# What's your favorite REALLY oldie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 6, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854 "2012-09-06T15:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/81 "2012-09-08T09:31:47Z")
Another vote for _St. James Infirmary_. I just listened to four versions. Cab Calloway’s voice is the best of all of them, but my favorite version for the instrumental varies. I have _Begin the Beguine_ as the ringtone for my parents. How about _Moonlight Becomes You_, sung by Der Bingle? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/82 "2012-09-09T14:57:22Z")
As a big band fan since, I dunno, age 12, I’ve always been interested in what kind of folks from _later_ generations gravitate to this music. Maybe it’s something you get from parents or grands. OK, but what kind of folks are closer to their parents or grands? I still think there’s something “off” about us. We fall into a category, maybe several. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/83 "2012-09-09T19:16:37Z")
> [@](#): > > I still think there’s something “off” about us. what? Naw! it’s just that it’s good music, no matter what your age! 🆒 another thanks for the upchucky site; I’m enjoying it. (currently listening to 70s One Hit Wonders) ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/84 "2012-09-09T19:51:34Z")
_I Get Along without You Very Well_. It’s on the soundtrack to The Singing Detective which has a ton of great music. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/85 "2012-09-10T03:56:19Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > After reading the whole thread I even searched to be sure I didn’t miss it - guess I get the Ink Spots all to myself! Sorry, **Chucka** , **prodicus** [beat you to it](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15467936&postcount=67) (and I commented on it upthread). > [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > As a big band fan since, I dunno, age 12, I’ve always been interested in what kind of folks from _later_ generations gravitate to this music. > > Maybe it’s something you get from parents or grands. OK, but what kind of folks are closer to their parents or grands? > > I still think there’s something “off” about us. We fall into a category, maybe several. Maybe once, but things are changing. Old music is getting exposure in ways it never did before. It shows up in games, trailers, amateur videos, Facebook posts, and so forth. The _Fallout_ series, for instance, has in-game radio stations playing oldies, and the opening sequence to _Fallout 3_ is actually set to “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire”; a lot of my friends first encountered the song that way, and it makes an impression. A lot of old music is more accessible than it’s ever been. If I’m playing, say, _Bioshock 2_, and I hear “20th Century Blues” and like it, it takes only a moment’s effort to learn that it was by Noël Coward. A few seconds later, I could be listening to [“Mad Dogs and Englishmen”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPnJM3zWfUo). Once people are exposed to it, they may or may not like it, just like any other music. The internet enables an eclectic taste in music. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/86 "2012-09-10T04:17:11Z")
Not sure if this counts, but my favorite old pop standard is “[Die Moritat von Mackie Messer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mack_the_Knife)” and its various incarnations as “ **Moritat** ”, “ **Mack the Knife** ”, “ **The Ballad of Mack the Knife** ”, etc. I love almost every version I have heard in various languages and musical styles. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/87 "2012-09-10T04:45:02Z")
[Stealin’](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealin%27) ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/88 "2012-09-10T05:03:20Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > The _Fallout_ series, for instance, has in-game radio stations playing oldies, and the opening sequence to _Fallout 3_ is actually set to “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire”; a lot of my friends first encountered the song that way, and it makes an impression. I was familiar from my father’s music collection when I was very young. I also remember when it was brought back in a [TV commercial](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx3Na_7inPI) quite a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/89 "2012-09-10T11:09:19Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > Maybe once, but things are changing. Old music is getting exposure in ways it never did before. It shows up in games, trailers, amateur videos, Facebook posts, and so forth. The _Fallout_ series, for instance, has in-game radio stations playing oldies, and the opening sequence to _Fallout 3_ is actually set to “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire”; a lot of my friends first encountered the song that way, and it makes an impression. > > A lot of old music is more accessible than it’s ever been. If I’m playing, say, _Bioshock 2_, and I hear “20th Century Blues” and like it, it takes only a moment’s effort to learn that it was by Noël Coward. A few seconds later, I could be listening to [“Mad Dogs and Englishmen”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPnJM3zWfUo). Once people are exposed to it, they may or may not like it, just like any other music. The internet enables an eclectic taste in music. Indeed. I mentioned upthread that one of my favourites was first exposed to me via Fallout 3. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/90 "2012-09-10T14:15:01Z")
For what it’s worth, my parents have always been baffled by my love of Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Doris Day, etc. And they grew during the period when that stuff was popular, so it’s not like it’s totally foreign music to them. When explaining my musical taste to other people, they say, “ **Rollo** is very retro.” Which would be fine, if the tone of their voices didn’t indicate that they were really saying, “ **Rollo** is a bit of a weirdo.” ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/91 "2012-09-10T15:39:19Z")
The Band Played On ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/92 "2012-09-11T07:30:43Z")
Can I include some classic western swing? San Antonio Rose, by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys Darling, by George Gershwin Ruby, My Dear by Thelonius Monk Blue World, by the Four Freshmen ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854/93 "2012-09-13T06:27:03Z")
Rum and Coca Cola is a favorite of mine. I also love String of Pearls (?). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-really-oldie/633854.md?page=4)