The Max Ernst featured image has nothing to do with the post. My motto for featured images for Saturday Odds & Sods is: When in doubt post Ernst, Magritte, or Hopper. It’s worked for me so far.
I’ve been meaning to write about the Odds & Sods writing process for quite some time. There’s no time like the present. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle, I assemble the pieces and, as if by magic, they come together. A friend once told me that they like Odds & Sods because it’s a little bit different and a little bit the same every week.
It’s usually fun to write these posts but even when I struggle, they turn out well; at least I hope so. It’s a labor of love on my passion project. That’s as gooey as I’m gonna get.
This week’s theme song was written by Robbie Robertson for The Band’s 1969 debut album Music From Big Pink. Paired with Garth Hudson’s organ extravaganza The Genetic Method, Chest Fever was usually the set closer at their shows.
Why Chest Fever today? It’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving and I’ve been dining out on attending The Last Waltz for years. Then there’s my Robbie Robertson tribute, It Is A Good Day To Die: Robbie Robertson, R.I.P. It’s one of the most read posts I’ve written in my sixteen years at First Draft.
We have three versions for your listening pleasure: The Band studio OG, live with horns and Garth’s solo, and Three Dog Night.
I don’t have a fever, but I have Peggy Lee on my mind. Why? She was one of my mom’s favorite singers and I’ve been dining out on my Now Be Thankful post for years.
We begin our second act by skipping it altogether. I’m not feeling it this week, so why flounder?
The last word of our phantom second act goes to this novelty tune with a fishy and punny title:
We begin our third act with our favorite stolen feature.
Separated At Birth Casting Edition: I compared Mark Kelly to John Glenn the other day. Glenn won the casting lottery when Ed Harris played him in The Right Stuff. Here’s Ed in the movie capsule:
The film came out when Glenn was running for president. It didn’t help his campaign, but he still had the right stuff:
Your Basic Basie: The title of this Basie composition fits my mood at this time of year.
Have I told you lately how much I love Count Basie?
It’s time for a blast from the recent past:
Have I told you lately how much I love Oscar Peterson? I can’t let go.
The Best Of Rodney Crowell: Here’s Rodney on public media in his hometown. They don’t call him the Houston Kid for nothing.
I can never get enough Rodney:
Classic Movie Trailer: This week, an old favorite: Barry Levinson’s Avalon. It’s about a Jewish immigrant family but applies to all of us whose forebearers crossed the ocean to come to America. Unlike Stephen Miller, I remember where I came from and how I got here.
Grading Time: I give Avalon 4 stars and an Adrastos Grade of A. It’s a stone cold classic.
I just gave myself an earworm. Anyone surprised? I thought not.
Saturday GIF Horse: This jiffy GIF contains an Avalon catch phrase that Dr. A and I turn to at this time of year:
Oy, just oy. Let’s see if Papa John Creach can help with this problem:
Toon Time: Cassandra wrote about the weird standoff between the Boy Scouts and Pete Kegsbreath. This toon nails it:
Let’s close down this virtual honky tonk with some more music.
Saturday Closer: Carlene Carter is one of my favorite singers. I had a mild case of the vapors when she followed me on social media. She’s an even better person than musician: She put her career on hold to take care of her partner Howie Epstein of Heartbreakers fame, then did likewise for Mama June and Stepdaddy Johnny Cash.
Hit it, Carlene:
That’s all for this week. The last word goes to Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, and Rick Danko. I’ll always miss The Band, but we still have their music.
