Cellar Scribblings

[Mandy21]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-wild/donna-summer-robin-gibb-w_b_1532796.html

David Wild
TV Writer; Contributing Editor, Rolling Stone; Co-Author, 'Diary of a Player"'

Donna Summer and Robin Gibb Were Great and Disco Didn't Suck: A Playlist for Remembering
Posted: 05/21/2012 10:07 am

I grew up in the seventies -- an era that I still consider a golden age for music and film, thanks to so much truly classic rock, funk, soul, punk and new wave, and yes -- damn it -- disco, too. The whole "Disco Sucks" movement always made me uncomfortable and suggested a vaguely racial resentment for the genre's relatively short-lived but intense dominance. Yet the record is clear to me -- at its best, disco did not suck at all. For instance, the albums that Donna Summer made in German with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellote were groundbreaking, enduring and extraordinary. For me, the Bad Girls album -- which saw her beginning to stretch out further from the confines of disco -- is one of the best albums of the decade. She was so much more than our "Queen of Disco," but she was a powerful aueen, too. And then there's Robin Gibb, and the remarkable musical brotherhood of which he was an such an important part. The Bee Gees had already made history well before disco, in an era when Robin often reigned on lead vocals. The disco era provided the Brothers Gibb a highly unlikely second coming. I love Saturday Night Fever -- the movie and the soundtrack -- but for me, it's the Bee Gees' own studio albums of that era that I still return to the most all these decades later. Main Course -- produced by the legendary Arif Mardin -- is for me the group's greatest moment, featuring gem after gem including the fiercely funky "Jive Talkin'" and the exquisite "Nights on Broadway." The Bee Gees albums that followed in the seventies like Children of the World and Spirits Having Flown are nearly as good and don't require you to wear any white suits to enjoy them. I'm thankful I got the chance to meet both Donna Summer and Robin Gibb briefly and express my own thanks and appreciation for their remarkable musical legacies. They were great artists, and in my experience, lovely people. Here's my playlist of songs by which I will remember these two wonderful artists now. It would be heavenly if you would add your favorites below. Heaven knows, nobody gets too much heaven no more.

HEAVEN KNOWS -- Donna Summer
TOO MUCH HEAVEN -- The Bee Gees
I FEEL LOVE -- Donna Summer
I STARTED A JOKE -- The Bee Gees
DIM ALL THE LIGHTS -- Donna Summer
TO LOVE SOMEBODY-- The Bee Gees
LAST DANCE -- Donna Summer
SAVED BY THE BELL -- Robin Gibb
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE -- Donna Summer
HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE -- The Bee Gees
HOT STUFF -- Donna Summer
DON'T CRY ALOUD (TITANIC REQUIEM) -- Robin Gibb
THIS TIME I KNOW IT'S FOR REAL -- Donna Summer
I STARTED A JOKE -- The Bee Gees
NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) -- Donna Summer with Barbra Streisand
I GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU -- The Bee Gees
STATE OF INDEPENDENCE -- Donna Summer & All Star Choir
TOYS -- Robin Gibb
SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY -- Donna Summer
NIGHTS ON BROADWAY -- The Bee Gees
SUNSET PEOPLE -- Donna Summer
LAMPLIGHT -- The Bee Gees
LAST DANCE -- Donna Summer
HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART -- The Bee Gees
CARRY ON -- Donna Summer

[Katie77]

I'm sitting here in the early hours of Tuesday morning, after I couldn't sleep. Flicked the channels on TV, and found the beginning of a Bee Gees concert and have been sitting here watching and listening to song after song from this fantastic group. I've been sad all day, since hearing of the death of Robin Gibb. And now I'm sitting here listening to the words and music, seeing all three brothers up there on stage, its hard to believe that there is only one of them left.

Its a long way, from seeing these same three brothers, lucky to be in their teens, performing on our version of Bandstand here in Australia, back when I was barely a teen myself. Have always been a fan, have most of their records (the vinyl ones), and reflect today, the wonderful talent for music and song writing that they had, and shared with the world.

RIP Robin Gibb....xx

[Sason]

Where on earth did you find this pic of me at work, Chuck??  

I believed it was kept in a safe place, secret from the world!!  

[brianr]

I'm sitting here in the early hours of Tuesday morning, after I couldn't sleep. Flicked the channels on TV, and found the beginning of a Bee Gees concert and have been sitting here watching and listening to song after song from this fantastic group. I've been sad all day, since hearing of the death of Robin Gibb. And now I'm sitting here listening to the words and music, seeing all three brothers up there on stage, its hard to believe that there is only one of them left.

Its a long way, from seeing these same three brothers, lucky to be in their teens, performing on our version of Bandstand here in Australia, back when I was barely a teen myself. Have always been a fan, have most of their records (the vinyl ones), and reflect today, the wonderful talent for music and song writing that they had, and shared with the world.

RIP Robin Gibb....xx

Thanks for this, Katie. I have posted "I started a joke" on my blog. I guess it is another sad haunting song from that same era (1968) as Macarthur Park.
When I read all these comments on this forum about Donna Summer, a singer whose name was vague although her songs were familiar and nothing until now on Robin Gibb I do feel I am from a different era and culture to most here.
And what is wrong with "sweet green icing", quite common on cakes here. 

[Kelda]

Someone left the cake out in the rain.. in McArthur Park.. no?

[ifyoucantfixit]

    Thanks so much for all these words about disco.  I was wondering if I was the only one that remembered disco in a good way.  I didn't like every song, but I have to admit, I did like most of it.  I had always been a dancer, however, so a song that was great to dance to always caught my heart.  It is the same as in any form of music.  Bad music, is bad.  Good music is wonderful.
     We have lost in a very short time several excellent musicians, and that is forever going to be reason to be sad.

     Just for the record, I don't remember a single song by the BeeGees that I didn't like.   

[BayCityJohn]

Shawn Kirchner, L.A. Master Chorale's new composer-in-residence

The Los Angeles Master Chorale will appoint Shawn Kirchner as the Swan Family composer-in-residence, the company announced Monday at its board meeting.

Kirchner, who has performed as a tenor in the Master Chorale for the past 10 years, will be the second person to hold the position in LAMC's 48-year history. His three-year appointment, effective July 1, runs through the 2014-15 season.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-master-chorale-names-its-second-composerinresidence-20120518,0,1590652.story

[Mandy21]

Chuck?  Chuck?  Sending out search party.  Where you been the last two mornings?  I've missed your daily updates.

[CellarDweller]

Busy busy busy!

I'll fill you in when I can!

[CellarDweller]

Hello Bettermost friends!

I'm using the same image from the last time I posted, that's how I'm feeling!  LOL

Tuesday dinner with friends was a lot of fun!    However, we stayed out waaay later than expected, and I didn't get home until almost midnight, so I slept in later on Wednesday.  Then work was the "day from hell" yesterday, every time I finished something, 3 more things got added to the pile.  I had to leave right at 4:00 so I could get to bowling on time.

Last night was a major bowling success, every game I had yesterday was above average for me.  Oh, and my average is about 120, my high game last night was 162, so I earned a +40 pin, meaning I had a game that was 40 pins above my average.  My first pin in the league!