Saturday

Ask the Geator

December 25, 2008 -- “We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” These words are said many times during this holiday season, but more than words they express the good wishes of all who have been a part of the good times we have shared together throughout the years. On behalf of all of our sponsors and staff here at Geator Gold Radio and A.C. Weekly, a very healthy and happy Christmas, Chanukah, and New Year. I’ll see you at the gala New Year’s Eve party coming your way at the Trump Taj Mahal. If there are any tickets left, you can get them from Ticketmaster at 800/736-1420. But now it’s time for your questions.



Geator, what are your favorite Christmas songs (other than the traditional Christmas carols)? – Janice Churgell

“White Christmas” by the Drifters, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love, “This Christmas” by Donny Hathaway, “Christmas Waltz” by Frank Sinatra, “Snowbound for Christmas” by the DeCastro Sisters, “A Working Man’s Prayer” by Arthur Prysock, and, of course, “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole

And here’s a Christmas trivia question for you: Who wrote “Christmas Song”? Answer below.




I'm a new listener to WVLT. Your show is great! You play a song now and then -- part of the chorus is "dancing to a zydeco song." Can you let me know the artist and the title? I love it! You are refreshing and fun to listen to. – Chuck Cobb, Pennsville, NJ

Glad you’re with us. That's the "Alligator Walk" by the Mojo Blues Band, a terrific group from Austria. They have their own website at mojobluesband.com, and we have a limited number of their CDs at our radio studio, 215/923-0550.




Did you know the late Jerry Wexler? What was his importance in the music industry? – Drew

Anyone in the industry will tell you that Jerry Wexler was the real frontrunner for Atlantic Records. Where Ahmet Ertegun and his brother Nesuhi were the corporate guys, Jerry understood the music – he originated the term “rhythm and blues” -- and made it happen for Atlantic. He was responsible not only for making the deal to distribute Stax Records, with Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Isaac Hayes, Sam & Dave, but for signing and producing Aretha, Dusty Springfield, Ray Charles, the Drifters, the Coasters, and many others. And when I was doing our syndicated TV show, Jerry was directly responsible for booking Atlantic’s stable of artists on it.




Answer to trivia question: Singer Mel Torme and his songwriting partner Bob Wells wrote “The Christmas Song” in the middle of a heat wave in Toluca Lake, California. In his autobiography, Torme said he walked into Wells’ house and saw the words “Chestnuts roasting . . . Jack Frost . . . Eskimos” on a piece of paper, which Wells had written down “to stay cool by thinking cool.” They both agreed it would make a great song, and in less than an hour they composed what became the most recorded Christmas song ever.




Got a question for Jerry? Send it to AskTheGeator@acweekly.com or Geator Gold Radio, 626 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. For info on Jerry’s appearances, check out geator.net -- and keep on rocking, ‘cause you only rock once!

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