On the way home from work the other night I stopped by a Starbucks in Penn Station. I didn't get coffee but I bought a CD called Artist's Choice Bob Dylan. Bob was asked to put together a collection of some of his favorite songs. He said "I wasn't sure of what to do. So I just grabbed a bunch of things that I was into recently." Here are the selections:
There are 3 music items to note today, one happy and the other 2 sad. Last night American Masters on PBS featured fold singer Pete Seeger who is 88 years young. I remember in the early 1960s at Camp Wel Met in the Catskills singing Pete's songs such as "Where Have All the Flowers Gone", If I Had A Hammer," "Wimoweh," and "We Shall Overcome. My favorite Seeger song has to be "Turn Turn Turn" as recorded by the Byrds. Pete was a political activist and was actually banned from television for 17 years because people though he was a communist. I was glad to see that he is so active at an advanced age. The show featured interviews with many fold performers including Bob Dylan.
Mike Smith of the Dave Clark Five died today at age 64. About 5 years ago he suffered a serious spinal chord injury from which he never fully recovered. The Dave Clark Five will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in two weeks.
Buddy Miles has also died. He was 60. He co founded the Electric Flag with Mike Bloomfield and was part of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys
Today marks the 76th anniversary of the birth of Johnny Cash. I just don’t know how Lee became a fan of the Man in black but you can see a photo of him with a wax figure of Johnny from Madame Tussaud’s museum. Some years ago we were in music store and Lee grabbed a DVD of a Johnny Cash concert performance and wouldn’t let go of it as we approached the cash register. We took him to see the biopic Walk the Line the first weekend it came out and bought the DVD as soon it was released. It’s too bad we never saw him in concert. Lee told me tonight that Get Rhythm is his favorite Cash song while mine is “Wanted Man” a cover of a Bob Dylan song. I got that song on a tape of obscure covers of Dylan songs. Back in 1969 Dylan and Cash recorded a session together with a duo of Girl from the North Country appearing on the Nashville Skyline album. Back in 2004 we vacationed in Nashville and saw the Grand Olde Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame among other attractions.
From Yahoo News UK
Jack White is working with Bob Dylan on his new album, the White Stripes' singer has revealed. The pair of iconic musicians are collaborating on a series of unfinished songs by country legend Hank Williams. White is understood to be one of a number of stars to be approached by Dylan to write lyrics for one of the incomplete tracks. He has recorded a new version of "You Know That I Know", after Bob enlisted a series of musicians to work on as many as 25 tracks. "He did one, asked Willie Nelson to do one, asked me to do one, and I think Lucinda Williams and Alan Jackson are on it too. "I think it might come out this year. It's a cool record, said White, speaking about the project to MTV. As previously reported, Jack is expected to return with The Raconteurs later this year, with a number of European festival appearances confirmed.
Today is the 65th anniversary of the birth of the late George Harrison who distinguished himself as a Beatle, solo artist, and member of the Traveling Wilburys. I think George benefited the most by the breakup of the Fab Four since much of his works were eclipsed by those of Lennon and McCartney. George initiated the idea of a benefit concert in 1971 with the big Concert for Bangladesh with featured Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton among others. Dylan and Harrison were two of the five members of the Traveling Wilburys. Although George has passed away, he left us a large amount of recordings and concert footage.
Below are the lyrics of my favorite George Harrison solo
Sunrise doesnt last all morning
A cloudburst doesnt last all day
Seems my love is up and has left you with no warning
Its not always going to be this grey
All things must pass
All things must pass away
Sunset doesnt last all evening
A mind can blow those clouds away
After all this, my love is up and must be leaving
Its not always going to be this grey
All things must pass
All things must pass away
All things must pass
None of lifes strings can last
So, I must be on my way
And face another day
Now the darkness only stays the night-time
In the morning it will fade away
Daylight is good at arriving at the right time
Its not always going to be this grey
All things must pass
All things must pass away
All things must pass
All things must pass away
Some time ago NETSJETFAN, a regular reader of this journal also know as DG, thought I was foolish to go to womens basketball games. We certainly didn't want to go to movies for three days in a row so we drove to Hofstra to see them lose 80-61 to Virginia Commonwealth.
I think I should comment of some of the regular readers. DG worked evening at the university with the worst mens basketball team in division I history. I am glad to say that he has moved on to greener pastures. He was also accepted to the UMDNJ medical school. Perhaps he should consider gerontology as a specialty. By the time He completes medical school, internships, and residencies, I will be an old fart and be able to avail myself of his services. Maybe he should consider psychiatry specializing in treating micromanagers and control freaks.
This Bob Dylan song was on the album Empire Burlesque. I think it really applies.
Trust yourself,
Trust yourself to do the things that only you know best.
Trust yourself,
Trust yourself to do what's right and not be second-guessed.
Don't trust me to show you beauty
When beauty may only turn to rust.
If you need somebody you can trust, trust yourself.
Trust yourself,
Trust yourself to know the way that will prove true in the end.
Trust yourself,
Trust yourself to find the path where there is no if and when.
Don't trust me to show you the truth
When the truth may only be ashes and dust.
If you want somebody you can trust, trust yourself.
Well, you're on your own, you always were,
In a land of wolves and thieves.
Don't put your hope in ungodly man
Or be a slave to what somebody else believes.
Trust yourself
And you won't be disappointed when vain people let you down.
Trust yourself
And look not for answers where no answers can be found.
Don't trust me to show you love
When my love may be only lust.
If you want somebody you can trust, trust yourself.
Copyright © 1985 Special Rider Music
Since I work in a library, I also buy books for my personal collection. I discovered a web site called LibraryThing where one can create a listing of his personal collection. I just started to compile my list today. You can check out my list at:
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/BruceS8852
It will take me a while to complete this list, so I'll report this every so often
Today I was researching Web 2.0 applications in the library and found these two terrific search engines. Please check them out:
Today, Karen, Lee and I walked around Alley Pond Park. On the way back we stopped at Buddies Deli on 73rd Avenue for a few hot dogs and fries. We discussed the Kosher Delis in Queens that have folded the ones still left. Here goes:
Still Left
Bens in Bayside - there are several Bens on Long Island and one in Manhattan where the Meet and Greets were held
Bens Best Deli in Rego Park - this is not affiliated with the Ben's above. I have been going to this one since the 1950s
Deli Masters in Fresh Meadows - this is across the street from the former site of the WTFM and WAPP studios
Buddies in Bayside wher we ate today
Queens Deli's no longer around
Pastrami King in Kew Gardens - this was right next to the Court House. One of the only good things about jury duty was having this restaurant nearby
Julies in Rego Park - I remember this right next to the Rego Park Jewish Center in the early 1960s
Surreys on Union Turnpike - when I worked at St, Johns in the early 90s, this was nearby
Fassbergs - this was around the corner from where I now live. It changed names and owners a few times. It became Reubens, Kosher King, and Flushing Delight before becoming a Korean restaurant in 1995
I think these restaurants closed because the Jewish population in Queens has declined. Here is an invitation to Dave from Chicago. If you ever come to Queens, I will take you on a tour of these restaurants
There are some kosher delis in Manhattan. There is Mendy's on 34th Street and Park Avenue which is Glatt (strictly) Kosher. We had some gatherings of oldies radio enthusiasts there since one of our friends was observant. The Stage and Carnegie Deli's are kosher style which is an oxymoron.
Perhaps the Distinguished Professor of Saturday Night who lives in Manhattan can give some more information
Karen, Lee and I went to the New York City Transit Museum in Brooklyn Heights today. For me it was my first visit, but Karen and Lee had been there before. There was a display showing how the system was built in the early 20the century. They also showed how fare collection evolved from a ticket worth 5 cents to the various subway tokens to the modern MetroCard. We also saw a short movie on how Rosa Parks refused to go to the back of the bus in 1955. The feature of museum was the old subway cars. My favorite was the blue and white #7 train cars that were there in 1964 for the Worlds Fair and the opening of Shea Stadium. You can see a few photos that we took at http://picasaweb.google.com/bigtownman/TransitMuseum. The Web site for the museum can be found at http://www.mta.info/mta/museum/index.html
On the way home I stopped at Macy's to buy a couple of dress shirts. I luckily arrived home at 6:03 PM just as Saturday Night Oldies was beginning.
Since I am working on the night shift until 8 PM tonight, I didn't have to come in until later. I arrived at the Newark City Subway stop at about 12:30 PM and noticed 5 fare inspectors and a New Jersey State policeman there. I am glad that they are reacting to the incident of a few weeks ago. Hopefully, they will continually keep their guard up at this vulnerable location.
Since my mother was a little under the weather, we went to visit her. When we arrive at her apartment Lee asked to watch the Game Show Network. His favorite show Family Feud with Richard Karn was on at the time. My mom was not aware of the Game Show Network and was surprised that the channel's entire programming was devoted to games. Now she knows?
5 entries in one weekend. Back to Spreadsheet Land tomorrow :(
Karl had not been seen at Big Shea in many years. I always saw his signs on TV. He was especially popular during the championship season of 1969. It is a shame that he won't be there for the last game at Shea in September.
3 Blog entries in one day. This is a record for me.
We started out after 12 noon watching the St. Johns Game on TV. St. Johns beat Providence College 64-62. Lee didn't want to go to the Hofstra game so we watched it on TV. Hofstra beat Georgia State 57-45. We decided to go to nearby Queens College which is in Division 2. C.W. Post beat them 72-52.
My beloved NJIT (it pays the bills) is playing tonight at Texas Pan American. As of this moment there was no score reported. Will they win their first game?
Although I am known as an oldies radio enthusiast, I listen to other radio stations with different formats. There are many exellent non-profit stations below 92.1 on the FM dial. This morning I donated $125 over 12 months to WBGO whose studios are located in Newark within walking distance of NJIT. Their main format is traditional jazz which is heard on very few terreestrial radio stations these days. Right now I am listening to Felix Hernandez's Rhythm Revue which is a specialty show featuring classic soul music. I have donated to WBGO in the past what what motivated me this year was the demise of CD101.9 whose music was labeled as "Smooth Jazz" which I really think is a misnomer. I will get a 2 CD set of Stax-Volt hits for my donation.
I also donate every year to WFUV whose format can be best describe as folk. They play more Bob Dylan than any other terrestrial station on the NYC radio dial.
