WA2K Radio is now on the air

Bob, once again you astound me with your research. Half of that stuff I didn't know. My sister, who adored Sinatra, didn't give all that background to her baby sister. I tried reading his unauthorized biography by Kitty Kellen. (think that was her name), and it was so boring that I never finished it.

This is one of his prettier songs:

Writer(s): Silvers/van Heusen


If I don't see her each day, I miss her
Gee what a thrill, each time I kiss her
Believe me, I've got a case
On Nancy, with the laughing face

She takes the winter and makes it summer
And summer could take some lessons from her
Picture a tomboy in lace
That's Nancy with the laughing face

Have you ever heard mission bells ringing
Well she'll give you the very same glow
When she speaks you would think it was singing
Just hear her say hello

I swear to goodness, you can't resist her
She's mighty sweet, and wait till you see her sister
No angel could replace
Nancy, with the laughing face

and as FAS fades to black having smoked his last camel--drunk his jack black, I need someone to explain this to me, and to our listeners:

No I can’t forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that’s just the way this story goes,
You always smile
But in you eyes your sorrow shows
Yes it shows

No I can’t forget tomorrow
When I think of all my sorrows
When I had you there but then I let you go
And now it’s only fair that I should let you know
What you should know

I cant live
If living is without you
I can’t live
I can’t give anymore
Can’t live
If living is without you
can’t give,
I can’t give anymore

Well, I can’t forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that’s just the way this story goes,
You always smile
But in you eyes your sorrow shows
Yes it shows

can’t live
If living is without you
I can’t live
I can’t give anymore
Can’t live
If living is without you
I can’t live,
I can’t give anymore

Ohhhhhh(No can’t live)
No no no (No I can’t live)
I can’t live (No can’t live)
If living is without (No I can’t live)
I can’t live (No can’t live)
I can’t give anymore (No I can’t live)

*To Fade….*

Whitney Houston.

Translator, please!

Assuredly looking for this :

Les paroles

No, I can't forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
You always smile but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows

No, I can't forget tomorrorow
When I think of all my sorrows
When I had you there but then I let you go
And now it's only fair that I should let you know
What you should know

I can't live if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore
Can't live if living is without you
I can't give, I can't give any more

No, I can't forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
You always smile but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows

Can't live if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore
I can't live if living is without you
Can't live, I can't give anymore
(Living is without you)

Leur traduction

Non, je ne peux oublier cette soirée
Ou ton visage alors que tu t'en allais
Mais je suppose que c'est comme ça que l'histoire continue
Tu souries toujours, mais tes yeux, ton chagrin se voit
Oui, il se voit

Non, je ne peux oublier demain
Quand je pense à tout mon chagrin
Quand je t'avais là mais que je t'ai laissée partir
Et maintenant ce n'est que la foire que je peux te laisser connaître
Que tu devrais connaître

Je ne peux vivre, si c'est sans toi
Je ne peux vivre, je ne peux plus donner
Je n'peux vivre si c'est sans toi
Je ne peux donner, je ne peux plus donner

Non, je ne peux oublier cette soirée
Ou ton visage alors que tu t'en allais
Mais je suppose que c'est comme ça que l'histoire continue
Tu souris toujours, mais tes yeux, ton chagrin se voit
Oui, il se voit

Je n'peux vivre si c'est sans toi
Je ne peux vivre, je ne peux plus donner
Je ne peux vivre si c'est sans toi
Je n'peux vivre, je ne peux plus donner
(C'est sans toi)

Francis, the meter to your translation is captivating. It reminds me of a strange poem of long ago, but more about that later.

What was curious to me, and to our listeners and staff, were the strange markings among the English lyrics.

Lovely, the French translation, dear one. Thank you.

Music, as does language, reflects the culture at any given time. "What makes music American"? Although our country is referred to as a "melting pot", it is now more culturally plural in that the populace retains what is unique from their native land, while absorbing the folkways and mores of their new country. Jazz is the only pure music of the states. I cannot support this, audience, but I do believe that it's true.

Ah, listeners, now I remember the poem that is right in sync with the meter of Francis' translation:

Potatoes

The Potatoes' Dance (a Poem Game.)


"Down cellar," said the cricket,
"Down cellar," said the cricket,
"Down cellar," said the cricket,
"I saw a ball last night,
In honor of a lady,
In honor of a lady,
In honor of a lady,
Whose wings were pearly-white.
The breath of bitter weather,
The breath of bitter weather,
The breath of bitter weather,
Had smashed the cellar pane.
We entertained a drift of leaves,
We entertained a drift of leaves,
We entertained a drift of leaves,
And then of snow and rain.
But we were dressed for winter,
But we were dressed for winter,
But we were dressed for winter,
And loved to hear it blow
In honor of the lady,
In honor of the lady,
In honor of the lady,
Who makes potatoes grow,
Our guest the Irish lady,
The tiny Irish lady,
The airy Irish lady,
Who makes potatoes grow.


II


"Potatoes were the waiters,
Potatoes were the waiters,
Potatoes were the waiters,
Potatoes were the band,
Potatoes were the dancers
Kicking up the sand,
Kicking up the sand,
Kicking up the sand,
Potatoes were the dancers
Kicking up the sand.
Their legs were old burnt matches,
Their legs were old burnt matches,
Their legs were old burnt matches,
Their arms were just the same.
They jigged and whirled and scrambled,
Jigged and whirled and scrambled,
Jigged and whirled and scrambled,
In honor of the dame,
The noble Irish lady
Who makes potatoes dance,
The witty Irish lady,
The saucy Irish lady,
The laughing Irish lady
Who makes potatoes prance.


III


"There was just one sweet potato.
He was golden brown and slim.
The lady loved his dancing,
The lady loved his dancing,
The lady loved his dancing,
She danced all night with him,
She danced all night with him.
Alas, he wasn't Irish.
So when she flew away,
They threw him in the coal-bin,
And there he is today,
Where they cannot hear his sighs
And his weeping for the lady,
The glorious Irish lady,
The beauteous Irish lady,
Who
Gives
Potatoes
Eyes."
Vachel Lindsay

That's the one my dad used to entone to all of us kids.

A bit of nostalgia for the antiques among us, myself included.


Burma-Shave History



For those of you who never saw the famous Burma-Shave signs, a quick
lesson! Before interstates, when everyone drove the old 2-lane
roads
cross-country, Burma-Shave signs would be posted all along those
roads in
farmers' fields...small red signs with white letters...five signs,
about
100 feet apart, each containing 1 line of a 4-line quatrain poem,
and the
obligatory 5th sign identifying Burma-Shave.

They were entertaining and often inspirational. Here are a few
examples:

DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD
TO GAIN A MINUTE
YOU NEED YOUR HEAD
YOUR BRAINS ARE IN IT

~Burma-Shave~

DROVE TOO LONG
DRIVER SNOOZING
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
IS NOT AMUSING
~Burma-Shave~

BROTHER SPEEDERS
LET'S REHEARSE
ALL TOGETHER
GOOD MORNING, NURSE

~Burma-Shave~

CAUTIOUS RIDER
TO HER RECKLESS DEAR
LET'S HAVE LESS BULL
AND LOTS MORE STEER

~Burma-Shave~

THE MIDNIGHT RIDE
OF PAUL FOR BEER
LED TO A WARMER
HEMISPHERE

~Burma-Shave~

SPEED WAS HIGH
WEATHER WAS HOT
TIRES WERE THIN
X MARKS THE SPOT

~Burma-Shave~

AROUND THE CURVE
LICKETY--SPLIT
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CAR
WASN'T IT?

~Burma-Shave~

PASSING CARS
WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE
MAY GET YOU A GLIMPSE
OF ETERNITY

~Burma-Shave~


AROUND THE CORNER
THEY WENT WHIZZIN'
THE FAULT WAS HERS
THE FUNERAL HIS'N
~Burma Shave~

NO MATTER THE PRICE
NO MATTER HOW NEW
THE BEST SAFETY DEVICE
IN THE CAR IS YOU
~Burma-Shave~

A GUY WHO DRIVES
A CAR WIDE OPEN
IS NOT THINKIN'
HE'S JUST HOPIN'
~Burma-Shave~

AT INTERSECTIONS
LOOK EACH WAY
A HARP SOUNDS NICE
BUT ITS HARD TO PLAY !
~Burma-Shave~

BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL
EYES ON THE ROAD
THAT'S THE SKILLFUL
DRIVER'S CODE
~Burma-Shave~

THE ONE WHO DRIVES
WHEN HE'S BEEN DRINKING
DEPENDS ON YOU
TO DO HIS THINKING
~Burma-Shave~

PASSING SCHOOL ZONE
TAKE IT SLOW
LET OUR LITTLE
SHAVERS GROW
~Burma-Shave~


YOU CAN DO
A MILE A MINUTE
BUT THERE AIN'T
NO FUTURE IN IT
~Burma-Shave~

Burma-Shave was created by the O'Dell brothers who lived in
Minneapolis and had a little plant in the Bryn Mar district. On
Mondays
they would drive along the highways near a
town and place these signs. Then they would proceed to the next town
and repeat the process. Late on Thursday and into Friday they would
backtrack and call upon the local drug store(s) asking, "No
doubt you have had calls for Burma-Shave." They would take orders
and leave the merchandise along with reorder forms. That's how they
got
started in the thirties, and they did it for years. Finally in
the 60's, Philip Morris became interested in this little Burma-Shave
company.

As I remember, the company's sales were about $900,000 a year when
the business was sold to Philip Morris. Philip Morris then proceeded
to
buy a series of one-minute TV commercials on NFL football, which
cost
something like $150,000 each.

This decision actually destroyed a good little profit-making company
in one football season. You might say it went up like smoke!

BURMA SHAVE MADE THEIR SALES
USING SIGNS, POSTS AND NAILS
PHILIP MORRIS TRIED TV
AND NOW YOU NO LONGER SEE

~Burma-Shave~~
"Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its mould."

That's a neat bit of nostalgia, Bob! Although I've never seen these signs, I like to read of "little stories" like this.

Thanks....

Bryn Mawr, the Welsh spell that.

Good music programme on our TV this evening, that I'm looking forward to seeing (I missed last week's, being in Germany, and forgot to record it)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/souldeep/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/listings/programme.shtml?day=today&service_id=4224&filename=20050514/20050514_2025_4224_29091_60

Neat, Bob. I especially like this one:

THE MIDNIGHT RIDE
OF PAUL FOR BEER
LED TO A WARMER
HEMISPHERE



Well, it seems that when the big boys take over, the little guys get run over.

Speaking of warmer hemisphere, folks. It seems the Atlantic is going to see more activity this year. Hurricane season begins June 1st. It's not possible! It just ended, didn't it?

Hey! Where's our Raggedy? APB for Raggedy!
When last seen, she was walking her dog with a doll in its mouth.
Please phone in if you know of her whereabouts.

Hi Reyn. I remember seeing these as a kid. I have a son living in South Carolina. On a trip there I seem to remember seeing some Burma Shave signs on the way there still standing after all these years. Maybe someone else can confirm it.

I haven't seen a Burma Shave sign in so long, I can't remember where I was living at the time.

Well, I'll have to take your word for it. I've lived in British Columbia since 1956.

I got curious about these signs, Bob, and I did a bit of Googling and came up with this nice set:

http://www.fiftiesweb.com/burma1.htm

Hi, Bob!

Some interesting stuff here :

Burma shave

My word, how did all these people get in our studios without me seeing them?

I guess I need to call security except he quit to join the National Guard.

Hey, Reyn. You need to incorporate those little signs in your collages/montages.

We might call our entourage the voices heard round the world.

Thought for Today: ``It is the dull man who is always sure, and the sure man who is always dull.'' - H.L. Mencken, American author and journalist (1880-1956).



05/13/05 20:00

Question for Today:

From what location came the shot that was heard around the world?

Thank you Reyn and Francis. Both sites are wonderful. I'm enjoying them. Have to go back for more.

Ebenezer Monroe fired the shot that was heard around the world.

It's supposed to be Lexington but some say it was Concord.

Ebenezer Monroe? Well, my goodness, Francis. I didn't know that either. Thank you again. I just recall a poem about it, "The Concord Hymn", Emerson, I think.

McTag, I looked all over for a good Sam Cook/Cooke song:

(s. cooke)
Producers: martyn ware and greg walsh
Producer (live version): john hudson
Album: live in europe (88), the collected recordings (94)

I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh, and like that river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes it is

It's been too hard living and I'm affraid to die
I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes it is

I go to the movies and I go around in town
Everybody there keeps telling me don't hang around
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes it is

Then I go to my brother
And I say brother, please
But he just winds up, knocking me
Back down on my knees

Sometimes I thought I wouldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh yes it is.

Sam was killed by a shot gun blast at age 33.

Many of you here may not remember Seed, but for a while he did janitor work--doubled as a writer--and was a security guard. After mentioning him briefly, I found this thread:

http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=51563

If you can, please send him your best.

a song for seed

Iowa State Song
Written by S.H.M. Byers
To the music of Tannenbaum

You asked what land I love the best, Iowa, tis Iowa,
The fairest State of all the west, Iowa, O! Iowa,
From yonder Misissippi's stream
To where Missouri's waters gleam
O! fair it is as poet's dream, Iowa, in Iowa.

See yonders fields of tasseled corn, Iowa in Iowa,
Where plenty fills her golden horn, Iowa in Iowa,
See how her wonderous praries shine.
To yonder sunset's purpling line,
O! happy land, O! land of mine, Iowa, O! Iowa.

And she has maids whose laughing eyes, Iowa, O! Iowa.
To him whose loves were Paradise, Iowa, O! Iowa
O! happiest fate that e'er was known.
Such eyes to shine for one alone,
To call such beauty all his own. Iowa, O! Iowa

Go read the story of thy past. Iowa, O! Iowa
What glorious deeds, what fame thou hast! Iowa, O! Iowa
So long as time's great cycle runs,
Or nations weep their fallen ones,
Thou'lt not forget thy patriot sons, Iowa, O! Iowa

dj, We can always count on you to be understanding and kind. I hope that our Seed understands how much we care for him, but I think you just said it all.

Would there were more sensitive men such as our dj, listeners.

For dj:

You offer us so many songs,
For lyrics are poetry, too.
We love the way you right our wrongs
And sing us to a frozen blue.

Salute, dj. You are all that is right with Canada.