Cows

Ella & Her Fellas; Ella Fitzgerald

When my sister D. asked her daughter M. what kind of birthday party she wanted when she turned four, she got an answer for the ages. “I want a cow party.” That’s my girl!!

What’s a cow party, you ask? What’s the matter with you? At a cow party, the birthday girl gets stuffed cow dolls and everyone eats cake with a picture of a cow on the frosting. Do I have to explain everything?

I think of M. and her cow party whenever I hear Ella Fitzgerald sing the “Cow-Cow Boogie”. She recorded it with the Ink Spots in 1944. This compilation CD features Miss Ella in cahoots with some of music’s finest fellers: Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan, the Mills Brothers, the Delta Rhythm Boys and Chick Webb with his original recording of Ella scattin’ on “A-Tisket, A-Tasket”.

Do you know how long it took me to find a stuffed cow doll? Three days. You would think, in South Dakota, that you could find ‘em free ranging in toy stores all over the state. Not so much.

Credits: To the Ink Spots, for “If I Didn’t Care” and “Java Jive”. Every successful vocal group should have two cats named “Hoppy” and “Deek”.

Ladies and Gentlemen, my blog is half-way finished. Only 182 days to go.