Your Tuesday Moment of Words Fail Me

Readers my age or close to it have at some point probably seen an (honorary) Academy Award-winng 1946 short film starring the young Frank Sinatra at the height of his teen idol-ness. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, it features Frankie, looking about as cool as it gets, singing a heartfelt plea for religious tolerance occasioned by a bunch of anti-semitic kids hanging outside a recording studio.

I bring this up for two reasons.

1): Until a few weeks ago, I was blissfully unaware that the lyrics were written (under a pseudonym) by Abel Meerepol, who later adopted the orphaned sons of the unjustly executed atomic spies The Rosenbergs, and who obviously knew whereof he spoke about anti-Semitism.

And 2): As you may have noticed, I have of late been saying enthusiastic things about a recent (end of last year) solo album by friend of PowerPop Ronnie D'Addario, which among other splendid qualities has some very interesting cover songs, including great versions of "Walk Away Renee" and Billy Preston's "That's the Way God Planned It." But what I forgot to mention heretofore, and would be totally remiss if I didn't, is a remake of the above "The House I Live In."

Top of my head I can't think of another song I would have less likely predicted would be successfuly included on a rock record, but damn if Ronnie's version doesn't work like gangbusters.

Hey, you schweens -- what are you waiting for? Hie thee over to Amazon and buy a CD or download it for streaming.

PS: I should add that Sinatra sang the song for decades after this, including at the 1985 Ronald Reagan inaugural(!). It was also covered by Paul Robeson (no surprise there) and Sam Cooke(!).