Adrastos, Climate Change, Diary, Film, Music, Odds & Sods, Political Crack, R.I.P., Television

Saturday Odds & Sods: Untouchable

Lucky Daredevils by Reginald Marsh.

We learned this week that the waters off Florida are hot tub hot. I suspect the water on the Gret Stet Gulf coast is likely as hot. The Saharan dust may have aggravated my allergies, but it’s kept the Tropics tranquil. There’s a long way to go in hurricane season and August is usually active. Stay tuned.

This week’s theme song was written by Chris Braide and Glenn Tilbrook for Glenn’s 2004 album Transatlantic Ping Pong. It was recorded in Nashville and my friend Kyle the drummer played on six tracks including Untouchable. It was one of his career highlights. I thought I should Squeeze that in since Kyle is a recurring character on First Draft.

We have two versions of Untouchable for your listening pleasure: Glenn’s studio original and Fairport Convention with Chris Leslie on lead vocals.

Taylor Swift makes her Odds & Sods debut with *her* song Untouchable:

Garbage has their own Untouchable:

We begin our second act with a follow-up to last week’s Tony Bennett tribute.

Remembering Tony Bennett: I didn’t plan to post about Anthony Benedetto again but there’s an exceptional piece by Hillary Hughes at Vulture. The title says it all: Tony Bennett Kept Coming Back Into Style.

Here’s a song from 1992’s Perfectly Frank, an album that helped recharge Tony’s career. It’s one of my favorite Rodgers and Hart tunes, featuring wicked and witty lyrics by Larry Hart.

Sinead O’Connor R.I.P. Sinead O’Connor was a gifted artist who led a troubled life. She made a lot of fine music before her death at the age of 56. Her BBC obituary closes with this marvelous quote from Sinead: “”I always say, if you live with the devil, you find out there’s a god.”

As to Sinead’s legendary 1992 papal protest on SNL, I was on her side then and now. Ireland was still effectively a theocracy at that point. In any church-state conflict, the church always prevailed. Shorter Adrastos: The Catholic Church had it coming.

Writer Mikal Gilmore shared his thoughts about Sinead on Facebook:

If you haven’t read my First Draft colleague Jamie O’s outstanding piece Turns Out, Sinead O’Connor Was Right, check it out.

This classic Neil Finn-Sinead O’Connor duet is an excellent epitaph for the late singer:

The last word of our second act goes to Sinead O’Connor:

We begin our third act with our favorite stolen feature.

Separated At Birth Casting Edition: I wrote about George Wallace on Thursday. Right-wing actor Gary Sinise played him in a 1997 mini-series:

I put Wallace on the left because most people are to the left of Gary Sinise. I’m not sure if he’s nuttier than Kelsey Grammer, Jon Voight, or James Woods. Perhaps we should do a nut off. Strike that. It sounds weird

Your Weekly Oscar: Jazz musicians love the melodies of Jerome Kern. OP is no exception.

Have I told you lately how much I love Oscar Peterson?

Saturday GIF Horse: I was pleased to discover that there are many Tony Bennett GIFs out there. Here are two of them:

Miss Piggy and Lady Gaga need no introduction but they’re getting one anyway.

Tweet Of The Week: I wrote about the buoy barricades in Texas the other day. In preparation for a probable Trump indictment, the folks in Atlanta have erected barricades outside the courthouse:

Did they play this Procol Harum song while working?

The Junk Drawer: I have a confession to make. I’m watching and enjoying Stars On Mars. It’s a wacky reality show featuring celebranauts such as Porscha Williams, Lance Armstrong, Marshawn Lynch, Richard Sherman, and my countrywoman Cat Cora.

FYI, Lance Armstrong lives up to his dickish reputation. Oy, just oy.

Here’s the trailer:

Stars On Mars purports to be an experiment but it’s just good trashy fun. What’s not to love about a show with William Shatner at Mission Control? The Martian gang calls him Shatty Daddy. I am not making this up.

I wonder if Marvin the Martian feels snubbed by not being cast on this goofy show.

How about My Favorite Martian? He should be on the show as well.

I’ve painted myself into a corner in this segment. Joni Mitchell is a painter as well as a singer-songwriter, I’ll let her paint our way out of this Martian mess.

Let’s close down this virtual honky tonk with some more music.

Saturday Classic: I tried to find the entire episode of The Doris Day Show on which Tony Bennett guest starred. I struck out but I found this clip:

That’s all for this week. The last word goes to Doris Day and Tony Bennett.