Summer ~ STMUSS

Hi folks... It's time for {yawn} an exhausted Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday. It's been a very busy summer so far and well.... I'm tired.



Although... I suppose it is warmer and the sun doesn't set as early as it does in the winter.



Awww, who am I kidding? Summer rocks!




OK. You know what to do, peeps!

Thank You ~ STMUSS

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!

My dad was a veteran of WWII or "The Big One" as his generation called it. He spent 4 years in the European Theater of Operations in France, Germany and England. He was proud of his service to his country and he made and kept several life long friends during those year. I still exchange Christmas cards with one of his Army buddies and his wife. They're in their 90's and I am just thrilled to be able to keep in touch with them, long after my own folks have passed. We spent many a summer vacation at at their home in Maryland when my brother and I were growing up and they are just simply some of the nicest people you could ever meet.

We also have friends who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Sadly, we lost one of those very dear friends just a couple of months ago. He served 3 tours in Vietnam and when he came home, I'm sad to say, there was no "hero's welcome" for him or for his fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen and corpsmen.

This song was written recently by Dave Mason and Johanne Sambataro and the video was produced by Mark Pastoria.  Dave is a co-founder of an organization called Work Vessels For Vets, an "all-volunteer movement assisting returning veterans to begin their civilian careers or educational pursuits by acquiring and distributing the necessary start-up tools. Founded with the gift of a fishing boat that began a commercial fishing career for a returning Iraq veteran, the foundation is expanding its outreach to other industries to assist our returning military." Source

If you'd like to, you can make a donation by going to Dave Mason's official website where you can also listen to or download the song and you can also see the lyrics. You can also make a donation at the WVFW website. (link above)




Now, as most of you know, I usually do a now and then of the videos that I choose for STMUSS (it just wouldn't be a STMUSS post if I didn't, now would it? LOL) BUT, I'm actually going to post a newer version of an old song that Dave wrote and helped to make famous with the band Traffic, back in the late 60's and early 70's. This performance was filmed during Traffic's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2004.  The musicians on stage include: Mason, Steve Winwood on keyboards, Jim Capaldi on bongos (both fellow inductees and band mates in Traffic), Keith Richards, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, ZZ Top, the Temptations and other greats in the music industry. Fellow band mate Chris Wood was inducted posthumously. His sister Stephanie was there to accept for him. Jim Capaldi passed away from cancer at the age of 60, not quite a year later in January of 2005.



Happy Memorial Day! Have a happy and safe weekend!

Here's the link kids!

Don't Ya Just Love That New Car Smell? ~ STMUSS

Good Morning!

OK, folks... I'm in a much better mood than I was for last week's Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday!  Why is that, Mary? (you might ask)

Here's a little hint...



Well, peeps... It's because we finally have our new car! Yep. A brandy new, Toyota RAV4 Limited V6 AWD, with all of the bells and whistles!! She has...

Leather... um, make that heated leather seats.
Power everything.
Keyless start Yup-per... Look Ma, no key!
Keyless entry
XM Satellite Radio
6 CD Changer
Tinted rear view mirror with integrated back-up camera
Hands free, bluetooth enabled phone, through the JBL stereo system
An I-Pod auxillary port
Several USB ports and
There's even a 120V plug adapter in the center console!!!
And a whole lot of other things that we haven't discovered or I've forgotten in all of the craziness.

Oh.... and she's a lovely metallic country (or maybe it's cornflower?) blue.

Wanna see her??  OK... Here she is!!

I hope our new neighbors don't mind that we got their work in progress in the photo. They're in the process of totally gutting and remodeling the house and saving our neighborhood from the "party house" that we've been living next to for the last 5 years. We don't know them very well yet, but we already LOVE them for that!

Our Passat was a lighter silver blue metallic. I initially wanted the gorgeous claret red version that they had, but hubbs wasn't a fan. I honestly don't know what he has against the color red... OK So he won that battle. This time.

She's sooo shiny!

Of course, any car that we bought just HAD to have room for Hubby's precious golf clubs and his fancy, schmancy new bag and push cart. That will be properly tested out this morning, of course.

Don't ya just love those shiny alloy wheels? (truth be told, that wasn't exactly a top selling point for me, but hubbs seemed to need them. whatevs...)

Ooops! I guess my cane wanted it's picture taken too.

The command center. So much to explore...

So, folks... There you have it! I'm so happy to finally be getting rid of that horribly uncomfortable rental car.  It was getting just a tiny bit annoying to have to have hubby help me get out of the passenger seat every. single. time.  we went somewhere. (you'd be surprised how important one of those little "grab handle" thingys above the door can be for someone with physical limitations)

Anywhooo.... Of course, I'm linking up with my good buddies Ginger and Becca for Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday! Why don't you come and join us?? We really do have a lot of fun checking out each other's videos every week. I mean, who doesn't love a great mix of music and a little story behind why the music was chosen on a Saturday morning?? (or afternoon, or evening, or whenever you have the chance to stop by and visit everyone)




So... Since I rarely EVER post just one video for STMUSS, here are a couple more car related videos for your listening pleasure!






This song was a huge hit for Neil Young. It's been covered by many well known artists and played at funerals and memorial services by probably thousands of people, as a tribute to their lost loved ones. But what most people don't/didn't realize, is that the song is actually about a car. Yup... not just any old car either. It's about a 1954 Cadillac hearse that Neil and his band (Buffalo Springfield) used as a kind of "band bus" to get them from show to show. It broke down on the way to a show they were heading to, somewhere near Sudbury, Ontario in 1965 and he wrote this song as a way of saying thank you to the car for all of the times that it got the band where they needed to go.  I know... makes it seem silly that so many people have used this song as a way of memorializing someone they loved, but we are talking about the great Neil Young here. Who else could make a song about a car, mean so much to so many?

Crazy Times ~ STMUSS

Phew!  I'm finally linking up again with my good friends Ginger and Rebecca for another Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday! (they probably think I've abandoned them)

It's a little insane around here at the moment. I'll try to just put this as simply and concisely as possible, 'K?

Easter - wonderful
Daughter and her family were here for 4 days - incredibly wonderful
Dear friend passes away unexpectedly - absolutely devastated
I get some kind of GI bug/flu - sick as a dog
Hubby is in an accident - scares me half to death
One and only car is totalled - cars can be replaced
He's fine (Thank God) - hubby can NOT be replaced
Hubby goes out of town for work - I hate being alone in this big old house
Hubby comes home - Happy Mary
Accountant calls - taxes are finally done - safe?? OR broke??
We get a refund this year! - Yes! unusual, but very nice
Start car shopping- hubby is right brained and very frugal, I am spoiled
Insurance decides NOT to total 10 year old totalled car - WHAT? - panic
Hubby, smart, savvy claims adjuster makes calls - relief
Back to car shopping - research and test drive a gazillion cars
Last night - finally decide on one of those gazillion cars
Today - going to the dealership to buy the car! - I win - Yipeeee! (photo later)

Maybe the rollercoaster has finally come to a stop?? - Fingers crossed...

I thought these songs were appropriate for what's going on in my life right now. No special order...







And last, but certainly not least.... a little something for a dear friend, brave Marine and Vietnam vet, who we will miss more than words can say.  RIP Richard. Semper Fi.

Just click right HERE to link up and join in on the fun!

"Who's" Having A Birthday? ~ STMUSS

My honey, that's "who"!

Morning everyone! Today, I'm making my Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday post a special tribute to the man who means the most to me in this world, because this is a special weekend and tomorrow is a very special day. It's his birthday!!

Source

Since The Who is his favorite. band. of. all. time. I figured that I'd give him his own personal "Who-a-palooza" as a little musical gift.

It's almost always a Who CD that first gets popped into the car player, when we're heading out on a road trip. I chose this first song, (The Song Is Over) because I love the way he sings along with it when he's driving.

 


This next video is of somewhat rare footage of the first night of The Who's two night show at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, on December 6 & 7, 1982. It's rare, in that they only ever intended to show footage filmed on the second night of this leg, but because they wanted to have back-up footage in case something went wrong on the second night, they filmed the first night as well. There are many music insiders and rock fans alike that have long considered this song (Eminence Front) to be one of the greatest rock compositions of all time.




Next, I had to include one of The Who's most popular songs ever... Baba O'Reilly. Funny thing is... not many people actually know that's the name of the song.




Last, but certainly not least, is the Who classic that most makes me think of my hubby when I hear it. This version is a slightly different one, in that it's not the entire band, but legendary lead singer Roger Daltry singing with a group that's near and dear to my heart, The Chieftains.



Happy Birthday, honey!



Here's the link to this really great party. Come on... join us this week, as a birthday present to my hubby. ;~)

Click HERE or HERE to link up

A Little Irish Ditty (or two) ~ STMUSS

OK... I'm totally dense. I had my days all goofed up and didn't realize that there will be a St. Paddy's Day STMUSS. ON St. Paddy's Day! DUH, Me! I'm gonna leave this as it is though. I'm sure I can come up with a few more Irish songs for next weekend. ;~)

Grace Gifford Plunkett
Via

Erin Go Bragh! and Top O' The Mornin' to ye! It's time for Songs That Make Us Drin... eh, Sing Saturday!

Now, if you know me at all, you're most likely aware that I'm an Irish lass. (I'm actually an American Irish lass, for the sake of keeping it real) Being as such, I have a particular fondness for all things Irish and of course, that includes whiskey and beer a good old fashioned Irish ditty. What's a ditty? Well, it depends on who you ask, but for most of us it's a jaunty little song that you drink sing along to.  Seeing as this is the closest STMUSS to St. Paddy's Day, I thought I'd share an old drink... erm, sing-along song from my misspent youth....




...and since I used to do a lot of drin... ehm, singing back in those days, I'll throw in a couple more of my favorites, just for good luck.

I hope you enjoy these little ditty's and even if you don't...

May you be in Heaven a half hour before the devil knows you're dead.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! (Please try to listen to the last song, if you have a moment. It's one of the best Irish ballads ever written)







Here's one that's a wee bit less bawdy. It's a song that generally gets played early in the mornin' toward the end of the night when everyone's getting ready to head home.  I've sobbed into a few pints over this one....





Here's the link to the party. Come on along and join us. If not for me, at least do it for Grace...

Clich HERE or HERE to join!

God Only Knows.... ~ STMUSS

Howdy kids!

It's time for Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday!

I've been a huge fan of the Beach Boys for the better part of my life. I've probably seen them perform live a minimum of 10 times. On one of those occasions, not five minutes into the performance, the skies opened up and the rain came down in buckets. Nobody cared, though. We just grabbed whatever we could find to cover our heads, huddled together under flannel shirts, old picnic blankets and the occasional umbrella brought by someone who'd had enough brains to watch the weather report. And we sang our hearts out and our voices raw.

The Brothers Wilson and their band mates didn't seem to care either, because they belted out the same perfect harmonies and addictive melodies that they are still famous for today. It would have taken more than a little rain to stop this talented group of California musicians from giving their fans what they came for. Whether in the studio recording an album, or on stage on a hot, rainy night in August of 1976, the Beach Boys always delivered. That's why their music is still being played on radio stations around the world and downloaded onto the iPods of fans who range from 16 to 60. (and beyond)

Now, you know I can rarely stop at just one video on STMUS Saturdays. So, here are three versions of one of my very favorite Beach Boys classics, "God Only Knows".  All three are great, so if you have an extra couple of minutes, please try to give them all a listen.


Best known version from their 1966 album "Pet Sounds":




An a Capella version from the "Master Tape" for the album:




Brian Wilson from a concert in London in 2002:



Some of the very best things in life just keep getting better. Thank God for that.

Now it's time for YOU to link up and join the par-tay!

Just click HERE or HERE to join  in on the fun!

Baby I Love Your Way ~ Peter Frampton STMUSS

Source

Howdy kids! It's time for Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday!

If you're a regular STMUSS partier, you may have noticed by now that I have a tendency to post "then and now" videos. Quite a bit. It's mainly because, well... I'm old.

Let me just start by saying that I have had a huge crush on this week's featured artist.  Peter Frampton was a rock-god back in the 70's and thanks to growing up so close to an amazing concert venue (Saratoga Performing Arts Center, aka SPAC), I saw him perform live many times. I owned all of his albums (for those of you under 30, those are like CD's, except bigger, with a little hole in the center that you put on this ancient contraption called a turntable and... oh he!!, just google it, OK?) and had posters of him plastered all over my bedroom walls. *sigh*

Anywhoooo, after seeing the second clip, it's pretty obvious that my crush hasn't lost any of his talent or charm over the years. He has lost quite a bit of his hair, but at my age, that's not exactly a deal breaker.






Head on over to Ginger or Becca's blogs and join the par-tay!

Click HERE or HERE to link up!

Valentine's Day Edition STMUSS

It's time for another Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday!

So... This is the Valentine's Day edition of STMUSS and I didn't have to think more than a nanosecond about what I wanted to post this week.

Source

I have to preface this video by admitting that I've never seen any of the Twilight movies. OK. OK. Please don't throw rotten veggies or anything else horrid at me.  I just got the cat fur and fingerprints cleaned off the screen. I have nothing against Edward and Bella (is that right?) or the whole Twilapalooza thing happening all over the universe. I just never got around to watching the first one and then I didn't want to see the second before the first and.... well, I just didn't. Sorry.

Anyway... If you're still here and haven't unfollowed me on every possible social networking site, I'll just explain why I had to pick this song for Valentine's week. It's Christina Perri. And the words that she and David Hodges pulled out of my soul and put to music.

I'm probably gonna hate myself for spilling this, but last weekend when Hubbs and I were out for a mid-winter, sunny day, need to get the he!! out of the house drive, this song came on the radio. And... well... I looked over at his beautiful face with the dimples and the cleft chin that I see in my dreams at least twice a week and I started bawling like a baby. Yup. Mascara running, nose running, ugly cry kind of blubbering.  What can I say?  I just love the guy more than life itself and after almost 30 years, I still haven't figured out what I ever did right enough to deserve him loving me back.

So. Enough of my ridonculous simpering. Here it is. (Oh, and join the dang party, K?  It's a blast every week and you have no idea what you're missing.)




Here's the link. You know what to do.

Click HERE or HERE to join the fun!

Yup.... That's him.

Where The He** Is Matt? ~ STMUSS

Howdy kids!  It's time for Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday!

I may be one of the last people in the world to find out about this video. It wouldn't be the first time that I was late coming to the barbecue. LOL It isn't exactly your typical music video and it starts out a little wierd, but as you get a wee bit further into it, you can't help but want to sing the anthem that is playing (even if you don't speak the language) and dance right along with Matt. I'd have to say it's one of the coolest videos I've seen in a long, long time.

The thing is.... It's all real. Matt Harding did make each of the video clips, in each of the countries that show up on the screen, BUT his story and the video went up in flames almost overnight, after it had already reached over 17 million hits on youtube. You see, when the video achieved viral status on youtube, Matt got this (now very regrettable) idea to play a little joke the world by coming out publicly and saying that it was all an elaborate hoax. Well... it worked.  It worked so well that even the news media was proclaiming it as a hoax and nobody got the joke.  Everyone believed that the video was a fake and that Matt was the most evil person in the world.

To hear the very true story behind this very real video in Matt's own words, click HERE.  In the meantime, enjoy three minutes and forty-three seconds of grinning from ear to ear. You can even get up and dance a little.  I won't tell anyone.





Come join in at STMUSS!

Click HERE or HERE to link up!

Chuck Negron and Three Dog Night ~ STMUSS

Want a recipe that your family (even the kiddies) will love? Check out my post on Chef Alex Guarnaschelli and her incredible Pork Meatballs HERE!

It's time for Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday!

You know those "OMG... What a blast from the past!" feelings that you get when you hear a song or a band that you haven't thought about in ages? I was in my car on my way home from an appointment with my doctor last week and one of those songs came on the radio. It was "Easy to Be Hard" by Three Dog Night.  Now some of you young whipper snappers may have heard of the band, Three Dog Night, but I'd be surprised if you've heard this particular song.  It did well on the charts at the time it was released, but was overshadowed later on by songs like "Jeremiah was a Bullfrog", "Old Fashioned Love Song" and "One" (Is The Lonliest Number)

The song was orginally written for the Broadway musical "Hair" and was later released as a single and part of Three Dog Night's album Golden Biscuits in 1971. It also appeared later on several of their "best of" compilations. The band is no longer together, but two of the original members (Danny Hutton and Cory Wells) are still touring as Three Dog Night.  Former lead singer, Chuck Negron is now touring solo.

The first video is of their "original" version and the second is from a more recent appearance by Chuck Negron. Chuck's story is an incredible one and if you ever get a chance to check it out, you'll be amazed that he's lived to tell it. (36 different times in rehab!) I had such a crush on him back in the day and I was thrilled to learn that he's making a bit of a comeback.  His voice is a little bit worse for the wear, but he's still got it, in my book.  Enjoy!

"Original" version:



More recent version with Chuck alone:





Come join us at:

Click HERE or HERE to link up

Shania and Lionel - Pure Gold STMUSS

My choice for this weeks Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday is one that hasn't technically been released yet.  The song, which is a reprise of the classic Lionel Richie/Diana Ross hit, "Endless Love", is set to be released in March of this year on Richie's much anticipated "all duets" album titled "Tuskegee".

The two videos below are excerpts from last season's OWN network show "Why Not with Shania Twain". The first is a "quick" version of part of the finished song and the second is a longer clip that includes a longer segment of the show and a more detailed explanation of how the duet between Richie and Twain came to be.

I've always liked Shania and Richie to some extent, but after watching the series last season and hearing the song as it was being recorded, I can honestly say that I am chomping at the bit for this album to finally hit the market.

I know the second video is a bit long, but if you have a few extra minutes to spare today, I highly recommend watching it.

OK.  First, the "quick" version:




The twenty minute version:




Come Link Up With:

click HERE or HERE to link up

An Irish Christmas ~ STMUSS

It's that time again!  It's Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday - Christmas Edition!

I think just about everyone who's got ears has heard some rendition or other of the beloved Christmas Carol, Silent Night.  Whether Christian, Agnostic or Athiest, if you were to ask pretty much any person if they knew it, they could at least hum the melody for you.

According to Wikipedia, it was written in Salzburg Austria, by Father Joseph Mohr (lyrics) and Franz Xavier Gruber (melody) and has been recorded by over 300 artists, in over 44 languages. The English translation was published in 1859 by John Freeman Young, Second Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida.

Now, it could be because of my heritage, or just because it's so beautifully done, but either way, what follows is without question my favorite version...  EVER!





Wishing you a Blessed, Joyful, Love Filled, (Green) Christmas

Mrs B and Family

click here or here to join  in on the fun

Who Did It Best? Take Me To The River

WHO DID IT BEST???
(see my Christmas themed STMUSS post on my other blog)

There are a myriad of different versions of the classic soul/R&B classic "Take Me To The River".  I've posted four versions below (in no particular order) that seem to be the most popular on Youtube at the moment. I have my favorite and if you're familiar with my preferences when it comes to music, it might just surprise you. (I'll reveal which one it is at the end of the post.)

Which one do you prefer?

Version 1 - The Commitments





Version 2 - Al Greene





Version 3 - The Talking Heads





Version 4 - Uyen Linh





Now, you didn't peek, did you?

OK, My favorite version of this classic is......

The Commitments!

Now, technically speaking, there really isn't a band called The Commitments.  It was the name given to a fictional group of unemployed 1980's Dubliners who decided to form a band, based on their shared love for the music of soul legends like Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Aretha Franklin, (to name just a few) in the 1991 movie of the same name. It's one of my (and Hubby's) favorite movies and has quite a "cult following" here in the US, Ireland and the UK.  It was even voted The Best Irish Film Of All Time in 2005 in a poll sponsored by Jameson's Irish Whiskey.  Hell, if a bunch of Jameson's drinkers think it's the best, who am I to argue??  I mean, there was a time back in the day, when I was known to have the occasional nip of the wee mother's milk. ;~) I highly recommend it, especially if you're they type who can't seem to keep your feet still or your head bobbing along when there's great music in a movie.

Anywhooo.... I'm linking up again this week with the "Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday" hop. (both here and on my other blog) It's a relatively new and really fun hop, hosted by two very sweet bloggers who share a love of music and formed a great friendship right here in the blogosphere! The hop doesn't have a bunch of rules (which I love about it) and it would be fantastic to see more people join in on the fun each week. Whaddayathink bloggy friends?  Wanna give it a try?  It's easy-peasy!  Just click on the link below and join in on the fun!  C'mon, guys... Ya know ya want to!

Here's the link to Songs That Make Us Sing Saturday:

click here or here to link up