2/22- THE POWER OF TWO! PT.2 END

[Mike Pell]

I knew going into this that I would regretfully disappoint people by not playing their own particular favorite Duo- there are too many of them to please everybody.
But I will open this ending episide with a couple of biggies, ones that I knew I HAD to play.
Even as the show was progressing though, I was thinking of other Duos that I should play but wouldn’t have time for.
But that is what sequels are for- we’ll do it again some time.
I talked about what I thought was the difference betweet a Duo and a Duet.
No dictionary definitions here- just my feeling as to the difference.
And the heydays for Duos were probably the 50’s 60’s 70’s & 80’s.
Seems to me in recent years there have been more Duets than ever before.
However, things run in cycles, and Duos will inevitably return.
Curiosly, there have been many so-called one-hit wonders that have been Duos.
I’ll explore some of those, all from the 60’s.
After that, staying in the 60’s, a trip across the Atlantic for some British Invasion Duos.
To close out, I had one final order of business.
2/22 or February 22nd, besides all twos, is George Washington’s Birthday.
A day that used to be a Holiday here until it was merged into this week’s Presidents Day.
Anybody remember Dean Friedman?
He’s a New Jersey guy who had a hit with Ariel.
A few years back he did a song called George Washington Slept Here.
It is an amazingly good, rollicking and accurate accounting of both Washington and the Revolutionary War- better than you get in school!
George could have been King here if he had wanted to, but he didn’t believe in monarchies.
He reluctantly became the first President, could have had THAT job for life, but went back to his farm after two terms.
A good honorable man, a Founding Father and one of my heroes.
All in all, there is simply some very good music in this edition.
Hope you agree.
Oh...and Happy Birthday George!

 

And here's the link to the end of these TWO halves, at WLSO.FM:

 

http://wlso.fm/wordpress/archives/1948

 

Mike

[Mike Pell]

RJ,
Yes, Your Mama Don't Dance is much fun and it has always made me want to dance.
Now how about this, we are in synch with Angry Eyes- I LOVE that song, but it's got to be the long 7 minutes or so version!
I liked all those one-hit wonders (guess that's why I get to pick them, lol!), James & Bobby Purify I hadn't heard in a long time, so I went for it- and you liked it!
But you never heard Two Of Us by the Beatles...you are an enigma, lol!
I still say that is great drumming on The Mountain's High by Dick & Dee Dee, and the only one that sounded dated to me was Reach Out In The Darkness, but I still enjoyed it.
Forgot to mention that Peter and Gordon's I Go To Pieces was written by Del Shannon.
Remember him?
That George Washington Slept Here is great, a real history lesson- but with the snare drum I kept thinking of that Stan Freberg version of Yellow Rose Of Texas I recently played, making me laugh.
Some of those you mentioned as two folks I didn't know about either, but maybe they are like Steely Dan- it's Becker & Fagen but always with other musicians, so perhaps not really true duos.

I'm surprised you didn't work in The Carpenters, Sonny & Cher, Seals & Croft, England Dan & John Ford Coley, or Jan And Dean.  I guess some of those will show up in your sequel.

I gotta tell you, I had grabbed a bunch of CD's & records with duos for that show, but as I was doing it I was cringing while thinking of all those famous others you mentioned, and even more, lol!
But I just plugged along with the ones I had, and I didn't even get to play all of them!
I'll have to look up the difference between a duo and a duet before I do another show like that, but I am lazy and full of crap, so I probably won't.
Thanks my friend for your thoughtful words, keeps me on my game, lol,
Mike

[Mike Pell]

Scott, I liked the smileys if you mean them.

At least you took the time to figure out how to use them, unlike me, lol!

Actually I didn't think that much about the Loggins & Messina song, it wasn't on several levels, although I do that sometimes.

This was simply I like the song, play it, lol!

Now that you mention it, that Righteous Bros talking part does kind of grate- guess it was good at the time, and I am pretty sure Phil Spector produced, so there you go, a little more sickening drama.

I can't hear myself saying that to a girl, unless I had a script in my hand, lol!

I ws thinking of doing a series with songs that have Surprise endings, and I always like the part in the Friedman song where he slaps the tip on the bar and sees old George's face.

Couldn't have happened with a two-dollar bill.

But we all save them anyway, right?
Kirk out, lol!

And good to hear from you,

Mike

[RJhog (Admin)]

Terrific show Mike.  Two great ones to start things off.  Your Mama Don't Dance is an awesome song, but my favorite Loggins & Messina is Angry Eyes.  And The Righteous Brothers vocals are just outstanding.

 

My favorite of your one hit wonders was James & Bobbie Purify (If I heard that correctly) with the song "I'm Your Puppett".   Believe it or not, I have heard it and I've always liked it.

 

I also liked the song by Peter and Gordon, "I Go To Pieces".  Very nice.  And the history refresher with George Washington Slept Here was great.  He was a great man and we are very lucky he did what he did.  I certainly salute him.

 

Now, for who you forgot.  I know, you didn't forget 'em, you just didn't have time for 'em all.  Anyway, I did a search just to see what duos came up.  Several bands that I didn't realize were considered duos came up.  Those were Air Supply, Eurythmics, Tears for Fears and Steely Dan.  Now, I know all of these groups were mainly two folks, but I thought they were bands, not duos.  You learn something new everyday. 

 

I'm surprised you didn't work in The Carpenters, Sonny & Cher, Seals & Croft, England Dan & John Ford Coley, or Jan And Dean.  I guess some of those will show up in your sequel.

 

And one last thing, I totally agree with your definition of the difference between duos and duets.  I'd say George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and so forth are duets, not duos.

 

 

[Scott]

 ...   ...

 

Sorry about that, wont happen again...

 

Your so right, you HAD to play Loggins and Messina.  They have such a cool catalog!  And I suppose Your Momma Dont Dance is appropriate since its a "couple" who dont dance, or do dance but not together, or ...  oh nevermind!  Great song!

 

Theres that little talking part in the Righteous Bros tune, could that be any more cheesy?   I mean everytime I tried to be all serious like that with a girl well, lets just say it wasnt pretty ...

 

Dean Friedman?  - Just a bit oif trivia for you,  Who's face is on the Two dollar bill?  THats right, its not George Washington!  Its actually Jefferson .. .  OK OK  , moving on now...

 

As usual, great show sir!  Peace Out!