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 long holiday weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES— an exhibition entitled Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity— with works from the firm’s private collection as well as the Louvre in Paris — is at the Dallas, Texas Museum of Art through September 18th.
YOUR WEEKEND READ is this lengthy excerpt in Friday’s Politico— from an upcoming book by the Never Trump conservative James Kirchick (about secret gay life in Washington, D.C. over the years) — and how there was widespread panic on the right wing about alleged gays in the GOP during the rise of Ronald Reagan.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Sebastian the Hero Cat— an Alabama kitteh who saved his family by awakening them during a house fire (and was seen exiting the burning house on CCTV) yet has gone missing.
SIGNS of SUMMER— papers emerging from the photocopier with a bit of a curl (due to humidity) … and while driving in residential areas on the weekend, remember to leave extra space for the car in front of you … in case they jam their brakes upon seeing a “Yard sale” sign.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Shadow the Cat— an English kitteh who went missing three years ago when his family moved, found a home where he pilfered biscuits from that family’s cat … and now reunited due to his microchip.
BRAIN TEASER— try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz.
A NOTE about TODAY’s POLL— regular readers are aware that my poll contestants are either (a) bad/hypocritical folks getting their comeuppance, or (b) otherwise good people who massively screwed-up. (Putin and Trump are saved for special occasions; one will be coming-up in the near future).
Listing the children victimized in Texas (alongside Josh Duggar and The Southern Baptists) is the subject for someone else’s poll, just not here. The same reason why I do not list “The American People”.
SEPARATED at BIRTH— two right-wingers: Texas mother Kara Bell (angry about school books and a Qanon sympathizer) and Marjorie Taylor Greene.
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… one song from my misspent youth that I paid little attention to was Cherish— performed by The Association. The music seemed to have way too much sugar on it, and many people dismissed it as a wedding reception song (which it certainly was, many years ago) that made it easier to ignore. Recently, I heard-it-again-for-the-first-time …. and saw some very sophisticated melodies being weighed-down by a sugary arrangement ... and I’m not the only one wondering if the lyrics truly make it wedding appropriate? Time for a new look.
The Association were a sunshine pop band who never developed any individual stars (as their name might indicate) and were coming off a #7 hit in 1966 with a song not written by a band member (instead, the Tandyn Almer-written) Along Comes Mary— which garnered some controversy over whether it referred to weed. Which makes their follow-up hit … something of a departure.
Vocalist Terry Kirkman claims that he wrote Cherish in only ½ hour (wow) and the band performed it live before recording it. Someone who liked the live version was Mike Whelan of the New Christy Minstrels– and history may have been different had the version they recorded been released before The Association’s single (which it very nearly was).
Their producer used nearly all session musicians on the instrumental track (rather than band members) and so whatever musical arrangement Kirkman had in mind (which he wanted as a slow ballad, similar to You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling) gave way … to what actually came out on the record.
It worked: it reached #1 in 1966 and while their record label was unsure of it (one executive saying it “sounded archaic”, Jim Yester (one of the two classic lineup members playing in the band today) said its success showed “we can have archaic and eat it, too”. It has been recorded by many other artists (Carla Thomas, Nina Simone and more recently by Tom Hanks’ wife, Rita Wilson).
Upon re-listening, I was impressed by both the various melodies and rhythms underneath .. again, it was the excessive sugar on top that was the issue. And while other recorded versions I listened to use less, I never found just the right balance at the moderate tempo The Association used. Slower versions (perhaps as Terry Kirkman originally envisioned) were good, just not as good as the original.
Far more important: while the lyrics (at first listen) do sound romantic: a closer inspection indicates not just unrequited love … but nearly an obsession.
You don't know how many times I've wished that I could mold you Into someone who could cherish me as much as I cherish you
Perish is the word that more than applies To the hope in my heart each time I realize That I am not gonna be the one to share your schemes That I am not gonna be the one to share what seems to be The life that you could cherish as much … as I do yours
Oh, I'm beginning to think that man has never found The words that could make you want me That could make you hear, make you see That you are driving me out of my mind
The Association’s follow-up tune (Never My Love, not written by the band) is a more apt song about undying love that is returned .. better suited for weddings.
And yet: Cherish was named by the performing rights association BMI as #22 in its most played songs of the 20th Century (Never My Love came in 2nd only to You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling). Terry Kirkman is age eighty-two today, the band’s rhythm guitarist Russ Giguere wrote a 2020 band biography and as noted, two members lead the band as part of the current Happy Together oldies tour now in full swing.
Here is the original version … as well as the best cover version I could find: by the Four Tops.