Song of the Day: And the Angels Sing features the music of trumpeter Ziggy Elman and the lyrics of Johnny Mercer, who was born 100 years ago today. The most famous version of this song was recorded by the Benny Goodman Big Band, featuring the sweet vocals of Martha Tilton and a rousing trumpet solo by Elman. In celebration of the centennial of the birth of the Great Mercer, take a look at this YouTube moment of this terrific song.
It's like New Year's Eve in the neighborhood right now... because the New York Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies, 4 games to 2, to earn their 27th World Series Championship!
CONGRATULATIONS to the greatest franchise in sports history!
Last night, the New York Yankees won their 40th American League Championship Pennant, beating the LA Angels of Anaheim four games to two. The World Series opens in Da Bronx on Wednesday, October 28th against the Philadelphia Phillies. Yuck.
I can't stand the Phillies. Anyway.
I'll be root, root, rooting for the home team! Go Yankees!!!
Song of the Day: One Step Beyond ("Fear"/"Weird"), composed by Harry Lubin, was the haunting theme music to an equally haunting TV series. Hosted by the elegant John Newland, the series offered dramatizations of real-life tales of the unexplained. These themes were among the spookiest in TV history and this show remains one of my favorite all-time TV series (one of the least typical episodes is the rarely seen docu-style, "The Sacred Mushroom," which is on YouTube; check out parts 1, 2, and 3, the last of which includes the theme music at the end). One day beyond last night's Emmy Awards, which kicked off the new television season officially, listen to audio clips from Lubin's soundtrack and from the ever-popular Ventures.
My favorite Yankee player just broke the all-time franchise hit record, held by the Iron Horse, Lou Gehrig, for the past 72 years. Derek Jeter's single in the third inning---his 2,722nd lifetime hit---pulled him ahead of Gehrig, for the lead in all-time Yankee hits. It was a thrill to watch. Even the principal owner, George Steinbrenner, had something nice to say about Jeter: "For those who say today's game can't produce legendary players, I have two words: Derek Jeter. ... As historic and significant as becoming the Yankees' all-time hit leader is, the accomplishment is all the more impressive because Derek is one of the finest young men playing the game today."
Amen.
And, for the record, Jeter added another hit during the game, increasing his franchise record to 2,723 hits. Bravo!
This year, as we mark the 8th anniversary of the tragedy of 9/11, I have posted the newest installment of my annual series, "Remembering the World Trade Center": "Lenny: Losses and Loves."
It focuses on Lenny Trerotola and tells the story of the losses he endured, and the loves that have sustained him.
For those who would like to read previous installments in the series, here is an index:
2001: As It Happened
2002: New York, New York
2003: Remembering the World Trade Center: A Tribute
2004: My Friend Ray
2005: Patrick Burke, Educator
2006: Cousin Scott
2007: Charlie: To Build and Rebuild
2008: Eddie Mecner, Firefighter
Song of the Day: Blame it on the Boogie, words and music by Mick Jackson, David Jackson, and Elmar Krohn, was recorded in 1978 by both Mick Jackson and The Jacksons (no relation between them). The Jacksons' version, my favorite, sported an infectious and happy disco beat, and a sweet R&B-laced vocal by its extraordinarily talented lead singer, who, today, would have been 51 years old. In remembrance of Michael Jackson's birthday, Spike Lee is sponsoring a day-long festival in Brooklyn's Prospect Park today. From the Jacksons' album, "Destiny," take a YouTube trip down memory lane. (And check out Mick Jackson's original version on YouTube as well!)
Song of the Day: How High the Moon, music by Morgan Lewis, lyrics by Nancy Hamilton, is one of those great jazz standards that has been recorded by so many musicians through the years. One of my favorite versions is by the master jazz violinists Stephane Grappelli and Stuff Smith (audio clip at that link). Benny Goodman and Helen
Forest recorded a terrific rendition (YouTube clip at that link) and Ella Fitzgerald recorded it several times as well (check out an audio clip from "Ella in Berlin"). But the song went to #1 on the Billboard chart in a classic version by Mary Ford and Les Paul. Les passed away today; he was a wonderfully talented musician and a titanic innovator in the art and science of modern recording. Check out Les and Mary on YouTube.
This summer is getting a bit ridiculous: Ed, Farrah, Michael, Karl Malden, and now... Uncle Walter.
Walter Cronkite, respected CBS anchor for many years, passed away yesterday at the age of 92. I watched so much Cronkite as a kid, especially during all those space launches, which so inspired me.
I actually met this gentleman at a Broadway play some years ago; he was, in fact, a great fan of New York theatre. It was during intermission... when several hundred people descend on the restrooms simultaneously, and Mr. Cronkite and I both exited the restroom at the same time, and practically walked into one another. When I realized who it was, I simply extended my hand, told him what a fan I was, and he was most gracious.
Song of the Day: P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), words and music by James Ingram and Quincy Jones, was the sixth single release from Michael Jackson's Grammy award winning and all-time best selling album, Thriller (which generated seven Top Ten hits in total). I've highlighted so many of Jackson's songs through the years on my "Song of the Day"; today, I feature this one in the wake of his death. It's just fun ... a reminder of what fun Jackson's music was. And, well, "now is the perfect time..."
This has been a tough week for those of us boomers who grew up and came into our own in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. First, it was reported that Ed McMahon passed away. His presence on late night TV with Johnny Carson and on annual MDA Telethons was always a source of joy.
Then, word came early today that Farrah Fawcett had lost her battle with cancer. From "Charlie's Angels" to "The Burning Bed," Fawcett showed versatility, and acting chops. And even I bought that famous poster and Playboy issue.
This morning, I repeated to a friend of mine one of those old adages: "They say that famous people die in threes. Ed, Farrah... jeez... guess we should expect another one."
Late this afternoon, I found out that Michael Jackson passed away.
I can't even begin to communicate how stunned and saddened I was to hear this. We were roughly the same age, and I grew up on his music, from his early Motown years with the Jackson Five to his remarkable solo career; I danced to his beats, marvelled at his raw talent, and was fortunate enough to see him three times in concert: once on the Victory Tour, in the wake of his unbelievably successful album, Thriller (one of my favorite albums of all time); a second time on the Bad World Tour; and finally, on the Dangerous World Tour. Soft spoken in interviews, the man became a moonwalking lion on stage. I've never seen anyone like him in live performance ... before or since.
Unfortunately, in later years, so much of this magnificent talent was overshadowed by tabloid stories, sordid scandals, trials, and tribulations. None of it erased, in my mind, the talent of this entertainer, or the happiness his music, groundbreaking videos, and electrifying performances brought me.
Ed, Farrah, and Michael. All gone too soon.
Song of the Day: There's No Business Like Show Business, words and music by Irving Berlin, is from the Broadway musical, "Annie Get Your Gun." In honor of the 63rd Annual Tony Awards, which is being broadcast tonight on CBS, I feature this classic song in a version by Ethel Merman (YouTube clip at that link), from the 1954 film of the same name.
Song of the Day: Don't Be That Way was written by Edgar Sampson, Mitchell Parish, and Benny Goodman, for whose band this was a huge hit. It was the tune that opened Goodman's famed 1938 Carnegie Hall concert (audio clip at that link). Today, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the King of Swing, I feature this wonderful tune from his remarkable discography. Take a look at a 1980 Goodman YouTube clip and for a vocal version, check out Ella Fitzgerald on YouTube.
Notablog is among 100 "awesome blogs by some of the world's smartest people" That's totally awesome, indeed (even if I've not been blogging as much as I used to...)!
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