Dominion Day and Independence Day loom imminently, and we have songs for both on this week's broadcast of Mark Steyn on the Town. However, if you missed today's Serenade Radio edition of Steyn's Song of the Week, we are airing it here at SteynOnline for the very first time:
This week's selection is one of the great iconic moments from the Golden Age of film. The screenwriters of Singin' in the Rain, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, join Mark to talk about the song and the picture. But the number goes back a quarter-century before Gene Kelly and his lamppost, and Steyn tells its story across the decades with help from a cavalcade of singers from Ukulele Ike to Gwyneth Paltrow via Judy Garland and John Martyn.
Click above to listen.
~This airing of our Serenade Radio Song of the Week is a special presentation of The Mark Steyn Club. Thank you for your kind responses to this series. Of our last Serenade presentation, John Lewis, a Steyn Clubber from the English Home Counties, said:
A lovely song, redolent of family holidays in Majorca in more innocent times.
I always found the line about keeping friends of Sacha Distel locked up in an apartment to be a rather disturbing image. Alternately, it could refer to her collection of Topo Gigio merchandise - but maybe I'm over-thinking here.
Mike Jacobs from Florida:
Mark
Thanks, this is an all time fave. I played it constantly on the college radio station back in the early 70's. Usually part of a long love song set (ah the good old days!) it was exotic sounding for the time and that was part of the appeal for me.
Idaho Steyn Clubber Anastasia Griffin says:
Thank you for this, Mark. I'd never heard the history behind the song, but I do recall I was dismissive of it twenty-five years ago. Either because I'm older now and have lost loved ones or because that world is irrevocably gone now, it makes me cry. Where do we go, who've lost our cultural heritage?
From Maryland, Michael Smith:
It truly takes a deft touch to put cultural references to music and still have it resonate six decades later. I agree with Mark that the 1997 followup didn't come close.
Still though it surpassed Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire,' which comes off as written by an angry undergrad locked into the library's 20th Century microfilm collection and told he can't come out till he produces something.
Kansas Steyn Clubber Linda Powers:
Through Song of the Week and Serenade Radio, Mark, you make life a lot more fun. I can't think of a better example than this week's episode, 'Where Do You Go to, My Lovely?'. Music I haven't heard for decades or at all and worthwhile analysis and interesting information too! As always, thanks and know that we are looking forward to next April. Be there.
And one more from First Quarter Founding Member Michael Seth:
The 'essence of identity' and the question of its survival seems an ever more fitting theme these days. Found Johnny Mercer's quote comparing talent and courage interesting, as well as Mark's take on the inherent danger of lyric writing. Very entertaining edition - I particularly liked the Monty Pythonesque needle-drag in defense of the show's easy listening format!
Thank you, Michael. We do enjoy your comments on the show. Steyn Club members are welcome to respond to this week's show below. Alternatively, anybody can leave them over at Serenade Radio, where they love hearing from listeners.
Steyn's Song of the Week airs thrice weekly on Serenade Radio in the UK, one or other of which broadcasts is certain to be convenient for whichever part of the world you're in:
5.30pm Sunday London (12.30pm New York)
5.30am Monday London (4.30pm Sydney)
9pm Thursday London (1pm Vancouver)
Whichever you prefer, you can listen from anywhere on the planet right here.
