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Wednesday, June 04, 2014

Lead By Example



June 4, 2014

First things first...I just realized that this is post 1,111!  Freaky!

Anyway...

I don't know whether I can call this a blessing or a curse, but as far back as I can remember, I've had lessons having to do with common sense and etiquette drilled into my head.  And, when you're growing up as a child, sometimes it's hard for us to understand why we follow these lessons in life.  In fact, I think that it's not until we hit adulthood that things really begin to sink in and we understand why we do them.



Some of them seem incredibly simple enough.  When you're walking with somebody else on the sidewalk and you see somebody else walking down the same sidewalk in the opposite direction, you walk in single file so that the other person can pass by you without having to sidestep onto the grass or the road.  When you're going through a door and someone else is directly behind you, you hold the door open for them.  When you're stopped at an intersection in your car, and you happen to see someone else waiting to cross at the crosswalk, you let the pedestrian cross first before you drive off.

These are all little things that anybody can do to show somebody else respect.  And, you know what?  In this open letter to everyone who might be reading this letter, I have to say that I'm a little bit annoyed at the total lack of respect that some people seem to have towards other people these days.  Forget about chivalry being dead.  In my experience, people seem to have completely forgotten how to show even the slightest amount of respect towards their peers, and I think it's a real crying shame.

I mean, you see these sorts of things all the time.  You see people so absorbed with their smartphones that they tune out everything and everyone around them.  You see people typing out insults and profanities on Facebook or Twitter to somebody else simply because you don't like what they post on their own pages.  Things like that are just plain rude and should never be tolerated under any circumstances whatsoever. 

But then again, I look at some of the instances of really bad behaviour that happens in public gathering spots, and I can't help but think of a phrase that somebody told me a long time ago.  And, it's a phrase that I have taken with me since I basically graduated high school.



"LEAD BY EXAMPLE".

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I haven't always been a believer in this phrase.  I think the first eighteen years of my life were such that I was not seen as a leader.  I honestly didn't even see MYSELF as a leader in anything.  I certainly had a difficult time understanding the concept of how respect actually worked.  I mean, I was always taught to respect my peers and my elders, always say please and thank you, and all that jazz.  But when you're a kid, and you're trying to get approval from the people you attend school with, only to get a complete lack of respect in return...well, let's just say that it took a lot of time for me to develop my own sense of self-respect.



Because let's face it.  I know I've said this before about the concept of love.  But if you can't respect yourself at the end of the day, then how in the world can you respect other people?  Seriously.  Just think about that question for a minute.  I don't mind.  I'm patient.



Okay, now that you've had a minute or two to think about self-respect, let us continue our discussion, shall we?

I think that in this world, we all owe it to ourselves to take a step back and determine whether or not we're actually being as respectful as we would like to be.  And, I think that we all have a responsibility to ourselves to lead by example in that regard.  If we show the world that we are capable of treating our fellow man or woman with dignity, compassion, kindness, and honour, then there's a really good chance of everybody paying it forward and leading the charge towards a more respectful school environment, workplace, and home life.

On the flipside, if you belittle people, make them feel stupid, and completely show an utter lack of respect towards them, do you really think that they're going to go around treating people kindly?  I mean, it's really a rehash of the whole nature vs. nurture theory (of which I am a firm believer on the side of nurture for that debate).



I can't begin to tell you how many times I cringe seeing how many families that I see come into the store I work at and seeing so many parents screaming at their kids to behave, and then buying them whatever they want whether they deserved them or not.  I tell you, if I had pitched a fit inside of a store when I was six, I would have been dragged back into the car and been promptly taken home - without anything that I wanted.  But of course, when you're working on the sales floor, you can't intervene unless the situation gets physical, and even then, you have to follow protocol to get the situation diffused.  It's so difficult for me to see this bad behaviour from both children and their parents.  I mean, if the child is too young to know better, fine.  But if your child is old enough to know better, it's no excuse. 

And, sorry to say parents...it's your job to set a good example for your own children.  It's not the cashier, sales floor associates, teachers, co-workers, or the guy who runs the 7-Eleven on the corner to discipline your children.  And, kids learn by example, you know.  I shudder to think of what one child must have been thinking when she saw her mother tear a strip off of one of my co-workers because of a simple price discrepancy.  I'm going to wager that this child is going to grow up showing her peers that same disrespect that she witnessed.   And, if I were a gambling man, I'd bet more than just a pretty penny on it.

Honestly, when I look at my experiences growing up, I was always taught to respect my family.  Oh, mind you, I had my screamfests and rousing choruses of "I HATE YOU"'s peppered throughout my childhood, but I never talked back for long without getting put in my place by my father. 

I should clarify that what I mean by "getting put in my place" is not by violence - well, aside from a couple of spankings, of course.  Not that I advocate spankings at all, mind you. 

But you know, just going back to my own experiences, the idea of respect was a foreign concept to me.  Not so much with family members, but with people who I got to know through school, or through any of the jobs that I have worked since I turned 17.  And, I don't really need to get into detail about school, because let's face it.  You've heard those stories before.

But what I will say is this.  Respect is not something that you can buy at any store.  You can't download it from iTunes (well, unless you purchase the song by Otis Redding or Aretha Franklin).  You can't even be given respect as a graduation gift or unwrap it with the twenty-seven toasters that you receive as wedding presents.  Respect is something that has to be earned.

Sometimes we all forget where we are, and sometimes we have a really bad day and snap at someone that we really don't mean to.  But it also takes a big man (or woman) to swallow their pride and own up to their mistakes.  Because as we all know, apologizing is a sign of respect.  Not weakness.  Respect.

And, I don't care what your age is, or how long you've been with a company, or whether you have brown eyes or blue eyes.  There's a lot of things in this world that I can not respect.

I don't respect people who think that their way is the only way, and refuse to take anyone else's opinions into consideration. 

I do respect people who uses collaborative efforts to try and make everyone feel like they are a part of a team.

I don't respect people who hang out in their own little cliques and exclude other people who don't fit in.

I
do respect people who are welcoming to other people and will hang out with them regardless of seniority, position, or other non-important details.

I don't respect people who give attitude to other people simply because they feel like they are entitled to do so.

I
do respect people who check their egos at the door and work with people in solving a problem.



I don't respect people who don't seem to realize that they were once beginners at something, and who faced scrutiny by more seasoned people (be it at a job, or on a sports team, or what have you) when they were starting out, and then turn around and criticize new people for everything under the sun.

I do respect people who know exactly what it was like to be a new person (at a job, or on a sports team, or what have you), and instead of criticizing new people, works with them, and mentors them to become better people.

I don't respect people who outright refuse to do work because they couldn't be bothered with doing it.

I do respect people who outright refuse to do work because the job is not safe.  I doubly respect people who will take the initiative to make the job safer.

I don't respect people who pass the buck onto other people because they couldn't be bothered to give a straight, honest answer.

I do respect people who at least try to come to a conclusion by working with their peers.  Maybe the conclusion can't be found, or maybe the person might not like the decision, but at least an effort being made is something.

And finally...




I do respect every single one of you for listening to my rants, raves, opinions, and thoughts over the past three years.  And, believe me.  All of you are winners in my book, and I respect the hell out of you for it. 

Tuesday, June 03, 2014

June 3, 1967

The first Tuesday Timeline of June 2014 is sure to bring some sweet, sweet music to your ears.  Seriously, I was having a bit of trouble selecting a topic for this week, so I went into the archives of Oldies Music Trivia to make my selection.  And after I talk about the song a bit, I'll explain the reason why I opted to choose said song.  Believe me, I think that you'll love it.

So, welcome to the third of June.



(And, yes.  Corey Hart actually wrote a song called "Third of June" back in the mid-1990s.  No, he's not the subject of today's Tuesday Timeline.  I just found it funny that there's a song for today!)

But here's a list of some of the other events that took place today throughout history!

1608 - Samuel de Champlain completes his third voyage to New France at Tadoussac, Quebec

1781 - Jack Jouett begins his midnight ride to warn Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia legislature of an impending raid by Banastre Tarleton

1864 - The Battle of Cold Harbor takes place during the American Civil War

1888 - Ernest Lawrence Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" is first published in the San Francisco Examiner

1889 - The transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway is completed

1916 - The National Defense Act is signed into law in the United States

1925 - Actor Tony Curtis (d. 2010) is born in New York City

1926 - American poet Allen Ginsberg (d. 1997) is born in New Jersey

1937 - The Duke of Windsor marries Wallis Simpson

1940 - During World War I, the Luftwaffe bombs Paris, France

1942 - Singer-songwriter Curtis Mayfield (d. 1999) is born in Chicago

1962 - 130 people are killed in a plane crash in Paris, France when an Air France Boeing 707 overruns the runway causing the craft to explode

1968 - Valerie Solanas launches an assassination attempt against Andy Warhol, shooting him three times

1979 - The second worst oil spill in the world takes place in the Gulf of Mexico after an oil well blows out, releasing three million barrels of oil into the water

1984 - Operation Blue Star is launched by the Indian government at Harmandir Shahib

1989 - The government of China sends troops to force protesters out of Tiananmen Square

1991 - The eruption of Mount Unzen in Kyushu, Japan kills 43 people

2009 - Actor David Carradine dies of asphyxiation at the age of 72

2010 - Actress Rue McClanahan passes away of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 76

2011 - Controversial doctor Jack Kevorkian dies at the age of 83

And, would you like to know who is celebrating a birthday today?  Here's the list...Chuck Barris, Irma P. Hall, Jim Gentile, Loretta Long, John Derbyshire, Eddie Holman, Tristan Rogers, John Rothman, Melissa Mathison, Suzi Quatro, Deniece Williams, Jill Biden, Dan Hill, Suzie Plakson, Susannah Constantine, Anderson Cooper, Saffron (Republica), Arianne Zucker, Dan Ewing, Lalaine, and Michelle Keegan.

Okay, so obviously as I said before, today's Tuesday Timeline has something to do with music.  In fact, I could have used this song as a Sunday Jukebox entry given that it was a #1 hit this week exactly forty-seven years ago.



Which if you figure the math out makes today's date June 3, 1967.



Interestingly enough, the song that hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 was inspired by a previous hit, if you can believe it.  The first version was released in the summer of 1965 by singer Otis Redding (clicking on THIS LINK will let you hear the original version), and the lyrics told a different story than the version that ultimately hit the top of the charts two years later.  We'll get to that meaning in a little while.

But first, why don't we play the song that DID hit the top of the charts exactly 47 years ago today? 



ARTIST:  Aretha Franklin
SONG:  Respect
ALBUM:  I Never Loved a Man The Way I Love You
DATE RELEASED:  April 29, 1967
PEAK POSITION ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS:  #1 for 2 weeks

Yes.  Aretha Franklin took Otis Redding's song, revamped it for her own album, and she walked away with the #1 hit. 



So, what makes Otis' version different from Aretha's version?  Well, aside from the fact that Aretha's version sounds more upbeat than Otis Redding's interpretation...

Well, it's all in the lyrics.

In Otis' version, the song from the perspective of a man who works hard and looks forward to enjoying a relaxing night at home where he finally receives respect from his loved ones.  And, here's a fun fact.  The song was inspired after a fit of complaining on the part of Redding while he was on tour, and someone else went up to Redding and told him "What are you griping about?  You're on the road all the time.  All you can look for is a little respect when you come home."

Simple enough, I suppose.

But, when Aretha Franklin debuted her version in 1967, she changed things up a lot from Otis' version.  And, her changes made the song an anthem of sorts for the growing feminist movement.  It's also a great song that deals with giving respect to your fellow man/woman.  We'll be talking about that a little bit later in the Timeline entry.

So, Aretha's version was actually recorded on Valentine's Day, 1967, and comparing the two versions, there's a lot of obvious differences between the two.  For one, Otis' version doesn't have that catchy "R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me" line in it.  Nor does Otis Redding tell you to "sock it to him" at any point during his version.

But in Aretha's song, the lyrics take on a whole new meaning.  In Aretha's version, she wants the world to know that she is declaring herself to be a strong and resilient woman who is confident that she has everything that her man wants from her.  She is singing as a woman who has never had to suffer from low self-esteem, and has a firm sense of knowing who she really is.  Given the time period in which this song was released, that was almost considered to be a rarity.  Back in the 1960s, women were still considered to be the "weaker sex", and yet here was Aretha, proudly singing that she is confident enough in herself to demand that he respect her. 

As I said, it was definitely a song that lead the charge towards the feminist movement and eventually paved the way for equality amongst both sexes.

And, it certainly helped get Aretha Franklin a #1 hit on June 3, 1967.

But since I've brought up the topic of respect in this blog entry, I kind of want to expand on that topic.  I definitely believe that respect is one thing in the world that has to be earned.  And, I am a firm believer in mutual respect.  To me, respect cannot be a one-sided thing.  It would be incredibly ridiculous to give somebody your undying respect when they hate your guts and do everything in their power to hurt you.  I guess one example of this would be an abusive relationship in which a man or a woman stays in a relationship in which their spouse bullies them, belittles them, or beats them up on a daily basis because they are told that they will never find anybody else who will treat them the same way.  Given that situation, I hope they don't.  I hope they find someone who will respect them enough to treat them the way they deserve to be treated.

I also think that you can respect someone without actually liking them.  I mean, I'll be honest with all of you.  Some people really tick me off.  And, there are some people who I probably wouldn't invite over to my place for a spot of tea, or fresh baked cookies, or a game of Mario Kart 8.  But, that's okay.  People have different personalities, and people can sometimes have personality clashes because they rub each other the wrong way.  But you can still treat them with respect in most cases.  Giving them the silent treatment.  Not cool.  Spreading rumours about them in the employee lounge.  Not cool.  Throwing lawn darts at them whenever you get the chance.  DEFINITELY not cool.

And, I think we're all guilty of forgetting to mind our P's and Q's at some times in our lives.  Heaven knows I've made quite a few mistakes in conflict resolution over the years.  But learning from them, accepting that sometimes you can be in the wrong, and offering sincere apologies can really help in rebuilding that bridge of respect. 

And, well, maybe nothing you do will ever get someone to like you.  In which case, you wipe the dust off, and spend time with people who do.  Seriously, why would you waste time trying to impress people who want to hurt you when there are other people who will be your friend, and teach you the real value of the word respect.

Just think about that for a second.  I'll be having more of a lengthy discussion about it tomorrow.  So, stay tuned.

Monday, June 02, 2014

Ending Voter Apathy

Under normal circumstances, this would be the spot in which you would be listening to the latest episode of the chat show that I am doing with my pals JOSHUA, CARINE, and JONATHON.  You know, the show that is called MOTIVE4CHANGE in which we talk about topics designed to get youth thinking about a variety of subjects, and how youth can be the motivation necessary to bring about changes in the world.

That is...that's what normally is supposed to happen on MOTIVATION MONDAY.  But, as we all well know, things have a tendency to change.  And sometimes, real life can interfere with plans.



Which is why there's no episode to post today.

But don't worry.  The reason why there isn't an episode to watch is because of all good things.  As it turns out, most of us had some exciting things happen to us this week.  I was busy with family commitments (seriously, it's very rare that most of us in my family have a get together, so whenever they do happen, I take advantage.)

But for
Joshua and Carine, the week was filled with a lot of excitement.   In fact, I want to have all of you join me in congratulating both Joshua and Carine on their graduation from college!  They both earned their diplomas on the weekend, and they are absolute proof that hard work definitely pays off.  I am very proud of both of them, and I am sure that they will do extremely well in future endeavours.

And, while we're on the subject,
Jonathon is on his way to university this coming fall, so let's wish him well on his journey to greatness.  Make us all proud!

Again, I can't help but stress the importance of hard work in this case.  All three of my
MOTIVE4CHANGE partners worked extremely hard for their success, and I want them to know just how much their work is appreciated.

In fact, given that there's no show for today, it dawned on me that I should try to find some way to salvage this blog entry in some manner.  But how?

Well, I suppose that I could lead a discussion on a topic that could have a major effect on not just youth, but anybody in the world. 

Yes.  That's exactly what I plan on doing.  Since the
MOTIVE4CHANGE episode for this week is being postponed to another day, I'll kick off a discussion myself.

Just fair warning though.  This is a discussion that seems to go against every bit of hard work that my
MOTIVE4CHANGE pals have displayed over the last couple of years...but yet, it's a discussion that needs to be had because it's this blogger's opinion that this subject is everything that is wrong with the world today.

That's why today I want to talk about apathy.  And, to be completely honest with you, I absolutely hate apathy of any kind.

In case you're wondering what apathy is, I'll explain it.  Apathy is the feeling one feels when they have a lack of interest, concern, or enthusiasm on any given topic in the world.

And, well, let's face it.  All of us are guilty of being apathetic at some point.  I'll admit it myself.  I'm apathetic towards sports, religion, commercialism, and anybody with the last name of Kardashian.  And, in small doses, a little bit of apathy can be considered quite healthy.  It allows us to focus more on the things that we all should care about.  Things like family, school, health, and "The Big Bang Theory".

But when we take on an apathetic stance on everything in the world...well, as far as I'm concerned, it's overkill. 



Many of you reading this will likely not know this at all, but on June 12, 2014, the province of Ontario will be going to the polls to elect a new government.  Our choices this time around?  Well, we have Andrea Horwath, Tim Hudak, and Kathleen Wynne.  And, yes, I already know who I will be voting for this time around, and no I am not going to tell anybody how I will be making my choice this time around.  But the point is that as someone who is a Canadian citizen, resident of Ontario, and is of legal age to cast a vote, I plan on making my vote count.

But, apparently during our last election in Ontario, I was probably only one of the few who actually did.  The last time we had an election in Ontario was in 2011, and that year was registered as an all-time low for voter turnout...less than 50% came out to the polls.

I just don't understand it. 

I mean, let's face it.  Ontario's a province in trouble.  The economy is terrible, budget blunders are causing problems with health care and education, and over the next five years, because of scandals involving gas plants and the like, our power bills are expected to go up 42% over the next five years.  That's ridiculous.

Why, with so many economic and social problems in Ontario, you'd think that the upcoming election would cause more people to get out there and make their voices heard, right?

Well...no. 

Truth is, I've talked to a lot of people about the election, and many refuse to cast a vote.  Their opinion is that all politicians are money grubbing crooks who are only out to line their own pockets with gold while simultaneously destroying the middle class.  A harsh opinion for certain.

Sigh...but you know, I can't say I blame people for feeling this way.  Honestly the three candidates who are in the running are quite polarizing figures.  It's certainly one of the reasons why I won't go into politics.  You definitely need a thick skin for that job, and I can honestly say that I don't have it for that job.  Though, I think I would look fairly good in a suit and tie...

...ahem, what was I saying?  Oh, yeah.  Candidates.

It's not easy for me to make a choice in this election.  However, considering that this is MOTIVATION MONDAY, I encourage all of you in Ontario to try and make a decision and let your choice known.  Because to be honest with you, it's time for a change.  If things remain stagnant for too long, more people will stop caring.  And if enough people stop caring, things will become much harder.

I mean, think about it like this.  Imagine being one of the few employees in your company that actually cares about providing customer service, while everyone else around you is more concerned with their games of Candy Crush on their computers in their cubicles.  It's enough to make you throw your hands in the air and join along.  Problem is that if nobody worked, the business would shut down.  If the business shuts down, those people would have no jobs.  But you also have to consider that the people who provide the supplies for the business would automatically lose sales too, which could lead to company lay-offs.  It's an extreme situation, mind you, but not one that is impossible.





I mean, it's just something to think about.  You may not like any of the candidates at all.  But if you don't like what's happening in the province, or the country, or the world...do something about it.  You can start by making your voice heard at the polls.  You know I'll be there.

Sunday, June 01, 2014

It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To

I have a question for all of you.  Can you remember the worst birthday that you've ever had?  Seriously, just think about it for a second.  Birthdays are supposed to be a happy occasion where you celebrate surviving another year with cake, gifts, balloons, and party hats.  But yet there was this one instance in which you always remember one particular birthday as your worst ever.



Well, for me, that would be my fourteenth birthday back in 1995.  It was bad enough that we were doing a project in school where we learned about the stock market and some evil nasty urchin stole half of the play money that my team had earned during the month long project when my back was turned.  Oh, no...that was just the tip of the iceberg there.

That was the year that exactly two-fifths of my family were hospitalized in another city because they needed surgery done.  Both my mother and my sister needed to have surgery for a medical condition that they both shared.  It was the one thing that my sister probably wished she didn't inherit from Mom. 

Now, here's an interesting fact.  When both my mom and my sister had their operations, they ended up having a distinctive claim to fame.  They were the first mother-daughter to be operated on for the same ailment on the same day just four hours apart.  I suppose when you look at it from that angle, you could say that they wear their scars like badges of honour.

But here's where the tie in to worst birthday ever comes into play.  This surgery was scheduled two days before my fourteenth birthday.  And, this meant that both of them had to stay hospitalized on my actual birthday.  And, I'll tell you one thing.  That sucked.

Though, I imagine that it was more horrible for my mom and sister.  After all, they had to undergo a painful surgery.  And, to be honest with you, I did take it a lot better than I thought.  Still, it was a really stressful time.  My sister's case wasn't as severe, and she made it through just fine...but my mom had lost so much weight that we were all a bit concerned that she would not make it through the surgery.  Thankfully, she proved that she was a lot tougher than any of us knew.  And nearly 20 years later, both Mom and Sis are doing well.

Still, that whole 14th birthday was a huge disaster.  I had half my stock market fund stolen, the kids were making fun of me as usual, and my birthday cake (which my other sister tried write on for me) turned into a chocolate cake after someone had scribbled over it with a green Crayola marker.  The only saving grace?  The cake tasted good!

So, yeah.  That was my absolute worst birthday ever.  But luckily, the aftermath was awesome.  Both family members survived, I went on a class trip to Toronto (where ironically enough, I fell victim to a pickpocket...what was it with fourteen being the age where I was eternally broke?), and life went on.  And hey, all other birthdays were brilliant compared to birthday number fourteen.

But, still...it was one of those days in which if I had an elaborate party for my birthday, I'd still find a reason to cry if I wanted to.  Certainly there was plenty to cry about.  Two-fifths of my family were in the hospital and the kids who were mean to me were proud of the fact that they ruined my birthday not realizing or caring what I was going through at home. 

Hey, it was my birthday.  The birthday from hell.  And, I could cry if I wanted to.  And, you would cry too if that happened to you!

Hmmm...I feel a song coming on.



ARTIST:  Lesley Gore
SONG:  It's My Party
ALBUM:  I'll Cry If I Want To
DATE RELEASED:  April 1963
PEAK POSITION ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS:  #1 for 2 weeks

Ah, now that's the perfect soundtrack song for my fourteenth birthday.  Mind you, the subject matter of the Lesley Gore song differs from what my fourteenth birthday was like...but since this was the #1 song this week fifty-one years ago, I thought it was a nice supplement.



Now, here's something that you might find interesting.  When this song was recorded, Lesley Gore was only sixteen years old.  I suppose that this puts her in the "Sweet 16" club, along with Britney Spears and Debbie Gibson, who were also sixteen when they recorded their first #1 singles (with "Baby One More Time" and "Foolish Beat" respectively).  And, this song depicts what one would consider to be one of the worst things that could ever happen at a "Sweet 16" birthday party.

Losing your main squeeze to someone else.

Well, okay, I suppose there are worse things that could happen at a sixteenth birthday.  Your house could burn down, or someone poisons the cake, or someone shoots a bazooka through the living room, french-frying the birthday girl in the process.  When you look at it like that, the loss of a love to another woman is peanuts!

But, we keep forgetting that this is 1963, and in 1963, finding out that a girl named Judy is now wearing your boyfriend's class ring, making the world realize that they are now going steady and you're yesterday's news?  That's about as cold as you can get for a birthday surprise.

All because he succumbed to that nasty Judy's charms.  That tramp!

Anyway, that's the story of the lyrics of the song.  Now let's talk about how the song came to be.  And believe it or not, Lesley Gore was not the first person to record the single!

It was written in 1962 by the songwriting team of John Gluck, Wally Gold, and Herb Weiner, and the original demo was cut by former Clickettes member Barbara Jean English.  From there, they tried to get English's version of the song to be released as a single, but for whatever reason, record companies at that time just weren't buying it.

Then British chanteuse Helen Shapiro tried to release her own version in February 1963 - just two months before Lesley Gore's version first made an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100.  But it too was turned away.  Despite Shapiro's belief that the song would be a complete knockout on the pop charts, it wasn't released as an advanced cut, paving the way for Lesley Gore to have instant success with her version. 

To add insult to injury, by the time Shapiro's version was released at the end of 1963, many people believed that her version was a cover version even though she had recorded it first!  How humiliating for Shapiro!  Why, you would cry too if it happened to you!



TRIVIA:  This was not only Lesley Gore's first single, but it was also the very first single that famous record producer Quincy Jones produced.  The things you learn when doing research for this blog, huh?

And, here's some more trivia for you.  Phil Spector heard the demo version of the song (as recorded by Barbara Jean English), and he immediately loved it.  He even felt that the song would be a perfect song to give to the Crystals (another up and coming group at that time).  But Quincy Jones - upon hearing word that Spector and the Crystals were plotting the release of their own version of "It's My Party" - worked double time to make sure that Lesley's version would come out first.  He printed off 100 copies of the single and sent them to every disc jockey he knew.  That took place on Saturday, March 30, 1963.  The following Friday, April 5, Lesley Gore first heard her song playing on the radio.  And, when the single was officially released at the end of the month, it only took four weeks to top the Billboard Hot 100! 

Not bad for a sixteen year old girl, huh?  But, too bad for Spector and the Crystals, having Quincy Jones' gamble pay off in a big way as the expense of them.  Why, you would cry too if it happened to you!

Now, since the song was originally released in 1963, several artists have covered the single.  Canadian singer Carroll Baker had a #1 hit in 1977 with her country-infused cover.  Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin's version in 1981 stayed on the top of the UK charts for twice the length that Lesley Gore's original version did.  Amy Winehouse performed her own version of the song in 2010 - also produced by Quincy Jones.  And even the Chipettes had their fun with the single as their 1983 cover appeared on the Chipmunks album "Songs From Our T.V. Show".

But I think that of all the versions of "It's My Party", Lesley Gore's will forever be the one that is permanently cemented into pop history.

However, I'm not quite finished with this blog just yet.  You see, "It's My Party" is a song that ended unhappily, with the subject of the song crying salty tears all over the frosting of her cake as her sweet baboo decides to leave the party with that homewrecking tramp known as Judy.

(Her thoughts...not mine.)

But did you know that the song was just Part 1 of the story?  Part 2 was released as Gore's second single - a sequel to the song "It's My Party".  The song title?  "Judy's Turn To Cry!"



Yeah, I smell the aroma of sweet revenge coming, don't you?

Released in June 1963, the song tells the tale of how the former birthday girl decides to make her beloved Johnny jealous by locking lips with some random boy.  And Johnny ditches Judy, knocks the boy out at the party, and decides that he wants to be with his former squeeze, to which the once betrayed birthday girl says "okay", and the two live happily ever after, leaving poor Judy to cry all alone in her glass of fruit punch - non-spiked, of course.

Actually, come to think of it, that's not how she should have reacted at all.  I mean, he dumped her for Judy because Judy shook some goodies at him and he came a-runnin' leaving our birthday girl in the dust.  At that moment, I would have advised the girl to forget about Johnny and go after someone else who deserved her.  The way she did it, that poor boy was an unnecessary casualty in her war against the she-devil known as Judy, and she ended up with a man who broke her heart in the first place and will likely dump her again if another "Judy" came strolling along. 

But then again, I tell myself that this was 1963.  It was a different time.  If this song were recorded in 2014, the birthday girl would automatically declare that she didn't need a man to make her happy and celebrate her next birthday getting on the dance floor with several single men, while Johnny and Judy would be on the set of the Maury Povich Show with Judy declaring that she is one hundred per cent sure that Johnny is the father of her six children.

Makes you want to cry, doesn't it?

Saturday, May 31, 2014

The Lego Movie

After a one-week hiatus to celebrate the third anniversary of this blog, I am proud to reinstate the SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES theme day!  And, I think that I've chosen a movie that will appeal to the general masses.

At least, I hope I have, anyway. 

In fact, I would say that today's edition of the Saturday movie discussion will offer up a little bit of a throwback to the Saturday Smorgasbord of yore.

(Mind you, when I say yore, I mean late 2013.  Hardly considered to be retro enough to look back on a nostalgic sense...but who cares about minor details like that, right?)

But if you think back to what Saturdays used to be on here, you'll know that it was a day in which I featured all the things that children loved.  Cartoons, toys, children's television programs, books, video games, and other fun things.  It was a lot of fun to do, but I gave it up for the time being - solely because of the fact that I was running out of topics!

This time though, I've managed to bring a little bit of the smorgasbord back into Saturdays because we're going to be having a rousing discussion about toys!

Or, particularly one toy that I really loved during my childhood.



I don't know what it is about them, but I absolutely loved Lego growing up.  My first experience with Lego was finding my sister's old Lego kits (all incomplete, mind you), and using them to build futuristic cities, cars with three wheels, and other creative things that only the mind of a child could dream up. 

And these days, Lego hasn't been more popular.  It's almost as if the decade known as the 2010s has seen a bit of a resurgence in Lego popularity.  Consider it the renaissance movement of the blockhead, so to speak.

I mean, seriously, Legos are everywhere.  In the toy department of the store I work at, there's an entire section dedicated to Lego play sets. 



The Simpsons celebrated the fact that they now have their own Lego playsets by filming a good portion of one of their episodes entirely in Legos (The episode "Brick Like Me" aired towards the end of the show's twenty-fifth season).



And, I can't even count the number of Lego games that have been released for consoles such as PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, XBOX 360, XBOX One, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo Wii U, and Nintendo 3DS!  In all those consoles, you can play Lego adaptations of "Star Wars", "Indiana Jones", "Harry Potter", "Lord of the Rings", "Marvel Superheroes", and "Pirates of the Caribbean"!  It wouldn't surprise me if the next movie to get the Lego treatment was "The Fast and the Furious"!

The point is that Lego has never been bigger and better.  And, with today's movie discussion, you might understand why the fascination with Lego seems to be at an all-time high.

After all.  Lego is awesome.  Come to think of it...EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!



ARTIST:  Tegan and Sara (f. The Lonely Island)
SONG:  Everything Is Awesome
ALBUM:  The Lego Movie:  Official Motion Picture Soundtrack
DATE RELEASED:  February 7, 2014
PEAK POSITION ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS:  #57



And, today's movie just happens to be just as awesome!  If 2013 was the year of the deep freeze with "Frozen", then 2014 just very well could be the year of the plastic blocks with "THE LEGO MOVIE"!  After all, since its release in theatres worldwide on February 7, 2014, it has made a total of $461,560,511 at the box office.  And, that's not even counting the projected sales that the DVD and Blu-Ray release will make when it becomes available on June 17. 

(I just hope I'm not working that day.  I managed to avoid "Frozen" and "Grand Theft Auto V" release dates...I've been lucky.  So far.)

Anyway, as far as "The Lego Movie" goes, it's one of those films that looks as if it was inspired by someone who decided to take every single Lego set that they owned, built up ever single one in their basements at home, and then combined them all to make a super huge Lego world.  Well, that's exactly what happened.  Where else can you see a Lego Wonder Woman, a Lego Batman, a Lego Green Lantern, a Lego Teenage Mutany Ninja Turtle, a Lego Milhouse, and a Lego Superman?  Trust me.  It's that epic.

So, what's the whole plot of the "Lego Movie"?  Well, for those of you who haven't seen it, and are waiting for the home video release, I really won't be saying much about it.  So, I'm going to be as vague as possible when it comes down to the plot...especially since there's an ingenious twist to the end of the movie (which I will not reveal at all).



Basically in the world of Legos, a good wizard character known as Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman) is set on a mission to protect a superweapon known as "The Kragle" from the monstrosity of evil known as "Lord Business" (Will Ferrell).  Not much is known about this Kragle weapon, but in the wrong hands, it could lead to worldwide destruction.  Unfortunately, Vitruvius fails in his mission, but believes that there is hope.  He issues the prophecy that a person known simply by "The Special" can find the one item (The Piece of Resistance) that will be able to stop the superweapon once and for all.



Interestingly enough, the Piece of Resistance vaguely resembles a cap that one might use to seal up a tube of toothpaste, or a tube of ointment, or a tube of Krazy G...

...oh, dear.  I've said too much.  Moving on.



Anyway, some time passes since the prophecy was made - eight and a half years to be exact.  In a Lego construction site, a construction worker by the name of Emmet Brickowski (Chris Pratt) is doing his job, as usual.  But something very unusual takes place when he stumbles upon a young woman named Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks).  He goes towards her to investigate and finds himself falling down a huge hole.  He's not hurt, but he does discover the item that is known as the Piece of Resistance (unknown to Emmet, Wyldstyle was also searching for it).  But when he tries to grab the item he instantly blacks out after seeing some rather interesting visions and hallucinations.  One make one wonder if the Piece of Resistance is coated with a special paint that makes Lego characters just a wee bit tipsy.



When Emmet comes to, he discovers that he is under police custody and is being held by Bad Cop/Good Cop (Liam Neeson).  There, Emmet learns of the plan that Lord Business has in store for the Lego World.  With the use of the Kragle, Lord Business plans to freeze the entire world, making everybody and everything stay in one place forever for the rest of their lives.  The plan is for the event to take place on a day known as "Taco Tuesday", and Emmet realizes that in order to save the world, he must find a way to retrieve the Piece of Resistance and use it to stop the weapon before it is deployed.  But he doesn't have much time.  After all, Lord Business has already tested the weapon on a few Lego people already - particularly the Master Builders who have tried to find the Piece of Resistance beforehand.



So, the time has come for Emmet to escape.  With assistance from his newfound ally Wyldstyle, he succeeds, and finds himself in a place known as Wild West World.  It is here that Wyldstyle explains that all the worlds used to be connected with all the Lego people helping each other out.  But one day, gigantic walls were built by Lord Business to separate all of the worlds, just simply for the fact that he can't stand it when the Lego people leave their own worlds and play in others.  

Geez...sounds like this Lord Business has a thing against Lego mixers, huh?

Anyway, the rest of the movie depicts the quest of Emmet, Wyldstyle, Wyldstyle's boyfriend Batman (Will Arnett), and Vitruvius in finding the Piece of Resistance.  And, as I said, there's a special twist at the end of the film that will make you all go...OHHH!!!

But yeah.  I won't spoil it.  You'll have to wait until June 17 to find out what it is if you haven't seen the movie.

But I do have a few fun facts and trivia to share with you all regarding this movie!  Have a look.

1 - Although the movie does look like a stop-motion piece, the animation is entirely CGI.

2 - Nowhere in the movie is the word "Lego" mentioned!

3 - Look closely at Vitruvius' staff.  It's actually a chewed up lollipop stick!

4 - Believe it or not, this was Morgan Freeman's first animated feature film in a career that has spanned a number of decades!  What took you so long, Morgan?

5 - Lord Business is president of Octan - a fictional gas station brand that has appeared in Lego playsets for nearly twenty-five years.

6 - Lord Business' cape is shaped like a giant necktie.

7 - Vitruvius tickles the ivories in the saloon - Listen closely.  It's a ragtime version of the Tegan and Sara song "Everything Is Awesome"!

8 - Emmet's car is based off of a car that is present in LEGO City's 2010 playset line-up.

9 - Although Lego bricks are the most dominant brick in the film, that's not to say that a Duplo block doesn't make an appearance every now and then.  But wait.  I've said too much.

10 - Has several references to "Fabuland", a fairytale LEGO playset line that ended production in 1989.

11 - Co-director Chris Miller actually used his own Space Village set for a filming location.

12 - Robert Downey Jr. and Emma Stone were considered for the roles of Emmet and Wyldstyle respectively.

13 - Before Will Arnett agreed to play the role of Batman, the producers considered casting one of the previous Batman movie actors to voice him.  Seriously, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale were all considered.  Of course, Will did a fantastic job as Batman, but I think it would have been really cool if one of the actors had said yes.

14 - Though I will say this.  When Anthony Daniels was asked to reprise the role of C-3PO for the movie, he didn't hesitate to say yes.  Though, I suppose it helped that he voiced the character for the Star Wars LEGO movies as well.

15 - Interestingly enough, the voices of Superman and The Green Lantern were voiced by Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill...who will be starring together in the film "22 Jump Street" which hits theatres in June 2014.

And, that's all there is to write about "The Lego Movie"!  Just remember.  Everything is awesome, Lego is better than ever, and don't EVER step on a Lego brick with bare feet.  Those things hurt more than a booster shot in the arm!