You know what is truly wonderful? To see the Aussies, the Canucks, the Brits and the Germans. That is what this cyber radio was intended to do.(waves to msolga.)
Eva, I misread George's comment. Of course it's Hello Dolly. (perhaps hello Dali?)
Thanks Tai Chi for that lovely song, "Queen of Argyle" by The Sons of Maxwell. Wonderful, dear.
Izzie, I recall Top Gun with Tom Cruise, but I also remember Val Kilmer as the Ice Man.
edgar, Loved that version of White Lightning by George Jones, and are you saying that Al Martino died today? I remember that he was Frank Sinatra in The Godfather. Love that song by him, Texas.
Time for me to say goodnight, y'all. I think that I shall do so with two songs.
I love the Bing Crosby and Hello Dolly music, letty.
0 Replies
edgarblythe
1
Reply
Wed 14 Oct, 2009 07:26 pm
Well, Mister Zimmerman has certainly surprised us before. His conversion to Christianity around the time of 1979's gospel-tinged "Slow Train Coming" album was one of those surprises, but he's got a new one in store for us: a Christmas album, and the reviews are starting to roll in.
Rock writer Michael Simmons got a sneak preview for Mojo magazine's blog and here's an excerpt from his report:
Overall, it's without a doubt the most minor and oddest record in Bob's canon. The 15 selections are all straightforward Christmas standards and there's a cognitive dissonance on hearing He Who Gargles With Battery Acid backed by what sound like the Anita Kerr Singers. That Dylan's voice is shot (albeit poignantly so) isn't as glaring when he sings If You Ever Go To Houston; it's when he attempts Winter Wonderland. And throughout Christmas In The Heart Dylan makes Tom Waits sound like Antony Hegarty.
Moreover, the mixture of kitsch and reverence is surreal, referencing both his jokey Theme Time Radio Hour persona and the Born-Again Bob's true believer trip, reinforced by graphics that include the Three Wise Men as well as Bettie Page in a scanty Santa get-up.
Chris Richards at The Washington Post had this to say:
This Christmas season, parents will introduce their children to a legendary sage from northern climes renowned for his unsettling facial hair and unmistakable voice.
This man is, of course, Bob Dylan. His first-ever holiday album, "Christmas in the Heart," arrives today, with the 68-year-old ripping through a gaggle of jaunty Christmas carols as if they were so much gift wrap. From "Winter Wonderland" to "Silver Bells" to "First Noel," it's a bizarre and bewildering collection that, in many ways, embodies the rough-hewn traditionalism and forehead-slapping surrealism that's defined Dylan's career. The man's serrated croon isn't just jarring -- it actually gives these chirpy old chestnuts a sense of menace.
And it is awesome.
Awesome, Chris? Awesome? I'm not so sure about that. Methinks this is another one of those occasions -- it happens every time Dylan releases a new record, if you are keeping tabs -- where rock critics let their love of the man and his back catalog cloud their judgments on his present-day output.
To my mind, this is a total ear-bleeder, although I feel guilty saying that because all proceeds from the album's sales go to support The World Food Programme, Crisis UK and Feeding America.
Actually, radio stations east of the Mississippi river have W's before the rest of the call letters, and radio and TV stations west of the river start with K. I haven't figured out why that is yet. May I join the research staff? I'm full of lots of useless information. Better yet, how about a trivia guru. I'll take Potent Potables for 1000, Alex.
There is one notable exception that I know of, concerning call letters. WOAI is in San Antonio, Texas.
0 Replies
edgarblythe
2
Reply
Wed 14 Oct, 2009 08:02 pm
I found a great article on Al Martino:
Al Martino, who died on October 13 aged 82, was a great postwar Italian-American crooner who rose to even further fame with his role as the singer Johnny Fontane in The Godfather, the 1972 blockbuster movie starring Marlon Brando; he also sang the UK's first number one record.
The character of Fontane " a busted flush who seeks the intervention of the Mafia to revive his career " is often said to have been based on Frank Sinatra, who had long been known to have mob connections; but equally there were parallels with Martino's own life story.
Indeed, his friend Phyllis McGuire " one of the singing trio The McGuire Sisters and the girlfriend of the mobster Sam Giancana " told Martino before the film was made: "I just read a book, [Mario Puzo's] The Godfather. Al, Johnny Fontane is you " and I know you can play it in the movie."
Martino later claimed that he contacted the film's producer, Al Ruddy, who offered him the part, despite the fact that he had no acting experience. The crooner arranged to be released from a contract to sing at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas (costing him an estimated $250,000), but was then rejected for the Fontane role by the director, Francis Ford Coppola, in favour of Vic Damone.
According to Martino, Coppola was eventually outflanked, after the singer used mob connections to pressure the director in a manner that could have come from the film: "Didn't the Don send Tom Hagen to convince Jack Woltz that Johnny Fontane must be in the movie? Isn't it similar to what I did? Woltz didn't want Johnny, and Coppola didn't want me. There was no horse's head, but I had ammunition... I had to step on some toes to get people to realise that I was in the effing movie. I went to my godfather, [Mafia boss] Russ Bufalino."
Damone subsequently backed out of the project, leaving the way clear for Martino.
Whether Martino was actually the right man for the role is questionable. Johnny Fontane is the godson of Brando's Mafia boss character, Don Vito Corleone. As Fontane weeps because a movie producer refuses to give him a role, Brando barks at him: "You can act like a man!" and slaps him in the face. According to another member of the cast, the slap was Brando's attempt to extract some emotion from Martino's wooden expression.
Martino also sang the 1972 film's title score, I Have but One Heart (O Marenariello), also known as The Love Theme From The Godfather.
His appearance in the movie came at a time when, as a singer, he appeared to be past his peak. For two decades he had produced a string of hit records, starting in 1952 with Here In My Heart, which had the distinction of going to No 1 in the first ever UK singles chart (earning him a mention in The Guinness Book of Records), remaining in the top spot for nine weeks.
Before releasing the record Martino had heard that Mario Lanza " whom he had known since their childhood in Philadelphia " was planning to cut his own version of the song. Knowing that this would eclipse his debut single, he pleaded with his friend to leave the field clear. Lanza agreed.
The success of Here in My Heart brought Martino a contract with Capitol Records, and in 1953 he followed up with three more hits " Take My Heart, Rachel, and When You're Mine.
There was, however, a price to pay for his new stardom. In 1952, when Here in My Heart had been No 1 in America, two thugs turned up at the house of Martino's manager demanding to buy the young singer's contract. According to Martino, when they threatened his manager's life, "he just gave them my contract for free".
Martino claimed that when he cut up rough he was beaten up by two men at the 500 Club in Atlantic City. They produced a promissory note for $80,000 " "future earnings, the money we could've made off of you" " which he signed. He then fled to Britain.
Al Martino was born Alfred Cini in Philadelphia on October 7 1927, the son of Italian immigrants who ran a masonry business, and he began his working life as a bricklayer. Singing, however, was his passion from a young age, and he idolised Perry Como and Al Jolson. Another who inspired him was his friend Alfredo Cocozza, six years his senior, who as Mario Lanza was to become one of the biggest singing stars of his era.
During the Second World War Martino served with the US Marines, taking part in the invasion of the Pacific island of Iwo Jima, during which he was wounded. He then embarked on his showbusiness career, calling himself Martino (his mother's maiden name) and performing in Philadelphia nightspots. In 1948 he moved to New York, where he won a television talent show and a recording contract with the independent, Philadelphia-based label BBS.
Martino's hasty departure from the United States in 1952 was the start of six years "exile" in Britain, where he made a number of records and appeared at the London Palladium. On one occasion, after performing at the Palladium, Martino went to a party at the Dorchester hotel where he chatted to Winston Churchill.
In 1958 Martino was able to return to America thanks to the good offices of Angelo Bruno, the so-called "Gentle Don". By now the advent of rock and roll was denting enthusiasm for crooners, and Martino found success harder to come by. But he recorded albums such as The Exciting Voice of Al Martino (1962), which he financed himself, and The Italian Voice of Al Martino.
Then, in 1963, he came up with a hit single in I Love You Because, the first of a string of hits over the next 10 years. Among these was the single Spanish Eyes (1965, written by Bert Kaempfert), which reached No 5 in Britain when it was re-released in 1973 and is said to be one of the 50 most-played songs in the world. In 1976 his disco remix of the Italian pop song Volare was another huge hit, particularly in Europe.
Martino reprised his role as Johnny Fontane in The Godfather Part III. In later years he was mostly occupied with performing at clubs and casinos, but in 2000 he released the album Style. In 2006 he returned to the screen as an ageing crooner in the film Cutout
Good to have you back letty.
Your dj's were doing double and triple duty.
Suffice it to say that like Cole Porter I've Got You Under My Skin
0 Replies
Letty
1
Reply
Thu 15 Oct, 2009 06:49 am
Welcome aboard, Always Eleven. We would love to have you join our staff.
Hey, Brit, Loved Kool and the Gang because we celebrated Dave's life; not his death. Haven't heard The Electric Light Orchestra in a long time.
edgar, The Beatles' "If I Fell" was great. More synchronicity, y'all. Our edgar talks about Al Martino, and low and behold today is Mario Puzo's birthday.
)
Letty!!!! 
