Are you old as dirt

[mellytu74]

A perfect score.

But, how old is this quiz? Because some of the things that I knew, I know because I leanred them from TLAF.

12. 'I'll be down to get you in a ________, Honey'

This was one of TLAF and THFD's favorite songs. In fact, when THFD was dying, TLAF and I sat by his hospital bed and sang old Mitch Miller-y kinds of songs to him. This was one of them.

That was one of the ones I knew because I remember it factored into an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (I loved my reruns in the 80's & 90's!). I seem to recall Ted Baxter was trying to think of an ending for a knock knock joke the entire show and finally came up with that song. They all start singing it at the end of the show....

lb13

They played Darktown Strutter's Ball on Mary Tyler Moore?

Mel, I count this as one of my favourites as well, It's one of the first songs I remember because my Dad used to sing it to me when I was a mere tot (along with Ragtime Cowboy Joe and Pistol Packin' Mama, which I think I've mentioned before).

You know what's SO odd about all of this?

I'd been thinking about this song (and a couple of the others we sang to Dad) a lot over the last couple of weeks.

I'd learned it as Downtown Strutters Ball, although I don't know if TLAF and THFD taught it to me that way.

I am certain of this because, when I was very young, it reminded me of the Mummers Parade in Philadelphia each New Year's Day.

Many of the Mummers were from South Philadelphia -- Downtown.

Recently, Eddie Schillinger, an old neighbor and grade school friend of my cousin Hugh, died. He was 62, had pancreatic cancer. He was a stateside medic during Vietnam who became a psychologist who helped countless kids.

Before the memorial service, I was chatting with a bunch of old neighbors, all friends of Hugh's. At Hugh's wedding reception, some 34 years ago, all these guys, plus Eddie, found a piano and began to sing old songs.

I've been thinking about that night -- and Downtown Strutters Ball, Heart of My Heart, That Gang That Sang Heart of My Heart and, especially, Those Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine -- for two weeks now.

AND my grandfather's 1956 cream and red Pontiac.

AND -- after a conversation with Boonie's sister -- putting damp clothes in the icebox.

It all comes home.

[mellytu74]

Such memories, lol.

Kay & Melly - did your mother starch your petticoats with sugar water and hang them on the line to dry, sort of looked like a ballerina's tutu blowing in the wind? I remember I had to wear a cotton slip first so the two or three layers of petticoats didn't scratch my legs.

Absolutely!

Until I was about 7, TLAF's parents, Marietta and Pop, lived next door. We had rowhouses with a shared little concrete backyard and a little balcony-like walkway between the two houses on the second floor (the first floor of living space, since the first floor was the stores).

We had a shared clothesline with Marietta. Sometimes, my crinolines AND my close-in-age cousins' crinolines were on the line at the same time.

[mellytu74]

One of the questions surprises me. If it is correct, I have really learned something.

Which question surprised you?

I am betting it's

Spoiler

Cab Driver. Both the Ink Spots and Mills Brothers recorded it.

[SportsFan68]

I hadn't thought of many of these things for years. Why is my brain retaining them, if not to let me be successful on a trivia-based game show?

Exactly! GSabc is 100% correct about this.

[kayrharris]

That was one of the ones I knew because I remember it factored into an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (I loved my reruns in the 80's & 90's!). I seem to recall Ted Baxter was trying to think of an ending for a knock knock joke the entire show and finally came up with that song. They all start singing it at the end of the show....

lb13

They played Darktown Strutter's Ball on Mary Tyler Moore?

Mel, I count this as one of my favourites as well, It's one of the first songs I remember because my Dad used to sing it to me when I was a mere tot (along with Ragtime Cowboy Joe and Pistol Packin' Mama, which I think I've mentioned before).

You know what's SO odd about all of this?

I'd been thinking about this song (and a couple of the others we sang to Dad) a lot over the last couple of weeks.

I'd learned it as Downtown Strutters Ball, although I don't know if TLAF and THFD taught it to me that way.

I am certain of this because, when I was very young, it reminded me of the Mummers Parade in Philadelphia each New Year's Day.

Many of the Mummers were from South Philadelphia -- Downtown.

Recently, Eddie Schillinger, an old neighbor and grade school friend of my cousin Hugh, died. He was 62, had pancreatic cancer. He was a stateside medic during Vietnam who became a psychologist who helped countless kids.

Before the memorial service, I was chatting with a bunch of old neighbors, all friends of Hugh's. At Hugh's wedding reception, some 34 years ago, all these guys, plus Eddie, found a piano and began to sing old songs.

I've been thinking about that night -- and Downtown Strutters Ball, Heart of My Heart, That Gang That Sang Heart of My Heart and, especially, Those Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine -- for two weeks now.

AND my grandfather's 1956 cream and red Pontiac.

AND -- after a conversation with Boonie's sister -- putting damp clothes in the icebox.

It all comes home.

Look at that LB, Melly said icebox!

[kayrharris]

Such memories, lol.

Kay & Melly - did your mother starch your petticoats with sugar water and hang them on the line to dry, sort of looked like a ballerina's tutu blowing in the wind? I remember I had to wear a cotton slip first so the two or three layers of petticoats didn't scratch my legs.

Absolutely!

Until I was about 7, TLAF's parents, Marietta and Pop, lived next door. We had rowhouses with a shared little concrete backyard and a little balcony-like walkway between the two houses on the second floor (the first floor of living space, since the first floor was the stores).

We had a shared clothesline with Marietta. Sometimes, my crinolines AND my close-in-age cousins' crinolines were on the line at the same time.

I guess I was deprived, cause I didn't have any starched petticoats.
We had a clotheline though.

[littlebeast13]

They played Darktown Strutter's Ball on Mary Tyler Moore?

Mel, I count this as one of my favourites as well, It's one of the first songs I remember because my Dad used to sing it to me when I was a mere tot (along with Ragtime Cowboy Joe and Pistol Packin' Mama, which I think I've mentioned before).

You know what's SO odd about all of this?

I'd been thinking about this song (and a couple of the others we sang to Dad) a lot over the last couple of weeks.

I'd learned it as Downtown Strutters Ball, although I don't know if TLAF and THFD taught it to me that way.

I am certain of this because, when I was very young, it reminded me of the Mummers Parade in Philadelphia each New Year's Day.

Many of the Mummers were from South Philadelphia -- Downtown.

Recently, Eddie Schillinger, an old neighbor and grade school friend of my cousin Hugh, died. He was 62, had pancreatic cancer. He was a stateside medic during Vietnam who became a psychologist who helped countless kids.

Before the memorial service, I was chatting with a bunch of old neighbors, all friends of Hugh's. At Hugh's wedding reception, some 34 years ago, all these guys, plus Eddie, found a piano and began to sing old songs.

I've been thinking about that night -- and Downtown Strutters Ball, Heart of My Heart, That Gang That Sang Heart of My Heart and, especially, Those Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine -- for two weeks now.

AND my grandfather's 1956 cream and red Pontiac.

AND -- after a conversation with Boonie's sister -- putting damp clothes in the icebox.

It all comes home.

Look at that LB, Melly said icebox!

YES!!!!!!

lb13

[jayhawker536]

Such memories, lol.

Kay & Melly - did your mother starch your petticoats with sugar water and hang them on the line to dry, sort of looked like a ballerina's tutu blowing in the wind? I remember I had to wear a cotton slip first so the two or three layers of petticoats didn't scratch my legs.

Absolutely!

Until I was about 7, TLAF's parents, Marietta and Pop, lived next door. We had rowhouses with a shared little concrete backyard and a little balcony-like walkway between the two houses on the second floor (the first floor of living space, since the first floor was the stores).

We had a shared clothesline with Marietta. Sometimes, my crinolines AND my close-in-age cousins' crinolines were on the line at the same time.

I guess I was deprived, cause I didn't have any starched petticoats.
We had a clotheline though.

This could have been because you grew up in the south and these starched petticoats could have made little girls pretty miserable in the humid heat. If memory serves correctly, I did not wear them in the heat of summer. Amazes me that square dancers still wear them.

[SportsFan68]

This could have been because you grew up in the south and these starched petticoats could have made little girls pretty miserable in the humid heat. If memory serves correctly, I did not wear them in the heat of summer. Amazes me that square dancers still wear them.

Anything for the sake of fashion.

Some dances require "square dance attire," which is a pretty good way to require my absence. The last couple years SteelersFan and I danced, I wore a regular skirt, no petticoats. As Jayhawker points out, it was much more comfortable that way.

[etaoin22]

Spoiler

Ink Spots were 40's group,not 50's, to begin with. predominantly. Cab Driver was Mills Brothers in 1968, definitely old-fashion group harmony hitting the charts one more time. I can not find it listed at the http://www.inkspots.ca web site which lists all the original Ink Spots recordings.

It is in the repertory of current descendants in the string of bands who call themselves by that name, and it may be in a current live show album, but it is clearly Mills Brothers who had the hit.

Any evidence to the contrary would be appreciated.

[andrewjackson]

Spoiler

Ink Spots were 40's group,not 50's, to begin with. predominantly. Cab Driver was Mills Brothers in 1968, definitely old-fashion group harmony hitting the charts one more time. I can not find it listed at the http://www.inkspots.ca web site which lists all the original Ink Spots recordings.

It is in the repertory of current descendants in the string of bands who call themselves by that name, and it may be in a current live show album, but it is clearly Mills Brothers who had the hit.

Any evidence to the contrary would be appreciated.

Spoiler

"Cab Driver" was apparently written by C. Carson Parks in the 1960s and was on a 1967 album "San Antonio Rose" recorded by Parks and his wife. It was then covered by the Mills Brothers in 1968.

http://www.ccarsonparks.com/records/cg-sanantonio.htm

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obitu ... 96786.html

I don't see any evidence that the Ink Spots recorded it.

[mellytu74]

Spoiler

Ink Spots were 40's group,not 50's, to begin with. predominantly. Cab Driver was Mills Brothers in 1968, definitely old-fashion group harmony hitting the charts one more time. I can not find it listed at the http://www.inkspots.ca web site which lists all the original Ink Spots recordings.

It is in the repertory of current descendants in the string of bands who call themselves by that name, and it may be in a current live show album, but it is clearly Mills Brothers who had the hit.

Any evidence to the contrary would be appreciated.

Spoiler

"Cab Driver" was apparently written by C. Carson Parks in the 1960s and was on a 1967 album "San Antonio Rose" recorded by Parks and his wife. It was then covered by the Mills Brothers in 1968.

http://www.ccarsonparks.com/records/cg-sanantonio.htm

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obitu ... 96786.html

I don't see any evidence that the Ink Spots recorded it.

Spoiler

I would have sworn that I'd seen an Ink Spots recording of Cab Driver among TLAF's albums. But, I went and checked and there were several Mills Brothers' albums and several Ink Spots albums, because her vocal group recordings are together.

I realize now that I had confused it, thinking that there was a recording by each group.

Mea culpa.

Although I do wonder how the quiz got the wrong group to begin with?