Five years ago today I retired from the company where I had worked for 36 of the 40 years since graduating from college.
Category: Music
Magazine Writer
Posting the New Yorker piece about Stu Sutcliffe reminded me of something I meant to put here last October. It didn’t happen because that was when I went on hiatus, due to WordPress technical difficulties.
This piece by Paul McCartney should be readable without a subscription, assuming you haven’t already run out of free articles this month.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/10/25/paul-mccartney-writing-eleanor-rigby-beatles
The copy of “Eleanor Rigby” above is from the one-of-a-kind Yellow Submarine Songtrack project. It’s explained here. Note the color-coordinated nod to Ukraine.
The Fifth Beatle
Before they were four, they were five — John, Paul, George, Pete and Stu. This week’s New Yorker has a remembrance of Stu Sutcliffe.
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/essay/the-beatle-who-got-away
Birds of a Feather
“Frank is a singer who comes along once in a lifetime, but why did he have to come in mine?” — Bing Crosby
Rudy Vallee could have just as well said the same thing about Bing. Both of their careers were made possible by the innovation of electrical recording technology, singing into microphones rather than yelling into acoustic horns.
The rivalry between Bing and Frank, which was really more of a mutual admiration society, was parodied a couple of times in Warner Brothers cartoons. First in Frank Tashlin’s memorably zany Swooner Crooner. The complete cartoon isn’t available on YouTube, but here’s a bit of it.
Catch As Cats Can was directed by a lesser known Warner name, Art Davis, who was Bob Clampett’s successor at the studio. I like the ending of this one.
https://youtu.be/nYDt5QmNGsk
No Longer Neutral?
Switzerland, with its infamously secretive banks, has agreed to impose sanctions against Russia, while maintaining it isn’t compromising political neutrality. Hillbilly Moon Explosion is from Switzerland, and Arielle Dombasle joined them for this catchy little number.
I hope the Russian sanctions don’t include the fabulous Messer Chups! Here’s their latest music video.
Green Day
What do I have that’s green for St. Patrick’s Day? I have bananas! Bananas that have been green for two weeks.
I’ve been told they will eventually ripen, and that putting them in a paper bag will help to hasten the process.
How long will it take for these bananas to ripen? Stay tuned to find out!
Something by Green Day. Will the situation with Russia get bad enough that Selective Service returns to having the Draft?