December 1 - Bette Midler (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 1st are here: Bette Midler (2019) and Agathe Backer-Grøndahl (2020)

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Bette Midler (b. 1 December 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, and comedian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Rose” was “The Rose” was “The Rose”

This little verse goes out to those

Who heard Bette Midler sing “The Rose”

When they were young, with heart on sleeve.

And it, an anthem to believe;

But now they're older and more jaded,

The thrills of youth and love are shaded,

The garden and the rose have faded,

And life goes on unserenaded.

 

 

 

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November 28 - Paul Shaffer; Ferdinand Ries (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for November 28th are here: Jean-Baptiste Lully (2019) and Anton Rubinstein (2020)

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Paul Shaffer (b. 28 November 1949) is a Canadian  band leader, composer, comedian, and multi-instrumentalist who served as David Letterman's musical director, band leader, and sidekick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Paul Shaffer Style

As the leader of Letterman’s band,

The budget that he could command

Bought packets and packets

Of the glasses and jackets,

Which were part of his personal brand.

 

 

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

Ferdinand Ries (baptised 28 November 1784 – 13 January 1838) was a German composer. He was a friend, pupil and secretary of Beethoven. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ries’s Pieces

 

The symphonies, some chamber works—most of them with piano—his violin concerto and his piano concertos have been recorded, exhibiting a style which, given his connection to Beethoven, lies between the Classical and early Romantic styles. -- Wikipedia  

Beethoven’s pupil, young Ferdinand Ries,

Has become better known through some recent CDs,

But those who review them are of the opinion

That he wrote in a style that was too Beethovenian.

 

 

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September 20 - Frank De Vol (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for September 20th are here: William Kapell (2019) and Ildebrando Pizzetti (2020)

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Frank De Vol (20 September 1911 – 27 October 1999) was an American arranger and composer was nominated for four Academy Awards. De Vol is remembered for his television theme tunes, like Family Affair, My Three Sons, and The Brady Bunch. He did some work as an actor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Wait?!  You Wrote THAT!

Composers and arrangers

In studio conditions

    Must face a fact of life with equanimity:

Though people are not strangers

To your work or compositions,

      You’ll soldier on in quiet anonymity.

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De Vol, De Vol, It’s Off to Work We Go

Frank De Vol wrote catchy themes

Which everyone can sing, it seems.

So, it’s more than just a hunch

That you can sing “The Brady Bunch.”

Did he think that day before he

Wrote those notes for “Here’s the story,”

That they’d live in campy glory?

 

 

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August 24 - Mason Williams (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for August 24th are here: Théodore Dubois (2019) and Stephen Paulus (2020)

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Mason Williams (b. 24 August 1938) is an American classical guitarist, composer, singer, writer, comedian, and poet, best known for his 1968 instrumental "Classical Gas".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Variations on an Acoustic Theme by Mason Williams

1.

The hit he called “Classical Gas”

Was recorded with strings and with brass;

A simple creation

With proper inflation

Can cause a sensation.  Alas!

2.

It was simple, that ”Classical Gas,”

And acoustic guitar gave it class;

But with “classical pop"

It’s better to stop

Before it gets earnestly crass.

3.

When you’re listening to “Classical Gas”

With your eyes glazing over like glass,

When the rhythmic refrain

Runs you down like a train,

Remember that this too shall pass.

 

 

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June 22 - Cyndi Lauper (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for June 22nd are found here: Peter Pears (2019) and Theodor Leschetizky (2020)

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Cyndi Lauper (b. 22 June 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and activist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone Knows It's Cyndi

Lauper expressed herself with a variety of hair colors and eccentric clothing, and took a friend's advice to spell her name as "Cyndi" rather than "Cindy". Her unconventional sense of style led to classmates bullying and throwing stones at her. -- Wikipedia

With affectation that asserted

Resistance to the rank and file,

She spelled her name with vowels inverted

In a nonconformist style.

You only get one shot at living,

The life you’re living is that one,

So seize the things that life is giving,

Girls deserve to have some fun!

 

 

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