Remember, do you remember?

Last night as I was dozing off an old time song popped into my head.  I've no idea why that happens with such frequency.  Sometimes it prevents sleep, but last night I thought if I remember the song in the morning I would write about it.  Even going so far as to break the rule and use the computer before exercising.  (Don't tell on me, please.)

Anyway, although I do remember the song, I also got to remembering the wonderful movies that had these kinds of songs in them.  Oh, do you remember those wonderful films.  They had Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ann Miller and Esther Williams in them.  While Gene, Fred and Ann danced and swirled around gigantic sets, Esther Williams swirled around a gigantic swimming pool.  Music filled the theater as we were swept away with the magic.  Gene and Fred could tap dance half the way up a wall, then flip over and land on their feet without skipping a beat.  And, I heard when Gene Kelly did that famous "Dancing in the Rain" scene he was in reality a very ill man, such was the caliber of men in those good old days.  Sigh, too bad they don't make movies like those any more.

But, getting back to the song I remembered last night.  It's called "Put on a Happy Face".  That in itself is charming enough don't you think?

The story behind the song is quite lengthy and can be found on Wikipedia so I won't repeat all of it here but can I tell you it appeared in the Broadway play Bye-Bye Birdie, and a few years later in a Hollywood musical with the same name.  The lyrics were written by Lee Adams, the music by Charles Strouse and sung by...go ahead...guess?????

None other than a very young new-comer Dick Van Dyke.  No kidding, Dick Van Dyke.

Who'd a thunk?

Anyway, this song is so up lifting it made me put on my happy face and I hope my posting it here will put a happy face on you, too.

Bye Bye Birdie - Put On a Happy Face 

Gray skies are gonna clear up

Put on a happy face

Brush off the clouds and cheer up

Put on a happy face

Take off that gloomy mask of tragedy

It's not your style

You'll look so good that you'll be glad

You decided to smile

Pick out a pleasant outlook

Stick out that noble chin

Wipe off that full of doubt look

Slap on a happy grin

And spread sunshine all over the place

Just put on a happy face

Put on a happy face

Put on a happy face

And if you're feeling cross and bickerish

Don't sit and whine

Think of banana splits and licorice

And you'll feel fine

I knew a girl so gloomy

She'd never laugh or sing

She wouldn't listen to me

Now she's a mean old thing

So spread sunshine all over the place

And put on a happy face

I don't particularly like licorice, but do love banana splits, so how can I not have on a happy face? Plus, I don't particularly want to be known as a gloomy girl and turn out to be a mean old thing........ 

..........so, (I'm gonna') spread sunshine all over the place

and put on a happy face.