Music Friday: Michelle Pfeiffer Is White Gold in Bruno Mars' Breakout Hit, 'Uptown Funk'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you breakout hits with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today we hop on the "Uptown Funk" juggernaut. This song is so popular that its official video has claimed nearly 1 billion views on YouTube.

Heavily inspired by the Prince-pioneered Minneapolis groove of the early 1980s, "Uptown Funk" gives a shout out to an A-list '80s actress and defines her beauty using a precious metal metaphor.

In the very first line, Bruno Mars sings, "This hit, that ice cold / Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold."

Movie buffs will remember Pfeiffer in her role as Elvira, the stunning — and feisty — young wife of Al Pacino's Tony Montana in the 1983 movie blockbuster, Scarface.

It must have been startling for the now-56-year-old actress to be name-dropped in two hit songs from the past year. The other was "Riptide" by Vance Joy with the line, “I swear she's destined for the screen / Closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer that you've ever seen.”

Conspiracy theorists contend that Pfeiffer actually paid both artists to include her name in their songs so she could maintain her Q Rating — the measurement of a celebrity's familiarity and appeal. As silly as that sounds, Pfeiffer's representative was compelled to set the record straight during a February 2015 press conference.

He said that Pfeiffer was "shocked, saddened and appalled" that the media would assume she influenced the song writers to use her name.

“Ms. Pfeiffer’s career is doing just fine, thank you very much,” her rep said. “How many people who are accusing her of giving money or Super Bowl tickets or free DVDs of ‘The Fabulous Baker Boys’ to musicians just to get mentioned in songs, how many of them go home every night to a Golden Globe award for best actress or a BAFTA award? That’s what I’d like to know. Maybe these folks should look themselves in the mirror before they go around saying Ms. Pfeiffer has any reason to send Vance Joy a shoebox full of autographed head shots. It’s ludicrous.”

"Uptown Funk," which was produced by Brit Mark Ronson and appears on Ronson's fourth studio album, Uptown Special, set a record when it spent 14 consecutive weeks at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. To date, "Uptown Funk" has sold 6.4 million copies in the U.S. alone.

Check out the official video of "Uptown Funk," YouTube's ninth-most-watched video of all time. The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...

"Uptown Funk"
Written by Jeff Bhasker, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Nicholas Williams, Devon Gallaspy, Lonnie Simmons, Ronnie Wilson, Charles Wilson, Robert Wilson and Rudolph Taylor. Performed by Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson and The Hooligans.

This hit, that ice cold
Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold
This one for them hood girls
Them good girls straight masterpieces
Stylin', whilen, livin' it up in the city
Got Chucks on with Saint Laurent
Got kiss myself, I'm so pretty

I'm too hot (hot damn)
Called a police and a fireman
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Make a dragon wanna retire man
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Say my name you know who I am
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Am I bad 'bout that money, break it down

Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you
Saturday night and we in the spot
Don't believe me just watch (come on)

Don't believe me just watch uh

Don't believe me just watch
Don't believe me just watch
Don't believe me just watch
Don't believe me just watch
Hey, hey, hey, oh

Stop, wait a minute
Fill my cup, put some liquor in it
Take a sip, sign a check
Julio, get the stretch
Ride to Harlem, Hollywood
Jackson, Mississippi
If we show up, we gon' show out
Smoother than a fresh jar Skippy

I'm too hot (hot damn)
Called a police and a fireman
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Make a dragon wanna retire man
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Bitch say my name you know who I am
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Am I bad 'bout that money
Break it down

Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you
Saturday night and we in the spot
Don't believe me just watch (come on)

Don't believe me just watch uh

Don't believe me just watch uh
Don't believe me just watch uh
Don't believe me just watch
Don't believe me just watch
Hey, hey, hey, oh

Before we leave
Lemmi tell y'all a lil' something
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up uh
I said uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up

Come on, dance, jump on it
If you sexy then flaunt it
If you freaky then own it
Don't brag about it, come show me

Come on, dance
Jump on it
If you sexy then flaunt it
Well it's Saturday night and we in the spot
Don't believe me just watch come on!

Don't believe me just watch uh

Don't believe me just watch uh
Don't believe me just watch uh
Don't believe me just watch
Don't believe me just watch
Hey, hey, hey, oh

Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up (say what?)
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up (say what?)
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up (say what?)
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up
Uptown funk you up (say what?)
Uptown funk you up

Credits: Screen captures via YouTube. Michelle Pfeiffer via Universal Pictures.

Ring Selfie Ends Speculation About Who Will Be Singing the Next James Bond Theme Song

For a musical artist, being selected to sing a James Bond theme song is like a pro football player being named Super Bowl MVP. For months, 007 fans speculated about who would be chosen to perform "Writing’s On The Wall," the theme of the 24th Bond movie, SPECTRE. Among the names bandied about were Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding, Lorde and Adele.

But then on Monday, Sam Smith's Instagram and Twitter featured an uncaptioned black-and-white close-up of a hand bearing a simple brushed-metal band. Engraved on its face was the infamous SPECTRE octopus logo.

The tantalizing clue pointing to Smith as the choice was affirmed by the four-time Grammy winner on Tuesday.

"This is one of the highlights of my career. I am honored to finally announce that I will be singing the next Bond theme song," Smith, 23, tweeted. "I am so excited to be part of this iconic British legacy and join an incredible lineup of some of my biggest musical inspirations. I hope you all enjoy the song as much as I enjoyed making it."

Smith wrote the SPECTRE theme song with fellow Grammy winner Jimmy Napes.

Commenting on the announcement, SPECTRE producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said, “Sam and Jimmy have written the most inspirational song for SPECTRE and with Sam’s extraordinary vocal performance, ‘Writing’s On The Wall’ will surely be considered one of the greatest Bond songs of all time.”

The singer will be joining a pantheon of Bond music alums, which include Shirley Bassey ("Gold Finger"), Carly Simon ("Nobody Does It Better"), Paul McCartney ("Live and Let Die"), Tom Jones ("Thunderball") and Adele ("Sky Fall").

Many James Bond aficionados will tell you that their favorite part of each film is the gun-barrel title sequence, which is backed by a rousing — and often memorable — piece of original music. In 2012, Adele won an Oscar and a Golden Globe award for her performance of "Skyfall."

The official 007 site noted that "Writing’s On The Wall" will release on September 25, about six weeks ahead of the movie's U.S. release on November 6.

Actor Daniel Craig, as James Bond, will battle the evil forces of SPECTRE, which is an acronym for "SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion," a fictional global crime syndicate and terrorist organization.

Credits: Instagram.com/SamSmithWorld; www.007.com

The Hope Spinel — the Less Famous Cousin of the Hope Diamond — Hits the Auction Block Later This Month

A rare and flawless gemstone from the fabled Hope Collection is set to hit the auction block at Bonhams London for the first time in 98 years. The 50.13-carat Hope Spinel is the lesser-known cousin of the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond, arguably the most famous gem of all time.

Both the Hope Spinel and the Hope Diamond were part of a fabulous collection amassed by London banker Henry Philip Hope, who died in 1839.

When the Hope Spinel was offered for sale nearly 100 years ago, it sold for about $1,600, the equivalent of $32,000 in today's dollars. Bonhams expects the gem to fetch between $230,000 and $308,000 when it goes under the hammer on September 24 at the auction house's London Fine Jewelry sale. By contrast, the Hope Diamond, which resides in the Smithsonian, is said to be worth at least $250 million.

About the size of a small plum and displaying a pretty rose hue, the octagonal-cut Hope Spinel is set in a 19th century silver and gold brooch.

"You just don't see pieces of this quality and provenance on the open market very often. It's very exciting," said Emily Barber, UK Jewelry Department Director at Bonhams.

The auction house revealed in its sale preview notes that the Hope Spinel was such an important part of Hope's gem collection that it shared a space in the very special 16th drawer of his bespoke mahogany cabinet, right next to the Hope Diamond, the Hope Pearl (then the largest baroque natural pearl known) and an emerald from the turban of Tipu Sultan.

Throughout history, spinel has been widely mistaken for ruby because the gemstones present in similar colors and are found in similar rock formations. The confusion is confirmed in a hand-written note affixed to the Hope Spinel's well-worn jewelry box. It contains the phrase, "Spinnel Ruby from Hope Collection."

Henry Philip Hope was from a dynasty of incredibly rich and powerful merchant bankers. By the end of the 18th century, the Amsterdam-based Hope family ran one of the most powerful banks in the world.

Hope moved to the UK at the end of the 18th century to escape political upheaval and settled in London with his elder brother. Together, they invested in valuable art and rare gems, establishing one of the most impressive collections ever known.

Henry Philip Hope decided to leave his works of art and gemstones out of his will and secretly gifted the 700 pieces — including both the Hope Diamond and the Hope Spinel — to one of his three nephews in order to avoid death duties.

That strategy backfired when, after Hope's death in 1839, the Hope Collection became the center of a decade-long inheritance battle. In the end, the Hope Spinel and a number of the most valuable gems were separated from the collection to help resolve the conflict.

In the end, the younger nephew Alexander Beresford-Hope inherited most of the collection, but his elder brother, Henry Thomas Hope, received eight valuable stones, including the Hope Blue Diamond and the Hope Spinel.

Photos courtesy of Bonhams.

'A Heritage in Bloom' Necklace Features 24 Flawless Diamonds Cut From the 507.55-Carat 'Cullinan Heritage' Rough

Hong Kong luxury jeweler Chow Tai Fook unveiled last week an incredible necklace designed from the twinkling progeny of the 507.55-carat Cullinan Heritage rough diamond.

The massive diamond, which was purchased by the jeweler in 2010 for $35.3 million, yielded 24 D-flawless gems, including the necklace's focal point, a perfect 104-carat round brilliant. The museum-quality piece is appropriately dubbed "A Heritage in Bloom."

Chow Tai Fook enlisted the legendary talents of jewelry artist Wallace Chan to assemble the family of "Heritage" diamonds — and a supporting cast of 11,500 addition precious gemstones — into an unforgettable work of art that is estimated to be worth at least $200 million. The diamond total weight of the piece is a staggering 383.4 carats.

Chan's vision was finally realized after 47,000 man hours spanning 11 months. Chan led a team of 22 artisans though an extraordinary design challenge that utilized every one of the Heritage diamonds in a necklace that can be worn 27 different ways. Surprising variations are achieved by removing certain sections and replacing them elsewhere, or removing them completely.

In one configuration, an 11.94-carat round diamond and a 20.02-carat marquise-shaped diamond — both culled from the Heritage — reside above and below the 104-carat stone.

“Today we complete a journey we began five years ago, and we could not be more proud of the exceptional and historic creation that has emerged. Continuing the Cullinan legend, the world-renowned master jewelry artist Wallace Chan has brought the Cullinan diamonds to life,” said Dr. Henry Cheng, chairman of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited.

In addition to the white diamonds, Chan utilized 72 pieces of mutton fat white jade, 114 pieces of icy green jadeite and nearly 600 pink diamonds. Around the 104-carat diamond is a circle of white jade to symbolize the confluence of east and west cultures. Diamonds have long been coveted in the west while jade has been revered in the east.

Chan's design also included two diamond-studded bats (for good fortune) and two colorful diamond butterflies (for eternal love).

Chow Tai Fook has no immediate plans to sell the necklace. A company representative explained that the piece symbolizes the heritage of the Chow Tai Fook family and the Chinese people as a whole.

“The key thing is it’s authentic and original, something crafted by an artisan from China,” Adrian Cheng, the chairman's son, told Barrons.com. “All the elements, all the creativity, all these ingredients in this piece are part of Chinese history.”

The Cullinan Heritage diamond was discovered at the Cullinan Diamond Mine in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The rough diamond boasted a Type IIa clarity, the purest of all diamonds because they are composed solely of carbon with virtually no trace elements in the crystal lattice.

Images via chowtaifook.com.