[78-L] Mainstream radio in the '60s

[Cary Ginell]

"Begin the Beguine" was written for Broadway. It made its debut in "Jubilee" in 1935. The song had not reason to be a hit. Porter abandoned the 32-bar Tin Pan Alley format for a song with no verse, no release, and an uninterrupted chorus that lasts 108 measures. In 1972, Alec Wilder pronounced it the longest popular song ever written. It has always challenged vocalists over the years. Its versatility started to show in the film "Broadway Melody of 1940" when it was sung opera-style by Lois Hodnott, then in swing style by The Music Maids, and finally to accompany Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell's tap dancing. Porter may not have planned it that way, but "Begin the Beguine" was written to last for years because of its complexity, unusual structure, and adaptability. Can you say the same for "Hanky Panky" by Tommy James & the Shondells?

 

My baby does the hanky panky. 
Yeah, my baby does the hanky panky. 
My baby does the hanky panky. 
My baby does the hanky panky. 
Hey, my baby does the hanky panky. 

My baby does the hanky panky. (Yeah.) 
Yeah, my baby does the hanky panky. 
Hey, my baby does the hanky panky. 
My baby does the hanky panky. 
Hey, my baby does the hanky panky. 

I saw her walkin' on down the line. (Yeah.) 
You know I saw her for the very first time. 
A pretty little girl standin' all alone. 
"Hey, pretty baby, can I take you home?" 
I never saw her, never, ever saw her. 

My baby does the hanky panky. 
Yeah, my baby does the hanky panky. 
My baby does the hanky panky. 
My baby does the hanky panky. 
My baby does the hanky panky. 

 

Cary Ginell

 
> From: david.diehl at hensteeth.com
> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:19:29 +0000
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Mainstream radio in the '60s
> 
> >Kristjan Saag:
> >But "Moonlight Serenade" and "Begin The Beguine" were made to last forever?
> Beguine was a weak choice for your thesis. Its composer, Cole Porter, is not generally regarded as a Tin Pan Alley dreckmeister and the tune was already 5 years old when Artie Shaw insisted on recording it-
> precisely because it was timeless.
> Sadly, both of my grandmothers remembered "O'Clock in the Morning."
> DJD
> Visit the Blue Pages: the Encyclopedic Guide to 78 RPM Party Records
> http://www.hensteeth.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [mailto:saag at telia.com]
> Sent: Monday, January 11, 2010 01:10 PM
> To: '78-L Mail List'
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Mainstream radio in the '60s
> 
> Cary Ginell wrote:> Kids are growing up thinking the Four Tops had two songs: "Reach Out, I'll > Be > There" and "I Can't Help Myself." They know all the words to these, > but have no > clue that they did anything else. These songs were made to > last 7 weeks and then > get replaced by something else. /snip/> They weren't made to last 40 years, but the oldies stations are still > playing the> same songs, over and over and over and burning them out.--
> But "Moonlight Serenade" and "Begin The Beguine" were made to last forever?In fact, if you look at the entries for a particular hit song of the 1920's-1940's in discographies most of the recordings were made within a few month's time. And the bands followed up with new recordings three weeks later. Just as 40 years ago or today.If there had been "oldies format" stations in the US in the 1950's they would have played three tunes by Hal Kemp and two by The Casa Loma Orchestra. And, perhaps, five by Glenn Miller.How many Paul Whiteman recordings did your mother remember?Kristjan _______________________________________________78-L mailing list78-L at klickitat.78online.comhttp://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l
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