March 26 - Rufus Thomas; Pierre Boulez (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous postings for March 26th may be found here: Pierre Boulez (2019), Diana Ross; Pierre Boulez (2020), Pierre Boulez (2021), (2022), and (2023)

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Rufus Thomas (26 March 1917 – 15 December 2001) was an American rhythm-and-blues, funk, soul, and blues singer, songwriter, dancer, DJ, and comic entertainer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Not You, It’s Me

 

His dance records, including "Walking the Dog" (1963), "Do the Funky Chicken" (1969) were some of his most successful songs.  --adapted from Wikipedia

The urge to do the funky chicken

Is not an urge with which I’m stricken.

It’s hard to be a funky avian

When your blood is Scandinavian.

 

 

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪  

 

Pierre Boulez (26 March 1925 – 5 January 2016) was one of the foremost composers and conductors of his time. 

 

(Note: These verses have previously appeared on Schoenberg's birthday 13 September 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afterlife

(i)

When Boulez said,"Schoenberg is dead,"

He couldn't quite mean what he said:

Though sisters and brothers

Spurn fathers and mothers,

They can’t keep them out of their head.

(ii)

When Boulez wrote, "Schoenberg is dead

Go listen to Webern instead."

It came as a shock

To the serial flock

Who could hardly believe what they read.

 

 

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