Oscars In Memoriam: Compare and contrast

With all the talk of the Oscars In Memoriam -- and who got left out -- I have to say that every year there seems to be just a handful (6-8) of really notable omissions. Why not just make the montage 30 seconds longer? I know it's a slippery slope, but at the same time, the montages were not really under fire for many years... seems to be a phenomenon of the past decade. If you're interested, here's a few Oscar ceremonies I randomly found online, from the past few decades; decide for yourself (although some might not include the In Memoriam).

2002 (the best montage, in my opinion)

2001

1998

1995

1994

1991

1990

1985

1981 pt1

1981 pt2

1979 (partial)

1978 (in memoriam only)

1977 (partial)

Does the original cast of SNL still hold up?

Any time a recent SNL sketch (or article) is posted on social media, it seems that half the comments are "I remember when SNL was funny and not political." Well, not only has the show always been political, but it's been funny -- if wildly erratic -- since 1975. Most of these comments come from people referring to the original cast "with Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy" (although neither of them joined the show until well after the "original cast").

So what would happen if you took a young person and showed them such golden oldies as the "AM/FM" sketch or Chevy Chase as President Ford? They'd be baffled. I find those funny because I understand the references, but a lot of people do not.

SO a few years ago, I made a compilation of sketches which I thought DID hold up even today. This is what you could show a young person who doesn't understand why "cheeseburger cheeseburger cheeseburger" had such appeal 40+ years ago. I've added links where I could find them, and will add more as they turn up. (Those with an asterisk are not from the official SNL YouTube channel).

Cold open: The Wolverines (10/11/1975)

Monologue: The Castration Walk (4/16/1977)

Commercial: Jewess Jeans (2/16/1980)

Sketch: Jaws II (11/8/1975)

Sketch: Extreme Stupidity (12/11/1976)

Sketch: Nick Rails (2/10/1979); this is not the one with the Star Wars theme (1/28/1978)... but it's my favorite

Sketch: Gilda and Chevy in bed (2/18/1978)

Commercial: Royal Deluxe II (9/24/1977)*

Sketch: Word Association (12/13/1975)

Song: King Tut (4/22/1978)

Weekend Update: Some Girls (5/26/1979)

Sketch: Refrigerator Repairman (10/7/1978)

Sketch: Exorcist II (12/13/1975)

Sketch: Julia Child (12/9/1978)

Sketch: Fred Garvin (3/17/1979)

Sketch: Judy Miller (10/29/1977)

Sketch: Candy Slice in the studio (12/9/1978)

Commercial: Bass-O-Matic '76 (4/17/1976)*

Sketch: Richard Benjamin in a Scottish restaurant (4/7/1979)

Sketch: Lord & Lady D-Bag (5/24/1980)

Song: King Bee (1/17/1976)*

Sketch: Buck Henry rushing home to use the bathroom (11/10/1979)

Good nights: Last episode (5/24/1980)

Beatles countdown: American Top 40

For the 11^th anniversary of “American Top 40” in 1981, Casey Kasem and his team assembled the 40 biggest hits (based on chart metrics) by the Beatles – together, and solo. Almost all of these topped the chart:

1-Hey Jude (1968)

2-I Want To Hold Your Hand (1964)

3-(Just Like) Starting Over (John) (1980)

4-Silly Love Songs (Paul) (1976)

5-My Sweet Lord/Isn't It a Pity (George) (1970)

6-Get Back (Beatles with Billy Preston) (1969)

7-My Love (Paul) (1973)

8-She Loves You (1964)

9-Help! (1965)

10-We Can Work It Out (1965)

11-Coming Up (Live At Glasgow) (Paul) (1980)

12-Yesterday (1965)

13-I Feel Fine (1964)

14-Can't Buy Me Love (1964)

15-Come Together/Something (1969)

16-Let It Be (1970)

17-A Hard Day's Night (1964)

18-Band On the Run (Paul) (1973)

19-Hello Goodbye (1967)

20-You're Sixteen (Ringo) (1973)

21-Paperback Writer (1966)

22-Woman (John) (1980, #2)

23-Listen To What the Man Said (Paul) (1975)

24-Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (Paul) (1971)

25-Eight Days a Week (1965)

26-Love Me Do (1964)

27-With A Little Luck (Paul) (1978)

28-Ticket To Ride (1965)

29-Photograph (Ringo) (1973)

30-The Long and Winding Road/For You Blue (1970)

31-Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) (George) (1973)

32-All You Need Is Love (1967)

33-Live and Let Die (Paul) (1973, #2)

34-Junior's Farm/Sally G (Paul) (1975, #3)

35-It Don't Come Easy (Ringo) (1971, #3)

36-Twist and Shout (1964, #2)

37-Please Please Me (1964, #3)

38-Goodnight Tonight (Paul) (1979, #5)

39-Penny Lane (1967)

40-Nowhere Man (1966, #3)

I was surprised to see so many disks from the Top 5 which were not chart toppers, but obviously they were in the Top 40 for several weeks and notched up more airplay. In fact, one #1 single (John’s “Whatever Gets You Through the Night,” from 1974) didn’t make the list at all – probably since it dropped off so quickly. Also not making the grade were:

Instant Karma (John) (1970, #3)

Imagine (John) (1971, #3)

No No Song (Ringo) (1974, #3)

Let 'Em In (Paul) (1976, #3)

Oh My My (Ringo) (1973, #5)

George’s “All Those Years Ago” was not included, probably since it was still on the chart in July ‘81. It would peak at #2 for three weeks around this time. Had AT40 made another Beatles special, I’m sure it would have made the cut. And the following songs almost certainly would have:

Ebony & Ivory (Paul w/Stevie Wonder) (1982)

The Girl Is Mine (Paul w/Michael Jackson) (1982, #2)

Say Say Say (Paul w/Michael Jackson) (1983)

Nobody Told Me (John) (1984, #5)

Got My Mind Set On You (George) (1987)

Not included in the AT40 special, obviously, are two British chart-toppers (#4 “Lady Madonna” and #8 “The Ballad of John and Yoko”). My theory about why they missed in America is that the former – being their last Capitol single before the “switch” to Apple -- was under-promoted. And “Ballad” was denied airplay in parts of the country for its use of the word “Christ.” Plus, it came out too soon after “Get Back” (which was still on the charts). Both songs are still popular today, as are the following… they’ve appeared on several Beatle hits compilations, but weren't in the AT40 countdown for the reasons indicated:

*From Me to You (1964)-a massive UK hit, and their first official chart-topper there. In America, it was relegated to the B-side of "Please Please Me" in 1964, and only charted at #41 (after previously charting at #116 as an A-side in 1963)

*Maybe I'm Amazed (Paul) (1970)-one of Paul's most famous songs was never released as a single. A live version hit #10 in 1977 and gets airplay on oldies stations today.

*Mull of Kintyre (Paul) (1977)-a massive UK #1; it was the biggest-selling single of all time for many years. In the US, it was the flip side of "Girls School" (which hit #33)

*Pipes of Peace (Paul) (1983)-like "Mull" six years earlier, this was a UK #1. In the US it was the flip side of "So Bad" in 1984 (which hit #23)

*What Is Life (George) (1970, #10)

*Jet (Paul) (1973, #7)

*Watching the Wheels (John) (1980, #10)-the three songs above get heavy airplay on oldies and classic rock stations, they’ve been used in other media, but they weren’t massive hits on original release.

 

For reference, the 40 biggest Beatles (group only) singles were compiled in the 2006 book, “Billboard’s Hottest Hits.” Interesting how things changed in 25 years, with several songs ranking relatively higher than they did in 1981:

1-Hey Jude

2-I Want To Hold Your Hand

3-She Loves You

4-Get Back

5-Let It Be

6-Can't Buy Me Love

7-Yesterday

8-We Can Work It Out

9-I Feel Fine

10-Help!

11-Hello Goodbye

12-A Hard Day's Night

13-Come Together/Something

14-Twist And Shout

15-All You Need Is Love

16-Love Me Do

17-Paperback Writer

18-Ticket To Ride

19-The Long And Winding Road

20-Eight Days A Week

21-Penny Lane

22-Please Please Me

23-Do You Want To Know A Secret?

24-Yellow Submarine

25-Lady Madonna

26-Nowhere Man

27-Got To Get You Into My Life

28-Revolution

29-She's A Woman

30-The Ballad Of John And Yoko

31-Day Tripper

32-The Beatles Movie Medley

33-Strawberry Fields Forever

34-And I Love Her

35-P.S. I Love You

36-Eleanor Rigby

37-I Saw Her Standing There

38-Ain't She Sweet

39-Matchbox

40-Free As A Bird

Electric Recording Co. v. VMP: The Doors in Mono

There has been much controversy around the recent Electric Recording Company’s mono reissue of the 1967 debut album by The Doors. What it seems to boil down to is Mike from The In Groove saying the record sounds bad, and MichaelFremer of “The Tracking Angle” saying the tape has issues, so that’s why it doesn’t sound great, so the ERC issue is an accurate recreation.

To me, that means they’re both right; it’s just a question of whether you want a record that sounds good to you, or something authentic?

If you want something that will probably sound good to most people, Vinyl Me, Please reissued this album in 2021. While the ERC edition cost about $500 and is sold out, you can still get the VMP for under $70 (it only recently sold out). And the VMP sounds excellent because they (digitally) addressed some of the tape issues that Fremer elaborates on. It also looks cooler (green vinyl with a white promo-style label), has a very nicely done jacket (on ridiculously heavy stock), recreates the original inner sleeve (which ERC also did), and includes a re-created French EP!

This does raise issues around what a reissue should be. I’ve seen this hashed out since the 1980s: should a reissue 1) reflect the highest possible fidelity, or 2) reflect what the very first pressing sounded like, or 3) what the artist INTENDED things to sound like?

So, is the VMP what the Doors wanted it to sound like (had technology allowed) in 1967? If Bruce Botnick is endorsing it (as Fremer points out), I think that’s good enough. And clearly they — or Elektra -- weren’t happy with the mono back in ‘67.

But ERC’s selling point is originality, and that’s fine for some listeners, too.

If all this seems confusing, consider the very first UK pressings of The Beatles’ “Rubber Soul” (“loud cut”) and “Revolver” (with the wrong mix of “Tomorrow Never Knows”). By all accounts, neither is what the group wanted, nor is “Rubber Soul” of the highest possible fidelity. And that’s why they weren’t recreated or used as reference for the 2014 mono box. Yet there are plenty of people who seek them out and would pay handsomely for an ERC-like recreation.

My review of the VMP version: