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:: Overture to Tommy ::

:: Ciao ::

As a youngster, my exposure to Liberace was limited to his wacky appearance in the first Wrestlemania, when he kick-danced his way around the ring with The Rockettes, and then served as time-keeper (with crystal servant call bell) for the main event tag-team match - Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff. My eleven-year old self wasn't amused, and was quite frankly, annoyed.

Then in 2000, I saw John Waters' Cecil B. Demented at the theater, and during the closing credits, this song is playing about saying "ciao" instead of "goodbye." It's kitschy, it's sappy, it's simple - and I'm digging it. I sit through to the music credits to find out who I'm hearing and learn it's none other than Liberace. So I have to admit, I was pretty pleased when I found this 1978 record, because I now have that song on glorious vinyl, as well as the extra bonus of Liberace's tasteful, yet tacky, tackling of Pete Townsend's "Overture to Tommy." Make sure to stick around for his banter at the end of that one to find out just one of the reasons he was known as "Mr. Showmanship."


Phil-aming

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