Saturday 9...

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Mairzy Doats

Welcome to Saturday 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so to speak. We encourage you to visit other participants' posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

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.)  I am not familiar with any of today's popular music but let me confess that I know all the words to this song.  My mom used to sing it and I have known it since I was big enough to understand that mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy, a kid'll eat ivy too, wouldn't you?  When I listen to the 40s station on Sirius, I sing along loudly when this one comes on and always think of my momma!

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.  How about Mairzy Doats! Or Mary had a little lamb also came to mind and I'm sure we all know that one.

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?  My mom loved to sing and I remember the radio being on in the kitchen a lot.  She played trumpet in high school and so did I and my sister, Patti. Patti also played piano.  My dad was not very musical but he did sing with us in the car. We did that a lot. My sister, Tammy, played saxophone, was a majorette and played guitar for a while. My niece, Sara, studied music in college and was an accomplished pianist and saxophone player. So yes, I guess we were perhaps more musical than some.

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?  No. Just high school chorus and band.  

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 the homecoming dances and went to the prom three years (sophomore, junior, and senior years).  Dances were fun but I enjoyed roller skating more.  We had (student council organized) roller skating events once a month or so for a couple of years, at a local rink. Those were fun and there was always music and colored lights.

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?  Kalisa and I laughed a lot last Thursday, on the way to the retirement dinner I wrote about yesterday.  She has a great sense of humor and we laugh at the same silly things.

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?  If I am to be out in the sun for longer than 20 minutes or so, I need to put sunscreen on or I burn to a crisp.  I use a facial moisturizer every day with sunscreen (Factor 30). It goes on my face, neck, and chest.

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, not without looking them up but I never really enjoyed that game. We had it at home but it was not my favorite. I would rather play Monopoly back then.

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?  That probably would have been a deal-breaker and I would not have offered to buy unless the mirror would be gone and the ceiling repaired.  I don't even like mirrored closet doors.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall...

Peace & hugs!  

Jesus loves you and me!! 

Count on it!!