Could You Use a Break?

This page does not argue or cajole, it merely collects a few things that I have noticed that lifted my spirits a little. You can use the button in the lower-right corner of these YouTube videos (the one that looks like a monochrome US flag) to switch to full-screen view.  Use the [Esc] key to return to little-tiny view. The time for each one is listed in it’s toolbar.  Just click on the big “Play” button in the middle of the picture to get started.

A little good-natured theft from Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody adapted to David and Goliath.  Read more or enter comment.

In case you forgot, this is the original Bohemian Rhapsody. Freddie Mercury later cut his hair and grew a mustache.

Thanks to Ted Moody for this one. This is a great rendition of Drift Away and an inspiration. His name is Mark Goffeney and he was born without arms. He is the leader of the Big Toe Band.

Mark and pianist Julian Thomas play Higher Ground for singer “Do” at the 2009 Dutch Cap Awards.

The Big Toe Band plays Shine with the famous lyric “Heaven let your light shine down” by Collective Soul.

Weezer plays Buddy Holly in Happy Days!  The miracle of digital video.

The Greatest Man That Ever Lived: Children of Winter - Poor Boyz featuring Weezer.  Lots of snow and skiing; we don’t see that in Costa Rica.

Weezer is covering this song, Creep, (by the English band RadioHead) in a session with lots of help.

Columbia Business School (CBS) Dean Glenn Hubbard sings about wanting Alan Greenspan’s job at the Fed that went instead to Ben Bernanke. The parody is by CBS students.

I’m a big time Dylan fan, but this just cracked me up.

This one is corny (from the 80s), but I like it.

Wesley sings Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash.  Read more or enter comment for any one on this row.

Emma reminds me a lot of my daughter, Jen, when she was that age.  She wrote this after a storm dumped a foot of snow and canceled school.  Also by Emma: Fun and Leppie Went a Courtin’.

United Breaks Guitars, by Dave Carroll.  This is a different way to handle litigious situations.

This piece combines my favorite song writer, Bob Dylan, and my favorite vocalist, Joan Baez. Dylan wrote this song for his children in 1973.

Thanks to my friend Stuart Nichols for this one from the same period. The lyrics were originally written as a poem by Chapin’s wife, Sandy.

The video leads you by the hand so that you can follow all the harmonies and read the Latin lyrics (if you want to). Read more or enter comment.

Heinrich Tannhäuser breaks the spell of Venus with, “My salvation rests in Mary, the mother of God.” Don’t miss the “Alleluias” near the end.  Read more or enter comment.

This is my favorite piece of classical music.  Written in 1895 by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, it is very soothing for anyone who can be still for three minutes or so.

You might remember the phenomenon of “streakers” from the ‘70s.  Ray Stevens released this in 1974. It sold almost 5 million copies.

Ray Stevens made fun of just about everyone and I mean no disrespect in hosting this portrayal. There is another one, Osama Yo’ Mama, that is less respectful.

Ray Stevens covered this song from the Coasters and and the “female” voice sounds like Brother Dave Gardner to me. Someone tacked it on to an old Ernie Kovacs skit for this video.

Another one from Ted.  The Armed Forces Medley in barber shop style (not exactly a quartet).

Taylor is an 11-year-old, self-taught yodeler.  She is great!  Thanks to my friend Tom McClellan for this one.

So, where was the camera?  Don’t try this at home, unless you have a copy of Lock On Modern Air Combat.

Dear People, This is a most beautiful presentation of the Holy Mother.  +Fr. Constantine J. Simones