First up, in 1938, it's Mildred Bailey and her Orchestra with "My Reverie." Not as familiar as the Larry Clinton/Bea Wain version, but a great song exquisitely performed. A very delicate Red Norvo xylophone solo follows the first chorus. Why Mildred doesn't have a modern-day cult built around her is beyond me.
Next, following a commercial for Improved Super Suds (makes 37,000 times its own volume in suds!), it's back to 1932, and Bing's dandy version of a great song I never get tired of, "Let's Put Out The Lights and Go To Sleep." But I just got up!
at a large senior center in Walnut Creek at lunchtime; The Crown Syncopators playing Ragtime
in the evening: the dress rehearsal night of the California Pops Orchestra (they will be performing Sunday 10/11 at 3pm in Los Gatos, CA ). Great music including music of "The High and the Mighty", a medley from the film "Shall We Dance", music of James Bond 007 films, Piano and Strings from the first Pink Panther film plus many others.
"Nellie the Elephant " on Nostalgia on 6UVS FM radio
The original and most famous version, released on Parlophone R 4219 in October 1956, was recorded by child actress Mandy Miller, with orchestra conducted by Phil Cardew. It was arranged by Ron Goodwin and produced by George Martin. Although never a hit single, it was played countless times on BBC national radio in the UK in the 1950s and 1960s, particularly on "Children's Favourites". where I used to here it on Saturday mornings introduced by "Uncle" Pete Murray
Mandy, with Charlie Chaplin and Phylis Calvert
Mandy is now in her sixties and lives in Italy
The chorus of the song goes:
Nellie the Elephant packed her trunk
And said goodbye to the circus
Off she went with a trumpety-trump
Trump, trump, trump
...that one Wonga* Philip Harris, drummer-co-leader at the St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco, put down what I believe is his first recorded vocal chorus of many that remind all of us of "what we like about the south."
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*His first name REALLY WAS "Wonga." It's Cherokee for "swift messenger." Hey, it beats "Baloo."
"George Melachrino, decides not to dance "Cheek to Cheek" but "Back to Back" in this Irving Berlin offering , Carroll Gibbons and His Savoy Hotel Dutton Vocalion CDEA 6085 CD Play, Orchestra, Play time 3'08
78s to stand over the stove to try and get warm by --
First up, a blue label Decca from 1938 featuring Woody Herman and his Orchestra, long before they got all outre, with one of the jauntier pop tunes of the year, "I Double Dare You." The band is still basically the remains of the Isham Jones Orchestra, and sounds it.
Next, back to 1930, and Ted Weems and his Orchestra with one of the hits from DeSylva, Brown and Henderson's show "Hold Everything," 'You're The Cream In My Coffee." No half-and-half for these boys.
Back to back episodes of Voyage of the Scarlet Queen. Radio writing and acting at its best. Next up, Johnny Dollar will mystify me on the daily commute.
Eddy Duchin, the thinking person's Guy Lombardo (or maybe the drinking person's Guy Lombardo).
Specifically, I See Two Lovers and I Just Couldn't Take It Baby, two 78 sides from 1934 that I haven't played in quite a while. Good practice in lyrical tenor sax playing and singing, which is why I enjoyed them.
Starting off with another great early Mills Brothers Brunswick, "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got A Swing." "No Musical Instruments or Mechanical Devices Used On This Record Other Than One Guitar."
Next up, Bing teams with Jimmie Grier and his Orchestra for the tune that unfortunately got pushed out the side door in "Gold Diggers of 1933," "I've Got To Sing A Torch Song."
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