Space Oddity - Ground Control to Major Me

The first time I heard this David Bowie song, I felt like he was singing it to me. This was my song. I wanted to be an astronaut, but unfortunately being an astronaut is HAAAAAAARD!  That and God had other stuff for me to do so I've put off going into space for when we get carried off to heaven. If there's an orbital lab around the new Earth I plan to be on the construction crew - either that I want to be on the crew of a star ship.  I'm certain there will be stuff like that. After all, we are an exploring species and those of us who survive the old Earth should be trustworthy enough to turn loose to explore the stars and there are an awful lot of those out there, so we likely won't be bored with it all since we're living forever.

This is the coolest version of the song ever done. It's Canadian ISS astronaut Chris Hadfield singing with NASA footage in a monumentally marvelous music video. Hadfield has a really good voice too. So enjoy the first space-based music video with actual astronauts and footage shot in space. I still think they're singing my song, though.

"Major" Tom King

That's How the Yodel Was Born - Riders in the Sky

So, have you ever wondered how Cowboys ever got into yodeling?  It's not the sort of musical style that one would expect to find out in the Wild Wild West. So far as we know, yodeling is only common in the Swiss Alps - a rather long way from the plains of Texas. 

Let us offer an alternative explanation. Here are Riders in the Sky with the story of how the Cowboy Yodel was born - a song guaranteed to make even the toughest CowBOYS cringe.

It's a great story and it explains everything!

Tom King

Theme from Rawhide - Blues Brothers

 

The Blues Brothers came out of Saturday Night Live - a retro blues band featuring Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi. In this sequence from the movie, Jake and Elwood and the boys wind up at a cowboy bar trying to make a few bucks to keep gas in the car by replacing the band that had been originally booked. When the set went south, they switch seemlessly to the first cowboy song they can think of - the theme to the TV show Rawhide. They pull it off too and end the set singing Tammy Wynette's "Stand by Your Man." I love that the stage is screened in with chicken wire and there's a bullwhip hanging on the wall. The owner says they have both kinds of music, country AND western. I love it. Kinda highlights the advantages of a musician being versatile............or any independent entrepreneur for that matter. Give the customer what he wants, that's my motto.

Tom

The Place Where I Worship

1975 Lone Star Camp Band - Jack, Bill, Tom & Bow

I learned this song at Lone Star Camp when Elder Burns was Youth Director at the Texas Conference of Seventh day Adventists. It's the perfect song to sing by a campfire with a guitar and a bunch of friends.  The place where I worship truly is the wide open spaces - whenever I can get to them. You are welcome there alone or with the one you love.

And who better to sing it than Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with the Sons of the Pioneers. This version is a medley with another favorite end of campfire song, Happy Trails. It's the kind of song that you need in your repertoire if you play guitar and camp. You just need this song.

You have click on the Youtube notice to link over to Youtube to watch this.

There are other versions you can look up on Youtube, but I'll stick with Roy and Dale.If this link doesn't work for you try clicking on this one.

Tom

Cool Clear Water - Cowboy Song That Makes You Thirsty

Continuing along the contrasting voice theme, there's this little gem originally done by Sons of the Pioneers when Roy Rogers was with them. I love that version, but this version with Joni Mitchell teamed up with Willie Nelson is special. I don't think I've ever been disappointed with a duet by anyone with Willie Nelson.  Here's the Joni Mitchell / Willie Nelson version AND the Sons of the Pioneers rather different version with the smooth Western cowboy blend that they were famous for.

First: Joni and Willie

Next:  The Sons of the Pioneer

And here's a nice version by Riders in the Sky (we'll here another song by them later on)

I love the way everyone has their own take on the song.  I may just come up with my own version someday. If so, I will append it here.

2017 by Tom King