We remember an old guy in Florida who used to sip red wine and listen to German marches blaring from his phonograph before springing to his feet and pole vaulting in his homemade pit. We assume Hitler followed pretty much the same routine before slaughtering millions of innocent people. For purposes both good and bad, it's the music that inspires you.
The old man did not have any Grand Funk in his collection. Nor did he seem the least bit interested in University of Florida football. (This was the Doug Dickey era, after all.) But he would flash a smirk after clearing the vaulting bar that would have done the Evil Genius (Spurrier, not Hitler) proud.
What's our point? Birthdays! It's April 20th birthdays that connect these characters. And now we can untie the ribbon and discard Hitler and Spurrier, who share the date but not our harmonious sentiments. Strike a chord for today's Birthday Band:
Lionel Hampton (1908-2002) bandleader, vibes: On the Sunny Side of the Street, Ba-Ba-Re-Bop, Rag Mop
Tito Puente (1923-2000), bandleader, musician: Abanaquito, Para Los Rumberos, Fancy Feet
Johnny Tillotson (1939), singer: Poetry In Motion, Talk Back Trembling Lips
Jimmy Winston (1945), organ, Small Faces: Whatcha Gonna Do About It
Craig Frost (1948): keyboards, Grand Funk: We’re an American Band, Some Kind of Wonderful
Luther Vandross (1951-2005), singer: Never Too Much, How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye
Does this mean the nuts are going to start comparing Obama to Spurrier?
ReplyDelete"Watcha Gonna Do About It" - a fine song that my band has butchered many times.