Category: The Evening Pause
A nightly pause from the news to give the reader/viewer a bit of classic entertainment.
Frank Sinatra – The House I Live In
An evening pause: Since it is July 4th, and the news is filled with depressing outrages from ignorant social justice warriors who have no knowledge at all about the just and noble roots that founded the United States, I think it necessary to post this magnificent song performed by Frank Sinatra.
Written and produced in 1945, as World War II was ending, the short film tried to encapsulate in one short song the true meaning of the American experiment. This version below includes the lead-in scene to show the context for the song, as sung in the film. Some might find that opening overly preachy, but in the context of World War II and the recent discovery then of the Nazi death camps, it is heartfelt, real, and quite accurate. Please watch it all, and recognize this is what the United States — now being condemned routinely by leftist hate-mongers — is really about.
The song begins by asking, “What is America to me?” It answers it clearly in the final verse:
The town I live in
The street, the house, the room
The pavement of the city
Or a garden all in bloom
The church, the school, the clubhouse
The million lights I see
But especially the people
that’s American to me. [emphasis mine]
And that means all the people, not just those who agree with you.
1776 – Hatching an Egg
A mid-day pause: Posted by me on almost every Fourth of July since this site was founded, it is time to do it again. From the 1976 movie version of the 1972 musical, 1776. As I said in those earlier posts, “not only did the musical capture the essence of the men who made independency happen, it is also a rollicking and entertaining work of art.”
And as John Kennedy said of himself, ourselves, and these founding fathers. “We stand for freedom.”
Andy Griffith & Joanna Moore – Down in the Valley
An evening pause: More Americana for this Independence Day week. From 1960s television, The Andy Griffith Show.
Hat tip Edward Thelen.
Lacy J Dalton – The Boys of 16th Avenue
An evening pause: It’s Independence Week. Let’s keep that Americana sound going!
Hat tip Tom Biggar.
Judy Garland & Deanna Durbin – Americana
An evening pause: From the short 1936 film, Every Sunday, made essentially as a screen test for the two young future stars.
Hat tip Edward Thelen.
Wiener Glasharmonika Duo – Musicbox
An evening pause: And in this case, the music is most appropriately written by Philip Glass.
Hat tip Danae.
Elblag Canal
Josh Ritter – Joy To You Baby
Malcolm Dalglish – Solo on the hammer dulcimer
An evening pause: Dalglish performed, wrote, and recorded some of the best hammered dulcimer music ever. I wish there had been some better camera angles on his fingerwork, but watch how he actually starts to play the dulcimer almost like a guitar.
Hat tip Diane Wilson.
Adi Hayat & Inbal Paz – Old and Wise
Trop Rock Junkies – Living The Life
An evening pause: This seems right for the first day of summer.
Hat tip Edward Thelen, who here demonstrates that good videos can be found on outlets other than youtube.
Hideaway Backstage – Trop Rock Junkies "Living The Life" from Pilot Moon Films on Vimeo.
Sandy Denny – Late November
Gentle Giant – Advent of Panurge
Quey Percussion Duo – As One
An evening pause: The title I think refers to the obvious fact that the two players really do seem to play as one.
Hat tip Danae.
Camera Obscura – Eighties Fan
Edward Elgar – Jerusalem
An evening pause: The words are by William Blake. Here it is, as traditionally performed, with big audience participation, at the last night of the annual Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, 2012. The video closes with God Save the Queen.
Hat tip John Vernoski.
Sofia Rei Trio – John Zorn Masada Book 3
An evening pause: Sofía Rei-vocals, JC Maillard-saz bass, and Tupac Mantilla-percussion.
Hat tip Diane Wilson.
Brandon Ridenour & Jeremy Jordan – Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
An evening pause: Ridenour, on trumpet, arranged the song in the style of early jazz, which isn’t surprising because that’s exactly the stylistic roots of the song, as created by the Beatles.
Hat tip Danae.
Kate Tempest – Brand New Ancients
An evening pause: Something different, profound, and riveting. Listen. Listen close. It refers to you.
Hat tip Mike Nelson.
The NCL Band – Littlest Birds
Ashley Campbell – Pancho and Lefty
An evening pause: This stellar performance by Glen Campbell’s daughter actually allowed me to hear the words of the song for the first time, and thus I ask, was Lefty Pancho’s killer, or was Lefty Pancho himself? Either way, a beautiful poem performed beautifully.
Hat tip Tom Biggar.
Ralph Vaughn Williams – English Folk Song Suite III
Matt Johnson – Texas
Glenn Close – With One Look
An evening pause: My gosh, I didn’t know she could sing! From the Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical of Sunset Boulevard.
Hat tip Danae.
Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’
Ólafur Arnalds – Saman
The Dixie Dregs – The Bash
John Williams – Olympic Fanfare
An evening pause: I think I’ve posted this previously, but I can’t find it, and so what. It’s worth listening to again.
Hat tip Danae.
Yuja Wang – Mozart’s Turkish March
An evening pause: I don’t know the piece well enough to be sure, but I think that she is doing a lot of really amazing improvisation here. And make sure you look of admiration on the face of the musician behind her as he watches her play.
Hat tip Diane Wilson.