Top Ten for the Week

Dave Letterman has his lists; Billboard lists the Top Ten musical hits; the magazines all list the sexiest, wealthiest, most boring, and other assorted lists; so I thought I would create a list of my own. 

This is the first; and probably the last; time that I will do this. I just find it interesting when I look and see what people are reading on my blog. I don’t go in for that high tech, who is reading me in what zip code, type of thing. I just want to know which articles, or reviews, are being read. With over a thousand hits a week; sometimes more; I’m always curious.

So below is the Rooftop Review Top Ten List for the last week in August, which is when this was written. I am pleased with the mixture of book reviews, movies, history and art that people bump into on this "destination based" site.

Basically that means people don’t come on looking for Rooftop Reviews, but rather bump into it while searching for information on a specific article, book, movie or song. That so many return again; on their own; to see what I post is always gratifying. And it’s really great to see that some of my most read posts are usually history, which is a big love of mine; right alongside of music, books and art.

1. "Passages: Green Wall" by Artist Tetsunori Kawana
August 15, 2011
231 Views

2. "Shanghai Diary" by Ursula Bacon
November 10, 2010
224 Views

3. "LBJ" by Phillip F. Nelson
February 24, 2012
144 Views

4. "The Case of Abraham Lincoln" by Julie M. Fenster
June 8, 2011
82 Views

5. Dean Martin - "The Capitol Years"
September 4, 2010
82 Views

6. "Bleed Red" by Ronnie Dunn
February 5, 2011
77 Views

7. The Nazi Manhole Mystery
April 23, 2010
51 Views

8. The Shot Heard Round the World - Lexington and Concord
April 23, 2010
51 Views

9. "A Bronx Tale" with Robert DeNiro
June 28, 2012
32 Views

10. "Seven Days In May" with Frederic March, Kirk Douglas
October 19, 2010
29 Views

                

"Dyn- O- Mite" by Jimmie Walker (2012)

This book came as a total surprise to me. I had just seen some short sound bite thing about the author while passing through the living room the other night. Sue had on some show, ET, etc., and I caught him out of the corner of my eye. I have no idea what he was saying, as I didn’t take the time to listen. TV in the mid-seventies was a blank for me; I was simply too busy doing other stuff.

So, when I went to the Mooresville Public Library the other day; and saw this book staring me in the face; I took it as an omen that I should read it. I’m glad I did. The author, veteran stand-up comic Jimmie Walker, one time star of TV’s “Good Times”, has written a really good book. He discusses everything with candor, from his own upbringing; and his father’s desertion of the family; to his experiences in the projects of New York City, and his slow climb to fame. Along with the likes of Jay leno and david lettermen, the author came of age in a world of comedy where it was okay to be edgy, but there were still boundaries not to be crossed.

I was amazed at his relationship with legendary Norman Lear, the groundbreaking producer behind shows such as “All in the Family”, as well as well as his connections to other “white” comics of the era. The author’s flexibility allowed him to be influenced by, as well as becoming an influence to, many of his colleagues. He has remained in contact with many of those people to this day.

His stories of the last days of the old “Chitlin’ Circuit” are priceless, as those are times that will never be with us again. Although for good reason, one can’t help but wonder if the hardships these guys endured as a result of racial disparity actually added to the edge which they bought to comedy. After all, sometimes the only thing you can do is laugh.

The book is written in the imitable style of Jimmy Walker; fresh and irreverent. He gives his side of the ups and downs of TV sitcoms, versus standup comedy, holding nothing back. He quotes accurately from his former colleagues Jay Leno and David Letterman, and along the way has managed to introduce me to several more writers and comedians to enjoy.

The real complaint, if any, which Mr. Walker has, concerns the producers who said he was “too black” black in the 70’s, and then found him to be “not black enough” in the 90’s! This is something I have read about in other actor’s memoirs, and some good actors were passed over for this very reason, which seems silly now, but was of great significance back then.

This book has me watching some re-runs of “Good Times” on You Tube, and it’s actually a pretty good show, which captured 25% of its audience time slot for 6 years, in spite of constantly shifting nights in order to aid another show. Some of the plots were edgy for their timing, and relevance, to the black community; but to paraphrase Director Norman Lear, it was so much more. It was the first time in which white Americans got a look inside the projects, and realized just how similar all of our problems are. And Jimmy Walker played no small part in communicating that message to us all. This was a very surprising, and engaging book.

Indigo Girls - Closer to Fine

Sue and I just missed the Indigo Girls a few weeks back. I hate it when that happens! From the very first album these ladies have penned some of the best folk rock lyrics since Dylan. "Closer to Fine" is a perfect example. It is, at once, an accusation as well as a celebration. The former attacks all the established rules,while the latter highlights our abilities to overcome the obstacles which we often place in our own paths. Here's the lyrics, followed by a performance on "The David Letterman Show" in 1989.

Closer to Fine
(words and music Emily Saliers)

I'm trying to tell you something about my life
maybe give me insight between black and white
and the best thing you've ever done for me
is to help me take my life less seriously
it's only life after all
yeah

well darkness has a hunger that's insatiable
and lightness has a call that's hard to hear
I wrap my fear around me like a blanket
I sailed my ship of safety till I sank it
I'm crawling on your shores

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
there's more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in a crooked line
and the less I seek my source for some definitive
(the less I seek my source)
the closer I am to fine
the closer I am to fine

and I went to see the doctor of philosophy
with a poster of Rasputin and a beard down to his knee
he never did marry or see a b-grade movie
he graded my performance, he said he could see through me
I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind
got my paper and I was free

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
there's more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in a crooked line
the less I seek my source for some definitive
(the less I seek my source)
the closer I am to fine
the closer I am to fine

I stopped by the bar at 3 a.m.
to seek solace in a bottle or possibly a friend
and I woke up with a headache like my head against a board
twice as cloudy as I'd been the night before
and I went in seeking clarity.

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
yeah we go to the doctor, we go to the mountains
we look to the children, we drink from the fountains
yeah we go to the bible, we go through the workout
we read up on revival and we stand up for the lookout
there's more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in a crooked line
the less I seek my source for some definitive
(the less I seek my source)
the closer I am to fine
the closer I am to fine
the closer I am to fine
I'm trying to tell you something about my life
maybe give me insight between black and white
and the best thing you've ever done for me
is to help me take my life less seriously
it's only life after all
yeah

well darkness has a hunger that's insatiable
and lightness has a call that's hard to hear
I wrap my fear around me like a blanket
I sailed my ship of safety till I sank it
I'm crawling on your shores

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
there's more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in a crooked line
and the less I seek my source for some definitive
(the less I seek my source)
the closer I am to fine
the closer I am to fine

and I went to see the doctor of philosophy
with a poster of Rasputin and a beard down to his knee
he never did marry or see a b-grade movie
he graded my performance, he said he could see through me
I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind
got my paper and I was free

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
there's more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in a crooked line
the less I seek my source for some definitive
(the less I seek my source)
the closer I am to fine
the closer I am to fine

I stopped by the bar at 3 a.m.
to seek solace in a bottle or possibly a friend
and I woke up with a headache like my head against a board
twice as cloudy as I'd been the night before
and I went in seeking clarity.

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
yeah we go to the doctor, we go to the mountains
we look to the children, we drink from the fountains
yeah we go to the bible, we go through the workout
we read up on revival and we stand up for the lookout
there's more than one answer to these questions
pointing me in a crooked line
the less I seek my source for some definitive
(the less I seek my source)
the closer I am to fine
the closer I am to fine
the closer I am to fine


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQJAbyLjXtE