Steyn Gets Sporty

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Programming note: Please join Mark later today for Episode Sixteen of his current Tale for Our Time, Bulldog Drummond.

~We regularly receive complaints that SteynOnline does not cover enough sports. So, on this week's edition of Mark Steyn on the Town, Mark attends to the Olympics, the Tour de France and baseball - and Frank Sinatra pinch-hits as a radio sports presenter.

Does that leave room for any music? Just a bit - from Long John Baldry, Mama Cass, Tino Rossi, Doris Day, Gene Kelly and a few more.

To listen to the programme, simply click here and log-in.

Last week's edition of On the Town attracted a range of comment. Jake, a Steyn Clubber from the English West Country, writes:

In your own parlance, Mark, that was one crackerjack show..!

Your set-up for Sinatra's Bongo Bongo song really made me chuckle. His 'native' accent was a hoot, too, and reminded me of Jagger trying to sound African-American on songs such as Luxury. Curious how they don't get any radio play...

The Sinatra Sextet was excellent featuring a phrase I'll remember a lifetime; 'When your lonely heart has learnt its lesson,' and for anyone who's been in deep with someone way out of their league, the song 'She's Funny That Way' can really make you misty.

Fraser adds:

Is there no end to the gifts Mark Steyn's On the Town and Serenade Radio bestows? I was astonished to hear the bell-like voice of Katyna Ranieri's 'Fontana di Trevi' in Cafe Continental. If ever a singer represented the feel and look and manner of Italian mass culture in the 1950s it was she. Fantastic. What next on this wonderful programme? Iva Zanicchi?

As it happens, we had Signorina Zanicchi pencilled in for a few weeks' time, but Mark's now worried it'll look like he's just sucking up, so he may have to cancel it.

Thanks for all your comments. 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, shampooing the cat. So, as a bonus for Steyn Club members, we shall be posting the shows here every weekend.

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.