A Student Project Gone Wrong

The recent Classic Movie Blog Association blogathon explores what first got you interested in classic movies. It was a smashing success. I learned so much about each of my fellow CMBA members. (Read their entries here: http://clamba.blogspot.com/2013/12/extra-extra-read-all-about-it-its-cmba.html )

As I trolled my old journals looking for a particular movie that set me off on classic movies, I came across lots of other forgotten movie musings.

State names in movie musicals were exciting for me as a kid.

I wanted to compile a list of state songs taken exclusively from musicals. This list would make its way to every governor and ask for consideration to change each state song to something from the MGM, RKO, Fox or Universal Studios catalogs just for me. (Because I'm selfish like that.)

There is usually an accompanying dance to these songs in the movies, so my fidgety classmates and I could jump around while singing the state song. Bonus!

"I Owe Iowa" from State Fair (1945)  might not be the best representation of the state, but -boy!- is it fun to sing. Fred Astaire tap dancing in blood-red boots and singing "Down in Texas" in Daddy Long Legs (1955) might be a total stereotype of the Lone Star state, but don't you want to get up and dance with him?


Then I hit pay dirt.

I saw Take Me Out to the Ballgame (1949) in which Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly sing about all the places they've been to on vacation. Great! One-stop shopping. I could rack up a handful of state name mentions in one movie.


They sing, "I kissed a gal down in Mississippi.... She called me 'Lucky 7,' said my kisses were from heaven, then I learned she was eleven and I had to go."

That seemed inappropriate to sing in front of the principal and Mrs. Grandy at school assembly. I abandoned the project shortly after this.

So, thanks to the Board of CMBA for making me dredge up the past. Life has been fun.