6th
& 7th September, 2008
New concerts announced!
Click HERE for details.
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Photo by Jay Hagan,
7/12/08 Burbank, CA
A Thought for Today
Supporting a winner is easy, try helping
a hopeful.
TO BEGIN WITH
Letters today from an old friend, John Olson and my ace musical director
David Gross. Even a few words from a Japanese fan who first discovered
my words when they were translated into his language for The San
Sebastian Strings series in Japan.
.ASK
ROD
NOT MOSTLY MOZART
Hello Rod...hope your trip here went well. Sorry I didn't get to see
you. I was in touch with Bob Zucker from Glen Yarbrough’s, camp, and he
tells me you and Glenn may do some shows for his farewell tour? Any
chance of that? regards, John.
Dear John, I recall some talk about this between Glenn's concert manager
and mine but I don't think anything came of it. Wasn't even aware than
Glenn was thinking of packing it in with a final tour. If such an
unlikely (but OK on my part) event happens you may be the first to know
–– maybe even before me. I can remember several previous Yarbrough
retirements in fact I liked his plan for life. He’d get lost in some
exotic place for a while, then come back to civilization just long
enough to earn sufficient money to buy a boat and sail away to yet
another exotic port of call.
Sorry we didn't meet up in NY, but it was wall-to-wall work involving
AGVA with only a single night off to enjoy the final Mostly Mozart
concert at Lincoln Center. It featured two compositions, Mozart’s C
minor mass, K.427 and the highlight of the evening Metamorphosen, a late
work by Richard Strauss. I was so moved by the Strauss work I hope to
write about it at length in a future Flight Plan. As Ever, Rod.
KUNG FU ROD
Hi Rod, I am Japanese.
38 years ago, I loved the Japanese version of your series of Sea, Sky
and Earth. I listened to them again and again. A few years ago, I wanted
to listen to them very much but they were not available.
Fortunately I found English the version, CD of The Sea and LP’s of The
Sky and The Earth. But they don't conclude the lyrics cards so I can't
understand the poems perfectly. I am looking for the lyrics cards for
Sea, Sky, Earth, Home to the Sea and For lovers.
Is there any book that contains words from these albums? If so, please
tell me the name of the book or books. Best regards, Masahiro Fujimoto
Dear Mashiro, Over the years I’ve received many letters regarding the
excellent Japanese versions of The San Sebastian Strings albums. These
Japanese LP’s always were and still are among my favorites. I loved the
presentations, the hard work and obvious love that went into each of
them. The speaker had just the correct timber in his voice to make the
works romantic & thoughtful even if I didn't understand the language.
When I played tracks from the Nippon versions for friends I always
kidded them with a warning that despite the obvious warmth in his voice
they had better not get too close to the speaker because the guy inside
was waiting to give them a Karate chop. Not a very funny joke but it did
make the listener pay attention. You can't know how much it pleases me
to learn that you have sought out and seem to enjoy the originals as
much as the ones performed in your native tongue.
I have used parts of the works in some of my books but there is no
central place where you can find the lyrics to each album. Alas, unlike
the Japanese language versions, the English LP's did not contain a lyric
sheet.
I'm hoping to entice someone to redesign both my website and The Stanyan
House site. The Stanyan House site really should contain the words to
every San Sebastian Strings album but obviously that doesn't help you
right now.
Thanks again for writing Mashiro and it is my hope that Warners or
another company in Japan will one day release The Earth, The Sea, The
Sky and all the other Japanese albums of Anita Kerr's and my San
Sebastian Strings work. Kindest Regards, Rod
UP AT THE HOUSE
Dear Mr. McKuen, First off, I never thought I'd be
writing you never mind emailing you. I have read a lot of your work in
the past. Recently I have been looking for your work to read again. I
loved and still do love and admire your work greatly. Thank you for such
compassionate and heart felt work. Sincerely, Cindy Marturano.
Dear Cindy, I appreciate all your kind words. The best place to find my
work (books, CD's, LP's Etc.) is at
Stanyanhouse.com. If you don't
see something you are looking for listed on that website try writing
ben@stanyanhouse.com. Thanks
for asking. All my best, Rod.
A NOTE FROM THE MAESTRO
Hi Rod, Hope you are really doing great. Needless
to say, I am really looking forward to our upcoming engagements.
I guess you have heard the news about Ralph Young who died last Friday
and the funeral was Tuesday in Palm Springs.
As you know I traveled with him and Tony Sandler for many years. I have
always kept in touch with Ralph. Whenever I was in either the LA or Las
Vegas area I would visit him.
Last year in October, I worked with Bobby Vinton in Indio, near Palm
Springs. I came a day earlier and spent the evening with Ralph and his
wife. We went out for dinner. The following night they came to the show
and Bobby who always goes out in the audience went out to Ralph and
introduced him to the crowd. He was sitting with another professional
friend who I invited, Frank Busseri, (one of the original Four Lads who
I play for over the years). It was a nice night. I was happy that I
could orchestrate a nice time for all concerned. Ralph came backstage
and was in his element and very upbeat. The following day I called
Ralph. I said Ralph you got a great applause when Bobby introduced you,
with his sense of humor he said, "I don't know if they were applauded
for me or for the fact that he said I was 89 years old".
All in all I would speak to him about every 3 months for the past year
and I talked with him about 3 weeks ago for the last time. I told him
that I would be visiting in November with You at Buddy Greco's Club.
Ralph went on to tell me that he saw you a little while ago and was
about to leave when someone said that you were very anxious to meet him
when you were finished signing. He told me that he was very honored by
your request and that you had a great conversation with him. It meant so
much to him that you complemented the Sandler and Young's version of "If
You Go Away" which you said had always been one of your favorite
versions. I told Ralph that that did not surprise me since you had told
me the same thing several years ago.
I first worked with him in 1977. And traveled several years with him at
an average of 130 days a year. Hardly a day doesn't go by that I don't
utter a phrase that he used to say in situations.
We would spend a lot of time during travel time and over meals talking
about stuff. Ralph would always tell me stories about show business in
the old days. I would learn a lot I was fortunate to work with him so as
to absorb the sensibilities that he learned during his formative show
business years. It was like apprenticing with Ralph. He was a terrific
teacher, and mentor and I was eager to learn.
There are so many “Ralphism's” from either his everyday
speech or from one of his famous jokes. “What does it all mean?” He
could drop in at precisely the perfect moment to put needed levity into
a conversation. On directions he would say, “I get lost as soon as I get
behind the wheel”. He could get lost just finding his room at the hotels
we stayed at. He never knew which way to walk off the elevator even
after staying at the hotel for weeks. Tony and I always laughed with
affection when we both bring up anecdotes from Ralph.
But nobody knew show business better than Ralph. He could always exactly
pinpoint the pluses and minuses. When I observe things today, I often
say if Ralph was here he would say this, or if Ralph was here he would
say that.
Ralph will always be a part of me. He will be missed. Dave
PS: I feel it only fitting that my last conversation with Ralph was
centered around talking about you because I know how sincere you were to
seek him out in order to bestow a compliment and show your appreciation
of his talent. It meant so much to him. He was your great fan as well. I
feel very fortunate to have experienced working with two giants like you
and Ralph Young. I look forward to our upcoming engagements.
Dear David, My condolences on the loss of such a close friend and
colleague, as an artist and as the man you describe he was certainly one
of a kind. Ralph looked terrific when I saw him & he indicated that he
loved working with you as much as I do. You continue to amaze me Dave,
with the list of people you have worked with over the years.
The Four Lads were always (and still are) my favorite vocal group. I was
a teen-age disc jockey when O'Keh (Columbia's 'Race label') brought out
Johnnie Ray's first single Cry/Little White Cloud that Cried & that was
the first time I heard The Four Lads –– their harmony & a four-piece
band were his sole backing. Nobody expected it to be a hit & they felt
Johnnie sounded Black so put him on O'keh with Mahalia Jackson and the
many of the other African American act the Colombia conglomeration had
under contract.
Of course when Ray became an overnight sensation –– both sides topped
the charts, they moved him to Columbia and provided him with full
orchestrations. It wasn't long before The Lads started issuing singles
on their own but it took "Standing On The Corner" to turn them into the
kind of full fledged recording artists that merited the supreme accolade
a full 10" LP with 8 tracks.
You're probably too young to remember 'Race Records' but that's what
they called Rhythm & Blues discs at the time. Every major record company
had a Black Artists label in those days; with Mercury it was EMarcy, RCA
had Camden & Vic. With Decca it was Brunswick and Coral. Black Artists
would debut great material and as soon as it was proven successful it
was covered by white singers like Georgia Gibbs (whose A&R men managed
to torpedo original hits by Lavern Baker for years by re-recording
Lavern's material with fatter arrangements and bigger recording budgets
by Miss Gibbs.) The song Tweedle-Dee-Dee is a prime example.
Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughn were on EMarcy for years before they
were moved to the more prestigious Mercury label. Record companies
finally abandoned this practice when the Kennedy/Johnson years brought
about some equality. Am not sure the country has come all that far in
race relations over the years. There is still an undercurrent regarding
voting for a Black man for president.
Why did I devote every weekend for years to marching? Still believe it
was the right thing to do. Hey the same year we have an Afro-American
running for president we got a woman running for vice (or is that
against vice). She may be a redneck put on the ticket for expediency but
still she is of the female persuasion.
But back to Ralph, I will always be grateful that I was at last able to
thank him for the lovely record of If You Go Away. I know you miss your
good and talented friend David, but I hope your loss is tempered by the
fact that he had 90 years on this earth. Not bad. And you must take
great pride in how much pleasure you and Sandler & Young working
together brought to so many people.
Yes, it is great that we'll be back on the performance trail soon. Never
soon or often enough for me. Have lots of ideas about the new show &
will be on to you about them.
Luv as always, Rod
RM 9/5/08 First Publication
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on the Stanyan House logo to buy Rod McKuen books, CD's and lots more
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Catch Rod McKuen live!
Click on the links below for details of
concerts and appearances.
ROD McKUEN
CONCERTS
ROD
McKUEN APPEARANCES
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Saturday 6 September
Jane Addams o
Henry Seidel Canby o
Claire Chennault o
Jane Curtin o
Jeff Foxworthy o
Marilyn Gardner o
Joseph P. Kennedy o
Swoosie Kurtz o
Marquise de Lafayette o
Mike McCoy o
Rosie Perez o
Billy Rose o
Greg Rusedski o
Felix Slatkin o
Evgeny Svetlanov o Jo
Anne Worley
Sunday
7 September
Susan Blakely o
Corbin Bernsen o
Taylor Caldwell o
Charles Camilleri o
Michael De Bakey o
Brian Dennehy o
Elizabeth I, Queen of England o
Angie Everhardt o
Michael Feinstein o
Gloria Gaynor o
Buddy Holly o
Julie Kavner o
Elia Kazan o
Peter Lawford o J.
P. Morgan, Jr. o
Grandma Moses o
Ivy Baker Priest o
Anthony Quayle o
Sonny Rollins o
Richard Roundtree o
Devon Sawa o
Dame Edith Sitwell |
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Bureaucracy is too busy with its building blocks to make good buildings.
If you would like to cultivate a special
talent, let it be the gift of discovering priorities that benefit the
many.
Ego is the back alley of morality.
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A FIELD GUIDE TO
CRUISING |
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1.
Smile more often
in the arena or the L-shaped room.
A sense of humor
(especially about one's self)
is rare in this decade
of longing and long faces.
Do not dress up or down
but as you would for an occasion.
With some luck and some premeditation
it will be one.
Avoid church socials or the Bake-off.
Those who gather at such gatherings
have paired off long ago.
They are in the middle
of what they perceive
as the act of living life,
who are we to interrupt them?
Threesomes are as out as ever.
Anything that can be done by three
can be accomplished in a better way by two.
A second in a singles bar
is time wasted,
those there are there
for all the wrong reasons.
Mixed doubles, stringing along
in search of high strung string quartets.
Psychiatrists on leaves of absence.
Stewardesses on one last fling
before the Phoenix run.
Businessmen and women out for business.
I suppose for some leather bars
are nice if you are into costumes
or bedding down with fire and ice.
Parks are pleasant,
after ten and before four.
My brother picks up sunshine there
even on the darkest day.
He prefers the daylight.
You can see into a woman's eyes, he says.
About eyes.
If you have not yet learned to grin,
a smiling eye will give
a quicker answer.
Be not afraid to look directly
into a stranger's eye.
The worst thing that can happen
is a look away from you.
The best, a moving toward eternity.
2.
If you are under twenty
and call the country home
there's the horseshoe meet, the county fair,
the hayride, and the dayside of your life.
You needn't rush or brush past anything
without the testament of try
What I mean is---
while the fast lane gets you there
the soonest,
the outside lane cannot be ignored
especially if you're not sure where
there is.
See the sideshow, then move on
unless you feel you've found
the better breed of freaks that you
went looking for the first time out.
Edward says---
my brother speaks again---
that he's been picked up on the street
by women twice his age,
beautiful women who glide toward him
out of the dreams of dozens of days
yardfuls of years
and duos and trios of decades passing.
They come, he says,
not in a gallop of desperation
but slow enough to float along
on
clouds of confidence.
Edward has the street cruise
down to a science.
I won't tell all his secrets
except to say that he walks slowly
and has a certain kind of walk.
Just past twenty
there's country bar and grill
in urban or in wildwood settings.
While there are still coal miner's daughters
to be found,
learn the faces of the local shotgun fathers
before you lead a partner to the call
of do-si-do.
You streetwise, city men and women,
who long ago left hopscotch games,
don't dally at the disco now
especially while the sun remains your friend.
The end of any / every city block
could
be for you Lands End.
Passing thirty
do not be fooled by editors and experts
who tell you that you now approach your prime.
Your prime is not your time alone
it is that well-honed, well-heeled hour
you arrive at some destination
where the sharer waits.
But, oh, the shine of that decade
that starts the final night of twenty-nine
when we are not yet old enough
for such silliness as cynicism
but too old to run home
every time the darkness brings
a small defeat.
Then ending on the last full eve
of thirty-nine,
life starts to rush at you,
a change from all the years
you went on rushing life.
3.
A word to all you younger ladies:
Do not be chained by movie stars
and Wella Balsam-girl beliefs.
Hold out your arms
now and again to older men,
we of the tri-colored temples,
softer stomachs and wider hands.
All of us have engines that still run,
our mileage down the road
or round the track
has kept us finely tuned
like jaunty Jeeps or ritzy Rolls.
Despite what television tells you
we don't fold up and go to sleep
ahead of you.
We wait. As you have waited.
After forty don't dress up as though
you're twenty-five and don't fall into
feeling you are merely lucky to be alive.
You might decide to diet once a week.
Join a gym. Stretch. Swim or run
but with eyes open. Do not be afraid.
This is the magic time when rhyme
falls into reason. Why feel ill at ease,
depressed, unless you get off on delusion---
maybe your illusions need a rest.
But fifty's coming, sixty too.
These are the royal years
when people seek you out
in your own bedroom.
No need to walk the street
or speak at testimonials.
All over town the young are giving
testimonials to you.
By now you've long ago
run out of business cards.
Start spreading heavenly rumors
about yourself,
anonymously, of course.
Have flyers printed.
Rent the Goodyear blimp.
To those who feel
They have failed too often
to qualify for Mr. Right,
I hope you've been collecting hats
along life's runway.
If so, throw another into the ring
let it do you singing for you.
Jezebel, Jazz Baby, or plain Jane,
you need not be cunning,
stick out your foot and trip a man
when he comes jogging, running by.
Believe me, we are easily tripped
having waited for the trip so long.
To cruise is to be considerate.
Unless you call attention
to your presence
who will know you're there?
Even a country
has to weave and wave a flag
as proof of existence.
- from "The Beautiful Strangers", 1981 with
revisions 9/5/2008 |
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