Walking On Sunshine

Started off the morning with a quick breakfast and the soundtrack from the Judy Garland A Star Is Born. The major hit here was the torch song "The Man That Got Away," which Garland introduced on a piano early in the movie. My favorite number is actually a medley. "Born In a Trunk" is supposed to be the big song for the movie that makes Esther a star, but it's really a series of older songs that represent the usual upwards trajectory in lavish movie musicals of the 1940's and 50's, from born into a vaudeville act to struggling through nightclubs and lower-end theaters. The fact that Garland actually lived through a lot of this adds layers of authenticity.

Headed out soon as the CD ended. Work was off-and-on steady. We were a little busy when I came in and at noon, but other than that, it wasn't bad. It's the end of a quiet month, and the weather was really too gorgeous for shopping. The clouds from last night lingered when I got to work, but they began clearing around 11. By the time I finished, it was an absolutely gorgeous, sunny, very warm and breezy day in the upper 70's. 

It was so nice, I didn't want to sit inside all day. I changed, read Rhythm and Clues a little bit, then went back out. Strolled down to WaWa for a treat. It was too hot by 3:30 for anything but a smoothie. Their Pina Colada was a little sweet, but it did taste like pineapple and coconut. I wasn't the only one enjoying the day, either. Teenagers and adults stopped by WaWa for cold treats of their own. Children rode their bikes and shot plastic guns that spewed many bubbles into the air as they chased each other around their yards.

Worked on writing for an hour or so when I got in. Kathleen is about to start down the path to the town when she hears a noise. As she follows the noise, it begins to snow. She finds this surprising, since it was relatively warm just moments ago. She has to find shelter, before the storm gets worse...

Listened to Great Day! Rare Recordings from the Judy Garland Show while I worked. I don't know how rare these are nowadays, but they're songs from Judy's 1963-1964 variety show that, for the most part, she didn't otherwise record. Mel Torme added new material to "This Could Be the Start of Something" and "A Lot of Livin' to Do" so Judy could announce that week's guests. We also get a medley of songs from World War I (plus the slightly later "My Buddy"). She also got Torme to write her daughter Lorna Luft her own song when she realized there was no song named "Lorna." Other good numbers here include the title song, "Poor Butterfly," "Make Someone Happy," "Time After Time," and "Seventy-Six Trombones."

Finished the night at YouTube with tonight's Match Game marathon. You never know what crazy clothes the panelists and contestants would be wearing...or not wearing. McLean Stevenson showed up in a 1973 episode naked from the waist up except his bow tie, claiming the other men didn't want to lend him any clothes. Gene gave him his jacket. Gene and Betty did stripping routines several times. Gene took off his tie and jacket to show off his body in one episode; Betty kept her clothes on, but still joined him. He removed his jacket in a later episode to show off the gold brocade someone made for him from Chinese silk.

Gene wasn't the only one who swapped clothes. Bill Daily gave Charles Nelson Reilly his tan plaid jacket in a syndicated episode, even though it badly clashed with Charles' plaid shirt and lime green pants. Mitzi McCall and Elaine Joyce filled out halter and tie-front floral tops rather well in a 1974 show. Gene went casual in another episode with a gray jacket and turtleneck. Betty showed up in a notorious syndicated episode sporting a short red and gold dress that amply showed off her still-excellent legs. Sharon Farrell later revealed a friend of hers made Betty's dress and her pink outfit. Sharon showed off her outfit by landing on Richard Paul as an answer to what a farmer wishes what kind of wrestling would become an Olympic sport. 

The shirtless incident wasn't the last time McLean admitted fashion wasn't his strong suit. He turned up in a pale blue jacket and shirt in a later syndicated episode, and Brett pointed out that he still had no sense of fashion. Patty Duke, Brett Somers, and Charlene Tilton showed up in another syndicated episode with Brett in and off-the-shoulder caftan and Charlene in an extremely brief halter dress that amounted to barely wearing anything. Charles would turn up in a later syndicated episode sporting a cowboy hat with a feather that was about as close to the Wild West as he was going to get. Jon "Bowser" Bauman's idea of dressing up for a nighttime episode was wearing a giant polka-dot clown bow tie with his usual leather chain jacket.

You never know what your favorite celebrity will be wearing on this show...or not wearing. Take it all off for this hilarious marathon! 

Match Game Sunday Classics - The Fashion Show Showcase