George Michael died today at 53. Never was a big fan of most of his solo career, but his work with Wham! generated pop classics in "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go," "Freedom" and "Last Christmas." I noted in my book Cannibals and Vixens that I consider the duo's second album, Make It Big, to be a lost classic of the 1980s. Wham!'s "Freedom" is my favorite Michael composition with its Motown beat, that "doot-doot-doot-doot-doot-n-doo" backing vocal arrangement and the lyrical put-down "You can drag me to Hell and back/ Just as long as we're together/ And you do." And here's his solo version of Wham!'s chart-topper "Everything She Wants."
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Thanks to the Wonder Weird YouTube channel, here's a collection of toys you probably didn't get for Christmas... I'll start with Monkey's Uncle, probably not the best idea for the child with ADD. Ice Bird is actually cute, but I guess it wasn't successful. Probably couldn't compete with the Snoopy Sno-Cone Maker. I think I had the camping set from this Fisher-Price toy line, which came with a camper, plastic fire, picnic table, and a male doll whose body I used to delight in smashing into the camper's folding awning. It's too bad I wasn't old enough for this one, as I would've been 2 in 1977 - I would've really enjoyed having a TV news reporter playset. It's a really creative idea, but I guess it didn't catch on, as I never remember seeing it. It's The Gwen Ifill Action Figure! One of my favorite Christmas presents was my Atari 2600. I'm guessing this ad came from when its popularity was waning. Grab up that Journey game, kids, before they bury the excess inventory in a New Mexico landfill!! Finally, aren't you glad some Australian ad agency had the creative spark to visualize
Ms. Pac-Man in live action form? Greg Lake, the bass-playing "Lake" in prog trio Emerson, Lake and Palmer died Wednesday of cancer at 69. In tribute, here's ELP's "Pirates" and "Heat of the Moment" from his brief stint as an Asia member from that band's "Asia In Asia" 1983 concert in Tokyo.
This is my current favorite song. I thought Joan Armatrading did nothing but boring folkie crap until I found this New Wave-edged tune on one of a bunch of Midnight Special compilation DVDs I bought at a recent library book sale. It almost sounds like a whiny, petulant child's temper tantrum at times, but the lyrics are totally me, except that I do love myself and that the only person I want to see everyday is my girlfriend. I wanna be by myself
I came in this world alone Just me myself I |
Walburgh's BlogMostly retro, mainly music, but generally whatever's on my mind. Archives
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