CanAm
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Posts posted by CanAm
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The theme from Thunderball as sung by Tom Jones and For Your Eyes Only as sung by Sheena Easton. I like all of the opening sequences as they are variations of the same theme.
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Does the Avengers qualify as a cult classic? I absolutely love this show. By today's standards it is probably quite hokey, but it was really quite innovative at the time. Although Honor Blackman was very good and Linda Thorson was OK, the series was at its peak with the incomparable Diana Rigg as the leather clad Mrs. Peel. I was about 6 or 7 when I first saw the Avengers with Diana Rigg, and I had the biggest crush on Mrs. Peel. I was devastated when she left the series. I love the unspoken sexual tension between Mrs. Peel and John Steed.
Has anyone ever heard of a British series called Survivors or The Survivors? It aired during the early or mid 70's. It told the story of a group of people in Britain who survived a pandemic that wiped out most of the earth's inhabitants. Some of them band together and form a commune. They scour the countryside searching for food, supplies and like-minded people while trying to prevent bands of thugs from destroying what they are trying to build. It starred Carolyn Seymour, among others. I would love to find out if the series is available on video or DVD.
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Bad, Bad Leroy Brown - a song written about a larger-than-life character Croce met while doing military service in New Jersey.
Sailing To Philadelphia (Mark Knopfler)- A song written about the surveying duo of Jeremiah Dixon (an Englishman) and Charles Mason (an American) who together established the boundary between the states of Pennsylvania and Maryland known as the Mason and Dixon line.
Fotheringay(Fairport Convention) - a song about the imprisonment of Mary Queen of Scots in Fotheringay castle.
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In terms of classical music, most of my favourite pieces were written by the "Romantic" composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of my favourite composers are Satie, Ravel, Grieg, Faure, Puccini, Borodin and the king of them all, Debussy. Claire de Lune, Reverie and The Girl With The Flaxen Hair are some of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. I'm also fond of the Baroque composers, particularly Handel, Vivaldi and Pachelbel. Mendelssohn is another of my favourite composers and The Planets by Holst is one of my favourite orchestral pieces. I agree with Jr. about Big Band music. Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey et al (not Weird Al) could really swing. Some fantastic music was written in the 1930's and 1940's (Begin The Beguine, Stardust, Long Ago And Far Away, Sophisticated Lady etc.) and I love the crooners like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Dick Haymes.
As far as rock n roll music, I don't like too much from before the Beatles came on the scene except for Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers and Elvis.
:guitar:
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Bless you, Peaches!!
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In terms of their contributions to The Beatles, I don't think there is much to choose between Lennon and McCartney. They both wrote a great many brilliant songs and they both wrote a few clunkers. In terms of their solo material, I much prefer the music of Paul McCartney (even though he gave the world such musical atrocities as Say, Say, Say and Ebony And Ivory). Even great composers have off days.
:happybanana:
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All in all, a pretty good list. My top 10 in descending order:
1. Archie Bunker
2. Mr. Spock
3. Hawkeye Pierce
4. Jim Rockford - the best private dick in television history.
5. Barney Fife
6. Colonel Henry Blake
7. Captain Kirk - The man was a walking hormone. Human, alien or artificial life form, it was all the same to Kirk. He could kick Picard's backside without even working up a sweat.
8. Mary Richards
9. Edith Bunker
10. Joe Friday
I also think that the character of Lucy was overrated. IMO, Desi Arnaz was the unsung comic genius in that show.
:happybanana:
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What about Star Trek? Its ratings were poor during its initial run, but thanks to the efforts of its hard core fans and syndication, it has spawned (to date) 4 spin off series, an animated series and 10 feature films (not to mention a plethora of novels, technical manuals and even a Klingon dictionary). STAR TREK RULES!!! LIVE LONG AND PROSPER!!!
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In descending order:
Rick Wakeman - the man is brilliant
Elton John
Burton Cummings
Billy Joel
Jon Lord
Rick Davies
I have only listed players of pop/rock music. I'm sure there are many brilliant pianists/keyboarists in other musical genres.
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While I am not a Catholic nor particularly religious (I believe in God I just don't have much time for organized religion), I admire the Pope. Although I don't agree with his position on some issues, he is a kind, decent man and I hope he recovers from this latest illness . If he doesn't, I hope he goes peacefully.
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Thank You For Being A Friend - Andrew Gold
You Needed Me - Anne Murray
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Most of the songs on the Saturday Night Fever album. I was dragged(kicking and screaming) to the movie by my girlfriend at the time, and, much to my chagrin, I liked it.
Fresh, Misled and Joanna by Kool & The Gang.
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I very much like the music of Chicago. My favourite Chicago tunes are Poem For The People, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?, Old Days and Call On Me. While I agree with Bluesboy that Chicago's early material was their best, I don't agree that Peter Cetera's influence ruined the band. If you like the sytle of music that Chicago plays(lots of brass and woodwinds), check out Lighthouse (particularly their early material) and Blood, Sweat & Tears.
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I have a modified form of Entomophobia. I have a profound aversion to grasshoppers and locusts. One summer, while driving through North Dakota, a large, intact specimen became lodged under one of my car's windshield wipers. I immediately pulled over to the side of the road and closed my eyes while my buddy extricated the disgusting creature and tossed its carcass into the ditch. YUKKK!
I guess most politicians suffer from ergasiophobia and phronemophobia. Or maybe this is a case of me displaying my politicophobia.
In my dictionary, a phobia is defined as an exaggerated, irrational and inexplicable fear of something. It seems to me that carcinophobia, aglophobia(fear of pain) and rhabdophobia(fear of being severely punished or beaten by a rod) are anything but irrational or inexplicable.
One thing is certain, Miami Sammy clearly does not suffer from eurotophobia or venustraphobia.
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Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you, Old 55. Early Morning Rain by Gordon Lightfoot was released in 1964. Turn the Page by Bob Seger was, I believe, released in 1973. Cheers.
:happybanana:
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Although raised in Canada, I was born in Scotland as were my sister and father. My mother was born in Canada but her mother was born in Lancashire. My maternal grandfather's ancestors came to Canada from Scotland in the early 19th century. On my father's side our Scottish roots go back at least as far as the 16th century.
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Old 55, thanks for taking the time to compile this list of songs we think should have been included on RSM's top 500 list. It's very interesting to see the diversity of opinion. I'm glad to see that you included Walk Don't Run by the Ventures on your list of inclusions. I love the Ventures, but it never occurred to me to put one of their tunes on my list of inclusions. The first album I ever bought was their 10th Anniversary disc. I still have it although some of the tracks are a little the worse for wear. In total, I have 10 Ventures albums/CD's. Nokie Edwards and Gerry McGee are/were great guitarists.
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Here are some of the songs I believe should have been included on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the top 500 songs of all time.
La Grange - ZZ Top
Do It Again - Steely Dan
Rikki Don't Lose That Number - Steely Dan
Turn The Page - Bob Seger
Rock and Roll Never Forgets - Bob Seger
Life In The Fast Lane - The Eagles
Benny & The Jets - Elton John
Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits
25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago
Old Days - Chicago
Who's Crying Now? - Journey
Cherry Bomb - John Mellencamp
Long Train Running - The Doobie Brothers
Early Morning Rain - Gordon Lightfoot
I agree with Pete about Little Feat. They are a very good band. You should check them out Old 55.
How did James Brown merit so many songs on the list?
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Mrs. Doubtfire: So decadent. Is it real?
Stu: It's real!
Mrs. Doubtfire: That's a pretty impressive bauble you got her.
Stu: Oh, Thank-you, thank-you.
Mrs. Doubtfire: A man gives a gift like that, he wants more than a piece of her heart. A bit of a going down payment.
Stu: Excuse me?
Mrs. Doubtfire: Sink the sub. Hide the weasel. Park the porpoise. A bit of the humpty dumpty. Little Jack Horny. The horizontal mambo, mmm?
Stu: Mrs. Doubtfire!!
Mrs. Doubtfire: The bone dance, eh? Rumpleforeskin, a bit of the cunning linguistics, eh?
Stu: Mrs. Doubtfire, please!
Mrs. Doubtfire: Oh dear. I'm sorry. I'm being a little graphic, sorry. I hope you're up for a little competition.
Stu: I beg your pardon?
Mrs. Doubtfire: She's got a power tool in the bedroom. It's her personal jackhammer. She could break a sidewalk with that thing. She uses it with the lights dim. It's like a prison movie. I'm amazed she hasn't chipped her teeth. I hope you bring cocktail sauce. She's got the crabs dear and I don't mean Dungeness. I'm being blunt as a spoon, aren't I? Forgive me, it's the wine.
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Flat Like A Pancake - Head East ??
Bandolier
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I love movies based on historical events, but I'm usually disappointed by the lack of attention to detail, historical revisionism and outright inaccuracies. That having been said, there have been some very well done historical epics.
One of my favourite war movies is Gallipoli, starring a very young Mel Gibson. The movie accurately (although somewhat superficially) tells the story of the disastrous Gallipoli campaign (1915-1916) from the perspective of a young Australian soldier, portrayed by Gibson. Of the more than 500,000 Allied soldiers who participated in the campaign, approx. 300,000 became casualties. The goal of the Gallipoli offensive was to destroy the Turkish batteries that were protecting the Dardanelles, thus allowing Allied shipping unimpeded access to the Sea of Marmara and The Black Sea. The campaign was an unmitigated disaster. The Allied troops were pinned down and slaughtered on the beaches by Turkish soldiers commanding the heights. After more than a year, the surviving Allied troops were evacuated.
Another of my favourite historical movies is Nicholas and Alexandra. The movie deals with the reign of Tsar Nicholas II. The movie relatively accurately details the rise of the Bolshevik party and the eventual execution at Ekaterinburg in 1918 of the Tsar and Tsarina and their five children. Although the Tsar and Tsarina are portrayed in a somewhat sympathetic light (while the Bolsheviks are shown to be little more than fanatical thugs), the movie is a moving account of two people doomed by their inflexibility and inability to embrace change.
Perhaps my favourite historical movie is The Lion In Winter.
The movie concerns the trials and tribulations of an ageing Henry II as he trys to decide which of his three sons shall inherit his throne. Complicating matters is the presence of Henry's scheming wife (Eleanor of Aquitaine) whom Henry has temporarily released from prison. As the family spends Christmas 1183 together, tempers flare and plots and schemes abound. Peter O'toole is brilliant as Henry II and Katherine Hepburn is magnificent as Eleanor.
:happybanana:
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The Sixth Sense
The Crying Game
Sleuth - plot twist upon plot twist upon plot twist.
The Usual Suspects
Spoiler Alert!!!
Dial M for Murder - is he going to open the door or isn't he? The expression on Ray Milland's face when he realizes the jig is up, is one of the most eloquent in the history of film.
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It took courage for Rolling Stone magazine to create this list. I must say, however, that many of the inclusions and exclusions are baffling. I can't believe that CCR had just one song in the top 100 (Fortunate Son at #99). It also shocks me that Guns N Roses had 3 songs in the top 500, but Chigago, Dire Straits and ZZ Top had none. I definitely do not believe that Sympathy for the Devil is The Stones' 2nd best song.
My top 10 songs of all time (not necessarily my favourites) are:
1. Let It Be - The Beatles (1970)
2. Satisfaction - The Stones (1965)
3. Johnny B Goode - Chuck Berry (1958)
4. Layla - Derek and The Dominoes (1970)
5. Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin (1971)
6. Heart of Gold - Neil Young (1972)
7. Maggie May - Rod Stewart (1971)
8. Hotel California - The Eagles (1976)
9. Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac (1977)
10. Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits (1976)
By the way, this is a great post Old 55!!!
:guitar:
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In a TV guide poll, Archie Bunker was selected as the most memorable character in television history. I sometimes wonder how Carroll O'Connor was able to keep a straight face when uttering some of Archie's outrageous statements and wonderfully funny malapropisms.
The Royal Wedding !!
in Random Thoughts
Posted
I'm also going to go against the grain here. The dull and uninspiring heir to the throne finally gets to marry the woman of his dreams (oh well, there's no accounting for taste). Who cares. I used to be an ardent royalist, but after the pathetic antics of the Royal family during the last 10 or 15 years, I think it's time to put these buffoons out to pasture.
If it's not Prince Philip putting his foot in his mouth by making some racist remark, it's Prince Harry showing up at a party in an SS costume or Fergie, Diana or Charles commiitting adultery. Although they don't behave any worse than many of our politicians, at least we can vote politicians out of office.