.......the state of today's world....I watch Fred Astaire Youtube clips. And suddenly, my view turns from pessimism to optimism. The world becomes a better place!

Mark, I am in the same place, could watch them all day.
John C.

Hi Mark,
He makes tap dancing look effortless. Such a talent.

That confirmations my suspicions about you two. You're both very cultured people.

To anyone else reading this. I really meant that about the world seems a better place with Fred Astaire in it in some way, shape or form. After watching the 5 o'clock and 11 o'clock news every day, reading the daily newspaper, con artists and murderers on Forensics files, Hip-hop music, battling congested highways...I was pleasantly surprised how one viewing of Freddie (Eleanor Powell and/or Ginger Rogers helps too) wiped it all away in one go. Kind of like going to the opera.

Hi Mark,
They were Feel Good movies, and they still manage to do their magic.

I agree with the sentiment,but Astaire was a chauvinistic task master and I liked Gene Kelly better. Aside from that,those movies were delightful.

Bernie, if we use dancing as the criteria for judging, Fred Astaire was untouchable.

Mark, what other type of music brings you to a good place?
John C.

Mom took me to every movie with dancers ever made. Gene Kelly, Fred Astair...lots of them. She danced in a Detroit version of the Rockettes in the early 40's.

Different, gentler time, for sure.

Hey, Mark!

Russ

Rikki...thank goodness those Golden movies are still around for viewing. Saw You've Got Mail about 20 times and Casablanca about 30 times. Great movies keep me sane!

Agree 100%. The man was a master of dance and a craftsman in the Art. A complete "free spirit"...no inhibitions...filled from head to toe with music. And....his creativity in thinking up dance sequences is unsurpassed. He's the Beethoven of the dance world in my book!



I took my whole DJ CD collection and burned the songs (appx 20,000 of them) onto my hard drive. It took 2-3 years. But now I can sit at my computer and whatever I feel like listening to...I just press the "FIND" key.

In answer to you question, because I have everything at my fingertips I listen to whatever music I feel will complement my mood at the time. I'm lucky. I remember from age 12 I had a love affair with music. That's my antidote to life's up and downs. I listen to Classical, Opera, Latin music, French Musette, the Blues, Classic Rock, ethnic, romantic songs...and so on. It would have been easier to say what I DON'T listen to! Thanks for asking.

Bernie...that's why there is a Gene Kelly, a Shakira, a Michael Jackson, a Rudolf Nureyev, etc. Not everyone likes Rocky Road ice cream.

An absolute gem to watch.
Not the best actor I have seen, but a great dancer.
He always seemed to just glide with great balance.
Cyd Charisse and Barry Chase were my favourite partners. IMHO
Look them up on utube.

Ray

Hey Russ. I just saw your post here. When I read what you wrote too, I thought, GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE! (but I think you've got the edge!)

Originally Posted By bruno123
Bernie, if we use dancing as the criteria for judging, Fred Astaire was untouchable.

I never said he wasn't the best,I said I didn't like his real persona. The same with Bing Crosby. I look at the whole person,not just stage presence.

Mark, a few sonng titles please, just to give us a head start, John C.

There's always that guy that says ... "never saw that one" - well, that's me with Casablanca. I've seen bits and pieces, but I have no idea what the story line is. I might be the only human alive who can say that. Weird how we're pulled to certain things, and miss others, huh?
Some other giants I've missed: Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, most of the Harry Potters, and all the Star Trek movies (I'm a FORCE BE WIT YA guy) ...
Weird. (that's ME!)

Hi Dave,
out of the lot you mentioned, Lord of the Rings is a must see.

That's what I keep hearing. Right now I'm streaming Mrs. Maisel - I'm a HUGE Amy Sherman-Palladino fan. I love her wit, her pace, and her characters.

Hi Russ, I know we like to remember the "olden days" as kinder and gentler times, but those that do not come from a White, Anglo Saxon, Protestant back ground may disagree. My mother for example, as a recent child immigrant in the 40's, was beaten at school for speaking Spanish. What a way to be welcomed to America! Of course Blacks had it even worse, and can you imagine being Jewish during those days? Not to mention, those of sexual orientations out of the mainstream , were not at all free to openly express their love for their partners of their choice.

I know you are not a bigot Russ, and I understand the sentiment of longing for the innocence of days gone by. Sorry Mark for getting off topic. The dancing in the video of course was lovely.

I have been around the dark side, too. At 12, I rode a city bus to school in Biloxi, Ms.: the only rider between the back door and the front, with African Americans falling all over in the remaining little space. If there were only African Americans or Latinos at the bust stop, the bus didn't stop.

I saw a couple of big rednecks jump out of a library window and beet the daylights out of a black grandmother and her two small grandchildren. I saw Mack Charles Parker's testicles nailed to a courthouse.

I had the first mixed society band in Kentucky, and saw the viciousness many nights; particularly at drunken fraternity parties.

Believe me, the "kinder, gentler" comment was my reference to interpersonal relationships, family issues and a slower pace.

I'll never forget the rest...


Russ