Tag: entertainment

Secretariat – Triple Crown Races

6:01 pm

An evening pause: If you have never seen the Triple Crown victories by Secretariat in 1973, you need to watch this video. It will take your breath away. In the first two races jockey Ron Turcotte appears to let the pack take the lead at the start because he knows Secretariat can’t stand being behind. In the last, it is as if the horse wanted to prove to everyone that there was no horse now or ever that was faster. From the youtube webpage:

Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the ninth winner of the American Triple Crown, setting and still holding the fastest time record in all three races. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest racehorses of all time. He became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and his record-breaking victory in the Belmont Stakes, which he won by 31 lengths, is widely regarded as one of the greatest races in history.

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Jara – Tiempo y Silencio

6:01 pm

An evening pause: In English the song is “Time and Silence.” Lyrics:

A house in the sky
A garden in the sea
A lark in your chest
a return of the begin

A wish of stars
A sparrow’s heartbeat
An island in your bed
A sunset

Time and silence
Screams and songs
Heaven and kisses
Voice and grief

To be born in your laugh
To grow in your weeping
To live on your shoulder
To die in your arms

Hat tip Judd Clark

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Carly Simon – That’s The Way I Always Heard It Should Be

6:01 pm

An evening pause: Performed live in Central Park, New York, 1971. Wonderful song, but her cynicism about marriage in this song sadly predicts the disaster we are in today, living in a society of children raised in broken homes, created by the 60s Baby Boom generation (mine) that decided to reject the fundamentals of its parents. It was foolish and sad, but most of all it was cruel to the innocent children born of that irresponsibility. Those children are now mindlessly wrecking their revenge.

Hat tip Doug Johnson.

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Don McLean – Vincent

6:01 pm

An evening pause: I’ve posted McLean singing this song previously, but it is worth watching again. A beautiful song to begin the year. The words that matter:

Now I think I know
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free

They would not listen, they’re not listening still
Perhaps they never will

Hat tip Judd Clark.

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Elthin – Je vivroie liement

6:01 pm

An evening pause: Written by Guillaume de Machaut in the 14th century. The title means “I should lead a happy life.” For a full translation go here. The players are clearly using instruments designed and built to match the traditional instruments used when this song was played.

Hat tip Alton Blevins.

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Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol

8:47 am

A Christmas pause: As I have done now for several years on Christmas day, I bring you the classic 1951 version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, starring Alastair Sim. Still by far the best adaption of the book and a truly wonderful movie.

And as I noted in a previous year:

Dickens did not demand the modern version of charity, where it is imposed by governmental force on everyone. Instead, he was advocating the older wiser concept of western civilization, that charity begins at home, that we as individuals are obliged as humans to exercise good will and generosity to others, by choice.

It is always a matter of choice. And when we take that choice away from people, we destroy the good will that makes true charity possible.

It is also most important that we all heed the words of Christmas Present: ‘This boy is ignorance, this girl is want. Beware them both, but most of all beware this boy.’”

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Chevrolet – A Holiday to Remember

6:01 pm

An evening pause: Yes, I know it is a commercial, but it is right for the season. And it reminds us of the never-ending human desire — not often possible — to always believe all things can be made better. Such a belief enriches us. We should never lose it, no matter how bad things become.

Hat tip Mike Nelson.

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Ofra Haza – Jerusalem of Gold

6:01 pm

An evening pause: On this, the last day of Hanukkah, we finish with a moving song that celebrates the city of Jerusalem, first published just days before the 1967 Six-Day war, and then revised slightly by its author, Naomi Shermer, after the eastern half of the city was recaptured by Israeli troops and made available to both Jews and Muslims for the first time since the 1948 war. Before then Jordan had barred Jews from entering, and had allowed many Jewish religious sites to be desecrated. When Israel took over that ended, and all sites were opened to all. (In subsequent years Muslim intransigence has slowly once again closed to Jewish Israelis the areas under Muslim control.)

The song is also sad, because it recognizes the thousands of years of conflict by many over this small spot on Earth. Most of those conflicts were caused by those who wished to kick the Jews from this place, even though they probably have more right to it than anyone else on Earth.

Hat tip Judd Clark.

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Hila Ben David – Avinu Malkeinu

6:01 pm

An evening pause: Though the prayer is recited every fall during services during the Ten Days of Repentance, from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur, this music is modern, originally sung by Barbara Streisand. It is fitting now both for Hanukkah and the events in Israel. Activate closed captions to read the English translation. It is a prayer asking God for forgiveness for past sins as well as renewal and mercy in the coming year.

Hat tip Judd Clark.

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Rachell Ellen Wong & Coleman Itzkoff – Hanukkah Medley

6:01 pm

An evening pause: This piece seems appropriate for the first night of Hannukkah, which celebrates the miracle of the lights during the Maccabbean revolt against religious oppression, a revolt that led to the restoration of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, part of which still stands and is called by the Wailing Wall by many Jews. The medley includes two songs, “Oh Hanukkah,” and “Al Hanisim” (Thank You For the Miracles).

It also seems appropriate today, the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, as Israel itself responds in like kind to Hamas’s own infamous sneak attack and massacre on October 7th.

Hat tip Judd Clark.

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Pentatonix – Mary, Did You Know?

6:01 pm

An evening pause: When I posted a different version of this song last year, I said this:

This song honoring Jesus I think really speaks of every child born on Earth, and how every parent should see them. As Wordsworth said, they come “trailing clouds of glory.”

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kissed your little baby then you kissed the face of god.

Still applies, to my way of thinking. That there are people in the world that think it good to kill such things means only that those people need to be removed from human existence as quickly as possible, as they represent the worst evil anyone can conceive.

Hat tip Alton Blevins.

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Jerry Granelli Trio – Linus and Lucy

6:01 pm

An evening pause: The music from the soundtrack of the Charlie Brown television specials, with sections from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The man playing the drums, Jerry Granelli, is the last surviving member of the original group that played Vince Guaraldi’s music for the television show itself.

Hat tip Wayne DeVette.

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Melinda Kathleen Reese – O Come O Come Emmanuel

6:01 pm

An evening pause: This was first posted in February 2019. As I noted then,

The video replays her singing the same thing three times. There is a good reason, as she almost appears to have begun singing as a lark, and the acoustics of the church astonish her. The repeats help bring out this amazing quality.

I think I shall always want to open the Christmas-Hannukah holiday season with it, as it speaks to both religions. And it is one magnificent song, sung here magnificently.

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