Feb.16

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Dem 51

   

GOP 49

I Read the News Today, Oh Boy: Move It on Over

Here's the solution to last week's theme, courtesy of M.H. in Ottawa, ON, Canada:

The theme: Every entry is a song performed by a person or group who shares a name with a U.S. state. (Phew! That was a tough concept to express succinctly!)

• A Great Day for Donald Trump, Part I: "Let It Roll"—song by Flo Rida on the 2012 album Wild Ones (the judges, after some hemming and hawing, will allow it)
  
  
• A Great Day for Donald Trump, Part II: "What's On My Mind"—song by Kansas on the 1977 album Leftoverture
  
  
• A Great Day for Donald Trump, Part III: "Old Nevada Moon"—song by Patsy Montana, 1935
  
  
• A Bad Week for Mike Johnson: "I'll Never Be Free"—performed by Kay Starr and Tennessee Ernie Ford, 1950
  
  
• I Read the News Today, Oh Boy: "Black Is The Color of My True Love's Hair"—Oh, boy. More below.
  
  
• This Week in Schadenfreude: "When It All Goes South"—song by Alabama on the 2000 album When It All Goes South
  
  
• This Week in Freudenfreude: "Take Me to Your Party"—song by New York Dolls on the 2013 album French Kiss '74

Sadly, I don't have a great answer for "Black Is The Color of My True Love's Hair." I've done some digging that suggests it was covered by Tennessee Ernie Ford in 1959, but that would make two entries by Ford, so not a great answer. I've also seen reference to a cover by Bob Blaine & The Aloha Hawaiians in 1969, which I like even less. ("Hawaiian" isn't a state, it's a demonym). So I'm at a bit of a loss, but everything else works far too well, so I don't think I've got the theme wrong. Ah, well.

Oh, and of course you're right: Miley Cyrus shouldn't count towards the theme, even under her alter ego as Hannah Montana.

Thanks, M.H.! And we made a little bit of a mistake here. We actually intended the artist for "I'll Never Be Free" to be Dinah Washington, leaving Tennessee Ernie Ford for "Black Is The Color of My True Love's Hair." That was wrongheaded, however, as the Tennessee Ernie Ford version of "I'll Never Be Free" is far, far more famous. That said, as reader B.M.R. in Aurora, CO brings to our attention, there are versions of "Black Is The Color of My True Love's Hair" by the New Hampshire String Ensemble and the Texas State Men's Choir, so our mess can also be cleaned up that way. And incidentally, the song in this item's headline, "Move It on Over," was recorded by George Thorogood and his backing band during the time that the band was known as the Delaware Destroyers (they eventually dropped the "Delaware").

Here are the first 25 readers to get it right:

1. B.M. in Chico, CA
2. D.D. in Highland Park, IL
3. J.H. in Lake Forest, CA
4. R.P. in Brooklyn, NY
5. J.N. in Zionsville, IN
6. M.W. in Frederick, MD
7. D.L. in Uslar, Germany
8. N.S. in Los Angeles, CA
9. S.K. in Drexel Hill, PA
10. T.K. in Half Moon Bay, St. Kitts
11. J.E. in Onondaga County, NY
12. S.H. in Vestal, NY
13. A.J. in Huddersfield, England, UK
14. J.D. in Boston, MA
15. D.L. in Seymour, CT
16. J.B. in Boise, ID
17. A.C. in Kingston, MA
18. S.G. in Durham, NC
19. E.G. in Carmel, IN
20. P.R. in Kirksville, MO
21. B.M.R. in Aurora
22. J.L. in Walnut Creek, CA
23. N.H. in London, England, UK
24. G.G. in Nottinghamshire, England UK
25. D.M. in Oakland, CA

As to this week's theme, it is contained in some, but not all the words after the colons. In Trivial Pursuit, it would fit in the category Sports and Leisure. And as to a hint, we'll tell you the solution is right there in black and white. If you have a guess, send a message to comments@electoral-vote.com with subject line "February 16 Headlines." (Z)