Tag Archives: american songbook

off the wall

Underneath the ‘hunormous’ afro lives a revolutionary mind. A tiny man, a gigantic artist. The man who sent the last echos of The Beatles into the world. The genius who created the soundtrack of eternity: ‘You lost that loving feeling’. There he sits. In court. Hidden under a tower of a wig. The greatest producer […]

the christmas song

It can’t be a coincidence. All I want for Christmas, Jingle Bells and I’m dreaming of a White Christmas were all composed in the middle of summer. The Christmas Song wasn’t born under a cold starry, starry night either. ‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack frost nipping at your nose. Yuletide carols being sung […]

born in the usa

Some songs are ‘Born to Run’. From their creator, from their message, from their destiny. Into the arms of opportunists, politicians, fans. Away from history into a future unforeseen by the musician who thought he locked up this lyrics behind bars. This song was taken at birth. Was raised by strangers. Came home to Broadway. […]

i’m dreaming of…

Does it have to be summer to write the perfect Christmas hit? Probably. Because just like ‘All I want for Christmas’ and ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘I’m dreaming of a White Christmas’ was conceived on a 30 digress Celcius kinda day in August…click here for the full article published in America Magazine’s winter 2018 edition

all i want for christmas

When Thanksgiving is over and jack-o-lantarns have transformed into pumpkin soup, thirteen keys descent from heaven to earth. The Holiday Season has kicked into gear, and though she sings ‘I don’t want a lot for Christmas’, dollar bills fall like snowflakes on Mariah Carey’s bank account. ‘All I want for Christmas’ has become a holiday […]

elvis the pelvis

Elvis A(a)ron Presley, son of Gladys and Vernon Presley, wasborn on January 8 1935 in East Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis’ middel dame, Aron according to this birth certificate, is one of the corner stones of the ‘Elvis lives’ theory. On his tombstone we read Elvis Aaron Presley. A typo made by Vernon or the civil servant […]

moonwalker

One legendary evening in March 1983. Motown has been around for 25 years and that calls for a party. After having performed with the Jackson Five, Michael takes to the stage and start singing Billy Jean. About halfway into the song, the audience gasps. Jackson seems to float an inch above the stage, sliding backwards […]

america magazine #2 2017

The summer edition of America Magazine – an Elvis special – hit the stores including four articles by journeylism.nl which are now available online in the publication section of journeylism.nl in September. The topics of the four articles are American Songbook – Michael Jackson, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, The Mission District in San Francisco and Las Vegas’ […]

happy birthday

April 3, 1968. Memphis, Tennessee. A voice carried by the sound of a tormented history enchants a group of activists: ‘…I’ve been to the mountaintop.’ ‘I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But (…) we, as a people, will get to the promised land.’ The next morning the skies over […]