Vahe H. Apelian
Recently I read Harry Kezelian’s eulogy in the “Mirror Spectator” titled: “Tribute to Guy Chookoorian, Voice of a Generation, Leaving Legacy of Service”. At least 10 years ago, I had the pleasure of hearing him on stage during the monthly luncheon the Ladies Guild of the Ararat Nursing Facility in Los Angeles held, once a month during the first week of the month. During the luncheon Guy Chookoorian and his band gave a charity performance on stage. After the performance I approached one of the band members I found out that she and her brother were his daughter and son. It is there that I heard his famous song “Toore Pats Dikran” (Open the Door Dikran). But there was another song, “The Apple Tree” song that I had taken a liking and purchased a copy of the cd that contained that song. Reading the obituary I realize the Gaidzag Choorookian was in his 80’s when he came on stage during that event. It never occurred to me then he was already an octogenarian on stage. As I reminisce now I wonder if it was actually Gaidzag Chookoorian on stage or it was his son. More likely it was he with son and daughter on the stage.
It was not the first time I heard “Toore Pats Dikran” song. In fact I first heard “Toore Pats Dikran” not long after I came to the United States in 1976. Frankly speaking the song did not appeal me that much when I first heard it and I wondered why it had become a lingering hit among the Armenian Americans when talented Armenian singers such as Addis Harmandian, Levon Katerjian and others; and bands such as “The Five Fingers” had transformed the Armenian Diaspora music. Yes, “Toore Pats, Dikran” did not appeal to me that much.
It turns out that “Toore Patz Dikran” is the Armenian rendering of a hit titled “Open the door Richard” that was released in 1947. When Guy Chookoorian released “Toore Pats Dikran” it became and instant success among the upcoming first generation Armenian Americans born and being raised in the United States at a time when conforming to what was considered to be the American norms was the thing to do. After all, as the saying goes “when in Rome, do like Romans do”. It is not hard to imagine that generation of the Armenian Americans was grappling with similar issues. To what extent could the young and upcoming first generation Armenian Americans do as Americans do and yet remain true to their upbringing in their homes?
The song turns out to be an answer albeit with humour to their dilemma. “The question on the minds of many in the room and their peers across the country” wrote Harry Kozelian in his obituary, “was how to be modern American young people and remain Armenian at the same time. The voice coming from the record player, singing the latest American jukebox hit, Open the Door, Richard, in fluent but slang-filled Armenian perhaps held the answer.”
Harry Kozelian’s poignant eulogy of Guy Chookoorian gave me an altogether different perspective and an appreciation of the singer, composer Guy Chookoorian and his contribution for making Diaspora and extension of Armenia and all things Armenian we had heard from our parents and read in books, while living in a world far away from Armenia.
“Guy Chookoorian died on January 31, 2021” eulogized Harry Kezelian and noted, “ He was a musician, a comedian, an actor, and a singer. He was an accomplished oud player and Armenian folk musician. He played the piano, mandolin, bouzouki, banjo, and harmonica, and probably other things besides. He wrote and arranged music, and recorded it, in a variety of genres. He helped his father preserve the folksongs of his native region, songs that would have otherwise been lost. Rare for someone born in the US at the time, he wrote bilingual Armenian-American plays. He appeared in Hollywood movies and TV shows. In a less “politically correct” time, he did every ethnic accent imaginable and was cast in every type of role, particularly ones that seemed vaguely to fit his Armenian features.”
I have now all too different appreciation of the song and yes I now enjoy the song. Well beyond the lyrics in Armenian words and sentences, I now appreciate its Armenian connection. I am also reminded that one has to know the context in which people act and do to appreciate them and what they do; something that appears to be sorely missing nowadays.
From my friend Tom Merjanian "Dear Vahe, This one is new to me. Thanks. Yes, "Open the Door, Richard" was a big hit by a Negro combo. I think that the vocalist was Louie Jordan. An interesting one is the one that was originally written in Armenian with music by Ross Baghdasaarian and lyrics by none other than William Saroyan. It was originally recorded as "Yegoor im doonus" and then they had it recorded in English by Rosemary Clooney. It hit the charts. Somewhere in my collection of 45 RPM records I have the original. My mother translated it for me and my brother."
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Actually Tom, Ross and William’s original song was in English. My dad was the first to do it in Armenian after Rosemary Clioney’s Record. That’s when he met both of them. At one time, when Saroyan was asked which was his favorite version, he said it was the Armenian version by Guy.