Sorry to hear Patty Andrews passed away a few weeks back. 94 years old though, I guess you can't expect much more than that. Maybe her and her sisters have made up and are somewhere harmonizing right now.
Get this: About 2 years ago, I saw an ad on our local craigslist, a guy had a picture framed with what he called a signed Andrews Sisters piece of Sheet Music. Well, the picture was kind of crappy, but I tried to get in touch with him. The guy never returned my email. It was 15 bucks or something like that. Anyways, I find out on my birthday, that my Brother had got in touch with the guy after I showed it to him, bought it for me, and gave it to me on my birthday! It's "Apple Blossom Time", but it's not signed... instead, there's 3 scraps of paper with it, that are signed. They're like old autograph book signatures. One has two of their signatures on it, one has only Patty's, and one has only Maxine's. All three are there, and Maxine was there twice. The guy said his father got the signatures years ago (one died in the 60's) and always had it hanging on the wall, but had passed away and they were selling all his stuff. I'm going to get it all framed up nice one of these days.
Anyways, I think the world of these girls. Great singers, pretty good dancers, heroes in my opinion for their efforts during World War II to entertain the troops... I've been watching some of their old videos on youtube, great stuff.
Anybody else a fan?
"Rum and Coca Cola"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqAmrUEnc1g&NR=1&feature=endscreen"Six Jerks in a Jeep"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k_6_XZ1b4II love how they add in all the "Beep Beep"!'s The physical comedy (them bouncing around the whole time) is awesome. Patty's little scat singing part is awesome too (like most everything she did) and you just gotta appreciate how pretty she could be at times. So campy but things are only cheezy because they've been imitated so much.
"Gimme some Skin My Friend"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIFN13-a1iAOne of the famous Abbot and Costello film appearances. I love how great their harmonies are... just flawless. Look how into it Patty gets, she was such a great dancer (for the time). Just so damn cool! Hell look how EVERYBODY's dancing.. you never see anything that awesome anymore.
"Oh He Loves Me"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-N-49R4gUDon't tell anybody, Patty flashes some leg. I love all the facial expressions. Anymore we get 1 performer who puts on a show like this and we hold them up as a genius. This woman died a few weeks ago and I didn't even find out about it for two weeks because it wasn't on the news anywhere. Talent lost to the ages!
"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qafnJ6mRbgkThe famous hot version of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" from Buck Privates. Makes you wonder if they really were this good live on stage, it appears to be a live recording but who knows. Look how pretty Patty is when she does her little solo, with the "He blows it 8 to the bar...." and then immediately how obnoxious she was in the "bass and guitar is playing with him.....". I guess she could be both! Awesome talent.
Their famous reunion show from 1956, showing their harmonies fully intact:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czlWbEKHhM4This was after Patty's hit or miss (failed?) solo career. They were all fighting but made up for business. Kind of sad to see age already starting to take it's toll on their enthusiasm, the perky grinning, joking, jazzy girls were long gone and all that was left was the harmony.