Welcome to my music blog - The Soundtrack of My Life!

Many of you have asked me “What’s with all the music, Dr. Weiss?” Well, as I’ve told some of you:

I personally call every surgery patient on the evening of surgery just to make sure they are doing well and have no questions that need answering. Occasionally, I would be at the piano and play a song that we had listened to that day. I gradually realized that I wanted to go through all the music that I had played during my life and at least start making a list of the songs that I had recently played.

Well, there are now about 600 songs on the list and I realized that it in a way it represented the ‘soundtrack of my life’! And that’s how I got the idea to record these songs and share them with my patients, friends and family. After I record them they will reside here, for easy access.

Music is truth. It’s honest. It’s really the first social media, where in a way, people could share their souls directly. And isn’t that what the purpose of social media is and why it’s so popular - trying to share who you really are, as completely and directly as possible?

Finally, it has been (and will continue to be) a genuine pleasure sharing these different songs with you and I really appreciate all of your positive feedback!!

Musical Genres

Leon Russell at microphone

A Song for You

November 13, 2020

A Song For You Leon Russell passed away on this day 4 years ago. In my opinion, this is one of the loveliest love songs ever written. Believe it or not (it's true), I once put on an international multi-specialty medical conference in Deer Valley and I had Leon Russell perform. Pretty crazy, eh? Enjoy, Dr. Weiss Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. Try listening to it with a good set of headphones! It sounds better than any piano I've ever played!!
Frank Sinatra with a hat

Ain’t She Sweet (part of Happy Jazz Medley)

August 12, 2020

“Ain’t She Sweet” is a song composed by Milton Ager, with lyrics by Jack Yellen. It was published in 1927 and typified the Roaring Twenties and ‘Tin Pan Alley’ songs. Ager wrote “Ain’t She Sweet” for his daughter. Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. Try listening to it with a good set of headphones! It sounds better than any piano I've ever owned!!
Rosemary Clooney in 1953

Tenderly

June 4, 2020

Stars like Rosemary Clooney (yes, she *is* related to George Clooney - he's her nephew!), Ella Fitzgerald and Louie Armstrong have given us great versions of this classic jazz tune!  Here's my cover - I hope you enjoy! Dr. Weiss Weiss Cosmetic LIVE Interactive Webcast! Is it now safe to see your doctor in Orange County? Saturday, June 6 @ 5:00 PM Join us for our first ever live interactive webcast presentation!  Tune in using your computer or mobile device at https://www.drweiss.com/weiss-cosmetic-livestream/ at 5:00 PM PST as we discuss the following: Safety issues in medical offices as they start to open up in Orange County and have a chance to ask your questions! What is a sty and how do I treat it at home? PLUS! World premiere of original, pandemic-inspired new song by Dr. Weiss: Footprints in the Sands of Time Requirements: All you need is a computer or mobile device and an internet connection! Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. [...]
In the still cole porter

In The Still of the Night

November 18, 2019

"In the Still of the Night" is a popular song written  (words and music) by Cole Porter for the MGM film Rosalie sung by Nelson Eddy and published in 1937. A little about Cole Porter:  It’s no surprise that his talent manifested early in life. He grew up privileged and even brought an upright piano with him to school. He became class valedictorian and was rewarded by his grandfather with a tour of France, Switzerland and Germany. Entering Yale College in 1909, Porter majored in English, minored in music, and also studied French. In his senior year, he was elected president of the Yale Glee Club and was its principal soloist. Porter wrote 300 songs while at Yale! I’ve always like this song and the way Porter evokes a feeling of mysteriousness with the alteration of major and minor chords. Notable cover versions of this song: Tommy Dorsey, Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker, Perry Como, Ella Fitzgerald, Doris Day, Johnny Mathis, Bing Crosby, Billy Eckstine and Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Eartha Kitt, Eddie Fisher, Rosemary Clooney, Neville Brothers, Michael Nesmith,  Neil Diamond, Aaron Neville, and Carly Simon. His other numerous hit songs include "Night and Day", "Begin the [...]
thanks for the memory e1574115537465

Thanks For The Memory

November 7, 2019

"Thanks for the Memory" (1938) is a popular song composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin. It was introduced in the 1938 film The Big Broadcast of 1938 by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross. In the film, Ross and Hope's characters are a divorced couple who encounter each other aboard a ship. Near the film's end, they poignantly sing one of the many versions of this song, recalling the ups and downs of their relationship (then they decide to get back together). The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and became Hope's signature tune, with many different lyrics adapted to any situation. In the movie the song had three verses (I guess it had to be longer as background for one of the main scenes), the published song had two verses, but, for your listening pleasure, I cut the song down to only one verse. I guess the song was pretty popular, judging from versions by: Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Rod Stewart and others. This performance is dedicated to my friend and patient Judianne. Enjoy, Dr. Weiss Some information from Wikipedia. Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m [...]
four leaf clover pic wplay

I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover

June 28, 2019

“I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover” was composed by Henry MacGregor Woods, who also wrote the music for “When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along)”! Although Woods became legendary from this song, in modern times the song is probably most associated with Merrie Melodies cartoons (maybe that’s where I first heard it). It’s also a common tune played by the string bands in Philadelphia’s Mummers Parade (a shout out to my home town, Philadelphia! Picture the Mummers strutting to this song at the speed that I’m playing it! Pretty funny!) This song is dedicated to my friends AB, Brett, Gene, Aileen, Jason and Nathan. Dr. Weiss Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. Try listening to it with a good set of headphones! It sounds better than any piano I've ever owned!!
More Than You Know

More Than You Know

June 5, 2019

More Than You Know I am a big fan of female jazz vocalists. This is a song that was famously sung by two of my favorites, Bille Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald (among many, many others.) I probably first heard their version while I was an intern in Hartford, Connecticut. I shared a house with a jazz DJ who gradually introduced me to many jazz LPs every night on his way to his bedroom upstairs. I fell in love with their voices and this song. (By the way, composer Vincent Youmans also wrote the music  for Tea for Two.) Thanks again, Todd. (Happy Birthday!) Enjoy, Dr. Weiss Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. Try listening to it with a good set of headphones! It sounds better than any piano I've ever owned!!
Easter Parade Poster w/ Judy Garland and Fred Astaire

Easter Parade

April 21, 2019

Back by popular demand, I'm happy to share again what is becoming something of an annual Easter tradition - me playing the Easter Parade for my poodle Bisou!  I'm not sure if Bisou ever got a chance to watch the classic movie with Fred Astaire and Judy Garland, but she definitiely appreciated the music! I hope you enjoy! Dr. Weiss
white cliffs imgae playBtn

The White Cliffs of Dover

April 7, 2019

The White Cliffs of Dover “(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover" is one of the most popular World War II songs, composed in 1941 by Walter Kent to lyrics by Nat Burton. I’ve always loved this emotional song. The song was written about a year after the Royal Air Force and German aircraft had been fighting over southern England, including the white cliffs of Dover, in the Battle of Britain. Nazi Germany had conquered much of Europe and in 1941 was still bombing Britain. With neither America nor the Soviet Union having yet joined the war, Britain was the only major power fighting the Axis powers in Europe. The American lyricist, Nat Burton, wrote his lyric unaware that the bluebird is not indigenous to Britain and asked Kent to set it to music. The lyrics looked towards a time when the war would be over and peace would rule over the iconic white cliffs, Britain's symbolic border with the European mainland. My father always told me that it is hard to describe the overall feeling of what it was like during World War II.  I still can’t imagine how it felt for the English fighting the Germans alone [...]
Judy Garland as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz holding Toto

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

March 5, 2019

On This Day (March 5) in 1981, Yip Harburg, the lyricist of “Over The Rainbow” passed away. Critics have ranked Judy Garland’s rendition of “Over the Rainbow” as the Number One recording of the 20th century! Yip put words to Harold Arlen’s music for “Over the Rainbow" for the movie The Wizard of Oz, for which he won an Academy Award for best original song.  He also contributed much of the script for The Wizard of Oz, including the part where they give out the heart, the brains and the nerve. Unbelievably, the song was deleted (and later thankfully reinserted) from the film after a preview because MGM chief executive Louis B. Mayer thought it "slowed down the picture”! Yip also wrote the lyrics to the standards "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", "April in Paris", and "It's Only a Paper Moon", as well as all of the songs in The Wizard of Oz. He was known for the social commentary of his lyrics, championing racial and gender equality and union politics. Tragically, although never a member of the Communist Party, he was falsely accused and blacklisted in McCarthy’s fake communist witch hunt of the 1950s.  He refused to identify other [...]