Pass It On

I am starting this post early today so that maybe, just maybe, I can get it in before midnight!  Today was another one of those days that I thought I really didn't get much accomplished but as I sit here, excited as a little kid about today's songs, I realize I did indeed get alot done.  Finally got my weight room cleaned out so I can start working out again, got two more days of music edited and posted (1/14 and 1/15 so, go check it out and remember, you have to hit play to get the next song to start, they don't play consecutively), talked to some of my favorite people, Mom and Dad, my best bud Scott as well as my LBFF (Little-est Best Friend Forever) Haylie and the highlight of the day....spending almost an hour and half talking to Steven.  He was catching up on the last three days of posts and called me.  We laughed so hard and just had an amazing time reminiscing.

Music is an incredible sense memory tool, a point I think I have beaten to death already and we are only on our second week of songs.  But it also recalls colors, smells and textures of such specific moments in our lives.  It is truly remarkable.  One of my favorite music memories growing up was sitting with my Dad as we recorded all his and his Dad's 78's onto my, say it with me, Little Panasonic Recorder (here-to-fore referred to as LPR) on the floor of the living room at Battery Avenue.  We bought a bunch of blank TDK tapes (translucent blue bodies with white and blue labels) and we sat and listened to and recorded every one of those incredible, thick, heavy slabs of wax.  I got to hear so many new names like Woody Herman, Les Brown (and his band of renown), Artie Butler as well as some of my Dad's favorite groups like The Hilltoppers.  New names and new music! It was a night I will always remember not just because of the music but because he and I got to bond over it and I realized, even at that very young age, how very much alike we were and still are. I still have those tapes AND I still have all of those 78s.  Maybe when I am done with the 45s and I am going through Post Blogdom Depression (ya know, PGD? hey, it's real, look it up.  shuttup) I will work on those 78s!

Ok, onto tonight's 10 tunes.  Adjust the cushions on your chairs and make sure they are comfy, you are gonna be chair dancing tonight baby!

(Click here to hear clips from these songs)

1. Julie, Do Ya Love Me - Bobby Sherman 2:52 (Metromedia Records) BIG HORNS!! BIG OPENING!!! BIG SCRATCH??? Oh, the record is broken on one side, one half, aw crap, it's broken and somehow Grandma's yellowed cellophane tape is holding it together...STILL!  Bobby Sherman.  Handsome as hell, clean-cut, all American and he actually had a good solid voice.  Yes, he was a teen idol, pooka shell choker and all (oh my God, do you remember when he was on the Partridge Family?  He broke into their garage so he could use their equipment to record his demo songs?  sorry...) but he had the good sense to get out and has done some amazing things with his life.  Back to the song, I apologize. Simple, straight forward....he wants to know but one thing..DOES JULIE LOVE HIM? Well, we never really find out but, how stoopid would she be not to? Right? Right.  He promised to write her everyday until he returns in September.  Awwwww!  This is one of my Mom's favorites and has such indellible memories of summer vacations.

2. Me And Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin 4:09 (Columbia Records) Janis Joplin's most mainstream song and one of the best story songs ever!  "I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana"  What the hell was a harpoon doing in her head gear?  Wouldn't that hurt? I later found out that "harpoon" was a musician's slang for "harmonica". "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose"!  Genious, sad and true.WOW  Lovin' her scatt in the middle of the song.  The joy and freedom in this recording is so infectious, just picturing a wild jam session with a big ole bunch of, um, er, how do I put this, organically grown and in some cases distilled "appetizers" and a very worried producer sitting in the booth, pulling his hair out, waiting for that final slide/downbeat,  praying they can actually end this song. Everytime I hear this song I remember an episode of Police Woman. Too long to explain here, but ask me about it sometime.

3. It Don't Matter To Me - Bread 2:46 (Elektra Records) WOW  We really covered all bases during the 70s didn't we?  I forgot how brilliant Bread was.  They were always panned as being to bland, but so were the Carpenters and Barry! Stoopid critics! That voice, the drums, the harmonies and that outrageous vocal arrangement.  The lyrics are very simple and reflected the time perfectly.  It don't matter to him if his love needs to go out and find themselves before returning to him.  He has that empty room waiting.  Oh man, I certainly hope they came back to him.  Poor bastard.  In the meantime I hope he had the good sense to rent out the room.  Ya know, just in case.

4.  You Make Me Feel Like Dancing - Leo Sayer 2:48 (Warner Brothers Records) Oh man, rev up the chair!! (already laughing and I haven't even cued up the record) "Ahhhhhhhh  Ah-haaaaaa Ahhhhhhh
Ah-haaaaa"  That whiny, nerdy little voice that changes for a second or two and gets deep (well, as deep as it can get) SO COOL!  "KWAH-ta to four in the morning" "I feel like (chair) dancing Wooo (chair) dancing Wooo (chair) dance the night away"  Such a happy silly song!!!! Uh oh.  UH OH!!!!  Here comes Doc from the Love Boat again strutting by with his big fro and golfish-inhabiting shoes!! Get down, get funky, Doc!  And the (bubblegum) hits just keep on commmmmmming.....

5. Love Will Keep Us Together - The Captain & Tennille 3:15 (A&M Records) With all of the C&T songs that have come before this one in the blog, did you REALLY think we didn't have this one?  Come on!  "Just stop (schwing) Cause I really love you STOP (schwing) I been thinking of you" Can't........................................type...............................chair.....................................dancing..................
...............................playing air piano........................................doing choreography! KEY CHANGE!!!!! YAY (you know how much I loves me my key changes) What an absolutely happy, silly song with a real message in it, if you want to look that deep!! Daryl Dragon (aka: The Captain) knew how to arrange and produce a song.  He also knew how to work dem keyboards and introduced whole new worlds of synth sounds. We have already established that Toni could sang, okay! (Sedaka is back)

6. King Tut - Steve Martin and the Toot Uncommons 2:10 (Warner Brothers Records) Ok, this one is ALL Steven (my brother not Martin)! This is like the 70s version of Monster Mash, isn't it?  This came out at the height of the King Tut Exhibit World Tour.  Remember that?  It is a damn fun song!! "He's an Egyptian!" "He coulda won a Grammy...buried in his jammies"  We even have the album that this came from.

7. Silly Love Songs - Wings 5:54 (Capitol Records) Wings At The Speed Of Sound.  No real reason for me saying that other than I have always loved the name of the album this song came from.  Their sound was so new and fresh and yet, having Paul McCartney singing made it so familiar and comforting.  At this point in time, I think only Paul McCartney and Elton John could have fought to have a single released that was almost 6 minutes long.  And think about it....this is a silly love song, talkng about the abundence of already existing Silly Love Songs.  Genious. So many "hooks" in this song I don't even know what to talk about.  I think Linda's back-up to Paul's "How can I tell you about my loved one" is my favorite.  Oh wait, maybe it is the horn lines? Funky percussions?  Too much.  TOO MUCH! This is all Steven too (again, my brother not...you got it).  Versatile chap, isn't he? (Man, this is going to be a bitch to edit)

8. Dark Lady - Cher 3:26 (MCA Records) Remember the glasses we were hitting the other night?  Get em out again for this one.  YAY Another audience participation song.  This is a story song that has it all, mystery, intrigue, gypsy music, a fortune teller, a one-eyed Jack, betrayal, murder, A KEY CHANGE and CHER!! What more could you want? Get the glasses ready, "Dark Lady laughed and danced and lit the candles one by one (rap your glass on the desk twice in rapid succession NOW) Dance to her Gypsy music till her brew is done (not yet. Don't worry, alot of people make that mistake) Dark Lady played black magic till the clock struck on the 12 (NOW...THUD THUD)"! Poor Dark Lady.  dead dead dead!  Nobody messes with Cher.  Lesson learned

9.  Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers 2:04 (Sussex Records) This is one of my all-time favorite songs.  It can be redone a million times (and God knows we are getting close to that number of remakes) but nothing can compare to Bill Withers That deep, raspy voice filled with heartbreak! That sad violin....just amazing!  Not much else to say, except.....cue up the next one (get ready folks)

10. The Best Disco In Town - The Ritchie Family 2:39 (Marlin Records) OH YEH!  The party is back.  Quick someone bring Bill Withers on down. We'll get him some sunshine! Early disco, 1976, that actually used pieces of existing classic dance sounds from Motown to TSOP but they did it without sampling!  They actually played it and sang it for themselves, hmmmmmmmmm, imagine that.  Chair dancing "Hey Hey"! The flip side is The Best Disco In Town (Part II), which I am now going to play and do some more chair dancing.  Not ready for the party to end.  Hey Doc, get Bill a drink please, he is bummin' me out!

Well, this may not be a LPR and my hard drive may not be made up of lots of blue TDK cassettes (but don't quote me on that one, not with the way it has been acting up lately) but in a way I feel like I am doing what my Dad did with his records.  I may not have a son or daughter to share it with but I do have 2 beautiful young ladies that I know are reading this and I have the rest of you guys!  For that I am eternally grateful.  I am having THE best time doing this. Gonna go throw down with Part II now. Someone should really feed Doc's goldfish too!  So much to do!  Go hug someone, pull out your old vinyl and I'll see you tomorrow!

Manilow, Music Players and Memories

It is absolutely no secret that I love, love, love Barry Manilow.  I have been a fan since 1975 and I have had the priveledge of seeing him at least 10 or 12 times over the years. His voice, his writing, his arranging and his undeniable stage presence made him a star but his deep love of both his work and his fans have kept him one of the top selling artists of all time.  Tonight he did a one hour show on QVC to promote his forthcoming album, The Greatest Love Songs Of All Time (release date is 1/26/10) and within the hour he sold over 20,000 copies.  He performed 6 songs live and he has not lost one note in his voice and not one bit of his personality.  Have I mentioned that I love him?  ok, just checking.

Wait till you see the 10 songs for today!  I am so excited.  Before I get there though, I just wanted to mention once again that I have added a link, just under the picture of the singles du jour, that will take you away from this site, over to the music page where you will find a link to come back here in a separate window. Each day I will edit the 10 songs I talk about here as well as at least one other day from posts gone by until we are all caught up.  Just remember, after each song clip ends you have to hit the play button again to start the next track.

Drum roll......................here they are!!!!

(Click here to listen to clips from these songs)

1. Hotel California - Eagles 6:08 (Asylum Records) Oh that opening guitar and bass line leading up to the DUN DUN downbeat of the drum!!!  Classic. We will not even get into what I thought some of the lyrics were when I was a kid because we would be here all night and the tears pouring down my face from laughing would make it impossible to continue.  Some of my favorite lines that I do indeed know are, "Her mind is Tiffany twisted, she got the Mercedes bends (ugh)"  "Some dance to remember and some dance to forget" "we are all just prisoners here of our own device" "relax said the nightman, we are programmed to receive, you can checkout anytime you like but you can never leave".  This song painted such an amazingly clear image of the insanity of this "hotel".  Not 100% sure what the song is really about but what I have gleened from it is, this is the Eagles impression of the California lifestyle of the rich and famous. (some songs you don't have to understand to enjoy) My favorite memory of this song is sitting in Jennie's Diner here in Lancaster at like 2am with my friends Weidler and Alex and some of their friends. They played it on the jukebox and performed the entire song for the whole diner. Amazing times spent with amazing people.  How freakin' lucky am I?

2. Hot Line - The Sylvers 2:59 (Capitol Records) That's a shift in gears, eh? "Number please"  WOW Early disco, violins, real drums, great vocals AND if that weren't enough, and by gosh it should be, there are hand claps!! Soooo totally chair dancing here!  I know you are too!  Admit it! "Hot Line Hot Line/calling on the Hot Line/ for your love/for your love {{clap clap}}"Such a goofy lyric but again, who cares?  "I asked the CIA if I could use their private phone" "should I call the FBI?"  huh wwwwaaah?  Too funny!

3. Have You Ever Seen The Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival 2:39 (Fantasy Records) Back to classic rock.  Funny...Steven and I played both sides of this single so much when we were kids that at first I couldn't remember which side was the single. ("Hey, Tonight" is the flip side!  Can you imagine?) "Someone told me long ago/there's a calm before the storm..I KNOW!" Oh that raspy voice of John Fogerty's and that Hammond Organ made this an instant classic that defined a generation. So glad it is part of MY childhood.  Yes, I have discovered some amazing music later in life from the 30s through the 60s but to have lived with this song for 40 years?  Amazing! Anybody really gonna say that about Brittany in 40 years?

4. I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) - The New Seekers 2:23 (Elektra Records) WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!  So happy!!!  1971, summer vacations, mom loving this song and then of course, as they say in all of those Behind The Music specials, tragedy struck!  The song was used for a Coca-Cola commercial.  Whatever (shuttup)!  Ok, ok, it was a brilliant ad campaign that EVERYONE still remembers, in fact, I can still see the tv spots in my head. But come on folks, it was COCA-COLA!  (I guess I should explain that Steven and I have this centuries old fued going on.  He is a Coke guy and I am so completely and totally a fan of the better cola product, PEPSI!)  What an amazingly simple, happy song with such an idealistic message! Can't sell soda with that today folks!  (Unless they bring this song back)

5. Want Ads - The Honey Cone 2:34 (Hot Wax Records) Ok, this one is beyond PTD and sooooo very much loved!!! Oh wow, it sounds better than it looks!  huh! "EXTRA! EXTRA! WANTED: Young Man Single and Free" "Experience preferred but will accept a new trainnee!"  Such a great line! Man, her voice is so earthy and soulful, I forgot how amazing she sounds.  "Lipstick on his collar/perfume on him too!" I'm with ya sistah, throw him out! Chair dancing and doing much hand choreography here.  Very early Jackson 5 arrangement but hey it was 1970.

6. Touch Me In The Morning - Diana Ross 3:15 (Motown Records) Ok, so on the other side of town, where Honey Cone's cheating sleaze of a man is gettin' bizzay with his mistress, this is what she is singing to him!  Sorry, couldn't resist! Hey, come on, it kinda works when you hear the lyrics! (shuttup) This really is a gorgeous song and solidified Diana Ross' solo career. Her ballads always started a little whiny for me but then she unleased the power.

7.  Love Fire - Jigsaw 2:40 (Chelsea Records) OH MY GOD!  Brace yourselves for the excessive drama!!! Oh man, I totally forgot this song. I remember it was on a K-Tel album that Steven and I bought in Woolworth's on 86st!  These lyrics are killing me....."Through the dark we are gonna trot (WHAT?) make our flame burn up the sky"! This is one of those times that I hang my head in shame for loving this song sooooo much.  Sad to say, I think I am one of the 7 people that bought the whole album too!  Any gueses as to what the cover looks like?

8.  Crocodile Rock - Elton John 3:56 (MCA Records) Get them chairs into moving and start singing!!!  (Thank God my chair is on rollers)  What a magical song.  Elton had one of the greatest sounds ever.  Now, if you want to discuss lyrics that I didn't understand...invite me over and put on his first Greatest Hits album. I had a friend named Joan Ladnier and she loved Elton.  One day we were hanging out at my apartment on 89th street in the Ridge and we had that album on.  I was doing stuff and singing along until she stopped me and said, "Excuse me? What did you just sing?"  I completely offended her so she sat and wrote out the lyrics to his songs for me.  I still have the bruises on my arm from where she would pinch me when I continued to get them wrong. Sorry, I completely digressed from this song but come on, you know it by heart, right?

9.  Mr. Bojangles - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 3:35 (Liberty Records) I don't even know where to start!!!  I love this song soooooooooooooooooooooooo much!  Poor man.  Poor dog. Great vocal, great lyric and that banjo/mandolin combo is so amazing.  "He let go a laugh/he let go a laugh/shook back his clothes all around".  Basically the story of an old vagabond that travelled to county fairs and minstrel shows with his dog for 20 years and would dance for people in exchange for a drink or two.  He is in and out of jail "cause I drinks a bit".  Another song that paints such a clear image...it's like a little movie playing in your head as you hear it!  I think Aunt Bobbie gave us this one too.  Do you remember, Steve? (oh the poor fat guy downstairs is gonna kill me...I can't not sing to this!)

10.  If You Could Read My Mind - Gordon Lightfoot 3:48 (Reprise Records) Oh man, I am gonna get evicted!  Gotta sing this one too! WOW "Just like an old-time movie 'bout a ghost from a wishing well"  All of my life, when I hear that line I think of the Abbott and Costello movie, "The Time Of Their Lives".  Gordon Lightfoot's voice is so clear and strong, yet so compassionate.  Your heart almost breaks for him as he sings this song and relates his failed love to movie scenes or characters from a tragic novel.  Amazing song!!

WOW this went way too fast! Such incredible songs and such incredible memories.  You know, sometimes I let life get me down and then I do something like this and I get totally lost in the music and suddenly everything is ok again. Peripheral bullshit needs to stay off to the sides and the outrageously wonderful people that I have in my life need to remain the central focus.  Thanks for putting up with my little meltdown yesterday and thank you for coming back here everyday. Tell someone you love them, listen to the clips of these songs and just smile, you deserve it.  See you tomorrow.

Tryin' To Find The Light

This has been a crappy day!  Sorry folks, no other way to say it and hey, I am only human!  Even poor Dave couldn't completely snap me out of it this time.  THERE'S a first!  So, I am hoping the music will do the trick!

I do have some good news though.  Starting with yesterday's post, I have figured out the glitches with posting clips of the songs on here.  It is not the best way in the world for you to have to do this but I am working on that! So, here is what I have for you so far.  I will post a link underneath the picture of the singles for the day.  Click on it and it will take you away from this page and bring you to my music page.  On MY page, unlike here, you will be able to re-open the blog in a new window by clicking the appropriate link (don't worry, you can't miss it!).  YAY! Now, you will have to click the play button as each clip ends to get to the next one, they won't play one after the other as promised in the easy to follow directions.  Fear not!  I am working on creating a Jukebox that will play each song consecutively without you having to move your mouse.  With that said........

Here is today's 10! (oh, you can thank Dave for the suggestion of using a new background)

(Click here to hear clips from today's 10)

1. Come Saturday Morning - The Sandpipers 2:57 (A&M Records) I have been waiting for this one to come up!!!!!  Another PTD single but, OH MYGOD, how I love this song.  I think Nan and Uncle Bob gave us this one too!  SOOOOOOOO many scratches!  But those guitars and horns right in the beginning!! Heaven. Swaying to the mellow sounds.  Absolute milktoast male vocals about looking forward to Saturday Morning!  Asking the age old question..."Will Saturday last more than half of the day? EERRCH.....HUH?
Eh, how cares.  Such amazingly happy memories of this song. So simple and innocent!

2. Delta Dawn - Helen Reddy 3:08 (Capitol Records) "What's that flower you have on?" Man, after listening to this again after a million years, I realize it is just a great big jam session!  Yes, it is a story song.  Yes, it is amazingly arranged and produced and Helen never sounded better.  However, we get the story and the drama out of the way in the first minute-thirty.  After that, it is modulation (YAY key changes) after modulation. But my Lawd, she really threw down, chorus after chorus!  Standin' in the middle of town lookin' for a man with dark hair.  But who hasn't done that? By the way, my favorite line, and the one that took me FOREVER to figure out is..."then a man of low-degree stood by your side"!  Low-degree?  Hmmmmm

3. Ticket To Ride - Carpenters 3:37 (A&M Forget Me Nots Records)  Another Carpenters re-issue!  YAY!!  Karen never lets me down when I am feeling blue!  This is a very early re-issue of Karen and Richards very first single. it peaked at number 54 on the Billboard charts. Richard heard the Beatles version on an oldies station one day in 1969 (an oldie in 1969?) and had a perfect reworking of the song for Karen and the first album, "Offering" (later repackaged and retitled "Ticket To Ride") What makes this re-issue so special to fans like me is that it is a bastardized version of the album's recording not a re-issue of the actual single.  The original single of this song was completely different and so much simpler.  Either version did, completely, establish what would become the Carpenter sound and led them to their second single....(They Long To Be) Close To You. Ahhhhh, the best voice ever!

4.  You're So Vain - Carly Simon 4:25 (Elektra Records) How do you even talk about this song? It will only end up being so much verbal diarrhea extoling the virtues of how AMAZING it is!!!  Carly Simon has and continues to be one of the greatest singer/songwriters EVER!  Ok, now I am going to start playing the record.  Get ready for the scratches folks.....Ahhhhhhh! gurggling bass line..."Son of a gun"  "Gavot" was the word that I could never figure out, just in case anyone is keeping track.  Now that I know it, I am still not sure what it means other than "preen" "prance".  Poor Mick!  LOVE the growl on "several".....years, that is.  Gotta admit that "lear jet" was a bit hard to figure out as a child of 6 years old. 
5. Mornin' Beautiful - Tony Orlando & Dawn 3:03 (Elektra Records) History lesson.  It is 1975.  Bell Records, which Tony Orlando helped create, has been bought out by Clive Davis and re-named Arista. One of the few existing names that Clive kept was Barry Manilow (my personal hero).  Tony packed up the girls and went to Elektra and this was their first single in their new home. He has such a great voice.  Deep, rich and pitch perfect. This is a very happy, boppy song but it introduces the mid-seventies funk and sexual freedom in pop songs.  I am not sure but I think this single happened just as their tv variety show was coming to an end.  I seem to remember seeing them perform it on the show and thinking, "WOW I have this single!"  Proof positive that I was a geek!

6.  Patches - Clarence Carter 2:48 (Atlantic Records) Another song I have been waiting to come up!  Another summer vacation song.  And another song that my amazing Mom took the time to explain to us. Thinking back, the reason that she probably explained this one to us was because I was making fun of the way Clarence "spoke" in the middle of the song and I did it to make Steven laugh.  This song has a very important message and was not something to laugh at.  It was moments like this that made me realize that not everyone lived in the "prefect" world that Steven and I did.    WOW!  Sorry.  Got caught up.  Shit, this song makes me cry!  A father admitting to his young son that he had done everything he could and on his death bed tells him that now it was his turn to pull the family through.  Ok.....moving on.

7. Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree  - Dawn - Featuring Tony Orlando 3:19 (Bell Records) Oh God, oh God I am so confused!  I always thought this song was about the men and women coming home from Vietnam.  If their spouses or partners still wanted to continue the relationships that were started before they went away, they would Tie A Yellow Ribbon....I had everything ready to write here like  how we did, indeed, tie a yellow gingam ribbon around the old oak tree on Battery Avenue and how my Mom explained this song to us, until tonight! "I'm really still in prison" does this mean that he did something bad to some guy in Indiana (see yesterday's post) or is this about POWs? I want to believe it is a song about the men and women that have served our country.  Ok, I have done too much thinking about this song. Great song but I am confused.  Oh man, bring on the next song.........

8. Disco Duck (Part I) - Rick Dees And His Cast Of Idiots 3:15 (RSO Records) "waaa waa waa waaa" Rick Dees, DJ extraordinaire. The production was  great and it was nice to have D.Duck brought into the late 70s.  Other than that...I got nothing. Too busy chair dancing.

9. Watching Scortty Grow - Bobby Goldsboro - 2:28 (United Artists Records) Oh man....why are these the songs for tonight?????  I don't even know what to say to this.  Amazing summer memories.  "Me and God are watching Scotty grow!" This song also makes me think about my buddy Christopher and his son Logan!
10. The Way Of Love - Cher 2:30 (Kapp Records) This is another one of my Mom's singles that she bought for her new stereo. This is Cher at her best and Sonny at his most dramatic (in terms of the production I mean)!  I love that key change and the drama of the orchestra the second time through.
Well, I will go edit the songs down so you can hear them.  As for some words of wisdom....I got nuthin'.  Go tell the people you trust and love that you love them and I will see you tomorrow.  I will be in a better mood, I promise.  G.

Borough to Borough - Coast to Coast

(click to enbiggen)

I first met Annette Brigid Elisabeth Houlihan Verdolino, from Ozone Park Queens, in November of 1987.  We had a mutual friend, Mauri Bernstein, with whom Annette had a directors class at NYU.  Mauri used to take alot of pictures when she and I would hang out and one day she was showing them around and Annette said she wanted to meet me!  Ha!!  Pretty cool, huh? So, Mauri arranged for us to all meet at Marie's Crisis (our favorite piano bar in the Village) one night.  Annette was in rehearsals for Pippin at NYU at the time and the piano player, Rick Page, asked her if she wanted to run through her solo from the show, Just No Time At All. It was at this particular moment that Mauri and I walked into the bar.  Before I proceed, I must tell you that Annette possesses THE greatest voice I have ever had the priveledge of hearing.  No one, and I mean NO ONE can sing like Annette.  Ok, that being said........Mauri had already told me how amazing Annette was, vocally. What we were hearing was, well, how do I put this delicately, not amazing?  Rick was playing the song in some unGodly key that was too high even for dogs to hear.  Annette kept up with him but man, that must have been painful.

We are now introduced and I am immediately smitten with this smile that could melt mountains.  We talked and we hit it off and discussed her performance from a few minutes before.  Then, out of no where she asked Rick to sing another song. This my friends is a moment that will live with me for the rest of my life. Annette sang a song called Lion Tamer from a musical called The Magic Show, which was the first musical I had ever seen. I could not believe what I saw and what I had heard. I had never experienced such an intense vulnerability mixed with the most perfect voice anyone can imagine. I WAS IN LOVE folks. That love and our friendship has lasted 23 years now.  She has ridden the cyclone with me, through the most amazing of times and the lowest of times. Annette is a glorious spirit with a heart as big as any ocean and she has a streak of bad girl in her that keeps US all on our toes.  She will conquer the world one day and I know, that when I draw my last breath, Annette will be there with me.

Annette now lives in Las Vegas and is starring in Menopause: The Musical on the strip! When she saw the co-blog that Dave and I did together, she immediately said, "I want to do one"! So, I sent her the 10 songs and without further ado, here she is folks....my Borough girl, Annette.

(hee hee) (oh I meant, click to enbiggen)

Ok folks, here are today's 10 songs.  I am so excited.

Click here to listen to clips of these songs!

1. Jet Airliner - The Steve Miller Band 3:20 (Capitol Records) Annette: what's first what's first? Gary:  Jet Airliner.  Go.....Annette: It's one of those songs I'd say to myself "well, I'm not sure what that lyric is, but it's catchy and it's not important enough to track down" Gary:  Gotta love that guitar line! Annette: oh yah. i love the scratches! Gary: hee hee  Annette: ok I just caught myself chair dancing!  Gary: "the funky kicks going down in the city". Do you think that's what they REALLY wanted to say?  Annette: "big old chat eyeliner!"  Gary: ROFLMAO Annette: or "big old chap at a lineup"  I just texted Eric to say "well, I've realised now that Steve Miller and his Band were *not* singing "big old chap at a lineup".  I'm embarrassed at how many years I've heard that song and just now realized what the real lyric is. It's part of my charm!!  Gary: HEY! that's my line! LOL  Annette: I stole it from yas!


2. The Boss - Diana Ross 3:59 (Motown Records) G: Get ready for some more chair dancing!  A: WHOOOOOOOO horns! strings! bass line! G: "Folly and fun"! you're chair dancing aren't you? A: a little...but I was just thinking that if I was at a disco in the day, I might have gone to get a drink when this song was on. G: Doesn't it sound like someone is poking Ms. Ross with a stick during that break? A: "OO OO" OK imma need to play it again for further study.  G: ok, go for it. You gotta love the production though.  Ashford and Simpson produced. A: Was it? oh well that's why. Yeah the arrangement is awesome. The walking bass line kills me...as does the horns!  clapping section! And screamey hoo hoos!  EEEE I see what you mean about the stick! Wonder if MJ listened to this and said...hmm...I could use some of that HOo HOO G: I am pretty sure he did. That or he called her and said, D., try this..."Hoo Hoo" A: Right! What year is that? G: 1979 A: So, right around Off The Wall then.  G: Lots of mutual stealing going on.

3. You Don't Bring Me Flowers - Barbra & Neil (honest to God, that's how it is on the label) 3:14 (Columbia Records) G: on the label it actually says Barbra & Neil. pretentious or familiar? A: I think it's kinda cute.  G: Me too! A: Oooh it's so sad already.  He's kind of a dick in this song, isn't he? G: is he? they are kinda saying the same thing, aren't they? it's a mutual admiration society that fell apart somehow A: well he's kindof a dick in the beginning..."it's good for you babe..." G: Yeh, that is true.  A: so this like the marriage counseling theme song innit? they do sound good together though G: my theory is....if you establish certain patterns in the beginning of a relationship, like you are the one always bringing the flowers, the day you stop, you end up in a song like this! A: Exactly! So set LOW EXPECTATIONS at the beginning and you are just fine.  I play it again! Ohhhhhh saaaad solo violini.....I remember seeing them do this live somewhere...was it the Grammy's? Back when people watched the Grammys? G: Yes. they came out totally unannounced. A great moment. A: THAT's what it was... I remember the audience screaming! That's really my memory of this song.

 4. I'll Meet You Halfway - The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones Featuring David Cassidy (again, as it appears on the label) 3:26 (Bell Records) G: Ok, that was our only forray into balladry, I promise. A: heh...I don't mind. WEEEEEEEE  Oh that violin just made me so happy! "HO!"  Everyone now....I'll Meet You Halfway That's better than no way!"  awwwwww.  I forgot how much I like this song. G: Do you remember your trip to Greece? The country not the play. A: this was on the tape you made me. G: and what was the pact you made with the girls? A: no it was Bahamas not Greece. G: oh, ooops.  sorry. A: we werent gonna talk about boys! G: LOL exactly. I was strangely offended by that! A: Really??? Oh no! It was a girly thing... G: It's ok. I will heal. another couple of years.... A: We still did though. G: I know. A: you know he really does have a nice voice, that David Cassidy. Not like Rex Smith! this song DOES hold up to the test of time too. G: Oh god, nothing like Rex Smith AND he had better hair!

5. The Way I Want To Touch You - Captain & Tennille 2:35 (A&M Records) Since I keep pointing out the way things are on the label, I thought I should say, every other C&T single has either the ampersand or the word AND between their names. G: ok, ready? Just remember, my nieces read this, so be careful how you word things for this next song.  A: eeeee  This song runs in direct contrast to what the Captain and Tenille actually LOOKED like. It's so sexy and yummy. And then... that hair? That HAT? really?? Did Carole King write this? G: Nope. Toni did. A: WOW! It sounds so Carol King. It's awesome actually. G: I know. their production was always flawless. I love everything that is going on in the background. Too freakin short. A: AGAIN! G: Absolutely! A: Yeah that is pretty sassy for a chick who cut her hair by putting a bowl over her head.


6. Take The Long Way Home - Supertramp 5:02 (A&M Records) A: what next! G: take The Long Way Home A: woohoo  eee! I love this one :-) G: It is one of Steven's and Dave's favorites too. A: I had the piano sheet music. I remember the album cover. Breakfast in America...with the waitress standing like the statue of liberty, holding a tray with I think a glass of orange juice. G: Exactly right!  At this point in time A&M Records had some of the best artists. 1979....Carpenters (naturally), Captain and Tennille, Supertramp. A: Nice roster. I just texted Eric to say we were "squeeing over Supertramp" now. I had never heard a sound like them before. That driving piano and those long notes and those chord changes... it just FELT good. G: Oh GOD. The dueling harmonicas!!!!! A: I know! Who uses harmonicas nowadays??? Except for bluesy types. G: or if you can afford Stevie Wonder. A: "aaahhahhhhahhahaaaaa ....ooooooOOOooOoooo....." and then that slow descent...I still am not sure what the song is about. But I love it. G: who cares! A: I know, right? G: ok, that one was over 5 minutes long and wasn't it too short? A: it was that long? G: yes! A: AGAIN! G: go for it! Have I mentioned that I am dying to meet Eric? You may not get a word in though. Just saying... A: yeah you have! I want you to very much. He's probably sick of hearing about you too. G: Nyeeessss! A: I'll just be sitting in the background smiling like an idiot! when you guys meet I mean G: and singing harmonies.

7. Indiana Wants Me - R. Dean Taylor 3:35 (Rare Earth Records) G: Ok, from the sublime to the utterly ridiculous!  Eric, cue the sirens! this is a story song of NO proportions....epic or otherwise. A: this song has everything! Sound effects! Prologue! crying ladies and a clock on the wall...and I haven't hit play! G: NO NO NO Wrong song! we are doing Indiana Wants Me next A: oh crap! G: Sorry. A: ok...I'm clueless as to what this song is I think.........Wait...Did someone trash talk about his lady and now he's in prison? G: yep. "if a man ever needed dying he did" A: You buy that to round out the "story song" collection? Horrible singer too. G: no, it was a big hit in 1970. It was one of those summer vacation songs. Really makes ya feel good, don't it? A: Really? Ok. Should I ask the middle-aged guitar player what he thinks? G: YES! A: He texts: 'that's a weird one'.  Ok I just don't get that Indiana song.  G: NEXTTTTTTT.....

8. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry 3:12 (Epic/Sweet City Records) G: Hot bass line. "Shaaay do it now huh yay hey.." A: "haaaaaaaaay"  chair dancing! oh yeah and can't stop the hand clapping LOL I"m pretending you are here and we are doin' the Bump! G: and singing at the top of our lungs A: and waving our hands in the ay-air! G: Remember my first night DJing at the Jukebox? A: That was the one near Philip Morris? G: YES! A: And Chris and Chuck came too? G: Yes!  You had that dance floor on fiyah! A: Oh that was fun! You'd have to be a cold hearted snake not to get up and dance to this. G: or dead.


9. Harper Valley P.T.A. - Jeannie C. Riley 3:12 (Plantation Records) G: Ok, this is one that I have had the priveledge of hearing Annette sing, right here in my home at one of the best parties we have ever had!  Dave had bought me a Karaoke machine and Annette bought me the discs. WE NEED MORE NIGHTS LIKE THAT! Ok, I am going to let Annette take this one....A: Me and "Spider" Webb, the drummer in the church gig, were talking about this movie today. G: Barbara Eden A: And I was thinking...you know...how many of us dream about walking into a room of people we know have been talking trash about us and just letting them all have it. G: And have that amazing funky ass guitar to back us up!!!! These are just flying by tonight!!!!  A: an awesome story song and a pretty good "women's lib" kinda period piece too.

10. The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace 3:30 (Mercury Records) G: I am just reminding everyone of what you said earlier when you thought this song was next "this song has everything! Sound effects! Prologue! crying ladies and a clock on the wall...and I haven't hit play!" A: Ok, play it and then I will say more stuff. G: Ok, go....A: WEEEEEEEEEEEEE "on the EAST SIDE OF CHICAGO" I love that STOP right before the real first verse starts. G: "Mawmah cried"! A: Hah! G: ticking clock! I get so choked up when he kisses her face and brushes her tears away! A: NANANANNANAN! THE NIGHT CHICAGO DIED! I know...it's awesome! G: the poor fat guy downstairs! A: is he singing along yet? G: No, I think he just threw a shoe at the ceiling!  Hmmmm A: eee. oops. I'm playing it again. G: Me too!!!  for several reasons! God, I love his voice.  The Paper Lace guy, not the fat guy downstairs. A: It's just one of those songs you gotta see it through to the end...like Cartman singing "Come Sail Away".  G: so true!

G: Can you believe we are done already? A: NO! Really? That went too fast! G: I know! A: We have to do this again sometime. G: Anytime you want. A: Well, blogging is fun and all. But it really doesn't match up to sitting on the floor, and going through the stacks of 45's in person. I think kids with all their downloads don't get to have that part of the experience. G: No they certainly don't. I get a thrill every night watching that beautiful black disc go roundy round on this gorgeous turntable. A: Yeah! G: and I love that we have our memories of doing this together but also knowin that we can do it again and again....WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! A: WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  I'm playing Supertramp again.

Annette, tonight was outrageous fun and it reminds me of that first party we threw. I invited 35 people and 2 showed up.  The 2 that mattered most....John Vargas and Annette.  We had enough food to feed an army and beer and champagne for days. Let me tell you guys, that was THE best night.  It was just the three of us.  We broke night, John went home to shower and change and then came back. We packed up the food and the music and the booze and went to Shore Road and spent the entire day there.  It was magical!!!  Thank you Annette. I love you with my whole heart!  Good night everybody.  Call an old friend tonight!  See ya tomorrow.

The Turn Around

Last night, after I posted the blog entry, I found myself slipping back into the grips of the Big Blue Monster. I was online chatting with my friends Angela and Char (Charlotte) who were having their weekly PJ night.  They asked if I wanted to join them and "I said thank you but I really wouldn't be good company".  They said, "Ok, we are on our way over"!  How cool are they?  Well, I put all 71 songs from the blog on a disc to have on as background music.  Background?  It became the main focus for the night.  I did feel bad for Angela though.  Everytime she went to say something, a new song started and Char and I were off and running.  The combination of these two wonderful women and my 45's made it a great, nutty, fantastic night. (Ok, the booze helped a little too, but we won't talk about that!)

Ok, here are today's 10! Again, a whacky mix of the sublime and the ridiculous.

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1. Ode To Billy Joe - Bobbie Gentry 4:13 (Capitol Records) "It was the third of June another sleepy dusty delta daayaa..." A classic story song with the most incredible string arrangement I have ever heard in a song.  Very deep and haunting.  In fact, I just realized the whole song is nothing but strings....guitar, violins, upright bass.  No drums, no keyboards, no horns, just those strings and Bobbie Gentry's deep rich sexy voice.  Do you remember the tv movie of the same name? 1976, Robby Benson, Glynnis O'Connor?  GREAT movie.  I just looked it up on IMDB and guess who directed it?  Jethro.  Yep, you read that right, Max Baer, Jr.  Who knew?

2. If You Leave Me Now - Chicago 3:53 (Columbia Records) Aw man, as soon as this song starts I am sucked back in time. I was always amazed at how Chicago could have such a variety of hit songs but always keep that trademark Chicago sound...clean, clear guitar lines, outrageous horns and tight harmonies.  The lyrics to this song always get to me UNTIL (dah-dum) he sings, "OOooooOO Mama, I just got to have your lovin'"  I don't know, it just kinda smacks me right out of moment. Maybe it's just me.

3. Brand New Key - Melanie 2:26 (Neighborhood Records) Jumping up and down a little bit here.  I LOVE THIS SONG!  It is absolutely PTD and I will tell you why in a minute.  Just grinning like a fool listening to the song.  The combination of Melanie Safka's quirky voice, the piano and bongos makes this such a perfect bit of bubblegum.  But what do it mean?  Ok, she has brand new rollerskates and he has a brand new key.  A metaphor for something else?  Perhaps. And why didn't her brand new rollerskates come with its own brand new key? And, was she a stalker?  Come on, she keeps showing up at his house and his mother tells her that he is at home but he is never alone! Hint?  I am sure she would have just skated away but she needed that damn key.  Anyway, every year in grammar school there was a science fair (not really sure if it was every year, but it sure felt like it) and for a few years in a row I would make a record player out of various things and each year I would use this song for some reason. I think the year that I used a paper cone and a pin as the tonearm really did this poor single in.  Sorry Melanie!  Irony is though, I can't listen to this song any other way.

4. Undercover Angel - Alan O'Day 3:24 (Pacific Records) HA!!! Chair dancing already.  "I said WHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAH? She said OOOOOWWEEEEEE!  I said, ALLLLLRIIIGHT" What an absolutely goofy song!  This poor bastard can't get a date in real life so he creates a fantasy lover who reassures him, in bed, after he has "made sweet love" to this imaginary angel,  that he will find the girl of his dreams.  Now, here comes the twist (or the twisted part).  In the last verse we find out that he is actually telling a real live girl this whole story. Wouldn't you have run for the hills after hearing that story?  Oh wait, maybe he had a brand new key!!!  Oh, I get it now. By the way, I really do love this song and my favorite part is the "undercover undercover undercover" chorus whispering to us during the last chorus!  Hilarious.

5. Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright) - Rod Stweart 3:55 (Warner Brothers Records) Before he beat us to death with every single volume of the Great American Songbook (which I was starting to think had more volumes than Brittanica) Rod Stewart was a rocker.  With his mix of sleaze and tongue in cheek humour he was, and still is, one of a kind.  So, here is this ballad, that at-first-listen one thinks is a love song.  WOW  So very wrong.  This is basically a song about this guy deflowering the underage, virginal french maid!  I wonder if he asked her to take the trash on her way out. Oh, Rod, Rod, Rod! (shaking my head while still swaying to the song)

6. Sugar, Sugar - The Archies 2:48 (Calendar Records) YAY!!!!!  Thus concludes our little bit of tawdry, scary, sex-starved stalker songs and onto PURE BUBBLEGUM BLISS. "Sugah. Awww Honey honey.  You are my kanda girl and you got me wanting you!" Chair dancing, spinning and singing, real loud!! I can still see Archie and the Gang playing and singing this in my head.  Betty and Veronica on tamborine and keyboard doing their toe-stepping dance.  Favorite part of the song, the "I'm gonna make life so sweet"s.  The first time with, Betty (in my mind anyway) singing it very low and sweet and then the second time with Veronica, cos you know she could throw down, okay?, WHALING it to the heavens!  Excellent song.

7. That's Rock 'N' Roll - Shaun Cassidy 2:52 (Warner Brothers/Curb Records) Keep blowin them bubbles folks and take Shaun's advice, "Come on everybody get down and get with it Come on everbody get down that's rock 'n' roll".  In case anyone was every curious as to exactly what rock 'n' roll was, we now know!  Put this together with Da Doo Ron Ron and we have Shaun's Greatest Hits SINGLE! I forgot how much fun this song is, for as goofy as it is.

8. My Life - Billy Joel 3:50 (Columbia Records) One of my all-time favorite Billy Joel songs!  And another one that got the Panasonic Recorder sing along treatment!  ALOT! I was obsessed with this whole album actually.  In fact, 52nd Street was, in my estimation, the last of the absolute Classic Billy Joel albums.  He had some amazing singles after that but, this was the last whole great album from beginning to end. Please, if anyone reading this disagrees and thinks I should listen to another of his albums, tell me and I will.  I love Billy!

9. Lonely Night (Angel Face) - Captain And Tennille 3:17 (A&M Records) Have you noticed that the Captain and his first mate have made their way in here almost everyday?  They really made some great pop songs! "crickets"  Oh not from you guys disagreeing with me...it's the beginning of the song.  WOW  The way Toni could go from coy to full-throttle at the drop of a hat. Such a fun song!!! I love all of things going on in the background of this song.  "Gotcha!" (Again, that was in the end of the song, not....oh, you know what I mean.  shuttup)

10. The Candy Man - Sammy Davis, Jr. 3:10 (MGM Records) Perfect way to end this round of bubblegum, don'tcha think?  "All right everybody, gather around.  The Candy Man is here" Such a happy song!!!  Nan and Uncle Bob bought us this one to go with the brand new (no not rollerskates) olive green General Electric Record player that they also gave me!  Oh man, did I love that record player. It was the kind you could close the top and carry it with you anywhere and trust me, I did!  I thought it was the greatest thing ever and I always reminded Nan how much I loved that thing and her for giving it me.  I think that is why I love having her stereo here now, also a GE, it just brings back such great memories.

I will never stop marveling at the effect music has on me.  It doesn't matter what mood I am in when I start each new post, by the end, I am happy as a clam. (What makes clams so damn happy anyway?  Ever think about that?) I wish I could share this feeling with everyone I know. Tonight, I am thinking about someone who means the world to me and wishing I could make them feel this good!  Anyway, go tell someone that you love them or just walk up to them and give them a big long hug.  Don't think about it, just do it.  You'll both feel better.  Make sure you come back tomorrow!!!  Co-blog with Annette!  I can't wait!!!!  'night.

Reason

For many, many years now I have believed, without question or pause, that everything that happens in life, happens for a reason.  Take today for example.  I was, once again battling the Big Blue Monster, not wanting to do a thing except sulk but I forced myself to be somewhat pro-active.  I got my electronic W2 forms and promptly filed my taxes.  Keep your fingers crossed folks because if this times out right, I will not have to borrow money to get through to February!  Ok, I felt good about that.  There are other things that are not quite right in my life at the moment but there is really nothing I can do about that except wait for them to play out and then be there when I am needed.  Now, here comes the horror of the day.....I ran out of cigarettes (climb down off your soap boxes folks....I KNOW!!!!  shuttup) If any of you do smoke, you know the only thing worse than running out of cigs is having to go and buy more.  Trust me, I put it off as long as I could.

Then the moment was right.  I walked up to the Mart of Wal, picked up a few things and headed back to the electronics department, my little slice of heaven, to check out the price of a dvd player that I recommended to my parents.  As I round the corner of the dvd player aisle who should be standing at the other end but my MOTHER! LOL  They have been looking to buy a tv for their bedroom and I suggested a Vizio which they checked out and were set on buying.....next week or so.  Long story short, we left the Mart of Wal together with the tv and the dvd player and I went to their house and set the whole sheebang up!  Good deed done for the day.  See, I went when I did for a reason.  I love when that happens.

Ok.....on to tonight's 10!  Gotta tell you, when I set up the picture I had a big ole grin on my face.  GREAT songs ahead....

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1. Hitchin' A Ride - Vanity Fair 2:37 (Page One Records) "A thumb goes up, A car goes by, It's nearly 1am and here am I"  What a great song.  The best memory in the world attached to this one.  My best friend Jeffrey, whom I have known for 25 years this coming October, loves this song.  I went into the Village to meet him one day and brought my walkman with two sets of headphones.  Well, we walked from the Village down to the Seaport listening to the mixed tape I had made for that day. This was the title of the tape and I  still have that image of Jeffrey and I walking through the city listening to this.  It was like being in a movie musical.  A GREAT day!!! I really miss those innocent, fun, silly days.  Thankfully, from time to time, Jeffrey and I still have them!

2.Daddy's Home - Jermaine Jackson 2:59 (Motown Records) A great remake of a classic song. I don't think any Jackson has ever recorded a song like this.  By that I mean, it is totally unaffected, just straight from the gut singing with an updated 50s feel.  A great arrangement with GREAT back-ups. A perfect recording with such great memories. 

3. Gonna Fly Now (Theme From "Rocky") - Bill Conti 2:45 (United Artists) Why do we own this?    Ok, gonna cue it up and let it fly......now. (ugh) Alright, alright, I will admit, as soon as it started I remember liking it at some point.  Now, I know I am going to get shot by some of my friends for this and I will admit it here, I have never seen any of the Rocky movies. (please send all of your hate mail to NotARockyFan@stallone.net)  Folks, this is NOT a good record.  The background singers absolutely killed it!!  If they had left it instrumental, it would have been great.  It is very uplifting and makes you feel good until the 400lbs of vocal group lands on your head!  Oh bad!  Vury, vury bad.....next........(by the way, that is not a real email address.  I just made it up.)

4. Knock Three Times - Dawn 2:56 (Bell Records) Can't think of a better way to get the bad taste out of my mouth than by shoving this huge, fresh piece of bubblegum in my mouth!!  Get your pens ready to hit a glass when I tell you to! AHHHHH  Those horns in the opening!!! My friend Monica used to have a crush on the boy that lived downstairs from her and she would play this really loud and drop a note out her window attached to a string telling him to meet her in the hallway.  God, I can't believe I remembered that! "wwwoooooooooooa my darlin' Knock Three Times (not yet) on the ceiling if you want me, Twice on the pipe (not yet) if the answer is no.  WWWWWWWWWWWWWWooooooooooOOOOOOOa my sweetness (get ready) (thump the glass on the desk 3 times now) Means you'll meet me in the hallway, mmmmmm, twice on the pipe (NOW) means you ain't gonna shoooowoooa"  Classic!  I love audience participation songs, don't you?

5. Rhinetsone Cowboy - Glen Campbell 3:08 (Capitol Records) WOW "There's been a load of compromisin' on the road to my horizon"!  Hmmmmm  Do you think the whole song came about ONLY because those two words kinda rhyme?  (compromiZIN - horiZON, meh, close enough) You know what is really scary?  I remember every single word to this song.  If you had asked me 2 seconds before I started playing it, I would have laughed and said, NO WAY!  I don't remember the words to this song.  HA!  I love this!!!  hee hee

6. Nights On Broadway - Bee Gees 4:26 (RSO Records) Ahh the Bee Gees!!! This song happened just prior to the Fever hit the world. Down and dirty.  That's how this song starts!!  Hard and funky.  Barry's familiar falsetto doesn't come in for a few seconds and his chest voice sounds sooooo good.  Waaka-Waaka guitars going crazy in the background.   Ahh, there it is, on the chorus, second time through, "Blaming it all on the Nights On Baa-road-way".  Wait, I forgot to pay attention to the lyrics.  Oh, those Bee Gees were good at distracting us, weren't they? Like holding something shiny in our faces.  What is it excatly that we are blaming those Baa-road-way Nights for, oh wise brothers Gibb?  We may never know. eh, who cares. 

7. Enjoy Yourself - The Jacksons 3:24 (Epic/Philadelphia International Records) Are your teeth hurting yet? Well, here comes another piece of Bazooka for you!  (Remember the little comics that came in each piece?  My buddy Dave gave me a box of Bazooka Bubble Gum at Christmas this year, solely for that reason!)  A great funky dance sound.  "woooooooooooo enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself with me" Chair dancing!!!  Lots of chair dancing with a little choreography  on the 'tear the house down" hook!  Kids you are missing a party!  WAIT!!!!  It is Friday night.  I am sitting here alone bopping to....oh nevermind. (shuttup Who are you to judge me? {{{{shaking fist at you in a very Simpsons-esque manner}}}}})

8. River Deep - Mountain High - The Supremes & Four Tops 3:05 (Motown Records) Another remake but in my humble opinion, this is THE definitive version of the song!!!! ANGRY VIOLINS thud!!!!  Love it!  This is another single that was PTD!!!!  Constant "phhhhhhhh" running throughout!  Ok, first of all, this song is just too damn short!  That said......The vocals on this are flawless.  Obviously, this was post Diana Ross cause there ain't no breathy babe sangin' here.  These are some women with a story to tell!  Ok, she loves him likes she loved her rag-doll and he says he will be as faithful as that puppy, though he will never let her down!  Nice! Loving that 60s early 70s sitar sound and then the discotheque sound crashing in.  I can see crazy go-go dancers in fringe bikinis dancing on the bar behind them!!!

9. This Will Be - Natalie Cole 2:50 (Capitol Records) Let the funky fun times continue. I don't know about you, but I would kill to go to a bar or a club that played music like this! (I always worked this stuff in when I DJed, right Annette?) Piano, clap, snap. Piano, clap, snap. Funky horns and Natalie is off and running!  I love this woman! Hard to believe, "this will be the first time anyone has loved" her.  "LOVING YOU!  is some kind of wonderful"  Yell at us and then pull it on back. And then of course, the vocal hook.....(let's see if I can type this in real time)  "huggin'andsqeezin'andkissin'andpleasin'togetherforevahthrough(something)whatevah yeh yeh yeh you and me (deep breath)solongasI'mlivin'trueloveI'llbegivin'toyouI'llbeservin'causeyou'resodeservin'"  And you know I didn't cheat on that, right? (shuttup)

10. Time Passages - Al Stweart 4:29 (Arista Records) Ok, who invited Captain Buzz Kill?  argh  Ahhh, MOR pop at it's best. I guess this is a good way to end this.  But I was in a good groove, you? "Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight"  Why?  Cause you were partying too hard Al?  I think not.  I think it's cause you fell asleep while listening to your own song and missed the train you were supposed to be on.  I guess this is a good song and has it's moment in our musical history, but seriously, had I not had it in here, would you have even remembered it?  (Time Passages not fast enough for me, Al) Sorry Steve.

Doing this blog has reconnected me with old friends and old music that I love. It is making me remember things and preserve them here for my nieces. There-in lies the reason for this musical journey I am on.  The bigger things in life that come up and smack us sooooo hard in the face, much like the 400lbs of background singers in that Rocky tune, well those things take a little longer to show themselves but trust me folks, they always do.  Have a great night and pull out some old records and call an old friend.  See you tomorrow!

Carpenters to Cassidys - Happy Thursday

Family, music and food!  My 3 favorite things in the world. My family is the most important part of my life.  Whether related by blood or by circumstance, there is no facet of my life that means more to me.  Music, well, I think you know all about that by now and FOOD!!!!  Man, do I love to cook! Tonight I made Steak Pizzailoa (pits-eye-ola).  That is a nice steak that you pound out, dredge in flour, brown in a pan (the browning being the most important part), add some onions, deglaze the pan with a nice red wine and then drown it in tomato sauce and let it simmer for an hour or so.  Make some spaghetti and you have one of the best meals ever.  My Mom always told us that her Dad used to make Pizzailoa every thursday. Although I never had great good-fortune to meet this man, my Grandpa Joseph, I know he must have been an amazing man. My Mom loved that man very much and look at how great she turned out.  She had to get that from somewhere, right?

Ok, I went so far off on a tangent, I am sorry.  Back to family!!  Brothers and sisters, brothers, sisters, parents and children.  When I looked at todays 10, well actually 11 cause I decided I would make Thursdays a bonus night, the majority of the songs are song by families.  As you all know, I would not be doing any of this if it were not for my brother and his family, so, let's all thank Steven!  He will always be my protector and my hero.

Ok....on to todays 10.  DOH!!!  I mean 11! I am going to start with the bonus song because it is my favorite.

(Click here to listen to clips of these songs)

1. (They Long To Be) Close To You - Carpenters 3:40 (A&M Records) This is probably one of my two favorite songs in the whole world. (The other being "A Song For You" as recorded by the Carpenters)  I know I have said this before but if it were not for Aunt Bobbie, I may not have ever known or loved the Carpetners as much as I do.  She called me up and told me to put on American Bandstand because there was this brother and sister group performing and SHE (the sister, not my Aunt) was playing the drums.  I fell in love.  Also, when Dick Clark talked to them, Karen was wearing the white dress she has on on the cover of the album Close To You. He said how refreshing it was to see her dressed the way she was.  She promptly raised up her dress to reveal that she was wearing jeans under it. Gotta love her!  My other favorite memory of this song is of course, my best bud, my Mom. When we lived in Long Island, it was usually just her and I at home during the day.  Steven was at school and Dad was at work.  So, we did everything together. She would strap me into the car (and I was not allowed to talk when she drove) and we would go to Ethan Allen or go shopping or just hang out in the backyard (and she would make little meatballs in a brown gravy....yum!  See, Family, Music and Food).  Anyway, she would sing this song to me and ALWAYS changed the lyric, "eyes of blue" to "eyes of brown" and I really thought, she had them change the lyric just for me!  Best days of my life. Yesterday was a day that reminded me of that!  WOW that was a lot of words.  NEXT.....................

2. It's My Turn - Diana Ross 3:53 (Motown Records) Well, I guess Diana is a family onto herself. LOL Diana Ross made a career out of recording very self-affirming songs after the Supremes.  This is one of the first she did as a ballad and not a disco anthem.  Man, the lyric is beautiful and her voice never sounded stronger and more self-confident. "This time's just for me!" Good on you DR!  The strings are sooooooo gorgeous.  I am a sucker for a well orchestrated song and this is right up there with the best.  I just looked to see who wrote the song and it was Michael Masser and Carole Bayer Sager (co-writer with Melissa Manchester on so many amazing songs)!  Great team.  Great song.

3. Something Stupid - Nancy and Frank Sinatra 2:35 (Reprise Records) I think this may be Steven's favorite pick for tonight, I know it is one of my favorites. I told you my whole family loves music and my Dad's favorite has always been Francis Albert.  Mom and Dad not only got to see him perform several times at places like Carnegie Hall but my Dad actually met Frank!  Mom used to play "My Way" on the piano and I can remember her explaining the lyrics to us and how important they were.  The few times I have sung that at Karaoke, I got choked up. This song, Something Stupid, is so simple and so wonderful, although the lyric is a bit odd for a Father to be singing with his Daughter, but, eh, what do I know?

4. Temptation Eyes - The Grass Roots 2:35 (Dunhill/abc Records) Ok, maybe this one will be Steven's pick.  WOW  From the driving beat in the beginning of the song to very end, this is such a strong song. Great vocal, great horns!!! "Temptation Eyes looking through my my my soul"  aw man, that guitar solo in the break! Amazing.  LOL  ok,this is embarrassing but we all have had these moments.  I used to think the lyric was "looking through my my my door!"  LOL  After 150 years, I sit here corrected and realize how stupid I must have sounded when I was a kid singing this!! And for those keeping track, this is another one I brought into St. Pat's that day!

5. Our Day Will Come - Frankie Valli 3:58 (Private Stock Records) I think this was Frankie's (I feel close enough to him to call him Frankie) follow-up to Swearin' To God!  Do I own that?  I love that song!  Very much disco, with a great back-up vocal and horn arrangement!  One of the few break out solo songs without the 4 Seasons. I am trying to find out who sang that amazing back-up for him.  Anyone know?

6. Chase - Giorgio Moroder 3:38 (Casablanca Records) This is the theme from Midnight Express.  WOW  I totally forgot about this song.  It is instrumental and brilliant.  Giorgio Moroder had a way with a synthesizer that no one else has ever had.  Howard Jones and Vince Clark come close but they had great vocals to rely on.

7. Remember (Walkin' In The Sand) The Shangri-Las 2:18 (Red Bird Records) Such drama!!!  WOW "Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no no no!"  Girl meets guy, guy leaves for two years to go over seas and then he sends girl a Dear Jane letter. Ah, the 60s.  By today's standards we have an obsessive compulsive girl who is clinging too tightly too what might have been and has a flock of seagulls (no not them......actual seagulls) at her beck-and-call so she can record this melodramatic song. A nice bit of fluff.  Next.......

8. Turn Around, Look At Me - The Vogues 2:43 (Reprise Records) Oh, good, more drama!  "there is someone, walking behind you!"  Stalker? (He really should have met the chick that sang the previous song.  In bizarro world, they would have cancelled each other out!) "Watching your footsteps"? "Here's my heart, in my hand"?  Isn't that messy? Sorry.  I couldn't resist.  This is a very sappy song and I can not believe that I am saying that!!!! Me!  The king of SAP!  I got nuthin' folks.  LOL  Next.....Ok, wait.  I got something.  The one great thing about this song is the vocal.  It is very reminiscent of groups from the 50s like the Four Lads and the Four Aces.  Ok, now...cue it up.

9. I Think I Love You - The Partridge Family 2:28 (Bell Records) AHHHHHHH!!!!  I LOVE THIS SONG! I always sing this at Karaoke. I do have alternate lyrics for this song that stem back to my piano bar days with Amy and Gerry, but they are not suitable for the chillruns!  Oh that harpsichord break followed by the really deep voice!  "I don't know what I'm up against (tssst)  I don't know what it's all about (tssst)  I got so much to think about HEEEEEYYYYYY!"  This was another HUGE debate in the 70s....Bradys or Partridges.  My loyalty was always with Keith...I mean David.  Yeh, that's it, David!  So good!!!!

10. Da Doo Ron Ron - Shaun Cassidy 2:46 (Warner Borhter's Records) Ok, you can't plan this stuff folks, but now you understand where the whole family theme came from.  Following in David's well-coiffed footsteps was step-brother Shaun.  High on his success in The Hardy Boys, he released a couple of singles that did really well on the pop charts in the late 70s. Growing up, people always compared me to Shaun.  I guess it was the hair?  Well, I finally got to meet him one day.  My friend Laurie Beechman was doing a show with Shaun as her co-star called Dangerous Music.  I flew to Florida to surprise her and she in turn introduced me to the entire cast.  I felt so SPECIAL that day!!!  In the show, Shaun's voice was surprisingly powerful and commanding.  You would never know it from listening to this single but, this was a lot of fun in the day!

11. Cherish - David Cassidy 3:48 (Bell Records)  Again, what are the odds of this????  It is a Cassidy musical orgy!  This was David's break-out single without the Partridge Family. A great idea with one major misstep!  It is produced by the same people that did the PF songs and includes a choral back-up that sounds very much like the rest of the flock!  On the plus side, it is a wonderfully produced song and he sounds amazing.  I saw him in concert a few ago and he still sounds GREAT and looks amazing!  I really have a lot of respect for this man!  Go check out his site.  It opens with a remake of "I'll Meet You Halfway", a song that is on the block for Sunday with Annette!!!  Very ironic if you ask me.

Well, we can't all be fortuate enough to have musical siblings that either travel around in a bus together or played Vegas together or sold millions of records together but we do all have family.  Like I said in the beginning of this post, related by blood or circumstance, they are our families and I for one would be lost without mine.  Good night peeps.  See you tomorrow!!!