Hi Paul,

Your reaction to the ironic letter reminded me of an experience years back when my friend and arranger, Tony Tamburello, was breaking in a nightclub act for Jerry Vale. We were at a nightclub in Wildwood (in the afternoon) and Jerry had been rehearsing a medley of his most popular hits, which Tony had arranged. After breaking in the show at four different nightclubs, Jerry would open at the Copa Cabana.

What makes a true medley so easy to listen to is the closing note of one number is the same as the opening note of the following number. Tony had included the verse intro of Two Purple Shadows In The Snow, a lovely number that Jerry had sung in a Disney movie.

During our meeting Jerry mentioned that he wanted to drop the verse intro to that number – which would have affected the flow of the medley.

WHY? asked Tony. And Jerry answered “I was talking to the hat check girl and……” He never got any further. Tony exploded…THE HAT CHECK GIRL!  Needless to say the verse stayed in. Sort of like the guy who wrote the Ironic letter.

Who the hell cares.

We love Blogfinger just the way it is.

Bob  (Green)

Ocean Grove, NJ. January 31, 2013

  Hi Bob.,

Thank you for sharing this interesting anecdote. This is the first time we have received a first person account from inside  the music business.  I never heard of  the Two Purple Shadows song, but I did find it listed on Jerry Vale’s album “17 Most Requested Songs,”   and it is indeed lovely and sad.    I also did not know about that essential ingredient which  makes the necessary linkage in a true medley.

I appreciate  the comparison to our blog medley. We hope to expand our repertoire and make the blog more inclusive with increased input from Grovers and friends of BF.

I’ve never actually met a hat check girl, although I would like to.   I guess hat check girls and cigarette girls have disappeared from nightclubs along with hats and cigarettes.   Who knows what has replaced them.?  I sure don’t, but I bet pretty girls are still there.  By the way, I hope you have seen Woody’s movie “Radio Days.”  It’s one of my favorites, and Mia Farrow plays a cigarette girl in a nightclub with a thick Brooklyn accent.  Her best line, “I hear the cannon’s raw.  Is it the king approaching?”

Here’s Jerry Vale with “Two Purple Shadows.”

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Do you want to start a conversation?  Just send us a short discussion and we will see if comments roll in.   I don’t guarantee using every submission. I am looking for interesting and perhaps provocative subjects.  You may submit anonymously since the comments will likely be made that way.  Personally, I like it when people use their own names   (even first names would be better than “Lizard Lounger.” )  —Paul