Saturday 9: I Won't Be the One to Let Go

Saturday 9: I Won't Be the One to Let Go (2002)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Barbra Streisand begins by singing about dreams and wishes. What are you wishing for this morning?  I'm doing this Friday evening, but what I'm wishing for is that the all-day rains predicted for tomorrow don't happen.

2) Barry Manilow sings that "anytime you need me, you'll know where I am." If a friend needs you, what's the best way to reach you (text, phone call, email, knock on the front door ...)?  All of those are probably pretty much equal. The only one that wouldn't get a quick response is an email.

 

3) Both of this week's artists are from Brooklyn. In addition to Barry and Barbra, Brooklyn is home to Coney Island, where America's first roller coaster debuted in 1884. Do you enjoy amusement park rides? If yes, do you have a favorite?  I used to love amusement park rides and was up for nearly anything. I'm not quite the fan I used to be because the whipping and jerking around hurts more than thrills. 

As a kid, my favorite ride was The Ultimate Ride at Conneaut Lake Park. They took a Mad Scrambler and put it in a room that was only a foot or two wider than the ride and had low ceilings. The room (walls, floor and ceiling) was painted black then had mirrors and designs painted on in black-light paint. It was air-conditioned and when the ride started the lights went out except for black lights, strobes, and other disco type lights. Then they went and played the best rock music of the day. LOUD. The line was always long, but the ride lasted nearly 10 minutes. It was awesome!

4) Barbra and her husband, actor James Brolin, have lived in the same Malibu home for more than 25 years. How long have you been in your current residence? Do you think you'll be moving anytime soon?  On July 4th we will have lived here for 29 years. No plans to move.

5) Barry Manilow once lived in luxurious Bel Air. His neighbors were former President and Mrs. Reagan. At first he thought it would be great to have the Reagans nearby but quickly changed his mind because he disliked the Secret Service helicopters flying overhead. Tell us about one of your neighbors. (No pressure; we don't expect to hear about historic figures.)  I live in the same neighborhood I grew up in. My daughter lives on side of us. My mom lives behind us. My best friend from school lives two houses away. All of the immediate neighbors beyond that have lived here all my life. As a kid I knew them too well to call them Mr. and Mrs. and called them Aunt or Uncle (insert their first name). Most are either Hungarian or Polish and good working class folks. It makes me sad that probably within the next 5 years or so most of them (with the exception of my mom, daughter and bestie) will probably be gone.

 

6) As a teenager, Barbra worked as a switchboard operator. Her job consisted of connecting calls by inserting phone plugs into the appropriate jacks. As telephoning became automated, these jobs were phased out and by 1983, the switchboard operator was obsolete. Can you think of another occupation that used to be common but doesn't exist anymore?  Elevator operators and milkmen.

7) Loyal Fanilows can subscribe to ManilowTV. For $9.95/month, fans can watch exclusive content, like interviews and concert performances. Do you more often watch live broadcast TV or streamed content?  Probably an equal mix. We have Hulu Live for regular broadcast TV but also stream Netflix, Disney+, Prime, Paramount+, Discovery+, HBO, and lots of the freebies like Tubi and Plex.

8) In 2002, the year this recording was released, the Sears Wish Book offered seven different collectible Barbies. According to Mattel, the doll's manufacturer, there are more than 100,000 Barbie collectors all over the world. Do you collect anything?  Books, Christmas brooches, Navajo pottery, and dog figurines.

9) Random question: Are you exclusively an online/ATM bank customer, or do you often go into the branch and interact with a teller?  I am a mix of online/ATM and the drive-thru window. I can't really say going to the drive-thru is terribly interactive. The tellers barely say hello when they begin the transaction or "Have a nice day" at the end.

Thanks, as always, to Crazy Sam for the music and questions! If you'd like to play along, click here.