The previous day we had tied a Boston record for heat with 104 degrees at Logan Airport. Inside the tent was pretty warm. Boz came on first with his standards: Jo Jo, Georgia, Low Down, We’re All Alone, Harbor Lights, Miss Sun, Some Change and a Fats Domino tune, " Sick and Tired," that I love. "Before you go to bed I even brush your teeth."
We have seen him four times now. He has never done my very favorite, "Fly Like a Bird." Do you know it? He is accompanied by an accordion on that one. When am I going to learn how to spell it? No, I know how to spell “it,” but have trouble with the word “accordion.”
Accordions certainly have become a large part of my musical and dancing pleasure. Someone said that the definition of a gentleman was someone who knew how to play the accordion, BUT DIDN'T. Or what is the difference between a fiddle and a violin? Answer: the violin doesn't get beer spilled on it. Boz almost always makes the list for the Bob's World annual CD.
After the break, Michael McDonald came on stage for the second half of the show. They share the same band. I remember the black gospel singer from shows past. Her name is Miss Monet. He did some old Doobie Brothers songs and “I Keep Forgettin’.” For some reason I thought he was formerly part of Chicago. We own all of Boz's stuff but not even one Doobie Brothers. "It Keeps You Runnin’."
Sandy has a facial client whose Mom and Dad originally owned and operated the South Shore Music Circus. Back then they would actually put the performers up at their house. Consequently the daughter never knew who she would be having breakfast with -- Perry Como, Zero Mostel or even Liberace. I hope she writes a book.
Looking back, we have seen: Arlo Guthrie, Everly Brothers, Four Seasons, the Cowsills, Captain & Tennille, Chuck Berry, Lyle Lovett, k.d. lang, Bill Cosby, Tony Orlando & Dawn, Neil Sedaka, Linda Ronstadt, Tony Benidetto, Art Garfunkel, Martha without the Vandellas, Diana Ross without the Supremes, The Monkees , Sha Na Na , Bobby Ryderelli and Fabian Forte and Frankie Avalone all at the same time. And Susan Tedeschi. And that is just of the top of my head. The very first show we ever saw there was in 1967. I got free tickets for my young bride and I while in the Navy, from Special Services. The show was “There's A Girl In My Soup” or “Guess Who's Coming To Dinner” or “If It is Tuesday It Must Be Belgium.” Maybe it was even “Hair.” I forget. Let me give my brain a rest and maybe it will come to me. Oh! “Something Happened On The Way To The Forum.” 2011 is the Music Circus's 60th year. Wow!
Surprisingly, the people attending the Music Circus this time were boisterous; some stood and danced, obstructing those sitting in their seats. I complained and explained to one of the young attendants that my generation would actually sit in their seats to watch a performance. With no one wearing backward baseball caps. The attendant seemed flabbergasted over these statements.
They allow beer into the tent now, which could have been a reason for all the chatter during the performance. Years ago, if you stood, someone would come over immediately and tell you to sit down. The attendant that I spoke to did not even realize that he had the right to do that. A female attendant who was listening walked over to the drunken or drugged woman and asked her to sit down. She did so, but later on turned around and acknowledged us with her middle finger.
The South Shore Music Circus has gotten lax. Rumor has it that next year they will allow casual sex during the performances but will try to curtail all the chatter.
At the finale, Boz came on to sing with Michael. Michael introduced the first tune as "maybe the best love song ever written. It was “Hallelujah." That is the second reference to L. Cohen that I have heard this week. The other was in an interview with Kris Kristofferson in Cowboy and Indian magazine’s September issue, saying that he and Leonard are indeed close friends. You still subscribe to the magazine, I suspect. Kris is seventy five years old.
After “Hallelujah,” Michael got up from his keyboard and strapped on the infamous red and white keyed accordion. Boz introduced the tune as one from New Orleans, written by Chuck Berry, the performer, Boz said, who influenced him the most in his career. We saw Chuck at this same Music Circus years ago. We went with my old Navy friends, who are our age, Maggie and Ray Risley. When Chuck came down the aisle, Maggie blurted out LOUDLY that "She didn't know he was black!" You can't make up stuff like this. Chuck turns eighty this year.
Anyway, the second song they sang was Chuck’s "You Never Can Tell," which is another one of my all-time favorites.
It was a teenage wedding and the old folks wished them well
You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
We even danced to it at Martha and Paul's wedding in D.C. It was twisted to by John Travolta and Uma Thurman in the movie Pulp Fiction, and it even made the Bob's World CD one year. I prefer the one by Chuck, as opposed to the other very good one by the Aaron Neville.
All's well that ends well. C'est la Vie, I guess.
