WA2K Radio is now on the air

It's the wrong time of day, but love this song by Mr. JT:

Do me wrong, do me right. Tell me lies but hold me tight.
Save your good-byes for the morning light, but don't let me be lonely tonight.

Say goodbye and say hello. Sure enough good to see you, but it's time to go.
Don't say yes but please don't say no, I don't want to be lonely tonight.

Go away then, damn you, go on and do as you please,
You ain't gonna see me getting down on my knees.
I'm undecided, and your heart's been divided, you've been turning my world upside down.

Do me wrong, do me right, right now, baby. Go on and tell me lies but hold me tight.
Save your good-byes for the morning light, morning light,
but don't let me be lonely tonight.
I don't want to be lonely tonight, no, no, I don't want to be lonely tonight.

I don't want to be lonely tonight.

Love that one, Mr. Turtle. As a matter of record, I love them all, but this one is the one that I am thinking of today, M.D., because it has proved to be so true in my life. Platonic relationships are the best of all.

When youre down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name,
And you know whereever I am
Ill come running, oh yeah baby
To see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall,
All you have to do is call
And Ill be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Youve got a friend.

If the sky above you
Should turn dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together and call my name out loud
And soon I will be knocking upon your door.
You just call out my name and you know where ever I am
Ill come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you got to do is call
And Ill be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, aint it good to know that youve got a friend?
People can be so cold.
Theyll hurt you and desert you.
Well theyll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but dont you let them.

You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
Ill come running to see you again.
Oh babe, dont you know that,
Winter spring summer or fall,
Hey now, all youve got to do is call.
Lord, Ill be there, yes I will.
Youve got a friend.
Youve got a friend.
Aint it good to know youve got a friend.
Aint it good to know youve got a friend.
Youve got a friend.

Good Morning WA2K.

Faces to match, but don't know about those romantic places.

Hey, Raggedy. All faces that we know and love are romantic. Thanks again, PA.

There's Gordon three times, Liza, and James. Great. Now I realize why I know the Desert Song.

Desert Song

Romberg (m) - Harbach & Hammerstein II (w)

My desert is waiting.
Dear Come there with me.
I'm longing to teach you
Love's sweet melody.
I'll sing a dream song to you,
Painting a picture for two.

Blue heaven and you and I,
And sand kissing a moonlit sky.
A desert breeze whisp'ring a lullaby,
Only stars above you
To see I love you.

Oh, give me that night divine,
And let my arms in yours entwine.
The desert song, calling,
It's voice enthralling,
Will make you mine.

Don't ask me why I know it, listeners.

Why do you know it, Letty?

Do you know this one, too?

from The Desert Song:

One alone -

I have heard all you've been saying
Yet I will love in my own way

Lonely as a desert breeze
I may wonder where I please
Yet I keep on longing
Just to rest a while

Where a sweetheart's tender eyes
Take the place of sand and skies
All the World forgotten
In one Woman's smile

One alone, to be my own
I alone, to know her caresses
One to be, eternally
The one my worshipping soul possesses

At her call, I give my all
All my life and all my love enduring
This would be a magic World to me
If she were mine alone...

One alone, to be my own
I alone, to know her caresses
One to be, eternally
The one my worshipping soul possesses

You weren't supposed to ask me that, Raggedy. Got me back for the "don't quote me", didn't you.

Yes, I know One Alone, honey. (don't ask; don't tell)

Well, the Turtle and the pup and the Letty are playing and reciting night songs in the early morn.

The Day is Done

THE DAY is done, and the darkness
Falls from the wings of Night,
As a feather is wafted downward
From an eagle in his flight.

I see the lights of the village
Gleam through the rain and the mist,
And a feeling of sadness comes o'er me
That my soul cannot resist:

A feeling of sadness and longing,
That is not akin to pain,
And resembles sorrow only
As the mist resembles the rain.

Come, read to me some poem,
Some simple and heartfelt lay,
That shall soothe this restless feeling,
And banish the thoughts of day.

Not from the grand old masters,
Not from the bards sublime,
Whose distant footsteps echo
Through the corridors of Time.

For, like strains of martial music,
Their mighty thoughts suggest
Life's endless toil and endeavor;
And to-night I long for rest.

Read from some humbler poet,
Whose songs gushed from his heart,
As showers from the clouds of summer,
Or tears from the eyelids start;

Who, through long days of labor,
And nights devoid of ease,
Still heard in his soul the music
Of wonderful melodies.

Such songs have power to quiet
The restless pulse of care,
And come like the benediction
That follows after prayer.

Then read from the treasured volume
The poem of thy choice,
And lend to the rhyme of the poet
The beauty of thy voice.

And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares, that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

cole porter's songs were already quite "with it " , weren't they ?
but as we all know , even in the "good old days" there was plenty of "good living" and "hanky panky" - at least that's what my grandfather told me :wink: .
one of the other cd's i picked up is a louis prima - who sure knew about "hanky panky " - and how to jive and wail ! (good music to take along on a long drive - keeps me "alive with the jive " )!
hbg


Artist: Louis Prima
Song: Jump Jive An' Wail
Album:
[" " CD]

Baby, baby it looks like it's gonna hail
Baby, baby it looks like it's gonna hail
You better come inside
Let me teach you how to jive an' wail

CHORUS:
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail away!

Papa's in the icebox lookin' for a can of ale
Papa's in the icebox lookin' for a can of ale
Mama's in the backyard
Learning how to jive an' wail

(chorus)

A woman is a woman and a man ain't nothin' but a male
A woman is a woman and a man ain't nothin' but a male
One good thing about him
He knows how to jive an' wail

Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail
Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail
Jill stayed up,
She wants to learn how to jive an' wail

Ah, hbg. Louis and Keely. I think their relationship was as stormy as Ike and Tina. Incidentally, that was on the TV the other night. "What's Love Got to do with it".

Hey, folks. How about a little Dixieland jazz. Here's one by Harry Connick, Jr.

"manera abajo allí a la vista en New Orleans" por Harry Connick, Jr.


Manera abajo allí a la vista en New Orleans
En la tierra de las escenas dreamy
Es un jardín de Eden... que usted sabe lo que significo

Bebés criollos con ojos del lovin '
Susurre suavemente sus suspiros blandos
Stop..ya apostado su vida usted se rezagará allí... un poco rato
la parada....won't usted da a su feria de la señora... un poco sonrisa

El correcto del cielo aquí en la tierra
Todas las reinas hermosas
Manera abajo allí a la vista en... Orleans nueva

la parada....won't usted da a su feria de la señora... un poco sonrisa
pare... la feria de la señora de.give... un poco sonrisa
¡Oh!
El correcto del cielo aquí en la tierra
Todas las reinas hermosas,
¡Mirada hacia fuera!
Manera abajo allí a la vista en New Orleans

For once, I know what is being sung.

from bill wyman's rhythm kings :
(who also perform "jump , jive and wail")

Taxman
----------
George Harrison

Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you nineteen for me
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah I'm the taxman

Should five percent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman

If you drive a car I'll tax the street
If you try to sit I'll tax your seat
If you get too cold I'll tax the heat
If you take a walk I'll tax your feet
Taxman

'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman

Don't ask me what I want it for
Ah-ah, Mister Wilson
If you don't want to pay some more
Ah-ah, Mister Heath

'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman

Now my advice for those who die, Taxman!
Declare the pennies on your eyes, Taxman!
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman
And you're working for no one but me
Taxman

hbg, did you know that an American man filled out his tax retured on his shirt and mailed it to the IRS? They didn't blink an eye just processed it, and yawned. <smile>

Here's one from Tom Waits that says a lot about confusion and musicians, folks.



The piano has been drinking,
My necktie is asleep,
And the combo went back to New York,
The jukebox has to take a leak,
And the carpet needs a haircut,
And the spotlight looks like a prison break,
'Cause the telephone's out of cigarettes,
And the balcony is on the make,
And the piano has been drinking.

The piano has been drinking,
And the menus are all freezing,
And the light man's blind in one eye,
And he can't see out of the other,
And the piano tuner's got a hearing aid,
And he showed up with his mother,
And the piano has been drinking.

The piano has been drinking,
As the bouncer is a Sumo wrestler,
Cream-puff casper milktoast,
And the owner is a mental midget,
With the I.Q. of a fence post,
'Cause the piano has been drinking.

The piano has been drinking,
And you can't find your waitress,
With a Geiger counter,
And she hates you and your friends,
And you just can't get served without her,
And the box-office is drooling,
And the bar stools are on fire,
And the newspapers were fooling,
And the ashtrays have retired,
'Cause the piano has been drinking.

The piano has been drinking,
The piano has been drinking,
Not me,
Not me,
Not me,
Not me,
Not me.

Piece Of My Heart
Big Brother & The Holding Company

Oh, come on, come on, come on, come on
Didn't I make you feel
Like you were the only man, yeah
And didn't I give you nearly everything
That a woman possibly can
Honey, you know I did
And each time I tell myself that I
Well, I think I've had enough
But I'm gonna show you, baby
That a woman can be tough

I want you to come on, come on, come on, come on
And take it
Take another little piece of my heart now, baby
Oh, oh, break it
Break another little bit of my heart
Now, darling, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Have another little piece of my heart now, baby
You know you got it
If it makes you feel good
Oh, yes, indeed

You're out on the streets looking good
And baby deep down in your heart
I guess you know that it ain't right
Never, never, never, never, never, never
Hear me when I cry at night
Babe, and I cry all the time
But each time I tell myself that I
Well I can't stand the pain
But when you hold me in your arms
I'll sing it once again

I'll say come on, come on, come on, come on
Ya, take it
Take another little piece of my heart now, baby
Oh, oh, break it
Break another little bit of my heart now, darling, yeah
Come on, now
Have another little piece of my heart now, baby
You know you got it, whooooooo
Take it
Take another little piece of my heart now, baby
Whooooa, oh, break it
Break another little bit of my heart, now darling
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Whooooa, oh, break it
Have another little piece of my heart now, baby, hey

yep , even cheques (or checks - as you call them :wink: ) have been written on shirts , and they are as good as a paper checks :wink:

and with that in mind :

Mule Skinner Blues
Song InformationBy: Jimmie Rodgers & George Vaughn
Original Appearance: The Best of Dolly Parton
Compilations: The Essential Dolly Parton Volume 2
Legendary Dolly Parton
RCA Country Legends Series
Alternate Versions: None

Well good morning Captain
Good morning to you Sir
Hey hey yeah
Do you need another mule skinner
Down on your new mud run
Hey hey yeah
Yodel-a-ee-he-he
He-he-he-he-he-he

Well I'm a lady mule skinner
From down old Tennessee way
Hey hey I come from Tennessee
I can make any mule listen
Or I won't accept your pay
Hey hey I won't take your pay

Yodel-a-ee-he-he
He-he-he-he-he-he

Well hey hey little waterboy
Won't you bring your water 'round
Hey hey
If you don't like your job
Well you can throw your bucket down
Throw it down boy, throw it down

Yodel-a-ee-he-he
He-he-he-he-he-he

Well I've been working down in Georgia
At a greasy spoon café
Hey that lovely joint
Just to let a no good man
Call every cent of my pay
Hey hey and I'm sick of it
And wanna be a mule skinner

Yodel-a-ee-he-he
He-he-he-he-he-he
Yodel-a-ee-he-he
He-he-he-he-he-he

Well good morning Captain
Good morning to you Sir
Hey hey yeah
Do you need another mule skinner
Down on your new mud run
Hey hey yeah
Yodel-a-ee-he-he
He-he-he-he-he-he

Well I'm a lady mule skinner
From down old Tennessee way
Hey hey I come from Tennessee
I can make any mule listen
Or I won't accept your pay
Hey hey I won't take your pay

Yodel-a-ee-he-he
He-he-he-he-he-he

Well hey hey little waterboy
Won't you bring your water 'round
Hey hey
If you don't like your job
Well you can throw your bucket down
Throw it down boy, throw it down

Yodel-a-ee-he-he
He-he-he-he-he-he

Well I've been working down in Georgia
At a greasy spoon café
Hey that lovely joint
Just to let a no good man
Call every cent of my pay
Hey hey and I'm sick of it
And wanna be a mule skinner

Yodel-a-ee-he-he
He-he-he-he-he-he
Yodel-a-ee-he-he
He-he-he-he-he-he

Mule skinner blues

Well, edgar and hbg. Good songs, fellows, and since we may not get a tax break, someone out there will have a piece of our heart and a lot of our skin

How about the track of our tears?

Artist: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles Lyrics
Song: The Tracks Of My Tears Lyrics

People say I'm the life of the party
Because I tell a joke or two
Although I might be laughing loud and hearty
Deep inside I'm blue
So take a good look at my face
You'll see my smile looks out of place
If you look closer, it's easy to trace
The tracks of my tears..
I need you, need you
Since you left me if you see me with another girl
Seeming like I'm having fun
Although she may be cute
She's just a substitute
Because you're the permanent one..
So take a good look at my face
You'll see my smile looks out of place
If you look closer, it's easy to trace
The tracks of my tears..
I need you, need you
Outside I'm masquerading
Inside my hope is fading
Just a clown oh yeah
Since you put me down
My smile is my make up
I wear since my break up with you..
So take a good look at my face
You'll see my smile looks out of place
If you look closer, it's easy to trace
The tracks of my tears

Jerry Lee Lewis - Big Blue Diamonds

Big diamonds, Big blue diamonds, on her fingers
Instead of that little band of gold
Big diamonds, big blue diamonds, tell the story
Of a love, that no one man could ever hold

She wanted more than I had money to buy
She left me for a stranger I've been told
Big diamonds, big blue diamonds, how they sparkle
[But you known something neighbours
They cant warm your soul
Think about it now...]


She wanted more than I had money, money, money to buy
She left me for an another Jerry's been told-oh-oh-oh
She was wearing big diamonds, big blue diamonds
How they sparkle, yes they do
But what can they do to warm your soul
[Listen to me now...]

She wanted more than I had money to buy
She left me for a stranger I've been told
[I still love her though]
Big diamonds, big blue diamonds, how they sparkle
But what can they do, I said what can they do
I said what can they do to warm your soul

Honeycomb
Jimmie Rodgers

(Honeycomb)
(Honeycomb)

Well it's a darn good life
And it's kinda funny
How the Lord made the bee
And the bee made the honey
And the honeybee lookin' for a home
And they called it honeycomb
And they roamed the world and they gathered all
Of the honeycomb into one sweet ball
And the honeycomb from a million trips
Made my baby's lips

Oh, Honeycomb, won't you be my baby
Well, Honeycomb, be my own
Got a hank o' hair and a piece o' bone
And made a walkin' talkin' Honeycomb
Well, Honeycomb, won't you be my baby
Well, Honeycomb, be my own
What a darn good life
When you got a wife like Honeycomb

(Honeycomb)

And the Lord said now that I made a bee
I'm gonna look all around for a green, green tree
And He made a little tree and I guess you heard
What then, well, he made a little bird
And they waited all around till the end of Spring
Gettin' every note that the birdie'd sing
And they put 'em all into one sweet tome
For my Honeycomb

Oh, Honeycomb, won't you be my baby
Well, Honeycomb, be my own
Got a hank o' hair and a piece o' bone
And made a walkin' talkin' Honeycomb
Well, Honeycomb, won't you be my baby
Well, Honeycomb, be my own
What a darn good life
When you got a wife like Honeycomb

(Honeycomb)

And the Lord says now that I made a bird
I'm gonna look all round for a little ol' word
That sounds about sweet like "turtledove"
And I guess I'm gonna call it "love"
And He roamed the world lookin' everywhere
Gettin' love from here, love from there
And He put it all in a little ol' part
Of my baby's heart

Oh, Honeycomb, won't you be my baby
Well, Honeycomb, be my own
Got a hank o' hair and a piece o' bone
And made a walkin' talkin' Honeycomb
Well, Honeycomb, won't you be my baby
Well, Honeycomb, be my own
What a darn good life
When you got a wife like Honeycomb
(Honeycomb)

Good morning, WA2K folks.

edgar, Little Richard is still hanging in, no? and I really like that Jimmie Rodgers song, Texas. I need to do more research on him.

Here's one by Bobby Darin that is great, I think.

(Bushkin/Devries)

I'm not the guy who cared about love
And I'm not the guy who cared about fortunes and such
I never cared much
Oh, look at me now!

I never knew the technique of kissing
I never knew the thrill I could get from your touch
I never knew much
Oh, look at me now!

I'm a new man better than casanova at his best
With a new heart and a brand new start
Why I'm so proud I'm bustin' my vest

So I'm the guy who turned out a lover
Yes I'm the guy who laughed at those blue diamond rings
One of those things
Oh, look at me now!

I'm not the guy who cared about love
And I'm not the guy who cared about fortunes and such
I never cared much
Oh, look at me now!

And I never knew the technique of kissing
I never knew the thrill I could get form your touch
I never knew much
Oh, look at me now!

I'm a new man better than casanova at his very best
With a new heart and a brand new start
I'm so proud I'm bustin' my vest

So I'm the guy who turned out a lover
Yes I'm the guy who laughed at those blue diamond rings
One of those things
Oh, look at me now!
Look at me now!

Neil Sedaka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Neil Sedaka (born March 13, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American pop singer, pianist, and songwriter often associated with the Brill Building. He teamed up with Howard Greenfield to write many major hit songs for himself and others. Sedaka's voice is in the tenor range.





Career

Sedaka was born to a Sephardi Turkish Jewish immigrant to Brooklyn and an Ashkenazi Jewish mother. He began performing on the piano as a youth and played on a classical music radio station, as well as studying at Juilliard. He also began experimenting with doo wop and rock and roll, singing and playing in an early version of The Tokens. His composition "Stupid Cupid" was a 1958 success for Connie Francis and Sedaka was signed to RCA Records as a solo performer. A string of hits followed, ending in 1963.

The best-known Billboard Hot 100 hits of his early career are "Oh! Carol" (#9, 1959), "Calendar Girl" (#4, 1960), "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" (#6, 1961), and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (#1, 1962). "Oh! Carol" references Sedaka's Brill Building compatriot and former girlfriend Carole King. King soon responded with her own answer song, "Oh, Neil," which directly references his song (and his full name). A Scopitone exists for "Calendar Girl".

Between 1960 and 1962, Sedaka had eight Top 40 hits. But he was among the early 1960s performers whose careers were waylaid by the British Invasion and other sea changes in the music industry. His singles began to decline on the US charts, before disappearing altogether.

In 1973, Sedaka helped ABBA write the English lyrics of the song "Ring Ring" for the Eurovision contest. He began working in England with Elton John, who signed him to his Rocket Records label. Following a decade-long fallow period, Sedaka returned to the public's attention with a flourish, topping the charts twice "Laughter in the Rain" and "Bad Blood" (both 1975). Elton John provided backing vocals for the latter song. The flipside of "Laughter in the Rain" was "The Immigrant", a wistful, nostalgic piece recalling the days of more welcoming attitudes toward newly arrived peoples from many cultures in America. Sedaka and Greenfield also co-wrote "Love Will Keep Us Together", a No. 1 hit for The Captain and Tennille and the best selling record of 1975. The song, if listened to carefully, reveals the lyric 'Sedaka is back' in the coda (sung by background singers).

It was those hits, plus Sedaka's own magnificent stagecraft, that made him a comeback success story. Sedaka was chosen to be the opening act for the Carpenters by their manager, Sherwin Bash. According to the biography "Carpenters: The Untold Story" by Ray Coleman, Richard Carpenter ordered Sedaka fired, which resulted in a media backlash against the Carpenters after Sedaka publicly announced he was off the tour.

Richard Carpenter detracted allegations that he ordered Sedaka fired for 'stealing their show', stating in his newsletter that they were proud of Sedaka's success. However, Sherwin Bash was later fired as the Carpenters' manager.

In 1976, Sedaka recorded a new version of "Breaking Up is Hard to Do." The chart-topping 1962 original was fast-tempo and bouncy teen pop, but the remake was much slower and in the style of a jazz/torch piano centered arrangement. It reached #8 on the pop charts, thus becoming the second artist to hit the US Top Ten twice with two separate versions of the same song. (The Ventures had hits in 1960 and 1964 with recordings of "Walk, Don't Run". Coincidentally, Sedaka's record label boss Elton John would later accomplish the feat twice, with 1991's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and 1997's "Candle in the Wind".)

Sedaka's second version of "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" topped Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. The same year, Elvis Presley recorded the Sedaka song "Solitaire". In 1980, Sedaka had a #19 hit with "Should've Never Let You Go," which he recorded with his daughter, Dara.

Sedaka is also the composer of the popular "Is This The Way to Amarillo", a song he wrote for Britain's Tony Christie. It reached #18 on the UK charts in 1971, but hit #1 when reissued in 2005, thanks to a cameo-filled video starring comedian Peter Kay. Sedaka recorded the song himself in 1977, when it became a #44 hit. On April 7, 2006, during a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Neil Sedaka was presented with an award from the book Guinness World Records: British Hit Singles and Albums as the writer of the Best-Selling Single of the 21st century for "Amarillo".

In 2006, Sedaka continues to perform regularly. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in October 2006.


Other musical works

In 1985, Sedaka composed songs for the anime series Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. These included the two opening themes "Zeta - Toki wo Koete" (originally written in English as "Better Days are Coming") and "Mizu no Hoshi e Ai wo Komete" (originally written in English as "For Us to Decide", but the English version was never recorded), as well as the ending theme "Hoshizora no Believe" (originally written as "Bad and Beautiful"). Due to copyright issues, the songs were replaced with other music for the North American DVD release.

In 1994, Sedaka provided the voice of a parody character of himself in the now-closed Epcot show Food Rocks, named Neil Mousaka.


Private life

In 1962, Neil Sedaka married his wife, Leba, and they are still together. They have two children: daughter Dara, a recording artist and vocalist for television and radio commercials and son Marc, a screenwriter who lives in Los Angeles, California.

Michael Martin Murphey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Martin Murphey (born 13 March 1945 in Dallas, Texas) is a successful American country singer-songwriter whose biggest hit was "Wildfire" in 1975, produced by Bob Johnston. He was associated with the outlaw country movement. Murphey currently lives in Westby, Wisconsin, with interests in New Mexico and Texas.


Career

Having been influenced by gospel music at an early age, Murphey aspired to become a Baptist minister. From 1965-70, as a staff songwriter for Screen Gems, Murphey was writing theme tunes and soundtrack material for television. He grew disillusioned with the poor financial rewards, and left. For a short time he was a member of the Lewis And Clarke Expedition, which he formed with Owen Castleman, before going solo. "Geronimo's Cadillac" was produced in Nashville, Tennessee by Bob Johnston, who was responsible for Murphey's signing with A&M Records. The title track was released as a single, and achieved a Top 40 place in the U.S. pop charts.

As well as folk, country and blues, Murphey's early gospel leanings are evident in the overall sound of the album. He signed to Epic Records in 1973 after releasing Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir, which continued the urban cowboy theme of his earlier work.

During this period of association with the outlaw country music movement that began in Austin, Texas in the 1970s, Murphey performed a number of times at the Armadillo World Headquarters. Murphey's photo also appeared as the original cover of Jan Reid's book, The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock. News reports of the time, suggested that Murphey was upset by the use of his image on the book's cover, and his photo was removed in subsequent editions.

In 1975 he released his seminal album, Blue Sky, Night Thunder, which contained the hit "Carolina in the Pines", and what is perhaps his masterpiece, "Wildfire", which to this day is the song Murphey is most associated with even though he has had many other hits.


Michael Murphey's Geronimo's Cadillac LPThe recording, Michael Martin Murphey included a number of songs Murphey had co-written with Mike D'Abo, including the #1 hit "What's Forever For". Reviewers have noted that his albums followed a more middle-of-the-road format after this, with occasional glimpses of his better work, as in Peaks, Valleys, Honky-Tonks And Alleys. Murphey reached number 3 in the U.S. pop singles charts (and number one on the Adult Contemporary chart) in 1975, achieving a gold disc with "Wildfire". Aside from "Geronimo's Cadillac" and "Wildfire," he has reached the pop top 40 three other times, with "Carolina In The Pines" (1975, #21), "Renegade" (1976, #39), and "What's Forever For" (1982, #19 plus #1 Country for one week).

Murphey has never had the degree of commercial success his writing that some observers believe is within his capability. However, as a writer, he has had songs covered by John Denver, Cher, Lyle Lovett, Claire Hamill, Hoyt Axton, Bobbie Gentry and the Monkees. He also wrote songs for Michael Nesmith including "The Oklahoma Backroom Dance". Murphey later played at Ronnie Scott's club in London, for a press presentation, and was supported on the occasion by J.D. Souther, Don Henley, Dave Jackson and Gary Nurm. Murphey continued recording easy-listening country music into the 1980s with great success (in 1984 he changed the billing on his singles releases from Michael Murphey to Michael Martin Murphey). In 1987, he achieved a number 1 country single with the wedding song, "A Long Line Of Love", and had further hits with "A Face In The Crowd", a duet with Holly Dunn, and "Talkin' To The Wrong Man", which featured his son, Ryan.

In the 1990s, Murphey chose, like Ian Tyson, to revive old cowboy songs as well as writing his own. This change runs counter to that of many country performers who have moved away from the music's cowboy roots. Murphey could be described as a latter-day Marty Robbins. In 1990 he released the album Cowboy Songs to great success. It contains his versions of many old cowboy songs from the public domain such as "The Streets of Laredo" and the beautiful "Spanish is the Loving Tongue", as well as the original "Cowboy Logic", which might be considered his last "mainstream" hit song. Cowboy Songs has since been certified gold and, according to his website, is the first western album to do so since Marty Robbins. Cowboy Songs III includes, with the aid of recording technology, a duet with Robbins on the song, "Big Iron". Murphey demonstrates his musical ambitions on 1995's Sagebrush Symphony, recorded with the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra. In 1998, following his departure from Warner Bros. Records, Murphey started his own record label.

For two decades he has hosted the annual Westfest arts and music festival in Colorado which has hosted nearly every major country music recording artist during that timespan.

Let me tell you about my doctor. He's very good.
>
> If you tell him you want a second opinion, he'll go out and come in again.
>
> He treated one woman for yellow jaundice for three years before he
> realized she was Chinese.
>
> Another time he gave a patient six months to live. At the end of the six
> months, the patient hadn't paid his bill, so the doctor gave him another
> six months.
>
> While he was talking to me, his nurse came in and said, "Doctor, there is
> a man here who thinks he's invisible." The doctor said, "Tell him I can't
> see him."
>
> Another time, a man came running in the office and yelled, "Doctor,
> doctor!!
> - my son just swallowed a roll of film!!" The doctor calmly replied,
> "Let's just wait and see what develops."
>
> One patient came in and said, "Doctor, I have a serious memory problem."
> The doctor asked, "When did it start?" The man replied, "When did what
> start?"
>
> I remember one time I told my doctor I had a ringing in my ears. His
> advice: "Don't answer it."
>
> My doctor sure has his share of nut cases. One said to him, "Doctor, I
> think I'm a bell." The doctor gave him some pills and said, "Here, take
> these - if they don't work, give me a ring."
>
> Another guy told the doctor that he thought he was a deck of cards. The
> doctor simply said, "Go sit over there. I'll deal with you later."
>
> When I told my doctor I broke my leg in two places, he told me to stop
> going to those places.
>
> You know, doctors can be so frustrating. You wait a month and a half for
> an appointment, then he says, "I wish you had come to me sooner."
>