My favorite Andrews Sisters song!

[Larry's 66 Diner]

Check out this great video of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy — my favorite song by the Andrews Sisters!

[Midge]

Larry, that was great! Thanks. (Notice how in some scenes, the camera seems to bob up and down in time with the beat?)

[Larry's 66 Diner]

I didn't notice that, Midge. I noticed how "jumpy" the film was, but was it bobbing with the rhythm?

[Midge]

Well, Larry, if you watch the white circle on the wall behind them, it appears to be bobbing up and down (though not exactly in time with the music). I noticed this in the second half of the video, when they were showing the sisters more close up. It could be worn sprocket holes, though, which would create a similar effect.

[Larry's 66 Diner]

I just watched it again to see if I could notice this for myself. It is pretty neat that it almost keeps time with the music, isn't it?! I don't know what it could be, other than what you mentioned.

The person who posted this at YouTube initially stated that it was a pretty poor video, but I think it's quite great! :nana:

[rmichaelpyle]

The fact that they just don't make 'em like that anymore is too, too bad... I hated that stuff when I was a kid. My father was a veteran of WW II and always represented that era to me in spades. Unfortunately he died when he was only 50 and I suddenly (and since) had and have had a nostalgic turn towards that era. The Andrews Sisters represent it well. Thanks, Larry.

[tclion]

My fav song by them is "Don't Set Under The Apple Tree"

[Larry's 66 Diner]

TC, that song was available on YouTube also!

RMichael, I'm glad you enjoyed! I have always, always enjoyed the Andrews Sisters!

[liz]

What great music from those talented ladies. They're a favorite of mine.

[tclion]

Yes that during a time when people actually had to sound good in order to get a record deal.. Now days people can scream into a mike and call it singing.....

[Midge]

TC, don't get me started on what passes for singing today. I really appreciate what the Andrews Sisters, the Boswells and others did with well-trained voices singing in close harmony. The human voice is like a musical instrument, and at its best, it can create the most amazing sounds. It is sad to see the art of singing reduced to what you hear on pop records today -- shouting, grunting, chanting, moaning and yodeling. Dogs can sing better than some of these people.

[Kimmer]

You said it, Midge. I remember when I was younger, I knew the names of every singer/group (from the past and my era) and people who were older than I was would have no idea of the names of any perfomer(s) I was listening to....I always said I wasn't going to be like that. But, I am....I just cannot get into the majority of current music. The current performers I do like tend to be someone like Michael Buble who performs classic songs such as those that were originally performed by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin, etc.

[tclion]

HERE HERE STAND UP AND CHEER ONE AND ALL!!!!!!!!!!Anyone care to second that motion??

[Kimmer]

Should I take a bow, TC?!

[harlowbaby]

I simply adore the Andrews Sisters! My favorite song of theirs is Bei Mir Bist Du Schon

[Midge]

I love that one, too, harlowbaby! For years, I thought they were saying,

"My dear Mr. Shane,
Please let me explain,
My dear Mr. Shane
Means that you're grand . . ."



(Original Yiddish song by Sholom Secunda and Jacob Jacobs. Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin wrote the English lyrics especially for the Andrews Sisters recording.)

[liz]

[Roger Thornhill]

That's very funny Midge , it reminds me of my cousin Joy, when she was a child she thought that this line in Good King Wenceslas - "Hither page and stand by me, if thy knows be telling" was "Hither page and stand by me, if thy nose be swelling"

[Midge]

rogerthornhill said:

That's very funny Midge , it reminds me of my cousin Joy, when she was a child she thought that this line in Good King Wenceslas - "Hither page and stand by me, if thy knows be telling" was "Hither page and stand by me, if thy nose be swelling"

I always thought that the lyrics of "Sleigh Ride" went:

"Let's take that rosy forest
And sing a chorus or two,
Come on, it's lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together
With you."
It took many years for the thought to occur to me that a "rosy forest" is one that's on fire! (The real lyric is "road before us.")

"Sleigh Ride's" lyrics were by Mitchell Parish. The melody was written by Leroy Anderson.

[Roger Thornhill]

Midge, that's also very funny, actually I didn't know what that line was. Once I relate this story I will probably go down in everyone's estimation but here goes. Back in 1959, when I was thirteen, I bought the Elvis single I Got Stung, I suppose that Elvis's diction wasn't all that it might have been so I was under the impression that one of the lines was "Lunar my heart, lovers come dead" I know, I know, it makes no sense at all but that's all that I could make of it. I remember having quite a heated debate about it with my mother, she said "But Jeffrey, it makes no sense, it must be something else" to which I remember replying rather stridently "Well, it sounds like that to me" PS I just looked up the lyrics and apparently the line is "Flew to my heart, Till I was stung dead" at last I know that after almost 48 years.

[Midge]

Jeff, here are the real lyrics to "I Got Stung," courtesy of lyricsfreak.com.
(Words and music by Aaron Schroeder and David Hill)

Holy smoke
A land sakes alive!
I never thought this could happen to me

Mm, yeah! mm, yeah!

I got stung by a sweet honey bee
Oh, what a feeling come over me
It started in my eyes
Crept up to my head
Flew to my heart
Till I was stung dead
Im done, uh-uh
I got stung!

Mm, yeah! mm, yeah!

She had all that I wanted and more
And Ive seen honey bees before
Started buzzin in my ear
Buzzin in my brain
Got stung all over
But I feel no pain
Im done, uh-uh
I got stung!

Now, dont think Im complainin
Im might pleased we met
cause you gimme just one little peck
On the back of my neck
And I break out in a cold cold sweat
If I live to a hundred and two
I wont let nobody sting me but you
Ill be buzzin round your hive
Evry day at five
And Im never gonna leave once I arrive
cause Im done
Uh-uh, I got stung!

[Roger Thornhill]

Thanks Midge, I suppose that I have to reluctantly acknowledge that my mother's observation was correct. But my mother didn't offer any alternative, so there, all she said was "I don't know what the words are but they can't be the ones that you are singing" This was said in that famous parental tone that suggests "I'm not going to bother arguing about it"

[Larry's 66 Diner]

That's all too funny, Guys! I've done the same thing before too! Sometimes the lyrics are so darned hard to understand, depending whether a singer sings them too fast or too slurred; or whether the instrumental track is louder at certain points than the singer's voice, or whatever! It's funny when you later learn what the lyrics actually are (rather than your own interpretation of them); then you're thinking, "Where the hell did I come up with that?" ;D

[rmichaelpyle]

Just think, Aaron Shroeder and David Hill actually got paid for writing those words! The only people who got stung were the record buyers! Oh, and, yes, I got stung!

[Midge]

R. Michael, do you remember that Steve Allen bit in the 1950's (when he was host of "The Tonight Show")? He picked up a sheet of paper, and with a deadpan expression, slowly, deliberately recited the lyrics to an Elvis song, pausing between every line as if he were reading Shakespeare. It was hilarious. It was also his way of getting across the point that rock 'n' roll was mindless junk compared to the classic tunes of Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern and the like.

[rmichaelpyle]

I'm old enough to remember, but, no, I don't. However, I was a huge fan of the talented Steve Allen, and I can just see him in my mind'seye doing such a scene. I would love to see it!

Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Noel Coward wrote some of the finest lyrics for music of all time. Can you imagine Elvis singing "I get no kick from Champagne"!!!!!!!

[gina1975]

I can't really see Elvis doing anything like that. He was far to over rated for my taste and couldn't properly do a GOOD well written song.

There is something about listening to older music that most younger people aren't getting today because they aren't exposed to it. When I was in day care, I played a variety of music and the 3 to 5 year olds preferred the music of the 50's over the stuff that they ere listening to at home. They even liked it over the children's music that was offered to them first.

I heard a variety of music growing up from classical, opera, acid rock, folk music and AM rock at one Grandparents home to Gospel, classic country and blue grass at the others.

I heard Grandma C singing songs from the WW II era and before and loved it. I gave her a 3 cassette set of the Andrews Sisters for Christmas one year. I can't pick one song of theirs that is my favorite. I like all of their songs.

[tclion]

Well all I can say Jeff is now you know.......................

[harlowbaby]

Those are some very funny stories! There are so many songs where I have done that and then found out later what the real lyrics were...lol

[Larry's 66 Diner]

gina1975 said:

I heard Grandma C singing songs from the WW II era and before and loved it. I gave her a 3 cassette set of the Andrews Sisters for Christmas one year. I can't pick one song of theirs that is my favorite. I like all of their songs.

I seem to remember that cassette set, Gina! I want to get their Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy on a 78rpm record for my phonograph player! I keep scanning eBay for it, but I never see anyone selling it! I constantly see Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree and others, but not this one!

If anyone happens to catch one, please call my attention to it!

Larry