scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime 2023 - Series Post #3 - 09/26/23 08:00 AM
 
For the third article to this Soundtrack of a Lifetime 2023 series, I present a novelty song by none other than “Weird Al” Yankovic. Yankovic, a musician who can play multiple instruments, chose to use his accordion as his signature instrument. Something of an unusual choice in today’s pop culture.
“Weird Al” is known for his parodies of popular songs by other artists. His hits include "I Love Rocky Road", a takeoff on the song I Love Rock and Roll, made popular by Joan Jett & Blackhearts, and “Jurrasic Park”, a spoof of the hit song MacArthur Park.
The one I chose is … (5 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime 2023 - Series Challenge - Bonus Post - 09/21/23 06:21 PM

One of the nice things about living in the Scottsdale area is the number of local theater companies and small playhouses within an easy drive. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a local theatre production of a play called Tom Foolery. The show was hosted at the Fountain Hills Theatre in Fountain Hills, AZ. The intimate theater seats 89 patrons, making it a comfortable, setting where the audience and performers are only 10 or 15 feet apart.
Tom Foolery is a musical comedy based on the satire and genius of Tom Lehrer.
Although I never remember listening to Tom … (3 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime 2023 - Series Post #2 - 09/20/23 05:37 PM

For my second chapter to this challenge, I will harken back to the early days of Rock and Roll. And at the same time add another blog post to my Soundtrack of a Lifetime. The Soundtrack is a hobby I began in 2018 to discuss the music of my generation.
This one is a novelty song that I remember from the early 1970s. It is one most of you will recognize as well.
Growing up I was a big Chuck Berry fan. I enjoyed his songs like his 1955 hit Maybelline, his 1958 hit Johnny B. Goode, and his 1964 record, No Particular … (6 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime 2023 - Series Post #1 - 09/20/23 05:15 PM
 
As a long-time member of Active Rain, I have written posts and articles about a variety of topics. Real estate of course was the original reason for joining AR. I also wrote at times about my travel experiences, or sometimes the current events happening in the Scottsdale area.
For those of you who followed me over the years, you will recall I wrote a series of articles under the title Soundtrack of a Lifetime. There I discussed the music and songs that impacted my life in some way. The song may be a fond memory from a live performance or a favorite … (7 comments)

scottsdale fun: Don’t Miss Your Last Chance - 07/13/23 05:22 PM
It’s not time to panic, but time is running out as Scottsdale’s only new build, age-restricted community, is entering its final stages. With only 12 lots remaining Scottsdale Heights has five quick move-in homes and the remaining seven lots nearing spec home status.
Conveniently located at the intersection of Dove Valley Road and Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale Heights is one of the last remaining undeveloped parcels in North Scottsdale.
Scottsdale Heights consists of four villa-styled single-story models, ranging in size between 2090 and 2194 square feet. These two- or three-bedroom models feature all the most popular options including gourmet kitchens, energy-efficient design, and open … (1 comments)

scottsdale fun: Why I Cheated On My Taxes And You Could Too - 04/16/23 08:30 AM
Cheating on your taxes is the American way. I don’t know if it is the same in other countries, but it is a game we play annually here in the States.
Taxes are complicated here. Numerous types of income must be declared and there are almost as many ways to declare that same income as there are types. Depending on how you declare your income there are dozens of forms that you can use to document your earnings. This helps to create confusion as to how much you earned and can be used to your advantage.
Then there are deductions. Expenditures that the … (6 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Brewer & Shipley - 06/17/22 11:19 AM
Today’s song likely has the most bizarre history of any song we have listened to on the Soundtrack so far.
In 1970 folk music and the psychedelic sound crossed paths. Turning on, Tuning in, and Dropping out was the buzzword. Two folk/rock singers, Mike Brewer and Tom Shipley, were performing their upbeat protest songs to hippies across the country. A lot of the music and songs of the day centered around drugs and getting high. Their song One Toke Over the Line was a homage to getting high. Taking a toke meant taking a long drag on a marijuana cigarette.
According to certain … (3 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Daryll Hall - 06/17/22 10:58 AM
I like to say that Hall & Oates saved the 1980s from copycats and repetition of the super bands of the 1970s. It was getting hard to find a fresh sound, and Blue-eyed soul was carving a niche left behind by the soul singers of the 1970s. Hall & Oates were producing hit after hit.
They made many legendary Soul and R&B hits during their career like Sara Smile, I Can’t Go for That and You Make My Dreams Come True.
In 2003, Hall & Oates were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. They remain the most selling successful duo of all … (2 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Bruno Mars - 06/08/22 11:44 AM
Even though my lifetime Soundtrack features a lot of songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, every so often I find a current artist and a song that I think deserves to be included in my list of favorites. One of those artists is Bruno Mars. Mars who grew up in Honolulu, HI took his act to LA. to find fame and fortune. He succeeded.
Bruno along with his band The Hooligans crosses genres from pop to hip hop, to rock and has success with each sound.
Today’s song is a piano ballad written for his second album Unorthodox Jukebox. It is a … (2 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Procol Harum - 06/06/22 10:27 AM
Here’s another old song that is easily recognizable by its haunting melody. As soon as the song starts to play you recognize it.
The song "A Whiter Shade of Pale" is the debut single by the English rock band Procol Harum, and it harkens all the way back to May 1967.
In 1967 psychedelic music and psychedelic bands were growing in popularity. It was the Summer of Love, and despite footage in this video from the Vietnam War, it wasn't a protest song. A Whiter Shade of Pale became one of the summer's most popular songs.
I had the pleasure to see Procol Harum … (5 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Crosby, Stills, Nash - 06/05/22 07:59 AM
Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) are a folk-rock supergroup made up of American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills, and English singer-songwriter Graham Nash.
The trio began playing together in 1968 when each member left their prior band. Stills had exited Buffalo Springfield, Nash left The Hollies, and Crosby split with The Byrds. They soon discovered their sound meshed together well. They recorded their first album Crosby, Stills, & Nash in 1969. The trio later added Neil Young to create Crosby, Still, Nash & Young in time for their legendary performance at Woodstock in 1969.
While Young added a harder rock element to … (8 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Firefall - 06/02/22 12:10 PM
Every so often a band comes along that has great success, however if you mention their name in conversation no one remembers who they are. Yet when their song comes on the radio it is easily recognized. One of those bands are a group of artists from Boulder, Colorado that called themselves Firefall.
The band's biggest hit single, "You Are the Woman", peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard charts in 1976. Other hits included “Strange Way” (#11 in 1978), "Cinderella" (#34 in 1977), "Headed for a Fall" (#35 in 1980), and "Staying with It" (#37 in 1981).
I enjoy listening to their music … (4 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Cat Stevens - 06/01/22 06:28 PM
Cat Stevens is a name that has seen its share of controversy during a long and successful career. Born Steven Demetre Georgiou he adopted the stage name Cat Stevens in the 1960s. His combination of folk rock along with his story telling style made him popular throughout the early 1970s.
His albums Tea for the Tillerman (1970) and Teaser and the Firecat (1971) were certified triple platinum in the US. Then in 1972 his album Catch Bull at Four went to No.1 on Billboard Pop Albums and spent weeks at the top of several major charts.
Stevens, born in the U.K., wrote our … (2 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Jackson Browne - 06/01/22 10:42 AM
Singer/Songwriter Jackson Browne has been a popular artist since the 1960s. Starting out as a young song writer he helped pen hits for popular bands like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and The Eagles, who credit him with teaching them the finer points of song writing. It took him a few years to find his sound before recording his own album in 1972. His success continued eventually evolving into his fourth and most successful album, The Pretender.
Growing up in Southern California Browne became known as an activist coming out as a leader in several environmental causes. He configured his own home … (0 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Mama's & Papa's - 05/31/22 04:32 PM
Back in the 1960s folk music made its way into the rock charts. The turbulent counterculture produced protest song after protest song and the folk sound fit the bill. Yet not all folk-rock songs were protest songs. Some simply offered a feeling of serenity or lament.
Around 1965 John & Michelle Phillips along with Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty performed and recorded music as The Mamas & The Papas. The Mamas & the Papas released five studio albums and 17 singles over a short four-year span. Six of their songs made the Billboard top 10. and have sold close to 40 million … (10 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Rod Stewart - 05/31/22 11:30 AM
My, my, my… When it comes to music, it seems that Rod Stewart has enjoyed more lives than a Siamese cat. Rod started out as a hard rocker in the ‘60 with the band Faces. Today he is best known for being a crooner of old standards. Along the way, he mastered several different sounds. Stewart seemed to prove that he can sing anything. Rock, disco, country, ballads, even Christmas music.
There were a lot of Rod Stewart songs to choose from, but today I chose to highlight "You're in My Heart”. The song released in 1977 was a top ten single … (6 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Rolling Stones - 05/31/22 08:02 AM
What makes a song an oldie? Is it just the age or is it because the sound no longer attracts a modern audience? Some bands defy the accepted logic. Their songs regardless of when they were recorded still sound like they could be recorded today and would still be popular.
The Rolling Stones are one of those groups. Some will argue they may be the greatest Rock & Roll band, although we have seen and listened to so many great bands it is difficult to anoint anyone with that honor.
Today’s song is The Rolling Stones performing "Jumpin' Jack Flash". The video recorded … (6 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Dave Mason - 05/31/22 07:57 AM
Some performers spend their whole life toiling as members of bands that never quite break into the top of the charts. Then when you see them live in concert you recognize what a great talent they possess. One performer that I enjoy seeing live on stage is Dave Mason.
Mason’s early success was with the rock band Traffic where he was overshadowed by Steve Winwood. He spent years as a session player with every big-name star from Paul McCartney to Michael Jackson. He even enjoyed a brief stint with Fleetwood Mac in the 1990s.
In 1970 he released a solo album that featured … (5 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Beach Boys - 05/30/22 09:31 AM
I think everyone young and old knows The Beach Boys and their music. A dominant force in the music industry in the 1960s, they popularized the California surfing sound. When the rock sounds transitioned to more hard rock and psychedelic sounds, their record sales waned. Still, The Beach Boys became one of the most popular live acts in the world performing a mix of their old surfing sound songs and newer pop material which pleased mostly their older nostalgic fans.
In 1988, Kokomo was a surprising number one hit on the charts in the U.S., the Beach Boys' first in 22 years. … (6 comments)

scottsdale fun: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2022 - Lovin' Spoonful - 05/29/22 11:58 AM
Yesterday started the conversation on the hot weather in Phoenix this time of year. We going to stick with that theme one more day. Because every time I hear today's song, I think that John Sebastian wrote this song with Phoenix in mind.
Summer in the City, performed by The Lovin’ Spoonful zoomed up the charts to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1966. Sebastian claims the song was written to describe New York city which can be hot during the daytime but cools down at night. To make the city theme authentic the band added car horns, a jackhammer … (7 comments)