“Mahna Mahna,” originally titled “Mah-Na Mah-Na,” was written by composer Piero Umiliani for an Italian documentary about life in Sweden, titled Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso (Sweden, Heaven and Hell). It is a nonsense song that achieved widespread fame as a classic Muppet sketch.
I Wanna Be Like You, also known as The Monkey Song, is King Louie‘s (Louie Prima, featuring Baloo/ Phil Harris) song which he dreams to become human in order to protect himself from Shere Khan. The song was written by The Sherman Brothers who wrote most songs for The Jungle Book. The song was covered by the group Smash Mouth for The Jungle Book 2. In 2007, The Jonas Brothers covered the song.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight – The Hippo and “That” Dog
Pat and Stan is a French animated show that appears as part of the children’s television programme TFou on the French network TF1. Animated by Pierre Coffin, Pat the hippopotamus and Stan the dog have appeared in 362 short episodes as well as the 26 minute movie Pat et Stanley: Le Trésor de Pit et Mortimer (Pat and Stanley: The Treasure of Pit and Mortimer, 2006). Outside of France, the duo are most famous for the short clip in which Pat is seen singing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” The clip appeared in Italy in a commercial by Ferrero’s Kinder chocolates; they also produced a “Happy Hippo” shaped chocolate snack. They also appear re-voiced in English on The CW4Kids in the United States, and under two Dutch versions on Jetix in the Netherlands, and on Ketnet in Flanders. Pat and Stanley are now featured in many unofficial online videos singing English (as well as international) songs.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo`ole
On May 20, 1959, in the final days of Hawai’i’s territorial era, three months before the Hawaiian Islands would become America’s 50th state, a baby was born in Honolulu’s historic Kuakini hospital whose voice would unite the Hawaiian people and be heard all over the world. He was the third child of Evangeline Keale Kamakawiwo’ole, a Hawaiian woman born on Ni’ihau, and Henry “Tiny” Kaleialoha Naniwa Kamakawiwo’ole, a part-Hawaiian born on O’ahu. His proud parents knew he would be special even before he emitted his first bold vocals.
They named him Israel Ka’ano’i Kamakawiwo’ole. In Hawaiian his last name translates “the fearless eye, the bold face.” Tiny and Evangeline would spoil Israel far more than his brother and sisters; he could do no wrong. This native son was a rare breed, an almost pure Hawaiian of unusual lineage; he could trace his ancestral roots to an island that even today, remains the most Hawaiian of all, the so-called “forbidden” island of Ni’ihau.
His first taste in performing was at Steamboats in Waikiki, where his father was a bouncer and his mother was the manager. He got to meet everybody and spend time with Gabby Pahinui and the Sons of Hawai’i. As early as 10 years old, they would call him up onstage with his ‘ukulele. Israel won the admiration and praise of his elders. All the musicians thought Israel was something special. They knew someday he would be somebody. For now, they called him “the kid with the ‘ukulele.”
Israel, now in his early teens, resisted a move to the country. Israel had no idea, nor could he have ever known, how the move to O’ahu’s Wai’anae Coast, would cause fundamental change in his life. In Mãkaha, he would form a band that would rock the Islands.
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Screaming fans. Hit records. Worldwide acclaim. At the height of its illustrious career, the 1960s band, The Royal Guardsmen, achieved what most rock groups only dream of. The sextet from Ocala, FL rose to fame in 1966 with its single, “Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron,” which became the title track of its debut album. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and remained there for 12 weeks. It went on to sell one million copies, earning it Platinum certification from the R.I.A.A. in 1967.
Subsequent chart-toppers followed, including: “The Airplane Song,” “Wednesday,” “I Say Love,” “Snoopy’s Christmas” and “Baby Let’s Wait.”
The Royal Guardsmen’s original lineup consisted of: Bill Balogh (bass), John Burdett (drums), Chris Nunley (vocals), Tom Richards (guitar), Billy Taylor (organ), and Barry Winslow (vocals/guitar). Richards died of a brain tumor in 1979 and was replaced by Pat Waddell.
Despite its massive success, the band split in 1969. However, its recordings continued to sell and are still in high demand today around the world. In 2008, Burdett and Winslow teamed up to write and record “Snoopy Vs. Osama” in honor of the U.S. troops fighting the war in Iraq. The song has been featured regularly on the syndicated radio program, The Dr. Demento Show.
In the Spring of 2009, the Guardsmen’s hit, “The Airplane Song,” was chosen as the theme song for Red Bull’s Flugtag events and was aired in television commercials nationwide. The group recently played at the Cannery Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, where they received a rousing standing ovation from fans who had come in droves from all across the United States.
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A catchy tune, some cute animated figures and a giggle at blood on the train tracks has delivered almost 12 million YouTube hits for an Australian passenger safety message called Dumb Ways to Die.
“It’s distracting. It’s wonderful. We’re thrilled. It’s been a huge hit for us,” Melbourne’s Metro Trains spokeswoman Leah Waymark said Wednesday. “Getting young people thinking perhaps thinking twice before they do something dumb, that’s a great outcome.”
The song “Dumb Ways to Die” was written by John Mescall with music by Ollie McGill from The Cat Empire, who also produced it. It was performed by Emily Lubitz, the lead vocalist of Tinpan Orange, with McGill providing backing vocals.
It was released on iTunes, attributed to the artist “Tangerine Kitty” (a reference to Tinpan Orange and The Cat Empire). Within 24 hours of its release, it was in the top 10 on the iTunes chart and on 18 November was the sixth most popular song globally, ahead of “Diamonds” by. Rihanna .
It was described as “Australia’s biggest ever viral hit”. It also reached the top 10 on iTunes charts in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam Within two weeks, 65 cover versions had been uploaded to YouTube. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumb_Ways_to_Die
Dumb Ways to Die: Metro Trains Melbourne safety campaign goes viral
In an effort to reduce the number of accidents on its rail network, Metro Trains Melbourne has launched a campaign developed by Erikson McCann.
Entitled ‘Dumb Ways to Die’, the cartoon ad shows a series of characters dying in novel ways and ends with three characters dying in preventable train accidents.
The ad went viral following its launch on 17 November, racking up 5.2 million views within five days. To date, it has had more views than there are people in Australia, receiving over 26 million hits.
Speaking to Australian magazine Marketing-Interactive Chloe Alsop, marketing manager of Metro Trains, said “the campaign is designed to draw people, especially the younger segments, to the safety message, rather than frighten them away.”
McCann executive creative director John Mescall added: “We’ve got people eating superglue, sticking forks in toasters and selling both their kidneys. But truth is indeed stranger than fiction, and we still couldn’t come up with dumber ways to die than driving around boomgates and all the other things people do to put themselves in harm’s way around trains.
“The aim of this campaign is to engage an audience that really doesn’t want to hear any kind of safety message, and we think Dumb Ways to Die will.”
“Rock ‘n’ roll saxophone pretty much begins with Big Jay Mc Neely. He’s the king of the honkin’, squealin’, bar walkin’, flat-on-his-back Blowin’ tenor men -the Number One “real gone guy” of the 50’s. Black & White Blues (the Book)
Tenor saxophonist Cecil “Big Jay” McNeely has been “the king of the honkers” for over 60 years, and he’s still going strong. Born in Watts, California, on April 29, 1927, he formed his own band with jazz legends Sonny Criss (alto sax) and Hampton Hawes (piano) while still in high school. But in late 1948, when he was asked to record for Savoy Records, he abandoned jazz for something more raucous and struck paydirt when his second release, a honked-up instrumental called “Deacon’s Hop,” went to 1 on the national R&B charts in February 1949.
For the next several years, Big Jay, according to The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, “was famed for his playing-on-his-back acrobatics and his raw, hard-swinging playing.” During his act he’d leave the stage, walk across the top of the bar, and sometimes walk out the door of the club, often with a line of people following him. Once, in San Diego, during one such “walk,” he was arrested on the street for disturbing the peace; inside the club, his band kept playing until someone could rush down to the police station, post Big Jay’s bail, and bring him back to finish his song.
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Aloe Vera: The Plant with Miraculous Healing Powers
Aloe Vera is the best known member of the Aloe family, which includes about 250 species. These lush plants are called “succulents” because their thick, juicy flesh holds so much sap. Most aloe species came from Africa. Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis) was probably brought from Egypt to India by Arabs. It now grows wild in India’s coastal lands: for example, in Gujarat and Mumbai.
Egyptians have used Aloe for healing for thousands of years. In India, Ayurvedic medicine prescribes it for internal and external use. Aloe is an ingredient in many Western cosmetics and some skin salves. Aloe Vera provides a simple home remedy for minor burns or other skin irritations. The sap is a watery gel in consistency. Pluck and slice open a leaf nearest the ground, then apply the sap to the cut or burn. It should feel cool and soothing. Indian Ayurvedic medicine has several hundred uses for Aloe Vera. Externally, it may be used for:
Acne and related cosmetic problems
Burns including sunburn or scalds
Insect bites or stings
Moisturizing skin and reducing wrinkles
For internal use, Ayurvedic practitioners may make preparations of Aloe to treat:
Asthma
Digestive problems such as constipation, colitis and irritable bowel syndrome
Kidney stones
Menstrual discomfort
Some practitioners and commercial firms take care to use a variety of plants for internal medications. There is a concern that, as a laxative, Aloe Vera alone is too powerful for most treatments. A few practitioners of herbal medicine may hype much grander claims for the healing properties of Aloe Vera. Generally the wisest course is to seek counsel from the most qualified doctors.
