JonMichael is Neither Jon nor Michael

Atlantic Puzzler Reviews 1983

Dec 1983 -- Medley A-
Nov 1983 -- Eights B+
Oct 1983 -- Diary of a Madman A
Sep 1983 -- Absolutely! A-
Aug 1983 -- Asteroids A
Jul 1983 -- Quadrants B+
Jun 1983 -- Waste Recycling B
May 1983 -- Cryptic Ping-Pong B
Apr 1983 -- Bookshelves A
Mar 1983 -- Noah's Ark B+
Feb 1983 -- From the Heart B+
Jan 1983 -- Bar-Hopping A-

Moonlight Gambler by Frankie Laine (#5 in 1957)

Unlike that other gambler, Frankie Laine’s too-country gambler is a Casanova more than a Jim Bechtel. In his overwrought-mid-50s-country-bordering-on-Slim-Whitman way, Frankie is telling us that the most supreme wager you can make is love. And he usually loses. Meanwhile, some sort of female specter has appeared in the background track and is wailing mournfully at Frankie’s statements. What an odd way to go out of the top ten. (Also, has anyone you have ever met gambled for matchsticks? This seems stupid to me.)

Atlantic Puzzler Reviews 1982

Dec 1982 -- Tree-Trimming B+
Nov 1982 -- Classified Ads A-
Oct 1982 -- Dual Commitment A-
Sep 1982 -- Spinning Wheel A
Aug 1982 -- Building Blocks B+
Jul 1982 -- Number Puzzle A
Jun 1982 -- Cryptic Golf A-
May 1982 -- Figures of Speech C+
Apr 1982 -- Carte Blanche A-
Mar 1982 -- One-Armed Bandit B
Feb 1982 -- Couples B+
Jan 1982 -- Backfield in Motion B

Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody by Jerry Lewis (#10 in 1956)

Sammy Davis Jr. could sing. Dean Martin could sing. Frank Sinatra could sing. Joey Bishop could not sing. Jerry Lewis (not Jerry Lee Lewis)… well. This song doesn’t completely suck, but try plugging in Jerry Lewis' voice for Dean Martin’s and you can imagine the change. His voice, while not unpleasant, is also not suited to the proximity required of 50’s vocalists. Jerry Lewis would sound better drowned in a wall of keyboards. And this old classic was kind of dumb to begin with. A weird way to close out rock’s first full year.

Atlantic Puzzler Reviews 1981

Dec 1981 -- Acrostic B-
Nov 1981 -- Letter Boxes B
Oct 1981 -- Patchwork B+
Sep 1981 -- Across and Down B-
Aug 1981 -- Two in One B
Jul 1981 -- Hidden Faces C+
Jun 1981 -- Breaking In B
May 1981 -- Men of Art B-
Apr 1981 -- Pinwheel B
Mar 1981 -- Debarment B-
Feb 1981 -- TV Guide B+
Jan 1981 -- Schizogrammata C

Banana Boat Song by Tarriers (#5 in 1957)

Of course everyone knows the Harry Belafonte version that came out at the same time, peaked at the same position (for longer) and lives with us to this day. But there’s a certain charm to this version as well. Even though it looks to the naked eye like a white legitimacy cover, it is in fact a folk version of the song. Foreshadowing the Kingston Trio, the Tarriers play simple melody lines and small vocal flourishes and try to sound like “the people.” They do pretty good, but there’s no way they can call this song their own.

Good to be back

After two weeks of living in God's love, building houses and walking around DC... I returned refreshed and renewed. Thanks to those of you who made it possible.