Dancing Mattress Productions: The Midday Distraction #45: Valentines, Funny or Otherwise

Today's show is longer than usual, featuring five artists drawn from various sources.

Here's what you'll hear today (right-click to download MP3 or to open in a new tab or window):

Betsyann Faiella: "(Love Is) The Tender Trap"
Tom Smith: "Stupid Belated Valentine"
Dena DeRose: "You Don't Know What Love Is"
Los Lonely Boys: "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love (Live)"
Debbie Cunningham: "My Funny Valentine"

(Total play time: 23:38)

Tracks 1, 3 and 4 come courtesy of the IODA Promonet and may be downloaded below for free as long as their promotions last. Track 2 comes via Music Alley, and track 5 comes via Ariel Publicity.

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Today is Valentine's Day or Singles Awareness Day or the Mid-February Holiday That Shall Not Be Named, take your pick.

Native Hawaiians killed explorer James Cook this day in 1779. U.S. Chief Justice John Marshall declared this day in 1803 that any act of Congress that conflicted with the Constitution would thereby be void. Escaped slave turned abolitionist Frederick Douglass was born this day in 1818. Joshua A. Norton, the first and only Emperor of the United States (and Protector of Mexico), was born this day in 1819. President James K. Polk was the first serving president to be photographed; that happened this day in 1849. American Civil War hero William Tecumseh Sherman died this day in 1891. Comic actor Jack Benny was born this day in 1894. Congress approved the use of voting machines in federal elections this day in 1899. Labor organizer Jimmy Hoffa was born this day in 1913. Actor Edward Platt (of Get Smart fame) was born this day in 1916. The League of Women Voters was established in Chicago this day in 1920. International Business Machines (IBM) was founded this day in 1924. Seven people, six of them gangsters opposing Al Capone's gang, were murdered in Chicago this day in 1929 in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Actress Florence Henderson was born this day in 1934.

*pausing to take a breath*

Glenn Miller's "In the Mood" topped the U.S. singles chart this day in 1940. The allied bombing of Dresden (in Germany) began this day in 1945; Prague (in the modern-day Czech Republic) was also bombed by accident. ENIAC, the first general-purpose electric computing thingie, was unveiled this day in 1946; American dancer and actor Gregory Hines was born the same day. Doomed folk singer Tim Buckley was born this day in 1947. American soprano Renée Fleming was born this day in 1959. First lady Jacqueline Kennedy took TV viewers on a tour of the White House this day in 1962. Canadian actor Enrico Colantoni (of Veronica Mars and Flashpoint, among others) was born this day in 1963. TV personality Jules Asner was born this day in 1968. British comedian and actor Simon Pegg was born this day in 1970. English writer P.G. Wodehouse died this day in 1975. Forty-eight people died in the Stardust nightclub fire in Dublin this day in 1981 (one of many reasons Ye Olde Podcaster avoids nightclubs). "Careless Whisper" by Wham! featuring George Michael was the top single in the U.S. on this day in 1985. Iran's supreme religious leader issued a fatwa this day in 1989, encouraging Muslims to kill Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses (link goes to Amazon to buy the book -- that's how you fight religious fanatics). The first of the 24 Global Positioning System satellites was placed into orbit this day in 1989.

*hey, look, it's the finish line!*

On this day in 1998, self-proclaimed Christian and terrorist Eric Rudolph -- no better a person than any Islamist radical -- was named as a suspect in an Alabama abortion clinic bombing. Dolly, the sheep that was the first known cloned mammal, died this day in 2003.