On this week's edition of Mark Steyn on the Town, we celebrate the centenary of a Broadway blockbuster and of a very chilly woman, plus music from Quebec and Bohemia, and the summer smash of 1899. And we hear a song Sinatra sang as a ballad, as a swinger and as a disco number, but which goes all the way back to his very first summer as a professional singer.
To listen to the programme, simply click here and log-in.
For all of us at SteynOnline, the worst news on the musical front this last week was the death in Tokyo from a massive heart attack of a dear friend and much valued member of our musical family, the brilliant guitarist Russell Malone. Mark will tip his hat to Russell here at SteynOnline tomorrow.
Last week's edition of On the Town attracted a range of comment, especially our Sacroiliac Songbook. Michael Seth, a First Quarter Founding Member of The Mark Steyn Club, says:
A 24/7 All-Sacroiliac format!? Sign me up...
Robert Fox agrees:
Very much enjoyed the Sacroiliac feature as I was listening to the replay while stretching before my early Sunday morning golf match. I could really feel it in my Sacroiliac during the toe touches. That growling trumpet in the song whose title escapes me sounded like someone singing a scat passage. Great show!
That would be Harry James's terrific trumpet on "Melancholy Mood", Robert.
Alison Castellina, a Steyn Clubber in the English Home Counties, writes:
I am definitely replaying Renee Fleming singing Sting's mellifluous 'August Winds'. I love the time travel aspect in these programmes. These compositions, recordings and poems/lyrics are rare letters to us, from the past.
Diane Calabrese preferred our Neapolitan segment:
Lovely to hear a bit of Niccolo Jommelli. Not so lovely to end with Paul Anka ['You're Having My Baby'], whom I do not understand – did however make me smile to think how presumptuous the possessive 'my' is in 2024 (as in neither 'my' nor 'our'.)
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 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.