Music
Movie Monday: The Rugrats Movie 1998
Twenty years ago, today, the #1 movie at the box office was The Rugrats Movie.
Voice cast:
☆ Elizabeth Daily (billed as E. G. Daily)…….Tommy Pickles
☆ Jack Riley…….Stu Pickles
☆ Melanie Chartoff (Principal Grace Musso from Parker Lewis Can’t Lose)…….Didi Pickles & Grandma Minka Kropotkin
☆ Tara Strong…….Dil Pickles
☆ Joe Alaskey…….Grandpa Lou Pickles
☆ Michael Bell…….Drew Pickles, Chas Finster & Grandpa Boris Kropotkin
☆ Tress MacNeille…….Charlotte Pickles
☆ Cheryl Chase…….Angelica Pickles
☆ Christine Cavanaugh (the original voice of Babe and Amanda Nelligan in The X-Files episode Small Potatoes)…….Chuckie Finster
☆ Kath Soucie…….Phil, Lil & Betty DeVille
☆ Phil Proctor…….Howard DeVille
☆ Cree Summer…….Susie Carmichael
Notable Guest Stars:
♢ Tim Curry…….Rex Pester
♢ Whoopi Goldberg…….Ranger Margaret
♢ David Spade…….Ranger Frank
♢ Roger Clinton, Jr. (younger half-brother of President Bill Clinton)…….Air Crewman
♢ Margaret Cho…….Lt. Klavin
♢ Busta Rhymes…….Reptar Wagon
Notable Baby Singers:
♫ Beck
♫ Cindy Wilson (B-52s)
♫ Dawn Robinson (En Vogue)
♫ Fred Schneider (B-52s)
♫ Gordon Gano (Violent Femmes)
♫ Iggy Pop
♫ Jakob Dylan
♫ Kate Pierson (B-52s)
♫ Lenny Kravitz
♫ Lisa Loeb
♫ Lou Rawls
♫ Patti Smith
Awards:
♥ BMI Film Music Award (1999/BMI Film & TV Awards)
♥ Favorite Cartoon (1999/Kids’ Choice Awards, USA)
Tune Tuesday: The Wild Wild West 1988
Thirty years ago, today, the #1 Billboard Hot 100 song was The Wild, Wild West by The Escape Club, an English pop-rock band out of London (Est. 1983). Curiously, the album and the single didn’t chart in the UK, their home turf.
Nominations:
☆ Breakthrough Video (1989 MTV Video Music (VMA) Awards)
☆ Best Post-Modern Video (1989 MTV VMA)
☆ Best Special Effects In A Video (Nicholas Brandt & Bridget Blake-Wilson/1989 MTV VMA)
Movie Monday: The Three Muskateers 1993
Twenty-five years ago, today, the #1 film at the box office was The Three Musketeers, starring:
☆ Charlie Sheen
☆ Kiefer Sutherland
☆ Chris O’Donnell
☆ Oliver Platt
☆ Tim Curry (The original Pennywise)
☆ Rebecca De Mornay
☆ Gabrielle Anwar
☆ Michael Wincott
☆ Paul McGann (Doctor Who #8)
A summary from IMDB:
“A Disney-ized re-telling of Dumas’ classic swashbuckling story of three swordsmen of the disbanded French King’s Guard, plus one young man who dreams to become one of them, who seek to save their King from the scheming of the Cardinal Richelieu. Jokes and stunts are the expected fare in this light-hearted and jaunty adventure.”
It was, apparently, panned by critics but, clearly, did well for Disney. The first song from the soundtrack, All For Love, had some notable success as well. Written by Bryan Adams, John “Mutt” Lange and Michael Kamen and, sung by Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting, it reached #1 in 1994 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart, the Eurochart Hot 100, the Canadian RPM chart and, 11 other countries.
Awards:
♡ Most Performed Song From A Film (Michael Kamen/1995 Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) Film & TV Awards)
♡ Most Performed Songs From Motion Pictures (Bryan Adams, Robert John Lange & Michael Kamen/1995 American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP) Film & Television Music Awards)
Nominations:
♢ Best Editing ~ Sound Effects (Tim Chau/1994 Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) Golden Reel Award)
♢ Best Movie Song (Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting/1994 MTV Movie & TV Awards)
♢ Worst Supporting Actor (Chris O’Donnell/1994 Golden Raspberry (Razzie) Awards)
Interesting Trivia Bits from the Disney Movie Database.
Tune Tuesday: Islands In The Stream 1983
Thirty-five years ago, today, the number #1 Billboard Hot 100 song was Islands in the Stream, a duet sung by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. Written by the Bee Gees, it was named after the Ernest Hemingway novel (published nine years after his death) and was originally intended for Marvin Gaye. Barry Gibb did a demo for Kenny Rogers (released in November 2006) and, the Bee Gees did two covers of their own in 1997 in Las Vegas with Barry on lead and in 2001 in the studio with Robin on lead.
This song was simultaneously #1 on the Billboard Hot Country chart, the Billboard Adult Contemporary (Pop) chart and the Cash Box Top 100. It also reached #1 in Australia, Austria and Canada (in four different categories).
Awards
♡ Top Vocal Duet (1984 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards)
♡ Single Record of the Year~Artist (Dolly Parton/1984 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards)
♡ Single Record of the Year~Artist (Kenny Rogers/1984 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards)
♡ Single Record of the Year~Producer (Barry Gibb, Alby Galuten & Karl Richardson/1984 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards)
♡ Single Record of the Year~Record Company (RCA Records/1984 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards)
♡ Favorite Country Single (1984 American Music Awards)
Nominations
★ Pop Vocal Group (1984 Grammy Awards)
☆ Single of the Year (Dolly & Kenny/1984 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards)
☆ Song of the Year (Barry, Maurice & Robin/1984 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards)
☆ Vocal Duo of the Year (1984 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards)
☆ Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group (1984 American Music Awards)
☆ Favorite Country Male Artist (1984 American Music Awards)
☆ International Single of the Year (1984 Canadian Juno Awards)
National Ohio Day
November 2 has four celebrations. Today is National Ohio Day and recognizes the 17th state to join the U.S. Nicknamed the Buckeye State, Ohioans also claim Birthplace of Aviation (North Carolinians dispute this, good-naturedly) and The Heart of It All. It’s largest city, Columbus, is also its capital and, apparently, it is the only state with a State Rock Song.
Admitted to the Union on March 1, 1803, it’s name is taken from the Ohio River which is a Seneca word, Ohi:yo’, meaning “good river”. Ancient remains indicate cultures going back as far as 13,000 BC and, one in particular, the Pre-Columbian Adena, left behind the Great Serpent Mound in Adams County, a U.S. National Historic Place & Landmark. Known tribes were the Petun, the Erie, the Chonnonton, the Mingo Seneca, the Lenape, the Shawnee and the Iroquois Confederacy. All native tribes were eventually removed either by request, payment or, eventually the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
Ohio is home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the Armstrong Air & Space Museum, the Loveland Castle and the Marblehead Lighthouse on Lake Erie.
Notable Ohioans/Buckeyes:
Tecumseh – Chief of the Shawnee (March 1768 – October 5, 1813)
George Armstrong Custer – Officer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876)
Phoebe Ann “Annie Oakley” Mosey – Sharpshooter (August 13, 1860 – November 3, 1926)
Wilbur & Orville Wright – Inventors (Wilbur…April 16, 1867 – May 30, 1912) (Orville…August 19, 1871 – January 30, 1948)
Charles Milles Maddox Manson – Murderer (November 12, 1934 – November 19, 2017)
Extensive List of Other Buckeyes
Also celebrated:
National Deviled Egg Day (Yum!)
National Jersey Friday (First Friday in November)
National Broadcast Traffic Professional’s Day (Observed on November 2 unless it falls on a weekend, then the following Monday)
Ending the post with, of course, Ohio’s State Rock Song:
Cheers and enjoy!
Tune Tuesday: Hey Jude 1968
Fifty years ago, today, the #1 Billboard Hot 100 song was Hey Jude. Written by Paul McCartney but, credited to Lennon-McCartney, Paul was on the way to see John’s soon-to-be ex-wife Cynthia and their son Julian. Starting out with “Hey Jules”, it evolved to “Hey Jude” as Paul attempted to try and help Julian through his parents’ separation.
Tune Tuesday: Blue Velvet 1963
We are traveling back to 1963! Fifty-five years ago, today, the #1 Billboard Hot 100 song was Bobby Vinton‘s version of Blue Velvet.
The song was written and composed by Lee Morris and Bernie Wayne (whom also wrote “There She Is”, The Miss America song).
Tony Bennett recorded the first version in 1951 with Percy Faith‘s Orchestra. It’s highest rank was on Cash Box Top 50 at #12. The Clovers (Love Potion No. 9) recorded a version in 1955 that reached #14 on Billboard’s R&B chart.
Though there have been many, many versions of the song recorded, including versions from Bobby Rydell, Brenda Lee, Pat Boone, Sammy Davis Jr., The Lettermen, Isabella Rossellini and Barry Manilow, Bobby Vinton‘s version was the most popular…and my favorite. ~Vic
Tune Tuesday: It’s All In The Game 1958
Alright, kiddies, we are traveling back to the past, again, for some more music. The #1 song sixty years ago, today, was a piece composed by Charles G. “Hell and Maria” Dawes in 1911, the future Vice President of Calvin Coolidge. It’s original name was “Melody In A Major”. Carl Sigman added lyrics in 1951 and Tommy Edwards recorded it. It was a so-so hit, then and, he re-recorded it in 1958. It is the only known #1 single in the U.S. to have been co-written by a U.S. Vice President and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Here is…It’s All In The Game.
And, the original 1951 version:
National One-Hit Wonder Day
September 25 has six celebrations and one ‘fourth Tuesday in September’ day. With today being Tune Tuesday, I couldn’t pass this up. Today, we honor National One-Hit Wonder Day. And, curiously, the folks at National Day Calender have no idea when this particular celebration was created.
Do you have a favorite one-hit wonder? I have several. But, for today, I will jump back ten years from my previous Tune Tuesday post. I’m a large fan of surfing music, so here is one from 1963.
Pipeline by The Chantays peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1963.
Also celebrated today:
National Lobster Day (Yum!)
National Comic Book Day
National Tune Up Day
National Research Administrator Day (That’s a mouthful.)
Math Story Telling Day (Who knew math needed stories…)
National Voter Registration Day (Fourth Tuesday in September)
Cheers and enjoy! ~Vic
Tune Tuesday: Vaya Con Dios 1953
We are traveling way, way back, today. The #1 song sixty-five years ago is a piece from the duo Les Paul and Mary Ford…Vaya Con Dios.
In 1953, my mother was six years old and my father was eight….just for some perspective. ~Vic
Throwback Thursday: Jim Croce 1973
Forty-five years ago, today, James Joseph ‘Jim’ Croce, American folk rock singer-songwriter was killed when the Beechcraft E18S, that he and five others were aboard, crashed into a tree during take-off from the Natchitoches Regional Airport in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The accident also claimed the lives of musician Maurice T. ‘Maury’ Muehleisen, comedian George Stevens, manager & booking agent Kenneth Cortese, road manager Dennis Rast and pilot Robert N. Elliott. Croce’s final concert was at Prather Coliseum.
He is buried at Haym Salomon Memorial Park in Frazer, Pennsylvania. His singer-songwriter wife, Ingrid Jacobson Croce maintains an historical site of their work. Their son, Adrian James ‘A. J.’ Croce is a singer-songwriter in his own right.
His two number one singles…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwPRm5UMe1A
Behind The Music
Tune Tuesday: Whatever You Like 2008
It’s Tune Tuesday! Ten years ago, today, the #1 Billboard Hot 100 song was Whatever You Like. I hadn’t heard this song until five minutes ago. By the time 2008 rolled around, I wasn’t listening to Top 40 stations, anymore. I was listening to BobFM or SimonFM or what everyone today refers to as ‘variety hits’. Yes, I am showing my age. ~Vic
Tune Tuesday: Shake Ya Tailfeather 2003
It’s Tune Tuesday! Fifteen years ago, today the #1 Billboard Hot 100 song was Shake Ya Tailfeather from the movie Bad Boys II.
This is another song that, I confess, I’ve never heard before. And, I’ve never seen Bad Boys II, either. In 2003, I had recently moved to Texas and I was busy learning a new job. I didn’t see many movies that year and, apparently, I stopped listening to mainstream radio. ~Vic
Wayback Wednesday: Michael Jackson 1958
Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children, to Joseph Walter “Joe” and Katherine Ester (née’ Scruse). [Note: In birth order, he was eighth of ten children as his older brother Marlon’s twin, Brandon, died at birth.]
He was a member of The Jackson Five and began a solo career in 1971. Until just recently, his album Thriller was the best-selling of all time.
Nearly a decade has passed since his death. He was an incredible performer and had a stunning voice. He was a humanitarian and was recognized for his work with an award from President Ronald Reagan on May 14, 1984. He co-wrote We Are The World with Lionel Richie that won grammys in 1985 for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
He had a hard time as a child and it affected his adult life. He was plagued with scandal after scandal, his marriages were short and his last few years were tangled with financial troubles. On June 25, 2009, Michael passed away at the age of 50 from a drug overdose. The whole world mourned his loss. He would have been 60, today.
I was 16 when Thriller came out. I was 12 when Off The Wall came out. His music is a large part of the tapestry of my younger years. He definitely was the King of Pop. Happy Birthday, Michael. ~Victoria
Tune Tuesday: The Boy Is Mine 1998
It’s Tune Tuesday! Twenty years ago, today, the #1 Billboard Hot 100 song was The Boy Is Mine.
Honestly, until today, I had never heard this song. I spent a large portion of the 90s listening to Alt-Rock stations.
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