Keeping with the theme, here's "Autumn Song" by Van Morrison

More Autumn

An upbeat version of,  September in The Rain,  recorded in 1937,  by The Rhythm Wreckers.  I heard it a number of years ago on the internet music channel, Swing Street Radio.  At that time it wasn't available on YouTube, but I checked yesterday and saw that it's now there, so here is.

Since we are in a "rainy climate", it is worth recalling the song "Rainy Night in Georgia" written by Tony Joe White in 1967.
Here performed by Brook Benton.

The original version of what's now known as "Midnight Train to Georgia". This appeared on Jim Weatherly's 1972 debut album Weatherly. In early 1973, Cissy Houston released "Midnite Train to Georgia". Gladys Knight and company got hold of it by August of 1973 and of course had a huge hit with it.

Brazilian jazz musician Sergio Mendes died earlier this month at the age of 84. Here's a cover of The Beatles' "Fool on the Hill" by Mendes and his group Brasil 66.

A great bluegrass rendition of Jonathan Edwards' "Don't Cry Blue". Edwards is best remembered for the song "Sunshine", which was a top 10 hit in the US and Canada in 1971. This one was never released as a single but has since become one of his more popular songs.

Today is the 68th birthday, of  "one hit wonder" singer Debby Boone.  She recorded the song  You Light Up My Life,  in 1977.  It was a huge hit, and held the No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for ten consecutive weeks in 1977 and topped Record World magazine's Top 100 Singles Chart for a record 13 weeks.  She is the daughter of pop singer Pat Boone, who had lots of hits in the 50's and 60's.  He is still living, and turned 90 in June, this year. 

Debby is 68 now. She was 20 when she recorded "You Light Up My Life" and had turned 21 by the time it hit #1 in October of 77.

Found this tonight. This was one of two versions of this song recorded in 1938 (the other being by Tex Fletcher's Lonely Cowboys, apparently recorded about a week and a half before this version and released in March of 1938, while this was released in April), and one of only three known recordings of the English version (it has been adapted into Swedish twice and also into Norwegian, and those versions seem to be a bit more popular).

Michael,  The Patsy Montana song, reminded me of a CW video my daughter sent me last week.  She heard it while she was driving, and liked it so much that she searched and found it on YouTube as soon as she got home.  This group is apparently very popular throughout the San Joaquin Valley of California.  The Valley and up into the High Sierra  is mostly cowboy country - farms, fruit orchards, oil wells, ranches, etc.  Completely different from where we live here in the San Francisco  Bay Area.  I was surprised that she was so impressed, and glad that she's becoming interested in music that's different from what she usually listens to.   

With Halloween approaching in a little over a month, it's time to break out the crazy spooky songs. Here's a fun one by a guy who hosted a late-night horror movie show on a local TV station in the 1970s. This record was released in 1971.

Sleepy time -

Not for the lion it isn't (One of the channels I subscribe to on YouTube just uploaded this today)

Still sleepy -

Back to the fun of the silly novelty horror tunes. Here's one from Bob McFadden (of "The Mummy" fame). This song was originally in Italian. Rod McKuen ("Dor" on "The Mummy" and a few others) wrote the English lyrics.

Back to the fun of the silly novelty ------

An interesting take on an Elvis classic. Roger Miller was one of a kind.

Not too late for a September Song.

Another by Shearing that I like. ---

Rick, I really enjoyed "September in the Rain".   Shearing was perfect, as always!    He sounded okay in "Lullabye of Birdland", but the recording itself was of poor quality.  I could barely hear Peggy Lee at all.  I think the intro at the beginning said it was recorded off of a television show, so that would explain it.

Following the minor success of 1959's "The Mummy" (which barely cracked the top 40 in the US), Bob McFadden and Rod McKuen (aka "Dor") released an entire album of Halloween/monster themed novelty tunes called Songs Our Mummy Taught Us (a takeoff on the Everly Brothers' 1958 album Songs Our Daddy Taught Us). Among the fun tracks on that album is this... A parody of "Sheik of Araby", complete with a cha cha beat.

Michael, I had an entire album of Rod McKuen's poems read with orchestral accompaniment. I am going to have to look it up. I had a favorite. If I find it I will post it. Haven't thought of McKuen in years.

Okay, I found something. This is not the album cover I remember, but it is the music. The music was composed by Anita Kerr:

Not real fond of the music, but I liked the poem Earthquake:

The Mud Kids:

Odd that I like The Mud Kids better, now, than Earthquake. Must be my age.

I had no idea that McKuen was a singer/songwriter and composer as well as a poet. 

RIP Kris Kristofferson. One of the great American songwriters and a great singer as well. This is the original version of this song, which was later a huge hit for Janis Joplin.

I'm feeling sad tonight, about the death of Kris Kristofferson.  I liked all of the songs he wrote, as well as the movies he starred in.  He was such a versatile performer.  Tonight I watched a tribute to him, on the NewsNation TV Channel.  It was a wonderful  retrospective on his life.  Here's one of my favorites,  sung by him and Rita Coolidge, who was his wife at the time. 
Rest In Peace Kris.

Another great one from Kris Kristofferson. This was a huge hit for Ray Price in early 1971.

When movies were a bit different.

My favorite Disney song, from the movie, Pinocchio:  When You Wish Upon a Star.  So many different  versions of this song on YouTube.  This one, by Linda Ronstadt is beautiful.  Wait for that high note at the end.