Category: Music

Dino Danelli, the Rascal with the Paul McCartney good looks, has died. The Young Rascals, with their “Blue-Eyed Soul” sound, produced some of the most exquisite records of the 1960’s, or any decade. Is it any wonder so many boys wanted to be in a band or, in my case, become a radio DJ?

Groovin’ – Released April 10, 1967 #1 on Billboard Pop Chart

A Girl Like You – July 3, 1967 #10

How Can I Be Sure? – August 28, 1967 #4

A Beautiful Morning – April 1, 1968 #3

An unusual recording from ’67, written and produced by Lee Hazelwood, and performed with Nancy Sinatra. Starting off like a variation of “It Was a Very Good Year” by Nancy’s dad, it then switches between sounding like a spaghetti western theme and being a trippy waltz.

I have read “The Purloined Letter,” and like Poe’s first detective Dupin story, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” its three principal characters may as well be Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Watson, and Inspector Lestrade. Which brings to mind Dennis Potter’s 80’s British TV series The Singing Detective, which is nothing like Sherlock Holmes.

Potter is perhaps better known for Pennies from Heaven, a BBC production from 1978 starring Bob Hoskins, that was later adapted into a Steve Martin movie. I can’t think of an American television series that rivaled Dennis Potter’s unique vision until David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.