70's, 80's 'Feel Good' Music

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"On a Little Street in Singapore" is a jazz song written by Peter DeRose and Billy Hill. It had some measure of popularity in the 1930s and 1940s, marked by a number of high-profile performances. Artists to cover the song included Frank Sinatra with Harry James, Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond, Glenn Miller, Bert Kaempfert, Jimmy Dorsey and most recently Bob Dylan. Manhattan Transfer covered it again in 1978; the French-singing Belgian group Lou and the Hollywood Bananas, in a french adaptation (Dans les petites rues de Singapour), around 1983.
The Glenn Miller Orchestra released "On a Little Street in Singapore" with a vocal by Ray Eberle in May 1944. Anticipating the end of the Second World War, Billboard wrote that Miller would be "the hottest thing in band fronting" and described the song as "good, if a little dated" but concluded that "with tune and Miller sizzling what more can be desired?".
Reviewing Bob Dylan's album Fallen Angels which included the song, Michael Hann wrote in The Guardian that "On a Little Street in Singapore" was a "throwaway number" whose "strength is all in the melody" and lacked the "romantic profundity" of the other songs on the album.
The British figure skaters Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean performed their ice dance routine in figure skating at the 1980 Winter Olympics to "On a Little Street in Singapore"

Manhattan Transfer - On a little Street in Singapore​

On a Little Street in Singapore - Bob Dylan​

GLENN MILLER BAND – “ON A LITTLE STREET IN SINGAPORE”​

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"Live to Tell" is a song by American singer Madonna from her third studio album, True Blue (1986), and also featured in the crime drama At Close Range, starring her then-husband Sean Penn. Originally composed as an instrumental by Patrick Leonard for the film Fire with Fire, the piece was rejected by Paramount, prompting Madonna to adapt it for At Close Range. She wrote the lyrics, added melodies and a bridge, and co-produced the track with Leonard. Lyrically, the pop ballad with torch influences explores themes of deceit, mistrust, and emotional trauma rooted in childhood.

Released on March 26, 1986, in the United States ahead of the film's premiere, "Live to Tell" also served as the lead single from True Blue. Internationally, it was issued on April 14. Upon release it was acclaimed by critics, with praise being given to Madonna's vocal performance. Retrospectively, "Live to Tell" has been widely cited as one of the singer's finest ballads. Commercially, it became her third number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and her first chart-topper on the Adult Contemporary chart, while also reaching the top of the charts in several countries, including Canada and Italy.

The accompanying music video shows the singer alone in a dark studio, intercut with scenes from At Close Range. Madonna has performed "Live to Tell" in four of her concert tours, most recently on the Celebration Tour (2023–2024). Its most controversial rendition occurred during 2006's Confessions Tour, in which Madonna sang suspended on a mirrored cross wearing a crown of thorns. The performance drew strong condemnation from religious leaders, who accused her of blasphemy; Madonna defended the segment, stating it was meant to highlight the plight of children suffering from AIDS in Africa. The song has since been covered by numerous artists and remains a staple in tribute compilations.

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Madonna - Live To Tell​

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