Beer and Food

I miss Bert and Harry Piels. I miss hearing the familiar words "Schaefer is the... One beer to have... When you’re having more than one!" anticipating another inning of amazin' baseball as described over the radio in a laid back southern accent by the likes of Red Barber and Mel Allan.

Those were the days when there were still fifty, or so, regional breweries that churned out can after can of "American Lager." From New York came "12 Horse Ale", from the Mid-West, "Hamm's", and from the West, "Olli" (a.k.a. Green Death). All of these breweries were also filling the taps and cold boxes of local taverns, pubs, and saloons.

The attention of the American public wasn't on what was in the beer can, or their beer glass, or contained in the ubiquitous twelve ounce long neck beer bottle. No, the American public was in love with the burgeoning behemoth - mass media. They could listen to baseball games from a state away, and laugh at "Uncle Miltie" every Saturday evening. Sponsors of these programs were also learning how to advertise over these mass-media outlets. The most successful form of advertising could be used for both radio and television marketing. That form of marketing was the "jingle."

The "jingle" was a short, snappy tune with short, snappy lyrics that made up the advertising message. You could whistle these "jingles" and the words to the ad became part of the language. These "jingles" were the hit tunes of a generation weaned on radio and television. These "jingles" glued together the rest of what we heard and saw on radio and television. No matter how bad the news, or how badly the local sports team was doing, no matter how bogus the radio show, the "jingles" were there to remind us that without that product nothing would be possible and we could whistle there message as we strolled to perdition with a smile on our face and a "jingle" in our heart.

I miss Burt and Harry Piels...