Saturday 9 - Paper Doll

 

This week's tune? Hear it here.

1. The song is about a fellow who is exasperated by men flirting with his girl. Do you have a jealous streak?
   
   No, not at all.
   I have seen jealousy working its evil all my life.
   When I was young my mother bought a certain kind of shoes, the neighbour had them a week later too. Same colour. Etc etc.
   I never got something I really liked from my mother, I always got or had second choice. My sister got best.  I stopped caring.
   
   When I want something it's because I want it. Not because someone else has it. And when I don't get it...well, that's a pity, not life changing.
   
   
2. He's blue after a quarrel with Sue. Did you exchange harsh words with anyone recently?
   
   Not really.
   
   
3. "Paper Doll" was #1 for 12 weeks in 1943-44, sold 11 million copies and remains one of the best-selling singles of all time. Had you heard it before today?
   
   Oh yes. Often.
   
   
4. As kids, the Mills Brothers worked on their harmonies in front of their father's Piqua, OH, barbershop, much to the delight of passers by. Do you often encounter street musicians in your neighborhood?
   
   No, not in the neighbourhood.
   But in the center of town there are sometimes street musicians to be found.
   
   When I am in London I often look for street musicians. They are the best. Quite a few times I have been singing along at Picadilly Circus and Covent Garden. Rob Falsini s one of my favorites.
   
   
5. The Mills Brothers were a long way from that street corner when, in 1936, they became the first African Americans to perform for the British Royal Family. It's about 4,000 miles from Piqua to London. What's the farthest you've ever been from home?
   
   I think 1740 km. That is 1081,186 miles.
   
   
6. In the early 1930s, the Mills Brothers not only performed songs on radio, they sang jingles for Standard Oil and Crisco. What commercial can you recall having seen (or heard) lately?
   
   There are two commercials I remember that bring a smile.
   
   One is a boy from a commercial in the 80ties.
   They have added it to the recent commercial because of their anniversary.
   Petje Pitamientje
   
   And one is from an insurance company:
   this one.
   
   
7. In 1943, when "Paper Doll" was popular, WWII was raging and the US Mint began producing steel pennies because copper was needed for ammunition. Do you have any pennies in your pocket or wallet right now? 
   
   We don't use pennies. LOL!
   But I do have some coins in my wallet, yes.
   
   
8. Also in 1943, a bottle of Coke was a nickel. When did you most recently have a soft drink? What was it?
   
   I rarely drink it. Must have been about 2 months ago. A cola light.
   
   
9. Random question: Have you learned more from your successes, or your failures?
   
   Some people think success is not the result of learning... it is!
   And often success follows after failure.
   So I would say I learned most from success.
   
   
   

. . .

About **Syl

Syl: "Life is a chain of challenges. Sometimes the largest challenges are we ourselves. Facing life, facing others and facing yourself requires either a worryless attitude or plain courage. Most of the time it is dealing with judgement. Maybe life is about getting rid of it."