Something I saw while watching an old Gunsmoke rerun on TV inspired today's edition of Anatomy of a Song. It surprised me at the time -- not because I didn't already know about it, but because those old Gunsmokes seldom ventured into subjects that didn't really have a lot to do with the action on … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – A Texas Favorite
Category: Anatomy of a Song
Anatomy Of A Song – The Story Of A Rascal
Even though it's generally considered to be a Jimmie Rodgers Depression-era song, you would probably have to visit a vaudeville house even earlier than that to find the true roots of "In The Jailhouse Now." The first written trace is a 1915 copyright for the team of Davis and Stafford, but it was often performed … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – The Story Of A Rascal
Anatomy Of A Song – The Sound Of Pain And Suffering
One of my favorite movies has been on TV a lot lately, and it's the basis for today's Anatomy Of A Song feature. The film -- O Brother, Where Art Thou? -- starred George Clooney and was broadly based on Homer's Odyssey (in fact, Clooney's character was named Everett Ulysses McGill) but took place in … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – The Sound Of Pain And Suffering
Anatomy Of A Song – A Lovers’ Lane Favorite
It hasn't been too long since our last Anatomy Of A Song post, but that one was kind of a special edition because it commemorated the recently deceased George Jones. This time around, we're taking a look at a classic romantic ballad, one that began life in the years following World War II but became … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – A Lovers’ Lane Favorite
Anatomy Of A Song – A George Jones Classic
Most of us probably know by now that country music superstar George Jones has died at age 81. You can find any number of long and detail-rich articles about him (here's a good one), but I thought we'd take a little different approach here on the GMC, by linking him to one of our regular … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – A George Jones Classic
Anatomy Of A Song – “M.T.A.”
Those of us who have been around a while probably remember "M.T.A.", a song that was turned into a hit record by the Kingston Trio in 1959. You might even remember enough about the lyrics to have an idea what the song was about, but what you might not know is that it began life … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – “M.T.A.”
Anatomy Of A Song – “At Last”
You would be hard-pressed to find a greater connection between a song and a performer than the one shared by the late Etta James and her classic "At Last." The song earned her a special Grammy Hall Of Fame award, and the feisty singer fiercely fought for her right to perform it even as her … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – “At Last”
Anatomy Of A Song – “And the Angels Sing”
It would be difficult to find a song with a more unusual history of success than the swing era classic, "And The Angels Sing." Originally an instrumental with a Jewish klezmer-style segment, it would later have lyrics added and become a hit record for a famous big band, while at the same time turning into … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – “And the Angels Sing”
Anatomy Of A Song – “Any Time”
I ran across this song a while back, and when I heard it I was once again transported back to my childhood, because I'm sure that we had a record of it around the house. My only dilemma is that both popular versions seem very familiar to me. When Herbert 'Happy' Lawson wrote the song … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – “Any Time”
Anatomy Of A Song – “Moonlight Serenade”
I've decided to formalize a type of post that has already shown up a number of times on the GMC, and by formalize I mean that I'm going to give it a name and add it to the 'categories' tab in the left column (like I did a while back for Fantastic Foursomes). It's the … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – “Moonlight Serenade”
Geezer Music Club 