Pophistory: music, movies, history, and life.
Many years ago, a newspaper published a list of the top romantic movies for Valentine’s Day, and the writer included Shane (1953) on the list. At first, the choice surprised me. I had always thought of the movie as a great action Western. But after reading the article, I focused more on the relationship between … Continue reading “Is Shane a Romantic Movie?”
To celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, listen to Aaron Copland’s A Lincoln Portrait. Copland was commissioned in 1942 to create a composition to comfort a nation at war still reeling from the attack on Pearl Harbor. Copland felt overwhelmed with the assignment. But then he came up with the idea to find comfort for the country in … Continue reading “A Lincoln Portrait”
On February 4, 1961, Lenny Bruce performed before a full house at a midnight show at Carnegie Hall. Outside that cold night, a blizzard was blowing through the city, and there was also something powerful going on inside. The Carnegie Hall Performance Although Lenny Bruce’s career had been slowly building, the performance at Carnegie Hall … Continue reading “Lenny Bruce is Not Afraid”
Starting last Thursday, the U.S. Homeland Security Department began phasing out the color-coded terror-threat system that was created after September 11, 2001. The system will end completely by April 26, 2011. The national level has been at yellow (elevated) since 2006, with air flights being at orange (high risk). Hopefully, in the future, anyone born … Continue reading “A Pop Culture Tribute to the End of the Terror Color Levels”
Country music legend Charlie Louvin died this morning due to complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 83. Charlie Louvin, born Charlie Elzer Loudermilk in 1927, and his brother Ira formed the Louvin Brothers, known for their harmonies and described by Allmusic.com as “one of the most influential musicians of the ’40s and ’50s.” After the … Continue reading “Charlie Louvin RIP”