Back In The Day

(For politics, please scroll down. Active thread below)

With a hat tip to I Love Dino Martin for this joyful video (The Dean Martin Show, 12/21/1967):

Musical Interlude

The easy-listening sound of Crooning Christmas with Bing, Frank & Dean:


Playlist below the fold:

The Joys Of Summer

(If you must have politics, please scroll down to the open thread, the blog post just below this one)

Ah!  The joyful memories of summer! (with thanks to Duck, who took the photo and emailed me the jpeg):

Fountain (July 24, 2014)

See more of Duck's photographic art at Duck's Flickr page.

"End of Summer" by Stanley Kunitz:

Musical Interlude For New Year's Eve

(If you must have politics,  please scroll down)

From Robin and the Seven Hoods (1964):


Are you celebrating this year's end and the new year's arrival in style or in a quiet fashion?

Dean Martin At The Top Of ASCAP's 2013 Holiday Songs List

According to Vintage Vinyl News (hat tip to I Love Dino Martin, a site that I visit almost every day):

Since November 1st, 2013, "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow"! has aired more times than any other holiday song this season, ending the four-year reign of previous list-topper "Sleigh Ride."...

Weekend Break From Politics

(If you must have politics, please keep scrolling)

A beautiful and poignant song written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn (arranged by Gordon Jenkins) from the 1966 Grammy Award winning album September of My Years:


The list of tracks on the album:

Musical Interlude For Independence Day

This song always makes me cry tears of happiness and patriotism:


The choral version:

Happy Independence Day, America!

Reading for today from Political Tea Leaves: "All Hail Rodney this Independence Day." Excerpt:

...Rodney’s vote for independence was considered high treason and caused him to be branded a traitor to the Crown. As history records, Caesar Rodney gave up the possibility of receiving medical treatment in London because he voted and pledged his life, fortune and sacred honor for American Independence....

Read the whole thing.