GLANCE AT OUR PLAYLIST for author-penned narratives and COLLECT A FREEBIE. Yep, somethin' free. The Boardwalkers is filled with twists and turns spanning over 70 years from the 1920s through the 1990s. Music selections reflect the time, mood, and moment of the storyline . . . chapter by chapter.
Have a song that suits any chapter—even a chapter that already has a song? Great! Email us the title and artist from our Publisher page. If we add your tune to the jukebox, we send a free author signed copy of The Boardwalkers to you or anyone in the USA you designate. Just provide a name and mailing address.
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“Close Your Eyes,” by Arthur Prysock, the singer that the New York Times praised in an obituary, by noting: "His heavy, deep voice projected a calm, reassuring virility." It was a non-toxic form of masculinity that distinctly captured the heart of ballads, love songs, and the blues. American Bandstand song and dance master Dick Clark provides an introduction.
Two songs define this chapter: “Forever Your Girl,” by Paula Abdul, singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality . . . which surely is a lot of stuff; and "The Phantom of the Opera," by Sarah Brightman and Antonio Bandaras . . . which begs the question: Who's prettier? (Sorry Sarah)
"I Want You," by singer-songwriter-record producer Marvin Gaye, who married and divorced Anna Gordy, sister of Motown founder Barry Gordy, then should have followed up with a new song: "I Don't Want You."
“All I Wanna Do,” by musician, singer, and songwriter Cheryl Crow, whose flare incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues in eleven studio albums to date . . . and this LA tune sets Prell's AC mood.
“It’s better to Have and Don’t Need than to Need and Don’t Have,” by Don Covay, who displays his knack for cranking out truisms that are jitterbug danceable.
Alright, it’s inarguably true. “The Ellis Island Song,” is perhaps instrumentally lame but the video has wonderful 1920s graphics for tender-aged Boardwalker Antonio coming to America like so many Italian immigrants in the early 1920s.
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"Boardwalk Boogie," by Dem Brooklyn Bums, a mighty swing dance band with hits including: "Boozin' and Cruisin'" (an ode to drunk driving) and "Luigi's Famous Poon Tango" (an ode to tango dance and romance).
The musical Theme for Perry Mason composed by Brad Fielder for the1958-59 TV season invigorates every lawyer who dreams of winning every case, which is pretty much every lawyer.
"Night Train," by Godfather of Soul James Brown, who was an amazing singer, a dancer extraordinaire, and as he always professed: "the hardest working man in show business." When James was diagnosed with cancer, he refused chemotherapy because his trademark doo would undo as hair fell out. Sadly, truly sadly for fans, he died shortly thereafter.
“The Drinking Song” from the laughably awful 1930 movie Just Imagine evokes a question: What were our grandparents and great grandparents thinking when they heard this ear-busting blither? But we wanted a 1930s drinking song so here it is.
"Strokin'," by Clarence Carter, really kinda works for this chapter.
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“Sing, Sing, Sing,” by King of Swing Bennie Goodman, features star drummer Gene Krupa and "snazzy" (1930s slang for cool , keen or swell) trumpeter Harry James. Bennie's band was the first "popular act" to play Carnegie Hall in 1938. Their performance was highly praised by the public and critics . . . and it particularly enthralled novelist and poet John Updike, who wrote about the performance.
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"Bad Girls," by Donna Summer, says it all in nail-down lyrics for the storyline.
"La Bell Dame Sans Regrets (in French meaning the Fair Lady with No Regrets)," by Emilie-Claire Barlow, is her go-to song that can't miss our playlist. It's so likeable it's here.
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Theme from The Godfather, featuring Dutch conductor and violinist Andre Rieu, is ideal for mob boss Tony "Quick Fish" DeBona, the Boss of the Boardwalk, as he sizes up a formidable adversary.
“Here She Comes, Miss America,” by Bert Parks, is close as we can find to the nearly same tune (referenced above) sung at pageant time in Atlantic City by "The Silly Girls" drag band. The gurls outperform Bert's rendition. But it's eternally engrossing hear this guy belt lyrics that laud a newly crowned "Queen of Femininity!"
"Paint It Black," by Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, is delivered in a video that sets the scene for this Vietnam War back story.
"A House is Not a Home," by composer, pianist, and occasional vocalist Burt Bacharach, and singer Dusty Springfield, teaches a lesson to Boardwalker Paul as he fights a murder rap.
A tune is needed here for Sammy Smoke as he fires up rumors of a felonious nature . . . much like those described in the narrative for Chapter 34
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Rock, Fun, and a Fav categorize three songs that tell Amanda's story: "Rock Around the Clock," by Bill Haley and the Comets; "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," by Cindi Lauper; and "My Favorite Year," by Michael Feinstein.
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"Angle Eyes," by Frank Sinatra, sets the mood. Sinatra always denied having serious mob contacts, while joining and singing for mobsters in places like Skinny D'Mato's famous (and some say notorious) Atlantic City nightclub: The 500 Club. That joint burned down in 1973 giving rise to rumors. In Chapter 25 Sammy Smoke fires up rumors of the same kind.
"Love T.K.O.," by Teddy Pendergrass, who tragically suffered his own Technical Knock Out more or less around the corner from Atlantic City . . . in a Philly car crash when he was the nation's most successful R & B star.
"It’s a Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood," gleefully serenades Mister Rogers, whose close-to-on-key crooning impacts Boardwalker Horace Grender.
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"There's Something About an Old Love," by Connie Boswell, was written by song team Burt Bacharach and Hal David . . . and first recorded in 1963 by actor Richard Chamberlain, who was better known as a TV heartthrob for his roles in Doctor Kildare and two miniseries: Shogun and The Thorn Birds. Huh? I seem to know the darnedest things.
The opening theme to Boardwalk Empire, comes courtesy of HBO because time frames, settings, and storylines make The Boardwalkers the pluperfect sequel to Boardwalk Empire.
"Under the Boardwalk," by the Drifters, is the quintessential beach song released for the summer of 1967. But I wonder. Is there is a better-suited song released around 1998 that a reader might suggest? Send the artist name and title through the "Publisher" page at Frederick-Schofield.com. If we use it, a free author signed book is your reward as described atop this page.
Grab this one after reading The Boardwalkers. You will meet some characters who flow through both stories. The opening credits music theme for A Run to Hell is found in a "Bossa Bravo" collection. Its upbeat tempo suits a storyline that jets from Philadelphia to Monaco, Miami, and Panama . . . locales where fact and fiction marvelously merge.
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