haines his way

08/30/2002:
"AND THE BAND PLAYED ON"

Well, dear readers, you won’t believe it. I didn’t believe it until Mr. Craig Brockman told me and even when he told me I didn’t believe it because it seemed so unbelievable. Then I looked at the Unseemly Archive and then I believed it. Today’s notes are the 300th BK’s Notes. If that’s not cause for celebration I don’t know what is. I can’t remember right now but the only missed days were, I think, the very first weekend, and maybe the second. But after that it’s been every single day. Is “every single day” for single people only? Do married people have to say “every married day”? Anyway, today is a day for a band to play, today is a day to sing happy, to celebrate, celebrate. Yes, tune the grand up because it’s today. We must all get out our pointy party hats and put them on our pointy party heads. We must all put on our colored tights and pantaloons and we must dance the Hora, and also the Monkey. We must say pithy things to one and all and also all and one. We must shout it to the highest hill that we, Hainsies/Kimlets, we are family and no one can stop us now because we are rising, growing like a fungus, we are happening, man, we are now, we are today, we are the ginchiest. We shall have cheese slices and ham chunks and various and sundried cakes and sweets. We shall glitter and be gay and be giddy and silly and fancy free. And the band played on. And on and on and on.
I’m already exhausted and the party hasn’t even started. And isn’t it just too too that our big celebration falls on Labor Day weekend? Yes, Virginia, this is Labor Day weekend, a weekend in which we shall do no labor whatsoever. We shall be lazy loafers or, at the very least, lazy saddle shoes.
Last night I attended an event honoring this year’s Emmy nominees for television music, at the Academy of Television. I was taken there by our very own Adryan Russ. I don’t care much for such events but I shmoozed and said hello to some people and had a Diet Coke. I did run into two old pals of mine, though, and that was fun. First, I ran into Valeri Landesburg, an actress and director I’ve known for many years. She was actually our production mascot on my musical Stages, when she was eighteen. She just showed up at the Matrix Theater one day and attached herself to us. She was great, was at the show every night and was very helpful. She still remembers every song in the show and proved it to me by singing two of them in their entirety. Then I ran into my old pal, Geoff Levin, a very talented guitarist and composer, who used to also be married to Miss Diana Canova. He’s a very nice guy and it was fun to see him. He told me he’d once given our very own Grant Geissman guitar lessons. I had no idea. I also met the music editor of the upcoming TV version of The Music Man with Matthew Broderick. Unfortunately, she’s just starting on it and I could get no good dirt from her. I then met that lady’s talented husband, composer Mark Adler, who wrote a nice score for the movie Focus. I was also cornered for quite some time by Mr. Ford A. Thaxton, a soundtrack producer who knows me from Varese Sarabande and Bay Cities days. I will only say that he introduced himself to Adryan Russ as the most reviled man on all the Internet.
Well, these are supposed to be short notes today, so why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below and whilst doing so let us throw some confetti into the sky above us. And the band played on.

Are we kicking our heels up? Are we shakin’ the blues away? Are we shakin’ the reds away? Are we doing the hokey-pokey? Are we shaking our booty? And the band played on, dear readers, because we are celebrating and if anyone tries to stop us we shall all say, “Damn them, damn them all to hell.” We will bitch-slap any naysayer from here to eternity.
Don’t forget that tomorrow we will have a brand spanking new Unseemly Trivia Contest, and Sunday Donald will have a brand spanking new The Broadway Radio Show up and running. So, tell you friends, tell your neighbors – there’s a party going on all weekend here at haineshisway.com and they simply are not happening if they don’t join in.
And the band played on. Isn’t the band lucky that it knows “on”? If the band didn’t know “on” they couldn’t play “on” and then the band would have to play something else and that would be heinous (heinous, do you hear me?).
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must attend to matters, I must matter to attends, I must go hither and thither and hence and whence. So, you must all do your parts and post until the cows come home for our big end-of-month push. Don’t you be strangers over the weekend. Don’t you be strangers on a train. Do your bit, do your part and soon we will be the most popular site on all the Internet. Today’s topic of discussion: Since we’re celebrating our 300th count them 300th notes and since the band is playing on, what are your favorite Broadway songs of celebration. Your favorite Broadway party songs? I’ll start – It’s Today, Today Is a Day For a Band to Play, Consider Yourself, I’m a Brass Band, Come Follow the Band. Your turn.

Replies: 27 Unseemly Comments

How about "Celebration" from CELEBRATION by Jones and Schmidt.
Happy 300. I have read every one.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/30/2002 10:15 AM PST

Well.. in spirit of my trip to NYC this weekend to see dear Kerry Butler, I would have to say that at current - my favorite celebration song (if this could be considered one) is "You Can't Stop the Beat"
SO amazingly infectious (in a good way) since the very first time I heard it...
Posted by Craig @ 08/30/2002 10:21 AM PST

I like to cry at weddings !!
It's not a statement but my
favorite party song, sort of,
along with Best Of Times from
The Cage Of Queens.......
Happy 300 to all y'all.... and we
STILL look SO YOUNG.
JOYEUSE CELEBRATION !
Posted by François @ 08/30/2002 11:33 AM PST

Time to be pithy? What is this, rec.music.dramaqueens?
Hurrah! Your 300th column! Why, that's almost six-sevenths of a whole year, isn't it!!!
I shall concoct some special beverages to beat the Labor Day heat! I'll be pouring rum and vodka and Coke and tonic and squeezing lemons and limes!! Heck! I may even make margaritas!
I was very sorry to read of the unfortunate incident at the Emmy-related ceremony. Being cornered is never fun...but...
Did your friend escape with you, and if so, did you or she have any post-cornering words?
At least the cornerer spoke the truth in his introduction of himself!
Sad to say that's about all he can brag about.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/30/2002 01:02 PM PST

Ron,
Give me a margarita, will you ?
Thanks !
I'm wearing my tricorn again,
but I'm not cornered ! I'm just
corny !!

Hey, corny, get your gun ! --
sorry, must be the margarita !
--
Ron, we don't know your
favo(u)rite celebration song,
and that's very unseemly...
Can you oblige, please ?
Posted by François @ 08/30/2002 01:25 PM PST

Favorite Party Song from a musical... the all time party song "It's Today!" from "Mame".
Where is everyone today??
Posted by Matthew @ 08/30/2002 01:50 PM PST

Only anyone who's anyone is
posting today !.... :)
Throw confetti(s) !
It's today !
C'est le jour !
Posted by François @ 08/30/2002 02:11 PM PST

Light the candles,
Get the ice out,
Roll the rug up,
It's today !
Tune the grand up,
Dance your shoes off,
Strike the band up?
It's today !
Call the cops out,
Raise the rockets,
Pull the stops out,
It's today !
Light the candles,
Fill the punch bowl,
Throw confetti,
It's today !
Haineshisway is here to stay !
Posted by Mame & Jerry @ 08/30/2002 02:20 PM PST

Congratulations.
"Once A Year Day" from Pyjama Game (Pajama!). Is bright and happy enough.
Crossing to the UK's West End, may I suggest "The People Tree" from "The Good Old Bad Old Days" as this to me is really appropriate to this, the happiest sight on the internet.
Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 08/30/2002 03:00 PM PST

Hows about "I Always Cry at Weddings!"
Hows about "It's Not Where You Start...!"
Drat, BK already mentioned "Come Follow the Band." What the heck...Hows about "Come Follow the Band!"
(If yuz ain't a Cy Coleman fan, yuz don't knows how to celebrate!)
Posted by S. Woody White @ 08/30/2002 04:32 PM PST

All this merriment and I was logged off?
Sheesh!
My favorite celebratory song?
Hmmmmmm....
Well, regardless of season, I'm afraid it's
"We Need A Little Christmas"
followed by
"We're Getting A New Deal For Christmas"
followed by
"That Great Come and Get It Day"
And there are more. Oh, Yes!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/30/2002 05:06 PM PST

Some people say that today is
the day
When the wind will rise and
blow the world away.
And it may be so,
I just don't know.
All I know is up until we have to
go.
I want to celebrate,
I want to make a celebration.
I want to celebrate,
I want to savor each sensation
Posted by Potemkin, Schmidt and Jones @ 08/30/2002 06:38 PM PST

Happy 300!
I'm in a hurry too, so I shan't dawdle.
"It's Today" (Mame)
"Best of Times" (La Cage)
"Once-A-Year Day" (Pajama Game)
"Open A New Window" (Mame)
Posted by Kerry @ 08/30/2002 07:12 PM PST

I will be one of the brave few who has the courage to post today. I am also celebrating a successful first game for the marching band at high school. I am a member of the leadership, and the band was excellent. (The football team lost, as usual.) So I was celebrating with a gold beret and braids on my shoulders. I was also dancing with the band, and I shook my booty most convincingly. And I was thinking of Haineshisway.com the whole time.
To quote our fearless leader (Bruce): What the hell am I talking about?
My favorite songs of celebration are the title songs from Celebration and . Isn't it interesting that Celebration, a show that was supposed to be free from the conventions of Broadway, still succumbed to titlesongitis(To use an Ethan Mordden phrase)?
Posted by Hapgood @ 08/30/2002 08:27 PM PST

It's 8:30 p.m. and we have only 13 posts ahead of this one?
Where have all the people gone?
We need some cheering up!
Haul out the holly;
Put up the tree before my spirit falls again.
Fill up the stocking,
I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now.
For we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute,
Candles in the window,
Carols at the spinet.
Yes, we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute.
It hasn't snowed a single flurry,
But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry;
So climb down the chimney;
Turn on the brightest string of light I've ever seen.
Slice up the fruitcake;
It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.
For I've grown a little leaner,
Grown a little colder,
Grown a little sadder,
Grown a little older,
And I need a little angel
Sitting on my shoulder,
Need a little Christmas now.
For we need a little music,
Need a little laughter,
Need a little singing
Ringing through the rafter,
And we need a little snappy
"Happy ever after,"
Need a little Christmas now.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/30/2002 08:31 PM PST

Why, Ron, you just sound
like...like... Jerry Herman !
Is that what margueritas do to
you ??
Posted by François @ 08/30/2002 08:54 PM PST

hmm...so few posts...and I have been errant and truant today. I'm so sorry...
HAPPY 300th post!! Here's to many more!!
My favorite theatre party song(s):
"You Can't Stop the Beat" Hairspray
"Buenos Aires" Evita (The Patti version, of course)
"Beautiful City" Godspell
Posted by Jason @ 08/30/2002 09:27 PM PST

Congratulations on our first 300 notes!!
Me, I'm just celebrating that this day is OVER. Oy vey!
Posted by Laura @ 08/30/2002 09:33 PM PST

There you are, Jason !
Was wondering where was
the "old" homeguard !
Why do we always have to
praise quantity over quality ?!!
Posted by François @ 08/30/2002 09:35 PM PST

Well, I'll make it twenty count them twenty posts. I, of course, would always take quality over quantity, but you'd think on a day of celebration we'd have both. Still and all, it is a holiday weekend and we know people are out misbehavin' themselves and galavanting hither and thither.
Posted by bk @ 08/30/2002 09:38 PM PST

Quite late, yes, but here I am to
join the celebration! Would
have been here hours and
hours ago, but I was away
from computers all the livelong
day. Happy 300, one and all,
all and one!
Posted by Jed @ 08/31/2002 02:27 AM PST

Time differences, doncha hate 'em?
I'm sorry if I'm a little late for the party and I guess everyone's joining in a communal singalong of 'The Party's Over' by now.
But if I can revitalise the party for a while, how about 'Celebrate' from the BK-produced 'Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens'?
Failing that, how about 'Before The Parade Passes by'.
Any cheese slices and ham chunks left???
Posted by Allan @ 08/31/2002 03:14 AM PST

Happy belated 300th!
As for the song I wanted to try to find something diffferent but haven't found it yet.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 08/31/2002 05:12 AM PST

CELEBRATE-
With Barbara Cook"s recording of IT'S BETTER WITH A BAND..written I believe by WALLY HARPER.
Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 08/31/2002 07:11 AM PST

Only 23 posts for the Friday column at 10:00 (EDT) on Saturday morning!!! And for column #300. BK deserves better (and so does GH). Did everyone start out Labor Day early? Is posting on this here site considered a Labor? Was the topic not of interest? That's no excuse. Many of the most interesting postings on this here site had nothing to do with the topic of the day. Let's hope the rest of the weekend is better.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/31/2002 07:11 AM PST

I'm in under the wire, joining in the chorus of
"The Best of Times" I listen to a radio station that plays the Perry Como version at least once a week.
"Put On Your Sunday Clothes" Nobody celebrates like Jerry Herman. As Jerry's mother used to say, "It's Today!"
"Abondanza!" from The Most Happy Fella.
"The Party's on the House" from 1/2 6d.
"Here's to Us" from Little Me. I mean, who's like us? Damn few.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/31/2002 08:54 AM PST

Hey, I'm not too late to contribute to the 300th column! Three of my favorite Broadway celebration songs are (in no particular order):
"Celebration" from CELEBRATION
"Old Friends" from MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG
"Make the Most of Your Music" from the London FOLLIES
There are always more, but that's what I can think of right now.
Posted by George @ 08/31/2002 09:43 AM PST

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