My Pop Culture Triptych series - initiated in 2016 but dormant since 2018 - got a recent boost in the days leading up to my daughter's wedding. Challenging my wife, daughter, and her soon-to-be-husband to come up with a song title containing the numbers eight down to one as the big day approached - without using Google - I formulated a way to revive my moribund series by counting down from fifty, in threes.
Here's the challenge to readers: Without using Google, identify a song, movie, book, TV show, etc. - i.e., any item of pop culture ephemera - that uses in its title one or more of the descending numbers beginning at "47" going backwards. I will then follow any reader contribution(s) with three items using the next three descending numbers, i.e. a triptych, beginning wherever the last contributor leaves off. I promise NOT to use Google. If there is a long-ish delay in my response, that simply means I'm having trouble coming up with a piece of pop culture containing one or more of the next three descending numbers. But together, we will get down to "one", I promise, no matter how long it takes. Every post in the newest variation of this series will countdown from wherever I'm obligated to begin based on reader input. I'll wait at least a month between my posts to publish the next three descending numbers to give you time to think and join the fun. (Be sure to read the comments of other readers to maintain the orderly countdown.) The more of you who participate, the faster we will get to the end, i.e., a piece of pop culture ephemera having the word "one" in its title. Ready?
50: Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover - hit record by Paul Simon
49: 49 Bye-Byes - closing LP cut from Crosby, Stills, and Nash
48: 48 Hours - blockbuster film starring Nick Nolte & Eddie Murphy
Your turn. Start at "47", anyone. Give me one, two, or three (a triptych) items, but no more than three, please.
Reflections From The Bell Curve: Pop Culture Triptych - Volume 1
Reflections From The Bell Curve: Pop Culture Triptych - Volume 6
47 Ronin - Movie staring Keanu Reeves
ReplyDeleteSearching my music library I came up with the following to complete my tripych:
ReplyDelete"Forty Six & 2" - Song by Tool off of their album AEnima
"Train Number Forty-Five" - Song by Earl Scruggs
Chris; Nice work. First time out of the box with a triptych! I will wait a bit to see if any other readers join the fun i.e., with one, two, or three - but no more than three - pop culture items starting at "44". If no one else chimes in, it will be up to me to start at "44" - where you left off - in about a month from now. Thanks for being out of the gate first and so fast. Try next time to avoid searching your music library - bigger challenge.
DeleteGood afternoon, Pat. Quite the challenge. Definitely took me a while, and some assistance, not from Google, but from my sister - an avid reader - for the first one - 44. I hope that was permissible. Here I go:
ReplyDelete1. 44: Dublin Made me - by Peter Sheridan (I've not read it - yet - but it sounds like a very interesting read)
2. Movie '43'. A very, very, bizarre film from 2013, by Peter Farelly. Possibly the strangest film I've ever seen.
3. '42' - The Jackie Robinson Film starring Chadwick Boseman. Even if you're not a sports fan, it is definitely worth watching.
Whew !!! lol
Be well,
Bob
Hey Bob (who is just "Bob" again, w/o the "anonymous" attached); Nice work. Is the Peter Sheridan novel (which I'm unfamiliar with) entitled "44: Dublin Made Me"? If so, congratulations on a triptych first time out of the box, even if you did need an assist from your sister. I'm also unfamiliar with the Peter Farrelly film. He's the "Dumb and Dumber" guy, right? As for "42", well, that was a film worth seeing for sure. Remember: You don't need to do a triptych each time - one or two of the descending #s is enough if you get stuck. If no other reader chimes in, it will now be up to me to begin at "41" about a month from now. And, like I said to Chris above, for a bigger challenge try avoiding ANY help next time, including any "lifelines" to relatives. Use that brain!
DeleteGood morning, Pat. Yes .. somehow the ‘anonymous’ has left . For now, anyway. And you’re correct - ‘44 Irish Made Me’. It’s an autobiography. Also correct with Peter Farrelly. He did ‘Dumb and Dumber’. Glad to know that it’s not necessary to do 3 each time. Thanks for taking the pressure off - lol. And no more ‘lifelines’. I’m guessing ‘phoning a friend is also frowned upon’ - 😂
DeleteBe well,
Bob (non-anonymous).
41: "#41" - Song by Dave Matthews Band from the album "Crush"
ReplyDelete40: "The 40 Year-old Virgin" - Movie from 2005 starring Steve Carrel
39: ''39" = Song by Queen from "A Night at the Opera"
Anonymous; You are the third reader in a row to offer a full triptych (instead of just one or two items in descending order) so congratulations on that. Of your three (and I'm assuming you didn't use Google), I'm unfamiliar with just the Dave Matthews song. My job is getting easier by the day thanks to contributions made by Chris, Bob, and now you. As of this moment, I'll be picking it up at "38" in about three weeks, UNLESS another reader chimes in with one, two, or three more items of pop ephemera working back from where you left off. At this rate we could be down to "1" before the month is up. Cool!
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ReplyDeleteSorry Pat but I can' wait any longer, Here it the next Triptych:
ReplyDelete38 - 38 Years Old - The Tragically Hip from the album "Up to Here"
37 - California 37 - Train (Album Name)
36 - 36 Degrees - Placebo from the Album "Placebo"
(had to republish because of typos)
Chris; No need for apologies, I'm glad you came to the rescue because - aside from the band "38 Special" - I was stuck at "38" (using just a band name didn't satisfy me). Thanks to your rescue, I'll now begin immediately scouring my brain for the 35-34-33 triptych that follows next. Because I NEVER use any outside help, it might be a while. BTW, I have not heard of any of the three songs you mention (38-37-36), so I also have some listening homework to do. Thanks for keeping me on my toes.
DeleteI have been racking my brain and working on this for the past month and have come up with something for just about each number. I am ready to jump in if needed. I just don't want to ruin your fun. Once you get down to 20 it gets easier and below 10 it is a cake walk.
DeleteChris; At the risk of prolonging this virtual conversation indefinitely, let me reiterate - you are NOT spoiling my fun AT ALL. Au contraire, you're making it MORE fun because you're participating. BTW, still no 35 in my brain, let alone 34; got a 33 BUT I need to work down to that from 35 and 34. Hmmm.
DeleteHere are 35 and 34:
ReplyDelete35 - Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - Bob Dylan from the album "Blonde on Blonde"
34 - #34 - Dave Matthews Band from the album "Under the Table and Dreaming"
You can fill in 33.
Chris; 5:13 am., huh? We simply HAVE to stop meeting like this. Once again, I thank you for picking up the thread where I was stuck. The 33 I had in mind is George Harrison's album entitled "33 and 1/3". But I don't have a 32 or 31 yet in my head (I refuse to cheat) so if you want to pick up the thread again, great! BTW, since it has now been two months since the original post, I'm planning to re-visit this in some fashion in the near future to see if either of the other two earlier commenters above (OR some new folks) want to re-join (join in). However, as you have already said, it does get easier as we move into the teens etc. You are definitely the pioneer on this pop culture triptych. And don't forget - movies, books, plays, television shows, etc. are also all fair game - pop culture is the only criteria.
DeleteI can't sleep in anymore and I am up at the crack of dawn, that is the reason for the 5-ish posts. Anyway, I do my best thinking in the morning before everyone wakes up.
DeleteMy 33 would have been
ReplyDelete33 - Thirty-Three - The Smashing Pumpkins from the album "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness"
And my next triptych is
32 - 32-20 Blues - Eric Clapton From the Album "Me and Mr. Johnson"
31 - 31 Days - Zee Avi from the album "Ghostbird"
30 - My Next Thirty Years - Tim McGraw from the album "A Place in the Sun"
And I know I can use movies, books, plays tv shows, etc., but I built my list only on song and albums.
Chris; You are on fire, boss! OK, ball back in my court at 29. I'd love to use the name of my last wedding band - 29 and Holding - but that would be cheating. Hang in there and let my 72-year-old brain do its work. I'll let you know if I need you to rescue me again BEFORE I re-cycle the original early August post for any readers who may want to try their hand.
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