HAPPY EASTER!

For years I have repeatedly written about the following:

Our yearly Easter trips to South Carolina

The South Carolina Catholic priest whose Easter homily was two words long: "He's back!

The famous Jack Benny half-hour show in which he and his girlfriend said "Happy Easter!" at least one hundred times. 

I am not a very religious person, but I do like these words that remind me of when I was a young and innocent Sunday School attendee:

"Christ the Lord is risen today,"

Sons of men and angels say.

Raise your joys and triumphs high;

Sing,  ye heavens, and earth reply."

This was written by Charles Wesley (1707 - 1788) who was an evangelist of great renown for his advocacy of Methodism, a "spin-off" from the Church of England.  

During his life, he wrote 6,500 hymns, including the one shown above and also the classic Christmas hymn, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing."

In 2011, it was estimated that there were over 70 million Methodists in the world.

In 1933, Irving Berlin revised a 1917 medley that he wrote and called: "Smile and Show your Dimple." It was first used in the 1933 revue, "As Thousands Cheer."  Later it was used in several films such as "Alexanders Ragtime Band," (Don Ameche - 1942), "Holiday Inn," (Bing Crosby - 1948) and "Easter Parade" (Judy Garland and Fred Astaire - 1948.)

Bing Crosby made it immortal!

"In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,

You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.

...

Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet,

And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade."

I love that song. It brings back so many pleasant memories!

Oh, and don't forget the Baltimore "egg cracking" routine.)

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