December 7, 1941 • A Day of Infamy

Seventy years ago, something truly monumental happened to this country. While far too many saw nothing on the horizon, the Japanese Imperial Forces drew shock and surprise around the world. The Japanese launched the assault as a preemptive measure against the American Navy, hoping to prevent them from interfering with Japanese interests in Southeast Asia. There were 353 aircraft taking part in the attack. Eight U.S. ships were hit, and four were sunk. 2,402 Americans were killed, and another 1,282 were wounded. Every year, Americans note the day with a memorial to those who lost their lives in Hawaii. To take note of the date, I will post some of the great songs from the year 1941.



While tracking sales through the charts was still in it's infancy in those days, many believe the Glenn Miller Band recording of Chattanooga Choo Choo to be the top song of the day. With music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Mack Gordon, the song was certainly a huge hit for the Glenn Miller Band. The song was featured in the 1941 film Sun Valley Serenade, featuring vocals by Tex Beneke, Paula Kelly, and the Modernaires, followed by a production number showcasing Dorothy Dandridge and an acrobatic dance sequence by The Nicholas Brothers. It became a #1 song on December 7, 1941.



Sammy Kaye & His Orchestra had a weekly show on NBC Radio. The orchestra would play live, including their great hits. On December 7, 1941, their show as interrupted to announce the attacks. Their most successful song of the year was Daddy.



Bandleader Artie Shaw was considered by many to be "one of jazz's finest clarinetists." While a gifted musician and bandleader, his private life was a bit of a mess. In total, he married eight times, and two of those famous wives, actresses Lana Turner and Ava Gardner, spoke of emotional abuse during the relationship. In 1941, Shaw had a huge hit with his recording of Hoagy Carmichael's Stardust.



Both Jimmy Dorsey and his brother Tommy were brought up in Pennsylvania. Jazz great Charlie Parker often noted that Jimmy was his favorite of his. In 1947, Dorsey and his orchestra had a bit hit with Green Eyes, with Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell on vocals. Aquellos Ojos Verdes was written by Adolfo Utrera and Nilo Menéndez.



The last of the great songs of the year I will be posting comes from Lady Day herself. The song was written by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog, Jr. in 1939, yet not recorded by Holiday until 1941. Here is Billie Holiday & the Count Basie Orchestra singing God Bless The Child.



It was the attack on Pearl Harbor that lead President Franklin D. Roosevelt to proclaim December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy."

A Swinging Saturday Night

Clockwise: Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Duke Ellington.

As I contemplated what to post on this fine Saturday evening, I cycled through a few ideas, and then it hit me - Swing. It is music that makes your body want to move - whether it is to dance, or just move your shoulders. But before I broke out the Zoot Suit, I thought I had some homework to do. So I did a search on the internet, asking for the top Swing songs. I found a list compiled by some guys that I liked, so I just grabbed the top 4 and sent about finding the videos to go with them. Mind you, there was nothing scientific about the list, but I must say, once I read the list, I couldn't argue with the top songs. Like, for instance, Artie Shaw & His Orchestra, considered one of the top big bands of the 30s and 40s. Shaw himself was one of the great clarinet players, so fronting the band was a natural thing. In 1938, they played Noel Coward's Begin The Beguine and garnered much attention.



Decades before the Divine Miss M was making a name for herself playing swing music, the Glenn Miller Orchestra were touring around the country and making hit records like In The Mood, a song written by Glenn Miller and his arranger, Joe Garland. It was released in 1939, but really didn't stir up too much until it was featured in the movie Sun Valley Serenade. Soon, the song was all the rage, and topping the charts.



I don't think you could have a discussion about swing music without talking about the great Duke Ellington. And if you are talking about Duke's music, you certainly have to start with Take The "A" Train, the quintessential Manhattan song that was released in 1941. It was an instrumental written by Billy Strayhorn in 1939, who wrote much of the music for Ellington and the band. Strayhorn was also a brave out and proud gay man of color, something that must not have been easy in the 40s and 50s. And he will always be remembered as the composer of this great song.



For many historians, Benny Goodman and his Orchestra are in the forefront of Swing Music, leaders of a movement in the mid-30s that would not be denied. The Orchestra was considered one of, if not THE, top Big Bands of the 30s. So, when they started making Swing music, they were bringing it to a new audience. There are those that say the bands 1938 concert at Carnegie Hall in New York to be one of the most important moments in the history of Swing and Jazz, adding a veneer of respectability to a new form of music. And when you are talking about Swing Music, most could not ignore 1937 recording of Louis Prima's song, Sing, Sing, Sing. It certainly was a signature song for the time, and a truly great recording.



Hope you were able to kick off your shoes and dance a little!