Tag: music

December rambling: male and female

mass clemency

Christmas 2021 Frankincense Cartoon

Text: H.R. 9218 — 118th Congress (2023-2024). This Act may be cited as the “Defining Male and Female Act of 2024”.

Why News Was So Neutral in the ’50s & ’60s

Ten Americas: a systematic analysis of life expectancy disparities in the USA

Legal Eagle is Suing the FBI & DOJ

Quackwatch: Your Guide to Quackery, Health Fraud, and Intelligent Decisions

Telling The Truth in a Post-Truth World, 5:30 p.m. Friday, November 22, 2024

The U.S. Census Bureau announced the appointment of five new members to its National Advisory Committee (NAC).

Bad influence: One Amazon influencer makes a living posting content from her beige home. But after she noticed another account hawking the same minimal aesthetic, a rivalry spiraled into a first-of-its-kind lawsuit. (This is an intellectual property dispute, which has always fascinated me.)
Certain names make ChatGPT grind to a halt.
It’s Time ‘Jeopardy!’ Restores the Five-Game Win Limit (I never supported the end of the five-game limit)
Prof. Leonard Slade: “Her poetry will stand the test of time.” A former University at Albany professor remembers the late Nikki Giovanni, his longtime friend and fellow poet.

Marshall Brickman, Oscar-winning screenwriter on ‘Annie Hall,’ Dies at 85

‘Sesame Street’ Hits the Market: HBO and Max Opt Not to Renew Deal For New Episodes

You Can Barely Appear On Screen and Still Win an Oscar

Bilbo Baggins, cheapest little Hobbit of them all…

Poetry Corner: Love Excels

Uncovering the names of alcoholic beverages

Now I Know: Another Brick in the Nose and The Famous Symbol with the Hidden N and D and The Temperature You Can Hear? and Let Slip the Dogs of … Reforestation? and The Man Who Raised His Hand… Forever

More pardons!

Biden Faces Pressure to Enact Mass Clemency; the 1500 he pardoned is a start. Advocates say Biden must repair the harm caused by harsh anti-drug and crime laws he championed in the 1980s and ’90s. I agree.

Additionally, there are 40 federal prisoners on death row. Not incidentally,  13 federal prisoners were executed between mid-July 2020 and mid-January 2021, when you-know-who was President.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) calls on Biden to pardon djt, saying things would be “a lot more balanced.” I’m not feeling it. I feel that he’s already been pardoned, first by the Supreme Court and then by his election, which essentially scuttled most of the prosecutions.   

MUSIC

All My Love – Coldplay, feat. Dick Van Dyke

Who’s Sorry Now – the Rhythmakers

Favorite Songs By Favorite Artists: The Stranglers and Dead Kennedys

Coverville 1513: The 21st Annual Beatles Thanksgiving Cover Story

Edelweiss – MonaLisa Twins
Peg – Steely Dan
Eye Know – De La Soul ft. Otis Redding
Cannonball – The Breeders
Gigantic – The Pixies
Do The Work from Prince of Broadway
Automatic – The Pointer Sisters
What A Fool Believes – The Doobie Brothers
J. Eric Smith’s Best Albums of 2024

Best-Selling Children’s Records (Xmas)

Joel Whitburn Presents Christmas in the Charts, 1920 to 2004 shares this information: “Billboard published a best-selling children’s records chart from June 12th, 1948 through November 12th, 1955. This chart was researched for children’s Christmas records that charted during the holiday season.”

There were a lot of repeated songs, which might have led to the chart’s demise.

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Gene Autry (1949), #1. After my father-in-law Richard died in 2020, I went through many of his CDs, a collection I had previously been unaware of. I got a non-holiday Gene Autry.

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Jimmy Boyd (1952), #1

Frosty the Snow Man – Gene Autry (1950), #2. With the Cass County Boys and an orchestra conducted by Carl Cotner. This was available as a 78, then a 45.  

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Spike Jones (1953), #4. The little-child vocal is by George Rock, “the heavy-set trumpeter in the Jones band.” 

Thirty-Two Feet, Eight Little Tails – Gene Autry (1951), #5

Susie Snowflake – Rosemary Clooney, #5. The orchestra was conducted by Tony Mottola.

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Bing Crosby (1950) #6. With Jud Conlon’s Rhythmaires and John Scott Trotter & his Orchestra.

St. Nick

The Night Before Christmas – Milton Cross (1948), #6. The Clement Moore poem was originally released on a 1939 Victor recording. Musical background was performed by the Victor Salon Orchestra and was arranged and conducted by Rosario Bourdon. 

Frosty the Snow Man – Red Foley (1951), #6. With Shirley, Julie, and Jenny Foley, “The Little Foleys.” Producer: Paul Cohen

A Visit From Saint Nicholas (‘Twas the Night Before Christmas) – Fred Waring (1952), #6. This was originally released in 1942.  Waring and his Pennsylvanians, vocal by the Glee Club, Swingarettes, Jack Best, Gordon Goodman and Twin Trios Here’s the familiar Ken Darby arrangement. Waring would re-do it in later years, once more for Decca and then for Capitol. When I was in the high school choir, we performed a lot of Fred Waring song arrangements. 

More Billboard Christmas Charts

Cheech & Chong

Here are more Billboard Christmas Charts, the songs that did very well in the limited seasonal charts. They were calculated from 1963 through 1972 and 1983 through 1985.

The majority of these songs I do not know; I’ll note the ones that I do.

Here are the songs that reached #2

Merry Christmas, Baby – Charles Brown (1968). I know the song, but it is not from that time period.

Little Drummer Boy – Lou Rawls (1967). Another song I first heard much later. 

Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy–  Buck Owens (1965). Co-written by Owens. 

If Every Day Was Like Christmas – Elvis Presley (1966). If every day WAS like Christmas, would it really be a wonderful world? (Asking for my id.)

Do You Hear What I See – Bing Crosby (1963). I have a whole album of Bing, plus some songs on an Andrews Sisters collection.

Little Becky’s Christmas Wish – Becky Lamb (1967). “Probably the most well-known (and most commercially successful) of the 60s child spoken-word records, the song (Warner Bros. Records # 7154) by the 6-year-old girl took the form of a letter to Santa Claus asking him to bring her big brother Tommy home for Christmas. However, he died in Vietnam.” I never even heard of this.  Oh, my.

Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas – The Staple Singers (1973). This shows in a STAX/Volt box set. Besides the vocals, it’s a bit melancholy, which is why I like it.   

We’re #3

These songs reached #3 on the Xmas charts

Santa Claus and His Old Lady – Cheech & Chong (1972). Stoned talk.

The Man With All The Toys – The Beach Boys (1964). This I have.

Silver Bells – Earl Grant (1969). This needs more airplay.

Little Saint Nick – The Beach Boys (1963). I also have this

You’re All I Want For Christmas – Brook Benton (1963)

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer – The Temptations (1971). Several Motown artists released Christmas albums: Supremes, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson Five, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, as well as the Tempts.  They appeared on a couple of compilations, one of which I own on vinyl.

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – John Lennon (1971). Of COURSE, I have this song.  

Billboard Christmas Charts #1s

The Christmas Song, twice

The Billboard Christmas charts were very odd ducks. Quoting from the book Joel Whitburn Presents Christmas in the Charts, 1920 to 2004, “From 1963 through 1972 and from 1983 through 1985, Billboard published a seasonal Christmas singles chart and did not chart Christmas singles on the Hot 100.”

There were a couple of exceptions in 1984 when two Christmas songs landed on the Hot 100; one was Do They Know It’s Christmas, #13 pop. I don’t know what the other one was. “The charts varied in size from a low of three to a high of 38 positions. The charts from 1983 to 1985 consisted of 10 positions.”

All of these songs went to #1 on the Christmas charts. They may have previously appeared on pop, country, or rhythm and blues charts. The years designated the first time the songs appeared on this particular list.

Billboard put out a pair of compilations with the songs I marked with * on them.

The Little Drummer Boy*—the Harry Simeone Chorale (1964). We had the single when I was a kid, but it was rerecorded with a slower ending.

Snoopy’s Christmas – the Royal Guardsmen (1967). I have this on an LP.

White Christmas – Andy Williams (1963). I know the song and Andy, but not this combo.

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer* – Elmo and Patsy (1983). I own the single. This, too, was rerecorded.

Merry Christmas Darling – Carpenters (1970). Only vaguely familiar.

The Christmas Song – Herb Alpert (1968). The album cover is very familiar. Did I own this?

The #1 Christmas singles artist

White Christmas* – Bing Crosby (1969). This is the 1947 remake, not the 1942 original. I own both. Bing is this book’s #2 Christmas album artist, behind Mannheim Steamroller.

Jingle Bell Rock* – Bobby Helms (1969).

The Christmas Song* (Merry Christmas to You) – Nat King Cole (1969)

Blue Christmas* – Elvis Presley (1964)

Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town– the Jackson 5 (1970). Interesting Classic Motown animation; it was on a Billboard R&B CD collection.

Please Come Home For Christmas – Charles Brown (1972). it was on a Billboard R&B CD collection.

Jingle Bells – the Singing Dogs (1972). Not high in my rotation; at least it’s short.

Sleep In Heavenly Peace (Silent Night) – Barbra Streisand (1966). I didn’t know this version.

Step Into Christmas – Elton John (1973). I was unfamiliar with this song.

Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town—Bruce Springsteen (1985). It was included on the first A Very Special Christmas benefit CD in 1987.

Bonus

Chuck’s 2024 CPKC Holiday Train Chase: The Montreal Concert

Sunday Stealing: Good Luck Charm

An American Family

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. The quiz is stolen from the League of Extraordinary Penpals.

    Do you have a Good Luck Charm?

Oscar and Bellflower

    What was the last song you listened to?

I listened to many albums a couple of days ago, but I don’t remember the order. I Ain’t Marching Anymore by Phil Ochs? Holiday by the BeeGees? Maybe it was the Rolling Stones’ I Am Waiting.

    What is your favorite thing about the place you live?

Albany is the right size for me. I don’t want to live in a huge city, and I certainly don’t want to live out in the country or suburbs. A small/medium-sized city is just about right.

    What is your earliest childhood memory?

I don’t think I remember this as much as I’ve seen a picture of it. My family had gone to the Catskill Game Farm in Catskill NY, from Binghamton when I was three and a half. There was a plastic or metallic pumpkin large enough for me to sit in, and there’s there’s a photograph of this somewhere.

If you could be any animal, what would you be?

A platypus because it would be so contrary to any logic, It’s a mammal and it lays eggs. I love that.

Trust

  Who do you trust the most in your life?

Ostensibly, my wife, but I think there are things you trust some people in certain areas more than you trust other people. I have a couple of friends I’ve known since kindergarten and another I’ve known since the first day of college.

  How many languages can you say “hello” in?

From this list, I know French, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, and German.

What is your favorite kind of weather?

Partly cloudy and 72 light breeze

    How did you discover that Santa wasn’t real, and how old were you?

Santa Claus isn’t real?

    What is the best feeling in the world?

Listening to familiar music with headphones. It tends to be classical music, such as Pictures at an Exhibition or  1812 Overture, or especially Bach’s Toccata and Fugue.

    What is your favorite color?

Aquamarine

    Is there a language you would love to learn?

All of them, especially Chinese and Spanish, but it is not my strength

How do you feel about reality TV?

Early on, I actually watched a few reality shows, such as An American Family, Queeer Eye for the Straight Guy, the first season of Survivor, and the first four seasons of The Real World. But I’ve long ago lost my taste for them.

    Did you ever skip school when you were a kid?

Only to go to a couple of antiwar demonstrations

    What is your least favorite food?

Kale. People telling me how good it is has not swayed me.

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