I had to go to Jackson to cover soccer for work last night, therefore no Halloween partying for me.
During my drive, I did take pleasure in looking for spooks and haunts out scavenging for candy. I made a mental list that included, in order of appearance, an adult scarecrow riding as a passenger, a convict and a skeleton trick or treating together, an uncreepy clown, a sexy pink bunny, a fairy and a monarch butterfly riding with a ghoul who looked a lot like a zombie Uncle Fester, and a cowboy.
However, I did not spot this awesome family of Wild Things riding the subway.
I have about as much musical ability as the average doorknob.
As a child, my grandmother taught me how to peck out a few beginner tunes on a piano. I’m sure I drove her nuts because once I learned them my goal became to see just how fast I could blaze through them note for note instead of actually counting the time.
With the introduction of Guitar Hero to my home, I learned that the pinky on my left hand is apparently not connected to my brain. For as soon as I advanced beyond the beginner phase of the game, I could not command my tiniest finger to strike the keys when called upon. FAIL!
I didn’t even try to jump in and play Rock Band when it arrived at my homestead at Christmas since there was no plastic recorder to butcher play. No vocal skills, no rhythm, and already a failure at guitar, I opted to not humiliate myself in front of the nieces and nephews.
Of course, yesterday was Elvis’ birthday, but I took care of a tune from the King then, so I’ll move forward while moving even further into the past for Feel Good Friday.
It’s Cab Calloway’s Minnie the Moocher.
This version is a tad slower starting out, but well worth a listen.
Here’s another Cab tune for you – Jumpin Jive from the movie Stormy Weather.
I have to include this one specifically for the Nicholas Brothers’ split-tastic finale.
January 8 is a hip wiggling, lip curling, scarf flinging sort of day.
It’s Elvis’ birthday.
He would have been 74 today if he’d laid off the deep fried foods and slowed up on the pill popping
What’s your favorite Elvis song?
It’s so hard to choose, but I’m a bit partial to Blue Moon of Kentucky. I think it’s the simplicity of the whole thing. It was on the flip side of his big debut – That’s All Right Mama – on Sun Records. Of course Bill Monroe does a pretty fair non-rockabilly version of the tune as well.
If you want another video of the King singing about the moon, click here for his rendition of Blue Moon.
Is there a sunnier, more swinging song about murder than Mack the Knife?
I don’t think so. No matter how gloom and doom the storyline, you can’t help but snap your fingers, tap your toes and sing along.
Check out Bobby Darin live in Las Vegas (of course) and below that one a version sung in German by Lotte Lenye, wife of the song’s writer Kurt Weill, who helped compose The Threepenny Opera along with lyricist Bertholt Brecht.
I got to see kd lang perform at the Ryman the other night.
Incredible, moving, brilliant.
Believe it or not it was my first ever visit to the Ryman and what a way to experience the historical building – an angelic voice filling the room and someone I love sitting next to me – a perfect night.
I’ve been a fan of kd since her first album (yes I had “Angel With A Lariat” on vinyl) and her late night visits to Letterman’s set.
She performed lots of stuff from her new CD “Watershed”; you can hear a few of those tunes on her MySpace page.
She charmed her audience with a bit of banter and some “dance moves” and her banjo.
The showstopper was her version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. The emotion conveyed by her powerful voice raised the Ryman roof and lifted her audience to its feet for an extended standing ovation once the rendition was finished. It moved me to tears.
This version isn’t from the Ryman, but it’s still an impressive showing from 2007.
I had to go to Jackson to cover soccer for work last night, therefore no Halloween partying for me.
I have about as much musical ability as the average doorknob.
January 8 is a hip wiggling, lip curling, scarf flinging sort of day.
Stumble It!
