It's not often that I sit down to review a new album and find that it includes a song that I not only remember, but can clearly recall where and when I first heard it -- 50 years ago. But that's exactly the case with a new release from Capitol, Greatest Love Songs, a collection … Continue reading REVIEW: Ricky Nelson -Greatest Love Songs
Category: Oldies
REVIEW: Ringo Starr – Liverpool 8
Brand new on the Capitol/EMI label, Ringo Starr’s Liverpool 8 is bound to create a few waves - or at least some ripples - because it's not only receiving some extensive promotions, but is also being marketed in a number of ways. Available January 15th, it's being released not only as a CD (or as … Continue reading REVIEW: Ringo Starr – Liverpool 8
Canned Heat – Definitely Deluxe Bell-Ringers
In the vast world of music - or at least in the portion that exists between my ears - there's a type of song that I call a "bell-ringer". You know the kind I mean -- songs that you can't identify at first, but that definitely ring a bell. Everyone has them but might call … Continue reading Canned Heat – Definitely Deluxe Bell-Ringers
Commander Cody – Silly Songs and Beyond
About this time last year I wrote the first of a couple of articles about silly songs, spotlighting not only the music but also how modern practitioners such as Weird Al Yankovic have been preceded by generations of musicians. One of those I featured was Phil Harris, whose "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette" was a … Continue reading Commander Cody – Silly Songs and Beyond
Mule Skinners – From Jimmie Rodgers To Van Morrison
Sometimes you hear a song that seems to be sort of a lightweight - or even silly - but it just grabs you and hangs on in a way that other tunes can't match. "Mule Skinner Blues" by the Fendermen is exactly that for me. It tickles my fancy every time I hear it (and … Continue reading Mule Skinners – From Jimmie Rodgers To Van Morrison
Dodging The Doofus Preceded Dancing With The Stars
Although I have never watched Dancing With The Stars, the media barrage about the show has stirred my own memories of misadventures on the dance floor, which leads me to make an embarrassing confession. When I was very young - maybe 8 or so - I took dancing lessons. There -- I've said it and … Continue reading Dodging The Doofus Preceded Dancing With The Stars
Lee Dorsey And The Monday Morning Song
Sometimes you first become aware of a song at a perfectly appropriate moment in your life, and if the connection is strong enough you'll remember it for a long time. That just might be the case for me, because there was a time in the 1960's when my job made for many a depressing Monday … Continue reading Lee Dorsey And The Monday Morning Song
Claude King – Still Climbing That Mountain
In the early 1960's I had a brief career as a small-town radio DJ, which might sound a little glamorous but I have to confess that I fell short of the ideal in several ways. Among my shortcomings was the fact that mine wasn't the smoothest voice in broadcasting history, and I also sounded like … Continue reading Claude King – Still Climbing That Mountain
Eddie Fisher’s Other Wife – Connie Stevens
A while back, I wrote an article I called Eddie Fisher And The Ladies, and it included a brief history of some of the crooner's more memorable relationships. In that article, Eddie's third wife (after Debbie Reynolds and Liz Taylor) was given only a brief mention, and she deserves a closer look -- not because … Continue reading Eddie Fisher’s Other Wife – Connie Stevens
Cher And Betty – The Shoop Shoop Girls
Sometimes I hear a familiar old song being performed by a modern artist, and although I might enjoy listening, I also find myself thinking: something's not right about that. I'm sure the experience isn't unique to me. New versions of old songs are pretty common, and most listeners probably feel a twinge of nostalgia for … Continue reading Cher And Betty – The Shoop Shoop Girls
Geezer Music Club 