Announcer’s Test is a release by Brazilian musician Manu Lafer with recurrent collaborator, jazz legend Ken Peplowski. They have put out together Something Old and New, besides many other special guest features.
Announcer’s Test was recorded at John Kilgore’s studio in New York, with an A team band: John-Eric-Kellso (trumpet), Peter Washington (acoustic bass), Ehud Asherie (piano), Wiliam Jones III (drums). Peplowski arranges, plays clarinet, tenor saxophone and produces. Lafer sings and makes the repertory selection.
The current project’s title was named after a 1940 number, widely known thanks to Jerry Lewis (1926-2017), who revived it. Originally an anonymous voice-over text, it has been turned into a jam. Here it is sung by the two artists – Peplowski almost never sings, by the way – with a comic tone brought about by the nonsense lyrics in a serious approach delivery.
Equally exceptional guest artists took part in the project in the United States, Brazil and Belgium: Graça Braga, Hillary Gardner, Annie Moore (a descendant of Schumann´s), Shophia Bresciani, Georgia Besen, Giana Viscardi, Swami Jr., Steve Ross and Jack Wilkins.
The repertoire’s highlights include the following, in addition to the title track:
– Down For Double (originally instrumental music by Count Basie; in this version, with lyrics by Jon Hendricks).
– Better Luck Next Time (by Irving Berlin, with Swami Jr’s seven-string guitar, inspired by John Pizzarelli’s seven-string guitar in another cover).
– I’ll String Along With You (a Nat King Cole’s number)
– The Brazilian song Amigo do Norte (by Jackson Do Pandeiro)
– Conjunction Junction, from Bob Durough’s repertoire, in American television cartoons.
The mastering was done by Alan Silverman, known for his association with jazz, and also with pop artists such as Judy Collins.
School days, school days
Dear old golden rule days
reading’ and writin’ and ‘rithmetic
Taught to the tune of a hickory stick
You were my girl in calico
I was your silly bashful beau
Mary had a lamb
His fleece was white as snow
Mary had a little lamb
His fleece was white as snow,
Everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go
Humpty, Humpty Dumpty
Sat upon a wall
Humpty Dumpty on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a fall
All the King’s horses and his men
Couldn’t put Humpty back again
Little Jackie Horner
Sitting in a corner
Little Jack Horner in a corner,
Eating his Christmas pie
He stuck in his thumb, pulled out a plum
Said “what a great guy am I”
Simple, Simple Simon
Going to the fair
Simple Simon met a pieman
Going to the fair
Said Simple Simon to the pieman
“let me taste your ware”
Peter, little Peter
Was a pumpkin eater
Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater
Had a wife and couldn’t keep her
Put her in a pumpkin shell
There he kept her very well
A-ring around of roses, pocket full of posies
Rise, Sally, rise; wipe your weepin’ eyes
Little Sally Walker, sittin’ in a saucer
Turn to the East, turn to the West
Little Sally Walker, sittin’ in a saucer
Turn to the one and have a little fun
Go in and out the window
Go in and out the window
Go home and get your dinner
And hurry back to school
And hurry!
Wham, re-bop-boom-bam
I can sing, and l can jam
Wham, re-bop-boom-bam
I’m a killer-diller, yes, l am
Wham, re-bop-boom-bam
Romp it, stomp it, ride it too
Wham, re-bop-boom-bam
Jam it, jump it, jive it through
Some folks say
That swing won’t stay
And it’s dying out
But I can prove
It’s in the groove
And they don’t know what they’re talking ’bout
Wham, re-bop-boom-bam
Easy to do like the Suzie Q
Wham, re-bop-boom-bam
If l can do it, you can too
I don’t believe in fretting and grieving
Why mess around with strife?
I never was cut out to step and strut out
Give me the simple life
Some find it pleasant dining on pheasant
Those things roll off my knife
Just serve me tomatoes and mashed potatoes
Give me the simple life
A cottage small is all I’m after
Not one that’s spacious and wide
A house that rings with joy and laughter
And the ones you love inside
Some like the high road, I like the low road
Free from the grief and strife
Sounds corny and seedy, but, yes, indeedy
Give me the simple life
I’m crazy about sleep
Can’t do without sleep
Give me the simple life
I don’t aim to worry
Hustle or hurry
Give me the simple life I greet the dawn when I awaken
The sky is clear up above
I like my scrambled eggs and bacon
Served by someone I love
Just you, just me
Let’s find a cozy spot
To cuddle and coo
Just us, just we
I’ve have missed an awful lot
My trouble is you
Oh, gee!
What are your charms for?
What are my arms for?
Use your imagination!
Just you, just me
l’ll tie a lover’s knot
’round wonderful you!
Conjunction junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses
Conjunction junction, how’s that function?
I got three favorite cars that get most of my job done
Conjunction junction, what’s their function?
I got “and”, “but”, and “or”,
They’ll get you pretty far
“And”: that’s an additive, like “this and that”
“But”: that’s sort of the opposite, “not this but that”.
And then there’s “or”: o-r,
When you have a choice like “this or that”.
“And”, “but”, and “or”, get you pretty far
Conjunction junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up two boxcars and making them run right
Milk and honey, bread and butter, peas and rice
Hey that’s nice!
Dirty but happy, digging and scratching,
Losing your shoe and a button or two
He’s poor but honest, sad but true,
Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
Conjunction junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up two cars to one
When you say something like this choice: “either now or later”
Or no choice: “neither now nor ever”
Hey that’s clever!
Eat this or that, grow thin or fat,
Nevermind, I wouldn’t do that, I’m fat enough now!
Conjunction junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up phrases and clauses that balance, like:
Out of the frying pan and into the fire
He cut loose the sandbags,
But the balloon wouldn’t go any higher
Let’s go up to the mountains,
Or down to the seas
You should always say “thank you”,
Or at least say “please”
Conjunction junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses
In complex sentences like:
In the mornings when I’m usually wide awake,
I love to take a walk through the gardens and down by the lake,
Where I often see a duck and a drake,
And wonder, as I walk by,
Just what they’d say if they could speak,
Although I know that’s an absurd thought
Conjunction junction, what’s your function?
Hooking up cars and making ’em function
Conjunction junction, how’s that function?
I like tying up words and phrases and clauses
Conjunction junction, watch that function.
I’m going to get you there if you’re very careful
Conjunction junction, what’s your function?
I’m going to get you there if you’re very careful
Dear one, the world is waiting for the sunrise
Every rose is covered with dew
And while the world is waiting for the sunrise
And my heart is calling you
Dear one, the world is waiting for the sunrise
Every little rose bud is covered with dew
And my heart is calling for you
The thrush on high
His sleepy mate is calling in
My heart is calling you
Don’t have to worry, don’t have to hurry
’cause I have something to say
I heard a bluebird passing the good word
Ain’t this a wonderful day?
Life is a pleasure that you can measure
Wait what the birds have to say
I heard a bluebird passing the good word
Ain’t this a wonderful day?
While I was dreaming in the shade of a tree
And listening to their song
I understood and put in words
And you can have to pass it along
Look on the bright side, ’cause it’s the bright side
Stay in the sun where you may
I heard a bluebird passing the good word
Ain’t this a wonderful day?
Beautiful love,
You are all a mystery
Beautiful love,
What have you done to me?
I was content until you came along
Thrilling my soul with your song
Beautiful love,
I’ve roamed on paradise
Searching for love,
My dream to realize
Reaching for heaven depending on you
Beautiful love, will my dreams come true?
Due to landscape gardeners gifted
Father knickerbocker’s face is being lifted so much
That you hardly know it as such
All the streets are being dressed up,
So before they ruin Broadway, I suggest that you go
To the City Fathers and say: whoa!
Glorify Sixth Avenue,
And put bathrooms in the Zoo,
But please don’t monkey with Broadway
Put big floodlights in the Park,
And put Harlem in the dark,
But please don’t monkey with Broadway
Though it’s tawdry and plain
It’s a lovely old lane,
Full of landmarks galore and memories gay
So move Grant’s Tomb to Union Square,
And put Brooklyn anywhere,
But please, please, I beg on my knees,
Don’t monkey with old Broadway
Plant trees in the polo grounds,
And put Yorkville out of bounds,
But please don’t monkey with Broadway
Close the Village honky-tonks,
Suppress cheering in the Bronx,
But please don’t monkey with Broadway
Think what names used to dance
On this road of romance!
Think what stars used to stroll along it all day!
Make City Hall skating rink,
And push Wall Street in the drink,
But please, please, I beg on my knees,
Don’t monkey with old Broadway
You won’t believe it
But I dig you so
Gotta let yo know
Anytime you’re ready let me know
I used to go for keeping company
But now I want you just for me
That’s the way it’s gonna be
I’m down for double now
They tell me one and one are really two
You know and I know this is true
We could pair up pitching boo
I’m down for double
What do you say,
Your gonna have to give your love to someone
So till that day,
I’m down for double till we two become one
They tell me love’s game that I should play
I used to start then run away
Till the time you name the day
I’m down for double now
My heart is doing double takes
You ought to hear what noise it makes
Bring back the feeling I once knew
Thrill me as only you can do
Don’t keep me dangling on a string
You might be missing everything
Baby I really dig you
Head over heals in love with you
Can’t stop screaming
Can’t stop dreaming of you
Down for double,
Baby I’m in trouble now
Oh yea! Oh yea! Oh yea! Oh yea!
Oh, blow, Gabriel, blow,
Go on and blow, Gabriel, blow!
I’ve been a sinner, I’ve been a scamp,
But now I’m willin’ to trim my lamp,
So blow, Gabriel, blow!
0h, I was low, Gabriel, low,
Mighty low, Gabriel, low,
But now since I have seen the light,
I’m good by day and I’m good by night,
So blow, Gabriel, blow!
Once I was headed for hell,
Once I was headed for hell;
But when I got to Satan’s door
I heard you blowin’ on your horn once more,
Sol said, “Satan, farewell!”
And now, I’m already to fly,
Yes, to fly higher and higher and higher!
‘Cause I’ve gone through the brimstone and fire,
And I purged my soul
And my heart too,
So climb up the mountaintop
And start to blow, Gabriel, blow
Come on and blow, Gabriel, blow!
I want to join your happy band
And play all day in the promised land
So blow, Gabriel, blow!
One hen
One hen
Two ducks
One hen
Two ducks
Three squawking geese
One hen
Two ducks
Three squawking geese
Four limerick oysters
One hen
Two ducks
Three squawking geese
Four limerick oysters
Five corpulent porpoises
One hen
Two ducks
Three squawking geese
Four limerick oysters
Five corpulent porpoises
Six pairs of Don Alverzos’s tweezers
One hen
Two ducks
Three squawking geese
Four limerick oysters
Five corpulent porpoises
Six pairs of Don Alverzos’s tweezers
Seven thousand Macedonians in full battle array
One hen, two ducks
Three squawking geese
Four limerick oysters
Five corpulent porpoises
Six pairs of Don Alverzos’s tweezers
Seven thousand Macedonians in full battle array
Eight brass monkeys from the Ancient Sacred Crypts of
Egypt
One hen
Two ducks
Three squawking geese
Four limerick oysters
Five corpulent porpoises
Six pairs of Don Alverzos’s tweezers
Seven thousand Macedonians in full battle array
Eight brass monkeys from the Ancient Sacred Crypts of
Egypt
Nine apathetic, sympathetic, diabetic old men on roller
skates, with a marked propensity towards procrastination
and sloth
One hen
Two ducks
Three squawking geese
Four limerick oysters
Five corpulent porpoises
Six pairs of Don Alverzos’s tweezers
Seven thousand Macedonians in full battle array
Eight brass monkeys from the Ancient Sacred Crypts of
Egypt
Nine apathetic, sympathetic, diabetic old men on roller
skates, with a marked propensity towards procrastination
and sloth
Ten lyrical, spherical, diabolical denizens of the deep who all
stall around the corner of the quo of the quay of the quivery,
all at the same time
Better luck next time
That could never be
Because there ain’t gonna be
No next time for me
Made up my mind
To make another start
I’ve made my mind up
But I can’t make up my heart
I’d like a new lucky day
That would be nice
But this comes just once in a lifetime
Not twice
So don’t say better luck next time
That can never be
Because there ain’t gonna be
No next time for me
You may not be an angel
’cause angels are so few
But until the day that one comes along
I’ll string along with you
I’m looking for an angel
To sing my love song to
And until the day that one comes along
I’ll sing my song to you
For every little fault that you have
Say I’ve got three or four
The human little faults, you do have
Just make me love you more
You may not be an angel
But still l’m sure you’ll do
So until the day that one comes along
I’ll string along with you
Eu tenho um amigo Americano do Norte
Eu sou Americano do Sul
Ele gosta de lagosta
Eu gosto de sururu
Ele adora Nova lorque
E eu adoro Aracajú
É a nossa amizade
É independente
Ele com o seu povo
E eu aqui com a minha gente
O meu amigo é rico
De capital e saber
Eu também sou rico
Comecei a desenvolver
Can it be this good?
You brighten up the neighborhood
You found a heart
That was lost in the wood
Can it be this good… this good?
Can it be my luck has changed?
Suddenly my song’s arranged
Now there are strings
Where a lonely note stood
Can it be this good… this good?
You brought me back
When I thought no one could
Can it be this good…
Can it be this good?
