Ella Langley - Choosin' Texas

If you listen to music on the radio you've heard this song.  In a way its a throwback to the 1970s when radio stations would play all sorts of genres - Johnny Cash, Rolling Stones, Engelbert Humperdink.

This is clearly a country song, but it has been all over pop radio - It set the record for the longest running single on the Billboard Hot 100 in history.  A song that tells a story that everyone has experienced gives it broad appeal.

And it's quite a good song.  The Queen Of The World really likes it, as do I.  People who like old school country will like it, since it really channels the Old School.  People who don't like country probably will like it (that Billboard Hot 100 thing).

The Queen and I shall watch young miss Langley's career with great interest.

Choosin' Texas (songwriters: Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick, Joybeth Taylor):

Just when I thought I got him to fall in love with Tennessee
I shoulda known better than to take him back to Abilene
I put him right back into her arms
I wasn't a match for that kind of spark

She's from Texas, I can tell by the way
He's two-steppin' 'round the room
And judgin' by the smile that's written on his face
There's nothin' I can do
It doesn't take a crystal ball to see
A cowboy always finds a way to leave
Drinkin' Jack all by myself
He's choosin' Texas, I can tell

Well, I guess he forgot about the Smoky Mountain rain
Them old Hank tunes, the Memphis blues we used to sing
He always loved "Amarillo by Morning"
I should've taken that as a warnin'

She's from Texas, I can tell by the way
He's two-steppin' 'round the room
And judgin' by the smile that's written on his face
There's nothin' I can do
It doesn't take a crystal ball to see
A cowboy always finds a way to leave
Drinkin' Jack all by myself
He's choosin' Texas, I can tell

When I'm eastbound and down, and I can't help but cry
'Cause I-40 gets lonelier with every mile
I'll know that his mind wasn't ever gonna change
'Cause his heart still belongs to the Lone Star State

She's from Texas, I can tell by the way
He's two-steppin' 'round the room
And judgin' by the smile that's written on his face
There's nothin' I can do, naw, yeah
It doesn't take a crystal ball to see
A cowboy always finds a way to leave
Drinkin' Jack all by myself
He's choosin' Texas, I can tell, no
Drinkin' Jack all by myself
He's choosin' Texas, I can tell

Come on, baby
Just when I thought I got him to fall in love with Tennessee

 

Dolly Parton - Stairway to Heaven

It's rare that we see an honest-to-goodness saint these days.  It's even rarer to see one in the entertainment industry.  Dolly Parton was one.

This is a photo from when she opened a branch of her Imagination Library in London (of all places, but it was at the start of her 2008 "Backwoods Barbie" European tour).

Her father never learned to read, growing up in Depression era eastern Tennessee, but she always said that he was really intelligent and always wondered what he could have done if he had had access to books.  So she started her Imagination Library 31 years ago.

The charity has given away a third of a billion children's books.  I don't think that I've seen anyone in my lifetime (celebrity or not) that has had this big a positive influence world wide.

As I said, a saint.

Her enormous success as an entertainer allowed her to do this.  Here is a quick recap of just how enormous that success was.  Note that the numbers are low because I took them from a 16 year old post, so she was even bigger than this:

• She was called the "Iron Butterfly" for her tough business negotiation, having turned down Elvis' (Elvis!) request to cover I will Always Love You. He wanted too much money - half of all royalties in perpetuity. She said no. 
• She was Entertainer of the Year - one of only seven women who have ever been given this award. 
• 45 Grammy nominations, 7 awards (she wuz robbed). Two Academy Award nominations.
• Ms. Magazine Woman of the Year. Country Music Hall of Fame, and Songwriter's Hall of Fame. 
• A 2003 tribute album to her featured covers of her songs by Melissa Etheridge, Allison Kraus, Shania Twain, Norah Jones, and Sinead O'Connor. Yowzer.
• American Idol had a "Dolly Parton" night where everyone had to perform one of her 6000 (!) songs. 

Yet she said that the greatest honor she's received is a bronze statue on the Courthouse lawn in her hometown. She was more properly called Dr. Dolly Parton - she received an honorary degree for her decades of work to increase literacy. Eastern Tennessee had a real problem with that when she was born in 1946.

Through it all, she's kept her sense of humor. Famous (or infamous) for her showy outfits and huge wigs (among - ahem - other things), she has been known to say "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."  When Dolly was originally on the UK TV's Graham Norton Show, Graham was wearing quite a loud suit, for which he apologized. Without batting an eye, Dolly said Don't you worry yourself, my aunt had a sofa just like it. It was instant chemistry, and Norton and Parton became great friends, to the point where he recorded a duet of Islands In The Stream with her at her theme park, Dollywood.

Unusually for an entertainment celebrity, she was married to her husband, Carl Dean, for almost 60 years until his death.  When asked if she was going to remarry, she demurred, saying I don’t think I’ll ever be married but once. I think Carl’s waiting for me on the other side, and if I turned up at the pearly gates with somebody else, he wouldn’t like that! He’d be saying, ‘Who’s that little [bleep]? You leave him outside the gates and if the Lord wants him in here, you get on in here with me!

Needless to say, The Queen Of The World and I are huge Dolly Parton fans.  There's a real sense of loss in her passing, that we shall not see her like again.  But our loss is Heaven's gain.  Like I said, a saint.

So long, Dolly.  Thanks for making the World a better place.

Rest In Peace and rise in Glory, Dolly Parton

The Queen Of The World and I are saddened by the passing of Dolly Parton.  But neither of us are unsure of whether she has been reunited with her husband of 60 years on the far side of the Pearly Gates.  While she was not in this version of the song, I'd be astonished if she would not have been able to sing this from memory. 

Radney Foster - Angel Flight (Radio Tower Remix)

This weekend is Memorial Day, the traditional BBQ kickoff to summer.  But on these shores, it's the day to remember the fallen from past - and current - wars.  The day was originally called Decoration Day, the date was at the very beginning of summer so that wild flowers would be available everywhere for families to decorate the graves of their fallen loved ones.

Many had no graves to decorate, as their loved one had an anonymous foreign grave for their final rest.  Today the Texas Air National Guard (and others) bring the fallen home on "Angel Flights".  This weekend, remember them.  Both the quick and the dead.

Chuck Norris - The Eyes of the Ranger Are Upon You

Rest in peach, sir. 

The Eyes of the Ranger Are Upon You (Songwriter: Tirk Wilder)

In the Eyes of a Ranger, the unsuspecting Stranger, 
had better know the truth of wrong from night
Cause the rule of law and order starts at the Texas border, 
with the lone Star of the Ranger shining bright. 

For the Eyes of a Ranger are upon you;
Any wrong you do, he's gonna see.
When you're in Texas look behind you; 
for that's where the Ranger's gonna be.

In the Heart of a Ranger he'll never know the danger; 
from desperate men with nothing left to lose, 
the Ranger keeps on coming; so there ain't no sense in running, 
cause he's bound and sure to make you pay your dues.

For the Eyes of a Ranger are upon you;
Any wrong you do, he's gonna see.
When you're in Texas look behind you; 
for that's where the Ranger's gonna be.

When a Ranger's on your Trail, he won't know how to fail, 
and you can't buy him off at any price; 
so if you decide to ramble, and with your life you'd gamble, 
know where you are before you roll the dice.

For the Eyes of a Ranger are upon you;
Any wrong you do, he's gonna see.
When you're in Texas look behind you; for
that's where the Ranger's gonna be.

If you see him coming' round the outskirts of town, 
never take that Ranger for a ride.
For the Eyes of a Ranger are upon you;
Any wrong you do, he's gonna see.
When you're in Texas look behind you; for
that's where the Ranger's gonna be. 

Yes, that's sung by Chuck himself.

But this is the song that I associate the most with him.  R.I.P. 

Paddy Treacy - Charlie's Bar

Country music is alive and well in the Emerald Isle.  Glór Tíre is a long running and highly rated country music talent competition on Ireland's TG4 channel.  The last season's winner was Paddy Treacy with this song.  It's Irish (for sure) but it is indisputably country.  I love this video - it looks like he and his mates had a blast filming it. 

Country Comfort - Waimanalo Blues

I stumbled across this and like it.  Not sure if it's Country or not, but if it's finger-pickin' then you're at least Country adjacent. 

Johnny Horton - Battle Of New Orleans

We are fresh off of President's Day, and this is one of the few country songs that name-checks a President. 

Ronnie Dunn - Cost Of Livin'

Farewell to the Washington Post.  Journalists never cared when mills across the land shut down and people and towns were wiped out; now it's wailing like the End Of The World by journalists, for journalists.

I'm having trouble summoning up sympathy.  Welcome to the club, pal.

Brad Paisley & Steven Tyler - Run Run Rudolph

You're welcome. 

Johnny Cash - White Christmas

This is a very Country take on the old classic. 

Alan Jackson - "Let It Be Christmas"

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs.  Country music can tend to the sentimental, and all the best Christmas music does too.  The marriage of these combine beautifully.  If you're not a fan of the sentimental, you might want to pass this by.  But if you're like me, then enjoy.

Anne Murray - "Winter Wonderland"

Anne Murray was huge on country radio in the 1970s and 80s, but has sadly dropped off the airways since then.  Maybe it was because she was more "Old COuntry" than the new wave of the 90s and beyond.

That's a pitty, as she had a wonderful voice.  Somewhat reminiscent of Julie Andrews, at least in this Christmas classic. 

Toby Keith - Rum Is the Reason

This is a fun song that could have been by Jimmy Buffett.

Rum Is The Reason (Songwriters: Toby Keith, Bobby Pinson)

I heard Davey Crockett had a pint in his pocket, good whiskey at the Alamo
Now that Pancho Villa had a jug of tequila
When he walked the streets of old Mexico
While Blackbeard was fleecing around the hurricane season
He didn't quit because of a girl
Yeah, rum is the reason pirates never ruled the world

 

While Russia was brawling
I'll bet that old Stalin was calling for a vodka martini
While the world waited in fear
Old Hitler drank beer from a stein, eating sauerkraut and weenies
Yeah, down through the ages, as they're turning their pages
They couldn't drink the diamonds and pearls
No, rum is the reason pirates never ruled the world

 

I ain't getting much done, but I'm having fun sailing on the deep blue sea
My whole body goes numb from a bottle of dark rum, and the sun sinking down on me
My catch of the day is a tall Cuba Libre chasing down with a 12-ounce curl
Yeah, rum is the reason pirates never ruled the world

 

I ain't getting much done, but I'm having fun sailing on the deep blue sea
My whole body goes numb from a bottle of dark rum, and the sun sinking down on me
My catch of the day is a tall Cuba Libre chasing down with a 12-ounce curl
Oh, rum is the reason, I guess
Hey, rum is the reason pirates never ruled the world

Happy Solstice

Today is the day with the longest period of daylight (in the Northern Hemisphere; in the Southern it's the longest night).

Here in the Sunshine State we're not far enough north to really see much difference.  Today's daylight will last 13-ish hours which isn't too noticeable.  The reverse is true in Winter, when the daylight only lasts 11-ish hours.

But in Maine where I grew up (pretty close to 45 degrees North latitude) it will be 15:30 hours of light.  Mom always hated winter because with only 9 hours or so of daylight it got dark around 4:00 in the afternoon.

But could be worse: Oslo (in the absolute south of Norway) will have almost 19 hours of daylight today.  Maybe this is why Scandinavian films are so depressing - winter gives them only 5 hours of daylight.

So enjoy the sun (assuming you don't live in the Antipodes).  And be thankful you don't live near Stonehenge.  The freaks come out in force today. 

Image re-enacted from the Wik

But eventually the sun will go down today (OK, not if you're in Fairbanks).  Take us away, Kenny ...

Dan Fogelberg - Run for the Roses

Toby Keith raised thoroughbreds.  His dream was to have one in the Kentucky Derby. Sadly he died before seeing his horse run in today's Derby.

Run like the wind, Render Judgement.

George Strait and Chris Stapleton - Honky Tonk Hall Of Fame

It's a new year, and the surprise here is that everything new is old again.  Well, some things in country music are new but sound old.  With Byonce trying to break into the country charts, this song is a breath of fresh air.

Jimmy Buffett - Mele Kalikimaka

A great Parrot Head version of the song made famous by Bing Crosby.

Faith Hill - Where Are You Christmas?

The Queen Of The World and I watched the 1999 live action Grinch movie and quite enjoyed it.  This song got prominent play, for obvious reasons.

Alan Jackson - Let It Be Christmas