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 Laramie, Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES — a career retrospective of a Japanese-American metal sculptor — who faced discrimination after World War II — in an exhibition entitled Ruth Asawa: Life’s Work will be at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation in St. Louis, Missouri through February 19th.
Ruth Asawa (1926 — 2013)HISTORY NOTES — I had always assumed that the Women’s World Cup began in the 1990’s (and officially, it did). It turns out there was an unofficial (six-team) Women’s World Cup held in Mexico in 1971— just months after the men’s tournament had been held — with lots of equipment in pink, and it was abandoned until the times had changed. (Next year’s field is now set).
JEERS to the newly-elected right-wing government in Brazil— as it backs a right-wing movement aiming to crush feminism, liberalism and gay rights.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Mittens the Cat— a New Zealand kitteh who is among the animals featured on an Advent calendar in the capital city.
Mittens the CatENVIRONMENTAL NOTES — due to drought conditions, the Sea of Galilee— upon which Scripture says that Jesus walked — has lost ¼ of its water, plus its salinity has risen (as it is actually a freshwater lake, not a sea). And so, desalinated water from the Mediterranean will eventually be pumped into the lake (in an attempt to mimic the reduced rainfall).
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Cola the Klepto Cat— a New Zealand kitteh who has a knack for swiping clothes off the neighbor’s clotheslines.
Cola the Klepto CatPROGRAMMING NOTES — unsure if I will be travelling next weekend (or not) — if so, there will not be an Odds & Ends posting here. I expect to have one for the weekend preceding Christmas (though the poll might be cut-off earlier than normal).
BRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
DISTANT COUSINS? — PC Matic president (and software pitchman on MSNBC) Rob Cheng as well as environmentalist (and impeachment pitchman on MSNBC) Tom Steyer.
Rob Cheng (born circa 1961) Tom Steyer (born 1957)...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................…he was influenced by Gospel in his youth (and adopted a high-intensity aspect of it) yet made-his-name with rather bawdy lyrics. Hank Ballard was an influence on James Brown (and described by the All-Music Guide’s Steve Huey as “a crucial link between rhythm-and-blues and early rock ‘n’ roll during the 1950’s”) — yet whose name is not as well-known in history (as his landmark song was made famous by someone else). Fifteen years after his death: he deserves a fresh look.
Born as Henry Kendricks in Detroit in 1927, his brother and he were raised in Bessemer, Alabama by relatives (adopting their last name, and whose cousin was future Supremes singer Florence Ballard). Considering the direction his music took-on later: he sang in church and was inspired by the “Singing Cowboy” Gene Autry as well as doo-wop music. He returned to Detroit at age fifteen and (with a labor shortage during the war years) worked on the Ford Motor Company’s assembly line for many years.
He eventually joined a doo-wop band (replacing its lead singer Lawson Smith who had joined the Army) named The Royals— who had been signed by Johnny Otis to his Federal Records label in 1952. Ballard’s entrance began to change the style of The Royals to a much more uptempo and harder-edged sound (more in the style of Clyde McPhatter). Hank Ballard (uncommon for the time) wrote many of his own songs, and the newer lineup had its first Top Ten R&B hit Get It in 1953.
The next year saw the release of (what would eventually be) a trilogy of ribald songs that made his career. Work With Me, Annie had not-very-subtle lyrics, leading some radio stations to ban its playing. This, of course, led to its reaching #1 on the R&B charts (and even #22 on the pop charts). It spawned several “answer” records (most notably Etta James’ Roll With Me, Henry) and led to The Royals changing their name to Hank Ballard & the Midnighters (in order to avoid being confused with the Five Royales). They had two follow-ups (Annie Had a Baby and Annie’s Aunt Fanny) along with It’s Love, Baby in 1955.
Then they hit a collective dry spell for three years; somewhat pigeon-holed by the niche they had found. After several personnel changes (including the return of Lawson Smith) they found their way back to major chart success in 1960 with tunes such as Finger Poppin Time— making the Top Ten in both the pop and R&B charts.
Yet just two years earlier: the band wanted to record a dance number, and offered it to Vee-Jay Records. That label rejected the demo tape, and when Syd Nathan of their old Federal Records label heard it: he was also unimpressed. Yet due to the band’s earlier success he agreed to release the song ... only if it was relegated to the B-side of a single of the ballad Teardrops on Your Letter— which had some modest success as a comeback record for the band.
In 1959, the Midnighters toured the East Coast and that song’s dance steps became very popular with teenagers. Dick Clark took notice, suggesting the song to someone who had also come-of-age in Philadelphia … and Chubby Checker took The Twist to #1 both in 1960 as well as 1962 — the first recording ever to do so in two completely separate runs. And while Ballard isn’t popularly remembered for it … he certainly cleaned-house in royalties (being the song’s composer). If you’re interested: you can hear the original Midnighters version at this link.
The Midnighters had some more modest success (as a dance-oriented band) before the British Invasion (as well as the rise of Motown) led to the band’s fall from the charts, formally splitting in 1967.
Hank Ballard became a solo performer (produced by his longtime fan James Brown) and had some success before leaving the music business in the late 1970’s. He re-formed the Midnighters in 1985, who continued on the oldies circuit until 2002 — a year before Hank Ballard’s death (from throat cancer) at age 75.
Fortunately, his legacy is solid. Some of his songs made-their-way onto movie soundtracks, and in 2010 he and the Midnighters were inducted into the Michigan Rock & Roll Legends Hall of Fame. Some twenty years earlier Hank Ballard was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame— which also voted Work With Me, Annie as one of the "500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll".
Hank Ballard in the 1950’s .. …. and many years later onMy favorite Midnighters tune is a lesser-known one from 1960 — Let’s Go, Let’s Go was written by Hank Ballard, and which made it to the top of the R&B charts (plus #6 in the pop charts).
There's a house honey, way across town People coming from miles around Put on your pretty red dress Let's go see about this mess That's it, baby let's git And go way far upon the hill Everybody's gonna be there My friends and yours from everywhere Oh, what a time it's gonna be! Come on baby, let's go see That's it, baby let's git And go way far upon the hill There's a thrill upon the hill Let's go, let's go, let's go x xYouTube Video