When we were crusading for Henri’s installation on the Wikipedia page of famous cats, an alert reader, M. Janello, pointed out a famous cat that was unknown to me. It was Ketzel, a Jewish cat who was the owner of Aliya Cheskis-Kotel and her husband Morris Moshe Kotel. Kotel was the chairperson of composition at […]
Here’s the finale of the 1993 documentary, “Women of Country,” sent to me by alert reader Linda Grilli. I spot at least three dozen country music stars joining in on Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “The Hard Way”—a song that’s clearly symbolic. How many luminaries can you recognize? (Here’s the list, but don’t look until you’ve tried). […]
by Greg Mayer As my postscript to Country Music Week, I submit for your approval Johnny Cash’s 2003 cover of “Hurt” by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, perhaps the only “Industrial Country” song ever. It is a solemn meditation on mortality and loss. Cash’s feeling and phrasing are haunting and moving. The video, directed […]
One more day to go. “Man of Constant Sorrow” is an old country song, which, according to Wikipedia, was first recorded by Dick Burnett, a “partially blind fiddler from Kentucky.” A later version, recorded in 1928 by Emry Arthur, can be heard here. The song has changed a lot over the years, and the most […]
Jennifer Warnes (b. 1947) is best known for popular music; as Wikipedia (link preceding) notes: Between 1979 and 1987, Warnes surpassed Frank Sinatra as the vocalist performing the most songs to be nominated for anAcademy Award for Best Original Song (four times) and to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song (three times). Her biggest hits include “Up Where We Belong” […]
“Wichita Lineman” was written by Jim Webb and recorded in 1968 by Glenn Campbell (b. 1936). It’s a ballad, but it’s still a country song, and a beautiful one (there are two more Glenn Campbell songs to go on my list, more than any other artist’s). One of my friends in college was in fact a […]
I got this comment from “Christopher” last night about my first post on “Country music week”: I am unsubscribing from this list after hearing How you like inbreed country music!! These country hillbillies are dumb and are proud of being dumb!! I didn’t expect this from you! What else do you like fox news??!! Completely […]
Yesterday I found an old file on my computer listing my favorite songs in various genres (and also a list of the “worst songs”), and decided to put up some songs from one genre: country music. Now, I’m not a huge country music fan: I don’t listen to country stations or follow the “stars.” But […]
Yes, it’s the old Brewer and Shipley tune from 1970, “One toke over the line”—performed on the Lawrence Welk show! Did they not know what the song is about? Apparently not (see below). From Songfacts (my emphasis): This song is about drugs, especially marijuana. A “Toke” is a puff from a marijuana cigarette or pipe. […]
If you’re a Charlie Parker aficionado, you may know this little-known recording. It’s a genuine jam session, and it swings. Made in 1945, as I recall, it features top-class jazz musicians and, as a treat, one of the few recordings of Charlie Parker’s voice. I’m working from memory here, but it may have been laid down […]
