The Band of The Black Watch – Dance of The Cuckoos (1975)

Description

Additional information about this, The Band of The Black Watch vinyl art.

The Band of The Black Watch – The Artist/s

The Band of the Black Watch is. a band formed from a Scottish Regiment.  The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot (The Black Watch) was amalgamated with the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot. It was known as The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) from 1881 to 1931 and The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) from 1931 to 2006. Part of the Scottish Division for administrative purposes from 1967, it was the senior Highland regiment. It has been part of the Scottish, Welsh and Irish Division for administrative purposes from 2017.

Dance of The Cuckoos (The “Laurel & Hardy” Theme – The Song

Dance of The Cuckoos  is the duo’s  theme and was composed by Roach musical director Marvin Hatley as the on-the-hour chime for the Roach studio radio station. Generally known as “The Dance of the Cuckoos” it was copyrighted with the name “Ku Ku” and was first heard on the opening credits for Blotto (1930) and the Spanish version of Night Owls (1930).[Laurel heard the tune on the station, and asked Hatley to use it as the Laurel and Hardy theme song. In Laurel’s eyes, the song’s melody represented Hardy’s character (pompous and dramatic), while the harmony represented Laurel’s own character (somewhat out of key, and only able to register two notes: “coo-coo”). The original theme, recorded by two clarinets in 1930, was re-recorded with a full orchestra in 1935.

The Bowler Hats – The Shape

Modelled into the silhouette of Laurel and Hardys’ famous bowler hats. Laurel and Hardy were a comedy duo act during the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema. The team was composed of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957). They became well known during the late 1920s through the mid-1940s for their slapstick comedy, with Laurel playing the clumsy and childlike friend of the pompous bully Hardy. Not renown for songs they did sing a few numbers that featured in their full-length films. The duo’s signature tune is known variously as “The Cuckoo Song”, “Ku-Ku”, or “The Dance of the Cuckoos”. It was played over the opening credits of their films and has become as emblematic of the duo as their bowler hats.

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