When it comes to popular patriotic American songs written by Jews, “God Bless America” by Irving Berlin certainly stands at the top of the list; it isn’t, on the other hand, particularly festive. If you want to soundtrack your Fourth of July cookout with tunes by Jewish artists that are appropriately star-spangled, and haven’t already…
Begun over 1500 years ago as a Roman liturgical commemoration of Christian martyrs, Valentine’s Day has gradually expanded in scope over time to become an all-inclusive celebration of romantic love. (Though martyrdom can of course still be involved, should you fail to live up to the expectations of your significant other on February 14.) With…
Though it doesn’t mention Boston or baseball, Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” is a staple at Red Sox games. In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing on April 15, the singer-songwriter went to Fenway Park and sang it live. He subsequently donated royalties from the song to One Fund Boston, the charity started to help…
● The American Jewish Story Through Cinema By Eric A. Goldman University of Texas Press, 264 pages, $55. Eric A. Goldman’s look at about a dozen Hollywood movies released between 1927 and 2009 can be recommended especially to readers who don’t flinch when they ponder his book’s title. For me, the very notion of postulating…
Penn State University officials are removing Neil Diamond’s hit, “Sweet Caroline,” from their in-game rotation at sporting events, according to the New York Daily News. The song includes the popular lyrics, “Hands, touchin’ hands/Reachin’ out/touchin’ me/touchin’ you,” which could be viewed as inappropriate in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Sandusky was an assistant…
It’s conceivable that someone might mistake Paul Simon for the other Paul Simon. If you’ve been living under a rock for the past half-century, then you could possibly think someone was talking about the late politician Paul Simon, rather than about the Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and one half of Simon & Garfunkel. But apparently it’s…
She’s no “Sweet Caroline,” but 42-year-old Katie McNeil has become the third Mrs. Neil Diamond after a weekend wedding in Los Angeles, Reuters reports. She’s also Diamond’s manager. Diamond, 71, confirmed the marriage in a tweet yesterday: “Katie and I got married last night, we wish you all could’ve been there. It was magical!” He…
When Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad first hit the road seven years ago, Susannah Perlman and her troop of comediennes shocked audiences, some into laughter and others into walking out of the theater. The burlesque-inspired show came complete with Star of David pasties, bat mitzvah gags, and the age old question: “What’s in the gefilte…
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