tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87636030603142100142024-03-17T20:02:28.273-07:00#The500BlogWhen I began this blog in 2015, I intended to write weekly about education. I realized that weekly topics were not always available. In 2019, I discovered The 500 podcast and set a new goal. I plan to write a blog a week about each entry in Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Sometimes, the posts lean toward education. Thanks for joining me on a journey scheduled to end in June, 2028. - Marc HodgkinsonMarc Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07051874500408792688noreply@blogger.comBlogger393125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-64272017543236973062024-03-17T16:09:00.000-07:002024-03-17T16:17:48.542-07:00The 500 - #221 - Loveless - My Bloody Valentine<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #221<br /><b>Album Title:</b> L<i>oveless </i><br /><b>Artist:</b> My Bloody Valentine<br /><b>Genre: </b>Shoegaze, Dream Pop, Noise Rock<br /><b>Recorded: </b>February, 1989 - September, 1991</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> November, 1991 <br /><b>My age at release:</b> 26<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Not at all</span><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b><span> <span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Yes, moving up 148 places to position 73</span></span><br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist:</b></span><i><span style="font-size: large;"> Only Shallow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8tr1cxW4cXt7HypYPugzzF3PcaDMtz0yaIQp5qA4bvbETuE_PxViLFkS_58QDGjkH3CtC8osOi53HIwaCmGgSseHxI0ZzEZNC0Q7dL32LBHNShBvIrgQICoA-ztXcZae4cPEUobf5FC_NBWqPsJ4wDEFMySGrob8fgNDa9Tdk77VcS7ZRnSJe2BBj3cg/s1000/71RoGMpXr-L._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8tr1cxW4cXt7HypYPugzzF3PcaDMtz0yaIQp5qA4bvbETuE_PxViLFkS_58QDGjkH3CtC8osOi53HIwaCmGgSseHxI0ZzEZNC0Q7dL32LBHNShBvIrgQICoA-ztXcZae4cPEUobf5FC_NBWqPsJ4wDEFMySGrob8fgNDa9Tdk77VcS7ZRnSJe2BBj3cg/w400-h400/71RoGMpXr-L._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></i></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">"Wow! That haircut makes you look so much younger."</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">"Geez, you're stronger than you look."</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">"You write a blog? I wish I had so much free time to do something fun like that." </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">"You went to The University of Windsor? I was going to go there, before I got accepted at Western."</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-5520827d-7fff-52ec-6a55-83e86f37fe86"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The backhanded compliment -- casual remarks that seem to say something pleasant about a person, but have a twist easily inferred as an insult. We've all heard them and, likely, we've delivered a few of our own -- either accidentally or intentionally.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4GLWC7J44m7u9AJvFvrURxZyDLB0nb62dVKFNa72iTbU2DuWbXf39Wu-Q4CKiGp5S3OEuwH7ktm5oSrDf4s5wSx0s7SAsoawnQ9X117JhsqNsSUWQAUL-n_bqSlJ0rz2BQhPruT8ICPt6IyM2A_OtKZV5o-_UlY_e-jCZBjw5x9VaLLxLPZ_yh6grfAY/s537/Backhand%20Example.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="537" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4GLWC7J44m7u9AJvFvrURxZyDLB0nb62dVKFNa72iTbU2DuWbXf39Wu-Q4CKiGp5S3OEuwH7ktm5oSrDf4s5wSx0s7SAsoawnQ9X117JhsqNsSUWQAUL-n_bqSlJ0rz2BQhPruT8ICPt6IyM2A_OtKZV5o-_UlY_e-jCZBjw5x9VaLLxLPZ_yh6grfAY/w400-h281/Backhand%20Example.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="https://brightside.me/articles/15-compliments-that-hurt-more-than-insults-and-how-to-deal-with-them-799404/" target="_blank"><b><i>15 Compliments That Hurt More Than Insults - And<br />How To Deal With Them</i></b></a>. </td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-18b8feb1-7fff-9e7d-f3be-b6e94511ef69"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are also positive-sounding words that can be considered pejorative. Referring to someone as "assertive", "sensitive" and "idealistic" might convey they are “bossy”, “thin-skinned”, and “out of touch with reality”. Or imply more admirable qualities, such as "confidence", "thoughtfulness" and "an aspirational spirit".</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MfJnL5suLzDyTpoQdZ9Lux9P8Rha8bFxcXOP07UatfiFaOjjJ3O5pMrHjFhJbCUAw4d4Q7bpF_YHm6LRK5fpFL9OigpNBmTMPOJ-CtZ0mq3JE8JG9R4PFdo_AyIOY8eTw_4jSQQ9VjYovKSfoQjghP5fcorYVgvETDfYqCfEYtMchCHNK6z-5SAXN9rm/s800/1599285975213.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MfJnL5suLzDyTpoQdZ9Lux9P8Rha8bFxcXOP07UatfiFaOjjJ3O5pMrHjFhJbCUAw4d4Q7bpF_YHm6LRK5fpFL9OigpNBmTMPOJ-CtZ0mq3JE8JG9R4PFdo_AyIOY8eTw_4jSQQ9VjYovKSfoQjghP5fcorYVgvETDfYqCfEYtMchCHNK6z-5SAXN9rm/w320-h400/1599285975213.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blessings and curses of being<br />highly sensitive.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-b04032f1-7fff-997d-7d06-d99e80fc06a1"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When looking up the etymology of "shoegaze" -- a subgenre of alternative rock characterized by a mixture of loud, distorted guitars and obscure, ethereal vocals -- I discovered it, too, has alternative meanings. Shoegazing can be used as an insult, suggesting a band is uninspired, lacking enthusiasm and energy -- literally the performers staring at their shoes as they play. However, the word also defines an important musical movement that has its roots in ‘70s psychedelic rock, pioneered by Irish-English band My Bloody Valentine (often stylized in all lowercase letters or known by the initials MBV).</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGsf-lqkGKSy43cMlHKCSzO4FuJclOJrra9dmxQIDw99dRPwF7hszH0fKzkaTQUoF4TROAckhQpm_WuEEQA2HmWkhmVUtusJ4AbwWJQIwgjgYluCYi-hEEYaFvddEohAptZpty5ITsmDXrqr7I2NL_xzFvBwKuhK2Q3BwPvsM4yhZ7kpI10uaPe7PPVyS/s404/My_Bloody_Valentine_headshots.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="404" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGsf-lqkGKSy43cMlHKCSzO4FuJclOJrra9dmxQIDw99dRPwF7hszH0fKzkaTQUoF4TROAckhQpm_WuEEQA2HmWkhmVUtusJ4AbwWJQIwgjgYluCYi-hEEYaFvddEohAptZpty5ITsmDXrqr7I2NL_xzFvBwKuhK2Q3BwPvsM4yhZ7kpI10uaPe7PPVyS/w400-h400/My_Bloody_Valentine_headshots.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: inherit;">MBV are (clockwise from top left) Kevin Shields, Bilinda <br />Butcher, Colm Ó Cíosóig and Debbie Googe</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-efbf3dca-7fff-3d7f-c05d-db9194f5eeb2"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">MBV's second album, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Loveless</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, took more than a year to record, utilizing 19 studios with multiple engineers at the soundboard helm. Much of the record was developed by vocalist and guitarist Kevin Shields who led the sessions as he experimented with sound. Shields used non-standard guitar tunings, digital samples and multiple production effects to create the unique sound that, for many, defines the shoegaze genre. The distinctive sound of Shields’ guitar was achieved by a modification on the instrument to allow him to manipulate his tremolo bar while also strumming. A tremolo bar (sometimes called a whammy bar, vibrato, vibrolo or wigglestick) is a metal rod that extends from the bridge of an electric guitar (where the strings connect on the guitar body). It can be manipulated to bend and distort sound and create effects such as the scream of a dive bomber, a motorcycle roar, a squeal of delight, or animal sounds.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzdtKtE2D6m7vipa9pHw4PiKKfZkFmlrr3wee_d6LRepGJqF9vOyEndKvsK8lzEBNJfrlGlZObWztQRr0LaAnPGb938_UhpbIHNdMOh-afsFgom7k7xTPPYvw1PHAw-5sV8uVvnwLDff6jS1PTmm5g_QtE-pep8F8bdLDMNp3ozDWS8NvUfB3zSkNjLpG/s350/71J4jhkVJXL._AC_UF350,350_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="350" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzdtKtE2D6m7vipa9pHw4PiKKfZkFmlrr3wee_d6LRepGJqF9vOyEndKvsK8lzEBNJfrlGlZObWztQRr0LaAnPGb938_UhpbIHNdMOh-afsFgom7k7xTPPYvw1PHAw-5sV8uVvnwLDff6jS1PTmm5g_QtE-pep8F8bdLDMNp3ozDWS8NvUfB3zSkNjLpG/w400-h286/71J4jhkVJXL._AC_UF350,350_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-4ba11d3c-7fff-a246-a981-04d8f0b5a4c2"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first guitar I bought had a tremolo bar. As a 16-year-old hopeful musician, this was important because I wanted to recreate the sounds I'd heard from my guitar idols. Unfortunately, I wasn't smart enough to invest in lessons and the beginner guitar book I borrowed from the library was an inadequate substitute. The guitar I purchased was a Kay, an inexpensive student-grade, entry-level instrument. I got it from Woolco, a discount department located in a nearby mall and paid about $65 for it (about $260 in 2024 currency). It was money painstakingly saved from babysitting gigs and a part-time job where I worked 10 hours a week for $5.52 an hour (significantly more than minimum wage).</span></span></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHlhg4wctdDhNGNqhS4h3BTYDtwjL0d3oodK9ktVPNYgypat6n5zy5ZHZ_Nj0yBam72qccDqEGnNJTSK4HswGER1qdDWLxfsPGLo5Cdw_XfxBsfnowZlnvP-Rq4Fc4E0GvsglJyEr8O81sUo11PUoOuIxMwUy-h-Jsz1_InnUvmZX7ZjVLYvYanjoy584/s1600/KayLarge.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHlhg4wctdDhNGNqhS4h3BTYDtwjL0d3oodK9ktVPNYgypat6n5zy5ZHZ_Nj0yBam72qccDqEGnNJTSK4HswGER1qdDWLxfsPGLo5Cdw_XfxBsfnowZlnvP-Rq4Fc4E0GvsglJyEr8O81sUo11PUoOuIxMwUy-h-Jsz1_InnUvmZX7ZjVLYvYanjoy584/w300-h400/KayLarge.png" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The headstock on a Kay guitar.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-e05c4496-7fff-4f98-8f9b-c105a16f4c08"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the day I purchased it, I rode my 10-speed bicycle to the mall. I am sure I turned a few heads as I pedaled the five kilometres home, holding the guitar by its neck while steering one-handed. Ahh, the passionate impulsiveness of youth. That romantic, idealistic teenager seems like a stranger in a distant memory to me now. However, recalling moments like that guitar-laden bike ride home suddenly pulls him into sharp focus…and I miss him.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqwbTHNJim8DMJvl5DwyOYlFEJK2Jc4owuCG81GX7G7Oc7D0RBYSGn1oeZbPdmBYMt35eAuw5V-7tLIN6BVHgM_LWgxH_CMzt2kWw_VXevlWREIzRPfB2EzWIm0Ow1e361aXLNErUfMdD92fIIgZViyFporcoDnaRnjPMO4lgrglJfxuAAnPD8FJc4Hat/s954/Bike%20Trip.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="954" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqwbTHNJim8DMJvl5DwyOYlFEJK2Jc4owuCG81GX7G7Oc7D0RBYSGn1oeZbPdmBYMt35eAuw5V-7tLIN6BVHgM_LWgxH_CMzt2kWw_VXevlWREIzRPfB2EzWIm0Ow1e361aXLNErUfMdD92fIIgZViyFporcoDnaRnjPMO4lgrglJfxuAAnPD8FJc4Hat/w400-h229/Bike%20Trip.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-efdbc28e-7fff-d2ba-9a0f-be546c56c14d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My bike ride home from Oakridge Centre in London,Ont.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Byron, Ontario</span></p></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-c325d603-7fff-d82b-2d1c-3bae786b745b"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My guitar aspirations were put on pause about a year later when I sold my six-stringed “axe” to a high-school acquaintance. I was nearly thirty, when I returned to learning the instrument, encouraged by the arrival of the internet and a guitar-playing roommate.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbjI6iQtrSWwo9DBicjn8CpxcJiURxCmZp9wHZX5pbXPd0l0dJOSFfXHkk1_gwAcYn9TUiCqrfrh1KZnQXQhVUk_VAowlcZBvtzsjGh4f0d66ebWbF7GaFwMwjTW9an3srhncaKXtqma96ajKBuixdxrWsU9MkbUUef5qF6FoLKCE1NhpFh00MJQ0Vqfy/s911/IMG_5618.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="683" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbjI6iQtrSWwo9DBicjn8CpxcJiURxCmZp9wHZX5pbXPd0l0dJOSFfXHkk1_gwAcYn9TUiCqrfrh1KZnQXQhVUk_VAowlcZBvtzsjGh4f0d66ebWbF7GaFwMwjTW9an3srhncaKXtqma96ajKBuixdxrWsU9MkbUUef5qF6FoLKCE1NhpFh00MJQ0Vqfy/w300-h400/IMG_5618.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favourite, current guitar - a Jay Turser<br />acoustic - with no whammy bar.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-4873e0f9-7fff-3ad2-85fc-54501f100f58"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Loveless</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> went on to become a critical darling and is considered one of the greatest albums of all time on multiple lists (moving up to #73 on the updated 2020 list of The 500). It is also cited as a landmark work in the shoegaze genre. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Clash</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> magazine called the record "the magnus opus of shoegaze". Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins told </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Spin</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> magazine that the record was exciting because "it is rare in guitar-driven music for someone to do something new."</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPK6jAfMd8qfA2XCk9bjvUIBe3_DW7ew-6wVedk3vtwo75TDIqRa6dQ_h_X6VgOZQ2GiKh-LXnn1JaNlKjaZCyN7R0Cy64aYHJgaFiihGlGfK1ySlGQqeJ5f63LfrHjJ5N0AvXgg_f0OGDgsOjzd-T1AZztrNZB47ILHu1aHEbx1xF6HJktVbmSgoTeKYn/s787/Accolades%20for%20loveless.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="787" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPK6jAfMd8qfA2XCk9bjvUIBe3_DW7ew-6wVedk3vtwo75TDIqRa6dQ_h_X6VgOZQ2GiKh-LXnn1JaNlKjaZCyN7R0Cy64aYHJgaFiihGlGfK1ySlGQqeJ5f63LfrHjJ5N0AvXgg_f0OGDgsOjzd-T1AZztrNZB47ILHu1aHEbx1xF6HJktVbmSgoTeKYn/w400-h365/Accolades%20for%20loveless.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-1859585b-7fff-e1e1-fe52-84899d0994f3"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, what does "shoegaze" connote? It turns out that it carries many meanings. It can be used pejoratively to define a genre negatively. Or it can be understood as an evolutionary step in music technology and sound. However, my researched revealed a more practical etymology. When performing live, a shoegaze guitarist needs many “effect” pedals that can be manipulated with the feet. Consequently, to replicate the "studio sound", shoegazing is a necessity that became the nomenclature for the genre it created.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgSh_UBKcuMq3j7iw6l-DglMiyVMC_jNx9fvJxsF1d3w11IUEopzOM4xwVjSg-u7aJKCrwjCKjnVDt4nFIwSmaF90_FWrAw6faSSOmhkTXUEcIhOBo6kccx-ZXuJ1dPytefPWshp4eEouDNRspkW691zjEJZtd-ujDvrxXEscmj8mY_o4uvPyngxz_wUaA/s900/C45D39D8-E8B6-49D4-B045-2F7FC057AAAB.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgSh_UBKcuMq3j7iw6l-DglMiyVMC_jNx9fvJxsF1d3w11IUEopzOM4xwVjSg-u7aJKCrwjCKjnVDt4nFIwSmaF90_FWrAw6faSSOmhkTXUEcIhOBo6kccx-ZXuJ1dPytefPWshp4eEouDNRspkW691zjEJZtd-ujDvrxXEscmj8mY_o4uvPyngxz_wUaA/w400-h300/C45D39D8-E8B6-49D4-B045-2F7FC057AAAB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-18bdcc05-7fff-8af1-4477-1e6dabe09209"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">An array of foot effect pedals by which a guitarist manipulates</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">the instrument's sound.</span></p></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-6828d90d-7fff-2b60-5c4b-f4a31c9955f6"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">MBV only released three studio records but, following a 10-year hiatus, they regrouped in 2013 with the classic line-up from </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Loveless</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">. They are currently working on new material and Shields has hinted of another "experimental album" and "something more melodic and song oriented." As a new fan, I'll be sure to check both out.</span></span></span><br /> </div></span></span></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-24341835832110486662024-03-10T18:01:00.000-07:002024-03-10T18:37:22.991-07:00The 500 - #222 - New Orleans Piano - Professor Longhair<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #222<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>New Orleans Piano</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Professor Longhair<br /><b>Genre: </b>Blues, New Orleans R&B<br /><b>Recorded: </b>New Orleans, November, 1949, and November, 1953</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> 1972<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 6<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Not at all</span><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b><span> <span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">No</span></span><br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist:</b></span><i><span style="font-size: large;"> Tipitina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvL0ce9TxQ5Y4FZx2WaeqA60DkxzfMmjFHEl85UdW7eVApeQH8nysiQQK5gwTql79ciLLhMFaznoJuwWeZzemro7rQsClW4KudIplf4Bx3YNOYJeHUllaJDxGZN2TVDYZMtZDRWeRjEr8Q8quwMbDshcAcy4jptMb8T95BLgEYnUNs_X72_uOS69thBYyp/s350/71407DyEElL._UF350,350_QL50_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="350" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvL0ce9TxQ5Y4FZx2WaeqA60DkxzfMmjFHEl85UdW7eVApeQH8nysiQQK5gwTql79ciLLhMFaznoJuwWeZzemro7rQsClW4KudIplf4Bx3YNOYJeHUllaJDxGZN2TVDYZMtZDRWeRjEr8Q8quwMbDshcAcy4jptMb8T95BLgEYnUNs_X72_uOS69thBYyp/w400-h381/71407DyEElL._UF350,350_QL50_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></i></span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-f83b7e22-7fff-363d-358d-b90dfbe558df"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A signature dish in Louisiana is a stew called gumbo. It is a meat or shellfish broth mixed with celery, bell peppers and onions -- often dubbed the "holy trinity of Cajun cuisine". Gumbo is complemented by a thickener. Most recipes call for okra, aka "lady's fingers", an edible green seed pod plant originally from East Africa but now cultivated in warm temperate or tropical regions. Other Gumbo dishes feature filé powder, a spicy herb seasoning from the North American Sassafras tree. The dish can be made more hearty with the addition of rice, shellfish, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/2434183583211048666#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Andouille</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> sausage, ham or chicken. Some versions contain duck, rabbit or even alligator and squirrel. </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjip9MgPaKmIG_8fC3QqNpxzQfp0dgjKZlFBEDEz-Ze4rxMSQc8T5nv8j8WBmMYulre37ML6ntxFeG0kppjOpMbeDgvkW3ZAWIWt3DH4Ctz9NhJ7RRvA5AGX6Cp6eNTlLFFD2aIMGTZKp1HaNTgVCGWjCJFlswPD53g9sF7g2zsevn1eIPXiqUqJlclKVDj/s1500/216888-good-new-orleans-creole-gumbo-DDMFS-4x3-573c0eb9f4584d92a0bd2b4e4065022a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjip9MgPaKmIG_8fC3QqNpxzQfp0dgjKZlFBEDEz-Ze4rxMSQc8T5nv8j8WBmMYulre37ML6ntxFeG0kppjOpMbeDgvkW3ZAWIWt3DH4Ctz9NhJ7RRvA5AGX6Cp6eNTlLFFD2aIMGTZKp1HaNTgVCGWjCJFlswPD53g9sF7g2zsevn1eIPXiqUqJlclKVDj/w400-h300/216888-good-new-orleans-creole-gumbo-DDMFS-4x3-573c0eb9f4584d92a0bd2b4e4065022a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-a91a7144-7fff-71fe-48d2-ece8ca273ae7"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Gumbo is, in many ways, the perfect metaphor for Louisiana -- a beautiful, saucy, spicy mix of cultures and flavours. There are influences from West Africa, France (by way of the Nova Scotia Acadians), Portugal, Spain, Sicily and the Indigenous populations of the surrounding area (the Chitimacha. Coushatta, Choctaw and Tunica-Biloxi peoples). Louisiana, and New Orleans, in particular, is a melting pot of zesty influences from all these cultures. It can be found in their food, language, architecture and, of course, their music. New Orleans is often considered to be the birthplace of many uniquely American musical genres, including ragtime (Jelly Roll Morton), jazz (Louis Armstrong), Dixieland (King Oliver) and rhythm and blues (Fats Domino).</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSo9RY3zk0gvOohaAdzuJ3sbtBV3sNMvbjz1UZQBYcK63AtVDFc7LAjjqE9J7hPi3AaV6fOxp_M-QFO4daMVf97t1vI4-SaZgD2-1LebixHzNppyQxv5JWrhQ51guxlcB4cpgk_d1A9ijzgj4t3coC4DrFK74mSe6DNZfiTTW0xMWISB0Bg_JnDo3QhTku/s2282/whereyatcom_858638576.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1712" data-original-width="2282" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSo9RY3zk0gvOohaAdzuJ3sbtBV3sNMvbjz1UZQBYcK63AtVDFc7LAjjqE9J7hPi3AaV6fOxp_M-QFO4daMVf97t1vI4-SaZgD2-1LebixHzNppyQxv5JWrhQ51guxlcB4cpgk_d1A9ijzgj4t3coC4DrFK74mSe6DNZfiTTW0xMWISB0Bg_JnDo3QhTku/w400-h300/whereyatcom_858638576.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">New Orleans native, the legendary Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-a5976585-7fff-d1c4-1e72-c821711c6d1d"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Professor Longhair, aka: "Fess" (birthname Henry Roeland "Roy" Byrd) was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana, in 1918, a small town near the Alabama border. His distinctive style of piano playing came from his childhood when he learned to play on an instrument with missing keys. His style, a type of New Orleans Blues, was influenced by the jazz music he was hearing alongside a variety of Caribbean sounds, such as </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/2434183583211048666#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">rumba</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/2434183583211048666#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">mambo</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/2434183583211048666#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">calypso</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. </span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOA59g4Ib36pfSdmjAOOcMYPQ8o57FMFHbiImU31D34E0X64lTV4m89-CwWUJYFR11wbvedHFUFTBF5NNtKps11ElTqRI8IPp4z-o_O2KEIJSJWP0UIVcZR7Ls8pEJSBcaIIbx6RD43RCtbFVCFiBYwLVj9wiQEFZa4vLZxPyq56-u0-0aPltexrVhPEG/s338/Professor-Longhair.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="270" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOA59g4Ib36pfSdmjAOOcMYPQ8o57FMFHbiImU31D34E0X64lTV4m89-CwWUJYFR11wbvedHFUFTBF5NNtKps11ElTqRI8IPp4z-o_O2KEIJSJWP0UIVcZR7Ls8pEJSBcaIIbx6RD43RCtbFVCFiBYwLVj9wiQEFZa4vLZxPyq56-u0-0aPltexrVhPEG/w320-h400/Professor-Longhair.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Professor Longhair (c: 1950s).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-ed6fd32e-7fff-32ef-3f9d-895c31ee1c33" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In his book, </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, music journalist Tony Russell wrote "the vivacious, rumba-rhythmed piano blues and choked singing typical of Fess were too weird to sell millions of records." However, he served as an inspiration and father figure to the legendary Louisiana artists who followed him, including Fats Domino, Huey "Piano" Smith, Allen Toussaint and Dr. John -- who has two records on <b><i>The 500</i></b> list (#404 and #143).</span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUOx7VjH8KAYrauNW3zp_XYeX_PnixeyjTKr9np90FHAz2UFBKq38u0qJTjXT_AjarDwI7pKqOwTZq3WamYyNRQhfk_xBkAUTOVJ8w7BmcrbZhgQrT1z6QzlnrwomBmDfiWKdeRC6PfvHvRO5ohKnvkRPgA8B8zAYTRTqyL_o0LEYqGHwl-EO3BDPreVzW/s2400/dr-john-leader.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2400" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUOx7VjH8KAYrauNW3zp_XYeX_PnixeyjTKr9np90FHAz2UFBKq38u0qJTjXT_AjarDwI7pKqOwTZq3WamYyNRQhfk_xBkAUTOVJ8w7BmcrbZhgQrT1z6QzlnrwomBmDfiWKdeRC6PfvHvRO5ohKnvkRPgA8B8zAYTRTqyL_o0LEYqGHwl-EO3BDPreVzW/w400-h266/dr-john-leader.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Malcom John Rebennack Jr. -- aka: Dr. John.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6c3958e0-7fff-ff22-7827-e52354ba1958"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In March, 2010, my wife surprised me with a trip to New Orleans. We enjoyed a five-day adventure walking the lively streets of </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Big Easy</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">,</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> enjoying the music, culture, history and cuisine of the legendary Crescent City. We ate po-boy sandwiches and jambalaya. One morning it was freshly baked beignets at the famous Cafe du Monde and in the afternoon, a traditional New Orleans Muffaletta Sandwich from the Central Grocery and Deli.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIUWLxRT9MlZm8U8agHt9vkd6JCHyrmf-1v-7ENmYuWkTVmaMRCojfJLxpNsnedpIkWENa_p6RsOQPHlDeNjVp3vmvWuEftNgbgZUF2j5YifhWufFvkPf-3rSBRnpjsAee6C_O9r9xeHaRbGXr4vYPUWprFqie5hxtWQvSnI45OzGkurvv9re4Ag3iJ6QI/s1423/DSC_0267.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1423" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIUWLxRT9MlZm8U8agHt9vkd6JCHyrmf-1v-7ENmYuWkTVmaMRCojfJLxpNsnedpIkWENa_p6RsOQPHlDeNjVp3vmvWuEftNgbgZUF2j5YifhWufFvkPf-3rSBRnpjsAee6C_O9r9xeHaRbGXr4vYPUWprFqie5hxtWQvSnI45OzGkurvv9re4Ag3iJ6QI/w400-h266/DSC_0267.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My wife, Angela, about to tuck into a Muffaletta Sandwich.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-c7bf2b04-7fff-9512-c109-f6997cdec306"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Without a doubt, the best night of music happened when we left the touristy French Quarter and Bourbon Street region (overrun by NCAA basketball fans who were there for the March Madness tournament). We took a long cab ride to the Vaughan Lounge in the Bywater neighbourhood on the east side of town. Every Thursday, since the 1990s, well-known jazz trumpeter Kermit Ruffins hosts his BBQ there. The New Orleans native spends the day at an outdoor grill, preparing the food. Then, as the sun goes down, he and his band, The Barbecue Swingers, take the stage. The show is an open jam with many talented locals joining the small stage for an improvisational session of riotously fun jazz and blues. </span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWztIetVdGeCrsjFuAnzH-0tEBwWobiHUPxvrfCCC4JhqCfsJk1j8vbmwWKmDbFOIMnyjAnT84-T9Ze-ke3J9U0f0Q4xz9s86pSFzVvf6kS2g4KjjUPuYD_H5uPIeG87ND_xTt5FoJ_Be0eftKp3_MRYmmb-L1TV0ALuh2KT33b_EzKywgBZOSKFqdnpNh/s1680/vaughanslounge-bywater-nolaplaces.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1680" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWztIetVdGeCrsjFuAnzH-0tEBwWobiHUPxvrfCCC4JhqCfsJk1j8vbmwWKmDbFOIMnyjAnT84-T9Ze-ke3J9U0f0Q4xz9s86pSFzVvf6kS2g4KjjUPuYD_H5uPIeG87ND_xTt5FoJ_Be0eftKp3_MRYmmb-L1TV0ALuh2KT33b_EzKywgBZOSKFqdnpNh/w400-h264/vaughanslounge-bywater-nolaplaces.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exterior of The Vaughan Lounge.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-7869a126-7fff-ee36-da56-305047e60890"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">During the intermission, everything comes to a stop and the BBQ is served. A long table is set-up at the back of the restaurant and everyone -- musicians, serving staff, cooks, bartenders and patrons -- fill their plates with white bread and scoops from giant metal pots containing rice, red beans and that day's barbecued meat. It is a wonderful, communal and culinary experience. After about a half hour, a piano is heard and, within minutes, Kermit and the band are jamming again.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hk7PCIu0zdCQoVpCFT7dp6G1xYSGncTcOXwMwaog-gkvvQO8CuMyZZXOAbQbJbl9svAOnwLBlfOpA2hijcVVqYPwkNbcULfpxUFzJ6uae2AYuhI_uSrjMiB3CSI-lVFa6pNdnwg3XZ-b4CDNvcfN65H9vqSCthDJ6I2QO42vnZJIC7RGgAtNULm3Lsou/s600/2825.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hk7PCIu0zdCQoVpCFT7dp6G1xYSGncTcOXwMwaog-gkvvQO8CuMyZZXOAbQbJbl9svAOnwLBlfOpA2hijcVVqYPwkNbcULfpxUFzJ6uae2AYuhI_uSrjMiB3CSI-lVFa6pNdnwg3XZ-b4CDNvcfN65H9vqSCthDJ6I2QO42vnZJIC7RGgAtNULm3Lsou/w400-h266/2825.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kermit Ruffins outside the Vaughan.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-d6c2f3dc-7fff-3c64-31f5-7d393bcf747b"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">New Orleans is a city worth revisiting. It is a touchstone of many satisfying attractions – music, food, history, art and culture. Next time, I will add the music venue Tipitina to our itinerary. It is at the corner of Napoleon Avenue and Tchoupitoulas Street in the Uptown district. The name was inspired by a song of the same name from Professor Longhair, his biggest hit and the second track on this week's album, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">New Orleans Piano</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Constructed in 1912, it has been a gambling house, gymnasium, brothel, juice bar and restaurant. It is also a location where numerous live records have been recorded by <span style="font-family: inherit;">many musicians of whom I am a fan, including The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Jane's Addiction, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Radiators, Phish and, of course, Professor Longhair. He recorded </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Ball The Wall: Live at Tipitina's</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, fewer than two years before his death in 1980. It was a seemingly fond farewell to a mecca rich in southern heritage. </span></span></span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-a7ae9a06-7fff-95b8-618e-9b88e31dbcb4"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hopefully, we will return to New Orleans in the coming years. It will give us another chance to enjoy their traditional gumbo -- real and metaphoric.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDSb2tBORQk8TBdcNIWtbvSXBtYjiPRX1H6JoRVZiz-o80hDcekQUHzZjFToFLyR21o2A4S_VaGnACbL3tGHxTtSJM_oMUq4nIxdo-tGQDAQQx4khObsQDoP3EPIP5_4qWv97k3Mw3tsOIa_MyucDhQJC5SBQxC2of9aBygt-C0jAPq_j77sMyWN_H8va/s600/600x600bf-60.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDSb2tBORQk8TBdcNIWtbvSXBtYjiPRX1H6JoRVZiz-o80hDcekQUHzZjFToFLyR21o2A4S_VaGnACbL3tGHxTtSJM_oMUq4nIxdo-tGQDAQQx4khObsQDoP3EPIP5_4qWv97k3Mw3tsOIa_MyucDhQJC5SBQxC2of9aBygt-C0jAPq_j77sMyWN_H8va/w400-h400/600x600bf-60.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></span></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-46665478652416408032024-03-03T18:20:00.000-08:002024-03-03T18:20:30.101-08:00The 500 - #223 - War - U2<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #223<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>War</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> U2<br /><b>Genre: </b>Post Punk, Rock<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> February, 1983<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 17<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Very</span><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b><span> <span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">No</span></span><br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist:</b></span><i><span style="font-size: large;"> Sunday Bloody Sunday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTEQUP4gEqdN7s1E9LDV3UbdZTVmGrGPboefHdjCnTY1D6-Ao-tBqXi9Y1hGRQMJtMr1h_BalWHMa-N2t504aW3xiitqZEVKEw2XT3AeIuCSUBy77IIw2g4p_bj25PlLDadBI9W0NRZmzybQvj6ITJ4epkBqWBUwyAKB2C1hi7nUhDLmIEG7xmVbM7JD0/s1000/81TuHO0ryZL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTEQUP4gEqdN7s1E9LDV3UbdZTVmGrGPboefHdjCnTY1D6-Ao-tBqXi9Y1hGRQMJtMr1h_BalWHMa-N2t504aW3xiitqZEVKEw2XT3AeIuCSUBy77IIw2g4p_bj25PlLDadBI9W0NRZmzybQvj6ITJ4epkBqWBUwyAKB2C1hi7nUhDLmIEG7xmVbM7JD0/w400-h400/81TuHO0ryZL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for War, featuring Peter Rowan, the brother<br />of U2 singer Bono's friend Guggi.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span id="docs-internal-guid-4d2a9f52-7fff-c0c1-fa93-89884c066999" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week, I booked two plane tickets to England. My wife and I will arrive in Manchester and, after visiting my family, travel by train through Scotland. It will be my wife’s debut venture to her ancestral homeland, her mother being a Scot. Decades have passed since I was there, and we are looking forward to the trip with excited anticipation.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXlBp2p_vy2SFTzfNJ5-Qt95CMwQ-7TmjSaVAlCLjk2RhZn3SEY9FYV6KBjdPisfcZeKSoqw5xxm2vkKcGbugmgfKwbLDVZ5rtDte_Un9skii_7FUSMFXw3FbzPDbnWtP1EEroaeNaSMbhzUP_JZYNB_qiua1AkOxSfNSY4CICfTwNvJ_mlb3ZjYLUubkA/s4728/76569-jacobite-steam-train-on-glenfinnan-viaduct-shutterstock.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3546" data-original-width="4728" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXlBp2p_vy2SFTzfNJ5-Qt95CMwQ-7TmjSaVAlCLjk2RhZn3SEY9FYV6KBjdPisfcZeKSoqw5xxm2vkKcGbugmgfKwbLDVZ5rtDte_Un9skii_7FUSMFXw3FbzPDbnWtP1EEroaeNaSMbhzUP_JZYNB_qiua1AkOxSfNSY4CICfTwNvJ_mlb3ZjYLUubkA/w400-h300/76569-jacobite-steam-train-on-glenfinnan-viaduct-shutterstock.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-782975f7-7fff-13ec-98ee-477db389f4f5" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I visited at age 12, I stayed for more than a month, touring plenty of locations throughout Britain. The adults in my world were generous with their time, energy and resources to make sure I saw the now-refurbished industrial centre of Manchester, the ancient city of York, the pastoral county of Kent, the seaside mecca of Blackpool in the northwest of England and, of course, London. The moorlands of the northern counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire offer locals and visitors alike with dramatic, ever-changing vistas as clouds billow above, casting shadows across the hills and dales below. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCGI1H56ZrL2CeAEBGXMUdxvXVPm861Akwwbfkv9zkD9ESZF1Sgv-W5GwQZGEqVv68JreFkfPpiThkWrf49_JkI7XPNEGK53Yd_MPf3SDwdWWmurOL14bgGi1ctX810TReu4e2T22SxpLpF227GI2ZgPNvdhfzojJS2EQpAY02lfimn2-ms2SvbBxeHmM/s750/yorksmallpreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="750" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCGI1H56ZrL2CeAEBGXMUdxvXVPm861Akwwbfkv9zkD9ESZF1Sgv-W5GwQZGEqVv68JreFkfPpiThkWrf49_JkI7XPNEGK53Yd_MPf3SDwdWWmurOL14bgGi1ctX810TReu4e2T22SxpLpF227GI2ZgPNvdhfzojJS2EQpAY02lfimn2-ms2SvbBxeHmM/w400-h171/yorksmallpreview.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">While visiting Manchester, I had my first encounter with "The Troubles" -- what has been described as an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland – that started in the 1960s. Tension was high in large English cities because of the unpredictable threat of guerrilla terrorism by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), a paramilitary group that sought the end of British control over Ulster (Northern Ireland) and unification with the independent Irish Republic to the south.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZCyyg2F1M679_0Nznu45SIPwrZxkBFH92lluZwGt2RESEXfx1SqbGruqUeRclSWfCVIEywyW1ZDhLjgbPjYMi4dkWAEaWdwk0b5aYBagZHJra4MhSAPmEdwfqmT_gpYd0FA44eFCEtvO_prjXLz-FFm9IupapOl11209eXwf5pjTuFhuZbj3JdKo4197/s819/irelandmap.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="764" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZCyyg2F1M679_0Nznu45SIPwrZxkBFH92lluZwGt2RESEXfx1SqbGruqUeRclSWfCVIEywyW1ZDhLjgbPjYMi4dkWAEaWdwk0b5aYBagZHJra4MhSAPmEdwfqmT_gpYd0FA44eFCEtvO_prjXLz-FFm9IupapOl11209eXwf5pjTuFhuZbj3JdKo4197/w374-h400/irelandmap.webp" width="374" /></a></div>My mom and I were in a department store in downtown Manchester when shoppers were ordered to evacuate the building after a telephone bomb threat. It was all new to me and I didn't understand the urgency and alarm in my mother's tone as she hurried me out to the streets. My regret was having been hauled from the record department where I had been flipping through album covers.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZZ3OTswos8UmnIlkHZksjoHN3zUxgdI_bQLyTMZMxopeGwA-LAjWQAL_TRemlfjSFPQ_N_8H_KiAQ9kMBn3Ekz4-dAomM_Ee9yDYRCpge8BJqEmb1VDgntWvfrJ6ZIHbslBx-B0QKLe14sAK8wjYM5b9IY5qUEVobxY-DEWwUWHymegdbjYRymYt704x/s1824/JS21633987.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="1824" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZZ3OTswos8UmnIlkHZksjoHN3zUxgdI_bQLyTMZMxopeGwA-LAjWQAL_TRemlfjSFPQ_N_8H_KiAQ9kMBn3Ekz4-dAomM_Ee9yDYRCpge8BJqEmb1VDgntWvfrJ6ZIHbslBx-B0QKLe14sAK8wjYM5b9IY5qUEVobxY-DEWwUWHymegdbjYRymYt704x/w400-h269/JS21633987.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manchester in 1977.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4f5047e6-7fff-50bc-94fe-d5ab9ef4e7fb"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Over the next few years, I became more politically aware. By the time I was 13, I had started watching the nightly news. My parents played CBC Radio religiously, including the evening news program </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">As It Happens</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">. Crucially, it was a time when I realized that music – classic and contemporary – held valuable lessons in history through protest songs. I didn't always understand the message behind some of those songs, but the passion and emotion were undeniable.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Q7sA5YbQUniiiaxwCrVTztnO2K6e5nRMIto6AmfvM1n3B0nh-w8lwhjIl7awQcE5RJftkGZWN5nT3GT8rC8bLmxCTZCoikkkrc2Wq33ovFHerRMx7V0DjxWyF61y5X-iXexrSbtB0hPU7J77400Q3IwP9XHM4xxrC6gRQ0sRLS6LDYya-ZMYwv3a3sSY/s620/as-it-happens-co-hosts-barbara-frum-and-alan-maitland.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="620" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Q7sA5YbQUniiiaxwCrVTztnO2K6e5nRMIto6AmfvM1n3B0nh-w8lwhjIl7awQcE5RJftkGZWN5nT3GT8rC8bLmxCTZCoikkkrc2Wq33ovFHerRMx7V0DjxWyF61y5X-iXexrSbtB0hPU7J77400Q3IwP9XHM4xxrC6gRQ0sRLS6LDYya-ZMYwv3a3sSY/w400-h265/as-it-happens-co-hosts-barbara-frum-and-alan-maitland.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Journalists Barbara Frum and Alan Maitland, hosts of<br /><b><i>As It Happens</i></b> in the late 70s.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-29adb013-7fff-9e4e-4439-5bc174b6d3bf"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">War</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, the third record from Irish post-punk rock band U2, was released in February, 1983. The lead single, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">New Year's Day</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, was issued a month earlier and was getting some airplay on London, Ontario, radio stations, mainly CHRW broadcasting from what is now known as Western University. I was a late convert to the band even though U2 concert shirts were popular at my high school and albums clearly displayed at local music shops. Frankly, I wasn’t convinced the Irish band was worth spending my hard-earned dollars on.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9K5wmmSb32Q3Jjf-9LQTA1Hayq-5-MTWC1eKboHtErrNu4dsjzVEbPUlWOpXe2S_Qt5Cm-iqfOO4DDrz_D_kc1c3JVu9Lts6u-m69kK_rsYYkFRZLosOc2RqrhRf4c4TUrbSQeZMbdHU_5sSOKoY2qZqQIwVYMlaW7524clYCPovysDvxbirp9-pUC4rW/s960/X0150-01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="960" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9K5wmmSb32Q3Jjf-9LQTA1Hayq-5-MTWC1eKboHtErrNu4dsjzVEbPUlWOpXe2S_Qt5Cm-iqfOO4DDrz_D_kc1c3JVu9Lts6u-m69kK_rsYYkFRZLosOc2RqrhRf4c4TUrbSQeZMbdHU_5sSOKoY2qZqQIwVYMlaW7524clYCPovysDvxbirp9-pUC4rW/w400-h351/X0150-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for the single release of <b><i>New Year's Day</i></b>.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span id="docs-internal-guid-d0e07159-7fff-ed73-1ffa-9e82c51fbb1d" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">That summer, in 1983, U2 released their first live album, the soundtrack to a film taken of their 1983 American concert tour. Shot at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Under A Blood Red Sky</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> elevated the band significantly in North America. Furthermore, the video of the protest song, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Sunday Bloody Sunday</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, was clipped from the concert film. When it aired on television, I recorded it on the family VCR along with other rock videos. Ostensibly, I was crafting a mixed video cassette of songs, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Saturday Night Live</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> episodes and comedy bits. That summer, I probably watched that cassette 50 times.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWZ3uOKQVu9JpfX8QC25DNbQAh9KNWm_8DKvHUxQUjwi-o84rdjTheJfmrvMcqLtW8iAKk4A-bW-G_JxeY1Aqu6_z1EDba3aNaq2X5IG8obhJLfLZv4lY6VRdTtLs8a2cmgb6O9f6DsfhrihJunzSpRFO43Pt05Am99MzbGedhsU4CxEN28budMuFXhEo/s1000/71npRFzgOtL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1000" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWZ3uOKQVu9JpfX8QC25DNbQAh9KNWm_8DKvHUxQUjwi-o84rdjTheJfmrvMcqLtW8iAKk4A-bW-G_JxeY1Aqu6_z1EDba3aNaq2X5IG8obhJLfLZv4lY6VRdTtLs8a2cmgb6O9f6DsfhrihJunzSpRFO43Pt05Am99MzbGedhsU4CxEN28budMuFXhEo/w400-h345/71npRFzgOtL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-27ea27f8-7fff-3c20-37c5-2e9688dafb18" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The song, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Sunday Bloody Sunday</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, relates to two events of sectarian violence between Catholics and Protestants that occurred in Ireland. The first was on Sunday, November 21, 1920, in Dublin during The Irish War of Independence. The tragedy began with an IRA assassination operation led by Michael Collins that killed 15 members and associates of the "Cairo Gang", a group of undercover British Intelligence officers. In response, British forces raided a Gaelic football match, opening fire on spectators and players, killing or critically injuring an additional 15.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNdJ7tmFk8Tanv9RpohUhHXEv5hXkbpqbXhyXDxcZCsyQ8xnldgFR8Mt9CdoCxh53XoCZ7xYJ7htWq9ap26MAaJcxCFfPXykpqFRHCaCui5hogchMle00cVt6eiPWbaQ1R8-CpRo-F-eZuUl4JyCy1Ie35PFliF7m4ydZUoGpUCMa89WFQc1i6rbdkZ-3/s1200/21Nov1920-Bloody-sunday-.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNdJ7tmFk8Tanv9RpohUhHXEv5hXkbpqbXhyXDxcZCsyQ8xnldgFR8Mt9CdoCxh53XoCZ7xYJ7htWq9ap26MAaJcxCFfPXykpqFRHCaCui5hogchMle00cVt6eiPWbaQ1R8-CpRo-F-eZuUl4JyCy1Ie35PFliF7m4ydZUoGpUCMa89WFQc1i6rbdkZ-3/w400-h213/21Nov1920-Bloody-sunday-.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">News Article about Bloody Sunday and Michael Collins.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-ba5e785f-7fff-8c79-acfe-064fb6495116" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The second event occurred on Sunday, January 30, 1972. Sometimes called The Bogside Massacre, British military forces shot 26 unarmed citizens during a protest march in the Bogside area of Derry, Ireland. The march, organized by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, protested the imprisonment without trial for Irish dissidents. Later, two British tribunals cleared the soldiers of any wrongdoing, a contentious decision that is still considered a whitewashing of these tragic events.</span></span></span><br /></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpb4udccM5dkaJMAaJv-6e6fhelTl8y5lihtyjDZXkfmP8I7to6Ds95EqV7JHTlY9KfxuRfrhPrMLpezVUr-CV5_rH9kWgeG9dVdBDdA-vaIIRyuQimWIsrK9i6jMYOboez2O6oKoUzd1wDF-h-LK06BH6Abu2dr0YjMfg3JKqbnUYCE751McimNJYa0PO/s1018/Es_XU6tXIAMJo-Q.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1018" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpb4udccM5dkaJMAaJv-6e6fhelTl8y5lihtyjDZXkfmP8I7to6Ds95EqV7JHTlY9KfxuRfrhPrMLpezVUr-CV5_rH9kWgeG9dVdBDdA-vaIIRyuQimWIsrK9i6jMYOboez2O6oKoUzd1wDF-h-LK06BH6Abu2dr0YjMfg3JKqbnUYCE751McimNJYa0PO/w400-h358/Es_XU6tXIAMJo-Q.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Irish Times article following the events of Bloody Sunday, 1972.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In the early 1980s, before information on the internet was at my fingertips, it was the music of protest artists who helped me better understand history and my place in the world. In addition to U2, others were The Clash, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, John Lennon and Elvis Costello. They sparked important conversations with my friends. We didn't get everything right. It was tough to fact check opinion in 1983. However, it is not surprising that so many of those artists occupy spots on The 500 list. War is one of five U2 records on the 2012 list and, even though "The Troubles" came to a shaky peace agreement in 1998, the themes on that record still resonate today -- particularly in light of the horrific events currently unfolding in Gaza and the still-fragile Irish pact. I thought about The Troubles a lot as I reflected on the impactful lyrics from <b><i>Sunday Bloody Sunday</i></b>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"The trenches dug within our hearts,</span></b></span></div><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">And mothers, children, brothers sisters torn apart.</span></b></span></div><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">How long, h</span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">ow long must we sing this song?</span></span></b></div><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">How long?</span></b></span></div><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">How long?"</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-44976134954256408072024-02-25T08:58:00.000-08:002024-02-25T15:21:14.748-08:00The 500 - #224 - The Neil Diamond Collection - Neil Diamond<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #224<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>The Neil Diamond Collection</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Neil Diamond<br /><b>Genre: </b>Rock, Soft Rock, Pop, Folk, Ballad<br /><b>Recorded: </b>1968 - 1972</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> November, 1999<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 34<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Very</span><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b><span> </span><span id="docs-internal-guid-f488e7c0-7fff-0d8d-4e22-798c24ef35fc"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sadly, no Diamond albums made the 2020 list</span></span></span><br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist:</b></span><i><span style="font-size: large;"> I Am, I Said</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFpevaK0GiZeeHpzCxX-kGsXmlFkicbvChNayEOxjGLAimwBDIlwmYy3UqOeEVLf135fSjhKZPdRPaVHNhTIlbIV9gmYOTKHHBBRGHkLvz_0UgkyD_e5miTlu-DJMpFPhyphenhyphenflVNpYxPfc9UikSzcTa-6yfcEkqt0n4UXW09wZT0VTWRTSJFYhXi6jmPQkX/s316/Neil_Diamond_-_The_Neil_Diamond_Collection.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFpevaK0GiZeeHpzCxX-kGsXmlFkicbvChNayEOxjGLAimwBDIlwmYy3UqOeEVLf135fSjhKZPdRPaVHNhTIlbIV9gmYOTKHHBBRGHkLvz_0UgkyD_e5miTlu-DJMpFPhyphenhyphenflVNpYxPfc9UikSzcTa-6yfcEkqt0n4UXW09wZT0VTWRTSJFYhXi6jmPQkX/w400-h400/Neil_Diamond_-_The_Neil_Diamond_Collection.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Album cover for <b><i>The Neil Diamond Collection</i></b>.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-209e670c-7fff-42ce-d99c-5b6ea78355bc"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Every University town has at least one legendary bar. In London, Ontario, (home of Western University) that gathering place is the Ceeps. The restaurant/tavern has been a popular watering hole for students, professors, alumni and locals for more than 100 years. It gets its name from the Canadian Pacific (C.P.) railway tracks just north of its doors on Mill Street. During homecoming week in October the taps rarely stop flowing. The tavern is so staggeringly popular on that weekend a staffer has the sole job of replenishing kegs in the vast, walk-in fridge compartments behind the bar. Rumour has it a keg empties every 15 minutes.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8c6hVE-Ck8m0xecHA6OWNBzhQ-lg4-Zig6aNCzlI4fxqY7QU079zDLid8FOKJ8TfRrbyE-6RqzOTsvTnEWNGr0CmLY1oCIMz9iuSoG3g90oX5ttUOGE68-Ag7RRYdHWiTJXG3uNZBL5VtQ6ggNszunTpH167oyvMi4djjUZ5TPjiO8zOY0rMVHscTP_SI/s1000/1c3a0d7b-385c-4fc1-a324-da60bfa04294af23f507-61f5-472e-951e-6de02f63b5fb.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8c6hVE-Ck8m0xecHA6OWNBzhQ-lg4-Zig6aNCzlI4fxqY7QU079zDLid8FOKJ8TfRrbyE-6RqzOTsvTnEWNGr0CmLY1oCIMz9iuSoG3g90oX5ttUOGE68-Ag7RRYdHWiTJXG3uNZBL5VtQ6ggNszunTpH167oyvMi4djjUZ5TPjiO8zOY0rMVHscTP_SI/w400-h240/1c3a0d7b-385c-4fc1-a324-da60bfa04294af23f507-61f5-472e-951e-6de02f63b5fb.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The infamous Ceeps line. Circa 1988.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-84bd0160-7fff-6670-a051-175108dc7f13"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On my 23rd birthday in 1988, I found myself at the Ceeps with a group of friends. While there, I ran into Shawn Burk, whom I knew casually through a mutual friend, James Fast. As it turns out, it was Shawn's birthday, too. We downed a celebratory drink as we chatted about sports, theatre and music. When I inquired about his favourite bands, he quickly replied: "Judas Priest and Neil Diamond." </span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWGvMywLO3FC5BN8-chOJYDSm2TACI20eZuftA2a_CPpLXtnDKlE5e9TWS5iqqzTY63MdpzvoSUJVCWT04R_kDCKDIzVHuyxNszeZFdoM-ilBQ6_cEfU7ARQDu0BTkA4X79qsPFMrS_BJ6sK5m429dMJjfCxXIjUV0ncdgw8gkNhZF7gppph92lC5z1t5/s460/judas-priest-006.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="460" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWGvMywLO3FC5BN8-chOJYDSm2TACI20eZuftA2a_CPpLXtnDKlE5e9TWS5iqqzTY63MdpzvoSUJVCWT04R_kDCKDIzVHuyxNszeZFdoM-ilBQ6_cEfU7ARQDu0BTkA4X79qsPFMrS_BJ6sK5m429dMJjfCxXIjUV0ncdgw8gkNhZF7gppph92lC5z1t5/w400-h240/judas-priest-006.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judas Priest in their 80s heyday.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-f353d141-7fff-d7e9-3365-43431f79cbee"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Back then, being a fan of leather-clad, British heavy metal groups was not unusual. Most of my friends, myself included, owned copies of Priest's seminal records, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">British Steel</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Screaming For Vengeance</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Sad Wings Of Destiny</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">. However, admitting that you liked the music of uber-cheesy, soft-rock crooner Neil Diamond was bewildering to me.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutn03jmYHvpri2McTW_HdkAMIoitluvAo3EaHElt7GVfWShS9_Mc9XHKYQUboDXwdhuf-_lRlhu3sTNZs16ktVd1h3gd2KCmwjz1AJbl-pgTAD5TDpkTBLtjYPQaGuz7qdubJjMLvR51YP5S5dDsvdisAcevX5CU3cKw2a6fnPnwGEseW5xidcJ8n0G9V/s1600/neil-diamond-tty-10-gty-jef-180126_16x11_1600.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1103" data-original-width="1600" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutn03jmYHvpri2McTW_HdkAMIoitluvAo3EaHElt7GVfWShS9_Mc9XHKYQUboDXwdhuf-_lRlhu3sTNZs16ktVd1h3gd2KCmwjz1AJbl-pgTAD5TDpkTBLtjYPQaGuz7qdubJjMLvR51YP5S5dDsvdisAcevX5CU3cKw2a6fnPnwGEseW5xidcJ8n0G9V/w400-h276/neil-diamond-tty-10-gty-jef-180126_16x11_1600.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neil Diamond, performing in the 70s.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-12663db0-7fff-c0d8-2b16-ff22be1b77c8"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Fast-forward a few days and I found myself in Shawn's car as he blasted tracks from </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Hot August Night</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> -- Diamond's 1972 live recording from The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. By the time we got to the closing song, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Soolaiman/Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, I was a fan. Sadly, there are no Diamond records on the 2020 edition of <b><i>The 500</i></b>. <b><i>Hot August Night</i></b> should be.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicAGIaXyDFHmC7SQ1KItEw1JAFsvR5sRTwM6fR60-ZKsSoIY15ypxK04embUmLcvSL_vfxjPcxgLeTY_BPSRHJ9x_L3iA6LXddlmelO2L_GfxN6UKyfM4-lm1qZuJe3eyGX-ncuqDYnyBY45NhB8Am_Hjf4Z_STEAS7LUb-9wBfpPDD4awz955CIlOEa8/s280/Hot_august_night.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="280" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicAGIaXyDFHmC7SQ1KItEw1JAFsvR5sRTwM6fR60-ZKsSoIY15ypxK04embUmLcvSL_vfxjPcxgLeTY_BPSRHJ9x_L3iA6LXddlmelO2L_GfxN6UKyfM4-lm1qZuJe3eyGX-ncuqDYnyBY45NhB8Am_Hjf4Z_STEAS7LUb-9wBfpPDD4awz955CIlOEa8/w400-h391/Hot_august_night.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for <b><i>Hot August Night</i></b>, Neil Diamond (1972).</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-53ade4bf-7fff-14e8-38a6-b407ee9e3f16"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shawn and I became terrific friends that summer. We both had a mischievous, theatrical streak. We got our hands on a video camera and started making silly, guerilla-style productions for our friends’ amusement. One afternoon, we set up shop in the hallway of a local mall, posing as representatives from the Kraft Food Company conducting a taste test. Curious mall patrons sampled marshmallows A and B -- and we dutifully noted their preferences on a clipboard. In truth, both "types" of the fluffy, white confectionary treats were the same. Regardless of the a volunteer's choice Shawn would proudly announce: "That's the Kraft Marshmallow!" It was harmless fun that lasted until mall security became suspicious and we scrammed.</span></span></span><br /></span></span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJdpyV_GcHUOndsc7dvITotw1eaeJGSpreR8DC6-lIs2uj3wYeMAr00v-zQHyXnfRc7b3R6AUXDiT6lggesHwWTXAA3pDVCO0LIgswn1w6VmG43aAY14m4VCIB9ft_2wYwy1QRRgJ8-QcCV5BfteTNMyAmYkY0e5BvUZpoYHg6XO8j0Ax2E6IQvfa1eck/s500/516ZBpVHsoL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="500" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJdpyV_GcHUOndsc7dvITotw1eaeJGSpreR8DC6-lIs2uj3wYeMAr00v-zQHyXnfRc7b3R6AUXDiT6lggesHwWTXAA3pDVCO0LIgswn1w6VmG43aAY14m4VCIB9ft_2wYwy1QRRgJ8-QcCV5BfteTNMyAmYkY0e5BvUZpoYHg6XO8j0Ax2E6IQvfa1eck/w400-h233/516ZBpVHsoL.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kraft Marshmallows - certainly London's favourite on that 1988 afternoon.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-8496daf9-7fff-4027-3d55-09e6714c1371" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">The Neil Diamond Collection</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> is a compilation record released in 1999, containing Diamond's hits from 1968 - 1972. It contains most of the songs I heard on Shawn's car stereo. Diamond, born in 1941, lived a fascinating life even before deciding he wanted to become a songwriter and performer. Born </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">and raised, for the most part, in Brooklyn, New York, he attended high school with singer Barbara Streisand and chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer. </span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1cmZmtdEp6W5UKHBSlZTCCYWpHnKXXliMlmQ59OwYzec3dkCb1FZsZaz6NRwV5SChhBed10qzTPAgh-4NML9iwUwDLkRMcjICCsizy62klPgRcGf8wJMt1HZk48Yzre9jHLcG52VnxywdfPjQfGtE17sVehykoFsRePWYMFaoHyLa16iCSRo2wZ_pjRa/s520/Barbra-Streisand-and-Neil-Diamond-You-Dont-Bring-Me-Flowers-1578682902-520x516.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="520" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1cmZmtdEp6W5UKHBSlZTCCYWpHnKXXliMlmQ59OwYzec3dkCb1FZsZaz6NRwV5SChhBed10qzTPAgh-4NML9iwUwDLkRMcjICCsizy62klPgRcGf8wJMt1HZk48Yzre9jHLcG52VnxywdfPjQfGtE17sVehykoFsRePWYMFaoHyLa16iCSRo2wZ_pjRa/w400-h398/Barbra-Streisand-and-Neil-Diamond-You-Dont-Bring-Me-Flowers-1578682902-520x516.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-31d2b3e5-7fff-3053-e7a4-dedd40e944ae"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">32 years after being classmates, Streisand and Diamond scored
a hit with the duet </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">You Don't Bring Me Flowers</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> in 1988.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-b418fdbd-7fff-8f53-645e-63097db4ec13"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Diamond was a member of the school's fencing team with his best friend, future Olympic fencer Herb Cohen. Diamond was good enough to secure a fencing scholarship to New York University where he enrolled in a pre-med program with the goal of becoming a doctor. However, in his senior year and just 10 credits shy of graduation, he made the bold decision to quit medical studies for a job writing songs at Sunbeam Music Publishing. It paid $50 a week, the equivalent to $450 today.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3tlpZ437PC3c0cwhyhAw_jyM_bCbhg0i_qGknFKV60dGe9EU2ORhCyeZY0ftHlBQOttrfhkw75IMrEC8Ey1IQv2kszAuH9Pj8l_wy1e51drk71fF8TrdzaZNcBShbQucyj7aFVgsxxhwXvKM87e1NMrbtRM47mwiMzq22XF51S9gj4DWMPsyAs4ONOKY/s1600/neil-diamond-tty-02-gty-jef-180126_5x4_1600.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="1600" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3tlpZ437PC3c0cwhyhAw_jyM_bCbhg0i_qGknFKV60dGe9EU2ORhCyeZY0ftHlBQOttrfhkw75IMrEC8Ey1IQv2kszAuH9Pj8l_wy1e51drk71fF8TrdzaZNcBShbQucyj7aFVgsxxhwXvKM87e1NMrbtRM47mwiMzq22XF51S9gj4DWMPsyAs4ONOKY/w400-h319/neil-diamond-tty-02-gty-jef-180126_5x4_1600.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Diamond in a recording studio in 1963.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-8fccd9e5-7fff-363a-4da3-e8d13a16c0b9"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was fortunate to see Diamond at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1993 during his </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Love In The Round</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> tour. Shawn was with me. The 30-song set was performed, without a break, by the then 52-year old entertainer on a circular stage in the centre of the legendary hockey rink. The performance and the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Collection</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> album were reminders of the impressive number of hits the former medical student, known as “The Jewish Elvis”, has penned. </span></span></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRBAyiOVl5zQilRlrPEqM3Q3yRwnWx4BGgo7dlV6fF383bSvhCR5AlrRTwkXM_iHnoPSdD4wKM2bqf6b31ve5MoR7CCfjipWSFHyo2BTp3iEO3pcIZeI4F5tV3CA6uJ44F_muZ5s-fbfImOd_xbbAW4a10ORYFHiUI2zbI12MpFDWsZsdNX_gFbRblEv_/s718/Diamond%20Set%20list.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="443" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRBAyiOVl5zQilRlrPEqM3Q3yRwnWx4BGgo7dlV6fF383bSvhCR5AlrRTwkXM_iHnoPSdD4wKM2bqf6b31ve5MoR7CCfjipWSFHyo2BTp3iEO3pcIZeI4F5tV3CA6uJ44F_muZ5s-fbfImOd_xbbAW4a10ORYFHiUI2zbI12MpFDWsZsdNX_gFbRblEv_/w246-h400/Diamond%20Set%20list.jpg" width="246" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Thirty-eight of his songs have reached the top 10 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Charts. He has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame and The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, as well as receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Grammys. As Josh Adam Meyers postulated <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-500-with-josh-adam-meyers/id1440000749" target="_blank">on the accompanying episode of <b><i>The 500 Podcast</i></b></a>, "Diamond wrote a significant chapter in The Great American Songbook". I agree. Why is he not represented on the 2020 list?</span></div><div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTbqZpR6aBclOe9bC_HCpShHVKa40DgGDVbxmBK7c2eZKi63P-1JaRsOZWZEOCuKdA8o9_tEubZwM1Y9Kazz6rlXw8bq-bWSyLJIhFRutx7P8_w11jfsMUY2aiNQAWl8zy9gmGtCN39zG5EBji54-goSIAmc_ND1zCgvF4XbM07TkxZPnyJfkr4Uqt5N7/s821/gettyimages-974992022.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="821" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTbqZpR6aBclOe9bC_HCpShHVKa40DgGDVbxmBK7c2eZKi63P-1JaRsOZWZEOCuKdA8o9_tEubZwM1Y9Kazz6rlXw8bq-bWSyLJIhFRutx7P8_w11jfsMUY2aiNQAWl8zy9gmGtCN39zG5EBji54-goSIAmc_ND1zCgvF4XbM07TkxZPnyJfkr4Uqt5N7/w400-h266/gettyimages-974992022.jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Diamond entering the Songwriter's Hall Of Fame in 1984.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In January 2018, Diamond announced his retirement from touring due to a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. He lives in Basalt, Colorado, with his former manager, now wife Katie McNeil.</span><p></p><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4FZVQ7pn9B_crCpOdkFaeusjWS3iCyEIJ6qTCfPyqymJCBOuasn1Vqa858Wg8DCBM_Bnp_mS6EB4HQlOhO5GxkJLLMTlLDD6imEKSVMkd79UHYHxGVkneK5k9dgybrcMgoIaMnDR2iIfCxa-NXl_JpLaU3PifsuW9yWztGC5RfK2MbqGC7Um09MNQ4tD/s1500/neil-diamond-katie-mcneil-6-7fc8bb9185114648989d4562e4d3e7eb.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4FZVQ7pn9B_crCpOdkFaeusjWS3iCyEIJ6qTCfPyqymJCBOuasn1Vqa858Wg8DCBM_Bnp_mS6EB4HQlOhO5GxkJLLMTlLDD6imEKSVMkd79UHYHxGVkneK5k9dgybrcMgoIaMnDR2iIfCxa-NXl_JpLaU3PifsuW9yWztGC5RfK2MbqGC7Um09MNQ4tD/w400-h300/neil-diamond-katie-mcneil-6-7fc8bb9185114648989d4562e4d3e7eb.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Diamond and McNeil in 2011 when he received the <br />Kennedy Center Honors. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-4ad800aa-7fff-417b-4385-4a8219a69bc5"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I visit the Ceeps occasionally – typically in the summer when its expansive patio opens -- connected to its second bar, Barneys. Shawn moved to Toronto, but we remain friends. I am tremendously grateful to him for letting me couch surf at his apartment in 1991 when I first took an ill-fated restaurant job in Toronto. He was also a sympathetic ear in 1996 when my girlfriend, now wife, and I temporarily broke up. His decision to show me the film <b><i>Swingers</i></b> in order to help me shake my funk was an inspired decision.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUUzTqrNahbiqnYGqPBDKl59DprOMkeuhe859EfBBWqBb7yvoshZRBf3fd7mkAmIELgPNwt748CtSzgZvK1g1izA1VbEgDe79lhSYPGnkbShYYNSNiLGtS1dIJMSUPQQBmGxeygrovLSo3ToS8ELbLh4JTBy_MK5VxolCpBSbZZG8kvS142GK64qo6_dc/s1478/MV5BZjg1ZmViMmEtYzIxNi00MzJlLTk4MDktNTE2ZDkwMzEyMjBhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDk3NzU2MTQ@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1478" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUUzTqrNahbiqnYGqPBDKl59DprOMkeuhe859EfBBWqBb7yvoshZRBf3fd7mkAmIELgPNwt748CtSzgZvK1g1izA1VbEgDe79lhSYPGnkbShYYNSNiLGtS1dIJMSUPQQBmGxeygrovLSo3ToS8ELbLh4JTBy_MK5VxolCpBSbZZG8kvS142GK64qo6_dc/w271-h400/MV5BZjg1ZmViMmEtYzIxNi00MzJlLTk4MDktNTE2ZDkwMzEyMjBhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDk3NzU2MTQ@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" width="271" /></a></div></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">When Shawn and I reconnect, it is easy to pick up where we left off – talking sports and music and laughing about our many videotaped hijinks. We still contact each other on our shared birthday to offer good wishes for another year. I am still a Neil Diamond fan because of him.</span></span></span></span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-46152192690281362652024-02-19T17:36:00.000-08:002024-02-19T17:38:25.437-08:00The 500 - #225 - American Idiot - Green Day<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #225<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>American Idiot</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Green Day<br /><b>Genre: </b>Punk Rock, Pop Rock, Concept Rock<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Three Studios in California</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> September, 2004<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 39<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Very</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> Yes, at #248, dropping 23 places since the 2012 list.<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist:</b><i> Jesus of Suburbia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqh3-mA2lEo5ig9uuX9AHOaE4NAHpkxhKast4KmwENNfnBaHmOB6sPZTRM92FQr-pKau89ONagaHkFnSJj3yHsTbBIexb_JxINy674L8BobWr4ZYJwshvqDU7hzYqDncnDRkrPVkK6uKAd_QKQTJC8hvdhPVsI69duqMCxrRCtKeFX0Dx9YAjhSDvk8Pu/s300/Green_Day_-_American_Idiot_album_cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqh3-mA2lEo5ig9uuX9AHOaE4NAHpkxhKast4KmwENNfnBaHmOB6sPZTRM92FQr-pKau89ONagaHkFnSJj3yHsTbBIexb_JxINy674L8BobWr4ZYJwshvqDU7hzYqDncnDRkrPVkK6uKAd_QKQTJC8hvdhPVsI69duqMCxrRCtKeFX0Dx9YAjhSDvk8Pu/w400-h400/Green_Day_-_American_Idiot_album_cover.png" width="400" /></a></div></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9ed5ab0b-7fff-70e7-0d9e-f85135d14c12"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Like many people of my vintage who did not have older siblings, my first record collection belonged to my parents. Nestled among the Nana Mouskouri, Elvis Presley and Mario Lanza records were a small assortment of soundtracks from movies and musicals. Some came from films I had seen -- </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Sound Of Music</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Oliver </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mary Poppins</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Others were from unfamiliar sources -- </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Saturday Night Fever</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Fiddler On The Roof</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My Fair Lady</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Regardless, I loved them all and spent many Saturday afternoons doing school work or sorting hockey cards while listening to Chaim Topol as Tevye the Milkman sing </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If I Were A Rich Man.</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9a8AloCDGMXWk0_LJjGnYF_YuWXwCNCDUpctYSifl941AOPpPhSZBRyCyGhNTNyhfWsMIgv65AKOEQ4sRUX5xjYTDPtYZ0ZqOEvDmy0C3lffFjVP14h2jmNqUr3-Q8J_afMofXBVSoCaRHCMgNa6-N6a-_FQtvJjkr7d7Y4K9I34n0vy2A-9fHGRXzRIT/s1000/51UYGh9ZSKL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="995" data-original-width="1000" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9a8AloCDGMXWk0_LJjGnYF_YuWXwCNCDUpctYSifl941AOPpPhSZBRyCyGhNTNyhfWsMIgv65AKOEQ4sRUX5xjYTDPtYZ0ZqOEvDmy0C3lffFjVP14h2jmNqUr3-Q8J_afMofXBVSoCaRHCMgNa6-N6a-_FQtvJjkr7d7Y4K9I34n0vy2A-9fHGRXzRIT/w400-h398/51UYGh9ZSKL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Fiddler On The Roof </i></b>album cover depicting Tevye the Milkman.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-c108b26a-7fff-e106-7a5d-20ea7fe1419f"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's a bit of pop-psychology on my part, but I think this is where my love of concept albums, particularly those composed in the 1970s, was born. There is no consensus from music critics on the definition, but a "concept album" typically refers to a record that, much like the songs on a soundtrack to a musical, contains individual tracks that hold a larger meaning collectively than they do on their own. Generally, the meaning is communicated through a theme or central narrative.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpB0Ldo2OTML6UO9IEzGbGBCvpRiIRhbb1qyFvcUtgI15U-_FiIi2MOeRa59Yu8vJgoCRFJ9U-16ZQQYL670Bl2vx1HTUa1ccFF5RLNBKpPS2tZiIyPyyIZFdFVU4OVEtqGdwt6TdXhuQF06BSIFR_iyhpfdy_RX5aPenYl3lQOEqLK85b8gp1DACDRHL/s740/concept-albums-collage-740x416.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="740" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpB0Ldo2OTML6UO9IEzGbGBCvpRiIRhbb1qyFvcUtgI15U-_FiIi2MOeRa59Yu8vJgoCRFJ9U-16ZQQYL670Bl2vx1HTUa1ccFF5RLNBKpPS2tZiIyPyyIZFdFVU4OVEtqGdwt6TdXhuQF06BSIFR_iyhpfdy_RX5aPenYl3lQOEqLK85b8gp1DACDRHL/w400-h225/concept-albums-collage-740x416.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An assortment of concept records, including a few of my favourites.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c2bb8a7-7fff-33d7-76ed-f61142f35fc7"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In 1979, as I was starting to develop my teenage taste in music, I discovered two records that supercharged my passion for the concept album and made me a fan for life of the respective creators. The first was </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2112</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, a 1977 release from the Canadian progressive-rock trio Rush. Side one features a 20-minute, seven-part rock suite about a dystopian, collectivist future ruled by a cabal of virulent priests who outlawed individualism and creativity. It was the kind of content my 14-year-old brain craved.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMga70hhcnhESZS2ZpS_0Q6N8GAM6g38dFbyCJ11SYuUx3ub6KtEqu8uPF4d_XkTfkGwvviCnDFseP05zFYPIX7DsliMp5axxDKBYfUy-R2HwsuOhHEJ-v157h3wNoqqNWJO2bS8HlHjs3ecmO80pfxdyNtGobHMhL8G7JtSnvMKjzr9dLCzrM0pcp_x9a/s300/Rush_2112.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMga70hhcnhESZS2ZpS_0Q6N8GAM6g38dFbyCJ11SYuUx3ub6KtEqu8uPF4d_XkTfkGwvviCnDFseP05zFYPIX7DsliMp5axxDKBYfUy-R2HwsuOhHEJ-v157h3wNoqqNWJO2bS8HlHjs3ecmO80pfxdyNtGobHMhL8G7JtSnvMKjzr9dLCzrM0pcp_x9a/w400-h400/Rush_2112.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for <b><i>2112</i></b> by Rush.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-ca71e933-7fff-83db-6ca1-c727699222e0"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The other record was </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Wall</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from British progressive-rock group Pink Floyd (#87 on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">). At the time, this two-record epic meditation on war, loss, addiction, isolation, celebrity and fascism was almost too much for me to comprehend. In fact, I spent many hours throughout high school trying to understand all its subtleties. In retrospect, that time might have been better spent on my studies but I regret nothing.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCJBrXfMtGdD_LXZT61-E5pQG30LFSJyEl7g16NaRtmVaYVSQFU_SMQLzN_cfOjvjhHF1Fyeyhh0Nw54jFV-af9LkqOYdnlXgWeKEu1XfYd0blxp98uGi_92mSiEfNJymFvX0IwUWJlwrdQPomEP6nHAGPz9V_ViSAjozJ3BnUTouIn_sRG8DxiZSgr1D/s1000/71jxpq0Lk5L._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1000" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCJBrXfMtGdD_LXZT61-E5pQG30LFSJyEl7g16NaRtmVaYVSQFU_SMQLzN_cfOjvjhHF1Fyeyhh0Nw54jFV-af9LkqOYdnlXgWeKEu1XfYd0blxp98uGi_92mSiEfNJymFvX0IwUWJlwrdQPomEP6nHAGPz9V_ViSAjozJ3BnUTouIn_sRG8DxiZSgr1D/w400-h359/71jxpq0Lk5L._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for Pink Floyd's <b><i>The Wall</i></b>.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-2aa38534-7fff-b69c-a96c-aca166479f19"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Throughout the ‘80s and early ‘90s, concept albums remained an important part of my audio diet. Others released before 1980 could be found in used record bins, such as </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Genesis, 1975), </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Thick As A Brick</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Jethro Tull, 1972) or </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Tommy</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (The Who, 1969, at #96 on The 500). More were released as I hit my 20s, including </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Misplaced Childhood</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Marillion, 1985) and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Operation: Mindcrime</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (Queensryche, 1988). The complex musicianship and clever, political, emotional and socially charged lyrical content synced with my disaffected, socially-critical early-twenties mindset.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLResnDgowCqDyWOC9UbFNTP-A1sLC_aHyiZRYKkSA_gzo-9GZ-YchatL4iOON777cHHB8LOnRlx3rVJJHLScymkjjPsvYIND9TNauI8N1fUIlNaq2_UTZm46J90Cd6PvQzYFAZXFf21hMGUnEtIMMZ7NRNhTiCrHU8zG0ObQc8OC1IynM6FGBz81mOERG/s300/Queensryche_-_Operation_Mindcrime_cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLResnDgowCqDyWOC9UbFNTP-A1sLC_aHyiZRYKkSA_gzo-9GZ-YchatL4iOON777cHHB8LOnRlx3rVJJHLScymkjjPsvYIND9TNauI8N1fUIlNaq2_UTZm46J90Cd6PvQzYFAZXFf21hMGUnEtIMMZ7NRNhTiCrHU8zG0ObQc8OC1IynM6FGBz81mOERG/w400-h400/Queensryche_-_Operation_Mindcrime_cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for <b><i>Operation: Mindcrime</i></b>, Queensryche.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-ba357003-7fff-9fc2-bf93-22041023fcd5"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Then, around 1990 and in my mid-20s my interest in concept albums waned. My appetite for themes of rebellion, unrequited romance, tragedy and social commentary, so robust in my youth, began to shift as my taste in music broadened and perspective matured. By 2004, when Green Day's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">American Idiot</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> was released, I believed the concept album was a relic of the past. Moreover, with the release of the iPod and a variety of other digital music players, it seemed the "album" itself was dead as a standard packaging of tracks.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvawROiYE-xnQnseXqA96S8jEzLFCTaVZu64-XT6OTvuTCWjRzhv_DCLpI6fY9DrbbJPDPnJ2vug97dm-zqDUEMmX8KR8Kl0EWgDWy2pX0JiVhSU80zb0wjEa8oWU2ifanQQyMiflffLikHbKpJzCJFWP2eDCKVo0VzyYgo8RIeK0lBvfs2eyh9nbzxoV/s1440/my-first-ipod-back-in-action-w-a-fresh-battery-2nd-gen-nano-v0-8haqvk8qukma1.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvawROiYE-xnQnseXqA96S8jEzLFCTaVZu64-XT6OTvuTCWjRzhv_DCLpI6fY9DrbbJPDPnJ2vug97dm-zqDUEMmX8KR8Kl0EWgDWy2pX0JiVhSU80zb0wjEa8oWU2ifanQQyMiflffLikHbKpJzCJFWP2eDCKVo0VzyYgo8RIeK0lBvfs2eyh9nbzxoV/w300-h400/my-first-ipod-back-in-action-w-a-fresh-battery-2nd-gen-nano-v0-8haqvk8qukma1.webp" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd Generation Nano iPod playing <b><i>Jesus Of Suburbia</i></b>,<br />from Green Day's <b><i>American Idiot</i></b> (2004)</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-dc8c5d9f-7fff-fc55-6f34-5782d23b2a0c"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Indeed, in 2004-05, I was teaching Grade 8 students, many of whom owned one of the small, digital music players on the market. Their focus was on individual songs rather than albums. These 13-year-old music fans regarded vinyl records and compact discs as prehistoric media of their parents' generation. Then along came </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">American Idiot</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, the seventh studio record from California pop-punk trio Green Day, and changed everything for them...and me.</span></span></span><br /></span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAalbCVB0fb7DchcbWpyJP3q8Qi6NLB7z7oPEQ7EdIo7ZKCfBpRoEOJCh10E5pkp1-Qv3XjGkVkwcWYIlNmcA0gX2dcx7YcNrvH-b6Ao8F3_sYAXGGpkMO_NIq6_G9QKlB76eE4b0BfodmNZ0_0e-zDMWOOzf__XNcTPTfbJJVtuc3a_TFDlq_K4joNXE/s700/album-review-green-day-american-idiot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="700" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAalbCVB0fb7DchcbWpyJP3q8Qi6NLB7z7oPEQ7EdIo7ZKCfBpRoEOJCh10E5pkp1-Qv3XjGkVkwcWYIlNmcA0gX2dcx7YcNrvH-b6Ao8F3_sYAXGGpkMO_NIq6_G9QKlB76eE4b0BfodmNZ0_0e-zDMWOOzf__XNcTPTfbJJVtuc3a_TFDlq_K4joNXE/w400-h186/album-review-green-day-american-idiot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Green Day are (l-r) Mike Dirnt, Billie-Joe Armstrong & Tre Cool. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-528612f6-7fff-9582-6c48-6fe263951937"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Seemingly overnight, the fashion in my classroom shifted. Sure, there were many still sporting a hip-hop look, with closely cropped Eminem-styled haircuts, oversized baggy pants that hung below their boxer short waistbands and flat-brimmed baseball hats turned comically sideways on their heads. However, some (particularly the girls) began sporting skinny jeans, untucked black button-down shirts, beanie hats, studded chokers, red ties and Converse sneakers. And, of course, Green Day concert T-shirts -- especially after May, 2005, when the band performed at the John Labatt Centre in my hometown of London, Ontario.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJXajscgiivtG6EGxr7cKf1NDfoSFX9JWjnuxmSDbw44QjChAeJzxLzgRlgUj18HN40HhwaYZ4Z3wkfIJL9R2OmsSK7bxV9ktCkoiVu7Yz8wnzGNd-IIQhs69mjnoRamF4hsf9I2bDerQnHnfAJ7vPQJBDTz9CS-q7xDdqtsXU2zsJ1Z-TfvHTV21W4P6/s500/0ed6493934570088027175880d58b9d5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJXajscgiivtG6EGxr7cKf1NDfoSFX9JWjnuxmSDbw44QjChAeJzxLzgRlgUj18HN40HhwaYZ4Z3wkfIJL9R2OmsSK7bxV9ktCkoiVu7Yz8wnzGNd-IIQhs69mjnoRamF4hsf9I2bDerQnHnfAJ7vPQJBDTz9CS-q7xDdqtsXU2zsJ1Z-TfvHTV21W4P6/w400-h400/0ed6493934570088027175880d58b9d5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Green Day Fashion for teens (circa 2005)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-7ecc333d-7fff-dd28-d285-484f44e0ad3f"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Rest assured, this then-39-year-old teacher did not adopt the punk-rock ensemble...mid-life crisis aside. However, like many of my students, I obtained a copy of the entire record, not just a few tracks, and for the first time in more than 15 years, I was emotionally invested in a concept record. In 2005, I even bought the CD and DVD, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Bullet In A Bible, </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> featuring a live performance from their American Idiot U.K. tour.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HKwi-fhXP4NxBnk6wfmDTnHXHSHZNwUreVXMDF5sLR6CnGAkhWo77dP7gvvS_LZqKWfNnlKr5WdKB81Ms92eCIi7BvwQ0pTMuCixwV2Qpkw686xY9qagH2cx9WikS7sznDToGNFXx7_QmWPYcEJws8iKNWstt_wMVGE0U7lWhrClBPoRcb8SkBCv6jSe/s1000/81Jr6qSXqTL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1000" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HKwi-fhXP4NxBnk6wfmDTnHXHSHZNwUreVXMDF5sLR6CnGAkhWo77dP7gvvS_LZqKWfNnlKr5WdKB81Ms92eCIi7BvwQ0pTMuCixwV2Qpkw686xY9qagH2cx9WikS7sznDToGNFXx7_QmWPYcEJws8iKNWstt_wMVGE0U7lWhrClBPoRcb8SkBCv6jSe/s320/81Jr6qSXqTL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-391a6042-7fff-4c08-d7c5-29c5ce428589"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The punk-rock opera features a narrative set in the shadow of 9/11, the Iraq War and the presidency of George W. Bush. The protagonist is a disillusioned teenage slacker, dubbed the Jesus of Suburbia. This anti-hero describes himself as "a son of rage and love", surviving on a "steady diet of soda pop and Ritalin", looking for meaning in a world where he feels he cannot trust the media or government.</span></span></span><br /></span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZtILbYw2KVvJZz43gLhgnVO7G6DA5v5rDYblQP_kSFjsU4UX_eMIdxyIPg6Gc66aTk2-qVli2rBr9YXalHkwqYX5xKqdymoUzlyRExsP6q_vNk04QYVeVg7RGRJHT4wsxAJQmQxZCTzy6K_wYtSAM5FfFETpZJVqOZDKZ1I-7S_Jsv423BRVfYXkia7I/s1280/jesus_of_suburbia_by_frindie_dcztee9-fullview.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZtILbYw2KVvJZz43gLhgnVO7G6DA5v5rDYblQP_kSFjsU4UX_eMIdxyIPg6Gc66aTk2-qVli2rBr9YXalHkwqYX5xKqdymoUzlyRExsP6q_vNk04QYVeVg7RGRJHT4wsxAJQmQxZCTzy6K_wYtSAM5FfFETpZJVqOZDKZ1I-7S_Jsv423BRVfYXkia7I/w400-h400/jesus_of_suburbia_by_frindie_dcztee9-fullview.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-d5fc35ef-7fff-a369-2bda-a28fb7ec11ff"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In many ways, the themes on the record line-up nicely with those concept records I loved in my teens/early twenties -- </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2112</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Wall</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Misplaced Childhood</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Lamb</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Operation:Mindcrime</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. However, listening to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">American Idiot</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> when I was 39 failed to inspire the same revolutionary, nihilistic energy of my youth. The angry, romantic outsider that I used to be had been replaced by a calm, professional adult staring down his 40s. Regardless, I embraced the record and enjoyed seeing my young students connect with its message of moral, political and social outrage. Most of all, I enjoyed watching them head toward their high-school years, inspired by art the same way I had been two decades earlier. That time when fascination with </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Fiddler On The Roof</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> turned passe I discovered that music and lyrics could be complex narratives, shaping and lasting a lifetime.</span></span></span></span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-31516992497608665172024-02-11T16:07:00.000-08:002024-02-11T16:07:16.296-08:00The 500 - #226 - Nebraska - Bruce Springsteen<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #226<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Nebraska</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Bruce Springsteen<br /><b>Genre: </b>Folk, Heartland Rock, Lo-Fi Indie<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Springsteen's rented home in Colt's Neck, New Jersey</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> September, 1982<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 17<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Fairly</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> Yes, at #150, moving up 76 places since the 2012 list.<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist:</b><i> Nebraska<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmKAyYPxj7xXvY4sdpE6GEBa9qiGny-Stx2LAN65Yc7i4A2zdIltjzyLX068nxD0s2-PUQ3ufmDHhlIbT7uKvGLX1b73w1xOBGDl6W_4CcuTiNF-gITf2diPMiWUiwxwHPZERAoH_zIx6BaOEAiRXXKphIgkJOSBtbkqeXVdYPcdHD13-kDGihtsVqN0l/s1200/springsteen-nebraska-front2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmKAyYPxj7xXvY4sdpE6GEBa9qiGny-Stx2LAN65Yc7i4A2zdIltjzyLX068nxD0s2-PUQ3ufmDHhlIbT7uKvGLX1b73w1xOBGDl6W_4CcuTiNF-gITf2diPMiWUiwxwHPZERAoH_zIx6BaOEAiRXXKphIgkJOSBtbkqeXVdYPcdHD13-kDGihtsVqN0l/w400-h400/springsteen-nebraska-front2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">It was recently announced that Jon Stewart intends to return to <b><i>The Daily Show</i></b> (<b><i>TDS</i></b>) –.a half-hour satirical television newscast and interview program that has aired on Comedy Central since 1996. Originally hosted by Craig Kilborn for its first two years, comedian Stewart took the helm in 1999 and stayed with the program for the next 16 years. The following six years featured South African comedian Trevor Noah as host. When he departed in December, 2022, <b><i>TDS</i></b> decided to rotate guest hosts, among them Al Franken, Sarah Silverman and Roy Wood Jr.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwxCW3f5qu0GkFf369MVTXvFUIRw-ZUTbfIJVZ-nE09rfVF5ps1AyJLiOa6mnK_idk7FU_wKL35HbAbSrKwlJStw-hvfWENTysOwL8_tm0Fi80tDNdD7ve3mw-MqnKGQkdLMnU9EjNp97DOMdvMxjMVnvqGf-Q7HvAYR7JsAOBmXUM0k98MkNH6cctH-d/s1200/download%20(27).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwxCW3f5qu0GkFf369MVTXvFUIRw-ZUTbfIJVZ-nE09rfVF5ps1AyJLiOa6mnK_idk7FU_wKL35HbAbSrKwlJStw-hvfWENTysOwL8_tm0Fi80tDNdD7ve3mw-MqnKGQkdLMnU9EjNp97DOMdvMxjMVnvqGf-Q7HvAYR7JsAOBmXUM0k98MkNH6cctH-d/w400-h266/download%20(27).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three longest serving hosts, (l-r) Kilborn, Stewart and Noah.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">These days I watch <b><i>TDS</i></b> far less than I once did and although I enjoy the occasional episode, it is not the appointment viewing that had me riveted during Jon Stewart's tenure. In fact, on August 16, 2006, two days before I was married in New York City, my bride, her father, my pal Steve "Lumpy" Sullivan and I attended the taping of an episode. The guest was former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean. During a Q&A session before the show, Lumpy was able to ask Stewart a question about his career in television.</span><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh114yXmZF3nLj3q3OjJUgifHp9YNN7GZjQsK8X-dQNdpt89dBJ-2voEa38MrNqMdNuE0Q1Cr06_hl9OzqCHM37u3AFyJVeRJZ17YvHnjOZueQlROuTxLX6bQC_8q78hai8N1pP7mkeATW5r7RYMiMLsQMr0omCB9LOhZr8n-xqmsESVhF93LxIJHvU3rkw/s1024/TV-Jon-Stewart_Horo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh114yXmZF3nLj3q3OjJUgifHp9YNN7GZjQsK8X-dQNdpt89dBJ-2voEa38MrNqMdNuE0Q1Cr06_hl9OzqCHM37u3AFyJVeRJZ17YvHnjOZueQlROuTxLX6bQC_8q78hai8N1pP7mkeATW5r7RYMiMLsQMr0omCB9LOhZr8n-xqmsESVhF93LxIJHvU3rkw/w400-h225/TV-Jon-Stewart_Horo.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Stewart behind the desk on <b><i>The Daily Show</i></b>.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">On Monday, February 12, Stewart will return to the <b><i>TDS</i></b> desk and he plans to host Monday episodes for the remainder of the year -- a presidential election year in the United States. There is unlikely to be a shortage of comedic fodder for Stewart's biting satirical wit. His remarkable intelligence, coupled with his compassion and reasonable outlook on humanity and politics is compelling, engaging and highly entertaining. Additionally, Stewart isn’t just an armchair political critic. He is willing to engage in important political and social issues. In 2019, the longtime New York resident worked tirelessly to ensure 9/11 first responders were provided with funding for health care.</span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8_Giq1wSpBem-jLkMXXaU1P2fAtNlPhaJfBA_XZSQP1VDV3opd_mjiAmXpGVmfissDcVf2yPXhI6XYnFAXwWyD65FFyOhamD0Mh5hszzO6gm9YDEcOrtCcu0zlM3W3zqAhHezPu7gZLH-ibicq8ihlFyT8cSFgPL2pvWvTpRz_56eDAB4WGVpLpgDE8q/s2000/jon-stewart-911-2.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8_Giq1wSpBem-jLkMXXaU1P2fAtNlPhaJfBA_XZSQP1VDV3opd_mjiAmXpGVmfissDcVf2yPXhI6XYnFAXwWyD65FFyOhamD0Mh5hszzO6gm9YDEcOrtCcu0zlM3W3zqAhHezPu7gZLH-ibicq8ihlFyT8cSFgPL2pvWvTpRz_56eDAB4WGVpLpgDE8q/w400-h266/jon-stewart-911-2.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stewart appearing in the U.S. Congress with 9/11 first responders.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-9b1263dd-7fff-f6f9-95bf-50de953aa804"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you are wondering why I am prattling on about a political comedian in a post about Bruce Springsteen's sixth studio record, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Nebraska,</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> it’s because Stewart was asked to speak at the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors Award show when Springsteen was among the recipients.</span></span></span><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfVIsfsVQWC_34LwRfdq0TkbgvTJiqyhVd4nCugPmnKSyo5URqQaL6_XHxDrTMRi1w4-X6LtbEeaOi1rTGRacPydnTH1IaUYNQl-yowV-5sD-F5e9TYMx0fKI6pSq0sYn1Vp4JVxrld535RgeJWQBv4Eh3ryFiveYuLxAKTULzv2vm0Akz3gifDfG30rr/s1280/Kennedy_Center_honorees_2009_WhiteHouse_Photo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfVIsfsVQWC_34LwRfdq0TkbgvTJiqyhVd4nCugPmnKSyo5URqQaL6_XHxDrTMRi1w4-X6LtbEeaOi1rTGRacPydnTH1IaUYNQl-yowV-5sD-F5e9TYMx0fKI6pSq0sYn1Vp4JVxrld535RgeJWQBv4Eh3ryFiveYuLxAKTULzv2vm0Akz3gifDfG30rr/w400-h266/Kennedy_Center_honorees_2009_WhiteHouse_Photo.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Kennedy Award recipients, flanked by Michelle and Barack<br />Obama were - (l-r) Mel Brooks, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry<br />Robert Di Nero and Springsteen.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-55b6b73e-7fff-daa6-04fd-164d15d7f0fc"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Stewart's speech about Springsteen is one that my friends and I have watched many times. In typical Stewart fashion, his prose was brilliant, punctuated by insightful commentary and delightful wit. It is well worth the effort to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oCeJGYAjWo" target="_blank">watch the entire piece</a>. There are a few lines that perfectly capture the spirit of Springsteen and his impact on contemporary music listeners. Listen to Stewart as he encapsulate the way I feel about music and about Springsteen's powerful impact:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><blockquote>"I didn't understand his (Springsteen's) music for a long time. Until I began to yearn. Until I began to question the things I was making and doing in my own life. Until I realized it wasn't just about the joyful parade on stage and the theatrics. It was about stories of lives that could be changed...When you listen to Bruce’s music, you aren’t a loser. You are a character in an epic poem...about losers. But that is not the power of Bruce Springsteen. It is that whenever I see Bruce Springsteen do anything, he empties the tank – every time...And we, on the receiving end of that beautiful gift, are ourselves rejuvenated, if not redeemed."</blockquote></span><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Stewart’s remarks galvanize the spirit and energy of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Nebraska</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> – the fourth of eight records by Springsteen on the 2012 edition of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Nebraska</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> deals with ordinary, down on their luck, blue collar characters who are facing a challenge or turning point in their lives. The songs are often bleak in theme and some deal with criminal activities. The tone is set immediately with the opening track, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Nebraska</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, which</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">is based on 19-year-old spree killer Charles Starkweather who, during the winter of 1957 and 1958, murdered eleven people. When he was arrested, he was accompanied by his 14-year-old girlfriend and accomplice Caril Ann Fugate. Their story was, in part, inspiration for the films </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Badlands</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Natural Born Killers</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Kalifornia</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. In fact, it was </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Badlands</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> that inspired Springsteen to research the murderous pair and write the song.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-l8xZ9Uka7b6fFhcdDPukqBM0QFKtb1HRBVArmV_6F2Un-hmbVngexx_IArkzoMHAZCOVT96Fz2lfHstMUafihSyKGlps6j91K-HM9k_TlTt-u0MJSNxWvu5I9QtnGxTmTMaJ6yJSGX8K0pHwtD6gqkHqbg395od3-S8lazVZVVfSi52jFTcv5UiUuW0/s385/Starkweather.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="385" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-l8xZ9Uka7b6fFhcdDPukqBM0QFKtb1HRBVArmV_6F2Un-hmbVngexx_IArkzoMHAZCOVT96Fz2lfHstMUafihSyKGlps6j91K-HM9k_TlTt-u0MJSNxWvu5I9QtnGxTmTMaJ6yJSGX8K0pHwtD6gqkHqbg395od3-S8lazVZVVfSi52jFTcv5UiUuW0/w400-h253/Starkweather.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starkweather's arrest photos.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-fb4e85df-7fff-dfa2-8005-66ae1ad7610c"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Springsteen recorded most of the record at his home studio in Colt's Neck, New Jersey, in a house he was renting following a successful tour promoting his 1980 record, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The River</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. (#253 on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">). Initially, he planned to be accompanied by his backing group, The E Street Band. However, it was decided to release the record in its original, stripped-down, acoustic form. The band did tinker with the tracks and Springsteen fans have long speculated whether those recordings, often dubbed </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Electric Nebraska</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, will ever be released. A few can be found on the internet, but a polished, official release seems unlikely. </span></span></span><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnf2NCRlnnLPgbqIvZolWkw29sIAEwD4PGL4O56ZChaw687Rzysjivu8eZt_DYncts4FyarSGi3JxX5WNBioUWgYivq4KkqI6rBXmSmFNs90BkhkJ8s1Hr8OPJjDl9b6QMT-dNfaENZJuCNthK5uKaM88SFE0ldM5bLqtbjwlnmsv6rV5pjuWYd_88N2jQ/s300/Mp73gW31h7l3cLm7uBUBRZUqUzxdB_A_HYFhFBVcvoY.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnf2NCRlnnLPgbqIvZolWkw29sIAEwD4PGL4O56ZChaw687Rzysjivu8eZt_DYncts4FyarSGi3JxX5WNBioUWgYivq4KkqI6rBXmSmFNs90BkhkJ8s1Hr8OPJjDl9b6QMT-dNfaENZJuCNthK5uKaM88SFE0ldM5bLqtbjwlnmsv6rV5pjuWYd_88N2jQ/w400-h400/Mp73gW31h7l3cLm7uBUBRZUqUzxdB_A_HYFhFBVcvoY.webp" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A fan-made mock up of the <b><i>Electric Nebraska</i></b> album cover.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I'm content to stick with the original. Much like <b><i>The Daily Show</i></b>, I like the classic content best. Re-listening to <b><i>Nebraska</i></b> in preparation for this post, reminded me why I like Springsteen so much. He helps me understand my own yearning and reinforces the fact that just hearing his songs puts me on the "receiving end of that beautiful gift...and I am rejuvenated...and redeemed."</span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-37013830857735081712024-02-05T19:17:00.000-08:002024-02-06T17:25:53.266-08:00The 500 - #227 - Doolittle - Pixies<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #227<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Doolittle</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Pixies<br /><b>Genre: </b>Alternative Rock<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Downtown Recorders, Boston, MA, U.S.A.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> April, 1989<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 23<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Two songs</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> Yes, at #141, moving up 86 places since the 2012 list.<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist:</b><i> Here Comes My Man<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xOKPPh34q94E0-fEKcV2ssflBvpFV5OAwdGHZ63c_rgAllKjlOWiQ2rbB1wkVg_MOnNltSV8q6JA3qycLE2ARKZrjhND5jr11sIgtF1ElcxwywLzXXORj7tIK0-SSxWOmYQTIY8A5IfRnlU6QNuO5-LZQcg9Qdobw5hXNYTCtEQA0DRejMJuxuqaFRSR/s1000/81D+wuLfeIL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xOKPPh34q94E0-fEKcV2ssflBvpFV5OAwdGHZ63c_rgAllKjlOWiQ2rbB1wkVg_MOnNltSV8q6JA3qycLE2ARKZrjhND5jr11sIgtF1ElcxwywLzXXORj7tIK0-SSxWOmYQTIY8A5IfRnlU6QNuO5-LZQcg9Qdobw5hXNYTCtEQA0DRejMJuxuqaFRSR/w400-h400/81D+wuLfeIL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>Doolittle</i></b> is the second studio record from Boston-based Alt-Rockers the Pixies. I wrote about their debut record,<b><i> Surfer Rosa</i></b>, in May, 2022. When I penned that post, I mentioned, erroneously it turned out, that I had only been familiar with one song from the group. It was the track <b><i>Where Is My Mind? </i></b>which is featured significantly in the climactic scene of the film <b><i>Fight Club</i></b>. There are actually two tracks from <b><i>Doolittle</i></b> that I had heard prior to this week – <b><i>Here Comes My Man</i></b> and <b><i>Monkey Gone To Heaven</i></b>. They are in regular rotation on my home's internet streaming station of choice, Radio Paradise.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BtP_eHpkoGa1Fc8IOoGcu9wIUSy3x0J7Cj5eveB78fSUoMu4dyNkrx1ebugoXd7pCGAP3VSQvUhgZoz1zUJEzNJy5YxqNE1ejIpY8ljPd1cuUMSeJ3BlCQDjFF_Mk6ha7IipDnnJw4uUI6Wy7_H5puInFJo_FiiWo19PbcHcm-fZXn2pCZrTAoAmLNqM/s1024/41FbEB5fgjL.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1024" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BtP_eHpkoGa1Fc8IOoGcu9wIUSy3x0J7Cj5eveB78fSUoMu4dyNkrx1ebugoXd7pCGAP3VSQvUhgZoz1zUJEzNJy5YxqNE1ejIpY8ljPd1cuUMSeJ3BlCQDjFF_Mk6ha7IipDnnJw4uUI6Wy7_H5puInFJo_FiiWo19PbcHcm-fZXn2pCZrTAoAmLNqM/w400-h195/41FbEB5fgjL.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0ed6a825-7fff-4e1f-44eb-6655f340da11"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Radio Paradise is a listener-supported, commercial-free streaming music service that features four channels (Main, Rock, Mellow & Global). Although there is no mandated charge, my wife and I support it with a modest $5 monthly subscription. The service is trying to expand and I recommend you </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://radioparadise.com/home" target="_blank">give it a try</a></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">. A new channel was recently launched -</span><a href="https://radioparadise.com/radio2050" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Radio 2050</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> - which combines music with conversations about important issues.</span></span></span></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0jLUI-CU_rmlJfQwXbcA_8fOLhj6mnnia9t-XQ15fxas60wfOxuIuf_bCYVhzrahndMg9m5rABzce0fH3bS757kDK0UbWwkM4Z5uFyAf1oSmhg1WUN0fS3uxjucT6esY-XYux6Umbv_cYOvIOiZ14G8AG3bVGVDmmhH10hQW4CWzu4G0zA1Pvc4nA2P9/s1400/Radio20501.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0jLUI-CU_rmlJfQwXbcA_8fOLhj6mnnia9t-XQ15fxas60wfOxuIuf_bCYVhzrahndMg9m5rABzce0fH3bS757kDK0UbWwkM4Z5uFyAf1oSmhg1WUN0fS3uxjucT6esY-XYux6Umbv_cYOvIOiZ14G8AG3bVGVDmmhH10hQW4CWzu4G0zA1Pvc4nA2P9/w400-h400/Radio20501.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I was texting with a friend this week about <b><i>Doolittle</i></b>. He goes by the pseudonym Various Artists on social media accounts and has guest blogged for me twice. He is a huge fan of Pixies and shared <a href="https://mylifeinconcert.com/1920s/157-monkey-gone-to-heaven-the-pixies-perform-doolittle-april-16-2011/?fbclid=IwAR3x2Y4XXum_RujTXz1PcOzRny1pE2nqiGgy-IR7zOJDdK-QNYWw6HnInnY" target="_blank">his own blog entry</a> about seeing them at the Ottawa Civic Centre in April, 2011. He began his post with a story about the moment he fell in love with the <b><i>Doolittle </i></b>record after being lukewarm about it for several months. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">That got me thinking about albums that didn't wow me at first, but eventually became favourites -- often dominating my stereo system, headphones and car radio for months at a time. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Three come to mind:</span></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><i>Acadie</i></b> by French-Canadian musician and legendary producer Daniel Lanois.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><i>Trick Of The Tail</i></b> from British progressive-rock band Genesis, released in 1976 following the departure of founding member and singer and theatrical front-man Peter Gabriel.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><i>Tommy</i></b> the two-disc rock opera from The Who, #96 on <b><i>The 500</i></b>.</span></span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yYGALyp0500HJkIp82BqQWDWOx4UwzUiZsHwiiN5fkAXXw_4gLl6e-2i95moOXfSmxQYqXvhn2nIbv1SK2_lk2bwUjF7yNNZw2n-g1YRuZaLMvucZ9PB4gE-uEgLPjjglANx1ERqhIkA-TDGO-mLIl_bXRcAq7eDvbNuSbmMpEZzpe3KdQmUPUO61JW0/s1054/Three%20records.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="1054" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yYGALyp0500HJkIp82BqQWDWOx4UwzUiZsHwiiN5fkAXXw_4gLl6e-2i95moOXfSmxQYqXvhn2nIbv1SK2_lk2bwUjF7yNNZw2n-g1YRuZaLMvucZ9PB4gE-uEgLPjjglANx1ERqhIkA-TDGO-mLIl_bXRcAq7eDvbNuSbmMpEZzpe3KdQmUPUO61JW0/w400-h133/Three%20records.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I<span id="docs-internal-guid-3a9111cb-7fff-a2e5-95de-b308186f0821"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">n all three cases, the records came with positive reviews and were recommended by friends whose opinions I valued. My expectations were high when I gave each one its first spin on my turntable. I was nonplussed. I didn't dislike the music, but I wasn't hooked. I was just ... "meh".</span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBY0kdcu-mX91_Hd5UijAaKAb10DSfESCI1C_qO-uLFZXiesojD08WFKruzFSlO25DGiF_ekqV7GO2vfpv5SVJn5ap7mdyJcuOOjonVCpQsixLOTsjEDsVAhrQ45jQ4W_D0rSIoNtUTe4FGj3r7AuMGGCc7VMqqOCHdl1hQl3nh_YFPhA2Op_1S3iIFsnX/s900/meh-jason-leonti.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="900" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBY0kdcu-mX91_Hd5UijAaKAb10DSfESCI1C_qO-uLFZXiesojD08WFKruzFSlO25DGiF_ekqV7GO2vfpv5SVJn5ap7mdyJcuOOjonVCpQsixLOTsjEDsVAhrQ45jQ4W_D0rSIoNtUTe4FGj3r7AuMGGCc7VMqqOCHdl1hQl3nh_YFPhA2Op_1S3iIFsnX/w400-h328/meh-jason-leonti.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-ba76e4b5-7fff-00cf-a06a-6e3c758585a5"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, I stuck with each one and my perseverance was rewarded. Suddenly, each one clicked. At first, it was a single track -- an earworm that was "cloggin' my noggin". Then, song by song, the records won me over and spent hours on my audio devices.</span></span></span><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGomEOIB6nJPBGSBvHw4YYT2phuXUw_I_0NRTYb77VD2_bwgZJFqIp6Kh1O8kcQUmsmfLtmir777MwKB-C1sltV4U_mN8o3ewUwBiDawpjhIXaLRzZPeTHsmOkt0ZPpN91uwjK91LNQgRzdsUtFIk-t08MKl3omFCr9PDozx3s4EhSab3xzxSsjrwxVMdV/s1024/51569603_2273354569374019_4567579143838892032_n-1024x768.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGomEOIB6nJPBGSBvHw4YYT2phuXUw_I_0NRTYb77VD2_bwgZJFqIp6Kh1O8kcQUmsmfLtmir777MwKB-C1sltV4U_mN8o3ewUwBiDawpjhIXaLRzZPeTHsmOkt0ZPpN91uwjK91LNQgRzdsUtFIk-t08MKl3omFCr9PDozx3s4EhSab3xzxSsjrwxVMdV/w400-h300/51569603_2273354569374019_4567579143838892032_n-1024x768.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Technics Linear Tracking Turntable, similar to the one I owned.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I think, in part, this was due to living in a generation before digital, on-demand music. In order to hear most records, I had to purchase a physical copy. This financial commitment inspirited an obligation to justify the purchase. <br /><br />Music writer and broadcaster Alan Cross said much the same last week in an appearance at the Forked River Brewery and Pub in London, Ont. In a two-hour Q&A session, Cross posited that music today, typically released via on-demand streaming, is disadvantaged. A song, or a record, has to capture the attention of today's listener quickly or risk being clicked away into audio oblivion.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYivtoLyesZfv0I1bvia_ddrzrnA7gx1BQz9SBY2XpVvX9gxmxRL224t40xU6ay0m5-KaA3HfEiYxsf6VKzHUf5lYOeijLm89IOjMalQvTaIqL5GWQ9NgzL_DHjKLkeUGMiIe7p5c5O-vF0ZlHd6L6YOBbGYa5nm778vMozhXOVskK_RbyRDsILU1Goeg/s1215/IMG_4796.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1215" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYivtoLyesZfv0I1bvia_ddrzrnA7gx1BQz9SBY2XpVvX9gxmxRL224t40xU6ay0m5-KaA3HfEiYxsf6VKzHUf5lYOeijLm89IOjMalQvTaIqL5GWQ9NgzL_DHjKLkeUGMiIe7p5c5O-vF0ZlHd6L6YOBbGYa5nm778vMozhXOVskK_RbyRDsILU1Goeg/w400-h300/IMG_4796.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cross, speaking at Forked Brewery Pub, Saturday, February 3, 2024</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-0fc7518a-7fff-d3e9-449c-e227f5644c66"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Cross, who has hosted the radio program (and now podcast) </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Ongoing History Of New Music </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">for 30 years, supported his views on audio technologies through examples. He talked about his transition from disdain to love of the mellow folk-duet </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Battle Of Evermore</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from Led Zeppelin's fourth studio release (often called </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Zeppelin IV</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">- #69 on The 500).</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbMk_FjihLJ01rZL0pTwAAG7Gr5gKqSoGcOzvqxi1yF5aNcMQfMvEhPOXBJUiLBo_etQK6XpR5lVWOpn5AxsAXJHslxzpxVpYXlM97cetNRAqJ2PvZTyUY0PnmIVP16f0P6BjIuST4g33NTaySSdFU25VXlKugSmDQzrTbxjCNoUJ4iwu1XrayfM4YG7F/s300/Led_Zeppelin_-_Led_Zeppelin_IV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbMk_FjihLJ01rZL0pTwAAG7Gr5gKqSoGcOzvqxi1yF5aNcMQfMvEhPOXBJUiLBo_etQK6XpR5lVWOpn5AxsAXJHslxzpxVpYXlM97cetNRAqJ2PvZTyUY0PnmIVP16f0P6BjIuST4g33NTaySSdFU25VXlKugSmDQzrTbxjCNoUJ4iwu1XrayfM4YG7F/w400-h400/Led_Zeppelin_-_Led_Zeppelin_IV.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for<b><i> IV</i></b> from Led Zeppelin</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Zeppelin's song, a </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">mandolin-driven track featuring lyrics inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's <b><i>Lord Of The Ring </i></b>fantasy series, was nestled in between the much heavier <b><i>Black Dog</i></b> and <b><i>Rock And Roll</i></b>, and the band's best known epic, <b><i>Stairway To Heaven</i></b>. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-KdLBduF99R-78iQAMElDmHYrU-BJdm75bOB7J5jNQO5JVCC_RsGtOqyNmsh__GpXWmAPkApsnBbh-yYxc3-wvIr5oxNDu6mDg3tdouAfgVHi-sdRpiy7esBkxtc14F-p1Fk-m7xu3Oo4nIcf4Zbfj0TF3foPmGNrwdjzTSIZOnuAIO1L3sexgoLJhuY/s570/il_570xN.3648627319_4wj3%20(1).webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="570" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-KdLBduF99R-78iQAMElDmHYrU-BJdm75bOB7J5jNQO5JVCC_RsGtOqyNmsh__GpXWmAPkApsnBbh-yYxc3-wvIr5oxNDu6mDg3tdouAfgVHi-sdRpiy7esBkxtc14F-p1Fk-m7xu3Oo4nIcf4Zbfj0TF3foPmGNrwdjzTSIZOnuAIO1L3sexgoLJhuY/w400-h400/il_570xN.3648627319_4wj3%20(1).webp" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Cross admitted he begrudgingly listened to <b><i>The Battle Of Evermore</i></b> because he was simply too lazy to get off his bed and move the needle. However, over time, the repeated listens made him a fan and he now considers it to be one of his favourite tracks from the British rockers.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_WcSwOIheNGiULwAzzerifc2aXa6L-F5uViSqBHmxjNgG5gq2nJvvYDthEVdzoa_kA1dEMg4ZsZuDrRmQ8lNKjGrbvwg9PeoBk8BIYxMYzwyMcpX-_cn1D02r2mIystLUGQOEHU50W2aqB59AQPVXaPrpSe0l4Wp0Ux8nxOwhyphenhyphenfsgUKBUb8Z-REDH29z/s530/PODCAST_ONGOING-HISTORY_Curiouscast-Logo.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="530" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_WcSwOIheNGiULwAzzerifc2aXa6L-F5uViSqBHmxjNgG5gq2nJvvYDthEVdzoa_kA1dEMg4ZsZuDrRmQ8lNKjGrbvwg9PeoBk8BIYxMYzwyMcpX-_cn1D02r2mIystLUGQOEHU50W2aqB59AQPVXaPrpSe0l4Wp0Ux8nxOwhyphenhyphenfsgUKBUb8Z-REDH29z/w400-h400/PODCAST_ONGOING-HISTORY_Curiouscast-Logo.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br />That, he suggested, is unlikely to happen today, when a quick tap on a smart phone screen would dismiss the song forever. Can you imagine a young music listener discovering U2’s masterpiece album <b><i>The Joshua Tree</i></b> (#27 on The 500) today? The opening track, <b><i>Where The Streets Have No Name</i></b>, begins with an instrumental section that fades in with a slowly building series of atmospheric synthesizer notes. The guitar comes in after 40 seconds and the bass and drums don’t appear for another 30 seconds. It is the type of song that takes its time to build to a magnificent crescendo; however, it is also the type of song that could quickly bore a new listener... especially one with a short attention span and a device that allows for a song to be instantly relegated to digital purgatory with the flick of a finger.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_GpA4kmL67mLQHJo2KGh8e3QRuA8nYAJ4wtJxPIVKe-lPgXq3zXGy10MVeTggrX1dUdLLxUVkS7_s-Sm0JYAszjdPqtBv2HH7dt37p-W12xXh3qdFKwade4B72BuMP4NtZQam9Kuen7ZZWoEI4roGORhJ8jHdEhhezsNj89xLaaWyCBYbOAqzYOWdFZX/s300/The_Joshua_Tree.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_GpA4kmL67mLQHJo2KGh8e3QRuA8nYAJ4wtJxPIVKe-lPgXq3zXGy10MVeTggrX1dUdLLxUVkS7_s-Sm0JYAszjdPqtBv2HH7dt37p-W12xXh3qdFKwade4B72BuMP4NtZQam9Kuen7ZZWoEI4roGORhJ8jHdEhhezsNj89xLaaWyCBYbOAqzYOWdFZX/w400-h400/The_Joshua_Tree.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for <b><i>The Joshua Tree</i></b> by U2.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-cf96f13d-7fff-ed6f-b26f-cafe3b8c9bce"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I agree with Cross' assessment and consider myself fortunate to have grown up in the heyday of vinyl records. I am also delighted to have a Spotify account and access to 100 million songs on demand. Without it, I wouldn't have been able to hear </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Doolittle</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> to prepare for this post. I listened to it in its entirety (never skipping a track) and much like </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Tommy</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Acadie </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">or, in Cross' case, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Battle Of Evermore,</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> it won me over.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I realize that I meandered a bit from the topic of <b><i>Doolittle </i></b>on this post. We sometimes call this "birdwalking" in the teaching profession. It happens when you plan to teach a specific lesson but let questions from the students lead you to a meandering series of stories and anecdotes -- like the seemingly aimless sandpiper foraging on a beach.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrviY6y8XPo7W-MgZRNYL_2CUBbMuDAzTYHk4zhn_OxzRlaeJG0hW6SDGtqipV9HgwhuHpZRDNjTNmC0QYgSKfPEdfgUDpZMsO4gMNRs_PTkSX-fkdydTEg8lBs1dOxh8m8o72iajUOFbQbTHs4-LfRaNJpQkRUJdV1a_YbYOrmc5H9AwBzEWuMZknRbE/s800/a927042c33d897ced1aacd1008f0f319.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsrviY6y8XPo7W-MgZRNYL_2CUBbMuDAzTYHk4zhn_OxzRlaeJG0hW6SDGtqipV9HgwhuHpZRDNjTNmC0QYgSKfPEdfgUDpZMsO4gMNRs_PTkSX-fkdydTEg8lBs1dOxh8m8o72iajUOFbQbTHs4-LfRaNJpQkRUJdV1a_YbYOrmc5H9AwBzEWuMZknRbE/w400-h268/a927042c33d897ced1aacd1008f0f319.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I appreciate you taking that stroll with me today. Better information on the album can be found on the accompanying episode of <b style="font-style: italic;">The 500 Podcast. </b>Guitarist Joey Santiago from Pixies is the surprise guest this week and, despite being flanked by comedians Josh Adam Meyers and Patton Oswalt, he provides funny and engaging commentary on his band and the making of <b><i>Doolittle</i></b>. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8lBLKyrlnuCVOdyh5i3yHrWxAwhQUhXXKiljq6gqmhyXigRPFUsmwIKaZxZPzLWFJR5-3c4YJRtG6v3ociUvSUqg5Pu_c5rixrNyS2zxneuNwX4NwiJiGPo4SYOu6vunUsjq_NjHVOMAzPC99YZbSmmuXrq_C5DOc_7uqJ-CS-YKlE_gzfA14sJSpDvU/s313/313x0w.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8lBLKyrlnuCVOdyh5i3yHrWxAwhQUhXXKiljq6gqmhyXigRPFUsmwIKaZxZPzLWFJR5-3c4YJRtG6v3ociUvSUqg5Pu_c5rixrNyS2zxneuNwX4NwiJiGPo4SYOu6vunUsjq_NjHVOMAzPC99YZbSmmuXrq_C5DOc_7uqJ-CS-YKlE_gzfA14sJSpDvU/w400-h400/313x0w.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div><br /></div></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-38919533057496466272024-01-28T18:22:00.000-08:002024-01-28T18:29:07.539-08:00The 500 - #228 - Paid In Full - Eric B. & Rakim<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #228<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Paid In Full</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Eric B. & Rakim<br /><b>Genre: </b>Golden Age Hip Hop<br /><b>Recorded: Three</b> Marly Marl's Home Studio and Power Play Studios, New York. </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> July, 1987<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 21<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> A few songs</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> Yes, at #61, moving up 167 places since the 2012 list.<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist:</b><i> Paid In Full (Coldcut Remix)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7HsFxdOQnwBD7szXK4zZECkCPLsVk9RHvKAzw4DX06EHOtHNWj-MAPhPVz9mFE8GNaYCcrkvkrvlU-LXRNhgO0N1jwgZg1L50iFi9Zy3NjjV81yNCK1gJWJGLy_8mNtxAFTK4YnG-tDGbruo6Tr3SZQZs8AH678RVgr4vMxN8IealEdNE4cndf-YwrXL/s600/129366-eric-b-and-rakim-paid-in-full.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7HsFxdOQnwBD7szXK4zZECkCPLsVk9RHvKAzw4DX06EHOtHNWj-MAPhPVz9mFE8GNaYCcrkvkrvlU-LXRNhgO0N1jwgZg1L50iFi9Zy3NjjV81yNCK1gJWJGLy_8mNtxAFTK4YnG-tDGbruo6Tr3SZQZs8AH678RVgr4vMxN8IealEdNE4cndf-YwrXL/w400-h400/129366-eric-b-and-rakim-paid-in-full.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7495438a-7fff-97da-976b-af52c7771487"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6bf7370c-7fff-ff55-5fd4-e063bcf91283"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The term "The Golden Age" comes to us from Greek Mythology. Specifically, it is mentioned in a poem written by Hesiod (c. 750 - 650 B.C.E.) in a didactic almanac of sorts entitled </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Works And Days</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">. It described the decline of a state of people through a series of ages -- Gold, Silver, Bronze, Heroic and Iron. It was written when, according to Hesiod, human existence in its final stage would be a time of toil and misery. He described the Iron period as a time when "might makes right" and evil men use lies to be thought good. Humans no longer feel shame when committing sin, children dishonour parents and war is the norm. Sound familiar?</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7b1ekQLaW9rKm6E1sixUHjwb-h6dTJApS909hTdSHzCEzhP6Mqh1GlYV50AsWY3ncJlju3pPVHXONHcLoru2HczdRcfw17epB3Szj7Mkx40MfKQpiD842NyQXqXGYco0fLT0zP1axQPEkqMsg_5gLfc9if2bAVlvi6aln1N-Xp3dlGkrnoucPu781SvLF/s1280/1280px-Werke_und_Tage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="1280" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7b1ekQLaW9rKm6E1sixUHjwb-h6dTJApS909hTdSHzCEzhP6Mqh1GlYV50AsWY3ncJlju3pPVHXONHcLoru2HczdRcfw17epB3Szj7Mkx40MfKQpiD842NyQXqXGYco0fLT0zP1axQPEkqMsg_5gLfc9if2bAVlvi6aln1N-Xp3dlGkrnoucPu781SvLF/w400-h316/1280px-Werke_und_Tage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-c35741d0-7fff-5778-0ce1-97338911a601"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Conversely, the "Golden Age" is the period when peace and harmony prevailed, food was plentiful and death came peacefully, late in a vigorous and rewarding life. The term has, over time, morphed somewhat. Not only is it used to describe a time, sometimes imagined, full of peace, prosperity and harmony, it is also correlated with a time when a specific art, skill or practise was at its zenith.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirBN4CCX92e3Xk1VuQ0UdIdo8rG0n3oHlDNmiEPtGNjZlLWsYgw8XDr2JxUExcJnURICNDjLC8ltbqB5kyVEpbJVQ-AtvxtgWvbqcTHf3cPKxQtocNPoqR-DebRYFKQD0oBw7iUQCAHNxRUiLkvXRqQqxhsJbieb9w4ivX3fcax7WpReLlidnXzDFnfo9G/s380/487fa-0524-golden-age-runway-show.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="380" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirBN4CCX92e3Xk1VuQ0UdIdo8rG0n3oHlDNmiEPtGNjZlLWsYgw8XDr2JxUExcJnURICNDjLC8ltbqB5kyVEpbJVQ-AtvxtgWvbqcTHf3cPKxQtocNPoqR-DebRYFKQD0oBw7iUQCAHNxRUiLkvXRqQqxhsJbieb9w4ivX3fcax7WpReLlidnXzDFnfo9G/w400-h326/487fa-0524-golden-age-runway-show.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-4b1280d3-7fff-31e8-330a-4bc1d093028e"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As a kid, when I'd hear about "The Golden Age" of something, I would get the feeling that I'd missed out. Adults in my world and on television talked about The Golden Age of …Hollywood, Comic Books, Television, Radio or Science Fiction, and I couldn't help but wonder "what would that have been like...to be there...to exist in the thick of that miraculous time?”</span></span></span><br /></span></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumDpASTZRwG_CGJMG-ogoxJdChunOdwsuTzAxGcLc_znH-i6_HURMLa-oE1FxM00aUlKxWC9ITD-f9N9FIUjY2tmtHSJZyObjcaV6tAUT-SJE1BYASnRU78nxZOKe8WCEyQtJGQ_jbjvq_Qawqm9EBYOCPjqyygrxXvdB-68k3uzxSLwi3BstrgJcECPx/s595/Golden-Age-of-Comics-feature.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="595" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumDpASTZRwG_CGJMG-ogoxJdChunOdwsuTzAxGcLc_znH-i6_HURMLa-oE1FxM00aUlKxWC9ITD-f9N9FIUjY2tmtHSJZyObjcaV6tAUT-SJE1BYASnRU78nxZOKe8WCEyQtJGQ_jbjvq_Qawqm9EBYOCPjqyygrxXvdB-68k3uzxSLwi3BstrgJcECPx/w400-h278/Golden-Age-of-Comics-feature.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e259ab0c-7fff-7ea5-2a71-d706ac2b526c"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The Golden Age of Comics (1938 - 1956) was a period
I found particularly fascinating as a kid.</span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">However, I've since realized that "The Golden Age" is not something one understands "living through" until well after it has departed. It is a construct developed in retrospect. Indeed, I have lived through, and feverishly participated in, “The Golden Age of Arcade Video Games" (1976-1984) and didn't recognize it as such until reflecting on it nostalgically in the late ‘90s. Indeed, I invested thousands of dollars into the fad...a quarter at a time.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySjv2ppKE_2kDtQl4RvV61DAuVc3_ZUYGo-2hY1B-GtzWAjELbBsSElqJloE0rmJo2FNOMSY5Opwi7A2UX7gD7t3-aNvjUPMnI_UjSulm-YrSvKDoM9sbzo9_oXh0Lk3QF3xeRL68AMbIy7rSaY6uLEL-8T8xnOIHNCEVuFXKfqUwWHLNdNVNQb_rEdk_/s1280/donkey-kong-arcade.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySjv2ppKE_2kDtQl4RvV61DAuVc3_ZUYGo-2hY1B-GtzWAjELbBsSElqJloE0rmJo2FNOMSY5Opwi7A2UX7gD7t3-aNvjUPMnI_UjSulm-YrSvKDoM9sbzo9_oXh0Lk3QF3xeRL68AMbIy7rSaY6uLEL-8T8xnOIHNCEVuFXKfqUwWHLNdNVNQb_rEdk_/w400-h225/donkey-kong-arcade.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">An assortment of classic arcade video games from that <br />Golden Age.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I also lived through The Golden Age of Hip Hop (1986-1993) and, in contrast with my financial and emotional commitment to arcade games, I actively railed against it. Like many twenty-somethings, I brimmed with a caustic cocktail of ignorance, intolerance and bombast. A quarter century later, not only have I softened my attitude, I’ve become a fan of this era in music. It was an emotional evolution that has been supercharged by my journey through <b><i>The 500</i></b> list.</span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXf0iVeXdWAcO7u9qDGkxRodyh_eRseWFY5TKl2W1g16-GsFYaxQhK1X_uEnWaM2tBlmIHagUGvSQ30mLUOa7EzNcuUqrFUvvkT1rxZ77e15rMOnBOyUiAK4G2BzOfjZ5Txu8ksspV9iGAELhokBN4LGJzf_E4o6hGwY3KaFvQmE4Vb2I_SnTjO2F0cqFR/s225/download%20(11).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXf0iVeXdWAcO7u9qDGkxRodyh_eRseWFY5TKl2W1g16-GsFYaxQhK1X_uEnWaM2tBlmIHagUGvSQ30mLUOa7EzNcuUqrFUvvkT1rxZ77e15rMOnBOyUiAK4G2BzOfjZ5Txu8ksspV9iGAELhokBN4LGJzf_E4o6hGwY3KaFvQmE4Vb2I_SnTjO2F0cqFR/w400-h400/download%20(11).png" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">However, during The Golden Age of Hip Hop, there were a few songs and artists that managed to crack my armour of intolerance. Eric B. & Rakim was one such group, and the title track from this week's record, <b><i>Paid In Full</i></b>, was a song I quietly enjoyed.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmK7N7Go4lUajx12M1aaYmXvaryTYE63xLxEcQ09c8kmstzPXb1VOURnFN1SDrXXxGHAAZkUctST9Bewie2QwKqGSJhqDMYLr5QA_rMzrDMiqX2q-algZl31aAik6TktvVdQirBV_y-zFVEJwOrE8TUIo4n-AcivlQM1dG6v97OvIqZSVlXUt0msYQPL2/s467/eric_b._rakim_-_paid_in_full.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="465" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmK7N7Go4lUajx12M1aaYmXvaryTYE63xLxEcQ09c8kmstzPXb1VOURnFN1SDrXXxGHAAZkUctST9Bewie2QwKqGSJhqDMYLr5QA_rMzrDMiqX2q-algZl31aAik6TktvVdQirBV_y-zFVEJwOrE8TUIo4n-AcivlQM1dG6v97OvIqZSVlXUt0msYQPL2/w399-h400/eric_b._rakim_-_paid_in_full.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-926e1d99-7fff-81bb-8889-3ac74ad61ee7"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Interestingly, it was not the original version of the song that made its way around my youthful auditory disdain. It was a remix released in October, 1987, by English electronic duo Coldcut, comprising Matt Black and Jonathan More. The seven-minute version was dubbed </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Paid In Full (Seven Minutes of Madness-The Coldcut Remix)</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. The extended name is not surprising, as Tony Harrington detailed in his 1998 book, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Invisible* Jukebox</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. The landmark remix "laid the groundwork for hip hop's entry into the mainstream" and became Eric B. & Rakim's breakout hit outside the United States.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo1M6YHHnY4phWqo23EeWPUAvi7dGAu5MAnfKmLmFZxozMqj5-p35NQObHdWlv1nLI3ONVSBTQMo69K2WoExojBFjLPjdu4YivHWe__uG8VosFE9Kc7uNCAjeNO_QT5x_ZkbeLX9lWRctfJG_aFmHBhCCRtMO8mLM_yYZDxGcHQROKPaUqbXao-pBVgam/s200/content.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="128" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo1M6YHHnY4phWqo23EeWPUAvi7dGAu5MAnfKmLmFZxozMqj5-p35NQObHdWlv1nLI3ONVSBTQMo69K2WoExojBFjLPjdu4YivHWe__uG8VosFE9Kc7uNCAjeNO_QT5x_ZkbeLX9lWRctfJG_aFmHBhCCRtMO8mLM_yYZDxGcHQROKPaUqbXao-pBVgam/w256-h400/content.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-6b00df5a-7fff-de8d-8e39-4883e902a316"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Paid In Full</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> was the debut record from DJ Eric B. (Eric Banner) and rapper Rakim (William Michael Griffin Jr.) who met in Long Island, New York, in 1985 and were soon composing. The first song they wrote together, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Eric B. Is President</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, was recorded in the home studio of DJ and producer Marley Marl (Marlon Lu'Ree Williams). In my </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://the50-20.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-500-244-marshall-mathers-lp-eminem.html" target="_blank">October, 2023, post</a></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> I discussed the impact that song had on the evolution of hip hop. The lyrics were clever and Rakim was the first successful artist to incorporate multi-syllabic rhymes that crossed the musical bar line. </span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAu-JvGCXklJOMWSefhZvT1vRKKvizgQQxFVDQIZcezL0Nhqsdg0ouRfma9S6BqS5-GRp7LVPuKW_fe5tIfWq0JsXOvdcYnL54IfIH3xfYOzRSUCD0If6dnGGyLD9Izp0E2Gv96xoRmCunUBNtAxte6F9OM9-V_Jwaxstt0nuXT84sDI5JtpXCeptTI6M/s960/Rap%20Project%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAu-JvGCXklJOMWSefhZvT1vRKKvizgQQxFVDQIZcezL0Nhqsdg0ouRfma9S6BqS5-GRp7LVPuKW_fe5tIfWq0JsXOvdcYnL54IfIH3xfYOzRSUCD0If6dnGGyLD9Izp0E2Gv96xoRmCunUBNtAxte6F9OM9-V_Jwaxstt0nuXT84sDI5JtpXCeptTI6M/w400-h225/Rap%20Project%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The song <b><i>Paid In Full</i></b>, is also clever lyrically and musically. The narrative eschewed the typical hip hop structure of the time -- hyper machismo, boastful and often rife with obscenities and references to a criminal world. Instead, Rakim eschews that approach and instead exposes his vulnerability as a struggling artist who hopes that his penchant for rhyme and hard work will lead to "righteous" (his word) financial redemption. The song is shrewdly built around beats and musical motifs from three Funk and R&B sources:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-19f8abdc-7fff-b15d-e07e-676ec34159fa"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Ashley's Roachclip </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">by The Soul Searchers (1974)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Don't Look Any Further</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> by Dennis Edwards (1984)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Change The Beat (French Female Version)</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> by Beside (1982) </span></span></p><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Coldcut remix contains a staggering 25 samples from other audio sources including the haunting </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Im Nin'Alu</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from Israeli singer Ofra Haza who has been dubbed "The Madonna of the East".</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaca_cR4H-VROTfynWIKoTWClWTfsV4irx1n9213JlGhYRVu4VmWaksGugePbpHc7ONn3GY3nWl536xrIQ1VBqkj5n7iUYwhj9dTWjrhBy-UQT_KbcgXx4_t0nu2NAT7_3PBmkbWuOoHjjm6qXc0H0NAQ4bmwbraHakRDff2B1OGY7sc-J7LgakAXZR-z/s1188/7050_foto2_product_xl.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1188" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaca_cR4H-VROTfynWIKoTWClWTfsV4irx1n9213JlGhYRVu4VmWaksGugePbpHc7ONn3GY3nWl536xrIQ1VBqkj5n7iUYwhj9dTWjrhBy-UQT_KbcgXx4_t0nu2NAT7_3PBmkbWuOoHjjm6qXc0H0NAQ4bmwbraHakRDff2B1OGY7sc-J7LgakAXZR-z/w400-h303/7050_foto2_product_xl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c0fad755-7fff-38e2-b8af-04c80968b154"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">There are some tracks on the debut Eric B. & Rakim album that are a bit dated -- <b><i>Extended Beat</i></b> and <b><i>Chinese Arithmetic</i></b> have not aged well. However, as evidenced by my classroom students' reaction to it, the song <b><i>Paid In Full</i></b>, stands-up. When a much younger colleague heard me playing it one morning before school, she asked who it was.</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c0fad755-7fff-38e2-b8af-04c80968b154"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"This is Eric B. & Rakim", I answered, "mid-eighties hip hop".</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"I like it," she replied.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Yea," I said, "It holds up".</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Quietly I thought, "it should", it is, after all, from "The Golden Age of Hip Hop." I can't say I lived through it, but I was grumpily adjacent. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /> </span></span></span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-70119034557172631512024-01-21T17:27:00.000-08:002024-01-21T17:27:48.733-08:00The 500 - #229 - Toys In The Attic - Aerosmith<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #229<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Toys In The Attic</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Aerosmith<br /><b>Genre: </b>Rock, Hard Rock, Blues Rock<br /><b>Recorded: Three</b> Studios, Hollywood, California, U.S.A. </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> April, 1975<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 9<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Quite</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> No<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist:</b><i> Sweet Emotion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3RzIin6iLNzPo_o5O5FtIB0t1pF6SXx6T0EJZ89VFDkqdt1NWSzRv6XJEp_X-ywrpk7jcDkrlmnNs2WaS_rJFWjQfiXZBEEhqC7_Ej2z2YcZowIP3_70DJAW7ZNncrDz1Y4qgXWuw9Q-PoBbJlz2Y2bStN_jdr6LWmonaIzbA_i5S5nLGLeXh2O_0XLt/s1000/f9e9632ca1da6116f2b6e5f70ae9e7df.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3RzIin6iLNzPo_o5O5FtIB0t1pF6SXx6T0EJZ89VFDkqdt1NWSzRv6XJEp_X-ywrpk7jcDkrlmnNs2WaS_rJFWjQfiXZBEEhqC7_Ej2z2YcZowIP3_70DJAW7ZNncrDz1Y4qgXWuw9Q-PoBbJlz2Y2bStN_jdr6LWmonaIzbA_i5S5nLGLeXh2O_0XLt/w400-h400/f9e9632ca1da6116f2b6e5f70ae9e7df.webp" width="400" /></a></div></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7495438a-7fff-97da-976b-af52c7771487"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While mental illness is less stigmatized than it was in my youth, society has, for the most part, recognized that mental disorders are endemic and that we should reframe our language to project more compassion and kindness toward those afflicted.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyHEd7Y3uRFOPbBLZO9GMoXkvcCwJqfsjJMtMkZVI-liAL9OVLkbdGlTI7Pwy8w5rOj4XOunp07EEC4c3XOKpSGucJ9y9U_OMX7Ejfyzr28j6NRc1MrgnWWr-UXym1JmW3YAtMdKtv-MQRNSkLYL689PMcMATQGu_kTKokDx7oZaDcdoPsEx0a336DODw/s900/02.16.22-Using-Kindness-to-Improve-Mental-Health.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyHEd7Y3uRFOPbBLZO9GMoXkvcCwJqfsjJMtMkZVI-liAL9OVLkbdGlTI7Pwy8w5rOj4XOunp07EEC4c3XOKpSGucJ9y9U_OMX7Ejfyzr28j6NRc1MrgnWWr-UXym1JmW3YAtMdKtv-MQRNSkLYL689PMcMATQGu_kTKokDx7oZaDcdoPsEx0a336DODw/w400-h266/02.16.22-Using-Kindness-to-Improve-Mental-Health.png" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-a0a09f07-7fff-20ac-6a38-2ea4943ebc23"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That said, I am also fascinated by language and, in particular, idioms, colloquialisms, idiosyncratic or cultural jargon. When encountering unusual terms or expressions I am delighted even if I bristle with discomfort. It's much like experiencing a bit of dark comedy that, although offside, is perfectly constructed,</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-7c87df3d-7fff-9e44-eab4-b42992e986eb"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Consider the following:</span></p></span></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span id="docs-internal-guid-7c87df3d-7fff-9e44-eab4-b42992e986eb"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Meshugenah </b>(Yiddish for insane) is just a fun word to say.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bats in the Belfry</b> is a 19th Century U.S. expression for someone eccentric. The clever turn of phrase paints an interesting metaphorical picture.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">As does the title of this week's record, <b><i>Toys In The Attic</i></b> -- a relatively new term taken from a 1960 play of the same name by Lillian Hellman.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rmZPzGUnWTVRgI4h0OfI1xmyo26Xwj4mjmJxOdSQBukpDsLCuH5R18OWwOvyMiigVu2soc2HcQksCea9LxisMl5dgRB4MtJqo2DLvbzyTeq2r-Bjql5X1vjUyKFuYGJgHVaF7w3V9KThJeqzWAI0bd32lTybUkKWe7HPGE0dw8HSMd1_fAenL1BytfST/s1113/2015HT1279.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1113" data-original-width="735" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rmZPzGUnWTVRgI4h0OfI1xmyo26Xwj4mjmJxOdSQBukpDsLCuH5R18OWwOvyMiigVu2soc2HcQksCea9LxisMl5dgRB4MtJqo2DLvbzyTeq2r-Bjql5X1vjUyKFuYGJgHVaF7w3V9KThJeqzWAI0bd32lTybUkKWe7HPGE0dw8HSMd1_fAenL1BytfST/w264-h400/2015HT1279.jpg" width="264" /></a></div></span></li></ul><span id="docs-internal-guid-b1896095-7fff-831b-78c3-65563db79457"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">My favourite language distortions come from Cockney Rhyming Slang (CRS), a vernacular developed in the working-class East End of London, England, in the mid-19th Century. Lore has it that to be a Cockney, you must live within the sound of Bow Bells – that is, within earshot of the famous bells of the historic Church of St. Mary-le-Bow (founded 1080). The phrases of this curious and colourful dialect are constructed by replacing the final word of an expression with an unrelated rhyming word. More confusing still, the final rhyming word is eventually dropped. CRS is an idiosyncratic construct better explained by example.</span></span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq__ESOlgIQBH20b1B3XCkazg1-74PKNcvvSHUyNtBUhGK-CvQe6K3IQrepowv95HmDbxE1oO0PvSmVgFGzmhtjjvF-aeqUQSVzw5mHmrIyZrMHafWY73Vp208aokCi5farNoWaab8LhU6-qOPfb8xGwqWSy4sAy2D_bjfRmRQMD-UULgZmmJC5xwgOLqQ/s960/Cockney%20Example%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq__ESOlgIQBH20b1B3XCkazg1-74PKNcvvSHUyNtBUhGK-CvQe6K3IQrepowv95HmDbxE1oO0PvSmVgFGzmhtjjvF-aeqUQSVzw5mHmrIyZrMHafWY73Vp208aokCi5farNoWaab8LhU6-qOPfb8xGwqWSy4sAy2D_bjfRmRQMD-UULgZmmJC5xwgOLqQ/w400-h300/Cockney%20Example%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Confused?<br /><br />The lexicon is deliberately bewildering. Historians are still debating the origin of CRS. It likely started as a linguistic game among East End residents that morphed into a way locals could communicate privately with each other – perhaps for traders to collude in the marketplace, or as a way for criminals to baffle law enforcement when nefarious plans were afoot. Another plausible reason is to confuse the King’s men. You can hear the odd rhyming slang in the British television series <b><i>East Enders</i></b>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75eFwH67G0VJuufvsslcFwWAxIiIhAO4rSG4WwvyhAEFpA4G5i6anh_RhA7szZotnr-tlqISWmI6jrlMWVbHot_ZE30Cs_gbgkJ-ViLykKmpYb_dX__UEx4cWtADyaBPhxehTeNbYRmy4yqNiWub7aoxVU0MeM872Vr2t30Dp_qiSCaJNeSVaNxscao3R/s421/EastEnders_Title.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="421" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75eFwH67G0VJuufvsslcFwWAxIiIhAO4rSG4WwvyhAEFpA4G5i6anh_RhA7szZotnr-tlqISWmI6jrlMWVbHot_ZE30Cs_gbgkJ-ViLykKmpYb_dX__UEx4cWtADyaBPhxehTeNbYRmy4yqNiWub7aoxVU0MeM872Vr2t30Dp_qiSCaJNeSVaNxscao3R/w400-h224/EastEnders_Title.png" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Cockney is similar to the cryptic argot known as "</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thieves%27_cant" target="_blank">Thieves' Cant</a></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">" which dates back to the Elizabethan Period (1558-1603). It could be spoken or written with simple shapes similar to </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuneiform" target="_blank">cuneiform</a></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgwc7SVDBDyxnB6mU9UfWBUKBQNoMl6T-jsGBMLjTbOqiJbmFGlYv7M_7cxwtQWkyUF0SMPyXOoF2rAxPgZOgNkslxIWPoJ2JR6rW2YZkdNHcmKEGzVMYZ0HHI6RtExvCxtphVZi8qB0r-PadRcoMVHxkoUqFA2uyWGCdy2gK1o5SXXuZz7tWHdO6dJYj/s736/X5m1FJC.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="736" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgwc7SVDBDyxnB6mU9UfWBUKBQNoMl6T-jsGBMLjTbOqiJbmFGlYv7M_7cxwtQWkyUF0SMPyXOoF2rAxPgZOgNkslxIWPoJ2JR6rW2YZkdNHcmKEGzVMYZ0HHI6RtExvCxtphVZi8qB0r-PadRcoMVHxkoUqFA2uyWGCdy2gK1o5SXXuZz7tWHdO6dJYj/w400-h289/X5m1FJC.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Written Thieves Cant (or The Hobo Code).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">So, how were bizarre, eccentric, idiosyncratic people identified in Cockney Rhyming Slang? <br /><br />Well, the last name of actor Patrick Swayze, is often substituted for the word "crazy". But, there is an expression that is even trickier and is based on the expression "Nobody's watching the television" to refer to someone who seems to make behavioural choices without any forethought. In Cockney Rhyming Slang, this might be phrased as, "He's completely custard!" See explanation below.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bezXJN94GsLmLziFZDP_f4iHBpDtgFwk6Z2McIvm_8ceyVz_37E60Pqa5LwI5wGwpv0uUH-b0tFTlKGgYRzGMV908Svj6SNWnTEucRaAenpF4iETgDoGdSSDDX2bXYxFkGhDAECbTNbnihal0pjoYdfwfp3M6BTQtjJsJ3WNC5UQbqr47abep7Z2kU3h/s960/Custard%20Cockney.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bezXJN94GsLmLziFZDP_f4iHBpDtgFwk6Z2McIvm_8ceyVz_37E60Pqa5LwI5wGwpv0uUH-b0tFTlKGgYRzGMV908Svj6SNWnTEucRaAenpF4iETgDoGdSSDDX2bXYxFkGhDAECbTNbnihal0pjoYdfwfp3M6BTQtjJsJ3WNC5UQbqr47abep7Z2kU3h/w400-h300/Custard%20Cockney.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ccbb47f9-7fff-17c9-ca99-2c9d4e561cdb"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">While it is unkind to disparage someone struggling with their mental health, perhaps you can understand why I find the history of the colloquialisms fascinating. I've debated introducing an activity to my classroom. I would invite students to perform a “deep dive” on an idiom and then present their findings to the class. The idea came from a segment in a podcast I enjoy called </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Where Did It Come From? </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I mentioned this last year and a musically gifted Grade 7 student named Sameed (who, enviably, has perfect pitch) </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/901209803/fullscreen/" target="_blank">wrote me a jingle</a></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/901209803/fullscreen/" target="_blank"> </a>-- which could be used to introduce each presentation, much like a </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.radioconnection.com/glossary/s/#:~:text=Stinger%20%E2%80%93%20A%20technique%20often%20used,punctuating%20or%20emphasizing%20a%20thought." target="_blank">stinger</a></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> is used to introduce a segment on a radio broadcast. </span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjO49L59bg2Or1M1TjHxX3ixbAX6WmrbiIKZqBmt2ULcAgzX33x1kyXhEqkYpGINjpGLeJ7lP-VVAQ0WLWMBYt3MFrHIv5ACamlt8Ek8rM2mWpvz9vXi6bYRvcqJsQGc8qAdV0Ja3Gsv2ZSVLhAfYkLpb4uKcG9dVVSBUh1xjUUYqA740WAF2RA4GsHkB7/s400/9798534531381.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjO49L59bg2Or1M1TjHxX3ixbAX6WmrbiIKZqBmt2ULcAgzX33x1kyXhEqkYpGINjpGLeJ7lP-VVAQ0WLWMBYt3MFrHIv5ACamlt8Ek8rM2mWpvz9vXi6bYRvcqJsQGc8qAdV0Ja3Gsv2ZSVLhAfYkLpb4uKcG9dVVSBUh1xjUUYqA740WAF2RA4GsHkB7/w268-h400/9798534531381.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Book of Idiom Origins I have in my classroom.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-ee4c560b-7fff-1228-b450-04f05bb61248"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Speaking of idioms, this week’s album, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Toys In The Attic </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was the third studio release from American hard rock band Aerosmith. It became their breakout commercial release, selling nine million copies. It featured three chart-topping singles – </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sweet Emotion</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Walk This Way,</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and the power ballad, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">You See Me Crying</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. I'll admit, the record and band intimidated (yet fascinated) me in 1975. I was nine then and the music I liked (and knew my parents would approve of) was the soft rock found on the AM radio dial. Captain and Tennille, Barry Manilow, Elton John and Donny & Marie were my cup of tea. </span></span></span><br /></span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtuwZyPwZEPoh5lsNV1OdV-zNrqXqeZIoYgi7_wf9yzCpuu_a_nkQu_YCDOJrOzwPnZt6sDillyH4kKKo5izijuLIrAVs4mfHQVbxa9vlvnxNmzuRQ23t320dCN4sPs5RzumHHLWjNnDBUBm8ZrfCJtAGbuRTApONjMEeSdSqrdxCfeNK8XMkboi-EOxi/s1280/maxresdefault%20(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtuwZyPwZEPoh5lsNV1OdV-zNrqXqeZIoYgi7_wf9yzCpuu_a_nkQu_YCDOJrOzwPnZt6sDillyH4kKKo5izijuLIrAVs4mfHQVbxa9vlvnxNmzuRQ23t320dCN4sPs5RzumHHLWjNnDBUBm8ZrfCJtAGbuRTApONjMEeSdSqrdxCfeNK8XMkboi-EOxi/w400-h225/maxresdefault%20(8).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Top Pop Hits of 1975.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-3fdfcb46-7fff-9d7b-f000-5ad26171fb3a"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">However, I took the school bus home with plenty of teenagers who talked vociferously about edgier fare, including Bob Segar, Bad Company, The Doobie Brothers, KISS, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent and Aerosmith. Sometimes, I bravely tuned the family stereo to the FM dial and listened to Detroit radio. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sweet Emotion </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was the first Aerosmith song I remember hearing. Guitarist Joe Perry makes use of a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk_box" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">talk-box</span></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, a bit of electronic wizardry that allows the musician to "shape" the sound of their guitar notes by singing through a plastic tube that extends to a foot pedal that can be turned on and off. Much like Cockney Rhyming Slang, it is better understood when </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8R1wVZsHPY" target="_blank">seen and heard</a></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. </span></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa4KVGmxeNV-yP50W_rMMOJoUdhYHd4ic6519bz1YoM1ib3OjJUkFq9r1GS9dAnQcmgRAVB_HRx4FzUHXvFt9o3a2f-XOSiRWi6nSq208kQ1b7m7qDQGv8ZI5r1vr9eZVgurfR8kEjoY2px-8eI5h0EmlDmvXbZG4OwsanAYXondsLp2jMRFBUdzODvRx/s956/Talk%20box.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="956" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa4KVGmxeNV-yP50W_rMMOJoUdhYHd4ic6519bz1YoM1ib3OjJUkFq9r1GS9dAnQcmgRAVB_HRx4FzUHXvFt9o3a2f-XOSiRWi6nSq208kQ1b7m7qDQGv8ZI5r1vr9eZVgurfR8kEjoY2px-8eI5h0EmlDmvXbZG4OwsanAYXondsLp2jMRFBUdzODvRx/w400-h194/Talk%20box.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Talk Box (l) and Joe Perry placing the tube in his mouth to use it.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-f721329f-7fff-b710-2409-644e57484532"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The sound was haunting, mesmerizing and slightly sinister. Just hearing it felt subversive. To add to my confused sense of rebellion were the lyrics, including the following two stanzas</span></span></span></span></div><div><div class="ujudUb" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; margin-bottom: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span jsname="YS01Ge"></span></span></div></div><blockquote><div><div class="ujudUb" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; margin-bottom: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span jsname="YS01Ge">"Some sweat hog mama with a face like a gent,</span><br aria-hidden="true" /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Said my get up and go, must've got up and went.</span><br aria-hidden="true" /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Well I got good news, she's a real good liar,</span><br aria-hidden="true" /><span jsname="YS01Ge">'Cause the backstage boogie sets your pants on fire.</span></span></div><div class="ujudUb" jsname="U8S5sf" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; margin-bottom: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span jsname="YS01Ge">I pulled into town in a police car.</span><br aria-hidden="true" /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Your daddy said I took it just a little too far.</span><br aria-hidden="true" /><span jsname="YS01Ge">You're telling her things but your girlfriend lied.</span><br aria-hidden="true" /><span jsname="YS01Ge">You can't catch me 'cause the rabbit done died.</span><br aria-hidden="true" /><span jsname="YS01Ge">Yes it did."</span></span></div></div><div></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d008dd2f-7fff-0887-5226-c66bb3064cd9"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm not sure if I was more concerned about the "sweat hog mama with a face like a gent", incendiary trousers that were victim to "the backstage boogie" or the fact that a rabbit had expired. </span></span></span><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAHqTz_Kv8wIo502AJRgYbP3uoMLP2UCrfTGVbwIsPHxd_rB16GcF0pICJOaK5uWB376ef8ly66qDLtH3PffU_y9hx8RkGOFvDLATzklRPy4dB3RnnSnkYAccWTDGSHqjwCWBWhBCtz7GAhLDqzkhyELMCnhmaEtzxUDS_Hl36LU8O2PeyilcFrwkMhAZ/s1000/614c0NwzCOL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1000" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAHqTz_Kv8wIo502AJRgYbP3uoMLP2UCrfTGVbwIsPHxd_rB16GcF0pICJOaK5uWB376ef8ly66qDLtH3PffU_y9hx8RkGOFvDLATzklRPy4dB3RnnSnkYAccWTDGSHqjwCWBWhBCtz7GAhLDqzkhyELMCnhmaEtzxUDS_Hl36LU8O2PeyilcFrwkMhAZ/w400-h395/614c0NwzCOL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for <b>Sweet Emotion</b> - Limited Edition Single.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-50e79b3f-7fff-5ce6-6768-215a08343729"><span style="font-size: large;">Chatter around the schoolyard postulated that "a dead rabbit meant someone was pregnant". I was skeptical but later learned it was accurate. The idiom “the rabbit died” came from a scientific procedure called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_test#:~:text=The%20rabbit%20test%20became%20a,for%20a%20positive%20pregnancy%20test.">The Rabbit Test</a>, a bioassay (animal-based test) used in the 1940s to determine pregnancy. Unfortunately for the rabbit, the test required an examination of its ovaries, resulting in the big-eared creature’s demise -- regardless of the results.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Regardless, the idiom lives on ... and so does my love of them...You might say I'm Patrick Swayze for a clever idiom and its origin.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-5517791932514674222024-01-14T18:11:00.000-08:002024-01-16T15:42:28.993-08:00The 500 - #230 - Nick Of Time - Bonnie Raitt<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #230<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Nick Of Time</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Bonnie Raitt<br /><b>Genre: </b>Rock, Americana, Blues-Rock<br /><b>Recorded: Three</b> Studios, Hollywood, California, U.S.A. </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> March, 1989<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 23<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Very</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> Yes, at 492, dropping 262 spots since 2012<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist:</b><i> Have A Heart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLGoO4DZ-d2GxJY8Dq5Qt-xEPItaq27C7QqgVqmBuGazu0-xyqcUZwnVWxyoO15II3uXynwBtvILNokWFq6zCDx-FTDZlHKNbSvlaWGpowCUpf76Ohjs8Ob7kDAoMOfQiItcR42oPih5ceCyN5ZeyCMohqPyXZERUFvbL7gVCcf-ZP5EQcTgmnJfYtmlT/s720/Bonnie%20Raitt%20NIck%20of%20Time%20Coming%20Soon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLGoO4DZ-d2GxJY8Dq5Qt-xEPItaq27C7QqgVqmBuGazu0-xyqcUZwnVWxyoO15II3uXynwBtvILNokWFq6zCDx-FTDZlHKNbSvlaWGpowCUpf76Ohjs8Ob7kDAoMOfQiItcR42oPih5ceCyN5ZeyCMohqPyXZERUFvbL7gVCcf-ZP5EQcTgmnJfYtmlT/w400-h400/Bonnie%20Raitt%20NIck%20of%20Time%20Coming%20Soon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></i></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-fdf8a1b5-7fff-2b62-7bf7-7e7f90f84aa2"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Nick Of Time </i></b>was the tenth studio record by American singer, songwriter and guitarist Bonnie Raitt. It is also the second of two records by her on The 500 list. <a href="https://the50-20.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-500-495-bonnie-raitt-give-it-up.html" target="_blank">I wrote about</a> her 1972 record, <b><i>Give It Up</i></b>, nearly five years</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-b37f6937-7fff-933f-4d58-9e214d14b660"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">When I re-read <a href="https://the50-20.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-500-495-bonnie-raitt-give-it-up.html" target="_blank">my post</a> from 2019, I confronted a wide range of emotions I suspect were similar to an adult looking back on his own school work or photographs. For instance:</span><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span id="docs-internal-guid-b37f6937-7fff-933f-4d58-9e214d14b660"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Embarrassment</b>. The writing is pedestrian and seems to have been written without much editing. Granted, it was my fifth post on this 10-year journey. I was still treading water, feeling my way. Additionally, at that time, my father hadn't come on board to give my copy a once-over. His suggestions have improved my writing and perhaps more importantly, he serves as "first reader". His comments about the album of the week help me understand the perspective of someone less familiar with the music or artists in <span style="font-family: inherit;">question.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Satisfaction</b>. I remind myself that 270 records are now in the rearview mirror, and that my writing style and approach to my posts have improved significantly.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Frustration</b>. The story I chose to share on my <b><i>Give It Up</i></b> post would have made more sense being shared here. It would also have been better written.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Amusement</b>. In 2019, I set the ambitious goal of writing about two records a week. That pace helped me catch-up to <b><i>The 500 Podcast</i></b>, which began four months ahead of me. However, it was ultimately unsustainable and I am glad I lowered my weekly output to one.</span></li></ul></span></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAo9QOwzN8zb5ilBOavUKGd4K0G-AJGkA7zucDnphEdNxxOjPmDw3d27Ac-JxnEuwr9RpVpkmdJs3BKzyKdyvK4fPX5ad0oGztW1sIV4q2aHoTWVTyJrVOtJ9FK7lr5rVLmUpRYNXqq3qc-9bYQtNDsS4fVV5FaBwot3VPt_ddwVDimBEOVWmshkHZ-7u/s1000/51fUmZTYO+L._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="1000" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAo9QOwzN8zb5ilBOavUKGd4K0G-AJGkA7zucDnphEdNxxOjPmDw3d27Ac-JxnEuwr9RpVpkmdJs3BKzyKdyvK4fPX5ad0oGztW1sIV4q2aHoTWVTyJrVOtJ9FK7lr5rVLmUpRYNXqq3qc-9bYQtNDsS4fVV5FaBwot3VPt_ddwVDimBEOVWmshkHZ-7u/w400-h395/51fUmZTYO+L._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for <b><i>Give It Up</i></b>, #495 on <b><i>The 500.</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Such is the unsettling or pleasing consequence of looking back. As I mentioned in that 2019 post, <b><i>Nick Of Time</i></b> was Raitt's biggest commercial breakthrough. It came at the end of the lowest point in her career and life. In 1983, Raitt had been released from her record company (Warner Brothers) because of dissatisfaction with her record sales. The record she had just recorded and mastered (edited and produced), <b><i>Tongue And Groove</i></b>, was shelved by the executives. Additionally, she was struggling with a drug and alcohol addiction.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZih_kl4BP6rTjna1-7qWhH8C0nD1yVtl4qjOn7x8QvYR5A1IQsu9lUx6CfE8t_F662BzI6OedSxT8m66FB_EiMR_8STtioRo9p0XptQmwt6dwznKm_yw_owFXy2dFsq1w4Ig_nf8AFnmzDfNtTneid2D6NdlwpzOxx4KzTzt2HLC3xiG5H7sbvxDNu6d/s1280/g3p4kDGfFz8erUZnzzR56i.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZih_kl4BP6rTjna1-7qWhH8C0nD1yVtl4qjOn7x8QvYR5A1IQsu9lUx6CfE8t_F662BzI6OedSxT8m66FB_EiMR_8STtioRo9p0XptQmwt6dwznKm_yw_owFXy2dFsq1w4Ig_nf8AFnmzDfNtTneid2D6NdlwpzOxx4KzTzt2HLC3xiG5H7sbvxDNu6d/w400-h225/g3p4kDGfFz8erUZnzzR56i.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonnie Raitt (early 80s).</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-78fd14a9-7fff-6e90-9e63-4df86b61ecb3"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Raitt continued touring to pay the bills and support her partying lifestyle. However, as crowds dwindled, she could no longer afford her backing band and the group was dissolved. Further frustrating Raitt was Warner Brothers decision to release her </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Tongue and Groove</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> record with the new title, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Nine Lives</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. It received little press and Raitt was now promoting a record over which she had little control. This exacerbated her substance abuse and plunged her deeper into depression.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQAI_OYS_ACaOxl3-ovsxCSFnsd27czOvDuLkrTXEiDmTh6BEK0JfHIi5Pmk_xj2zfK4xuP4yC7TN4k7-GJ0PMoJmmihE-ifMPIYQ_71lsoUVbIyZK0unUgk19lTkYzmwQkFhNDl-v4BlOTR7IJvlv0m_K0rb2IU92VfV2QI5-o4fm7cBRMe2t6AdOXdj/s1000/61oY9TVq5CL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1000" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQAI_OYS_ACaOxl3-ovsxCSFnsd27czOvDuLkrTXEiDmTh6BEK0JfHIi5Pmk_xj2zfK4xuP4yC7TN4k7-GJ0PMoJmmihE-ifMPIYQ_71lsoUVbIyZK0unUgk19lTkYzmwQkFhNDl-v4BlOTR7IJvlv0m_K0rb2IU92VfV2QI5-o4fm7cBRMe2t6AdOXdj/w400-h399/61oY9TVq5CL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for the <b><i>Nine Lives</i></b> album.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-aeefdddf-7fff-da54-c48b-a5fb1ae27903"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pop star Prince was a fan of Raitt's and invited her to his studio, Paisley Park in Minneapolis, with the promise of a record contract. The gesture was derailed by a skiing accident which hospitalized her for two months. However, the silver lining was that her convalescence gave her a new perspective on life and she began attending Alcoholic Anonymous meetings -- which she now credits with her nearly 40 years of sobriety.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrZRqCHw15auFS7DFX3QsH0WTXMuLqDqJ5csjw4teTb_ax6NS-WrosRuHV5zgbyA-JC2t_FY967bzx11gbzVHs9bWpMQ_yaCmpboKe_NTiliEyuzEUF2Rvho_XEJut1KsndPRz_EB_F_XCIz4PSLCnl9o6Nvpf6CR0OuNJP-4w4aVjDI3BkvWaDTFZQx9/s850/quote-you-know-a-lot-of-people-feel-that-sobriety-is-about-just-stopping-using-whatever-it-bonnie-raitt-151-30-83.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="850" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrZRqCHw15auFS7DFX3QsH0WTXMuLqDqJ5csjw4teTb_ax6NS-WrosRuHV5zgbyA-JC2t_FY967bzx11gbzVHs9bWpMQ_yaCmpboKe_NTiliEyuzEUF2Rvho_XEJut1KsndPRz_EB_F_XCIz4PSLCnl9o6Nvpf6CR0OuNJP-4w4aVjDI3BkvWaDTFZQx9/w400-h189/quote-you-know-a-lot-of-people-feel-that-sobriety-is-about-just-stopping-using-whatever-it-bonnie-raitt-151-30-83.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-43e5a523-7fff-3146-723c-f2446c4add14"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Raitt continued to tour as a solo performer in order to stay afloat. In late 1987, she joined singers k.d. lang and Jennifer Warnes as the background vocalists for one of my favourite television specials, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Roy Orbison and Friends: Black and White Night</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. It was a highly acclaimed concert film, featuring a who's who list of performers who have multiple records on The 500 list, including Bruce Springsteen (8), Elvis Costello (4), Jackson Brown (3) and Tom Waits (3).</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1-H5ceovyrcy0Ft4hgss7Ra18WNKwwdykjBQ_43XcI_lHLDORG-3E2ZyNNo6q0NmpzshgCHw0cfT4oJvDs4OAacsrz7LSq3REeokbFR-SOrI_6s_KJ9FwBq2oDIbxUFsfGwJoS641YcF4BZAw4r-tL72RaCV1toj0FAsYemVmLDpcPjyncwGQlGnEdW-/s2048/roy-orbison-black-white-night-30th-anniversary.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1-H5ceovyrcy0Ft4hgss7Ra18WNKwwdykjBQ_43XcI_lHLDORG-3E2ZyNNo6q0NmpzshgCHw0cfT4oJvDs4OAacsrz7LSq3REeokbFR-SOrI_6s_KJ9FwBq2oDIbxUFsfGwJoS641YcF4BZAw4r-tL72RaCV1toj0FAsYemVmLDpcPjyncwGQlGnEdW-/w313-h400/roy-orbison-black-white-night-30th-anniversary.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Promotional Poster for 30th Anniversary release<br />of <b><i>Roy Orbison Black and White Night</i></b> DVD.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-413b201a-7fff-97fd-1e59-a6aa1ace43c3"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">At about the same time, Raitt connected with now legendary songwriter and producer Don Was. The pair collaborated on several recordings and, in 1989, Raitt signed a new contract with Capitol Records. Her sobriety, hard work and the positive connections she had built in the music industry led to her breakout album, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Nick Of Time</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, in 1989. At the age of 40, her eight-year journey of perseverance and success paid off, in the "nick of time".</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEine7guXCgq1g0P_mZWktaEWQ20Vc3qpUw7W81kBaeKRnlVVSj8pAuzkTFyC-2GX2UvTt82XjhempVkz5Dk-40dVXQeMvht4Ov8-wSstuBabaseTu8hQfOSXNFILIFVD9o2-0ftm2pC6YfOU73yoh7WUSzT73J5IUpbCV8iCOggXH8C1cEkdT97nvFnP6_W/s1548/bonnie-raitt-live-1989-billboard-1548.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1548" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEine7guXCgq1g0P_mZWktaEWQ20Vc3qpUw7W81kBaeKRnlVVSj8pAuzkTFyC-2GX2UvTt82XjhempVkz5Dk-40dVXQeMvht4Ov8-wSstuBabaseTu8hQfOSXNFILIFVD9o2-0ftm2pC6YfOU73yoh7WUSzT73J5IUpbCV8iCOggXH8C1cEkdT97nvFnP6_W/w400-h265/bonnie-raitt-live-1989-billboard-1548.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raitt in 1989.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-b321bce3-7fff-f01a-c6b1-3fd3790e99a2"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was fortunate to see Raitt in October, 2023 when she came with her band to my hometown of London, Ontario, on her </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Just Like That</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Tour. The opening act was the Juno-nominated multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Royal Wood.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSUj65NR3u_hZn0k4CivNfAizAoGY-itCPRrI_arcK6tOQzVO8i-NGOZkIYM6upVfCbpdt9P1KK_rVWsB-pifF0lAfDxLc9mjd85iNJOPLUaPaUDz6M7zjpXD5hLjwKVb8ezlDoDowny_c5a_P-5fAZZa7Dvd23CImlVHf5II9s6EnvMRiJwKeylkByZM/s1380/385817580_827478302497545_5965328224090056907_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1380" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSUj65NR3u_hZn0k4CivNfAizAoGY-itCPRrI_arcK6tOQzVO8i-NGOZkIYM6upVfCbpdt9P1KK_rVWsB-pifF0lAfDxLc9mjd85iNJOPLUaPaUDz6M7zjpXD5hLjwKVb8ezlDoDowny_c5a_P-5fAZZa7Dvd23CImlVHf5II9s6EnvMRiJwKeylkByZM/w400-h241/385817580_827478302497545_5965328224090056907_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Promotional photo for the London show of Raitt's tour.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-c463b304-7fff-c9a4-3a54-5311c782ea13"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was a marvelous performance and I am so happy that we were able to attend with our good friends, Terry and Heather. As I watched, I couldn’t help but reflect on the journey that brought her to our town that night. Raitt’s story of perseverance is a valuable lesson for us all when we face adversity – whether it comes from without or within.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl6EcTx37LsffS9Q7Ip-6FNfh5L6gUaHafqYZH2TyLoq9Ww06LHXRN9Lq0cVCcWdftACQDmmknmd8mKlUxLOjNuVB1DwF9VDl6WF2Ttr27vXZUPlFR3CMZmZIkAjknin7mQPWg35_udA4tijeoff5NG3hjCw_SyzyyvYcQhevFASgP7iWNQ1bEj1sFoPy/s1230/IMG_3038.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1230" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl6EcTx37LsffS9Q7Ip-6FNfh5L6gUaHafqYZH2TyLoq9Ww06LHXRN9Lq0cVCcWdftACQDmmknmd8mKlUxLOjNuVB1DwF9VDl6WF2Ttr27vXZUPlFR3CMZmZIkAjknin7mQPWg35_udA4tijeoff5NG3hjCw_SyzyyvYcQhevFASgP7iWNQ1bEj1sFoPy/w400-h296/IMG_3038.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-22d1b5f5-7fff-2808-2968-ab4b31bf5eea"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">A photo I took at the October 5, 2023, curtain call for </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 9pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Raitt and Royal Wood and their bands </span></p></span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-5938549582582680772024-01-07T14:51:00.000-08:002024-01-07T14:51:21.756-08:00The 500 - #231 - A Night At The Opera - Queen<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #231<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>A Night At The Opera</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Queen<br /><b>Genre: </b>Rock, Progressive Rock, Pop, Avant-Pop<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Five Studios, London, U.K. </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> November, 1975<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 10<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Very</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> Yes, at 128, moving up 103 spots since 2012<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist:</b><i> '39</i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDqnvayA6-epyWfUmoXSDhW4n9cGsMqjgV6e7n3T8AdsVQ-xE6HmsBf4ljUkxU9uLADvARx3b098-crKM9fH548L5vuaMqI9ydGz-hp_iIqPKzqbhqraKsEvaeHpaFzVMfBsWRPCUW9UvXSzkYQsGjEzfMiJMVdNWgiARqlgAXpWRqeomgx3Hc4Kg43jg/s953/queen-a-night-at-the-opera-20130601173044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="953" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDqnvayA6-epyWfUmoXSDhW4n9cGsMqjgV6e7n3T8AdsVQ-xE6HmsBf4ljUkxU9uLADvARx3b098-crKM9fH548L5vuaMqI9ydGz-hp_iIqPKzqbhqraKsEvaeHpaFzVMfBsWRPCUW9UvXSzkYQsGjEzfMiJMVdNWgiARqlgAXpWRqeomgx3Hc4Kg43jg/w400-h400/queen-a-night-at-the-opera-20130601173044.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-6a5498b3-7fff-dabf-1cf3-7116229b174e"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When I embarked on this writing journey five years ago (January, 2019) my biggest concern was writing about records of which I knew nothing. How would I "share a story or personal connection" to records I knew nothing about? If anything was going to derail this project, I thought it would be finding an engaging way to post something meaningful about records such as OutKast's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Stankonia</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sound of Silver</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from LCD Soundsystem or </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">69 Love Songs</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from Magnetic Fields?</span></span></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCH26-UQwJsaU3VvlSGQBMx49Jl6ONynPaqG92GyMjULCVDO64ELXUcs4E1_p_Ir31FXZ17v5NtZvfC0366HkTGhGRyTeS6Jmo5c5Ng37VJfbUJZaGimL1LjWSw7izaWfyl7Mps4Epyt6H-oqGd0e1QA9av4PGXQcFLERbIaklAOu2aJHOlpPkIws-NUk/s225/images%20(13).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCH26-UQwJsaU3VvlSGQBMx49Jl6ONynPaqG92GyMjULCVDO64ELXUcs4E1_p_Ir31FXZ17v5NtZvfC0366HkTGhGRyTeS6Jmo5c5Ng37VJfbUJZaGimL1LjWSw7izaWfyl7Mps4Epyt6H-oqGd0e1QA9av4PGXQcFLERbIaklAOu2aJHOlpPkIws-NUk/w400-h400/images%20(13).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2921090f-7fff-2f9d-d64e-e09d9ab2b403"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This isn't true. Discovering new music, I find, creates its own story. Sometimes, the inspiration comes during research or while listening to the accompanying episode of <b><i>The 500 Podcast</i></b>. On the other hand, familiarity can be overwhelming, leading to writer's block. Choices need to be made, such as where to start, and what information should be included in my post. Case in point: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A Night At The Opera</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, the fourth studio record from British progressive rock band Queen. </span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3gcArEi8-g2cPTq1JrjkDJr8FSbbH_aEla_Of-ZCvfzC6t64Ri2mx4eFoUOIUQovhUrryiC-KHNJt_zwnmHiHAfkKcjeZy3donXYuWHafv01t84dtRBtO3tis_wL7Clyfp0X5h1rSgCPhTU6SAwiP6hBfYhzZ4gB6wjvzm1r2VWsGdnfQer1mWxMuDvU/s1000/Queen-mid-70s-approved-photo-04-web-optimised-1000-1.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3gcArEi8-g2cPTq1JrjkDJr8FSbbH_aEla_Of-ZCvfzC6t64Ri2mx4eFoUOIUQovhUrryiC-KHNJt_zwnmHiHAfkKcjeZy3donXYuWHafv01t84dtRBtO3tis_wL7Clyfp0X5h1rSgCPhTU6SAwiP6hBfYhzZ4gB6wjvzm1r2VWsGdnfQer1mWxMuDvU/w400-h240/Queen-mid-70s-approved-photo-04-web-optimised-1000-1.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Queen in 1975, (l-r) Roger Taylor, John Deacon, <br />Freddie Mercury and Brian May.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-1307a588-7fff-9522-d429-9936efe43891"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It's a feeling similar to the psychological phenomenon known as "The Tyranny of Choice", outlined in Barry Schwartz' book </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Paradox Of Choice</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Simply put, logic suggests that an individual provided with many options from which to choose would be happy. However, studies show that too many choices can actually lead to discomfort and even misery. That is, "Too many options make you feel like all of them are wrong and that you are wrong if you choose any of them". (</span><a href="https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/susan_orlean_494676" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Susan Orlean</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">)</span></span></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtmt_4eXICmB_xtO5ZvwwD9vgEhOen_HPtx1MufZBiYEvfmytcOyJLaZkMY0_vDpOBKAj5Z5FYMKbyMDI533rKeY0xfLrBBYZMN-Zm59b3OvAYzRi-iJfb_wku-mMciXl_bmFkVlH9VQZDlbr3-KU2GH5vIpOac9Qv85z_RhrF7GKnCP3G9V2F0di1fIf/s744/1520133621145.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="744" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtmt_4eXICmB_xtO5ZvwwD9vgEhOen_HPtx1MufZBiYEvfmytcOyJLaZkMY0_vDpOBKAj5Z5FYMKbyMDI533rKeY0xfLrBBYZMN-Zm59b3OvAYzRi-iJfb_wku-mMciXl_bmFkVlH9VQZDlbr3-KU2GH5vIpOac9Qv85z_RhrF7GKnCP3G9V2F0di1fIf/w400-h215/1520133621145.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e05271d7-7fff-1535-e1b6-afde31753d00"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A Night at the Opera </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">is a record that I have listened to hundreds of times. It is my favourite from their catalogue which is named after The Marx Brothers’ movie of the same name. In 1985, my support for the band bordered on obsessiveness as I painstakingly collected every record from the group I could find.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdhtj8Jpaar_JNK6sXUvJeaUYYUDZVAtmKi31uAr8g4obgj1L1TBUuQYkbDuP8iIjIBCYNqSSU-YEiWQdQMRzZm9bLUUzkk8-lmZXoJdk9BRTB3eOA3K9F-Fa09GChH6NCpv7VDmVCof7Z7EXN_J8Dxo78trzS20vDx-y9Qr8BuSe5slo_200L-CkiDTc/s2913/A_Night_at_the_Opera_1935_half-sheet_poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2299" data-original-width="2913" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdhtj8Jpaar_JNK6sXUvJeaUYYUDZVAtmKi31uAr8g4obgj1L1TBUuQYkbDuP8iIjIBCYNqSSU-YEiWQdQMRzZm9bLUUzkk8-lmZXoJdk9BRTB3eOA3K9F-Fa09GChH6NCpv7VDmVCof7Z7EXN_J8Dxo78trzS20vDx-y9Qr8BuSe5slo_200L-CkiDTc/w400-h316/A_Night_at_the_Opera_1935_half-sheet_poster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-d7b245e3-7fff-74bf-199a-0de48ad9cb1e"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Like most people of my vintage (Late Generation Jones, Early Generation X, born 1963-1970), I discovered Queen in elementary school. For me, it was the release of Queen's 1977 album, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">News Of The World</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> which featured the single, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We Are The Champions, </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">with the B-side, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We Will Rock You.</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Both were ubiquitous on radio stations. Many of my friends purchased the single, the album or both and collectively, we helped rocket Queen to the Canadian Top 10 that winter.</span></span></span><br /></span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMsUesxhUyfaWt-bb7AnSGsg53vE7yjYxJsoWyUHVXGOslNS1bIGE9yjuFRqyADAdGUnhmZjgSevq_DvpYZp-eO_8YTd6VR-f5oEvsdMAI8_U4lT4pM5uef7nH1AFQBOIl3UL3116gkyZqTFsFrjnSYFeccluBwjepARmvxSZN-B8opzSPfFWcyyUUo2r/s1000/810rfsma2tL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="997" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMsUesxhUyfaWt-bb7AnSGsg53vE7yjYxJsoWyUHVXGOslNS1bIGE9yjuFRqyADAdGUnhmZjgSevq_DvpYZp-eO_8YTd6VR-f5oEvsdMAI8_U4lT4pM5uef7nH1AFQBOIl3UL3116gkyZqTFsFrjnSYFeccluBwjepARmvxSZN-B8opzSPfFWcyyUUo2r/w399-h400/810rfsma2tL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-6f1121e1-7fff-c989-4875-d494da98eeca"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The first Queen record I acquired was </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Game</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, released in 1980. I am surprised it is not on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> list. It was their biggest selling record, a critical success and featured five singles, including the monster hits </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Crazy Little Thing Called Love </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Another One Bites The Dust</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAiFGXaZhCTOv0fE71YwxxpMJtLsjTrYUvjLP_MWpLQrC4SxgRTAeP0QmELI1jBFYtrmoy2Rex9mpypR0N76hsaUuWnIV1_w4rDmXyhLAKbfL3nbfxkSK7WXQlKv6mUDuqRNvvYYsX5b4vTCE9GzYVvqhdUfODsB-Nk8NbsPJMxF6hgH2t3thMOhXzi2S/s300/Queen_The_Game.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAiFGXaZhCTOv0fE71YwxxpMJtLsjTrYUvjLP_MWpLQrC4SxgRTAeP0QmELI1jBFYtrmoy2Rex9mpypR0N76hsaUuWnIV1_w4rDmXyhLAKbfL3nbfxkSK7WXQlKv6mUDuqRNvvYYsX5b4vTCE9GzYVvqhdUfODsB-Nk8NbsPJMxF6hgH2t3thMOhXzi2S/w400-h400/Queen_The_Game.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Album cover <b><i>The Game</i></b> (1980).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-48df58f9-7fff-1a6f-1d91-1b73575811d7"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The winter of 1985 wasn't a great one. I had dropped out of university after a disastrous start. I was working an assortment of mind-numbingly boring jobs. I was a custodian at a community centre and arena, as well clerking midnights at a Mac's Milk convenience store. Adding to my misery were three short-lived attempts at relationships, each failing heartbreakingly quicker than the last. Throughout it all, Queen was a big part of the soundtrack. </span></span></span><br /></span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUU6NhYzmAMXcDiYqLLCk5EBpP7J9yo96PBRWb0cZxIFX6Do6PxUkotO_wQPCBwgMwSb491MhVCF90sBn-fS0av8r8Q2tcPFL3U3tXj7pBbsxHMQRD4sgpFria7ml2OVNpYB9VDr_l6W9Zv2KGPjzVBpHmWISHLHNqnbD-nsa2VVQeNIYXeIh-CvZdqxg2/s772/Macs%20over%20the%20years.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="772" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUU6NhYzmAMXcDiYqLLCk5EBpP7J9yo96PBRWb0cZxIFX6Do6PxUkotO_wQPCBwgMwSb491MhVCF90sBn-fS0av8r8Q2tcPFL3U3tXj7pBbsxHMQRD4sgpFria7ml2OVNpYB9VDr_l6W9Zv2KGPjzVBpHmWISHLHNqnbD-nsa2VVQeNIYXeIh-CvZdqxg2/w400-h109/Macs%20over%20the%20years.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mac's Milk logos through the decades. I worked around<br />the time of the middle one.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I'<span id="docs-internal-guid-11ffe109-7fff-7f95-e502-2eca2a88b911"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">m not sure what supercharged my Queen fandom that year. I think it might have been a melancholy moment listening to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Somebody To Love</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from their 1976 record </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A Day At The Races</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (another record with a title taken from a Marx Brothers' film). I was a bit of a hopeless romantic at the time -- which, in retrospect, hastened the collapse of those three ill-fated relationships. Regardless, I decided to take my sizable portion of disposable income (I was living at home) and invest in the entire Queen discography.</span></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjObeTb1geA6UmerZM1K_FFNvzmI7tTVDgJu-ac0m3ModSIvCw-JaHfJA-JS_4oRq56uQiV8EzjXuuo9uqNOKwWBcXgtUShdtts3FcturNy6pTV7QPPL6sgK2X6sNnT7Op8VYGsGhAD6Iz5tWBJEGdIIUk-2hCF6ifx-Oy-7_w_D93pCnrsemQlS3RV44D4/s300/A_Day_at_the_Races_(Queen).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjObeTb1geA6UmerZM1K_FFNvzmI7tTVDgJu-ac0m3ModSIvCw-JaHfJA-JS_4oRq56uQiV8EzjXuuo9uqNOKwWBcXgtUShdtts3FcturNy6pTV7QPPL6sgK2X6sNnT7Op8VYGsGhAD6Iz5tWBJEGdIIUk-2hCF6ifx-Oy-7_w_D93pCnrsemQlS3RV44D4/w400-h400/A_Day_at_the_Races_(Queen).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Album cover for <b><i>A Day At The Races </i></b>(1976).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-6fcd83ab-7fff-0e70-8dce-9daf0510c5cc"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">By March, 1986, I owned every Queen record on vinyl and had recorded them to cassette for playing in my car and on my portable stereo player (A JVC version of a Walkman). There were twelve records, everything from their first self-titled release to their 1984 album, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Works,</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> as well as the incredible 1979 concert record, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Live Killers</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. I'd even tracked down the elusive </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Star Fleet Project </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">record, a solo effort from Queen guitarist Brian May which also featured legendary axeman Eddie Van Halen. I wish I would have kept that one; it sells for over $50 on Ebay</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96HmIHkWoqQLu3aOD1PEFjjvFFybFWcoSkNwrCIwy4Gv1W_bsiBBhveh-VMkJ6-dAn3-iztfXkE5Ryo3c7a8T6BG1DYUpF3rbSo3J0O_db-PRkEjkt6vdIhNtUfXpTR9mF_ykC9SwW0axv3ILr0z8R6oSJRo3SsTdJMO3zmIvcxXvfooD5OvutmHqoS8q/s316/Starflet3pq.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96HmIHkWoqQLu3aOD1PEFjjvFFybFWcoSkNwrCIwy4Gv1W_bsiBBhveh-VMkJ6-dAn3-iztfXkE5Ryo3c7a8T6BG1DYUpF3rbSo3J0O_db-PRkEjkt6vdIhNtUfXpTR9mF_ykC9SwW0axv3ILr0z8R6oSJRo3SsTdJMO3zmIvcxXvfooD5OvutmHqoS8q/w400-h400/Starflet3pq.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Album Cover for <b><i>Star Fleet Project </i></b>from Brian May & Friends (1984).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-ea9a090c-7fff-9b2a-0b6e-47d90dc91063"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There are many stories and trivia about Queen that are all well documented. After all, Queen has had a global presence in pop culture and music for five decades and has sold 300 million records. Their singer, Freddie Mercury, and his powerful, four-octave vocal range, is often cited as the greatest frontman of all time. His life, and the story of Queen, was immortalized in the 2018 biopic </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Bohemian Rhapsody. </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The title was taken from the final track on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A Night At The Opera</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> album and has the distinction of being the only song to hit the top of the charts in three decades as it is discovered by a new generation of fans. It is also, currently, the most streamed song from the 20th Century.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7yhukIrqWmvh2J0qUg24x7dMtAlUWVlZvS5YcHniCQh7gEAhpBjfogbv55OZoosGodWulNs-neTIQRs9tCqU5_aDbDjIKE06xBy6aiI5sQrTvbFiRuMa_tOhEFo1l7gspZI5Gp70mx4yEjKOfx6oCzO2x87htbfKssuKQYTYvWQHg5Smr-Bj6tGXJro8Q/s2048/MV5BMTA2NDc3Njg5NDVeQTJeQWpwZ15BbWU4MDc1NDcxNTUz._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1381" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7yhukIrqWmvh2J0qUg24x7dMtAlUWVlZvS5YcHniCQh7gEAhpBjfogbv55OZoosGodWulNs-neTIQRs9tCqU5_aDbDjIKE06xBy6aiI5sQrTvbFiRuMa_tOhEFo1l7gspZI5Gp70mx4yEjKOfx6oCzO2x87htbfKssuKQYTYvWQHg5Smr-Bj6tGXJro8Q/w270-h400/MV5BMTA2NDc3Njg5NDVeQTJeQWpwZ15BbWU4MDc1NDcxNTUz._V1_.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Poster for the film <b><i>Bohemian Rhapsody</i></b>.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-d94544a7-7fff-06d4-e2ea-8304df7e7270"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Despite the popularity of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Bohemian Rhapsody</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, I selected the song </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">39</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, sung not by Mercury but by guitarist May, for my own </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/593854958258268077#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Playlist</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. It is one of those deeper cuts that often found its way onto mixed cassettes I made for people in the ‘80s. The song tells the story of a group of space explorers who embark on an interstellar journey that, to them, seems to take a year. However, due to the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_dilation#:~:text=Time%20dilation%20is%20the%20difference,their%20locations%20(general%20relativity)." style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">time dilation effect</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (proven in </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/593854958258268077#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Einstein's special theory of relativity</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">) they return to find their loved ones have grown old or died. May, who was fascinated by time travel, later completed his PhD thesis defence in astrophysics.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dYL9dV5o5pcm65OOlsCL5XlmslZ2j0yi6bPbpSgG3bjxh6G8ZwH_cWQci_5yQ1B1I_T47bcIWCbr_PcCYTWJT-NX9qClxOQZVAGT3zu0a6IH-ZCzIvwkLtOgQrRJq5nVEec1hN2W9EEvcaRRDUCKBcX6USIGpLemBBzRDFNpDJitMuufzrBSl-ojSWk1/s450/8c6559bdc449826701edcdc2f36953d8.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="450" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dYL9dV5o5pcm65OOlsCL5XlmslZ2j0yi6bPbpSgG3bjxh6G8ZwH_cWQci_5yQ1B1I_T47bcIWCbr_PcCYTWJT-NX9qClxOQZVAGT3zu0a6IH-ZCzIvwkLtOgQrRJq5nVEec1hN2W9EEvcaRRDUCKBcX6USIGpLemBBzRDFNpDJitMuufzrBSl-ojSWk1/w400-h343/8c6559bdc449826701edcdc2f36953d8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">May graduating with his PhD in Astrophysics in 2007.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-51eab34b-7fff-d459-7514-5ffc95847f27"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I can relate. My conventional time-travelling journey has taken me from adolescent fandom in 1976 to obsessive devotion in 1985 to a deep respect and a nostalgic love for Queen today. Relistening to anything from their catalogue transports me back in time and I can remember inhabiting the body of a confused and hopelessly romantic 20-year-old who thought he'd lost his way. He didn't. Life would be amazing by September, 1986, which I’ll get to with Paul Simon’s </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Graceland</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (#71 on The 500) in about three years.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">"Don't you hear my call though you're many years away?</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">Don't you hear me calling you?</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">All your letters in the sand cannot heal me like your hand</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">For my life</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">Still ahead</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">Pity me" </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><b><i>39</i></b> Queen (1975)</span></span></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-65564503669613140842024-01-01T11:18:00.000-08:002024-01-01T11:18:42.800-08:00The 500 - #232 - Kink Kronikles - The Kinks<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #232<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Kink Kronikles</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> The Kinks<br /><b>Genre: </b>Rock - Pop <br /><b>Recorded: </b>Pye Studios and Morgan Studios, London, U.K. (1966-1971)</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> March, 1972<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 6<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Somewhat</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> No<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>Apeman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfW3Dx0ko7M02zrGgu0O8Ptj31OW9jmmjcAZDotTA-LQsLeUnKpg33JcN-qL8E5gFmmCRImjSHGad4fwUyCIjIt4XOFXzmxx0AoQQSU_6s870OnH1lhl5d5lHnsFOdggTIf8GGwc-vk5Yd0JmyzH64qLKoBW9XB9Ufe7jJL5b_HA8dMWPw6BRYUPW8Qx2O/s500/90.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfW3Dx0ko7M02zrGgu0O8Ptj31OW9jmmjcAZDotTA-LQsLeUnKpg33JcN-qL8E5gFmmCRImjSHGad4fwUyCIjIt4XOFXzmxx0AoQQSU_6s870OnH1lhl5d5lHnsFOdggTIf8GGwc-vk5Yd0JmyzH64qLKoBW9XB9Ufe7jJL5b_HA8dMWPw6BRYUPW8Qx2O/w400-h400/90.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a4ed37cc-7fff-9250-2f06-e6de71856169"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">For over a decade, I have started the school year each September by sharing a quote with my students. It is often ascribed to musician and composer Frank Zappa (#297 and #246 on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">The 500</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">), although I can't verify this. Regardless, it reads: "A mind is like a parachute, it doesn't work if it is not open."</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV3QT9m88xwItY0jnt6a_co02GQ5j8eQQoZ4kexWf5WxNSSVpMaiTPStRhclf3rpoisu4clKVhKyaG8_RSU2DGQIdq3w3lkOpxlWSqalzP8Z9fhyphenhyphenP0-BEdIG_hl9iPtsI6Z03UnxbTfGGDmvBGS8KsiU45HOoO3TrmdGhZC_nysXY8gx6njuJqMZkWC7t/s548/EIz_8nFUYAEXG7O.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="548" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkV3QT9m88xwItY0jnt6a_co02GQ5j8eQQoZ4kexWf5WxNSSVpMaiTPStRhclf3rpoisu4clKVhKyaG8_RSU2DGQIdq3w3lkOpxlWSqalzP8Z9fhyphenhyphenP0-BEdIG_hl9iPtsI6Z03UnxbTfGGDmvBGS8KsiU45HOoO3TrmdGhZC_nysXY8gx6njuJqMZkWC7t/w400-h225/EIz_8nFUYAEXG7O.png" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-e32d5009-7fff-0186-9105-4cfe2e9c7329"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My purpose is to encourage my young charges to approach the challenges and opportunities of the new school year with an open mind and a willingness to take risks. At a time when social media has super-charged the dissemination of misinformation and, worse still, disinformation, it is essential to foster critical thinking by creating an environment in which students can handle a steady bombardment of new information by questioning and analyzing what is being said. Through analysis, my pre-teens learn to sort the chaff from the wheat – to determine what can be substantiated through facts and research in order to form sound opinions. </span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5_aA88f6Hk04aZMKHLGfLwwyo2uq_tUvMysxFqWMTexXbcCT-6aGk8uc6vVLrw61ILizheGMFHn5ORbpXuZpiFxtZJPTTxXDEsaSUu5XPsnjMuX2PwclN74ymnzi6BYjZYEmpFyF877Po4UXLTJzEnZtE_quSMM1qXZR460QLPLwHA9hpSoZD5xvHhU_/s1500/Teaching+Critical+Thinking+Skills.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5_aA88f6Hk04aZMKHLGfLwwyo2uq_tUvMysxFqWMTexXbcCT-6aGk8uc6vVLrw61ILizheGMFHn5ORbpXuZpiFxtZJPTTxXDEsaSUu5XPsnjMuX2PwclN74ymnzi6BYjZYEmpFyF877Po4UXLTJzEnZtE_quSMM1qXZR460QLPLwHA9hpSoZD5xvHhU_/w400-h266/Teaching+Critical+Thinking+Skills.png" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-968a0c7f-7fff-6d99-7517-0c894a2a0cf9"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That is where I fell down as a teen, but learned a lesson that I am anxious to pass on to my students because in my younger, impressionable days I was not particularly skilled at "open-mindedness". I would frequently lock in an opinion based on limited information, and fiercely defend it because, as a friend eventually pointed out, accurately: "You always think you have the corner on the truth, and you don't." It was a tough pill to swallow; but it helped me change for the better (a little at least).</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOAvs3MFc94BumK2SP2fBAOQkiYzeCiXtoixM-rDiGFccpitqkIKL8Gt_9PM7S8rG2DKP45jR0MLcmptWy_NO37FGKmXmtzRA5Q9OWLSCJyWu7Lqz9YckxU1T2IvFMFYGCS8PIDNlN8yYQnDFnp0kILaJ8dF3eTLJ3OU4LLtGoeb0kG6ROuyodoiLo84r/s640/911878f5632f6efe9ddb9c0c1168f59e.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOAvs3MFc94BumK2SP2fBAOQkiYzeCiXtoixM-rDiGFccpitqkIKL8Gt_9PM7S8rG2DKP45jR0MLcmptWy_NO37FGKmXmtzRA5Q9OWLSCJyWu7Lqz9YckxU1T2IvFMFYGCS8PIDNlN8yYQnDFnp0kILaJ8dF3eTLJ3OU4LLtGoeb0kG6ROuyodoiLo84r/w400-h400/911878f5632f6efe9ddb9c0c1168f59e.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-e6fcfa96-7fff-1030-373e-9e54e3238497"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Back in the day, my rigid mindset was powerfully and, in retrospect, comically evident in my taste in music. I once decided that I hated the hard rock band AC/DC because a guy on my water-polo team wore an AC/DC T-shirt and told me that my favourite band, Rush, sucked. I remained adamant in my petulant view until I was nearly twenty when the undeniable talent of AC/DC (with records at #200 and #77 on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">The 500</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">) disabused me of my stubborn notion.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7c2H1HsABar-9j-flJt1sPxiLLVq6HJKtqL11PdbGjfmU14ztx_Mmvlq1TZmdhxyP47oM5qz_aQ_ul1zXqTTSYX2EJZvTo55yiLZG_sFjQtZhxHggc5QvWXrRBuxFPPHFNp586VgpZeMteOXJDfRh7gvBz5NjV93AejEFY0CAED9vjZ5ubmIp8cWe0rVb/s1200/ACDC_Back_in_Black_cover.svg.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7c2H1HsABar-9j-flJt1sPxiLLVq6HJKtqL11PdbGjfmU14ztx_Mmvlq1TZmdhxyP47oM5qz_aQ_ul1zXqTTSYX2EJZvTo55yiLZG_sFjQtZhxHggc5QvWXrRBuxFPPHFNp586VgpZeMteOXJDfRh7gvBz5NjV93AejEFY0CAED9vjZ5ubmIp8cWe0rVb/w400-h400/ACDC_Back_in_Black_cover.svg.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Album cover for <b><i>Back In Black</i></b> from ACDC #77 on <b><i>The 500</i></b>.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span id="docs-internal-guid-b082353f-7fff-b645-fa87-feff71b3bf7b" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">This week's album is </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Kink Kronikles</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, the third and final record from the British rock band, The Kinks, to appear on the The 500 list.</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6556450366961314084#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I wrote about #289,</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Something Else By The Kinks</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, in November, 2022. My frequent guest blogger, Various Artists,</span><span style="color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shared his connections with #258</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, in July, 2023.</span></span></span><br /></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCt7GI6oM-dG2pTCqM93xwcpuoNcledUKEL2lEtOBPpdl9K9qiedQNeUmBwQBK_amxJ6DqTSz45sWvnb_QRsGm8wsrqjja4rewEzYXYE5dHGblm7hY_nCRTqOZso-wVErF3JbX_kdign5khuei1ZZc8H7M3N146Cw-fR6AHkzMU-47GqfnCIiO0V2xbJnj/s750/56cc267f87609.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="750" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCt7GI6oM-dG2pTCqM93xwcpuoNcledUKEL2lEtOBPpdl9K9qiedQNeUmBwQBK_amxJ6DqTSz45sWvnb_QRsGm8wsrqjja4rewEzYXYE5dHGblm7hY_nCRTqOZso-wVErF3JbX_kdign5khuei1ZZc8H7M3N146Cw-fR6AHkzMU-47GqfnCIiO0V2xbJnj/w400-h225/56cc267f87609.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Kinks in the 60s were (l-r) Ray Davies, Mick Avory, <br />Peter Quaife and Dave Davies.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kink Kronikles</i></b> is an anthology that contains 14 tracks from the band's five previous albums, as well as 13 non-album singles. It was compiled without input from the band members. Rather, it was curated by musician, rock journalist (and Kinks’ fan) John Mendelsohn.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hCrKCBbWZ5Am9VgaoEaZNa1RgfOBwK_y2Lor6_te-gcol6vkGG2mJ9BfiTu9_9vwxawqCmife7S5F0j5akU8pp0nn28iaxkNxs_2Sa4dHOHwf49hLtnPzZgplF78opDjCVWsco7mBkpt3LNNRGlWa0kSJ7l6gLr34IQHB9_-UYoiaj6VFWYxAvI66ipx/s270/A-1706054-1528023001-5821.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="196" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hCrKCBbWZ5Am9VgaoEaZNa1RgfOBwK_y2Lor6_te-gcol6vkGG2mJ9BfiTu9_9vwxawqCmife7S5F0j5akU8pp0nn28iaxkNxs_2Sa4dHOHwf49hLtnPzZgplF78opDjCVWsco7mBkpt3LNNRGlWa0kSJ7l6gLr34IQHB9_-UYoiaj6VFWYxAvI66ipx/w290-h400/A-1706054-1528023001-5821.jpg" width="290" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Mendelsohn (1970s)</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-854e1614-7fff-be53-452c-0407d8e4a679"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mendelsohn was approached by the record company Reprise to assemble a two-record set specifically designed to re-introduce American audiences to the group. Although The Kinks had early success in the coveted United States market, particularly with the 1964 hit </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">You Really Got Me</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, their popularity waned between 1965 and 1971 after being banned from performing in America.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5sgixXGJ6R36ppXiEjPQQ9KY3U8WFjAMpzTBr5aPHjX4BZhBVWMS4r1YsDCmzxEVur_shl-odpTGUhOYgjccWhVfzyLCOSCVq2O8JbfqCPMC_atSzEUK6OhO5_TR88dhrtvWPjri74ITaZXD1uYJwUJvJjQ-Xn4U68Pf5MfBfwdNmhqVafbPgzXw9e-i/s1920/TheKinksBanner.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5sgixXGJ6R36ppXiEjPQQ9KY3U8WFjAMpzTBr5aPHjX4BZhBVWMS4r1YsDCmzxEVur_shl-odpTGUhOYgjccWhVfzyLCOSCVq2O8JbfqCPMC_atSzEUK6OhO5_TR88dhrtvWPjri74ITaZXD1uYJwUJvJjQ-Xn4U68Pf5MfBfwdNmhqVafbPgzXw9e-i/w400-h250/TheKinksBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Kinks, performing in the 60s.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c9c61e82-7fff-6b27-4c7f-59864418ae22"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I covered in my previous post, The Kinks were a volatile group, with brothers Ray and Dave Davies regularly coming to blows on stage. In 1965, following a mid-year tour of the United States, The American Federation of Musicians began refusing permits for the band to perform because of their public behavior. The prohibition lasted four years, right into the heart of The British Invasion when their contemporaries, such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who, were making hay while the sun shined.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjwxbYkDTsnH2TwDwRf6stD7YfJt5CNcD6eXsxV6mjKkAUiYMIEl13qPUv0vZPAZeHgKZ1xmIEki4eW5EWzDYEMzp2UkSZoZkxgECdsraQYLz9qlCVnBb-rsDyvzz3ehYZZsGYNZ5RtXb0cGBTVdumLZDyXdlogtdLHHcTDuIHqZErT5uLStRCvwib6ke/s254/download%20(24).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="254" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjwxbYkDTsnH2TwDwRf6stD7YfJt5CNcD6eXsxV6mjKkAUiYMIEl13qPUv0vZPAZeHgKZ1xmIEki4eW5EWzDYEMzp2UkSZoZkxgECdsraQYLz9qlCVnBb-rsDyvzz3ehYZZsGYNZ5RtXb0cGBTVdumLZDyXdlogtdLHHcTDuIHqZErT5uLStRCvwib6ke/w400-h313/download%20(24).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four bands considered part of The British Invasion.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-8b94a302-7fff-b93e-bbdf-359cbe8fe272"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Shortly after starting my journey through The 500, I encountered many anthologies and "best of" albums on the list. The first record was Loretta Lynn's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">All Time Greatest Hits (#478)</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">. I was firmly of the opinion that it did not belong there. In fact, I wrote.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><blockquote><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"(the Lynn record) </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #353535; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">seemed an unusual choice for the Rolling Stone list. It isn't an album - it's a collection of songs from many albums. Somehow, that seems like cheating."</span></span></blockquote><span style="background-color: white; color: #353535; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #353535;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-711e93d2-7fff-9f17-3514-6d26c48dee08"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">However, I have </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">opened my parachute mind,</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> and revised my opinion on compilations on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">The 500</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> list. It was the aforementioned Various Artists, who first pushed back on my stance. He offered several instances and cogent arguments about the value of these collections. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Kink Kronikles,</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">is one of several examples on the list of a thoughtfully and artistically organized compendium of a musician's or band's songs. It is not a haphazard collection of hits intended to repackage existing material for another bite at the financial apple.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZ5AP7USkxbKs5xmsG5vLajZLpP2ANpm3-_po-aqIZs2I_hW5__XPU04YJmnrbeb_2Fx_o3BFONB7hD_hCKnm3bnPL4Zze_zXlR1mjF-4Ln5r-R2enwZeDaGbRKTEuwmV_vxwjfy-iHXs0Nipzvn8sAskpKc6t3q2WoRmizmymNrkFV4afoxuSj3-BV6G/s1000/MV5BMmZmNDEyYzktMDUxZS00Mzg5LWFkYTEtYWRkYjcwNWVjY2YxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTIyNTMyMA@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1000" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZ5AP7USkxbKs5xmsG5vLajZLpP2ANpm3-_po-aqIZs2I_hW5__XPU04YJmnrbeb_2Fx_o3BFONB7hD_hCKnm3bnPL4Zze_zXlR1mjF-4Ln5r-R2enwZeDaGbRKTEuwmV_vxwjfy-iHXs0Nipzvn8sAskpKc6t3q2WoRmizmymNrkFV4afoxuSj3-BV6G/w400-h390/MV5BMmZmNDEyYzktMDUxZS00Mzg5LWFkYTEtYWRkYjcwNWVjY2YxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTIyNTMyMA@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-7f94ee68-7fff-0cda-004e-377f33557c55"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">These records are also top sellers, universally loved by millions. Of the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">100 All-Time Best Selling Albums Worldwide</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, 17 are Greatest Hits or Anthology releases -- including four in the Top 20. That doesn't include another eight on the 100 that are soundtrack compilations.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihlRkX87wywn1slDaEd7QPTurOyfMrF7H12thgcGW3aRxpxfr7ZYk-L5jrTv_pghy3bLWIbxKX8BkKTbPSB-7ueHcC2Y3xoAoPqkAnTeRICZ17KfF3bSQnBsLaIFiaO-7tayX1yZIPHxP7DYh8szR28XkX-w4Y07YGo7MiuAF3XHV9tMvUxxE8BWVLL-A0/s1500/GCZDvQtXQAEutrJ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1125" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihlRkX87wywn1slDaEd7QPTurOyfMrF7H12thgcGW3aRxpxfr7ZYk-L5jrTv_pghy3bLWIbxKX8BkKTbPSB-7ueHcC2Y3xoAoPqkAnTeRICZ17KfF3bSQnBsLaIFiaO-7tayX1yZIPHxP7DYh8szR28XkX-w4Y07YGo7MiuAF3XHV9tMvUxxE8BWVLL-A0/w300-h400/GCZDvQtXQAEutrJ.jpg" width="300" /></a></div></span></span></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Consequently, the guy who thought these records were "cheats" back in 2019 has given up his corner on the truth. One might argue that a few of the records are simply a way to shoehorn an important artist onto the list when a single album might not make the cut. But, that is a debate for another day, and it is certainly not the case for <b><i>Kink Kronikles</i></b> – an absolute gem of a compilation that I thoroughly enjoyed.<br /><br /><br />Happy New Year, folks.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-30243285865218995402023-12-24T10:11:00.000-08:002023-12-25T15:24:32.787-08:00The 500 - #233 - Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #233<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Mr. Tambourine Man</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> The Byrds<br /><b>Genre: </b>Folk Rock<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Columbia Studios - Hollywood, California</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> June, 1965<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 20 days before my birth<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> A few songs</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> Yes, at #287, down 54 spots since 2012<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJy1DjKSRHRpgUZfNeFsqNUFDFVPn9M6dMn9q7QJ_vrEDofpN7wgapDStfUmbMKdim-Sq_tBYbZoAHA3oAyXGYtnOzcvV0Yh8RqBvQ16IUSyeg2_Q-v_Uvs5QVyLqEYvek33Com1Q8ietfFDwyiGfJxXq6S30Jn-lejPdHWAA2V6oKUetMKy9IuJ-U1Wu/s300/Byrds-MrTambourineMan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJy1DjKSRHRpgUZfNeFsqNUFDFVPn9M6dMn9q7QJ_vrEDofpN7wgapDStfUmbMKdim-Sq_tBYbZoAHA3oAyXGYtnOzcvV0Yh8RqBvQ16IUSyeg2_Q-v_Uvs5QVyLqEYvek33Com1Q8ietfFDwyiGfJxXq6S30Jn-lejPdHWAA2V6oKUetMKy9IuJ-U1Wu/w400-h400/Byrds-MrTambourineMan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-1a1955f7-7fff-6638-022e-cb0ad2207556"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">To say "I like lists" seems a bit self-evident. After all, this is the 377th entry of a blog series working through Rolling Stone Magazine's compendium of <b><i>The </i></b></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><i>5</i></b></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">00 Greatest Albums of All Time. </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">However, an inventory of ranked items isn't the only list I like. Whether I am grocery shopping, planning a trip, or preparing school lessons for the week, I delight in the order that a catalogue brings. I've long struggled with sustained focus and attention. A list keeps me from burdensome multi-tasking, particularly when facing deadlines. In fact, the students and I use an inventory practically every day to plan our shared work periods. As well, I sequence priority tasks we are working on. Below is an example from the week of December 18-22.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJNd30UR9DeWO-rFxYhOe2lV6va7vsujCAKLEweADmrWM0sH4dkaiz5HC25pDNKN3BkRLJHts3sBO3nxpOeJzHoNseHXkIWj0u4CH2ABSZq_laisFkYDAR0GvfA53qAeON2QTXPx9cQZ4oyq9TgiOMiPgZkB1ESxaJ8OSpT5oQlldeJgL6Bb6fYR3qqnc/s960/Cycle%208%20Week%20of%20December%2018%20-%20January%20Cycle%20%238%20DayBook%20%23HClass23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJNd30UR9DeWO-rFxYhOe2lV6va7vsujCAKLEweADmrWM0sH4dkaiz5HC25pDNKN3BkRLJHts3sBO3nxpOeJzHoNseHXkIWj0u4CH2ABSZq_laisFkYDAR0GvfA53qAeON2QTXPx9cQZ4oyq9TgiOMiPgZkB1ESxaJ8OSpT5oQlldeJgL6Bb6fYR3qqnc/w400-h225/Cycle%208%20Week%20of%20December%2018%20-%20January%20Cycle%20%238%20DayBook%20%23HClass23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-78dcaaf1-7fff-2fe2-316d-12a5f798e5d1"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psychologists agree that "our tendency to detect patterns is built into our cognitive process". Consequently, we like to bring order to information and tasks. Additionally, completing tasks on a list provides a dopamine release. Writing this blog post is on my "To Do List" today. I know I will feel a sense of accomplishment when I set it aside for editing. Plus, I’ll get a dopamine hit for completing the blog and another for ticking off one more album from an ever -shrinking-list of records. Only 232 to go.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rhgAuJ6JEqKxWuiGzSoRddu8O7n31HQ2WrlVT0UUPLBIGM8KUDAHP6w-OBxrgVOsZqQFZ-2hKlcomIH3u0ILggMO9OUT_w55uo1oUJYLiqQi-BomeDV2bgawYhQjPETn5R5HhgV0AhHe5V8GStSS-xqaFtSRYe6twH9Rr2c8dnIt9jeCnKbm3wOLv0HG/s1100/lk_harlan_to-do-list_final_slide-6aaf506ab59a595f8f3494bdcc51b1a98ab40789-s1100-c50.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1100" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rhgAuJ6JEqKxWuiGzSoRddu8O7n31HQ2WrlVT0UUPLBIGM8KUDAHP6w-OBxrgVOsZqQFZ-2hKlcomIH3u0ILggMO9OUT_w55uo1oUJYLiqQi-BomeDV2bgawYhQjPETn5R5HhgV0AhHe5V8GStSS-xqaFtSRYe6twH9Rr2c8dnIt9jeCnKbm3wOLv0HG/w400-h266/lk_harlan_to-do-list_final_slide-6aaf506ab59a595f8f3494bdcc51b1a98ab40789-s1100-c50.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-c8895416-7fff-e782-c3c5-17d15292825f"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Last week, my mother gave me my Christmas gifts a few days early. Among the sugary treats, such as British wine gums and a Terry's Chocolate Orange, was the book </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, edited by Robert Dimery.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLG_Flk0gV9wYy6D90FFif_ZTyjwKRvqQag96KiQpTPO-aFQAZdR7CXcgEocF1uI6Bh4FJLjZkqSiecZhDmwilZjIpx712zxwxY7HMWwRoey7KHtXHKDwP06qMds4-zc-ZVJWjKhQ3P5fkgvgui5bJ2dZhVJ185A1RUrE3lBkLXduRW5E1HapNX0o1KuLv/s1000/91+O8svTMkL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="754" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLG_Flk0gV9wYy6D90FFif_ZTyjwKRvqQag96KiQpTPO-aFQAZdR7CXcgEocF1uI6Bh4FJLjZkqSiecZhDmwilZjIpx712zxwxY7HMWwRoey7KHtXHKDwP06qMds4-zc-ZVJWjKhQ3P5fkgvgui5bJ2dZhVJ185A1RUrE3lBkLXduRW5E1HapNX0o1KuLv/w301-h400/91+O8svTMkL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-146efa73-7fff-7f5b-4aa3-2549218ea20a"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Unlike the graded </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">500 Greatest Albums</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, this book is an unranked compendium of 1001 albums, listed chronologically spanning 50 years (1955 - 2005). I prefer that tabulation method. Ranked lists are far more likely to rankle. My friends and I have had many debates about albums that "should" be on the list and we've wondered why each specific album falls where it does. For example, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Mr. Tambourine Man </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">by The Byrds is one rank higher than </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Bookends</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> by Simon & Garfunkel. That just seems arbitrary. One isn't quantifiably better than the other. After all, we are talking about the sonic and cultural impact of an artistic endeavor, not an empirical measurement. But, as <b><i>The </i></b></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">500 Podcast</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> host, Josh Adam Meyers, often says, "The list is butt cheeks, but we abide by the list".</span></span></span></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUoa1TmssxNLuxNOEHwm1uxsM-GhqaQ8ytdPQcG3ZcEvZsitxqrNPuDKNJTsYI4d0KAQ0NCHcF5MrIYeBlrNaUeBBOVkD36z7Yl_g-UiGh1jLZhSbvI0p6ZbgxJhu9j4MvvxovNmJ2xKvh21xOwMOmY9cTicWEAwTOImlId2Bc0BEbYJW3-cVaDQ5B0WI/s225/images%20(13).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUoa1TmssxNLuxNOEHwm1uxsM-GhqaQ8ytdPQcG3ZcEvZsitxqrNPuDKNJTsYI4d0KAQ0NCHcF5MrIYeBlrNaUeBBOVkD36z7Yl_g-UiGh1jLZhSbvI0p6ZbgxJhu9j4MvvxovNmJ2xKvh21xOwMOmY9cTicWEAwTOImlId2Bc0BEbYJW3-cVaDQ5B0WI/w400-h400/images%20(13).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-8331d944-7fff-40d3-c585-971eda2580ef" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Mr. Tambourine Man </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">is the debut release from Los Angeles-based folk rock band The Byrds. It is the first of four records from The Byrds to appear on the list, and it is one of five records by the band to appear in the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">1001 Albums</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> book. In 1965, The Byrds featured David Crosby, Gene Clark, Michael Clarke, Chris Hillman and Roger "Jim" McGuinn. Clark was the drummer and the other four members were multi-instrumentalists who all sang. The album contains original material, but is mainly cover-versions of existing folk songs from Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger and Jackie DeShannon.</span></span></span><br /></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7w7aJDu4eaMnvGHZ7qF1eCp0cs-dSiZqUxqKe2aJvM8E4HXmKg_VRBN_v89ORE3qgAiCJOQrat2SlWgul-RIwRlKoRDZAOJ7wWP9BZIsJO33yF7fmqfTcpuVVFjU2-WQIQK8SMWK1uk7mpwQw6yrnaAGWS4yPd71fKoOSK5lZs6WIAyCYKBUbWUTfhwE0/s385/The_Byrds_in_1965.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="385" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7w7aJDu4eaMnvGHZ7qF1eCp0cs-dSiZqUxqKe2aJvM8E4HXmKg_VRBN_v89ORE3qgAiCJOQrat2SlWgul-RIwRlKoRDZAOJ7wWP9BZIsJO33yF7fmqfTcpuVVFjU2-WQIQK8SMWK1uk7mpwQw6yrnaAGWS4yPd71fKoOSK5lZs6WIAyCYKBUbWUTfhwE0/w400-h268/The_Byrds_in_1965.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Byrds (l-r) Crosby, Clark, Clarke, Hillman & McGuinn (1965).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The Byrds pioneered the folk-rock genre by melding the contemporary sound of folk music (Dylan, Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary and The Kingston Trio) with the bands of The British Invasion, specifically The Beatles. Indeed, their decision to spell Birds with a “y” was a collegial nod to the Beatles’ decision to swap in an “a” for an “e” – as in Beetles.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />The Byrds’ sound was characterized by a blend of "crystal clear harmony singing and McGuinn's signature jangly guitar". The sound was achieved with a 12-string, Rickenbacker guitar. McGuinn had become enamoured with the Rickenbacker after seeing Beatle George Harrison playing one in the film <b><i>A Hard Day's Night</i></b>. Harrison's model was a Fireglo, with a pointy end and cut-aways on the body. McGuinn could not find that style, but settled on a Golden Rickenbacker Mapleglo 360 version because he said the colour reminded him of a Palomino horse.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpkJAamhUW1szx3rPrwsT9diTxyzy-RfMmEHsX4DpmjJqQezm3LQ9WdbLQLOuMfkCkIq-OCAqUUC9yPRvMvx3Miet654NjhYRdKfkx88wS1j-WqLo88Ip6yGIkbgO6jlWvkjIyeTF1Jpdb4Tcptof90Pgs0N0DtsQFm4aS3512yUbgoeduwCjgM1Alfhyphenhyphen/s1000/rickenbacker-mcguinn-ltd-ed-mapleglo-1989-cons-full-front.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="1000" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpkJAamhUW1szx3rPrwsT9diTxyzy-RfMmEHsX4DpmjJqQezm3LQ9WdbLQLOuMfkCkIq-OCAqUUC9yPRvMvx3Miet654NjhYRdKfkx88wS1j-WqLo88Ip6yGIkbgO6jlWvkjIyeTF1Jpdb4Tcptof90Pgs0N0DtsQFm4aS3512yUbgoeduwCjgM1Alfhyphenhyphen/w400-h170/rickenbacker-mcguinn-ltd-ed-mapleglo-1989-cons-full-front.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A replica of the 12-string Rickenbacker guitar played by McGuinn</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-1d5f1344-7fff-2379-7e52-35fdddb52568"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">McGuinn was already a talented banjo player, so he transferred that picking style to the Rickenbacker. The result was the gorgeous arpeggio (broken chord) sound that appears on some of The Byrds' biggest hits, including </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mr. Tambourine Man</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Turn Turn Turn</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. The instrument can also be strummed to create the pleasing "jangle-pop" sound. Jangle-pop is a term that emerged in 1965 and is attributed specifically to the sound of The Byrds and their version of Bob Dylan’s </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mr. Tambourine Man</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> on this debut album of the same name. Remarkably, Dylan had only recorded the original, acoustic version of the song in March, 1965. The Byrds made it a number one hit the same year. Reportedly, this series of events partially inspired Dylan to "go electric" at the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965 -- a controversial decision that was met with a chorus of boos from many of the folk purists in attendance. It is a story we will get to when we reach album #31, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Bringing It All Back Home,</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> in about four years.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHsnv_0nHuTs_TYXU5p44yH-4wXfFVfNNuTTAWUScpb00k-BBdJYkkHncW_VMb0TzrrmoMzBBZg0CjvyIafrKFtuDu7h5zs5Bx6hec7HqCn1jPeaeGzQbQMEaIlPUxbc2q-t7nXFSiik7KUFQLNCpljRKcfW-62mTVcjedVIZy5S0peKXdCuygRNsF-Op/s300/Bob_Dylan_-_Bringing_It_All_Back_Home.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHsnv_0nHuTs_TYXU5p44yH-4wXfFVfNNuTTAWUScpb00k-BBdJYkkHncW_VMb0TzrrmoMzBBZg0CjvyIafrKFtuDu7h5zs5Bx6hec7HqCn1jPeaeGzQbQMEaIlPUxbc2q-t7nXFSiik7KUFQLNCpljRKcfW-62mTVcjedVIZy5S0peKXdCuygRNsF-Op/w400-h400/Bob_Dylan_-_Bringing_It_All_Back_Home.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br />Without a doubt, my favourite song on The Byrds' <b><i>Mr. Tambourine Man</i></b> is the second track, <b><i>I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better</i></b>. It is one of only five original songs from Clark and McGuinn that appear on the record. Tom Petty recorded a version of the song on his 1989 album, <b><i>Full Moon Fever</i></b>. Disappointingly, Petty's record is not on <b><i>The 500</i></b> list, despite being a commercial and critical juggernaut in the late‘80s and early ‘90s. Fortunately, Rolling Stone corrected the mistake on the 2020 version of the list where it appears at position #298. <br /><br />So much for lists.<br /><br />Except my current To Do list. As I write, – Christmas 2023 is two days away and I have so much to do. However, I can now strike this blog post off my task roster – and the first of four Byrds' records on The 500, <b><i>Mr. Tambourine Man</i></b>, is in my rearview mirror. The dopamine rush feels…ahhh! </span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-33031779906745957232023-12-17T14:42:00.000-08:002023-12-24T10:36:59.507-08:00The 500 - #234 - Bookends - Simon & Garfunkel<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #234<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Bookends</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Simon & Garfunkel<br /><b>Genre: </b>Folk Rock<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Columbia - 52 Street Studios, New York, New York</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> April, 1968<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 2<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Most of it</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> No<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>Mrs. Robinson</i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszEonxGko33owoy3IwEd1erU0EfwOqxyP4t6qHkSbGWvT-w1P8ZS-nAFSKqq3IbTeEkXApCKJrsKVX7-s8lDVlMYSAyXByyMz7-4FaSNxA76MzaYux8cTG9vaNPU0QK4ICgyq3x9diTk5ZRqJ8kP7p4RKCgHvp2XLGmdzyzNlUgq3wKohIlwVUCwCO2RV/s1000/71m+UbLj6FL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszEonxGko33owoy3IwEd1erU0EfwOqxyP4t6qHkSbGWvT-w1P8ZS-nAFSKqq3IbTeEkXApCKJrsKVX7-s8lDVlMYSAyXByyMz7-4FaSNxA76MzaYux8cTG9vaNPU0QK4ICgyq3x9diTk5ZRqJ8kP7p4RKCgHvp2XLGmdzyzNlUgq3wKohIlwVUCwCO2RV/w400-h400/71m+UbLj6FL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-da12ee6f-7fff-ea16-d74c-9c065d1b1f2b"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In September, 1980, my dad took me out of school for one week for a surprise trip to California and Nevada. This recently minted 15-year-old saw all the Hollywood sites, made famous in movies and television shows I had loved as a kid. I climbed Bell Mountain and spent a night sleeping under the stars on Coyote Dry Bed Lake in the desert. I saw a Mojave Green Rattlesnake and a Californian Scorpion in the wild. We visited the Hoover Dam and spent two nights in Las Vegas where I played video games in the Circus Circus casino that wouldn't make it to Canada for months.</span></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygt2Ual8aiBUVIcKjnVSnpK7-Gb9YBHhzNXpxtsIa-5A2ddk42ANKb2LzsxJuuuG-sa0xXnthjTGfED4rs0kK_XnH6oCN1nvIPMMSPmBu81uHidTV1YdVlf9arg2kH19l7_AEJVq-GxKyaycFCwQWh7RnqaVzcOvAPzWZsv9_IJJhl3TQw7OfX6L8qH3A/s898/s-l1200%20(1).webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="898" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygt2Ual8aiBUVIcKjnVSnpK7-Gb9YBHhzNXpxtsIa-5A2ddk42ANKb2LzsxJuuuG-sa0xXnthjTGfED4rs0kK_XnH6oCN1nvIPMMSPmBu81uHidTV1YdVlf9arg2kH19l7_AEJVq-GxKyaycFCwQWh7RnqaVzcOvAPzWZsv9_IJJhl3TQw7OfX6L8qH3A/w400-h290/s-l1200%20(1).webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A vintage postcard from the Circus Circus Casino (1980)</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-e954d3c5-7fff-40d2-9951-c76bed90b006"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our host for the trip was Jean Tierney who, despite not being related to me, I called “Aunt Jean”. She and my father met when they both worked at the Kingston Whig Standard in 1968. He was the assistant wire editor and Jean was a reporter. They only worked together for seven months. My dad moved to the Hamilton Spectator as a copy editor. Adventurous Jean headed for a kibbutz in Israel, giving my dad her guitar for safe-keeping. It was the first guitar I used to teach myself how to play. Years later, in 1980, the guitar was returned to its rightful owner when, by pure chance, she reconnected with my dad at The London Free Press, where he became a senior reporter, and she was visiting her brother, and to check out the newspaper's new-fangled computer system. When Jean left for home in Victorville, famous for exhibiting cowboy movie star Roy Rogers’ stuffed horse, Trigger, the California visit was hatched.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIhwVWhoZfv9ivXRq68mB8AP5-BeEOzOS_hrosrOluuTxgxXgLX0Sih1izofFFhqGRYhS164rTJ323_hQ2oLOiGEeSaw3_OEMhgZk0qpYuSedZjVGHRgL1PcHY1ghtz0LPw_11zbvUtHF38aGN32IRDH_U1uctDDd9lbzCECcvD-q2e-xGzYhPprg4Vez/s650/1297990899281_ORIGINAL.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="650" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIhwVWhoZfv9ivXRq68mB8AP5-BeEOzOS_hrosrOluuTxgxXgLX0Sih1izofFFhqGRYhS164rTJ323_hQ2oLOiGEeSaw3_OEMhgZk0qpYuSedZjVGHRgL1PcHY1ghtz0LPw_11zbvUtHF38aGN32IRDH_U1uctDDd9lbzCECcvD-q2e-xGzYhPprg4Vez/w400-h269/1297990899281_ORIGINAL.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The London Free Press Building in London, Ontario.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-82691fc4-7fff-af77-441a-a7c8e72ad20e"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jean was the coolest adult I had ever met. Not only did she live in an inviting adobe-style home on the edge of the desert in Victorville, she drove an early-’70s white Dodge Valiant she called "Prince" -- aka Prince Valiant. She knew volumes about the flora and fauna of the Mojave and took us hiking. We spent one night camping out on the Coyote Dry Bed Lake, where dad let me drive Jean’s car. My first time behind the wheel and I was grinning. Jean’s concern about her beloved Prince was assuaged when dad reassured her: “There’s nothing to run into out there.” It was later when my turn came to be reassured when Jean said: "Snakes won't cross a dry lake because there is nothing out there for them. But, be sure to shake out your boots in the morning before you put your feet in." I trusted her, but still had a fitful night's sleep worrying about venomous reptiles and arachnids. Eventually, I moved from the hard ground to the backseat of "Prince" to finish my slumber. The campfire of scrounged dead twigs and vegetation gathered from the salt lake “shore” was still burning in the morning.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgyXYYmbIceq4pkKgLUgFUzYhaCso4jgqQmumDOQecr9iQeENz8LqXiOMTnt3U_3WPabkMxxrOr_x_VC9yvOo39uFmumebW2ctNEVc5Cia1cJJz13sgtoUx6aWZbI2Udbp2aWMUcvyZ0cTRe88SN548vfMMVLMTFWHfTCk3zvDKgEKj1vK2zDv_9CpBpF/s938/Valiant-50-years-_7_.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="938" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgyXYYmbIceq4pkKgLUgFUzYhaCso4jgqQmumDOQecr9iQeENz8LqXiOMTnt3U_3WPabkMxxrOr_x_VC9yvOo39uFmumebW2ctNEVc5Cia1cJJz13sgtoUx6aWZbI2Udbp2aWMUcvyZ0cTRe88SN548vfMMVLMTFWHfTCk3zvDKgEKj1vK2zDv_9CpBpF/w400-h274/Valiant-50-years-_7_.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An early-70s white Valiant - similar to "Prince".</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-1b3ceefe-7fff-4450-0fd5-857c67eb2021"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This memorable trip came when my 15-year-old self was cultivating a taste in music. I loved flipping through the record collections of the adults in my world. Jean didn't have many discs, but one stood out -- </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Paul Simon's song, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Late In The Evening,</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from his upcoming film </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">One Trick Pony, </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was a hit on the radio at the time and I liked it. I asked Jean if she would play the record and she readily obliged, telling me that </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Boxer </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was one of her favourites. That disc got many spins that week and I became a fan of the duo.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovSU04-5rWbe-_mJB8hgsGRGJWOFywafmJy7EZjMDnmi8ZprdxKxdXfeZRzvc9feF7BTaX_itIQ0d5pNdOfBD9NVq0ge7Tkz2f4xbELaztV4ymrIVPDfeVHCRI3duHtTGyUDQKcIUMofR9u7ZYmyRK21mgctUFT8aq7GQsGJDVcaF6sPYF73jpH8-ivxr/s894/81kPRM-tzoL._UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="894" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovSU04-5rWbe-_mJB8hgsGRGJWOFywafmJy7EZjMDnmi8ZprdxKxdXfeZRzvc9feF7BTaX_itIQ0d5pNdOfBD9NVq0ge7Tkz2f4xbELaztV4ymrIVPDfeVHCRI3duHtTGyUDQKcIUMofR9u7ZYmyRK21mgctUFT8aq7GQsGJDVcaF6sPYF73jpH8-ivxr/w400-h400/81kPRM-tzoL._UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-6ba5fff2-7fff-5b72-582d-91e16d4e2039"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel met in elementary school in Queens, New York, in 1953. It was there that they learned to harmonize and write songs. Initially performing in New York coffee houses as Tom & Jerry, the pair had a modest hit in 1957 with the song </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hey Schoolgirl</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, which was written in the same style as their musical idols, the Everly Brothers. In 1963, they signed with Columbia Records and rebranded with their own last names. They enjoyed commercial and critical success throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, with three number one songs and multiple charting hits. They have three records on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> list, with </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> checking in at #202 and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Bridge Over Troubled Waters</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> appearing at #51. Paul Simon also has two records on the list, including his self-titled debut (#268) which I wrote about in April, 2023. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Graceland</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> is at #71. Not only is it a crackin' album, its release coincided with one of the best times in my life. I look forward to writing about </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Graceland </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">in two years. It i</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">s</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> a record that is likely in my Top Ten.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbSjYzY1vyqxDZuyWpclIosQ1go3LXbGMZRysz6Fpk9gKSSchObiEfyMbRvcNkZdlduLBzS9tpss2tL4PeB8v8mmA-5E3Yftb_I-STyrhlELKaUHTbFg6Dq7Jw6hN6pLwONWH84rpJ-6wunesqlwzcYQXbYCVKeMup4xlm5szGcflhyphenhyphenpGfSqynF02gfNK/s1000/Graceland_cover_-_Paul_Simon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbSjYzY1vyqxDZuyWpclIosQ1go3LXbGMZRysz6Fpk9gKSSchObiEfyMbRvcNkZdlduLBzS9tpss2tL4PeB8v8mmA-5E3Yftb_I-STyrhlELKaUHTbFg6Dq7Jw6hN6pLwONWH84rpJ-6wunesqlwzcYQXbYCVKeMup4xlm5szGcflhyphenhyphenpGfSqynF02gfNK/w400-h400/Graceland_cover_-_Paul_Simon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-4388be04-7fff-3fbc-e37f-320eb7b4e805"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Bookends</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> is the fourth studio record from Simon & Garfunkel, released after their eight-song contribution to the soundtrack for the film </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Graduate</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Side one is a concept record, which means that the individual tracks interrelate to tell a larger narrative, exploring the journey from childhood to old age. Side Two is comprised of previously released singles and additional tracks intended, but not used, in the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Graduate,</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqV7hWVsz_VehRLIEpEr8aT9dMCPWkEw6DFxXQmQ89iYPW7bybzCZXO6ovMozcU-YXEUGiK78sMjuojSeXO-YuBvzHO7I2KMB4f_owxxQBL2FTp1DO7h5pzF4KiQ3GGmtJ_gVDwTS5oTWjdgfTbbpqsoehGPBjjYUyjLlFgQyAKCxtpJPF1_012Sx4pU2u/s300/Graduate.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqV7hWVsz_VehRLIEpEr8aT9dMCPWkEw6DFxXQmQ89iYPW7bybzCZXO6ovMozcU-YXEUGiK78sMjuojSeXO-YuBvzHO7I2KMB4f_owxxQBL2FTp1DO7h5pzF4KiQ3GGmtJ_gVDwTS5oTWjdgfTbbpqsoehGPBjjYUyjLlFgQyAKCxtpJPF1_012Sx4pU2u/w400-h400/Graduate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-40998ebc-7fff-3ba3-f55a-f5a795ac5333"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Aunt Jean and I reconnected through Facebook about four years ago and she became a loyal reader -- often sharing positive feedback or additional commentary on the records I wrote about. At one point, I mentioned the Simon & Garfunkel records on the list and reminded her of the impact her record had on my teenage fandom. I planned on asking her to guest blog on this record and I’m sure she would have agreed. However, she passed away on September 22, 2022, at the age of 80. Her obituary can be found </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/abqjournal/name/jean-tierney-obituary?id=38302481">here</a></span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Thanks Aunt Jean for that epic adventure in the autumn of 1980. You were a wonderful host and I am so glad that I got to share a little time in your universe. Simon & Garfunkel's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Boxer</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> will always remind me of you.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJpSUNBi2TAZkqoqG_saEmK8gqA3XiouxfpqFgIiLDL1bPNnzUj0NHB03id8PNb8W1r5nL38Zru_81o2TA_kbXVgkT12uoAnhKQCk4J2w35msXr7_RaHuod6m-lwdRTR7W4VM8PdccIXAj-ND3gc12-DQ2Zdz5GSMdeKPEa3-ozZCWPa-8bzuNvmwXJrc/s230/1559778-01-1_20221204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="230" data-original-width="158" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJpSUNBi2TAZkqoqG_saEmK8gqA3XiouxfpqFgIiLDL1bPNnzUj0NHB03id8PNb8W1r5nL38Zru_81o2TA_kbXVgkT12uoAnhKQCk4J2w35msXr7_RaHuod6m-lwdRTR7W4VM8PdccIXAj-ND3gc12-DQ2Zdz5GSMdeKPEa3-ozZCWPa-8bzuNvmwXJrc/w275-h400/1559778-01-1_20221204.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /></span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-14210592262980921812023-12-10T19:52:00.000-08:002023-12-10T19:57:07.593-08:00The 500 - #235 - The Ultimate Collection - Patsy Cline<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #235<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>The Ultimate Collection</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Patsy Cline<br /><b>Genre: </b>Country<br /><b>Recorded: </b>1955-1961</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> October, 2000<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 36<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Very</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list? </b>Yes, at #229, Moving up 6 spots since 2012.<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>If You've Got Leavin' On Your Mind</i><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjcT_hcpaUJDcBYFhU-vJuoAPL6XWe661LveUwjBsL9JAvowC0AzzLwhBVOVZ_1CPEOstcs_k2az9N-aqlrVgp2qy5bWj070QL2fbxF8A6KQgq8yUC-Ox_zOsRk2Uxfp2QhQVV9sRSR0ZrGwwFqPkNGeRpQQxbKhh2OyzP13qllBPrUS_VYjywNyexb9B/s1000/51WFDxZjHmL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjcT_hcpaUJDcBYFhU-vJuoAPL6XWe661LveUwjBsL9JAvowC0AzzLwhBVOVZ_1CPEOstcs_k2az9N-aqlrVgp2qy5bWj070QL2fbxF8A6KQgq8yUC-Ox_zOsRk2Uxfp2QhQVV9sRSR0ZrGwwFqPkNGeRpQQxbKhh2OyzP13qllBPrUS_VYjywNyexb9B/w400-h400/51WFDxZjHmL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b0331613-7fff-5bc6-ac88-f510887b73d0"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">For many years, I have used the first season of the 2004 television series </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Lost</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> as a cross-curricular learning unit with my middle-year students. It was actually the basis of my Masters of Education research, which focused on the engagement for pre- and early- teenage brains. The series taps into an adolescent's penchant for mystery. Their riveted investment in the plot, dialogue and character motivations is incredibly gratifying for an educator. They are quick to discuss and eager to write about the varied theories, philosophical constructs and rich vocabulary provoked by each cliffhanging episode.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KM4zuetvwgkVZYf_K8NVltZRdQJrAQECKWBQzL3GIbmwq6QtPKdILEQLF63tQe9V7YuJmH2sec9FyDbwGk5NhGrWbx4B01IsbNZjSkt7jJg8-YIJo9qShi7viIBRpQX_MgbfSmN-fURmwjHaI8w5lFjyj2abtPqWMHgKLYwpRrQzjgPMKXtlRGu5FRVH/s1600/2f9dbac449c68050c05e140c4dbf8a0b6fae9a99131dbea507fdc4d293d60082.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KM4zuetvwgkVZYf_K8NVltZRdQJrAQECKWBQzL3GIbmwq6QtPKdILEQLF63tQe9V7YuJmH2sec9FyDbwGk5NhGrWbx4B01IsbNZjSkt7jJg8-YIJo9qShi7viIBRpQX_MgbfSmN-fURmwjHaI8w5lFjyj2abtPqWMHgKLYwpRrQzjgPMKXtlRGu5FRVH/w400-h300/2f9dbac449c68050c05e140c4dbf8a0b6fae9a99131dbea507fdc4d293d60082.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">There is a scene, in the third episode. featuring a flashback story focused on the character, Kate. Unusual circumstances (no spoilers) put her in a farmer's truck in Australia. Patsy Cline's <b><i>If You've Got Leavin' On Your Mind</i></b> is playing on the radio when the farmer, Ray Mullen, turns to her and asks:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-4bf91205-7fff-ac3e-32e6-712738076ee9"><span style="font-size: large;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Do they like Patsy Cline up in Canada?"</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kate smiles and replies: "They like Patsy Cline everywhere."</span></span></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcwDoTtwfF_JeqyiRtkGTzD2uMNE8JgokinF9lye2YeKZ7vOZF7h5vUFb8QFOds2J4FJWImn_rHGnsnEithyvOzsceklEeDtVGDbbODRZ0vyt-X1x4rHJkOtiYNdTrFUvfE_0MUb0ieztaPaYhFzWvnIaGLH3PpEeCOdPG1MuXKC56kjj1T90Akt00paJ/s598/Kate%20and%20Ray.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="598" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcwDoTtwfF_JeqyiRtkGTzD2uMNE8JgokinF9lye2YeKZ7vOZF7h5vUFb8QFOds2J4FJWImn_rHGnsnEithyvOzsceklEeDtVGDbbODRZ0vyt-X1x4rHJkOtiYNdTrFUvfE_0MUb0ieztaPaYhFzWvnIaGLH3PpEeCOdPG1MuXKC56kjj1T90Akt00paJ/w400-h225/Kate%20and%20Ray.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-69128730-7fff-cb6f-ca1e-f93c79094470"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><i>Lost</i></b></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b><i> </i></b>characters Kate and Ray in his truck.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-380378b0-7fff-90b8-798f-4d38a2e44c94"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Invariably, students will want to know a little more about Patsy Cline. Some believe her 1963 death in a plane crash at the age of 30 is a clue to the mysteries unfolding on <b><i>Lost</i></b>; others are keen to hear more of her music. I'll play her hits in the classroom during work periods and, unfailingly, her haunting, contralto voice wins over a few students. Kate is correct. "They like Patsy Cline everywhere".</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmtMCXEuTuFXYopHJ1VI5z_X9cKkNRJr4VIaiGJuIkmv7y4XjSAUTgrGd0lUVdVBnlxoENRb7A2mMm_xRP0GAq50qt0Qw81f4yr-Lv3PUFyp07WA_TqvUF21LculAfwbmPRLiVQIIfKoSLVXCPh1CwG4z-qzKFxMGjwNpuNFLLMVevcypzUMchDbphM03/s3000/rs-188076-74258484-c24d8536-c125-403f-bd18-e797f10808f1.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2380" data-original-width="3000" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmtMCXEuTuFXYopHJ1VI5z_X9cKkNRJr4VIaiGJuIkmv7y4XjSAUTgrGd0lUVdVBnlxoENRb7A2mMm_xRP0GAq50qt0Qw81f4yr-Lv3PUFyp07WA_TqvUF21LculAfwbmPRLiVQIIfKoSLVXCPh1CwG4z-qzKFxMGjwNpuNFLLMVevcypzUMchDbphM03/w400-h318/rs-188076-74258484-c24d8536-c125-403f-bd18-e797f10808f1.webp" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-9f5f99eb-7fff-4107-b304-71ace7615b25"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everywhere, but not everyone. As I played her music in my classroom prior to student arrivals last week, I learned that the teacher candidate (student teacher) assigned to me, is not a fan. "I just find her voice whiney," she remarked.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7meh9YnAZKbdWEiu57Fi-VPrYhaMvHMbMlHSDF_VJc7hVWVqy7cqd7o-llx4VnkG1UQZSSzXKp9WhnMlWq_aDVR51mkE0w9117o8lHVftoIrnEeqh54E1LS8QSNWZj0-WWpg6b634jPM1sy7W81MZlhK3AAobKkMpfPv55QdkfYcezcFFmFGm5jnQXRMy/s800/mezzanine_583.jpg.crop.800x450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7meh9YnAZKbdWEiu57Fi-VPrYhaMvHMbMlHSDF_VJc7hVWVqy7cqd7o-llx4VnkG1UQZSSzXKp9WhnMlWq_aDVR51mkE0w9117o8lHVftoIrnEeqh54E1LS8QSNWZj0-WWpg6b634jPM1sy7W81MZlhK3AAobKkMpfPv55QdkfYcezcFFmFGm5jnQXRMy/w400-h225/mezzanine_583.jpg.crop.800x450.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span id="docs-internal-guid-b83eb91e-7fff-8a80-fb38-62509a2744c5" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And then there is Jeff "The Cease" Charron, my friend of 40-plus years. He made it clear to me when we were in high school that he "hates Patsy Cline's music". Furthermore, with a tinge of seriousness and humour, he informed me I was not to play Patsy in my car anymore or he would "liberate" the cassette tape from the tape deck.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWeXn33QS20wY1N782uKwZysE5JUhA290wD_DsFmEpnHlHEHwfNuNEmPUONVQSeN4AXnpAvxvMV4b0Be-f-tIaHqllLJKoNbPhXDQvq_MCIVfQTXna0pi4uc76j4odUg-Cvg5aeoQph7djMxt47VnayTRkIu1Wn0iOcnqueb9XHRoD6xi-IPoJIAZCTPk/s1200/s-l1200.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="1200" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWeXn33QS20wY1N782uKwZysE5JUhA290wD_DsFmEpnHlHEHwfNuNEmPUONVQSeN4AXnpAvxvMV4b0Be-f-tIaHqllLJKoNbPhXDQvq_MCIVfQTXna0pi4uc76j4odUg-Cvg5aeoQph7djMxt47VnayTRkIu1Wn0iOcnqueb9XHRoD6xi-IPoJIAZCTPk/w400-h350/s-l1200.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patsy Cline's<b><i> 12 Greatest Hits</i></b> was the cassette I owned.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-fc0fa532-7fff-20d7-ed34-b640bf7842e6" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One night, during the winter of 1992, Jeff was visiting me and my future wife in our first apartment on the 22nd floor of a building in Brampton, Ontario. We'd had a few beers and were playing Scrabble and listening to music. While he was in the bathroom, I slotted the Patsy Cline cassette into my stereo system. I winked at my future wife (who knew about Jeff's proclivity) and whispered, "I'll bet he doesn't even notice.</span></span></span><br /></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVAmYdh4oKP0QGdw5djVfpyaih8F7hABQivLlNdPUgPeTTlkNTUrWucpTGgkDDhIdIPvpCNY3R9PlIVM0KgsF4hEL_Hck6ulgh_0hPgDPzj_Se0poS4QOwhLHZzTmaIT9un-KJ7Zzx9ePVD5fBEzcZ84jU8n1fibc16r6d5lB3YVDo7TX8SpSCC-tqWO2/s1416/First%20Apt%20-%20View%20from%20Dining%20Room.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1416" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVAmYdh4oKP0QGdw5djVfpyaih8F7hABQivLlNdPUgPeTTlkNTUrWucpTGgkDDhIdIPvpCNY3R9PlIVM0KgsF4hEL_Hck6ulgh_0hPgDPzj_Se0poS4QOwhLHZzTmaIT9un-KJ7Zzx9ePVD5fBEzcZ84jU8n1fibc16r6d5lB3YVDo7TX8SpSCC-tqWO2/w400-h270/First%20Apt%20-%20View%20from%20Dining%20Room.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My stereo in my Brampton Apartment (1992)</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">We sat at the table, confident of "pulling one over on the Cease", assuming he would have forgotten his years-ago denunciation of Ms. Cline’s music.<br /><br />Dead wrong. He emerged from the washroom and went directly to the cassette player, removed the offending cartridge, opened the sliding glass balcony door and, with a defiant flick of his wrist, it sailed off into the Brampton night, never to be seen again. He turned to us and said, "I'll give you $5 for that...but I warned you. I hate Patsy Cline."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0l8FOtG_MxfD4GCE_xhK5iJzaVFaPEQfOPgjQJB76aKrPGP39dCl8IHDE4wz8cRZgG_c4nhbjG1O2QSZtM8OY6_qmAyaOeJqn65gn3YvhUAlv8cwhBACnVnbqSZgfQBgbz5wn2DtZQ-Eb5xZOq-psdiAfgD5YgCWuay9xUdh5-AOEF_phtLoJDWmLJcMl/s1125/First%20Apt%20-%20Living%20&%20Dining%20Room.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1125" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0l8FOtG_MxfD4GCE_xhK5iJzaVFaPEQfOPgjQJB76aKrPGP39dCl8IHDE4wz8cRZgG_c4nhbjG1O2QSZtM8OY6_qmAyaOeJqn65gn3YvhUAlv8cwhBACnVnbqSZgfQBgbz5wn2DtZQ-Eb5xZOq-psdiAfgD5YgCWuay9xUdh5-AOEF_phtLoJDWmLJcMl/w400-h272/First%20Apt%20-%20Living%20&%20Dining%20Room.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Brampton apartment, Scrabble table in background.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The story has become the stuff of comedic legend among our friends, but in fairness to Jeff I sought him out these many years later, wondering if his harsh appraisal of Patsy had diminished. He informed me by text that he still “dislikes her music”. I suppose it is a win that we have moved away from the word “hate”. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyk0GrnJFyMRk-ZqKHnzf58MkRQ-c74lB3MHrO6ui9jzeqvwpCxWn3vgWTjdWCbRuis4D5ACMsDJ-9lqZVPu7pjfFlAb3vv-PWzY8DWZ-dtsjeNPvxk4r1KKLLWIXRkl_DvzjBj4F14HwSkxwpYBrNS4k-9PfuumU-Ni85kNtFCskaNhgv5P3XcFpYLeb7/s1871/youtube_dislike_biz_GettyImages-1024603538.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="1871" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyk0GrnJFyMRk-ZqKHnzf58MkRQ-c74lB3MHrO6ui9jzeqvwpCxWn3vgWTjdWCbRuis4D5ACMsDJ-9lqZVPu7pjfFlAb3vv-PWzY8DWZ-dtsjeNPvxk4r1KKLLWIXRkl_DvzjBj4F14HwSkxwpYBrNS4k-9PfuumU-Ni85kNtFCskaNhgv5P3XcFpYLeb7/w400-h225/youtube_dislike_biz_GettyImages-1024603538.webp" width="400" /></a></div>Cline remains one of the most influential singers of the 20th century, not just in country music but in pop as well. She was the first country artist to make the successful crossover between the two genres and, despite her short and difficult life, she cemented herself as an entertainment titan. Her life has been powerfully documented in numerous books, musicals and films, including the 1985 biopic <b><i>Sweet Dreams</i></b>, featuring Jessica Lange as Patsy.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39HHPbfh2oU5LL8YcRo8xLOhmEhT6mPTc4u0UVOcAE4KA98i-sVsHudA5j83mUIN3Sn5Sr-sv3JZ8na_gzIpfjHAL29AfhF8WV2sceTJxh4Vff2tNBzSfUgX417UYj4IeH1urt8gVnENCup2vEbMGO400m-_6WxBRCCTkFxD2YFC5LxtO0aSaxDut9LXT/s475/MV5BNTE3OTM4ODQ0Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNTg0OTg4._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="353" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39HHPbfh2oU5LL8YcRo8xLOhmEhT6mPTc4u0UVOcAE4KA98i-sVsHudA5j83mUIN3Sn5Sr-sv3JZ8na_gzIpfjHAL29AfhF8WV2sceTJxh4Vff2tNBzSfUgX417UYj4IeH1urt8gVnENCup2vEbMGO400m-_6WxBRCCTkFxD2YFC5LxtO0aSaxDut9LXT/w298-h400/MV5BNTE3OTM4ODQ0Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNTg0OTg4._V1_.jpg" width="298" /></a></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><i>The Ultimate Collection</i></b> offers 32 of her greatest hits, and I enjoy her voice now as much as I did in high school. Not even a detractor like “Cease” can "liberate" a Spotify stream and, after listening to the anthology in preparation for this post and chatting with friends and family about it, I stand in solidarity with the fictional Kate from <b><i>Lost</i></b>. "They (still) like Patsy Cline everywhere." Undiminished by time.</span></div></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-5519438019365538722023-12-03T16:25:00.000-08:002023-12-03T16:25:05.948-08:00The 500 - #236 - Mr. Excitement - Jackie Wilson<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #236<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Mr. Excitement</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Jackie Wilson<br /><b>Genre: </b>R&B, Rock, Soul, DooWop<br /><b>Recorded: </b>1952-1975</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> November, 1992<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 27 <br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Not at all</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> No<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>To Be Loved</i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-awkT-8wOMn1rfHg_6HtVCzm7ZCRTYWOe5iLot0qV8sI2LG_MCfiClNahWmuxlnYIZKK1afFaIKFeNXBnVGnkHRslya1CiJm1EBu2BTR5cAUKwzJdHSnP8B1O0IAtBacGZrQkfnlIUSIczPTpKvoZXTrqIpq5uecxjNLL3pp28MBI_yMd-JhBZB-P3ja/s500/rs-145785-acabc880c326696747b548a6c6c49adfce7d7d3f.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-awkT-8wOMn1rfHg_6HtVCzm7ZCRTYWOe5iLot0qV8sI2LG_MCfiClNahWmuxlnYIZKK1afFaIKFeNXBnVGnkHRslya1CiJm1EBu2BTR5cAUKwzJdHSnP8B1O0IAtBacGZrQkfnlIUSIczPTpKvoZXTrqIpq5uecxjNLL3pp28MBI_yMd-JhBZB-P3ja/w400-h400/rs-145785-acabc880c326696747b548a6c6c49adfce7d7d3f.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-158a5c97-7fff-76ff-9bf4-7a3e82f1bb78"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Although I wasn't familiar with this 1972 song anthology until recently, during my first listen I realized I had heard many of the songs before. Thanks to American crooner Jack Leroy Wilson Jr, who amassed a catalogue of hits that have permeated pop culture for decades. For example, his biggest hit, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher,</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> features prominently in </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Ghostbusters II;</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> Disney's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">The Kid</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Death To Smoochy</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Stranger Things 3; </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">and in commercials for Colgate Total toothpaste, Gain Flings fabric softener, and Qatar Airways.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKRyDG7t81hnmCXZGvLTBY-LhHiMhZ0OECpq_S97pLciHwt_lzSmVuH_yc3OIh17pGQalewfGYigL6RbVgKZHN3xn1zlvpQSSk0c53GwYtM5h-N4U0rKCoOoDSKG8nyqjqfPVJx2UDT2ihGdr5Nx-sypRRnXH_uBPVqnhKpfGFu84-CnVHm8cYtKZRwPT/s3000/MV5BNWI5NTg3MTMtZWY0Ny00YWJmLThkZDUtMTBkZTVhMDAyMmVlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjc5NjEzNA@@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="1990" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKRyDG7t81hnmCXZGvLTBY-LhHiMhZ0OECpq_S97pLciHwt_lzSmVuH_yc3OIh17pGQalewfGYigL6RbVgKZHN3xn1zlvpQSSk0c53GwYtM5h-N4U0rKCoOoDSKG8nyqjqfPVJx2UDT2ihGdr5Nx-sypRRnXH_uBPVqnhKpfGFu84-CnVHm8cYtKZRwPT/w265-h400/MV5BNWI5NTg3MTMtZWY0Ny00YWJmLThkZDUtMTBkZTVhMDAyMmVlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjc5NjEzNA@@._V1_.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-6a8db9ec-7fff-19b3-9591-4b567daf912f"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Mr. Excitement</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> is not only the name of this anthology, it is also the nickname ascribed to Jackie Wilson, a trail-blazing American singer and master showman.. Born in Highland Park, Michigan, in 1934, he formed the group The Falcons, which featured his cousin, Levi Stubbs, later of Four Tops fame. After spending time with a few other doo-wop and R&B groups, including The Dominoes, Wilson became a solo performer and hit the charts in 1959 with what became his signature song, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Lonely Teardrops</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZB9cGZ6qzEH3XZVUBfg2nDSElFu6sHi1jONJjCRYkPMBMNeBPe8UQgL3SxVDprNO1Ws5g28AMBDJvYS89CF1mcT95pXnEdtnkc1fB-ZgZ1joCHlNzMaKQL4_kvLKZ_yGx0XqOy1QJiJwsVNmnN31wHjMdSwm2YarOBmLPzcKISq3D1iug8_0uXzxCI4Ax/s300/R-12944886-1572464858-6131.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZB9cGZ6qzEH3XZVUBfg2nDSElFu6sHi1jONJjCRYkPMBMNeBPe8UQgL3SxVDprNO1Ws5g28AMBDJvYS89CF1mcT95pXnEdtnkc1fB-ZgZ1joCHlNzMaKQL4_kvLKZ_yGx0XqOy1QJiJwsVNmnN31wHjMdSwm2YarOBmLPzcKISq3D1iug8_0uXzxCI4Ax/w400-h400/R-12944886-1572464858-6131.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-c8542e13-7fff-b0d7-deaf-7e8cc1d7f22b"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Over the next 27 years, Wilson released more than 50 charting singles in multiple genres, including soul, doowop, rock and roll, R&B, and easy listening. He died at the age of 49 in a manner that seemed scripted for a bad Hollywood movie. In a cruel bit of irony, while performing </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Lonely Teardrops</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> at the Latin Casino in New Jersey in 1975, he had a heart attack and collapsed just as he reached the words, "my heart is crying". The audience applauded, thinking it was part of the act. Cornell Gunter of The Coasters rushed from backstage to Wilson's side. He was able to revive him, but Wilson spent the next nine years in hospitals, mainly in a semi-comatose state until his death on January 21, 1984.</span></span></span></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLUahppUNpDM830GfusH09mGtlChs-qdzRJPQluASdlcf-xKVsZio0P6uxCkow5ZblvkSw3P64EKGyfqV2_AV5lKL2m5WbrrjC6zi0Kp1EZVjKWasxdP_oJIgttuxZg_4-pLUgrBs_Ds_dw2j5tY_OnEt8K44pvDn92R8oTPqRnfwIipSdo0jVhdH9gil/s3264/Wilson-41486-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLUahppUNpDM830GfusH09mGtlChs-qdzRJPQluASdlcf-xKVsZio0P6uxCkow5ZblvkSw3P64EKGyfqV2_AV5lKL2m5WbrrjC6zi0Kp1EZVjKWasxdP_oJIgttuxZg_4-pLUgrBs_Ds_dw2j5tY_OnEt8K44pvDn92R8oTPqRnfwIipSdo0jVhdH9gil/w400-h300/Wilson-41486-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mausoleum in Wayne, Michigan where Jackie and his mother are buried.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-e0a8de5c-7fff-0545-56d6-3580f5e715b1" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Reading about a slim, 42-year-old suffering a massive heart attack was a sobering thought for me, a 58-year-old beefy Canadian. However, there was an unusual explanation. Wilson wanted to sweat profusely during performances because, as he confided to Elvis Presley, "the chicks love it". Consequently, he took salt tablets and drank litres of water before going on stage each night. Doctors concluded that high salt levels contributed to his heart attack and difficulties with recovery. Ruined financially by hospital bills, a fund-raiser was organized following his death to purchase his mausoleum.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbehHgs4uaqlNptBPHT-nhZX6lkftlEhWxPLrEvQ_vNRx5hb1_C1VTzG1LAxB4YDVIpYSTJvgwl5oO7VSQrTWo9qt1FGkSX3ZdMYIDeOUBE3ruZXluMeprHEefKea420N6xNFUZFQ3Gb7busgtb7w7jI7hXHz3FaEehk_4RNu1TIDf0zEuF8PWoeL3bUqA/s298/download%20(22).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="298" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbehHgs4uaqlNptBPHT-nhZX6lkftlEhWxPLrEvQ_vNRx5hb1_C1VTzG1LAxB4YDVIpYSTJvgwl5oO7VSQrTWo9qt1FGkSX3ZdMYIDeOUBE3ruZXluMeprHEefKea420N6xNFUZFQ3Gb7busgtb7w7jI7hXHz3FaEehk_4RNu1TIDf0zEuF8PWoeL3bUqA/w400-h227/download%20(22).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wilson performing on stage to his adoring female fans.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-4d226596-7fff-a61d-ea55-48032ac5235f" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The story that struck me most while reading up on Wilson was one about his arrest in 1967 on "morals charges". He and his drummer, Jimmy Smith, were taken into custody by South Carolina police for "entertaining two white women in their motel room". I was two in 1967 and 50 years later I sometimes have to remind myself that I was alive at a time when racial injustice and segregation were zealously enforced in the U.S. through notorious <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Crow_laws#:~:text=The%20Jim%20Crow%20laws%20were,remained%20in%20force%20until%201965." target="_blank">Jim Crow laws</a>. Often, I think of those events being something from well before my time on the planet -- but they were not.</span></span></span><br /></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Y5fz3uZQj8J3iARWtCgQBLDshF9H1Eex4QGMy5I0zmezRWvVk5RAdV3-UmHCLexysfHyNdh_LTiPQEV-GbcPnsO3UD0hyphenhyphenOADYAxpC9FbFm-WFqJcQFlne7ni2AMyal4Ry6ySMajwtA3spzuoE9YSGVvvGNPpdhdBspQlraeN1UH_QsF74zvlJYHH7VO6/s640/JimCrow_ColoredWaitngRoom_Sign_Canon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Y5fz3uZQj8J3iARWtCgQBLDshF9H1Eex4QGMy5I0zmezRWvVk5RAdV3-UmHCLexysfHyNdh_LTiPQEV-GbcPnsO3UD0hyphenhyphenOADYAxpC9FbFm-WFqJcQFlne7ni2AMyal4Ry6ySMajwtA3spzuoE9YSGVvvGNPpdhdBspQlraeN1UH_QsF74zvlJYHH7VO6/w400-h225/JimCrow_ColoredWaitngRoom_Sign_Canon.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A sign from the time of Jim Crow segregation.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Wilson was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. His operatic, multi-octave vocal range and energetic, athletic stage presence made him a tough act to follow. In fact, his stagecraft at live shows has been cited as an inspiration by a host of legendary artists such as Elvis Presley, James Brown, Teddy Pendergrass and Michael Jackson. <br /><br />Mr. Excitement indeed!</span></div></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-31623437730963820912023-11-26T15:55:00.000-08:002023-11-26T15:55:09.730-08:00The 500 - #237 - My Generation - The Who<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #237<br /><b>Album Title:</b> (<i>The Who Sings) My Generation</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> The Who<br /><b>Genre: </b>Garage Rock, Power Rock, R&B, <br /><b>Recorded: </b>April - November, 1962</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> December 1962<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 5 months<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Very</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> No<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>My Generation</i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9SqUO4KOZPSO9nEaD5Ew8iiYZhrjzekLvsUkAMrmZYOHgyBeQNlF-ioBBc5eidf3ZKD1wKeEwOzgwDLXvMtlxG-0gNlbD3LRByZwPJguo8g9WbDScpql1diANCyMIlB2vvW6uuIemER-EwnYw4m7p8oMPNhllbeYEM_B6rov2f-UuzlnSxMvQ8cJVq4V/s720/muisc-studio-album-11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9SqUO4KOZPSO9nEaD5Ew8iiYZhrjzekLvsUkAMrmZYOHgyBeQNlF-ioBBc5eidf3ZKD1wKeEwOzgwDLXvMtlxG-0gNlbD3LRByZwPJguo8g9WbDScpql1diANCyMIlB2vvW6uuIemER-EwnYw4m7p8oMPNhllbeYEM_B6rov2f-UuzlnSxMvQ8cJVq4V/w400-h400/muisc-studio-album-11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6267f435-7fff-dfe7-b023-e1ef48b303fc"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c06cedcb-7fff-f2f8-5f99-bd8874952e25"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 1980, my mom was working for Toshiba Canada selling their latest product, microwave ovens. She was stationed in department stores where she demonstrated this revolutionary technology to customers.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DEI7u0NMlBudS8wYwh7xkvkpd0-uBt0Tad9UA541ISI8VKGzKB1VkdlD51TmdO45bw3boxXWxsqxw_OZrCrraaudc0KEe7GvTa0nzu2RV1rw-okoeb88gl1ufqFF-x17GyYQcT8cbju2aDzWhA50NX_o8GwyOd6IQzWh2fKI2SST5aBlTcPmU5333VZK/s435/VPUZ7-1500315388-9021-list_items-microwave_1_small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DEI7u0NMlBudS8wYwh7xkvkpd0-uBt0Tad9UA541ISI8VKGzKB1VkdlD51TmdO45bw3boxXWxsqxw_OZrCrraaudc0KEe7GvTa0nzu2RV1rw-okoeb88gl1ufqFF-x17GyYQcT8cbju2aDzWhA50NX_o8GwyOd6IQzWh2fKI2SST5aBlTcPmU5333VZK/w276-h400/VPUZ7-1500315388-9021-list_items-microwave_1_small.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An advertisement for a '80s Toshiba Mircrowave.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c41aa903-7fff-3f35-37aa-f0352697cbbf"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">It was during her December stint at a store that she decided to buy me a few records for Christmas. The records were Pink Floyd's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">The Wall</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">; The Police's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Zenyatta Mondatta</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">; </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Eagles Live</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> from Eagles; and The Who's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">. I was delighted by her selections although she later confessed she had solicited assistance from a few of the young salesmen in the record department.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHvz4W9m6c_B9YHiaMLvbGE_B9hc5mR5CXfT5gAeJOtldL_c3Xclu6Zgt8kNhKKHVQHQoDnSph0tbWItfdNvREX9r8cGBST88__bVPiXolHPTJEKxHEp-WHdgTGuD1njRG8bC4_ngy8iJIYFR4AtPqD3jl4tgmmGaKIuviNBEnArpkOYBk_H83YQu3yW7/s768/4%20Christmas%20records%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="768" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHvz4W9m6c_B9YHiaMLvbGE_B9hc5mR5CXfT5gAeJOtldL_c3Xclu6Zgt8kNhKKHVQHQoDnSph0tbWItfdNvREX9r8cGBST88__bVPiXolHPTJEKxHEp-WHdgTGuD1njRG8bC4_ngy8iJIYFR4AtPqD3jl4tgmmGaKIuviNBEnArpkOYBk_H83YQu3yW7/w400-h378/4%20Christmas%20records%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-3303f994-7fff-85c7-02d5-563b05b78e8e"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was the first record by The Who that I owned. It was a compilation, containing songs from their previous five studio releases. and provided an excellent introduction to the English rock band which, by 1980 was legendary.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q4aUPpi_dN0MrXDrrOPFZB7oouMdrRXVnGb3_MFzBEZ4_50UGzjEIX12w2OGdex2-mFxbxfCEIvl4vEHIIQX2Wr7qTKJ2JnzEh9KW8jm9YcAy-Q1KaT8qG2leEtXsJwZZpfSQql_yfxEk6HF3ilQMn6hGSV4zfBgJYVN2nPyOVNqUDSSmoIAjQ3bMUq6/s2448/4378be8da923e32e227249fff68e39ec.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q4aUPpi_dN0MrXDrrOPFZB7oouMdrRXVnGb3_MFzBEZ4_50UGzjEIX12w2OGdex2-mFxbxfCEIvl4vEHIIQX2Wr7qTKJ2JnzEh9KW8jm9YcAy-Q1KaT8qG2leEtXsJwZZpfSQql_yfxEk6HF3ilQMn6hGSV4zfBgJYVN2nPyOVNqUDSSmoIAjQ3bMUq6/w400-h400/4378be8da923e32e227249fff68e39ec.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back cover with track listing on <b><i>Meaty, Beaty, Big And Bouncy</i></b>.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-4e3b9f89-7fff-d8a8-5e61-891835eeb5a0"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The Who had fascinated me for several years and stories about the group (some perhaps exaggerated) were traded among my friends. They were listed in the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Guinness Book Of Records </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">as the loudest band in the world, with concert volumes exceeding 120 decibels, enough to immediately damage hearing. Their drummer had died in 1978 at the age of 32. His antics were legendary and included trashing hotel rooms, blowing up toilets with cherry bombs and even driving a Lincoln Continental automobile into a swimming pool.</span></span></span><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45Qsv6PPbFl0ZPqg1BDzplw-q4JiJ2aJwJtP6zbdGz9SiFfBQO5VUQjDLmAh9RiBww4PxdSZt4dOGNW_OTlpmEn3fESH1mDTrGCzGh4110zSiW2sK3PAmjO0fTmDD6iHJomdxqlkrXI4sY45kid3WwBqVAwrVRcgerrTzrFbydBGv4Jvm-GV4xpsav8Uj/s530/2013-09-06-keith_moon1-530x360.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="530" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45Qsv6PPbFl0ZPqg1BDzplw-q4JiJ2aJwJtP6zbdGz9SiFfBQO5VUQjDLmAh9RiBww4PxdSZt4dOGNW_OTlpmEn3fESH1mDTrGCzGh4110zSiW2sK3PAmjO0fTmDD6iHJomdxqlkrXI4sY45kid3WwBqVAwrVRcgerrTzrFbydBGv4Jvm-GV4xpsav8Uj/w400-h271/2013-09-06-keith_moon1-530x360.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The late Keith Moon of The Who</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-24281ad0-7fff-358f-a5eb-9a0530c89706"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On December 3, 1979, The Who performed at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. Fans had lined-up hours before the doors opened because there was no reserved seating -- a policy typical in the ‘70s called "Festival Seating". All the doors were supposed to be opened simultaneously; however , mistakenly, only two doors were unlocked. To make matters worse, the band were performing a late soundcheck which made the fans think they were missing the start of the show and a crowd surge began. Eleven fans, some as young as 15, were crushed to death, with many more badly injured.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSQ0Y-3KePF1g34OJuRWMLqgSemNXpOB8i-O5Erm7QiP2rOLserXdQ541XQcWzbKOS2gGiEq4EI8qYi-D6VnVXQ9bipD1bcNvH20md0amkZu1LAdJezrneBvKfPpXlNKzc4uC3wf2X2ak0L6KBkwNvdZY4NQHfwJx9rEpzykNr6W_VBsiUMHo6ikroLBO/s1920/Body_carried_from_Riverfront_Coliseum,_The_Cincinnati_Post_1979-12-04_page_8.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1920" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSQ0Y-3KePF1g34OJuRWMLqgSemNXpOB8i-O5Erm7QiP2rOLserXdQ541XQcWzbKOS2gGiEq4EI8qYi-D6VnVXQ9bipD1bcNvH20md0amkZu1LAdJezrneBvKfPpXlNKzc4uC3wf2X2ak0L6KBkwNvdZY4NQHfwJx9rEpzykNr6W_VBsiUMHo6ikroLBO/w400-h249/Body_carried_from_Riverfront_Coliseum,_The_Cincinnati_Post_1979-12-04_page_8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A body is removed from Riverfront Stadium.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-3d4a76e7-7fff-7f2d-4a0b-5b824ceb46ca"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was reaching concert going age in 1979, and the tragedy in Cincinnati made me apprehensive about attending my first show the next summer. It also added to the mystery and mystique of The Who. They seemed to be larger than life and weaving a story that seemed stranger than fiction. No wonder I became a massive fan during my teenage years, acquiring many of their records for my collection.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyUw4tZW3KJvljz0avu_0Bw8zZAU8mezrcahrupt1TLDt0hj3aW-EXkpjVQGXAoj8QMLLS8WYcEe8iFYqKbygX8hU99LvC07MArLHE5z3uXTLiqJs3-6W7czthJLNiv_7XB_8CmFpQDvviR74Ec2sdTAkbw69cZc67dIDcQSYX08vonHcnjQaGAJsui-j/s1800/rs-27868-20131118-thewho-x1800-1384806180.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1244" data-original-width="1800" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyUw4tZW3KJvljz0avu_0Bw8zZAU8mezrcahrupt1TLDt0hj3aW-EXkpjVQGXAoj8QMLLS8WYcEe8iFYqKbygX8hU99LvC07MArLHE5z3uXTLiqJs3-6W7czthJLNiv_7XB_8CmFpQDvviR74Ec2sdTAkbw69cZc67dIDcQSYX08vonHcnjQaGAJsui-j/w400-h276/rs-27868-20131118-thewho-x1800-1384806180.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Who performing in 1971.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-be890a6f-7fff-c994-4ec0-79a31963119f"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">My Generation </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">was the debut record by The Who, established in London, England, in 1962, initially under the name The Detours. They comprised singer Roger Daltry, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Moon. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">My Generation</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> also featured session musician Nicky Hopkins, a pianist who also played with The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Beatles and the Steve Miller Band. As an aside, Hopkins might be the musician who appears most often on The 500 because he worked with so many legendary artists on their biggest records.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKpYdHRmDUCeU2fW6p4pkm2MIq_imK1FNMg6nADZRbpuug8qG5-XZeo2VWAsEHd3fye-5WxzyFRmEVShVSDaedmKweITHpZam97vBSq6ogwU2D4p1jeaDdbGuBPAPspdJUvU-i3XUszl26Rb9-kScN8_ZjKBDEAbTN2WzW9sDsFo8rwtwR_J2BlOHw7bd/s640/p01l7f0c.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKpYdHRmDUCeU2fW6p4pkm2MIq_imK1FNMg6nADZRbpuug8qG5-XZeo2VWAsEHd3fye-5WxzyFRmEVShVSDaedmKweITHpZam97vBSq6ogwU2D4p1jeaDdbGuBPAPspdJUvU-i3XUszl26Rb9-kScN8_ZjKBDEAbTN2WzW9sDsFo8rwtwR_J2BlOHw7bd/w400-h225/p01l7f0c.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicky Hopkins.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4bd563a4-7fff-1ef3-6cbb-8290e7ef3cda"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The title track on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My Generation </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> became one of The Who's most recognizable songs. The melody is considered by many critics to be the forerunner to the punk rock sound that exploded on the music scene a decade later in the 1970s. The anthemic lyrics celebrated youth rebellion and that resonated with me as a teen as much as they did with the youth in the ‘Sixties. The record features one of the most famous lyrics in rock history -- "I hope I die before I get old".</span></span></span><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9I5SqDl6_tdh4ah7GSYjxwPRB5CcBYlefFeGlOp54R_5MawQwZ6hhRJyoGviBsMF4JWzw3nsa3aPZ_HmdfpH0yrRuF4Ti-Runtnjg4_QORJPQr5jBLVWY0ChONJGKsXVDZQjMpmUJSJa0XtnRL8d2gJCsE6SFfL06cpAd_K2chZMuIlN36_CtUylsJ7W/s720/muisc-studio-album-11%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9I5SqDl6_tdh4ah7GSYjxwPRB5CcBYlefFeGlOp54R_5MawQwZ6hhRJyoGviBsMF4JWzw3nsa3aPZ_HmdfpH0yrRuF4Ti-Runtnjg4_QORJPQr5jBLVWY0ChONJGKsXVDZQjMpmUJSJa0XtnRL8d2gJCsE6SFfL06cpAd_K2chZMuIlN36_CtUylsJ7W/w400-h400/muisc-studio-album-11%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-d297fcfb-7fff-66a2-6f66-f1940323d3cb"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">At 15, listening tof </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, I reveled in Daltry's angry, frustrated, stuttering vocal performance of Townsend's lyrics to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">My Generation</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">. It was one of those songs, like Rush's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Subdivisions, </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">or Pink Floyd's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Comfortably Numb</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, that I liked to imagine had been written specifically for me. Thanks mom ...and Toshiba microwaves...and those sales clerks in the record department for Christmas 1980.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-14083619300658445372023-11-19T10:08:00.000-08:002023-11-19T10:08:01.173-08:00The 500 - #238 - Howlin' Wolf - Howlin' Wolf<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #238<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Howlin' Wolf</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Howlin' Wolf<br /><b>Genre: </b>Chicago Blues<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Multiple studios</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> January, 1962<br /><b>My age at release:</b> Not born<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> A little</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> No, but a different Howlin' Wolf record is<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>Little Red Rooster</i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3akFmL4l3n9Gd7D9C6FbZooYr2ORsCAw2NvyUakNvKXo6WD5dF7LnQFQ76sqPqVyk5aZMMxN-bIdlH39TuNHagT3E2PbpEnfZX2YRwNovB9VpJBXo1zyz0AozwXcxlbxQuTjrteMr2RiHF6cWV-PPxtSUeTC6Dw43ffuZ6zxadXBLos7opHgOQEh7rPH/s316/HowlinWolfRockinChair.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3akFmL4l3n9Gd7D9C6FbZooYr2ORsCAw2NvyUakNvKXo6WD5dF7LnQFQ76sqPqVyk5aZMMxN-bIdlH39TuNHagT3E2PbpEnfZX2YRwNovB9VpJBXo1zyz0AozwXcxlbxQuTjrteMr2RiHF6cWV-PPxtSUeTC6Dw43ffuZ6zxadXBLos7opHgOQEh7rPH/w400-h400/HowlinWolfRockinChair.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6267f435-7fff-dfe7-b023-e1ef48b303fc"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In 1988, I went through a blues phase. I purchased Eric Clapton's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Crossroads</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Box Set after becoming a fan of his third band, Cream (more on that story when we get to albums #205, #114 and #102). The boxset contained four compact discs, the first of which covered Clapton's time with Cream as well as his first band, The Yardbirds (#355 and #350) and John Mayall And The Bluesbreakers (#195), his second. All three bands wrote their own material, but also performed songs written by early blues artists, including Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker and Sonny Thompson.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-snZM4m7evUeLoghmQcamzz77e2nSRRs3_dOeDxdNC-A7w-WP3BMZF1hn940exkQTecR7hRh1FzCJAeaEQ2zhNLhWBQzCkNFwk6ZKw6RcZ7m64rZFP_HqfvfqD3Baw6gZWKuGbRkS40QczSP91tFUWGUWjt5oEqDmF_7kfJJovn-z8OwQPxk2Qdkm9sp/s301/Crossroads_(Eric_Clapton_album).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="301" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-snZM4m7evUeLoghmQcamzz77e2nSRRs3_dOeDxdNC-A7w-WP3BMZF1hn940exkQTecR7hRh1FzCJAeaEQ2zhNLhWBQzCkNFwk6ZKw6RcZ7m64rZFP_HqfvfqD3Baw6gZWKuGbRkS40QczSP91tFUWGUWjt5oEqDmF_7kfJJovn-z8OwQPxk2Qdkm9sp/w400-h399/Crossroads_(Eric_Clapton_album).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boxset cover for Eric Clapton's <b><i>Crossroads</i></b>.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-2ed4be82-7fff-50ea-4087-0196c903a9fb"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Discovering those songs sent me down an audio rabbit hole and I began enthusiastically purchasing blues records and CDs. There was also a store called The Software Warehouse which rented CDs for a small fee. Consequently, I started recording my “favourite discoveries" on cassette tape to play in my car, a 1987 Ford Mustang that I spent too much money on. (Tip of the hat to my Dad for co-signing the loan). </span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio5Mg95ku5bR6a98SNqfCf1FaL3-sjLCSBBEOr2Uxb2rmNsUlX4wjUzWlzRmlz5RMiIm2gq7Rg7bepwhomT0C6l86_yhmXkaXupHtkYIKPW-l1nOFBxJLHEnspw3q-maz5P6flKu09Vp3rND0SnfDlPq6vcMPAXkcKOG4eHE8_dSBNtce-osN3DO88jkFL/s1225/10626048-1987-ford-mustang-.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="1225" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio5Mg95ku5bR6a98SNqfCf1FaL3-sjLCSBBEOr2Uxb2rmNsUlX4wjUzWlzRmlz5RMiIm2gq7Rg7bepwhomT0C6l86_yhmXkaXupHtkYIKPW-l1nOFBxJLHEnspw3q-maz5P6flKu09Vp3rND0SnfDlPq6vcMPAXkcKOG4eHE8_dSBNtce-osN3DO88jkFL/w400-h259/10626048-1987-ford-mustang-.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1987 Ford Mustang LX.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-29269c27-7fff-a591-fa87-62d6c7e6d29b"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the summer of 1988, I drove the “Stang” from London, Ontario, to Calgary, Alberta, to meet my future wife's father for the first time. I only stopped once, a one-hour nap beside a cornfield in Rugby, North Dakota -- the geographical centre of North America.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmyzvORm3liaTh3WtOb9vJfclx4cgR2TeXzcY4uYPr1V9Q-lRPh45snl2bFATkXvt1Jb4eLdEcpXfgXUW_pFPlOW9FTVzTeu-NQ07aK37LIOuh4YsZPmhJYMgXuN1Baz3k87gTggi9blWRlpuMGiJjCzNC_EdC6YH7d8X61anzn1eLJ1ZzPUvYvYpeyY5/s675/rugby-monument-w.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="675" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmyzvORm3liaTh3WtOb9vJfclx4cgR2TeXzcY4uYPr1V9Q-lRPh45snl2bFATkXvt1Jb4eLdEcpXfgXUW_pFPlOW9FTVzTeu-NQ07aK37LIOuh4YsZPmhJYMgXuN1Baz3k87gTggi9blWRlpuMGiJjCzNC_EdC6YH7d8X61anzn1eLJ1ZzPUvYvYpeyY5/w400-h265/rugby-monument-w.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stone monument in Rugby, ND, marking the geographical <br />centre of North America.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f89f84f-7fff-ee49-9b97-876f8da5a885"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">That 32-hour journey was fueled by cigarettes, coffee, Jolt Cola (a cola beverage super-charged with caffeine,) and plenty of blues cassettes, including </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, a 1971 record featuring blues legend Howlin' Wolf (born Chester Arthur Burnett) playing with contemporary artists who had been inspired by him. Among them were Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, and Rolling Stone members Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman. It was my introduction to the American singer and guitarist.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIwDFBn14pmwN0IXqmw7P8T1iP6IVEYk2jh7mpV00NmpuvZvAkJum1-xvwTCcYnqc-a9f0BNWsQm0owkc0SNWqvoLDliladJBOOS3XIxazIe3Y9YbGrRdauhwmMcBNRy57dqcUerdBBjx51VLcc47O4qS2uVbWzGwzo25Hwz6KTPkBSbT6Y7NnREaEIzz/s300/The_London_Howlin'_Wolf_Sessions.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIwDFBn14pmwN0IXqmw7P8T1iP6IVEYk2jh7mpV00NmpuvZvAkJum1-xvwTCcYnqc-a9f0BNWsQm0owkc0SNWqvoLDliladJBOOS3XIxazIe3Y9YbGrRdauhwmMcBNRy57dqcUerdBBjx51VLcc47O4qS2uVbWzGwzo25Hwz6KTPkBSbT6Y7NnREaEIzz/w400-h400/The_London_Howlin'_Wolf_Sessions.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-d1b8906c-7fff-4a1c-e5f3-0ce1dc493bf5"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The self-titled record on The 500 list is a compilation of songs recorded by Howlin' Wolf between 1960 and 1962. Often called </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Rocking Chair Album</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, it features 12 blues standards, all written by another blues legend, Willie Dixon. Deemed the third greatest guitar album of all time by Mojo magazine in 2004, it has been described as "an outrageous set of sex songs". </span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniQjsqKSZkY5yAtwUFa3ulgLrx8GuRaUIJlLACOxe5nHQpct19ch2nlfbY6NhR-7Kn_yCjXKbmj7I_V7YEwejUU1Iu12H15zgndg39vw-ejoiKElsCnZUNTm9Pd6a2c9W_cS6mxqcSMFMBt8rXnRjYBqdojNZfWtCo6d0ktn7nlgoVV-z4TdHhFdarMYg/s1440/Howlin-GettyImages-98411223.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjniQjsqKSZkY5yAtwUFa3ulgLrx8GuRaUIJlLACOxe5nHQpct19ch2nlfbY6NhR-7Kn_yCjXKbmj7I_V7YEwejUU1Iu12H15zgndg39vw-ejoiKElsCnZUNTm9Pd6a2c9W_cS6mxqcSMFMBt8rXnRjYBqdojNZfWtCo6d0ktn7nlgoVV-z4TdHhFdarMYg/w400-h240/Howlin-GettyImages-98411223.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howlin' Wolf (circa 1965)</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-e7452cba-7fff-9ed8-e193-1d9406391624"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The second track, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Little Red Rooster</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, was released as a single in 1964 and became the first, and only, blues song to hit #1 on the U.K. singles chart. The song has been recorded by dozens of artists on The 500 list, including Muddy Waters, The Rolling Stones, Sam Cooke and The Jesus and Mary Chain. In 2007 the song was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's archive as one of the 500 songs that shaped the genre of rock.</span></span></span><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2cxOCtzsq1EwMVwAF1GCFmK8mRPtQ1fQACy9bGs1wSoxForLAU5XAD5QDlZsb3EHbt8qqru7nPie3w8DzHRb3mIR7bxnK9VYqWlYdDFLM0O5CTTRoV4qzVbazcfc0Ubqt_n2LwXVdhcKC3wWUcnhnztW78zoH7_aHyjnJNHEK9PtAWiujlsxL8w9F7XP/s317/Littleredrooster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="317" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2cxOCtzsq1EwMVwAF1GCFmK8mRPtQ1fQACy9bGs1wSoxForLAU5XAD5QDlZsb3EHbt8qqru7nPie3w8DzHRb3mIR7bxnK9VYqWlYdDFLM0O5CTTRoV4qzVbazcfc0Ubqt_n2LwXVdhcKC3wWUcnhnztW78zoH7_aHyjnJNHEK9PtAWiujlsxL8w9F7XP/w400-h395/Littleredrooster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-84515f53-7fff-029a-db22-0c14955b88c5"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The album was also a massive influence on the British rock band Led Zeppelin, with five records on The 500. Lyrics from the songs </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Back Door Man </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Shake For Me</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> were used on Zeppelin's hit song </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Whole Lotta Love </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">from their second, self-titled record (#79 on The 500).</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgnizABTjUJaBimBDQkKi9_0Gk97uJRKTnKxb0Y6iCK-pmoRWsP39_1KEHXTpvYQ-WZ3boXmqYVWYU31n_Vlj5s8hqjG1Vbk2c61rMLWWfeb-c8PCsV2-awH83Eabo4iOCmbEUsTgP3lj4XxQ2UKdyMGpe52H_aNAR3bXXaLeW9lSn0kpMjbVqFJJkocL/s296/Wllsingle.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="293" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgnizABTjUJaBimBDQkKi9_0Gk97uJRKTnKxb0Y6iCK-pmoRWsP39_1KEHXTpvYQ-WZ3boXmqYVWYU31n_Vlj5s8hqjG1Vbk2c61rMLWWfeb-c8PCsV2-awH83Eabo4iOCmbEUsTgP3lj4XxQ2UKdyMGpe52H_aNAR3bXXaLeW9lSn0kpMjbVqFJJkocL/w396-h400/Wllsingle.jpg" width="396" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Single Release for <b><i>Whole Lotta Love</i></b> from Led Zeppelin</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-65e612a5-7fff-5aff-18e3-b9ae8cd39007"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Howlin' Wolf died in 1976 at the age of 65, after battling health issues for years. He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980. A 29-cent stamp was issued in his memory by the U.S. Postal Service in 1994. Earlier, in 1991, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame added him to their roster. His influence can be heard today in releases by contemporary performers such as The Black Keys, Marcus King, Gary Clark Jr., and the guest on the accompanying episode of </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/1408361930065844537#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Podcast</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, Joe Bonamassa. </span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-sDxjNisMIvA6Se61OLoDYoWLLFifXElDC2v9cC-Hfw1Lo82HDHXOmSmrzd4hS92nT6J6CxZgbVpcDWUTpn3LSqNPlr3j4C7bP1WhqIQaK5gocdlfV6-hfGTva3bp5nliUrROGlkAQnFJLVBkMl8tRCQ2A0JcAwSUN4KcL04Nqmux-C48V14MvIA79Hd/s252/download%20(17).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="252" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-sDxjNisMIvA6Se61OLoDYoWLLFifXElDC2v9cC-Hfw1Lo82HDHXOmSmrzd4hS92nT6J6CxZgbVpcDWUTpn3LSqNPlr3j4C7bP1WhqIQaK5gocdlfV6-hfGTva3bp5nliUrROGlkAQnFJLVBkMl8tRCQ2A0JcAwSUN4KcL04Nqmux-C48V14MvIA79Hd/w400-h317/download%20(17).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-eaf25364-7fff-ac3c-e15a-25800e7c9561"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It has been a fun week or so as I revisited many of those songs that accompanied me across the continent in 1988, including that first disc from Clapton's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Crossroads</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> collection. It was a trip to remember. </span></span></span></span></div></span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-51152830483971561732023-11-12T09:13:00.000-08:002023-11-12T18:06:30.211-08:00The 500 - #239 - Like A Prayer - Madonna<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #239<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Like A Prayer</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Madonna<br /><b>Genre: </b>Pop<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Three California studios and Prince's Paisley Park studio in Minnesota</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> March, 1989<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 23<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> I knew the hits</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> Yes, at #331, dropping 92 places from 239, since 2012<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>Like A Prayer</i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgCqOaCMxlVb1zDsL5NOJA7ZSJtjOcRk0SG77tBYP1eIBNI0CO1iNsY8kLFKs099irBAB6_6S08-ziroJofRnpCV4tUBlOLEpaxoSlkGYMD7tNtFAZKexWPpDcDz_nlajJ7WP0DqMme1fEjBkuUL8Yjdx-UzG9vCFFQ_5ovGofEntYFlKg8F0L-A34XDa/s300/Madonna_-_Like_a_Prayer_album.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgCqOaCMxlVb1zDsL5NOJA7ZSJtjOcRk0SG77tBYP1eIBNI0CO1iNsY8kLFKs099irBAB6_6S08-ziroJofRnpCV4tUBlOLEpaxoSlkGYMD7tNtFAZKexWPpDcDz_nlajJ7WP0DqMme1fEjBkuUL8Yjdx-UzG9vCFFQ_5ovGofEntYFlKg8F0L-A34XDa/w400-h400/Madonna_-_Like_a_Prayer_album.png" width="400" /></a></div></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-be745b9c-7fff-e064-c0a4-e00d51cf9836"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Like A Prayer was</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> the fourth studio record from the multi-faceted cultural icon, Madonna. It became the second of three records from the singer/songwriter to appear on The 500 list, with her </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Immaculate Collection</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> coming up at #184. In June, 2021,</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/5115283048397156173#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I wrote a post</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> about album # 367, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Ray Of Light</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, providing some background and the story of seeing her perform during her 2015/16 </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Rebel Heart </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">tour.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3O_t0_9x8rWga94NcUZP6PD8HB_IZ9Hi6UFNuuQkZwcpcwZCbEAyrJwIcp6DwPGThrrPwE6kodOn3AuPwoSVO3eCfXn5OK9Pehot7goaplhW3iY_kdUKHHBFLWroTQxbAe3VZO0RuYc8z4bgFmKsnzGlgVlcT3Ee_wG-ki8-XIyvMWGm2z-77iCjPPAN/s996/1xzP_gFY7-SIYZmw-1zDLjNJqvg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="996" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3O_t0_9x8rWga94NcUZP6PD8HB_IZ9Hi6UFNuuQkZwcpcwZCbEAyrJwIcp6DwPGThrrPwE6kodOn3AuPwoSVO3eCfXn5OK9Pehot7goaplhW3iY_kdUKHHBFLWroTQxbAe3VZO0RuYc8z4bgFmKsnzGlgVlcT3Ee_wG-ki8-XIyvMWGm2z-77iCjPPAN/w400-h276/1xzP_gFY7-SIYZmw-1zDLjNJqvg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-cfc68d60-7fff-fe8a-7c54-4b943e88e59f"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Rebel Heart </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">concert was a stunning visual spectacle. Performed on a massive set-piece that included a long, cross-shaped catwalk which led from the main stage to a smaller, heart-shaped second stage. The show featured set-changes, including a spiral staircase that descended from the arena ceiling.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciuS5v3hM-Wjte2FmohaqQIWVfNDQsrW4CdLSRrgaRmtbPVq25QmwWoLXzdsBZ3hZ4j-dnHhJZ6qrCJFAnZESXLLVVjJsu43SZvhSkWGEYB309G1d31wxbRjQhfLLyQyOm24INEnY7ZBXEcCdbb_ykUudKxK5PCscW4BOnoEqNSbN-llUHOU3XDOxkubI/s1280/Taipei_madonna_concert-4_(26497165456)_(cropped).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="1280" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciuS5v3hM-Wjte2FmohaqQIWVfNDQsrW4CdLSRrgaRmtbPVq25QmwWoLXzdsBZ3hZ4j-dnHhJZ6qrCJFAnZESXLLVVjJsu43SZvhSkWGEYB309G1d31wxbRjQhfLLyQyOm24INEnY7ZBXEcCdbb_ykUudKxK5PCscW4BOnoEqNSbN-llUHOU3XDOxkubI/w400-h296/Taipei_madonna_concert-4_(26497165456)_(cropped).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Rebel Heart </i></b>stage set.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f3ee6461-7fff-443d-e532-7337517f1c38"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The main stage also featured a hydraulic-powered, video-screen floor that was raised and lowered throughout the show. Consequently, the seven- piece backing band was set up stage left and right, while "Madge" and her 20-person dance troupe strutted their stuff on the many available surfaces and even aerially. </span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_aM6-CAGEaX6WiAYfQ5CttWhuIu8OqjDMC4dVMvH4repZMz2e02JQQJYGoT6C-Mrf41vHNcjTZGrNW6YEuufsEPd6_A8YzH2PAY1jQq4wPDiccIVkrpKdl7c8lkD3S79KoxgtcHAu1CeucD2ErclZTMQ55K-rmE0miJT00tZXLY5OA8PNfH11rFI1Yug/s1280/Madonna,_Rebel_Heart_Tour,_Bell_Center,_Olympus_Stylus_1,_Montr%C3%A9al,_10_September_2015_(148)_(21162633589)_(cropped)_(cropped).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="1280" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_aM6-CAGEaX6WiAYfQ5CttWhuIu8OqjDMC4dVMvH4repZMz2e02JQQJYGoT6C-Mrf41vHNcjTZGrNW6YEuufsEPd6_A8YzH2PAY1jQq4wPDiccIVkrpKdl7c8lkD3S79KoxgtcHAu1CeucD2ErclZTMQ55K-rmE0miJT00tZXLY5OA8PNfH11rFI1Yug/w400-h315/Madonna,_Rebel_Heart_Tour,_Bell_Center,_Olympus_Stylus_1,_Montr%C3%A9al,_10_September_2015_(148)_(21162633589)_(cropped)_(cropped).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Rebel Heart </i></b>main stage with the hydraulic video floor raised.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-5f9fe7ed-7fff-96df-da76-da029b1a3a02"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I thoroughly enjoyed the performance, but the night also marked the point where my opinion on Toronto shows (especially on a school night) began to sour. Notoriously tardy, Madonna did not grace the stage until after 10:00 that night. Consequently, my head did not hit the pillow at home in London, Ontario, 180 kilometres away until 3 a.m. Truth be told, even if the show had ended at the scheduled time of 11 p.m., we still would not have made it back until after 2 o’clock.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaUk6JmdVs_g1Fu_saNh__9gYapSIoSsMQGfnqSvQmRI69Qm-BfLjq-P61CIN67imcIEruZgpRrH9NHxT4J21NKsmv7iJdsLdesKXGjasQmkuNzzsjWpgm3Xn-ef_13dS-Tr6oCLgGXv-4bDgrA53fiMbmUUFTlBP4dQkVt-BXYCwg_N2wMGcCt72O4r6/s1500/Madonna_Rebel%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1500" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaUk6JmdVs_g1Fu_saNh__9gYapSIoSsMQGfnqSvQmRI69Qm-BfLjq-P61CIN67imcIEruZgpRrH9NHxT4J21NKsmv7iJdsLdesKXGjasQmkuNzzsjWpgm3Xn-ef_13dS-Tr6oCLgGXv-4bDgrA53fiMbmUUFTlBP4dQkVt-BXYCwg_N2wMGcCt72O4r6/w400-h239/Madonna_Rebel%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Madonna performing <b><i>Iconic</i></b>, to open her <b><i>Rebel Heart</i></b> show.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-bf2d5416-7fff-f3f0-17d1-45e77ab72f60"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">There was a time, prior to 2005, when a quick trip to Toronto to see a show or sporting event (Blue Jays, Raptors or Maple Leaf game) was easy, even on a school night. My wife or a friend and I would pop into my car at 3:30 and be in a downtown Toronto restaurant having dinner by 6:00. Even if the event ended at 11:00, I'd be sawing logs by 1:30. An extra cup of coffee in the morning would vanquish any brain fog.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju28TzxJrwkvE1SJjfa1NDmluoSBDaO1rrfs0L7d3DAw31xYYGcOpyNSyMe-BbwdXZAHc4u6AAWKFRyuf4JaZ1J8__wfjt2yEEdmy26FatBDqZtKuWBmus0N1jiKQCubLLdCB-m8WsFZy0-LmlXTGVaqH9YLzYNajLkGiVB8JUH5qp7sgBDbAmp7hYgsm0/s784/london.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="784" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju28TzxJrwkvE1SJjfa1NDmluoSBDaO1rrfs0L7d3DAw31xYYGcOpyNSyMe-BbwdXZAHc4u6AAWKFRyuf4JaZ1J8__wfjt2yEEdmy26FatBDqZtKuWBmus0N1jiKQCubLLdCB-m8WsFZy0-LmlXTGVaqH9YLzYNajLkGiVB8JUH5qp7sgBDbAmp7hYgsm0/w400-h198/london.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-8cb0b93b-7fff-6bd4-4422-719ba164cefb"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Things have changed. The volume of traffic in and around Toronto is now almost impenetrable. My friend Steve "Lumpy" Sullivan and I went to see Genesis in November, 2021. Lumpy picked me up immediately after my school day ended and we were on the 401 highway by 4 p.m. By the time we parked, checked into our hotel and "sprinted" (more of a post-50-year-old fat guy jog) to the Scotiabank Arena, we plonked into our seats just as the band hit its first note -- no pre-show dinner for us.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VXQkHrhnuUE503edGxwSd-ELl0u1x5scYSzykJGlRQGCZIZ61unjPu3rFx75BHUIjYkXerBMvRxSv2xMEDG9VVtpFHEhT3VncELQznxBtC5zWTShyphenhyphenVfygtBFwuhqIxjVhxL97XXsON6ixqz-nmZsUmPsrBCbF1O_kAbHJZm3WLpXXw3WUG4pNuKEsviz/s800/Genesis_2021_event_v2-a0c3e52d3f.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="800" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VXQkHrhnuUE503edGxwSd-ELl0u1x5scYSzykJGlRQGCZIZ61unjPu3rFx75BHUIjYkXerBMvRxSv2xMEDG9VVtpFHEhT3VncELQznxBtC5zWTShyphenhyphenVfygtBFwuhqIxjVhxL97XXsON6ixqz-nmZsUmPsrBCbF1O_kAbHJZm3WLpXXw3WUG4pNuKEsviz/w400-h250/Genesis_2021_event_v2-a0c3e52d3f.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-39748880-7fff-d5c8-05da-9874ed8b7db8"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Nevertheless, there was plenty of time for food post-show. That was only because we had booked a downtown room at, believe it or not, a reasonable rate of $220. Current rates for popular downtown Toronto hotels often exceed $500 on weekends. After the last few Toronto shows I have been to, I have driven directly home. Even so, that comes with its own set of complications. When friends and I went to see Porcupine Tree perform in September, 2022, we spent an hour trying to get from Meridian Hall on Front Street to the Gardiner Expressway -- a distance of 500 metres (1/2 a kilometre). It was then another hour before we cleared the Greater Toronto area, still an hour and a half from home.</span></span></span><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJkU_YVnym0U9mkK7nGIIdoYlfFFv4r6UFjl9JFipBbOOCmyt24ywosUtJViWkVZkBOATYS5ma07mu6IOmzAty3m4Ff2tX3fvi5hPOHkqdEVNyB89JXU7r4IM8l51YQXl_qDAHSu7oz0ZpbA9OE0m77erUhbPaW4L4jD536PkJvwKwrW7nWQy_-CtNXNF/s797/Meridian%20to%20Gardiner.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="797" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJkU_YVnym0U9mkK7nGIIdoYlfFFv4r6UFjl9JFipBbOOCmyt24ywosUtJViWkVZkBOATYS5ma07mu6IOmzAty3m4Ff2tX3fvi5hPOHkqdEVNyB89JXU7r4IM8l51YQXl_qDAHSu7oz0ZpbA9OE0m77erUhbPaW4L4jD536PkJvwKwrW7nWQy_-CtNXNF/w400-h361/Meridian%20to%20Gardiner.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 kilometer distance from Meridian Centre to the Gardiner Expressway</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-09bedbf2-7fff-5d25-b444-b1e5478a51d5"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Fortunately, I live about two hours from both Detroit, Michigan and Buffalo, New York – both big entertainment centres. Even with border stoppages, the journey is shorter and, despite the currency exchange rate, hotels are much cheaper. I even drove to Ottawa in September to see Peter Gabriel perform on a Saturday, rather than trying for his Wednesday date in Toronto. That trip was convenient because my dad lives not far from the entertainment venue, providing the opportunity for a visit and free digs.</span></span></span><br /><span></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6_3ypaI6t9dFcrLHOjXNvWJPenCCiu8xWsKj4PCkJs-yzUbtcGVXNTmniR2o1sm1s57lqZmuy__OxtofA2GC1-eJTa7w-qFdH51mS9qpjNjL8BOCBCfGtdr2-1pSP8caacOdCQ2lA0qBINja2vfYPETYLDgYbBDmx1bt0v6FZ9Towb9tAI57Hi91mTlw/s540/london_namap.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="540" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6_3ypaI6t9dFcrLHOjXNvWJPenCCiu8xWsKj4PCkJs-yzUbtcGVXNTmniR2o1sm1s57lqZmuy__OxtofA2GC1-eJTa7w-qFdH51mS9qpjNjL8BOCBCfGtdr2-1pSP8caacOdCQ2lA0qBINja2vfYPETYLDgYbBDmx1bt0v6FZ9Towb9tAI57Hi91mTlw/w400-h234/london_namap.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-eb6e1167-7fff-c449-8499-8f774ceaf290"><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Relistening to</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Like A Prayer</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> in preparation for this post was a blast from the past. I did not own the record, but the six hits (including four that cracked the Top Ten in 1989) were omnipresent that year. The album marked a change in direction for Madonna and she made the recording during a time of emotional turmoil. As she explained in a 2014 interview:</span></span></span><p></p></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #232a31;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><blockquote>"It was a real coming-of-age record for me emotionally," Madonna told me. "I was at the end of my marriage [to actor Sean Penn] and I was working with Pat (co-producer Patrick Leonard), who was also in a very dark state of mind, and we worked in a very isolated place in the San Fernando Valley. I was very lonely when I was working on the record. I had to do a lot of soul-searching, and I think it is a reflection of that."</blockquote></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-043f4a4c-7fff-6aa5-3e29-e115840bca9c"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For many fans, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Like A Prayer</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">" marked the moment when Madonna figuratively and literally, left behind her 20--something pop persona. The newly-minted 30-year-old wrote introspective and revelatory songs and she explored her relationship with her family and faith. She also reflected on the brief time she had with her mother, Madonna Louise, who died of breast cancer in 1963 when the younger Madonna was six. It was not lost on the singer that, at 30, she was then older than her mother had been when she died.</span></span></span><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoP5cB8semsWRK88zI1nP-IZKZ-519XFDmgZVIla-F9SFCiw4g9S9C4IXRzdRjryZkBDXlMu6fbLhxcDasCgL2VCAmcfpflubOvabehCurVqBcNLiO-vNKE_vaI_3qs-SQpQFGw6qv6oPjGALqYnLL4C2aVMABwAF_UJWGAwI0BchQfyD-B0hdFiPgf9_/s1280/tumblr_dd3d77dafa2fea1439cf8357be88859c_389b83c5_1280.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1280" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoP5cB8semsWRK88zI1nP-IZKZ-519XFDmgZVIla-F9SFCiw4g9S9C4IXRzdRjryZkBDXlMu6fbLhxcDasCgL2VCAmcfpflubOvabehCurVqBcNLiO-vNKE_vaI_3qs-SQpQFGw6qv6oPjGALqYnLL4C2aVMABwAF_UJWGAwI0BchQfyD-B0hdFiPgf9_/w400-h261/tumblr_dd3d77dafa2fea1439cf8357be88859c_389b83c5_1280.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Baby Madonna with her parents, 1958.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The record's title track was a monster hit for Madonna and is considered by many critics to be her best song. <b><i>Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time</i></b> listed it at #306 in a 2004 edition of the periodical. The video to the song was incredibly controversial at the time, with provocative images representing sexual assault, racism, interracial relationships and Catholic iconography, including Madonna revealing a stigmata. The video shows the songstress dancing in front of a church and burning crosses while wearing a crucifix and dressed in a small, sheer, slip-dress. She closes the video kissing a black Jesus. Technically, that was historically accurate, although evangelicals were fixated on a blue-eyed Son of God who looks more like Barry Gibb than a Middle Eastern Jewish man. Everything about the performance seemed intentionally executed to maximize the ire of the Christian right-wing, particularly in the south. I loved it!!</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkjxvyDaIw6jwXIy0JPBfEPydJbHTkz0H3Ell7qWTsoYJcHRRfbcc_2YewoVA4aDYn6u9Vw0zJ0jL7kx4fb7MQSZFyvLfbjqHKSGAA8WrXTyP3l2cYikhMsOceO_xSL8B827vrD0yy3N6s8_xsa2DhAzv7cDq1g_cJe41hp1OsInkDg3IeDD-FQpz52yY/s1572/MV5BMDE3ZWJhNWUtOTUxNC00ZDA2LTlmYzItMmJiMDFmODZlM2UwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQ0NzE0MQ@@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1572" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkjxvyDaIw6jwXIy0JPBfEPydJbHTkz0H3Ell7qWTsoYJcHRRfbcc_2YewoVA4aDYn6u9Vw0zJ0jL7kx4fb7MQSZFyvLfbjqHKSGAA8WrXTyP3l2cYikhMsOceO_xSL8B827vrD0yy3N6s8_xsa2DhAzv7cDq1g_cJe41hp1OsInkDg3IeDD-FQpz52yY/w400-h300/MV5BMDE3ZWJhNWUtOTUxNC00ZDA2LTlmYzItMmJiMDFmODZlM2UwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQ0NzE0MQ@@._V1_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen capture from Madonna's <b><i>Like A Prayer</i></b> video.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-abdd184d-7fff-8919-1efc-85bad823d423"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Shortly before releasing the video, Madonna had signed a $5 million contract with Pepsi for rights to the song in a commercial campaign launched in January, 1989. The video from the </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/5115283048397156173#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pepsi commercial</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> was vastly different, depicting a far more wholesome All-American version of Madonna reflecting on her childhood and dancing in ‘50s-style vignettes. However, calls from evangelicals and even the Pope to boycott Pepsi products forced the soda company to pull the commercial and distance itself from the campaign. Interestingly, the complainers are mostly the same people who whine about “cancel culture”.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04WKchKwfDclkpdf-cwRF4cpiYjCb8B9YlGQ7m03fhkoKlPMKgVF8upjMNlxQbvUVkiHY2rFN1wjEQhnMhgSoB3tFm_zv4RtVRo36OzHssytIMOLs1xy2xT-AYgtidDP64VfkkHmjJjqvy8YEOV3FsQWv3ibxXGVO2-m3i41p5SZSnXJMaiTjHGXeRzcy/s550/m_pepsi_.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="550" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04WKchKwfDclkpdf-cwRF4cpiYjCb8B9YlGQ7m03fhkoKlPMKgVF8upjMNlxQbvUVkiHY2rFN1wjEQhnMhgSoB3tFm_zv4RtVRo36OzHssytIMOLs1xy2xT-AYgtidDP64VfkkHmjJjqvy8YEOV3FsQWv3ibxXGVO2-m3i41p5SZSnXJMaiTjHGXeRzcy/w400-h358/m_pepsi_.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Promotional photo from Pepsi's ill-fated<b><i> Like A Prayer </i></b>campaign.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-53b66020-7fff-db53-b3f5-dc56bacc3ddf"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite this, Madge got to keep the $5 million and the controversy only helped record sales that spring. Now, if we can just get her to show up on time for her future concerts ...either in Detroit or Buffalo!</span></span></span><br /><br /> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><span face=""YahooSans VF", "Yahoo Sans", YahooSans, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #232a31; font-size: 18.005px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-31247288175106056842023-11-05T10:05:00.000-08:002023-11-05T10:05:00.817-08:00The 500 - #240 - Can't Buy A Thrill - Steely Dan<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #240<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Can't Buy A Thrill</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Steely Dan<br /><b>Genre: </b>Jazz Rock, Soft Rock, Pop, Folk Rock<br /><b>Recorded: </b>The Village Recorder, West Los Angeles, USA</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> November, 1972<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 7<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Quite</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> Yes, at #168, up 72 places from 240 since 2012<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>Do It Again</i><i><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTthKOwcITEtcPOrHQNq6CMN7ifiPku2hlNQ0m4URJCwWTAQuvuDU6YTYq40p8JfP1Phpk5GL5M2X4diUx2y5Buj4nnNxnAywUDKKUS2INEr80alB5YpgQWVIE9_KJGBhyphenhyphenhWdPjvj7QdDbDPveWMiHx8N1hQ5T6suhpC1xpve6nuNa2XfoiFMyS3yMjF2/s820/SteelyD-000DPI300RGB1000393379-820x820.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="820" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTthKOwcITEtcPOrHQNq6CMN7ifiPku2hlNQ0m4URJCwWTAQuvuDU6YTYq40p8JfP1Phpk5GL5M2X4diUx2y5Buj4nnNxnAywUDKKUS2INEr80alB5YpgQWVIE9_KJGBhyphenhyphenhWdPjvj7QdDbDPveWMiHx8N1hQ5T6suhpC1xpve6nuNa2XfoiFMyS3yMjF2/w400-h400/SteelyD-000DPI300RGB1000393379-820x820.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steely Dan's <b><i>Can't Buy A Thrill</i></b> album cover</td></tr></tbody></table></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fd320567-7fff-3f5e-a929-1379f74c37b8"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Can't Buy A Thrill </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was the debut record by American Jazz Rock band Steely Dan and became the second of three records by the group to make The 500 list. In January, 2021, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/3124728817510605684#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">my friend Heather guest-blogged </span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">about about one of them – album #386, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pretzel Logic. </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">She plans to return in about two years to write about the stronger performing album, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Aja</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, at #145. </span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8jBmLXGwPeneoYzWUig0bC1lTIg1Bm6GKw52W9lpbKdM4IiUbvVTTZowHG30PU3sG-V_SjaTn34arZ69X90Yr0J4W2EGeqGbAK87zNLTEOE3PKSwPgxG8yRR19RPDycK8n0X4P1UWjTXQ1OoQWYg1d6Egs4QJ_ZYzgHK0pYkCOzcj9ylFOgZcYf8U395/s300/Aja_album_cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj8jBmLXGwPeneoYzWUig0bC1lTIg1Bm6GKw52W9lpbKdM4IiUbvVTTZowHG30PU3sG-V_SjaTn34arZ69X90Yr0J4W2EGeqGbAK87zNLTEOE3PKSwPgxG8yRR19RPDycK8n0X4P1UWjTXQ1OoQWYg1d6Egs4QJ_ZYzgHK0pYkCOzcj9ylFOgZcYf8U395/w400-h400/Aja_album_cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steely Dan's <b style="font-style: italic;">Aja</b> album cover, #145 on The 500</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-39b56fd0-7fff-9673-58ae-2cd8876b88dc"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Last April, my wife and I got a chance to see </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/3124728817510605684#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pretzel Logic</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, a Canadian tribute band who perform the music of Steely Dan. With us was Heather and her husband. Also sitting in the front row were two other guest bloggers, Gary Fowler who wrote about </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Funky Kingston</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> by Toots and The Maytals (#380) and Doug Hampson who wrote about </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Siren</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from Roxy Music (#374). It was a memorable 500 Blog reunion. </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7XLudC30JCReKQdYZ61fWxbgGhUiCMougP_hSAb2HkStx9BXKHdIse9XUes-JdGWW9kRghG-oTaLf1ugl8LJfdzH4xWjFk4k0ymN1_mlGFu1_70qJnMiyKAgucHBesAbeAosvto3JQtmn6SC3jHOolkqm6uJta7ap2a9jaoGdlohUmvKg7n_t1261mD1/s225/images%20(13).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7XLudC30JCReKQdYZ61fWxbgGhUiCMougP_hSAb2HkStx9BXKHdIse9XUes-JdGWW9kRghG-oTaLf1ugl8LJfdzH4xWjFk4k0ymN1_mlGFu1_70qJnMiyKAgucHBesAbeAosvto3JQtmn6SC3jHOolkqm6uJta7ap2a9jaoGdlohUmvKg7n_t1261mD1/w400-h400/images%20(13).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-9e997690-7fff-ee68-9837-17874c483a6e"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The band Pretzel Logic is a nine-piece group from Toronto who faithfully recreate the complex songs from Steely Dan’s ninerecord catalogue. The massively talented musicians capture the rich harmonies, saxophone and trumpet solos, intricate keyboard and guitar melodies with seemingly effortless precision. I was riveted. If you get a chance to see them...go!</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjTRV8QdVqiAh52ImTlMtbu4FOSD006Cx-9Blb37-rQT2cvFq9Bx3fGmiAxqk8vLE34K8yEyavMZZGG4Y56gsRHHw93_TWXwLMp8j9L3We1w3RTqDXiGw_-fUJ96LehYekzIWKToc-u-1QLnoW-GKM53ucetWg5ff_NKVyusnWnxAyV-jWaae5B97Iiwz4/s1841/IMG_0412.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="1841" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjTRV8QdVqiAh52ImTlMtbu4FOSD006Cx-9Blb37-rQT2cvFq9Bx3fGmiAxqk8vLE34K8yEyavMZZGG4Y56gsRHHw93_TWXwLMp8j9L3We1w3RTqDXiGw_-fUJ96LehYekzIWKToc-u-1QLnoW-GKM53ucetWg5ff_NKVyusnWnxAyV-jWaae5B97Iiwz4/w400-h200/IMG_0412.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretzel Logic performing in April, 2023 at Eastside Bar & Grill</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-75cb2e9b-7fff-cb72-bd12-a99dfde2d092"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">As I prepared to write this post, I chuckled a little about my introduction to the band. It was in the summer of 1974 when the song </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Ricky Don't Lose That Number </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was an omnipresent hit on the radio. My parents had sent me on a wonderful, one-week vacation at a summer camp called </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/3124728817510605684#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Canterbury Hills Camp</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, nestled in the beautiful forest of the Niagara Escarpment near Ancaster Heights, Ontario. I spent seven glorious days swimming, canoeing, making crafts, learning archery and singing songs around a campfire. </span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3lMQH354G6bMVEDDutps-UXiuweuO7F1lRGx1BbQnHdPZTGjK2cBZmZzZ4osO7H73r4jy1NsyW1T1gG_52I9Y_dwuvxEhvCRQnKQrlfnM4XrKa23lR7DPLYPBf4IHxwjUKzBgicFJTTde9Z4GRxDAz49P_hd1_jvy3AvKie1xRY0-lo-GQz6_vQNM322/s251/2021-07-05_15-14-12_team_60e359e687193.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="251" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3lMQH354G6bMVEDDutps-UXiuweuO7F1lRGx1BbQnHdPZTGjK2cBZmZzZ4osO7H73r4jy1NsyW1T1gG_52I9Y_dwuvxEhvCRQnKQrlfnM4XrKa23lR7DPLYPBf4IHxwjUKzBgicFJTTde9Z4GRxDAz49P_hd1_jvy3AvKie1xRY0-lo-GQz6_vQNM322/w400-h400/2021-07-05_15-14-12_team_60e359e687193.png" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fac02369-7fff-15a1-8fec-8cfb94d0de78"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Although we hiked and camped in a tent one evening, I spent most nights in bunkhouses. Despite the fact that it was a camp run by the Anglican Church, I had a bunkmate who told me the dirtiest jokes and shared the most offside stories I had ever heard. I can't remember his name, but I do remember one thing he said when </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Ricky Don't Lose That Number</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> played on a nearby radio.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUB225uNblOtPfhva9j0vJGqH7PHh2hVTXP74UwKyCLn_koZCDU3dcK67Y16O7_wKk8Qolfto21YYQW1lPTxKPM9dwPY69aZf5Z5V0NQzUaI4AqIBD4J7oewl-XokTkLUk28T1RQ8WhV2QqVn2VV3gW8YB3ZP6orvLUXgeAwsuJdPv41UzhEMYAJlOxCTN/s600/8af1d4f41edd0a26d0a4e22bcba4b280.600x600x1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUB225uNblOtPfhva9j0vJGqH7PHh2hVTXP74UwKyCLn_koZCDU3dcK67Y16O7_wKk8Qolfto21YYQW1lPTxKPM9dwPY69aZf5Z5V0NQzUaI4AqIBD4J7oewl-XokTkLUk28T1RQ8WhV2QqVn2VV3gW8YB3ZP6orvLUXgeAwsuJdPv41UzhEMYAJlOxCTN/w400-h400/8af1d4f41edd0a26d0a4e22bcba4b280.600x600x1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-cf5860ef-7fff-6b51-01ce-63d04d136dbb"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"Steely Dan was named after a dildo," he chortled. I had no idea what he meant, but I laughed anyway. It would be some time before I learned what a "dildo" was and I have no idea how a nine-year old had this information (I suspect he had older brothers) I learned, much later, that he was correct. Steely Dan had taken their name from a fictional, steam-powered dildo mentioned in the William S. Burroughs novel, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Naked Lunch</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQbdZbQdxGYBR6nTDYDZpiaJ9s_qKPWKUtyKosLIMGnuvXVfeojBP6x5otdymPxLdH63DDHGXzxEzni2q3phYczk63pu2KTyqfvfvry63t5k_l26AR6PJScIjROcHM5qAZEaDPjnRlIjlQ8wjBAUJJCx-5427oaKzPFVOyWO5bNf3m0-Vgc75Ll8rEtE1/s392/Naked_Lunch_film_poster.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQbdZbQdxGYBR6nTDYDZpiaJ9s_qKPWKUtyKosLIMGnuvXVfeojBP6x5otdymPxLdH63DDHGXzxEzni2q3phYczk63pu2KTyqfvfvry63t5k_l26AR6PJScIjROcHM5qAZEaDPjnRlIjlQ8wjBAUJJCx-5427oaKzPFVOyWO5bNf3m0-Vgc75Ll8rEtE1/w259-h400/Naked_Lunch_film_poster.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Naked Lunch</i></b> by William S. Burroughs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b92e27bf-7fff-6378-c4e6-2b00923c7ab6"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Can't Buy A Thrill </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">is a wonderful record full of familiar hits, including </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Do It Again</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Reelin' In The Years</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. It also features the hit single (in Canada anyway) </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dirty Work</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. I've heard </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dirty Work</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hundreds of times without paying close attention to the lyrics. I suspected it was more about the killer saxophone solo by studio musician Jerome Richardson. However, after listening to </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/3124728817510605684#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">the companion episode of The 500 Podcast</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, I was surprised to learn that it is a song of self-loathing, written from the perspective of a man who is cheating with another man's wife. A remarkable bit of lyrical writing for two men in their early twenties.</span></span><br /></span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pYN3tlr6983L_C15WEZq74J1yWI-lDRJ8ZFioPt7uisXxIbqB4KOB0Xamt7fKIF6qrQyBwpaxREOlILzXlDYCnTwNiAZb2F11TCg6jqjqDA7m7SGBO53RBaPLMIoQqgNUTl5xzLCeXLptqdWxr7qopw8k3b3c9RCWWTflZtr4ChG2swo0yDjsKpRmfbU/s720/Dirty%20Work%20Lyrics.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pYN3tlr6983L_C15WEZq74J1yWI-lDRJ8ZFioPt7uisXxIbqB4KOB0Xamt7fKIF6qrQyBwpaxREOlILzXlDYCnTwNiAZb2F11TCg6jqjqDA7m7SGBO53RBaPLMIoQqgNUTl5xzLCeXLptqdWxr7qopw8k3b3c9RCWWTflZtr4ChG2swo0yDjsKpRmfbU/w400-h400/Dirty%20Work%20Lyrics.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e352d583-7fff-aa64-a72d-6bcfc61f7cb2"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It delights me when new information helps me reframe something I have enjoyed listening to for many years and yet have misunderstood. Discoveries like this are gems. As I work my way through the next 240 records on The 500, I hope to uncover more. It is a learning thing. For now I will never listen to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dirty Work</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> in the same way again. In the meantime, I look forward to hearing Pretzel Logic perform the song the next time they’re in London.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6D6FbilCpwQZPAs2Ipkihb1SQZcYUOPPIabaMiuGQdAdSOG0PRJwLfpQgZ79fl0ufZkj1riRnJRTqBw3WH2fGDGdwhECE3nRiMfYRvtojbeWuPaWENhW15RaE5PYoqiWGycSELtRFqrfn_bfpb-FiXVYorl5j2Mz2vYTTbvkOgxoNGdSwHa7kjXfiejfT/s3516/Pretzel-Contact-Bottom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1719" data-original-width="3516" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6D6FbilCpwQZPAs2Ipkihb1SQZcYUOPPIabaMiuGQdAdSOG0PRJwLfpQgZ79fl0ufZkj1riRnJRTqBw3WH2fGDGdwhECE3nRiMfYRvtojbeWuPaWENhW15RaE5PYoqiWGycSELtRFqrfn_bfpb-FiXVYorl5j2Mz2vYTTbvkOgxoNGdSwHa7kjXfiejfT/w400-h195/Pretzel-Contact-Bottom.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /> </span></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-76713907944266113952023-10-29T12:52:00.001-07:002023-10-29T12:52:29.718-07:00The 500 - #241 - Let It Be - The Replacements<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #241<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Let It Be</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> The Replacements<br /><b>Genre: </b>Post Punk, Alternative Rock, College Rock<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Blackberry Way Studios, Minneapolis</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> October, 1984<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 19<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Not at all</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list?</b> Yes, at #156, up 85 places from 241 since 2012<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>I Will Dare</i><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtcaNWoWA4azSdPsTa9hDUUyLzXUZhi6nO0sb6AlsqNdKK-2iUzxhgOKQBVBm9RQygLEVPJIgfdrwmZY3sBGpuzleIKQysHXzaf20j0nQWV6_4If0HXIAZtNNeVSiqmtjvAVbg7YQZXEGdtXbCxzJNf5m6ilV_b87M8PswRnqZ8Be2UFyE0s_QhBOTCkNl/s300/The_Replacements_-_Let_It_Be_cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtcaNWoWA4azSdPsTa9hDUUyLzXUZhi6nO0sb6AlsqNdKK-2iUzxhgOKQBVBm9RQygLEVPJIgfdrwmZY3sBGpuzleIKQysHXzaf20j0nQWV6_4If0HXIAZtNNeVSiqmtjvAVbg7YQZXEGdtXbCxzJNf5m6ilV_b87M8PswRnqZ8Be2UFyE0s_QhBOTCkNl/w400-h400/The_Replacements_-_Let_It_Be_cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Let It Be</i></b> album cover from The Replacements.</td></tr></tbody></table></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b7d73a7d-7fff-21aa-082f-da4befedad38"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I knew little about the American, post-punk, rock band The Replacements until this week. Sure, I'd heard of them and knew that Paul Westerberg was their vocalist and guitarist. It was actually Westerberg who first came to my attention in the spring of 1993 when I bought the soundtrack to the film </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Singles</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Singles</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> was a romantic-drama/comedy (dramedy) set in contemporary (early ‘90s) Seattle at the height of the grunge music scene -- a Generation X music phenomenon that became the dominant commercial genre in the first half of that decade.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuz8VuhTmbt5k7_Rfv_4PXziY6yuHhkztOEA3x5Xt3RTF1cNVebTc6ysHzOWxBfxygAJZ4jAGIagaqy6m_gmPYMIZqm49znLzpIpgKWCt-Rk1oCCylLIRFAUlB-zuRuxQQvgXMNBGFWLSJo94sllVv_O0gK4ACv6if1WGVnv8qnNwt5Px6HZjOWG5x4h4b/s475/MV5BMTY1OTAzMzUwMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNzUwNDg5._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="338" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuz8VuhTmbt5k7_Rfv_4PXziY6yuHhkztOEA3x5Xt3RTF1cNVebTc6ysHzOWxBfxygAJZ4jAGIagaqy6m_gmPYMIZqm49znLzpIpgKWCt-Rk1oCCylLIRFAUlB-zuRuxQQvgXMNBGFWLSJo94sllVv_O0gK4ACv6if1WGVnv8qnNwt5Px6HZjOWG5x4h4b/w285-h400/MV5BMTY1OTAzMzUwMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNzUwNDg5._V1_.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poster for the 1992 film <b><i>Singles</i></b>.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-2f885816-7fff-7d9d-ca43-ab2c8d649402"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Singles</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> soundtrack featured Seattle-based artists from the ascendent grunge scene -- Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Screaming Trees, Mother Love Bone and Alice In Chains. However, it also contained songs from earlier Washington state artists, including </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">May This Be Love</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> by Jimi Hendrix and a cover of Led Zeppelin's </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Battle Of Evermore</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from The Lovemongers (a band featuring Ann and Nancy Wilson of the group Heart). In many ways, that CD was a mix of the music I had thoroughly enjoyed for a decade, combining the latest new sounds coming into fashion. I recorded it along with an assortment of other songs of the day. On a mixed cassette tape that "lived" in my car stereo for most of the spring of '93 -- a time when I was going through my own twenty-something, existential malaise. (Something documented in </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/7671390794426611395#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">previous blog posts</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">).</span></span></span><br /></span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsNSjLpHPchcfhcEXn6EXXhVJyA7g_5TSnxTFGo8Xj3i7i6OgMquDMkvEVhkfnMOATJHhVXNEk2-Ob_q2ysRKKDl_XdUvnHX_0NCd4fwkpcw5GkpH1DUDs98ZCwiitIXEp7RPu1jQ37EozWE6uCXsaWetll4AtnxkjfceZej5HulcrI1WmQn28MGSJjfz/s220/Singles_Soundtrack.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsNSjLpHPchcfhcEXn6EXXhVJyA7g_5TSnxTFGo8Xj3i7i6OgMquDMkvEVhkfnMOATJHhVXNEk2-Ob_q2ysRKKDl_XdUvnHX_0NCd4fwkpcw5GkpH1DUDs98ZCwiitIXEp7RPu1jQ37EozWE6uCXsaWetll4AtnxkjfceZej5HulcrI1WmQn28MGSJjfz/w400-h400/Singles_Soundtrack.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Album cover for the soundtrack to<b><i> Singles</i></b>.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-e78125c6-7fff-466f-a0d8-86f35e933ad3"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The soundtrack contained two songs from Westerberg, his first as a solo artist after The Replacements disbanded in the summer of 1991. Those songs, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dyslexic Heart</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Waiting For Somebody</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, won me over and, in retrospect, I am surprised I didn't dig deeper into his catalogue. Seeing him perform on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Saturday Night Live</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">SNL</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">) in December, 1993, (when Charlton Heston was the host) should also have kick-started my admiration for Westerberg's talent. His performances from that show were terrific and </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/7671390794426611395#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">can be seen here</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. </span></span></span><br /><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-YjBlMb0zD2AbVg5dKrhCDSQDReQmgjBh0D5q7N6Srlw-dv3lKOrpXKzuIzPP8NEJpy9Sli982l40Pe1NPLlJcKPNODQATlyc1kk9YQLErz26rENb_VJJRe0nn4IKxu6d7vr3goHsH_dGcAni5T7f21N9A1gJwmwcWniB4Q31El5YRuUlctWsRYxCqFn/s615/Heston%20Westerberg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="477" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-YjBlMb0zD2AbVg5dKrhCDSQDReQmgjBh0D5q7N6Srlw-dv3lKOrpXKzuIzPP8NEJpy9Sli982l40Pe1NPLlJcKPNODQATlyc1kk9YQLErz26rENb_VJJRe0nn4IKxu6d7vr3goHsH_dGcAni5T7f21N9A1gJwmwcWniB4Q31El5YRuUlctWsRYxCqFn/w310-h400/Heston%20Westerberg.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a3ff23f3-7fff-9d9c-6740-0cced6087a25"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Westerberg (centre) with Heston at right.
Cast of SNL, including the late Chris Farley, in rear.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-668e208a-7fff-f5cd-2f2f-0280677740a3"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Westerberg's first band, The Replacements, formed in 1979 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Initially a punk band, the group comprised Westerberg (vocals & rhythm guitar), Bob Stinson (lead guitar), his brother Tommy Stinson (bass guitar) and Chris Mars (drums).</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhk1g8wqYQbXkYQbkE4l8MaHHB9vacPTDR_Vri5eQ_-_IDNmEXs5dke6CKk0UU4G9ce9J1BdZg1pVDGrlM31aly7ijxxuSAB7nydxEG6XBhBpIcD3UEgJFj26qC1wx1qkcSxVOnylL0heKMspGfJujb_Sx4UWf52j6tV7FCj1Rlonn0t8V3U9GfZiOFmJW/s696/2015TheReplacements_Getty139931523110215-696x464.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="696" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhk1g8wqYQbXkYQbkE4l8MaHHB9vacPTDR_Vri5eQ_-_IDNmEXs5dke6CKk0UU4G9ce9J1BdZg1pVDGrlM31aly7ijxxuSAB7nydxEG6XBhBpIcD3UEgJFj26qC1wx1qkcSxVOnylL0heKMspGfJujb_Sx4UWf52j6tV7FCj1Rlonn0t8V3U9GfZiOFmJW/w400-h266/2015TheReplacements_Getty139931523110215-696x464.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Replacements (l-r) T. Stinson, Westerberg, Mars, B. Stinson.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-47006ea9-7fff-6679-8ac1-5a71a5ce9441"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Originally called (and I love this) Dogbreath, the band technically began in 1978 when 19-year-old Bob Stinson bought his 11-year-old brother Tommy a bass guitar to keep him "off the streets". Shortly after, Bob met Mars (who first played guitar) and they began jamming songs from an eclectic mix of artists such as Ted Nugent, Aerosmith and Yes. Westerberg was working as a custodian in the office of a U.S. senator and heard the trio playing in the Stinson's garage while walking home. After a few misstarts and name changes, Westerberg joined the trio, Mars moved to drums and The Replacements were ready to hit the scene.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizO54zXtD-nzP8YBwKRVp1t-qTtH4vCFxTils9Nvyff99OFAIIAquN53_qOZHWp6E95vTKll765UVX3iceV9frbvWqgzQyG6-38gYaGBAKvwECtJLbIGdV0Bbg6lVG7L1YrxdwSn07ZxQUed8OPsQC-V1-pyc95AftPGupGfMc23_ca8np0SaKjsj2Ie-q/s1236/The_Replacements_(1984_Laura_Levine_portrait).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1236" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizO54zXtD-nzP8YBwKRVp1t-qTtH4vCFxTils9Nvyff99OFAIIAquN53_qOZHWp6E95vTKll765UVX3iceV9frbvWqgzQyG6-38gYaGBAKvwECtJLbIGdV0Bbg6lVG7L1YrxdwSn07ZxQUed8OPsQC-V1-pyc95AftPGupGfMc23_ca8np0SaKjsj2Ie-q/w400-h320/The_Replacements_(1984_Laura_Levine_portrait).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Replacements (early 80s).</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c1c9e2b1-7fff-babb-0138-08e79a0332b0"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Let It Be </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was an audacious title for the band's third record -- it is, after all, the same name as the final studio record released by The Beatles (#392 on The 500). However, that cheeky choice was perfectly "on brand" for a group who approached music with a "nothing is sacred" individualistic attitude -- truly "punk rock". </span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjow6zq5TR_Smn-ylz1pU-H3uw4yi9_VenwlcIsn5ejvpIvQUyxT_QI89Di8lc8T4O-5kKloGgajy1iCILr1tIp8bBmMeo1R90A-2w3X1hUyuR0-HiGZf2c2ErTp1WfSXrspfICFRiSGwdgCROFg6bfCCGCjNPBt9RcG3-aEEx-7F9R0HJCKkF09ROn3Y/s300/LetItBe.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjow6zq5TR_Smn-ylz1pU-H3uw4yi9_VenwlcIsn5ejvpIvQUyxT_QI89Di8lc8T4O-5kKloGgajy1iCILr1tIp8bBmMeo1R90A-2w3X1hUyuR0-HiGZf2c2ErTp1WfSXrspfICFRiSGwdgCROFg6bfCCGCjNPBt9RcG3-aEEx-7F9R0HJCKkF09ROn3Y/w400-h400/LetItBe.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Let It Be</i></b> album cover by The Beatles.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-bee9c1bf-7fff-7778-25d8-84049e4a4fb2"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There were so many tracks on this record that resonated with me -- </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I Will Dare</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Unsatisfied</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and, to my delight, a cover version of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Black Diamond</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from KISS. However, the song that struck me was </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Androgynous</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, a piano ballad penned by principal songwriter Westerberg. The song is a celebration of a romantic relationship between two gender non-conforming individuals. It expresses the hope that we are heading to a future where all people and their relationships will be accepted. Some say it was decades ahead of its time; but I am pretty sure Andy Warhol, Candy Darling, Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground would disagree, as </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/7671390794426611395#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I discussed in my May, 2022 post</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqkdvAkAE6NveqyCv6V6g5JJ780A4DHJS2Tfy-_9EU4WPSZNGDAWilRd3duyVyFBatvOPPpx2ukctEP3INRT9_gU2a5qDd0AVuFITQzsg_UgaqJ7f1XZxxR_4AorgPjk7uv6PJ3cUNI3qcwW5zJioKPppDcO6MjGEP6s2ZhGUz7Ct9JAtRI9PUwOIyn60/s1860/candy_warhol.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1860" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqkdvAkAE6NveqyCv6V6g5JJ780A4DHJS2Tfy-_9EU4WPSZNGDAWilRd3duyVyFBatvOPPpx2ukctEP3INRT9_gU2a5qDd0AVuFITQzsg_UgaqJ7f1XZxxR_4AorgPjk7uv6PJ3cUNI3qcwW5zJioKPppDcO6MjGEP6s2ZhGUz7Ct9JAtRI9PUwOIyn60/w400-h240/candy_warhol.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy Warhol and transgender actress Candy Darling.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-9db6c744-7fff-e76a-04e4-e35393c7e9be"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This week, and this post, began with the recognition that "I didn't know much about The Replacements". I'll end by saying I know quite a bit now. I've read articles, watched YouTube documentaries and, most importantly, listened to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Let It Be</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> many times. I'm happy to report that I am now a fan, rectifying my lack of appreciation for the group in 1993.</span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-22222536423746817082023-10-22T14:56:00.003-07:002023-10-22T14:56:24.987-07:00The 500 - #242 - RUN-D.M.C. (debut) - RUN-D.M.C.<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #242<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>RUN-D.M.C.</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> RUN-D.M.C.<br /><b>Genre: </b>East Coast Hip-Hop, Rap Rock<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Green Street Recording Studio, New York City</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> March, 1984<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 18<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Not at all</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list? </b>Yes, at #378, dropping 136 spots since 2012<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>Rock Box</i><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKg6r9IRjzePRUBl3ONbdeX-LZ0kwZResRFZP8hWFVj3w3iwNv_SUZJN7AAAk1hubpHXOOjDmdv-J0TTwL3oeDkjg5MXmBpYzAJgmOoYWw_6kYK3LCOkSrPLcgmBDuua9Ddlihjyxs6IWdZFFeMRe0zQKR5iahZZXAGbC6ag2SVgem4BFmSSG1O1EDeOTu/s220/Run-D.M.C..jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKg6r9IRjzePRUBl3ONbdeX-LZ0kwZResRFZP8hWFVj3w3iwNv_SUZJN7AAAk1hubpHXOOjDmdv-J0TTwL3oeDkjg5MXmBpYzAJgmOoYWw_6kYK3LCOkSrPLcgmBDuua9Ddlihjyxs6IWdZFFeMRe0zQKR5iahZZXAGbC6ag2SVgem4BFmSSG1O1EDeOTu/w400-h400/Run-D.M.C..jpg" width="400" /></a></div></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">My family emigrated to Canada from England twice. The first time was shortly before I was born, in 1964. The second time was in the spring of 1971 just after my twin brother and sister were born. Consequently, I grew up with few relatives in Canada. I had only two second cousins, Daryl and Karen, who lived a few hundred kilometers away, initially in Bramalea, near Toronto, and then in Bobcaygeon, east of Peterborough, Ontario.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtuSXWxhVyQJlUE4-Ee0BvSxInvEe8-NxBkCCt2ZeaaG7ur9thKX-BIzU5AtBqEHFBr15gIqd4dxNG65gKdyVSRbJ-XEjHP2Fq6b6Gcl8PPJmawEcAfUNl2DHov2hMbFCQr-7KDK_FfHM_kvJ4cSAeT1UUwDULQ7D-FuJ-Kr1ZRm4thkRH-LXaX1Ko3Z9/s569/337855-340x569-cousin-chart.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="340" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtuSXWxhVyQJlUE4-Ee0BvSxInvEe8-NxBkCCt2ZeaaG7ur9thKX-BIzU5AtBqEHFBr15gIqd4dxNG65gKdyVSRbJ-XEjHP2Fq6b6Gcl8PPJmawEcAfUNl2DHov2hMbFCQr-7KDK_FfHM_kvJ4cSAeT1UUwDULQ7D-FuJ-Kr1ZRm4thkRH-LXaX1Ko3Z9/w239-h400/337855-340x569-cousin-chart.png" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A handy "Cousin Chart".</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-4fdfa16d-7fff-8802-2946-06fbfd741cb7"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I mentioned this because it was my cousin Daryl, who was one year older than I, who introduced me to funk and hip-hop music. When he came to visit me in London, in the summer of 1981, I was excited to share with him my record collection, including favourite progressive rock bands Rush, Genesis and Yes. He had brought his favourite cassettes, including </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Feel Me</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, by the funk band Cameo.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3N_ghn_c7JdCi89P61FU-lT6dncICIuzN3QYba-59DEOZsDjKhq-a6N3fr5pOzUJ0Am0hAabl5aTUAZOAX1x61VE5zssY0QsxVVHs4COaUaBGo_inhFoIJ0dlvzX_NUtkwY0RPIk93DLXAQnPcUwRSx1NhQ4P_e-PraaMJkwmyjT4qLGxehNd_tXrQizP/s282/Cameo_Feel_Me.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="282" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3N_ghn_c7JdCi89P61FU-lT6dncICIuzN3QYba-59DEOZsDjKhq-a6N3fr5pOzUJ0Am0hAabl5aTUAZOAX1x61VE5zssY0QsxVVHs4COaUaBGo_inhFoIJ0dlvzX_NUtkwY0RPIk93DLXAQnPcUwRSx1NhQ4P_e-PraaMJkwmyjT4qLGxehNd_tXrQizP/w400-h394/Cameo_Feel_Me.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Feel Me</i></b> by Cameo.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-cfcfbe24-7fff-ed9e-9b6f-0aac432c00a9"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was surprised to learn that all of his revered music was by black artists. In retrospect, I shouldn't have been surprised. Daryl attended a school in the Greater Toronto area that was far more multicultural than the one I went to in the white enclave of London. I often joke that my early-’80s high school experience was so white that the Portuguese kids were the only ones considered “people of colour. That isn't the case now; Saunders Secondary School (which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022) is one of the most multi-cultural schools in the city.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPYPgKnjfTPm4moMeQOvDfNkz61ITqsgsDNxtOBiOUzRamDIg6sfdjl-p28puAvCb8VzcVVTYtG-WH0TPQRCQ8XuCUeINcLIPpOzf6JCkCPvqOQoqcsihjWdGpasPvAe8wWUvyC8_ZnIwEhe-vgGuBdaZG7FzW6958ZTqWzLhnSsut7WIU6t58jbXF_Qz/s1280/1280px-Saunders_Secondary_-_091608.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPYPgKnjfTPm4moMeQOvDfNkz61ITqsgsDNxtOBiOUzRamDIg6sfdjl-p28puAvCb8VzcVVTYtG-WH0TPQRCQ8XuCUeINcLIPpOzf6JCkCPvqOQoqcsihjWdGpasPvAe8wWUvyC8_ZnIwEhe-vgGuBdaZG7FzW6958ZTqWzLhnSsut7WIU6t58jbXF_Qz/w400-h300/1280px-Saunders_Secondary_-_091608.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saunders Secondary School in London, Ontario.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-206bad87-7fff-5200-f885-4a8e919b7e6e"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">He listened to some of the records I played on my cheap, bedroom turntable. He had his driver's licence and we went for a cruise in the nearby countryside so that he could play some of his choices. As I listened to Cameo and an album by Kurtis Blow called, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">The Breaks</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, Daryl began to explain his love for break-dancing. It was the first time I had heard about the acrobatic form of street dance that had its roots in the African and Caribbean communities of New York City in the 1970s.</span></span> </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/ruO4J90VH6JodVJo7n/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="479" height="270" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/ruO4J90VH6JodVJo7n/giphy.gif" width="479" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of Break Dancing.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-386ca8eb-7fff-333b-b2db-b3ffca791edd"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we drove, listened to music and talked, it became increasingly obvious to each other that we had little in common. I suspect we both realized that we would probably not be friends if it were not for our blood connection. However, the experience shaped my earliest understanding of the hip-hop genre -- one that was about to explode into the mainstream (even at my fairly monocultural high school). Among the first bands to gain a foothold was RUN-D.M.C., a group that formed in the Hollis, Queens neighbourhood of New York City.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm47ZridOBI2Mk7-3vtksaiXDW0dGfjzG2ZPQ5i6kGjfwHw7fjRVYA4OYW_gxXO8NSkL75TNwv8you5CdKeHsxG7e7PfgRerwy6k8VJEZu4EnwJ8mLMHHRwQQGg3WUSNqyQWHCnVC7PzMWR6PekEw51dL3BXbzo_C6PlLZ6I_D7c3B1Z_UcoSYprEncT0I/s365/Rundmc_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="365" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm47ZridOBI2Mk7-3vtksaiXDW0dGfjzG2ZPQ5i6kGjfwHw7fjRVYA4OYW_gxXO8NSkL75TNwv8you5CdKeHsxG7e7PfgRerwy6k8VJEZu4EnwJ8mLMHHRwQQGg3WUSNqyQWHCnVC7PzMWR6PekEw51dL3BXbzo_C6PlLZ6I_D7c3B1Z_UcoSYprEncT0I/w400-h299/Rundmc_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jason Mizell, Darryl McDaniels <br />& Joseph Simmons (l-r) are RUN D.M.C.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-380d8882-7fff-a325-9861-c3b74d9a7d4a"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Formed in 1983, the groundbreaking trio comprised musicians Joseph Simmons (DJ Run), Jason Mizell (Jam Master Jay) and Darryl McDaniels (DMC). When they performed, Mizell worked the turntables while Simmons and McDaniels performed their raps on the microphone. The influential group pioneered the relationship between the disc jockey (DJ) and the mike controllers (MCs). They were massively successful, becoming the first hip-hop group to have a gold record (their self-titled debut) and a platinum record (</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Raising Hell</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, released in 1986 and #123 on The 500). They were also the first hip-hop act to have a video air on MTV, appear on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">American Bandstand</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> and make the cover of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Rolling Stone</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> magazine (December, 1986).</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVniqCbIMiJRM3UKj6u8JAXkmWoQobXtA9i3qwkPGJVH33lKXv1SavXuiJ1qNXk1iO_Ytaums9otOki3Efyds7fFwjTBbIAVwmbMKtd3pkaZt6YUj35MFaeJvkTJnmARYEOulrKvqazdnWo8l5COCT8Ec1Dz2nC4hSdwURZ8dT1Ai0x1NVV9_5RWK5fd1/s1023/RUN-DMC-RS488.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="909" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVniqCbIMiJRM3UKj6u8JAXkmWoQobXtA9i3qwkPGJVH33lKXv1SavXuiJ1qNXk1iO_Ytaums9otOki3Efyds7fFwjTBbIAVwmbMKtd3pkaZt6YUj35MFaeJvkTJnmARYEOulrKvqazdnWo8l5COCT8Ec1Dz2nC4hSdwURZ8dT1Ai0x1NVV9_5RWK5fd1/w355-h400/RUN-DMC-RS488.webp" width="355" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-c77c6201-7fff-2be7-9e60-18b7650d20d7"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">It wasn't until their 1986 release, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Raising Hell</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, that I became familiar with the group. I will share that story when we get to that record in about two years. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to their debut album for this blog. I was surprised by their piece, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Rock Box</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">, which blends hard rock and hip-hop, and a blistering guitar solo from studio musician Eddie Martinez. This was the first of several Rap-Rock songs released by the group and paved the way for many other artists in the late ‘80s, including one of my favourite groups, Rage Against The Machine.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCe8Xy2IL8WidqLxp4qvuHqGNp6f8O78MqqRlvcurAV1pKM7NZNLQnl-dfdbkiD5vc4EHPmE6GNJDzN7KgHi8UBs-qv42bwih-2eF2W4NOQ52NwG51q1CaPspQdYRHDeM45-1d580izEe_Wrbn_J_CBoz2-ghiJorQNXQf59KAxvMEyvYIde0XtIZCGRm/s300/Raising_Hell_(Run_DMC_album_-_cover_art).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCe8Xy2IL8WidqLxp4qvuHqGNp6f8O78MqqRlvcurAV1pKM7NZNLQnl-dfdbkiD5vc4EHPmE6GNJDzN7KgHi8UBs-qv42bwih-2eF2W4NOQ52NwG51q1CaPspQdYRHDeM45-1d580izEe_Wrbn_J_CBoz2-ghiJorQNXQf59KAxvMEyvYIde0XtIZCGRm/w400-h400/Raising_Hell_(Run_DMC_album_-_cover_art).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Raising Hell</i></b> - the 1986 platinum released from RUN-D.M.C.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-3ea40e30-7fff-927b-8a75-832dd61c754a"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I was also surprised by the lyrics on the RUN-D.M.C.debut album. I had pigeon-holed a lot of early rap as being excessively self-aggrandizing. Much of the mainstream rap I heard in the ‘80s focused on the rapper's skills and the lyrics seemed full of boastful statements about the singer's financial status or success with the fairer sex. Sure, there is some of that on RUN-D.M.C.'s debut, but the record also addresses poverty (</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Hard Times</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">) and positive relationships (</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">30 Days</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">). The song </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Wake Up</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> recounts a dream about a utopian world, free of hate, war, violence, homelessness and greed. It was written to address the tensions created during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union when the threat of nuclear annihilation was palpable.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheiytcAKv_9VWt2amTkwRNcUhncpSNFOCr7qnUb2ckLxsmRN9kj3iSMDCXzuqDTspAkSXuJsMAbUKL5YQfwdAN8XaZCdXlVQvZqG4lBPcQml_DdBDf9X5V3s-b0JUeVvTFMylrnkxo8kmiBlEigj8NMa3zwVIshqsTZfPKg67snmiBw5fkMaegJG_o6tfw/s1763/Run-D.M.C.%20-%20Self%20Titled%20rear.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1381" data-original-width="1763" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheiytcAKv_9VWt2amTkwRNcUhncpSNFOCr7qnUb2ckLxsmRN9kj3iSMDCXzuqDTspAkSXuJsMAbUKL5YQfwdAN8XaZCdXlVQvZqG4lBPcQml_DdBDf9X5V3s-b0JUeVvTFMylrnkxo8kmiBlEigj8NMa3zwVIshqsTZfPKg67snmiBw5fkMaegJG_o6tfw/w400-h314/Run-D.M.C.%20-%20Self%20Titled%20rear.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back cover of the debut record by RUN-D.M.C.<br />including the track listing.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-039a097d-7fff-fcc3-c943-571f91bd81ec"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After that summer afternoon with Daryl, I saw him only once more -- the next summer when my family rented a cottage near Bobcaygeon where he was then living. I haven't spoken with him in more than 30 years. Our lives simply grew in different directions. It would be interesting to reunite and talk about where our love of music took us through our 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. I wonder if he still likes Cameo? I do now.</span></span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span></span></div></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-26994326163569261412023-10-15T14:27:00.005-07:002023-10-15T14:30:10.950-07:00The 500 - #243 - Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #243<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>Black Sabbath</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Black Sabbath<br /><b>Genre: </b>Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Blues Rock<br /><b>Recorded: </b>Regent Sound, London, U.K.</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Released:</b> February, 1970<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 4<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> Very</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list? </b>Yes, at #255, dropping 112 spots since 2012<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>Wasp/Behind The Wall Of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B.</i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDh6BJcK0_xkGZhrHQ9tS1CBXT4VxjGiJVFur3ToGstIYwpBF4HjCDqQ5zbSaCUgzkyle8DQIZoJCq52nlqTEjghAi1bcV5QuQxL25E-6z-0H9pjJ-BEOKXB_NG6LvFJL4pJBqU_8H4Hlq43jIDc2wUGXyHeTTm-9sFkAk5F3MSkf0oZ9fe2XEBfueM-_/s400/Black_Sabbath_album.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDh6BJcK0_xkGZhrHQ9tS1CBXT4VxjGiJVFur3ToGstIYwpBF4HjCDqQ5zbSaCUgzkyle8DQIZoJCq52nlqTEjghAi1bcV5QuQxL25E-6z-0H9pjJ-BEOKXB_NG6LvFJL4pJBqU_8H4Hlq43jIDc2wUGXyHeTTm-9sFkAk5F3MSkf0oZ9fe2XEBfueM-_/w400-h400/Black_Sabbath_album.webp" width="400" /></a></div></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ed9d1be0-7fff-9b40-8c4c-1b365193de40"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The debut record from Black Sabbath is one that I first heard in high school in the early ‘80s. More specifically, while attending basement parties in London, Ontario. Listening to it in its entirety this week transported me back to those heady days of my youth. I was going to use the adjective "carefree" to describe that time in my life because, in retrospect, it was. However, back then, it didn't always feel that way. Awash in surging testosterone, I, like many teens, could run the gamut of emotions on any given day. Psychologists have dubbed this turbulent affliction as a period of "emotional overstatement." It can also occur during menopause or andropause. However, as adults, we are often better equipped to deal with it -- at least I think I am. I touched on my experiences with andropause in a 2016 post I called </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/2699432616356926141#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"Twitter and the lesson that makes me cry"</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. </span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghULHN6J1zWcZUYgWaNyWzOeTpWftYgxnlr0vMCd0JAaaWiZQya2lt0A4_LYXxN6fusWA8ZuNNReghV8pijw7wqQgR8MkyEW-JVCBijNZQrUGvT1ZL9mPCy5XodP5yPJ1uZqhC7kkGBuHf5AtkMSn8vLJUa2vLh7J6alIFBMai_s9YLdDM6tNiN21I0VeZ/s612/1694493447146.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="612" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghULHN6J1zWcZUYgWaNyWzOeTpWftYgxnlr0vMCd0JAaaWiZQya2lt0A4_LYXxN6fusWA8ZuNNReghV8pijw7wqQgR8MkyEW-JVCBijNZQrUGvT1ZL9mPCy5XodP5yPJ1uZqhC7kkGBuHf5AtkMSn8vLJUa2vLh7J6alIFBMai_s9YLdDM6tNiN21I0VeZ/w400-h217/1694493447146.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-3dc647bf-7fff-337f-60cb-ca16b1661b02"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In September, 2022, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/2699432616356926141#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I wrote about Black Sabbath</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> when the group’s third record, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Masters Of Reality</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, appeared on The 500 list at position #300. I will write about them again in November, 2025, when their best-selling record, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Paranoid</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, arrives in position #131. It is another record that got plenty of plays in those smoke-filled, basement bars of my youth. As my wife said when we were listening to Black Sabbath this week: "When I hear this record, I can actually smell those wood-paneled, basement parties -- that mix of cigarette and marijuana smoke blended with stale beer and a hint of damp, musty mildew." Indeed, the sense of smell, or olfaction, is our most primary sense and one that can trigger powerful memories. How fascinating that music can trigger olfactory recollections.</span></span></span><br /></span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWDnX22KllZcWDwUE7SZWEdGjG4iReAerL39QLBpMTuNoL1ZilNsb6vCldOEy5TFcApcgOuiIvKQpIYkpwJhn3i2VcidcMhx5RIv6F5qxjjFPpR3XaEp96C1dvmYThniX_SbEeOEXbzXQSo3cQF7g9xlDPPB91xQo-H8Sexq4A6R6dq8bCSzQl-aZ89B6/s719/unqeaqhpp5i71.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="719" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWDnX22KllZcWDwUE7SZWEdGjG4iReAerL39QLBpMTuNoL1ZilNsb6vCldOEy5TFcApcgOuiIvKQpIYkpwJhn3i2VcidcMhx5RIv6F5qxjjFPpR3XaEp96C1dvmYThniX_SbEeOEXbzXQSo3cQF7g9xlDPPB91xQo-H8Sexq4A6R6dq8bCSzQl-aZ89B6/w400-h268/unqeaqhpp5i71.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">An online shot of an 80s basement party.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-8ba46ceb-7fff-ab1b-ede5-54138888c586"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The debut record by Black Sabbath is considered the first in the heavy metal genre. However, their sound had its genesis in a tale of tragedy and perseverance. Before becoming a professional musician, 17-year-old guitarist Tony Iommi made his living working at a steel mill in his hometown of Birmingham, England. On his last day of work, hours before a scheduled departure with his first band, The Birds And The Bees, on a tour of Germany, Iommi came home for lunch and briefly considered skipping the afternoon shift. His mother encouraged him to return to the factory, saying: "You have to finish a job properly."</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLL0TYDVQnEkfL-0CSh0AReyqNL_HoQxfmYmoNB22kffcTVLFyywhxLipDtRHSOdJSTAAjQL3kyO6hHNVZkGcL68AMcrFijnH35-FuOFMAEJmtFmwRevOPlZMiSpYuY8G6zGi7bjLatKonAMG6YsTtyzxmLmOhaj4-_iZ8_khluIBFIrLYmtjvn427Nzel/s904/5ybwpss3tm661.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLL0TYDVQnEkfL-0CSh0AReyqNL_HoQxfmYmoNB22kffcTVLFyywhxLipDtRHSOdJSTAAjQL3kyO6hHNVZkGcL68AMcrFijnH35-FuOFMAEJmtFmwRevOPlZMiSpYuY8G6zGi7bjLatKonAMG6YsTtyzxmLmOhaj4-_iZ8_khluIBFIrLYmtjvn427Nzel/w310-h400/5ybwpss3tm661.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Iommi as a teenager.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-d486da35-7fff-fb9e-5089-ed9635ec8c41"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">When he returned to the mill, he learned that another worker, who operated a guillotine-style machine on the assembly line, had not shown up. Iommi replaced him. In a 2020 interview, the left-handed guitarist recalled what happened next, saying:</span></span></span></span></div><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>"They said, 'You've got to go on the machine yourself because there's nobody else to do it'. So, as I'm pushing the metal through the press, the machine came down on my hand, and in the action of pulling my hand back quick, I pulled the ends of my fingers off."</b></span></blockquote></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-56b4e291-7fff-5221-9a72-a90c5d11f246"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As fate would have it, the fingertips were on his right hand, the one he used on the guitar fretboard to make chords while his right hand strummed and picked the strings. When the wounds had healed, Iommi struggled to play through the pain and even considered switching to play right-handed. He was frustrated and thought of quitting music altogether.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d91394ac-7fff-0ce4-bac8-e1f5df7019b8"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, the manager of the factory urged Iommi to try something different. The manager purchased him a record by legendary French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Reinhardt had taught himself to play the guitar, masterfully, after losing the use of all but two of his left-hand fingers – the index and ring fingers – in a fire. </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvCXYdxul9ZBsf_JuVOnVL-FBjbyBdNp1zMHXD9IrDs4NX0w6ITkVP20debmFIVCNlxp7BYyZ1lhems1ef8mcnisJmaPUdiD1dueuxo_35kcPltn0kqfQgGpbI7PDyieYokjC288LGwr1nW3ZO_Sq0wHrr3c0saZzvODgrNT-oC5IjoF_Ise6RQAvXOzh/s800/djangofrethand.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvCXYdxul9ZBsf_JuVOnVL-FBjbyBdNp1zMHXD9IrDs4NX0w6ITkVP20debmFIVCNlxp7BYyZ1lhems1ef8mcnisJmaPUdiD1dueuxo_35kcPltn0kqfQgGpbI7PDyieYokjC288LGwr1nW3ZO_Sq0wHrr3c0saZzvODgrNT-oC5IjoF_Ise6RQAvXOzh/w400-h400/djangofrethand.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Django Reinhardt and his misshapen hands following<br />nerve damage resulting from a fire.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-d2469711-7fff-7772-a341-3a3a3d93da60"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Inspired, Iommi fashioned himself thimble-sized fingertips from melted "Fairy Liquid" dish-detergent bottles and pieces of his leather jacket. The homemade prosthetic worked, sort of. He was unable to feel the strings, so he tended to push down on them much harder. Consequently, he was unable to “bend” the strings – an important manipulation to adjust the tone. His remedy was to replace the heavy gauge strings with lighter ones from a banjo. He also loosened the strings, lowering the guitar tone three semitones down from standard guitar tuning. </span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0u4DKVTelT_WOzj5B_km5_p3GXSHosRMJIyL3rsgutIb-gmUjx0Y6d84Thg6OG02GfpSl1fu-P0okgwbZBoqPHypi3keUJCn8aHwlcp5QaLnOA7eggtdW6-alHMb8joTPGxQ6Ssf8V67PCbwJT7ninS-bpYwUnP3ehs7OMbF2wIDRz02bl2buHz6WRhYv/s602/main-qimg-a26c676474f727ffe7e4aec253d3f47f-lq.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="602" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0u4DKVTelT_WOzj5B_km5_p3GXSHosRMJIyL3rsgutIb-gmUjx0Y6d84Thg6OG02GfpSl1fu-P0okgwbZBoqPHypi3keUJCn8aHwlcp5QaLnOA7eggtdW6-alHMb8joTPGxQ6Ssf8V67PCbwJT7ninS-bpYwUnP3ehs7OMbF2wIDRz02bl2buHz6WRhYv/w400-h266/main-qimg-a26c676474f727ffe7e4aec253d3f47f-lq.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iommi's hands, including the prosthetic fingertips, on his guitar fretboard.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-831ffd12-7fff-cdfd-edd5-78b5620d8027"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Additionally, Iommi was forced to slow down his finger movements to prevent the tips from coming off, so he started to make the most of chord shapes and the sound created by the changes to his strings. The result was a bigger, weightier and darker sound -- and a heavy metal guitar legend was born.</span></span></span><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghitPpcagA6ujifINCDp697Bg9ixp97EPpH6tQnLXG4G-QC1GedjBBv02s8jaSclqzMtT-BpXvsvLAj52o9PAJf7ch6NNy1IeR3mIF5AKPIS4tdp9Ec2T1LGis-GVPNvy3B2h-QrTDIsPSxX6w9NgMh9AUagSNP7hdhzIEdlP2rEfS8XnVwTR6WYIqi37v/s290/290px-Sabs.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="290" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghitPpcagA6ujifINCDp697Bg9ixp97EPpH6tQnLXG4G-QC1GedjBBv02s8jaSclqzMtT-BpXvsvLAj52o9PAJf7ch6NNy1IeR3mIF5AKPIS4tdp9Ec2T1LGis-GVPNvy3B2h-QrTDIsPSxX6w9NgMh9AUagSNP7hdhzIEdlP2rEfS8XnVwTR6WYIqi37v/w400-h276/290px-Sabs.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Black Sabbath in 1970, (l-r) Geezer Butler, Iommi, Bill Ward<br />and Ozzy Osbourne.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I've thought about Iommi's story often since learning about it many years ago. It reminds me that, sometimes, persevering through hardship can lead to something better.<br /><br />There was the time I was fired from my bartending job at East Side Mario's Restaurant in Oakville, Ontario. I was broke and, at 27, forced to move back home with my parents. It was a terrible time when I felt at my lowest. However, my financial situation forced me to quit smoking and I eventually got a much better job at Kelsey's Restaurant where I met one of my best friends (and frequent guest blogger), Steve "Lumpy" Sullivan. I also decided to go back to school to pursue a second degree and that led me to Teacher's College and to a career that I still love.<br /><br />So, take a page from the book of Iommi -- you've got to finish a job properly.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZbxVJ_8AZkpTFTdmTMCuH1oP00v5bpM9cDIhYEnZxXX8_z4uypQOui08xvj7-bk82WDM7vIqnRb4WM5KPBP_TDwNSWHgZRTOmu9Zgmu5olTNKJowzQmXr8SF45XnrRpeP06mTfOK02ViL_TzDVonR7CSyRmM30QEIn2WcnFVEwpso5mNzSkpIjYTQ_bk/s610/8d26df_fcdf09ecd39a4b7c9b84a17efbb49a96-1-610x406.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="610" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZbxVJ_8AZkpTFTdmTMCuH1oP00v5bpM9cDIhYEnZxXX8_z4uypQOui08xvj7-bk82WDM7vIqnRb4WM5KPBP_TDwNSWHgZRTOmu9Zgmu5olTNKJowzQmXr8SF45XnrRpeP06mTfOK02ViL_TzDVonR7CSyRmM30QEIn2WcnFVEwpso5mNzSkpIjYTQ_bk/w400-h266/8d26df_fcdf09ecd39a4b7c9b84a17efbb49a96-1-610x406.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-1841140746767555762023-10-09T09:19:00.008-07:002023-10-09T14:00:40.629-07:00The 500 - #244 - The Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #244<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>The Marshall Mathers LP</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Eminem<br /><b>Genre: </b>Horrorcore, Hardcore Hip Hop<br /><b>Recorded:</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> Six<span> Studios: Los Angeles (4), New York (1) and Detroit (1)</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><b>Released:</b> May, 2000<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 34<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> A couple songs</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list? </b>Yes, at #145, climbing 99 spots since 2012<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>Stan</i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMF3j1Fym-VNHpebdEBQxu6CojI2Vw-9yfgzSOfeoWKr5izOi8FclC-J4xVSOsRyW_c5rMTazAQEPSmXZ36tu08-PQETLA4ftc-ViMDAoFFTfQFKgILQhGiwWOkPEsLlk8GckjAt8myIZafkkPLdnrs4QIvYRb_nHyXKc_qjIMnVLM8KtS0t3iSgjHEbo/s300/The_Marshall_Mathers_LP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMF3j1Fym-VNHpebdEBQxu6CojI2Vw-9yfgzSOfeoWKr5izOi8FclC-J4xVSOsRyW_c5rMTazAQEPSmXZ36tu08-PQETLA4ftc-ViMDAoFFTfQFKgILQhGiwWOkPEsLlk8GckjAt8myIZafkkPLdnrs4QIvYRb_nHyXKc_qjIMnVLM8KtS0t3iSgjHEbo/w400-h400/The_Marshall_Mathers_LP.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Although recently updated, the Ontario Language Curriculum (2006), contained the following expectation in the Grade 7 writing section during the past 12 years.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"By the end of Grade 7, students will identify the topic, purpose and audience for more complex writing forms <u>including a rap</u> or jingle to express a personal view to the class."</b></span><div><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2d227806-7fff-8353-3b65-6ef0d90e9f23"></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">As a suburban-raised, middle-class, life-long rocker, I was at a disadvantage. How could I teach students (in an effective and culturally respectful way) this important, contemporary lyrical art form? After all, it was one that developed almost exclusively in under-advantaged, urban communities predominantly populated by African and Caribbean Americans. I was out of my element.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPWxpfv8oumi-evpoHgkjiieAHjGnGXCCi7WgKFe2NhdfINRjb3KIGQqms3dYbV1RreRiEFQPurM5IemY1gFaWPoIKVEOvmuUmU_DadYxjQrmv9D1aZM_n5gz3yVeBBN2L6QyMO1GIBKN75Z-TiT2jVCqPlSXpVAh0WOWWfLf8vuXxFjZxLi8TLp7UL31/s640/64258d7d7a49252625e81b02_rap%20hook.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPWxpfv8oumi-evpoHgkjiieAHjGnGXCCi7WgKFe2NhdfINRjb3KIGQqms3dYbV1RreRiEFQPurM5IemY1gFaWPoIKVEOvmuUmU_DadYxjQrmv9D1aZM_n5gz3yVeBBN2L6QyMO1GIBKN75Z-TiT2jVCqPlSXpVAh0WOWWfLf8vuXxFjZxLi8TLp7UL31/w400-h268/64258d7d7a49252625e81b02_rap%20hook.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rapping gained in popularity in the late 70s early 80s.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-868e40e1-7fff-a9d8-dcfc-8929f6fd2431"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I pride myself on being a "life-long learner" and began my research in earnest when I returned to a Grade 7 classroom in 2019 -- after a decade-long absence. Three resources were particularly valuable.</span></span></span><br /><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;">The Juno award winning Canadian music documentary series, <b><i>Hip-Hop Evolution</i></b> (2016).</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Nas Teaches Hip-Hop Storytelling</b>, which was part of the Masterclass series to which my wife and I subscribed for two years.</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;">The Vox Media video <b style="font-style: italic;">Rapping Deconstructive: The Best Rappers of All Time </b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWveXdj6oZU&t=434s" target="_blank">which is available here on YouTube</a>.<br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_T1lxg5rFPTR98kgMs_7itjrQz0J3cbaTm2mDw6Bs8tqvir6MUGjFehkjC9WniYJiwdqdvUr5DP-P51BRJdhGcuoTxNvW6GMmZjEqRNeuldvA4EA0-Y5wNzNuDXbMqIWE1K3DQd3Ac3M4-L9D7h6ktBCr64yz0pOEINnbtU9S2sl7xjavSW-3z8-QjttX/s778/evolutions%20nas.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="778" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_T1lxg5rFPTR98kgMs_7itjrQz0J3cbaTm2mDw6Bs8tqvir6MUGjFehkjC9WniYJiwdqdvUr5DP-P51BRJdhGcuoTxNvW6GMmZjEqRNeuldvA4EA0-Y5wNzNuDXbMqIWE1K3DQd3Ac3M4-L9D7h6ktBCr64yz0pOEINnbtU9S2sl7xjavSW-3z8-QjttX/s320/evolutions%20nas.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Hip-Hop Evolution</i></b> (top) and <br /><b><i>Nas Teaches Hip Hop Storytelling.</i></b> </td></tr></tbody></table></li></ul><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-62ebac88-7fff-efd7-6efd-b5da313ec294"></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">A rudimentary background in music theory helped me understand the importance of "beats" and "bars" when writing a rap. Most rap songs, like most pop and rock songs, are written with four beats in each bar. The rapper or M.C. (mike controller), would then deliver the necessary words or syllables between those bars to create a rap that had rhythmic flow.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Gho8bcrCeI5oiJwokoBGeDmmdcRydxMdfPDThSBcYU7TJuZCJ4IZZtEsUkVWdiNPV8UdfgkJyiq5ncGGnXfOVhU3PAehqcdqUjA03LQnnWnaC1SmUl05E2d0LAGOW-y3y_2kyZ3LedSk_DWS_xJ21abzppNxjFQDcfj7hGFKt9yfwe_NzaJXx6slsKXv/s858/Beats%20and%20bars.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="858" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Gho8bcrCeI5oiJwokoBGeDmmdcRydxMdfPDThSBcYU7TJuZCJ4IZZtEsUkVWdiNPV8UdfgkJyiq5ncGGnXfOVhU3PAehqcdqUjA03LQnnWnaC1SmUl05E2d0LAGOW-y3y_2kyZ3LedSk_DWS_xJ21abzppNxjFQDcfj7hGFKt9yfwe_NzaJXx6slsKXv/w400-h170/Beats%20and%20bars.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two simple bars, with four beats in each bar.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-56a9ff05-7fff-8b8c-a448-7953ff5d66b1"></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">One of the earliest raps to gain mainstream popularity was <b><i>The Breaks</i></b> by Kurtis Blow. Simplistic by today's standards, the beat is punctuated by nouns and verbs and each verse uses only "end rhyme", following a basic AABB pattern. The song relates a straightforward story about dealing with life's ups and downs.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPcJc6ybZ4jVP39tCpvPhWYhNzjo4nP1sOHKsgLPm40_pQZ_GEqbH6VM6nzRv42IR_DM4HikqYgadeX91R2971Xo-FLgNWe823FKoV5gCONQBJD4SPwQf8chsccIzoDfbNkAn7TuNQ-PPGWtthG5Mzj5jzwLtMe1iB34HrqfpuHCU7UpasEDDk2L0YiVa/s960/Rap%20Project.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPcJc6ybZ4jVP39tCpvPhWYhNzjo4nP1sOHKsgLPm40_pQZ_GEqbH6VM6nzRv42IR_DM4HikqYgadeX91R2971Xo-FLgNWe823FKoV5gCONQBJD4SPwQf8chsccIzoDfbNkAn7TuNQ-PPGWtthG5Mzj5jzwLtMe1iB34HrqfpuHCU7UpasEDDk2L0YiVa/w400-h225/Rap%20Project.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">car/star and lose/shoes AABB rhyming pattern in <b><i>The Breaks</i></b>.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Fast forward to 1986 and raps have become more complex. The duo Eric B. and Rakim release <b><i>Paid In Full </i></b>(#228 on <b><i>The 500</i></b>) and their songs feature numerous, multi-syllabic rhymes occurring at both the end and within phrases (end rhymes and internal</span><span style="font-size: large;"> rhymes).<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPGPhn1pinvfIo0v7NvvBCeB3CzPRiIEjidUtHrC61u1SgrqoS8DW4fcr_F3ChjogqLuI3RMIWF25KpZI5ky3-IJnZIzeBuknNga_G36fKw3ANQuaf5J74YmpLqVU0zgJyhxWEEcbybxlZ0a5XMmP99MvSbcTDCqf3xNu0R81FPvOIcvQ1z9QH4MS5cN0/s600/ericbrakimpaidinfulltheplatinum0editioncdmusic.jpg.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPGPhn1pinvfIo0v7NvvBCeB3CzPRiIEjidUtHrC61u1SgrqoS8DW4fcr_F3ChjogqLuI3RMIWF25KpZI5ky3-IJnZIzeBuknNga_G36fKw3ANQuaf5J74YmpLqVU0zgJyhxWEEcbybxlZ0a5XMmP99MvSbcTDCqf3xNu0R81FPvOIcvQ1z9QH4MS5cN0/w334-h400/ericbrakimpaidinfulltheplatinum0editioncdmusic.jpg.webp" width="334" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eric B and Rakim, <b><i>Paid In Full</i></b> album cover.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-d89053b8-7fff-5201-fc33-437657d54a33"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Additionally, the duo are among the first to begin "crossing the bar line". As you see in the example below, the clever, self-referential lyric, </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"The party is live, this rhyme can't be kept in/side"</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, does not end with the bar, but "crosses over" to the next bar; a technique that improves the presentation and flow of the rap.</span></span></span></div><div><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_-tMbT-Qp2pvL_OdBSCHWFx5tsxgKPim3SyXi0Ceca_V-YRkCQrWAQecYEE02mgbQvAJsVmYnxJwz5GTwcU8LoWdwSYP4mzdRYmFmVYmli0_Fc_kJ8IiWCpVs12njuG7H_GFs8VFyJ7ZkboKmuKGwQovbZ22iImh5TGjMIw7nIHqVxrOuIKlXUyzHk5M/s960/Rap%20Project%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_-tMbT-Qp2pvL_OdBSCHWFx5tsxgKPim3SyXi0Ceca_V-YRkCQrWAQecYEE02mgbQvAJsVmYnxJwz5GTwcU8LoWdwSYP4mzdRYmFmVYmli0_Fc_kJ8IiWCpVs12njuG7H_GFs8VFyJ7ZkboKmuKGwQovbZ22iImh5TGjMIw7nIHqVxrOuIKlXUyzHk5M/w400-h225/Rap%20Project%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Example of "crossing the bar line" in <b><i>Eric B Is President</i></b> (1986)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-c295746d-7fff-d88d-6a86-58b11c468d13"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hip-hop and rapping continued to evolve over the next two decades. Other rappers on this list, including The Notorious B.I.G (#476) and OutKast (#500 and #361), have been recognized for their extraordinary ability to write rhythmically dense lyrics with complex multi-syllabic rhymes (both long and short) that can simultaneously surprise, challenge and satisfy a listener. See the example below from </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hypnotize</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, by Notorious B.I.G., often considered one of the smoothest rap pieces in the genre and a game-changer in 1997.</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3WhA2i0URALrsCR7DTnu_zTCzEewl-mmg2CMe8wg5okyCb2gLYPnhroAVfnbWN4O-VLmTQbrd_zRPm8MUGkG-on0bpy-yhrMR4-Y63SL-I6rvSIpkyRA3Jp3y57pNtU_H94W9WWJzqYB11KJM3vXVTlKXTSiWDGfINcXByyB4Vkci0OuWwja9c_eA9-d/s960/Rap%20Project%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3WhA2i0URALrsCR7DTnu_zTCzEewl-mmg2CMe8wg5okyCb2gLYPnhroAVfnbWN4O-VLmTQbrd_zRPm8MUGkG-on0bpy-yhrMR4-Y63SL-I6rvSIpkyRA3Jp3y57pNtU_H94W9WWJzqYB11KJM3vXVTlKXTSiWDGfINcXByyB4Vkci0OuWwja9c_eA9-d/w400-h225/Rap%20Project%20(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Hypnotize</i></b> rhymes and bar lines.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="docs-internal-guid-ae234992-7fff-92ab-cf51-e490fd7893f3"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Which brings me to Eminem. Born Marshall Mathers and raised in Warren, Michigan (a suburb of Detroit), he has two records on The 500 list – </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Slim Shady LP </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">at #275 and this week's album, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Marshall Mathers LP</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, which lands at position #244. Eminem is considered one of the greatest rappers and, as a white entertainer, is credited with popularizing hip-hop in middle America. He tops the list as best-selling hip-hop artist of all time, with sales exceeding $220 million.</span></span></span><br /></span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLntCF_4GML5BaR-KxriXam1g-_erSd5Mzt0E8w6v_ececLcEnBIDbt-M5GL88AUebZ0LKAI67KbPYisJ2D5qMezqrp97CfXKBg_qphwLPUhu5p5-XALpWGIdmFc3B5OsbrEf6GalIa_7TXNKI2inpthPQZi6paAR3gN1_lkw6j7KoUuo7vRgF8LjxGFor/s976/_127627991_eminemgettyimages.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="976" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLntCF_4GML5BaR-KxriXam1g-_erSd5Mzt0E8w6v_ececLcEnBIDbt-M5GL88AUebZ0LKAI67KbPYisJ2D5qMezqrp97CfXKBg_qphwLPUhu5p5-XALpWGIdmFc3B5OsbrEf6GalIa_7TXNKI2inpthPQZi6paAR3gN1_lkw6j7KoUuo7vRgF8LjxGFor/w400-h225/_127627991_eminemgettyimages.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eminem (Marshall Mathers) in 2001</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-a2bbcdd0-7fff-e687-3e5c-c235e3e4cc76"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/184114074676755576#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I wrote about his sophomore album</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Slim Shady LP</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, in March, 2023. In that post, I discussed the controversy, and my discomfort, with his earliest style, a “sub-genre” of hip-hop called horrorcore or hardcore rap. On that record, Eminem embodies his alter-ego, Slim Shady, in order to vent about the injustices and problems the, then unknown, rapper had with the world. </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></span><br /><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJXiyvJiCbeMuThlEHWpKjR06kKS4ZJp6kd2hNFr5JXnjkb0nL619xMwehmeT4dhRCwyPfxU2h0u_MrVs4ZoHWz6EVFCJQhUXtAoCimpsBzTNTQZlf_cnbskUlJWYF0RQl83sN1xYGnhuvY1bWDOnOD9Ccxo8vxBKArmAjFDbY2099vPxBFYqtKmsWfnS/s1600/EminemLead.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJXiyvJiCbeMuThlEHWpKjR06kKS4ZJp6kd2hNFr5JXnjkb0nL619xMwehmeT4dhRCwyPfxU2h0u_MrVs4ZoHWz6EVFCJQhUXtAoCimpsBzTNTQZlf_cnbskUlJWYF0RQl83sN1xYGnhuvY1bWDOnOD9Ccxo8vxBKArmAjFDbY2099vPxBFYqtKmsWfnS/w400-h225/EminemLead.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eminem - 2000</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span><span id="docs-internal-guid-4a40be51-7fff-466a-202c-4f9daec2706b"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The follow-up record, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Marshall Mathers LP</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, continues this theme of anger. This time, the singer rants about the challenges of fame, criticism of his music and his estrangement from his family and wife. Once again, the lyrics are vulgar, violent, misogynistic and homophobic. The lyrics were so offensive that they were criticized at a U.S. Senate hearing and the Canadian government briefly considered refusing Eminem entry into the country. Despite all of this, he received praise from many music critics who lauded the record's emotional depth and his lyrical ability. Journalist Estelle Caswell summarized his talent by saying: "Eminem doesn't just pack in tremendously dense, multi-syllable rhymes, he is also able to tell a vivid story with them and, for many, that wins the day." This is something that Philadelphia-based music historian, teacher and writer Martin Connor called "Cinematic Rap".</span></span></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRoNuPMjEjv1P0Js5Afw3asZ29CmRkxjr2446VbUKmDKhhv2PyaJY-sXdDainZmaQZnL1gWA6TJt9DmwCyGIBaa9TsQG9MtzV-q-H_roqnLaiD7Z352eCDES3SFhBuUvht0h4PwUw0xk1FM90QLY2XkCordPOS34xwI-nUxl7FUyfx8YQnPE5Ypudnc6q/s1280/maxresdefault%20(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRoNuPMjEjv1P0Js5Afw3asZ29CmRkxjr2446VbUKmDKhhv2PyaJY-sXdDainZmaQZnL1gWA6TJt9DmwCyGIBaa9TsQG9MtzV-q-H_roqnLaiD7Z352eCDES3SFhBuUvht0h4PwUw0xk1FM90QLY2XkCordPOS34xwI-nUxl7FUyfx8YQnPE5Ypudnc6q/w400-h225/maxresdefault%20(6).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and Biggie Smalls - masters of Cinematic Rap.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span><span id="docs-internal-guid-e0a3c695-7fff-99e5-4688-b23f165bf2d5"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The success of the record set the stage for the 2002 release of the semi-autobiographical film </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">8 Mile</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> which starred Eminem as a fictional version of himself –a young, white rapper trying to break into the world of hip-hop in a predominantly black community in Detroit. </span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoYD8JPFI5C5aDMmpc8dyYwCZebuMTjvSmdXteBe1uCaQnBxjfnedjSqPuPSNKkx_XY14wpAs9I5mYvasBFco_hwKFzIWssQ290_1xbX3NRr9K3Aqzs92LwreCJxKmM1pMWvO1NhuZjjpJMxYOHG-odCaPuxENNVPsgqmuPndx3-G00FLIKAzasXIHxLR/s1481/MV5BZDE3NDZmMGUtZjhjOS00MmIyLTkyMzAtMzM4ZjNhZThiY2ViXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMDUzNTI3._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoYD8JPFI5C5aDMmpc8dyYwCZebuMTjvSmdXteBe1uCaQnBxjfnedjSqPuPSNKkx_XY14wpAs9I5mYvasBFco_hwKFzIWssQ290_1xbX3NRr9K3Aqzs92LwreCJxKmM1pMWvO1NhuZjjpJMxYOHG-odCaPuxENNVPsgqmuPndx3-G00FLIKAzasXIHxLR/w270-h400/MV5BZDE3NDZmMGUtZjhjOS00MmIyLTkyMzAtMzM4ZjNhZThiY2ViXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMDUzNTI3._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-2d08eb7f-7fff-ee4e-be4f-9c285a1f88d4"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The soundtrack from the movie sold 10 million copies and the lead single, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Lose Yourself</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, became Eminem's biggest hit. Connor, who wrote the book, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Artistry Of Rap Music</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, has annotated the words and syllables in the song with colour coding to illustrate the complexity of its dense and clever lyrical structure. See an example of Verse 1 below.</span></span></span><br /></span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_IlfGrtTMUWWTTBJ6_cBZWPZQL9PGBXZgHWnDbTlKk9ZiSgFSVQGUfPvZtculwkvXtu1_0xLxuaEjxDBUZfKg9O4a8NnH_i1Ou234KB4HKth_FwavsuFEAUSPGn0JF1NgiJes8wxlr7Jdp_NouUywt3Tztg4-zd0qv5E3ZwS56s9PchpUNFclZknv82e/s960/Rap%20Project%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_IlfGrtTMUWWTTBJ6_cBZWPZQL9PGBXZgHWnDbTlKk9ZiSgFSVQGUfPvZtculwkvXtu1_0xLxuaEjxDBUZfKg9O4a8NnH_i1Ou234KB4HKth_FwavsuFEAUSPGn0JF1NgiJes8wxlr7Jdp_NouUywt3Tztg4-zd0qv5E3ZwS56s9PchpUNFclZknv82e/w400-h225/Rap%20Project%20(4).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In 2002, <b><i>Lose Yourself </i></b> became the first rap song to win an Academy Award. It also marked a change in Eminem's lyrics and approach to hip-hop. Upon turning 30, he moved away from the horrorcore and hardcore approach to hip-hop that made him famous. His work became more self-reflective and even political.</span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuDTXSWvzivsj3N3-dx3iRZshx2Nxx-QsEwG20XPquJlLjciK6dPoC_hQrhNVdfwghzLmxxSCMB55suO3454SOottHsWu6m65hxsIvAOqrBt0qurUbsR8JvD3YhkiZTQ49z_MLlDrCumdduQ_9mBYffLMyt_7nOgkXaff9DNoZpaeKzN0P383uZ25hReR/s1000/eminem.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuDTXSWvzivsj3N3-dx3iRZshx2Nxx-QsEwG20XPquJlLjciK6dPoC_hQrhNVdfwghzLmxxSCMB55suO3454SOottHsWu6m65hxsIvAOqrBt0qurUbsR8JvD3YhkiZTQ49z_MLlDrCumdduQ_9mBYffLMyt_7nOgkXaff9DNoZpaeKzN0P383uZ25hReR/w400-h225/eminem.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eminem at 50, 2023.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Although he is a bit of a dinosaur in the world of contemporary hip-hop, Eminem remains a legend. I'll admit, I have a tough time coping with the cleverness of his lyrics when they are so vile and offensive -- even if it's satire, even if it was a long time ago and even if he has apologized.<br /><br />In an effort to rebrand himself, Eminem performed at the 2001 Grammy Awards with openly gay superstar Elton John. John, who has been sober since 1990, became Eminem's good friend and eventual sponsor in 2009, helping the rapper to get clean from drugs and alcohol.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5s_dR60kIsuVpPEJatUlmjPe1osWcjmlLCeJomWnoGaWEZ3u8wOd81AW9LuYo2XJ1A7kON2wlvNPCOCilA7G_C0dglPDpJqoIYLMb8LV3v1Gg9lN1re3y-X6Av4R2x5obtoJPu8k8xywVc2PxwCERtROlfAlMiJDanrPxnSTFI2vZZIKrOzrhcrKk05ed/s624/rs-156624-20121011-elton-eminem-624x-1349968987-83bb0d7f-2603-4524-b993-b20402c7a1a4.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="624" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5s_dR60kIsuVpPEJatUlmjPe1osWcjmlLCeJomWnoGaWEZ3u8wOd81AW9LuYo2XJ1A7kON2wlvNPCOCilA7G_C0dglPDpJqoIYLMb8LV3v1Gg9lN1re3y-X6Av4R2x5obtoJPu8k8xywVc2PxwCERtROlfAlMiJDanrPxnSTFI2vZZIKrOzrhcrKk05ed/w400-h269/rs-156624-20121011-elton-eminem-624x-1349968987-83bb0d7f-2603-4524-b993-b20402c7a1a4.webp" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-b89f9e9f-7fff-4ce1-c265-4e908422c63b"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I will admit, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Lose Yourself</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> (the clean version) is a terrific way to illustrate to students the complex possibilities that are available with rap writing. Over the past few years, my "life-long approach to learning" has paid off and my hip-hop unit is engaging, culturally respectful and effective. I have started presenting it in conjunction with Black History Month. Indeed, my Grade 7 students have penned some magnificent raps about Martin Luther King, Mary Ann Shadd Cary and Viola Desmond. Here are two samples from my former students Arshiaa and Anviksha.</span></span></span><br /><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUsRgimQNAKrq9etiXiRQWJsxIIJVIIeu5T0_rzTdHjzZlfrzwj6g1mo8JoDHFmMxRqA417zkgGzfo22jtcnQPIPl9T8Tj-UPRvTGQz2rnZyo6q-ReC4w1WknreAPCmrJNbLwfeeQwiaoOzSdOsvb8ZC6xle725xS02-w-zHbEhnFmoOZa8YTLxF_cdd0/s1056/Copy%20of%20Hip%20Hop%20assignment-Arshiaa.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="816" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUsRgimQNAKrq9etiXiRQWJsxIIJVIIeu5T0_rzTdHjzZlfrzwj6g1mo8JoDHFmMxRqA417zkgGzfo22jtcnQPIPl9T8Tj-UPRvTGQz2rnZyo6q-ReC4w1WknreAPCmrJNbLwfeeQwiaoOzSdOsvb8ZC6xle725xS02-w-zHbEhnFmoOZa8YTLxF_cdd0/w309-h400/Copy%20of%20Hip%20Hop%20assignment-Arshiaa.jpg" width="309" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arshiaa</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHY-mZcXOV_zPnXbzSjE515b_Nbb7iUtgK-NNxthkYZj73x8huB7pdpswOJEuTvZNfU53-xzzRmvI5YHSoeFVPTY1UO_elh1qNAmR2bNFUCXlxViNgjieZXmhNR5O8j156mBwgBVuNTNAOjmiKCyhIdO95_LrmhT1ATIk1_dD9d3lbHh_PpC94oG1xNa2/s2000/Brown%20Monochromatic%20English%20Genres%20of%20Literature%20Infographic.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHY-mZcXOV_zPnXbzSjE515b_Nbb7iUtgK-NNxthkYZj73x8huB7pdpswOJEuTvZNfU53-xzzRmvI5YHSoeFVPTY1UO_elh1qNAmR2bNFUCXlxViNgjieZXmhNR5O8j156mBwgBVuNTNAOjmiKCyhIdO95_LrmhT1ATIk1_dD9d3lbHh_PpC94oG1xNa2/w256-h640/Brown%20Monochromatic%20English%20Genres%20of%20Literature%20Infographic.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anviksha</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p><br /></p></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8763603060314210014.post-79681464575306548762023-10-01T15:28:00.003-07:002023-10-02T13:43:08.222-07:00The 500 - #245 - All Killer, No Filler, The Anthology - Jerry Lee Lewis<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was inspired by a podcast called</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/6052159757931343375#" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8f0fe873-7fff-0897-d683-637f9cc3ce99"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Album:</b> #245<br /><b>Album Title:</b> <i>All Killer, No Filler, The Anthology</i><br /><b>Artist:</b> Jerry Lee Lewis<br /><b>Genre: </b>Rock, Country, Rockabilly<br /><b>Recorded:</b></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Multiple studios from 1958 - 1990</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><b>Released:</b> May, 1993<br /><b>My age at release:</b> 27<br /><b>How familiar was I with it before this week:</b> A little</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is it on the 2020 list? </b>Yes, at #325, dropping 80 spots since 2012<br /><b>Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: </b><i>Great Balls Of Fire</i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJm0m7Tbyb9pvRfrziFS5OTD1036dr7HA6X0ugbiKRgc8UucYZgBbqWB0NeumrNf_bzODH58djIL22kBWax_nPGZMvCPc47VYOk1NXAnyr8G7uGT2W-MULCUSj4an7XCrmhiph1N7SBjrNqgXtj6kR97uvfSsWRQaqv4C49-oh9_tMCHGV9gs8U-PCCPfN/s200/AllKillerNoFiller%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJm0m7Tbyb9pvRfrziFS5OTD1036dr7HA6X0ugbiKRgc8UucYZgBbqWB0NeumrNf_bzODH58djIL22kBWax_nPGZMvCPc47VYOk1NXAnyr8G7uGT2W-MULCUSj4an7XCrmhiph1N7SBjrNqgXtj6kR97uvfSsWRQaqv4C49-oh9_tMCHGV9gs8U-PCCPfN/w400-h400/AllKillerNoFiller%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span><div><p style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c312275-7fff-e986-a4f7-84ada36c1c85"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I have an idea for a podcast whose title would share the name of this record – <b><i>All Killer, No Filler</i></b>. Each week, I would invite a guest to discuss their favourite record on which every track is, in their opinion, top calibre without any inferior songs.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">My plan was to take a three-day course this past summer tentatively offered by the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) in London, Ontario. The presenters, Chey Cheney and Pawan Wander (who go by Chey and Pav), are middle school teachers from Toronto who have been the hosts of an education podcast for several years. Initially called <b><i>The Staffroom Podcast</i></b>, it was recently rebranded as <b><i>The Chey and Pav Show</i></b>. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8763603060314210014/7968146457530654876#">Their latest episode, #129, is here</a>.</span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAe-2x5OuuBhG3r9HRsY4cp0UEdqDYvR36QbHgetGP5xJTTr17wR5t_zfJ70KtRES4k0hEfMY4m-k_r_qj4cGtBNXXQDk3GoUM0r5iKPxNI8gUL3ppynt33F-p6PTjKKSuQV6tIXGdHblArRlQsSJRl0-l7g6lv_yuCJAVIKMT3wXeydGx7KqA-WulHH5D/s2048/PHOTO-2021-11-28-09-52-45.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAe-2x5OuuBhG3r9HRsY4cp0UEdqDYvR36QbHgetGP5xJTTr17wR5t_zfJ70KtRES4k0hEfMY4m-k_r_qj4cGtBNXXQDk3GoUM0r5iKPxNI8gUL3ppynt33F-p6PTjKKSuQV6tIXGdHblArRlQsSJRl0-l7g6lv_yuCJAVIKMT3wXeydGx7KqA-WulHH5D/w400-h400/PHOTO-2021-11-28-09-52-45.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Teachers & Podcasters Chey Cheney (l) and Pawan (Pav) Wander.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Their early-July session promised participants the opportunity to learn about podcasting, the equipment required and how to integrate it into a middle school classroom. In anticipation of the workshop, I approached my principal about acquiring the necessary digital tools and equipment. Alas, my good intentions were scuttled when, despite my best efforts to promote it to London-based educators, lack of interest resulted in the event being cancelled. (I could understand why - the session was the first week of July, scant days after the previous school year ended and teachers needed some time to recharge).</span><span style="font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XtmRKirzfUsLkeUhJHTmRjkbhoIgciZXklHEJgIcClRY5rAtE6x2Ax0eRfwApXFCROtckXC-S7hK5WH45PmYxs_Aemb0tDs8UC_5DwhrP4GWT_Nbt2XnhniDWySz_XrENMAaLiiLI_Pxyvcut4p5aIsxeDxpEk5mEwHpDYCq79k6B4vhK7FCh0yo0q_y/s4096/FygxnHBXoAEFJKJ.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="4096" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XtmRKirzfUsLkeUhJHTmRjkbhoIgciZXklHEJgIcClRY5rAtE6x2Ax0eRfwApXFCROtckXC-S7hK5WH45PmYxs_Aemb0tDs8UC_5DwhrP4GWT_Nbt2XnhniDWySz_XrENMAaLiiLI_Pxyvcut4p5aIsxeDxpEk5mEwHpDYCq79k6B4vhK7FCh0yo0q_y/w400-h200/FygxnHBXoAEFJKJ.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Promotional photo for last summer's ETFO 3-Day workshops.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ea6ec33a-7fff-889b-59c7-4d9b48fa1da8"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Regardless, I am steadfast in my plan to obtain some podcasting equipment and initiate a new opportunity to students at our school. Eventually, perhaps in retirement, I will launch my </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">All Killer, No Filler</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> podcast and start recruiting friends as guests to discuss their favourite perfect records.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRCQ3ywmcMrygYYY3Eju0GzROPNsOhyAcXm7KCW2tY4e0ULnHHD1NyknbHpNDWMkXXPiYsu7ailIkeFAzf1i6KMQX17wGKvn_w9uo7833JMB8bpXbSFYtYkXoZOC1y9bPz2Ca9AoKGrDIICrfC3kG4fXc0CeGu_wjS5ZEeMV0hd26wlq-yapyHBvaAcBb/s785/front.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="785" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjRCQ3ywmcMrygYYY3Eju0GzROPNsOhyAcXm7KCW2tY4e0ULnHHD1NyknbHpNDWMkXXPiYsu7ailIkeFAzf1i6KMQX17wGKvn_w9uo7833JMB8bpXbSFYtYkXoZOC1y9bPz2Ca9AoKGrDIICrfC3kG4fXc0CeGu_wjS5ZEeMV0hd26wlq-yapyHBvaAcBb/w400-h345/front.webp" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-6f2ad9be-7fff-f74e-8a6a-260a7887a586"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Speaking of All Killer, this week's record was actually released in non-digital format as a boxset anthology spanning rockabilly pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis' (nicknamed The Killer) expansive career. It features 42 tracks, with 27 of them hit songs that include his manic </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Great Balls Of Fire</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, plus </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Breathless</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. </span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYl9OPWObtkC2wTYxHNmP0ZsQiWcLxyLQANg3RDxTI83OMZXWNChTdzjafI2jqSf0LVBRrFeMIIUiOS3KtQt8LfoRx04NEC8QiLSEUV1wDtrbOqos9PHaXTcXSvjjsB1VPeSTGHE9ebmCff6qfQNdi9Bj_VaCs2hJzsx8_zoD1ke_sgrQxecG0U59P7Wx/s400/Jerry-Lee-Lewis-1957.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYl9OPWObtkC2wTYxHNmP0ZsQiWcLxyLQANg3RDxTI83OMZXWNChTdzjafI2jqSf0LVBRrFeMIIUiOS3KtQt8LfoRx04NEC8QiLSEUV1wDtrbOqos9PHaXTcXSvjjsB1VPeSTGHE9ebmCff6qfQNdi9Bj_VaCs2hJzsx8_zoD1ke_sgrQxecG0U59P7Wx/w400-h300/Jerry-Lee-Lewis-1957.webp" width="400" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-a99a4cd2-7fff-569d-8c3e-49c3b128d588"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Prior to my research this week, everything I knew about Jerry Lee I learned watching the 1989 biopic, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Great Balls Of Fire</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, starring Dennis Quaid.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9eRYuS5d9JjyXvAqF_jgN_KDKgXZJGNzlHRUYAmrUDLHZISupUZiGpghvMqJfVabdr7JDiKhzOq7mLxME-Ya_6QlXvAmRiBd5PawD3xO_7wa-OnpEfv7pJZ-NZRl7IX8UeMhdstvDsxnIITdj4rHPQC3jxRHZLl3KVO15KJRxL27yLdrMzD1tss4lmMx7/s350/Ballsoffireposter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="235" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9eRYuS5d9JjyXvAqF_jgN_KDKgXZJGNzlHRUYAmrUDLHZISupUZiGpghvMqJfVabdr7JDiKhzOq7mLxME-Ya_6QlXvAmRiBd5PawD3xO_7wa-OnpEfv7pJZ-NZRl7IX8UeMhdstvDsxnIITdj4rHPQC3jxRHZLl3KVO15KJRxL27yLdrMzD1tss4lmMx7/w269-h400/Ballsoffireposter.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-f5d7b2ad-7fff-0d15-9d84-1e184d9e6be4"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The film documents Lee's meteoric rise to superstardom and his equally rapid decline when the media learned that, at 22, he had married his 13-year-old cousin -- the daughter of his bass player, no less. It was his third marriage of an eventual seven...and his child bride, Myra Gale Lewis (nee Brown) later penned a book on which the film was based.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgthmvAZ93TDIzBgalBIEygLTV8C2I_tgF_NviA8iZMMBWTeeF14j-TR9PaVoJAtcdd1W5vMiNCbgpvG-0p9aqwzD-9CPMlr_od7Ut9MxxF5fP8Wv0QRv4Fb1ezf0RTldrXxpqO8rRy55hPEUW_IV9VGJkDbAk-K_LAubaGYRB8FFJadg8MqqwIykO9oY/s1200/s-l1200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="751" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgthmvAZ93TDIzBgalBIEygLTV8C2I_tgF_NviA8iZMMBWTeeF14j-TR9PaVoJAtcdd1W5vMiNCbgpvG-0p9aqwzD-9CPMlr_od7Ut9MxxF5fP8Wv0QRv4Fb1ezf0RTldrXxpqO8rRy55hPEUW_IV9VGJkDbAk-K_LAubaGYRB8FFJadg8MqqwIykO9oY/w250-h400/s-l1200.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-2e40cf83-7fff-91fc-102a-a43f39aff3a6"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It is impractical, in a format like this, to do justice to the importance of Lewis as an architect of Rock and Roll and his wild, fascinating life. Last year, director Ethan Coen (</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Fargo</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Miller's Crossing</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">) released a documentary called</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble In Mind</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, which I have yet to see, but I am sure will more vividly highlight the singer/pianist's tumultuous existence.</span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9uDWGVWhm6Lyeduhg5YzZ_gdOdXC-ycDH3p5dVRZnlTarJIzwu4M5E5RRjz1oFAT6M58_OBI8aiwaB1AfIiNEppNdlS3fTqBwy2Dm4PPxVRpxk-mdcqrVRGqrjjTOQDYQ45uEyDZrtLRvS1knCYrM5rnxbuWR0ELAnyemHLgHIg2Qh2VrGBOjW3Sll-H/s1440/2444145.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9uDWGVWhm6Lyeduhg5YzZ_gdOdXC-ycDH3p5dVRZnlTarJIzwu4M5E5RRjz1oFAT6M58_OBI8aiwaB1AfIiNEppNdlS3fTqBwy2Dm4PPxVRpxk-mdcqrVRGqrjjTOQDYQ45uEyDZrtLRvS1knCYrM5rnxbuWR0ELAnyemHLgHIg2Qh2VrGBOjW3Sll-H/w266-h400/2444145.jpg" width="266" /></a></div></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-659ccc77-7fff-7349-022a-b7dbfaee48c5"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Seemingly indestructible, (unlike his torched pianos -- although that may be a bit of fiction), Lewis survived alcoholism, multiple bouts of cancer and a stroke before passing away in October, 2022. He was the last surviving member of the inaugural class entering the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which included Elvis Presley, James Brown, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke, the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly. Despite his many flaws, his impact on the genre is undeniable.</span></span></div><div><span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My favourite bit of trivia, however, is that professional wrestler Ric Flair developed his famous catchphrase, “Woooo”! in 1974 after he heard Lewis roar, “Goodness gracious, great balls of fire… </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Woo!</span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">”</span></span></span></span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/V80llXf734WzK/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="350" height="264" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/V80llXf734WzK/giphy.gif" width="350" /></a></div></div></div>Mr. Hodgkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13270751620687131934noreply@blogger.com0