haines his way

10/25/2002:
"CARRY ON NOTES"

Well, dear readers, I survived yesterday and I am here to tell the tale. I can only say to you that it is utter madness and utter chaos every day. I was asked to be an “actor” again this Saturday, but I turned it down. Originally, they said it would be a half-day, then that, of course, changed into six or seven hours, so I declined.
I finally picked up the Carry On DVD box set – apparently Anchor Bay screwed up their shipments and many stores haven’t gotten their supply yet. I’ve looked at some of the transfers, which are lovely. Then I watched half of That’s Carry On, a That’s Entertainment-style compilation of funny scenes from most of the twenty-eight films. Maddeningly, some of the funniest bits are from film not included in this box set, like Follow that Camel, which has Phil Silvers. However, what is included is cherce. I really like the first two films, and then they get sillier and sillier, but are always giddy fun. Carry on Nurse is surprisingly randy for a 1958 film, as are several others. The comic actors are a wonderful lot, and musical theater fans should be happy that in most of the sixties films, Jim Dale is one of the regulars and is delightful. A few of the bits in the compilation had me roaring with laughter, especially a truly silly inspired gag from Carry on Cleo, where she takes out a snake and says, “One bite from this ought to do it” at which point Sidney James bites off the head of the snake. It’s all oddly and sweetly endearing stuff and the box set is a true bargain – seventy bucks gets you twelve movies and the compilation film.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Shouldn’t I carry on with the notes? I should and shall and shall and should, not necessarily in that order.
I was nosing around classmates.com last weekend, and I just happened to look under my classes’ “friends” section, just to see who was listed. There was a woman who had a last name I recognized. Now, I didn’t know the woman with the last name I recognized from a spatula, but the last name I recognized immediately brought back a wonderful image – a girl I knew in both grammar school and junior high. I had quite a little crush on her for a time, and I do remember that we were fine friends. So, I wrote to the woman, and she told me that the long-lost girl was her cousin, and she told me she’d pass my e-mail along. Well, guess what? The long-lost girl wrote me, and we’ve been having a good time catching up. I just sent her Benjamin Kritzer, because I thought she’d really get a kick out of it, since she lived just blocks from where Benjamin lives in the book. It’s weird and interesting talking to people forty years down the line. I’ll let you all know what she thought of the book when she lets me know.
Well, after long delay, the marvelous Buddy Bregman interview is up and running and also running and up. I know some of you don’t know his name, but you will be amazed at his career and accomplishments if you don’t. Buddy arranged, orchestrated and conducted albums for Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McCrae, Bing Crosby… well, I don’t want to spoil the fun. He talks about all the legends he’s worked with, including Ella, Bing, Carmen (hold on to your hats), Jerry Lewis, Judy Garland, Anita O’Day, Jane Powell, and on and on. It’s a lengthy fun-filled anecdotal interview – and will also be of interest to all musical comedy lovers, since Buddy did the orchestrations for the film of The Pajama Game, and since Buddy had an uncle who is as famous as it gets in musical comedy circles. I recommend you carry on and read it as soon as you finish reading these here notes.
Well, why don’t we all carry on and click on the Unseemly Button below so we can carry on in the next section? Carry on.

Has anyone noticed that today’s notes have a carry on flavor about them? Last night, when I went to bed, I did what I always do – I turn on the TV, set the timer for thirty minutes, and then fall asleep to the quiet drone of the sound. The channel is set, as it has been for four years, to AMC, a station that has turned itself into a quite disgusting thing. In any case, they were showing Mr. Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America – I happen to tune in towards the end, just before the final scene between Robert DeNiro and James Woods. I knew it was the “long” version (I don’t think they’ve ever shown the short version since it was released theatrically) because I saw the end of a scene that wasn’t in the short version. In any case, I was lying in bed, but the sound mix in the final scene made me sit up and watch – there was something “off” about it (I will watch the end of the laserdisc to find out) – they interrupted this final scene, which runs ten minutes, twice for commercials. But that’s not the point – the point is, after the scene DeNiro leaves the house, and then we have the little coda outside with the garbage truck and then the car with the kids going to a costume party drives by (I believe the music here was also not what I’m used to – again, I’ll check) and then the film ends, literally just stops, end credits and out. Of course, the point is, that is not where the film ends, there is one more scene, in the opium den. So, was this some weird hybrid? The end credits also rolled over stills, which is different than the long version. I shall do some research and find out what in tarnation is going on with this mutant version of a film I adore.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must carry on BK, and drive to Woodland Hills knowing that the work-week is finally over and I have the blessed weekend to recuperate and write and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: Dear reader Craig (I think it was dear reader Craig) asked to do favorite Frank Loesser songs, and I realized, with all the songwriters we’ve done we’ve somehow neglected Mr. Loesser, who is one of my all-time favorites. So, what are your favorite Frank Loesser songs? I’ll join the party later with my choices, but for now, carry on and post away, my pretties, and post often and post long.

Replies: 34 Unseemly Comments

Favorite Loesser songs: For me, as much as I love the "fun-ness" of Guys & Dolls and How to Succeed, I love the whole score to Most Happy Fella. It appeals to me on a larger sense, both intellectually and toe-tappingly. -Sheesh, I keep inventing all these words.
I remember investigating the score after playing a selection at an audition for someone many years ago. It kind of threw me for a loop. It verged on being operatic and it was so chromatic. I rememeber checking out the title page and thinking, "Loesser? Isn't this the guy who wrote Guys & Dols? This can't be by the same composer." Well, of course, it was.
What an amazing score. All the various styles. The solos, the ensembles, the chorus numbers. A wonderful score all around. *And it still throws me sometimes when a selection from it gets put in front of me at auditions - "Oh, My Feet" always take a little moment of self-confirmation - yes, basically one hand is one key, and one hand is another.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/25/2002 07:41 AM PST

Frank Loesser in a moment..
Riddle of the day.. let's see which dear reader gets it first...
Q: How can you buy 4 suits for less than 2 dollars?
Posted by Craig @ 10/25/2002 07:55 AM PST

My guess to the riddle answer would be "buy a deck of cards."
And my favorite Frank Loesser songs would be "Inchworm" and "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?", although I do love all of his work.
Posted by Pam @ 10/25/2002 07:58 AM PST

I could list so many.. but here is my Lesser Loesser List...
Once In Love With Amy
If I Were a Bell/I'll Know/Luck Be A Lady
Inchworm/Wonderful Copenhagen/No Two People (Danny Kaye is sublime!)
My Heart Is So Full Of You (especially Liz Callaway singing it!)
Baby It's Cold Outside. (would love to hear this with Guy and Susan Egan or Kerry Butler)
Posted by Craig @ 10/25/2002 08:06 AM PST

Pam - wow.. that didn't take long.. good going! You are correct...
Posted by Craig @ 10/25/2002 08:07 AM PST

Favorite Loesser:
All of Guys & Dolls
All of How to Succeed...
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve is achingly beautiful.
Posted by Philip Crosby @ 10/25/2002 09:18 AM PST

In addition to the obvious I like Loesser's wartime hit "Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition" (will Carelton Heston ever record it?), some of his Betty Hutton songs like "Papa Don't Preach to Me" and WHERE'S CHARLIE's "Make A Miracle".
BK why do you continue watching AMC? They no longer show classic older films and they have no respect for the films they show. Gone are the days of series like "Remember WENN". If your cable company has Turner Classics, by all means switch to that. Tomorrow they are showing Phil Silvers in "Top Banana" --- a film made of the actual stage production! They have no comercials, wonderful films with almost no repeats in the same month and a great host in Robert Osborne. If your cable company does not carry it, request that they do.
Posted by William E Lurie @ 10/25/2002 10:12 AM PST

Well, after the reading the posts so far, I guess I do have a couple of Loesser favorites - besides whole scores of shows:
"Inchworm", "Thumbelina", "Wonderful Copenhagen" - I still fondly remember singing these in grade school. "Inchworm" was a particular favorite, since it always amazed me that the two parts of the song could be sung against and with each other.
"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" - Just a great song. A wonderful sentiment. *And whenever I have a New Year's cabaret, I try to get this to be sung right after "Auld Lang Syne". Shortly after midnight. It sets up the next New Year's Eve very nicely. And it has a great verse too!
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/25/2002 10:13 AM PST

Where are all my relatives.. there aren't enough POSTS on here today...
Posted by Emily POST @ 10/25/2002 10:56 AM PST

William E. Lurie: If you go back and glance at what I wrote, you will see that I don't watch AMC -I fall asleep to it (my bedroom TV is set to that channel and has been for four years). I hate what they've done - it's basically a bunch of young punks in there now, basically spitting in the faces of all the loyal viewers they've had over the years. Like most things, it's become about marketing and not about people.
Posted by bk @ 10/25/2002 11:19 AM PST

I've written AMC, at their request, and told them exactly what I think of their programming (I once endured FOUR commercial breaks in the last four minutes of a movie!!!!).
As expected, it has been several weeks and there has been NO reply whatsoever.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/25/2002 11:24 AM PST

I did a search on the net for "dead and decaying flesh" to find a nice spot for lunch and wound up here. I guess google.com doesn't know Carrion from Carry On. So, like so much flesh (or is it fish), I shall continue my search...
Posted by a wandering zombie @ 10/25/2002 11:37 AM PST

BK: I did read that you use it to fall asleep to, but four years ago when you started that habit it was still a wonderful station definitely worth watching. I don't know how you could have used it then as a sleep aid, although now that's all it's good for. By all means use it to help you sleep (not that I would imagine you would need much help with your schedule), but when you are awake and want something to watch by all means switch to Turner Classic.
Ron: You're not the only person to write AMC with no response. I cancelled my subscription to their program guide and told them why. I'm sure I was not the only one because I read that they have stopped publishing the guide. Their official name is now just AMC... not American Movie Classics. However I have read that they are planning an AMC2 which will be a commercial-free classic movie station like they used to be.
I just read the Bregman interview and it is very interesting. When it was described above, I thought Carmen was Carmen Miranda! The Ella songbooks (those that he worked on and all the others in the series) are among the best pop/jazz albums ever made. The complete series is available in one beautifully packaged boxed set. However beware of the low price that the BMG Record Club offers it for. They then add over $30 for shipping because it has 18 discs, ignoring the fact that it's cardboard packaging makes the weight so low that mailing it First Class would cost less than $5.00. I quit the Club when they refused to adjust the shipping charges to something more realistic. This money goes straight to BMG and the artists get none of it.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 10/25/2002 11:40 AM PST

I too am a great fan of 'The Most Happy Fella', especially the whole of the first part in the restaurant in San Francisco when 'Rosabella' discovers the tie pin. 'Somebody, Somewhere' and 'Warm All Over' are lovely.
In 'Guys And Dolls' you don't seem to hear 'My Time Of Day' very often in recordings. It's wonderful and the way it segues into 'I've Never Been In Love Before' in the London Cast recording is great(English 'reedy' voices and all!).
Also from Greenwillow 'Never Will I Marry' and from How To Succeed 'I Believe In You'.
By the way, I will be errant and truant over the weekend as I'm going to Cardiff, where there is currently an International Festival of Musicals. I'm going to the European premiere of 'Ragtime' - just a concert version, but an exciting prospect anyhow. Reports when I get back.
Posted by Allan @ 10/25/2002 12:26 PM PST

Hey BK--I met Mr. Ron Raines today whilst I was working a dress rehearsal for AIDA. Just thought I'd let you know... You guys are pals aren't you?
Posted by Jason @ 10/25/2002 01:35 PM PST

I just checked Sondheim.Com to see if they had a review of Monday's concert (they didn't - the site hasn't been updated in months) and saw a nice banner ad for "First Nudie Musical" (movie on DVD, not stager musical).
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 10/25/2002 01:42 PM PST

The Buddy Bregman interview was great! I have my own "angry" Carmen McCrae story. Carmen was the headliner for a now sadly defunct outdoor arts festival Portland used to have called Artquake. My little six piece latin jazz band had a gig on one of the sidestreets at the same time Carmen was doing her thing. Well, heaven knows why, but we attracted a humongous crowd of people cheering and dancing in the streets. One of Carmen's "people" came running down from her stage to tell us (the band) that we needed to stop playing IMMEDIATELY because Carmen didn't like the noise, and also to tell the audience that they needed to be quiet and leave our stage immediately to go see Carmen. We all laughed heartily and continued on our merry way. (Some of what our audience shouted to this person is unrepeatable on a family site such as this, but it was pretty funny).
I was also interested to read that Uncle Jule used to live on Elm Drive in Beverly Hills. That is where my kind-of in-laws live (the parents of my wife's brother's wife) where we had our Seder last year and where my then 3 year old destroyed some priceless indigenous African art (it was a moment). They've lived there for 40 or 50 years, so I'll have to ask them if Jule lived close by!
Posted by JMK @ 10/25/2002 02:36 PM PST

I remember (a SS reference) receiving the info from Dress circle re the Cardiff concerts. Hope you have a wonderful time Allan. "Ragtime" is a musical I would really love to see - concert would even do.
Liz Callaway's Loesser Cd is a wonderful collection of Loesser beautifully sung. I do like Barbra's version of "Warm All Over" too.
"Spring Will Be A Little Late Thie Year" has always beena a favourite and I like "First Class Private Mary Brown".
I remember watching a Muppet Show with "Inchworm" sung by Mr Charles Aznavour. It was a delight. (I think Mr Aznavour "Danced the Old-Fashioned Way" with Miss Piggy on the same show.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/25/2002 02:55 PM PST

I just heard on my radio (8.am news here) that Richard Harris died. I did get to see him staging and acting in "Camelot" here some years ago.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/25/2002 03:09 PM PST

And tonight I shall finally do a transfer of his narrative of "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" to CD-R!
A great loss!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/25/2002 03:34 PM PST

Now there is something I would be interested in hearing Ron! I have the video and I still play the Diamond version. I am not sure that Diamond has written anything new since!
I quite enjoyed the "send-up" book "Jonathan Seagal Chicken" too.
Posted by Tom Guest @ 10/25/2002 03:50 PM PST

Also, a very talented broadway performer, Jason Opsahl passed away at age 39.. quite tragic.. he and his brother (a newscaster here in FL) were both the nicest and genuine people...
Posted by Craig @ 10/25/2002 03:50 PM PST

As for FL I am partial to Liz Callaway's version of Warm All Over
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/25/2002 03:56 PM PST

In only 8 more days there will be a celebration at HHW. Add 8 to 357 and what do you get?
I adore the score to Most Happy Fella. My Heart is So Full of You is a touching and wonderful piece.
From Guys and Dolls, for sheer great chorus work and fun to do number, I like Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat and for a great 3 parter, Fuge for Tinhorns is mucho fun.
Another great group number that I love is from HTSINBWRT, Coffee Break
That's all for now, except to say that we made our deadline! Hooray, the database is closed and the information is processed. No more 6am at office for this little duck! Now I can relax for a while. Maybe I'll even find time to post.
Posted by Ben @ 10/25/2002 04:40 PM PST

Tom, it shall be yours!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/25/2002 04:42 PM PST

We just got back from dinner with Donald Feltham. He is as interesting and nice in person as he is on the Broadway Radio Show at HHW. He was in NY for a very interesting project but I will let him break the news to you later.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 10/25/2002 06:02 PM PST

The entire score of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA which fell into the shadow(and not rightly) of MY FAIR LADY. Talk about timing!!
But,truthfully time always wins out. I still believe Frank Loesser's score is better than MFL.
Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 10/25/2002 06:30 PM PST

I concur with all your Loesser choices - plus I love anything he wrote for Betty Hutton, especially Rumble, Rumble, Rumble. My Heart Is So Full of You still remains one of my favorite songs ever.
Ron Raines and I have worked together many times, and he's a wonderful chap.
Sad to hear about the two deaths today - I shall play A Tramp Shining tonight in honor of Mr. Harris.
Posted by bk @ 10/25/2002 07:17 PM PST

BK: Just read a review of TFNM in the latest issue of WIDESCREEN REVIEW...
Loesser wrote "Hamlet," right? I love his humorous numbers as much as his 'serious.'
Considering that I just did "Oooh! My Feet!" a couple of weeks ago for a cabaret, right now that's one of my fave funny character pieces.
"They're Either too Young or too Old"
"The New Ashmolian Marching Society and Students Conservatory Band"
"Once In Love with Amy"
"Spring Will be a Little Late This Year."
"Rumble, Rumble, Rumble"
"Travelin' Light"
"Kiss the Boys Goodbye"
"Fresno Beauties"
"Somebody, Somewhere"
"Brotherhood of Man"
"My Time of Day"
"If I were a Bell"
"I'll Know"
"No Two People"
"Inchworm"
"I Believe in You"
"Paris Original"
I love Ben Bagley's "Frank Loesser Revisited;" since it contains a lot of unheard material.
Posted by td @ 10/25/2002 08:28 PM PST

Just so that people think I am psychic.
Welcome back on board Francois.
Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 10/25/2002 10:04 PM PST

You beat me to it, Tom.
Francois is being uncharacteristically silent this evening.
Here's a thought...maybe he's busy with work!!?? : 0
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/25/2002 10:20 PM PST

Wish me luck. I am off to see a production of "Escape From The Forbidden Planet". At least I am supporting local amateur theatre. I saw the company's "J C Superstar" earlier in the year and that has to be one of my least favourite shows by anyone.
Think you are right Ron. I did say I thought he was only working to support our habit.
I am listening to Mark Knopfler's
"Screenplay" today. the melodies may be mainly celtic derivations but they are lovely. I particularly like the scores for "Local Hero" and "The Princess Bride".
Maybe we should/could make every Friday a composer's day. (as long as we can still write our usual fascinating trivia and drivel). There are so many composers and when we get around to the beginning we will have others posters and will probably have decided on new sets of favourites anyway.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/26/2002 12:54 AM PST

Well, I was going to post a fascinating and long response last night, but when I looked at a preview of it, I found that it would have italicized everything, and when I tried to go back and correct it, there was nothing therer to correct. So I return to post something similar now.
Thank you, Phillip Crosby, for your good wishes about Northwestern.
William E. Lurie, and everyone else, you should check out "Finishing the Chat" at Sondheim.com.
I love Frank Loesser, and my favorite songs include "More I Cannot Wish You" (which I sang last year) "My Time of Day" (A perfect, poetic lyric, with a gorgeous melody. For that song alone, I want to play Sky some day.) and The entire score of "The Most Happy Fella" a show that I love unreservedly.
I think that someone should rewrite "Flowers For Algernon" and call it "Where's Charley?"
Today, I finish with The Hated Marching Band forever! I march my last Football game in history! Hurrah!
Posted by Hapgood @ 10/26/2002 08:14 AM PST

I am trying to find out what musical the song "The New Ashmolian Marching Society and Students Conservatory Band" is from. Can any one e-mail me this information?
OJ
Posted by OJ Rand @ 06/27/2003 02:46 PM PST

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