Directory of Lost Causes

Fairly recently (I believe it was some time last year), I conceived an interest in tap-dancing. As a spectator. Actually, I'd love to tap-dance myself, but it might be a bit late for that. Besides, I've got no money, and don't know where I'd go to learn. Anyway, that's not the point. I find myself regarding some of Eleanor Powell's routines with we're-not-worthy AWE. Clearly I'm not the only one. From Wikipedia:

According to accounts of the making of [Broadway Melody of 1940], including a documentary included on the DVD release, Astaire was somewhat intimidated by Powell, who was considered the only female dancer ever capable of out-dancing Astaire. In his autobiography Steps in Time, Astaire remarked: "She 'put 'em down like a man', no ricky-ticky-sissy stuff with Ellie. She really knocked out a tap dance in a class by herself."

This one makes me well up sometimes when I watch it:



And here's the full, uncut sequence:



(I love the exchange between the guy and his jealous girlfriend at the table.)

I wrote to my musical collaborator, the incomparable Sasa, and told him that I wanted to write some lyrics about this dance sequence. He responded with marked enthusiasm, but asked me to keep the lyrics short, as I have a tendency to be prolix. Anyway, I have now written some lyrics (under the title, 'Honolulu') and delivered them into Sasa's capable song-writing hands.