duaneiac

I think lots of songs from the Golden Age of the American Songbook also had poorly written or ambiguous lyrics. It's just that most of those have been forgotten over time and only the better songs remain performed today. There's an interesting CD put out by Sony many years ago now and likely OOP. I guess back in the 1920's songwriters, or their publishing houses, had stricter control over their works and they would not permit a single alteration to their lyrics. So if a song was sung from a feminine point of view, a male vocalist who chose to sing/record that song could not change the pronouns to make it more "appropriate". I have this CD somewhere, but my collection is not well organized so I can't find it right now. Or like Peter Allen marrying Liza Minelli. One of Peter Allen's finer songs was "I Honestly Love You". There is no clear definition in the song of who "you" is, male or female. The song was recorded by Olivia Newton-John in a rather saccharine arrangement and became a huge hit, with of course, the assumption being that the song dealt with a male and female situation. But knowing of Peter Allen's life, when listening to his own recording of the song, it becomes a much more poignant experience. His version has kind of a slow, boozy, after hours feel to it, and it comes across as a very intimate, heartfelt moment: Maybe I hang around here A little more than I should We both know I got somewhere else to go But I got something to tell you That I never thought I would But I believe you really ought to know I love you I honestly love you Now there is a huge difference between a woman saying those words to a man and a gay man saying those words to a straight man. A whole new world has been entered in that situation. While in the male/female relationship, there is at least the chance that the feeling will be reciprocal. In the gay/straight scenario, that chance does not even exist, yet that does not make the love and longing felt any less sincere or painful. You don't have to answer I see it in your eyes Maybe it was better left unsaid In the male/female reading, there's not much at stake here beyond, "I'm sorry, let's just be friends, shall we". That look in the eyes just probably says that romantic feeling is not mutually shared. In the gay/straight reading, there is a whole lot at stake. That look in the eyes could be one of embarrassment, shock, disgust, anger. The friendship itself may be ended, hurtful words may be said, violence may even erupt. There's just a whole lot of dramatic context taken away from the song in the version recorded by Ms. Newton-John.

He was a remarkable man, who lived in a time when segregation and discrimination were the norm. As part of "The Greatest Generation", he served in the US Navy during WWII to help fight for freedoms he and his people could not yet enjoy. He worked in a business that was very competitive, especially once the big bands died off and then rock and roll did away with the need for lots of studio musicians. Yet I don't think there is a person alive today who would have an unkind word to say about Clark Terry. That may be the finest testament to the kind of man he was and the kind of life he lived. Sometimes, the good guys don't finish last. He will be missed, but never forgotten. May eternal peace be upon him. http://youtu.be/vtGTxNjzGDE

I always heard that line as "Cheese was at a salad rate". I was mystified by the enigma of that one line.

A winner at this year's Pawscar Awards for TV/motion picture animal actors was -- Lifetime Diva Achievement Winner – Crystal This beloved capuchin monkey has been an animal star for 18 years starring in more than 25 films including the “Night At The Museum” series, “The Hangover: Part 2,” “American Pie,” and the “Dr. Doolittle” films, as well as television shows, and commercials. One amazing fact about Crystal is that she is a rescue animal. Crystal is far from the only rescue animal working today: approximately 80 percent of the cats and dogs you see on the large and small screen are rescues or adopted from shelters. This monkey is so beloved that the late Robin Williams called her “his favorite leading lady.” http://www.americanhumane.org/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/move-over-oscars-its-the-pawscars.html

I didn't even know Bob Newhart could play piano -- oh, wait . . .

I always wondered why they chose to put the older Coleman Hawkins on the commemorative postage stamp. Who made that call? There's nothing wrong with that decision necessarily, but when I think of Coleman Hawkins, my first mental image is never that of him as an old man. If Elvis could be remembered on a stamp as the young, influential performer he once was instead of the bloated self-caricature he became, why didn't Mr. Hawkins also deserve to be commemorated as the younger man he was during his most influential years.

Les McCann Clancy Hayes Freddie Cole Professor Longhair Dr. John Woody Herman Lionel Hampton Gerry Mulligan recorded 2 vocals that I know of Tania Maria Paolo Conte Antonio C. Jobim Joao Gilberto