Alejandro Escovedo

Alejandro Escovedo w/ David Pulkingham and Susan Voelz The Ark June, 2009

Angel flying too close to the ground

If you had not have fallen

Then I would not have found you

Angel flying too close to the ground

And I patched up your broken wing

And hung around a while

Tried to keep your spirits up

And your fever down

I knew someday that you would fly away

For love's the greatest healer to be found

So leave me if you need to

I will still remember

Angel flying too close to the ground

Fly on, fly on past the speed of sound

I'd rather see you up

Than see you down

Leave me if you need to

I will still remember

Angel flying too close to the ground

The Ipcress File

Michael Caine made his first appearance as novelist Len Deighton's bespectacled British-spy Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File. Palmer has no real love of espionage, but he doesn't really know any other life. With studied insolence, he takes on the case of locating missing doctor Radcliffe (Aubrey Richards), who has in his possession a valuable file that would prove injurious to the Free World should it fall in the wrong hands. The government also fears that Radcliffe will be brainwashed by the enemy, as has happened to two previous British scientists. While Palmer is off doing everyone else's dirty work, his superior, Nigel Green, is making a deal with duplicitous information "broker" Frank Gatliff to win Radcliffe's release. The price for this would seem to be Palmer, who is captured by the enemy and subjected to a grueling brainwashing session. Palmer escapes, whereupon he confronts a traitor in his midst in the climactic exchange of gunfire. Advertised as "The Thinking Man's Goldfinger, The Ipcress File offered a far more realistic view of the morally ambivalent world of espionage than did the like-vintage James Bond films. Music by John Berry set the standard for spy movies.

The Ipcress File(1965), Funeral in Berlin (1966) and Billion Dollar Brain (1967). Decades later, Michael Caine returned his Harry Palmer character in Harry Alan Towers' Bullet to Beijing (1995) and Midnight in St. Petersburg (1996).

Elmer's Tune

Glenn Miller 's number one hit "Elmer's Tune" in 1941 was written by a mortician. Young Elmer Albrecht worked next door to Chicago's Aragon Ballroom and received permission to use one of their pianos on his lunch hours. Bandleader Dick Jurgens liked one of the melodies he heard Albrecht play and arranged it for his orchestra. Lyricist Sammy Gallop added words. The rest is history.

Here are the lyrics:

Why are the stars always winkin,' And blinkin' above?
What makes a fella' start thinkin', Of fallin' in love?
It's not the season, The reason, It's plain as the moon,
It's just Elmer's tune.

What makes a lady of eighty, Go out on the loose?
Why does a gander meander,In search of a goose?
What puts the kick, In a chicken, The magic in June?
It's just Elmer's tune.

Listen! Listen! There's a lot you're liable to be missin'.
Sing it! Swing it Any ol' way And any ol' time.
The hurdy-gurdies, The birdies, The cop on the beat,
The candy maker, The baker, The man on the street,
The city charmer, The farmer, The Man in the Moon,
All sing Elmer's tune.

The hurdy-gurdies, The birdies, The cop on the beat,
The Banker And the Man on the street
The city charmer, The farmer, The Man in the Moon,
All sing Elmer's tune.
They all sing Elmer's tune,
They all sing Elmer's tune

My favorite version is by Peggy Lee

Rashomon

Rashomon (羅生門, Rashōmon?) is a 1950 Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa, working in close collaboration with cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa. It stars Toshirō Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Machiko Kyō, Masayuki Mori and Minoru Chiaki. The film is based on two stories by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa — ("Rashomon" provides the setting, while "In a Grove" provides the characters and plot).
Rashomon can be said to have introduced Kurosawa and Japanese cinema to Western audiences, and is considered one of his masterpieces. The film won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and also received an Academy Honorary Award at the 24th Academy Awards.

This is my favorite of all times. I can watch it over and over.

Benny Goodman and Peggy Lee - Why Don't You Do Right

Timi Yuro - Hurt

I'm so hurt to think that you lie to me
I'm hurt, way down deep inside of me
You said your love was true
And we never ever, ever part
Now you want someone new
And it breaks my heart

I'm so hurt
Much more than you ever know
Yes darling I'm so hurt
Because I still love you so
But even though you hurt me
Like nobody eles would ever do
I would never ever part hurt you

Johnnie Ray The King Of Doo Wop

If your sweetheart sends a letter of goodbye
It's no secret you'll feel better if you cry
When waking from a bad dream
Don't you sometimes think it's real
But it's only false emotions that you feel

If your heartaches seem to hang around too long
And your blues keep getting bluer with each song
Remember sunshine can be found behind the cloudy skies
So let your hair down and go on and cry

If your heartaches seem to hang around too long
And your blues keep getting bluer with each song
Well now, remember sunshine can be found
Behind a cloudy sky
So let your hair down and go right on and cry

Seventh Seal