The Mills Brothers on The Lawrence Welk Show

[1marcuz]

its so much fun to watch them perform

with all the harmony going on :)

[ddashmac]

The Mills Brothers can whip ass on any band today on sheer voice alone!!

[UncleLouie867]

I saw them "in person" many times. The GREATEST of all of 'em.

[tbirdtim]

Definition of class: The Mills Bros. and Lawrence Welk.

[61hendrix]

Q. What's the difference between a moose and Lawrence Welk.

A. On the moose, the horns are up front and the asshole is in the back.

[bwaybillie]

Class!!!



[bwaybillie]

Class!!!

[HortHawg]

@ d4seasons. Another suprising fact. Tehy were great those Mills Brothers.

[timfuneral2031]

where are singers as great now?

[savannahtom]

Wish these guys were around today. I wonder what they would say about hip hop.

[antzzy1]

@savannahtom completely different generation. They were pretty cutting edge for the era in which they performed. While I am definteley not a fan of hip hop or most other modern music, I do respect the talents of those artists.

[HortHawg]

Dean Martin was a big fan of the Mills Brothers. A cxase of great talent recognizing great talent.

[d4seasons]

@HortHawg also THE BEE GEES.

[HortHawg]

@d4seasons I didn't know he was a fan of the Bee Gees. Dean had varied tastes in music it would seem.

[d4seasons]

@HortHawg oh, i'm sorry i should have stated more in detail. you mentioned that d. martin was a big fan of the mills brothers. i also wanted to mention that THE BEE GEES were huge fans of the m. brothers too.

[rtermini]

The best

[798389]

First-class stuff....thanks for posting!

[pinwizz69]

I miss you Grandpa Heit. I remember watching this show with you back when I was a lil, boy siting in your lap on Sunday evenings.

[101aznative]

This is the reason the Mills Brothers lasted so long from the 40's to the 60's and some recordings well into modern times. Pete Fountain was a regular member of the band in the 60's.

[accomplice55]

The Mills Brothers are the BEST.

[Corrie121]

Great songs from the days when music was music.

Thanks for sharing.

[RatPackish]

What happened to this kind of entertainment?!!!

[kozakyespana]

It blew away with the next generation. Young people love to self-destruct. (And I'm young! LOL :-)

[Chimbo65]

Well,people like Michael Jackson came along and touched his private parts

and little boys,and ruined Showbiz

for great acts like The Mills Brothers.

R.I.P Herbert,Donald and Harry.

[Robert4770]

I don't remember the Welk show having guest stars, except when the past members of the musical family would come by. Was this because they were both on Dot Records at the time?

[grrallnamesaregone]

@Robert4770 They really didn't have guests on there very often, but every once in a while they did. I know Jack Benny and Barbara Mandrell guested, and those might be here on You Tube, too.

[evielovesmj]

aww thats so sad their eldest brother died..): i love their music!

[catfan]

This was filmed in 1964, after a three-year effort. The singing is proof positive that The Mills Brothers remained in top shape well into the Sixties! Very fine performance!

[BiffaBacon]

Mills Brothers are top performers

[ekocentric]

Beautiful actress Dorothy Dandridge was the paper doll in the Mills brothers fist "soundie". It was a video and she was a little doll who danced while they sang in 1942

[quarqill]

We need more shows like this on TV.

[whitefalcon64]

Just faboulous

[fred25o]

Great rhythm! These guys rock!!!

[1mothra]

RatPackish: You ain't a-kiddin'! Well said!

ironman5454: Don't beat yourself up. What you said was no big deal at all. It's cool that you dig these cats...! Let's all just get along...!! Mothra has spoken!!

[RatPackish]

I was born in the wrong decade.  Praise this melody. Where are the mixers and soundboards? Beat it DJs....

[GoldRushDutch]

Glad I'm not the only one!

[TLogan1027]

Same here!! Great stuff!

[UKISOCIETY]

Amazing voices. Truly stunning!

[essexlph]

In 1975 my wife of then a scant year and I went to Florida for Easter to Disneyworld. At the Contemporary Hotel we saw the Mills Brothers perform. By this point in time Harry Mills was almost legally blind. Collectively they were over 210 years old but they put on one hell of a show, never once retreating to vulgarity or politics. True performers, true entertainers.

[SaveTheGrizzly]

The use of "scant" has diminished significantly (unfortunately)!

Not only true performers and true entertainers but TRUE music!

[hamtarovsitachi]

Man they still had it in 1964. And how classy are they? Smooth and cool.

[methu124]

Harry (third from left) was a master-showman: rhythmic accents, inviting gestures, comedic touches, and rich singing voice. By this time he was wearing thick "specs," probably the result of diabetic eye disease.  He takes them off after the first song, and for the second song his powerful stage presence shows no signs of abatement. I wear glasses for near-sightedness, and to perform on-stage convincingly without them requires total focus and commitment to entertaining the audience.

[blueticecho]

WOW!! This sound off just one mike, OUTSTANDING!!!!.

[GatoPardo09]

When did their father retire? Wikipedia states that it was in 1953, but you can't hear his "tuba" in recordings like "Is It True What They Say about Dixie?" or "Be My Life's Companion", which the Mills Brothers made before that year. Please, correct me if I'm wrong.

[PopeRatzo]

Check Harry. He's swigin'!

And yeah, the Super 400 is choice. What would I give to have that guitar right now.

[janprimus]

between $10,000 and $20,000 for a similar Super 400. I know a man with 3 of them.

[CaptainCannibas]

Lawrence Welk truly admired the Mills Brothers and incorporated a lot of the same tunes that they sang into his shows over the years. I don't know if there's anything even close to this sort of entertainment today?

[Benj888]

!The Mills Brothers Kick All Unbelievable Ass!

[BruceWLA]

every time i watch this video all I can say is LOOK AT THAT ACOUSTIC GIBSON SUPER 400 HOLY CRAP! Harry introduces the guitarist as Norman Brown; I wish they could have focused on Norman a bit more, so I could see how he formed those pretty chords. listen to him strum as they sing Paper Doll you can see in the background he's in high position, i don't know what are those, diminished? 12ths? ---that is a master guitarist playing an instrument only a very few ever possess!

[ironman5454]

What surprises me though is they do not clap to the beat - their off. Not to be a critic, they were great- I was just surprised to see this thats all. Theres no way to make my point without sounding "racist" so I'll let it go at that. It was enjoyable to read here how many people find so much pleasure in these clips - I was very young back then but I do remember what a special time it was. The death of "innocence" since makes me sad. If only we could go back - minus the racism of course.

[rrmaniii]

I have no idea what you're watching, I've watched it several times, and I assure you they are not off. The clapping is perfect along with the foot work (swaying). They know more about the beat and blending then almost anyone else.

[ironman5454]

Look, it was a joke. Maybe my DSL caused it to be "off". I did think though, at the time I posted, that the video was "off" making them look "off". So I made a crack about the "stereotype" blacks and rhythm - as opposed to whites having none. Neither are 100% true, I should have just ignored it and I hate the fact that I had to type "black" and :white" just to make my point ! Sorry all. I enjoyed the HELL outta this and should have left well enough alone.

[BruceWLA]

Um, they are SLIGHTLY off the beat, it's called "syncopation" how does that make you racist???. Sounds like you're thouroughy "politically corrected." And, wait, there's no racism now?

[ironman5454]

It was a sorry attempt at humor. Sadly there will probably always be racism. Politically "corrected", yup. As a "white guy" I don't feel I can openly make stereotypical jokes - even though many black comedians/actors have NO problem making fun of how white folk don't have rhythm.For those of you above this - I know, I get it, not everyone thinks this way. I was just watching a "black" female comedian do a song on how she has no "butt". Why ? Is it written somewhere they all must have a big one ?

[RetroSho]

We used to laugh at Der Bubblemeister, but Mr. Welk's comments at the end are dead-on accurate. Whatever happened to performers who genuinely appear to be enjoying their work? The Mills Bros. had been performing "Paper Doll" for over 20 years at the time of this clip, and they *still* conveyed enthusiasm and energy! I had the good fortune to catch them in person in the mid-70s and they were every bit as engaged and entertaining. Great musicians *and* total professionals.

[faustbos]

ah, thats the thing that makes a the show business. Classic clip. Is this out on DVD or did you get this from TV?

[primeralives]

Turn off the bubble machine!

[philh37]

"And a one-uh and a two-uh..."

[dna941]

This Lawrence Welk Show episode starts with the song "Southtown USA." Also in this episode Frank Scott plays the song "Misty" on the piano.

[Zappa2324]

Oh! baby, I'm rackin' my brain, to think of a name

To give to this tune, so Perry can croon

And maybe old Bing will give it a fling

And that'll start everyone hummin' the thing

The melody's dumb, repeat and repeat

But if you can swing, it's got a good beat

And that's the main thing, to make it complete

'Cause everyone's swingin' today

Opus One

[Jennysquib]

It goes on...

'Cause everyone's swingin' today

So they call it Opus One

It's not for Sammy Kaye, hey, hey, hey

Opus One, it's got to swing, not sway, baby

If Mr Les Brown can make it renowned

And Ray Anthony can rock it for me

There's never a doubt you'll knock yourself out

Whenever you hear Opus One

[LilMrsBizzyBone]

does anyone noe the name of one of their songs. I only no a few lyrics but some are "swingin and syayin yeeeahhhh, rockin sammie gage, the melody gone the beat beat?

[Zappa2324]

lilmrsbizzy is it opus one ?

[LilMrsBizzyBone]

YES!!!

[dna941]

No. On this Lawrence Welk Show episode the Mills Brothers sing "It Hurts Me More Than It Hurts You," and "Paperdoll." The date of this Lawrence Welk Show episode was February 22, 1964.

[LilMrsBizzyBone]

does anyone noe the name of one of their songs. I only no a few lyrics but some are "swingin and syayin yeeeahhhh, rockin sammie gage, the melody gone the beat beat?

[briguy123]

Other variety shows wanted the Mills Brothers. That is why it took three years to get the Mills Brothers on the Lawrence Welk Show.

[dna941]

Brian...

Are you the person that wrote this comment?

[dna941]

I am surprised that you saw this clip. I didn't know that you liked this kind of music.

[dna941]

Brian Gagnon...

Do you like this tv show?

[dna941]

Brian, did you or did you not write the following sentence? "Other variety shows wanted the Mills Brothers. That is why it took three years to get the Mills Brothers on the Lawrence Welk Show."

[TheSpindles]

The Mills Brothers were total class in a world of class of that time. Harry Mills has one of the best voices if not the best I've ever heard..

[elsa8001]

I second that about Harry Mills! Incredible voice!

[supremes1964]

I agree.......I'm 43 years. Better than any rap crap of todays.

[envision43]

class...simply class. These guys had it all.

I could listen to this all day long! Glow Worm is another favorite. When they do paper doll here, the timing, the body gestures, let alone the singing, it all came naturally...this blew me away!!! GOD BLESS the Mills Brothers, and Welk for having them on the show!

[letmeinyoupig]

i came on for inkspots , never heard of mills bros  fab love it !!!!!!!!!!!

[fourpreps]

Lawrence said; "It was about 3 years ago that I laid the groundwork for you to come on the show (check out the Mill brothers reaction) I'm so glad we finally made it." Interesting. Sounds like Lawrence had a long fight to get them on his show.

[Cricketboy1200]

I thought exactly the same!

[garst59]

You've got to be nuts. This was the height of their popularity. The boys were booked solid. LW would have to pony up a shitload of gedis to get them earlier than 3 years.

[janprimus]

He had to lay the groundwork back then i.e. get permission to have a black group on his show. That was big stuff back then.

[millsbrothers]

NO, THE BROS WERE ABROAD ALOAT

[sponge008]

The three brothers are really one act while the guitarist looks quite uneasy with them.

[BruceWLA]

the guitiarist seems uneasy???? thats Norman Brown-he played with them from like 1936 to 1982! what are you guys smoking on here???

[LosAngeleno1959]

Well, as long as he got his paycheck I'm sure he was a happy camper

[methu124]

Norman played with the Mills from late 1938 until his untimely death in 1969.

[BruceWLA]

Always one of my favorite groups. And I used to love the Lawrence Welk show, still do, it was a great band. I aspired to be a musician myself, but it's still just a hobby. And look at that acoustic Super 400 Gibson. Yikes! Wish I had one

[scylark]

No matter what they sing it's always pleasant listening.

[MicheleH57]

Coincidentally (?), the guitarist for the

Mills Brothers was Norman Brown. Evidently

he is NOT related to the contemporary (born in 1963) guitarist Norman Brown. I'm sure I saw this program back in 1964 for the first time as my siblings and I endured another Saturday night at home after bath and ready for bed.

[avionguy]

One of my musical regrets is not going to hear them when they were appearing at a small venue in the St. Louis area near the Chrysler plant in the late 60's/early 70's. Fantastic masters of their craft.

[SyberkaPL]

I have 15 years old but the Mills Brothers is my favourite group. I like them very much. :)

[spoonido]

I saw them in the 1970s at Westbury Music Fair and they were super. Thanks for posting this.

[manofmanyinterests]

This episode aired twice in 1964...once in February and again on August 2.

[Drilla69]

This is real music!!!!!

[bdzmusicprod]

These guys really knew how to swing...and have a great time doing it!

[bluewingtip]

Thanks for posting this gem!!