Happy Valentines day to all you lovebirds out there! I'm sure all of you've had your share of chocolates and flowers and teddies delivered to you early in the morning. Some of you might even serenade under your Love's balcony with portable iPod speakers. And then there'll be some who just can't find the right gift for your special someone. Well, let me help you out there. Here is a mix-tape of fourteen of the most romantic songs in my playlist. I'll make sure to avoid cliched classic numbers in this one. Why don't you last-minute gift-seekers just burn a CD of these sweet melodies?
I'm now officially listening to Croatian songs. Ha! Who would've even imagined that I would start listening to East European music? But stranger things have happened in this world. So yeah, you there giving me the "weirdo" look, get over it!
As you can easily guess, it all started with my 2Cellos obsession. I would go on YouTube and watch whatever videos I could find featuring either of those two talented cellists. That's when I stumbled upon a series of videos featuring the very famous (in Croatia) pop singer Oliver Dragojevic and the now famous Stjepan Hauser. There was this very quiet little song; the video featuring Dragojevic on the piano and vocals, Hauser on his cello and a very endearing young woman as Hauser's love-interest/human equivalent of his beloved cello. It is a very artistic, an aesthetically pleasing video that just touches you somewhere in the general region of your aortic valve and brings a lump in your throat. I did not understand one single word of the lyrics (which I am guessing are pretty deep and just as beautiful as the video). The song starts with Hauser playing a moving melody on the cello, which is then picked up by Dragojevic on the piano and vocals. His mellow voice is like a soothing balm to your ears as he belts out the refrain: Sve ce zvijezde s tobom leci/ pune tajnih putovamja/ prije sna ti moram reci/ "Budi dobra, lijepo sanjaj." Coupled with the ribbons of cello playing in the background, the melody will bring tears to any music-lover's eyes.
As I said, I did not get the lyrics at all; and Google translate does not help one bit. But the video conveyed a few things that I think go well with the overall mood of the song. It is as if Hauser is the younger version of Dragojevic, who is reminiscing about his long-lost love - a beautiful girl he just can't forget. Her memory still remains as fresh in his mind as if it were just yesterday that the two were together. He remembers each detail; every ray of the sun that shone in her hair, every gesture she made... He remembers her as if she were a melody he used to play - still plays; a melody so close to his heart, it is almost heartbreaking to hear him play it. Every night when he sees the stars, he imagines her lying among them. If only he could sleep, could dream of her, he would gladly do so. But he can't; and so he bids her - his beautiful dream- to stay as she is in his memory; untouched by the elements, untouched by time...
This is what I think the song means. But if someone could be so helpful as to ive me the actual meaning of the lyrics, I would be forever grateful to them. Like, for eternity! I swear!!
Verdict: If a song can touch you so deeply without your even knowing the lyrics, it has to be some serious shit!
They came. They saw. They fucking destroyed the music scene! The first time I saw 2Cellos performing their famous cover of the Michael Jackson song Smooth Criminal on The Ellen Show, I was blown away by how effortlessly they manipulated that four stringed instrument to sound like a whole band! They were the percussion, the rhythm guitar, the lead guitar all rolled into one single instrument. I never thought a cello could round so rocking. I'd obviously heard of cello-rock before, but it didn't appeal to me until now.
Stjepan Hauser and Luka Sulic are two cellists from Croatia. They became an instant phenomenon last year when they uploaded their version of Smooth Criminal on Youtube. Within no time, they had a million views and a record contract in their cello cases!
Let me describe what 2Cellos really is. It is a treat to watch them perform as much as it is a bliss to hear them play. They get so engrossed in playing that instrument to perfection that nothing in the world seems to exist for them. It is just them and their two cellos and the omnipresent notes of the song that they are playing. The intensity with which they play is evident from the way their bows seem to be shred to ribbons by the end of the song. They must need a new bow after every performance, methinks! And the ecstatic expressions on their faces seem to crescendo with the music itself. If you could headbang on a cello, you'd do it like Stjepan and Luka.
They recently featured in the Glee episode (aired on 31 Jan 2012) where Naya Rivera and Grant Gustin sang to their accompaniment of Smooth Criminal. Glee and 2Cellos - does it get better than that? Heck to the no! They really redefined that song.
Bonus Time:
Their rendition of Welcome to the Jungle has a class of its own. How can anyone make that big old, upside-down violin (no mockery intended) sound like an electric guitar, a bass and a drum set all at the same time? Hats off man! Another song to watch out for is their cover of Highway to Hell by AC/DC. With only a drummer to accompany them, they effing ROCK the already rocking classic rock song!
That is how I feel now that I have officially started a blog. The internet is a gigantic rabbit hole that leads down to God knows how many little nooks and crannies. And here I am taking a headlong plunge into this chaotic insanity! Maybe I deserve a top hat, and then my recklessness can be justified; nay, even adored! That is the beauty of being labeled “mad”; you can get away with almost anything.
However, seeing as I’m neither in possession of a top hat nor an insanity endorsement, I’ll be satisfied if I could get my voice heard by the occasional casual observer. I’m aware that I may be just another kid on the huge blogger block, but hey! I can try, can’t I?
So, here’s to new beginnings, dreams and a whole lot of absent-mindedness!
