Trav's Thoughts

Welcome to Five Degrees of Musical Progression, Vol 4!  The challenge was to come up with a progression of songs for this week's Set.

Your options were...

1. Come up with a progression that simply strikes your fancy.
2. Define 2011 with a progression.
3. Come up with a progression that sets up your expectations for 2012.

My progression is a combination of all three options. 

I know!  Since it's my game I decided to over-achieve.  As Mr Bugs Bunny would say, ain't I a stinker???

Hehehe.

So here's my progression. 

We begin with a track representing one of the major highlights of my year.  It happened for my birthday.  I got to see Taylor Hicks in April!  This song is called Maybe You Should, written by Taylor Hicks/Gary Nicholson/Mike Reid, as released by Taylor on the CD The Distance in 2008.


Track 2 features Mike Reid, a former NFL football player for the Cincinnati Bengals (1970-74) turned songwriter.  He collaborated with Taylor on Maybe You Should.  Mr Reid was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005.  In 1985, Mr Reid scored a #1 hit and won ACM Song of the Year and 1986 ASCAP Country Song of the Year with Lost in the Fifties Tonight.  Writing credit is listed as Mike Reid/Troy Seals.  The song was performed by Ronnie Milsap and is one of my all time favorites.


But now where to jump for track 3.  Hmmmm.  You might see a hint in the lyrics to track 2, but I didn't jump to The Five Satins.  Instead, I noticed that Ronnie Milsap recorded his album Lost in the Fifties Tonight for RCA Records.  RCA began turning out hits in Nashville from a brand new recording studio in 1957.  Since Elvis Presley recorded many of his hits at RCA Studio B, I made a big leap to The King.  This is It's Now or Never, written by Wally Gold/Aaron Schroeder, released in 1960.


You know, now that I listen to that song again, I recognize that it has a Cha Cha Cha beat.  So you know what?  I'm going to make an even bigger leap.  I can so jump from Elvis Presley to Tea for Two, originally released in 1925 with music by Vincent Youmans (lyrics by Irving Ceasar, but this video is instrumental for the dance), particularly when the Cha Cha Cha is presented by the outstanding Joanna Leunis and Michael Malitowski.


Alrighty then.  I've been quite eclectic through these 4 tracks.  But now you may find yourself wondering, Travis...you said you were going to present a progression that combined all 3 options, because you're an over-achieving stinker.

Wait...that didn't come out right.

But yes, friends and neighbors...I led off with a 2011 highlight.  Then I had 3 random tunes just because they struck my fancy.  Now, I shall end this Set with Track 5...an expectation I have coming up in 2012.

It can't be just any expectation because it has to progress from track 4.  And it does.  The song Tea for Two originally appeared in No, No, Nanette, a 1925 musical.  As you may know, Pam and I love musical theatre and have a subscription to Seattle's 5th Avenue.  In 2012, we would love to take a long weekend and go to New York to see as many shows as we can on Broadway.  The song representing that wish for 2012 is Bring Him Home from Les Miserable, as performed by the brilliant Colm Wilkinson.


Yeah, I know I've used this one before in a regular FoF.  But three things...

1. We saw Les Mis at the 5th this year, so it fits this FDoMP.
2. Nothing beats that last note, so it should stand for this or any FDoMP.
3. Because it's my game and I say it fits this or any FDoMP.

Hehehe!

I hope you enjoyed my Set, and I hope you took some time to play along.  But even if you didn't play, there's always next time.

Have a grand weekend!

If you'd like to join in, here are the guidelines:

1. Grab the banner, make your post title Five on Friday, and be sure to link back here.

2. Go to Playlist.com to make your Set of five songs. You may choose a particular theme to share with us, or post random tunes if that's your vibe for the day. You can simply post the Set, or you can add a little summary about what you are sharing.

2a. Don't feel restricted by the tracks listed on Playlist.com. And don't be discouraged if the Embed code won't work. You're welcome to use any type of media to share your Sets.

3. Be sure to sign Mr Linky so everyone can visit your Set.

4. No tags, but feel free to invite your friends to play along if they need a post topic on a Friday.

Go forth and enjoy music!