'Seasons'

Forgive me for not ducking in until now. New year, new week, new beat, old dog, new tricks (and treats).

I've been listening to Bing Crosby of late. It started near Christmas, of course, but really long before. Crosby -- along with Sinatra and Presley -- is a favorite.

Makes me sad that he's all but forgotten now, remembered if at all for "White Christmas" and the "Road" pictures and the image of the pipe-smoking, ba-boo-ba-boo-ing paternal pap, or -- even worse -- the phony father figure who "beat" his kids and neglected his first wife when the colors faded. I'll save a rant on that (and son Gary's "Going My Own Way") for another day.

Now, I'll tell  you about "Seasons." It turned out to be Bingo's swan song, a concept album collecting the spring, summer, fall and winter of this wonderful, terrible thing we call life.

I passed up on a sweet deal for the vinyl a few weeks ago. Went back to get it and it was gone. Didn't get too grumpy. Glad somebody got it. Bing needs to be moving round and around, not collecting dirty dust.

Anyhow, this is a gem. That velvet voice was there for 50-some years, whistling and scatting and singing (never shouting) until Crosby fell on a golf course in Spain, an unexpected adios.

He begins with "On The Very First Day of the Year," sprints through spring, introspects through autumn, and laments in the winter of his years on "Yesterday When I Was Young."

Then he recites pieces and poetry before crooning through a few more cuts on the deluxe edition of the disc. A super surprise is a perfect philosophy for life, Tim Rice and Marvin Hamlisch's "The Only Way To Go."

We'll be happy 'til we die; my foolish dreams and I; relax until they take us to that bar up in the sky; and up's the only way to go; and it's the only dream I know...

Sort of like spending four hours swinging away, winning by a stroke, shaking hands and calling it a day.

'It's Easy for You'

On what turned out to be his last studio album ("Moody Blue"), Elvis recorded what I consider to be one of his most underrated songs, "It's Easy for You."

The song was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. I have heard they composed it especially for The King. If you can confirm or deny this, shoot me an email at JakeMabe1@aol.com.

By 1976, Elvis had lost interest in studio recording. Desperate for material, RCA sent a truck and equipment to Graceland. Elvis recorded several songs in his Jungle Room that provided material for two albums, "From Elvis Presley Boulevard" and "Moody Blue."

"It's Easy for You" is a haunting, beautiful song that obviously had a lot of meaning for Elvis at that point in his life. The lyrics are posted below. Listen to the song here.

Happy Elvis Week, y'all!

It's Easy for You
(Webber-Rice)

You may not mind that it's over
But I've a different point of view
Even though I am shattered
It's easy for you

You don't have to face the music
You don't have to face the crowd
Just go back where you came from
You ain't even proud

I had a wife and I had children
I threw them all away
And now you tell me, you dare to tell me
I should go back to them
What do you think I should say?

I found it hard to leave them
Saddest thing I ever had to do
My problems haven't started
And it's easy for you

I had a wife and I had children
I threw them all away
And now you tell me, you dare to tell me
I should go back to them
What do you think, what on earth do you think I should say?

If you ever tire of the good life
Call me in a year or two
I've got no choice, I'll forgive you
'Cause it's easy for you

You only have to call me, it's easy for you
You only have to call me, it's easy for you