Category: The Evening Pause
A nightly pause from the news to give the reader/viewer a bit of classic entertainment.
Merle Haggard – If I Could Only Fly
Ann Miller – I’ve Gotta Hear That Beat
An evening pause: From the 1953 film Small Town Girl. Proves once again that America was not hostile to highlighting women in all things in the past. They simply had to have the talent, skill, and determination to earn that spotlight.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
They Might Be Giants – Instanbul (Not Constantinople)
Leonid & Friends – Superstar
Ron Kenoly- Ancient of Days
An evening pause: Great gospel song, performed magnificently by Kenoly, his orchestra, and the audience.
Hat tip James Street.
Valentina Lisitsa – Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
An evening pause: Performed live 2010. This is a person who is in contact with her inner piano.Her fingerwork is astonishingly natural and at ease.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
Don Ellis – Concerto For Trumpet
An evening pause: Performed live on the Ed Sullivan Show, 1969.
Hat tip to Alec Gimarc, who notes the Ellis sadly died shortly thereafter from a heart attac at the age of 44.
Yellow Dandies & Miss Moonshine – Buckdancing to Fastest Bluegrass Fiddle Tune Ever
An evening pause: A nice energetic way to head into the weekend. Performed live 2022.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
Night Ranger – (You can still) Rock In America
An evening pause: Performed live 1983.
Hat tip Terry, who notes, “From a long ago age when the US flag was not considered a “hate” symbol.”
Sorry about the lack of an evening pause last night. I forgot to post.
Larkin Poe – Mad As A Hatter
July 8, 2024 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast
Embedded below the fold in two parts.
To listen to all of John Batchelor’s podcasts, go here.
» Read more
OK Go – This Too Shall Pass
An evening pause: When this was released in 2010 it quickly went viral, with every website embedding or linking to it. At the time I was not yet doing the Evening Pause. It is not too late to post it now!
Hat tip James Street.
Orson Welles – Battle Hymn of the Republic
An evening pause: Performed live on the Dean Martin Show sometime in 1967-1968, during the height of the Vietnam War and anti-war protests.
Hat tip Mike Nelson.
July 4 mid-day pause: 1776
Let’s celebrate Independence Day with the brilliant film version of the 1972 Broadway musical, 1776. It is not only great because of the wonderful music and witty dialogue, it is great because it actually captures quite accurately the real personalities of these Founding Fathers.
Focus – Hocus Pocus
Lexington Lab Band – Waiting for a Girl Like You
Chad & Jeremy – A Summer Song
An evening pause: Performed live on American Bandstand on November 28, 1964, though the music is almost certainly lip synched.
Hat tip Diane Zimmerman.
Clap Yo’ Hands – Fred Astaire & Kay Thompson
An evening pause: From the 1957 musical Funny Face. I only saw this film for the first time last week, and as I watched this scene I was most amused by Astaire’s dance moves in the second half of this number. “Why, Astaire is doing Gene Kelly!” I exclaimed to Diane.
Both men had their own styles. Kelly was into grand film presentations, acrobatics, and the soft shoe. Fred Astaire was into dance, in all its forms. If you are familiar with Kelly’s dance style you will see immediately how Astaire is parodying it, but with great respect.
Astaire’s partner in this number is Kay Thompson, in her only starring movie role. Thompson had an amazing artistic career, from writer (the Eloise children’s books) to vocal coach for Judy Garland and Gene Kelly to recording artist to night club performer. It is a shame we don’t have more films of her singing and dancing.
Susan Boyle – I Dreamed a Dream
An evening pause: This was her first appearance as a singer, on the television show Britain’s Got Talent, airing on April 11, 2009. It is a glorious TV moment. Much of it I think was planned, at least by the producers, though the judges and audience almost certainly had no idea what they were about to hear. Enjoy. Fun to watch over and over.
Hat tip James Street.
Rita Hayworth – Put The Blame On Mame
An evening pause: From the 1946 film, Gilda, which could be considered one of Hollywood’s first film noir classics. The song was sung by Anita Ellis for Hayworth.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
Katelyn Emerson – Dupré’s I Preludio: Allegro agitato
An evening pause: The organ is in Methuen Memorial Music Hall in Massachusetts.
Hat tip Alton Blevins.
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Something For Nothing
Galapagos Islands – Blue footed Boobies dancing
An evening pause: Short but sweet, and somehow I think is perfect to begin summer.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
Yes – It Can Happen
Nini – OverMortal
An evening pause: The music appears to come from a video game, which this video heavily promotes. No matter. She performs it using both a classic Chinese instrument and a modern electric guitar, and the contrast is striking.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
Hothouse Flowers – I Can See Clearly Now
Luca Stricagnoli – For A Few Dollars More
An evening pause: A magnificent cover of this classic Ennio Morricone film score. If you want to hear a compliation of all of Morricone’s western scores, go here.
For me however Morricone’s score for Cinema Paradiso remains my favorite.
Hat tip Mike Nelson.
Sylcom Light – Venetian glass artistry
Arthur Brown & Hamburg Blues Band – I Put A Spell On You
An evening pause: Performed live 2012. A most eccentric performance.
Hat tip Alec Gimarc, who notes about Brown, “Most notable for a 4-octave voice and performing with a lit device on his head at the time [1969]. … Impressed he is still alive.”