uTopianTurtleTop

“Bah Bah Blacksheep,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” and the alphabet song all have the same melody. What’s up with that?

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Harmonica and vocal trax this evening. Went OK. Always a pleasure to be in there and hear in detail how much better I would like to be. Album is coming along. I think we have a title -- now we just need a band name! Suggestions welcome.

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The library is rocking me.

Recently released (2003) Rahsaan Roland Kirk live in 1974 in San Diego. When he chose to, a bad-ass king tenor saxophonist. Always, an exciting bandleader and great writer. This show is HOT.

The Weavers. Pete Seeger cajoling people to sing can be both bossy and corny; a lot of the songs leave me cold; their arrangements can cheer-up somber material in a way that doesn’t please me; But. Their version of “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine” -- so subdued, so understated, almost spooky -- it makes me cry.

“Mbube” by Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds, from 1939. The original of “Wimoweh.” The Weavers made a ton of money by stealing this copyright from Solomon Linda, who wrote it and died poor. (Rian Malan’s magesterial article tells the astounding story.) The Evening Birds’ original version is wonderful -- male South African harmony singing, with Linda’s caterwauling falsetto on the world-famous melody.

Lots of other stuff too. I love the library.