Category: Name That Tune

Name That Tune, Sounds Of The Season

NAME THAT TUNE: NEW YEAR’S EVE (December 31, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Happy New Year’s Eve, everyone! It’s time to ring out the old and ring in the new. 🎊

Welcome to Name That Tune: The New Year’s Eve Edition!  🎉 🥳

I hope you’re ready for one final spin of the disc for 2023.

So, without further ado, let’s get the show on the road; I’ve already given you a HUGE clue. Did you see it?

And we’re off! Here are your five clues:

  1. Today’s 1974 video opens with our singer/songwriter/guitarist walking through the gardens of his estate. Our performer once claimed he was never in the music business to become rich or famous; he would have been just as happy being a gardener.
  2. Today’s artist discovered two short verses carved into wood and stone in the “gardening building” on his property. The carvings were made by Sir Frank Crisp, the original owner of our singer’s estate in England, and the verses are said to have been written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
  3. The only lyrics in today’s song are the song’s title (repeated four times to serve as the chorus) and the verses mentioned in clue #2.
  4. Our very famous singer was once the lead guitarist for a quartet from the UK. After the group split, he had great success as a solo performer/composer/songwriter/recording executive/music and movie producer and author until his death in 2001.
  5.  Upon release, today’s song met with an unfavorable response from music critics while others considered its musical and lyrical simplicity to be a positive factor for a contemporary pop hit. Throughout the video our singer is seen wearing a variety of costumes made famous by his former group and is joined by a number of friends you may recognize. There’s also a scene with him wearing nothing but fur boots and his guitar!

Now that you have the clues (including the HUGE hint in my first line), do you think you know the name of our New Year’s Eve song and the person who wrote and sang it? Well, let’s see if you’re right. You know what to do.

Aha! If you said “Ding Dong, Ding Dong” by George Harrison, you are not only correct …. you are brilliant! Let’s hear that happy holiday song right now.

Well, that certainly was fun and a great way to ring out the old, ring in the new. 🥳 🎊

And now for a bit of personal news: this is my final post for The Rhythm Section; we’re closing up shop. It’s time for a break, a change of pace and a chance to do some much-needed reorganization. I’ll be back with some great new music ideas so stick around!

In the meantime, I’ll still be writing stories and doing prompts on my site The Elephant’s Trunk @ https://theelephantstrunk.org where you can read about all new music developments.

Thanks to all of you for being a terrific audience these past nine months and for making all my posts, whether “At The Movies”, “In The Groove”, Birthday Thursdays” or “Name That Tune”, here in The Rhythm Section so much fun. You are what it’s all about and you inspired me to bring you only the best with each and every post. I hope I was successful. This was a labor of love (with a little blood, sweat and tears mixed in) and I’m looking forward to the chance to do it all again!

Thanks to my fellow contributors Pete and Deb and, of course, Nick.

See you at The Elephant’s Trunk, my friends; take good care of yourselves!

Wishing you all a Healthy, Happy and Peaceful New Year! 🥳 🎊

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

This is The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and “Auld Lang Syne”.

This portfolio (including text, graphics and videos) is copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and is not for use by anyone without permission.
NAR © 2017-present.

Name That Tune

NAME THAT TUNE: CHRISTMAS EDITION

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

HO! HO! HO!

We’re really getting close, kids! Only two more chances to play Name That Tune after today. Have you been naughty or nice? Are you checking off the days until Santa arrives? I know I am. 🎅🏼

But the big question is ….. “Can you name today’s tune and who sang it?”

Ok, get those thinking caps on; I have a feeling you may need them today.

And …. we’re off! Here are your five clues:

  1. This 1957 Christmas song was co-written by a very well-known crooner who’s infinitely more famous for singing songs than writing them.
  2. Today’s featured performer had a career spanning decades (as a singer, dancer, entertainer, TV host, Academy Award-winning actor and Chairman of the Board) and was as popular in his day as the Beatles were in theirs.
  3. This song was not an immediate hit; ok, the fact is it never even made the charts but it has since become a popular little Christmastime tune. Is it in the top 10? Nope. The top 20? Doubtful. But if you like Christmas standards then you’ll know this one.
  4. Our featured song is all about Christmas food, festivities and traditions; the title mentions two types of evergreen plants; one has bright red berries and the other one’s berries are white. PSA: Do not eat the berries; they are pretty but they’re also pretty poisonous and nobody wants to spend Christmas in the emergency room getting their stomach pumped!
  5. Today’s artist was born Dec 12, 1915 in New Jersey and is probably solely responsible for putting Hoboken on the map.
Two evergreen plants with berries

So, who thinks they got it right? Let’s find out! Scroll on down for the big reveal.

That’s right, kids! It’s none other than Hoboken’s own Frank Sinatra singing a song he co-wrote called “Mistletoe And Holly”. How about we give a listen right now.

Well, I thought that was rather charming and after hearing Dino on Friday and now Frank, I’m definitely in the Christmas spirit! How about you? Are you decorating, wrapping, cooking and getting ready for the big day?

I hope you’ve been enjoying the wonderful holiday music this month. Everyone is so busy these final days of 2023 but there’s still more to come before we ring in the new year so stick around. You owe it to yourselves to stop and hear the music!

I’ll be back on Tuesday with more Sounds Of The Season; I have some of your old favorites scheduled so when you feel the pressure of the holidays starting to get to you, click on a video and enjoy the music. 🎄 ✨

Be well and take care of yourselves.

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Seventies

NAME THAT TUNE (November 26, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

 Ah, my dear readers …. we have a serious tune today. This wonderful song is a lesson and a warning to parents everywhere.

It was also a huge hit for the person who wrote and recorded it.

Let’s not waste another minute with talk. Here are your five clues.

  1. Today’s featured performer was born December 7, 1942 in New York City; he was a singer-songwriter, philanthropist and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs.
  2. This 1974 song is the only number-one song for our performer. It was nominated for a Grammy in 1975 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011.
  3. On July 16, 1981 our multi-faceted artist was killed in an accident on the Long Island Expressway when his Volkswagen Rabbit was rear-ended by a tractor trailer truck. He was on his way to perform at a benefit concert when the accident occurred.
  4. As a dedicated humanitarian, today’s performer fought to end world hunger. He was a key participant in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977 and in 1987 was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work.
  5. Today’s song started out as a poem written by the wife of our performer; he took her words and put them to music. It is a story of regret, the sad tale of a man who only has time for his work and puts everything before the needs of his young son who grows up to be just like his dad.

Those are the clues, my friends. Do you think you know the answers? Scroll down to see if you are right.

How did you do? If you knew the answers were Harry Chapin and his fabulous song, “Cats In the Cradle”, then you did great!

Let’s have a listen to that terrific song right now.

What a great song by the late Harry Chapin whose birthday happens to fall on a Thursday this year; if you’re a faithful reader of all my posts, you’ll know all about Birthday Thursdays! 😉

Thanks for joining me today. Please be sure to catch me this coming Tuesday as I wrap up November with the final installment of I’m With The Banned. I guarantee you, it will be an unforgettable post.

Be well, my friends!

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (November 19, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Alright, Alright, Alright! Let’s get ready to rumble! It’s time once again to play Name That Tune!

This one is so easy, boys and girls; I predict you’re going to get it right off the bat. It’s just one of those tunes that everybody knows.

Are you feeling the pressure? Well, don’t go getting your knickers all in a twist! You’ll be on the dance floor in no time!

Ok, here we go with our five clues:

  1. Our featured singer was born Ernest Evans in 1941 in the town of Spring Gully, South Carolina. He is known around the world by another alliterative name.
  2. Today’s performer is a dancer (as well as a singer) famous for popularizing many dance styles such as the pony, the limbo and the fly.
  3. Our song was originally released in 1958 by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters; it achieved minimal success. In 1960, our singer did a cover version that became a smash hit for him and started a massive new dance craze. The name of the song is also the name of the dance.
  4. In the early 60s, this dance craze caught on in high society. Sightings of celebrities doing the dance at New York’s famous Peppermint Lounge made the song and new dance craze a hit with adults.
  5. There are numerous dance variations including one named after the Peppermint Lounge; the success of the song and dance resulted in adult acceptance of Rock & Roll music.

So kids, how’d you do? I bet you got it! Let’s find out the results of today’s clues. You know the routine.

Yes! It’s Chubby Checker doing that new song and dance sensation, “The Twist”. Everybody on your feet!

Wow! That was great! I must have lost at least 5 pounds and I’m sure I threw my back out but it was worth it! How many of you remember twisting the night away?

Of course I’m sure you figured out the song and dance variation named after that famous New York hot spot is “The Peppermint Twist.” And it goes like this:

Some other songs and dances that were inspired by The Twist are The Madison, The Swim, The Mashed Potato, The Frug, The Watusi, The Shake and The Hitch-Hike. How many of those dances do you remember?

In case you were wondering about Chubby Checker, he’s 82 years old and still twisting the night away.

I hope I haven’t tired you out too much today, gang! Catch you during the week right here in The Rhythm Section.

See you on the flipside.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (October 22, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

It’s Sunday so you know what that means; another round of Name That Tune! Are you up for it?

As usual, I’ll give you five clues and you try to figure out just what the hell it is I’m talking about! OK? Great!

Let’s get this game started!

  1. Our featured song has a woman’s name as its title; before a final decision was made, two other names were in the running – Daisy Hawkins and Ola Na Tungee (to reflect the Indian musical influence today’s group was into at the time).
  2. Today’s group hails from the UK and is still considered a great little band even though they haven’t performed since 1969.
  3. This song, released in 1966, is a track on the group’s 7th studio album – the one with the famous B&W artwork done by a well-known German artist/musician/record producer who occasionally played bass with the group.
  4. The members of our featured group provided all the vocals for this song but did not play any of the instruments; a classical string ensemble – in this case an octet of studio musicians comprised of four violins, two violas and two cellos – performed the score which was composed by the group’s producer. 
  5. The lyrics of today’s song provided a narrative on loneliness and disinterest which contributed to the transformation of the group from a mainly rock ‘n roll and pop-oriented act into a more experimental, studio-based band.

That’s it, kids. How do you think you fared today? Let’s find out. You know what to do.

Yeah, yeah, yeah! If you answered “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles, you are correct!

Are you ready to hear that beautiful song? From their “Revolver” album, it’s the Beatles singing “Eleanor Rigby”. Here goes:

When I was younger, I usually avoided the slower Beatles songs in favor of the more rockin’ ones. Now that I’m infinitely wiser and incredibly older, I’ve come to deeply appreciate these intricately woven ballads. There’s a profound message in songs like this one, She’s Leaving Home, Yesterday, In My Life, For No One, etc.

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, ‘Eleanor Rigby’ is on The Beatles’ album ‘Revolver’. The YouTube image above is an example of the incredible B&W artwork by Klaus Voormann and is just one of a series. Several years ago I had the pleasure of communicating with Mr. Voorman via a brief email exchange; that’s a topic for another time but for the record, he is a delightful and charming man.

Now here is my question of the day:

How do you feel about The Beatles’ ballads? Do you prefer them over their rockin’ tunes or do the rock numbers do it for you? Do you have a favorite Beatles’ ballad?

Please leave a comment or post your favorite Beatles song. C’mon, everybody has a favorite Beatles tune, unless you’re from the Philippines. “Why?”, you may ask. Because the Beatles were banned from the entire country after declining an invitation to have breakfast with the first lady, which caused a mob to attack their hotel. The Beatles unintentionally snubbed Imelda Marcos who had expected them to attend a breakfast reception at the Presidential Palace. The band never returned to the Philippines after the incident, likely due to the traumatic experience of being chased by an angry mob!

Well, that does it for another edition of Name That Tune; join us tomorrow as Pete presents another Breaktime Whodunnit post.

Take care and be well, everyone!

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (October 1, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Welcome back to Name That Tune!

Today we are featuring a famous American group and what I believe is their best known song. I had forgotten this group was together only three years, from 1965 to 1968 and when I read that, it was shocking to me. They’re one of those groups you just assume were together much longer than they were.

Nuff said! It’s time for some fun! Let’s play Name That Tune. Good luck!

  1. Today’s song was written by the two founding members of our featured group during a particularly cold winter in New York. The lyrics tell us about the couple’s desire to leave the harsh winter weather and return to their warm, sunny hometown.
  2. Our featured group, a very popular West Coast folk/rock quartet, was founded in 1965 and was comprised of two men and two women. They were together only three years and after the break up, each member pursued solo careers.
  3. Today’s song was originally written for and recorded by the American singer Barry McGuire (“Eve of Destruction”); however, the version by our featured group is by far the best known and immediately recognized.
  4. The two founding members of our group were a married couple when the group formed. After their divorce, the husband was accused of some very disturbing and sordid drug-related activity which you can read about on Wiki.
  5. Today’s song became a signpost of the ‘California sound‘, heralding the arrival of the budding counterculture era.

Did my clues help you figure out the answers to today’s mystery? Well, we’ll find out in few seconds. Just scroll on down for the big reveal.

If you answered “California Dreaming” by The Mamas and The Papas, you rock!

Let’s listen to that very cool song right now:

Michelle Phillips wrote the lyrics, “Well, I got down on my knees, and I pretend to pray,” but Cass Elliot had sung “began to pray” on the original recording and had continued doing so on tour until corrected by Phillips.

They really had a terrific sound, didn’t they? Of all their many hits, do you have a favorite Mamas and Papas song? Let’s hear from you; drop a line in the comments section or add your favorite video. We love videos!

My time is up for today. Be sure to check in with The Rhythm Section all week for some really great music. Thanks for hanging with me today playing Name That Tune!

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune

NAME THAT TUNE (September 24, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Welcome back to Name That Tune! I’m The Sicilian Storyteller and it’s my turn to toss out a few questions in the hope you’ll be able to guess the name of today’s featured song and the person who performed it.

Are you ready to rumble? Here are your five clues; let’s see how well you do. Put on your wizard caps and conjure up a little magic for this one. And, we’re off!

  1. Today’s featured song was written by an American singer-songwriter in 1968 and was first recorded by an Irish actor/singer. His version peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at #4 on the UK Singles Chart.
  2. Additional recordings of this song were released – one was a 1969 Grammy-winner by a country-western singer and another was a #1 Billboard Hot 100 disco arrangement from 1978, sung by “The Queen of Disco”.
  3. Our very famous Irish singer/actor of today’s song was offered a huge role in the Harry Potter movies which he almost turned down due to poor health; he ultimately accepted the role because his then 11-year-old granddaughter threatened never to speak to him again if he did not take it!
  4. The song’s somewhat bizarre lyrics led to believe that it was totally made up; however, the composer said the song symbolized the end of a love affair and claimed that everything mentioned in the song was personally witnessed by him and nothing was fabricated. This same terminated love affair also sparked the famous song “By the Time I Get to Phoenix”. Boy! That must have been one hot love affair!
  5. Today’s featured performer had a very varied career spanning 46 years in which he portrayed many characters ranging from a Roman emperor to a coal miner to King Arthur and, of course, a wizard.

Do you think you know the answers? Well, let’s check by scrolling down beyond the spinning record for the big reveal.

If you said “I know! It’s ‘MacArthur Park’ sung by Richard Harris”, you’d be right. Congratulations! Let’s tune into that iconic song right now.

Ok, let’s be honest. How many of you thought composer Jimmy Webb was on some kind of acid trip when he wrote this song? I know I did! It isn’t every day someone is in the park and leaves a cake out in the rain but if Jimmy said he saw it then I guess he saw it (wink, wink).

MacArthur Park was meant to be a cantata which Jimmy Webb first pitched to the group, The Association; they turned it down. Along came Richard Harris who took the soggy cake and ran with it and the song became a success.

So, what about the two covers I mentioned in Clue #2? Here’s the first one done by country music star Waylon Jennings which won a Grammy. I gotta say, kids, I have a pretty good memory and I don’t remember this ditty at all. 🤷🏼‍♀️ What about you? Here, let’s have a listen:

I’m banking on all of you knowing this one. Here’s the one and only “Queen of Disco”, the amazing Donna Summer! Polish up your disco balls, boys and girls. Let’s spin it!

Incredible! What a great voice the Disco Queen had! You have to admit it; disco was a happening scene! 🕺🏻

I hope you enjoyed this Sunday in the park with me playing Name That Tune. Catch you next week for another go.

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Nineties, Sixties

Name That Tune (September 10, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Boys and girls, do I have a treat for you today! That’s right! After strong-arming graciously inviting our friend Tom to write his own Name That Tune post, he eventually relented heartily agreed to join the ranks as a guest host!

Here are Tom’s five splendid clues for you to contemplate. Let’s see if you can determine the song in question and the artist(s) who performed it.

Ground Control to Major Tom: We have liftoff!  🚀

  1. A duo originally trilled today’s song quite a bit back in the day, with a few others. All they had to do was dream, wake up little Susie, and then say bye-bye love… a… the sorrow and pain. Time passes, but it isn’t the duo I’m actually referring to.
  2. Almost thirty years later, the trio in question covered the song, cover perhaps being the wrong choice of word here – ah – no brollies, thank you very much, boo hoo, they don’t conceal the emotion!
  3. Where they say the sun always shines on TV, stormy weather is more appropriate for this song – aha! Another weather related clue.
  4. Through the living daylights of Northern Europe, Scandinavia, and possibly the rest of the world, the trio performed many more times before splitting in 2010. They weren’t ‘not together’ for long, however, since they reformed in 2015.
  5. The song in question is one of many written by a female king. Hark! It’s practically been revealed now, the song, crying out through all these clues raining down. If you’ve worked it out, I’m gonna wear a smile and walk in the sun.

First time at bat and the rookie hits a grand slam homer! Well done, Tom!

What do you say, friends? Were you able to figure out Tom’s featured song and artists of the day? Well, scroll on down and see if you were right!

Yes!! If you said “Crying In The Rain” as performed by a-ha, you were right! Shall we have a listen?

What an great video that was; I’m really glad I found it I really enjoyed it! How about you?

Now for a little more fun. Here is Tom’s outline for creating his clues. This is as entertaining as the post and video:

The clues: 1) The duo who originally sang the song was the Everly Brothers. The clue gives a few of their songs. 2) It was covered by a-ha in 1990; ‘no brollies‘ indirectly pointing to crying in the rain. 3) ‘The sun always shines on TV‘ is an a-ha song. A-ha is also spelt out in clues 1, 2 and 3 (the extra ‘a’ in clue 1 isn’t a typo! 4) ‘The Living Daylights’ refers to a-ha’s James Bond movie theme, and Scandinavia refers to where they are from (Norway). 5) The song was written by Carole King; ‘Hark! It’s’ is a play on Morten Harket’s name (main vocals), and the last sentence is a line from the song.

Now I think it’s only appropriate that we give credit where credit is due and play the video by the duo which Tom mentioned in Clue #1. Here is “Crying In The Rain” as performed by The Everly Brothers:

Now here is an extra bonus. We’re gonna bring this baby home by going back to where it all began – to the composer herself, Carole King, singing her song “Crying In The Rain”:

How’d you like our guest post today, gang? I think Tom did an awesome job and he’s welcome back here anytime for another round of Name That Tune!

Tom is such a good sport, I know he’s the first one having a good laugh at the fun I had with my comments. Tom, you’re A-OK in my book, a pleasure to work with and I’ll be happy to do so again any time! Fantastic job today!

That’s a wrap, kids!

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (September 3, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Time, my friends, for another round of Name That Tune; are you feeling lucky today? Let’s see how quickly you can guess the name of this song and the artist(s) who made if famous. It’s one of my personal favorites and you’ll find out why when you get to clue #5.

So how about we get this game going? Are ya ready? Ok, let’s do this thing!

  1. This song from 1969 has been called the most beautiful love song ever written – quite a fete considering the phrase “I love you” is never used in the song.
  2. The composer of this song was a member of the most famous and prolific rock band in history. It’s also his first real attempt at writing a song on his own and finally being taken seriously by the other members, two of whom wrote almost all the group’s songs.
  3. By the late 1970s, today’s featured song had been covered by over 150 artists. BTW, the most covered song of all time is another song by the group to which our featured singer once belonged.
  4. Our performer dedicated this song to his wife at the time; she must have been quite something because this is the second song I’m aware of that has been dedicated to her. [If that clue sounds even a tiny bit familiar, maybe that’s because one of my posts in May from In The Groove was about the other song dedicated to this very desirable woman. Were you paying attention back then?]
  5. Every year since its release in 1969 this song has been among the most requested first dance songs for new brides and grooms. In fact, it was the first dance for me and Mr. Bill … and, as you know, I think he’s really quite something himself!

Have you figured out what the most beautiful love song ever written is? I’ll keep you in suspense no longer; let’s go find out. You know what to do:

If you said The Beatles’ “Something” composed entirely by George Harrison and sung by him, you are correct! Are you ready to hear it?

Here’s a little refresher for you: George Harrison wrote “Something” in 1969 for his wife, Pattie Boyd. Fate stepped in and George’s best bud Eric Clapton fell in love with Pattie. Eric was so crazy about Pattie that just one year later in 1970 he wrote his own song dedicated to George’s wife. That song which I hinted at in clue #4 was “Layla” by Derek and the Dominoes, Eric’s group at the time. It must have been hell for poor Pattie having two handsome, sexy, talented guys so madly in love with her! She resisted for as long as she could but eventually Pattie left George and married Eric. George took it all in stride like the gentleman he was, saying “it happens” or words to that effect. He and Eric remained best friends until George died in 2001 and the rest is history …. or her story. 😉

Oh, I almost forgot. The most covered song of all time is another tune by The Beatles; it’s a little ditty you may have heard once or twice called “Yesterday”. There was also a movie with an intriguing premise called “Yesterday”, released in 2019 and chock full of Beatles tunes.

Thanks for spending some time playing Name That Tune. Hope you had fun today with me and The Lads!

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (August 27, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Welcome back to Name That Tune! Are you feeling lucky today?

Get your brain cells ready to tackle the five questions I have prepared for you. Let’s see if you can come up with the name of the song and the artist(s) who made it famous.

Ok, let’s rock and roll!

  1. This song from 1963 is just one hit by a group of boys from New Jersey that had us singing and dancing along to a great melody … and let’s not forget those fantastic drums!
  2. The singers of this song keep repeating one phrase over and over again; you’d think the person in question would just get the message and go away already!
  3. The lead singer of our featured group had a recurring role as gangster Rusty Millio during the fifth and sixth seasons of the hit HBO series, The Sopranos.
  4. The story of the lives of these guys from New Jersey, especially their lead singer, was turned into a Broadway play in 2004 and eventually into a movie in 2014. None of the original members of the group starred in either the play or the movie.
  5. This one word song is named after a girl … the one mentioned in question #2 who won’t go away. Come to think of it, many of this group’s songs were named after girls.

How’d you do with that one, kids? Well, let’s scroll down for the answers, shall we?

That’s right! It was the Jersey Boys themselves, The Four Seasons (also known later in their career as “Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons“), doing one of their biggest hits (and my personal favorite), “Dawn”. Let’s give a listen and enjoy those crazy drums!

Was I right about the drums or was I right? Kudos to Buddy Saltzman, the drummer on this recording; The Four Seasons did not have a regular drummer and always used various session drummers. Extra credit if you knew that tidbit.

I wonder if any of my WordPress music blogging friends (you know who you are) can name any other groups who used only session drummers. Hmm … let’s see who’s reading this.

Well, that was a great song, a real blast from the past for many of us and possibly a new one for some of you youngsters out there.

I hope you’ve been having fun playing along; join me next time right here for another round of Name That Tune.

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (July 30, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

It’s Sunday so that means you have another shot at seeing if you can decipher my clues and Name That Tune.

Are you ready to play? Ok, let’s get this thing going! Here are your five clues:

  1. According to the performer of today’s song, the title was derived from and inspired by a spiritual co-written by Sam Cooke.
  2. The song for today was featured in the 1986 film of the same name about a group of boys trying to find a friend who had gone missing.
  3. Our featured performer rose to prominence as one of the principal lead singers of the R&B vocal group The Drifters.
  4. This song has been covered numerous times, most notably by Otis Redding and John Lennon, but the recording today is the most popular version and the biggest hit.
  5. Today’s artist started his solo career in 1960; his first solo hit was “Spanish Harlem” and the following year he had a second hit with today’s song.

So, how’d you do? Do you think you know the name of the song and who performed it?

Let’s see if you’re right. Scroll down for the big reveal.

That’s right! The answer is “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King. Did you guess it? What was your “Aha!” moment?

Are you ready to hear the song and watch a little clip from the movie? Ok, let’s go!

https://youtu.be/pHa4pvspCqc

What a great coming-of-age film! This movie, based on Stephen King’s novella “The Body”, was directed by Rob Reiner and starred Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O’Connell.

It’s great hearing these terrific songs, don’t you think? How many of you remember The Platters? I sure do and my favorite song by them is “Twilight Time”. Check it out next time you’re on YouTube.

Next week in this slot there will be a surprise post waiting for you. I have gladly forfeited my August 6 edition of Name That Tune for a special guest post …. our first here on The Rhythm Section. Please stay tuned for what I know will be a great addition to our site!

I hope you had fun with me today playing Name That Tune! Catch ya later, kids!

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (July 9, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Greetings friends and happy Sunday! It’s time for another round of Name That Tune.

Here are your clues; let’s see if you can name both the song and the artist. Come on in; the water’s fine!

  1. Today’s song, released in 1969, is one of the artist’s best known tunes, written solely by him while he was an active member of an extremely popular quartet from the U.K.
  2. Born in 1940 in a well-known seaport in England, this personality is still touring, performing his own original works as well as songs made famous by his former group.
  3. While not true, this tune about a multi-limbed sea creature is sometimes thought of as a children’s song.
  4. This song can be found on an album where the members of our famous quartet (including today’s performer) are walking in a pelican crossing, as it’s called in the U.K., or zebra crossing, as it’s known in The States.
  5. Today’s featured artist is one of the most famous drummers in the world and is known by his very fitting nickname.

I think we can call this one a “freebie”; by now you surely know the answers. Scroll down for the big reveal.

Have you guessed yet? Which clue was the one that did it for you? Well, let’s see if you were right.

Yes! If you said “Octopus’s Garden” featuring Ringo Starr (and 3 other dudes), you were right!

Now here’s a very cool video for you to check out:

Wasn’t that gorgeous? This video was recorded in Waukegan, IL on June 24, 2005 and was shown on a big screen during Ringo’s concert tour.

Here’s a little info I thought was extremely interesting:

The octopus is the third most intelligent animal on earth ( after the dolphin and elephant). Octopuses like to scour the ocean floor collecting brightly colored stones and shells for their “garden” homes under the sea. Their memory in some areas surpasses that of a human. They are amazing creatures that change color and visual design at will. Octopuses can discard any of their 8 tentacles at any time and rapidly replace it with another limb. They have a short life span, only 1-2 years and have over 300 species. Adults weigh about 33 lbs (15kg) with an arm span of up to 14 ft (4.23 m).

There is no copyright for this video and is free to watch; no money is ever made from its viewing. It is for entertainment purposes only. All musical rights go to Ringo Starr and the music distributor.

“Octopus’s Garden” was originally recorded with The Beatles in 1969 and is featured on their Abbey Road album with its legendary pelican/zebra crossing.

Thanks for hanging out under the sea with me today; I hope you enjoyed the scenery and the song as much as I did.

Don’t forget to join Pete tomorrow as he eases us into another Monday with Breaktime Whodunnit.

See you on dry land on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Fifties, Name That Tune

NAME THAT TUNE (July 2, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Happy Sunday and welcome back to another installment of Name That Tune.

I hope you’re ready for some fun and a bit of a challenge today! This one might be a little more difficult so get out those thinking caps.

Misky, my money’s on you today; “five’ll get ya ten” it’ll be a shoe-in for you [HINT HINT].

Without further ado, here are your clues:

  1. Today’s song came from a 1928 German “play with music“, lyrics by Bertolt Brecht and music by Jurt Weill. That musical play was based on an 18th-century English ballad opera by John Gay called “The Beggar’s Opera”.
  2. The singer of today’s tune was born in 1936 in New York City, his birth name being Walden Robert Cassotto. In 1959 at the age of 22, he made his first big “splash” in the music world by recording our featured piece which became a million-selling single.
  3. Today’s tune about a blade-wielding criminal of the London underworld was performed by numerous artists; however, according to Frank Sinatra, our featured artist recorded the “definitive version”.
  4. Today’s performer was extremely versatile; in addition to singing, he was a songwriter, a dancer, an accomplished musician on various instruments, a music arranger/conductor and an actor. As a child he had recurring bouts with rheumatic fever which left him with a seriously weakened heart. Sadly, we lost this giant of the music industry in 1973; he was only 37 years old.
  5. This song, easily recognizable by its 8 beat intro, is our featured artist’s signature piece. It was inducted by the Library of Congress in the National Recording Registry. It was also ranked as No. 15 in the list of Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment of the Arts. No small potatoes.

Those are some impressive credentials and I could not gloss over them. It doesn’t matter when you were born; this is one of those songs that transcends generations and will live on long after we’re gone.

Do you have any ideas? Let’s see who got this brain teaser today. Scroll down for the big reveal.

The video is about to start and I can’t wait to see it again; it’s one of my favorites!

Our very famous performer is the one and only Bobby Darin doing his signature piece, “Mack The Knife”.

Let’s listen, shall we?

What an amazing talent he was! His gestures and arm movements aren’t just for show; he’s actually leading the orchestra during this performance, something he did many times.

Here’s a little factoid I did not include in the questions: Bobby Darin was an adult when he found out the woman he thought was his sister was actually his mother, an embarrassing fact his family thought best to keep from him. This is not as bizarre as it sounds; some other victims of the same ruse are Liv Tyler, Eric Clapton and Jack Nicholson.

Well, that does it for today. Join us next time for another installment of Name That Tune. Have a great day!

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Seventies

NAME THAT TUNE (June 11, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Welcome back to Name That Tune. Today we have something a bit unusual for you but I think you’re going to love the song. It’s sure to bring back some delightful memories.

Here are the questions for today. Think outside the bog.

  1. Today’s song was written in 1979 and is primarily associated with a long-running children’s television show.
  2. Our featured performer plays the banjo and looks as young today as he did when his show premiered in 1976. It must be his high-protein diet and water aerobics.
  3. This award winning song is loved by adults and children alike and tells the story of the singer’s driving urge for something more in life. The song was deemed “culturally, historically and aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry. The singer also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
  4. The song’s name has been used by a number of charitable organizations wishing to evoke its message, including a children’s charity, a summer camp for seriously ill children and a horse-riding camp for people with disabilities.
  5. Today’s mild-mannered performer has been in a long-term relationship with a rather flamboyant and domineering diva but it seems to work well for them. He’s a real “prince” but she’s been called a “Porcine Primadonna” by the paparazzi!

Can you guess the name of today’s tune and the name of the performer? Think it over, then scroll down for the big reveal. You might be surprised.

The video is about to start; have you guessed today’s song and the singer who made it famous?

Let’s take a look.

If you said “The Rainbow Connection” by Kermit the Frog,  you’re right!

Get the kids, grandkids, grandma and grandpa in the room. Here’s the video:

I hope this one put a giant smile on your face; thanks for having a bit of fun with me today. Life’s just too serious, isn’t it?

Stay tuned tomorrow as Mr. B eases us into another week with Breaktime Whodunnit.

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (June 4, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Greetings and welcome back to another edition of Name That Tune.

I’ve got five clues for you to read and ponder; let’s see if you can guess the name of the song and the artist(s) who made it a hit.

Get those musical thinking caps on and let’s have at it! Here we go:

  1. This song from 1965 tells the story of a very short lived extramarital affair. It’s been insinuated that the song is about a man hooking up with a prostitute but it’s actually about a one night stand that ended very poorly.
  2. This track features a sitar which marked the first appearance of the Indian stringed instrument on a Western rock recording.
  3. The song, recorded by a prominent U.K. quartet, helped elevate Indian classical music, particularly Ravi Shankar, to mainstream popularity in the West.
  4. The name of today’s song is an ironic reference to the cheap pine paneling which was in vogue in London at that time. The lyrics also suggest the woman’s house in which the affair took place was sparsely furnished with just one bed and no chairs!
  5. One member of the group who recorded the song had this to say: “The guy woke up to find the bird had flown, leaving him alone, and he felt the burning need to have some sort of final destructive revenge.”

There you have all the clues; do you think you know the name of the song and the group? Which clue did it for you? Let’s scroll down beyond the spinning record to find out the answer.

Did you guess “Norwegian Wood” by The Beatles? If you did, you are correct. Let’s listen to that iconic and very interesting song right now.

George Harrison learned to play the sitar in India with Ravi Shankar as his teacher. He mastered the instrument in a relatively short period of time; his proficient playing is obvious in this recording.

I wonder how many of you knew the full title of this song is “Norwegian Wood” (This Bird Has Flown). This is one of those songs that has spurred many a debate and continues to do so 58 years after its release.

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s edition of Name That Tune. I hope you enjoyed the post and the video.

Stay tuned tomorrow when Pete will bring us another great cover in Breaktime Whodunnit.

This bird is ready to fly!

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Seventies

NAME THAT TUNE (May 14, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Welcome back for another chance to Name That Tune!

I’ve got some clues for you; let’s see if you can come up with the correct name of today’s song and the group that made it a hit.

Here are your clues:

  1. The featured group today is by far one of the most popular to come out of Scandinavia.
  2. Today’s song, which is about dancing at a disco, has a joyful meaning which resonated with many American listeners.
  3. The name of this quartet changed several times before they settled on an acronym using the initials of the group member’s first names.
  4. The featured song today was used in a 2008 movie with the same name as another hit song by this group.
  5. The members of this group were two married couples who eventually met their Waterloo, resulting in divorce for both couples.

Are you feeling lucky today? Did you guess the group and its song? Scroll down for the big reveal.

Of course! ABBA is the group and today’s song is the disco hit “Dancing Queen”.

Now here’s the video. Everybody up on the dancefloor!

That was fun and who doesn’t like a little disco! Did you break out your spandex and platform shoes?

Do you enjoy disco dancing? What’s your favorite disco song? Let us know by leaving a comment or posting a video.

Don’t forget to join Pete tomorrow in Breaktime Whodunnit. It’s going to be a fun week in The Rhythm Section.

I’m outta here, boys and girls!

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (May 7, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Hey! I’m back with another round of Name That Tune. Are you ready to rumble?

Let’s see how you do this week. And your clues are:

  1. This tune, released in April of 1965, is a cover performed by a quintet based in Los Angeles. Though the group underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, their bespectacled frontman never changed.
  2. The original song was composed and recorded by a 24-year-old from Minnesota with a very recognizable voice; he has since gone on to become a huge persona in the music industry.
  3. The composer claims he wrote this song on a road trip he took with some friends from New York to San Francisco. They smoked lots of weed along the way, replenishing their stash at post offices where they had mailed pot and picked it up while on the road. Very enterprising.
  4. Both the group and the songwriter made the harmonica and tambourine look cool.
  5. The group had another big hit in 1965 with a tune based on verses from the Bible. This was a cover of a 1959 song written by an American activist and environmentalist.

Do you know the name of the song and the group who had a hit with this cover? How about the name of the composer? I wonder where you arrived at your ‘aha!” moment.

Scroll down for the big reveal.

Ok, are you ready for the answers?

The LA-based quintet is The Byrds and the song in question is “Mr. Tambourine Man” written by Bob Dylan.  

Now let’s hear that famous song.

https://youtu.be/HlYw1NsT_wE

I hope you had fun today playing Name That Tune; don’t forget to check in next week to see what I’ve got planned.

Pete’s up again tomorrow with another installment of Breaktime Whodunnit. I wonder what he’s got cooking.

Enjoy the upcoming week and stay safe and well.

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Eighties, Name That Tune

NAME THAT TUNE (April 16, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

It’s time for another edition of Name That Tune. No pressure but I think this is a pretty easy one; let’s see if you can guess our featured artist and song.

Are you ready? Hit it!

  1. Our featured performer was born on November 30, 1955 and is a British singer, songwriter, musician and actor who also holds U.S. citizenship. While in school, a teacher described him as “lazy”, perhaps leading to his homophonous stage name.
  2. As a 21-year-old guitar-playing university drop-out, today’s performer (literally) made a name for himself by forming a “generational” punk group in 1976, garnering some of the members after placing an advertisement in the British weekly music magazine,  Melody Maker.
  3. Our featured song is the title track of the 1983 album of the same name, the second album released by today’s singer. The song received critical acclaim and in 2009 was named the 79th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.
  4. At a televised performance of VH1 Storytellers, our towheaded singer recalled an event where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were taking swigs from a bottle of bourbon. He was not familiar with the brand but he liked the name, which was the inspiration for today’s song. I guess the spirit moved him!
  5. It’s very likely the name of that fabled bottle of bourbon had a lot to do with this performer’s signature howl.

Now that you have the clues, do you have the answers? Scroll down to see the big reveal.

Yeah, baby! The answer is Billy Idol doing his famous “Rebel Yell”.

Let’s check out the video!

Gotta love that yell and the perfect lip curl!

Did you know the name of the song and our famous singer? What was the clue that clinched it for you? 

FYI – Billy Idol’s’ teacher said he was “lazy and idle“, inspiring his name change. The bourbon Keith Richards and Mick Jagger were drinking was called “Rebel Yell” and the rest, as they say, is history.

Thanks for joining me today at Name That Tune; I hope you had a blast!

We’d love to hear your comments so don’t be shy.

Happy Sunday! Why not stop by during the week and check out our other posts?

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Seventies

NAME THAT TUNE (April 9, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Welcome back to Name That Tune. To all who observe this day, I wish you a very Happy Easter.

I don’t want to talk about this song; I’d rather just cut to the chase and listen to my favorite rocker … but first, let’s see if you can guess the song, the composers and perhaps even the performer. I’m rooting for you!

Keeping in mind the historical religious events which led up to today, here are your five clues:

  1. This song is featured prominently in a Broadway show and film which both achieved international success.
  2. The setting for this song is at night in a garden where an indecisive and troubled man is asking his father a soul-searching question.
  3. This song is just one of 23 which were written and conceived as an album before the show was created or staged. The album was released October 27, 1970; almost one year to the day the show opened on Broadway October 12, 1971.
  4. The singer on the original album was the frontman for one of the biggest rock groups to come out of England. Because the group was on the top of the musical world at the time, the singer was unable to join either the production on Broadway in 1971 or the film in 1973. On the album, the singer portrays the lead character.
  5. The music was composed by one of the most famous British writing duos in the industry.

Any ideas? Well, cogitate on it a bit then scroll down for the big reveal.

Did you figure it out? If you said “Easter Parade” you’re wrong! Sorry, just having a bit of fun.

Now for the correct answer:

In keeping with the holiday, here is “Gethsemane” (“I Only Want to Say”) from Jesus Christ Superstar, music and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, sung by Ian Gillan, lead singer of the rock group Deep Purple, in the role of Jesus.

There have been other singers since Ian Gillan who tackled the role of Jesus but none came close to this original recording and his incredible voice.

For those of you who thought the answer was “Easter Parade”, here’s a video from the movie of the same name. If you’re a musical buff, you’ll enjoy Judy Garland and Fred Astaire singing “Easter Parade” (often mistakenly called “Easter Bonnet”) from the 1948 movie.

Thanks for joining me today; I hope you had a good time playing Name That Tune.

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (March 19, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Welcome back to another shot at Name That Tune! It’s my turn again and I have the clues; let’s see if you have the answers.

Ok, are you ready? Here are your questions:

  1. This 1965 novelty song by an English band was an instant hit, the 2nd for this group from Manchester.
  2. It’s a snappy little number with one verse repeated three times by the cheerful and likeable (not to mention ‘toothy’) lead singer. That’s right: second verse same as the first!
  3. Known for their jaunty beat sound and the singer’s tongue-in-cheek vocal style, the group ranked as one of the most successful acts in the Beatles-led British Invasion.
  4. This sing-along, bouncy tune about a famous (or infamous) ruler had teenage girls jumping around and just about losing their heads.
  5. Although the name of this group may make you think otherwise, they were a happy bunch and not at all “crabby”.

Do you think you know the answers? Well, scroll down for the big reveal.

Well, if you said “I’m Henry VII, I Am” by Herman’s Hermits … you’re right!

Let’s give a listen to that little song right now, and I do mean little; it’s only 1 minute, 50 seconds!

Well, that sure brought back memories!

Did you catch on and figure out the name of the song and the group that performed it? Which clue was the one that did it for you?

Of course we all know that “Herman” is actually singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist and actor Peter Noone. Since September 2019, Noone has been hosting a program on SiriusXM’s 60s Gold station titled “Something Good” after Herman’s Hermits’  hit song, “I’m Into Something Good”.

Thanks for playing along! Join us again next Sunday for another round of Name That Tune!

Don’t forget to catch Mr. Bump tomorrow as he brings us Breaktime Whodunnit.

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

Name That Tune, Sixties

NAME THAT TUNE (MARCH 12, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Welcome to another edition of Name That Tune; I’m Nancy, The Sicilian Storyteller and it’s my turn to toss out the questions.

Ok! Let’s see how you do this week with what I have prepared for you. And we’re off:

  1. The singer of today’s song was born on June 7, 1940 and is primarily of English descent. Hmmm. He received an OBE in 1998 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005 for services to music.
  2. This campy 1965 tune was the singer’s second U.K. hit and is the theme song for a star-studded movie of the same name. The movie received mixed reviews and changed cast members several times before being released.
  3. Today’s wildly popular, hip-swiveling ‘sex-bomb‘ of a singer has the same name as a well-known period piece movie which was described as “bawdy as the British were bawdy when a wench had to wear five petticoats to barricade her virtue”. The singer’s manager encouraged him to use only his first and middle names to help exploit the popularity of the Academy Award-winning 1963 film …. a very ‘foxy’ move.
  4. Today’s song was written by an extremely prolific songwriting duo. When the singer was approached by the songwriters to record this song, his first reaction was: “Christ! What the bloody hell do they want me to sing this for?” but the composer explained he “wanted a big booming baritone voice to sing this bloody crazy song and make it a classic” …. which he did.
  5. Today’s featured singer has a long run of hit songs including one bearing the name of a woman from the Bible and another with a word that’s synonymous with a mushroom cloud. He was the host of a syndicated TV variety show in the U.S. which aired during the 1980-1981 season.

Did you guess the song and singer’s name? Scroll down for the big reveal.

It’s Tom Jones and here’s today’s featured song, “What’s New, Pussycat?”:

What a knockout voice on him!

So which clue did it for you? We love comments so please share your thoughts below.

Don’t forget to join Pete tomorrow as he eases us into another Monday with Breaktime Whodunnit.

Have a great Sunday and thanks for joining me today for another round of Name That Tune.

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023