Motley Moose – Archive

Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

Odds & Ends: News/Humor

I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in “Cheers & Jeers”.

OK, you’ve been warned – here is this week’s tomfoolery material that I posted.

CHEERS to …… well, each of you. This a tough week for us … and you have my blessing to decompress, take some time off, skip reading the news for awhile ….then come back strong. Have a fabulous week.

ART NOTES – nearly 140 works in the exhibition Gods and Heroes: Masterpieces from the École des Beaux-Arts, Paris are at the Albuquerque Museum in New Mexico to January 4th.

FASHION NOTES – organizers of a Scottish fashion event have announced plans to reinvigorate interest in the Inverness Cape – a sleeveless tweed overcoat made famous by Sherlock Holmes – of which 60-70% of those produced today are exported (mainly to the USA).

SCIENCE NOTES – in France climate change is no longer just an abstract problem: as the culinary country’s grand wine culture is threatened by rising global temperatures.

THURSDAY’s CHILD lives near a school in Spokane, Washington – who greets students each day and has become a favorite.

THE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with a more in-depth look at the life of my favorite musician of all time, the bassist Jack Bruce – who was laid to rest this week, with many noted musicians attending his funeral (and singing various tunes).

HAIL and FAREWELL to two other bassists: Gary McMillan – from The Standells (of Dirty Water fame) – who has died at the age of 76 …… and Rick Rosas – a long-time band mate of Neil Young – who has died at the age of 65.  

FRIDAY’s CHILD is Studley the Cat – also a Washington state kitteh, who has been named the ASPCA Cat of the Year for being a hospital therapy cat …. alone in a program that includes nearly 30 therapy dogs.

BRAIN TEASER – try this Quiz of the Week’s News from the BBC.

FOOD NOTES – while named after the northern German city, only recently has it become easier to find a good hamburger in Germany: although one of these new upscale purveyors stopped emphasizing locally-sourced ingredients after some patrons “wanted to know everything, right down to the name of the cow.”

SEPARATED at BIRTH – two British musicians back in the 60’s: Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones and Donovan Leitch (of “Hurdy Gurdy Man” fame).

   

……and finally, for a song of the week …………… at first I thought he might be limited to humorous, whimsical songs but upon further listening: I found the jazz pianist Dave Frishberg to have a full palette of musical offerings. While I think that the All-Music Guide’s Scott Yanow may overstate by referring to him as “arguably the best living lyricist” – he does have a way with words, and a more complete background than I imagined.

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1933, he developed an appreciation for boogie-woogie piano and joined the house band at St. Paul’s Flame Club, where big-name stars performed. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a journalism degree, Frishberg spent two years in the Air Force (via ROTC) before moving to New York in 1957.

In order to gain a union card, he worked briefly for a radio station. One of his early solo piano gigs was working at a gay club (where a then-unknown Tiny Tim was among the performers). But he spent much of the next ten years as an sideman to major stars: Carmen McRae, Gene Krupa, Ben Webster, plus a stint in the Al Cohn-Zoot Sims band (with Jimmy Rushing on vocals each weekend).

It was a chance solo album he recorded in 1970 called Oklahoma Toad that helped him find his own (singing) voice. With the first of his quirky tunes Van Lingle Mungo – simply reciting that and other old-time baseball players’ names – he found some success and (after going through a painful divorce) decided to leave New York for Los Angeles two years later.

He had various success: Among his first offers was to write “Dodger Blue” for the hometown baseball team. He placed his talents for awhile writing for television; scoring a Mary Tyler Moore TV special. Another show he wrote for was the ABC Schoolhouse Rock! program, with I’m Just a Bill explaining the legislative process to kids.

Dave Frishberg cites Frank Loesser (of “Guys and Dolls” fame) as an important influence as a composer: with Loesser’s “Baby, it’s Cold Outside” along with Willie Nelson’s “Crazy” as songs he wishes he had wrote.

But he slowly began to build-up a solo career and – after signing with Concord Records – began with a 1975 instrumental album and each subsequent album saw him performing fewer standards and more of his own compositions throughout the 1970’s through the 1990’s.

And those songs …. My Attorney Bernie tells how Bernie helps him navigate the business world’s waters, “I’m Hip” speaks for itself, plus “Let’s Eat Home“, Another Song about Paris as well as “Can’t Take You Nowhere“, I Want To Be A Sideman – and my favorite, Blizzard of Lies – in which he asked his friends to recite all of the standard lies they heard. Just a small sample of what they (and he) found were:

It’s just a standard form.

Strictly by the book.

I’ll love you darling

until I die

I am not a crook.

Perhaps the song of his that has been most covered by other performers is his 1962 tune Peel Me a Grape – which was uttered by Mae West in the film “I’m No Angel” from 1933. It has been covered by performers diverse as Dusty Springfield, Nancy Wilson, Rosemary Clooney, Vanessa Williams and very prominently by Diana Krall.

Since 1986 Dave Frishberg has lived in Portland, Oregon and at age 81 still performs. For a compilation album of his best hits, try Classics – with his most recent album backing the singer Connie Evingson in 2008. As the critic Stephen Holden wrote, “Few contemporary writers have produced as many songs that have been embraced by nightclub cognoscenti“.

   

In 1994, Dave Frishberg wrote My Country Used to Be – whose lyrics (at the time) lamented how the USA no longer manufactured anything: “now we buy overseas“. But following 9-11, he re-wrote the lyrics to reflect his feelings (that many of us shared) at its exploitation. And below you can hear the revised version.

Once I pledged allegiance to the flag

of the good old USA

And to the values for which it stood:

The home, the family, the neighborhood

‘Cause while it lasted: well, it sure felt good

Now I pledge allegiance under God

to the mighty corporations

To the airport search

to the secret police

To the wiretaps

to the war on peace

While America marches into action

with our weapons of mass distraction

My country used to be

Emblem of democracy

Freedom unfurled

Once we were hailed and cheered

Honored, world-revered

Now we’re despised and feared

Alone against the world

My country used to be

Land of productivity

We stocked the store

Now we make paper trails and profits

Of secret sales and then when all else fails

We concoct a war

My country used to be

Land of opportunity

Second to none

My country once was proud

We stood above the crowd

No need to shout out loud

“We’re number one!”

I hope my children live to see

A land like my country used to be


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