|
24 Jan 06 - 06:27 PM (#1655012) Subject: Meaning and origin of Ham's Bear From: HiHo_Silver Would like to know what "Ham's Bear" refers to in the song "Gonna Hire a Wino" Have never heard of this term. We have been singing the song with the line "When Ham's Bear Says closing time" as "When the hands up there say closing time". which upon researching the lyrics is incorect. This is a totally unfamilar term on the east coast of Canada. |
|
24 Jan 06 - 06:37 PM (#1655028) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Ham's Bear From: Uncle_DaveO They are talking about "Hamm's Beer". The brewer distributes promotional items to bars, and among them are wall clocks with "Hamm's Beeer" prominently across the face. Dave Oesterreich |
|
24 Jan 06 - 06:39 PM (#1655034) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Ham's Bear From: Uncle_DaveO The brewer, which employs better spellers than I apparently am, calls that "Hamm's Beer", with only two E's in "beer". Dave Oesterreich |
|
24 Jan 06 - 06:56 PM (#1655059) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Ham's Bear From: HiHo_Silver Thanks Dave. I can relate to that as we have clocks from different brewers in this area. Have never heard of Hamm's Beer but expect it is a tasty brew. Do like my beer. |
|
24 Jan 06 - 07:43 PM (#1655088) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Ham's Bear From: Jim Dixon Hamm's was a brand of beer made by the Theodore Hamm Brewing Company, formerly of St. Paul, Minnesota, now defunct (I think). The bear was the cartoon mascot of the company. See Wikipedia article |
|
24 Jan 06 - 08:29 PM (#1655134) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Ham's Bear From: open mike their theme song was from the land of sky blue waters... with a drum beat that sounded like tribal tom toms... and many of the signs had motorized action parts, revolviong, or whatever that appeared to make the water flow and created a water fall effect... http://hipminnesota.blogspot.com/2005/12/hamms-beer-bear.html It's the refreshingest they may have also said "The Pause that refreshes" (?) in adverts.. and there aften were canoes in the scene, too. |
|
24 Jan 06 - 08:37 PM (#1655136) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Ham's Bear From: Once Famous Hamm's Beer is known throughout the midwest, but was most famous during the 50's & 60's when it sponsored the Chicago Cubs on WGN-TV. Their commercials featured a cartoon character known as the Hamm's Bear and his mostly mis-adventures. The song above was played throughout the commercial. The Hamm's Bear in Chicago was as well known as any other cartoon character was, and the commercials were kind of a cartoon treat in between innings of the Cubs' broadcasts. The animation was as good as any other regular cartton done by Warner Bros or Terrytoons from that time. The Hamm's Bear lives warmly in the nostalgic heart of kids from that era in Chicago. |
|
25 Jan 06 - 01:23 AM (#1655227) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Ham's Bear From: GUEST,Art Thieme Hamms Beer Vince Lloyd Jack Brickhouse They run together in my mind--and it brings back an era when Bob Rush, Hank Sauer, Don Kessenger, Ron Santo, Harry Chiti, Frankie Baumholtz, Phil Cavaretta, Ernie Banks and so many more occupied the minds of so many kids in Chicago then. And that commercial meant you had to listen to the whole damn song before the TV would get back to baseball. I hated that dumb bear! It was an era of low salaried ball players who, for the most part, didn't deserve more. In the grandstand, you could put your feet on the seat in front of you, and put your hot dog on the seat to your left. Your Coke would go on the seat to your right because there were no fans occupying them. The stands were never ever anywhere near even a third full. The 7th inning came around and the gates would be opened up for those who wanted to leave early could pour out of the place. (The Cubs were always losing back then!)----And us kids would file in free after school and get a gunny sack we'd fill with dead beer cups and hot-dog wrappers. We'd get a pass for the next days game for doing that. Pure nostalgia. And it was all tied in with that song and the bear. Nice thread... Art |
|
25 Jan 06 - 02:22 AM (#1655238) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Ham's Bear From: katlaughing There's a great book called "Elephants in the Living Room, Bears in the Canoe" which was written by a couple who trained animals for commercials, but also took in "waif" critters of all kinds, including a baby elephant which they raised in their house until she became to big. They also had a big old bear which was featured in later commercials for Hamms, in a real canoe. The book chronicles their misadventures in rescuing, caring for, and training animals to do such things. Lots of used editions out there for sale and well worth the read, imo: Paperback 160 pages (March 22, 1979) Publisher: Sphere ISBN: 0722142161 kat |
|
25 Jan 06 - 02:23 AM (#1655239) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Ham's Bear From: GUEST http://www.beer-steins.com/hamms.html SEE THE BEAR HERE! |
|
25 Jan 06 - 09:26 AM (#1655406) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: Bonnie Shaljean Thanks you guys - you've just hatched an ear-worm I'd forgotten I had: Anyone remember their slogan? Mmmmmmm... Hammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmms !! |
|
25 Jan 06 - 10:02 AM (#1655431) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: Uncle_DaveO In response to someone's allusion above, "The Pause That Refreshes" was not Hamm's Beer, but was the copyrighted advertising phrase of some little obscure beverage called Coca-Cola. Dave Oesterreich |
|
25 Jan 06 - 10:45 AM (#1655471) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: katlaughing I thought their slogan was always "From the land of sky blue waters?" Maybe that was just the "theme?" Anyway, here's a fun article about history of beer commercials, with a bit about the bear: Hamming It Up Never were the advantages of animation better exploited than in the long-running commercials featuring the wacky-go-lucky Hamm's bear. Making his television debut in 1953, the Hamm's bear ultimately became one of history's most recognized advertising figures. In 1965, the Audit Research Bureau reported that the bear ranked first in "best liked" advertisements nationwide, an impressive achievement considering that Hamm's commercials aired in only 31 states. At least two aspects of the Hamm's bear commercials were critical to their overwhelming success. First, each spot was, in itself, a miniature story, complete with plot, characters, conflict, and (if the bear was lucky) resolution. The spots had genuine entertainment value and elicited good viewer attention. Second, the animation and interspersed real-life shots dramatically showcased Minnesota's pristine wilderness--the crystal-clear lakes, the heavy foliage, the abundant wildlife--in order to drive home the Hamm's theme: "From the Land of Sky Blue Waters." Consumer perception that Hamm's Beer was pure, natural and refreshing was thus achieved through vivid imagery instead of trite, easily forgettable ad copy. By 1969, the future of the Hamm's Bear was uncertain, as the brewery's advertising direction began to change. Nevertheless, over the next 20 years, the bear would be called upon periodically to replay his role as chief Hamm's Beer salesman. In 2000, St. Paul's Pioneer Press named the bear as a runner-up on its list of "150 Influential Minnesotans of the Past 150 Years." Not bad for a bit of animation, eh? |
|
25 Jan 06 - 02:43 PM (#1655521) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: open mike my illusion--allusion not the pause that refreshes but the refreshingest |
|
25 Jan 06 - 03:28 PM (#1655555) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: PoohBear I grew up in a household where the beer was more likely to be Guinness or Bass but when we went on camping trips Dad would drink domestic something from a can - presumably because the containers wouldn't break if my sister and I dropped the cooler! Hamms was one of the brands on those camping trips. . . and the bear made those commercials some of my favorites! PB |
|
25 Jan 06 - 04:15 PM (#1655572) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: Bat Goddess I remember it as "From the land of sky blue waters (waters) / Comes the beer refreshing." The tavern tie-ins and the commercials are very fondly remembered. Now I'll have the jingle going through my head for the rest of the day! (And visions of bears, canoes and flowing water.) Linn, the Milwaukee girl |
|
25 Jan 06 - 05:06 PM (#1655597) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: Bonnie Shaljean It was Olympia Beer that came from The land of sky blue waters, surely... I always liked the way they stretched out the "Hamm's" to make the mmmmm in the middle - |
|
25 Jan 06 - 06:32 PM (#1655667) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: artbrooks The bear was Hamm's "mascot" for many years, even though the brand itself changed ownership many times. It is not one of the world's great beers...it fact, IMHO, it ranks somewhere between Bud and black and white Beer, and its best use is probably slug bait. |
|
25 Jan 06 - 06:33 PM (#1655668) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: Kaleea My little brother & I used to sneak out of bed late at night when we heard those tomtoms, then peek around the hall corner to watch the commercials. Nevertheless, I never did have the taste for beers. |
|
25 Jan 06 - 06:39 PM (#1655673) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: artbrooks BTW, Oly's slogan was "It's the water". |
|
25 Jan 06 - 06:58 PM (#1655691) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: Kaleea My little brother & I used to sneak out of bed late at night when we heard those tomtoms, then peek around the hall corner to watch the commercials. Nevertheless, I never did have the taste for beers. |
|
25 Jan 06 - 10:51 PM (#1655798) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: Chip2447 Hamm's was the beer dad always had around, and thus my first foray into beer. "Hey Chip, all we have is cheap beer." To which my reply is "I grew up on Hamm's, (with and occassional Olympia, Stag and Coors tossed in) I can drink anything." Fortunaly, as I have grown older I have refined my palate, now its the BEAST that winds up being the beer I drink. LOL... Although, the local Mirobrewery's oil change stout is pretty tasty. Gimme a Guinness or a Bass any day. Chip2447 (whose life changed when he found out that "American" beers weren't the only brews out there.) |
|
12 Apr 14 - 05:11 PM (#3618004) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: GUEST Ham's Bear is a German Clock!!!! |
|
09 Dec 20 - 02:53 AM (#4082547) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: GUEST It’s referring g to the bear in a clock in a bar, specifically a Hamms beer sign. |
|
09 Dec 20 - 09:14 AM (#4082593) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: Phil Cooper I have memories of drinking flat Hamm's beer as a college student in a bar. They probably hadn't cleaned the tap lines out in years. Talk about a skunky after taste. But it was 25 cents a glass (mid 1970's). I never did try a can of it before the brand disappeared. I did like the commercials as a kid. |
|
09 Dec 20 - 10:36 AM (#4082607) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: Stilly River Sage Land of Sky Blue Waters commercial from the 1950s with the bear dancing on a log in the river. It's the one that is the most important of the batch on YouTube, in my humble opinion (and having seen this on TV when I was a kid). |
|
09 Dec 20 - 08:38 PM (#4082684) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: GUEST,Jerome Clark In the 1950s and '60s Hamm's and Grain Belt (which both still exist but under other ownership; these days Grain Belt, brewed by Schell's in New Ulm, Minnesota, has the greater market share) were just about the only beers available in Minnesota, where both were based. Hamm's beer was known to anybody who watched television, even those who (like me) were too young to drink it.. In those days it was an undistinguished lager, but so were all the other popular brews in mid-century America. This was well before the welcome arrival of craft beers. |
|
09 Dec 20 - 10:43 PM (#4082691) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: Stilly River Sage This was well before the arrival of dark beers, that made beer interesting in the 1970s (in my experience.) |
|
10 Dec 20 - 12:36 AM (#4082693) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Bear From: Joe Offer I reached the age of 18 when I was a freshman in college in 1966, which meant I could drink beer in some counties in Wisconsin. I was in school in Milwaukee, and we would drive two counties south to eat pizza and drink beer and play drinking games at Shakey's Pizza on Interstate 94 outside Kenosha....and then drive two counties back after drinking pitchers of beer. While Wisconsin was well-known for its own beer, it seemed the most popular brand was Hamm's, which came from Minnesota. I remember getting a "shorty" (7 ounces, I think) of draft Hamm's for 15 cents. Those were the days. From the Land of Sky Blue Waters, capturing the frosty enchantment... -Joe- https://vimeo.com/349210459 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZh66cyCCE8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VA58PYeWAg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KuDET1PvTY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfY_uPLXeAc |
|
10 Dec 20 - 10:54 AM (#4082755) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Beer Bear From: GUEST,Lou In San Francisco, there was a Hamm's Brewery at the West end of the Bay Bridge, and a large illuminated sign on the roof which would fill up with golden light with a nice white head on the top, then blink off and say HAMM'S, then start to fill up again. As a kid riding with parents I would hope to see it one more time as we drove by. Late 60s or 70s they tore it down, sadly. |
|
10 Dec 20 - 11:00 AM (#4082760) Subject: RE: Meaning and origin of Hamm's Beer Bear From: GUEST,Lou I forgot to mention that the sign was in the shape of that tapered beer glass like the one in the first commercial above. I'd never seen one in person so it was a novelty. |