Your friendly neighborhood spider-man, er, trivia blogger, is going to be out of town for a few days, so this extra long (some might call it "boss") post will have to suffice for a few days.
Enjoy!
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen was born September 23, 1949
Springsteen was inspired to take up music at the age of seven after seeing Elvis Presley on The Ed Sullivan Show. At 13, he bought his first guitar for $18.
Bruce is mostly known for playing guitar and harmonica however, he also knows how to play the mandolin, organ, piano and percussion.
Ronald Reagan wanted to use the song "Born in the USA" for his campaign, but Bruce refused because he felt that Reagan was misinterpreting the song's meaning. Reagan offended him by quoting the song in campaign speeches anyway.
Bruce wrote "(41 Shots) American Skin" about Amadou Diallo, an unarmed African immigrant who was fatally shot by four white police officers in New York. Although many people appreciated the song, including Diallo's parents, the NYPD was offended and urged people to boycott Bruce's New York concerts.
After Hurricane Katrina, Bruce re-wrote an old folk song called "How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live" and added lyrics specifically about the disaster in New Orleans and the inadequate government response. He performed the song several times with the Seeger Sessions band and dedicated it to "President Bystander."
Bruce has covered the Tom Waits song "Jersey Girl" in concert several times and it is included on his "Live 1975-1985" album. He performs it in honor of the Jersey girl that he married.
Bruce won an Academy Award for Best Song for "Streets of Philadelphia" from the movie "Philadelphia."
In July 2006, Bruce’s oldest son, Evan, was pulled from Lake Placid in New York. He had been kayaking and the kayak overturned. Fortunately Evan was not injured. [blogger's note: Lake Placid is right next door to my home town]
Released as a single prior to the album's release, the song peaked at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in July 1984 (and was kept off the #1 spot by that year's song of the summer, Prince's "When Doves Cry"). It was also the first of a record-tying seven Top 10 hit singles to be released from Born in the U.S.A.
Although the song only peaked at #5 in Australia, it remained on the charts for most of 1984 and was that country's highest selling single of the year. It spent a total of 64 weeks in the Top 100.
"Dancing in the Dark" won Springsteen his first Grammy Award, picking up the prize for Best Rock Vocal Performance in 1985. It also won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance.
Further trivia here and here.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
A Trio of Titans
This Weeks Winners at JR's:
1st Place - Madonna's "Soft Taffy"
2nd Place - Serghiy's Boyz
3rd Place - Miley High Club
Sorry, the Trivia Lord did not bless me with your scores. They must have been truly embarrassing to him personally. Kudos!
1st Place - Madonna's "Soft Taffy"
2nd Place - Serghiy's Boyz
3rd Place - Miley High Club
Sorry, the Trivia Lord did not bless me with your scores. They must have been truly embarrassing to him personally. Kudos!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Coverama
1. "Too Little, Too Late" (Jo Jo) covered by Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear
2. "Dancing in the Dark" (Bruce Springsteen) live cover by Tegan and Sara
3. "Rich Girl" (Hall & Oates) covered by Nina Simone
4. "I'm Real" (Jennifer Lopez) covered by The Starting Line, on YouTube
5. "Don't Give Up" (Peter Gabriel/Kate Bush) covered by Willie Nelson and Sinead O'Conner
6. "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" (Warren Zevon/Linda Rhondstandt) covered by Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt, on YouTube
8. "Hit the Road Jack" (Ray Charles) covered by Abbie Gardner
9. "Be My Baby"(the Ronettes) covered by We Are Scientist
2. "Dancing in the Dark" (Bruce Springsteen) live cover by Tegan and Sara
3. "Rich Girl" (Hall & Oates) covered by Nina Simone
4. "I'm Real" (Jennifer Lopez) covered by The Starting Line, on YouTube
5. "Don't Give Up" (Peter Gabriel/Kate Bush) covered by Willie Nelson and Sinead O'Conner
6. "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" (Warren Zevon/Linda Rhondstandt) covered by Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt, on YouTube
8. "Hit the Road Jack" (Ray Charles) covered by Abbie Gardner
9. "Be My Baby"(the Ronettes) covered by We Are Scientist
Monday, April 28, 2008
Ménage à Triumphs
I Drink Your Milkshake / Operation Hot Mother / I Would Have Paid My Subprime Mortgage If Not for the Price of Gas (342 pts - 3 way tie)
Chesterfield Willows (332 points)
Landsharks (319 points)
TBD
Tina Turner Overdrive and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Tip your server and bartender 20 Percent More
The Bloom
Mattress Thrasher
38 Special
Team Nill
Menage a Quatre
Sucker Punch Kids
Chesterfield Willows (332 points)
Landsharks (319 points)
TBD
Tina Turner Overdrive and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Tip your server and bartender 20 Percent More
The Bloom
Mattress Thrasher
38 Special
Team Nill
Menage a Quatre
Sucker Punch Kids
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Email Question of the Week
(SCIENCE) Halley's comet appears in the night sky at a regular interval of how many years (one year leeway on either side)?
Saturday, April 26, 2008
It aint me, it aint me...
"Fortunate Son" is a song by Creedence Clearwater Revival featured on their album Willy and the Poor Boys released in 1969. It was also released as a single, together with "Down on the Corner," in September 1969.
According to John Fogerty, the song was indirectly inspired by David Eisenhower, the grandson of President Dwight David Eisenhower who married Julie Nixon, the daughter of President Richard Nixon in 1968. Eisenhower later enlisted in the Navy Reserve.
This song was popular during the Vietnam War and is included in several Vietnam films and computer games. The song symbolizes the thoughts of a man who is being drafted and speaks out against the war in Vietnam while being supportive of the soldiers fighting there. It is sung from the perspective of one of these men, who ends up fighting because he is not a "Senator's son" or a "fortunate one."
Fogerty performed the song in front of President Bill Clinton and a national TV audience on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the "America's Millennium" show on December 31, 1999.
On Fogerty's new album (revival) he performs a song called "I Can't Take It No More," which he wrote to be the song that comes after "Fortunate Son."
See Wikipedia
According to John Fogerty, the song was indirectly inspired by David Eisenhower, the grandson of President Dwight David Eisenhower who married Julie Nixon, the daughter of President Richard Nixon in 1968. Eisenhower later enlisted in the Navy Reserve.
This song was popular during the Vietnam War and is included in several Vietnam films and computer games. The song symbolizes the thoughts of a man who is being drafted and speaks out against the war in Vietnam while being supportive of the soldiers fighting there. It is sung from the perspective of one of these men, who ends up fighting because he is not a "Senator's son" or a "fortunate one."
Fogerty performed the song in front of President Bill Clinton and a national TV audience on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the "America's Millennium" show on December 31, 1999.
On Fogerty's new album (revival) he performs a song called "I Can't Take It No More," which he wrote to be the song that comes after "Fortunate Son."
See Wikipedia
Friday, April 25, 2008
The Othe Penguins
Here's some information on The Penguins (the music group, not the super adorable animals).
From Wikipedia:
The Penguins were an American doo-wop group popular in the 1950s and early 1960s. They are best remembered for their only Top 40 hit, "Earth Angel" also call "Will You Be Mine". This was one of the first rhythm and blues hits to cross over to the pop charts, peaking at #8 on the national charts.
The original members were:
Curtis Williams (baritone / bass)
Cleveland Duncan (tenor)
Dexter Tisby (tenor)
Bruce Tate (baritone)
The Penguins were one of several doo-wop groups of the period named after birds. Others included The Orioles, The Flamingos, and The Crows. Supposedly the name originated with the smoking habit of the members. At the time, Kool cigarettes used a mascot called "Willie the Penguin" as its cartoon advertising character. Therefore, because they considered themselves "cool", they decided to call themselves "The Penguins".
In a common practice of the time, radio stations frequently featured segregated playlists. Thus, "Earth Angel" was simultaneously recorded by the white group, The Crew-Cuts, in 1955. The Crew-Cuts cover peaked at #3 on the national charts, five spots higher than the Penguins version. The single's success launched the Crew-Cuts' own successful career of recording "crossover"-friendly covers of R&B hits.
The Penguins never had another national hit, but their 1957 cover of "Pledge of Love" reached #15 on the R&B chart.
From Wikipedia:
The Penguins were an American doo-wop group popular in the 1950s and early 1960s. They are best remembered for their only Top 40 hit, "Earth Angel" also call "Will You Be Mine". This was one of the first rhythm and blues hits to cross over to the pop charts, peaking at #8 on the national charts.
The original members were:
Curtis Williams (baritone / bass)
Cleveland Duncan (tenor)
Dexter Tisby (tenor)
Bruce Tate (baritone)
The Penguins were one of several doo-wop groups of the period named after birds. Others included The Orioles, The Flamingos, and The Crows. Supposedly the name originated with the smoking habit of the members. At the time, Kool cigarettes used a mascot called "Willie the Penguin" as its cartoon advertising character. Therefore, because they considered themselves "cool", they decided to call themselves "The Penguins".
In a common practice of the time, radio stations frequently featured segregated playlists. Thus, "Earth Angel" was simultaneously recorded by the white group, The Crew-Cuts, in 1955. The Crew-Cuts cover peaked at #3 on the national charts, five spots higher than the Penguins version. The single's success launched the Crew-Cuts' own successful career of recording "crossover"-friendly covers of R&B hits.
The Penguins never had another national hit, but their 1957 cover of "Pledge of Love" reached #15 on the R&B chart.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Today's Goal: Don't Be Evil
From Wikipedia
"Don't be evil" is the informal corporate motto for Google; established by Gmail inventor Paul Buchheit.
"Don't be evil" recognizes that large corporations can often maximize short-term profits with actions that destroy long-term brand image and competitive position. By instilling a Don't Be Evil culture, the corporation establishes a baseline for decision making that can enhance the trust and image of the corporation that outweighs short-term gains from violating the Don't Be Evil principles.
"Don't be evil" is the informal corporate motto for Google; established by Gmail inventor Paul Buchheit.
"Don't be evil" recognizes that large corporations can often maximize short-term profits with actions that destroy long-term brand image and competitive position. By instilling a Don't Be Evil culture, the corporation establishes a baseline for decision making that can enhance the trust and image of the corporation that outweighs short-term gains from violating the Don't Be Evil principles.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Jason Listens to Too Much Death Cab for Cutie
Songs from this week's Audio Round:
Covers Ben Gibbard / Death Cab for Cutie did:
1. Against All Odds - Phil Collins
2. Love Song - The Cure
3. Here Comes The Rain Again - Eurythmics
4. Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
5. World Shut Your Mouth – Julian Cope
6. Earth Angel – The Penguins
7. They Don't Know – Kirsty MacColl (made famous again by Tracey Ulman)
8. Thriller - Michael Jackson
...and points to the enterprising person(s) who were frantically checking this blog prior to either of this week's games. No, I will not be posting all the answers to the audio round a head of time. But, we'll see, maybe I'll get some hints up...
Covers Ben Gibbard / Death Cab for Cutie did:
1. Against All Odds - Phil Collins
2. Love Song - The Cure
3. Here Comes The Rain Again - Eurythmics
4. Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
5. World Shut Your Mouth – Julian Cope
6. Earth Angel – The Penguins
7. They Don't Know – Kirsty MacColl (made famous again by Tracey Ulman)
8. Thriller - Michael Jackson
...and points to the enterprising person(s) who were frantically checking this blog prior to either of this week's games. No, I will not be posting all the answers to the audio round a head of time. But, we'll see, maybe I'll get some hints up...
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