Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There?

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Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There?

Postby Tape Splicer » Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:40 am

As I was listening to the vast selection of ID's and Jingles that are posted in that section, I came across the "CKNW sing-along #2" Jingle post. After listening to it and quite enjoying the harmony ; the thought came to me that there is no posting of the "NW Memory Lane" theme for Jack Cullen's Sunday night program of the same name. If it is around some where it would make a great addition to the radio promotional history that is on this site. As the Header says'; Is it out there, and I's add is it available to post here? thanks for responding.
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby Paul P » Mon Jan 02, 2012 1:16 am

Don't have that TS, but did find this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6ZMVSrCTW8
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby Stn Brk » Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:03 am

Take a listen to this.......

http://youtu.be/GVgmLY9XEMs

Neal Hefti's Girl Talk.

Seem to remember Jack played an instrumental version of 'I'll never forget you' as his closing theme - no idea of the artist. Probably dating myself, but I associate the tune with Benny Goodman.
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby Tape Splicer » Mon Jan 02, 2012 11:23 am

Paul, That's an interesting video- It certainly captures the "personality" of Jack, his easy way with people- I am not sure where that might have been shot... My guess is either his Brentwood record store, It looks too cramped for his "Howe Street Social Club" location in Vancouver, could be wrong though.... Jack's "number 10 meccano set" seems to be in tact - He looks very comfortable in his "office".
Stn Brk; "Girl Talk" was indeed one of Jack's themes...(And yes, we are dating ourselves - and that is OK). Another one was "Snowfall" by Claude Thornhill and his Orchestra. The link is below... Pick it up at the 56 second point for what Jack used.. (from the trumpet fanfare).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTOLwVB8d6U (Youtube Video)
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby radiofan » Mon Jan 02, 2012 4:10 pm

The video that Paul P posted is from Jack's studio at the Parkcrest Plaza in North Burnaby (Broadway & Holdem).

I have about 2200 (50 boxes) of Jack's old reel to reel tapes (interviews, network replays, whatever) .. the Memory Lane theme is likely somewhere in there.

One of these days I'll dig all that stuff out of storage and do something with it .. (a dumpster sounds like the best option!).
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby Tape Splicer » Mon Jan 02, 2012 5:24 pm

radiofan wrote: One of these days I'll dig all that stuff out of storage and do something with it .. (a dumpster sounds like the best option!).


Surely you jest.... Thanks for enlightening me about where the video was shot... I thought it looked too cramped for the Howe street location... I was not aware he had a studio/"library" in North Burnaby.
Perhaps you need an eager beaver with a love of radio history to help go through those boxes of recordings. Audio transfer is a slow process.
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby radiofan » Mon Jan 02, 2012 5:56 pm

The Parkcrest Plaza studio was Jack's home between Brentwood (after the record store closed) and his move to McBride Plaze (across the parking lot from the main NW studios) in the mid 1980-'s where he stayed until
NW moved downtown and Jack moved out to Clipper Avenue in Coquitlam along with the Aristocart cartridge factory and Crystakl Palce storage.

As for the tapes, there might be 5% that have any interest or value to them. The bulk are network replay shows that Jack dubbed from 16" transcription discs or that he bought from other collectors (most have 6 or 8 shows per 7" tape .. there are likely very few shows among them that you can't find online today or buy on disc in mp3 format for pennies per show. Some of the interviews Jack did over the years along with airchecks
of local interest are worth keeping and dubbing.
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby hagopian » Mon Jan 02, 2012 7:48 pm

Red Robinson, the ageless wonder, has a lot to do with saving what seemed worth saving of Mr. Cullen's stuff, as I recall.
The shows were legendary.
The Owl Prowl was a journey that could include just about anything.
I wonder as to the air worthiness of some of the shenanigans, but, to each his own.

I have zero airchecks - after having an ex throw out 20 years of my mediocre career. I look ahead, and live for today, but we best save something of men like Cullen, Robinson and others.
It was part of the soundtrack of a city that I no longer recognize.
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby Howaboutthat » Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:32 pm

Red got a bunch of Cullen's back up stuff from his house in Burnaby and digitized it before donating it to the radio museum.
Most of the original Cullen material was literally salvaged by a couple of former NW employees before the corporate idiots had a chance to destroy it. There is an earlier topic on this whole thing. Just search Jack Cullen if you want the accurate info.
Houston, We're dealing with morons!.
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby Tape Splicer » Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:49 pm

hbt; You are correct about the earlier thread... I posted it. That thread "The Jack cullen Collection" was dealing with Jack's body of work as a whole and where it might be.
This thread was meant to deal with the theme music that Jack used. for "98 Memory Lane".
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby Tape Splicer » Mon Jan 02, 2012 11:00 pm

Here is the link for those who wish to view that series of posts.
"The Jack Cullen Collection" (from Sept. 10, 2011)
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10421
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby Howaboutthat » Mon Jan 02, 2012 11:03 pm

Tape Splicer wrote:hbt; You are correct about the earlier thread... I posted it. That thread "The Jack cullen Collection" was dealing with Jack's body of work as a whole and where it might be.
This thread was meant to deal with the theme music that Jack used. for "98 Memory Lane".


I realize that TS. I was just trying to get our resident 'glass is half empty' poster hagopian, back on track.
Ya gotta be careful. There are some out there that will try to hijack threads,
Houston, We're dealing with morons!.
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby Tape Splicer » Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:19 am

("hagopian" Wrote)
"The shows were legendary.
The Owl Prowl was a journey that could include just about anything.
I wonder as to the air worthiness of some of the shenanigans, but, to each his own."

I think Jack wanted to "entertain" his audience. He certainly stretched the envelope and broke the rules at times. The "value" of Jack's "shenanigans" is to show how unique he was and that radio was very different in the decades he was on the air. Should they be broadcast again? perhaps not. But having these airchecks available as historical items allows future generations the opportunity to hear him for themselves. and not just read about what Jack did.
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby ttony_at » Sun Oct 14, 2012 8:28 pm

Tape Splicer wrote:As I was listening to the vast selection of ID's and Jingles that are posted in that section, I came across the "CKNW sing-along #2" Jingle post. After listening to it and quite enjoying the harmony ; the thought came to me that there is no posting of the "NW Memory Lane" theme for Jack Cullen's Sunday night program of the same name. If it is around some where it would make a great addition to the radio promotional history that is on this site. As the Header says'; Is it out there, and I's add is it available to post here? thanks for responding.
.

I remember this tune and I look for it often online to hear it or its lyrics. I have recorded it off-air from his CKNW shows of the 1980s and 90s and still have it on cassettes. But I'd like to hear it clearer (to see if there's a cleaner copy out there somewhere).

I'd like to know who wrote it, who sang it and so on. It sounds like it could have been recorded in the 1950s but can't tell for sure.
It seems not people know about this tune. I've tried other message boards and the response I usually get is "Girl Talk" or "Goodnight
Sweetheart".

Using the copy I have, I can make out most of the words which appear to say this:

"Come take a trip down to memory lane;
Jump on that memory train!
You'll remember all the days and all their places,
Close your eyes and visualize forgotten faces.

Come take a peek at the days that are gone;
Those days where memory lives on!
If you [ ? ] a [ ? ] will [kiss?] you
and the love that still is true...

Take a tip take a trip down to memory lane, where they'll wait
at the open gate
for you!"
.
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Re: Jack Cullen's " "NW Memory Lane" theme - Is It OUt There

Postby radiofan » Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:03 pm

Mystery Solved!

I popped a note to Dave McCormick last night asking if he recalled what it was .. Sure enough, he came through with the answer this morning.

It's by The Ray Charles Singers and it's on MGM. I just found a copy and bought it on Ebay, it's the "B" side of "Around the World In 80 Days" .

The actual title is "Take A Trip To memory Lane".

When I get the 45, I'll convert it to mp3 and post it here!
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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