A good old song

Easy Street; Dave McKenna, piano

After we got our repertoire up and running, our barbershop quartet decided one day that the arrangement that we had for “My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms” would qualify as the quartet favorite. The tune itself stands out as a snappy little number. The words, though, convey such warmth, innocence and charm.

I love your lovin’ arms

They hold a world of charms

A place to nestle when I am lonely

A cozy Morris chair

Oh, what a happy pair

One caress, happiness

Seemes to bless my little honey

I love you more each day

When years have passed away

You’ll find my love belongs to you only

‘Cause when the world seems wrong

I know that I belong

Right in my honey’s ever lovin’ arms

There is a certain level of comfort in hearing a song the same way each and every time you hear it. Same introduction, same key, same chords, same interlude, same modulation, same ending. You know that you will like it this time because you liked it last time. Some songs have become impossible to hear any other way. “In The Mood”, for instance. Outside of its famous saxophone fanfare and amusing quadruple ending, I doubt that the casual listener would recognize the tune. Many people think that the scoop that Perez Prado put in the initial strain of “Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White” is part of the song, and that you make a mistake if you leave it out.

As I’ve matured … stop snickering! I HAVE matured. Like a fine Pepsi … As I’ve matured, I have learned to think about and imagine different and refreshing ways to hear and play a song. It increases the colors on my palette and expands my horizons.

When I saw that Dave McKenna included “My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms” on this album, I knew I had to get it. The lovely song is obscure enough that I really haven’t heard it since we learned it in the quartet. The way Mr. McKenna played, it was bound to be quite different. And I enjoyed it immensely. Mr. McKenna swings so hard that I was afraid that one day he might break the iPod.

I’ve only heard “Gone With The Wind” one other place and that was on, of all places, Sesame Street. Guy Smiley sang the song as different things blew past him, and the song concluded with him hanging on for dear life to a lamp-post. “On The Street Where You Live” is a busy street, indeed, in the swinging left hand of Mr. McKenna.

I heard someone say one time, before Dave McKenna passed away, that after he goes, they should put his left hand in a museum. No one could simultaneously supply the beat, bass line, melody and guitar-strumming like Dave McKenna.

Credits: To Bing Crosby, for bringing such beautiful songs to our songbook. Thank you for “My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms”.