This was a fascinating quest. My Google search strategy began with Web
searches using the variant spellings "yowza," "yowsa," "yowzah," and
"yowsah." I then searched Google Groups with the same keywords. This
brought me to the following series of posts in the alt.usage.english
newsgroup:
Newsgroup posts, alt.usage.english
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&th=5bb6326231aa6d8b&rnum=8
From the above thread, I obtained the name "Ben Bernie" as a possible
lead. Further investigation confirms that this bandleader and radio
personality was the celebrity who popularized the phrase "Yowsah
yowsah yowsah."
Here's an entertaining thread on the subject, in reference to a
mention of the phrase in a Frank Zappa song:
Notes and Comments (formerly the free opinions appendix to
alt.fan.frank-zappa newsgroup FAQ)
http://www.arf.ru/Notes/Sheik/dfool.html
From a bio of Ben Bernie, here is a bit of information about the
history of the phrase:
"During these days, he first uses a strange word a lot to describe a
feeling. Yowsah. Yowsah. 'Yowsah' is not in my desk dictionary. It is
clear to be Bernie's invented word which eventually became a trademark
of his radio persona... yowsah yowsah yowsah...au revoir chil'en, this
is Ben Bernie and all the lads... God bless you and pleasant
dreams..."
A few more mentions of "yowsah" in connection with Ben Bernie:
Dreklind Jazz Age Page: Ben Bernie
http://www.btinternet.com/~dreklind/bernie.htm
"Bernie's hallmark was his saying 'Yowsah, Yowsah' at the beginning
of, and all during his radio or stage performances."
Big Bands Database Plus: The Great American Big Bands
http://64.33.34.112/.WWW/b5.html
"After (Buddy) Clark left the Goodman band he was mostly a fixture on
network radio. He was a staff vocalist for the CBS network for a time,
appeared as part of the regular cast on the Ben Bernie Show ("Yowsah
Yowsah Yowsah") for NBC Blue Network."
Jaymar41: Interlude Era
http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/bclark.html
"...Or what about Ben Bernie saying 'Yowsah, yowsah, yowsah'?..."
Elimae Books: A Review of Gordon Lish's Dear Mr. Capote
http://www.elimae.com/reviews/lish/capote.html
"The Ben Bernie Show
Star: Ben Bernie
Sponsors: Mennen, Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, American Can, Lady Esther,
Half and Half Pipe Tobacco, Bromo Seltzer, Wrigley's Gum
Network: NBC (Red), CBS
Aired: 1930-1943
Theme Song: "Au revoir, Pleasant Dreams"
Type of Show: Music
CLOSING: Au revoir, pleasant dreams!
Au revoir, pleasant dreams!
Think of us when requesting your themes
Until next Tuesday when
Possibly you may all tune in again,
Keep the Old Maestro always in your schemes (yowsah, yowsah,
yowsah...)
Au revoir, this is Ben Bernie, ladies and gentlemen, with all the lads
Wishing you a bit of pleasant dreams
May good luck and happiness, success, good health attend your schemes.
And don't forget, should you ever send in your request-uh,
Why, we'll sure try to do our best-uh, (yowsah...)
Au revoir, a fond cheerio, a tootle-doodle, a bit of a tweet-tweet,
God love you,
And pleasant dreams!"
The LoyalTubist Webpage
http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/loyaltubist/OTR_b.html
I hope this is helpful. If anything I've said is unclear, please
request clarification, and I'll gladly offer further assistance.
Best wishes,
pinkfreud |
