Ride the Musical Carousel - An American Songbook

A seemingly disparate set of tunes.

So hippie-dippy Sixties...yeah, I only lasted about 30 seconds viewing it.

Probably not the version you remember - and certainly no Donna Summer. (Thankfully)

I think it's my new favorite arrangement/performance of this song.
More on that later¹.

If you don't remember this song, by heart, from the Sixties, you just weren't there.
Probably wasn't a jukebox in the whole USA that didn't have this song.

He's a pretty good guitarist, too, isn't he?

The Chairman of the Board/Ol' Blue Eyes brings this meeting to order.

Simon-less, Garfunkling, from Artie's debut album. What a voice.

In the mid '70s, it was Waylon & Willie that turned me on to country music.

And with these other two made it as big in the genre as any.

So, what ties all these songs together, you may ask?

All were composed by Jimmy Webb (seen performing in the second video), who also wrote The Last Unicorn, Galveston, By the time I Get to Phoenix, and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress.

Courtesy of a now nearly lifelong friend (going back to 1970), I was priviledged to see Mr. Webb perform last month at the Kessler Theatre in Oak Cliff, seated about 8 rows from the musician, with a clear view down the center aisle.  It was an absolute blast to - at times on the request of the performer - sing along with a couple hundred others to tunes we all know by heart.  ¹ With the passing of four-plus decades, he still struggles with those high registers - only now he invites the audience members to assist, and they gladly oblige.

Mr. Webb was amused when I told him of my elementary school days, when I would serenade my parents from my room until I fell asleep - or Dad told me to shut up - by singing two or three of his compositions nightly from The Glen Campbell Music Book.


Not responsible for any earworms that may result from viewing this blogpost.