On this week's edition of Mark Steyn on the Town, we celebrate the music of Jule Styne, a Broadway colossus who also wrote for Hollywood and provided Frank Sinatra with a bunch of Hit Parade blockbusters. Skimming a seven-decade career in sixty minutes is not easy, but we manage to touch on Jule's days as a child entertainer before the First World War, his hit songs during the Second World War, a quartet of post-war musicals, and Susan Birkenhead's recollection of a saloon song from the 1980s. Plus Bing Crosby, Barbra Streisand, Willie Nelson and, of course, the Keller Sisters.
To listen to the programme, simply click here and log-in.
Last week's cavalcade of Billy May arrangements for Sinatra attracted a lot of comment. Max, a South Carolina member of The Mark Steyn Club, says simply:
Those Billy May arrangements are fantastic.
What treasures.
No argument there, Max. Josh Passell, a Massachusetts Steyn Clubber, agrees:
How much did I like that Billy May arrangement of 'Surrey With the Fringe on Top'? A bunch, that's how much. The intro doesn't give it away, but boy it's fun and it works. And I even (especially) love the way Sinatra has to play catch up with the band. It's not how I want to hear it on opening night of a revival of 'OK', but it's a blast.
And I was pleased that the other day in a comment I had thought to quote the lines 'chicks and ducks and geese' as menu items at the Haitian restaurant in Springfield, OH. They must play Feline Groovy: Songs for Swingin' Cats on repeat.
Thanks for all your comments - including the critical ones. On the Town is Steyn's weekly music show on Serenade Radio every Saturday at 5pm British Summer Time - that's 6pm in western and central Europe/12 midday North American Eastern. You can listen from anywhere in the world by clicking the button at top right here.
As listeners know, Mark is a great believer in old-school appointment listening, and loves the way Serenade's Saturday schedule flows through the day. However, we appreciate that many potential listeners are, at the appointed hour, fricasseeing the cat. So, as a bonus for Steyn Club members, we post On the Town at SteynOnline every weekend. 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, see here - and don't forget our special Gift Membership.
Mark Steyn on the Town can be heard on Serenade Radio at the following hours:
Saturday 5pm London time/9am Los Angeles
Sunday 5am London time/12 midnight New York
Steyn's Song of the Week continues at its usual hour on Sunday, Monday and Thursday.