In memory of Christine McVie

As readers might have noticed, I've referenced my Fleetwood Mac fandom on this blog many times.  Today, I was saddened and surprised to learn of Christine McVie's passing.  What a fortuitous choice her addition to the band was in 1970.  She brought a distinctive voice, a hook-laden style of piano playing, and songwriting talent that made her the guiding force behind the majority of the band's hits.  Before I list my favorite Fleetwood Mac tracks of hers, I'll cite one of her best Chicken Shack tracks:

• Get Like You Used To Be (For those who haven't heard McVie's pre-Fleetwood Mac output, this is a strong example of her appealingly bluesy singing and piano playing.)

Now, here are my favorite McVie-centered Fleetwood Mac songs:

• Brown Eyes (This is a quiet, somewhat overlooked track from the "Tusk" album.  The band and McVie almost sound like a different group here, which makes the tune intriguing.  It also segues well with "No More Looking Back" by The Kinks.)
• Crazy About You (Can't Hold Out Much Longer) (BBC session) (This live-in-studio session of nearly four minutes is some of the catchiest singing and piano playing of McVie's I've heard.  This is my favorite track on the "Madison Blues" 1970-71 compilation album and deserves to be better known.  McVie plays and sings at a fast clip with considerable verve here, and the rest of the band feeds off of her energy.)
• Don't Stop (An honest yet reassuring way of saying, "Although we're not together anymore, don't let that stop you from having a bright future.")
• Keep On Going (Bob Welch wrote this tune, but McVie sang it as if she'd written it.  This is an atypical style for the band and her; the exotic-sounding guitar part and string orchestra give the song an unusual feel.)
  
• Love In Store (I haven't always given this hit its due for its easy sing-along chorus and pleasant vocal harmonies.)
• Over My Head (I've always thought this was one of McVie's most appealing hits.  I've always liked how the song eases the listener in and builds to a strong chorus with an unlikely blend of voices--Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, and McVie.)
• Remember Me (One of the better tracks from the "Penguin" album that's a prototype of the sound McVie would perfect on the band's self-titled and "Rumours" albums.)
• Say You Love Me (One of the most appealing piano intros in rock history and another example of strong harmony singing from Nicks, Buckingham, and McVie.)
• Songbird (It's no accident that this piano-and-vocals number of McVie's was used over a documentary montage of the band's various eras.  These are some of McVie's most touching lyrics, suitable for bittersweet nostalgic times.)
• You Make Loving Fun (This is how to build to a chorus.)
  

Online radio sampler highlights CLXXXVII

Eight Tuesday highlights:

KMRD (Madrid, NM)

• Who Else But You-Eilen Jewell (These sensitively written lyrics about a painful parting remind me of Patty Griffin.)
• Don't Wait Too Long-Madeleine Peyroux (I'm primed to like this type of cool, jazzy rhythm.  It's nearly impossible not to sound self-assured singing over this backdrop.)

WQXR Holiday Channel (Newark, NJ)

• O Sanctissima (Philadelphia Brass Ensemble) (This stately brass arrangement is a natural fit for this carol.)
• The Shepherd's Cradle Song (Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/David Willcocks, conductor) (From soprano to baritone, this must be a satisfying carol to sing.  Its tenderness builds to a forceful crescendo.)
• Rocking Carol (Choir Of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge/Geoffrey Webber, conductor) ("Once In Royal David's City" would sound right before or after this somewhat underrated carol.)

WTUL (New Orleans, LA)

• If You Were Mine-Erika Lewis (This April release has endearing lyrics and vocals and appealing country-rock/Americana guitar.  Its rhythm brings to mind James Taylor's version of Buddy Holly's "Everyday.")

WZUM (Pittsburgh, PA) 

• The Sadness In My Eyes-Nancy Wilson (Emotive vocals and a smooth rhythm section make this tune ideal for a late night Quiet Storm playlist.  Al Jarreau's "Save Your Love For Me" would sound good before this.)
• Satin Doll-Earl Hines (It's fun to hear a peppier piano arrangement of this Duke Ellington standard.  If I didn't know otherwise, I would have thought this was Erroll Garner's playing.)

FM dial scan highlights CCIII

Five good tunes heard this morning:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• After Midnight-Phoenix ("1901" is still this band's high-water mark, in my opinion, but I like the driving energy and synthesized backing on this track.)
• Sunset-Caroline Polachek (Being able to sing this many words to this particular fast beat requires a strong sense of rhythm and breath control.  Polachek pulls off both qualities impressively.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• White Christmas-Oscar Peterson ("Away In A Manger" is the most sublime track on "An Oscar Peterson Christmas," to my ears, but this is a pleasant, laid-back instrumental rendering of "White Christmas."  The strings add an appealing layer of lushness.)
• White Christmas-Lee Ritenour (I've always liked Ritenour's contemplative guitar take on this.  I was surprised that WSIE played two versions of this in less than 30 minutes.  Nevertheless, if you're going to play two jazz renditions of "White Christmas" close together, you can't go wrong with these two.)

KCLC 89.1 FM

• Thinkin' On You-Courtney Marie Andrews (An endearingly written and sung way of conveying how much you miss someone.  The sentiments Andrews conveys remind me of those in Janet Evra's "I'd Rather Be Lonely With You" and "When You're Gone" by Amanda Shires.)
  

Context? CCXI

Several weeks ago, I heard a radio talk show host say of a co-worker on air, "He means well.  Isn't that what you say when can't think of anything nice to say?"

Perhaps the comment was all in fun, and there's no bad blood between those employees.  Otherwise, however, a cordial but distant interaction might be the best case scenario.

In memory of Irene Cara

Sometimes, an artist's best songs are the hits nearly everyone knows.  In memory of Irene Cara, I offer these reflections on three of her best hits:

• Fame (For its strong hook and Cara's confidence-to-burn pipes, "Fame" deserved its commercial success.  If you don't look past the surface of these lyrics, they might come across as an artist's delusional, entitled wishes.  I see them, however, as a way of expressing how determined and resilient one has to be to succeed as an artist.  When you face repeated rejection as a singer, dancer, or author but know you have the talent and drive to excel, this isn't a bad mindset to have.  Looking back, I'm amused that our eighth grade chorus class never got around to singing the tune's lyrics.  One day, Mr. B. played the opening of the tune on the piano repeatedly while the class sang, "La-la-la, la, la-la-la-la-la," over and over.  That was as far as the class progressed.  Inexplicably, we never got past the intro.  We did, however, sing the entire song in sixth grade chorus with Mrs. B.  Not surprisingly, "Fame"'s omnipresence made it the one pop song we sang in two different grades.)
• Flashdance...What A Feeling (Lyrically, the song's sentiments are somewhat similar to "Fame" but more graceful.  Once you've worked hard and achieved a certain level of success, you should be able to savor what you enjoy most about your profession.  "Flashdance" was custom-made to be a smash adult contemporary hit, so you couldn't escape hearing it on the radio in the Spring and Summer of 1983.)
• Why Me? (Unlike "Fame" and "Flashdance," "Why Me?" wasn't typically played on the radio after it fell off the charts.  Although it was a fairly big hit, I still think it was somewhat underrated.  Its bounce still holds up, in my opinion, and it works for puppet shows.)
  

Online radio sampler highlights CLXXXVI

Seven early morning standouts:

KLPW (Union, MO)

• Witchi-Tai-To-Brewer & Shipley (Thanks to a joyous, glad-to-be-alive approach in the vocals and guitar, the repeated lyrics don't wear out their welcome.  Not just any rhythm can be sustained for nearly seven minutes.)

KOPN (Columbia, MO)

• Honeysuckle Rose-Randy Weston (This is quite a lively version of Fats Waller's tune, with sizzling piano, bass, and drums.) 

KOSI (Denver, CO)

• Do You Hear What I Hear?-Andy Williams (Yet another rendition that strikes the right balance between authoritative and inquisitive vocal delivery.)

WEAA (Baltimore, MD)

• Cruise Control (Live)-George Benson (Great energy and spark in the vocals and guitar, as usual.)

WUMB (Boston, MA)

• Steady-The Staves (Captivating vocal harmonies, as usual, and a hypnotic guitar part that's reminiscent of Michael Hedges.)
• I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight-Dori Freeman (A strong recasting of the Richard and Linda Thompson tune, with an appealing Americana, country-rock feel in the vocals and instrumentation.)

WXPN-2 (Philadelphia, PA)

• Greensleeves-Les & Larry Elgart (An interesting blend of Spanish guitar and big band styles.)
  

Gratitude for a favorite cat

December 24, 2015: My cat, Sylvia, watching footage of my family's cats on a digital Christmas ornament.

November 24 isn't the easiest day for me.  Three years ago, my cat, Sylvia, passed away.  As much as her absence hurts, I'm so thankful for the time we had.  I was pleased to discover a video of her I'd forgotten I'd recorded.  On Christmas Eve 2015, Sylvia and I listened to Sandler & Young sing "Silver Bells."  Sylvia pawed gently at the album cover, seemingly wanting to read the track listings.  When the lyric, "Soon, it will be Christmas Day," came up, Sylvia looked up in wide-eyed wonder.

It wouldn't have surprised me if she'd started speaking English and asked me, "Is that right?  Will it soon be Christmas Day?"  Christmas, after all, is the season of miracles.  Thanksgiving, meanwhile, is a holiday of gratitude--not only for the present, in my view, but also for those in one's past who made positive, heartwarming impressions.  Sylvia certainly did that during her 11 years with me.  As much as it hurts to be without her, I take comfort in believing that the afterlife gained a tabby with a kind heart, a loud, ready purr, and an appreciation for the idealism of Christmas music.

FM dial scan highlights CCII

Eight of the better songs I've heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Don't Go Away-The Zombies (There's a definite middle Beatles era influence here.)
• Blue Danube Rock-The Jonah Jones Quartet (Vocally, this is roughly how Lambert, Hendricks & Ross might have sounded with trumpet and drums.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Paradigm Shift-Carol Albert (Albert anchors this slinky melody on piano.  The guitarist and rhythm section play key roles in setting the mood here.)
• Bim Bom-Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (It was a pleasant surprise to hear this fun, brisk tune on WSIE.  I've thought for years that it could segue easily with Antonio Carlos Jobim's version of "Fascinatin' Rhythm.")

KCLC 89.1 FM

• Alison-Elvis Costello (A caring, tactful way for a friend to broach a sensitive subject.  Also, as I discovered during my KCOU DJ days, it segues well after "Waltzing Back" by The Cranberries.)
• Should've Been Me-Mitski (An honest way to acknowledge that a romantic match should have been more successful, at least theoretically.)

KEZK 102.5 FM

• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-The Carpenters (Has any other vocalist nailed the warmth this carol requires this precisely?)
• Do You Hear What I Hear?-Vanessa Williams (This version splits the difference between wonder and gravitas appropriately.)
  

Context? CCX

This morning, two radio talk show hosts discussed how St. Louisans usually crave familiarity in their broadcasters.  They aren't wrong.  In this city, many radio and TV personalities tend to stay at the same stations longer than they would in bigger cities.  Even when they move to other stations, they're often stations in the same market.

I was surprised in the mid '90s when a TV station here started a newscast with two anchors, a sportscaster, and a meteorologist from other cities.  "That'll be a challenge for them," I thought.  "Even if all four of them are perfectly capable and engaging, St. Louis isn't a city where you spring four new faces on the audience at once."

I was right.  That station's experiment with all unfamiliar personalities was short-lived.

As one talk show host said today, generally, St. Louis isn't that crazy about change.

Persistent (Christmas) earworm alert CCLXXXVI

Lately, when I think of a Christmas memory from years ago, the organ intro from Aimee Mann's version of "Winter Wonderland" comes to mind.  That intro, like a lot of my memories, is decadent, so I think it's appropriate.

An overlooked (Christmas) cover tune CXVIII

If you like the way Mel Torme makes the rhythm of "Good King Wenceslas" swing, you might also enjoy a big band instrumental equivalent.  Check out Michael B. Nelson's "Ding, Dong Merrily On High" for a swingin', brassy, hip take on the carol.  The piano provides solid rhythmic support throughout.

In short, all bases are covered for enjoying a throwback spin on this carol.

A less murky verdict II

When your cat kneads her paws on you for the entirety of Empire Brass's "The First Noel," consider it a compliment.  It means she's content with the music and with you.  I learned this yesterday when my cat, Collette, gave me a thorough kneading.

It's nice to be kneaded--and needed.

A murky verdict II

Once again, my brother's cat, Lily, and I had a dilemma.  We couldn't dismiss the way Jim Nabors was singing "Jingle Bells" on SiriusXM yesterday.  He belted it out with conviction and couldn't be accused of just going through the motions.  Still, we were both ambivalent.  Lily's expression captured her uncertainty about what to think:

I second her reaction.

Online radio sampler highlights CLXXXV

As if I needed any more proof that time has flown, this is my 3,000th post for this blog.  One of the most gratifying aspects of posting something new each day has been spotlighting an ever-increasing palette of artists, songs, and radio stations.  In that spirit of continued discovery, here are seven of the better songs I've heard today from four radio stations I haven't featured before:

KHUH (Seattle, WA)

• Melody Inside Of The Madness-Luke Wallace (A solid hook about having hope in spite of the compromised aspects of our ecology.)
• Hidden Valley-Alexis Normand (Normand's pleasant voice blends well with the instrumentation in this thoughtful new single.  Lyrically, this shows an appreciation for nature and the world's vastness.)

KRWV (Phoenix, AZ)

• Adonai-Charles Moorer & The Faithful Few (Sunny bass, guitar, flute, and vocal punctuation.)
• A Coastal Breeze-A. Ray Fuller (An aptly titled smooth jazz guitar number with a bounce.)

WKUF (Flint, MI)

• Call Me Home-Sasami (A vocally and lyrically impressive release from February.  Lyrically, it's a good reminder that no matter how strong and constant one's desire for wanderlust is, it's reassuring to have a home base and a support system.  The production gloss serves the tune well.)

WKYW (Keyser, WV)

• Buck Creek Gal-The Earls Of Leicester (Brisk, jaunty fiddling and banjo playing.)
• Over The Falls-Colleen Anderson & George Castelle (Endearing vocals and acoustic guitar.  Lyrically, this reminds me somewhat of Nanci Griffith.  This tune would have fit in well on KDHX's former folk music show, "Blue Highways.")
  

Persistent earworm alert CCLXXXV

Despite not hearing this album rock tune anywhere for years, it's on my mind now.  Presumably, looking ahead to Thanksgiving triggered it.  Barclay James Harvest must have known in 1972 that when you have a great guitar riff, you build a song around it.  That formula worked wonders in "Thank You."  The propulsive synergy between the guitar and jazz/rock-style piano would have been enough to sustain the song as an instrumental, but the band added vocals for good measure.

Fifty years later, the tune holds up--and deserves more airplay.

FM dial scan highlights CCI

Tuesday morning highlights:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Baby, Won't You Please Come Home?-Bill Coleman and his orchestra (A fun, brassy, swingin' tune from the '30s.)
• On The Sunny Side Of The Street-Eddie South (This is another standout '30s tune, featuring sunny violin and just enough vocals.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Out Of Tune-Sarah McLachlan (I'm not sure how I'd overlooked this well-sung, well-produced tune from 2010.  I'd be curious to hear a lower-pitched vocalist such as Julia Fordham cover it.)
• Theme From "Bullitt"-Wilton Felder (Keyboardist Joe Sample and saxophonist Felder were two key components of what made The Crusaders such a great, enduring jazz ensemble.  Felder sounds appropriately sinister on this cover of a soundtrack instrumental.)

KEZK 102.5 FM

• Do You Hear What I Hear?-Martina McBride (When vocalists miss the mark on this carol, it's usually because they sound too high and mighty or too monotonous.  McBride wisely conveys just the right amount of emotion here.)
• Frosty The Snowman-Willie Nelson (When vocalists miss the mark on this tune, it's usually because they sound too precious.  Nelson wisely sounds casual and unassuming here, as do the instrumentalists.  Now that KEZK is playing all Christmas music, I'll undoubtedly hear this version several more times.)
  

Persistent earworm alert CCLXXXIV

I've never seen an "Inspector Gadget" cartoon, but I've heard the theme song.  Sometimes, it comes to mind in a grocery store I visit.  The store changes the location of its inventory frequently, making me wonder, "Do they still sell these items, or are they in another part of the store?"  While the employees are friendly, and the store's vibe is welcoming, I wish the powers that be would stop moving things around so often.  Let shoppers get into a routine of knowing where everything is.  Otherwise, expect customers to be mildly irked about having to be super sleuths.

A less murky verdict

Over 30 years ago, I watched the season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" with some friends.  I was particularly curious how one friend would react.  Public Enemy was the musical guest, and I suspected that a violist and Stevie Ray Vaughan fan like her probably wasn't enjoying the rap group's first song.  

She didn't say anything until the song ended.  When it did, she said to no one in particular, "That was dreadful."

Except for P.M. Dawn, Digable Planets, and a few other sporadic tracks by other artists, rap and hip hop music doesn't appeal to me all that much.  Do I second my friend's reaction?  Let's just say I understand it.

To their credit, however, the band respectfully prefaced its first song with three seconds of silence for Miles Davis, who had passed away earlier that day.  I've listened--and will listen--to far more Miles Davis music than Public Enemy tunes.  Knowing how much respect the band had for such an important, influential trumpeter, though, made me want to play Public Enemy songs on KCOU--occasionally.

A murky verdict

I was torn while hearing Jim Nabors sing "The Little Drummer Boy" on SiriusXM Thursday.  As I've written before, "...Drummer..." has never been one of my favorite carols.  I'll admit that the Jars Of Clay version is sung well, Daryl Stuermer's laid-back approach to it on guitar suits it well, and The Gothard Sisters recorded a great energetic instrumental rendition, titled "Little Drummer Girl."

I'm still not sure how to review the Nabors rendition.  I don't hate it.  I'd certainly rather listen to it than any version of "Blue Christmas."  And yet...I don't know.  Based on her expression, my brother's cat, Lily, is similarly ambivalent:

SiriusXM highlights CXXXII

Appealing Christmas and non-Christmas highlights from this afternoon:

The Coffee House Discovery

• The Way I Love You-Michal Leah (This October release deserves its due for Leah's self-assured vocals and lyrics that find yet another way to say, "We drive each other crazy sometimes, but we're still soulmates."  This could be used for slow dances at weddings.)

Cool Jazz Christmas

• The First Noel-George Howard (Sunny saxophone, in keeping with Howard's style.)
  

Deep Tracks

• Sunny-The Electric Flag (For the majority of listeners, "Sunny" is best known as an oldie by Bobby Hebb.  The Electric Flag deserves its due for transforming the tune into a much slower blues-rock number with forthright guitar, organ, and vocals.  To some extent, this reminds me of Vanilla Fudge's approach to "You Keep Me Hangin' On.")

Hallmark Channel Radio

• Sleigh Ride-Ella Fitzgerald (Using a big band-style arrangement that one might expect from Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett suits Fitzgerald's vocals well.)
  

Holiday Instrumentals

• Deck The Halls-Billy Andrusco (A tasteful, stately piano rendition.)

Holiday Pops

• In The Bleak Midwinter-The Philadelphia Orchestra (The strings, flute, and piano play this carol with appropriate sensitivity.)

Holiday Soul

• White Christmas-The Whispers (A catchy fit for the dance floor of 1979.)
  

Real Jazz Holiday

• Jingle Bells-Don Patterson (Due to the tune's simplicity, most versions of "Jingle Bells" sound mediocre to me.  Paul Mauriat and his orchestra recorded an excellent version, in my opinion.  Joel Mabus's version, under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh," is a fun, brisk romp for acoustic guitar.  Jimmy Smith's approach to it on the organ is also appealing.  Thanks to Don Patterson, I can recommend one more version.  Patterson's expansive rendition has cool Booker T.-style organ and smooth guitar.)
  

SiriusXMU

• Talking Backwards-Real Estate (An honest account of how difficult it is for the protagonist to tell his girlfriend how deeply he feels about her.  Tuneful guitar accompaniment, as usual.  Also recommended: "Crime" and "Darling.")

Spa

• The Moon's Lament-Shoshana Michel (Downcast piano fit for a melancholy night or absorbing bad news during a soap opera.)

A smart life lesson

During sixth grade orchestra class, I saw a student walk up to the piano and ask our teacher, "So, who's teaching the class today--you or him (the student teacher?)"

The teacher asked her, "Do you have a problem?"

Decades later, I saw another version of this.

As we took our seats for a meeting, a co-worker asked our boss, "So, what's this meeting about?"

Our irritated boss asked him, "Does it matter?"

In sixth grade, I thought, "I'm glad I didn't ask that.  Besides, class is about to start, so we'll find out soon enough who's teaching it."  

Decades later, I thought, "I'm glad I didn't ask that.  Besides, the meeting's about to start, so we'll find out soon enough what it's about."

It's wise not to be too impatient.

Context? CCIX

Recently, I heard someone who couldn't find a phone number she needed exclaim, "Oh, Judas Priest!"  It made me smile that she was mindful enough not to curse within any nearby person's vicinity and that she chose a heavy metal band's name as a substitute for profanity.

An incongruous expression of gratitude

Last night, I listened to one of my favorite Thanksgiving-appropriate tunes, Fairport Convention's "Now Be Thankful."  While the CD played, my cat, Collette, got in through the back of the stereo and jumped on the record player.  The stereo cabinet's front door was closed, so she did her frenzied impression of a cat trapped behind glass.  

It was a convincing impression, so I opened the cabinet door quickly and congratulated her.  Not every cat has such expressive miming capabilities, so I guess a sung verse of, "Now be thankful for my tabby," is appropriate.

A petty fixation XIX

While waiting on hold recently, my ears noticed something.  Whoever edited the music bed for one of the business's promos jumped the gun slightly.  

"Well, almost," I said aloud to no one.  "That was almost right, but the music came up too soon and obscured the last word of the promo."

The promo's meaning was still clear.  Still, I wonder if they'll rerecord it.

Once an editor, always an editor, apparently.

An overlooked cover tune CXVII

I've never disliked the song, "Ease On Down The Road," from "The Wiz," but I don't ordinarily seek it out.  For many listeners, the Diana Ross & Michael Jackson rendition is most familiar.  After listening to a Carolbeth True Trio CD today, however, I realized how well the song also works as an instrumental.  True keeps the rhythm chugging strongly on the piano for five minutes, with ample room for a bass solo and solid support from the bass and drums.

Regardless of which version you hear, there's considerable funk in the melody.  I'm not surprised, then, that such a capable rhythm section pulled off a tune originally meant for singers.

The allure of shuffle mode XVIII

Looking for a pair of classy vocals and elegant tunes?  This shuffle mode pairing that iTunes made today from my collection works:

• Not Like This-Al Jarreau
• So Many Stars-Jane Monheit

It's an odd form of praise, but it's still a compliment that I didn't realize I needed to hear those songs back to back until chance segued them for me.

Online radio sampler highlights CLXXXIV

Let's shine a light on some noteworthy low power FM stations.  Here are some of the better songs I've heard this morning:

KCUG (Omaha, NE)

• Finished-Tamela Mann (With faith and perseverance, you can achieve a lot.  Mann's powerful vocals sock this point home.)
• The City (Live)-Commissioned (These strong vocal harmonies paint an appealing picture of an afterlife in which one's pain is lifted.)

KPOV (Bend, OR)

• Children Of The Night-Cassandra Wilson (An honest accounting of loneliness, set to an invigorating percussive backbeat.)
• Can't Find My Way-Phil Collins (This is one Collins song I haven't played enough.  These are good, somber lyrics for dark nights of the soul.  The song's feel is similar to "Can't Turn Back The Years.")

WMNH (Manchester, NH)

• Two Lane Highway-Pure Prairie League (Heading home for Thanksgiving?  This is a good driving song.  This deserves more airplay, as does "Can't Hold Back.")

WQSV (Staunton, VA)

• Solitude-Coleman Hawkins (Pure class.  Warm saxophone tone with violin and piano accompaniment to complete the atmosphere.)
• Soul Lament-Kenny Burrell (Captivating downcast guitar.)

WXNA (Nashville, TN)

• No More Pennies-Starcrawler (These vocals and guitar are meant to be turned up.  I like that there's enough variety in this station to include indie rock like this...)
• Take 'Em To The Moon-Rebirth Brass Band (...and this powerhouse, fit-for-Mardi-Gras instrumental in the same show.)
  

Context? CCVIII

It's not a major offense, but it irks me slightly when an adult refers to a child, teenager, or a person in his or her twenties as "Young man" or "Young lady."  Recently, on an AM station, a sports show host asked a standout high school football player, "How are you tonight, young man?"

That's too stodgy.  Call him by his name.

Persistent earworm alert CCLXXXIII

I've cited Adam Ant's "Goody Two Shoes" as an earworm before, but tonight, I'm hearing it in a different light.  Medicine I took this morning went down the wrong way, and it's driving me bonkers.  Thus, I'm revising the lyrics in the second verse to, "If a pill you swallow gets stuck in your throat, drink a little soda, soda; that's what bloggers promote, promote."

Now, let's see if the soda dissolves the pill to the extent I need.

Considerate customizing

It impressed me yesterday when one of the surgeon's assistants asked me what type of music I'd like to listen to while waiting to have a tooth pulled.  I asked to hear a jazz stream and got to hear a pleasant selection of piano-based jazz combo tunes, as a result.

My preferred music soothed me in a way that the tune playing as I walked in--"Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses--didn't.  It's a considerate office that keeps the patient in mind that way.