Somewhere Over The Rainbow │Israel Kamakawiwoʻole (Brother IZ)

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole was a remarkable person and entertainer.  He was born on the island of Oahu on May 20, 1959 in Kuakini Hospital located in beautiful Nuuanu valley.  Israel's parents noticed, even as an infant, that their son had special spiritual qualities and gifts.  In his early childhood he lived with his parents in Kaimuki, a sleepy little town located just outside of Honolulu.  But, as fate would have it, as a young teenager, his family relocated to Makaha on the extreme West coast of Oahu.  It was there that he met Moon Kauakahi, Sam Gray, Jerome Koko, and they formed the legendary vocal group, the Makaha Sons of Niʻihau.  The rest, as they say, is history.  By-the-way, Makaha is one of the most hallowed places on the island of Oahu.  It is right next to the sacred Kaena Point, that Hawaiians believe to be the portal to Heaven.  Actually, I also believe that the be so.  I lived in Makaha for many years, and one of my favorite things things that I liked to do, was to ride my bicycle out to Kaena Point to enjoy the spiritual and mystical ambiance of the place.  Israel's haunting rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" is a Twentieth-Century classic.  It has been used in numerous films and advertisements internationally.  It is interesting to note that Israel's recording is very simple and honest.  It does not contain any drums, bass, or background vocals.  It's just Israel singing and playing his ukulele.  There are no pretensions, just a sort of innocent humbleness, that is so intoxicating to the ears and heart.  Singlehandedly, Israel was responsible for a resurgence in the popularity of the ukulele in Hawaii and elsewhere.  You might say that Israel helped pave the way for ukulele virtuosos like Jake Shimabukuro, to be noticed and heard.  Israel ceased his earthly existence on June 26, 1997 in Honolulu.  Please click on this link to purchase Israel Kamakawiwoʻole's beautiful "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" from Amazon.com:  Over The Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwoʻole

War Of The Worlds │ Orson Welles

Orson Welles

Few people remember now-a-days the panic that struck the United States on the evening of  October 30, 1938, seventy-three years ago to the day.  Orson Welles was the director of "The Mercury Theater On The Air" which was broadcast live by the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS today).  It is hard to imagine how a radio broadcast could cause so much havoc, but Welles' adaptation of H.G. Wells' "War Of The Worlds" was disguised as a program of dance music, inter-spaced with news bulletins of a Martian invasion.  Like today's channel surfers, radio listeners would spin the radio dial looking for other programs when they got bored with what they were listening to.  It was no wonder that most of them missed the introduction of the broadcast, and took the news-bulletins to be real, and many of them fled to the hills for protection.  Keep in mind that the program was transmitted live from coast-to-coast.  Well the rest as they say is history.  In this edition of Endyr's Planet we are featuring the complete radio broadcast of 1938 just as America heard it on that faithful evening.  Please click on the widget below to hear the complete broadcast of Orson Welles' "War Of The Worlds".

The Galway Girl │ The Wee Amigos

The Wee Amigos are a refreshing new Irish Country Music Band.  The members of the group are, Simon Peters, Ben Troy, and Gerald Ahern.  Let me say this:  The Wee Amigos are fantastic!  They hail from towns of Donegal, Cork and Monaghan in Ireland.  In this edition of Endyr's Planet we are featuring the The Wee Amigos singing that Irish classic "The Galway Girl".

La Malagueña Salerosa │ Luis Miguel

Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri (El Sol de México), is one of the greatest singers in the world.  He was born on April 19, 1970, in Puerto Rico.  Contrary to popular belief he is not Mexican, but is a Spanish citizen.  His father is the singer Luisito Rey from Cadiz, Spain, and his mother was Italian actress Marcella Basteri from Carrara, Italy.  In this edition of Endyr's Planet we feature Luis Miguel singing the beautiful and haunting Huapango "La Malagueña Salerosa" accompanied by guitarist Lusito Rey.  It is a very powerful and moving performance.  Luis was twelve years old at the time of this recording.

L'Envie d'aimer │ Ecole des Stars II (Finale)

In this edition of Endyr's Planet we are featuring one of the most beautiful songs in the whole world.  It is called "L'Envie d'aimer (The Desire To Love), from the incredible musical from France, "Les Dix Commandements (The Ten Commandments)".  This song was composed by Pascal Obispo, and Lionel Florence who have had several number one hits in France, and Patrice Guirao.  "L'Envie d'aimer" is one of the biggest selling singles of all time in France, and was also a hit in other Western European countries.  Unfortunately, though, it is not well known in America.  That is a shame, as sometimes, we who live in the United States, tend to be very insular, and provincial in our musical tastes, and forget that there is a whole world of music out there for us to explore, experience, and enjoy.  Valentin, Rémi, Madeleine, Enzo, and  Oliana who were the finalist from the first season of Ecole des Stars, were invited back to the program to perform this magnificent encore during the finale of the show.  I can listen to this song over and over again and it still brings tears to my eyes.  It's also one of my Dear Aunt Martha's favorite songs.

Smile

 Smile
 
 Smile though your heart is aching

Smile even though it's breaking

When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by

If you smile through your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll see the sun come shinning through for you.

Light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness

Although a tear may be ever so near

That's the time  you must keep on trying

Smile what's the use of crying?

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

if you just smile.  

~ Charlie Chaplin

Blue Bird │ Boys Air Choir

In this edition of Endyr's Planet we are featuring a moment of tranquility with the incredible Boys Air Choir from Great Britain.  The Boys Air Choir was formed in 1986, and is comprised of seven members, aged eight to sixteen years old.  Each vocalist is carefully chosen from the choirs of various Cathedrals in London such as St. Paul's, Salisbury, and Westminster.  Each chorister attends school full-time, so all recordings and promotional activities take place during summer and Easter vacations.  Please click on the video widget below to hear the Boys Air Choir sing the hauntingly beautiful "Bluebird".  The CD by the Boys Air Choir that contains "Bluebird" can be purchased from this Amazon.com link:  Blue Bird - Boys Air Choir

Victor Santos │ An Extraordinary Singer Guitarist From Brazil

Victor Santos is the son of the famous Brazilian singer/composer Louro Santos.   In my estimation though, Victor is every bit as talented as his father.  What sets Victor apart from the pack is that he sings beautifully, and also plays guitar really well.  There are so many videos of young singers playing the guitar on YouTube, but most of them do not play well at all.  Victor is the exception.  He knows how to handle a guitar.  In this edition of Endyr's Planet I am featuring Victor in an extraordinary video.  It is very refreshing to listen and watch videos that are not filled with all of that junk electronic noise.  In the video he performs a duet with his younger brother Gabriel.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Endyr's Planet, wherever you may be.

Ender's Game

In this edition of Endyr's Planet, I am featuring my favorite book in the whole-wide-world.  For those of you have not yet discovered the joys of Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game", now is the perfect time to begin experiencing it.  Back in 1992, a user logged on to a BBS that I was operating called Beneath The Ruins, and while in chat mode, I asked him about his curious handle which was "Endyr".  He said that it was based on a book he read called "Ender's Game", and that he changed the second "e" to a "y" in Ender, to make it look cooler.  He was right, it does look "way cool"! It was so cool that I adopted it as my handle.  I read "Ender's Game", and it became my perennial all-time favorite book to this day.  Card has written the perfect book about childhood.  I have read it about one-hundred times, it is that good.  I won't even begin to describe the plot.  I don't want to spoil it for you, but it is a must read.  Please click on this link to purchase "Ender's Game" from Amazon.com:  Ender's Game

"Welcome to the human race.  Nobody controls his own life.  The best you can do is choose to fill the roles given to you by good people, by people who love you."

-Valentine Wiggin (Ender's sister)

An Excerpt From "Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card

Please click on the video widget below to view a "hypothetical" trailer that was made for an "Ender's Game" movie.  Remember, this is not the actual movie trailer, but instead it is something that a fan of "Ender's Game" created.

O Mio Babbino Caro │ Jackie Evancho

Jackie Evancho has a true angelic presence and voice.  I must admit that her performance of "O Mio Babbino Caro (Oh My Dear Father)" from Giacomo Puccini's comic opera in one act, "Gianni Schicchi", brought me to tears.  Sometimes I feel rather sad that there is a dearth of high quality young singers and performers in America.  You have probably noticed that most of the young artists featured on Endyr's Planet come from Europe.  Jackie Evancho gives me hope that this trend is now changing.  In this edition of Endyr's Planet we are featuring Jackie singing "O Mio Babbino Caro", and "Nessun Dorma (None Shall Sleep)" from Puccini's "Turandot".  Jackie has a cool website that can be found at this link:  Jackie Evancho - Official Website  Please click on this Amazon.com link to purchase MP3s of Jackie singing both of these songs:  O Mio Babbino Caro - Jackie Evancho and  Nessun Dorma - Jackie Evancho

 

"O Mio Babbino Caro"

 
"Nessun Dorma"

Холодный ветер │ Alis

Alis is a terrific singer from Russia.  I discovered him about a short while ago, and since then I've been searching the internet to find information about him, but alas, I was not successful at all.  Alis has a sweet and beautiful voice, and I wish that he had a CD for sale.  I would be his first customer. "Холодный ветер (A Cold Wind)" is the name of the song that he sings in the video below.  Alis sings with such feeling, that even though I don't understand Russian, I can feel the pain and pathos of his song.  His voice is really expressive, and his vocal delivery is outstanding for one who is so young.  As a side note, this music video has very high production values, and is a joy to watch.  Click on the video widget below for a musical treat.

MattyBRaps │ An Amazing Video

One of the good things about having a blog is the joy of discovering new talent.  As it so often happens, I was looking for something else, and I stumbled accidentally on MattyBRaps cool "How To Love" video.  I should say that it is super cool!  There is just something so special and magical about "How To Love".  In a way it makes me feel nostalgic for my own youth.  In MattyBRaps own words "Me and my friends had a BLAST making this music video. We had never launched a rocket before and I thought the "rocket footage" turned out AWESOME!"  By-the-way, I just love that green rocket.  Well, "How To Love" is evocative, wistful and very haunting.  In general I am not a big fan of RAP or Street-music, though I do admire the music of Coolio, Bust/Guf, Nicky Jam, and Lil Wayne.  MattyBRaps is in a class all of his own.  He was born on January 7, 2003, and lives with his parents and siblings in Cobb County, Marietta, Georgia.  His real name is Matthew Morris.  In this edition of Endyr's Planet we are featuring him in a parody of Lil Wayne's 2011 mega-hit "How To Love".  Matt, with the help of his father, wrote the lyrics of the parody.  MattyBRaps YouTube channel can be found here: MattyBRaps Official YouTube Channel  Please click on this link to purchase MattyBRaps' MP3s from from Amazon.com:  MattyBRaps MP3s On Amazon

How To Love

(A Parody By MattyBRaps)

Cut the music up,
A little louder.
Yeah, hmmmm...

You had a lot of crooks try to steal your parts.
Everybody will watch, count down's gonna start.
When you go up (3, 2). Hope you don't blow up (that would be terrible).
I've had a lot of toys that didn't last forever,
And I've been up all morning trying to glue you together,
To fly up... We wanna see you fly up.

Eh, yup, let me tell you what happened.

The other day I was at the store when it caught my eye.
See I'm a lover of any toy that says it can fly.
I let my momma keep my wallet cause I love to buy,
But I just begged I gotta have it, this was ultra fly.
I told my brother when I launch it he can watch it too.
We set a launch date, launch date coming soon.
The closet thing we'd ever seen was in a cartoon.
I wrote my name on it just in case it hits the moon.

Now I admire this rocket ship with a passion.
I just had the thought to make a camera attachment baby,
So when it's done we'll see what all has happened.
Bro you must be trippin'.  I'm doin' the button mashin'.

You had a lot of crooks try to steal your parts.
Everybody will watch, count down's gonna start
When you go up (3, 2). Hope you don't blow up (that would be terrible).
I've had a lot of toys that didn't last forever,
And I've been up all morning trying to glue you together,
To fly up... Fly up  hmmmm...

The Amazing Stan

In this edition of Endyr's Planet we are featuring the amazing Stan.  "Stanforfred" is the actual nom de plume that Stan uses on YouTube.  Stan is very, very entertaining, and some of his videos are just totally manic!  You can find a lot of his videos on YouTube.  Just do a search for "stanforfred" and they will all pop-up like magic.  Words are not adequate to describe Stan's inimitable antics.  They have to be experienced.

"We Like To Party Hardy"

"You're Welcome Fred" 

Prince d'Azur │ Francis Bernier

"Prince d'Azur (Prince Of Blue)" is a hauntingly beautiful song, and Francis Bernier performs it exquisitely.  Francis was born in Saint-Redempteur, Quebec, on September 5, 1997.  He is an amazing singer with a pure voice filled with angelic light.  I've wanted to make a post of this song for quite a while, but I could not find a video of it that did justice to it, until I found this one.  "Prince d'Azur" is full of mystical and healing qualities, that can soothe the troubled soul.  My Dear Aunt Martha and I fell in love with"Prince d'Azur" and do not get tired of hearing it.  We have played it over and over again, with great joy and pleasure.  Please click on this link to purchase the CD that contains Francis Bernier singing "Prince d'Azur" from Amazon.com:  Prince d'Azur - Francis Bernier  The complete translation of the lyrics of "Prince d'Azur" can be found below.

"Prince d'Azur"

Lyrics:  Serge Lama

Music:   Sylvain Michel

 You, Prince of the Blue,
Who dances above the walls
Among the kites.

You above, all
Your children on their knees
With their white candles.

Fly ... Fly
Dance in the air without words
Your home is among the fireflies.

Fly ... Fly
For those who raze the ground
"Hope" is a parable.

You must fly!

You, whose pierced hands
Healed love that was chapped
In the heart of beggars.

You, you who have been able to speak
To the stones of Galileo ...
If ever you hear me:

Fly ... Fly
Dance in the air without words
Your home is among the fireflies.

Fly ... Fly
For those who raze the ground
"Hope" is a parable

Fly

(Narration. Serge Lama)

You must fly.
You must fly away.
For us you must fly, and
Make the dream nightingales
Of our meager lives, riveted to the ground.
Because our flesh isolates us
From our soul, Which is stuck in a straitjacket.

Fly (Fly)
Fly (Fly)
For those who raze the ground
(For those who raze the ground)
"Hope is a parable.
("Hope" is a parable)

Fly ... Fly ...

You must fly!

Léo Rispal │ Perhaps and Somewhere Over The Rainbow

In this edition of Endyr's Planet we just had to do a double-play featuring the amazing Léo Rispal from France.  Who can resist Léo Rispal's sassy rendition of that old Doris Day classic "Perhaps".  Notice the real mojo in his walk as he struts confidently around the stage.  Léo is cute, as cute can be.  When I first viewed this video, I almost fell on the floor because it was so cool, and charming.  And that hat Léo is wearing; what a perfect touch to his ensemble.  It also adds a lot to his musical performance.  I never get tired of watching this video.  Léo has a lot of videos on YouTube, but this one is the best by far.  It's so much fun to watch.  But the icing on the cake is Léo's haunting performance of Judy Garland's timeless classic, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow.  In a sense, Léo does a daring rendition, as he only has a solo piano accompanying him.  That is about as  unplugged as can you get.

Lord Of The Flies │ Choirboys With An Attitude

The images and the plot of "Lord Of The Flies (1963)" are so intense, and at times so horrific, that it makes one forget, or not notice that the film contains an incredibly beautiful soundtrack.  Raymond Leppard, the composer, wrote a couple of sensational variations on the liturgical "Kyrie Eleison (Lord Have Mercy)" theme.  In this edition of Endyr's Planet we are presenting two different settings of the "Kyrie Eleison" from "Lord Of The Flies".  The first one is a cheeky, breezy, almost insouciant rendition by the rogue choirboys as they are marching along the beach at the beginning of the movie.  The second "Kyrie Eleison" is sung darkly to accompany the death of Simon.  I call this one the "Kyrie - Requiem".  The murder of Simon the mystic is so disturbing and senseless, that it makes me mourn for him every time I see this scene, but underscoring it is a "Kyrie Eleison" that is both haunting, and unforgettable.  By-the-way, the 1990 remake of "Lord Of The Flies" just does not have the impact, and power of the original.  It is my opinion that too much editing, and rewriting of the story was done.  Please click on this link to purchase the DVD of "Lord Of The Flies" from Amazon.com:  Lord of the Flies - The Criterion Collection

"Kyrie Eleison" On The Beach

 "Kyrie Eleison" The Death Of Simon 

The Transcendental Vyacheslav Marchuk (В'ячеслав Марчук)

Vyacheslav Marchuk (В'ячеслав Марчук) is from the Ukraine, that is about the only information that we could find out about him, which is really a shame, as he is a fantastic singer.  My Dear Aunt Martha and I have "auditioned" many singers for Endyr's Planet, but Vyacheslav is in a class of his own.  His voice is pure and sweet.  In this edition of Endyr's Planet we are featuring Vyacheslav performing a hauntingly beautiful Ukrainian song called "Take Me Across The Square".  Take note of Vyacheslav's bare feet and the traditional Ukrainian clothes that he is wearing.  They are a perfect touch to a classy performance.   My Dear Aunt Martha and I were moved by Vyacheslav's daring a capella singing.  By-the-way, Vyacheslav has a lot of videos on YouTube.  Click on the video widget below for a transcendental musical experience.

 

Yura Demidovich (Юра Демидович) │ The Gothic Prince From Russia

Yura Demidovich (Юра Демидович), the twelve-year old singing sensation from Belarus, has been generating a fair amount of controversy on the internet because of the hit song that he composed called, "Volshebnyi Krolik", or Волшебный Кролик ("Magic Rabbit", also known colloquially as "Etis Atis Animatis").  When I first heard this song, it sent shivers repeatedly, up and down my spine.  It is that good!  Yura is the best young singer that I have heard in a long, long time.  He is in the same rarefied class of vocalists as Valentin Vierling, and Afanasy Prokhorov.  By-the-way, Yura and Afanasy, are both from Russia.  One thing that is so unusual about Yura's voice is that his high notes sound so full and rich, it is almost as if he is using his spirit body for added resonance.  Yura sings with such passion, that I get the feeling that he is a very old soul in a young body.  It appears though, that some Bible thumpers in America, and elsewhere, are accusing him, and his song, of  promoting Satanism.  That is an accusation that I find very laughable.  Let me give you some examples of how far these kinds of people will go with their malicious accusations and gossip.  They allege that the phrase "Etis Atis Animatis" translates from the Latin as "Pale horror comes to life, pale horror craves you".  Well that shows their ignorance, as "Etis Atis" is the equivalent of singing "la, la, la" in a song, it is basically meaningless.  It is not Latin at all!  "Animatis" could possibly be translated as "breath" or "soul".  Other fundamentalist naysayers, claim that "Etis Atis Animatis" is nothing more than a disguised form of the word "Satan".  Another allegation is that the five performers of "Etis Atis Animatus" are performing on a pentagram that is drawn on the stage floor.  I have personally viewed over ten video versions of this song, and in none of them is there a pentagram visible anywhere on the stage!  That is all rubbish!  As Yura tells it, he was inspired to write this song by the rabbit in Louis Carroll's "Alice In Wonderland".  Yura says that the words "Etis Atis Animatis" are "improvisations of the rabbit when he invents the poem."  Now, how innocuous is that?  In Yura's own words, "My song tells the story of a boy, who seriously studies music for many hours, plays an instrument, sings chorals in Latin, but sometimes he wishes to play football with other kids, and he misses his mother."  As you can see, the song is largely autobiographical in nature.  Furthermore, Yura is a member of  an Evangelical Christian church called "Divine Grace".  Fortunately, though, Yura is taking all of this controversy with style, and grace as he has said, "Even the bad reviews have helped, because I've tried to sing better, so that everyone likes the song."  "Volshebnyi Krolik" is an interesting mix of Rap, Classical Music, and High Opera.  It is very reminiscent of "O Fortuna" from Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana".  Yura's official website can be found at this link:  Yura Demidovich - Official Website  Please visit it as it contains a lot of very interesting information.  In this edition of Endyr's Planet, I am very proud to feature, the extremely talented Yura Demidovich.  For those of you who are interested, here is the complete English translation of "Volshebnyi Krolik":

Magic Rabbit
Composed by Yura Demidovich

Somewhere in a deep forest
through the firs which are blue,
magic flowers and plants,
he simply lives, sadly songs he sings,

Who do you think?
Of who do you think?

The magic rabbit!

The magic rabbit breaks the habit,
he wears glasses, he writes with chalk pluses.
The magic rabbit, he's a poet,
he studies Latin and plays the violin.
The magic rabbit breaks the habit,
he wears glasses, he writes with chalk pluses.
The magic rabbit, he loves others,
he lives in a forest and misses his mother!

Etis Atis Animatis,
Etis Atis Animatis,
Etis Atis Animatis,
Etis Atis Animatis!

The Magic Bunny!
The Magic Bunny!
The Magic Bunny!

A Mystical Moment │ Yura And Karina

Once in a great while, I come across a video that really catches my fancy in a big way.  As is often the case, I was looking for something else, and serendipitously, I find a precious treasure.  To say that I was totally captivated by this video would be an understatement.  In this edition of Endyr's Planet, we present Yura who is seven, and Karina, who is six, from the Northern Ukrainian city of Berdichev.  Thanks to Yura and Karina, we are allowed just for a few minutes, to glimpse beyond the veil that usually separates us from seeing the pure innocence, and unbounded joys of childhood.  Yura is amazingly strong and athletic for his age, and makes all of his moves seem so effortless.  It's almost as if he is defying gravity, and throughout all of this, he has a beatific smile on his face.  Karina, is the perfect dance partner, and plays her part extremely well.  I can easily imagine both of them as being the set-piece on top of an Angelic Music Box.  Watching this video is truly a transcendental experience, and I feel honored to be able to share it with all of the fans of Endyr's Planet.

Ivan Kupala (Иван-Купала) Day (St. John the Baptist Day) │ Vlad Krutskikh and Street Magic

Ivan Kupala (Иван-Купала) Day (St. John the Baptist Day) is celebrated in Eastern European countries around July 7.  Tvorila Night, the eve of Ivan Kupala Day, is considered to be a time for good humor, mischief, and boisterous fun.   On Ivan Kupala day itself, children have water fights, and perform pranks mostly involving pouring water over someone's head.  After all, it is St. John the Baptist day.  I am a bit nostalgic about "Ivan Kupala", as it is the song that introduced me to the amazing, and entertaining, Vlad Krutskikh and Street Magic.  It is interesting to note that all the performers in this cool video are wearing Ivan Kupala (St. John The Baptist) themed costumes.  The official Street Magic website can be found at this link:  Street Magic (Official Website)   Vlad Krutskikh's website can visited at this link:  Vlad Krutskikh (Official Website)