Vacation 2008: Day 7 - A long way from Denver

Nothing too elaborate today, just a pair of curious celebrity homages to the bespectacled golden-haired prince of the 1970's easy listening pantheon, courtesy of The Muppet Show...


Jim Nabors - Thank God I'm a Country Boy (from Episode #1.6; June 8, 1976) - Well, golleeeee! Sadly, Frank Sutton's heartfelt rendition of "Annie's Song" has been lost to the sands of time.


Cheryl Ladd - Sunshine on My Shoulders (from Episode #3.24; May 10, 1978) - The voice of an Angel (and a one-time Pussycat, too).

it is a vision reoccurring

Some wholesome family entertainment, courtesy of Captain Marvel Adventures #82 (March 1948):

Cap's really into Kegel exercises, apparently...

Devo - Jerkin' Back 'n' Forth (from New Traditionalists, 1981) - Loved by fourth-grade boys back at the dawn of the Reagan Era, hated by the teachers and parental units of said boys.

Generation X - Shakin' All Over (from the b-side of 1979 "Valley of the Dolls" single; collected on the 2002 reissue of the 1979 Valley of the Dolls LP) - The last time I went down this stimulating road, I opted for the Flamin' Groovies' version of this oft-covered Johnny Kidd and The Pirates tune. This time I decided to go with some vintage (Billy) Idol worship.

with one magic word

Go, Rock-a-Billy Batson, go! The raw vocal power of Zeus and hip-shaking speed of Mercury drive the ladies wild with adoration and the menfolk crazy with envy. It’s just one more reason that Captain Marvel will always be superior to that strictly squaresville Superman, no matter what some killjoy Kryptonian sympathizers might say.

I’m still coming off my Big Red Cheese buzz from last night’s journal post. Instead of fighting this feeling, I’m going to see it through to the bitter end, no matter how many visions of godlike rabbit beings or talking tigers I encounter along the way. It’s the Rock of Eternity or bust for this hepcat, daddy-o!

Fred – Reactor Lightning (from the All Rights Reserved 7” single, 1982) – More lost and forgotten minimalist synthpop. I love the song title. It’s so perfect.

Toyah Wilcox – Thunder in the Mountains (from Anthem, 1981) – Ms. Wilcox’s (or is that Mrs. Robert Fripp’s) idiosyncratic punk rock diva routine felt rather pretentious and lacked the spark of mad genius possessed by Lene Lovich and Nina Hagen, although she did shine through on occasion with some good, bombastic new wave pop like this number.

Duane Eddy – Shazam! (from Twang Thang: Anthology, 1993) – I personally don’t associate Captain Marvel with wild twanging guitar instrumentals with Benny Hill-ian saxophone riffs, but there’s no denying that Eddy was a master at his craft, and one of the most influential rock guitarists of all time.