Programming note: Join Mark at SteynOnline tomorrow, Sunday, for Part Five of the new audio serialisation of his highly prescient demographic bestseller, America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It.
~On this week's episode of Mark Steyn on the Town, Mark celebrates the centennial of a great songwriter. Herbert Kretzmer is best known to millions of theatregoers around the world as the lyricist of Les Misérables but, for thirty years before that, he wrote TV and film themes, novelty songs, Number One records and slow-burn standards. Mark plays a few of his favourites and recalls the man who wrote theme. Featuring a range of top performers from Charles Aznavour to Hugh Jackman - plus a few less likely vocalists, from Peter Sellers to Patrick Macnee.
To listen to the programme, simply click here and log-in.
~Thank you for your kind comments about last week's edition. Elizabeth Lorenz enthuses:
I love all of Mark Steyn's offerings. Please keep them coming.
We shall endeavour to do so, Elizabeth, for as long as we can. On the other hand, Mike Lyons, a First Hour Founding Member of The Mark Steyn Club, never got beyond our accompanying Mary Tyler Moore graphic. Mike's missive in toto:
Chuckles the Clown.
Indeed. A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants. That's what we shoot for each week.
Peter Fattorini, a UK Steyn Clubber, appreciated our Café Continental:
Much enjoyed Caterina Valente 'Concerto di Autunno'. I've studied Italian for some time (as an English guy with a name like mine youve got to really). A good tip for anyone learning a language is to listen to the songs - you get vocabulary, pronunciation , idioms and they are easy to remember...
Always enjoy the show Mark.
Nicola Timmerman, an Ontario member of The Mark Steyn Club, also enjoyed Signorina Valente:
Anything by Caterina Valente - what a voice. Anything by Frank Sinatra - what a voice. I remember Sean Connery playing 'What Is This Thing Called Love?' in the film The Russia House.
Mary Tylor Moore, Lou Grant and Rhoda. I don't watch 'sitcoms' much anymore. Hard to beat.
Gary Alexander got a kick out of the first question in our questioning Sinatra Sextet:
Jerome Kern is also my first and favorite song composer, based on a book of sheet music of 20+ top Kern songs I bought back in 1959. After studying his advanced harmonies and gorgeous melodies, I thought 'Who?' was daring for its whole note opening on the 6th tone of the scale, something I can't recall in any other song.
Frank's swinging chorus with Dorsey and the band chants was refreshing, as always with a Sy Oliver chart. I guess all those 'whole notes' in the song (which musicians call 'footballs') lend themselves to call-and-response...
That was another great Sinatra sextet with the big questions, closing on a three-fer: 'Who knows Where or When?' You always deliver creative and clever combinations of the Songbook canon. Thanks so much.
By contrast, Teresa Maupin, a California Steyn Clubber, preferred the second question:
Truly enjoyed the haunting clarinet in Cole Porter's 'What is This Thing Called Love.' Stays with you.
One more from Josh Passell:
Where was I when this show was playing Harvesting my bumper crop of crabgrass before it self-seeds for next year.
What was I doing? Choking up during the Sonny Curtis of his own song, 'Love Is All Around' for the MTM Show.
Who snapped me out of my maudlin display? Sammy Davis Jr. and his Disco Mary. (Give me Joan Jett over SDJ.)
Which song really gets to me, every time? 'Where Or When'. As ravishing as Richard Rodgers's music is, Lorenz Hart's lyrics make it so special. I'll buy the Encyclopedia Britannica's definition, as espoused by Ira Gershwin, but boy are those lyrics magical.
~On the Town is my weekly music show on Serenade Radio every Saturday at 5pm British Summer Time - that's 6pm in western and central Europe or 12 noon North American Eastern. You can listen from almost anywhere in the world by clicking the button at top right here. We also post On the Town at SteynOnline every weekend as a bonus for Mark Steyn Club members. You can find all our previous shows here.
We do enjoy your comments on our weekend programming. Steyn Clubbers are welcome to leave them below. For more on The Mark Steyn Club, now in its ninth year, see here - and don't forget our special Gift Membership.
Mark Steyn on the Town can be heard on Serenade Radio at its regular times:
Saturday 5pm London time/12 noon New York
Sunday 5am London time/9pm Los Angeles