HELLO EVERY PEOPLE!!!! I a come back live from seeing Abdula Obalamadingdong.  I a must say that I a not understand something on the tv box.  I a no understand how Obalamadingaling is a responsible for a the price of the gas in America country.  He a must go to the place of gas and change all a the pricing.  But, I a come a to Edgertown to once again visit with the strange person.

Today, I a go to this Flag Festival to see him a sing in a choir.  WOOLY SHEEP!!! There were a lot of a peoples on the stage under a tent to a sing the songs.  All a these peoples sitting in the chairs watching the a people look like they very hot… waving fans, pogrmas.  I a thought it a just right.  Lithwathistan summer gets up a to 102 degrees on a cool day.  So, it was a little cool for Morat.  The a people sing many, many songs about America country.  I a think I hear something like “Your Land This Is,” “Beautiful the America Country,” “Doodle Yankee,”(what a dis Doodle, Morat not understand) “America County Anthem,” and many other music songs.  Strange person, he a read Oath of Citizenship.  Morat a must think about becoming a America country citizenship.  I A LOVE AMERICA COUNTRY!!!

While I a walk with strange person back a to his home, the cousin of strange person ask if we like a ride.  Strange person say he a tired and his foot fall asleep from standing on the a rising stairs for long time.  It a been years since he a had to stand in one place for a so long (45 minutes).  I a tell him about songs of Liswathistan like “My Poor Liswathistan,” “The a Song of Sad Yanish,” or a one of my favorites, “Carry a Me to a Little Muddy Water for a Swim with a My Dog Name a Mushinta,” and “Vladamir Goes a to Flaksington.”

So… next day I a go to Christopher Columbustown to OHHO Fair.  I will a come back soon and EVERYONE WINS!!!

Some of the most fascinating parts of a Bond film are the opening credits. All but the original movie opens with an action packed opening scene follow by what could be considered a pre-cursor to the music video. Most of them feature tantalizing, scantily-clad (or less) beauties often in silhouette. Accompanying these scenes are 21 songs by artists of today or others who have gone by the wayside. While some of the songs have been more popular than others, only one has topped the US singles charts and two have been Academy Award nominees. In the opening to For Your Eyes Only, singer Sheena Easton became the first performer to actually appear in the video. This marked the first time the performer appeared in the credits video. One singer has performed two memorable themes. In one of the latest films, a singer/actress had a brief (THANK YOU) cameo.

After troubled performer Amy Winehouse was deemed incapable to record and Paul McCartney could not create a rhyme for the word “solace,” Alicia Keys and Jack White (?… is he the twin brother of Jack BLACK who was accidentally switched at birth?) are recording the first duet to be used as a Bond theme.

By clicking on the link, you can test your knowledge (whatever it may be) of just 10 of the 21 themes. I had to brilliantly guess on a few of them; however, I did slightly better than Dr. “Oh” No ranking. Or you can reminisce by posting your favorite Bond theme, for those who like such things. Mine is the instrumental theme to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service which is very underrated as is the movie (unfortunately… as I find it one of the best and different from most).

Sunday morning while in the car with my brothers children (aged 12, 9, and 3), the song “Live and Let Die” came on the radio. I asked the three where the song by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his group Wings originated. The THREE-YEAR OLD quickly answered “Shrek the 3rd.” I was utterly amazed and had totally forgotten. I informed them that I am as old as the song itself to which my precocious 12 year old nephew chimed, “How do you know? Are you sure?” Roger Moore made his debut as 007, James Bond in the film Live and Let Die in 1973. I could not state the exact date of the movie’s release (I was either in diapers or still waiting to be introduced to the world myself).

The Bond film is interesting for various reasons. Like so many others in the series, LALD reflected the world around it at the time of its release. Images of the occult are used throughout much of this James Bond feature. Tarot reading, virginal sacrifices, and supernatural characters (like Baron Samedi) are on display as 007 tracks a mysterious heroin-dealer from the Caribbean to New Orleans. Jane Seymour made her major film debut as Solitaire who (as one may guess) is the fortune-telling mystic that reads tarot cards to see into the future until the suave, debonair secret agent uses a bit of his own magic.

So… like many items of popular culture, a song that was around thirty odd years ago has had a re-emergence of sorts. Funny how a three-year-old can make that clear. Once again, I am humbled… the movie Live and Let Die was released a mere 13 days prior to my birth. I wonder if my parents saw it in the theatre.

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It is extremely interesting to learn that one of  the most recognizable  songs sung at sporting events has had such a long history.  The tune is celebrating its 100th anniversary and has only been officially sung at events since 1976 when Harry Carey (then a Chicago White Sox broadcaster) went from singing it between commercial breaks to himself to initiating the traditional seventh-inning stretch.  Funny how something that he initially frowned upon would become one of his trademarks.  So much so that after his death, celebrities were invited to go up to the box at Wrigley Field and sing to varying degrees of success.  Read the interesting history of the song

Take Me Out to the Ballgame Now 100

Being a country music fan, a recent news item caught my attention.  Seems country superstar Tim McGraw had to step in to perform security duties at his own concert.  He spotted a large man in the front row roughing up a female concert-goer, and since security wasn’t close to the guy, McGraw grabbed him up on stage to intervene in the situation.  I don’t know why security wasn’t anywhere near the front row at the time, but it seems McGraw can add something else to his list of accomplishments.  The guy already has an pretty interesting biography…  He believed his step-father was his biological father until the age of 11 when he accidently discovered his step-father was not listed on his birth certificate.  His mother took him to see his real father, baseball superstar Tug McGraw, who denied him until Tim was 18 and he realized how much they looked alike.  They remained close until Tug’s death in 2004.  He met fellow country singer Faith Hill – a country superstar in her own right – when they toured together, and they married and have 3 daughters.  He is one of the most talented and successful country singers of our time and has been in the headlines for a few bizarre incidents, including a run-in involving a police horse (his friend Kenny Chesney, a huge country star himself, was accused of stealing the horse and McGraw was accused of shoving an officer during the melee.  The two were later acquitted of all charges after it was proven that Chesney had permission to ride the horse and McGraw was trying to keep his friend from being thrown off the horse).  And now this.  What a way to get on stage to meet your favorite country singer.  And throughout the entire incident, the band played on and McGraw didn’t miss a lyric.  I really have to get to a country music concert; it’s been awhile!  Check it all out here:

There are several things that go into the making of any movie: acting, directing, writing, set design, etc. I feel that some of the best movies are defined not only visually but aurally. There is one man who in the past 40+ years has become the master of film scores. He has composed the music for at least 6 of the top box office movies of all time and has become the right hand man of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. In every movie he has ever composed the music for, John Williams creates several characters (or at least enhances those on stage) along with the London Symphony Orchestra. Where would Darth Vader be without the ominous, thunderous “Imperial March?” Elliot and E.T. could not have flown on the bicycle without the wondrous theme. Christopher Reeve would not be nearly as super without the triumphant strains of the “Superman March.” Bruce the Shark would have been a guppy without the haunting motif from Jaws. I do not believe there has been a recent film directed by Steven Spielberg that Maestro Williams has not composed the score to. Whether it be blockbusters like Jurassic Park or more serious, thought-provoking movies like Schindler’s List, Mr. Williams has been the musical Force (pun intended) behind all of them. Several DVDs produced have the option of viewing the film with music only… just see how little empty space there is without the dialog. If it is a John Williams scored film there would not be much. If there is one thing I am a guilty collector of it is the breathtaking, awe inspiring beauty of the music of John Williams. I challenge anyone to name any movie that he has composed the music for that would be better without it. I anxiously await not only the crack of Indiana Jones’ whip but also the majesty that is the opening bars of the “Raiders March.”

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While watching one of Tom Hanks’ seemingly forgotten movies, I began to think upon the novelty of the one hit wonder (the countless musical groups that have the distinction of having one major song and then disappearing into obscurity). That Thing You Do dramatizes one such group: The Wonders (catchy name, eh?). The film follows the group and its manager Mr. White (played by Hanks who also wrote and directed the movie) formed during the 1960s at the onset of the British invasion. The cast also includes Tom Everett Scott (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Hanks) as the drummer Guy, Johnathon Schaech as the moody lead singer Jimmy, and Steve Zahn as the “ladies man” guitarist Lenny. Liv Tyler is also featured as Jimmy’s girlfriend Faye. The band records one catchy tune (fittingly entitled, “That Thing You Do”), tours it on the county fair circuit, and eventually hits the big time on an Ed Sullivan-esque variety show. However, Mr. White also gets the group a gig “appearing” in a low budget beach movie as Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters.

There have been several groups to have one song make a huge splash only to see that group slip into oblivion soon after. How about “Pac-Man Fever” by Buckner and Garcia? Or “Somebody’s Watchin’ Me” by Michael Jackson wannabe Rockwell (who just happened to be the son of Motown founder Barry Gordy, Jr.). “Mickey” by Toni Basil; Nena’s “99 Red Balloons”. OR more recently, “Who Let the Dogs Out” by the marvelous Baha Men. Or “Tubthumping” by that group of groups Chumbawumba. Wow…. the most recent examples I can think of are at least 10 years old. OHOHOHOHOH…. how could I possibly forget “Ice, Ice Baby?” Now THAT is a one-hit wonder (a wonder anyone ever listened to it). Or my personal favorite “Disco Duck” by DJ turned weekly countdown king, Rick Dees. Surely brought a quick death to the Disco craze. And let us not forget the best group ever to lip-sync a note (or not) Milli Vanilli.

Yep, that is me. I’ve probably done five and will be doing my sixth on March 29th. The first was for my cousin about 10 years ago. I sang at my 2 brother’s weddings (one of which is divorced) and my sister’s (who is separated (wow…. scary thought only 1 out of three is still married). Then I sang for another cousin’s ceremony. Last night, the organist and I met to go over what I am expected to sing on the 29th. Most of the songs I have done before… more or less traditional wedding songs (The Rose, Sunrise Sunset, One Hand One Heart, and Theme from Ice Castles (Through the Eyes of Love). When I saw the list, I asked the organist why we were singing so few. We will need to add at least one to the Pre-ceremony list; there were two and I have been known to have as many as five. We must be going to rush those guests into the church in a hurry. Even with the organist playing between the two songs, it would take no more than 10 minutes to get through it all.

As for the songs themselves, I have sung “The Rose” during at least 3 weddings. I have been in two different productions of Fiddler on the Roof, so “Sunrise Sunset” is familiar (but at a Catholic wedding seems strange). “One Hand One Heart” from West Side Story is about as traditional as “The Bridal March.” The Ice Castles theme is probably the most unfamiliar to me but I have been to enough weddings to have heard the piece more than once. I have always wanted to do “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” but maybe for my own. At least they are all in English.