JeansMusicBlog

My daddy was a small man but a great man. A simple man but a great man.
He was a hard worker. He didn't needed much : everything for his family (our mother and their three children).

He was a positive man and a 'singing' guy. While he worked he was singing. Always the 'classics'. He had a nice voice and was invited to join a Russian Kozak choir in the sixties. I remember how much he regretted the fact he had to reject that invitation purely to personal circomstances.

This picture (on the left is my mom) is taken 'today' in 1981 when my dad celibrated his 66th birthday at my place.
On that occasion I gave him a 10LP box containing all the, at the time, available Caruso songs. He was so thrilled with it although I don't think he will have played them a lot (he couldn't handle a turntable).
I never forget the smile on his face : things money can't buy !

When he died in 1989 I only asked two things. This LP box and his handcherchief with his initials.
I still have to digitalize the LP box.
I always carry his (and since two years also my mother's) handcherchief with me.
On this Youtube video you can hear Enrico Caruso sing Vesti la giubba, probably his most well known rendition of this aria from Leoncavallo's opera 'I Pagliacci'.
By the way, isn't it great people make this kind of simple 'historical' video's ?
Look at Wikipedia to read all about Caruso.

My father also liked Mario Lanza. During the last Christmas days I posted his Christmas album.
Again Wikipedia is the place to be to read Mario Lanza's biography. And of course All Music Guide also gives great information.
On this Youtube video you'll see and hear Mario Lanza - Santa Lucia. Great !

RCA issued a few months ago on their label RCA Red Seal 707409 a great 46 track remastered double cd called Essential Mario. I have this and it's a great set ! Recommended to everyone who likes Mario Lanza.
On behalf of my father's birthday I placed a link in the comment to just a few songs not taken from this 2CD (to 'recent' to post).
Examples : Torna A Surriento, La donna e mobile (superb !), Aida, Funiculi Funicula, O Sole Mio, Santa Lucia, Tarentella & Vesti la giubba.
Although these songs are not remastered as on that RCA issue and my bitrate is only 128Kbits I hope some of you will like them. They will not be disappointed.

Funny, when my father died there was no (public) internet. When Google 'indexes' this posting he's also part of 'the new age'....

EDIT in the evening.
My mom and dad know what I am 'doing' at the moment.
Like I always notice, when the problems are the biggest, the help is the nearest. So again today I got a very re-assuring phonecall concerning my future.
Thank you my guardian angels : I treasure those handcherchiefs !

Christmas time. Time to reflect the last year.
Did we achieve the things we wished for at the beginning ? Did we get a better job with more money ? Did we buy that new car ? That new house ?

I'm just happy with the handkerchief which belonged to my father, who died some 15 years ago, and I which always carry with me.
He was a simple man who was just plain happy with his family for which he worked so hard all his life. Christmas was always special to him. The whole family together joined around the Christmas tree. All happy faces. The stable with just born Jesus Christ. Going to church in the middle of the night. Old Christmas songs. Cold outside. Throwing snowballs.

He liked singers like Caruso, Al Jolson and Mario Lanza.
As a tribute to my dad I'll play today Mario Lanza - Christmas with Mario Lanza 1950_1958.
Nice crooner songs like 'Deck the Halls', 'O Come All Ye Faithful' and ' The Lord's Prayer'.
This album went straight on to #1 in the American album list on 22 december 1951, so exactly 55 years ago ! Can you image, time flies.

See the comments to know what I mean.