Tag: music
Cyd Charisse & Ricardo Montalban – Bar dance
Stephen Sondheim – Someone in a Tree
An evening pause: For my birthday, a repost of a 2010 evening pause of one of my favorite Broadway songs, from Stephen Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures, which I only recently learned was his favorite song as well.
It tells the story of a significant moment in history, the moment when Japan’s leaders signed their first international treaty in 1852 with the United States, but from the point of view of outside witnesses. Its point is profound, that history is not just made by the leaders who sign the deals, but by every individual who makes up the whole of human society.
It’s the fragment, not the day
It’s the pebble, not the stream
It’s the ripple, not the sea
That is happening.
Not the building but the beam
Not the garden but the stone
Only cups of tea
And history
And someone in a tree.
Judy Garland -Trolley Song
An evening pause: From the 1944 film, Meet me in St. Louis. I posted this in July 2010 as one of the very first evening pauses. As I wrote then, “The last line of the song says it all, about life and love.”
Hat tip to Judd Clark, who suggested it, which convinced me it was time to post it again.
Journey – Who’s Crying Now
Doris Day – Shaking the Blues Away
The Warning – Dust To Dust/Dull Knives
An evening pause: In 2017 I posted an evening pause of this band, when Daniela (on guitar) was 14 years old, Paulina (on drums) was 12 years old, and Alejandra (on bass guitar) was 9 yrs old. Today’s evening pause is from their 2023 tour in Mexico (where they are from), celebrating the band’s tenth anniversary. To put it mildly, they are a bit older.
Hat tip Matt Falk, who adds, “They are all adults now who’ve become one of the best live rock bands playing today, while still maintaining complete control of their career (a feat in itself).”
Emmylou Harris – Tulsa Queen
826aska – James Bond theme
An evening pause: Who needs an orchestra when you have a modern synthesizer, properly programmed?
Hat tip Cotour.
Paul McCartney – Let It Be
An evening pause: Performed live 2009.
I must ask: It seems almost no one in pop music writes gentle ballads like this any longer. Everything must pound, with beautiful melody no longer a major consideration.
Dionne Warwick, Hal David, Burt Bacharach – I Say A Little Prayer studio rehearsal
Foreigner – Urgent
An evening pause: Performed live 1982, with a truly great sax solo by Mark Rivera.
Hat tip Ferris Akel.
Chris Rea – The Road To Hell
An evening pause: Performed live 2006.
Hat tip Alec Gimarc, who adds these details: “Chris Rea passed away last week. About our age. Over 30 studio albums. British. Very much an acquired taste. Been listening to him for nearly 40 years. Smooth, smoky voice. He specialized in slide guitar. Road to Hell is probably his greatest hit.”
Anabasis – Dead Can Dance
HotPlays – Beethoven’s 5th Symphony
An evening pause: It isn’t what you expect. More from this group here.
Hat tip Mike Nelson.
This a cappella group performs Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Credit: HotPlaysMusic YT pic.twitter.com/GB6NRQaOvs
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) December 18, 2025
Christina Petrou – Ta Pedia Tou Pirea
An evening pause: Accompanied by the André Rieu orchestra and Charis Laurijsen & Panos Dimakis.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
Marshall Crenshaw – Whenever You’re On My Mind
John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – Summer Nights
Jonasquin – If Stayin’ Alive Had Been Written in 16th Century
Peter Schickele performs Schickele and P.D.Q. Bach
An evening pause: A performance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson from 1987.
Hat tip Alex Gimarc.
Bing Crosby – Let’s Start the New Year Right
An evening pause: From the 1942 film Holiday Inn. Stay with this after the song for a truly spectacular dance number by Fred Astaire, dancing as a New Year’s Eve drunk with Marjorie Reynolds.
Paolo Ercoli – Song for a winter’s night
A evening pause: A nice rendition of the Gordon Lightfoot song on an instrument called the squareneck dobro.
Hat tip Cotour.
Rita Hayworth – Steal a Show
A eveningpause: From the 1947 musical Down to Earth, where Hayworth places the goddess of dance, who comes down from heaven to save the show.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
Brigham Young University Choir & Orchestra – Oh Come All Ye Faithful
An evening pause: I hope all my Christian readers had a wonderful and joyous Christmas, from your Jewish but very secular host. With good will to all!
Hat tip Judd Clark.
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
An afternoon pause: This TV movie, the first ever, was produced by NBC and first aired in 1957. It subsequently played every Christmas season for most of the next decade. It has been forgotten in the ensuing years, something I think must be rectified, especially for the children of today. It is clever, sophisticated, innocent, entertaining, and above all, firmly American in every way.
Thus, I will now renew that past tradition.
An afternoon pause: This TV movie, the first ever, was produced by NBC and first aired in 1957. It subsequently played every Christmas season for most of the next decade. It has been forgotten in the ensuing years, something I think must be rectified, especially for the children of today. It is clever, sophisticated, innocent, entertaining, and above all, firmly American in every way.
Thus, I will now renew that past tradition.
Kathy Mattea – Mary did you know
An evening pause: Another reprise, this time from 2020. As I wrote then: “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.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra – Christmas Eve/Sarajevo
An evening pause: I posted this Judd Clark suggestion previously in December 2023, but Judd sent it to me again and I agree, it deserves a reprise. It reminds us that despite all the craziness that has happened in the world in the past half century, children still see wonderful things we have forgotten exist.
Handel – Pastoral Symphony from Messiah
An evening pause: One of the most beautiful sections of Handel’s masterpiece, often missed because it is quiet and gentle in tone.
Toilet Cat, The Kiffness, & Juzzie Smith – Christmas Blues
Celtic Woman – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
An evening pause: Performed live 2013. I know this song is a bit over-played this time of year, but this performance brings a freshness to it well worth experiencing. And it is about what Christmas actually celebrates.
Hat tip Judd Clark.