Remember Always - Margaret Schneider

It is another important date

on the Shady Dell calendar.

Today we remember and honor

Margaret Brown Schneider,

precious child of the Dell.

Blessed with longevity,

Margaret earned the

nickname The Oldest

Living Dell Rat as she

approached and then

passed the century mark.

Margaret died six years ago

at the age of 105. Last month

as we celebrated Margaret's

111th birthday, I posted old

songs Margaret might have

known in her youth. Today,

as we remember Margaret

on the date of her death,

I proudly present five

more songs of the past

 that I think she'd enjoy.

1934/1951

Margaret is age 22/39.

 VINTAGE DOLLS 

Meet and greet The Vintage Dolls, a Hungarian vocal trio that performs swing

music of the 1930s and 40s. In 2018, they appeared on Danube TV's Family-

Friendly Magazine and sang the jazz standard "East Of The Sun (And West

Of The Moon)," a song composed in 1934 when Margaret was 22 years old.

It was introduced by the Princeton University Triangle Club theater troupe in

its production of Stags at Bay. The song was first recorded that same year

by Hal Kemp. Versions were later released by Tommy Dorsey with vocals

by Frank Sinatra, by Sarah Vaughan, Benny Goodman, Stan Getz, Louis

Armstrong and many other artists including The Andrews Sisters. Their

1951 version is the one that the The Vintage Dolls will now cover.

Here are The Vintage Dolls - Lili, Eszter and Ágnes - in a live

TV performance in Budapest, singing "East Of The Sun." 

"East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)" - Vintage Dolls

(June 5, 2018, perf. in Budapest on Duna (Danube) Media Service

(Hungarian PBS) television show Family-Friendly Magazine) 

 

1930/1950

Margaret is age 18/38.

 THE BARN-ETTES  

Up next, The Barn-Ettes... another modern girl group that specializes in

music from The Great Depression and WWII years. On their YouTube

channel, The Barn-Ettes describe themselves as "the UK's leading

wartime and vintage harmony group." The English sparrows

are here to help remember and honor Margaret by singing

a song written in 1930 when Margaret was age 18 and

introduced by Ruth Etting in The Nine-Fifteen Revue.

The song is most associated with Judy Garland who

performed it in the 1950 MGM film Summer Stock.

Here now are The Barn-Ettes and-- "Get Happy!"

 "Get Happy" - The Barn-Ettes

(May 2019) 

 

1922/1936/1942

Margaret is age 10/24/30.

 THE BARN-ETTES  

Written, originally recorded and released in 1936 with the title "Weed Smoker's Dream,"

the blues and jazz-influenced pop standard "Why Don't You Do Right?" is considered

a classic "woman's blues" song. One of the best known versions was recorded by

Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman in 1942 and featured the following year in the

movie Stage Door Canteen. Right off the bat, the song's lyrics mention

1922, the year Margaret was ten years old: 

You had plenty money, 1922

You let other women make a fool of you

Why don't you do right, like some other men do

Get out of here and get me some money too 

The Peggy Lee - Benny Goodman single was a million seller and the

inspiration behind this authentic encore performance by The Barn-Ettes! 

"Why Don't You Do Right (Get Me Some Money Too)"

- Peggy Lee/Benny Goodman cover by The Barn-Ettes

(Oct. 2020) 

  

1964

Margaret is age 52.

 THE JIVE ACES 

Now here are The Jive Aces, who describe themselves as "The UK's No.1 Jive

& Swing band bringing you the finest in hot jazz, smooth swing and rockin'

rhythm and blues since 1989!" The band will perform a song first waxed

in June, 1964, and released as a single by Nat King Cole. Here now are

The Jive Aces with the Bert Kaempfert - Milt Gabler ditty- "L.O.V.E." 

"L.O.V.E. - Nat King Cole cover by The Jive Aces

(Jan. 2016) 

  

1936/1954

Margaret is age 24/42.

 THE JIVE ACES 

Finally, as we think about Margaret today and miss her

so terribly... let's remember the words to this song: 

Smile, though your heart is aching

Smile, even though it’s breaking 

It's the song based on the instrumental theme used in the soundtrack of the

1936 Charlie Chaplin film Modern Times. In 1954, Nat King Cole recorded

 the first version with lyrics. Here again are The Jive Aces with-- "Smile." 

"Smile" - The Jive Aces (Dec. 2015) 

I hope you enjoyed this year's tribute to Margaret Schneider

as we observe the 6th anniversary of her death.

Yours was a long life and

a life well lived, Margaret.

We love you... miss you...

and will remember you always.

Call Girls Vol. 1 - Calling All Call Girls!

Welcome to Call Girls...
a new Shady's Place series inspired by

... a feature that I ran on my old blog years ago.

It's another Brain Buster Quiz that tests your music I.Q.

Can your noggin make the grade?

Put on your thinking cap.

  Think hard!

A headache is better than the shame and

embarrassment of the dreaded dunce cap!

Put that away! You won't find the answers in there, toots!

The game is simple. There are 3 hidden songs.

To introduce the songs, I am calling upon the Call Girls -

vintage women shown talking on the telephone,

a common theme in photos of the period.

 The Call Girls are staffing a phone bank located

in the penthouse suite of Shady Towers. 

The phones are ringing off the hook as the ladies take

song requests called in by SPMM radio listeners.

 Based on those phone requests, each Call Girl will play a song for you.

 She'll tell you the name of the artist and provide other clues.

The pictures and illustrations that go along with each

song intro also hint at the title. All you need to do is

When you think of the answer, simply click on the designated image.

You will find out if you are correct and be able to listen to the song. 

 

Check the scoring chart at the end to learn how you rate as a music trivia buff.

 

Okay, it's time to play the game. 

 SONG #1 

Call Girl Betty

Hi! I'm Call Betty, one of Abigail Ambrosia's assistants on the Shady's Place

series Ask Abigail and moonlighting as a Call Girl. I have a listener on the line

who wants me to play a popular song of the mid 60s. Co-written by Marvin Gaye,

it has stood the test of time as one of Motown's signature songs. It was originally

recorded by Martha And The Vandellas, resulting in a #2-charting crossover hit

for the girl group in 1964. My caller wants to hear the groovy cover waxed

by The Mamas And The Papas and released in November, 1966, on the

B side of their single "Words Of Love." By early 1967, this killer bee

had caught on with listeners to become a minor hit in its own right.

As you gaze at these three vintage magazine covers...

you will notice that they are various issues of Calling All Girls.

That is another clue to help you guess the title of the

requested song which begins with the powerful words:

 CALLING OUT AROUND THE WORLD 

 ARE YOU READY FOR A BRAND NEW BEAT? 

Think you know the answer? Can't wait to shout it out loud?

Click on the third issue of Calling All Girls below

to make sure you're right and listen to the song.

 NAME THAT TUNE! 

 MYSTERY SONG #1 

 CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE! 

 SONG #2 

Call Girl Anita

Hello, I'm Call Girl Anita. If you're just tuning in, I'm seated with other

Call Girl women in the phone bank at Shady Towers, taking requests and

playing songs. At this very moment, I'm fielding a call from a listener

who wants to hear a song written by British composer Tony Hatch

for Petula Clark and first recorded by Pet in 1965. Covered that

same year by LA-based middle of the road singer and guitarist

Chris Montez, the song became an Easy Listening standard.

Before I play the song, see if you can guess the title. 

The images I'm showing you depicting vintage women

using the telephone should give you the clues you need.

I can also tell you that this song is not to be confused with

the Blondie hit of the same, the theme from American Gigolo. 

This song contains the lyrics:

 IF YOU'RE FEELING SAD AND LONELY

 THERE'S A SERVICE I CAN RENDER

Now gaze at the last image below and...

 NAME THAT TUNE! 

 MYSTERY SONG #2 

 CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE! 

 SONG #3 

Call Girl Loretta

I'm Call Girl Loretta, and I'm checking this next artist's name

because I never heard it before. I've got an old-timer on the phone

with me. He says he loves rockabilly and would like me to play

a song by, just a moment while I check again, Carl Dobkins Jr.

  Apparently, the song was a top 3 hit in the summer of 1959. 

As you examine this last set of images...

of vintage women and schoolgirls... 

engaging in one of their favorite activities...

note the way the text appears, the one the girl is focusing on.

 It is an important clue to the title of the song.

Here are the opening lyrics: 

 DON'T BELIEVE ALL THOSE LIES

 DARLIN', JUST BELIEVE YOUR EYES

AND LOOK... LOOK...

 NAME THAT TUNE! 

When you've come up with the answer, click on the pic

of the girls below to make sure and to hear the song.

 MYSTERY SONG #3 

 CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE! 

How many Call Girl classics did you guess correctly?

Check the scoring chart below to learn your status.

ALL 3 SONGS CORRECT?

Congratulations!

You are a song scholar

and Call Girl Champion!

2 SONGS CORRECT?

Well done! You are a

promising Call Girl pupil!

1 SONG CORRECT?

Nope! Nope! Nope! 

But there's still hope.

See Shady after class

for remedial tutoring.

0 SONGS CORRECT?

YOU'RE KIDDING,

RIGHT?

(SCROLL DOWN)

Tie  a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree a string around your finger

to remind yourself to be here for the next edition of

Call Girls

... another Shady's Place exclusive!