If you enjoy Steyn's Song of the Week at SteynOnline, please note that there will be a live stage edition during next year's Mark Steyn Cruise on the Queen Mary 2 - now offering booking exclusively to Mark Steyn Club members.
This week's Song of the Week arises from the temporary misalignment of the time zones. While the Americas remain sprung into summer, across the Atlantic they've fallen back into winter. So, as that happens to be where Mark is this weekend, he finds himself with an hour of time on his hands.
With that in mind, here's a song for the season in one of our Serenade Radio audio episodes. The great harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler takes us back to 1930 to help Mark tell the story of one of the all-time great Broadway flops that various parties from Fred Astaire to Bob Hope to Larry himself managed to survive - but not, ultimately, its magnificent composer. Nevertheless, from the rubble of a theatrical disaster came a great enduring song.
Click above to listen.
~This airing of our Serenade Radio Song of the Week is a special presentation. Thank you for your kind responses to this series. Our last airing, "They All Laughed", was especially well-received. From Karl Chambers, a First Year Founding Member of The Mark Steyn Club:
Mark, this is a totally fun tour of a song I was not familiar with. it strikes me that you write these musical excursions the way a great songwriter writes a song. You begin with a Boffo intro and end with a thoughtful and amusing outro. I have enjoyed every minute.
Nick Russell, a Steyn Clubber from the English Home Counties, writes:
Mark's erudition and brilliant commentary interspersed with first hand accounts from those close to these legends is a rare treat. The pathos and nostalgia for these lost times and the early demise of a musical genius adds to the appeal. I especially appreciated the fascinating history of the Gershwins' adjoining homes. I first heard this song on an Ella Fitzgerald tape I played repeatedly in my car half a lifetime ago. I always liked the song and the clever lyrics. As always Ella takes the song slowly allowing us to savour the lyrics and musicality... it's interesting to contrast her deliciously languid style to the quick paced early versions in the 30's. By the way, was it me or was Buddy Greco a bit off key at times?
Thanks again for a brilliant show Mark.
Chris says:
Such a fabulous song, just ripping along like it does...I love every version of this song and early on, with its references and bounce I used to think it was a Cole Porter tune. But that was in my salad days of youth. And Mark always finds that way of ending these great songs with that 'memento mori' about George's impending demise at 38. Thirty eight IS really young--imagine if he lived even to 58. Memento vivere, Mark.
And one more from Jake:
Wow, what an exhilarating, intoxicating and uplifting half hour! I'll ex-communicate myself immediately by saying I never appreciated the wan, effete Fred Astaire, Satchmo ba-ba-dooing his way through our greatest love songs or Billie Holiday's thin, reedy voice on standards. Since I know nothing it's of no consequence that I push back against the notion of Ira Gershwin's 'childish' lyrics as he was certainly an unworldly man and domineered by an overbearing partner. Yet how often throughout my life have I sung to myself, 'The Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may crumble, they're only made of clay...'
Steyn Club members are welcome to respond to this week's show below. Alternatively, anybody can leave comments over at Serenade Radio, where they love hearing from listeners.
Steyn's Song of the Week airs thrice weekly on Serenade Radio in the UK, one or other of which broadcasts is certain to be convenient for whichever part of the world you're in, but please note special times for this week:
5.30pm Sunday London (1.30pm New York)
5.30am Monday London (4.30pm Sydney)
9pm Thursday London (2pm Vancouver)
Whichever you prefer, you can listen from anywhere on the planet right here.
