In the early years of this country’s formation, Thanksgiving was celebrated intermittently as a time of a bountiful harvest, an insurance policy against winter starvation, and thanks were given to God. It wasn’t until 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.
Have a great Holiday, and I hope that the children and grandchildren still fight over the wishbone. –Bunk
Joe Cocker‘s take on “Delta Lady” earned him a hit in 1969, and in 1970 he doubled down by performing it with Tom Jones. The chicks dug it.
George Benson‘s recording of “This Masquerade” was a soft jazz R&B hit in 1976, reaching No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Hot Soul Singles charts [Wiki]. The chicks dug it.
What do those songs have in common? They were all written by this guy:
Sha Na Na was best known for opening for Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock, doing covers of early R&R and R&B hits, but they wrote some original songs as well. “The Vote Song” appeared on their album “The Night Is Still Young” in 1972, also a presidential election year, and if you replace “Nixon” with “Obama” in the lyrics, it still works.
The Broke Brothers‘ cover of the The Stone’s hit is an interesting take. It’s also an appropriate song that sums up my feelings about last Tuesday’s Election Day results.
As a resident of the People’s Republic of California, my vote didn’t count for anything, not even on the specious ballot measures, but at the same time I’m pleased that a certain someone will not become President.
The Wailers perform their classic 1977 hit “Three Little Birds” (sans the late Bob Marley) in 2014. For everyone on all sides of the political spectrum, this seems appropriate as well.
Have a great weekend, folks, and steer clear of the hooligans.
A suspension of hostilities was agreed to in 1918, yet it was not the end of The Great War. Appeasement without enforcement of sanctions led to unimaginable atrocities a few short years later.
I quit watching TV decades ago because the family arguments on what to watch weren’t worth it. Recently they introduced me to The Walking Dead on Netflix and I got hooked. Three weeks later I’m overruled again, and The Walking Dead has been preempted by reruns of Roseanne. Now I’m back to not watching TV.
This is a Public Service Announcement, posted as required by the Federal Internet Content Control Act (FICCA) of 2017.
Dan Martinez aka the Piano Juggler is amazing [h/t Bunkessa].
The 1961 hit “Hey Baby” by Bruce Channel (featuring Delbert McClinton on harmonica) is one of those songs that’s almost impossible to do a bad cover of. DJ Ötzi’s version from 2000 is probably the best known, but Buckwheat Zydeco‘s take from 1994 is pretty good (and there’s a 1970 VW Karmann Ghia in the vid, too).
Japanese theme park Nara Dreamland was built in 1961 but was permanently closed in 2006 due to declining attendance. At one time this place was filled with laughter; now it’s just spooky. This is what it looks like after years of neglect. [via].
“Are You Popular?” I wish I’d seen this 1947 PSA when I was in High School. All my dates could have been spatulas and 2x4s.
Tommy Emmanuel is amazing. No formal training, can’t read or write music, yet his sound is incredible with an unmistakable Chet Atkins influence. He reminds me of Leo Kottke.
Have a great weekend, folks. There’s more to come.
Jimi Hendrix – no slouch on a reversed and restrung 12-string.
Stevie Ray Vaughan burns it. The clip is apparently from a television show in France, date unknown. Some think that may be an impostor because his face is hidden, but I seriously doubt that any impostor who plays like that would need to pretend.