Songs About Famous People

It is not at all surprising that there are so many songs about famous people. From the earliest days of civilization, people have looked for ways to pay tribute to people in their lives, particularly to those who are considered cultural heroes. Artists capture their images in paint or clay, and for musicians and song writers, the best possible way for them to show how deeply they care about the contributions that a person has made to the world, or even just to them personally, is to use the art form that they are most familiar with.

American Pie - Don McLean This song pays tribute to several well-respected rock and roll celebrities who were killed in a tragic airplane crash on February 3, 1959. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper were all killed in the crash. Their deaths were considered such a loss to the music world that the date became known as "the day the music died".

Candle in the Wind - Elton John Candle in the Wind was a song that was originally written in tribute to Marilyn Monroe, the iconic American movie star. The song originally used the words, "Goodbye Norma Jean", which the singer later changed to "Goodbye England's Rose" in tribute to Princess Diana after her death in an automobile accident.

All Those Years Ago - George Harrison George Harrison was a member of the iconic rock and roll band The Beatles. Although the group had broken up several years earlier, when John Lennon was murdered in New York City he wrote this tribute song in remembrance of the joy of their friendship and their work together.

Abraham, Martin and John - Dion Rather than being written about a single person, this song was written in tribute to four giants of social justice and progress, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, all of whom were killed by assassins.

Happy Birthday - Stevie Wonder Actually written as a protest song, Stevie Wonder penned the words to Happy Birthday as a reaction to the rejection by political leaders of a national holiday honoring the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the national civil rights leader.

King Tut - Steve Martin Certainly one of the most unusual songs written for a famous person, King Tut was a comedy song written and sung by the comedian Steve Martin. Though some of the song's lyrics are quite silly, the song was extremely popular and served to familiarize young people about some of the history of the ancient Egyptian ruler.

Biko - Peter Gabriel Steve Biko was an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa in the 1970s. He was arrested after having taken part in a variety of anti-apartheid activities, and after his arrest he was beaten severely and taken to prison, where he died. The song is a tribute to him, and was featured in the movie Cry Freedom, which was about the activist's death.

Why You Can't Get Enough Practice Playing Guitar

"I don't have time for practicing." "Practicing is boring. I just want to play." "I hate practicing!" You may have heard (or used) these excuses yourself whenever the subject of practicing your guitar has ever come up, especially if you're an experienced player. I know I have. But if you're ever going to develop your skills as a masterful musician, you need to practice.

One of the most important tools you can have in life is a little word called "Patience." Why? Think of it this way: Do you think your favorite guitar heroes ever got where they are today by not having the patience to practice? Do you think Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Steve Vai, Slash, etc. became the legendary guitarists they are without the discipline and the patience it takes to practice? I think not.

Sure it's fun to "just play," but to go from playing okay to playing extraordinary requires discipline. So let's talk about that for just a sec. Discipline doesn't have to be this chore that you are forced to do every day. It's a process of training yourself to be consistent. It's developing new routines that eventually become habits after only a few weeks. And when habits are formed via repetition, it becomes like second nature; it's no longer a chore.

Repetition is the key to good practice. If you are to learn anything on guitar, whether it be new or something you've known for a while and need to polish your skills, you need to utilize this invaluable tool called repetition. It's the bread and butter of good practice. And being able to play something more than a few times requires discipline.

Believe it or not, all your favorite guitar heroes play their solos, licks, riffs, etc. over and over and over and over and over... you get the picture. And not just on stage, either. The reason their playing sounds flawless isn't just because they're "just that good." It's because they've taking the time - the discipline - to play the same things constantly until they feel they've mastered them. Sitting on their tour buses, on their sofas at home, in the studio, during rehearsals; good guitarists play, but great guitarists practice what they play beforehand.

Taking Care of the Singing Voice

It is important for singers to take care of their voices especially if they would like to make a lifetime career out of it. Even some famous singers and artists have experienced losing their voice because their vocal cords have been damaged or injured because of too much strain on it. Some singers may also develop certain diseases like cancer which could affect their throat and other parts of their speech organ that they also use in singing. However, with the right perspective and good health habits, people may be able to preserve their excellent voice quality even as they age.

People have only one set of vocal cords for their entire lifetime so singers have to do their best in taking care of it so that they may enjoy sharing their good voices through singing. They will be able to do this by keeping themselves in the best of health always. Singers have to eat good and healthy foods as well. They also have to do regular exercises and to get enough sleep so that bodies remain in top condition. Singers may have to avoid some types of food like spicy ones as the acid in their stomach may rise up going to their throat. They are also advised to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages and to refrain from smoking if that would be possible.

Singers who would like to succeed and stay long in the music industry also have to live healthy lifestyles. They need to get sufficient sleep so staying up all night should be done sparingly as their bodies need to recover from stress and to repair itself during the sleep process. A healthy body will enable singers to sing powerfully as well because they have the energy to do so. Singers have to consider these things in order for them to be able to take care of their singing voice and to enjoy having it for a long time as well.

Aside from correct diet, healthy lifestyles, enough sleep and regular exercises, singers also have to learn how to breathe properly. They will have to do this even while they are speaking because they should see to it that their vocal cords are not strained as this can cause damage. They also have to do their vocal scale practices the right way. Practicing will really help singers to become better but they have to do it properly so that they do not cause any injury to their vocal cords. Singers need to remember these things and to do them as well if they would like to maintain their singing voices over the years.