I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers".
OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted.
CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES — an exhibition entitled From Riches to Rags: American Photography in the Depression is at the Cleveland, Ohio Museum of Art thru December 31st.
In Cleveland: to end of yearCHEERS to the outgoing Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf— the first democratically elected female head of state on the African continent — who spoke this week to thank the US Congress for help in stabilizing her country. And in the near future (for the first time since 1944) she will see that political power will be transferred peacefully and democratically from one president to another.
A DOZEN YEARS AGO when I learned that the "Let's Make a Deal" host Monty Hall had done some NHL radio broadcasts for the NY Rangers, I wrote for some clarification ... and received this letter. RIP, Monty.
BLAST from the PAST — one of the mysterious figures from the Watergate era has died at the age of 95 — and to further the mystery even more: the family of Herbert Kalmbach did not announce his death until two weeks afterwards.
THE MAYOR of SAN JUAN will, I suspect, be a future commencement speaker at her alma mater: as she is a cum laude graduate of Boston University.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Vladimir the Cat— who has accompanied a couple who decided to celebrate the 100th anniversary of America’s National Parks by visiting them all … with Vladimir in tow.
Vladimir the Cat … in UtahBRAIN TEASER #1 — here is a group of a dozen photos, with the object being for you to “Find the cat” … some are easy, a few quite challenging.
CONGRATULATIONS to the newest inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame— Motown’s Berry Gordy, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Robert Lamm & James Pankow (of Chicago), Max Martin and Shawn “Jay Z” Carter.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Rick the Distillery Cat— a shelter kitteh with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, who would have been a tough one to place in a home … but a new Kentucky bourbon distillery (with corn, rye and wheat favored by field mice) hired him to protect the grains … and act as a greeter.
Rick the Distillery CatTHE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with a look at some famous movie quotes… that were never actually said: and one famous movie series quote that was said (quite often) …. yet was never uttered in the legendary novels which the film series was based upon.
BRAIN TEASER #2 — try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
SEPARATED at BIRTH — Trump accomplice Paul Manafort and film character “Shooter McGavin”, the arrogant villain golfer in the 1996 film Happy Gilmore (portrayed by actor Christopher McDonald).
FBI target Paul Manafort “Shooter” McGavin...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… someone whose work as a lyricist was always secondary to a day job (as a teacher and later a Lockheed employee) was John Blackburn who - along with music composer Karl Suessdorf - penned several hits during the 1940's-1950's.
The Massilon, Ohio native started out in regional theatre, winding up as a drama teacher at Bennington College in southwest Vermont for two years. Relocating to the West Coast in the early 1940's, he worked at Lockheed during the day and the Pasadena Playhouse at night, eventually meeting up with Suessdorf when they began writing songs together. "Need You" became a hit for Jo Stafford, and Oscar Peterson recorded their tune "Susquehanna", which led Blackburn to open Independent Selective Records in 1950: the first label to record the R&B group The Hollywood Flames.
But sales were tepid, and John Blackburn wound up working at Rockwell International (contributing to the Gemini and Apollo space programs) by day.
Upon his retirement in 1976, Blackburn - for the first time - devoted his entire efforts to songwriting and regional theater in the area. He relocated to Oregon in his later years, yet never giving up songwriting even if his salad days were past him.
John Blackburn died in November, 2006 at the age of 93 (his partner Karl Suessdorf had died in 1982 at the age of 61).
John Blackburn (1913-2006)By far their best known song was 1944's Moonlight in Vermont that stemmed from recollections Blackburn had from his two years in the Green Mountain State (although a bit faulty: as sycamore trees are not plentiful there).
Nonetheless, this haiku-like tune (without rhyming lyrics) was made famous by Margaret Whiting and has been recorded by a diverse group from Frank Sinatra to Carmen McRae to Linda Ronstadt to Sam Cooke to Willie Nelson — even Captain Beefheart name-checked it(!).
Amazingly, when the state of Vermont in the year of 2000 decided to scrap its old state song “Hail to Vermont” — rather than choose this well-known tune (as the state of Georgia did with “Georgia on my Mind”, which was actually about a woman) — the state decided to hold a contest to write a new state song … and the one they chose is not bad, yet is utterly forgettable. Blackburn’s lyrics make for a tune that is truly unforgettable.
And below you can hear my favorite version (from Sarah Vaughn).
Pennies in a stream Falling leaves of a sycamore Moonlight in Vermont
Telegraph cables they sing down the highway And travel each bend in the road People who meet in this romantic setting Are so hypnotized by the lovely...
Evening summer breeze Warbling of a meadowlark You and I and moonlight in Vermont
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