Thursday 1 December 2011

Valdy & Santa Claus

I was kinda surprised to see so many posts in the news about Valdy and Santa. That seems a little odd !

As I checked into it a little further, I guess it's not all that odd after all. Seems that Valdy is touring with Santa on the CP Holiday Train. A-hah !!

The goal of the Holiday Train is to collect food and money for local food banks and to raise awareness in the fight against hunger. At each event, the Holiday Train provides a box car stage, a line up of great musical talents and a corporate contribution to the local food bank. The community, in turn, is encouraged to donate food and funds, all of which stays in the community.

Valdy's backup band used to be "The Hometown Band" (Shari Ulrich remains my fave singer in this group), so it is completely fitting that he should affiliate himself to a hometown/community cause.

Here are a couple of clips of Valdy on this tour.


Geez -- for me, this is shades of George Carlin's "Hippy Dippy Weather Man", but I'm sure the younger folk enjoyed it.



Well, it's not the "Hap, Hap, Happiest time since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny F*&#'ing Kaye", but the crowd seems to be enjoying it.

It's good to know that Valdy is still out there, 'cause goodness knows he's a great talent...a wordsmith even.  But, while not meaning any "Bah Humbug" schtick, my fave Valdy tune will always be, "Simple Life".  It's just so....so hometown...so Valdy.

And, all importantly, he sings about hockey, so what's not to love ?  Maybe he can work with Santa to bring us the promise of a Stanley Cup for the Leafs in our stockings this year ???

Thursday 24 November 2011

It was 20 years ago today...


It's so hard to believe that it has already been 20 years since Freddie Mercury passed away !!  Sometimes, when I listen to his singing or watching one of his performances, I can only think of him being so alive & vibrant, and running around on stage.  Oh, that it were so !!

How do you begin to describe Freddie: dynamic lead singer; charismatic frontman; flamboyant stage personality?  All I can come up with is "great eye candy with a tremendous set of lungs" !!

A writer for The Spectator described him as "a performer out to tease, shock and ultimately charm his audience with various extravagant versions of himself".  Yeah, that works too.

For years, on Grey Cup Sunday, one of my brothers would call me, asking me to play Queen's "We Are The Champions" over the phone to my other brother.

Talk about coincidence !!  The Toronto Argonauts won the Grey Cup championship on November 24, 1991.  Freddie Mercury passed away November 24, 1991.
The show must go on....the show will never end !  The King (Elvis) is dead; long live the Queen (Queen Freddie).



Monday 21 November 2011

She taught me to yodel

My brother would visit me often.  We'd play 500 Rummy & listen to the tunes.

He really liked Slim Whitman -- especially his yodelling songs.  I told my brother that I had just the ticket to teach him to yodel....this is it !!


Well, it didn't work....but, like everything, he gave it his best shot !!  Maybe yodelling was just not for him.  Maybe he shoulda just stuck with "Disco Duck" !!

I miss those days !!

Thursday 17 November 2011

Happy Birthday, Gordon Lightfoot

(Too bad your daughter can't be there to celebrate with you; she's busy Occupying Toronto !!)

Seems like Gordon Lightfoot's been around forever -- actually, 73 years. Over the past 50 of those, he's had a ton of hits in the folk, folk-rock, and pop-rock categories.

His "Carefree Highway" came to my mind immediately, as we drove from Phoenix to Flagstaff.
 
But, to be sure, the one song that strikes closest to home for me is "Christian Island" (I was almost stranded there once, when the ferry broke down.  I was quietly freaking, because of all of the childhood stories I'd heard about being captured and scalped !!  But, I digress.)

When it comes to Canadian musicians, I guess we really have to give Gordon Lightfoot his dues.  As I've said, he's been around forever and you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn't heard of him.

Happy Birthday, Gordon !!

Wednesday 16 November 2011

The Nuts on My Family Tree

Researching one's family tree can be a most challenging and daunting effort.  However, it can also be a greatly rewarding -- sometimes even comical -- task.  I've stumbled across some pretty peculiar things:
  • A child dies & the name is given to next born child (Yuck !  A constant source of misery for parents and child alike);
  • Upon the death of their sister, girls have married their brother-in-law (well, at least they waited);
  • It seems quite common for sisters to marry brothers (I guess it beats having to remember a ton of surnames);
  • Some people give their children up to 5 names ! (What's with that ?  Afraid of offending one of the relatives by omitting their name ?  Geez....thank goodness we're not of Greek descent.  Imagine being named  Themistokles Epaphroditos Agathangelos Olumpiodoros Chrysanthopoulos -- you'd likely be 53 years of age before you could say your name, let alone try to write it... in one sitting !!);
  • One sad thing I've noticed is that some people have a bunch of daughters.  They finally have a son, who either dies in infancy or enters the priesthood (Guess the family tree soon becomes dead wood.)

Well, no matter what I uncover as I progress, I take a bit of comfort in knowing that other people have some pretty "special" family history too.  Consider what skeletons might have prompted artist Napoleon XIV (real name Jerry Samuels) to write "The Nuts on My Family Tree".


I flip every time I take a look
At the pictures inside my family book
And my mind wanders back where I'd like to be
With the nuts on my family tree

Chorus:
I take off my hat and burst with pride
When I recall all the things they tried
Their classic bits made such history
The nuts on my family tree

The first stood his ground at Waterloo
And it was such a foolish thing to do
He was soaking his feet, but he wasn´t done
So I ask you, how could he run?

The next nut was sure a lot of fun
He was there in the boat with Washington
When a leak in the boat made the water spout
He drilled a hole to let the water out

[Chorus]

The next got the word from Paul Revere
But he stayed just to have that one last beer
So the word he was just too drunk to say
That the British were on the way

The one who, with Custer, took a stand
I am now going to give a great, big hand
But the hand that he gets should be in the mouth
´Cause he forgot to tell old George go South

[Chorus]

4, 5, 9, 2, 7, 3, 4 !

Saturday 12 November 2011

Dance like nobody's watching !!

My niece & her two girls are all soooo into dance.  Not only do they dance, but they are extremely talented....WOW !  Move over Tina Turner !!

I think of this song, "Music Box Dancer", when I see them perform, or view photos of their performances.  For the longest time, I didn't even know this song had lyrics.  I remember when I first heard the words: I was on a Gray Coach bus, sharing a headset with my brother, and listening to the radio on his brand spanking new & state-of-the-art Sony Walkman !!

I do have to disagree with the girls though, when they say, "Dance like nobody's watching", 'cause they certainly deserve an audience, and any audience would always be wishing for an encore !!

Friday 11 November 2011

Lest We Forget

Every Remembrance Day, for as long as I can recall, right after their moment of silence, Q107 plays Dire Straits' "Brothers In Arms".

It is so perfectly suited to the occasion.  Being a more contemporary song, I think it appeals to an audience who just might not capture the spirit of Remembrance Day from "The Last Post" or listening to a recital of "In Franders' Fields".


Thursday 10 November 2011

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - Spencer Davis, Billy J. Kramer

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida:
This episode features intro and signoff by Wolfman Jack and Emcee Glen Stetson, as well as the following artists:
- Spencer Davis - (1st set) Keep On Runnin', Somebody Help Me, I'm A Man
- Billy J. Kramer - Bad To Me
- Spencer Davis - (2nd set) Don't Want You No More, Gimme Some Lovin'

[Dubbed from VHS recording from The Nashville Network 1988]

Wednesday 9 November 2011

Grand Cayman

As the weather starts to get colder, my thoughts turn to planning a winter vacation.  My first "real" winter vacation was in 1978, after having saved for a year at my first job.  I went to Grand Cayman, where I stayed with my Uncle Joe, the Island's resident Presbyterian Minister.
Uncle Joe was preparing his sermon on Saturday night and I was reading the tourist guides.  I stumbled across an ad, saying that the Barefoot Man (real name George Nowak) was playing at the Holiday Inn, just a short distance down Seven Mile Beach.

Well !  I just had to see him.  So, off I went to the Holiday Inn.  I was personally introduced to the Barefoot Man and got the best seats in the house (Thank you, Uncle Joe), and I came home with 3 of his LPs !! (picked up another CD, while in the Bahamas earlier this year too !!)

(Who Put The Pepper in the Vaseline)


I had first heard of the Barefoot Man on the Dr. Demento show, singing "I Get High By Going Down".  Get your mind out of the gutter, folks; the song is about a "diver's high", from scuba diving.  Of course, I'm sure it was not that interpretation that got this song aired on Dr. Demento !!  Ditto for his songs, "Divers Do It Deeper" and "You Dont Have To Be Gay To Ride a Ferry".



I guess that, like me, everyone who sees "Barefoot" in person for the first time is a little shocked.  When you hear him on the radio, you picture him looking like Harry Belafonte -- wrong !!  He's of German descent and has blonde hair and blue eyes !  His lyrics are extremely funny and highly satirical, mocking everything from Caribbean life and love to local and international politics.  Some people say that "he's to the Caribbean what Jimmy Buffet is to Key West", while others say that's selling him short.

His "Bank Song" is quite entertaining; it tells the true story of Jean Doucet who lured many Caymanians into investing in his bank.  Then, as the lyrics go, "Where oh where has all the money gone / .....Well I heard somebody say / that they saw it fly away in a Lear jet / That's why I'm poor today".

"That's A Moray" is simply hilarious !!  It reminds me of my phone call to Uncle Joe, prior to our visit.  The movie "Jaws" was still quite popular and I just had to ask Uncle Joe, "Are there any sharks in Grand Cayman ?"  He laughingly told me the only ones I had to worry about were "land sharks" !!  "That's A Moray" goes like this: "See that thing in the reef / With the big shiny teeth / That's a Moray / Put your hand in the crack / and you won't get it back / That's a Moray."  Ha ! Ha ! Ha !



While preparing this post, I actually learned a few things about the Barefoot Man.  The Barefoot Man and Band was featured in the 1993 film, "The Firm", starring Tom Cruise and Gene Hackman. For this film, George Nowak wrote the song "Money, Money, Money" which appears on the film's soundtrack. I'll have to check that out more closely.

I've also learned, from this article about his book "Which Way To The Islands" (http://www.abacoescape.com/Books/Abacobookpage.html), that he "...accidentally killed a man in a bar room scuffle ...".  Wow !  All those years ago, I had been rubbing shoulders with a murderer !!....in an island bar, no less !!

Now...where was I?  Oh yeah, planning a winter vacation.  Actually, the weather has been so fine lately, I think I can procrastinate a while longer.  I'll get back on that wavelength at the sight of the first snowflake of the year !!

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Roof is leaking

Sometimes, no matter what you do, it's hard to keep your head above water.

This one's for you...you know who you are.

Take care of the kiddies, keep them warm, hold them close to your heart.

Some day, some how, it will all work out...because of YOU !!


And, you are loved !!

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - Roger McGuinn, Del Shannon

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida:
This episode features intro and signoff by Wolfman Jack and Emcee Glen Stetson, as well as the following artists:
- Roger McGuinn - (1st set) Mr. Tambourine Man, Mr. Spaceman, Turn Turn Turn, Tiffany Queen
- Del Shannon - Little Town Flirt, Searchin'
- Roger McGuinn - (2nd set) So You Wanna Be A Rock and Roll Star

[Dubbed from VHS recording from The Nashville Network 1988]

Monday 31 October 2011

Posts will continue shortly

Hi - I'm busily migrating to new operating systems on 2 computers.

Blog posts should continue in a couple of days !

Wish me luck -- I'll need it, 'cause hardware and software compatibility is a pig !!

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - Joey Dee & The Starliters, Johnny Thunder

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida:
This episode features intro and signoff by Wolfman Jack and Emcee Glen Stetson, as well as the following artists:
- Joey Dee & The Starliters - (1st set) Peppermint Twist, Hey Let's Twist
- Johnny Thunder - Suzy Q, Loop de Loop
- Joey Dee & The Starliters - (2nd set) Shout

[Dubbed from VHS recording from The Nashville Network 1988]

Monday 24 October 2011

"Rumours" have it that Fleetwood Mac just won't quit !!

C'mon now !  Time to fess up.  How many copies of "Rumours" do you have ? (on vinyl, cassette, CD, DVD - was it ever available on 8-track ?)  How many people do you know who have less than one copy ?

This album was definitely -- and remains -- a record breaker (no pun intended), in so many ways:
  • Although it was Fleetwood Mac's 11th album (!!), who really knew them before this album's release, as well as they do subsequently ? and did they ever sound as good ?;
  • It topped the charts in both the U.S. (and Canada) as well as the U.K.;
  • It contained several tracks that became hit singles;
  • Anybody & everybody has it on their list of "best of the '70s" and "best ever";
  • On some of the tracks, you can even understand Stevie Nicks' vocals !!
  • It contains tracks by each singer-songwriter in the group;
  • It is still seeing very active sales numbers, to this very day !!
On this day, October 24 in 1987, "Rumours" set a new longevity mark.
When Fleetwood Mac's record-breaking album Rumours chalked up its 397th week on the UK chart, it became the holder of the record for most weeks on that chart, overtaking Meat Loaf's similarly revered Bat Out of Hell.
"Rumours" topped the US chart for 31 weeks (a record for a non-soundtrack album until it was beaten by Michael Jackson's "Thriller" in 1983) and also topped the UK chart for a single week, but refused to leave the listings.  By the end of 1991, "Rumours" had accumulated 443 weeks on the chart, over six month's worth more than Meat Loaf's mere 416.

Sunday 23 October 2011

Sunday Will Never Be The Same

Once again, Sunday has rolled around.  It's time for me to do what I do best -- kill time !

Trivia Plaza
http://www.triviaplaza.com/h28-quiz/
Answer trivia questions about artists, lyrics, title tracks, ˜American Idol’, “˜Real Names “, ˜Christmas Songs", etc. You could spend hours here and possibly learn some new tidbits while you're at it !!

Mighty Quiz
http://www.mightyquiz.com/topic/music/56/play
Over 1,140 trivia questions come with options and you have to pick the right one. You can subscribe to your favorite topics and even follow members who send in their trivia questions. A sign-in allows you to save your progress through the questions.  A nice little feature is the ability to skip a question; this is kinda nice, especially if the topic is "Celine Dion" (meow !!)

Trivix
http://www.trivix.com/trivia-quizzes-by-category/music
Quality free trivia games, quiz and flash games. The trivia round is timed and you can instantly see whether you answered correctly or not. A percentage figure also indicates how many got the answer right.

Friday 21 October 2011

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - The Coasters, Brian Hyland

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida:
This episode features intro and signoff by Wolfman Jack and Emcee Glen Stetson, as well as the following artists:
- The Coasters - (1st set) That is Rock 'n  Roll, Poison Ivy, Little Egypt
- Brian Hyland - Tragedy, Ginny Come Lately
- The Coasters - (2nd set) Charlie Brown

[Dubbed from VHS recording from The Nashville Network 1988]

Thursday 20 October 2011

Skynyrd Trio Killed In Plane Crash

Oct 20, 1977:  Three days after the release of Street Survivors, Lynyrd Skynyrd's fifth album, the Florida band boarded a chartered aircraft to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  The flight crashed en route, killing Ronnie van Zant (vocalist and front man), Steve Gaines (guitarist) and Cassie Gaines (Steve's sister, backing singer), group's tour manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray.   The remaining band members (Gary Rossington – guitars; Allen Collins – guitars; Leon Wilkeson – bass, backing vocals; Artimus Pyle – drums, percussion; Billy Powell – keyboards) suffered serious injuries.

Gene Odom, was one of the fortunate survivors wand the last person to be with Ronnie Van Zant and the other band members before they were killed.  Gene and Ronnie were best friends since childhood, and he would become the head of security for Lynyrd Skynyrd and Ronnie's personal body guard.

Here is a condensed version of the story of the plane crash, as told by Gene Odom.

Lynyrd Skynyrd disbanded after the crash, though Street Survivors continued to climb the charts and became one of the band's biggest hits.  The original cover sleeve for Street Survivors had featured a photograph of the band, particularly Steve Gaines, engulfed in flames. Out of respect for the deceased (and at the request of Teresa Gaines, Steve's widow), MCA Records withdrew the original cover and replaced it with a similar image of the band against a simple black background . Thirty years later, for the deluxe CD version of Street Survivors, the original "flames" cover was restored.

Lynyrd Skynyrd broke up after the crash, releasing a collection of early demos called Skynyrd's First And...Last in 1978; it had been scheduled for release before the crash..  The band reunited just once to perform an instrumental version of "Free Bird" at Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam V in January 1979.  Leon Wilkeson, who was still undergoing physical therapy for his badly broken left arm, was in attendance, along with Judy Van Zant (Ronnie Van Zant's widow), Teresa Gaines (Steve's widow), JoJo Billingsley and Leslie Hawkins (backup singers).

The double-album compilation Gold and Platinum was released in 1980. Later that year, Rossington and Collins formed a new band which featured four surviving members.  Two years later, Pyle formed the Artimus Pyle Band. Collins suffered a car crash in 1986, which killed his girlfriend and left him paralyzed.

In 1987, Rossington, Powell, King (guitarist who had left the band two years before the crash), and Wilkeson reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd, with lead singer Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother Johnny as the frontman and primary songwriter.  Due to Collins' paralysis from the 1986 car accident, he was only able to participate as the musical director, choosing Randall Hall, his former bandmate in the Allen Collins Band, as his stand-in.  The band embarked on a reunion tour, which was captured on the 1988 double-live album, Southern by the Grace of God/Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour -- 1987.  The re-formed Skynyrd began recording in 1991.

The reunited band was meant to be a one-time tribute to the original lineup, captured on the double-live album Southern By The Grace Of God/Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Tour 1987.  Judy Van Zant Jenness and Teresa Gaines Rapp (widows of Ronnie and Steve, respectively) sued the others for violating an agreement made shortly after the plane crash, stating that they would not "exploit" the Skynyrd name for profit.  As part of the settlement, Jenness and Rapp collect nearly 30% of the band's touring revenues, and hold a proviso which forces any band touring as "Lynyrd Skynyrd" to include at least two from the pre-crash era.

During the '90s, Lynyrd Skynyrd were made honorary colonels in the Alabama State Militia, due to their classic-rock staple "Sweet Home Alabama."  During the mid-'90s, VanZant, Rossington, Wilkeson, and Powell regrouped by adding two Southern rock veterans to Skynyrd's guitar stable: former Blackfoot frontman Rickey Medlocke and ex-Outlaw Hughie Thomasson.  With ex-Damn Yankee Michael Cartellone bringing stability to the drum chair, the reconstituted band signed to CMC International for the 1997 album Twenty.  This lineup went on to release Lyve From Steeltown in 1998, followed a year later by Edge of Forever. The seasonal effort Christmas Time Again was released in fall 2000.

Collins died of respiratory failure on January 23, 1990.  Leon Wilkeson died on July 27, 2001, due to emphysema and chronic liver disease.  On January 28, 2009, Billy Powell died, reportedly of a heart attack.

The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 13, 2006. Lynyrd Skynyrd had been nominated 7 times.

In October 2008, Lynyrd Skynyrd's song Free Bird's solo was named the 3rd greatest guitar solo by Guitar World.

In September 2010, Lynyrd Skynyrd was named #77 VH1's 100 Greatest Artist of All Time.

Lynyrd Skynyrd continues to tour and record. Of its original members, only Gary Rossington remains with the band as of 2011.

Tuesday 18 October 2011

A place to stand, a place to grow

A Place to Stand, A Place to Grow (Ontari-ari-ari-o!) was the unofficial anthem of the Canadian province of Ontario, written to celebrate Canada's 1967 Centennial.  It was the signature tune for a movie of the same name that was featured at the Ontario Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal.

On January 12, 2004, at the former Molson Breweries plant in Barrie, a marijuana grow-op was uncovered, housing an estimated 30,000 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $30 million.  At the time, it was the largest marijuana grow-op bust in Canada's history.

An episode of comedian Rick Mercer's Monday Report took the song, A Place to Stand, A Place to Grow (Ontari-ari-ari-o!), added some visual effects, and created about the funniest commentary on the subject of Ontario-based pot growing.

This bud's for you !!

The Music of Hockey

 In honour of hockey season, I just gotta highlight a few great hockey tunes.

The Hockey Song - Stompin' Tom Connors
"Oh, the good old hockey game/Is the best game you can name/ And the best game you can name/Is the good old hockey game."


Wayne Gretzky - Waikiki Hockey

Saturday Night Live,May 13, 1989 - Episode 265 (Season 14, Episode19)
"I slipped the puck across the goal line
the crowd went crazy and roared.
But when my baby kissed me and held me in my arms
I knew that I had finally scored
."
Wayne Gretzky was the first (and, as of season 36, only) NHL player to host SNL.

Tie Domi - The best scrapper the Leafs ever had
Only Tie a little tune sung on 104.5 CHUM-FM by Marilyn Denis


Fifty Mission Cap - The Tragically Hip
True story:
"Bill Barilko disappeared that summer
He was on a fishing trip
The last goal he ever scored won the Leafs the Cup [Note: 1951]
They didn't win another until 1962
The year he was discovered."

The Toronto Maple Leafs also won in 1963, 1964, and the last time to-date, in 1967.

Monday 17 October 2011

Just in time for Hallowe'en

Forty-nine years ago today (October 17, 1962, 1962) the #1 hit on the pop charts was Monster Mash, by Bobby Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers.

The song is narrated by a mad scientist whose monster, late one evening, rises from a slab to perform a new dance. The dance becomes "the hit of the land" when the scientist throws a party for other monsters.

The producers came up with several low-budget but effective sound effects for the recording. For example, the sound of a coffin opening was imitated by a rusty nail being pulled out of a board. The sound of a cauldron bubbling was actually water being bubbled through a straw, and the chains rattling were simply chains being dropped on a tile floor. Pickett also impersonated horror film actor Bela Lugosi as Dracula with the lyric "Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?"

The BBC had banned the record from airplay in 1962 on the grounds that the song was "too morbid".  (What's next ?  Gonna ban Hallowe'en & trick-or-treating ?)

Sunday 16 October 2011

Lazin' on a Sunday afternoon

It's another cool and windy Fall day; a good day to laze around with some time wasters.  Here's a few, of the musical variety, for you to take for a spin.


Music games and trivia 
Don't be afraid to create your own games (using their templates).

Dictionaraoke
So, you've all heard those audio pronunciations from online dictionaries, right?   What if you could take those same voices and have them sing some of your favorite rock, punk, and pop songs a la computerized karaoke?  It's a hoot !!

Dancing Paul

Dancing Paul
Man, who cares about that dancing baby, anyway?  Paul is the REAL dancing fool. Just pick from the list of songs and watch him shake his groove thing. You can change his style, the background image, and even add some of Paul's friends to the mix for a slam- bangin' dance party.  I about spit my drink thru my nose watching this guy.

Saturday 15 October 2011

A great rock trivia question is born !!

I luv music trivia as much as the next guy -- maybe even more !!

Back in the days when "Happy Hour" (2 for 1 beer prices) were legal in Ontario, a group of us would head to the local haunt.  Undoubtedly, a round or 20 of rock trivia would ensue.

My friend Bob O. figured he could stump me with a question about a one-hit wonder: "Who Sang Eve of Destruction"?   Well, Bob, you have to get up a lot earlier in the morning, if ya wanna catch me !!

Several artists have recorded it (The Turtles, Jan and Dean, The Grass Roots), but Barry McGuire's single went to number one on the Billboard chart in September 1965.  The song is a grave warning of imminent apocalypse, and considered by some to be the epitome of a protest song. It expressed the frustrations and fears of young people in the age of the Cold War, Vietnam, the nuclear arms race, and the civil rights movement.


From Wikipedia:
Barry McGuire became a born-again Christian, and as a result renounced the song for many years, refusing to perform it. Though he is now known primarily as a singer of contemporary Christian songs, McGuire has continued to sing "Eve Of Destruction" in recent years, often updating the lyrics to refer to such events as the Columbine High School massacre.

Barry McGuire updated the lyrics when he performed at a reunion of folksingers, with the line "Selma, Alabama", replaced by the words "Columbine, Colorado", referring to the student massacre of 1999. On March 12, 2008, McGuire appeared on the Australian music comedy/game show Spicks and Specks, performing an updated version of "Eve of Destruction", with new lines such as "You're old enough to kill/ you just started voting" and "...can live for ten years in space". The reference to "Red China" was also removed, and in its place were the more generic "Now think of all the hate, still living inside us/ its never too late, to let love guide us".
Today is Barry McGuire's birthday -- yipes !!....he's 76 years old  !!  Many happy returns, Barry !

Friday 14 October 2011

Your search is OVER / Dead / Gone the way of the parrot !!

No, this post is not about music.  It's about this blog in general.

A search function is a handy little gadget to feature on a blog.  I'm sure you'll agree.

Unfortunately, I haven't found one that works with any kind of regularity.  Through searching online forums for a solution, I've learned that I'm not alone.  It seems that everybody is fighting to get a search mechanism working on their blog.

Well, my Momma didn't raise any dummies.  I'm not gonna waste any more time or energy on trying to make this work.  I'm going to leave the task to everyone else.  Some day, if the majority get it working, I'll jump on the bandwagon (no pun intended) again.  For now, I'm removing the "search" widget from my blog.

Sorry folks !!

Remembering Bing Crosby



So hard to believe that it was 34 years ago (1977) that Bing Crosby passed away.

Of course, I think his most popular recordings were Christmas carols -- my personal favourite being "Mele Kalikimaka (The Hawaiian Christmas Song)" --, but he did so so so much more !!

I remember hearing so much "dirt" about him, after his death: that he was a nasty and abusive person.  Not only is this almost unbelievable, it's one of those things that you just don't want to know.  Some things border on being sacred and you just shouldn't go there.  (My feelings are the same, when I hear people trash-talking the Beach Boys.)

I prefer to remember the good old, happy, wholesome Bing, who graced our radio and TV sets for so many years.


Bada boom bada bing !!

Thursday 13 October 2011

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - Frankie Ford, The Dixie Cups

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida:
This episode features intro and signoff by Wolfman Jack and Emcee Glen Stetson, as well as the following artists:
- Frankie Ford - (1st set) Roberta, You Talk Too Much, Alimony
- The Dixie Cups - Going to the Chapel, Iko Iko
- Frankie Ford - (2nd set) Sea Cruise

[Dubbed from VHS recording from The Nashville Network 1988]

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - Brian Hyland, The Tokens

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida:
This episode features intro and signoff by Wolfman Jack and Emcee Glen Stetson, as well as the following artists:
- Brian Hyland - (1st set) The Joker Went Wild, Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, Sealed With A Kiss
- The Tokens - Tonight I Fell In Love, The Lion Sleeps Tonight
- Brian Hyland - (2nd set) I'm Afraid To Go Home, Gypsy Woman


[Dubbed from VHS recording from The Nashville Network 1988]

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - Johnny Tillotson, The Dovells

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida:
This episode features intro and signoff by Wolfman Jack and Emcee Glen Stetson, as well as the following artists:
- Johnny Tillotson - (1st set) Talk Back Trembling Lips, Earth Angel, It Keeps Right on A-Hurtin'
- The Dovells - Bristol Stomp, You Can't Sit Down
- Johnny Tillotson - (2nd set) Dreamy Eyes, Poetry In Motion


[Dubbed from VHS recording from The Nashville Network 1988]

The search for red hot lyrics

Just heard a song, but simply can't quite catch the lyrics ?  Are you tossing and turning at night, 'cause you've got a song on the brain and you're struggling to remember the words ?  Have no fear; there are lots of people in the same boat as you, and more than a few solutions to cure your insomnia.  

Display lyrics for your favorite music!
Lyrics plugin software for iTunes, Windows Media Player, Winamp, etc.  You do not need to change the way you enjoy music.
Display scrolling lyrics, you can follow along with the artist and catch every word. Automatically search and download lyrics.Huge lyrics database, and it is expanding every day. Free Trial version that never expires.  Minilyrics free download

Lyrics Plugin is a piece of software tailored for music fans. To put it simply - it is an add-on to view lyrics in Windows Media Player, Winamp or iTunes. No more searching for lyrics. Just start listening to your favourite songs and lyrics will be displayed automatically. Oh, and if lyrics is not found, you can add it yourself !

Lyricsfly searches for artist, song, album, or lyrics for your favorite tune.


EVILLYRICS searches over 15 million lyrics, guitar chords, AMG profiles, album covers, posters, etc.


  
AutoLyriX  downloads lyrics, album art (artwork) and SyncLyric (LRC files) automatically. It will find the player running (if the player is supported), get the current song from it and download the lyric and album art for you.

ChartLyrics is an awesome online utility.  Get cover art, lyrics, reviews and other album info from Google, Chartlyrics, allmusic and Wikipedia.  Portable ChartLyrics is the portable version of ChartLyrics developed to be able to run from a USB flash drive or any other portable device.  This tool will help you to grab lyrics information by using the ChartLyrics Lyric API. 

Lyreach: If you have a few words to a long forgotten song buzzing inside your head, just enter four or five words and get results from 400,000 lyrics.

LyricsMode is one of the largest lyrics sites on the web. With features like the ability to receive updates on your favourite artists through the site or via e-mail, videos for virtually every top track and the option of creating a personal profile, LyricsMode continues to be a leader in terms of quality and user experience.

LyricsFreak is easily one of the largest lyrics sites.  LyricsFreak offers visitors a hassle-free source for exactly what they came for -- millions of tracks from their favourite artists.


Lyricsty is a high-quality, user-friendly site that packs in easy to read top artist and lyric charts while forgoing some of the bells and whistles of its competitors.

Friday 7 October 2011

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - Del Shannon, The Jive Five

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida:
This episode features intro and signoff by Wolfman Jack and Emcee Glen Stetson, as well as the following artists:
- Del Shannon - (1st set) Hats Off To Larry, Handy Man, I Go To Pieces
- Jive Five - My True Story, I'm A Happy Man
- Del Shannon - (2nd set) Runaway

[Dubbed from VHS recording from The Nashville Network 1988]

Tuesday 4 October 2011

The Singing Bee (or, great minds sing alike)

You know you've lived together too long and know each other too well, when you start buying each other the same Christmas gift !!  That's what happened to hubby and I !

We both enjoyed the TV show, "The Singing Bee" and would watch it faithfully.
Oh, for sure, I agree that it was pretty cheesy at times (particularly due to the "nerditude" of Joey Fatone -- which we pronounce "Fat One"), but it was an entertaining half hour which offered at least a bit of nostalgia.

One day, I'm out shopping and what do I see at one of those mall "here today, gone tomorrow" stands?  The board game version of "The Singing Bee".  Well, without a doubt, Sweetie needed it.  I bought it and wrapped it up for him for Christmas.

Along comes Christmas Eve and I'm opening one of my gifts.  You guessed it !!   Sweetie had bought me the very same thing -- "The Singing Bee" board game.

So, my brother lucks out and gets the spare game.  And, after all, the game didn't turn out to be all that wonderful.  If you're only 2 players and one player has to work the DVD player, the guesswork kinda goes out the window.

That being said, if you enjoy music trivia games, along the lines of "Don't Forget The Lyrics" or, if you wax nostalgic while watching "Hit Me Baby One More Time", you'll definitely enjoy "The Singing Bee".

I've got beans in my ears (and buttons up my nose) !!

Anyone remember the song "Beans In My Ears", as sung by The Serendipity Singers ?

Sometimes, I wonder whether my own Mom had a hand in the lyrics to that song.  That's not because of any reference to the Viet Nam war (1), nor because of the danger (2).  No, I'm pretty sure that Mom's concern was more about how to get them out again -- especially if they were the hard, uncooked ones like you use to make baked beans.

You see, when I was quite young, I shoved two tiny shank buttons from my little pink sweater up my nose.  I can't remember how we ever got them out, but they were way up there and were awfully uncomfortable.  (Perhaps I should have stuck to making happy faces in the dirt with those pretty orange baby Aspirins ?)

Anyhow, I think it's quite a shame that "Beans In My Ears" doesn't seem to get much airplay any more.  I mean, just the mere fact that it's about beans, certainly bears repeating (pun intended) !!

(1) Pete Seeger changed the lyrics of one verse to, "I think Albie Jay has beans in his ears", suggesting that "Alby Jay" -- a loose pronunciation of Johnson's nickname "LBJ" -- did not listen to anti-war protests as he too had "beans in his ears".
(2) Doctors protested that many children were actually putting beans in their ears and so it was banned in some places.  KDKA, a Pittsburgh radio station, banned the song,  following complaints from listeners and area doctors who claim that children have been putting foreign objects into their ears at an increased rate since the single was released.
Chandler, states that he has the distinction of being the only songwriter in history to have his song publicly banned by the New York Board of Health.

Monday 3 October 2011

Find lots of MP3s: no P2P, no malware

I just stumbled across this cool utility -- it's pretty darn slick !

music2pc is a free program to find and download MP3 songs from the Internet. Search music among 100 million tracks and enjoy free mp3 downloads!

Built on a very fast and safe non-bittorrent and non-peer-to-peer method of getting MP3s, the program gives you the ultimate access to our multimillion database of quality mp3 songs. Search and download over 100 million MP3s for free.

It is an excellent tool which can be used to find and download their favorite MP3 music. Just enter the artist name or song name and click search! The downloaded mp3 file can be played by any mp3 players, including iPad, iPhone, cell phone, PSP, iPod, etc. So, enjoy music at home or on the road.

Best of all, music2pc is 100% freeware: No ads, no spyware, no charges, no time or feature limits. It is completely free for you to enjoy.

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - Jack Scott, Rockin' Robin, Lou Christie

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida:
This episode features intro and signoff by Wolfman Jack and Emcee Glen Stetson, as well as the following artists:
- Jack Scott - (1st set) The Way I Walk
- Lou Christie - Two Faces Have I, Rhapsody In The Rain, Lightning Strikes
- Rockin' Robin - Duke of Earl, Rockin' Robin
- Jack Scott - (2nd set) Goodbye Baby



[Dubbed from VHS recording from The Nashville Network, 1988]

Thursday 29 September 2011

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - Mary Wells, Buddy Knox

Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida:
This episode features intro and signoff by Wolfman Jack and Emcee Glen Stetson, as well as the following artists:
Mary Wells - (1st set) The One Who Really Loves You, What's Easy For Two Is So Hard For One, (2nd set) My Guy
Buddy Knox - Hula Love, Party Doll

[Dubbed from VHS recording from The Nashville Network, 1988]

Tuesday 27 September 2011

My fave radio player !!

Don'tcha just loathe radio stations that have their own proprietary audio player ?  Actually, don't you despise those who demand Windows Real Player or Apple's iTunes, just as much ?  Well, I'm with you!  Who the hell died and made them God ?

Fortunately, I've found a little utility that lets me listen to just about any radio station I want, without any of that overhead or headache.


I'm talking about Crawler's Radio & MP3 Player.  This little puppy is the best !  Now I have one single interface for everything -- proprietary / iTunes / RealPlayer be damned !!

The bonus is that this little darlin' has a built-in scheduler and recorder, so I never have to worry about missing a single instalment of Studebaker Hawk's "Hotwax" (Fridays, 6 a.m.-9 a.m. on wdvrfm.org) !!

I wouldn't want to do without Crawler.  I've listened to New Orleans & Mississippi stations after Katrina in 2001.  I tuned into Hawaii stations, after Kilaua erupted & there was also a tidal wave just after Japan's earthquake.  The possibilities are endless.

Crawler comes with a somewhat outdated list of radio stations, but it's pretty easy to add your own.

I know you're curious, so I'll just flat-out tell you the settings for WDVR !
WDVR High Speed: Stream URL = http://www.wdvrfm.org/wdvr45_10.asx
WDVR Low Speed: Stream URL = http://www.wdvrfm.org/wdvr24_11.asx

Enjoy !!

VIDEO: Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - Freddie Cannon, Bill Haley & The Comets


Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace, Kissimmee, Florida:
This episode features intro and signoff by Wolfman Jack and Emcee Glen Stetson, as well as the following artists:
- Freddie Cannon
- Bill Haley & The Comets
[Dubbed from VHS recording from The Nashville Network 1988]

Nirvana's "Nevermind" turns 20 - 20th Anniversary Box Set - VINYL !!!

I'm in Heaven....this one's on VINYL !!!

Vinyl Rewind celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Nirvana’s groundbreaking album Nevermind.

Includes bonus trivia about the hidden track that mysteriously appeared on some editions and not others.

The Deluxe Edition augments the remastered LP with live performances; plus demos, previously unreleased BBC sessions and 8 "boombox rehearsals" of Nevermind tracks. Fork out an extra $100-plus for the Super Deluxe Edition and you get all that, plus a version of Nevermind mixed by Butch Vig, before Andy Wallace was brought in for the final mix, a CD and DVD of a mind-blowing 1991concert at Seattle's Paramount Theatre, and a 90-page book.

Sunday 25 September 2011

Bite me, Katrina !!

To my dear friend in New Orleans:
I never again want to experience the worry of those 4 worrisome days when you went missing.  I never again want you to experience the tragedy of Katrina.
I'll be your willow -- I hope everyone has a willow !

Saturday 24 September 2011

Musical (Magical) Fruit ?

You're probably thinking "beans" right about now?...aren't you ?

Well, it just so happens that, despite the fact that beans are not fruit (are they?), there's a lot more musical fruit than you've ever likely stopped to think about.   Here are a lot of songs about fruit.

File this under, "Things you don't need to know" !

General
“All Her Favorite Fruit” - Camper Van Beethoven
"Fruit" - Bud Powell, Meat Puppets, John Donaldson, Chris Thomas King, Todd Barry, Rafter, Roy Ayers, Ubiquity, I.C.U., Pansies, Dudley, Angels of Epistemology, Hagfish, etc. etc.
"Fruits and Vegetables" - Shonen Knife  
"Fruit Cake" - Cake Like
"Fruit Nut"- XTC
Fruit of the Loom songs
"Fruit Salad" - The Wiggles
"Fruit Tree" - Nick Drake
"Juicy Fruit" - James Mtume 
"Small Fruit Song" - Al Stewart
"Strange Fruit" - Billie Holiday
"The Fresh Fruit Song" - Spike Milligan
The Fruit That Ate Itself" - Modest Mouse
"Tutti Frutti" - Little Richard
"Dried Fruits, Dried Fruits" - Sam Jones

Apples
"Apple"  - Cibo Matto
"Apples, Peaches, Cherries" - Peggy Lee
"Apples Peaches Pumpkin Pie" - Jay & The Techniqes
"Apples, Peaches, Bananas & Pears" - The Monkees
"Green Apple "- Puffy Ami Yumi
"Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree"- The Andrew Sisters
"Little Green Apples" - O. C. Smith
"One Bad Apple" - The Osmonds

Apricots
"Apricot Love" - Neil Norman

Avocado
"Avocado is a Fruit" - Sam Jones

Bananas 
"30,000 Pounds of Bananas"-Harry Chapin
"Banana Boat Song" - Harry Belafonte
"Banana Chips"-Shonen Knife
"Banana Convention" - The Barefoot Man
"Banana Pancakes" - Jack Johnson
"Banana Pudding" - Scots
"Banana Republic" - The Boomtown Rats
"Banana Split for My Baby" - Louis Prima 
"Bananas" - Louis Jordan
"Bananas and Cream" - Kinky Friedman
"Boiled Bananas And Carrots" - Peter Sellers
"Chiquita Banana" - Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra
"I Like Bananas (Because They Have No..." - Hoosier Hot Shots
"Loving You Has Made Me Bananas" - Guy Marks
"Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)" - Liz Phair 
"Yes, We Have No Bananas" - Ben Selvin/Spike Jones, Frank Silver & Irving Cohn

Blueberries
"Blueberry Hill" -  Fats Domino

Cherries
"Cherry Bomb" - Spoon
"Cherry, Cherry" - Neil Diamond
"Cherry Pie" - Jennifer Lopez
"Cherry Pie - Warrant
"Life Is Just A Bowl of Cherries" - Rudy Valee, Hutch, others
"Lonely Lola Cherry Cola Girl" -  Bic Runga
"Under the Cherry Moon" - Prince

Coconut
"Coconut" - Nillson
"Coconut Woman" - Harry Belafonte
"Don't Steal Me Coconuts" - The Barefoot Man
"I'm Coconuts Over You"  - The Barefoot Man
"I've Got A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts" - Freddy Martin
"Rum And Coconuts Water"   - The Barefoot Man
"Three Coconuts" - The Barefoot Man
"Under the Coconut Tree" - The Barefoot Man

Gooseberries
"Gooseberry" - Dan Truman
"Gooseberry Bush" - Paul Bradley
"Gooseberry Fool" - Kinky Fool
"Hang Me From a Gooseberry Tree" -John Howson

Grapefruit
"Grapefruit - Juicy Fruit" - Jimmy Buffett
"Grapefruit Diet" - Weird Al Yankovic
"Grapefruit Is A Great Fruit " - Sam Jones
"Grapefruit Moon" - Tom Waits, Nanci Griffith
"Grapefruit Song" - Juliet's Wishing Well
"Grapefruit Tea" - Olivia Lufkin-

Grapes
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - Marvin Gaye

Guava
"Guava Jelly" - Bob Marley

Kiwi
"Kiwi" - Maroon 5

Lemon
"Ice Cold Lemonade" - Death by Chocolate  
"Lemon" - U2
"Lemon Tree" - Peter, Paul & Mary
"Lemonade" - Prote!n
"The Lemon Song" - Led Zeppelin

Mango
"Mangos" - Rosemary Clooney

Oranges
"Jelly Jungle Of Orange Marmalade" - Monday Sinclair 
"Orange" - Death by Chocolate
"Orange and Red Beams" - Eric Burdon & Animals 
"Orange Blossom Special" - Johnny Cash    
"Orange Colored Sky" - Nat King Cole    
"Orange County Lumber Truck" - Frank Zappa   
"Orange Juice Blues" - Bob Dylan & the Band
"Oranges and Lemons" - Book of Love


Papaya
"Queenie Wahine's Papaya" - Elvis Presley

Peaches
"Peaches" - The Stranglers
"Peaches" - Presidents of the United States
"Peaches & Cream" - Beck
"Peaches N' Cream" - 112
"Clap Your Hands for Peaches" - Sam Jones -

Peanuts
"The Peanut Vendor" - Desi Arnaz
"Salt Peanuts" - Dizzy Gillespie

Persimmon
"Eat an Orange Ripe Persimmon" - Sam Jones

Pineapple
"Pineapple Princess" -  Petty Booka

Raspberries
"Raspberries, Strawberries" - The Kingston Trio  

"Raspberry Beret" - Prince

Rhubarb
"Another Man's Rhubarb" -  Pop Will Eat Itself
"Buddha Rhubarb" - Soul Coughing
"Rhubarb Bagel" - Lester
"Rhubarb Pie" - Five Iron Frenzy
"The Rhubarb Tart Song" - Monty Python


Strawberries
"Here Come De Honey Man / Crab Man / Oh Dey's So Fresh And Fine (Strawberry Woman)" - Ella Fitzgerald ("Porgy & Bess")  

"Strawberry Cream Puff" - Shonen Knife

"Strawberry Fields Forever" - The Beatles
"Strawberry Letter 23" - Brothers Johnson
"Strawberry Wine" - Deana Carter

Tangerine
"Sweet Tangerine" - The Hush Sound
"Tangerine" - Led Zeppelin

Tomatoes
"Don’t Squeeze the Tomatoes" (332K) - The Barefoot Man

Watermelon
"Old Dogs Children and Watermelon" - Wine Tom T. Hall
"Watermelon Man" - Mongo Santamaria

Friday 23 September 2011

Colours of Music Festival, Barrie, Ontario

This might be of interest to some of you....



The 9th annual Colours of Music features 150 musicians, singers, choirs, composers and more from across Canada, the United States and beyond to Barrie Sept. 23 through to Oct. 2. Brochures are available throughout the city. Festival passports are $85 for adults, $25 for students. Individual tickets and passports are available in advance at Music Pro, 725-1070; Our House, 725-0829 as well as at the door. For additional information, see www.coloursofmusic.ca.

I don't think I'll be able to make it but, if I could, I'd luv to see the harp on Sept. 28th.  Harps have always fascinated me !

Thursday 22 September 2011

Sorry, Eric...Shari's got it nailed !!

Word has it that Eric Clapton's, "You Look Wonderful Tonight" is one of the greatest love songs.  Well, to quote Steve Martin, "Well, Excuuuuuuse Me !", Eric.  I do believe that Shari nailed that category with her "Fear of Flying" hands down !!
I have luved Shari's voice since forever.  When she hits those high notes ("I listen so carefully" 2:38, "Here we go" 2:55; and then the killer "Never lose" 3:28), she just brings down the house.  I think I could listen to her doing "Fear of Flying" on permanent replay for a week and never want for more (okay..except maybe Freddie Mercury).   At some points, she actually sounds quite "slutty" and, you know, I've come to luv that too.  She just has that certain, please excuse me, "je ne sais quoi"...she really does.  It's the power of her voice.  It's....it's....it's (fade to Monty Python, if you must.).

Back in the early '80's, I was floored to find the Valdy & the Hometown Band album (vinyl) at our library.  I apologize to everyone who borrowed it after me...I'm sure that track was all but worn out !

It took seemingly forever, but I finally got to see Shari LIVE at Hugh's Room, on October 30, 2005.  See what I mean about "seemingly forever" ?  It doesn't matter.  When I like something, it stays liked (who said that ?  UPDATE:  This has been driving me crazy & I finally figured it out.  Eric Von Zipper, from the Beach Blanket Bingo movies said, "I like you. And when Eric Von Zipper likes someone, they stay liked." )

I requested "Fear of Flying" and I think I had to wait 'til the 3rd set.  It just about killed me !  But, it was soooo worth the wait.  In the interim, Shari spoke about her daughter leaving home to attend university.  I think this was the newborn meaning of this song for her !!  And that's what I think really made it a "love" song !!...and a damn good one to boot !!

I'm still wondering why, to this day, but when the first strains of the melody started, so did my tears.  I just couldn't stop the flow.  I wasn't sad, happy, giddy...any of those things.  I guess I was just "fulfilled" ?

What really gets me, is why they get such losers on Canadian Idol and they haven't invited Shari.   Or maybe they have & she's declined.  I suppose that could be a good thing.  It just irks me somehow that, of all of the Canadian talent that gets promoted every which way from Sunday, how did this gem get overlooked ?  There oughta be a law !!

VIDEO: Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Palace - Featuring: Tommy Sands, Johnny Thunder, Bobby Vee, The Diamonds, Johnny Tillotson, The Platters, The Crickets, Ace Cannon

You don't have to be color blind to play...but we'd appreciate it !!

So, I'm playing Trivial Pursuit with my nephew.  It's down to the last seconds; whoever answers the next question, gets their final wedge and wins the game.

Wouldn't you know ?  My nephew gets the easiest question in the world !!  I can't recall the exact wording, but let's say it was, "What are the colors of the prism on the cover of "Dark Side of the Moon"?  Oh, nuts !  He's gonna win !  How will I ever live this down ?

My nephew gets a look of total despair on his face.  He looks up at me & said, "I can't answer that.  I don't know."  "Oh, come on!", I say.  "No kidding....I'm colour blind !"

I knew there was something I liked about him !!

Supergroup or Stuporgroup ?

It would seem that some geriatric musicians aren't handling retirement well.  Can you imagine a group comprised of members of Blondie, The Sex Pistols, and the Cult ?  Not only that !  Can you imagine that they actually plan to take their act on the road ?

7401Sex Pistols, Blondie, The Cult And Supernaut Become The International Swingers

It is time to toss the “supergroup” word around again. This time the band is The International Swingers, made up of members of Blondie, The Sex Pistols. The Cult and Supernaut.

I can picture it now: roadies loading and unloading walkers and cartons of Geritol.  What next ?  A Fats Domino tribute to Ozzy Osbourne ?

Wednesday 21 September 2011

You are what you eat ???

In 1971, when the song "Timothy" (by The Buoys) came out, I was in high school.  The song must have received a lot of airplay, 'cause the tune has always been quite familiar to me.  However, I guess I was too busy at the time (high school band, part-time job -- not to mention, I contracted mono), to listen beyond the melody and pay attention to the lyrics.
When I first learned of the song meaning, I was in my mid 30's -- no kidding, years after the song was first released !  Again, let's just say that I was busy -- it couldn't be that I was "slow"...naw !!  Cannibalism ?  Wow !  Now, that's different !  You can bet, that as soon as I heard that, I simply "had" to hear it again.
I remember my reaction..."Holy Toledo !  How could they?"  They must have been desperate -- I mean, REALLY desperate !  Can you imagine ?  I think I'd have to starve for a couple of weeks, before I'd even eat a hot dog, so I'm sure I'd be stark raving mad, before I'd nosh on "Tim bits" !!

Nowadays, I've got a bit more time on my hands.  I'm off to research the expression, "You are what you eat" !!