The Beatles + Elliott Smith
I’m not allowed to listen to this mash-up yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t!
When I started this project, I debated for quite a while whether I would allow myself to listen to Elliott Smith. He is, without a doubt, one of my favorite songwriters of all time (and definitely my favorite of the past 15 years), but his songs have very obvious ties to The Fab Four, and I wondered, “If there were no Beatles, would there be an Elliott Smith? If I listen to Elliott Smith, is that like stabbing my project in the eye? Is this just my attempt at circumventing the rules of this endeavor?”
I wrote a paper during my post-baccalaureate year at Monmouth about one of Elliott Smith’s songs (“Baby Britain“) and its numerous allusions to The Beatles (opening piano from “Good Day Sunshine,” or more likely the interior of “I Want To Tell You,” guitar sound and style from “Getting Better,” piano solo from any number of Beatles songs, but especially “Good Day Sunshine” and maybe even something like “Martha My Dear” and even a lyrical reference to the second side of Revolver, where “Good Day Sunshine” and “I Want To Tell You” appear… but I digress). My point was, Elliott Smith loved The Beatles a lot, and their influence is pretty clear in his music (unlike, say, Will.I.Am, who also loves The Beatles, but whose music is more derived from funk, rap, and pop). But, in my paper, I decided that saying Elliott Smith was just a Beatles rip-off was like saying that Brahms was just a Beethoven rip-off (which, I’m sure some people may say is true), and that references each made to the past was part of their style. This fact cannot be overlooked, but it also shouldn’t be the only thing that informs our listening of each musician.
With this in mind, I allowed myself to listen to Elliott Smith.
But, Mr. Smith still covered The Beatles, particularly his haunting rendition of “Because” that appeared as the closing number in American Beauty – a musical/visual pairing so perfect that I can no longer separate the two. Apparently, the track above mixes Elliott’s version into The Beatles’s version. I haven’t listened to it yet. Rest assured — when I get to Abbey Road on September 26, 2017, you can bet that I’ll be eager to listen to this recording. I hope it doesn’t suck too bad. Have a listen and tell me what you think and whether or not it lives up to my expectation!
One final note — “Because,” as I mentioned, appeared on Abbey Road. The creator of this video used a still from the album Let It Be. Of course, everyone knows the iconic cover of Abbey Road, but Let It Be has a bit more of an “old school” Beatles cover — the faces of the four stacked on top of each other. Whoever doctored the album cover in the video cleverly placed a picture of Elliott Smith in the bottom left-hand corner, and in so doing, replaced poor Ringo.
Can Ringo not get a break!?
Filed under: Rules, Song of the day | Leave a Comment
Tags: American Beauty, Baby Britain, Because, Elliott Smith, Ringo, The Beatles
1. Chiffons – He’s So Fine
2. Ruby and the Romantics – Our Day Will Come
3. Skeeter Davis – The End of the World
4. Orlons – South Street
5. Bobby Darin – You’re the Reason I’m Living
6. Cascades – Rhythm of the Rain
7. Roy Orbison – In Dreams
8. Jackie Wilson – Baby Workout
9. Bill Pursell – Our Winter Love
10. Eydie Gorme – Blame It On the Bossa Nova
11. 4 Seasons – Walk Like A Man
12. Johnny Mathis – What Will My Mary Say
13. Elvis Presley – One Broken Heart For Sale
14. Tony Bennett – I Wanna Be Around
15. Mary Wells – Laughing Boy
16. Richard Chamberlain – All I Have To Do Is Dream
17. Dee Dee Sharp – Do The Bird
18. Andy Williams – Can’t Get Used To Losing You
19. Peter, Paul & Mary – Puff (New)
20. Ray Charles – Don’t Set Me Free
21. Chubby Checker – Let’s Limbo Some More
22. Dion – Ruby Baby
23. Chubby Checker – Twenty Miles
24. Rebels – Wild Weekend
25. Connie Francis – Follow the Boys
26. Paul & Paula – Young Lovers
27. Cookies – Don’t Say Nothin’ Bad About My Baby
28. Johnny Cymbal – Mr. Bass Man
29. Paul & Paula – Hey Paula
30. Johnny Tillotson – Out of My Mind
31. Little Eva – Let’s Turkey Trot
32. Neil Sedaka – Alice In Wonderland
33. Steve Lawrence – Don’t Be Afraid, Little Darlin (New)
34. Bobby Rydell – Butterfly Baby
35. Bobby Vinton – Over the Mountain (Across the Sea) (New)
36. Henry Mancini – Days of Wine and Roses
37. Boots Randolph – Yakety Sax (New)
38. Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans – Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts
39. Dion – Sandy (New)
40. Jan Bradley – Mama Didn’t Lie
It’s very difficult for me to listen to The Chiffons’ “He’s So Fine” without thinking about the court-confirmed plagiarism of George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord.” More on this later…
These posts have been very boring, but I think by tomorrow I should be caught up with everything and posting things of relevance, including a post about finally getting to listen to The Beatles. Until then…
Filed under: Billboard Top 40 | Leave a Comment
Tags: Andy Williams, Bill Pursell, Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans, Bobby Darin, Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vinton, Boots Randolph, Cascades, Chiffons, Chubby Checker, Connie Francis, Cookies, Dee Dee Sharp, Dion, Elvis Presley, Eydie Gorme, Four Seasons, Henry Mancini, Jackie Wilson, Jan Bradley, Johnny Cymbal, Johnny Mathis, Johnny Tillotson, Little Eva, Mary Wells, Neil Sedaka, Orlons, Paul & Paula, Peter Paul & Mary, Ray Charles, Rebels, Richard Chamberlain, Roy Orbison, Ruby and the Romantics, Skeeter Davis, Steve Lawrence, Tony Bennett
Billboard Magazine, March 23, 1963, pg. 26.
1. Ruby and the Romantics – Our Day Will Come
2. Skeeter Davis – The End Of The World
3. Bobby Darin – You’re The Reason I’m Living
4. Chiffons – He’s So Fine
5. Four Seasons – Walk Like A Man
6. Cascades – Rhythm of the Rain
7. Orlons – South Street
8. Eydie Gorme – Blame It On The Bossa Nova
9. Johnny Mathis – What Will My Mary Say
10. Roy Orbison – In Dreams
11. Elvis Presley – One Broken Heart For Sale
12. Dion – Ruby Baby
13. Bill Pursell – Our Winter Love
14. Paul & Paula – Hey Paula
15. Rebels – Wild Weekend
16. Tony Bennett – I Wanna Be Around
17. Richard Chamberlain – All I Have To Do Is Dream
18. Jan Bradley – Mama Didn’t Lie
19. Neil Sedaka – Alice In Wonderland
20. Little Eva – Let’s Turkey Trot
21. Chubby Checker – Let’s Limbo Some More
22. Rooftop Singers – Walk Right In
23. Mary Wells – Laughing Boy
24. Ray Charles – Don’t Set Me Free
25. Jackie Wilson – Baby Workout (New)
26. Dee Dee Sharp – Do The Bird
27. Bobby Rydell – Butterfly Baby
28. Chubby Checker – Twenty Miles (New)
29. Kingston Trio – Greenback Dollar
30. Duane Eddy – Boss Guitar
31. Andy Williams – Can’t Get Used To Losing You (New)
32. Connie Francis – Follow The Boys
33. Henry Mancini – Days Of Wine And Roses
34. Cookies – Don’t Say Nothin’ Bad About My Baby (New)
35. Paul & Paula – Young Lovers (New)
36. Johnny Cymbal – Mr. Bass Man
37. Johnny Tillotson – Out Of My Mind (New)
38. Lou Christie – The Gypsy Cried
39. Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans – Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts (New)
40. Sam Cooke – Send Me Some Lovin’
Filed under: Billboard Top 40 | Leave a Comment
Tags: Andy Williams, Bill Pursell, Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans, Bobby Darin, Bobby Rydell, Cascades, Chiffons, Chubby Checker, Connie Francis, Cookies, Dee Dee Sharp, Dion, Duane Eddy, Elvis Presley, Eydie Gorme, Four Seasons, Henry Mancini, Jackie Wilson, Jan Bradley, Johnny Cymbal, Johnny Mathis, Johnny Tillotson, Kingston Trio, Little Eva, Lou Christie, Mary Wells, Neil Sedaka, Orlons, Paul & Paula, Ray Charles, Rebels, Richard Chamberlain, Rooftop Singers, Roy Orbison, Ruby and the Romantics, Sam Cooke, Skeeter Davis, Tony Bennett
Billboard, 16 March 1963, International News Reports, 37.
1. Four Seasons – Walk Like A Man
2. Ruby And The Romantics – Our Day Will Come
3. Bobby Darin – You’re The Reason I’m Living
4. Skeeter Davis – The End Of The World
5. Cascades – Rhythm of the Rain
6. Dion – Ruby Baby
7. Paul & Paula – Hey Paula
8. Eydie Gorme – Blame It On The Bossa Nova
9. Johnny Mathis – What Will My Mary Say
10. Chiffons – He’s So Fine
11. Elvis Presley – One Broken Heart For Sale
12. Rebels – Wild Weekend
13. Roy Orbison – In Dreams
14. Jan Bradley – Mama Didn’t Lie
15. Bill Pursell – Our Winter Love
16. Orlons – South Street
17. Neil Sedaka – Alice In Wonderland
18. Sam Cooke – Send Me Some Lovin’
19. Rooftop Singers – Walk Right In
20. Chubby Checker – Let’s Limbo Some More
21. Kingston Trio – Greenback Dollar
22. Little Eva – Let’s Turkey Trot
23. Bobby Rydell – Butterfly Baby
24. Lou Christie – The Gypsy Cried
25. Tony Bennet – I Wanna Be Around
26. Ned Miller – From A Jack To A King
27. Richard Chamberlain – All I Have To Do Is Dream
28. Duane Eddy – Boss Guitar
29. Miracles – You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
30. Marvin Gaye – Hitch Hike
31. Mary Wells – Laughing Boy
32. Dee Dee Sharp – Do The Bird
33. Bobby Bland – That’s The Way Love Is
34. Henry Mancini – Days of Wine and Roses
35. Vince Guaraldi Trio – Cast Your Fate To The Wind
36. Ray Charles – Don’t Set Me Free (New)
37. Johnny Cymbal – Mr. Bass Man (New)
38. Bobby Bland – Call On Me
39. Joe Harnell & Ork – Fly Me To The Moon – Bossa Nova
40. Connie Francis – Follow The Boys (New)
I wasn’t planning on writing anything about any of these lists, but there are two fairly monumental things that happened during this week:
1) The Beatles were mentioned in Billboard. This is, as far as I can tell, the first instance of their name in print in a major American publication. The clip is very short and more or less inconsequential, focused on record company business rather than music per se. Nonetheless, I find this to be pretty cool.
2) This is the first Top 40 that contains none of the tracks from my first week’s list (January 5, 1963). The last song from that list to appear on a chart was The Drifters’ “Up On The Roof,” which was number 36 on the chart for March 9, 1963.
In light of this, I thought I would do a stat sheet that would wrap up this day’s top 40, and my project as a whole.
______________________________________
Total length of March 16, 1963 list: 1:38:45
Avg. length of song from March 16, 1963: 2:28.1
Longest song from March 16:
Johnny Mathis – What Will My Mary Say (3:09)
Shortest Song from March 16:
Elvis Presley – One Broken Heart For Sale (1:38)
# of male singers: 17/39 (43.6%)
# of female singers: 7/39 (17.9%)
# of instrumental or orchestral groups: 6/39 (15.4%)
# of mixed sex groups: 4/39 (10.3%)
# of male groups: 4/39 (10.3%)
# of female groups: 1/39 (2.6%)
25 songs (62.5%) by white performers
14 (35%) by black performers
1 (2.5%) by Latin performer.
Of the males:
21 songs (75%) were by white performers or groups
7 songs (25%) were by black performers or groups.
Of the females:
5 songs (62.5%) were by black performers or groups
2 songs (25%) were by white performers or groups
1 song (12.5%) was by a latin performer.
Of the mixed sex groups:
2 songs (50%) were by white groups
2 songs (50%) were by black groups.
________________________________________________
Total Songs Listened To: 90
Total Time: 3:49:30
Avg. length of song: 2:33
Longest Song from project start to now:
Ray Charles – Your Cheating Heart (3:36)
Shortest Song from project start to now:
Elvis Presley – One Broken Heart For Sale (1:38)
Artist with most appearances on chart from January 5 – March 16, 1963:
Ray Charles (Three, with “Your Cheating Heart,” “You Are My Sunshine,” and “Don’t Set Me Free.”)
Number of artists who have appeared more than once from January 5 – March 16:
14 (Bobby Bland, Bobby Vinton, Chubby Checker, Connie Francis, Dee Dee Sharp, Dion (& The Belmonts), Duane Eddy, Elvis Presley, Four Seasons, Johnny Crawford, Little Eva, Mary Wells, The Orlons, Ray Charles)
Common names:
Bobby (9 songs performed by a Bobby or variation of this name, 1 song featuring the name in the title)
Johnny (5 songs performed by a Johnny)
Songs sung by Darlene Love: 2 (Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans’ “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” & The Crystals’ “He’s Sure the Boy I Love”)
Songs credited to Darlene Love: 0
Filed under: Billboard Top 40 | Leave a Comment
1. Four Seasons – Walk Like A Man
2. Dion – Ruby Baby
3. Cascades – Rhythm of the Rain
4. Paul & Paula – Hey Paula
5. Bobby Darin – You’re The Reason I’m Living
6. Ruby And The Romantics – Our Day Will Come
7. Skeeter Davis – The End Of The World
8. Rebels – Wild Weekend
9. Johnny Mathis – What Will My Mary Say
10. Rooftop Singers – Walk Right In
11. Eydie Gorme – Blame It On The Bossa Nova
12. Ned Miller – From A Jack To A King
13. Roy Orbison – In Dreams
14. Jan Bradley – Mama Didn’t Lie
15. Bill Pursell – Our Winter Love
16. Elvis Presley – One Broken Heart For Sale
17. Neil Sedaka – Alice In Wonderland
18. Sam Cooke – Send Me Some Lovin’
19. Chiffons – He’s So Fine
20. Miracles – You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
21. Orlons – South Street
22. Kingston Trio – Greenback Dollar
23. Bobby Rydell – Butterfly Baby
24. Little Eva – Let’s Turkey Trot
25. Chubby Checker – Let’s Limbo Some More
26. Lou Christie – The Gypsy Cried
27. Del Shannon – Little Town Flirt
28. Crystals – He’s Sure The Boy I Love
29. Joe Harnell & Ork – Fly Me To The Moon — Bossa Nova
30. Tony Bennett – I Wanna Be Around
31. Duane Eddy – Boss Guitar
32. Marvin Gaye – Hitch Hike
33. Richard Chamberlain – All I Have To Do Is Dream (New)
34. Bobby Bland – That’s The Way Love Is
35. Henry Mancini – Days Of Wine And Roses
36. Drifters – Up On The Roof
37. Vince Guaraldi – Cast Your Fate To The Wind
38. Bobby Bland – Call On Me
39. Mary Wells – Laughing Boy (New)
40. Dee Dee Sharp – Do The Bird (New)
Filed under: Billboard Top 40 | Leave a Comment
Tags: Bill Pursell, Bobby Bland, Bobby Darin, Bobby Rydell, Cascades, Chiffons, Chubby Checker, Crystals, Dee Dee Sharp, Del Shannon, Dion, Drifters, Duane Eddy, Elvis Presley, Eydie Gorme, Four Seasons, Henry Mancini, Jan Bradley, Joe Harnell, Johnny Mathis, Kingston Trio, Little Eva, Lou Christie, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, Miracles, Ned Miller, Neil Sedaka, Orlons, Paul & Paula, Rebels, Richard Chamberlain, Rooftop Singers, Roy Orbison, Ruby and the Romantics, Sam Cooke, Skeeter Davis, Tony Bennett, Vince Guaraldi
1. Four Seasons – Walk Like A Man
2. Dion – Ruby Baby
3. Paul & Paula – Hey Paula
4. Cascades – Rhythm Of The Rain
5. Rooftop Singers – Walk Right In
6. Bobby Darin – You’re The Reason I’m Living
7. Eydie Gorme – Blame It On The Bossa Nova
8. Ned Miller – From A Jack To A King
9. Rebels – Wild Weekend
10. Johnny Mathis – What Will Mary Say
11. Ruby And The Romantics – Our Day Will Come
12. Skeeter Davis – The End Of The World
13. Sam Cooke – Send Me Some Lovin’
14. Miracles – You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
15. Jan Bradley – Mama Didn’t Lie
16. Joe Harnell & Ork – Fly Me To The Moon — Bossa Nova
17. Crystals – He’s Sure the Boy I Love
18. Del Shannon – Little Town Flirt
19. Elvis Presley – One Broken Heart For Sale
20. Roy Orbison – In Dreams
21. Neil Sedaka – Alice In Wonderland
22. Bill Pursell – Our Winter Love
23. Drifters – Up On The Roof
24. Bobby Vee – The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
25. Vince Guaraldi Trio – Cast Your Fate To The Wind
26. Kingston Trio – Greenback Dollar
27. Lou Christie – The Gypsy Cried
28. Bobby Bland – Call On Me
29. Bobby Rydell – Butterfly Baby
30. Chubby Checker – Let’s Limbo Some More
31. Little Eva – Let’s Turkey Trot
32. Tony Bennett – I Wanna Be Around
33. Marvin Gay – Hitch Hike (New)
34. Duane Eddy – Boss Guitar
35. Orlons – South Street (New)
36. Henry Mancini – Days Of Wine And Roses (New)
37. Bobby Bland – That’s the Way Love Is
38. Brenda Lee – Your Used To Be
39. Paul Anka – LOVE (Makes The World Go Round)
40. Johnny Thunder – Loop De Loop
Filed under: Billboard Top 40 | Leave a Comment
Tags: Bill Pursell, Bobby Bland, Bobby Darin, Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vee, Brenda Lee, Cascades, Chubby Checker, Crystals, Del Shannon, Dion, Drifters, Duane Eddy, Elvis Presley, Eydie Gorme, Four Seasons, Henry Mancini, Jan Bradley, Joe Harnell, Johnny Mathis, Johnny Thunder, Kingston Trio, Little Eva, Lou Christie, Marvin Gay, Miracles, Ned Miller, Neil Sedaka, Orlons, Paul & Paula, Paul Anka, Rebels, Rooftop Singers, Roy Orbison, Ruby and the Romantics, Sam Cooke, Skeeter Davis, Tony Bennett, Vince Guaraldi Trio
1. Paul & Paula – Hey Paula
2. Dion – Ruby Baby
3. Four Seasons – Walk Like A Man
4. Rooftop Singers – Walk Right In
5. Cascades – Rhythm of the Rain
6. Ned Miller – From A Jack To A King
7. Bobby Darin – You’re The Reason I’m Living
8. Eydie Gorme – Blame It On The Bossa Nova
9. Miracles – You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
10. Rebels – Wild Weekend
11. Crystals – He’s Sure The Boy I Love
12. Del Shannon – Little Town Flirt
13. Sam Cooke – Send Me Some Lovin’
14. Joe Harnell & Ork – Fly Me To The Moon — Bossa Nova
15. Bobby Vee – The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
16. Jan Bradley – Mama Didn’t Lie
17. Johnny Mathis – What Will Mary Say
18. Drifters – Up On The Roof
19. Johnny Thunder – Loop De Loop
20. Steve Lawrence – Go Away Little Girl
21. Skeeter Davis – The End of the World
22. Vince Guaraldi Trio – Cast Your Fate To the Wind
23. Roy Orbison – In Dreams (New)
24. Neil Sedaka – Alice In Wonderland
25. Elvis Presley – One Broken Heart For Sale (New)
26. Paul Anka – LOVE (Makes the World Go ‘Round)
27. Ruby and the Romantics – Our Day Will Come (New)
28. Lou Christie – The Gypsy Cried
29. Bobby Bland – Call On Me
30. Bill Pursell – Our Winter Love
31. Kingston Trio – Greenback Dollar (New)
32. Brenda Lee – Your Used To Be
33. Tony Bennett – I Wanna Be Around
34. Little Eva – Let’s Turkey Trot (New)
35. Rick Nelson – It’s Up To You
36. Duane Eddy – Boss Guitar (New)
37. Bobby Rydell – Butterfly Baby (New)
38. Gene Pitney – Half Heaven — Half Heartache
39. Bobby Bland – That’s the Way Love Is
40. Chubby Checker – Let’s Limbo Some More (New)
Filed under: Billboard Top 40 | Leave a Comment
Tags: Bill Pursell, Bobby Bland, Bobby Darin, Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vee, Brenda Lee, Cascades, Chubby Checker, Crystals, Del Shannon, Dion, Drifters, Duane Eddy, Elvis Presley, Eydie Gorme, Four Seasons, Gene Pitney, Jan Bradley, Joe Hanell, Johnny Mathis, Johnny Thunder, Kingston Trio, Little Eva, Lou Christie, Miracles, Ned Miller, Neil Sedaka, Paul & Paula, Paul Anka, Rebels, Rick Nelson, Rooftop Singers, Roy Orbison, Ruby and the Romantics, Sam Cooke, Skeeter Davis, Steve Lawrence, Tony Bennett, Vince Guaraldi Trio
1. Paul & Paula – Hey Paula
2. Rooftop Singers – Walk Right In
3. Four Seasons – Walk Like A Man
4. Dion – Ruby Baby
5. Cascades – Rhythm Of The Rain
6. Ned Miller – From A Jack to A King
7. Bobby Vee – The Night Has a Thousand Eyes
8. Miracles – You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
9. Johnny Thunder – Loop De Loop
10. Drifters – Up On the Roof
11. Crystals – He’s Sure The Boy I love
12. Bobby Darin – You’re The Reason I’m Living
13. Del Shannon – Little Town Flirt
14. Steve Lawrence – Go Away Little Girl
15. Rebels – Wild Weekend
16. Jan Bradley – Mama Didn’t Lie
17. Joe Harnell & Ork – Fly Me to the Moon-Bossa Nova
18. Eydie Gorme – Blame It On the Bossa Nova
19. Gene Pitney – Half Heaven-Half Heartache
20. Sam Cooke – Send Me Some Lovin’
21. Rick Nelson – It’s Up To You
22. Bobby Bland – Call On Me
23. Johnny Mathis – What Will Mary Say
24. Paul Petersen – My Dad
25. Dickey Lee – I Saw Linda Yesterday
26. Paul Anka – LOVE (Makes the World Go ‘Round)
27. Pastel Six – Cinnamon Cinder
28. Vince Guaraldi – Cast Your Fate To The Wind
29. Exciters – Tell Him
30. Lou Christie – The Gypsy Cried (New)
31. Mary Wells – Two Lovers
32. Neil Sedaka – Alice In Wonderland (New)
33. Kitty Kallen – My Coloring Book
34. Brenda Lee – Your Used To Be (New)
35. Dionne Warwick – Don’t Make Me Over
34. Skeeter Davis – The End Of the World (New)
37. Sandy Stewart – My Coloring Book
38. Bill Pursell – Our Winter Love (New)
39. Johnny Crawford – Proud
40. Tony Bennett – I Wanna Be Around (New)
Filed under: Billboard Top 40 | Leave a Comment
Tags: Bill Pursell, Bobby Bland, Bobby Darin, Bobby Vee, Brenda Lee, Cascades, Crystals, Del Shannon, Dickey Lee, Dion, Dionne Warwick, Drifters, Exciters, Eydie Gorme, Four Seasons, Gene Pitney, Jan Bradley, Joe Harnell, Johnny Crawford, Johnny Mathis, Johnny Thunder, Kitty Kallen, Lou Christie, Mary Wells, Miracles, Ned Miller, Neil Sedaka, Pastel Six, Paul & Paula, Paul Anka, Paul Petersen, Rebels, Rick Nelson, Rooftop Singers, Sam Cooke, Sandy Stewart, Skeeter Davis, Steve Lawrence, Tony Bennett, Vince Guaraldi
Amnesty.
I need to grant myself some amnesty if I want to get anything else done on this blog. For the most part, I have kept up with the Billboard Charts. I own all of music, but I haven’t necessarily listened to it in “chart form.” With everything going on, I’ve just been too busy. And, frankly, there was a lot of music on the charts that I was just getting sick of. There’s a lot of music that I love, but there are a lot of throw-aways here. But I’m forgiving myself for this — as I see it, a lot of this music is “flippable.” The radio dial isn’t some new invention; if someone didn’t like a song they heard on the radio, they were certainly free to change. If this luxury was available when this music was created, I can certainly allow myself the same choice for this project, right?
Even so, I feel guilty about it, like I’m breaking one of my rules. But, rule number four, the rule that addresses this music, says:
“I will make every attempt to listen to every song on Billboard’s Top 40 for every week between January 5, 1963 and May 9, 1970.”
I guess I never said that I had to listen to the entire chart. I think it’s preferable, but not necessary. I really do hope to get back into the swing of things, listening to each chart all the way through, discussing, etc., but for right now, no can do. But, part of the reason I wanted to do these posts about the Billboard charts was because I simply couldn’t find them in an easily accessible form online. So, even if I don’t get the opportunity to listen to the full thing, or write about it, I’m still going post them as a list, just like I’ve been doing. So, that is what I’m going to do today. Sorry to any subscribers whose emails I flood today. I apologize!
Real writing to follow…
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Cold Turkey
I used to fast a lot.
The summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college, I worked for YouthWorks, an organization that hosts youth group mission trips in areas that need assistance. In the months that I spent in Birmingham, I fasted at least one to three days a week from food. When I fasted, it was to recognize my own weakness and to encourage prayer: Every time I felt hungry, I would pray for strength and that I could better serve the community I was working in and the people I was working with. My fasting usually began in the middle of the week, and I would typically end during the picnic we’d hold at the end of every week with the kids. My intentions were totally pure, and I never made a show out of fasting. If people asked, I would tell them; otherwise, that information was between me, a few close friends, and God.
I met people on that trip who had fasted or were fasting for 40 days. It wasn’t quite as easy for these folks to hide their fasts because of their duration and the physical things that happen to the body when it is deprived of food for 40 days. I always admired these truly incredible men, and I looked at them in wonder and amazement. While their fasting couldn’t be ignored, they never made a show of their endeavor. They were incredibly humble and would be the first to deny that they were in any way “special.” Still, this didn’t change the fact that it was on the top of my mind any time I saw them, and that talking to them about 40 day fasts was about as entertaining as any great movie, book, or show. It was almost like a living theater piece for me — except the characters never wanted to be onstage.
Perhaps the biggest difference between the Jesus-in-the-desert fasters and me was not the nobility of the purpose, or the strength of our faith or anything like that, but the notion that after a while, they forgot about the thing they were fasting from. I know that sounds absurd, but I think the most difficult aspect of giving something up, at least initially, is just trying to get its lingering memory out of your head. Easier said than done, right? It seems that by giving something up, the brain rearranges its order of need to include that thing above all others, and so it is at the forefront of the mind all the time. When I fasted, all of my senses became a constant reminder that I needed food. I would hear pancakes flipping or milk pouring over cereal or the clicking open of a plastic bag filled with sliced turkey, and my stomach would groan. The smells of cooking food, or the sight of a table stacked high with prepared platters made me ache. Look at how beautiful it all is! I smell potato salad and freshly cut fruit and brownies and hamburgers! And it wasn’t just these senses, but it was being able to feel my empty stomach, and remembering how good it felt when it held solid food instead of just water. My body was surrounded by things that only fueled the memory of my taste, which longed for anything. After the first day, I usually wished for tacos or pizza or Jimmy John’s or sushi or bar-b-que. By the second and third days however, my body was a bit less discerning and I would not just settle for, but actually crave things like carrots, or corn flakes, or a bean.
My fasting friends, however, had a much different take on fasting. After a week or so, they claimed, the memories that support the hunger drive start to fade. The body begins to give up on the idea of eating, and begins surviving on stored energy. At that point, the brain no longer needs to tell the body to eat. The almost-physical recollection of food sinks back into being a distant memory.
I hope this isn’t coming off as self-righteous. By that, I mean I hope no one thinks that my giving up of The Beatles is in any way the same as fasting, or that I hope to obtain some spiritual insight because of it. And what I’m doing is very public as opposed to the secrecy with which fasts are supposed to be, and I want and like for it to be that way.
But, I will say that since I gave up The Beatles, my mind has been tuned to an all-Beatles station. The very act of giving up their music is resulting in my brain being constantly reminded of it. My brain feels like one of those Bing commercials in which any arbitrary phrase can trigger some unexpected result. For me, these unexpected results are usually Beatles-related:
My boss told me my schedule. I’m working six days. Six days this week. Six days a week. Eight days a week. I’ll lo-o-o-o-ove you.
At the supermarket. The sushi station. Squid salad. Squids. Octopi. I’d like to be, under the sea —
I gave up The Beatles. I gave up something. I gave them up cold turkey. Cold turkey has got me—
Yes, I know that’s a solo John song. But still, the part of me that is hoping to relive this point in time wouldn’t even know who John Lennon is!
Most of this is about me being a perfectionist. I can already imagine anyone who reads this thinking, “Wait, I’m confused… Is he trying to give up even thinking about The Beatles? How does he hope to do that?” And the truth is, yes, a part of me does hope to forget about them — or, at least, their music, until I’m allowed to listen at the right time. But, in order to actively forget, I have to actively remember… right?
See, the part of me that wants to remain as true as possible to this project understands that my memory is just as good at playing music as any speakers. I’ve eliminated the physical, but the memories of this music are tangled with memories and senses and experiences that I cannot cut off.
But, just like with fasting, I’ve realized that the more I continue with this project, the less my mind gets in the way of failure. I still have hunger, but the pain is duller than before, and I suspect those memories will become fuzzier as I go. The Top 40 lists have become not just useful diversions, but the music is starting to take full root in my ears. Music I didn’t even know two weeks ago is becoming a part of my every-day life, and I like that. That is the point! My mind is still blurs the 60s (“The Only Living Boy In New York” is used in the new Honda Accord commercial… That must have been mid-to-late 60s, right? or When did “My Girl” come out? Is the early Temptations music in fair territory?), but I’m getting better at living in the musical past. I’m getting better all the time.
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1. Steve Lawrence – Go Away Little Girl
2. Tornadoes [sic] – Telstar
3. Brook Benton – Hotel Happiness
4. Exciters – Tell Him
5. Bobby Vee – The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
6. Chubby Checker – Limbo Rock
7. Mary Wells – Two Lovers
8. Paul Petersen – My Dad
9. Lou Monte – Pepino the Italian Mouse
10. Paul & Paula – Hey Paula
11. Rooftop Singers – Walk Right In
12. Rick Nelson – It’s Up To You
13. Drifters – Up On The Roof
14. Dickey Lee – I Saw Linda Yesterday
15. Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans – Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
16. Johnny Thunder – Loop De Loop
17. Gene Pitney – Half Heaven–Half Heartache
18. Four Seasons – Big Girls Don’t Cry
19. Marcie Blane – Bobby’s Girl
20. Shirelles – Everybody Loves A Lover
21. Elvis Presley – Return To Sender
22. Ray Charles – You Are My Sunshine
23. Connie Francis – I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter
24. Jerry Wallace – Shutters and Boards
25. Earls – Remember Then
26. Dionne Warwick – Don’t Make Me OVer
27. Kitty Kallen – My Coloring Book
28. Miracles – You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
29. Les Cooper – Wiggle Wobble
30. Tijuana Brass – The Lonely Bull
31. “Little Esther” Phillips – Release Me
32. Sandy Stewart – My Coloring Book (New)
33. Bobby Vinton – Trouble Is My Middle Name
34. LaVern Baker – See See Rider
35. Cookies – Chains
36. Pastel Six – Cinnamon Cinder (New)
37. Dion – Love Came To Me
38. Bobby Vinton – Let’s Kiss and Make Up
39. Nat “King” Cole – Dear Lonely Hearts
40. Crystals – He’s Sure the Boy I Love (New)
I won’t lie — it was difficult to get motivated to listen to this list. As you can see, there are only three new songs on this list, and one of them is a cover version of a song that is already on the list! “My Coloring Book” appears on this chart by both Kitty Kallen (who sang it first) and Sandy Stewart, whose version shot up on this chart. This has me wondering… Did Sandy Stewart’s version shoot to the top because of its similarities to Kitty Kallen’s (not only is it the same song, but it’s remarkably similar in instrumentation, tempo, etc.)? How did record companies negotiate this? Was it necessary to have a self-alliterating name to chart “My Coloring Book,” or was that just a coincidence?
I say that all tongue-in-cheek. I don’t dislike “My Coloring Book”; actually, I think it’s one of the better songs on the list because it’s artful and mournful and deep. But its appearance on the list two times is indicative of the stagnant nature of the list itself. I mean, I understand that it’s growing and morphing and kicking out the old and taking in the new, and part of me is really glad that it does this at a slow pace. I have ample time to listen and to think, plus it’s easy on my wallet (which is already quite thin). But of the 40 songs that I started out with, 31 are still on the list. I knew that it was going to change slowly, but I’m not sure I thought that it would feel quite like this.
Really, I don’t mean to complain, but as I mentioned in my first post, this blog is about this music and about me and this journey. I’ve hit some bumps. I think it’s necessary to document them.
So, if I haven’t spent much time listening to the Top 40, what have I been listening to? Have I completely fallen off the wagon? No, not in the least. Instead, I’ve turned my ear to some even older music — Buddy Holly and Hank Williams. I’m not quite sure what to say about these guys, except that when I am caught in the doldrums of 1963 pop music, these guys are a breath of fresh air. Hank certainly wasn’t a rocker in the traditional “Chuck Berry” sense, but as the godfather of country music he no doubt supplied a grittiness that would be otherwise lacking. It should be noted, too, that his song “Your Cheating Heart” was charted by Ray Charles, and appeared on my first Top Five list.
There are some musicians that I am so familiar with, or they have such a familiar style, that listening to them feels like going home. There’s no easy way to describe that, but I can say it’s one of the most comforting things for me about listening to music. It’s like, there’s a musical world that I belong to, and some of the groups that are there I chose, and some were there already, but I love to go back and visit. Does that make sense? Buddy Holly is definitely one of those types of artists, someone whose music I got really into while I was in high school, and whom I have admired ever since. So, when I started listening to my Buddy Holly recordings this week, I had to wonder “What has happened to rock music since then?” I guess my expectation was that rock ‘n’ roll was kind of this slow steady growth from the early generation (Buddy, Chuck Berry, all the Sun Records guys, Little Richard, etc.) to the British Invasion. But listening to this early music, I’m struck by how much more the early music rocks, and how the newer music is sort of… pansy? Let’s take Buddy’s cover of “Ready Teddy” from 1958 (click on the link to listen). Little Richard first sang this song, and his version is awesome. It’s really amazing. But Buddy’s version is out-of-control, hold-on-for-dear-life rock. At :32-:33, when he lets out that scream—! To quote Liz Lemon, “What the what!?” Something like that just came from the pit of his stomach, from some deep urge to scare and shock with passion and heart. Not one member of the band is keeping up in this recording — it’s really pretty sloppy. But is this rock ‘n’ roll at its finest? You betcha.
So imagine how troubled I am when a rockin’ sounding song title like “Trouble Is My Middle Name” turns out to be a facade for two minutes and twenty-seven seconds of easy-listening, string-laden, down-tempo, crooned cliché? I understand that styles change, but with that title, I was really expecting something more in-your-face. I guess this is another of my expectations that I have to work on, but I kind of figured that most music between Buddy Holly’s death and The Beatles would be guitar-based and rock ‘n’ roll(ier). But a lot of it is pretty tame, and while it’s interesting to see and look at, it’s not so interesting to listen to.
It reminds me of the famous anecdote about The Beatles audition for Decca Records in 1962 in which they were rejected and told “guitar groups are on the way out.” Of course, we can all laugh at it now, but was the record producer really that far off?
Of the forty songs on this list, only two of them contain no guitar. That’s what, 5%? So that’s really nothing big. The other thirty-eight feature guitar to varying degrees. Sometimes it’s front and center, like in The Rooftop Singers’ “Walk Right In,” and at other times it’s part of an ensemble, like in Paul & Paula’s “Hey Paula.” But then there are some of that 38 that I’m being very generous about. I can tell that there’s some guitar in there somewhere, but it’s pushed so far back that to call it a “guitar song” would really be lying. Songs like “My Coloring Book” or “Telstar,” have hints of guitar, but that is by no means the prevalent instrument, or even a strong secondary instrument. Other songs, like The Earls’ “Remember Then” feature guitar as the primary instrument, but the main focus is on the vocal harmonies — not the instrumentation.
So, my point is, the guitar wasn’t on the way out, but I think maybe the style of guitar popularized by Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry and that first generation of rock ‘n rollers was definitely on its way out. In fact, it was essentially out the door by 1963, which I guess is a little sad — but I know bigger and better things await the guitar, so I’ll keep my ears open for that.
How about some Top Five?
#5. The Shirelles – “Everybody Loves A Lover”
I guess I’m cheating a bit, because this video claims to be from 1964, but I feel justified since this is a 1963 song, and this performance is so dang good! Their energy is infectious, and I love the charisma that this group has. I feel like they really own the audience and the performance, and are fearless. Also, if you want to talk about music that is the antithesis of a song like “Trouble Is My Middle Name,” look no further — this is joyous, unabashed rock.
#4. Mary Wells – “Two Lovers”
It’s a lame video, but the song more than makes up for it, in my opinion.
I think this is one of the most mature songs that I’ve listened to so far, and it caught my attention from week #1. I think Mary’s delivery is really spot on — she’s not as strong a singer as the Shirelles, but she brings a lot of hurt to this song, which it needs. I think the song writing (by Smokey Robinson) is really strong, too. It’s pop music that’s tackling a big issue, and it does it in a smart way that doesn’t succumb to the triteness of some of the other songs on this list.
I also think the music is top-notch. I love the chord at 2:35… At the beginning of the song, each time she sings “Well I’ve got two- lovers…” it progresses from a D-major to G-major; in that outro chorus though, it progresses from a D-major to G-major with a minor 7th — and it’s that 7th chord that provides the musical twist that mirrors the twist of the text (if you’re thinking I’m talking over your head, just listen to the song — you’ll be able to hear that twinge of sadness in the music, even if you don’t know what it is). I also really dig the Motown percussion and backing band. The background vocals (by The Love-Tones) are really great too, and feature two singers who would later go on to big fame (Eddie Kendricks, who went on to become a founding member of The Temptations, and Mickey Stevenson, who wrote several big hits for Motown, like “Dancin’ In The Street” and “It Takes Two.” I have been unable to find any information about the other two members, Joe Miles and Stan Bracely. If anyone out there reading this has any information on either of these guys, please let me know).
There’s a lot to love here, and I hope you enjoy it too.
#3. The Miracles – “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me”
I’ve always had a healthy respect for Smokey Robinson, but I’ve never called myself a huge “fan.” I’ve just kind of known that I should like Smokey Robinson. But this project, and the music I’m already hearing from him (like the above “Two Lovers” and this song) are really showing me the light.
I knew Smokey wrote this song (I actually knew The Beatles cover it better… sorry to say), but I guess it didn’t hit me that he was writing songs for all of Motown, as well as his own group, and performing them.
I love this video of The Miracles’ performance. Last week’s video of The Four Seasons really holds no water to this. You can watch this video without any sound, and still be entertained. They are so smooth! This is Motown being Motown – well-rehearsed, charming, perfection.
#2. Rooftop Singers – “Walk Right In”
Wasn’t this commercial in a motel commercial or something? (edit: thanks to the glories of the internet, I have found that it was actually in a Great Clips commercial. Mah Bad…)
Whatever commercial it was in couldn’t have done it justice. The main goal of this project is to understand influences — that is, I want to be able to understand what songs are influencing each other, and how the web of music that happened in the 1960s was all interrelated. This song, to me, says so much about later styles.
Now, I know that folk groups were around before The Rooftop Singers, but there’s something about this group, and this song, that seems particularly fitting for the 1960s. The whole vibe is there in the lyrics: “Walk right in, sit right down/ Daddy let your mind roll on/ Everybody’s talkin’ bout a new way of walkin/ do you want to lose your mind?/ Walk right in, sit right down/ Daddy let your mind roll on.” And the next verse begins: “Walk right in, sit right down/ Baby let your hair hang down.” If these aren’t the words of hippies and the 1960s counterculture, I don’t’ know what are!
Jet, March 14, 1963
Truth be told, they really aren’t. See, The Rooftop Singers have more in common with a lot of folk groups than just their music and ideas: They, like so many other groups, borrowed these ideas from older generations. “Walk Right In” wasn’t written by them, or by songwriters, or by Bob Dylan or Pete Seeger or Woody Guthrie. Gus Cannon, an old banjo player, wrote it in 1913. You can listen to his version below and catch the similarities therein.
(also… does anyone else think the first bar of Cannon’s version resembles “I’m just a bill” from Schoolhouse Rock?)
#1. King/Goffin: “Go Away Little Girl”; “Up On The Roof”; “Chains”
I mentioned this a bit in the last post, but credit must be given to Carole King and her then-husband, Gerry Goffin, for their pop chart dominance. Like Smokey Robinson, I’m not sure I had given King enough recognition before this project, but I am learning more and more about her songwriting and how she and Goffin wrote hit after hit after hit. I had always associated the duo with girl groups, but these songs show real versatility, and show that they could write for any sex, genre, race, or style — and with a universality that had crossover appeal, too.
(Unfortunately, no good videos exist of the Cookies’ version of “Chains,” but you can listen at Grooveshark)
I should also note that one of the first songs I featured, “Keep Your Hands Off My Baby,” was also a King/Goffin song. For anyone keeping track, that means they had four songs by four different groups on the Billboard Top 40 at one time. That’s pretty astounding, if you ask me.
I hope to get out a few new posts this week about music listening in the 1960s, so stay tuned for that. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free as always to post comments on my page. I read every one and try to respond in a timely manner.
Filed under: Billboard Top 40 | 2 Comments
Tags: " Hank Williams, "Little Esther" Phillips, "My Coloring Book, Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans, Bobby Vee, Bobby Vinton, Brook Benton, Buddy Holly, Chubby Checker, Connie Francis, Cookies, Counterculture, Crystals, Dickey Lee, Dion, Dionne Warwick, Drifters, Earls, Elvis Presley, Everybody Loves A Lover, Exciters, Four Seasons, Gene Pitney, Guitar groups are on the way out, Gus Cannon, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass Band, Hippies, Jerry Wallace, Johnny Thunder, King/Goffin, Kitty Kallen, LaVern Baker, Les Cooper, Lou Monte, Marcie Blane, Mary Wells, Miracles, Nat "King" Cole, Pastel Six, Paul & Paula, Paul Petersen, Precurser, Ray Charles, Rick Nelson, Rooftop Singers, Sandy Stewart, Shirelles, Steve Lawrence, Tornados, Two Lovers, Walk Right In, You've Really Got A Hold On Me
The Day…
My favorite movie growing up was Stand By Me. My friend Ryan and I could quote almost the whole movie, and I genuinely looked up to the Gordy, Chris, Verno and Teddy for striking out on such an adventure. I was never able to quite wrap my head around how far those guys walked, but it always seemed like such an impossible distance to cover in such a short amount of time. Maybe that’s why I admired them so much.
Stand By Me set a bar for me — for adventure, for coolness, for story-telling (who can forget the tale of Davey “Lard Ass” Hogan?), being a kid, and growing up. I don’t mean for it to sound like me watching this movie was the most important event of my adolescence, but it really did play a large role in shaping who I was and wanted to be. I wanted to be Chris. I wanted to be Gordy. I did not want to be Teddy DuChamp.
Stand By Me also introduced me to the 1950s. Of course, I knew about the 50s. I suppose I knew about some of the things that happened in the 50s. But SBM was my first real taste of what it might have been like to live then. Of course, my upbringing was a lot different from the kids in the film, but I could still relate to them. Having a tree house, playing cards, having a secret knock, being afraid of rumored dogs, the pride of friendship — these were all things I understood and valued.
It also introduced me to some of the music of the 50s. “Lollipop” I knew from years in grade school (that *pop* is such a hook for little kids!), and I knew “Stand By Me” and “Great Balls of Fire” because their use in media was and is ubiquitous. But one song caught my ear without me knowing what it was. Its peculiar “bell and snap” introduction lead the boys down the train tracks, and a clear, round voice sang lyrics that seemed as true in the 50s as they were in the 90s: “Everyday, it’s a-gettin’ closer — goin’ faster than a roller coaster.” That’s all it was. Just one line. But it really meant something to me. The music and the song’s message were pure and innocent and timeless. And then it was gone.
This was Buddy Holly’s song “Everyday,” and it was my first introduction to him (although I didn’t know it yet). I honestly don’t remember exactly how I came to realize that song was by Buddy Holly, or even if I quite understood who he was when I first found out. My guess is I watched the movie and read the credits at the end to see who sang the song, and then I probably went and tried to download the mp3 on my computer. Or maybe I heard the song on my oldies station, and they said the name of the singer. Or maybe they played it, and I called in to the radio station to naively ask “Hey, can you tell me who sings this song?!
I don’t remember. I also don’t remember if I really knew who Buddy Holly was or not. I don’t feel like it was much of a surprise when I found out he died in a plane crash, but I also don’t know how I would’ve heard this information before I started listening to his music.
Buddy Holly, 1958
Of course, a lot of things happened during a really short period that lead me to really digging Buddy Holly: 1) I started listening to the oldies station frequently and began hearing more and more songs by Buddy Holly that I really liked a lot. 2) I had a huge crush on a girl who I wanted to impress by finding and listening to old music, so one day we went to Best Buy and bought a Buddy Holly CD. 3) Even though it was several years old, I was just starting to get into Weezer, and I wanted to know more about the singer they based their hit song after and I was a young hipster and wanted to hold it over everyone’s heads. 4) I started getting heavy into The Beatles, whose very name is a reference to Buddy Holly (and the Crickets).
At the very first concert I ever had as a soloist (The June 9th show, I was 16), I played “Everyday.” I have played “Oh Boy!” and “Words of Love” and “Rave On” and on and on. Buddy’s music grew on me and in me, and I’m inseparable from it. Isn’t that weird and scary and amazing, that music can become a part of who we are and how we identify ourselves?
After I graduated from Monmouth, I spent a post-baccalaureate year there where I beefed up my resume, took classes, and applied to grad schools. Really, I had a lot of time to do whatever I wanted. I’ll never forget getting a call from my friend Chris as I was walking up to the library, when he quickly told me something like this: “Hey! There’s this theater here in the quad cities, and they need back-up musicians for the Buddy Holly story! They need someone to play Trombone and someone to play drums! I play Trombone! You can play some drums, right?! Wouldn’t it be sweet if we both got in!?” To which I’m sure I replied something like, “Yes. But — I have too many questions.” A few days later, I went up to Schaumburg to see Kimi when Chris called me again, telling me that he was going to audition, and that I should send my resume and head shot to audition too. I didn’t have a theater resume or a headshot, so I whipped something up really fast, blew up my profile pic from Facebook, and emailed it to the producer. Soon, I found myself air-drumming and singing Cricket harmonies in my car as I made the 3 1/2 hour drive from Schaumburg to Rock Island.
I’m still not sure what kind of good luck I fell in to, but Chris and I both made the cut, and for about three months, I got paid the best wages of my life for doing the easiest and most fun job of my life — being a background vocalist and side percussionist in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story at Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse. Every show was a blast, I got to spend another few months living with my old roommate and best friend Chris, and the whole time, there was the music.
Yesterday marked the 52nd anniversary of Buddy Holly’s death, and now more than ever, I appreciate what he did for music. His broad musical scope (both as a performer and song-writer) were truly ahead of his time.
I found very few contemporary articles in national publications about Buddy’s death, which is a bit sad and frustrating. I know that it was a big deal — most everyone I’ve talked to remembers the day Buddy Holly’s plane crashed. But why was it not covered more in magazine print?
I’m still not sure. But I would like to post the few things I found in Billboard. The first two are from the first issue after he died, published on February 9, 1959. The other is just a month later, and seems to be a bit more prophetic about Holly’s legacy.
(All articles were cut from the original issues with some minor editing by me for brevity.)
“Beyond the consideration of song material, it’s interesting to contemplate the factor of the death of an artist, and the effect of his loss on the success of his records.” Is Buddy Holly more famous for his music or for his untimely death? Does his music have weight because of its greatness or because of its performer’s legend? I’m not sure. I guess we’ll never know. All I know is that in the few short years he was writing and performing, he cranked out an awesome catalog of music that reaches and is relevant today and has moved me and inspired me in a number of ways that I find difficult to describe.
Filed under: In memoriam | 3 Comments
Tags: Buddy Holly, death, Everyday, greatness, legend, Oldies 92, Stand By Me
The Ketchup Club
Let me be clear — I may be in over my head. Getting in too deep starts out very slowly — an extended deadline here, a blind eye to the goal there. You know the folk proverb, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”? The same might be said about keeping a defunct blog or journal. Setting goals is easy; completing them requires real backbone and resolve. It takes real commitment to write on a regular basis, and that’s something I’m still working on. One of my main goals in starting a blog about music was that it would force me to maintain some sort of writing schedule and cause me to think both imaginatively and critically about topics that are important to me.
When I wrote my thesis a year ago, I got into a great habit of writing every day. Some days I spent writing for hours and hours, but others, I just tried to write anything, and I think this is important. This is the message behind Joan Bolker’s fascinating Writing Your Dissertation In Fifteen Minutes A Day; what she says, essentially, is that any writing is better than no writing. Just the habit of putting pen to paper and writing words helps to extrapolate good ideas. If a writer keeps writing, eventually he or she will write something that is worthwhile.
When writing my thesis, I had an advisor who was able to help me edit my thoughts into cohesion and an advisory panel who I could ask for further assistance and ideas and who provided insights and criticism. A blog requires a writer to be advisor and editor. It’s not enough to just write for 15 minutes a day when there is an audience who expects some level of professionalism and insight (or at the very least, complete sentences).
So yes, I am behind, but not hopelessly so. Why do we admit faults, if not to try to overcome them? This is me saying that I am weak and that I sometimes don’t want to listen to this music and that I sometimes don’t want to write about it. But I will keep doing it because ultimately, I think it will be important and fun and informative and a huge goal that I can set my sights on.
Here’s what you can expect from me in the coming days:
1) Updated Top 40 lists (I believe I still owe one from February 2, 9, and 16) with some minor commentary.
2) Talk about the Beatles, a month out from the release of their first album!
3) A completely new addition to this blog: An interview-based podcast.
I also plan to make good on my word to start having more “Songs of the Day” posts, but baby steps!
Are there things that you hope to accomplish that you sometimes don’t do? Or you begin them, but you lose sight of them? Share your stories and let me know — let’s raise each other up!
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Tags: accomplishments, admission, blogging, Catch up, commitment, Goals, Joan Bolker, music, writing, Writing Your Dissertation In Fifteen Minutes A Day
1. Rooftop Singers – Walk Right In
2. Paul & Paula – Hey Paula
3. Bobby Vee – The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
4. Steve Lawrence – Go Away Little Girl
5. Johnny Thunder – Loop De Loop
6. Rick Nelson – It’s Up To You
7. Drifters – Up On The Roof
8. Exciters – Tell Him
9. Mary Wells – Two Lovers
10. Paul Petersen – My Dad
11. Miracles – You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
12. Dion – Ruby Baby
13. Gene Pitney – Half Heaven-Half Heartache
14. Dickey Lee – I Saw Linda Yesterday
15. Four seasons – Walk Like A Man
16. Ned Miller – From A Jack To A King
17. Tornados – Telstar
18. Kitty Kallen – My Coloring Book
19. Cascades – Rhythm Of The Rain
20. Sandy Stewart – My Coloring Book
21. Dionne Warwick – Don’t Make Me Over
22. Brook Benton – Hotel Happiness
23. Connie Francis – I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter
24. Shirelles – Everybody Loves A Lover
25. Pastel Six – Cinnamon Cinder
26. Del Shannon – Little Town Flirt
27. Crystals – He’s Sure The Boy I Love
28. Joe Harnell & Ork – Fly Me To The Moon – Bossa Nova
29. Chubby Checker – Limbo Rock
30. Bobby Darin – You’re The Reason I’m Living
31. Lou Monte – Pepino The Italian Mouse
32. Johnny Crawford – Proud
33. Jerry Wallace – Shutters and Boards
34. Earls – Remember Then
35. Rebels – Wild Weekend
36. Jan Bradley – Mama Didn’t Lie
37. Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jean Band – Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
38. Sam Cooke – Send Me Some Lovin’
39. Marcie Blane – Bobby’s Girl
40. Bobby Bland – Call On Me
This week’s Top 40 list says a lot about the daily earth cycle and the human response to it.
Nights are for partying, dancing, contemplation, longing, trickery, secrecy, and romantic love:
On a Saturday night, you might like to “Loop-De-Loop,” or fall in limbo love underneath the limbo moon. Beware: A love born at night may be fleeting (“Remember Then”). Limboing, though, is not confined to one time — feel free to limbo all around the limbo clock. Any normal night can feel like a party, like New Years Eve even, with love (“I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter”)
If dancing and partying are not your style, you might like to go “Up on the roof,” away from the hustling town, where the stars put on a free show at night. Too much isolation, though, and the long night can seem unbearable (“I Saw Linda Yesterday”), or perhaps, quite simply, blue (“Send Me Your Lovin’”).
The night is a time of longing for unrequited love — sometimes next to the phone (“Bobby’s Girl”) or sometimes, because of dreams that play tricks with your head (“Shutters & Boards). The night is also a time for playing tricks — of “stacking the deck” (“From A Jack To A King”). Watch for tricky mice, because they emerge from their hiding places at night (“Pepino the Italian Mouse”)
If you grab your love by his hand at night, if you “Tell Him” that you love him, he will remain by your side. Don’t be untrue to your love, though, because “The night has a thousand eyes” that can report on your every move.
Days are for sunshine, comfort, happiness, and as a measure of time from or to some grand event, oftentimes involving love:
A day can be specifically good, like “My, oh my, what a wonderful day!” (“Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah”) or specifically bad, like “We had a quarrel the other day” (“Proud”) and “Little does she know that when she left that day/ along with her she took my heart” (“Rhythm of the Rain). “Being together the whole day through” is the definition of true love (“Hey Paula,”) and with love, each of those days is Christmas (“I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter”). The absence of love makes all days seem “lonely” (“Send Me Your Lovin’”).
If all of your lonely days are through, you may want to consider checking into the “Hotel Happiness.” If you “don’t want to spend another day here” (“You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me”), try not to make her sorry one of these days for doing you wrong (“The Night Has A Thousand Eyes”).
Filed under: Billboard Top 40 | Leave a Comment
1. Paul & Paula – Hey Paula
2. Rooftop Singers – Walk Right In
3. Bobby Vee – The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
4. Johnny Thunder – Loop De Loop
5. Drifters – Up On The Roof
6. Four Seasons – Walk Like A Man
7. Dion – Ruby Baby
8. Miracles – You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
9. Cascades – Rhythm of the Rain
10. Steve Lawrence – Go Away Little Girl
11. Ned Miller – From A Jack To A King
12. Gene Pitney – Half Heaven-Half Heartache
13. Rick Nelson – It’s Up To You
14. Exciters – Tell Him
15. Mary Wells – Two Lovers
16. Crystals – He’s Sure The Boy I Love
17. Paul Petersen – My Dad
18. Joe Harnell & Ork – Fly Me To The Moon – Bossa Nova
19. Dickey Lee – I Saw Linda Yesterday
20. Bobby Darin – You’re The Reason I’m Living
21. Jan Bradley – Mama Didn’t Lie
22. Kitty Kallen – My Coloring Book
23. Rebles – Wild Weekend
24. Del Shannon – Little Town Flirt
25. Pastel Six – Cinnamon Cinder
26. Dionne Warwick – Don’t Make Me Over
27. Sandy Stewart – My Coloring Book
28. Sam Cooke – Send Me Some Lovin’
29. Johnny Crawford – Proud
30. Paul Anka – LOVE (Makes the World Go’ Round) (New)
31. Bobby Bland – Call On Me
32. Connie Francis – I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter
33. Johnny Mathis – What Will Mary Say [sic] (New)
34. Eydie Gorme – Blame It On The Bossa Nova (New)
35. Vince Guaraldi Trio – Cast Your Fate To The Wind (New)
36. Tornados – Telstar
37. Shirelles – Everybody Loves A Lover
38. Bobby Bland – That’s the Way Love Is (New)
39. Brook Benton – Hotel Happiness
40. Lou Monte – Pepino The Italian Mouse
________________________________________________
I’ve been working on this project for just over a month and a half, and I must say that some of these songs are really growing on me.
Last week, Kimi and I took a five day vacation to Florida on which we heard very little music outside of the constant stream of happy cheerful tunes that emanate from the speakers in Disney World (I’m not complaining, by the way. It’s so commercial, but it works so well). One place we did hear some music was in our rented 2011 Chevrolet Aveo Sedan (35 mpg hwy). The Top 40 station that the radio was tuned to played a very familiar stream of current pop hits. I can’t tell you how many times I heard Ke$ha’s “We R Who We R” or Britney Spears’s new single “Hold It Against Me” (which, I hate to admit, I thought was a really great song — one that we could rock to on the dance floor of the Bijou, perhaps).
I mention this because I am sure that there are people who only listen to this station. I know there were people I went to high school with who only listened to Q96 — the station in Champaign-Urbana to hear “All The Hits.” Major radio conglomerates such as Clear Channel are homogenizing terrestrial radio in the same way that AM did in the 40s, 50s and 60s. I’m not sure this is a bad thing, but it certainly limits radio choice, and there’s no doubt that a large portion of the US population is ok with this.
The point I’m trying to make is this: I thought my project was pretty cool and kind of far-fetched, which I thought was really great. I didn’t realize how slowly the Top 40 songs would switch in and out, but I’ve kept up with it fairly well, and I felt really proud of myself. I’ve listened to some songs an agonizing amount of times, but I’ve persevered in the name of musicology. But now I realize that there are millions of teenagers (and probably adults, too) that listen to the same crappy music, the same horrible 40 songs, over and over and over, by choice. They aren’t conducting some grand experiment; they aren’t looking for influence, or trying to understand trends in pop music; they are just groovin’ to P!nk, Katy Perry, and Usher time and time and time again.
Forgive my curmudgeonly attitude. And don’t get me wrong — I’m not dissing any of these artists. I really like a lot of this music. Sparingly. But anything on repeat gets old and stale fast, which is why I still can’t figure out how some songs stay on the chart for so long. I’m talking about both 1963 and 2011 here. I don’t get it. I don’t understand.
I will end my rant on this note: After we got back and I decided I needed to do some serious up-keep on this blog, I started re-listening to the music from 1963. Lo and behold, I was singing along to almost every song — even the ones that I thought I really didn’t like. They squeezed into my head and found a place in my heart. And now, I find myself coming back to this music not because I have to, but because I want to. Because I am getting songs stuck in my head. Subtle nuances draw me back for more. As Kimi might say, “The subliminal messaging is kicking in.”
Still, some songs are better than others. This leads to a showing of this list’s Good, Bad, and Ugly (and, 1,000 sorries for the videos. If they won’t pop up in your browser, please click on the link within the video so you can still listen to the songs).
The Good:
Jan Bradley – “Mama Didn’t Lie”
This song is so awesome. The lyrics are so-so, but the message is really great. What really draws me into this song is the bridge at :35, “And they’re wrong to think I/ Would be caught by the wink of an eye.” I can’t tell if it is a double-tracked Jan Bradley, or if there is background vocalist, but I love those really tight, sometimes dissonant harmonies that the two voices create. It’s really unique and imaginative, and such a great hook!
The Bad:
Johnny Mathis – What Will My Mary Say
This song is like a better version of “Go Away Little Girl” by Steve Lawrence. They have essentially the same message — they’re in love with one girl, but there’s a younger, prettier girl that is so enticing that they would love to throw themselves on. In Steve Lawrence’s song, he tells the girl to go away before he “begs her to stay.” Johnny Mathis at least has some amount of personal responsibility, understanding that he, too, has the option to leave: “I must be going/ My heart is showing I better hurry away/ If I don’t leave I’ll be sorry/ What will my Mary say?” Of course, I say the singer has self-control assuming he hasn’t already committed an act born of lust, but the lyrics are ambiguous. I guess I am wont to trusting Johnny Mathis because I saw him sing on Oprah’s final Favorite Things episode.
The middle says, “What would I do if she should meet me/ And find me kissing you/ She’s always trusted me completely/ Her poor heart would break in two.” Again, more ambiguity. The lyrics could be interpreted as either, “Before I do something that I shouldn’t do, I’m going to leave, because I don’t want to hurt Mary” –or– “Before Mary comes and finds me smoking cigarettes in your bed, I better skidaddle — I sure can’t handle any more of that nagging from my old lady.”
I guess I’ll say that even if they might be chauvinistic, they lyrics are at least smart because of the number of interpretations one might hear. And Johnny Mathis is a great singer. Regardless of these facts, the music is pretty boring and forgettable to me. So, that’s why it’s on my bad list. It’s nothing too special, but it’s got some redeeming qualities.
The Ugly:
Paul Anka – “Love (Makes The World Go Round)”
Can someone please tell me how this song was ever allowed? I think it would be beneficial for everyone to listen to this — I need you to understand why I classify this as “ugly.” This song has no redeeming qualities. It’s derivative of Ricky Nelson’s “Travelin’ Man”; the lyrics are dumb and horribly outdated and don’t fit into the music; the chord progression is boring and cliché; Anka’s voice sounds strained and ready to crack wide open. Mostly though, it’s those lyrics that drive me up the wall: “In Chinatown they got something nice — and I’m not talking about the rice!” Come. On.
Filed under: and The Ugly, Billboard Top 40, The Bad, The Good | 2 Comments
Tags: Bijou, Bobby Bland, Bobby Darin, Bobby Vee, Britney Spears, Brook Benton, Cascades, Connie Francis, Crystals, Dance music, Del Shannon, Dickey Lee, Dion, Dionne Warwick, Drifters, Exciters, Eydie Gorme, Florida, Four Seasons, Gene Pitney, Jan Bradley, Joe Harnell, Johnny Crawford, Johnny Mathis, Johnny Thunder, Josie & The Pussycats, Ke$ha, Kitty Kallen, Lou Monte, Mary Wells, Miracles, Ned Miller, Pastel Six, Paul & Paula, Paul Anka, Paul Petersen, radio, Rebels, Rick Nelson, Rooftop Singers, Sam Cooke, Sandy Stewart, Shirelles, Steve Lawrence, Subliminal Messaging, The Bad, The Good, The Ugly, Top 40, Tornados, Vince Guaraldi
Yes. I have strayed. Far.
I have not given up this project. I’m still listening to all of the music. I’ve just not been able to find the time to post about it or write about it.
On February 12, Kimi and I took a vacation to Florida. During our 4 day stay, we went to three parks at Disney World, hung out with my cousin Angie and met her awesome (but unfortunately, sick) husband, Sean, eat a lot of really great food, run around in t-shirts and flip flops in the middle of February, and just generally love our lives.
There was only one thing I was upset about: We were enjoying this vacation as boyfriend and girlfriend, and not as Fiance… Fiance.
Kimi has made it clear for many months — probably many years — that she wanted to get engaged. She emailed me
“Cheat Sheet” of rings that she thought she’d like. I wanted to get engaged, too, but saving up money for a ring, planning how to propose, and then planning a wedding are not my strengths. But after my grandpa died in July, I started reflecting seriously about my life, and realized that I needed to start doing things. I am an expert wader, but not a great swimmer. It was time I got my arms moving a bit.
Some friends and I trekked across Kentucky visiting bourbon distilleries in early August, and it was on this trip that I first actually talked about getting engaged. I told my friend Chris, who I tell almost everything to, that I thought I was ready. There were parts of me that were really scared, but also really excited. I don’t remember all of our conversation (we were on the back stoop of some dive in the middle of Louisville at 3:30 am… I can’t be expected to provide exact quotes), but I remember the point was clear: I would be getting engaged soon.
Shortly thereafter, at 4:55 am on August 13, 2010, I got on my computer and typed out a list of goals that I wanted to complete by the end of the year. I had a few throw-off things, like write more music, etc., but then, as bold as anything can be in Notepad:
“Purchase an engagement ring.”
I put it in writing. I dated this document (although, I dated it July 13th… whoops). Sealed it. I sent it to Chris so that he could hold me accountable. It was official: I would be getting engaged soon.
The next few months were a mixture of Kimi leaving for the weekend, and me sneaking out to look at rings. I decided that I wanted to propose by the end of the year. Before January 1st, 2011, I would be engaged. Of course, plans are meant to be broken. The few rings that I looked at were either too expensive or couldn’t be ordered by the end of the year, but I at least had a good idea of the type of ring I wanted to get her. Kimi continued letting me know that getting engaged was on her 5-year plan — preferably at the beginning of that plan — and I kept my mouth shut.
(I’m silent a lot. I don’t talk about some things either because I don’t want to, or because I like to keep some things secret. This was one of those things that I wanted to keep secret. I didn’t want Kimi to know that I had been looking at rings because I like surprises and she hates them. I knew that I wanted to surprise Kimi, because I wanted to really sweep her off her feet.)
As anyone in the Midwest knows, this has been an exceptionally bad winter. During one of the first snowstorms of the year, in mid-December, we spent the whole day holed in our apartment with the cats. By mid-afternoon, we were both tired of flipping the same 5 channels to the same football games and infomercials. I said we needed to get out. She said we could go ring shopping. For the first time, I agreed. She thought I was joking. I told her I was serious. So, we braved the snow and unplowed roads, drove up to the mall, and scoped out rings at Kay’s.
Kay’s has some nice jewelry, but it’s also a chain that has lame commercials. I didn’t want to buy a ring from Kay’s. But, we went, and Kimi tried on rings, and I could feel myself getting anxious: The rings she was trying on, and giving her “ooh”s and “aww”s of approval to, resembled neither the look nor the price of rings that I had looked at. Kimi left that night not knowing what she wanted in a ring; I left that night not knowing how I was going to be able to buy a ring that she would really like. I had been looking at very delicate styles of rings; Kimi was trying on large protruding, intimidating pieces.
(I know that no matter what I would get for her, she would love and appreciate. But I hadn’t bought her any jewelry in the past, and I wanted to get her something really special, you know?)
So, it became increasingly clear that I would not be getting a ring before the new year. I was frustrated and jaded about ring shopping. The next day, Kimi told me that she had found a store on Etsy.com that sold custom made jewelry. She showed me some rings that she really liked. The next day, I created an Etsy account, contacted the jeweler, and began talking about buying a ring.
I picked out one of the rings that she had suggested, but with one request: “I am hoping to get an engagement ring for my girlfriend that is just like your “Rose Cut Black Diamond Ring with Black and White Diamond Double Halo – LS1240,” except I’m wondering if it can be made with rose gold instead of white gold?”
Kimi likes pink. Rose gold is pink. I knew rose gold would be nice, but not necessary. But I figured if I could get it like that, why not?
I made payments on it through December and finished paying in January. She told me that she would get started on it immediately, and that it would take a few weeks. “Excellent,” I thought. “I can get it in early February, propose before we go to Florida, and have a relaxing and enjoyable post-engagement vacation. Unfortunately, I hadn’t taken into consideration the fact that my seller did not have all of her plates there in her store, or that she may have to send off to get the ring. Or that the place where she might have to send to get it would be China. And that China shuts down for a few weeks in early February to celebrate Chinese New Year. I would not be getting the ring before we left for Florida. I was really upset.
Let me backtrack just a bit: Most of the people that read this blog know that it is an extension of my music history background. I studied music at Monmouth College, and then studied Music History at Butler University. Remember that list of one year goals that I talked about? One of my other goals was: “Apply to 6 grad schools.” In November and December, I applied to five schools. I didn’t get the six that I wanted to, but I got close.
So, in January, I found out that one of the schools I applied to wanted me to come in for an interview. Florida State University asked if I could come in February 25th. I said yes, absolutely. Which means, yes, I would be leaving for Florida February 12, getting back the 16th (Wednesday night). And the very next Thursday (the 24th), I would be leaving again. Which, to my midwestern winter-conditioned body, sounded pretty dang good.
Anyway. We went to Florida ringless. We even watched the fireworks over Cinderella’s castle without getting engaged. Kimi feigned indifference, but I could tell she was a little upset. I, however, knew something she didn’t: I had received an email from my jeweler two days prior telling me that the ring had come in. “We will try to set all the stones Monday and Tuesday and try to have it shipped Tues-Wed.” Laurie Sarah (my jeweler) wanted to get me this ring as soon as possible — but since Kimi and I live in sin, I knew that it would not be good to come home to an anonymous FedEx slip — or worse, what if Kimi decided to take an extra day off of work on Thursday to get extra rest, and the ring came that day? She might sign for the package, and then see the return label and know what was coming!
So, I told my jeweler to hold off on sending it immediately — I wanted it to arrive on Monday or Tuesday of the next week. I felt sure that she would not be at home on either of those days, and that I could get it without her finding out.
We came back to Indiana, and I waited patiently. On Monday, I got an email from Laurie Sarah telling me that it would definitely be coming the next day. On Tuesday, I rushed home from work, grabbed the FedEx slip off the front door of our apartment, and drove up to the shipping building. I signed for my package, and spent 10 minutes opening it up in my car. I finally got to the box itself, and opened it. I was stunned by the ring’s beauty and clarity and, yes, even it’s sparkle. I immediately took picture messages with my phone, and sent them to my friends Zach, Mark, and Chris. I called up Zach and said, “Hey, uh, I got something in the mail today…!!!!” He and his wife, Jess, and their daughter (my god-daughter) Emilie were all very excited.
But I was conflicted. I got this ring on Tuesday. I was supposed to leave at 5:00am on Thursday for my interview in Florida. I didn’t want to propose that night. But I also didn’t want to propose on Wednesday, and then have to ditch my new fiance. After much contemplation, I decided that I would propose when I got back from my interview.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with the ring while I was gone, but I decided that I would keep it with me. I kept it in my carry-on baggage the entire time. I couldn’t leave it here because what if Kimi found it? When I checked into my rather sketchy hotel in Tallahassee, I decided that I couldn’t even leave it in my carry-on bag — I needed to keep it on my person at all times. So I did. At the bottom of my bag with my papers, notebook, iPod and headphones, was an engagement ring waiting for a hand.
My time in Florida was lovely. I had a really good time, I loved the campus, I loved the people I met, and I felt like my interview went reasonably well. There are always things you say which you regret, or that you wish you could reword, but I thought for the most part, I did the best I could. As part of the last group of interviewees, I was told that a week from that day, they would choose who would be accepted, and they’d send out letters the next Monday. I should hear something from them sometime after March 7th, they said.
I flew back to Indiana on Saturday morning, and went directly to work where I trained dogs for 5 hours.
When I got back home, Kimi and I decided to hit up one of our favorite Thai restaurants for a mini-celebration dinner. On the way back home, we realized that it was our 3 year, 5 month anniversary. “Which one is this?” I asked. “Gold? Wood?”
“I think it’s black diamond,” responded Kimi. She had no idea how close she was…
The next morning, I woke up early and paced around the apartment. I decided that it would happen that day. That morning, even. So, I stuck the ring in my pocket, and went in to wake her up. I wasn’t sure if I would propose then or not, but I figured I would at least give myself that option.
Kimi has not been shy about letting me know that she’d like to get engaged. In the past months and weeks, it’s come up more and more. I knew that I could very easily steer the conversation onto a topic of weddings, and that I could feel the situation out, and surprise her then.
So, we talked for a bit and discussed what we might do that day. “Wanna go see a movie?” I asked. It was the Sunday of the Academy Awards, and there were several flicks we hadn’t seen yet. She hum-hawed a bit. I asked her if there was anything else she wanted to do. “I know,” she said. “We can go ring shopping.” Bingo. This was much easier than I thought it would be. I dismissed this, saying that I didn’t really want to go ring shopping. We talked about how I already knew, basically, what she wanted in a ring. We continued talking, which escalated in Kimi’s declaration that she just wanted “to get engaged now!” I laughed. “Seriously — I just want a ring on my finger. You can go and get a twisty-tie and put that on there.” “Ok!” I said, as I left the room. I grabbed inside my pocket for the ring, and clasped it in my left hand. I went back into the room, and told Kimi to hold out her hand. She did so, reluctantly. Before she realized what happened, I had taken the ring and placed it squarely on her finger — perfect fit.
This is probably what it looked like when I first proposed, except Kimi changed her nail polish from sea foam to dark brown.
The expression on her face changed from sarcasm to confusion to utter bewilderment to hysteria in about 3 seconds. She tried to talk but was speechless. She tried to do anything but she was paralyzed. “Will you marry me?” I asked. She simply shook her head up and down for a few seconds before saying “YES!” After the initial shock, and me explaining to her how and when I got the ring, she went into the living room to paint her nails a complementary color for the aftermath of photo taking. We drove to Philo to surprise my parents (who had no idea), and we also met that night with my aunt, and our friends Zach, Jessi, and Emilie.
We both decided that we wanted a shorter engagement, so we planned around an arbitrary date of September 2011. The week immediately following our engagement was a whirl-wind of discussion about possible venues, possible photographers, possible DJs, possibly everything. Kimi is a wonderful planner (infinitely better than me), so she revels in the opportunity to plan a wedding in 6-7 months. I had no idea it would take such care, but I’m thankful for her attention.
Meanwhile, Florida State loomed in the back of my mind. Kimi’s mom was sending prayers to a statue of the Virgin Mary in France and posting prayer notifications on the bulletin board at her church. Her grandma had given up chocolate for me. My mom, I’m sure, was doing the same. The week was over before I knew it — between wedding talk and work, I had little time to dwell on anything else. But I realized on Thursday that between everything going on, I still had not composed a follow-up letter to the professors at FSU. So, I whipped something out, and sent it off, hoping that, at the very least, it would remind them of who I was. One of the professors sent me this reply: “And of course you ‘will be given utmost consideration for acceptance’ here at Florida State – you really don’t have to argue your case at this point.”
My initial reaction was something like Wow, that’s awesome! but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how vague that statement was. It could have any number of interpretations:
1) “You really don’t have to argue your case at this point, because we loved you and we’ve already made up our minds that you’re accepted!”
2) “You really don’t have to argue your case at this point, because we all agreed that you’re an imbecile and don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. Was your application a joke?”
3) “You really don’t have to argue your case at this point, because no matter what you say now cannot affect our opinion. Your interview is over. Stop emailing us.”
While I certainly hoped for the first reading, I couldn’t push the others out of my mind. “At least I did one really epic thing this week,” I thought to myself.
Friday came and went, with no word from anyone at Florida State.
Kimi found a venue near Peoria that would be open August 27th, so we decided that after I got finished working on Saturday, we’d drive over, stay with her parents, and then check it out the next day. Our drive over was pretty ugly (light rain mixed with snow, very windy), and the BK Big Fish that I picked up in Crawfordsville was stale. We made it to Kewanee in pretty good time, and talked with her parents for a bit before leaving to meet with my old roommate Chris and his wife Annie at a bar in Kewanee. While we were there, we witnessed an awesome bar fight (recounted in perfect detail on Chris’s blog)
On Sunday morning, we met with a photographer, then drove to Peoria, met with my mom (who met Kimi’s parents for the first time that day!), and then drove to Wildlife Prairie Park and checked out their location. The event coordinator explained to us everything about the facilities, Kimi and I both agreed that we loved it, and told her that we wanted to reserve a date. We told her that this was the first venue we’d looked at, but that we really wanted to get it all reserved. “Oh, how long have you been engaged?” She asked. “About a week” we replied. “Oh. Wow… When did you want to reserve it?” “August 27th” said Kimi. “Wow, ok!” She said. Then she turned to me, “How did you do it?” And so I explained everything to her. “So, you both wanted to get engaged on the same day?” she asked. “Um, yes.” I replied. “But you already had the ring…?” Not understanding Kimi’s persistence or my wanting to surprise her. “Yep.” I replied, leaving it at that. “So what do you do?” she asked. “Well, I just applied to grad schools. I just had an interview at Florida State.” Then, anticipating her next question, I added, “It’s going to be a real busy few months ahead.”
So, we signed on the dotted line, paid our deposit, and drove the three hours back to Indianapolis. We were happy. But acceptance and rejection letters were going to be mailed off the next day.
After all of the energy I spent that weekend, I decided to go to bed early on Monday night. But as I was about to start getting ready, Chris called, and we talked for a while. As we continued talking, I heard the “new email” sound on my iPod, and clicked it on to look at it. As Chris and I continued talking, I scanned through to see an email from a name I didn’t recognize, with a subject “FSU College of Music.” Woa — I was not prepared for this. But I opened up the email, and was pleased they cut right to the chase:
“Dear Brian,
“I’m happy to let you know you have been recommended for admission into the PhD in Historical Musicology program.”
I was speechless. I told Chris to hold on while I read through the whole email, and then told him that I would call him back. “Is everything ok?” he asked. “Yeah, it’s fine. Just give me a few minutes.” I walked into the living room where Kimi was on the computer, and showed her the screen. She looked at it, and then looked at me, and then looked back at the screen, and read it again. “You got in? DID YOU GET IN!?” She asked. Yes. I did.
So then it was ANOTHER night of calling our families and letting them know the good news. I called Chris back, “Hey, uh… sorry about earlier. When I was talking to you, I got an email from FSU, and I got accepted.” “WHAT?! THAT’S WHAT YOU HUNG UP FOR!? CONGRATULATIONS! I THOUGHT SOMEBODY HAD DIED!” Needless to say, he was happy for me.
Then, last night, I came home to yet more good news: I had been awarded a teaching assistantship that covers all tuition plus a stipend. My joy over getting accepted was only curbed by the fact that I wasn’t sure if I would have to pay for grad school on my own or not — but this sealed the deal for me. I have been accepted somewhere, and I am covered there. That really takes a lot of pressure off, you know?
So, let me recount:
February 12: Fly to Orlando. Meet with Angie & Sean. Stay up way too late
February 13: Epcot with Angie.
February 14: Hollywood Studios. Brian & Kimi 3: Tower of Terror, 0.
February 15: Magic Kingdom.
February 16: Fly back to Indiana.
February 24, 5:15am: Fly to Tallahassee. Go to classes. Meet professors. Try not to look exhausted. Try not to get robbed in my sketchy hotel
February 25: Interview. Try to look professional with rolled up sleeves since my cats tore large holes in the shirt without me realizing it.
February 26: Fly back to Indianapolis, work.
February 27th: Propose. Drive to Illinois. Drive back.
February 28-March 4: Plan. Work.
March 5: Work. Drive to Kewanee, IL. See Bar Fight.
March 6: Pick venue for wedding. Set date for August 27th, 2011. Drive to Indianapolis.
March 7: Accepted at FSU.
March 9: Assistantship at FSU.
March 10: Post on blog.
There. That’s it. I hope you can forgive me.
Oh, and Please Please Me comes out in 12 days. I CAN’T WAIT.
Filed under: Life | 5 Comments
No escape
Yes, I’ve been on a long hiatus. It’s nothing against this blog, or the idea of this blog, or anyone who’s subscribed or anyone who is yet to subscribe — I’ve just been terribly busy, and let things slip.
The real reason for this post is born out of frustration. As much as I try, I cannot escape The Beatles. There is a commercial for H.H. Gregg that uses the song “Help” in their newest commercial. Another commercial I saw last night played “Helter Skelter.” Frankly, any song that inspired Charles Manson’s murders probably shouldn’t be used in advertising a product. (edit: as I am typing this, watching Ellen, the commercial for H.H. Gregg came back on…!)
Kimi and I went out to eat several weekends back at one of our favorite spots. There was a killer country/roots trio playing there that Saturday. Not 3 minutes after we sat down, Three To One played what turned into a medley of Beatles songs. I escaped to the bathroom when they began “I’ll Follow the Sun,” but I really had no escape other than fingers in my ears when they followed it with another early/middle period Beatles gem.
I certainly didn’t expect the whole world to stop listening to The Beatles when I decided to start this project nearly 6 months ago, but I also hadn’t factored in just how much this one band was a part of everyone’s lives. I might be more of a fan than most, but these guys are a part of everyone and everything. Can you find anything that hasn’t been Beatlified?
Filed under: Life | 2 Comments
Recent Entries
- The Beatles + Elliott Smith
- No escape
- Billboard Top 40 for the week ending March 30, 1963
- Billboard Top 40 for the week ending March 23, 1963
- A post in which I actually say something somewhat worthwhile, or, Billboard Top 40 for the week ending March 16, 1963
- Billboard Top 40 for the week ending March 9, 1963
- Billboard Top 40 for the week ending March 2, 1963
- Billboard Top 40 for the week ending February 23, 1963
- Billboard Top 40 for the week ending February 16, 1963
- Amnesty.
- The Ballad of Brian & Kimi; or, The post in which I make up for three weeks of no posts…
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