Lawrence Welk Is Still On: I Don't Get It

[FredLeonard]

Often, it seems, Welk didn't get the lyrics. Not just of current songs that slipped past him but of Broadway songs, standards and folk songs. He didn't seem to get past the title and the stage setting sometimes seemed totally out of place and disconnected from the song.

Here's what was shown this past weekend:

Salute To Cole Porter

The irresistibly joyful song “Wunderbar” opens this sparkling tribute to the music of Cole Porter. Bobby & Cissy swirl to “The Continental”, Henry Cuesta highlights “Begin The Beguine” with his clarinet artistry, and Guy & Ralna harmonize on “True Love”. The orchestra is featured on several outstanding numbers - “Night And Day”, “ I Get A Kick Out Of You”, and “Easy To Love”. The finale finds Clay Hart singing “Don’t Fence Me In” while the entire cast gathers around.

I wonder if Larry knew Cole Porter was gay, with a penchant for cruising and anonymous encounters. "Wunderbar" is sung by two divorcees, both now carrying on with other people. "True Love" is also sung by two divorced people; she is about to marry someone else. "I Get A Kick Out of You" glorifies alcohol and drug abuse.

 

[onairb]

In the case of 'I Get a Kick...' the reference to 'cocaine' was changed to 'champagne' for performances on TV in the '60s(I saw a clip of Frank Sinatra's 1965 special 'A Man and his Music', in which, after singing the 'champagne' line, he exclaims, 'Aw, NUTS!' in mock disappointment over that change.) Of course, I'm sure Welk wouldn't have minded the 'champagne' reference!

 

[LKellerIII]

In the case of 'I Get a Kick...' the reference to 'cocaine' was changed to 'champagne' for performances on TV in the '60s(I saw a clip of Frank Sinatra's 1965 special 'A Man and his Music', in which, after singing the 'champagne' line, he exclaims, 'Aw, NUTS!' in mock disappointment over that change.) Of course, I'm sure Welk wouldn't have minded the 'champagne' reference!

If I remember the record correctly from my childhood (my father was a huge Sinatra fan), it was "champagne" in the recording as well. "Cocaine" may have been in the original lyrics when Cole Porter wrote the song in 1931, but when Sinatra recorded it in the early 60s, cocaine was definitely not politically correct to reference in a song.

According to Wikipedia, the last verse was originally:
"I get no kick in a plane
I shouldn't care for those nights in the air
That the fair Mrs. Lindbergh goes through
But I get a kick out of you."

But after the Lindgergh son's kidnapping in 1932, Porter himself changed the second and third lines of that verse to:
"Flying too high with some guy in the sky
Is my idea of nothing to do"

 

[BD Sullivan]

Welk fans still wonder why Mr. Music Maker let Mr. White Bucks and Milk sing a song about a woman who drowned herself after being unfaithful to her boyfriend (or was it husband?).

Much like Ed Sullivan fans have this conundrum: He permanently banned The Doors (RIP Ray Manzarek) after their lone appearance because they sang "Light My Fire" with the lyrics, "Couldn't get much higher," yet warmly welcomed The Beatles multiple times, even though they sang "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" with the lyrics, "I get high, I get high, I get high."

 

[RicoGregg]

BD Sullivan: WRONG! Bzzzzzz!

The lyrics in "I Want to Hold Your Hand" go "I Can't Hide, I Can't Hide, I Can't Hide."

For further reference:

http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-want-to-hold-your-hand-lyrics-beatles.html

 

[ixnay]

BD Sullivan: WRONG! Bzzzzzz!

The lyrics in "I Want to Hold Your Hand" go "I Can't Hide, I Can't Hide, I Can't Hide."

For further reference:

http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-want-to-hold-your-hand-lyrics-beatles.html

Didn't Bob Dylan, when he first met the Fabs, tell Lennon the line was "I get high"?

ixnay

 

[MHB]

Mike, there is a lot of "antiquated, middle-brow fare" available. Out of all of it, why Welk? jh mention his parents are in their 80s and they watch now. People in their 80s were in their 20s and 30s during Welk's network run; even they aren't old enough.

I can't help thinking that kids who grew up hating Welk and watching Bandstand underwent some kind of mental shift and turned into their own grandparents. Nobody on the that show was a great talent or charismatic personality (least of all Welk).

Welk once said during the "rock era" that "when you're little you watch the show" and older adults would too but the people in between weren't interested.

The teenagers that liked Welk seemed to be the ones that were musicians themselves, as theyn knew what went into music production and could appreciate it.

And Dick Clark used to gently encourage rock-era teens not to make fun of Welk; people loved his music and he made a decent living doing it.

Yes, I am sure Lawrence Welk is still very popular in nursing homes.

Matter of fact, in the early 1980s when we'd visit a relative in the nursing home, the residents would be brought in to the rec room on Saturday nights to watch. There was even a reminder about it on the chalkboard.

Apparently Lawrence tolerated rock and roll to a certain extent.

When one of his vocalists did a Beatles slow song, he almost seemed to be apologizing for it, something like "Now, this happens to be a Beatles song, but . . ."

 

[FredLeonard]

And Dick Clark used to gently encourage rock-era teens not to make fun of Welk; people loved his music and he made a decent living doing it.

No surprise, since Dick Clark was largely responsible for Welkifying rock n' roll.

American Masters ran a documentary on Mel Brooks last night. Mel mentions that Sid Caesar couldn't believe he was knocked-off in the ratings by Lawrence Welk.

Back then, most houses had only one TV. If the parents (or grandparents) insisted on watching Welk, nobody had a choice. Despite that, Paladin kicked Welk's butt.

 

[MHB]

No surprise, since Dick Clark was largely responsible for Welkifying rock n' roll.

American Masters ran a documentary on Mel Brooks last night. Mel mentions that Sid Caesar couldn't believe he was knocked-off in the ratings by Lawrence Welk.

Back then, most houses had only one TV. If the parents (or grandparents) insisted on watching Welk, nobody had a choice. Despite that, Paladin kicked Welk's butt.

It's my understanding, too, that Welk's show ran on Saturday night because the older adults were likely to be home that night and young adults might be "out on the town" doing other things.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

A rule Welk had for the show was: NO COMICS...EVER! Welk was deathly afraid that a comedian would say something even REMOTELY controversial or not "family-friendly".

You sure? Better open this link...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zesLUS1D2K8‎Similar

Just saw the YouTube link... I stand by what I posted. An extra-special guest appearance by one of the cleanest funny men God ever created does not invalidate Welk's rule of "No Comics". You can bet your bottom dollar Welk would not have had any of the popular comics of the day (1971) on the show.

"Invalidate" seems too strong a word. Let's agree that Welk "waived" his alleged no-comics policy for Benny's appearance. And, given the tone of some of the era's comedy, you're probably right; Welk would never have signed acts like Allan King, Joan Rivers or Jakie Mason. But, a comic is a comic-- I stand by my post as well.

 

[FredLeonard]

It's my understanding, too, that Welk's show ran on Saturday night because the older adults were likely to be home that night and young adults might be "out on the town" doing other things.

For three years, ABC scheduled Welk twice a week, not just Saturday night.

1956-1958 Monday 9:30-10:30pm
1958-1959 Wednesday 7:30-8:30pm

On Saturdays in the 50s, Welk was part of a Saturday night block of music programs on ABC including the Grand Ol' Opry, Ozark Jubilee, Dick Clark, Sammy Kaye, Midwestern Hayride.

 

[michael hagerty]

Beatles: It's " I can't hide." Rhyming with "I feel happy inside" two lines back.

Fred: "I Get A Kick" glorifies drugs and alcohol? The lyric is from someone who gets no kick from champagne...mere alcohol doesn't thrill him at all...and may not have tried coke. "I'm sure that if I took even one sniff it would bore me terrifically too." The song argues that love provides a bigger kick than either substance."

By the way, champagne is always in the song, at the beginning. When the cocaine reference is removed it becomes "perfumes from Spain", allowing "sniff" to remain.

 

[DToTheJ]

Ed Sullivan has occasional specials...

His show was also recycled in syndication in the 90's. I suppose this current incarnation on PBS is the only way Welk is going to experience a renaissance...

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Just had a thought (go ahead, laugh). We're doing an awful lot of head-scratching here. Maybe we're all forgetting a nugget of time-honored wisdom: there's no accounting for taste, nor should there be.

Some laughed at the Singing Nun's Dominique; in or around 1968, many scoffed at the brief but popular onslaught of bubble-gum rock, i.e. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy (Ohio Express), One, Two, Three Red Light (1910 Fruitgum Co.) and, a little later, anything by The Archies. Later still, Disco reared it's head. But, like it or not, people liked this stuff. Not everyone, but a good enough percentage of radio listeners to warrant airplay then, and, if only to a lesser extent, now.

Pretty much the same thing was happening in Welk's day. People liked his music, that's all. And they weren't apologizing then or now for their personal tastes in music, nor should they ever have to. I myself have posted R/D attacks on Disco, but only in the context of how I perceived it's creativity-starved simplicity. I would never marginalize folks for liking and listening to Disco. I don't think we ought to be second-guessing Welk fans either.

 

[RicoGregg]

BD Sullivan: WRONG! Bzzzzzz!

The lyrics in "I Want to Hold Your Hand" go "I Can't Hide, I Can't Hide, I Can't Hide."

For further reference:

http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-want-to-hold-your-hand-lyrics-beatles.html

Didn't Bob Dylan, when he first met the Fabs, tell Lennon the line was "I get high"?

ixnay

Dylan is going to tell John Lennon what the line in a song Lennon co-wrote is?

Did Bob Dylan decide what all Beatle song lines were to be? ???

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

It's more than a little surprising to me how many views and posts this thread has generated......not to mention the amount of passion that's been generated.

Yes.....I admit it. I was one of those little kids in the 1970's for whom Lawrence Welk was my Saturday evening object of DISCONTENT.

It so happened that in the market where I grew up.....Lawrence Welk and Hee Haw aired opposite each other at 7pm Saturday evenings on competing stations. Having only one set in the home at the time.....and my parents allowing my elderly grandmother to "rule the roost" when it came to the TV......well.....you can guess what she wanted to watch on Saturday evenings... .

In a manner of speaking.....that left me out in the cold for literally years! Only when a second TV finally entered the household was I able to laugh my guts out at the silly antics on Hee Haw.

P.S. That also held true for daytime TV as well...as Grandma insisted that she had to watch "her stories"....meaning....in this case....the ENTIRE daytime string of CBS soaps. That tuning dial never got any use during the day because it NEVER left the channel of the CBS affiliate.

 

[Mike Stroud]

It's more than a little surprising to me how many views and posts this thread has generated......not to mention the amount of passion that's been generated.

Yes.....I admit it. I was one of those little kids in the 1970's for whom Lawrence Welk was my Saturday evening object of DISCONTENT.

It so happened that in the market where I grew up.....Lawrence Welk and Hee Haw aired opposite each other at 7pm Saturday evenings on competing stations. Having only one set in the home at the time.....and my parents allowing my elderly grandmother to "rule the roost" when it came to the TV......well.....you can guess what she wanted to watch on Saturday evenings... .

In a manner of speaking.....that left me out in the cold for literally years! Only when a second TV finally entered the household was I able to laugh my guts out at the silly antics on Hee Haw.

P.S. That also held true for daytime TV as well...as Grandma insisted that she had to watch "her stories"....meaning....in this case....the ENTIRE daytime string of CBS soaps. That tuning dial never got any use during the day because it NEVER left the channel of the CBS affiliate.

You actually WANTED to watch "Hee Haw"? Why, bless your heart, my boy ...

 

[FredLeonard]

It's more than a little surprising to me how many views and posts this thread has generated......not to mention the amount of passion that's been generated.

Yes.....I admit it. I was one of those little kids in the 1970's for whom Lawrence Welk was my Saturday evening object of DISCONTENT.

It so happened that in the market where I grew up.....Lawrence Welk and Hee Haw aired opposite each other at 7pm Saturday evenings on competing stations. Having only one set in the home at the time.....and my parents allowing my elderly grandmother to "rule the roost" when it came to the TV......well.....you can guess what she wanted to watch on Saturday evenings... .

In a manner of speaking.....that left me out in the cold for literally years! Only when a second TV finally entered the household was I able to laugh my guts out at the silly antics on Hee Haw.

P.S. That also held true for daytime TV as well...as Grandma insisted that she had to watch "her stories"....meaning....in this case....the ENTIRE daytime string of CBS soaps. That tuning dial never got any use during the day because it NEVER left the channel of the CBS affiliate.

Wasn't Y&R a little racy for grandma?

What did she do at 1pm? Watch the local show on the CBS station or flip over to All My Children? Did she stay with CBS through the afternoon game shows or take a nap and come back for Secret Storm?

Both Welk and Hee Haw got bounced off network and had long runs in syndication. That doesn't happen any more. Both Welk and Hee Haw targeted the same demos. I bet which to watch was a tough choice for a lot of people. ABC used country music as Welk's lead in for several years and Welk did learn country without crossing over completely. Just no comedians and scantily clad farm girls in hay lofts. I guess no "farmer's daughter" types in North Dakota when Welk was young.

Right now I'm fantasizing about the Lovely Lennon Sisters in Hee Haw costumes. :

 

[briancraig]

In the mid 1970s, we would visit my great grandmother every Sunday who was in a nursing home. Apparently most of the residents didn't have their own tv set because every Sunday afternoon they would all gather in the big room where the tv was to watch Lawrence Welk. WHBQ here in Memphis usually aired Welk around 5 on Sundays.

I saw what joy his show brought to those viewers so I would never criticize Welk or his music. My great grandmother was born in 1888 and died in 1980 so I agree that you'd think their would not be enough viewers for the PBS reruns today.

I sometimes watch because it is fascinating to see how quick times can change. Welk's culture was at one time the mainstream American culture but is now completely DEAD. Being in my mid 40s, I can remember when beautiful music was the dominant FM format now that format doesn't exist. Makes you wonder what "mainstream culture" from today will be dead in 40 years.

 

[rnigma1]

Based on the music most featured on the show, the audience for the show originally were of the same generation as Welk himself (b. 1903). Welk was on the early cusp of so-called "greatest generation," and his target audience also included the slightly older "doughboy" generation (or "lost generation") who would have been born mostly in the 1890s (once called "the gay 90s" when "gay" had a different meaning). When people in those generations were born and growing up, most of the population lived in rural areas and small towns. When Welk was on network television, most of the population had moved to cities or suburbs and Welk's show was built around a sort of Mayberry-style nostalgia. Despite a smattering of other types, the arrangements and songs were mostly Tin Pan Alley, Great American Songbook standards organized into topical themes. There was a big emphasis on "family" and traditional values and the cast was disproportionately Catholic or Mormon (and from large families), and disproportionately German-American.

The songs of Ernest Ball, which pandered to Irish immigrants (e.g., "When Irish Eyes are Smiling," "Mother Machree," "A Little Bit of Heaven," etc.), hewed more toward waltzes and German musical styles than anything remotely Celtic, and an arch sentimentality that was common in most Tin Pan Alley offerings of the late 19th century.