There's Good Boos Tonight

For Halloween, I thought it appropriate to have an encore appearance of Casper the Friendly Ghost in the 1948 animated short, There's Good Boos Tonight, from the Internet Archive. 

Putting The Hex On Hitler

This item seems appropriate for Halloween, even though the actual event occurred in January.  Boing Boing pointed me to this example of how "LIFE" (both the magazine and the broader definition) in the 1940's could be full of unusual surprises.  LIFE offers a narrative and photographic description of the interesting event below. 

"On the wet windy evening of January 22, a youthful band of idealists went to a lonely cabin in the Maryland woods." Thus begins one of the odder stories LIFE magazine ever published -- a straightforward, tongue-nowhere-near-cheek account of a 1941 "hex party" convened with one aim in mind: "to kill Adolf Hitler by voodoo incantation." According to LIFE, the party featured "a dressmaker's dummy, a Nazi uniform, nails, axes, tom-toms and plenty of Jamaica rum," and was inspired by a book by occultist and writer William Seabrook that was popular at the time: Witchcraft: Its Power in the World Today.

Sunrise Serenade: Hotter Than 'Ell

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Hotter Than 'Ell" by Fletcher Henderson.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Modern Morgan Trike

In 1909, the Morgan Motor Company began building three wheel cycle-cars or "trikes" in the UK as a compromise hybrid.  With only three wheels, the SuperSports (official name) were regulated as motorcycles, and therefore cheaper, but they could carry two people in relative comfort with impressive performance.  They remained in production until 1952.  I have always loved these vehicles.  The Hemmings blog reports that Morgan recently licensed Liberty Motors in Seattle, Washington to produce a modern version of trike, known as the ACE Cyclecar, with state of the art materials powered by a Harley-Davidson V-Twin.  Donations to the "buy Tim a trike" fund are now being accepted. 

Sunrise Serenade: Your Father's Mustache

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Your Father's Mustache" by Woody Herman.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Playlist For October 27, 2010

The playlist for the October 27, 2010 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

The Phantom

One of my favorite serials was The Phantom, and Golden Age Comic Book Stories posted a series of Phantom comic book covers from the 1930's through the 1970's.

Sunrise Serenade: Alabamy Bound

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Alabamy Bound" by Django Reinhardt.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Live Music At The Lindy Hop

This Friday's Red Hot Lindy Hop features live music by J. Thomas & The Swinging Monkeys, with a lesson by Mike and Erin.  Free admission before 7:00 p.m., and $7 at the door afterwards. 

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

U of M Swing every Monday, Fieldhouse Room 254 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.  Free taster lesson from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Topics vary from week to week and include East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Blues and Balboa. All are welcome and no partner is required. Open practice from 8-9:30 pm. Improve your moves during this dance time. Ask questions, come practice your swing dancing and have fun with other Memphis swing dancers!

Sunrise Serenade: Lulu's Back In Town

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Lulu's Back In Town" by the Mills Brothers.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.