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thedoortoyesterday · 5 years ago

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Over time, there have probably been more songs referring to news and newspapers than you might at first think. For instance, you doubtless remember STAYIN' ALIVE by The Bee Gees but you may not immediately recall that its lyric contained a reference to The New York Times!

There were also songs about magazines such as THE COVER OF THE ROLLING STONE by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show in '72 and CENTERFOLD by The J. Geils Band in '81; going even further back, The Four Lads charted with a song in ‘59 called THE GIRL ON PAGE 44 that referred to the Sears, Roebuck & Co. mail order catalog.

However, I'm focusing in this blog on newspapers and the printed word. Rap artists such as Public Enemy (in their song A LETTER TO THE NEW YORK POST) and hip-hop artists like T-Pain (in his composition SOUNDS BAD) have made news references, but the following is a selective list of just a few of the many rock, pop and country songs of yesteryear which fit the category.

Certain relevant lyric lines are included in italics.

COLD DARK WATERS

(Don Owens)

by Porter Wagoner

Pro: Chet Atkins

(RCA: 1962) US #10 Country

"In tomorrow's newspaper you'll read about me"

https://youtu.be/7ix9iCIGazg

DAILY NEWS

(Tom Paxton)

by Tom Paxton

Pro: Paul Rothchild

(Elektra: 1964) "How do I know? I read it in the Daily News"

From Tom Paxton's second album containing his topically-inspired folk songs.

https://youtu.be/802F7aZIWfk

A DAY IN THE LIFE

(John Lennon/Paul McCartney)

by The Beatles

Pro: George Martin

(Capitol: 1967)

From their glorious "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album."I read the news today, oh boy" (In addition, LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS refers to "Newspaper taxis appear on the shore" and THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO contains the line "The newspapers said")

DID YOU SEE HIS NAME?

(Ray Davies)

by The Kinks

Pro: Ray Davies

(Reprise: 1972)

from 'The Kink Kronikles" double-album.

"Did you see his name in the local paper"

https://youtu.be/ji72Ginv1T8

FRONT PAGE NEWS

(Bill Payne/Fran Payne)

by Little Feat

Pro: Lowell George

(Warner Bros: 1980)

"Front page right through to back page"

https://youtu.be/9oLgCNmSbBQ

GET A JOB

(Earl Beal/Raymond Edwards/William Horton/Richard Lewis)

by The Silhouettes

Pro: Kae Williams

(Ember: 1958) US #1 R&B, #1 Pop.

A definitive doo-wop classic.

"After breakfast ev'ry day/She throws the want ads right my way"

https://youtu.be/p-7uIs3SvRA

GOOD ROCKIN' TONIGHT

(Roy Brown)

by Roy Brown w/Bob Ogden & His Orchestra

(DeLuxe: 1947) US #13 R&B in '48

"I heard the news There's good rockin' tonight"

https://youtu.be/DpOF4DZ6wDA

This is the original of Roy Brown's classic song which was memorably covered

by Wynonie Harris in '48 and Elvis Presley in ’54.

HEADLINE NEWS

(Albert Hamilton/Richard Morris/Charles Hatcher)

by Edwin Starr

Pro: Al Kent & Richard Morris

(Ric-Tic: 1966) US #84 Pop, UK #39

https://youtu.be/g-za5o1l7Yo

HEADLINES

(John Fogerty)

by John Fogerty

Pro: John Fogerty

(Warner Bros: 1986)

HEADLINES

(Reggie Calloway/Vincent Calloway/Melvin Gentry/Belinda Lipscomb/

Bobby Lovelace/Bill Simmons)

by Midnight Star

Pro: Reggie Calloway & Midnight Star

(Solar: 1986) US #3 R&B, #69 Pop, UK #16.

'Extra, extra, read all about it'

https://youtu.be/FWlL44LOOG4

HEROES

(Jennifer Kimball/Thomas Kimmel)

by Johnny Cash & Waylon Jennings

(Columbia: 1986)

"That old newspaper headline"

https://youtu.be/yoD0XxTSN2k

JIMMIE BROWN, THE NEWSBOY

(A.P. Carter)

by Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys

(Columbia: 1951)

“I sell the morning paper sir”

Written by A.P. Carter, founder of The Carter Family

https://youtu.be/iVZ8u7BP1ws

Song was a #5 country hit in ’59 by Mac Wiseman.

A LITTLE GOOD NEWS

(Charlie Black/Rory Bourke/Tommy Rocco)

by Anne Murray

Pro: Jim Ed Norman (Capitol: 1983)

US #1 Country, #74 Pop.

"Not much to print today/Can't find nothin' bad to say"

https://youtu.be/HQYS8gRL7zw

IT'S GOOD NEWS WEEK

(Jonathan King)

by Hedgehoppers Anonymous

Pro: Jonathan King (Parrot: 1965)

UK #5 in '65, US #48 Pop in '66.

https://youtu.be/Q4KzGKnuUuc

NEWS OF THE WORLD

(Bruce Foxton)

by The Jam

Pro: Vic Smith & Chris Parry

(Polydor: 1978) UK #27.

News Of The World is a British weekly paper.

https://youtu.be/UTbPnOZYxl8

NEWSPAPER BOY BLUES

(Tiny Bradshaw/Jesse Kennedy)

by Tiny Bradshaw/Vocal by Little Tiny Kennedy

(King: 1952)

https://youtu.be/C3I7LPDbq0Q

NOTHING HAS BEEN PROVED

(Neil Tennant/Chris Lowe)

by Dusty Springfield

Pro: Pet Shop Boys

(UK Parlophone: 1989) UK #16.

From the soundtrack of the film "Scandal" (Miramax: 1989) about the Profumo political scandal in Britain. "Mandy's in the papers 'cause she tried to go to Spain", referring to Mandy Rice-Davis.

https://youtu.be/hFxUFXGMgRY

ODE TO BILLIE JOE

(Bobbie Gentry)

by Bobbie Gentry

Pro: Kelly Gordon & Bobby Paris

(Capitol: 1967)

US #1 Pop, #17 Country, #7 AC, UK #13.

"I got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge"

https://youtu.be/-_E3UIeZUCs

OLD FRIENDS

(Paul Simon)

by Simon & Garfunkel

Pro: Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel & Roy Halee

(Columbia: 1968)

From their album "Bookends".

"A newspaper blown through the grass"

https://youtu.be/7A76lTte8qE

ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN

(Chuck Berry)

by Chuck Berry & His Combo

Pro: Leonard Chess

(Chess: 1956)

US #2 R&B, #29 Pop.

"Roll over Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky the news"

https://youtu.be/nhYLpHakuVY

SUNDAY PAPERS

(Joe Jackson)

by Joe Jackson

Pro: David Kershenbaum

(A&M: 1979)

From Joe Jackson's debut chart album "Look Sharp!"

https://youtu.be/Tfo2-3MDxBw

SUNDAY TIMES

(Loudon Wainwright III)

by Loudon Wainwright III

from the 1998 compilation "BBC Sessions"

containing his earlier BBC performances.

TELL ME WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

(Elton John/Bernie Taupin)

by Elton John

Pro: Gus Dudgeon

(Rocket: 1985)

"I spy headlines, newsprint tells lies"

https://youtu.be/gq-dYKY5nZg

TOP FORTY, NEWS, WEATHER AND SPORTS

(John D. Loudermilk)

by Mark Dinning

(MGM: 1961) US #81 Pop

https://youtu.be/DsfE8g1rAQw

(see note on Mark Dinning below*)

WANT ADS

(Norman Johnson/Greg Perry/Barney Perkins)

by The Honey Cone

Pro: Greg Perry (Hot Wax: 1971)

US #1 R&B, #1 Pop.

Darlene Love’s sister Edna Wright was lead singer of this girl group trio who recorded for Hot Wax, the label owned by ex-Motown songwriters Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland.

https://youtu.be/r0V9K0ERzRo

WHAT'S HAPPENING BROTHER

(James Nyx/Marvin Gaye)

by Marvin Gaye

(Tamla: 1971)

From Marvin's landmark album "What's Going On".

"Are things really gettin' better, like the newspaper said?"

https://youtu.be/ucRg02jQz7g

YESTERDAY'S PAPERS

(Mick Jagger/Keith Richard)

by The Rolling Stones

Pro: Andrew Loog Oldham

(London: 1967) From their LP "Between The Buttons"

https://youtu.be/_7mkOy-TfPI

*Mark Dinning was the brother of three sisters (Jean, Lou and Ginger) who formed the vocal trio The Dinning Sisters; they clocked up best-selling records in the late 40's including BUTTONS AND BOWS on Capitol in '48. Jean co-wrote TEEN ANGEL which was Mark Dinning's major hit single on MGM that topped Billboard's Hot 100 in February 1960. The Dinning Sisters' accompanist and arranger was songwriter and pianist Don Robertson who had his own Top 10 success on Capitol in '56 with his composition THE HAPPY WHISTLER. Don married Lou and they recorded several singles together.

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thedoortoyesterday · 5 years ago

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From the silent era onwards, Hollywood has been a rich breeding ground for comedy. Solo clowns led by Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and W.C. Fields became giants in their field and their motion pictures are still entertaining worldwide audiences today.

Yet the comedic movie world wasn't dominated only by solo performers.

There were also remarkable double-acts and also formidable comedy teams

and here are four of my favorites…

LAUREL AND HARDY

To begin with, there was Laurel & Hardy.

Recently and lovingly portrayed in the 2019 feature film "Stan And Ollie", the universally popular Laurel and Hardy duo captivated cinema audiences for decades and re-runs of their films on television reignited their acclaim. The combination of British-born Arthur Stanley Jefferson

and Georgia-born Oliver Norvell Hardy made for the perfect pairing of two physically different gentlemen whose humor has transcended time and fashion. Their comical relationship and style was created in silent movies and effortlessly translated into sound pictures.

Here's a typical clip of Stan & Ollie's superb style of silent slapstick from one of their Hal Roach sound two-reelers "Busy Bodies" from 1933 where our two heroes were working at a sawmill.

https://youtu.be/_NUGRbozY04

In addition, here's a clip on YouTube from the film "County Hospital" (MGM: 1932)

in which Stan visits Ollie whose injured leg is suspended in traction.

The havoc that ensues involves the doctor played by Billy Gilbert.

https://youtu.be/-Oyt1fdU1k8

Laurel & Hardy's theme tune was DANCE OF THE CUCKOOS aka THE KU-KU SONG and it opened virtually all of their memorable films. It was composed by T. Marvin Hatley who also dubbed music for the boys when, in certain scenes in their films, they appeared to be playing instruments. These included Stan playing organ and Ollie playing double bass in the IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME sequence in "Below Zero" (1930), Stan playing the tuba in "Swiss Miss" (1938) and Stan playing trombone in "Saps At Sea" in 1940.

Here's a YouTube link to Laurel & Hardy's famous musical performance of the 1913 ballad

TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE

(Ballard MacDonald/Harry Carroll)

from the 1937 film "Way Out West"

https://youtu.be/MTrGk5-oGkU

Ollie & Stan sing the song accompanied by The Avalon Boys featuring off-camera bass singer

Chill Wills (dubbing for Stan). At the close of the song, Stan's 'high voice' was dubbed by Rosina Lawrence who played Mary Roberts in the film. Released as a single for the first time in the UK

in late '75. It reached #2 on the local charts!

ABBOTT AND COSTELLO

These two guys created the ultimate pairing of a straight man (Bud Abbott) and a bumbling but lovable clown, Lou Costello. Their first taste of real success was on the radio in the late 30's and then significantly when their were given their own show in 1940. Universal signed them up and

put them in a series of hit movies and in the 50's, they starred in a half-hour comedy series on TV.

Here's a YouTube link to a 1953 television performance by Bud & Lou of their famous

"Who's On First" baseball routine:

https://youtu.be/kTcRRaXV-fg

In 1941, Abbott & Costello recorded "Laugh, Laugh, Laugh" (Abbott/Costello/Grant/Mills),

a comedy disc featuring dialogue banter by Bud & Lou interspersed with a song performed by

'The Sportsmen' Quartet. It was issued in '42 in two parts on a Victor 78.

BURNS AND ALLEN

George Burns & Gracie Allen were a husband and wife comedy team of which George was the cigar-smoking straight man and Gracie was his scatterbrained partner whose illogical

reasoning was the basis of her dialog. They appeared together in a number of films

including the three Paramount “Big Broadcast” movies of 1932, '36 & '37, "College Humor"

in 1933 and with Fred Astaire and Joan Fontaine in "A Damsel In Distress" in '37 but their

major collaborative success was with their own radio series in the 30's & 40's and later

with their own television sitcom in the 50's.

Here's a clip from one of their TV shows which illustrates their comedic style:

https://youtu.be/yDCjhLOaNZI

(Incidentally, the 1920 composition THE LOVE NEST

(Otto Harbach/Louis A. Hirsch)

was used as the theme tune for their radio & TV series).

THE MARX BROTHERS

The magnificent team of Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo created mayhem and chaos, originally in vaudeville and most memorably in a series of motion pictures, primarily for Paramount and MGM. Zeppo appeared in the first five Marx Brothers movies and then retired from the team. (Zeppo's second wife Barbara later married Frank Sinatra).

One of my personal favorite Marx Brothers comedy routines is the Password sequence with Groucho & Chico from "Horse Feathers" (Paramount: 1932):

https://youtu.be/p0Gwe5gKgjo

Now, watch this priceless scene from "The Big Store" (MGM: 1941) in which Wacky (Harpo) needs to suddenly hide his cooking of an elaborate breakfast as Martha Phelps (Magaret Dumont) arrives at the office of so-called detective Wolf J. Flywheel (Groucho):

https://youtu.be/fTXot7cCe98

Music played a distinctive role in the Marx Brothers movies with both Chico and Harpo having their own tuneful segments. For example, in "A Night In Casablanca" (United Artists: 1946), Chico sat at the piano and played BEER BARREL POLKA and in "Love Happy" (United Artists: 1949), Harpo lived up to his name playing OLD FOLKS AT HOME(SWANEE RIVER).

Groucho was graced with a number of outstanding comical songs including LYDIA, THE TATTOOED LADY (Harold Arlen/E.Y. Harburg) which he sang onboard a train in "At The Circus" (MGM:1939). Most significant of all Groucho's other musical moments were the two Bert Kalmar & Harry Ruby compositions HELLO, I MUST BE GOING and HOORAY FOR CAPTAIN SPAULDING which were performed in a medley in "Animal Crackers" (Paramount: 1930) by Groucho along with Margaret Dumont, Zeppo Marx and the cast.

Here is the clip of both songs from the movie:

https://youtu.be/5BMtqqHRvB8

HOORAY FOR CAPTAIN SPAULDING went on to become Groucho's theme tune and, when he hosted the 1950's TV game show "You Bet Your Life", it opened every episode.

Bert Kalmar & Harry Ruby also wrote EV'RYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU for the the previously mentioned "Horse Feathers" (Paramount: 1932). I edited extracts from the soundtrack for a single release on MCA in the UK in 1982using Groucho & Chico’s versions for the A side.

Here's a link to all four performances of the song by (in order of appearance)

Zeppo, Harpo, Chico and Groucho:

https://youtu.be/N8hk9pUtVwA

Other comedy duos and teams from this side of the Atlantic included AMOS AND ANDY, THE KEYSTONE COPS, DEAN MARTIN & JERRY LEWIS, OLSEN AND JOHNSON, THE RITZ BROTHERS, ROWAN AND MARTIN, THE THREE STOOGES and WHEELER AND WOOLSEY.

GALLAGHER AND SHEAN

But let's close by harking back to the days of vaudeville and the comedy duo

GALLAGHER AND SHEAN…

Ed Gallagher and Al Shean wrote their own theme song called MISTER GALLAGHER AND MISTER SHEAN which they introduced in "Ziegfeld Follies Of 1922".

Here's their original Victor recording:

https://youtu.be/6bBvYO5FigI

The song became an instant hit in '22 and was successfully revived on a recording in 1938 by Bing Crosby duetting with Johnny Mercer. In addition, Al Shean (who in real life was the Marx Brothers' uncle) performed the song with Charles Winninger in the 1941 MGM musical "Ziegfeld Girl" and with Jack Kenney in the 1944 Republic film “Atlantic City”.

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thedoortoyesterday · 5 years ago

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FROM TEXAS TO CALIFORNIA

Songs Of and By Charles Brown

Charles Brown (1922-1999) was both an outstanding dulcet-toned blues singer and a superlative pianist who was a key figure in the 1940's development of the style known as west coast blues.

He began his recording career as a member of Johnny Moore's Three Blazers whose memorable line-up was Charles on vocals and piano, Johnny Moore on guitar and Eddie Williams on bass.

Their first real success was with DRIFTING BLUES also known as

DRIFTIN' BLUES and WALKING AND DRIFTING.

https://youtu.be/fUyC2l--fSw

The song was written by Charles but credited not only to him but also Messrs. Moore and Williams. Recorded in September 1945, it became a #2 R&B hit in '46 on Philo, Eddie and Leo Mesner's Los Angeles-based label, the name of which was swiftly changed to Aladdin. Johnny Moore was the brother of Oscar Moore, guitarist with The King Cole Trio.

DRIFTIN' BLUES remains one of the most revived blues songs and among other artists who released their own versions over the years were Chuck Berry, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Ray Charles, Boozoo Chavis, Eric Clapton, Clifton Chenier, Sam Cooke, Snooks Eaglin, Billy Eckstine with Count Basie, Lowell Fulson, John Hammond, John Lee Hooker, Albert King, B.B. King, Little Walter, John Mayall, The Steve Miller Band, Della Reese and Pete Townshend.

Other successful songs recorded by Johnny Moore's Three Blazers featuring Charles Brown included NEW ORLEANS BLUES (in 1947 on Exclusive Records and written by Leon Rene, Exclusive's owner) https://youtu.be/EvZe6RSBqQY and MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY, also on Exclusive in '47, written by Charles but officially credited only to Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore. https://youtu.be/FCVjY4qAiy8 MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY is another major copyright boosted by cover versions by such as Otis Redding, Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow and Bruce Springsteen.

In 1948, Charles was signed as a solo artist on Aladdin and logged up a series of R&B best-sellers including GET YOURSELF ANOTHER FOOL (Edward Mitchell) (#4 in '48), https://youtu.be/sYVIyA9Z7Ds TROUBLE BLUES (Charles Brown) (#1 in '49) https://youtu.be/cZWs_dUqIrI , IN THE EVENING WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN (Traditional) (#4 in '49), HOMESICK BLUES (Charles Brown) (#5 in '49), MY BABY'S GONE (Charles Brown) (#6 in '50), BLACK NIGHT (Jessie Mae Robinson) (#1 in '51), https://youtu.be/-71jfEwX-xQ and SEVEN LONG DAYS (Jessie Mae Robinson) (#2 in '51). Another important Charles Brown copyright is PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (Charles Brown/Gene Redd) which he first recorded for King in 1960.

The Door To Yesterday is proud to present a new podcast containing an interview that I recorded in 1991 with Charles which was edited by Andrew Mackenzie as a promotional sampler for EMI Music Publishing.

Charles had been appearing at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and I invited him to help me put together a sampler to promote both his own compositions and recordings that he made over the years of other writers' songs. The interview took place in EMI Publishing's studio on Sunset Boulevard with Charles seated at the piano. In addition to the extracts that I play from original records, he sang and played live.

The sampler includes the following songs: DRIFTIN' BLUES (Charles Brown/Johnny Moore/Eddie Williams), IF I HAD YOU (Ted Shapiro/James Campbell/Reginald Connelly), AGAIN (Lionel Newman/Dorcas Cochran), PLEASE DON'T DRIVE ME AWAY (Charles Brown/Jesse Ervin), HONEY SIPPER (Charles Brown/Linda Woodward), THAT OLD FEELING (Sammy Fain/Lew Brown), I'M SAVING MY LOVE FOR YOU (Charles Brown), BLACK NIGHT (Jessie Mae Robinson), TROUBLE BLUES (Charles Brown), SEVEN LONG DAYS (Jessie Mae Robinson/Charles Brown), BAD BAD WHISKEY (Amos Milburn), THE MESSAGE (Clarence Landry) and DRIFTIN' BLUES (Charles Brown/Johnny Moore/Eddie Williams).

Here's a link to the complete podcast:

https://we.tl/t-nKKAWgBFic

EMI Music Publishing is now part of Sony/ATV and Capitol Records is now owned by Universal Music Group; the references I made during the interview both to EMI and to Capitol reflect the ownership of those companies in 1991.

Charles was just one of a number of highly influential Texas-born bluesmen.

Here are a few tracks reminding us of some of the others...

BLUES AFTER HOURS

(Pee Wee Crayton)

by Pee Wee Crayton

(Modern: 1948)

https://youtu.be/IXaAcPFLozY

CALL IT STORMY MONDAY (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad)

(Aaron Walker)

by T-Bone Walker

(Black And White: 1947)

https://youtu.be/98MeVUjqyTo

FROSTY

(Albert Collins)

by Albert Collins (Hall: 1965)

https://youtu.be/wrfOpXApxYQ

HIDE AWAY

(Freddy King/Sonny Thompson)

by Freddy King

(Federal: 1961)

https://youtu.be/eEuvfM9c3yY

I QUIT MY PRETTY MAMA

(Ivory Joe Hunter/Lois Mann)

by Ivory Joe Hunter

(King: 1950)

https://youtu.be/5ihiTrYRQDU

ROOMIN' HOUSE BOOGIE

(Jessie Mae Robinson)

by Amos Milburn

(Aladdin: 1949)

https://youtu.be/5UMHjn1Gr70

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thedoortoyesterday · 5 years ago

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Rock and contemporary music are part of our cinematic culture but it wasn’t always like that. Here are a few visual reminders of when early rock music first made inroads in motion pictures.

Also included are some YouTube links to original theatrical trailers…

(This is not a complete list but rather some of the films that stood out)

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thedoortoyesterday · 5 years ago

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Released by MGM in early 1955, BLACKBOARD JUNGLE was the very first movie to feature rock ‘n’ roll. Here’s a YouTube link to its original trailer showing how the movie depicted the rebellious youth culture in an inner-city school forging a social revolution and featuring on its soundtrack (We’re Gonna) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK by Bill Haley & His Comets. https://youtu.be/Amyo9HNLSgI

Originally released in 1954, Bill Haley’s Decca single (We’re Gonna) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK sold well over a million copies and following its breakout success on the “Blackboard Jungle” soundtrack, Columbia Pictures rushed this lightweight picture into production starring the aforementioned Bill Haley along with fellow musical performers The Platters and Freddie Bell & The Bellboys plus the DJ Alan Freed.

Blackboard Jungle (Trailer)

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thedoortoyesterday · 5 years ago

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THE GIRL CAN’T HELP IT (20th Century Fox: 1956) A big studio movie in CinemaScope and color and starring major actors. Jayne Mansfield provided her breathtaking curves and musical performances included BE-BOP-A-LULA by Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps, BLUE MONDAY by Fats Domino, SHE’S GOT IT by Little Richard, TWENTY FLIGHT ROCK by Eddie Cochran & CRY ME A RIVER by Julie London plus the title song sung by Little Richard.

The Girl Can’t Help It (Trailer)

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