" Hit The Road to Dreamland: Although " That Old Black Magic" was the hit song in the film " Star Spangled Rhythm" , there was another fine song called "Hit The Road To Dreamland." It featured Mary Martin and Dick Powell in a good -night song while they were lingering in the dining car of a transcontinental train. As Edward Jablonski, Arlen's biographer described the scene ." Hit The Road" featured an infectious rhythmic counterpoint by the Golden Gate Quartet, a black gospel group that also performed secular material." Anxious to end their long working day, the Quartet joined Martin and Powell in some amusing patter, all destined to get Martin and Powell to finally turn in for the night.
Mercer came up with some musician's hip jargon like " Dig you in the land of nod" : knocked out moon........a-blowin' his top" in the blue" which perfectly matched the loosely swinging tune offered up by Arlen.
The scene was one of the more delightful highlights of " Star Spangled Rhythm" and is shown in it's entirety in the following film clip. Mary Marin's delightful exuberance and fine contralto singing voice are quite in evidence in contrast to the very light-voiced and square singing style of Dick Powell, a better actor than he ever was as a singer.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxP2ox5pTwc
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