Glen Campbell - Jimmy Webb: MacArthur Park

I few months ago Jimmy Webb was in Chicago.  I regret not attempting to see him.  If you say "genius American songwriter," Jimmy Webb is the answer.  A local podcaster I listen to knows Jimmy and he calls in once in a while.  I think Donna Summer's version of MacArthur Park on her double live album is the best version.  I bought a new macro lens for my Canon SLR camera today and took this photo with it.  The focus is not crisp - but you should start seeing here an emphasis on taking better and more uniform photographs.

Rush - a farewell to kings

It would be great to have Canada's most beloved band Rush play at the closing ceremonies Sunday night.  And if they did, Closer to the Heart must be played.  (Don't forget to click on the post title for a link to a fun version of that song from the R30 dvd.)  The lyrics would relate well to what the athletes did for two weeks and the bonds they made with fellow competitors and us fans.  This album also contains my favorite Rush song: Cinderella Man.  Andy, Spencer, and TJ are my Rush-expert pals and they tell me Rush rarely, if ever, play that song live.  I saw Rush from the lawn with Greg and Ron a few summers ago down in Indy.  They were on the tour that had a couple of spinning clothes dryers on the stage during the show.  I do love this band - but oddly, I can't conside rmyself an expert Rush fan.  The only other Rush record I own is Subdivisions.

Dual Post: Some Girls and One Girl

Some Girls is my favorite Stones album.  It came out while I was in high school.  (Just my) Imagination is a terrific cover song - a fabulously worked interpreation of what was and is already a great song by the Temptations.  It is so Stones.  Many will say Exile on Mainstreet is their best album and it may just be - but I will go with this one.  In college Mac had a true south side blues band come down from Chicago to play at our all-floor spring 30-kegger and the band did a 20-minute version of Miss You.  The guy who gave the record to me told me the story of the album cover having to be re-worked when some legal action was  threatened by some in the photos used.  Carly Simon's No Secrets is the other record Michael gave to me as a present.  An obvious connection between the records is Mick's uncredited background vocals on You're so Vain.

Back to Triumph - Allied Forces

As we head into week two of the Vancouver winter Olyimpic games - I wanted to go back to Triumph again.   My pal Andy brought up this record in a comment to a recent post.  You can guess that I really dig this band.  In the video clip - you can see that the drummer (Gil Moore) also shared singing duties with guitarist Rik  Emmett.