This is Dagmar, she was a big personality back in the 1950s on TV and also known for her…assets. In fact the front bumpers that jutted out from the early Cadillacs, were called Dagmars by the youth hot rodders. You hear her name in one of the songs I am choosing today. It’s freebie week at Monday Music Moves Me and I’m still thinking of school so here we go…
1. HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL SUNG BY ROUGH TRADE-1980
I love this song and we must have all known one girl that seemed to attract all the attention. In my school, her name was Penny Banks..I’m not kidding, that was her name and she had long blond hair that her mom created the “10” look just like Bo Derek. All those tiny braids looked amazing on Penny and I swear, when she moved her head, everything went into slo-mo mode. We all thought she was cool especially since she was dating a senior. Now, I think he was a pig for dating a 14 yr old but back then, she was cool. She was one girl that never bullied or abused me despite being cooler than cool. Carole Pope nails it as the lead singer.
2. SCHOOL CAFETERIA BY WEIRD AL YANKOVIC-1976
I am one that always found this strange, strange man funny and his take on the cafeteria food was so true and funny. I rarely ate cafeteria food.
3. VARSITY DRAG SUNG BY JUNE ALLYSON, PETER LAWFORD AND CAST-1947
I’ve been to more than one school dances watching the teens slo mo dance and laughing when the music got faster and the kids didn’t know what to do, like when Staircase to Heaven was played at every end to the school dance. For once, I’d love to see a school dance be like the one you see here. Wouldn’t that be fun…totally unrealistic, but so much fun.
So…which songs make you think of back to school?
Hi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteHappy 4M Monday on Wednesday, dear friend! :) Yessum, I remember seeing buxom Dagmar's appearances on TV in sketches with Milton Berle and Bob Hope.
I never before heard that David Bowie-esque song by the Canadian new wave band Rough Trade featuring their edgy lead zinger, British-born Canadian new wave rock singer/songwriter Carole Pope. As I clicked to begin listening, I expected "High School Confidential" to be a cover of the 1958 hit by Jerry Lee Lewis, theme song from the 1958 movie of the same name. Turns out, it's a completely different song, yet includes references to the same time period including a nod to Dagmar and "The Girl Can't Help It," a hit song by Little Richard and title song of the 1956 film of the same name that starred another blond bombshell of the 1950s, Jayne Mansfield. Gotta love the teenage temptress in "H.S. Confidential." Like my Shady's Place character Hepcat Black, she even drives a pink Cadillac. Interesting that the song was actually written from a lesbian perspective but can also be interpreted as having a male narrator. I like the song!
Another new to me song is Weird Al's "School Cafeteria." My source states that it was released at Christmas, 1979, as the B side of "My Bologna." The ditty tells the truth about the mystery food served in the school lunch hall.
While the 1947 remake of Good News starred "Thin Man" rat packer Peter Lawford and June Allyson (one of my mother's favorite actresses), the clip you showed was from the 1930 release of Good News that starred Bessie Love, Cliff Edwards and Penny Singleton. If I am not mistaken, it is Penny that we see in this film clip performing "The Varsity Drag."
For my back to school song picks, I'm going with the 1964 Jan & Dean hit "The New Girl In School" and the 1957 minor hit "Hey Schoolgirl," an Everly Brothers imitation by Tom & Jerry, the teenage duo that went on to fame and fortune as Simon & Garfunkel.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, dear friend BB. I'll unveil a new post of my own tamale and I will also be back here, sitting in the balcony waiting for you-- At The Movies!
I didn’t think I knew any of them, but I surprised myself by recognising Varsity Drag.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know any of these songs including (to my surprise) Weird Al's. Gulp, I ate enough school cafeteria meals in junior high. I guess I'm fortunate that I survived.
ReplyDelete'High School Confidential'! Haven't heard that one in a long time! Great memories there. ☺ I love Weird Al and have tried to emulate him a few times. His song parodies are hilarious! Didn't know the last one, but I always liked Peter Lawford. He got a raw deal from Sinatra during their Rat Pack days. Here's one for you: 'Education' by The Kinks.
ReplyDeleteSchool's Out for Summer! Oh wait, wrong month...
ReplyDeleteJust listened to weird Al's song. He's spot-on about that food. Yuck. We once had a wonderful cook/chef, but she didn't stay long. Her meals were great.
ReplyDeleteThe kid in the picture in the Weird Al Yankovic video looks so much like me when I was in high school, it's frightening.
ReplyDeleteI saw the movie "Good News" the first time during commuter weekend at Northwestern when I was an incoming freshman (50 years ago). There's some wild dance routines in it. My favorite is "Pass The Peace Pipe." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_6CzxyWGj4 Politically incorrect as all hell, but damn, can Joan McCracken dance...