We’re Having a Heat Wave
and… It’s Too Darn Hot!
Some early July entertainment ideas to keep cool
By Byron Toben
July 1, 2021
June has a great opening song from the musical Carousel in June is busting out all over. Alas, I could not find one for July.
The steamy transition from the last few days of June into July has been marked by really high temperatures not only in Montreal and Canada but worldwide. This puts me in mind of two classic songs from Broadway musicals later turned into films.
The first, by Irving Berlin, is Heat Wave from his 1933 musical As Thousands Cheer. No ordinary heat wave, but a tropical heat wave, later covered by many famous singers – Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Margaret Whiting, Patti LuPone.
There was no movie made of As Thousands Cheer, but the song was reprised in a 1938 movie of Berlin’s first big hit, Alexander’s Ragtime Band. Here is Heat Wave’s original performer, Ethel Waters.
Soaking up the rays is soothing but not when they become Too Darn Hot, a song inserted by Cole Porter into his 1948 musical, Kiss Me, Kate, based on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. (Originally titled Too Damn Hot, it was changed to ‘Darn’ due to some up-tight audiences of the day.)
Kiss Me, Kate was made into a film in 1953 and this song too was covered by others – Ella Fitzgerald, Petula Clark, Mel Torme.
Here is the great dancer Ann Miller singing and dancing to the tune.
To cool off the first week of July, I suggest:
July 2
Watch Stomping Tom Conners in, what else, The Good Old Hockey Game. Especially apropos this year with game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals back in Montreal.
July 4
The Segal Centre continues its free Sunday Concerts at 3 pm with the Best of Barbra (Streisand) performed by Nick Burgess and Cherylyn Toca. Sold out but you can be put on the waiting list.
Alternatively, enjoy U.S. July 4 with Yankee Doodle Dandy, who was born on the 4th of July, as depicted by James Cagney as George M. Cohan in the 1942 musical of that name.
Feature image: Andrew Burlone
More articles from Byron Toben
Byron Toben, a past president of The Montreal Press Club, has been WestmountMag.ca’s theatre reviewer since July 2015. Previously, he wrote for since terminated web sites Rover Arts and Charlebois Post, print weekly The Downtowner and print monthly The Senior Times. He also is an expert consultant on U.S. work permits for Canadians.
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