Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: The Kingsmen 49-06-14 (02) Hoagy Carmichael
Aired: November 2, 2025
Featured Guest: Hoagy Carmichael
Theme: A musical tribute to Hoagy Carmichael, featuring performances of his compositions, comedic banter, and a nostalgic journey through the golden age of radio variety shows.

Main Theme & Purpose

In this episode, “The Kingsmen 49-06-14 (02) Hoagy Carmichael,” the Kingsmen welcome legendary songwriter Hoagy Carmichael as their “King for the Night.” The show blends live performances of some of Carmichael’s best-loved songs, playful comedic repartee, and classic variety show sketches patterned after the spirit of early radio entertainment. The episode both celebrates Carmichael's impact on American music and evokes the era when families gathered around the radio for musical and comedic entertainment.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Opening & Setting the Stage

• [00:29] The show begins with a jubilant introduction, sponsored by Johnson’s Wax and Johnson’s Car New, setting a festive mood.
• Host Ken Darby (“custodian of the castle”) welcomes listeners and launches into a Western-themed musical number.

2. Musical Numbers & Technique

• "Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend"
  • [01:13-02:42] The Kingsmen perform a lively Western song, showing off playful harmonies and their “new technique” of finishing songs together.
  • Notable banter follows:
    • Ken: “We thought we'd like to see how a song sounds when we all finish at the same time.” ([02:52])
    • Harlow: “That is a novel idea, but it'll never catch on, Ken.” ([02:58])

3. Welcoming Hoagy Carmichael

• [06:43] The Kingsmen roll out the metaphorical red carpet for their royal guest, greeted by a mock-triumphant fanfare:
  • Hoagy Carmichael: "You better mop out those trumpets, boys. You nearly drowned me." ([06:43])
  • Ken: “The castle is at your service, King Hoagie.” ([06:51])
  • Hoagy (joking): “Is there any remuneration in it?” followed by Ken’s retort about keeping taxes low: “We’ll try to keep it low enough so the taxes don’t fracture you.” ([07:07-07:22])

4. Carmichael’s Song Showcase & Comedy Medley

• The ensemble uses tongue-in-cheek radio show tropes to introduce Carmichael’s famous songs:

  • Playful refusals to “show off”:
    • Hoagy: “Modesty forbids. We wouldn’t want our subjects to think we were showing off, would we?” ([08:41])

• The group launches a medley, cleverly set up as casual conversation:

  • “Georgia on My Mind”
    • Ken: “Georgia? But Georgia's down south. Whatever made you think of Georgia?”
    • Hoagy: “I guess I just got Georgia on my mind.” ([09:44])
    • [Song excerpt follows.]
  • “Up a Lazy River”
    • Hoagy: “You faced it a river, nave... the one I just happened to write a song about!” ([10:26])

• Signature Medley Satire:

  • Hoagy jokingly shirks the standard medley:
    • “Some guys might wind up singing a whole medley of their own tunes. Ho, ho. But not me…” ([11:16–11:36])
  • Launches into “Hong Kong Blues.” ([12:04])

5. Featured Carmichael Performances

• “Stardust” ([03:39–05:34]) – performed by the Kingsmen and orchestra as a highlight celebrating Carmichael’s songwriting legacy.
• “Hong Kong Blues” ([12:04–14:33]) – performed by Carmichael, weaving a clever narrative about a “very unfortunate Memphis man.”

6. Comedic Interludes & Variety

• “The Leader Doesn’t Like Music” ([16:52–19:20]) – a humorous number about an orchestral leader who ironically dislikes music.

  • “The leader doesn’t like music, and the band boys don’t like the leader either.” ([19:18], Kingsmen)

• Piano Interlude: Fancy two-piano arrangement of “Someone to Watch Over Me” by Elliot Daniel and Buddy Cole ([19:26–22:52]).

7. Nostalgic Americana & Ensemble Numbers

• “Lindy, Lindy” ([22:52–24:37]):
  • Presented as “a slice of a real Americana,” with cheerful, rural flavor.

8. Carmichael’s Encore & Finale

• Castle Comedy:
  • Hoagy continues the “King” shtick.
  • “What’s the next item—review the troops, check the dungeon, or draw a drawbridge?” ([25:53–26:02])
• “Old Buttermilk Sky” ([26:35–28:49])
  • Carmichael: “Oh, I wrote that.”
  • Ensemble sings, full of lighthearted charm, with lyrics about moonlight, questions of love, and signature American optimism.

9. Episode Wrap & Next Week’s Preview

• Teaser for the following week’s episode:
  • Ken: “The Kingsmen are working hard on ‘Blue Tail Fly’... and our special guest king will be Bob Crosby.” ([28:54])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Songwriting and Modesty:
  “It just ain’t modest for a king. I never talk about my own songs in public.”
  — Hoagy Carmichael, ([07:35])

• On Royalty as a Guest Artist:
  “Say, I might like this royalty stuff, knave. Is there any remuneration in it?”
  — Hoagy Carmichael, ([07:07])

• Radio Humor and Parody:
  “We thought we'd like to see how a song sounds when we all finish at the same time.”
  — Ken Darby, ([02:52])

  “That is a novel idea, but it'll never catch on, Ken.”
  — Harlow Wilcox, ([02:58])

• Signature Kingly Banter:
  “What’s the next item on the castle schedule? Review the troops, check the dungeon, take a pencil and paper and draw a drawbridge.”
  — Hoagy Carmichael, ([25:53])

• Satirical Medley Introduction:
  “Some guys might wind up singing a whole medley of their own tunes. Ho, ho. But not me. Not you no, sir…”
  — Hoagy Carmichael, ([11:16])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:39] “Stardust” performance
• [06:43] Hoagy Carmichael introduced as royal guest
• [08:17–11:14] Whimsical medley setup, featuring “Little Old Lady,” “Rockin’ Chair,” “Georgia on My Mind,” and “Up a Lazy River”
• [12:04] “Hong Kong Blues” performance by Hoagy Carmichael
• [16:52] “The Leader Doesn’t Like Music” comic number
• [19:26] “Someone to Watch Over Me” two-piano rendition
• [22:52] “Lindy, Lindy” ensemble Americana number
• [26:35] “Old Buttermilk Sky” Carmichael and cast
• [28:54] Preview for next week: Bob Crosby

Tone & Style

Playful, witty, and infused with the warmth and charm of mid-century variety radio. The King’s Men and their guest Hoagy Carmichael balance expert musical performance with comedic exchanges, peppering the broadcast with clever puns and gentle parodies of both radio and royalty. Carmichael is game for self-deprecating jokes, and the cast deftly transitions between song and skit, highlighting the enduring appeal of Carmichael’s music while sustaining a lighthearted, communal spirit.

Summary

This episode is a nostalgic showcase for Hoagy Carmichael’s enduring American classics, artfully wrapped in gentle humor and lively musical camaraderie. Highlights include playfully meta references to the radio show format, sparkling performances of standards like “Stardust,” “Georgia on My Mind,” and “Old Buttermilk Sky,” and a recurring “king” motif that lets Carmichael poke fun at himself as the visiting monarch of songwriting. Listeners are treated to both Carmichael’s musical genius and a breezy, good-natured window into the fellowship that characterized radio’s golden age.