Before the Crash • Great Songs of 1929

Clockwise: Annette Hanshaw, Aileen Stanley, Helen Kane, and Ruth Etting.

This week, I decided to take a look at some of the music from 1929 and figure out what would be fun to hear. The year was an interesting one, as it was really the height of the "Roaring Twenties", with excess the theme for many. However, it all can to a close at the end of October, when the stock market crashed, which left many broke, their savings gone. But I will focus on the music, as there was plenty going one. As I went through the list of hits, I came to the realization that 84 years ago, the music business was dominated by men, but there were a few incredibly talented ladies who were making people pay attention. One of those ladies was Annette Hanshaw, a singer born in New York with a style just perfect for many of the Jazz songs coming out of the Twenties. Her light and bubbly deliver was wonderful, and her phrasing distinctive. When I found this recording of her singing "I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling", with music by Fats Waller and Harry Link and lyrics by Billy Rose, I knew I wanted to include it in the post. A few years later, Hanshaw tired of the entertainment business, and retired to be the wife of Pathé Records executive Herman "Wally" Rose. I hope you enjoy Annette singing "I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling" as much as I do.

Aileen Muggeridge began her career in vaudeville, sharing the stage with her brother Stanley. They had a song and dance act, until Stanley left show business, leaving Aileen to build a career as a solo artist. She continued on, giving herself a new name, combining her name with her brother's, and was known as Aileen Stanley. Vaudeville led to a recording career, and soon she had hits of her own, as well as some with another vaudeville star, Billy Murray. In 1929, Aileen recorded "I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You)", a song written by Roy Turk & Fred E. Ahlert. In her later years, Aileen told people she was thrilled the song was written for her. I hope you enjoy Aileen Stanley sing "I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You)".

This is not the first time Ruth Etting has appeared on Soundtrack to my Day. She was a major star in the 1920s and 1930s, both as a recording artist and film actress. She became known as 'American's sweetheart of song'. That is until her personal life took over the headlines, when her ex-husband shot her boyfriend in 1938, and the shocking scandal basically ended her career. In 1929, however, the singer had several hits, including "Mean To Me", with music by Fred E. Ahlert and lyrics by Roy Turk. The song toys with the meaning of words, and how one word can mean several different things. It is wonderful to hear Etting's emotional journey on "Mean To Me".

Finally, I offer one of my favorites from the period, Helen Kane. She was a singer in the Twenties, enjoying the life of a 'flapper'. But it wasn't until 1927 that Kane got her big break, when she appeared in the Broadway hit, 'A Night In Spain'. Soon she was singing everywhere, and her Jazz stylings included her adding in 'Boop-boop-a-doo' in often. In 1928, she sang "I Wanna Be Loved By You" in Oscar Hammerstein's Broadway hit 'Good Boy'. The song quickly became her trademark number. It was said she was the inspiration for the cartoon character "Betty Boop", while some say it was a combination of Kane and silent film star Clara Bow. In fact, despite the similarities in appearance and sound, when she sued the studio later, the judge determined it could not be proved. In 1929, Kane recorded "I Want To Be Bad", written by Lew Brown, Joe Henderson and Buddy DeSylva. The song is a delight, and deliciously naughty. I hope you love Helen Kane singing "I Want To Be Bad".

As wonderful as the year in music was, everything came to a halt on October 24, 1929, better known as Black Tuesday. That day, the Stock Market lost 30 points. On October 29th and 30th, the Stock Market hit new lows, and lost over $30 billion over those two days. This devastated many, as they lost all their savings. In fact, Aileen Stanley was said to have lost most of her money, and she went to England to start a new career and rebuild her savings. It was there she had met and started seeing Edward, Prince of Wales. At some point, she told friends that she introduced him to another American, Wallis Simpson. And the rest, you could say, is history...

Songs About The Moon

Clockwise: Helen Kane; Billie Holiday; Anita O'Day; the moon; Patti Austin; and Jo Stafford.

So just the other night, I was watching television when I got a phone call from my sister Kathy. With trepidation I picked up, fearful this could not be great news. She sounded excited when she told me "You have to see the moon, you just have to!" She was outside with her dogs, Tigger and Pooh Bear, when she saw it for herself. I couldn't see anything out of my window on a quick glance, so I grabbed my camera, just i case the moon was so very special, and went outside. It was a bright, full moon, to be sure, and I snapped a few pictures. In fact, the shots of the moon in this post are from that night. So when I was trying to come up with an idea for a post, I came across the shots, and it inspired me. So the following are all songs with the "moon" in the title, all written in the first half of the last century. And in the first clip, I bring you the oldest recording of the group, and the first song I went to when I had the theme in mind. The 1920s belonged to the flapper, and young Helen Kane was the epitome of that woman. In fact, she was the basis for the character of 'Betty Boop', both in look and in sound. In case you aren't sure about that, I say give a listen to her 1928 recording of "Me and the Man In The Moon".

And how could I do this post without one of the many songs that would fit recorded by the great Billie Holiday? In 1936, Billie had a recording session in New York City with some great musicians, and they all seemed to inspire the best from each other. So, with Jonah Jones on trumpet, Harry Carney on clarinet, Lawrence Lucie on guitar, John Kirby on bass and Cozy Cole on drums, here is Billie Holiday singing "It's Like Reaching For The Moon".

Next up, we have a song composed by Burton Lane, with lyrics by E.Y. Harburg for the 1947 musical 'Finian's Rainbow'. While there are plenty of great songs in that score, only one qualifies for this post. This time out, I look to the wonderful Jo Stafford when she was singing with Paul Weston's Big band. Here, from the 1958 album "Swinging Down Broadway", we have "Old Devil Moon'.

I also have to admit to having an unnatural attachment to the music of this next singer. With a song off her 1955 album 'This Is Anita', her debut release on the Verve label, I offer to you Anita O'Day singing "No Moon At All", written by Redd Evans and David Mann.

While I usually stop at four videos, I found it impossible not to include our final post to the group. While many might hear the name Patti Austin an think of some of the great R&B singles from the 1980s, like "Baby, Come To Me". And while her gorgeous voice might be just right for R&B, she is also stepping up and making some fantastic Jazz. In fact, she took home the Grammy in 2008 for Best Jazz Vocal. Here is Patti singing "How High The Moon" in a 2007 performance. The Jazz standard has lyrics by Nancy Hamilton and music by Morgan Lewis.

I hope you have great weekend, and when you look up at the moon, you are reminded of some of the great songs written and performed in the last 100 years. The five songs above are just a drop in the bucket of all the songs inspired by the lunar light. Find some to play on your iPod the next time you get the chance to relax and enjoy the moon yourself, or with someone you love.