Saturday 9: Consider Me Gone

Saturday 9: Consider Me Gone (2009)

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

 

1) In this song, poor Reba McEntire confronts a lover who makes her feel like she's not good enough. Let's go in a more positive direction: Who in your life makes you feel happy and secure?

A. My husband and my friends. 

 

2) Reba hopes her lover will look back on her as someone who used to make him laugh. Who did you most recently laugh with?

A. My husband.

 

3) She was director James Cameron's first choice to play Molly Brown in the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, but she had to turn down the role because she was committed to a concert tour. Think of the last invitation you received. Did you say yes or no?

A. I said yes.

4) Reba comes from a rodeo family: both her father and grandfather were champion steer ropers and her mother was a barrel racer. Have you ever been to a rodeo?

A. I went to the rodeo when I was a child.

5) She loves game nights with family and friends because she says she's "a competitive person." When you play friendly board or card games, do you always play to win?

A. I play to have fun. I don't care if I win or lose so long as no one cheats.

 

6) Reba wears tall boots all the time, even in summer, and has more than 100 pairs. Do you often wear boots?

A. I do not wear boots at all anymore. I did when I was younger. Now I just wear sneakers.

 

7) In 2009, when this song was popular, Mark Zuckerberg tried unsuccessfully to buy Twitter. Elon Musk acquired it in 2022 and renamed it X. Do you often post to Twitter/X?

A. I do not have a Twitter/X account anymore. I deleted it.

 

8) Back in 2009, DuPont announced that silver and black were the most popular vehicle colors, accounting for half the cars the world over. What color is your ride?

A. My ride is white.

 

9) Random question: Have you ever had a job that required you to wear a hairnet?

A. I have not.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Saturday 9: I Fall in Love Too Easily

Saturday 9: I Fall in Love Too Easily (1945)

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

1) In this song, Dinah Shore admits that her impetuous romances don't work out. Do you consider yourself impulsive?

A. Not particularly, but I can be.

2) The songwriting team of Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne composed this in a single evening. Since the song is rather short Sammy considered adding another verse, but Jule thought better of it, saying, "No. That's it." Are you more like Sammy and keep revising, tinkering and tweaking? Or, like Jule, do you find it easy to leave well enough alone?

A. I tend to revise and tweak, but eventually leave it alone.

 

3) The song was introduced in Anchors Aweigh, a movie about two sailors who find love during a two-day leave in New York. Have you ever enjoyed a romance while on holiday?

A. I have enjoyed romance with my husband while on a holiday.

 

4) Though Frank Sinatra sang the song in the movie, Dinah's version was also popular. Her record sales in the 1940s were boosted by concerts, radio appearances and performances for the troops. What singer who is no longer with us do you wish you could have seen in concert?

A. Janis Joplin.

5) Dinah was shy with new people but discovered as a high school cheerleader that she was good in front of a crowd. Give us one of your high school cheers.

A. We're Cavalier born and Cavalier bred and when we die we'll be Cavaliers yet! 

6) She loved golf and was so good at it, she became the first woman admitted as a member to the prestigious Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles. What's your best sport? 

A. I don't have a best sport. I am bad at all of them.

7) Dinah found her greatest success in television. She was so popular for so long that she was able to afford a luxury home, built to her specifications, in Palm Springs. Leonardo DiCaprio now owns it. Do you know who lived in your home before you moved in?

A. We built our home and have been its only occupants.

 

8) In 1945, when this song was popular, Abbott and Costello appeared in the movie The Naughty Nineties, which featured their famous "Who's On First" routine. Do you know it?

A. I am familiar with it but I can't repeat it verbatim.

 

9) Random question – Fill in the blank: After all these years, I still ____________.

A. am not a dinosaur.

 

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Saturday 9: I Will See You

 

Saturday 9: I Will See You in C-U-B-A (2010)

 

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

This song was chosen in honor of Father's Day.

 

1) In this week's song, Lucie Arnaz encourages us to hop a ship and join her in Cuba. Is your passport up to date?

A. No, it is not.

2) She sings that Cuba is a great place to enjoy wine and Panatelas. Do you like the smell of a good cigar?

A. I am allergic to cigarette smoke and cigar smoke makes me gag and then have an asthma attack.

 

3) Lucie said her Latin Roots CD represents "the rhythms of my soul" and is a tribute to her father, Desi Arnaz. Cuban-born Desi starred on Broadway and in nightclubs but was best known for co-starring in and producing the 1950s sitcom, I Love Lucy. When you think of I Love Lucy, what's the first thing that comes to mind?

A. Lucy stuffing chocolate in her mouth because she can't keep up with the line.

 

4) While Lucie's parents – Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball – are famous for their TV work, Tony-nominated Lucie has found her greatest success on the stage. She inherited their love of performing, saying, “My parents were always happiest when they were working.” What have you inherited from one or both your parents? (It could be anything from your work ethic to your eye color.)

A. I have my father's aversion to going barefoot and my mother's hands.

 

5) Though "Ricky Riccardo" often mangled English on I Love Lucy, Desi's English was very good. Lucille Ball admired his facility with languages and encouraged him to speak Spanish to their children so that they would be bilingual. When you were growing up, did your family speak any language other than English?  

A. My family spoke only English. I studied Spanish and Latin in high school, but I have forgotten most of it.

 

6) Desi Arnaz often performed "I Will See You in C-U-B-A." Is there a song that reminds you of your father?

A. "Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast," by Wayne Newton

 

7) After Lucie's parents divorced, Lucille Ball remarried and Lucie got a stepfather, Gary Morton. Lucie appreciated how positive Gary always was about Desi. Decades later, when she married a man who already had children, Lucie said she better understood what a tough role stepparent can be. Did you have a stepparent? Are you a stepparent?

A. I have a stepmother now, but I was an adult when my father remarried. 

8) As a single dad, Desi lived south of Los Angeles in Del Mar. Lucie and her brother, Desi Jr., spent school vacations there, going to the racetrack, bowling, and fishing with their dad. Share a happy memory from one of your school vacations (Christmas, Spring Break, or Summer).

A. We stayed with my grandmother during the summers. We - my brother and two young uncles and myself - rode out bicycles around the block, and not far away was an old, abandoned house. About once a week, we'd dare one another to go up to the house and peek in a window.

 

9) Father's Day began in Washington state. In the early 1900s, Spokane resident Sonora Smart Dodd listened to her minister deliver a sermon celebrating Mother's Day and devoted herself to similarly honoring fathers. A century later, more money is still spent annually on Mother's Day. Why do you suppose that nationally we still make more of a fuss over Mother's Day than Father's Day?

A. I suspect it is related to the patriarchy. Mothers are supposed to be in charge of the children while the father goes out and makes the money. That mindset is firmly entrenched in this country even though women have always been in the workforce.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Saturday 9: Hold On

Saturday 9: Hold On (1990)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 
 
1) This song gives encouragement to someone who is enduring heartache. Have you more recently given support, or received it?

A. I have both given and received support lately.
 
2) "Hold On" is featured prominently in the 2011 movie Bridesmaids. It's an anthem for the friends in the film and they love to sing it together. Is there a song that reminds you of good times with a good friend?

A. No, but one of my favorite memories involves the time my husband and I were shopping at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, SC, and the Macarena song came on over the loudspeakers. Nearly everyone stopped what they were doing and did the Macarena. I loved it. It felt like I was in a musical.
 
3) The video for this song finds Wilson Phillips outdoors on a snowy mountainside and then on a sandy beach. What's the view outside your window?

A. I see trees of green, skies of blue, white puffy clouds, and a deer or two.

 
4) The mountain segments were filmed in California's San Gabriel Mountains. The girls were flown to the set by helicopter. Have you ever been in a helicopter?

A. I have never been in a helicopter.
 
5) The members of Wilson Phillips are authentic "California Girls." Wendy and Carnie Wilson's father is Brian Wilson, who wrote the Beach Boys hit. Chynna Phillips is the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas, who sang "California Dreamin'." Have you been to California? If yes, where did you visit?

A. I went to California when I was 12 years old on a trip with my family. We went to visit relatives in San Francisco and possibly other areas, but I don't remember all that much about it now.
 
6) Another generation of the Wilson family has entered the music business. Carnie's daughter/Brian Wilson's granddaughter, Lola Bonfiglio, participated in the current season of American Idol. Has a family member followed you in your chosen profession?

A. No.
 
7) In 1990, when this song was popular, satellite radio was in its infancy and streaming was unheard of. Our cars gave us a choice of AM/FM and maybe CD player/tape deck. When you're driving and a favorite song comes on, are you more likely to sing along if you're alone? Or don't you care if anyone hears you?

A. I sing along in the grocery store, in the car, wherever I am. I do not care. 
 
8) Also in 1990, actor Alan Hale Jr. died. He was "the skipper" on Gilligan's Island. Without looking it up, can you name the other six castaways? (If not the actors, then their characters.)

A. The Skipper (whose first name was Jonas), Gilligan, Mr. Thurston Howell, III and his wife, Lovey, Mary Ann, Ginger Grant, The Professor. That's all seven, but I don't know the actors' names.
 
9) Random question: What superhero would you like to have as your best friend?

A. Supergirl, aka Kara Danvers. I really liked the CW version of that series when it was on.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Saturday 9: Too Shy

Saturday 9: Too Shy (1983)

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

1) This song laments vulnerability and self-consciousness in a social setting. Are you often "too shy?" Or are social gatherings easy for you?

A. I am quite introverted and generally do not do well in gatherings. That is why being a news reporter was a great job for me. I could be in the room, but not a participant. I could talk to people to ask questions but not worry about small talk.

 

2) In the lyrics, a girl self-censors, telling herself, "Hush hush." Have you more recently shushed someone, or were you shushed?

A. I was hushed.

 

3) Band member Nick Beggs recalls that they called themselves Kajagoogoo because it sounded like something that would make a baby laugh. It is fun to say. Can you think of another word that you just enjoy saying?

A. Serendipity. I have always liked the sound of that word.

 

4) This was the only US hit for the British band, earning Kajagoogoo the title "One Hit Wonder." Can you think of another artist or band who had one really popular song and then just kind of disappeared?

A. Looking Glass, the band that sang Brandy (You're a Fine Girl). 

 

5) Though fame was fleeting here, Kajagoogoo remained popular in England. Lead singer Limahl recalls the adulation as "overwhelming," and he was shocked when he stepped on stage in Cornwall to see row after row of fans wearing their hair like he did. Have you ever handed a photo to a stylist and said, "Make my hair look like this?"

A. I have never handed a hairstylist a photo that I can recall, although when I was younger, I asked for a Farrah Fawcett cut. That needed no photo.

 

6) In 1983, when this song was popular, the Lotus 1-2-3 program made it easier for PC users to make spreadsheets. Are you answering these questions on a Mac or PC? Laptop, phone or tablet?

A. I am answering these questions on a PC desktop.

7) 1983 saw Abbey Road Studios open their doors for the first time for public tours. During the first two months, 22,000 tickets were sold to fans who wanted to see where the Beatles made their magic. What's the last ticket you purchased?

A. The last ticket I purchased was a ticket to a Melissa Etheridge concert that was cancelled because of the 2020 pandemic.

 

8) Also in 1983, McDonald's introduced Chicken McNuggets. When was chicken most recently on the menu at your home? How was it prepared?

A. We had chicken last night. It was roasted. We had home-grown kale with it.

 

9) Random question: Have you ever forgotten where you left your car in a parking lot?

A. Not that I recall.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Saturday 9: American Soldier

Saturday 9: American Soldier (2003)

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

Memorial Day is a federal holiday that honors men and women who served and died in the United States Armed Forces. We want to make sure that message is not lost this weekend.

1) Are you a veteran? Are there veterans in your family? Do you know anyone who is active military? We are grateful and want to hear about it.

A. I have veterans in my family, but I do not know of any relatives who are actively in the military now.

2) In this song, Toby Keith reminds us soldiers "work straight through holidays," even this one, and we are grateful for that, too. Have you ever had to work on a federal holiday? If yes, did it make you sad to be on the job when everyone else was celebrating?

A. I have worked on federal holidays, and my husband, who was a firefighter, worked on many federal holidays.

3) The video for this song was filmed at Edwards Air Force Base. This site was chosen to make it easier for off-duty soldiers, reservists and their families to appear. Have you ever visited a military base?

A. I visited a military base called Fort Story in Virginia Beach in 2017. We went on the base to see an historic lighthouse on Cape Henry. You can read about our visit here. I did not like being searched when we entered the base.

4) Toby Keith never served in the military but often performed for the USO. While the USO is best known for providing entertainment to our troops, they also have a "Canine Comfort Crew." Local USO centers make dogs available to troops who long to see a wagging tail. Are you a dog lover?

A. I love dogs, but I am allergic to them to the point where I can't be around them without having a reaction.

 

5) Memorial Day kicks off the summer season. What's your favorite picnic food? 

A. I like watermelon.

6) Let's welcome summer with ice cream. What's your favorite flavor? Cone or cup?

A. I don't eat ice cream anymore, but I hope to partake of a hot fudge sundae one of those days just because. I would prefer a cup, if I could eat ice cream.

7) This marks the weekend when Americans step up their outdoor activity and do things they may not have been able to do during the winter months. For example, when is the last time you applied mosquito repellent?

A. I don't use mosquito repellent. I use little things you wear on your wrist that are supposed to keep the bugs away. I'm sure they have a name, but it escapes me at the moment. I also tend to wear long sleeves and long pants to keep from being eaten by bugs.

8) Or swam?

A. It's been a very long time since I went swimming. 

9) As you answer these questions, is there an air conditioner or fan on?

A. At the moment, there is nothing running except the air purifier. We are having a pleasant day that doesn't require the air conditioner.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Saturday 9: Nothing's Gonna Stop Us

Saturday 9: Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now (1987)

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

1) In this song, Gracie Slick challenges, "Let them say we're crazy!" Tell us about something you're glad you did, even though your friends or family may have advised you against it.

A. I am glad I went to work for the newspaper and became a writer. My mother in particular was totally against that as a career path, but it was what I wanted. Well, I also wanted to be a ghost writer and write Nancy Drew books, but they stopped publishing them.

 

2) Slick is the lead singer of Jefferson Starship. This band got its start in 1965 as Jefferson Airplane but updated their name in 1974. Part of their reasoning was that by the 1970s, airplane travel was commonplace. In 2023, an estimated 820 million Americans flew domestically. When was your most recent flight? When is your next one?

A. I haven't been on a plane in 30 years, and given the state of things, I have no plans to be on one anytime soon.

 

3) Songwriter Albert Hammond said the song was inspired by his divorce. After years of legal wrangling, he was finally free to marry his long-time, long-suffering girlfriend. They're still married today. What is something you waited a long time for? Was it worth the wait?

A. I took 8 years to obtain my 4-year bachelor's degree. It was definitely worth it. I wouldn't give up that knowledge for anything, even if I don't remember a lot of it now.

 

4) Albert Hammond is perhaps best known as the one-hit wonder who sang, "It Never Rains in Southern California." Is rain expected where you are today?

A. We have thunderstorms in the weather forecast. We have been in a moderate drought, and then we had too much rain all at once, so it ran off and turned into small stream flooding as opposed to being a soothing rain that seeped into the ground. Rain is welcome.

 

5) He co-wrote the song with Diane Warren. In January, she lost her home to the Los Angeles fires. When a friend is confronted by heartache or tragedy, what can you say or do for them? What shouldn't you say or do?

A. When a friend is confronted by heartache or tragedy, sometimes the best thing is a long hug and silence. I personally do not find things like, "It was for the best," or "It was God's will," to be comforting, so I don't say those things. Oh, and take a vegetable tray instead of a cake or other snack food. They need to be able to eat something healthy without thinking about it.

6) "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" was the love theme to the romantic fantasy Mannequin. In that movie, a department store mannequin comes to life and falls for a struggling artist. While it was a moderate success at the box office, the gritty Vietnam drama Platoon was a much bigger hit. When you sit down to watch a movie, what genre would you prefer (fantasy, romance, comedy, drama, etc.)?

A. My movie preference depends on my mood. But generally, I like fantasy or drama, so long as it's not overly gory.

 

7) In 1987, when this song was popular, Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Aretha was proud of her Detroit roots. Have you been to Michigan? If yes, where did you go?

A. I may have passed through Michigan a long time ago, but it has never been a destination point.

 

8) In 1987, the Chevy Corvette made news by adding a low tire pressure light to its dashboard. When you're driving and a yellow warning light comes on, do you handle the issue promptly? Or is it something you'll get to when you get around to it?

A. If a warning light comes on in my vehicle, I take care of it as soon as possible.

9) Random question: A magic mirror reflects your appearance five years from today. Would you look at it?

A. I would look into the mirror. The future is never written in stone.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Saturday 9: Mama Liked the Roses

Saturday 9: Mama Liked the Roses (1970)

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

1) In this song, Elvis tells us his mother loved tending the roses in the garden. Do you have a green thumb?

A. I don't do as much gardening as I once did, but I used to have a green thumb.

2) Mama would put the roses in a vase in the living room. Do you have cut flowers in your home right now?

A. I do not have cut flowers in my house. Because of my allergies, I don't do that. 

 

3) Elvis sings that he found Mama's rose petals pressed in the family Bible. Have you ever pressed petals in a book? If yes, what occasion were you commemorating?

A. I don't recall ever doing that. I might have pressed a 4-leaf clover in a book.

4) OK, so now we know Mama liked roses. What about you? Would you prefer white, pink, yellow or red roses?

A. I used to grow roses. We dug them up a few years ago and replaced the rose garden with rocks and potted plants. I loved the pink ones, and I had one that bloomed orange that I was partial to because it was personal to me.

5) Elvis' own mother, Gladys Presley, had a major impact on pop culture. When her son was 11, he asked for either a rifle or a bicycle for his birthday. She deemed the rifle too dangerous and the bike too expensive, and so he chose a guitar instead. The rest is history. Tell us about a special birthday gift from your youth.

A. I don't recall many special birthday gifts. We had cake and a small toy; most of our big gifts came at Christmas. But it seems to me I may have received store-bought blue jeans for my birthday when I was heading into the seventh grade. My mother made many of my clothes and I yearned for store-bought blue jeans. I still love blue jeans.

 

6) Abraham Lincoln credited his stepmother, Sarah, for her lasting influence on his life, saying she ignited his love of reading and learning. Tell us about a woman -- mother, stepmother, grandmother, aunt, Godmother, teacher, neighbor -- who changed your life for the better.

A. My mother-in-law changed my life for the better by giving birth to my husband. She raised him well and he turned out to be a wonderful, caring man. She's also pretty special in her own right and has been a good example to me of how to age gracefully.

7) Mother's Day is almost upon us. According to the National Restaurant Association, we like to eat out on this holiday, with revenue up more than 80% on Mother's Day weekend. When did you last dine at a restaurant? Was it a special occasion?

A. We ate out a few weeks ago. It was just an "I'm tired of eating the same things at the house, let's go out" occasion.

8) Candles are a big seller for Mother's Day, too. What's your favorite candle scent?

A. I only use unscented candles. They are hard to find.

9) Sam is celebrating Mother's Day with her mother's favorite, Hershey Bars. Would you prefer classic milk chocolate, dark chocolate or chocolate with almonds?

A. I would prefer milk chocolate, please.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Saturday 9: Georgia on My Mind

Saturday 9: Georgia on My Mind (1978)

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

1) The lyrics refer to "an old sweet song." What old sweet song is a favorite of yours?

A. My grandmother used to sing "A Bicycle Built for Two" to me when I was sad, upset, or had skinned up something.

 

2) Composer Hoagy Carmichael said he was inspired by saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer to write a song about Georgia. In those days, bands traveled by bus and Frankie enjoyed rolling through Georgia. Hoagy recalled that Frankie even volunteered the first two words, "Georgia, Georgia ..." If we were to organize a Saturday 9 bus trip, where would you recommend we go for lovely scenery?

A. I would recommend a trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's not far from me and there are lovely views of the mountains.

 

3) This version of "Georgia on My Mind" was controversial before it was even recorded. Willie Nelson's label, Columbia, didn't see the point of their outlaw country star singing an old standard that was associated with Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald. Willie had the last laugh. This record was a hit and Willie won a Grammy. Tell us about a time when you were a success despite opposition.

A. I don't think anyone expected me to have much of a career as a writer. Maybe I didn't, to their way of thinking, but I have written and published literally thousands of articles over the last 40 years. You don't do that by luck. That takes perseverance and sweat equity. It might not be words bound up in a book, but it's an impressive collection of words all the same.

 

4) While it's at odds with his "outlaw" image, Willie was a popular and active high school student. He played three sports and was a member of Future Farmers of America. What school activities did you participate in during your teen years?

A. I was a member of the National Honor Society, I played in the band, and I was on the debate team for a time. 

 

5) Willie once worked as a tree trimmer, so clearly he didn't suffer from acrophobia. How about you? Do you have a fear of heights?

A. I don't have a fear of heights, per se, but I don't like elevators. I once went to visit someone in the hospital, and I got off the elevator and fainted. I guess that's as good a place as any for a fear to overcome you.

 

6) He wrote the lyrics to one of his biggest hits, "On the Road Again," during a flight, using the airplane barf bag as scrap paper. That was back in 1980. In 2025, do you handwrite onto note paper, or do you make all your "notes to self" digitally?

A. I make my notes on both, actually. Some reminders are digital, some are on a paper calendar.

7) In 1978, when Willie was singing "Georgia on My Mind," audiences were flocking to see the movie Grease. What's your favorite song from Grease?

A. "Hopelessly Devoted to You."

8) Also in 1978, Karina Smirnoff was born. After spending her early years in the Ukraine, she came to America and found success on Dancing with the Stars. Are you a DWTS fan?

A. I have never seen the show.

 

9) Random question: Do you ever carry a backpack?

A. Not since I finished college. I used to carry one to class all the time; it was a great way to keep my schoolbooks and my work for the newspaper separate. 

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Saturday 9: I'll Be Loving You

Saturday 9: I'll Be Loving You (Forever) – 1989

 

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

 

1) A Greek philosopher said, "There is nothing permanent except change." The New Kids on the Block sang, "I'll be loving you forever." Who do you think is right? Or can both be right?

A. Love takes on many different forms. I think change is a constant that we must all learn to live with, and that doesn't necessarily have to be because of love. Allegedly, a person can change who they are every second of the day, or so I have heard. Love, real love, should not be fleeting, or based upon conditions or score keeping. Love is acceptance. Sometimes that becomes difficult, and turning away is the easier road. It depends on the people involved. There is no right or wrong answer to this question.

 

2) In this week's song, New Kids lead singer Jordan Knight sings that he can't take a broken heart. What advice would you give someone struggling through the end of a romance?

A. If your heart is broken, then you must feel the feels, perhaps even lean into the sadness with a few tearful songs and then eventually look to the sun. Take long walks, care for yourself first. Only then can one begin to see the truth of what was or what will be.

 

3) Jordan was invited to join the New Kids on the Block by his friend, Donnie Wahlberg. Has a friend ever gotten you a job?

A. I have obtained jobs with the help of others. They were not good fits for me, though.

4) Donnie began his show business career as a singer/rapper. Now he's probably better known as an actor, appearing for 14 seasons on a popular police show. Can you name it?

A. I have no idea what the question is talking about, so no, I cannot name it. I don't even know who Donnie is.

5) Much of the video for this song was filmed in the gymnasium of Xavier High School in New York City. When is the last time you were in a high school gym?

A. I was last in a high school gym in 2018 to visit a craft show that was set up in there.

 

6) The video also shows the boys enjoying pizza. What toppings are on your dream pizza?

A. My dream pizza would have onions, green peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini and slices of tomato on top of the cheese and tomato sauce. I like a good veggie pizza, although I haven't had one in a very long time.

 

7) The band is back together! The New Kids on the Block will be appearing this summer at the Park MGM in Las Vegas. Do you have any concert plans this year?

A. I have no concert plans for this year.

 

8) In 1989, when this song was popular, Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was born. He recently won the prestigious Masters Tournament. Tell us about a competition you won. (Yes, your third-grade spelling bee counts.)

A. I have won several writing and poetry contests over the years. In 2009, I won first place in the Sherwood Anderson Short Story Contest for a piece called, "The Last Cutting," which was about a farmer (imagine that). I don't think this contest is held anymore.

9) Random question – On which game show would you do better: Jeopardy! or Wheel of Fortune?

A. I would probably do better on Wheel of Fortune. I feel too ignorant for Jeopardy! these days.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

 

Saturday 9: Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Saturday 9: Here Comes Peter Cottontail (from the archives)

1) Which do you prefer: colored hard-boiled eggs, chocolate marshmallow eggs, or plastic eggs with coins inside?

A. None of the above. I'd prefer a Cadbury Creme Egg if I have to have something.

2) What's your favorite color of Peeps (yellow, purple, or pink)?

A. None of them. Those things are horrible.

3) All this talk of sweets is making Sam hungry. What's for lunch?

A. A ham sandwich and potato chips.

4) This song was introduced by country singer Gene Autry and it's still a favorite. Please share some of the lyrics. (And you're on your own; Sam didn't include a link to the song this week.)

A. Here comes Peter Cottontail, hoppin' down the bunny trail! Hippity hoppity Easter's on its way! He's got jellybeans for Tommy, colored eggs for sister Sue, there's an orchid for your mommy, and an Easter bonnet too!

That's about all I remember of it.

5) Gene Autry was so popular that a town in Oklahoma named itself for him. Have you ever been to Oklahoma?

A. I may have passed through it back in 1976 when my family drove to California from Virginia, but I'm not sure. I was 12. I wasn't paying much attention.

6) He and his horse Champion also had a TV show. Can you name another famous horse?

A. Mr. Ed.

7) Gene Autry also recorded "Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer," and it was, of course, wildly popular, too. Who is your favorite recording artist?

A. I'm not sure I have one anymore, but I'll go with Stevie Nicks.

8) In 1950, the year Autry recorded this song, Diner's Club issued the first credit card. Think of the last thing you purchased. Did you use cash, a credit card, a debit card, an e-wallet service (Visa Checkout, Paypal, Google Pay, Apple Pay ...) or a check?

A. A credit card.

9) Easter is recognized as the start of the spring season. What are you looking forward to this spring?

A. I am looking forward to warmer weather and leaves on the trees. They look so much better with their clothes on.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Saturday 9: Money

Saturday 9: Money (That's What I Want) 1959

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

1) This lyrics mention "the birds and bees." Who told you about the facts of life?

A. I really don't remember. I don't recall having a conversation with my mother. It may have been my grandmother, and then just whatever I learned in school. 

 

2) Barrett Strong sings that love won't pay the bills. How do you handle bill paying? Do you set aside one day a month to take care of all your bills, or do you pay each one as it comes in? What's your system?

A. I usually pay them twice a month. When the bills come in, I write the date they are due on the outside of the envelope and put them in a special mail holder so I can see them. When I have several due before the 15th, I pay them. Then I pay the ones due at the end of the month. By the way, I can remember when I had 30 days to pay my electric bill. Now they give you two weeks. I suspect that was a deregulation change.

 

3) He refers to dollar bills as "lean greens." Can you think of any other euphemisms for money?

A. Greenbacks. Cash. Moolah.

4) April is tax time, so money is top-of-mind for us all. Do you do your own taxes, or do you seek the help of a professional?

A. I do an elaborate accounting of everything and then take that to the professional.

5) On this week's song, Barrett does a solid job on the vocals, and he handles the keyboards well. In addition to performing, he was a talented songwriter. One of his most popular compositions was "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," a song about a lover who listened to gossip and got some useful information. Have you ever been the subject of gossip? If yes, was there any truth to the rumor?

A. I imagine have been the subject of gossip many times. But I cannot think of anything specific at the moment. However, as a semi-public figure when I was a news reporter, I suspect I was fair game for various things.

 

6) He worked with Motown and its sister label, Tamla, for years, but when they moved their offices from Detroit to LA, he quit. Have you ever relocated for your career?

A. I have never relocated for my career.

7) In 1959, when "Money" was popular, Huckleberry Hound was a hit with young TV viewers in 1959. What was your favorite cartoon when you were a kid?

A. I loved Bugs Bunny. But I also liked Scooby Doo, Johnny Quest, and many others.

8) While children were enjoying daytime cartoons, their parents were discovering The Twilight Zone, which also premiered in 1959. Decades later, it's still being rerun on cable and streaming services. Are you a fan?

A. I watch it when I catch it on, which is infrequently. I doubt I have seen every episode.

 

9) Random question: Right now, would you prefer to grab a snack or take a nap?

A. Right now, I would probably prefer a snack.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Saturday 9: Heart Like a Truck

Saturday 9: Heart Like a Truck (2022)

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

 

1) In this week's song, Lainey Wilson longs to hit the open road. What do you yearn for this morning?

A. Peaceful resolution of a family matter.  

2) She says her heart runs on dreams and gasoline. What fuels you?

A. This is a hard question. My dreams and desires have been stomped on such much that I have mostly given up. I get up to take care of my husband and our home, and to try to be a good wife to him, so I guess my love for my fellow is what fuels me.

3) Lainey sings that her heart has been "drug through the mud." The correct past tense of "drag" is "dragged," but in parts of our country, "drug" is sometimes used. Can you think of any other grammatically incorrect song lyrics?

A. I can't get no satisfaction.

4) She tells us her truck could benefit from being dusted off and shined up. Could your vehicle use a little TLC?

A. My car could use a wash, yes.

5) Before making it big in country music, Lainey supported herself by doing odd jobs, including appearing as a Hannah Montana impersonator for kids' parties. What's the most unusual job you've held?

A. I don't know that any of my jobs were unusual. Being a news reporter is out of the 9-to-5 realm, but when I was working it wasn't an unusual job to have. In the future I think it won't exist as a job at all.

 

6) In addition to singing, Lainey has acted, appearing in 5 episodes of the series Yellowstone. Are you a fan of the show?

A. I watched a few episodes of season 1 of Yellowstone and found it too violent for me to handle.

 

7) She loves Southern comfort food like mac and cheese and biscuits and gravy. What's on the menu at your place this weekend?

A. Pork chops, if I can cook them so they are edible.

 

8) In 2022, when this song was on the charts, Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Have you ever been to Scotland?

A. I have never been to Scotland in this lifetime. According to my mother, when I was about three, I started telling her about a castle in Scotland where I lived and died. It scared her so much she made me stop talking about it. Apparently, I was a scullery maid who met a violent end.

 

9) Random question – Let's pretend you're back in kindergarten. Which of these would young you prefer: a toy kitchen set, kid-sized gardening tools, or a mini trampoline?

A. I would prefer the kid-sized gardening tools. I used to enjoy gardening when I was young and my bones didn't hurt so much.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.