Joyeux Anniversaire à la Reine du Rock Français!

Édith Giovanna Gassion, 19 December 1915 – 11 October 1963

     I refer of course, to the "Little Sparrow", Édith Piaf, who would have been 96 today, though realistically, everyone knew she was never going to get that far (as it is, she was lucky to have made it almost halfway). You may question my characterization of her in the above title, but to that challenge, I offer her 1956 rendition of a popular Leiber & Stoller composition about the life and death of a leather-clad motorcyclist thug... and what's more Rock 'N' Roll than that? 

Edith Piaf - "L'Homme á la Moto"*

     Also: Happy Birthday wishes to the great Professor Longhair (he'd have been 93) and to Phil Ochs (who'd have been a mere 71, but like our featured artist, has now been gone as long as he was here).

* Pairhops zis ees bettair known to you feelthy Americain peegs undair eets original title, "Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots", as first recorded by ze Cheers.

One Hundred Years Ago Today

December 14, 1911- May 1, 1965

On this day in the year Nineteen Hundred and Eleven, in the city of Long Beach in the land of California, a child was born unto a humble railroad agent and his bride, and they did christen the infant Lindley Armstrong Jones. And lo, because he was so slender, like unto a railroad spike, men did call him "Spike." And when he became a man, he gathered unto him many odd-looking Disciples, and together they made Music of a nature unlike any the the world had ever heard. And they traveled throughout the land, bringing this Music to all the people, and their Glorious Cacophony brought Joy unto the Multitudes,even unto his death and beyond, and his Song shall sound throughout the world, until the End of Days. Amen.

Happy 39th Birthday, Benjamin Kubelsky!

...his 78th 39th birthday, if my math checks up. Here's the birthday boy performing with the greatest underage Filipino rock group of all time, the Rocky Fellers:


Note that the M.C. is the great Jack Soo!