Ah, The Snow of Yesteryear

Shelly Fabares
American-born singer and actress
Best known for her recording of "Johnny Angel" at age 18
(19 January, 1944)
This MP3 Selection Expired on 02-10-2008
Shelly Fabares (1962) - Johnny Angel
(Duddy & Pockriss)

Hey There, Bonnie's Dad

John Raitt
vocalist and actor
(10 January, 1927 - 20 February, 2005)
This MP3 Selection Expired on 01-19-2008
John Raitt - Hey There

Hey There
Written by: Richard Adler and Jerry Ross
Film: Pajama Game (1957)
Sung by: John Raitt as Sid Sorokin


Hey there, you with the stars in your eyes
Love never made a fool of you
You used to be too wise

Hey there, you on that high flying cloud
Though she won't throw a crumb to you
You think some day she'll come to you

Better forget her
Her with her nose in the air
She has you dancing on a string
Break it and she won't care

Will you take this advice
I hand you like a brother
Or are you not seeing things too clear
Are you just too far gone to hear
Is it all going in one ear
And out the other


[Sid and his inner voice, duet]

Hey there, you with the stars in your eyes
You talking to me?

Love never made a fool of you
Not until now

You used to be too wise
Yeah; I was once

Hey there
I hear ya

You on that high flying cloud
Though she won't throw a crumb to you
Don't rub it in

You think some day she'll come to you
Better forget her
Forget her

Her with her nose in the air
Her with her nose in the air

She has you dancing on a string
A puppet on a string

Break it and she won't care
She won't care for me

Will you take this advice I hand you like a brother?
Or am I not seeing things too clear?

Are you just too far gone to hear?
Is it all going in one ear and out the other?

The First Acadmey Awarded Song

Herb Magidson
American lyricist
Credited with Con Conrad
for winning the first Acadamy Award Song
(7 January, 1906 - 2 January, 1986)
This MP3 Selection Expired on 01-11-2008
Fred and Ginger, et al (1934)
The Continental (Conrad & Magidson)

The Continental
Film: The Gay Divorcée (1934)
Music: Con Conrad
Lyrics: Herb Magidson

Ginger Roger:

Beautiful music
Fredd Astaire (whistled)
Dangerous rhythm
Fredd Astaire (whistled)

It's something daring, The Continental
A way of dancing that's really entre nous
It's very subtle, The Continental
Because it does what you want it to do

It has a passion, The Continental
An invitation to moonlight and romance
It's quite the fashion, The Continental
Because you tell of your love while you dance

Your lips whisper so tenderly
Her eyes answer your song

Two bodies swaying, The Continental
And you are saying just what you're dreaming of
So keep on dancing, The Continental
For it's a song of romance and of love

You kiss while you're dancing.

Fredd Astaire: Not a bad idea

The Continental, woohoooo. It's continental
You sing while you're dancing
Your voice is gentle and sentimental

You stroll together arm in arm
You nonchalantly glide along with grace and charm

You will find while you're dancing
That there's a rhythm in your heart and soul
A certain rhythm that you can't control
And you will do The Continental all the time

[Concluding with first long segment of music and dance)

(Second music segment)

Eric Rhodes:

Beautiful music
Dangerous rhythm

Something daring, The Continental
A way of dancing that's really entre nous
It's very subtle, The Continental
Because it does what you want it to do

It has a passion, The Continental
An invitation to moonlight and romance
It's quite the fashion, The Continental
Because you tell of your love while you dance

Your lips whisper so tenderly
Her eyes answer your song

Two bodies swaying, The Continental
And you are saying just what you're thinking of
So keep on dancing, The Continental
For it's a song of romance and of love

You kiss while you're dancing
Continental, Continental
You sing while you're dancing
Your voice is gentle, so sentimental

You know before this dance is through
That you're in love with she and she's in love with you

You will find while you're dancing
There's a rhythm in your heart and soul
A certain rhythm that you can't control
You will do The Continental all the time


Lillian Miles:

Dukes and lords of noble station
Love the new sophistication of The Continental

In a Belgian hallroom
In a Monte Carlo ballroom, you will see The Continental

In the Paris bistros crowded with Apache
You will see The Continental in the best French fashion

Spain and Italy, Transylvania
Norway, Sweden and Rumania do The Continental

On the dike of ZuiderZee
The wooden shoes have found the key to The Continental

It's like a fever
It's like a plague
It's swept all Europe
From Moscow to The Hague

You kiss while you're dancing.
The Continental, the rhythm is driving you wild
The Continental, a meter that isn't so mild

You sing while you're dancing
His voice is gentle
It thrills you, the touch of his hand
The Continental, a meter that you understand

You know before this dance is through
That you're in love with her and she's in love with you

You will find while you're dancing
That there's a rhythm in your heart and soul
A certain rhythm that you can't control
The Continental
The Continental
The Continental

(Concludes the second and final music and dance segment)

Bob's Big Band Wedding Reception

Bob came by over the holidays and wanted me to go over a list of Big Band music for his upcoming wedding reception. I was pleasantly surprised he would wish my opinion on the play list he received from a prospective band.

Supposedly, this Big Band leader is a fairly good trumpeter. He has name dropped Harry James. His drummer is very good, too, I was also told. And yet, from what I could tell from the proposed song list, the repertoire of this 15-piece band was only so-so.

Today, I gave Bob 105 Big Band songs culled from my CDs. Included in this CD are some Harry James, Bobby Hackett, Gene Krupa, and Buddy Rich recordings. After listening to these standards, Bob will be knowledgeable. More important, he has the leverage to suggest to this band inclusion of songs he and Mary like for their wedding reception.