FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 4, 2010
DEAR JERRY: I just bought the vinyl edition of Deana Martin's new album, “Volare” (Big Fish 1005), and noticed your name among those thanked by Deana.
No mention is made as to specific contributions, so I am naturally curious about yours. Please tell us more.
Shortly before Dean Martin died, I lived in New York and recall watching a entertainment news show on television. On that day, Deana was the in-studio guest, and her famous father joined them from Los Angeles by telephone.
I thought everything was on the internet, but I have tried Bing, Google, Yahoo, IMDb and other search sources, but find no references whatsoever to this show.
Of special interest is my suspicion that this could have been the last interview ever for Dino.
Might you use your contacts to obtain the name of the show I recall, as well as any other fascinating details?
—Marla Givens, Owensboro, Ky.
I assisted Deana and John, her manager, producer, and husband, in numerous ways, from consulting on cover artwork and track sequencing to offering late-night moral support.
Fortunately I caught up with Deana and John just as Deana was about to be a guest on the Bonnie Hunt Show (Dec. 16, singing “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow”). They both recall the program you speak of, and here is the information you seek:
The date is November 25, 1994, and you watched “The Geraldo Rivera Show,” also at times known simply as “Geraldo.”
According to Deana and John, that Geraldo interview is indeed the last for Dean, who died exactly 13 months later: December 25, 1994.
DEAR JERRY: Whether you know it or not, collectors of novelty break-ins regard you as the official source for identifying those mysterious song clips.
Even though nearly all the song samples are from hit records, some can be very difficult to name. Hopefully my flattery will motivate you to help me identify three such tunes.
One is a clip in “Buchanan and Goodman on Trial,” one of their many “Flying Saucer” follow-ups. It contains no actual words, and there are two clips from this same song. They sing something similar to “papa cow cow.”
Another is a sax riff in “Frankenstein of '59,” with some shouts from some male singers. Played while “the monster is dancing on Bandstand,” it sounds a bit like King Curtis.
Finally, “Flying Saucer Goes West” includes two clips in Italian, both of which seem to be from the same recording.
My agony has diminished just knowing you are on the case.
—Randy Callahan, Pittsburg, Calif.
In “Buchanan and Goodman on Trial,” the “papa cow cow” segment is from “I Promise to Remember,” a 1956 hit for Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers (Gee 1018).
The sax break in Duane Eddy's “Cannonball” (Jamie 1111) is what you hear in “Frankenstein of '59.” It seems this piece of “Cannonball,” especially with the screaming voices, better suited the script than Duane's twangy guitaring.
“Flying Saucer Goes West” borrows two Italian language clips from Lou Monte's “Lazy Mary (Luna Mezzo Mare)” (RCA Victor 7160), a huge hit in 1958.
IZ ZAT SO? Hundreds of novelty break-in records exist, yet very few sell well.
Only three have reached the nation's Top 10, the biggest being “The Flying Saucer” (Buchanan and Goodman) (1956) — the classic that spawned the genre.
The other two are “Mr. Jaws” (Dickie Goodman) (1975) and “Convention '72” (Delegates) (1972).
Even if we stretch the list to include ones landing in the Top 40, only two more qualify: “The Flying Saucer the 2nd” (Buchanan and Goodman) (1957) and “Moonflight” (Vik Venus) (1969).
Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column. Write Jerry at Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368, e-mail: jpo@olympus.net, or visit his Web site: http://www.jerryosborne.com/. All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.
Copyright 2009 Osbourne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
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