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

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast

March 14, 2019

On This Day (March 14) in 1991, Howard Ashman who wrote the lyrics for “Beauty and the Beast” passed away at age 40 from complications due to AIDS. He also wrote the lyrics for The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. While finishing “Beauty and the Beast” his health began to decline due to his illness. He grew weaker but he remained productive and continued to write and he completed the lyrical work on “Beauty and the Beast” before succumbing to AIDS. The film was released mere months after his death and is dedicated to him. “Beauty and the Beast” is dedicated "To our friend Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul, we will be forever grateful. Howard Ashman 1950–1991. I’d like to dedicate this performance to my dear friends Peggy and Dan, who treated my new wife and I to an unforgettable performance of the play at the Schubert Theatre in Los Angeles in 1995. 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 [...]
Teddy bears..perhaps getting ready for a picnic

The Teddy Bears’ Picnic

February 7, 2019

John Walter Bratton, died on this day (February 7) in 1947. Bratton was a Tin Pan Alley composer and wrote “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic” in 1907.  I guess that makes the song 102 years old! He wrote it without lyrics, and during the silent film era it was used as background music for a number of popular movies and later, even as background music in some of the Looney Tunes cartoons. He wrote over 250 songs, but this song is his only lasting hit.  Twenty-five years later, Jimmy Kennedy wrote the lyrics in 1932!  Interestingly, Kennedy, in a career spanning more than fifty years, wrote some 2000 songs, of which over 200 became worldwide hits, and about 50 are all-time popular music classics. Until Lennon and McCartney, Kennedy had more hits in the United States than any other Irish or British songwriter!!!  [Incidentally, Stephen, Kennedy also wrote “South of the Border”, a popular song describing a trip to Mexico, inspired by a holiday picture postcard he received from Mexico. Frank Sinatra recorded “South of the Border” when I was 2 weeks old! But I digress. “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic” was one of the earliest sound recordings, released by Edison Records [...]
Image of Anchors Aweigh songbook cover

Anchors Aweigh

January 16, 2019

Charles Zimmermann, composer of “Anchors Aweigh”, passed away on this day in 1916. “Anchors Aweigh" is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy and march song of the United States Navy. Zimmermann composed “Anchors Aweigh”, his most famous song, in 1906 when he was a Lieutenant in the United States Navy. The lyrics were written by Alfred Hart Miles, a midshipman. The march was intended from the beginning to serve as a rousing tune for football games. The song was first played during the Army–Navy football game on December 1, 1906, at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [P.S. I’m from Philadelphia - yay!] Navy won the game 10–0!  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchors_Aweigh) The word 'aweigh' is now only used in this little phrase. An anchor that is aweigh is one that has just begun to put weight onto the rope or chain by which it is being hauled up. Sailors were fond of adding 'a' to words to make new ones, for example, 'astern', 'aboard', ashore', 'afloat', 'adrift', 'aground', etc. (https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/anchors-aweigh.html) I’d like to dedicate this song to my friend and senior Naval officer, S.L., and thank him for his service. Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a [...]
silent night

Silent Night – (Jamie Brown vocal)

December 24, 2018

Christmas Day arrives tomorrow!  But Christmas Eve is special in its own right.  Last year I shared with you a piano rendition of Silent Night - this year I'm excited to have Jamie provide vocal accompaniment on a new version on Silent Night for you all to enjoy!
We Wish You a Merry Christmas

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

December 24, 2018

No matter what holiday you celebrate, I hope it's filled with some laughter, friends, family and food! From all of us here at Weiss Cosmetic and Laser Procedures, we wish you the merriest of Christmases, the happiest of holidays, and the happiest of New Years! :)
Weiss Music Minute - White Christmas

White Christmas

December 21, 2018

Today's Weiss Music Minute is a little change of pace; I've recruited Jamie, our Patient Coordinator and resident computer nerd to provide the vocals for this classic Christmas song. Enjoy our little cover of "White Christmas".
Weiss Music Minute - I'll Be Home for Christmas

I'll Be Home for Christmas

December 19, 2018

I'm beginning our Christmas countdown today with the classic, "I'll Be Home for Christmas."  The song was popularized by Bing Crosby, who first recorded the song back in 1943, and was written to honor troops away from home.  The composer, Walter Kent, was also responsible for another popular Christmas song!  Kent also wrote "The White Cliffs of Dover", a song that was popular with British troops during the war much like "I'll Be Home for Christmas" resonated with American troops. I'd like to dedicate this song to any of our family of patients who are serving or have served - we appreciate all you do and we're wishing you the beginnings of a very merry Christmas!
An image of Dr Weiss' hands on the piano. Above the hands are the words "Weiss Music Minute" and beneath is the title of the Music Minute, "Danny Boy".

Danny Boy

December 7, 2018

Today's Weiss Music Minute is Today's Weiss Music Minute is a cover of an old Irish melody. "Danny Boy" lyrics were written by Frederic Weatherly, but the melody comes from an older tune called "Londonderry Air". If you've just stumbled upon this entry, you might also be interested in one of our latest features - Photo of the Week, where I share what I feel are particularly representative examples of the work that I perform.