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Listen
to the amazingly versatile tune genres / musical-styles
that Toni has composed throughout her career... hit
records included.
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TONI'S
DETAILED TUNES LISTING - just below...
Attn.
Recording-Artists / Music-Licensing inquiries:
Contact Toni's music publishing co .( Moonlight & Magnolias
Music Publishing ) WINDSWEPT - @
Tel
- 323-969-0988 // Fax - 323-969-0968
http://www.bugmusic.com/licensing.aspx
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Above
tunes listed in music player - are pre-fixed by music style
type - ahead of tune title - as follows:
bal = ballad
hip = cool, hip, jazz, rock - in our estimation.
cnt = country
flavor
80s = late '80's flavor
Misc = miscellaneous / strange?
kid = children faves
xcnt
= Christmas / country
xbal = Christmas / ballad |
top
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Above
tunes listed in music player - are pre-fixed by music style
type - appearing ahead of tune title:
ALSO: Click on the link entitled 'more...',
following the tune title, to learn more about the song:
ie; Inspiration for the song, and other morsels of tune-trivia:
Coding as follows:
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- bal = BALLADS:
bal
/ Baby You Still Got It
- more...
bal
/ Do That To Me One More TIme-.
(( HIT '80 )) -
more...
bal
/ Circles
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more...
bal / Don't Forget Me
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more...
bal
/ Free
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more...
bal
/ Gentle Stranger
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more...
bal
/ Good Songs, The
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more...
bal
/ Honey Come Love Me
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more...
bal
/ I'll Never Be The One To Leave
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more...
bal
/ Keepin' Our Love Warm
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more...
bal
/ Love Me Like A Baby
- more...
bal
/ Love Survives
- more...
bal
/ Smile For Me One More Time
- more...
bal
/ Way That I Want To Touch You, The..
(( HIT '75 ))
- more...
bal
/ We Never Really Say Goodbye
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- hip = HIPNESS / JAZZ / ROCK ORIENTED:
hip
/ But I Think It's A Dream
hip
/ Davey I Misbehave
hip
/ Deep In The Dark
hip / Heaven, Did You Just Come Down From...-
hip / This Is Not The First Time
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- cnt = COUNTRY:
cnt
/ 1954 Boogie Blues
cnt
/ Feel Like A Man
cnt
/ Joe Don't Cry
cnt
/ Lonely Lips
cnt
/ Pete Won't Dance
cnt / You Never Stayed Away This Long -
more...
- - misc = MISCELLANEOUS:
misc / Dodger Stadium Theme-
misc / How Can You Be So Cold - DISCO ?
- - 80s = '80's Style Productions:
80s
/ Boy Crazy
80s
/ Denny's Such A Flirt
80s / Get Ready, Teddy
- - kid = CHILDRENS MUSIC:
kid
/ Butterscotch Castle
kid / Listen To The Children
kid / Surprise, Surprise
kid
/ Traveling Musicians / A Fairy Tale / Narration by Toni..
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- xcnt / = CHRISTMAS / Country
xcnt
/ Boogie Baby Christmas
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- xbal / = CHRISTMAS / Ballad
xbal
/ Christmas In California
xbal
/
Christmas Star
xbal
/ Tahoe
Snow
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TONI's In-Depth, TUNE-TRIVIA Section
Scroll down...
Learn more about the tunes listed above: ie; Initial inspiration
for the songs, and other interesting morsels of tune-trivia:
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bal = BALLADS
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baby01
BABY YOU STILL GOT IT - This song was inspired, of course,
by my long relationship with Daryl. Actually, the first
lyric that "came" to me was the first line of
the chorus... "Baby, you still got it, you've got everything
I need...." I wrote the chorus first, and then wrote
the rest of the song. I do that quite often when I write....
first comes "the hook" (usually the chorus) and
the rest of the song then falls into place.
Go back to tune listings
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circles01
CIRCLES - Those of you who have been fans
of ours for a long time know the story behind CIRCLES. It
was one of the first songs I wrote about Daryl. When we
first met, I was instantly interested in him, but he had
just come out of a very bad relationship and had shut himself
off from entering into a new one. Somehow I just knew I
would be good for him, and he for me, and I was trying to
think of how to help him see the possibilities. I remembered
a short poem by Edwin Markham that I memorized when I was
in high school. It is called...
OUTWITTED:
"He drew a circle that shut me
out
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout
But Love and I had the wit to win
We drew a circle that took him in."
Go back
to tune listings |
dothat01
DO THAT TO ME ONE MORE TIME - Once again, long time
fans will know the story behind this song, which hit #1
song in the country in 1979 and became the second best-selling
single we ever had. Daryl and I were putting together the
songs for our first project for our new label, Casablanca.
DO THAT came out of a thought I had about the first time
Daryl ever kissed me..... I wish he would do that again
right now! Now, many people have their own interpretations
of what the lyrics mean, but that is why I specifically
wrote "Do THAT to me once more time"..... not
"Do IT to me one more time!" It took a very short
time to write the song once I had the first line.... maybe
half an hour. I thought it was just a little "filler"
tune, but Daryl insisted I play it for the president of
Casablanca, Neil Bogart. The minute I finished singing it
for Neil at our home in Pacific Palisades, he jumped up
and shouted, "That's a SMASH!!!!" And he was right!
That experience showed me that sometimes the songs that
you don't have to work quite as hard on..... the ones that
just seem to almost write themselves..... are often your
most successful songs.
Go back to tune listings
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dontforget01
DON'T FORGET ME - I found it difficult to be a songwriter
who was expected to write only songs about my relationship
with my husband. Daryl and our long and thankfully happy
marriage have been an endless source of inspiration for
me. But I always wanted to write for other artists, too.
I am, however, a terrible salesperson for my own work.
I just can't bring myself to ask other artists to listen
to my songs as prospective candidates for their own repertoire.
I guess I've always been afraid I would put them.... especially
a singer I knew personally.... in an embarrassing position
if they didn't like my song. I don't like to make other
people uncomfortable! The few times I have submitted my
songs to others, the response has been pretty much..."Well,
if it is such a great song, why didn't Captain and Tennille
record it?" Songs have often "come into my head"
that had nothing to do with my relationship with Daryl,
and it was frustrating that many of our fans might think
there was something wrong with our marriage if I recorded
a "sad" song. DON'T FORGET ME is a sad and touching
song about a relationship that didn't work out........
two people who meant well, but were just wrong for each
other. I was inspired to write it after seeing the 1979
film, KRAMER VS. KRAMER, starring Dustin Hoffman and Meryl
Streep. Rent the DVD and you will see exactly where the
idea for the song came from. I always thought Dolly Parton
would sing DON'T FORGET ME beautifully (but, of course,
I never sent it to her).
Go
back to tune listings
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FREE01
FREE - Back in 1980 I hosted a syndicated television
talk show called THE
TONI TENNILLE TALK/VARIETY SHOW. It was produced by
Bob (The Newlywed Game) Eubanks. Later, Bob produced a
small, independent film and asked Daryl to do the score.
Daryl, of course, turned to me to write a closing theme
song for the film to run under the credits. I don't remember
the title of the film. It had no stars in it and I think
it went straight to video. I do remember that it had something
to do with a couple running from the law for some reason.
They were inlove and unjustly accused of some wrong-doing.
Anyhow, by the end of the movie everything turns out fine
and they are "free". It is fun and challenging
to write for films and I'd love to do more, but haven't
had another chance to do it.
Go back to tune listings
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GENTLE01
GENTLE STRANGER - I wrote this well over 30 years
ago about someone I met before I knew Daryl. It is interesting
to me that some of my Christian friends have inferred
that the "Gentle Stranger" is Jesus. He isn't,
but I can see how they would interpret it that way. Certain
songs may have different meanings to different people.
That, to me, is one of the wonderful things about music,
and why it is so important in our lives.
Go
back to tune listings
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goods01
THE GOOD SONGS - I wrote this one back in the early
70's, when Daryl and I were working at The Smokehouse
restaurant and bar in Encino, CA. We performed there
off and on.... mostly on.... or two years, from 1972-1974.
True to its name, the Smokehouse was SMOKY!!!!! And since
I have a serious allergy to smoke, by the time we quit for
the night, I could hardly talk, much less sing. This went
on night after night. I'd manage to recover my voice before
we started the next night, but would pretty much lose it
by the end of the evening. As time went on, we developed
quite a following and people would often line up to get
the best seats in the bar area where we performed. When
my smoke allergies made it difficult for me to sing, I felt
terrible for the people who came to hear us. Sometimes when
we were on our way to the Smokehouse I would be filled with
dread, worrying about whether or not I could make it through
the four hours of sets and give the fans what they wanted
to hear. "Lord I just can't make it tonight... and
I just can't get that glow on, I just don't think I can
go on tonight." Those words first came to me as we
drove to work and the rest of the song followed easily.
THE GOOD SONGS became my "theme" throughout my
career as I struggled with the smoke allergy that threatened
to knock me out of many concerts we had scheduled. I would
say that vocal anxiety due to circumstances beyond my control
has been a constant problem throughout my career. This is
proba
Go back to tune listings
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HONEY01
HONEY COME LOVE ME - One of the first songs I ever wrote....
way back in the early 70s. It is a sweet, loving song about
a young wife who wants to cajole her husband into staying
in bed just a little longer to continue the lovemaking they
enjoyed during the night.
Go back to tune listings
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illnever01
I'LL NEVER BE THE ONE TO LEAVE - This is just a demo
with me accompanying myself on piano. I fooled around with
this song, trying many different approaches to the tune,
but decided to let it rest since it was never going to be
a "Captain and Tennille" song. In my mind it was
never a tune for my particular voice anyway. It "came
though me" as almost a classical piece. It just wanted
to be written... hard to explain. I don't always have control
of what comes through when I sit down to write. Anyhow,
I would love to hear this song sung by a classically trained
voice.... actually, a beautiful voice like my sister Melissa
is blessed with. The lyrics of this song express a woman's
unease as she realizes that her lover's affection may be
cooling toward her. She wants to let him know that she will
never be the one to leave the relationship, implying that
it will have to be his decision. It is a sad song, but some
of them turn out that way. I am particularly happy with
the melody and chord structure of this one.
Go back to tune listings
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keeping
KEEPING OUR LOVE WARM - In 1980...about the time I had
my talk show.... I was in New York City to participate in
the Lighting of the Christmas Tree ceremony at Rockefeller
Center. Daryl had stayed behind in California for this short
trip. It was a chilly day in The City and I decided to take
a jog around the Central Park Reservoir. As I ran, I was
thinking of Daryl and how much I missed his being there
with me, and the phrase, "Keeping our love warm"
popped into my head. As I continued my run, lyrics began
to form in my head, along with an initial melody. It became
a song in which a girl reassures her lover that she is "keeping
our love warm... keeping myself on cool". By the time
I got back to the hotel room, I had the song fully formed
in my head and wrote it down quickly before I could forget
it (which I WILL do if I don't write a song down immediately).
I just love how this track turned out. In my opinion Daryl
captured the mood of the song perfectly in his production.
I always thought I would love to hear a "soul"
singer do this song.... sweet, mellow and warm.
Go
back to tune listings
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ababy
LOVE ME LIKE A BABY - Daryl decided that I should record
this one with just my own piano accompaniment... very, very
simple... let the song speak for itself. This song came
to me when I began to think about people who work very hard
in very stressful situations. At work they have to be tough
and strong...... "Out there it's a crazy world....
I get so tired of being strong." And then the incredible
relief when they come home to the one they love most in
the world and can forget their stress for a while in their
lover's arms.... "Baby, baby me. Safe in your arms
I'm free... .where I can hide and leave the world outside."
Perhaps you know what I mean.
Go back to tune listings
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survives
LOVE SURVIVES - Long time C&T fans already know
the story behind this song. In 1984 Daryl and I had moved
to Lake Tahoe. Soon after our move I received word that
our dear friend, Howie Greenfield had contracted AIDS and
was near death. Howie was Neil Sedaka's long time friend
and writing partner. Together Howie and Neil wrote hit after
hit, including LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER. Howie contacted
us through our record company, A&M Records, the very
first time he heard LWKUT on the radio. He invited us to
his beautiful home in Beverly Hills which he shared with
his partner, Tory Damon. Daryl and I adored those two men,
and we became fast friends with both of them. We ended up
losing both of them to AIDS... what a terrible loss. After
I heard the news of Howie's illness I went for a walk in
the woods around our Tahoe home, thinking of him and all
the joy he had brought to people with his songs. The phrase
"Love survives in a song and a memory" came to
me as I walked. By the time I got back to our home, about
an hour later, I had almost the entire lyric ready to be
written down, along with the melody for the chorus. Since
we were no longer having hits at that time, I had hoped
an artist like Whitney Houston would be interested in recording
it. I actually gathered my courage (and fear of rejection)
and sent a demo to her through Clive Davis. He did write
back, but turned the song down, saying she had enough tunes
for her next album. Daryl and I were used to people in the
business thinking of us as kind of "fluffy" and
"superficial". But Clive actually said that we
did not have the "cachet" required for the music
business (as he saw it). He was probably right.... we certainly
weren't thought of as "hip", but LOVE SURVIVES
is a wonderful song. I'm proud of it and I hope someday
some terrific singer will record it. Howie is gone, but
his music lives on in our hearts and memories. LOVE SURVIVES
is my tribute to him.
Go back to tune listings |
smilefor
SMILE FOR ME ONE MORE TIME - I'm SURE you know that
I wrote this one for Daryl. I have lived with him for 37
years and I can tell you for certain that Daryl is not a
"smiler". He hardly ever smiles, let alone break
out in a great big grin. That's probably why he has a lot
less wrinkles than I do! This song was my way of encouraging
him to smile once in a while.
Go back to tune listings |
touchyou
THE WAY I WANT TO TOUCH YOU - I wrote this song in the
early 70s in a boring, brown, dismal businessman's hotel
at the airport in Passaic,
New Jersey. I was on my first
Beach Boy tour as the only "Beach Girl". Daryl
had convinced Carl Wilson that I could handle the acoustic
piano parts and Carl hired me sight unseen (and piano-playing
ability unheard). I thought it was pretty darned incredible
that he would trust Daryl's judgement in that way... .especially
since I was not a "boy"! . Daryl taught me all
the parts, and I must say that I was well-prepared musically.
Of course, I was falling madly in love with Daryl at the
time. I was trying to think of a way to express my feelings
to him, and music seemed to be the way to do it. While I
was staying at this uninspiring airport hotel, the song
began to come to me. I went to the front desk and asked
the desk clerk if there was a piano anywhere on the premises.
He told me there was one in one of the conference rooms,
but that he thought it might not be a very good one. Total
understatement!!!! It was horribly out of tune. But it was
all I needed. I wrote THE WAY I WANT TO TOUCH YOU on that
terrible piano in about an hour. It became our second million-selling
single.
Go back to tune listings |
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hip = HIPNESS
/ JAZZ / ROCK ORIENTED:
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cnt = COUNTRY:
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younever02
YOU NEVER STAYED AWAY THIS LONG - You know, I really
love this song, but it has one big lyric difficulty. First
of all, this is the one song I wrote with the late Howie
Greenfield, Neil Sedaka's long-time friend and writing partner.
Howie was a bit older than I was at the time, and he and
I remembered back in the early 50s when television channels
only had enough programming for 16 hours or so. The stations
would sign off completely in the early morning
hours with the playing of THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER. In our
song, Howie and I imagined the girl's sadness after she
has had another disagreement with her lover. He walks out
the door, and she is too proud to call him back. As the
night drags on, she realizes she made a horrible mistake
by letting him go. The lyric "....and the Star Spangled
Banner is such a sad and lonely song...." is her reaction
to hearing the television closing down for the night in
the wee hours of the morning. Since that doesn't happen
anymore in this age of 24 hour programming, I'd have to
rewrite that lyric if anyone should happen to want to sing
or record the song.
Go back
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80s = '80's
Style Productions:
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kid = CHILDRENS
MUSIC:
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xcnt
/ = CHRISTMAS / Country
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xbal / = CHRISTMAS
/ Ballad
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- more expected soon: TT |
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--music
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