Greetings,
Welcome back! Time for the third installment in out Top 50 Beatles countdown. You know the drill. Let's just get started.
#30. "And I Love Her" - And this is when we all began disobeying the rule about conjunctions at the start of a sentence. And I just did it...twice. For real, though, is there a better way to lead us into this world of grammar misbehaving than with a beautiful love song? No. The answer is no. Also, LOVE that acoustic guitar riff thing.
#29. "Oh, Darling" - Some of us may enjoying gettin' down with this song by way of our own personal karaoke machine. Not me. But some people. I'm sure of it. Anyway, I consider this one of Paul's best vocal performances, because he really went for it, and I'm like 90% sure he had a soar throat after that recording session. Or possibly before.
#28. "Penny Lane" - No, I'm not talking about the character in Almost Famous. Ha! Moving on. It is written about an actual road, though, one near where John lived when he was a little boy. See, inspiration is everywhere. Good thing he didn't live near, I don't know, a Fourth Street or something, because that would not be a very good title. No offense to people who live on a Fourth Street.
#27. "I Will" - This was one of those songs that they wrote over in India. It's just a nice, simple love song. Or maybe not, because I heard it took 67 takes to record. That seems like a bit much. Although, I always felt like Paul may have been a perfectionist. No judgment. It's just an observation.
#26. "Nowhere Man" - I so enjoy when a writer can lay their emotions out for the whole world to see. Whether it's about love or love gone wrong or trying to figure out where you're meant to go in life, which is what this about, it's so nice. It takes a gift...and some courage.
#25. "Real Love" - Here's something I bet you didn't think you'd see. A Beatles song from the 90's! Well...ish. This was a song that John was working on around '79 and '80, but it was revived for The Beatles Anthology in 1995. Paul, George and Ringo got together to make it happen, giving us the closest thing we ever got to a reunion, along with another song, which we may or may not get to later.
#24. "I've Just Seen a Face" - I dare you to listen to this song without bouncing back and forth and keeping with that awesome rhythm. You won't be able to do it. It's just too jovial. Seriously, I still can't believe that this was on the Help! album, but not in the movie. It would have been good for a chase scene or something.
#23. "From Me To You" - Not as good as From Justin To Kelly, but what are you gonna do? Wow, my jokes are on fire today or something. Anyway...this is some early music from the guys, and they got the idea/title from the letters section from something called New Musical Express. It was called "From You To Us". See what they did there?
#22. "Fool on the Hill" - This is was definitely one of the more calm and...let's say, normal moments from the Magical Mystery Tour album. But that makes it very necessary. Sometimes, you need a quiet moment within all the craziness. It served its purpose well.
#21. "No Reply" - She's cheating on you! I'm telling you right now, person in this song. She's cheating on you. Once again, this was a time before call waiting and voice mail, so getting in touch with someone wasn't as easy back then. So, perhaps, I can give this young lady in the song the benefit of the doubt, but..yeah, no. She's cheating.
And there is yet another group of fantastic songs that I love. More on the way! Stay tuned.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Farewell and Many Thanks, Mr. Leonard Cohen
Greetings,
As you all know, I had may plans for this blog in November, ones that I still promise to carry out. I even had something fun planned to share for this weekend. Sadly, though, I have to forego that one in particular, due to some very heartbreaking news that we got. The incomparable Leonard Cohen has passed away at the age of 82.
I have mentioned before how much I admire this man as an artist. He is what I strive to be as a writer, what many of us strive to be as writers, someone who can effect people deeply through words, someone who can create unimaginable beauty by stringing the right letters together, someone who can make music from the silence. Strangely enough, while I can honor and thank this man who inspired me as a writer, I am finding it difficult to come up with the right words in this moment. Some grief is beyond what can be spoken, but the same can be said for gratitude. So, I'm just going to leave you with something that I wrote years ago about Leonard Cohen, something that expresses how I felt and still feel about what he gave the world.
Thank you, dear sir, for your legacy. You will be missed forever.
SPEAK LIKE A SONG
They are strung together like priceless pearls
That make us gaze and sigh,
Wanting to possess them all,
Trying to reach that high.
You release them like a melody,
Though it doesn't always exist.
You shape them well and hit the target
While all the others have missed.
I could listen to you talk for days,
And, with each turn, I find something new.
And all the posers with their futile attempts,
None could ever share like you.
There is a truth that lies within your air
That makes us able to trust.
When the rest pour out hollow phrases,
You speak like a song to us.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
As you all know, I had may plans for this blog in November, ones that I still promise to carry out. I even had something fun planned to share for this weekend. Sadly, though, I have to forego that one in particular, due to some very heartbreaking news that we got. The incomparable Leonard Cohen has passed away at the age of 82.
I have mentioned before how much I admire this man as an artist. He is what I strive to be as a writer, what many of us strive to be as writers, someone who can effect people deeply through words, someone who can create unimaginable beauty by stringing the right letters together, someone who can make music from the silence. Strangely enough, while I can honor and thank this man who inspired me as a writer, I am finding it difficult to come up with the right words in this moment. Some grief is beyond what can be spoken, but the same can be said for gratitude. So, I'm just going to leave you with something that I wrote years ago about Leonard Cohen, something that expresses how I felt and still feel about what he gave the world.
Thank you, dear sir, for your legacy. You will be missed forever.
SPEAK LIKE A SONG
They are strung together like priceless pearls
That make us gaze and sigh,
Wanting to possess them all,
Trying to reach that high.
You release them like a melody,
Though it doesn't always exist.
You shape them well and hit the target
While all the others have missed.
I could listen to you talk for days,
And, with each turn, I find something new.
And all the posers with their futile attempts,
None could ever share like you.
There is a truth that lies within your air
That makes us able to trust.
When the rest pour out hollow phrases,
You speak like a song to us.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Top 50 Beatles Songs: 40- 31
Greetings,
Welcome back to my Top 50 Beatles countdown. Now let's continue on with Numbers 40 to 31. I can barely contain my excitement. I'm sure you feel the same. Onward!
#40. "Octopus's Garden" - There you go, Ringo. I gave you a spot. To be fair, I do find this song enjoyable. It sounds like a children's book. It should be a children's book. Is it already a children's book? I don't know.
#39. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - I still say that this song sounds better sung by the cast of Life Goes On. What? They had Patti LuPone! I don't know what this title means. I don't know who these people are in the lyrics. But that is a seriously catchy melody they got there. And I'm sure that Desmond and Molly are somebody's OTP.
#38. "I'll Follow the Sun" - Now, if I knew that it was going to rain tomorrow, I would not follow the sun. I would stay put, as I am a person who loves rain. And funny enough, I find this to be a great song to listen to on a rainy day. Go figure. I must really be into the whole contrast thing.
#37. "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You" - Would you judge me if I said the first time I heard this song was on a show called Just the Ten of Us whilst it was being sung by the four girls playing the teenage daughters? I hope not. Because it's not my fault that I saw that show before I saw A Hard Day's Night. But wasn't that nice of John and Paul to give George one of their songs to sing?
#36. "I Need You" - And, speaking of George, here's another one of his songs. I could use the excuse that every song sounds better when it's being played in a field with tanks surrounding you, but it actually sounds good on the album, not just in that one scene in Help!
#35. "A Day In the Life" - As a writer, I get inspired by so many things in the world. Music and movies and people and places...and occasionally a newspaper. Nice to see that I'm not the only one. But, as much as I love this song, I'm still not sure about that little insert of a Paul song near the end. You know what I'm talking about. For real, what was up with that? Found my way upstairs and had a smoke, indeed.
#34. "I Should Have Known Better" - I love trains and I love harmonicas. Well, I saw The Beatles sing this on a train and there was, in fact, a harmonica in there somewhere. And they shout "Hey, hey, hey!" THAT...is awesome.
#33. "Strawberry Fields Forever" - I remember seeing a clip from American Bandstand where they showed a promotional video for this song to the youngsters. It was right after they had been out of sight for a while, and were coming back a changed band. Not all the kids liked it; some did. I would have been in the latter group. And thank God for this song, because if it didn't exist, people would have to come up with some other name to call their strawberry flavored and/or scented whatnots. Serious eye roll.
#32. "I'm Only Sleeping" - Apparently, sleeping is the best thing ever. It might even be better than the drugs. Or at least, that's what some people's interpretation of these lyrics are. What I do know is that John wrote them on the back of a letter? See, if emails were a thing back then, he couldn't have written it. Thus, actual paper letters are better than email. Boom.
#31. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - What's this? A THIRD song sung by George in this installment? Well, then. But let's be honest, this is only good because of the Eric Clapton on it. Okay, that's not the ONLY reason, but it's a big reason. Although, as a lyric snob, I must admit, it's got some darn good words there. Credit where it's due.
And that's my second set of favorites. The third is on its way. Remember. Patience is a virtue.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Welcome back to my Top 50 Beatles countdown. Now let's continue on with Numbers 40 to 31. I can barely contain my excitement. I'm sure you feel the same. Onward!
#40. "Octopus's Garden" - There you go, Ringo. I gave you a spot. To be fair, I do find this song enjoyable. It sounds like a children's book. It should be a children's book. Is it already a children's book? I don't know.
#39. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - I still say that this song sounds better sung by the cast of Life Goes On. What? They had Patti LuPone! I don't know what this title means. I don't know who these people are in the lyrics. But that is a seriously catchy melody they got there. And I'm sure that Desmond and Molly are somebody's OTP.
#38. "I'll Follow the Sun" - Now, if I knew that it was going to rain tomorrow, I would not follow the sun. I would stay put, as I am a person who loves rain. And funny enough, I find this to be a great song to listen to on a rainy day. Go figure. I must really be into the whole contrast thing.
#37. "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You" - Would you judge me if I said the first time I heard this song was on a show called Just the Ten of Us whilst it was being sung by the four girls playing the teenage daughters? I hope not. Because it's not my fault that I saw that show before I saw A Hard Day's Night. But wasn't that nice of John and Paul to give George one of their songs to sing?
#36. "I Need You" - And, speaking of George, here's another one of his songs. I could use the excuse that every song sounds better when it's being played in a field with tanks surrounding you, but it actually sounds good on the album, not just in that one scene in Help!
#35. "A Day In the Life" - As a writer, I get inspired by so many things in the world. Music and movies and people and places...and occasionally a newspaper. Nice to see that I'm not the only one. But, as much as I love this song, I'm still not sure about that little insert of a Paul song near the end. You know what I'm talking about. For real, what was up with that? Found my way upstairs and had a smoke, indeed.
#34. "I Should Have Known Better" - I love trains and I love harmonicas. Well, I saw The Beatles sing this on a train and there was, in fact, a harmonica in there somewhere. And they shout "Hey, hey, hey!" THAT...is awesome.
#33. "Strawberry Fields Forever" - I remember seeing a clip from American Bandstand where they showed a promotional video for this song to the youngsters. It was right after they had been out of sight for a while, and were coming back a changed band. Not all the kids liked it; some did. I would have been in the latter group. And thank God for this song, because if it didn't exist, people would have to come up with some other name to call their strawberry flavored and/or scented whatnots. Serious eye roll.
#32. "I'm Only Sleeping" - Apparently, sleeping is the best thing ever. It might even be better than the drugs. Or at least, that's what some people's interpretation of these lyrics are. What I do know is that John wrote them on the back of a letter? See, if emails were a thing back then, he couldn't have written it. Thus, actual paper letters are better than email. Boom.
#31. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - What's this? A THIRD song sung by George in this installment? Well, then. But let's be honest, this is only good because of the Eric Clapton on it. Okay, that's not the ONLY reason, but it's a big reason. Although, as a lyric snob, I must admit, it's got some darn good words there. Credit where it's due.
And that's my second set of favorites. The third is on its way. Remember. Patience is a virtue.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Friday, November 4, 2016
Top 50 Beatles Songs: 50-41
Greetings,
I have done a lot of top ten lists during my time on this blog. Some have been easy; some, not so much. This one might be the most difficult one of all. Or maybe second most difficult after my Top 100 Law & Order Episodes series. See, I have decided to not do a Top Ten list but rather a Top Fifty list. I am doing this, because we're talking about what is arguably the most influential band of all time, The Beatles. There are just way too many good songs from this band to narrow it down to just ten. Yes, I could have gone above ten on other artists, but, for now, this is the only time when I think going all the way up to fifty would be appropriate. And yet, it was still difficult to narrow it down. Go figure.
So, starting today and continuing throughout the month of November, I will be counting down my Top Fifty favorite Beatles songs. Why November? Well, it was actually this month, several years ago, in which I became a full fledged admirer of this group. Indeed, I remember it that specifically. And if your personal favorites aren't on this list, don't judge me. It's The Beatles! Almost everything is good, but not everything can make it. Anyway, let's kick things off with Numbers 50 to 41. Off we go.
#50. "Something" - I heard someone once say that this was the best love song ever. Obviously, I disagree, but it is a pretty good song. Now, I'm not a huge fan of George's music. Credit where it's due, though, when he was on, he was very on. And you can't not like a song that uses the word "woos".
#49. "P.S. I Love You" - Hey, they stole this title from that Gerard Butler movie. Okay, no, they didn't. The song came first, in case you didn't know. This is just a sweet little tune with a sweet little premise about letter writing. Which I love, by the way. Oh, and it might be about being in love a little.
#48. "Don't Let Me Down" - I know The Beatles were very much influenced by a lot of different genres. Seems they went a bit bluesy with this one. Maybe. Look, I'm not great with identifying genres that aren't super obvious. All I know is that this is great. Great enough to be played on a rooftop. What does that tell you?
#47. "All I've Got To Do" - This seems like such a simple song, but I happen to think it holds an important message. Something about mutual respect and feelings and being there for your significant other. How nice. It sucks when one person has to do all the work. Trust me. I know.
#46. "Good Day Sunshine" - I first heard this in a Sun Chips commercial. I hate you, Michael Jackson! What? He owned it; he sold it. He sucks. Moving on. Whatever commercialization has been thrust upon this tune, it's still some superb songwriting at work. And the fact that I like it, even though I love rainy days, says a lot.
#45. "You Won't See Me" - Communication is such an important thing in relationships. Imagine how much more that was true in the days before call waiting and voice mail, when communication was so much more difficult. Or so I've been told. This is a little something to remind us of that.
#44. "Every Little Thing" - Okay, this seems to be a song about a guy who really appreciates his girlfriend...because "every little thing" she does, she does for him. Really? EVERY little thing? I mean, doing things for the one you love is nice and all, but that might be a bit much.
#43. "Only a Northern Song" - I have no idea what this song is about (you might hear that a lot with this countdown), but it's the only one I included from the Yellow Submarine soundtrack. I must have thought it was the best. And it's another George song. Interesting.
#42. "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" - Okay, everyone who thinks this song is about LSD, you get on the left sidewalk. Everyone who thinks it was inspired by a picture that John's son drew, you get on the right sidewalk. And everyone who has no idea what I'm talking about can get off the street entirely and just go home.
#41. "Lovely Rita" - I must say, what I love most about this song is the unique rhythm and beat. It just makes me really happy. And that end part where they sing "Lovely Rita, meter maid"? Sweet! And it's about a career woman, so there you go.
And there you have the first installment of my Top 50 from The Beatles series. Stay tuned. The next one will be posted shortly. So, if you haven't seen your favorite yet, be patient. You never know.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I have done a lot of top ten lists during my time on this blog. Some have been easy; some, not so much. This one might be the most difficult one of all. Or maybe second most difficult after my Top 100 Law & Order Episodes series. See, I have decided to not do a Top Ten list but rather a Top Fifty list. I am doing this, because we're talking about what is arguably the most influential band of all time, The Beatles. There are just way too many good songs from this band to narrow it down to just ten. Yes, I could have gone above ten on other artists, but, for now, this is the only time when I think going all the way up to fifty would be appropriate. And yet, it was still difficult to narrow it down. Go figure.
So, starting today and continuing throughout the month of November, I will be counting down my Top Fifty favorite Beatles songs. Why November? Well, it was actually this month, several years ago, in which I became a full fledged admirer of this group. Indeed, I remember it that specifically. And if your personal favorites aren't on this list, don't judge me. It's The Beatles! Almost everything is good, but not everything can make it. Anyway, let's kick things off with Numbers 50 to 41. Off we go.
#50. "Something" - I heard someone once say that this was the best love song ever. Obviously, I disagree, but it is a pretty good song. Now, I'm not a huge fan of George's music. Credit where it's due, though, when he was on, he was very on. And you can't not like a song that uses the word "woos".
#49. "P.S. I Love You" - Hey, they stole this title from that Gerard Butler movie. Okay, no, they didn't. The song came first, in case you didn't know. This is just a sweet little tune with a sweet little premise about letter writing. Which I love, by the way. Oh, and it might be about being in love a little.
#48. "Don't Let Me Down" - I know The Beatles were very much influenced by a lot of different genres. Seems they went a bit bluesy with this one. Maybe. Look, I'm not great with identifying genres that aren't super obvious. All I know is that this is great. Great enough to be played on a rooftop. What does that tell you?
#47. "All I've Got To Do" - This seems like such a simple song, but I happen to think it holds an important message. Something about mutual respect and feelings and being there for your significant other. How nice. It sucks when one person has to do all the work. Trust me. I know.
#46. "Good Day Sunshine" - I first heard this in a Sun Chips commercial. I hate you, Michael Jackson! What? He owned it; he sold it. He sucks. Moving on. Whatever commercialization has been thrust upon this tune, it's still some superb songwriting at work. And the fact that I like it, even though I love rainy days, says a lot.
#45. "You Won't See Me" - Communication is such an important thing in relationships. Imagine how much more that was true in the days before call waiting and voice mail, when communication was so much more difficult. Or so I've been told. This is a little something to remind us of that.
#44. "Every Little Thing" - Okay, this seems to be a song about a guy who really appreciates his girlfriend...because "every little thing" she does, she does for him. Really? EVERY little thing? I mean, doing things for the one you love is nice and all, but that might be a bit much.
#43. "Only a Northern Song" - I have no idea what this song is about (you might hear that a lot with this countdown), but it's the only one I included from the Yellow Submarine soundtrack. I must have thought it was the best. And it's another George song. Interesting.
#42. "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" - Okay, everyone who thinks this song is about LSD, you get on the left sidewalk. Everyone who thinks it was inspired by a picture that John's son drew, you get on the right sidewalk. And everyone who has no idea what I'm talking about can get off the street entirely and just go home.
#41. "Lovely Rita" - I must say, what I love most about this song is the unique rhythm and beat. It just makes me really happy. And that end part where they sing "Lovely Rita, meter maid"? Sweet! And it's about a career woman, so there you go.
And there you have the first installment of my Top 50 from The Beatles series. Stay tuned. The next one will be posted shortly. So, if you haven't seen your favorite yet, be patient. You never know.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Friday, October 28, 2016
Saving Talk Shows...One Harry Connick, Jr. At a Time
Greetings,
In my misguided youth, I fancied myself quite a connoisseur of the talk show. I may have been a tad infatuated with them. Yes, even the trashy ones. Perhaps, mostly the trashy ones, but let's not discuss that. Over the years, I've done my best to avoid the genre at all costs, though sometimes, it would reel me in again. Still, none of them ever made me put them on my daily "To Do" list. And then came along a magic man by the name of Harry Connick Jr., and everything changed.
As always, I must be completely honest. Ever since he first showed up, Harry Connick Jr. has just always kind of been there in my life, floating around in my peripheral vision, occasionally drifting over into my line of sight, and each time that happened, I would think, "Hey, I like that guy." And that's all it has ever been between us. I've always liked him, but I realized that I had never fully embraced him. Thankfully, I have decided to finally do that, and it has to do with, of all things, a talk show. Specifically, Harry's new talk show.
The first time I even heard of it was when I was scrolling down on the channel guide and I saw that there was a show called simply Harry. I wondered who is this Harry person. Is it that Harry Smith guy? Maybe Harry Hamlin? Perhaps, even a talk show hosted by Dirty Harry. (Side Note: Somebody needs to put that on the air yesterday!) Alas, no, it was none of those contenders, but rather Harry Connick Jr. And as I have done in the past, I saw him and said, "Hey, I like that guy!" So, I decided to watch. And then, I became very happy. Good times.
Yes, that's the thing about Harry's new talk show. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be "Joyful". I just can't not smile when it's on. There's something special these days about a celebrity who seems to only want to make people happy through entertaining them. And doing that on a talk show makes him even more of a rarity. I mean, he won't belittle you because of your politics, he won't mock you for what you believe in and he probably wouldn't pick a fight with Candace Cameron-Bure...unless it involved some kind of super fun game or something. My point is that his show is there to put smiles on the faces of the people watching, to take their minds off the negative things, if even for just an hour. And that is invaluable right now. What's even more precious is the way he appreciates people. He loves his fans and he honors those everyday folks who have done extraordinary things. It's enough to bring a tear to my eye. The good kind of tear.
As far as I'm concerned, there is but one thing that gives me pause about Harry's show, and that is this: my mother LOVES it! Now my mother and I agree on very, very little, so I became hesitant when she told me how much she likes it. However, I got over it, and now it is the most enjoyable part of our daily phone calls.
Oh, and Harry was one of the only famous people that I follow on the Twitter who acknowledged National Poetry Day. As a poet myself, he gets major, MAJOR points for that one!
Bottom line, there is so much..."UGH!" in the world right now. We need things to make our hearts smile. I know that much about the entertainment industry seems frivolous or worse, but every now and then, something or someone comes along to give us hope for it. I believe that Mr. Harry Connick Jr. and his show are exactly that. There's just something very special about a person who can bless your day with his jubilant presence, and even more, a person who thrives to do it. So, if you're having a crap day and you need something to make you laugh or feel warm and fuzzy inside, I suggest that you, first, say a prayer, because I always have to suggest that, and second, tune in to Harry. You won't be disappointed.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
In my misguided youth, I fancied myself quite a connoisseur of the talk show. I may have been a tad infatuated with them. Yes, even the trashy ones. Perhaps, mostly the trashy ones, but let's not discuss that. Over the years, I've done my best to avoid the genre at all costs, though sometimes, it would reel me in again. Still, none of them ever made me put them on my daily "To Do" list. And then came along a magic man by the name of Harry Connick Jr., and everything changed.
As always, I must be completely honest. Ever since he first showed up, Harry Connick Jr. has just always kind of been there in my life, floating around in my peripheral vision, occasionally drifting over into my line of sight, and each time that happened, I would think, "Hey, I like that guy." And that's all it has ever been between us. I've always liked him, but I realized that I had never fully embraced him. Thankfully, I have decided to finally do that, and it has to do with, of all things, a talk show. Specifically, Harry's new talk show.
The first time I even heard of it was when I was scrolling down on the channel guide and I saw that there was a show called simply Harry. I wondered who is this Harry person. Is it that Harry Smith guy? Maybe Harry Hamlin? Perhaps, even a talk show hosted by Dirty Harry. (Side Note: Somebody needs to put that on the air yesterday!) Alas, no, it was none of those contenders, but rather Harry Connick Jr. And as I have done in the past, I saw him and said, "Hey, I like that guy!" So, I decided to watch. And then, I became very happy. Good times.
Yes, that's the thing about Harry's new talk show. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be "Joyful". I just can't not smile when it's on. There's something special these days about a celebrity who seems to only want to make people happy through entertaining them. And doing that on a talk show makes him even more of a rarity. I mean, he won't belittle you because of your politics, he won't mock you for what you believe in and he probably wouldn't pick a fight with Candace Cameron-Bure...unless it involved some kind of super fun game or something. My point is that his show is there to put smiles on the faces of the people watching, to take their minds off the negative things, if even for just an hour. And that is invaluable right now. What's even more precious is the way he appreciates people. He loves his fans and he honors those everyday folks who have done extraordinary things. It's enough to bring a tear to my eye. The good kind of tear.
As far as I'm concerned, there is but one thing that gives me pause about Harry's show, and that is this: my mother LOVES it! Now my mother and I agree on very, very little, so I became hesitant when she told me how much she likes it. However, I got over it, and now it is the most enjoyable part of our daily phone calls.
Oh, and Harry was one of the only famous people that I follow on the Twitter who acknowledged National Poetry Day. As a poet myself, he gets major, MAJOR points for that one!
Bottom line, there is so much..."UGH!" in the world right now. We need things to make our hearts smile. I know that much about the entertainment industry seems frivolous or worse, but every now and then, something or someone comes along to give us hope for it. I believe that Mr. Harry Connick Jr. and his show are exactly that. There's just something very special about a person who can bless your day with his jubilant presence, and even more, a person who thrives to do it. So, if you're having a crap day and you need something to make you laugh or feel warm and fuzzy inside, I suggest that you, first, say a prayer, because I always have to suggest that, and second, tune in to Harry. You won't be disappointed.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder, With Love - TV Movie Review
Greetings,
Not a lot of things make me giddy in my life, but having one of my favorite actresses returning to television is definitely one of them. And that is exactly what I got a couple of nights ago on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel when I watched Kellie Martin star in Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder, With Love.
I may have mentioned this, but the Mystery Woman series, which also starred Kellie Martin as Samantha Kinsey, is something I thoroughly enjoyed. I still do, actually, as they are repeated quite a bit. Well, they aired about ten years ago, and I've been eager to get her back on the screen. Thankfully, this new movie, which I assume will be a series of such, has given us all that gift. The character she plays is a former prosecutor who is now a therapist, and the story is based on the books of Nancy Grace, who also makes an appearance here. In fact, I'd say that Hailey Dean is pretty much a fictionalized version of Nancy Grace herself. Hey, I'm not judging. If you read any of manuscripts, you will see that I am an expert on self-insert lead characters. Moving on.
The plot of the story is that Hailey's friend has both of her parents die in what may or may not be accidents. Isn't that always the way it is? When it is also discovered that tons of money is missing from her family, the grieving daughter is looked upon as a suspect. Hailey goes on a mission to help prove her friend's innocence. If it even exists. Dun, dun, DUUUNNN! Yeah, that just happened.
Honestly, when it comes to the actual writing of the mystery, I'd say it's one of the best this channel has ever served up. And they serve up a lot. A LOT! I was even quite surprised by what happens in the end. No, I'm not going to spoil it for you, because I think you should watch it for yourself. Actually, it was so good, I might have to read some of these books that Nancy Grace wrote. I didn't even know they existed until I heard about this movie. So, we'll have to see if they're just as good.
If there's one thing I noticed more than anything, it's how much Kellie Martin has grown as an actor. She has, after all, been doing it since she was a kid on Life Goes On, and her performance here is some of her best and most sophisticated work to date. She has always played great characters, as far as I've seen anyway, and this is no different. Kellie seems to be on point the most with these intelligent and strong women that she chooses to play.
So, I know that this review is a tad short, but I've only watched the movie once. Plus, I didn't know I was going to review it at the time, so I didn't take notes, and it's not on IMDB yet, thus, I have little information about the actors in the cast. Perhaps, I will have to update this when that becomes available. But what's important is that I tell you to check this out. I guarantee that it will be repeated, so keep your eyes open for the next airing. Once again, Murder, With Love is much in the vein of the other mystery movies on Hallmark. They deal with some heavy occurrences, like murder for example, but they are written is such a way that you really can watch it with the whole family without having to be cringing through the whole thing. What more could we ask for.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Not a lot of things make me giddy in my life, but having one of my favorite actresses returning to television is definitely one of them. And that is exactly what I got a couple of nights ago on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel when I watched Kellie Martin star in Hailey Dean Mystery: Murder, With Love.
I may have mentioned this, but the Mystery Woman series, which also starred Kellie Martin as Samantha Kinsey, is something I thoroughly enjoyed. I still do, actually, as they are repeated quite a bit. Well, they aired about ten years ago, and I've been eager to get her back on the screen. Thankfully, this new movie, which I assume will be a series of such, has given us all that gift. The character she plays is a former prosecutor who is now a therapist, and the story is based on the books of Nancy Grace, who also makes an appearance here. In fact, I'd say that Hailey Dean is pretty much a fictionalized version of Nancy Grace herself. Hey, I'm not judging. If you read any of manuscripts, you will see that I am an expert on self-insert lead characters. Moving on.
The plot of the story is that Hailey's friend has both of her parents die in what may or may not be accidents. Isn't that always the way it is? When it is also discovered that tons of money is missing from her family, the grieving daughter is looked upon as a suspect. Hailey goes on a mission to help prove her friend's innocence. If it even exists. Dun, dun, DUUUNNN! Yeah, that just happened.
Honestly, when it comes to the actual writing of the mystery, I'd say it's one of the best this channel has ever served up. And they serve up a lot. A LOT! I was even quite surprised by what happens in the end. No, I'm not going to spoil it for you, because I think you should watch it for yourself. Actually, it was so good, I might have to read some of these books that Nancy Grace wrote. I didn't even know they existed until I heard about this movie. So, we'll have to see if they're just as good.
If there's one thing I noticed more than anything, it's how much Kellie Martin has grown as an actor. She has, after all, been doing it since she was a kid on Life Goes On, and her performance here is some of her best and most sophisticated work to date. She has always played great characters, as far as I've seen anyway, and this is no different. Kellie seems to be on point the most with these intelligent and strong women that she chooses to play.
So, I know that this review is a tad short, but I've only watched the movie once. Plus, I didn't know I was going to review it at the time, so I didn't take notes, and it's not on IMDB yet, thus, I have little information about the actors in the cast. Perhaps, I will have to update this when that becomes available. But what's important is that I tell you to check this out. I guarantee that it will be repeated, so keep your eyes open for the next airing. Once again, Murder, With Love is much in the vein of the other mystery movies on Hallmark. They deal with some heavy occurrences, like murder for example, but they are written is such a way that you really can watch it with the whole family without having to be cringing through the whole thing. What more could we ask for.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Friday, October 14, 2016
Top Ten Worst Hit Songs of 1966
Greetings,
It is true that the mid-sixties were a profoundly great time in music. I think I proved that yesterday with my Best Songs of 1966 list. Sadly, in the midst of all the awesomeness...sorry, grooviness, there was also some seriously not good stuff on the charts. The strange thing is that a lot of the not so great songs were by people I, otherwise, like. And a few of them will be featured here. So, let's go down the bad road to the past and talk about what I consider the Worst Hit Songs of 1966. Prepare yourself.
#10. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" B.J. Thomas - Yeah, sorry, but I've never liked this song. Many will disagree with me, but I really do not like this song. It's so...just kinda there, ya know. And it's just a shame that someone with a good voice, which is what I think about B.J. Thomas, had to cover it this year.
#9. "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?" The Lovin' Spoonful - Again, I dig some songs from this band, but just not this one. It feels super weak to me. Although, it may not be their fault. I kind of got sick of this song after this one episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 played it over and over and over again. If you've seen that one, you'll know.
#8. "Secret Agent Man" Johnny Rivers - I've seen a lot of low budget movies where you can tell they couldn't get rights to a song they wanted to use, so they hire someone to write a soundalike. That's what this song sounds like to me. It's like a Poor Man's Bond theme. Turns out, this was the theme to a show called Danger Man, which sounds to me like a Bond knockoff...though it kinda came first. Yeah, timelines are weird, so...forget all that. I just don't like this song.
#7. "Li'l Red Riding Hood" Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs - And here we thought Johnny Depp in Into the Woods was the first one to make the Big Bad Wolf super creepy! No, he wasn't the first...but he was the most. No, this tune has always made me feel a little uncomfortable, and I love wolves. So, shame on whoever wrote this thing. My frilly feels should be more important than the success of that person's career. Am I right?
#6. "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" Nancy Sinatra - Oh, I'm gonna get in trouble for this one, I bet. Once again, I enjoy Nancy Sinatra's voice. I think she's very talented. But this comes on and, almost on command, my eyes roll. I mean, yelling at people on the TV is one thing, but talking to your shoes and telling them what to do? No.
#5. "Somewhere, My Love" The Ray Conniff Singers - 'Zzzz...Zzzz...No, Dr, Phil, stop judging me. I don't wanna get real!..Wh-what? What? I'm..I'm up. I'm awake.' Yeah, the point I'm trying to make here is that this song is sleep-inducingly boring. And apparently, it can make me have weird dreams. It comes from the movie Doctor Zhivago, which I've never seen all the way through. Perhaps, it is boring as well. So...match made it Heaven?
#4. "Elusive Butterfly" Bob Lind - "I chase the bright, elusive butterfly of love." Sigh. I give up. For real, I give up on this year in music. I just...WHAT! Look, as a poet, I can attest to the fact that some of us use words that go beyond conversational. We try to paint a picture. But we also need to learn to reel it in every now and then. I don't think anyone taught that to this writer. When it comes to writing about butterflies, you, sir, are no Mariah Carey.
#3. "Baby, Scratch My Back" Slim Harpo - This is literally a how-to guide on scratching someone's back. Why? I have no idea. Is is supposed to be a metaphor or something? I'll give it this though, it had some sweet guitar playing. If only that could have been wrapped around some better lyrics.
#2. "Ballad of the Green Berets" SSgt. Barry Sadler - I want to make this abundantly clear. I cannot express with mere words how much I respect and honor the men and women in uniform who protect us and our country. Having said that, this song is so not good. I know it meant something to people at the time, and maybe it still does, but message aside, it's just not a very well constructed song. Now I know it's supposed to be about a real person who died, and that's tragic. I guess maybe I feel this way because I think he deserved better.
#1. "Born a Woman" Sandy Posey - Okay, quick musical plot synopsis: Apparently, all of us women are inherently weak and victims and we were predisposed to be the world's doormat. But wait, ladies! There's hope! There's a light at the end of the tunnel! If we find ourselves a boyfriend, then we will finally have reason to live. Oh, deep joy! WHAT...the serious crap!?! Listen, if you have found yourself a good, loving, caring man, God bless you and I wish you much happiness. But having a man does not give a woman an identity. We can be strong and independent on our own, or we can be strong and independent within a relationship. Look, I have never seen the timeline of the Women's Movement, but I think this song may pinpoint one of the times that pushed it into overdrive.
So, there you have it. The Worst Of 1966, according to me. Now, I know that some of you may have your curiosity peaked by what I said about these songs, but if you are going to have a listen, don't say I didn't warn you.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
It is true that the mid-sixties were a profoundly great time in music. I think I proved that yesterday with my Best Songs of 1966 list. Sadly, in the midst of all the awesomeness...sorry, grooviness, there was also some seriously not good stuff on the charts. The strange thing is that a lot of the not so great songs were by people I, otherwise, like. And a few of them will be featured here. So, let's go down the bad road to the past and talk about what I consider the Worst Hit Songs of 1966. Prepare yourself.
#10. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" B.J. Thomas - Yeah, sorry, but I've never liked this song. Many will disagree with me, but I really do not like this song. It's so...just kinda there, ya know. And it's just a shame that someone with a good voice, which is what I think about B.J. Thomas, had to cover it this year.
#9. "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?" The Lovin' Spoonful - Again, I dig some songs from this band, but just not this one. It feels super weak to me. Although, it may not be their fault. I kind of got sick of this song after this one episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 played it over and over and over again. If you've seen that one, you'll know.
#8. "Secret Agent Man" Johnny Rivers - I've seen a lot of low budget movies where you can tell they couldn't get rights to a song they wanted to use, so they hire someone to write a soundalike. That's what this song sounds like to me. It's like a Poor Man's Bond theme. Turns out, this was the theme to a show called Danger Man, which sounds to me like a Bond knockoff...though it kinda came first. Yeah, timelines are weird, so...forget all that. I just don't like this song.
#7. "Li'l Red Riding Hood" Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs - And here we thought Johnny Depp in Into the Woods was the first one to make the Big Bad Wolf super creepy! No, he wasn't the first...but he was the most. No, this tune has always made me feel a little uncomfortable, and I love wolves. So, shame on whoever wrote this thing. My frilly feels should be more important than the success of that person's career. Am I right?
#6. "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" Nancy Sinatra - Oh, I'm gonna get in trouble for this one, I bet. Once again, I enjoy Nancy Sinatra's voice. I think she's very talented. But this comes on and, almost on command, my eyes roll. I mean, yelling at people on the TV is one thing, but talking to your shoes and telling them what to do? No.
#5. "Somewhere, My Love" The Ray Conniff Singers - 'Zzzz...Zzzz...No, Dr, Phil, stop judging me. I don't wanna get real!..Wh-what? What? I'm..I'm up. I'm awake.' Yeah, the point I'm trying to make here is that this song is sleep-inducingly boring. And apparently, it can make me have weird dreams. It comes from the movie Doctor Zhivago, which I've never seen all the way through. Perhaps, it is boring as well. So...match made it Heaven?
#4. "Elusive Butterfly" Bob Lind - "I chase the bright, elusive butterfly of love." Sigh. I give up. For real, I give up on this year in music. I just...WHAT! Look, as a poet, I can attest to the fact that some of us use words that go beyond conversational. We try to paint a picture. But we also need to learn to reel it in every now and then. I don't think anyone taught that to this writer. When it comes to writing about butterflies, you, sir, are no Mariah Carey.
#3. "Baby, Scratch My Back" Slim Harpo - This is literally a how-to guide on scratching someone's back. Why? I have no idea. Is is supposed to be a metaphor or something? I'll give it this though, it had some sweet guitar playing. If only that could have been wrapped around some better lyrics.
#2. "Ballad of the Green Berets" SSgt. Barry Sadler - I want to make this abundantly clear. I cannot express with mere words how much I respect and honor the men and women in uniform who protect us and our country. Having said that, this song is so not good. I know it meant something to people at the time, and maybe it still does, but message aside, it's just not a very well constructed song. Now I know it's supposed to be about a real person who died, and that's tragic. I guess maybe I feel this way because I think he deserved better.
#1. "Born a Woman" Sandy Posey - Okay, quick musical plot synopsis: Apparently, all of us women are inherently weak and victims and we were predisposed to be the world's doormat. But wait, ladies! There's hope! There's a light at the end of the tunnel! If we find ourselves a boyfriend, then we will finally have reason to live. Oh, deep joy! WHAT...the serious crap!?! Listen, if you have found yourself a good, loving, caring man, God bless you and I wish you much happiness. But having a man does not give a woman an identity. We can be strong and independent on our own, or we can be strong and independent within a relationship. Look, I have never seen the timeline of the Women's Movement, but I think this song may pinpoint one of the times that pushed it into overdrive.
So, there you have it. The Worst Of 1966, according to me. Now, I know that some of you may have your curiosity peaked by what I said about these songs, but if you are going to have a listen, don't say I didn't warn you.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
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