Podcast Summary: WLS Barn Dance 42-08-22 (0) First Song – Roll Out the Barrel

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio (and original radio cast)
Date: September 8, 2025 (original radio show aired August 22, 1942)

Episode Overview

This episode replays an iconic episode of the Alka Seltzer National Barn Dance, broadcast live from the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in Milwaukee. It captures the essence of early 1940s American radio entertainment, with lively music, wholesome humor, and down-home camaraderie. The show sets a nostalgic scene of families gathered by their radios to enjoy music, comedy, and variety acts, showcasing top talent from the golden age of radio.

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Spirited Opening and Sponsorship

• [00:02] The episode opens with a classic radio advertisement for Alka Seltzer, seamlessly blending sponsor messaging with warm greetings:
  • “Alka Seltzer for headaches, Alka Seltzer for acid indigestion. Alka Seltzer for summer cold. Ask your druggist for Alka Seltzer.”
• Host immediately establishes a festive atmosphere:
  • “Hello, hello, hello, everybody everywhere. How's Mother and Dad and the whole family? Well, say, just listen to that music. The stirring notes of On Wisconsin welcome us tonight as the Alka Seltzer National Barn Dance comes to you direct from the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in good old Milwaukee on the shores of Lake Michigan.”

2. Warm Welcome to Listeners

• Host recognizes the audience’s need for relaxation and reassurance during challenging times:
  • “If this has been an unusually hard week for you, I'll just bet that you're sitting in your favorite easy chair for the radio right now, relaxing and taking life easy.”
• Suggests Alka Seltzer as a remedy for common woes:
  • “If, in addition to being tired, your muscles are stiff and sore, or if you're feeling headachy and upset, the thing you ought to do is fix your yourself a glass of sparkling, refreshing Alka Seltzer.”

3. Musical Feature: Billy Murray Performs George M. Cohan Medley

• [03:00] The renowned Billy Murray performs a rousing medley, including:
  • “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “You're a Grand Old Flag,” and more.
• The host celebrates the talent:
  • “Thanks, Billy Murray, for that grand medley of George M. Cohan favorites. You see, we've nothing but the very cream of the crop tonight, folks.”
• Notable Lyric:
  • “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy, A Yankee Doodle do or die, A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam born on the 4th of July.” (Billy Murray, ~[04:20])

4. Comedy and Character Banter at the State Fair

• The show features witty exchanges between characters, such as Pat Buttram (“the Winston County Flash”), Jody, and Joe:
  • Discussion of modern substitutes at the fair:
    • “Cotton candy ain't what it used to be...this cotton candy sure tastes like it is made out of rayon.” (Pat Buttram, ~[09:10])
  • A lost boy gag:
    • “I said, sonny, I know where your mama is. He said, so do I, and shut up.” (Pat Buttram, ~[10:40])
  • Loving mockery of sulky races:
    • “Well, was the horse blind?”
      “No, he's just reckless. Didn't give a darn.” (Pat and Joe, ~[13:20])
    • The punchline: “How many other horses were there in the race? 2? ...Who finished third? I did. I got tired of riding and walked on ahead.” (Pat Buttram, [14:50])

5. Musical Comedy: The Hoosier Hot Shots

• Quirky farm-themed ditty with musical puns and cheerful country banter:
  • “Meet me tonight in the cowshed after the cows come home... That’s kind of cheesy, wasn’t it?” (~[07:10])

6. Yodeling Duet: Lulibel and Scotty

• A classic country yodeling love song, blending romance and rustic charm:
  • “You will always be my little yoder lady. And you'll never make your yoder lady blue. Up in the mountains we'll build a shack and may you yodel till the cows come back.” (Lulibel and Scotty, ~[16:00])
• Humorous commentary:
  • “Plain and fancy yodeling—Lulibel and Scotty. Say, Arky?”

7. Banjo Feature: Eddie Peabody (“The Banjo King”)

• Eddie Peabody welcomes the crowd and performs a spirited Navy-themed tune:
  • “It's real fun to be here again for the Wisconsin State Fair and to have the opportunity of strumming away on the old banjo. Here's the tune I hope you'll enjoy. It's with a little Navy flavor to it, too. Folks. It's Lo, Lo Lolita.” (Eddie Peabody, ~[19:00])
• Lyrics capture the patriotic era:
  • “The sailors greet her with that old navy yell. For she is the darling of the battle fleet...Now the navy will be welcomed, yes, when this war is won by Lo Lo, Lo Lolita.”

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Oh, boy. Say, that was a real Wisconsin warmer-upper, boys and girls. I'll tell you, we're not holding out a thing tonight, folks.” (Host, [03:00])
• “Meet me tonight in the cowshed after the cows come home. You know, Betsy reminds me of you, Gabe. When she sighs, she's got that same vacant look in her eye.” (Hoosier Hot Shots banter, [07:08])
• “No, [the horse]’s just reckless. Didn’t give a darn.” (Pat Buttram, [13:32])
• “Who finished third? I did. I got tired of riding and walked on ahead.” (Pat Buttram, [14:55])
• “You're my little yodel lonely lady. And I like the way you yodel a too.” (Lulibel & Scotty, [16:25])
• “It's real fun to be here again for the Wisconsin State Fair and to have the opportunity of strumming away on the old banjo.” (Eddie Peabody, [19:03])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:02] Alka Seltzer Advertisement / Show Welcome
• [03:00] Opening Remarks and Billy Murray Introduction
• [04:20] Billy Murray sings George M. Cohan Medley
• [07:08] Hoosier Hot Shots – “Meet Me Tonight in the Cowshed”
• [09:10] Pat Buttram’s Cotton Candy Joke
• [13:20] Pat Buttram’s Sulky Race Story
• [16:00] Lulibel & Scotty – Yodeling Duet
• [19:00] Eddie Peabody – Banjo Feature, “Lo, Lo Lolita”

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode brims with homespun humor, musicality, and the spirited optimism of mid-20th century America. The lively banter, cheerful songs, and passionate performances transport listeners to a time when radio was a primary source of entertainment and community connection.

In Short

This episode is a time capsule of American entertainment at its roots, combining vaudeville-style comedy, musical virtuosity, and the comforting cadence of community radio. Whether you’re a fan of old-time radio or simply curious about the era, it offers an engaging, heartwarming experience from start to finish.