I remember the horn line trying Washington Post March for 1 Tuesday night in '65. Does anybody remember any others that were tried and canned?

What did you do in the Corps? Tenor-Snare-Ass't Drum Instructor

What years were you a Corps member? 60-69

Washington Post March was intended to be the opener in 1964. We started practicing it in fall of 1963. Was replaced with War March of the Priests. Expect the problem was difficulty. We'd lost a lot of the 1st Sopranos after 1963 season. I still have the first baritone part in a box with all the other parts from 1961 to 1966.

I also recollect Misty being tried in 1962 or 1963 pre-season. Don't know why it wasn't kept. Was better than some of the other songs.

Those are the only songs I recollect that didn't make the show. We had changes like Beautiful Savor that replaced Drifting and Dreaming out of the circle in 1964. In 1965 we replaced Shangra La/You Go To My Head with Poor Butterfly as the opening fanfare about midway through the season. Don't know why the change was made. The Midwest Dream recording from 1965 has Shangra La/ You Go To My Head and Nationals has Poor Butterfly. Both are similar. We had Dancero replace Moon Love out of concert in 1966 which happened about a third of the way into the season.

I wish we'd dumped the Whiffenpoof Song in 1965. The night we got the music would have been the right time for me.

The most famous one I recollect was Norwood, it was the Royal Airs. remember that in 1965 the Royal Airs played "Don't Rain on My Parade" in standstill contests up to about late April. I think they dropped it because of the difficulty. Don't know what it replaced but the change worked considering they won everything that year. I had a recording of that on tape and recollect it had a lot of high register soprano solos. Sounded great when played correctly but probably too much exposure even for the 1st sopranos they had in that talented horn line.

What did you do in the Corps? 1JAnders@comcast.net

What years were you a Corps member? 59-61 Cadets 62-66 Imperials

Half the show from 1973 changed midway through the year. We started the season with New World Symphony and American Overture, which later were replaced by Goodbye Columbus and Requiem/Naval Hymn. There may have been other changes that year as well, but those are the two biggest.

Every corps I was with made major changes during the season. In 1976 with the Cavaliers we yanked Zorba the Greek (my version of The Whifenpoof Song) and replaced it with Porgy and Bess. In 1980, Spirit of Atlanta took out The Heat's On (a Count Basie tune), but didn't really replace it with anything - we just lengthened everything else in the show. We had started thet year with Old Man River, but without the Georgia On My Mind opening, and had shortened Sweet Georgia Brown. Both were put back to there original arrangements, and the show was much better for it.

On a different note, I recently saw a video I had never seen before concerning Spirit from that year. It was taken in Memphis, the night after Jim Ott was killed on tour. It was very emotional to watch (OK, I cried like a big baby!). But it was on first tour, so that Heat's On number was still part of the show. What a terrible day - easily the worst in my drum corps career.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

@John...The Royal-Airs "Don't Rain On My Parade" was outstanding at the standstill. Too bad they never carries it through the season. That standstill performance to this day is one of my most vivid drum corps memories.

Truman was a BRILLIANT!

What did you do in the Corps? Soprano

What years were you a Corps member? Cadets 61-62 Imperials 63-67

Bill B,

I still think of the Royal Airs 1965 rendition of "Don't Rain On My Parade" every time I hear the song. Wish I still had a recording. As I said before, I think it was probably just to risky in terms of execution.

@John...OK, I put the question about "Don't Rain On My Parade" on the Royal-Air Face Book Page. Ex Viscount/Royal-Air Bob Doran and HOF Arranger (Kilties) responded:

Ken Norman Two word answer: Watermelon Man.
DROMP was recorded at the Civic Opera House standstill in Feb 65.
10 minutes ago · Like..

Robert J. Doran I have a recording of it from the Opera House in 1965; one of my favorites. If I recall, RA wanted something with a little more pizzazz..so they went with Watermelon Man as a replacement tune.

What did you do in the Corps? Soprano

What years were you a Corps member? Cadets 61-62 Imperials 63-67

Well, I'd have to agree that 'Watermelon Man' was a tune with WAY MORE 'pizazz' than 'Don't Rain on My Parade'.

But, Truman Crawford was a genius at drum corps arrangements .... he could probably make any song into a crowd pleaser.

@Dave...not for me...the ending of DROMP defined the style of the Royal-Air Horn line.

What did you do in the Corps? Soprano

What years were you a Corps member? Cadets 61-62 Imperials 63-67

interesting .. never heard the DROMP version you speak of. Must have been REALLY good, if you think it was better than 'Watermelon Man'.

Dave..it's common knowledge that my musical tastes are considerably more sophisticated than those of David Borck!

What did you do in the Corps? Soprano

What years were you a Corps member? 61-62 Cadets 63-67 Imperials

Nice-guy Vanguard Alum Sammy Agnello writes: Vanguard played 1812 Overture at the Opera House, and it never made it to the field either. (With Cannons too). Many had wished it did. Would love to have a recording of that too! Along with the Royal- Airs performance at the Opera House.

WOW....that shook the cobwebs from my brain....I do remember, and it was a KILLER arrangement. Imagine that being performed on a field show. (With Cannons)

What did you do in the Corps? Soprano

What years were you a Corps member? 61-62 Cadets 63-67 Imperials

I agree with Bill, Don't Rain on my parade is more the style of that 1965 Royal Airs hornline than Watermelon Man. Watermelon Man reminded me of Baby Elephant Walk they played in 63 (I think).

I seem to remember that the US Marine Bugle Corps (under Crawford) played Don't Rain on My Parade. Recollect listening on their website perhaps close to 10 years ago when Crawford retired.

Last weekend I saw the last 10 minutes of the Rocky and Bullwinkle movie. Reminded me of how '65 RA used to use the Rocky fanfare before Ballyhoo - but that fanfare did not make it to Nationals at McCormick Place.

John A - you will probably remember - wasn't Harlem Nocturne a replacement for something?

I suppose I am having a senior moment, but all I remember was the RA opening with a "Chicago" fanfare. Not Rocky.

Considering Rocky came out in 1976, I highly doubt RA played it. Come on, John!

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

The Rocky fanfare was from the cartoon show Rocky the Flying Squirrel not the Sly Stone movies. Dah-digga-dah-dah-dah-dah-dah followed by bass drum shave and haircut paradiddle tap then Ballyhoo.

Adam - help me out here.

Only you would mention Rocky and be talking about the cartoon...

And on a related note - I noticed that WGN is airing a show on Thanksgiving day looking back at Bozo, Garfield Goose, and Ray Rayner (the Holy Trinity of kid's programming in the 60s and 70s in Chicago)!

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

And I'll probably watch...

Hey, we watched Ray Rayner every morning with our kids ... the annual turkey carving was a treat to see!

I've got my DVR set to record it while I'm in South Carolina! And yes, Ray carving (butchering) a turkey was always priceless.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Dave and John,

The Royal Airs did play the Rocky the Flying Squirel theme. Sometime in mid-60s. Might have been 1964 rather than 1965. I think it might have been an opening fanfare to Ballyhoo march.

Rocky and Bullwinke were around in the early to mid-60s. They had a spinoff called Dudley Doo Right--Canadian Mounty. Some corps played the theme from that cartoon as well. The one I really liked was the Anahiem Kingsmen playing the Mickey Mouse Club song.

Back to the topic, I also have music to "All or Nothing at All" and old Sinatra song. I think that might have been tried in offseason between 1962 and 1963. It was more of a concert type song and might have been considered before "Old Man River."

1963 was the year that VFW was supposed to be held in New Orleans. It was moved because of segration issues in the south. We ended up going to the Dream instead. Interestingly, if you listen to a lot of the junior corps from the year you hear songs that relate to New Orleans--South Rampart Street Parade, Old Man River, etc.

Thanks for the info John. Actually, even though the RA scores were good in 1961-64, they really never made it to MY 'radar screen' until Truman Crawford arrangements were the basis for their shows. The Tarsitano stuff was horrible.

I do not remember any Rocky squirrel fanfare.

I have the two RA CD's that my Dad had - one is the Tarsitano years, and the other is the Truman Crawford years - and there is obviously a huge difference in the arrangements. But it's also interesting to see how quickly they became a national contender and eventually a national champion.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79