He sho is hip, ain’t he?
I’ve been looking for a theme song for this blog for a long time when one came to me over the in-store music system. I heard it when my eldest son and I were grabbing the fixings for dinner at a natural foods grocery in Dallas a few days ago. As the infectious beat thumped down around me, I hustled to position myself under a speaker so I could hear better. I listened and was taken back to what was probably my social awakening as a gawky, pimply teenager.
My father had been transferred to Detroit, Michigan when I was just starting junior high. We drove from our home state of Missouri to Motor City, as it was later to be called. Prior to this, I had grown up in small towns and had just been living with my parents, two brothers and two sisters in an old army barracks in Jefferson Barracks, MO, which was on the Mississippi River near St. Louis. There were eight families living in each one of these barracks, and each living space had a living room, kitchen, two bedrooms and one bath. Needless to say, the seven of us were in cramped quarters.
We moved to a blue-collar suburb of Detroit and I started junior high. I met a girl in one of my classes who invited me to a party at her sister’s boyfriend’s house. We went to this party – my very first teenage party experience – and I thought I had hit the big time. My date and I were the youngest ones there – all the other kids were in high school. I couldn’t believe that I – a real social neophyte – was there hanging out with actual high schoolers. And not only hanging out with them, they acted like we were a part of their crowd.
The party was in the basement of the sister’s boyfriend’s house. There was a record player and a load of 45 rpm records being played non stop. Kids were dancing to the music in the soon-to-be old fashioned way during which one held on to one’s partner. I danced with my date, and, in what I thought at the time to be the acme of social achievement, even danced with a high schooler or two.
Throughout the party all the kids kept asking this one guy to do his dance. He kept saying, Later, later. I asked my date what they were talking about, but she didn’t know. As the party was drawing to an end, everyone started goading him to do his dance. He finally relented and asked for the record to be put on. It was a song called Alley Oop by the Hollywood Argyles. I had never heard it, which wasn’t unusual. I was never one to listen to the radio and didn’t really care much (at that time) for music. My family didn’t have a stereo system until I was a junior in high school, so I had no real way to listen to music unless I was riding in a car. And if I was riding in a car, it was typically with my father, who listened to sports or sports talk radio. So, not having the means at hand, I had very little exposure to popular music. Thus my having never heard Alley Oop, which was a hugely popular song at the time.
As the first beats of the song started, this guy, who kind of looked like a white rat with thick glasses, but who was obviously extremely popular, began to writhe to the music. His dance became more and more chorioid as he jerked and twitched and twisted to the thumping bass of the song. The rest of the kids were clapping to the beat as he danced, and they broke into loud applause when he finished. And I, my young pubescent self, thought this was possibly the coolest thing I had ever had the good fortune to witness. I immediately began imagining myself performing such a dance to adoring applause, but, sadly, thanks to my innate shyness such an event never took place.
The song has stuck with me since, although after it’s run of popularity, I don’t think I’ve heard it more than a half dozen times. But one of the lines has become part of our family lingo. At the end of the song, the singer says: “There he goes. … He sho is hip, ain’t he?” I was totally taken with that line and used it – and still use it – when I see someone whom I think dresses or acts outlandishly. He sho is hip, ain’t he? Said in the cadence of the singer. It never occurs to me that others don’t know the line is an allusion to the song Alley Oop.
The song and the group have an interesting history that I never knew until I read about it before writing this post. I had always assumed that the Hollywood Argyles were a real group. But not so according to the Wikipedia entry and to the statement of the record’s producer.
Here is the song in case you haven’t heard it, or, as in my case, haven’t heard it in a long time. It’s got a beat that inspires dancing as evidenced by the number of people who have put videos of themselves dancing to it on YouTube. Enjoy.
It would make a great theme song for this blog since it is about Paleolithic man (Alley Oop is a caveman), the Paleolithic diet (“He don’t eat nuthin but a bearcat stew…”), and the exuberance and surging energy that comes with a low-carb diet (“He rides through the jungle tearin’ limbs off of trees…”). A perfect song given this blog’s theme.
What think you?
Dr. Eades,
I didn’t realize you were originally from the Midwest. Now I know why you have so much common sense.
You nailed the feelings of going to your first teenage dance party. (I think my first was also my last; I was very shy too.) The song I remember was “Beth” by Kiss, because it’s the one that got me a slow dance with the girl I had a crush on. Oh, to be young again and less shy and clueless.
Yep, I’m from the Midwest. I grew up in a little town called Seymour, MO where my grandfather was superintendent of schools for about 40 years, then moved to Springfield, MO for a few years, then to Jefferson Barracks, MO for a couple of years, then to Michigan for a few more, then to Southern California when I was in high school. Went to college in So Cal then moved to Arkansas for an engineering job. Got tired of engineering and went to med school in Arkansas. Stayed in practice there for 15 years. Then moved our practice to Boulder, CO.
Speaking of wikipedia entries, where’s yours and MD’s? You’ve certainly authored enough books and influenced the common understanding of nutrition enough to be considered a public figure. If you won’t do it yourself could you ask your kids to, please?
I don’t have a clue as to what it takes to get a wikipedia entry. I don’t think our kids do, either. If someone wants to write one for us, go for it. Just don’t call us Atkins wannabes, Zone Clones or any of the other things we’ve been called in print.
I subscribe to an internet feed that emails me links to new articles on insulin. It seems like every few days I get a raft or articles on this subject. A few weeks ago it was elevated insulin levels and prostate cancer. The past few days I have been receiving emails with links to a study released Tuesday in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute that found that women with higher insulin levels are nearly 50% more likely than those with low (insulin) levels to develop breast cancer.
That study acknowledges that for years, doctors have focused on the role of estrogen, a female hormone, in breast cancer (i.e. ‘looking in the wrong place). Doctors now say this new study explains why obese women are at greater risk, even if their estrogen levels are the same as those in thinner women. Then of course the authors of the study go on to posit (wait for it) that a lack of ‘lots of vigorous exercise’ is the reason for the higher insulin levels in the obese women.
It blows me away how medical professionals fall all over themselves finding new ways to prescribe drugs like statins based on irrational ‘preventative measure’ posturing yet are reluctant to order a simple test like fasting insulin let alone educate themselves on the problems associated with high carbohydrate diets.
That federal food guides and RDs continue to promote low fat high carb diets in the face of accumulating evidence linking high insulin levels to cancers seems nothing short of criminal.
I agree with your sentiment. But I read this paper when it came out last week, and it is an observational study, so it doesn’t really mean much of anything. Even the authors say that the data “suggest” (a weasel word for sure) a correlation.
My vote is yes, man, yes! Terrific song for this blog.
Dr. Eades, I will completely understand if you coose to ignore this off-topic comment, but I thought I would try asking anyway, since you are always so kind about answering questions. I am breastfeeding a three-week old, but I would like to go back to low-carbing. In my previous attempt at low-carbing (cut short by pregnancy) I followed your plan but began with an Atkins-style Induction phase because it worked so well to kill my sugar cravings. This time around, would it be “dangerous” for my newborn to do Induction while breastfeeding? Should I just start with 30 grams of carbs per day, as per Protein Power, and avoid ketosis? There is so much confusion on the low carb discussion boards about this, that I really wanted to get your opinion. Thank you!
We recommend that our patients follow more of a maintenance plan than a weight reduction diet during the early phases of breast feeding. The issue of primary importance right now is supporting the growth and development and brain health of the new baby. We advise our patients to eat plenty of greens, colorful fruits and vegetables, meat, especially fatty meat and fish oil and/or krill oil supplementation. You need enough calories so that neither you nor the baby suffers. The two essential fats for a developing child are DHA and arachidonic acid, both of which the above recommendations supply in abundance. We tell our patients that if they avoid grains and starches in general and get their calories from the above mentioned foods, they will lose weight slowly while at the same time provide all the raw materials for their growing babies.
And what about Motown… Wilson Picket, Sam and Dave. Talk about cool. I also loved the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Neil Young but have you seen them lately… definitely older kids now. I have to admit, the corniest I ever got was was ‘Hooked on a Feeling’ by BJ Thomas.
Dr. Mike, I say thank God you were shy. if you were gawky as a teen you might have feeling like Robert Plant at the time but you know how it goes… the video shows up one day and you looked more like Napoleon Dynamite.
My biggest objection to all this is hearing a song play every time I log on – not sure I would dig that. Is that your intention?
For BJ Thomas fans out there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gy_ufiNCbU
I was just sort of kidding about making Alley Oop the theme song for the blog. If I did do so, it would NOT come on every time someone logged on. It would maybe be set up so that someone could hit a button to hear the theme song. So don’t worry about Alley Oop being pounded into your brain.
From media articles.
November 18, 2004
Low-carb legacy hitting US pasta sales
Falling pasta sales at leading US company American Italian Pasta reflect an industry-wide problem and demonstrate how a low-carb legacy may still undermine foods with a higher carbohydrate content.
January 3, 2009
FISCAL 2008 FINANCIAL RESULTS
Revenues for American Italian Pasta for the year increased $171.1 million, or 43.0%, to $569.2 million, led by a 39.7% increase in revenue growth in the retail market and a 53.4% increase in the institutional market.
When times get tough it appears that people head for the carbs.
Or it appears that people head for carbs after almost five years of media propaganda that carbs are good. Reporting on every paper that shows a problem with low-carb diets (witness all the recent coverage of the pitiful study published recently in Appetite) while ignoring all those that show the benefit of low-carb diets.
ME: Or it appears that people head for carbs after almost five years of media propaganda that carbs are good.
Or, it could be a combination of the bad economy and media propaganda.
The financial section of today’s Globe & Mail headlines the rise in American Italian Pasta sales article with “Low carb craze is dead. Now that’s Amore”. The choice of the noun seems to confirm your position. ‘Craze’ is defined as an activity that appears suddenly and achieves wide-spread but short-lived popularity. Thus the use of the term low carb craze in this context implies that the low carb movement is and was an irrational departure from the mainstream (healthful) North American high carb diet.
“I don’t have a clue as to what it takes to get a wikipedia entry.”
This lead me to Wiki and I found that you are cited as a resource in an entry on Low Carb Diets (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-carbohydrate_diet). I just read most of the article and feel that there are a few problems…..would you be interested in checking it out and commenting or clarifying some statements made?
It is a long entry. And you’re right, there are some misstatements. I really need to go over it in depth before I could recommend specific changes. Plus, I don’t know how to make the changes if they need making.
I do vaguely remember the song, though I’m a couple of yrs younger than you. I haven’t linked to the youtube yet but wasn’t there a chorus that went “alley-oop oop, oop oop”? I’ll check your link when I get home tonight since my computer at work doesn’t have the right software for YouTube.
100% with you. This is the perfect song for this blog. Wasn’t there also a newspaper funny called Alley Oop?
Go for it!
Well, I got to hear the recording at home after work and I’ve been confirmed in both my queries. Thanks for including the recording and, where in the HECK did you find it? It really takes me back.
There’s no question, this is the theme song for your blog.
Had some bearcat stew for dinner (seasoned with a little garlic, basil and olive oil) and suddenly felt like ripping limbs off trees. Go Low Carb!
Thanks. Jim
Look at that Caveman go!
Oh, and I think your next book should incorporate Alley Oop and this theme into it in some way. Possibly in the title? Cheers.
JV
I’m sure our publisher would love it.
[Scott M. - very perceptive!! :>) ]
Great post, Dr. Eades, and thanks for taking me back to the “good-old-days”. (Well, nothing I’d want to relive, but much simpler times, for sure. LOL) Loved that song back in 1960, the year I graduated from high school.
Eades’ theme song – definitely.
Corky
Dr. Eades, almost everyone says they’re a little younger. I think I’m a little older. (June 8, l946) Such a cute photo of two grand-boys with you. Funny, the one on the right surprisingly looks like Mary Dan! It is so interesting to me that you were right here near St. Louis, MO for a few years in your youth. Didn’t Alley Oop end with something like “Ride Daddy, Ride.”? How about this song for your blog: Fame—”I’m gonna live forever..baby remember my name”. Regards from Adrienne Hirschfeld, St. Louis, MO
Good to hear from you.