Tuesday, February 18, 2014

DAY 171 - COUNTING DOWN TO THE 50TH

GOOD MORNING, CLASS OF '64

There's a fair sized wind blowing through the woods, this morning. The tall, spindly trees sway back and forth from where they meet the sky to where they're rooted into the ground. Gray sky overhead covers it all, with no hint of sun. But, a warm temperature has melted the new snow, and we'll probably see some rain, today. Spring thaw...could we be at the beginning of the great spring thaw?

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The wind, songs have been written about the wind. Many of them were written and performed during our growing years. Some very good songs have been sold by the wind.

The Wayward Wind

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wayward_Wind

The Wayward Wind was a country music song. Tex Ritter and Gogi Grant recorded it. Gogi Grant's recording was a bigger hit in the United States, but Tex Ritter's version was bigger in the United Kingdom. Frank Ifield recorded it in 1963, and it became a #1 hit in the United Kingdom, for him.

The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant

Four Strong Winds
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Strong_Winds

Four Strong Winds was part of the early 1960s Folk Revival. It was recorded by a Canadian folk duo and became a hit in Canada. It didn't do as well in the United States until being recorded by The Brothers Four, in 1963. In 1964, it was a hit for Bobby Bare on the country music charts.
Brothers Four - Four Strong Winds

A Classic In 30 Minutes: 'Four Strong Winds'

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/06/133500143/a-classic-in-30-minutes-four-strong-winds

They Call the Wind Maria

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Call_the_Wind_Maria

They Call the Wind Maria was written for the 1951 Broadway play Paint Your Wagon. Vaughn Monroe recorded the song and it became a hit. It was among the popular songs listened to by the troops in Korea. The Kingston Trio recorded it in 1959 and it reached #2 on the charts. In 1969 Paint Your Wagon became a movie. In the movie Harve Presnell sang They Call the Wind Maria. Though it's beyond our 1964 graduation date, this is my personal favorite of the recordings.

(an aside)

Have you ever heard Clint Eastwood sing? In the movie, Paint Your Wagon, he sings I Talk to the Trees in such a way your heart will melt. You'll hear it sung better by other artists, but Clint has a way with a tune.

The wind could also sell perfume. Did you buy it? I did, at a department store in the city. They sell it at Walmart, now, for $15.74.

Vintage Wind Song on Ebay

Wind Song by Prince Matchabelli is a Floral fragrance for women. Wind Song was launched in 1953. Top notes are coriander, orange leaf, mandarin orange, tarragon, neroli, bergamot and lemon; middle notes are cloves, carnation, orris root, jasmine, ylang-ylang, rose and brazilian rosewood; base notes are sandalwood, amber, musk, benzoin, vetiver and cedar.

http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Prince-Matchabelli/Wind-Song-3340.html

A nice essay about Wind Song: