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— an exhibition entitled Pablo Picasso: Drawing in Colour— with linocut prints presented alongside ceramics — will be at the Remai Modern museum in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to June 6th.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this essay by Max Sawicky in Jacobin about seeing the beginning of the end of austerity among Democratic pundits.
MEDICAL NOTES— as if the pandemic wasn’t enough: the World Health Organization (WHO) is deploying teams of experts to support national authorities in Central and West Africa as they work to avert widespread Ebola infections (with just a few cases in Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo, so far).
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Arthur the Hero Cat— a Queensland, Australia kitteh who saved two young children from a deadly snake in their own backyard …. unfortunately receiving a fatal bite himself from the snake.
CHEERS to a court in Buenos Aires that sentenced eight people for more than 800 crimes committed at the most notorious chamber of horrors of Argentina’s 1976-1983 military regime….. its Navy Mechanics School (ESMA).
YOUR WEEKEND READ #2 is this essay by a Boston College political scientist relating how Joe Biden’s early moves reflect less a shift on his part … then the vastly declining strength of the center-right in the GOP.
FRIDAY's CHILD is the celebrated Larry the Cat— now marking his 10th anniversary as Chief Mouser at No. 10 Downing Street.
THE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with a look at entertainers with a Career Inflection Point— Garry Shandling, Richard Pryor and Steve Goodman (with Arlo Guthrie) — when they had a career launching (or re-direction) based upon certain pivotal events in their youth.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #3 is this light (yet compelling) reading about employees at the Trump D.C. hotel restaurant— with all of its protocols (DJT having Table 72) and all of the other snide patrons … though the Trump kids were “fairly low-key and polite” and the abuse employees took from both VIP’s and the general public.
BRAIN TEASER— try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz (no common questions).
SEPARATED at BIRTH suggested by Michael Beschloss— Trumpster attorneys.
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… at first I thought he might be limited to humorous, whimsical songs but upon further listening: I found the pianist Dave Frishberg to have a full palette of musical offerings. While I think that the All-Music Guide's Scott Yanow may overstate by referring to him as "arguably the best living lyricist" - he does have a way with words, and a more complete background than I imagined.
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1933, he developed an appreciation for boogie-woogie piano and joined the house band at St. Paul's Flame Club, where big-name stars performed. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a journalism degree, Frishberg spent two years in the Air Force (via ROTC) before moving to New York in 1957.
In order to gain a union card, he worked briefly for a radio station. One of his early solo piano gigs was working at a gay club (where a then-unknown Tiny Tim was among the performers). But he spent much of the next ten years as an sideman to major stars: Carmen McRae, Gene Krupa, Ben Webster, plus a stint in the Al Cohn-Zoot Sims band (with Jimmy Rushing on vocals each weekend).
It was a chance solo album he recorded in 1970 called Oklahoma Toad that helped him find his own (singing) voice. With the first of his quirky tunes Van Lingle Mungo - simply reciting that and other old-time baseball players' names - he found some success and (after going through a painful divorce) decided to leave New York for Los Angeles two years later.
He had various success: Among his first offers was to write "Dodger Blue" for the hometown baseball team. He placed his talents for awhile writing for television; scoring a Mary Tyler Moore TV special. Another show he wrote for was the ABC Schoolhouse Rock! program, with I'm Just a Bill explaining the legislative process to kids.
Dave Frishberg cites Frank Loesser (of "Guys and Dolls" fame) as an important influence as a composer: with Loesser's "Baby, it's Cold Outside" along with Willie Nelson's "Crazy" as songs he wishes he had wrote.
But he slowly began to build-up a solo career and - after signing with Concord Records - began with a 1975 instrumental album and each subsequent album saw him performing fewer standards and more of his own compositions throughout the 1970's through the 1990's.
And those songs .... My Attorney Bernie tells how Bernie helps him navigate the business world's waters, "I'm Hip" speaks for itself, plus "Let's Eat Home", Another Song about Paris as well as "Can't Take You Nowhere", I Want To Be A Sideman - and my favorite, Blizzard of Lies - in which he asked his friends to recite all of the standard lies they heard. Just a small sample of what they (and he) found were:
It's just a standard form. Strictly by the book. I'll love you darling until I die I am not a crook.
Perhaps the song of his that has been most covered by other performers is his 1962 tune Peel Me a Grape - which was uttered by Mae West in the film "I'm No Angel" from 1933. It has been covered by performers diverse as Dusty Springfield, Nancy Wilson, Rosemary Clooney, Vanessa Williams and very prominently by Diana Krall.
Since 1986 Dave Frishberg has lived in Portland, Oregon, has appeared on Terry Gross’ radio show Fresh Air a few times, in 2017 wrote his memoirs entitled My Dear Departed Past, and will turn age eighty-eight next month. Alas, he has had medical problems since 2019 and so his career is likely over.
For a compilation album, try Classics - with a studio album of his songs backing the singer Connie Evingson in 2008 and a 2012 live album of his songs backing the singer Jessica Molaskey. As the critic Stephen Holden wrote, "Few contemporary writers have produced as many songs that have been embraced by nightclub cognoscenti".
In 1994, Dave Frishberg wrote My Country Used to Be - whose lyrics (at the time) lamented how the USA no longer manufactured anything: "now we buy overseas". But following 9-11, he re-wrote the lyrics to reflect his feelings (that many of us shared) at its exploitation.
Once I pledged allegiance to the flag of the good old USA And to the values for which it stood: The home, the family, the neighborhood 'Cause while it lasted: well, it sure felt goodNow I pledge allegiance under God to the mighty corporations To the airport search to the secret police To the wiretaps to the war on peace While America marches into action with our weapons of mass distraction
My country used to be Emblem of democracy Freedom unfurled Once we were hailed and cheered Honored, world-revered Now we're despised and feared Alone against the world
My country used to be Land of productivity We stocked the store Now we make paper trails and profits Of secret sales and then when all else fails We concoct a war
My country used to be Land of opportunity Second to none My country once was proud We stood above the crowd No need to shout out loud "We're number one!"
I hope my children live to see A land like my country used to be