Saturday 9: October 2026

Thursday, October 29, 2026

I've Written a Letter to Daddy

Saturday 9: I've Written a Letter to Daddy (1962)

Unfamiliar with this week's featured song? Hear it here.

1) This song is from Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, which was released on Halloween Day, 1962. Do you like scary movies?

2) The "Baby Jane" of the title is Baby Jane Hudson. Jane was a child star, singing and dancing in vaudeville. She was so popular that Baby Jane dolls sold well at her shows. Tell us about one of your favorite childhood toys.

3) Baby Jane's career hit the skids when she hit her teens and audiences no longer found her cute. Adolescence can be a tough time for many of us. Did you ever go through an awkward phase?

4) Meanwhile, Jane's older sister Blanche blossomed into a beauty and became a major movie actress. Her career was cut short when, at the height of her popularity, her back is broken in a car accident involving a drunken Jane. Most of the movie takes place in the mansion Blanche bought back when she was a star. Blanche is confined to a wheelchair and completely dependent on Jane, who is bitter, jealous, and well, bonkers. Very bad things happen. Can you think of another movie where scary things happen in a big old house?

5) As a (crazy) older woman, Jane convinces herself she can relaunch her career and recapture the love of the public. She dresses like she did as a little girl and makes up her face to look like those Baby Jane dolls that were sold long ago at her childhood performances. Then she rehearses this week's song. The result is so memorable that now, more than 60 years later, you can still find "Baby Jane" Halloween costumes online. Tell us about a Halloween costume you really enjoyed wearing.

6) Which kind of spooky movie villain do you find scarier: supernatural monsters (Dracula, Wolfman, ghosts, etc.) or human monsters (Baby Jane, Michael Meyers from the Halloween franchise, etc.)?

Questions inspired by Halloween ....

7) Orange and black are the traditional Halloween colors, with orange representing the autumn harvest and black symbolizing all things scary and mysterious. Are you wearing either color as you answer these questions?

8) Jack-o-lanterns originated in Ireland, though instead of pumpkins, they carved gourds. When Irish immigrants arrived in the US, they used pumpkins because they were more readily available. Did you decorate your home with a jack-o-lantern, or anything else, for Halloween?

9) Think back to your trick-or-treating days. Which candy were you happiest to find your bag?

Thanks so much for joining us again at Saturday: 9. As always, feel free to come back, see who has participated and comment on their posts. In fact sometimes, if you want to read & comment on everyone's responses, you might want to check back again tomorrow. But it is not a rule. We haven’t any rules here. Join us on next Saturday for another version of Saturday: 9, "Just A Silly Meme on a Saturday!" Enjoy your weekend!

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Thursday, October 22, 2026

Smoke Rings

Saturday 9: Smoke Rings (1933)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Donald Mills of the Mills Brothers encourages us to "puff, puff, puff" our cares away. When did you most recently smoke a cigarette?

2) In the 1930s, when this week's song was recorded, an estimated 40% of American adults smoked cigarettes. By the early 1960s, that number reached a high of 42%. According to the CDC, the percentage of adult smokers dropped to 11%. Do many of your friends and relatives smoke or vape?

3) Donald was the youngest of the singing Mills Brothers, and he's the one who most often sang lead. That squares with popular birth order theory, which proposes that the youngest tends to enjoy being the center of attention, the middle child is the diplomat, and the oldest is the high-achiever. Think of your own family and the families of your friends. Do you think this theory holds true?

4) The Mills Brothers were one of the first famous singing brother acts. The Williams Brothers – which featured future TV star Andy Williams – followed in their footsteps. Can you think of another group of singing brothers?

5) In addition to recording hit records, The Mills Brothers were a staple on radio in the 1930s. They were among the first African American artists to host their own radio show and sang jingles for Standard Oil and Crisco. What commercial do you recall having seen, or heard, recently?

6) In 1933, when this week's song was popular, actor Robert Montgomery and his wife had a daughter they named Elizabeth. That little girl would become famous in the 1960s for her own TV show. Without looking it up, do you know what show Elizabeth Montgomery starred in?

7) Johnny Cash was also born in 1933. Do you have a favorite Johnny Cash song?

8) In 1933, five French airlines merged to form Air France. Think of the last time you were at an airport. Were you taking a flight or meeting a flight?

9) Random question: Your best friend just received a certificate for completing a car maintenance course at your community college. Would you let them work on your vehicle?

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Thursday, October 15, 2026

Somewhere Over Laredo

Saturday 9: Somewhere Over Laredo (2025)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Laney Wilson namechecks Tito's Vodka. Is there a product you you are very brand loyal to? (It doesn't have to be liquor. Maybe you always reach for Dawn Dishwashing Liquid, even if another soap is on sale.)

2) The lyrics start with her in a window seat on a flight out of Houston. Do you prefer the window or the aisle?

3) She's dreaming of rodeo nights with the guy she loves. If you could spend this evening with anyone at all, anywhere at all, where would you go and who would be with you?

4) Lainey is from Baskin, LA, population 200. Do you prefer big cities or small towns?

5) There's a Netflix documentary about Lainey called Keepin' Country Cool. What show have you recently streamed?

6) This week's song borrows liberally from "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," so much so that "Rainbow" songwriters Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg receive credit. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is the most beloved song from The Wizard of Oz. Can you name another?

7) In 2025, when this song was popular, more patients took advantage of telehealth than ever before. Have you ever had a virtual doctor visit?

8) Also in 2025, smart home technology was integrated into more new home construction. Do you use smart devices to automate your lights, thermostat, or doorbell?

9) Random question – On which day are you happier: a) the day you take off on vacation or b) the day you return home from your trip?

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Thursday, October 8, 2026

Big Girls Don't Cry

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love to answer the questions, however, and here is today's questions!

Saturday 9: Big Girls Don't Cry (1962)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) When is the last time you shed a tear?

2) Lyricist/producer Bob Crewe recalled he got the idea for this song while watching a movie on TV. "Big girls don't cry" was a line from the 1956 film Slightly Scarlet. Give us a quote from another movie.

3) This inspiration came to Bob during the late night/early morning hours. What time of day are you most productive?

4) Bob wrote another song for the Four Seasons, "Silence Is Golden." The band was not happy with their recording and never released it as a single. Three years later, The Tremeloes had an international Top 10 hit with "Silence Is Golden." Tell us about a decision you wish you could do over.

5) Before he got his big break, Four Seasons lead singer Frankie Valli worked as barber. Do you have a hair care appointment scheduled?

6) Oscar-winning actor Joe Pesci has a connection to the band. He was a young chum of Four Seasons founding member Tommy DeVito. By the time DeVito left the group and found himself overwhelmed by gambling debts, Pesci was a star. He helped his friend out, making Tommy his personal assistant and getting him cameo roles in films. Tell us about someone who has been there for you in tough times.

7) The Four Seasons disbanded in 1977 after 17 years together. The original bandmates reunited onstage 1990 when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was an important night for them professionally and personally, too, as it gave the old friends a chance to reconnect and mend fences. Is there anyone from your past you wish you could reach out to?

8) Another hit song from 1962 was "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Tony Bennett compares San Francisco to Rome, Paris and Manhattan. Have you visited any of those four cities?

9) Random question – You're home all alone. Do you close the door when you use the bathroom?

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Thursday, October 1, 2026

Eastbound and Down

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love to answer the questions, however, and here is today's questions!

Saturday 9: Eastbound and Down (1977)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week's song was featured in the movie Smokey and the Bandit, the surprise box office hit of 1977. Have you seen it?

2) Though not well received by critics, Smokey and the Bandit had one very famous fan: Alfred Hitchcock. The classic film director enjoyed re-watching the movie on video at home, often while having dinner. Do you ever watch TV with your meal?

3) Jerry Reed not only wrote and performed the movie's theme, he appeared in the movie as truck driver Cledus "Snowman" Snow. Have you ever driven, or ridden in, a big rig?

4) He sings, "We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there." Have you recently felt rushed?

5) Director Hal Needham asked Jerry Reed for a song that explained the plot of the movie. He wrote this overnight and always considered it a happy accident. Can you think of a time when something turned out better than you expected?

6) Reed was born in Atlanta and, coincidentally, he mentions Atlanta in the lyrics. Has your hometown been immortalized in song?

7) Jerry met Priscilla Mitchell at Capitol Records, where Jerry was a session musician and Priscilla was backup singer. Though she was only 18 when they wed, it seems their union was a happy one and they were together until his death almost 50 years later. If a newly engaged 18-year-old asked you for advice, what would you say?

8) In 1977, when "Eastbound and Down" was on the radio, nostalgia for the 1950s topped the TV ratings. The two most popular shows that year were Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days. If you magically transported back to the 1950s, what do you think you'd like about it? What do you think you'd miss about your life in 2026?

9) Random question: Were you ever afraid of monsters in your closet or under your bed?

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