I'd Rather Be A Beggar With You

As the liner notes suggest, Supper Time (by Irving Berlin) from the satirical revue 'As Thousands Cheer' might  be taken for a deserted woman's lament", but it was performed by Ethel Waters wearing rags with newspaper headlines declaring onstage: "Unknown negro lynched by a mob!" Not only was the poverty and the depression hurting people, but the show gave a "glimpse of ugliness behind the ornate safety curtain of theatrical make-believe" that was very real for many in the South. Track 2 here is from Russ Carlson, and is one of my favorite tunes of the era. Be sure to check out the fantastic TOM cds of Crown Records recordings. Banks were fair game, and so was Hoover. A Shanty In Old Shanty Town was recorded by several artists, including Chick Bullock (on another post). Chick steps up with a fine version of I'd Rather Be A Beggar With You. Guarded optimism marks the next few titles including Rome Wasn't Built In A Day, and If I Ever Get A Job Again. Ben Selvin suggests that good times are indeed on the way, although his entry here was recorded on March 8, 1932 when the country was anywhere but headed for recovery. Six of these tracks were recorded in 1932, three in 1934 and the rest in 1933. After the havoc of 1932 things were looking up, right? Ben Bernie, Ted Lewis, Ruth Etting and another Chick Bullock tune promise that the Grass Is Getting Greener (the latter with Bunny Berigan with the Victor Young Orchestra). The theme continues with the Boswells and We're In The Money. Yes, I believe! For all the effort to cheer up and convince people that it really was just a matter of 'confidence', but then Emil Coleman brings us down to earth with Let 'Em Eat Cake. And with that, we're back to a one-room flat. Enjoy! +

Tracks

01 - Leo Reisman & His Orchestra - Super Time
02 - Russ Carlson High Steppers - Banking On The Weather
03 - Gene Kardos Orchestra - A Shanty In Old Shantytown
04 - Joe Morrison - (Here We Are) Rolling In Love
05 - Chick Bullock's Levee Loungers - I'd Rather Be A Beggar With Love
06 - Freddy Martin Orchestra - Here You Come With Love
07 - Bing Crosby - Let's Put Out The Lights And Go To Sleep
08 - Graham Prince Orchestra - The Clouds Will Soon Roll By
09 - Abe Lyman Orchestra - Rome Wasn't Built In A Day
10 - Gene Kardos Orchestra - If I Ever Get A Job Again
11 - Ben Selvin & His Orchestra - Them Good Old Times Are Coming Back Again
12 - Ben Bernie Orchestra - Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf?
13 - Ted Lewis Orchestra - There's A New Day Coming
14 - Ted Lewis Orchestra - Buy American!
15 - Ruth Etting - Hey! Young Fella
16 - Victor Young Orchestra - The Grass Is Getting Greener
17 - Ted Fio Rito Orchestra - (I Went Hunting) And The Big Bad Wolf Was Dead
18 - Ramona With The Park Avenue Boys - We're Out Of The Red
19 - The Boswell Sisters - We're In The Money
20 - Dick Powell - The Road Is Open Again
21 - Emil Coleman's Riviera Orchestra - Let 'Em Eat Cake
22 - Freddy Martin Orchestra - In A One Room Flat

Banking On The Weather

Banking on the weather, and today it's mid-30s and hot. Again. Today's entry comes from the Crown label, which lasted all of 1930-1933 until it was done in by the Depression. Fortunately several cds have been made available from TOM, and can be found at worldsrecords.com. Russ Carlson & the High Steppers is my second-favorite (after Charlie Palloy) of these, and no wonder, given that many of the sidemen used on the Carlson recordings were the same used in Chick Bullock sessions from the same period. Likewise, Bullock recorded no less than twelve of these same titles. These particular records were made in 1931-1932, and include vocals by Elmer Feldkamp, Dick Robertson, Harold Van Emburgh and others. As for Carlson himself, Randy Skretvedt writes in his lengthy liner notes, "Although little is known about Russ Carlson, he had a distinctive style as a pianist. Even though he doesn't solo often (usually being heard best as the backing to the vocalist) he has a full, somewhat florid way of playing; it's happy and bubbly." I'm sure you'll agree that this is a must-have for any collection. Enjoy. +

Tracks

01. Russ Carlson And His Orchestra - Banking On The Weather
02. High Steppers - The Cop On The Beat
03. Russ Carlson And His Orchestra - Everyone Says I Love You
04. High Steppers - Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
05. High Steppers - Love Is Like That
06. The High Steppers (Teddy Lang's Orchestra) - When You're Over Sixty
07. High Steppers - Rain Rain Go Away
08. Russ Carlson And His Orchestra - Three On A Match
09. Russ Carlson And His Orchestra - Sleep Come On And Take Me
10. Russ Carlson And His Orchestra - Thou Shalt Not
11. Russ Carlson And His Orchestra - Lawd You Made The Night Too Long
12. Russ Carlson And His Orchestra - Holding My Honey's Hand
13. High Steppers - There's Oceans Of Love
14. High Steppers - Little Girl
15. Russ Carlson And His Orchestra - You're Blasé
16. Harold Van Embrugh and His Orchestra - Cabin In The Cotton
17. High Steppers - Is I In Love
18. Harold Van Embrugh and His Orchestra - Happy-Go-Lucky You
19. High Steppers - Crazy People
20. High Steppers - How's Your Uncle?
21. High Steppers - You Can't Stop Me From Loving You
22. High Steppers - Just A Blue-Eyed Blonde
23. Russ Carlson And His Orchestra - My Heart's At Ease
24. Harold Van Embrugh and His Orchestra - In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town
Happy 105th, WPT.