HOUSE OF H2O is one of several writing projects with which I am involved.(You like that fancy-schmancy lingo? This is the nonsense up with which I will not put!)
Anyhow, WaterHouse is the place where I come to comment on things popular in our culture. Now some snob would probably claim that "popular" and "culture" don't belong together. And you know what? If some jerk-off said such a thing in front (or even behind) me, I'd clock him. In fact...I have de-snobbed a snob or two already. No need to thank me; it was my pleasure.
When I was but a teen, I took one of the first American Popular Culture classes in the country. It was taught by a professor with whom I fell in love (there I go again!) which was really cheating, for me and I suspect, maybe her. I fell and she knew I had, so I really got into it all for maybe the wrong reason. Or not. Who knows such things, anyway?
By the time I made it to college and that class, I had already appeared (and kicked major popular culture butt) on NBC-TV's 'Name That Tune,' and a national commercial. When it came time to write my thesis: FRANK SINATRA, THE AMERICAN POPULAR HERO, I traveled to Las Vegas and The Palace of the Caesars where Mr. Sinatra his own self helped me out. Jilly too. I mean, that really IS cheating, no? I spoke to Mr. S about pop music longer in one evening than most members of his orchestra ever did. ( An orchestra is a band with strings, by the way, with all apologies to Johnny Carson and his "NBC Orchestra," which was almost always sans strings, if you'll remember). Sinatra spoke to Vinnie Falcone who spoke to the musicians. That's how it was done.
That first of what would turn into many conversations was kinda weird. There was a real generation gap as I wanted to talk about Tommy Dorsey while Mr.Sinatra kept talking about Paul McCartney. Hey, that brings-up an interesting point- does anyone refer to a generation gap anymore? Now that 40 is the new whatever or whatever, perhaps there is no gap? HA! Of course there is, whether the older ones wish to acknowledge it or not. That's why I get off on stuff like that new ringtone that emits that 17 kiloherts tone that people over 20 can't quite hear. Ring on!
Back in the day, McCartney wrote an 'Under My Thumb'-type tune for Sinatra, who had requested Christmas songs. The song, 'Suicide,' was never recorded. He did do Elton John's 'Remember live but, sadly, never recorded it. It's another 'Tiny Dancer,' and, as I get back to the student-teacher thing, reminds me how a song can become so personal, if you let it in.
