If you've never heard of Rex Harrison, then it is a bloody travesty, and although My Fair Lady is triumphant in many regards as a musical film, Doctor Dolittle (from 1967) is delightful and fun, and has that wondrous lightheartedness that is missing from films and even musicals. These days everything is depressing and dark that comes out of Hollywood on average; it's good to re-experience....the good old times occasionally. Not all of the songs are fantastic, but between the story, characters and the fun nature of everything it makes it a great film watching experience. I grew up watching this film, so for me part of the allure is to relive the past of sorts...not to mention you get to see Richard Attenborough (the old guy from Jurassic Park) sing and dance like he was probably in his late thirties or so, and he even has a good singing voice. So if you like musicals, then watch it, and despite it's somewhat ridiculous nature at times, you'll have a good time. So today as Christmas inches closer we have for a song fare "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays." The version I chose is sung by Perry Como who not only has a fantastic singing voice, but he sings phenomenal Christmas songs. Below is some info on the song provided once again by www.wikipedia.org:"(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays" is a popular song, commonly associated with the Christmas season although the lyrics are also applicable to the Thanksgiving holiday.The music was written by Robert Allen, the lyrics by Al Stillman. The song was published in 1954.The best-known recordings were made by Perry Como, who recorded the song twice. The first recording, done on November 16, 1954, was released as a single for Christmas, 1954, by RCA (catalog number 20-5950-B on 78rpm and 47-5950-B on 45rpm). The flip side was "Silk Stockings" (which appeared in the Cash Box magazine top 50). "Home for the Holidays" reached #8 on the Billboard magazine chart in the United States. The next Christmas it was released again, with God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen as the flip side, as RCA 20-6321-A and 47-6321-A. The same recorded version was released in the United Kingdom by HMV with the catalog number POP-103, with the flip side "Tina Marie". This recording has appeared on many compilation albums over the years and remains a Christmas radio staple.Como's second recording of the song, in stereo and with a different musical arrangement, was made on July 15, 1959. It was released as a 33rpm single (RCA catalog # VP-2066), with flip side Winter Wonderland in the U.S., and as a 45rpm single by HMV in the UK (catalog number RCA-1215). This 1959 version was also included on the album Season's Greetings from Perry Como and has appeared on many compilations.The Carpenters recorded a popular cover version that was eventually released on their 1984 album An Old-Fashioned Christmas.In 2002, Barry Manilow covered the song for his second Christmas-themed album, A Christmas Gift of Love.On November 30, 2011, T-Mobile announced a surprise event at the Woodfield Mall. On December 1, 2011, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon directed about six surprise singing and dancing mall performances of "Home for the Holidays" by Carly Foulkes and 100 Chicago-area women in magenta dresses. The performances were later edited into a music video with the hope that it would go viral. The full video that was posted on YouTube has a run time of 3:48 and it was presented in a 60-second national television commercial starting on December 12. The video was produced by Ridley Scott and Tony Scott's RSA Films. The musical director was Paul Mirkovich.The song was also remade as a duet between Cyndi Lauper and Norah Jones in 2011 for an exclusive iTunes release. The 1-track single was available to download on November 1 and did well on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at #12 and at #22 on the Adult Contemporary Radio Airplay Chart in the US.
The song is currently under copyright.
There are only 16 more days until Christmas, so you better get that shopping done. I began my new position at work today and so far so good; we shall see how it turns out. Goodnight everyone!
Perry Como singing "There's No Place like Home for the Holidays"
"My Friend the Doctor" from Doctor Dolittle soundtrack
Doctor Dolittle trailer (it doesn't do the film any sort of justice; I don't know who designed trailers back then, but they sucked at doing it).
