Union Suit Wearin' Dancin' Dads in the Limelight!

Lookin' Back to the posting I featured on December 16, 2018:

Driving home from work yesterday, I heard a parody of a famous holiday song on a local radio station that we kids enjoyed singing around the campfire on boy scout camping trips. The song is sung to the tune of the famous holiday classic, “Walking in a Winter Wonderland.” Over the years some wag had changed the title and lyrics to those that appealed especially to young boys: "Walkin' in My Winter Underwear!" We scouts thought it a riot and sang the song with gusto. In our best rendition we sang like true Swedes: “Valkin' in me Vinter Undervare!” 


Over the years I had forgotten many of the words to this parody. We boys use to sing about “scratchin' up here and itchin' down there” and then “goin' up the trap door into my winter underwear.” So, after being reminded of the song heard on the radio, I searched the web for additional lyrics.

Well, in that search, I found not only several stanzas of the lyrics I had forgotten but a fine 2010 rendition by “Dancin' Dads” performing a really well done choreographed number in their union suits. Take a look:

Just Click on the Following orbCOPY and Paste!  This is Great!!.....

                          https://youtu.be/lXcy8pukLsc


Sing along if you care to:

Sleigh bells ring and I'm listening,

But I'm turning and twisting.

'Cause I'm itching up here,

And I'm scratching down there,
I'm walking in my winter underwear.

Now, the front is all battered,
And the back is all tattered,
But when I'm cold to the core,
I walk through the "trap door",
And up into my winter underwear.

Well, I don't care if it rains or snows or freezes.
I am so warm I just don't give a hoot.
I put on all the socks that I can muster,
And I wear two pair of trousers with my suit.

But then I start to perspire
And then it sets me on fire.
'Cause I'm itching up here,
And I'm scratching down there,
I'm walking in my winter underwear.

Winter snow is white and glistening,
But I'm turning and twisting.
I gotta scratch a little here,
I gotta scratch a little there.
I'm walking in my winter underwear.

Through rain and snow and ice I do not worry.
When winter comes, I just don't give a hoot.
My coat, hat and socks keep my cozy
And I wear a long red flannel union suit.

I put my bathing suit away in moth balls,
And now I've got to dodge snow balls.
Then I can't scratch my back;
I throw myself all aback.
I'm walking in my winter underwear.
Then to cope to other clothing,
Well, the thing that I am loathing,
Is when my face turns blue,
And contortions I go through,
Walking in my winter underwear.

They're from Sears-Rooobuuuck....
Walking in my winter underwear!

Sleigh bells ring and I'm listening, 
Winter's here, snow is glistening 
It's cold outside and
There's no place to hide 
Got to change into my winter underwear 

I need to dress for the weather 
Dress in layers cause it's better 
You just can't go wrong 
Just as long 
As you start with your winter underwear. 

Well, I don't care if it rains or snows or freezes. 
I'm so warm I just don't give a hoot. 
I put on all the socks that I can locate, 
And wear two pair of liners in my boots 

Building snowmen, figure skating 
Boys are cross country skiing 
It don't matter a bit 
Cause they got a good fit 
They're walking in their winter underwear. 

Hockey Games, tobaggan riding 
It is so fun, slipping and sliding 
They will not complain 
It's all just a game 
When they're walking in their winter underwear. 

Through rain, snow and ice I do not worry. 
When winter comes, I just won't make a fuss 
My coat, hat and socks keep my cozy 
But my long johns are the key to happiness 

My underwear is not a topic 
I discuss very often 
But just in this case 
I can say with out haste 
I love my red flannel underwear 

When I'm Walking - in my winter - underwear!!! 

Speaking of Making Music

Lookin' Back: On June 4, 2018, I featured my favorite union suited band video. Here's a re-run....

Panic at the Disco are Union Suit Fans in the Limelight!

Panic at the Disco is a Las Vegas, Nevada rock band founded in 2004 by Brent Wilson, Brendon Urie, Ryan Ross, and Spencer Smith, boyhood friends. Their first demos were actually produced while the boys were still in high school. The band's first studio album was “Fever you Can't Sweat Out” in 2005.

The accompanying photos, however, are taken from the group's first single entitled “Nine in the Afternoon” from their second album, “Pretty Odd.” A video by the same name was filmed on December 20 and 21, 2007 and released on January 28, 2008. During one of their lengthy practice sessions, someone asked the time. Spencer said that it was seven in the afternoon. This was later change to nine in the afternoon to match other song lyrics.

"The concept of the video for the song is a series of bizarre yet fundamentally recognizable events with the band members," according to the release. Forty extras were used in their video. There are different period shots, wardrobes, looks and hair changes. MTV reported at the time, "...in the video there are gratuitous fake mustaches involved and a rather bizarre parade being led by the members of the band, who are dressed in what could only be described as Sgt. Pepper's meets ice-fishing attire with lots of epaulettes and long thermal underwear. "

In addition to their Union Suits, the boys also wear sashes featuring the phrase 'Pretty Odd'. The current members of Panic at the Disco and extras performed as a marching band within the video. Their marching attire consisted of band hats,  boots, and one-piece button-down long underwear. At times during the video they wear animal masks. 

Several scenes within the video relate to the Beatles including a scene in which the boys run from screaming girls reminiscent of “A Hard Day's Night.” The animal masks were taken from the Beatle's video, “I am the Walrus.” MTV premiered the music video of "Nine in the Afternoon" on February 10, 2008 at 9:00pm to wide acclaim! 

 

Watch this great video (just save and paste):

 https://youtu.be/yCto3PCn8wo

Panic at the Disco
with Their Clothes On 

Union Suit Fans' very own Union Suit Trio

What do you turn to when the weather turns cold, snowy and frightful? Well these union suit fan virtuosos pivot to musical instruments in order to while away the hours on those dark and stormy nights!

Introducing from left to right: 

Buckeye Backflap on Keyboard, Long John Fiedler on Fiddle, and Lionel Longhandles on Guitar: 

Kermit the Banjo Playin' Frog
in his Green Long Johns

Prison Garb

In 1940, Warner Brothers made a gangster movie that was a hit about a petty crook who thought he was the "cat's pajamas." He made one to many wrong moves and ended up being captured. After conviction, he was sent to the "Castle on the Hudson" aka Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York, just north of the boroughs of New York City, adjacent to the Hudson River.

In my posting of September 5, 2024, I featured a photograph of a black-eyed crook in a baggy, white union suit being accompanied by a police officer. Wondering from whence this came, I asked for your help in identifying. Here's the posting:

BUSTED - This Miscreant Apprehended Late One Night in his Underwear!

With a black eye and sore shoulder, he's
caught, arrested and taken away in his Union Suit.

In short order, Ronnie of Tallahassee, Florida answered. He intoned: "The picture is from the 1940 movie, "Castle on the Hudson," directed by Anatole Litvak. Pat O'brien plays the warden and John Garfield plays the dapper union suit wearer. Hope this helped ...Ronnie" 

In the further comments' section of the posting, Bill (no hometown or region indicated) said, "Hopefully, Chris will do a full posting on this movie."

Upon receiving this information, I watched the movie and found it particularly entertaining. Not only for a congenial long johns' scene but for a pretty darn good story. The film was based on the book, "Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing" by Lewis E. Lawes. It was also a remake of the 1932 film of the same title, starring Spencer Tracy.  

If you enjoy "cop movies" from yesteryear, have a look at his film. In the meantime, here you go Ronnie and Bill for the story line and more scenes from "Castle on the Hudson." 

John Garfield stars as Tommy Gordon, a small time crook who led a big heist, was caught, and eventually sentenced to seven years at Sing Sing. Having been brought to the notorious prison, he made a splash on his first day. 

 

But not everyone was impressed.

....Gordon threw a fit over being treated like an ordinary prisoner, particularly the issuance of his prison uniform. The damn clothes he was given didn't fit!  The pants were way too large in the waist and...

 

the leg length was too short!

  

He deeply felt he should be allowed to wear his own expensive suit, dress shirt and tie. Perhaps the prison guard would understand his predicament. Excuse me sir...

The guard didn't give a flip who he was or what he wanted; a flagrant insult.

 Gordon, a hot head, took matters into his own hands with a fist to the kisser.... 

....With his pants falling down, a brawl commenced. Throwing fists, shoes and anything else he could get his hands on, Gordon pushed hard against the establishment. 

That was until he tripped over his pants which he forgot to buckle. 

Not surprisingly, against heavy police odds, he finally was brought to heel: 

The warden knew just what to do. "Tell him he doesn't have to wear the prison garb. And, oh by the way, place him in a holding cell while he cools off." 

And, cooling off is just what happened to the hapless Gordon

 as he sat in his union suit underwear 

with only a blanket to help keep warm. 

Finally, a decision was made to release him. Prison authorities came for him. He was marched out of the holding cell, attired only in his long underwear and boots....

Throwing off the blanket and feeling smug and dignified 

even though he wore only a union suit, 

he was now getting some where; about time!

 

 Out he was marched in front of the other incarcerated souls, 

locked in their cells along side of him.... 

 

For a bit he put up with their catcalls, but finally he'd had enough. They couldn't talk to the great Gordon like that. He lunged at the others, threatening to shut them up, or else, and then continuing on his way....

Ahhh finally, a breath of fresh air:

 

but man was it cold, and him in just his long underwear!! 

 

But maybe, after being transferred to a better, more comfortable place, 

he'd get back his proper dress clothes, suit, white shirt and tie. 

Clothes more suited to his station in life.

But first, he had to swallow his pride, and march past other convicts 

across the parade grounds, still clad in only his union suit: 

 

  

Continuing to where ever he was being taken, he endured additional insults and cat calls from the other misanthropes.  






For the other inmates, did it ever overcome the monotony of their everyday life, seeing a fellow inmate being marched across the yard in only his underwear! Ha! 

 

But not for Gordon. This excercise was humiliating and certainly beneath the dignity of such a distinquished gentleman. 

 

Hmmm, now what's this?  Has he finally arrived at a next destination. 

Perhaps now, he'll get out of the cold 

and away from gleeful eyes and taunts of the other prisoners. 

Or, maybe not!  

So, grab some popcorn, turn on the tv, and view this movie, 

found on a number of streaming sites. 

You'll likely will be interested in that which eventually happens to Gordon.

A special thanks to Warner Brothers, the producers and actors of this worthy film.