Ellie Stone’s version of this Jacques Brel song from the Off-Broadway play was mesmerizing, but here Geraldine Turner amps it up to the truly spooky and horrifying. And to think she recorded it *before* this week.
I wasn’t familiar with Geraldine Turner, but evidently she is a big musical theater star in Australia, kind of on a par with Angela Lansbury. She was the federal President of Actors Equity (MEAA) in Australia.
Thanks to YouTuber Brian Castles-Onion
I recently posted John Prine singing his song “Summer’s End.” I ran across this cover done by Brandi Carlile who has performed with Prine in the past, and I’ve been playing it non-stop all week, so I thought I’d share it with you. The purity of her voice makes a nice contrast to John Prine’s growl.
Thanks to YouTuber Tu Mouton
Monday morning, Sammy does Newley. One thing about Sammy, he always delivered when it required a big finish.
I LOL’d when I realized that he undoes his tie as he turns his back to grab the stool. “Cultivated casualness,” is the term Steve Spill coined and recommends for performers.
Thanks to YouTuber JoeWellington
And let’s end the year with this amazing clip of Eleanor Powell tap dancing. What she does, just from a percussion point of view, is incredible. I recently interviewed tap dancer Rusty Frank, a tap dance historian and preservationist, and a tap dancer herself, who maintains that it was the tap dancers who moved popular music forward with their taps. The innovative percussive rhythm steps of the tap dancers were picked up by the drummers, pianists and guitar players of the bands who in turn shaped the new ideas in music. Watch and listen to what Eleanor Powell does with this George Gershwin song from Lady Be Good. It’s a long way from “Tea for Two.”
Thanks to YouTuber Ms2doggies
As we hold our breath for the various countdowns around us, enjoy a laugh from Kurt Tocci and friends who update the holiday classic.
More at Kurt Tocci
Mr. Simon, 76 years old, in his last song at the last performance of his farewell tour 2018, Corona, Queens.
When Paul says, “Hello darkness, my old friend,” it’s totally believable.
Stay until the end. “Means more than you can know.”
Thas to YouTuber Josinho1989
Monday morning, Carson McKee makes with the crooning, and Josh Turner futzes with his guitar, performing one of my favorite Christmas songs.
And here’s some cheery news. It seems the original lyrics to the song were much darker, but Judy Garland who sung it originally in Meet Me in St. Louis, asked that the lyrics to the song be made more upbeat. Songwriters Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane changed the lyrics to the more upbeat ones heard today.
But for fun, here are the old nasty lyrics. I like them better:
Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
It may be your last.
Next year we may all be living in the past.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Pop that champagne cork.
Next year we may all be living in New York.
No good times like the olden days.
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who were dear to us.
Will be near to us no more.
But at least we all will be together.
If the Lord allows.
From now on, we’ll have to muddle through somehow.
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.
See https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/occasions/christmas/original-lyrics-have-yourself-a-merry-little-christmas-judy-garland/ for more about the change in lyrics.
More Josh and Carson at Josh Turner Guitar
John Prine could write some of the funniest songs ever, but also some of the most heart-breaking.
Thanks to YouTuber The Strombo Show
Monday morning, John Prine, because any day that starts off with John Prine is immediately improved
Thanks to YouTuber AustinCityLimitsTV
Louise Dessertine, the French-Canadian singer/songwriter who I recently interviewed, sings a lovers-parting-ways song that surprises in several ways both lyrically and musically.
More at Louise Dessertine – Topic and Louise Dessertine
And more Louise Dessertine here:
Louise Dessertine – Home | Facebook
Louise Dessertine | ReverbNation
Leave it to Josh Turner to unearth this Paul Simon gem. Josh’s guitar playing and vocals are so inspiring that I didn’t pay attention to Paul Simon’s amazing lyrics until the third time around.
More at Josh Turner Guitar
Tad McKitterick aka Sidewalk Driver with an anthem for 2020.
Why this doesn’t have a gazillion views on YouTube is a mystery to me.
More at Sidewalk Driver
And thanks to Viv Shalom for passing this on!
The heppest cat ever, Cab Calloway singing a post-Thanksgiving Song.
The song was written by Jeanne Burns who I could not find out too much about except that she was once briefly married to Broadway composer Harold Arlen’s younger brother, Jerry. In the thirties she was a big-band singer and also wrote songs for the Cotton Club revues.
Thanks to YouTuber UbiquitousLazar
Monday morning, John Prine has a staring contest with a bowl of oatmeal and the oatmeal wins…
Thanks to YouTuber Caper2U
Reina Del Cid and Toni Lindgren singing a great John Prine song in a shitty parking lot somewhere in Minnesota.
More at Reina del Cid
Monday Morning, Chan Poling’s band, The Suburbs.
It’s a catchy song, but on reading about it, I found Chan dedicated the song to the memory of his deceased wife, Eleanor, the daughter of Walter Mondale, who died at 51.
Click on the image to play.
Thanks to YouTuber MN Original
Monday morning, Stevie Wonder at the age of 22 killing it on Sesame Street, of all places, with “Superstition.” Still great.
Click on the image to play.
“Superstition”
Very superstitious, writings on the wall,
Very superstitious, ladders ’bout to fall,
Thirteen-months-old baby broke the lookin’ glass
Seven years of bad luck, the good things in your past
When you believe in things that you don’t understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain’t the way
Very superstitious, wash your face and hands,
Rid me of the problem, do all that you can,
Keep me in a daydream, keep me goin’ strong,
You don’t wanna save me, sad is my song
When you believe in things that you don’t understand,
Then you suffer,
Superstition ain’t the way, yeah, yeah
Very superstitious, nothin’ more to say,
Very superstitious, the devil’s on his way,
Thirteen-months-old baby broke the lookin’ glass,
Seven years of bad luck, good things in your past
When you believe in things that you don’t understand,
Then you suffer, superstition ain’t the way, no, no, no
Thanks to YouTuber Ryan’s Smashing Life
Monday Morning in the Park (Prospect?). Carson McKee takes the lead on a lesser-known Beatles song by Mr. Lennon. (The brass figleaf with bronze oakleaf palms if you can guess which album it’s from. Careful–it’s a bit of a trick question.)
Josh Turner on guitar, and guest Jim Hogan with the terrific harmonies.
Click on the image to play.
More at Josh Turner Guitar
On the last day of the month, we think of Septembers past. Though there are many fine versions of the Tom Jones/Harvey Schmidt classic from The Fantasticks, in this case, schmaltziest is best, and that inevitably means The Brothers Four.
Click on the image to play.
More at Mark Pearson
Yom Kippur morning, Tracy Chapman takes on Rabbi Hillel.
Click on the video to play.
Thanks to YouTuber Folk & Country on MV
Reina del Cid with a smart lyric about a vain queen from Greek mythology who now makes her home in the sky.
More at Reina del Cid
Monday morning after sifting through literally dozens of versions, band configurations, and covers, we settle on this 2013 version of the 1981 Toto song.
Dave Paich: lead vocals, keyboards and writer
Simon Phillips: drums
Nathan East: bass
Steve Lukather: lead guitar
And because here at Shalblog Industries® we use every part of the buffalo, expect more versions of it posted this week.
Thanks to YouTuber MADIM67
A very silly, clever song. Make sure you stay for the end, if you don’t want to be completely confused. Language definitely not suitable for work or the easily offended.
More at thelonelyisland
