The Gaylords “Chow Mein” / “Poppa Poppadopolis (The Happy Locksmith Man)”

Another 45 by The Gaylords—I previously claimed that I had four of their records—but I only have three—but still, that doesn’t explain how I got them. Though, I’d pick up any record with “coffee” or some type of food in the title, and chow mein is no exception. (I am keeping an eye out for their 1958 LP, “Let’s Have a Pizza Party.”) They were a vocal group from Detroit—this one is from 1955. The first record I listened to (see review from 2/20/23) was quite romantic—this one is not, really, unless your idea of romance is making out in a Chinese restaurant… so, on second thought, maybe it is. It could be considered a “novelty song”—though, what would be a novelty, for Westerners, would be to record a Chinese themed song without the stylistic stereotypical parody of Chinese music. Besides that, the song is awesome on several counts, some of them lyrically. “No more chow mein yaka mein beansprout/ no more lychee nut wonton soup…” They get right to it. The singer expresses a sincere sadness at the closure of his local chop suey joint. Another great line: “My love and I remember/ how we spent our flaming youth/ eating egg foo young and kissing/ in the red and yellow booth.”

The B-side, “Poppa Poppadopolis (The Happy Locksmith Man)”—which is the longest title by The Gaylords (or anybody) is the saga of a locksmith, in “Athens,” told by their “grandma”—who turned out to be the very person who stole the heart of grandpa—who turns out to be the locksmith. Then they had kids, who presumably had kids, who are now singing this historical account, including the line: “Now the story is complete.” (I always love that.) The song employs jangling sleighbells as additional percussion, but we’re meant to believe they’re jingling keys—well, maybe they are keys—I wasn’t there—this was 1955! One more note on The Gaylords—that I noticed on the Wikipedia page—a little aside that explains that the group’s name was decided upon “after a chance encounter with Marcus Wren.” No further explanation, no footnotes. After five unsatisfying google-minutes, I decided to engage the ol’ memory—that name rings a bell. I believe he’s a character in the Star Wars universe—the one played by Brad Dourif—in the episode directed by the Titmouse Brothers—grandsons of the Insidious Locksmith of Hoovercam.

3.28.25