Alfred Alvarez (born 5 August 1929) is an English poet, novelist, essayist and critic who publishes under the name A. Alvarez and Al Alvarez.
Alfred Alvarez was born in London. He was educated at The Hall School in Hampstead, London, and then Oundle School and Corpus Christi College, Oxford, where he took a First in English. After teaching briefly in Oxford and the USA, he became a full-time writer in his late twenties. From 1956 to 1966, he was the poetry editor and critic for The Observer, where he introduced British readers to John Berryman, Robert Lowell, Sylvia Plath, Zbigniew Herbert, and Miroslav Holub.
Alvarez is the author of many non-fiction books. He is best known for his study of suicide, The Savage God, which gained added resonance from his friendship with Plath. He has also written on divorce (Life After Marriage), dreams (Night), and the oil industry (Offshore), as well as his hobbies of poker (The Biggest Game In Town) and mountaineering (Feeding the Rat, a profile of his frequent climbing partner Mo Anthoine). His 1999 autobiography is entitled Where Did It All Go Right?
"Heaven" is a song recorded by American rapper Jay-Z from his twelfth studio album Magna Carta Holy Grail (2013) featuring American recording artist Justin Timberlake. The song was written by Jay-Z, The-Dream, members of R.E.M., Adrian Younge, Timbaland, and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon while the production was handled by the latter two. During the song, Jay-Z touches on subjects of religious allegory and an interrogation of organized religion. The song has since peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles.
On "Heaven", Jay-Z questions the meaning of religion and once again shoots down rumors that he is part of the secret organization Illuminati. He explained the song in a promotional video for Samsung saying,
The song indulges in religious allegory, and is one of the few songs on Magna Carta Holy Grail that touch upon existential and spiritual themes. Throughout the song he ponders faith, superstition and free thinking.
The songs features Jay-Z rapping a lyric of rock band, R.E.M.'s 1991 single "Losing My Religion". Following the album's release, former frontman of R.E.M. Michael Stipe told NME that he's "thrilled" and it was a "great honor", that Jay-Z included the lyrics in one of his songs.
"Heaven" is the title of a popular song from 2004 by the American Tejano/Chicano rock band Los Lonely Boys. The song was written by brothers Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza, who comprise the foundation of the band, and it appears on their multi-platinum self-titled album.
Released as a single in mid-2004, "Heaven" reached the Top 40 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at 16 in August. Later that year, the song began a sixteen week run at number 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in October. It was also a minor hit at country radio, where it peaked at number 46.
AllMusic reviewer Thom Jurek describes the song as "infectious" and draws comparisons to the music of Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Los Lobos. He states that "Heaven" is "a single in the old sense of the word: killer hook, easy groove, a slippery but unmistakable bridge with a beautiful vocal to boot -- all coming in under four minutes."
The success of "Heaven" led to two Grammy Award nominations and one win for the band at the 47th Grammy Awards, held in early 2005. The song won in the category Best Pop Performance by a Duo group, while Los Lonely Boys were nominated in the category Best New Artist, losing out to Maroon 5.
Heaven is the third album released by brother and sister duo BeBe & CeCe Winans and their second released on Capitol Records. It was number one on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart.
Smooth jazz musician Lonnie Liston Smith covered the title song from his 1990 album, Love Goddess
Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams, featuring fellow singer Carl Thomas also covered the title song in the closing track from her 2002 solo debut, Heart to Yours.
Singles
(Difford/Tilbrook)
Bar illuminations shiver
Shadows on the street
The Cypriot sailors
Find the world back at their feet
Endless days of tobacco nights by the radio
I wonder if they'll ever go to heaven
The beer mats are wading
In a table of froth
The bar girl is serving
With a check drying cloth
She'll bend over backwards even though she's knackered
I wonder if there'll have her up in heaven
Like the sailors I walk home, it's six a.m.
Heaven's round the corner in a comfortable bed
And I love her.
The officers and seamen
Elbow places at the bar
Words that tempt the goddess
Don't leave beats upon the heart
But she'll service his pleasure
And never know the treasure
That his wife keeps forever up in heaven
The first light of the morning
Proves too much for the street
No one sees each other
Just their presence there to meet
Your chin takes to stubble at the sight of a funnel
And the gangplank is no trouble up to heaven