Tuesday's video: It's Harris-Walz and more stories....

Mr. Mayor, keep the buses

Mr. Mayor, keep the buses: Remember the Texas to New York buses? Well, Mayor Eric Adams went to the courts to stop the buses dropping off migrants. And he lost. This is the story: The New York State Supreme Court has ruled against Mayor Eric Adams' attempt to…

Click to read:

Mr. Mayor, keep the buses - American Thinker https://t.co/yEtSTeV3lo

— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) August 6, 2024

We remember Lucy (1911-1989)

We remember Lucille Désirée Ball who was born on this day in 1911.  She died in 1989.   

For my money, Lucille Ball is the funniest lady around.

Lucy and Desi gave us "I love Lucy", perhaps the greatest TV show ever.    You can now purchase the entire series here.    As I've heard, the show is seen in over 70 countries and many languages.   Can you imagine Lucy dubbed in Japanese?  

P.S.  You can listen to my show.  If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.

We remember Ernesto Lecuona (1895-1963)

Like some of you, I grew up listening & hearing stories about Ernesto Lecuona's songs.

He was my parents' favorite composer! They had a personal reference to each and every one of his songs!

Lecuona was a very prolific songwriter.

He was great!   We chatted with Fernando Hernandez a few years ago about his songs and careers:

Lucy was funny in Spanish too

(My new American Thinker post)

Here is a pleasant thought for your Sunday morning: the amazing and hilarious Lucille Ball was born in Jamestown, N.Y. on this day in 1911.  She died in 1989.

Back in the late 1950s and until Castro expropriated private television stations in the early 1960s, we used to get most U.S. TV shows, but dubbed in Spanish, from "Rin Tin Tin" to "Lassie" to "Perry Mason" and others.  In fact, my first exposure to American football was watching a Disney cartoon of Pluto running with the ball.  I should add that there was a lot of Cuban-produced TV — a shock to leftists who think the island was a "you know what"–hole longing for a Robin Hood to save us from Yankee imperialism.

Personally, I don't remember watching Lucy and Desi on Cuban TV, but my parents did.  My memories of watching Lucy dubbed in Spanish was watching the show on business trips to Mexico or pre-Chávez Venezuela.  What I found even more interesting is that everybody knew about Lucy, from the receptionist to the manager to the guy on the assembly line.  Mentioning Lucy always brought a chuckle and a good feeling for all.  I once told a friend that Lucy was better known than Mickey Mouse, and it's true.

Honestly, it was hilarious to see Lucy and Ethel scheme in Spanish.  It was even more funny when I was familiar with the show in English, especially the episode where the ladies take a job at the chocolate factory.  Some of the translation choices were wonderful.

I still love "I Love Lucy" and watch it every time I can.  It passes from one generation to the next because the comedy is second to none! 

We love Lucy in whatever language she is speaking! 

PS: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

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The story of Desi Arnaz and "Desilu" with Frank Burke, author

By the winter of 1964, my brother and I were attending school in Wisconsin.

It was fun playing football in snowstorms and answering questions about “Ricky Ricardo”, or the only Cuban that any of my friends knew anything about.

Desi was born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III in 1917.  His father was a politician and mayor of Santiago de Cuba, or the second largest city on the island.

In the 1930s, Mr. Arnaz sent Desi and his mother to the U.S.  He joined them a little later.  We understand that Mr. Arnaz had some political problems and decided to take a little “exile” in Florida.

In the U.S., Desi worked in odd jobs and eventually found himself playing “bongos” on stage. 

 In 1940, he met Lucy and they were married quickly.  They worked separately for most the 1940s until the idea of “I Love Lucy” in 1951.

We also remember him for “Desilu,” the TV company that changed TV and produced many of the sitcoms that we grew up watching.  

Desi Arnaz became one of the most successful businessmen and executives of the 20th century.

He died in 1986.

We spoke with Frank Burke, author, businessman & contributor to American Thinker........We remembered Desi Arnaz (1917-1986) and 'I love Lucy' plus the business story of 'Desilu'..........and other stories........click to listen:



P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.

Lucy & Ricky: Your marriage counseling video!

This is a little marriage counseling from TV's most famous married couple.

All of us can use marital advice.....can't we?

We don't know why Lucy got so mad at Ricky but this video is hilarious:

August 1966: Remembering The Beatles' Revolver, my 2nd favorite album!

(P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk)

In a previous post, I wrote that Rubber Soul was my favorite Beatles' album. Today, we remember my 2nd favorite: Revolver.

In the UK, and most places, Revolver was released after Rubber Soul.

In the US, Revolver was released after "Yesterday and Today", a collection of 45's and other songs from the UK Rubber Soul.

The US Revolver was interesting because Paul did most of the lead vocals. It also confirmed that George Martin is one of the great pop music producers ever! You can see Martin's creative influence all over this album.

George had 3 songs, including the classic "Taxman".

John was limited to lead vocals on two songs, like "Tomorrow never knows" and "She said, she said". He had more tracks on the UK version. He had a couple more in the UK Revolver and were released in the aforementioned "Yesterday and Today:.

Why were the US and UK versions different? I don't know but they were.

What else do they say about Revolver:

"If you don't like Revolver, then you probably don't like rock music." (Reviews)

I would agree with that.

Let me go further: If you don't like Revolver then you don't understand The Beatles!

1971: "Melody" is a year older

Like some of you, I caught the "rent a video" bug in the mid-1980's. 

I remember going to the store one weekend and finding a British movie called "Melody" from 1971.  I read that it featured the music of The Bee Gees so that was enough to rent and watch the movie.  I don't think that the movie was released in the US.

Frankly, it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable movies that I've ever seen.  It did not win any awards or get inducted in some Hall of Fame but it was entertaining.

"Melody" was the story of a boy and girl living that "moment" when we all figure out that boys and girls are different. 

You can call it your "first crush" moment!   Remember that time when you kept looking at some girl across the room?  Remember how she looked back?  Remember the Friday night dance with all of the boys on one side and the girls on the other?

"Melody" was very nice and the music was fabulous, specially "First of May", one of the greatest songs from The Bee Gees' repertoire.

Rent "Melody" and you will enjoy it, specially if you were once a 12-year old boy with a crush on a cute girl in school.

P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.

1971: WABC New York Top 20 this week

We remember this week in 1971.  It was a pretty good list in the very early 1970's.   

At # 16, Chicago and the "45" version of "Beginnings".  The LP version was actually released in 1968 in that great LP simply called "Chicago Transit Authority".  The original version was very long, as I recall.

So here is the Top 20 at WABC New York:

  1. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart                            
                               The Bee Gees (Atco) 
  2. Draggin' the Line - Tommy James (Roulette)                 
  3. You've Got a Friend - James Taylor (Warner Brothers)       
  4. Indian Reservation (The Lament of the                        
          Cherokee Reservation Indian) - The Raiders (Columbia)  
  5. Bring the Boys Home - Freda Payne (Invictus)                
  6. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - Marvin Gaye (Tamla)         
  7. Take Me Home, Country Roads - John Denver (RCA)            
  8. It's Too Late - Carole King (Ode)                           
  9. Mr. Big Stuff - Jean Knight (Stax)                          
 10. Hot Pants (She Got to Use What She Got                       
            to Get What She Wants) Pt. 1 - James Brown (People)  
 11. Spanish Harlem - Aretha Franklin (Atlantic)                
 12. Don't Pull Your Love -                                       
                       Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds (Dunhill)  
 13. What the World Needs Now Is Love/Abraham, Martin & John -    
                                              Tom Clay (Mowest) 
 14. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get - The Dramatics (Volt)          
 15. K-Jee - The Nite-Liters (RCA)                              
 16. Beginnings - Chicago (Columbia)                            
 17. Signs - The Five Man Electrical Band (Lionel)              
 18. Sooner or Later - The Grass Roots (Dunhill)                
 19. Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers (Sussex)                  --
 20. Sweet Hitch-Hiker - Creedence Clearwater Revival (Fantasy)

P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.