BS: NPR's American Popular Music series

Subject: NPR's American Popular Music series
From: Mrrzy
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 09:08 PM

Hi all, I just heard the tail end of a segment that aired tonight, but they said it was the first of a 6-part series. It was during the "fresh air" segment, 6:30 - 7, Eastern time. They were reviewing the work of a woman whose name I have forgotten but she wrote just about everything in the 20's and 30's - Bringing Up Baby, The Sunny Side of the Street, etc. Really interesting stuff, with people playing and singing the old songs, and the columnist then discussing how it related - or not- to The Depression and so on. Fascinating.

Subject: RE: BS: NPR's American Popular Music series
From: Áine
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 09:18 PM

Dear Mrrzy,

It's the show on Dorothy Fields that you're thinking of. If I did everything right, click here for the page that you can listen to the archived show.

It was really great to hear all those old songs, wasn't it? She was a brilliant lyricist, to say the least. And it was especially nice to know that a woman wrote the lyrics to some of the best songs that Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers danced to in those wonderful 30's movies!

-- Áine

Subject: RE: BS: NPR's American Popular Music series
From: thosp
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 09:19 PM

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peace (Y) thosp

Subject: RE: BS: NPR's American Popular Music series
From: Mrrzy
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 10:50 AM

Just reread my original posting - the song was I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby, made famous (for me) by the movie Bringing Up Baby... a little free-association here, sorry! What a great movie!

Subject: RE: BS: NPR's American Popular Music series
From: Mrrzy
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 06:47 PM

Speaking of NPR and music, check out the thread on Tom Dooley...

Subject: RE: BS: NPR's American Popular Music series
From: Shanti
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 06:56 PM

There is a great set of tapes (or CDs) that the Smithsonian compiled, called AMERICAN POPULAR SONG. It starts with Sophie Tucker singing One of These Days...and goes all the way up to the early 60s, I think. They picked what they saw as the definitive recordings of each song. Some of them are just amazing! There are several tracks by Fred Astaire, because Irving Berlin said he'd rather have him introduce a song than anyone else. There are several also by Bing Crosby, including Brother, Can You Spare a Dime, and a bunch by Sinatra. One of the songs by Astaire also features his sister, Adele, with whom he started in show biz. My favorite on the entire set is Our Love is Here to Stay, sung by Gene Kelly, from the soundtrack of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS. I love listening to the old pop stuff...it's still wonderful!

Subject: RE: BS: NPR's American Popular Music series
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 06:56 PM

Not only was that a wonderful program--as are most of the interviews done by Ms Gross---she did one about a month ago where Dick Hyman played the piano and--I forget the name of the singers---re lived some of the great moments of African-AMerican (Negro was the term then) musicals from the beginning of the century. The cannot be re staged due to today's sensibilities, but, as was pointed out, a deeper and more confrontational message was in the lyrics. It was a rouser.

The show comes from WHYY in Phila. and is probably archived should anyone want to check into it. The title:

FRESH AIR.

Bill H

Subject: RE: BS: NPR's American Popular Music series
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 07:20 PM

An afterthought. It is not a new series on American Music. The show is Fresh Air. Interviews of great interest. That was the week of American Popular Music.