INSPIRED BY THE SHADY DELL, YORK, PA, AND DEDICATED TO ITS OWNERS JOHN & HELEN ETTLINE
AND TO MARGARET ELIZABETH BROWN SCHNEIDER, NICKNAMED "THE OLDEST LIVING DELL RAT"


Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Plan B (Soft) - Volume 2: The Case of Ruby...
The Carnival Girl Who Took Her Love to Town!


(COLD SHOW OPEN)
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!


 "Batholomew" - The Silent Comedy 
 (from 2010 album Common Faults, theme 
 from season 1 of TV series Goliath 


 THE CASE OF RUBY... 
 THE CARNIVAL GIRL WHO 
 TOOK HER LOVE TO TOWN! 


 "Ruby Baby' - Dion 
 (Feb/Mar. 1963, highest chart pos. #2 Hot 100/#3 Cash Box) 

Our client's name is Ruby.


Ruby is a "carny"...
a carnival worker.
She operates a very
successful kissing booth.
In the trade it's called
a "smooch booth."

Ruby is a good kid...
a nice girl. She means well.
Ruby was my mother's name.
Our client stands accused of
pitting brother against brother
in a tug-of-war to win her
hand and other body parts.






I'm Jimmy Berluti...
an associate at the Boston
law firm of Donnell, Young,
Dole & Frutt on the hit
TV series The Practice.

They call me Jimmy the Grunt
because I'm strictly a working-class
stiff - no pretense, just a regular guy
practicing law, and I'm gonna keep
on practicing until I get it right.






I'm Patty
Solis-Papagian...
a DUI lawyer/real estate agent
who works with Santa Monica
attorney Billy McBride (who
bears a striking resemblance
to Billy Bob Thornton) on the
hit television series Goliath.




And I'm
Kim Wexler...
a lawyer who previously worked
at successful law firm based
in Albuquerque. Currently,
I'm sharing office space with
"Slippin' Jimmy" McGill aka
Saul Goodman, a small-time
lawyer on the hit TV series
Better Call Saul, a spin-
off of Breaking Bad.






We welcome you to
Plan B (Soft)...
a very different kind of radio show
coming to you exclusively here on
S-P-M-M, the number one station
for crimes and investigation. On
every show I, along with my law
partners, bring you in on actual
court cases and reveal our secret
strategy as we defend clients
and help them beat the rap.





As experienced lawyers, Patty,
Kim and I make a formidable
dream team. We lay down the
law, mount a rigorous defense.
Remember our slogan: "Your
problems will be little 'cause
we always win acquittal."
Now,  I can hear some of
you asking, "What exactly do
you mean by Plan B (Soft)?"
"Plan B" is where we create
reasonable doubt in the minds
of the jurors that our client is
guilty. We do that by pointing
the finger at somebody else
and suggesting that they
did the crime. 

 
Kim, Patty and I intend to prove beyond a reasonable
doubt, in fact, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there
is no better radio show anywhere than the one we
are hosting on S-P-M-M. As you will see & hear,
the evidence is overwhelming and irrefutable.



Now back to our case.
Right off the bat, I ask
you not to hate our
client simply because
she's beautiful. Listen
closely to her story
and give her a fair trial.

In a nutshell (and in a taxi
cab)... Ruby came to me
and revealed that she
is charged with first
degree "HB&E" - heart-
breaking and entering
(into promiscuity).


Don't judge on the basis of looks alone. Make no mistake, ladies
and gentlemen of the jury. Ruby is not a floozy. She is not a hussy.


She is wholesome, prim and proper, a nice, down to earth
girl from a good family, raised right by her mama.






The evidence will show that Ruby and
her family lived in the country and
were dirt poor. That being the case,
Ruby was miserable, always longing
for something better and looking for
a chance to break free of her hard life.


The fact of the matter is that Ruby's morals were corrupted the night
she took a walk before dark to a swingin' place called Kennywood Park.


 "Kennywood Park" Freddy Cannon 
 (1986 rerecording of "Palisades Park") 




From the moment Ruby got a
taste of fun and excitement at
that amusement park, her life
became a roller-coaster ride.
She made up her mind once
and for all to pull up stakes
and put her bleak life in
the boondocks behind her.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

 "Goodbye cruel world!" Ruby cried.
"I'm off to join the circus!" or...
in Ruby's case... the carnival.


 "Goodbye Cruel World" - James Darren 
 (Nov./Dec. 1961, highest chart pos. #2 Cash Box/#3 Hot 100



Ruby packed her bags
and bade farewell to her
high school sweetheart.
He said "Goodbye, Ruby"
on a Tuesday. (See what
I did there?) She threw
caution to the wind...
rolled the dice and
gave the wheel of
fortune a spin.

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!


In short... Ruby took her love
to town and never looked back.


 "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town" 
 - Kenny Rogers And The First Edition 
 (July/Aug. 1969, highest chart pos. #6 Hot 100/#7 Cash Box



Ruby took to her new life with the carnival like a fish to water.







Before long she had found not one
but two new boyfriends, and they
turned out to be brothers. One
brother was the tilt-a-whirl
guy, and the other ran
the bumper car track.


It was only a matter of time before a lovers' triangle
developed and someone got hurt.


Objection, your honor! Badgering! The prosecution's claim
that my client regards men as playthings, as nothing
more than toys, lacks foundation and is prejudicial.





I also move to strike! Counsel's
assertion that our client is afraid
to take the witness stand in her
own defense calls for spec-
ulation and is without merit.


CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

Ruby wants the truth to come out.
She has stated on numerous
occasions, both publicly and
privately: "I Wanna Testify!"


 "I Wanna Testify" - The Parliaments 
 (Aug./Sept. 1967, highest chart pos. #3 R&B, 
 #18 Cash Box/#20 Hot 100)




Ladies and gentlemen, I totally concur
with what my distinguished colleague
Miss Wexler just told you. I assure you
that our client is eager to clear her name. 

CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!

Ruby takes her sworn oath to tell
the truth and nothing but the truth
 very seriously. In our pretrial prep
sessions she has repeated over and
over again-- "Ain't Gonna Lie."


 "Ain't Gonna Lie" - Keith 
 (Oct./Nov. 1966, highest chart pos. 
 #31 Cash Box/#39 Hot 100

In the end, Ruby negotiated a deal on her own behalf
whereby she meets behind closed doors with the judge
in his chambers every Saturday night for a year.


Citing Ruby's very good behavior, the judge released
her on her own recognizance. 



The Case of Ruby...
The Carnival Girl Who
Took Her Love to Town

was a media circus, but the trial
is over and the case is closed.
Thanks for being here. Stay
tuned on the other side of
news for that nifty missy
 of the fabulous Fifties
Joyce Martin who will
be here with the latest
edition of her show
 Joyce Martin's
a Gold Digger...


Joyce is a good kid...a nice girl.... she means well. Joyce was my mother's name.

And stick around because we'll be back soon with another true
crime story ripped from our case files. Till then remember this.
If you're in an accident, Better Call Saul or Billy McBride.

CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!

But if you need a music fix and need it real bad, call our lawfirm. Remember
too that suspicion equals reasonable doubt, and that's what Plan B (Soft) is
all about. Now for my partners Kim Wexler and Patty Solis-Papagian this is
Jimmy Berluti reminding you to treat your mama real nice. See you next time!


24 comments:

  1. Well, lookie here..I think I just might be first today! I have the day off so that helps a bit! Lots of good songs that brought lots of good memories. I do remember Jimmy from the Practice. I really liked that show! The other ones featured I have to admit I don't know and haven't seen the shows. The music however had some old faves like Dion. Watching him get off the plane reminded me of the times we walked onto the tarmac to get on and off planes! James Darren..(Oh Moon Doggy!) was sure a good looking guy with a great voice. The video with Freddy...boom boom.. Cannon was so fun to watch because it reminded me of good old, now all gone, Geauga Lake amusement park that we always took the kids too and of course Cedar Pointe. I'd forgotten how Kenny Rogers looked when he was so young in that video. And that song always was kind of depressing. Ruby was quite the gal to get at least 2 songs written for her! Anyway, it's a good day today to sit and listen to good tunes as the rain was falling here. Now on to my poor neglected blog! Have a great week Shady! Thanks for the memories this morning!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, YaYa!

      Yessum, you're the Early Bird this week, dear friend, and thanks for coming!

      I'm pleased that you could relate to so many aspects of the post. Jimmy Berluti was my favorite character on The Practice. I'm delighted that you watched the series and remember him. That rare, restored clip of Dion aboard a plane in 1963 gives us a look at flight attendants (when they were still called stewardesses) and the style of uniform they wore. When I visit the mall, I am often mistaken for Dion or for James Darren and mobbed by autograph seeking female fans. :)

      Thanks for sharing about the amusement parks your family visited way back when. As I'm sure you know, the Freddy Cannon song "Kennywood Park" is simply a 1987 re-recording of his 1962 hit "Palisades Park." The original song paid tribute to New Jersey's Palisades Amusement Park, and the updated version with different lyrics promotes Kennywood, an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, just southeast of Pittsburgh. Wiki sez: << The park first opened on May 30, 1899, as a trolley park attraction at the end of the Mellon family's Monongahela Street Railway. >>

      Yessum, one commenter on YouTuber pointed out that Kenny Rogers was a "hippie" and wore an earring in 1969 when his group The First Edition had a hit with their "Ruby" song.

      I'm happy knowing you have the day off, but sorry it's raining, keeping you indoors when you'd probably prefer to be outside tending your garden, strolling through the woods and going to visit the alpacas.

      Thanks again for making time for an early visit, dear friend YaYa. Enjoy the rest of your day off, please pat Annabelle for me, and enjoy the rest of your week!

      Delete
  2. I see that the producer of I Wanna Testify is George Clinton. Would that be the Funkadelic George Clinton? It's a good song! -Kelly (and Pat)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Kelly! Hi, Pat!

      Thanks for coming early to claim the "Silver Shady" as second place finishers in the race to my space, dear friend!

      Good eye and great question, Kelly! Yessum, that certainly is P-Funk architect George Clinton - no relation to your hometown hero Bill Clinton. :) It's a fascinating story. In New Jersey in the 1950s, Clinton formed The Parliaments, a doo-wop group inspired by Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers. In the 60s, Clinton became a songwriter for Motown. He was the only member of The Parliaments able to travel from Jersey to Detroit to record "(I Wanna) Testify." On that hit record, Clinton was backed by studio session singers and musicians. It was The Parliaments' only hit of the 60s. In the 70s, when they adopted an edgier punk-funk sound, dressed in outlandish costumes and made recordings as two different groups, Parliament and Funkadelic, things took off for Clinton and his friends. They dominated black music throughout the 70s. In the 80s, Clinton achieved hits as a solo artist.

      Thanks again for your kind visit and interesting question, dear friend Kelly! Please reward my buddy Pat with a Jerky-Treat and enjoy the rest of your week!

      Delete
  3. Dion's video was from a time when commercial jet travel was a fairly new thing. We take it for granted now, but it amazed people back then almost as much as the space program. I remember as a kid my father taking me to this kind of spectator spot across the street from Cleveland Hopkins Airport where you could watch the big jets take off the runway. We weren't the only ones there, either. It was the place to be. Nearly 50 years later, whenever I happen to drive down that road, I look toward that spot. Empty. Like I said, it's now taken for granted.

    Is that "Palisades Park" cover from a commercial for Kennywood Park? It's not exactly hi-fi.

    "Goodbye, Cruel World" is a phrase I associate with something a bit more permanent than joining a circus, unless this is a symbolic or metaphorical or allegorical circus we're talking about. But that's unlikely coming from Bobby Darren.

    It would have been more likely coming from Kenny Rogers, who after all once sang a song about a gambler who broke even. "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" has even darker lyrics. I'm sure this was more the intention of the television director than Rogers himself, but there's a couple of time when Ruby is mentioned that you saw a close-up of the girl with the tambourine, as if SHE was Ruby. That becomes especially grisly when Kenny sings of shooting Ruby. I wonder if that young woman realized she was playing the part of a potential murder victim.

    That's all I got, and, I hope for that young woman's sake, that's all Kenny Rogers got.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Kirk!

      Thanks a lot for dropping in to follow another true crime case on Plan B (Soft), good buddy!

      BINGO! You hit on a memory that I share. In the mid 60s, my uncle, who had a fascination with trains and boats and planes (the real ones, not the song), used to take his sons to the airport on a regular basis. They would stand on the sidelines for hours gazing in awe as one big ol' jet airliner after another arrived and departed. I went along on one such occasion. It was a very big deal for all of us.

      The full length music video promoting Kennywood Park was probably run on local TV stations, in movie theaters, etc. It was also cut down to regulation commercial length 30 second spots (27 sec + various 3 sec. tags) for use in television commercial blocks on local stations. Here's a link to four different 30 second spots produced for Kennywood Park:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HwQIHh3_GU

      That was singer/actor James Darren doing "Goodbye Cruel World." I don't remember the title or the phrase raising any eyebrows at the time. People simply didn't read a darker meaning into it as they might do today. The same can be said about the First Edition's "Ruby" song, as you pointed out. Kenny's vocals include a threat to "put her in the ground." Again, I don't remember any outcry over the song at the time. Like "Nineteen," it created awareness about the plight of returning Vietnam vets, many of them with devastating injuries, some finding that their sweeties back home didn't feel like waiting for them or couldn't handle seeing them come back home in a wheelchair. I don't know why the camera kept zooming in on the female member of First Edition. It was indeed creepy.

      Thanks for all the keen observations, Kirk. Enjoy the rest of your week, good buddy!

      Delete
  4. I listened to this yesterday but no chance until now to comment. I love how you built a story around this vixenish Virgin. She seems to be trying so hard to be good but, like Mae West said, when she's bad she's better. I love all the musical choices and I think of the Lovely Jeanne Crain playing this role. I think she could have been a real minx. I am also thinking of that classic B movie Gun Crazy but that girl was just bad to the bone. Hey, there is another musical choice. I hope you have a lovely day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Birgit!

      I'm delighted to see you, dear friend! Thanks for joining the fun as Jimmy Berluti and his legal eagle associates present another radio show ripped from their true crime case files.

      Yessum, Ruby's a handful. She was determined to bust loose from her poor roots in the boonies and make good. Instead she all she makes is whoopee, and plenty of it. She's breaking bad and turning brother against brother (the Tilt-a-Whirl guy vs. the Bumper Car operator) in a civil war to win her affection.

      Good eye there, BB. It seems to me some of this vintage pulp novel cover art on display here might have been inspired by Jeanne Crain, because the women look so much like her. I also agree that the women in the artwork bring to mind Irish sizzler Peggy Cummins:

      https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d5/28/9e/d5289e0336c17a2b75c55ffff1bc4bc0.jpg

      Yessum, I know the song "Bad To The Bone" by George Thorogood and the Destroyers. However, you must remember that Ruby is actually a good kid...a nice girl.... she means well. Ruby was Jimmy Berluti's mother's name. So was Joyce. So was Birgit. :)

      Thanks again for making time for a comment, dear friend BB. Have a wonderful day. Please give Harley a biscuit from Shady and I'll meet you in the balcony tamale-- "At The Movies!"

      Delete
  5. Ruby's song always made me sad and rather upset with that girl. However, you've cleared her name and made a strong case for the good side of Ruby. I feel much more inclined to like her now as that song repeats and repeats inside my head.

    I'm leaving now, humming..."Ruuuby! Don't take your love to town."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Cheryl-Lee!

      I'm delighted to see you, dear friend! Thanks for taking a look and a listen as Shady's legal dream team gives you unprecedented access to their case files.

      Yessum, I remember in 1969 feeling so sorry for the disabled, housebound Vietnam vet whose wife or girlfriend needed to step out on him and seek excitement in the arms and beds of other men. The first "Ruby" song, the one by Dion, is a bit easier to take. It's about a guy who is infatuated with a girl named Ruby, but she's running with other guys and doesn't know he exists. He sings, "I'm gonna steal you away from all those guys." In this respect, it's the reverse of Kenny's "Ruby" song.

      I'm glad you think Jimmy, Patty and Kim built a convincing case for Ruby's innocence in this sordid carnival-based love triangle. As you know, an attorney is obligated to present the best possible defense for his or her client, guilty or innocent. Frankly, I think Ruby is more naughty than nice, and is already two-timing those carny brothers with the Ferris Wheel guy.

      Thanks again for coming over, dear friend Cheryl-Lee. Enjoy the rest of your week and I hope to see you again soon!

      Delete
  6. I just got done watching Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad for the first time. Loved both the shows but Better Call Saul was better to me.

    I haven't watched The Practice but it's on my list of things to watch at some point.

    Not have I seen Goliath.

    The Kenny Roger's song is the only song I knew this week. I know so many of his songs because my grandpa would bring out his guitar when I was a kid and sing his songs.

    Have a good week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Mary!

      I'm excited to see you, dear friend! Thanks for sitting in the jury box and hearing the second Plan B (Soft) case presented by Jimmy the Grunt, Patty and Kim. I'm happy to learn that you know Kim Wexler from watching Better Call Saul and that you like the Saul prequel even more than Breaking Bad. The Practice is a hoot and sets up Boston Legal which is a double hoot. Goliath is a weird series that has touches of David Lynch throughout. If you like Billy Bob, I think you could get into it. It also guest starred the late William Hurt who died in March of this year.

      Cool that you learned Kenny Rogers songs at an early age by listening to your grandpa play guitar and sing them.

      Thank you again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Mary. I hope you, your daughter and my buddy Falcor are well and in good spirits. Enjoy the rest of your week!

      Delete
  7. Hi Shady,

    Most of these songs are new to me! I've heard of the artists, but I've never heard these songs before. I like them. Depression is hitting hard this week and I'm on the hunt for a new job. New management and I think they're setting me up to fail. These songs eased the depression a bit.

    I also like this series. I really like the characters.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Jessica Marie!

      Welcome to vol. 2 of Plan B (Soft), dear friend - the series created by trial and error!

      Wow, I'm so sorry to learn that you are having problems at work again, dear Jess. It happens to all of us at one time or another, myself included. I hope you enjoyed learning some new songs by familiar artists and that listening to them gave your spirits a lift. I am also pleased that you enjoy the lawyer characters in this series.

      Take care and wishing you a better week, dear friend JM!

      Delete
    2. Thanks, Shady. It seems like when new management enters the picture and we enter a recession, things seem to take a hit. Fortunately, they don't last forever.

      I'm thankful that this entry lifted my spirits and continues to lift my spirits. I hope that you have a wonderful Thankful Thursday, dear friend.

      Delete
    3. Hi, Jessica Marie!

      Happy TT to you, dear friend! You're right. They don't last forever, the highs or the lows. Such is life. There are always things for which to be thankful even when we're at a low point.

      Music is a universal tonic that I rely on every day to get me through. I'm glad your spirits get a boost whenever you listen to the tuneage my characters present.

      Enjoy your evening and have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend JM!

      Delete
    4. Hi Shady,

      "Nothing lasts forever, even cold November rain." Axl Rose said it best.

      Yes, music always gets me through my days too.

      Some good news over at my blog. I hope you had a great weekend too, dear friend.

      Delete
    5. Thanks, JM! Stick around for more music and fun when Gold Digger Joyce Martin drops by first thing tamale!

      Delete
  8. Tom,

    I like this post series a lot. The music, vintage clips, and dialogue is spot on perfection that leaves me with a smile on my face after each edition. I'm happy to report I recognized all of your tunes. You closed things with the theme from "Better Call Sal". I'm excited to finish up the series with the last season on AMC+ but first I want to get through Revenge. Thanks for the entertainment, my friend. Have a wonderful weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Cathy!

      HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, dear friend! I wish you and DH a delightful day surrounded by family with plenty of good food and reminiscing. I hope you get to see LA today.

      I'm pleased that you got so much enjoyment from vol. 2 of Plan B (Soft), the court trial that thinks it's a radio show. I am also pleasantly surprised that you know all the songs played by Jimmy, Patty and Kim. Most of all, I'm excited that you are a fan of Better Call Saul, a series Mrs. Shady and I are also watching and highly recommend. Thanks for the tip about Revenge. I just watched the trailer and it looks good. I admire Madeleine Stowe and Emily VanCamp. It's interesting that I watched Madeleine in the 1990 film entitled Revenge, but it's a different story than the one told in the TV series. I have seen many of Madeleine's movies. In recent years, I have enjoyed watching Emily VanCamp in the TV medical drama The Resident.

      Thanks again for coming over on your special day. Have a wonderful anniversary celebration, dear friend Cathy!

      Delete
  9. Hi there friend, Shady. Sorry so late to visit you this week. I do remember Jimmy from the Practice. He was a fun character. I recognized a lot of the songs this week. I had never seen the video for Ruby Baby. Pretty sure I would not want Dion flying a plane I was on after drinking that champagne!

    Also familiar with Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town. I had to look up the two response songs, one by Geraldine Stevens, Billy I've Got to Go to Town, and the other by Dori Helms, Ruby's Answer which I think may fit with your show today because she is going to meet "Donnie's" brother! That brother thing kind of hit close to home to me too, as you may or may not remember that I dated my husband's brother before he and I got together.

    I've been pretty quiet over on my blog lately too. Not much to say, honestly, and I was busy in the studio because I had a show last weekend. Hope you have a terrific weekend, dear friend!

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Janet!

      I'm happy to see you, dear friend! Thanks for taking a seat in the jury box and deliberating the guilt or innocence of Carny Queen Ruby.

      I'm pleased that at least a couple of friends, including you, watch or have watched The Practice and enjoy the series. I'd have to say that Jimmy is my favorite character, too.

      Know something? All these years I had never seen that Dion video until I discovered it on YouTube a year or so ago. Yessum, I agree it doesn't seem like a smart move for Dion to be piloting that plane after sipping champagne. That's the mentality of the Mad Men era for you.

      Wow, thanks for contributing the titles of the two answer songs to "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town." I didn't even know about them. I listened to Geraldine Stevens' record first and read some of the comments posted beneath it on Y/T. I was shocked to learn that Geraldine Stevens was an alias used by Dodie Stevens, the female pop singer best known for her 1959 hit "Pink Shoe Laces." Dodie's birth name is Geraldine Ann Pasquale. Next, I listened to the second song you mentioned, "Ruby's Answer" by Dori Helms. Dori's record was actually the first of the two to be released, and this opens up an interesting discussion. The "Ruby" song was written by Mel T-T-Tillis (his own joke) and first recorded by country artist Johnny Darrell. Johnny's original was released in February, 1967. Next came Dori's answer song which was released two months later in April 1967. The cover by Kenny Rogers/First Edition was released in May of 1969. Geraldine's (Dodie's) answer record was released in August of 1969. Therefore, Dori was answering Johnny's original while Dodie was answering Kenny's cover. Interesting! If you listened to Dori's song, you noticed that much of it is spoken rather than sung. Yessum, you can certainly relate to the story line in Dori's answer song, and to the Ruby in Jimmy's court case who pitted brother against brother in a tug of war for her heart. The brutality of Dori's song surprised me a bit as she matter of factly explained to her wheelchair bound soldier boy that while he was over in Nam fighting, getting wounded and paralyzed, she lost interest in him and found comfort in the arms of his own brother!

      I hope your craft show was a success last weekend, Janet. Thanks again for coming by and offering so much new and interesting info related to the post. I hope your weekend is off to a fine start. I wish you and my buddy Benny a great Sunday and a wonderful week ahead!

      Delete

I wanna know
What you're thinking
There are some things you can't hide
I wanna know
What you're feeling
Tell me what's on your mind