Elisberg Industries
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Products
    • Books
    • Movies
  • About Elisberg Industries
    • Our Corporate Board
    • Information Overstock
    • Elisberg Industries Entertainment Information
    • Elisberg Statistical Center of American Research
    • Consultancy Service
  • Contact
    • How to Find Us
  • Kudos
  • Good Things to Know
    • The BOB Page
    • Sites You Might Actually Like
Decent Quality Since 1847

Halfway All the Way

6/29/2022

0 Comments

 
A few weeks back, I posted a medley of Jim Henson's favorite songs that the Muppets performed, a couple of which were songs based on poems by A.A. Milne put to music by Harold Fraser-Smith.  And I followed that up here with the story of an album of those songs performed by Frank Luther.

One of the songs in the Muppet medley was "Halfway Down," a favorite of mine from the Frank Luther album -- but I couldn't find a video of it.  What I did find, though, was a recording of the song sung by...Gene Kelly!  It's seemingly from an album that Kelly made, though I can't swear to it.  Someone put his recording to a montage of Kelly's movie clips.

0 Comments

Getting Glastonburied

6/28/2022

0 Comments

 
I was having a discussion with a friend about how he hopes the furor over the Supreme Court decision doesn’t die down before the election, and that Democrats make every effort to make sure it stays strong.
 
I wrote back that, yes, Democrats have to make sure the furor keeps burning hot.  But honestly, I don’t think the furor will come close to dying down – because of several reasons.  1) Women won’t let it.  2) Democrats know that if inflation doesn’t improve by the mid-terms, this is now their issue.  And 3) Republicans aren’t going to stop with the court decision – they’re already talking about codifying a ban of abortion if they take control of Congress, and other issues wildly out-of-step with the public.  (Even same-sex marriage is supported by 70% of the public.)  So, Republicans will actually become their own worst enemy and keep showing themselves to be even more horrific.  I think this furor is only going to grow – especially combined with the Select Committee hearings on the Insurrection to overthrow democracy to which this furor is related to.  It’s all part of GOP fascism.
 
Well, later in the day I can across this video.  And it’s further evidence that, no, the furor is not going to die down.
 
I didn’t know this song, though it sort of rumbled in the back of my mind as something I’d hear of.  It’s from a British pop/rock star and songwriter Lily Allen who was brought onstage by the huge American pop/rock star Olivia Rodrigo to sing it together.
 
And though this is at Glastonbury in England, not in the United States, in some ways the massive crowd participation speaks loudly to the public response.  (I’m also sure the public reacts this way whenever the song is performed, but they do seem especially and understandably involved.  And even though a British crowd, they react to mention of the Supreme Court and even certain justices.)
 
Shorter versions of this appearance have shown up on social media, but this is the full 5-minute, official clip of the introduction and complete performance.  And a warning, it’s not for the Family Hour, but blunt in its language.

This is the official youtube version that shows the clip in full https://t.co/7yoFqdeSSO

— Aurel?? (@aureq) June 26, 2022
0 Comments

Today's Piano Puzzler

6/25/2022

0 Comments

 
From the archives.  We have a new Piano Puzzler with contestant Kate Lamberton of Hanover, PA.  I didn’t have a clue with the composer style, though I was surprised that my only guess was in the right genre and nationality.  However, I did get the hidden song pretty quickly.  


UPDATE:  And yes, Dr. Buzz came through.  Here's what Greg Van Buskirk, our expert on such things, wrote back to me elsewhere:

I sometimes use an online site, deepl.com, for getting the translation better than with with Google Translate with long texts. Didn't really need it, but here's how it translated the song:

You'll play a great part in the memoirs
That I'll write one day, I swear to you.

I've got plans for my old age
All I need is a pen and paper
Don't be surprised if I tell you today
I'm writing a book, and the main character is you.

You'll play a great part in the memoirs
Because you've done a lot of things with me.

I saw you strolling through Milan in a bikini
I saw you dancing on a table
I saw you boxing with a friend of the Mangano*
Compared to that Brigitte Bardot is a small fish.

You're going to play a great role in the memoirs
I'm going to write, believe it or not
You'll play a great role in the memoirs.
In a few years, you'll be the talk of the town!

*The actress Silvana Mangano (1930-1989) was then - in 1963 - at the zenith of her fame. Today, unlike her compatriots Claudia Cardinale, Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren, she is completely forgotten.

                                                       #

I knew I went to the right place when calling on the eminent Dr. Van Buskirk.  I'm curious how he used a translation site since the song was audio -- my guess is that he did extra credit work and tracked down the German lyrics.

A very different song, indeed -- an homage to a beautiful woman.  But hey, it's good to know that I was right about hearing the word "bikini" in there -- the only word, it seems, that made it to the American version.
0 Comments

Oh, Pooh

6/22/2022

0 Comments

 
The other day, when posting here the medley of Jim Henson's favorite songs, which were sung by Muppet performers at Henson's memorial, I mentioned two songs included that were based on poems by A.A. Milne.  Both of them were put to music by Harold Fraser-Simson, and originally recorded on an album sung by Frank Luther.  I mentioned that it had a long life as a very successful children’s album, and we had an old copy in our house. 

I remember the album (and even these two songs, "Cottleston Pie" and "Halfway Down") with huge affection.  For that matter, while I no longer have the album, I still do have well-read copies of both 
When We Were Very Young (from which "Halfway Down" comes) and also Milne’s other poetry collection, Now We are Six, as well as the two Pooh books, of which "Cottleston Pie" is in the original.  But though I no longer have the record, happily many of the selections from it have been posted online.  

The album is Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin:  Children Stories and Songs, performed by Frank Luther back in 1948.  It's possible that my parents got it several years later for my older brother when he was old enough to appreciate such things, and so was still in the house when I came around later, though my sense is it may have been bought new in a subsequent re-release.  In any regard, here is a medley of several songs from it, the first two of which I remember with great fondness.


0 Comments

Happy First Day of Summer

6/20/2022

0 Comments

 
Today is the first day of Summer.  And so, it's hard to celebrate that day without this joyful song, made famous in 1963 by Nat King Cole.

As a bonus, this video from a British TV show isn't as good a rendition as the original recording but seeing Nat King Cole singing "Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer" is a great treat.
​​
0 Comments
<<Previous
    Picture
    Picture
    Elisberg Industries gets a commission if you click here before shopping on Amazon.
    Picture
    Follow @relisberg

    Author

    Robert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. 

    Elisberg is a two-time recipient of the Lucille Ball Award for comedy screenwriting. He's written for film, TV, the stage, and two best-selling novels, is a regular columnist for the Writers Guild of America and was for
    the Huffington Post.  Among his other writing, he has a long-time column on technology (which he sometimes understands), and co-wrote a book on world travel.  As a lyricist, he is a member of ASCAP, and has contributed to numerous publications.



    Picture
           Feedspot Badge of Honor

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All
    Animals
    Audio
    Audio Land
    Books
    Business
    Chicago
    Consumer Product
    Education
    Email Interview
    Entertainment
    Environment
    Fine Art
    Food
    From The Management
    Health
    History
    Huffery
    Humor
    Internet
    Journalism
    Law
    Los Angeles
    Media
    Morning News Round Up
    Movies
    Music
    Musical
    Personal
    Photograph
    Piano Puzzler
    Politics
    Popular Culture
    Profiles
    Quote Of The Day
    Radio
    Religion
    Restaurants
    Science
    Sports
    Technology
    Tech Tip
    Theater
    The Writers Workbench
    Tidbits
    Travel
    Tv
    Twitter
    Video
    Videology
    Well Worth Reading
    Words-o-wisdom
    Writing

    RSS Feed

© Copyright Robert J. Elisberg 2022
Contact Us    About EI    Chicago Cubs
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Products
    • Books
    • Movies
  • About Elisberg Industries
    • Our Corporate Board
    • Information Overstock
    • Elisberg Industries Entertainment Information
    • Elisberg Statistical Center of American Research
    • Consultancy Service
  • Contact
    • How to Find Us
  • Kudos
  • Good Things to Know
    • The BOB Page
    • Sites You Might Actually Like