Hey hey, it’s time for more sparkling prose in Week 23 of our on-going visit here.  Hope you’re exploring all of the other features here on greatbendpost.com.  Our resident  techno- wizards keep adding more goodies all the time.

Wow, two more trivia winners this week. Tell you details in just a little bit here.

First, a question:  what do you think about this ‘suggestion’ from the post office  that we put mailboxes out by the curb in Great Bend?  In my humble opinion, this is not too smart.   Law enforcement authorities have been warning  people for years  about identity theft resulting from stolen mail, and now the USPS says, in effect, let’s make it easier for thieves by putting that box right out by the curb where it’s much easier to reach.  Incredible.  What’s your feeling about this? On a related note, I wouldn’t care a bit if they dropped Saturday delivery.  Any thoughts on that issue? I feel  they would save much more money by eliminating Saturday delivery than they would by saving a few steps to your house.

We’re starting rehearsal on ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’,  which will be presented at the Crest Theatre in Great Bend  December 1^st through the 4^th.  Sally cast a very talented and dedicated ensemble of actors to bring you this neat adaptation of the movie script.  Call the Crest box office for ticket info or any other questions at 792-4228. Going to a Christmas classic like this one is a great way to get into the holiday spirit. There’s nothing better than live theatre.

As I mentioned last week, this weekly feature may be a little shorter until we’re done with the play, but I want to keep it going, because you have given it such a warm reception, and I do appreciate it.

Alright, here’s the latest five songs in my All-Time Favorite  Hundred songs list, which will probably change by next year. If you’re a newcomer to this thing, it was inspired by Johnny Cash’s daughter Rosanne, who said  Johnny once sat down with pen and paper to make the same type of list, and that got her to thinking about what she would choose. As you can see by my latest five, I’m all over the road, but that’s okay; variety is good.

1.  ‘Dancin’ in the Streets—by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.  Got to be one of the greatest dance songs of the pop music era. Just a great, good feelin’ song that makes you smile. Sounds like summer in the city to me.

2.  ‘Java’—by Al Hirt.  Al Who?  Al was an amazing jazz trumpet star from New Orleans who had a dozen or more hits on the pop charts in the 60s and a bunch of big-selling albums, too. He was a 300-pound guy with a big beard and a big talent. He also was a jazz club owner inNew Orleans for a  time; I think his place is still there.

3.  ‘Big John’ by Jimmy Dean. This is the super hit that launched Dean to stardom and eventually to sausage king fame, too. It’s a simple and powerful ballad with a clever arrangement that still sounds good today. Dean also named his yacht after the song. TRIVIA NUGGET:  Jim Henson and the Muppets made their first appearance on Dean’s TV show.

4.  ‘Take the ‘A’ Train’—by Duke Ellington.  Ellington had bunches of hits before ‘A’ came along, but this is  the one most people remember. Great big band jazz, the title supposedly inspired by an argument over which subway line to take to get to the Cotton Club in New York.  Ellington had his first big success in that venue during the Prohibition era.

5.  ‘Downtown’ by Petula Clark—Female performers from England didn’t get a lot of attention during the British invasion years; you could name the ‘big names’ on one hand: Cilla Black, Marianne Faithful, Lulu, maybe a few others. But Petula became a superstar, and was lucky enough to have a great song to kick off her career. Like all good ballads, ‘Downtown’ has great lyrics and a slick arrangement that builds, floats back to earth and then takes off again.

Ahh, the experts have come through again in Trivia Land.  Terry Keenan correctly identified ‘Brentwood Limited’ as the clothing store that began in the Dawson’s Jewelry building and later moved to 16^th andMain. Nice work, Terry. Wear the Trivia King’s crown proudly.

Michael got the music question pretty quickly, the one about where Boston produced their first album, the self-titled 70s mega-hit.  Tom Scholz, the band leader and electronics genius, produced most of the album in his basement, adding a few final touches later in corporate facilities.  Congratulations, Michael. You are a Trivia Grand Master.

Never fear, I have a pair of new questions for you. First, a music question: What Beach Boys song celebrated the virtues of Chevy’s hottest new engine?

And, of course, the festivities wouldn’t be complete without a Downtownia Division question:  What business (still IN business) once occupied the Barton County Health Department building at Kansasand Lakin?

Have an excellent week ahead. Try to scare up a little more rain for us.

John