Saturday 9...

 Thanks to Crazy Sam for today's questions!  You can join in HERE!

I Left My Heart in San Francisco

Welcome to Saturday 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so to speak. We encourage you to visit other participants' posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

          

Saturday 9: I Left My Heart in San Francisco (1962)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is a valentine to the city of San Francisco. Songwriters George Cory and Douglas Cross moved to New York to find fame and fortune and found themselves homesick for the city by the bay. Have you ever been homesick?  I don't think I've ever been seriously homesick (in a funk, or depressed about being away from home).  Or, in the parlance of the song, where have you left your heart?  My heart is right here where Joe and I made our home.

2) Cory and Cross were buddies with Ralph Sharon, a piano player who often worked with Tony Bennett. Ralph brought the song to Tony and the results were very happy for all involved. Have you more recently done, or been on the receiving end of, a favor?  Friends brought things to enhance our dinner on Thursday night. That was nice.  I don't ask for "favors/help" often but have been the recipient of many over the years, especially since Joe died.

 
3) The lyrics compare San Francisco to Paris, Rome, and Manhattan. Have you visited those cities?  I've been to Rome.

4) This week's artist, Tony Bennett, sang professionally for the last time in August. He retired after performing at Radio City Music Hall with Lady Gaga. Their musical collaboration dates back to when they both performed at President Obama's inauguration. Though 60 years apart in age, they became fast friends based on their shared love of jazz. Do you find that most of your friends are older than you, younger than you, or within 5 years of you?  Some of each but I would guess most are within five years, one side or the other.

5) While Lady Gaga grew up listening to Tony Bennett, as a young man Tony recalled listening to Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, and Joe Venuti. Which singers did you enjoy during your teen years?  Three Dog Night, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Blood Sweat & Tears, The Righteous Brothers, Temptations, Aretha, Gladys Knight & the Pips...

6) While he's famous for singing about San Francisco, Tony is a proud son of New York. Born in Queens, he chose to end his career at Radio City Music Hall and was excited to perform "New York State of Mind" with Billy Joel at Shea Stadium in 2008. Do you have a favorite Billy Joel song?   Uptown Girl, An Innocent Man, She's Got A Way...

 
7) Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra may have been competitors but they shared a mutual admiration. Sinatra called Bennett "the best singer in the business," and Bennett did a Sinatra homage album called Perfectly Frank. Think of people you have worked with over the years. Tell us about someone who has impressed you, and why.  I worked with Judy B for many years at the Museum. She was such a great mentor to me.  Knowledgeable and kind and fun. She also bravely fought brain cancer to the end.  A terrible loss.

8) The 1970s were a difficult period for Tony. During the days of disco and Studio 54, he said singing new songs made him feel like his mother, a talented seamstress when she was forced to make a cheap dress. OK, so Tony doesn't like disco! Is there a genre of music you just don't care for?  Rap and Opera.

9) Random question: Imagine you're the passenger in a long car ride. Are you more likely to be calm or fidgety?  Calm, as long as the driver is a good driver.

Peace & hugs!

Jesus loves us, this I know!!

PS:  some of my newer followers asked about the wedding cake I posted in yesterday's blog.  When we first moved to Lakeland (1989) I worked with a woman who had a little bakery. After six months or so, she asked me if I wanted to buy the business from her because she was so tired of it.  I did just that and had my own little bakery called "The Wedding Cake". I also did cakes for any occasion.  It was a hobby before that but quickly became my work.  I did it for nearly four years before I got tired of it.  Foodservice is an unforgivable business.  It is hard, especially when you don't have much help (other than Joe, bless him).  I do have many fond memories of that time, but I also remember how back-breaking it was with no time off, and don't even think about getting sick when you have five wedding cakes to get done by Saturday.  I'll put some pictures together and share them one day this next week. It was fun, it was interesting, and it was something I will never do again!