Excerpt from (St. Paul Pioneer Press) Bulletin Board, April 14, 2004
Back to: Grab Bag
HMMMMMMMMMM
Or: What's in a name?
Poet X of PDX: "I got a new CD over the weekend: 'Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, Super Hits.' The songs are from these albums: 'Incredible Gary Puckett and the Union Gap' (1968), 'Gary Puckett and the Union Gap' (1968), 'The Union Gap Featuring Gary Puckett' (1968), 'The New Gary Puckett and the Union Gap Album' (1969), and 'The Gary Puckett Album' (1971).
"Is it possible that band management wasn't doing enough drugs? A chimpanzee could have typed out more interesting and diverse titles, given the chance. Had I been the drug-addled record buyer, I'd have certainly thought: 'Oh, I already have this one.'
"Off to my 11-hour CD-listening stint (a.k.a. work). Ciao."
BULLETIN BOARD, May 18, 2004:
THE LOST LANGUAGE OF CRANES
From Poet X of PDX: "I will miss some of TV's best writing with the passing of 'Frasier.'
"My own favorite moment is in the episode that sees Niles swinging from the chandelier. That's not the best laugh, however.
"Just before the chandelier-swinging and duel, Niles is confronting his wife's lover, the fencing instructor who speaks only German. Marta, the maid, is translating from German to Spanish for Frasier, who then translates from Spanish to English. And back again. When the verbal assaults become enough, Niles brandishes a sword (or saber) and says: 'En garde!'
"To which Frasier says: 'Just what we need — another language.'
"Commence duel and chandelier-swinging."
HMMMMMMMMMM Or: What's in a name? (responsorial)
From The Farm Boy of St. Paul: "I found the repetitiveness of Gary Puckett album titles, as reported by Poet X of PDX, of particular interest since I myself had noted, when I saw the singer at the State Fair a few years back, that the titles of his hits also don't cover a very broad spectrum.
"Turning to the Internet, that ever-so-handy source of quick, shallow, and not necessarily reliable research, I found listed a 10-song hits album that includes the band's hits 'Young Girl,' 'This Girl Is a Woman Now,' 'Woman, Woman,' and 'Lady Willpower.' Also included, just to make sure enough titles reference the female of the species, is a cover of Neil Diamond's 'Kentucky Woman.' "
Personal P.S. (not [yet] published in BB):
LIFE AS WE KNOW IT
Or: Ice-Fishing on the Styx
My CD collection has given me neccesary distraction (and seemingly endless entertainment) during long shifts (we're into the fourth month now). For three weeks in April, over a hundred and fifty hours, I went without hearing the same CD twice. Then the real fun began (and long shifts continued).
For the next two weeks I listened to my ever-expanding collection decade by decade, the 2000s, the 90s, the 70s, the 60s, the 50s-and-before the first week, then the following week the 60s, the 70s, the 80s (played only once because my CD collection indicates a dearth of good music in the 80s), the 90s, and the return to the present decade.
The week after that became a theme week.
An interesting theme night consisted of Cher, Bobby Darin, Bette Midler, David Bowie, Willie Nelson, Eartha Kitt, Neil Diamond, Judy Garland, and Frank Sinatra, all singers who have appeared in movies and/or television.
One night I listened only to live performances (Fleetwood Mac, Bobby Darin, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Damien Rice, Patty Griffin, Marvin Gaye, Simon & Garfunkel, Joan Osborne, and The Band).
I have just enough CDs to have filled one night with Broadway and movie soundtracks. (I usually listen to 12-15 CDs per shift.)
One night I listened only to music by performers I'd seen in concert, an ieclectic array: Firefall, The Eagles, Queen, Patty Griffin, Elton John, Nickel Creek, Damien Rice, Mary Wells, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Mindy Smith, and Bonnie Raitt (I don't have Rod Stewart or Smokey Robinson on CD, alas).
Then there was the night I listened only to "Best of" collections. And the night of compilations only (CDs with as many songs as artists). I'm thinking of doing a night of debut albums. New themes keep coming to mind (as the long shifts continue).
A night of only the Jameses and Joneses -- Etta, Skip, Rickie Lee, Tom, and Nora? I'm contemplating a night of only Johns: Bon Jovi, Mayer, Cash, Lang, Elton, and Nash. Jack Johnson could join the group just for kicks.
A couple days ago I bought Loretta Lynn's new release (with it's song "Portland, Oregon"). I now have enough country music to more than fill an 11-hour shift: Patsy Cline (three CDs alone), Johnny Cash (also three), Willie Nelson, Roger Miller, Brad Paisley, Nickel Creek (two), and Loretta. There must be ice fishing on the Styx.
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