Tuesday, June 29, 2010

It was Rhode Island

This morning on the way to work, the people on the radio were asking listeners to call in and brag about their special talents because what else would they do? Play music? I don't think so. Anyway, some lady called in and said she could name all 50 states in alphabetical order in under a minute. I was all PFFT big deal, I once did that while walking past the reflecting pool and taking pictures of people making out in the grass and I sang that shit, too.

She messed up right after Ohio (loser) and was all, "shit!" and the DJ was like, "you can't say shit on the radio," which is stupid and dumb but whatever. So then I turned the radio down because I was going to show her how it was done. Nevermind that she wasn't in the car with me and would never know how badly I had shown her up, I WAS GOING TO WIN THIS GAME, IN YOUR FACE LADY ON THE RADIO! So I sang the state song once and was all, "ooh, BURN," but then I started to wonder if I'd forgotten a state and didn't realize it so I sang it again and counted on my fingers as I said each state. And I HAD forgotten one! Real quick, I sang it again and tried to figure out where it was missing and then I did and I sang the song again and counted for good measure and it turns out I am still awesome because I remembered all 50 that time. Whew.

The reason I know all of the states in alphabetical order is because I learned THIS song in third grade and I just now realized that it's a Ray Charles song. The hell? Really? Am I high right now?

Holy shit, you guys, I just started reading the comments for those song lyrics and they are amazing. First of all, people comment on song lyrics? OK. Sure. I've commented on stupider things. Things like...pictures of baby monkeys. And I'm all, "that baby monkey is adorable, can I have it?" Which is weird and doesn't really add anything to the conversation, but seriously, just give me your baby monkey already.

Second of all, here are the best comments (I was going to make fun of the comments but I think most were written by actual 4th graders):

1. HOW DID YOU COME UP WIHT THIS SONG...YOU HAVE A GREAT MIND IN THERE THAT IS HOW YOU CAME UP WITH THAT SONG!!!I THINK THAT IS THE BEST SONG I EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE...ONE DAY YOU HALF TO HAVE A CONSERT IT WILL BE GREAT IF YOU PLAYED FIFTY NIFTY...I LOVE FIFTY NIFTY IF YOU CAN RESPOND I WILL LOVE IT!!!!WE LEARND FIFTY NIFTY IN MUSIC MY HOLE CLASS LOVED IT!!!HOW DID YOU THINK OF THAT SONG!!!I HAVE A SISTER DO YOU THINK MY SISTER JESSICA WILL LIKE THIS SONG?BUT SHE DID MAKE UP A SONG NAMED MISTY KISSY I THINK?WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS NAME...TELL ME IF IT IS GOOD!!!

2. This song is famous! im in 4th grade and we have to sing it for chorus and i hate chorus like it gives me headaces but this song is like calm,fun,and easy(in a way)Everyone their was a kindergadernier singing this on youtube! i was like Umm how can he memorise it and i can't umm HOW!!?!??!?!?

3. Currently right now im in the 4th Grade and 4 and 5 grade does chourus 50 students from 4th Grade AND 110 kids in 5th Grade we always sing fifty nifty at the end and everyone loves it!!! They sing it in classes, recess,lunch, and at random times we make up our own parts and we dance to the song in chourus!!!! Its so joyful and fun. Thank you school systems.

4. This song is wieeeerd. I live in Georgia so at my elementery school, we at the end of the list of songs we go but Georgia is the best of the fifty nifty united states... Iit's also shorter.Don't you guy's love I mean love nick jonas? lol.Sorry I love Him.Anyways Ya'll gotta go!

5. i can't even express how many times this comes in handy. let's just say i wont a 50$ bet on a public bus for naming the states alphabetically in under 60 seconds

6. I am very flattered that everyone seems to like my song, but they're giving credit to the wrong Ray Charles for having written it. There are, or were, 2 Ray Charleses. I am the one who had the Ray Charles Singers with Perry Como for 35 years and I wrote the song as the theme for our "Salute the States" feature of our TV show. If you see my credit anyplace, it reads "the other Ray Charles".Incidentally, I sing the theme on "Three's Company".

Oh. Good to know.

3 comments:

me said...

I like the theme song of Threes Company. I sing it sometimes, just to sing it. So good job Other Ray Charles.

Sarah G

Stephanie said...

Oh, that song. Oh, elementary school. Oh, selective amnesia.

S said...

I love the one comment where the kid clearly has ADD and suddenly has to express her Nick Jonas love.

Also, Other Ray Charles might be a genius, what with this AND the Three's Company theme.