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osharenippon · 10 months
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Shoujo Manga’s Golden Decade (Part 1)
Shoujo manga, comics for girls, played a pivotal role in shaping Japanese girls' culture, and its dynamic evolution mirrors the prevailing trends and aspirations of the era. For many, this genre peaked in the 1970s. But why?
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Manga stands as one of Japan's primary cultural exports, deeply ingrained in the local culture and enjoyed by individuals of all ages and genders across various genres. Conventionally, manga is divided into two editorial segments: shonen (targeted at boys) and shoujo (targeted at girls). While shonen manga, propelled by hits like "Dragon Ball," "Slam Dunk," "Naruto," and "One Piece," has achieved global popularity, girls' comics, with their own international sensations such as "Sailor Moon," hold a crucial position in the market. The evolving landscape of girls' manga serves as a fascinating lens through which to observe the shifting fashionable aspirations and beauty ideals within Japanese society.
Shoujo manga has a rich history, dating back to the early 20th century. However, it truly gained recognition in its modern form in the late '50s and early '60s when prominent Japanese publishers introduced shoujo manga anthologies such as Kodansha's Nakayoshi and Shoujo Friend, as well as Shueisha's Ribon and Margaret. The acclaimed "godfather of manga," Osamu Tezuka, is often credited with creating the first modern shoujo, "The Princess Knight," in 1954, and the first shonen, "Astro Boy," in 1952.
A distinguishing feature of shoujo manga is that it is created by and for girls. But, in the '50s, this wasn't the case, and male artists dominated the shoujo field, which was considered an entryway to the manga business. By the 1960s, that would change as publishers recognized that women creators possessed a unique proficiency in crafting narratives centered around female experiences. Female manga-kas resonated with readers in a way that many male artists couldn't, marking a crucial shift in the landscape of shoujo manga.
The Volleyball Craze
A notable display of how shoujo could mirror societal trends unfolded in the '60s. In 1964, the Tokyo Olympics marked a new beginning for post-war Japan, and the female volleyball team, known as Toyo no Majou (the Oriental Witches), achieved stardom by clinching victory in the finals against the Soviet Republic. This triumph triggered a nationwide "volleyball boom," resonating particularly within the shoujo manga realm.
Shueisha's Ribon, historically the leader in the shoujo manga field, started publication in 1955. Still, the editorial house would only begin to make its series available in standalone tankobon format almost 15 years later through the now iconic Ribon Mascot Comics imprint. The first series to be made available by the imprint was Chikako Ide's "Viva Volleyball."
Simultaneously, over at Kodansha, Shoujo Friend was also eager to capitalize on the boom. Editors commissioned a title about the sport from illustrator Akira Mochizuki and novelist Shiro Jimbo. The final project, "Sign wa V," became a multimedia success, being quickly adapted into a live-action TV drama that achieved very high ratings.
While "Viva! Volleyball" and "Sign wa V" enjoyed success in their time, they did not etch themselves into the collective memory. The true shoujo sports manga blockbuster, a cross-generational classic universally known in Japan, is Chikako Urano's "Attack No. 1," serialized from 1968 to 1970 in Weekly Margaret.
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It became the first shoujo manga title to surpass ten tankobon volumes (it had a total of 12 volumes), and it was forever immortalized thanks to its 1970 anime adaptation, which achieved high ratings on Japanese TV. Everything about "Attack No. 1"—from the original manga to the cartoon adaptation to the anime's theme song, which sold over 700k copies as a single—was a success.
The story of a high school girl trying to become the best player in her school, Japan, and eventually, the world became a phenomenon, setting the stage for the '70s "golden era of shoujo."
The Shoujo Lost Years
Until the '70s, manga carried the stigma of being a guilty pleasure, often viewed as a "poison" meant to dumb down young readers. Despite a few discerning individuals recognizing the medium's potential, manga critics, enthusiasts, and tastemakers — predominantly men — largely disregarded female-centric comics. Shoujo manga, despite its immense popularity, faced the harshest criticism.
Because society and critics downplayed shoujo, influential shoujo manga-kas from the '50s and '60s, such as Hideko Mizuno, do not enjoy the same level of recognition as their shonen counterparts from that era.
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Hideko Mizuno and a page of one of her most celebrated works, "Fire."
Mizuno was one of the first women to create manga, worked as an assistant to Osamu Tezuka, and was behind several massive hits that had a significant impact on women in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. In fact, the most iconic shoujo manga-kas from the '70s golden period directly mention her as an influence. She fought to include romance -- now the essential element in girls' manga -- in her works back when such topics were deemed inappropriate by male editors.
Mizuno's repertoire was vast: she wrote mangas about little girls and their poneys, magic adventures, and romcoms based on Audrey Hepburn's movies, and she drew the first sex scene in a shoujo manga. The manga in question was "Fire," a teen-targeted manga featuring a rebellious American rocker, which broke new ground by having a male character as its focal point. Alongside other notable female artists from the '60s, Mizuno laid the groundwork for the '70s shoujo explosion, during which girls' comics took center stage.
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In 1960's "Hoshi no Tategoto" (left,) Hideko Mizuno created the first shoujo love story. Serialized in Weekly Margaret between 1964 and 65, "Shiroi Troika," set during the Russian Revolution, was the first historical shoujo manga.
A contributing factor to this "golden period" was the emergence of several shoujo mangas as unstoppable hits, selling millions of copies and becoming cultural phenomena. These titles, considered masterpieces, continue to be read and known by multiple generations.
The BeruBara Boom
"Attack No. 1"'s success spread far and wide, forcing Japanese society to take note of the potential of the shoujo segment. Right after this historic success, Shueisha's Weekly Margaret hit the jackpot once again with another epoch-defining manga hit, Ryoko Ikeda's "The Rose of Versailles," which debuted in 1972. Set in the years preceding and during the French Revolution, it weaved together historical figures like Marie Antoinette and fictional ones, like the iconic Lady Oscar, a handsome noblewoman raised as a boy to succeed her father as the commander of the Royal Guard at the Palace of Versailles.
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The first volume of the original comic had Marie Antoinette on the cover as Margaret's editors believed she'd be the favorite character. However, the androgynous Lady Oscar turned into a fan fave and the absolute star of the series, which is reflected on the cover of most rereleases since then, including the 2013 bunko version seen above.
When talking about shoujo manga classics from the '70s that are familiar to everyone in Japan, "Rose of Versailles" is probably the first name that comes to mind. It was a hit that really defined the era and impacted the country as a whole. While Marie Antoinette is seen around the world as a tragic, out-of-touch figure, in Japan, many women and girls see her as an aspirational historical fashion icon. While Sofia Coppola's 2006 film "Marie Antoinette" solidified this among younger generations, it was Ikeda's gentle portrait that made her a character loved by so many across all age groups.
When conceptualizing the story, Ikeda was heavily inspired by Stefan Zweig's "Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman," which she read while in high school. Once in college, in the late '60s, she, like millions of others, was heavily involved with the Marxist student movements. These references led to a historical romance that touched on heavy and revolutionary themes, which was atypical for a shoujo manga, a segment that, back then, was primarily catered to elementary school-aged girls.
Because of its unorthodox concept, Margaret's editors were unsure about the series. But right from the start, "BeruBara" (derived from the original Japanese title, "Berusaiyu no Bara"), serialized between 1972 and 1973, was an explosive hit, quickly turning into Weekly Margaret's most popular series. It was compiled in 10 tankobon volumes published, which sold tens of millions of copies. In fact, according to some stats, it is the best-selling '70s manga across all genres in total sales.
In 1974, after the original manga had finished its serialization, Takarazuka Revue, an all-female theatrical troupe, announced a stage adaptation of the story.
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Posters of the first three Takarazuka adaptations, from between 1974 and 1975. Since then, the Revue has adapted the manga 11 times, with a new run scheduled for 2024.
The Revue was established in 1913 by the owner of Kansai's leading railway company, Hankyu, to boost tourism to the city of Takarazuka, his line's last stop. It was a huge success, and soon, the group had its own luxurious theater as well as its very exclusive academy where young ladies underwent an arduous audition process to become Takaraziennes. In 1934, a second Takarazuka theater opened in Tokyo. 
However, in the early 1970s, Takarazuka faced stagnation, with declining ticket sales attributed to the growing popularity of alternative entertainment forms such as cinema and television.
In 1973, Shinji Ueda, who had risen through the Takarazuka ranks as a director, made his debut as a playwriter in the company with a musical based on ancient Japanese history. While thinking about his next project, he decided to check out a manga popular with some Takarazuka fans, "Rose of Versailles," and he quickly realized it was the perfect theme for an adaptation. Lady Oscar, who had lady-like features but was also as handsome as a man, was the embodiment of the male role-playing Takaraziennes. Ueda reached out to Ryoko Ikeda, who, as an admirer of the troupe, quickly granted the rights.
But Ikeda and Ueda's excitement wasn't shared by many. Most of the Takarazuka team were skeptical about a play inspired by something as vulgar as a manga. Fans of the original were also highly protective of its characters and entirely against a live adaptation.
Amid this climate of distrust, the play opened at the end of August 1974 at the Takarazuka Grand Theater. The reaction after the first night was extremely positive. Soon, Takarazuka's "Rose of Versailles" was the hottest ticket in all of Japan, with the press breathlessly covering the "BeruBara boom" that led thousands of people to stand hours in line to get tickets to the coveted performances in Kansai and Tokyo. Ikeda herself was shocked by the media phenomenon when she returned from an overseas trip and had hundreds of reporters awaiting her at the airport.
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A statue of Lady Oscar and Andre surrounded by rose bushes sits outside the Takarazuka Grand Theater in Hyogo, Japan.
The "BeruBara" media sensation single-handedly reversed Takarazuka's fortunes, leading to record-shattering ticket sales for the company. The Takarazuka Academy, which had seen declining applicants, suddenly became highly sought-after again, originating the saying "Todai in the East, Takarazuka in the West," comparing it to Tokyo University, the most prestigious university in Japan. The phrase underscored the desirability and prestige associated with a position at the troupe. 
Ultimately, the success of "The Rose of Versailles" propelled Takarazuka back to the pinnacle of the entertainment industry, a position it maintains to this day. The brand continues to hold great esteem among women of all ages in Japan, with Takarazuka's stage adaptations, derived from Broadway musicals, movies, novels, and shoujo manga, consistently selling out. Notably, various adaptations of "BeruBara" have collectively sold over 5 million tickets since 1974.
Following the manga and Takarazuka adaptation's explosive success, the anime debuted in 1979. While the anime received acclaim, Ikeda herself was not entirely satisfied, mainly due to the treatment of her favorite character, Andre, who played a significant role in the manga but had a minor presence in the animated version, which focused almost entirely on the manga's most popular character, Lady Oscar.
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In 2013, celebrating Margaret's 50th anniversary, new special chapters of "BeruBara" were published. The first new story in 40 years resulted in Margaret magazine selling out across the country.
"BeruBara" remains a prominent franchise in Japan, spawning numerous licensed products, sequels, and spin-offs. Ryoko Ikeda, known for other successful series, continues to garner widespread respect and media attention. However, while almost everything related to "The Rose of Versailles" turned into a hit, there was an exception.
In March 1979, a few months before the anime premiere, a live-action film adaptation debuted with great fanfare. Fittingly for such a hot property, the movie was one of the most ambitious productions in Japanese cinema, with a substantial 1 billion yen budget. 
The Palace of Versailles granted permission to shoot in its interior. The filming was in English, with a European cast. The project was helmed by France's hottest movie director, Jacques Demy. Demy wasn't respected only in the West but also in Japan, where his two most important films, "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" (1964) and "The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)," were also hits. In fact, to this day, both flicks remain popular among trend-conscious Japanese as examples of stylish oshare movies that fully capture aspirational girls' culture (alongside, among others, Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette"). Demy, the mind behind dreamy, girly movies, seemed like the perfect choice to turn this blockbuster shoujo classic into a live-action film.
The movie had the backing of three gigantic domestic corporations: Toho, the leading Japanese movie distributor; Nihon Terebi (NTV), one of the main TV stations; and cosmetic giant Shiseido. NTV and Shiseido made sure the movie had one of the most extensive marketing campaigns Japan had ever witnessed. The TV station aired specials and segments on this grand production. Meanwhile, Shiseido made the star of the movie -- British actress Catriona McCall, who played Oscar -- the face of its spring campaign, promoting its new Red Rose lipstick. Catriona was plastered on billboards across the country, made media and department store appearances, and starred in luxurious TV spots.
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On the left, Lady Oscar and Marie Antoinette adorn the cover of Margaret in 2016, over 40 years after the end of the original serialization. On the right, Oscar models Dolce & Gabanna new collection for high-end fashion magazine Spur in 2014, celebrating 40 years of the conclusion of the original manga.
Back then, Kanebo, the second biggest local cosmetic company, was in fierce competition with Shiseido. TV ads from both companies had a tremendous impact, propelling singles to the top of the charts, and there was a battle on which commercial would feature the biggest hit. But, in the spring of 79, the focus of the fight changed. As a response to the Catriona "Rose of Versailles" campaign, Kanebo also hired a British beauty, actress Olivia Hussey, and launched a "Super Rose lipstick" with the tagline "You are more beautiful than a rose." The cosmetics war was another proof of the chokehold "The Rose of Versailles" had in the decade.
But when the movie finally premiered, it was a flop. Critics hated it, and Japanese fans thought the adaptation was weak and lacked impact. Catriona, in particular, was criticized for not conveying Oscar's androgynous charm, which perfectly balanced masculinity and femininity. With the well-received anime premiering just a few months later, the expensive movie adaptation ended up being outshone and forgotten. It became only a costly footnote in the manga's history.
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An exhibition in Tokyo celebrates 50 years of BeruBara in 2022.
(It's worth noting that Kanebo clearly won the CM war. While the Shiseido co-produced "Rose of Versaille" feature film flopped, the "You Are More Beautiful than a Rose" song Kanebo commissioned from singer Akira Fuse became a considerable hit).
Movie aside, "The Rose of Versailles" is one of Japan's most beloved comics. From its debut in 1971 to its film and anime adaptation in 1979, it remained front and center in the country's mind throughout the whole decade. Its impact was felt in different fields, from the cosmetic business to the publishing business, from live theater to TV. It also forever changed how shoujo manga was perceived and remains one of the country's most beloved properties.
Ace-Scoring Manga
The 1970s marked a turning point for shoujo manga, as it began to gain recognition beyond its traditional audience, propelled not just by critical acclaim but by commercial success. The era witnessed the emergence of several blockbusters that captured the public's imagination. Notable among them were Yoko Shoji's "Seito Shokun," a tale centered on the daily exploits of a mischievous high-schooler, and Waki Yamato's "Haikara-san ga Tooru," a love story set in the Meiji period featuring a tomboy with a lady-like demeanor. These manga were significant hits during their publication in Kodansha's Shoujo Friends, becoming best-selling titles with tens of millions of copies sold.
Some shoujo classics from the '70s are still in publication today, appealing to a diverse readership spanning multiple generations. Suzue Michi's "Glass Mask," serialized in Hana to Yume since 1976, remains a cultural phenomenon with 49 tankobon volumes, over 55 million copies sold, an anime adaptation, a live-action drama, and a stage play. Similarly, Chieko Hosokawa's "Crest of the Royal Family," chronicling the adventures of a young American girl transported to ancient Egypt, has been a consistent presence in Princess magazine since 1976, boasting 69 volumes and over 45 million copies sold to date.
But, when talking about definitive shoujo classics from the '70s, titles that were historical successes, influenced everything going forward, and are known by everyone, three titles come to mind. We already explored one of these, "The Rose of Versailles." One of the other three is "Ace wo Nerae."
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Following the monumental success of "Attack No. 1," the prospects of another shoujo sports manga achieving similar heights of popularity seemed improbable. However, Weekly Margaret defied expectations once more in 1973 with the release of Suzumika Yamamoto's "Ace wo Nerae" ("Aim for the Ace"), a compelling narrative focused on tennis that swiftly captured the nation's attention.
Japan and tennis already had some prior history. The first Japanese Olympic medalist was a tennis player, Ichy Kumagae, in 1920. Emperor Akihito met his commoner wife, Michiko, at a tennis match, and they initially bonded over their love for the sport. But, in the 70s, the country was taken over by an unprecedented tennis boom. At high schools across the nation, tennis became the most popular after-school activity. Fashion magazines like JJ and Popeye dedicated pages and pages to "tennis fashion." At the same time, trendy young adults decked in clothes from sports brands populated Shibuya and other stylish districts in Tokyo.
There were several contributors to the tennis boom. But the remarkable success of "Ace wo Nerae," which first conquered girls before dominating the nation, played a part in it.
The manga follows the journey of Hiromi Oka, a high school student initially plagued by insecurities but propelled into the world of tennis through the encouragement of her coach. "Ace wo Nerae" portrays her growth from a hesitant newcomer to a world-class tennis player, navigating challenges and discovering hidden potential along the way.
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From left to right: Madame Butterfly, lead character Hiromi Oka and coach Jin Murakata as depicted in the anime. Madame Butterfly, a wealthy teen girl who is gentle and a world-class tennis player, is a fan favorite character.
In 1973, "Ace wo Nerae" was adapted into an anime. Despite initial modest ratings, the anime gained popularity through reruns. Encouraged by this, NTV decided to remake the cartoon. The second adaptation, which debuted in 1978, was an immediate hit. Concurrently, Weekly Margaret revived the manga series, which, after being first finalized in 1975, ran again from 1978 to 1980, spanning a total of 18 volumes.
Since "Ace wo Nerae," several hit mangas focused on tennis -- both shoujo and shonen -- were published. But, thanks to the success of its anime and the intragenerational support for the manga, the original work by Suzumika Yamamoto is still considered one of the defining and most beloved works about the sport. Its role in propelling tennis culture as part of the oshare youth culture of the '70s also defines its impact.
Japan Wants Candy
Following the monumental multimedia success of "The Rose of Versailles" and "Ace wo Nerae," the third shoujo sensation of the '70s is "Candy Candy."
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Initially published in Nakayoshi, the story started taking shape when editors at the magazine sought a work of literary excellence akin to beloved classics popular among girls, like "Heidi" and "Anne of Green Gables." They enlisted Keiko Nagita, writing under the pen name Kyoko Mizuki, and paired her with one of the magazine's most famous artists, Yumiko Igarashi. The collaborative effort resulted in the creation of "Candy Candy," centered around an American, blond, blue-eyed orphan named Candice "Candy" White Ardlay.
"Candy Candy" epitomized various shoujo directions prevalent in the '70s. The protagonist, a white girl with lustrous blonde hair, embodied the fascination with Western culture during a time when Japanese youth held a keen interest in Europe and the United States. The manga's narrative style, characterized by its dramatic tone and plot twists, also aligned with the prevalent storytelling preferences of the era.
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Candy Candy was such a resounding success that it became the first manga to achieve an initial print run of over 1 million copies of one of its paperback compilations.
Debuting in 1975, "Candy Candy" swiftly captured the hearts of Nakayoshi's readers, leading to unprecedented success. The subsequent anime adaptation by Toei in the following year propelled the franchise into the realm of a cultural phenomenon, sending manga tankobon sales skyrocketing. The seventh volume of the "Candy Candy" compiled paperback reportedly became the first Japanese manga to achieve an initial print run of over 1 million copies. Additionally, Nakayoshi's sales surged, surpassing those of its historical rival, Shueisha's Ribon, for the first (and only) time.
The adventures of young Candy were also licensing gold. With over 100 licensed products, the "Candy Candy" doll alone sold 2 million units, solidifying Bandai's position as Japan's premier toymaker, a status it continues to uphold to this day. The resounding success of "Candy Candy" forged a lasting alliance between Kodansha's Nakayoshi, Toei Animation, and toymaker Bandai, which led to the iconic "Sailor Moon" franchise in the 1990s.
While "Candy Candy" concluded its run in 1979, its appeal extended far beyond its original target demographic of very young girls, captivating kids, teenagers, and adults alike, thus contributing significantly to the manga and anime's widespread acclaim and enduring popularity.
However, a protracted legal dispute between Igarashi and Nagita has prevented the commercialization of any "Candy Candy" related products since the late 1990s, including reprints of the manga and re-broadcasting of the anime. The lawsuit arose from Igarashi's unauthorized licensing of merchandise based on the franchise, falsely asserting sole ownership of the copyright. Although Igarashi was initially credited as the lead artist in Nakayoshi during the manga's publication, the court ultimately ruled in Nagita's favor, emphasizing that Igarashi's artistic foundation was built upon Nagita's written work.
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A collection of "Candy Candy" freebies offered by Nakayoshi magazine in the '70s. During the publication of the series, Nakayoshi would eclipse Ribon's sales for the one and only time in its history, (image credit)
Consequently, any commercial exploitation of Yumiko Igarashi's "Candy Candy" artwork necessitates the approval of both Igarashi and Nagita, a challenging prospect given the existing feud. Nagita, on the other hand, can profit from "Candy Candy" as long as she doesn't include any illustrations, which allowed her to release a book sequel in 2010. However, due to the dispute, one of the most beloved works in Japanese manga history is currently out of print. The lawsuit also blocks the anime from being aired or distributed. But, despite the almost two-decades-long media ban, "Candy Candy" remains widely known and beloved across Japan, a testament to its staying power.
While smash hits like "Candy Candy," "Ace wo Nerae," "Rose of Versailles," "Seito Shokun," "Hikara-san ga Tooru," and "Glass Mask," among others were key pieces into shoujo finally earning the respect it deserved, the rise of a revolutionary group of artists during the '70s was another critical element in shoujo's rise: the Year of 24 Group.
Part 2
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animusrox · 8 days
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movie tag game
tag game: recommend movies based on the following questions, then tag 5 people.
a film in the IMDB Top 250
an indie film
a summer blockbuster
a foreign language film
a black-and-white film
an animated film
a film released before 1970
a film released after 2010
a film from the year you were born
a film where the vibes are immaculate
a film whose main genre is Action/Adventure
a film whose main genre is Comedy
a film whose main genre is Horror/Thriller
a film whose main genre is Drama
a film whose main genre is Science Fiction
a film whose main genre is Science Fiction
a film whose main genre is Romance/Musical
a film whose main genre is Western
a film to feel good/uplifted
a film to feel bad/depressed
tagging: @celine-song @talesfromthecrypts @ewans-mitchell @madeline-kahn @anyataylorjoys
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One of The Temptations' greatest records. This is one of those songs and 45s that made 1971 such an incredibly unique and singular year in the annals of Rock.
And this, their Psychedlic Psychodrama Tour de Force from the next year:
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Both were preceeded by this blockbuster, in 1970:
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Three monster hits, three years in a row. Legendary for a reason!
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scotianostra · 2 years
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Brian Connolly, lead singer with glam rock band The Sweet was born on October 5th 1945 in Govanhill.
Usually my disclaimers about dates and birthplace are for more historical posts but sometimes they throw ones like this at me, so the dates are either 45 or 49, some sources say he was born in Govanhill others tell me 20 odd miles away in Hamilton.
His mother was a teenage waitress, Frances Connolly, who left him in a Glasgow hospital as an infant whilst he was possibly suffering from meningitis. The identity of his father was never made public he was in care until he was two, when he was fostered by Jim and Helen McManus of Blantyre, South Lanarkshire who already had three born-to children. Brian was given the name McManus which he used until he was 18, when he discovered that he was adopted and changed his surname to his mother´s, Connolly.
In a radio interview, Connolly reported that singing was a large part of growing up since there was no television, and that he was regularly called upon to sing for family and friends. Connolly has credited the Everly Brothers as being his earliest musical influence.
At the age of twelve the family moved to Harefield, Greater London, where he attended the local Secondary Modern school. In his mid-teens he joined the Merchant Navy.
On his discharge from the Merchant Navy in 1963 he returned to Harefield and played in a number of local bands, including Generation X, from mid-1965 until about October 1966. The group recorded four tracks but these were not commercially released. The lineup featured Connolly on vocals, Chris Eldridge and Lee Mordecai on guitars, Mark Conway (bass) and drummer Martin Lass. Connolly eventually replaced singer Ian Gillan (later of Deep Purple fame) in a band called Wainwright’s Gentlemen, which included drummer Mick Tucker. Tucker and Connolly left Wainwright’s Gentlemen in late 1967 and recruited guitarist Frank Torpey, and bassist Steve Priest, naming their new band The Sweetshop.
On the eve of releasing their debut single, Slow Motion, in July 1968, the band shortened their name to The Sweet. They recorded a further three unsuccessful singles; Andy Scott joined the line-up in late 1970, just before the release of their first hit single “Funny, Funny”
Their second single “Co Co” reached number 2 on the charts and they released the albums Gimmee Dat Ding, Sweet Fanny Adams and Desolation Boulevard followed.
The Sweet had 15 top 40 hits between 1971 and 1978, including the aptly named number one Blockbuster! As well as that The Sweet reached number one with various songs all over Europe, two number ones in Australia and a handful of hits in the U.S.
Connolly announced that he had left the group in 1979. He pursued a solo career to get into country music, released the album “Let’s Go”, which was only semi successful.
During January 1997 Connolly had another heart attack and he was hospitalised in Slough, he discharged himself after a week but was readmitted before the fortnight was up. This time there was little more that could be done. Connolly died late on the evening on 9 February 1997, from renal failure, liver failure and repeated heart attacks, attributed to his previous chronic alcoholism. Connolly was 51 years old.
A wee add on is  that numerous sources have asserted that he was a half-brother of the late Taggart actor Mark McManus I must admit I have said this in previous posts, but I did further research and this is not the case. The confusion lies in the fact that his foster brother was named Mark, but there was also a cousin named Mark McManus - who grew up to become the actor who played Taggart in the Glasgow television police detective series.
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kawaiinachobasement · 3 months
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The Evolution of Bollywood: From Silent Films to Global Blockbusters
Bollywood, the Hindi language film industry based in Mumbai, India, has undergone a remarkable transformation since its inception in the early 20th century. From its humble beginnings with silent films to its current status as a global powerhouse, Bollywood has captivated audiences worldwide with its unique blend of storytelling, music, dance, and cultural richness.
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The Silent Era and the Birth of Talkies The first Indian silent film, "Raja Harishchandra," was released in 1913. The silent era was characterized by elaborate sets, dramatic gestures, and intertitles to convey dialogue. However, with the advent of sound technology in the 1930s, Indian cinema entered a new era. "Alam Ara" (1931) marked the birth of talkies in India and revolutionized the industry. The ability to incorporate dialogues, music, and sound effects opened up a whole new world of storytelling possibilities.
The Golden Age and the Rise of Bollywood The 1950s and 1960s are often referred to as the Golden Age of Bollywood. This era saw the emergence of legendary actors, directors, and music composers who shaped the industry's identity. Films like "Mother India" (1957) and "Mughal-e-Azam" (1960) achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success, establishing Bollywood's presence on the global stage. These films explored social issues, historical epics, and romantic dramas, resonating with audiences across generations.
The Masala Era and the Commercialization of Bollywood The 1970s and 1980s witnessed a shift towards commercialization in Bollywood. This era, often referred to as the "Masala Era," was characterized by a formulaic approach to filmmaking that blended action, romance, comedy, and melodrama. The rise of Amitabh Bachchan as the "Angry Young Man" and his iconic films like "Sholay" (1975) and "Deewar" (1975) cemented this trend. Bollywood films became known for their larger-than-life characters, extravagant song-and-dance sequences, and escapist narratives.
The New Wave and the Rise of Parallel Cinema While the commercial cinema thrived, a parallel movement known as "New Wave" or "Parallel Cinema" emerged in the 1970s. This movement sought to explore more realistic and socially relevant themes, often deviating from the mainstream Bollywood formula. Filmmakers like Shyam Benegal, Satyajit Ray, and Mrinal Sen gained recognition for their thought-provoking films that tackled issues like poverty, caste discrimination, and political corruption.
The Globalization of Bollywood and the Digital Age In the late 20th century, Bollywood began to gain international recognition. The diaspora communities played a crucial role in spreading Bollywood's reach beyond India. The advent of satellite television and the internet further accelerated this process. Bollywood films found audiences in diverse countries, especially among the South Asian diaspora.
The digital age brought about significant changes in Bollywood. The rise of social media platforms and streaming services democratized the distribution and consumption of films. Bollywood embraced digital marketing strategies to reach a wider audience. The industry also witnessed a surge in independent filmmakers who experimented with different genres and storytelling techniques.
Bollywood Today and the Global Impact Today, Bollywood is a global phenomenon. Its films are released worldwide, and its stars have a massive following on social media. Bollywood has become a cultural ambassador for India, showcasing its rich traditions, music, and dance to the world. The industry has also embraced collaborations with international filmmakers and actors, further expanding its global footprint.
Bollywood has come a long way from its silent film roots. It has evolved into a dynamic and diverse industry that reflects the changing aspirations and sensibilities of its audience. With its vibrant storytelling, catchy music, and captivating dance sequences, Bollywood continues to enthrall audiences worldwide, leaving an indelible mark on the global cinematic landscape.
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weaversweek · 5 months
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"Blockbuster" - The Sweet
1973 Written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman
What "LDI" is a collection of fifty great singles from 1954-76?
Take the riff from the Yardbirds' song "I'm a man", and twizzle it around to meet your lyric. If you are David Bowie, you'll end up with "Jean genie". If you are The Sweet, you'll end up with "Blockbuster". And a bit of a panic, only assuaged when producer Nicky Chinn reassures you that nobody will mind that the records share a hook.
Add in an air-raid siren, because the most important bit of a song is at the beginning. (Look at the last few entries: handclaps, "Is this the real life", a mic drop two seconds in, scene-setting instrumentals.) Catch the audience's attention at the start of the song, and they're in.
And a big image helps - the whole band were caked in make-up, and Steve Priest was the first bloke to wear hot pants on Top of the Pops. Well, the first performer to be so attired, we don't know about the audience…
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"Blockbuster" comes at an interesting point in The Sweet's career: the public pigeon-holed them as purveyors of bubblegum pop like The Monkees, but the band saw themselves as heavy rockers in the vein of Deep Purple. Over the early 1970s, they gradually transition from pop to rock, as the records get heavier and pop hooks turn into metal riffs. "Blockbuster" is the most interesting point of the transition, the point where they're at the crossroads between pop and metal.
Sadly for The Sweet, their place in the pop metal firmament was taken over by Queen, whose meandering through styles felt natural and was displayed on their biggest hit. The Sweet gave up the struggle in the late 1970s.
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abigail55 · 6 months
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Exploring the Rich Tapestry of Hindustani Cinema: A Cultural Odyssey
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Hindustani cinema, often synonymous with Bollywood, is a vibrant and diverse film industry that has captivated audiences worldwide for decades. With its roots deeply embedded in Indian culture, Hindustani cinema has evolved into a powerful medium of storytelling, blending elements of drama, romance, music, and dance. This article delves into the rich tapestry of Hindustani cinema, tracing its origins, evolution, and enduring impact on global cinema.
Origins and Evolution:
The origins of Hindustani cinema can be traced back to the early 20th century, with the release of India's first silent film, "Raja Harishchandra," directed by Dadasaheb Phalke in 1913. This groundbreaking film marked the beginning of a new era in Indian cinema, paving the way for the growth and development of the industry.
Over the years, Hindustani cinema has undergone significant evolution, transitioning from silent films to talkies and from black-and-white to color. The golden era of Hindustani cinema, spanning the 1950s and 1960s, saw the emergence of legendary filmmakers such as Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor, and Bimal Roy, who created timeless classics that continue to be revered today.
The 1970s and 1980s witnessed the rise of the "masala" film genre, characterized by its mix of romance, action, comedy, and melodrama. Filmmakers like Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra became synonymous with this style of filmmaking, churning out blockbuster hits that entertained audiences across the country.
In the 1990s, Hindustani cinema underwent a transformation with the emergence of a new wave of filmmakers such as Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who introduced fresh narratives and innovative storytelling techniques. This period also saw the rise of independent cinema, with filmmakers like Anurag Kashyap and Vishal Bhardwaj pushing the boundaries of conventional storytelling.
Contemporary Landscape:
Today, Hindustani cinema occupies a prominent place on the global stage, with films like "Lagaan," "Slumdog Millionaire," and "Gully Boy" garnering critical acclaim and international recognition. The industry continues to evolve, embracing new technologies and experimenting with diverse genres and narratives.
One of the defining features of Hindustani cinema is its emphasis on music and dance. Songs and dance sequences are integral components of most Indian films, serving as vehicles for emotional expression and storytelling. From classical Kathak performances to high-energy Bollywood numbers, Hindustani cinema offers a kaleidoscope of musical and choreographic styles.
Moreover, Hindustani cinema reflects the cultural diversity of India, with films being produced in various languages and dialects. While Hindi films dominate the industry, regional cinemas such as Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu cinema also enjoy widespread popularity, producing a diverse range of films that cater to local audiences.
Themes and Narratives:
Hindustani cinema explores a wide range of themes and narratives, reflecting the socio-political landscape of India. From romantic sagas set against the backdrop of majestic palaces to gritty dramas depicting the struggles of everyday life, Indian films offer a panoramic view of society, its aspirations, and its challenges.
Family dramas, with their emphasis on relationships and traditions, remain a staple of Hindustani cinema. Films like "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" and "Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!" celebrate the bonds of family and the importance of love and unity.
Historical epics, such as "Jodhaa Akbar" and "Bajirao Mastani," transport audiences to bygone eras, bringing to life the grandeur and romance of India's rich cultural heritage. These films often feature elaborate sets, opulent costumes, and epic battle sequences, capturing the imagination of viewers with their visual splendor.
Socially relevant films tackle pressing issues such as poverty, corruption, and gender inequality, shedding light on the harsh realities faced by millions of Indians. Movies like "Peepli Live" and "Pink" confront uncomfortable truths and challenge societal norms, sparking important conversations about justice and equality.
Furthermore, Hindustani cinema has embraced genre-bending films that defy categorization. Movies like "Andhadhun" and "Stree" blend elements of comedy, thriller, and horror, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats with their unpredictable plots and twist endings.
Global Influence:
Hindustani cinema's influence extends far beyond India's borders, captivating audiences in countries around the world. Indian films have a dedicated fan base in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East, where Bollywood stars enjoy celebrity status and films are eagerly awaited and celebrated.
The global success of films like "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" and "3 Idiots" has helped popularize Hindustani cinema on an international scale, introducing audiences to the magic and charm of Indian storytelling. Moreover, the proliferation of streaming platforms has made Indian films more accessible than ever, allowing viewers from diverse backgrounds to discover the richness and diversity of Indian cinema.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Hindustani cinema is a vibrant and dynamic industry that continues to captivate audiences with its rich storytelling, colorful characters, and unforgettable music. From its humble beginnings in the early 20th century to its current status as a global phenomenon, Indian cinema has come a long way, embracing innovation while staying true to its cultural roots.
As the industry continues to evolve, one thing remains constant: the enduring appeal of Hindustani cinema and its ability to transport audiences to worlds of fantasy, romance, and adventure. Whether it's a lavish musical extravaganza or a gritty drama exploring the depths of the human condition, Indian films have something for everyone, making them a cherished part of global cinematic heritage.
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The thing American animated movies of a particular time period and albums/singles by The Beach Boys - an American band - have in common...
Europe coming to the rescue and making them big hits somewhere...
Particularly the Disney animated features. The films released from 1970 to 1981 were not financial flops or underperformers in any sense of the word in North America, but they certainly weren't the blockbuster events Walt's movies sometimes were. The posthumously-released THE JUNGLE BOOK was a Top 10 success at the domestic box office in the calendar year of its release, and no Disney animated film would achieve such great numbers on American soil until... Hybrid WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT in 1988, some 21 years later. For an all-animated example, THE LITTLE MERMAID in 1989. (MERMAID didn't make 1989's Top 10, but it was still a big movie nonetheless.) These post-JUNGLE BOOK movies, staggered in release throughout the '70s, seemingly just played to the families, they didn't seem to have the kick, zest if you will, that got others interested. Even the kids of the 1970s were possibly past this kind of corny thing, as the world was ever-changing. (Though the funny thing is, the relatively chill and plot-light "characters exist" stories like THE ARISTOCATS and ROBIN HOOD seem rather quirky and against-the-grain when putting them next to the majority of today's ruthlessly on-the-move mainstream animated movies.)
Whereas in Europe... Different story. I already went over that on another post, but in territories like France and West Germany, these films were *blockbusters*. ARISTOCATS, ROBIN HOOD, THE RESCUERS, you name it. Different cultures, wholly different worlds, audiences over there embraced these films and others from different distributors. Europe had always, in some way or another, been Disney's bread-and-butter. When World War II raged across the Atlantic, Disney lost so much income and this was a big reason why PINOCCHIO and BAMBI initially flopped at the box office. In the '70s, when it seemed like American audiences wanted something new and different, Europeans seemed to welcome the films with open arms.
The Beach Boys are perhaps the quintessential American band, with a long, rich, and often confounding and complicated history, besmirched with pain, tragedy, and tumult... and yet, some of the most - to my estimation - beautiful music to have ever come out of any band, thanks in part to the genius of Brian Wilson. And there are plenty of parallels between Brian's work and Walt Disney's vision that are another post for another day... And often times, they are EXPLICIT. Brian once did a solo album of Disney song covers, in addition to making plenty of music that resembled the score of a classic Disney film.
In late 1966, around the same time Walt Disney passed away, Brian Wilson was suffering from waxing mental health problems and exacerbating drug use, whilst obsessively creating what would've been his masterpiece... An ambitious, often boggling album called SMiLE. Brian collapsed, and the project collapsed with him, there were other factors at play, only small pieces and individual songs being repurposed or released elsewhere in the coming years. Following this debacle, The Beach Boys' output suffered commercially... It had seemed that Americans, in the words of historian David Leaf, deemed a once chart-topping group on the cutting edge of musical innovation a bunch of "surfing Doris Days". Outdated, irrelevant, not up to speed with the ever-changing (and HOW!) musical scene and zeitgeist of 1967 and beyond.
Some critics bemoaned that Brian and his group fell far from what SMiLE could've been, kind of in the same way it's often stated that Disney's feature animation output went down in quality following Walt's death. In reality, The Beach Boys didn't fall back on anything nor give up. Brian's leadership role was diminished, but his brothers Dennis and Carl began to step up, alongside the other members of the group. The Beach Boys recorded and released some truly cool music from the middle of 1967 - the release of the 'Heroes and Villains' single - up until the release of the album SUNFLOWER in the summer of 1970...
And the majority of this output flopped commercially in the U.S., or at best, did decently enough. A few singles - such as 'Darlin'', 'Do It Again', and 'I Can Hear Music' - managed to get into the Top 40. Not the Top 10, or Top 5, they used to easily chip... But most bands would kill for that. Other singles, such as 'Cottonfields', went almost unnoticed. Albums like FRIENDS and SUNFLOWER didn't even crack the Top 100, despite their quality and even approval from some of the big music publications at the time of release. (Shockingly, Rolling Stone critics spoke positively of some of these albums.) Americans didn't wanna hear it... The Beach Boys, whose name did not help one bit, were the squarest of squares and that was that about that.
In Europe, however... The UK, particularly... The Brits loved the California sound of The Beach Boys, likely unlike anything they had ever heard over there. In 1966, The Beach Boys had edged out The Beatles or at the very least came very close to doing so in terms of popularity. One advantage the group had was that they toured frequently, often without Brian, but still toured nonetheless. The Beatles, of course, gave up touring in mid-1966 following a series of controversies and being generally overwhelmed by Beatlemania in order to focus on honing in their more adventurous sides.
The Beach Boys' seminal record, PET SOUNDS, did okay at best in North America upon its spring 1966 release. Like, it was not a massive flop or anything, but #10 was certainly not the position an LP of theirs normally landed at home. In the UK, it was a #2 smash, and lauded by virtually all of the British music press and several renowned musicians. Here in America, it was kinda met with polarization, which is absurd to think nowadays, considering that the album handily tops almost every Top 100,000 Albums Ever list. "I guess I just wasn't made for these tiiiimes..."
So yeah, The Beach Boys were huge in the UK circa 1967-1970 and did quite well throughout most of Europe, and were struggling to get attention in their home country.
For reference...
THE ARISTOCATS - Moderate hit in the U.S. Absolute blockbuster in France, West Germany, and the UK.
ROBIN HOOD - Same as above.
THE RESCUERS - Same as above.
THE FOX AND THE HOUND - Mostly same as above, it didn't do well in the UK for some reason. Or at least it appears to have missed the UK's Top 20 in its release year. Still, massive in France and West Germany.
THE BLACK CAULDRON - Underperformed domestically, but in the Top 5 of the year in France.
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'Heroes and Villains' single - #12 U.S., #8 UK, #10 Netherlands, #7 Sweden
SMILEY SMILE - #41 U.S., #9 UK
WILD HONEY - #24 U.S., #7 UK, #20 Germany
FRIENDS - #126 U.S., #13 UK
'Do It Again' single - #20 US, #1 UK & Australia, #10 Canada, #3 Netherlands, #5 Norway & Sweden, #4 Germany, #4 Japan, #7 South Africa, #7 Switzerl- HOLY SHIT this one single was a BEAST
20/20 - #68 U.S., #3 UK, #41 Canada, #23 Germany, #20 Netherlands
'Break Away' single - #63 U.S., #6 UK, #10 Netherlands, #29 Germany, #20 New Zealand, #38 Canada
'Cottonfields' single - #103 U.S., #5 UK & Rhodesia, #1 Australia & Norway, #2 South Africa & Sweden & Denmark, #12 Netherlands, #13 New Zealand, #21 Finland, #29 Germany- 'nother fuckin' *monster* single right here.
SUNFLOWER - #151 U.S., #29 UK, #10 Netherlands, #79 Canada
Sometimes, Americans' tastes... Or unwillingness to try something... Just plain ol' suck, lol.
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dramaintherain · 11 months
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I've been watching dramas for a decade and a half and it's not about the quality of just netlix dramas ( although most of them look very nice but have the substance of a paper back and the writing quality of a 12 yo writing fanfic for the first time) because like you said there isn't that many of them compared to everything but how they influenced the kdrama industry just like they influenced hollywood (there are multiple articles and industry writers/actors talking about netflix and streaming by extension because companies tried to follow them and the irrevocable damage it has done to how hollywood functions not just for the quality of the art but the livelihood of writers and actors they went from big writers rooms and residuals and recurring spots to mini rooms where they do a huge amount of free work basically no residuals and actors getting paid dust here's one https://www.vulture(dot)com/2023/06/streaming-industry-netflix-max-disney-hulu-apple-tv-prime-video-peacock-paramount.html). No one is saying kdramas were perfect there were a lot of bad shows like there always are, a lot of misogynistic writing a lot of exploitation and there still is, here's how netflix is treating korean labor ( https://www.latimes(dot)com/world-nation/story/2023-08-07/south-korea-actors-netflix-pay-dispute-union). But netflix has changed the game and unlike hollywood which it started disrupting a long time ago it's relatively newer to kdramas, much shorter shows regardless of the story being told ( the actual main leads of song of bandits complained how the show got cut in half after being filmed just... because) and networks are popping out 12 ep shows like clockwork when it should be based on what the story is, 12, 16, 20? Like some of the greatest kdramas of all time weren't 20+ like six flying dragons, reply 1988, cruel city, chief kim, prison playbook, we used to get 20 ep shows and 16 and 12 and for sageuks 30 and 50, now 20 is extinct and the only show doing it is my dearest and it's the biggest rating hit, it should always be a variety, a huge number of shows getting filmed and shelved because networks have cut their slots, westernized shows masquerading as kdramas, shows getting multiple seasons when the story really doesn't call for it. Of course there are still great shows but that's not because of netflix it's in spite of them and just like Hollywood are barely starting to recover due to labor standing up for themselves with the strikes, Korea is gonna take a few years before it looks around and says wtf has happened to us, we had a model that while not perfect, worked and now... It's capitalism through and through and tech bros f*cking up another industry for money.
I have been watching k-dramas for eight years now, and the same critique of "shiny coat of painting but terrible story writing" can be applied to various dramas broadcast outside netflix so I really do not see where this thought is coming from other than narrow nostalgia.
At the same time it is nothing but ludicrous to blame the woes of Hollywood on streaming services as if there were no major issues already. Since the late 1970's-1980's western cinema became monopolised and dependent on blockbuster films based on intellectual property.
Today we are witnessing the zenith of this circumstance as the majority of films available at cinemas are nothing more than reboots or sequels, particularly the super hero gene. This has also spilled over into television series as now there are countless, fast food like shows of a certain Mickey Mouse brand that has accumulated a great deal of intellectual property when it comes to comic book characters.
I am not arguing that streaming services are less exploitative or that they have not taken opportunity of local labour laws and so on with the objective of profiting: that is how they function, just like television networks. The shift towards pre-produced k-dramas is a positive one nonetheless as it is less taxing on those involved in producing k-dramas. "Some of the greatest k-dramas of all time" were shot live and under excruciating conditions for labourers, and this model is and remains unsustainable.
It's a shame "Song of the Bandits" had several of its episodes cut during editing but this is something that happens under any production, be it from a television network or a streaming service. And that often happens because there are doubts whether a show will be successful or not. But none of this suggests that k-dramas are being "westernised" -- these shows reflect South Korean culture and history.
South Korea already has a plethora of national streaming services like TVING which is already planning to expand to the American market in a year so I do not understand why all these changes are being exclusively blamed on one streaming service when this is part of one big wave across the world and television networks are also having their share of the pie. You are effectively romanticising the exploitation of South Korean workers for your own personal consumption while deriding any changes that contribute to lessening their payload: think about that.
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tackycute · 1 year
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Shelby Flint sings her 1961 hit 'Angel On My Shoulder' from her 1966 Valiant album 'Cast Your Fate to the Wind'. The lyrics are in the video and listed below with some notes on the song. This is a redo of the earlier video for this song with mostly new images and the lyrics displayed differently than before. A viewer, Polly Burroughs, pointed out a mistake I made in the lyrics so this version corrects that mistake. [Vinyl/Lyrics/19-Images/WAV] Angel On My Shoulder (Singer: Shelby Flint) Got an angel on my shoulder Got a penny in my pocket And I found a four-leaf clover And I put it in my locket Wished on all the stars above me And I caught the nearest rainbow Gonna find someone to love me Gonna find someone to love Well I tossed a lot of nickels in a wishing well And saved the fortunes that the fortune cookies tell I got a lucky penny and a mustard seed But a warm and tender love is all I need And I want a love that lingers And is stronger through and through So I'm gonna cross my fingers That I find a boy to love me true Well I tossed a lot of nickels in a wishing well And saved the fortunes that the fortune cookies tell I got a lucky penny and a mustard seed But a warm and tender love is all I need And I want a love that lingers And is stronger through and through So I'm gonna cross my fingers That I find a boy to love me true And I'm gonna love him too Songwriter: Shelby Flint © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. [Lyrics from LyricFind] Wikipedia states: "Angel on My Shoulder" is a song written by Shelby Flint in 1960 and later recorded by the composer. The single reached No. 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in early 1961. Other versions were recorded by: Jerry Wallace (1960), Kathy Young (1961), Jimmy Young (1961), Pat Boone (1963), Gary Martin with The Blockbusters (1964),and Maureen McGovern (1992). The Cascades released a version of the song on their 1963 album, Rhythm of the Rain. Also, Merrilee Rush charted with her rendition in 1970, reaching #122 (US), and Joni Lee, daughter of Conway Twitty, hit #42 on the Billboard Country Singles chart, 1976. Shelby Flint (born September 17, 1939 in North Hollywood, California) is a singer-songwriter who had two top-100 hits, "Angel on My Shoulder" in 1961 and "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" in 1966. Her single "I Will Love You" appeared in the Variety T.I.P.S. (Tune Index of Performance and Sales) Top 100 in 1961. She has been a singer in several movies including Breezy, Snoopy, Come Home ("Do You Remember Me?" (Lila's Theme)) and Disney's The Rescuers. Among the songs she performed for The Rescuers, "Someone's Waiting for You" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1977. In an April 1995 interview Joni Mitchell recalled that when she began making the rounds of the folk open mic circuit she wanted to sound just like Shelby Flint.
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indiesole · 1 year
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BOLLYWOOD HISTORY IN A CAPSULE ! ( INDIES BOLLYWOOD FILM HISTORY CAPSULE ON (SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM) TOOTER ! -
https://www.tumblr.com/indiejones/715036421893816320/indies-bollywood-film-history-capsule-on-social?source=share )
I. INDIES ALL TIME HINDIS ! -- THE TOP 3600 HINDI FILMS IN THE 111 yr HISTORY OF HINDI CINEMA /BOLLYWOOD !
II. THE 90% COMPLETE 'INDIES ALL-TIME HINDIS'!..ENCOMPASSING TOP 5000 RANKED HINDI FILMS FROM 108 YRS OF HINDI CINEMA(1913-2021)!
III. INDIES TOP 1036 (ACTORS & ACTRESSES COMBINED) IN THE HISTORY OF WORLD CINEMA !
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IV. BOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST 1436 BLOCKBUSTERS OF ALL TIME (INDIES INFLATION-ADJUSTED GROSS WORLDWIDE COLLECTIONS LIST) (1911-2022)
V. STAR BLOCKBUSTER/SUPERHIT REPORT CARDS & 100 MOST POPULAR ACTORS & ACTRESSES OF BOLLYWOOD - OFFICIAL LIST!-
VI. INDIES' TOP 500 BOLLY FILMS OF GOLDEN/RAMAYAN ERA (16 yrs from 1948-63)! :
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VII. MVP’s -- INDIES TOP 40 MOST VALUABLE & INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS/ PEOPLE IN THE HISTORY OF I-N-D-I-A-N CINEMA !
VIII. INDIES TOP 875 BOLLYWOOD SCREENWRITERS OF ALL TIME!
Rating Top Actors/Actresses/Directors!
IX. Top Directors-
ALL TIME TOP 100 ! - a. https://www.imdb.com/list/ls565297894/
b. https://www.tumblr.com/indiejones/713298491112407040/indies-top-100-bollywood-film-directors-of-all?source=share
Golden Era (1948-63) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/indiespace/51959917762/
50s- https://tooter.in/IndieSpace/posts/108283880237774406
60s- https://tooter.in/IndieSpace/posts/108283312812332726
X. Top Actors!
1910′s - http://www.imdb.com/list/ls567839531/
1920′s - http://www.imdb.com/list/ls561087344/
1930′s - http://www.imdb.com/list/ls561226440/
1940′s - http://www.imdb.com/list/ls561298391/
1950's - https://www.flickr.com/photos/indiespace/51958712300/
1960's- https://www.flickr.com/photos/indiespace/51963360835/
1970′s - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567321489/
1980′s - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567593607/
1990′s - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567516556/
2000′s - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567109245/
2010′s - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567139092/
XI. Top 10 Actresses!
1910′s - http://www.imdb.com/list/ls567839747/
1920′s - http://www.imdb.com/list/ls567862291/
1930′s - http://www.imdb.com/list/ls561226905/
1940′s - http://www.imdb.com/list/ls561223518/
1950's - https://www.flickr.com/photos/indiespace/51958692178/
1960's - https://www.flickr.com/photos/indiespace/51961796512/
1970′s - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567333444/
1980′s - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567581428/
1990′s - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567514775/
2000′s - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567170157/
2010′s - https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567139739/
XII. 40′s TOP 125 FILMS ! (Part of Bollywood’s Platinum/Aryan Era 1912-1947!) :
XIII. 50′s TOP 300 FILMS (Part of Bollywood’s RAMAYAN ERA from 1948-63)!:
XIV. 60's TOP 400 FILMS (Part of Bollywood's VEDANTA ERA from 1964-79)! :
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XV. 70′s TOP 1350 HINDI FILMS ! :
XVI. 80′s TOP 200 HINDI FILMS ! :
XVII. 90′s TOP 200 HINDI FILMS! :
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XVIII. 2000′s TOP 136 HINDI FILMS! :
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XIX. 2010′s TOP 236 HINDI FILMS! :
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XX. INDIES TOP 163 GREATS' FILMS, FROM NO. 1 RAJESH KHANNA (115+3 FILMS) & NO. 3 DILIP KUMAR (45 FILMS) (IN ALL TIME TOP 1800)! :
XXI. INDIES TOP 111 FILMS OF NASEERUDDIN SHAH!
Ie. THE CREME DE LA CREME OF 'PARALLEL CINEMA'!
XXII. TOP 100 HINDI MYTHOLOGICALS!
XXIII. TOP 125 BOLLY FILMS OF PLATINUM/ARYAN ERA! ~
XXIV. INDIES TOP 1036 BOLLYWOOD FILM (MUSIC) ALBUMS OF ALL TIME!
XXV. INDIES TOP 36 (ACTORS & ACTRESSES COMBINED) IN THE HISTORY OF BENGALI CINEMA!
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XXVI. INDIES TOP 36 (ACTORS & ACTRESSES COMBINED) IN THE HISTORY OF MARATHI CINEMA !
XXVII. INDIES TOP 36 (ACTORS & ACTRESSES COMBINED) IN THE HISTORY OF SOUTH INDIAN (TAMIL-TELUGU-MALAYALAM-KANNADA COMBINED) CINEMA !
XXVIII. INDIES TOP 36 (ACTORS & ACTRESSES COMBINED) OF 21st c. SOUTH INDIAN (TAMIL-TELUGU-MALAYALAM-KANNADA) CINEMA !
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XXIX. INDIES TOP 236 BOLLYWOOD MUSIC DIRECTORS OF ALL TIME ! :
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XXX. ALL-TIME 1200(1255) SUPERHIT (BOLLY)SONGS!
1.https://tooter.in/IndieSpace/posts/107205583413882881 2.https://tooter.in/IndieSpace/posts/107205587300288124 3.https://tooter.in/IndieSpace/posts/107205591217358379 4.https://tooter.in/IndieSpace/posts/107205597450968107 5.https://tooter.in/IndieSpace/posts/107205600556153429
XXXI. INDIES TOP 100 HISTORICALS OF BOLLYWOOD!
XXXII. TOP 536 BOLLY SINGERS EVER!
3.a. https://tooter.in/IndieSole/posts/108965390031280331
3.b. https://tooter.in/IndieSole/posts/108965395919443572
XXXIII. TOP 1200 BOLLY ACTRESSES OF ALL TIME! https://tooter.in/IndieSpace/posts/108328907105657467
XXXIV. TOP 2400 BOLLY ACTORS OF ALL TIME! https://tooter.in/IndieSpace/posts/108333506378869570
XXXV. INDIES TOP 136 ACTORS & ACTRESSES (COMBINED LIST) IN THE HISTORY OF I-N-D-I-A-N CINEMA!
XXXVI. INDIES TOP 100/360 ACTORS & ACTRESSES (COMBINED LIST) IN THE HISTORY OF BOLLYWOOD/ HINDI CINEMA !
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XXXVII. INDIES BOLLYWOOD MUSIC TREASURE TROVE! :
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls565800016/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls565800712/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls565800784/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls565800158/
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls565800376/
XXXVIII. INDIES ANNUAL BOLLYWOOD AWARDS (For 22 yrs, from 1948-69)! :
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/indiejones/691087504248651776?source=share
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/indiejones/691088360323825664?source=share
XXXIX. BOLLYWOOD’S TOP 100 FEMALE DANCERS OF ALL TIME (@INDIES) !
XL. INDIES 72 MOST POPULAR SIDEKICKS / PALS IN THE HISTORY OF BOLLYWOOD! :
XLI. THE TOP 236 MOST POPULAR DIRECTORS IN THE HISTORY OF BOLLYWOOD !
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sciencespies · 2 years
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Earth’s Inner Core: A Shifting, Spinning Mystery’s Latest Twist
https://sciencespies.com/news/earths-inner-core-a-shifting-spinning-mysterys-latest-twist/
Earth’s Inner Core: A Shifting, Spinning Mystery’s Latest Twist
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Researchers proposed a model with a 70-year rotation cycle of our planet’s iron heart, and report that we’re in the middle of one of its big shifts.
Imagine Earth’s inner core — the dense center of our planet — as a heavy, metal ballerina. This iron-rich dancer is capable of pirouetting at ever-changing speeds.
That core may be on the cusp of a big shift. Seismologists reported Monday in the journal Nature Geoscience that after brief but peculiar pauses, the inner core changes how it spins — relative to the motion of Earth’s surface — perhaps once every few decades. And, right now, one such reversal may be underway.
This may sound like a setup for a world-wrecking, blockbuster movie. But fret not: Precisely nothing apocalyptic will result from this planetary spin cycle, which may have been happening for eons. The researchers who propose this speculative model instead aim to advance understanding of Earth’s innermost sanctum and its relationship with the rest of the world.
The inner core is like “a planet within a planet, so how it moves is obviously very important,” said Xiaodong Song, a seismologist at Peking University in Beijing and an author of the study.
In 1936, the Danish seismologist Inge Lehmann discovered that Earth’s liquid outer core envelops a solid metal marble — and it has bamboozled scientists ever since.
“It’s weird that there’s a solid iron ball kind of floating in the middle of the Earth,” said John Vidale, a seismologist at the University of Southern California who was not involved with the study. Scientists think the core crystallized out of a molten metal soup at some point in Earth’s not-too-distant past, after the planet’s internal inferno had sufficiently cooled.
The inner core cannot be directly sampled, but energetic seismic waves emanating from potent earthquakes and Cold War-era nuclear weapon tests have ventured through the inner core, illuminating some of its properties. Scientists suspect this ball of mostly iron and nickel is 1,520 miles long and as about as hot as the sun’s surface.
But these waves also created a conundrum. If the core was inert, the voyages of core-diving waves coming from near-identical quakes and nuclear explosions would never change — yet, over time, they do.
One explanation: The inner core is spinning, deflecting these waves. In the mid-1990s, Dr. Song was one of the first scientists to suggest that the inner core may be rotating at a different speed than Earth’s surface. Since then, seismologists have found evidence implying the inner core’s spin can both speed up and slow down.
What’s going on? One idea is that two titanic forces are battling for control over the world’s heart. Earth’s magnetic field, generated by swirling iron currents in the liquid outer core, is pulling at the inner core, causing it to spin. That impulse is countered by the mantle, the mucilaginous layer above the outer core and below Earth’s crust, the immense gravitational field of which grasps the inner core and slows its spin.
By studying core-diving seismic waves recorded from the 1960s to the present day, Dr. Song and Yi Yang, another Peking University seismologist and a co-author of the study, posit that this tremendous tug of war causes the inner core to spin back and forth on a roughly 70-year cycle.
In the early 1970s, relative to someone standing on Earth’s surface, the inner core was not spinning. From then, the inner core has gradually spun faster eastward, eventually overtaking the speed of rotation of Earth’s surface. Afterward, the inner core’s spin decelerated until its rotation appeared to have stopped at some point between 2009 and 2011.
The inner core is now starting to gradually spin westward relative to Earth’s surface. It will likely accelerate then decelerate once again, reaching another apparent standstill in the 2040s and completing its latest eastward-westward spin cycle.
This 70-year rhythm, if it exists, could have a tangible effect on parts of Earth’s deeper viscera. But it may only be capable of stirring up comparatively minor turbulence closer to the surface — perhaps by causing subtle shifts in the planet’s magnetic field, or even by very slightly tweaking the length of a day, which is known to increase and decrease by a fraction of a millisecond every six years.
This is just one of several competing models explaining the erratic voyages of waves that reach the core. It is also possible that Earth’s innermost layer is wobbling about. Conversely, Earth’s ferrous nucleus may have a metamorphosing surface, twisting any seismic waves that pierce it. “No matter which model you like, there’s some data that disagrees with it,” Dr. Vidale said.
Because of its inaccessibility, this abyssal realm may forever elude explanation. “It’s certainly possible we’ll never figure it out,” Dr. Vidale said. But, he added, “I’m an optimist. The pieces are going to fall into place someday.”
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Lecture 19: Heartland rocker Bob Seger – a hugely successful musician in the 1970s and 1980s – stars in a music video for one of his earliest hits, “Night Moves,” from 1976. Along with “Turn the Page,” “Night Moves” elevated Seger to the heights of fame in the world of rock music. He would have many more hits between 1976 and 1987, many of them focused on blue collar working-class life in America. His last major hit came when he sang the song “Shakedown,” the theme to the box office blockbuster Beverly Hills Cop II. He still performs, and his latest album, I Knew You When, was released days ago, on November 17, 2017, to strong acclaim and brisk sales. (Keep an eye out for Matt (“Joey”) LeBlanc from Friends and actress Daphne Zuniga in this music video, which was made in 1994 – 18 years after Seger recorded the song.) 
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burronetta · 2 years
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I. Love. Vaporwave.
Vaporwave is a genre of music I discovered way too late after its inception in the mid-2010s, after the vast majority of it had transformed into other forms of electronica. The best way I can describe Vaporwave is: imagine a malfunctioning K-Mart speaker system playing the most popular hits of the 70s, 80s, and 90s (a “Sunny FM” style music selection) during the store’s last day of operation. It’s a surprisingly morose and sarcastic genre of music, choosing to sample slowed-down tracks of pop songs and Japanese citypop alongside shallow muzak and snippets from advertisements. I remember when someone had released decades worth of K-Mart muzak and advertisements going as far back as the 1970s, and the entire vaporwave community went MAD with excitement. I even downloaded an album I could listen to while walking to and from work without using any of my phone’s data that was comprised entirely of these samples.
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Now, when I say Vaporwave is a morose and sarcastic genre, I say that it’s an ugly reflection of the excesses of capitalism and the hollowness that it contributes to our lives. Take the music video that I had linked, which is the second track on Macintosh Plus’s album, “Floral Shoppe”. Translated as “Lisa Frank 420/Modern Computer”, this is a slowed down and remixed version of Diana Ross’s 1984 song, “It’s Your Move”. As the song progresses, you’ll notice that it repeats phrases constantly, the lyrics not forming any kind of coherent narrative. Near the end of the song, the beat slows down dramatically and the notes continuously repeat until the entire track comes to what sounds like a jarring electronic halt, as if the CD/cassette we were listening to had become jammed in the player.
To me, this song and all of Vaporwave represents the distant memories of a time long since passed. It represents a time spent in department stores, grocery stores, video rental shops, and shopping malls. A series of formative moments comprised of half-formed sensations around defining moments, like picking up your favorite movie from Blockbuster or killing time in toy aisles, video game displays, or magazine racks while your parents finished their essential shopping. Its memories tainted with the excesses of capitalism cloaked as a happy childhood. Your friends couldn’t spend any time outdoors or in parks, because your parents were still influenced by the panic induced by Reaganomics-spouting politicians who claimed that the entire world was filled with freaks and murderers around every corner. So you had to spend your childhood within earshot of your parents while they performed the most mundane of shopping duties and you could only dream of being able to afford to have a real adventure.
Do you remember that whenever an ambulance passes there’s a kind of doppler effect, where it sounds faster as it comes towards you, then sounds lower and slightly slower as it’s fading into the distance? It’s just like your memories. The songs you heard in the background over the department store speakers always felt distant and slightly lower pitched in your memories. As you enter your thirties, and you start to realize that your childhood may have not been all it’s cracked up to be, the sensations in your memories start to come more slowly and fade away into the distance…
It's just nice to feel like there’s a genre that represents that kind of somber realization, and that listening to it is a kind of therapy all to its own.
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daddyjust · 2 years
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Bj thomas raindrops
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It logged 13 weeks in the top 10 - the longest stay by any single in the nearly five-year period between The Beatles‘ “Hey Jude” (14 weeks in 1968) and Marvin Gaye‘s “Let’s Get It On” (13 weeks in 1973). “Raindrops” also has a strong bridge (“But there’s one thing I know/ The blues they sent to meet me won’t defeat me/ It won’t be long ’til happiness steps up to greet me”) – later echoed by a trumpet solo following the same tune - which provided vital variation in a song mostly built around a simple, sing-songy melody. Bacharach, a notorious perfectionist, asked Thomas to record seven takes before he was satisfied with the vocal for the film version.įor the single version, Bacharach added a snazzy, 30-second instrumental outro which introduced some rhythmic tension and made the song a better fit for top 40 playlists of the era. Thomas was recovering from a bout of laryngitis in 1969 when he recorded the soundtrack version of “Raindrops.” As a result, his vocal is a bit raspier and huskier than it was on the single version he recorded weeks later. Thomas, who was 28 when he recorded the song that made him a household name, died on May 29 at age 78 from complications due to stage four lung cancer. His easygoing style fused pop, country and folk in a way that made it perfect for this plucky, folksy tune. In all likelihood, no one would have done a better job on the song than Thomas. 1s of his own in the ’70s, with his “Everything Is Beautiful” reaching the top spot later in 1970.)īut songs often seem to wind up where they’re meant to. (Not Stevens’ smartest career move - though he still would go on to score a pair of Hot 100 No. They had approached Ray Stevens, who passed on the song. Thomas, who had previously reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Hooked on a Feeling” and a cover version of Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” wasn’t Bacharach and David’s first choice to perform the song. Thomas' Biggest Billboard Hits: 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head' & More You can hear the gentle philosophizing of “Raindrops” – sure, things are bad right now, but I refuse to get stuck here – in such future Hot 100-toppers as Neil Diamond’s “Song Sung Blue” and Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day.”ī.J.
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But it may have been their most universal, a song that everybody who has ever had a bad day or a rough patch could relate to.ĭavid’s lyric has a dash of whimsical humor (“So, I just did me some talkin’ to the sun/ And I said I didn’t like the way he got things done/ Sleepin’ on the job”) and a lot of philosophical wisdom (“Crying’s not for me/’Cause I’m never gonna stop the rain by complainin’”), with Thomas’ delivery landing gently on each word like the titular droplets. “Raindrops…” was hardly the most sophisticated song that Burt Bacharach and Hal David - the duo who’d penned many of the most pristine and affecting pop songs of the late ’50s and ’60s, including most of Dionne Warwick’s signature smashes - ever wrote. Thomas, 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head' Singer, Dies at 78 “At the time, it seemed like a dumb idea. “When the film was released, I was highly critical - how did the song fit with the film? There was no rain,” Redford told USA Today in 2019, a half-century later. Good thing the film’s director, George Roy Hill, didn’t listen to one of his film’s stars (and a future director of note), who wasn’t sure the song made sense in the film. Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” was the right song at the right time in the right film – the 1969 Paul Newman/Robert Redford blockbuster Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. 1, the enduring optimist’s anthem “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.”ī.J. Thomas with a look at his first Hot 100 No. 1 single - by taking an extended look back at the chart-topping songs that made them part of this exclusive club.
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1 is a Billboard series that pays special tribute to the recently deceased artists who achieved the highest honor our charts have to offer - a Billboard Hot 100 No.
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bollywoodproduct · 3 years
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Lyrics Aye Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo
Lyrics Aye Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo
Aye Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo – Song contents: Lyrics in EnglishHindi LyricsYouTube VideoSong TriviaMore Lyrics in English | Aye Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo | Mera Naam Joker-1970 | Raj Kapoor | Manna Dey Aye BhaiZara Dekh Ke ChaloAage Hi NahinPeechhe BhiDaayen Hi NahinBaayen BhiUpar Hi NahinNeeche BhiAye Bhai Aye BhaiZara Dekh Ke ChaloAage Hi NahinPeechhe BhiDaayen Hi NahinBaayen BhiUpar Hi…
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