ADD: The Gillette Look Sharp March

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: clueless don
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 09:10 AM

Yeah, in the dim recesses of my memory I remember it starting

To look sharp,
and to be sharp too

and then something about "the razor that is made for you". Or something like that.

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 02:15 PM

Aw yes........I well remember but I too just remember the snippets......and that we played an instrumental only version one year in marching band.

I also associate this with the Wednesday Night Fights.

Like probably a good number around here, I started shaving with a Gillette Safety Razor and Blue Blades. The stainless steel "long lasting" (meaning maybe 3 shaves) blades came out sometime then as well. I learned how to use a straight razor to "be cool" but what a pain in the ass that was. So I used my trusty Safety Razor. But as the 60's passed and the 70's moved along, another revolution took place. I think it was the "Techmatic" that may have been first but razors changed with easier and more cut free designs that required less and less skill to use. The things they sell now have about a half dozen blades lined up and yet to cut yourself you have to be a complete moron.

So when Karen's Grandad died about 10 years back, we were going through his things with Karen's grandmother and ran across an almost new Gillette Safety Razor and a pristine container of "Super Blue" blades. I don't think I was on drugs or drunk at the time but for some ungodly reason I was overcome with feelings of nostalgia and decided to have a shave with it.

Now I hadn't used a Safety Razor in probably 30 years and to say I nicked myself would be inaccurate. I actually cut the livin' shit out of myself! Geeziz, it was awful! I couldn't even touch the friggin' thing to my face without doing a slice and dice. My face began to resemble Steak Tartar.........Holy Christ it was hideous. Stitches were discussed but not required although a trip to the drugstore for more bandaids was a necessity. A transfusion was narrowly averted.

I would suggest that if you have become accustomed to the newer razors, no amount of nostalgic feeling should ever make you feel the need to return to a Safety Razor. For the life of me I can't think what the fuck is "safe" about them.

Spaw
Spaw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: Peace
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 01:25 PM

Note that every time is used in the song as an adjective-noun combination. Might be a good consideration when one is searching.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: Peace
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 01:15 PM

Look sharp, feel sharp, be sharp (that's a C)
To look sharp every time you shave,
To feel sharp and be on the ball,
Just be sharp,
Use Gillette's new blades
'Cause they take the least
Face of all.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 01:12 PM

I have just found out that the sheet music complete with lyrics was published in a book called "Great Songs Of Madison Avenue". Someone who has the book will be contacting me shortly and I will be able to post them, hopefully by tonight.

                                                 SOL

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 12:44 PM

I remember the first line as:

To look sharp everytime you shave.

Beyond that I do not remember any of the lyrics. I am starting a project to create midi-karaoke files of many famous commercials.
I already have the complete "Mr. Clean" and "Mr. Softee" files done.
If anyone wants them just PM me with your e-mail address and I will send them to you free of charge.

                                                    SOL

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: GUEST,crazy little woman
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 10:27 AM

I googled 'to look sharp and be on the ball' and found this version in a piece of fiction

To look sharp and be on the ball,
To feel sharp when you hear the call,
To be sharp use Gillette Blue Blades,
For the very closest shave of all.
[something like that]

How does that sound?

If you don't think it's right, you could do the same and keep looking at more pages.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 10:22 AM

Thanks for the memory, Sol. Sorry I can't supply the lyrics! I can get them started -

To look sharp and be on the ball
To feel sharp something something all
To be sharp -------


When I was a kid, this music would grip me, and when the commercial was over, I would wander off, so boring was the game to follow.

I'm still not normal.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: Peace
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 12:31 AM

Yeah. I know.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 16 Oct 07 - 11:58 PM

The site is very interesting but it does not provide the complete lyrics, which is what I am looking for.

                                                       SOL

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: Peace
Date: 16 Oct 07 - 11:18 PM

Info from the Jingle Hall of Fame


"To Look Sharp" [Gillette Safety Razors and Razor Blades]
   [aka: "Look Sharp March",
         "Be Sharp March" and
         "Look Sharp/Be Sharp March"]
    music by Mahlon Merrick;
   [Note that the first citation is a Movie, probably used
    to open the "Gillette Cavalcade of Sports"...]
   "Look Sharp March Opening" (c) Oct. 1, 1952; MP 3 169.
   "To Look Sharp"            (c) Oct. 23, 1953; EP 75 261.

The site itself is worth looking at:


http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:aRHuche9RS8J:www.classicthemes.com/50sTVThemes/thoseOldJingles.html+The+Gillette+Look+Sharp+

Subject: Lyr Req: 'The Gillette Look Sharp March'
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 16 Oct 07 - 11:07 PM

Now that World Series season is upon us it brings back memories of the Gillette razor commercial jingle that ran in the 1950s and 1960s.
The official title of the jingle is "The Gillette Look Sharp March" and it was written by Mahlon Merrick. If anyone has ALL the words to this song please post them here.

                                                 SOL

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look Sharp March
From: GUEST,Mason Barge
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 07:29 PM

There were later lyrics, which I am quoting from memory:

To look sharp, and to feel sharp too,
The razor, that is made for you,
Light, regular, or heavy, HEY
It's the way to get a closer shave.

I think this was to introduce a safety razor with variable settings.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look Sharp March
From:
Date: 05 Sep 04 - 07:07 PM

Looks like Catspaw has confirmed the words I delievered earlier::

GILLETTE BLUE BLADES Mahlon Merrick To look sharp every time you shave, To feel sharp and be on the ball, To be sharp, Use Gillette Blue Blades, It's the quickest, slickest shave of all!

Subject: Parody: Look Sharp March
From:
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 05:38 PM

A Cub Scout Parody:

Look Sharp (Tune: Gillette Look Sharp March) To look sharp (clap) be a C-U-B To feel sharp (clap) be a C-U-B To be sharp (clap) be a Den*.....Cub We're the best den in the U.S.A (clap-clap) *Insert den number in line three

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look Sharp March
From:
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 05:07 PM

Check also for these two books TV Fakebook & TV Themes. Apparently both of them have it in there plus many others.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look Sharp March
From:
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 05:02 PM

I find that there is a place advertising Jingle Songbooks from the 50s. It says the music of the jingle is from Mahlon Merrick. See Those Old Jingles. And From Marketing Your Adult Literacy Program

To look sharp every time you shave,
To feel sharp and be on the ball,
To be sharp, use Gillette Blue Blades,
It's the quickest, slickest shave of all!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look Sharp March
From:
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 04:53 PM

A fellow named Joe Jackson sings Look Sharp

That probably isn't it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Look Sharp March
From:
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 04:50 PM

The only words I've found are

To look sharp you've got to be sharp, to be sharp you've got to get sharp

Subject: Lyr Req: Look Sharp March
From: GUEST,kwikwater
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 09:47 AM

Looking for the words to the "Look Sharp March" The Gillette advertising jingle of the 50's. I can find books on online, but no lyrics.