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American Idol I much prefer Gedeon's... | Today's News: Our Take | 3/9/2006
American IdolI much prefer Gedeon's singing to his odd speaking voice. Once again he made the perfect song choice, as did Chris, who wasn't as impressive as last week but was still on top of the heap. I loved when Chris admitted that he used to have Ryan Seacrest-style hair but shaved it all off when he started going bald. The shrieking you heard was Ryan falling off the stage after facing his worst nightmare.
Kevin mentioned his love for Kanye West and then went on to perform one of the blandest, most milquetoast '70s songs ever created. Way to prove your street cred, Chicken Little. I always hum "Vincent" when I think of Kanye — doesn't everyone? Bucky remained in his country-song safety zone with read more
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Who sang the theme song for ... | Today's News: Our Take | 9/29/2005
Question: Who sang the theme song for The Golden Girls?
Answer: Cynthia Fee sang an abbreviated version of Andrew Gold's "Thank You for Being a Friend" for the show, which, as you know, ran on NBC from 1985-92 and starred Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty as four seniors living in Miami.
The song was a Top 25 hit from Gold's 1978 album, All This and Heaven Too. The singer-songwriter (a term popularized when you needed to do at least one to have a career in the music business) had a previous Top 5 hit with "Lonely Boy" in 1976 and, putting in time as a producer, studio musician and songwriter for others, has worked with such notable talent as Linda Ronstadt, Karla Bonoff, James Taylor, Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson, Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Dia read more
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I have two commercial-related ... | Today's News: Our Take | 8/30/2005
Question: I have two commercial-related questions. First, there is a MasterCard commercial I saw recently, with adults in a rather unique candy store. The song playing is the Willy Wonka tune "Pure Imagination," but it's performed by a modern group. Could you please tell me what group performs this version? The other question is about the ads for Dove cookies and ice cream. I say that the actress in the ads is Minnie Driver, but my wife thinks it is just someone who looks a lot like her. Could you please settle this? Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Answer: Hey, as James Taylor once sang in an oh-so-mellow fashion, that's why I'm here, Patrick.
Don't know if you'll be happy with what I have to tell you, however. First off, the MasterCard ad you're referring to, "Candy Store," featured a version of the Wonka song specially commissioned for the commerc read more
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Carly Simon's Candid Talk | Today's News: Our Take | 7/12/2005
She's chronicled her romantic angst in song since the '70s, but Carly Simon has always left a piece of her heart in the '30s and '40s. As proof, the 60-year-old singer and songwriter is releasing her fourth CD of standards, Moonlight Serenade, on July 19. We visited the Oscar and Grammy winner at her Greenwich Village duplex in a historic town house.
TV Guide: Moonlight Serenade has a very intimate, mellow feel.
Carly Simon: Our intention was an album that you could make out to. [Laughs]
TV Guide: You actually knew some legendary composers.
Simon: Yes. Arthur Schwartz ("Dancing in the Dark") was my parents' [Simon & Schuster publisher Richard Simon and his wife Andrea] best friend. Oscar Hammerstein was a close friend of theirs, too. I have a personal feeling about these songs.
TV Guide: Can you feel as passionate about these songs as you do about your own?
Simon: read more
