Listening To: Maroon 5's Daylight (Play For Change)

Maroon 5 - Daylight (Playing for Change) (FULL... by emreorhan_1997

Playing for change is a multimedia music project that brings different musicians together from around the globe.  The objective is to record a particular song with each musician's interpretation.  The result is a collaboration of different vocals and musical instruments.

One of their collaborations is Maroon 5's Daylight off their album "Overexposed."  I personally like the Play for Change music video over the official music video of Daylight which was dubbed as the Daylight Project.  Although the song's story line is about a lover who will separate from the one he loves when the morning comes, both videos are not related to the song's theme.  A pity since the song's theme for me is strong and it would have been an interesting video to make.

The lyrics are presented below.  You know the drill...


Here I am waiting, I'll have to leave soon
Why am I holding on?
We knew this day would come, we knew it all along
How did it come so fast?

This is our last night but it's late
And I'm trying not to sleep
Cause I know, when I wake, I will have to slip away

And when the daylight comes I'll have to go
But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close
Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own
But tonight I need to hold you so close

Oh-woah, oh-woah, oh-woah
Oh-woah, oh-woah, oh-woah

Here I am staring at your perfection
In my arms, so beautiful
The sky is getting bright, the stars are burning out
Somebody slow it down

This is way too hard, cause I know
When the sun comes up, I will leave
This is my last glance that will soon be memory

And when the daylight comes I'll have to go
But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close
Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own
But tonight I need to hold you so close

Oh-woah, oh-woah, oh-woah
Oh-woah, oh-woah, oh-woah

I never wanted to stop because I don't wanna start all over, start all over,
I was afraid of the dark but now it's all that I want, all that I want, all that I want

And when the daylight comes I'll have to go
But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close
Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own
But tonight I need to hold you so close

And when the daylight comes I'll have to go
But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close
Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own
But tonight I need to hold you so close

Oh-woah, oh-woah, oh-woah
Oh-woah, oh-woah, oh-woah
Oh-woah (yeah), oh-woah (yeah), oh-woah (yeah)
Oh-woah (yeah), oh-woah (yeah), oh-woah!

P.S. I tested the embeded video above and it seems slow.  Here is an alternate link via YouTube:
Maroon 5 - Daylight (Playing for Change)

Update: For those wondering the girl who sang the first verse is Chelsea Williams she is a Los Angeles based  street artist/performer.

Earth Hour 2013

Today the whole world would be celebrating Earth Hour once again.  I personally believe in this crusade and has been participating in Earth Hour for the past couple of years.  Two years ago I posted a video blog regarding Earth Hour http://azicran.blogspot.com/2011/03/luchadors-vlog-earth-hour-2011.html

Earth Hour is celebrated by turning off your lights and other non-essential electrical items for one hour beginning at 8:30pm.  This is to reduce electricity consumption and use of fossil fuel.  This is actually the 7th year of Earth Hour which the WWF started in Sydney, Australia back in 2007.  And for one whole day as Earth Hour passes from one time zone to another Mother Earth can breath easily.

This year, I know my family back in Manila would be joining Earth Hour while I would turn off my lights, my computer and TV here in Mongolia as well.

To learn more about Earth Hour visit http://earthhour.org/

Listening To: Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors"

I posted the official video of this song by Justin Timberlake on my Facebook account a few days after it was released.  The song is called "Mirrors" and it is the second single off his new album titled "The 20/20 Experience."  According to sources the song is actually about his wife Jessica Biel (lucky guy, eh?)  The song is very reminiscent of his sound in his FutureSex/Lovesounds album 5 years ago.  This song is so smooth, soulful and sexy.

Instead of providing the full lyrics of the song though I'll just share with you my favorite part of the song:

Baby you're the inspiration for this precious song
And I just wanna see your face light up since you put me on
So now I say goodbye to the old me, it's already gone
And I can't wait wait wait wait wait to get you home
Just to let you know, you are
You are you are the love of my life

OK, so apparently this part was not sung during the Brit Awards performance above but for the full track you can see it in this video link which VEVO is not allowing me to embed (argh!!!)

Justin Timberlake - Mirrors (VEVO)

Hiroshi Takahashi's Letter from the Movie "Restless"

Restless is 2011 British-American film about the love story of Enoch and Annie.  Annie is terminally ill with cancer.  Enoch who attends funerals of strangers has befriended a ghost of a Japanese kamikaze pilot named Hiroshi Takahashi.  I will leave you to see the movie as I don't want to mention any spoilers here.   But one of the best lines in the film is Hiroshi's letter which is quoted below:

"As I write this letter, the ocean breeze feels cool on my skin. 

The very ocean is soon to be my grave. 

They tell me I will die a hero, that the safety and honor of my country 

will be the reward for my sacrifice. I pray they are right.

My only regret in life is never telling you how I feel. 

I wish I were back home. I wish I were holding your hand. 

I wish I were telling you that I have loved you and only you since I was a boy. 

But I am not. I see now that death is easy. It is love that is hard. 

As my plane dives, I will not see the face of my enemies. 

I will instead see your eyes.  Like black rocks frozen in rain water. 

They tell us that we must scream Banzai!!! as we plunge into our target. 

I will instead whisper your name and in death, as in life, I will remain forever yours."

This part of the movie has tackled two different kinds of chances that people usually don't take.  First, to take a risk even if you do not know what the outcome would be.  And second, telling somebody how you really feel about them.  I am normally not a risk taker myself but I have been telling myself all the time that life is too short and rarely one gets any second chances when the moment has already passed.

Listening To: P!nk - Just Give Me A Reason ft. Fun's Nate Ruess

Here's a very good song by P!nk.  She collaborated with Fun frontman Nate Ruess to come up with "Just Give Me A Reason."  It's theme is about a couple trying to make their relationship to work when the girl thinks they have a problem while the guy thinks that everything is OK.  In the end, they have agreed to fix their differences.

As usual here are the lyrics for some sing-a-long fun:

Right from the start
You were a thief you stole my heart
And I your willing victim

I let you see the parts of me
That weren't all that pretty
And with every touch you fixed them

You've been talking in your sleep
Oh oh
Things you never say to me
Oh oh
Tell me that you've had enough
Of our love, our love

Just give me a reason
Just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again

It's in the stars
It's been written in the scars on our hearts
We're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again

Im sorry I don't understand where all of this is coming from
I thought that we were fine
(Yeah we had everything)

Your head is running wild again
My dear we still have everything
And its all in your mind
(Yeah but this is happening)

You've been having real bad dreams
Oh oh
You used to lie so close to me
Oh oh
There's nothing more than empty sheets
Between our love, our love, oh our love, our love

Just give me a reason
Just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again

I never stopped
You're still written in the scars on my heart
Your not broken just bent and we can learn to love again

Oh tears ducts and rust
I'll fix it for us
We're collecting dust but our love's enough

You're holding it in
You're pouring a drink
No nothing is as bad as it seems
We'll come clean

Just give me a reason
Just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again

It's in the stars
It's been written in the scars on our hearts
We're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again


Just give me a reason
Just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again

It's in the stars
It's been written in the scars on our hearts
We're not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again

Listening To: Make You Feel My Love

Make You Feel My Love is a Bob Dylan original that has been covered by such great artists like Billy Joel, Garth Brooks, Ronan Keating (love his version by the way,) Trisha Yearwood, Kelly Clarkson and Adele (yes, she made a version out of her album 19.)  It's a very lovely, easy melody song and that is why it is also a staple in reality singing contests as well.

With nothing to do on a Women's Day holiday I made a cover of the song:

This video was created using my JVC HD Picsio camera.

Here are the lyrics to the song:

When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love

When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love

I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong

I'd go hungry I'd go black and blue
and I'd go crawling down the avenue
No there's nothing that I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love

Instrumental

The storms are raging on the rolling sea
And on the highway of regret
The winds of change are blowing wild and free
You ain't seen nothing like me yet

I could make you happy make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love,

To make you feel my love

Women's Day

Today March 8 is Women's Day and here in Mongolia it is celebrated as a national holiday (good job!)  My colleague asked me yesterday if this was also celebrated in the Philippines.  Actually I didn't remember this day to be celebrated in this magnitude.  There is Mother's Day but that is only for mothers and not all women in general.  The Philippines though is predominantly matriarchal in its culture and is a champion of women's right and equality. So is the government doing something about it?

Apparently, there is a commission created named Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) pcw.gov.ph which was formed as a result of the enactment of Republic Act 9710 (Magna Carta of Women.)  According to the their website the PCW holds a month long activity to celebrate Women's month.  The PCW's activities can be seen here.

On an international scale, Women's Day theme is varies for each country yearly.  Most of tackles global or local women's problems such as economics, violence against women, right and equality.  One of which I personally support is to stop the violence against women.  This is in the wake of the shooting of Malala Yousufzai and the Delhi 2012 gang rape case.  Last February 14, 2013, women all across the globe participated to kick off the One Billion Rising campaign.  The event was marked by girls and women doing a flash mob style dance to express support to end violence against women.  Here's a video of that event in the Philippines.

And probably as a fitting tribute for Women's Day US President Barack Obama today signed the renewed Violence Against Women Act.

As for me I honestly believe that a real man loves and respects women.  Happy Women's Day to all women around the world!

Then and Now

There was a time when I have to beg "Please come with me? There's a nice movie to catch."
But now we hardly see the same movie unless it was appropriate for the little one to watch

There was a time when we talk on the phone all night, though we'll see each other the next day
But now the only words we say is "good night"; too tired to chat, had too many things to do today

There was a time when we dine at fancy restaurants almost every week
But now fast food, fries and pizzas are the ones we usually seek

But there was a time when I wake up in the morning not knowing what the future holds
Now I know what my purpose is for each day. It's clear, I don't need to be told

There was a time when I felt all alone; and in my life there was a hole
But now I know that even if we are not together my heart would always be whole

And there was a time all things seems to be lost and there was no "happy ever after"
But now with you and the little girl there will always be a life filled with joy and laughter

My life has changed since you came and I wrote this piece so that I can say
That I love you with all my heart even if I am 2438 miles away.


Executive Lunch
February 22, 2013

Listening To: When I Was Your Man by Bruno Mars

A few weeks ago I mentioned on Facebook that this one of those songs that kinda grows on you.  A very powerful ballad that's got a lot of soul.  When Bruno Mars announced the song via twitter and instagram   he said
"@brunomars - Soon you guys will hear a song I wrote called When I Was Your Man. I've never been this nervous. Can't explain it http://instagr.am/p/SwHf3Yu858/"

And he was right, the song is haunting and full of emotion.  There is also a part of the song that sounds like the coda/outro of his song It Will Rain (another personal favorite.)

On the video above he sings the song live on Jimmy Kimmel's show.  And here are the lyrics if you want to sing along:

Same bed, but it feels just a little bit bigger now
Our song on the radio, but it don't sound the same
When our friends talk about you all that it does is just tear me down
Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name
And it all just sound like uh, uh, uh

Hmmm too young, too dumb to realize
That I should have bought you flowers and held your hand
Should have gave you all my hours when I had the chance
Take you to every party cause all you wanted to do was dance
Now my baby is dancing, but she's dancing with another man.

My pride, my ego, my needs and my selfish ways
Caused a good strong woman like you to walk out my life
Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made
And it haunts me every time I close my eyes
It all just sounds like uh, uh, uh, uh

Too young, too dumb to realize
That I should have bought you flowers and held your hand
Should have gave all my hours when I had the chance
Take you to every party cause all you wanted to do was dance
Now my baby is dancing, but she's dancing with another man.

Although it hurts I'll be the first to say that I was wrong
Oh, I know I'm probably much too late
To try and apologize for my mistakes
But I just want you to know

I hope he buys you flowers, I hope he holds your hand
Give you all his hours when he has the chance
Take you to every party cause I remember how much you loved to dance
Do all the things I should have done when I was your man!
Do all the things I should have done when I was your man!