[78-L] Benny Bell, was Re: Introduction (a bit long)

[Bart]

At 06:17 PM 6/28/2009 -0400, you wrote:
>
>>Bart wrote--
>> >
>> > To the tune of Dvorak's Humoresque:
>> >
>> >       We went strolling through the park
>> >       Goosing statues in the dark
>> >       If Sherman's horse can take it why can't you?
>
>Ah yes, another song I heard during my mis-spent childhood.  But I 
>also recall another parody of Humoresque about a train in the station 
>and the noise of flushing the toilet or something... anybody know 
>what I am talking about?  
>

Sure!

It's by Associate Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas and Law
professor pal Thurman Arnold:

William O. Douglas tells the story in his autobiography, Go East, Young Man
(pp. 171-172).  Sometime in the early 1930's Douglas and fellow Yale law
school professor Thurman Arnold were riding the New Haven Railroad and were
inspired by a sign they read in the toilet.  

	In his own words:

	“Thurman and I got the idea of putting these memorable		        			words
to music, and Thurman quickly came up with the					musical refrain from
Humoresque: 	
	
	      “Passengers will please refrain 
		From flushing toilets while the train
		Is standing in 
		Or passing through a station”

      “Thurman at once addressed the passengers in the 
	parlor car and taught them to sing this song in unison.					After many
attempts, they were able to make  a 						perfect rendition.  Thereafter,
it was common on the 
	New Haven to hear people singing the song.”

It spread from there, with modifications...

Bart