I just read an article on Don Gibson, a songwriter from the 50’s and 60’s. And it said he sat down one hot, summer day, in 1958, and wrote two songs. “Oh Lonesome Me” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” And would you believe it? Those two very different love songs both became hits. In fact, Ray Charles recorded a version of “I Can’t … The rest of the story…
Category Archives: Words and Music
In the middle of the 1970’s I went to college. And like countless other freshmen, I went to orientation, found my dorm, and explored the campus. It was academically exciting to me. For a little while at least. But the idyllic luster faded pretty fast. And I needed an outlet for my frustration with “higher learning.” Fortunately, that outlet took the form of study … The rest of the story…
Journey with me, back to a time when masks weren’t required to…well…just about anything. Except maybe to rob a bank of convenience store. Back to a time when music and fire fused together for a hit song. And I didn’t care about it nearly as much as a particular objet du désir; or objeto del deseo. Or for those of you still wandering around in … The rest of the story…
Dobie Gray sang “Drift Away.” And it was a big hit for him back in 1973. I remember I liked the song, a lot, from the very first time I heard it. And I think it was Conway Twitty who did a country version of the song. But I disliked that one from the very first time I heard it. Sorry, but his voice … The rest of the story…
Yesterday I mentioned a song written by Pete Seeger that was based on words from the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible. And I remember thinking how unusual that was. And how it would be even more unusual these days. Unless, of course, the songwriter or band is mocking God. But another unusual song for the Billboard charts was Amazing Grace. Yeah, that one. … The rest of the story…
To everything there is a season. And apparently there was even a time for a songwriter to get inspiration for a song from the Bible. And a time for that song to be played on the radio. But the songwriter turned the words and the message into lyrics. And it didn’t work, for the rhythm and melody, to just say “To everything there is … The rest of the story…
December 3rd has been the date for some pretty interesting and cool things, through the years, in the world of popular music. It must be the weather. Not quite winter. But not quite fall. And here’s a short list of some of those December 3rd moments. First, an obscure rock-n-roll singer released his first song(s) on his new record label, RCA Victor. His name … The rest of the story…
It was July of 1975. And I was a fairly new piano player. Because I had started teaching myself the way around the keys about a year and a half before. So, as the scales and chord combinations started to make sense I naturally wanted to put some of my large catalogue of lyrics to music. And one of those songs was Performance for … The rest of the story…
I’ve always believed it’s a good idea to be nice to nurses. And doctors and other medical practitioners. Because they have to see and deal with a lot of the ugly side of life. And death. But especially be nice to nurses. Just imagine having the job of caring for people who moan and groan. And complain and gripe. Sometimes it’s an 8 … The rest of the story…
So-called Black Friday deals are popping up in online advertisements everywhere. And if you still watch “regular” TV (we don’t here in the FunderBungalow), you’re probably seeing tons of them, too. And there is so much subtle and blatant hypocrisy involved, it boggles the mind. Black Friday deals are distractions. And, by the way, there is only one good reason why this day exists. … The rest of the story…