It don't mean a thing....

Come on finish that sentence. You know you want to.

When I was younger I had the HUGEST crush on Christian Bale. 

(I also had a crush on Charlie Sheen, I had GREAT taste in men when I was 10.)

This crush ended in 2000 when I waited in line for (I don’t want to admit how many) hours to get into the Sundance premiere of American Psycho. They stopped the line only 10 people or so ahead of us. I was bummed, but later found out it was hailed as “pornography” and “the most loathsome film at Sundance.” That same year he played a crazy murderer in Shaft. He had played bad guys before, that was OK, but now he was getting kinda yucky. His personal life started getting a little creepy too.* 

This was also the same year I met my husband who was not a method actor turned crazy person. That is one of the things I found most endearing about him.

But I must credit Christian Bale and the movie Swing Kids for creating my LOVE of music from the 1940’s. 

I believe a better word might be obsession. Music from the 1920’s-1950’s is a passion of mine. Mostly the really happy campy songs and the jazz!

So imagine my surprise when I found out Brenda Sills loves that kind of music as well.

(I always thought we were soul sisters, but now I know it ;)

Brenda is well versed in LOTS of different kinds of music.

She loves the song Who put the Overalls in Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder from the 1890’s (the gay 90’s, were they not?)

From the 1920’s she’s fond of It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t got that Swing (A big song in the aforementioned Swing Kids) Here’s Miss Ella singing it in 1974. She’s AMAZING!

Puttin’ on the Ritz by Harry Richman from the 1930’s
I don’t think this is the version she was thinking of, but it’s easily the funniest.

On the Atichson, Topeka, and the Santa Fe from the 40’s.
She likes the Crosby version, but I couldn’t find the Crosby version. I’m partial to the Harvey Girls version by Garland.

One of my personal favorites that we share is Johnny Mercer’s GI Jive. Here is Louis Jordan singing it.

Some other fun ones she mentioned:

Powder Your Face With Sunshine

~ Evelyn Knight and The Stardusters

Bell Bottom Trousers

~ Jerry Colonna

Cement Mixer

~ Alvino Rey and His Orchestra/Rocky Coluccio, Vocal

Twelfth Street Rag

~ Pee Wee Hunt

We also share and affinity for DANCING to all of this great music.

   [No Video- Dancing TOO spectacular for film]

And why should the fun stop in the 1950’s? We love John Denver’s Grandma’s Featherbed from the 1970’s!

I think I could talk about this topic all week but we should stop here.

If you haven’t delved into the beautifully fun, politically incorrect music of the past here’s one of my favorites:

YOU CAN’T SAY NO TO A SOLDIER

(starting at 2:20)

ENJOY!

 

(*I hope beyond hope that my impression of Christian Bale is wrong and that if he did go creepy, he’s completely normal and happy now. *fingers crossed*)