Kalamazoo!

When I was about six or seven, my dad splurged and bought a Stromberg-Carlson stereo. It was encased in a well-crafted piece of wood furniture. (Dad still has it.) I remember spending hours sitting in front of that stereo listening to the music. I felt like the musicians were playing right there in the room.

Dad would later let me play my own music on it, mostly the Beatles. But in the first few years, I listened to dad's favorite stuff, much of which I still love. Glenn Miller and His Orchestra were among those I loved hearing the most.

The other day I was listening to the "Mark Daniels Radio Station" on ApplePlay. Of course, Apple's algorithm incorporates my preferences, based on what I play when I make the selections, and educated guesses as to what I might like. (The algorithm is right less than 50% of the time.) This tune, I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo, one of those I loved to hear playing on my dad's stereo cropped up right after the Beatles, Sidney Bechet, and Flame the other night.

Wikipedia has a good article on the background of the song and how it was introduced in a movie. I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo sat at number 1 for eight weeks the year it was released and was on the charts a total of eighteen weeks. Its film introduction had the added bonus of a fantastic dance routine by the Nicholas Brothers. Enjoy!