House in Progress Diary

Uncle Don seems to be Uncle Don Carney, the stage name of actor Howard Rice, who hosted a children's show on WOR in New York in the 1930s. He is the subject of an urban legend, information about which can be found here: http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/radio/uncledon.htm
Aren't you glad to know? 'Cuz on the surface, "Uncle Don's Playground" sounds like a creepy place to be. :)

Holy smokes! I am SO glad I know. Except...that it is even creepier now that I know the lyrics to one of the songs on the record:

Hello nephew, nieces too,
Mothers and daddies, how are you?
This is Uncle Don all set to go,
With a meeting on the ra-di-o!
We'll start off with a little song
To learn the words will not take long;
For they're as easy as easy can be,
So come on now and sing with me:
Hibbidy-Gits has-ha ring boree,
Sibonia Skividy, hi-lo-dee!
Honi-ko-doke with an ali-ka-zon,
Sing this song with your Uncle Don!

Ooh, that is kinda creepy. If it wasn't nearing 10 p.m. here out East and me with still several more hours of work ahead (drat the election!) I could try to be clever and come up with the naughty rhymes for what that gobbledy-gook probably stands for. Lest we besmirch the reputation of the dearly departed, I shall say no more. I'm sure he was a lovely man, and his "playland" was a fine, safe haven for children's imaginations. ;)

Have you gone through most of the records you have? Because there are some that, if you have them, (and from the looks of it, you may) I would pay you money for. Also, if you are looking to unload any of your collection, 78's are very collectible and can bring in a lot of money. You might already know this, but some people don't, so I thought I'd mention it.

Kristen--I am so sympathizing with you right now...ouch!

So, for you, I have done invoked The Babelfish Filter. The idea is obviously not mine...these folks (via Boing Boing) cranked through Rapper's Delight earlier and I thought, "How brilliant!". So for YOU, Kristen, late night, here is the Uncle Don's Playground Song translated from English to Italian to English to Spanish to Portugese to English.

Hello the grandson, nieces also,
the mothers and the Popes,
because you it is?
How one is uncle puts entire regulated goes it,
with a meeting in the radio!
We'll starts with a small song to learn
that the words will not last;
For they're easy while easy it can be,
because it comes in the hour and the songs with me:
Boree dell'anello of the Hibbidy-Gits-Hibbidy-Gits-Ha,
Sibonia Skividy, hello-under-hello-under-goddesses!
Honi-ko-doke with wing-wing-Ka-zon-zon,
sings this song with its uncle puts!

How cool will it be when Hibbidy-Gits gets Googled in a few months and then folks get directed....to here. :)

Marie--

Errr...no. We needed to put these in a safe place to go through later. They were too fragile when things were flying through the house in a renovation blur. That's why I took these pictures before we moved them (and just refound the pic's last this weekend.)

I'm super torn, though. Because I love media and music, I'm really dying to hear these. But I would never, ever put them on the Victrola...the needle is too heavy. (The few classical albums I looked at look like they've never been played.) And we don't have a nice turntable.

Sooooooo...we'll let you know when we get around to these. On some days, I know it would be better to save up and get the chimney lined. And on other days, I can't help thinking, "when will I ever be able to hear an Uncle Don record ever again?"

Chimney. Uncle Don. Life is full of these horrendous choices.

Picking my jaw up off the floor. What a fantastic find. I would give my eyeteeth for some of those recordings (the Casals, the Fred Waring recordings of Cole Porter)... and if there are 78s, particularly blues or Appalachian recordings, I'd be in heaven.

Let us know when you sort through them. Looking forward to hearing more about these jewels.

Jeanne,

I'll have you know that I've been walking around the office this morning, humming the Uncle Don song and sniggering - a great way to alienate your coworkers.
Sibonia Skividy, hello-under-hello-under-goddesses!

Wow, J. That's got to be the hibbity skivity best durn late-night gift EVER! I wish I had checked back last night, as I was swept away by 50 letters to the editor about the election, but it's just as fun today, where the mayhem continues. Thanks, and with a wing-wing-Ka-zon-zon, I'll bid thee farewell for now.

Good god, J! You hit the motherload with that vinyl collection. Some of those you may not be able to find anywhere in the world. Let me know if you get around to inventorying and burning the classical recordings. Some of those may never have been released on disc (and maybe never will!)