thinking of you (“We missed you hissed the love cats”)
LOVECATS
We move like cagey tigers We couldn’t get closer than this The way we walk The way we talk The way we stalk The way we kiss We slip through the streets While everyone sleeps Getting bigger and sleeker And wider and brighter We bite and scratch and scream all night Let’s go and throw All the songs we know
Into the sea You and me All these years and no one heard I’ll show you in spring It’s a treacherous thing We missed you hissed the lovecats We missed you hissed the lovecats
We’re so wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully Wonderfully pretty! Oh you know that I’d do anything for you We should have each other to tea huh? We should have each other with cream Then curl up by the fire And sleep for awhile It’s the grooviest thing It’s the perfect dream
Into the sea You and me All these years and no one heard I’ll show you in spring It’s a treacherous thing We missed you hissed the lovecats We missed you hissed the lovecats We missed you hissed the lovecats We missed you hissed the lovecats
We’re so wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully Wonderfully pretty! You know that I’d do anything for you We should have each other to dinner We should have each other with cream Then curl up in the fire Get up for awhile It’s the grooviest thing It’s the perfect dream
Hand in hand Is the only way to land And always the right way round Not broken in pieces Like hated little meeces How could we miss Someone as dumb as this?
I love you, let’s go Oh, solid gone How could we miss Someone as dumb as this?
Ann O’Reilly (nee Collins) RIP
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The Canadian country music star who brought you great hits like “I’ve Been Everywhere!”, “The City of New Orleans” and the “Rhumba Boogie”!
(see our previous Blog post I’ve Been Everywhere, Man!)
Hank Snow, the Singing Ranger
Hank Snow on the Perry Como Show in 1952:
Music Makin’ Mama from Memphis!
by Hank Snow
Listen to a story about a gal I know She’s my music makin’ mama, I’m her hillbilly beau She’s sweeter than the music when she tickles the strings Sweeter than the flowers down in New Orleans She’s my Music Makin’ Mama from Memphis, Tennessee.
She’ll play a little rhythm, do the boogie up right A Tennessee polka, maybe blues in the night Ever’body travels from near and far To hear her when she picks it on that old guitar My Music Makin’ Mama from Memphis, Tennessee.
You can hear her in the ev’nin’, when the sun sinks low A-singin’ and a-pickin on that old banjo You wanta jive when the words roll out of her mouth Ever’body’s callin’ her the Queen of the South She’s my fiddle playin’ mama from Memphis, Tennessee.
You gotta start dancin’ when she gets in the groove Picks a big bass fiddle or yodels the blues Plays a downbeat, offbeat, any old beat A breakdown, a hoedown and does it up neat She’s my bass pickin’ baby from Memphis, Tennessee.
You can tell when my baby is a-comin’ to town All the jive-jumpin’ jitterbugs, they gather around They keep a-yellin’ to my sweetie, now, honey, let’s go My baby starts pickin’ and a pickin’ down low My Music Makin’ Mama from Memphis, Tennessee.
She’ll play a little rhythm, do the boogie up right A Tennessee polka, maybe blues in the night Ever’body travels from near and far To hear her when she picks it on that old guitar My Music Makin’ Mama from Memphis, Tennessee.
The Hank Snow Hometown Museum P.O. Box 1419 (148 Bristol Ave), Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada B0T 1K0
(902) 354-4675 or Toll-Free at 1-888-450-5525 info@hanksnow.com
Located on Nova Scotia’s beautiful South Shore Lighthouse Route,
1 minute off Hwy. 103 at Exit 19 in Liverpool, between Yarmouth & Halifax
(Hank was actually born in Brooklyn in Queens County, just outside Liverpool)
Summer: Open Daily Mid May to Mid October
Monday to Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm, Sunday: Noon to 5:00pm
Off Season: Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm, Closed holidays and weekends
Tickets for the 27th Annual Hank Snow Tribute (August 17-20, 2017) on sale now!
Early Bird weekend passes are $60.50, taxes and fees included.
Buy them at ticketpro.ca or call 1-888-311-9090.
Dry RV Camping book through the Hank Snow Home Town Museum
call 1-902-354-4675. The price remains $40/wknd
The song tells a folk tale of a cowboy who has a vision of red-eyed, steel-hooved cattle thundering across the sky, being chased by the spirits of damned cowboys. One of the riders warns him that if he doesn’t change his ways, he’ll be doomed to join them.
The song presents an image of cowboy hell with doomed riders destined to chase the Devil’s cattle for all eternity. Known by the different titles “Riders in the Sky“, “Ghost Riders“, “Ghost Riders in the Sky” and “A Cowboy Legend“, the song has become a Country & Western Classic!
“(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend” was written by Stan Jones in 1948.
Stan Jones said he heard the story when he was 12 years old from an old cowboy.
More than 50 performers have recorded their own cover versions of the song.
Burl Ives recorded the original version of the song in February, 1949:
Vaughn Monroe recorded the song in March, 1949 and it went to Number One on the Billboard charts. Here’s a live performance from 1965:
Ghost Riders in the Sky!
“(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend“
An old cowboy went ridin’ out one dark and windy day upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way when all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he saw plowin’ through the ragged skies and up a cloudy draw
Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel a bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky for he saw the riders comin’ hard and he heard their mournful cries
chorus: yippie i ohhh ohh ohh, yippie i aye ye ye ghost riders in the sky
Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred their shirts all soaked with sweat he’s ridin’ hard to catch that herd but he ain’t caught em yet ’cause they got to ride forever in that range up in the sky on horses snortin’ fire as they ride on, hear their cries
As the riders loped on by him he heard one call his name if you want to save your soul from hell a-ridin’ on our range then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride tryin’ to catch the devil’s herd across these endless skies
yippie i ohhh oh oh, yippie i aye ye ye ghost riders in the sky, ghost riders in the sky, ghost riders in the sky…….
Ghost Rider in the Sky!
The Ventures made a surf rock cover of the song in 1961 and Dick Dale recorded a rockin’ version for his second album “King of the Surf Guitar” which was released in 1963.
The song inspired the 1949 Gene Autry film “Riders in the Sky”
and the film’s tag lines: “Gene and Champion Ride To Glory!…
as the range echoes to the stirring strains of the great cowboy ballad!”
and “A GREAT COWBOY BALLAD launches Gene on his most stirring adventure!”
Of course Gene Autry sings “Ghost Riders in the Sky”. A chance meeting with Stan Jones led Autry to buy the rights to the song, and he gave Jones a part in the film. Jones appears as a cowboy riding and singing along with Autry in the opening and closing scenes of the film. The song also inspired the 1953 film “Goldtown Ghost Riders” starring Gene Autry.
Gene Autry, World’s Greatest Cowboy!
Gene Autry RIP (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998):
He made 640 recordings, including more than 300 songs written or co-written by him.
His records sold more than 100 million copies. He has been awarded more than a dozen gold and platinum records, including the first ever certified gold record.
He was awarded 5 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame On February 8, 1960:
for Motion Pictures, Radio, Recording, Television and Live Performance.
He is the only person with 5 stars on the Walk of Fame.
Elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1969
Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1972.
Inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1979 as a stock contractor.
He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, The National Cowboy Hall of Fame and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
He received The Songwriters Guild Life Achievement Award and was given a lifetime achievement award from ASCAP.
He was a 33rd Degree Mason, an Honorary Inspector General and was awarded the Grand Cross of the Court of Honor.
He created a code of conduct for his young fans called “The Cowboy Code”:
1. The Cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man, or take unfair advantage.
2. He must never go back on his word, or a trust confided in him.
3. He must always tell the truth.
4. He must be gentle with children, the elderly, and animals.
5. He must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas.
6. He must help people in distress.
7. He must be a good worker.
8. He must keep himself clean in thought, speech, action, and personal habits.
9. He must respect women, parents, and his nation’s laws.
10. The Cowboy is a patriot.
“The Lawrence Welk Show” with Neil LeVang on guitar (1961):
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Johnny Cash:
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Elvis Presley in 1970 (in Culver City, California):
The song also inspired the horror-Western comic-book character the Ghost Rider. After Magazine Enterprises’ trademark ran out, Marvel Comics debuted its own version of the character in “Ghost Rider” #1 in February, 1967. The character was later renamed the Phantom Rider when Marvel debuted the demonic motorcyclist Ghost Rider.
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COMIC BOOK / MARVEL COMICS: Ghost Rider was introduced in 1972’s “Marvel Spotlight” No. 5
Nicolas Cage starred in the 2007 film “Ghost Rider”
and the 2012 sequel “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.”
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The Blues Brothers performed the song in the 1998 film “Blues Brothers 2000.” Their version appears on both the soundtrack and on the album “The Blues Brothers’ Greatest Hits of All Time.” In the film, the band is booked at a bluegrass festival and announced as “The Bluegrass Brothers”. Buster Blues’ harmonica parts were recorded by John Popper of Blues Traveler.
Ghost Riders in the Sky!
The Tubes! Fee Waybill as Lonesome Roger Steen sings “Ghost Riders In The Sky”
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According to The Doors’ Robby Krieger, it inspired the classic song “Riders on the Storm”
It evolved out of a jam session when the band was messing around with “Ghost Riders In the Sky” and it was Jim Morrison’s idea to alter the title to “Riders On The Storm.” It was also the last song Jim recorded. He went to France and died a few weeks later. If you listen closely, you can hear Jim whispering the lyrics over his singing. Ray Manzarek told Uncut magazine in September 2011: “There’s a whisper voice on ‘Riders on the Storm,’ if you listen closely, a whispered overdub that Jim adds beneath his vocal. That’s the last thing he ever did. An ephemeral, whispered overdub.” The single was released in June 1971, shortly before Morrison’s death.
Doors drummer John Densmore wrote an auto-biographical book called
“Riders On The Storm” about his life with Jim Morrison and The Doors.
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WineWednesday Again! Dancin Vineyards in Jacksonville, Oregon
“The Wabash Cannonball” is an American folk song about a fictional train, thought to have originated in the late nineteenth century. Its first documented appearance was on sheet music published in 1882, titled “The Great Rock Island Route” and credited to J. A. Roff. All subsequent versions contain a variation of the chorus:
Now listen to the jingle, and the rumble, and the roar, As she dashes thro’ the woodland, and speeds along the shore, See the mighty rushing engine, hear her merry bell ring out, As they speed along in safety, on the “Great Rock-Island Route.”
A rewritten version by William Kindt appeared in 1904 under the title “Wabash Cannon Ball”. The Carter Family made one of the first recordings of the song in 1929, though it was not released until 1932. Another popular version was recorded by Roy Acuff in 1936. The song has been covered many times by many artists over the years.
From the great Atlantic ocean to the wide Pacific shore From the queen of flowing mountain to the south bell by the shore She mighty tall and handsome and know quite well by all She’s a combination on the Wabash Cannonball
She came down from Birmingham one cold December day As she rolled in the station you could hear all the people say There is a girl form Tennessee she long and she tall She came down from Birmingham on the Wabash Cannonball
Our the western states are dandies so the people all ways say From New York to St. Louis and Chicago by the way From the hills of Minnesota where the rippling waters fall No changes to be taken on the Wabash Cannonball
Here’s to daddy Claxton may his name forever stand And always be remembered in the courts of Alabam His earthly race is over and as the curtain around him fall We’ll carry him Home in victory on the Wabash Cannonball
Listen to the jingle the rumble and the roar As she glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore hear the rush of the mighty engine hear the lonesome hobos call You’re traveling through the jungle on the Wabash Cannonball
–
The Wabash Cannonball 698
The song “The Wabash Cannonball” is part of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list!
There was a “Wabash Cannonball” Rollercoaster at the Opryland USA Theme Park 1975-1997:
It is a signature song of the Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjack Marching Band, the Kansas State University Marching Band, the University of Texas Longhorn Band, and of the Indiana State University Marching Sycamores, as ISU is close to the Wabash River. It was also used as the theme song by the USS Wabash (AOR5). There was a B-17 Bomber that flew in World War II named The Wabash Cannonball and Lionel Toys produced a signature named train set.
Lionel Wabash Cannonball Train Set
NOTE: The train was named after the song, not the other way around!
In the wake of the song’s popularity, the Wabash Railroad named its express run between Detroit and St. Louis as the Wabash Cannonball 1949 – 1971.
Wabash ‘Cannonball’ Steam Locomotive 2800 at Pine Junction 26 October 1947 Harry Zilmer/ Strombeck Collection.
Wabash Cannonball GP7 475 two tone grey & blue with the flag herald Springfield, Illinois 15 August 1965
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The cookbook was a thrift store find! Cool “All- American” recipes from “The Gambler”
(sorry, they’re not in order and just camera pics of some of the recipes):
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“You’ve got to know when to hold ’em Know when to fold ’em Know when to walk away And know when to run You never count your money When you’re sittin’ at the table There’ll be time enough for counting When the dealin’s done.”
Kenny Rogers’ Roasters Cornbread Muffins Recipe:
KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS FIRE-AND-ICE CHILI
1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks in syrup
2 pounds lean boneless pork roast cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion chopped (1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic minced
1 28-ounce can tomatoes cut up
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers drained
1 green pepper chopped 3/4 cup)
1 medium yellow onion chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 to 3 tablespoons seeded and finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Chili toppers: sliced onions, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese.
Directions:
1. Drain pineapple, reserving juice.
2. In a Dutch oven, cook pork, half at a time, in hot olive oil till brown. Return all the meat to the pot. Add the first chopped onion and 1 clove garlic. Cook over medium heat till onion is tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the reserved pineapple syrup, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, green chili peppers, the green pepper, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, chili powder, cumin, jalapeno pepper and salt.
4. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer the chili for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add the pineapple chunks. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes more.
5. Let diners add their own toppers. Makes 8 to 10 servings. Note: To increase the spiciness of the chili, add 2 more tablespoons of the jalapeno pepper.
KENNY ROGERS BARBECUE SAUCE:
Ingredients: 1 cup water
1/3 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons bottled red hot sauce
Directions:
Add all ingredients in order as listed into a blender.
Blend with on/off speed on high until very smooth.
Cook on stove over medium high heat until thickened.
Remove from heat and cool until lukewarm.
Refrigerate in covered container to use within a few weeks
or freeze to use within a few months.
(If desired you can add a few drops of red food coloring).
KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS BBQ SAUCE:
Ingredients:
1 cup Applesauce
1/2 cup Heinz ketchup
1-1/4 cups Light brown sugar, packed
6 tablespoons Lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon.
Directions:
In heavy saucepan add all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil.
Stir constantly about 4 to 5 minutes.
Turn heat to low and continue to stir (3 to 5 minutes) so sugar is completely dissolved.
Allow to cook without stirring for 15 minutes on lowest possible heat, uncovered.
Transfer to top of double boiler over simmering water if using as a basting sauce for ribs or chicken during baking; or cool sauce and refrigerate covered to use in 30 days.
This BBQ Sauce freezes well.
NOTE: The first Kenny Rogers Roasters Restaurant opened in Coral Spring, Florida in August of 1991. The last Kenny Rogers Roasters Restaurant in North America was located in the Ontario Mills Mall in Ontario, California. It closed December 31, 2011.
In April of 2008, Berjaya Corp Berhad (BCorp), a Malaysia-based corporation, wholly owned subsidiary of ROASTERS Asia Pacific and master franchise for Kenny Rogers ROASTERS fully acquired the chain’s parent company, US-based Nathan’s Famous Inc.
Berjaya Food Berhad (“BFood”) incorporated in Malaysia in October, 2009 and was converted into a public limited company in December, 2009. In May of 2010, the Berjaya Group Berhad was added to the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Malaysia Index. BFood was listed on The Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad in March, 2011.
Everyone knows his song “The Gambler”
so please enjoy an earlier hit from way-wayback:
Kenny Rogers and The First Edition “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)”
Lip-synced performance from the “Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” television show:
Live Vocal (with canned music) performance for television 1968:
Live Performance from the “Kenny Rogers Rollin’ On The River” television show and the “Remember the 70’s” DVD:
“Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” written by Mickey Newbury and first recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis in 1967
(Yeah, yeah, oh, yeah) / (What condition my condition was in)
I woke up this mornin’ with the sundown shinin’ in. I found my mind in a brown paper bag within. I tripped on a cloud and fell-a eight miles high I tore my mind on a jagged sky. I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in.
(Yeah, yeah, oh, yeah) / (What condition my condition was in)
I pushed my soul in a deep dark hole and then I followed it in. I watched myself crawlin’ out as I was a-crawlin’ in. I got up so tight I couldn’t unwind, I saw so much I broke my mind. I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in.
(Yeah, yeah, oh, yeah) / (What condition my condition was in)
Someone painted “April Fool” in big black letters on a “Dead End” sign. I had my foot on the gas as I left the road and blew out my mind. Eight miles outta Memphis and I got no spare, Eight miles straight up downtown somewhere. I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in.
(Yeah, yeah, oh, yeah…)
Produced by Mike Post. Some top studio musicians including Glen Campbell and Hal Blaine played the backing music and Post used effects, like phasing and backward mastering innovated by The Beatles, to give the song the psychedelic sound of the 60’s. It was released in 1968 to lukewarm reception until it was performed (lip-synced in a psychedelic video) on the “Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” television show.
The song hit #5 on the “Billboard Hot 100”.
“Gutterballs” dream from the film “The Big Lebowski” with the song as the soundtrack:
“I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair… Borne, like a vapor on the summer air!”
– “Jeannie With The Light Brown Hair” by Stephen C. Foster
The fear of the number 13 has been given a scientific name: “triskaidekaphobia” and the fear of Friday the 13th is “paraskevidekatriaphobia” or “friggatriskaidekaphobia”.
Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition.
Friday, October 13, 1307: To free himself from his debts, Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of the Knights Templar. He tortured them into admitting heresy and then burned many of them at the stake.
The first documented mention of the day can be found in Henry Sutherland Edwards’ 1869 biography of Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (known for “The Barber of Seville” 1816and “The William Tell Overture” 1829), who died on Friday, November 13th, 1868 in Paris, France:
“He was surrounded to the last by admiring friends; and if it be true that, like so many Italians, he regarded Fridays as an unlucky day and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday 13th of November he passed away.”
“Friday the Thirteenth” a 1907 book written by American businessman Thomas Lawson, may have further perpetuated the superstition. In the story, an unscrupulous broker takes advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on Friday the 13th.
On “Black Friday” September 24, 1869 a failed plot to corner the market at the New York Gold Exchange and left many wealthy investors broke. Jay Gould and James Fisk (aka The Gold Ring) tried to buy as much gold as they could to drive up the price. The plot was discovered, President Ulysses S. Grant released $4 million worth of gold into the market, the price of gold dropped and the speculators were ruined.
“When Black Friday comes I’m gonna dig myself a hole Gonna lay down in it ’til I satisfy my soul”
– “Black Friday” by Steely Dan
Biblical origins: Jesus was crucified on Good Friday. There were 13 guests at the Last Supper the night before the crucifixion. Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, has been named as “the 13th guest”.
Norse mythology traces the superstition back to a story of a banquet at Valhalla where Loki, the demi god of mischief came unannounced as the 13th guest and caused chaos.
According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, 17 to 21 million Americans suffer from Fear of Friday the 13th. Symptoms range from mild anxiety and a nagging sense of doom to full-blown panic attacks.
Many businesses (like airlines and casinos) suffer from severe losses on Friday the 13th. Most high-rise buildings, hotels and hospitals don’t have a “13th floor” and most airports avoid having gates with the number 13. In many countries, having 13 people at the dinner table is considered bad luck.
There is little evidence that Friday the 13th is actually an unlucky day. Studies have shown that Friday the 13th has little or no effect on events like accidents, hospital visits and natural disasters.
Friday 13th is a lucky day in many Spanish speaking countries. Instead Tuesday the 13th (13 Martes) is considered the unluckiest day. The ancient Greeks also consider Tuesday (and especially the 13th) an unlucky day. Friday the 13th is also considered a lucky day for children to be born on.
Alfred Hitchcock, “the master of suspense”, was born on August 13, 1899. His directorial debut was the film “Number 13” in 1922.
There will be another Friday the 13th this year (2017) in the month of October.
FULL MOON FRIDAY!
The “Wolf Moon” peaked at its full phase yesterday: Thursday, January 12 at 6:34am
Ask yourself: What did you want in 2016 but never found or accomplished?
Prepare for a new lunar month and year!
Take time to reflect on the past year under the clear light of the full moon.
Whatever your goals are, plan on how to get what you want most in this new year.
JoshWillTravel PO Box 18376, Encino, CA 91416 joshwilltravel@yahoo.com
Today, January 13th is Stephen Foster Memorial Day!
“Gwine to run all night! Gwine to run all day! I’ll bet my money on de bob-tail nag. Somebody bet on de bay.” – “De Camptown Races” (or “Gwine To Run All Night”) by Stephen C. Foster
Stephen C. Foster (July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864)
Stephen C. Foster died on January 13, 1864 at the age of 37. Born on July 4, 1826 in Lawrenceville (now Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania. He is known as “The Father of American Music.” He wrote over 200 songs, primarily parlor and minstrel music, including “Oh! Susanna” (the anthem of the California Gold Rush) “Camptown Races” “My Old Kentucky Home” (became the official state song of Kentucky in 1928) “Old Folks at Home” (became the state song of Florida in 1935 and the lyrics were modified as the times changed) “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair” “Old Black Joe” and “Beautiful Dreamer” (released after his death). Many of his songs had Southern themes, yet Foster never lived in the South and visited it only once in 1852. Three Hollywood films have been made of his life: “Harmony Lane” (1935), 20th Century Fox’s “Swanee River” with Don Ameche (1939) and “I Dream of Jeanie” (1952).Stephen Foster Memorial Day is a United States Federal Observance Day according to Title 36 of the United States Code. It was made law in November of 1966 and was first celebrated in 1967.
“I came from Alabama with my banjo on my knee,
I’m goin’ to Louisiana, my true love for to see,
It rained all night the day I left, the weather it was dry,
The sun so hot, I froze to death. Susanna dont you cry.
Oh Susanna! Oh, don’t you cry for me!
I’ve come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee.”
– “Oh Susanna” by Stephen C. Foster
Al Jolson as E.P. Christy sings “Oh Susanna” from the film “Swanee River” in 1940
(in minstrel show blackface):
And Al Jolson performs “Swanee” in George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” in 1945:
Bing Crosby sings “Swanee River” from the film “Mississippi” in 1935:
Korean American Day #KoreanAmericanDay
Commemorates the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States in 1903 and honors their contributions to American culture and society. President George W. Bush issued a proclamation on the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Korean immigrant in 2003. The U.S. House and Senate passed simple resolutions in support of Korean American Day in 2005.
The Flag of South Korea
National Peach Melba Day #NationalPeachMelbaDay
Peach Melba was invented in 1892 or 1893 by the French chef Auguste Escoffier while employed at the Savoy Hotel in London to honor the Australian soprano Nellie Melba. Made with peaches, vanilla ice cream, raspberry sauce and topped with spun sugar, the dessert was originally called “Pecheau Cygne” or “Peach Swan” and was served inside a swan-shaped ice sculpture.
Escoffier’s Classic Peach Melba (see the recipe below)
National Sticker Day #NationalStickerDay
R. Stanton Avery, born on January 13, 1907, was the original creator of the adhesive label with a removable backing. National Blame Someone Else Day #BlameSomeoneElseDay
(always celebrated on the first Friday the 13th of the year)
and it’s National Rubber Ducky Day #NationalRubberDuckyDay
(the earliest patent for a rubber duck toy was in 1928 by Landon Smart Lawrence)
Russian Sculptor Peter Ganine designed and patented a floating toy “uncapsizeable duck” in 1949 (US Patent 153426 & 153514, over 50,000,000 were sold) which closely resembles the rubber ducky we have today. The rubber ducky was inducted into the New York Toy Hall of Fame in 2013 (founded in 1998, the New York Toy Hall of Fame has only inducted 52 other toys). According to a 1973 “Sesame Street” calendar, Rubber Duckie’s Birthday is on January 13. Duckie made his debut in a February 1970 episode.
Designer Rubber Ducky (made of hard plastic)
NFL PLAYOFFS on Saturday and Sunday!
Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons
Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys
And as of yesterday the San Diego Chargers are now the Los Angeles Chargers!
Monday is a HOLIDAY!
Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)
Monday, January 16, 2017 – Martin Luther King Day Federal Holiday
Commemorates the birthday of American civil rights leader Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (born Michael King Jr.) on January 15, 1929 and celebrates his life, achievements and civil rights legacy. He was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. The federal holiday was created in 1983 and first observed in January 1986. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. was dedicated in 2011.
View From The Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963
From the King Center website (www.kingcenter.org): “On this day we commemorate Dr. King’s great dream of a vibrant, multiracial nation united in justice, peace and reconciliation; a nation that has a place at the table for children of every race and room at the inn for every needy child. We are called on this holiday, not merely to honor, but to celebrate the values of equality, tolerance and interracial sister and brotherhood he so compellingly expressed in his great dream for America.”
MLK’s “I HAVE A DREAM” Speech
Delivered on August 28, 1963 at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C to over 250,000 people on the National Mall. the speech was originally written as a homage to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, and was timed to correspond with the 100-year centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation.
“I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’ I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today.”
NOTE: Martin Luther King Jr. was named “Man of the Year” by TIME magazine in 1963, and was the youngest person ever awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. The full speech did not appear in writing until August 1983, 15 years after his death, when a transcript was published in The Washington Post. The Library of Congress added the speech to the United States National Recording Registry in 2002. The National Park Service dedicated an inscribed marble pedestal to commemorate the speech at the Lincoln Memorial in 2003.
Coming soon! THE YEAR OF THE RED FIRE ROOSTER The first day of Chinese New Year is Saturday, January 28, 2017.
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Ingredients:
1 ½ cups water
1 ¾ cups sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract
4 peaches (fresh fruit is preferred, but canned peaches will work)
1 pint vanilla ice cream (or substitute frozen yogurt or dairy-free)
Raspberry Sauce:
1 ½ cups fresh raspberries
2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
½ tbsp lemon juice
Instructions: 1. Combine water, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a large saucepan. Heat on low until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. Cook at boiling for about 3 minutes and then return to simmer.
2. Cut the peaches in half. Place in the sugar syrup and poach about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Test with a knife to determine if they are done and when finished poaching, place them on a plate to cool.
3. After the peaches have cooled, peel off the skin and remove the pits.
4. For raspberry sauce: combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until very smooth. Strain through a colander and into a bowl.
5. Assemble the dessert by placing 2 peach halves in a bowl along with a scoop of ice cream. Spoon raspberry sauce on top and serve immediately.
Happy National Rubber Ducky Day! Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman created a series of giant floating rubber ducks in 2007.
The ducks ranged in size and appeared in 25 cities around the world.
I’ve Been Everywhere Man! And now for a little traveling music…
Hank Snow“I’ve Been Everywhere!” (1962) produced by Chet Atkins
performed on the National Life“Grand Ole Opry” in 1965:
“I’ve been everywhere, man/I’ve been everywhere, man/ Crossed the deserts bare, man/I’ve breathed the mountain air, man/ Travel, I’ve had my share, man/I’ve been everywhere!”
“I’ve Been Everywhere“ is a song which was written by Australian country singer Geoff Mack in 1959 and made popular by Lucky Starr in 1962. The song as originally written listed Australian towns. Original singer Lucky Starr released an EP called “Lucky’s Been Everywhere” that contained four different versions: United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
The North American version (with cities in United States and Canada) was sung by Canadian Clarence Eugene “Hank” Snow RIP (May 9, 1914 – December 20, 1999 and he became an American citizen in 1958), “I’ve Been Everywhere” was a number-one country hit in 1962 for “The Singing Ranger”. It was also sung by Australian singer Rolf Harris with English and Scottish cities in 1963 and by John Hore (later known as John Grenell) with New Zealand cities in 1966.
Hank Snow & The Rainbow Ranch Boys: Chubby Wise, Kayton Roberts, Bobby Wright and Jimm Widener
Hank Snow was a gifted songwriter and was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1978, and the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and the Nova Scotia Music Hall of Fame in 1979. In Canada, he was voted the top country music performer ten times and inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1985. A victim of child abuse, he established the Hank Snow International Foundation For Prevention Of Child Abuse and Neglect in 1976.
NOTE: In 1954 Hank Snow persuaded the directors of the Grand Ole Opry to allow a young Elvis Presley to appear on stage. Snow used Elvis as his opening act and introduced him to Colonel Tom Parker. In August 1955, Snow and Parker formed the management team Hank Snow Attractions and signed a contract with Presley but soon Snow was out and Parker had control of Elvis.
Hank Snow backstage at the Grand Ole Opry – Nashville 1978
Geoff Mack rewrote the song using an atlas supplied to him by his music publisher. Most of the cities in the U.S. version are located in North America, but two are in Central America (Costa Rica and Panama) and three in South America (Barranquilla, Tocopilla, and Argentina):
First verse Reno, Chicago, Fargo, Minnesota, Buffalo, Toronto, Winslow, Sarasota, Wichita, Tulsa, Ottawa, Oklahoma, Tampa, Panama, Mattawa, La Paloma, Bangor, Baltimore, Salvador, Amarillo, Tocopilla, Barranquilla and Padilla.
Second verse Boston, Charleston, Dayton, Louisiana, Washington, Houston, Kingston, Texarkana, Monterey, Ferriday, Santa Fe, Tallapoosa, Glen Rock, Black Rock, Little Rock, Oskaloosa, Tennessee, Hennessey, Chicopee, Spirit Lake, Grand Lake, Devils Lake and Crater Lake.
Third verse Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Ombabika, Schefferville, Jacksonville, Waterville, Costa Rica, Pittsfield, Springfield, Bakersfield, Shreveport, Hackensack, Cadillac, Fond du Lac, Davenport, Idaho, Jellico, Argentina, Diamantina, Pasadena and Catalina.
Fourth verse Pittsburgh, Parkersburg, Gravelbourg, Colorado, Ellensburg, Rexburg, Vicksburg, Eldorado, Larimore, Atmore, Haverstraw, Chatanika, Chaska, Nebraska, Alaska, Opelika, Baraboo, Waterloo, Kalamazoo, Kansas City, Sioux City, Cedar City and Dodge City.
The song was covered (and adapted for other countries) by many other artists over the years and most notably the U.S. version was recorded by Johnny Cash for his Grammy winning “Unchained” (Best Country Album) in 1996.
“Unchained” produced by Rick Rubin
Johnny Cash “I’ve Been Everywhere”
Read the Blog> “Music Makin’ Mama from Memphis” (also by Hank Snow)
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And be sure to do the “Rhumba Boogie” (also a #1 Country Hit) with Hank Snow too!
Extra-Credit:
Hank Snow sings “City of New Orleans”
“Good morning America how are ya Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son I’m a train they call the City of New Orleans I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done…”
The Battle of New Orleans (as imagined) by Edward Percy Moran 1910
“In 1814 we took a little trip Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip We took a little bacon and we took a little beans And we caught the bloody British in a town in New Orleans”
The Battle of New Orleans was the final major battle of the War of 1812.
It was fought between January 8 and January 18, 1815.
The Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans
Americans commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson (the future President of the United States) fought the British commanded by Admiral Alexander Cochrane and General Edward Pakenham. Pakenham and his second-in-command, Major General Samuel Gibbs, were both fatally wounded by artillery fire during the battle while on horseback.
The Death of General Pakenham – The Battle of New Orleans
The Americans had constructed three lines of defense to protect New Orleans, the first about 4 miles from the city along the Rodriguez Canal (from the Mississippi River to the cypress swamp). The British advanced early in the morning under the cover of fog. The fog lifted, leaving them exposed in the open and easy targets for the American artillery.
“We fired our guns and the British kept a-comin’ There wasn’t nigh as many as there was a while ago We fired once more and they began to runnin’ On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico!”
In just twenty-five minutes, the British casualties totaled 700 killed, 1400 wounded and 500 were taken prisoner (after the battle ~500 British soldiers who pretended to be dead surrendered). American losses were only seven (7) killed and six (6) wounded.
The Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans
“Yeah they ran through the briers and they ran through the brambles And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn’t go They ran so fast that the hounds couldn’t catch ’em On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico!”
The Treaty of Ghent was signed in Ghent, Belgium on December 24, 1814. The Treaty was approved by British Parliament and signed by the Prince Regent (the future King George IV) on December 30, 1814. It took a month for the news to reach the United States during which time the Battle of New Orleans was fought. The treaty was ratified by the US Senate on February 17, 1815.
Jackson Square in New Orleans
ANDREW JACKSON (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845)
United States House of Representatives (Tennessee 1796-1797)
Military Governor of Florida (1821)
United States Senator (Tennessee 1823-1825)
7th President of the United States (1829-1837)
Country singer Johnny Horton had a Number 1 hit in 1959 with “The Battle of New Orleans” written by Jimmy Driftwood. It won the 1960 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording and was also awarded the Grammy Hall of Fame Award.
Here’s Johnny Horton on the “Ed Sullivan Show” with the original sound:
And a little music from the “Alabama Wildman” Jerry Reed and Glen Campbell:
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and Jerry Reed sings “City of New Orleans”:
“Good morning America how are ya Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son I’m a train they call the City of New Orleans I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done…”
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“On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me Twelve Drummers Drumming!”
“If music be the food of love, play on!”
-Duke Orsino Twelfth Night Act I, scene I by William Shakespeare
Nevermind the religion… Twelfth Night on January 6th has always been the date we use to mark the end of the winter Holiday Season. Also, it’s the name of a Shakespeare play that we like. And if they’re going to sell Christmas for 3 months beforehand, we should get to appreciate and celebrate the entire Twelve Days of Christmas! This year (2017) Twelfth Night (January 6th) falls on a Friday, so we get to extend the holiday for one more weekend, even though we’re expecting a monster storm to hit hard in Los Angeles Saturday through Monday.
Originally a Catholic holiday, the Feast of the Epiphany, the actual Elizabethan festival of Twelfth Night became a day of revelry. Servants dressed as their masters, men dressed as women and women as men. The festive ritual and role reversal was based on the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia. It involved the antics of a Lord of Misrule, who before leaving his temporary position of authority, would call for entertainment, songs and mummery: comedic plays performed by costumed amateur actors (traditionally all male) at feasts and functions in exchange for money and/or food.
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrown upon them.”
– Feste, the Clown
Shakespeare’s comedic play “Twelfth Night, or What You Will” was written to be performed as a Twelfth Night entertainment. The earliest known performance took place at Middle Temple Hall on Candlemas night, February 2, 1602, the formal end of Christmastide in England. It may have been staged a year earlier in a private performance for Elizabeth I before the Court at Whitehall Palace on Twelfth Night, January 6th, 1601.
The influence of English folk tradition can be found in the play, particularly in Feste the clown’s songs and dialogue. Many elements are reversed in the tradition of Twelfth Night: a woman dressing as a man, and a servant imagining that he can become a nobleman. Shakespeare also chose to fictionalized Illyria, an ancient region in southern Europe on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, as the romantic setting for the story.
“Twelfth Night or What You Will” by William Shakespeare
The Wisdom of Feste the Clown:
“Well, God give them wisdom that have it; and those that are fools, let them use their talents.”
“Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage”
“Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun, it shines every where.”
“Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.”
“There is no darkness but ignorance.”
Feste’s Song (at the conclusion of Act V):
“When that I was and a little tiny boy,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
A foolish thing was but a toy,
For the rain it raineth every day.
But when I came to man’s estate,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
’Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate,
For the rain it raineth every day.
But when I came, alas! to wive,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
By swaggering could I never thrive,
For the rain it raineth every day.
But when I came unto my beds,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
With toss-pots still had drunken heads,
For the rain it raineth every day.
A great while ago the world begun,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
But that’s all one, our play is done,
And we’ll strive to please you every day.”
So, is it really unlucky to leave Christmas decorations hanging after Twelfth Night?
GOOD SHABBOS! Shabbat Shalom!
Happy Twelfth Night! Let’s Feast!
“Old Christmas is past, Twelfth Night is the last, And we bid you adieu, great joy to the new!”
On The Menu: NY Steak, sautéed onions, roasted red potatoes, steamed broccoli & carrots, bread & butter and an iced espresso. Later for dessert, 2 chocolate covered custard filled donuts and an espresso.
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