Lawrence Welk has survived in our national memory as something of a national joke. Insofar as he is recalled at all, it is as the foremost purveyor of the worst music our culture has managed to produce. His every instinct seemed to lead him to the hokiest, the blandest, the whitest music possible. Champagne bubbles and safe, innocuous rhythms.
And yet he persists. I don’t know why. Except when I watch old clips of these shows (and I do watch them), I see the crowds — the old, homogenous, white, square crowds — and I’m always impressed at how much fun these people seem to be having. I guess you can do that in an era before irony was invented. And I don’t think it’s necessarily a good idea to mock that. People should enjoy their lives. Probably 95% of the people in this clip are dead now.
So enjoy this clip of our favorite song. Dig the swirling Wurlitzer. And say what you like about Mr. Welk, but the man is a freekin metronome.
Click to play, dummy!
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October 30, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Random Kath
I’ve always been transfixed by the Lawrence Welk Show. When my sister and I were little, on Saturdays we would watch every music show on TV at that time - American Bandstand, Soul Train, Hee Haw, Solid Gold, Lawrence Welk. The Welk show was always so cheerful! and wholesome! Like the Waltons set to music, or something like that . . . and they played actual instruments! Something my grandma could tap her toes to . . .
Yes, I have a weird background - what of it? Give me a Dardenella or a Beer Barrel Polka any day . . .
BTW, they sure crammed the folks in on the dance floor back then, didn’t they? There was hardly any room to dance . . .
October 31, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Jerry Thomas
There is something transfixing about the Lawrence Welk Show. But what is it? I find it completely inexplicable.
As a musical star, he’s not a matinee idol. There’s no charisma working there. His music is of its period, but it isn’t remarkable, even accounting for changes in taste over the years. There’s no sense of danger, no edginess, every possible sharp edge is blunted.
I dunno. Toe-tapping. Bubbles. “Wunnerful wunnerful.” Is that enough to build a fan base?
I guess. Apparently.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
November 1, 2008 at 10:03 am
Ruprecht
This says it all …..
“The program lacks the necessary sparkle and verve to give it a chance against any really strong competition. But it has been a satisfactory summertime entry….”–“TV Guide”, 1955
“TV Guide” wasn’t the only one who misjudged the appeal of the North Dakota-born Welk and his brand of “champagne music”. “The Lawrence Welk Show” had its many distractors over the years–too square, not hip, corny as all-get-out. But his critics ended up eating crow: Mr. Welk and his hour-long musical variety series ran for 27 years and more than a thousand episodes–thanks largely to an older, core audience that found the show an oasis of familiarity at a time when music styles were changing very quickly. And when ABC canceled “The Lawrence Welk Show” after a 16-year run for the sin of attracting too many seniors, Welk simply sold the show to local stations and kept on rolling for another decade.
Despite the fact Cheez Whiz might’ve been a terrific sponsor of the program, Lawrence Welk is still a national treasure.
……………. Ruprecht
November 2, 2008 at 1:00 am
Kat
While I am sad to say none of the couples seemed to have the moxie to dance with the rhythm of the band, I will say this… there is something to be said about being held in a mans arms while dancing. Okay - so I might have more rhythm and style and thought Lawrence was corny after I had out grown the thought of sitting in my living room on a Saturday night watching TV together, but I believe he grew my music tastes exponentially.
And a one, and a two….
November 2, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Jerry Thomas
Ruprecht & Kat,
I guess the point of all this is maybe it’s time for the world to rethink Lawrence Welk and the value of what he provided to the world. The responsibilities of the artist, and all that. It’s all very good to shatter genres and create new forms, but there is also something to be said for the safe, warm, reliable, and familiar.
Things that make you go hmmm, & etc.