This year for the 2023 A-Z Blog Challenge, I’m going to begin by listing a song or musical subject, and then see how fast and how far I can completely blow up my own “stream of consciousness,” and head “off the reservation,” by linking every real, and “Zulu Delta-imagined” fact, piece of music trivia, or not so apparent connection to what is racing around my head to that song in an “unstructured, graffiti-like” format. Complete and utter nonsense! Turn it up and turn it on, but as Van “The Man” Morrison said…….”It’s already turned on!”

So, this is the song that inspired me to write this whole blog series.

It starts out when my friend John sends me a link for a music video from Amy Winehouse. It was a live version of “Valerie.” He tells me how much he loves the song.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I respond back via email; “Please spare me your musical sentiment. Why don’t you do yourself and everyone else a favor and write all your lame thoughts down in an email and then use that email to write a blog series that nobody will read anyway!” 

Wait a minute……..that sounds exactly like…..Nah…it couldn’t be…..never mind!

Meanwhile, back in this “reality,” I tell him I had not heard the live version but I do like Amy. 

Hours later, a few thoughts hit me….and then, a few more. My imagination runs away with more thoughts, and soon I am forced to get out of bed and begin typing them down. 

I type away all the random thoughts and imaginary connections to the Amy song. At this point, I do have one big problem. I want to tell him as much as I like Amy, I really love the version of “Valerie” done by the TV Cast of Glee. I know if I send him my opinion, his head will explode and his “musically snobbery” not seen since the “music snob scene” in the movie High Fidelity will force him to immediately march over to my house and chastise me in person. I can’t chance it

So, I finish typing the email and send it to him at 2:47:05 AM.

Eastern Standard Time.

Who knew that “a cooling off period” was in reference to music preference?”

“Reference Preference” ……Bumper Sticker “Merch” soon to be sold on my website store.

Him, living in the same time zone, I figured that by the time he reads the email, I’ll have had a couple hours sleep, and then have time to pack a bag and get out of town for a few days to lay low.

Hahahahahahahaha, John! John actually has a great sense of humor, a keen musical sense and a sharp wit, along with being a great supporter of this blog. Yeah…..don’t worry, all those compliments still won’t get me out of the musical “doghouse!”

A few more of my thoughts about the song Valerie, and other songs done by the Cast of Glee.

The cast really did sing these songs for the soundtracks to the show. 

The lead singer on Valerie was Naya Rivera. A awesome voice for sure. She also did an incredible version of the Ike and Tina Turner classic; “River Deep, Mountain High” with her cast-mate powerhouse, Amber Riley.

My opinion here is by no means an attempt to discredit, or diminish the incredible talent of Tina Tuner (or Amy Winehouse for that matter); after all, in this version of River Deep, it took two great women to pull off what Tina Turner did by herself!

I didn’t even know of her at the time she filmed the show, but Naya Rivera drowned in a boating accident a few years ago, only after managing to get her two children back on the boat. So sad. I can’t even begin to talk about the necessity of life jackets here….only after having a few of my own horror stories. 

The Blonde woman with all the energy is Heather Morris. Morris was a backup dancer for Beyoncé on her live tours. She was initially hired by the producers of the show to teach the kids some dance moves and wound up getting a permanent acting role on the show to sing and dance.

The third woman singing is Lea Michele. She also has a great voice and has been in entertainment news “headlines” a lot lately as taking over the lead role in the Broadway show “Funny Girl.” “Big Boots to Fill” read the press.

The connection I made from Glee to Funny Girl was Barbara Streisand. I have only seen a minute of the movie Funny Girl, but mentioned to my friend John that I had “no personal or emotional connection” to Barbara. I never had a “boy crush” on her. Maybe I was too young, although I still remember seeing a woman of similar age years later; Katherine Ross in the movie “The Graduate,” where Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, and The Wrecking Crew played the number one song, “Mrs. Robinson.” Katherine Ross….WHOA!! ……Cool down is RIGHT!

I always wondered at this other idea in my head. I don’t “dislike” Streisand for any reason, but to me, there always seemed to be this “unwritten rule” in the entertainment industry that “nobody” could speak ill of her. I don’t really like her music, or movies; it’s nothing personal, I don’t like olives either, and we just covered the “crush thing.” I’m not sure of my perceived elevation status of her talents; was it a 1960’s or 1970’s “free or kindred spirit thing,” or her being a New York City “Girl,” or a Jewish Icon “thing?” I’m not sure. The unadulterated loyalty she got from the “biz” was not unlike the loyalty the rock group “The New York Dolls” got from the local press; “Thou shall not speak ill of them…..ever!” 

“West Coast Guy,” Don Henley of the Eagles, found this out the hard way when he made some comments about the “Dolls” to the New York music critics and got hammered in the press “forever more.”

Skipping on……for some reason, I have not seen a very import and well received movie that I REALLY want to see; “Cadillac Records.”

In the related note, Beyoncé acts and sings in that film as the great Etta James.

Let’s leave with that.