Monday, September 10, 2007

What the World Needs Now


José Feliciano shocked many in Detroit and the rest of the USA when he performed a non-traditional version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" in 1968 at Tiger Stadium. I've heard it, and it's pretty good, actually -- just different. In its own way, as wild as the better known Jimi Hendrix adaptations. Feliciano also did a memorable variation on the Doors' "Light My Fire." Johnny Cash had him on his show in 1970 and sang with him, too. Still playing, it's his birthday -- and he's still younger than Bob Dylan and Lou Reed.


Rebellious Irish singer Siobhan Fahey, breakaway member of Bananarama and leader of Shakespeare's Sister, which for a time also featured Marcella Detroit (Levy, of Detroit).


Big Ben Wallace, as a Detroit Piston. He'll always be a Piston to me.

Today's Rune: Breakthrough.

Today's Birthdays: Maria Theresa, Fighting Joe Wheeler, Alice Brown Daivs, H.D. (Hilda Doolittle), Robert Wise (The Day the Earth Stood Still, 1951), Edmund O'Briend (D.O.A., 1950), Charles Kuralt (UNC-Chapel Hill), José Feliciano, Margaret Trudeau, Amy Irving, Kate Burton, Siobhan Fahey, Colin Firth, David Lowery (Camper Van Beethoven, Cracker), Big Daddy Kane (Antonio Hardy), Guy Ritchie, Big Ben Wallace.

Ciao Detroit!

3 comments:

JR's Thumbprints said...

What the World Needs To Do:

"Take the skin heads bowling, take them bowling."

It's so nice to know I share this special day with David Lowery. I'll bet he's older.

Johnny Yen said...

I only learned a year or so ago about the Donneybrook at the World Series-- it amazed me. In the last ten years or so, I've come to appreciate Feliciano more-- I like his cover of Light My Fire (I remember hearing it as a kid), and have come to really like his cover of the old Mamas and Papas hit "California Dreamin'."

In the eighties Debarge hit "All This Love," he played the beautiful classical guitar solo.

JR-
I love Camper!

My late friend Mark saw them one night at the Cabaret Metro, which was right around the corner from our apartment near Wrigley Field (1988-1989). Camper's encore was two songs: the Captain and Tenille's "Love Will Keep Us Together" and Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart."

Charles Gramlich said...

A good thing about your blog is that you bring up all these names that I know something about from the past but haven't thought about in ages.