Strike Up the Band (1940)

Paul Whiteman: Paul Whiteman

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Quotes 

• Paul Whiteman : Take that little fellow on the street. Teach him to blow a horn and he'll never blow a safe.

• Paul Whiteman : You know, rhythm is really a wonderful thing. Sometimes I think rhythm almost runs the world. In a little baby, the first thing that starts is his rhythm, his little heart starts to beat. And every different city has a different kind of rhythm. And in your own car, if the engine's missing and jerking, or you feel the bump of a flat tire, it's the rhythm that tells you something's wrong. And if you call a doctor, the first thing he does is check your rhythm. He feels your pulse to find if your rhythm is solid and your beat's strong. So, Jimmy, when we get to the last eight bars of the big tune, and the old ticker kind of slows down, no matter what's wrong with us, the last thing to stop is our rhythm.

• Paul Whiteman : What are you going to do next?

  Jimmy Connors : Keep on pounding the drums as long as anybody will listen to me.

• Paul Whiteman : Jimmy, did you form that band?

  Jimmy Connors : Yes, sir. I kind of cooked it up. But I can't very well pull out on them now.

  Paul Whiteman : That's good enough for me. Jimmy, let me tell you something. When I started out, a band was a bunch of boys with instruments who got together and beat out rhythm for the rest of the folks to dance to. But now it's a profession, and a mighty important one. Take the big bandleader of today. He's almost a household word. He's as well known as your biggest picture actor or your popular baseball player. Fred Waring, Kay Kyser, Glenn Miller. All very popular. But once they were a little guy called Jimmy Connors who - just sort of cooked things up.

• Paul Whiteman : Rhythm can either excite the worst in us or bring out the best.

• Paul Whiteman : This country not only has a genuine love for music but is happy to acclaim the youth of America. This wonderful enthusiasm and fine musicianship demonstrated here tonight makes me feel quite safe in saying that we need have no fear for the future of American music.