Frankie Laine Dies

[filkertom]

Singer Frankie Laine, who sold about 100 million records (literally) and sang the themes for Rawhide and Blazing Saddles, has passed away at the age of 93.

In his honor, let's have a good ol' cowboy campfire sing. I think we have to start it with "Happy Trails", and then right into "Rawhide".

Comments

[ericcoleman]

One of those amazing voices ...

[wildcard9.livejournal.com]

How about the theme song to Bonanza? I heard Lorne Green sing the lyrics to it on TV once (can't remember which talk show he was on).

[darrenzieger.livejournal.com]

I'm not that familiar with Laine's work, beyond the obvious ones you mentioned...but he definitely did an unforgettable job on the Blazing Saddles theme. What makes it work so well as parody is that it's such a lovely melody (kudos to Mel) and it's so beautifully performed - making the subtly silly lyrics stand out all the more).

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

I didn't know his name and know nothing about him to this day, but I did learn the song to Rawhide. It was a scavenger hunt item when I was in college -- had to be performed by the entire team in chorus, during the judging. So for about two years afterwards the whole campus knew it. :)

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

If there is one genre of music I dislike, its country.

But I LOVE cowboy music. I'm old enough to have caught the of the cowboy era. So I have found memories of Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Paladin and more.

I'm a HUGE fan of Riders in the Sky. Pick up the "Woody's Roundup" Album, an off shoot of "Toy Story"... delightful stuff.

"I'm back in the saddle again.
Our where a friend is a friend."

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

I'll add "El Paso" as performed by the Grateful Dead.

[dbcooper.livejournal.com]

He lived a good life, and left us with quite a lot of great music. It's still sad to see him go.