Michael Siglow

Hello Jim, Well, I would say that since I sang that song on I can't for the life of me tell over the course of how many years, it was the Archer-Epler Musketeers that came up with the lyrics. Since it is their lyrics that I have sung with them over the course of those many years, and the lyrics that I initially posted are the exact lyrics that I have sung with Archie (as well as the Skyliners), I claim my lyrics to be the "official" lyrics. B)

Very good Mike, only a couple of corrections. When the words to "Garbarina" were first put together by 4 members of the Corps while on their way to a contest in Philadelphia back around 1951-52 when "Oklahoma" was all the rage on Broadway, the phrase was: "We're from New York, and we will always sing "OUR" praises loud and clear." Another phrase that has been corrupted over the course of time is: "Our drum line's the best in the land and our horn line, it plays "JUST" as grand." These corrections were told to me by Bill Boerner back in 1993 during one of the Skyliner Alumni Chorus rehearsals. I'm not sure if Bill was one of the 4 people in the car that day when the words were put together, but I DO know that one of them was a gentleman by the name of Bobby Booth who was a charter member of Garbarina. He later married a girl from Philly, moved down there and joined Archie where he spent the rest of his Drum Corps career. I guess everyone here is to young to remember the Cabs song sung to the tune of "Lady of Spain". Hawthorne you gay caballero, Hawthorne with greasy sombrero, Bell bottom trousers don't fit, Hawthorne you big bag of ****. Solo sopranos are cracking, Drums with talent are lacking, Hawthorne you big bunch of fools, Hawthorne you play with you tools. And what of the Reilly Raiders. Have you seen the Reilly Raiders, Have you seen their latest capers, As they dance and prance, Around the God ###### field. Their a bunch of ballerinas, and you'll know when you have seen, A bunch of crazy mixed up kids, That simply suck. Oh their hornline is so blasty, And their drummers are so nasty, That they look and sound like ####. (Forgot the next stanza) Let them go right on a dancing, Not a soul at all is listening, While the fans are wildly cheering for the MUS-KE-TEERS!!!! Yes, this song was originally sung by Archie, NOT the Skyliners. But I pretty sure Swan won't let you believe that.

Actually it was Cru who "got even" with Sky that year so to speak. In '65 at a show in Waverly, N. Y. the night before the Dream we beat Cru by 2.5 points and really should have lost that show. Coming out of concert playing "Flight of The Bumble Bee" half the hornline was out of step the entire number and didn't get back in step until halfway through the drum solo leading into "Hava Naghila". In was a bad weekend for Cru. As I have mentioned on a number of occasions Cru's show that year was written by God himself "especially" for the Dream contest. Ominous skys with the impending doom of claps of lightning. Their start time was about 4:15 PM and during their show while playing "The Theme From Devil at 4 O'Clock" that dust devil that kicked up during their exit was simply amazing. One of the most (pardon the pun) electrifying moments I've ever witnessed in Drum Corps. The results? Cabs beat Cru by 2.6 points. Go figure.

You know come to think of it, there was such an echo in RFK Stadium the Shrank probably count both the real tick as well as the "echoed" tick. :)

As I recall Shranker gave us an 11. something while the other judge (can't remember his name to save my life) gave us a 19. something. Don't recall if the sheet counted as 20 or 25 points toward total score. And remember, back in the day the judges changed sides during concert, so Shranker "heard" the same type of "junk" from both sides? On another note, being from St. Pat's I'm sure you remember John Iglasias. He taught me drums back in 1963 when I was with Madonna up in Fort Lee, N.J. On still another note, if you're still in Jersey City and have halfway decent "chops" why not stop over to St. Andrew's parish in Bayonne on February 13 at 12:00 Noon. I'm sure it would be fun.