Hi All,

Since you all did so well on that Brainstorm song, I wonder if anyone can answer this?

Here's a song from a Puppet History episode:

https://youtu.be/5ryVboLmorc?si=TdpGpOhI7_Tywz8a&t=2020

The song starts at 33:40 in case it didn't drop you there.

This is done to the tune of a big band number I used to know quite well, but now can't remember the name or lyrics. It's been bugging me since that PH episode came out. I think it was from one of the Sweet bands, not one of the major players.

Thanks!

Larry

I agree it's sounding super familiar, like some old Benny Goodman or Glenn Miller number. There's a specific dance beat to the rhythm section which has a specific name but I can't recall the name. It's not rhumba or samba, but it might be something like that. If we could name that beat, then we could search on famous big band songs with that beat.

I'll bet it's somewhere in this extensive playlist but I don't have time to sample every one of them: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDC827E741DA933F0

The source of that track appears to be from a library music distributor: https://www.audionetwork.com/browse/m/track/bobby-charleston_1082036

Presumably if it does use significant parts of an earlier melody, that would need to be in the public domain to be used in this way.

Thanks! That's actually the entire song, without lyrics. It's right on the tip of my brain, I know if I can remember one word, I'll have the whole thing.

Interesting. The library track is called "charleston", is that the name of the dance beat that the song uses? You could google for famous charleston songs.

It also occurs to me that, unlike my situation with Brainstorm, in this case you could probably just email the dude and ask.

I never thought of the original as a Charleston song, it's more of a megaphone crooner.

The "dude" also has a youtube channel where he claims he's the author.

I did ask in the comments of the PH vid, as he matched the vocal style exactly, but no answer.

I have a feeling that it's from a totally obscure artist. I used to have a 100 lp set from Franklin Mint "The Greatest Recordings of the Big Band Era" that included a lot of unusual bands, I think I may have heard it there. I also used to have about 1,800 78rpm records, mostly obscure stuff...

I had more than 3,000 LPs as well. I packed all up in boxes when I moved, and 20 years later found I never unpacked them (thanks, empeg, and later, youtube). I ended up giving it all to a collector friend.

Author of the lyrics maybe? Gene Roddenberry was officially the author of the Star Trek theme after he wrote new lyrics to it.

And the TV Show Glee was able to use Jonathan Coulton's musical composition for his folk/melodic cover of "Baby Got Back" without any credit.

The music business puts far too much emphasis on the lyrics alone.

As another aside, I met Alexander Courage back in the mid '70s, although I had no idea who he was. He was related to my then girlfriend and we went to his house for thanksgiving. He was introduced to me as having written the Star Trek theme.

Ahhh! Now you're talking! I have been known to go see a movie just because a paticular composer is a favorite! Like Mr. Courage, or Mr. Goldsmith. Same with a few directors.

I am sure all Star Trek fans know that Gene Roddenberry ambushed the theme by writing some crappy lyrics that were never used (that I know of), and he just did it so he could claim credit and get some bucks. The man was a dollar bill sucker. Just my opinion.