The Kingston Trio and Poor Old Charlie

Do you remember the Kingston Trio? Even when I was looking through YouTube videos, I couldn't really place their faces.... but I sure remembered their striped shirts!

Now their songs, that's a whole different animal -- I think I can probably sing every one of them from start to finish, they are so etched in my soul. Wonderful folk ballads written in a different era and in a style not often heard these days.

There was a time during the 60s that folk songs and groups were plentiful and popular, and I think that's the era that I remember of the Kingston Trio.

Tom Dooley was from their first album and was based on a real event -- the 1866 murder of a woman named Laura Foster in North Carolina. Her fiance' Tom Dooley (actually was spelled 'Dula' but pronounced 'Dooley') was a Confederate veteran and was convicted of her murder and hanged in 1868.

The M.T.A is a fun song which tells of a man named Charlie who is trapped on the Boston subway -- he can't get off because he doesn't have the extra nickel needed for the "exit fare" that had just been established. So his wife hands him a sandwich through the window each day (but for some reason does not give him that nickel)!!

The chorus:

Did he ever return?

No he never returned

And his fate is still unlearn'd

He may ride forever

'neath the streets of Boston

He's the man who never returned.

Now this song became hubby's and my anthem for whenever we took a wrong turn somewhere and couldn't seem to get back on track (and of course, we could never ask for directions!!)

A bit of fun information -- now there is the "CharlieCard" which the Boston area transit authority named it's card-based fare collection system in 2004. The Kingston Trio performed the song at the dedication ceremony.

I think poor old Charlie needed a CharlieCard!!

Where Have All the Flowers Gone is one of their most beautiful, and heart wrenching, songs. Written by Pete Seeger in 1955 as a call for peace, there have been many singers who have sung their renditions, but none more poignantly than the Kingston Trio. If you're like me, you'll view this video through tears.

Sadly, it still applies today.

   

♥♥♥  Linking The Kingston Trio over at Miss Jenny's for Alphabe-Thursday where we are studying the letter K.

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James Taylor, aka Jelly Bean Man

For years James Taylor was known around our house as
The Jelly Bean Man. 

My son went crazy nuts for Sesame Street when he was around two or three and his craziness lasted for a good many years. We shared good times on Sesame Street -- loving all the characters, but most especially Big Bird and sweet Mr. Snuffleupagus. And shy Grover. Not so much the Count (Adam liked him and he was good for learning to count, but he drove me absolutely bananas!)

And singing the silly songs. Like Jellyman Kelly.
And deciding that the singer of this song was The Jelly Bean Man!

Adam sounded just like these kids when he belted out the chorus -- 

Ohhhhh, can he come home, Jenny

can he come home, Jenny

can he come?

Really yelling the Ohhhhh part!!

One of my favorite James Taylor songs is You've Got a Friend. It was written by Carole King in 1971 but was made famous by Taylor's cover version that same year.

This is what I love about James Taylor -- 

no theatrics, just a man and his guitar.

♥♥♥  Linking James Taylor to Alphabe-Thursday over at Miss Jenny's where we are studying the letter J

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Inauguration 2013

I love pomp and circumstance. Ceremony. Parades.

So I sat on the couch yesterday watching the Inauguration.

I'm essentially off my flu-cation but still have little or no interest in crocheting  : (

so I simply sat, hands idle.

For a little peek into my flu-cation, you can check it out
on my other blog!

(There's a really cute pic of a really cute puppy with an ice pack on his head.....)

Suffice it to say that I'm about to have done with this blasted cough and I'm back to blogging again!!

Woot woot!!

As I watched today, I snapped a few pics from the TV, and thought I'd share with you.

I love the way there are sometimes overlays when I snap pics from the TV. 

I really like this one with President Obama superimposed over the First Lady, Sasha and Malia 

James Taylor sang 'America the Beautiful'

Kelly Clarkson sings 'America' 

another superimposed shot

Beyonce did a fantastic job on the National Anthem 

Love the way this one turned out

Start of the Inaugural Parade

You gotta love a man playing the piccolo 

The Army's Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps

Obama's limo's cool new licence plate

You know the secret service is going nuts right about now....

Home again

♥♥♥  I'm linking over at It's a Very Cherry World for Rednesdsay -- hop over for more great reds!

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