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!!

Categories


Bill Bailey Rick and Rina lo res photo

Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey

November 21, 2025

Rick and his Mom   Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey?   Written in 1902 by Hugh Cannon, this popular ragtime/jazz song is based on the true story of his drinking buddy Bill Bailey and his wife Sarah. They were married in 1893, but she finally divorced Bill in the 1940s after 40 years of marriage. In 1973 she told a reporter, “Bill was my sweetheart, but he was everybody else’s, too. He lied to me all the time, but I was too young to understand much then. I was a country girl.” Sarah died in 1976 at the age of 102. The song has been recorded by Louis Armstrong, Patsy Cline, Bobby Darin, Wayne Newton, Al Hirt, Brenda Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimmy Durante, Phish, Harry Connick Jr., Lena Horne, Michael Buble, and countless others. Here is me and my mom’s version in a rollicking Weiss Music Minute! Enjoy, Dr. Weiss

Since it cost a lot with play button

Deal – Grateful Dead

February 15, 2025

Deal (3:39) Deal is a rowdy and rollicking song from the Grateful Dead, written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter. Always a crowd pleaser! The story behind the AI generated video (WARNING: READ NO FURTHER UNLESS YOU WANT THE DETAILS). Note: The terms AI and chatgpt are used interchangeably below. Back in December, when I read that the Grateful Dead would be honored at the Kennedy Center, I decided to experiment with some AI text or image to video software that had just come out to go along with some music that I had just recorded. So… First I asked Dall-E (ChatGPT text to image service) to create 18 cartoon images (enough for about 18 10-second videos in a 3 minute song) to accompany the song’s lyrics: Since it cost a lot to win and even more to lose You and me bound to spend some time wondering what to choose Goes to show you don’t ever know Watch each card you play and play it slow Wait until your deal come round Don’t you let that deal go down I been gambling here abouts for ten good solid years If I told you all that went down it would burn off […]

Tea for Two Bugs and Daffy

Tea For Two

June 10, 2024

Tea For Two! Published 100 years ago today!!  “Tea for Two” is a 1924 song composed by Vincent Youmans (More Than You Know), with lyrics by Irving Caesar (Swanee, Just a Gigolo). It was published exactly 100 years ago today (June 10, 1924!) When I started this music blog, I was trying to show that many complete musical ideas can be expressed in one minute or less. This is a perfect example. It is instantly recognizable and is one of the most recorded songs in popular music. I’ve linked to two versions: Bugs and Daffy doing a soft shoe routine, and an amazing version by Art Tatum – one of the most talented jazz pianists who ever lived! Enjoy, Dr. Weiss Bugs and Daffy version Art Tatum version

When I paint my masterpiece ancient rome streets filled with rubble and footprints watercolor

When I Paint My Masterpiece

September 16, 2023

  When I Paint My Masterpiece Illustration credit: Rick and Dall-E   “When I Paint My Masterpiece“ is a 1971 song written by Bob Dylan. It was first released by The Band, who released it exactly 52 years ago on September 15, 1971. Dylan released his version (produced by Leon Russell) on his Greatest Hits Volume II album (highly recommended) a couple of months later. Basically, I guess I was introduced to this song from his Greatest Hits album when I was an 18-year-old sophomore at NYU.  How could you not appreciate a song that began: “Oh, the streets of Rome are filled with rubble, ancient footprints are everywhere,” even if that were the only lyrics! Interesting fact about the lyric ‘When I ran on the hilltop following a pack of wild geese’: (From Wikipedia) The story is that when the Republic of Rome was under attack from the Gauls in 390BC, Rome seemed about to fall and the Romans were besieged.  Despite low food supplies during the siege the Romans kept their sacred geese fed, and this turned out to be a shrewd idea, because as the Gauls attacked, the geese honked as they do, woke up the guards, who then resolutely defeated the […]

Footprints

Footprints in the Sands of Time

January 1, 2023

Footprints on the Sands of Time Adapted from “A Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow New Year’s Day is always a moment during which many of us reflect on the passage of time. This year we have also been constantly reminded of our own mortality. So, it’s particularly appropriate that I present this song to you today, as it was something I wrote earlier during the pandemic. ‘Footprints on the Sands of Time’ is a phrase from “A Psalm of Life” by Longfellow, describing the legacy that individuals leave behind after they pass away. The poem attempts to describe nothing less than the purpose of life. In Longfellow’s optimistic view, though our body dies, the soul remains immortal. When we strive to lead ethical and moral lives of consequence, we will leave behind ‘footprints’ that others can follow as they pursue their own exceptional lives. Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year! Enjoy, Dr. Weiss “Music is the language spoken by angels.” Longfellow

Sinatra singing

That’s Life

December 12, 2022

That’s Life In Memory of Frank Sinatra Frank Sinatra was born on this day (December 12) in 1915. I guess I gotta actually sing this one! My father took my brother and me and some friends to see Sinatra at Resorts International Casino, the first casino that opened in Atlantic City, at one of the first shows, if not the first. I’m from Philadelphia, and we spent our summers in Atlantic City, so my father had some good connections. We had a table literally adjacent to the stage and carte blanche! It was all very exciting, and I’ll never forget the look of satisfaction on my Dad’s face because he was able to take us all out in such a manner! And in the casino itself, it was like there was electricity in the air. Here’s to a great singer and bon vivant!  Happy Birthday, Frank! Enjoy Dr. Weiss Related Posts: The Things We Did Last Summer – my attempt at a ‘trumpet’ solo (I love this song!) (Or enter https://youtu.be/gHWa2CjyZFg in your browser, if you don’t like clicking on hyperlinks) All The Way – dedicated to my dear friend Pat D, who danced with Sinatra at her wedding! ( or enter https://youtu.be/Nyh4bOAXJEg in […]

This old heart of mine anguished handsome black man showing this old heart of mine been broke a thousand times cartoon like van gogh pastel no text at all in image

This Old Heart of Mine

August 14, 2022

My (mini) Tribute to Lamont Dozier ‘Broken Hearted’ by Dall-E with Rick Weiss prompt: anguished handsome black man showing this old heart of mine been broke a thousand times cartoon like van gogh pastel no text at all in image This Old Heart of Mine (click to watch) Lamont Dozier passed away earlier this week. He sure made a lot of people happy as a member of Holland-Dozier-Holland, the songwriting and production team responsible for much of the Motown sound including songs like “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch”, “Stop in the Name of Love”, “Heat Wave”, “You Keep Me Hangin On” and “How Sweet It Is to be Loved by You” [Interesting fact: “How Sweet It Is” was inspired by one of the actor and comedian Jackie Gleason’s signature phrases, “How Sweet It Is!”] “This Old Heart of Mine” is one of my favorites. I mean, how can’t you like a love song with lyrics like “you got me never knowin’ if I’m comin’ or goin” and “but if you leave me a hundred times, a hundred times I’ll take you back.” Thanks, Lamont. Enjoy, Dr. Weiss Watch the Video!

Mothers day 2021

Mother’s Day Singalong Medley

May 9, 2021

  Mother’s Day Singalong Medley! (click here)  Many of you read that I was recently in Philadelphia (actually, Jenkintown) for a while taking care of my mom. I’m happy to say that she is now doing well. While I was there, I picked up a random music book of the ‘World’s Greatest Songs’ arranged for easy piano in my mom’s piano bench that I must have left for her years ago. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the songs and especially of the deceptively sophisticated arrangements (edited and arranged by Roger Edison and available on Amazon.) We had so much fun together learning and singing some of these songs, I thought that I would share them with you – to share with your moms on Mother’s Day (for 15 minutes of fun!) Who can’t use a little pandemic stress relief? So, if you are so inclined, click on the above photo, project it up on the big screen if you can,  and join us in Mom’s living room for a lively old fashioned karaoke sing-a-long!  There’s something for everyone!  (For the really dedicated, or for brain exercise, or just for fun –  try singing these songs once a night until you have the lyrics […]

mq2

I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry

March 2, 2020

Hank Williams recorded this classic song in 1949. Elvis Presley thought that it was  probably the saddest song he’d ever heard. Bob Dylan wrote: “I didn't have to experience anything that Hank did to know what he was singing about. I'd never heard a robin weep, but could imagine it and it made me sad." Songwriter Harlan Howard coined the phrase “Three chords and the truth” to describe the necessary ingredients for country and western music, alluding to the familiar simplicity of country music and the paramount importance of the truth of the story.  Hank Williams wrote this song with only three chords (I-IV-V) but my arrangement was inspired by Leon Russell’s recording which subtlely reharmonizes the song with some extra chords.  Because of the importance of the lyrics, I’ve decided to sing this one - a rarity because I do not consider myself much of a vocalist. And be sure to listen for the lonely whippoorwill chirping at the end! I’d like to dedicate this performance to Michael and Fred, my friends in Nashville.  Thanks again to Michael for taking me to the church of country music, the Ryman Auditorium for the first time.  Thanks to Fred for requesting [...]