Yesterday's....

Isn't it amazing to think that every single you do, say and experience, once you have lived it becomes part of your past?  Be it music, movies, friendships even a good meal.  At least with tangible things, like music, we get to relive the memories like we do here and with real friendships we live through and survive the good, the bad and the ugly together and at the end of each experience, hopefully, we will always have each other. I am really hoping today that someone that means the world to me really knows that I will always be here.  That, my friends, is about as personal as I am going to get. (Again, no prayers, no sympathy or advice needed.  I appreciate it but it is not necessary!)
So, here are TODAY'S 10 Tunes (that are part of our past but right now are part of this moment but ooops, they are now part of the past again!  See? It's a vicious cycle!)

Oh, sorry to keep prolonging the inevitable here but I just had to tell you...Apparently, when I am sleeping, Red Robot wanders around the apartment and finds things he likes and brings them back to his "home" here by the turntable.  This morning I found him with...well, you'll see.  Nutty little guy, ain't he?

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1.  Yesterday's Song - Neil Diamond 2:48 (Columbia Records)  This is one of those gems that I had forgotten about and, obviously, is what sparked my opening comments.  It is such a smooth, happy song with such a great sentiment.  Although these "things" come and go, the one thing that is forever is "saying I love you" to the people that you truly love! Good job Neil!

2.  P.S. I Love You - The Hilltoppers 2:38 (American Pie Records)  Here is another one I bought for my Dad.  This is one of his favorite groups and was another song that my Mom and Dad danced to when they were courting!  I love this guy's voice.  It is a straightforward, simple song - a man wrote a letter to his sweetheart while she is off on a trip and he simply catches her up on things that are going on while she is away and to tell her he loves her. Simple.  Wonderful.  Magical!  You have great taste Chuck (but you knew that already, right?)!

3.  Magic Moments - Perry Como 2:38 (RCA Records)  Loves me some Perry. (Speaking of which....where is Perry?)  Folks, voices like his will never be found again. So smooth, rich and effortless.  Yes, he is a crooner and can do that incredible swoop down to those low notes with easy but when he needed to, he could go full-throttle like it was nothing! There is such a  comfort in listening to him sing.  I bought this single because I was obsessed with the musical revue "Forever Plaid" when it played here in Lancaster and made friends with some of the cast members. I then made it my mission to own the original versions of each song and then put them together on cd for each of the cast members.  This song also reminds me of living with Nan. We would open all the windows on clear, crisp, spring mornings, turn the music up and we would sing and be silly while I helped her clean or whatever needed to be done.

4.  Under The Boardwalk - Bruce Willis 3:02 (Motown Records)  I was a huge fan of Moonlighting and thus, a fan of Bruce Willis.  I used to love when they would do musical numbers on the show, so when he put out his album, "The Return Of Bruno", naturally, I went out and bought it and all the single releases from it as well. I listened to it again not too long ago and it really is a good album. He is not a great singer but he does not pretend to be.  He is just having a great time. I love the arrangement and production of this song, it is so relaxed and I swear you can almost smell the Jersey Shore while listening to it (I meant that as a good thing)!

5.  Don't Sleep In The Subway - Petula Clark 2:57 (Eric Records)  Ahh, an advice song.  I love advice songs and believe me, I have taken all my advice from songs like this one from a woman who has probably never ridden a subway in her life.  Petula Clark has such a distinct sound.  She is one of those few singers that as soon as she starts to sing, you immediately know who it is singing.  I love this song and its very 60s sound!

6.  Everything I Own - Bread 3:06 (Elektra Records)  Ya know, I have had to cue up all the records today because RR refuses to put the Crazy straw down.  He keeps poking me with it instead of doing his job.  Don't make me take that away from you little man!  Anywho......oh such a great song!!!!  Again, I am surprised I wasn't more of a Bread fan back in the day.   Such a great sound and I really love his voice.  I especially love how, lyrically, the song shifts perspective for a moment and goes from being directed to one person to addressing us directly!  "Is there someone you know/you're loving them so/but taking them all for granted/you may lose them one day/someone takes them away/and they don't hear the words you long to say"   Again, advice from a 3 minute song!!  This time, I think it is very sound advice (pardon the pun)!

7.  Band Of Gold - Freda Payne 2:50 (Oldies 45 Records)  Love love love this song!!!! This is another one that I associate with summer vacations and 77WABC!!!  Ok, I don't get it.  So, this guy marries this girl, rips her away from the shelter of a mother she had never known?  Huh? But wait there's more...So, he marries her and on their wedding night he leaves her alone on their honeymoon night?  She is lamenting the loss a creep with a god complex who obviously just wanted to control this girl, marry her and dump her?  Well, honey, the only thing I can tell you is HOCK THE FREAKIN' BAND OF GOLD AND MOVE ON!!!  Geez!  There really should have been a follow up song to this called, "I Got Your Band Of Gold Right Here"!

8.  Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me - Mel Carter 2:27 (Capitol Records)  WOW  Such a dramatic opening!!!!  I love it!!  And WOW again.  It stayed just as dramatic all the way to the end!  I bought this one because I loved Gloria Estefan's version and wanted to hear the original.  I love it.  This is another simple lyric that is direct and honest and magical.  Makes ya wanna just grab someone and slow dance with em, doesn't it?

9.  America Is - B.J. Thomas 3:08 (Columbia Records)  Yes folks, another song about our great country, you know, a country that allows me to say what I want without some twisted vengeful bastard with the brain capacity of a dead gnat hurting the people I love.  Oh, yeh, the song.....sorry.  Ok, this is an odd little song that I think was trying to become an anthem of some sort when it grew up but it just misses the mark.  Of course, I love the lyrics of the song that extols the limitless possiblities of living in America, but the line that lost me was "irrigate a barron desert that is crying out for rain"! I do love B.J. Thomas' voice and what this song was trying to do though.

10.  You Could Have Been With Me - Sheena Easton 3:48 (EMI America Records)   As much as I love Sheena's pop/dance/funk stuff, this is what she was born to do!!  She voice is so clear and strong and pitch perfect!!  I love everything about this song and it goes out to a friend.

I know I missed yesterdy but I hadn't slept at all the night before.  Got alot of stuff on my mind that kinda kept me up all night and caused me to sleep most of the day yesterday.  Since I got this post done so early today, I will come back this evening and do another one, sound good to you?  Make sure you let the people you love know it and always be there for your friends.  The hardest thing in the world to do (and trust me folks I am NOT good at it) is to step back and let someone you love go through what they need to go through and just wait for them to come to you.  Ok, enough!  See you all later!!  Love you!