JonMichael is Neither Jon nor Michael

Atlantic Puzzler Reviews 1992

Dec 1992 -- Wrap Session* A
Nov 1992 -- Centerpiece A-
Oct 1992 -- Amazement* A
Sep 1992 -- Hex** A-
Aug 1992 -- Literal Interpretation B+
Jul 1992 -- Relay Race* B+
Jun 1992 -- Code Pairs* A-
May 1992 -- Cutting The Cards* A
Apr 1992 -- Wheel of Fortune* A
Mar 1992 -- Borrowers And Lenders* B+
Feb 1992 -- Valentine B+
Jan 1992 -- Initiation* A-

*Available in "The Random House Guide to Cryptic Crosswords" 2nd Ed.
**Available in "The Atlantic Monthly Cryptic Crosswords"

I'm Walkin' by Ricky Nelson (#4 in 1957)

Ricky Nelson is one of my favorite big artists of the pre-Beatles era. He didn’t need to cover “I’m Walkin’” for his first single. It was only a slightly larger hit that Fats’ version (from two weeks ago) and flipped over to become “A Teenager’s Romance” which was an even bigger one. Plus, Ricky doesn’t add bupkis to this song and he may even take some stuff away from it. Bad opening gambit but it eventually works out.

Rock-A-Billy by Guy Mitchell (#10 in 1957)

Guy Mitchell’s great tracks continue with “Rock-A-Billy” which is rumored to have been the origin of the word rockabilly.  In this one, a rockin’ arrangement and a lyric about the music itself gives the whole song a place in time, even if rock separatist Mitch Miller produced it.  Fortunately, Guy’s zeal for the song carries him through and the spare arrangement actually helps this one rock out.  Unfortunately, its was Guy’s last top ten for 2 years (and that was his last) and, in that time, Elvis Presley became the true standard bearer of the form.

So Rare by Jimmy Dorsey (#3 in 1957)

This song is a cheesy hold-over from the early fifties.  Big bander Dorsey (no, the other one) recorded this three-quarter instrumental after rock had firmly taken hold and still got a top 5 out of it.  It may be slightly more uptempo than most, but the Mitch Miller-esque chorus is not rock at all.  This song does have a great story, though.  My good friend, John Sams, displays 45s on his walls (his favorites are Cameo-Parkway) and he wanted to display this single as well.  I asked him and he responded because it’s “So Rare”.

School Day by Chuck Berry (#3 in 1957)

“School Day” is the Chuck Berry for Dummies single.  Everybody’s been to school and can relate to not being able to find a place to eat or wanting to dance instead of studying.  The music (which he later ripped off for “No Particular Place To Go”) is upbeat in a rockin’ way without being contentious.  Aaah… but Chuck was black.  In ’57, no one played black artists on their white radio. Well, Chuck broke down the barriers one by one.  And it explains why Jimmy Dorsey’s “So Rare”, and its ilk was soon rendered obsolete than this track.

Atlantic Puzzler Reviews 1991

Dec 1991 -- Boxed Set B+
Nov 1991 -- Knight's Moves B+
Oct 1991 -- Deduction* A-
Sep 1991 -- Mitosis A-
Aug 1991 -- Rectangular* A-
Jul 1991 -- Kangaroos* A
Jun 1991 -- Word Links* B-
May 1991 -- Choice Words* B+
Apr 1991 -- Offerings B+
Mar 1991 -- Compact Disc* A-
Feb 1991 -- Heartbroken A-
Jan 1991 -- For Beginners* A

*Available in "The Random House Guide to Cryptic Crosswords" 2nd Ed.

Gone by Ferlin Husky (#5 in 1957)

Why do people like whiny songs?  In addition to just plain country music (where Ferlin falls), there’s Bobby Vinton and Bread and so many others… why?  Elvis knocked down some barriers between pop and country that took a couple of years to rebuild and people like Ferlin and Hank Locklin crossed over onto the pop charts with dreck that should have never escaped a recording studio.  Mr. Husky sounds anything but as he painfully overemotes about how he lost his girl while being backed by a not at all convincing C&W arrangement.  Now it’s gone.

Atlantic Puzzler Reviews 1990

Dec 1990 -- Magic Act A-
Nov 1990 -- Trapdoors** B
Oct 1990 -- Zip Code* B+
Sep 1990 -- Twisting Route* A-
Aug 1990 -- Quasicrystal** A
Jul 1990 -- Going Too Far A-
Jun 1990 -- Mystery Theater* A-
May 1990 -- X Marks The Spot** A
Apr 1990 -- Getting Around** A
Mar 1990 -- Hidden Faces B+
Feb 1990 -- Heart-To-Heart A-
Jan 1990 -- In The Spirit** A-

*Available in "The Random House Guide to Cryptic Crosswords" 2nd Ed.
**Available in "The Atlantic Monthly Cryptic Crosswords"

All Shook Up by Elvis Presley (#1 in 1957)

This could be the best rock and roll song ever, but probably not.  “All Shook Up” (admit it, you already know the words) is a towering Elvis record.  Whether it’s the “mm-hm”’s or being proud to say that she is your buttercup, this song absolutely rips the lid off of that flush of being in love: the zeal and fervor and the total lack of “coolness”... which is why Elvis nails it.  Elvis plays with his own detachment and while still being committed to the lyrics and Elvis’ backing musicians have never sounded Moore competent.  A mammoth!

Come Go With Me by the Del-Vikings (#4 in 1957)

It’s useful to think of what the world would be like without certain songs, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, “I Love Rock and Roll” or “Walk This Way”.  “Come Go With Me” is one because, without it, there may not have been the Beach Boys.  This is rock’s first harmony group that didn’t sing ballads.  This song has simple premise (I love you; come with me) and even simpler instrumentation.  And yet, the harmonies are rich and the joy obvious.  Plus the name. Other songs have this title yet no one says that phrase in real life.  Pretty important.