Earl K. Long, Known as "Uncle Earl"

Earl K. Long, one of the Governors of Louisiana, was elected to three nonconsecutive terms as Governor in the period of time between the late 1939s to 1960. As a matter of fact, he died while running for the U.S. Senate. He was flamboyant, to say the least! He was a progressive, 1950's-style in the South. He even had a lady friend who was a mainstay on Bourbon Street and was tucked away for a time in one of the state's mental hospitals. He got out by firing the Superintendent.

His older brother was Huey Long.

He had been referred to as "The Last of the Red-Hot Papas."

He was the subject of this rockabilly song by Jay Chevalier:

Oldie Songs for Making Out

The  1960's -- a distant era -- was a fertile period for songwriting. There was a plethora of genres that emerged during that time; folk rock, soft rock, and some songs with vile lyrics referred to as 'bubblegum music.' No, my friends, no link here. You're going to have to go that lonesome road by yourself.

By the mid-1960's, music lyrics became more lurid (or suggestive, to use the time-honored euphemism.) Anyway, here are two by Lou Christie (b. 1943) that further that theme.

1.  Oh my ever-lasting Gawd!* Here's Lightning Strikes, which implies that males willingly give into temptation when it come to lips begging to be kissed:

Okay, the message is clear: Don't sweat your b.f. being untrue if temptation crosses his path or if he seeks other opportunities. 

2.  Riding on the crest of Lightning Strikes, Lou Christie launched Phapsody in the Rain. Here he is performing it at a later date:

Originally, the lyrics included:

Baby, the raindrops play for me

Our lovely rhapsody, 'cause on our first date

We were makin' out in the rain.

And in this car, our love went much too far

It was exciting as thunder

Tonight I wonder, where you are?

MGM insisted on a re-recorded version that toned down the lyrical content. Corporate prudes! The third and fourth lines were changed to:

We fell in love in the rain

And in this car, love came like a falling star

I think you might get the idea. Anyway, I thought you would enjoy this excursion into old-time make-out music.**

*I figure this one is worth three Hail Marys. And I don't mean a distant shot from behind the half court line.

**I turned in my V-card at 18; and am a mom now.

BOTB: Angel of the Morning

I recently heard this song and found it to be surprisingly risqué considering the time it first came out back in the 1960's. Apparently, it was first offered for Connie Francis but she found it didn't fit in with her clean-cut image.  Chip Taylor wrote this song; and the version by Merrilee Rush and the Turnabouts and the Turnabouts charted #7 when it first came out in 1968. Enjoy!

Years later (1981), Juice Newton recorded a country pop version, which really made it big time. 

ABBA also covered it around the same time:

But there were numerous ones. Apparently, the time was ripe for a song about a woman's feelings about a one night stand. So there we have it for this one. So which one pleased you best (if any): Merrilee Rush's, Juice Newton's, or ABBA's? I hope this BOTB session pleases . . . .

"The Most Sanctimonious Song Ever Written"

A few months ago I was watching "Weeds" on Netflix; and I picked up an earworm in the process: a tired little ditty entitled "Little Boxes," by Malvina Reynolds. To my disappointment, each episode of "Weeds" started with that same irritating song while the opening title was shown. Something about it moved me -- close to nausea. It prompted me to turn the sound off for the opening of each episode of "Weeds." For the record, Pete Seeger did the more widely known cover of that unfortunate song.

Overreaction? Maybe. But there was just something about the sheer attitude that was being expressed in the song. To put it mildly, Angelique got extremely pissed off by it.

It turned out that Malvina Reynold's inspiration was the large tract housing being built on hillsides in Daly City, CA. Just out of curiosity, the unassuming Daly City did not make the list of the ten worst cities in California, according to certain YouTube websites. (Tip: YouTube has generic topics such as Worst Cities in (State), Most Dangerous Cities in (State), and others of that ilk. Choose any state you wish, and some unfortunate communities will be shown (?) to merit those dubious distinctions. Please watch these, if you must, with a lot of healthy skepticism.)

Anyway, the song satirized the bourgeois conformity supposedly taking place in shoddily-built communities like Daly City allegedly was.

I looked up the song title and musical satirist Tom Lehrer described it as "the most sanctimonious song ever written." Right on target, dude! I think those Daly City dwellers should have gotten some slack and not be judged by some arbitrarily-selected criteria. After all, all of us are not blessed with unlimited resources to choose locations or provide housing like we might wish. Most of us have to make do!

However, this allegedly stultifying bourgeois conformity attributed to those 1950's Daly City residents may simply be their individual wishes for the style of life that they aspired to. Mainstream culture and its alleged attributes seem to be an easy target for the hip aspirants, much like on Mad Men.*

With respect to this song, a few other sanctimonious songs floated on the airwaves of that A.M. sound track era: "Well-Respected Man" by The Kinks also comes to mind. Also should be mentioned is "Pleasant Valley Sunday" by the Monkees. 

But then, maybe sanctimoniousness was not the only issue from popular music. After all, a number one record from back in that era honored a woman-killer ("Tom Dooley").

This sort of makes "Baby one More Time" or "I Kissed a Girl" seem inoffensive, doesn't it?

Have you any thoughts on songs that rile you? Are are you moved in only one way? After all "Musick has Charms to soothe a savage Breast." 

Mon Amie la Rose

Here is the incomparable Françoise Hardy singing "Mon Amie la Rose" back in 1965.

Françoise Hardy was one of the yéyé girls in 1960's French music. Her songs are among my favorites: they're pensive, sometimes sentimental, and always well-preformed, She also appeared in the 1960's movies The Pink Panther and Grand Prix. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this great French song!

Iko Iko

This song is a bit late -- consider it a Mardi Gras-themed song. It was recorded by the Dixie Cups back in 1965, and is one of the old-fashioned New Orleans songs. This YouTube recording includes the lyrics.

What it's about is a mock confrontation between two New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Tribes. (Also see the Wikipedia version if you prefer). The New Orleans Indiana are about 35 tribes, more or less, who parade on Mardi Gras Day.

Setting fire to another tribe's flag is the height of disrespecting them, and likely to result in a fight!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

"Kiss Me" -- Sixpence None the Richer

"Kiss Me" was the breakthrough song by the alternative Christian rock group Sixpence None the Richer. It is a sweet song that hopefully will brighten your day.

Kiss me out of the bearded barley
Nightly, beside the green, green grass
Swing, swing, swing the spinning step
You'll wear those shoes and I will wear that dress

Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift you open hand
Strike up the band, and make the fireflies dance silvermoon's sparkling
So kiss me

Kiss me down by the broken tree house
Swing me, upon its hanging tire
Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat
We'll take the trail marked on your father's map

Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift you open hand
Strike up the band, and make the fireflies dance silvermoon's sparkling
So kiss me

kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift you open hand
Strike up the band, and make the fireflies dance silvermoon's sparkling
So kiss me

So kiss me
So kiss me
So kiss me

What Do You Think Is the Worst Popular Song Ever?

Listeners of popular music usually are vocal in their music preferences; and are quite willing to opine on what they consider to be the worst songs. 

I'll freely list a few of my choices; but this list is definitely open to additions as I unfortunately recover some memories. Here's a few:

My Humps

Cat's in the Cradle

We Built This City

Achy Breaky Heart

I'm Too Sexy

Stacy's Mom

Who Let the Dogs Out

My Heart Will Go On

Accidential Racist

. . . . and this one which I won't name but let you figure it out:

But what do think is the worst popular song ever? Surely you've encountered some really awful ones. Share! It's good for the soul!

More About "Le Boudin"

Yesterday, I posted about a Boudin Festival in Cajun country.

Boudin is a blood sausage commonly found in France and in Cajun country.*

Le Boudin is also the official marching song of the Foreign Legion. Here is the lyrics:

Chorus:

Here you are, some blood sausage, some blood sausage, some blood sausage

For the Alsatians, the Swiss, and the Lorraines,

For the Belgians, there's none left,

For the Belgians, there's none left,

They're lazy shirkers.

For the Belgians, there's none left,

For the Belgians, there's none left,

They're shooters from the ass [lazy shirkers].

1st verse:

We are crafty.

We are rogues.

We are no ordinary guys.

We've often got our black moods,

For we are Legionnaires.

In Tonkin, the Immortal Legion

Honored our flag at Tuyen Quang.

Heroes of Cameroon and exemplary brothers

Sleep in peace in your tombs.

(Repeat Chorus)

2nd verse:

Our ancestors knew how to die

For the glory of the Legion.

We will know how to perish

According to the tradition.

During our far-off campaigns,

Facing fever and fire,

Let us forget, along with our hardships,

Death, which forgets us so little.

(For) we are the Legion.

*I recommend using andouille instead.

"What a Woman in Love Won't Do" - Country Music Surprise

This song by a country singer named Sandy Posey had an unexpected twist in the lyrics by John D. Loudermilk. Sometime back in the 1970's country music departed from its rural roots and took on more real to life themes. This singer started her career with a "poor is me" song entitled "Born a Woman" exhuding incredible bathos and apparently got more philosophic about it all. There are, after all, many ways to cope when you want to.

I hope you enjoy this departure from my usual japes, humor, and commentary.  Please leave some comments, if you please!

Music - "Jolie Blonde"

"Jolie Blonde" is the most loved and most played Cajun Song. It's also known as "Jole Blon." Here's Waylon Thibodeaux's rendition:

For the song lyrics in Acadian French and English, go to Jo-El Sonnier's version.

Regretfully, I found no "Jolie Blonde" instrumental involving the accordion. Or maybe, it's just as well, given the reception that accordion music may get.

Music: "Candy"

Let us consider one from my preteen time: Mandy Moore's rendition of "Candy." Yes, she dressed so 1999; but this video came out in 1999. An admission: I dressed that way back then too. Yes, cargo pants and crop tops.

Party like it's 1999, baby!

Music: "Classical Gas"

Here is an artist named Mason Williams performing "Classical Gas" on a guitar. It has a nice catchy beat to it and is a lot of fun when the horns come in. I love his outfit!

Unfortunately, there's not a lot of other recordings on You Tube by this artist.

"It Ain't Over Till the Fat Lady Sings"

An expression in sports that "It ain't over till the fat lady sings," has been variously ascribed to Mike Ditka, Yogi Berra, or other sports raconteurs like Paul Finebaum. Anyway, this is a well-accepted axiom that only when the final score is tallied will the outcome be assured. It's like the old adage, "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched."

What is referred to by this? Apparently, it's an operatic reference to the fourth part of  Der Ring des Neibelungen, called Götterdämmerung, which ends with a twenty minute aria by Brunnhilde. 

Brunnhilde is typically cast as a full-figured woman carrying a spear and shield, and wearing a DD- or larger-sized breastplate or sports bra and horned helmet. Because Der Ring des Neibelung seems to go on forever, it truly ain't over until the fat lady sings!

It's nice there is this unexpected link of sports with Germanic opera!

An air from another Wagnerian opera from the Ring cycle also made its appearance in an old war movie, Apocalypse Now:

Will horned helmets come back in style someday? This would be perfect for wear in Washington or Minneapolis. Or perhaps Spring Break attire for guys!

Judy in Disguise (with Glasses)

As a satire on the then-current Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," John Fred and His Playboy offered this song in the 1960's.  The lyrics are nonsense, but so was the old Beatles song:

Judy in disguise, well that's what you are
Lemonade pies with a brand new car
Cantaloupe eyes come to me tonight
Judy in disguise, with glasses

Keep a-wearing your bracelets and your new rara*
Cross your heart with your living bra
Chimney sweep sparrow with guise
Judy in disguise, with glasses

Come to me tonight, come to me tonight
Taking everything in sight
Except for the strings on my kite

Judy in disguise, hey that's what you are
Lemonade pie, hey got your brand new car
Cantaloupe eyes come to me tonight
Judy in disguise, with glasses

Come to me tonight, come to me tonight
Taking everything in sight, except for the strings to my kite

(Oh, uh oh, uhhh)

Judy in disguise, what you aiming for
A circus of horrors, yea yea, well that's what you are
You made me a life of ashes
I guess I'll just take your glasses.

This is offered just for fun after a tensing and possibly disappointing week for a lot of folk. It has a nice tempo and horns.

John Fred Gorrier was a musician and song writer from Baton Rouge. He co-wrote this with Andrew Bernard. Apparently, John Fred and the Playboy Band was a one-hit wonder group. This one made number 1 in the U.S., Germany, and Switzerland. It peaked at number 3 in Britain and Ireland.

*a short skirt, like cheerleaders wear

"Dropkick Me, Jesus: BOTB results

The old Bobby Bare classic, "Dropkick Me Jesus Through the Goalposts of Life" was my Battle of the Bands offering for early July, 2016. This song has been around for quite a spell; and several different artists have taken a shot at it, with different results. Not surprising; country music has always had a ironic twist to it that would cause latter-day ironists like Alainis Morrisette to be envious! 

The song is a risky one; some people might cringe at the metaphor; but I did point our that John Donne and Gerard Manley Hopkins also strayed into such territory, There's a YouTube video of some Baptist Church singing along to it at a Pre-Superbowl Service. (There's a practicality there: if you can't beat 'em, then join 'em!) Plus they were having big fun!

Anyway, here's the final tally:

Blackwood Creek     10

Jesse and the James Gang   4

George Posseley      4

Blackwood Creek is this month's winner!

"Drop Kick Me Jesus, Through the Goalposts of Life" - BOTB

Bobby Bare had the distinction of having written and performed "the only Christian football waltz." In case you haven't heard this old ironic classic before, here's Bobby Bare's original version:

For those who might view it as irreverent, I suggested that you regard an edgy poem by John Donne: "Batter My Heart."

Anyway, for this try at Battle of the Bands, I give you a trio of performers who did covers of the original Bobby Bare song. Here's Jesse and the James Boys:

And here's George Possley doing his version:

I might mention that he described it as "the corniest country song ever written." That's his opinion.

Finally,  here's Blackwood Creek doing their thing with "Drop Kick Me, Jesus:

There you have early July's BOTB. Please give them a listen, as vote your preference among these pretenders to Bobby Bare's starry crown, with comments on the strengths and weaknesses:

Jesse and the James Boys _____

George Possley ______

Blackwood Creek ______

Do any of them approximate Bobby Bare's version?

I hope I didn't offend anyone's religious sensibiities with this one.

And please go to other BOTB sites to enjoy and participate in great competitions"

ANGELS BARK

BOOK LOVER

CURIOUS AS A CATHY

DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS 

FAR AWAY SERIES
HOLLI'S HOOTS & HOLLERS
J.A.SCOTT
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE

MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
NOVEL BREWS
QUIET LAUGHTER
ReINVINTAGED

STMcC PRESENTS BATTLE OF THE BANDS

THE DOG LADY'S DEN

THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING 

TOSSING IT OUT

JANIE JUNEBUG RIGHTING AND EDITING

"Come and Stay With Me" - BOTB Results

The June 1 Battle of the Bands has come and went; time to pick up the pieces, and ignore hanging chads. It creeps me out doing it on the shadow of a gallows, though. Just kidding.

Anyway, the song, "Come and Stay With Me" featuring three female vocalists came up with the following results when all the ballots were counted:

Jackie DeShannon 15 votes 
Cher 3  votes
Marianne Faithfull 1 vote

Jackie DeShannon's rendition would have gotten my vote too. She was a prominent song writer from the 1960's, as well as having sung herself.

Thank you all for participating in this Battle of the Bands! Now check out the others:


 ‘TOSSING IT OUT’ by clicking HERE.
 ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ by clicking HERE.
 'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS' by clicking HERE.
 'CURIOUS AS A CATHY' by clicking HERE.
 'THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING' by clicking HERE.
 'DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS' by clicking HERE.
 'THE DOGLADY'S DEN' by clicking HERE.
 'CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE' by clicking HERE. 
 'ANGELS BARK' by clicking HERE.
 'JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE' by clicking HERE.
 'JANIE JUNEBUG, RIGHTING & EDITING' by clicking HERE.
 'J.A. SCOTT' by clicking HERE.
 'QUIET LAUGHTER' by clicking HERE. 
@ 'REINVINTAGED' by clicking HERE. 
@ 'EVIL POP TART' by clicking HERE.  

"Come And Stay With Me" - BOTB

Here's an oldie: "Come And Stay With Me." The original was done by Marianne Faithful in 1965; so it's over fifty years old! It has a nice beat and lyrics, in my opinion. Marianne Faithful was asked to record "As Tears Go By,"  by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham. Later on, she recorded an album which made her a hitmaker in her own right. This song got a lot of radio play; reaching #4 in the U.K.

Shortly afterwards (1968), Jackie DeShannon, the original writer of the song, did her own version. It can be found in her Laurel Canyon album.

Jackie DeShannon wrote and performed a number of classics in her time; most notably, "What the World Needs Is Love. Born Sharon Lee Myers in Kentucky to a musical family, she was, in my opinion, the most underrated of the female song writers who also performed. Listen to her sing "The Weight."

Finally, Cher did a version around the same time frame as Marianne Faithfull and Jackie DeShannon. She is better known as half of the Sonny and Cher duo; and later as an actress.

So, with three versions of the same song, which of the artists did the best rendition?

Marianne Faithfull         _____
Jackie DeShannon         _____
Cher                              _____

Y'all cast your vote for your pick. (Chicago rules do not apply; only one vote per person, please.)

And check out these other Battle of the Band sites. You are certain to be delighted with many of the musical choices offered for this round.

ANGELS BARK

BOOK LOVER

CURIOUS AS A CATHY

DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS 

FAR AWAY SERIES
HOLLI'S HOOTS & HOLLERS
J.A.SCOTT
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE

MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
NOVEL BREWS
QUIET LAUGHTER
ReINVINTAGED

STMcC PRESENTS BATTLE OF THE BANDS

THE DOG LADY'S DEN

THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING 

TOSSING IT OUT

JANIE JUNEBUG RIGHTING AND EDITING

YOUR DAILY DOSE

Golden Oldie Music

The realm of golden oldie music does not always have the streets paved with gold; some lanes are unimproved dirt roads on which unaware dirtbag D.J.s nevertheless travel. The station I occasionally listen to, WMTY-FM out of Sweetwater (TN), has a few which really rock, and numerous ones which could be removed by Ko-ko, the Lord Chief Executioner, and they never shall be missed.  

Okay, here's a few that can be listened to with pleasure: "For What It's Worth," "Honky Tonk Women," "Barbara Ann," "Third Rate Romance" and the great ones from the turn of the millennium: "Please Remember Me," "Kiss Me," ""Baby One More Time," and so on. Those in the latter category do not make the era WMTY covers.

But maybe there should be a statute of limitations on some music. Let's face it: the 1950's stuff has a lot with inane lyrics and backup singers making strange sounds, like shadoop, shadoop. and so forth. And name the goddamn horse (from the 1970's)! And stop complaining about American women. Those refer to songs whose lyrics immediately prompt me to change the station!

There's a noticeable cut-off at around 1975. Why leave out ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, and so forth? Why is the hippie stuff enshrined but not 1970's pop or disco?

However, in all fairness, music does get entwined with personal, often happy or bittersweet memories and that results in the personal appeal that some songs have, and why people listen to golden oldie music. And some of it does wear well, even after 50 years.

The problem is that old stuff becomes too easily canonized by virtue of being old. Are there any oldie songs that you think should be sent to oldie limbo? Tell it all, podners! Cleanse the soul and musical palate.