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Tag: Al Jolson

April 29, 2008

in defense of an intractable idiom

a friend wrote: 

        ” ‘…in unforgettable spades’? “, about my “April Showers” text, which you can find below

         ‘ Words chosen in innocence or humour? ‘, he asks

                     __________________________

I reply:

neither innocent, dear Ted, nor humourous, just inadvertent, I let myself be ruled by my enthusiasm for the punchy and precise idiom   
 
even as I watched the movie I felt shame for a place, a country, that could’ve inspired such a situation
 
transformed by Al Jolson however into a glorious tribute no less to still so beleaguered a people, imitation being of course the surest and sincerest form of flattery

I think Al Jolson helped put their art on the map, up from the cotton fields and speakeasies to which it’d been relegated, if not other countries, other even continents
 
he was great back then, this movie inspired even a sequel, nominated also for Oscars, winning a couple even for the first, one for of course its irresistible, unforgettable music

thanks to Black America

                                                                                                                                                                         thank you Black America

                                                                                                                                 sincerely

Richard

 

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April 23, 2008

“April Showers”

    “Let me sing a funny song with crazy words that roll along
     And if my song can start you laughing I’m happy, so happy”
 
I hadn’t seen this show in over forty years, I’d loved it then but who knew what I’d think of it now, I’d found it and its sequel for $2.99 apiece in a secondhand music store on videocassette no less, my only option now even at that low price since I’ve despaired of all DVD’s for being ornery, intractable too often, despite their vaunted versatility, all I ever wanted anyway was the movie, you can keep the superfluous dross
 
I thought I’d see it with my mom, who’d love, I was sure, the nostalgia, we watched it together last night
 
Asa Yoelson is picked up in a vaudeville act by an impresario who recognizes his unmistakable talent, turns him into the great Al Jolson, Larry Parks delivers the part in unforgettable spades, neither had they been forgotten
 
the biography is of course adulterated, each step towards success turned into instead a song, but what songs, each a masterpiece, each a part of our musical heritage, I walked home under a big round moon singing “April Showers”
 
    “Though April showers may come your way
      They bring the flowers that bloom in May
      So if it’s raining, have no regrets
      Because it isn’t raining rain, you know
      It’s raining violets”
 
    “And where you see clouds upon the hills
      You soon will see crowds of daffodils
      So keep on looking for a blue bird
      And list’ning for its song”
      Whenever April showers come along”
 
 
this evening as I walked the few blocks over to my mom’s under the blossoming cherry trees there was not a hint of rain, a breeze barely ruffled the russet and lime leaves that have been sprouting and burgeoning irrepressibly on the trees, where just recently there ‘d been only stark, brittle branches
 
birds sang as I indulged my own warble
 
     “So keep on looking for a blue bird”, I intoned,
     “And list’ning for its song
      Whenever April showers come along”
  
 
 
Richard 
 
psst: “The Jolson Story“, “Jolson Sings Again” 

   

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