A nightly pause from the news to give the reader/viewer a bit of classic entertainment.
An evening pause: I posted a Morgan 1992 performance of this classic back in 2012. In 1992 she was performing the song when it was fresh and a just released hit. Almost a quarter century later it remains one of the best songs ever written, and so I think I should post it again, this time in a more recent live performance from 2007.
An evening pause: Really clever and funny routines, especially the last third, when she turns an audience member into her ventriloquist dummy.
Hat tip Tom Biggar.
An evening pause: Performed live in 1980, around the time that Nelson, who had been working in relative obscurity for years, had suddenly been “noticed”.
Hat tip t-dub for reminding me that Nelson deserved more notice, again.
An evening pause: I normally don’t post performances recorded by only one camera, as the visuals can get boring. This performance, however, is an exception definitely worth viewing.
An evening pause: A fine performance by James Garner from a Paddy Chayefski screenplay. While I agree that putting soldiers on pedestals is often a misplaced emotion that can lead to future unnecessary wars, I do not agree that all war is immoral. There are times, as a last resort, when good people have to stand up and fight, if only to prevent bad people from dominating the battlefield. In 1964, when The Americanization of Emily was released, Americans could be forgiven for being hostile to war. After World War II the country had gotten itself into a string of wars, the goals of all having been poorly considered. It was also a time when evil people were well restrained by our willingness to stand up to them.
Today, our fear and hostility to war is allowing evil to run rampant worldwide. It will very soon descend upon our heads if we do not begin to fight back.
Having said that, this is a fine and thoughtful scene from a fine and thoughtful movie, raising many profound thoughts about the nature and consequences of war. Hat tip to Phil Berardelli, author of Phil’s Favorite 500: Loves of a Moviegoing Lifetime.
An evening pause: Performed live, Giants Stadium, June 17, 1979. The song is good, of course, but the improvisations are much better.
Hat tip Danae.
An evening pause: The song was written for Lieberman after she saw Don McLean perform in concert, but was made a big hit by Roberta Flack in 1973. Here, Lieberman shows us how its done.
Hat tip Danae.
An evening pause: Bolling, on the piano, and Jean-Pierre Rampal, on the flute, let it all hang out.
Hat tip Danae.
An evening pause: Time for more silliness, with a bit of gentle humor making fun of those among us who are most philosophical.
Hat tip Diane Zimmerman.
An evening pause: A remarkable performance, using juggling to play music. Stay with it, it only gets better.
Hat tip Danae.
An evening pause: One of the many classic scenes from the classic Hollywood masterpiece, Adam’s Rib (1949).
Another hat tip to Phil Berardelli, author of Phil’s Favorite 500: Loves of a Moviegoing Lifetime.
An evening pause: This is truly a great performance, worth watching and listening to. I just wish it wasn’t so darkly lit.
Hat tip Danae.
An evening pause: A fitting song as we move into the heart of spring. Performed live as a tribute to George Harrison at the 2009 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall Fame Concert at Madison Square Garden.
Hat tip Danae.
An evening pause: The violin player, Daniil Bulayev, is especially impressive, being only 8 years old.
Hat tip Danae.
An evening pause: A classic comedy scene from Woody Allen’s Annie Hall (1977). What especially makes the scene work is how realistic he portrays what it was like to stand in a movie line in New York in the 1970s.
Another hat tip to Phil Berardelli, author of Phil’s Favorite 500: Loves of a Moviegoing Lifetime.
An evening pause: I worry at how badly the people at the bottom might be hurt when the tower fails. Nonetheless, this competition is a testament to the wild and crazy things humans will do for fun.
Hat tip Danae.
An evening pause: I especially like the energy of the song and performance. Everyone is moving, all the time. Can you imagine this happening during a symphonic performance of one of Beethoven’s symphonies in Europe in the early 1800s?
Hat tip Danae.
An evening pause: It has been a few years since I last posted a Fleet Foxes animation. Time to revisit their surreal vision.
An evening pause: Nicely place, with beautiful lyrics. Like Danae has noted in a previous evening pause, however, I would prefer if she wouldn’t do the modern slurring of the words.
Nonetheless, ’tis a great song. Hat tip to Tony R.
An evening pause: Lou Costello probably works for the federal government these days.
Hat tip Tom Biggar.
