Playlist For Sunday, September 4, 2022: The End of Summer? What Summer???

You know, I wasn't going to do a "Working It Out" Edition this Labor Day "Sunday". I mean, who wants to be reminded of Work when they're out (hopefully) relaxing on a (hopefully) long weekend, feet up, BBQ going strong, drinks on ice, and s'mores at the ready? Who wants to hear that they have to get up and go Back To Work soon enuf? Nobody, that's who. Except me. I'm retired. I just have to be reminded what day it is, where my keys are (the freezer? again?), and if I turned off my coffee pot. Those are my priorities these days! 

 

They're in here somewhere!

 

So yeah, YOU have to get UP on Monday...or Tuesday or whenever, not me and others of a certain age. Huzzahs to us geezers! So let the Work Torture begin. Sorry, but at least this torture is toe-tappy. :) 

 

 

Meanwhile, it's mostly a "carbon copy" of last year's Working It Out Epi, with meager 7 and 1/2 cent raises ("Come on, Union! Get hot!"), a few cups of coffee/ambition poured for us by Queen Dolly (9 To 5, plus BIG, plus How To Succeed, plus Pump Boys), clocks to race against, orders to deliver, and hey, just "Serve Yourself"! That kinda thing. Plus I love all those out-of-date references to office work in these songs, like carbon paper and mimeograph and Ticonderoga pencils and...desks. And coffee carts!? I remember those from my old job in advertising. They'd bring coffee, pastries, bagels and cream cheese TO YOU, like mini food trucks sans poutine. Just try saying no to that stuff, pre-9am, pre-caffeine-fortification, AT YOUR "DESK"! And as I recall, the coffee wasn't half bad. Though my French Roast standards were pretty low back in the day.

                                                                     

Contrary to popular opinion, I have never hugged a coffee urn. 

 

And, I guess, goodbye to Summer, all 45 minutes of it. This one really zooooomed by, even tho we could do more than just Zoom this time around. Fall will soon be falling, crisp and colorful and cool. But ahhhhh Summer...that sweaty, insect-y, tan-lined, s'mored Summer. We hardly knew ye.

 

All The Live Long Day (Company, Working)

9 To 5 (Allison Janney, Stephanie Block, Megan Hilty, 9 To 5)

Nice Work If You Can Get It (Fred Astaire, A Damsel In Distress)

Racing With The Clock (Michael McKean, The Pajama Game)

Coffee, Black (Daniel H. Jenkins, Jan Neuberger, Jon Cypher, Ensemble, Big)

Around Here (Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty, 9 To 5)

Coffee Break (Charles Nelson Reilly, Claudette Sutherland, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying)

Sixteen Tons/Working On The Chain Gang (David Engel, Jason Graae, Ensemble, Forever Plaid)

Whistle While You Work (Adriana Caselotti, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs)

Seven-And-A-Half Cents (Janis Paige, Stanley Prager, Company, The Pajama Game)

It's An Art (Lenora Nemetz, Working)

Just A House Wife (Susan Bigelow, Working)

Millwork (Robin Lamont, Working)

It Needs Work (Kay McClelland, City Of Angels)

Working My Way Back To You (Ensemble, Jersey Boys)

Working It Out (Robert Klein, Lucie Arnaz, They're Playing Our Song)

It Isn't Working (Grace Keagy, Roderick Cook, Daren Kelly, Woman Of The Year)

I Believe In You (Robert Morse, Bonnie Scott, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying)

Use What You Got (Sam Harris, The Life)

I Wanna Be A Producer (Matthew Broderick, The Producers)

I Wanna Sing A Show Tune (Michael Feinstein, At The Algonquin) 

I Wanna Live Each Night (Christine Baranski, Miss Spectacular)

I Wanna Be Like You (Louis Prima, The Jungle Book)

Opening Up (Jessie Mueller, Kimiko Glenn, Keala Settle, Waitress)

Ooh My Feet (Susan Johnson, The Most Happy Fella)

Serve Yourself (Mark Hardwick, Pump Boys And Dinettes)

If I Could've Been (Company, Working)

Something To Point To (Company, Working)

The Company Way (Charles Nelson Reilly, Company Reprise)

Playlist For Sunday, August 28, 2022: I'm Animal Crackers

So I'm recovering. Fortunately, not from viruses most viral. Or hangovers. Or bike-related crashies, flatties, or whammies. BUT from a LL L O O O N N N GGGG bike ride that I did yesterday. I pointed my tires towards Clarence, NY, home of the infamous Paula and her donuts. What should have been about 102 miles round trip turned into 112, thanks to me making 2 wrong turns, and an additional 4 miles when I double-backed to make sure my coffee pot was turned off. (It was. It always has been, every time I doubted it. But maybe one day...)

The donut (peanut encrusted, whip cream filled) was almost worth it. The heat and sun and dehydration (even tho I kept re-filling my water "keg") slowly did me in around hour number 6, when I began stopping every 8, then 7, then 2.5 miles. I was also a bit on the dizzy side (well, more so than usual...Dizzy Dame, get it?). 8 1/2 hours on a bike, and 24 hours later I'm still depleted. Damn, I wish Paula's Donuts lived closer to me (like Mr. D'Agostino), but...hmmmm...maybe not. :)

 

So maybe that's the reason for the wacky theme I got inspired to do. Yes, ON the bike. Maybe it's a question of too much oxygen, forcing itself up into my brain, where I percolate (coffee pot? still on???) Broadway and Hollywood "essays". That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

 

Frogs...from The Frogs,

and Fosse as that Snake In The Grass, from The Little Prince.

 

Animals. Broadway and Hollywood Animals. There. We'll have birds and bees. Monkeys and frogs. Snakes (in the grass and out), dinosaurs, butterflies, and cats (the big and the small). Call me crazy. But we'll do it, and you'll see how entertaining (if corny) I can be. 

Meanwhile, stay hydrated, no wrong turns, donuts DO help (when eaten as part of a balanced, healthy diet), and you can't go wrong with coffee. And pet your animal of choice. Often. See ya on Sunday, you Broadway (pea)nut, you!

 

Animal Crackers (Shirley Temple, Curly Top)

Tiger Rag (Helene Yorke, Nick Cordero, Vincent Pastore, Ensemble, Bullets Over Broadway)

The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Lebo M, The Lion King)

If I Were King Of The Forest (Bert Lahr, The Wizard Of Oz)

Pet Me Poppa (Vivian Blaine, Ensemble, Guys And Dolls)

Alley Cat (Bent Fabric)

Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat (Scatman Crothers, Phil Harris, Robie Lester, The Aristocats)

Where Did That Little Dog Go? (Terry Kerwin, Snoopy!)

Chimp In A Suit (Gregory Ybara, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)

Monkey's Uncle (Annette Funicello, The Beach Boys, The Monkey's Uncle)

Monkeys And Playbills (Jeff Bowen, Heidi Blickenstaff, Susan Blackwell, Hunter Bell, [title of show])

Oh Sing Sweet Nightingale (Ilene Woods, Rhoda Williams, Eleanor Audley, Cinderella)

Feed The Birds (Julie Andrews, Mary Poppins)

Rockin' Robin (Michael Jackson and The Jackson Five)

Snake In The Grass (Bob Fosse, The Little Prince)

Little Green Snakes (Jackie Gleason, Take Me Along)

The Frogs (Nathan Lane, Roger Bart, Ensemble, The Frogs)

Les Poissons (Rene Auberjonois, The Little Mermaid)

For Every Fish (Adelaide Hall, Jamaica)

Catfish (Jim Wann, Mark Hardwick, John Foley, Pump Boys And Dinettes)

Little Fish/It's Only You (Christine Ebersole, Christine Ebersole Sings Noel Coward)

It's A Fish (Alan Alda, The Apple Tree)

Whale Of A Tale (Kirk Douglas, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea)

Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens (Ensemble, Five Guys Named Moe)

Ugly Duckling (Danny Kaye, Hans Christian Anderson)

The Duck Joke (Lannyl Stephens, Andrea Martin, My Favorite Year)

Don't Be The Bunny (John Cullum, Spencer Kayden, Urinetown)

Fugue For Tinhorns (Stubby Kaye, Johnny Silver, Douglas Deane, Guys And Dolls)

The Lonely Goatherd (Julie Andrews, The Sound Of Music)

Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep (Stephen Bogardus, Kerry O'Malley, White Christmas)

Hello, Little Girl (Robert Westenberg, Danielle Ferland, Into The Woods)

Poor Butterfly (Julie Andrews, Thoroughly Modern Millie)

A Sleepin' Bee (Barbra Streisand)

The Jitterbug (Judy Garland, Ensemble, The Wizard Of Oz)

There Ain't No Flies On Me (Company, New Girl In Town)

Talk To The Animals (Rex Harrison, Dr. Doolittle)

 

 

Playlist For Sunday, August 21, 2022: Don't roll that hammock up YET!

Back from a 4-day weekend away. Summer drinks, thrifting, patio lounging, and cookies. And kettle corn. And Negronis. And away-ness from the homestead-ness. So I am relaxed, chubby, and happy after that brief hiatus, and now (sort of, theoretically, not really) back in the Reality Saddle. 

 

 

 

 But it's STILL SUMMER! Okay, yes it's the Ides of August, so I will grant you that the season is waning with back-to-school ads and a looming Labor Day, but dammit, Janet...it's still "Too Darn Hot", even "By The Sea", and we can still celebrate "The Good Old Summertime". Half an hour from now, maybe not, but we have to grab this marvelous moment while we can.  

Uh, I will NOT be playing a "By The Sea" by these 2,

but Gene and Les Girls will definitely take the stage. :)

 

 Hence, the It's Still Summer Edition of 2OTA. Plus Gene (Les Girls) Kelly has his natal day on the 23rd, so we'll give him a sizeable tribute. And plus again, some "Beautiful" songs (literally AND figuratively), about Beautiful girls, pairs, and hides! So mush 'em up together and you have 2 hours of Broadway (and beyond) at its Best, right? 

And if you hold the radio up to your ear, you'll hear the ocean! :) 

Le Jazz Hot (Julie Andrews, Victor/Victoria)

Summer Nights (Barry Bostwick, Carole Demas, Grease)

A Summer In Ohio (Sherie Rene Scott, The Last Five Years)

Night Song (Sammy Davis, Jr., Golden Boy)

By The Sea (Angela Lansbury, Len Cariou, Sweeney Todd)

On A Sunday By The Sea (Ensemble, Jerome Robbin's Broadway)

The Sea Song (Shirley Booth, By The Beautiful Sea)

Zazz (Caitlin Kinnunen, Angie Schworer, The Prom)

All That Jazz (Jessica Molaskey, Make Believe)

Dr. Jazz (Jelly Roll Morton & His Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Gotta Dance (Gene Kelly, Singin' In The Rain)

The Babbitt And The Bromide (Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ziegfeld Follies)

Be A Clown (Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, The Pirate) 

Take Me Out To The Ball Game (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Take Me Out To The Ball Game)

Coney Island Boat (Shirley Booth, Ensemble, By The Beautiful Sea)

By The Beautiful Sea (Ensemble, Some Like It Hot)

Surfin' U.S.A. (The Beach Boys)

In The Good Old Summertime (The Haydn Quartet)

We Make A Beautiful Pair  (Donna Theodore, Penelope Milford, Shenandoah)

Bless Yore Beautiful Hide (Howard Keel, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers)

His Love Makes Me Beautiful (John Lankston, Barbra Streisand, Funny Girl)

Singin' In The Rain (Gene Kelly, Singin' In The Rain)

I Got Rhythm (Gene Kelly, An American In Paris)

Les Girls (Gene Kelly, Les Girls)

Beautiful Girl (Jimmy Thompson, Singin' In The Rain)

The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Jimmy Durante, Jumbo)

Beautiful Girls (Arthur Rubin, Ensemble, Follies)

Too Darn Hot (Lorenzo Fuller, Ensemble, Kiss Me Kate)

The Hot Patata (Kevin Chamberlain, The New Yorkers)

Here Comes The Hot Tamale Man (Doc Cook's Dreamland Orchestra)

The Hot Dog Song (Helene Yorke, Bullets Over Broadway)

It's Almost Like Being In Love (Gene Kelly, Brigadoon)

Sunday, August 14, 2022: Another vacation? Another show?

'Tis the season to socialize on a patio. Which is what I'll be doing this coming weekend. SORRY, but I'll miss doing a live 2OTA, whilst I have fun in the sun with a buddy from college. Yup, a friend I've actually not offended (for the last 50 years) who lives near a Finger Lake and offers lengthy heart-to-hearts, a virtual buffet of good food, creative and cold beverages, and TIME AWAY! Huzzah! 

 

Avec le parapluie!

 

Meanwhile, I think I really jinxed myself with that Death Edition yesterday. Amidst planning and producing that show, my cat died. Yeah, I touched all that death karma and got thoroughly "pricked". I try not to think of that as a punishment for my overly rash theme/focus, but it does make you think, right? UGH. Death most foul. And in this case, feline. 

 

Hail General Melchett, a ditch kitty who rose above his station.

 

Anyway, I've got a super theme (or 7) cooking up for our August 21st show, when I'll be back LIVE. And some of those themes are HOT, and SUMMER, and a birthday salute to Eugene Curran Kelly. ??? Awww, YOU know who I'm talkin' about! :)))) Salude!

 

Playlist for Sunday, August 7, 2022: Death. On the cobb.

August, already? Surely, you jest! Half the summer gone and 47 things left on my "Must Do Every Summer" List! Like spend time on my patio (I've sat out there only 3 times in the last 12 months?). Eat sweet corn, enuf so the butter drips down to my elbows. Perspire more. Stress less. Hammock swing, doggy paddle, apply Noxema, guzzle 7 more Frappacinos, make berry cobbler, eat berry cobbler, and plan my birthday (only 2 months away, and I get to turn 39 again)...jeez, who has time for Broadway???

 Broadway. Death. Hardly Gruesome.

 

But definitely GOTTA make time for THIS Broadway, because we're doing a theme that most folks don't even want to think about. Death. That's right, it's the Broadway Does Death Edition. Strange to attack this theme in the middle of summer, right? But hey, ya never know when that tall, dark, and scythe-y guy will come calling, and we have to be ready. So....first half of this Sunday's show will be all Broadway Death songs, and the 2nd half will be a taste of my funeral playlist. Does that sound macabre? Nah....Broadway does death with kicklines. With pithy lyrics. Death even takes holidays, sings romantic ballads, and does a mean buck and wing. So please don't think this will be a depressing 2 hours! Au Contraire! 

And on my personal playlist....Charles...

...Christine...

...and of course Elaine!

 Plus I really think everyone should prep a personal playlist for their funeral (mine probably adds up to about 3 hours worth, with Broadway, Frenchy pop, 50s hop, some soppy, some jivey, all making an appearance). I mean, what do you want? Your friends and relations programming "appropriate" Amazing Graces when you never LIKED THAT STUFF!? Be prepared as the Boy Scouts said. Scar said it, too.

This can only happen on Jazz 90.1, where they let me be a wacky as I want. Or perhaps this is just me in a "Summer Daze" (Number 7 on the to do list) that I always find myself in mid-August. It's gettin' to me. Anyway, mark your calendar for DEATH on Sunday. It'll be a hell of a show! :)

Hey, had to end this on a corny note. :)

Live Before We Die (Nathan Lane, Bebe Neuwirth, The Addams Family)

The Woman's Dead (Debra Monk, Edward Hibbert, Company, Curtains)

Funeral Sequence (Ron Holgate, Zero Mostel, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum)

That's Your Funeral (David Delve, Julia Deakin, Oliver!)

Why Are All The D'Ysquiths Dying? (Ensemble, A Gentleman's Guide To Love And Murder)

Monks Chant/He Is Not Yet Dead (Christian Borle, Hank Azaria, David Hyde Pierce, Spamalot)

Pore Jud Is Daid (Gordon MacRae, Rod Steiger, Oklahoma!)

I'll Be Glad When You're Dead (Sammy Davis, Jr., Rufus Jones For President)

I'll Be Glad When You're Dead (Chorines, Bullets Over Broadway)

Alive! (Kevin Early, Don Stephenson, Patricia Noonan, Death Takes A Holiday)

Death Is In The House (Don Stephenson, Michael Siberry, Death Takes A Holiday)

Finale (Kevin Early, Jill Paice, Death Takes A Holiday)

I Would Die (Robert Morse, Susan Luckey, Take Me Along)

Every Day A Little Death (Victoria Mallory, Patricia Elliott, A Little Night Music)

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story (Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo, Hamilton)

Heaven Hop (Margery Gray, Ensemble, Anything Goes)

My Blue Heaven (Frank Sinatra)

Take Me To Heaven (Patina Miller, Sister Act)

Broadway Baby (Elaine Stritch, Follies)

Cabaret (Liza Minnelli, Cabaret) 

There'll Be Some Changes Made (The Boswell Sisters)

Eadie Was A Lady (Ethel Merman, Take A Chance)

She (Charles Aznavour)

She Cried (Jay And The Americans)

Stop There! (Peter Saide, Desperate Measures)

I Want It All (Liz Callaway, Catherine Cox, Beth Fowler, Baby)

I Happen To Like New York (Bobby Short)

Take Me Back To Manhattan (Eileen Rodgers, Anything Goes)

Anyone Can Whistle (Lee Remick, Anyone Can Whistle)

Uptown, Downtown (Craig Lucas, Marry Me A Little)

Never Again/Sail Away (Christine Ebersole, Christine Ebersole Sings Noel Coward)

Never Never Land (Mary Martin, Peter Pan) 

The Party's Over (Judy Holliday, Bells Are Ringing)

The Party's Over (Judy Holliday, Bells Are Ringing)