[78-L] Songs on 78 specifically about Los Angeles?

[Cary Ginell]

The city in Johnny Duncan's skiffle record of "Last Train to San Fernando" refers to a town in Trinidad and not the suburb of Los Angeles. Listen to the record and you'll hear a definite calypso beat. 
 
This, from Guyanese Online: Michael Anthony’s book “Glimpses of Trinidad and Tobago” published in the early 1970s indicates that “Last Train” was composed by MIGHTY SPITFIRE (local Trinidad Calypsonian, whose real name was Carlton Joseph Gumbs) in the 1940s as — “a celebration of a late night stay in Port of Spain rather than the allusion to the closing of the San Fernando line”.
I then came across a listing of Calypso Monarch competition winners, over the years, where I found the song listed as the 1950 winner, composed by the MIGHTY DICTATOR (Real name was Kenny St Bernard).
"Last Train to San Fernando" was a popular calypso of the 1940`s composed by Calypsonian "Mighty Spitfire". It was not an allusion to the closing of the San Fernando line, but rather celebrated the end of a late-night stay in Port of Spain. 
 
Cary Ginell

 

> Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2012 13:13:44 -0800
> From: 78shellac at gmail.com
> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Songs on 78 specifically about Los Angeles?
> 
> How about Last train to san fernando or
> Hot rod race
> 
> On Mar 4, 2012 4:58 PM, "Ray Kilcoyne" <kil at roadrunner.com> wrote:
> >
> > I was absent the day of this list.
> > I don't know if these qualify or not:
> >
> > HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD - Benny Goodman or Doris Day
> > CENTRAL AVENUE SHUFFLE - Ozzie Nelson
> > LILY OF LAGUNA - Bing Crosby & Mary Martin
> > JOHNNY B. GOODE IS IN HOLLYWOOD - Eddie Bell
> > This last one seems to be from mid 60's but is on 78.
> >
> > RayK
> >
> >
> >
> > Andrea Walsh wrote:
> > > Hiya guys,
> > >
> > > I've been participating in a discussion online about songs on 78 about
> Los
> > > Angeles or parts of it, not including Hollywood as a concept but rather
> as
> > > a specific place. I want to seem smart, ha ha, so I thought I'd cheat
> and
> > > ask in here. The ones mentioned so far are:
> > > Home In Pasadena by Billy Murray
> > > Pico and Sepulveda by Felix Figueroa aka Freddy Martin
> > > Sepulveda by The King's Jesters
> > > A Trip To Hollywood by Larry Foster
> > > San Fernando Valley by Bing Crosby
> > > Fiesta Time In San Fernando by Hal Sendack and his Orchestra
> > > When Veronica Plays Harmonica In Santa Monica by Kay Kayser (?)
> > > Psychopathic Sally From The San Fernando Valley by Chuck Cabot and his
> > > Orchestra
> > >
> > > Can anyone think of more???
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > 78-L mailing list
> > 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> > http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l
> _______________________________________________
> 78-L mailing list
> 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l