Saturday 9: Cinderella Rockefella

 

Cinderella Rockefella

Saturday 9: Cinderella Rockefella (1968)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This record and video were inspired by popular tunes of the 1920s. Looking over your lifetime, which decade produced more of your favorite songs?  80's, but I love music from the 70's and 90's also.

 

2) "Cinderella Rockefella" topped the charts in England, yet barely broke into the Billboard Hot 100 here in the States. Still, the number was known to American audiences, performed as a duet on variety shows like The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (Tommy and Kate Smith), This Is Tom Jones (Cher and Tom) and The Dean Martin Show (Nancy Ames and Dean). Do you remember watching musical-comedy programs? Did you have a favorite?  I remember the Sonny and Cher Show and the Donnie and Marie show, but I was really young, so they were not favorites.

3) It was written by Mason Williams, a prolific composer and comedy writer, as well as a talented guitarist. He is best known for "Classical Gas," his 1968 instrumental. Do you enjoy instrumentals? Or does a piece of music need lyrics to become one of your favorites?  I like instrumentals very much.

 

4) This week's featured artists, Esther & Abi Ofarim, were considered the Sonny & Cher of Europe. A married couple, they had hits in the 1960s in both the UK and Germany and were depicted in magazines as the perfect young husband and wife. Fans were disappointed when, in 1969, they quit performing together and divorced in 1970 after 12 years of marriage. Can you think of a couple you knew in real life whose split shocked you? Or can you usually see it coming?  When I was in high school my friend's parents got divorced and I was shocked.  We were pretty good friends, so I was upset about it.

5) Comparisons to Sonny & Cher are apt because, as with the Bonos, the wife's show business career fared better than the husband's, post-divorce. Esther's BBC specials were "appointment TV" in the UK during the 1970s. Today, with the advent of streaming and DVRs, viewers don't have to make sure they're in front of the screen when their favorite show airs. Tell us about the last show you watched. Was it live, streamed, on DVR or DVD/Blueray?  One of the only things I watch live are ball games...Baseball and football.  I am currently watching the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs play (Thursday night) as I type these answers.  The Cardinals have just tied the game in the bottom of the 3rd.

6) She had a solo hit with Esther in Kinderland, a collection of children's songs. Can you recall the lyrics of a favorite song from childhood?  Where did you learn it (home, church, Scouts ...)?  My mom had several 45's and I would listen to them on a record player when I was young.  I remember learning The Chipmunk Song.  I was at home.  I listened to the radio a lot too though.  I am not sure what the first song I learned was.  Probably Jesus Loves Me.  My parents taught me that.

 
7) Abi continued performing after the split, but more often worked behind the scenes as a record producer and music publisher. Would you say you have a good head for business?  not really

8) After they finished school, both Abi and Esther served in the Israeli Army, and Abi saw combat. Have you served in our military? Did you ever consider enlisting?  I have not served and no, I never really considered it.  I always wanted to go straight to college after high school.

9) Random question: How many keys are on your key ring, and do you know what each one is for?  I am pretty sure there are 5 keys.  My house key, classroom key, my mom's house key, car key and a key that I do not remember what it goes to.  I also have a key fob that gets me into my building I work at (primary school).

The Cubs just went ahead, and it is 3-2 in the 4th.  This is my favorite series that the Cardinals play.