Petty's Motor Hotel neon sign

Saturday morning the sun was shining brightly on one of my favorite, local (Lufkin) neon signs:

Can you say vintage?

Michael Jackson, c. 1979

I just saw a CBS Sunday Morning piece on Quincy Jones, and of all the artists and performers who Jones worked with, Michael Jackson (link goes to his creepy official site) stood out (within the CBS piece). I somehow hurt for him. His story is such a tragic one. Such a shame. There was a real magic about Michael Jackson as the 1970s ended and the 1980s began. There was something really special about him. And I am referring to and alluding to his awesome talent(s).

The video for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" begins with what is in hindsight an appropriately weird, spoken word intro by Michael. It's the kind of bizarre, nonsensical wackiness we've just come to expect from him today, and perhaps this is a first example of it. But the music soon begins to weave its spell upon the listener, and you're off. In order to describe or explain the "original" appeal of Michael Jackson (why people loved him to begin with) to generations of schoolchildren in the future who will no doubt wonder what the heck we were thinking about (when we bought his records and made him a huge star), I'd show them this, for starters. This, children, was Michael Jackson! (you probably shouldn't show a group of schoolchildren a video of Michael Jackson, but just go along with the scenario):


Who is that handsome fella?
From the Wikipedia entry:

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was the first hit single from Michael Jackson's 1979 Off the Wall album, his first album with Epic Records and the first solo record over which he had creative control.

The song was written and composed by Jackson himself in late 1978, with Quincy Jones producing.

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was a successful restart to Michael Jackson's career, hitting number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in October 1979, where it sold over a million copies (and being his first Platinum-selling single since "Ben" seven years earlier). By far the most successful single from Off the Wall, the track also topped the charts in Australia and Norway, and reached the top 3 in Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and the UK.

The track also earned Jackson his first solo Grammy Award for "Best R&B Vocal Performance."

End of the line

"Running Up That Hill"

From the Wikipedia entry:

"Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" was the first single from Kate Bush's 1985 album Hounds of Love.
Written by Bush, it features surreal lyrics and impassioned vocals. It was released as a single in the UK on August 5, 1985, with the album appearing on shelves on September 16, 1985. It was her first 12" single, and her second single to feature gatefold packaging. It was the most successful of Bush's 1980s releases, eventually peaking at the number three position in the UK singles chart, her second-highest single release there. The single also had a great impact in the United States, providing Bush with her first hit to chart since 1978. It reached the top 30, and featured prominently within the Dance Charts.


As a "bonus" video, here's another one from Hounds of Love, the opening track on side two, "And Dream of Sheep." Parts of this one always make me want to weep. It's as beautiful as her face.

Word of the Day -- terpsichore

Terp·sich·o·re (tɜrpˈsɪkəˌri)
–noun
1. Classical Mythology. the Muse of dancing and choral song.
2. (lowercase) choreography; the art of dancing.

Come to Frank....
From the Wikipedia entry:

"Come Dance With Me" is a popular song composed by Jimmy Van Heusen, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn as the title track for Frank Sinatra's 1959 album of the same name.

The song references Terpsichore, one of the nine Muses, and "Basie boots" in reference to Count Basie.

Bastrop

C.R. Haynie & Co. Building, c. 1883


First National Bank Building, c. 1889


Citizens State Bank, c. 1909


"Bull" Durham Smoking Tobacco ghost


According to the Texas Historical Commission plaque, this building housed the W.J. Miley Drugstore from 1905 to 1967. After getting back home, I researched (Googled) it by its current name (Lock Drug Store), and discovered that it still has its turn-of-the-century interior, complete with old-time soda fountain.



The P.O. Elzner House, c. 1878 (Victorian style)




Bastrop County Courthouse (c. 1883, Revival Style)


Bastrop County Jail, c. 1891-92; served as the jail until 1974


Bastrop Opera House, c. 1889

This appeared to be the partial remains of a Humble Gas Station, the property now being used as a "cash station," or ATM. If it was a gas station, this is a creative way to preserve something possibly historic, while still making money off of the property.




Bastrop Christian Church, c. 1867

Tattoo You

From the Wikipedia entry:

Tattoo You is an album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1981. The follow-up to Emotional Rescue, it proved to be a big critical and commercial success upon its release and is still celebrated as one of The Rolling Stones' finest full-length releases, despite its prolonged recording history.

Tattoo You is primarily composed of outtakes, some dating back a decade, with new vocals and overdubs. Along with two new songs, the Rolling Stones put together this collection in order to have a new album to promote for their worldwide American Tour 1981/European Tour 1982 beginning that September.

From 1964 to I'd say 1997's Bridges to Babylon album, every generation of teenagers had their incarnation of The Rolling Stones - their own personal Rolling Stones. Mine was Tattoo You-era Stones. That album cover was everywhere my freshmen year in high school. I can remember sitting in the nurse's office at school, flipping through Life magazine's article about the 1981 North American tour.

Reading about how Tattoo You was made up primarily of recordings done during previous albums, it's pretty clear these guys were resting on their laurels, coasting, etc., throwing together what in hindsite is a classic album, all for the purpose of having something to promote on their upcoming world tour. Being now roughly the same age these guys were in the Tattoo You videos is an interesting thing to experience. For one thing, they don't seem as old now!

"Start Me Up" was recorded in 1975 during the Black and Blue sessions. So essentially, a knock-off tune from a mediocre, mid-70s Stones album ended up being one of their most successful releases, ever. I'm so grateful I still think about high school days and not Microsoft when I hear this now. The little thing Mick does at the beginning of the song's video is hilarious:


"Hang Fire", "Little T&A," "Black Limousine," and "No Use In Crying" all came from the Emotional Rescue sessions in 1979. The "Hang Fire" video:



"Little T & A" (Live in Seattle, 1981)
The Goat's Head Soup outtake "Waiting on a Friend" was recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, at Dynamic Sound in 1972. It was scrapped (not having lyrics) in favor of other material. MTV played this video a lot in the early '80s:


Yep!
My blogging mate across the Atlantic, Blognor Regis, is always good for taking the trivial components of any pop culture icon/subject to its most infinite (and not so infinite) extreme. His trivia oneupmanship often leaves me breathless and in a cold sweat. Well, not really, but I'm always impressed/astounded at the pop history crumb he has noticed that I've failed to sweep up. In the case of the "Waiting on a Friend" video, he reminds me that the tenement block where Mick and Keef "meet" is the same one as on the cover of Physical Graffiti. I am humbled and honored, sir! Thank you for filling in the holes, again.