Blogocentric Formulations

Kiss From A Rose

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Song: "Kiss From A Rose"
Artist: Seal
Album: Batman Forever Soundtrack


Soundtrackers do soundtracks, eh? This week's challenge is right up my alley! And since lizco252 is still standing... and celebrating that fact... after my guilty pleasures entries, I might have to give some extra special thought to the songs that I'm going to lay out this week.

Why don't we get things started with a true gem from 1995? Originally released on his second eponymous album (gotta love an artist who doesn't just self-title his albums, but self-titles pretty much ALL of his albums ), the song didn't really hit big until it was chosen to be included in the 1995 Joel Schumacher epic Batman Forever. The song was an undisputed hit: Top 5 song on the Billboard Hot 100's best songs of 1995 (and No. 58 on their best songs of the decade), certified gold status (both physical and digital), and over two dozen different cover versions and counting. It also won Seal a trio of 1996 Grammys including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Plus, the video - actually the second one to be recorded - features singing against the backdrop of the batsignal and has clips from this epic movie interspersed throughout!

Fun fact: Joel Schumacher actually directed this movie tie-in music video. If possible, it actually makes the film itself look good by comparison! Seriously, how did the guy responsible for directing stuff like St. Elmo's Fire and The Lost Boys and Falling Down end up doing this movie, the sequel-that-shall-not-be-named, Bad Company, and The Number 23? Okay, maybe that's more like a depressing fact...

Seal's was born Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel (thank goodness he didn't self-title his albums after his real name!), which is derived from the Yoruban language of his Nigerian heritage, despite being born and raised in the United Kingdom. In addition to his music, Seal's fame has centered around his marriage to supermodel Heidi Klum, and, more recently, their divorce and his subsequent knocking-up of model Erica Packer. Also, while there have been many, many rumors about the cause of the scars on his face, it turns out that they're the result of a type of lupus and not some kind of dangerous accident or knife-fight.

I used to really dig this song when it was popular... okay, fine, I still really dig this song. Seal's a great vocalist and a talented songwriter, and it's no surprise that, with a little help from Batman, this song ended up being popular for as long as it did.