Mark Blackburn

THESE FOOLISH THINGS -- Rick Astley Once a year (just for me) Siriusly Sinatra satellite radio plays THESE FOOLISH THINGS – Rick Astley's latter-day (2005) recording – my favorite version of this ballad from long ago 1938 (Apart from our favorite singer's studio version for his "Point of No Return" album (1962). When my youngest son Ben was little, he had a single Rick Astley cassette tape to play on his portable stereo – his first such 'purchase.' I remember listening with him and admiring Rick Astley's appealing, deep baritone voice – and his employment of a very good guitarist – as Rick does once again on THESE FOOLISH THINGS, played this morning by Siriusly Sinatra radio. A small jazz band arrangement that for the first minute is just Rick alone together with an acoustic guitar: one of the reasons this version remains my favorite. From an album “Portrait” that Rick Astley recorded 14 summers ago. His substantial Wiki entry reminds readers of Rick's significance in pop music history: Richard Paul Astley (born 6 February 1966) is an English singer, songwriter and radio personality. His 1987 song "Never Gonna Give You Up" was a number 1 hit single in 25 countries and won the 1988 Brit Award for Best British Single.[1][2] By the time of his retirement in 1993, Astley had sold approximately 40 million records worldwide.[3][4][5] Astley made a comeback in 2007, becoming an Internet phenomenon when the music video for "Never Gonna Give You Up" became integral to the meme known as "rickrolling".[6] Astley was voted "Best Act Ever" by Internet users at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2008,[7] and his 2016 album 50 debuted in the UK at No. 1. Thanks "official Rick Astley" for sharing this one.

ALL FOR YOU My favorite Tony Bennett song -- written by Tony: I love singers who appreciate the art of lyrics enough to pen new words to an old melody you may not have heard of. I'm thinking of Tony Bennett. His wonderful words for a gorgeous melody by one of my guitar heroes – the Belgian Gypsy jazz giant, Django Reinhardt. I like to think that Tony was painting (one of his lovely little paintings that are instantly worth upwards of 50 thousand dollars) and was listening for the umpteenth time to an instrumental version (practically the only kind that ever existed) of “Nuages” (clouds). And suddenly Tony, with a big smile, puts down his brush and writes – a lyric! I singled out his achievement in a review for Amazon.com for my favorite of his latter-day recordings – ART OF ROMANCE. “Nuages” turned into “All For You” – whose song title finally appears in the final stanza: . . . every moment that I live, my whole life through, now I'll look into your eyes and live for YOU. All for you. One of those songs whose lyrics reserve to the last words the song title. The ideal of course is the very opposite: Make the opening words the ones that always come to mind whenever we think of your song. In this case: “When you turned around and looked into my eyes.” Tony would have known (and sung?) a Leslie Bricusse song with nearly the same title. So that (I like to imagine) when he took up his paintbrush again, the world's greatest living singer said to himself: “All for You” (will have to do). For guitarists out there, the gorgeous tone and lovely licks are from Gray Sargent (on his own signature model Yamaha). Concerning whom, Wiki says Gray Sargent (guitar). Gray Sargent has, to the best of our knowledge, played with Mr. Bennett longer than other members of the current quartet. Gray was a member of the Ralph Sharon Quartet (along with Clayton Cameron and Paul Langosch) and has played with Ruby Braff. He is a recognized jazz and swing guitarist. [Amazon left my review in the spotlight. Don'tcha love it when they do that?] https://www.amazon.com/Art-Romance-T.../dp/B002J0QGSE

“O.B.S.” (Fiddle Players' National Anthem) CMT managing editor Calvin Gilbert shared with readers a favorite quote about Vassar Clements – from MARTY STUART one of the featured commentators on “PBS Ken Burns Country Music.” Marty was speaking at the time of Vassar Clements' death, age 77, of lung cancer (2005) and recalled the first time he heard Clements playing on a recording: “It was the most lonesome, scary sound coming out of a fiddle I’d ever heard. I played the mandolin, and once I heard this music, I ditched everything I ever knew and went back and tried to play mandolin like Vassar played fiddle. Years later, I played the Opry, and I saw this man playing fiddle. He stood straight, with his eyes closed and he was playing the prettiest music you could ever imagine. It froze me on the spot. This man is probably my favorite fiddle player on earth.” So what's the fuss about the late Vassar Clements? If you can spare five-and-one-half-minutes, this video featuring an 'orchestra' of the world's greatest fiddlers, will tell you all you need to know about “The Isaac Stern of Fiddlers” (as he was dubbed by a classical music critic). From an April night at the Opry in 2003. Every living fiddle great on stage with him – with subtitles introducing each by name – including a young Alison Krauss – as well as a fiddler I'd just been wondering about this week -- featured in the PBS Country Music (2019) video – Stuart Duncan – in the all-star band accompanying Hank's grand daughter Holly on “I'M SO LONESOME I COULD CRY.” At the 2:55 mark (after Ricky Scaggs' "Kentucky Thunder" fiddler Andy Leftwich) comes Mr. Duncan (not then associated with any band – just another great 'Nashville Cat' sessions musician). Each fiddler takes barely 15 seconds or less to contribute some signature licks of their own. Be advised: As this progresses you may experience waves of goosebumps.

MARK O'CONNOR & The New Nashville Cats

Favorite version of TENDERLY

HOW HIGH THE MOON (AND ME)

Favorite "fiddler's tune" (their 'national anthem') by favorite violinist

'cause nothin's 'half as nice' as Memphis in June! Siriusly Sinatra satellite radio is playing Annie's rendition of "Memphis in June " -- one of those lesser-heard beauties about the Deep South (like "Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans"). There's just somethin' about the South that brings out the best in song writers! Think of the pride of Savannah GA, Johnny Mercer -- or Hoagy Carmichael who composed THIS lovely tune, to words by multi Academy Award-winning lyricist Paul Francis Webster. Just to distract me from my purpose, Sirius radio programmer Jersey Lou Simon is playing my favorite latter-day take on The Gershwins' HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON? -- by a 'Gershwin Prize' recipient herself, Gloria Estefan. But no. From the extravagance of riches that is Channel 71 – let's “stick with the gal that brought me” here today: Annie Lennox and “Memphis in June.” Annie with a sunny smile beneath sullen clouds on the cover of her “Nostalgia” album which Siriusly Sinatra posted when it played this beauty. Sweet oleander blowing perfume in the air everywhere Up jumps the moon to make it so much grander It's paradise honey take my advice honey 'cause there's nothin' like old Memphis in June!

'cause nothin's 'half as nice' as Memphis in June! Siriusly Sinatra satellite radio is playing Annie's rendition of "Memphis in June " -- one of those lesser-heard beauties about the Deep South (like "Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans"). There's just somethin' about the South that brings out the best in song writers! Think of the pride of Savannah GA, Johnny Mercer -- or Hoagy Carmichael who composed THIS lovely tune, to words by multi Academy Award-winning lyricist Paul Francis Webster. Just to distract me from my purpose, Sirius radio programmer Jersey Lou Simon is playing my favorite latter-day take on The Gershwins' HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON? -- by a 'Gershwin Prize' recipient herself, Gloria Estefan. But no. From the extravagance of riches that is Channel 71 – let's “stick with the gal that brought me” here today: Annie Lennox and “Memphis in June.” Annie with a sunny smile beneath sullen clouds on the cover of her “Nostalgia” album which Siriusly Sinatra posted when it played this beauty. Sweet oleander blowing perfume in the air everywhere Up jumps the moon to make it so much grander It's paradise honey take my advice honey 'cause there's nothin' like old Memphis in June!

What am I NOT watching tonight -- Episode 9 KEN BURNS Country Music

COUNTRY MUSIC by Ken Burns (tonight's episode -- best yet?)

The video I'm watching right now?

Left a note of praise at PBS Facebook page for Ken Burns' latest triumph -- the eight part series COUNTRY MUSIC: COUNTRY MUSIC by Ken Burns has an infinite number of elements that have been blended down into this artless (you're not aware of the editing at all!) masterpiece. Inevitably some greats will get little or no recognition. Thought of one such -- a guitarists' guitarist, Jerry Reed -- greatest-ever composer of virtuoso pieces for guitar (Chet's favorite, 'nuff said). There is Jerry Reed -- stage right in the b&w photo of Patsy Cline next to Faron Young. Who but fellow finger-pickers would recognize that smiling face? But to include mention of Jerry Reed would be to invite dozens of us to say "Why not mention (fill-in-the-blank). A fellow guitarist here, Michael Hossler says the father of finger-style guitar Merle Travis was 'short changed.' I said in reply You just reminded me of Chet Atkins' favorite guitarist/composer Jerry Reed. There was a pianist/composer of my Dad's generation in the 1930s -- Zez Confrey -- who wrote convoluted melodies -- totally memorable, yet impossible to whistle or hum like Dizzy Fingers and Kitten on the Keys. Jerry, I told my Dad was his equivalent on guitar. His virtuoso pieces are still being mastered by all of today's 'best-since-Chet' finger-pickers. Plus -- Jerry Reed brought funk to Country (think AMOS MOSES) not really heard from again until Dolly recorded her TWO DOORS DOWN. All of which is to say, thanks for your informed, informative comment, Michael Hossler. Yes, Merle Travis, who besides composing 16 TONS for Tennessee Ernie Ford (1955 one million copies sold in first three weeks; two million in less than two months -- a record that stands to this day) that is Merle playing Re-Enlistment Blues in the barracks scene of From Here to Eternity. But you knew that. ----- My favorite Jerry Reed recording? Not one of his own compositions: Jerry's take on a 'traditional' tune that Burl Ives almost rescued from obscurity -- WAYFARING STRANGER. That's Jerry self-accompanying on nylon (gut-string) guitar -- always his favorite weapon of choice for the effortless feel of the fingerboard. Even before Stevie Wonder's SUPERSTITION, Jerry Reed was introducing funk to delighted country audiences. This one -- AMOS MOSES -- crossed over to the pop charts with success. This upload to YouTube has 8-and-one-quarter-million "views" [!]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7GyLr7Cz2g

Beautiful to take a chance . . . and if you fall, you fall

In 1977 'Mr. Guitar' Chet Atkins recorded a song James Taylor wrote for him – to sing as well as finger-pick in his inimitable style: ME AND MY GUITAR – I never heard another version in the intervening forty years. But if you're a guitarist, really – who else could do justice to a song which alludes to “you've got a friend” in the song's bridge/release – one of the prettiest JT ever wrote, says me! Ev'ry now and then, I'm a lonely man, and it's nice to know that I've got a friend, who'll put his power right in my hand . . . and all I've got to do is the best I can (if I can). Chet's arrangement may have pleasantly surprised James! – Funky sound, including 'chorus' effect on the vocal, and guitar stylings on the musical bridge that are artless (You think, heck I could play that: Oh no you can't!) The lyric is a uniquely brilliant appreciation by an everyday Everyman playing guitar: “I am mostly flesh and bone and he is mostly wood . . . never does grow impatient for the changes I don't know. If he can't get to heaven, maybe I don't want to go! Only version ever uploaded to YouTube (Thanks, “DaffyDoug”)

JAMES TAYLOR -- ART GARFUNKEL reprise The Everlys' Crying in the Rain

JOHNNY MATHIS - All Through the Night

When opera met Sammy Cahn

Christmas Memories: my favorite Christmas carol written just for Frank

MY FAVORITE BOND THEME -- YOURS TOO?

The Carol Burnett Show -- SHOE SALESMAN (Don Rickles)

Like Johnny Mercer listening to obscure French melodies and turning them into hits (like Autumn Leaves) a lesser-known American lyricist Carl Sigman rescued a German tune from sure oblivion with a new English lyric. Best version of ANSWER ME, MY LOVE was a symphonic treatment of 30 years ago -- Joni Mitchell with a 90-piece orchestra arranged by Vince Mendoza. According to Wikipedia: "Answer Me" is a popular song, originally written 1952 (with German lyrics) under the title "Mütterlein" by Gerhard Winkler and Fred Rauch. The English lyrics were written by Carl Sigman in 1952. After the song was recorded by David Whitfield and Frankie Laine in 1953, the "religious" version was banned by the BBC after complaints.[1] Nevertheless, it still reached number one on the UK Singles Chart,[2] after another version was written by Sigman in which, instead of directing the question to God about why the singer has lost his love, the lyric is addressed directly to the lost lover. In the new lyric, "Answer me, Lord above..." is changed to "Answer me, oh my love..." with other appropriate changes. The new song, entitled "Answer Me, My Love," was again recorded by Laine and Whitfield, but became a bigger U.S. hit for Nat King Cole in 1954.[3] Whitfield's version reached the top spot in the UK Singles Chart first, followed swiftly by Laine's. On 13 November 1953, for the first but not only time in chart history, one version of a song was knocked off the top by another version of the same song.[2] Four weeks later, for the only time in British chart history, the two versions of the same song were at number one together.[2] Joni's version played this morning on Sirius '71 And who was Carl Sigman? You know some of his songs by heart! [A partial Wiki list] "A Marshmallow World" (collaboration with Peter deRose) "Arrivederci Roma" "The All American Soldier" "All Too Soon" (collaboration with Duke Ellington) "Answer Me" "Ballerina" "Buona Sera" "Careless Hands" "Civilization" (aka "Bongo, Bongo, Bongo, I don't want to leave the Congo") "Crazy He Calls Me" (1949 collaboration with Bob Russell) "Dance Ballerina Dance" (collaboration with Bob Russell) "A Day In The Life Of A Fool" "The Day The Rains Came" (1957) "Ebb Tide" "Enjoy Yourself" (1948) "Fool" "How Will I Remember You" (music by Walter Gross) "I Could Have Told You" (collaboration with Jimmy Van Heusen) "If You Could See Me Now" (collaboration with Tadd Dameron) "It's All In The Game" "Losing You (English lyrics)" "Music from Across the Way" "My Heart Cries For You" "Pennsylvania 6-5000" (collaboration with Glenn Miller) "The Saddest Thing Of All" "Shangri-La" "Till" "What Now My Love" "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story" "The World We Knew (Over and Over)" "You're My World" [p.s. Deepest thanks to the Wise Men here who managed to change the platform (if that's the term) for the better, here at the world's biggest website for musicians. Most grateful for the improvements! Sincerely, etc. Mark B of the frozen North]

I can't clear my throat without saying the words "My favorite" (or "Mom's favorite"). I got my love of superlatives from my Mom's English-born father -- who when I was little would tell me about the fastest bird ("The Swift" -- 200 mph in a dive) or "the fastest car" (the 'Reid Railton Special' driven by English furrier John Cobb who -- the year of my birth, 1947 -- briefly topped 400 mph in setting a two-way record at Bonneville (394 mph) that lasted for decades! That car ended up in a museum in Birmingham England -- Grampa Fortington's home town. To coin a phrase, What a coincidence!There are moments when I'm listening to Siriusly Sinatra satellite radio and thinking (one song after another) "No, THAT is my favorite version." Including (recently) "These Foolish Things" -- sung by Rod Stewart. I was at a party once and amid the ambient noise I could clearly hear a male singer's voice singing this English standard. I checked to see which singer was able to penetrate that much noise. The unique sound of Rod Stewart. Frank and Ella wouldn't have penetrated through that joyful noise the way the husky delivery of Rod Stewart does. In that particular way, you could say "Rod is the best!" In any case he had the good sense to record "my favorite version" as a video. Delightful, you may agree.

Incidentally, that final note on DIDN'T WE is the second lowest note Frank ever sang! Just as an aside: Like Oscar Peterson (and very few other people I know) my oldest grandson Thomas has perfect pitch. We'll be watching television, a musical commercial and I'll say, "What's that note?" "B-flat" says my 22-year-old musical wizard (a better guitarist than his funny old Grumpa ever was). We go to the keyboard and check. He's always right. The novelty will never wear off! I have to pick up my guitar (always in tune) and check -- a moment ago, the final low note on Frank's recording of the first eventual hit song Jimmy Webb wrote, DIDN'T WE. Our favorite singer takes it down to a low F-major. What about WAVE? Thomas could hear them once and tell me with certainty that "he's two tones lower" on WAVE: E-flat. That would be THIS. From his second album of A.C. Jobim songs, and yes, still my favorite song composed (words and music) by the fellow I call "The Cole Porter of South America."

JIMMY WEBB -- my new favorite "Playing Favorites" show on Siriusly Sinatra