Stand by for Lionel, he’s not done yet
Hockey season has sprung again.
And so, as a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of love in spring, Lionel’s fancy turns to thoughts of YouTube in early October.
Lionel is Lionel Musgrove, and the plummy, sumptuous sound of that full name is the perfect overture to the man himself, as he presented for some of the roles he played ... in television shows, movies and advertisements.
He still has that handsome, distinguished face. The firm set of his jaw, the calm features and eyes that bespeak a certain solidity of character, as though forged in the playing fields of a British boarding school. These that made him (along with his acting ability) ideally suited to a certain type. He exuded a comforting if somewhat proper looking credibility and intelligent authority.
You might think of David Niven or Rex Harrison; am I dating myself ? Of course, he could play a right rounder as well.
But what we are here to talk about today is his songwriting, his lyric writing and his still germinating YouTube presence. Remember a few years ago, the CBC lost the rights to the “Hockey Night In Canada” music that had introduced their hockey broadcasts for at least a generation?
They held a contest to replace the song, and Lionel entered. He didn’t win, as he did years earlier when Kellogg’s held a jingle contest, and Lionel bagged a brand new Plymouth Barracuda automobile for his effort.
No, “Stand By for Hockey” did not become the new standard for the CBC televised hockey games but it is a really good song and it’s also a very catchy YouTube posting. You can go to it at bit.ly/LionelMusgrove. Please do.
Lionel Musgrove, with his Newcastle accent, seems to be playing against type as a pompom waver for Canada’s signature game but, no, he has every claim.
“I’d barely heard of hockey when we came to Canada in 1957, let alone seen a game,” says Lionel, with a reminiscent smile. “But, oh yes, we became big fans.”
It helped that they settled in Montreal, known to have at least a passing dalliance with the game, and not only that but they lived on the same street — St. Hubert — as Maurice “Rocket” Richard.
Lionel loved singing and acting from the time he was a boy. In Canada he kept his hand in it, snagging roles here and there, doing ads, singing in bands.
But it’s hardly all he did. In the mid 1960s he was appointed manager of building maintenance for all the pavilions and buildings at Expo 67. He and the family lived on the site.
His were the eyes in a hypnosis ad (the picture was of these two intense eyes) that ran in magazines. He was a butcher in a Maple Leafs ad. He appeared in a walk-on role in “Silver Streak,” with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, and he was in a movie with Robert Vaughn (“The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” fame).
He was co-host of a show on CHCH in the 1970s called “The Best Is Yet To Come,” geared to retirees and seniors.
But his day job — by this time he and the family had transplanted themselves to Ontario — was manager of facilities and supplies, Toronto Zoo.
Lionel, now 88, still loves writing lyrics and poems — he recently penned a lovely one for his granddaughter. And until recently he sang at seniors homes with a small band, the one that accompanied him on the “Stand By for Hockey” YouTube.
Lionel admits he had some help. His son Paul assembled the photo montage that goes with it (it’s excellent, featuring some iconic Canadian hockey moments, like Bobby Orr airborne), and Paul’s wife Gerri had the tech know-how to get it posted.
“I’m ashamed to say I’m not much of a hockey fan,” confesses son Paul. “But I was able to find all the stock photos — Paul Henderson and so on. My dad’s done a lot and he was fun to grow up with. A great sense of humour.”
Lionel’s still very proud of “Stand By for Hockey” and thinks of it often when hockey season rolls around. It’s up there, of course, the post, sitting at 280 views (c’mon, people, let’s get those numbers up). And here are the lyrics: Great Canadian hockey/ The best in all the world/ Proud of our emblem/ The maple leaf unfurled/ We shoot to score/ We play to win/ Our aim is victory/ This Canadian nation/ Will live in history.
So will you, Lionel. So will you.