A Cup of Tea & Biscuits

Bible Black by Heaven & Hell from The Devil You Know (2009) Last year at this time I was reveling in the victory of my favorite football club - them winning the Premier League was the highlight of May 2010 - and all I listened to for weeks were Chelsea FC songs . While they mean a lot to me, they don't qualify as my favorite songs. Going back into my blog by a year, I realized that it was also my Black Sabbath (and all related) phase. I listened to their entire discography and if I remember correctly, Bible Black was an obsession for me. Ronnie James Dio is one of my metal idols. His voice! Ah! I would've given anything to watch him perform live, but when he was performing I was too young, and then I never had the opportunity! But his music shall live on! At last alone, his fire's dying, burned another day Now to pretend and make up an ending, somewhere far away He reached for a book all bound in leather Something that he knows he's never...

Jesus To A Child by George Michael from Older (1996) I'm not a pop person. I think the most pop I can stand are either the really old ones or ones that aren't pop. Growing up in the 90's ruined that genre for me. George Michael, however, stood out. Naturally his songs were way out of my time, 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go' and 'Careless Whisper' being my favorites of my mum's generation. I like the latter more, but quite obviously I moved away from mainstream music. I returned to this song while listening to a compilation album. It was the line, I can confidently say, "You smiled at me like Jesus to a Child" that caught me. I love the smoothness of this song, the tone and sadness it invokes as it speaks of a lost love and a strong love. There have been many instances when I've imagined someone say that line to me (that and maybe "You bring my heart to it's knees" - from Not Strong Enough by Apocalyptica) and I know my heart...

Angel by Judas Priest from Angel of Retribution (2005) One of my favorite ballads and the few songs I've actually cried listening to. It is simply beautiful, the lyrics, music and rhythm. I think I heard it while waiting for a friend at school. I believe, if memory serves right, I was sitting by myself by the driveway near the garden area, impatient and annoyed, and this song played on my iPod - because it was on shuffle mode - and I just stood still, taking it in. It moved me in so many ways. That's what music is supposed to do right? Make you feel all the emotions it is meant to make you feel and then some. Judas Priest is legendary, what they've done for heavy metal music makes my respect and adore them. I am yet to find a song (or album) of theirs that hasn't lived up to my expectations... Actually, I hope I never do :) Lyrics By Rob Halford Angel, put sad wings around me now Protect me from this world of sin so that we can rise again Oh an...

Fear of the Dark by Iron Maiden from Fear of the Dark (1992) Yes, this song makes me happy :) Odd choice? No, I don't think so. I love the pace and eeriness of the song, and it makes me smile every time I listen to it. This was probably the first metal song that I sang the guitar solo! Hummed, more likely, and it stuck with me through the many years of Iron Maiden and my musical journeys. I think one of the main reasons this song makes me smile is the energy Dickinson induces during a live performance - you can hear and feel the surging energy and that makes me happy. Written by Steve Harris I am the man who walks alone, and when I'm walking a dark road At night or strolling through the park When the light begins to change, I sometimes feel a little strange A little anxious when it's dark Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have constant fear that something's always near Fear of the dark, fear of the dark I have a phobia that someone's alw...