Lucia Pamela facts for kids
Lucia Pamela (born May 1, 1904 – died July 25, 2002) was an American musician, singer, and bandleader. She was known for her unique style. Today, many people remember her for a special music album and coloring book. Both were about an imaginary trip to the Moon!
About Lucia Pamela
Lucia Pamela was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She traveled to Germany to study music at the Beethoven Conservatory of Music and Voice. When she returned to the United States, she joined Flo Ziegfeld's "Broadway Follies". These were famous stage shows. In 1926, she was even voted Miss St. Louis!
Lucia was featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not because she had memorized 10,000 songs. That's a lot of music! She led an all-girl orchestra called the Musical Pirates. Some say this was the first all-female orchestra ever. She also hosted radio shows like The Encouragement Hour in Kansas City and Gal About Town in Fresno.
Quick facts for kids Into Outer Space with Lucia Pamela |
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| Studio album by
Lucia Pamela
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| Released | 1969 |
| Studio | Moontown |
| Genre | Children's, Outsider, Jazz |
| Length | 35:55 |
| Label | Gulfstream |
Lucia Pamela made only one music album, called Into Outer Space With Lucia Pamela. It came out around 1969. Most of the songs on the album are about a pretend trip to the Moon. One writer described it as sounding like a "warped bebop children's album." Lucia played all the instruments herself. These included piano, accordion, drums, and clarinet. She also used what sounded like household items! She sang along as she told fun stories about friendly moon roosters and trips to Mars. She could play fifteen different instruments in total.
Songs from the Album
Here are the songs from her unique album:
- "Moontown"
- "Walking on the Moon"
- "Flip Flop Fly"
- "Dear Me"
- "You and Your Big Ideas"
- "What To Do Is the Question"
- "Hap-Hap-Happy Heart"
- "Indian Alphabet Chant (a-i-iddy-i-o-o-o)"
- "Why? Because I Want To"
- "In Love, In Love"
- "I've Got a Song"
- "Blue Wind"
- "In the Year 2,000!!!"
The song "Flip Flop Fly" was played on the radio by Bob and Ray in 1973. After that, the album was mostly forgotten for a while. But in 1992, it was re-released and became much more popular. A music producer named Irwin Chusid said that Lucia's performances were "spirited and energetic."
Lucia also created a cartoon coloring book. It was called Into Outer Space with Lucia Pamela in the Year 2000. In 1994, a pop music group called Stereolab made a song to honor her. It was called "International Colouring Contest." The beginning of their song even includes a voice clip of Lucia Pamela herself!
Lucia Pamela passed away in 2002 in Los Angeles. She was 98 years old. Later that year, a writer named Tony Kushner wrote a short play about her. It was called "Flip Flop Fly." The play imagines Lucia Pamela meeting Queen Geraldine of Albania on the Moon. Queen Geraldine also passed away in 2002.
Lucia's Family
Lucia Pamela's daughter was Georgia Frontiere (1927–2008). Georgia was famous for owning the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams football team. Lucia also had a son named Kenneth Francis Irwin. Lucia and Georgia used to sing together as the Pamela Sisters.
See Also
- "IntoOuterSpace.com: All Hail Lucia Pamela!", IntoOuterSpace.com. This website has a link to the coloring book and notes about her album.
