themed week // John Lennon, Mother

John Lennon was a very known and talented singer/songwriter from the 60's and 70's, not only on the Beatles but also on his solo career.

Has previously mentioned, he wrote several hits songs like Imagine, Woman or Give Peace A Chance.

On his solo career he released 8 studio albums, 2 live albums, 17 compilations and 3 experimental records.
Read more here.

The song Mother is the second single from the 1970's album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.
Mother was written in "memory" of both his parents, who abandoned him during his childhood. His father left him when he was a little child and his mother didn't live with Lennon but she had a good relationship with him - but she died when he was only seventeen years old, on a car accident.
On the song he reflects those moments: "Mother, you had me/but I never had you"; "Father, you left me/but I never left you".

Also the beginning of the song starts with a sound of a church bell signifying death - probably the death of his mother.
John Lennon found inspiration to write the song on several therapy sessions with Dr. Arthur Janov.
Once, he said that Mother was the song that "seemed to catch in my head".

Artists like Christina Aguilera and Barbra Streisand have covered this song.

"Children, don't do what I have done

I couldn't walk and I tried to run

So I, I just got to tell you

Goodbye, goodbye"

themed week // Christina Aguilera, Oh Mother

Christina Aguilera is a North-American singer who's career started in 1993, when she hosted the Disney Channel's series The Mickey Mouse Club.

This female singer is not only known for her powerful and strong voice but also for hits like Beautiful, Hurt, Ain't No Other Man and Burlesque.

With 7 studio albums - Christina Aguilera (1999), Mi Reflejo (2000), My Kind Of Christmas (2000), Stripped (2002), Back To Basics (2006) and Bionic (2010), two compilations, one EP and a soundtrack - with that Christina proved to be one of the strongest singers of her generation.

Oh Mother belongs to Back To Basics released in August 10, 2006 and has the fourth single of the album on November 23, 2007.
The song was written about Aguilera's mother abusive relationship with her husband. Oh Mother has elements of Bruno Coulais' song Vois Sur Ton Chemin.

The singer describes the album Back To Basics has "a throwback to the 20s, 30s, and 40s-style jazz, blues, and feel-good soul music, but with a modern twist.".
The album sold over 5 million copies worldwide, being nominated for several awards including The Grammy Awards., that she won in 2007 for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for Ain't No Other Man.

"It was the day that he turned on his kids 

That she knew she just had to leave him 

So many voices up inside of her head 

saying over and over and over; 

"You deserve much more than this"

 Click here to listen to a longer version.

Jessie J, Domino

As Ana said on her post - read here - Jessie J is the artistic name for Jessica Ellen Cornish a young English singer and songwriter.
She start her recognition for writing songs for Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera.
Jessie J is known for songs like Do It Like A Dude or Price Tag.

She only released an album - Who You Are on February 2011 and won several awards like Critic's Choice award at the Brit Awards and BBC Sound of 2011.

Domino is part of her debut album and for me this song is about taking the best of every situation.

"Rock my world into the sunlight
Make this dream the best I've ever known
Dirty dancing in the moonlight
Take me down like I'm a domino"

Maroon 5 + Christina Aguilera, Moves Like Jagger

Maroon 5 released yesterday their latest videoclip for their electropop song "Moves Like Jagger" which will be part of a re-edition deluxe album of  "Hands All Over", released in 2010.
This song is a collaboration with the american pop artist Christina Aguilera, which was officially performed for the first time on a american talent show "The Voice" which Adam Levine and Christina are judges and mentors.

The song has references to Mick Jagger from The Rolling Stones - which appears on the video via archive footage - and talks about seducing someone.
This song is already a huge hit all over the world, and had already arrive to the worldwide charts like Billaboard Hot 100, from where both artists were far away since 2007 (Maroon 5 with Makes Me Wonder) and since 2008 (Christina Aguilera with Keeps Gettin' Better).

Love,
P