A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from May 10, 2005
“MONY MONY” (1968)
"MONY MONY" was a Billboard #3 hit for Tommy James & the Shondells in 1968. James was looking at the "MONY" (Mutual of New York) building when he thought of using that for the lyrics. And "mony" - repeated often - comprises just about all of the lyrics!

The time was 1968. At least he wasn't looking at a Trump building.

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=115152
Official name Mutual of New York Building
Street 1740 Broadway at West 55th Street, NE Corner to West 56th Street
Construction end 1950
The 25-storey building is fitted to the trapezoidal plot by stepping the mass along the diagonal line of Broadway.

http://www.tommyjames.com/more.php?album=monymony#
1968
Mutual Of New York
The Sign that inspired
MONY MONY

http://www.oracleband.net/Lyrics/mony_mony.htm
Mony Mony
Originally performed by Tommy James & The Shondells
It was a #3 Top 40 hit for them back in 1968
Remade in 1987 by Billy Idol, it went to #1 on the charts

29 December 2002, New York TImes, City, section 14, F.Y.I. by Daniel B. Schneider, pg. 2:
Years ago the digital clock, color-coded weather tower and blinking MONY sign were still highly visible from Hell's Kitchen to the Upper West Side. Alterations and new building construction have made the ensemble less prominent today.

In 1968, Tommy James lived on the 18th floor of a building at West 52nd Street and Eighth Avenue. One night in January, he and Ritchie Cordell, his writing partner, struggled for hours with the lyrics to a ''crazy song'' the band had been recording at 1650 Broadway. ''We were desperately trying to come up with a title,'' said Mr. James. ''It had to be a girl's name that nobody had heard of before, you know, a 'Sloopy,' or a 'Bony Maronie.' Nothing was working.''

Weary and frustrated, the two put down their guitars. Mr. James stepped out onto the terrace and gazed absent-mindedly toward Broadway. ''And all of the sudden there's this 'MONY,' with a dollar sign in the middle of the O, that I'd been looking at for years,'' he said. ''We both fell down laughing, because we both knew. It was perfect.''

(Trademark)
Word Mark MONY
Goods and Services (EXPIRED) IC 036. US 102. G & S: UNDERWRITING OF LIFE INSURANCE. FIRST USE: 19520225. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19620225
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 72145110
Filing Date May 21, 1962
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Registration Number 0753872
Registration Date July 30, 1963
Owner (REGISTRANT) MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK, THE CORPORATION NEW YORK 1740 BROADWAY NEW YORK NEW YORK
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Posted by Barry Popik
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus • Tuesday, May 10, 2005 • Permalink


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