Expert: Bong Santos - 7/31/2006

Question

-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
I'm a lover of 70's and 80's music (pop, lite rock & jazz) as a matter of fact, almost of the songs i've been looking and loved is now happily dwelling in my Ipod, but there's one song which i can't really find  since i only heard it when i was still in Davao before played in one of my fave FM station before, and since i'm working right now in a country where music on airwaves are in French & Arabic, i have lost a memory of that song, the lyrics goes this way (correct me if i'm wrong "Don't Let Me Change the way you are" something like that and sung by a lady singer which i dunno really, i love that song and thank you so much if you can give any idea of the title or perhaps just the singer.

Answer -
Dear Jojo'

Hi kababayan! Hope you are doing well there in the Mideast (??), I guess. So, you're from Davao, I love that city. Been there a couple of times, swam at Paradise Island in Samal, dine out at Jack's Ridge, party at Pirata's, hmmm, gotta get back there.

As for the song you're asking, DON'T LET ME CHANGE THE WAY YOU ARE was sung by actress-singer-composer GLORIA LORING. Unfortunately, I don't have lyrics of the song but I remember the song very clearly. It was not a hit anywhere but a big one in Manila back in 1986 as a follow up to her duet with CARL ANDERSON, FRIENDS AND LOVERS from the soap opera DAYS OF OUR LIVES. FRIENDS AND LOVERS was a big hit in the US spending #2 on the Hot 100 Charts. Both songs were from her 1986 self-titled album. GLORIA LORING is still recording and writing songs.

Maraming salamat po!

BONG M. SANTOS
Manila, Philippines

Oh my...Thanks for the reply sir, and im so grateful for your generous efforts,your such a talent in this field, now i got the idea of the song title and the singer, anyhow thanks and you enjoy too the accomodation of my beloved place, its nice i was there since May 10, to July 5, 2006 for my R & R and im back once again in Africa. Back to topic, So it was Gloria Loring who belted it, so far the only song i got from her is "Friends & Lover with Carl, and it was a nice song, Carl too is one of my favorite, "The Closest Thing to Heaven is on top of my playlist. Hope I can i ask more query from you sir in the future, cos like you, im also a music lover, Thanks again & More Power!

Answer
Dear Jojo,

Well, you got good taste of music. CARL ANDERSON is a great vocalist and THE CLOSEST THING TO HEAVEN is a great song. It is from his 1992 album FANTASY HOTEL. Incidentally, CARL ANDERSON passed away on February 23, 2004 due to leukemia.

Maraming salamat po!

BONG M. SANTOS
Manila, Philippines