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Post by Richard on May 4, 2013 8:35:13 GMT
I'm wondering if Buckingham Palace might have planned all this. It would appear that Hayley's new album and Catherine's baby were both conceived around the same time!  Richard  |
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Jillian
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Post by Jillian on May 4, 2013 10:07:49 GMT
after what Jon Cohen said. I'm a little annoyed that he tried to assure us of something, and it turned out not to be exactly truthful, but whatever. Hi Libby, I know ... to be honest Jon Cohen's comments have me really confused. To say 'Don't worry. It's not a record for babies. You're going to LOVE this...' and then for it to be a lullaby album dedicated to the birth of the royal heir... I originally took it as a message that we were being presumptuous by thinking that 'lullabies' meant that the album was music to send babies to sleep to... but then Hushabye is released with a press statement which says 'The album, entitled Hushabye, is intended to be a therapeutic selection of music to calm and relax newborn babies'. I wouldn't think that Jon Cohen would have any motiviation to lie about the album - I mean why would he bother? But at the same time, he would have had to have known what he was recording. I think it's a bit of a mystery, that's all. I wonder if there's other content on the album that lead him to say that? Like there's a few lullabies to make Decca happy and keep the product tie-in and then the rest is Hayley stuff? But as I said before, it couldn't be too far removed from lullabies, otherwise the babies would wake up half way through the album!  Cheers, Jillian |
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Post by comet on May 4, 2013 11:15:36 GMT
 I was a little stunned yesterday to hear Hayley singing Twinkle. It was at a time in the evening when I sometimes start up the computer for some little guests we have for dinner, I normally go to YouTube and play a song for one little baby girl and for the past couple of months her favourite has been Twinkle Twinkle Little Star THIS ONEThis whole coincidence of Hayley now singing it really floored me. Little baby girl just looked at me as if to say, "That's not MY Twinkle Twinkle" Other coincidence, Who performed in "The Littelest Star" ? Oh by the way, look at the viewing figures for some versions of Twinkle, one of them is close to TEN MILLION..10,000,000
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Post by jimg on May 4, 2013 11:36:32 GMT
Hayley has posted on facebook and twitter a little of how Hushabye came about.
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Post by Elliot Kane on May 4, 2013 11:38:20 GMT
I have to admit that an album of lullabies is most definitely not what I was hoping for, nor what I want from Hayley.
I think I'll probably be skipping this one.
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Martin
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Post by Martin on May 4, 2013 12:22:03 GMT
For those not familiar with the food spread Marmite, Hayley means it is something you either love or hate - there is no inbetween!  |
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Post by Bamafan on May 4, 2013 16:02:46 GMT
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Post by martindn on May 4, 2013 16:32:25 GMT
Gosh what a lot of stuff. I found your analysis very interesting Jillian. Thank you for that. So they changed course mid way through working towards Hayley's next album. Again! They did the same thing when the Paradiso opportunity came along.
I also wonder whether the Hushabye tracks were the only things Hayley recorded in those sessions. Might explain Jon's comments.
But actually I like what I heard on Twinkle. It is a welcome return to simple arrangements and songs that are fully "owned" by Hayley after Paradiso. Much as I love Paradiso, it was as much Ennio's artistic input as Hayley's. This one is likely to be much more under her control I think. That can only be good.
As I tweeted to Hayley, an album of lullabies is not going to be the easiest thing to sell or get people excited about. There is the severe danger that it will degenerate into boredom. Avoiding that is a challenge. Most singers wouldn't manage it. But Hayley is not "most singers", whatever she does is a fresh and a different take on the subject, even if it is a song as well known as Twinkle and the other lullabies. I think that is true of Twinkle, a song I've known since I was a baby (I imagine we all have). Yet I have never heard it like that, with the wonderful feeling of peace and at the same time being in awe of the wonderful world we inhabit that Hayley manages to convey. Hayley's version is very beautiful to my ears.
I think if anyone can pull off an album like that, it is Hayley.
Martin D
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Dave
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Post by Dave on May 4, 2013 16:47:03 GMT
I also wonder whether the Hushabye tracks were the only things Hayley recorded in those sessions. Might explain Jon's comments. Me too! A sudden direction change seems possible, if an offer came up that Hayley couldn't refuse. We may not find out though for some considerable time. I do think though that if handled right, this album will raise Hayley's profile and will thereby benefit her career. She is it seems Decca's "chosen one" for their project and that, in itself, should be a good thing. Cheers, Dave |
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Post by Bamafan on May 4, 2013 16:55:34 GMT
Alright, going back to Libby's comment about the covers looking extremely similar - after studying them both closely, I've figured that they use the exact same background photo. So apparently the people at Amazon must've known something about what the cover was going to be. Here, judge for yourselves:   -Taylor i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif |
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Post by grant on May 4, 2013 18:47:22 GMT
I agree with Hayley BUT, I think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages For Hayley to have been chosen by Decca to represent the label for such a prestigious event as the birth of a royal baby is a huge vote of confidence in her and faith in her ability to produce what is required. If marketed correctly - and I'm sure it will be - just about anyone fascinated and drawn into the festivities surrounding the birth of the new royal baby will want a copy. This alone should be good for sales but it will also introduce Hayley to a whole new audience who will, hopefully, want to know more about her and hear more of her music. The other side of the coin is that at least some of the tracks are timeless favourites and I can see this album still selling generations from now. Had you asked me 48 hours ago "would you want Hayley to do an album like this" my answer would have been a definite "NO!" but I still haven't got over my first hearing of "Twinkle Twinkle" Hayley has taken a song that must have been covered a thousand times and made it hers. How awesome is that? As Martin said earlier "If anyone can pull this off, Hayley can". Decca clearly believe in her and so do I. Oh yes! There is a downside, I don't expect a concert tour to promote the album  but I can live with that if it helps Hayley's career. Best wishes Grant |
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Post by Simba on May 4, 2013 18:55:02 GMT
Yes it's most certainly the same photo, I think Decca gave them the mock photo before the final graphics was done....And the album art is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!! I could see how this album will work well, but really that twinkle twinkle little star was the first hayley song where I enjoyed the background music so much more than her singing... I thought a lullaby album would somehow force her to go back to her old singing style atleast for these few songs which would sound like heaven if she sang it the way she used to sing. Lullaby of Nemunoki www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxAx6I8V2_IThat's the kind of singing I'm talking about. Nothing can be more relaxing than singing like that. If they said once that Hayley's voice has more therapeutic value than Mozart's pieces, then there's a reason. Several comments on youtube said, This doesn't even sound like hayley westenra, because with celtic woman and all that she's known for singing with a mild vibrato and connected legato notes with beautiful cresendos. I didn't particularly like the change in direction with her Winter Magic album, which was criticized to be vocally 'weak' (Though I loved some of the songs) and was so glad that Morricone came in and set a few things straight making her sing songs like Malena and La Califfa where she didn't cut the ending notes short or whisper them. One would argue with me that this is a song for a baby so she has to whisper some words, but clearly not working, some words are not heard, not adding to the emotion. "How I wonder" is especially not fitting. But the arrangement is quite amazing. This whole whispering, husky, airy voice thing doesn't fit hayley all too well in my honest opinion. However I strongly feel the other songs like Hushabye mountain and such would be stunning  All the reason why like Libby said, this shouldn't have been the one to "advertise" the album. And I'll be disappointed if the video was for this song as much as I already am. Overall I could see this is kind of rushed up, not the kind of effort hayley would put in a true album. Hope everything works like a charm with this album |
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Post by martindn on May 4, 2013 22:15:48 GMT
Well, if you've read my earlier posts in this thread Simba, you will know I couldn't agree less with you about "Twinkle". Hayley as we know is a very versatile singer. She can sing in many different styles. I don't think we have heard this one before. It is not particularly difficult or challenging I suspect, just as most of Winter Magic wasn't. It doesn't particularly show off her voice. But it doesn't need to. It is beautiful and unlike any other rendition of this song I have heard. Sometimes the simple things work best. I'd like to know how Hayley could sing this song better than she does. Because I think she has it exactly right. I don't know of anyone else who has ever sung it better, as is true of nearly every song that Hayley has ever sung in my opinion. That is why she is my favourite singer.
Martin D
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Jillian
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Post by Jillian on May 4, 2013 22:30:34 GMT
Hi all! So Hayley has confirmed that this was a project presented to her by Decca. But I think we knew that all along. Although, I feel a little sorry that she's already felt like she has to concede that some people won't like the idea of Hushabye and saying that the idea was Decca's -- she's never ever felt like that with any of her previous albums. BUT as others have said, if anyone can pull off an album like this, it'll be Hayley. That was a very gallant effort with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I can't imagine too many singers being able to present that song as well as Hayley. I'm very sure that all the songs will be done with the best Hayley's voice has to offer - there's no doubt about that. I'm also very sure that the songs will sound beautiful. On the plus side, I think by now Hayley must have built up a big collection of 'other album' material from pre-Paradiso and pre-Hushabye that we will have to look forward to in the future. I'm hoping that more news or previews can be released soon, so I can get more of an impression of it. Twinkle Twinkle probably wasn't a good place to start for me - as my reaction to that was always going to be the same Perhaps they might release a teaser of the new song which has been written for the album? From what I've read on Twitter, the new Paul Mealor song is in Welsh. Cheers, Jillian |
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2013 0:11:32 GMT
Interesting thought, Martin D. Wouldn't it be something if she came out with another full album soon after Hushabye and this was just a filler? Yea that's probably not the case, but it would certainly be a wonderful surprise. I'm definitely picking up a copy of Hushabye nevertheless
-Rory
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but I can live with that if it helps Hayley's career.
All the reason why like Libby said, this shouldn't have been the one to "advertise" the album. And I'll be disappointed if the video was for this song as much as I already am.
