September is slipping on by!
Fear not, you now have a new blog post from me...
You will never guess what I just learned recently...you know I will tell you! Richard likes to look at guitars (after all he is an excellent guitarist, don't you know) and he was explaining the different kinds of guitars to me. One that he mentioned was a "dreadnought" guitar, which is an acoustic guitar that has a larger body and a squared shoulder shape with a strong bass. I looked it up! It was first developed by C.F. Martin & Company in 1916. Now, here is the thing that really startled me - it is named after a British battleship. It was the HMS Dreadnought, launched in 1906 that only used big guns and therefore, had a much larger shape. Looking further the word "dreadnought" had been around since the 17th century and it means "fear nothing".
Just as a side note here, whenever we played Monopoly, I always wanted to be "the ship"! It was easy to hold onto, and I liked the idea of sailing around the board! My sister was always the dog, and my brother liked the car. Which one did you prefer? I think I read that they did away with the thimble. Shame, that is the one I got if someone else got the ship.
I have a video (again) for you! Since I wrote my last post with the Turtles video, YouTube popped up with a video of the lead singer saying that they wrote "Eleanore" as a parody of "So Happy Together" just because the publishing company pressured them into making another hit. I had no idea! Funny thing, even though it was written tongue in cheek, they are all so good, it DID become a huge hit for them. (Looking back, using the word "etcetera" is a bit cheeky but hey, I was just a kid in 1968, I thought it was just a really good song. We had the single and we played it over and over, along with "Hey Jude", which was also a big hit at the time.) I LOVE this video. The bandmember with the wild, wooly hair is Mark Volman, the one who just passed away recently. I love the wild abandon that he displays on the stage. It is fun to see! The lead singer, Howard Kaylen has such a great voice, and the drumming by John Barbata is spot-on, don't you think? (Sadly, only Howard Kaylen is still with us, the drummer died in 2024.) Remember when you watch the video, that this was performed LIVE and that just really shows you how great they were!
I found a short clip of "Who Do You Think You Are" with Richard Osman. I urge you to look at YouTube and see the whole episode which is about an hour long. It is so good! You will thank me after you have watched it. (I wish I could meet his mother!) Richard Osman is very successful as an author (you remember he has written "The Thursday Murder Club" books) but has been known in the UK for a long time as a popular TV Game show creator and host. If you get the chance, search out the one called "Richard Osman's House of Games". It is very well done, very funny and most entertaining. He is just so doggone nice! Watch him and see if you don't agree with me.
Also, he has a new book that will be released this month, Sept. 30th in the USA. It is "The Impossible Fortune". Note: The book was released on Sept. 25th in the UK. New book releases are on Tuesdays in the United States while they are released on Thursdays in the UK. See the things you learn from me?
September and that means, beautyberry! Those bright purple berries don't even look real, but they are. It is a native and even the leaves are gorgeous. It is also time for the "hearts a busting" to show the bright seeds for us... also a native!
Statue in middle of a roundabout in Old Town Conyers, Georgia.
I just looked at my blog title: "Fear Nothing (Dreadnought)". That is actually pretty good advice. Now, if only I can follow it myself...
Hope you are all doing well, my friends. Take care.
Following fear nothing advice is difficult for many of us, you are not alone ❤️ Thank you so much 😊 for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda! Of course, "fear not" is mentioned quite often in the Bible, so that is something else we should keep in mind!
DeleteI agree - fear not - it's hard. I do remember the Turtles.
ReplyDeleteI might just turn this into a Turtles Fan Club site. LOL! I miss good songs.
DeleteHow interesting is the name of that guitar and ship. Yes, good advice!
ReplyDeleteI like the Turtles and that song. The beauty berry is indeed beautiful!
Now I have to check out Richard Osman.
PS - love that statue!
So glad you like the statue! There are others there, I must get more photos of them on here. Check out Richard Osman! I know you will like him too.
DeleteMaybe you put the idea in my mind but both the guitars in that video look larger than normal ones ( I know they are electric not acoustic.) Like the child statue. Been watching Richard Osman for many years on Pointless on UK TV.
ReplyDeleteGuess what! Richard read this post several hours after I posted it and he said the exact same thing about the guitars! I think Richard Osman must have been very well known in the UK for his game shows but we are just starting to see them here in the US. I think he is brilliant!
DeleteMy husband also plays guitar and has a Martin Dreadnought, it's one of his favorites.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your music and you teach me something when I read here, for which I am thankful.
Oh, you should have your husband play his guitar on a video and put it on your blog! My husband has an Alvarez Dreadnought, he has had it for about 40 years. It sounds great! And thanks, Mimi, I know you love to learn new things too!
DeleteI can't recall any of those game pieces from the (Swedish) Monopoly game we had in my childhood/youth. I suspect we might just have had neutral ones in different colours. (?)
ReplyDeleteDon't you have the same game pieces in Monopoly as we do? I know the board names are different. Richard has the English Monopoly with the different street names and railway stations!
Delete'Fear nought!' Except spiders....
ReplyDeleteYou should see our invasive JURO spiders we have now! They are very big and they build the biggest webs. Only good thing, they don't bite like our brown recluse spider, which is tiny but can actually kill you.
DeleteI didn't know about the ship named dreadnaught, but I do remember the words fear not from the Bible. Thanks for all the information! You always have such interesting posts. Enjoy your September days!
ReplyDeleteFrom the book of Isaiah, "Fear not, I am with you". And from the New Testament, our Lord's words, "Fear not, I have overcome the world". Many times, we are told to not fear! Oh, since I have this English connection, I must tell you that in England, they pronounce "Isaiah" as if it rhymes with "Eyes higher", say that with a bit of an accent, and you will know how they say it! Well, that is as close as I can get to explaining how they say it anyway! And don't ask me how they say "oregano"! LOL!!
DeleteI always wanted the canon. I liked the barrel that rose above all the other pieces.
ReplyDeleteHey! I somehow am just seeing your comment! I remember the cannon in Monopoly! One of my boy cousins always got that one. Gee, I cant remember passwords but I know every Monoply piece that was chosen from the 1960's. LOL.
DeleteNeedless to say, I've never heard of Dreadnought. That's a cute video. I still like Happy Together better though. Oh... and I liked being the dog. :-)
ReplyDeleteHey Kay! And I also always wanted to be the banker. I kept my money in perfect, neat piles and the money in the bank the same way. Never understood the players with the notes all over the place! LOL First time I saw that TV show "Monk", he seemed very familiar to me.
Deletein Yorkshire, people still say "nought" for "nothing". I didn't know there is such a thing as a dreadnought guitar! I wonder whether my cousin, the guitar maker, builds this particular type as well.
ReplyDeleteRichard Osman comes across as a very decent person, I think. He is clever and funny and doesn't feel he needs to pick on others in order to look good himself, like some other presenters do.
When I wrote this post Richard was not with me and read it later. He told me that the Alvarez that he has played for about 38 years is a dreadnought! I suppose I would have had that in my post had I known. You know that I agree about Richard Osman, intelligent and kind, my favorite combination. Seems like there was an ad for bread in England that used the word "nought" but I can't seem to think of it.Wish I could visit Yorkshire and hear them speak myself!
DeleteI don't remember my monopoly piece but probably because I never really liked monopoly. My siblings and I would play and some of them (who I love dearly) were a bit competitive! Plus my attention span couldn't take the length of the game. Maybe I was (and am) a bit ADHD!? Loved the Turtles so thanks for the video! Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeleteYes, I had cousins who used to get so mad if they lost at board games! Not just Monopoly but any of them. Glad you liked the Turtles video! Try to find the "Who Do You Think You Are" episode with Richard Osman, you would love it.
Delete...Kay, thanks for stopping by my blog, I wish you an Outstanding October!
ReplyDeleteOutstanding October! I love that, the same is wished for you.
DeleteKay, just wanted to tell you to stop by my blog and read what I posted today if you can. It's about Nan. And, as the other Kay, may I say how much I enjoy all your posts. They are lovely and I always learn something new. Take care, friend!
ReplyDeleteDear Kay, Thank you, my friend! I am grateful that you let me know about Nan's passing.What a lovely lady. x
DeleteOh! And I meant to say, remember when Nan called us her three "Kay's"! I loved that.
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun post and so many little tidbits. I didn't know Richard Osman was such a Renaissance man.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Thank you! Wish we could get more episodes of "House of Games" here in America. I love shows like that!
DeleteNow I have the Music in my head. In my head, a catchy tune from my youth.
ReplyDeleteLove to hear this ❤️
Thanks very much! Thanks for visiting my blog! I almost always have a song on my blog posts, sometimes two at a time! 🎶
DeleteWhat a delightful post. I love how you weave together music, history, and personal anecdotes. It feels like a conversation rather than just a blog entry. I especially enjoyed the story about the dreadnought guitar and its connection to the battleship; it’s fascinating how words and objects carry such layered histories. Your memories of Monopoly and the Turtles songs add such a warm, nostalgic touch, making it easy to relate. Also, your enthusiasm for Richard Osman and his work is contagious; I might just have to check out that episode you mentioned. Overall, it’s a charming mix of curiosity, fun facts, and heartfelt reflection. Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteGoodness me, thank you very much. You have made my day. I was just thinking of music, wishing we had more melody. Is that your real name? I love it.
DeleteThat is a very good title. A fun read about the dreadnought guitar. For some strange reason I knew about HMS Dreadnought, though for the life of me I can't remember where that came from. Probably my Dad who was in the navy and was a history buff. But it's been years! Enjoyed the music, and thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful read, thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Denise! Funny thing, my husband and son are both guitarists but neither one knew why the dreadnought guitar was called that. How much I would have loved to have talked with your Dad! I would have asked him so many questions! Glad you liked the music too. x
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