COLD OPEN:
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
President of thesegreat United Statesof God Bless America
Kiefer Sutherland Tom Kirkman,
Singing this long lost answer song written by Shep Sheppard,
"Sorry Daddy" - The Notations feat. Monica Rocha
The song tells the truth about the
"I Hear A Symphony - The Supremes
"Symphony of Destruction" - Megadeth
She's telling everyone I'm "out of touch" with the issues
"Out Of Touch" - Daryl Hall And John Oates
I suppose you could say that all four Wonder Women of the White House
"Love Rollercoaster" - Ohio Players
"Elected" - Alice Cooper
(Sept. to Nov. 1972, highest chart pos. #18 Cash Box/#26 Hot 100,
#4 UK/#3 Germany & Austria/#5 Netherlands)
Hello, my fellow Americans!
I'm Mellie Grant.
As you might recall from my previous appearance at Shady's Place
at the end of 2022, I am the former First Lady of these great
United States of America on the political thriller
television series Scandal.
Think I look like Jessica Whitly, Malcolm's mom on Prodigal Son?
or Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer? Yeah, I get that a lot.
I called this news conference
in order to put to rest a silly,
unsubstantiated rumor that
has been floating around -
a false story that has been
reported by the fake news
media for weeks now.
Today, I am announcing to this
great nation of ours that, contrary
to what you might have heard
through the gossipy grapevine,
I am not..... I repeat not.....
throwing my hat in the ring
and humbly asking for your
vote and the opportunity to
proudly serve you, the great
American people, as your next
President of the United States.
God bless America!
If nominated, I will not run.
If elected, I will not serve.
Now that I've cleared that up, just for fun, just to hear
how it sounds... let me shout it from the rooftops:
"Mellie for President 2024...
and God bless America!"
To those silly skeptics who still think I'm a candidate
to become the next leader of the free world...
I call bullcrap!
Goodness, I'll be much too busy serving my country
as a Shady Bunch DJ on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio.
That said, I welcome you to our new show
The 1600 Club:
Meet the Supremes
of Pennsylvania Avenue.
Joining me in hosting the show will be three other
White House Wonder Women.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
As powerful, influential females in orbit around
the President in Washington, D.C., we like to think of
ourselves as The Supremes of Pennsylvania Avenue.
"Reflections" - Diana Ross And The Supremes
(Aug./Sept. 1967, highest chart position
#2 Hot 100 & Cash Box/#4 R&B)
You just heard from the stars of our series, the featured artists of
The 1600 Club
Diana Ross And The Supremes, performing their
psychedelic pop styled 1967 hit "Reflections."
My notes indicate that the Supremes' single peaked at #2
on the pop chart, denied the top spot two weeks in a row
by the Bobbie Gentry smash "Ode To Billie Joe."
Now, meet the other
White House
Wonder Women
beginning with the home-
wrecking hussy who came
between me and my (ex)
husband Fitz, the sitting
President who preferred
to lie in bed with her.
That's right, my fellow
Americans. I admit that
I'm not a happy camper
since I lost my hubby
to his secret squeeze,
his mistress, his girl
on the side (and very
often on her back).
The tramp's name
is Olivia Pope.
You see, my cheating, skirt-chasing ex-hubby, The President, is always
hooking up with that conniving witch. He even ditched me last Christmas
and spent the holidays with his Ho Ho Ho! They do it right there in on
his desk in the Oval Office, in hotels, on trains and boat and planes,
at the top of the Washington Monument, in Abe's lap at the
Lincoln Memorial -- you name it.
I hate to go on and on about it, but
they're like a couple of bunny rabbits
those two, and I'm sick and tired of it!
Finally, I had enough and issued an
old tomato. I said to him, "make up
your mind, bucko...do you want me
and your political career... or her?"
He chose her.
So yeah, if you want the truth,
the break up of my marriage
has left me an angry, bitter
and frustrated former
First Lady.
But, you know what?
They say the best revenge
is massive success, and I'll
have it the day I become
the best darned DJ on
the Shady Bunch roster.
Hello, I'm Olivia Pope...
former media relations consultant to President Fitzgerald Grant III
(Mellie's ex) on Scandal. Along with media relations, Fitz
and I regularly engage in relations of another kind.
In addition to the places Mellie mentioned, we do it the East Wing,
the West Wing, the White House lawn, on Air Force One, in the
Goodyear Blimp and snap, on the 50-yard line of Fed-Ex-Field.
Long story short... Fitz can't get enough of this funky stuff.
To set the mood, Scandal boasts the best music soundtrack
since Cop Rock, and here on our radio series
The 1600 Club
...I'll play some of the songs you'll hear on the TV show.
I'm talkin' about classic R&B, funk and sophisticated soul.
CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!
The song you're hearing
right now is all about that
Harper Valley hypocrite
Mellie Grant. I know why
she married Fitz, a politician
on track to become President.
Her plan was to ride his coat-
tails to the White House and
launch her own political
career. That Karen's in it
for fame, power and
"For The Love
Of Money!"
"For The Love Of Money (Give It To Me)" - Jay-Z vs The O'Jays
Boogie Hill Faders Remix (Feb. 2020)
Hola! Me llamo Isabel Pardo...
I am White House Deputy Chief of Staff on the
political thriller drama TV series Designated Survivor.
I'm the girlfriend of the Vice President-elect of the United States
Aaron Shore, no relation to Shady Bunch DJ Alan Shore...
but just as much of a horn-dog.
START VIDEO NOW!
That's right. As in Mellie Grant's
case - having to put up with her
lowdown cheating husband,
the President, I caught my
man steppin' out and doggin'
around. Now I'm stuck in the
middle of a messy love triangle.
Know what? I'm gonna kick
"hammerin' Hank" Aaron to
the curb, and I've got the
perfect Santana song to
sing as I send him packing.
"You Just Don't Care" and
now, mi amigo, neither do I.
"You Just Don't Care" - Santana
(from Aug. 1969 album Santana)
Hello, I'm
Emily Rhodes
...former Chief of Staff and
current Special Advisor to the
President of the United States
on the political thriller drama TV
series Designated Survivor. Okay,
I confess that I made a mistake
when I slept with Isabel's boy toy,
Vice President-elect Aaron Shore.
I never intended for it to go as far as it did. See, we were working together
late one night and one thing led to another and yada yada yada.
It blew up when Isabel found us nekked together in the Rose Garden.
Now, Aaron's practically
down on his knees
begging Izzy to take
him back... and I'm
finding it hard to
say goodbye.
CLICK TO
START THE
VIDEO NOW!
Foxes And Fossils explain it
in their Linda Ronstadt
cover of Evie Sands'--
"I Can't Let Go!"
"(I) Can't Let Go" - Evie Sands/Hollies cover
by Foxes And Fossils (Aug. 2013)
I hear you, Emily, but I'm
still hella mad. I'm calling
you out as a skank, and
your crocodile tears
don't mean a thing.
I'm dedicating this
next song to you
and to that cheatin',
mistreatin' dawg
Aaron who came
crawling back to
me with his tail
between his legs.
In June, 1961... a four
member girl group called
The Sweethearts released
"Sorry Daddy," an answer
song to "Daddy's Home,"
a major hit that year for
the R&B/doo-wop group
Shep & The Limelites.
The Sweethearts song
didn't give Daddy the
answer he hoped for:
Daddy, momma is glad
That you've come back home,
But I'm sorry, pretty daddy,
But you've waited too long.
Sorry daddy, sorry daddy, I'm gone.
The Sweethearts' single missed the chart, but the song was
resurrected 60 years later by Latina soul queen Monica Rocha
backed by The Notations, a veteran soul group from Chicago.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
Singing this long lost answer song written by Shep Sheppard,
here are Monica and The Notations-- "Sorry Daddy."
"Sorry Daddy" - The Notations feat. Monica Rocha
(June 2020)
Izzy, I don't see why you've got your knickers in a bunch.
The fact that I slept with your precious Aaron is no big deal.
It's all the nasty stuff we did while we were still awake
that should bother you. See what I did there?
Besides, Aaron's back with you now
and I'm out in the cold on my own.
I don't expect us to be besties, but
we need to learn to work together
at the White House for the good of
the country. You need to understand
how hard it is working side by side
with Aaron every day and wanting
to spend nights with him like you do.
I've got another The Supremes chart-
topper that speaks to the situation.
START VIDEO NOW!
The song tells the truth about the
way that I feel whenever handsome,
charismatic Aaron walks in the
room-- "I Hear A Symphony!"
"I Hear A Symphony - The Supremes
(Oct./Nov. 1965, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100,
#1 Cash Box/#2 R&B/#1 Canada)
Boohoo, Emily. No one cares about your problems. Let's refocus on mine.
You say you hear a symphony? I've got a symphony for you, sister!
For too long, I've been nothing but eye candy - window dressing
in this boys' club... unappreciated and underestimated.
I caught hubby Fitz lying down on the job, literally...
and the American people deserve better.
So c'mon America. Get with the program.
Anything a mortal man can do, Mellie can do better!
Put another man in the White House and you're
asking for a-- "Symphony of Destruction!"
"Symphony of Destruction" - Megadeth
guitar cover by nacoco music (March 2024)
To top it off, now that she knows I'm running for president,
that "rhymes with witch" Olivia Pope is doing everything
in her power to prevent me from winning the election.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
She's telling everyone I'm "out of touch" with the issues
and the needs of the average American, and since we're
almost "out of time," here are Daryl Hall And John Oates!
"Out Of Touch" - Daryl Hall And John Oates
(Oct. thru Dec. 1984, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100,
#3 Cash Box/#1 U.S. Dance Club)
So, to review, The 1600 Club revolves around four powerful
women in a circle around two powerful men forming two
love triangles. To complete the equation... there are
zero squares among us.
Thanks for joining us
today for the debut of
The 1600 Club.
We'll be back with more
great tunes and more
relationship drama
in the next edition
coming soon.
I suppose you could say that all four Wonder Women of the White House
are riding on a "Love Rollercoaster," and to play us off, here's the
funk band that recorded the song and made it famous.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
They're the Ohio Players doing one of their biggest hits, a single that reached
#1 at the start of 1976. Now for my arch rival Mellie Grant, Isabel Pardo
and Emily Rhodes, I'm Olivia Pope saying so long and reminding you -
please... don't do anything we wouldn't do. See you next time!
"Love Rollercoaster" - Ohio Players
(Dec. 1975/Jan. 1976, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100,
#1 R&B/#3 Cash Box/#2 Canada)
It's great fun how you use female characters from the TV series you enjoy to pull together your posts. Scandal is a series we haven't seen but it's on our WatchList. We started Designated Survivor but didn't finish. Hmm, I wonder why? Anyway, I love how you tied your song selections to the dialogue progression. I know you worked for a TV station before your retired but I don't know if I ever asked if you wrote their material. If not, then you should've. You know how to entertain your peeps! Thanks for sharing another edition of The 1600 Club! 👏 Have a blessed week, my friend!!😊
ReplyDeleteHi, Cathy!
DeleteWelcome back to Shady's Place, dear friend, and thanks for being the Early Bird this time around!
The TV series Scandal, starring Kerry Washington and Bellamy Young, the latter in the role of Melody "Mellie" Margaret Grant, enjoyed a seven season run, while Kiefer Sutherland's Designated Survivor lasted only three seasons, the first two on ABC and the third airing exclusively on Netflix. Both are fun to watch, and the Scandal soundtrack is loaded with oldies but goodies. The best of those soundtrack songs will be featured in this series - The 1600 Club: Meet the Supremes.
How kind of you to ask if I wrote for television! I did, in fact. I wrote news copy, promos, commercials and documentaries. I am grateful that you told me you find my blogging style entertaining. To me, the characters in my posts are like family, like the children I never had. I enjoy writing dialogue for them and using my favorite songs and videos to help tell their stories. It's fun, and keeps my mind off my problems. :)
Thanks again for being the first to drop by this morning, dear friend Cathy. Enjoy the rest of your day and week and take care of yourself and your family until we meet again!
It's good to do something you enjoy. I sincerely mean you're really fantastic with writing your posts using your favorite TV characters and music picks. I think you could write a column in a newspaper or magazine. Have you consider doing that or are you like me, not wanting to spoil things by turning a passion into "work".
DeleteI knew Designated Survivor didn't have a long run. I much preferred Kiefer in 24. Speaking of which, we bought the streaming version from Apple and watched the first season. We love that series!
It's nice having something to do to take your mind off other things, so keep doing what you love in Blogosphere. Have a good weekend, my friend!
Hi again, Cathy!
DeleteMrs. Shady and I watched the first few seasons of 24 and then stopped. In Designated Survivor, Kiefer is quite good in the role of President of the United States, and the supporting cast is also excellent. If you watched and enjoyed the series The West Wing starring Martin Sheen, you will like Designated Survivor.
40 years ago, I wrote an introductory piece, composed the questions and conducted an interview with the top rated "morning crew" of a local radio station. That interview was published in a magazine. That's all I can think of that relates to your inquiry. I cannot call that area of endeavor a passion, however. I found greater fulfillment fleshing out the concepts of music videos and writing scripts with funny characters for TV commercials. I even wrote myself into one of my commercials. In 1986, I starred in a humorous 60-second spot playing a bogus doctor.
Thanks for coming by to continue our conversation, dear friend Cathy. I'll see you tomorrow when you present your weekly TAD feature!
I may go back to pick up where we left off on Designated Survivor to finish it up. I think I added West Wing to one of our Watch Lists. I need to double check that. That's cool you had an article published in a magazine and you wrote yourself into a commercial! You're full of surprises, my friend. Thanks for dropping by this morning. I will look forward to our next catch up date next month. I hope you and Mrs. Shady have a happy, blessed Easter. Y'all will be especially close to family this year so that'll be extra nice! Take care and be well, dear friend!
DeleteHi again, Early Bird Cathy!
DeleteIf you have Netflix, you're in good shape, because all three seasons of Designated Survivor are now streaming.
Yessum, we followed Mrs. Shady's daughter and family up here and live closer to them now than we did in Florida. Granddaughter, now living in NYC, also regularly visits, traveling down by train.
Thank you for the Easter wishes, and same to you and your family. Take care until we meet again, dear friend Cathy!
What a post! I am sure that took a lot of time. I did not watch the TV series but found everything interesting. I really liked "Sorry Daddy". The Notations look like they could have been A Thousand Miles Away for a long time.
ReplyDeleteJerre
Hi, Jerre!
DeleteHappy Super Tuesday, good buddy! Congratulations on your second place finish in the Early Bird race and thanks for the vote of confidence on the post.
There are tons of great songs and cover performances on YouTube.
After many lean years, the quality and selection is better than ever.
Since I am only publishing an average of once a month now instead of four or five times per month, I decided to increase the average number of songs per post from 7 to 10. And get this - I am doing so at no extra cost to you, the viewer/listener. Such a deal!... and my double your money back guarantee still applies. So yes, adding three additional songs and intros per post does require more time, but it's lots of fun putting words in the mouths of these characters and being able to present more high quality videos (like the semi-nekked masked Korean guitarist).
I thought you'd appreciate Monica Rocha fronting The Notations. That one guy looks like Today weatherman Al Roker. :) I never heard of that answer song penned by Shep and waxed by The Sweethearts. Are you familiar with it?
Anyway, thanks again for joining the fun, good buddy Jerre. I'll be back with my next post on April 1. Polls are open. Be sure to vote early and often for Mellie Grant and remember her slogan: Built Back and Better!
No. I don't remember ever hearing the song. Went on U tube to listen to Sweathearts version also. I wonder if any of the Notations were with the original Heartbeats or Limelights. Jerre
DeleteHi again, Jerre!
DeleteI found some info about the veteran Chi-town-based doo-wop - R&B - Soul group The Notations. Formed in 1965, they were mentored by Chicago soul titan Curtis Mayfield. The original lineup included Clifford Curry, who shared a high school English class with Gene Chandler. Curry's habit of jotting down notes about song ideas led to the group being named The Notations. In my record collection, I had Clifford Curry's 1967 solo R&B hit "She Shot A Hole In My Soul." Clifford died in 2016, four years before Monica Rocha performed in this video with the surviving members of the group.
Thanks for expanding our thread, good buddy Jerre. Take good care of yourself and I hope to see you on April 1.
Very funny. How could I miss it?
DeleteDo you mean Mellie's campaign slogan? I'm glad you get what I did there. :)
DeleteHello my friend...I hope you and your wife are settling in nicely in your new abode. I've been meaning to send you pics of Harley...I will get right on it.
ReplyDeleteI love how you chose all these musical pieces to fit nicely in with the debauchery of sex happening. Who is the President? JFK? ...hahahaaa. I never watched Amy of these shows but one of them must have worn a blue dress at one point. Devil in a Blue Dress starring Monica and Billy. Oops! That's another soap opera. You really did a great job here and I missed you. Thank for visiting me this morning and watching that 100+ old film.
Hi, Birgit!
DeleteI'm thrilled to see you, dear friend! Thanks for rushing over to take third place and earn the Bronze medal. Display it proudly on your mantel.
Yessum, I love receiving pics of my buddy Harley (and you), and would appreciate more of them. Trust me when I tell you that I save them all and look at them often, because I miss my Toto so much.
Yessum, there are many trips to the dry cleaner for the blouses (blice?) worn by these White House Wonder Women... and the knee pad manufacturers are also doing brisk business. :) There's hanky-panky going on in every room and closet of the White House, on A.F. One and even in Honest Abe's lap. You can tell Scandal aired years ago, because a President caught having wild, irresponsible, illicit sex was still considered scandalous back then. Today, it's part of the job description.
I'm happy to know that following the story lines of the wanton women of The 1600 Club gave you a chuckle. They're wanton you to tune in for more mischievous fun and more great music in Vol. 2 of the series. Meanwhile, I''ll be back on April 1, 2 and 3 with my next post, featuring a crooner that you're sure to love.
Yessum, I missed you too, and delighted to reconnect with you. Stay well, smooch Harley for me and send pics, dear friend BB. I look forward to our next contact!
Whenever I hear "Reflections" I think back to the 1980s TV series China Beach of this tune served as its opening theme song. As for the second Supremes song, Diana Ross has always been almost famously on the thin side, but in that clip she looks not so much thin as downright gaunt, like she going to fall over while performing, with only the microphone stand holding her up. Fortunately she doesn't, and of course "I Hear a Symphony" is a great song. Very good cover of "(I) Can't Let Go", though I think I may be more familiar with The Hollies' original than Linda Ronstadt's remake. As for the cover of Megadeath's "Symphony of Desire", I'm thinking that it's really half a cover as the vocals at least seem to be original. Finally, I'm very familiar with Hall and Oates "Out of Touch" though for some reason I think this is the first time I've seen the video.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kirk!
DeleteHappy Super Tuesday and thanks for reporting in, good buddy!
Good memory! I too watched the Dana Delany - Marg Helgenberger series China Beach, but forgot that the Supremes hit "Reflections" was its opening theme song. Yes, Diana Ross always looked a bit too thin to me, and she looks downright skeletal in some of her outfits and performances. In the "Symphony" clip you mentioned, I actually couldn't tell which was Diana and which was the microphone stand. :)
With other people commenting mainly on the TV series and characters featured in the post, it's nice of you to discuss the embedded songs, including that wonderful rendition of "I Can't Let Go" by the family band Foxes and Fossils. Recorded way back in the summer of 2013, the performance shows why F&F exploded in popularity on YouTube during the period. The original version of "I Can't Let Go" was actually released in December, 1965, by Evie Sands, the gifted and highly underrated blue-eyed soul singer/songwriter that I featured in a series a few years ago on the old blog. In an eBay auction, I bid on and won a near mint copy of Evie's record and proudly added it to my vinyl collection. You can view the blue and yellow colored Blue Cat label scan in my right sidebar. It's the third record down from the large pink WSBA Radio survey. The Hollies and Linda Ronstadt also did fine versions, which is not surprising when you begin with a great song. On her meteoric YouTube channel, the half-nekked masked Korean girl only performs "guitar covers" of popular songs - adding her guitar playing to the original studio recordings. As far as I can tell, she makes no attempted to sing on any of her videos. The official music video for the Hall & Oates chart-topper "Out Of Touch" is indeed unique. When I found a nicely restored upload on Y/T, I jumped at the chance to get it running on my blog before it disappears. As we watch those agile young men perform in that vid, it's hard to believe that Daryl will be age 78 this fall and John will turn 76 a few weeks from now. I recently read that John Oates rivals basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain in the number of ladies with whom he has shared a bed.
Thanks again for discussing the music you encountered in Vol. 1 of The 1600 Club. Now get out there and vote for Mellie Grant who is running on a "Built Back Better" platform. Have a great month, good buddy Kirk. I hope to see you again when I return with my next offering on April 1.
Unlike other presidential wives, at least she knows her place
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteThanks for stopping in, good buddy!
The two Grants serving as President on Scandal (in addition to Ulysses S.) reminds me of comedian and impressionist Vaughn Meader's Grammy Award winning record album The First Family. Released in November, 1962, the comedy album, a parody of President John F. Kennedy and his family, became the fastest selling album in U.S. history. My folks bought the album and we played it often. One of the funniest bits on the record is an announcer's voice coming on and saying: "The following is a public service announcement. Election day is near. Go to the polls and vote. Vote for the Kennedy of your choice, but VOTE!"
Thanks again for your kind visit and comment, good buddy Alex!
There are some wonderful, classics songs here!! They receive a high approval rating from me. But how did I miss that Alice Cooper song? I've always been a fan of his and don't remember that one.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly & Pat!
DeleteWelcome back over, dear friends, as I present the official launch of my series The 1600 Club and the launch of Millie Grant's campaign for the office of the POTUS.
Really? You don't remember Alice Cooper's "Elected," a top 20 hit around election time in 1972? It was a biggie in my neck of the woods. I'm glad you give thumbs up to the song lineup which includes that Jay-Z vs O'Jays rap remix, a song from my favorite Santana album, Monica Rocha's modern cover of a long lost answer song and, from the Scandal soundtrack, an updated 1993 version of The Ohio Players' hit "Love Rollercoaster" as the showender.
Thanks again for dropping by, dear friend Kelly. It's always fun connecting with you. Have a good month, take care of yourself and your canine clan and I hope to see you at the start of April when I return with my next post.
I haven't watched this show but I'm always behind on the show watching. I just started a show called Scorpion, this week and it was on years ago. Good show though.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed some of the songs and always love Alice Cooper. I like that Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson and Johnny Depp have sang together a time or two. That's a fun show.
It was a fun post. Thanks for reminding me to come over for a visit, I've been a little scatter brained this week. Falcor says hi.
Hope you have a good rest of your month.
Hi, Mary!
DeleteYay! Your comment got published w/o gremlin interference again this time, dear friend! Welcome back to Shady's for more music and fun.
Yessum, Mrs. Shady and I watched Scorpion for a short while, then bailed out of it for some reason. As I recall, I liked the show more than she did, same as it was with Prodigal Son.
I'm glad you liked some of the tuneage offered by The Supremes of PA Ave. and thanks for singling out Alice Cooper's 1972 campaign song, an anthem that has been reused in subsequent elections. I didn't know that Cooper, Marilyn Manson and Depp sang together. Did they do "Tiptoe Thru The Tulips"? :)
Thanks again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Mary, and woof woof woof to my buddy Falcor. Have a safe and happy month of March. I look forward to getting back together with you when I return with my next post on April 1. Take care!
Whoa, look who's out of touch and almost out of time...ME! It's been a crazy week with work, home and just "things" on the schedule. But home now and happy to stop for some fun music and an a-list of lovely brunettes who rule. I've never seen any of the shows but now I understand why Disney always had blondes (except for Snow White) as the princesses and us brunettes as the witches. Looks like these gals have it together and frankly I'd vote for any of them at this point in 2024..so sad. Anyway, I enjoyed the tunes and the flashbacks to my era here and there. My fav song I'd never heard was the one song by Monica Rocha. I really enjoyed her voice. Well, my morning herb tea is now cold but I'm all warm listening to and seeing your post this morning! I hope you have a great rest of the month if I don't see another post. Also enjoy the beginning of Spring and Easter. You should enjoy the not so hot weather too! Take care Shady!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteI'm excited to see you, dear friend! Thanks for joining me on my last day of blogging for this month. I figured you have a hectic week in progress, but you made it here with plenty of time to spare, and I appreciate it. Once again, happy birthday to you! You are finally old enough to vote. :) With that in mind... yessum, these White House Wonder Women all happen to be brunette, first time I really thought about it, and right now Mellie Grant is the only one throwing her hat in the ring in the race for President. Please remember to vote early and often for Mellie Grant - Built Back Better!!!
I'm extremely pleased that you like Monica Rocha's performance backed by the veteran Chicago soul group The Notations. I admit that I never heard of that song before discovering her upload. Monica is a wonderful, soulful vocalist, and I will be posting more of her great covers in the future. I am delighted that you enjoyed the boomer tunes offered in Vol. 1 of The 1600 Club.
Yessum, it's still sweater weather here, but I wish we'd have another snowstorm or two before spring sets in. When I took the trash out late last night, I stood at the end of the driveway for a couple of minutes soaking up the chilly air and giving thanks that we have returned north.
I wish you, Jack, Jord, my sweetie Annabelle and your entire family a happy Easter (March 31) and hope you will swing by to see me the very next day, April 1, when I publish my next post. Take care and thank you again for your kind visit and excellent comment, dear friend YaYa!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteThis election period so far has me down in the dumps. Yet, this lifted my spirits. The Supremes, Santana, some of my favourites. I love that cover of "Symphony of Destruction." I love Megadeth and she was amazing.
It's been a crazy week. We got engaged and had a PFA hearing. Tommy didn't show, but since he came to my work two weeks ago, he did get served. The judge could rule without him there. I got a permanent PFA for 18 months. The chapter that ended 19 months ago (although I could argue it ended a month after it started) is now finally over. David and I can focus on our engagement, moving in together, our present and future. I'm glad David was by my side during my testimony yesterday.
See you next month, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI'm pleased to see you, dear friend! Thanks for attending Mellie Grant's pep rally and she officially kicks-off her campaign for President. Mellie stated that she is over the moon after picking up a key endorsement from Shady Del Knight.
Thanks for expressing appreciation for that early career song by Santana. I bought that album while in college and wore it out playing it in my off-campus apartment. I'm also glad you like the Megadeth guitar cover by the mysterious masked Korean musician. Her Y/T channel, nacoco music, is on fire.
I'm relieved to learn that "he" has been served, that you obtained a PFA and that you and David are moving forward toward your goals as a couple. I wish you nothing but smooth sailing and happiness ahead.
Thanks again for dropping by. I'll be looking for you April 1 when I return with my next post. Until then, keep your sprits up and enjoy the rest of the month, dear friend JM!
Well, am I glad I decided to catch up on this post of a few days ago!
ReplyDeleteMy older brother was and is a huge Alice Cooper fan and, to some extent, so was/is his kid brother, so that was an excellent way of kicking proceedings off, Shady. It is something of a strange coincidence that the immediately following song embedded here was that song where Diana Ross and The Supremes got as close as they ever would get to Psychedelia, I thought, as I will constantly think of that 'rehearsal' for 'Elected', 'Reflected' whenever I listen to it. My brother had the compilation of Alice Cooper's early-period recordings, 'School Days', which had 'Reflected' on it and it was perhaps my favourite track off the album. I've caught a televised performance of 'Reflected' on no less than the Hy Lit TV show and it's been a revelation looking into that, especially as there is another video, on the 'Jane Lincul' channel, of some scenes of dancing in the studio, where some highly impressive Northern Soul action to 'More, More, More Of Your Love', by Bob Brady and The Con Chords can be seen. Jane Lincul is none other than Sandi the Go-Go dancer off the show, so it appears and that surname looks excitingly Romanian to me. Indeed, 'lincul' is Romanian for 'link', so she is a sort of namesake of Lancelot Link! Thanks for indirectly introducing me to Bob Brady and The Con Chords and that first-rate Northern Soul tune.
I wonder if that 'The Love Of Money' video may have been an oblique reference to POTUS No. 45, as we used to get 'The Apprentice U.S.A.' here in the UK and that was the signature tune, of course. Little did I know the notoriety into which the Donald would enter back then. It would rather have spoiled the fun and games.
During that very enjoyable performance of 'I Can't Let Go' by Foxes and The Fossils I certainly felt as if I could have been watching one of Godfrey's Grit 'n' Soul Band's outdoor summer gigs. Perhaps I should suggest 'I Can't Let Go' to them as an addition to their playlist. Funnily enough, what should be in Foxes and The Fossils' repertoire other than 'California Dreamin'', so that could be a case of 'fair exchange'!
Returning to The Supremes, as they still would have been known in late '65, I found that a rather bizarre performance as it appeared that they had gone to the trouble of tracking down a Symphony Orchestra just to sit there doing nothing, just because the song had the word 'Symphony' in the title! Presumably they were very well-rewarded for their non-efforts!
The 'Out Of Touch' video was very much of its time and the idea of bursting through something 'reflected' one I know very well from the era of Dollar's 'Mirror Mirror', where Thereza Bazar had to jump through a sugar-glass window and was very badly cut for her troubles, so I learned! It was a birthday treat for me last year when I went to see Thereza in action in Chesterfield on the 'Oh L'Tour' tour, with my cousin who is a fellow admirer of Thereza's charms!
There've been a couple of 'Golden Anniversaries' at 'Hotlips On The Horse Tram' over this week, if you're interested in taking a look, BTW. I look forward to your feedback if you do so.
Have a great weekend!
Hi, Christopher!
DeleteWelcome back to SPMM, my friend! I hope you have been well and in good spirits since your last visit. Technically, I am off duty now, but I didn't want to leave you hanging without a writing a reply to your excellent comment.
I'm happy that you got so much enjoyment out of this first installment of my series The 1600 Club. Like your older brother, I was a huge fan of Alice Cooper, the rock band and the rockin' man. I vividly recall the first time I ever heard them. I was drinking in a college town pub in December, 1970, when "I'm Eighteen" started playing on the venue's sound system. From that moment on, I was hooked on Cooper's growly vocals and the dark, grotesque imagery that characterized his live stage performances.
Several years ago, on my old blog, I ran a 2-part tribute to Hy Lit and his music television series The Hy Lit Show. It included the clip you mentioned with the Smokey Robinson soundalike Bob Brady and his group The Con Chords doing their cover of "More, More, More Of Your Love" and the Hy Lit go-go dancers doing their thing.
"For The Love Of Money" would certainly apply to Donald J. Trump, but the song was a hit long before he assumed the presidency. First recorded by the Philadelphia-based soul group The O'Jays, the song was released as a single in late 1973, cracked the R&B top 3 in 1974 and, in 1975, garnered a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance.
Foxes And Fossils actually do have a cover of "California Dreamin'" on their YouTube channel. It shouldn't be hard for you to find if you are interested. Their cover of The Hollies version of "I Can't Let Go," originally waxed by Evie Sands, is one of their very best performances. I have been waiting years for the right opportunity to get it posted.
As for The Supremes' live appearance singing their hit "I Hear A Symphony" with an orchestra in the background, we should probably thank the producers of Hullaballoo, because that particular Supremes performance was lifted from a 1965 episode of the popular music TV series. In this case, the YouTube uploader took the vintage footage from Hullabaloo and synced it to a remastered version of the original studio recording.
Thanks for sharing the story of Thereza Bazar being injured jumping through a sugar-glass window pane during production of a Dollar video. You were fortunate to see Thereza in a live show last year. Just before Halloween, 2022, I ran a post here on SPMM that included Dollar's cool cover of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" as part of my salute to The Amazing Criswell of "Criswell Predicts" fame.
Thanks again for coming over this month, Christopher. I am signing-off now and hope to see you back here on April 1 when I unveil my next post. Take care, my friend!
Thanks for this reply and thanks, also, for mentioning another Alice Cooper favourite of mine, that I remember off another A.C. album my brother had, 'Greatest Hits', with its memorable cover inspired by the age of the Gangster Movie.
DeleteNow I've looked more deeply into 'More, More, More Of Your Love' I can see that it had been recorded originally by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, but that the Northern Soul scene preferred the more high-energy approach of the blue-eyed cover.
I must confess that I hadn't been fully aware of the 1970s origins of 'For The Love Of Money', so thanks for informing me thereof. It is quite a contrast to the O'Jays' hit of that period, 'Love Train'.
Since that original comment I have watched the video of 'California Dreamin'' by Foxes And Fossils (there's no 'The'!) and I was suitably impressed.
I like the way you have the two spellings, 'Hullaballoo' and 'Hullabaloo', because the show, spelled as the latter, was an ideal 'placement' for the British Beat group from Hull, The Hullaballoos!
You're welcome on that sharing of Thereza's less than 100% happy experience getting together the 'Mirror Mirror' promo video. I was indeed fortunate to get to see her in person and she still looks fabulous!
As I said over at that 'Amazing Criswell'-related post, see you in April!
Thanks, Christopher. I appreciated your visit and enjoyed our conversations. Take care, my friend!
DeleteThis is perfect to celebrate women this International Women's Month, Shady. I wonder what our country would be like when a female president leads. Ours almost did but you know how elections could get.
ReplyDeleteHi, Lux!
DeleteThank you for coming, dear friend!
I'm delighted that you could attend Mellie Grant's launch party, signaling the official start of her campaign for President of the United States. Mrs. Shady has been impatiently waiting for a woman to assume the high office, and I am firmly behind the idea myself. It will be interesting to see if and when it happens and who it turns out to be.
Thanks again for being here on this special occasion, dear friend Lux. I hope to see you a few weeks from now, on April 1, when I return with a new post. Till then, take care!
Great idea using a campaign for President right now. I was surprised at my favorites this time because I've never heard them before. "I Can't Let Go," "Out of Touch", and "Sorry Daddy." I love watching men dance as they sing and Hall & Oates reminded me of Rick Astley. I know Rick seemed a little stiff, but I loved watching him move. The song had a great beat and melody, but I didn't really think much of the lyrics. "I Cant Let You Go," was just my type of song. Very fun to listen to.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to read how you wrote for TV and radio. You had a great career giving you wonderful memories. As you know, today is my birthday. 74 years old. Unbelievable to me that I could get that old! Lol. I'm glad I could come here on this special day. Big hugs.
I also noticed The Notations as back-up singers for Monica. They were great and she has a lovely voice. Didn't care for the lyrics on this one either, but that doesn't matter much to me.
Hi, Belle!
DeleteI'm very happy to see you, dear sister - friend! Sorry I am so late with my reply. As you know, my new blogging policy is to completely withdraw from the blog scene after the first three days of a post's run. Rarely do I check the blog again until it is time for me to publish the next post approximately a month later. By the way, my next post will start running April 1, and I hope you can again stop by. I think the content will put a smile on your face.
Thanks for coming to witness former First Lady Mellie Grant hitting the campaign trail in her bid to become President of the United States!
You singled out three great songs in this batch, Belle. "I Can't Let Go" is a longtime favorite of mine because one of music history's most underrated singers and songwriters, Evie Sands, was first to record it. I also love the hit cover by The Hollies and consider this cover of a cover by Foxes & Fossils to be one of their greatest performances.
"Sorry Daddy," the long lost answer song to "Daddy's Home," is a song that I do not remember from my youth. It was only through following the YouTube channel of Latina soul singer Monica Rocha that I recently learned of it. The Notations are also new to me. I read that they are a veteran soul group formed in the mid 60s in Chicago with the legendary soul man Curtis Mayfield of The Impressions as their mentor.
The Hall & Oates video is indeed fun to watch, and keep in mind that those agile, acrobatic young men in the video are now in their mid to late 70s!
Oh, Belle! Please forgive me for forgetting your birthday this year. I am well aware that it falls on March 14 and even had it written down a couple of months ago so that I'd be sure to remember. All I can say in my defense is that the month of March creeped up on me and then got away from me. I had a doctor appointment this morning, a lab appointment three days ago and two more medical visits scheduled in the next few weeks. It's no excuse, but I have had a lot on my mind and on my plate and just forgot. So, if I may, I want to wish you a happy belated birthday, my wonderful friend! I hope you were surrounded by loved ones and had a great celebration. Perhaps, since you special day fell on a weekday this year, your girls will be with you this coming weekend. If visiting my site yesterday gave you an extra reason to smile, then I am thankful. I am certainly grateful that you set aside some time to listen to the songs and enjoy the humor in the post.
Thank you again for your kind visit and wonderful comment, and happy happy happy birthday (and many more) to you, sweet sister - friend Belle!
Oh, thank you so much for the Birthday wishes. As you know, I've had medical issues also which take up a lot of my time and energy. No worries about remembering, I am very forgetful these days. I did have a lovely day and yes, the family will be celebrating with me later. The girls work full time and are renovating their house, so they are also very busy.
DeleteI'm glad Spring is coming very soon. I hear the neighborhood kids playing all week as it is Easter Break. I love hearing them laugh and yell together enjoying the good weather. They got a bit of snow in the winter, and we have had lots of rain and now the sun is out the last few days. I hope you have a lovely March.
Hi again, Belle!
DeleteThank you for your understanding and forgiveness, dear sister - friend. Yessum, medical issues suck time and energy. They distract us and take our focus off of activities that make life pleasurable and people we care about. I too have my share of medical issues, and spend far too much time in exam rooms of doctor's offices and clinics having blood drawn, getting infusions, scans, etc. That's why I am more determined than ever not to give up blogging entirely and never to stop listening to music that makes me feel young and alive. Music is a potent and effective weapon in the war on aging and illness. Keeping a sense of humor is also vitally important.
Here in my neck of the woods, we are currently experiencing the type of winter weather we often had in Florida. High temps are now pushing into the 70s and Mrs. Shady is eager to get outdoors, plant her lettuce seeds and get her garden started for the growing season. We only had four snowfalls this winter, ending a snow drought in this region that extended back several years. I enjoyed every minute of the cold, snowy weather and look forward to more of it when winter returns at Christmas time.
I am very happy knowing that your girls will be with you for a weekend birthday celebration. I hope you got my email. I still have two different email addresses for you and fear that I might have used the one that is obsolete. Please look for it. Once again, happy birthday to you, my sweet and wonderful friend Belle. I hope you can visit again and join the fun when I unveil my next post on April 1. Take good care of yourself and give thanks for every new day, dear sister!