@edgarblythe,
You have to tell us about Bobby Hebb here again, edgar.
I didn't understand the lyrics too well on that Matilda's song, but how sad that it was about Heath Ledger's daughter.
Here's another dedicated to the child and Heath. Bet you know who's doing this one, texas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWBO56YNBFY&feature=related
Bobby Hebb
He was born Robert Von Hebb in Nashville, Tennessee. Hebb's parents, William and Ovalla Hebb, were both blind musicians.[2] Hebb and his older brother Harold performed as a song-and-dance team in Nashville, beginning when Bobby was three and Harold was nine. Hebb performed on a TV show hosted by country music record producer Owen Bradley, which earned him a place with Grand Ole Opry star Roy Acuff.[2] Hebb played spoons and other instruments in Acuff's band. Harold later became a member of Johnny Bragg and the Marigolds. Bobby Hebb sang backup on Bo Diddley's "Diddley Daddy". Hebb played "West-coast-style" trumpet in a United States Navy jazz band, and replaced Mickey Baker in Mickey and Sylvia.[2]
On November 23, 1963, the day after John F. Kennedy's assassination, Harold Hebb was killed in a knife fight outside a Nashville nightclub. Hebb was devastated by both events and sought comfort in songwriting. Though many claim that the song he wrote after both tragedies was the optimistic "Sunny", Hebb himself stated otherwise. He immersed himself in the Gerald Wilson album, You Better Believe It!, for comfort.
"All my intentions were just to think of happier times – basically looking for a brighter day – because times were at a low tide. After I wrote it, I thought "Sunny" just might be a different approach to what Johnny Bragg was talking about in "Just Walkin' in the Rain".[citation needed]
"Sunny" was recorded in New York City, after demos were made with the record producer Jerry Ross. Released as a single, it reached #3 on the R&B charts, # 2 on the Billboard Hot 100,[3] # 12 in the UK,[4] sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[2] When Hebb toured with The Beatles in 1966 his "Sunny" was as well received as any Beatles tune, as evidenced by tapes of the concerts. BMI rated "Sunny" number 25 in its "Top 100 songs of the century".
"Sunny" has been recorded by, among others jamiroquai, Cher, Boney M, Georgie Fame, Johnny Rivers, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra with Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Electric Flag, The Four Seasons, Leonard Nimoy, two different versions from Frankie Valli, the Four Tops, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Les McCann, Wes Montgomery, Dusty Springfield, and Classics IV.[2] One re-recording, a disco version called "Sunny '76" was a minor hit for Hebb in that year hitting #94 on the R&B chart. In 2000, Musiq did an updated dance version retitled "Just Friends (Sunny)," which went to #31 on the U.S. Billboard charts.
Hebb also had lesser hits with his "A Satisfied Mind" in 1966 (# 39 on the Billboard chart and #40 on the R&B chart) and "Love Me" in 1967 (# 84),[3] and wrote many other songs, including Lou Rawls' 1971 hit "A Natural Man" (co-written with comedian Sandy Baron. Six years prior to "Sunny", Hebb reached the New York Top 50 with a remake of Roy Acuff's "Night Train To Memphis". In 1972, his single "Love Love Love" reached # 32 in the UK charts.[4]
After a recording gap of thirty five years, Hebb recorded That's All I Wanna Know, his first commercial release since Love Games for Epic Records in 1970. It was released in Europe in late 2005 by Tuition, a pop indie label. New versions of "Sunny" were also issued (two duets: one with Astrid North[|Astrid North], and one with Pat Appleton). In October 2008 he toured and played in Osaka and Tokyo in Japan.
Ipanema Films of Germany was involved in a biographical film which included Hebb, his biographer Joseph Tortelli and Billy Cox.
Hebb continued to live in his hometown of Nashville until his death from lung cancer, at the Centennial Medical Center on August 3, 2010.[5]
In My Life is one of the best of the Beatles' songs, to me, letty. That's from the Rubber Soul Album. From Revolver is this by the same group.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_ee5IM3dTk&feature=related
Heath Ledger tragedy disturbs me still
@edgarblythe,
Thanks for the reminder of Bobby Hebb and Sunny, edgar
Yes, Heath's death was perplexing and sad.
Wow! Don't know Revolver by the Fab Four. It was great.
Today is Stewart Granger's birthday and I searched our files for a tribute to him alone. Unfortunately, I could not find one, so here is one of my favorite movies by him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_FRUwL3yXI
I didn't see that movie. I always think of this when I think about Stewart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfTvtQdgGLI
@edgarblythe,
Thanks, edgar. I recall King Solomon's Mines. Great one with Stewart.
UhOh! you sent me searching again. Rider Haggard's She (who must be obeyed)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqD7pkVyoOw
She, subtitled A History of Adventure, is a novel by Henry Rider Haggard, first serialized in The Graphic magazine from October 1886 to January 1887. She is one of the classics of imaginative literature, and with over 83 million copies sold in 44 different languages, one of the best-selling books of all time. Extraordinarily popular upon its release, She has never been out of print. According to the literary historian Andrew M. Stauffer, "She has always been Rider Haggard's most popular and influential novel, challenged only by King Solomon's Mines in this regard".
I always intended to read She, but never got around to it.
@edgarblythe,
Love that one by George Jones, edgar. Odd, 'cause I did most of my heavy reading when I was eleven years old. Didn't understand it all, but I was drawn to books.
From George's She to Al's he, but first some info about the man.
Albert George "Al" Hibbler (August 16, 1915 – April 24, 2001) was an American baritone vocalist who sang with Duke Ellington's orchestra before having several pop hits as a solo artist. Some of his singing is classified as rhythm and blues, but he is best classified as a bridge between R&B and traditional pop music. According to one authority, "Hibbler cannot be regarded as a jazz singer but as an exceptionally good interpreter of twentieth-century popular songs who happened to work with some of the best jazz musicians of the time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Wi5vgTe7Y&feature=related
I know Al Hibbler, letty. He had one of the earliest hit records of Unchained Melody. I like him very much. I don't recall if your story about him mentions his blindness. There is something special about such musicians.
@edgarblythe,
Indeed there is, edgar. I didn't know that he did Unchained Melody, however.
Saying goodnight with another special person.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5EUcYw96us&feature=related
Glad London could be with us today.
Love from Letty to you all.
Fly me to the Moon - a great standard, letty. Odd, I was just examining a song called The Ballad of Mona Lisa. I didn't think the song exceptional enough to play, however.
Good morning. I posted a song earlier, but then deleted it, because it was not the version I thought it was. Then got distracted, by breakfast and what not. Barry, good. Especially Stevie.
But I gots Johnny Denver
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5kOD9GwxvU
@edgarblythe,
edgar, your goodnight song A Thousand Stars was nice. Don't know Kathy Young so once again, thanks for your comments and the introduction.
Really enjoyed John Denver's Grandma's Feather Bed, and although I never heard that one by Elvis, Mama Liked the Roses was marvelous.
Hurry back, Brit. You missed Lord Ragland. My favorites by Mr. London included Van and Stevie.
Today is this Russian's birthday(Tchaikovsky) and I love this classical song by him
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOzgVldYvps&feature=related
That is one of the most recognizable of Tchaikovsky's pieces, to me, letty.
Another Mama song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k70F5h8-sI
