music Archives - Page 28 of 261 - Ramblin' with Roger

Play my compact discs

World Development Information Day

Way back in 2007, I posted how I play my compact discs. In general, they’re tied to an artist’s birthday, or in the case of classical albums, composer’s natal day.

By the way, when I am refiling my CDs, I don’t bother with details such as chronology. So next time I play my Beatles, it might be Sgt. Pepper, followed by Help, Abbey Road, and A Hard Day’s Night.

But what about those other albums, compilations, and the like? Some are by genre, others by record label. I have a system. But now, because I FORGET, I need to codify it.

JANUARY: Cadence Records because Julius LaRosa’s birthday was the 2nd, and Arthur Godfrey fired him for being not grateful enough

FEBRUARY: soul, rhythm and blues, rap for Black History Month, including the Atlantic R&B, but excluding Motown and Stax

Movie soundtracks if Oscars are in the month; otherwise, in March

Buddah Records, because the late Melanie Safka’s birthday was the 3rd, and I LOVE Lay Down

Louisiana/New Orleans music, two weeks before Ash Wednesday because of Mardi Gras

MARCH: Baseball, on Opening Day

APRIL -Jazz because it’s Jazz Appreciation Month. Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Ella, and the Duke were all born that month. I need to remember the Atlantic jazz albums

MAY: bluegrass for Worldwide Bluegrass Music Month.

JUNE: Original cast albums, Broadway, and others in honor of the Tony Awards. The original Jesus Christ Superstar album I play then

Blues, including Atlantic and Alligator, for African American Music Appreciation Month

Apple -Paul McCartney’s birthday is the 18th

The second half

JULY: Stax Records. Jim Stewart, born on the 29th, was the label’s co-founder. He’s in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but shamefully, his sister and co-founder, Estelle Axton, is not

SEPTEMBER: folk music in honor of my father, whose birthday was the 26th

OCTOBER: reggae in honor of Peter Tosh’s birthday, which was the 19th

World music for United Nations Day and World Development Information Day, both of which are on the 24th

NOVEMBER: Motown. Label founder Berry Gordy’s birthday is the 28th

DECEMBER: Christmas albums; I’m now willing to start on Thanksgiving, but NO EARLIER

Red, Hot, and Blue – the original album was released on December 1

If I’m going to own all of this physical music, I need a methodology for playing them.

In response to a query, I’ve checked Joel Whitburn’s Top Pop Singles, 1955-2018, and discovered several songs entitled All Night Long, which are not covers but are said to be distinctly different. I found two more in Whitburn’s Pop Memories, 1890-1954.

I’ve never heard of most of them.

Ada Jones and Billy Murray, #7 in 1913

Faith Evans, #9 in 1999, was also #3 RB for two weeks. The track features Puff Daddy and samples “I Hear Music In The Streets” by Unlimited Touch.

Joe Walsh, #19 in 1980

Rusty Bryant, #25 in 1954; “This rockin’ ‘live’-sounding performance of the famous Jimmy Forrest tune by jazz saxman Bryant was first issued in 1953 on the Carolyn label under the title ‘Nite Train,’ but was later picked up by Dot and retitled ‘All Nite Long’ for their 1954 reissue.” This song is familiar.

Sandy Nelson, #75 in 1962. Also familiar.

Billy Squier, #75 in 1984. Co-produced by Jim Steinman

Jo Stafford, #99 in 1956

Mary Jane Girls, #101 in 1983

Rainbow, #110 in 1980

Demi Lovato, #124 in 2011

Jerry Lee Lewis, classic in 1957

Motown

The best-known version is more accurately called All Night Long (All Night)

Lionel Richie, #1 in 1983. It went from #14 to #7 on October 15, then to #5, #3, and #2. Then, it switched places with Islands In The Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton on November 12, staying at #1 until it was supplanted by Say Say Say by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. It remained in the Top 10 through the January 7, 1984 charts.

Arthur wrote about this song last year, from which I shall purloin the following:

“The official music video was produced by Mike Nesmith (formerly of The Monkees and an extensive solo career.) It was directed by American film director Bob Rafelson who was also a creator of The Monkees TV series….

“All Night Long (All Night)” reached Number One in Australia, Number One in Canada (Platinum), 4 in New Zealand, 2 in the UK (Platinum), and Number One on the USA’s “Billboard Hot 100” [for four weeks], “Hot Black Singles” [for seven weeks], and “Adult Contemporary” [for four weeks] charts, as well as Number One on Cash Box “Top 100”; it was certified Gold in the USA.

Then there is the spelling variation on the theme, All Nite Long, none of which received much chart action on the pop, country, RB, or AC charts.

Billy Vaughn, #102 in 1959. This IS the same tune as the Rusty Bryant song!

Robert Parker, #113 in 1959

A.L.T., #121 in 1994 – parental advisory

There are also at least four songs called All Night, an All Nite, and an All Nite (Don’t Stop).

May rambling: unchallengeable political power

Florida man?

“Project 2025’s agenda, backed by more than 100 right-wing organizations, is detailed in Mandate for Leadership, a version of which Heritage has written as transition plans for each prospective Republican president since 1981. This year’s version is its most complete and toxic ever as it puts democratic institutions and democratic ideals on the chopping block by threatening civil and human rights, eliminating reproductive rights, infusing the government with Christian values, denying climate change, rounding up and deporting undocumented people, taking over the Justice Department, and intimidating journalists. The Project’s goal? Unadulterated, unchallengeable political power for decades to come.” Also, read Weekly Sift.

The Supreme Court is breaking America’s faith in the law.

There is a connection between seasonal allergies and mental health

The Rise of Mega Studios: How MGM Remade Hollywood 100 Years Ago

Denzel Washington Set for Retrospective at American Black Film Festival

Roger Corman, Giant of Independent Filmmaking, Dies at 98

Jeannie Epper, Legendary ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Romancing the Stone’ Stuntwoman, Dies at 83

The beekeeper who saved a baseball game

From MrBeast to Logan Paul: Why Wall Street Is Infatuated With Influencers

Three Whole Onions with Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Hank Green

“Thank you for paying your bill in full three months ago. Now pay us $240 more RIGHT NOW.”

Views of the northern lights from around the US; alas, I missed them

Now I Know: He Eight a Cheeseburger and A Different Type of Buried Treasure and When New York City Moved — All At Once and How To Become a Marvel Hero Without Being Furious About It and When It’s Better Not to Share Where Things are Made

Funner/funnest

Amendment XII

The presumptive Republican Party nominee for President in 2024. I wonder how the 12th Amendment to the Constitution will affect his choice of Vice-President.

The presumed candidates include Sen. Marco Rubio (FL), Sen. Tim Scott (SC), Sen. J.D. Vance (OH), Sen. Mike Lee (UT), Sen. Marsha Blackburn (TN), Gov. Doug Burgum (ND), Gov. Kristi Noem (SD), Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY), Rep. Byron Donalds (FL), Rep. Wesley Hunt (TX), Rep. Michael Waltz (FL), Sen. Tom Cotton (AR), former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson (FL), Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (AR), and Sen. Katie Britt (AL).

Amendment XII reads in part: “The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves.” The Constitution Center writes: “The Twelfth Amendment cannot be understood outside of the Electoral College, which was set out in the 1787 Constitution as the mechanism by which Americans select their presidents.”

Without getting too much in the weeds, the electors could not vote for both if two Floridians were running for President and Veep from the same party. Most likely, they’d vote for the president, but the Senate could decide the Vice-President. Since djt is now from Florida, I can’t imagine he’d pick Rubio, Donalds, Waltz, or Carson, since the state has 30 electoral votes.

But djt won’t make a selection until shortly before the RNC convention. It makes all of those potential selections better surrogates.

I think, at this moment, it could be Stefanik or Sarah Huck, though Scott grovels well, and Burgam has a lot of money. Frank S. Robinson sarcastically (I think) suggests a Trump-Trump ticket.

Writer’s Institute

From the New York State Writer’s Institute:

“You think it will never happen to you, that it cannot happen to you,

that you are the only person in the world to whom none of these things will ever happen,

and then, one by one, they all begin to happen to you, in the same way they happen to everyone else.”

– Paul Auster (1947-2024), from Winter Journal (2012)

Music

Beethoven 9 -BBC Proms 2012 and Chicago Symphony Orchestra in honor of its premiere 250 years ago. Locks of Beethoven’s Hair Offer New Clues to the Mystery of His Deafness

Century Rolls: I. First Movement (excerpt) – John Adams

Sleep by Eric Whitacre

Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – I Know | Challengers (Original Score)

Favorite Songs By Favorite Artists: Eagles and INXS and Red Hot Chili Peppers

K-Chuck Radio: The sweet sounds of The Executives

I Turn My Camera On – Spoon

Audra McDonald sings I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady

Ali Farka Touré – Ali Aoudy

Catch The Wind – MonaLisa Twins

Grand March from The Queen of Sheba by Charles Gounod

Thom Yorke – Suspirium

Duane Eddy, Twangy Guitar Hero of Early Rock, Dies at 86; Rebel-‘Rouser

Matadjem Yinmixan · Tinariwen

TRON suite -Wendy Carlos

Like A Prayer – Madonna

Peter Sprague Plays Dry Cleaner from Des Moines featuring Sinne Eeg

Bombino – Tar Hani (My Love)

Thou shalt not plagiarize Blotto

Al Dexter and the country hits of 1944

Pistol Packin’ Mama

Until I noticed that the country music charts started in 1944, per Joel Whitburn’s Record Research book, Al Dexter was unknown to me. This even though he was a massive star.

Per the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame page, he was born Clarence Albert Poindexter on May 4, 1905. “Al Dexter is considered to be one of the forefathers of the honky-tonk music style. But rather than specializing in forlorn heartache laments, he emphasized the rollicking, good-time, barrelhouse side of this country barroom genre… He was proficient on guitar, banjo, harmonica, organ, and mandolin.” He died in January 1984.

So Long Pal – Al Dexter, #1 for 13 weeks

Smoke On The Water – Red Foley, #1 for 13 weeks. A WWII song, Some of these performers I do know, probably from the 50 Stars, 50 Hits album that my grandfather McKinley Green brought me when I was a kid.

I’m Wasting My Tears On You – Tex Ritter and his Texans, #1 for six weeks. I know that name too, but not just because he was the father of John Ritter of Three’s Company fame. Ritter co-wrote it.

Straighten Up And Fly Right – the King Cole Trio, #1 for six weeks. I own this on a Nat Cole CD. Cole co-wrote this.

Pistol Packin’ Mama – Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his Orchestra, #1 for five weeks. Dexter wrote it. I have this on a Crosby/Andrews Sisters CD compilation.

Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t (Ma Baby) – Louis Jordan, from the Universal picture Follow the Boys, #1 for five weeks. This song, written by Jordan and Billy Austin, appears on my only Jordan CD compilation. I first heard this song by Joe Jackson in the early 1980s.

Also

Soldier’s Last Letter – Ernest Tubb, #1 for four weeks. After my father-in-law died in 2020, I sorted his CDs and picked out my first two Tubb albums, though I’d known the name for decades.

Pistol Packin’ Mama – Al Dexter, #1 for three weeks.

Ration Blues – Louis Jordan, #1 for three weeks, co-written by Jordan.

Too Late To Worry – Al Dexter, #1 for two weeks

For one week each:

Rosalita – Al Dexter

They Took The Stars Out of Heaven -Floyd Tillman and His Favorite Playboys, written by Tillman

Some notes:

Al Dexter and his Troopers hit the pop charts with Pistol Packin’ Mama in 1943. The song was used in a 1943 film of the same name.

Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, together and separately, hit the top of the pop charts in 1944 but with different songs. The same is true of Louis Jordan.

The #1 Hits of 1944

liddle lamzy divey

If Bing Crosby was big in 1934, he was massive a decade later, as the #1 hits of 1944 show. He sang on six of the 17 songs on the charts, two with the Andrews Sisters. His 1942 smash White Christmas went Top 5 pop and Top 10 R&B in 1944.

From A Century of Music by Joel Whitburn: “The recording industry enjoyed booming success during the early 1940s until the era’s dominant big bands were stilled on August 1, 1942, when the American Federation of Musicians joined in a ban on recording due to a dispute over musicians’ royalties. By the time all record companies entered into an agreement to end the ban in late 1944, vocalists had assumed predominance over bands in popularity.”

Of course, the US was amid World War II, as some of the song titles make clear.

BTW, because of competing charts, there were 88 weeks’ worth of #1 hits. All songs were on Decca Records except the two indicated.

Swinging On A Star – Bing Crosby, nine weeks at #1, gold record. From the Paramount picture Going My Way, for which he also scored an Oscar on March 15, 1945, portraying Father Chuck O’Malley in the 1944 film

Shoo Shoo Baby – The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his orchestra, nine weeks at #1. From the Universal picture Three Cheers For The Boys.

Don’t Fence Me In – Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his orchestra, eight weeks at #1, gold record, written by Cole Porter. From the Warner Brothers picture Hollywood Canteen.

The Beatles covered this.

Besame Mucho (Kiss Me Much) – Jimmy Dorsey with Bob Eberly and Kitty Kallen, seven weeks at #1. The song was performed on the Beatles Decca audition of 1 January 1962; the label passed on them.

I’ll Get By (As Long As I Have You) – Harry James with Dick Haymes (Columbia), six weeks at #1

(There’ll Be A) Hot Time In The Town of Berlin (When The Yanks Go Marching In) – Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his orchestra, six weeks at #1. The writing credits are Sgt. Joe Bushkin and Pvt. John De Vries.

You Always Hurt The One You Love – Mills Brothers, five weeks at #1, gold record

San Fernando Valley – Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter and his orchestra, five weeks at #1. It was composed by Gordon Jenkins.

My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart?) – Glen Gray with Eugenie Baird and the Casa Loma Orchestra, five weeks At #1. From the 20th Century Fox picture Sweet Rosie O’Grady

I Love You – Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter and his orchestra, five weeks at #1. From Michael Todd’s Mexican Hayride. Written by Cole Porter.

My mom sang this.

Mairzy Doats – The Merry Macs, five weeks at #1. A novelty song that I remember my mother singing around the house. The lyrics.

I’ll Walk Alone – Dinah Shore (Victor), four weeks at #1. From the Universal film Follow The Boys. Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn wrote it.

I’ll Be Seeing You – Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter and his orchestra, four weeks at #1

G.I. Jive – Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, two weeks at #1. Johnny Mercer wrote it.

Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall -Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald, two weeks at #1, gold record

I’m Making Believe – Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald, two weeks at #1, gold record. From the 20th Century Fox picture Sweet and Low-Down.

It’s Love-Love-Love – Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians with Skip Nelson and the Lombardo Trio, two weeks at #1

Tag: music