Here It Is Monday And I've Still Got A Dollar

It's 1931 and Tin Pan Alley is working overtime trying to psyche America out of the Great Depression, but there were rebuttals. There's No Depression In Love and Now's The Time To Fall In Love were countered with I'm An Unemployed Sweetheart and Last Dollar. Unlike the current Depression, in the 1930s America wore its heart on its sleeve. I think the people who chose the tunes for this set must have had fun - following Lee Morse's contribution, the next four tracks feature the elusive 'Dollar' before giving in to the fatalistic resignation of Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams, followed by darkness and ultimately Alone Together (sans sous, people tended to stay home more). Coinciding with Hoover's attempts at injecting optimism as a panacea, not even Ted Lewis was convincing enough as Let's Have Another Cup Of Coffee slams the remedy with biting satire followed by Sittin' On A Rubbish Can and Underneath The Arches (a roof was a luxury, no doubt). Two desperate pleas follow before ending with It Must Be Swell To Be Laying Out Dead - and this was popular music! According to the book (again, pick up a copy of this set), an "RCA Victor executive heard the tune and ordered its immediate withdrawal from the market, and all existing copies and masters were destroyed. Even the blue file cards at the company's archives in Manhattan have no listing of the song." The record was re-released with another song in its place. As if denying reality could change it! Not all of the sides here are listed chronologically, but the playlist tells an interesting tale nonetheless. Not to be overlooked, of course, is the fantastic music. Enjoy! +


Tracks

01 - Vincent Rose Orchestra - There's No Depression In Love
02 - Victor Young Orchestra - Now's The Time To Fall In Love
03 - Lee Morse - I'm An Unemployed Sweetheart
04 - Emil Coleman's Orchestra - I Got Five Dollars
05 - Paul Specht Orchestra - I Found A Million Dollar Baby
06 - Eddie Droesch Orchestra - Last Dollar
07 - Chick Bullock's Levee Loungers - Here It Is Monday And I've Still Got A Dollar
08 - Mildred Bailey - Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
09 - Sam Lanin's Orchestra - Whistling In The Dark
10 - Ben Selvin & His Orchestra - Dancing In The Dark
11 - Victor Young Orchestra - Alone Together
12 - The Mills Brothers, The Boswells, Bing Crosby - Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries
13 - The Boswell Sisters - (We've Got To) Put That Sun Back In The Sky
14 - Ambrose Orchestra - Shoo The Hoodoo Away
15 - Ben Selvin & His Orchestra - Whistle And Blow Your Blues Away
16 - Ted Lewis Orchestra - Headin' For Better Times
17 - Enric Madriguera's Hotel Biltmore Orchestra - Let's Have Another Cup Of Coffee
18 - Julia Gerity - Sittin' On A Rubbish Can
19 - Henry Hall & The BBC Dance Orchestra - Underneath The Arches
20 - Bing Crosby - Brother Can You Spare A Dime?
21 - Freddy Martin Orchestra - Remember My Forgotten Man
22 - Alex Bartha's Hotel Traymore Orchestra - It Must Be Swell To Be Laying Out Dead

Let's Drink A Drink To The Future

This is the first of two batches representing my collection of Chick Bullock tunes from 1931. Although I have 40 of his tunes from this year, there are still 70+ that I haven't yet managed to obtain. The Duke Ellington tracks here are the cd versions. I omitted Stardust as that can be found on the Mills Blue Rhythm Band post. A couple of tunes here are from some .wav files I obtained from another collector, which I only edited for start/stop points. The rest are my 78s. I tried to keep the filters to a minimum, however there are a couple where the records are not in good condition yet this is the only copy I have. Would you believe I keep getting outbid on How's Your Uncle? Someday I'll get a cleaner copy. I chose to include Green Eyes (see the Don Azpiazu post) because I think the 78 sounded pretty good.

Recording dates and personnel (as known) are included in the idtags for each tune*. The artists shown below are who is listed on the record label, though that was often different from who was credited for the session. The listing below is by order of recording date, from January 10 to August 4, 1931.

And once again, I am no sound engineer. Hopefully these sound good enough to listen to. Enjoy! +

Tracks

1. Them There Eyes - The Whoopee Makers
2. Rockin' Chair - The Whoopee Makers
3. I'm So In Love With You - The Whoopee Makers
4. You're The One I Care For - Chick Bullock
5. The River And Me - Duke Ellington and His Cotton Club Orchestra
6. Keep A Song In Your Soul - Duke Ellington and His Cotton Club Orchestra
7. Sam And Delilah - Duke Ellington and His Cotton Club Orchestra
8. Would You Like To Take A Walk? - Jack Berger's Hotel Astor Orchestra
9. Teardrops and Kisses - Eddie Kirkeby and His Orchestra
10. That Little Boy Of Mine - The Melodiers
11. If You Should Ever Need Me - The Melodiers
12. Let's Get Friendly - Andy Sanella and His All Star Orchestra
13. I'm Mad About You - Andy Sanella and His All Star Orchestra
14. Bubbling Over With Love - Andy Sanella and His All Star Orchestra
15. Green Eyes - Don Azpiazu and His Havana Casino Orchestra
16. On the Beach With You - Chick Bullock
17. I'm Keepin' Company - Dick Cherwin and His Orchestra
18. As Long As You're There - Dick Cherwin and His Orchestra
19. It's The Girl - Chick Bullock
20. Let's Drink A Drink To The Future - All Star Collegians

* I forgot to add info for the Ellington tunes. Personnel include Arthure Whetsol, Freddie Jenkins, Cootie Williams (t), Joe Nanton (tb), Juan Tizol (v.tb), Johnny Hodges (cl, as, sop. sx), Harry Carney (cl, as, bar), Barney Bigard (cl, ts), Duke Ellington (p, ldr, arr), Fred Guy (b), Wellman Braud (sb), Sonny Greer (d), Guy doubles on guitar on Them There Eyes. Omit Barney Bigard for The River and Me, Keep A Song In Your Soul, and Sam and Delilah.