The Black Hills of Dakota

The Black Hills of Dakota refers to the Black Hills that can be found in South Dakota. Wikipedia describes the Black Hills as ” are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming…The name “Black Hills” is a translation of the Lakota Read More

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is from the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical Oklahoma! Richard Rodgers wrote the music and Oscar Hammerstein II the lyrics. The song “describes the landscape and prairie weather in positive language. It further emphasizes the wholesome aspects of rural life, and the steadfast dedication of the region’s inhabitants, against the overtly stated formal backdrop Read More

Iowa Stubborn

If you are a fan of the musical genre, one of your first thoughts of Iowa may originate from the Music Man. The opening of the musical features the song Iowa Stubborn, better known as “You are in I-ow-a.” Professor Harold Hill {who is unknown to the people} is encouraged to “give Iowa a try”. Read More

By the Light of the Silvery Moon

By the Light of the Silvery Moon is another popular song from the early 20th Century.  It was first published in 1909. The lyrics were written by Edward Madden, who wrote On Moonlight Bay. The composer was Gus Edwards, who also wrote songs such as  “I Can’t Tell You Why I Love You but I Read More

On Moonlight Bay

On Moonlight Bay is a popular song of the 20th Century.  The best known version is the one by Doris Day. The song was first published in 1912.  The lyrics were written by Edward Madden, an American lyricist who wrote songs such as What Could Be Sweeter? And Red Rose Rag. The composer was Percy Read More

Carolina in the Morning

The song Carolina in the Morning was running through my mind and since I live in Carolina, I thought it would be great to explore this song. The song was written by Gus Kahn and Walter Donaldson. The original lyrics, which were published in 1922 by Jerome H. Remick &  Co., are now in the Read More

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious was written by the Sherman brothers for the Disney movie Mary Poppins.  Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke sing the song in the movie. The Oxford English Dictionary estimates the word was first used in the 1940s.  According to Wikipedia, columnist Helen Herman muses about her made up word, Supercaliflawjalisticexpialidoshus, in her A-Muse-ings column Read More

In the Good Ole Summertime

In the Good Ole Summertime is a Tin Pan Alley song that was first published in 1902.  The song was written by George Evans and Ren Shields. The duo had a difficult time selling the song to publishers.  At the suggestion of actress Blanche Ring, the song was added to the 1902 musical comedy, The Read More

Younger than Springtime

With the approach of spring, the song Younger Than Springtime came to mind. This song is a Rodgers and Hammerstein song that was written for their musical, South Pacific. The song is performed in the first act by Lieutenant Cable when he makes love to his adored Liat, to whom he was only recently introduced Read More

Showboat

The musical theater in the 1920s was comparable to Vaudeville with comedic routines and sideshow attractions. However, Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II had an idea for a revolutionary new approach. Now the daunting task of choosing their work.  They decided on Edna Ferber’s novel, Showboat.  This was a most unconventional topic and she was skeptical Read More