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.

Honoring Margaret on Her 111th Birthday

"A rose by
any other
name..."

This is an

important

date on the

Shady Dell

calendar.

Our dear friend

Margaret Schneider

...who for years inspired us as

"The Oldest Living Dell Rat"

...was born April 18, 1912,

111 years ago today.

Margaret's father built the

Shady Dell and the family

became its first occupants

when Margaret (right)

was one year old.

To celebrate Margaret's

birthday this year,

I posted a few

vintage film clips

I think she'd enjoy.

PETULA CLARK

English pop singing star Petula Clark is 90 years old now - hard to believe.

In the 1960s, the songstress had a string of hits that started with "Downtown."

Many fans don't know that Petula's career started way back in 1942 when she

developed a following and made a name for herself as a child entertainer on

 BBC Radio. Petula also started appearing in films during the WWII years.

Today, as we celebrate Margaret Schneider's birthday, I think she and

you might enjoy watching a few of Petula's early film performances. 

Please adjust for low audio as you watch this first clip from

a documentary showing Petula as a girl in 1945.

ADJUST FOR LOW AUDIO: 

Petula Clark (1945) 

In her mid teens in 1948, Petula appeared with

Anthony Newley in the British comedy film Vice Versa. 

Petula Clark & Anthony Newley

in scene from Vice Versa (1948) 

Now here's Pet singing "Walking Backwards" in

another 1948 film entitled Here Come The Huggetts. 

"Walking Backwards" - Petula Clark in

scene from Here Come The Huggetts (1948) 

In February, 1949, Pet was barely 16 when she again teamed-up

with Anthony Newley in the movie Vote For Huggett. Here's a

scene with Pet singing "In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree" 

"In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree" - Petula Clark

in scene from Vote For Huggett (1949)

Later that year, Petula appeared in another Huggetts film,

The Huggetts Abroad, and sang "Doodle-oodle-day," 

"Doodle-oodle-day" - Petula Clark in

scene from The Huggetts Abroad (1949) 

In the 1950 British film Don't Ever Leave Me, Petula,

still a teenager, sang "It's Not For the Want of Trying" 

"It's Not For the Want of Trying" - Petula Clark

scene from Don't Ever Leave Me (1950) 

Happy 111th birthday, dear Margaret.

We love you and miss you!

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 five years ago

at the age of 105. Last month,

as we celebrated Margaret's

110th birthday, I posted old

songs Margaret might have

known in her youth. Today,

as we remember Margaret

on the date of her death,

I bring you rare, historic

film clips showing what

life was like in America

when Margaret was a

child and a teenager. 

1912

Margaret is born.

Here's a glimpse of life in 1912, the year construction started on

The Shady Dell, and Margaret Elizabeth Brown came into the world. 

1919

Margaret is age 7. 

At Halloween that year, Congress passed the unpopular National

Prohibition Act over the veto of President Woodrow Wilson.

The act prohibited the sale of alcohol, but the federal

government lacked the resources to enforce it.

By 1925, up to 100,000 speakeasy clubs

had opened in New York City alone. 

This brief report on the Smithsonian Channel from the series:

America In Color: The 1920s, is introduced as follows: 

One of the social side effects of Prohibition was it inspired

many women to break out and challenge the conservative

norms of society. These women were dubbed 'Flappers.' 

 

1920'S

DANCING FLAPPERS 

On his YouTube channel filled with historic film clips,

Walter Nelson introduces the next piece as follows: 

The Jazz Age saw the birth of a new phenomenon:

young ladies who weren't professional performers,

dancing alone or in groups while the rest of the room

watched. It was a celebration of a new freedom

enjoyed by the "flappers" that would have 

been unthinkable in their mothers' time.  

1926

Margaret is age 14. 

In this next vid, Roaring Twenties flappers are having a beach ball

by the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea. The YouTube

channel glamourdaze posted this description: 

A group of affluent college girl flappers travel to the seaside

in Atlantic city in 1926. Shot on a Cine Kodak Model B 16mm

Camera or similar. These women clearly have a few bob to

spare as only middle class could afford little luxuries like

cine cameras, let alone automobiles. Nevertheless, the

1920s saw a seismic shift in women's emancipation

when compared to the previous decade.  

1927

Margaret is age 15.

Here's another restored film posted by glamourdaze with the intro:

Captivating AI enhanced 1920's fashion film. Hollywood

Flappers modeling cloche hats and dresses nearly 100

years ago ! Hollywood actresses Corliss Palmer, Rachel

Torres, Laura La Plante, Ruth Elder and Edna Murphy,

it is one of the very few surviving color fashion films

from the 1920's era of The Great Gatsby. A rare

showcase of genuine 1920's dresses and cloche

hats sold by Sibley's department store in New York. 

1929

Margaret is age 17. 

In 1929, Margaret was around the age of the young women

in this glamourdaze segment. The intro reads as follows:

25 flappers travel to Hollywood to meet Mary Pickford in 1929.

Brought to life with AI deep learning techniques. AI enhanced

edit from a promotional of the "25 Coquette Girls". Winners

of a contest designed to help promote Pickford's

first sound film Coquette (1929). 

A pretty pleasant trip back in time to the final year

of the Roaring Twenties. The 1920's fashions are a

delight. All those bobbed hairstyles and cloche hats ! 

The girls are filmed on a boat to Catalina and also 

heading up the funicular railway at Mount Lowe.

I hope you enjoyed this special Roaring Twenties flapper

edition of my annual tribute to Margaret Schneider

as we mark the 5th 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.

Honoring Margaret on Her 110th Birthday

"A rose by
any other
name..."

This is an

important

date on the

Shady Dell

calendar.

Our dear friend

Margaret Schneider

...who for years inspired us as

"The Oldest Living Dell Rat"

...was born April 18, 1912,

110 years ago today.

Margaret's father built the

Shady Dell and the family

became its first occupants

when Margaret (right)

was one year old.

To celebrate Margaret's

birthday this year,

I posted five songs

I think she'd enjoy.

Maybe she listened

to some of these

in her early years.

THE SHOUT SISTERS 

I introduced The Shout Sisters last May on the anniversary of Margaret's death.

As you recall, The Shout Sisters - Louise Messenger, Noelle Davies-Brock &

Elise Roth - are Australian jazz singers who relocated to London. The three-

part close harmony vocal group pays musical tribute to The Boswell Sisters

and other girl groups of the early and mid 20th century. Watch and listen

as The Shout Sisters cover "Near You", a 1947 tune by Francis Craig

& Kermit Goell, and add a spooky twist reminiscent of The Shining. 

"Near You" - The Shout Sisters (Oct. 2020) 

THE ROSS SISTERS 

Now meet three Texas-born sisters - stage names Maggie Ross,

Aggie Ross and Elmira Ross. Billed as The Ross Sisters. the

siblings enjoyed moderate success in show biz in the 1940s.

In this scene from the 1944 musical Broadway Rhythm, The Ross Sisters

earn their reputation as "human pretzels" performing the creative, energetic,

acrobatic, contortionist song and dance routine-- "Solid Potato Salad." 

"Solid Potato Salad" - The Ross Sisters

 (scene from Apr. 1944 film Broadway Rhythm) 

THE DINNING SISTERS

  

The Kansas-born, Oklahoma raised Dinning Sisters - "Lou" Dinning,

Jean Dinning and "Ginger" Dinning, were Capitol Records' answer

to The Andrews Sisters. The Dinnings have also been compared

to The Lennon Sisters. The siblings traveled to Chicago and

became the highest paid radio act in the Windy City.  

As we watch these scenes from the

1939 Cary Grant - Carole Lombard

romantic drama film In Name Only,

listen to The Dinning Sisters' 1943

recording of a song introduced in the

1936 musical comedy Swing Time,

and notably waxed in 1956 by the

LA doo-wop quartet The Jaguars

and in 1961 by The Lettermen--

"The Way You Look Tonight." 

"The Way You Look Tonight"

The Dinning Sisters (recorded

1943, from 1945 album Songs

By The Dinning Sisters, scenes

from 1939, film In Name Only) 

GLENN MILLER

AND HIS ORCHESTRA

I think Margaret would enjoy the following scene from the 1941 movie

Sun Valley Serenade. Watch and listen as Glenn Mller and his orchestra

delight the crowd of nightclub dancers with the big band-era jazz

standard Miller and his musicians recorded and made popular--

"In The Mood." 

"In The Mood" - Glenn Miller And His Orchestra

(from Aug. 1941 film Sun Valley Serenade) 

LINDSEY STIRLING 

Finally, here's one of the 21st century’s most innovative stars -

electronic violinist, songwriter, dancer and artist Lindsey Stirling

of Phoenix, Arizona. Lindsey's groundbreaking vision of cinematic

violin-driven electronic music has gained her millions of adoring

fans worldwide and four chart-topping albums. Experience the

wonder of "Masquerade," a song and official music video

from Lindsey's 5th studio album, Artemis. 

"Masquerade" - Lindsey Stirling

(July 2021 single & video from

Sept. 2019, album Artemis) 

Happy 110th birthday, dear Margaret.

We love you and miss you!

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 four years ago

at the age of 105. Last month

as we celebrated Margaret's

109th birthday, I posted old

songs Margaret might have

known in her youth. Today,

as we remember Margaret

on the date of her death,

I offer a few more songs

I think she would enjoy.

 KATE SMITH AND 

 THE 5 DeMARCO SISTERS 

Our dear Margaret would be the first

to remind you not to dwell on your

setbacks and losses. To remember

Margaret today, here's a song that

urges you to leave your worries on

the doorstep and direct your feet to

the sunny side of the street. Written

in 1930 when Margaret was 18, the

song was introduced in the Broad-

way musical Lew Leslie's Inter-

national Revue. To sing it here

are the Five DeMarco Sisters,

the close harmony group from

Rome, New York, that was a hit

on radio, TV and film from the

30s thru the 60s. In early 1953

the sister act performed the

song with host Kate Smith

on The Kate Smith Hour.

 

"On The Sunny Side Of The Street"

 Kate Smith and The Five DeMarco Sisters

(perf. on Jan. 30, 1953, ep. of The Kate Smith Hour) 

Last month on Margaret's birthday

you saw Tatiana Eva-Marie and

her Avalon Jazz Band perform

"Fit As A Fiddle," a popular

standard best known for

being featured in the

1952 movie musical

Singing in the Rain.

I'd like you to hear

how the famous title

song sounded back

in 1929, the year

Margaret (right)

was 17 years old. 

 THE BROX SISTERS 

I present to you The Brox Sisters, a trio of singing siblings that was popular in

the 1920s and 30s. In this rare clip, The Brox Sisters along with the cast of the

film Hollywood Revue of 1929 perform a grand rendition of "Singing in the Rain." 

"Singing in the Rain" - The Brox Sisters

and cast of film Hollywood Revue of 1929. 

 THE SHOUT SISTERS 

In last year's post honoring Margaret, I introduced The Boswell Sisters,

the close harmony singing trio of the 1930s jazz and swing era. Today

I present The Shout Sisters, a London-based three-part vocal harmony

group that pays musical tribute to The Boswell Sisters and other

girl groups of the early and mid 20th century. Let's peek over

their shoulders as The Shout Sisters, Louise Messenger,

Noelle Davies-Brock and Elise Roth, gather 'round

the piano and practice their Boswell Sisters

arrangement of "Lullabye of Broadway,"

a song introduced in the musical

film Gold Diggers of 1935.

"Lullabye Of Broadway" - The Shout Sisters

(January 2021)

 THE SHOUT SISTERS 

At the start of 1932, Louis Armstrong had a hit with the popular song

and jazz standard "All Of Me." Some say Billie Holiday's 1941

version is definitive. Here again are The Shout Sisters,

the amazing retro girl group from the UK, doing

their outstanding rendition of "All Of Me." 

"All Of Me" - The Shout Sisters

(March 2020) 

 THE SWING NINJAS 

 FT. THE SHOUT SISTERS 

It's a Shout Sisters triple play! Watch & listen as they do "Bye Bye Blues,"

a popular song and jazz standard written and published in 1925 when

our dear Margaret Schneider was 13 years old. The most successful

version of the song was recorded in 1952 by Les Paul and Mary Ford.

In a performance staged earlier this year, these wonderful warblers,

The Shout Sisters, are backed by the Brighton band The Swing Ninjas.

"Bye Bye Blues" - The Swing Ninjas

featuring The Shout Sisters

(January 2021)

I hope you enjoyed this musical tribute

to Margaret Schneider... and I can't

help believing that she did, too.

Yours was a long life and

a life well lived, Margaret.

We love you... miss you...

and will remember you always.