Saturday 9: Come On-A My House

Saturday 9: Come On-A My House (1951)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this week's song, Rosemary Clooney offers us candy, peaches, pears, grapes, cake, etc. What tasty treat are you craving this morning?

A. Chocolate. Sorry, but it's kind of always there.

 

2) The song was co-written by a pair of cousins more famous for their other jobs. William Saroyan was a Pulitzer Prize winning author and Ross Bagdasarian created Alvin and the Chipmunks. Tell us about one of your cousins.

A. My cousin Tamia is no longer with us. She lived in California; I lived in Virginia. I met her in 1972 when they came for a visit (I was 9 years old). I thought she sang beautifully and played the guitar well. I saw her briefly in 1976 when we went to California. Those were the only two times I met her. She was 3 years older than I. From what I gathered from my parents, she stayed in trouble, was a constant runaway when she was younger, and heavily into drugs. She died in 2010 at the age of 50. She left behind two sons and a daughter, none of whom I have ever met. I'm not even sure where they are, nor do I think any of the family stays in touch with them. I attempted to get to know her daughter but was not able to do so. I always wished I'd known Tamia better and I wonder if we would have been friends. Maybe not, as we were obviously different people despite our fathers' similarities.

3) The song was inspired by the cousins' recollection of their Armenian relatives encouraging friends and family to visit by promising lots of food. Who most recently invited you to their home? What was the occasion?

A. I went to visit my father, who is recovering from surgery. I took him some coffee cake to snack on and spent time with him while my stepmother ran errands.

4) This was a big hit for Rosemary Clooney. She got her start singing live on Cincinnati's WLW radio station. Today WLW is an all-news station. When you were a kid, what radio station did you tune into for the hits and new music?

A. I think it was Q99 or K92. I still listen to Q99 occasionally. Mostly I listened to whatever channel played American Top 40.

5) Rosemary was also an actress, appearing in motion pictures and made-for-TV movies. The most famous is 1954's White Christmas. Have you seen it?

A. I have, but it has been a very long time ago and I barely remember it.

6) Yes, Rosemary Clooney is related George Clooney. She was his aunt. She appeared with him on ER and received an Emmy Award nomination. Do you enjoy doctor shows?

A. I don't watch them, so I guess not.

7) In 1951, when this song was #1, Yankees superstar Joe DiMaggio retired from baseball. He remained in the public eye, endorsing products and acting as Major League Baseball's ambassador around the world. His second marriage, a few years after his retirement, was almost as legendary as his baseball career. Without looking it up, do you know who his bride was?

A. Didn't he marry Marilyn Monroe? 

 

8) Also in 1951, I Love Lucy premiered and has never been off the air since. That's right: for 72 years, without interruption, viewers have been entertained by the Ricardos and Mertzes. When you think of I Love Lucy, what's the first thing that comes to mind?

A. The episode with the chocolates, where she ends up shoving them in her mouth and putting them in her pockets to keep them from falling off the conveyor belt. (I told you chocolate was a constant.)

9) Random question -- You're playing roulette and suddenly doubled your winnings. Do you walk away when you're ahead, or do you stay at the table to play your winning streak?

A. I would play one small bet to see how it goes. If I win, I play on but only whatever I've won so that I keep the original amount I spent. If those winnings are lost, then I walk away so that I've broken even.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.