The pipes are calling.

I am 0% Irish.  Yet growing up... any day with themed clothing was a fun day! 

Here's a stirring rendition of DANNY BOY!

 

Hope you have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day.  Enjoy your green beer, Midori Sour (my fav), Shamrock Shake, wheat grass shot, or YOUR weapon of choice!

PLEASE don't stop the music...

Rihanna has had a lot going on in her life lately.  The web is "blogged" down by everyone's advice and criticism about her personal life.  Poor girl.  HIGHWAY TO SWELL is here with a positive blog post on the gal.  How about we take a look at some groovy covers of her music?!  

The first is her hit UMBRELLA performed by Marie' Digby.  This is featured on Marie's debut UNFOLD.

Here is Rihanna singing her hit PLEASE DON'T STOP THE MUSIC...

Now here is a GROOOOOVY cover by THE BIRD AND THE BEE.

You can listen and download the version by THE BIRD AND THE BEE here.

I've posted other covers by them.  This one ranks up there with the rest.

The group consists of Greg Kurstin ("Bee") and Inara George ("Bird")

Here they are doing one of their original tunes... POLITE DANCE SONG!

LOVE THEM!

Feel like throwin' my worries away...

How about a happy feel good song to end the weekend?  Here's IT'S A MOST UNUSUAL DAY (originally from the musical A DATE WITH JUDY) sung Lawrence Welk Style!!

Jazz vocalist CHRIS CONNOR recorded a wonderful version in 1956 switching the original time signature from 3/4 to 4/4 time!  The unusual day turned swingin'!!  Check it out here!  

Also love her versions of JUST SQUEEZE ME and BLOW GABRIEL BLOW! 

Chris Connor has retired from public performances and is currently living on the East Coast.

*FYI - If you need a little help brightening any day, you can order the t-shirt in the top picture by clicking here.

Flashback... warm nights... almost left behind.

A few years back I became obsessed with a gorgeous cover of Cyndi Lauper's TIME AFTER TIME by jazz/folk artist ERIN BODE. It is a very "pure" rendition with gorgeous harmonies by Jerry Barnes.  Seriously, their voices together make me very happy!  Perfection!!

Download Erin's version and really listen to the words.  Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman wrote a stunning piece of music that is much more than just a "Cyndi Lauper song."  I feel it has become an American pop standard.

Bode's cover is featured on her first major release DON'T TAKE YOUR TIME.  Besides TIME AFTER TIME, I dig the songs YOU and DON'T TAKE YOUR TIME and her versions of Bob Dylan's TONIGHT I'LL BE STAYING HERE WITH YOU and Stevie Wonder's IF IT'S MAGIC.  

Check her out.

...your heart is true. You're a pal and a confidant.

I think the Golden Girls deserve one more post.  First, here is a fun quiz to see if you know the difference between the Golden Girls and the Gossip Girls.  Here is the link.

Today let's take a look at each of the Golden Girls...

First here's ESTELLE GETTY doing stand-up

RUE McCLANAHAN released a book last year called MY FIRST 5 HUSBANDS... (now out in paperback!)

Here she is doing a striptease (yes striptease!) in a bad B budget movie called HOLLYWOOD AFTER DARK.  The commentary is by the guys from Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Here's BEA ARTHUR singing MAN IN THE MOON from MAME at a Jerry Herman tribute.

...and her singing BOSUM BUDDIES with Angela Lansbury at the Tony's.

..and now my favorite Golden Girl BETTY WHITE...

Here's a great clip of her on $25,000 Pyramid!

...BETTY WHITE on THIS IS YOUR LIFE.

...watch part two here.

Who's YOUR favorite Golden Girl?

...traveled down the road and back again...

Here's a little Golden Girls love... 

First off, here are the girls (minus Bea Arthur) doing a spoof of the movie CLUELESS for the 1995 MTV Movie Awards.

Here is a youtube video made last September about the upcoming election!

Finally here is a remix of an Estelle Gette workout video YOUNG AT HEART with the Beyonce song CHECK ON IT!  This was a huge youtube hit a couple of years ago.  

RIP Estelle Getty (1923 - 2008)

Thank you for being a friend...

Here is a great song about friendship from a recent episode of FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS! Look for comedian Jim Gaffigan who was a guest star in the episode.

Here is the link to download FRIENDS from itunes.

AND... looking for a way to show the world how much you love your friend?  Rather than getting Best Friends lockets, why not get BEST FRIENDS costumes? 



Your friendship is guaranteed to be the talk of any party, shopping excursion, restaurant, or sporting event, or Monster Truck Rally!

Order the Best Friends costume click here!  Sorry, only available in child's size medium 7 - 10.