California Soul -- LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

Here's everything Wikipedia has to say about this song:

"California Soul" is a pop-soul tune written by Ashford & Simpson, issued originally as a single by American pop quintet The Fifth Dimension in 1969. It was also covered by Motown vocal duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell that same year and was the duo's last single together when released in early 1970.

Both the Fifth Dimension's version and the Gaye/Terrell version were modest charted hits. The original performed better reaching number twenty-five on the pop singles chart, while Marvin and Tammi's cover reached number fifty-six pop but never charted R&B. The duet was released after Terrell's tragic death from a brain tumor in March of 1970.

The song was a socially conscious-type of song advocating love and peace.

In 1969 Bluenote singer Marlena Shaw also did a version of the song which is now featured in a Dockers commercial circa 2008.

(There's no actual video on this clip. Someone just posted the recording with the song title and artist.)

Andrew Lloyd Webber on Idol

I have to say that I enjoyed the guest mentor. I loved the bit in the taped segment when he said about Brooke's singing of "You Must Love Me" from the Evita movie, "I don't think that girl had a clue what she was singing about." He seemed down to earth and had some constructive advice for the contestants.

It wouldn't make me sit through Phantom again, though...

I have to vote Tuesday

Does anyone want to enlighten me as to whether I should vote for Clinton or Obama?

Posh Spice smells like the Pink Taco

The Beckhams are at it again. According to today's Telegraph:

David Beckham employed some strong-arm tactics with the paparazzi at wife Victoria’s birthday lunch.

The footballer elbowed photographers out of his path as he made his way through the throng in Los Angeles yesterday.

Always one to confound her critics, Victoria, aka Posh Spice, chose to hold the family gathering at the Pink Taco, a cheap and cheerful Mexican restaurant.

Okay, I can see Becks throwing an elbow into a photographer's face -- it's what he's there for, after all, when he's not busy donating genetic material or punting a small black and white ball around on a field. And I can see Posh deciding to mix it up by throwing a party at a local taqueria -- slumming it can be quite fun at times (I remember an office bash that wound up in a dive bar somewhere on the north side of Chicago. Won a couple games of pool against my manager, I did).

But -- the Pink Taco? Really? Really? Unless the owners are a pair of Sonoran lesbians, someone has some 'splaining to do.

How could they take THIS off the air???

Idol Gives Back a ratings downer

I'll guess that, since American Idol scheduled a separate show for last night to throw out the latest loser, many people didn't feel the need to watch Idol Gives Back on Wednesday. This year's show had 17.8 million viewers, well below last year's 27 million. I wonder if fewer donations were made as well (it's hard to tell with the figures being thrown about since there are also corporate donations).

You may remember that, after going through the whole show saying someone was being sent home, Ryan Seacrest told Jordin Sparks that she was the lowest vote-getter, then turned around and said that no one was leaving after all. Last night Ryan announced that Michael Johns got the fewest votes and followed up with: ''Now, last year during Idol Gives Back, we didn't eliminate anybody at this stage of the competition. Tonight...we're going to say goodbye to Michael Johns." That was just cruel. However, if they went through that whole hour last night, separating it from Idol Gives Back, and then not thrown him out, I guarantee that would've been the jump-the-shark moment for Idol.

"Talents" of "stars" to remain secret

CBS has yanked "Secret Talents of the Stars" after one airing. Only 4.8 million viewers were curious enough to check out George Takei singing country and Clint Black doing standup comedy. I'm shocked, shocked, I tell you.