Saturday 9: I Get Around

 

Saturday 9: I Get Around (1964)

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

1) 60 years ago this month, the Beach Boys were singing that having a cool car and helped them get girls. In your teen years, what did you drive? Ford Fairmont...probably about a 1980 or so.

2) They are searching for a new place to party. This weekend, will you be visiting any bars, theaters or restaurants?  no, but one of my teacher friends and I are planning to go see It Ends With Us...based on the book we read.  Has anyone seen it yet?  Was it good?  The book is very good.

3) When Brian Wilson was forming the group, he turned to his friend Al Jardine, his brothers Dennis and Carl, and his cousin, Mike Love. Though most of their songs were about cars, beaches and surf, only one of those founding members was a surfer: Dennis. Do you enjoy the beach? Are you good on a surfboard?  Love the beach, no to surfing.

4) They were originally from Hawthorne, California. Hawthorne was the early childhood home of Marilyn Monroe. Since Marilyn was one of the most iconic women of the 20th century, we know you recognize her image. Have you seen any of her movies?  Yes, Josh and I have watched a few together.

5) "I Get Around" is included in Endless Summer, the greatest hits compilation released in 1974. Influential music critic Robert Christgau said Endless Summer should be part of any basic record library. What's one of your favorite CDs?  I do have the Beach Boys CD that Josh got me for Christmas that is a favorite.  My actual favorite is probably The Cars.  It was one we listened to in college a lot and it just takes me back.

Let's look at the summer of 1964.

6) The #1 film of the summer of 1964 was Walt Disney's Mary Poppins. Have you seen it?  I don't think I have seen it all of the way through.

7) President Lyndon Johnson accepted the Democratic party's nomination at the August 1964 convention in Atlantic City, NJ. Atlantic City is known for casinos and gambling. Do you often play the lottery, bingo, or any other game of chance?  We will pick up a power ball ticket every so often.

8) Billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was still a baby in the summer of 1964. What was in your most recent Amazon delivery?  I got some new socks.

9) Another little one born in '64 is Mariska Hargitay. The star of Law & Order: SVU is the daughter of a well-known movie star. Without looking it up, do you know who her mother was?  nope. (I looked it up though).

Fun fact.  I love the Beach Boys and I have seen them in concert two times.

We had Open House on Thursday night, I love meeting my new kids.  We start on Tuesday with kids.  The summer flew by.  Here is me with the rest of the pre-K team.  I am the old one in the middle. ;)  We are in my classroom. ♥

Saturday 9: Annie's Song

 

Saturday 9: Annie's Song (1974)

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

1) 50 years ago this month, we were all listening to John Denver rhapsodize about nature. He singles out walking in the rain as a particularly lovely experience. Do you enjoy walking in the rain?  Not really.  When we have had droughts in the past, I have been known to stand in the rain, but just a normal walk in the rain, no.

2) Denver wrote this song on a ski lift in Aspen. He clearly relished the ride, but ski lifts are problematic for those who suffer from acrophobia, or a fear of heights. Acrophobia plagues approximately 5% of Americans. Are you one of them?  Yes, I have a hard time with heights.

3) John Denver recalled that this song just came to him as he looked down on the beauty of nature. Can you recall a time when something you saw in nature touched your heart?  When we drove by the mountains on our way to Florida, I cried at the beauty of them.  I want to go stay in the mountains in a cabin and just stare at them.

4) Wildly successful here in The States, John Denver's popularity didn't extend to the United Kingdom. In fact, "Annie's Song" was his only major hit. But it was a big one. Denver's version reached #1 in 1974 and then in 1978 James Galway hit #1 on the UK charts with an instrumental version. Do you have a favorite instrumental recording?  The Entertainer by Scott Joplin.   It is played a lot at the theme park here, so I heard it as a kid and I have always loved it.

5) John Denver's first-ever guitar, a gift from his grandmother, was displayed at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. Have you visited a museum yet this summer? If not, do you have plans to?  I haven't.  Karl and Josh visited The National WWI Museum in Kansas City while I was in St. Louis for my teacher conference.  They loved it.

6) In addition to the guitar, Denver also played the violin (or "the fiddle," as he called it). If a genie appeared to magically enable you to play the instrument of your choice, which would you choose?  Piano

Let's look at the summer of 1974.

7) Elizabeth Berkeley was born. She's best known as Jesse on the Saturday morning teen sitcom, Saved by the Bell. What Saturday morning TV shows do you remember fondly?  Smurfs, Looney Tunes

8) Hall of Fame pitcher and Cardinal great Dizzy Dean died. How is your baseball team doing this summer?  The St. Louis Cardinals are 59-57...I sadly haven't watched much this summer.

9) The biggest summer movie was The Longest Yard starring Burt Reynolds. What's your favorite Burt Reynolds movie?  I love Burt Reynolds, I will say Smokey and the Bandit.

This week we start back with teacher meetings and Open House is Thursday.  The following week the kids start!  Here we go.  That was a fast summer.

Saturday 9: Ghostbusters

 

Saturday 9: Ghostbusters (1984)

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

This month we're going to recall Summer Songs. These will all be records that topped the charts during August.

1) Number 1 on the charts in August 40 years ago, "Ghostbusters" was written quickly. The Ghostbusters producers originally approached Lindsay Buckingham to write the movie theme. Buckingham took a long time to say no the film's production date could not be changed. That left Ray Parker Jr. only a few days to come up with a song. Do you work well with a tight deadline?  I do.  A deadline actually gets me to get busy and work.  If I am able to procrastinate, I will.

2) Parker recalls he got his inspiration from a late night TV commercial that kept encouraging viewers to call, call, call. What's the most recent business that you phoned, and why were you calling?  My mom had a small car accident last week and I called the mechanic about getting her car fixed.  She is fine.

3) The music video (linked above) was directed by Ivan Reitman, who also directed the movie. It features a variety of celebs saying "Ghostbusters!" None of them were paid for this, they all did it as a favor to Reitman. Have you more recently done or received a favor?  Received!  Josh and I just came back from my classroom.  He helped me get the furniture in place and unpack my boxes.  It only took us an hour or so, but if I would have been by myself, it would have taken a lot longer.

4) In 2009, Ray Parker Jr. made the Ghostbusters theme available as a ring tone. What's your phone's ring tone?  It was one on the phone...Erik Satie Gymnopedie.  I used to have ring tones and text tones assigned to the people that contact me regularly so I would know who was calling or texting, but after a couple of phones, I got tired of putting those tones back on, so I just used what is on the phone now.

5) This song is so enduringly popular that a 2020 documentary about Parker is titled, "Who You Gonna Call?" If you were to write a memoir or authorize a documentary about your life, what would you call it?  I don't think about things like this.  I have no idea.  I read this question to Josh and he told me he already wrote his memoir.

6) Early in his career, Ray was in demand as a session musician. He played guitar on the records of some of the 70s most successful female singers, including Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Diana Ross. Of those ladies, which is your favorite?  I love all of them, but I will say Tina Turner.

Let's look at the summer of 1984.

7) Released in June, the original Ghostbusters was a huge hit throughout the summer. Have you seen it? Did you see the sequel that was released this past spring?  I saw Ghostbusters when it came out, I was 14 years old, so kind of perfect for that age.  I never really thought the sequel would be as good as the original, so I didn't see it, but if I ever see it available to watch on streaming, I probably would.

8) Beverly Burns became the first female captain of a Boeing 747. She was a pilot for People Express Airways, an airline which later merged with Continental, and Continental then merged with United. Do you recall which airline you flew when you took your first flight?  I have never flown, we have always been able to drive where we are going.

9) Ronald Reagan joked about bombing Russia during a mic check for a radio interview. He was embarrassed when the comment was leaked and broadcast around the world. Have you recently felt embarrassed?  When we were in my classroom, several co-workers came in to say hi and I had on no make-up at all.  I know they don't care, but I always have on make up at school.

Tomorrow-August 4th is Josh's birthday!  He is turning 26.  Happy birthday, Josh! ♥