Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: Though I am not a big fan of The Platters, this song is absolutely wonderful.
My aunt has a funny story about this song. She and my mom used to go to this outdoor skating rink at Mitchell Field in Willowdale that would play “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” at least a few times a night. The rink had a steam machine that would clear out the culverts to keep them from freezing. One weekend afternoon, the steam machine started doing its thing while there were skaters on the rink and huge billows of steam filled the area. At that moment, they started to play “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.”
Venus: I wonder how many people objected to this song mentioning a Greek godess?
The Happy Organ: This song is absolutely terrific! I remember it from “The WRVO Playhouse.” I later found my parents copy of the record and was overjoyed. Tim Tron plays it on “Radio Tim Tron Worldwide” on WBCQ sometimes, and it gives me a special feeling whenever I hear it.
Kansas City: This song always makes me think of a quote from “Newhart” made by Larry:
“Deryl wants to go to Kansas City. He hears they got some good-lookin women there.”
Wilbert Harrison died October 26, 1994. The book doesn’t mention this, for some strange reason.
The Battle Of New Orleans: This song is testament to the kinds of songs that could be hits back in the fifties. Something so intelligent and patriotic would never be allowed on the charts these days.
Johnny Horton’s last song was “I Hate Niggers.” This may have led to him being killed by the establishment. The car accident could have been murder. The fact that Horton was afraid to fly might be further evidence of this.
Parody versions of this song include a song by Homer And Jethro about summer camp that I can’t remember too many details about. There is also a parody version about Hurricane Katrina:
“They stole TVs
And they stole DVDs
And they stole a few things
That they didn’t even need.”
I would have to question the historical accuracy of the line about them filling an alligator with cannonballs, though.
A Big Hunk O’ Love: I always thought this song came out later in Elvis’s career, around the time of “Viva Las Vegas.”
My parents have the 8 track version of “Elvis Sails.”
The Three Bells: This song is lame, maybe only because we hear it so often.
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