I recently read a funny pun/meme that ties in nicely with what I’ve been sharing lately. The pun/meme said, “Elton John bought a treadmill for his pet rabbit. Yeah, it’s a little, fit bunny.” In case you’re not quite up to speed on Elton John songs, that’s a play on the lyrics to “Your Song” when he sang, “It’s a … The rest of the story…
Tag Archives: music history
It would be a bit of a stretch to say I can see very well. At least, without my glasses, it would be a stretch. And even though I’m more vision-challenged now than when I was younger, my eyesight was never 20/20. But thankfully I can see very well with my cool, round glasses. Now, I shared all that to … The rest of the story…
According to search engine “suggestions,” a very popular search term is “Kanye West net worth.” And sadly, for the hip-hop rapper, it’s way less than it was. Poor dude is only worth about $400 million now. But don’t worry. Because fans want to make him a billionaire again. Gotta get that Kanye West net worth back into the $B column. … The rest of the story…
Ringtones for phones are still a $2.1 billion bidness. According to one website I found that talks about such things. In 2005, ringtones outsold CD’s. Yeah, I know that’s no big deal now because who cares about CD’s anyway? Right? Not so fast Mister Man (or Missy). I just read a few news snippets that talked about how 2021 was … The rest of the story…
Violin anatomy is basically the same across almost all models. Except for those cool, modern ones you see contemporary players dancing around with on stages and streets. And there’s quite a bit more going on that you might notice at first glance. I have more appreciation for violin anatomy because of a picture. Someone, on a social media channel I … The rest of the story…
It’s the term for when a record or album sells at least two million copies. And back in 1972, a collection of Christian music was recorded that would become an album of double platinum songs. And that album would become the bestselling gospel album ever. The Queen of Soul sang those double platinum songs. And she sang a lot of … The rest of the story…
I just read where Paul McCartney was fined £100 ($170) because he planted cannabis seeds and grew cannabis on his farm in Campbeltown, Scotland. That happened 49 years ago today, March 7. His “excuse” was that he got the seeds from some fans. And he didn’t know what they would grow. In an interview, after the trial, he said, “Well, we got … The rest of the story…
According to one source I just read, it’s officially 50 years ago, today, since Elton John released Rocket Man. And I remember playing the album, Honky Chateau, over and over on one of my drives from Kansas to Texas. That could very well have had something to do with why so many people thought I sounded so much like Elton. … The rest of the story…
1975 was a very good year for The Eagles. Matter of fact, on this date, March 1, of that year, their song “Best of My Love became the first of five hit songs off their “On The Border” album. And I remember singing along with ’em. It wasn’t my favorite Eagles album, by far, but it was pretty good. I … The rest of the story…
A river runs through it. Connect the dots. The ties that bind. And it’s a small world. However you wanna say it, there are so many interweaving threads in human life. I’d like to share a bluer than blue story with you to show you what I mean. And maybe it won’t mean a thing to you. But, to me, … The rest of the story…
In case you don’t know, or don’t remember, Frank Sinatra sang a song called “My Way.” That song starts with this line: “And now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain.” I’ll bet, when Frank sang those lyrics, he wasn’t actually seriously considering the end of his own life. Because, from what I’ve been able to … The rest of the story…
On February 17, 2000 there was an auction for John Lennon’s Steinway piano. But it wasn’t just a Steinway. It was also the one he used to compose his song, “Imagine.” That vacuous, ridiculous, and delusional dive into nothingness. I think even the Steinway piano had more intelligence. “Gee whiz, Tony. Why don’t you say what you really think?” OK. John … The rest of the story…
I love a samba beat with soft nylon-stringed guitar and congas and smooth bass lines. And I deeply appreciate when a singer/songwriter focuses more intently on vocal performance and recording than just about anything else. So, I certainly tuned into a song that came out, back in 1975, that met all that criteria. From a young woman who sang about … The rest of the story…
Lay Lady Lay? Are you kidding me? Bob Dylan is one of those people who was very fortunate to have been born in America. (psst…I am, too. But for much different reasons) Because with that voice, and some of those songs, he might have been imprisoned for crimes against the state in other countries. Mr. Dylan recorded Lay Lady Lay … The rest of the story…
I’m not sure I would have left my love for the drums if he hadn’t existed. Because, I’ve always really loved playing the drums. But then I heard some catchy hit songs on the radio. And then my brother gave me an album as a high school graduation gift. And suddenly my musical desires marched to a different drum. And … The rest of the story…
If you’ve followed my articles and/or listened to my podcast episodes for a while, you might be surprised at some of the songs you’d find on my like list. And a great example of this would be “Dead Man’s Party” by Oingo Boingo. Here’s an excerpt of the lyrics… “I was struck by lighting, walkin’ down the street.I was hit … The rest of the story…
As I write this, today’s date is February 4, 2022. So, that means it has been exactly 39 years since Karen Carpenter died. And that might not mean anything to younger readers and listeners. But she was considered one of the best female vocalists around, in her day. The news reports said Karen Carpenter died of a heart attack. They … The rest of the story…
When I lived in Pasadena, Texas, there was a levee my friends and I would drive to and throw frisbees and listen to music. And one of the songs we listened to was about how Buddy Holly died and music did, too. And Buddy Holly died after a concert on this date in 1959. On February 2, 1959 Buddy, and … The rest of the story…
He said he learned to sing “in church, because of my mother. God bless my mom.” And I read another quote from him that was in response to being called Mr. Evans. He replied, “Don’t call me Mr. Evans; only my minister can call me that.” And American music chart history shows how he had the only record, ever, to … The rest of the story…
It might still be possible. But my guess is, it’s rare. And I mean it’s rare for a person to have a lyricist career anymore. Especially since actual lyrics, with solid meter and rhyme. But something I shared yesterday led me to look a little more closely at the life of Johnson Oatman Jr. Ironically, Mr. Oatman didn’t really have … The rest of the story…