I was watching the 1970 Airport movie a few nights ago and it struck me again during the scenes featuring Helen Hayes: she reminds me so much of James “Danno” MacArthur. The official biographies all assert that Hayes is his adopted mother. Some suggest that her husband Charles MacArthur was the real father while some speculate on James actually being the son of MacArthur family friend Lillian Gish. I’m not agitated enough about this to conduct any serious snooping, and I understand that family secrets are family secrets. But I have to admit to being puzzled that none of the theories about his birth origins I’ve come across acknowledge MacArthur’s uncanny resemblance to his adopted mother nor any willingness to consider the possibility of her being his real mother. Does no one else see the resemblance?
Did you know that Hawaii Five-O actor James MacArthur recorded a few singles? His non-charting “In-Between Years” (1961) featured vocals by the Earls, whose “remember, remember-member” would later make them doo-wop immortals. His version of Harvey and the Moonglows’ “Ten Commandments of Love” (1963) reached #94 in Billboard. Warning: Both of these are very drippy teen idol spoken word singles, but they’ll make any Five-O fan smile.
It’s fun listening to Iron Butterfly because they temper all their heavy handedness with sprightly organ pop. Just listen to side one of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida and see what I mean. Even more appealing to me is how they occasionally evoke – whether unwittingly or not – certain soundtrack elements of Hawaii Five-O. One of my favorite musical bits Morton Stevens did for the show is a bit of furrowed-brow exotica I think of as the “busybody theme” – it plays either while Danno, Chin and the rest, all dressed in suits, go marching around the entire island, knocking on doors, peeking down manholes, burrowing through gardens, and sticking their arms in fishbowls, all under the orders of McGarrett. It also plays while bad guys are shown making nefarious preparations – licking stamps and sticking them on piles of boxes full of counterfeit money, putting all 450 pieces of a sharpshooter together, etc. The “busybody theme” makes this all quite tolerable. So here it is, along with two Iron Butterfly classics that have Five-O written all over ’em.
(For the record, the first season debuted in ’68 while these two IB songs came out in ’69. Also for the record, Mike Quigley’s longstanding collection of episode “anal-yses” at the Hawaii Five-O Home Page has to be one of the seven wonders of the virtual world.)
Update: After touching base with Mr. Mike at H50HQ, I realize now that I’d mistaken the music I first posted – which debuted in the sixth season “Hookman” episode – with a very similar sounding “busybody” predecessor heard all throughout the previous seasons. I’ve now posted that earlier theme at the top with the “Hookman” version below it.
Morton Stevens – Hawaii Five-O “Busybody Theme”
Morton Stevens – Hawaii Five-O “Hookman Busybody Theme”
Iron Butterfly – “Her Favorite Style”
Iron Butterfly – “I Can’t Help But Deceive You, Girl”
Maybe I’ll construct a “Praise the (Jack) Lord” tribute compilation to Hawaii Five-O someday. If I do, this one by Aussie legends Radio Birdman’s a shoo in because I’ve experienced the “night is dark and empty when you’re not on TV” bit. I also appreciate how this record came out while the show was still running, albeit during its crappy last few seasons.
Radio Birdman – “Aloha Steve and Danno”
McGarrett’s on the line to Danno We gotta pick up this guy Put out an APB Not much time to tell you why
Governor says it’s top priority Washington says so too Tell Chin to get here fast 5-0 is on the move
Steve I want to say thank you For all you’ve done for me My night is dark and empty When you’re not on TV
There’s an agent in the field I want to have him tailed He’s been staying at the Hilton Yeah should be staying in jail
He’s working for the KGB And here’s his dossier Those Reds won’t be happy Till this guy gets his way
Steve I want to say thank you For all you’ve done for me My night is dark and empty When you’re not on TV
Dark spectre of espionage Hangs over fair Hawaii McGarrett’s one cool guy The guilty will not go free
Steve and Danno they made the scene The agent had done his deed Caught with a stiff and a silenced gun Said Book him Danno Murder One
Steve I want to say thank you For all you’ve done for me My night is dark and empty When you’re not on TV
The cover says “The Second Season” instead of “The Complete Second Season” because it doesn’t include a banned episode called “Bored, She Hung Herself” which was only shown once in 1970 and has never run again. It’s about hippie kids who hang-and-release for kicks. Sordid subject matter, yes, but I’ve seen a videotape of the banned episode and can say that I’ve seen much worse on TV many times over. Really hate that it’s not included. (Update: turns out someone actually did die after watching the episode and attempting to try some of the thrill techniques detailed therein.)
Presented here in its ultimate version, this tiki lounge number pops up a few times in the first season of Hawaii Five-0. The problem is that those who sing it eventually end up in serious trouble, if not dead.
