August 2 - Andrew Gold (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

 

Previous posts of August 2nd are here: Helen Morgan (2019), Arthur Bliss (2020), Jacob Collier (2021), Helen Morgan (2022), and Oscar Rasbach (2023)

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Andrew Gold (2 August – 3 June 2011) was an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and record producer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Observation

Gold’s song “Thank You for Being a Friend” was later re-recorded by Cynthia Fee to serve as the theme song for the NBC sitcom The Golden Girls.  – Wikipedia 

Because he wrote the theme which introduced

A sitcom which has never gotten old,

The money gave his bank account a boost,

The Golden Girls were gold for Andrew Gold.

 

 

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June 12 - Jim Nabors (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for June 12th are found here: Richard M. Sherman (2019), Jim Nabors (2020), Oliver Knussen (2021), Vic Damone (2022), and Richard M. Sherman (2023)

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Jim Nabors (12 June 1930 – 30 November 2017) was an American actor, singer, and comedian. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You Are Cordially Invited…

 

On January 15, 2013, Nabors married his partner of 38 years, Stan Cadwallader, in Seattle, a month after same-sex marriage became legal in Washington. -- adapted from Wikipedia

Take a respite from your labors,

It’s the birthday of Jim Nabors!

Maybe it will make you smile

To think of him as Gomer Pyle,

Or maybe in your young upbringing

Your parents listened to his singing,

But setting show biz things aside,

And since the month of June is Pride,

We’ll celebrate the loving man

Who, after decades with his Stan,

Was happy as a clam when he

Could marry him at eighty-three.

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.] 

 

March 2 - Desi Arnaz (The Musical Birthday Series, 4th Annual Cycle)

Previous entries for March 2nd can be found here: Kurt Weill (2021); Bedřich Smetana (2020);  Kurt Weill and Marc Blitzstein (2019)

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Desi Arnaz (2 March 1917 – 2 December 1986) was a Cuban-American actor, bandleader, singer, conga player, and film and television producer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Family Business

Arnaz's marriage with Ball began to collapse under the strain of his growing problems with alcohol, gambling, and infidelity. – Wikipedia

Ball divorced him in 1960. When Ball returned to weekly television, she and Arnaz worked out an agreement regarding Desilu, wherein she bought him out. - Wikipedia

Lucy Ricardo maneuvered and planned

In ploys to perform with her husband's big band.

Always conniving, and shameless, and tricky,

In schemes for outfoxing her dear husband Ricky.

Of their real-life marriage the gossip was juicy,

As Desi philandered and cheated on Lucy;

But show biz is business and the partners, of course,

Took care of the business, in spite of divorce.

 

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All in a Row

Arnaz and his orchestra became a hit in New York City’s club scene, where he introduced the concept of conga line dancing to the city.  – Wikipedia

There isn’t much design

Behind a conga line.

Complexity enhances

Coupled Latin dances,

But here there is no trick,

Just count to three, then kick.

 

 

 

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November 20 - Dick Smothers (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Dick Smothers (b. 20 November 1939) is an American actor, comedian, composer and musician, and half of the Smothers Brothers.

[For last year's limerick on June Christy click here.]  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smothered

Despite popular success, the brothers' penchant for material that was critical of the political mainstream and sympathetic to the emerging counterculture led to their firing by the CBS network in 1969. One show was left unaired. -- Wikipedia

When the Smothers Brothers aired,

They were censored when they dared

To comment in a pointed way

On Vietnam and LBJ.

The badinage between the two,

Their bickering, (as brothers do),

Had gradually become a forum

That challenged CBS decorum,

And the censor recommended

That the season be suspended.

 

 

 

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Tales: Great Art Repurposed.]