Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Mairzy Doats (1944)

Unfamiliar with this song? Hear it here

1) While today this is considered a children's song, "Mairzy Doats" was a #1 hit and a staple on radio stations in 1944. Do you know any of today's most popular songs? (Here's this week's Hot 100.) No.

2) One of the song's writers recalled that the song was inspired by an old English nursery rhyme. Tell us a rhyme you remember from childhood. 

Mary had a little lamb,

Little lamb, little lamb,

Mary had a little lamb,

Its fleece was white as snow

And everywhere that Mary went,

Mary went, Mary went,

Everywhere that Mary went

The lamb was sure to go 

3) This week's group, The Merry Macs, was formed by three brothers -- Judd, Joe and Ted McMichael -- who learned to harmonize at home. Did you grow up in a musical household? I played the piano. My parents always had music playing. I loved watching musicals with my parents. Especially Rogers and Hammerstein. 

4) When the McMichaels decided their new group needed a woman's voice, they asked Cheri McKay to join them. Realizing all their names began with Mc, they began calling themselves The Merry Macs. Have you ever performed with a singing group? (Yes, that garage band you played in after school counts.) If yes, what was your band called? I sang in the school choir in Jr. High. I also sang in my church choir. 

5) The Merry Macs' first gigs were playing high school dances. Do you have any memories of school dances you'd like to share this morning? I went to several of them and had fun. My special one was my Sr. Prom. I went with my boyfriend(husband) It was on the SS Princess Louise next to the Queen Mary in Long Beach California. I wore a green prom dress and another girl had the same dress in pink. We wend up taking a picture together. I also had fun at the Harvest Ball(Sadie Hawkins)the year before with Kevin Dodd. We had to wear matching shirts. We stayed friends after dating he met my husband later.

6) Once their recording career took off, The Merry Macs went to Hollywood. They appeared in a film with the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. Who last made you laugh? My dog when she was playing with her toy.

7) In 1944, when "Mairzy Doats" topped the charts, sunscreen was invented. It was first developed to protect soldiers during WWII, and that original formula was sold to Coppertone. Do you regularly use sunscreen? Not as often as I use too. I do on my face, but I need the sun to get some vitamin D.

8) Also in 1944, a board game called Murder! was introduced in England. In 1949 it made its way to the United States and was renamed Clue. It's still popular today. Can you name any of the original 6 "characters" in the Clue game? (Extra credit: One was replaced in 2016; who was it?) No.

9) Random question: The new house you just bought comes with a big mirror on the ceiling of the master bedroom. Would you take it down or leave it there? Take it down and put up a ceiling fan with a nice light fixture.

My website is Susan's Garden of Friendship The link is to the right. Lots of inspirational pages too. I hope to see you there!