Music & makeovers! I swoon for chippy paint, a gorgeous patina and a fabulous song!!! I love great music (read: Bruce Springsteen & Otis Redding), white lilacs, walking in freshly fallen snow, the Golden Girls, road trips and the fall!!!
Before we get to today’s countdown song, let’s take a minute to observe the 56th anniversary of the day the music died. On February 3 1959, a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa claimed the lives of musicians Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson a/k/a the Big Bopper and Richie Valens. Holly was 22, Richardson was 28 and Valens was just 17 years old. They were all part of a three week long American city tour called the Winter Dance Party.
What a lot of people do not know is that country music legend Waylon Jennings, who was a member of Holly’s new band after he parted ways with the Crickets, was supposed to be on the flight but gave up his seat to Richardson because he had the flu.
If you saw the movie based on Valens’ life story, “La Bamba”, you know that Valens won his seat in a coin toss from another of Holly’s band members. One more member of the tour, Dion Dimucci (of Dion & the Belmonts), decided he could not afford the ticket for the flight so he passed on a seat.
The crash was so devastating to the music industry and fans alike it was dubbed “the day the music died” then and in Don McClean’s song “American Pie” which was released over a decade after the crash. Ironically, the song was number one in 1972 on the anniversary of the crash.
The musical influence of Holly and Valens never waned, and both were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and 2001, respectively. As of 2015, J.P. Richardson has not been elected to the HOF.
For countdown song #12, we visit one of my favorite periods of music ever-the Motown era. So many of my favorite singers have come from the Motown years: Marvin Gaye, David Ruffin, Stevie Wonder and Levi Stubbs. In fact, it is Mr. Stubbs’ group-the Four Tops-that sang my #12 favorite love song. “I Believe in You & Me“, written by David Wolfert and Sandy Linzer, was released in 1982.
It is unequivocally one of the highlights of Stubbs’ career, showcasing not only the range of his voice but its passion as well. His delivery is clear, smooth and so heartfelt it saves the borderline syrupy sentiment of some of the lyrics to ones that are just moving and hopeful. Even the esteemed Whitney Houston could not deliver her 1996 cover of this song any where close to the beauty of Stubbs’ original. We lost his voice in 2008, and music in general has never quite sounded the same to me since.
The lyrics refer to love as a miracle, and the older I get and the more I realize how hard true love is to find, I believe romantic love may really be a wonder after all.
Song #13 comes from Jefferson Starship. “Miracles“, from their 1975 album, “Red Octopus”, was written by founding member and lead male vocalist Marty Balin. This song is considered the masterpiece of his long career. If he did nothing ever again after this song, what an accomplishment this piece of music is.
Inspired by the relationship he was in at the time, the song features a beautiful group dance between the music, the harmonies, the vocals and the lyrics.
The first time I heard this song I fell in love with the romance of Balin’s poetry: “But from that very first look in your eyes I knew you and I had but one heart.” Gorgeous.
Originally clocking in at 6:52 on the album, the single version was cut down to 3:25 to garner more radio play. The move worked as the song reached #3 on the charts for three weeks in a row.
I have a love hate relationship with a lot of holidays. I like to decorate for most of them but I do not like being told I have to feel something based on a date on the calendar instead of how I feel in my heart. The worst offender to me is Valentine’s Day.
I like to express my love to my significant other, my family and everyone else in my life every day, so I do not feel the need to do it just because the calender reads February 14. Don’t misunderstand me-I like pretty things. I am a girl, after all. But part of me cannot help but see this merely as a commercial holiday designed to sell cards, flowers and candy so I am reluctant to join in on the excess commercialism of it all. Plus I hate the color red, especially for roses (I think pink or white ones are soooo much prettier!!!)
I also hate bubble gum music of ANY kind, and sappy syrupy love songs are the worst!!! However, there are indeed some really great love songs out there and my favorites do not require an insulin shot to listen to.
So over the next two weeks I will be counting down my favorite love songs. Hopefully it will not only help you handle all the hype surrounding this holiday, but it will also keep that overwhelming feeling to amputate your own ears away (okay, maybe that is just me).
My first pick, “A Love Song“, is from one of my favorite duos of all time. Kenny Loggins & Jim Messina. It appeared on L & M’s third album, “Full Sail” in 1973. It was a hit for Anne Murray the same year but her version only included two of the three versus. This song is simple, succinct and beautiful, and has a similar vibe to “Danny’s Song” which was released two years earlier.
This week I, along with the rest of their fans, bid a very sad farewell to my extended family-the Bravermans of NBC’s “Parenthood“.
Photo courtesy of NBC.
I adored this show. The entire cast was outstanding, but any scene Craig T. Nelson was in was his-period. How this man was not even nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance as family patriarch Zeek Braverman is beyond me.
And for anyone who thinks of Ray Romano as a mere comedy actor needs only to watch one second of any of his scenes on this show to realize how wrong that thought is. Romano’s portrayal of Hank Rizzoli, a man who realized he had an undiagnosed case of Asperger’s Syndrome and how it had damaged his life was simply stunning. As was his relationship with Sarah Braverman (the very entertaining Lauren Graham).
Photo courtesy of NBC.
It was one of the first honest portrayals of a couple over 40 who learned how to navigate the murky waters of a real adult relationship by owning the mistakes that led to where they were in their lives, and where they wanted their cautiously optimistic hearts to take them in the future.
The other thing I have loved as much as the diverse group of characters on this show is the music. The series had the perfect backdrop for it because one of the characters, Crosby Braverman (the adorable and funny Dax Shepard) was a music engineer and spent the last seasons as co-owner of the Luncheonette, a fictional recording studio that saw the likes of people like Janis Joplin in its heyday.
The show also paid homage to the 60’s in many other ways: The family lived in the Bay area of California (home to the Flower Power origins, Haight-Ashbury and many other iconic 60’s movements); Nelson’s character was a Vietnam Veteran; his grandson, Drew, was a college student at Berkeley; Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” as the show’s theme song, to name a few.
The musical directors of this show did a phenomenal job with the songs they hand picked for each episode (see list HERE), but two Dylan covers win my praise for the best songs of the show’s varied soundtrack (honorable mention to Cat Steven’s “Wild World” performed by Jimmy Cliff as heard at Hank & Sarah’s wedding).
To conclude season five, Richie Haven’s raw and beautiful acoustic version of “The Times They Are A Changing” sent the Bravermans and their fans off to uncertainty about whether or not there would be a sixth season, but not without the benefit of closure and resolution for all of the characters.
For the last song of season six, the series finale, the producers and writers took us on a flash forward a few years into the future to the beauty of Dylan’s “Forever Young” sung as an exquisite duet by Rhiannon Giddens & Iron and Wine (Sam Beam).
That in and of itself would have elicited enough tears, but just prior to this song, Zeek died. My heart sunk. I predicted this from the first episode of this season when he fainted from a cardiac event and many on-line reports had speculated all season that this death was coming. But I hoped for a happy ending…..a real happy ending, where I could imagine Zeek’s expression when he heard the song his grandkids promised to record in honor of his 80th birthday, or how his eyes would well up with tears at the sight of his oldest son Adam (Peter Krause) walking his daughter Haddie (Sarah Ramos) down the aisle.
But sadly, happy endings are not real, and what made this show so damn good was that it was about a real family with real life issues. Which is what life is. And that includes the bittersweet ending as opposed to the happy ending. For anyone of us who has said goodbye to someone in our own lives, we are all too familiar with the bittersweet. So there really was no way for Zeek’s death not too happen, which is why it hurt so very, very much.
A lot of people do not live to see their 80th birthday. Some people will not have their grandparents present when they get married-or even their parents, for that matter. And like real life, no matter how much time you have, it is just never enough. Six years was not nearly enough time with this family. To borrow a line from Jimmy Webb, “endings always come too fast”, whether they occur in real life or on TV.
Photo courtesy of NBC.
So goodbye, my beloved Braverman family. I will miss the heck out of all of you.
Hi Vixens!!! Well winter is in full swing here in NY (close to 3 feet of snow fell here earlier in the week) so I got to enjoy an adult snow day!!! And what did I do with this precious gift of time, you ask? I SLEPT!!! Yes, that’s right. I slept the entire day away. (Did you miss the part earlier when I wrote we received close to 3 feet of snow???!!!)
I really love the snow, and the day before the big blizzard work closed early so I celebrated by taking a walk in the falling snow. Don’t you just love how gentle flakes feel when they hit your face???!!! Blizzards, however, are no fun to walk in. Plus, I was starting to come down with a head cold (UGH!!!) so sleeping was the best use of my time that day.
Even if I do not sleep during a big snowstorm, I still like to spend the day under a cozy blanket fresh and warm from the dryer while watching reruns of “The Golden Girls” or old movies. I got into this habit when I was living in Massachusetts, and it seemed like we were getting hit with a snowstorm every weekend. I would prepare by buying my essentials and the ingredients to my homemade lamb stew, then made a big pot of it so it lasted me the whole week. I’d get under the covers while it cooked and reveled in the wonderful way my apartment smelled!!! Those were some of my fondest memories of my winters in MA!!!
But I digress…back to now. The weekend before the squall I hit an estate sale that I stumbled upon while I was doing my usual storm prep (no, not milk and bread but more essential fare: Diet Lemon Snapple and magazines. Oh, and ice melt.) I found a GORGEOUS set of silver iced tea spoons. They seemed to be waiting for me as they were even bundled together in a giant gold bow!!!
I might have forgotten to share that I collect these since they are a recent addition to my acquisitions. I started looking for them once I noticed how pretty they are with their intricate designs and details. Look at the lovely design on the handle.
Plus, theses spoons are still useful for what they were originally made for-serving ice cream sundaes and sodas-and they do not take up a lot of room to store or display, even in a studio apartment. I placed mine in my mother’s large dessert cups.
Hello Vixens!!! Hope you are all enjoying the after-the-holidays lull and the cold winter weather. OK, maybe it’s just me and a select few who enjoy this season. But I do. I love everything about winter: rosy cheeks, scarves, gloves, sweaters, snow, big pots of stew, hot chocolate with whipped cream, cuddling, how alive I feel when I am outside in the cold and how blessed I feel when I walk into my apartment and feel the warmth of the heat. I find the entire season invigorating!!!
Another reason why I love the winter so much is because I would much rather go to an estate sale with my coat on because of the cold rather than dying from the heat and the intense musty smell of a house that was closed up for years.
True, there are not as many sales this time of year, but they are enough out there to keep me busy. It also helps that I do not mind traveling (within reason), especially now that gas is a lot less expensive (YAY)!!!
The sale I hit today had some wonderful items: a lot of pottery, clothes, bric-a-brac, ephemera, linens and other items. I enjoyed looking but since I am still downsizing, I did not feel the need to buy anything…..until I came across an old metal picnic basket exactly like the one my parents had. I do not know what happened to the one they owned, but I knew I had to purchase this replica of some of the best memories of my childhood.
I did a little research on the internet since the name of the company is stamped inside the lid. My best guess is this is a mid-century model, and it is in great shape. A smidge of rust here and there on the bottom rim but other than that it is clean.
Because it has such sentimental meaning, I did not want to just stick the basket it in a closet until I find a way to use it, other than its intended purpose. Then I remembered my Christmas tree was still on the curb outside waiting to be recycled, so I cut off a few branches, grabbed one of my snowmen and made a little winter scene.
I threw it together quickly, but I think it’s cute. I was thinking I could pick up some of those white birch branches from Michael’s, and some twigs and pine cones from outside to fill it in more, but for now I wanted to show you the general idea.
What do you think? I would love to read your suggestions.
Music is such a special part of my life, and Christmas songs are no different. There have been so many great versions of almost every song, it was hard to narrow it down to just 20. But with 10 days to go before the big day, I thought I would share my list with all of you.
Each song includes a link to a YouTube video. I do not own the rights to anything, nor am I associated with any of the channels/videos that I chose. I just picked ones that showcased either the artists and/or the song enough to give you the best feel for the tune (in my humble opinion).
All opinions are my own.
What are some of your favorite Christmas songs? Tell me in the comments below.
Enjoy!!!
1) Merry Christmas Baby by Bruce Springsteen ( written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore).
It’s Bruce. To say this is perfect would only be redundant.
2) Christmas Time is Here by the Peanuts ( written by Lee Mendelson and Vince Guaraldi).
The Peanuts were my best friends when I was a kid, and today they are just as special to me. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is the main reason why. If all I did for the holiday season was watch this special, my Christmas would still be perfect.
3) White Christmas by Otis Redding (written by Irving Berlin).
Yes, I know all about the popularity of Bing Crosby’s version. However, in my humble opinion, Redding brings such a stunning soulful element to his version of this song I really cannot listen to any other one. And if it was good enough for the “Love Actually” soundtrack, it is good enough for me.
4) Winter Wonderland by Ray Charles (written by Felix Bernard).
Charles’ take on this is as unique and gorgeous as his version of “America The Beautiful”. Truly a holiday gem.
5) Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives (written by Johnny Marks).
Who does not want a singing snowman??? Burl Ives is one of the reasons why I still tune in to watch “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” even now.
6) Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love (written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry).
Love has performed this song on Letterman’s show since 1993. You have to watch both the studio version and the live version to truly appreciate this song and Love’s voice.
7) Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (written by Charles Wesley).
Between the Peanuts characters singing it at the end of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and it being the song that celebrated George Bailey’s worth in “It’s A Wonderful Life”, it is impossible for me to hear any version of this song and not get verklempt. A multitude of singers have covered this song but Martina McBride, Neil Diamond & Frank Sinatra’s versions are among my favorites.
8) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland (written by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane).
Tony Bennett called Garland the greatest singer he ever heard. I am in no position to argue with a man of his talent and taste.
9) Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley (written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson).
It’s ELVIS!!!
10) O Come All Ye Faithful by Nat King Cole (written by John Francis Wade).
Most people associate him with the most famous version of “The Christmas Song”, but it is this Christmas classic that I love the most of Cole’s holiday recordings.
11) The Christmas Song by Tony Bennett (written by Mel Torme & Robert Wells).
Tony Bennett is a legend. If you do not have any of his music in your collection, you are doing yourself a disservice.
12) It’s a Marshmallow World by Dean Martin (written in 1949 by Carl Sigman and Peter DeRose).
I think Frank Sinatra would even agree that Martin was probably the coolest member of the Rat Pack.
13) Celebrate Me Home by Kenny Loggins (written by Bob James and Kenny Loggins).
Not a cover of a Christmas classic, but a song of Loggins’ very own is now a holiday staple.
14) What Christmas Means To Me by Stevie Wonder (written by Anna Gordy Gaye (yes, Marvin Gaye’s first wife) & George Gordy).
Another original Christmas tune that has become a staple of the holiday. And who can forget Will Ferrell’s “Elf” jumping on the mattresses with his little brother while this song was playing?
15) Silver Bells by Rosemary Clooney & Bing Crosby (written by Jay Livingston & Ray Evans).
Before her nephew George was probably even born, Rosemary Clooney was Hollywood’s “it” girl. Anything she sang was perfection and pairing her voice with Bing Crosby’s turned a song into a spectacular event.
16) Happy Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon (written by John Lennon & Yoko Ono).
From the man who told us “love is the answer”, peace was the gift he wanted for the world, and not just at Christmas.
17) The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams (written by Eddie Pola and George Wyle).
I’ll admit this song now reminds me of back to school shopping thanks to a fabulous campaign several years ago by Staples, but it is a holiday classic nonetheless.
18) The Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth by Bing Crosby & David Bowie (Drummer Boy written by Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati & Katherine Kennicott Davis, and the Peace on Earth music & lyrics written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman and Alan Kohan expressly for the recording by Crosby and Bowie).
In theory this was an odd pairing, but in principle their voices worked so well together it is hard to imagine this season without this song. But I still wonder what would have happened if Bowie had shown up at Crosby’s house dressed as Ziggy Stardust??? (LOL)
19) O Holy Night by Eric Cartman (written by Adolphe-Charles Adam).
South Park is one of my all time favorite shows, and this clip illustrates just one of the reasons why. Any reverence I had for this song is gone thanks to Trey Parker and Matt Stone, but I would not have it any other way!!!
20) Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer by Elmo and Patsy (written by Randy Brooks).
This brings back memories of me and my cousins signing this song to my grandmother, who I miss everyday, not just at Christmas. But this makes me feel a little closer to her.
Hi there, Vixens!!! 2014 has had several high points for me (starting this blog being one of them), and two of the highest points were getting to see Yusuf/Cat Stevens live TWICE!!!
The first time was in April at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (he was one of the inductees who performed-read about that here) and the second time was Thursday night (12/4/14) at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.
Photos and videos were not permitted so I do not have any to show you, but I can share that Yusuf gave an unbelievably great performance. My favorite moment of the night was when he sang “Trouble” from the “Harold & Maude” soundtrack. And when he sang his cover of Sam Cooke’s “Another Saturday Night” he advised the audience he changed the lyrics to reflect his search for a job, not a woman, out of respect for his wife. What a sweetheart!!!
The first single from his new release was another highlight. If you have not heard it-Yusuf’s stunning version of the Edgar Winter song, “Dying to Live”, listen to it here.
I can also share with you one of my all time favorite stops whenever I am on the road: a meal at a Cracker Barrel Restaurant. I discovered this delightful chain of comfort food, old time candy with antiques on display when I took my first trip to Vermont nearly a decade ago, and I have adored it ever since. The food is always good, the service is always exceptional and the charming ambiance cannot be beat!!! (These are my personal opinions from my own experiences. I am not a paid sponsor),
On my way home to NY the day after the concert I stopped at the one in Mount Laurel, NJ during lunch time & had one of my two favorite meals there: breakfast.
No one makes pancakes like Cracker Barrel, in my humble opinion!!! Delectable!!! And I was lucky enough to get a table right near the fire, which was perfect on a cold, rainy December day!!!
How cozy!!!
After I ate, I took a tour of the beautiful holiday decorations throughout the store:
One of my weaknesses is for snowmen!!! What a great idea to use the top of one on the tree!!!
These bobble heads are sooo sweet!!!
One of several gorgeous trees on display!!!
What a pretty (and big!!!) snowflake!!! I think this would look just as pretty hanging from a ribbon in front of an inside window!!!
Sooo adorable!!! Love the glittery vest and pink chubby cheeks!!!! Has a retro feel to him….reminds me of ones I saw in the front yards of homes in my neighborhood where I grew up!!!)
I wish I had a little baby in my life who I could buy these booties for!!!
I did not buy anything this year, but I bought this cookie jar last year (my other weakness is for gingerbread people!!!). I was lucky to get it after Christmas so it was 50% off!!! Steal!!!
Lilacs & Rust 