Friday 24 July 2015

Annoying phone calls cont'd

I wrote the following two years ago : -

I am sure that there are many other people/households who are being taunted by annoying phone calls. What I would like to know, is how can a company get away with using # s such as 000 000 0000? And more annoyingly, today 613-704-0070 called me, of course it was a scam and I was not willing to listen all the way through -- yet, I could not hang up the phone, nor disconnect from that number. I pressed Off. Then, talk again, and the female voice was still rabbiting on !! Three  attempts to disconnect did not work.

How can they get away with this?
I have blocked the number now... but it still disturbs me that the phone company permits some business to have a number that is a permanent link.

OK,WHY is this still happening. We have an election coming up; Let's all remember to quiz the politician begging for our attention to pay attention to our needs. How come companies carrying out fraudulent practices get non-functioning telephone numbers. Let us make this illegal and fine the phone company along with the perpetrators.

(yes, yes, there are lots of other things for the politicians to address too. I have not forgotten.)

Miksworld Play list -- Oldies

Welcome, I am Michael Lavalette and this is When  The Lights Come On Again.

 SONGS
You Are My Sunshine 2:36 Bing Crosby

That was Bing Crosby's version of You Are my Sunshine. A hit from 1939 that has become one of the State Songs of Louisiana because it was a hit for country singer Jimmie Davis who also served as Governor of that State ,twice. This wonderful song has been covered by many others in different genres.
Another beautiful song that has been a hit for many others is Love Letters In the Sand. Here is Pat Boone's 1957 hit. Then a Satisfied Mind by Porter Wagoner followed by Moonglow by Morris Stoloff.

SONGS
Love Letters in the Sand 2:14 Pat Boone 
A Satisfied Mind 2:43 Porter Wagoner
Moonglow & Theme from 'Picnic' 2:51 Morris Stoloff & His Orchestra
This version of Moonglow is actually a medley of the older hit with the Love theme from the 1955 movie Picnic. It was a pop hit too for Morris Stoloff & the Columbia Pictures Orchestra.

 Now, Jo Stafford with another of her hits from this era -- Make Love to Me, followed by Shine on Harvest Moon by Vera Lynn, The UK forces favourite, and Patsy Cline with He Called me Baby.

 SONGS
Make Love to Me 2:42 Jo Stafford
Shine On Harvest Moon 3:32 Vera Lynn 
He Called Me Baby 2:39 Patsy Cline

That Patsy Cline song was re-done as an RnB hit in 1969 for Ella Washington. I love both versions.

 One of my mother's favourites songs was Amapola.  Yet again, I remember trying to get this song  for her in the record store at the height of the Rock and Roll and Beatlemania to no avail. Now, I found it easily on the internet from home !
Amapola  is by Helen O'Connell & Bob Eberly they  were featured vocalists with Jimmy Dorsey at one time.  Helen O'Connell was described as the darling of the G.I.s in WWII.
And the fabulous Half As Much by the Great Hank Williams. Then, You Always Hurt the One you Love by the Mills Brothers, another perennial hit.

SONGS
Amapola 3:26 Helen O'Connell & Bob Eberly
Half As Much 2:45 Hank Williams 
You Always Hurt the One You Love 3:25 The Mills Brothers
Coming up are 2 country songs and one from the American Standard songbook.
Keep a Knockin' But You Can't Come In by Bob Willis & The Texas Playboys. Very much in the Western Swing tradition. However, a similar song was also a rock n roll hit for Little Richard & others covered it too. While they sound similar, I found nothing linking them on many music web pages. Maybe I should write a book about this song!
 Deep In The Heart Of Texas, a rousing version by Bill Schallen and Skeets Herfut.
followed by a swinging Mr. Sinatra doing You Make Me Feel So Young.
.
SONGS
Keep a Knockin' But You Can't Come In 2:34 Bob Willis & The Texas Playboys
Deep In The Heart Of Texas 2:42 Bill Schallen & Skeets Herfurt with Alvino Rey Orch.
You Make Me Feel So Young 2:58 Frank Sinatra

A tune from the 1930's, Fascination , here a 1957 version from Nat King Cole. Then I'll Walk Alone, a No.1 hit for Dinah Shore in 1944.  This obviously resonated with an audience affected by the separation of the war. However, it remains popular into the Sixties as both country and Pop genres recorded it.
After, Stormy Weather by the lovely Lena Horne, and the vivacious Rosemary Clooney and the unique Come-on-a my-house.

SONGS
Fascination 2:29 Nat "King" Cole 
I'll Walk Alone 2:46 Dinah Shore 
Stormy Weather 3:24 Lena Horne 
Come On-a My House 1:58 Rosemary Clooney

That was Rosemary Clooney a big star and aunt to George Clooney who went on to have many more hits in the 1950's.

Coming up is one-hit wonder, Harold Dorman with Mountain of Love. Harold had not other hits but this song was covered successfully by others in the Sixties.  A classic do-wop tune from the early 50's. Earth Angel by the Penguins. As a youth in London reading the music papers, the Letters' Pages were filled with people's opinions on the first "true rock & Roll" hit. This was one contender.
Finally tonight, the ever mellow Platters with Twilight Time.

 SONGS
Mountain Of Love 2:25 Harold Dorman
Earth Angel 2:58 Penguins
Twilight Time 2:48 The Platters
 
You have been listening to When the Lights Come On Again with Michael Lavalette on 97.5CIOE-FM. Obviously, you can connect with me by tuning in, or alternatively, go to our web page at 97.5Communityradio.ca  the show streams Live on Mondays at 9pm Atlantic Summer Time.
 
If you had tuned in on July 15th, this is the show you would have heard.

 

Wednesday 22 July 2015

Playlist for Miksworld


 
I host a show on  CIOE-FM  called  The Beatles Remembered.
 
Here is a recent Beatles Remembered  playlist:
it focussed on the epitome of Sixties Beatle culture -- Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever.
This 45 was a double A sided single in most of the world, save for America. Penny Lane was the big hit.
 
SONGS
Penny Lane 3:01 The Beatles 
Strawberry Fields Forever [Take 26] 3:25 The Beatles 

That is the hit version of Penny Lane with  Strawberry Fields Forever. (Take 26) not the version on the 45RPM disc.
Much was made of the fact that this Beatles single never made Number 1 in Britain. It stopped at No.2 in the charts.
Is Beatlemania finished the newspapers wondered.
The single was released in February 1967.
By February 1968 the Beatles were in India with the Marharashi and I was in North London teaching economics 3 days a week & regularly walking along Abbey Road to get to the school. I was still doing that in June & July when they were back at Abbey road studios working on "The Beatles" LP.
 
June 68, Paul was working on Blackbird. If only I had stopped & looked into the parking lot. I'm sad
I missed so many opportunities to see him then, but I was fortunate to meet him another time .
Here is Blackbird from The Beatles LP.
 
 
SONGS
Blackbird 3:24 The Beatles
From Me To You 1:58 The Beatles
From Us To You (BBC Radio) 0:33 The Beatles 
 
 
We are back with The Beatles Remembered.
After Blackbird, we heard their early hit "From Me To You"  followed by a twist on the same tune called 'From Us to You', done on their radio show in 1963.
 
A lot is made of the craziness of the period  dubbed as Beatlemania, but in the UK there was an immense awakening of  youthful energy in clubs with groups not simply copying Beatles material, but more significantly, covering the US groups that spurred their original popularity.
 
Here are 3 songs the Beatles themselves covered. Shout, an Isley Brothers original, recorded on  a TV show, later a hit for Lulu; 
I just don't understand a top 10 hit for Ann-Margaret, here the Beatles  do it on their BBC radio show;  Then Chains done originally by the Cookies. A girl  group.
 
SONGS
Shout! - From "Around The Beatles" TV Special [Redifusion-TV] 2:05
I Just Don't Understand (Live at the BBC For "Pop Go The Beatles" 20th August, 1963) 2:48
Chains 2:25 The Beatles 

 
Here are 3 Beatles tunes ranging from the early days to the later days --
A Taste of Honey, Things We Said Today and Maxwell's Silver Hammer.
 
SONGS
A Taste of Honey 2:03 The Beatles 
Things we said Today 2:38 The Beatles
Maxwell's  Silver Hammer 3:30 The Beatles
   
The first serious pop album from a Beatle as a solo artist was McCartney's self titled release in early 1970.  However, I have chosen  Another Day for the Playlist,  which wasn't released till 1971 but Paul had in fact recorded it before his first solo LP.  
Then follows songs from the others solo material , George Harrison's huge hit,  My Sweet Lord;   Ringo Starr's Photograph and Mind Games from John Lennon.
 
SONGS
Another Day 3:45 Paul McCartney
My Sweet Lord 4:41 George Harrison
Photograph 3:58 Ringo Starr
Mind Games 4:16 John Lennon   

 
In early '63, when their popularity  in Britain & Europe was erupting-- Brian Epstein wanted them to write songs for others in his stable.  Here is the Demo for How Do You Do It, a big hit for Gerry & the Pacemakers. The Beatles demo wasn't officially released till the 1990's. Do You Want to Know a Secret, from their first LP; It was a UK No.1 hit for Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas. 
The Beatles version  was never a single in Britain, but was released as a single in the US after their Ed Sullivan show exposure & made the top 40 there.
Finally two classics, Norwegian Wood, from Revolver LP that shows their development with the use of Indian instruments,  ending this playlist with the Long & winding road.
 
 
SONGS
How Do You Do It [Artist-Test] 1:58 The Beatles 
Do You Want to Know a Secret 1:57 The Beatles
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Take 1) 2:02 The Beatles
The Long And Winding Road 3:38 The Beatles 
  
 Enjoy!
 

 

 

 

Wednesday 8 July 2015

July 10

As the phrase goes -- "people of a certain age", normally code for aging Baby Boomers, -- you eagerly went to the record store {Huh, what's that?} on Friday in England to listen and possibly, buy, the latest music release.
However, 50  years ago, the Beatles & Rolling Stones berated the industry that released their material on different days around the world, sometimes with different covers. (Great for dedicated memorabilia collectors now,  but not then, because it just added to confusion of what you were purchasing.)
That was one reason they started their own labels, not simply to get a larger share of the pie; there was a definite creativity link.
In Canada, for years, we have been getting new music -- and videos, of course for this Century, on Tuesday.
Well, it all changes on July 10th. Not only has the World's many countries talked to each other, whoa, they even agreed on something.
All digital material will have the same release date around the world -- Friday.
Beginning with this Friday, July 10th.
Ok, Apple, how about some freebies to emphasize this fact-- & not 3 months free streaming for an otherwise expensive streaming music "radio" to compete with the other worldwide ones.

Come on Mick, how about a free copy of Beggar's Banquet that Decca wouldn't let you use, or Paul & Ringo -- the Beatles For Sale free with the gross bloody dolls cover. Just a thought..