“(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” was familiar to me from radio / Muzak, but I didn’t know this singer.
I went on to the recommended next video, which included an obituary.
Good listenin’ music.
B.J. THOMAS – 10 GREATEST HITS & #1 – RIP
Five-time Grammy award winner and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, B.J. Thomas, died on 05/30/2021 at home in Arlington, Texas at the age of 78 from complications due to stage four lung cancer.
Thomas’ career was anchored by numerous enduring hits, among them his million-selling cover of Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” the Grammy-winning “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” and the iconic “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” which won the Academy Award for best original song. A five-time Grammy award winner and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, Thomas has sold over 70 million albums worldwide, scoring eight No. 1 hits and 26 Top 10 singles over his 50+ years in the music industry. His lengthy chart history led to him being named one of Billboard’s Top 50 Most Played Artists Over The Past 50 Years. Such memorable hits as “I Just Can’t Help Believing, “Don’t Worry Baby,” “Whatever Happened To Old Fashioned Love,” “New Looks From An Old Lover” and “Hooked on a Feeling” have made him a staple on multiple radio formats over the years.
Born in rural Hugo, OK, Billy Joe Thomas moved to Houston, Texas with his family and where he grew up absorbing a variety of musical influences from the traditional country of Ernest Tubb and Hank Williams Dr. to the soulful sounds of Jackie Wilson and Little Richard, whose “Miss Ann” was the first single B.J. ever bought. He began singing in church as a child and in his teens joined the Houston-based band the Triumphs.
Thomas’s first taste of success came in 1966 when he recorded “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” with producer Huey P. Meaux. Released by Scepter Records, it peaked at No. 8 on the pop charts and became his first million-selling single. He released the follow-up single, “Mama,” and delivered his first solo album that same year.
Thomas’ second million-selling hit came in 1968 with the release of “Hooked on a Feeling,” from On My Way, his sophomore album for Scepter. During his days with the New York label, he became friendly with Ronnie Milsap and Dionne Warwick, who were also on the roster at the time. It was Warwick who introduced him to songwriter-producer Burt Bacharach. In January 1970, Thomas topped the charts with “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.” Penned by Bacharach and Hal David, the song was featured in the classic Paul Newman/Robert Redford film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, earning the Oscar for best original song. Sales quickly exceeded two million copies and it has remained one of the most enduring pop hits of all time, reoccurring in such films as Forrest Gump, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, Clerks II, and Spider-Man 2 as well as multiple TV shows over the years. He followed that career-defining single with a string of pop/rock hits, including “Everybody’s Out of Town,” “I Just Can’t Help Believing,” “No Love at All” and “Rock and Roll Lullaby.”
After six years with Scepter Records, Thomas signed with Paramount Records where he released two albums—1973’s Songs and 1974’s Longhorns & Londonbridges. In 1975, Thomas released the album Reunion on ABC Records, featuring “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” which holds the distinction of being the longest titled No. 1 hit ever on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Like many successful pop/rock artists, Thomas fell into drugs and battled substance abuse. His wife Gloria became a born-again Christian and the turning point in Thomas’ life came when he became a believer in 1976. He immediately quit drugs and found an avenue for expressing his faith in gospel music. Thomas signed with Myrrh Records and released the album Home Where I Belong in 1976. Produced by Chris Christian, the project won Thomas a Grammy and became the first of two Dove Award wins. The album became the first gospel record to sell a million copies.
In addition to his country and gospel success, Thomas also enjoyed a healthy run on the country charts in the 1980s with such hits as “Whatever Happened to Old Fashioned Love,” “New Looks from an Old Lover Again,” “The Whole World’s in Love When You’re Lonely” and “Two Car Garage.” “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” was No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Country Songs charts. It won the Grammy for Best Country Song in 1976 and was nominated for CMA Single of the Year. On his 39th birthday in 1981, Thomas became the 60th member of the Grand Ole Opry.
for huxley & Zaphod “Is Asterix worth a shot? $289 for “The Complete Asterix” — yow! Maybe I’ll start with the videos on Amazon Prime”
Definitely worth a shot.
We have many titles, but not all, having done the bulk of our collection in the 1970s in German (I didn’t know the originals were French until years later); we also have two Welsh copies, three English (appropriated by a grandson) and some in Spanish. They are hilarious in every instance.
We have a couple of VHS videos, which may be the ones available on Amazon streaming, but the books are much better.
List of titles in English – they have been translated from the original French into many, many, many languages. There are a LOT in the complete set.
Goscinny & Uderzo wrote at least 31 between 1961 and 2015.
Artists Who Changed Music: Django Reinhardt Jan 20, 2021
Django Reinhard has been called “the greatest guitarist who ever lived.” During his heyday, the 1930s and 40s, Reinhardt came up with solo and harmonic innovations on the guitar that had a big impact on modern jazz, blues, country, and rock guitar styles.
Together with violinist Stephane Grappelli, Reinhardt came up with a new, European style of jazz, called gypsy jazz, or manouche jazz—by fusing Dixieland, swing jazz, French traditional music, gypsy music, and more. He was the first to pioneer a form of jazz that centered around the guitar, in sharp contrast to American jazz, which was based around horns, drums and piano.
As if the above accomplishments were not amazing enough, Reinhardt achieved them while having to overcome obstacles that would have been insurmountable to pretty much anyone else. He was born a gypsy, or Romani, as they call themselves, and had to overcome extreme poverty, illiteracy, and anti-Romani prejudice and persecution.
On top of all this, there’s the truly mindboggling fact that Reinhardt was a virtuoso guitar player with severely crippled left-hand ring and little fingers. Half his body, including his left hand, was badly damaged in a fire when he was 18, at a point when he was just beginning to gain international fame as a banjo-guitar player. One leg was so badly burned, doctors wanted to amputate, and they also said he’d never play again.
Reinhardt insisted on keeping his leg, and his playing skills. With great determination he invented a new way of playing the guitar, performing virtuoso solos with just his index and middle fingers. If the video clips did not exist of him playing extremely fast runs up and down the fretboard with two fingers, people would forever doubt the veracity of the two-finger story.
Reinhardt’s amazing re-invention of himself as a guitarist has inspired countless musicians facing physical challenges. Most famously, in 1965, Tony Iommi lost the tips of his middle and ring fingers in an industrial accident. Like Reinhardt, he was told he’d never play again. When Iommi’s factory foreman played him a recording of Reinhardt, and explained that the lightning-fast runs were executed with just two fingers, 17-year old Iommi decided to start playing again.
Without Django Reinhardt, jazz and rock guitar, as well as European jazz in general, would today sound very different. Spiritually, he’s also one of the ancestors of heavy metal, for without Reinhardt, there would have been no Black Sabbath.
Time Difference, People.
Happy June the Nothing to all of you!
Here in the PRC we have June 1, 2, 3, ,5, 6,… every year. 7,000 police will be out on the streets tonight to make sure no dangerous incendiaries light candles.
Still fewer thought crimes and pitfalls for a White Person here than back in the West. What’s a Solipsist to do? It’s a conundrum and a half, Semi-Rootless Cosmopolitan that I am.
I shouldn’t even be posting on a day that doesn’t exist. But felt that I had to risk the Ire of Pooh in order to keep my regular fans frothing at the mouth.
Episode 600 of Stuff You Can’t Have Because Diversity is Your Strength.
Notice how well curated the aural environment is. Announcements are polite and not too loud and not too soft. Chimes, beeps, and so on are euphonious and not ear-splitting. I wish the Chinese would glom onto this part… problem is the Chinese associate ear-splitting loudness with festiveness and luck.
I assume skipping the 4th has something to do with the number representing death to the Chinese? If I remember correctly the number you want in as many repetitions on your license plate as possible is 8, and 4s are not something you want tagged on your car.
AesopFan,
I first encountered Asterix in Germany, and read a few of the stories there, so I assumed it originated in Germany. Then, in Belgium I noticed them again and they seemed to be much more pervasive, so I thought Asterix must have originated there (the “x” ending in his and Obelix’s names also seemed Belgian).
But now you tell me he’s French in origin. Well, I guess “the Gall” part of his moniker should have tipped me off to this true heritage!
@Rufus:
Something apparently happened in the Square of Heavenly Peace on that date in Year 1 of the Reign of the Good Emperor Bush I. Can’t for the life of me remember what it was, but there you go.
4 is certainly unlucky in this part of the world. But let me promise you that if you slap a 6 in front of it in this here Burg you will score the Luck of the Uighurs. Snake Eyes.
Most Inauspicious.
My two cellphone numbers contain no 4s, of course. My building has no 4th floor. HK is Equal opportunity, won’t find many 13th *or* x4th floors.
@Rufus:
Had never really thought about Flemish surnames and the X and a possible connection to the old Gaul / Belgae names ending in X.. Vercingetorix…. Schillebeeckx… Who knows? I certainly don’t, but it’s a charming conceit!
Some massively-outdated aerial footage from Chongqing in 2016.
Zaphod @ 10:38pm,
Thanks for the explanation. I guess the health agency is just very concerned a large gathering may multiply the current Coronavirus cases from zero to two, three, maybe ten times zero.
“Taking part in an illegal gathering carries maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, while merely promoting such an event can result in a year in jail.”
Illegal strictly for health reasons, obviously. Too bad the candlelight vigils don’t concern race. America’s health experts assured us last summer the virus cannot penetrate those demonstrations.
Artists Who Changed Music: Django Reinhardt Jan 20, 2021
Django Reinhard has been called “the greatest guitarist who ever lived.” During his heyday, the 1930s and 40s, Reinhardt came up with solo and harmonic innovations on the guitar that had a big impact on modern jazz, blues, country, and rock guitar styles.
As you quoted that material you are probably already familiar with his style in fair detail.
For those interested in the techniques described in the video, this – one of his best, or at least most noted virtuoso performances – is instructive.
The man requires absolutely no recovery period after a complicated and involved run, but merely emerges without missing even a quarter beat to launch off on another line. He never “gets lost” and needs that half pause to regroup on the attack.
For a relatively late example without violin, Blues Clair indicates what might have been had electric amplification of any sophistication been available to him.
Finally, a jaw dropping contemporary tribute performance by admiring musicians of great personal talent; which is not only of the style, but in sound indistinguishable. Nothing like a well-meaning imitation so much as an astonishing reproduction.
Well, we wouldn’t want to get Zaphod in trouble by making mention of that thing that is supposed not to have occurred, but in any event, I will say that that train video from the Hinotori was rather nice. A very elegant coach ride, I think. The English voice in the on-board announcements was remarkable – I wonder whom the rail company hired to record that.
Flag collection is coming along – I have just about all the ones I originally set out to get. Had to send away to Germany for one of them, as it was impossible to find in N. America, even though the local flag store here is very good and even came up with a City of Albany flag for me.
@Philip Sells:
When I was in Japan, did some business with an ex-radio announcer from Australia (as usual, didn’t look anything like his voice) who made a very good living doing the English language voice-overs for corporate videos. His hourly rate was off the chart, a decade after the Japanese Bubble burst. They’re very picky about sounds and I wish the Chinese would get the same way!
DNW – thanks for the clips. I think I’m getting seriously fond of Reinhardt’s playing, and the tribute band in costume was superb.
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“(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” was familiar to me from radio / Muzak, but I didn’t know this singer.
I went on to the recommended next video, which included an obituary.
Good listenin’ music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7AFiH6d8Dw
for huxley & Zaphod “Is Asterix worth a shot? $289 for “The Complete Asterix” — yow! Maybe I’ll start with the videos on Amazon Prime”
Definitely worth a shot.
We have many titles, but not all, having done the bulk of our collection in the 1970s in German (I didn’t know the originals were French until years later); we also have two Welsh copies, three English (appropriated by a grandson) and some in Spanish. They are hilarious in every instance.
We have a couple of VHS videos, which may be the ones available on Amazon streaming, but the books are much better.
List of titles in English – they have been translated from the original French into many, many, many languages. There are a LOT in the complete set.
Goscinny & Uderzo wrote at least 31 between 1961 and 2015.
https://www.bing.com/search?q=asterix+comics+list&cvid=2412a56cbf584377997c22ce90b52c95&aqs=edge.2.0l7.7021j0j9&FORM=ANAB01&PC=U531
You can get individual copies around the internet, including here:
https://www.lastdodo.com/en/areas/9749-asterix
I also see a couple of Omnibus volumes for about $20, which might be a more attractive experiment.
Book report due by the beginning of school.
Petition to support Virginia teacher who resisted transgender agenda:
https://afa.net/activism/action-alerts/2021/school-teacher-speaks-against-pro-trans-policy-gets-put-on-leave/
Since this is a music thread, here is a video I found intriguing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6KqE_KS6p8
Time Difference, People.
Happy June the Nothing to all of you!
Here in the PRC we have June 1, 2, 3, ,5, 6,… every year. 7,000 police will be out on the streets tonight to make sure no dangerous incendiaries light candles.
Still fewer thought crimes and pitfalls for a White Person here than back in the West. What’s a Solipsist to do? It’s a conundrum and a half, Semi-Rootless Cosmopolitan that I am.
I shouldn’t even be posting on a day that doesn’t exist. But felt that I had to risk the Ire of Pooh in order to keep my regular fans frothing at the mouth.
Episode 600 of Stuff You Can’t Have Because Diversity is Your Strength.
Phoenix Limited Express from Kyoto to Osaka:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-_VtLW6-mo
Notice how well curated the aural environment is. Announcements are polite and not too loud and not too soft. Chimes, beeps, and so on are euphonious and not ear-splitting. I wish the Chinese would glom onto this part… problem is the Chinese associate ear-splitting loudness with festiveness and luck.
Mitsuko Uchida peforming live last night:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHNpyJ5Glpo
Zaphod,
I assume skipping the 4th has something to do with the number representing death to the Chinese? If I remember correctly the number you want in as many repetitions on your license plate as possible is 8, and 4s are not something you want tagged on your car.
AesopFan,
I first encountered Asterix in Germany, and read a few of the stories there, so I assumed it originated in Germany. Then, in Belgium I noticed them again and they seemed to be much more pervasive, so I thought Asterix must have originated there (the “x” ending in his and Obelix’s names also seemed Belgian).
But now you tell me he’s French in origin. Well, I guess “the Gall” part of his moniker should have tipped me off to this true heritage!
@Rufus:
Something apparently happened in the Square of Heavenly Peace on that date in Year 1 of the Reign of the Good Emperor Bush I. Can’t for the life of me remember what it was, but there you go.
4 is certainly unlucky in this part of the world. But let me promise you that if you slap a 6 in front of it in this here Burg you will score the Luck of the Uighurs. Snake Eyes.
Most Inauspicious.
My two cellphone numbers contain no 4s, of course. My building has no 4th floor. HK is Equal opportunity, won’t find many 13th *or* x4th floors.
@Rufus:
Had never really thought about Flemish surnames and the X and a possible connection to the old Gaul / Belgae names ending in X.. Vercingetorix…. Schillebeeckx… Who knows? I certainly don’t, but it’s a charming conceit!
While We Were Asleep Part the 65536th:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62dotawwmHw
Some massively-outdated aerial footage from Chongqing in 2016.
Zaphod @ 10:38pm,
Thanks for the explanation. I guess the health agency is just very concerned a large gathering may multiply the current Coronavirus cases from zero to two, three, maybe ten times zero.
Illegal strictly for health reasons, obviously. Too bad the candlelight vigils don’t concern race. America’s health experts assured us last summer the virus cannot penetrate those demonstrations.
Just saw this:
https://www.unz.com/isteve/jury-takes-2-hours-to-find-carjack-murderer-not-guilty/
I wonder if a Federal Prosecutor will jump in with Civil Rights Violation charges?
AesopFan on June 3, 2021 at 3:18 pm said:
As you quoted that material you are probably already familiar with his style in fair detail.
For those interested in the techniques described in the video, this – one of his best, or at least most noted virtuoso performances – is instructive.
The man requires absolutely no recovery period after a complicated and involved run, but merely emerges without missing even a quarter beat to launch off on another line. He never “gets lost” and needs that half pause to regroup on the attack.
See You In My Dreams:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNRHHRjep3E
For a relatively late example without violin, Blues Clair indicates what might have been had electric amplification of any sophistication been available to him.
Finally, a jaw dropping contemporary tribute performance by admiring musicians of great personal talent; which is not only of the style, but in sound indistinguishable. Nothing like a well-meaning imitation so much as an astonishing reproduction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6MNhZapyu4
Well, we wouldn’t want to get Zaphod in trouble by making mention of that thing that is supposed not to have occurred, but in any event, I will say that that train video from the Hinotori was rather nice. A very elegant coach ride, I think. The English voice in the on-board announcements was remarkable – I wonder whom the rail company hired to record that.
Flag collection is coming along – I have just about all the ones I originally set out to get. Had to send away to Germany for one of them, as it was impossible to find in N. America, even though the local flag store here is very good and even came up with a City of Albany flag for me.
@Philip Sells:
When I was in Japan, did some business with an ex-radio announcer from Australia (as usual, didn’t look anything like his voice) who made a very good living doing the English language voice-overs for corporate videos. His hourly rate was off the chart, a decade after the Japanese Bubble burst. They’re very picky about sounds and I wish the Chinese would get the same way!
DNW – thanks for the clips. I think I’m getting seriously fond of Reinhardt’s playing, and the tribute band in costume was superb.