Yankee Doodle Dandy
Happy Birthday America!!! 
The Fourth of July falls on a Monday this year, so you know what that means – a patriotic Music Monday! I’ve got a great one for us. It’s a clip from the classic 1942 film “Yankee Doodle Dandy”, starring the amazing, multi-talented, iconic, beloved American actor James Cagney, one of my favorite guys. The epitome of a natural talent, Cagney was a native New Yorker, born in 1899 on the Lower East Side, and lived through a scrappy childhood of poverty, odd jobs, and the occasional street brawl. Cagney’s strong belief in hard work, self-reliance, and resourcefulness took him from working as a custodian to a bellhop, to a night doorman, pool hall attendant, amateur boxer, to a versatile vaudevillian and song-and dance man, all the way to Hollywood. This movie, which began filming the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, won Cagney an Oscar for his portrayal of George M. Cohan, the American composer, entertainer, and producer. Enjoy this incredible, delightful performance, especially the great “Cagneyesque” footwork.
Happy July 4th, everyone!
