Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This lyrics refer to "an old sweet song." What old sweet song is a favorite of yours? "More Than You Know" was published in 1929. This is one of my favorite Streisand performances.
2)
Composer Hoagy Carmichael said he was inspired by saxophonist Frankie
Trumbauer to write a song about Georgia. In those days, bands traveled
by bus and Frankie enjoyed rolling through Georgia. Hoagy
recalled that Frankie even volunteered the first two words, "Georgia,
Georgia ..." If we were to organize a Saturday 9 bus trip, where would
you recommend we go for lovely scenery? Arkansas. I used to take an annual spring spa trip to Hot Springs and there was a courtesy van that would pick me up at the airport in Little Rock and take me to my hotel. The hour-long drive was lovely. Lots of rolling hills and dense green foliage. I love Chicagoland, but it's very flat here and in late March, the trees are still bare, so I really enjoyed that drive.
3)
This version of "Georgia on My Mind" was controversial before it was
even recorded. Willie Nelson's label, Columbia, didn't see the point of
their outlaw country star singing an old standard that was associated
with Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald. Willie had the last laugh. This
record was a hit and Willie won a Grammy. Tell us about a time when you
were a success despite opposition. Oh, this is an example of why I'm glad to be out of advertising. My client wanted us to save them money by encouraging customers to pay bills online rather than through the mail. I suggested using a simple front/back "buck slip" inserted in their monthly statement. One side would say, "Go Paperless. Save Trees." and the other side would show how paper – and trees – could be saved annually if just 10% of customers switched to online payment.
My boss thought it was a good idea, but that I was "wasting" it on a buck slip. "No one reads those!" he insisted. Why don't we send a letter? It's more likely to be read and we would have more space to do an emotional appeal about saving water and trees and landfill space ... how we'd be helping future generations ... how we could toss in a buck slip but it would show a child planting a seedling on the front ...
I was like, "But we'd using more paper to discuss how bad using paper is." After all, his idea would include a separate envelope and an additional 8 1/2 x 11 sheet. As a consumer, that would set off my bullshit meter. Plus it would cost the client more in production and postage. My boss argued, "It will pay for itself."
He really didn't like being disagreed with. At least not by me. He said he would present both concepts to the client and let them decide. HE would present? He never presented! I knew what he would do: he'd say, "you could just do a nice little buck slip ... or an effective, heart-tugging appeal that's certain to change minds and behavior."
Well, based on the cost of the two concepts, the client chose mine. Every step of the way through execution, my boss bitched and complained. "I can't believe they chose THIS!" he would say as he approved first the copy, then the layout, then the final print. Over and over he made it clear that my idea was deficient and lame.
He was the Vice President/Creative Director. He could have killed my idea before the client ever saw it. Instead he presented it, along with his own, just so he could prove me wrong. Put me in my place. What a petty shit he was. We worked for the same agency. Any time the client was happy with us was a win for us. Not in his eyes.
This kind of thing happened all the freaking time. I'm glad to work at the card shop.
4) While it's at odds with his "outlaw" image, Willie was a popular and active high school student. He played three sports and was a member of Future Farmers of America. What school activities did you participate in during your teen years? I wasn't big on participation. I'd join a club at the beginning of the year so I could work on and ride the homecoming float, but then drop out before Christmas.
5)
Willie once worked as a tree trimmer, so clearly he didn't suffer from
acrophobia. How about you? Do you have a fear of heights? Nope.
6)
He wrote the lyrics to one of his biggest hits, "On the Road Again,"
during a flight, using the airplane barf bag as scrap paper. That was
back in 1980. In 2025, do you handwrite onto note paper, or do you make
all your "notes to self" digitally? I scribble on lined paper.
7) In 1978, when Willie was singing "Georgia on My Mind," audiences were flocking to see the movie Grease. What's your favorite song from Grease? The first one that comes to mind is "Summer Nights." Wella, wella, wella, ooh, tell me more, tell me more ...
8) Also in 1978, Karina Smirnoff was born. After spending her early years in the Ukraine, she came to America and found success on Dancing with the Stars. Are you a DWTS fan? I was during the early seasons but I've lost interest.
9) Random question: Do you ever carry a backpack? Not often. I switched to a backpack during my vacation at the TCM Classic Film Festival. It holds so much and made it possible for me to not keep running back to my hotel room. But for day to day, the backpack is in the closet.
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