the Brazilian theme.
Some nice pictures.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od8FFfhnxN8

The tune by Stan Getz with a video of the beach would be better.

3 more Don't Worry Be Happy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3HQMbQAWRc


and Hey Ya


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFr_ARmnlk0


and Freddy Mercury always cheered me up too


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBUJztI884M

This bit of silliness from The Who (composed by Keith Moon which explains a lot) always raises a smile. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcpkUNqrjQU

It has a Spike Milligan feel to it.

I've never heard this in my life and God Bless Keith Moon

You can imagine Spike joining in playing trying each instrument and larking about with Keith

Very strange and funny!

ps a better version of Hey Ya

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgvGjAhvIw

I think it should be our National Anthem, it'd certainly liven up a lot of dull events

I Love To Boogie and so do this lot (unfortunately only a bit of Billy Elliot)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eiQTFcFPDY

this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez-apj-Od1I

and these...

sun is up - Inna
Walking on sunshine - katrina and the waves
Shiney happy people - REM
Titanium David Guetta
Marry the night - lady gaga
just dance - lady gaga
Sugar sugar - the archies
Walking back to happiness - helen shapiro
into something good - hermans hermets
sweets for my sweet - cj lewis
dancing queen - abba
antmusic / stand and deliver - adam ant
you cant hurry love - supremes
sit down - james
Anything sung by Mika ie; grace kelly
Eurithmics - there must be an angel
Dance the night away - mavericks
Reach / You - s club 7
finally cece preston
life is a flower - ace of base
point of view - db boulivard
crying at the discoteque - alcazar
oceon drive - lighthouse family
opposites attract - paula abdul
size of a cow - wonderstuff
i dont feel like dancing - scissor sisters
flowers in the window =- travis
sugertime - alma cogan
beauty in the world - macy gray
in the mood for dancing - nolans
sun goes down - david jordan
i am what i am
don't stop - nina nesbit
saturday night at the movies - robson and jerome
everytime you need me - fraga
think of you / sexy eyes - whigfield
hot hot hot - vengaboys
back to the 80s / roses are red / good morning sunshine / cartoon heros - aqua

Blimey starry_rune that's a hell of a list - there'll be something there to cheer everyone up!


Here's a couple of songs via Monty Python and a bit of ELO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL7n5mEmXJo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGvxoWytMig


and looking forward to Spring and Summer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swYdKF1MpWg

Here is more latin music. It is from a film Habana Blues. The man who arranged the music and songs for the film is X Alfonso or Equis Alfonso - he is the third singer in my first post: the handsome man with the dreadlocks.

It is called En Todas Partes which means 'Everywhere'. The meaning of the song is that ideologies and language/culture shouldn't be allowed to divide people.
It's a bit out of sync


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWg3Cu9lhoo

Have a listen to this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuYrRebvFHc

You might have it in your head for the rest of the day!