Fabian and The 5th Dimension

The best things in my Seventeen magazine were pictures of Fabian and Troy Donahue -- my absolute, hands down greatest loved teen idols at about the time I was in the 6th through 8th grades!  I even had a scrapbook filled with their pictures cut from movie magazines!

Fabian

Troy 

But because this post is for the letter F, and for singers, not actors, we'll continue with the ever gorgeous, but not really much of a singer, Fabian!!  Actually, he was in a few films too -- his acting was about a good as his singing but it was the eye candy that made all the girls scream!

This video shows Fabian on some teen magazine covers while he sings Hold Me in Your Arms, a kind of slow, dorky song but the photos are priceless!

As you look, read the captions on the magazines! Shows what a totally innocent time it was in the late 50s, early 60s, before the hippie generation came on the scene! I was a  pre- to early-teen at the time and let me tell you, it was a different world! But I could still fall in and out of love at the drop of a hat when it came to the cute singers and actors!

Now, when I think of Fabian I think of this song -- Turn Me Loose.   I still like it to this day!

This was an appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.  He reminds me of Rick Nelson with those bedroom eyes! And the IFIC buttons everyone is wearing ..... Beechnut gum had an ad campaign at the time that said their gum was "Flavor-IFIC" so not only are they all wearing the buttons, they're all chomping down on the gum!

So, on to the late 60s which brought us that hippie and flower child generation!

The 5th Dimension had a lot of great songs, but one of my favorites is the medley Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In which, of course, was written for the 1968 rock musical Hair, and was released as a single by The 5th Dimension.

Now, if you are familiar with Hair you know that it's about the hippie culture, peace and love, sex and drugs, and the anti-Vietnam war peace movement. Long hair, the draft and draft dodgers.

So, pray tell me, why would my church youth group put on a Hair musical? But they did. I remember going to MYF to see it. Of course, it was WAY toned down, but still, I always wondered if the adults of the church ever did any research into what their youth group was singing about!!!

And then it was made into a movie in 1979 -- 

with Treat Williams of all people.....

(I just gotta snicker here)

And I still have the album. Oh. yeah.

♥♥♥  Linking over at Miss Jenny's for Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter F

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Friday Features ~ Birthday Time!

Today's my hubby's birthday! 

So I thought it would be fitting to celebrate with a few things he'd love, Etsy style!

He is crazy wild for golf! 

He would play golf every day if he could... he sure tries hard enough! Mostly, it's just a bunch of old guys getting together trying to make holes in one, or at least get somewhat near the hole! Speaking of holes in one,  he has made several -- and has the score cards to prove it!

 So I think he'd laugh himself silly at this sign!  From Trimble Crafts.

A number of years ago, he and a friend went to the Masters in Augusta, Georgia so I know he'd love this print to hang on his office wall!  From Scott Dawson Art Prints.

Another love is chess!

He mostly plays chess online but sometimes still goes to chess club. Mostly, that's just another bunch of guys getting together "pushing the wood" although they are all very good players!

He'd go nuts for this chess set -- combines chess and golf. What could be better?!! I imagine the chess club guys would too if he brought it to a meeting!  From Jim Arnold's Chess Sets.

And then there are the Cowboys....

When they play well, he's a happy camper. Not so much when they don't. However, he makes a great armchair quarterback. LOL!

I think he'd like this hand tooled leather beer cozy. I think it is very handsome. From Suburban Leatherworks right here in Texas.

Right up there with the Boys are the Mavs....

Again, when they play well..... just like the Cowboys!

Dirk is out with an injury and hasn't played much so maybe hubby would like this hand drawn print of his favorite Mavericks player! From Essence of Us.  Bill Olivas is another Texas artist.

Last but not least are the Rangers....

Thank goodness he doesn't watch every baseball game there is, only the Rangers!

I love this sign and I think he'd get a big kick out of it too -- of course, we are just a tad nearer to the Ballpark in Arlington than 808 miles!  From TravelSigns.

I hope you'll take a minute to visit each of these shops -- there are a lot of wonderful gift ideas, and not only for the guys!

And, tell me, do you think I should let him pick one? 

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Sir Elton

Elton John is one of those iconic singers who have stood the test of time. Crazy wild costumes and the big sunglasses at the beginning, and a family man and dad now. And apparently he's gonna be a dad for the second time! They are using the same surrogate mom and now cute little Zachary won't be an only child!

Daniel is one of my favorites.

and, of course, LOVE the jacket!!

In 1973 Elton recorded the original version of Candle in the Wind which was written as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. In 1997 he revised the lyrics and re-recorded the song as a single in tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales. 

The 1973 version began with the line "Goodbye Norma Jeane, though I never knew you at all" and that was changed to "Goodbye England's rose, may you ever grow in our hearts" in the 1997 version. Many of the words were changed to portray Princess Diana's life and death. Called Candle in the Wind 1997, it became the biggest-selling single of all time, topping 33 million sold worldwide. 

Elton performed Candle in the Wind 1997 at Princess Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey. That was the only time he publicly performed it, and he vowed never to perform it again unless asked to by Diana's sons.

He became Sir Elton John in 1998 when he received knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for "service to music and charitable services."


Then....

performing with Miss Piggy

Umm, a bumble bee?

He wore the flamboyant costumes because, as he said, if he was going to sit at a piano for two hours, he wanted people to see him and not be bored! As if.

source: Rolling Stone 
1975 at Dodger Stadium
wearing a Dodger uniform completely covered in rhinestones



source: Rolling Stone
1977 singing Crocodile Rock on the Muppet Show
I do believe that he outshone Big Bird!

source: Rolling Stone

1986 at Madison Square Garden

And now.....

source: Marina Boy Entertainment

2012 at an HIV/AIDS fundraiser 

at 65, he no longer wears the elaborate costumes
(and hasn't in quite a while)

but there's still some glitz and glam and cool sunglasses!

all the dads

source: Huffington Post

Did you know that Neil Patrick Harris has TWINS?

Neither did I !!

♥♥♥   Linking Sir Elton to Alphabe-Thursday over at Miss Jenny's where we are studying the letter E

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Wordless Wednesday ~ Well, Duh!

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In Remembrance

I hugged my 6 year old granddaughter especially long and hard

in remembrance of these beautiful children

If you would like, donations can be sent to 

http://newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org/

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Donovan, Dion and The Doors

My daughter was looking through one of my boxes of albums from times gone by.... and found two by Donovan. She begged and pleaded that I give them to her, but I'm just not ready to let them go. 

It's been over 40 years, Mom! she says.
Yeah, well some things are just hard to give up. Maybe after I finish  these Alphabe-Thursday posts and I've reminisced a while.... maybe then I can pass these old albums on to her. We don't even have a turntable anymore, for crying out loud! But of course, she does -- throw back to the 60s that she is.....

Donovan was a favorite back in the late 60s and I still have a couple of his early albums. Such a sweet voice!

Jennifer Juniper by Donovan

Jennifer Juniper, lives upon the hill
Jennifer Juniper, sitting very still

Is she sleeping? I don't think so
Is she breathing? Yes, very low
Whatcha doing, Jennifer, my love?

Jennifer Juniper, rides a dappled mare
Jennifer Juniper, lilacs in her hair

Is she dreaming? Yes, I think so
Is she pretty? Yes, ever so
Whatcha doing, Jennifer, my love?

I'm thinking of what it would be like if she loved me
How just lately this happy song, it came along
And I like to somehow try and tell you

Jennifer Juniper, hair of golden flax
Jennifer Juniper, longs for what she lacks

Do you like her? Yes, I do, sir
Would you love her? Yes, I would, sir
Whatcha doing, Jennifer, my love?

Jennifer Juniper
Jennifer Juniper
Jennifer Juniper

Jennifer Juniper, vit sur la colline
Jennifer Juniper, assise très tranquille

Dort-elle? Je ne crois pas
Respire-t-elle? Oui, mais tout bas
Qu'est-ce que tu fais, Jenny, mon amour?

Jennifer Juniper
Jennifer Juniper
Jennifer Juniper

And a few years earlier, there was Dion. A total heartthrob. Well, for the early 60s anyway!

Are you familiar with Teenager in Love, The Wanderer, and Runaround Sue? Or how about Abraham, Martin and John?

This is Runaround Sue -- he's singing in some nightclub -- be sure to check out the audience! What faces, and hairstyles!  He was definitely singing to an older crowd than I was! I was in Junior High! His songs were definitely teenager types but I guess he had the younger, and older, ladies as his fans!

Dion was supposed to be on the airplane that crashed and killed Buddy Holly (That'll Be the Day, Peggy Sue), Ritchie Valens (La Bamba) and The Big Bopper (Chantilly Lace). But the $36 fee was too much for him and he decided not to go.  This happened in 1959, just a bit too early for me to remember it -- in fact I really didn't know details until the song American Pie, also called The Day the Music Died, came out in 1971. Even though I knew the songs these guys sang, I didn't know about the accident.

In the late 60s into the 70s there were The Doors -- they were a phenomenal, though controversial, rock band. Jim Morrison died in 1971 but the band continued as a trio until they disbanded in 1973. 

Do you remember when they appeared on the Ed Sullivan show and he had admonished them not to sing the word "higher" when they performed Light My Fire -- they, of course, agreed and what do you think happened when they sang it?! 

Of course they not only sang the word "higher" -- they emphasized it. Old Ed wouldn't even shake their hands! Guess he showed them! Well, Ed said they would never appear on his show again -- and they didn't. But it's still talked about today so I guess they are still appearing on his show!!

 

This is Waiting for the Sun

Did you happen to see the movie with Val Kilmer playing Jim Morrison? He looks amazingly like Morrison.

That's Meg Ryan as his long-time girlfriend, Pamela.

OK, trick question -- can you tell which is which?

I've got these albums, and others, somewhere, but I can't find the box. 

Maybe my daughter has it!

♥♥♥  Linking my D guys over at Miss Jenny's for Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter D.

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Wordless Wednesday ~ Pooped Snowman

Frosty got all tired out waiting for cold weather....

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Treasury Tuesday!

Time for another Treasury Tuesday!

This one is for the Blogging Business Artisans team on Etsy and is made up of some of my favorites from the team members and also from other talented crafters.

The BBA Team is a great one to be on -- lots of fun chatting and promotion of each other -- both for our blogs and for our Etsy shops. In fact, even though we live all over the US, it feels like these ladies are close friends chit-chatting at the kitchen table. We are on the lookout for new members if you are interested!

Cardinals and Hearts, Snowmen and Owls

You can visit the original treasury on Etsy by clicking on the title -- I'd love for you to leave a comment! You can also visit each shop by clicking on the shop pic.


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OK, I admit it.....

Hallmark commercials make me cry .....

How about you?

Yesterday I watched movies while I crocheted a Christmas gift for my granddaughter...

First up was The Color Purple.  I hadn't watched it in years, and of course know everything that's in it, but it still made me cry. 

Then I found a sweet sounding movie on the Hallmark Channel....  uh-oh, you know you better get out the kleenex! The movie, Christmas with Holly, turned out to be very sweet and heart-warming and, yeah, the leaky eyes made their appearance a time or two.

But what REALLY got to me were the commercials!! Hallmark is known for their sappy commercials (I can say this, I worked in a Hallmark store at one time) and during the holidays there are so many! Just leave the hankies and kleenex out at the ready!

This one with mama and baby bird was one of the ones shown during the movie and, yeah, the waterworks began -- see if you can watch it with dry eyes....

And, of course, a Hallmark movie played on the Hallmark channel -- 

well, you know it was jam-packed with tear jerker commercials!

Now dry your eyes, 'cause

I do, of course!! 

(yeah, yeah, it's a Hallmark card.....)

(disclaimer -- this post is not really a plug for Hallmark, it just seems that way. LOL!)



♥♥♥ Linking over at Blue Monday at Smiling Sally's 

 

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Celtic Thunder, or Men in Kilts

Source

One of my favorite groups to watch on our local PBS station is Celtic Thunder.  They sing beautifully, they are fun to watch.... and who can resist a man in a kilt!!

Source

I want to share two YouTube videos of this amazing group -- one of their most fun songs... and one especially for Christmas.

This is "A Place in the Choir" and if you watch a bit, you'll see these guys dancing a jig! Here are the lyrics (and the chorus is the cutest part! -- "some just clap their hands or paws or anything they got")  Love it!

"A Place in the Choir"

Chorus]
All God's creatures got a place in the choir,
Some sing low and some sing higher,
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire,
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they got.

[Repeat Chorus]

Well listen to the bass its the one on the bottom,
Where the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus,
moans and groans with a big to do,
And the old cow just goes moo.

The dogs and the cats, they take up the middle,
Where the honeybee hums and the cricket fiddles,
The donkey brays and the pony neighs,
And the old gray badger sighs.

[Chorus]

Listen to the top with the little birds singing,
And the melodies and the high notes ringing,
And the hoot-owl cries over everything,
And the blackbird disagrees.

Singing in the night time singing in the day,
And the little duck quacks and he's on his way,
And the otter hasn't got much to say,
And the porcupine talks to himself.

[Chorus]

Its a simple song living song everywhere,
By the ox and the fox and the grizzly bear,
The grumpy alligator and the hawk above,
The sly old weasel and the turtledove.

And, because it's the Christmas season, I thought I'd share "Silent Night," Celtic Thunder style. 

They sing it beautifully, first in Gaelic and then in English.

A few nights ago, also on our local PBS station, I watched Celtic Woman perform. Their voices are so pure and almost mystical. I even took a few photos of the TV screen!

Love the one who plays the violin -- even with all the dancing around she does, she never misses a note!

She frolics around that stage!

I thought this one came out pretty cool -- with all the moving around they do, the shot created its own overlay! Even with my action setting, it's hard to get a clear shot!

♥♥♥  Sharing on Alphabe-Thursday over at Miss Jenny's where we are studying the letter C!

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