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I first heard this song when I first watched The Big Lebowski a number of years ago. I remember looking the song up and being surprised to learn that it was a Kenny Rogers song. It was recorded first by Jerry Lee Lewis, but later Rogers and his band the First Edition recorded it, in 1967. It’s barely recognizable as Kenny Rogers, actually: I’ve listened to this song a lot and I’ve found no hint of the guy who would later become a solo country act and sing about “The Gambler” and “Lucille”. It’s amazing how things can change, isn’t it?Down the rabbit hole….

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Yesterday was just…busy, folks. That’s all. Anyway, one stalwart conversation starter that comes around social media with amazing regularity is naming one’s favorite cover song, or naming a cover song that’s better than the original. This one most definitely fills the bill for the former, in my eyes. I do not grant that it fills the latter…but this one is so good because it does something so amazing with the original, that there’s no need for this cover song to supplant the original at all. So here, from the 1980s, are Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck covering Curtis Mayfield’s “People GetDown the rabbit hole….

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In: On Buffalo and The 716
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I wanted to like this more than I did, but it’s worth watching, even if it’s way too frantic: it’s a short film comprised of drone footage of many of Buffalo’s architectural gems. I’ve been nearly everywhere in this film, and it does capture some of the most beautiful buildings and structures in this city. I don’t think the film needed this much fast-cut swooping around, though…but still. Here it is: (via) Share This PostDown the rabbit hole….

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I’ve featured this before–in fact, it was my Song of the Year for 2015!–but I haven’t featured it here in a while, and lately I’ve been listening to it a bit. You might say that it’s even been wandering on the back road by the rivers of my memory, ever flowin’, ever…gentle on my mind. Share This PostDown the rabbit hole….

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The problem was that my Samsung Galaxy earbuds suddenly stopped producing audio with my Samsung laptop. They would connect and I could use the tapping motions to make videos stop and start, but the sound refused to come through the buds! It would only come through the main speakers. My buds still worked normally with my phone, so after a couple restarts and a re-pairing of the buds with the computer, I think we’re back on track. That was weird…I love tech when it’s working perfectly, but not so much when it ain’t. (And yes, I could have just listenedDown the rabbit hole….

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In: On Music, On Poetry
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Sticking with the theme for this month (which I’ve only just now decided was a theme for this month), here in National Poetry Month, I’ll continue exploring the intersection of music and poetry. Back when I was a serious music student, I sometimes thought about setting favorite poems to music, including what is likely my favorite poem of all time, “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe. This complex and meaning-laden poem has thrilled me ever since I first read it, likely in 11th grade: It was many and many a year ago,    In a kingdom by the sea, That aDown the rabbit hole….

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In: On Memories, On Music
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So for Tuesday Tones the other day, I went to feature a piece of music that I know I’ve featured here before but I couldn’t remember how long it’s been, so I looked it up. I featured it less than six months ago. So I chose something else. Today I want to feature a piece of music I know I’ve featured here before, but I can’t remember how long it’s been. So I looked it up. Almost fifteen years. Time is weird, y’all. Anyway, here’s something I discovered after music camp one year. I was playing in the jazz band andDown the rabbit hole….

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For years I basically wanted nothing to do with Antonio Vivaldi. I have been coming around on him for a while now–maybe ten years?–so I’m happy to present this, which Roger helpfully shared with me. No, it’s not a “straight” performance of Vivaldi. Yes, it is a good performance of Vivaldi. Well, maybe it’s better to say it’s a good performance inspired by Vivaldi. Share This PostDown the rabbit hole….