SATURDAY 9

11 July, 2015

Saturday 9: Crazy Little Thing Called Love (1980)

... because Diana suggested Queen

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this video, Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury is wearing a leather jacket. Do you have a leather jacket?

I always wanted a leather jacket until I finally tried one on in a leather shop in Florence and realized how HOT they are, so I lost my desire for a leather jacket.

2) There's a statue of Freddie in Switzerland. There's another statue of him above the Dominion Theater in London. Tell us about a statue or memorial in your town.

This statue is called "the joggers" and caused a LOT of controversy when it was first put up because people felt it was too close to the sidewalk and people might hit their eye on the outstretched finger of the jogger on the left.  After much discussion, they moved the statue back a bit from the sidewalk. 

When they first put it up, it was turned around with the finger point to the right.  Some people complained that since the police station was located in that direction, it looked like a woman was going accosted and she was pointing to the police station for help, so they turned it around.  (This is a weird town)   To my knowledge nobody has ever hit their eye on the finger.

3) Mercury said this song was inspired by Elvis Presley. What's your favorite Elvis song?

I was never an Elvis fan, so one song is as good as the other for me.

4) This song was covered by the animated Alvin and the Chipmunks. Do you still watch cartoons?

No.  Not since my kids grew up.  Now I watch animated movies with my grandchildren, but not really cartoons, except maybe occasionally South Park or the Simpsons.  I want to see Insides Out, though.  I do love some animated feature films (the kids made a Frozen fan of me) and will still watch the old Disney classics.

5) The members of Queen met while attending Ealing Art College in London. Are you still in touch with the friends you had in your late teens and early 20s?

Most of my best friends are people I met while in college. I am Facebook friends with a couple of women I went to grammar school with in the 40s-50s.  With one woman, our political views are total opposites so we never actually communicate via Facebook, but I"m sure she rolls her eyes at my posts the same as I roll mine at hers.

6) During Queen's hey day in the 1980s, Mercury stayed in shape with tennis and swimming. Are you more accomplished on the court or in the pool?

Neither, but if forced to choose one, it would be the pool.  I couldn't hit a tennis ball to save my soul, but I CAN stay afloat in water.  Just barely.  (Though I haven't been in a pool since 2009)

7) In 1980, when this song was popular, Brooke Shields made a jeans commercial where she said, "Nothing comes between me and Calvins." It actually only aired for a short time because so many viewers called and complained about it. Have you ever called or emailed to protest something you saw on TV?

Oh yes.  But I can't remember a specific thing now, though.  If I'm offended.  I also write about things that I like. I think the last letter I wrote was about our local PBS station removing my favorie show, Theater Talk (which I now have to watch on the internet)

8) 1980 is also the year the Post-It note was introduced. What's the last Post-It you wrote?

I participated in a post card scavenger hunt on SwapBot and used Post-It notes to identify each post card.

9) Random question: Do you blush easily?