Name Game: The Biggest Gains to Date!

You've left me breathless.

So many names this week. Just when I thought that surely the supply must be dwindling. Most of these came in the comments section, so they are not news to you. But now it's time to do the clean-up.

First, though, some new ones came in via e-mail. Mrs. Queeney, whom I introduced you to this past week, gives us "Michael" from "Playground in My Mind." (I'm taking her word for it.) And Jim Croce's "Don't Mess Around With Jim." She also gives us submissions from the musical "Hair"--"Frank Mills" and "Abie Baby."

Musicals are fair game. I like the lateral thinking in going there.

What is troubling is Mrs. Queeney's very aggressive attempt to split this baby wide open. The judges at The Big "C" are freaking out right now. Why? Because Mrs. Queeney casually tossed out, "If you count TV theme songs. . ."

Ka-POWIE!

Do we count TV theme songs??????

Arguments for: They are post-1955; they are 'popular' in that more Americans could sing them than could sing most other 'popular' songs (right now, I'd bet my left breast that every one of you could sing the Cheers song); they are not hip-hop/rap.

Arguments against: They're TV theme songs!

I don't know. Sigh. I just don't know. Nick? What do you think? Does anyone else want to be a judge? We have several positions open right now.

If we do count TV theme songs, then Wyatt (Earp), Davy (Crockett), Casper and Felix (as in the cat, not my uncle, she points out) are on the list.

But the brazen assault didn't stop there. She also tosses out that perhaps we might "broaden the time zone" to allow Tin Pan Alley tunes such as Carol Channing's "I'm Just Wild About Harry" and Ray Bolger's "Once in Love with Amy."

I'll tell you what's attractive about this argument:

1. It will really open the discussion up to Dad, who keeps e-mailing me old-timie song submissions and

2. Mr. Thallemer used to sing "Once in Love with Amy" to me on camping trips once he'd thrown his fourth or fifth empty beer can into the fire. (Metallurgic note: Old Style cans melted; Old Milwaukee cans did not.) That is a very fond memory indeed. Even if he didn't know any words beyond that one phrase: Once in love with Amy!

So what the heck? Sure! Any song from 1900 onward!

Speaking of Dad and our newly broadened standards. . .he gives us one not likely to be found elsewhere: "Lester Leaps In" by Count Basie.

Now, turning to some un-controversial entries:

Janice gives us "Jeremiah was a bullfrog. . ."

Kathryn Queeney (who is married, by the way, and might well have a different name now; but I'd have found it impossible to give up the initial "Q,"--maybe she did, too) gives us several and reveals that though she'd like to stop this madness and start thinking of something more useful, she just can't. Hearing about this kind of obsession helps heal me, KQ. Thanks for doing your part.

And so, from KQ: Bobby McGee (knew there was a Bobby--in fact, several other entries came in for Bobby); Julio, that schoolyard song, and "You Can Call Me Al," both from Paul Simon; and "What's the Frequency Kenneth?" by REM.

Whew!

Newcomer, Gail, friend of my sister and now a friend of mine, took the hint from last week and mined Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" for Harry, Walter, Marciano, Juan, Dean, Davy (TV theme song or not, it's in!), Lawrence, Malcolm, Bernie--now that was a worthwhile effort!

She also comes up with Levon and Jesus from Elton John's song about the balloon guy. "Uncle Albert," from the Beatles and "Fernando" from ABBA. (Nick is kicking himself for not getting to that one first. . .)

"Anonymous" submits "Joey" by Sugarland. Is that you, Vickie? I know how you like your Sugarland!

We already have Joey on the list, from the Concrete Blonde song, but I bring this up because this Sugarland song (they are a very fun country band) is a current Top 10 hit--it gets the award for the most recent use of a man's name in a pop song.

Another country submission, from Mr. Colorado himself: "Chris" is used in a Garth Brook's song that also mentions "lonely women" and "booze," so we're talking authentic country here.

His wife also submits on his behalf:

"& Luckenbach Texas song mentions Hank and Newberry e.g. "Hank William's pain songs and Newberry's train songs"

but is Newberry a male reference?"

"Hank," yes.

"Newberry"--this happens to be Mr. Colorado's last name. So it's a male name in that it refers to him, at times, and if we were still hovering around 20, I'd be desperate enough to count it. But we're fat and happy with men's names now. We're kicking butt here, people. No need to grovel.

Then there's Sister #2 who, and I'm sorry to be harsh here, but sometimes the disciplined approach is the most loving, totally phones it in. Check this comment out:

"Your title for this day, 'Name Game', isn't there a song out there stating a name then rhyming with banana and "fe fi fo fana" and then new names etc. Remember this is your non music sister, but I do believe there are guy names in it. Probably all ready on the list."

"Non music sister." This is your excuse, Mary Jean? For not actually coming up with a name from this song? Do you want to help this team or not???

Maybe I should go easy on her. Electronics in her house never work right and it's entirely possible that she's been impeded from conducting a google search of The Name Game lyrics. At least, that's what I need to believe to fall asleep at night.

Sister #3, Leslie--aided by her usual partner in crime, Maura--gives us Leroy, and Tony and Rico, these both from "Copa Cabana."

Is that all?. . . Yep. Whew. There's got to be a better way to organize these names in a way that's easy to add to without screwing up the numbering. But that's so not my thing.

For today's round-up, we have these additions:

Jim/James
Michael
Frank
Abie
Lester
Harry
Jeremiah
Bobby
Julio
Al (taken as different from Albert, because it might be short for Alan)
Albert
Kenneth
Walter
Marciano
Juan
Dean
Davy
Lawrence
Malcolm
Bernie
Levon
Jesus
Fernando
Chris
Leroy
Tony
Rico

27 Names! That is a great week's work!

And, waiting in the wings, pending the judges' decision (who are the judges again?), we have a few TV Theme Song entries, including Wyatt, Casper and Felix

Our current list:
1. Micky
2. Bill(y)
3. Maurice
4. Jack
5. Ben(nie)
6. Louie
7. Gene
8. Fred
9. Buddy
10. Henry
11. John(ny)
12. Ricky
13. Willie
14. Whelan
15. Elvis
16. Luke
17. Charles(Charlie)
18. Chester
19. Paul
20. Tom(my)
21. Daniel
22. Eddie
23. Anthony
24. Jude
25. Stan
26. Gus
27. Roy
28. Lee
29. Andy
30. Fred
31. Moses
32. Peter
33. Amadeus
34. Jessie
35. Vincent
36. Joey
37. Jim/James
38. Michael
39. Frank
40. Abie
41. Lester
42. Harry
43. Jeremiah
44. Bobby
45. Julio
46. Al (taken as different from Albert, because it might be short for Alan)
47. Albert
48. Kenneth
49. Walter
50. Marciano
51. Juan
52. Dean
53. Davy
54. Lawrence
55. Malcolm
56. Bernie
57. Levon
58. Jesus
59. Fernando
60. Chris
61. Leroy
62. Tony
63. Rico

You know what's going to happen, don't you? We're going to have to shoot for 100. And if we make it, then my hypothesis that women's names are used far more often than men's is in very serious jeopardy.

One step at a time. One step at a time.

UPDATE:

I'm related to a genius! Sister #1, Laura, not only alphabetized the list (and found a "Fred" error) but more importantly, she figured out how to keep them all numbered!

1. Abie
2. Al (taken as different from Albert, because it might be short for Alan)
3. Albert
4. Amadeus
5. Andy
6. Anthony
7. Ben(nie)
8. Bernie
9. Bill(y)
10. Bobby
11. Buddy
12. Charles(Charlie)
13. Chester
14. Chris
15. Daniel
16. Davy
17. Dean
18. Eddie
19. Elvis
20. Fernando
21. Frank
22. Fred
23. Gene
24. Gus
25. Harry
26. Henry
27. Jack
28. Jeremiah
29. Jessie
30. Jesus
31. Jim/James
32. Joey
33. John(ny)
34. Juan
35. Jude
36. Julio
37. Kenneth
38. Lawrence
39. Lee
40. Leroy
41. Lester
42. Levon
43. Louie
44. Luke
45. Malcolm
46. Marciano
47. Maurice
48. Michael
49. Micky
50. Moses
51. Paul
52. Peter
53. Ricky
54. Rico
55. Roy
56. Stan
57. Tom(my)
58. Tony
59. Vincent
60. Walter
61. Whelan
62. Willie