Saturday 9 - Smoke Rings

 

This week's song? Hear it here.

   

1. In this song, Donald Mills of the Mills Brothers encourages us to "puff, puff, puff" our cares away. When did you most recently smoke a cigarette? 
   
   Must be over 50 years ago...
   
   
2. In the 1930s, when this week's song was recorded, an estimated 40% of American adults smoked cigarettes. By the early 1960s, that number reached a high of 42%. According to the CDC, the percentage of adult smokers dropped to 11%. Do many of your friends and relatives smoke or vape? 
   
   None of my relatives.
   None of my close friends.
   One of my acquaintances vapes, and one smokes.
   
   
3. Donald was the youngest of the singing Mills Brothers, and he's the one who most often sang lead. That squares with popular birth order theory, which proposes that the youngest tends to enjoy being the center of attention, the middle child is the diplomat, and the oldest is the high-achiever. Think of your own family and the families of your friends. Do you think this theory holds true?
   
   I am the oldest.. of two.
   My youngers sister was indeed the center of attention.
   
   I don't see the theory realized in my own kids.
   
   
4. The Mills Brothers were one of the first famous singing brother acts. The Williams Brothers – which featured future TV star Andy Williams – followed in their footsteps. Can you think of another group of singing brothers?
   
   Here we had the Blue Diamonds. Listen here.
   Others: Bee Gees, Everly Brothers, Jacksons.
   
   
5. In addition to recording hit records, The Mills Brothers were a staple on radio in the 1930s. They were among the first African American artists to host their own radio show and sang jingles for Standard Oil and Crisco. What commercial do you recall having seen, or heard, recently?
   
   A very annoying one of the Kruidvat.
   
   
6. In 1933, when this week's song was popular, actor Robert Montgomery and his wife had a daughter they named Elizabeth. That little girl would become famous in the 1960s for her own TV show. Without looking it up, do you know what show Elizabeth Montgomery starred in? 
   
   No, I have no idea. Never heard of her.
   
   
7. Johnny Cash was also born in 1933. Do you have a favorite Johnny Cash song?
   
   No.
   
   
8. In 1933, five French airlines merged to form Air France. Think of the last time you were at an airport. Were you taking a flight or meeting a flight?
   
   Taking one.
   
   
9. Random question: Your best friend just received a certificate for completing a car maintenance course at your community college. Would you let them work on your vehicle?
   
   I don't think so. Car maintenance is completely different from bicycle maintenance.
   
   .

. . .

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."