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Monday, July 06, 2015

Finding Victory In A Sea Of Paint Colours

Now that I am a homeowner (or at least, I will be come July 15), I have got to say that I am absolutely excited over moving in.  I mean, this is the first home that I have ever bought.  It means a new era of being able to have somewhere to go that is truly mine.  An era of not having to answer to landlords.  An era of not having to deal with annoying neighbours who honk their car horns at 7:25 every morning or neighbours who sell Thanksgiving dinners to other people in the building for scratch tickets.

(Sadly, this is what I have had to endure the last eleven years.  And when I get settled into my new place and enough time has passed, I may decide to write a tell-all entitled "Behind Closed Doors:  The Horrors Of Apartment Life In A Small Town".)

Of course, some of the perks to being a homeowner is making it your own by doing a variety of different things to it.  And one thing that people can do to give their homes a fresh and modern look is applying a fresh coat of paint to it.

Certainly I will be buying a LOT of paint over the course of the next couple of months.  The exterior of the house is nearly flawless.  All that it requires is a little bit of touch up paint on the porch area and around the windows. 

(Eventually, it will need a new roof, but I don't need paint for that, so I will abstain from talking about the roof until a little later.)

The inside of the house...well, it needs a lot of work!  You walk into the home right now and it's like you stepped back in time to the early 1980s.  But again, it's nothing that a little bit of paint can't fix.  Truth be told, I've already started planning how I'm going to do some of the rooms.

This is the general colour pallette that I am planning on using.  I've always been a bit of a cool colour person, so I plan on using lots of blues and purples.  I may decide to use some green as well, but as of right now, I haven't decided what to do yet.  I'll also be using neutral colours like grey, beige, and white in some areas.  The ones that I have put my own handwriting on are the definite colours that I plan on using (or a close enough match to them anyway).  If all goes well, I may consider a career change!

But one thing that I have noticed about paint is all the different sorts of paint there are.  It's not just your basic white paint anymore.  You have to choose whether you want flat paint, semi-gloss, eggshell, or satin finish.  You also have paint for drywall, paint for metal, paint for siding, and possibly even paint for paint!



And not to mention all of the different colour choices available at your disposal.  I reckon that at the paint counter that I use every day at my job, I can make close to ten thousand paint colours from white to black and everything in between.

And, each colour has its own distinct name.

Now, sometimes the name is quite basic like Sunshine Yellow or Red Rose.  But sometimes you wonder if the good people at Glidden, CIL, or Sherwin Williams consulted the flavour menu at Baskin-Robbins when deciding on what names to bestow upon their paint colours.

Certainly when I was browsing the colour chip wall at work trying to decide what colours I would use for my own home (well, in between customers, that is), I was quite amused at what some of the names of paint colours were.

Let's have a look at some of them, shall we?  You know...just for fun!



ON TOUR TURQUOISE

Now, I have to say...I really like this colour a lot and may consider using it in some manner.  Not quite sure how yet, but I do like it.  That said, what does "On Tour Turquoise" mean?  Given it's a Disney colour, is Mickey and Minnie's RV that colour?  I just don't understand.



EVENING DRAMA

Well, doesn't this colour name just make you want to throw your husband down a flight of stairs, or switch a paternity test, or bitchslap someone into a pool!  Cool colour...dramatic name.  But, I suppose it works.  It is the colour of a primetime sky.



REPTILIAN

I get what they were trying to do with naming this colour, as this is the shade that a lot of reptiles happen to be in nature.  But sadly, whenever I see this colour name, I think of Reptar from Rugrats.



LLAMA WHITE

Here's a llama, there's a llama, and another little llama.  As the name of a paint colour, llama llama SUCKS!



AMERICA'S CUP

Why would the colour be blue?  I would think that it would be gold or silver or bronze or some metallic colour.  Unless America's Cup is really the colour of its jockstrap...



BURNT PUMPKIN

First things first - what an intense colour to paint a room.  Secondly, is this REALLY what colour pumpkin turns when it is set on fire?  I'm pretty confident that anything that gets burned becomes a nice shade of charcoal black.  False advertising!  Oh well...I suppose if the paint doesn't SMELL like burnt pumpkin, you could live with it.



KENTUCKY BLUE

Only it's not blue.  It looks more green to me.  But maybe this is the only colour that is named one thing but looks another...



BLUEGRASS WHITE

Oh, geez, this is even more confusing!



YOU BETCHA BLUE

Yes...you betcha be correct.  It's very blue.  It'd be ironic though if the colour was more like a purple though.  I almost considered using this colour a lot...until I realized that it was the same exact colour of my work uniform.  The less reminders of work I have at my home, the better. 



THE THAMES

Naming paint colours after places is nothing new.  I've seen Toronto Jays Blue, Parisian Purple, and Kentucky Blue (which is really green, but I digress).  But tell me, Londoners.  Is the Thames River REALLY this green?



PENGUIN WALK

I suppose when you have 157 different shades of white, you have to find a way to make one of the most boring colours seem attractive.  And I dare find anyone who can resist a penguin.



RAZZ BERRIES

This is CIL's response to those people whose addiction to texting has prevented them from learning how to spell properly.



RIGHT WHITE

So, tell me.  What makes THIS shade of white the right one over the other 156 shades of white?  Why is this one always the right one?  It may not be the right one for everyone.  Does that mean that if it's not, then it will have to be renamed NOT QUITE WHITE or WRONG WHITE or WRITE-OFF WHITE?

Wait, what?  My head hurts.



FASHION PASSION

Okay, so nothing really is wrong with this colour name.  In actuality, I almost chose this exact shade of purple for one of the accent walls of my new bedroom.  But then I thought about how awkward it would sound when I tell my friends that I have fashion passion splashed all over my walls, and I vetoed this colour almost immediately.

But for someone who still wanted to have dark purple in his room (matching it up with a gray colour called Moonlit Moment), I wanted it to have a masculine name.  A name that was powerful.  A name that matched the joy of finally finding a place to call my very own.




I think this fits.  VICTORY at last!!!

Sunday, July 05, 2015

Don't Disturb This Groove

Let's talk about summer songs, shall we? 

I suppose it makes sense to talk about music in this post, since today is the Sunday Jukebox portion of the week.  And certainly, we have had a slew of summer favourites over the years from "Hot Fun In The Summertime" to "Summer Breeze" to "The Boys of Summer", and even "Summer in the City".

And while this week's song doesn't really have a whole lot to do with summer, it did manage to peak on the charts during the summer months.  As far as I'm concerned, that makes it a summer song!

The song was first released in the early weeks of 1987, and it was the biggest hit for a synthpop duo from New York City.  The group, which formed in 1982, was made up of vocalist/guitarist Mic Murphy and keyboardist David Frank, and the story behind how they got together is quite an interesting one.  But let's hold off on that for now.



In the meantime, let's take a listen to the song that helped get "The System" mainstream attention.



ARTIST:  The System
SONG:  Don't Disturb This Groove
ALBUM:  Don't Disturb This Groove
DATE RELEASED:  January 14, 1987
PEAK POSITION ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS:  #4

Now, when this song was on the Top 10, it happened right around the time I was not a kindergartener, not quite a first grader.  I probably didn't even know what the phrase "Don't Disturb This Groove" meant.  I didn't find out until years later when they played this very song on a radio program called "Backtrax USA" that I used to listen to as a teenager.

Regardless, it was a really hot track back then, and it's still a decent play today.  I can see why it not only peaked at #4 on the Billboard charts, but also became a #1 single on the Hot R&B Singles Chart.  It's a song that has passion, boldness, and just the right tone for two people who are madly in love to succumb to...well, you get the idea.



It did take the duo of Murphy and Frank half a decade to fine tune their "System" so to speak, but right from the very moment they met, they knew that they had the power to make beautiful music together.  But did you know that Madonna had an indirect hand in bringing these two together?



It's true!  Before Madonna hit the scene in the early 1980s, she was experimenting with her own sound, playing with several people and recording several duos.  Many of them can be found on an album called "Pre-Madonna", a collection of previously unreleased songs that Madonna recorded between 1980 and 1982, when she was trying to find an audience.

Anyway, one collaboration was an almost, but never quite happened was one that she was working on with David Frank.  The song was called "It's Passion", and Madonna was to feature on lead vocals.  But creative differences between the two caused Madonna to walk away from the project, and Frank teamed up with Mic Murphy to record the song instead.

By the way, here was the finished product.



Not a bad song, huh?  Very much a product of the early 1980s, but decent enough that it could have been played an a New York City dance club during that time.

Certainly the collaboration got the attention of Atlantic Records, who offered the duo a recording contract on the spot!  "It's Passion" became a huge radio hit in New York City, and within months, the duo released their debut album in 1983, entitled "Sweat".

Now, during the six years that the band was initially together (they parted ways professionally in 1989), the band released a number of singles that thanks to Frank's incredible knowledge and expertise in recording studio technology many believed were released ahead of their time.  Heck, when I first heard "Don't Disturb This Groove" on the radio, I thought it was an early 1990s hit, like from say 1992 or 1993!

And while it took the group several years to have a Top 10 hit, interestingly enough you may have heard some of their music in some of the world's most watched television programs and movies of the time.  Their single "The Pleasure Seekers" was played on an episode of "Miami Vice" in 1985, and their cover of Marc Benno's "Rock 'N Roll Me Again" was featured on the soundtrack for "Beverly Hills Cop".

And on top of that, the group was also working on other projects for Phil Collins, Chaka Khan, and Scritti Politti!  One thing you could say about The System...in they heyday, nothing could ever really disturb their groove.

Even after they split, both men continued to work in the music industry.  Mic Murphy decided to go solo in 1991 and released a few singles, while David Frank became a respected songwriter and producer, and he was one of the people responsible for this breakout hit for Christina Aguilera.




But there was just something so special about the music that they did when they were together.  It was cutting edge, powerful, soulful, and quite modern for its time.  And although "The System" was only in place for such a short time, they certainly made the most of that time.

Saturday, July 04, 2015

Shopping On Holidays =/= Independence

Well, three days ago, my home country of Canada celebrated the anniversary of the day that it became an independent nation, and today, it's your turn America!



HAPPY 239th BIRTHDAY TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

And, I kid you not, there are fireworks going off right now as I type this (which is really bizarre given that at the time I am writing this post, it is 10:18pm on the third of July).  But whatever the case, I'm close enough to the American border that I can see the beautiful shades of blue, red, white, green, and purple lights exploding in the night sky.



Of course, fireworks are just one part of the fourth of July (as well as on July 1, when we celebrate Canada Day).  There's also the quest to find the perfect barbecued hamburger, the search for the best apple pie, and the dozens of carnivals and celebrations that seem to come about every year around this time.  Yes, the first week of July is a week that is very special, and there is definitely a lot to be thankful for during this time.

Most importantly, we are grateful for the gift of freedom...a gift that some of us take for granted at times.

I mean, don't get me wrong.  For centuries, both Canada and the United States have done everything to ensure that we continue to embrace freedom, even if it means sending troops on peacekeeping missions or sending them to battle those who want to take those freedoms away.  And for that, everyone will forever be grateful.  After all, we honour our veterans every Remembrance/Veterans/Armistice Day, and we remember those who died protecting our respective nations on Memorial Day (or in the case of Canada, Remembrance Day).

But somehow, when all of those men signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, I highly doubt that some 239 years down the road that they would think that making America a free country would give people the right to go shopping.



I can't get over how many television commercials that I have seen since Monday advertising "America's Greatest Sale", or "4th of July Blowouts".  Furniture stores claim to have the biggest televisions on sale for the lowest prices.  Department stores have slashed prices on clothing and jewelry.  Uncle Sam wants YOU to buy a brand new car for yourself, your spouse, and all of your kids regardless of whether they can legally drive it or not!

And while I would like to state that this is only a 4th of July thing, I remember seeing dozens of ads for Canada Day sales just about everywhere, from jeans and appliances to toothpaste and Swiss Chalet chicken! 

And you know, I think it's getting really out of control.

Obviously everyone expects Christmas and Valentine's Day to be two of the most materialistic holidays in the world (even though neither one of them was meant to be when they were first observed).  But Canada Day and the 4th of July always seemed like holidays that weren't supposed to be materialistic at all.

Growing up, we never exchanged presents for Canada Day.  Stores weren't even open on Canada Day.  The day was meant for local celebration where all the townspeople would gather around and celebrate our country's birthday.  I seem to remember Canada Day always falling smack dab in the middle of our summer holiday festival, and every year, the whole family would walk down to Block House Island, grab a free slice of red and white cake, and watch some of the performances along the waterfront. 

Canada Day was never about going to the mall, or to box stores, or even online shopping (which granted did not exist in the late 1980s/early 1990s).  It was about having the freedom to celebrate the fact that we are Canadians and we are free to enjoy the beauty that our nation gave us each and every day.

Similarly, to my neighbours down south, the 4th of July was never about going on a shopping spree in the commercial districts of your cities.  It is about celebrating the birth of a nation and spending the day with those you love the most in this world.

So to see some retailers using both Canada Day and the 4th of July as another excuse to hock their wares and get people to go further into credit card debt...I can't help but feel that our founding fathers would be turning over in their graves knowing that their hard work to create two great nations seems to take a back seat to finding the perfect pair of yoga pants.

What next?  Celebrating Arbor Day with a huge sale on reams of computer paper at Staples? 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that materialism has made a mockery of our most treasured holidays.  And, I don't think the real Canadian or American dream is to go out and buy as much stuff as possible just because you have the freedom to.

Instead, think about why we have that freedom in the first place. 


Happy 4th of July to all of my American friends.

Friday, July 03, 2015

Thanks For The Sesame Street Memories, Maria...um, er...Sonia Manzano!

When you are a little kid, sometimes it's hard to distinguish the difference between an actor or actress and the character they play. 

I suppose on some children's shows, the hosts of the programs go by their real names anyway, so there's not an issue at all.  Case in point, "The Polka Dot Door", where all of the cast members went by their real names.

On shows in which people played a character, it is much different.  I have to wonder how many times Nerene Virgin was called Jodie on the streets of Toronto for her role on "Today's Special", and I imagine that Alyson Court probably had to endure her share of "Yo, Loonette" calls from her work on "The Big Comfy Couch".



I know that this was the case when I watched Sesame Street as a kid.  Sure, I knew all of the adult characters of the show.  I knew that Gordon and Susan lived at 123 Sesame Street.  I knew that Mr. Hooper ran Hooper's Store until he passed away, and then David and Gina took over.  I know that Luis and Maria ran the Fix-it-Shop for many years before they both apparently started working at a post office (when did Sesame Street get a post office, anyway).  And of course, Bob was the music teacher who over the years had everyone singing about sunny days keeping the clouds away.

Of course, the people playing these characters weren't really named those.  They were just actors playing the parts.

(Well, okay.  Bob was actually played by a Bob.  And one of the Gordons was really a Gordon.  But for the most part, most of the characters were actors who had different names.)



When I was watching Sesame Street, there were a lot of human faces that came and went (much like the furry Muppets that would be passing through Sesame Street over the years), but one constant was Maria.  She was always my favourite character on the whole street.  She started off on the show as a young woman in her early twenties in 1971 and over the years she became a wife, a mother, and a respected figure in the Sesame Street neighbourhood.  But she was also considered to be a motherly figure to young Muppets like Big Bird and Elmo, was one of the few who could still smile in the face of Oscar the Grouch's bad attitude, and who helped generations of youngsters learn about how to count to twenty, their alphabet, and how to say hello, goodbye, and many other words in Spanish.



It was thanks to Maria and Luis that I became fluent in Sesame Street Spanish, after all.  Might not help me much if I were stranded in the middle of Puerto Rico, but hey, at least I know some basic Spanish vocabulary.

For 44 years, Maria was a huge part of Sesame Street history.  And just a few days ago, we learned that Maria would be leaving the very street that she called "home" for all those years.



Yes, Sonia Manzano, the woman who played Maria for nearly four and a half decades has now announced her retirement from Sesame Street, and will be departing the series later this year.

There's no word yet on how Maria will be departing the series, and there's also no word on whether her on-screen husband Luis (Emilio Delgado) will be staying on the show or whether he too will be leaving.  But one thing that we do know for sure...she will be greatly missed.

I mean, let's face it.  Manzano was essentially one of the most recognizable people in "Sesame Street" history.  Just have a look at some of the clips of her in action.



She certainly has a great singing voice, not to mention her having chemistry with almost every single person she worked with.  One thing I will say about classic Sesame Street...the casting was top notch.

But did you know that Sonia did so much more than just sing and dance and act on the show?  She also did a lot of behind the scenes work on the show as well, writing scripts for segments and episodes.  And because of her contributions to the writing staff, she won quite a number of awards.  Hmm...I wonder how many Emmy Awards she has won in her career?



Oh, yes!  Quince!  Oh, ahem...fifteen.  And in addition to those fifteen awards that she won as a writer, she was also nominated for two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series.  She even wrote a children's book in 2004 entitled "No Dogs Allowed", which began a partnership with General Mills and First Book to help encourage children to read and to fight illiteracy.

I'll be the first to admit...I am really going to miss seeing Maria on "Sesame Street".  Even though I haven't seen the show in like twenty-five years or so, it was a comfort to know that she was always there.  And now that she's leaving, it seems like just one more piece of my childhood is fading away.  But, the memories of seeing her on Sesame Street will remain, and I wish Sonia Manzano all the best in her retirement from the show.

After all...she did help me learn basic Spanish.  So, if I ever find myself trapped in an underwater house, I can yell for help in Spanish!  CASA AGUA!  PELIGRO!

Thursday, July 02, 2015

"The Canadian Dream"

July 2, 2015

It seems very timely that I have chosen to write this post on the day after Canada Day.  After all, Canada Day is the day that marks the day that Canada became an independent nation.

I have to wonder how the people of Canada felt on July 1, 1867.  Imagine having to be a part of a newly created nation.  Being among some of the very first Canadians to experience life in a new nation.  I can only imagine that while the people who lived in Canada at that time were incredibly nervous about what life was going to be like, I also believe that they were excited for the change.

Now, why I say that this post is timely for today?  Well, I have some news to tell all of you...and this news is something that is linked to the subject of independence.

You see, I've talked about my living arrangements before on this blog.  In great detail, might I add.  In my entire time on this earth, my living situations have never really been all that...stable.  Within the first five years of my life, I lived in four different houses.  It was really difficult to try and make a place feel like home when that home kept changing every year.  And even in the homes that I did live in longer than that, the homes were really not very domestic. 

I guess that's a nice way of saying that they were complete dumps.  I mean, yeah, we had a roof over our heads, but that roof was always leaking.  And the walls were always crumbling.  And the floor was always creaking.

I'm sure you get the idea.

But the common thread in every single place that I have lived in over the years was this.  It was only a shelter.  I could never call it a home.  Because my family always rented, we could never change the inside decor the way we wanted, we usually had to wait until the landlord was free before we could even make repairs, and in general, it was just a bad experience all around.  I grew up thinking that having a home of my very own was a dream that was only for the very rich, and that people like me would never get a taste of the "Canadian dream".



Until now.

I've been keeping a secret since the tenth of June.  And now I reveal that secret to all of you.

I just bought a house.  And I have to tell you, it feels absolutely amazing!

Granted, the house I bought is not a new house by any means.  It needs a lot of work, and I certainly have to do a bit of fix up work inside.  It's kind of like that song from "Frozen".

Yep.  That's the one.

Either way, I am so excited to finally have a home base that will actually feel like a home base!

Of course, the whole idea of packing up all my stuff and putting it in a new home is going to be tedious.  I don't think any of us really like moving at all.  But in this case, the move will be a happy one.  Never again will I ever be able to say that I have nowhere to call my own...because I now have that place. 

Well, it WILL be mine come July 15.  That's when I get the keys.

So, what does this mean for the blog?  Nothing...yet.  But when I do begin the moving process, I will be taking a hiatus that will last at least a couple of weeks...maybe longer.  In fact, I may hold off on the cartoon feature until after I get settled in the new place.  But I will keep you posted on everything.  In all likelihood, this hiatus will start sometime in late July, but I will write a little note here just to let you know when that will take place exactly.  I won't be gone long though.  Besides, after four straight years of blogging, I could use a vacation, right?


Who knows?  I may start a feature on home improvement by an amateur in this very space!

Wednesday, July 01, 2015

Canada Day Soundtrack Suggestions From The Past

I am doing this post entirely in red text today because of a very special day!



You see, here in Canada, our nation is celebrating 148 years of independence.  Go, Canada!  It's your birthday!

I want to take the time to wish all of my Canadian brethren a very happy Canada Day!

Now some of us (such as myself) will be working on this day (but luckily my shift ends early), and some of us will have the day off.  But no matter what it is you do to celebrate, please do it safely and responsibly.

That means, no drinking and driving.  No drinking and swimming.  No drinking and setting off fireworks.  Basically, if you're drinking...don't do anything else at the same time.  Everyone will be better this way.

Of course, I suppose one thing that you could do while under the influence of your second or third Moosehead of the day is dance.  After all, Canada Day celebrations are among some of the most vibrant parties in the whole world.  Or, at least they are in huge cities like Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa.

But even if your party happens to take place in your backyard with a few of your closest friends, it can be just as exciting.

Of course, you're going to have to have the perfect Canada Day soundtrack to listen to while you're chilling on the patio, and in the spirit of Canada Day, I'll be posting some links to some classic Canadian songs from the 1980s and 1990s to make your party swing!

But these aren't going to be your typical songs.  You see, if I posted songs by well-known Canadian artists such as The Barenaked Ladies, Bryan Adams, Celine Dion, and Shania Twain, big deal, right?  Everyone knows who they are.

Well, my list shows a bunch of artists who are Canadian based who most Americans probably may not have heard of.  But I thought that since today is a day that celebrates Canada, why not put the spotlight on some lesser known Canadian artists?

So, let's see who I can focus on this Canada Day.



HONEYMOON SUITE - Wave Babies (1984)

You know, it's almost criminal to know that Honeymoon Suite never really had many huge hits.  For a Canadian band, they were one of the best.  But I suppose with Loverboy, Glass Tiger, and Bryan Adams dominating the American charts back then, it was hard for them to get noticed.  And while I loved songs like "New Girl Now" and "Burning In Love", "Wave Babies" just screams summer.



PARACHUTE CLUB - At The Feet Of The Moon (1984)

Okay, so in Canada, this band might be more well known for their song "Rise Up" - a song that was later used in a string of frozen pizza commercials in the 1990s (and which the band issued a lawsuit against McCain Foods because of it).  But I heard that song so many times as a child that I couldn't stand it after the 10,000th time.  Ah, but "At The Feet Of The Moon"?  Kick ass song.  Sure, it hasn't really aged well, but what song has?



KIM MITCHELL - Patio Lanterns (1986)

Okay, so while I will readily admit that this is not one of my favourite songs of all time, I will give Kim Mitchell some credit.  This song is a perfect song for a perfect Canadian party.  Heck, the song even managed to crack the American rock charts in 1986!  Though, part of it could be the music video.  That summer, every Canadian made sure to have patio lanterns hanging from their verandas, gazebos, and lanais.



PLATINUM BLONDE - Contact (1987)

I was one of those people who tended to like Platinum Blonde towards the end of their run.  Okay, let me tell the truth here.  Platinum Blonde wasn't my favourite band in the world.  But I consider this song to be a little bit of a guilty pleasure of mine.  So, shame me if you must.  I do like this one.  I'd play it today.



MEN WITHOUT HATS - Pop Goes The World (1987)

Okay, so the subject matter of this song is anything but happy (it's about environmental destruction and the potential end of the world by human hands), but this song is a lot more fun to listen to than "Safety Dance" (which was waaaaaaaaaaaaay overplayed).  And, what can I say?  I'm a sucker for a baby on the keyboard.



CANDI - Dancing Under A Latin Moon (1988)

For some reason, I have fond memories of riding the Tilt-a-Whirl with this song playing in the background.  And, no...I didn't get sick on the ride, or else I would have a completely different view of this song today!  I just chose it because it kind of reminds you of being in a South American festival and has a bit of a tropical feel to it.  Given how hot it can get in summer, it definitely is a perfect song.  And, Candi was basically Canada's response to Debbie Gibson and Tiffany, so she naturally had to have at least one of two hits.   I hear that Candi now teaches music at a Toronto area school.



PAUL JANZ - Every Little Tear (1990)

Okay, this song is absolutely brilliant.  I dare you not to rock out to this piece.  It's a shame that Paul Janz didn't have more hits because he was really that talented, but I hear he's gone into teaching now.  Nothing wrong with that!



KIM ESTY - Summer In The Street (1993)

I almost didn't include this song in this mix - mainly because I haven't quite forgotten how she butchered a Billy Idol song or sang about her squeeze toy (don't ask).  However, since Canada Day is the true kickoff of the summer holidays, and since the song is about summer...well, I decided to include it anyway.  Seriously, though...don't even ask about the "Squeeze Toy".



WEST END GIRLS - State Of The Heart (1994)

You know, this was another band that got better as they progressed (and changed members).  And, while they were virtually unheard of in the United States, I remember them being a huge part of Canadian radio - particularly with our AM Radio station.  Seriously, my mom would listen to our local radio station during the middle of the 1990s, and this song would play so much.  Fortunately, it's one of the few West End Girls songs I can sit through.



THE PHILOSOPHER KINGS - Charms (1995)

So, I have to make a confession.  I like the Boomtang Boys dance remix better than the original.  That said, the group does a phenomenal job with this single (which ended up being their debut).  It's a melancholic sounding song, but it works.

And with this, I'll end the list.  Feel free to use all of these songs (or none of these songs) for your Canada Day celebrations.  After all, Canada Day is all about independence, and we all have the freedom to celebrate the day exactly how we want it.

Speaking of independence (of some form), I have a bit of an announcement to make tomorrow - one that may explain why I will be taking a bit of a hiatus from this blog in the next few weeks.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

June 30, 1966

Here we are.  The last day of June.  This means that we are nearly halfway through the year 2015!  Where in the world did the time go?

But you know what?  I say bring it.  2015 has been one of those years that started off rough, but is turning out to be a fantastic year! 

I will tell you more about why this is the case at another time.  In the meantime, I should probably get on with today's TUESDAY TIMELINE entry.

So let's see what we have on the schedule for June 30.  Let's begin with some of the "happenings" that took place on this date.

1559 - King Henry II is mortally wounded in a jousting match against Gabriel de Montgomery

1805 - U.S. Congress organizes the Michigan Territory

1864 - Abraham Lincoln grants the area known as Yosemite Valley to California for "public use, resort, and recreation"

1882 - Charles J. Guiteau - the man who assassinated President James Garfield - is hanged

1886 - The first transcontinental train trip across Canada departs from Montreal, arriving in Port Moody, British Columbia five days later

1892 - The Homestead Strike begins

1905 - "On The Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" - written by Albert Einstein - is published

1906 - The Meat Inspection and Pure Food and Drug Act is passed by United States Congress

1912 - Regina, Saskatchewan is hit by the Regina Cyclone, killing 28 people

1917 - Actress/singer Lena Horne (d. 2010) is born in Brooklyn, New York

1934 - The Night of the Long Knives takes place in Germany, courtesy of Adolf Hitler

1937 - London, England introduces the 999 service number - the world's very first emergency telephone number

1953 - The first Chevrolet Corvette rolls off the assembly line in Michigan

1956 - 128 people lose their lives when two airplanes crash into each other over the Grand Canyon

1971 - The voting age is reduced to eighteen from twenty-one in the United States

1972 - The first leap second is added to the UTC time system

1985 - A total of thirty-nine American hostages from hijacked TWA Flight 847 are freed after being held captive for seventeen days

1986 - The U.S. Supreme Court rules that states can outlaw homosexual acts between consenting adults (boy have times changed since '86!)

2001 - Country singer Chet Atkins dies at the age of 77

2014 - Actor Bob Hastings passes away at the age of 89

And for celebrity birthdays, we have to wish the following famous faces a happy birthday; Nancy Dussault, Eddie Rambeau, Terry Funk, Murray McLauchlan, Andy Scott, Leonard Whiting, David Garrison, Hal Lindes, David Alan Grier, Brian Vollmer, Sterling Martin, Rich Vos, Tommy Keene, Vincent D'Onofrio, Murray Cook, Rupert Graves, Steve Duchesne, Mitch Richmond, Wendy Davis, Mike Tyson, Nitin Ganatra, Brian Bloom, Megan Fahlenbock, Monica Potter, Noam Zylberman, Tony Rock, Lizzy Caplan, Cheryl Cole, Katherine Ryan, Fantasia Barrino, Hugh Sheridan, and Allegra Versace.

So, for the first time in what seems like forever, I have an entry that predates the 1980s!  I know, shocker, huh?



We aren't going back in time quite a half century yet.  But the date we are visiting is June 30, 1966.

And, here's some news for you.  Today's subject involves a musical interlude by one of the most successful all-female groups of all time.  And how appropriate that this single was recorded on one of the members' 33rd birthday?

Sadly, Florence Ballard would pass away just ten years later, in 1976.  But she, Mary Wilson, and Diana Ross enjoyed their eighth #1 single that November with this classic song about trying to seek independence from an abusive, loveless relationship.  A single that was recorded 49 years ago today.



ARTIST:  The Supremes
SONG:  You Keep Me Hangin' On
ALBUM:  The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland
DATE RELEASED:  October 12, 1966
PEAK POSITION ON THE BILLBOARD CHARTS:  #1 for 2 weeks

Now, I have to admit, my first experience listening to this single was not by the Supremes.  Remember British pop/rock chanteuse Kim Wilde, who had hits with "Kids In America", "Chequered Love", and "You Came"?  Well, she too had a hit in 1987 covering this very single, and as someone who was six years old then and listened to pop radio at the time, I heard this version a lot.



But whether you liked Kim Wilde's version, or Vanilla Fudge's version, or Rod Stewart's version, or anyone else who has covered this single, you have to hand it to the Supremes.  They did it first, and they did it the best.

So, let's talk about the song lyrics.  I don't know if the lyrics were inspired by a real life event or not, but either way, the subject is about love done wrong from the perspective of the female.  Reading between the lines of the lyrics, we know that the guy did something that is unforgivable (he probably cheated on her with someone else).  And even though she wants to move on with her life, he seems determined to win back her heart at all costs. 

It's essentially one of those on-again, off-again relationship deals that goes in a complete circle.  Girl breaks it off with guy, guy keeps chasing her until she takes him back, then she tries to leave again, and it never ends.  That's very much the story of this song.

It's actually quite a disturbing song when you stop and think about it.  A song that I am sure a lot of women (and men) can relate to.  It must be hard enough trying to nurse an already broken heart.  Try doing so when the person who broke your heart in the first place still wants to be a part of your life.  They can only be friends, they say.  They want you in their life even though they don't really love you, they say.

Well, there's a saying that goes along with that.  If you love somebody, set them free.  And in the case of a broken down relationship, if you really love the other person, and you really want what's best for them, wouldn't you want to see them happy?  Ideally, you'd want them to be happy with you, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way.  So, the next thing to do would be to let them go and find happiness with someone who is able to do so, and hope that one day, you can find that with someone yourself.

Because two people who aren't in love with each other do not make a relationship.

It was a great message 49 years ago...and is a great message now.