I’m forced to resort to an iPhone picture of the view to my right as I sit here on this early Saturday morning. It promises to be a sunny day, which will be welcome after the rain we’ve had this week.
Current Music Obsession(s): Gene Pitney and José Feliciano. Why, you ask? Well, I was driving home the other day and my local oldies station played songs by both of them. First up was Pitney singing Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa. Then, Feliciano singing his version of Light My Fire.
I was in heaven, immediately transported to my youth. I was a big fan of Gene Pitney, who had one of those voices that I love, the kind of voice that has a texture, a quiver, of deep emotion, like the voices of Roy Orbison or K. D. Lang or Patsy Cline. You hear them sing one word and you’re immediately in tune with the heartbreaking and often gut-wrenching emotion behind the words. Somewhere – most likely in the dreaded shed – I have an LP of Gene Pitney singing his greatest hits.
And then Feliciano’s Light My Fire. I loved The Doors’ original version, but in my mind, this one is much, much better. Beautifully arranged, with Feliciano on guitar and lush strings in the background, what was a rock anthem becomes a sexy Latin infused love song. I can’t get enough of it.
I came home and downloaded four of my favorite Pitney songs, as well as Light My Fire, on iTunes. And I’ve been happily listening to them.
Current Book/Author Obsession: Anything by M. J. Arlige, a British police procedural crime writer. Arlige’s DI Helen Grace series is simply first-rate. She’s complicated, driven, excellent at her job, and haunted by her past. These books are so well crafted and so compelling that I am on the edge of my seat as the story gets closer and closer to the end. I’m tense, I have no idea how it’s going to end, I can’t put the book down. I’ve reviewed the first two books in the series on Just Let Me Finish This Page – you can find them under Book Reviews. I’m going to review the latest two books in the series, The Doll’s House and Liar Liar next week.
Current Husband Obsession: The latest video of Don and Dan singing I’ll Know You. If you’re interested in hearing it, click here and scroll down to the third video. Best listened to with headphones/earbuds.
Current Laptop Obsession: eBay. See yesterday’s post. By the way, I seem fated to be outbid on every Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs egg cup that comes up for auction. I’ve bid at least 4 or 5 different times and every time someone tops me. It happened again last night. I had set a limit and refused to go over it, so I lost out. Ah, well.
I did win a pretty piece of Roseville Pottery, which I’ll share with you when it arrives.
On the docket for today: Rest. Ankle elevated. Reading more of Liar Liar. Crocheting a scarf. Coffee Drinking. Music Listening.
Happy Saturday.
So, now I have a new book series to check out and iTunes to search for Gene Pitney songs ( like you, I remember his amazing voice from my youth ) – thank you so much Claudia, Hoping your day is filled with sunshine, healing and successful ‘bidding’ !
Wasn’t his voice simply incredible? Thank you for your good wishes, Regina Anne!
Love it when you share your current obsession! I love Jose Feliciano and it takes me right back to my youth also. I see some new downloads in my future. I haven’t been buying books so I can fund my pottery obsession, but will check out M.J. Arlidge on Amazon soon. I have a date with the Grands later as I get to watch them decorate their tree. Watching Scout see her first Christmas tree should be fun. Only unbreakable ornaments this year. Rest that foot and enjoy reading and cruising Ebay!
hugs,
Linda
Oh, I completely understand: the dilemma of which obsession to fund. Pottery? Books? What’s a girl to do? Have a wonderful time with the Grands.
Claudia, the trick with ebay is to set yourself a limit, then at the last moment bid 51p over. Oh I sit here at 2 and 3am with my finger poised above the ‘bid button’, trying to work out how many seconds I actually have to put in my final bid. Yesterday I missed a lace dress (I wanted it to cut up) but DH distracted me and I missed it, and it went for about £3.00 less than I was willing to pay. (Screech, scream, rude words etc) Please excuse me, but it was so frustrating. lol. Blessings to you and your family
I was actually in bed last night with my phone, and I upped my bid on the Roseville at the very last minute! Then I had to calm down before I could sleep!
“The Pit” is always in my car….I just returned for a car trip to NH ( visiting daughter). He has that voice that you can sing along with, but alone only! I am big Doors fan so I politely disagree Morrison is the best……… CDs in the car are the ‘Pit’, Doors, Abba, Michael Jackson and Charles Asnavour, and Song from WWII. Eclectic at its best!
Don’t get me wrong, I love the Doors, but my heart lies with Feliciano’s version. They actually compliment each other rather nicely.
I have a lot of Charles Aznavour – love him. Love Le Temps (I think that’s the title!)
Oh…thanks for reminding me of Jose Feliciano singing Light My Fire…yep, really can swoon to that one! It’s going to be close to 50 this weekend and sunny…good time to put out the light swags, and railing garland…might even grill out this evening! Rest your ankle…read…and cruise eBay to your heart’s content! ;)
We still have to put the A/C units away and clean up the porch, but obviously, that will have to be delayed!
Was Gene Pitney the one who sang Town Without Pity? My group loved crying to this song! You were probably too young to appreciate that heartbreaker ?. Hope you are up and around soon.
No, I wasn’t too young – we had a record that had that cut on it and I grew up listening to it. Yes, it was Gene Pitney. I downloaded it the other day! Loved that song.
Music is something that evokes many memories for me, which is why I can’t listen to much music these days except classical music. My late husband loved many music genres, but classical wasn’t one of them. Everything else reminds me too painfully of him.
However, hope you are being quietly entertained as your ankle gets better.
I can well understand that, Wendy. I would feel the same way. Music can be wonderful and painful at the same time. xoxo
Two of my favorite singers also….I don’t like sniping on eBay either but I learned a long time ago that was the only way I was going to win things that I really wanted as you have found out with the Roseville…I am hoping to go antique browsing this coming week so I will be looking out for those egg cups for you…I hope you are feeling better soon…I am anxious to see the new desk!
Well, yes – sniping, and just setting a limit for myself. It’s too easy to get caught up in it all (I speak from experience!) and end up paying a lot more than you want to! The egg cups were sometime sniped, so I lost out, other times, the auction closed in the middle of the night and I wasn’t going to stay up, and at others, I simply wasn’t going to pay that price. The last few have gone far above what the egg cups are worth at the moment. Ah, well!
Town Without Pity….. I think I was about 12 when that was released (very early 60’s if I remember correctly), and I remember listening to it over and over. It told a story, and I don’t think I had thought about music like that before hearing that song. I could almost imagine the “characters” and picture that town as he sang. Had not thought about that in a while!!
Glad you are still resting the ankle. We have much sun here, too. It is to be in the mid to upper 40’s all week…even low 50’s into next weekend. Crazy, but we will so gladly and thankfully take it!!
It’s pretty warm here today, Chris and I think we’re going to have the same weather you’re having.
My parents had one of this LP’s that had several different instrumental and vocal themes from the movies and Town Without Pity was one of them, with Gene Pitney singing. I played it over and over again!
I think I’m glad I never got started with eBay. The more I hear about it, the more sure I am that I could get myself addicted fairly easily. I collect pumpkins and baskets, but I guess I’m more of a casual collector. I don’t actively look for things. What I’ve bought have always been things I just came across in my ordinary, day-to-day “travels.” PS – current obsession here? Pumpkin muffins. Although I’m pretty sure that by Christmas, I’ll be “fed up” with All Things Pumpkin for another year – LOL. ?
I go through phases. I won’t even visit eBay for months and months and then I’ll get interested in something and I’ll be on there a lot. Thank goodness I’m not on there all the time! (Frankly, I don’t have the funds for that kind of thing, anyway!)
Love pumpkin muffins!
Claudia, I think music can be very emotional. I love listening to the Carpenters. We had freezing fog this morning , actually it did not get sunny till afternoon. It is so pretty out right now. I love it. I just went for a walk , then swept the driveway. Blessings for a great evening and beautiful Sunday. xoxo,Susie
I love the Carpenters, too, Susie. I get sad every time I hear them, because Karen Carpenter died so young. Have a great Sunday!
Gene Pitney!!! Yes, love him too. I have a CD of his greatest hits.
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
He was so talented, Susan!
I’m also a big fan of Gene Pitney. The emotion he could draw out of every note always gets to me. My favorite is “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”. It has a similar flavor to “Wayward Wind” by Gogi Grant (another favorite). Their lyrics are so atmospheric.
I hope your ankle is on the mend.
I’ve been listening to Liberty Valance over and over. It’s a great arrangement (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, as was Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa.) I also loved The Wayward Wind.
Oh, I LOVED your husband’s video…. what a superb voice and they are both excellent musicians as well. I listened to the entire CD and wanted to download it but did not find a download available. Perhaps in the future it will be offered as download-able? That would be wonderful. xox
Diane, thank you! The CD has been available for a while now. Just go to the sidebar and there’s a widget that says Where to Buy Don’s CD. If you click on it, it will take you to CD Baby, where you can download it. xo