Don Effenberger, an inveterate list-maker, is a MinnPost news editor. Every week, in Listing Slightly, he offers a quirky, quick-read list on subjects ranging from pop culture to poetry and from movies to music.
Here’s a look at some of the major (and minor) events of those two years that helped shape our lives. We begin with the year that gave us President Kennedy, the Berlin Wall and a ramped-up space race.
Tardy though I am, I’m still in the mood to celebrate the new year, which is off to an exceedingly busy start. So, for some perspective, let’s look back 100 years and 75 years ago.
On this date 107 years ago, Orville and Wilbur made history with their first powered flight. Let’s celebrate their accomplishment with some “flying” songs.
From generation to generation, music has been a key ingredient in the daily bonding ritual of bedtime. Check out some of these classic settling songs, and add your own favorites.
What better way to get ready for Thanksgiving Day than to check out some of the many ways singers have said, “Thanks!” over the years? Most of them even mean it!
I was trying to time this list to the mission of the Discovery space shuttle, but the launch has been delayed again, so I’m going ahead anyway with my out-of-this-world “World” songs tribute.
Return with us to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when the Twins topped the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games for their first world championship. It was quite a year in the news realm, too.
Let’s pay tribute to the late, legendary musician Les Paul with some great guitar riffs his pioneering work as an inventor made possible.
This has been one great run of beautiful weather, but we Minnesotans know it won’t last. So, I wanted to get us ready for the inevitable change of seasons with a review of a few musical meteorological terms.
With the U.S. Supreme Court ready to start its new term on Monday, it seems a perfect time for some non-juried judicial movie review.
How about some timely music to welcome the 11,200 runners, their families and countless friends and supporters who will be on hand from all over the country for next weekend’s Twin Cities Marathon?
I wanted to be sure to give everybody enough lead time to get ready to celebrate National Coffee Day on Sept. 29. Here’s everything you need to know.
Here are lots of “Dream” songs to keep you company while you try to sort out the blockbuster movie’s multilayered levels.
In honor of Labor Day and at a time of persistent unemployment in the nation, it’s an appropriate time to pause to celebrate the working life.
Back by (relatively) popular demand, it’s another edition of memorable movie quotes. This time, we’re up to six-word lines so distinctive that many film fans may recognize the film from that dialogue alone. See how you do on these 23.
It was so much fun a few weeks back putting together a “time capsule” for the year 1960 that I’m trying another one, this time moving up five years to the midpoint of baby boomers’ most tumultuous decade.
Last time, I shared some of my favorite underappreciated singers. So, this week, it seemed only fair to spotlight some of my favorite underrated film actors and actresses.
This is probably my most subjective list yet, but I wanted to call attention to a wide-ranging bunch of singers who haven’t got the respect they deserve. I welcome your nominees, too, for some of our many “underappreciated singers.”
July 1960 alone saw several cultural icons introduced: “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the twist dance craze and Etch A Sketch. In terms of breakthrough news, the rest of the year wasn’t too shabby, either. Let’s open the vault.
After 40 years of weekly musical mayhem, former Minnesotan Barret “Barry” Hansen, aka Dr. Demento, takes his massive collection of novelty records and moves from radio to online-only shows. Thanks, Doc, for all you did.