One Sick Song Leads to Another

This song sung by Dolly Parton (I don't think it was written by her, I have a version of Hank Thompson singing it as well) is one of the sickest ever penned.

Unlike "Strange Fruit"'s metaphors for sickening realism, "Little Blossom" takes a straight ahead approach with a gutwrenching ending -- I certainly hope "Little Blossom" is pure fiction. One can hope, anyway.

Don't be distracted by Dolly's wardrobe changes, the ending of this song, is as they say "a killer."

Strange Fruit

I'm not sure exactly what made me think of this song, except I thought after Tammy I needed to go further into the "chill bump" category. This is about as deep and dark and creepy as it gets.

None other than Billie Holiday singing the brilliantly written, and outrageously true and sad "Strange Fruit."

A Double Shot of "Til I Can Make It"

A younger Tammy sings this touching song with amazing hair, eyelashes, and matching robin egg blue sequined twin set and pants. Scrumptious.

Tammy Wynette Brings a Tear to Your Eye

I can't listen to this song written and performed by Tammy Wynette without getting misty. They said she had a "tear" in her voice, and here she conveys all the vunerability that connected her with her audience. We've all been there -- heartbroken and clingy, and trying to survive another dark day -- pleading with our lost love for just a little recognition.

They'll never be another Tammy . . . legend has it she wrote this song in fifteen minutes, similar to the way she wrote "Stand by Your Man" (she hated the high note, and would later say she wrote it in 15 minutes, and has been defending it for 15 years) -- off the cuff, and straight from the heart on her sleeve.

That's Country Music folks. That's Tammy Wynette.

Some Classic Vegas Schitck from the Humpster and a Great Song to Boot

Welcome to my World . . . where life is a Vegas showroom, and white bedazzled suits are never out of season or out of style.

That's Life

Frank owns this song. Couldn't find video of him singing it, but this one uses his definitive recording.

If I Can Dream

And if you could experience that last performance from "Man from La Mancha" without breaking down in tears, let's see if you can handle this -

To Love Pure and Chaste from Afar

There won't be a dry eye in the house when they play this song at Ted Kennedy's funeral. It was his favorite.

In My Room - the Beach Boys

It is not so much the song I wish I wrote (of course, I wish I did), but the vocal harmonies, arrangement and production is simply sublime. Even live -- and you gotta know this is a tough one to sing without the studio tricks -- the Beach Boys deliver. Brian Wilson is a genius!

Do a Deer

I have no idea why I started singing this song sitting at my computer just now, but I did . . . I only wish I could stay in tune, in key, and on pitch.

For the Good Times

Aside from Ray Price's masterful interpretation of this Kris Kristofferson tune (you don't want to hear Kris sing it either, do you?)is the fact that he can deliver these lyrics without causing every redneck woman to go ape-shit on her man. I mean, pardon my profanity, but every gal who ever changed a tampon starts to listen to this song and feels the urge to pick up a crowbar. Then about halfway through, enraptured by Ray's mellifluous tones and pleading vulnerability begins to think "who's breaking up with who here? . . . maybe it is a little bit more than break-up sex this guy is after." By the end of the song, the fairer sex is still not convinced, but she is weakening, and thankfully no laws are broken. Sigh.



I can give you a little insight on exactly why Ray Price is able to strike this delicate balance in this song. I attended an interview with Ray Price at the Country Music Hall of Fame when they opened a temporary exhibit of his career highlights. The interviewer asked him about the heat he received from Country Music fans when he went pop with his string laden (violins, not twin fiddles as he was known for) renditions of Danny Boy, and the monster hit "For the Good Times." He reflected, and then a tear came to his eye. He actually cried when he described how hurt he was that the industry and then subsequently his fans attacked him for his "crossover." Yep, real tears. I had also heard that he cried when he passed the display showing his favorite horse. . . that's a real man who can show real emotion, when stuff of this magnitude hits home. His fans, his music, his horse . . . these are things that mean everything to Ray. The thought that he would disappoint his true country fans, after contributing wholeheartedly to the genre, i.e. the Ray Price shuffle, really shook him to the core. So, that's the thing about Ray. He doesn't take this stuff lightly, it is not just another song.

Do YOU Know the Way to San Jose?

I'm just a nut for Burt Bacharach and Hal David songs sung by Dionne Warwick. There are a few singers (some dead) like Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald who could really make a song their own. Talent is one thing, but style and originality is really what sets the great apart from the good. Thankfully there are a few singers (still alive) like Dionne Warwick and Ray Price who are still delivering the goods. I often dream of pairing Dionne and Ray on a duet of one of my original songs. Honestly, I haven't written the perfect one yet, but when I do, Ray is gonna get a phone call.



Do you get the impression from this recent performance that she never sings this song (and think of how many times she has sung this pop standard) the same way twice?
And she is gracious enough to share the stage with some goofy dancers. . . kinda a throwback to "Solid Gold."

"LA is a great big freeway, put a hundred down and buy a car - in a week, maybe two they'll make you a star! Weeks turn into years, how quick they pass - and all the stars that never were, are parking cars and pumpin' gas." Truer and cleverer (is that a word) lyrics were never written.

I know . . . the bar is set high.



Okay, is it just me, or do they HAVE to bring back Dionne and Solid Gold!!! I know, I know I want to see that Deborah Harry performance too.

Imagine who would be on Solid Gold this week . . .

A Chicken Catcher Becomes a Song's Best Friend

I've heard this song before, but I never LISTENED to it, until Keven Skinner, aka The Chicken Catcher sang it on America's Got Talent. He isn't a great singer, but he knows how to deliver a lyric. I never thought I would say I wish I wrote a Bob Dylan song, but thanks to the Chicken Catcher, that Dylan dude ain't so bad after all.

Now Lets Give Conway and Loretta a Shot at That Glass

A Double Shot of "There Stands the Glass"

Thanks A Lot with Loretta and Ernest Bonus Song

I Hate Everything