Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast - GGACP Classic: Amazing Colossal Musical Moments (2014-2020)

Episode Date: November 16, 2023

GGACP continues its salute to November's American Music Month by revisiting producer/engineer's John Murray's compilation of the podcast's best musical moments from 2014-2020. In this episode: live p...erformances by Neil Sedaka, Dennis DeYoung, Kenny Loggins, Tommy James, Mark Hudson and Tony Orlando (among others). Also: Anne Murray covers “Danny’s Song,” Uncle Junior interprets Yip Harburg, Rupert Holmes (almost) pays tribute to Humphrey Bogart, and Charles Fox composes the soundtrack of 1970s television. PLUS: John Davidson looks ahead! The Shondells go psychedelic! The legend of Morris Levy! Goldie Hawn falls for a Hudson Brother! And the Brill Building sound inspires the British Invasion! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 TV comics, movie stars, hit singles and some toys Trivia and dirty jokes, an evening with the boys Once is never good enough for something so fantastic So here's another Gilbert and Franks. Colossal classic. Hi, this is Gilbert Gottfried, and this is Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast with my co-host, Frank Santopadre. Over the course of 300 plus episodes, we've been lucky enough to have some legendary musicians, singers, and songwriters join us in the studio, and occasionally out of the studio. So we decided to celebrate all those
Starting point is 00:01:17 artists by putting together a special best of episode featuring some of our greatest musical moments over the last seven years with the help of our talented audio producer, John Murray. Frank and I will be introducing clips as we go along. We'll do our best to remember specific moments and highlights as we bring you some of the most memorable stories behind the songs. So sit back, crank up your podcast machine, and enjoy the best of the amazing Colossal Podcast Musical Moments and Memories. That was such a beautiful intro. Yeah. One take. They call them in the business, one take Gottfried.
Starting point is 00:02:17 So Gil, yes, we are doing something that we've wanted to do for a very long time. We've had a million wonderful musicians over the years, over the seven years that we've wanted to do for a very long time. We've had a million wonderful musicians over the years, over the seven years that we've been doing this. This was actually audio producer John Murray's brainstorm. John Murray doesn't have brainstorms. It's more like a light drizzle. Gee, thanks. I don't see him smiling.
Starting point is 00:02:40 He's got chloroform in a black van, Gilbert. Be very, very careful. Whenever we do these clip shows, or these sort of best of shows, I feel like we should be wearing tuxes like Johnny and Ed used to do when they... Oh, yes. ...do the anniversary shows.
Starting point is 00:02:56 And Doc would wear some powder blue tuxedo. Anyway, let's get started with these. We think this is a fun idea for a show. and John came up with the idea, as we said, and he's the one that's going to be assembling this. But we're going to start with somebody that John actually introduced us to and brought to this show, and that is our great friend Rupert Holmes. Yes. our favorite people, a Renaissance man. And Rupert joined us in the old studio at Nutmeg, and Gilbert was on his best behavior,
Starting point is 00:03:33 waiting until he could get to the Pina Colada song, weren't you? And he told us a story about the Pina Colada song with some information that some of you guys might not know, or if you heard the episode, might not remember. There might even be a sing-along oh yes there's got to be a sing-along or else i don't show up there might be a special guest singing on this one but but also uh one of the things rupert talks about is what the song was almost about uh he's going to reveal what that was and some of you who even heard the episode may not remember. So here is our wonderful pal, man of a thousand talents, Rupert Holmes. The story of this song has been told many, many places.
Starting point is 00:04:12 It had to do with Martin and Lowe. No, it didn't. Rupert's going to tell us how it had something to do with bogey originally. Oh, my God. Very good. Okay. What you have to understand is I had a track for which I had no lyric. How that happened is an entire story that we would have to do another time. We'll do it. Next time.
Starting point is 00:04:30 But it was the night before I had to record the vocal on a track with a preexisting melody, but I had no lyric. And so I wrote a lyric at 1 a.m. and went to the studio to sing this lyric. And the chorus went, if you like Humphrey Bogart and getting caught in the rain. There you go, Gil. Original lyric. Wow. And you think sometimes about how your life, for better or for worse, can hinge on something you did like that. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:05:04 And we've all, I'm sure, had moments where we said, if I had just gone there, I wouldn't have. And I've got the lyric in front of me. And I think, now this couple in the song, they're looking for an escape because the title of the song was Escape. There was no. And I said, I've done so many movie references. Maybe that's getting a little, you know, a little too monochromatic here.
Starting point is 00:05:28 So this couple, what they want is to get away from their normal lives and sort of as if they were on a vacation in the islands. And I thought, well, when you go on the islands and your first day of your vacation, you would never order on the beach a Budweiser. You would never say, I'll have a Budweiser. You always want to have something that demarcates the fact that you are officially on vacation. You're on the islands. So I thought, what are the escape drinks?
Starting point is 00:05:55 And I thought, Mai Tai, Daiquiri, Pina Colada. I'd never had a Pina Colada in my life. And I said, let's see. If you like Humphrey Bogart. No. If you like pina coladas it's okay pina coladas and five seconds later we rolled tape and every time i looked at the lyric and it said humphrey bogart i sang pina coladas and which caused me to then later add a kind of
Starting point is 00:06:16 tropical instrumental break in it to make you feel like you're in the islands which i would never have added if it had been about humphrey bogart. So the song eventually, the label came to me and said, you know, you've written this song about, people are asking for this song about pina coladas, and you call the song Escape. Can we put, make it Escape, parenthesis, the pina colada song? And I said, compromise my artistic integrity. And they said, yeah, well, it won't sell. I said, okay, it's the pina coladas. So just that one switch changed the fate of this show. Changed everything. Yeah, a lot of things. Yeah, yeah, well, it won't sell. I said, okay, it's a pina coladas. So just that one switch changed the fate of this show. Changed everything.
Starting point is 00:06:47 Yeah, a lot of things. Yeah, yeah. But I want to hear this sterling rendition. This is a karaoke version. Yeah. This isn't mine. I'm sorry. All right, here we go.
Starting point is 00:07:04 I apologize. Without shame. Yeah. This isn't mine. I'm sorry. All right, here we go. I apologize. Without shame. I was tired of my lady. We'd been together too long. Like a worn-out recording of a favorite song. So while she lay there sleeping, I read the paper in bed And in the personal columns I'm laughing because I know what's coming up.
Starting point is 00:07:31 There was this letter I read. Take it. If you like being a galada And getting caught in the rain If you're not into yoga If you have half a brain, if you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the Cape, then I'm the love that you look for. Write to me and escape.
Starting point is 00:08:04 And in the category of song-ending career, the nominees are... Wow. Career-ending songs. Career-ending songs. Oh, Lord. Well, it's safe to say it's never been that way before. Now you know how Jimmy felt
Starting point is 00:08:29 when he did Wichita Linemen. He did Wichita Linemen, one of the most beautiful songs ever written. You know, you dream of these things. You dream of these opportunities. I remember when Bud Abbott said, if you ever cared about any of our films,
Starting point is 00:08:45 just put a dollar in an envelope and mail it to me. And you can reach me. Is this that moment? Yeah, this is that moment. Oh, no. It's come to that. Gilbert, you know, I've always treasured your voice. And to think that I just put words in your mouth
Starting point is 00:09:04 and that you were doing my... It's all been building to this, really. He sang with Paul. He sang Rainbow Connection with Paul. He sang Richard Tall Lineman with Jimmy. Wow. What else? What did I miss?
Starting point is 00:09:16 Oh, Don... Well, oh, what did I sing? With Ron Dante, Sugar Sugar. Oh, yes. Sugar Sugar. Oh, that would have been good. And I crushed a version of the locomotion. Yes.
Starting point is 00:09:28 Just crushed it. I'm usually, I usually have something to say, but I have to tell you. I never saw a guest blush this much either. I mean, it's really, Gilbert's a hero of mine, and it's, you know, kind of like, I don't know, Mickey Mantle saying, let me play basketball with you. You know. Maybe you might have been better off with your chiropractor. In retrospect.
Starting point is 00:09:55 That was great, Gilbert. Thank you for doing that. Thank you. Thank you, Rupert. I believe ASCAP actually gets a—I have to give them money back now. I think I owe them. tell us what's coming i want to donate the royalties of this to a charity that he has just created by virtue of the damage gill i think one of the nicest people in show business for my money and one of the nicest
Starting point is 00:10:20 people we've encountered and had on the show is Tony Orlando. Tony Orlando was terrific. He like showed up in this little studio ready to do a show. Yeah, he was. He was. Go ahead. No, no. I just thought he, you know, he doesn't care if it's like Madison Square Garden or the two of us. He's putting on the best show possible.
Starting point is 00:10:46 That's true. A consummate professional and a ball of energy. Yes. And we talked about Jerry Lewis, and we talked about his old variety show, and he had a million stories. You found out his dad was buried in a Jewish cemetery. That was the most important part of the interview.
Starting point is 00:11:05 He told us. His dad was the only non-Jew buried in this Jewish cemetery. It was fascinating. And I think the Jews in the neighborhood called him, like, Ladle or something. Oh, gosh. Now I have to go back to the whole episode and listen to that. Yeah, yeah. It's all coming back to me.
Starting point is 00:11:25 God, I mean, we did that one, I think, five years ago, maybe six years ago. But he was great. Wonderful. And he was trying to get you to sing on key. It was futile. But at one point, and you guys will hear this clip. And this, by the way, not to disappoint Gilbert, but this is not an episode of Gilbert sing-alongs. We're getting those out of the way up front.
Starting point is 00:11:52 But this is like the Pina Colada song that you just heard. This is a great one. And Dara and I even joined in on this one. Yeah. It was all hands on deck. His songs are so much fun. You can't help it. So this is former Brill Building door to door song salesman Tony Orlando.
Starting point is 00:12:21 Well, you know, with Tidy Yellow Ribbon, you've you had some there were some complaints about that song. And I think the chief complaint was that Gilbert Gottfried wasn't singing it in duet with you. Oh, you heard about that song, and I think the chief complaint was that Gilbert Gottfried wasn't singing it in duet with you. Oh, you heard about that? Yes. That really got to you? Yeah, yeah. Was that in the Enquirer or something? Wait, you hear that story?
Starting point is 00:12:41 I didn't think it would get to you at all. Yeah, yeah. They've tried to keep it hidden. He says to me. Why? I got to share something with you, Tony. He says, well, I don't know. I hope Tony will sing with me.
Starting point is 00:12:55 He says, maybe you should print the lyrics out just in case he doesn't remember them. I said, I have a feeling he remembers them. Are you familiar with Tidy Yellow Ribbon? I think so. Okay. Are we ready? You want to sing it with me? Yes. In a minute.
Starting point is 00:13:09 Take your time. Okay, baby. You're coming up any second now. Go for it, Gilbert. I'm coming home. I've done my time. Now I've got to know what is and isn't mine If you receive my letter telling you I should be free
Starting point is 00:13:32 Then you'll know just what to do If you still want me If you still want me Tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree. It's been three long years. Do you still want me? Let me sing for a minute. If I don't see a ribbon around the old oak tree,
Starting point is 00:14:00 I'll stay on the bus. Forget about us. Put the blame on me I know why she knows you She sings like you too Go yellow and red And round the old, old street A hand for Gilbert
Starting point is 00:14:14 Yes, sir This was a first Show business Oh, oh, that Wow Show business. Oh! Oh! That! Wow. That's you, Gil. That was Dara singing it.
Starting point is 00:14:32 Yeah. It's not quite Tell Me, Joyce. You know, I haven't had more fun. I'm going to tell you something, and I mean it. This is the same thing I told Dick van dyke he sang after i sang two duets with him put on a happy face and supercalifragilisticexpialidocious that must have been something yes and i'm telling you the same thing i told dick van dyke i think i just came Boy, it's easy for him, huh? She's jumping up and down. She's literally jumping up and down.
Starting point is 00:15:13 I have a new nickname for him, if that's the case. We're calling him Sir Speedy from now on. I think that was the only time that I actually got to sing on the show. Not that anybody could hear me over Gilbert's dulcet tones, but God, that was a fun episode. That one was pure joy to do. Gilbert, what are your favorite people? And one of our favorite guests, moving from nutmeg to earwolf was Neil Sedaka.
Starting point is 00:15:45 Yeah, I remember I was during the whole show. I'm sitting across the table from him and thinking, I'm getting my own personal Neil Sedaka concert. It was. It really was. And I had seen him in concert the night before at Westbury Music Fair. I had seen him in concert the night before at Westbury Music Fair. And when he got up and did a certain song at the concert, I turned to my wife and I said, Gilbert, Gilbert will go nuts. And Frank was at the concert. It was wonderful. And he told me so.
Starting point is 00:16:17 And I hadn't said anything to Frank about this when when you heard the song. And what did you what was your reaction? You know, he's talked, what have we had? 260 guests on the show? He's brought up My Yiddish Mama probably 10 times with 10 different guests. Oh, was it Jessel that used to sing it? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:16:37 My Yiddish Mama. Have you heard his Jessel? Yeah. And Sophie Tucker, I did a Yiddish album called Neil Sedaka sings Brighton Beach Memories and I did it, my Yiddish mama.
Starting point is 00:16:54 It's getting better in the world. A Yiddish mama. Oh, howet when she fell Wie schön und lichtig Isn't heiß Wenn die Mama's due Wie treurig finster wird Wenn Gott nimmt her off
Starting point is 00:17:20 Einem Habu It's a gorgeous song. Beautiful. Oh, thank you. It's a gorgeous song. Beautiful. Oh, thank you. It's a gorgeous song. He's brought it up 20 times. I wish I wrote it. Now we got a live version.
Starting point is 00:17:32 Not a dry eye in the house, Gilbert, when he did My Yiddish Amala. I was frozen when he was saying that. I really was. He should have cut it as a single. We have a little bit more with the great Neil Sedaka here. We also talked about one of his hits, Calendar Girl. When we are having Neil Sedaka, I'm in the studio thinking, I'm going to be here with this musical legend.
Starting point is 00:17:58 And the door opens up and in walks in like every old Jewish relative. and in walks in like every old Jewish relative. He's like, oh, Gilbert, I'm so happy to be doing this show. A lovely guy. He's just one of those guys that was, you know, it was a thrill to meet him. And as you say, there wasn't any pretense to him whatsoever. No. Just like a guy from the neighborhood.
Starting point is 00:18:24 Yes. But both of us being from Brooklyn, guys we grew up around. No. Just like a guy from the neighborhood. Yes. But both of us being from Brooklyn, guys we grew up around. Yeah. Anyway, here's a little bit of Calendar Girl and a fun little tale
Starting point is 00:18:32 that goes with it. I have to share with our listeners, Neil, too, that I was saying before, my wife and I saw you Sunday night at Westbury Music Fair.
Starting point is 00:18:38 You were wonderful. Thank you. But when you played Calendar Girl and you took a break, you left the stage for a minute, you put up
Starting point is 00:18:43 that wonderful video, which is possibly the first music video. Yes. Of you in all of those changing outfits. You're like Cher, by the way. You changed outfits about 12 times in that video. Did your mom really compare you to Cary Grant? Yes.
Starting point is 00:18:56 I love that. And the story is true. I was having lunch in Los Angeles. And this gal walked up to me and said, I was Miss January in your video. This is just a few months ago. And I said, oh, really? And she said, yes. I said, I said to the audience, she was an old, she looked like an old, old woman, an old, old woman, an old old woman, but I look the same. Can you play a little bit more of Calendar Girl for us? Can we put you in a pose? I love, I love, I love my Calendar Girl
Starting point is 00:19:33 each and every day of the year. January is not the year of five. You're my little valentine. I'm going to march you down the aisle You're the Easter Bunny when you smile Yeah, yeah, my heart's in a whirl
Starting point is 00:19:54 Love, love, love, my little calendar girl Every day, and so on and so on and so on Wow, wonderful. Gil, if you remember from that night, obviously we had a keyboard in front of Neil in the studio at Earwolf. It was just a big butcher block table with a keyboard that we plopped down in front of him. And he did My Ittishamama to make Gilbert happy. The conversation eventually got around to how much the Beatles were influenced by Brill Building songwriters.
Starting point is 00:20:22 Neil, too. Neil among them. by Brill Building songwriters, Neil too, Neil among them. And I don't know how many people know that he wrote a song about and for John Lennon. And the story that was coming out was that there were American singers like Neil Sadaka who were like kicked out when the English invasion was coming. It was like, oh, we don't need them. We've got the English invasion. And yet the people of the English invasion, like the Beatles, were thrilled to meet these American singers, songwriters.
Starting point is 00:20:59 That was the cruel twist of it, is that they knocked a lot of these guys off the charts, but they worshipped them. Yeah. And years later, you know, McCartney and Elton and a lot of other people befriended Neil. And, you know, he was vindicated in a way because he found out they were all Sadaka fans. Yeah. And it's so funny because they came over and this country said, oh, we've had enough of them. And yet to the English invasion, they were thrilled. All of them influenced by Brill Building songwriters to some extent. But here's a good story that Neil told us about writing this song, inspired by John Lennon and what he was going through at the time.
Starting point is 00:21:39 A song called The Immigrant. So you had dealings with the Beatles later on. Later on, we had parties elton had parties for us and paul mccartney was there john lennon and i wrote a song dedicated to john lennon called the immigrant oh which which uh was a top of 20 hit and uh it's strange I wrote it with Phil Cody in 1976 and it's more relevant today than it has ever been. It really is.
Starting point is 00:22:10 Can I bother you for that? Oh, it's beautiful. Harbors open their arms to the young searching foreigner Come to live in the light of the beacon of liberty The chorus is There was a time when strangers were welcome here Music would play, they'd tell me
Starting point is 00:22:40 The days were sweet, sweet and clear It was a sweeter tune and there was so much room that people could come from everywhere. It became really... It's on this wonderful DVD. Yes. The show goes on. John was flattered that you... Yes, we were on WNEW.
Starting point is 00:22:57 We did an interview together. He said, people always called me to ask for a favor. And he said, Neil Sedaka, you called me and said you dedicated a song to me. He was having trouble getting a green card because of the drugs. I remember those days, too. I remember when EJ the DJ, when Elton would DJ on local stations. And he played the hell out of your records. That's all good stuff.
Starting point is 00:23:22 Good stuff. Yes. We will return to Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast after this. Speaking of the Beatles, and you know I love to do segues, tidy segues. We had early on in the run, and this is way back at Nutmeg, we had the very funny Mark Hudson of the Hudson Brothers. Yes. Mark Hudson was the Hudson Brothers. Yes. Mark Hudson was one of those guests. I was in another room, and he walks in.
Starting point is 00:23:54 Oh, we were in the kitchen. Yeah, we were in the kitchen. Mark Hudson walks in and, like, does an hour of stuff before the mic is even on. He didn't even say hello. No. Or introduce himself. He walked into the kitchen and launched into a
Starting point is 00:24:11 Joey Heatherton story. Yes. Amazing. Amazing. Followed by Cher stories. I mean, he was just shot out of a cannon. Really funny guy. And he does a great Cher imitation. He does. He dated Cher for a while, but he has a Beatles story too. He was in Ringo Starr's all-star band for a
Starting point is 00:24:33 while and recorded with Ringo too. And so the Hudson brothers had a hit called So You Are a Star, which was based on the real life of his brother Bill Hudson, Bill Hudson falling in love with Goldie Hawn. And there's a little Beatle influence here that he talks about as well. So check out part of our interview with the very funny, and we need to have him back, Mark Hudson. And so when does, I'm just trying to move gradually through this, and when does So You Are a Star was before the TV show? It was.
Starting point is 00:25:06 And So You Are a Star was Casablanca, which was Neil Bogart. And in the early 70s, the act signed Kiss, Donna Summer, Parliament, the Hudson Brothers. And we were like the first band on that thing. And that was just like what you think. Satin jackets, cocaine.
Starting point is 00:25:22 It was all of that kind of stuff. And So You Are a Star, when Bill was having a crush on Goldie, he was so over the moon about it that I, you know, me and my own John Lennon-ness, I wrote
Starting point is 00:25:39 this, So You Are a Star. We happen to have a guitar handy. It's a pretend one. That's okay. So you are a star. We happen to have a guitar handy. It's a pretend one. That's okay. So you are a star. Okay. Nobody knows you like I do. You've got to love only me. Very beatily.
Starting point is 00:26:01 You've got to feel only me Nobody knows you Nobody shows you the way that I do Very beatily Neil Bogart flipped for it and said That's great, let's make it a single And it was the demo So it wasn't really like we went in like professionals
Starting point is 00:26:22 It was when I wrote the song We went into the studio, won light and put it down, and it became a top 20 record. Now, the big joke is cut to 30 years later. I'm producing Ringo, and we're mixing his album, Dave Gilmore from Pink Floyd, on his houseboat. And I'm back there at the piano, and, So you love a star?
Starting point is 00:26:44 And Ringo goes, Hey goes hey mom that's very beautiful I went yeah I know that's what all the reviews said like Rolling Stones had the best kinetic pop since the Beatles and this huge compliment and he goes let's do it for your mom so I have a version now that's on my solo album of me doing so you are a star with Ringo Starr that's great playing the drums when it was Beatle-influenced. It goes to show you how the circle goes. You were trying to sound like John? No, you know what?
Starting point is 00:27:12 It's interesting because Ringo got mad at me once. I was singing background on one of his records. He goes, Mark, stop sounding like John, you bastard. I said, I can't. I'm just sounding like me. The fact that it is, I'm sorry. So, I keep singing because it's the only thing I know. Either I go, when I sing high, it's more McCartney. When I'm lower, it's, I'm sorry. So, I keep singing because it's the only thing I know. Either I go, when I sing high, it's more
Starting point is 00:27:27 McCartney. When I'm lower, it's more Lennon. It's just my influence and what I am. By the way, I have to say that Mark Hudson does one of my favorite Ringo Starr impressions. Oh, yeah. Right on. That was great. Here's a guy influenced by the Beatles as well. I'm doing these segues.
Starting point is 00:27:44 John is laughing. Dennis DeYoung. Now, Dennis DeYoung was a recent show. We were not in the studio. This is a COVID episode. We had to record it during lockdown. Dennis was in his den in Chicago. And he got to talking about two of the big hits, the mega hits that he wrote and performed for Styx. Do you remember, Gilbert?
Starting point is 00:28:04 Oh, babe. Oh, how does babe go again? Oh, man. Babe, I'm leaving. I'm out of my way. Oh, that's it. Okay. Okay. Now I remember. Yeah, the one he wrote for his wife. What is really impressive about Dennis is what good voice he's in for a man of 73 and how he hits those high notes. A bunch of our singers amaze me that way. I mean, there are some singers you see on TV younger than they are, and their voice is gone. And some of the singers we've had on, they're really in advanced years,
Starting point is 00:28:47 and their voices are terrific. I wouldn't say that about you as a singer. You haven't lost a step. So check out this double feature, if you will. Back-to-back songs from the great Dennis DeYoung. Before I lose my voice. Lady, when you're with me I'm smiling Give me all your love Your hands build me up when I'm sinking Just touch me and my troubles will fade
Starting point is 00:29:39 Baby, from the moment I saw you Standing all alone You gave all the love that I needed So shy, like the shining hand Oh, baby I'm a lonely Love shines in your eyes Sparkling, ladies and gentlemen.
Starting point is 00:30:37 Thank you. Wonderful. Delightful. That was the first song I ever wrote and sang by myself on a record. And I wrote it about my wife. So I've had a lot of luck writing songs about my relationship with my wife. And she's only taken 70% off the back end. That's very generous of her.
Starting point is 00:31:00 Was that the first one you heard played on the radio? Was there a moment? We asked the musicians that have been on the show, Dennis, that that moment where there it is. I heard one of our first songs on the first album and played a little bit on a radio station that didn't matter. But you have to understand WLS was the most powerful radio station in America, located in the center of the country. powerful radio station in America, located in the center of the country, 50,000 clear watt channel broadcasted, you know, from Denver all the way to Little Rock. So to get on that station, it was a miracle. So when he told me that, I went home, we're in this little house that we lived in, my wife and I, and eight o'clock, there was a little radio on top of the refrigerator. We thought this
Starting point is 00:31:46 can't possibly happen. And it came on and it was I just got the chills right now thinking about that moment. And we danced in the kitchen right there, a little kitchen, not really an eat in kitchen. And anytime something good happens, we have to run to a kitchen and dance. It's just like a tradition that we, you know, because it was like, man. Now, another song we could thank your wife for is Babe. Yes. The story goes like this. It was her birthday in 1979. She supported me.
Starting point is 00:32:22 I thought, I'll write her a song. But is your wife listening? she's right next to us I was just trying to get out of buying jewelry so I sat down I wrote this song and I called up the Panazzos I said you guys do a demo with me I want to give this to her
Starting point is 00:32:42 and play it at a birthday party and nothing else. It was not for sticks. So they said, yeah, we go, we do the demo. No guitar players are there, so we don't put any guitars on it. And I sing all the background harmony parts. Nobody's going to hear it. It's not who gives a shit. Nobody's going to hear it. In fact, I wrote it. I wrote it on the grand piano when we got in there the grand piano was out of tune so there was a fender roads in the corner and and bobby whiteside i don't know who that is but it was his they rolled it out i'd never played one and i went you know i just started noodling and then rolling tape so i I did it. I gave it to my wife.
Starting point is 00:33:25 Everyone at the party went, oh, my God. Oh, my God. That doesn't suck as much as we thought it would. So people started saying, we love this song. We love it. It was just for her, not for nobody. And the demo became the song you've heard on the radio for 40 years. All those harmonies are me singing by
Starting point is 00:33:45 myself. We were so afraid to change that record. All we did was Tommy Shaw came in and played a guitar solo. That's the record. So that's why there's no guitars on it. Otherwise, if I'd brought it to Styx, we'd have sat in the room and recorded it much differently. And so it was just dumb, you know, the best kind of luck, dumb, stupid. And that's what that was. So it was just dumb you know the best kind of luck dumb stupid and that's what that was so it was for for her and it went on uh to win the people's choice award for best song which was pretty cool how how different would it have been if it had been a stick song would it have been a power ballad yes it would have been more guitar driven and um you know i, it would cost more to have to be the guitar players. No.
Starting point is 00:34:29 OK. Are you ready? If I'm leaving, I must be on my way. The time is drawing in. is drawing in A train is going I see it in your eyes The love that needs your tears I'll be lonely
Starting point is 00:34:59 without you I need your love To see me through Please believe me My heart is in your hands Cause I won't be missing you Everybody! You know it's you, babe
Starting point is 00:35:27 Yeah, but I get weary And I've had enough Feel like giving up You know it's you, babe Give me the courage And the strength I need. Please believe that it's true. Babe, I love you.
Starting point is 00:36:01 Wonderful. Now, Gil, back in the nutmeg days, you know, one of the things we love to talk about on this show is the mob. Yes. Yes. And the mob's influence on show business. Now, maybe you'll get ahead of me and see where I'm going. I know who... Oh, fuck. Fuck.
Starting point is 00:36:22 The something and something... What was his name? Fuck it. See, this is why I should send you the outline before the show. I know. Tommy James and the Shondells. He wrote a book about it. Yeah, great book.
Starting point is 00:36:43 And his memories of the mob were amazing. Yeah, Roulette Records, which Tommy was on, was owned by the infamous Morris Levy. They ruled with an iron fist. And he said Morris Levy, around his office, would have baseball bats ready to bash someone's skull in at any point yeah capone-esque uh if you guys uh if you guys like mob history or even if you want to read a great book about rock and roll pick up tommy's book and and he tells a story it's wild in the book about they caught some guy who was like um putting out copies his own copies of the their songs and he came over with a baseball bat smashed all his machines and he's and the guy's crying he goes i'm just doing this because my son's in a hospital he needs an operation and morris levy a killer and a gangster
Starting point is 00:37:49 says okay we're going over there now he better be in the hospital or you're in trouble they found out he was in the hospital and morris levy says to the, how much is this operation going to cost? And he tells him and Levy takes out a checkbook and writes out the full amount for the operation. A ruthless killer, a sadistic killer with a heart of gold. Yeah, that part of the book I loved. the book I loved. That was... That if you saw that in a movie, you'd say,
Starting point is 00:38:27 oh, they made this up for the movie. Tommy's book is a great read, and it's filled with stories like that. And the story of Roulette Records needs to be a movie. But you did a sing-along with Tommy. To your disappointment, we're not going to play that one.
Starting point is 00:38:44 We're not going to play I Think We're Alone Now, but Tommy did a solo song. He had the audacity to do a song without Gilbert, and that was Tommy's hit, Crystal Blue Persuasion. And he's got a fun little story about how that one came about, too. So...
Starting point is 00:39:00 So you won't complain. I think we're alone now. It doesn't seem to be anyone around. Here is Thomas Gregory Jackson, also known as Tommy James. What else did you guys prepare to play? And I'll keep Gilbert out of this one for the good of music. A medley of my cowboy hits wasn't it no look over yonder
Starting point is 00:39:40 what do you see What do you see? The sun is rising Most definitely And a new day is coming People are changing. Ain't it beautiful? Crystal blue persuasion. And you better get ready
Starting point is 00:40:25 Gonna see the light Love, love is the answer Maybe that's alright So don't you give up now It's so easy to find Just look to your soul And open your mind Crystal blue persuasion
Starting point is 00:41:07 It's a new vibration Crystal blue persuasion Crystal blue persuasion Better get ready He looks down On every green field In every town Gonna see all of his children
Starting point is 00:41:49 In every nation There'll be peace and good Brotherhood And crystal blue persuasion Wow. That sounded great. Yeah. Thank you.
Starting point is 00:42:25 It was missing me, but still. Considering. I told you, you get a tambourine, you got it good. How did that song come together, Tom? Well. Because it was a big departure. Yeah, it was one of those songs that just kind of happened by accident. There was a we were playing at college in Atlanta and a kid came up to me with a poem called Crystal
Starting point is 00:42:52 Persuasion. And I went, whoa. And we were always on the make for neat titles or neat hooks, something. And I looked at I thought that was such a great combination of words. It had nothing to do with the song, the end of the song. So we went back to the room, and Mike and Eddie and I wrote the song. In about 20 minutes, Eddie came up with the... Just a little line like that. And it was really taken lyrically from the Book of Revelation in the Bible. it was really taken lyrically from Book of Revelation in the Bible. And then we went in the studio and produced it,
Starting point is 00:43:30 and we just totally overproduced it. It was, I never have ruined a record like I ruined Crystal Blue Cliff. And I went and we had guitars and we had a full set of drums. And I just remember looking at the engineer, I says, this is not the song. And so we spent the next two weeks unproducing it, pulling everything out. And when it ended up finished, it was nothing but a conga drum, a flamenco guitar,
Starting point is 00:43:59 a little rhythm guitar with the tremolo on it, and an organ, no drums, nothing. And so we had to empty it out and let it breathe to be crystal blue. Great. One of my favorites. Thank you. You know, it's great, too. You always feel guilty when it's just the two of us, Gilbert, when somebody brings a guitar and pours their heart out and sings the song,
Starting point is 00:44:20 and then you and I become the sound of two people clapping. Yes. And it always sounds, on the podcast, it always become the sound of two people clapping? Yes. And it always sounds on the podcast, it always sounds ridiculous to hear two people clapping. It's like, kind of like, I think they did that at the end of Laugh-In. Yeah, right. There would be like one clap. That's all we can generate as two people, but we are genuinely thrilled when these people play for us and when they bring an instrument with them. They're amazing moments. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:44:51 Here's an amazing moment, I think, with a borrowed guitar. I think if memory serves, and this is an actor slash singer, something a little bit different. And as memory serves, I don't think he showed up with his own guitar Frankie Verderosa had a guitar sitting around in Nutmeg and I think he picked up were you there that night John? no I wasn't there that night
Starting point is 00:45:14 I remember the episode well I think he picked up the guitar it was an electric guitar he was playing a Gibson SG real nice wood beautiful guitar yeah and he played and we weren't expecting this at all He was playing a Gibson SG, real nice wood, beautiful guitar. Yeah, and he played, and we weren't expecting this at all.
Starting point is 00:45:30 This was a pleasant surprise. And Gilbert, I can see by the puzzled look on your face, I'm referring to Uncle Junior from The Sopranos, Dominic Chianese. Oh my God, he was terrific. Remember? And I asked him if he could sing Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? And he did an amazing version of that. And we just happened to have it with us.
Starting point is 00:45:54 Yes. This is one of my favorite moments in the history of this podcast. Dominic, Uncle Junior. Yes. Interpreting Yip Harburg. Can I put you on the spot and ask you to sing a little bit of Brother Can You Spare a Dime? Sure. Yeah. Should I use the guitar? Yeah, why not?
Starting point is 00:46:12 Now, this is a wonderful song. You know who wrote the words to this? It was Yip Harburg. Oh, Yip Harburg. Yeah. Over the Rainbow. Yeah. Yeah. Once I built a railroad, I made it run. I made it race against time. Once I built a railroad Now it's done
Starting point is 00:46:47 Brother, can you spare a dime? Once I built a tower To the sun Brick and rivet and lime Once I built a tower brick and rivet and lime. Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Starting point is 00:47:22 Once in khaki suits, gee, we look swell. Full of that Yankee doodle dum Half a million boots Went slogging through hell I was a kid with a drum Say, don't you remember They called me Al It was Al all the time Say don't you remember
Starting point is 00:47:54 I'm your pal Brother can you spare a dime? Fantastic. That was a treat. Yeah, Paul Berg wrote those lyrics. Thank you, Tommy. That was one of the great songs to come out of the Depression. Exactly.
Starting point is 00:48:24 Wonderful. Yeah. And I remember the Depression. Exactly. Wonderful. Yeah. And I remember the Depression, you know, back in the 30s. My sister and I would put little nickels and pennies in the paper and throw it down the fire escape because there'd always be somebody down in the buildings in the Bronx, you know. There were trumpeters and guys with accordions trying to earn a living, you know. They didn't beg. They just sang.
Starting point is 00:48:44 They tried to make that. Nickel bought him, got him a cup of coffee at least, probably a sandwich in those days. So I remember the Depression. You know, I hear that song, Gilbert, and it's a heartbreaking song. It really is.
Starting point is 00:48:59 I mean, it's from the Depression. And the way he sings it was just great. Yeah, he really felt it. That's a great episode. I mean, again, that was fairly early in the run for us. I think one of the first shows with Verderosa when we got into Nutmeg. But I thought that was a fantastic episode in so many ways. Yes.
Starting point is 00:49:20 And he sang an Italian song, too. But that version of Brother, Can You Spare a Dime tore my heart out. Yeah, chilling. Here's a complete change of direction. And I know this was one of your favorite guests at Earwolf because he sang a couple of medleys for us. And that was our friend Charlie Fox. Oh, my God. Charles Fox. Oh, my God. Charles Fox. Charlie Fox.
Starting point is 00:49:45 There's a basically a tits and ass teen comedy with Scott Baio called. Oh, you don't say what's it called? Zach. Oh, yes. I remember now. And I love the music. I always loved the music. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:50:04 In that movie. And then I found out we're having the guy who composed. That was like having Beethoven. So the fact that he wrote beautiful melodies like Killing Me Softly with his song means nothing to you. You just want to hear the songs from Zapped. Yeah. to you. You're just into, you just want to hear the songs from Zapped. Yeah. We're the king and queen of hearts. Hold me when the music starts. With the lights down low, never let you go. What do you think, John? Like I said, he has, his voice hasn't changed a bit. I'm a fan.
Starting point is 00:50:44 How many singers have come on this show and said Gilbert sings in perfect pitch? Take me to your heart. Oh, take me to your heart. Show me where to start. Let me be the star of your first love. Yeah. And then he did a medley of all the TV tunes. Hmm.
Starting point is 00:51:10 We just might have it. Yeah. That was amazing. Now, do people need to see Zapped or can they just get the album? Well, you got to have the full, you got to have the artificial, artificial tits of Heather Thomas. I see. She already had a great pair of man-made boobs. And yet in the movie, they have the most obvious stand in this headless body that appears.
Starting point is 00:51:49 Uh-huh i so so if i'm a scott a cinema of scott bayo completist i have to see that right yeah okay yeah you have to and uh oh and and the song that i remembered and he didn't right uh was the closing song of Zapped. And I said it to him, and he said, I don't remember doing that. And then he said he went home and asked his son, and his son said, yes, you did write that song. I love it. I love it. He was very amused by you and how much you remembered songs that he was trying to forget. Yes. remembered songs that he was trying to forget.
Starting point is 00:52:22 Yes. And he said that me, one of those songs, I think, Gotta Believe in Magic, that me and the people of the Philippines Oh yeah, he's huge in the Philippines. Yeah, love that song.
Starting point is 00:52:40 Yeah. He's gigantic in Manila. Yeah. And I remember when you first asked him, will you come on the show and sing some song? And he said, I'll only do it if Gilbert doesn't sing. Well, he was a holdout for a while. Yeah. Yeah. He and it was great. He was like, he would like play the, you know, the keyboard for me and nod his head when it was time for me to jump in. Well, we got two medleys. John came up with, because John went through the whole archive,
Starting point is 00:53:16 and thank you, John, again, and cherry-picked these wonderful pieces. And Charlie did two medleys for us. He did a commercial medley, or at least he played one of his jingles, or perhaps I think it was a jingle he arranged, but we loved it. And then he treated us to his primetime medley. So we're going to play both of those clips back to back. And a versatile artist, a great composer,
Starting point is 00:53:42 and he also wrote, we can't forget that he also wrote Ready to Take a Chance Again, which Gilbert loves. Yes, and he let me sing that one, and that was great. Yes. Great. We'll do, down the road, we'll do another montage episode of just all Gilbert sing-alongs. If people can take it. And this is a couple of quick medleys with the wonderful, versatile Charles Fox. I love your career at that point, too, because you're bouncing around and you're doing so many interesting things.
Starting point is 00:54:11 You did commercials. You did those Parker Brothers commercials. I did a lot of commercials, yeah. Yeah, and the White Owl cigars. When the values go up, up, up. And the prices go down, down, down. Robin Hall in season. We'll show you the reason. Low overhead.
Starting point is 00:54:28 Low overhead. Yay! Yay! Oh, man! Hilarious, Charles. I'm going to regret this hour. Our listeners are going to eat this up. Are there any other famous ones like that?
Starting point is 00:54:46 Do you remember the White Owl cigars? You know what? I have to confess. Honestly, I didn't write that song. I only arranged it. You arranged it. I arranged it a hundred different ways. We had the Christmas thing. I don't know. I did all the commercials. See, I promise I won't sing these
Starting point is 00:55:01 songs. It's too late for that promise. We're way beyond that now. If we could hear a snippet of some of these great, like, Love American style. Love, love, love, love, love, red and blue. Love American style. That's me and you. And then Sunday, Monday, happy days. Tuesday, Wednesday, happy days. Thursday, Friday, happy days.
Starting point is 00:55:37 Saturday, what a day. Rocking all week with you. Give us any chance, we'll take it. Read us any rule, we'll take it Read us any rule, we'll break it We're gonna make our dreams come true Wonder Woman Wonder Woman The love of Anyway.
Starting point is 00:56:02 Oh, my God. I love the way they just go right, flow right into each Anyway. Oh, my God. I love the way they just go right, flow right into each other. Well, I just did that. It doesn't usually, you know. Oh, my. I didn't sing the love, I just said the word, but anyway. Fantastic. That was great.
Starting point is 00:56:20 Now, Gilbert. Oh, Don. Is Don on the phone? Were you doing Benny or Frank Nelson? Our friend John Fodiatis, who's probably listening to this because he never misses one, is obsessed with Frank Nelson. So give him a little Frank Nelson. It's you again. Beautiful.
Starting point is 00:56:44 Frank Nelson interlude back to the task at hand I was talking about musicians who were kind enough to come in with their own instruments John I believe you were there on this particular night you're talking about Kenny I'm talking about Kenny Loggins
Starting point is 00:56:58 I befriended Michael Jensen and Ryan Romanesco who work with Kenny. And they said, hey, how about Kenny Loggins for the show? And I said, the first thing that popped into my mind was Gilbert singing Footloose. Yes, yes. And it happened. No way that wasn't going to happen.
Starting point is 00:57:17 It happened. I think you also, did you also do the theme from Caddyshack with him? Or he might have done that one. He might have done that one by himself. Yeah, but I definitely did Footiddler's Shoe. You definitely did. He did, I think, four or five numbers for us. He showed up with a friend of his, a gentleman named Rick Cowling, who we also have to thank. It's nice when everything just kind of gels, when musicians walk into the room, and you can see they're into it, and they're into the show, and they're happy to be playing these songs. You you know we always feel like we're imposing on them we always say things like
Starting point is 00:57:48 can we impose upon you to play this song or could we trouble you yeah it's it's always like okay you're probably tired of hearing this but uh yeah you don't want to go to a party and have somebody say gilbert could you do the Ben Gazzara bit? Yeah. Which I get all the time. Of course you do. Could you entertain us? But, you know, we needn't worry with some of these people. Neil was thrilled to play.
Starting point is 00:58:19 Charles Fox was thrilled to play. And Kenny Loggins put so much effort into it. Kenny Loggins put so much effort into it. I mean, I think they flew Rick in just for the podcast, which I couldn't believe. Yes. So our hats are off to Ryan Romanesco and Michael Jensen for making this happen. And Kenny's been a favorite of mine my whole life, going back to the Loggins and Messina albums. And so it was a pinch-yourself kind of night. John Murray was there. I think we dedicated a song to your sister. and Messina albums. And so it was a pinch yourself kind of night. John Murray was there. I think we dedicated a song to your sister. Yes, you did. And I got to hang out with
Starting point is 00:58:50 the guys afterwards. We were talking guitars backstage and I got to share some of my favorite guitars with them. That was a real treat. That was a great night for me. Yeah. Yeah. He was a great guest. I'm so glad. It was a magical night. It really was. He did a couple of songs. I think he did four or five. We're going to narrow it down to two. One of Kenny's big hits, Danny's song, which Gilbert requested. Here's a version of that, followed by a song from later in Kenny's career called Conviction of the Heart, which is a song with an environmental message.
Starting point is 00:59:20 And he talks about both songs. So, again, one of my favorite moments. I know I keep saying that, but the great Kenny Loggins. And before we get too late out of it, I have to ask you to do something to any song. Oh, okay. As long as you're on the subject. Well, does anybody have a guitar? Here, you can use mine.
Starting point is 00:59:40 You know, we've got to get one. All right. can use them on. You know, we... All right, got it. All right, how about that? I'm not sure that these guitars... Let me see. If I do this and sing down a little,
Starting point is 00:59:51 it might work. That should work. All right. Is it? It is? Oh, good. They got it. Got it.
Starting point is 01:00:03 People smile and tell me I'm the lucky one. And we've just begun. Think I'm gonna have a son. You'll be like she and me, as free as a dove. Conceived in love. Sun is gonna shine above even though we ain't got money I'm so in love honey and everything
Starting point is 01:00:38 will bring a change love in the morning when I rise Bring a tear of joy to my eyes And tell me everything's gonna be alright Love the girl who holds the world in a paper cup Come on, drink and do Lover and she'll bring you love
Starting point is 01:01:09 If you find she helps you mind Brother, take her on Boy, don't you live alone Try to run with lovers on Even though we ain't got money I'm so in love Honey, everything will bring a change Love
Starting point is 01:01:36 Every morning when I rise Bring a tear of joy to my eyes and tell me everything's gonna be all right. And here's the verse I wrote for my granddaughter I see a smile, a baby child in my grown boy's eyes. And now I realize there couldn't be a better life. Now I know what I've been told is really true, my friend. Yeah, the circle never ends. Gonna catch it coming round and round again Even though we ain't got money I'm so in love with you honey
Starting point is 01:02:54 And everything will bring a change Love In the morning when I rise Bring a tear of joy to my eyes And tell me everything's gonna be alright Beautiful. What a treat. Thank you, thank you. Fantastic.
Starting point is 01:03:38 The lyrics are... That note gets higher. What's that? Every year. It gets a little higher? Something, I don't know, they're changing pitch on me the the the there was a letter that you that you sent to your brother and no letter i got from my brother and the lyrics were lifted right out of the lyrics were beautiful right out of the letter beautiful was this the
Starting point is 01:03:56 same brother whose guitar you you you snatched down from the way so you more than made it up to him yeah i think so how did this song get to Anne Murray? She took it off the first Loggins and Messina record. She did a lovely version of it. Yeah, she did a great version of it. And then I wrote a song called Love Song. Right. And so I took it right to her then at that point. I met her and, you know, showed her some stuff.
Starting point is 01:04:27 that point i met her and you know showed her some stuff and then when um when the i was vindicated with love song because because jimmy uh jimmy didn't like it and he didn't want love song yeah really he didn't want it on the second album and uh so um then when she loved it and she turned it into a hit and i said i think we should put it on the record. Oh, well, yeah. You were vindicated. Yeah. Wonderful piece of music. This is a song that has been called Environmental Anthem. I got asked to rewrite the lyrics to this to make it more on point as an environmental anthem.
Starting point is 01:05:09 And I said, no's it's done it's not neat it doesn't need to be rewritten because the environmental movement is not a thing it should not be a finger-pointing movement about you do this and you do that except that for me the the issue is a spiritual one. It's each individual's awareness of his connection to each other and to the planet. And so Conviction of the Heart becomes a song about someone who wakes up from his sense of aloneness and gets that we're all in this together. Here we go. We're off dreams that we once had This is the time to bring them back What were the promises Caught on the tips of our tongues Do we forget or forget There's a whole other life
Starting point is 01:06:32 Waiting to be lived One day we're brave enough To talk with conviction of the heart And down your roads I'd walked alone As if my feet were not my own Such is the path I chose Doors I have opened and closed I'm tired of living this life
Starting point is 01:07:24 Fooling myself Bel believing we're right When I'd never given love With any conviction of the heart One with the earth, with the sky, one with everything in life. I believe we'll survive if we only try. Only time How long must we All wait to change The world bound in
Starting point is 01:08:08 Chains that we live in To know what it is To forgive And be forgiven Too many years of taking now Isn't it time to stop somehow If that's too angry to breathe Water our children can't drink Thank you. Do you care in love What's your conviction
Starting point is 01:09:10 DeJuan Thank you, Gilbert. I appreciate it. Here we go. I believe it will start with conviction of the heart. One earth, one sky, one world, only one chance for one life When will we live? Conviction Only one earth Only one sky Only one child We've only got one chance to live in one life
Starting point is 01:10:23 I believe it's only gonna start when we begin with some conviction of the heart. Oh, beautiful. Beautiful. Applause in that room. Look at that. You got a standing ovation in the control room. Thank you. You ran out of chairs. It looks beautiful.
Starting point is 01:10:57 We will return to Gilbert Gottfried's amazing, colossal podcast. But first, a word from our sponsor. I heard you say some good songs come to you in dreams. Was that one? That was, well, the song, Guy Thomas and I wrote that song. And the verses and the whole, Down your streets I walked alone, all that stuff we wrote in the afternoon. Called it a night,
Starting point is 01:11:28 had dinner, I went to bed and I dreamed the chorus, the one with the earth, with the sky. I woke up with that melody in my head. Amazing to me. And I said, I went to him and I said, I don't know why but this belongs in
Starting point is 01:11:44 that song. So it took me a few years to actually understand what the connection of that refrain was to that song. So sometimes you'll dream pieces and then the pieces won't fit into the puzzle until well down the line. Well, at least as far as understanding, but I know the music of it, the music of it belongs, belong together. How do you retain it? Who, who, who can,
Starting point is 01:12:07 who can remember this stuff when they wake up? I've taught myself to do that. I remember I have usually a melody every morning and I, and then I can assess whether it's worth recording or not. Wow. Do you have a little handheld? Well, I have my,
Starting point is 01:12:21 I had cassettes back in the day, but now I have my iphone just use the memos will you wake up in the middle of the night and just put it right into this good yeah i'll lay there and i will actually think is this good enough to to put down because i know i have to i have to set the pitch i have to say you know i'll sing the triad so i know what key it's in i tell myself what beat the song starts on because when you listen a few days later you don't know if i'm if you're singing the downbeat or what it is yeah it's hard to get back into that i lay the i lay the groove down and i'm playing the groove while
Starting point is 01:12:55 i'm singing it i know what key it's in and then if i hear harmonic things to it chord changes i have to lay those in to outline what the harmonic changes would be. Fascinating. It's a lot of work. And I always heard... So I really, I have to be motivated. I have to believe it's a really good song or I'm not going to wake myself up.
Starting point is 01:13:15 And I always heard that like musicians have what they call the dummy lyrics. Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Most of my songs keep those. You know, the famous story of McCartney's Yesterday was scrambled eggs. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:13:36 But Celebrate Me Home, I thought, was my dummy lyric, because I didn't think it made any sense. And then when I showed it to Phil Ramone in New York, he goes, yeah, that's what the brothers would say. Celebrate me home. Celebrate me home.
Starting point is 01:13:52 Okay. Hey, Gil, I can see by the look on your face, you're thinking, okay, but did they include my pal John Davidson in this musical montage? John Davidson, my wife asked him, like she would see there was a club that he would play at in the Berkshires. And she went up to him like about 50 times.
Starting point is 01:14:18 Each time he said no. Yeah. I think Davidson thought we're going to have him on and rip him to shreds. And a lot of our guests don't realize we want to honor all of our guests. Well, I wonder if one of us has that reputation because it isn't me. Yeah. And.
Starting point is 01:14:40 Why would they be afraid, Braytel? And he enjoyed it so much. He sent us messages saying that that was one of the most fun times he's ever had. And he invited us to a show that he did. He was he was great. He was he was wonderful for so many reasons. But it brings up an interesting point, which is that when we started this show, Gilbert's history on shows like The Stern Show preceded him a little bit. And some guests were tentative,
Starting point is 01:15:15 not realizing that the show was going to be an all-out tribute. I think you radically changed your image with this show, Gilbert. People learned that you were a super fan of show business and great performers. Yeah, and it's like, you know, we both want to honor these people that were such great influences.
Starting point is 01:15:36 That's been the intention of this show from day one. But for whatever reason, John kept turning down Dara and it became a running joke. I'd say, how are things with John Davidson? He said he'd rather listen to the show than be on it. Wasn't that it down Dara and it became a running joke, I'd say, how are things with John Davidson? He said he'd rather listen to the show than be on it. Wasn't that it, Dara? Something sick.
Starting point is 01:15:51 Was something like, we got 50 or 60 very polite different versions of turndowns. So our pal, audio producer John Murray, picked some songs out of the John Davidson episode, and John talks a little bit about different things.
Starting point is 01:16:08 He was doing a live show in Manhattan at the time, and these were some of the selections. People forget you put out 15 albums. Yeah. Recorded a lot of music. Yeah, and still am. I still do shows with my guitar
Starting point is 01:16:24 and tell jokes, and I just put out a new album. So what can people expect when they come to Birdland on the 27th? Well, I open with this. No, I open with this. If my song can raise your spirits, if my song can make you dance, Can't raise your spirits if my song can make you dance. If my song can make you dare enough to chant some new romance.
Starting point is 01:17:00 If my song can make you reminisce of some sweet day gone by. Then let me be your songbirdbird And soon your soul will fly I'm standing on the corner Of nothing and nowhere And basically it's a busker singing on the corner Just realizing that at this point in my life, I'm nowhere. And it's the confusion of trying to figure
Starting point is 01:17:29 out life. What do you do with your life? And I'm developing a pilot for a TV show. Tell us about that. Yeah. Gil is one of my celebrity guests. It's Gil and Penn Gillette, my two guests. Can't wait.
Starting point is 01:17:48 And the whole idea is, what's next? The show's called What's Next? What do you do with yourself in your 60s? Now, I know what Gil does. He's doing what he does best and still doing it. But for a lot of people, the challenge of, I've just been let go of my job, or I'm tired of doing what I'm doing, how do I reinvent myself for the 60s, 70s, 80s?
Starting point is 01:18:05 Whatever. That's what it's all about. And I wrote the theme song. What's next? Over the hill and round the bend. These golden years will make us great, my friend. I'm not going to take that final bow. The show ain't over, no way, no how.
Starting point is 01:18:24 We've all been shakers, fakers, money makers, dadgers, stay-at-home moms. We've been finders, keepers, losers, weepers, creatures of dot com. Each time I start to whine about the wrinkled state I'm in, I step it up, suck in my gut, and grab a second wind. What's next? So, it's a song about what do I do with my life? And so I'm interviewing people.
Starting point is 01:18:49 I'm going to go to, after we do your show, I'm going to go out to Times Square and find people in their 60s and do Man on the Street. I'm going to walk up to them. Really? Good for you. Just like you were in 63, smiling at strangers. I'm going to say, what are you doing
Starting point is 01:19:06 with your life? That John Davidson episode, we keep talking about it, but it's worth talking about. It was worth the wait, Gil. Yeah, he was putting up the biggest fight and when he finally agreed to do it, he
Starting point is 01:19:21 totally agreed. He was brave, he was open, he was funny. He was sarcastic. Everything you really want a guest to bring to the show. And we should have John back. Yes. I bet he wouldn't put us off for seven years now. Maybe six. So we hope you guys enjoyed this.
Starting point is 01:19:43 This was a thrill for us to do and we have to thank John Murray who came up with this idea and said to me what about a musical montage episode what about a greatest hits collection of musical moments and you forget you know we've done so many of these Gil almost 350 now
Starting point is 01:19:58 we forget how many musicians we forget all the people who've passed through those doors yes it's there are people who we've had those doors. Yes. There are people who we've had, who I swear we've never had on the show. I know, like Dick Van Dyke. Yes, yes. Who's getting an
Starting point is 01:20:13 honor. He's going to get an honor from the Kennedy Center. Yes. We should mention, long overdue. So let's thank some people in addition to the great Murray who made this episode possible. I want to thank uh also frank verdarosa who engineered uh who recorded and engineered and uh edited these original episodes um we want to thank too the people who brought us these great talents helped
Starting point is 01:20:36 us book them barry doherty norman steinberg robert cotto our friend jackie martling who brought us mark hudson and tommy james oh and jackie's been a godsend helping us book this show uh the person Robert Cotto, our friend Jackie Martling, who brought us Mark Hudson and Tommy James. And Jackie's been a godsend helping us book this show. The person Gilbert loves to give credit to, Gino Salamone, who booked Dennis DeYoung. I already mentioned Ryan Romanesco and Michael Jensen. And like I always say, it takes a village to make this show. Great musical memories. We had fun doing every one of them.
Starting point is 01:21:08 What can I say? More to come. Okay. And I'm Gilbert Gottfried, and this has been Gilbert Gottfried's amazing, colossal podcast, Musical Moments, with my co-host,
Starting point is 01:21:23 Frank Santopadre. And this is Musical Moments. Do you-host, Frank Santopadre. And this is Musical Moments. Gilberts, do you sing? Do you sing? It doesn't stop me. You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy. You make me happy when skies are gray.
Starting point is 01:21:44 Good, I chose the right key. That's right, and your key. Yeah, it's not a key. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away. Are we still on? It's a parking lot now, right? We stopped recording 25 minutes ago.
Starting point is 01:22:12 Oh, okay.

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