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Five Years

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Five years have passed by so very quickly. And yet, every July 3, I recall that day, vividly.

I recall the surreal, foggy morning in Saugatuck.  I was camping with my friends, and decided to call my dad for the first time that weekend.  The calls went unanswered.  I recall seeing “The Devil Wears Prada” with my friends because it had rained that morning, and not being able to enjoy the movie because I kept checking my phone to see if he had called me back.  And then, after the movie, getting the news that tore through my heart.

The ride back to camp, and arriving to find my tent taken down and my car already packed.  I will never, ever forget the kindness and love from my friends as they worked so hard to get me out of there as fast as possible.

Getting my friend Rafael to drive my car so I didn’t have to drive it myself was another blessing.  I don’t remember much of anything from that trip.  I just wanted to get home.

Sitting in my mom’s kitchen that night, hearing fireworks going off in the distance.  The low thuds of each explosion marking the celebration of the holiday that was, on that day, dead to me.  What was there to celebrate?  I was mourning. Independence Day would never be the same for me, and hasn’t since.

The planning, meetings, dinners brought by from friends and family.  Lots of decisions, and lots and lots of tears.  That was all part of it, too.

As rough as that day and the days that followed were, it somehow made our family that much stronger.  We never broke under the pressure and kept on going.

There was immense sadness, but also immense relief.  Dad had suffered for so long, and by the end of his life was so miserable, that he made us miserable, too.  I guess what kept us going (and sane) through all of that was knowing that he was finally at peace.  And consequently, we, too, were at peace.

I wrote about all of this five years ago, so I don’t want to re-hash every detail… but in the five years that have passed, so much has happened.  My nieces were born, and have given such joy to our lives.  How I wish he could have met and known Abby and Emily.  Part of me believes he does know them, and is watching over them closely; but had he been alive to meet them I know he would have loved them dearly.

But on the other end of the spectrum, my uncle– my dad’s brother– is nearing the end of his battle with cancer.  Unlike dad, his suffering is lingering.  I hate what’s happening to him, and how cancer has robbed him of not only his ability to live his life, but his will to live.  Once again, when the time comes, we will have sorrow, but also thankful he is no longer suffering.

So this year I am spending the holiday with my family.  I’m sure we’ll share some tears, but many more happy times.  And we will celebrate Independence Day.  Because although I thought it was dead to me five years ago, eventually, I have to move on.

Dad, wherever you are– I love you.  You’ll always be in my heart.

My Top 10 Classic 1970′s Commercials

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As I grow ever nearer to my 40th birthday (less than a month away!) I decided it’s time to start taking a little trip down memory road and bring back some things I remember from my childhood.

To start, I have assembled my Top 10 most memorable 1970′s commercials.  Growing up as a child of the 1970′s, I was glued to the TV more often than not.  So many of these commercials are just as memorable to me today as they were then.

Here we go!

10. Chiffon Margarine – “It’s Not Nice To Fool Mother Nature”

Oh how I loved this one.  Something about it just stuck with me for years afterward.  Maybe it was the way she said the commercial’s tagline, or maybe it was the thunder and lightning.  Either way, I once in a while will still use this line.  This is the only one I can find on YouTube– but I know many others were made.

9. Trix – Trix Ahoy!

I used to always feel so sorry for the Trix Rabbit.  Why were Trix just for kids anyway?  After all, grown-ups could eat Trix if they wanted to– why couldn’t the rabbit?  Anyway, his misadventures with trying to access Trix cereal were best in the 1970′s– when there were only three flavors: Raspberry Red, Lemon Yellow and Orange Orange.  Of course, they always tasted the same to me.

8. Slinky – “It’s Slinky!”

I think I went through at least 5 Slinkies in my lifetime.  I always tried to get them to go down stairs but for some reason I never could do it successfully.  That never stopped me from trying, obviously.  I went through so many of them because I’d eventually get them all tangled and bent out of shape so they didn’t work anymore.  I never got one of those plastic ones– I always wanted a shiny new metal one.  Oddly enough, I STILL have the last Slinky I ever bought.  It’s got to be over 25 years old by now, and it’s still in perfect condition.

7. Life Cereal – “He Likes It!  Hey Mikey!”

This one had major lasting power, running well into the 1980′s and possibly even the early 1990′s.  It even had a resurgence when they found the original Mikey (who did not die from a mixture of pop rocks and Coke, as was greatly rumored) and brought him back for an update of the commercial in the 1980′s.

6. Oscar Mayer – “My Bologna Has A First Name”

I was just singing this to myself at the grocery store at the other day, when I was standing in a VERY long line waiting to be checked out.  Next to me was the lunch meat, and a ton of Oscar Mayer Bologna.  I haven’t eaten the stuff in years (the though sickens me– I ate enough of it as a kid, and frankly I never liked it then!), but the song has never left my brain.  If it has left yours, see how quickly you’ll recall it by clicking below.

5. Toys R Us – “Christmas Commercial”

This one makes me warm and fuzzy inside every single time I hear the song.  I remember KNOWING that Christmas was coming as soon as I heard this song play.  I don’t know why, but it really affected me as a kid– and still does today.

4. Tootsie Roll – “How Many Licks?“

Another one that ran for YEARS, this one probably was viewed by me and my sister more times than any other.  To this day, when I count to three, I say “One… Two-WHOOOO! Three!”  As a bonus, I’m including the FULL version, where the boy asks a cow and a fox in addition to the turtle and the owl.  The classic, long-running version just includes the turtle and the owl.

Original, extended version

Classic, shortened version

3. Coca Cola – “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing“

What classic 1970′s list would be complete without this commercial?  Even as a kid, I knew what a great commercial it was– if only for the song itself.  I remember singing the complete, revised song in grade school around 4th grade or so.  Of course, that was in the 1980′s, but that just goes to show the lasting power the commercial had.  This one also ran for many years– and still makes reappearances now and then.  It’s considered one of the greatest TV commercials of all-time.

2. Calgon Water Softener – “Ancient Chinese Secret“

OK, I know that by today’s standards this commercial is TOTALLY un-PC.  But any kid in the 1970′s knew the line “Ancient Chinese Secret, HUH?”  Regardless of the message it portrays, it is a classic 1970′s commercial which ran for YEARS (well into the 1980′s, in fact).  So it definitely belongs here!

Interesting to note: There were two different versions of the commercial.  The original version had Mrs. Lee calling Calgon “New Improved Calgon,” while the subsequent versions just said, “Calgon.”

1. Tootsie Roll – “Whatever It Is I Think I See Becomes A Tootsie Roll To Me”

Chicago-based Tootsie Roll gets two entries in my Top 10 list.  Both commercials had enormous lasting power (running well over 10 years each), and both were extremely effective because their messages were clear, clever and simple.  This song is one of those that hurtles me back 35 years or so and plants me in front of the TV watching “Bozo’s Circus” or “Ray Rayner” on WGN Channel 9.  I love this one.

Just Say NO!

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Just Say No

I’m just a boy who can’t say no.

OK, stop looking at me like that.  I don’t mean it that way.  Really, I don’t.

What I mean is, if someone says they need help with something, or asks for assistance, I have a hard time saying “No, I really can’t commit to that right now.”

I’m the type of person who likes being involved in things, and get to the heart of how things work.  I’m not one of those people who sits idly by and lets other people do everything.  I dig in, hands-first, and help out.

That’s an admirable trait, isn’t it?  Sure.  But it has to have its limits.  I can’t allow myself to get so over-extended that I have no time to do things that I really enjoy.  I have enough trouble over-extending myself financially.  I can’t afford to do the same with my time.

Problem is, I really do love being involved in things– especially things that matter to me and to the community as a whole.  The sad– some would say crazy– thing about all that is, I wish I could do more.

I don’t do these things for glory or for kudos– although that’s nice, if you get it.  I do them because I can’t help but think that if I don’t do them, I’m not sure who will.  The important thing is to not let myself get burned out– or for that matter, burned.  Because if that happens, you can be sure I won’t lend my hand anymore.

In the meantime, I enjoy keeping myself busy and my plate full.  But I’m looking very much forward to an emptier plate.  Just so I can fill it up with something else, I’m sure.

Abby and Emily at Christmas

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Abby, originally uploaded by RcktManIL.

Emily, originally uploaded by RcktManIL.

I got my new camera just in time for Christmas, and I was so excited to use it to take new pictures of the girls. Needless to say, I was not disappointed with the results. The Kodak camera I got shortly after the break-in was okay, but it just could not deliver the results I liked so much from the DSLR. The new camera, a Canon Digital Rebel XSI, is a step up and a newer model than the camera that was stolen. Plus I got two lenses and a whole bunch of extras. Basically all the stuff that was stolen was replaced, save for just one of the lenses… at a fraction of the amount I paid for it all initially. Merry Christmas to me, for sure!!!

MORE Definitive Holiday Songs!

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Last year at about this time, I came up with a list of what I called my “Definitive Holiday Songs.”  These are songs that not only define the holidays, but also define the song as well.

Many times Christmas or other holiday songs get recorded ad nauseum until we barely care about the song anymore… but surely there are versions of the songs that are THE best, and should stand as the absolute definitive version ever made.

I devised last year’s list, based only on my own feelings about the songs, and many of you followed up with some suggestions for further definitive versions.  I said at the time I would do another list, so… a year later, here it is, in no particular order:

1. All I Want For Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey. Say what you will (or want t0) about Ms. Carey; she can craft a damn catchy tune.  And this one, from her “Merry Christmas” album, is the one that has stood the test of time the best.  It’s upbeat, it’s fun, and it’s become a classic that has now been covered by countless other artists… a sure test of a song’s longevity.  But nothing beats the original.  Mariah was in her element here.

2. Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley. I’m not a huge Elvis fan, but nothing beats his version of this bluesy rock ‘n roll Christmas classic.  Elvis’s vocals, with the backup vocals doing their “dooo doo dooo’s” are unmatched, and no matter how many times I hear this song done by someone else, nothing sounds as good as Elvis’s version.  It’s holiday perfection.

3. The Christmas Waltz – Carpenters. The Carpenters get another classic nod here, in this oft-covered song, written by the legendary Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne (though some sources credit James Van Heusen, so I’m not 100% certain which is accurate).  The song has been recorded by such luminaries as Frank Sinatra and Mel Torme, but nothing beats Richard and Karen’s lilty version.

4. Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses. They know what boys like, but they also knew how to rock out a great holiday classic.  Some think the song is dated, but I think it’s funky and fun, with a rapped-and-sung verse structure (note the pun on “wrapping”) that tells the story about running into the same guy all year long before finally connecting with him for the holidays.  The song was re-written and re-sung by a group called “Save Ferris” with a Jewish theme for Hanukkah, but nothing beats the original.

5. Cool Yule – Bette Midler. The Divine Miss M came out with a wonderful Christmas album a few years ago that is still a favorite this year, and she named it “Cool Yule,” which, coincidentally, is also the name of CGMC’s first Holiday album.  The song “Cool Yule” was first popularized by Louis Armstrong, and his version is quite definitive, but Bette truly makes it her own.  It’s fun and joyful without being too over-the-top.

6. Feliz Navidad – Jose Feliciano. There are plenty who are tired of this song, but I still love it.  When I hear it, I know it’s Christmastime.  It’s joyful and fun and carefree, which is what the holidays SHOULD be about.  I’ve always been a fan of Jose Feliciano, so of course, his version is the absolute definitive to me.

7. The First Noël – Johnny Mathis. Another one that has been recorded over and over and OVER again, but Johnny Mathis gets the nod for the reverent reading, thanks in large part to a lush arrangement by Percy Faith and his orchestra and chorus.   Usually most versions hit the high note on the last “Noël” before “Born is the King of Israel” on the very last chorus, but Johnny hits it every single time, holding it a bit longer the last time.  For some reason, I like that.

8. Grown-Up Christmas List – Michael Bublé. This is a fairly newer song that juuuuust teeters on the edge of being schlocky, but it’s so lovely and well-intended that I can’t bring myself to hate it.  The song was composed by David Foster and Linda Thompson-Jenner in 1990 and appeared, with vocals by Natalie Cole, on his Christmas album titled “River of Love.”  In 1992, Amy Grant recorded the song for her album, “Home for Christmas,” and in so doing wrote an additional verse and altered some of the lyrics.  Grant’s version is the one most people are familiar with, and it’s her version that Bublé sings.  I like Amy Grant’s version well-enough, and many people consider hers the definitive version (especially since she provided the revised lyrics that made it a ‘hit,’ but I think Bublé’s version is sweeter and a little more sincere.  Incidentally, Kelly Clarkson recently recorded a version of the song that actually broke into Billboard Adult Contemporary charts in 2003– the first version to ever chart.

9. Happy Xmas (War is Over) – Sarah McLachlan. I know I’ll get grief for this, but I actually prefer Sarah McLachlan’s version of this John Lennon classic better than the original by John and Yoko.  Sue me.  It’s my list, and I make the choices. :)

10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Judy Garland. I don’t quite know how I could have forgotten this in my first list, but by all means, the absolute definitive version of this classic belongs to Judy and nobody else.  Written in 1944 for the movie musical, “Meet Me In St. Louis” by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine (although Blaine’s contributions are debated, especially by Martin), the original version contains slightly different lyrics than the more commonly-known version performed regularly today.  Interestingly, the song’s first version was deemed “too depressing” by Garland and Vincente Minelli, and it was revised to the version performed in the movie.  Original lyrics follow:

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, it may be your last,
Next year we may all be living in the past
Have yourself a merry little Christmas, pop that champagne cork,
Next year we will all be living in New York.

No good times like the olden days, happy golden days of yore,
Faithful friends who were dear to us, will be near to us no more.

But at least we all will be together, if the Fates allow,
From now on we’ll have to muddle through somehow.
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now

Where’s the razor blade, right?  Good call to change the lyrics.

The current lyrics are below, with the movie version lyrics in (parenthesis):

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your heart be light
From now on, (Next year all) our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas, make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on, (Next year all) our troubles will be miles away.
Here we are (Once again) as in olden days, happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us. gather (Will be) near to us once more.
Through the years (Someday soon) we all will be together, If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough. (Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow.)
And (S0) have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

11. I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm – Billie Holiday. Not exactly a Christmas or even a Holiday song, more of a “Seasonal” song… but certainly one that gets a lot of play during the holidays.  Lady Day’s version of this Irving Berlin classic still remains the most definitive, because I’ve found that most versions that followed seemed to try to copy her style in interpreting it.

12. “I Believe In Father Christmas – Greg Lake/Emerson Lake and Palmer. This song has an interesting story behind it.  It was originally recorded in 1974 by Greg Lake as a solo effort, and was never really intended to be an actual Christmas song in the traditional sense.  It was written in protest of the commercialization of Christmas, and also in protest of the Vietnam war.  However, the theme of the song, especially the line, “I wish you a hopeful Christmas; I wish you a brave new year,” turned the song into a phenomenon.  The song has also been interpreted as anti-religious, which Lake denied, saying “I find it appalling when people say it’s politically incorrect to talk about Christmas, you’ve got to talk about ‘The Holiday Season.’  Christmas was a time of family warmth and love. There was a feeling of forgiveness, acceptance. And I do believe in Father Christmas.” The song was also recorded by Lake’s group, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, three times – in 1975, 1977 and 1993; but the most definitive version belongs to the original Greg Lake version.

13. Mary’s Little Boy Child – Harry Simeone Chorale. Sometimes credited as “Mary’s Boy Child,” this song is probably most often attributed to Harry Belafonte, and I, again, will probably get some flak for choosing this version over Harry’s, but as lovely as Harry’s version is, the Simeone Chorale does it in a great Calypso beat that fits the song beautifully, and transforms it into an upbeat and joyful tune.  Mahalia Jackson also does a wonderful version of the tune.

14. Please Come Home For Christmas – Charles Brown. This blues/rock ‘n roll Christmas classic was written and originally recorded by Charles Brown, and he still owns the definitive version.  Subsequent recordings by The Eagles and Jon Bon Jovi, among others, have typically remained faithful to Brown’s original version, so it only makes sense that the definitive belongs to Brown.

15. River – Joni Mitchell. Only in recent years has this wonderful tune become more associated with Christmas, mainly because the setting revolves around Christmastime, and evokes images of winter, snow, ice and skating.  Additionally, the song begins with an interpolation of “Jingle Bells,” which continues throughout the song.  In recent years, “River” has been covered more and more frequently.  I absolutely LOVE this song, and any excuse to promote Joni Mitchell’s brilliance is reason enough for me to include her in this list.

16. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town – Bing Crosby with the Andrews Sisters. There are SO many versions of this song that it’s really hard to choose one really definitive version.  But the one that I couldn’t stop thinking of was this one, which was featured in “A Christmas Story” and played on Christmas morning when Ralphie and Randy discovered their presents.  Almost as good as their “Jingle Bells” version, which I think might have qualified for another “definitive” spot, if I hadn’t already given it to the Ray Conniff singers.

17. and 18.  Still, Still, Still and Veni, Veni Emmanuel – Mannheim Steamroller featuring the Cambridge Singers. These two carols were featured on the Steamroller’s second Christmas effort, “A Fresh Aire Christmas,” easily their best Christmas album.  ”Veni, Veni” is gorgeous, with the choir performing the chanted version at the beginning and the band coming in with a beautiful rendition to follow, closing again with the chant.  But “Still, Still, Still” is my favorite track on the album by far.  This song, an Austrian lullaby which dates back to 1819, is haunting, beautiful and relaxing… evoking such scenes as falling snow, a peaceful land, and of course the birth of Jesus.  The song never fails to connect to me emotionally, and I have not heard a prettier version.  The arrangement is by Norman Luboff, a very commonly performed arrangement, and the Steamroller kept everything very traditional on this track, which I appreciate.  By far, this is one of my most favorite carols.

19. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? – Diana Krall. I have to hand this one to Diana Krall because I absolutely love her Christmas album and love her interpretations of holiday classics… and it’s just too hard to choose just one of her tracks that I like more than the other.  This one is probably best because it fits her style so well– that jazzy, lounge-y style that I love so much.

20. What Child Is This? – Sarah McLachlan.  Again, this song has been covered so many times it’s hard to choose just one to call “definitive,” but right now this is the one that’d defining the song for me.  McLachlan takes the song in a somewhat different direction, almost singing a harmony line throughout… but it works.  It’s gentle and soft, as you’d expect from McLachlan, but gorgeous all the same.  It almost fits the song’s original intent, as the English carol “Greensleeves.”  It has an almost old-world feel about it.  And yet, if you sing the melody along with it… it still works.  Brilliant.

And one more for good measure…

“Time To Sleep” – Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus. (Available on CGMC’s Website) This original composition by CGMC Artistic Director Patrick Sinozich was featured in our Holiday concert in 2006 titled “Fa La La Blah Blah Blah.”  It features two soloists and the chorus in a gorgeous lullaby that closed out the show.  Simply put, one of the most beautiful melodies I’ve heard in a long time.  It was featured on our live Holiday CD, ‘Favorite Things.”  Check it out and hear for yourself.

And there you have it… 20 more “Definitive” songs for you to explore.  I’m interested to hear your input for other songs you think deserve the “Definitive” title.  Maybe they’ll show up on the 2010 list!