Don’t touch that dial!
As a relatively new posters, several comments from some of my favorite audiophiles were shunted into the moderation buffer of the main site. Thus, Inkslinger’s first round of guesses went unnoticed for the 13 hours it took me to go ferret them out.
Good thing I am obssesive –AND– compulsive.
Here are the CORRECT guesses, submitted at 10:06 AM
only 18 guessing days left until contest’s end on June 27
5. I have dreamed thee too long. Dulsinea, Richard Kiley, chorus (Don Quixote and the Muleteers, The Man of la Mancha, original 1965 broadway cast recording) 10 points, 5 bonus points, 3 style points for having the cover of another version set as his work desktop
I have 5 versions of this song in my library, including Sam Bakula’s. To me, the Man of la Mancha hits home on all of its messages, and indeed I was singing several of its songs walking towards the bus tonight (the Impossible dream, and what do you want of me).
I have always wanted to sing this song to someone, and mean it with all of my heart. But unlike the Knight Errant, I have always lacked the courage to sally forth into the world, righting all wrongs.
However, I have upon occasion broken out with a hearty rendition of Knight of the Woeful Countenance, in all manner of public place. You see, I may have mentioned at one point that in my “youth” I attended a great number of Science Fiction Conventions. At these gatherings, there is often alchohol, and sooner or later, the dreaded 15 headed dinenr table arises.
Despite my best efforts, mind you. No dinner engagement should ever grow larger than 5 people, lest it take place in a private residence, or if a large meeting space is chartered for the specific occasion. Really, I can only rationally discourse with about that many people at once. For a party to grow larger involves “fliting”, “carousing” and or “mingling” on my part to a degree with which I am not comfortable.
One such gathering took place in 1995, while on a trip to Moscow, Idaho. Playing with a knife and fork while enduring the delay of service imposed by too large a group, I dubbed My rather large beverage “knight, by the authority vested in me. My dear freind Larry Baker wittily rejoindered with “But your lordship!”
Aha, thinks I. The game’s afoot! I reply with “Didn’t I do it right?” And to my joy Larry gives the expected response. This is too good for words, only song will suffice.
So in our manly baritones, we belt out (at full volume, no less) the following:
Hail, Knight of the Woeful Countenance,
Knight of the Woeful Countenance!
Wherever you go
People will know
Of the glorious deeds
Of the Knight of the Woeful Countenance!
Farewell and good cheer
Oh my brave cavalier
Ride onward to glorious strife.
I swear when you’re gone
I’ll remember you well
For all of the rest of my life.
Hail, Knight of the Woeful Countenance,
Knight of the Woeful Countenance
Fare to the foe,
They will quail at the sight
Of the Knight of the Woeful Countenance!
Oh valorous Knight,
Go and fight for the right,
And battle all villains that be,
But oh, when you do,
What will happen to you
Thank God I won’t be there to see!
Hail, Knight of the Woeful Countenance,
Knight of the Woeful Countenance!
Wherever you go
People will know
Of the glorious deeds
Of the Knight of the Woeful Countenance
Later, we sang “Man of la Mancha (I, Don quixote)” as an encore, to somewhat mixed reviews. But for several shows afterwards, Larry and I would greet each other with “Knight”
Good times.
9. Tied to the tracks and the train starts coming. Demolition Man, the Police (Ghost In The Machine, 1981 A&M records) 6 points
I have already waxed quixotic about this album, and reference last month’s list for my feelings on the matter. The second of the repeat artists and albums for June has always captivated me, and I once designed a Shadowrun super adventure that played out as acts represented by the 11 tracks on this disc.
It was really, really good. At least, pre-game designer Scott thought it was. But like everything I wrote before I started drinking semi-professionally, my memories of it are colored quite rosy. I have little desire to re-write things from that period, but I may dust off one of the novels, re-work it, and submit again someday.
Seth almost got this one wrong, as he named Sting as the primary artist, instead of the harmonious collaboration of sumner/copeland/summers at Montserrat (one otherwise correct entry was not counted last time for this reason). However, Sting did re-record an inferior solo version for use on the Demolition Man soundtrack, so by the rules of the game, he’s in.
21. So much drama in the l-b-c Gin and Juice, The Gourds (Go Gitcher Shinebox, Watermelon records) 8 points 2 style points for referencing the following lyric.
This song is amazingly good. I always say that any true composition must stand up to the Shatner test, but the side bar of a cross-genre cover is equally valid, and sometimes more commercially viable.
Here are a couple links that lay the whole thing out. It’s quitte the saga, and the gourds are an amazing band in their own right.
So, keep your mind on your money, your money on your mind, and go discover them for yourself. You will not be sorry
More later, but keep those guesses coming!