MID-WEEK BREAK FOR HUMOR!

Most of you who've come to know me through my Website know that I'm a firm believer in being able to laugh, even when the world can seem increasingly weary. This is a true story. Plus I've included Leonard's' album covers below (not to be missed)!

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What began for me as a short summer drink recipe BLOG called "Beam Me Up Scotty", landed me in unfamiliar territory (no pun intended). Here's the skinny: I accidentally located an album recorded by William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy on the now-defunct Dot Records. In the past, I've dedicated some space to the late Telly Savales with his self-titled album, "Telly" and his spoken rendition of Helen Reddy's "You and Me Against the World". Looking back, one wonders why Yul Brynner didn't counter this? I may have just uncovered a possible answer! This is a shared CD, so let's start with William Shatner.

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From Bill we get: Bob Dylan's "Mr Tambourine Man", ("deadly humorous when Shatner was trying to be deadly serious", according to one reviewer). Bill begins with a spoken explanation: "Mr. Tambourine Man has got him under his spell, you see?" Now, I want to be fair. I don't own this C.D. Nevertheless, by the time I heard how this song ended with Shatner screaming "MR. TAMBORINE MAN!", I was slumped in my chair using paper towels to wipe away tears of laughter! Next up was "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" and one that I first heard on a crazy radio show some time ago--Ervin Blakes' "It Was A Very Good Year"--half-spoken/half sung by Shatner. To make it worse the D.J. kept "potting down" the music to insert his own comments. I was driving my car at the time (of course) and literally had to pull off the highway at the next exit to park and thus avoid causing a wreck. Not content to let a bad project simply die on the vine, Norman Gill's "How Insensitive" finds a down on his luck Bill Shatner taking a "Boston Legal" swipe with this send off: "What was I to say?...what can you say........when a love affair.......is.......over?" Strings and rhumba drums end the agony. Next up is Leonard Nimoy. Few people are Renaissance Men or have had as wide an influence on the cultural landscape of the United States than Leonard. He continues to have a great career and I'm a huge fan. But in 1967, Leonard proved that he enjoyed a wonderful sense of humor too.

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After the release of "Leonard Nimoy Presents Mr. Spocks Music From Outer Space", he actually produced four more LP's! On this release we get:"Sunny". From all accounts, straining to remain in key, Leonard offers "I'd Love Making Love To You", Tim Hardin's "If I Were A Carpenter", then...the Trini Lopez hit, "If I Had A Hammer": Voices-Up Version, Please: "If I had a hammer/ I'd hammer in the morning/ I'd hammer in the evening/ all over this laaaaand/." Next, there's "Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town." The Kenny Rogers hit is carried out here in a 'boom-chicka-boom-chicka boom' Johnny Cash up-tempo that is actually said to be passable! He even delivers Cash's "I Walk the Line"! The titles of these next three led me to total humorous collapse unable to keep up the strain of a straight face: "Music To Watch (Space) Girls By", "Visit to a Sad Planet" and: "Highly Illogical".

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I'll just close by saying that this is a must-have for any Trekkie parties you might have planned during this summer after hanging out your colored string lights out on the patio. May I suggest also that you have a cab company on call and encourage people to use it for transportation? The reason for this is safety, as I can promise you that those who can consume alcohol will insist on nothing less while this CD is playing in the background. Okay, let's at least take a collective deep breath and review Bill and Leonards' "Track Lists" and album covers:

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TRACK LISTING for WILLIAM SHATNER:
King Henry the Fifth - Elegy for the Brave - Mr. Tambourine Man - It Was a Very Good Year - Hamlet - Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds - How Insensitive.
TRACK LISTING for LEONARD NIMOY:
Highly Illogical - If I Had a Hammer- Where Is Love- Music to Watch Space Girls By - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town - Visit to a Sad Planet- Abraham, Martin and John - If I Was a Carpenter- I'd Love Making Love to You- Put a Little Love in Your Heart- Sunny- Gentle on My Mind- I Walk the Line- Ballad of Bilbo Baggins-Everybody's Talkin'- Both Sides Now- Spock Thoughts....

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Here's the Album Covers because I know I kid around a lot (but I'm credible):

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On the condition of anonymity, my "sources" have informed me these are all now on CD!