This week in Glyn Wilton’s Mixed Music Bag,
“The Last Days”, he’s asking us to write about
a song which mentions the current month.
Here’s my featured May artist and his song.
Category: Uncategorized
Hey Gang! My Mac has died and will be offline until the n…
Hey Gang! My Mac has died and will be offline until the new one is in my hands. See you all soon! – Nancy
WHAT A SCREWUP I AM SOMETIMES!…
WHAT A SCREWUP I AM SOMETIMES!
Greetings my friends. I screwed up the publication dates of my two most recent stories …. ‘Faking It’ and ‘Undercover’. If you see a message that says “OOPS! Nothing Here” …. or words to that effect …. I apologize. There really are two new stories floating around somewhere! If you can’t find today’s posts and you’d like to read them, you may click HERE and HERE. Thanks! I hope that helps alleviate the mess I made! – Nancy
An American Tragedy
Written for OLWG #414 and ZOZO
17.04.25 – Extra Prompts. Combined,
there are seven inspirations, four for
the first story and three for the second.
This is my take and these are my stories.
What’s going on with WordPress now?
Share Your World – 4.15.25
Written for Share Your World
where Di is asking us a few
questions. Here are the Q&As:
Share Your World
Di at pensitivity101 is asking us
to share our world by answering
a few questions. I can do that!
Here are her questions ~
Say Ah
On The Rocks – Part 5: The Euganean Hills
Written for The Unicorn Challenge where
we are urged to get creative in 250 words or less.
The photo below is our inspiration; this is my story.
Enough’s Enough
A to Z Challenge
The A-Z Challenge is coming up soon and this is the first year I’m participating. My theme is a topic near and dear to my heart, something I blog about often: the world of entertainment, in particular music and film. I’m excited! Watch for my first post in April; a very special friend is preparing a custom-made logo for my theme as we speak!
Stay tuned!
NAR©2025
All text and graphics are copyright for Nancy’s Notes 🖊️🎶, The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, The Rhythm Section, et al., and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.
Now What?
Apologies if you are not hearing from me personally. I am having problems commenting on many blogger’s posts. I’m sure I’m not alone in this as other’s have remarked similarly. This is a real inconvenience and I’m sorry. I hope it gets rectified quickly. If you can, leave a comment. If I am allowed to respond, I will. I feel like I’m in that movie, Marooned! 😅
Nancy
WordPress Daily Prompt
WordPress asks: What is your favorite candy?
Continue reading “WordPress Daily Prompt”Merry Christmas!
WordPress Daily Prompt
Want To Watch A Movie?
This is what we watched last night …. “Quartet” from 2012, a comedy with Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, and more, directed by Dustin Hoffman. At a home for retired musicians, the annual concert to celebrate composer Giuseppe Verdi’s birthday is disrupted by the arrival of Jean, an eternal diva and the former wife of one of the residents. You don’t need to be an opera lover to enjoy this one! Here’s a trailer for you:
I’ll save you a seat. Enjoy the movie! 🎥 🍿 🥤
NAR©2024
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy (The Sicilian Storyteller), The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.
Want To Watch A Movie?
If you’re anything like me and can’t find something good to watch on television, you’ll look for a movie. I did exactly that last night and thought it might be fun to share with you what I watched; you might want to watch, too. I can’t promise I’ll suggest a movie every week, but I’ll try. I’ll happily take any suggestions for movies from you as well.
Last night’s fare was a movie from 2022 called “Living” starring the excellent English actor Bill Nighy, recommended to me by our friend, Clive. Here’s a clip to whet your appetite:
I’ll be sure to save you a seat. Enjoy the movie! 🎥 🍿 🥤
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy (The Sicilian Storyteller), The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.
Just Passing Time
Sadje has asked us in her Sunday Poser #208 – Making Money:
“Making money from your blog is becoming easier, will you
take this opportunity?” Here is my answer to her question.
Welcome To My World
Written for “Share Your World” where
Di has asked the following questions:
She’s Back!
Lost Cat
The E.D. Blues
Leftover Gremlins?
All The World’s A Stage
I was coming up empty today, friends … uninspired, tired, and dragging my sorry ass around the house. Then I came across this brilliant post by my friend, Bluebird of Bitterness, and all was right in my little world. What’s that you say? You don’t like cats? Oh, FFS, don’t go getting your knickers in a twist; you don’t have to love cats or the theatre to appreciate these funnies. Blue always saves what is considered the best for the last. Let’s see if you agree. And while you’re here, check our what else is on Blue’s site; you’ll be glad you did!
NAR©2024
This is some guy and a group I never heard of with a song called “Bluebird” 😹
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.
It’s Time
Well, kids, the possibility has become a reality. First thing this morning I will be having back surgery. It’s time; I can’t put it off any longer. Hopefully it won’t be too much of an ordeal but one never knows with these things. I’ll be off WordPress while I recuperate. Comments on this post have been disabled simply because I won’t be able to respond to them as quickly as I’d like and I apologize for that. I’m sure you understand.
That’s the story, my friends. See you on the flip side. 😎
Best always
~ Nancy
This is the R.E.M. song “Everybody Hurts” performed by Joe Cocker.
LYRICS
When your day is long
And the night, the night is yours alone
When you’re sure you’ve had enough
Of this life, well hang on
Don’t let yourself go
‘Cause everybody cries
Everybody hurts sometimes
Sometimes everything is wrong
Now it’s time to sing along
When your day is night alone (hold on, hold on)
If you feel like letting go (hold on)
If you think you’ve had too much
Of this life, well hang on
‘Cause everybody hurts
Take comfort in your friends
Everybody hurts
Don’t throw your hand, oh no
Don’t throw your hand
If you feel like you’re alone
No, no, no, you are not alone
If you’re on your own in this life
The days and nights are long
When you think you’ve had too much
Of this life to hang on
Well, everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody cries
Everybody hurts, sometimes
And everybody hurts sometimes
So hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on, hold on
Everybody hurts
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Peter Lawrence Buck/Michael E. Mills/William Thomas Berry/John Michael Stipe
Everybody Hurts lyrics © Night Garden Music
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.
Just A Spoonful
Written for Glyn’s Mixed Music Bag week #26
where we are asked to write about a song by a group
or solo singer beginning with the letter K or L.
The Lovin’ Spoonful was an American band formed in 1964 by singer John Sebastian with guitarist Zal Yanovsky, drummer Joe Butler and bassist Steve Boone, cementing the quartet’s official lineup.
While they were a band that blossomed from the Greenwich Village folk scene in the 1960s, the group’s name was inspired by the blues song, “Coffee Blues” …. the classic song by Mississippi John Hurt. The song supposedly has a deeper, more suggestive meaning if listened to closely enough.
“Coffee Blues” was always a big crowd pleaser because of Mississippi John Hurt’s particularly innocent delivery and his guileless way of presenting it. His audience was frequently filled with beautiful college women …. a group for which he always had appeal.
By 1969, after only five short years together, The Lovin’ Spoonful called it quits. In those few years as a group, the band had amassed a number of hits, including “Summer in the City”, “Do You Believe In Magic?” “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?” and “Daydream”.
My first featured song today and favorite Lovin’ Spoonful song is “Summer in the City”, a classic rock number that captures the excitement, energy, and heat of a bustling urban summer. The song opens with a distinctive drumbeat that immediately sets the tone for the fast-paced tempo and catchy melody. John Sebastian’s smooth, soulful voice sings about the hustle and bustle of the city streets, with the sound of car horns and sirens in the background adding to the urban ambiance. As the song progresses, Sebastian describes the heat and humidity of the city, urging listeners to “stay cool” amidst the oppressive weather. The chorus features a memorable hook that perfectly captures the vibe of a city summer: “Hot town, summer in the city/Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty.”
Overall, “Summer in the City” is a quintessential summer anthem that has stood the test of time, evoking the excitement and chaos of city life during the hottest months of the year.
This is “Summer In The City” by the Lovin’ Spoonful
My second-favorite song by the Lovin’ Spoonful is “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?”, a catchy and lighthearted pop song that explores the dilemma of choosing between two potential love interests. The song opens with a bouncy guitar riff and John Sebastian’s playful singing, setting the tone for a fun and flirtatious track.
The lyrics describe the difficulty of making a choice between two people, with Sebastian asking: “Did you ever have to make up your mind?/Pick up on one and leave the other behind?” The song captures the excitement and confusion of young love, while offering advice on how to navigate this tricky situation: “One of these days you know you gotta make up your mind/But you better decide before you run out of time.”
Overall, “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?” is a fun and upbeat song that captures the excitement and confusion of young love. It’s a timeless classic that continues to resonate with listeners of all ages, offering a lighthearted perspective on the challenges of navigating the complexities of romance.
This is “Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?” by the Lovin’ Spoonful.
Before ending I thought it might be fun to feature “Coffee Blues”, the song from which the Lovin’ Spoonful got their name. That’s all I’m going to say about the song; let’s see if you can figure out what makes it so suggestive a song.
This is “Coffee Blues” by Mississippi John Hurt
Big thanks to Glyn for hosting Mixed Music Bag every week.
Thanks for joining me today and spinning some tunes.
See you on the flip side. 😎
NAR©2024
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.
On The Rocks – Part 3: In The Beginning
Written for The Unicorn Challenge where we are
encouraged to write a story in 250 words or less
using this photo as our inspiration. Here is my story.
Handsome Nigel Forsythe taught history at the university where Camilla Saunders was the librarian. His penchant for crime novels brought him to Camilla’s desk every week. She was a mousy thing with dull hair and thin lips but splendid breasts for which Nigel had a hankering.
When he asked her out for coffee, she accepted. Getting to know one another was excruciating but Nigel persevered, no doubt spurred on by the thought of getting into Camilla’s blouse.
On their fourth coffee date, Nigel suggested they do “something different”; Camilla was apprehensive but went along. They drove to a secluded park with meandering pathways and steps that seemingly led to nowhere.
“Aren’t the flowers lovely, Camilla?” Nigel asked and was rewarded with a thunderous sneeze.
“Allergies” Camilla complained.
“Watch the ivy, Camilla. We wouldn’t want you getting your heels caught up in it.”
“Nigel, this looks like poison ivy. I’m allergic and don’t have my EpiPen! Why did you insist on bringing me to this horrible jungle?”
“It’s hardly a jungle, Camilla, and the view from the top is to die for.”
With each step Camilla’s breathing became more labored until she was near collapse.
Camilla turned. Nigel was stunned to see her blouse soaked with sweat and clinging to her heaving breasts. He grabbed her shoulders, planting a hungry kiss on her cadaverous lips.
Camilla broke away, slapped Nigel and ran down the steps to the car. They drove back to the university in stony silence.
Nigel was not deterred.
NAR©2024
250 Words
This is “Love Bites” by Def Leppard with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.
Now That’s A Tasty Beverage
Written for Fandango’s Story Starter #148, using the first sentence teaser,
and for Six Sentence Story, using the word ‘double’. Here’s my story:
She held out her arms to hug me, but I knew this wasn’t my house — and she definitely wasn’t my wife but she was one of the most gorgeous women I’d ever seen and I found it difficult to resist her charms; I’ve always been a weak man …. whether it was women, drugs, drinking, gambling, sex …. I couldn’t control myself.
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 …. 24 mini-cans of some beverage with exotic-sounding names such as Peach Bellini, Pineapple Mule, Mango Meringue, Grapefruit Paloma, Maui Sunset …. 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 that’s 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 “Alex” which was very strange because my name wasn’t Alex .… or maybe it was .… I wasn’t 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 wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t 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 woman’s 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 …. I was back to my old self, plain old Fred Johnson …. 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 couldn’t control my damn self, I had downed all the mini-cans of ecstasy and now it was just me and short, squatty Alexis.
NAR©2024
This is “I Drink Alone” by George Thorogood and the Destroyers
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.
What’s Wrong With You??
If you don’t subscribe to Bluebird of Bitterness,
I have only one question to ask:
“What’s wrong with you??”
Enjoy her latest post. It’s hilarious!
Ground Control To Major Bowes: Not The Original Amateur Hour
Today’s theme at Song Lyric Sunday is about songs by performers on American Idol.
In case you’re wondering about the title of today’s post, The Original Amateur Hour began on radio in 1934 as “Major Bowes’ Amateur Hour” and ran until the 1946 death of its creator, Major Bowes. Ted Mack, a talent scout who had directed the show under Bowes, revived it in 1948 for ABC Radio and the DuMont Television Network. The show lasted on radio until 1952 and until 1970 on television, where it ran on all four major networks, ending as a Sunday afternoon CBS staple. A success in the early days of television, the program set the stage for numerous programs seeking talented stars, from The Gong Show to Star Search to American Idol to America’s Got Talent.
On June 11, 2002 a new type of TV show aired. Some called it reality TV while others dubbed it a talent show; critics and TV executives alike said it was “unparalleled in broadcasting history …. the most impactful show in the history of television”. As a lover of music and talent and competition, which is what this show was all about, I called it fabulous! For 15 years my husband and I watched together each week as contestants auditioned, performed and were either sent on to the next round or sent packing.
The show, of course is American Idol and the only reason we stopped watching regularly after 15 years was our overall dislike of the new panel of judges. After 22 years, the show is still alive and well and making Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest a ton of money! Here’s something you may not know!
Idol has spawned 345 Billboard chart-toppers and a platoon of pop idols while remaining a TV ratings institution. For an unprecedented eight consecutive years, from the 2003-04 television season through the 2010-11 season, either its performance show or results show was ranked #1 in US television ratings – not bad at all for a little talent show.
While there are many American Idol winners who have gone on to become major music stars, I have often felt not winning (while spirit-crushing at the time) was just the impetus a young singer needed to become a household name; Adam Lambert, Jennifer Hudson, Katharine McPhee, Chris Daughtry, Clay Aiken and Kelly Pickler are perfect examples of artists whose loss on Idol was exactly what they needed to jumpstart their careers. Such is the case for my featured performer today, one of my personal favorite also-rans from American Idol.
Haley Reinhart first rose to prominence after placing third in the 10th season of American Idol. In July 2011, Reinhart signed a recording deal with Interscope Records. Her debut album, Listen Up!, was released on May 22, 2012, to critical acclaim and she subsequently became the first AI alumna to perform at Lollapalooza. She is the only Season 10 contestant who has over one million views on six of her YouTube performance videos: her renditions of Adele’s “Rolling In the Deep”, Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets”, Ben E. King’s “I (Who Have Nothing)” and her version of “House of the Rising Sun”. In addition, her performance of Billie Holiday’s “God Bless The Child” hit one million views in March 2014 and the video of her American Idol audition performance of the Beatles’ “Oh! Darling” also reached one million views in March 2016. Reinhart was the only contestant in Season 10 who received three standing ovations from the judges in consecutive weeks for “House of the Rising Sun”, “I (Who Have Nothing)” and Led Zeppelin’s “What Is and What Should Never Be”.
Haley Reinhart garnered widespread recognition in 2015 for performing and touring with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, my favorite part of her career so far. Her most notable collaboration with the band on a jazz cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” spent 58 consecutive weeks on Billboard’s Jazz Digital Songs chart and received high praise from critics. In the same year, she gained additional notice when her cover of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” which was used in a television commercial, became a viral sensation, peaked at #16 on the US Adult Contemporary chart and was later certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on July 31, 2023. Reinhart won a Cannes Lion for Entertainment and a Clio Award for the song in 2016. Additionally, she made her voice acting debut as Bill Murphy in the Netflix animated comedy, “F Is For Family” on December 18, 2015. She reprised the role as a main cast member in the series’ second, third, fourth, and fifth seasons.
Let’s get back to “Bennie and Jets”. E! Online ranked Reinhart’s cover of as the series’ 14th best performance. TVLine ranked the performance as the 6th best in Idol history and BuzzFeed ranked it 1st on their list of the “17 Most Iconic American Idol Performances of All Time.”
I’ve never really cared for “Bennie and the Jets” but what do I know?! Since Haley Reinhart’s performance garnered so much praise and coverage, I’m featuring it today. You’ll see the judges thought it was ”A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!”
Live from American Idol’s results night, this is Haley Reinhart with “Bennie and the Jets”.
LYRICS
Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight’s hitting something
That’s been known to change the weather
We’ll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You’re gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound
Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Ohh, but they’re so spaced out, B-b-b-b Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh Bennie she’s really keen
She’s got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Oh oh, B-b-b-b Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they’re blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who’s right and who’s wrong
Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Ohh, but they’re so spaced out, B-b-b-b Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh Bennie she’s really keen
She’s got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Oh oh, B-b-b-b Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they’re blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who’s right and who’s wrong
Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Ohh, but they’re so spaced out, B-b-b-b Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh Bennie she’s really keen
She’s got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Oh oh, B-b-b-b Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie and the Jets
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Bernie Taupin / Elton John
Bennie and the Jets lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
This is Haley Reinhart performing “Oh! Darling”, her audition for American Idol. Steven Tyler is obviously a fan!
And here is Haley the way I like her best .… singing Radiohead’s “Creep” with Postmodern Jukebox.
Big thanks to Jim for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday and for allowing be to take up residence here for the last 10 weeks. I had a great time coming up with the themes but even I got tired of seeing my name week after week on Jim’s SLS posts, I can just imagine how you feel!
Thanks for stopping by. See you on the flip side. 😎
NAR©2024
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.
The Elephant's Trunk 