Musical Monday - Hijo de la Luna (Sarah Brightman)

Back in the summer of 2000, while channel surfing, I came across something that peaked my interest on the local PBS (Public Broadcasting System) channel.

There was this sultry woman with long, black, wavy/curly hair singing. She was wearing a very form fitting black dress and had some scantily clad muscular men singing with her and carrying her around on the stage/set.

Intrigued, I sat and watched. My channel surfing ended up being a two hour long pause on the PBS channel watching this woman sing. I was entranced.

Occasionally, they would pause for a "commercial" break...but it wasn't really a commercial...the PBS channel was promoting/selling CDs and DVDs of this woman. It kind of reminded me of a telethon. They had operators sitting at tables behind the show hosts who were "ready to take your call" if you decided to order something.

Anywhoooo...this woman was Sarah Brightman. I had never heard of her before. Her voice was mesmerizing. I couldn't take my eyes off the tv...well, except for during the "commercial" breaks.

Sometime within that week I went looking at the local Best Buy store for her CD. Yes, I was too cheap to buy the one from the PBS channel...they wanted something like $40 for it. I was unable to find the CD that PBS had promoted. I ended up grabbing her CD, 'La Luna' instead. It ended up being a worthy purchase. The songs on 'La Luna' blew me away more than the songs I heard on the PBS special. I was so glad I bought the CD instead of going elsewhere to find the one I had seen on tv.

To this day, 'La Luna' is one of my all time favorite CDs to listen to. I have all the songs downloaded onto my desktop, and laptop, and they usually make it into every play list I create...even the ones that have dance music and hard rock music in them...lol. I absolutely love this woman's voice and never tire of hearing her sing.

In the fall of 2000, my sister and I took our mother to see Sarah Brightman perform. Wow, what a night. I don't think I said two words to my mom or sister that night. I was totally focused on Sarah and her singing. I do remember laughing, however, when my mom asked, "Is she ever gonna sing anything in English?". hahahahaha

The following video, 'Hijo de la Luna" is my favorite song of hers. The story of the song is quite sad, but her voice seems to make you not really care how sad it is. I'll post the lyrics in English so you can see what I mean.

A fool is he who doesn't understand,

a legend tells

that a gypsy woman

implored the moon

weeping, she begged till dawn

to marry a gypsy man

"you'll have your brown skin man"

spoke the full moon from the sky

"but in return I want

the first child

that you have with him"

one who sacrifices her child

in order not to be alone

is not going

to love it very much

(chorus) - moon you want to be mother

and you can't find a love

who makes you a woman

Tell me, moon of silver

what you intend to do

with a child of flesh

Son of the moon - (chorus)

From a cinnamon-skinned father a son

was born

white like an ermine's belly

with gray eyes

instead of olive,

moon's albino son

"Damn his appearance!

This is not a gypsy man's son

and you won't get away with this"

(chorus)

The gypsy believing himself dishonored, 

went to his wife, knife in hand

"Whose son is this?

I am sure you have deceived me!"

and he stabbed her to death

then he went to the mountain

with the child in his arms

and abandoned it there

(chorus)

And on nights when the moon is full

it's because the child is happy

and if the child cries

the moon will wane

to make him a cradle

and if the child cries

the moon will wane 

to make him a cradle

(lyrics copied directly from CD sleeve)

See? I told you it was a sad story. But with Sarah singing it, who cares???? I sure don't.

Some of my other favorite songs of hers are:

Figlio Perduto (La Luna)

Gloomy Sunday (La Luna)

Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again (The Phantom of the Opera)

Who Wants to Live Forever (Time to Say Goodbye)

There for Me (Time to Say Goodbye)

En Aranjuez con Tu Amor (Time to Say Goodbye)

Eden (Eden)

Deliver Me (Eden)

Sarah's just kicked off another tour for her new album, 'Dreamchaser'. She'll be coming to where I live in October. I can't wait!!!!! 

Think I'll let my mom and sis know. Maybe I can get them to go with Dharm and me to see her.