Bits n Pieces
SNL has shown signs of less bias in its lampooning. Here’s a hilarious headline from foxnews.com highlighting a line from one of last night’s skits: “… Greta character calls out Trump, warns of Christmas climate calamity: ‘The elves will drown.’” Kudos.
Now available at Costco, $50 each. No word on the price of the large:
The mega-store also carries 72-pound wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano, a $6000 Doomsday Kit containing 600 cans of food weighing 1800 pounds, and seven-pound tubs of Nutella. (From FN)
Good news for those who appreciate common sense and fairness. Exxon has beaten back the climate-change lawsuit brought by NY state, dubbed “hyperbolic” by Judge Barry Ostrager, who knows a shakedown when he sees one. Kudos, sir. (From FN)
I’ve been watching youtube music appreciation videos put together by Rich Beato, on which he lists his favorite song openings on acoustic and electric guitar and piano. This morning I watched one on bass and learned about Motown icon James Jamerson, part of the legendary Funk Brothers who backed the label’s fantastic stable of artists. Unfortunately, he had a problem with alcohol and passed away at 47 in 1983. Here’s a stunning list of hits on which he played, amassed at bassland.net/. I deleted titles with which I was unfamiliar:
My Girl — Temptations
Bernadette — 4 Tops
Aint That Peculiar — Marvin Gaye
Ooh Baby Baby — The Miracles
Too Many Fish In The Sea — The Marvelettes
Uptight (Everything Is Alright) — Stevie Wonder
Heat Wave — Martha & The Vandellas
This Old Heart Of Mine — Isley Brothers
I Heard It Through The Grapevine (two recordings) — Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & Pips
Where Did Our Love Go — Supremes
Since I Lost My Baby — Temptations
For Once In My Life — Stevie Wonder
My Guy — Mary Wells
You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me — The Miracles
Love Child — Diana/Supremes
Dancing In The Streets — Martha & The Vandellas
Don’t Mess With Bill — The Marvelettes
What’s Going On — Marvin Gaye
Standing In The Shadows Of Love — 4 Tops
Mickey’s Monkey — The Miracles
Cloud Nine — Temptations
Nothing’s To Good For My Baby — Temptations
You Keep Me Hanging On — Diana/Supremes
You Beat Me To The Punch — Mary Wells
The Way You Do The Things You Do — Temptations
I Can’t Help Myself — 4 Tops
Roadrunner — Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
You’re All I Need To Get By — Temptations
You Can’t Hurry Love — Diana/Supremes
Shop Around — The Miracles
Ain’t To Proud To Beg — Temptations
My Cherie Amour — Stevie Wonder
It’s The Same Old Song — 4 Tops
How Sweet It Is — Marvin Gaye
Take Me In Your Arms (And Rock Me A Little While) — Brenda Holloway
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (two recordings) — Marvin Gaye/Tammy Terrell, Diana/Supremes
Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart — Diana/Supremes
Beauty Is Only Skin Deep — Temptations
Going To A Go-Go — The Miracles
I Was Made To Love Her — Stevie Wonder
Hitch Hike — Marvin Gaye
I Second That Emotion — The Miracles
Please Mr. Postman — The Marvelettes
Jimmy Mack — Martha & The Vandellas
I Hear A Symphony — Diana/Supremes
Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over) — 4 Tops
I’m Gonna Make You Love Me — Temptations
Get Ready — Temptations
The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game — Marvelettes
Stop! In The Name Of Love — Diana/Supremes
Nowhere To Run — Martha & The Vandellas
Seven Rooms Of Gloom — 4 Tops
Pride & Joy — Marvin Gaye
(I Know) I’m Losing You — Temptations
Two Lovers — Mary Wells
Come See About Me — Diana/Supremes
My World Is Empty Without You — Diana/Supremes
The Tracks Of My Tears — The Miracles
Reflections — Diana/Supremes
What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted — Jimmy Ruffin
Baby I Need Your Loving — 4 Tops
Quicksand… — Martha & The Vandellas
Reach Out…I’ll Be There — 4 Tops
You Beat Me To The Punch — Mary Wells
Shotgun — Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
Fingertips (pt2)- Stevie Wonder
The One Who Really Loves You — Mary Wells
This Old Heart Of Mine — Isley Brothers
My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left) — David Ruffin
It Takes Two — Marvin Gaye/Tammy Terrell
To Busy Thinking About My Baby — Marvin Gaye
Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing — Marvin Gaye/Tammy Terrell
If I Were Your Woman — Gladys Knight & the Pips
I Want You Back — Jackson 5
And that’s just his work with Motown. Here’s this fantastic artist:
I’ve solved the issue concerning my latest book, and a proof copy is on the way. That and the fact that I was finally able to do a full session of the floating book shop was a boost to my spirits. I expected tough weather conditions, given the forecast for high winds, but it was relatively mild. My thanks to the young mom who bought five kids’ books for her little darling, who waas wearing a Burger King crown, and to the woman who purchased three books in Russian; and to Mr. Conspiracy, aka Steve, who selected The Federalist collection of essays by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison; and to Bill Brown, author of Words and Guitar: A History of Lou Reed’s Music and other works, who chose Waterloo: The History of Four Days, Three Armies, and Three Battles by Bernard Cornwell; and to the young man who picked up a Pokemon magazine as I was breaking down the display.
My Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Vic-Fortezza/e/B002M4NLJE
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Vic-Fortezza-Author-118397641564801/?fref=ts
Read Vic’s Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza
