Favorite Songs about Fighting or Making Up.Tell us your Favorites.Freeper Canteen 1~29~2021

[Interesting Times]

Two classic telephone songs:

Operator - Jim Croce

Sylvia's Mother - Dr. Hook

[Albion Wilde]

Thanks, Dr.Deth—I had not known that Badfinger wrote "Without You." Listened carefully and still like Nilsson's version better, due to his ability to make the phrasing more lyrical—Badfinger's timing is rote, like reciting a limerick compared to reciting Shakespeare's iambic pentameter. Nilsson was also able to inject more authentic pain; maybe he chose the song because of a personal breakup.

It's always amazing when a cover exceeds the original composer's version by a large margin like that, such as Whitney Houston's take on Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" with its amazing chord shift; or Frank Sinatra's version of Paul Anka's "My Way." Parton wrote her song out of bittersweetness at leaving her longtime mentor Porter Waggoner, so Whitney had nothing to do with its creation; but Anka possibly admired Frank Sinatra so deeply that he "channeled" Sinatra's style as the perfect expression of "My Way," both the music and the lyrics. Anka had a good voice, but Sinatra truly had no equal during his entire career.

As a side note, I went to the send-off for President Trump at Joint Base Andrews. To keep it from getting maudlin, he had loudspeakers playing a lot of his rally favorites, such as "Macho Man" and "YMCA." But after the speeches and he and Melania boarding Air Force One, the plane taxied way down the runway and back again in front of the crowd to take off, to the deafening sound of Sinatra's "My Way." Trust me, I never really "heard" the last verse until those moments:

For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows
I took the blows
And did it my way

[fatima]

It was nice you were there.So you saw the President’s send off.I suspect someone else choose the music.He will be back.Very sweet of you to ping me,((((Hugs))))

[Albion Wilde]

( ( (( same to ya, Friend! )) ) )

[CrimsonTidegirl]

Thanks for sharing your memories,

I was just a toddler when the song was released, but I’ve heard it all of my life. One of my favorites.

Harry Nilsson really put his emotions into that performance.

I also love “Jump Into The Fire” and “ I’ll Never Leave You” from the aforementioned album.

[Albion Wilde]

I also love “Jump Into The Fire” and “ I’ll Never Leave You” from the aforementioned album.

Those, and "Drink a Lime in a Coconut!"

I could use one during these past two weeks...

[CovenBuster]

Thanks for the Johnny Otis links. I am familiar with Harlem Nocturn but not his version. That’s an impressive 20-second note there toward the end.

Here’s the one I listen to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU9poo7C0wY I’ll probably always favor it since it’s the version that’s part of the memories of my youth.

I’m pleasantly surprised to learn that some of our Swamp Pop sound made it out to Southern California. Here’s a little more about it. Maybe there are other songs that y’all listened to and that weren’t as regional as I thought. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swamp_pop

Out of curiosity (and if it’s not too personal), where in SoCal did you live? I lived out there in the 70s, so I’m familiar with parts of it.

[Michael.SF.]

I grew up in Lakewood, until I moved out of my parents house and then lived in parts of Long Beach, mostly Belmont Heights area and later near the college.

As stated previously I was not familiar with the 'swamp' sound, but it did get play in southern California. I have this one: on a 45, (I bought that record I was 13) and still laugh whenever I when hear it). I have a few others by the same guy on my juke Box as well, but I bought those much later.

[Michael.SF.]

I notice that writing credit is given to Rogers-Hagen. I must be mistaken regarding Johnny Otis, he recorded it and it was his first big song, but apparently he did not write it.

[CovenBuster]

We lived a pretty good distance away in Burbank, then Glendale. This Texas gal loved California — in the 70s. I had occasion to visit about 4 years ago and I was shocked at how it looked. So run down. Plus many places had erected fences that made them into impenetrable fortresses, similar to some I had seen in Mexico years ago. It hurt my heart. My favorite restaurants are long gone, except Lawry’s Prime Rib on La Cienega.

Loved the Slim Harpo video. Both the music and the dancing. Are you a vinyl collector?