Written for The Unicorn Challenge (with a timely lead-in from yesterday’s Friday Fictioneers). Here we are challenged to be creative in 250 words or less using the photo below. This is my story.
He walked on the beach with his dog just as he always did. He saw the sign but ignored it, happy to see someone had vandalized it. Damn rules!
He threw the ball but when the dog returned, he had a purse hanging from his mouth. He dropped the purse and ran back to where he found it.
Looking in the purse, the man saw a cell phone. Hers. Last call was to him. Chasing the dog, he saw a body sprawled on the rocks near the water.
And before he got any closer, he knew it was his wife.
A flood of questions hit him like a tsunami. What happened? Why didnât he get her call? What was she doing here âŠ. not just here on the beach .⊠here in Cannes?
She was supposed to be in Lyon finalizing the sale of her late motherâs apartment. Her mother died five years ago and for reasons only she could explain but never did, she refused to get rid of the place.
He quickened his pace to the body. The dog kept nudging her head and running around wildly on the deserted beach. The man looked at her phone again; there were numerous calls to someone named Roman. An unfamiliar name.
My friend Clive at Take it Easy reminds us about Mental Health Awareness Week. We’re in the midst of it here in The States and it’s coming up next week in the UK. But really … there’s no timeline for mental health awareness and it doesn’t take a huge time commitment or expensive exercise equipment. A doctor friend of mine likes to say “When you wake up, get up. And when you get up, do something.” Simple enough, even for this old bird! Stay healthy, my friends!
Today for the first time I am featuring the âfriendsâ aspect of Friends & Family Friday.
The story starts on May 4, 1968, on the British television talent show âOpportunity Knocks,â where a talented 17-year-old Mary Hopkin began performing, going on to win six episodes in a row. Mary had no way of knowing that the iconic British model Twiggy was watching one of those performances on her television at home. That weekend Twiggy was talking to a friend about Maryâs performance on the program, a friend who was soon to establish a record label with his band. That friend was Paul McCartney. Just two days later, Mary received a telegram asking her to call Apple Corps. Hesitant at first, she was persuaded by her mother to call the number on the telegram.
“So I rang up and was put through to this guy with a Liverpool accent” Mary later recalled. It was, of course, Paul McCartney and the next day Mary was on her way to London to sign a contract. The young Welsh singer was one of the first to sign with the Beatles’ Apple label. Mary’s stint with Apple resulted in two albums â Post Card and Earth Song/Ocean Song, a slew of well-crafted singles and an EP released in Indonesia. Mary later admitted her association with Apple ended mainly because of Paul McCartney’s micro-management of her career.
One of Mary Hopkin’s songs on the Apple label is the exquisite âMarthaâ written by Harvey Andrews â a song about a lonely woman who sits by her phone waiting for someone to call. Martha listens in on her neighborsâ conversations, feeding on their despair. She appears to be a nosy, manipulative and unhappy person who is consumed with the lives of others while neglecting her own. Her behavior is likely the result of a broken heart and a shattered life. The song paints a sad and eerie picture of a woman who has lost her way and is happy only in the misery of others.
This is Mary Hopkin with the hauntingly stunning âMarthaâ.
Thanks for stopping by and catching some tunes with me.
Written for Friday Fictioneers where we are asked to write something creative in 100 words or less using the photo below as inspiration. This is my story.
He walks on the beach with his dog, just as he always does. They have a routine. He tosses the ball, the dog brings it back. Itâs all very natural and civilized.
Except for this night.
When the dog returns, he has a purse hanging from his mouth. He drops the purse and runs back to where he found it.
Looking in the purse, he sees a cell phone. Hers. The last call dialed was to him. He chases the dog; there’s a body sprawled on the rocks near the water.
Written for Friday Fictioneers where we are challenged to write something creative in 100 words or less using the photo below. This is my story in 100 words.
They walk five miles to work every other day, softly conversing in Italian. They unlock the side door and go directly to the closet. Dragging out their supplies, they stop talking and address their task.
Kerchiefs holding back their hair, hands protected by rubber gloves, they uncap their jars of Murphyâs Oil Soap and add a small amount to their buckets of water. It doesnât take much of the lemon-scented solution to polish every pew.
These are the church ladies. They labor silently for three hours. When done, they leave the church in darkness except for the luminous bell tower.
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays! Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on this day. There wonât be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures â just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Liberace Born May 16, 1919 in West Allis, Wisconsin
Written for Glynâs Mixed Music Bag #20, where we are asked to write about a song by a group or solo singer beginning with the letter I or J.
The date was January 24, 1969. Jethro Tull stepped on stage at the Fillmore East to play their inaugural performance in the United States. Tull hadnât yet reached the point of popularity in The States to warrant a headlining gig; they were the opening act for Blood, Sweat and Tears. That’s who we were there to see. When the opening act started playing, I remember turning to Bill and saying âI could be wrong but I think that guyâs playing a flute!â and that was the beginning of my love affair with Jethro Tull.
Even if their long career stalled at the start of the â70s, Jethro Tull would still go down in rock history for that one crucial thing: they proved that the flute could be a killer R&R instrument. Front man Ian Anderson has wielded the instrument â a favorite among middle-school-band girls and wandering minstrels for almost a thousand years â like a madman onstage, aggressively blowing solos usually reserved for guitars or saxophones. But paired with the bandâs era-spanning brand of progressive folk music â expertly displayed on 1971âs breakthrough Aqualung album â the flute has become a weapon of mass destruction in Andersonâs hands. Despite the many lineup changes the band has gone through over the years, Jethro Tullâs records have rarely diverted from their ambitious paths. The group infamously won the first-ever Hard Rock/Metal Grammy in 1989. So there!
The trackâAqualungâ is a story of homelessness and how society deals with it. Ian Anderson said his wife took photos of the homeless and showed them to him. Many of the lyrics describe actual homeless men. His wife also wrote some lyrics from the photos. Anderson went on to say âAqualungâ is a âguilt-ridden song of confusion about how you deal with beggars, the homeless and our reaction of guilt, distaste, awkwardness, all these things that we feel when weâre confronted with the reality of the situation.You see someone whoâs clearly in desperate need of some help, whether itâs a few coins or the contents of your wallet, and you blank them out. The more you live in that business-driven, commercially-driven lifestyle, you can just cease to see them.â
Here’s a bit of history regarding the name of the album/song. An Aqualung is a portable breathing setup for divers (think scuba gear). Andersonâs photos showed a homeless man with breathing problems and the name âAqualungâ came to him. It turns out that Aqualung was a brand name for the deep sea breathing system in a TV show Anderson liked to watch â Sea Hunt. In a 2019 interview, Ian Anderson said, âThey tried to sue the hell out of us, the Aqualung Corporation of North America. We apologized profusely and said, âSorry, we didnât know. We thought ALL underwater breathing apparatus were called Aqualungs because itâs so famous the world over.â It was an honest mistake. I think they were flattered by the fact that we thought they were the one and only kind of company doing that stuff. They decided not to sue us after all.â Great story!
“Aqualung” was never released as a single simply because itâs too long. Radio at the time was sharply divided between AM, which played the 3-minute pop hits, and FM, where they played what was called deep cuts. The album Aqualung is Jethro Tull’s best-selling with more than seven million units worldwide. It was generally well-received critically and has been included on several music magazines’ best-of lists.
From 1971, this is âAqualungâ by Jethro Tull, from the album of the same name..
And this is Ian Anderson’s Flute Solo from 1976 in Tampa, Florida
That time I found myself in the principalâs office because I screamed at the teacher who tried to put his hand up my shirt, then being assaulted again at home by my mother who accused me of âasking for itâ.
Strange sensations came over me and I felt disoriented; I was sweating but I had chills, my vision was blurry, my tongue seemed huge in my mouth …. about three times its normal size …. my head felt like it was under water and my equilibrium was off, making me stumble and lose my balance, walking into the furniture and reeling yet even though I desperately wanted this goddess standing before me, I was unable to reach her.
For no apparent reason, I suddenly remembered when I got home from work earlier that day, I found a new drink in the refrigerator âŠ. 24 mini-cans of some beverage with exotic-sounding names such as Peach Bellini, Pineapple Mule, Mango Meringue, Grapefruit Paloma, Maui Sunset âŠ. and it was totally bewildering to me that I could remember those names but not where I was, who I was, who this woman was and yet I knew for a fact that I drank a couple of those cans of delightful nectar; could be thatâs what was messing with my head …. making me be so unsure about some things but entirely certain about others …. not unlike taking quaaludes (the authentic Rorer 714s, not some cheap bootleg shit), dropping acid and then popping amyl nitrate all at the same time like some who-do voodoo cocktail.
I could hear this luscious woman talking but I was unable to reach her, to press her mind-bendingly magnificent body next to mine; her words were garbled and all I could make out was the name âAlexâ which was very strange because my name wasnât Alex .⊠or maybe it was .⊠I wasnât sure of anything except that I definitely downed several cans of exquisite ambrosia with exciting names.
Holding on to the back of the sofa to keep myself from falling, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and I gasped; I did a doubletake because even though my vision was definitely wonky, it wasnât so bad that I couldnât see that I had suddenly transformed into a very attractive black man much like Michael B. Jordan when just half an hour ago I was my usual George Costanza look-alike!
Then without warning the womanâs voice started morphing and began to sound familiar, kind of like my wife Alexis and when I looked up into the mirror I was no longer Michael B. Jordan âŠ. I was back to my old self, plain old Fred Johnson âŠ. and when I looked over at the woman, that voluptuous blonde with the perfect 44 double Ds had been replaced with my short, squatty wife of 37 years; well, that sucked and I quickly determined the only thing I could do was to drink more of those tasty beverages in mini-cans and pray my gorgeous fantasy girl would return but when I yanked open the door of the fridge, I was alarmed to see there was no more voodoo juice left and my heart sank because, as always, I couldnât control my damn self, I had downed all the mini-cans of ecstasy and now it was just me and short, squatty Alexis.
Whether solo or with Roxy Music, this is one of the few Bryan Ferry tracks that cracks a wide smile, sending up his jet-set image while celebrating it at the same time. Originally recorded by soul singer Dobie Gray, âThe âInâ Crowdâ often gets confused for a Motown number, thanks to the labelâs arranger Gene Page, who gave the single the Motown touch. Before Ferry tackled the tune, Ramsey Lewis Trio recorded a live instrumental version in 1964; later, Cheap Trick performed a cover of Ferryâs cover. Confused yet?
In the US, Gray’s powerful version, complete with brass section, reached #11 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chartand #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 20, 1965. Outside the US, “The “In” Crowd” went to #25 on the UK Singles Chart and #8 in Canada.
Bryan Ferryâs 1974 singles release reached #13 on the UK Singles Chart. His album cover for âAnother Time, Another Placeâ, which featured âThe âInâ Crowdâ, is one of the coolest in a James Bond kind of way.
By Dobie Gray in 1964, here is the original “The “In” Crowd”.
And this is what it sounded like when Bryan Ferry recorded it.
And just because it’s my post and I can do whatever I like đ this is the RamseyLewis Trio showing us how to do jazz right.
Thatâs todayâs Twofer Tuesday plus one! Thanks for stopping by!
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a fan of the great Mel Brooks. Combine that with my fascination with gladiator movies and my own sense of humor and this is the result. Originally written in 2021, I’ve donesome tweaking and now present to you one of my favorite fun stories. I hope you enjoy ‘Maximus Overdrive’!
Maximus Gluteus caught a glimpse of his reflection on a sheet of polished tin which his wife Labia used as a mirror. He had really let himself go! He was a disgrace, not just to himself but the entire world of gladiators.
Originally known as Maximus Biceptis, he was no longer the god-like hero of the arena. Where was that formidable champion of the amphitheater? Gone were the defined, well-built curves visible through his tunic, the muscles straining against the fabric at the forearms, biceps and chest. His sculpted calves, broad back and wide neck were flaccid, as were other parts of his anatomy which Labia was quick to point out.
Maximus was not only popular with the general public; he was greatly admired by the Roman emperor Sartorius for having won many battles against highly skilled adversaries. The emperor was particularly impressed by his heroics and rewarded Maximus with more palaces and riches than he could have asked for; he went so far as to honor Maximus with his prized solid gold chariot and team of Berber horses. Â
Besides gladiator matches, there was something else the Romans were famous for â partying! Those wild and crazy worshipers of Bacchus, the god of wine, knew how to have a good time. Maximus and Labia threw lavish Bacchanalia and partied like it was 999; debaucheries of every kind were practiced freely and enjoyed by all. Party-goers would spend uninhibited all-nighters dancing, watching circus performers, feasting on fattening foods and decadent desserts, engaging in unbridled sex and, of course, drinking themselves into a stupor.
Labia, a once-famous gladiatrix, was considered an exotic rarity by all who knew her. Attempting to maintain her impressively athletic yet feminine physique, she exercised frequently in the gymnasium and swam in the warm baths. Maximus, however, had become lazy and spiritless. He encamped himself in the large atria overlooking the Mediterranean, reclining for hours on end in the lavish gardens which had been planted with grape orchards, orange groves and trees bearing olives, figs, almonds, walnuts and chestnuts.
Maximus reveled in the good life, laying on his chaise lounge listening to poetry while the palace harpist played softly. Naked dancing nymphs performed for him, slaves fanned him with exquisite peacock feathers and beautiful servant girls fed him cheese, pheasant, figs dipped in honey, meaty chestnuts and wine. A life of gluttony and pleasure suited Maximus; he was a well-sated man.
Maximus became so fat, Labia refused to have sex with him. Even his concubines were repulsed by him but knew they had to do the deed or risk being executed. It got so bad, the poor girls resorted to pulling straws to see who would share their master’s bed. The ladies, however, had little to fear; most nights Maximus was so drunk he was in no condition to get it on …. even with the sensual songs of Marvin Gayeus playing in the background.
It didnât take long before Labia began spending more and more time away from the palace. She would go for long walks along the seashore with her beloved greyhounds, Lingus and Limbus. It was during one of those walks that Labia first laid eyes on the newest and most popular gladiator who recently transferred to Rome â Maximus Erectus.
He was quite a sight to behold, especially when exercising naked on the beach. To say that he was well-built was an understatement. Erectus was perfection from head to toe. Tall, blond and powerful, sinewy muscles rippled down his arms and legs and across his Herculean back and chest. He was broad-shouldered with a flat, rock-hard abdomen. His body was bronzed from the sun and glistened with sweat. He was one ripped Roman!
Labia stared transfixed at the spectacle before her; even the dogs sat in quiet attention. Finishing up his exercise routine, Erectus ran toward the sea, jumped into the waves and swam for a long while. When he came out, he spotted Labia standing on the beach watching him. Without any hesitation or embarrassment, he walked directly to her. Smiling broadly, he reached down and patted Lingus and Limbus, laughing as they responded by happily wagging their tails. Labiaâs tail had already been wagging.
The two struck up a conversation. All the while they were speaking Labiaâs eyes kept drifting down toward Erectusâ magnificent member which seemed to take on a life of its own. When Labia mentioned she, too, enjoyed exercising and swimming, Erectus commented that she looked like she was in terrific shape and invited her to join him on the beach whenever she desired a partner.
Now, thereâs no denying Labia had a few years on Erectus, but she was still firm and supple. She decided to join him on the beach the following week; it wasnât long before the duo became partners in every way.
Labia packed her bags and left Maximus Gluteus for her new lover. Tossing everything into the golden chariot, she clicked her tongue and the team of Berbers trotted off. Labia laughed gaily as she shouted over her shoulder, âSo long, fat ass!â
But Maximus Gluteus was too drunk to hear her.
That night Emperor Sartorius had a dream that he would be overthrown. He consulted the wisest philosophers and dream interpreters who all agreed this would indeed be his fate. Fearing torture and a slow death at the hands of his enemies, Sartorius made it known that should such an uprising occur, Maximus Gluteus was to be summoned to execute him; he trusted Maximus would end his life as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Sartorius was indeed overthrown and, per his wishes, Maximus was summoned. However, since Labia had absconded with the golden chariot, Maximus had no choice but to travel by foot to emperor’s palace. Alas, his massive weight slowed him down terribly and Maximus did not arrive in time to save Sartorius from an excruciating death.
Due to that unfortunate event, the expression “Lardum Asina” came about. Today we know it as “Lard Ass”.
From the comedic genius mind of Mel Brooks, this is a clip from the movie “History Of The World, Part I” featuring Bea Arthur and Mel Brooks who wrote, directed and produced the 1981 film.
This is âEntry Of The Gladiatorsâ by Julius Fucik
When you listen to the many great tunes of The Temptations, Iâm sure the one thing you donât know or even imagine as possible is that their first seven singles were commercial failures. In contrast their hit soul/R&B single âThe Way You Do The Things You Doâ, released in 1964 from their album Meet The Temptations, was a huge success. It peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went to #1 on the Cash Box R&B chart. “The Way You Do The Things You Do” was written by Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers of The Miracles; now that you know that I think you’ll hear that familiar Miracles’ influence.
Otis Williams of The Temptations recalled in 2009: “The first time we heard the song, we loved it. The melody swung, and the lyrics had lots of charm.It was typical Smokey talkin’ about how to get a girl and he made it all work. It got a good response whenever we did it live, so our hopes were up. We knew from past experience that even the best tracks don’t always click.”
I guess after seven flops, Otis knew what he was talking about.
From 1964 here are The Temptations with their first hit, âThe Way You Do The Things You Doâ.
And this is what was on the B side â âJust Let Me Knowâ written by Berry Gordy, Jr.
Thanks for joining me today for a little Monday Motown Magic.
Written for Weekly Writing Prompt #363 where we are asked to write something in exactly 42 words, incorporating the word “cabinet”. This is my story in 42 words.
When the landlord came calling for the rent, she pleaded for more time.
He refused and viciously slapped her across the face.
She fell against the cabinet and a rage grew in her like never before.
Daughters-in-law are our grandchildren’s mothers. As such, they carry our fortunes downstream. Under their guidance, our hopes become others’, Giving their force to a much larger dream. How lucky we are to have you for the carer That nurtures the hearts of our hearts, that they may Each be a lover, a giver and sharer, Remaking the world in their image each day. So do we all, like streams from the mountains, In time become joined in the souls we have made, Now mingled forever, eternal companions, Linked by our love in a bond that won’t fade. As you in your noontime your work of love do, We watch from the hillside, grateful for you.
Todayâs theme at Song Lyric Sunday is all about songs that reached #2 on the charts but never got to #1. Be sure to stop by and read Jim’s post, “Fell Short“.
On November 21, 1968, I had the pleasure of seeing the debut performance of Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Fillmore East in NYC; I was actually there for the headliners, Deep Purple, but that’s another story. This post is all about CCR.
Here’s one indisputable fact: Creedence Clearwater Revival was one of the biggest commercial successes of the late 1960s and early â70s. During a time when psychedelic rock, R&B, Motown soul, funk and metal were all on the rise, CCRâs unique blend of driving â50s-style R&R and classic Americana imagery made them one of the biggest standouts of the era. With John Fogertyâs singular voice and songwriting skill, CCR was in a league all its own, and audiences on both sides of the Atlantic responded by making them a huge draw for albums, singles, and live performances.
Hereâs another indisputable fact: Creedence Clearwater Revival has had the most #2 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 without ever having a #1 hit. Somehow, the band that defined their generation wasnât able to ever sit atop the singles mountain. If nothing else, CCRâs lack of #1 singles is a testament to how fickle the Hot 100 chart can be and how lucky an artist has to be in order to score a #1 hit. Month after month for years on end, CCR would throw classic song after classic song out into the world, scoring nine top ten hits and five #2 singles without ever cracking the top of the chart.
The lack of a #1 hit never seemed to affect the bandâs popularity, however, as they landed two #1 albums with Green River and Cosmoâs Factory. The band continued to sell out large venues as a live act, and its last top 10 hit âSweet Hitch-Hikerâ came even as the band was falling apart. No one could say that CCR wasnât popular enough to get a #1 song, but for whatever reason, they could never quite scale the mountain.
After Proud Mary and Bad Moon Rising stalled out at #2, John Fogerty believed he had the perfect answer: the title track to the bandâs upcoming album Green River. But while the album went all the way to #1, the song âGreen Riverâ once again got stuck at #2.
To add insult to injury, CCR was beaten out at #1 by a group that wasnât even a real band! The Archies were based on the characters from the Archie Comics series, which had its own cartoon series on CBS at the time. Manager Don Kirshner originally created The Monkees but was frustrated that the members began taking control of the project. Cartoons couldnât talk back so Kirshner got session musicians and songwriters to fill in the rest. Just in case youâre wondering, The Monkees have three #1 hits with âIâm A Believerâ, âLast Train To Clarksvilleâ, and âDaydream Believerâ.
FYI – the remaining two CCR songs that stalled at #2 were both double-A sides: âTravelinâ Band/Whoâll Stop The Rainâ and âLookinâ Out My Back Door/Long As I Can See The Lightâ. They were beat out by Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” and Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No MountainHigh Enough”, respectively.
From July 1969 this is Credence Clearwater Revival with âGreen Riverâ from the album of the same name.
LYRICS
Well, take me back down where cool water flows, y’all
Although the band members were only together for four years, they managed to accomplish more than many artists do in their entire career â releasing seven studio albums (five of which were on the Billboard Top Ten), and a seemingly endless string of memorable singles (including nine Top Ten hits). The group also performed a historic headlining set at Woodstock and toured the world before disbanding in 1972. In 1993 they were inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame. CCRâs music endures today, on the radio and regularly in films and TV shows. Having sold over 30 million albums in the US alone, Creedence received a rare Diamond certification from the RIAA in 2016, marking 10 million units in sales for their 1976 compilation album, Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits.
Big thanks to Jim for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday.
âThe Midnight Cowboy Themeâ Written by: John Barry Recorded: 1969 Engineer: Chris Malone Arranger: John Barry
Released: August, 1969
Available on: Midnight Cowboy â Original Motion Picture Score Best of John Barry Multiple recordings released worldwide
Personnel: Toots Thielemans – harmonica Featuring The John Barry Orchestra Various Artists
Although âEverybodyâs Talkinââ by Nilsson is the most memorable and popular song from Midnight Cowboy, the film’s actual title song is “The Midnight Cowboy Theme,” a haunting instrumental written by the prolific songwriter John Barry, who has done numerous soundtracks. The theme is immediately recognized by the lonely harmonica which serves as the main instrument. There are lyrics, though the song has rarely been recorded as a vocal.
Midnight Cowboy was one of the first films to make extensive use of pop artists and songs. John Barry supervised the music and composed the score, winning a Grammy for Best Instrumental Theme. The movie is still shown at the cinema school at UCLA as the epitome of how songs should be used in the movies.
John Barry also composed eleven soundtracks for James Bond films between 1963 and 1987 as well as the famous âJames Bond Themeâ from Dr. No, the first Bond film. He also wrote the award winning scores to the films Dances With Wolves and Out Of Africa as well as the scores for The Lion in Winter, Born Free, and Somewhere in Time.
Midnight Cowboy is the only X-Rated movie to have won an Academy Award for Best Picture.
This is âThe Midnight Cowboy Themeâ
May your Saturday be smooth sailing. Thanks for stopping by.
Written for The Unicorn Challenge where we are asked to get creative in 250 words or less using this photo as inspiration. Here is my story. If you would like to read previous adventures of George and Martha, you may click here and here.
âThis canât possibly be the right place, George.â
âMust you always be so negative, Martha?â
âTake a look around, George. Do you see any sign of fine dining?â
âPerhaps itâs the shabby chic part of town. The French are famous for that look.â
âYou know, George, for a man who prides himself on having the navigation skills of a homing pigeon, youâve achieved the impossible and gotten us lost …. again.â
âObjection! May I remind you, Madam, that youâre the one who wrote down the name and address of this place.â
âOverruled! What’s your point, George?â
âIsnât it obvious? Is it my fault that your chicken scratch is indecipherable?â
âItâs called cursive writing, you plebian, and itâs perfectly legible.â
âHa! Thatâs highly questionable, Martha! Looks like hieroglyphics to me.â
âBottom line, George …. we are lost.â
âSpeaking of lost, Martha, I do believe we just passed a bar. Iâm going to lose myself in a nice dry martini.â
âDonât even think about it, George! We came all this way for a decadent dessert at ‘Le Sugar Factory’, the most exclusive pĂątisseriein Saint-Tropez. Iâm not leaving until I have it.â
âSettle down, Martha. Iâve heard hippopotami pass a kidney stone quieter than you!â
âLook, George! Whatâs the name on that building?â
“Mon dieu! Thatâs the same name you wrote down, Martha. See …. weâre not lost!”
âOh, for fuckâs sake, George! That says, âserrurerieâ, locksmith; I wrote âsucrerieâ, Sugar Factory! Weâre still lost!â
âChicken scratch, Martha. And I still need a martini!â
Many rock fans will undoubtedly remember the only child of George Harrison when the then 24 year old Dhani Harrison appeared at the Concert For George in 2002. Two years later he was at his father’s 2nd induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (once as a Beatle and then for his solo work) where Dhani performed âWhile My Guitar Gently Weepsâ alongside Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne and Prince.
Dhani Harrison has since released a great deal of work as a solo artist, as part of the bands thenewno2 and Fistful of Mercy. Thenewno2 have been credited with the album design for George Harrison’s “Brainwashed” and “Dark Horse Years” box set, the Concert for George and the menu design for the 2005 Concert for Bangladesh DVD. Dhani Harrison has also scored many movies and television shows.
Of course the physical resemblance to his father is incredible but the similarity in voice and stage presence is undeniably strong. During an interview, George once commented that he said to Dhani “You look more like me than I do”; that was George’s humor to a T. I chose to feature one of the Beatles’ songs on which George sang lead so you can experience just how strong the Harrison family genes really are.
This is Dhani Harrison with “Savoy Truffle” from 2014’s “Georgefest” at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood.
Thanks for joining me today. See you on the flip side. đ
Locking eyes across the room, Jaclyn and Mark gave each other the signal. A discreet nod toward the door meant it was time to bail on the noisy frat party. Clutching each otherâs hands, the teens bounded down the stairs and ran across the yard until they reached the thick grove of tall maple trees.
Fiercely kissing, they fell to the ground, groping and tearing at their clothes.
âMark, my hair is stuck in some sticky glopâ Jaclyn protested, then screamed as she spied the enormous web suspended over them.
Too late, Mark felt the agonizing sting of giant toxic pincers.
Did you ever find yourself in a situation that was so intense, everything around you ceased to exist? Itâs an extraordinary feeling, one thatâs difficult to explain without using every adverb and adjective and superlative in the English language.
The date was October 5, 1995 â a most inauspicious day â and yet I remember every detail of the events of that evening almost 30 years ago. At the time I was quite active in my church as a choir member, leader of song, and director of the childrenâs choir. Our adult choir was one of the best in the county and we were selected by Cardinal OâConnor of New York to sing for His Holiness Pope John Paul II during his visit to St. Josephâs Seminary in Yonkers, New York. When the Cardinal requests someoneâs services, it is an honor and should be treated as such.
For those of you old enough to remember Pope John Paul II, he was universally beloved and is now Saint John Paul II after his beatification on May 1, 2011. He possessed a spirituality that is rare among men, a divine nature of love, peace, kindness and forgiveness.
On that October day in â95, in the evening after vespers, it was arranged for John Paul II to have a walkabout around the grounds of the seminary. It was then that I had the greatest honor of my life .⊠to meet His Holiness and to receive his blessing. The moment I placed my hand in his and looked into his most serene and forgiving blue eyes, I knew I was in the presence of a divine being. There is no other way to describe how I felt other than to say it was rapturous; I had never felt that way before or since.
I have led a charmed life when it comes to meeting famous people âŠ. just a matter of being in the right place at the right time âŠ. but there is nothing that will ever surpass this encounter.
Time and events have a way of changing our perspective and I am no longer a member of the Catholic Church; however, my break from Catholicism has not and never will change the events of October 5, 1995 nor how I felt that day. It is something that will remain with me until my final days on earth.
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays! Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on this day. There wonât be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures â just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Billy Joel Born May 9, 1949 in New York, New York
Written for Glynâs Mixed Music Bag #19, where we are asked to write about a song by a group or solo singer beginning with the letter I or J.
Iron Maiden is an institution. Over the course of 48 years they have come to embody a spirit of fearless creative independence, ferocious dedication to their fans, and a cheerful indifference to their critics thatâs won them a following that spans every culture, generation, and time-zone. A story of gritty determination and courageous defiance of the naysayers, theirs has been an adventure like no other. Every one of their songs is a story and that for me, as a storyteller, is one of the key ingredients to their success. They are unique and different from every other heavy metal band with song lyrics covering such topics as history, literature, war, mythology, society and religion.
Iron Maidenhas released 41 albums, including 17 studio albums, 13 live albums, four EPs and seven compilations. They have also released 47 singles and 20 video albums, and two video games. The band has played some 2,500 live shows and is still touring today. Iron Maiden has become one of the most influential and revered rock bands of all time.
On the evening of October 2, 1982, my husband Bill and I hired a babysitter for our boys and drove into Manhattan for what would be one of our final rock concerts. It had been a while. Now that we had kids, who knew when we would be able to have this experience again. We were all grown up with a different set of priorities but this was one event we could not miss. Performing that night at Madison Square Garden were two British groups Bill and I didnât have a chance to see B.K. (Before Kids). They were Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. And one of the songs Maiden performed that night was âThe Number Of The Beastâ.
Upon release in 1982, the song caused controversy in the United States where its religious subject matter caused outrage among religious groups. In spite of this, it remains one of the band’s more popular songs, reaching #18 in the UK singles charts on its original release, and #3 on two successive occasions in 1990 and 2005. It has been performed on almost all of their concert tours.
According to the song’s writer, bassist and band-founder Steve Harris, it was inspired by a nightmare he had after watching the film âDamien: Omen IIâ late at night, in addition to the poem âTam oâ Shanterâ by Robert Burns. The song opens with a spoken word passage which quotes Revelation 12:12 and Revelation 13:18. The track is known for its very long, high-pitched and guttural wail at the end of the intro, which AllMusic describes as “the most blood-curdling Dickinson scream on record“.
Live from Madison Square Garden in New York City, this is Iron Maiden with âNumber Of The Beastâ
Written for Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt #361; we are asked to get creative in exactly 57 words and include the word “classic”. This is my response.
âOh, baby, you gotta see her! Sheâs a real beauty! What curves, what style! And the color is perfect âŠ. itâs called Marina Blue and the paint job is amazing! Brand new dash, broad grille, quad headlights and a tail sporting a fan-shaped alcove on both side panels. Iâm telling you, honey âŠ. this oneâs a classic!â
Authorâs Note: Thatâs what my husband sounded like when he called to tell me about his ‘new’ vintage car …. a 1958 Chevy Bel Air. That was back in 1969 and he was still my boyfriend at the time. He was crazy about that car and took such good care of it. After about 8 months, someone stole it right off his driveway; that was one of a handful of times Iâve seen my husband cry.
Leonard Cohenâs career was at a low point when he wrote âHallelujahâ in the early 80s, and his record label had no interest in even releasing the track or the rest of the songs that eventually came out on 1984âs Various Positions. The track was a fan favorite, but it didnât receive much love until the Velvet Undergroundâs John Cale created a stripped-down piano version for a 1991 Leonard Cohen tribute album.
Jeff Buckley used Caleâs version as the basis for his stunningly beautiful version of the song on his 1994 LP Grace. The track wasnât a single, but after Buckleyâs tragic death in 1997 the song slowly started to become recognized as a classic. In 2004 Jeff Buckleyâs version of âHallelujahâ was ranked #259 on Rolling Stoneâs âThe 500 Greatest Songs of All Timeâ.
This is “Hallelujah” by the man himself, Leonard Cohen
And this is what it sounded like when Jeff Buckley recorded it
Have you ever roller skated? As a child I had the type of roller skates that attached to my shoes and tightened with a key. I would skate in my neighborhood with my friends; since the number of cars on the road back then was much less than now, it was safe for us to take over the whole street and skate for hours. I never had a pair of professional-type skates with the beautiful wood wheels, the ones that laced up like ice skates, nor did I ever go to a roller skating rink. My experience was limited to street skating in strap-on skates with my friends … and lots of skinned knees!
2. Have you ever ridden a horse (or donkey) Yes, Iâve actually ridden both. When I was a young girl in The Bronx, I remember there was a truck that would travel around the area making stops along the way. It was not a very large truck, similar to the vehicles belonging to private landscapers you see today. The truck traveled around and played music like an ice cream truck but instead of ice cream, it carried two ponies and offered rides to children whose parents were lucky enough to have an extra 5Âą to spend. The rides didn’t last long, just up and down our street with the truck driver/pony handler holding the rein and leading us around. For city kids such as myself, this was an exciting and memorable event! One summer my sister-in-law and I took our young children horseback riding while on vacation in Montauk. It started out nice but as the day progressed, the weather became increasingly hot and humid and we were all extremely uncomfortable. Since it was a half day tour for beginners, we werenât exactly galloping bareback down the beach on wild horses which would have provided a cooling breeze. At the end of the day, we were all sweaty, sunburned and covered with mosquito bites … not to mention that we walked like John Wayne for the next two days! There are quite a few horse stables where I currently live and itâs not unusual to see people on horseback crossing the local streets going from one trail to another. It’s a lovely way to spend a few hours but horseback riding isnât anything I see myself doing again. While in Sicily I rode donkeys fairly often. Many of the streets in my fatherâs home town are so narrow, the only way to go from one place to another is by foot or on a donkey. Riding a donkey is nothing like riding a horse. Donkeys are much slower than horses; they are approachable and lovable, overall non-reactive and less likely to go into a flight response. Even though I rode horses several times, I did not grow up around them so it was natural for me to feel safer being around a donkey than a horse. Youâre also much closer to the ground should you take a tumble! Our donkeys were always saddled, a much more comfortable and safer way to ride.
3. What was your favourite ride at a fun fair? The rollercoaster, without a doubt. I love rollercoasters â the good old-fashioned ones with lots of steep climbs and drops â none of this crazy upside down nonsense you see these days. Just give me an old rollercoaster and Iâm a happy camper. All the rides that spin and twist and twirl and go upside down make me terribly nauseous and I steer clear of them. Also I will never go on any ride that involves a free fall; to me that is just insanity. I also used to love water parks and riding the huge twisty-turny slides into the giant pools. They were great fun and an instant way to cool off but these days I can’t walk around theme parks for hours on end because of my arthritis. As my husband always says, “I’m too old for this crap!”
4. Choice of fun fair prizes: coconut, cuddly toy, ÂŁ10/$10 cash prize. Well, money is always nice but Iâd say a cuddly toy to give my granddaughter (unless it’s an elephant which I’d keep for myself! đ). We don’t have coconut as a prize here which is too bad because I love coconut. But we do have cotton candy and whatâs a day at the fair without the sweet fluffy clouds of pink cotton candy? The legendary Coney Island is an hourâs drive from my house and Palisades Park (made famous by the video below) is only 30 minutes away in New Jersey across the Hudson River. We went to both places often when we were younger. For my UK friends, our Coney Island in Brooklyn was inspired by your seaside resort of New Brighton. We now live about 10 minutes away from Playland Park in Rye, NY, an old and very well-known amusement park/beach. Iâm a fan of the Dragon Coaster and the arcade but we spend most of our time (at least for now) in Kiddie-Land where our little 4 year old granddaughter can have fun on the kid rides and play mini-golf, which is the only type of golfing Iâm into! And letâs not forget the Tunnel of Love for me and my mister!
Thanks for offering up a fun prompt, Di! đą đïž đ
In 1960, Berry Gordy signed a talented group of vocalists called The Contours as one of Motownâs first acts. âDo You Love Me?â, recorded in 1962, was The Contours third single, far and away their best-known record. This song blazed its way up the charts and became a smash hit before being goosed all the way up the charts again more than 25 years later thanks to a little movie called Dirty Dancing.
As with many American R&B songs of the 1960s, “Do You Love Me” was recorded by several British Invasion groups. A 1963 version by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. It also became a hit for the Dave Clark Five, reaching #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. âDo You Love Meâ appeared twice on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching #3 in 1962 and #11 in 1988.
This song is not just a big hit; itâs an enduring classic thatâs still going strong!
From 1962, here are The Contours asking an age-old question: âDo You Love Me?â
And this is what was on the B Side â âMove, Mr. Manâ
Thanks for joining me today for Monday Motown Magic.
I was lost, a bit frightened and filled with regretfor not making a note of the address. A hazy moon began to make her appearance in the evening sky, leaving the tiny Palermo street awash in a warm orange glow. Squinting in the darkness, I saw what appeared to be a tunnel at the end of the street; there was no way I was going to walk into the black unknown. Slowly I inched closer and discovered the tunnel was actually a stairway. Just as I quickened my pace, an arm shot out of a hidden doorway and pulled me inside, pinning me against a wall. A deep voice I knew intimately whispered in honeyed Sicilian tones “PicchĂŹ ci haiu misu tantu tempu, amuri miu? Ti vogghiu beni!”Âș Passionate kisses drifted down my neck. Breathless, I murmured “I’m here now, my love. Show me.”
Kiss me now, my love, In the warm glow of the moon You possess my heart
The Elephant's Trunk 