Had an old favorite of mine pop into mind just a short while ago, an immediate hit which, upon its release, speedily ascended all the way up to number one with a bullet on the Billboard charts for Count Basie & his Orchestra back in 1947. It’s a novelty number (remember those? Don’t hear too many of those nowadays) I haven’t heard in way too many years, and had damned near forgotten about completely. So without further ado, here t’is.
Open The Door, Richard! (McVea-Clarke) by Count Basie & his Orchestra, vocal by Harry “Sweets” Edison, Bill Johnson, and the band
All five posted versions of this short-lived novelty sensation made it into the top-10 on both the pop and R&B Billboard weekly record charts: Count Basie (#1 pop), Dusty Fletcher, Jack McVea, Louis Jordan and The Three Flames.
Huh. Much as I’ve always admired the incomparable hit factory Louis Jordan’s amazing work, I don’t believe I ever heard his version of “Open the door, Richard” before. Gonna have to get cracking right away on filling that yawning chasm in my musical education straightaway.
Ok. Here’s something funny. Ever notice how the old Loony Toons they’d put in a ‘modern’ (for the times) reference? Like when Daffy Duck said “I…am an ACTOR! I have a contract with Warner Brothers!.
So there’s a Yosimite Sam / Bugs bunny toon where they are at a circus. Sam keeps chasing Bugs up a high dive and keeps going off of it. At one point, Bugs runs up and builds a door. Sam starts slamming into it. “Open Up! Open up or I’ll bust ‘er down!”
Then he looks at the camera and says “You notice how I didn’t say Richard?!”
Fuggin 45 years later, I finally get the reference.
“…I finally get the reference.”
Nice catch, Himself!