My Favorite Live Albums EVER!

We live in a day and age where the live concert album is in very much the same category as greatest hits albums. They tend to be collections of familiar tunes released after a band is finished or at least way past its peak. This has not always been the case. There was a time when live albums were filled with rare performances and deep cuts that thrilled fans and made them extremely popular. Some of my friends never cared much for the raw sound of live recordings, but I was- and am- a big fan. The other morning a few live songs popped up on my iPod and I began to piece together a list of my Top 10 Favorite Live Albums of all-time. As you would expect with me, some of the choices are a bit off the beaten path. But I still love them all! So in no particular order, here we go...

1. After the Flood, Bob Dylan & The Band (1974) - Remarkable electric live performances of classic Dylan tunes like Blowing in the Wind and Like a Rolling Stone paired with The Band singing their hits like The Weight and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. A true tour-de-force of the era.
2. Wings Over America, Paul McCartney and Wings (1976) - Because of enduring popularity of The Beatles, it's easy to forget just how huge this band was in the 70s. McCartney is at his live best on this album which actually included a few Beatles tunes. In 1976 all 4 mop tops were still alive and we were still hoping for a reunion. This was as close as we got to hearing the Fab 4 live. It has lots of hits, the definitive version of Maybe I'm Amazed, and a few acoustic hidden gems like I've Just Seen a Face and Richard Cory. One of the best selling live albums ever recorded.
3. Mighty Day on Campus, The Chad Mitchell Trio (1961) - The soaring harmonies, acoustic guitars and folk banjo of the Trio are just brilliant, but the songs are the thing here. Great stories, some moving and some hilarious, fill the record from beginning to end. In addition to the title track, there's Lizzie Borden, Super Skier and Hang on the Bell Nellie. My dad introduced me to this great album, and his favorite song was Puttin' on the Style. The CD is in my collection and on my iPod. Great stuff.
4. 4 Way Street, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1971) - We discovered this double album that was half acoustic and half electric when I was in high school- and we wore the sucker out! The acoustic sides featured solo efforts from each member of the group (Triad, Love the One You're With, Chicago, Don't Let It Bring You Down), with the others playing supporting roles- along with a few CSNY classics like Teach Your Children. The electric album was classic 70s jam, with lots and lots of guitar solos on Southern Man, Ohio and more. The album concludes with an amazing acapella version of Find the Cost of Freedom. It's a very political album that captures the era perfectly.
5. That Was the Year That Was, Tom Lehrer (1965) - Tom Lehrer was a professor at MIT who also happened to be a musician. In 1965 he wrote humorous songs filled with political commentary for a TV show called That Was the Year That Was, but other artists sang the songs on the show. He recorded this album so the world could hear the songs as they were meant to be. I can sing every word of this brilliant performance, from Who's Next? to New Math to Pollution. Don't know Tom's music? Then check out the wonder that is The Vatican Rag! I owe the Semmler brothers and their dad Hank a great debt for introducing to me to this music.
6. The Live Set, Michael W. Smith (1986) - In the mid 1980s I still thought of contemporary Christian music as a bunch of people trying to play Jesus Loves Me on electric guitars, but as a youth pastor I kept exploring the genre in hopes of finding something I thought my students would like. The first time I ever heard this album everything changed. This was good stuff, performed by outstanding musicians- and the songs were great! Before The Live Set the only MWS song I knew was Friends. Hearing Lamu, Emily, Old Enough To Know and In the Pursuit of a Dream played live gave a new appreciation of the music. And my youth didn't like it- they LOVED it! We gave away so many copies of the cassette at TNT. SO many...
7. Jimmy Buffett at Fenway Park, Jimmy Buffett & the Coral Reefer Band (2004) - There is nothing quite like Jimmy Buffett in concert. It's more of an event than an show, and I've been fortunate enough to be there a few times in my life. He has released many live albums, but this is my favorite for a couple of reasons. The set list is classic, with all the songs you know by heart plus some hidden gems. JB and the wild crowd of Parrotheads seem truly psyched to be playing Fenway Park, and the recording captures the party atmosphere. And finally, this album holds the secret to the real reason the Boston Red Sox would finally win a world series just a month or so later. At one point the Ghost of the Bambino takes the stage, and Jimmy's dancing girls beat it to death with baseball bats. No more curse. Red Sox win!
8. The Beach Boys in Concert, The Beach Boys (1973) - You knew there would have to be at least one from my favorite band, right? This album would make the list even if the only song on it was Marcella, but there is so much more, including an incredible rocking version of Surfin' USA. So it nudges out the 1963 classic simply called Concert. Listening to the double live set reminds me just how incredible the guys sounded live at their peak. Not many live bands could pull off Good Vibrations and make it sound BETTER than the studio version!
9. Live/1975-1985, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (1985) - This one is a bit of a cheat, as it is not a concert album but a triple album collection of live recordings from a 10 year period. But WHAT a 10 year period!!! Bruce and the gang are captured at the top of their game and all of the classics are there, from Badlands to Rosalita to Hungry Hearts. The demand for this box set was so great that record stores (remember them?) would sell out as soon as shipments arrived. At the time I didn't yet own one of those new fangled CD players, so my copy of this great American classic is on 3 cassette tapes. Oh well...
10. An Evening with John Denver, John Denver (1975) - I know I said that these are in no particular order, but if they were ranked by actual "playing time" this double album would be at the top. Again, like so many of the others from the 70s, it is filled with hits- but that's not what makes it great. Songs like Farewell Andromeda, Summer, Forest Lawn and Saturday Night in Toledo Ohio are what make this a must have collection for any John Denver fan. A soaring version of Rocky Mountain High, great stories from the singer, the definitive version of Thank God I'ma Country Boy and the very moving This Old Guitar make this a masterpiece. I bought the entire album on iTunes and love to just let it play. Great memories for sure.

And here's one bonus for you. In 1976 a previously unknown artist released a double live album that took the world by storm, becoming one of the biggest selling records in history. I was never a big fan of Frampton Comes Alive, but I am fairly certain that when I graduated high school in 1977 you had to prove you owned a copy before you could get your diploma. It was that kinda big...

So what about you? Does anyone listen to live albums anymore?

#TBT: Ten Random Quaker Lake Camp Memories

My mind has been on Quaker Lake Camp a lot lately (I'm working on something special, so stay tuned!) and so this seemed like an obvious choice for a Throwback Thursday! In my 6 years as a full-time member of the Quaker Lake staff (1978-83) there were hundreds of moments that made me laugh. Here are ten of the most memorable (I left out so much, like Gail Steelman ambushing Neal Thomas, seen here!); all names are maiden names, including the guys!

10) My first week as a camper at QLC I was sleeping comfortably in my top bunk in Boys Cabin 1 when suddenly I was awakened by loud noises, giggles, and the feeling of water soaking my bed and sleeping bag. And not just me- our entire cabin had been attacked. It was a sneak attack that rivaled Pearl Harbor, brilliantly executed and very successful. There was only one problem. The water balloons tossed at our screens by the girls in question (including some people I love dearly- TAMMY...) destroyed those screens, knocking them out completely. It was all fun and games until breakfast the next morning when new camp director Neal Thomas went totally ballistic over the damage done and forced the girls to repair the screens. So it was one of those rare pranks where, in the end, everyone got to laugh at everyone else!

9) There was no air conditioning at QLC, so floor fans and window fans were very important, especially when you were trying to sleep. The girls' staff cabin, where the cooks and female lifeguards lived, was no exception. One particular night we came into possession of a 50 pound bag of dried mashed potato flakes that some mice had gotten into, so they could not be used. We waited until the middle of the night, slid a window fan to the side, and started throwing flakes through the window! As they went in, the multitude of fans began to blow the flakes all over the cabin. They woke up the next morning buried under 50 pounds of potato flakes! Snow in July!

8) David Fields, as a 4th grade camper, singing Home On the Range. "Oh give me a................HOME!" Also his famous line at dinner: "This is not Del Monte corn. I taste Del Monte corn when I taste it!"

7) My cabin of guys snuck over to the girls cabins in the early morning hours to lock in the campers of Beth Grantham's cabin. Our usual plan consisted of locking them in and singing to them, thus waking them up and causing some of them to need to use the rest room- which was located OUTSIDE the cabins! As they woke up and began screaming at us, Beth said to one of my guys "You just wait until I tell Carl Jones you are out of your cabin!" I laughed and responded "Good morning, Beth!" She forgave me about a week later...

6) On Saturday mornings one particular summer Ronnie Osborne and a very young Doug Thomas would ride around in the classic old QLC truck and empty the garbage cans dressed as Trashman and Garbage Boy! It was such a hoot to watch the parents arriving to pick up their kids try to figure our what was going on...

5) Before we knew sun tanning was bad, people used to wear oil (SPF Negative 50!) to actually attract the sun. Susan McBane was using such an oil- until Carl Semmler (the king of pranks!) substituted bacon grease from breakfast in her oil bottle. It looked the same, and she rubbed it all over her, but after a few minutes the smell started to get to her. Her response: "Oh wow, I think this oil is cankered!" A classic moment.

4) A few us were walking by the guys outhouse one afternoon when we heard the familiar voice of Lindley Osborne singing The All Day Song while sitting on the toilet. Just as we passed the door we heard "and in the in between time when you feel the pressure coming..." And we lost it! We also once lost Lindley for hours when he took a nap on a third level bunk in the back of the lodge and didn't tell anyone. We searched everywhere...

3) Head Cook Denise May and her assistant spent hours hand writing a huge chart for the kitchen with a measurement list- things like 4 Quarts=1 Gallon. Hours after they posted it, two unnamed culprits came along and wrote on the bottom 2 Cooks=1 Disaster! Denise is still mad. (Bonus: Name the 2 culprits!)

2) Alan Brown and I had written a silly song about animals dying and we premiered it at camp. We dedicated it to fellow staffer Martha Ratledge, and then finished the song with this chorus:

Isn't it a sad day, when all the animals die

There ain't nothing to do

Isn't it a sad day, when all the animals die

Why can't you die too?

It was so off the wall and so unexpected, everyone just burst into laughter. A great moment! And as always (and she needed to quite often!) Martha forgave us.

1) I had a cabin of guys for a number of years who not only came to camp together but went to school together as well. They would spend the "off-season" planning for camp, and one year they came armed with elaborate paper shooters. They would fold bits of paper and fire them at each other, leaving marks whenever they hit. One night, it was late and we had been loud, and when Neal came by for cabin check he had told us no more noise. So as David Fields, David Hockett, Robert Osborne and the rest lay in their beds, all was quiet. Until I heard this- Zing!....POP....Owwww!!!!!!!! There would be snickers, more quiet, and then a repeat. Over and over again, until, to keep from laughing, I yelled at them "ENOUGH!" Quiet set in for a minute, and then I heard a loud thump, followed by the all-time classic line "Carl- David just hit me with his saxophone!" I lost it laughing! I loved those guys...

So there you have it. If you were never a part of the QLC family then I hope this flashback makes you wish you had been. And if you were- what did I leave out? I truly hope you get a feel for how special those years were to me. 

Because of Jesus,

40 Classic SNL Moments (Part 2)

My Top 40 moments in Saturday Night Live history continue with #21...

*  Not Gonna Phone It In Tonight- In my mind this is the single greatest cold opening to the show in its 40 years of existence. Steve Martin and the entire cast mock their own complacency. The clip is nearly 7 minutes long, so so TOTALLY worth it. "Live from New York...LINE?"  (1990)



*  The Star Trek Convention- Host William Shatner attends a Star Trek convention and addresses the Trekkies. He admonishes them to "get a life" and "move out of their parent's basements"  even as the attendees bombard him with ridiculously trivial questions. A bold and brilliant sketch. "Have you ever kissed a girl, son?  I didn't think so..." (1991)

*  Family Feud- It's the CBS all-stars verses the NBC all-stars in celebrity Family Feud! Host Jimmy Fallon plays Jim Parsons in full character as Sheldon Cooper, captain of the CBS team. Justin Timberlake plays Fallon, captain of the NBC team. Timberlake's Fallon impression is so over the top that Fallon loses it completely on a few occasions. A seriously funny sketch from 2 of the guys whose guest appearances have made the show watchable these past couple of years. "This is so great. Soooo great. So great. Celebrities playing games. Nothing better!"(2013)

*  Buckwheat Has Been Shot- Leaving 30 Rockefeller Center after appearing on SNL, the great Buckwheat (Eddie Murphy) is shot by an unknown assailant who yells out "Hey Mr. Wheat" as he is getting into his limo. What makes this ongoing sketch (it had several episodes the first week and continued on through his death the following week) hilarious is they way they parodied the ridiculous coverage of the night President Reagan was shot in 1981, showing the clip of the shooting over and over again. Joe Piscopo as Ted Koppel was brilliant. "For those of you just joining us, Buckwheat has been shot." (1983)

*  Chippendales- This consistently ranks in the Top 5 SNL skits of all-time on pretty much every list I have ever seen. The brilliance of Chris Farley has never been more evident. "I mean in straight on dancing and presentation ain't no way I'm better than him!"  (1990)



* Master Thespian and His Mentor- Master Thespian (Jon Lovitz) was one of my favorite characters, and in late 1985 we got to meet his mentor, Baudelaire, played by host John Lithgow. They keep fooling each other (Acting! Genius! Thank You!) until Baudelaire can take it no more and thinks he has killed Master Thespian, but he's just acting. Baudelaire he was merely pretending to kill him, but once again, the master prevails. "For it is I who have fooled you. I am dead, and merely acting alive!" And Baudelaire gives the proper response- "GENIUS!" (1985)

* Palm Beach- Quite possibly my all-time favorite skit because of the soap opera setting for some classic SNL political satire. It is December 2000, and in the year of the hanging chad the presidential election is still undecided. All of the major players from the drama in Florida- George W. Bush (Will Ferrell), Kathryn Harris (Ana Gasteyer), Al Gore (Darrell Hammond) and Jeb Bush (host Val Kilmer) have gathered in Palm Beach to await the final tally of votes as Tom Brokaw (Chris Parnell) reports. There is intrigue, romance and hilarity as W. confesses he didn't know being president would last 4 years and Jeb confess that his brother is "special." Brilliantly done from start to finish. "Hey Hey, it's me...hey...uh Jeb...the computer's doing that thing again. Can you fix it for me so I can finish my game of Tetris?"  (2000)

*  The French Chef- Dan Aykroyd (for my money the MVP of the original cast) portrays Julia Childs doing a cooking show. During the scene she cuts her finger and blood begins to shoot everywhere. As she tries to stop the bleeding, she also tries to continue to prepare the food. Finally, after great blood loss, she faints. "Save the liver!" (1978)

*  Stephon's Valentines Day Tips- Bill Hader's character Stephon was a regular visitor to Weekend Update, teaming with Seth Meyers to give tourists suggestions on things to do in New York. I loved these sketches, and this one is a particular favorite. "New York's hottest club is Booooooooof..." (2011)



*  The Nerds Broken Fridge- Nerds Todd and Lisa (Bill Murray & Gilda Radner) are up to their usual tricks, harassing each other and dealing with the Noogie Patrol. Meanwhile, Mrs. Loopner (Jane Curtain) has bigger problems. Her trusty old Norge refrigerator is on the fritz, and repairman Dan Aykroyd arrives- complete with his plumber's crack- to fix it. Sadly, the Norge must be taken away- but not until Todd & Lisa have had plenty of laughs at the repairman's expense. The censors told Aykroyd he couldn't keep his pencil in his butt crack. They were wrong... "Egg salad for everyone!" (1978)

*  Choppin' Broccoli- British musician Derek Stevens (Dana Carvey) knows his drug-plauged career hangs in the as he sits down to perform new music for record company executives played by Sigourney Weaver and Phil Hartman. There's only one problem- he hasn't actually written any new music. So he begins to play and sing The Lady I Know, making up the lyrics as he goes. The song has become known by its familiar and extended chorus- "Choppin broccoli." It is a brilliant performance by Carvey, and a true send-up of the music business- the 2 execs LOVE the new song! "There's a lady I know, and if I didn't know her she'd be the lady I didn't know..." (1986)

* More Cowbell- In an episode of Behind the Music, the rock band Blue Oyster Cult is in the studio hoping to record a new hit song, Don't Fear the Reaper. Legendary producer Bruce Dickinson (host Christopher Walken) is ready to make a gold record. The band (Chris Parnell, Chris Kattan, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell and Horatio Sanz) begins to record, but lead singer Parnell is distracted by the cowbell playing of Ferrell and stops the take. Walken comes in and disagrees with Parnell, saying that he "needs more cowbell." This continues until a fight breaks out between band members, with Walken finally uttering this all-time classic line: "I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!" The sketch is great, and is yet another time Fallon totally loses character and cracks up during a skit. This sketch gets quoted EVERYWHERE! "Babies, before we're done here ya'll be wearing gold plaited diapers." (2000) 

* King Tut- Steve Martin stunned everyone with this tribute to the Egyptian boy king. This song was so big it was actually played on Top 40 radio. "Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia, King Tut."  (1978)



*  Bass-O-Matic- Dan Aykroyd did a number of commercials for the fictional company Rovco and their wide assortment of odd products, but nothing ever topped the Bass-o-matic, which was actually just a blender. Ackroyd explained how to use the product: Here's how it works: Catch a bass, remove the hook, and drop the bass - that's the whole bass - into the Super Bass-o-Matic '76. Now, adjust the control dial so that the bass is blended just the way you like it. [turns blender on and grinds it to a pulp] Yes, it's that simple!  He then pours a big glass of the disgusting fish shake and gives it to Lorraine Newman., who takes a gulp and says, "Wow! That's terrific bass!"  We had never seen anything like that on tv before. "We've got fish here, fast, easy and ready to pour!" (1976)

*  Black History Minute- I keep remembering all of these great Eddie Murphy moments that should not be left off my list. Here's another favorite. "So I messed up. Shut up!" (1984)



*  Celebrity Jeopardy- There were lots of great moments for this recurring sketch featuring Will Ferrell as Alex Trebek, but my favorite was the one where the contestants were Burt Reynolds (Norm MacDonald), French Stewart (Jimmy Fallon) and the ever-present Sean Connery (Darrell Hammond). The show gets off to a flying start as Connery insults the host and Burt Reynolds announces that he want to be called Turd Ferguson. The categories include such difficult topics as Animal Sounds, Sharp Things and Movies That Start with the Word Jaws. There is also a category featuring French phrases called A Petite Dejeuner, which Trebel warns them not to try.. As always the contestants are idiots and get nothing right, not even on final jeopardy when all they have to do is write a number. Any number. And they fail. These skits never failed to make me laugh out loud. "Why don'tcha give me Ape Tit for $200?" (1999)

* Steve and Gilda-  Way before Bruce Springsteen's song. Steve Martin and Gilda Radner did a sweet yet hilarious dance routine called Dancing in the Dark. The year was 1978. A decade later (1989) Martin was in rehearsals to host again when word came that Gilda had lost her fight with cancer. The clip was shown again and introduced by Martin as a tribute to the brilliant actress. A rare moment in SNL history- a sketch that was perfect TWICE...

*  Belushi Does Beethoven- I could have gone with a Samurai , a "But noooo!" or even the classic Dueling Brandos. The Thing That Wouldn't Leave is another favorite of mine. John Belushi was just amazing. I even thought about the Don't Look Back in Anger short film. But in the end I decided to go with Beethoven because is a little less known and incredibly funny. The scene below is actually the third section of the skit, following one where the pianist composed the great Temptations song, My Girl.  "Baby it's alright..."  (1977)



*  Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker -  John Belushi had few peers when it came to physical comedy, but Chris Farley was his equal. We lost them both way too soon. The first appearance of Matt Foley found him trying to inspire David Spade and host Christina Applegate at the request of parents Phil Hartman and Julia Sweeney. Spade has said that many of the mannerisms you see from Farley were things they had not seen in dress rehearsal, thus the laughter from the 2 actors. This was ranked by Rolling Stone as the greatest SNL skit of all time. "Well la-dee-freakin'-da!"  (2003)



That's 40. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. I can't wait for Sunday night and the 40th anniversary special on NBC, but for now, let me quote Dennis Miller- "That's the news and I am outa here!"

40 Classic SNL Moments (Part 1)

From it's very beginning in 1975 Saturday Night Live has been a thermometer of what was happening in the world around us. Whether through parody, political satire or the Weekend Update news report, SNL reflected what was happening - and it reflected it immediately. This has been constant, even in years when the show was not all that good. But at its best the show was more than a thermometer- it was a thermostat, actually exercising some control over popular culture and political debates. And it did it all with humor. For 40 years now, SNL has made us think, talk and laugh out loud. This Sunday NBC will host a special celebrating 40 years of the show and some of its greatest moments. I can't wait to see what they come up with for us. But today (and tomorrow) I want to share with you 40 of my favorite moments from the past 40 years. Some are sketches and and events that all SNL fans will remember. Some are ones that are just stuck in my head. I hope you enjoy this walk through time. Here are the first 20, in no order whatsoever.

*  The First Appearance of the Landshark- For months after we met Chevy Chase as the villainous door-to-door shark we all walked around knocking on doors and saying, "Candygram." (1975)

*  Buckwheat Sings!- "Wookin pa nub in aw de wong places..."  My very favorite Eddie Murphy moment. Until Buckwheat was shot...(1981)

*  The Job Interview- Chevy Chase finishes an interview with Richard Pryor by doing a word association exercise that gets very racist very quickly, and ends with Pryor being hired as the highest paid janitor in America. This skit could NOT be done today. (1975)

*  Debbie Downer at Walt Disney World-  In what was intended to be a skit about Debbie Downer and her unique ability to shed darkness on even the happiest of moments, a sound effects cause first Rachel Dratch (Debbie) and then fellow actors, Jimmy Fallon, Lindsey Lohan and Horatio Sans to completely lose character. I've seen it dozens of times and it still cracks me up. (2004)

*  Synchronized Swimming - A great skit with Martin Short and Harry Shearer. In many ways it was the first SNL Digital Short. Words fail me, so just watch. (1984)  

*  Rev. Jesse Jackson Reads Green Eggs & Ham-  Just a few says after the death of Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, Rev. Jackson appeared on Weekend Update and gave the classic Green Eggs & Ham the dramatic reading it has always deserved. It was a moment I have never forgotten. (1991) 

* Memoirs by Richard Nixon- The original cast (including Aykroyd as Nixon, Belushi as Henry Kissinger and Gilda Radner as Pat Nixon) relive Nixon's final days in the White House. Highlights include Nixon forcing Kissinger, who was Jewish, to pray with him, and Nixon yelling at a picture of JFK. "You had sex- in the White House! That NEVER happened while Dick Nixon was president...never...never...never..." (1975)

*  The Hanukkah Song- Adam Sandler gives us a holiday song for the ages, as well as a list of Jewish celebrities. This was another "I can't believe what I just saw" moment for me. Absolutely hysterical. "O.J. Simpson- not a Jew..."  (1994)

* The First Show After 9/11/01 - New York's Mayor Rudy Giuliani is joined onstage by representatives of the police and fire departments to assure the nation that New York is open for business. After a very moving opening, including Paul Simon singing Homeward Bound, Lorne Michaels appears and the Mayor welcomes back to the air SNL, one of the city's great institutions. Michaels thanks Giuliani and then asks, "Can we be funny?" The Mayor pause a beat and replies, "Why start now?" And the show was back. (2001)

*  Sarah Palin- In 2008 John McCain picked Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate and Saturday Night Live could not have been happier. Tina Fey, who had left the cast by then, returned a number of times to play Palin in a variety of skits. She nailed her mannerisms, her look and her voice, and Palin continued to give them great material to work with through the campaign and beyond. This was SNL at its political best. "I can see Russia from my house!" (2008)

* The Sweeney Sisters Meet Paul Simon- The Sweeney Sisters (Jan Hooks and Nora Dunn) were one of my favorite recurring sketches in the late 80s, and on one occasion they got to treat the great Paul Simon to a medley of his own songs. It was priceless.. "And like a bridge over troubled waters- you have laid yourself down!" (1987) 

* News for the Hard of Hearing- As a feature of Weekend Update, Chevy Chase would introduce Garrett Morris, headmaster of the New York School for the Hard of Hearing, to repeat the top story of the night. Another one that would be too politically incorrect for our world today.  (1976) 



*  Schweddy Balls- A Christmas skit in which sexual innuendo, great timing and three great actors (Alec Baldwin, Molly Shannon & Anna Gasteyer) keeping straight faces when it would have seemed to be impossible made for SNL history. (2003)

*  James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub- Eddie Murphy does James Brown better than James Brown does James Brown as he invites us all to spend time in the hot tub. "Should I get in the hot tub? Will it make me sweat? Well, well, well...HOT TUB!" (1983)

* Andy Kaufman Does Elvis- The late (maybe?) great Andy Kaufman appeared on SNL a number of times in the first few years, including the very first episode. He was goofy and occasionally funny, doing his Mighty Mouse act and Foreign Man (which eventually became Latka on the tv show Taxi). One night Foreign Man was doing terrible impressions of various celebrities when he announced that now he would "do the Elvis Presley." What followed was without a doubt the best Elvis impression I have ever seen, and Studio 8-H went wild for Andy. A great, great moment. (1976)

* Coffee Talk featuring Barbara Streisand- With original host Paul Baldwin (Mike Myers) still out with shpilkis in his genechtagazoink, Linda Richmond (also Myers) continues to sit in. His guests are two Jewish friends played by Madonna and Rosanne Barr, and they all idolize Barbara Streisand. "She's like butter. Like a big hunk of butter." At the end of the skit, Babs makes a surprise appearance stunning everyone. A classic moment! (1992)

*  Ebony & Ivory-  Frank Sinatra (Joe Piscopo) joins Stevie Wonder (Eddie Murphy) at the piano to jazz up the classic song Ebony & Ivory. The result is comedy gold. (1982)



*  Aerosmith Visits Wayne's World-  As Wayne and Garth (Mike Myers & Dana Carvey) visit with their roadie (Tom Hanks), Aerosmith is hanging out in Wayne's breakfast nook. All is well until Wayne's mom joins them. The band eventually comes to the basement and does their own version of the Wayne's World theme song. "Check, check...sybellince...sybellince..." (1990)

*  D*ck in a Box-  Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake take the Digital Short to a whole new level with the Christmas song about a special gift they want to give their special someones. And it comes with instructions for those of us at home. "1- cut a hole in the box. 2- put your junk in that box. 3- let her open the box. And that's the way you do it..." (2006)

* Strategery- No one provided SNL with more comic material over the years than George W. Bush, and no one did a better Bush impression than Will Ferrell. A classic moment that my son and I often quote comes from a 2000 sketch depicting a debate between Al Gore (Darrell Hammond) and Bush. When asked to give one word to describe what his presidency will be like, Ferrell responds "Strategery." A made-up word for a guy who would spend the next 8 years making things up. Priceless and prophetic! (2000)

So that's it for today. Come back tomorrow for 20 more...if you dare!!!

A Visit To Memory Lane

Yesterday I returned to Tampa after spending 5 glorious, wondrous days in my native state of North Carolina. It was more than amazing to share warm hugs and big laughs with people I had not seen in many years- some in over 20. People kept asking about the purpose of my trip, when in fact people were the purpose of my trip- and it was a major success! One of my friends answered that question by saying. "It's a Carl reunion," And it did feel that way. There will be much more written about this adventure as the week goes on, but after hitting the road at 4 am yesterday and driving the 700 miles home, I am reminded that the words "spring chicken" no longer apply to me. So today you get a brief summary of my journey.

Last Friday I drove past the house you see above at 405 Springtime Road in the Guilford College area of Greensboro. My parents had this house built in 1964, and we lived there throughout my childhood and young adult years. For the purpose of this trip, it may as well as well have been located at 405 Memory Lane. That house was ground zero for so many adventures, so many relationships and sooooo many memories. It still looks great, and even though many of the leaves have not turned yet, the tree you see welcomed to me to Autumn- a season which for all practical purposes does not exist in Florida. The lawn looks too good, making me think that the front yard football games may be a thing of the past. When I told my friend Carl Semmler about my "drive by" he wondered if the current residents had left the living room unfurnished (The Chinese Room- you had to sit on the floor!) as my parents had for all those many years. It was a powerful visit for me. They say you can't go home again. They also say home is where the heart is. As I took that picture and the memories of my years in NC flooded my soul I was much more connected to the second of those old sayings than the first...

To the dozens of people with whom I sat and visited during my trip, thank you for making my time with you so special. There will be more specifics coming in the Saturday Shout Outs later this week, but the love, grace and friendship you showed me was overwhelming. I am truly blessed.

To the dozens of other friends I didn't get to see, please know that you were thought of, talked about and missed. Marilyn and I will be back before too long and hopefully we can catch up with even more of you the next time around. I know that we can't live in the past. But for a few days, it was really nice to take up residence at 405 Memory Lane and just revel in the people and events that made me who I am today. And, as it turns out, Memory Lane can be a great starting point for planning new adventures. But more on that later this week. I hope you missed me while I was gone, dear readers. Have a blessed day, and peace be with you!

Because of Jesus,

The National Youth Workers Convention: My Top 10 Memories

The Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Convention is going on this weekend in Sacramento, and even after 8 years away I still miss those events. I attended 18 of the conventions (NYWC) between 1982 and 2006. The full list of conventions I attended is as follows:  Dallas (1982, 2001); Atlanta (1987, 2000, 2004);  Chicago (1988); Orlando (1989);  Nashville (1995, 2002);  Anaheim (1996); Philadelphia (1985, 1997); Denver (1998); Cincinnati (1999); Phoenix (2003); Sacramento (2005); 
Pittsburgh (2005); and Charlotte (2006). Today I want to remember some of the people, speakers, seminars and events that made those conventions such life-changers for me. Today I take a look back at 10 of the best moments. Two of my very best memories- Mike Yaconelli's early morning bible study and the Exhibit Hall (featuring every youth ministry resource you can imagine, from finger blasters to bibles)- happened every year and are not included on this list. 

1. Dallas, 1982- Convention #1 has to go at the top of the list. I was amazed at everything, but among my favorite memories are hearing Tony Campolo speak for the first time; meeting Mike Yaconelli for the first time; Jim Burns and his incredible Advanced Youth Ministry seminar; the Wittenburg Door Banquet with radical speaker Dick Gregory; and of course, my amazing souvenir belt buckle (pictured).
2. Atlanta, 2004-  Tic Long offered me the opportunity to lead my very own NYWC Seminar, which was a dream of mine. I had finally achieved the status I always desired- that of Minor Christian Celebrity. Very minor. My seminar was called Pagan Eye For the Christian Guy and focused on taking our ministries out of the church and into the community. It was well attended and well received. A true highlight of my professional career.
3. Phoenix, 2003- I signed up for a two day intensive seminar (called Critical Concerns Courses in those days) led by Yac and Fil Anderson, who had been my Young Life leader during my first couple of years of high school. It was a spiritual growth workshop, where we spent 8 hours focused on the scripture found in John 12:1-8 where Mary pours perfume on Jesus' feet. We literally soaked in the scripture, building our own clay jars and making our own perfume. It was amazing. The fact that Yac would be killed in a car wreck less than a month later made it all the more significant to me...

4. Philadelphia, 1997- All of us who had served 20 years or more in student ministry were called to the stage and presented with a framed copy of the great Geoff Moore & the Distance song, Only A Fool- while Geoff and the boys sang it to us. The framed copy (pictured) still hangs on a wall in my home.
5. Atlanta, 1987-  The Country Quakers (myself, Terry Venable and Ray Luther) sang Blue Pick-Up Truck at the Wittenburg Door Banquet and rocked the house! Also that same year Wayne Rice did a great Sinatra impression while singing I Did It His Way...  Classic.
6. 1982-2006-  The "group singing" in the general sessions was always just incredible. Over the years I was fortunate enough to share in worship with Yohann Anderson, James Ward, Bob Stromberg, Chris Tomlin, 721, Starfield and of course, *David Crowder Band. I can't even begin to explain how these amazing artists impacted my life and my ministry, or how many of their songs I took home to my groups. I used to say that the Angels would have a hard time matching the sound of 1000 youth workers singing "Where justice rolls down like a mighty water" or "There is no one like you..."
7. Dallas, 2001- Late Night Live on the final night of the convention was always good, but in 2001 it was simply awesome! Lost And Found came out to warm up the crowd, doing cover songs and claiming not to be themselves. When asked who they were, they responded with crazy names like Czars of Clay, Second Day or abcTalk. Comedian Brad Stine joined in with his "Put a helmet on!" bit, which killed. Lost And Found then came out for real and played my request, Used To Be. And finally CPR closed with their brilliant improv act. Best. Night. Ever! And I was on the front row...

8. Philadelphia, 1997- During general sessions YS used to have a set of bleachers on the main stage that they called The Peanut Gallery. The seats were first come, first served, and in those days me & The Banana Splits were always first because we volunteered to do set-ups before the sessions. We usually avoided the Peanut Gallery (preferring the front row) but for some reason we sat in the bleachers for a session featuring Third Day. Mac Powell (complete with blond hair!) came over and sat with us during one of the songs, as did Mark Lee. I may be wrong, but I think Campolo spoke at that session too. A great memory!
9. Anaheim, 1996- We got on an elevator at the hotel with some weird looking British dudes we had never seen before. A few hours later we were worshipping with them. We had just encountered Deliriou5- and that is something you never forget. I had never experienced worship quite like that. I still get chills every time I hear Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble?
10. Nashville, 1995- It should come as no surprise that music was the thing at my first Nashville NYWC. Michael W. Smith showed up unannounced and played some songs from the then-unreleased I'll Lead You Home album. PRF performed with help from members of Jars of Clay. Audio Adrenaline played without lead singer Mark Stuart, who had laryngitis. One of their roadies sang lead on Big House. And I met Geoff Moore for the first time over dinner at the hotel. It was all awesome!
11. BONUS:  Chicago, 1988- Can't leave this year off the list. It was the year I roomed with Terry Venable and got the "You're dead meat!" call from his wife Leigh Anne at 5 AM because their sick child had kept her up all night. It also featured the only speaker I ever walked out on in 18 conventions- Rev. Charles Stanley. But that is a story for another day... 

I could go on, but I'll stop there. The NYWC has a special place in my heart, and I hope this has been an amazing weekend for everyone in Sacramento. I know that the leadership and the tone of the conventions have changed a great deal since 2006, but one thing will never change- the best part was always the time spent with the other participants just talking shop. These were other people who actually understood what it was like to live life as a youth pastor. My prayer is that all youth workers will feel the love and support in their lives that the NYWC always gave me. And that there's still room on the schedule to get into a little trouble...  :)

Because of Jesus,

Things I Miss (Walt Disney World Edition)

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am not one of those old farts who doesn't like change. I enjoy change. I seek out change. I thrive on chaos. After all, I was a youth pastor for all those years! So this is not one of those grumpy old man, "Get off my lawn!" kinds of a post. But there are things that would be better off left alone. It doesn't mean that new is not good, but in some cases old was just better. I still love New York City, but it was better when Oh-La-La was still serving the world's best hot chocolate. I look froward to going back to my old stomping grounds of Myrtle Beach someday, but not as much as I would if the Pavilion was still there. And then there is Walt Disney World.

My love affair with WDW really began on our honeymoon in 1986, and from 1991 -2006 I was an annual passholder (my wife and son still are). It was our second home, a place where we often spent days with my parents, a place where my son grew up, a place where we enjoyed many great youth group experiences and a place that for us really was the "happiest place on earth." But we also witnessed many changes. Attractions, restaurants and shows that came and went. Special things that we enjoyed because we felt like they were "our secrets." So today I want to share (from a list of about 50) 10 things that it saddens me to say are no longer part of the WDW experience. In no particular order, here we go...

* Breakfast at Tony's Town Square Restaurant - Tony's (located just inside the entrance to the Magic Kingdom) still exists, but it has now been many years since they served breakfast. Back in the old days you could make reservations, arrive at the MK an hour before actual park opening, and have a magnificent start to your days at Tony's. We made a habit of this, primarily because they served the best cinnamon rolls ever! It's not too late to bring this one back, oh high and mighty keepers of all things Disney!

* Sorcery In the Sky - For many years this end-of-the-night fireworks spectacular at the Disney/MGM Studios (which will ALWAYS be the name of the Hollywood Studios to me!) was our favorite in all of WDW. Perfectly choreographed to some of the greatest movie music of all time and narrated by the great Vincent Price, the show would light up the sky over The Great Movie Ride. And for the grand finale, set to the music of Fantasia, a giant inflatable Mickey the Sorcerer would rise from the roof of the Chinese Theater and shoot fireworks out of his finger. Absolutely EPIC!!!

* Superstar TV - Located in the theater that now houses the American Idol experience, this was a great audience participation show centered around classic television shows. Through the magic of a split screen, pre-chosen audience members would appear alongside some of their favorite characters, including Lucille Ball, David Letterman and Ed Sullivan. We also got to read lines off of a teleprompter. I myself was chosen to be play the part of Dave Garroway on the first ever episode of Today on 4 different occasions, and to have drinks with the guys at the bar in Cheers. Lots of fun, and no talent required!

* Early Mornings At EPCOT - When we lived in Kissimmee in the the 90s, we would often start our days at EPCOT in a way that is now completely out of the question, but was totally wonderful. We would park at the Beach Club Resort early in the morning (in those days there was no parking lot security to speak of) and enter EPCOT through the International Gateway (the "backdoor"). This was a time when the World Showcase opened at the same time as Future World, instead of 2 hours later as it does now. E would usually grab breakfast at the bakery in the French Pavilion. While the multitudes were entering at the main entrance, we would stroll around, often having the countries literally to ourselves for the first hour or so. And many times we would see characters roaming around waiting to greet us. Good times...

* Ariel's Restaurant - Almost every time we celebrate a special occasion at my house that involves my wife- our anniversary, her birthday, Arbor Day or whatever- and I ask her where she wants to go for dinner, the answer will always be Ariel's. Unfortunately it's been closed (and for no good reason) for over a decade now. Ariel's was a very high-end seafood establishment located in the Beach Club Resort. We ate there so often the wait staff and chefs knew us, and knew that when Marilyn ordered her scallops blackened she meant BLACKENED!!! We were there for many special occasions, including the night we told my parents that Marilyn was pregnant with Will, The really hard part about this one is that even all these years later the space is still empty, used only as a special occasion banquet room. And that's just painful.

* Mr. Toad's Wild Ride - This classic Magic Kingdom attraction is still missed by millions each year. I loved it, if for no other reason than the night in 1990 when Jeremy Godwin and I rode it over and over again just before park closing while we waited on the rest of the youth group to gather behind the Castle. Jeremy was a large man. I was larger. The 2 of us crammed in a car for the wild ride brought many smiles to cast members working that night. And to us!

* Walter Cronkite's Voice on Spaceship Earth - Other voices narrating our trips through the history of communication have been just fine, including the wonderful Jeremy Irons. But nobody beats Uncle Walter. He will always be the voice of Spaceship Earth to me. I can still hear his words "Behold the majesty of the Sistine Chapel" ringing in my ears...

* Horizons - I understand that EPCOT, by its very nature, was meant to be constantly evolving. There are many additions that have been made over the years that are truly great, including Soaring, Test Track and Mission: Space. That said, I wish they could have left Horizons for future generations to experience. That trip into the future was, like so many things at EPCOT, both fun and educational. And getting to choose which future you wanted to be part of made you feel special. I see petitions to bring this attraction back floating around the internet all the time. It is missed my many!

* Same Day Meal Reservations - The internet, thousands of people who are "experts" on WDW and the sheer growth of the place have made it nearly impossible to get meal reservations if you decide to just go over for a day. There was a time when you could stop at City Hall in the MK and make a reservation for later that day without a hitch. Now, for the really good restaurants, you often need to plan 6 months in advance. And if you go far enough back, there was a time when dining reservations at EPCOT could only be made at the park on the day you wanted to eat there. In 1993 on a youth trip I made nearly 60 reservations at 5 different restaurants one morning for THAT day using a computer at Communicore. Now they are even taking advance reservations at our beloved Beaches & Cream Soda Shop, where we have eaten probably a hundred times on the spur of the moment. Spontaneous dining (other than fast food) is rapidly becoming a thing of the past at WDW. Sigh...

* Cranium Command - The loss of the entire Wonders of Life Pavilion (still sitting empty) is a travesty, but Cranium Command will always hold a special place in our hearts. This journey through the day of a teenage boy (Buzzy..or was it Scuzzy?) was filled with with amazing character voices. It never failed to crack me me up as General Knowledge (the brain) tried to take control of his emotions and his body functions. My personal favorites were Hans & Franz pumping us up as Buzzy's heart. Again, a true loss for future generation- and all because a corporate sponsor pulled out. Ugh.

So there's my list. My friends Lisa and Amy suggested 20, 00 Leagues Under the Sea, an often missed classic at the MK. The live Hunchback of Notre Dame show at the Studios was a family favorite of ours. And as cool as it is to have Captain EO back at EPCOT, I loved Honey I Shrunk the Audience. There are so many wonderful new things to enjoy. And so many wonderful old things that will always be missed. What's on your list? Have a magical day!

Youth Ministry Memories: Favorite Restaurants

Over the years my youth groups visited many fine restaurants- and a whole bunch of not so fine ones as well!  Each time you take a group of teenagers into a restaurant, you can see the fear on the faces of the employees and patrons.  They expect mayhem, wildness and no tips.  We always tried to surprise them and make our time there as much fun for them as it was for us.   Today I take a look back at 12 places that were favorites of various groups for a variety of reasons.  All of them share one thing in common; we were always invited back.  I had the best students anyone could ever ask for!  So here are 12 great memories:

12)  The Jade Dragon-  Located only a block from Union Church in Hinsdale, IL, this great little Chinese place was a regular stop for meetings, lunches with students and SHO-Time.  We had a great meal there one night with the gang from Spooky Tuesday and had my farewell dinner there as well.

11)  Sonic Drive-In-  In both Tampa and Waycross we used a Sonic for a summer program called Happy Hour.  I would go sit at the tables outside and spend several hours greeting students, playing cards and drinking Cherry Limeaids.  It was always a great time of relationship building, and I miss those very hot summer days!

10)  Captain John's Seafood-  I picked this fine Calabash restaurant (a favorite since my own youth group days) to represent all of the seafood restaurants we visited in the Myrtle Beach area over the years, including the all-you-can-eat places (pictured) we favored in the later years.  Special memories include Lisa Kraus Spires destroying an entire army of crab legs and the night I discovered half of the Springfield group didn't like seafood.  Not included in this list is White's Point- unless you wanted a hamburger. Right, Steve, Carl, Beth and Tammy?

  9)  The Roadhouse Grill/Rio Bravo-  These two Kissimmee restaurants were favorite SHO-Time spots, and we ate at both on many occasions.  We loved the queso at Rio and the bread and throwing peanut shells on the floor at Roadhouse, and both places knew us well.  Later on a Roadhouse in Clearwater became a favorite of the Wesley Memorial group.  None of those three restaurants are still in business.  I blame myself...

  8)  Dick's Wings-  This wonderful wing house became the home of our 5th Quarter "after football" events in Waycross, which drew big crowds of students on Friday nights.  You had to beware of Dick's Special Sauce- it was lethal!

  7)  The Beaches & Cream Soda Shoppe-  Located at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort, this place serves great hamburgers and hot dogs- but no one cares!  They have some of the most amazing ice cream creations anywhere, and we visited often, as tourists from Springfield and as locals from Kissimmee and Tampa.  This was the home of the Kitchen Sink, and the much-missed Disney Dash Ice Cream Bash event.  

  6)  The Fireworks Factory-  Another out-of-business restaurant and the second in a trilogy of Disney eateries, we only had two meals there with youth groups.  The first night already received its own post, and you can read it by clicking here.  The second was the night Marilyn and I informed everyone on the Springfield Alumni Trip in December of 1994 that she was pregnant.  A very special place.

5)  The Cape May Cafe- Whether on long trips of just going over for the morning, there was no place quite like Cape May when it came to breakfast.  Both the Springfield and FUMC-K groups got to experience the wonder of this all-you-can-eat buffet that never ceases to amaze. I know of one young woman (no names, but she was dangerous with a Bible in her hands!) from the Springfield group who once ate 7 plates of food there and still loves to tell the story! Plus you got to share the meal with Admiral Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale! Located in Disney's Beach Club Resort, this one is still open- and I need to go soon!

4)  Lee Gardens-  Located near Wesley Memorial in Tampa, this Chinese buffet was host to us on so many occasions, and they never failed to show us a great time.  To this day when I walk in with just Marilyn they are stunned, and ask "Only 2?"  Best egg drop soup ever!

  3)  Carmine's-  This Manhattan establishment has the feel of something straight out of The Godfather.  It is a great place under any circumstance; to go there with a large group simply defies description (especially when I got to order everything in advance!).  The service, the sheer amount of food, and the desserts are all amazing.  We didn't find this place until Jill Painter's Aunt Gerry took us there in the late '90's; I didn't ever miss a chance to go there after that!

2)  Kyotos-  Many of my former students will be stunned to see this come in at #2.  After all, no place spanned as many years of my ministry as did this Japanese steakhouse.  While at Springfield, we discovered one in Greensboro, NC, and began to plan regular group events there.  It became tradition for me to take youth there to celebrate their 16th birthdays.  When we moved to Kissimmee, we discovered one in Longwood (just north of Orlando; see picture) and began regular pilgrimages, often with huge groups of teens.  Later, we discovered one in Myrtle Beach and ate there with both the Wesley Memorial (above) and FUMC-K groups.  So many stories, so many memories and so much food!  Also have to give a quick shout out to Kado Japanese in Tampa, which also hosted many a memorable meal!

  1)  Pizza Inn-  Although we ate at Kyotos many times over many years, for shear quantity nothing came close to Pizza Inn in High Point, NC.  It has so much meaning to so many people who were a part of the Springfield Friends Meeting youth ministry (see The Ministry of Pizza Inn), partly because at least a portion of us ate there every week- at least once a week!   No other restaurant ever had as much impact on my ministry, and we had a pretty major impact on them as well.  Congrats, Pizza Inn- you are still #1!!!

So there it is- I would love to hear your thoughts on oversights and omissions from this list.  My groups may not have done everything right, but as you can tell- we never missed a meal!  See you tomorrow!

Because of Jesus,