Gilbert Gottfried’s favorite Christmas Special

December 18, 1962 – Mr. Magoo starred as Ebenezer Scrooge in a musical version of Charles Dickens’ Christmas tale, Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol, music by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill and voiced by Jim Backus, Jack Cassidy, Paul Frees, Joan Gardner, Morey Amsterdam, and Royal Dano, which aired on NBC TV, on this date. ThereContinue reading “Gilbert Gottfried’s favorite Christmas Special”

Kirsty MacColl

it’s the anniversary of the passing of the the singer Kirsty MacColl. I can think of no better remembrance of her than playing this holiday classic. After their second album Rum, Sodomy & The Lash, The Pogues wanted to release a Christmas single. Instead of a cover song, lead singer Shane MacGowan and banjo playerContinue reading “Kirsty MacColl”

Before sampling was strictly regulated

December 17, 1991 –Gilbert O’Sullivan’s  Alone Again (Naturally) was ‘sampled’ in Biz Markie’s Alone Again, and the United States Federal Court for the Southern District of New York agreed with the 70’s artist that Biz needed to get permission to use his music in a very landmark case. That permission typically involves direct payment orContinue reading “Before sampling was strictly regulated”

… Buried with a stake of holly through his heart …

December 17, 1843 (there is some controversy concerning this actual date, some sources place it on the 19th of December.) – Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol on this date. Dickens wrote the novel after his first commercial failure. His previous novel, Martin Chuzzlewit had flopped, and he was suddenly strapped for cash. Martin ChuzzlewitContinue reading “… Buried with a stake of holly through his heart …”