Hittin' The Ceiling

I've wanted to post this for a long time, and now it's been a full 15 years since it was first released and this blog is nearly 5 years old. It feels like a good time. Not enough can be said about this box set, in my view. And that's not merely for the several Chick Bullock sides, though that surely only boosts the overall value. The track and artist selection is exceptional, the sides are very clean, and the book is very informative as well as pure eye candy for audiophiles of this era. I heartily recommend picking up a copy for yourself, you won't be disappointed. "Bear Family Records presents an 88-track anthology of what are now termed Depression Era phonograph recordings cut between May 31, 1929, and April 10, 1940. This stretch of time takes in the last few months of the U.S.A.'s already flawed and disintegrating prosperity, the devastating Wall Street crash of October 29, 1929, and the nation's agonizingly gradual economic recovery throughout the 1930s. Musically, this massive compilation maps the mainstream mingling of real jazz with the predominant dance band and pop vocal aesthetic of the decade. Even months before the day when, as visiting Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca put it, the New York Stock Exchange "...lost various billions of dollars, a rabble of dead money that slid off into the sea," Tin Pan Alley composers were already fixating upon what was to become the ever more elusive pursuit of happiness by penning an almost alarming number of "happy" songs, such as "Get Happy" and "Happy Days Are Here Again." As the social fabric of a nation came apart at the seams and swiftly began to unravel, a subgenre of melodies with conspicuously comforting and persistently optimistic lyrics filled the air with phrases like "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams," "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries," and "Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee." Sobering responses to the disparity between harsh realities and sugary reassurances included "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?," "Remember My Forgotten Man," "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum," "Cheer Up! Smile! Nertz!" (almost angrily delivered by an exasperated Eddie Cantor), and a remarkably cynical opus entitled "It Must Be Swell to Be Laying Out Dead." With the inauguration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1933 and the implementation of his New Deal programs (see Louis Armstrong's "W.P.A."), a series of frustratingly slow-paced improvements inspired monetarily motivated ditties with giddy titles like "We're in the Money," "We're Out of the Red," "What Have We Got to Lose?," "Buy America!," and the quaintly romantic "With Plenty of Money and You," sung to perfection near the end of this collection by the Ink Spots. The Great Depression has inspired a number of fascinating musicological retrospectives; this one belongs among the best of the lot." (Allmusic.com). Enjoy! +

Tracks

01 - Smith Ballew Orchestra - Hittin' The Ceiling
02 - Ambrose Orchestra - I'm In The Market For You
03 - Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra - Happy Days Are Here Again
04 - Marion Hardy Alabamians - Song Of The Bayou
05 - Eddie Cantor - Eddie Cantor's Tips On The Stock Market
06 - Hotel Pennsylvania Music - A Cottage For Sale
07 - Ted Wallace & His Campus Boys - Get Happy
08 - Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra - Sweeping The Clouds Away
09 - McKinney's Cotton Pickers - Laughing At Life
10 - Sam Lanin's Orchestra - It's A Great Life (If You Don't Weaken)
11 - Hotel Pennsylvania Music - Cheer Up Good Times Are Coming!
12 - Eddie Cantor With Phil Spitalny's Music - Cheer Up!
13 - Ted Lewis Orchestra - Singing A Vagabond Song
14 - Jack Teagarden Orchestra - Son Of The Son
15 - Al Jolson - Hallelujah! Im A Bum
16 - Annette Hanshaw - Big City Blues
17 - Blue Steele Orchestra - There's A Tear For Every Smile In Hollywood
18 - Ruth Etting - Ten Cents A Dance
19 - Ruth Etting - Cigarettes Cigars
20 - Johnny Marvin - Just A Gigolo
21 - Libby Holman - Love For Sale
22 - Smith Ballew Orchestra - We Can Live On Love

Turn On The Heat

Turn on the heat for the hemisphere in winter! The team of Buddy De Sylva, Lew Brown and Ray Henderson had a huge string of hits during their 1925-1930 collaboration, beginning with the George White's Scandals Of 1925. While most of these songs will be familiar to many people, this set includes several versions by popular British performers. One internet critic complains about not including this song or that, or passing over Annette Hanshaw for the British versions. However, I think it's good to hear other interpretations, and in any case it is very easy to find plenty of Hanshaw's material for those who are sticklers. From Answers.com, "The songs by the trio of De Sylva, Brown, and Henderson were characterized by jazz‐inspired rhythms and simple, upbeat lyrics. The shows, all hits, included George White's Scandals of 1925, 1926, and 1928 (introducing “Birth of the Blues,” “Black Bottom,” and “Lucky Day”), Good News! (1927), Manhattan Mary (1927), Hold Everything (1928), Follow Thru (1929), and Flying High (1930). After the team split, Henderson and Brown wrote George White's Scandals of 1931, Hot‐Cha! (1932), and Strike Me Pink (1933). Henderson had little luck on his own, but Brown found some success with Calling All Stars (1934) and Yokel Boy (1939) with other composers. De Sylva had the most fruitful career, producing and/or co‐writing such shows as Take a Chance (1932), Du Barry Was a Lady (1939), Louisiana Purchase (1940), and Panama Hattie (1940). One historian has described the work of De Sylva, Brown, and Henderson as possessing a “distinctive vernacular touch - lowdown in rhythm, piquant in love.” Enjoy. +

Tracks

01. Black Bottom - Bert Firman's Dance Orchestra
02. Good News - George Olsen and His Music
03. Varsity Drag - Zelma O'Neal
04. You're The Cream In My Coffee - Jack Hylton and His Orchestra
05. I'm On The Crest Of A Wave - Harry Richman
06. Sonny Boy - Al Jolson
07. It All Depends On You - Phyllis Dare with The Gaiety Theatre Orchestra
08. Button Up Your Overcoat - Jack Hylton and His Orchestra (v. Sam Browne)
09. I Want To Be Bad - Helen Kane
10. You Wouldn't Fool Me Would You? - Annette Hanshaw
11. I'm A Dreamer, Aren't We All? - Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra
12. If I Had A Talking Picture Of You - Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell
13. Turn On The Heat - Lloyd Keating and His Music (v. Sammy Fain)
14. Little Pal - Al Jolson
15. Never Swat A Fly - The Blue Jays (Harry Hudson's Orchestra)
16. Don't Tell Her What Happened To Me - Boswell Sisters
17. If You Haven't Got Love - Gloria Swanson
18. You Try Somebody Else - Russ Columbo
19. One More Time - Gus Arnheim and His Orchestra

Shadows on the Swanee

Once again, kudos to the folks at Columbia for their packaging. The Art Deco series has yet to disappoint me. This two-disc set is the companion piece to The Crooners (posted January 2009, get it while Rapid$hare lasts if you haven't already). I'm sure there are other notable singers who might have been included here, such as June Richmond, Victoria Spivey or Ella Fitzgerald. But to omit Anita O'Day? I also think they should have included Ethel Waters' version of Shine On Harvest Moon, which in my opinion is one of the finest. ...(suddenly a feeling of déjà vu, but a check on the blog tells me I didn't post this already) ... Back to reality, this is probably one of the best collections on two cds that I've ever found, and I'm glad to be able to share it with everyone. An added bonus, some time ago I had scanned the entire booklet and all, which is included as high-res.tif files in the first folder.. I'll stop writing so you can start listening. Enjoy. + +

Tracks
Ruth Etting
1. Ten Cents a Dance
2. I'm Good for Nothing But Love
3. A Needle in a Haystack

Helen Morgan
4. (I've Got) Sand in My Shoes
5. I See Two Lovers (w/Jimmy Grier and His Orchestra)

Greta Keller
6. He's My Secret Passion
7. Willow Weep for Me

Annette Hanshaw
8. Big City Blues
9. Daddy, Won't You Please Come Home
10. Moanin' Low
11. The Way I Feel Today
12. Love Me Tonight
13. Moon Song

Ethel Waters
14. I Just Couldn't Take It, Baby
15. Shadows on the Swanee

Connie Boswell
16. Lullaby of the Leaves
17. Under a Blanket of Blue
18. I Cover the Waterfront
19. Say It
20. A New Moon Is Over My Shoulder

The Boswell Sisters
21. Doggone, I've Done It (I've Fallen in Love)
22. Mood Indigo
23. Sophisticated Lady
24. I Hate Myself
25. Rock & Roll

Disc Two

Frances Langford
1. Stormy Weather
2. You're Hi-Di-Hi-Ing Me
3. Nasty Man
4. Then You've Never Been Blue

Alice Faye
5. My Future Star [From "365 Nights in Hollywood"]
6. Oh, I Didn't Know

Lee Wiley
7. I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues [Alternate Take][#]
8. You've Got Me Crying Again
9. Let's Call It a Day [Alternate Take][#] (with Victor Young and His Orchestra)
10. Easy Come, Easy Go (with Johnny Green and His Orchestra)
11. A Hundred Years from Today (with the Casa Loma Orchestra)

Helen Ward (with Ed Loyd and His Orchestra)
12. Let's Put Two and Two Together

Ella Logan
13. Night Wind
14. Doin' the Uptown Lowdown

Maxine Sullivan
15. I Wish I Were Twins
16. Loch Lomond
17. The Hour of Parting

Mildred Bailey and Her Orchestra
18. Mad About the Boy [Alternate Take][#]
19. I See Your Face Before Me [Alternate Take][#]
20. Love's a Necessary Thing

Nan Wynn with Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra
21. The Lamp Is Low
22. You Go to My Head

Ginny Simms and Her Orchestra
23. I Can't Face the Music
24. Sweet and Slow
25. I'm Out of Style

Big City Blues

I think Take Two's collection gives a good sample of Annette Hanshaw's career here, showing that she could sing anything. Even I Love A Ukulele (which she reportedly despised) sounds good. Interesting tidbit from David Garrick's website: Annette was a Big Broadcast radio show listener. But in a conversation with Rich [Conaty], Annette requested that three songs not be played on his radio show. Rich: "I'm looking at two Sunbeam LPs. Annette wanted me to avoid Lover, Come Back to Me, You'll Always Be the Same Sweetheart, and Sweetheart Darlin'. I'm not sure why, but I've respected her wishes". Enjoy. +

Tracks

1. It All Depends on You
2. My Blackbirds Are Bluebirds Now
3. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
4. In a Great Big Way
5. Lover Come Back to Me
6. You Wouldn't Fool Me Would You
7. Button Up Your Overcoat
8. I Get the Blues When It Rains
9. That's You Baby
10. Big City Blues
11. My Sin
12. I Think You'll Like It
13. Daddy, Won't You Please Come Home
14. I Love a Ukulele
15. Am I Blue?
16. (I'm a Dreamer) Aren't We All
17. I Have to Have You
18. Happy Days Are Here Again
19. Ho Hum
20. Say It Isn't So

Happy Feet

I thought this was a good series, even if sometimes the tunes are not the most popular or well-known versions. The tunes were usually recorded by numerous artists, and I don't think there are any disappointments here. There are a couple of tunes from Annette Hanshaw (always a good choice), as well as Ruth Etting's most famous tune. My favorite here is Three Little Words from the Rhythm Boys (Bing Crosby, Al Rinker, Harry Barris) with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Trivia time: Harry Barris was the uncle of Chuck Barris (the Gong Show), and Al Rinker was the brother of the great jazz vocalist Mildred Bailey. +

Tracks

01. Happy Days Are Here Again - Jack Hylton and His Orchestra With Vocal Trio
02. With A Song In My Heart - Hutch
03. Puttin' On The Ritz - Fred Astaire
04. Little White Lies - Annette Hanshaw with Her Sizzling Syncopators
05. Falling In Love Again - Marlene Dietrich with Freidrich Hollander und sein Jazz Symphoniker
06. Happy Feet - Paul Whiteman with The Rhythm Boys - Joe Venuti - violin
07. Georgia On My Mind - Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra
08. When You're Smiling - Louis Armstrong Orchestra
09. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes - Layton & Johnstone with Layton Turner - piano
10. You Brought A New Kind Of Love To - Maruice Chevalier with orchestra conducted by Leonard Joy)
11. Exactly Like You - Elsie Carlisle with instrumental accompaniement directed by Jay Wilber
12. It Happened In Monterey - John Boles - tenor with Leroy Shields
13. Ten Cents A Dance - Ruth Etting
14. Let Me Sing And I'm Happy - Al Jolson
15. Three Little Words - The Rhythm Boys with Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
16. Beyond The Blue Horizon - Jeanette MacDonald
17. I'm Confessing That I Love You - Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians
18. My Baby Just Cares For Me - Jack Payne
19. If I Had A Talking Picture Of You - Jacky Hylton & His Orchestra - Sam Browne - vocal
20. Oh! Donna Carla! - George Metaxa with New Mayfair Orchestra conducted by Ray Noble
21. You're Driving Me Crazy - Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees
22. Without A Song - Lawrence Tibbett
23. Body And Soul - Annette Hanshaw

Get Out Get Under The Moon

Annette Hanshaw was one of the great jazz singers of the 1920s and 1930s, rivaling other such as Ruth Etting in popularity. Her records featured musicians such as Red Nichols, Miff Mole, Phil Napoleon, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Adrian Rollini, Vic Berton, Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey and Jack Teagarden. Like many other artists, her records were often released on other labels under a pseudonym such as Gay Ellis, for example, when the songs were more sentimental. Enjoy. +

Tracks

1. Black Bottom
2. Six Feet of Papa
3. Don't Take That Black Bottom Away
4. Here or There
5. I Gotta Get Somebody to Love
6. Wistful and Blue
7. What Do I Care
8. Nuthin'
9. I'm Somebody's Somebody Now
10. I Like What You Like
11. Ain't That a Grand and Glorious Feeling
12. Who-Oo? You-Oo, That's Who!
13. Under the Moon
14. It Was Only a Sun Shower
15. Who's That Knocking at My Door
16. Song Is Ended, The
17. Thinking of You
18. Mine - (with All Mine)
19. There Must Be Somebody Else
20. Get Out and Get Under the Moon
21. We Love It