Posted 4:53 PM by Gene

WELL, after several months I finally got around to humming along to Reader's Digest Music's promo CD for a set called "American Pie", and boy these clowns are terminally from Squaresville. Some deservedly anonymous baritone in a Wink Martindale mode (don't mean to insult you, Wink) oozes how the songs (the usual overplayed junk from the seventies) epitomize a time when "life was good [high inflation, high unemployment, energy shortages], the future looked bright [Vietnam, Watergate, Dick and Gerry in the White House, Jimmah trailing] and our spirits were high [and those who did dope]." He then introduces a song by Jim Croce -- who loved the era so much he went out and promptly got killed in a plane crash. From the whole demeanor these idiots are selling another a-Lawrence a-Welk anthology, more eeeeasy-listening strings to folks (to paraphrase Jerry Herman) somewhere between SocSec and death, COMPLETELY unaware these masterworks have been anthologized until the royalty checks cried uncle and the foreground Muzak screamed in pain. It's a wonder RDA hasn't melted down by now, printing the world's worst magazine and selling music for no one; but if this CD is any indication they'll keep on trying until the Roman numerals XI blaze in the sky above Pleasantville.

P. S. This waste of petroleum products was manufactured by -- EVA-TONE! Now THAT'S nostalgia! (Or tone-deafness.)

P. P. S. When I played it on Windows Media Player I found it was LISTED! Someone had, uh, time on his hands. (Now there's a song -- "Time on my hands, you in my arms" -- especially the way Lee Wiley could croon it. Not Charlie Daniels, alas.)