Raining on Prom Night (Abridged)

Hey Old School enrollees! Welcome to a special abridged edition of Old School #47 Raining on Prom Night. This was designed for those who don’t think they have 100 min to devote to a 1961 soggy prom experience, and for YouTube, where the bots are working overtime blocking entire episodes over copyright issues.

Without preaching, DJs are having a tough time in this digital age not because they are trying to rip off the musical artists they enjoy, but because so many publishing houses have blocked certain songs. Artists are the last people to get paid, and that goes triple for DJs, who love and want to promote the music. I’ll preach on this another time, but this version contains all cleared songs.

It’s a maze out there. Many tunes are blocked from Russia, like that’s going to have an effect on their senseless war on Ukraine. I’m fine with that.

Most songs, especially the old ones I play for people who want to remember the old days, and even bigger for young people who want to piece together the threads they are weaving for their own journey of music discovery, have been sucked up in long ago massive deals that left artists as well as publishers without residuals or claim to the music that came from their hearts.

YouTube is caught up in this silliness. You’ll find 50 versions of Johnny Angel by Shelly Fabres posted by Joe Blow and Winning For Old Farts and god knows whoevre else on YouTube, but when Professor Mikey puts it in an Old School it causes the whole show to be banned like a kid’s book in Florida.

So enjoy this show. YouTube gets far more exposure than Substack, and I’m trying to cast a wide net here. Back up one newsletter if you want the whole episode, or better yet tune in on your favorite podcast developer Spotify and Apple, who want to make sure the descendants of Shelly and her Angel Big Poppa get a check for 58 cents this year.

Bongos!

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—The Rest here is from the original post in case you missed it.

^{FOR a beat down of pure syrupy nostalgia, there’s nothing like an Old School prom night. Unless it’s an old basketball court gymnasium prom night. Or a Kiwanis Hall.}

^{Everyone is in their teens which means they will never look better. Small town princesses in their royal gowns, awkward guys all greased back and stiff in their rented tuxedos. Becoming a grownup is a mystery just a few miles down the road.}

^{Maybe if the music glides into romantic and dreamy, things might slow down a bit. The lights go low, the geometry teacher can’t see how close you are dancing.}

^{Before the limo arrives, the weather does its thing. It starts raining on prom night. Windshield wipers swipe back and forth, spreading droplet jewels before more fall. Uncomfortable but flashy dancing shoes go splashy through the puddle. Inside you can hear the Thunder under the Marshals and the Fenders.}

^{The rain is falling, the night is calling, some of the corsages have been in the freezers for close to 70 years. Much of this predates classic rock. So I guess it’s Baroque. It’s definitely romantic. And it’s coming down cats and dogs.}

Prom culture, like teen culture, has not stood still. For this playlist we hover pretty much around the late Fifties into the early Sixties. The oldest song is from 1952, but it has such staying power it was required on prom setlists for over 20 years.

A couple of modern tunes from 1966 are present, just to keep the sass in tact. But mostly the prom sweet spot coincides with the peak years for doowop, a genre that takes to the floor after the Blues and just ahead of Soul.

The greatest hits of Doowop were associated with Proms at one time or another. Heartfelt love songs that drifted through dreamy harmonies. All the sweetness and tenderness that true love can inspire in the poetry of an uncertain era. The importance of Doowop is a big chapter in any popular music history. Tonight however we are in love with the possibilities of everything working out just right for ever and ever.

Drunk bitches on Prom Night

^{NEW SCHOOL PROM FILLER}

^{A girl usually tries on 10 dresses before she finds the perfect prom ensemble! Corsages were meant for the waist! Teens usually spend $1,500 on their prom including tickets, limo, dresses, and flowers! 62% of prom-goers take home memorabilia to remember their prom night 15% of girls see prom as equal importance as their wedding Prom Industry earns about $4 Billion each year! The average prom proposal costs $325 Most girls shop for their dress 3 months before their prom. Source: Ambassador Limousines} 

^{Weird Prom Factoid}

^{In 1975 Susan Ford (President Gerald Ford’s daughter) invited her peers to the White House to have their prom! Her father was not in the states that night so the Secret Service took it upon themselves to be the chaperones. It was held in the East Room. Once the night was over the students went on the Presidential yacht and cruised underneath the stars!}

NnnNoThis was supposed to end about twelve, and it’s a quarter till I guess. Nobody’s really looking at the clock. Throughout the evening people have been peeling off. Most of the teachers have gone home, there are still a couple of chaperone stretching out over multiple folding chairs. Balloons have popped, confetting is coming loose.

But there’s still a dozen or maybe two dozen (its really dark in here) couples, and this is serious heartfelt intoxicating busy time. The DJ shuts up, the only music that’s going to work for the up close and personal is one long dreamy set of heaven snt Doo Wop. The flamingoes have wet feathers because it’s still raining on prom night.

“The past is a blast.”

The Program

^{Walking in the Rain THE RONETTES}

^{Crying in the Rain THE EVERLY BROTHERS}

^{A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation MARTY ROBBINS}

^{At the Hop DANNY AND THE JUNIORS}

^{Loillipop THE CHORDETT}

^{7 Little Girls Sitting in the Back Seat THE AVONS}

^{Born Too Late THE PONI-TAILS}

^{WIshin’ and Hopin’ DUSTY SPRINGFIELD}

^{Popsicles and Icicles THE MURMAIDS}

^{It Might As Well Rain Until September CAROLE KING}

^{Teenager’s Romance RICKY NELSON}

^{Johnny Angel SHELLEY FABRES}

^{Venus FRANKIE AVALON}

^{Rhapsody in the Rain LOU CHRISTIE}

^{Rumble LINK WRAY}

^{He’s a Rebel THE CRYSTALS}

^{Chico’s Girl THE GIRLS}

^{Angel Baby ROSIE AND THE ORIGINALS}

^{Hurt TIMI YURO}

^{Nothing Takes the Place of You TOUSSAINT McCALL}

^{I Love How You Love Me THE PARIS SISTERS}

^{All These Things THE UNIQUES}

^{I Only Have Eyes for You THE FLAMINGOS}

^{Once Upon a Time ROCHELL AND THE CANDLES}

^{In the Still of the Night THE FIVE SATINS}

^{Tonight Tonight The Meello Kings}

^{There’s a Moon Out Tonight THE CAPRIS}

^{Remember THE EARLS}

^{The Angels Listened In THE CRESTS}

^{You Belong to Me THE DUPREES 1962}

^{Eddi My Love THE CHORDETTES}

^{Come Softly To Me THE FLEETWOODS}

^{I Love You So THE CHANTELS}

^{Ebb Tide THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS}

^{For Your Precious Love THE IMPRESSIONS}

^{For Your Love ED TROWNSEND}

^{It’s Raining On Prom Night CINDY BULLINS from GREASDE}

^{Blue Moon THE MARCELS}

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