Newport, Victoria 2023
Desert Island Discs is a BBC radio institution, having been broadcast continuously since 1942. More than 3000 guests have been “cast away”, asked to pick eight recordings they would take if marooned on a desert island. In the wee small hours when I can’t sleep, I plug in my earphones and tune into the show’s vast back catalogue.
Some guests are more interesting than others, and some are not what you would expect at all – Robert Plant, for example.
When Led Zeppelin ruled the world during the 1970s, lead singer Plant was the man we boys all wanted to be: bare-chested, fabulous mane of blond hair, a voice beyond human and a lifestyle of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. My music historian friend Ian Wright (about whom I’ve written before) nominated Plant as “the greatest voice rock had ever heard” when writing about contemporary legends in 1978.
Plant’s selected discs for the desert island ranged from delta blues to Bollywood, to African folk songs, from ska to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young – but not one hard-core rock anthem among them … maybe he’s just sick of listening to Led Zeppelin tunes.
And then, asked to name the one track above all he would save from the waves, Plant selected Serenade by the mid-20th century Italian tenor Mario Lanza, from the musical The Student Prince.
Whaaaat?
Now, I know Mario but I wouldn’t have guessed he’d had much influence on Robert Plant.
Mario was one of my father’s favourites. Dad was a civil engineer whose musical tastes were mostly opera or musical theatre. His CD collection was full of stuff like The Three Tenors and Mozart’s Greatest Hits, and a couple were Mario Lanza collections.
After Dad died we agreed this passion should be recognised at his funeral.
Coincidentally, a family friend called Blake Bowden, a now-established star in Australian musical theatre, had sung Mario songs in cabaret. He offered to sing at Dad’s service, and suggested Serenade.
We held the service in Dad’s church where he and Mum had worshipped for 50 years. Blake’s vocals filled the high ceiling and we just knew Dad would have loved it.
I doubt Dad had ever heard of Led Zeppelin, and he certainly wouldn’t have known Robert Plant from any other long-haired hippie. We were young children in the 1970s and Dad worked long and hard to give us a safe and happy home. Popular culture pretty much passed him by.
Robert Plant explained his unexpected choice by saying Serenade was “the first song that made me stop and feel the goosebumps”. Dad might have said the same.
In my mind’s eye, I can see Mario and Dad crooning together on some celestial desert island somewhere. One day, Robert Plant can join them.
StereoStory#704
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Great yarn Hugh, to be honest I never really was into Led Zeppelin. An old band mate back in the 80’s would refer to them as Fred Zeppelin, we were trad blues snobs of course.
Mario Lanza, a big voice, good to see him in a Stereo Story. I wonder if we will ever see this one live on stage?
Cheers Luke
Thanks Luke.
Hugh,
This brought back so many childhood memories of Dad playing Mario Lanza tunes on his accordion, and at other times, Lanza’s voice coming from records on a portable record player that sat on a wobbly metal stand. Your story prompted me to check my record collection, which had incorporated Dad’s after his death. I discovered a 78 RPM record of Lanza singing Boom Biddy Boom and Tina-Lina on the flip side (circa 1950-1952). His early death was tragic. Nice to know he still has fans, including, surprisingly, Robert Plant! Nice piece!
Thanks Lucia
Hugh, I have heard the name but I must admit that I know very little about Mario Lanza. It is incumbent upon me now to investigate.
A most enjoyable read. Thanks.