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Sunday, April 08, 2012

Sugar Sugar, You Are My Candy Girl...

Good morning, blog followers, and HAPPY EASTER!!!

It also happens to be the final day of “Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This Week”. I hope you all enjoyed all of the delicious blog entries for the week. I know I had fun coming up with the various topics for this special week.

To conclude this special week, I have selected a song for the Sunday Jukebox that wraps everything up nicely in a big sugar-dusted bow.


Have you ever heard of a band known as the Archies? If you've ever owned an old issue of the “Everything's Archie” comic book that was printed between 1969 and 1991, then in all likelihood, you've seen them in action.

Yes, the popular comic book characters (who celebrated their 70th anniversary in late 2011) did have their own garage band. The line-up and instruments were always the same. Archie Andrews was the lead singer and guitarist, Betty Cooper played tambourine, Veronica Lodge played the synthesizer, Reggie Mantle played bass guitar, and Jughead Jones was the band's drummer.

And for some reason, Jughead's dog, Hot Dog, was the conductor. Go figure.



As the Everything's Archie title continued, the band's success grew and grew. Despite the fact that the band's median age was sixteen and three-quarters, they somehow found a way to balance schoolwork with gigs. Throughout the 1970s, they played at discotheques, amusement parks, concert halls, and even around the world. With the creation of MTV in the summer of 1981, the title evolved as the band started to make music videos for their hit singles.



Although “Everything's Archie” stopped production at issue #157, this did not mean that it was the end of the Archies. You can still find them making appearances in the various Double Digests that are still being published. And new stories featuring the band can usually be found in the “Archie” title, currently at issue #631.

Now, here's the kicker.  Did you know that although the band was fictional in nature, they managed to score a #1 hit single in the fall of 1969 in the real world?  How could such a thing happen?  Was it magic?

Not really.  All it took was the work of two men to bring the Archies out of the pages of comic books and onto record players and radio stations all over the world.

Enter Jeff Barry and Don Kirschner.

TRIVIA:  If the name Kirschner sounds familiar, it's because he was a key player in creating the band known as "The Monkees".  In fact, an urban legend stated that today's song feature was offered to The Monkees first, but they turned it down!

Berry produced the record that would eventually become the Archies debut album, recorded by a group of studio musicians and singers assembled by Kirschner.  Using a process called multitracking (which takes separate recordings of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole), the album was quickly released.  However, fan reaction to the Archies at first was lukewarm.  The first single off of the album "Bang-Shang-A-Lang" just missed cracking the top twenty.  It wasn't a bad song, and for a debut single, it was a modest performance.  Still, with "Bang-Shang-A-Lang" not doing well on the charts, both Berry and Kirschner were a bit reluctant to release the follow-up single.  They had believed that if people discovered that the song was recorded by a cartoon band, they wouldn't take it seriously, and it wouldn't sell.

So, it was decided that when the Archies second single was ready to be released in the summer of 1969, they sent out a promotional team to play the song for radio station executives, keeping the identity of the band a mystery.  They figured that the mystery would entice radio stations to play the song more frequently, making the song a bigger hit.

That gamble ended up paying off.  Once disc jockeys were clued into the fact that the Archies had recorded the song, it quickly rose up the charts, and quickly became one of the biggest bubblegum hits of all time.  The timing was absolutely perfect as well, due to the fact that at the time of the song's release, the Archie cartoon show on CBS was one of the network's most watched Saturday morning programs, increasing the popularity of the song further.

This is the song that made the Archies famous.




ARTIST:  The Archies
SONG:  Sugar, Sugar
ALBUM:  Everything's Archie
DATE RELEASED:  July 26, 1969
PEAK POSITION ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS: #1 for 4 weeks



"Sugar, Sugar" became one of the most well known songs of the late 60's.  It was so popular that it was named the most popular single of 1969.  Canada was the first country to recognize the song as a number one hit, as it topped the charts there the week of September 13, 1969.  The song would hit the top of the Billboard Charts just one week later.  The song also peaked at #1 on the British charts and stayed at that position for eight weeks there.  "Sugar, Sugar" made the list of Billboard's Greatest Songs of All Time, landing at the sixty-third position.

And, why wouldn't the song be a success?  It's a fantastic song!  I might be a little bit biased on that opinion, mainly because I have been a fan of Archie comics for a quarter of a century now, but "Sugar, Sugar" is one of the greatest pop songs I've ever heard.  The first time I heard it was probably right around the same time that I started reading Archie comics, and whenever it came on, I always had to crank it full-blast.  And, when I was a kid, I actually tried to picture the Archie characters singing on the song.  When the line "I'm gonna make your life so sweet" came on, I said to my parents, "That's Veronica singing that!"

Of course, we all know that the real musicians that sang on the album didn't have checkerboard hair, nor did they wear crowns on their heads.  However, the musicians who sang on the album ended up having brilliant careers in music all on their own.  There was some real talent behind the cartoons.



Take Toni Wine for example.  She was the gal who really sang the lines of the song that I believed Veronica was singing.  She ended up writing songs for other artists that became huge hits.  She wrote for The Mindbenders ("Groovy Kind Of Love"), Tony Orlando and Dawn ("Candida"), Elvis Presley, and Checkmates Inc.  She also sang back-up for several artists as well.

TRIVIA:  Toni Wine sang back-up on Willie Nelson's classic "Always On My Mind".



Andy Kim was another huge player in the Archies.  He sang back-up vocals on "Sugar, Sugar", but he ended up having a huge career as a solo artists.  He had some modest hits throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, but perhaps most people will remember Kim for this 1974 classic, which became a #1 hit.


TRIVIA:  Due to Andy Kim being born in Quebec, Canada, his contribution on "Sugar, Sugar" helped get the song inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in February 2006!

And then there's the lead singer of The Archies, Ron Dante.



A lot of people don't realize this, but Ron Dante's contributions to the world of music didn't stop with the Archies.  He released quite a few solo albums beginning in 1970 with differing styles from pop to disco.  He also had a long-running musical partnership with legendary singer Barry Manilow, with each one producing the other one's albums.  Did you know that Ron Dante actually sang back-up on Barry Manilow's 1974 hit, "Mandy"?  That's quite the list of achievements for Mr. Dante, wouldn't you say?

At any rate, the song "Sugar, Sugar" has made its mark on the world of pop music.  Former U.S. President George W. Bush has stated that "Sugar, Sugar" is a favourite of his, and that it played at the wedding reception of his daughter.  The song has appeared in the soundtrack to the film "Now and Then", and it is used as the theme song for the TLC show "Cake Boss".  The song itself has been covered by a few artists over the years including Jonathan King, Stars on 45, Wilson Pickett, and Count Baysee.

(Mind you, I've only heard of two of those artists, but still, it's worth noting.)

I really couldn't think of a better song to conclude "Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This Week", and I hope that you all enjoyed it.  I'll be having another theme week coming up for you sometime in the next couple of months, so be on the lookout.

Have a happy and safe Easter, and may all your eggs be filled with chocolate.




Saturday, April 07, 2012

The World Of Strawberry Shortcake

With just two more days left in the “Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This Week", I thought I’d dedicate today’s blog entry to a cartoon that was filled with a lot of sweet things, sweet people, and sweet morals. 

Basically a show that was so sweet, it had the potential to give you a cavity.

I imagine you’re probably asking yourself why I have decided to make this entire blog entry red in colour today (as opposed to the dark brown that I’ve used for the duration of the week).  Well, it happens to be a colour that is quite dominant in the world of this character.  This character started off life as a greeting card mascot, and by the early 1980s, she exploded in popularity alongside her friends.  She’s had several television specials, an entire line of dolls, and even has had her own video game series!

This is also a character that I had to do a lot of research on as well.  I believe that when I was growing up, I only saw one episode of the series she starred in at the most, and let’s just say that it wasn’t my favourite show.  Granted, it was a show that was marketed for young girls, and the only reason I ended up watching it in the first place was because it was a cartoon that aired before a feature presentation at the movies, but it didn’t make much of an impact.

When it came down to it, however, I figured that this subject would be the perfect one to spotlight.  It’s a cartoon, so it fits in perfectly with the Saturday morning theme, and it’s got more references to baked goods and sweet treats than any other cartoon I can think of, so it definitely fits the theme.  Unfortunately, it happens to be a show that I wasn’t a fan of, so I took on the painstaking task of watching old shows and looking up information to bring the subject to life, even though it wasn’t a show I cared for.

I’m wondering if the fact that the main character happens to be named after a dessert that I am allergic to has something to do with my nonchalant attitude towards this cartoon.

At any rate, today’s blog entry will look at the wonderful world of Strawberry Shortcake.


Um...no.  Not THAT shortcake.


Yes...this one.

Strawberry Shortcake first made the scene in 1977.  She was created by artist Muriel Fahrion for the American Greetings card company.  The designs for Strawberry Shortcake and her calico cat, Custard were drawn up by Fahrion for various greeting cards, and shortly thereafter, the characters were presented to Bernie Loomis (who worked for General Mills).  Loomis loved Strawberry Shortcake enough to license the character, and Fahrion designed a total of thirty-two characters for American Greetings card and toy lines.



The first Strawberry Shortcake doll was designed by Fahrion herself, and created by her sister, Susan Trentel.  The doll was similar to a Raggedy Ann in that it was a rag doll, but it set the tone for future dolls and characters during the late 1970s.

By 1980, the Strawberry Shortcake brand was continuing to grow, as the company focused on fleshing out the details for Strawberry Shortcake’s friends.  Each character was named after a specific dessert treat.  They were also given a wardrobe that matched their name, as well as a complimentary pet.  One feature that stood out for the Strawberry Shortcake dolls were the fact that their hair was scented after the dessert they were named after (for instance, Strawberry Shortcake dolls would smell like strawberries).  At the time, no other doll boasted that feature, so the dolls definitely stood out in toy stores (in more ways than one).


And who were some of Strawberry Shortcake’s friends?  I managed to find a short list below.  Some of the characters have changed looks (and even genders) over the years, but the names and scents remained largely unchanged.  The list includes...

Huckleberry Pie (pet dog named Pupcake)
Blueberry Muffin (pet mouse named Cheesecake)
Apple Dumplin’ (pet turtle named Tea Time Turtle)

Raspberry Tart (pet monkey named Rhubarb)

Plum Puddin’ (pet owl named Elderberry)
Orange Blossom (pet butterfly named Marmalade)

Lemon Meringue (pet frog named Frappe)
Apricot (pet bunny named Hopsalot)

Lime Chiffon (pet parrot named Parfait)
Cherry Cuddler (pet goose named Gooseberry)



(Hmmm...for some reason, I’m beginning to get hungry now.)

1980 was the year in which Strawberry Shortcake really exploded in popularity.  That was the year that the toys first began appearing on store shelves.  It was also the year that the first of six animated Strawberry Shortcake specials debuted in syndication.  If you click HERE, you can watch a little snippet of the first Strawberry Shortcake special, but I warn you...this cartoon is so sugary sweet it makes an episode of Full House look like South Park in comparison.


The dolls sold so well that playsets began to be manufactured beginning in early 1981.  These playsets included the Berry Bake Shop, a carousel, the Big Berry Trolley, and Berry Happy Home.  Thousands of young girls snapped up almost everything that had to do with Strawberry Shortcake between 1980 and 1985.  And back in the early 1980s, there was certainly a lot of Strawberry Shortcake merchandise to be found.  There were scratch and sniff stickers, clothing items, bath items, and even a Strawberry Shortcake video game for the Atari 2600! 

Of course, no fad lasts forever, and by 1986, Strawberry Shortcake had passed her best before date, and the toys soon faded into obscurity.  There was a short renaissance for the Strawberry Shortcake toy line in the early 1990s, which sold modestly, but the second coming of Strawberry Shortcake only lasted until 1992.  Ten more years would pass before Strawberry Shortcake made another comeback in the world of television and toys.


In 2003, a brand new version of Strawberry Shortcake was introduced.  Because a new team of designers were responsible for the revamp, Strawberry Shortcake looked significantly different from her late 1970’s appearance.

But with the reappearance of Strawberry Shortcake came a new television series, as well as a new line of toys.  CD’s and DVD’s were made, and video games were produced for both the Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo DS.  Unlike the original version, the 2003 version of Strawberry Shortcake was more of an educational program.  In 2006, Playmates Toys took over the merchandising and manufacturing of the Strawberry Shortcake line, but after poor reviews and dismal sales, Hasbro ended up winning the rights to the Strawberry Shortcake line.  Hasbro then teamed up with American Greetings to relaunch the Strawberry Shortcake name for a fourth time!

You know, for a cartoon character, Strawberry Shortcake seems to have almost as many lives as her cat, Custard!  But, as much as I can’t claim to be a fan of Strawberry Shortcake, I have to admit that it is really cool to see former classics get a second wind.  Or, in this case, a third or even a fourth wind!

I’m sure that you’ve heard the saying that “everything old can be new again”.  I think that’s very much true for this blog.  I take various subjects from the past, and try to look at them through different angles so that I can find a way to appreciate them more.  I think that in the case of Strawberry Shortcake, she’s adapted with the times, and in turn has delighted generations of girls for the last thirty-five years.  And while the popularity of Strawberry Shortcake has had its peaks and valleys over those thirty-five years, she’s still got the staying power and sweetness that attracts fans.

Hey, even I’ll admit that after writing this blog entry, I have found a whole new appreciation for Strawberry Shortcake.


(But I still can’t eat a slice of strawberry shortcake.  I’d break out in hives.)

Friday, April 06, 2012

It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

I'm sure that we all have heard this expression at some point in our lives. It's an expression that really should have been tattooed to my forehead when I was younger. Basically, it means that we're all guilty of falling for a trick, lie, or cheat, and we're all entitled to blame the person who set it all in motion. However, if we fall for the trick a second time, then really, we're the stupid people who allow history to repeat itself.

Today's topic is about an annual television special that appears to be based around this very statement...at first.

I'm sure if any of you read my entry on “It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (if you need a refresher, you can read it HERE), you'll know exactly what I am talking about. In that special, Linus is so determined to prove that “The Great Pumpkin” was real, and camped out at a nearby pumpkin patch all Halloween night to prove it. He could never convince anybody else to join him, as they would rather have gone trick-or-treating for candy, chocolate, gum, and rocks. But, somehow, little Sally Brown thought about it, and she decided to skip all the fun to hide out in the pumpkin patch with Linus for a glimpse of the Great Pumpkin. After all, Linus had promised Sally that the rewards that come from meeting the Great Pumpkin would far outweigh the little trinkets that they would normally have gotten from trick-or-treating.

So, imagine Sally's disappointment when the Great Pumpkin did not show, and she ended up missing all the fun of Halloween because Linus had insisted that he would come. She was furious. She told Linus off. It seemed as if Sally would never forgive Linus for that day.

So, why the heck would Sally decide to tempt fate once again and believe Linus when he went on and on about how there was an “Easter Beagle”, that would bring coloured eggs to all the children in the neighbourhood? Did she not learn from last time that anything coming out of Linus' mouth was likely not the truth? Did Sally not once stop to think that she was making herself look like more the fool by swallowing the “used car salesman” logic of Linus Van Pelt?



Sigh...I think it's a great time to talk about the Peanuts special “It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown”. As promised, I would incorporate some Easter references to the special “Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This Week”, and well...I think this Easter special is really sweet.

The television special, which first debuted on CBS on April 9, 1974, still airs on television annually. It's one of the very few Easter specials that have ever been made, and part of the reason why I love this special so much is because of all the various sub-plots surrounding it. Sub-plots that act as ingredients in making the most perfect Easter celebration.



(Well, unless you're Charlie Brown, that is.)



I've already talked about what the main plot is. Linus is determined to prove that an Easter Beagle does exist, and despite what happened on Halloween, Sally has decided to believe Linus' claims once more. Elsewhere in the Peanuts world, other Easter happenings are going on that have nothing to do with the Easter Beagle.



SUB-PLOT #1 – Peppermint Patty tries to teach Marcie how to make an Easter egg.

Oh, Marcie, Marcie, Marcie...so naïve and inexperienced. Perhaps if she had spent more time learning about Easter customs and less on being Peppermint Patty's slave, maybe the whole experience would have ended a lot differently. Peppermint Patty wanted to colour Easter eggs for the holiday, but Marcie had absolutely no clue as to how to prepare the eggs.

(Here's a hint...you BOIL THEM.)



Try telling Marcie that. Every single attempt that Marcie made ended up being a disaster. Attempt number one, Marcie ended up making an omelet. Apparently, she believed that by frying them in a pan, the eggs would be suitable for colouring. Yeah...no.

Marcie's second attempt wasn't much better. If they wouldn't work in a frying pan, maybe cooking them in a waffle iron would work better. When that didn't work, she tried putting them in a toaster, and then inside the oven. It's a wonder Marcie didn't have Gordon Ramsay knocking on her door calling her a stupid donkey!

Finally, Peppermint Patty explained to Marcie that the best way to make Easter eggs suitable for colouring is to boil them. And, Marcie seemed to get it then.

Well, that is...until Marcie cracked open every single egg, and made egg drop soup.

You know, why don't we move on to the next plot?



SUB-PLOT #2 – Woodstock gets a new home...and then loses it...

This sub-plot is probably one of my favourites in the whole episode, mainly because it displays the friendship between Woodstock and Snoopy, but also because it incorporates one of the most iconic scenes in the whole special. Take a look for yourselves.



Wasn't that neat? That scene took place at a department store. Apparently, it's the only department store that actually allows a dog to roam the departments at free will. The reason why Snoopy is there? He wanted to purchase a brand new house for his pal Woodstock. The arrival of spring has brought the arrival of showers. While it's true that April showers may bring May flowers, in Woodstock's case, they only bring misery. Woodstock's nest is considered to be worthless when it comes to protecting the poor little bird from the cold, wet rain. It's clear that Woodstock needed an upgrade, so Snoopy offered to help him find a new home. And, Snoopy ended up getting Woodstock a lovely home.



Problem was that Woodstock found Snoopy's taste to be quite tacky, and he decided to transform the house into a swinging 1970s bachelor pad, complete with shag carpeting, television, sunken bed, and a stereo system.

(Which makes me wonder how the heck Woodstock ended up getting the money to buy all those things, come to think of it.)

But, of course, Snoopy ended up wanting to see the new place, and stuck his nose right into the birdhouse. He ended up getting stuck, and ends up smashing Woodstock's new house into a million pieces trying to get out.

Poor Woodstock. Luckily, Snoopy ended up getting Woodstock another place to live, and all was well.

In fact, Snoopy would end up getting involved in the third sub-plot.



SUB-PLOT #3 – Lucy is selfish.

I mean, let's face it. Of all the Peanuts characters, Lucy Van Pelt has always been the most self-absorbed, thoughtless, greedy person. She charges five cents for psychiatric advice, which is usually best not followed in the first place. She refuses to even let Charlie Brown kick the football. So, naturally, it doesn't surprise me that Lucy would be the one character who would completely miss the point of what Easter is all about.

Sadly these days, Easter is almost as commercialized as Christmas or Valentine's Day, which makes me feel that Lucy would fit right in with 2012 customs. Back in the 1970s, Lucy strongly believed that Easter was all about getting as many presents as possible...a belief that made Schroeder headbash his child-sized piano repeatedly.

So, Lucy comes up with a plan. Unlike poor Marcie, Lucy actually knew how to prepare an Easter egg for painting. She ended up doing up an entire basket filled with them, and her plan was to have an Easter egg hunt. Sounds like a great idea.

The only catch? Lucy arranged it so that she would be the only one hiding the eggs. Furthermore, she would also be the only one finding the eggs. If Lucy had her way, she would end up with all the eggs, and Charlie Brown, Linus, Sally, Schroeder, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Pig Pen, Violet, Shermy, Rerun, Tapioca Pudding, and any other Peanuts character would get zip.

How very “unselfish” of her.

Unbeknownst to Lucy, a certain beagle comes following behind her with a small basket. Every time she hid an egg, the dog would pick the egg up and place it in his little basket.

Hmmmm...considering that the title of the special is “It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown”, I wonder if maybe this is foreshadowing of some sort. And, I wonder if Sally was right to believe Linus after all?



I suppose I COULD tell you what happens at the end, but I don't want to spoil it too much. All I'll say is that Marcie is STILL clueless, Charlie Brown is STILL left out, and Lucy ends up learning a lesson in karmic retribution.

But it's funny. All of the plots of the special are neatly intertwined with each other to create a wonderful and warm Easter.



Unless you're Charlie Brown. Seriously, someone give the kid a hug!

It was nice to see Snoopy offer to help Woodstock find a new home, even if Woodstock questioned Snoopy's taste at first. Their friendship is quite inspiring, and there were funny moments mixed in with the seriousness. I loved how Snoopy ended up sticking it to Lucy. She really needed to be set straight, and Snoopy really is the only Peanuts character with the guts to stand up to her. Peppermint Patty's patience should be rewarded, and I appreciate the humour surrounding Marcie's frustration at not being able to understand how to make an Easter egg.

But the one thing that I appreciate the most about this Easter special is the idea that all the Peanuts gang celebrated the holiday together. They may come from different backgrounds, and have different personalities, but they all still respect and love each other as friends, and can put their differences aside to enjoy the holiday...at least for a few hours.



Happy Good Friday, everyone...and Charlie Brown, if you want an Easter egg, I'll give you one. I'll even make sure that it has never been inside a toaster!



Thursday, April 05, 2012

Sweet 'n Sour (Emphasis On The Sour)

Continuing on with “Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This Week”, it is time for this week's Thursday Confession. You're probably thinking that because of the theme, this week's confession will involve something sweet.

You would be wrong. Sort of.

I won't sugarcoat my feelings (despite the fact that this whole week is a spotlight on candy-themed pop culture references). My sweet tooth is probably one of the most overactive in the bunch. I reckon that I've eaten so many sweets over the course of my lifetime that I'm amazed at the fact that my sweet tooth hasn't completely rotted away from all the sugar.

I admit that in recent years, I have made serious attempts to keep my cravings for sweets under control, and ended up losing a lot of weight in the process. I still have those days where I really, really want a slice of chocolate cake or an Oreo Blizzard from Dairy Queen, and that's fine, so long as I don't indulge in them every day. My addiction to sweets is far from being as out of control as it was during my teen years, where I basically ate every sweet I could get my hands on to stop the bouts of depression that I endured during that time.

But, that's not my confession. If this were the first time that I was mentioning this, it probably would be, but regular readers would know that I've touched upon the subject of self-medication through food several times in this blog already. It doesn't come as much of a surprise.

And, besides, it doesn't quite fit with the theme for the week, which is supposed to be light-hearted.

Instead, my Thursday Confession for today happens to be related to the assumption that this confession will involve something sweet, and how that assumption is incorrect. Kind of.



THURSDAY CONFESSION #14: Some of my favourite sweet treats are really sour.

Yes, I thought I would dedicate this blog entry to some of my favourite “sour” treats. Various candies that make your lips pucker up the minute they enter your mouth, but turn sweeter and sweeter the longer you leave them inside.

(I see you snickering, and believe me, I understand. That last paragraph was incredibly difficult to write without making it sound “R” or even “X” rated.)

Some kids I went to school with didn't like sour candies at all, but I was always of the opinion that the more sour a candy was, the better. If the candy didn't make at least one of my eyes water, then it simply wasn't sour enough.

Now that I have made today's confession (which considering the subject matter of the topic at hand seems kind of bland in comparison to my previous confessions), I thought that I would dedicate the rest of this entry to open up discussion for sour candies.

I thought I'd make a list of some of the sour candies that I have enjoyed over the years (and still enjoy in moderation), and then I'd turn the floor over to all of you to ask all of you what your favourite sour candies are.

Here's my list, starting with the one sour candy that I will readily admit to being strongly addicted to.



1 – SOUR JUJUBES

Everyone knows what a jujube is right? It's like a gumdrop, only without the sugar sprinkles. Or, naked gumdrops, as I used to call them when I was six. When I was growing up, I loved jujubes, but I only liked certain flavours. Out of the five flavours that were offered for jujubes, I only liked the yellow and green ones. Orange were okay, but the red ones weren't that good. And as someone who has never been able to stomach the disgusting taste of black licorice, needless to say the black jujubes always ended up in the garbage. As much as I liked jujubes, the fact that I threw out (or gave away) so many that I didn't like made buying them seem like a waste of money.

But one day when I went with my mom shopping at the supermarket years ago, I spotted a new candy in the bulk foods section. Sour jujubes. My mom ended up buying a small container of them for us to try, and once we got home, I sampled the yellow, green, and orange ones, just to see what they were like. They were fantastic. It was as if someone took the flavouring of a regular jujube, and amped the intensity of them by 100%. Surprisingly enough, the red sour jujubes were delicious as well, considering that in regular format, the red ones were ones that I didn't particularly care for. I was a little hesitant to try the black ones, because of my dislike of licorice flavoured candy. To my surprise, the “black” sour jujubes were really dark purple. And they weren't licorice flavoured. They were grape. In one final contrasting statement for sour jujubes, the “black” sour jujubes are my favourites of the bunch, where as the black regular jujubes are easily my least favourite. Funny how adding sour flavouring to previously disgusting candies can make them better, huh?



2 – SOUR PATCH KIDS

Of all the sour candies that I have tasted over the years, I believe that Sour Patch Kids were the first ones I tried. It seems hard to believe that these little guys could be packed with so much sourness. And would you believe that when they were first created by Paul Mihalick in the late 1970s that they were initially called Mars Men? They were renamed “Sour Patch Kids” in 1985, and if I remember correctly, they used to be sold for a dime a bag over at a local convenience store called Hengeveld's. At the time, my grandparents lived just down the street from that store, and I would go in there for my fix of Sour Patch Kids. There was just something about getting candy from behind the counter that brought such a rush. Sour Patch Kids came in raspberry, orange, lime, and lemon flavours, all flavours I enjoyed, and before they became available to purchase from store shelves, I looked forward to getting that little brown paper bag filled with Sour Patch Kids and other penny candies. Those were the days.



3 – JOLLY RANCHERS

Jolly Ranchers are candies that you either love or you hate. I know many people who say that they can't stand Jolly Ranchers because the flavouring is too artificial, and because the candy gets stuck inside teeth due to the fact that it gets stickier as it dissolves. As for me, I absolutely loved Jolly Ranchers. I think the first time I ever tried a Jolly Rancher was when I was eleven. It was Halloween, and I think someone must have tossed in a package of Jolly Ranchers in my trick-or-treat bag. They were a package of cherry Jolly Ranchers, and when I tried them for the first time, they were like no other candy I've ever tried. They were incredibly tart, but oh so good. These days, I very rarely snack on them (mainly because it appears that my favourite flavour, lemon, was discontinued, or is very hard to find in Canada). But when I was a kid, they were fantastic.



Believe it or not, there's apparently Jolly Rancher soda. If it wasn't for the fact that they were unavailable in Canada, I would like to try one to see if they are any good.



4 – SOUR WARHEADS

For some reason, these little green and red candies were hugely popular at my elementary school. At least they were with the boys. There were a couple of convenience stores within walking distance from the school I attended (if memory serves me, they were the Little Store, and the Kozy Korner store), and both stores sold these. One game that we kids used to play was to see how many Warheads we could stuff inside our mouths at one time. I never got past three or four myself, but some of the kids in my class put so many Warheads in their mouths that their tongues went numb! I guess this explains why the packages now contain a warning on the label explaining that too many Warheads can cause numbness.

For the record, I wasn't really a fan of Warheads. I didn't mind the occasional green one, but I could take them or leave them.



5 – SOUR CHERRY BLASTERS

All right, so there's not a huge difference between these and Sour Patch Kids, but being a huge fan of cherry flavoured candies, I have to add a special spot for these. One memory that is forever linked to Sour Cherry Blasters involves going to see a movie with a group of friends and smuggling a bag of them inside the purse of one of the ladies with us so we could save money on snacks. It was a great idea upon retrospect, and I ended up paying about seven bucks less for snacks.



6 – CRY BABY GUM BALLS

When I was in the fourth grade, almost every kid in my class chewed these. At a quarter a piece, it was a great way to get a boost of sour flavour. I was always partial to the green and blue gumballs myself, but really, all the flavours had the same amount of sour coating.

That's my list of some of my favourite candies that have a little bit of a sour twist to them. What about yours?

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Welcome To Candy Land!


Have you ever seen the music video for Katy Perry’s song “California Gurls” featuring Snoop Dogg?  If not, you can watch it below.






The song was a massive hit for Perry in the summer of 2010, and was the first of several #1 hits for her from her album “Teenage Dream”.  It also happens to have a loose connection to today’s blog subject.

As you can see from the video, the setting is one gigantic board game.  In the game, Snoop Dogg and his army of evil, gangster gummy bears have total control, and have imprisoned Katy’s friends in prisons made of bubble gum, lime Jell-O, and plastic wrappers.  It’s up to Katy to navigate her way through the jungle of baked goods, tasty treats, and gingerbread men guards to save the day.  It was an interesting concept for a video, and its bright colours, vibrant imagery, and Katy’s bra that shoots out deadly dollops of whipped cream helped make it one of the most requested videos of 2010.

I have my doubts that you’d be able to find a version of Katy’s game in any toy store.  But, today’s blog entry is the next best thing.  Set in a magical land filled with candy and chocolate, it was a board game that many young children played with.  Although I never owned the game myself, I remember playing it at other people’s houses, and finding it incredibly easy, but enjoyable enough.




Today, we’re going to take a look back at the classic board game, “Candy Land”.  The third entry in our special “Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This Week”.

“Candy Land” was designed by Eleanor Abbott.  In 1945, while she was recovering from polio in San Diego, California, Abbott designed the game, and sold the rights to Milton Bradley.  The first version of the game was made available commercially in 1949.

“Candy Land” was designed for a younger demographic.  In many ways, “Candy Land” was touted as a “starter game” for toddlers and young children, much like “Memory” and “Perfection”.  The object of the game was to find the King of Candy Land by making it to the King’s hiding spot first (the final square of the game).  Along the way, players will have to pass through locations such as Candy Cane Forest, Gum Drop Mountain, and Molasses Swamp. 






But the way that players moved around the board was quite unique.  There were no dice, no spinners, not even a plastic bubble in the middle of the game board like the one used in “Trouble”.

The only thing players needed to know to play the game was colours.

The game board of “Candy Land” is divided up into 134 different coloured squares.  The vast majority of these squares can be found in six different colours; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.  The game also comes with an assortment of cards, with the vast majority of them containing coloured squares of the same colour.






When it was time for a player to move, all they had to do was pick a card from the top of the deck, and move to the next corresponding coloured square.  For instance, if the player were to draw a blue square, they would then move to the next blue coloured space in their path on the board.  Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

It was meant to be.  By using coloured cards, players not only got the chance to learn all about the different colours in the world, but it also eliminated the need to count squares or read game cards.  In short, it was the perfect game for parents to play with children between the ages of two and five.

(Come to think of it, I think my kindergarten classroom had “Candy Land” inside the toy room.  I might be mistaken though.)






In addition to the rainbow squares, there are also pink squares.  These squares act as location squares for Candy Land landmarks, as well as squares where you can meet Candy Land citizens such as Queen Frostina or Princess Lolly.  The pink location squares can also be found in the card deck, and if a player picks one, they have to move to that location, regardless of whether it takes you further ahead, or further back (although prior to the 2004 re-release of the game, there was a rule that stated that younger players did not have to go back in the game).

So there you have it.  The winner is determined by how well the cards are shuffled. 






However, the game isn’t quite so easy.  Somewhere along the Candy Land path are spaces that have dots on them (in the 2004 game, they were changed to licorice spaces).  The spaces with holes on them were coloured just like the other squares, but if a player happened to land on one of these squares, they automatically lost a turn, which meant that other players trailing behind could pass.  I looked up game boards online, and it seems that players who draw one of the primary colours (red, yellow, blue) should tread with caution, as holes are usually found in those colours of squares.

There are also cards with double colours on them.  Those cards allow players to move their marker to the second-next space of the corresponding colour.

The game board has changed a total of four times since it was first sold in stores.  When it first hit store shelves in 1949, the board only contained locations, no characters.  The track was modified slightly in the game’s second edition, in the 1960’s.  Character squares were added in the 1980s version of the game.

2004 was the year that the game made a lot of significant changes.  Some characters were renamed or eliminated.  Some locations were also modified (most notably the Molasses Swamp was turned into the Chocolate Swamp).  And, the final space in the game was changed from purple to rainbow, to allow players to win the game.

(Though in my opinion, the 2004 revamp dumbed the game down even further.)

There have since been several different versions of “Candy Land” made.  A Winnie-the Pooh version of “Candy Land” was commissioned, as well as a version starring Dora the Explorer.  In 1986, a version of the game was made that came with a VHS tape, which players were encouraged to watch as they played along.  I vaguely remember the VCR game, as one of the kids in my first grade class brought it in for us to watch, but I’m unable to find any clips of it on YouTube.  A separate DVD version was also released just a few years ago.

At any rate, “Candy Land” is widely considered to be one of the most successful board games ever created.  In the December 2005 issue of Forbes magazine, the game ranked at the top of the list of Best Toys of the 1940s.  That same year, the game was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.  Until 2006, the Toys R Us location in Times Square, New York City, incorporated a “Candy Land” theme for their candy and chocolate section.  And, it has been reported as recently as January 2012 that a “Candy Land” feature film is in the works...though I have to admit that I have no idea how such a movie could possibly be made.






But if a Katy Perry video, a section of a popular toy store, and a possible motion picture idea can be inspired by a simple board game, it had to have made its mark on pop culture in a big way.