Underwhelming Musical Rascals Facts 'n Factoids

[malaria]

1.  "Kealakekua" is actually not terribly hard to pronounce.  Hatley's version was actually pretty good, compared to other (numerous) covers.

2.  To my knowledge, the lyric "I'm the barber of Seville" does not in fact appear (in any language whatsoever) in the opera of that name.

3.  "Baby Face" also has ten trillion covers, including one fairly decent disco version that charted in the mid-70s. 

4.  "Jimmy Had A Nickel" was an actual pop song and not a Shield/Hatley concoction.  A version by Abe Lyman (who he?) and his "California Orchestra" is a bit more musically complex and replete with "swing" hooks.

5.  Stymie's classic harmonica solo on "Hungarian Dance #5" was a nice homage to Brahms, who, it should be noted, was not remotely Hungarian; he was German, and relocated to Vienna, though Austria was obviously part of the Austro-Hungarian empire (which in any event had busted up well before Stymie's harmonica virtuosity).

6.  Sinatra, Darin, Bond:  all covered "Just Friends/Lovers No More."

7.    Something about water:  rare songs recorded in basso profundo were "Old Man River"... and "Asleep In The Deep."  Robeson > Chaney, of course.

8.  Olive Brasno's annoying "ice cream" song was not a pop song, and was written by Hatley and (of all people) BILLY GILBERT.  ("Whooping cough!")


 

[mtw12055]

More Factoids -

9. The harmonica performance from Stymie is actually stock audio from the Charley Chase comedy THE TABASCO KID.

10. Chase also performed "Asleep in the Deep" in his short comedy ROUGH SEAS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4gB09N7vcA&t

11. "Here Comes the Ice Cream Man" is yet another tune that originated in a Charley Chase comedy, that being I'LL TAKE VANILLA, costarring Tommy Bond. Chase's version goes on a bit longer.

12. "Swing Along," the phonograph song heard in SPANKY, is stock audio from Laurel & Hardy's PARDON US, where it was performed by The Etude Ethiopian Choir. The group also appears in LITTLE DADDY and LITTLE SINNER.

13. The saxophone piece performed by the Weidler brothers in THE PINCH SINGER is "Good Morning, Children." It's also the tune that the Meglin Kiddies perform their dance number to in OUR GANG FOLLIES OF 1936. A portion also appears in OUR GANG FOLLIES OF 1938, just before Alfalfa first sings. The song was originally written for the Hal Roach comedy MIXED NUTS. (16:38) -

youtu.be/Cw3Cp4kuA_I?t=998

14. The piece heard while Spanky performs his "old act" in PAY AS YOU EXIT is "He Peddled His Bristles to Women." This is yet another tune that came from a Charley Chase comedy - IT HAPPENED ONE DAY.

15. Many of Alfalfa's songs in the Roach comedies were not first choices. Oftentimes, other songs would be considered, but quickly thrown out when the licensing fees turned out to be too high. One notable example is Alfie's big number in HEARTS ARE THUMPS. Originally they wanted him to sing (what else?) "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles."

I'll try to get some of these other songs up soon. Charley Chase and Marvin Hatley sure seemed to like silly lyrics. Chase also infamously brought "Swingin' the Alphabet" ("B-A-BAY, B-E-BE, B-I-BICKY BI, B-O-BO...") to The Three Stooges. The song was passed down from Charley's maid, who would often sing it to Charley's children.

[mtw12055]

Here Comes the Ice Cream Man

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g5SbDueQAw


He Peddled His Bristles to Women
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Olf6zEKfJo