Re: Prolific composer Charles Strouse dies at 96

On Fri, 16 May 2025 12:25:56 +0000, DianeE wrote:

Reading and hearing his obits yesterday, I noticed that he had composed
a number of songs that I loathe, including "Born Too Late" by the
Poni-Tails and "Put On A Happy Face" from the score of "Bye Bye Birdie"
which he composed along with many other Broadway shows.  Reading
further, I saw that he did not write any lyrics, only the tunes.  I'm
not sure if I would still hate these songs with different lyrics.  Same
goes for what is probably his most famous composition (off topic here),
"Tomorrow" from "Annie."
>
One song he wrote which I do *not* hate is the opening theme from "All
In The Family," "Those Were The Days."  I did not know this before, but
he personally played the piano when Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton
recorded it for the show's opening sequence (and Stapleton mimed playing
the piano).  It didn't say whether he also played the piano on the later
version that clarified the lyrics.

I'm not Catholic so making confession doesn't come that naturally to me
but.....
I have 'fess up to "Born Too Late" being the absolute favorite record of
the 12 year old Rogie at the time it was all over the radio---and I
still have a soft spot for it today.
But probably not quite enough to put it in the faves list when we get
around to the ABC-Paramount list 😊
PS I also liked the Bunkers theme song "Those Were The Days" tho I found
the show itself--tho pretty funny---a lesser imitation of the UK
original "Till Death Us Do Part" a huge hit over here on the BBC (when
the Beeb was still highly watchable and not filled with the dreadful
claptrap it is infested with today and wasn't charging the truly
extortionate licence fee as it stands today)