There are a number of song about riding a Vespa, but my favorite, hands down, is LùnaPop’s (link auto-translated to English) “50 Special” which they released back in 1999. I call it “The anthem for Vespa riders!“
The song is in Italian but it has gotten so popular back then that the band made another version in Spanish. I’ve also read before that they later made an English version for the UK market but I wasn’t able to hear that one. That was the case until I stumbled upon this…
The verses sounded weird for me. The English lines seem forced to fit the melody, and in some instances, it felt like words didn’t even rhyme. But the refrain sounds alright to me.
In the coming days, I’ll try to make some follow-up posts related to items I have posted previously. These have been in my to-do list since forever and I figured I might as well get ‘em over with.
The music video below is related to the “Vespeeps join a music video shoot!” which I posted sometime in March 2007. It’s the song “To The…” by Juan Pablo Dream and directed by Jon “Sponky” Villarin.
Was finally able to track this down via youtube only recently and I imported it in my multiply page. Vespas, Beetles and Combis abound in the 2nd half of this music video! Too bad the audio of this particular clip is not in-sync with the video. Well, better than nothing!
I saw Pyke & me appear for a split second! bwahaha
For a behind-the-scene account regarding this shoot, you may re-vist this post.
Before I start talking about the Independence Ride we had in our club, let me first share with you this clip of a poignant and reflective rendition of our national anthem “Lupang Hinirang” (Chosen Land) which is traditionally played as a march.
The version below was sung acapella by the Loboc Boys Choir. Created by advertising director Mae Paner, I first saw this via the PAGASA community which my wife & I have been privileged to be a part of through the invitation of Dale, another Vespa buddy.
Here’s the video:
For more details about the above clip, just click ‘more info’ in this YouTube page.
I like pleasant surprises. That rule applies especially when I hear a great cover version of a song which I really hate. I blogged about of one such song previously. Here I go again.
I won’t give clues just yet. Just try to recall if you’ve heard it in the recent past. Listen up.
Know where you’ve heard it before? If not, maybe reading the lyrics or knowing the songwriter may refresh your memory. Read the rest of this entry ?
Hope you would excuse this very personal blog entry. What prompted me to post this is the untimely demise of a good friend, Paulo Clemente. He is a colleague in the wedding industry who’s made a name for himself as a talented wedding singer. If you know him, I have written some other details about this very sad news in the W@W News Blog.
Anyway, a couple of years ago, I asked Paulo if he could sing the demo of a song I have written. Entitled “Someone Someday,” it served as a personal anthem when I was still in my early 20s at a stage in my life when I didn’t know what exactly I wanted to do. I had just graduated but couldn’t land in a job that I like. I somehow knew then that I’ll be able to achieve something but I just didn’t know how and when I’m gonna get there. Maybe I wrote it to cope when my self-worth was at it’s lowest. As a songwriter, I vowed then never to write sad songs, but only to write about things with a message of hope.
I’m finally posting it here in memory of Paulo, a friend who gave life to the song. Hear it here. Read the rest of this entry ?
Popular songs which I tend to hear repetitively on the radio and television have this effect on me: either I like it or I hate it. There seem to be no middle ground.
Take the song by Rihanna called “Umbrella” (the single topped the charts all over the world, remaining at number one in the US Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and in the UK for ten weeks – source: wikipedia); I didn’t like it at all though I must admit that it has a hot music video with the all the dancing with splashes of water and the shower of sparks. I usually got really annoyed whenever I heard the part that goes “ella… ella… eh… eh… eh….” Call me an old fart, but I just didn’t get what was that about.
Fast forward to last week: while I was in a cage (that’s how most bikers refer to the four-wheel contraption) driving, I heard the same song; only this time it was slow and sung by a guy. It blew me away! I never realized how good a melody this song has until I heard it sang in a totally new and different way. I didn’t catch who the singer of that version was so I searched the ‘net to look for the song. Listen to what I’ve found…
If you liked the song as well and you want to sing along, feel free as I posted lyrics after the jump. Read the rest of this entry ?
Pao, my eleven year old niece, gave me a heads-up about this new music video of Gwen Stefani(for old farts out there, she’s the babe who fronted the band ‘No Doubt‘) for the remix version of the song “Now That You Got It“ from her sophomore album “The Sweet Escape” (2006). The song and the video features Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley(son of Reggae icon, Bob Marley). Below is a screencap from the video.
As usual, Gwen’s with the Harajuku Girls — her four-chick, all-Japanese posse cum backup dancers — whom we usually see around her in Gwen’s other music videos. With Marley around, it’s no surprise that the recurring theme and digital setting of this colorful video is Jamaica. Notice too that the girls are scooting around with three Vespas representing the Jamaican colors! You can watch the music video here. Read the rest of this entry ?
UPDATE: (11/09/07) Rex won the GO GREEN Vespa Video Challenge! Read more about this great news here. Congrats Rex!
- – - – - – - – - -
Though I’ve committed in today’s Blog Action Day focusing on the topic of environment, I’ve decided not to take the serious and preachy route, but instead veer towards a more fun and and free-spirited mode.
But how can one reconcile in taking care of the environment and the leisures of riding a Vespa? Well this short music video will give you an idea as it entertains.
The guy who wrote and sang that catchy “Vespa Vespa” song is a Filipino and he’s our featured Rider for today. He’s the same guy who won $50,000 in last year’s Yahoo! Talent Show by submitting this home-made video which was even reported in ANC.
Since my side of the family is not exactly small, the whole brood gathers at least once a month to celebrate someone’s birthday. It’s usually held on a Saturday, and for the past three or four birthday dinners we’ve had, we never failed to get a glimpse of a show called “Celebrity Duets” on GMA. Hmmm… if catching the show happened on several occasions already, it couldn’t be dismissed as a mere coincidence anymore. Someone in the family is obviously following every episode religiously; but I’m not one to reveal who it is.
Anyway, there was a segment last Saturday where Tessa Prieto-Valdez (she’s one of the contenders) had a duet with the legendary Mike Hanopol singing, what else, but the anthem of all jeproks (Tagalog street slang for ‘tough’) called “Laki sa Layaw.” As a prop to this live performance, Tessa posed beside a white Vespa ET right up there on the stage at the start of the song. What’s the connection, right? I guess it’s jeproks to have a Vespa… hahaha
I went to youtube to see if I could grab a broadcast recording of the show but only found this home video of the said performance taken by a studio audience. It was uploaded by a certain hkpirate/DV which I could only assume as Dennis Valdez, Tessa’s better half (Note: If you’re following the show, you may be interested to read his blog and read about rumors about what the other contestants are doing to get text votes).
Watch their performance:
The vocals weren’t clearly audible because of the quality but the band sounded great… and Mike Hanopol still rocks!
During the break, I saw this commercial — with pretty newcomer Maja Salvador — where I spotted another Vespa. The ad is for a product called Lewis & Pearl cologne and I think the ad was shot in Downtown Manila. If you haven’t seen it, take a look at it here. Read the rest of this entry ?
This is the station ID which BBC America came up with when they introduced their new logo and tagline early this year. It’s very different from the three little branding blocks that audiences worldwide has gotten used to. But I would say that the new logo is “younger,” witty, less serious, and very Brit (veryMOD in particular). The spot involves motorcycles and has a twist on this familiar American culture. It has a subtle “British invasion” theme to it. Check out this 10-seconder they aired to launch their new identity…
When I fist saw the ad above mentioned in 2StrokeBuzz, I went straight to YouTube to look for other interesting ad the company has made in the past.
There is this one-minute TV ad for BBC Radio which involved a powerhouse cast featuring great music legends together with this generation’s music sensations. It’s sort of an Alternate Reality. This ad won several awards including the Gold in Best TV Ad category in the 2007 Creative Circle Awards and recognition for its direction, editing and computer graphics/special effects.
Popular songs which I tend to hear repetitively on the radio and television have this effect on me: either I like it or I hate it. There seem to be no middle ground.
