“The Midnight Cowboy Theme” Written by: John Barry Recorded: 1969 Engineer: Chris Malone Arranger: John Barry
Released: August, 1969
Available on: Midnight Cowboy – Original Motion Picture Score Best of John Barry Multiple recordings released worldwide
Personnel: Toots Thielemans – harmonica Featuring The John Barry Orchestra Various Artists
Although “Everybody’s Talkin’” 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 “James Bond Theme” 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 “The Midnight Cowboy Theme”
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.
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 “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” 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. 😎
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 other’s 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.
“Mark, my hair is stuck in some sticky glop” 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? It’s an extraordinary feeling, one that’s difficult to explain without using every adverb and adjective and superlative in the English language.
The date was October 5, 1995 – a most inauspicious day – 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 children’s choir. Our adult choir was one of the best in the county and we were selected by Cardinal O’Connor of New York to sing for His Holiness Pope John Paul II during his visit to St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, New York. When the Cardinal requests someone’s 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 ‘95, 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 …. just a matter of being in the right place at the right time …. 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 won’t be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures – 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 Glyn’s 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 that’s 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 didn’t 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 “The Number Of The Beast”.
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 “Damien: Omen II” late at night, in addition to the poem “Tam o’ Shanter” 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 “Number Of The Beast”
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.
“Oh, baby, you gotta see her! She’s a real beauty! What curves, what style! And the color is perfect …. it’s 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. I’m telling you, honey …. this one’s a classic!”
Author’s Note: That’s 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 I’ve seen my husband cry.
Leonard Cohen’s career was at a low point when he wrote “Hallelujah” 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 1984’s Various Positions. The track was a fan favorite, but it didn’t receive much love until the Velvet Underground’s John Cale created a stripped-down piano version for a 1991 Leonard Cohen tribute album.
Jeff Buckley used Cale’s version as the basis for his stunningly beautiful version of the song on his 1994 LP Grace. The track wasn’t a single, but after Buckley’s tragic death in 1997 the song slowly started to become recognized as a classic. In 2004 Jeff Buckley’s version of “Hallelujah” was ranked #259 on Rolling Stone‘s “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.
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, I’ve 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 5¢ 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 weren’t 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 it’s 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 isn’t anything I see myself doing again. While in Sicily I rode donkeys fairly often. Many of the streets in my father’s 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. You’re 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 – the good old-fashioned ones with lots of steep climbs and drops – none of this crazy upside down nonsense you see these days. Just give me an old rollercoaster and I’m 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, £10/$10 cash prize. Well, money is always nice but I’d say a cuddly toy to give my granddaughter (unless it’s an elephant which I’d keep for myself! 🐘). We don’t have coconut as a prize here which is too bad because I love coconut. But we do have cotton candy and what’s a day at the fair without the sweet fluffy clouds of pink cotton candy? The legendary Coney Island is an hour’s 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. I’m 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 I’m into! And let’s not forget the Tunnel of Love for me and my mister!
In 1960, Berry Gordy signed a talented group of vocalists called The Contours as one of Motown’s first acts. “Do You Love Me?”, 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. “Do You Love Me” appeared twice on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching #3 in 1962 and #11 in 1988.
This song is not just a big hit; it’s an enduring classic that’s still going strong!
From 1962, here are The Contours asking an age-old question: “Do You Love Me?”
And this is what was on the B Side – “Move, Mr. Man”
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 “Picchì ci haiu misu tantu tempu, amuri miu? Ti vogghiu beni!”º 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
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 IconicAmerican IdolPerformances 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
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. 😎
“Stranger On The Shore” Written by: Acker Bilk, Robert Mellin Recorded: 1961 Producer: Denis Preston Engineer: Adrian Kerridge Arranger: Leon Young
Released: October 1961
Available on: Stranger On The Shore Is This The Blues
Personnel: Acker Bilk – clarinet Featuring The Leon Young String Chorale
Acker Bilk said he thought up the song’s melody in a taxi and named the gentle tune ‟Jenny” in honor of his daughter. Having scored several hits since his first, 1960’s ‟Summer Set”, Bilk was famous enough to be asked to create the theme for a BBC TV children’s series about a French au pair in Brighton. Bilk offered them ‟Jenny” but was asked to change its title to the name of the program, Stranger on the Shore. Its wistful, airy tones, with Bilk’s ‟liquorice stick” accompanied by silken strings, was heard on TV on Sunday afternoons, accompanying the culture-shocked lead character longingly staring out across the English Channel towards her home in France. The song is certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).
This is “Stranger On The Shore” by Acker Bilk
May your Saturday be smooth sailing. Thanks for stopping by.
Written in response to The Unicorn Challenge where we are asked to be creative in 250 words or less by using the photo you see below. This is my story.
NB. My story is another perspective prompted by C.E. Ayr’s intriguing response to this week’s Unicorn Challenge. Please check out C.E.’s story here and/or here. I hope you enjoy my version and his.
Contrary to popular opinion, sometimes these things really do just happen – at least that’s how it was for me.
My husband was out for the day … the monthly visit with his son from his first marriage. I never fault him this time alone; it’s good for him and it gives me the chance to spend a day in my favorite book store.
One day while on my way home, I paused to watch the swans; from the bridge I saw a man emerge from his boat. As if drawn by my presence, he glanced up at me and waved. I waved back. Then the most unexpected thing happened: he beckoned me. I went down to greet him and that was the beginning of our affair.
Now I live for my husband’s monthly visits with his son.
This month my husband’s son is backpacking with friends and there is no visit. He busies himself with tennis and darts at the pub. Desperate to meet my lover, I bailed on our tennis game, pretending to be sick, and my husband went off alone to find a partner.
The afternoon with my lover was heavenly; half-way home I turned around and returned to the boat.
How could I know my husband had paused on the bridge to watch the swans and saw me leave the boat?
How could my husband know that while he was plotting his jealous revenge, I had returned to the boat and was inside when he torched it?
When you’re the daughter of one of the most poignant vocalists of all time, it’s nearly impossible not to carry on the tradition. With a voice as crisp as her father’s, Natalie Cole carved a career path of her own with hits including “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” and “Inseparable.” She made Grammy Award history by being the first black artist to win Best New Artist in 1976 and the first black woman to win Album of the Year for her tribute album to her father, Unforgettable .… With Love, in 1992.
“This Will Be” was Natalie Cole’s debut single, released in April 1975, and one of her biggest hits, becoming a #1 R&B and #6 pop smash in the United States, also reaching the UK Top 40. She won a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, a category that had previously been dominated by Aretha Franklin. It would also help her win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
From 1975, this is Natalie Cole and the classic soul sound of “This Will Be”
“Gee, the house sure is quiet. I wonder where everybody’s gone. Bobby’s been a little distant lately and that makes me sad. I mean, we’ve been best buds ever since he was a little guy. We did everything together and he wouldn’t go anywhere without me. And he gave the best hugs at night. Shh! Here he comes now! Bobby! I just knew you wouldn’t leave without me. What’re we doing today?”
“I’m watching TV with Becky …. alone.”
“Gosh, Bobby. You’re my bestie. Who’s this Becky chick?”
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays! Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on this day. There won’t be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures – just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Engelbert Humperdink Born May 2, 1936 inChennai, India
An old man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig up his garden and plant vegetables, but the ground was too hard. He sat down and wrote a letter to his son, who was in the state penitentiary.
Dear Fred,
It looks like I won’t be able to plant my garden this year. I’m too old to be digging up a garden plot. If only you were here, I know you’d dig the plot for me and all my troubles would be over.
Love, Dad
A few days later he received a letter from his son.
Dear Dad,
Whatever you do, don’t dig up that garden — that’s where I buried the bodies!
Love, Fred
Early the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.
The following day the old man received another letter from his son.
Dear Dad,
Go ahead and plant your garden now. That was the best I could do under the circumstances.
And this is what it looks like now after a few weeks of water and sun; I just repotted into a larger pot; now I’m going to stand back and watch what happens. I’ve been thinking I should name it Audrey III!
It looks a bit prehistoric, doesn’t it? All that new reddish growth will unfurl into giant-sized leaves; if you look closely you can see some are already beginning to unfurl. This is one of the largest plants I have. Stay tuned for Audrey III’s growth over the next few weeks.
Written for Glyn’s Mixed Music Bag #18, where we are asked to write about a song by a group or solo singer beginning with the letter G or H.
As the 60s slipped into the 70s, an American hard rock band was getting started in Flint, Michigan. Known for such iconic rock hits as “We’re An American Band”, “I’m Your Captain” “Some Kind Of Wonderful” and their cover version of “The Loco-Motion”, the guys called themselves Grand Funk Railroad, culling their name from Michigan’s GTWR (Grand Trunk Western Railroad. Originally comprised of singer/guitarist Mark Farner, singer/drummer Don Brewer and bassist Mel Schacher, the band’s style of rock reflected their blue-collar Michigan surroundings. There were no pretensions, no airs …. just sweaty, longhaired grooves and celebratory tunes for days.
Known for a crowd-pleasing arena rock style, Grand Funk toured extensively and played to packed stadiums worldwide and was well-regarded by audiences despite a relative lack of critical praise. Early in their career, they headlined a much hyped free concert in Hyde Park, wowing the audience while being relatively unknown in the UK. They also opened for Led Zeppelin in their home state of Michigan.
GFR split and reunited numerous times; in 1996 all three members reunited for a summer tour in which they played to over 250,000 people, and a slate of Bosnian relief dates in 1997 including several TV performances. In 1998 they did a 65+ date tour listed as one of the top ten grossing tours of the year.
Grand Funk Railroad’s first number-one hit, 1973′s “We’re An American Band”, came seven albums into the band’s career and was literally written around the lines “We’re coming to your town. We’ll help you party down.”
According to songwriter/drummer Don Brewer, the inspiration came from the band’s day-to-day life. “We’re on planes all the time, flying into these towns. I remember looking down at the ground as we’re coming into a city and that thought came to my mind: ‘We’re coming to your town to party it down’ – because that’s what this band does.” Brewer then added more lyrics about the trials and tribulations of life on the road: “Booze and ladies, keep me right / As long as we can make it to the show tonight.” Prior to writing “We’re An American Band”, Brewer had stuck mostly to drumming.
Released on July 2, 1973, “We’re An American Bane” went to #1 on the US chart, and the album of the same name went to #2 on the Billboard 200. The album jacket was originally covered in gold-colored foil; the initial pressings were in clear, dark yellow vinyl to suggest a “gold” record. The album is #200 of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers definitive 200 albums of all time. Grand Funk Railroad has released 14 studio albums and 5 live albums (10 platinum) with sales totaling over 25 million records sold, 10 million of which were sold in 1970 alone.
The band’s lineup in recent years features Brewer and Schacher, as well as former Kiss member Bruce Kulick on guitar, 38 Special expatriate Max Karl on vocals, and keyboard player Tim Cashion, formerly with the likes of Robert Palmer and Bob Seger.
This is “We’re An American Band” by Grand Funk Railroad.
Big thanks to Glyn for hosting another week of Mixed Music Bag.
“Mohammedan-owned Chinese/Tai/Himalayan/Middle Eastern/Indian Restaurant” – well, you certainly don’t see too many of those in Lancaster, Pennsylvania but there it is right in the heart of the downtown dining district. This meeting of culinary minds is definitely intriguing and what an original and humorous name – ‘Tasty Balls’.
That caught my eye and gave me a good laugh as I read about the new exotic fusion restaurant in the newspaper. I wondered if my wife Judith intentionally left the paper on the kitchen table conveniently opened to the dining section for me to see. Judith has many fine attributes; subtlety is not one of them.
We met soon after I graduated college. I took a year off to backpack my way through Asia and the Middle East. Money was tight so I had to be frugal while traveling; that’s how I learned to find really good food at cheap prices.
One day while trekking through Shanghai, I stopped at a noodle and dumpling place. I was drawn to the sound of feminine laughter coming from the next table. There were two pretty blondes who looked to be around my age; I asked if I could join them and they agreed. Judith and Eunice were cousins from England on holiday. I hit it off quite well with Judith and we agreed to meet the next night for dinner. After that night we knew we wanted to be together and the rest, as they say, is history.
As I continued reading the article, I learned this new restaurant was operated by the same people who managed a nearby tea house called ‘The Barefoot Magpie’ – another place I’d never heard of. How can this be? I’ve lived in Lancaster all my life and thought I knew every place there was to eat. Obviously I haven’t been getting out enough lately.
What’s this? ‘Tasty Balls’ serves only one item: dumplings. What made it so special was the staggering number of varieties of dumplings on the menu. Now I knew without a doubt that Judith left this article here for me to stumble upon; she knows I am the world’s biggest sucker for dumplings!
Well now, let’s see what else the article says: “Extravagantly yet handsomely decorated … moderately priced … perfectly prepared dumplings … culinary delight.” My stomach rumbled and my mouth watered as I read a description of just a tiny sampling of dumplings offered at ‘Tasty Balls’:
Jiaozi – A Chinese dumpling consisting of delicately sautéed ground meat and chopped vegetables wrapped into a thinly rolled dough-ball which is then fried to a golden brown or gently steamed.
Xiaolongbao – A Taiwanese delicacy, this steamed dumpling has meat and broth inside. The small, succulent orb is meant to be eaten whole; one bite and the fortunate diner’s mouth is filled with liquid ambrosia.
Momos – A staple from Tibet and Nepal, these delectable pouches are filled with yak, beef or chicken and have become an obsession with the patrons at ‘Tasty Balls’.
Shish Barak – Middle Eastern ravioli-like envelopes filled with seasoned lamb, onion and pine nuts, these piquant squares are boiled, baked or fried and served in a warm yogurt sauce with melted mint butter and a garnish of chopped cashew nuts.
Muthia – This Indian delight consists of chickpea flour, turmeric, chili powder, curry powder and salt bonded together with oil. Once shaped, these fritters can either be fried or steamed, depending on personal preference.
Luqaimat – Originally from Saudi Arabia, this luscious dessert translates into “small bites”. Found in many Middle Eastern countries, this is a treat of fried dough sweetened with date syrup and garnished with sesame seeds. With a scoop of pistachio ice cream, this is a delightful end to an unforgettable meal.
I suddenly realized the newspaper was wet; either I was salivating over the scrumptious description of dumplings or I was crying tears of joy that this heaven-sent restaurant was now located in little old Lancaster. Oh, what joy, what rapture!
Judith came into the kitchen, took one look at my face and asked “What in the world has come over you?”
Holding up the soggy newspaper I exclaimed “This – as if you didn’t know, you little minx! Tempting me with an article about delectable dumplings. Well, it worked. It’s ‘Tasty Balls’ tonight!”
“Oh, I don’t think so, luv” Judith laughed. “That’s Eunice’s. She must have left it behind when she returned to the UK after her visit. That paper is from Lancaster, England!
While Johnny Cash’s cover of Trent Reznor’s “Hurt” gets all the press, this Neil Diamond tune is just as good. The 1966 Diamond version was about young adult heartbreak, while Cash’s rendition is about going through life and never getting over it. It remains not only one of Cash’s best cover songs, but one of his finest moments on the American Recordings albums.
“Solitary Man” was Neil Diamond’s debut single as a recording artist, having already had moderate success as a songwriter for other artists. By July, the track had become a minor hit, rising to No. 55 on the US pop singles chart. It would then be included on Diamond’s first album, The Feel of Neil Diamond, which he released in August 1966.
The song is a ballad of a loner looking for love; the theme of the song has been closely identified with Diamond himself. In the lyrics, the singer lists some of his relationships and how they each ended. He laments “I know it’s been done, having one girl who loves you.” But he doubts it will happen for him. Indeed, Diamond himself would tell interviewers, “After four years of Freudian analysis, I realized I had written ‘Solitary Man’ about myself.“
Johnny Cash used “Solitary Man” for the title track of his third album under the American Recordings label, American III: Solitary Man, in 2000, featuring guest backing vocals by Tom Petty. The recording received a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
From 1966, this is the amazing Neil Diamond with “Solitary Man”.
And this is what it sounded like when Johnny Cash released it 34 years later.
That’s today’s Twofer Tuesday! Thanks for stopping by.
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldn’t put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
“Heat Wave” was written by the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland and was first made popular by the group “Martha and the Vandellas”. Released as a single on the Motown subsidiary Gordy label, this song garnered a Grammy Award nomination, the first Motown group to ever do so.
Founded in 1957 by friends Annette Beard, Rosaline Ashford and Gloria Williams, the group eventually included Martha Reeves who moved up in ranks as lead vocalist after Williams’ departure in ’61. During their nine-year run from 1963-1972, “Martha and the Vandellas” charted over 26 hits recorded in the styles of doo-wop, R&B, pop, blues, rock and roll and soul. In 1995 the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
“Heat Wave” was one of the first songs to exemplify the style of music later termed as the “Motown Sound”.
Here are Martha and the Vandellas performing their 1963 hit, “Heat Wave”.
And this is what was on the B Side: A Love Like Yours (Don’t Come Knocking Everyday)
Thanks for joining me today for a dose of Monday Motown Magic.
A rare alternate album cover of Heep’s “Demons and Wizards”
It was the early 1970s and the four of us scored tickets to see Uriah Heep in Allentown, PA. It was the dog days of August … the kind of sun that blisters your skin in minutes … and the concert was outdoors. The drive was 3 hours each way in scorching temperatures but we were going to that concert come hell or high water. Allentown became our Mecca and the road trip our personal hard rock pilgrimage. The details of that day are a little sketchy but the concert was freakin’ awesome.
Today’s theme at Song Lyric Sunday is all about songs performed with orchestras and/or choirs.
Formed in London in 1968, Led Zeppelin developed their style by drawing from a variety of influences, including blues and folk music. The band was comprised of vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy guitar-driven sound, they are cited as one of the forerunners of hard rock and heavy metal music. Zeppelin has been credited as significantly impacting the nature of the music industry, particularly in the development of album-oriented rock and stadium rock.
Led Zeppelin is one of the best-selling musical groups of all time, with total sales estimated at over 300 million records sold worldwide. The group achieved eight consecutive UK #1 albums and six #1 albums on the US Billboard 200, with five albums certified diamond in the United States. Rolling Stone magazine once describedZeppelin as “the heaviest band of all time”, “the biggest band of the 70s”, and “unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history”. Led Zeppelin was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995; the museum’s biography of the band states that they were “as influential during the 1970s as the Beatles were during the 1960s”. That’s quite a statement.
There are so many great songs that fit into this category and I changed my mind several times before finally making my decision. For me this is the quintessential presentation of a legendary song which has withstood the test of time over and over again.
The performance I have chosen to feature today is what I consider to be an indelible moment in time. On December 2, 2012, Led Zeppelin received the Kennedy Center Honors; it’s an award bestowed upon those considered to have contributed greatly to American culture. In a world where awards are handed out like lollipops, The Kennedy Center Honors are a big deal.
Every December, the awards climax with a gala event at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C., and in 2012 the show included an emotional performance by Heart’s Ann & Nancy Wilson, with Jason Bonham on drums.
Did I say “emotional”? It’s almost startlingly so. It’s the looks the members of Led Zeppelin give each other during the performance. It’s Robert Plant’s eyes watering as he watches Ann Wilson singing a song he famously has a difficult relationship with. It’s the gospel choir paying tribute to Led Zeppelin’s original drummer John Bonham in the most unexpected way. It’s Jason Bonham lifting his eyes towards the heavens as the song climaxes. It’s extraordinary.
This is no hype; you’ll know what I mean when you see the reaction from Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones watching from the best seats in the house. The song is one you all know; it has been called “the single-most important and celebrated song Led Zeppelin ever recorded”.
From the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, this is Ann & Nancy Wilson with orchestra and choirs performing the epic “Stairway To Heaven”.
LYRICS
There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold And she’s buying a stairway to Heaven
When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed With a word she can get what she came for
Ooh, ooh, and she’s buying a stairway to Heaven
There’s a sign on the wall, but she wants to be sure ‘Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings
In a tree by the brook, there’s a songbird who sings Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven
Ooh, it makes me wonder Ooh, makes me wonder
There’s a feeling I get when I look to the West And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees And the voices of those who stand looking
Ooh, it makes me wonder Ooh, really makes me wonder
And it’s whispered that soon if we all call the tune Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long And the forests will echo with laughter
Oh-oh-oh-oh-whoa
If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alarmed now It’s just a spring clean for the May queen Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run There’s still time to change the road you’re on
And it makes me wonder Ohh, whoa
Your head is humming, and it won’t go, in case you don’t know The piper’s calling you to join him
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow? And did you know Your stairway lies on the whispering wind?
And as we wind on down the road Our shadows taller than our soul There walks a lady we all know Who shines white light and wants to show How everything still turns to gold And if you listen very hard The tune will come to you at last When all are one, and one is all To be a rock and not to roll
The Elephant's Trunk 