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Continue reading →: Song of the Day #2066
Song of the Day: The Price is Right (“Main Theme”) [YouTube link], composed by Edd Kalehoff, opened this show, which debuted in 1972 on CBS. The show was a reboot of a 1956 game show, hosted by Bill Cullen, which was first shown on NBC and then, ABC. This incarnation…
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Continue reading →: Song of the Day #2065
Song of the Day: Breaking Bad (“Crapa Pelada” aka “Testa Pelata”), based on an old Italian nursery rhyme, features the music of Gorni Kramer and the lyrics of Tata Giacobetti. The original 1936 recording (translated as “Bald Head“—a perfect metaphor for the character Walter White, portrayed by the brilliant Bryan…
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Continue reading →: Song of the Day #2064
Song of the Day: The Untouchables (“Main Theme”) [YouTube link], composed by the great Nelson Riddle, served as the theme for this ABC series that ran from 1959 to 1963. Based on the Eliot Ness memoir, it starred Robert Stack as Ness. I have highlighted before—and absolutely loved—the Ennio Morricone…
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Continue reading →: “Conversion Therapy” & The Tragedy of Alana Chen
This article can also be found on Medium. I have long known about the tragic suicide of Alana Chen, a 24-year old woman who was found dead near the Gross Reservoir in Boulder County, Colorado in December 2019. Chen’s death has been the subject of much controversy. She was a devout Catholic,…
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Continue reading →: Song of the Day #2063
Song of the Day: The Love Boat (“Main Theme”), music by Charlie Fox, lyrics by Paul Williams, opened this ABC series, which ran from 1977 to 1986. They certainly chose the cream of the musical crop to sing it: a rendition by Jack Jones ran for seasons 1 thru 8…
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Continue reading →: Harrison Ford Species!
Harrison Ford may have no Oscars to his credit, but he has quite a menagerie of namesakes! A species of ant (Pheidole harrisonfordi) and a species of spider (Calponia harrisonfordi) are named for him. Moviegoers will remember, however, that as Indiana Jones, Ford famously declared: “I Hate Snakes“. Now, he’s…
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Continue reading →: Robert De Niro: Happy 80th!
Eighty years ago on this date, actor Robert De Niro was born in Manhattan. The recipient of two Oscars, a Golden Globe, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, and Kennedy Center Honors, De Niro has given us an enormously important filmography. His legendary collaborations…
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Continue reading →: Song of the Day #2062
Song of the Day: M*A*S*H (“Suicide is Painless”), music by Johnny Mandel, lyrics by Michael Altman, made its first appearance in the 1970 film “M*A*S*H”, based on the 1968 Richard Hooker novel that takes place during the Korean War (with a clear Vietnam War subtext). It also became the theme…
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Continue reading →: Song of the Day #2061
Song of the Day: Heartstopper (“First Sight”) [YouTube link], composed by Adiescar Chase, is one of the many original themes heard in this coming of age British romantic comedy-drama series that, in its debut 2022 season, won five Children’s and Family Emmy Awards. Based on the Alice Oseman graphic novels,…
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Continue reading →: Song of the Day #2060
Song of the Day: DI4RIES (“Isole”) features the words and music of Giordano Colombo, Amedeo Radaelli, Vincenzo Colella, and Italian singer, Tancredi, who performs the song, which serves as the theme to this coming-of-age Italian Netflix series that debuted in 2022. Its second season begins in September 2023. Offering a…
