Programming note: Join Mark tomorrow, Sunday, for a brand new pre-election edition of Steyn's Song of the Week on Serenade Radio, telling the story of the only hit song composed by a man on a winning presidential ticket. The fun starts at 5.30pm Greenwich Mean Time - which is 6.30pm in Western Europe/1.30pm North American Eastern. You can listen from almost anywhere on the planet by clicking the button at top right here.
~On this week's edition of Mark Steyn on the Town, we look forward to November 5th - both the US election and, in much of the Commonwealth, Bonfire Night. Our Sinatra Sextet features Frank with a quartet of presidents and a brace of first ladies. Plus: the late Jack Jones sings Nelson Eddy and Bryan Adams.
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~Last week's edition of On the Town attracted a lot of comment. Barry Williams says:
Thanks Mark Steyn for yet another brilliant show tonight with so many interesting facts, figures, and as always great music. Thought I was a Sinatra expert but totally taken aback when 'Ghost Riders in the Sky' by Frank hit my speakers. Didn't know he'd recorded this song! Thanks Mark
I always enjoy Sinatra singing songs he wouldn't have chosen for himself, Barry. If you liked "Ghost Riders", wait'll you hear "Woody Woodpecker" - coming soon! Ken Shotwell, a First Weekend Founding Member of The Mark Steyn Club, adds re Sinatra:
I guess Frank took no prisoners. I've loved his recording of 'High Hopes' (ant vs. rubber tree plant) since I was a kid.
In that case, Ken, you'll love today's show - or maybe not. Chris from upstate New York writes:
So I was driven back to watch some of the Bond films by your musings over the past few weeks and have pulled up after two with Goldfinger next. ( I don't care if Ursula Andress isn't singing 'Under the Mango Tree' if she would just get out of the sun and under the mango tree with me).
But I feel you and Tim Rice are a bit unfair to Rita Coolidge. A terrible title for a movie as it is and I think 'All Time High' is a terrible title for a song as well, so take that Sir Tim. The nerve of him (and even you!) to ask for Shirley Bassey seems unfair to the beguiling Rita Coolidge. I think she does a nice job with that song and Shirley had just done her THIRD Bond song two movies previous with Moonraker (have you been humming that gem a lot lately?).
And always great to hear 'Ghost Riders'. You can hear Vaughn Monroe singing right over Frank on that one. I can tell you really like that song because you utter some of the lyrics (Thanks Stan Jones) each time you play it on the show. Good for you. And us.
Fran, another First Weekend Founding Member, enthuses:
I could listen to this show, On the Town, until the moon sets in the western sky at the break of day. Thanks for the gift that seemingly keeps revolving around these Southwestern Indian summer skies.
Speaking of Indian Summer, does that go better on standard time or daylight savings? Olga, being from Arizona, is relaxed either way:
Around these parts, we get pretty snooty about never having to monkey around with our clocks. I agonized a goodly while over whether I was even ALLOWED to listen to today's show. Would it be "cultural appropriation"??
Josh, yet another First Weekend Founding Member, thinks our Jamaican Bond songs have the makings of a last-minute campaign theme:
If Kamala were a real human being, she could do a lot worse than being Jamaican. Not the ganja-gagging, gangsta-rapping ditz that so offended her father, but just a lovely, mixed-race island girl with the rhythm of calypso/ska in her accented voice. (A little reggae goes a long way with me: it soon sounds like Eddie Murphy's SNL parody "Kill the White People (But Buy My Record First)".) 'Jamaica Jump Up' would make a great campaign song, and 'Under the Mango Tree' could be hers and Doug's 'song' (even if they fell short of 'nine little chil' in a row' by about nine).
She was closer to her mother, of course, but Indian music is not big over here (George Harrison aside), and all the smart Indians are Republican.
George in his sitar phase drives me nuts, Josh, but the poppier end of bhangra I find rather appealing. May dig some out for a future show.
One more - a query from Diane in Maryland:
Connection? Someone may know whether there is any connection between Renzo Rossellini (composer for Journey to Italy 1954 – Viaggio in Italia) and Caterina Valente. Something hangs in my mind, but what?
Act II of the Sinatra sextet made me smile – not an easy thing... 'I should stay away/But what can I do?' – Well, we have all been there, and those who have not will be.
Did not know Irving Kahal's 'There Ought to Be a Moonlight Saving Time'. Fascinating way to begin the program. Can't get enough of the moon, so agree.
'I don't think Rita Coolidge has the right voice for a Bond song.' – MS
Agree, but Octopussy had other issues. Do not think Roger Moore had the right persona for a James Bond. That and he was just too darn 'pretty'. Think he made a very good Simon Templar (not as good as George Sanders, but close enough). Plus liked his candor in One Lucky Bastard – his autobiography.
Thanks for all your comments - including the critical ones. On the Town is my 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, I'm a great believer in old-school appointment listening, and love the way Serenade's Saturday schedule flows through the day. However, we appreciate that many potential listeners are, at the appointed hour, shampooing 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/12 noon New York
Sunday 5am London time/9pm Los Angeles
Steyn's Song of the Week continues on Sunday, Monday and Thursday at the usual hour.
