A Diller, A Dollar (1955) (continued)

[Jerome Foster]

Sorry about that "ballard". It was just a typo for "ballad."
As for "from the left"...yes I meant that both Robeson and Earl Robinson,
the composer of the piece, were both blacklisted and otherwise punished for
their left connections during the McCarthy period.

Jerome Foster
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wilson Gray" <wilson.gray at RCN.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 2:50 PM
Subject: Re: A Diller, A Dollar (1955) (continued)


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
> header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Wilson Gray <wilson.gray at RCN.COM>
> Subject:      Re: A Diller, A Dollar (1955) (continued)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> On Mar 30, 2005, at 5:26 PM, Jerome Foster wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Jerome Foster <funex79 at CHARTER.NET>
>> Subject:      Re: A Diller, A Dollar (1955) (continued)
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> --------
>>
>> That was "Ballard for Americans" which Bing Crosby recorded, though the
>> original version was recorded by the great Paul Robeson. I'm sure Mr
>> Gray
>> can provide the details of its provenance which I don't remember
>> except that
>> it was written from the left...
>>
>> Jerome Foster.
>
> "'Ballard'"? Is "... written from the left ..." punning on Robeson's
> involvement with the CPUSA?
>
> -Mr Gray
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Robert Fitzke" <fitzke at MICHCOM.NET>
>> To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2005 4:46 PM
>> Subject: Re: A Diller, A Dollar (1955) (continued)
>>
>>
>>> ---------------------- 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
>>> ----- 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
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>