The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 262

Sometimes I wonder what it must have been like for G.O when he finally stepped into a recording studio to record not only a song, but an entire album. I have to believe that during those early recording days with Tykeys, he was as much of a student in the studio as he was an artist. I also imagine how amazing it must have been to be a producer or engineer on the opposite side of the glass hearing the mellifluous sounds of G.O’s music echoing through the speakers and realizing what a golden voice this young man possessed. At least that is how I would have felt when I heard him sing his solo song, My Way, from the amazing Ty Project No. 1.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 248

I always said that I was gonna make it,
Now it’s plain for everyone to see . . .

To hear G.O sing these lyrics from Craig David’s Rise & Fall in the practice room with Tykeys either during or before his debut with the group is wonderfully prophetic ~ however, when you dig deeper into the song, you understand that is not so much a song about succeeding but rather, the unpredictability of the highs and lows of fame. Once again a song of depth and meaning captures the attention of our young and ambitious main vocal yet I cannot help but wonder if the tale told in Rise & Fall also gave G.O pause to enter the world of entertainment cautiously.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 205

He may have been all of about twenty years old when Tykeys dropped their album Ty Project No. 1 in February 2007, but the makers, creators, producers and writers, knew full well that Byung Hee was vocally fit to handle a song or two on his own. He was given two on the album. I will give each equal time here but for this 205th day of G.O’s service, I feel like being wrapped in the gentle and warm embrace of 내가 아니라도 [Even Though It’s Not Me].

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 181

Although a classic break up song, there was still something very sweet about G.O singing a little bit of the chorus to Ne-yo’s So Sick at the SBS Tenten Club Public Broadcast on 14 February 2011, even if it was Valentine’s Day! I would be hard pressed to be sick of any love song on that day and even more reluctant to turn away from a song (break up or otherwise) sung by G.O. Just sayin’. I love that G.O revived a little of the song at the Tenten broadcast since it has most likely been a song on his personal playlist for some time. He covered it way back in his Tykeys days. So on this 181st day of his service, I am setting the dial to the Retro Room station to revisit G.O’s cover of So Sick.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 145

Golden moments. That is how I describe any and all Tykeys moments captured whether it be photograph, audio, video or otherwise. They are part of G.Os history and even if he disagrees, an amazing part at that. In the short time Tykeys spent promoting and performing before they disbanded, they left us with so much gold. The rare practice room videos are indeed treasured gifts and always wonderful to unwrap and enjoy time and again.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 79

There are moments when I really begin to think about everything G.O has been through in his career. He really has crammed a lot of experience in a short amount of years, when you think of it. During his time with MBLAQ from debut to the present, he (either solo or with the group) has had the opportunity to endorse many a product. But what I did not realize until very recent is that he endorsed (and/or modeled) for the Mito Shop clothing line when he was with Tykeys.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 36

On the eve of his enlistment, G.O spent about a half hour in a chatroom at MBLAQ’s Daum Cafe saying good-bye to his A+ while simultaneously drenching them with his ever-present gratitude. He also said something that gave us all pause. Something probably none of us never in our wildest of dreams would think he would ever say: After two years time, I may not return as an active singer. Unfathomable, right? Well, if after two years he still has some reservations about returning, I would ask him to reflect on the evening of May 29, 2007, and maybe rethink that statement.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 24

A good song will always stand the test of time. This is something that G.O understands explicitly. His penchant for tender ballads written and recorded well before he was even a glint in his parents’ eyes is proof that the soul that resides in him has most probably been here before, and has felt love and loss, often.

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[series] 116 Reasons to Love Byung Hee: #10 Another Cover to Love ~ Rise & Fall

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Yes, this is the reason that just keeps giving! Actually, I think I am slacking a little bit. Another oversight on my part for failing to include this very early cover of G.O, along with his Tykeys band mates, performing the soulful Rise & Fall. Maybe I need to spend some time in fangirl detention.

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[series] 116 Reasons to Love Byung Hee: #10 ~ Undercover Cover Lover

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When you wake one morning and realize all you want to do is sing, you hear music in everything. I have a feeling this is exactly what G.O felt when that realization hit. From that point on, he most likely became an ardent student of music. And although it was no doubt he was hearing his own compositions in his head and perhaps keeping a journal of poetry that would transform into lyrics, the first songs he sang were probably the songs of other artists. For G.O, I suspect the songs he sang in those early days were his guide and his lessons, and the artists themselves, his mentors and his teachers. It is no wonder then he would ultimately pay homage to them by covering those songs that guided him to become the incredible vocalist he is today. The beauty of his education, however, is that he did not limit himself to the songs of Korean artists. His deep respect for music (all music) and his choice to cover many songs that were sung in a language foreign to him (English) are valid and honorable reasons to continue to love this amazing man.

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