Monday, December 7, 2020

December 7 - Louis Prima; Ernst Toch (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Louis Prima (7 December 1910 – 24 August 1978) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter. 

[For last year's verses on Pietro Mascagni and Rudolf Friml click here.]



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When You’re Smiling!


Louis Prima, Vegas act,

When they booked him, it was packed!

Energetic and untiring,

Not a hint he was perspiring!

Folks back then still got a kick

From Italiano schtick!

For his Vegas clientele it

Worked to take a song and sell it!


If by now you are enthused 

To go and find his records, used, 

You will find his ample vinyl

In the bins marked “All Sales Final.”

 

 

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪     

Ernst Toch (7 December 1887 – 1 October 1964) was an Austrian composer.




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Paying the Rent


"His most performed work is the Geographical Fugue... which he himself regarded as an unimportant diversion." --
Wikipedia

Be careful, beware, and be cautious

  When writing a minor diversion,

For though you may think the thing nauseous,

  The Fates may have planned a perversion

Whereby what you meant as a trifle

  Becomes your most palpable hit,


But the royalty checks should help stifle

  The angst in your soul just a bit.

 

 

 

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