Soap.
Tide, THE detergent of my youth, has a great commercial series going on now.
Category Archives: 9 TV & Movies/Books & Entertainment
Cover-Alls
My dad was a country boy in Misourri, growing up in the 1940s ,who had to wear cover-alls too school. He hated it. And remains a very snazzy dresser to this day. This post is not about those little bibbed britches, actually. But rather, song covers.
Song covers.
That term can make a lot of people cringe with horror like fingernails on a blackboard. And usually, whenever some one “covers,” a song, or sings something that once “belonged” rightfully to another artist, I tend to think, “Why? Why are you doing that?” It was already an amazing song, done amazingly by some amazing artist I love {and am amazed by, it would seem}.
But honestly? There are great covers out there and the best, I think, are done well because the bands re-recording a tune respects the song so much and loves it for what was originally done with it – that they are able to communicate it really well. I actually want to BE a cover band, for my next job. **big, goofy, smile**
I still really adore Mariah Carey’s version of the Jackson Five’s, “I’ll Be There.” Just the other day, Blake (“Some Beach) Shelton released his cover of Kenny Loggin’s 1980s version of “Footloose,” and it is a respectful, countrified, get-up-and-dance version. I like it. The video is mostly fun, but a little too much dirty-dancing for me to post it here (this is a family blog, people), but the song is good. Great cover.
“Close to You,” by the Carpenters is simply classic and part of the soundtrack of my very life, almost too precious to communicate. Great (Bacharach) tune that it is, it has been covered a gazillion-million times and though I usually, absolutely dismiss any attempts at the re-do, there are a few artists who have given me such an interesting rendition, that I have come to appreciate why anyone ever attempts it at all. It is just a great song. And the live Barbara Streisand and Burt-the-Bacharach-himself version in 1971 are an interesting watch. And I must admit truly loving Mario Biondi’s raspy, deep, jazzy version. It is well interpreted. He knows why, ya know? And he respects the song.
Boondocks.
Though I was city born and raised (if Des Moines can be considered a real “city”), my heart that craves the “Boondocks,” which was a grand hit for Little Big Town a few years back. Felt like listening to it the other day and found out that this band that feeds my country-boondocks-slightly-bluegrass periodic-craving has done a bunch of great covers. They’ve done their original stuff with harmonies I love to get lost in, harmonies that harken back to the likes of the Starlight Vocal Band (“Afternoon Delight”) and so many family sing-a-longs in my youth. They are not hacks. They’ve earned the right to cover songs they love. And here is my favorite find!
I’d love to be introduced to more great covers, espcially of 1970s songs. Anyone??
The doctor is IN. 5-cents, please!
Lucy. Is interesting. I may or may not wholly relate to her.
Pretty bossy. Kinda crabby. Slightly cynical. Always threatening to slug somebody. The take-charge veneer, I suspect, is a shroud to hide her vulnerability.
But her rates for psychiatric services were very reasonable.
“Have some respect for your director!”
Don’t. Stop.
I like this commercial.
I can picture it in my mind’s eye
First of all, I took these 3 photos.
Which turned out w a a a a a y better than they should have for my little $69.99 Kodak digital camera.
Check out this weed. This was in the mountains when Dave and I were there a few weeks back. It was getting ready to spread its’ seed everywhere. I just like how it captured the almost explosive-movement. No touch-ups. Just this. As weeds go, pretty lovely.
And then these two. With really good cameras you can adjust the focus so that the things you aren’t focusing on are blurry, out-of-focus. I do not have that option. But my camera, for some strange reason. did that anyway. I think I may have been zoomed, I am not sure. But I love how it blurred the background. These are not touched up. If I’d known I’d stumbled into something, I’d have tried more of whatever it was. *smile
Look at that crazy-awesome background blur.
Secondly, Hunter enjoyed trying a feather and ink for alphabet writing recently.
Thirdly, Peaches & Cream, from Palizzi Farm. As amazingly sweet and delectable as it sounds.
I LOVE corn on the cob. Did you know that? Love it. It is the Iowa girl in me.
Here they come, walking down the street. Get the funniest looks from – everyone they meet. Hey-hey for grandkids!
All together now – JUMP!
Remember when we were kids and adults made us smile for pictures when the sun was totally in our eyes? Yeah, well, now I have done that to my own grandbebes. I just thought they should experience it. Haha.
Peek-a-boo, little monkeys
Gemma drew her family
And other things.
Granddaughters are sweeeeet!
Little tiny Amelie walloped her cousin, Gavin, the other day and when her daddy said, “Amelie-no hitting,” she crossed her arms and lowered her shoulders with a decided **harrumph** and plopped herself down. It is hilarious thing to see such an itty-bitty pull such a big-girl move. It probably won’t be that cute 6 months from now, but it sure was this week.
Tredessa got her dress. And I can’t show you, of course, but she is beautiful in it.
Engagement to her cute guy? Check. Amazing ring? Check. Location for the wedding (a barn!!)? Check. Dress? Check.
This is just wrong. Right? Probably. But it is evidence that the grandkids were here.
THIS? Is a good morning sight! Fresh from the garden!
I should mention, I had just dropped the green beans into boiling water for 10 seconds and then quickly submerged them into ice water to shock them green-green and make them positively delectable for random all-day-long munching. Mmm. Mm. Mm!
And in honor of the first day of autumn, I am making red beans and rice and missing my brother, Joe, whose gorgeous first born will walk down the aisle tomorrow to be married. {Mrs. Elise Leonard, aka Elise-the-Niece}
You’re just going along, enjoying summer living, and then the veins of the leaves go blood red and begin pumping color into a random branch here or there. Fascinating!
“I can picture it in my mind’s eye and it’s beautiful, Clark.” (Christmas Vacation) I can also see it here at my blog and remember and smile.
Relate?
This is for all my multi-tasking, entrepreneurial, mommies-wives-friends-and-all-around-amazing-young-women friends and daughters.
I love late night Frazier reruns.
He gets a call. It is a young mom and wife and you can hear the kids crying and yelling and the dog barking and she is breathlessly trying to express her frustration at the lack of time she and her husband are able to find for romance. She pleads for advice on how they can find time for sex again and even says she is getting so desperate she may have to find a stranger at the store.
The doctor is in.
Frazier’s {very good} advice:
Sex with a stranger is not the answer.
Why don’t you just pack the kids off with Nanna and Pop-Pop.
Lock Lucky downstairs in the basement.
Grab your husband – take him to the sturdiest kitchen table you have.
And. let. the. postman ring twice.
Um, no – that was not fun.
If ever I am on Wheel of Fortune and the wheel does me wrong and I don’t win any money, it doesn’t matter how glad I will have been to have met Pat and Vanna, when Pat comes to console me and award me with the $1000 loser’s fee and says, “I hope you had a good time anyway,” the answer will be
“NO! I did not and I insist on a second chance!”
Every contestant tries to show Pat they are just as happy to have come and lost as they’d have been winning, as if he is going to like them better or something.
Geesh. I am there for the cool million. Not to be Pat’s best friend. Though I am certain f we ever meet, we probably will totally hit it off because I think he is the funniest man in the world. He would like that.
But I will still insist on a re-do!
I Want You for all Time
I so will go see him on tour. With his kids and their family band.
I have a lot of Glen on my iTunes. He has sung some of the greatest songs of all time. The kind where the melody and the words flow just right – and hit you straight in the heart. Yeah those. Like, “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” and “Country Boy (You’ve got your Feet in LA),” “Carolina in My Mind.” He sang about a lot of places on the map. “Try a Little Kindness.” There were the days of “Southern Nights” and “Rhinestone Cowboy.” And I like his versions of “Let it Be Me,” and “Little Green Apples.” Oh, oh, oh – “Honey, Come Back” !!!
Yeah, I like Glen.
Oh, and then there is “Where’s the Playground, Susie?” sniff, sniff
TV’s Fall Line-Up
Instead of steering clear of these people, we are making them famous and rich. Geesh.
Honestly – there are some amazingly inappropriate shows out there. I mindlessly get sucked in sometimes and then I think: I would be mortified if my grandbebes saw these and aspired to act like these people. Mortified. I have much-much higher-hopes for my family…
But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.
Scripture references: 2 Timothy 3 and Galatians 5, The Message
We really do have far more interesting things to do with our lives.
He Speaks.
FOUND IN DRAFTS FOLDER FROM NOVEMBER 2009
If God spoke contemporaneously during “Bible times,”
Will He not speak contemporaneously to us now?
I have mentioned my interest in slam poetry before. I am not the demographic for it, an unusual fan, certainly. Yet I am impressed, moved, by the talent in the thought-provoking stringing-together-of-words by these young artist/performers. There is a bold-word Paul-like quality, just speaking straight from and to the guts.
Recently Tredessa and I have been talking about art and literature and music and how we find glimpses of the one true God popping up even where people would be shocked to find Him. Like He did that day at the well.
This particular YouTube example is pretty straightforward-from-the-Christian-biblical viewpoint.
And here is Levi-he-Poet at Heaven Fest.
But I have found Him in songs, in movies, in books that aren’t Christian bookstore fare. I have heard Him in stories and wordless music, too.
Interpret.
God is still writing on the walls of this wicked and secular generation. I believe it. And we are the Daniels interpreting the signs and symbols that point the way out of darkness and into light. When we see Jesus in a movie, find Him in a deep spiritual meaning in some story or His grace depicted by fictional characters, maybe even when we hear a song by a known “sinner” that touches something deep inside – are we too closed off to believe that God is able and IS speaking to the world today through every available means? Do we think the only chance people have to hear from the God of the Universe is in our church building-boxes on Sunday morning or via Christian TV?
Hey, God spoke through an ass (Numbers 22). I think He can use the arts. Maybe even you and me.
C.S. Lewis says so much in so few words.
If only I could learn to do the same…
“A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.”
“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
He speaks.
He speaks to everyone, to every human being on the face of the earth, by both general and specific revelation.
Creation testifies about the Creator. The heavens declare His glory. And whether we choose to igore them or not, our very consciences are God speaking into our awarenesses, His voice direct to something deep inside. He speaks in the church and to the church. He speaks through His Word. He speaks through the Holy Spirit and through Godly people who bear His image. By their example and words and prayer, we hear Him and are marked for life. And sometimes, He speaks to me in a still, small voice, so direct the wind is nearly knocked from my lungs. It even happened at a movie once.
He speaks.
Are we listening?