The Fate of Harold Hill

[beamjockey]

Recently at a flea market, I picked up The Music Man: A Novel by Meredith Willson, Pyramid Books paperback #R-736. It was published in 1962 as a tie-in to the movie version of the hit Fifties musical. Here's a glimpse of the cover.

I love The Music Man, and so do daisy-knotwise and brotherguy and scarfman and minnehaha K. It is my favorite musical. I've read Willson's account of its

Comments

[scarfman]

I saw it in Chicago with Dick Van Dyke. And my mother saw the original, I think.

[beamjockey]

Ah, I see.

[shsilver]

I would think the opening "song" on the train is a better example of "arranging words in rhythmic chants that seem like music."

The Music Man is the final show of the 2010 season at Marriott. Elaine and I already have our tickets.

[beamjockey]

I would think the opening "song" on the train is a better example of "arranging words in rhythmic chants that seem like music."

For sure, and it is Willson's favorite example, but I mentioned "Trouble" because it's more famous.

[archiver_tim]

The Music Man movie is when Robert Preston looked most like my dad.

[carbonel]

I can't remember if I've asked if you've ever heard "Chicken Fat." It was part of my elementary school experience (and rather a fond memory, since it was an occasional treat instead of an everyday thing), but I was surprised to find out it was written by Meredith Willson and performed by Robert Preston.

From Wikipedia:

"In 1961, Preston was asked to make a recording as part of a program by the President's Council on Physical Fitness to get schoolchildren to do more daily exercise. The song, 'Chicken Fat,' written by Meredith Willson and performed by Preston with full orchestral accompaniment, was distributed to schools across the nation and played for students in calisthenics every morning. The song later became a surprise novelty hit and a part of many baby-boomers' childhood memories."

It's available here.

[acmespaceship]

Chicken Fat!! Gym class, 1968, 6th grade, Canton, OH. Better than running laps, not as good as getting out the parachute or playing basketball. I bet you could scare some people to death slipping that song into a DJ set at a convention dance.

[mia_mcdavid]

Chicken Fat?!!! You, too??? Carbonel has an MP3! So do I, somewhere...

[beamjockey]

I don't think we've discussed it orally, but I remember you and kipw corresponding about it on Usenet in 2003.

[magentamn]

Interestingly enough, the University of Minnesota Press just reprinted But He Doesn't Know the Territory, ISBN-10: 0816667705. And the Minneapolis Public Library has it.

I saw the musical as a kid and absolutely loved it. I may have even seen that production with Forrest Tucker. (I grew up in DC)