Saturday 9 - Ghostbusters

 

This week's tune? Hear it here.

This month we're going to recall Summer Songs. These will all be records that topped the charts during August.

1. Number 1 on the charts in August 40 years ago, "Ghostbusters" was written quickly. The Ghostbusters producers originally approached Lindsay Buckingham to write the movie theme. Buckingham took a long time to say no, and the film's production date could not be changed. That left Ray Parker Jr. only a few days to come up with a song. Do you work well with a tight deadline?
   
   I am a deadline buster... So I always ask for a deadline before the real one, and no mention of the real one anywhere in the notes.
   I am alway two days late... Don't ask me why.
   
   
2. Parker recalls he got his inspiration from a late night TV commercial that kept encouraging viewers to call, call, call. What's the most recent business that you phoned, and why were you calling?
   
   I called the studieloan center, to try and get rid of the debt. I will never be able to pay back with the income I have. The woman said I had to be terminal or in coma.... So my daughter should have phoned her when the doc said 11 years ago that I probably wouldn't make it to the morning. (!!!)
   
   
3. The music video (linked above) was directed by Ivan Reitman, who also directed the movie. It features a variety of celebs saying "Ghostbusters!" None of them were paid for this, they all did it as a favor to Reitman. Have you more recently done or received a favor?
   
   I always do people a favor... I always work for free...
   But the other way around??
   
   
4. In 2009, Ray Parker Jr. made the Ghostbusters theme available as a ring tone. What's your phone's ring tone?
   
   Tringggg!
   
   
5. This song is so enduringly popular that a 2020 documentary about Parker is titled, "Who You Gonna Call?" If you were to write a memoir or authorize a documentary about your life, what would you call it?
   
   Hmmmm, have to think about that one.
   
   
6. Early in his career, Ray was in demand as a session musician. He played guitar on the records of some of the 70s most successful female singers, including Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Diana Ross. Of those ladies, which is your favorite?
   
   I've said more often, I don't have a real favorite among them.
   
   
   Let's look at the summer of 1984.
   
   
   
7. Released in June, the original Ghostbusters was a huge hit throughout the summer. Have you seen it? Did you see the sequel that was released this past spring?
   
   No!! I was far too busy with working and ballet, pleasing my mother, and caring for my gram.
   
   
8. Beverly Burns became the first female captain of a Boeing 747. She was a pilot for People Express Airways, an airline which later merged with Continental, and Continental then merged with United. Do you recall which airline you flew when you took your first flight?
   
   British Airways.
   From Amsterdam to Birmingham, UK.
   
   
9. Ronald Reagan joked about bombing Russia during a mic check for a radio interview. He was embarrassed when the comment was leaked and broadcast around the world. Have you recently felt embarrassed?
   
   Attention: not for the tender hearted.
   
   No, but people wanted me to be embarrassed.
   When Mr. J had died they expected an outburst of tears and whatever.
   But he had hurt me so much in my life, had abandoned married life over 30 years ago, and we had seen this coming for years... and I have worked at the ER, so I was used to the sight too..
   I stayed very calm and composed and they didn't knowhow to deal with that.
   I had to explain at the scene and even then a nurse asked me if this was my 2nd, 3rd or 4th marriage. (!!!!!!!!!!!).
   So we're going to have a firm talk about this with the ER team.
   Especially as the cardiologist had several questions about their choices too.
   
   (I think they said he still needed resuscitation, so they could take him to hospital instead of trying to get him into the house, up the stairs, knowing he was dead.
   The law here is that when someone dies on the street he should stay there until an undertaker can fetch him. It was saturday to sunday night... so that might have meant he would either stay in the rain or had to be brought to his bed. With his weight that would have been completely impossible.)
   
   So they expected me to be embarrassed, but I wasn't.

. . .

About **Syl

Syl: "Life is a chain of challenges. Sometimes the largest challenges are we ourselves. Facing life, facing others and facing yourself requires either a worryless attitude or plain courage. Most of the time it is dealing with judgement. Maybe life is about getting rid of it."