Saturday 9

 
Saturday 9: Devil in the Bottle (1974)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song begins with T. G. Sheppard taking off his shoes to slip into the house with disturbing his sleeping wife. Are you wearing shoes as you answer these questions? No. I'm barefootin' around the house.

2) His wife hears him anyway. Are you a light sleeper? Kinda sorta. I live near train tracks and a busy street and those sounds I snooze through. But let one of my cats knock my hairbrush off the sink and I'm up.
 

3) This is the first of 22 consecutive #1 hits for T. G. Sheppard. Not bad for a high school dropout. What's the last year of education that you completed? 12th grade. I took a half-hearted stab at community college a couple times but was easily distracted. 

 

Look! A squirrel!

 

4) He was born William Browder and chose the stage name T. G. Sheppard just because he liked the sound of it. He says "T. G." doesn't stand for anything, and he gets a kick out of fans who insist there's some secret meaning behind the initials. Since most of us didn't choose our names: Is there a story behind your name? Did your parents tell you why they chose it? (If you did choose your name, share what influenced your decision.) My mom always liked my first name. She also disliked my dad's aunt, who had the same name, so my mom chose a different spelling. She didn't want that woman to think I was named for her. (I'm told I met my non-namesake once, but I don't recall it.)

 

5) It was after hours at a Memphis roller rink when he first met Elvis and his entourage. As T. G. was leaving, Elvis was entering and asked if he wanted to stay and skate longer. T. G. was confused because he knew the place was closing for the night. "Not for me," Elvis replied and T. G. skated with Elvis and his buddies until dawn. Are you good on roller skates? No. I am the clumsiest human you will ever meet.

6) T. G. loves NASCAR and was an associate sponsor of the Folgers Chevrolet. He enjoyed the collaboration with the coffee company and has performed the familiar jingle – "the best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup" – in concert. Are you loyal to a particular coffee brand? No. I don't drink coffee.

 

7) T. G. understands the lifestyle of his fans. That's why he named his live country music venue Guitars and Cadillacs. If you were going to name a business after two of your favorite things, what would you call it? Cubs and Cats.

 

 
8) In 1974, when this week's song was on the country charts, Linda Ronstadt was getting a lot of radio airplay with "You're No Good." That song is about a real cad. Let's turn that around: Who is the nicest person you know? My former boss, CeeCee. She has a smile and a hug for everyone, and always emphasized to our team that we be kind to one another.

 
9) Random question: Have you ever had your palm read? I don't recall. Maybe? But this question has that wonderful old song going through my head. "Much More" is from the musical The Fantasticks. 

 

"I'd like to swim in a clear blue stream where the water is icy cold,

Then go to town in a golden gown and have my fortune told,

Just once, just once, just once before I'm old ..." 

 

 

 Photo by Caleb Martin on Unsplash 

 

Saturday 9

 
Saturday 9: Cadillac Ranch (1981)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Bruce Springsteen sings about taking his father and his aunt to see The Cadillac Ranch. Have you recently taken a road trip? If yes, where did you go? Golly, it's been years since a friend and I hit the road by car. I've flown to Grand Rapids and Los Angeles in the past six months, but I don't think I've traveled any real distance by car since my friend Elaine and I drove down to New Salem in 2023.

2) The Cadillac Ranch is real. It's an outdoor art installation in Amarillo, TX. Tell us about a statue, mural, or other piece of outdoor art in your community. We have so much here to choose from! The Picasso at Daley Plaza, the Chagall Mosaic, Cloudgate (aka The Bean) in Millennium Park ... But those are all well known. This is smaller, more intimate. It's the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fountain on the Chicago River Walk. Tucked away at the end of the bars and restaurants, it gives us a quiet moment to reflect on those who sacrificed for us.

3) Not only is Bruce singing about a real place, he mentions three real people. The first is "James Dean in his Mercury 49." That refers to the 1949 Mercury driven by James Dean in his first starring role, Rebel Without a Cause. Though he remains a legendary star, Dean made only three movies before his death at age 24. Have you seen any of his films? I've seen two of the three. I know this is an unpopular opinion in some quarters, but I think he's staggeringly overrated.

4) The second is "Junior Johnson runnin' through the woods of Caroline." Junior Johnson was a folk hero, famous as a NASCAR driver and notorious for running moonshine through North Carolina. He was the inspiration for "Midnite Moon," an animated old Ford in the 2017 Disney movie Cars 3. What Disney movie did you enjoy when you were growing up?

5) The third man Bruce sings about is "Burt Reynolds and his black Trans Am." This is a reference to Burt's biggest hit, 1977's Smokey and the Bandit. Burt also had success as a restaurateur. He co-owned Burt and Jack's, a popular steakhouse at Port Everglades, right on the water. Tell us about a restaurant that offered both good food and a memorable view. I had a great lunch in Washington, DC at the KC Cafe. It's the cafeteria at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. I had soup and sandwich, my favorite on a rainy day and it hit the spot. But oh! The views of the Potomac! I wasn't expecting to have such a lovely time on such a gray day.

6) For decades, Cadillac was the gold standard of luxury. For example, an eatery referred to as "the Cadillac of restaurants" would be best or most prestigious. Think about your neighborhood. Tell us about a restaurant, hotel or business that is "the Cadillac" of your community. There's an old-school steakhouse not far away called The Golden Steer. It's wood paneled and cramped and noisy. But the prime rib and onion soup are to die for!

7) Since he's been singing about America and cars for decades, it should come as no surprise that Bruce Springsteen has a collection of classic American cars. For the cover of his autobiography he chose a photo of himself leaning on his favorite, a 1960 Corvette convertible. Think about your favorite photo of yourself. What are you doing? It was last Christmas. I am holding my little great niece, Violet.

8) In 1981, when Bruce released this recording, Dolly Parton had a hit with "9 to 5." What's your favorite Dolly Parton song? I get a kick out of this one. "Better keep your hands off my potential new boyfriend."

 

9) Random question: When did you last DIY and fix something around your home or yard? I was tempted to call Comcast/Xfinity for a service call, but no, I set up my new TV all by myself! (Bows deeply.) I love my voice remote and all the cable channels and streaming services, but I do kinda miss the olden days where all you had to do with a new tv was turn it on.

Gratitude Challenge: Day 18

I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.

Day 18: Something that fills me with hope Today I am overflowing with hope because:  

•  The Obama Presidential Center is opening. I love it when all eyes turn to my city to watch us party. This Center has been in the works for more than a decade, providing jobs and a Chicago Public Library in a part of town that will blossom with the attention. And oh! the Opening Ceremony! It was so inspirational, at once nostalgic and at the same time hopeful for our future. My favorite musical moment was when Bono crooned to the former First Lady, "Michelle, ma belle ..." because –

•   It's Paul McCartney's 84th birthday and he's on the charts with new music. That he's still relevant fills me with hope. In my classic movie nerd world, so much attention is being paid this month to the beautiful tragedy that was Marilyn Monroe. I love to take a moment and celebrate the beautiful survivor.

 

 

Gratitude Challenge: Day 15

I first took this challenge in November 2014 and I think now is a good time to revisit it. Click here for a list of the Gratitude Challenge prompts.

Day 15: Music "Go, Cubs, go! Go, Cubs, go! Hey, Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today." And they did win today. 30,000+ fans at the ballpark sang the song. I sang along at home. I am grateful that we have a song to sing when we win. It's ours and I love it.

 

 

Sunday Stealing

Memorial Day Questions

1) What freedom are you most grateful for? I'm a fan of The First Amendment, even if the current occupant of The White House is not.

We'll miss you, Stephen Colbert

 

2) What book are you currently reading? Nothing But the Night, an examination of Leopold and Loeb and the murder of Bobby Franks (the first "trial of the century"). It's fascinating but so depressing.

3) What have you been listening to? The Beatles. 

4) What shows or movies have you been watching? I'm addicted to Issac Brown's YouTube channel. 

 

How cool it must be!

Last weekend, The Cute One – as Will Ferrell referred to Paul McCartney – was the final guest of the season on Saturday Night Live. During his monologue, Will listed some of Paul's most popular compositions and included "Coming Up," saying it was his personal favorite. During the show, Paul did the customary two songs that SNL guests do. Then, in a third number song performed over the credits, Will got to sing "Coming Up" alongside Paul and was so into it! It was a joy to watch. 

 

Then last night, Stephen Colbert got to interview one final guest on The Late Show. That honor went to Paul McCartney because, well of course it did. First of all, the show originated from The Ed Sullivan Theater, where the Beatles made history with their first appearance in 1964. Who better than Macca to turn out the lights? Paul is the likely the most recognized/respected musician in the world right now and this was an important moment in media and The First Amendment.* And his song, "Hello Goodbye" was perfect for the occasion. Stephen sang alongside him.

Watching these two performances I was acutely aware that Sir Paul is an artist who knows he's on his final lap. In a matter of weeks, he will be 84 years old. While I enjoy his newest song, "Days We Left Behind" is a poignant ballad sung by an old man with a reedy voice.

So right now I'm reminded how much he means to so many people. I've loved him so much for so long that I forget he's not just mine. Stephen Colbert wanted him for the biggest moment of his career. Will Ferrell just wanted to be around him. I recall the women, strangers, I sat with during this November 2025 concert here at the United Center. Their mother, with a walker, sat on the aisle seat. Then there were her two daughters, then me. Their mom – like Paul she was born in 1942 – has "given up" and they thought it might inspire her to see Paul, still vibrant and still performing, at 84.

There were 23,500 people at the United Center with us that night in November. It was just the last of 19 stops. Everyone who goes to see him now has their own personal reason for being there, and it felt important to each of us.

It must be enormously cool to have meant this much to this many people for so long. I hope he feels it.

*Though in a funny bit, Paul is seen as pinch-hitting for the only guest who could possibly top him, Pope Leo.

Sunday Stealing

Tell Us Something

1. Can you touch your nose with your tongue? No.

2. What foreign language did you study in school? How much of it do you still remember? Hablo un poco español.

3. What recipe did you most recently prepare? Where did you get the recipe and how did it turn out? I microwaved a cup of Bob Evans mashed potatoes. I got the recipe – instructions, really – from the cardboard sleeve. They turned out predictably.

4. What song have you listened to over and over and over again? This one never gets old.

5. Are there currently any pets in your household? Are you considering adding another? I share my home with two cats. We're a happy household now and I'm not planning on any additions just now.

6. As an adult, have you ever performed with a drama group? (Student productions don't count.) No. 

 

Thursday Thirteen #458

April is kind of a big deal.

1. T.S. Elliott wrote that it's "the cruelest month."

2. For more than 100 years, we've been singing about the April showers that come our way and bring the flowers that bloom in May. 

3. Twenty years ago, Sugarland also sang about "April Showers" and reassured us "we've seen rain before."

4. Stevie Wonder mentioned that April rain in "I Just Called to Say I Love You."

5. Pat Boone crooned about "April Love."

6. Simon & Garfunkle's "April Come She Will" always annoyed me. I don't know why.

7. In a 1952 movie, Doris Day found romance in "April in Paris."

8. Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald performed a legendary duet of "April in Paris," too.

9. Three Dog Night sang about "pieces of April on a morning in May."

10. Sinatra sang he'd "Always Remember April."

11. Women searched for happiness in the book The Enchanted April.

12. V.C. Andrews began her "Shadows" series with April Shadows.

13. Captain Robert April commanded the Enterprise in an animated Star Trek series.

 

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.

Sunday Stealing

Word Association. Share what comes to mind when you hear the word ...

1. Biscuit – Gravy. Or sauce. Sopping what's left on my plate is my favorite way to eat a biscuit or dinner roll.

2. Crayon – Back to school. Picking up my new box of Crayolas was a late summer ritual.

3. Warmth – Dry skin. The heat in here is brutal, especially on that spot on my back betwen my shoulders that I cannot reach.

4. Flip – Switch.

5. Slush – Snow.

6. Wing – and a prayer.

7. Candle – Pine. We sell this little votive candle at the card shop at Christmastime. My favorite place to stand is near the display so I can inhale the scent.

 

8. Cinnamon – "Let me in."  

Sunday Stealing

When I Was Young

1. Tell us about a time when your family got a newfangled invention (your first air conditioner, color TV, VCR, microwave, computer, etc.). We were first on our block to have a color TV. My dad was sooooo proud of this, and became a tyrant about what we watched. There weren't many color shows yet, but if it was in color we watched it, no matter what it was about. (After all, he paid for the color so he wanted the color!) Bonanza became a sticking point between my parents. My mom felt it was too intense for me – I responded strongly to the action sequences – and then figured out I really only got upset when it was Little Joe or his pinto horse who were hurt. Though I don't remember this, she maintained he was my first real crush, even before Sir Paul.

2. Is there a particular song that sparks a childhood memory? I was obsessed with this song when I was 9. "I loved the flower girl ..." It seemed so romantic! (Hey, I was 9.)

3. What is something an older family member taught you to do? It was just after Easter at my Nice Grandparents' house. We were doing the dishes in the kitchen while the menfolk were watching TV in the living room. The sink was stopped up. I started to go get my Grandpa, but Grandma shook her head. She'd handle it. She was tiny and so ladylike, yet even in her Sunday best she could handle a plunger like a pro. I watched in amazement and think of her whenever I use a plunger or snake a drain.

4. Back in the day, what name brands would we have found in your family's kitchen? My mom was very loyal to Comet cleanser. I have a can in my bathroom now. I only use it occasionally, but it works well on calcium stains in the toilet.

5. As a child, did you collect anything (rocks, shells, stickers, etc.)? Somewhere around here I still have a box of Beatle trading cards.

 

WWW.WEDNESDAY

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up

1. What are you currently reading? Deck the Hounds by David Rosenfelt. Bruce Springsteen's memoir (below) was so intense, brimming with passion and dysfunction and ambition and rock and roll, that I wanted something simpler and more straightforward. And Christmas-y. Christmas-y would be nice. So I picked up this Andy Carpenter mystery.

 

I love Andy. An independently wealthy, super-talented defense attorney who is constitutionally unable to shut up, he's one of my favorite "cozy mystery" protagonists. This time around, Andy finds himself going into the Christmas season by walking it like he talks it and helping a homeless man. A homeless man who, of course, has a dog. Every Andy Carpenter mystery begins with a dog. 

  

2. What did you recently finish reading? Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen. When it comes to music, my personal airwaves are ruled by THE THREE B's: The Beatles, Babs and Bruce. I could probably go the rest of my life without listening to anyone else and still be pretty happy. 

 

Last year I read Barbra Streisand's memoir and was fascinated. Often annoyed, never bored. Which is something when you're talking about a memoir of 900+ pages. So when I picked up Bruce's 500-page autobiography, I expected to zip through it with a similar reaction.

 

I didn't. I am shocked to report that, at times, I was bored by Bruce. The man who has held me entranced onstage for up to four hours, the Boss who led the soul-shaking, earth-quaking, heart-stopping, pants-dropping E Street Band bored me at times! His book is, objectively speaking, better written than Streisand's. But he just didn't have her audacity and indefatigable need to be understood. Really, at times in her book, I felt like Streisand was gripping me by the collar and yelling, "HEAR ME!" With Born to Run, I felt like the very literate Professor Springsteen was trying to impart his hard-earned wisdom. And I got bored! (Not often, mind you. But the fact that it happened at all surprised me.)

 

But I'm glad I stuck with it. Bruce is surprisingly candid about his own shortcomings as he takes us from boy to man, from musician to celebrity, from loner to family man. It's a journey that includes many bouts of depression and hour upon hour of therapy. I admire his courage and his honesty about needing and getting help. It's hard to imagine a more male American specimen than the Boss. I think he may be able to destigmatize mental health issues for men with his memoir and the bio-pic Deliver Me from Nowhere.

 

I also loved hearing how some of my all-time favorite songs came to be. I can't thank Bruce enough for the music that moves my soul. I now know "Bobby Jean" is not about a lover but a friend, Steve Van Zandt. As one whose most solid relationships have been with my friends, it adds a new and poignant dimension to a song I always loved.

Now let's see if Sir Paul writes his life story. Somehow I'm not holding my breath. The Cute Beatle has always been more opaque, played it closer to the vest, than either Babs or Bruce. 

3. What will you read next?  I don't know.

 

  

 

Paul Got Back

Sir Paul came to Chicago for my birthday. It was a magic night and I'm so glad it happened, and that it happened at the United Center. Known as The House that Michael Built, the United Center replaced The Chicago Stadium back in the mid-1990s, when the Bulls were repeating and three-peating and MJ consistently proved that he was the best there ever was and the best there ever will be. 

The Chicago Stadium once stood right across the street from where The United Center is now, and it's where I first saw Paul McCartney and Wings during 1976's Wings Across America tour. That old barn is gone now, demolished. But Paul and I are still here.

Almost 50 years ago, I was a still in my teens, living in my parents' house. I was a secretary for Sears, Roebuck and Co. in Sears Tower.  My parents are gone. Sears – where I made the quantum leap from clerical/time-card employee to copywriter – is gone. The Sears Tower is now known as The Willis Tower. But Paul and I are still here.

Here's the SunTimes review

Of course, Paul and I go ever further back than the bicentennial summer. February 1964, I fell in love with him as he sang "All My Loving" on The Ed Sullivan Show. My mother recalled me saying, "He's so pretty it hurts." Those eyes, that voice! He was this six-year-old girl's perfect image of a romantic troubadour. He remains that today.

Paul played to 23,500 people, and I bet just about every one of us felt an emotional connection to him. I was sitting next to a woman of my age who brought her 80-something mother to the concert because the older woman was "giving up." Mom was moving less, going out less. The daughter (a mere 65!) hoped that seeing 83-year-old Paul perform for three hours without a break would inspire her mother to become more active and engage more with the world. In turn, she oohed and aahed over a photo of my darling little grandniece Violet wearing her Yellow Submarine bib. I was sitting in front of two twenty-something girls (sisters, perhaps?) dancing around in crop tops that revealed impossibly toned tummies. I thought, "I had a tummy like that once as I danced to these very songs."

At the end of the concert, Paul and his bandmates came out waving four flags: The stars and stripes, the Union Jack, the Illinois state flag, and the Rainbow Pride flag. At a time when it's become suddenly and regrettably fashionable to advocate taking civil rights away from gay Americans, I appreciated Paul using his influence for good.

It must be wonderful to be Paul McCartney. To bring all that music, all those memories, all that iconography, all that love wherever you go. 

As long as he's willing to keep performing in Chicago, I'll be here. Enchanted. 

 

Sunday Stealing

The Desert Island Meme

You're stranded alone on a desert island ...

1) Which three BOOKS could you read over and over again?

William Goldman's Princess Bride is a no-brainer. I love that book. It's funny and, as he moves between old Florin and modern day Los Angeles, poignant. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell would be good, too, because it entertains me, infuriates me, and makes me think about America in the 1860s, 1930s and today. JFK: Reckless Youth by Nigel Hamilton would be my third. It takes the future President from birth to his early 30s. While to outsiders he seemed to have everything – money, charm, privilege – he overcame tremendous challenges, only to die at 46. This book reminds me not to be so damn judgey. 

 

2) Which three MOVIES could you watch over and over again?

 

My favorite love story

As beautiful & ugly & engrossing as it gets

Also written by William Goldman

3) Which three SONGS could you listen to over and over again? All B's. Babs singing "My Man." Bruce singing "No Surrender." The Beatles singing "All My Loving."

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Into the Groove (1985) 

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

1) Madonna begins this song by telling us, "I'm waiting." What's something you're waiting for today? For the rain to stop.

 

2) She sings that dancing gives her a feeling so good she hopes it will never end. What reliably lifts your spirits? Cuddling a cat.

 

3) As a school girl in Michigan, Madonna was a good student but could be disruptive. Classmates recall her doing cartwheels in the halls between classes. Can you do a cartwheel?

X Do Not Want Stickerfrom X Stickers

 

4) It's not surprising that a girl from the Detroit area would love cars. Madonna's car collection is valued at more than $2 million. The one she seems to drive most often is a 2022 Cadillac Escalade ESV. Insurance industry data tells us Americans typically keep their cars for 8 years. How long have you had your current vehicle? I don't have a car.

 

5) She has referred to Nancy Sinatra as one of her idols, saying "These Boots Were Made for Walking" and its accompanying video impressed her when she was a little girl. What pop song brings back memories from your childhood? As a 3-year-old girl, I got very excited whenever this came on the car radio and sang along as best I could, much to the amusement of my parents.

 

 

6) Madonna suffers from brontophobia, or the fear of thunder and lightening. Are you afraid of storms? Not usually. I get a little concerned when tree branches slam into my living room window, but that only happens when the wind really whips up.

 

7) In 1985, when this song was popular, the Titanic wreckage was discovered. There have been at least a dozen movies about that ill-fated ship. Have you seen any of them? I saw Leo and Kate, of course. There's one from the 1950s starring Robert Wagner and Barbara Stanwyck that I've seen a time or two, also.

 
8) Also in 1985, Bruce Willis became a star with a hit show about a detective agency. Can you name it? (Extra non-existent points if you can recall the agency's name.) Moonlighting, and the Blue Moon Detective Agency. Wherever shall I spend those extra points?

 

9) Random question: Describe your perfect ice cream sundae. Vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, chopped nuts and a cherry. Pretty standard, huh?

 

 

Sunday Stealing

F.A.B.

F. Film: What movie or tv show are you watching? Mostly I've been watching Cubs baseball, but I took time out for A Farewell to Arms (1957). I know it's not very good – Hemingway himself panned it – but the war scenes are heart-wrenching and the romance? Rock Hudson is so dreamy it's ridiculous. Really, Brad Pitt looks like canned dog food compared to Rock in this movie.

A. Audio: What are you listening to? Alexa has been playing 1970s-era Sir Paul McCartney for me.

B. Book: What are you reading? Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam. This is the 10th book in the mystery series and I'm about halfway through. I'm happy to say I'm enjoying it. I wasn't crazy about #9 and it's a sad thing when a beloved cozy mystery series lets you down, so this turnaround is welcome.

  

Sunday Stealing

The 2x4 Meme

TWO foods you can't stand

1. Sushi

2. Anything spicy

FOUR foods you love

1. Pizza (deep dish, thin crust – I'm easy)

2. Barbecue (beef, chicken or pork – I'm easy)

3. Crab Rangoon

4. Potatoes (baked, fried, mashed – I'm easy)

TWO places you never want to see again 

1. The little lake in Wisconsin my family visited every year when I was kid. The three hour drive with my dad was always tense and unpleasant. Once we got up there, I was bored and lonely. Reliving those vacations gives me PTSD. 

2. I don't have another one

FOUR places you'd like to revisit

1. New York City

2. Memphis

3. Hot Springs, AR

4. Hollywood, for the TCM Classic Film Festival (and I plan to return in 2026)

TWO musical artists who make you want to change the station 

1. Barry Manilow

2. Madonna

FOUR musical artists you love to listen to

1. The Beatles

2. Bruce Springsteen

3. Barbra Streisand

4. Elvis

TWO moments you'd like to erase

1. Seeing Anthony Rizzo injured in a collision at first base with Fernando Tatis. He got a concussion and, though we didn't know it at the time, it hastened an early end to his career. He is forever my captain and he deserved better, from baseball and from life.

2. January 6, 2021. Everyone involved in that shameful day at the Capitol and the pardons that followed should be ashamed of himself. (Though shame is in short supply in this administration.)

FOUR moments you'd like to relive

1. The day back in 2004 when I realized I was in love. I was on my way home and I couldn't wait to call him and thank him for reminding me to bring my umbrella. I thought, "Wow, just connecting with him over the smallest thing fills me with such anticipation – I guess I'm in love." The idea filled me with wonder.

2. The first time my cat Roy Hobbs got into bed with me to snuggle. He'd been abused and it took him a little while to trust humans again.

3. Seeing Sir Paul from my awesome seat on Wrigley Field. When I got my fantabulous ticket, I was thrilled that I would be that close to my favorite Beatle. When I got to the park and was ushered onto the field, it washed over me that I wasn't far from where the great Greg Maddux actually pitched and it was almost too much happiness.

4. Speaking of the Cubs ... Anthony Rizzo making the final out of the 2016 World Series. I lived to see something my grandparents, my dad, and my uncle missed: The Cubs as World Series champions. At this moment I felt very close to all my clan of Cub fans who had gone before.

  

 

Thursday Thirteen #424

The "I love Elvis" edition. The older I get, the more I appreciate The King. When I was a kid, I thought he was a joke. I dismissed him as an irrelevant, overweight man who would bump and grind like a stripper to the delight of his aging audience.

 

I was an ass. 

 

I realize now he was an artist, an icon and a cultural force. He was also high camp and an American tragedy.

 

The inspiration for this post was my friend Patty, who told me her favorite summer memory was a family road trip to St. Louis when she was 10. Elvis had just died, and the clear channel AM radio station ("WLS, The Big 89") played all Elvis/all the time in tribute. The windows were rolled down and her parents were singing along. She and her older brother knew a few songs well enough to join in. 

 

So this week, as we observe the 48th anniversary of his death, I give you the 13 most enduringly popular Elvis songs.*

1. Can't Help Falling in Love (1961)

2. Jailhouse Rock (1957)

3. Hound Dog (1956)

4. Don't Be Cruel (1956)

5. Heartbreak Hotel (1956)

6. Love Me Tender (1956)

7. Are You Lonesome Tonight? (1960)

8. Return to Sender (1962)

9. Suspicious Minds (1969)

10. In the Ghetto (1969)

11. Burning Love (1972)

12. How Great Thou Art (1967)

13. You're the Devil in Disguise (1963)

*As compiled by Forbes. My favorite, "Kentucky Rain," isn't here. I love his voice and the way he interprets the lyrics, which could be maudlin, but aren't in his hands.

 

Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.