Will the real Crazy Otto please stand up?!

I don't know if there are any really famous instrumentalists anymore, but can you imagine having two of them playing the same song and using the same name in public?


In 1955 a honkytonk/ragtime piano record became a national sensation. It was the "Crazy Otto Medley" by Johnny Maddox. The song eventually sold two million copies, but whose copy were folks really listening to? At the time people thought it was something new but in reality the idea was practically stolen from another pianist in Germany.

Fritz Schulz-Reichel was a concert pianist who used the moniker "The Schraege" (the tilted one) when he played his "tipsy wire box" sounding piano for some happy sounding songs in Berlin. Apparently back in the 1950s it wasn't easy to import recordings, so Johnny Maddox recorded the sound that Schulz-Reichel invented in Germany and released it here in the US and voila....a hit was born.

Oddly enough Johnny Maddox's albums call him "The original Crazy Otto" but when Schulz-Reichel eventually released albums in the US, he also used the name "Crazy Otto" leading to the confusion of who really is Crazy Otto! Here's the story taken from the back of one of Johnny Maddox's albums:

"A Cleveland disc jockey, Walt Henrich, was given a German recording by a returning serviceman. The artist on this record was "Der Schraege..." Walt had many phone calls asking where the record could be bought, and since it was not available in the United States, he mentioned it to his station colleague Bill Randall. Randall suggested to Randy Wood, president of Dot Records, that it might be a good piece of material for Maddox. Randy agreed, and Johnny Maddox was re-christened "Crazy Otto" temporarily.

News of this instantaneous smash evidently got back to Germany, because soon Der Schraege himself arrived in this country and recording again, this time calling himself "Happy Otto." On his next release he succumbed to the mounting confusion and became "Crazy Otto," making two of them. After the Crazy Otto craze had abated, the instigator of all this record selling became once more good old Johnny Maddox...."

Johnny Maddox is apparently still around as you can read up on at www.crazyotto.com. He has sold 11 million records and has recorded 50 albums according to that website!

Listen for yourself to Johnny Maddox doing the Crazy Otto by clicking here and then listen to Fritz Schulz-Reichel doing the Crazy Otto by clicking here and see which one you prefer! Same medley by two different Crazy Ottos! Crazy man, crazy!

pics above from Dot record of Johnny Maddox as Crazy Otto and others from the Decca releases of Fritz Schulz Reichel as Crazy Otto!

Mrs. Argus' Glenn Miller Big Band Legacy

A few years ago, the mom of a friend of mine found out of my love of the big band era. She said she didn't want any of her records anymore. Luckily for me her son was more interested in the rock group KISS than Ella Fitzgerald. I got her entire collection.

Mrs. Argus has since passed on but her legacy of music she gave me lingers. One of the gems she owned is a five LP set of Glenn Miller big band music. I would say that most people even today recognize some of Miller's signature tunes like "In the Mood" or "Moonlight Serenade." This set however is something special. Songs that aren't really remembered anymore today are on here, too. Catchy lyrics like "A Little Bit South of North Carolina" or "Love with a Capital You" were new to me and a lot of fun to hear for the first time.

This collection must have come out in the 1950s when LPs were a relatively new idea. The records are inside of a special white leather like looking book with extensive liner notes about Glenn Miller. Putting these records on takes me back to the big band era....and I wasn't even there! The notes say the songs were chosen "first to capture the unique sound of Glenn Miller's music; and second to present certain songs that were part of nearly everybody's youth,and understandably, just sort of wonderful."

From what I have seen on ebay, there is a second collection of these albums with a gold cover on them, so apparently the Glenn Miller fans of the day wanted more. After listening to these records over and over, I can see why....

To the young whippersnappers who don't know much about Glenn Miller, he died on a flight from England to Paris December 24, 1944. His music was the soundtrack of a generation. Thanks Mrs. Argus for sharing your soundtrack with me.

Beach Visit

With temperatures hovering around 100 it isn't really beach weather here unless you plan on getting sun burned to a crisp.

The Nostalgic Rambler decided to visit the beach of the olden days anyhow this week, so enjoy these old pics we found.

I have loved the August 8, 1953 Saturday Evening Post cover for years. It's called "No Chance To Be Alone" and was painted by George Hughes. The Post said at the time "how unkind fate is to sweethearts." I gotta agree with that assessment of this very clever magazine cover from back then!

Don't forget the suntan oil and your appointment at the dermatologist!

Doris Day's Greatest Hits, happy songs for your summer

One of the last of the pop 50s icons still with us is Doris Day. I don't know what she is doing these days, but apparently has long since left show business. Too bad, as she was always a breath of fresh air when she sang.

Lots of Doris Day albums in my record library. One of my favorites that has been dragged out several times a year is the Columbia record "Doris Day's Greatest Hits." There is no way you can listen to her singing and not either feel good or want to burst out in song with her. Here is the 1950s at its best.

Of course there are some great background parts to sing along with, too. I remember years ago driving down the road with Grandpa listening to this on his car cassette player as Doris sang "If I give my heart to you......." to which Grandpa responded with the Boo Boo boo Boo Booooooo........Booo Booo Booo Boo Boooooo" backup singers. If you want to try being Doris' backup singer, you can listen here on Youtube. Another good one for backup singer training is "Teacher's Pet" with it's Bam-Bam-dum-dee-Dum....

If those songs aren't peppy enough, then how about "Everybody Loves A Lover." I love the beginning rhythm and that one and the counter melody part is simply magic.....and the Youtube who posted this one used the original album so you even get to hear a few clicks!

Oh, and It's Magic is another song she sings on that album as well.

The record is great, so if you don't have it in your libary, you can easily find it on cd or lp.

And that's just the beginning of the wonders of Doris's music. As I mentioned earlier, she recorded many beautiful albums including ballads which are gorgeous love songs. I love those, but also am partial to the many novelty tunes she recorded. So as this week's blog entry ends, I'll tap on out of here with Doris singing Mister Tap Toe. Click here for that fun gem.

STOP THE PRESSES UPDATE:
Oddly enough a day or so after I posted this original blog, I found out Doris Day is releasing her first album in years! Apparently fans in the UK and Germany appreciate Doris more than the youth oriented record moguls in the US. It looks like the album isn't being released in America! You can import it/order on line. Here's a link to a BBC page which features an audio interview with Doris.

Lucy Love Affair on her 100th birth anniversary

August 6, 2012 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lucille Ball.

Lucy, you kept me laughing at your antics when I was a child. Back then, you were on TV in your 1950s incarnation every evening when I loyally watched "I Love Lucy." Your 1960s "Lucy Show" was re-run at lunchtime and in the evenings we could see your 1970s brand new "Here's Lucy".

As time has gone by, you've been a "wondaful" break from the current lack of creativity in the media. I don't want to watch today's attempt at comedy. Despite the fact that I can recite your television dialog practically verbatim, you still fascinate me.

Through college, through early adulthood, through my marriage and now through my 45 plus years, there you have been. Unchanging. Forever comfortable and lovely.

You were such a beauty and captivated so many people with your talents. I wasn't around during your 1950s heyday. It must have been something to witness firsthand.

As you aged, you apparently knew that people had forever etched you into your younger days. This week you would have turned 100. The Lucille Ball we remember is still as vital, vivacious, and beautiful as ever. I wish you were here to read this.

The Day I Met Maria & Margot Hellwig

Allow me a little time travel out of the 40s/50s/60s and let me reminisce a bit more current about some old fashioned lovely music and values....



It's so hot, we have no vacation in sight, and so my thoughts go back to the days of a better economy and a nice vacation to Germany about five years ago.

Anyone who remembers "The Sound of Music" recalls Julie Andrews coming over the meadow singing "the hills are alive........" Of course that was a Hollywood version of Europe. The German version of that might have been Maria Hellwig.

Since my parents came to the US from Germany, I grew up with lots of German music in the house. Maria Hellwig was a singer who along with her daughter Margot charmed millions with their homespun folk songs and yodeling style and a popular tv show in Germany beginning in the 1970s.

Recalling that Maria owned a hotel in the little Bavarian village of Reit im Winkl, I thought it would be an interesting place to stay. By this time she was in her late 80s and more or less retired from tv appearances. Maria and her daughter Margot were scheduled to make a rare concert appearance at a restaurant she used to own in the town, so we decided to take our trip to coincide with that.
My wife and I made some wishful thinking comments about how nice it would be to meet Maria and Margot in person. As we checked into the hotel, we went out on our balcony and looked up and around. Much to our surprise, there stood Maria and Margot, dressed in their German dirndl outfits, in full makeup, waving to us! It was like we had stepped into a tv show.

A few minutes later they both came down to talk with us and were very down to earth and friendly. They explained they were getting ready to go into town to tape a tv show and invited us to come and watch. The pics posted here with them in the horse and buggy are the ones I took as the show was taped. Can you believe it? I found the actual tv clip on Youtube today! It's here! You can see how lovely their town is and why Bavaria is so well known for its beauty.

Later that night we went to the concert and they graciously posed for a pic with us. At almost 90 Maria had a remarkable stage presence and voice.

Unfortunately, Maria Hellwig died last December. Her daughter Margot is still singing. The friendly portrayal these two presented in their music certainly wasn't just an act. After meeting these ladies it was obvious they loved what they were doing and had a passion for the people that appreciated their craft.

PS: A few months after our visit, at Christmas, we received a Christmas card from Maria and Margot. Talk about a class act!

Watch some other Hellwig appearances here (with the wonderful Heino), here or here.

pic of Maria, me, my wife Heike and Margot; Heike in front of the Gasthaus Hellwig; a few shots of Maria and Margot in their prime; Maria and Margot in a horse drawn buggy during a tv appearance that day.

Groucho Marx: The One The Only

Back in the 1970s I remember staying up late when visiting Grandpa and watching "The Best of Groucho" on TV with him. These old films from the 1950s were re-packaged reruns of Groucho Marx's series called "You Bet Your Life."

This TV quiz show actually was a showcase for comedian Groucho Marx to ad lib with the contestants. The quiz was secondary. Announcer George Fenneman was the straight man to Groucho's lunacy. It was a one of a kind show that from time to time someone thinks they can re-cast and find success with again. Alas, there is only one "one and only Groucho" as the audience hollers in unison at the start of every show.

I think I read somewhere that "The Best of Groucho" was almost lost forever. The films were thought to be worthless and found in someone's garage. They were quite successful in late night reruns. Unfortunately today's young whippersnapper tv programmers probably have never heard of Groucho or "You Bet Your Life." Too bad, as it would be great to see it on the air again.

Well, rather than ramble on about this show, why don't you watch it? Lots of Youtube videos on Groucho's show. Click here or here for an example....and tell em Groucho sent you.....