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? I have never smoked. Anything. The idea of exhaling smoke through my nose or mouth is just so stinky and unhygienic.
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? Not anymore. My oldest friend recently quit smoking.
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'm the middle child and I don't think I'm diplomatic. I'm the most independent of the siblings.
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? Don and Phil.
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? I watch a lot of baseball. Throughout the playoffs, I have seen way more of Megan Fox and her Ro Sparks commercial than I care to.
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? She was Samantha on Bewitched. BTW, if you're looking for a good, scary-but-not-bloody movie for Halloween, I recommend Robert Montgomery in Night Must Fall. He's legit chilling.
7) Johnny Cash was also born in 1933. Do you have a favorite Johnny Cash song? Ring of Fire.
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? I landed at O'Hare after a quick trip to Grand Rapids for a playdate with my grandniece, Violet.
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? Well, I don't have a car so I don't know for sure. But my impulse is no. I don't think it's a good idea to hire friends.
