JonMichael is Neither Jon nor Michael

Atlantic Puzzler Reviews 1997

Dec 1997 -- Cryptacrostic A-
Nov 1997 -- Chessboard** A
Oct 1997 -- Haunted House B
Sep 1997 -- Double-Crossers** A-
Aug 1997 -- Scoreboard** A
Jul 1997 -- Celebrating the Fourth** A-
Jun 1997 -- Fortune Cookies B+
May 1997 -- Slide Show A
Apr 1997 -- Treasure Map A
Mar 1997 -- Dress Code B+
Feb 1997 -- Left, Right & Center A
Jan 1997 -- Word Square A-

**Available in "The Atlantic Monthly Cryptic Crosswords"

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down by Billy Williams (#7 in 1957)

John Sams has described this song as a nominee for Most Pathetic Song Ever.  Billy Williams character is writing himself a letter and pretending it is from a girl.  OK, Mr. Delusional.  Meanwhile in the 21st century, we wonder what’s wrong with him.  Maybe it’s is singing voice which appears to have been taken over by Saturday morning cartoon characters.  Or maybe its someone in his backing band who sound like they forgot to practice.  No matter; no one heard from William Williams again after this anyhow.

It's Not For Me To Say by Johnny Mathis (#6 in 1957)

My dad tells the story of a friend in a college who had “Johnny’s Greatest Hits” and, when my dad came over to study with him, played and replayed it ad infinitum. This really tested my dad’s patience. Johnny Mathis is the perfect 45 singer and a greatest hits album would be a sound investment, but his sometimes overly emotive expression can be off putting in extended doses. “It’s Not for Me to Say” is a great uncertainty-about-love song. Beautiful, melodic and compelling: a perfect single but I couldn’t listen to it for an album (certainly not more than once).

Valley of Tears by Fats Domino (#8 in 1957)

This is one of those 45s that flipped over while in the upper reaches of the chart and "It’s You I Love" is the better (and higher charting) single. Oh, Fats is sad, but all of his slow songs (like “Walking to New Orleans”) are best framed when he’s in a pitiable stance as opposed to here, where he sounds kind of (only kind of) whiny. You could say that this was a misstep, but Fats needed something to put on the back of his hit and the public is the one got it wrong.

Supreme Court

I wish the Supreme Court would rule on the constitutionality of the Teen Commandments monument in the Dane county court... or that monument to the Ten Commandments of Love in Warner Park.

Teddy Bear by Elvis Presley (#1 in 1957)

You are the king of rock and roll, why are you getting cutesy?  “Teddy Bear” is the kind of song you’d expect Pat Boone to sing ceptin’ Pat Boone’s wouldn’t half as nice as this one.  Even in a stifling teenage idol roll, Elvis finds a way to make the music fresh and make it swing.  And maybe it was sheer laziness that sent this one to the top for seven weeks.  Hey, at least it pushed a Pat Boone song out of number one.  Elvis was just killing time until he was doing time in his next number one.

Atlantic Puzzler Reviews 1996

Dec 1996 -- Snowflake** A
Nov 1996 -- Spoonerisms** A-
Oct 1996 -- Got a Match?** B
Sep 1996 -- Puzzle Warranty A-
Aug 1996 -- Rectangular B+
Jul 1996 -- Target Practice** A-
Jun 1996 -- Give us a Break!** A-
May 1996 -- Flower Cuttings A
Apr 1996 -- Combination Lock** A-
Mar 1996 -- Your Move** A-
Feb 1996 -- Blankety-Blank A
Jan 1996 -- Starting Block** A

**Available in "The Atlantic Monthly Cryptic Crosswords"

Searchin' by The Coasters (#3 in 1957)

The Coasters were rock’s first group that didn’t itself so seriously.  Here, they take a minor piano riff and a subbasement bass voice and make drive the “gonna find her” point home before the first verse.  Throw in a well-played sax and a list of detectives and you’ve got a great little song.  The Coasters knew that when you’re introducing a new style of music to wider audience (such as “black” music) it helps to take the edge off with some humor.  They never reached the stratospheric heights of some others, but the without the Coasters, there’d be nothing.

Atlantic Puzzler Reviews 1995

Dec 1995 -- What's in the Box?** A
Nov 1995 -- Keyholes** A
Oct 1995 -- Musical Chairs A-
Sep 1995 -- Fortunetelling** A
Aug 1995 -- Honeycomb** A
Jul 1995 -- Patchwork** B+
Jun 1995 -- Jigsaw A-
May 1995 -- Asteroids A
Apr 1995 -- Smorgasboard** B+
Mar 1995 -- Zip Code A-
Feb 1995 -- Cryptic Personals** A
Jan 1995 -- Janus-Faced** A

**Available in "The Atlantic Monthly Cryptic Crosswords"