Will Ferrell Introduces Bulls & Hornets

On Wednesday night, actor Will Ferrell did the introductions for the visiting Chicago Bulls and the home team New Orleans Hornets. The introductions are pretty funny (“he majored in Econ but minored in looove”), and the NBA players seemed to take the jokes in good humor. [Update: Unfortunately the video is no longer available.]

The New Orleans fans had fun, at least through the introductions. The Bulls won the game 90-67.

Was it good fun to have Will Ferrell do the introductions or was it a distraction from the game? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • Magic Johnson’s “Announcement” (Short Review)
  • What Tarantino’s “Star Trek” Might Look Like
  • New Honest Trailer for “The Princess Bride”
  • Billy on the Street Thanksgiving Parade
  • Metallica’s National Anthem at the NBA Finals
  • Batman vs. Superman, Old School

    • (Some Related Chimesfreedom Posts)

    New Discovery: Sadie Jemmett “Up on the Heath”

    Sadie Jemmett I recently ran across some excellent music by Sadie Jemmett, a British singer-songwriter who claims to be influenced by the likes of Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. I hear a little Natalie Merchant in there, but I just know I really like her song, “Up On the Heath” and have been listening to it over and over again.

    Below is an acoustic version of the song. Check it out.

    If you like that one, check out the full band arrangement of the song and the rest of the album, The Blacksmith’s Girl (2011), below. Although she has been writing, performing, and recording with others for about a decade, The Blacksmith’s Girl is her first solo CD. Make sure to listen to “I’m Glad You’re Back.”

    Sadie Jemmett – The Blacksmith’s Girl by Sadie Jemmett

    Check out an Acoustic Magazine interview and her website for more music and to learn more.

    Beatles Arrive in America This Date in 1964

    beatles ed sullivan

    On February 7 in 1964, the Beatles landed at New York’s Kennedy airport, arriving in the United States for the first time and taking the country by storm. Two days later, on February 9, Paul McCartney (21), Ringo Starr (23), John Lennon (23), and George Harrison (20) appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in front of screaming fans.

    The four continued on a short American tour before returning to England on February 22. In the next few months, they had several hits in the U.S. and released their film, A Hard Days Night (1964). And then they returned to the U.S. in August to play sold-out arenas.

    On their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, during the first half of the show, the Beatles performed “All My Loving,” “Till There Was You,” and “She Loves You.” They returned later in the program to sing “I Saw Her Standing There” and “I Want To Hold Your Hand.”

    Before the last two songs, Sullivan announced that Elvis Presley and Colonel Tom Parker had sent the group a congratulations telegram.

    The video below features the Beatles performing “I Want to Hold Your Hand” at this appearance. So, remember when rock was young while watching The Beatles play during their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show around a half century ago.

    What do you think of the performance? Leave your two cents in the comments.

    Buy from Amazon

  • The Latest and Last Beatles Song: “Now and Then”
  • Ringo Starr Records a John Lennon Song (with a little help from Paul McCartney)
  • New Beatles ‘A Day in the Life’ Video
  • The Beatles’ “Black Album” from “Boyhood”
  • All I’ve Got Is a Photograph
  • Hear the Beatles Sing Without Music on “Abbey Road” Medley

    • (Some Related Chimesfreedom Posts)

    Pop Culture Roundup (for Early February 2012)

    Arrested Development In case you were too busy with watching all of the Super Bowl commercials or with getting dumped from X Factor, here are some of the recent pop culture stories you might have missed.

    – Movies –

    If you are excited about multiple superheroes in the upcoming Avengers film, check out the trailer.

    The Chicago Tribune has a review of Big Miracle, i.e. the whale movie, by Michael Phillips.

    Great Scott! Back to the Future may become a Broadway musical.

    Adam Sandler is in talks to create a film based on the board game Candy Land. Where is the checkers movie?

    Bill Wyman wrote an interesting critique of the films of Steven Spielberg (“he hasn’t said anything new”).

    A new documentary about Bob Marley premieres at SXSW.

    Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin? — check out the new trailer for the movie Game Change.

    Still shaken. . .This year marks 50 years since James Bond first appeared on film. . .

    Monty Python members are reuniting for a science fiction film.

    Sarah Jessica Parker will play Gloria Steinem in biopic, replacing Demi Moore.

    Uggie, the dog in The Artist, is retiring. Unfortunately, the reasons for the retirement is ill health. (thanks @poochface)

    Kermit & Miss Piggy held a press conference to address accusations from Fox Business that they promote a liberal agenda.

    – Music –

    Salon considered how Madonna liberated America.

    R&B singer David Peaston (‘Two Wrongs (Don’t Make a Right)’) passed away at the age of 54 this week.

    A new Graceland exhibit looks at Lisa Marie Presley’s relationship with Elvis.

    Cover Lay Down posted 18 different covers of the Townes Van Zandt classic, “If I needed You.”

    The Flaming Lips sing with Suri from the Apple iPhone.

    Ringo 2012 Ringo Starr Ringo Starr discussed his 17th solo album. Read the Los Angles Times review of Ringo’s new album, Ringo 2012.

    An unreleased ABBA song will be released.

    Soul Train host Don Cornelius has passed away in an apparent suicide. RIP.

    Pres. Obama’s cover of Al Green boosted sales of “Let’s Stay Together” by 490%. Nice job Mr. President, but you can’t top Al Green.

    – Television –

    Roseanne Barr has filed papers for the Green Party’s presidential nomination.

    A video refresher course on why David Letterman is funny.

    How Stephen Colbert is beating the Supreme Court by illustrating the effects of its Citizens United decision.

    Kevin Bacon will star in a serial killer drama pilot for Fox.

    New episodes of Arrested Development are in the works.

    Check out some past stories about life on the set of Saturday Night Live.

    Robert Hegyes, who played Sweathog Juan Epstein on Welcome Back Kotter passed away. I hope he has a note to get into heaven. In other death news, Ian Abercrombie, who played “Mr. Pitt” on Seinfeld, passed away. RIP.

  • Why Did Stephen Colbert Sing “Jump Up” With Elvis Costello on the Final “Late Show”?
  • Troubled Waters Plays “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”
  • Stephen Colbert Announces Final Date for “The Colbert Report”
  • Pop Culture Roundup for December 2012
  • Pop Culture Roundup (April 2012 Edition)
  • Kansas’s Controversial Attempt to Make Toto the State Dog

    • (Some Related Chimesfreedom Posts)

    Super Bowl Songs: The Only Living Boy in New York

    NY Giants Tailgater Football Now that we have already discussed this year’s Super Bowl movies and a song for the New England Patriots, it is time to pick a song for the New York Giants. A New York team gives us several options of the many “New York” songs. After I discovered there was not a good video of John Coltraine playing “Giant Steps,” I was leaning toward one of my favorite Bruce Springsteen songs, but then I remembered the beautiful Simon & Garfunkel song, “The Only Living Boy in New York.” Considering that the Giants play their home games in New Jersey, the song also has a connection to that state, having been featured in the movie Garden State (2004), which is set in the “Garden State” of New Jersey.

    Although the song may work for the listener in many contexts, such as in that movie, much of the perfection of the song comes from the fact that it had personal meaning for Paul Simon:

    “Tom, get your plane right on time;
    I know your part will go fine;
    Fly down to Mexico.”

    Simon and Garfunkel started out in 1957 performing under the name “Tom & Jerry,” so one may see from the opening line that the song is a message to Tom, i.e., Art Garfunkel. In an interview, Simon explained, “That was written about Artie’s going off to make Catch 22 in Mexico.” At the time, Garfunkel had left Simon in New York to act in the movie Catch 22 (1970). One hears Simon’s melancholy at being left behind by his friend and singing partner in the chords of the song.

    The song appeared on Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970), the last studio album from the team, and one hears the dissolution of the collaboration and the sadness of a deteriorating friendship that had started in high school. In the original, one hears the sadness in both voices, and you still hear it in Simon’s voice looking back as an older man.

    As for this weekend, New York Giant fans hope they will not have sadness in their voices after Sunday’s game.

    Post-Super Bowl Update: After the Giants won the game, the song played in the stadium was “Empire State of Mind” by Alicia Keys and Jay-Z. Another good song choice.

    What do you think of “The Only Living Boy in New York”? What “New York” song would you pick for this year’s Super Bowl? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • The Last Simon & Garfunkel Concert
  • American Tune
  • Anna Tivel’s “Animal Poem” (Song of the Day)
  • George Harrison and Paul Simon Performing on “Saturday Night Live” (Duet of the Day)
  • John Lennon and Paul Simon Presenting Grammy for Record of the Year
  • American Tune: We Came on a Ship in a Blood Red Moon

    • (Some Related Chimesfreedom Posts)