MY MUSIC
There’s no place like Home (page) — duh — as you can see, I’m just getting this started.
The first link from Home goes to this description for a book printed in 1995. The second link is a tribute to my brother, excerpted from that book. The third link is a to a pair of pictures from my wedding to CruzMaria in 1996 and This is how my son and daughter looked when they were little.
Some of those songs were from very old recordings of the Stereophonics, a quartet with yours-truly on bass and a great lead named Ted Hicks – Ted was already a man (and one hell of a man) while the rest of us were still kids, and he had a great voice – both lead and baritone. Other members who sang in that quartet for years (but not for the full duration) were Bill Norris (tenor), Wilson Pritchett (baritone), Bob Disney (baritone), Joe Pollio (Lead), and Clyde Taber (tenor). Joe and Clyde are in the last quartet picture with Ted & myself. For the recordings included here, Ted and I were in an earlier quartet combination, with Bill Norris and Bob Disney, before Joe and Clyde sang in the quartet; ironically, we went further in competition with Joe and Clyde but we never got around to making new recordings.
SONGS SUNG BY JAMES L FARREL
Maria from West Side Story
Sorrento from (?)-so far back I don’t know
This is a song in Spanish, Granada
Spanish Duet with my wife!
If I Loved You
We Kiss in a Shadow
This Nearly Was Mine
Remember the Platters?
What about Runaround Sue?
Remember the 12th of Never?
Stardust
All the Way
New York New York
My Funny Valentine
HYMNS
I believe this recording needs to be redone.
With Andrea Bocelli on the background
My favorite Christmas Hymn is in a class by itself
My 2nd favorite Christmas Hymn
BARBERSHOP
Before coming to Maryland I was in the greater Los Angeles area. For a few months in 1959 (until the regular 4th returned from grad school), I was privileged to sing with a professional, Burt Mustin, in the “Pas-du-Notes” quartet (San Fernando). Memorable songs he led included “All-you-et” + “That fatal glass of beer” + “I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts” — Burt was a great showman. With tenor Jim Lafferty, bass Rang Hansen, and myself (about to enroll at UCLA then) I was glad to fill in temporarily for their regular fourth.
After that great experience I later switched to bass. Most of my quartet activity was with the Stereophonics. The original combination of voices made up most of the recordings included below.
One Alone
(from Desert Song) was arranged by Bill Norris (tenor on this recording).
How can you buy Killarney
also arranged by Bill Norris
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square
A masterpiece Confederates‘ Arrangement.
Little Pal
This arrangement was copied from the Four Rascals.
Ma, she’s makin’ eyes at me
goes so far back that I didn’t trace it.
I lost the best pal that I had
goes so far back that I didn’t trace it.
Uncle Joe
goes so far back that I didn’t trace it.
Oceana Roll
was made famous by the Play-Tonics (we copied from them, too).
Old sweetheart of mine
was given to us by Int’l Champ Fred King, a King in more ways than one.
Trolley Song
arrangement from the National office (then in Kenosha).
Exodus
The theme from Exodus was also arranged by Bill Norris (tenor on this recording).
County Fair
The theme from Exodus was also arranged by Bill Norris and the chorus sang
Hard-hearted Hannah
The theme from Exodus was also arranged by Bill Norris and the chorus sang
Long Dusty Road
The theme from Exodus was also arranged by Bill Norris and the chorus sang
Just for Remembrance
The theme from Exodus was also arranged by Bill Norris and the chorus sang
The only song lyrics I ever wrote
You can tell I wasn’t in a serious mood when I wrote these words.
About those bankers’ bonuses – Reaction from the street (no, not Wall St; Laredo)
As I ventured out on the streets of Manhattan
As I wandered all around Wall Street one night
I spied a rich banker all decked out in satin
All wrapped in green dollars that weren’t his, by right
a
“I sense from the stench that you’re filthy with money”
I snarled as he strutted and swaggered on by
“Don’t take it so hard.” he scoffed, really, it’s funny;
I’ll show you how easy it is if you lie”
a
“First tell me” I said, “what’s that under your bandage,”
“Does conscience rebel from retirees robbed clean?”
“No, widows and orphans provide my advantage;
Those losers have paid for my gold limousine”
a
The momemt he said that, the sky just exploded
A warning he couldn’t ignore was at hand.
Defiant as ever, he sneered “Hey, I’m loaded,”
“For my last procession here’s what I demand:”
a
“Get six wealthy bankers to praise me forever
Let six glass seagulls extinguish my flame”
Then, proud as a prince, he proclaimed to the weather
“I die with a fortune, so I win the game!”
a
Well I’ll give him that, there’s a lot in his pail
He fattened himself through astute escapades
Whether con game or card game, rewards were his grail
His last game was Hearts; his reward – Queen of spades.
a
EPITAPH (change-of-pace):
Another tycoon counting debts
saw that this is as bad as it gets
So, breaking the chains from his ill-gotten gains
he’ll divest to paralyzed vets.