"Stand over next to the guitar man"

[RayL]

If you know the next line*, then you'll be sad to hear of the death of Stan Freberg (b. 1926), who created a series of comic parodies of pop songs in the late 1950s.

That particular line comes from The Banana Boat Song where the bongo player on the session (a laconic Peter Leeds) tries to send the singer (Freberg) to other parts of the studio because he is "too loud man, too piercing". In the end he persuades the singer to sing outside the studio where (mysteriously) the door becomes locked and he can't get back in to sing the famous line "Day-o". The song ends with a crash of broken glass - "I come through the window".

If I've concentrated on this song it's because even at my very young age, it provided lessons for me about recording and recording studios. Not just the concept, but even the idea that studio musicians, however skilled, might see it as "just a job", where their comfort and convenience rated higher than the artistic merit of the music. Obviously I didn't analyse it in those terms at the time, but the idea stuck.

* "He sent me over here"

Ray

[JimN]

I'm sorry to hear of Stan's passing. I've long been a fan, even if the expression of that is the purchase of his Greatest Hits LP and a Capitol CD which contains much that would only sound relevant in the USA ("Television Lant", anyone?).

I always suggest listening to versions of "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise" by Les Paul and Stan. Les's version first.

RIP, Stan.

[Iain Purdon]

A sad day-o

Unless he comes in through the window

[Gruntfuttock]

Hi Ray. Many thanks for posting that info. What great memories! Stan had such an influence on my life starting around the age of fourteen or fifteen. Sad to hear he has passed on. Regards Gruntfuttock

[George Geddes]

'Rock Island Line' and #St George and the Dragonet' were equally brilliant...

RIP Stan

George

[Mikey]

A one off. I never tired of hearing his stuff and still laughed out loud at it.

[JimN]

...you sure you don't want the bit about the pig iron?

[George Geddes]

"He fool 'im"

George

[Moderne]

I first heard Stan Freberg around 1978 when Jimmy Savile played Heartbreak Hotel and Rock Island Line on his Old Record Club programme on Radio 1 - Sunday afternoon. I got an MfP Greatest Hits LP and have enjoyed his talent ever since. His version of Cry was also very funny!