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The magazine of choice for professional drivers
since 1986 |
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Drinking Champagne, Feelin’ Some Pain in Hawaii
By: Bill Mack
My composition, “Drinking Champagne," has made me
very proud. It’s been a very successful ditty, and
has been recorded by dozens of artists…from Dean
Martin to George Strait.
No, I’m not going to wallow in a self-centered
success story, here. Instead, I’m going to insert a
couple of funny happenings pertaining to the song
that I composed in the mid-sixties while driving
home from the golf course in my little MG. I passed
a billboard reading, “This Holiday Season–serve
Champagne!” The song was completed by the time I
reached home.
I recorded the tune for Pike Records and within a
few months, my recording was picking up some action
in Dallas.
“Drinking Champagne,” grabbed nationwide attention
when Cal Smith, a great singer, recorded it for Kapp
Records, taking it to the best-seller charts.
Soon after Cal’s version turned it into a hit,
“Drinking Champagne” began showing up in various
albums. A pretty lady named Myra English recorded it
for Hula Records, and my little tune became the most
popular song in Hawaii.
I agreed to host a flight to Hawaii as a promotion
for the radio station where I was working at the
time. The timing was perfect! It was to be my first
trip to the islands.
Shortly after landing in Oahu, I struck up the idea
of taking some of my friends to a nightclub named,
“The Outrigger,” to see Myra English, in person.
There were about ten of us in the group when we
entered the rustic nightspot. I was introduced to
Myra, who was on a break. She hugged me and thanked
me for writing her big hit.
While my bunch was gorging on roasted pig, Myra
English and her combo stepped back on stage. She
said, “I am happy to announce that the writer of my
biggest hit song is in the audience. Please welcome
to Oahu… Mr. Bill Mack!”
As I stood, smiling, the packed house gave me a most
gracious round of applause. After sitting back down,
I struck upon another idea. I motioned the waiter
who was tending our table and told him that when
Myra English began singing my song, I wanted to buy
a round of champagne for all of the people who were
seated with me at the long table.
It was obvious he didn't understand, so I repeated
the order: “I want all of these people with me to
have champagne when Myra begins singing my song,
‘Drinking Champagne’! Understand?”
“Understand!”
The combo was playing a very beautiful Hawaiian
instrumental as the waiter smiled and walked over to
Myra. As he whispered in her ear, the beautiful
singer looked at me and shouted, “Are you sure?”
With pride, I nodded, “Yes!”
Myra, appearing to be a bit shocked, walked to the
microphone and announced: “Ladies and gentlemen, I
have an announcement to make that is going to make
most of you very happy. I am about to sing Mr. Bill
Mack’s composition, ‘Drinking Champagne’. (Loud
applause) And listen! Bill Mack has ordered
champagne for everyone!”
The announcement brought on the inevitable sound of
clapping hands and screams of appreciation. I faked
a smile as the spotlight hit my face and the waiter
slapped me on the back, laughing with glee.
As Myra was belting out ‘Drinking Champagne”, the
popping of corks throughout the huge room resembled
the sound of battle!
The bill: $728.75. I still have the stub in my
collection.
I can’t remember the amount I tipped the waiter.
Another true tale from Hawaii:
Warner Mack (no relation), a popular recording
artist from the states at the time, was appearing at
one of the military bases in Hawaii when “Drinking
Champagne” was the number one song on the islands.
Since the Cal Smith recording of my tune quoted W.
Mack, in parenthesis, as the writer (W. was the
initial for William), news spread around Oahu that
Warner had written the song. He informed me that he
was sitting in his hotel room when he got a call
insisting that he be the special guest at a big
party given by a beautiful land-owner at her huge
ranch. It dawned on Warner that he must be a hotter
act than he had imagined. He accepted the
invitation.
After arriving at the ranch, the beautiful hostess
approached Warner with open arms, screaming, “Here
is the man who wrote my favorite song!” Then, after
planting a big kiss to Warner’s astonishment, she
shouted, “Now get your butt up on that stage an’
sing my song!”
Warner whispered, “Which song is that?”
Hesitating for a moment, the lady growled: “I want
to hear you sing th’ biggest hit on the island! We
want to hear ‘Drinking Champagne’, of course!”
Warner whispered, “I didn’t write ‘Drinking’
Champagne’! Bill Mack wrote that tune! I don’t even
know th’ words to that song!”
Doing a double-take, the hostess whispered: “Well,
get up on that stage and act like you wrote th’
damned thing!”
Warner said he walked upon stage after a tremendous
introduction and faked the lyrics. He laughed, “I
put words into your song that had never been heard,
but the crowd didn’t notice it. They were clapping
and screaming all the way through it! And right
after I finished doing my version of your tune, the
grand lady jumped to the microphone and said, ‘Sorry
to report that Mr. Mack has to rush back to the
military base for a late night performance. No time
for autographs!’”
Warner added, “The chauffeur shoved me into the limo
and rushed me back to the hotel. I wasn’t even given
a chance to eat a salad!”
Hear Bill Mack daily from
12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m. (ET) on XM Satellite
Radios Open Road Channel (171). Shows are replayed
evenings from 8:00 p.m. until Midnight. Weekends,
hear The Best of Bill Mack at these times on XM
Satellite Radio. Also see and hear Bill weekends on
Country Crossroads, syndicated on over 800 radio
stations and on FamilyNet Cable TV. Write Bill at
P.O. Box 8777, Fort Worth, Texas 76124. Website:
www.billmackcountry.com or e-mail:
billmack@billmackcountry.com. |
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