Well God Bless All You Sentimental
Choristers of the Old Days
1920s
I suppose if the Negroes can have their spirituals and the
Jews their holy chants of Egyptian bondage, I suppose we can have title to a
few that helped us through our days of captivity in Minooka where we spent so
many happy years successfully disguised as “poor people.”
This is by no means a complete list of treasured ditties.
Mine is just a gathering of sound and memory that covers the years between 1925
and 1932. I am sure each of us has a recollection of similar tunes that have
equal degrees of poignancy and schlock, such as “The Day Poor Benny Died” and
“The Baggage Coach Ahead.”
Then there were the great ones from the Biggie—WWII! “I’ll
Be Seeing You” may be the best. “Now Is The Hour,” Lili Marlene,” … many more …
some sensored for tender ears.
Charley Lydon, Aunt Katie’s (Hefferen)son, who bought the farm at
Chateau Thierry in 1918, Lavina’s favorite – “Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland”
How about the one Pat Gibbons always sang to Kathleen Donnelly
back in their courting days: “Wonderful One.”
When, as a boy, I would go to town with Lavina, we always
ate at the best… Kresge’s or Woolworth’s counter… the best root beer and hot
dogs ever made!
On Taylor pay nights in the winter, Sharkey would take me or
Jack to the Vaudeville show at the old Capitol. He would fold his overcoat
under me so I would not miss a thing. It was all very tame despite such
billings as “Sophie Tucker, The Last of the Red Hot Mamas!” Sophie was an aging
Yenta at this point who moved around somewhat like Queenie the elephant. There
was always a kid act or two, a dog that did tricks and a clown with baggy
pants—the whole schtik!
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