Happy 250th birthday to our American listeners - notwithstanding the Supreme Court's decision to mark the occasion by rendering US citizenship worthless and thereby nullifying American nationhood. Still, there will be time enough to raze the courthouse after the holiday weekend, so we hope listeners will enjoy today's lighter hearted observance of the semiquincentennial. In the course of the hour, we'll enjoy a calvacade of Non-Stop Number Ones from a quarter-millennium of Glorious Fourths, Frank Sinatra will sing of a land he loves, and I'll play the very first American song.
To listen to the programme, simply click above. For this grand anniversary we also have a new and highly pertinent Tale for Our Time. Part Two airs tonight.
Sample other musical jubilations at your peril. Gary Alexander writes:
I just read and heard your 'pneumonia' Song of the Week. It's great to have you back. You may not have noticed yet, due to hospital lockdown and all, but CBS Sunday Morning had a ridiculous segment this morning about the 250 greatest American songs in the last 250 years -- almost totally ignoring the Great American Songbook years of 1915 to 1965, except for that uber-historian Ken Burns mis-pronouncing the lyricist of 'Ain't Misbehavin'' as Andy Razoff.
Their method was to ask several dozen NON-Musicians what songs they liked most, so there were 60 songs (about one fourth) from the 1960s, and a few Stephen Foster songs and patriotic ditties from long ago, but a nearly mute reference to our favorite songs here. Brian Wilson was the only musician polled, in their summary segment, and he was great.
At any rate, I will start a full-year series on the 250 greatest jazz and pop standards on my radio show this week -- 5 a week for 50 weeks over the next year, in an attempt to rebalance that populist modernist list. I'll play them in chronological order, 1895 to 1975, with 95% written from 1915 to 1965. If we don't keep the songbook alive, who will? Certainly not CBS or even Ken Burns...
Thank you, Gary. I have learned to shrug off official musical landmarks ever since Bill Clinton chose to mark the turning of the millennium in Washington with Tom Jones singing "In the Midnight Hour".
~Thank you for all your kind comments on last week's show. David O'Neill, an Australian member of The Mark Steyn Club, enthuses:
I haven't been in a coma and I still don't sound that good or make that much sense. Go Mark.
Thank you, David. Barbara Heathcote writes:
So good to hear Mark Steyn back again with his wonderful stories of Frank Sinatra. Hope he is now fully recovered and thank you to his colleagues and the neighbour who found him.
For Olga, an Arizona member of The Mark Steyn Club, last week's episode was particularly illuminating:
Certainly a very educational post-coma sabbatical show, with more songs I've never heard before than most episodes.
May we all sound that chipper, cheerful, &, dare I suppose, grateful, should we ever awaken from comas.
For Chris, it was the debut of The Smiths on Serenade Radio:
Such a happy day, to have the return of Mark Steyn with a new show for our enjoyment. If I kept a diary, today's entry would be "unless someone gets Morrissey to pull a Rod Stewart and record a set of standards, this will be the only time I ever hear The Smiths on Serenade Radio." A completely appropriate choice for the circumstances. All the best wishes for your continued recovery.
Alison Castellina, a Steyn Clubber from the English Home Counties, found the show somewhat paradoxically full of life:
I feel rather guilty for being re-energised, in a heatwave, by the dead and the postcomatose, both of whom seem far more alive than I feel, today. I think Sinatra was feeling emotional during his last performance and probably Mark was a bit, too, listening to it (having come back to life and music!).
I exempt Cliff Richard from the 'dead and postcomatose'. I sang in his impromptu backing group in a London church choir once. He was kind and responsive enough to turn and really appreciate our amateur efforts. He is, sadly, yet another victim of the v**e BBC.
Joe Cressotti says:
Loved the show as always. The songs, stories, and commentary all terrific. What a generous tribute to Tom Dreesen. Thanks for introducing him to me and a new generation. God rest his soul. Let's pray that this time his knock on the door was to come on up and join Frank at his table in front of the McGuire Sisters and the Angelic Choir.
One more from Jake, a Steyn Clubber in the English West Country:
So good to have the great man back in the chair entertaining us all again. Mark's love of the McGuire Sisters is starting to catch on around these parts. There's a certain colour in their harmony which is unique and very appealing. And what a treat to hear Cliff Richard again, although that lyric to the chorus line of "When I'm so very much in lo-ove with you," doesn't quite fit the melody. (What's that Steyn line about lyric and melody? Dammit, can't remember.) I love Cliff Richard. He made some cracking records in the mid-70s, particularly Try a Smile.
And what a bonus treat to hear a clip from the BBC Radio quiz show I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. I always enjoyed hearing the gang sing a blues on various subjects before we all got offended at the cultural appropriation. Apparently. Boy, I miss those Samantha gags.
Yip Harburg's farewell poem was just beautiful and a poignant way to say goodbye to a friend.
Great show, Mark.
~On the Town is my weekly music show on Serenade Radio every Saturday at 5pm London 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 in its tenth 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/9am Los Angeles
