Henry Fonda

musicology #218

12AngryMen #13 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(Donnie Elbert – What Can I Do)

so it’s almost over…not only for the 12angry but also for this chapter in the book of life. institutions are crashing and burning after almost a century of ‘rinsing’ it. no surprise that ‘man on the street’ is being asked to shoulder the load..it’s all in the game.

the dialogue features two of the three remaining ‘guiltys’ (with Lee J Cobb in commanding form in the supporting role). the music, I must confess, is a personal favourite and any chance to throw it down is good enough reason. but in true musicologist style when the right time come, up steps a tune to ‘express the inexpressible’ and this one is no exception. a piece, (no need to tell you from what year !!), that signals a shift away from Rhythm & Blues into a new style. one where the lead singer steps out of the vocal group shadow and into the spotlight. pioneered by cats like Donnie Elbert, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke this sound became known as Soul…

Listen Tune……

musicology #214

12AngryMen #10 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(Original Broadway Cast – Gee Officer Krupke)

second slice from the Original Broadway production of West Side Story and what else could it be other than this one. themusicologist only knows this song from watching the film as a youngblood growing up in the 70’s and 80’s but this cut is the only one that I can still see in my minds eye. an excellent piece of social commentary about what was a growing concern for America in the second half of the 50’s, Juvenile Delinquents.

The dilemma seems to have been a question of how to make money out of teenagers without too much cost to society. As first America, (and then the world), was manouvered away from a ‘needs’ and into into a ‘desires’ culture this proved impossible.

Emotions are a dangerous playground and a ‘got to have it at any cost’ mentality was never going to be conducive to a harmonious society. Some of the problems we now face are related to this move into desires in part because emotional responses are not rational so if one desires something they are more likely to be irrational in the pursuit of it. leading, in a ever increasing number of cases, to a ‘by any means necessary’ approach to the aquisition of such things.

musicology #213

12AngryMen #9 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(Jimmy Smith & Lou Donaldson – Summertime)

so the count is now 9 to 3 in favour of the guilty’s. The evidence is being torn to shreds piece by piece and what started as an open and shut case is turning into a battle of subjectivite opinion vs objective facts.

the two performances that, for me, are outstanding are Henry Fonda and Lee J Cobb. The others are good but these two are special. both are featured on this piece of dialogue.

the song which comes courtesy of organist supreme Jimmy Smith and Blue Note stable mate, Saxophone legend Lou Donaldson is a haunting 1957 rendition of the George Gershwin classic Summertime, (penned for the Opera Porgy & Bess). A song that has been covered more times than I’ve had hot dinners, rumour has it that Gershwin adapted it from a Ukranian lullaby ‘Oy Khodyt Son Kolo Vikon’, (A Dream Passes By The Windows), which he heard in 1926.

musicology #209

12AngryMen #6 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(Pete Seeger – John Henry)

day 6, the invisible votes have been cast…and here comes the verdict.

the music is a 1957 piece from an important and highly influential cat in the development of ‘popular’ music who is still performing at the ripe old age of 89. A man who walked it like he talked it, Seeger was, and still is, an Activist with a capital A, who shares themusicologist’s belief that music and song is a most powerful force for change.

Alone among the many witnesses after the 1950 conviction and imprisonment of the Hollywood Ten for contempt of court, Seeger refused to plead the Fifth Amendment (which asserted that his testimony might be self incriminating) and instead (as the Hollywood Ten had done) refused to name personal and political associations on the grounds that this would violate his First Ammendment rights:

“I am not going to answer any questions as to my association, my philosophical or religious beliefs or my political beliefs, or how I voted in any election, or any of these private affairs. I think these are very improper questions for any American to be asked, especially under such compulsion as this.”

The man’s refusal to testify led to a 1957 indictment for contempt of Congress and for years he had to keep the federal government apprised of where he was going any time he left the Southern District of New York.

Finally sentenced, (by Jury Trial), to a 10 Stretch in 1961, for whatever they could hang on him, this was overturned a year later in ’62 for being ‘seriously flawed’

Not trying to style it that I’m a long time fan of the man and his music..in fact that’s one of the things that themusicologist provides, an opportunity for me to explore genres and styles that I am unfamiliar with.

musicology #207

12AngryMen #4 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(Chuck Berry – Too Much Monkey Business)

today’s dialogue hears some of the jurors laying out the reasoning behind arriving at their guilty verdict and begins to give us an insight into them as people. One thing’s for sure, with the amount of top quality dialogue in this film it could turn into a long musical journey..not sure I have enough 1957 cuts in the vaults to cope so might have to throw a few from previous years.

the slice of musicology is from, some say, the King of Rock & Roll…none other than Charles Edward Anderson Berry. About whom John Lennon was quoted to have said

“If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry’.”

Taken from his first LP ‘After School Sessions’, (a favourite down Circus Street), released in, yep you guessed it, 1957. The song has been covered by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Yardbirds and The Kinks such was Chuck’s stature among musicians. If you listen to Bob Dylan’s ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ it’s almost the same song but with different lyrics.

musicology #206

12AngryMen #3 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(Sun Ra & His Arkestra – El Viktor)

what strikes me is how much quality dialogue is in this film and thinking about it that’s probably what drew me in when I first saw it. I enjoy language and words very much and crave dialogue and communication. themusicologist provides and delivers a great opportunity for me to connect using the universal language that speaks to us all, (if we listen), and is a manifestation of this desire to communicate.

back to the ’12 Angry’ selection…the dialogue paints it’s own picture and introduces the Henry Fonda character in Socriatic style.

the music is courtesy of Maverick Pianist Sun Ra, (and Arkestra), a cosmic cat of the highest order whose life seems as rich a tapestry as could be woven. Born around 1914, he grew up with Jazz and played the piano/organ/keyboard consistently for his whole life, (recording over a thousand songs). His first recording in 1946 was as Pianist for Rhythm & Blues legend Wynonie Harris. I’m not going to lay out his life story as it’s well documented so I’ll just leave it to Ra and Arkestra to ‘speak’.

musicology #204

12AngryMen #1 (alternativesoundtrack #3)

(Bo Diddley – Before You Accuse Me, (Take A Look At Yourself)

I have enjoyed laying down the alternativesoundtracks so much that it will be a regular feature on themusicologist. this third instalment is another one of my favourite films, the classic 1957 film 12 Angry Men, directed by Sidney Lumet. I first saw this one back in the early 80’s and have loved it ever since.

the opening slice of the musicology pie was released in the same year, (1957), as the film and is courtesy of the legendary Ellas Otha Bates, (McDaniel), better known as Bo Diddley, who passed away at the ripe old age of 80 on June 2nd of this year. I am proud to say that I had the honour of sharing a stage with the man about 25 years ago in deepest, darkest South East London where my cousin and I were invited on stage to ‘throw some shapes’. A treasured memory.

Bo…this ones yours…thanks for the music and the memories…priceless.