Saturday, February 7, 2015

Saturday 9

This week's song inspiration is Sleepin' Bee by Diahann Carroll.  I'm not familiar with her version of it.  I do know Tony Bennett's version though.
When a bee lies sleepin' in the palm of your hand...
1) This song is about the wonder of first love. How would you describe the sensation of falling in love?  Hmmmm, how about manic?  There are so many emotions intertwined, vacillating from excitement to anxious, and every emotion in between.  But those early butterflies are kind of fun aren't they.
2) This 1957 album was the first Diahann Carroll ever recorded. More recently she recorded "A, You're Adorable," a nursery rhyme. (The lyrics are here.) Give us some words to a children's song that remain in your head to this day.  Down by the baaaaay, where the watermelons grooooow, back to my hooooome, I dare not goooooo, for if I dooooo, my mother will saaaaaay, "Did you ever see a goose kissing a moose,  down byyyy the bay?"
3) 1957 was the peak of the Baby Boom (1946 to 1964). Are you a Boomer, a Gen X-er, a Gen Y-er, or a Millennial?   Gen X
4) In 1974, Diahann was named to the Best Coiffed Hall of Fame by the Guild of Professional Beauticians. How often do you change your look?  I don't know what this means - I change my clothes every day.  
5) Ms. Carroll made history as Julia in the first network TV show to star a black woman. She played a nurse. Do you/have you ever worked in the healthcare profession?  I have not nor could I.  I passed out in 10th grade health/first aid class talking about shock and had to spend the rest of the semester in the library.
6) She also played glamorous, scheming Dominique Deveraux on the nighttime soap, Dynasty. Who is the most memorable female villain you've ever seen in a TV show or movie?  Amanda Woodward from Melrose Place - all you Gen Xers will know who she is.
7) Ms. Carroll began her career as a model. Her height (nearly 6' tall) is an asset in that profession. Are you pleased with your height? Or do you wish you were taller, or shorter? Taller for sure.  Mom is 5'8" and Dad was 6'.  When I started going to the orthodontist in 7th grade he predicted I'd be 5'11" based on my skull pictures.  I seem to have gotten my teeny grandmother's genes as I only made it as far as 5'4".   
8) Now in her 80th year, she keeps on working. Recently she's appeared on TV in Grey's Anatomy and Blue Collar and on the big screen in Tyler Perry Presents Peeples. How do you feel about retirement? Is it something you enjoy or look forward to? Or would you prefer to continue working?   My mom and most of her friends are retired teachers and I'll tell you what, they make retirement look fantastic.  I'm not looking forward to being old enough to retire, but yah I think I'll be able to retire and be happy about it.  
9) In her long movie career, Ms. Carroll has played love scenes with some very good looking men, including Sidney Poitier and Billy Dee Williams. If you could steal a kiss from any actor or actress, who would choose? George is probably still on my list even though he's "taken".

17 comments:

  1. I never heard of, "Did you ever see a goose kissing a moose, down byyyy the bay?" that's a new one on me.

    BTW, retirement is great!

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    1. It's a Raffi song from the 70s that I learned then and now sing with my kids at school. It's cute.

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  2. I never heard that song. Your orthodontist obviously did not know what he was talking about!

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    1. Right!?!? My parents should have gotten a refund for every inch he was off! ;)

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  3. I never heard of her, and I don't know if that's a bad thing or a good thing.
    Heather Locklear I do know.

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    1. After that cop show she did in the 80s, she was mostly cast as a villain for a lot of her career.

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  4. I'm so excited that you know "A Sleepin' Bee!" I have it as recorded by Streisand and it's one of my favorites. I discovered that Diahann Carroll was the first to perform and record it because it was the highlight of the score of a play she was in. She was not only a trail blazer on TV, on Broadway, too. Now I'll have to see if I can find Tony's version. (Isn't he cool? Nominated for a Grammy again at his age!)

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    1. She really was, and continues to work with pretty good projects. I had not realized the song was written by Truman Capote. In Cold Blood comes first to my mind when I hear his name, but this song could very well have been from his Holly Golightly - type short stories. It's a sweet song.
      I could listen to Tony Bennett sing the phone book. :)

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  5. I had to laugh at "Down By the Bay"--I used to sing that with the TV and my son when he was little. Now I miss my little boy...who is 22 this week.

    Never watched Melrose.

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    1. I have to admit, watching the kids sing this song is pretty darn adorable.

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  6. I'm not sure I knew Diahann Carroll was a singer...I've always thought of her as Julia (which I remember watching some).

    The question about the children's ditty would be easy for me. I had a post not long ago about a couple I use to sing, both fairly gross. :) I also remember lots of VBS songs like "Father Abraham" and "Zacchaeus".

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    1. She's had a pretty good career beyond the singing.
      Lots of good children's songs. And it's funny how, even after years and years we still remember them.

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  7. George is so highly rated among the S-9 ladies :)

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  8. I still haven't accepted that George is off the market.

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  9. You know, I never really got into Melrose Place. I watched it once or twice and then, meh. I just didn't care for it. And I'm a Gen Xer, so I guess I don't know who that is!

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  10. ah the lady from white collar.. now i know who she is..

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