music Archives - Page 86 of 268 - Ramblin' with Roger

May rambling: Goblet of Empathy

Digital divide, and the home appraisal gap

vaccine_guidance — From https://xkcd.com/2434/

“Police are investigating a threat of violence directed at a local cocktail lounge after its owner announced that he will require proof of coronavirus vaccination before admitting patrons when the bar reopens next weekend. Matt Baumgartner said that in less than four hours Thursday afternoon he received more than 100 messages via phone, email, and social media, nearly all sharply critical of the stance. Some threatened boycotts, others vandalism, and one threatened violence. ”

I’d be MORE inclined to go there myself. Boycott if they want, but why are some people threatening his right to run his business as he pleases?

Mitch McConnell admits he is fully committed to blocking everything. He said the same thing in 2010.

Biden’s Great Economic Rebalancing.

The Reagan Era is Finally Over.

Anti-Black Police Violence Constitutes Crimes Against Humanity and They Were Sons.

11 Moments From Asian American History That You Should Know.

Gallup: Does Capitalism Need a Soul Transplant?

Red States Crack Down on Protests.

Tucker Carlson Is Emblematic of Today’s Republican Party.

The Baby Bump That Wasn’t.

Marital Histories Differ Between Native-Born and Foreign-Born Adults.

You Won’t Need a Real ID Until 2023.

Why Going to the Doctor Sucks.

I’m good with an Excelsior Wallet, proof of having been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Chart from the CDC: Choosing Safer Activities.

What is the digital divide?

How the home appraisal gap makes homeownership more difficult and costly for Black families.

Aaron Mair: The Problem With Climate Havens.

There is no remedy for love but to love more.
-Henry David Thoreau

Disney Must Pay!

Living With the Sackler Name.

Hair: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

‘Street Gang’ Director Marilyn Agrelo On All The Secrets She Learned About Sesame Street.

Olympia Dukakis, Academy Award-winning actress, dies at 89.

How My Ex-Husband Became One of My Best Friends.

And more

Beavers Wipe Out Town’s Internet.

Did This Man Have the Longest Name of the 20th Century?

LEGOLAND NY prepares to open.

Belgian farmer accidentally moves French border.

Not me: “They (People in low vaccinated areas) felt they were being overlooked and neglected,” said Roger Green Sr., the pastor at Mt. Zion. “What we have done is brought it to their front door.”.

Not me: Kent tokens dropped by traders fleeing the Great Fire of London could fetch thousands. Roger Green, who is originally from Kent, spent 35 years collecting the tokens along the muddy banks of the River Thames.

Now I Know: The Trees That Rock and When Foxes Flew (Against Their Will) and Four Weddings and Divorce or Three and The Road Repair That Broke Science and Harvard Versus Hard Knocks and The Other Side of Midnight and More Accurately, He Was The Hamburglar and There’s No Such Thing As a Lot of Free Pennies and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Empathy.

Love isn’t a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun like ‘struggle.’
Fred Rogers

MUSIC

Take a minute to listen to Prelude No. 16 in B-flat minor, opus 28, for solo piano by Chopin.

Clang, Clang, Clang Went Josh Hawley! – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody.

Iko Iko – Song Around the World.

It’s For You – Peter Sprague, featuring Rebecca Jade.

We Need To Get Past Covid – Shelly Goldstein.

Rob Roy Overture by Hector Berlioz.

LOUBOUTINS 2.0 – Aubrey Logan.

R.I.P., Jim Steinman.

It’s All Coming Back To Me Now – Celine Dion.

So This Is Love – Peter Sprague, featuring Sinne Eeg.

I Love NY medley.

Our Town suite by Aaron Copland.

For Good – Chenowith, and Menzel.

Coverville 1357: Cover Stories for Lesley Gore and Robert Johnson.

Both Sides Now – the MonaLisa Twins.

Willie Nelson.

Jeepers Creepers – Julian Neel.

Many more Flintstones versions

The women of jazz fought racism and sexism to open doors for their sisters.

Roberta Flack – her musical gift to us has spanned more than 5 decades.

Songs that use augmented chords.

Singer Lloyd Price (1933-2021)

Mr. Personality

It wasn’t until I was watching CBS Sunday Morning on May 9 that I heard about the death of Lloyd Price six days earlier. He was a rhythm and blues star and an early rock influence.

Lloyd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Of the “rock and roll pioneer,” the site noted that he propelled “his own music career and [broke] down doors for Little Richard and Elvis Presley to deliver rock and roll to millions of fans.

“As an entertainment industry entrepreneur, [he] wrote smash hits, launched and owned clubs and record labels, and promoted concerts and sporting events. His talent, positive energy, tireless drive, and love of music still reverberate to this day.”

Lawdy Miss Clawdy, #1 RB for seven weeks in 1952 – a groundbreaking cut that I recall, even though it came out before I was born
Oooh-Oooh-Oooh, #4 RB in 1952, he had several massive hits on the black charts that did not cross over in those pre-rock days
Restless Heart, #5 RB in 1952
Ain’t It A Shame, #4 RB in 1953
Tell Me Pretty Baby, #8 RB in 1953 – a real New Orleans feel

After a stint in Korea for the US Army

Just Because, #3 RB for two weeks, #29 pop in 1957
Stagger Lee, #1 for four weeks both RB and pop in 1959. From PBS: “‘American Bandstand’ host Dick Clark worried the song was too violent for his teen-centered show and pressed Price to revise it: For ‘Bandstand’ watchers and some future listeners, Stagger Lee and Billy peacefully resolve their dispute.”

Where Were You (On Our Wedding Day), #4 RB, #23 pop in 1959
Personality, #1 RB for four weeks, #2 for three weeks pop in 1959. This hit, plus his affable nature, led to his nickname, “Mr. Personality.”
I’m Gonna Get Married, #1 RB for three weeks, #3 for two weeks pop in 1959
Come Into My Heart, #2 RB for three weeks, #20 pop in 1959

Wont’cha Come Home, #6 RB, #43 pop in 1960
Lady Luck, #3 RB for three weeks, #14 pop in 1960
Question, #5 RB, #19 pop in 1960
Misty, #11 RB, #21 pop in 1963. The standard.

More music

Lloyd Price “found his way into other professions through a wide range of friends and acquittances. He… along with boxing promoter Don King, helped stage the 1973 ‘Thrilla in Manila’ between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali and the 1974 ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ championship fight between Ali and George Foreman. He was also a home builder, a booking agent, an excellent bowler, and the creator of a line of food products.”

The hits of 1941: Jimmy Dorsey

Tommy’s big brother

Poor Jimmy Dorsey. He was a successful jazz bandleader, especially in 1941. But he only had 13 birthdays. That’s in part because James Francis Dorsey was born on Leap Year Day in 1904.

Jimmy was the big brother of Tommy Dorsey. They were born in Shenandoah, PA, the sons of Theresa Langton Dorsey and Thomas Francis Dorsey. Their “father, Thomas, was initially a coal miner, but would later become a music teacher and marching-band director.” The older brother played clarinet and the saxophone.

“In 1927, the brothers created the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra… Despite their success, the brothers frequently disagreed over management of the band and their conflict would come to a head in May 1935 when, after an onstage disagreement, Tommy stormed off.”

I imagine there was a sibling competition going on. In 1941, Tommy Dorsey had four songs in the Top 4, three with a promising young singer named Frank Sinatra, who reportedly had blue eyes.

Combination of the two

“Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey reunited on March 15, 1945, to record a V-Disc … The songs featured the combined orchestras of Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey.

“In 1947…, the brothers would put aside their tensions to film The Fabulous Dorseys. The film was a look inside the brothers’ lives from practicing as children to making it big as adults; the brothers played themselves in the film. It also highlighted their struggles leading the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra and showed what their lives were like on the road…”

In 1950, Tommy offered Jimmy “a seat in the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. In 1953, Tommy and Jimmy would rename the band, the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. Tommy was the leader of the group, and made Jimmy both the co-leader and featured soloist.

“In 1956, after Tommy Dorsey died from choking in his sleep, Jimmy took over leadership of the orchestra. Around that same time, Jimmy was diagnosed with throat cancer.” He died June 12, 1957, at age 53, in New York City.

Hits of 1941

Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy) – Jimmy Dorsey with Bob Eberly and Helen O’Connell. Ten weeks at #1, gold record.

Chatanooga Choo Choo – Glenn Miller with Tex Beneke. Nine weeks at #1, gold record. It topped the charts when the United States entered World War II.

Piano Concerto in B Flat – Freddy Martin. Eight weeks at #1, gold record. Tchaikovsky piece played by Jack Fina.
Daddy – Sammy Kaye. Eight weeks at #1.

Green Eyes (Aquellos Ojos Verdes) – Jimmy Dorsey with Bob Eberly and Helen O’Connell. Four weeks at #1, gold record.

Maria Elena – Jimmy Dorsey with Bob Eberly. Two weeks at #1, gold record.
My Sister and I – Jimmy Dorsey with Bob Eberly. Two weeks at #1.

Elmer’s Tune – Glenn Miller with Tex Beneke. One week at #1.
Blue Champagne – Jimmy Dorsey with Bob Eberly. One week at #1.
Song of the Volga Boatmen – Glenn Miller. One week at #1. Yes, the Russian folk song.

I always associate 1941 with two baseball stories. It was the season that Joe DiMaggio hit safely in 56 consecutive games, and Ted Williams became the last player to date to bat over .400, .406 to be precise.

April rambling: the automatic runner

Mandela’s Blues

Bonhoeffer musing on Who am I?

Bankruptcy: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

The Unbelievable Story of Europe’s Runaway Nazi.

Planned Parenthood: We’re Done Making Excuses for Our Founder.

“Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.”
– James Baldwin, “Letter From a Region in My Mind” essay

The anti-trans distraction.

American Library Association: books with antiracist messages climbed the list of most challenged or banned titles in 2020.

These inventors don’t get the credit they deserve.

Weekends In Space.

Best history podcasts: 14 shows that tell you forgotten stories.

Remembering Walter Mondale.

Gender reveal party death toll mounts, people ask Why?

Prince Philip’s Fascinating Family: A Russian Tsarina, A Greek Orthodox Nun, a Banished King, and More.

Make To Don’t Lists.

New JEOPARDY guest hosts announced! LeVar Burton, George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts, David Faber, and Joe Buck.

Theology in the DCU and MU.

Now I Know: The Picture of Abraham Lincoln’s Fake Ghost and The Birthday Problem and When Stalin’s Grapes Went
Sour and The First Boycott and Mussels and When Baseball Went to Pot.

Not me: Four Mustangs caught going more than double the speed limit in Surrey. “High-risk driving behaviour… is one of the leading causes of collisions in BC,” said Sergeant Roger Green of the service’s Community Response Unit.

Not me: Immigrants in Greece who can’t book Covid jabs. Roger Green, a British writer who has lived on the island since the early ’90s, says some are afraid to leave their homes.

SPORTS

MLB’s extra-innings rule is back in 2021; here’s why baseball should use
ties instead. “Each half-inning beyond the ninth — i.e., extra innings — in Major League Baseball now begins with a runner on second base and no outs.” The automatic runner rule is dreadful, a baseball abomination,IMO.

Why Home Runs Are Bad for Baseball.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) in Kansas City is a “privately funded, not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its profound impact on the social advancement of America.”

Pitcher Hope Trautwein Throws A Perfect Game Of All Strikeouts

Mulligan? Golfers consult rule book after ball lands on alligator’s back

MUSIC

Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace by S.S. Wesley (Isaiah 26:3).

Mandela’s Blues -Kinky Friedman.

Wichita Lineman – Peter Sprague, featuring Rebecca Jade.

Solfeggio by Arvo Part, San Diego Master Chorale.

A Rainbow in Curved Air – Terry Riley.

I Got a Gal in Kalamazoo – Glenn Miller band with Tex Beneke and the dancing of the Nicholas Brothers (1942 movie “Orchestra Wives”).

Music for Percussion Quartet – David Crowell, plus Music for Pieces of Wood, by Steve Reich.

Coverville 1355 : The Roy Orbison Cover Story III and 1356: Tribute to Jim Steinman and 50th Anniversary of The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers.

The Swan of Tuonela by Sibelius.

Flintstones theme: Jazz Ambassadors, Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis, Hungarian Border Guard Orchestra, FMU Jazz Ensemble, Bjørn Jørgensen
and his Big Band, Jacob Collier, Postmodern Jukebox, The CompanY, and Vinheteiro.

Robert Schumann’s Traumerai. You KNOW this tune!

Original performers; you know the cover version

Jackie DeShannon

My friend Fred Hembeck gave me a collection of songs some years ago. The thing they have in common is that they were all very familiar, but not by the artists on the disc.

These were the original performers. So I decided to post some songs that I didn’t know were the first recorded versions, some from that album plus a few extras.

Dedicated To The One I Love – The Five Royales (1957), The Shirelles (1959). The Mamas and the Papas also recorded this.
I Can’t Stop Lovin’ You – Don Gibson (1958), Ray Charles (1962). Written by Gibson on June 7, 1957, the same day he wrote Oh, Lonesome Me, later covered by Neil Young, among others.
I’m Leavin’ It All Up To You – Don and Dewey (1959), Dale and Grace (1963). Donny and Marie also covered this.
Twist and Shout – The Top Notes (1961), The Isley Brothers (1962). Also covered by a Liverpudlian band of some note.

Someday We’ll Be Together – Johnny and Jackie (1961), Diana Ross and the Supremes (1969). The songwriters were Johnny Bristol, Jackey Beavers (the singers of the original), and Harvey Fuqua. The cover is Diana with non-Supremes background singers.
Nobody But Me – The Isley Brothers (1962), The Human Beinz (1968)
You’re No Good – Dee Dee Warwick (1963), Betty Everett (1963). Yes, DeeDee was the sister of Dionne. Linda had a big hit
Do-Wah-Diddy – The Exciters (1963), Manfred Mann (1964). Written by the great songwriting duo of Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry

Dr. Kildare?

Needles And Pins – Jackie DeShannon (1963), The Searchers (1964). Written by Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono
(They Long to Be) Close to You – Richard Chamberlain (1963), Carpenters (1970). Chamberlain was TV’s Dr. Kildare. Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
Go Now – Bessie Banks (1964), Moody Blues (1964)
I’m Into Something Good – Earl-Jean (1964), Herman’s Hermits (1964). Earl-Jean was a member of the Cookies. Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King

My Girl Sloopy – The Vibrations (1964), The McCoys (1965 as Hang On, Sloopy)
Good Lovin’ – Lemme B. Good (1965), The Olympics (1965), The Young Rascals (1966)
Bette Davis Eyes – Jackie DeShannon (1974), Kim Carnes (1981). Written by DeShannon and Donna Weiss.
I Love Rock ’N Roll – The Arrows (1975), Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (1982)