Saturday, April 4, 2020
Friday, April 3, 2020
Day 14: Anecdotes from the life of George Washington
As you may recall, I had promised anecdotes from the life of George Washington. I have been reading George Washington, The Indispensable Man, by James Thomas Flexner. Flex, of blessed memory, condensed his brilliant 4 volume work, George Washington into a single volume. And I still can make neither hide nor hair of it. For some reason I am finding it difficult to concentrate.
I also have had a few digressions along the way. A friend of mine from high school sent a song on a FACEBOOK thread by Tom Lehrer. satirist, musician, and mathemetician popular in the 50s and 60s. As I have been listening to a lot of comedy these days, I came across this gem by Lehrer about the Hubert Humphrey, the second place finisher in the 1968 presidential election.
On the topic of Vice-Presidents, last night I had a vivid dream about Walter Mondale. I think of myself as a unique individual and still I wonder how many other humans dreamt about Walter Mondale last night. Or thought of him. Or heard of him. He is best known for asking Gary Hart, 'where's the beef?" in the 1984 presidential primary.
Back to George. Anyone can give you interesting facts about George Washington. Like History.com or Mental Floss. But Don's Basement gives you an all new George Washington Roast.
Please click on link...there is a copyright claim against this video and I can't monetize it.
Monetize it!!!
Can you believe it?
I also have had a few digressions along the way. A friend of mine from high school sent a song on a FACEBOOK thread by Tom Lehrer. satirist, musician, and mathemetician popular in the 50s and 60s. As I have been listening to a lot of comedy these days, I came across this gem by Lehrer about the Hubert Humphrey, the second place finisher in the 1968 presidential election.
 |
| Mondale and Carter in 1980 before color film was invented. |
Back to George. Anyone can give you interesting facts about George Washington. Like History.com or Mental Floss. But Don's Basement gives you an all new George Washington Roast.
Please click on link...there is a copyright claim against this video and I can't monetize it.
Monetize it!!!
Can you believe it?
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Day 13: What's wrong with the song 'Mr. Bojangles?'
One song that keeps coming up internally in our band, "Repeat Offenders" is Jerry Jeff Walker's 1968 Mr. Bojangles. This wildly popular song has been covered by artists as diverse as Chet Atkins, Harry Belafonte, David Bromberg, Garth George Burns, JJ Cale, Jamie King Curtis, John Denver, Neil Diamond, Bobbie Gentry, Whitney Houston, Frankie Laine, Lulu, Rod McKuen, Don McLean, Harry Nilsson, and very strangely Nina Simone.
The most successful recording came from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970. In 1971, the record rose to #9 on Billoard Hot 100
Perhaps the most enduring interpretation comes from Sammy Davis Jr. who recorded it in 1972 and kept performing it until 1989, one year before his death. Here he is introducing it in what I believe to be Munich, Germany
Very much like the songs "Mexico" or "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" are for the Repeat Offenders this was a must play for Sammy every show.
Even Bob Dylan recorded this song in 1970 although it doesn't really sound like Dylan except for the background vocals.
If this song was good enough for so many of my absolute heroes...including Bob, what is my problem with this tune?
Fair enough.
Let's go back to the origin story. “According to Walker, a murder on the 4th of July weekend in 1965 precipitated the arrest of all the street people in the area. In the crowded cell, a disheveled homeless man began to talk to Walker, who had been arrested earlier for drunkenness. The man told various stories of his life, but the tone darkened after “Mr Bojangles” recalled his dog who`d been run over. Someone then asked for something to lighten the mood, and the man obliged with a tap dance."
Walker says, “One of the guys in the cell jumped up and said, ‘Come on, Bojangles. Give us a little dance.’ ‘Bojangles’ wasn’t so much a name as a category of itinerant street entertainer known back as far as the previous century. The old man said, ‘Yes, Hell yes.’ He jumped up, and started clapping a rhythm, and he began to dance. I spent much of that long holiday weekend talking to the old man, hearing about the tough blows life had dealt him, telling him my own dreams.”
Two things about this story....
1. The drunk in the cell is called "Bojangles." In the song, he is Mr. Bojangles. Mr. Bojangles was the performing name of Bill Robinson. Robinson famously tap danced with Shirley Temple among others in the 1930s and 40s. Not the guy who met Jerry Jeff Walker because that guy died in 1949. Robinson's legacy is mixed amongst historians as to whether he was an 'Uncle Tom." Look at this photo and tell me what you think.
2. The 'Bojangles' that Jerry Jeff Walker met in jail was WHITE! This from Kinky Friedman's book
Texas Holdem
And which was it....prison or jail?
And how was this white guy playing in minstrel shows?
That all said, there is one use or appropriation of the name for which I approve. That is by my nephew, Will Schutze, street puppeteer and musician. Here is his character, "Mr. Bonetangles" performing in the film Chef (2013) starring Jon Favreau
Chef(2013) - Mr. Bonetangles Scene from Alex Downs Wagner on Vimeo.
The most successful recording came from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970. In 1971, the record rose to #9 on Billoard Hot 100
Perhaps the most enduring interpretation comes from Sammy Davis Jr. who recorded it in 1972 and kept performing it until 1989, one year before his death. Here he is introducing it in what I believe to be Munich, Germany
Very much like the songs "Mexico" or "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" are for the Repeat Offenders this was a must play for Sammy every show.
Even Bob Dylan recorded this song in 1970 although it doesn't really sound like Dylan except for the background vocals.
If this song was good enough for so many of my absolute heroes...including Bob, what is my problem with this tune?
Fair enough.
Let's go back to the origin story. “According to Walker, a murder on the 4th of July weekend in 1965 precipitated the arrest of all the street people in the area. In the crowded cell, a disheveled homeless man began to talk to Walker, who had been arrested earlier for drunkenness. The man told various stories of his life, but the tone darkened after “Mr Bojangles” recalled his dog who`d been run over. Someone then asked for something to lighten the mood, and the man obliged with a tap dance."
Walker says, “One of the guys in the cell jumped up and said, ‘Come on, Bojangles. Give us a little dance.’ ‘Bojangles’ wasn’t so much a name as a category of itinerant street entertainer known back as far as the previous century. The old man said, ‘Yes, Hell yes.’ He jumped up, and started clapping a rhythm, and he began to dance. I spent much of that long holiday weekend talking to the old man, hearing about the tough blows life had dealt him, telling him my own dreams.”
Two things about this story....
1. The drunk in the cell is called "Bojangles." In the song, he is Mr. Bojangles. Mr. Bojangles was the performing name of Bill Robinson. Robinson famously tap danced with Shirley Temple among others in the 1930s and 40s. Not the guy who met Jerry Jeff Walker because that guy died in 1949. Robinson's legacy is mixed amongst historians as to whether he was an 'Uncle Tom." Look at this photo and tell me what you think.
2. The 'Bojangles' that Jerry Jeff Walker met in jail was WHITE! This from Kinky Friedman's book
Texas Holdem
And which was it....prison or jail?
And how was this white guy playing in minstrel shows?
 |
| Al Jolson, the son of a cantor in blackface! |
That all said, there is one use or appropriation of the name for which I approve. That is by my nephew, Will Schutze, street puppeteer and musician. Here is his character, "Mr. Bonetangles" performing in the film Chef (2013) starring Jon Favreau
Chef(2013) - Mr. Bonetangles Scene from Alex Downs Wagner on Vimeo.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Day 12: Murph and Magictones
Hello Again everybody:
Before we start this appreciation of Murph and MagicTones, it's time for a little housekeeping from the basement. Yesterday's post was a little too dark for me. And a bit on the nose. I am going to try and keep it light and breezy. And silly.
Now a few updates: From my favorite cousins in the all of Port Townshend comes this correction to the keys of the 2 Dylan tunes. Db for "Disease of Conceit" and C for "Murder Most Foul."
The shell of the sports car seen in Day 9 is possibly one of the following:
1. It's an AC Cobra, a small British sports car with a 6-cylinder engine. Not real likely because the car wasn't made in large numbers.
2. It's a Shelby Cobra. Built in both the UK and the US, these are modified AC Cobras with Ford V-8s stuffed under the hoods. Now one of the most desirable cars in the world, commanding well over a million dollars
Now, let's go back to 1980. How many times have you been away from your band only to discover that they have moved on? Such was the problem faced by Jake and Elwood Blues. They wanted to put the band together. They went to the boarding house of Mrs. Tarantino (var. Torantino) the last known address of Thomas Malone or Louis Marini. She did not have an address but they left a business card.
Fortunately for the plot, Tom "Bones" Malone was in the band playing saxophone. The real Tom
Malone is still with us. He has played, recorded or arranged for nearly everybody. Click on the link and see the range of artists. Seriously everybody in jazz, rock, pop, reggae, soul, country and disco. He is 72 years old and lives in Honolulu
The front man of the group was Murphy Dunne. He sang vocals and played keyboard with his eponymous group. Dunne went on to have long career in TV and movies. He was born in Chicago and is 77 years old. Here he is on the right playing a minister in Pretty Little Liars from 2017.
Donald Duck Dunn played bass for Murph and Magictones. In real life, he provided the bass line for Born Under a Bad Sign and Hold On, I'm Coming. He continued to play and tour with Steve Cropper (also a Magictone) until his death (in his sleep)at age 70 in 2012. He was on tour with Cropper in Japan at the time.
Steve 'the Colonel' Cropper played guitar for the band. A founding member of Booker T. and MGs,Cropper has had a stellar career playing with so many soul and rock legends. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 39th on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. He is 78 years old and still lives in Memphis, Tennessee.
Hope you have enjoyed a look back at one of my favorite fictional bands.
Hey...good blog idea. Anyone else want to play.
Before we start this appreciation of Murph and MagicTones, it's time for a little housekeeping from the basement. Yesterday's post was a little too dark for me. And a bit on the nose. I am going to try and keep it light and breezy. And silly.
Now a few updates: From my favorite cousins in the all of Port Townshend comes this correction to the keys of the 2 Dylan tunes. Db for "Disease of Conceit" and C for "Murder Most Foul."
The shell of the sports car seen in Day 9 is possibly one of the following:
1. It's an AC Cobra, a small British sports car with a 6-cylinder engine. Not real likely because the car wasn't made in large numbers.
2. It's a Shelby Cobra. Built in both the UK and the US, these are modified AC Cobras with Ford V-8s stuffed under the hoods. Now one of the most desirable cars in the world, commanding well over a million dollars
3. It's a replica of a Shelby Cobra. These are kit cars and there are lots of kits and lots of finished cars out there.
4. It's something else entirely and just has lines similar to a Cobra.
Thank you, Berkeley.
Now, let's go back to 1980. How many times have you been away from your band only to discover that they have moved on? Such was the problem faced by Jake and Elwood Blues. They wanted to put the band together. They went to the boarding house of Mrs. Tarantino (var. Torantino) the last known address of Thomas Malone or Louis Marini. She did not have an address but they left a business card.
From this card they deduced that Murph and Magictones were playing a set in the Armada Room of a Chicago area Holiday Inn. Here they are playing the 1962 Italian smash hit Quando, Quando, Quando, (When When When?)
Fortunately for the plot, Tom "Bones" Malone was in the band playing saxophone. The real Tom
Malone is still with us. He has played, recorded or arranged for nearly everybody. Click on the link and see the range of artists. Seriously everybody in jazz, rock, pop, reggae, soul, country and disco. He is 72 years old and lives in Honolulu
 |
@ the 2019 Piney Woods Picnic, Miss. |
 |
| Bones Malone |
The front man of the group was Murphy Dunne. He sang vocals and played keyboard with his eponymous group. Dunne went on to have long career in TV and movies. He was born in Chicago and is 77 years old. Here he is on the right playing a minister in Pretty Little Liars from 2017.
 |
| Murph |
 |
| Donald"Duck" Dunne |
Donald Duck Dunn played bass for Murph and Magictones. In real life, he provided the bass line for Born Under a Bad Sign and Hold On, I'm Coming. He continued to play and tour with Steve Cropper (also a Magictone) until his death (in his sleep)at age 70 in 2012. He was on tour with Cropper in Japan at the time.
Steve 'the Colonel' Cropper played guitar for the band. A founding member of Booker T. and MGs,Cropper has had a stellar career playing with so many soul and rock legends. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 39th on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. He is 78 years old and still lives in Memphis, Tennessee.
 |
| Steve 'The Colonel' Cropper On drums was Willie 'Too Big' Hall. He has had a long time playing career notably with Isaac Hayes in the 70s and still recording with a 2019 release. He is 69 years old and lives in Memphis. Here he is in a pivotal scene from film. |
Hope you have enjoyed a look back at one of my favorite fictional bands.
Hey...good blog idea. Anyone else want to play.
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