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:: I'll Hit It With A Stick ::

All y'all know that us Robots like to spin a little Ives now and then. Generally speaking it's pretty hard to go wrong with ol' Burl. As consistently, well, consistent as he is though, there's often a song that makes you say, "huh?". This is one of those songs.

One of my earliest memories of Burl Ives was as an actor, rather than a singer. I was vaguely aware he was a folk singer when I saw him in a film called "Ensign Pulver" on NBC Saturday Night At The Movies. I figured this sequel to "Mister Roberts" might be funny, but I found Ives portrayal of Capt. Morton (played by James Cagney in the original) to be downright depressing, which means he did a good job playing this despicable character.

This early impression then helps make the image of Burl beating the memory of his lover with a stick that much more funny. This recording, produced by Nashville big wig Owen Bradley hits the musical spot (with a stick) and Burl Ives' voice is a unique instrument as always.


Mike

This entry was posted on Friday, October 27, 2006 at 5:45 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.