Articles by H William Stine
Raining Cats And... Even More Cats!
by H William Stine
I wanted to do a special show for a special audience who never choose to listen to the show but listen to the show nearly every week, often sitting in someone's lap or, more likely, sitting in exactly the chair someone else wants to sit in. So I dedicated the show to all the cats who are probably my furriest and also my most loyal listeners with songs about cats and songs sung by Cats and Kats. During the show ...
Continue ReadingMore Than 3 Tenors
by H William Stine
They were superstars on their own, iconic names who didn't need first names: Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti. The world loved them; and they loved the world -sometimes a little too literary. When they agreed to sing together, they went from superstars to superheroes: The Three Tenors. Three? Really? That's all it takes to be adored? I can do better—much better than that! Let the adoration flow because I presented “More Than Three Tenors" this week. Of course, I meant, tenor sax ...
Continue ReadingDisinformation Week
by H William Stine
Disinformation. It's a word we're hearing frequently these days. Some people call Disinformation propaganda; some people with a straight face call it alternative facts. I call it pernicious lies. So I spent two hours defining and explicating Disinformation; and, most importantly, telling people how to protect themselves from it. JUST KIDDING! You know me. Instead, I spent the two hours exploiting this sensitive issue and squeezing every last drop of irony and rueful laughter from it with songs I claimed ...
Continue ReadingIt's Infrastructure Week!
by H William Stine
This week I paid tribute to the roads and highways, the bridges and tunnels, the power, communications, and water systems. I thought I'd better hurry up and celebrate Infrastructure Week before everything crumbles, fizzles out, implodes, and self-destructs. Playlist Cody Owen Stine “Paris Mismatch (Theme Music)" 00:00 Rosemary Clooney “On The Road Again" from Still On The Road (Concord) 3:40 Hilary Gardner “Brooklyn Bridge" from The Great City (Anzic Records) 07:28 Frank Sinatra “Street Of Dreams" from Sinatra ...
Continue ReadingLightbulb Moments
by H William Stine
They don't happen often and they don't happen to everyone. But if one does happen to you, it could change your life. Of course I'm talking about an IRS audit. Of course I'm not talking about an IRS audit. I'm talking about those out-of-the-blue, eye-opening moments of inspiration or maybe self-discovery. One thing: they're always moments of clarity. I don't know what you call them: Serendipity? Intuition? Divine Intervention? Years and years of therapy? I called them something else this ...
Continue ReadingBaby Talk
by H William Stine
Taking baby steps—isn't that what I was doing in my driveway after the last snow storm? Out of the mouths of babes—isn't that why we put bibs on them? Sleep like a baby—I'm sure my audience can relate to that. Throw the baby out with the bath water—doesn't that just mean it's time to get your eyes examined? What's with all the baby stuff, Bill? Because this week I dedicated the show to nothing but baby talk with some wonderful singers and, ...
Continue ReadingBad Habits
by H William Stine
We all have them. We may try to hide them with varying degrees of success or failure because--let's face it--they totally reveal us, they embarrass us, and the worst ones can actually define us for the rest of our lives. Of course I'm talking about our high school yearbook photos. Of course I'm not talking about our high school yearbook photos. I'm talking about Bad Habits. So it was nothing but Bad Habits this week--ranging from binge watching to smoking, ...
Continue ReadingSinging Their Praises
by H William Stine
Don't you love it when Nat Cole sings one of his signature songs, for instance, "Smile?" Someone else sang that this week. What about any recordings of Sinatra singing “Angel Eyes?" Someone else sang that too, because this week great singers and musicians paid tribute to other great singers and musicians in a two-hour love fest of “Singing Their Praises." I also tossed in a few of the originals lest we forget how original their music was. Playlist Cody ...
Continue ReadingLotsa Luck
by H William Stine
Good luck, best of luck, lucky day, lucky duck, lucky dog, lucky devil, all the luck, with a little bit of luck, lucky charm, beginners luck, just my luck--are you seeing a pattern here? I saw a musical theme. Lots of “Lucky" song titles and song lyrics, plus a reminder or two that not all luck is good luck. Playlist Cody Owen Stine “Paris Mismatch (Theme Music)" from Unreleased Master 00:00 Frank Sinatra “Luck Be A Lady" from ...
Continue ReadingWill Power Versus Won't Power
by H William Stine
What does it take to lose weight? Willpower. Stop biting your nails? Willpower. What does it take to stop watching America's Got Talent? Half a brain—but that's a different issue. Getting back on topic: what does it take to give up smoking? Again, Willpower. So let me get this straight: Willpower is forcing yourself not to do something. Wouldn't it make more sense to call it Won't-power? But no—everyone gives Willpower all the praise and approbation. Well, not this week! ...
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