Welcome to the Musical Lily Pad of K.C. Frogge: Hopper Music! - K.C. Frogge - News

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800

I wanted to do something a little different this 2010 holiday season, and music had for the most part taken a backseat this past year to jewelry design and running the PlayPals sports group for women over 40. Yet music still flows strongly through my being, and a friend asked me to record some favorite holiday songs she could enjoy, since I was told "You haven't recorded any Christmas songs for almost 20 years!"

Okay, that sounded like good, clean fun for the holidays. I warmed up a pot of spiced tea and laid down some quick takes in my home studio of seven of my favorite secular holiday songs... which you can listen to on your computer and/or download them to an MP3 music player or burn a CD of them. My friend enjoyed them so much that she suggested I share them with friends, family and community, so rather than sending out a traditional Christmas letter and holiday card this year, these selections are my holiday "card" to everyone.

I know it's a bit short-notice before Christmas, but it's "right on time" if you want to enjoy some audio ambience with my warmest holiday wishes... and despite a bit of a cold, rather than not do it at all, I thought "as-is" is better than a "silent night." In these times of scheduling so many "to-do's" on our lists, this was a fun way for me to celebrate Christmas this year.

Thanks for listening... have a very Merry Christmas, and please enjoy a fun, safe and memorable holiday season and New Year! And for your trivia and enjoyment, there is a link in every song's description to the Wikipedia listing for that song, with background info about performances, hit background, and other fun tidbits of musical knowledge. Feel free to click on and stop by my "Guestbook" link and let me know you came by to listen to or download some of my holiday cheer.

To listen and/or download MP3's to your portable music device, go to the "Music" link at left and select songs from the album "Seven Songs-A-Singing -- Merry Christmas 2010", where you can then either listen to or download each song as MP3's to your computer and player. If you place your cursor over the song title itself, it will change color... once you click on the song title, you'll find the lyrics page as well.

Wishing you the best of the holiday season and always,

K.C.

P.S. After this was written, I got an e-mail with my daily tarot:

"The Three of Chalices card suggests that my power today lies in celebration. I am not alone. I embrace the pleasure of the moment and share the beauty and joy of a common bond within my sisterhood. I am empowered by inclusion and my gift is spontaneous rapture."

(Yes, indeed... these gifts of my holiday celebration are indeed spontaneous and rewarding just by giving them.)

K.C. Performs "Mrs. Sandman" on Finale Episode of "The Inappropriate Show"

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

K.C. is scheduled to perform her hit parody song "Mrs. Sandman" (originally written for "Out On A Clef," the 4-woman irreverent acapella group), at the finale edition of the long-running cable TV program "The Inappropriate Show" on Saturday, January 30th, in front of a live studio audience. The show will be aired at a date TBA (and you will find out about it by e-mail or from this news feed as soon as we hear when it will air). Other notable performers will be singers Lisa Cohen and Irina Rivkin, and comedian Karen Ripley. Stay tuned!

Five Different K.C. Vocal and Songwriter CDs available for only $10 each, or all 5 for $40!

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

I INVITE YOU TO BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED OR, PERHAPS EVEN IMPRESSED, WHEN YOU LISTEN TO MY SINGING AND SONGWRITING EFFORTS

I enjoyed being one of eight women independent musicians with CDs available at the Winter Crafts Fair at the Space in Oakland on Saturday, Dec. 12th. Every hour, a different musician would staff the table and sell CDs of all the artists that were available. It was fun to see how many artists and shoppers enjoyed humming (or outright singing and harmonizing) along to various tunes from several of my CDs.

I still have a great selection and stock of all five of my available titles, and no matter how many you may wish to purchase, they will all be shipped FREE to any address within the United States. Thank you to all of you who encourage my continued creativity, as well as that of many other independent musicians by purchasing our creative works.

Here are my CDs available (and you can LISTEN to them BEFORE you order... click on "Music" at left, then click on a CD title, followed by clicking on individual song names, where you can read the lyrics, the story behind the song selection, and listen to actual clips of each song in hi- or lo-fi broadband):

A GREAT LIMITED-TIME OFFER! Only $10 each (or 5 for $40 -- that's buy 4, get 1 FREE)... several of the same title, or mix and match.

TO SEE EACH CD's COVER IMAGE, click on "PHOTOS" at left, then click on each CD photo to enlarge and read the summary.

"PAIR-O'-D's" -- This CD features seven songs (written or co-written by K.C.), some hilarious and some politically pertinent, but all are parodies of the original tunes... from "Mrs. Sandman," to "Pumpin' Back Cash (into Gas, Gas, Gas)", to "Torn Between Two Therapists" (written by Bethy B) on the comedy side of the coin... to "I'm Not In Kansas Anymore," "America (2009)" to "Obama Is Gonna Help You" on the flip political commentary side, these re-writes will definitely have you thinking, laughing, and sometimes just shaking your head at what craziness the world is coming to these days.

"SINGING OUT FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY" -- Featuring three special songs I have sung at marriage equality rallies here in California, two of which I re-wrote specifically for the movement. They are: "America (2009)," a rewrite of Neil Diamond's hit "America", in which most all of the lyrics were re-written to inspire and commemorate the efforts of our LGBT community to attain matrimonial rights; "What The World Needs Now Is Love," where I re-wrote the verses for our movement (the chorus is perfect just the way it was so eloquently sung by Dionne Warwick); and "We Can," a big hit by country singer LeAnn Rimes, which lyrics are perfect just the way they were written, no changes necessary. Net proceeds from the sales of this CD are being donated to the Marriage Equality movement among three groups: Marriage Equality USA, Courage Campaign California, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

"FLYING SOLO" -- This is my first original music CD (my next CD is entitled "Into the Path of An Oncoming Life," and is still in the works). With nine "unplugged" songs in a "small venue" ambiance, it is intimate with just my acoustic guitar and vocals. The songs all feature my signature "storytelling" lyrics which tell vivid stories, and my musical compositions which form an indelible foundation for imagery. "Flying Solo" is a memorable journey that will lead you along many winding, introspective paths.

JUKEBOX BAKERS' DOZEN, VOL. 1" -- Thirteen diverse hits from the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s through 2004 with vocals by K.C. It's kind of like popping some coins into a jukebox and letting it randomly select some well-known hit tunes. Features songs like "Sweet Surrender," "Have I Told You Lately," "It's My Life," "Breakaway," "I Feel The Earth Move," "California Dreamin'," "Truly Madly Deeply," "Breathe," and more.

"LIVE AT THE MINT - 2004" -- Seventeen pop and rock hits captured live from performances at San Francisco's iconic karaoke performance lounge, The Mint. Incredible range of vocal styles, including a "don't-miss" performance of Aerosmith's "Dream On". Truly a reason why the nickname "Vocalrollercoaster" is well-earned. Also includes hits such as "Constant Craving," "Call Me," "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," "Magic Man," "Stand Back," "I Want To Come Over," "Get Here," "Don't You (Forget About Me)," and more.

DON'T FORGET YOU CAN PREVIEW AND LISTEN BEFORE YOU BUY! Click on "Music" tab to the left and you can listen to sound clips of EVERY song on each CD title offered here. (For faster access to listening, first click on the song title to open up the lyrics page, then click on the sound clip selection you wish to load -- hi-fi or lo-fi broadband.)

You can order any selection and quantity of these CDs by e-mailing me at:

kcfrogge@earthlink.net

to let me know which CDs you're ordering. There are two ways you can pay:

(1) Send a check or money order (CD totals only, shipping is free) to me at:

K.C. Frogge
P.O. Box 19283
Oakland, CA 94619

OR

(2) send online payment via PayPal, the safe, electronic payment option that's easy and FREE to use, and protects your financial information by not revealing your bank account or credit card number to merchants you are paying online.

To pay for your CD order using PayPal, go to

http://www.paypal.com

and when you are asked for the e-mail address of the person you're paying, enter:

kcfrogge@earthlink.net

Follow the easy to use instructions, and if you don't already have a PayPal account, it's free to sign up... you can enter a credit or debit card number, or a bank account number from which funds will be used to pay, and your information will never be revealed to the merchant you're making payment to. And PayPal is a secure, encrypted service so you're always protected. I've used PayPal since 1999, and I have never had an issue with identity theft or misuse of information.

Indicate in the "Notes" or "Comments" section which CDs and how many of each you wish, and the addresses for shipping for each if there are multiples, or your own address if there is just one place to ship your order.

PERSONALIZATION: If you wish to have any or all of your CDs personalized, please indicate your wishes in your comments when ordering. Thanks!

Once received and your payment cleared, your music will be shipped within 24 hours of clearance. All CDs will be shipped by Media Mail, 2-9 day delivery from the U.S. Post Office depending on distance, and all CDs will be securely packaged and sealed for protection.

THANK YOU for supporting my vocal and songwriting efforts, and that of ALL independent musicians!

May you have a joyous and prosperous 2010 and realize all your dreams!

In harmony,

K.C.

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"Pair-O'-D's" -- K.C.'s "All-Parody" song CD... it's COMING!

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800
Finally deciding to go where her funny bone has been taking her, K.C. will be releasing an "all-parody song" CD in early February, with both funny and politically-poignant satires of tunes you probably already know.

"Pair-O-D's" will feature 10 songs, including (original tune in parentheses):

"Mrs. Sandman" (Mr. Sandman)
"I'm Not In Kansas Anymore" (You're Not In Kansas Anymore)
"You're a Mean One, Mr. Bush" (The Grinch Song)
"Torn Between Two Therapists" (Torn Between Two Lovers)
"Pumping Back Cash (into Gas, Gas, Gas)" (Jumping Jack Flash)
"What The World Needs Now is Love" (What the World Needs Now Is Love)
"America (2009)" (America)
"O' Little Town of Washington" (O' Little Town of Bethlehem)
"Obama Is Gonna Help You" (Rhythm Is Gonna Get You)

"Mrs. Sandman" airs tonight on national internet radio program "In the Mix with DJ Harmony"!

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700
K.C.'s hilarious new parody hit "Mrs. Sandman" will be airing tonight on the nationally available program "In the Mix with DJ Harmony" on MyLesbianRadio.com, at some point during the show's airing between 4PM and 6PM Pacific Time.

Said Cheryl Peterson, owner and producer of the radio station:

"Hey KC! Just thought I'd let you know -
I put one of your songs into my show for tonight. :-)

Mrs. Sandman. Loved that one."

Copy and paste this link to your browser: http://www.mylesbianradio.com

It's a new, exciting and far-reaching professional radio station whose tag-line is "Our lifestyle..our station...Finally!"

Listen now and in the future for more K.C. parodies and serious songs on this station.

New Upcoming Album: "PAIR-O'-D's" -- Exclusively PARODY CD! -- It's coming soon!

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700
Well, the funny bone (and the political bone) has spoken!

"PAIR-O'-D's", the first completely parody-song album by K.C., will be the next release in the Hopper Music lineup, and should be due out sometime after the 2009 holiday season, just in time for turning over a new leaf with a vow to laugh more and keep abreast of controversial news through parody songs.

(Yes, "Into the Path of an Oncoming Life" is still in the pipeline, although it will be delayed until the last two songs are finished.)

Listen to K.C.'s newest release, "I'M NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE", which will be included on "Pair-O'-D's", by clicking on "Music" and then on the song title.

It's time to reverse the trend of "dumbing down" America and tune up the intelligence meter!

Let us know if you enjoy the song!

New Political Parody Song, "I'M NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE"

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700
Recent public idiocies by (what else) Republican lawmakers from my former beloved state of Kansas, coupled with ongoing extremism from fanatical ultra-conservative religious and anti-abortion characters, has inspired me to write a parody song glaringly illuminating four reasons, and probably sublimely unearthing thousands more, why intelligent and rational residents are vacating the state by the thousands in search of more reasonable and progressive pastures where open thought and reasoning based on scientific knowledge and input by intelligent and common-sense thinkers alike makes standing still in the State of Kansas feel like running backwards.

I have a lot of fond memories of the state from where I relocated to be here in sunny and enlightened California, but in recent years, the state that used to be somewhat progressive and even liberal in the '60s* has been hijacked by conservative fundamentalists and even extremists with the intent on squelching any beliefs but their own narrow views of what morality and thinking should encompass. I'm talking about the Sunflower State: Kansas.

With recent events including a "Redneck Rapper" (who can't sing) telling tales of woe because our new President and a forward-thinking administration (including Kansas' former governor, Kathleen Sabelius, the new Secretary of Health and Human Services) wants to encourage Kansans to develop alternative forms of clean energy including wind, water and solar (and wean themselves off of coal, the last bastion of conservative dinosaurs who corner the market on it) and whines about shivering in the cold in 2020 without coal; or a Kansas member of Congress whose comments about searching the GOP for the next "Great White Hope" sounded like a swipe at our first non-White president; or the anti-abortion extremist who gunned down a doctor in the doctor's own church on a Sunday morning during church services in the name of "pro-life"; and finally, that always charming and enlightening (at least for the far-rightnut religious zealots) Fred Phelps, who pickets the funerals of U.S. soldiers because he is obsessed with crusading against gay people and says their existence is the reason why "God Hates America"... well, there's only so much a girl from that state can take before she stands up and shouts, "ENOUGH!" Are there ANY reasonable, progressive, common-sense people in Kansas who will now stand up and say they are tired of being made fun of because everyone knows what a haven their state is for nut-job wackos who spew such hate and bigotry?

Well, if enough people finally "get it," maybe there will be a progressive revolution... and perhaps this song will help light the candle that sheds light on the problem.

I may have left... but I still keep one eye looking behind me to see if there is any hope left for the folks I still know who live there. (One woman e-mailed me and said for the reasons I stated in my song lyrics, that's why she was no longer a Hoosier (from Indiana), either.)

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* When I was young, Missouri had a "blue law" where stores could ot open for business on Sundays because of religious and backward thinking. Because we lived on the Missouri side in Kansas City, our family used to drive across the State Line (called State Line Road) and make an afternoon and sometimes into evening patronizing all the great stores that were willing to sell to eager Missourians who resented being told when they could and could not shop. Ultimately in the early '70s, Missouri lifted their Blue Law, but I still enjoyed going to the Kansas side to shop because we could. And although Kansas was a "dry" state for a long time, you could still get a "membership" by paying a small cover charge at bars to imbibe, dance and mingle. Small price to pay for equality, and that law is now off the books as well.

You can hear that song,

I'M NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE

and read the lyrics, by clicking on "Music" and then clicking on the song title.

New Music Performance Video of "America (2009)" (a new Marriage Equality anthem) is now up on YouTube!

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700
Hopper Music Release: New Music Performance Video of "America (2009)" is now up on YouTube!

Two live performances from the snowballing hit event "Third Thursday Women's Talent Showcase" at the Montclair Women's Cultural Arts Club on September 17, 2009, featuring K.C.'s vocals and/or songwriting have been videotaped and are now up and running LIVE on YouTube for your viewing enjoyment.

This second upload, entitled "America (2009)" is a parody re-write to the music from Neil Diamond's mega-hit 1970s song "America", which original song sung of determination and pride of immigrants coming to America to find a better life and enjoy opportunities to be unique and genuine in becoming a part of the colorful and diverse quilt of American democracy.

Moving forward to the present day parallel of LGBT couples seeking to celebrate their committed and loving relationships by tying the matrimonial knot, it has been a persistent yet rocky road to liberation. However, with old-guard excuses for exclusion finding fewer sympathetic ears as time marches on, the reality that the country hasn't gone to ruin because same-gender couples have achieved relative equality in a growing number of enlightened states, and the realization that to be truly free, people need to be on fully-equal footing in love and in life. Being able to make an intended lifelong commitment to the person you love is the ultimate in celebratory freedom. Complete with visual annotations that reflect facts and history, I hope you will watch this piece and come away with a sense that somehow, love and respect will make many things right in this world.

You can see "America (2009)" on YouTube at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0cJ7mLblDw

If you enjoy it, please leave your comment on YouTube to let me know! Also, please feel free to send it to everyone you know who would enjoy having a new, upbeat and optimistic anthem to accompany us on this journey to equality.

New Music Performance Video of "Torn Between Two Therapists" is now up on YouTube!

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700
Hopper Music Release: New Music Performance Video of "Torn Between Two Therapists" is now up on YouTube!

Two live performances from the snowballing hit event "Third Thursday Women's Talent Showcase" at the Montclair Women's Cultural Arts Club on September 17, 2009, featuring K.C.'s vocals and/or songwriting have been videotaped and are now up and running LIVE on YouTube for your viewing enjoyment.

The first, "Torn Between Two Therapists" is a collaborative effort pairing the clever comedy lyrics and body language miming of "Bethy B" playing the role of the song's therapist, and K.C. adding her vocals (and the harmony vocal which was recorded just for this song) and supporting antics to this hilarious number which almost literally brought down the house to an almost standing-room-only audience.

Re-written to the 1970's schmaltzy ballad "Torn Between Two Lovers," which was a hit for Mary McGregor, the tune sets the stage for a therapist's client "coming clean" with some strange confessions about "therapist infidelity". Complete with visual annotations that drive home the tongue-in-cheek punchlines that are delivered with precision timing, this piece will have you howling with laughter.

You can see "Torn Between Two Therapists" on YouTube at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlCTJsNpGqA

If you enjoy it, please leave your comment on YouTube to let us know! Also, please feel free to send it to everyone you know who would enjoy some really fun, offbeat humor from a couple creative of San Francisco area gals.

The second song, "America (2009)" is being covered here by a second release.

Marriage Equality with a country flair - "Better Life" now in "Political and Parody" music section

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700
In response to a request for some country selections dedicated to the Marriage Equality movement, K.C. has recorded Keith Urban's mega-hit "Better Life" and added a bit of vocal flair of her own to the arrangement (perhaps a touch of U2-style between verses?). Give it a listen and let her know if you like it by signing the guestbook with your comments! The Watsonville Rodeo is still a tentative for June 25, but if it's a "go", listen for "Better Life" to be part of the festivities.