By Jeff Wayne, March 2010
I am a show business junkie and a “Baby Boomer”. I
not only make my
living in show business, but I collect show business
memorabilia from
the good old days. Autographs, pictures, letters, books,
magazines,
props, and through the years I have managed to acquire some
very odd
items, which makes sense since I am a odd person. Not a
queer
person. That is an entirely different matter.
Big difference between
odd and queer, and the old usage of the word vs. the new.
Queer isn’t
it? I fear I digress, back to the libretto!
In my memorabilia collection you will find:
(1) Oscar Wilde’s calling card from one of his
visits to the United States. It is framed and hangs
in my den. (2) A 3-D, electronic photograph of Lou
Costello (hologram), I don’t know, it is so lifelike
you feel like your looking right in his eyes! Who’s
on first? You Lou, always. (3) Bing Crosby’s ice cream
containers and Bing Crosby’s record cleaners. I guess
you can use them on CD’s, I don’t know, I don’t have any.
(4) A private published magazine written and published by
Lenny Bruce. This was given to me by
his mother and autographed to me. Sally Marr!
She was more of a character than Lenny, and while she had
a dirty mouth, she didn’t do drugs. (5) Some of
Dean Martin’s home movies, some of Al Jolson’s home
movies, and a private recording Dean Martin made for Jerry
Lewis’ birthday, circa 1953.
Scott Lewis, son of Jerry, became a friend of mine.
Strangely I knew
his Father before I knew him. Scott is a real classy guy,
and knowing
my love of his Father and show business, he presented me with a
rare
gift one day long, long ago. It is a 78 record titled:
"You Skinny
Hebrew" which was recorded by Dean as a birthday present
for Jerry. I
believe Scott said this was around 1953.
Dean was recording for Capital records at that time, so he
probably
recorded it there. It has special lyrics and is recorded with a
full orchestra, (Nelson Riddle), with a good
arrangement considering this is a one shot joke. The song is sung in the manner of the day, in typical Dino
style. The
joke is he was happy and content being a black jack dealer in
Steubenville, Ohio (his hometown) and since teaming with Jerry
his
life is hell!
Work, work, work, and bills, bills, bills, and income
taxes! In the manner of a Friars’ Club roasts,
there is some joshing by insulting,
i.e. the chorus, “You rat face, you bastard, you Jew!”.
In these
politically correct times I am sure many will find this very
offensive, without considering this was a personal recording
only
intended for Jerry, and it was a common humor shared by those
“insiders.”
One of the members of the rat pack sings for Le Roi du
Crazy! Has the
rat pack ever been more popular than now? That is because
we have no
stars! Frank, Sammy, Dean! Retro is in!
And if you are wondering
about Le Roi du Crazy, well that is what they call Jerry
Lewis in
France, where he is regarded a genius and total filmmaker.
So when
you listen to this record, you hear Dean, ol’red eyes (figure
that
reference) singing a song meant for Jerry’s ears alone.
You skinny
Hebrew! (Guess who!)
Happy Birthday Jerry, March 16, 2010.
Never before Available to the General Public
Now available to the general public on Apple iTunes Worldwide.
Worldwide release on Apple iTunes
(A 1953 humorous & satirical birthday tribute song from Dean
Martin to
Jerry Lewis)
“You Skinny Hebrew”
By: Dean Dino Martin
The owner of the record is Jeff Wayne at
http://www.jeffwayne.com/.
