Happiness is biddy biddy bum, all day long

If I Were A Rich Man

  

If I were a Rothschild

If I Were Rothschild • Sholem Aleichem

Happiness is a sweet song

 

 

 Thy songs are sweeter to mine ear,

Than to the thirsty cattle rivers clear,

Or winter porridge to the lab'ring youth,

Or bunns and sugar to the damsel's tooth.

-- John Gay (1685-1732)

Happiness is the birds of spring

 

The painted birds, companions of the Spring,

Hopping from spray to spray were heard.

-- John Dryden

Happiness is a glorious spring day in Grand Rapids, MI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't do a dang thing I was supposed to do. Instead I raked the leaves away from the fence line and from under the deck, and started a fire to burn them with in ye olde fire pit, using the old twigs and branches from last fall and winter. The birds got fresh water in the bird bath. The wind was gentle, the sun bright and the temperature was just oh so right. It was a glorious three hours. And now I'm tired. Good and tired. And a little bit sun-fried.  

Happiness is episode one of McHale's Navy, the sitcom, from October 1962

In which we learn that before the war, McHale [Ernest Borgnine] was the captain of a camp steamer in the South Pacific and is in possession of a deep familiarity with "Taratupa" and all its fictional surrounding environs, which won him a commission as a commander of PT-73 once war had broken out with Japan.

An Ensign for McHale

Happiness is Clarence Frogman Henry singing his 1956 hit "Ain't Got No Home"

Here.

Happy Birthday to Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou, electronic musician and composer, popularly known as Vangelis

Older fans know the Academy Award winner for his soundtrack to 1981's film "Chariots of Fire", which includes a memorable rendition of "Jerusalem", and to Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" on PBS in late 1980. 

Happiness is Freddie "Classy" Blassie singing "Pencil Neck Geek"

Here!

Happiness is vegan grifter world on youtube going boom after famous vlogger caught eating fish

 

Turns out based on this story that the hypocrisy is everywhere.

 The Weird World of Vegan YouTube Stars Is Imploding:

 Last Sunday, a five-second video clip of vegan YouTuber Yovana Mendoza single-handedly brought down the luminous 28-year-old’s entire career. In it, you can see the raw food advocate, who goes by the name “Rawvana,” smiling at a restaurant in Bali as she prepares to tuck into her meal. But in an instant, the health guru’s face changes, as she realizes her friend’s camera is trained on her plate. She moves to cover it, but it’s too late. Internet sleuths watching the 10-minute vlog later would quickly deduce what Mendoza was trying to hide: a piece of fish. 

Happiness is Congressman Tim Burchett making fun of Congress

Happiness is Ann Coulter confessing to gaming her own college admission

Happiness is the "US Field Artillery March"

John Philip Sousa unknowingly stole the song, it turns out, from Edmund L. Gruber.

My dad was with the US Army field artillery from 1943-1945, serving in France and Belgium, and trained at the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. As a child I was fascinated by all things artillery and things that go "boom".

To this day I wake up singing this march to myself, silently in my head, as I make the morning coffee:

For it's high high he,

In the Field Artillery,

Shout out your numbers loud and strong!

Happiness is the new reason to say "Take this job and shove it"

Happiness is 1958's "To Know Him Is To Love Him" sung by Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris in 1987

To Know Him Is To Love Him

 

Happiness is my Carhartt jacket No. 2, vintage 2014 . . . the 125th Anniversary

die Hand in der linken Tasche, rückwärts

No. 1 from the 1990s now looks like a shotgun got it.

Happiness is Lou Mitchell's Restaurant of Chicago

Go for the breakfast, stay for the coffee.

Science proves that diner coffee is weak and terrible:

But my favorite diner coffee is served at one of Chicago's oldest restaurants. The sign outside Lou Mitchell's (565 W. Jackson Blvd.), opened in 1923, reads, "Serving the world's finest coffee." I wouldn't go quite that far, but compared with most diners, Lou Mitchell's is in another league. Each sip is smooth and well-rounded, without any underlying bitterness. It's exactly the kind of coffee you want with eggs and honey-cured ham.

Why is the coffee good? According to the shop, the coffee beans are ground every morning. Instead of using regular tap water, filtered water is used. The machines are cleaned regularly. These steps sound really boring, but when it comes to making a solid cup of coffee, it's really as simple as that.

Happiness is Ivars Fish Bar of Seattle

Summer of '77 . . . twenty-one and hungry.

Happiness is Ol' Dan Tucker by the 2nd South Carolina String Band

Ol' Dan Tucker: 2nd South Carolina String Band

 

Happiness is milk that tastes good

Happiness is The Impalas singing 1959's "(Sorry) I Ran All The Way Home"

Happiness is the wisdom of Ma in Little House on the Prairie

Happiness is The New England Patriots for the win in Super Bowl LIII

A battle of the defenses until the Rams just wore out in the 4th quarter against a relentless Patriots offense which the Rams stymied again and again but ultimately could not stop.

Happiness is The Michigan Upper Peninsula Creation Story

In da beginning dere was nuttin'.

Den on da first day God created da U.P.

On da second day He created da partridge, da deer, da bear, da fish and da ducks.

On da third day He said, "Let dere be YOOPERS to roam da U.P."

On da fourth day He created da udder world down below.

And on da fifth day He said, "Let dere be TROLLS to live in da world down below."

On da sixth day He created "DA BRIDGE" so da TROLLS would have a way to get to Heaven.

God saw it was good, and on da seventh day He went huntin'.

Happiness is my hometown

Happiness is the New England Patriots' AFC OT win over the Kansas City Chiefs 37-31

Happiness is sleeping under a big, warm mothercomforter

Happiness is Joan Bennett singing Sentimental Moments in 1955's We're No Angels

Here.

The song was composed by Friedrich Hollaender and Ralph Freed and introduced to the public through the film. Hollaender is the legendary composer of "Falling in Love Again (Can't Help It)" from The Blue Angel, 1930.

Happiness is Junior Samples singin' "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More"

Riiiiiiiight here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happiness is making fun of politicians

 

Coffee, which makes the politician wise,

And see through all things with his half-shut eyes,

Sent up in vapours to the baron's brain

New stratagems, the radiant lock to gain.

-- Alexander Pope

Happiness is a gas burner trivet, to keep your little moka pot from tipping over on the stove

A simple but thoughtful gift and a daily reminder of the giver because a day without coffee this way is just, well, unthinkable!

Happiness is a do it yourself brick rocket stove build with the KGB Survivalist

Here.

Perfect for the old man in winter who can collect twigs but can no longer chop wood.

The best gift of all was always Tommy coming home for Christmas

Happiness is Tucker's Toofers, 2 hamburgers for 29 cents in Fondulac, Wisconsin

Originally it was 2 for 25 cents, but by the time I knew the joint in the early 1970s the "special" had gone up, like the price of the regular hamburger, to 2 for 29 cents. Food inflation was horrible in those days, as my mother often reminded me, and no one was immune.

And they're still in business:

In 1963, Rudy, Steve, and Barbara opened Tucker's Toofers at the corner of South Main Street and Pioneer Road.  The slogan then was "they're toofer 25," meaning two hamburgers for a quarter. The name Tuckers was chosen because it was the nickname of daughter Barbara, who, as a child, had a hard time staying tucked in and always kicked her blankets off. 

I've never had a bucket list, but I'm putting this place on it, for old times' sake.  

Happiness is the misty morning

When first the sun too pow'rful beams displays,

It draws up vapours which obscure its rays:

But ev'n those clouds at last adorn its way,

Reflect new glories, and augment the day.

-- Alexander Pope

Happiness is agreeing about Yes and No

In all affections she concurreth still;

If now, with man and wife to will and nill

The self-same things, a note of concord be,

I know no couple better can agree.

-- Ben Jonson (1572-1637)

Happiness is the soundtrack suite from Donovan's Reef by Cyril J. Mockridge, featuring the ever popular Pearly Shells

Here.

Except it wasn't quite yet the "Pearly Shells" we all know in its English adaptation of the original, much older Hawaiian song Pupu A O `Ewa (Shells of `Ewa). Pearly Shells as we know it is by Webley Edwards and Leon Pober. The first recording of that appears to have been by the Hawaii Calls Orchestra and Chorus in 1966, associated with Edwards' radio show of the same name, Hawaii Calls, which was releasing recordings as early as 1956 on the Capitol Records label. I don't see any evidence of the song, however, on their early releases between 1956 and 1962. Perhaps Mockridge's music score for the popular 1963 film Donovan's Reef gave Edwards the idea to ride the wave. By 1980 the song was a "best of" for the orchestra. Of all the performances I've linked to here, I like the sound and energy of Mockridge's version the best.

Happiness is Benny Bell singing The Shaving Cream Song

Here!

Shaving Cream

I have a sad story to tell you
It may hurt your feelings a bit
Last night when I walked into my bathroom
I stepped in a big pile of

{Refrain}
Shaving cream, be nice and clean
Shave everyday and you'll always look keen

I think I'll break off with my girlfriend
Her antics are queer I'll admit
Each time I say, "Darling, I love you"
She tells me that I'm full of

{Refrain}

Our baby fell out of the window
You'd think that her head would be split
But good luck was with her that morning
She fell in a barrel of

{Refrain}

An old lady died in a bathtub
She died from a terrible fit
In order to fulfill her wishes
She was buried in six feet of

{Refrain}

When I was in France with the army
One day I looked into my kit
I thought I would find me a sandwich
But the darn thing was loaded with

{Refrain}

And now, folks, my story is ended
I think it is time I should quit
If any of you feel offended
Stick your head in a barrel of

{Refrain}

Happiness is John Wayne and Elizabeth Allen in John Ford's 1963 "Christmas" film "Donovan's Reef"

Nominated for an Oscar in 1955, Cyril J. Mockridge composed the heartwarming score for the film.

Happiness is The Irish Balladeers singing about the wake for the fighter Steve O'Donnell

Here, in what is a very melodious and polished if truncated version dating from the 1960s.

Online discussions about the origin of this song "Steve O'Donnell's Wake" and about the lyrics display very little unanimity. Different performances reflect the lack of agreement, probably because most of us who love this song just want to get right to the beer, gin, whiskey, wine and cake of the chorus. No wonder no one can remember the original words. Not even the list of libations is agreed upon.

This page, which claims to reproduce the original lyrics dating to 1889, is unfortunately itself incomprehensible in places.

For example, it should say the "crepe" is hung upon the door, not the inscrutable "crane". Hanging black crepe was the common custom to signify a house in mourning in times gone by. And what could it possibly mean for a barber to come and shave "the sluggers from his throat"? No, "The barber came and shaved the Galway slugger's throat" is no doubt more to the original sense.

O'Donnell is presumably a successful Irish fighter from Galway, a famous boxer, who has died. This is why he is beloved by the high and the low whom he had entertained. Some of these no doubt owed their good fortune to O'Donnell, betting on him as they did, which is the real reason why some now felt sorry and bad. All bets are now off. As everyone came to see him fight in life, now men of all walks have come to pay their respects that he is dead, which only burnishes the lustre of his reputation. Accordingly it appears that in the chorus "biters", which makes absolutely no sense, has been corrupted from "writers", that is, sports writers, who were accustomed to regaling their newspaper readers with O'Donnell's exploits in the ring. They are mentioned first in attendance at the wake, followed by fellow fighters, then members of the coal mining community, the experts with dynamite, then men elected to high office and finally the aspirants thereto, Irishmen all. It's a fine picture. 

On the other hand, the version by Hum and Strum, a Jew and a Catholic, dating from 1947 and afterwards, evidently recoiled at the lyric slur that O'Donnell was a Jew and changed that to "a bum". That vaudeville duo also took other liberties with the lyrics, as others have ever since. But you can hardly blame them when the lyrics seem to have been so poorly remembered in the first place.

So sing along as you will and drink whatever you're drinking to the memory of poor Stevie boy, we hardly knew him.

STEVE O'DONNELL'S WAKE.

Copyright. 1889, by Chas. D. Blake & Co.

Words and Music by Frank C. Turner.

Steve O'Donnell was a gentleman, so everybody said.

He was liked by all his friends, both rich and poor.

So of course they all felt sorry when they heard that he was dead,

And they saw a piece of crane hung on his door;

Now undertaker Feeney had the job to lay him out.

He got a casket of the finest make;

And he dressed the corpse in broadcloth, and said: Boys I have no doubt

You will all remember Steve O'Donnell's wake.

Chorus.

There were biters, there were fighters, lots of dynamiters.

There was beer, and there was whiskey, wine and cake;

There were men in high positions, there were Irish politicians.

And they all got drunk at Steve O'Donnell's wake.

A barber came and shaved his Galway sluggers from his throat,

And cut his hair a la la pompadour;

A red necktie and buttonhole bouquet was in his coat,

And a hunch of shamrocks in his hand he bore.

There was thirteen candles at his head and twenty at his side.

And lots of flowers sent for friendship's sake;

Yerra, Steve, my b'ye, why did you die, the weeping widow cried.

Sure, we all felt bad at Steve O'Donnell's wake.-Chorus.

Now Mike McGovern said he thought O'Donnell was a Jew,

Of course, he only meant it for a joke;

But Patsey Mack got up his back and at McGovern flew,

And he hit him in the eye an awful poke.

Sure all hands began a-fighting then, for everyone was mad,

And blood enough was spilled to form a lake:

They knocked the corpse upon the floor and blew out all the lights,

There was murder down at Steve O'Donnell's wake.-Chorus.

The police came in and stopped the row and made them understand,

The corpse was picked up by his brother. Dan;

But someone stole the necktie that was 'round O'Donnells throat,

Tim O'Kelly said McGovern was the man.

Then McGovern's friends got crazy mad and swore they'd have his life,

O'Reilly saw he made a big mistake;

But he fought and yelled, and danced around until the cops came in

And arrested all at Steve O'Donnell's wake.-Chorus.

Happiness is the 1995 production of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

Happiness is an invitation at Thanksgiving

 

 

Wines and cates the tables grace,

But most the kind inviter's cheerful face.

-- Alexander Pope

Happiness is a warm gun

Happiness is a 6-pack of game hens

When two game hens just won't do.

On sale no less, at Sam's Club for just $2.71 each, through November 25th.

Happiness is Roy Clark playing Malagueña

Here.

Roy Clark passed away this week at the age of 85.

Happiness is the old elephant who likes Claude Debussy

Here, then click on the speaker in the lower right of the picture for sound.

Happiness is a Chicago Metallic perforated French bread pan

Chicago Metallic Commercial II Non-Stick Perforated French Bread Pan, currently $14.97 at Amazon.

I've had this one for four years. I seem to use it whenever the weather turns cold for the first time in the fall, and then over the winter get out of the habit again. The bread it makes goes wonderfully with soup for lunch, or with some EVOO all by itself at breakfast. I often make a heartier version of French bread with a half a cup of rye flour added in to the bread flour.

Happiness is The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, including visiting Boston in the fall

Here.

Happiness is a government worker who mocks his own sloth

Happiness is a beagle with cream cheese