Remembering Glenn Miller

National Review ^ | 12-15-2014 | Spencer Case

[A_Former_Democrat]

My parents were huge Big Band and GM fans. No doubt the country was devastated by his loss. Who knows how much more greatness he would have contributed to our culture had he survived, as well as the 500,000 who also lost their lives. As I read bios of famous people of The Greatest Generation, I see many of them served during wartime.

[NEWwoman]

Thanks for the post.

I tweeted the link.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Nice article. BUMP!

[righttackle44]

Thank you for the post. I became an Glenn Miller fan when I was in the eighth grade in 1957 when my grade school principal, Mr. Dunham, scheduled a number of movies for showing in our auditorium during graduation week.

I knew of the Glenn Miller orchestra--the orchestra had played on a New Year's Eve in 1954 or '55 in our city.

But the music of the movie grabbed and held me ever since. I bought as much Glenn Miller music as I could find--available then mostly on 33 1/3 vinyl LPs and 78 RPM records in second hand shops.

I don't know how he died, nor do I care whether or not he was a spy.

I like his music. Nothing better than sitting down with a book and putting on Perfidia or Pavene the music machine.

Again, thank you for the post.

[eartrumpet]

I read the theory that his plane was flying over an area off the coast where returning bombers could drop their leftover bombs before landing. His plane got underneath a bomb and went poof.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Dennis Spragg, senior consutant to the Glenn Miller Archive, argues persuasively in a forthcoming book, Resolved, that a plane crash due to bad weather and human error was the true cause Miller’s demise.

It is just as plausible, based on recently discovered evidence and testimony, that his plane went down when stuck by one or more bombs that were released by a returning flight or RAF aircraft. Crews occasionally dump their unused ordnance in the Channel when conditions (fuel, weather) required it for a safe landing.

[Starstruck]

I can listen to any kind of music except rap and I like Glenn Miller. I drive to Dallas several times a year and I make a MP3 for each 8 hour leg. I think very few people could take my mix of Big Band, Jazz, Blues, Doo-Wop, Soul, Soft Rock, Hard Rock, Country, Southern Rock and electronic.

[knittnmom]

Thanks for posting this. One of the links led to some great YouTube videos of the GMO. It’s making my afternoon much nicer!

[smoothsailing]

My Pleasure! :-)

[RayChuang88]

I think had Glenn Miller survived World War II, he would certainly have taken a interest (and probably started collaborating) with a singer named Francis Albert Sinatra, who really was a very talented singer in spite of his connections to the Mob (remember, he grew up in Hoboken, NJ, and knew many organized crime figures as neighbors).

[Starstruck]

No Slim Whitman? No Zamfir?

I could throw in a Zamfir for the wife, but I don't have a dog for a Slim Whitman sing along.

[jazusamo]

Thanks for the post, Smooth...My folks were fans of his and had some of his songs on 78’s, my sister and I would play them and others a lot.

One song they had that we thought was a hoot was the Andrews Sisters-Her Bathing Suit Never Got Wet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB3oB85kPNQ

[lee martell]

I’ve always liked Moonlight Serenade, with those clarinettes, very melodic.

[liberalh8ter]

My Mom's cousin played saxophone for the GMO for a time. Somewhere around here I have a large album with photos and records in it that belonged to him. Guess I'll have to go dig it up!

[Starstruck]

I do have to admit that I’ve got about a dozen Whitman songs in my MP3 collection. If my house is ever surrounded by the “Hands Up. Don’t Shoot” crowd, I think I will be able to drive them away.

[Fester Chugabrew]

He struck people as the kind of jazz musician you could bring home to Mom and Dad.

And Miles Davis wasn't?

[smoothsailing]

LOL! That is a hoot! B^)

The Andrews Sisters ~ Her Bathing Suit never got Wet

By the waters of the Caribbean
Lived a lovely little Latin Queen
In her bathing suit she can be seen
Strolling down beside the sea

But her bathing suit never got wet
And she was an Admiral’s daughter
And always so close to the water
But her bathing suit never got wet

Then one day imagine her surprise
Clouds began to gather in the skies
There she stood just like a frightened pup
When the heavens opened up

But her bathing suit never got wet
For there on the sand was a feller
And he had the cutest umbrella
So her bathing suit never got wet

Then a boy whom she had snubbed one day
Got revenge, and in the sweetest way
Turned the hose upon this Latin Beaut
Standing in her bathing suit

But her bathing suit never got wet
For while she was weeping and screaming
She woke up and found she was dreaming
So her bathing suit never got wet

Here’s what happened on the beach one night
When she saw that no one was in sight
She made up her mind and in she went
Swimming to her heart’s content

But her bathing suit never got wet
And here is the answer, oh brother
She borrowed a suit from her mother
So her bathing suit never got wet

Then one day she broke the golden rule
Climbed the ladder of a swimming pool
There she stood, and as the people roared
She dove off the diving board

But her bathing suit never got wet
And oh, what a lesson it taught her:
What good is a pool without water?
But her bathing suit... never got wet...

http://lyricstranslate.com/en/andrews-sisters-her-bathing-suit-never-got-wet-lyrics.html