If a lifetime can be likened to a day, then this is Happy Hour!
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
Today's Happy Hour Soundtrack
In honor of the day... coz we're feeling quite martial and patriotic:
The Washington Post March is my all-time favorite when it comes to patriotic and/or martial music. I've had the great good fortune (or MIS-fortune, according to how ya feel about such things) to march in more than a few parades to this tune, and the air made me walk (march) jes a lil bit taller and a lil bit prouder.
Did you know you can define a John Philip Sousa station on Pandora? Well, you can and I did, especially for today. The station is a mixed bag, which is to say it features all sorts of marches, not just compositions from Mr. Sousa. And I'm OK with that, even if I'd prefer strictly Sousa on this day. That said... those Strauss kids composed some fine marches, including The Radetzky March and Auf Der Jagd (about which: not technically a march, but good none the less). The upside? Most of the tunes being played on the Sousa station are performed by the US Army and Marine Corps bands. It's still early into Happy Hour and I'm hoping to hear some performances by the US Air Force and US Navy bands... both of which are quite good.
One of those tasks that I really, really dislike is painting (possibly because it is de rigueur in the Navy). But, when I've that it is impossible to avoid, listening to march music, particularly Sousa, makes the task a little easier to deal with.
Speaking of military marches/songs, there is an old Army Air Corps song "Up in the Air Junior Birdmen" that started out as a serious training song (google it--there are several versions) that somehow got to be a favorite of the Boy Scouts and later became a humorous parody, and herein lies a good story. When I attended LSU, ROTC was still mandatory for all male (heh) freshmen & sophomores so the Cadet Corps (AF & Army) was some 5,000 strong and taken very seriously. (All freshmen males had their heads shaved just like basic training) During Freshman Orientation (1962) they would mass both Army & AF cadets (some 2500) in opposing morning formations on the practice parade field (where the Basketball stadium and running track are now, opposite the football stadium--no uniforms yet, just our freshman issue beenies with a strip of blue tape on the bill to signify we AFROTC types.) to sing/yell insults at each other in unison at the top of our lungs.. One of the Army's insult "songs" went: "Up in the Air Jr Birdmen, Up in the Air BoyScouts too, Up in the Air Jr Birdmen.....CRASH!" LOL
When I attended LSU, ROTC was still mandatory for all male (heh) freshmen & sophomores...
And people wonder why us geezers wax so nostalgic for Former Happy Days. I'd go further and make two years of national service compulsory for everyone, male AND female. It works in Israel.
But, you know, I don't know where a Cadet Corp that size would drill anymore at LSU, Buck. All the avail land within decent walking dist is now built up and outlying areas are way too far to get to and from in time for next class, etc.
One of those tasks that I really, really dislike is painting (possibly because it is de rigueur in the Navy). But, when I've that it is impossible to avoid, listening to march music, particularly Sousa, makes the task a little easier to deal with.
ReplyDeleteEven when you're painting your house?
DeleteEven then... it helps get a nice rhythm going.
DeleteIf only I could find some decent clean-up music.
I was always partial to The St. Louis Blues March, (Glynn Miller) myself..
ReplyDeleteWould that be Glenn's brother?
DeleteHeh, I let the typo stand JUST to see what you'd do with it, Buck. I see you didn't disappoint, lol. :)
DeletePedantics Я Us.
DeleteSpeaking of military marches/songs, there is an old Army Air Corps song "Up in the Air Junior Birdmen" that started out as a serious training song (google it--there are several versions) that somehow got to be a favorite of the Boy Scouts and later became a humorous parody, and herein lies a good story. When I attended LSU, ROTC was still mandatory for all male (heh) freshmen & sophomores so the Cadet Corps (AF & Army) was some 5,000 strong and taken very seriously. (All freshmen males had their heads shaved just like basic training) During Freshman Orientation (1962) they would mass both Army & AF cadets (some 2500) in opposing morning formations on the practice parade field (where the Basketball stadium and running track are now, opposite the football stadium--no uniforms yet, just our freshman issue beenies with a strip of blue tape on the bill to signify we AFROTC types.) to sing/yell insults at each other in unison at the top of our lungs.. One of the Army's insult "songs" went: "Up in the Air Jr Birdmen, Up in the Air BoyScouts too, Up in the Air Jr Birdmen.....CRASH!" LOL
ReplyDeleteWhen I attended LSU, ROTC was still mandatory for all male (heh) freshmen & sophomores...
DeleteAnd people wonder why us geezers wax so nostalgic for Former Happy Days. I'd go further and make two years of national service compulsory for everyone, male AND female. It works in Israel.
Great story, yet again.
But, you know, I don't know where a Cadet Corp that size would drill anymore at LSU, Buck. All the avail land within decent walking dist is now built up and outlying areas are way too far to get to and from in time for next class, etc.
DeleteWhere there's a will...
DeleteThe Aggies seem to do pretty well, now that I think about it.
DeleteSousa music certainly makes you pick your feet up a little higher.
ReplyDeleteIt DOES, Lou.
Delete