his 52 finest

His 52 finest

Ruth Etting

Gene Austin

Benny Goodman

Tommy Dorsey

Bing Crosby

Frank Sinatra

Ella Fitzgerald

Doris Day

Nick Lucas

Johnny Mercer

and many more . . .

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WALTER DONALDSONMy Blue Heaven

His 52 finest 1918-1962Lyricists other than Walter Donaldson listed in brackets

DISC ONE (1918-1931)1 MY BLUE HEAVEN (George Whiting – w; Ziegfeld Follies Of 1927, revue) [No.1

song hit]Gene Austin (1900-1972); Jack Shilkret – piano; Del Staigers – cello; Bob McGimsey – whistling [Five million selling no.1 record hit]Matrix no.: BVE 39179-1 (original record no.: Victor 20964), location: New York, recording date: 14th September 1927 3:33

2 HOW YA GONNA KEEP ’EM DOWN ON THE FARM? (After They’ve Seen Paree) (Sam Lewis & Joe Young – w; 1918) [No.1 song hit]

Nora Bayes (1880-1928); studio orchestra [No.2 record hit] 78218-1 (Columbia A 2687), New York (?), 21st December 1918 2:26

3 MY BUDDY (Gus Kahn – w; 1922) [No.1 song hit]Henry Burr (1882-1941) – tenor; Rosario Bourdon & orchestra [No.1 record hit]

26590-7 (Victor 18930), New York (?), 18th July 1922 2:47

4 CAROLINA IN THE MORNING (Gus Kahn – w; The Passing Show Of 1922, revue) [No.1 song hit]Marion Harris (1896-1944); “Carl Fenton” & orchestra [No.4 record hit; No.1 for Van & Schenck]

8747 (Brunswick 2329), New York, September 1922 2:55

5 MY BEST GIRL (1924) [No.2 song hit] Nick Lucas (1897-1982) – vocal & guitar [No.4 record hit] Brunswick 2768-A, New York, November 1924 2:58

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Both were prominent Donaldson champions. Ruth (wife of notorious Chicago gangster ‘Moe the Gimp’) was one of Broadway’s greatest torch singers, enjoying 62 record hits from 1926 to 1937. Of five Donaldson songs by her included here, the biggest hit was the one she introduced in Whoopee!, Love Me Or Leave Me (d1t21). 27 years later this was the title given to her film biography, with the part of Ruth being taken by Doris Day, whose 1955 version can also be enjoyed here (d2t20). Eddie Cantor, one of the most popular entertainers in musical comedy history, had a long association and friendship with Donaldson. He it was who made How Ya Gonna Keep ’Em Down On The Farm? a hit, for whom Yes, Sir, That’s My Baby had been written (Kahn had improvised the lyrics to the rhythm of a mechanical toy pig belonging to Cantor’s little daughter), and who ensured the immortality of My Blue Heaven by introducing it into the Ziegfeld Follies Of 1927. His iconic record of Makin’ Whoopee! (d1t22) was, like Love Me Or Leave Me, one of the greatest hits of 1929. By this time Donaldson was also writing the lyrics for more of his songs, and in 1930 he wrote both words and music for two of his most enduring gems, Little White Lies (d1t24) and You’re Driving Me Crazy (d1t26), both No.1 sheet music hits. Although the most popular contemporary recording of Little White Lies was by Fred Waring, we offer instead the irresistible charm of Annette Hanshaw and her Sizzling Syncopators. The song returned to the charts in a big way in 1947 when the velvet tones of Dick Haymes (d2t18) sold a million. You’re Driving Me Crazy appeared in the musical comedy Smiles at New York’s Ziegfeld Theater, which starred Fred Astaire. Guy Lombardo’s recording made No.1 at the time, but the most appealing of three hit versions was by “The Singing Troubadour”, guitarist Nick Lucas, who had also had a No.4 hit in 1924 with Donaldson’s My Best Girl (d1t5). Fully 31 years later the wonderful Temperance Seven (d2t24) had the surprise hit of 1961 when they memorably took You’re Driving Me Crazy to the top of the UK charts. A similarly surprising resurrection occurred with another 1930 hit. For the film version of Whoopee! Donaldson and Kahn added My Baby Just Cares For Me (d1t23), with which Ted Weems had a sizable hit. Three years later a certain Eunice Waymon was born. When she grew up and, in 1957 as “Nina Simone” (d2t23), made her first album Little Girl Blue, she included this number. 30 years on (!), Chanel No.5 perfume used the track for a UK advertising campaign . . . and in 1987 it stormed up the charts to No.4. With the advent of the talkies the lure of Hollywood proved too great, and Donaldson’s song-writing talent manifested itself in the scores of many successful screen-musicals. Among many others, the 1934 Marion Davies-Gary Cooper romance

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known as “The Voice of the Southland”. He was the most popular singer of the late 20s, with 55 hits between 1925 and 1934, four of them included here – among them the biggest-selling single of all time prior to Crosby’s White Christmas: our title track, My Blue Heaven (d1t1). And it nearly didn’t happen! Donaldson had written it in 1924. Lyricist George Whiting used it in his vaudeville act, but it only gained attention when radio singer Tommy Lyman adopted it as his theme song. On 14th September 1927 Austin entered the Victor studios in New York with the intention of recording it with Nat Shilkret and the Victor Orchestra. To his dismay the musicians all packed up their instruments when the previous song was completed; there was a conflict and My Blue Heaven would have to be dropped. But Austin was determined to do it; he grabbed a cellist, Nat’s piano-playing brother Jack, and whistler Bob McGimsey who happened to be present, and this hastily assembled trio created the record that sold over five million copies. To emphasize the long-lasting significance of My Blue Heaven, we have topped and tailed CD2 with two more contrasting performances of this great song: the beaty, 1935 big-band version by Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra (d2t1), and we close with the outstanding recording Frank Sinatra made of George Siravo’s arrangement in 1950 (d2t26). Two more hits of the time, both reaching No.2 in the sheet music charts, are represented by both contemporary and later versions. What Can I Say After I Say I’m Sorry? (d1t9) was a 1926 success for Abe Lyman (who wrote the lyrics) and his California Orchestra, while “Pete Kelly and his Big Seven” (d2t21 – actually Matty Matlock and his Jazz Band; the pseudonym was adopted because of their appearance in the film Pete Kelly’s Blues) give a fine Dixieland reading from 1955. Similarly, At Sundown (d1t15) was a No.1 record hit for George Olsen and his Music in 1927, then became a jazz standard as exemplified by the magnificent Muggsy Spanier and his Ragtime Band (d2t13) in 1939. In fact, many Donaldson numbers became staple fare for jazz bands. Another example is the wonderfully comic ’Tain’t No Sin (d2t22) of 1930, heard here by Ottilie Patterson and the 1956 vintage Chris Barber Band. In 1928 Walter Donaldson left Irving Berlin to found his own publishing company, Donaldson, Douglas & Gumble. While the majority of his output were individual songs, many written for inclusion in shows or revues, that year he wrote the full score for his only Broadway musical: the hugely successful, Florenz Ziegfeld-produced, Whoopee! With lyrics by Gus Kahn, and book by William Anthony McGuire (based on Owen Davis’ play, The Nervous Wreck), this opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre, New York, in December 1928, featuring George Olsen’s dance orchestra and co-starring Ruth Etting (1896-1978) and Eddie Cantor (1892-1964) who also starred in the 1930 film version.

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6 YES, SIR, THAT'S MY BABY! (Gus Kahn – w; 1925) [No.1 song hit]Gene Austin; Billy “Uke” Carpenter – ukulele & jazz effects [No.1 record hit]B 32649-3 (Victor 19656), New York, 24th April 1925 2:46

7 I WONDER WHERE MY BABY IS TONIGHT? (Gus Kahn – w; 1925)Henry Burr & Billy Murray (1877-1954) – tenor; “assisted by Carl Mathieu” – tenor; Frank Banta – piano [No.7 record hit]33772 (Victor 19864-A), New York (?), 12th December 1925 3:16

8 THAT CERTAIN PARTY (Gus Kahn – w; 1925) [No.4 song hit] Ted Lewis (1890-1971) – vocal & clarinet, & his Band: Walter Kahn, Dave Klein –

cornets; Georg Brunis, Harry Raderman – trombones; Sol Klein – violin; Dick Reynolds – piano; Tony Gerhardi – banjo; Harry Barth – tuba; John Lucas – drums [No.8 record hit]

141415-2 (Columbia 551-D), New York, 18th December 1925 3:02

9 WHAT CAN I SAY AFTER I SAY I'M SORRY? (Abe Lyman – w; 1926)[No.2 song hit]Abe Lyman (1897-1957) & his California Orchestra; Charles Kaley – vocal [No.6 record hit]

E 17820/3 (Brunswick 3069), Chicago, 1st February 1926 2:59

10 BUT I DO, YOU KNOW I DO! (Gus Kahn – w; 1926) Ruth Etting (1897-1978); Rube Bloom – piano [No.10 record hit] W 141970-1 (Columbia 644-D), New York, 14th April 1926 2:42

11 WHERE’D YOU GET THOSE EYES? (1926) [No.4 song hit]Ted Lewis – vocal & clarinet, & his Orchestra: personnel as track 8 [No.3 record hit]

W 142272-4 (Columbia 667-D), New York, 1st June 1926 2:42

12 IT MADE YOU HAPPY WHEN YOU MADE ME CRY (1927) [No.5 song hit]Fred Waring (1900-1984) & his Pennsylvanians; Tom Waring – vocal [No.2 record hit]BVE 36571-4 (Victor 20315), Camden, New Jersey, 28th October 1926 2:59

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13 THERE AIN’T NO “MAYBE” IN MY BABY’S EYES (Gus Kahn & Ray Egan – w; 1926)

Whispering Jack Smith (1896-1950); Arthur Johnston – piano [No.3 record hit] BVE 36888-1 (Victor 20312), New York, 30th October 1926 2:28

14 I’VE GROWN SO LONESOME THINKING OF YOU (Paul Ash – w; 1926) [No.6 song hit]

Gene Austin; Abel Baer – piano [No.16 record hit; No.5 for Ruth Etting] BE 37500-4 (Victor 20411), New York, 4th January 1927 3:15

15 AT SUNDOWN, WHEN LOVE IS CALLING ME HOME (1927) [No.2 song hit]George Olsen (1893-1971) & his Music; Bob Borger, Fran Frey & Bob Rice – vocals [No.1 record hit]BVE 37741-4 (Victor 20476), New York, 4th February 1927 3:10

16 SAM, THE OLD ACCORDION MAN (1927) [No.2 song hit] Ruth Etting; Mario Perry – accordion; Rube Bloom – piano [No.5 record hit] W 143564-3 (Columbia 908-D), New York, 1st March 1927 3:06 17 CHANGES (1927)

Paul Whiteman & his Orchestra: Bix Beiderbecke – cornet; Henry Busse, Charlie Margulis – trumpets; Tommy Dorsey, Wilbur Hall – trombones; Jimmy Dorsey, Chet Hazlett, Hal McLean, Charles Strickfaden, Nye Mayhew – reeds; Matty Malneck, Kurt Dieteerle, Mischa Russell, Mario Perry – violins; Harry Perrella – piano; Mike Pingitore – banjo; Mike Trafficante – tuba; Steve Brown – bass; Harold McDonald – drums; The Rhythm Boys [Bing Crosby, Al Rinker, Harry Barris], Jack Fulton, Charles Gaylord, Austin Young – vocals [No.4 record hit]

BVE 40937-3 (Victor 21103), New York, 23rd November 1927 2:52

18 BECAUSE MY BABY DON’T MEAN MAYBE NOW (1928) [No.20 song hit] Ruth Etting; unknown – piano, violin & cello; [No.10 record hit] W 146346-3 (Columbia 1420-D), New York, 25th May 1928 2:35

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With the advent of the ‘Roaring 20s’, Walter Donaldson was roaring too, creating a seemingly endless flow of memorable tunes. No other composer (save possibly Ray Henderson or Irving Berlin himself) came close to rivalling his output of popular successes, and no fewer than 23 hit songs from the decade are included in our tribute. Written in 1918 and published in 1920 the first was the celebrated My Mammy (d2t17), introduced by William Frawley. It was brought to the attention of Al Jolson, who interpolated it into both his long-running show Sinbad (as he’d also done with Gershwin’s Swanee), and into a new ‘musical extravaganza’ Bombo. His white-gloved, black-faced performance, ending on his knees, became his trademark; a record hit in 1928, it became a million-seller when he rerecorded it in 1946 (as heard here) at the time when the Oscar-winning film The Jolson Story revived his career. Another big Donaldson hit in 1920 was the exuberant My Little Bimbo (d2t25), a Frank Crumit record success, although we have departed from our overall ‘contemporary performers only rule’ in this instance to eschew pre-electric sound for the vibrancy of Clinton Ford’s uproarious version with George Chisholm’s All Stars from 42 years later [N.B. To avoid drastic changes in sound quality, our whole programme largely follows the chronology of recording dates – thus this early song appears as the penultimate track]. From 1922, Donaldson worked mainly with Russian-born American lyricist and author Gus Kahn (1886-1941), and more than one vocal gem was created on the fairways through their shared love of golf. 13 songs by that partnership (from more than 100) are included here. They headed the sheet music charts with two ‘No.1s’ in 1922: the evergreen state anthem Carolina In The Morning (d1t4 – sung here by one of the 1920s’ most popular singers, Marion Harris, who had 43 hits to her credit 1916-1930), and My Buddy (d1t3 – a ‘No.1’ record for the soft-voiced tenor, Henry Burr, who notched up an amazing 164 hits 1903-1928, plus a further 108 with the Peerless Quartet! He also duets with Billy Murray on I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight? – d1t7). Donaldson dedicated My Buddy to his recently deceased fiancé, expressing his profound loss, and it was adopted my many Americans as an elegy for all the ‘buddies’ lost in the Great War. As with several others among Donaldson’s hardy perennials, we have chosen to demonstrate the longevity of My Buddy by also including a much later incarnation of the same song – in this case the classic jazz version by Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra (d2t14). Midway through the 20s Donaldson hit the jackpot again with one of the classic songs of the Charleston Era: Yes, Sir, That’s My Baby! (d1t6), which was the first No.1 record hit (of 9) for one of his great champions, the genial Texan, Gene Austin (1900-1972),

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The Songs of WALTER DONALDSON – My Blue Heaven“When whip-poor-wills call, and ev’ning is nigh, I hurry to my blue heaven . . .” Since George Whiting first wrote those evocative words getting on for a century ago, set to music by Walter Donaldson, how many millions have been cheered by that simple love song, yet perhaps never known anything of its composer? If the sheer number (more than 600) and durability of his compositions are truly weighed in the balance, the name of Walter Donaldson must rate second-to-none in the ranks of contributors to the Great American Songbook. True, the name may not carry quite the same instant cachet as, say, Berlin, Porter, Gershwin, Kern or Rodgers but the lasting quality and tunefulness of his countless hits guarantees him a place for posterity among the first class of songwriters. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on 15th February 1893, one of 11 children in a close-knit music-loving family, Walter Donaldson’s musical inclinations were at first slow to develop. His mother was a classically trained pianist and teacher, yet young Walter apparently took little interest in her piano lessons. But it wasn’t long before the urge to write songs surfaced and he taught himself to play the instrument in order to compose for school revues. He was soon demonstrating sheet music at five- and ten-cent stores and playing piano at local nickelodeon movie theatres. After a brief foray into Wall Street finance in a broker’s office, he began his professional music career as a staff pianist in Tin Pan Alley – mind you, he was fired from his first job for writing his own songs instead of plugging the firm’s! Donaldson’s first published song was Back Home In Tennessee, issued in 1915 by Waterson, Berlin & Snyder, and introduced by Al Jolson. Joining the US Army, he entertained the troops for 19 months at Camp Upton, New York, continuing to write songs and scoring a success with the waltz The Daughter Of Rosie O’Grady (disc 2, track 19 – this was a major record hit for Lewis James in 1918 and became the signature act of Broadway tap-dancing legend Pat Rooney Sr. In 1947 Gene Kelly recorded it in 1947 “interpreting Pat Rooney Sr.”). It was at Upton that Donaldson met fellow troop-entertainer Irving Berlin, who invited the younger man, on demobilisation, to join his publishing company as a composer. Almost immediately he had a million-selling smash with How Ya Gonna Keep ’Em Down On The Farm? (d1t2). If ever a song caught the spirit of the time, this was it. Celebrating the Armistice, the Hellfighters’ Regiment brass band played it at the Victory Parade in New York. Vaudeville entertainers Sophie Tucker, Eddie Cantor and Nora Bayes all performed it to great acclaim, with Bayes, heard here in 1918 sound quality, having the biggest-selling recording.

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19 JUST LIKE A MELODY OUT OF THE SKY (1928) [No.2 song hit] Gene Austin; Nat Shilkret & The Victor Orchestra [No.5 record hit] BVE 45184-2 (Victor 21454), New York, 29th May 1928 2:54

20 OUT OF THE DAWN (Warming Up, 1928 film) [No.20 song hit] Tommy Dorsey (1905-1956) – trombone, Jimmy Dorsey (1904-1957) – clarinet &

alto sax, & their Orchestra: Fuzzy Farrar, Nat Natoli – trumpets; Jack Teagarden – trombone; Arnold Brilhart, Frank Teschemacher, Herbert Spencer – reeds; Frank Signorelli – piano; Carl Kress – guitar; Hank Stern – tuba; Stan King – drums; Smith Ballew – vocal [No.8 record hit for Nat Shilkret]401170-B (Okeh 41124), New York, 29th September 1928 3:11

21 LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME (Gus Kahn – w; Whoopee, 1928 musical) [No.15 song hit] Ruth Etting; Rube Bloom – piano; Eddie Lang – guitar; unknown – violin & cello

[No.2 record hit] W 147711-2 (Columbia 1680-D), New York, 17th December 1928 3:16 22 MAKIN’ WHOOPEE! (Gus Kahn – w; Whoopee!, 1928 musical) [No.6 song hit] Eddie Cantor (1892-1964); Nat Shilkret & The Victor Orchestra [No.2 record hit] 49001-2 (Victor 21831), New York, 18th December 1928 3:06

23 MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME (Gus Kahn – w; Whoopee!, 1930 film) [No.10 song hit] Ted Weems [1901-1963] & his Orchestra; Art Jarrett – vocal [No.4 record hit] 64001-3 (Victor 22499), Camden, New Jersey, 25th July 1930 2:39

24 LITTLE WHITE LIES (1930) [No.1 song hit]Annette Hanshaw (1901-1985) & The Sizzling Syncopators: Eddie Farley – trumpet; Al Philburn – trombone; Larry Tice – clarinet; Mac Ceppos – violin; Adrian Rollini or Chauncey Gray – piano; Tommy Felline – guitar; Merrill Kline – bass [No.1 record hit for Fred Waring]

150651-2 (Harmony 1196-H), New York, 21st July 1930 2:54

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25 WITHOUT THAT MAN! (1931) [No.7 song hit] Ethel Waters (1896-1977); accompanied by Manny Klein – trumpet; Tommy

Dorsey – trombone; Benny Goodman – clarinet; Rube Bloom – piano; Eddie Lang – guitar [No.3 record hit for Guy Lombardo]

151614-2 (Columbia 2481-D), New York, 16th June 1931 2:52 26 YOU'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY (Smiles, 1930 musical comedy) [No.1 song hit] Nick Lucas – vocal & guitar, & his Crooning Troubadours [ No.7 record hit]

E 35404 (Brunswick 4987), New York, November 1930 3:10

Disc One total playing time = 78:10

DISC TWO (1931-1962)

1 MY BLUE HEAVEN (George Whiting – w; Ziegfeld Follies Of 1927, revue) – 10 years later, arranged by Sy OliverJimmie Lunceford (1902-1947) – clarinet & alto sax, & his Orchestra: Sy Oliver, Eddie Tomkins, Paul Webster – trumpets; Elmer Crumbley, Russell Bowles – trombones; Willie Smith, Laforet Dent, Dan Grissom, Earl Carruthers, Joe Thomas – reeds; Al Norris – violin; Edwin Wilcox – piano; Eddie Durham – guitar; Moses Allen – bass; Jimmy Crawford – drums; band trio (Oliver/Smith/Tomkins) – vocals

60274-A (Decca 712), New York, 23rd December 1935 3:12

2 THAT’S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU (1930) Jack Teagarden (1905-1964) – trombone & vocal, & his Orchestra: Fats Waller

(1904-1943) – piano & vocal; Charlie Teagarden, Sterling Bose – trumpets; Pee Wee Russell, Joe Catalyne, Max Farley, Adrian Rollini – reeds; Nappy Lamare – guitar; Artie Bernstein – bass; Stan King – drums

W 151840-1 (Columbia 2558-D), New York, 14th October 1931 3:22

3 AN EVENING IN CAROLINE (1931) [No.5 song hit] The Boswell Sisters (Connee, Martha & Vet); The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra: Bunny

Berigan – trumpet; Tommy Dorsey – trombone; Jimmy Dorsey – clarinet & alto sax; Joe Venuti – violin; Arthur Schutt – piano; Eddie Lang – guitar; Joe Tarto – bass;

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24 YOU’RE DRIVING ME CRAZY (Smiles, 1930 musical comedy) – 31 years later The Temperance Seven: Whispering Paul MacDowell – vocal; Cephas Howard –

trumpet & euphonium; John R.T. Davies – trombone & alto saxophone; Alan Cooper – clarinet, soprano saxophone & bass-clarinet; Philip Harrison – alto & baritone saxophones; Colin Bowles – piano; John Watson – banjo; Martin Fry – sousaphone; Brian Innes – drums & percussion [UK No.1 record hit]

7XCE 16724 (UK: Parlophone R 4757), London, 16th February 1961 3:53

25 MY LITTLE BIMBO DOWN ON THE BAMBOO ISLE (Grant Clarke – w; 1920) [No.9 song hit]

Clinton Ford (1931-2009); George Chisholm (1915-1997) – trombone, & his All Stars [No.6 record hit for Frank Crumit in1920]

From Clint’ Again (Oriole EP 7070), London, issued 21st December 1962 2:14

26 MY BLUE HEAVEN (George Whiting – w: Ziegfeld Follies Of 1927, revue) – 33 years later, arranged by George Siravo

Frank Sinatra (1915-1008); George Siravo & his Orchestra [UK No.33 record hit] CO 43182-1 (Columbia 38892), New York, 24th April 1950 2:25

Disc Two total playing time = 77:32

Compiled by Ray CrickAudio restoration and remastering by Martin Haskell

Chart positions: Prior to 1940 charts of the best-selling records did not exist, as they did for sheet music. The chart positions quoted here for “record hits” are those ingeniously devised from a variety of relevant sources by Joel Whitburn in his invaluable book Pop Memories 1890-1954. The chart positions for sheet music sales prior to 1950 are taken from Popular Songs of the Twentieth Century 1900-1949 by Edward Foote Gardner.

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19 THE DAUGHTER OF ROSIE O’GRADY (Monty Brice – w; 1918) [No.4 song hit]Gene Kelly (1912-1996) “interpreting Pat Rooney Sr.”; Carmen Dragon & his Orchestra & Chorus [No.3 record hit for Lewis James in 1918]

47S 3257-1 (MGM 30138), Los Angeles, 13th November 1947 3:16

20 LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME (Gus Kahn – w; Whoopee, 1928 musical) – Doris Day appeared as Ruth Etting in the 1955 film Love Me Or Leave Me

Doris Day (1922-2019); Percy Faith & his Orchestra [UK No.20 record hit] RHCO 33406 (Columbia CL 710 LP), 7th December 1954 2:15

21 WHAT CAN I SAY AFTER I SAY I’M SORRY? (Walter Donaldson, 1926) – 28 years later, music used in the 1955 film, Pete Kelly’s Blues Matty Matlock (1907-1978) – clarinet, & his Jazz Band (“Pete Kelly & his Big Seven”): Dick Cathcart – trumpet; Moe Schneider – trombone; Eddie Miller – tenor saxophone; Ray Sherman – piano; George Van Eps – guitar; Jud DeNaut – double-bass; Nick Fatool – drums;

RHCO 33467-3 (Columbia CL 690), 7th June 1955 2:44

22 ’TAIN’T NO SIN (To Take Off Your Skin And Dance Around In Your Bones) (Edgar Leslie – w; Elstree Calling, 1930 film) [No.15 song hit]

Chris Barber (b.1930) – trombone, & his Jazz Band: Pat Halcox – cornet; Monty Sunshine – clarinet; Dickie Bishop – banjo; Dick Smith – bass; Ron Bowden – drums; Ottilie Patterson (1932-2011) – vocal

Nixa NJE1023, London, 9th July 1956 2:27

23 MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME (Gus Kahn – w; 1930) – a big hit 57 years later Nina Simone (1933-2003) – vocal & piano; Jimmy Bond – bass; Albert “Tootie”

Heath – drums [UK No.4 record hit in 1987, 30 years on!] From Little Girl Blue (Bethlehem Records SBCP 6028), New York, December 1957

3:35

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Stan King – drums [No.12 record hit; No.2 for Ted Lewis] E 37355-A (Brunswick 6218), New York, 5th November 1931 2:58

4 YOU’VE GOT EVERYTHING (1933) [No.19 song hit] Adrian Rollini (1903-1956) – bass sax, celeste & vibes, & his Orchestra: Bunny

Berigan – trumpet; Al Philburn – trombone; Benny Goodman – clarinet; Arthur Rollini – tenor sax; Fulton McGrath – piano; Clay Bryson – guitar; Art Miller – bass; Herb Weil – drums & vocal [No.10 record hit for Jan Garber]

14147-1 (Banner 32873), New York, 16th October 1933 2:48

5 SLEEPY HEAD (Gus Kahn – w; Operator 13, 1934 film starring The Mills Brothers) [No.6 song hit]

The Mills Brothers (Donald, Herbert, Harry & John) [No.2 record hit]SF 105-A (Brunswick 6913), San Francisco, 29th March 1934 3:04

6 RIPTIDE (Gus Kahn – w; 1934) [No.6 song hit] Ruth Etting; small orchestra [No.2 record hit for Guy Lombardo] B 15188-A (Brunswick 6892), New York, 10th May 1934 2:47 7 CLOUDS (Gus Kahn – w; 1935) [No.6 song hit] Benny Goodman (1909-1986) – clarinet, & his Orchestra: Pee Wee Erwin, Ralph

Muzillo, Jerry Neary – trumpets; Red Ballard, Jack Lacey – trombones; Toots Mondello, Hymie Schertzer, Arthur Rollini, Dick Clark – reeds; Frank Froeba – piano; George Van Eps – guitar; Harry Goodman – bass; Gene Krupa – drums; Ray Hendricks – vocal [No.16 record hit; No.5 for Ray Noble]

CO 16888-1 (Columbia 3015-D), New York, 19th February 1935 3:05

8 I’VE HAD MY MOMENTS (1934) [No.17 song hit]Django Reinhardt (1910-1953) – guitar, & Stéhane Grappelli (1908-1997) – violin; Le Quintette du Hot Club de France: Joseph Reinhardt, Pierre “Baro” Ferret – guitars; Louis Vola – bass [No.4 record hit for Eddy Duchin]

P 77538 (Ultraphone AP 1547), Paris, 11th September 1935 2:56

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9 IT’S BEEN SO LONG (Harold Adamson – w; The Great Ziegfeld, 1936 film) [No.4 song hit]Benny Goodman – clarinet, & his Orchestra: Nate Kazebier, Harry Geller, Ralph Muzzillo – trumpets; Red Ballard, Joe Harris – trombones; Hymie Schertzer, Bill DePew, Arthur Rollini, Dick Clark – reeds; Jess Stacy – piano; Allen Reuss – guitar; Harry Goodman – bass; Gene Krupa – drums; Helen Ward – vocal [No.1 record hit]96567-1 (Victor 25245), Chicago, 24th January 1936 3:25

10 YOU (Harold Adamson – w; The Great Ziegfeld, 1936 film) [No.4 song hit]Tommy Dorsey – trombone, & his Orchestra: Max Kaminsky, Sam Skolnick, Joe Bauer – trumpets; Ben Pickering, Walter Mercurio – trombones; Joe Dixon, Fred Stulce, Clyde Rounds, Sid Bloch – reeds; Dick Jones – piano; William Schaffer – guitar; Gene Traxler – bass; Dave Tough – drums; Edythe Wright – vocal [No.1 record hit]

99915-1 (Victor 25291), New York, 25th March 1936 2:48

11 DID I REMEMBER? (Harold Adamson – w; Suzy, 1936 film) [No.1 song hit]Billie Holiday (1915-1959) – vocal, & her Orchestra: Bunny Berigan – trumpet; Artie Shaw – clarinet; Joe Bushkin – piano; Dick McDonough – guitar; Pete Peterson – bass; Cozy Cole – drums [No.1 record hit for Shep Fields]

19535-1 (Vocalion 3276), New York, 10th July 1936 2:49

12 CUCKOO IN THE CLOCK (Johnny Mercer – w; 1939)Johnny Mercer (1909-1976); Benny Goodman – clarinet, & his Orchestra: Ziggy Elman, Chris Griffin, Irving Goodman – trumpets; Red Ballard, Vernon Brown – trombones; Hymie Schertzer, Noni Bernardi, Jerry Jerome, Arthur Rollini – reeds; Jess Stacy – piano; Ben Heller – guitar; Harry Goodman – bass; Buddy Schutz – drums [No.5 record hit for Kay Kyser]

BS 031874-1 (Victor 26175), New York, 1st February 1939 2:58

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13 AT SUNDOWN (1927) – 12 years later, from the famous “Great 16” sessions Muggsy Spanier (1901-1967) – cornet, & his Ragtime Band: George Brunies – trombone; Rod Cless – clarinet; Nick Caiazza – tenor sax; Joe Bushkin – piano; Bob Casey – bass; Don Carter – drums

BS 043896-1 (Bluebird B 10719, New York, 22nd November 1939 2:32

14 MY BUDDY (1922) – 17 years later, a classic jazz versionLionel Hampton (1908-2002) – vibraphone, & his Orchestra: Benny Carter – trumpet; Edmond Hall – clarinet; Coleman Hawkins – tenor sax; Joe Sullivan – piano; Freddie Green – guitar; Artie Bernstein – double-bass; Zutty Singleton – drums BS 046025-1 (Victor 26608), New York, 21st December 1939 2:44

15 MISTER MEADOWLARK (Johnny Mercer – w; 1940) Bing Crosby & Johnny Mercer; Victor Young & his Orchestra [No.18 record hit]

DLA 1985 (Decca 3182), Los Angeles, 15th April 1940 2:40 16 MY HEART AND I DECIDED (1942) Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996) & The Four Keys (Bill, Slim & Peck Furness & Ernie

Hatfield); Tommy Fulford – piano 71286-A (Decca 18530), New York, 31st July 1942 2:58

17 MY MAMMY (Sam Lewis & Joe Young – w: added in 1921 to Sinbad, a 1918 musical starring Al Jolson) [No.1 song hit in 1921] – Jolson sang it in the 1946 film, The Jolson Story

Al Jolson (1886-1950); Morris Stoloff & orchestra [million-selling No.18 record hit; a remake of his 1928 No.2; No.1 for Paul Whiteman in 1921]L 4127-A (Decca 23614), Los Angeles, 20th March 1946 2:50

18 LITTLE WHITE LIES (1930) – a big hit again 17 years later Dick Haymes (1918-1980); Four Hits & a Miss – backing vocals; Gordon Jenkins

& his Orchestra [million-selling No.2 record hit] L 4524 (Decca 24280), Los Angeles, 3rd November 1947 3:11

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19 THE DAUGHTER OF ROSIE O’GRADY (Monty Brice – w; 1918) [No.4 song hit]Gene Kelly (1912-1996) “interpreting Pat Rooney Sr.”; Carmen Dragon & his Orchestra & Chorus [No.3 record hit for Lewis James in 1918]

47S 3257-1 (MGM 30138), Los Angeles, 13th November 1947 3:16

20 LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME (Gus Kahn – w; Whoopee, 1928 musical) – Doris Day appeared as Ruth Etting in the 1955 film Love Me Or Leave Me

Doris Day (1922-2019); Percy Faith & his Orchestra [UK No.20 record hit] RHCO 33406 (Columbia CL 710 LP), 7th December 1954 2:15

21 WHAT CAN I SAY AFTER I SAY I’M SORRY? (Walter Donaldson, 1926) – 28 years later, music used in the 1955 film, Pete Kelly’s Blues Matty Matlock (1907-1978) – clarinet, & his Jazz Band (“Pete Kelly & his Big Seven”): Dick Cathcart – trumpet; Moe Schneider – trombone; Eddie Miller – tenor saxophone; Ray Sherman – piano; George Van Eps – guitar; Jud DeNaut – double-bass; Nick Fatool – drums;

RHCO 33467-3 (Columbia CL 690), 7th June 1955 2:44

22 ’TAIN’T NO SIN (To Take Off Your Skin And Dance Around In Your Bones) (Edgar Leslie – w; Elstree Calling, 1930 film) [No.15 song hit]

Chris Barber (b.1930) – trombone, & his Jazz Band: Pat Halcox – cornet; Monty Sunshine – clarinet; Dickie Bishop – banjo; Dick Smith – bass; Ron Bowden – drums; Ottilie Patterson (1932-2011) – vocal

Nixa NJE1023, London, 9th July 1956 2:27

23 MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME (Gus Kahn – w; 1930) – a big hit 57 years later Nina Simone (1933-2003) – vocal & piano; Jimmy Bond – bass; Albert “Tootie”

Heath – drums [UK No.4 record hit in 1987, 30 years on!] From Little Girl Blue (Bethlehem Records SBCP 6028), New York, December 1957

3:35

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Stan King – drums [No.12 record hit; No.2 for Ted Lewis] E 37355-A (Brunswick 6218), New York, 5th November 1931 2:58

4 YOU’VE GOT EVERYTHING (1933) [No.19 song hit] Adrian Rollini (1903-1956) – bass sax, celeste & vibes, & his Orchestra: Bunny

Berigan – trumpet; Al Philburn – trombone; Benny Goodman – clarinet; Arthur Rollini – tenor sax; Fulton McGrath – piano; Clay Bryson – guitar; Art Miller – bass; Herb Weil – drums & vocal [No.10 record hit for Jan Garber]

14147-1 (Banner 32873), New York, 16th October 1933 2:48

5 SLEEPY HEAD (Gus Kahn – w; Operator 13, 1934 film starring The Mills Brothers) [No.6 song hit]

The Mills Brothers (Donald, Herbert, Harry & John) [No.2 record hit]SF 105-A (Brunswick 6913), San Francisco, 29th March 1934 3:04

6 RIPTIDE (Gus Kahn – w; 1934) [No.6 song hit] Ruth Etting; small orchestra [No.2 record hit for Guy Lombardo] B 15188-A (Brunswick 6892), New York, 10th May 1934 2:47 7 CLOUDS (Gus Kahn – w; 1935) [No.6 song hit] Benny Goodman (1909-1986) – clarinet, & his Orchestra: Pee Wee Erwin, Ralph

Muzillo, Jerry Neary – trumpets; Red Ballard, Jack Lacey – trombones; Toots Mondello, Hymie Schertzer, Arthur Rollini, Dick Clark – reeds; Frank Froeba – piano; George Van Eps – guitar; Harry Goodman – bass; Gene Krupa – drums; Ray Hendricks – vocal [No.16 record hit; No.5 for Ray Noble]

CO 16888-1 (Columbia 3015-D), New York, 19th February 1935 3:05

8 I’VE HAD MY MOMENTS (1934) [No.17 song hit]Django Reinhardt (1910-1953) – guitar, & Stéhane Grappelli (1908-1997) – violin; Le Quintette du Hot Club de France: Joseph Reinhardt, Pierre “Baro” Ferret – guitars; Louis Vola – bass [No.4 record hit for Eddy Duchin]

P 77538 (Ultraphone AP 1547), Paris, 11th September 1935 2:56

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25 WITHOUT THAT MAN! (1931) [No.7 song hit] Ethel Waters (1896-1977); accompanied by Manny Klein – trumpet; Tommy

Dorsey – trombone; Benny Goodman – clarinet; Rube Bloom – piano; Eddie Lang – guitar [No.3 record hit for Guy Lombardo]

151614-2 (Columbia 2481-D), New York, 16th June 1931 2:52 26 YOU'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY (Smiles, 1930 musical comedy) [No.1 song hit] Nick Lucas – vocal & guitar, & his Crooning Troubadours [ No.7 record hit]

E 35404 (Brunswick 4987), New York, November 1930 3:10

Disc One total playing time = 78:10

DISC TWO (1931-1962)

1 MY BLUE HEAVEN (George Whiting – w; Ziegfeld Follies Of 1927, revue) – 10 years later, arranged by Sy OliverJimmie Lunceford (1902-1947) – clarinet & alto sax, & his Orchestra: Sy Oliver, Eddie Tomkins, Paul Webster – trumpets; Elmer Crumbley, Russell Bowles – trombones; Willie Smith, Laforet Dent, Dan Grissom, Earl Carruthers, Joe Thomas – reeds; Al Norris – violin; Edwin Wilcox – piano; Eddie Durham – guitar; Moses Allen – bass; Jimmy Crawford – drums; band trio (Oliver/Smith/Tomkins) – vocals

60274-A (Decca 712), New York, 23rd December 1935 3:12

2 THAT’S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU (1930) Jack Teagarden (1905-1964) – trombone & vocal, & his Orchestra: Fats Waller

(1904-1943) – piano & vocal; Charlie Teagarden, Sterling Bose – trumpets; Pee Wee Russell, Joe Catalyne, Max Farley, Adrian Rollini – reeds; Nappy Lamare – guitar; Artie Bernstein – bass; Stan King – drums

W 151840-1 (Columbia 2558-D), New York, 14th October 1931 3:22

3 AN EVENING IN CAROLINE (1931) [No.5 song hit] The Boswell Sisters (Connee, Martha & Vet); The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra: Bunny

Berigan – trumpet; Tommy Dorsey – trombone; Jimmy Dorsey – clarinet & alto sax; Joe Venuti – violin; Arthur Schutt – piano; Eddie Lang – guitar; Joe Tarto – bass;

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24 YOU’RE DRIVING ME CRAZY (Smiles, 1930 musical comedy) – 31 years later The Temperance Seven: Whispering Paul MacDowell – vocal; Cephas Howard –

trumpet & euphonium; John R.T. Davies – trombone & alto saxophone; Alan Cooper – clarinet, soprano saxophone & bass-clarinet; Philip Harrison – alto & baritone saxophones; Colin Bowles – piano; John Watson – banjo; Martin Fry – sousaphone; Brian Innes – drums & percussion [UK No.1 record hit]

7XCE 16724 (UK: Parlophone R 4757), London, 16th February 1961 3:53

25 MY LITTLE BIMBO DOWN ON THE BAMBOO ISLE (Grant Clarke – w; 1920) [No.9 song hit]

Clinton Ford (1931-2009); George Chisholm (1915-1997) – trombone, & his All Stars [No.6 record hit for Frank Crumit in1920]

From Clint’ Again (Oriole EP 7070), London, issued 21st December 1962 2:14

26 MY BLUE HEAVEN (George Whiting – w: Ziegfeld Follies Of 1927, revue) – 33 years later, arranged by George Siravo

Frank Sinatra (1915-1008); George Siravo & his Orchestra [UK No.33 record hit] CO 43182-1 (Columbia 38892), New York, 24th April 1950 2:25

Disc Two total playing time = 77:32

Compiled by Ray CrickAudio restoration and remastering by Martin Haskell

Chart positions: Prior to 1940 charts of the best-selling records did not exist, as they did for sheet music. The chart positions quoted here for “record hits” are those ingeniously devised from a variety of relevant sources by Joel Whitburn in his invaluable book Pop Memories 1890-1954. The chart positions for sheet music sales prior to 1950 are taken from Popular Songs of the Twentieth Century 1900-1949 by Edward Foote Gardner.

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The Songs of WALTER DONALDSON – My Blue Heaven“When whip-poor-wills call, and ev’ning is nigh, I hurry to my blue heaven . . .” Since George Whiting first wrote those evocative words getting on for a century ago, set to music by Walter Donaldson, how many millions have been cheered by that simple love song, yet perhaps never known anything of its composer? If the sheer number (more than 600) and durability of his compositions are truly weighed in the balance, the name of Walter Donaldson must rate second-to-none in the ranks of contributors to the Great American Songbook. True, the name may not carry quite the same instant cachet as, say, Berlin, Porter, Gershwin, Kern or Rodgers but the lasting quality and tunefulness of his countless hits guarantees him a place for posterity among the first class of songwriters. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on 15th February 1893, one of 11 children in a close-knit music-loving family, Walter Donaldson’s musical inclinations were at first slow to develop. His mother was a classically trained pianist and teacher, yet young Walter apparently took little interest in her piano lessons. But it wasn’t long before the urge to write songs surfaced and he taught himself to play the instrument in order to compose for school revues. He was soon demonstrating sheet music at five- and ten-cent stores and playing piano at local nickelodeon movie theatres. After a brief foray into Wall Street finance in a broker’s office, he began his professional music career as a staff pianist in Tin Pan Alley – mind you, he was fired from his first job for writing his own songs instead of plugging the firm’s! Donaldson’s first published song was Back Home In Tennessee, issued in 1915 by Waterson, Berlin & Snyder, and introduced by Al Jolson. Joining the US Army, he entertained the troops for 19 months at Camp Upton, New York, continuing to write songs and scoring a success with the waltz The Daughter Of Rosie O’Grady (disc 2, track 19 – this was a major record hit for Lewis James in 1918 and became the signature act of Broadway tap-dancing legend Pat Rooney Sr. In 1947 Gene Kelly recorded it in 1947 “interpreting Pat Rooney Sr.”). It was at Upton that Donaldson met fellow troop-entertainer Irving Berlin, who invited the younger man, on demobilisation, to join his publishing company as a composer. Almost immediately he had a million-selling smash with How Ya Gonna Keep ’Em Down On The Farm? (d1t2). If ever a song caught the spirit of the time, this was it. Celebrating the Armistice, the Hellfighters’ Regiment brass band played it at the Victory Parade in New York. Vaudeville entertainers Sophie Tucker, Eddie Cantor and Nora Bayes all performed it to great acclaim, with Bayes, heard here in 1918 sound quality, having the biggest-selling recording.

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19 JUST LIKE A MELODY OUT OF THE SKY (1928) [No.2 song hit] Gene Austin; Nat Shilkret & The Victor Orchestra [No.5 record hit] BVE 45184-2 (Victor 21454), New York, 29th May 1928 2:54

20 OUT OF THE DAWN (Warming Up, 1928 film) [No.20 song hit] Tommy Dorsey (1905-1956) – trombone, Jimmy Dorsey (1904-1957) – clarinet &

alto sax, & their Orchestra: Fuzzy Farrar, Nat Natoli – trumpets; Jack Teagarden – trombone; Arnold Brilhart, Frank Teschemacher, Herbert Spencer – reeds; Frank Signorelli – piano; Carl Kress – guitar; Hank Stern – tuba; Stan King – drums; Smith Ballew – vocal [No.8 record hit for Nat Shilkret]401170-B (Okeh 41124), New York, 29th September 1928 3:11

21 LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME (Gus Kahn – w; Whoopee, 1928 musical) [No.15 song hit] Ruth Etting; Rube Bloom – piano; Eddie Lang – guitar; unknown – violin & cello

[No.2 record hit] W 147711-2 (Columbia 1680-D), New York, 17th December 1928 3:16 22 MAKIN’ WHOOPEE! (Gus Kahn – w; Whoopee!, 1928 musical) [No.6 song hit] Eddie Cantor (1892-1964); Nat Shilkret & The Victor Orchestra [No.2 record hit] 49001-2 (Victor 21831), New York, 18th December 1928 3:06

23 MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME (Gus Kahn – w; Whoopee!, 1930 film) [No.10 song hit] Ted Weems [1901-1963] & his Orchestra; Art Jarrett – vocal [No.4 record hit] 64001-3 (Victor 22499), Camden, New Jersey, 25th July 1930 2:39

24 LITTLE WHITE LIES (1930) [No.1 song hit]Annette Hanshaw (1901-1985) & The Sizzling Syncopators: Eddie Farley – trumpet; Al Philburn – trombone; Larry Tice – clarinet; Mac Ceppos – violin; Adrian Rollini or Chauncey Gray – piano; Tommy Felline – guitar; Merrill Kline – bass [No.1 record hit for Fred Waring]

150651-2 (Harmony 1196-H), New York, 21st July 1930 2:54

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13 THERE AIN’T NO “MAYBE” IN MY BABY’S EYES (Gus Kahn & Ray Egan – w; 1926)

Whispering Jack Smith (1896-1950); Arthur Johnston – piano [No.3 record hit] BVE 36888-1 (Victor 20312), New York, 30th October 1926 2:28

14 I’VE GROWN SO LONESOME THINKING OF YOU (Paul Ash – w; 1926) [No.6 song hit]

Gene Austin; Abel Baer – piano [No.16 record hit; No.5 for Ruth Etting] BE 37500-4 (Victor 20411), New York, 4th January 1927 3:15

15 AT SUNDOWN, WHEN LOVE IS CALLING ME HOME (1927) [No.2 song hit]George Olsen (1893-1971) & his Music; Bob Borger, Fran Frey & Bob Rice – vocals [No.1 record hit]BVE 37741-4 (Victor 20476), New York, 4th February 1927 3:10

16 SAM, THE OLD ACCORDION MAN (1927) [No.2 song hit] Ruth Etting; Mario Perry – accordion; Rube Bloom – piano [No.5 record hit] W 143564-3 (Columbia 908-D), New York, 1st March 1927 3:06 17 CHANGES (1927)

Paul Whiteman & his Orchestra: Bix Beiderbecke – cornet; Henry Busse, Charlie Margulis – trumpets; Tommy Dorsey, Wilbur Hall – trombones; Jimmy Dorsey, Chet Hazlett, Hal McLean, Charles Strickfaden, Nye Mayhew – reeds; Matty Malneck, Kurt Dieteerle, Mischa Russell, Mario Perry – violins; Harry Perrella – piano; Mike Pingitore – banjo; Mike Trafficante – tuba; Steve Brown – bass; Harold McDonald – drums; The Rhythm Boys [Bing Crosby, Al Rinker, Harry Barris], Jack Fulton, Charles Gaylord, Austin Young – vocals [No.4 record hit]

BVE 40937-3 (Victor 21103), New York, 23rd November 1927 2:52

18 BECAUSE MY BABY DON’T MEAN MAYBE NOW (1928) [No.20 song hit] Ruth Etting; unknown – piano, violin & cello; [No.10 record hit] W 146346-3 (Columbia 1420-D), New York, 25th May 1928 2:35

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With the advent of the ‘Roaring 20s’, Walter Donaldson was roaring too, creating a seemingly endless flow of memorable tunes. No other composer (save possibly Ray Henderson or Irving Berlin himself) came close to rivalling his output of popular successes, and no fewer than 23 hit songs from the decade are included in our tribute. Written in 1918 and published in 1920 the first was the celebrated My Mammy (d2t17), introduced by William Frawley. It was brought to the attention of Al Jolson, who interpolated it into both his long-running show Sinbad (as he’d also done with Gershwin’s Swanee), and into a new ‘musical extravaganza’ Bombo. His white-gloved, black-faced performance, ending on his knees, became his trademark; a record hit in 1928, it became a million-seller when he rerecorded it in 1946 (as heard here) at the time when the Oscar-winning film The Jolson Story revived his career. Another big Donaldson hit in 1920 was the exuberant My Little Bimbo (d2t25), a Frank Crumit record success, although we have departed from our overall ‘contemporary performers only rule’ in this instance to eschew pre-electric sound for the vibrancy of Clinton Ford’s uproarious version with George Chisholm’s All Stars from 42 years later [N.B. To avoid drastic changes in sound quality, our whole programme largely follows the chronology of recording dates – thus this early song appears as the penultimate track]. From 1922, Donaldson worked mainly with Russian-born American lyricist and author Gus Kahn (1886-1941), and more than one vocal gem was created on the fairways through their shared love of golf. 13 songs by that partnership (from more than 100) are included here. They headed the sheet music charts with two ‘No.1s’ in 1922: the evergreen state anthem Carolina In The Morning (d1t4 – sung here by one of the 1920s’ most popular singers, Marion Harris, who had 43 hits to her credit 1916-1930), and My Buddy (d1t3 – a ‘No.1’ record for the soft-voiced tenor, Henry Burr, who notched up an amazing 164 hits 1903-1928, plus a further 108 with the Peerless Quartet! He also duets with Billy Murray on I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight? – d1t7). Donaldson dedicated My Buddy to his recently deceased fiancé, expressing his profound loss, and it was adopted my many Americans as an elegy for all the ‘buddies’ lost in the Great War. As with several others among Donaldson’s hardy perennials, we have chosen to demonstrate the longevity of My Buddy by also including a much later incarnation of the same song – in this case the classic jazz version by Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra (d2t14). Midway through the 20s Donaldson hit the jackpot again with one of the classic songs of the Charleston Era: Yes, Sir, That’s My Baby! (d1t6), which was the first No.1 record hit (of 9) for one of his great champions, the genial Texan, Gene Austin (1900-1972),

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known as “The Voice of the Southland”. He was the most popular singer of the late 20s, with 55 hits between 1925 and 1934, four of them included here – among them the biggest-selling single of all time prior to Crosby’s White Christmas: our title track, My Blue Heaven (d1t1). And it nearly didn’t happen! Donaldson had written it in 1924. Lyricist George Whiting used it in his vaudeville act, but it only gained attention when radio singer Tommy Lyman adopted it as his theme song. On 14th September 1927 Austin entered the Victor studios in New York with the intention of recording it with Nat Shilkret and the Victor Orchestra. To his dismay the musicians all packed up their instruments when the previous song was completed; there was a conflict and My Blue Heaven would have to be dropped. But Austin was determined to do it; he grabbed a cellist, Nat’s piano-playing brother Jack, and whistler Bob McGimsey who happened to be present, and this hastily assembled trio created the record that sold over five million copies. To emphasize the long-lasting significance of My Blue Heaven, we have topped and tailed CD2 with two more contrasting performances of this great song: the beaty, 1935 big-band version by Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra (d2t1), and we close with the outstanding recording Frank Sinatra made of George Siravo’s arrangement in 1950 (d2t26). Two more hits of the time, both reaching No.2 in the sheet music charts, are represented by both contemporary and later versions. What Can I Say After I Say I’m Sorry? (d1t9) was a 1926 success for Abe Lyman (who wrote the lyrics) and his California Orchestra, while “Pete Kelly and his Big Seven” (d2t21 – actually Matty Matlock and his Jazz Band; the pseudonym was adopted because of their appearance in the film Pete Kelly’s Blues) give a fine Dixieland reading from 1955. Similarly, At Sundown (d1t15) was a No.1 record hit for George Olsen and his Music in 1927, then became a jazz standard as exemplified by the magnificent Muggsy Spanier and his Ragtime Band (d2t13) in 1939. In fact, many Donaldson numbers became staple fare for jazz bands. Another example is the wonderfully comic ’Tain’t No Sin (d2t22) of 1930, heard here by Ottilie Patterson and the 1956 vintage Chris Barber Band. In 1928 Walter Donaldson left Irving Berlin to found his own publishing company, Donaldson, Douglas & Gumble. While the majority of his output were individual songs, many written for inclusion in shows or revues, that year he wrote the full score for his only Broadway musical: the hugely successful, Florenz Ziegfeld-produced, Whoopee! With lyrics by Gus Kahn, and book by William Anthony McGuire (based on Owen Davis’ play, The Nervous Wreck), this opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre, New York, in December 1928, featuring George Olsen’s dance orchestra and co-starring Ruth Etting (1896-1978) and Eddie Cantor (1892-1964) who also starred in the 1930 film version.

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6 YES, SIR, THAT'S MY BABY! (Gus Kahn – w; 1925) [No.1 song hit]Gene Austin; Billy “Uke” Carpenter – ukulele & jazz effects [No.1 record hit]B 32649-3 (Victor 19656), New York, 24th April 1925 2:46

7 I WONDER WHERE MY BABY IS TONIGHT? (Gus Kahn – w; 1925)Henry Burr & Billy Murray (1877-1954) – tenor; “assisted by Carl Mathieu” – tenor; Frank Banta – piano [No.7 record hit]33772 (Victor 19864-A), New York (?), 12th December 1925 3:16

8 THAT CERTAIN PARTY (Gus Kahn – w; 1925) [No.4 song hit] Ted Lewis (1890-1971) – vocal & clarinet, & his Band: Walter Kahn, Dave Klein –

cornets; Georg Brunis, Harry Raderman – trombones; Sol Klein – violin; Dick Reynolds – piano; Tony Gerhardi – banjo; Harry Barth – tuba; John Lucas – drums [No.8 record hit]

141415-2 (Columbia 551-D), New York, 18th December 1925 3:02

9 WHAT CAN I SAY AFTER I SAY I'M SORRY? (Abe Lyman – w; 1926)[No.2 song hit]Abe Lyman (1897-1957) & his California Orchestra; Charles Kaley – vocal [No.6 record hit]

E 17820/3 (Brunswick 3069), Chicago, 1st February 1926 2:59

10 BUT I DO, YOU KNOW I DO! (Gus Kahn – w; 1926) Ruth Etting (1897-1978); Rube Bloom – piano [No.10 record hit] W 141970-1 (Columbia 644-D), New York, 14th April 1926 2:42

11 WHERE’D YOU GET THOSE EYES? (1926) [No.4 song hit]Ted Lewis – vocal & clarinet, & his Orchestra: personnel as track 8 [No.3 record hit]

W 142272-4 (Columbia 667-D), New York, 1st June 1926 2:42

12 IT MADE YOU HAPPY WHEN YOU MADE ME CRY (1927) [No.5 song hit]Fred Waring (1900-1984) & his Pennsylvanians; Tom Waring – vocal [No.2 record hit]BVE 36571-4 (Victor 20315), Camden, New Jersey, 28th October 1926 2:59

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His 52 finest 1918-1962Lyricists other than Walter Donaldson listed in brackets

DISC ONE (1918-1931)1 MY BLUE HEAVEN (George Whiting – w; Ziegfeld Follies Of 1927, revue) [No.1

song hit]Gene Austin (1900-1972); Jack Shilkret – piano; Del Staigers – cello; Bob McGimsey – whistling [Five million selling no.1 record hit]Matrix no.: BVE 39179-1 (original record no.: Victor 20964), location: New York, recording date: 14th September 1927 3:33

2 HOW YA GONNA KEEP ’EM DOWN ON THE FARM? (After They’ve Seen Paree) (Sam Lewis & Joe Young – w; 1918) [No.1 song hit]

Nora Bayes (1880-1928); studio orchestra [No.2 record hit] 78218-1 (Columbia A 2687), New York (?), 21st December 1918 2:26

3 MY BUDDY (Gus Kahn – w; 1922) [No.1 song hit]Henry Burr (1882-1941) – tenor; Rosario Bourdon & orchestra [No.1 record hit]

26590-7 (Victor 18930), New York (?), 18th July 1922 2:47

4 CAROLINA IN THE MORNING (Gus Kahn – w; The Passing Show Of 1922, revue) [No.1 song hit]Marion Harris (1896-1944); “Carl Fenton” & orchestra [No.4 record hit; No.1 for Van & Schenck]

8747 (Brunswick 2329), New York, September 1922 2:55

5 MY BEST GIRL (1924) [No.2 song hit] Nick Lucas (1897-1982) – vocal & guitar [No.4 record hit] Brunswick 2768-A, New York, November 1924 2:58

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Both were prominent Donaldson champions. Ruth (wife of notorious Chicago gangster ‘Moe the Gimp’) was one of Broadway’s greatest torch singers, enjoying 62 record hits from 1926 to 1937. Of five Donaldson songs by her included here, the biggest hit was the one she introduced in Whoopee!, Love Me Or Leave Me (d1t21). 27 years later this was the title given to her film biography, with the part of Ruth being taken by Doris Day, whose 1955 version can also be enjoyed here (d2t20). Eddie Cantor, one of the most popular entertainers in musical comedy history, had a long association and friendship with Donaldson. He it was who made How Ya Gonna Keep ’Em Down On The Farm? a hit, for whom Yes, Sir, That’s My Baby had been written (Kahn had improvised the lyrics to the rhythm of a mechanical toy pig belonging to Cantor’s little daughter), and who ensured the immortality of My Blue Heaven by introducing it into the Ziegfeld Follies Of 1927. His iconic record of Makin’ Whoopee! (d1t22) was, like Love Me Or Leave Me, one of the greatest hits of 1929. By this time Donaldson was also writing the lyrics for more of his songs, and in 1930 he wrote both words and music for two of his most enduring gems, Little White Lies (d1t24) and You’re Driving Me Crazy (d1t26), both No.1 sheet music hits. Although the most popular contemporary recording of Little White Lies was by Fred Waring, we offer instead the irresistible charm of Annette Hanshaw and her Sizzling Syncopators. The song returned to the charts in a big way in 1947 when the velvet tones of Dick Haymes (d2t18) sold a million. You’re Driving Me Crazy appeared in the musical comedy Smiles at New York’s Ziegfeld Theater, which starred Fred Astaire. Guy Lombardo’s recording made No.1 at the time, but the most appealing of three hit versions was by “The Singing Troubadour”, guitarist Nick Lucas, who had also had a No.4 hit in 1924 with Donaldson’s My Best Girl (d1t5). Fully 31 years later the wonderful Temperance Seven (d2t24) had the surprise hit of 1961 when they memorably took You’re Driving Me Crazy to the top of the UK charts. A similarly surprising resurrection occurred with another 1930 hit. For the film version of Whoopee! Donaldson and Kahn added My Baby Just Cares For Me (d1t23), with which Ted Weems had a sizable hit. Three years later a certain Eunice Waymon was born. When she grew up and, in 1957 as “Nina Simone” (d2t23), made her first album Little Girl Blue, she included this number. 30 years on (!), Chanel No.5 perfume used the track for a UK advertising campaign . . . and in 1987 it stormed up the charts to No.4. With the advent of the talkies the lure of Hollywood proved too great, and Donaldson’s song-writing talent manifested itself in the scores of many successful screen-musicals. Among many others, the 1934 Marion Davies-Gary Cooper romance

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Operator 13 featured the unique Mills Brothers performing their No.2 hit Sleepy Head (d2t5). The Oscar-winning 1936 musical drama The Great Ziegfeld (starring William Powell as Ziegfeld) spawned not one but two No.1s by top jazz masters. Benny Goodman played It’s Been So Long (d2t9) with the “Queen of Big Band Swing” Helen Ward singing (he’s also featured here on You’ve Got Everything – d2t4, Clouds – d2t7 and Cuckoo In The Clock – d2t12), while trombonist Tommy Dorsey reached the top with You (d2t10), sung by Edythe Wright (Dorsey also appears here on Changes – d1t17 – with Paul Whiteman, Out Of The Dawn – d1t20 – and An Evening In Caroline – d2t3 – with the irrepressible Boswell Sisters). Both Goodman and Dorsey play together backing Ethel Waters on Without That Man! (d1t25). For the 1936 Jean Harlow-Cary Grant drama Suzy, Donaldson won an Oscar Nomination for his great song Did I Remember? (d2t11). Oddly it was Shep Fields and his Rippling Rhythm that took the top record spot, but far more worthwhile to modern ears is this contemporary version by the immortal Billie Holiday, backed by a sextet that included Bunny Berigan and Artie Shaw. With the outbreak of World War II, Donaldson, by now happily married and settled with a family in Santa Monica, entertained and actively participated in United Service Organizations. He regularly opened his home to recuperating servicemen and women on leave. But this most prolific of composers never stopped writing – he was never without his notebook, day or night. He often teamed up with younger lyricists, such as Johnny Mercer (Cuckoo In The Clock and Mister Meadowlark – d2t15, for which Mercer is joined by Bing Crosby). But tastes were changing and none of his many later songs made significant impact. The latest included here is My Heart And I Decided (d2t16), sung by Ella Fitzgerald. Donaldson had always led a hectic schedule, living life to the full – he has been described as: “a connoisseur of life, love and harmony” – and this eventually took its toll after the war when his health failed. Walter Donaldson died at Santa Monica,California, on 15th July 1947, at the modest age of 54 (the same age at which his partner Gus Kahn had died six years earlier). He was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 1970. Critics may on occasion have censured Walter Donaldson for a lack of profundity in his work; the songs all tend to be characteristically light-hearted or sentimental. But, as Paul McCartney sang in Silly Love Songs, “What’s wrong with that?”. Donaldson wrote an extraordinary number of the best light-hearted, sentimental songs of all time – songs that have never gone away. Let’s enjoy them. “. . . Just Mollie and me, and baby makes three; we’re happy in my blue heaven”.

© 2020 Ray Crick


His 52 finest ==============

Ruth Etting

Gene Austin

Benny Goodman

Tommy Dorsey

Bing Crosby

Frank Sinatra

Ella Fitzgerald

Doris Day

Nick Lucas

Johnny Mercer

and many more . . .

2 CDs

his 52 finest

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