Programming note: Tonight, Saturday, I'll be back here at SteynOnline with Part Two of our seventy-eighth Tale for Our Time, Hugo Bettauer's pertinent satire of 1922 The City without Jews.
~On this week's edition of Mark Steyn on the Town, we mark Australia Day and the passing of a hit-making Italian singer. I also introduce our brand new Classical Corner, and talk to Celeste Holm about what it's like to audition for Cole Porter.
To listen to the programme, simply click here and log-in.
PS A couple of weeks back, Jake in Bideford, Devon wrote à propos "The Road to Mandalay":
I can also recall my own favourite Kipling recording bought because I liked the song titles on an old jumble sale LP. Frank Crumit sang: 'Funny and yellow and faithful/ Doll in a teacup she were/And I wouldn't do such/'Cause I liked her too much/but I learned about women from her.'
Listen closely to today's show, Jake. There's a Frank Crumit (and Julia Sanderson) reference just for you!
~Thank you for all your kind comments on last week's episode. Tom Gelsinon, a First Day Founding Member of The Mark Steyn Club, says:
A very enjoyable listen on my daily walk. Thank you, Mark.
But Josh Passell, a First Week Founding Member, is worried about the host:
Slow down, Mark! How can you top this next week? Roberta Flack, a masterclass on 'I've Got You Under My Skin', and a musical tribute to Moira Shearer. Accompanied by personal anecdotes and pithy asides. Let us catch our breath!
Teresa Maupin also enjoyed Miss Flack's appearance:
Play Misty for Me was the best thriller of the 70s! Choosing Roberta Flack's 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' was brilliant and largely responsible for making that love scene so sensual.
That's why Clint picked it, Teresa. As he told Roberta, it's the only scene in the picture where the music is used for genuine, heartfelt love.
On the other hand, it can't compete with Gary Alexander:
Thanks for honoring Bucky Pizzarelli's centennial, which I have also been doing on radio. Your opening from Play Misty for Me was such a perfect appetizer. In the Sinatra Sextet, I think Frank's powerful 'Easy to Love' was a major highlight (I sang along with Frank, to the delight of my bride of 58 years, then we danced through the closing chorus -- a nice way to start a weekend morning).
Steyn Clubber Bradford Stephen Kyle writes:
Wow! It just doesn't get any better than this! I fell in love with Frank's swinging arrangement of 'I've Got You' on Swing Time with Johnny Magnus on KJAZZ in Los Angeles. He played a live version where Frank would say something like 'OK boys let's open 'em up' in leading up to that incomparable Trombone solo!
Sinatra said a lot of things over the years introducing that section to the audience: He was particularly keen on warning them to "Run for cover! Run and hide!"
Mike Lyons, my fellow Ontarian and a First Hour Founding Member , writes:
Such an enjoyable hour! To top it off, an infrequent appearance by Dean (other than when the sextet enters some weeks). Dean and Frank were such buddies with such different singing styles. I often think that Sinatra sang each note with perfect precision (even if it took 22 takes) while Dean surrounded each note with beautifully lush vocals (and one take would probably suffice for him!). And, man, was that Bono duet dreadful!
Dean's notes aren't as centred as Frank's, Mike, but his vocal tone is so appealing it doesn't matter.
One more from Kathy in California:
Mr. Steyn — thank you for comparing renditions of 'Memories are Made of This,' and especially for identifying Dean Martin's backup group! It has always driven me crazy that I can't decipher the words those men are singing in the background. Do you know what their lyrics are? Thank you from the Pacific coast.
They're generally singing:
Sweet sweet, the mem'ries you gave-a me
You can't beat the mem'ries you gave-a me...
However, on the Dean version a little later, there are some other words that the Easy Riders sing and aren't on the sheet music. No idea what they are; maybe the guys just improvised them in the studio. But I shall investigate further, Kathy. Mem'ries are made of investigating impenetrable backing vocals...
Thank you all. On the Town is my weekly music show on Serenade Radio every Saturday at 5pm Greenwich Mean 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