Many already know this, but just in case.... Ethel introduced this great showstopper tune in 1946, in the huge Broadway hit "Annie Get Your Gun", words and music by Irving Berlin.
I'm so glad to see you post this. There are hundreds of marvelous performers of the 20th century who can now be discovered thanks to RUclips and the internet. Mentioning the name of the musical and composer provides those younger generations with exactly what to google! Wonderful! All the best to you. (Cheek to Cheek...wasn't that Berlin, as well? I love that one.)
@@hope2029 Doris didn't do this one--it's not in Calamity Jane. You're thinking of Betty Hutton, who starred in the movie version of Annie Get Your Gun (Ethel Merman starred in the Broadway show, but not the movie).
@@cindylambert6333, yes, he is. He paid a visit to the homeless shelter where I volunteer, and I got to speak to him. After some conversation with him, he gave me an autographed picture because, based on the stuff we talked about, he knew I watched the show.
I had no idea Bowser was as talented as he is. And I have not seen anything smoothly blend into a song since the musicals of the 30s and 40s. It's really great really great!
I'm not sure, but I think all the members had some kind of specialty training...in music and other areas. One of the early members of Sha Na Na, Robert A. Leonard went on to become a linguistic expert and has worked with police departments and the FBI in solving some major crimes. Santini ended up being a successful orthopedic surgeon after Sha Na Na pretty much disbanded. I'm sure the rest had other talents too.
Between Ethel & Bowser, there are tons of memories. I even took my Mom (she had a major crush on Santini) to a ShaNaNa concert for her birthday. The concert was during a snowstorm. Half the coliseum didn’t show but my Dad drove us there, we had to buy him a ticket at the gate. Even with all the empty seats he wasn’t allowed in the awesome seats she had. Despite the poor turnout, those guys worked their butts off to gives an unforgettable show/night.
My friends and I saw ShaNaNa in Birmingham in 1981. It was a fantastic show, but Santini wasn't with them. Bowser announced that Santini had left the group to go to medical school. Then, he jokingly told us that if we ever go to a doctor who is wearing a gold lame suit, to ask him to return it. LOL
He was the hit of the show. Not only could he sing but he could act too. He was suppose to be the shy slick guy. He became the star of the show. This bit shows why. He has talent.
Bowser is an unlikely companion for the Queen of Broadway - but Merman and Bowser are great together. This is one of the few opportunities that we have to see Merman doing most of the song in the original arrangement. Check out the wa she plays the jokes.
Back in the 1970's I use to try to watch every episode of the Sha na na show. I loved their singing. I missed a few shows due to crappy reception...only 3 channels and on some nights all three would go off air... I live in a tiny Idaho valley, itty bitty town and back then the 't.v. tower' was on a mountain and it was sometimes a few days to get someone up there to fix things...especially in the winter when it took a snow mobile and skiing in to do so.
As a kid in the 70s of upstate New York, our 3 channels + PBS were nearly doubled because we could, depending on weather, pick up reception from Canada. I just wish mom had let me watch these shows but she felt some content wouldn't be good for me. Somehow though I got away with watching The Red Green Show! Never allowed Sandford and Son or Three's Company type shows ("Those shows do not show people in a good light.") but sadly & ironically Cosby was celebrated family tv viewing. Boy the times change.
Same thing only channel 2,4,7, and 13pbs, grew up in Appalachian mountains in northern NJ on the pa ny border. My dad was a greaser from the 50s and loved watching the sha na na show.
The very best live music I ever went to was a Sha na na gig in Cardiff in the 1970s. It was electric - brilliantly talented and massively entertaining.
It was Noel Coward who said that Ethel Merman was wonderfully awful and awfully wonderful at the same time. On this performance I'd say he got the first part exactly correct.
Actually, she had a great singing voice: open throated and resonant. It just wouldn't have passed classical standards as it was nasal and her vowels often impure. Her diction, however, was superb.
What fun from when I was young and carefree. Now I'm old and carefree, but I miss the old stuff from my youth. ShaNaNa was cool with my friends and we watched it every week.
Well, Ethel Merman wasn't known for her tact; she was known throughout her career to be blunt and even rude. That said, I can't stand Jennifer Holiday's singing, either. I much prefer Jennifer Hudson's voice in DREAMGIRLS.
Oh yeah, I always like it when the older generation supports the younger generation. That takes a great deal of humility, however, because when you think about it, those younger stars are there to replace the older ones. I also read of Merman that she didn't really have female friends; she preferred joking around with men. I can relate as I'm not really a "woman person" myself. I can also understand her not liking Holliday's singing style which was in many the opposite of the Merman sound which had epitomized Broadway for so many years.
A bunch of us in high school went to see Sha Na Na in Toronto at the original Massey Hall. I'm guessing 1972. That building has a lot of history and definitely the design is all about appreciating top performances. At one point people couldn't help themselves though including us to gyrate in the narrow aisles. The ushers looked off guard and gave up trying to get people back in their seats. It was all in well behaved good fun. Sha Na Na just makes you want to get up and move.
Ethel was old-school. She trained and performed from a time before they used microphones, so she learned to belt them songs out so the whole theater could hear. This is another bout of weird musical pairings. Bing Crosby and David Bowie is one that comes immediately to mind. Crystal Gayle and Tom Waites are another. Does anybody else know of any?
@@jasonayres Ethel herself sang with the Muppets as well. There are a couple of clips here on RUclips. Part of one is her doing this song with Miss Piggy.
@@thelastremainingmoderate1997 Hey, thanks for that. I'm sure that was the pinnacle of Ethel's career (-well, in the eyes of the grandchildren, anyway.. And whose opinion is more important!)
Oh I love Bowser so much!! I live in Tucson Arizona and there is a restaurant called Cattletown- Bowser has his picture there with his signature. I remember learning about Sha Na Na when I was about nine years old when I watched Grease. Thanks to my baby boomer parents, I was the only nine year old who knew about Sha Na Na in 2009. You can image some my teacher not knowing Sha Na Na.
I alwasys loved watching Sha Na Na as a kid. Bowser was my favorite out of the bunch. Just as Animal of the Muppets made me love percussions, Bowser made me love singers have the deep bass pitch
Que felicidad verla y escucharla a Ethel asi con su gracia jugar asi .Una maestra de talento donde nos hace palpitar nuestro corazon y emoción .Cuanto la queremos
What a special treat to hear both, “GREATS,” today! (I had the biggest crush on Bowzer as as girl!) Yes, I did. 😊🎶🕯🕊❤️ Ethel is wonderful, love her so...🕊
I loved Sha Na Na back in the day. Bunch of talented musicians.
I grew up watching it and had the biggest crush (still do) on Bowser
Yeah it was a family funny show
Loved Bowser & Sha Na Na! This is a great video/blog! Soooo much fun!😆
I loved watching it with my Dad when I was growing up! Loved Ethel Merman as well. 😁
They sure were not unlike the idiots we have today......junk
Bowser gives himself away when he launches into his legitimately trained voice.
Funny guy,so was his show
Reminiscent of Jim Nabors talent.
Yes, his musical talents were quite impressive.
And he was a funny guy,a great sense of humor
That was the point.
they look like they are having a lot of fun.
This went off without a single hitch just marvelous
Many already know this, but just in case.... Ethel introduced this great showstopper tune in 1946, in the huge Broadway hit "Annie Get Your Gun", words and music by Irving Berlin.
I'm so glad to see you post this. There are hundreds of marvelous performers of the 20th century who can now be discovered thanks to RUclips and the internet. Mentioning the name of the musical and composer provides those younger generations with exactly what to google! Wonderful! All the best to you. (Cheek to Cheek...wasn't that Berlin, as well? I love that one.)
Didnt Doris Day do this one too?
Calamity Jane.
Along with "There's no business like show business". by Irving Berlin
@@hope2029 Doris didn't do this one--it's not in Calamity Jane. You're thinking of Betty Hutton, who starred in the movie version of Annie Get Your Gun (Ethel Merman starred in the Broadway show, but not the movie).
‘Bowser’ is a classically trained baritone.
He went to Julliard
I knew he was a pretty darn good singer, but I had forgotten he was trained at Juilliard.
Is he still living?
Who is he?
@@cindylambert6333 He is! He's 73 now.
@@cindylambert6333, yes, he is. He paid a visit to the homeless shelter where I volunteer, and I got to speak to him. After some conversation with him, he gave me an autographed picture because, based on the stuff we talked about, he knew I watched the show.
What a terrific and funny pair. TV isn’t this good anymore. Love those old shows!
I had no idea Bowser was as talented as he is. And I have not seen anything smoothly blend into a song since the musicals of the 30s and 40s. It's really great really great!
He's a classically trained opera singer.
If I am not mistaken, he attended Juilliard in New York City.
Bowser is no slouch on the keys, either. Check out Sha Na Na doing "Runaway" on here. He plays the organ solo.
Bowser trained at Julliard.
I'm not sure, but I think all the members had some kind of specialty training...in music and other areas.
One of the early members of Sha Na Na, Robert A. Leonard went on to become a linguistic expert and has worked with police departments and the FBI in solving some major crimes.
Santini ended up being a successful orthopedic surgeon after Sha Na Na pretty much disbanded.
I'm sure the rest had other talents too.
Between Ethel & Bowser, there are tons of memories. I even took my Mom (she had a major crush on Santini) to a ShaNaNa concert for her birthday. The concert was during a snowstorm. Half the coliseum didn’t show but my Dad drove us there, we had to buy him a ticket at the gate. Even with all the empty seats he wasn’t allowed in the awesome seats she had. Despite the poor turnout, those guys worked their butts off to gives an unforgettable show/night.
My friends and I saw ShaNaNa in Birmingham in 1981. It was a fantastic show, but Santini wasn't with them. Bowser announced that Santini had left the group to go to medical school. Then, he jokingly told us that if we ever go to a doctor who is wearing a gold lame suit, to ask him to return it. LOL
@@48BrittaniaWhat a hoot! These guys are amazing!
Santini became a doctor
@@48Brittania That's funny!!!
Wonderful! Believe it or not they achieve a chemistry that makes marvelous entertainment-- both at their best.
He was the hit of the show.
Not only could he sing but he could act too.
He was suppose to be the shy slick guy. He became the star of the show.
This bit shows why. He has talent.
Absolutely The Best!!! 😊🕊❤️
Bowser is an unlikely companion for the Queen of Broadway - but Merman and Bowser are great together. This is one of the few opportunities that we have to see Merman doing most of the song in the original arrangement. Check out the wa she plays the jokes.
I totally forgot about the Sha Na Na show. Thank you for posting.
Back in the 1970's I use to try to watch every episode of the Sha na na show. I loved their singing. I missed a few shows due to crappy reception...only 3 channels and on some nights all three would go off air... I live in a tiny Idaho valley, itty bitty town and back then the 't.v. tower' was on a mountain and it was sometimes a few days to get someone up there to fix things...especially in the winter when it took a snow mobile and skiing in to do so.
Ah, the good old days!!! 😅👍
As a kid in the 70s of upstate New York, our 3 channels + PBS were nearly doubled because we could, depending on weather, pick up reception from Canada. I just wish mom had let me watch these shows but she felt some content wouldn't be good for me. Somehow though I got away with watching The Red Green Show! Never allowed Sandford and Son or Three's Company type shows ("Those shows do not show people in a good light.") but sadly & ironically Cosby was celebrated family tv viewing. Boy the times change.
Same thing only channel 2,4,7, and 13pbs, grew up in Appalachian mountains in northern NJ on the pa ny border. My dad was a greaser from the 50s and loved watching the sha na na show.
She can certainly sing louder than him. She could sing louder than anybody.😆
Look for videos of the soprano Birgit Nilsson, lol
@@CH-is1vc
Birgit Nilsson was a big fan of Ethel Merman.
@@samueljaramillo4221 I bet. They have those similar resonant, 'forward sounding', voices.
I cant think of two more different singers. This was great
The very best live music I ever went to was a Sha na na gig in Cardiff in the 1970s. It was electric - brilliantly talented and massively entertaining.
This is a gem!! And it’s live … Talent is Talent. 🥰
he was such a doll.....used to run into him after GREASE many times.
It was Noel Coward who said that Ethel Merman was wonderfully awful and awfully wonderful at the same time. On this performance I'd say he got the first part exactly correct.
I agree. I don't think her speaking or singing voice was great--yet it was. She had that "something" that makes a star.
Actually, she had a great singing voice: open throated and resonant. It just wouldn't have passed classical standards as it was nasal and her vowels often impure. Her diction, however, was superb.
Bowser’s character is so strange…and funny.
Watch all the old Sha Na Na on here. They were a fantastic group.
What fun from when I was young and carefree. Now I'm old and carefree, but I miss the old stuff from my youth. ShaNaNa was cool with my friends and we watched it every week.
I always loved Sha-Na-Na - thanks for this.
This woman could belt out with the best of them,great talent and a voice to match
Her voice was too warbly for me to consider her one of the greats, but she was a great entertainer.
I saw her live and she was absolutely marvelous. Brought the house down.
I love this.
Her persona was caricatured in the book, "Valley of the Dolls".
I Didnt know she was mentioned in the book
The sweetness duel was the best part
@@zyxw2024 And what on earth does that have to do with the comment posted?
Well, Ethel Merman wasn't known for her tact; she was known throughout her career to be blunt and even rude. That said, I can't stand Jennifer Holiday's singing, either. I much prefer Jennifer Hudson's voice in DREAMGIRLS.
Oh yeah, I always like it when the older generation supports the younger generation. That takes a great deal of humility, however, because when you think about it, those younger stars are there to replace the older ones.
I also read of Merman that she didn't really have female friends; she preferred joking around with men. I can relate as I'm not really a "woman person" myself. I can also understand her not liking Holliday's singing style which was in many the opposite of the Merman sound which had epitomized Broadway for so many years.
So great... Only one Merman. Bowser did a Fantastic job on this!
A bunch of us in high school went to see Sha Na Na in Toronto at the original Massey Hall. I'm guessing 1972. That building has a lot of history and definitely the design is all about appreciating top performances. At one point people couldn't help themselves though including us to gyrate in the narrow aisles. The ushers looked off guard and gave up trying to get people back in their seats. It was all in well behaved good fun. Sha Na Na just makes you want to get up and move.
I love it, love it, love it!!! ...No one is greater than Ethel Merman!!!...Sorry Bowser, but you are the cat's meow too!!!
Omg I remember Sha Na Na. I was just a kid but wow this brings back the memories
She was perfect in the movie " It's a mad mad mad mad world" My favorite comedy movie ever.
I learned something new today. A guy named Bowser can sing alright! And I mean they are both fantastic
loved that! Bowser... beautiful voice!
Lol. Great pair of voices
Sooooo many excellent variety shows like this in my childhood.
Those were good times.
Damn good times.
Bowser is a living legend!
‘Fraid not. He died a few years ago.
@@jockellis he’s 73 and still making the car show rounds (pre-covid, when we had car shows).
Ethel was old-school. She trained and performed from a time before they used microphones, so she learned to belt them songs out so the whole theater could hear. This is another bout of weird musical pairings. Bing Crosby and David Bowie is one that comes immediately to mind. Crystal Gayle and Tom Waites are another. Does anybody else know of any?
Cliff Richard and The Young Ones.
John Denver and The Muppets.
@@jasonayres Ethel herself sang with the Muppets as well. There are a couple of clips here on RUclips. Part of one is her doing this song with Miss Piggy.
@@thelastremainingmoderate1997 Hey, thanks for that.
I'm sure that was the pinnacle of Ethel's career (-well, in the eyes of the grandchildren, anyway.. And whose opinion is more important!)
•💟•
That is a treasure!
🎶😍😎🎶
Thank you so much!
•💟•
From what I’ve been told RUclips is taking out parts of the shows so I have to find a new place to share the full videos
Adorable!,❤️
Back in the 70's when i was groing up...Bowser was just a staple in my tv watching.....how i miss those days.
I love this! And how Merman would connect with other vocalists, in her duets! It's no wonder she was so loved!
THE GOOD OLD DAYS ....MEMORIES
no idea why this showed up in my suggestions, but dang, that was pretty good -- both quite talented!
Bowser used to look so big to me back in the day. Now I realize that he was just a kid. That was too cute 😁😁😁
I thought the same thing!! He’s so skinny with long arms.Different than 6 th grade me remembered.
@@grahamraymer807 lol 😂, wasn't he so intimidating? But then that was because we were such children then
I love them both. ❤️❤️
I loved this show when I was a kid.
Sha Na Na were the coolest group at Woodstock by far!
😮I never knew this existed!
Bravo! Encore! 👏👏👏
That was unexpectedly well matched and wonderful.
I used to get so excited for this to come on as a kid🥰
A wonderful blast from the past. I miss those days. A much simpler and better life.
That was sweet!
Incredible, delightful. They're both fantastic. Thank you for the video.
I loved Sha Na Na, the Tv show! Always had Great Guest. My all time favorite, Ronnie Spector!
Absolutely wonderful! Nice way to start a morning, hearing them sing!
🎼 Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli
Bowser from Sha Na Na and Arthur Fonzarelli 🎵🎶
"Ask the warden." haha! ;)
Love em both
They did a great job! So enjoyable!
I saw this when it was new. Became a huge fan of both!
Ernest Borgnine was married to Ethel Merman for 42 days. They both admitted it was a colossal mistake. Las Vegas, NV July 22, 2021
Wow!!
So cute 💙
Of Ethel Merman, Toscanini said " Her voice...was not a human voice". . But you gotta love her.
Love Love Love!!! So Much Talent and So much fun.!!!!! Who knew Bowser was a trained possibly operatic singer. Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful!!!!!
Wow , I remember this !
Absolutely spectacular
Oh my gosh I totally remember this from when I was a little kid and this aired.
Delightful...
Never had a . Singing lesson in her life. She started in show business at 14 years old.
I remember this show.
This was wonderful!
I remember this as a kid, loved watching this show.
Bravi tutti, bravi, bravissimi!
Oh I love Bowser so much!! I live in Tucson Arizona and there is a restaurant called Cattletown- Bowser has his picture there with his signature. I remember learning about Sha Na Na when I was about nine years old when I watched Grease. Thanks to my baby boomer parents, I was the only nine year old who knew about Sha Na Na in 2009. You can image some my teacher not knowing Sha Na Na.
I loved their show and had many records and tapes of Sha Na Na. Hadn’t realized Bowser was that much younger than me.
I had forgotten how much I loved Sha Na Na as a kid. Thanks for the memories
That was BOSS.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL!!!!!
that was fun!!!
Who knew that the critic from Ratatouille could sing so well.
Fabulous!!!!
I really miss these days.
Absolutely Love This!! Thank you for sharing the memories. 😊🎶☀️🕊❤️
This cracked me up! I miss the days when tv was entertaining.
I alwasys loved watching Sha Na Na as a kid. Bowser was my favorite out of the bunch. Just as Animal of the Muppets made me love percussions, Bowser made me love singers have the deep bass pitch
Wonderful
She really was a treasure!
Loved it
I had totally forgotten about this show! I loved it!
Song is called: 'Anything you can do, I can do better.'
Love it.
Wow! Great clip!
Que felicidad verla y escucharla a Ethel asi con su gracia jugar asi .Una maestra de talento donde nos hace palpitar nuestro corazon y emoción .Cuanto la queremos
This was pure joyful entertainment.
Fantastic!!Love them both,this brightens the day!!👍🎶💜
Cute.
Well... that was a hell of a lot of fun.
Loved it❣
This was a wonderful flashback, that I didn’t know I needed.
I can do a pretty good Ethel Merman impression...."There's noo-o-o business like sho-o-w business...."
No you can't.
Yes, I can!!! Yes, I can!!! YES I CAN!!! (and, she can, too!😊) ❤️❤️❤️
What a special treat to hear both, “GREATS,” today!
(I had the biggest crush on Bowzer as as girl!)
Yes, I did. 😊🎶🕯🕊❤️
Ethel is wonderful, love her so...🕊
You should join the Ethel Merman Tabernacle Choir. 😂
That would be fuckin boss.
From when that body was a tough guy and Ethel was an acceptable showbiz name, what a gal.
Back when TV was wholesome and entertaining and talented