Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Bang! (2020)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a young man who is living on his own and doing adult things, like getting his own apartment, eating better and doing his own taxes, but he doesn't yet feel grown up. Do you remember when you felt like a grown up? When I got married I felt like I arrived. There are times I did not want to be a grown up. When our kids were growing up, I had to be the grown up. Now that we have grandkids, we can remember what it is to be a kid and enjoy them while their parents have to be the grown ups!

2) He mentions not being sure of his login password. Is this something you struggle with? Or are you able to zip into your accounts? I remember most of my passwords but I do have them written down too.

3) Both the video and CD cover show the band playing games of chance. What's the last game that you played? We played a guessing game with the grands while we were on vacation. 

4) This week's featured band, AJR, is named for the three brothers who make up the trio -- Adam, Jack and Ryan Met. Until recently, all three brothers lived at home and wrote songs together in the Met family living room. Do you have siblings? If so, what's something you enjoy doing together? Yes I have 2 sisters and one brother. My brother is the youngest but it feels like he is older and wiser. I am okay with that too! We last got together this summer for a baby shower that was outside. We use to go out for certain things like concerts until Covid hit. We use to have a big family get together with all of our kids and grandkids. But we haven't because of Covid.

 

5) The oldest Met brother, Adam, now lives with his girlfriend in an apartment near Columbia University, where he is a PhD candidate. During the school year, he only works on his music on weekends. Next summer, in 2022, he should be done with his studies and plans on touring the country with the band. Some tour dates are already scheduled. If possible, do you like to make plans far in advance? Or do you prefer spontaneity? It depends on what it is. For the most part we have to schedule things. There are family things and then I have my time with my friends. Then there is Minnie our doxie. We had to make sure our daughter and the kids could watch Minnie while we were on vacation. I have some online classes that I schedule too. But some things are spontaneous. My husband and I can decide we want to go out to eat or go to the store. We are retired so we can be flexible. Here are few pictures from Vegas which was a planned trip. This was taken at the Palazzo.

6) Jack and Ryan also attend Columbia and share an apartment with their dog. They like to unwind on Fridays, after a week of classes, with a game of air hockey, followed by sushi or sashimi at their favorite Japanese restaurant. What did you do on Friday night? Hubby and I watched Survivor and after he went to bed, I played on here and watched some of my recorded shows. I am more spontaneous than my husband!

 

7) In 2020, the year this song was popular, the most streamed TV show was The Office. The show went off the air in 2013, but during the pandemic and quarantine, it found a new audience. What series have you binged on recently? I watch a lot of series. I like the medical shows and shows like NCIS and CSI.  Hubby and I also like to watch Dances with the Stars, Survivor and Blue Bloods.  I am trying to get caught up since I was on vacation.

8) According to Amazon, the best-selling novel of 2020 was Where the Crawdads Sing. Is there a novel you'd like to recommend to Sat 9ers? My favorite is Gone With The Wind. I also like Hawaii by James Michener and I read several of his books.

9) Random question: Your local drug store has self-check out. You confess to your best friend that you absent-mindedly missed scanning an item, walked out of the store with it, set off security and were caught unintentionally shoplifting. The store manager believed you so there were no repercussions, but you were mortified nevertheless. Would you expect your best friend to share your embarrassing story with his/her spouse? Probably.

 

Saturday 9 I Left My Heart in S.F.

Saturday 9: I Left My Heart in San Francisco (1962)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is a valentine to the city of San Francisco. Songwriters George Cory and Douglas Cross moved to New York to find fame and fortune and found themselves homesick for the city by the bay. Have you ever been homesick? Or, in the parlance of the song, where have you left your heart? My heart is homesick for my parents. I think they went to a Tony Bennett Concert. I inherited some of there CD's. 

2) Cory and Cross were buddies with Ralph Sharon, a piano player who often worked with Tony Bennett. Ralph brought the song to Tony and the results were very happy for all involved. Have you more recently done, or been on the receiving end of, a favor? The only thing I can think of is giving a homeless woman some money the other day. 

 

3) The lyrics compare San Francisco to Paris, Rome and Manhattan. Have you visited those cities? I have been to San Francisco a few times. I was last there in 2018. I was in Manhattan in 2008. Does Paris, Las Vegas count? We ate at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant. 

Banana Eiffel Tower Soufflés 

4) This week's artist, Tony Bennett, sang professionally for the last time in August. He retired after performing at Radio City Music Hall with Lady Gaga. Their musical collaboration dates back to when they both performed at President Obama's inauguration. Though 60 years apart in age, they became fast friends based on their shared love of jazz. Do you find that most of your friends are older than you, younger than you, or within 5 years of you? Most are within 5. But one of my friends is 10 years older than me.

5) While Lady Gaga grew up listening to Tony Bennett, as a young man Tony recalled listening to Bing Crosby, Judy Garland and Joe Venuti. Which singers did you enjoy during your teen years? Too many groups to mention. I did enjoy Motown Music like the Jackson 5.

6) While he's famous for singing about San Francisco, Tony is a proud son of New York. Born in Queens, he chose to end his career at Radio City Music Hall and was excited to perform "New York State of Mind" with Billy Joel at Shea Stadium in 2008. Do you have a favorite Billy Joel song? Yes Uptown Girl. Reminds me of Frankie Valli.

 

7) Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra may have been competitors but they shared mutual admiration. Sinatra called Bennett "the best singer in the business," and Bennett did a Sinatra homage album called Perfectly Frank. Think of people you have worked with over the years. Tell us about someone who has impressed you, and why. My supervisor Vera Parks made a big influence in my life. She brought me back to the Lord in the 80's when I was looking. She helped me a lot at work and taught me many things. She was like a mother figure. She helped me gain confidence in myself. I eventually took over one of her programs when she retired. 

8) The 1970s were a difficult period for Tony. During the days of disco and Studio 54, he said singing new songs made him feel like his mother, a talented seamstress, when she was forced to make a cheap dress. OK, so Tony doesn't like disco! Is there a genre of music you just don't care for? I  don't really care for country music. I have talked to a lot of native Californian's and they say the same things. Not sure why. There are a few sings and songs I like, but I would not choose that station. I don't mind a rap that I can understand, and don't like anything with bad language. I did like the rap in the musical Alexander. You do have to listen really well because they go so fast. I thought it was educational too! I have preset stations in my car for Broadway musicals, Classical, easy listening and Soul. Then there are stations for the 60's, 70's, 80's. I do not like heavy metal. I mostly listen to Christian music. 

9) Random question: Imagine you're the passenger in a long car ride. Are you more likely to be calm or fidgety? Calm because I am usually working on my crafts.

1. This week's Hodgepodge lands on St. Patrick's Day. Will you wear green? Eat corned beef and cabbage? Drink green beer? Have you ever been to Ireland? Is it on your travel 'bucket list'? I will wear green and I even have a face mask with Mickey and Minnie and Shamrocks to wear. We are having lamb, cabbage, potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower for dinner. I don't like beer. Never have been to Ireland and no plans to go there. I will probably go to Sprouts and get some Irish Soda bread.

2. Something you think is 'worth its weight in gold'? My grandkids!

3. Something that makes you 'green around the gills'? Canned spinach.

4. What puts a 'spring in your step' these days? Being outside, especially at a park with lots of trees.

5. Write a limerick using one of the following as your theme....March, St. Patrick's Day, Covid, 2020 and/or 2021, the color green, or life lately. Yes, you can do it. 

There once was a day of green

That became an Irish dream

A short little man with a  green top hat

Slid down a rainbow flat on his back.

Into a a jingle of coins that made him beam

6. Insert your own random thought here.  I really was surprised to see that according to Ancestry.com, my DNA has 4% Irish. As a child, it was a day to wear green and not get pinched. The Craft group I am in does a virtual visit of different places and this month it is Ireland. It is interesting to learn new things.  In 2017, my husband and I ate at an Irish place called Ri Ra at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. I had the Irish stew and my husband had corn beef and cabbage.