Welcome to another brand new post-coma edition of Mark Steyn on the Town. On today's show, Mark plays a range of eminent songwriting teams from Rodgers & Hart to, er, Dicks & Rudge. In between we have a cavalcade of Non-Stop Number Ones and a celebration of a peerless pianist - and Steyn concludes with a brief remembrance of the late Bonnie Tyler.
To listen to the programme, simply click above.
~Thank you for all your kind comments on last week's US semiquincentennial show. Pat Duva, a First Day Founding Member of The Mark Steyn Club, enjoyed our finale:
Great show. Beautiful dreamer, beautiful song. Wonderful ending to the hour. Stay well!
Thank you, Pat. For Josh, a Massachusetts member of The Mark Steyn Club, a little Stephen Foster goes a long way:
Stephen Foster evokes a variety of emotions in me, from embarrassment to ennui. Today, I cried at "Beautiful Dreamer". Not tears of boredom, but of awe. As Jule Styne said of Irving Berlin, it's the simplicity of it. "Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee"? Leave sentimentality to the pros, boys and girls; don't try it at home. Someone might get hurt. But not today. Happy Birthday, America!
Sandy, a Steyn Clubber from New Brunswick, found America's sesquicentennial Number One surprisingly evocative:
Wow. Fabulous show Mark- Thanks and so great to have you back! Brings back memories for me- I celebrated my 60th birthday late June in Hamilton Ont, with my 91 year old mum. We went to the cemetery so I could say hello to my dad, brother and my grandparents.
I mention this because when I listened to this July 4th show you played Valencia- when I was a little girl i remember visiting my paternal grandparents, and my grandmother would play Valencia really loud on her record player, and we'd dance around and she'd sing it. Such a TEARJERKER for me- thanks so much Mark. Love the knowledge and music you bring to our lives!
Alison also enjoyed Sandy's grandmother's favourite:
'Valencia', a sensational hit by impressive Paul Whiteman and his orchestra (100 years ago this year) is still, to my ears, holding up well and like "New York, New York", it is cultural advertising. The later Mario Lanza version sets out the charm of its orange groves. The song is a pasodoble, a march in 2/4 time for fiestas, military bands and bullfightingand is still the city's unofficial anthem.I have no idea if Valencia is worthy visiting (is it?) but this song certainly gets it on the map. The 1920s clearly thought so too as it was 'the' global hit of the decade.
One more from Jake, a Steyn Clubber in the English West Country:
Previous to McCartney, bass guitar had just been a bottom-filler. It was James Jamerson at Motown and Macca himself who revolutionised what the instrument could do. It was a sound for sore ears to hear that full-fat funky bassline to Silly Love Songs again...
It pricked to hear Sinatra say, "My father wasn't born in this country but he made sure I was." It grieves me that so many friends, relations and acquaintances actually screw up their features when asked if they are proud to be British. We used to have a quiet, unspoken, Kipling-like pride but now we have no pride at all, it would appear. Even in the middle of a World Cup, I'm still the only person in North Devon with a St George's flag on his car. England vs Mexico at the Azteca 1am tomorrow....
I hope the Americans had a fabulous 4th of July, but come on, England!
~On the Town is Mark's 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
