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...

Once In A Blue Moon

Clockwise: Ruth Etting; Julie London; The Boswell Sisters; and Patti Page.

I was inspired by the recent blue moon, a rarity to be sure. The moniker 'blue moon' has nothing really to do with the color, for all the term means is there was a second full moon in a calendar month. But that is a rare thing, and hence the title of this post, "once in a blue moon". So I thought the songs tonight would be inspired by the moon, and, more literally, have "moon" in their title. The first of the evening will be sung by the lovely Miss Ruth Etting, who came to stardom in the 1920s in vaudeville, which lead to a recording career. She also met and married mobster Moe Snyder in 1922, who also managed her career. Their tempestuous relationship ended with a divorce in 1937. The following year, Etting fell in love with her piano play, Merl Alderman, who was shot by Snyder. Alderman survived, and later that year married Etting. Snyder was convicted of attempted murder, but was released after serving one year. However, the scandal of the trial and the salacious details of her love life effectively killed her career. Her life was the basis for the fictionalized 1955 film, 'Love Me or Leave Me', which starred Doris Day as Etting, James Cagney as Snyder, and Cameron Mitchell as Alderman. Etting and Alderman were happy together until he passed in 1966. She had a lovely voice, and I love her recording of "Shine On Harvest Moon", a song credited to the married vaudeville team Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth, who debuted the song in 'The Ziegfeld Follies' of 1908. Etting recorded the song in 1931.

Singer and actress Julie London has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid, and heard my mother playing her records on the hi-fi stereo. Still to this day, I listen to her and she brings me back to those days. I was also a fan of the actress playing Dixie on the 1970s show 'Emergency!', and it was some time before I realized singer and the actress were one and the same. And while not quite the high drams of Ettings life, 'Emergency!' featured Julie and second husband, Jazz pianist Bobby Troupe, and was produced by Julie's first husband, Jack Webb. For Julie, I chose her 1955 recording of "No Moon At All", a wonderful song written by Redd Evans/Dave Mann.

Patti Page was the top-selling female artist of the 1950s, selling over 100 million records! Page recorded Pop music, but incorporated Jazz and Country influences in the music, setting her apart from many of her fellow artists of the time. She is perhaps best known for her recording of "Tennessee Waltz", a Country song she made her own. The song was her second #1 hit, and was the biggest selling single of her career. She recorded and released that song in 1950. For tonight, I chose her wonderful single "Allegheny Moon", the recording released in 1956. The song was written by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning, and Patti's version went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. This is a wonderful clip of Page singing "Allegheny Moon".

A trio of sisters made big waves on the music scene in the 1930s, and while you might think I am speaking of the Andrews Sisters, they were not the only family group to be making great music. Martha, Connee, and Helvetia "Vet" Boswell were better known as The Boswell Sisters, known for their tight harmonies and great tone. In fact, the Andrews Sister were inspired by the Boswell Sisters. The have been inducted into both Vocal Group Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Hall of Fame. They recorded from 1925 to 1936, when the sisters decided to forgo music to pursue their own lives. Connee, who was confined to a wheelchair since an accident in her childhood, was the only sister to make music as a solo act. I picked their recording of a song written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1934. It wasn't long before "Blue Moon" became a classic song, with people recording it for decades to come. The sisters recorded it in 1935. This is the Boswell Sisters singing "Blue Moon".

Have a great weekend!

It Had To Be Whoopee • Lyrics by Gus Kahn

Clockwise: Ruth Etting; Billie Holiday; Dinah Washington, and Teresa Brewer.

Once again, I was not sure what I was going to do for this week, and then it hit me. I was doing the morning post for featuring Cass Elliot, and I was typing in that the lyrics were written by Gus Kahn, and I realized that was it, I had to feature the lyrics of Gus Kahn! So here we have it, a German immigrant who went on to be a great Tin Pan Alley lyricists, writing for singers, big bands, Broadway, and vaudeville. He wrote in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s, when many of the songs in the Great American Songbook were being heard. In fact, he has several of those songs, including the songs featured here. And I will start with one that was published in 1922, and recorded by so many of the great voices in the music industry over the next several decades. I bring you the 1955 recording by Teresa Brewer, singing "My Buddy", with music by Walter Donaldson.

When I was thinking which recording I would pick for the next song, it didn't take me long at all. While some of the greatest voices have tried their hand at "It Had To Be You", I felt the interpretation by Billie Holiday in 1955 would be hard to top. The song was originally published in 1924, and had music by Isham Jones. Many remember it from the 1942 film 'Casablanca', but it was written 18 years before. Enjoy as Lady Day sings "It Had To Be You".

"Love Me Or Leave Me" was first heard in the score of the Broadway show, "Whooppee", which graced the stage in 1928. It was introduced by singer/actress Ruth Etting, and the song was so popular, her recording became the top-selling recording of the time. In fact, it was so popular that when Etting returned to the stage in 1930 with a different show, the song was added to placate many of the audience who wanted to hear Etting sing it! So enjoy Ruth Etting singing "Love Me Or Leave Me", with music by Walter Donaldson.

And finally, we have another song that was also written for the 1928 production 'Whoopee". With music by Walter Donaldson, "Makin' Whoopee" was first sung on the stage of jazz great Eddie Cantor, who also recorded it. It was, of course, a song about sex, and warning all men should beware of the evil trap known as marriage. I just love the 1956 recording by Dinah Washington, for the absolute joy of it, with just a hint of flirtation.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Happy Times in 1930

Clockwise: Florence Welch; Ruth Etting; Dame Shirley Bassey; and Annette Hanshaw.

Just when I think I am running out of ideas, another one pops into my head. I thought I'd take a look at songs that were on the charts in 1930, but not necessarily the top of the charts, nor necessarily by by original singers. Is that vague enough? I didn't mean it to me, but when I found this first video, I knew I was on the right track. "My Baby Just Cares For Me" was written by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by Gus Kahn. It was written for the 1930 movie version of the 1928 Broadway musical, 'Whoopee!', starring Eddie Canter. Some 30 years later, it became a trademark song of the great Nina Simone. But I have to admit, when I found this version by the gorgeous Florence Welch, I was a bit on the giddy level. So here is Florence singing "My Baby Just Cares For Me" for a New Years celebration with the brilliant Jools Holland.

"Ten Cents A Dance" was written by legendary team of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the 1930 Florenz Ziegfeld musical, 'Simple Simon'. In fact, it was written for Lee Morse, a singer of note in the 1920s, 30s and 40s. However, Morse battled her demons, and was fired from the show in the out-of-town tryout in Boston, and replaced by Ruth Etting. She was already a successful singer, and added "Ten Cents A Dance" to the list of her hit songs. Etting's career was cut short when her gangster ex-husband shot her new boyfriend, and the headlines featured the story everywhere. Later, Doris Day would play her in the movie 'Love Me Or Leave Me', and James Cagney played the gangster Moe Snyder.

Singer Al Jolson had a big hit with the Irving Berlin song "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy" in 1930, but I found another version that I loved. Sure, there were countless very talented singers who recorded the song, but this live performance by the great Dame Shirley Bassey just hit me as something special. I think one of my favorite things about Bassey is her ability to offer something special and new in every song she sings. So enjoy Dame Shirley's take on Berlin's "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy".

The next song wsa written in 1929 by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen, and recorded by Leo Reisman & His Orchestra. The recording was featured in the 1930 movie musical, 'Chasing Rainbows', as part of a grand finale that took the black and white film to technicolor. As a matter of fact, the song was featured in 15 movies by the end of 1932. The song became a big hit, and was used as a theme song for Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidential campaign in 1932. I chose a version recorded by the great Annette Hanshaw in 1930, capturing the way the song was originally heard by so very many, as an uptempo fun song. Over 30 years in the future, the song would be slowed down and delivered by a young singer to breath new life into the song. That singer was, of course, Barbra Streisand. But here is the perennial flapper, Annette Hanshaw, singing "Happy Days Are Here Again".

Have a great weekend!

Torch For The Boys...

Clockwise: Ruth Etting; World War II Soldiers; Anne Shelton; Nora Bayes; Vera Lynn; World War I Soldiers; and Mary Healy.

When thinking about what to do for this Saturday night post, I thought about it being Memorial Day, a time to give thanks for all the men and women who have served this country through the years. And it occurred to me there was a great deal of music from World War I and World War II that was truly wonderful, and worth hearing once again. I will start with a beautiful song written in 1928. The strongest success for the song came in the early 1940s, when recorded by the Ink Spots and by Bing Crosby. But here I will bring you a recording by the lovely Ruth Etting, who was known as American's Sweetheart of Song. Listen to her lovely version of "I'll Get By."



The next song, "I'll Be Seeing You," was written on the brink of the start of World War II. With music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Irving Kahal, the haunting and beautiful song spoke to the hearts of the ladies left behind when war breaks out. Here is British songstress Anne Shelton, best known for her songs of inspiration for the troops.



"Kiss The Boys Goodbye" was written by Victor Schertzinger and Frank Loesser for the 1941 movie of the same name. Here is a 1941 "Soundie," a precursor of the music video, featuring Mary Healy & The Four Debonairs.



English actress and singer Vera Lynn was incredibly popular during and after World War II. Her lovely voice was just perfect for the songs of inspiration she often sung. Check out this 1942 recording of "When The Lights Go On Again (All Over The World)," written by Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus and Eddie Seiler, a song longing for the end of the war, which was still a few years away.



In 1917, "Over There" was written by George M. Cohan, the king of the patriotic songs of World War I. The song was a warning to all the enemies that the American Troops are on their way. Give a listen to this stirring rendition by Nora Bayes, an American actress and singer of the early 20th Century.



Have you hugged a soldier today?