Music

There are songs that make one think of Chess (Obviously the entire musical CHESS!)

But other ones too -- personal connections, interpretations.... What is out there!? Songs that have a Chess 'Spin' -- what are they and why do they make one think about Chess?

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/24/chess-the-musical-review-abbas-ridiculous-cold-war-musical-is-absurdly-complicated-fun

https://www.chess.com/article/view/13-songs-with-chess-lyrics

Cool! Did not see that/know about it (the article) -- thanks!

But what songs have popped into your head -- songs that have nothing to do with Chess -- that made your think they 'fit' as songs that could be 'Chess songs'? I wrote something recently, I thought of a situation in the Chess World -- and a song popped into my head: A Resignation: the Grand and Masterful performances and contributions of Wang Hao will be missed. He underlined the need for Chess to not equal Stress! Life is about getting The Balance Right! Almost perfect for Chess, in 1983 Depche Mode, sang: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfiISFiozg8 . Lyrics: "When you think you've got a hold of it all You haven't got a hold at all When you reach the top Get ready to drop Prepare yourself for the fall You're gonna fall It's almost predictable..."   

New song for the idea stream.... Not a great  'melodic' song and certainly not the 80s music I love --  just heard it tonight! And I think -- so very Chess? Just given its title!  Very TAL -- the scariest quote I know about Chess is Tal's:

     “You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path                   leading  out is only wide enough for one.”  (Mikhail Tal)

Scary song for a scary quote!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJq-gbx3KJ0

... and as I FEAR entering the first ever 'tournament' I have ever been in (a modern-time-obsessed-Chess-world one too! Maybe I will chicken out and not enter it....!?) ...and -- lyrics/ yes cut&pasted -- but all in the temporal order they were written/sang -- popped (irony!/Pun!?) into my head:

The year:: 1983, song 'TRUE', band -- Spandau Ballet!

... lyrics... make think of 'Modern Online Speed Chess Entertainment'... it is a stretch -- but eh 'line' reference too...

trapped in the 80s...

"So true, funny how it seems
Always in time, but never in line for dreams...
I bought a ticket to the world
But now I've come back again...
Why do I find it hard to write the next line?
I want the truth to be said...
Dissolve the nerves that have just begun...
This is the sound
Always slipping from my hands
Sand's a time of its own
Take your seaside arms and write the next line..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR8D2yqgQ1U

An amazing new piece here is exactly (!) what I am talking about! Songs that matter/strike a chord (pun intended) with a person's Chess 'journey'!

I am 'blown away' by:

https://www.chess.com/blog/MomOnaBreak/joan-of-chess-the-mini-musical

Hard to miss the lyrics -- as applying to Chess Games!? (Thoughts?)

Jeux sans frontieres

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xZmlUV8muY

------

And another song:

...difficult to -- though never mentioned in the song -- visually not possible not to get from the video -- how Chess is very 'Alice in Wonderland'!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0JvF9vpqx8

Disappointing -- disappointed. ...not sure...

It must have been disappointing for the organizers, and Kasparov himself, to see the lack of effort shown by the elite players in the opening rounds in Bucharest. Practically every game between the tour regulars ended in a quick draw. (Quoted from: https://www.chess.com/article/view/yermolinskys-2021-gct-bucharest-recap )

Yes. That is the Word!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUTJCIPsWwE

Now, my head is spinning
At the back of my mind, I think I'm winning
I was somebody falling for one who was not
Somebody tired of dreaming
Now its already dawning that this time I've got
Someone who won't leave me feeling...
Disappointed, once more
Disillusioned, encore

Another example... from a recent excellent post by a Top Blogger on this site!

https://www.chess.com/blog/kamalakanta/play-chess-with-your-heart

So many songs have so many possible, personal connections, to so many individuals! This one -- a classic song -- I would never, personally associated with Chess, but all the lyrics and a video link was in the blog post!

To quote from the blog post:

'Before showing any chess games, I wish to share with you this song.....it is an old song, but the lyrics make it immortal!

Louis Armstrong Lyrics

"What A Wonderful World"

I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world... '

I just was informed of this club -- and the amazing original music there!!!

Do check out:

https://www.chess.com/club/chess-songs-by-juga

This has nothing to do with anything but I like to listen to this song while playing chess occasionally https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuYSarZXzrE 

EXACTLY!!!

Songs that others may never thought of as being 'Chess' Songs!!!

I listen to a Bond movie theme when doing puzzles! (Tried no songs/other songs -- this one 'works' for me! To each their own -- and we get to hear new songs we'd never think of/find otherwise!) Thanks for sharing!

BTW... that 'Bond' theme that works for me...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR2OwmariWk

...and how could I forget this song! Listening to it when I made (rare!) good moves, some of the best I made!

...and seems like a Chess song -- in its reality of defeating the one playing the Other Side! (Regardless of whom they may be!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svWINSRhQU0

The Police: 'Wrapped Around Your Finger'.

I have only come here seeking knowledge
Things they would not teach me of in college
I can see the destiny you sold turned into a shining band of gold
I'll be wrapped around your finger
I'll be wrapped around your finger
Mephistopheles is not your name
I know what you're up to just the same
I will listen hard to your tuition
You will see it come to its fruition
I'll be wrapped around your finger
I'll be wrapped around your finger...

Yeah, quoting myself -- lonely Forum topic!

After posting the above a while ago I had the idea to google the Artist! What a find!

https://www.jugamusica.com/

Just 'found' this piece... very good and very ''on topic'!!!

https://www.chess.com/blog/Haulcel/connections-between-chess-and-music

interesting

...well Ian Nepomniachtchi (sort of) talks about music in his mood/preparation for Chess -- according to the chess.com interview (  https://www.chess.com/news/view/ian-nepomniachtchi-interview-chess  )

"Sometimes I feel like I'm in a sleepy mood and I'm listening to some hard rock music or something. So to feel the energy and feel the power, but in general, it really depends on my mood..."

"So first of all, what music? Any music, literally any music, so it depends on my mood."

Well, I am sure he doesn't literally mean "any music"!!! haha -- imagine the funny things one could up with for him to listen to!

... like this maybe? haha...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukrbMf8y0Gw

Mosquito Waltz

'This just in'... in a new interview we find out what 'any music' actually means to Ian Nepomniachtchi:

    What about music?

   I listen to almost everything, depending on my mood. Russian bards, for instance - Vysotsky, Galich, Okudzhava, some Vizbor - some rap, Russian rock, alt rock. I'm omnivorous in this regard.

As reported: https://www.chess.com/blog/Spektrowski/ian-nepomniachtchi-i-tend-to-solve-the-problems-as-they-come

..'cancelling' a Musical?

Really!?

https://www.chess.com/blog/FreeRussia2022/putinists-race-to-ban-chess

'Both sides' Re-imagined Lyrically as a Chess song!

https://www.chess.com/blog/MomOnaBreak/both-sides-now-my-version

The original...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NdsnFZm0X4

And! Joni Mitchell's Chess connections:

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2021/07/11/detroits-chess-mate-forgotten-incubator-joni-mitchell/7895998002/?gnt-cfr=1

https://twitter.com/Joe_Beef/status/1327825477176762368

https://jonimitchell.com/Library/view.cfm?id=4649)