In 1981 Dolly Parton not only had a number 1 hit with this song, but won 2 Grammy awards and the song was even nominated for an Oscar. The movie 9 to 5 made more than 100 million dollars wordwide and displayed Parton's acting talents as well as her singing. Despite all the kudos, Kitty still didn't want to hear the song and (you guessed it) Jonathan was all for it.
We're not sure how, but in 1970 this song made it to number 14 on the charts. The New Seekers' cover of "Look What They've Done to My Song Ma" is horrible, but Kitty was in the mood to hear it. Thankfully, Triple M listeners weren't as tolerant as Ms. Dunn.
It's not uncommon for game shows to have authorized TV versions. I've owned a few over the years--Password, Concentration, even Family Feud.
What is less common, and perhaps GENIUS, is taking a board game and making it into a TV game show. Apparently that's what is happening with the card game Uno. In the card game, you basically match colored and numbered cards until you get rid of all of yours. The yelling of "Uno!" is also involved.
According to the deal in the works with Mattel and a production company, "players will match colors, numbers and wits for a shot at the big prize, but only if they play their cards right!"
What could be more fun than that? I have several ideas.
I don't know if you're aware of this, but there are many spin-off, specialized versions of the card game Uno, and I think some of them might be more compelling. According to wikipedia, these are all real versions of Uno...and all could be made TV friendly.
Hello Kitty Uno: I like this one for obvious reasons.
Hot Death Uno: I don't know what this is, but it sounds exciting.
Nascar Uno: This would be a guaranteed ratings winner if we could somehow incorporate car crashes.
Macy's Parade Uno: No, this one could only air on Thanksgiving. Not a good choice.
Uno Blitzo: Obviously this involves drinking, so I give it the big "thumbs up." When somebody's down to the last beer they yell "Uno!" And wackiness ensues.
Before Saturday Night Fever and Grease, John Travolta had a big hit on the radio. Jonathan's not sure how this became a hit, but Kitty has loved it all these years. "Let Her In" was a hit in 1976. Was it Travolta's singing or his sexy ways? Check out his appearance on American Bandstand.
Kim Carnes rode this song to the top of the charts for 9 weeks in 1981. It even won a Grammy for Song of the Year. Kitty still has the song stuck in her head from the 80's, but Jonathan can't hear it enough. This song was actually written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon. DeShannon recorded it that same year, but it didn't become a hit until Carnes recorded it.
I was just doing a bit of reminiscing with myself, when I got to thinking about the childhood joy of waking up Easter morning, hunting for Easter eggs hidden by that giant basket bringing rabbit.
A couple of things came to mind:
1) The Easter bunny was not very good at hiding things (oh look, there's one next to the table leg).
2) tThose eggs (hard-boiled and dyed by my mom, brother and I the day before) had been out for HOURS. Didn't the Bunny ever hear of salmonella? If the major sugar rush wasn't bad enough, the old eggs should have done us in.
I'm not sure if I'm remembering this accurately, but it seems to me we were in no rush to return them to the fridge after we found them. Did we leave them in the basket, waiting to be eaten until after all the jelly beans (jelly bird eggs) and peeps were eaten? It's surprising our whole family didn't end up in the emergency room!
If you go to cities like Paris, New York City, and Los Angeles on June 21st, the Summer Solstice, you’ll notice live music performed in public places like street corners as far as the ear can hear. Amateurs and professionals alike play and sing in groups of every conceivable size and configuration. This global happening began in Paris as Fete de la Musique in 1982, and now over 450 communities offer their own versions of the event. This summer, it will debut in Madison.
It’s called Make Music Madison, and it will offer opportunities for Madisonians from all walks of life to perform and enjoy a celebration of free live music, creating a citywide smorgasbord buffet of musical merriment. Virtually any way in which citizens can imagine to make music can and will happen. The music performances will transform parks, front yards and more into impromptu musical stages, dance floors, and community gathering places. The new organization’s theme line is “Performed by Anyone, Enjoyed by Everyone.”
Make Music Madison will take place on Friday, June 21, 2013 with dozens and dozens of performances taking place primarily from 4:00 to 8:00 PM in public spaces throughout the city, and at random other times throughout the day as well. Later that evening, professional musicians will offer special concerts in traditional music venues.
Longtime University of Wisconsin-Madison marketing Professor Michael Rothschild, who first experienced the event live in New York City, brought the idea to Madison. Rothschild said, “Madison is incredibly suited for this event. Imagine all the creativity and ideas and passion for music in this city, unleashed in amazing ways. This should be nothing short of spectacular.”
Make Music Madison has launched a new website to allow musicians and venues to sign up to participate. The software was developed voluntarily with input from numerous members of Madison's tech community, and as part of an initiative to enable the city's growth through providing free, high-quality technology. Michael Fenchel (of hoos.in), leader of the technology effort along with Mike Schuette, feels that this is a great example of many projects to come in which local programmers band together to build powerful solutions for community- and city-building initiatives.
Rothschild explains, “Musicians of any age or ability can go to the website, and sign up to perform. And venues, from businesses to people who want to share their front yards, can sign up to find or request musicians. The site guides both musicians and venues through the matchmaking process, and we’d love them to start signing up now.”
Musicians can organize their own event, and get as creative as they’d like. An accordion symphony? A disco tuba quartet? A hip-hop tribute to jazz? Yes, yes, and yes. Musicians can execute virtually any vision they have. Any musician or band can organize a creative framework for the concert, and will work with their venue on logistics: timing, using electricity if necessary, and using other equipment and other details that the artist and venue care to pursue. Musicians can even “recruit” a venue that they’d love to perform outside of.
On the day of the big event, musicians and citizens alike are encouraged to capture and share photos and videos of the event at themakemusicmadison.org website.
Like other cities that provide Summer Solstice events, Make Music Madison does not provide funding to musicians or venues. It has created the web-based hub for signing up, will coordinate and promote the event, provide concert listings, will coordinate a volunteer street team, and has worked closely with the city to secure permits. Performers will be volunteering their time and talents, but both venues and musicians are welcome to seek outside sponsorship and support where appropriate.
Happy birthday Sir Elton John! He turns 66 today--and has been a household name since the early 1970s. But there are some things about Elton that I'm not sure everybody knows.
1. A lot of people know that Elton's birth name was Reginald Kenneth Dwight. But not too many know that his full name these days is Elton Hercules John.
2. Although he was HUGE in the 1970s, he didn't get a Granmy until 1987, for being part of a super-group of sorts with Dionne Warwick on the song "That's What Friends Are For."
3. Elton auditioned for the lead vocalist spot in the band KIng Crimson, but he wasn't their cup of tea.
4. As a session musician, he played piano on the Hollies 1969 hit "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother." He was paid £12.
5. Elton was immortalized on a pinball machine, in honor of the Who song he covered, "Pintball Wizard." There's one you can buy on eBay right now for $2000.
Have you heard the song "Rumble and Sway" yet on Triple M?
The singer sounds like a raspy blues dude who's definitely been around the block a few times....but surprisingly, Jamie N. Commons is only 23 years old!
He was born in England, but...
Last week, I decided I would try one new, healthy food a week, and asked my facebook friends to make some suggestions.
The first thing I tried was mango. I'm sure I've had other mango flavored things, and mango as part of something else, but...
There's only one thing that might be worse than the Neil Diamond/Barbra Streisand duet "You Don't Bring Me Flowers." And that's Jonathan Suttin doing his best crooning...doing both parts. Most unpleasant.
A lot of people liked this song...
Artist: Alchemilla
Hail From: Boston
Song: 'The Wheel'
Album: Diamonds From The Penny Arcade
Sounds Like: Hole, Pearl Jam
In Their Words: "Alchemilla had been trying to write a ballad for a little while but it wasn't happening. There...
Last weeks challenge we thought went excellent! Of course we are a little biased.
The drinking song couldn't have been any better, or any less fun. We had a blast through out the whole process, and our performance rocked.
This week is an easy...
So the story goes Michael Jackson completed this song while watching cartoons with Paul McCartney. We'll just let that sink in for a moment.
Not sure what cartoons they were watching, but it must have worked because this song made it to number 2...
The Dalai Lama is back in town, sharing his message of peace and kindness with likeminded individuals, and the Wisconsin legislature. He also held a private meeting with Gov. Walker, who said he mostly listened to what His Holiness had to say (wise...
This duet by Ol' Blue Eyes and his daughter went all the way to number 1 back in 1967. It seems a little creepy that Frank and Nancy Sinatra are singing a love song. However, a lot of Triple M listeners were in the mood for it.
Here's...
