Odds & Ends: News/Humor (with a "Who Lost the Week?" poll)

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 — works by Lakota artists Stephen Standing Bear and Amos Bad Heart Bull, in an exhibition entitled First Person: Remembering Little Bighorn are at the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma through December 31st.

See now in Tulsa, Oklahoma

HAIL and FAREWELL to the jazz vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson— one of the most innovative of the past forty years — who has died at the age of 75 ….. to the Canadian-born film director Arthur Hiller— better-known for films like “Love Story”, but my favorite of his was 1976's Silver Streak  .. not only because it had Patrick McGoohan plus the Richard Pryor-Gene Wilder team .... but as a rail buff, any film centered on a cross-country train is fine with me — who has died at the age of 92 …… and, oh hell: why not a shout-out to the McLaughlin Group host John McLaughlin— to whom frequent liberal regular guests Clarence Page as well as Eleanor Clift have written fond tributes — so ….. “bye BYE” at age 89 to him.

THURSDAY's CHILD is named Norman the Cat— who was days away from being euthanized in a Florida shelter when a local police officer (who was a graduate of Boston University) used a Boston radio station to arrange for an adoption, from a Rhode Island woman (who had just lost her senior dog and cat in the same week).

        Norman the Cat

THERE IS a MOVEMENT to change the time zone that is now used by the nation of Spain — which was adopted by our old pal Francisco Franco during WW-II — back to Greenwich Mean Time (as Portugal uses) to more closely adapt to geography, the sun’s movement … and perhaps to improve the sleeping habits of Spaniards.

HAPPY 77th BIRTHDAY to former Cream drummer Peter "Ginger" Baker— I was fortunate to get tickets when Cream held their 2005 reunion shows and when some asked me who I was going to see added, "Ginger Baker ... is he still alive?" Indeed ... he endured chronic drug use (and much more recently, heart disease) and is not the subject of the film "Beware of Mr. Baker" for nothing. Still, he was one of a generation of drummers (with jazz training) who changed the world of rock music in the 1960's.

FRIDAY's CHILD is named Batman the Cat— a Pennsylvania kitteh with four ears: and adopted from a local Humane Society by a little girl “who liked superheroes”.

         Batman the Cat

ONE CAN CONSTRUCT many lines separating northern Europe from the south …. and an emerging one may be the cash line— where countries to the north (the Benelux and Scandinavian ones) are going cashless, with “no cash” signs appearing in many shop windows — and countries to the south and east (Italy and Germany in particular) one sometimes sees “cash only” signs (with France sort of in the middle).

BRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.

OLDER-YOUNGER BROTHERS? — film star Johnny Depp and singer John Mayer.

  Johnny Depp (born 1963)     John Mayer (born 1977)

...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… in noting the death of Glenn Yarbrough last week — who had remained active (albeit below radar) for many years until poor health ended his career a few years back: I thought I’d take a look at some 60’s performers …. sort of a “Where Are They Now?” feature (with some mini-profiles: a format that I may sometimes utilize in the future).

First, Glenn Yarbrough had an interesting musical genesis. While a student in 1951 at St. John’s College in Maryland: he bought a guitar the day after seeing Woody Guthrie at a late-night singing session at the school. His roommate is someone that I have written of before: the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame record company owner Jac Holzman (who later released some of Yarbrough’s albums).

With a folk music career that took him from the Limeliters (who sang the commercial “Things go better with Coke”, as well as their own music) he went on to a solo career, with his rendition of the movie title track Baby, the Rain Must Fall reaching #12 in 1965. He continued until poor health sidelined him a few years ago, and Glenn Yarbrough died recently at the age of 86.

   Glenn Yarbrough (1960’s) … and much more recently

Someone who is no longer an active singer (other than odd performances) yet who makes public appearances for his art work (as Grace slick does) is the pop singer Bobby Goldsboro— who spent several years in the early 1960’s as a guitarist in Roy Orbison’s back-up band. Striking out on his own, he had some mid-level successes from 1964-1968, with his big hit Honey— about a young widower who misses his late wife — earning both praise as well as criticism (for being maudlin).

He went on to his own syndicated TV show, scoring the music for the TV show Evening Shade and later becoming a producer of children’s television. As mentioned: at age 75 he does make limited singing performances, but mostly for his art exhibitions today.

 Bobby Goldsboro (1960’s) A portrait of the older artist

Lastly, one of those whose musical careers were essentially made at the 1969 Woodstock festival was Melanie Safka — whose career went from the tail-end of the folk music era into the singer-songwriter era smoothly. After singing in Greenwich Village clubs, she had two recordings released before Woodstock made her name, with her song Beautiful People as her first hit. 

She followed-up with (Lay Down) Candles in the Rain— which she recorded with the Gospel choir Edwin Hawkins Singers — as a tribute to those enduring the rain at Woodstock who held candles. What Have They Done to My Song— was covered by Ray Charles and Nina Simone years ago, and in 2012 by Miley Cyrus. And Brand New Key— her biggest hit (reaching #1) — had many critics insisting it is about sex (with a few radio stations banning it) while she says it’s far more innocent.

She has continued with career (with some downtime for raising a family) and at age 69, still performs (accompanied by her son) with an autumn tour scheduled.

Melanie (late 60s-early 70s) … and in more recent years

My favorite tune of hers is Baby Guitar— which she wrote on her first overseas trip   … and where she sensed the dangers of commercialization.

Have you heard the word? Our friend is gonna be a star …. She's gonna get the chauffeur … and she's gonna get the car. And she's gonna get the love …. of the people at the bar …. and she's gonna give birth …. to a baby guitar

Now rumor says our good friend ...has done some carryin' on …. and rumor says in public …. she makes love to all her songs …. In front of the frustration …. of the people at the bar …. she's got the nerve to mess around … with her guitar

x YouTube Video