Re: Gord on piano live - Fine as Fine Can Be
That was certainly a great find, and listening sure took me back to when the man was at his peak.
A few things struck me:
1) As usual, he blew a few of the lyrics. I think he concentrates so hard on the music, that sometimes the lyrics get left behind.
2) It was nice to hear a different version of "Stone Cold Sober"; the mix was so much better in balance than on the Songbook. I really think this could have been an excellent single.
3) On "Sit Down Young Stranger" he sings "There's rockets in the meadows and ships beneath the sea"; it's the first time I've heard that version, and I kind of like it--it speaks not only to the condition of war, but to the consequences and destruction as well.
4) I'm sure many of you caught it (being of a certain age), but nobody's mentioned it: when he starts noodling at the piano before "Fine As Fine Can Be", and then says in a funny voice "Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen", he's doing a (somewhat less than spot-on, but not awful) imitation of Liberace. For those too young to remember, Liberace was a pianist with a set of teeth that matched the candelabra he always had placed on the piano. He sported a wardrobe that can only be described as flaming, and despite his sexual orientation during a much more repressed era, was a popular performer. He was good friends with, among others, Johnny Carson. Think of a cross between Elton John, Phyllis Diller and Fred Astaire. Liberace was also the punchline of a joke that one of my friends told me (stop here if you are offended by sophomoric humor):
Two friends are talking about baseball history:
"Betcha don't know who hit the most homers in the '50s and '60s."
"Mickey Mantle?"
"Nope, Hank Aaron. And I bet you don't know who drove in the most runs in the '50s and '60s".
"Willie Mays?"
"Nope, Hank Aaron. And I bet you don't know who had the most outfield assists in the '50s and '60s."
"Frank Robinson?"
"Nope, Hank Aaron. And I bet you don't know who got hit on the chin with the most balls in the '50s and '60s".
"Must be Hank Aaron".
"Nope--Liberace".
Apologies,
DQ
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