[Dixielandjazz] Re: Pistol Packin' Mama

[LeslieMRag at aol.com]

Hi:

The posting about this song jogged some sort of long-lost memory from my 
early childhood. My grandparents had the Andrews Sisters' version of the tune, but 
I seem to recall that someone from the Arthur Godfrey radio show (Janet 
something?) recorded this song, too (or perhaps it was "Put the Blame on Mame"?). I 
have a foggy memory of playing the tune on my grandparents' phonograph, and I 
was quite taken with what I thought were audacious lyrics. This was during 
the time when Arthur Godfrey reigned supreme on radio and television. My 
grandparents also had Julius LaRosa records and Chordettes records, and they loved 
Godfrey's Hawaiian singer, Haleloke. I must admit, however, that my favorite 78 
from my grandparents' collection was Spike Jones' "Cocktails for Two." I still 
love it. I have my own copy now--my kids bought me a Spike Jones Collection 
for Mother's Day some years ago, along with Ernie Kovacs and Stan Freberg 
collections. I guess that says something about my mothering, but I'm not sure what.

One more note about early television: Do you know of any jazz artists who 
were on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Show? Now that "American Idol" is so popular, the 
network should dust off those old shows (though they've probably dumped them 
as they did the early Tonight shows). As I remember it, the audience chose the 
winners there, too.

Leslie Johnson
lesliemrag at aol.com OR
editor at mississippirag.com

Addendum: There's a new bassist poll up now on The Mississippi Rag's website. 
If you want to vote, go to www.mississippirag.com, and click on "online 
poll." And, yes, I know polls are kind of silly, but they're kind of fun, too, as 
long as no feelings are hurt. (That's why we do only the legends.)