Saturday 9

 

Saturday 9: My Blue Heaven (1955)
   

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

 

1) The music for "My Blue Heaven" was written by Walter Donaldson. Mr. Donaldson was a gifted piano player who used his talent to entertain the troops on leave during WWI. What's something you're naturally good at? Writing. I've always done it – as a child I amused myself by making my own little books – and I made a pretty decent living doing it. Sometimes when something comes easily to us, we don't appreciate how good we are. I see that in Abigail at the card shop. She is so visually attuned, so good at creating retail displays and it's her chalk drawings that decorate our A-frame sidewalk sign. I keep telling her she needs to take some classes at the community college to learn the right computer programs and then get into advertising or publishing. She thinks I'm "just being nice," but when it comes to business, I'm not all that nice. I think she has a gift.

2) The lyrics were written by George Whiting. He began his career on stage as a song-and-dance man. While touring, he met and fell in love with another singer on the bill. They went on to marry and have three daughters. Have you ever engaged in a workplace romance? I've only ever had workplace romances! Which is not to say I was good at them, or that they were a good idea.

3) In this song, Doris Day sings about a cozy home. Look around the room you're in. What makes it cozy?

 

 

4) For four consecutive years, Doris was the most popular film actress in the world, with fans flocking to theaters to see her. Is there an actor or actress whose presence in a movie or TV show makes you say to yourself, "I want to see that?" In today's world, I'll go with Jennifer Aniston. In classic Hollywood terms, Katharine Hepburn and Judy Garland.

5) For all her film and music success, she found herself broke in the late 1960s. Her husband had mismanaged her fortune, something she didn't discover until after his sudden death. Do you know how much is in your checking account right now? (We're not asking the amount; just whether you know.) Not off the top of my head. But I check it every day to make sure no unauthorized withdrawals have been made (and that Elon hasn't interfered with my Social Security payment yet).

6) Away from performing, Doris' passion was animal welfare. At one point she shared her home with more than a dozen dogs and went on to establish the Doris Day Animal Foundation. Do any pets share your home? See above. Though I wouldn't say they "share" it. They outnumber me and they run it.

 

7) In 1955, when this song was a hit, cars came with AM radios but they were pretty unsophisticated by today's standards. The car needed to be on and "warmed up" a bit before the signal was picked up and that signal could easily be lost if you were bouncing over rough terrain. Today most new cars come with Bluetooth so you can enjoy infotainment through your phone. Do you listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks, etc., as you drive? No car. But I always listen to tunes when I'm on public transportation.

8) Also in 1955, the first McDonald's opened. Does your community have a McDonald's? Yes. But honestly, I don't think I've been there in more than a year. I've discovered the best "burger to go" in my neighborhood is from the kids menu at the local pizza place. (I never order it when I'm seated in the restaurant, though. I'm embarrassed to order from the kids menu.)

9) Random question: How long have you known your newest friend? Well, depends on which of us you ask. Elaine remembers me from 2016. Our movie group then met in person, and as that most wondrous Cubs season unfolded, she recalls how I would check my phone the moment the lights went back up and announce the score. My fandom amused her. I truly do not remember her until 2021. During covid, our group went from monthly in the theater to weekly online. Somehow I noticed her more when we were trapped in our Brady Bunch/Zoom boxes and, when as things started opening up, she suggested we meet for lunch in person one day, I jumped at the chance.