Category: Music

Gorging on McHuggetts

Continuing my latest fascination, Here Come the Huggetts with Petula Clark. The dialogue is filled with clever throwaway lines that are easily missed, making a second viewing very worthwhile.

Pet gets a singing spot that lasts only a minute.

Playing a distant Huggett cousin “on the mother’s side,” 16-year-old Diana Dors also had a minute to show off what she could do.

Everyone shines in the movie, but if anyone’s character is underplayed it’s Susan Shaw as the middle Huggett sister. Shaw was such a stunning beauty that she didn’t need much screen time to make a big impression.

Follow-up: I thought that MGM owned Here Come the Huggetts, and maybe it does, but the Internet Archive has the complete film. It has a DogRat ***** rating!

The Dors on Sgt. Pepper

Here Come the Huggetts (1948) is a surprisingly thoughtful comedy that effectively conveys a feeling of British post-war life. The cast includes precocious Diana Dors and England’s sweetheart Petula Clark.

Diana was only 13 months older than 15-year-old Pet! I wonder if working with Diana had an effect on Petula? Because as she told me herself she was surprised and amused that the French later called her “Sexy Pet.”

From the “Funny Because It’s True” file, Dors’ real name was Diana Fluck. And, yes, that’s Diana on the “Sgt. Pepper” album cover!

Ode to the Underground

As I have mentioned more than a few times, I consider myself very fortunate to have followed Musicradio 77 WABC-AM in New York, and then WBCN-FM in Boston, at their respective best — 1963-68 in Connecticut, then after my family moved to Massachusetts, 1968-73. After I left for college in Western Massachusetts my ‘BCN listening was limited to home visits. I was influenced equally by both stations, despite their radically different formats, with ‘BCN being outright radical. I am finally watching WBCN And The American Revolution and, at the halfway point through the documentary, it has my unreserved recommendation.

"WBCN and The American Revolution" trailer from WBCN and The American Revolution on Vimeo.

Speaking of WABC, the big news is that COUSIN BRUCIE IS RETURNING TO WABC on September 5! He has left SiriusXM, where he was heard for 15 years, compared to his original 11-year run on WABC.

Back on August 16 I posted a shout-out from the King of Jingles, Jon Wolfert. Cousin Brucie will be joining Jon TOMORROW, 8/30, starting at 3 PM ET on Rewound Radio. The link is over on the left, as always, and you can be sure I’ll be tuning in!

LP+CD=RSD

Saturday is this year’s delayed Record Store Day. It’s actually the first of three RSD’s. This is the LP I am looking forward to getting. It’s produced by those 60’s Pop music mavens, Andrew Sandoval and Steve Stanley.

Unfortunately, the record store I patronize for RSD is skipping the first day. Steve Stanley says his favorite record store isn’t participating at all! I can place an order and, assuming the store can snag one of the 2000 pressings, I’ll pick it up on September 26. In the meantime, I’ve ordered the CD edition from Amazon.