A Diller, A Dollar (1955) (continued)

[Wilson Gray]

On Mar 31, 2005, at 7:46 PM, Robert Fitzke wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Robert Fitzke <fitzke at MICHCOM.NET>
> Subject:      Re: A Diller, A Dollar (1955) (continued)
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
>
> My folks used to have some of Bing's stuff. I don't remember ever
> hearing
> him do "Shine" but I do have a recollection of a multiple 78 disc set
> that
> was some kind of historical/patriotic thing in which he sings/talks
> about
> "We are endowed by our Creator wioth certain inalienable rights and
> among
> these rights ate LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS". I can
> still
> hear it my head. Also there were references to Chaim (?) Solomon and
> other
> Revolutionary figures. Stirring stuff to a kid in his single digits. I
> used
> to think Bing was somewhat square until I heard him do some stuff with
> Louis
> and then Ella. That changed my views. I also suspect he recognized the
> in-your-face lyrics of Shine when he did his version.
>
> Bob

That Der Bingle made a version of "Shine" with the Mills Brothers is
just something that I read in a message posted on some Web site in
Sweden. (No, I can't read Swedish. Fortunately, Swedes can write in
English.) I can't vouch for the accuracy of the claim. It sounds like
BS to me. I'm sorry that I didn't make that clear. FWIW, the date of
the Crosby/Mills Brothers version was given as 1924.

"Where the blue of the night
  "Meets the gold of the day,
   "Someone waits for me."

For some reason, I ain't never dug me no whole lot of Louis Armstrong.
However, Ella is another matter. For many years, my favorite Ella song
was "Wubba Dolly." This may have been the B side of "A-tiskit
A-tasket." I was very young, at the time. I remember for certain that
we had both songs, but I can't recall whether they were on different
platters or not.

I recall learning a prescriptive rule to the effect that "or not" is
not to be used in conjunction with "whether," because "or not" is
redundantly implied by the use of "whether" or some such justification.
Does anyone else recall having to learn such a rule a rule?
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Wilson Gray" <wilson.gray at RCN.COM>
> To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 12:36 PM
> Subject: Re: A Diller, A Dollar (1955) (continued)
>
>
>> On Mar 30, 2005, at 9:18 PM, Robert Fitzke wrote:
>>
>>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>> -----------------------
>>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>> Poster:       Robert Fitzke <fitzke at MICHCOM.NET>
>>> Subject:      Re: A Diller, A Dollar (1955) (continued)
>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> --
>>> --------
>>>
>>> The Verse seems to support the notion the author was turning lemons
>>> into
>>> lemonade. Laine's version changes "Takes trouble...." to "Always take
>>> my
>>> troubles with a great big smile" then "Just 'cause I'm always handy,
>>> Always
>>> feelin' fine and dandy, That is...."
>>>
>>> Did you get anything about the author?
>>>
>> Damn! I didn't think about that at all. Hm. I'll see what I can find
>> out. BTW, if I remember what I read correctly, way, way back when,
>> Bing
>> Crosby did a version of this in which he was backed up by the Mills
>> Brothers. Der Bingle sang the "dirty" version, with the Brothers
>> backgrounding him with a cleaned-up version. Weird, even if not true.
>> *Really* weird, if true.
>>
>> -Wilson Gray
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Wilson Gray" <wilson.gray at RCN.COM>
>>> To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>> Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 7:50 PM
>>> Subject: Re: A Diller, A Dollar (1955) (continued)
>>>
>>>
>>>> 1910 version of "Shine"
>>>>>
>>>>> VERSE
>>>>> When I was born they christened me plain Samuel Johnson Brown.
>>>>> But I hadn't grown so very tall, 'fore some folks in this town
>>>>> Had changed it 'round to "Sambo." I was "Rastus" to a few.
>>>>> Then "Chocolate Drop" was added by some others that I knew.
>>>>> And then, to cap the climax, I was strolling down the line
>>>>> When someone shouted, "Fellas, hey! Come on and pipe the shine!"
>>>>> But I don't care a bit.
>>>>> Here's how I figure it:
>>>>>
>>>>> CHORUS
>>>>>
>>>>> Well, just because my hair is curly,
>>>>> And just because my teeth is pearly,
>>>>> Just because I always wears a smile,
>>>>> Likes to dress up in the latest style.
>>>>> Just because I'm glad I'm livin',
>>>>> Takes trouble smilin', never whine.
>>>>> Just because my color's shady,
>>>>> Slightly different, maybe.
>>>>> That is why they call me shine.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Mar 27, 2005, at 3:14 PM, Robert Fitzke wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>>>> -----------------------
>>>>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>>>> Poster:       Robert Fitzke <fitzke at MICHCOM.NET>
>>>>> Subject:      Re: A Diller, A Dollar (1955) (continued)
>>>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>> --
>>>>> --
>>>>> --------
>>>>>
>>>>> Dear Mr. Gray:
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm a 79 year old semi-retired lawyer and long-time ADS lurker. I'm
>>>>> also a
>>>>> long-time collector of jazz  records (since age 12) with something
>>>>> more than
>>>>> 1,000 albums. I recently bought a CD of Frankie Laine hits (he was
>>>>> big
>>>>> in my
>>>>> late teens/early twenties) that includes a cut of "Shine". In
>>>>> listening to
>>>>> it I think I really heard the lyrics for the first time. The
>>>>> thought
>>>>> ocurred
>>>>> that there must be something more behind these lyrics than it
>>>>> appears
>>>>> from a
>>>>> casual listen. Specifically it seems as if the lyricist has taken a
>>>>> collection of derogatory racial comments and turned them into
>>>>> compliments.
>>>>>
>>>>> You seem to have an interest in music and a knowledge of these
>>>>> matters. Do
>>>>> you happen to know anything about the background behind this song
>>>>> or
>>>>> if my
>>>>> impression is on or off target?
>>>>>
>>>>> Will appreciate your comments.
>>>>>
>>>>> Bob Fitzke
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>