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Dahlia DeWinters - Author

Quirky Heroines, Happy Endings

Music Monday – Vocalese – Moody's Mood for Love

Dance Couple with LyricsI dug back into the archives of my music collection for my first post of the New Year.  I’ve always loved this song, not only because of the fine vocal stylings of King Pleasure and Blossom Dearie, but also for the history behind the song itself.  Moody’s Mood for Love is a swoon-worthy slow dance song, full of references to magic, stars, enduring love and all the stuff that romance is made of.  If you want to get starry-eyed, this is one of the best songs to listen to.

That being said, here’s the story of the song.

The “original” song was “I’m in the Mood for Love” written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields.  It may be famliar to many because of the line “I’m in the mood for love/Simply because you’re near me…”.  Here is Sarah Vaughn’s cover of the song.

 

While playing in Sweden, saxophonist James Moody improvised a solo while in concert in Sweden.

 

Eddie Jefferson penned words to Moody’s saxophone solo as well as , which then was made famous by King Pleasure and Blossom Dearie.  And we have…

 

Amy WInehouse did a version of the song, and while I do love Amy, I don’t feel she captured the true contours of Moody’s sax solo.  She simply put the words and melody over a reggae beat.  Which is okay, I suppose, but she just made it another song, rather than a call back to the vocalese tradition.

Queen Latifah also does a version.  It’s…okay, but again, is simply another interpretation of the words and melody.

 

EDDIE JEFFERSON MOODY´S MOOD FOR LOVE LYRICS

As sung by King Pleasure and Blossom Dearie

There I go, there I go, there I go, there I go
Pretty baby you are the soul, who snaps my control
Such a funny thing but every time you’re near me
I never can behave
You give me a smile and  then I’m wrapped up in your magic
There’s music all around me
Crazy music, music that keeps calling me so
Very close to you, turns me your slave
Come on and do with me any little thing that you want to
Anything, baby just let me get next to you

Am I insane or do I really see heaven in your eyes?
Bright as stars that shine up above you
In the clear blue skies, how I worry ’bout you
Just can’t live my life without you
Baby come here, and don’t have no fear
Oh, is there wonder why
I’m really feeling in the mood for love

So tell me why, stop to think about this weather, my dear
This little dream might fade away
There I go talking out of my head again

Oh baby won’t you
come and put our two hearts together
That would make me strong and brave
Oooo, when we are one, I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid
If there’s a cloud up above us
Go on and let it rain
I’m sure our love together will endure a hurricane
Oh my baby won’t you please let me love you
and give me relief from this awful misery.What is all this talk about loving me, my sweet
I am not afraid, not anymore, not like before
Don’t you understand me, now baby please
Pull yourself together, do it soon
My soul’s on fire, come on and take me
I’ll be what you make me, my darling, my dearOh baby, you make me feel so good
Let me take you by the hand
Come let us visit out there
In that new promised landMaybe there we can find
A good place to use a lovin’ state of mind
I’m so tired of being without
And never knew what love’s about
James Moody you can come over man
you can blow now if you want to, we’re through

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moody%27s_Mood_for_Love


Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: black geek girl, black geeks, black girl nerds, Blossom Dearie, bohowriterchick, dahlia dewinters, James Moody, King Pleasure, Moody's Mood for Love, Sarah Vaughn

Movie Review – Flashback – Stir of Echoes

Title: Stir of Echoes
Genre: Thriller/Supernatural Horror
Director: Davis Koepp
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164181

Hey there lovelies!

I’m taking a little vacation for the month of the December, which means I’m cleaning house (literally and figuratively) and sussing out my goals for 2016. Which in turns means movies and music galore! It’s a relief sometimes to take a step away from the pen and paper….but that doesn’t stop the ideas from bubbling over.

0509008_BRWrapv4Back to the movies. I took a little step back in time to screen Stir of Echoes. I remember watching this back in the day when it first came out on DVD. It’s based on a novel by Richard Matheson, who, as you must well know, wrote Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, I Am Legend and a few other horror/thriller stories. (I use the word “few” as being funny. Matheson was pretty prolific.)

I must say, for a film from the 90s, it holds up pretty well. I enjoyed Kevin Bacon’s younger incarnation – he’s got the loveliest clear blue eyes. I could have done without the “magical negro” trope and the only non-white people in the film were located in a crappy part of town, but other than that, the narrative surrounding Kevin Bacon’s hypnosis by his sister in law (played by a cool Ileana Douglas) and the resulting plot madness is pretty good.

I’ve read the original Matheson story, and because of the dated plot, the screenwriter took some liberty in changing the plot that I don’t really think affected the overall tension and theme.

Also, a slightly tattooed (on his back)  Kevin Bacon, sweaty and shirtless. He’s kind of thin in this movie, but it’s still kinda hot in a trailer park kind of way.

stir-of-echoes-kevin-bacon-digging-yard-shirtless

Watch or not to watch?:

If you like supernatural thrillers and messages from the other side visited upon a common group of folks, I’d recommend this movie. Screen it for the story and remember it takes place in the 90s when cell phones were NOT commonplace. If you put yourself back in time and watch the movie for what it is, you’ll enjoy it. I know I did.

Grade: A minus


Filed Under: Horror Movie Reviews, Uncategorized Tagged: black geek girl, black geeks, black girl nerds, bohowriterchick, dahlia dewinters, ghost, horror, kevin bacon, movie reviews, richard matheson, stir of echoes, thriller

Gotham Recap – Arkham

 

Fish_Mooney_3I’m not going to recap blow by blow as I did in my first recap. That took an awful long time to do, and I wasn’t able to give you the benefit of my opinion.

First of all, some good news. Apparenlty the series got an extension of six more episodes over its original 22. Good that Fox has faith in this series, on the other hand….that’s a lot of pressure on the writers. Hopefully, they have the guts to see it through.

On to the recapping.

I must say, this was a slow episode. Gone is the excitement of Selina dancing rings around the police and a villain who ties his victims (deserving or not) to a weather balloon.

The episode opens with Barbara Kean (who is awfully friendly to a dude she doesn’t know) swinging the door open wide to Cobblepot, who is there, he says to warn Gordon of the impending war in the city and also to offer his help. Denied the civility of a drink offered by Barbara, Cobblepot and Gordon have their conversation on a dark, rain-soaked alley, where Cobblepot again tries to secure an alliance because of the war coming to Gotham. “If you want to save Gotham, I can help you. I can be your secret agent.”

In a deserted parking lot, an unassuming gent in a trench coat, carrying a briefcase. He idenfies himself as one of constituents. Unassuming gent bids the councilman to put his eye to a metal flute, which stabs him in the eye. (I am so sorry but I laughed a little at this…and isn’t this a little bloody for 8:05 at night?) Down goes the councilman and his aide.
Bullock and Gordon pick up the case and Harvey Bullock gives his comment about corruption, etc. They leave to go work the streets. Harvey, of course, knows just where to start.
Cut to Fish Mooney (yay!) at her club, auditioning a singer. Nice, but kinda boring. Then Fish kicks it up a notch and asks the singer if she likes boys or girls. “Come to me so I can take you in.” (Gotta love Fish, I swear.) “Pretend I’m a boy. Seduce me.” Apparently, she doesn’t do such a great job. We realize Fish’s goal. She’s not looking for a girl, she’s looking for a weapon.
Bullock is using his strong arm bad cop techniques on someone who we all know didn’t do it and Jim tells him so. After looking through some evidence, Jim understand the connection between the Waynes, the councilman and Arkham.
What’s this? The Mayor giving a speech about their vision for the Arkham area and land. But there are opposing views! Whaaaa? The Mayor, however is going with the Wayne plan. Of course.

Cobblepot, world’s nosiest dishswasher, observeres as a meeting about Arkham takes place at the restaurant.
Gordon chats with Alfred about the Arkham site. Falcone is backing the plan now. Turns out the dead councilman was backing Falcone’s plan. Maroni has the opposing plan. Up pops Bruce, talking about what his parents wanted to make a place for the mentally ill. He doesn’t want his parents’ dream to die.

What’s next? Councilmen Zeller as been abducted. One of Maroni’s guys. Uh oh, something’s up.

We get a GREAT shot of the gates of Arkham Asylum. Then the unassuming gent rolls a 50 gallon barrel that is full of Councilman Zeller. What the hey? The gent lights the dude…on fire. Zellers’s last words “Tell Falcone I’ll change my vote.”

Arkham in the daytime. Cops discuss the idea of a war between Falcone and Maroni. Bullock wants to know how Gordon knows so much. Edward Nygma pops up to give his rundown on the evidence. “Is it the same killer, working for Maroni and Falcone??”

Cobblepot is peeking around, snooping and gets caught. Lou, the manager reprimands him. He is totally up to something.
Bullock and Gordon visit the jail, talk to a prisoner with a lovely, luxurious beard. Of course, he knows everything and is able to give a name Richard Gladwell and location. Off they go!

Bullock keeps insisting that Gordon has something to hide. Richard Gladwell works in human resources, ha ha. Gladwell is in some kind of supply place in the office, hiding and putting together his flute. There is a tense moment where we think Gladwell is going to attack Gordon, but it passes. Bullock calls Gordon to Gladwell’s desk, saying that “they got him.” Bullock and Gordon go back to try to get Gladwell, and end up scaring the pants of a secretary instead.

Bruce is having a nightmare about the murder of his parents. Bad dream, he tells Alfred. Was I in it, Alfred asks. “Not this time” Bruce says. Bruce is looking for a connection between the councilman’s murder and the murder of his parents.

Back to the Maroni restaurant where there is a robbery in progress. The manager is shot and the thugs make off with a whole bunch of money before the mobster protection get there. But wait! There’s Cobblepot, hiding in the freezer, protecting one bag of money. All out of the goodness of his heart. Ooops! Lou, the manager, was shot in the stomach. Poor Lou.

Barbara and Gordon. I hate to say this, but I hope they do better with Barbara’s character. She is married to a cop, a detective. She complains about “long hours and late nights”. But….isn’t that the life of a police detective? Again, she’s worried. Not about his life, but that ‘he has secrets from her” . Well, duh, the last secret he told you, you called the media about it. Now, she breaks up with Gordon because he won’t tell her who Cobblepot is. As I said, I’m going to give her character a little leeway but she’s all over the place. Gordon makes the connection between Barbara and Montoya and Barbara admits their relationship. Now Gordon is angry that Barbara lied to him and she apologizes. “I should have told you.”

Maroni assumes that Falcone did the hit in the restaurant. Cobblepot is promoted to Lou’s job in the meantime. “Frankie, get the kid a suit.”

Gordon and Bullock find out that Richard Gladwell is actually dead. The hitman stole his identity. And worked in Human Resources, killed folks on the side with a knife flute. What a life. Bullock leaves to work the case.

Another singer. At first I thought it was the same singer with a different look, but her name’s Liza. Fish likes her. Offers her a job. “You want a job with money, power and respect…like me?” There’s a bit more to the interview – “Seduce me.” Liza kisses Fish, finishes her drink and walks out of the club. Up comes Bullock to ask for help. Thank goodness, because Fish gets to show us a little more. She always has a plan B.

Cobblepot calls Gordon and tells him there’s going to be a murder attempt on the mayor.

At the mayor’s mansion. Why Gordon doesn’t have a raincoat or umbrella is beyond me. And how is the mayor answering his own door? And if someone says “someone is coming here to kill you”, how is your response “I gotta get some things from my safe.”

I kid, I kid. I know it’s a comic book come to life and for that I can forgive a lot. They have to delay until the assassin gets there or else there would be no story. Honestly, between Fish Mooney and Oswald Cobblepot, I’ll put up with it.

A fight ensues between dapper assassin and less well dressed Gordon with the mayor looking on, cringing, not helping. Bullock appears. Action stops. But assassin wont be stopped and lunges for the mayor. Gordon and Bullock shoot him dead
.
Barbara and Gordon. Yawn. Barbara doesn’t want any secrets and she wants to know who Oswald Cobblepot is. Gordon tells her it’s work. So Barbara gets mad and breaks up with him. “Make a choice…let me in or let me go.” For goodness sake. Can’t she ask Montoya who Cobblepot is? Anyway, they break up.

Girl fight, fastest on record. Fish wants to see which singer is the best for the job she has for them. They fight it out and of course Liza wins. Too bad they didn’t have pool cues.

Cobblepot visits the apartment – say what? He hired the goons to shoot up Maroni’s restaurant. Oswald shows his gratitude and gives them canolli. Silly fools. 🙂

A news broadcast shows that the Mayor is comprising. Low cost housing AND waste disposal. That…is quite strange. However, Maroni is pleased and bites into a hunk of meat that would make Fred Flinstone proud. Fish is pleased that Falcone took a “hit to the body”. Bruce Wayne and Gordon have a conversation about what just happened. Gordon feels this compromise has prevented a war. Bruce is not pleased. He wanted the asylum because that’s what his parents wanted
.
“Do you believe Gotham can be saved?” Bruce asks.

“I believe it’s worth trying.” Gordon answers.

Cobblepot leaves the apartment with a huge bag of money, leaving the corpses of the thugs behind.


Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: black geeks, blackgirlnerds, dahlia dewinters, fish mooney, geekgirls, gotham, gotham on fox, gotham recaps

Tools for Writing – Beautiful Implements

This is mostly going to be a picture post, but I wanted to share my love of handwriting with  y’all.  Yes, I am a techie gal…the one with five laptops in the basement in various states of disrepair because I’m just about to order that part to fix them.  I won’t dare tell you the gadgets that I have, excepting that I do not own a Kindle.  Everything else is fair game.

While I do love my technology, a few of my favorite things include journals, pens and the like.  Take a look.

Journals – I’ve got a pile of them.  When I say a pile, I mean it. I collect them, write in them and gaze at them.

Here are a few “new” tools that I’ve had my eye on.
 

 

ENLIGHTENMENT JOURNAL from Peter Pauper Press

 

 

Celtic Blue Leather Bound Journal anewagephoenix.com

How about some pens to go with these lovely pages?

New hand-painted scrimshaw fountain pen – limited edition http://www.fountainpenstudios.com/

Don’t look at the price….revel in the beauty!

 

Visconti Her Majesty Diamond Jubilee LE Fountain Pen Royal Purple

There is nothing that inspires writing like gorgeous tools.

D


Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: black geeks, dahlia dewinters, fountain pens, geek girl, geek romance, writing implements

June is National Candy Month

June is National Candy Month.  This is a mouth-watering topic if I’ve ever seen one.  Yes, I am a grown adult, but there’s something about indulging in childhood candy that sends you back in time.  So, grab your Walkman and if you want to go further back, get that Aqua Net hairspray to make those Farrah Fawcett angel wings.  Here’s some candy to take you back.

When I say candy, I don’t mean the chocolate grown-up chocolate stuff.  I’m talking about the brightly-colored, artificially-flavored, red dye #20398 colored candies that left your tongue coated with color and your head buzzing with all the high fructose corn syrup.

lemonheadLemonheads:  Sweet, sour and oh so crunchy.  Take these sweet, yellow balls into your mouth and roll them around on your tongue until they dissolve, or if you’re in a hurry, scrape the sour coating off to get to the sweet, hard center.  Either

NowLaterway, you’ll get a citrusy sugar rush that’ll perk you up.

Now or Laters:  Remember that commercial, “Eat some now, save some for later?”  Now and Laters came a prism shaped pack that contained a soldier’s row of square, flavorful taffy-like candies.  They would pull out your fillings, so you had to be careful.  Green Apple was the way to go, however grape would also do in a pinch. Depending on the mood, watermelon was pretty good, but you needed to stay away from the bubble gum flavor.  It was bitter and had an obvious artificial taste.

Jolly RancherJolly Ranchers:  I still love these to these day.  You cannot bite through these candies.  No, you have to hold them in your cheek, occasionally rolling them around on your tongue until they finally melt in your mouth.  If you foolishly try to bite through them, they will stick on your teeth in an uncomfortable fashion.  What flavors?  Green apple, watermelon (a far far second) and that’s it.  They can keep all those other flavors.  Remember when they also came in flat sticks too? They are also very good for flavoring vodka.

Sweet Tarts:  When I buy the huge bags of Halloween candy to “hand out” to trick or treaters, I siphon off the sweettartsSweet Tarts mini-packs.  Tart, tangy and crunchy, you can let them melt in your mouth or grind them to crumbs between your back teeth.  Good for giving your water  a little flavor and kick.

So what’s your favorite non-chocolate candy?  What is the sweet candy treat that you pick up to give you a brief glimpse of childhood?


Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: author, black geeks, black nerds, bleeks, blerds, dahlia dewinters, erotic romance, geek girl, interracial romance, multicultural romance, quirky girls, romance

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