Juicy Fruit

Here we go 'round the mulberry bush
The mulberry bush
The mulberry bush
Here we go 'round the mulberry bush… 

Ear worm?  

You're welcome. 

I planted this mulberry four years ago.  Damaged in shipping it arrived snapped in two.  The nursery had no inventory in stock to replace it so they issued a refund and suggested I plant the remaining stump to see if it could be salvaged.

Lo and behold the tree is thriving!

Looking at it the other day we both marveled at the growth spurt it’s manifested. And thought aloud that the branches appeared to be sagging a bit.

Which is because they’re positively loaded with fruit. 

Looking forward to ripe berries on vanilla ice cream.

And sharing with the songbirds….. 

Friday Music

Popularly-known as The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Wimoweh and Mbube (Zulu for lion) this song was originally written and recorded by Solomon Linda in 1939 under the Mbube title. 

Just about everyone and anyone has covered the tune since as most Americans ignored South African copyrights since South Africa was not a signatory to U.S. copyright law.  Following the Disney movie the Lion King the lawsuits grew in scale. 

Long story short, it was back in 1961 that the English translation of this song became popularized by the doo-wop group The Tokens.  Since I know you’re fond of ear worms I’ll post another version before too long.

Fun a cappella version by Straight No Chaser...

Friday Music

According to the interweb this song, performed by the virtual band the ‘Archies’, was produced by Jeff Barry – and originally released on the album Everything's Archie.  The final product was the result of a collection of studio musicians managed by Don Kirshner. 
 
Lead vocals were by Ron Dante along with Andy Kim and Toni Wine and only by the miracle of studio multitracking was this catchy tune held together by a thread.   Released in late May of 1969 the song achieved small success on the charts in the early summer in some radio markets.  It was re-released mid-July 1969, on the Kirshner label.  From there it went viral (before viral was a thing) spending four weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.  The song eventually rose to the 1969 US number-one single of the year.  It persists - ranked at number 78 - on Billboard's Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Singles. 

Not a poor showing for a fake band.  

Sorry for the earworm folks, but it's heartwarming to see people posting dance videos nowadays, choreographed to something that is 55 years old...

Friday Music

According to the interweb this song performed by the virtual band the ‘Archies’ was produced by Jeff Barry – and originally released on the album Everything's Archie.  The final product was the result of a collection of studio musicians managed by Don Kirshner. 
 
Lead vocals were by Ron Dante along with Andy Kim and Toni Wine - studio multitracking held this catchy tune together by a thread.   Released in late May of 1969 the song achieved small success on the charts in the early summer in some radio markets.  It was re-released mid-July 1969, on the Kirshner label.  From there it went viral (before viral was a thing) spending four weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.  The song eventually rose to the 1969 US number-one single of the year.  It persists - ranked at number 78 on Billboard's Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Singles. 

Not a poor showing for a fake band.  

Sorry for the ear worm folks, but check-out the Cougar in the video... 

Friday Music

A couple of weeks ago for some weird reason this song found its way into my head and I couldn’t  shake it. I got the Earworm.  

Go figure.  

Formed in 1962 by Allan Clarke and Graham Nash this group was known for their three part
vocals.  

Their 1971 album - Distant Light - produced a couple of hit singles including Allan Clarke’s Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress and this song by Tony Hicks.  

Graham Nash had previously left the band in 1968 to form Crosby, Stills and Nash and Allan
Clarke briefly departed the group after this album release.  

The album reached number 21 on the charts and this single reached 26.  

This is a particularly good live version showcasing its distinctive bluesy flavor.   

Hope you get the Earworm as locating this video fixed it for me.  

Long Dark Road by The Hollies…...

Friday Music

This song performed by the ‘cartoon’ band the ‘Archies’ was written and produced by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim – and originally released on the album Everything's Archie.  The final product was the result of a collection of studio musicians managed by Don Kirshner. 

 

Lead vocals were by Ron Dante along with Andy Kim and Toni Wine - studio multitracking held this catchy tune together by a thread.   Released in late May of 1969 the song achieved small success on the charts in the early summer in some radio markets.  It was re-released mid-July 1969, on the Kirshner label - when it went on to spend four weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.  The song eventually rose to the 1969 US number-one single of the year.  It persists - ranked at number 78 on Billboard's Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Singles. 

Not a poor showing for a fake band. 

Friday Music

The Steel Drum, or Pan, is a unique percussion instrument that has only recently been popularized on the musical scene.  Hammered from a 55-gallon oil barrel it is skillfully tuned by hand to produce perfect musical tones.   

Steel pans are the only instruments made to play in the Pythagorean musical cycle of fourths and fifths.  The drums were developed on the Caribbean island of Trinidad during the early years of the 20th century.   The artist who plays the steelpan is called a pannist.

This tune was originally written and recorded in 1939 by Solomon Linda under the title Mbube (Zulu for lion).  

How cool can it be to play in a school band like this?

Science Comes to Friday Music

A year ago yesterday Daryl Dragon passed away at the age of 76.  Trained as a classical pianist Dragon is best remembered as the other half of a 70’s pop sensation performing as Captain and Tennille.  Dragon was married to Toni Tennille.  One of their hits has a syrupy concoction called Muskrat Love. 

Meet Ondatra zibethicus – The Muskrat – aptly named as a consequence of its long naked tail and musky odor (quite noticeable in the male during the breeding season).   The muskrat is ideally-suited to living in a watery environment and sports a waterproof fur coat, webbed feet and a tail that can be used like a rudder.   This chunky rodent can stay submerged for up to fifteen minutes before having to surface for air.   

For a number of years muskrats have been making their home in the large pond out back between the house and Silver Creek.  Not all muskrats build lodges – with some choosing to dig a burrow in a stream bank or lake shore.  Our rats appear to be builders as opposed to diggers and this is their lodge constructed of mud and cut vegetation. 

This particular home is the largest one we’ve seen so far.  The roof is approximately 30 inches above the surface of the ice. 

Muskrat lodges have one to two underwater entrances and may have a second chamber for different occupants.  They’re fastidious about their den and will not use it as a bathroom.  The muskrat does not hibernate and is active year-round.  They can live up to ten years of age in the wild. 

Breeding begins in April and ends with the return of fall weather.  Around half a dozen young are born two to three times a year and the little ones can swim at two weeks of age.            

Unlike the beaver - who occupies only one lodge per lake or stream - the muskrat may build multiple abodes.  Here is a smaller lodge that we’re going to keep an eye on.  We’re not sure if it is under construction or was started and abandoned.

click on images for a closer look

Overcrowding will cause the critter to disperse and to find a new home.          

Getting back to the breeding behavior of the muskrat and what happens in that lodge there is this. 

And you are welcome for the earworm....

Friday Music

Berthold Heinrich Kämpfert -  Bert Kaempfert - was a German orchestra leader, instrumentalist, producer, arranger, and composer.  His music figured significantly in our household when I was a child.  

Bert made easy listening and jazz-oriented records and wrote the music for a number of well-known songs, including Strangers in the Night and Moon Over Naples, Danke Schoen, Blue Midnight, We Can Make it Girl, Sweet Maria, Sweet Caroline, Wooden Heart, That Happy Feeling and many more.  

Long before it was popularized by other latter-day artists the LP entitled A Swingin' Safari was heavily influenced by South African kwela style music containing versions of Zambesi, Wimoweh, Skokiaan, and Afrikaan Beat, as well as the title track. -Wikki

Friday Music

Composed in 1968 - Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells spent 16 weeks on the U.S. charts, reaching number one in the United States (in February 1969) and other countries. Selling 5 million copies it was the group’s best-selling song.   

Following the initial release the group remixed a longer five-and-a-half minute long version of the the song for their LP album.  During tape copying a slight speed error was inadvertently introduced which resulted in a drop in pitch during the new guitar solo sections.  That error remained unfixed.  And now I know the explanation for the hiccup in that version of the song.

Friday Music

The Steel Drum, or Pan, is a unique percussion instrument that has only recently been popularized on the musical scene.  Hammered from a 55-gallon oil barrel it is skillfully tuned by hand to produce perfect musical tones.  Steel pans are the only instruments made to play in the Pythagorean musical cycle of fourths and fifths.  The drums were developed on the Caribbean island of Trinidad during the early years of the 20th century.   The artist who plays the steelpan is called a pannist.

Friday Music

When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best 
When I lay me down to die 
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky…

Written and recorded by Norman Greenbaum this single sold two million copies from 1969 to 1970 reaching number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.  

The tune is about the afterlife makes several references to Jesus although Greenbaum is Jewish.  And although some consider it a one hit wonder Spirit in the Sky has supported Greenbaum for the past four decades because it's been used in countless movies and television commercials. 

Enjoy the ear worm...

Friday Music

According to the internet this song performed by the virtual band the ‘Archies’ was produced by Jeff Barry – and originally released on the album Everything's Archie.  The final product was the result of a collection of studio musicians managed by Don Kirshner. 
 
Lead vocals were by Ron Dante along with Andy Kim and Toni Wine - studio multitracking held this catchy tune together by a thread.   Released in late May of 1969 the song achieved small success on the charts in the early summer in some radio markets.  It was re-released mid-July 1969, on the Kirshner label - when it went on to spend four weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.  The song eventually rose to the 1969 US number-one single of the year.  It persists - ranked at number 78 on Billboard's Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Singles. 

Not a poor showing for a fake band.  

Sorry for the ear worm people and check-out the Cougar in the shoddy staged video...