Mike Pell's Blog (1,052)

This Chapter I'll open with a TV Theme that is one of the most famous Finger Snapping Songs of all time!

Then a couple of Jazz Influenced Snapping Songs featuring my favorite Tom Waits tune.

Just what the hell is he selling, lol?

The rest you should know, except for maybe one- and that…

The Theme is Finger Snapping In Songs!

And I'll start with a couple of Heavyweights- The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

The Stones one you can probably figure out, but The Beatles?

Oh yes, if you listen closely, and all 4 of The Lads are credited with the Finger Snapping!

Then…

It will be America's 244th Birthday, on the day the Declaration Of Independence was approved and ratified, July 4th, 1776.

Older than me, but I'm pretty damned independent too!

So don't get in the way of my Freedom Of Speech, lol!

I believe in Protests, but not destroying things-…

What a CRAZY year, I want a Do-Over, lol!

While I hated to diverge from my Finger Snapping Series, if ever I HAD to do a 4th Of July Show, this is the year!

It is needed and I needed to do it.

I was raised in a household where Love Of Country was very important- it is in my DNA.

No…

This Series will be like the one I did on Whistling years ago, in both cases the Musical Instrument is your Body!

Finger Snapping is usually done with the Thumb and Middle Finger, the only ones that work for me.

I'll start as I usually do with some of the Older Songs, and what was called…

Here's how this came about, I happened upon a Bobby Darin video where he was snapping his fingers.

And it struck me that the Middle Finger could be used for more than a Salute To The World- it can do Finger Snapping, lol!

Thus a Series was born!

There were 3 Bobby Darins- Rocker,…

I'll open this Episode with a sort of Point/Counterpoint concerning the Wedding Ceremony itself.

One song has the Groom wanting a…

I started last week with Love and Marriage- Love I know about, I just never got into the Marriage part.

But as I look out the window, today seems like a nice day for a Wedding.

In this Chapter, I'll tell you about some of my Roots (we all have…

And this Lifelong Bachelor continues with Love and Marriage....the nerve of me, lol!

To open this Episode I'll have some Trivia about June Weddings, and a Mixed Bag Set of Music.

Then, throughout the History of Rock & Roll there have been songs…

It's Love and Marriage, a Theme I may have no right doing, having never exchanged those Official Vows.

Then again, it may afford me a perspective that comes at it from a different angle from those who have previously been or currently are Married.

I picked June to do this because there are…

GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is it, the final episode of my musical take on Rebels.

Included, a look at James Dean- a key scene from Rebel Without A Cause interspersed with Music that connects to him.

There will be other songs too, dealing with what will always keep the Rebel a Cool Character in our culture.…

WHAT THE FUCK WITH THE PICTURE AGAIN?

Nobody said all Rebels have to be Good Guys.

But a True Rebel is not necessarily a Protester, and a True Protester is not a Rioter or Looter!

Billy The Kid, as described (and this strikes me as funny), "was said to be friendly and personable AT TIMES"!

You take your chances with me too when you wake me up!

Understandably, Rebels are…

This time out in our musical look at Rebels we'll be making our first visit to Rebels In Film.

I would think the two dominant forces in that category would still, after all these years, be between Marlon Brando and James Dean.

Brando came first...and Bikers are ALWAYS Rebels, lol!

Also…

It's time for this.

I've been thinking about doing this for years, and these National Lockdowns signaled to me that this was the time.

So this week it's Rebels!

Those wonderful people who shake up the Status Quo!

I have mentioned that I am the rebellious type- a  balky, defiant, …

The Memorial Day Remembrance concludes but in my heart continues the other 364 days.

This time, I'll open with a song about a guy who, I hate to say it, would have made it easier on his family and himself if he had not come home from war overseas.…

Memorial Day is May 25th, it used to always be on May 30th before our fixation with Monday Holidays.

It is a day of Remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service- the ultimate sacrifice.

I'll open with a song that is also a Poem,…

I am going to start off the last half of this National Train Day show with a little something that, if you are of a certain age, will have your memory whirring.

And all in keeping technically within our Theme.

After that, as I so often do to get…

It is understandable if you missed National Train Day, we had Mothers Day Sunday and that was far more important.

Some background- National Train Day is a holiday started by Amtrak in 2008 as a method to spread information to the general public about the advantages of Rail Travel and the…

This is it, the Grand Finale of For The Birds!

A last chance to play what you may have expected to hear.

I'll begin with a perfect little Pop Song by the Kinks that was only available as a Bonus Track- I can't believe they would not have released…

What a Crazy Spring!

We are getting very near the end of For The Birds, to the great relief of some, lol!

I went Pecking for some Deep Cuts in this Chapter.

The Birds will be the beautiful Peacock, the…