“THE JOHN LORING SONG”

A Musical Tribute to John Loring,

Recipient of the 2010 Man of Achievement Award,

at the American Cancer Society's

2010 Celebration of Life Spring Gala,

St. Regis Hotel, New York,

April 13, 2010.

Written and Performed by Christopher Mason.

Click to listen:                                (sound level a bit quirky!)

to “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”

The many adoring

Great friends of John Loring

Will tell you he’s a brilliant guy;

Urbane and amusing, 

Adept at perusing with a charming sigh

Life’s giddy pageant passing by;

Fate’s been kind, his agile mind

Excels at almost everything and thrives;

If you’re wondering if he’s

That tall guy from Tiffany’s,

Loring’s lived a lot of lives! 

He’s so very multitudinous, 

Let’s hope it’s not too rude of us 

To quantify his talents thus:

As an artist, he’s bewitching, and he dazzles in the kitchen,

And as youthful as he looks,

He’s written more than 20 books;

As a designer, you could pack an ocean liner 

With his Atlas watches, snowflake, plates and knives,

And now he espouses collecting old houses,

Loring’s lived so many lives! 

to “Home on the Range”

His nursemaid’s connections

To gangster’s affections

Gave John’s early life some high tone,

Before he was three

He was bounced on the knee

Of the world-famous thug, Al Capone! 

   All the kings and contessas,

   Distinguished professors,

   Archdukes and First Ladies he’s known, 

   May all jostle and clamor

   But can’t match the glamour

   Of having once known Al Capone! 

to “That’s Why the Lady Is a Tramp” 

He finished high school when merely sixteen!

Then breezed through Yale with a nod from the dean, 

And moved to Paris, hit Ecole des Beaux Arts,

A budding artist, rising star.

He worshipped Paris, the endroit of his dreams,

Dined out in style with swell pals at Maxime’s,

There Wallis Windsor thought he looked awful cute,

Dressed in a hot-pink velvet suit! 

to “La Vie En Rose” 

Yes, his wild bohemian past

In Paris was a blast,

And rip-rip roaring,

Everyone, it seems, of note

Was charmed and came to dote

On young Jack Loring;

One pal, Paloma was her name,

Adored him, and she came 

To think Jack was the smartest, 

He pursued his diploma,

Hung out with Paloma,

Whose father was also an artist! 

His jaunts to Venice were sublime,

With Peggy Guggenheim

At her palazzo,

Surrounded by her many beaux, 

Some spluttering bon mots 

On her terrazzo;

For fun, he launched a small boutique,

Considered very chic,

For his friend Yves Saint Laurent.

Other Merchants of Venice

Thought Jack was a menace:

Compelling, and brilliant at selling! 

to “Nice Work If You Can Get It” 

At a black-tie party,

A cute blonde shook his hand,

She admired his scarlet sneakers

And they got along just grand.

Her name, he learned, was Paige Rense,

Her magazine divine,

Whaddaya know? He started writing 

For AD about design;

   Folks he met were dumbstruck,

   His knowledge was immense

  He knew every great designer, every nuance, 

   T’was intense.

 

The late, great Eleanor Lambert

Advised him he should go 

Reinvent himself again 

And conquer Tiffany & Co.

   She perceived his talent, 

   The notion was inspired, 

   And, to his amazement, 

   They adored him! He was hired!

   Who’d guess wild Jack Loring,  

   Bohemian, Paris-based, 

   Would wind up in New York 

   As Tiffany’s arbiter of taste? 

to “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” 

Among the epiphanies

Of his thirty years at Tiffany’s,

Commissioning much great design,

He managed to lasso Paloma Picasso,

Exclusively,

Designing modern jewelry; 

Now retired, no less inspired,

Collecting glorious objects found in dives,

If you hear folks wondering if he’s

That tall guy from Tiffany’s

Tell ’em, Loring’s lived so many lives!