Tomorrow marks the 31st anniversary of my paternal grandfather’s passing. My maternal grandfather passed away 13 years earlier and taught me that those near and dear to me won’t be here forever. Because of that, I became very close to my paternal grandfather.
I have blogged about him and the special relationship we had in the past. I was devastated when he passed away. I find myself quoting him and thinking of him a lot.
My dad posted a picture of him on social media last week. He said he was thinking about his dad. He had posted a picture of him, my grandma, my great aunt and my great grandma. I went to a folder on my hard drive looking for that picture to post, but instead I stumbled on another photo.
The photo is of my grandpa and my dad when he was younger. They are sitting on a couch together. My dad and I look a lot alike today, but there are photos of him as a kid where he looks like me, too. The picture of him and my grandpa reminded me that there was a similar picture of me and him together. Coincidentally, it is also taken while we sit on a couch.
I found each of these separate, and seeing them side by side for the first time is really neat. There is no doubt that big eyebrows run in the family!
One day I will have to go back and dig deeper into these pictures and talk about the stuff in the background. For now, it is all about “Pops.” I truly miss him.
Charles Edwin Hatcher was born on this day in 1942. You and I know him better as Edwin Starr. He was born in Nashville, moved to Cleveland and eventually to Detroit.
In 1957, he formed the Doo Woo group, the Future Tones. Soon after, he was called to serve in the US Army. He spent most of his time in Europe. When he was discharged, he decided that he wanted his career to be in music.
He joined up with Bill Doggett’s group. Bill was known for his hit Honky Tonk Part 2. Starr’s stage name was suggested to him by Doggett’s manager, as he didn’t think Charles Hatcher would catch on.
In 1965, Edwin made his solo debut with his first single for Ric-Tic Records. The James Bond series was quite popular at the time. Starr’s first single was a play on that entitled Agent Double-O-Soul.
Songfacts says that instead of being a spy, Edwin is “a sophisticated cat that brings soul music to the masses. He doesn’t have to go undercover!” I think that is a perfect description!
When I first started in radio back in 1988, it was at an oldies station. My dad gave me a list of songs that he asked me to look for. Most of them were songs he grew up loving. Many were also big hits by local artists in Detroit. Agent Double-O-Soul was on that list.
Thanks to that list, I was introduced to songs that I was unfamiliar with. Those songs have since become some of my favorites.
When Ric-Tic Records went out of business, they sold Starr’s contract to their much larger rival, Motown. His first few singles there flopped. But in 1969 he scored with “Twenty-Five Miles” and in 1970 he had a #1 hit with”War.” He ended up leaving Motown in the mid-’70s. In 1983 he moved to the UK, where he performed until 2003, when he died of a heart attack at 61.
“Marley was dead: to begin with” … so begins the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. It was originally titled: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. It was published on this day (December 19) in 1843. The first edition was completely sold out by Christmas Eve (that’s less than a week!). By the end of 1844 thirteen editions had been released!
This was not Dickens’ first Christmas story. As a matter of fact, he had written three before writing this one. He would go on to write four more afterward. The story of the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge, however, remains his best known holiday story.
Backstory
By mid-1843 Dickens began to suffer from financial problems. The sales of his Martin Chuzzlewit were falling off. His wife, Catherine, was pregnant with their fifth child. To make matters worse, his publishers threatened to reduce his monthly income by £50 if sales dropped further! It has been said that the publishers knew that the Chuzzlewit stories were not gaining public interest. They begged Dickens for a Christmas book.
Dickens started writing the book in October of 1843. Michael Slater, Dickens’s biographer, describes the book as being “written at white heat.” It was completed in six weeks, the final pages being written in early December. He built much of the work in his head while taking night-time walks around London.
Slater says that A Christmas Carol was “intended to open its readers’ hearts towards those struggling to survive on the lower rungs of the economic ladder and to encourage practical benevolence, but also to warn of the terrible danger to society created by the toleration of widespread ignorance and actual want among the poor.”
Since its initial publication the book has been issued in numerous hardback and paperback editions, translated into several languages and has never been out of print
1982 – English Class – Lincoln Junior High
I was familiar, of course, with the story of Scrooge. I had even seen a few movie versions of this classic ghost story. Interestingly, I had never actually read the novella. However, in 7th grade, I was blessed with one of my all time favorite teachers – Mrs. Shirley Kellogg. She was a no-nonsense teacher who could even make diagramming sentences fun.
I remember one day I got caught daydreaming and looking out the window. She saw me and asked me a question, which I obviously did not hear. I was startled by her calling my name and I must have looked scared to death. She looked at me and said, “Well just don’t sit there like a Willie Lump Lump – answer the question.” I started laughing, because I was well aware of the Red Skelton character she was referring to! Even though I didn’t have an answer, I immediately connected with her! Rest assured, I saved my daydreaming for other classes!
I digress. Back to A Christmas Carol :
I remember that we would often read from this big blue book that had the word “Literature” in the title. It was a collection of modern stories, short stories, classic stories, and poems. Charles Dickens’ tale was in this book. In elementary school, we would often read stories aloud, with each student reading a chapter. What makes my first “reading” of this story unique is that Mrs. Kellogg read it to us – not live though…it was Memorex! She had spent time recording herself reading the entire story and played it back to us on a cassette tape. This allowed us to read along while she graded papers and such. Because of this, when I read the story today, I can still hear certain lines in her voice.
Stave One
Dickens divides his tale into 5 “staves” or chapters. The story opens on a miserable Christmas Eve, seven years after the death of Scrooge’s partner in business Jacob Marley. Dickens’ opening line stresses the importance of the fact that he was dead. In fact, he stated that this “must distinctly be understood or nothing wonderful can come of the story” that follows. Dickens’ description of Scrooge is something that I can still hear in Mrs. Kellogg’s voice – “a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!” Right from the start, we learn what a miserable man Scrooge truly is.
In this stave we are also introduced to Fred, Scrooge’s nephew. His visit only continues to illustrate Scrooge’s hate for the holiday and the season. Another main character is Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s clerk. Dickens describes the poor working conditions and Cratchit’s measly salary. Jobs must have been scarce at the time. I say that because you have to wonder why this poor man is working for such a jerk like Scrooge. We are also introduced to two men collecting for charity, who are basically told by Scrooge to “get lost”. He tells them that he supports prisons and workhouses and those in need should go there for refuge.
Before the chapter is over, we follow Scrooge to his empty, damp, dark, and desolate home. It is there that we are introduced to his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley. It is here that we witness the beginnings of Scrooge’s transformation.
Marley’s ghost is a ghastly sight. He is wearing heavy chains and lock boxes. He tells of the misery and gloom that he suffers in the afterlife. He gives Scrooge a warning that his fate is far worse than his. This is because he has had additional years to labor on the chains he is forging. A doubtful Scrooge tells him he must be some sort of mirage or illusion. In response to this, Marley scares him into believing his presence. Marley sets the stage for what is to follow – the visits from three spirits. These visits are the only chance that Scrooge has to avoid Marley’s fate.
Stave Two – The Past
Scrooge’s second spiritual visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past. Scrooge then asks the spirit if it is the spirit of “long past”, and the spirit responds “your past”. The spirit whisks Scrooge away to Christmases where Scrooge was a boy, a young man, and a young adult. We begin to get a sense of why he is the way he is. As a boy, he spends Christmas at a boarding school. As a young man, we see him as an apprentice – an apprentice who loves Christmas. We also see him as a young adult. Here, we witness the love of his life leave him. She leaves because money has grown to be the most important thing in his life.
The older I get, the more this part of the story stays with me. Scrooge, as he witnesses all these past Christmases, is given a gift. He is allowed to see a younger self and those who he grew up with. We watch him call out the names of former school mates. He sees his beloved sister who died giving birth to his nephew. He also speaks highly of his fellow apprentice and former boss. Finally, he relives the pain of the loss of his love. These are among the many scenes that spark strong emotions with Scrooge.
Imagine, being able to go back in time to witness past Christmases! What I wouldn’t give to relive those childhood memories! I would love to see:
My grandfather’s face as I opened the cribbage board he gave me
The joy on me and my brother’s faces as we opened up the entire collection of Star War figures
The homemade Christmas ornaments mom made for our tree
My children’s first Christmases
A family pinochle game in the sun room at my grandparents
Dad putting together one of our toys with a gazillion stickers to place on it
Mom in good health, laughing at a gag gift I bought her
The adults playing guitars and the organ after having a few too many rum balls
The spread of Italian food we’d feast on every Christmas Eve
The list goes on and on. Oh to be able to hear the voices of loved ones who are no longer with us … wow. What a gift Scrooge is treated to.
Stave Three – The Present
The second spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Present. He is a jolly spirit who shows Scrooge what is to happen this Christmas. He is first given some enlightenment about his clerk as he visits their home. He learns first hand of the struggles that they face, financially and emotionally. He is shown the small feast that the entire family is to eat. It is here that Scrooge (and the reader) is introduced to the Cratchit’s lame boy, Tiny Tim.
We really see the events of the past and present working in old Scrooge here. At one point, he very uncharacteristically asks the spirit if Tiny Tim will live. The spirit informs him that if the present course remains, Tiny Tim will die. The amazing change that is beginning in Scrooge is seen clearly here. There is a glimpse of compassion and worry as he asks the question of Tiny Tim’s fate. This is followed by the hanging of his head in grief when he hears the answer.
Ever wonder what people are saying about you when you are not there? In some cases, it’s better that you not know. Scrooge visits his nephews home next and is shown the dinner that he was invited to. What he sees is the guests making fun of him. He sees his nephew telling everyone in disbelief about his uncle’s abhorrence of the holiday. The more he sees the angrier he gets. He is so angry that he tells the spirit to take him away from the scene he is watching.
As the spirit’s time grows short, Scrooge notices something. He spies what looks like a claw coming out from underneath the spirit’s robe. When asked about it, the spirit reveals two children – a boy and a girl who are anything but pretty. They were children, but they looked terrible. Scrooge asks the spirit if they belong to him. The spirit answers that they are “Man’s”. Scrooge learns that the boy is Ignorance and the girl is Want. He is then told to “Beware them both, and all their degree”. 181 years later – these words are still true! Beware ignorance and want!
There is nothing that is more embarrassing and humbling than to have your own words thrown back at you. Especially when those words are applied the way the ghost does. As the ghost’s time expires on earth, he answers Scrooge’s question about finding the children some sort of refuge. His powerful reply consists of Scrooge’s words to the men collecting for charity “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?” With that, the spirit is gone…
Stave Four – Christmas Yet To Come
Fear can be a very good motivator. Imagine the fear that now engulfs Scrooge as he sees his final spiritual visitor! The Phantom which is described as being “draped and hooded” is now coming toward Scrooge. He is approaching ”slowly, gravely” and “silently – like a mist on the ground.” Rather than run away in a panic, Scrooge faces the spirit who speaks not a word. Words can be scary – silence can be scarier! How he realizes that he is in the presence of the ghost of the future I do not know. It must have be based on his knowledge of his previous two visitors. He confirms this by asking the spirit if that is who he is. The reply that he gets is a slow and deliberate nod.
Scrooge’s fear is no secret. As a matter of fact, he tells the ghost that he fears him. He fears him “more than any other spectre I have seen.” The change that continues in Scrooge is apparent here. He states that he knows that his “purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was. I am prepared to bear you company”.
No surprise that the topic everyone shown to Scrooge is discussing is death. The death of one nameless man in particular. He sees business men standing on the street talking about an “old scratch” who “got his own at last”. Then he is taken to a sort of pawn shop. There three people meet up to sell stuff they took from a dead man’s home! One of the items was the shirt off the man’s dead corpse. He is then in a dark empty room where a dead man lays on a bed under a sheet. The spirit points to the head of the body – he wants Scrooge to look at the man. Scrooge says that he cannot do it. Every situation the spirit showed Scrooge was one where the man’s death brought pleasure.
Scrooge begs the spirit to show him some “tenderness connected with death”. He is taken through town to the home of his clerk, Bob Cratchit. The mood is somber there as they continue to deal with the death of Tiny Tim. There is much hurt and many tears in the house. Scrooge then has the realization that the time with the spirit is almost gone. But he has to know something. He asks to know who the man was that had died. He is taken to a church yard that is overrun with weeds and has not been tended to. The spirit stands with nothing but a hand pointing to a gravestone.
The culmination of all that he has seen is now coming to a head. Scrooge must have some sort of inkling of who is buried in this terrible place. I say this because he now becomes frantic. He asks if the things he was shown are things that “will be” or things that “may be.” He begs to know whether or not they can be changed. Upon reading his own name on the gravestone, Scrooge breaks. He begs the spirit to wipe his name from the stone. He insists that he is not the man he was and that he will live an altered life. He makes promises to honor Christmas and live by the lessons taught by all the spirits. He grabs the spirit and continues to plead, but the spirit disappears and turns into his bedpost.
Remember the classic It’s a Wonderful Life? In it George Bailey is shown what life would be like if he was never born. George is frightened by so many things that he sees. He understands just how many things would have been different if he were never born. With A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge sees things a bit differently. He sees the product of the present and future because of his life and how he currently lives it.
Stave Five – The End of It
The climax of the story – the miracle of the story – all culminates here. Scrooge is now a changed man! He awakens on Christmas day and he is filled with joy and happiness. These are emotions which have eluded him for many many years. His first order of business is to buy the prize turkey and send it to his clerk anonymously. He even splurges for a cab to send it there. He then dresses in his best and heads out.
He see’s the men who were collecting for charity the day before. He calls one of them over, apologizes for the day before and whispers a huge sum of money to them. They marvel at what is happening, and Scrooge assures them that there are many back payments included in that amount. He goes to church for the first time in years. Finally, he heads over to his nephew’s house, not knowing what will happen. Fred is surprised and welcomes him with open arms.
The one man who is unaware of the change in Scrooge is Bob Cratchit. When he arrives at work a few minutes late, Scrooge is waiting for him. This is exactly what Scrooge had hoped for. As soon as he walks in, Scrooge lays into him. He demands to know why he is coming in late. Scrooge continues his charade and stresses how he is not going to stand this behavior anymore! Quickly, he changes his demeanor and announces he is giving Bob a raise! He then vows to help his family in all ways possible.
Dickens ends by telling the reader that he was better than his word. He was a great man and second father to Tiny Tim. He explains that there were plenty of naysayers who still laughed at the transformation in Scrooge. The old man said it didn’t bother him one bit. We are told that there is no more spiritual intervention and that he “knew how to keep Christmas well”.
Closing Thoughts
I have been reading Dickens’ A Christmas Carol every year for 42 years now. Each and every year I am grateful for the start of the tradition. I was lucky enough to have had Mrs. Kellogg for English Class in 7th and 8th grade and she read it to us both years. Every holiday, I think of her fondly as I read those opening words.
I have seen almost every film and TV adaptation of this story. Honestly, it is hard for me to pick a favorite. What holds true for all of them is the amazing transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge. There is also a renewed appreciation for the Christmas season. During the holidays, just like Scrooge, people tend to give more to those in need. They tend to be kinder, and they tend to be happier. Here’s a thought – why not do this all year round?
Elvis Presley had a song on his Christmas CD which stated my feelings perfectly:
Why can’t every day be like Christmas? Why can’t that feeling go on endlessly? For if every day could be just like Christmas, what a wonderful world this would be.
Ella has been in dance for a while now. Sam has been taking her to the classes because I work on the nights of class. Outside of her showing me a few things at home, I hadn’t had a chance to see her dance yet.
Friday night was the dress rehearsal and both Sam and I got to go watch. Seeing my little girl all dressed up in her costume and makeup was more emotional than I thought. Because of miscommunication, they were told that all dancers had to have eye liner, mascara, blush, lipstick and a variety of other products. When I looked at her face, she looked 16!
At rehearsal, the director said that girls 7 and older needed full makeup, and those under needed only blush and lipstick. That was nice to hear, but it would have saved us $100 in make up if they had been more clear. She still looked older with the blush and lipstick on.
Her class performed two songs. One was ballet and one was tap. When she hit the stage during rehearsal, I watched he dance and welled up with all the dad emotions. I can’t believe that it hit me as hard as it did.
Sam had been telling me how much she loved being in dance. I didn’t realize how much she loved it until I watched her on stage. She is entirely in her element there. She loves ballet more than tap, as she has told us that a few times.
The dress rehearsal lasted about 3 hours. There were plenty of other groups dancing, too. Almost all of the dancers are aged 3 to 18. There was also a group of special needs adults who danced, as well. The rehearsal was a complete run-through with stops for repeating parts or blocking out where dancers were to stand.
Yesterday was the day of the show. They did a 2pm performance and a 7pm performance. The show was 2 hours long, so it was a very long day for everyone, but especially Ella. Almost everyone was at the 2pm show. My dad, Sam’s parents, Aunt Margaret, and Aunt Shannon were all there.
At the end of her first performance, She received flowers from Aunt Margaret, my dad, her little brother Andrew and a bear from me. She was so excited. She posed for pictures with everyone before they left. Andrew went to Nana’s house so that we could grab dinner and get her back to the second show.
We went to Applebee’s where she ate and had a huge chocolate dessert for dancing so well. We made it back in time for her to change back into her costume and get ready for the evening show.
During the first show, Sam had volunteered to help with the kids in the back. She got to watch from the side backstage for that first show, however, was glad to be able to sit in the audience for the 7pm show. It was so nice to be sitting together and watching our baby girl shine.
Our friend, Miss Christa, came with her daughter and watched the night show. She brought Ella a book about a ballerina, which we had to read before bedtime last night.
For each show, she was on stage about a total of 6-7 minutes. It was a very long day, but those 12-14 minutes will forever stay with me. I am so proud of her and how wonderful she danced. I am already excited for the next recital!
I went through some of my holiday photos this week. This was taken at my maternal grandmother’s house. Quite a few things stand out in this picture to me.
First, the television set! I was once a remote control for one of those, LOL! Man, those things were something. My grandma had one of those card holders that she set on top of it. Directly above that you can see the bottoms of a HUGE wooden fork and spoon that hung on the wall. I have no idea who the gal in front of the TV is.
My mom, my grandparents and SO many people draped garland around fireplaces, photos, window and more. I love how you can see it hanging there. I love the fact that there is a fire in the fireplace!
Dig my dad’s sideburns! Those were the thing in the early 70’s! My brother is holding onto a jeep I do not remember at all. I’m the one with his back to the camera and checkered pants.
I looked at this photo and did not recognize the camper looking thing. I did some digging and found the box online. It was a Weebles Camper! Weebles wobble but the don’t fall down, remember.
We had a lot of Weebles growing up. I remember many of the sets, but not this one. I know we had a treehouse and a boat. This looks pretty cool, as the camper top came off and it turned into a car.
This is one of those instances where I wonder if my folks had saved all of these, if they’d be worth anything today …
Fun stuff! maybe I should put a Weebles trivia question in my company’s holiday game we play each year?
I found a hard drive recently that has some of my old radio audio on it. It also has about 2 years worth of show prep, jokes, and stuff I will never use again. There were also some photos on there.
As I began to copy some of the pictures over, I attempted to sort them. I was transferring some photos I had of my dad. I noticed one already in the folder that made me laugh. Since it is a holiday picture, I thought I would share it.
You can always count on my dad and I doing something silly in a photo. I would guess this photo is probably from the late 1990’s. As I got older, my bald spot got bigger. I think my brother or mother took this picture. We were obviously talking about me losing my hair.
This was taken in my grandma’s condo. It is probably Christmas Eve. This was back when we wore a shirt and tie for holiday visits! As I look at this photo, I am frustrated. I cannot bring how the rest of the house looked to mind. I remember this room and the kitchen mostly.
I can make out a few things behind my dad and me. Those brass birds on the wall were just a small part of grandma’s collection. The blue flower lamp on the table was something. It just seemed so unlike my grandma’s style. She got it anyway. She got that gold clock on the wall after the grandfather clock stopped working, I think.
The chair in front of us I remember very well. There is a picture of all of us with my grandparents on their 50th anniversary. We took it in and around that chair. A few months later, my grandpa passed away.
On a lighter note, today, my dad has more hair than me. So the joke is on me, I suppose!
The final weeks of 2024 are upon us. On this Thanksgiving day, I find myself thinking of the things I am thankful for. I know that many readers will think, “Oh boy. Here we go again. Another list from Keith.” Let me ask you – How do you feel? I have found by reflecting on the things I am thankful for, I gain a new sense of happiness. You can too! Try it, and see.
I am thankful for:
My wife. Her love, patience and understanding mean so much to me. She is the glue that holds our family together. I fall in love with her over and over again.
My children. I have been blessed with 4 of the most amazing children. Each of them is so different from the other. Each of them a distinct personality. Each of them smart, beautiful, handsome, and funny! Thoughts of them fill my heart daily.
My Faith. I am thankful for the Bible and the knowledge I gain from reading it.
My Savior Jesus Christ. The never ending and unconditional love that He showed for me at Calvary’s Cross, well, there is no way to express how thankful I am for that.
My father. I am so grateful to still have him around. His guidance, his advice, his influence, and his laughter are things I truly appreciate.
My brother. For two kids who beat the snot out of each other growing up, we are very close. Closer than ever, actually. His support and love for my family overflows. I treasure the little texts or pictures we send to each other, many that need no explanation.
My friends. There are many people that fall into this category. From my best friends of over 50 years to radio friends, college friends, church friends, and more. Friendship is something I do not take for granted. Thank you for being my friend.
Memories. Again, there is so much to place into this category. The memories of loved ones who have passed away. The memories of the bad times, which makes the good times even more special. The memories of special events. The memories of joy and the memories of sadness. The memories that come with a book, movie, TV show or a song. The memories that an old photo bring to mind.
My job. I am grateful to have found a line of work that allows me to provide for my family. I am also thankful that I get to help people while doing it.
Our home. We are blessed to have a warm bed to sleep in. A couch to snuggle on. A kitchen to cook in. A roof under which happy memories are made.
Modern technology. While not all of it is good, I do like being able to spellcheck my work. It is also nice being able to search just about anything on Google.
You. I am thankful that you are reading this. I am thankful that you read and react to my blogs. I am thankful for you willingly choosing to follow this page.
The above list is small portion of my list of things to be thankful for. In I Thessalonians 5:18, the Bible says simply, “In everything, give thanks!” Doing that will change your heart. It causes you to look at things differently. You find it easier to cope with things. I aids in your understanding. It is also one of the hardest things to do. But I trust that it is what we all need to do. Give thanks in everything today and always.
May you and yours have a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
For today’s Friday Photo Flashback, I want to share one of my favorite pictures of my dad. I asked my dad about his age in this picture and he told me he was 15.
I love this photo so much. ALll my life, my dad has never been without a guitar. He was always playing it growing up. I know that he played it growing up and eventually played it in wedding bands.
Check out those cheesy tuxes!
I have fond memories of him listening to current hits trying to figure out the chords or solos. One that sticks out, I have mentioned a few times. Watching him figure out the intro to The Breakup Song by the Greg Khin Band was mesmerizing. I loved every second of it.
There were times when my dad would need a drummer to fill in at a gig. It was often my Godfather and Uncle Tom who would be there. Those two together were always a blast, so I can only imagine those gigs. I actually found a photo of my Uncle Tom with my dad at a wedding.
After his band broke up, he joined another band and began to play bass guitar. I guess he would occasionally play lead guitar, but not often. The instrumentation was different in that band and it had a great sound.
When I graduated in 1988, my dad gathered together some of the old band members. Without rehearsal, they played music for my graduation party. It was a jam session for them all. When my uncle wasn’t playing drums, he would sing. My cousins would fill in on drums and guitar.
You can see how much fun they were having in that first picture.
When DJ’s sort of took the wedding band’s job, my dad started spinning records at the VFW. My Uncle, who was also a veteran, would come up and hang out. Those nights always consisted of loud laughter.
I shared theae pictures today because today is my dad’s 78th birthday. I truly hit the jackpot to get him as my father. He has been a great supporter of me throughout the many years of my life. He has influenced me musically in more ways than I can count. Not to mention the introduction to classic movies and TV shows. He is a hero to me.
I am so lucky to still have him in my life. I love when we get to be together, and love that when we can’t, there is video chat.
Thanks, Dad, for simply being you. Thank you for all you’ve done for me. I wish you the happiest birthday, yet. I love you, Pop.
Welcome back to The Music of My Life, where I feature ten songs from each year of my life. In most cases, the ten songs I choose will be ones I like personally (unless I explain otherwise). The songs will be selected from Billboard’s Year-end Hot 100 Chart, Acclaimed Music, and will all be released in the featured year.
I turned 24 in 1994. In the 7 years I had been on the radio, I was starting to get used to the fact that radio stations made changes often. It happened again when Honey Radio went off the air that year. I would go on to land a gig at W4 Country in Detroit soon after.
1994 was also the year my paternal grandfather passed away. I was very close to him and that grief hung around for some time.
Musically, I was DJing a lot more parties and discovering more music. Thanks to a full time job where I drove a lot, I discovered some alternative music that I really enjoyed. Many of those tunes will show up in the lists/years ahead.
Let’s check out 1994 …
As someone who feels like I can never put my feelings into words, I appreciate a song that can. Beautiful In My Eyes was a huge Bride and Groom song when I was DJing. When it wasn’t the bridal dance, it was a slow song that always packed the dance floor.
When I DJ’d my cousin’s second wedding, it was on the “Do Not Play” list. Why? It was the wedding song she used in her first marriage. As strange as it may sound, that happened a lot.
Joshua Kadison describes the song as being about “a love that just lasts forever, and you’ll always be beautiful in my eyes.” I’ve always thought it was an example of a great love song. I will also admit that I had no idea what he looked like until I found this video.
Beautiful in My Eyes
We had Doug Stone do a show for us when I worked at the Moose. He was a nice guy and fun to chat with. By the time he did our show, he’d pretty much had all of his hits.
One song that I found extremely relatable was Addicted to a Dollar. There are lyrics in here that any hard working person can relate to!
“F.I.C.A. and the state – they make my paycheck look like a big mistake. Tax man takes his before I see a cent And what they don’t get, I’ve already spent.”
“Got me more payments than I’ve got checks. Ten more to go on this car, it’s a wreck.”
Those hit home on many levels, especially for a radio guy! Even long after my radio career, those lyrics can still hit home.
Addicted to a Dollar
Next up, the only US hit for Des’ree, who had quite a few hits in the UK. I like this song because it’s kind of a pep talk. It’s about not being ashamed to express your feelings and about living life to its fullest.
The whole song is loaded with wisdom. The chorus is something that a person could easily tell themselves everyday when they look in the mirror.
“You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together All I know, all I know, love will save the day“
Some days you just gotta push through, and being bad, bold, wise, hard, tough, strong, cool, and calm can certainly help!
You Gotta Be
The Troggs followed up their hit “Wild Thing” with the ballad Love Is All Around. They took the song to #7 in 1967.
The group Wet, Wet, Wet covered it for the movie Four Weddings And A Funeral. It wasn’t the only song they could have recorded. The band chose “Love is All Around” over Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and Barry Manilow’s “Can’t Smile Without You” even though some of their members hadn’t heard it before.
Singer Marti Pellow related that the decision to pick “Love Is All Around” was an easy choice “because we knew we could make it our own”. They made the right choice, as their version was a UK #1 for 15 weeks and became the best selling single in the UK in 1994.
The song is so much different than the Troggs’ version. I think that is why I like it so much! It isn’t that the Troggs’ version sounds dated or anything, I just think the Wet, Wet Wet version sounds more polished. It’s fantastic.
Love Is All Around
I wish I had a dollar for every time I have played this next one at a wedding or party! It was one of my most requested songs – Cotton Eyed Joe. What’s funny is that while high school kids were asking for it, they have no idea just how old the song is!
Songfacts says “This song originated in America in the 1800s, and is commonly associated with the American South. It became a popular song in country bars, as it was perfect for line dancing. It’s a traditional folk song, and many country artists recorded it.
Rednex is a group of Swedish producers who recorded “Cotton Eye Joe” as a techno dance song. After putting the song together, they came up with the country bumpkin motif and named the group Rednex, a play on the word “redneck,” a term for an uncultured southerner in America.
They found five Swedish performers to portray the band, dressing them in tattered clothes and giving them a stereotypical hillbilly look, with unkempt hair and dirty faces. In a cagy marketing move, they refused interviews and released a bio to the press explaining that the group was rescued from an uncivilized village called Brunkeflo in the backwoods of Idaho and brought to Sweden, where they could express their musical gifts. Their names were Bobby Sue, Billy Ray, Mary Joe, BB Stiff and Ken Tacky – all inbred.“
What a way to start a band, huh?
Cotton Eyed Joe
I don’t think I could ever be a good songwriter. There are some lines that I think are just brilliant. One of those lines is the opening line of Green Day’s Basket Case.
“Do you have the time to listen to me whine about nothing and everything all at once?”
That’s a great line! This song is about anxiety attacks and a feeling that you are going crazy. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong suffered from various panic disorders while he was growing up – he would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with a panic attack and walk around his neighborhood to settle down. “Basket Case” was a cathartic and personal song for him. “The only way I knew how to deal with it was to write a song about it,” he explained.
Songfacts says “Blasting right into the verse at the beginning of this song is something that set it apart. Simplicity was a hallmark of the Dookie album, and while omitting an intro made little marketing sense (DJs couldn’t talk up the song), it got right into the meat of the track. Tre Cool of Green Day cites the first Beatles album, Please Please Me, as an influence on Dookie, since many of those early Beatles songs also got right to the point.”
Basket Case was one of those alternative songs I heard on the radio and it made me want to hear more from Green Day.
Basket Case
I’ve got the chance to hang out and interview Aaron Tippin a couple times. He’s a huge supporter of our veterans, and does a lot of charity work
During his stage show he puts together a bicycle while singing a song. Then he brings out someone from a children’s hospital or foster home and donates the bike and more to those children. Class act!
Off air, I found out he was a big fan of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. We chatted for a long time about their music. At his county fair show, he donned a fedora and nailed a Sinatra song. It was amazing.
My dad loves his music and he asked if I would get an autograph for him. Aaron and I were talking and I mentioned my dad’s request. My dad loves Aaron’s patriotism and support of veterans. I mentioned this to him. Aaron wanted to know more about him. Where did he serve? How long? What branch of service?
He grabbed one of his photos and signed it for my dad. It hangs proudly in my dad’s music room. “Sam. I KNOW you got it honest! Thank you. Aaron Tippin.”
I Got It Honest
The video for the next song is what got me. More on that in a second.
Weezer’s Buddy Holly was almost called “Ginger Rogers.” Well, it could have been. According to songfacts “The early demo of this song had a slower tempo and some different lyrics. The chorus originally referenced famous dancing duo Fred & Ginger: “Oo-wee-oo you look just like Ginger Rogers, Oh, oh, I move just like Fred Astaire,” before it was changed to “Oh wee-ooh, I look just like Buddy Holly, Oh, oh, and you’re Mary Tyler Moore.”
The video was just awesome. Spike Jonze directed it. Vintage Happy Days footage was intercut with shots of Weezer performing on the original Arnold’s Drive-In set. Al Molinaro, who played the diner’s owner on the series, made a cameo appearance in the video.
Think about this: Happy Days aired in the 1970s but was set in the 1950s, when Buddy Holly made his mark. So here we have a ’90s video referencing a ’70s TV series set in the ’50s.
The video was one of the most popular clips of 1995, it scored four MTV Video Music Awards, including Breakthrough Video and Best Alternative Music Video, and two Billboard Music Video Awards, among them Alternative/Modern Rock Clip of the Year.
The single was released to radio on September 7, 1994, which would have been Buddy Holly’s 58th birthday.
Buddy Holly
In 1994, Huey Lewis and the News released Four Chords and Several Years Ago. It was an album of 50’s and 60’s cover songs. What made this really cool was that they recorded it just like they would have in those days.
You didn’t have the guitar track laid down beforehand. The drummer wasn’t in a separate booth. All the musicians and vocalists were in the same room recording at the same time. This gave the songs a very authentic sound.
The band’s final entry into the Hot 100, was a cover of the JJ Jackson hit But It’s Alright. This is not to be confused with an earlier cover they did of the Impression’s It’s Alright. They did that one all acapella.
Four Chords is one of my favorite albums.
But It’s Alright
It is fitting that the next song is the last one on my list for 1994. It’s fitting because since it came out, I almost always used this song as the last song of the night when I DJ’d.
Madonna’s Take A Bow has a beautiful instrumentation and arrangement. While beautiful, it is sad. This song is about a failed romance Madonna had with “a movie star,” possibly Warren Beatty, whom she starred opposite in the movie Dick Tracy.
Babyface sang backup and also produced this track to give Madonna the R&B feel she wanted for the Bedtime Stories album. At Madonna’s suggestion, this song was recorded with a full orchestra. It was the first time Babyface had worked with live strings.
I always felt like it was a perfect song to wrap up with. The lyrics say, “The show is over, say goodbye.” I also liked that it was a 5 minute song, which gave me a little time to start packing up at gigs. At some gigs, if I had a friend there, or my significant other, I could sneak in a brief dance with them.
Take a Bow
And just like that, we’re through 1994. Like other years, there were plenty of good ones to choose from. Which one of your favorites did I miss?
Next week, we’ll hear the dance craze people love to hate, a band that was superior to another, a soulful sweet collaboration, a rather strange song, and the reuniting of one of the biggest groups in history. I hope you’ll stop by to check it out ….
The timing on this photo find is almost perfect. We’re less than two weeks away from Halloween and I stumbled on this photo of my folks.
This photo made me laugh out loud! My mom is wearing one of my dad’s old band outfits. They used to wear these blue tuxes when they played weddings as I recall. That is definitely one of his tux shirts, too. Those ruffles were something!! If I had to guess, that is an old hat from a New Year’s Eve party, but I can’t say for certain.
Next to mom is dad, ever the clown! I love this picture of them. My dad is never one to shy away from dressing in something silly. I have NO idea where that polka dot shirt came from! I cannot begin to imagine where anyone would wear it that was NOT a Halloween party! The make up he is wearing was probably the makeup that they used on my brother and I the year we went out as “vampires.” The buttons on the coat are my Three Stooges buttons. I had quite a few of them as a teen. Obviously, the perfect things for his ensemble.
What I don’t know is whether he wore this outfit first, or if I did. Our high school band had a Halloween party my sophomore year. That party would have taken place in October of 1985. I don’t recall much about it. I know it was in a barn or at a cider mill maybe. We had to pile onto a bus to get there. At any rate, I wore most of this same outfit!
If I had to guess, I wore it first. I am sure my dad didn’t wear the yellow pajama pants (more on why in a minute). There are also no buttons on the coat. I would think that if my dad wore the coat first, then I would have kept the buttons on it. Then there is the horn. Man, that horn was hilarious. It was your typical Harpo Marx horn that was loud and annoying. I can see why I made sure to bring it to the party. Missing from my dad’s take on the costume are the hat and giant scissors. Maybe I lost them at the party?
Back to the yellow pajama pants. There is another photo of me before the party. My mom, always happy to ham it up, had the perfect pose.
Look closely at the back of the left leg. I remember my dad grabbing a magic marker that night. He wrote “Band Reject” on there! This is totally my dad! Great stuff.
That Halloween costume may have been responsible for my three year reign as “Band Clown” in the mock elections! What an honor!
Back to the original photo for a minute as I wrap this up. It makes me smile. My mom looks young and healthy here. Nine or ten years later, she’d get the initial diagnosis of breast cancer. There would be a lot of changes from that point on. In this photo, though, she and my dad are happy and it reminds me of some great days.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 