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Venezuala’s Hugo Chávez, whose story is a colourfully flawed tale of popularity and popularism …
It’s something we might crave when young, but then find it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. But some pursue it all their lives. With stories packed with plots and emotion, it’s time to suggest, but also vote for others’ suggested songs to see what come out as the most popular …
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João and Astrud Gilberto
Evolving from Brazilian samba and in parallel with jazz, it’s a sound of lifestyle and emotions, distilling sadness with hope, elegance with passion. Guest pejepeine brings all of this and more in exquisite playlists inspired by last week’s topic
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From the 1959 film Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro), a key year for bossa nova …
It’s time to source and serve out this charming, cool Brazilian rhythmic genre that began in the 1950s, whether it’s songs by the original artists, with different twists and mixes, as well as in many later songs it has flavoured
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Rogues’ gallery, some of the many …
Notorious, violent, controlling, paranoid, ruthless, and excessive, history is filled with them, their rise supported by the fear and apathy. Constantly a threat, from history to the present and future, what are their traits, and how are they portrayed in song?
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A wasteland of the imagination, as well as reality
It’s time to lyrically explore, literally or metaphorically, where almost no one or nothing lives, but where ideas are fertile: from scrub moorland to heath, barren lands or badlands, to urban concrete waste sites, places deserted or destroyed, unkempt, neglected, toxic, eroded, unused, overgrown, sparse or bleak
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Norway’s popular Pulpit Rock or Preikestolen
Actual or metaphorical, from windows to riverbanks, doorways to cliffs, to mental or physical extreme places, this week let’s go to a variety of precipices, stare into the abyss, but also find astonishing new perspectives in song
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The look of 2020
Writing from a viral hotbed of Covid-19 lockdown - New York - guest playlister magicman recounts isolation, social chaos, cohesion, anger and laughter with his infectious collection of superb songs nominated by a global Song Bar audience
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Let’s build something special …
Let’s take a spin on for what might seem a creepy subject, but the more you look into it, the more fascinating and beautiful it becomes. Deadly? Sometimes, but also intricate, amazing, reflecting fear, attraction and more in human nature
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Help! A knockout moment from Muhammed Ali and the Beatles in 1964
Every picture tells a story, but this time let’s do it with songs inspired by, or about photographs or photography, and to help inspire here’s a selection of rare and usual shots to provoke memory, imagination, mystery and wonder
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Poetry in motion ...
Boxing to street brawling, wrestling to karate or kung fu, Muhammad Ali to Bruce Lee to Big Daddy, throw your musical martial arts skills into the ring by suggesting songs on this subject
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This young man knew a thing or two about dancing. Photograph: Tilemahos Efthimiadis
Benny's band to Brazil beats, Jackson's wall to a wondrous waltz, guest writer magicman gets The Song Bar party into full swinging with two playlists that will keep us moving all night long
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