I don't what it is, maybe it's the way their brass section plays Tony Basil's "Mickey"....
Whatever it may, that's the theme of this week's Lawrence Welk episode!
Now lets go to the all important highlights, shall we Harold Hill?
In today's episode, Jack Imel falls head over heels over the band's rendition of Todd Rundgren's "Bang the Drum All Day"
Cissy and Bobby practice their dancing for the Big Joe Polka Show....
....and Dick Dale auditions for New Braunfels Idol.
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT A HOMETOWN BAND - July 20, 1968
1. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT A HOMETOWN BAND - Arthur, Bobby, Jimmy, Cissy, Natalie, Sally, Sandi, Tanya, Andra, Steve, Larry, Joe and the band featuring Dick Dale (bandleader), Norman Bailey (trumpet), Bob Davis (flute), Dave Edwards (clarinet), Bob Ralston (xylophone), Charlie Parlato (bass drum), Kenny Trimble (trombone), Johnny Klein (drums) and Richard Maloof (tuba)
2. TEN FEET OFF THE GROUND - danced and sung by Jack Imel and Bobby Burgess
3. TIL' THERE WAS YOU - Norma Zimmer
4. THE CLARINET POLKA - Myron Floren on accordion with Bobby Burgess and Cissy King dancing
5. OH SHENANDOAH - Jimmy Roberts with Curt Ramsey, Steve Smith, Charlie Parlato and Larry Hooper
6. WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE - Tanya Falan
7. DAKOTA - Joe Feeney
8. DING DONG DADDY FROM DUMAS - Larry Hooper with assist from Sandi and Sally
9. KEEP A LITTLE SUNSHINE IN YOUR HEART - Sandi Griffiths and Sally Flynn
10. I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M LOSING YOU - Steve Smith
11. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A LASSIE?/OH WHERE, OH WHERE HAS MY LITTLE DOG GONE?/DU DU LEIGST MIR IM HERZEN - Myron Floren on accordion with Cissy and Lawrence dancing and Dick Dale on vocals
12. THE BAND PLAYED ON - the orchestra
13. CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN - Natalie Nevins with backing vocals by Andra, Joe, Cissy, Bobby, Larry, Sandi, Jimmy and Sally
14. CORNSILK - the orchestra
15. THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND - Dick Dale with Curt, Steve, Larry and Charlie
16. JUNE NIGHT - tap danced by Arthur Duncan
17. ABOUT TIME - Bob Lido with Bob Havens on trombone
18. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN - band featuring Myron Floren on accordion, Kenny Trimble on trombone, Richard Maloof on tuba, Jack Imel on drums, Charlie Parlato on trumpet, Buddy Merrill on banjo, Dick Dale on saxophone and Andra Willis as the girl singer
19. OH JOHNNY - Andra Willis
20. MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC - Jo Ann Castle on honky tonk piano
21. MY NORTH DAKOTA HOME - Joe, Arthur, Steve, Jimmy, Larry, Bobby, Natalie, Cissy, Sally, Sandi, Tanya, Norma, Andra
This show had a real nostalgic theme in particular for the Maestro and anyone else on the show who were born, grew up and cut their teeth in the music business in both North and South Dakota.
A lot of original songs were featured from the Walt Disney movie The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band such as "Ten Feet Off The Ground", "Bout Time", "Dakota" and "West o' the Wide Missouri" which we know as the familiar Welk standard "Oh Shenandoah". That movie was released the same time this show first aired and it keeps with the Dakotas theme, such as the original screenplay written by Laura Bower Van Nuys of Rapid City, South Dakota where the movie also had it's world premiere.
The movie starred Walter Brennan, John Davidson, Buddy Ebsen, Lesley Ann Warren, Wally Cox and Kurt Russell and the movie's plot had the Bower family petitioning the Democratic National Committee to sing at a Grover Cleveland rally during the 1888 Presidential Election, it's one of the more underrated Disney musicals, but sounds like a good one.
Back to the show, there were plenty of numbers I liked....Natalie Nevins and "Climb Every Mountain" were made for each other, the band did a nice novelty treatment of "Singin' In The Rain" especially when Myron's accordion chords were thrown in the mix and Andra Willis was splendid with her treatment of "Oh Johnny".
So until next week, keep a song in your heart and always be thinking about your North Dakota home....even if you've never set foot in the state.
There's Something About a Hometown Band
