[78-L] Gillette Blue Blade March

[David Lennick]

The lyrics aren't part of the Boston Pops recording or, presumably, the 
published version of the march. And Mahlon Merrick received the composer credit 
on the RCA record label. I've had the record a couple of times, once in a 
souvenir folder (nice thin vinyl pressing) given to Gillette employees as a 
Christmas thing.

dl

RAY KILCOYNE wrote:
> Mahlon Merrick composed the music.  No idea who did the lyrics.  Here's a blurb from Classicthemes dot com.
> 
> RayK
> 
> "Part of Merrick's work on Jack Benny's radio show involved arranging singing commercials sung by "The Sportsmen Quartet", a male vocal group. Their elaborate appearances often included hilarious commercial spoofs, which led to a career for Merrick to write music for advertising. Over the years, over 100 advertising accounts used his music. The most well-known were for Acme Gold Label Beer, Hoffman Beer, Purex, Toni Home Permanent Wave, and the classic "How Are You Fixed For Blades?" jingle for Gillette Razors.
> 
> This jingle was expanded for its use on the "Gillette Cavalcade of Sports" which started on NBC radio and TV in 1944. It evolved from the original quartet vocal arrangement into a well-known instrumental march called "The Gillette Look Sharp March" [aka: "The Look Sharp - Be Sharp March".] Although its motif has some similarity with the NBC Chimes motif, the accent and placement of notes is different and of course the short 3-note NBC chimes signature is more of a point of departure. The development of the march was superb from its classy "chimes" introduction, to its "A", "B" and even "C" Themes. Quite complete and elaborate for a TV theme. It was as craftsmanlike as anything ever written by John Phillip Sousa. By 1948 - 1952 the Gillette TV show was one of the widely watched events on the NBC network nationwide. Soon school marching bands were clamoring for Merrick's catchy march, and a band arrangement was published."
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