Wonderland Burlesque's Let's All Go To The Movies - Summer Edition, Part III : Sunny and Funny

Wonderland Burlesque's

Let's All Go To The Movies

Summer Edition, Part III

Sunny and Funny

Nothing goes better with summer like laughter, unless there's a bit of nostalgia thrown in for good measure. Today's edition of Let's All Go To The Movies delivers that tenfold, taking us back to a time when a night at the movies was as golden as the summer sun itself.

So, grab a seat in the front row and bask in the glow... It's Wonderland Burlesque's Let's All Go To The Movies - Summer Edition, Part III : Sunny and Funny!

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Summer School Teachers

(1974)

"The student body always scores..."

(This drive-in movie favorite was directed by a woman; Barbara Peeters, who cut her teeth directing X-rated movies. She's also responsible for the biker chick flick,  Bury Me An Angel. She'd move on to television, found behind the camera of such fare as Falcon Crest and Remington Steel.)  

(Also notable for an appearance made by Michael Greer of The Gay Deceivers fame. A gay icon, Greer was an openly-gay actor during a time when that simply was not done.)

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Almost Summer

(1978)

"Don't you wish it was..."

(Co-produced with Universal Pictures, this happens to be the only Motown-produced movie not to center on black characters. Notable because it is considered to be the first of a series of distinctive 'youth genre' films, such as The Breakfast Club and Fast Times At Ridgemont High.) 

"Aren't you glad it's..."

(The soundtrack, surprisingly. released on MCA Records, is credited to a studio band called Celebration, which is actually the work of Mike Love, a member of Beach Boys. The title song would prove to be a minor hit - reaching #28 in the US and #30 in Canada.)

(The film features actress Didi Conn, who starred in 1977's You Light Up My Life and played 'Pinkie' in the blockbuster Grease.)

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Corvette Summer

(1978)

(This was the first film Hamill would star in post Star Wars. It also stars Annie Potts, making her film debut. She would actually earn a Golden Globe nomination for her work on this film! The film also features The Partridge Family's Danny Bonaduce, as well as character actress Wendi Jo Sperber.)

"Mark Hammill, who you loved in Star Wars."

"Annie Potts who you'll never forget!"

"And he thought fast cars were a thrill..."

(The movie's theme song, Give Me The Night, is sung by none other than Dusty Springfield!)

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Summer School

(1978)

AKA: Mag Wheels

"Trash the books..."

"The movie your parents will hate."

"Learn the three R's - Rowdy, Racey (sic) and Reckless in..."

(A drive-in movie comedy about a bunch of kids, a beach and a van. Really? What more do you need? The film debut of actor John McLaughlin.)

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Summer Camp

(1979)

"Panty Raids... Short Sheets... Food Fights..."

"After lights out, it's gross out!"

(Another one with John Laughlin - here, billed as John C. McLaughlin. Released four weeks before the much more successful Meatballs (AKA: Summer Camp.) In order to save production costs,  the cast and crew actually stayed and lived on the campgrounds during the course of the shoot.)  

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Pick-Up Summer

(1980)

"School's out and everything's in!"

(A drive-in movie favorite, featuring Joy Boushel, who would go on to appear in Terror Train and 1986's The Fly, among others.)

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Summer Rental

(1985)

"Life's a beach."

"John Candy is about to face the most devastating experience known to man - the family vacation."

(Based on a true story and directed by comedy legend Carl Reiner, this served as John Candy's first film as a leading man. The main reason the film got made was Paramount's new studio president, Ned Tanen, had a six month hole in the studio's release schedule to fill. Reiner and Candy hit it off so well that a sequel was planned, but never came to fruition.)

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One Crazy Summer

(1986)

"They're the last bunch in the world you'd expect to win anything... but with this crowd anything can happen!" 

(The film stars Jon Cusack and Demi Moore, however the pic's heat was stolen by supporting cast members Bobcat Goldthwait and Curtis Armstrong. Goldthwait's star was on the rise, thanks to the success of the first Police Academy film and Armstrong was still on fire, thanks to The Revenge Of The Nerds. When the film performed less than expected at the box office, it was rebranded, unsuccessfully, to capitalize on Goldthwait's name recognition.) 

(David Silverman and Wes Archer, who worked on the film as animators, would later animate Simpsons shorts for The Tracey Ullman Show, and then become directors on Fox's The Simpsons.)

"One weird island: One wanton woman. One wicked tycoon. One wacky musician. One Japanese monster. One damsel in distress. One load of loonies... one crazy summer!"

"Featuring Bob 'Police Academy' Goldthwait."

"Of course Tom Cruise is coming to the party."

"Just keep smiling and no one will notice what my other hand is doing."

"Somehow fishing hasn't been the same since Jaws."

(Director Savage Steve Holland was upset with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert's criticism of his earlier film Better Off Dead - also with Cusack and Armstrong. That led to the gag where the two bunnies, who resemble the movie critics, get blown up at the movie's end.)

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Summer School

(1987)

(Another from Carl Reiner, and starring a then-hot-as-a-pistol, People Magazine's 1986 'Sexiest Man Alive', Mark Harmon. At the time, Harmon was appearing in two highly-rated television shows, St. Elsewhere and Moonlighting. The film also features Cheers' Kirsti Alley and Ally McBeal's Courtney Thorne-Smith.)

"At Ocean Front High, what do they call a guy who cuts classes, hates homework and lives for summer vacations? Teacher."

(The film's score is by Danny Elfman, and features a dance hit, which was originally supposed to be sung by Debbie Harry. Instead, it was sung by its writer, E.G. Daily, who played Pee Wee Herman's girlfriend in Pee Wee's Big Adventure and also served as the voice of Tommy Pickles in Nickelodeon's Rugrats.)

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Aloha Summer

(1988)

"In the tradition of Stand By Me and Where The Boys Are comes..."

(Director Tommy Lee Wallace was given a second bite at the apple, after his directorial debut in 1982 with the franchise-killing Halloween III: Season Of The Witch . In 1988, in addition to this comedy/drama set in scenic Hawaii, he also directed Fright Night II.)

"The waves, the girls, their friendship..."

"Life was fine in '59!"

(Starring Chris Makepeace and Tia Carrere, The New York Times called this little more than "empty nostalgia done for its own sake.")

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And that's all for now.

Tune in next time...

Same time, same channel. 

Mind Over Matter - E.G. Daily

from the motion picture Summer School

Almost Summer - Celebration feat. Mike Love

from the motion picture Almost Summer

Give Me The Night - Dusty Springfield

from the motion picture Corvette Summer

Who Did It Better? Sometimes Like Butterflies

Who Did It Better?

Sometimes Like Butterflies

A good song has the means to find its own way in this world; simply by virtue of  it being well-crafted. Such is the case with today's little gem. Such a song may not be released right away, sitting on a shelf in a vault, fearful it may never see the light of day. But, if it is quality music, it will find a way to bubble up into the public's consciousness. 

Sometimes Like Butterflies is a song written in 1982 by Donna Summer with her frequent collaborator, Bruce Roberts. 

At the time, Summer found herself caught up in a bit of a dilemma. The 1970's had been good to the superstar, yielding one hit after another. She left Casablanca Records, due to personal and contractual disputes, for the presumably greener grass of the shiny, new Geffen Records, it was assumed the good times would continue. However, sales for her Geffen debut album, 1980's The Wanderer, proved disappointing and, after refusing to release her follow-up album, 1981's I'm A Rainbow, the label requested that she no longer work with longtime collaborator Georgio Moroder.

Superstar producer Quincy Jones (Michael Jackson) was brought on board. It was not a match made in heaven. The recording process proved arduous and long (6 months.) There were more people involved in its making than on any other previous album Summer had recorded. She was also pregnant with her daughter, Amanda Grace, at the time. She found Jones to be boisterous and controlling, telling the Los Angels Times that: "Sometimes I feel it's a Quincy Jones album that I sang on."

The  advance single, Love Is in Control, featured a track on it's B-side which did not make the album's final cut - Sometimes Like Butterflies. Featuring Quincy Jones as producer, the song's production values are minimalistic and unlike any other track included on 1982's Donna Summer. Love Is in Control would peak at #10 in the US, while the album managed to reach #20.

But the song didn't go unnoticed.

In 1985, Dusty Springfield, who last released an album in 1982 on Summer's former label, Casablanca Records, was adrift without a recording contract. 

Enter Hippodrome records.

Hippodrome Records was the brainchild of nightclub-owner Peter Stringfellow, who opened the famed London Hippodrome nightclub in the old Talk Of The Town theatre. The Talk Of The Town, a cabaret/restaurant had featured such performers as Judy Garland, Eartha Kitt, Shirley Bassey and... Dusty Springfield. Hippodrome Records, under the direction of Dave Martin. was an off-shoot of the nightclub, operated out of a backroom at the club. Featuring primarily Hi-NRG fare, the label's releases were sold in a shop in the club's foyer.

In 1985, Martin approached Springfield, suggesting she record a version of Sometimes Like Butterflies as a one-off single for Hippodrome. Splitting production credit, a 45 version and a 12" version of the song was released to the public. Despite limited promotion, the single still managed to reach #83 in the UK.

Fast forward to 2012. 

Kristine W is busy putting together her first compilation album, New and Number Ones, when word reached her that Donna Summer had passed away. Kristine had spent years in Las Vegas doing a well-received revue of Summer's music, so the dance diva held a special place in her heart.

Since the set was to include some of her greatest hits alongside select new recordings, Kristine decided to include a version of Sometimes Like A Butterfly to honor the beloved icon. The liner notes for the CD included a short essay written by Kristine, paying tribute to the music legend. The album proved popular both in and outside of the club scene, reaching #19 on Billboard's Top Dance/Electronic Albums and #14 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart.  

And that's the whole story.

Now? On to the competition.

The Song: Sometimes Like Butterflies

The Competitors: Summer vs. Springfield vs. Kristine W

Sometimes Like Butterflies - Donna Summer

Sometimes Like Butterflies - Dusty Springfield

Sometimes Like Butterflies - Kristine W

(Simon Langford and Soul Seekerz Tribute Radio Edit)

Donna Summer

Nice simple piano. I wonder if Mr. Roberts is playing? Oh, Ms. Summer is not in good voice. That is pretty raw sounding. I know Quincy really pushed her in the studio and that she found several of the songs he'd picked for her to be quite difficult to sing. 

I remember the critical reaction to 1982's Donna Summer album. Everyone thought it was over-produced and that Summer sounded mummified and tired.

I also question the key, seems high. Something lower would have given us a richer sound, but maybe her bottom range was in worse shape than her top?

Still, our lady demonstrates she's got a great set of pipes. As she warms into it, pushing further up, she goes full volume and things sound a lot better. I like the song. It's very simple, but pretty. Lovely sentiment, which her strenuous vocals help balance, removing the treacly nature of such a song.

This is how I love to hear my divas... with just a simple piano. Nothing showy. Nothing to distract from their vocals. The additions to the arrangement are fine. Nice fill. Nothing too fancy. I do like that they keep calling attention to the piano. 

Summer's vocal fills following the chorus? Meh. She's just filling airtime, not really adding anything or saying anything. It's an issue many vocalist face. Sometimes? There are things that are best unsung.

At the 3:17 mark she's fully committed. That's our girl. 

That's some very restrained percussion work. In lesser hands, this could have come across as quite pedestrian. Our lady gets very real at the end and I like the bell-like ending.

I'm glad she was able to get this one out there, even as a B-side. 

Dusty Springfield

Down tempo. The piano is there but shrouded in a synth wash. I kind of like the accent notes.

Again, rather surprised by the key. Seems high. 

Dusty is in breathy, dry-throat mode with lots of reverb. The production work here is a bit heavy-handed, considering the relatively lightweight material. 

"If you wanna love me... if you wanna hold me..." - how lovely is that? This lady makes my eyes well up at the drop of a hat. What is that power? How very vulnerable she sounds. 

Well, it was the 80's and everything was synth driven and everyone loved experimenting. It was easy, because all you needed was someone who had a keyboard and someone who could summon forth sounds. I suspect there were probably three or four people playing everything. 

Again, I like the little accent keyboard. It sounds a bit cheap, today, but is still effective. I do appreciate the restraint being shown. They know Dusty is the reason we're listening and the lady is front and center at all times... so far. 

Oh. She stretches out on that second chorus, now fully-engaged. Nice. Nice to know she still has her pipes. 

I am so glad I never got ahold of a copy of this in 1985. I would have played it to death. 

Oddly enough, I find I'm paying more attention to the lyrics on this version. That's a sign that a singer is doing a great job interpreting a song. Springfield is doing more than just singing the notes - she's very connected here. 

The production work is a little muddy. No air. That becomes glaringly clear once that obligatory sax enters the picture. Everything is coated with the same glaze, melding all the elements together - that, great music, does not make. 

Wow. She feeds off that sax and comes up with something that matches its fire, but does not come across as shrill. Nice. Where did she pull that from? I am impressed.

I don't even mind when her throat gives out on 'fly, fly, fly.' I do think the arrangement has started to get in the way though. I could do with less at this point.

The play out is fine. I think her filler lines work, even when her voice fails a bit. Very effective.   

Kristine W

This is a little unfair. Kristine is working with much more advanced studio technology and this is a dance mix. But, I thought I'd include it anyway. I think it's too bad she didn't do a straight version for her previous album, 2010's Straight Up With A Twist. 

Way up tempo. But that's because of where we're headed. Same high key. I like the subtle synth washes. She's in good voice, her vibrato is very focused and bird-like. Rather like a coo.

She has a little trouble opening up the vowel sound on that stretched 'know.' But then, that could because of where we're heading.

Which is the dance floor, bitches!

Oh, my. Yes. I wanna dance. I love this HI-NRG stuff. Bit fat synth pad moving in the background, standard drum machine beat. I feel like I just climbed aboard The Love Boat.

Cheesy? Perhaps. But that is also part of its charm. 

And no diva brings more heart to a dance floor stomper than Ms. Kristine. She digs in and it gets even better on that second verse. Oh, she brings on the choir. Yes, the lady is taking us to church, kids.

Her phrasing, at times, is a bit... well, odd. But then it's about finding the rhythm within the arrangement. She does a great job with it, keeping our ears engaged and on guard. I do like the mix and find the arrangement very simpatico to the song.

I like all the energy. I like that wall of sound the backup singers bring. This is full-bodied and fun. As tributes go, this one celebrates Summer's spirit in the best way. 

That hyper-syncopated, Latin-flavored break down is interesting. Plays like a xylophone. A bit surprising. 

"Fuh-ree..." Well. It's a choice. Is this becoming chaotic and frantic feeling? Nope... we are off and soaring once more. 

Oh, the play out... wasn't sure, but it does end up working. Very nice.

The Verdict

You know, before I started to write this series, I was not all that acquainted with the work of Dusty Springfield. Oh, I knew the most obvious hits; those are inescapable. But I never really paid attention to what everybody else was talking about. 

The lady really knows how to connect to a song. 

I already know Miss Maddie's choice. And I'm on board, too.

Summer is not in the greatest of voice. I have a feeling this is a recording made as a concession to the artist after putting up with Mr. Jones. Her version is fine. And if that is all we had to consider? It would be a fine pick.

Kristine's is fun. My buns were jumping as I sat and wrote this, so hers is very effective, both as a tribute to her idol and as a bit of dance floor fun. I really enjoyed her energy.

But, it's Dusty who, not in the greatest of voice, still manages, due to her artistry, to do the song the most justice. Despite production values and an arrangement that feel a bit pedestrian, our lady still manages to deliver an astounding, nuanced performance. I believe every note she sings. She found the heart of this rather slight song and absolutely devastates. I feel so fortunate to have heard this version.

So, yeah... it's Dusty all the way for me. 

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And that's enough of me.

Okay, your turn. Leave your choice and thoughts in the comments section. I love to hear a differing opinion. 

That's all for now.

Thank you for reading... and listening!

Sometimes Like Butterflies - Dusty Springfield

Who Did It Better? I Just Fall In Love Again

Who Did It Better? 

I Just Fall In Love Again

Oh, what fools these mortals be...

Yes, sometimes, despite our earnest, very-human intentions, life gets in the way, resulting in best-made plans being thwarted and a different bird getting the proverbial worm. 

Such is the case with today's Who Did It Better? selection. Two other well-established artists had big plans for today's song, however, circumstances allowed it to slip through their fingers and land in the lap of another, who wasted no time taking it to the top of the charts!

I Just Fall in Love Again is a song written by Larry Herbstritt, Steve Dorff, Harry Lloyd, and Gloria Sklerov. Herbstritt composed the melody and chords for the chorus and a chord progression for the verse, which he took to his friend, fellow songwriter, Steve Dorff. Harry Lloyd and Gloria Sklerov then provided the lyrics.

Richard Carpenter was the first to became aware of the song and thought it a great fit for Karen's voice. Once recorded, he was also convinced he had a huge hit on his hands. However, the group's label, A&M Records (owned and operated by Herb Albert) did not agree. The powers that be felt the song, running at just over four minutes, was too long for AM Radio and editing it to fit the format was simply not possible. So, while the song was included on the duo's 1977 album, Passage, it was never released as a single. 

In 1978, Dusty Springfield was mounting a bit of a comeback. Signed to United Artists, she and producer David Wolfert had the MOR market in mind as they selected songs. One of those songs? I Just Fall in Love Again. The pair had high hopes for it and planned to release it as a single. However, when the lead single, I'm Coming Home Again, failed and a series of concerts in the UK cancelled due to public indifference, things were put on hold. This was also due to the fact that the label, United Artists, had been sold to Mercury Records the same week Springfield's album came out, resulting in all sorts of management changes, and in the shuffle, the album simply didn't get the kind of promotion it needed.

 
That same year, Anne Murray chose the song to be part of her New Kind of Feeling album. Murray, who'd been enjoying a huge surge of popularity thanks to songs like You Needed Me and Broken Hearted Me, was unaware that Springfield, who happened to be one of Murray's favorite singers, had recorded the song only six months before. Later, she said, "If I had known (Springfield) had released it as a single, I never would have recorded it."

Released as a single in early 1979, Murray's version quickly rose up the charts. It would end up topping Billboard's Country and Adult Contemporary charts for three weeks, while snagging the #12 slot on Billboard's Hot 100. Subsequently, the album would go Platinum, and the song would be declared the #1 Country Hit of 1979 by Billboard Magazine. 

Later, in 2007, Murray, to honor Springfield, would create a posthumous duet, melding their respective versions of the song. It's included on Murray's album, Duets: Friends & Legends.

And that's the whole story.

Now? On to the competition!

The Song: I Just Fall In Love Again

The Competitors: Carpenters vs. Springfield vs. Murray

I Just Fall In Love Again - Carpenters

I Just Fall In Love Again - Dusty Springfield

I Just Fall In Love Again - Anne Murray

Carpenters

A little background: 

For their new album, Passages, Richard Carpenter had cast about trying to find an outside producer to liven things up. Sales were down and he had a sense that their classic Carpenter's sound had grown a bit stale. Unfortunately, no one suitable, for one reason or another, would take on the job. So, Richard, deep in the depths of his sleeping pill addiction decided to soldier on, believing that song selection alone would remedy the situation. 

Well, I have to let you know right up front, folks; everything wrong with this is Richard's fault. 

That is one treacly intro. Is that a woodwind? An oboe? A flute? What is that? It's very pretty, but a bit too precious for 1977. 

Karen, matching the tone of the opening, enters in on tippy toe wearing satin ballerina shoes. Still, there's that lovely lope/bend to her voice which feels warm and knowing. 

The piano is fine. I enjoy its simplicity and acuteness. 

Karen sings 'baby' and in swoops a flourish of strings and a damn flute. Oh, my word... please... rescue me from flutes. This sounds like a Disney animation score. 

And still, we have Karen, ever perfection, matching each notch up the crescendo. She is such a skilled singer; so much control, such a lovely tone. 

Launching into the chorus, clueless Richard pours on the schmaltz; it literally glistens. And those strings? How dare they threaten to undermine our beloved singer? Richard? Have you no shame?

I could argue with that stretch Karen gives to 'ev'ry time'. I would have pushed her in a different direction. But this is a minor criticism. I find her 'fluffing' on 'and when I do,' very interesting. I don't know many singers who could pull that off or even consider doing it. 

So, at this point, I think her tone and Richard's arrangement, for that matter, would have been much more at home covering an American Songbook standard, such as When I Fall In Love. I wonder if that song served as an inspiration for Richard's take on this one.

The instrumental bridge into the second verse? Well, I surrender. It's lovely. And very Steven Spielberg 1977. Spielberg's movies and Carpenter's music are perfectly suited to one another - both giant bowls of sweet vanilla pudding.

The thing I don't understand? Why does Richard insist on calling attention to his arrangement? Why couldn't he simply support the song and the singer? The strings become truly terrifying as Karen sings 'take me to a star.' They sound like a pair of giant wings flapping.  And that's followed by some weird ass drum drops. (Don't blame Karen - this is the first album on which she didn't play any drums.) 

Those strings behind the chorus? I am just shaking my head. I feel like I fell into a Disney wonderland. Love that occasional ache Karen uses to un-homogenize things. 

That is one bloated, uninspired guitar solo. And the 'ick' factor keeps ramping up. This is so old school. Who was Richard selling records to? My grandmother? 

And for the final chorus, Karen loses her battle against the strings. Apparently, Richard's ego is more important than the song, their career, their ability to compete in a market they were rapidly aging out of, and the considerable gifts his sister brought to the table. 

The arrangement does back up enough to allow Karen to finish the damn thing with a bit of dignity. A total shudder fest.

Dusty Springfield

David Wolfert, the producer for this album, was part of Melissa Manchester's crew just prior. So, I think he's a good fit. Let's see what he does.

The piano intro is very nice. Almost sounds as if there are two at play there. Dusty enters and I must say, sounds as if she's just been lulled awake. It's very intimate and rather lovely.

As we move to the chorus, that piano is working hard. Dusty's voice is a touch fragile, lots of breaks and dryness, but her skills as a singer, particularly her phrasing are still working their magic. 

The chorus is lovely. The arrangement? Other than the piano, very by the book. The guitar sting at the end, I could do without, but it does add a certain texture. Love Dusty's vocals. Yes, halting and airy, but she's still completing a phrase, broken though they are.

There is a second keyboard! The arrangement is ramping up a bit with the introduction of that sustained guitar. But Springfield is not seceding any ground. I'd pull those strings back, but Springfield doesn't appear cowed at all. 

So, Wolfert is a guitarist, though I'm not sure that's him playing the solo. Rather unconventional. It reminds me of similar solos played on Rita Coolidge's albums. 

I like all the liberties Springfield takes with the melody. And, while I could quibble a bit with the mix and the arrangement, I think this is a complete success.  

Anne Murray

My, that is a big 'ol bed of strings! Treacly piano intro.  

I love Anne's voice. It's so comforting. And there's just a hint of lilt now and then, enough to keep it from becoming too leaden. Oh, that little piano scale fill... eek. Very lounge singer. The bass notes on the piano on "in your arms?" A bit foreboding. 

This arrangement is a bit much for my taste, but Murray's pop sensibilities come shining through on the chorus. She stays on top of this thing. An incredibly strong vocal, making those intervals with such ease. There's something very athletic about her singing, yet she also makes it seem effortless. Still, a bit strident on occasion.

Some weirdly tuned stuff going on in that fill. 

Ah, the steel guitar. Now, it's country. Those little trills the piano keeps introducing as filler... ugh. I do like how the steel guitar counters the melody. That's the beauty of that particular instrument. Hear that weird bowed moan before "heaven is that moment...?" Like a spooky ghost. 

The further we venture into this and the more cooked the arrangement gets, Murray responds by becoming incredibly strident. She's nailing notes like they're shingles on a roof. The only thing that saves her from sounding ridiculous is that lilt she occasionally employees and the the fact that she knows exactly the right amount to pull back on a note - such as when she sings the word "go."

I have no doubt, as big as Murray's vocals are, that this sounded great on the radio. 

The Verdict

Poor Karen. 

I do wish we'd had a chance to get to know her as a vocalist outside of Richard's control. You can't count her 'solo' album, because, even though it was produced by Phil Ramone (Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Barbra Streisand), it was shelved and released only 13 years after her death. And even then, before it was, Richard had the gall to remixed the whole thing.

I guess we could blame the Quaaludes for this one? But, despite Karen's incredible vocals, it is an utter mess. It's probably a good thing it wasn't released as a single.

Dusty's version is alive. And while she's not in the best of voice, it still works incredibly well. The arrangement, a tad over the top here and there, supports both the song and the vocalist very well. Though I don't know that, had been released as a single, it would've gotten airplay. She does sound very fragile. But... and I had to go back and listen to it again before this occurred to me, she also reminds me of Diana Ross singing It's My Turn. So, I think it really works. 

And Murray? Well, if Dusty is a fragile flower awakening, then Murray is... a truck driver? The woman moves through that song without batting an eye. Zero hesitation. From note one, she's got the hammer down, pulls her notes when needed, staring straight ahead the whole time. Nothing wrong with that. Given that questionable arrangement, it seems the best course of action. 

The winner here? 

I know Murray got the hit. And I know this is 'her' song. But for me.

It's Dusty. 

The woman brings a tear to my eye.

You do that? 

And you've got yourself a fan for life!

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And that's enough of me. 

Okay, your turn. Did I get it wrong? 

Leave your choice and thoughts in the comments section. I love to hear a different point of view. 

Until next time... 

Thanks for reading... and listening!

I Just Fall In Love Again - Anne Murray & Dusty Springfield

Anne Murray and Dusty Springfield

Wonderland Burlesques's Down The Rabbit Hole: Oh, How I Love A Good Scandal!

Wonderland Burlesques's

Down The Rabbit Hole:

Oh, How I Love A Good Scandal!

Scandals. Everywhere.

Check out the soldier boy taking a shower in the background!

That one private appears duly impressed!

Ah, the Madison Avenue ad agency who held this company's account must have been working overtime to come up with so many approaches.

Yes. They took this stuff seriously. And they made sure everyone else did, too.

This headline actually appeared in the NYTimes on May 26, 1952:

REIS EXTENDS USE OF SHRINK-CONTROL;
Fall Apparel Is to Be Affected -- Company Cuts Prices on Heavy Underwear

Who knew underwear was so news worthy!

And... so heavy?

But that's not all...

New Crotch Comfort! New Comfort-plus Support! 

Just what our men in uniform need!

Yes, Scandals...

Positively Scandalous!

Scandalous - Mis-Teeq

Nothing Has Been Proved

Dusty Springfield and The Pet Shop Boys

From the 1989 motion picture: Scandal