Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 244 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl. 

 

Most times when the Longines Symphonette Society put out albums, we had no idea who the musicians were. But sometimes they did give us all the information. And it’s even rarer when they cram an album full of star singers.

 

THIS is one of those albums.

 

These Decca recording artists are still some of the best known. The songs, pure pop gold from the 1930s through 50s.

 

So, get ready to hear a few memorable singers performing memorable songs in Volume 244: Big Band Vocals.

 

 

[Music: It’s De-Lovely]

 

 

Ethel Merman and Fairchild and Carroll and Their Orchestra–It’s De-Lovely

This recording was released in 1936, the same year she sang it with Bob Hope in the Cole Porter musical Red Hot and Blue.

 

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

 

Quite frankly, there’s some really good tunes on here. That first one has been sung by many great artists over the years and I’ve always loved listening to it. The next tune is one of my all time favorites and a song I try to never skip if it’s on an album.

 

I will be skipping a couple of big names from this record as I’m sticking to my customary six songs from the record, but if you get a chance, Bing sings Moonlight Becomes You, Nat King Cole And His Trio perform Sweet Lorraine, plus Rudy Vallee, the Ink Spots and Perry Como make appearances.

 

I think this is just one of the nicest compilations from Longines that I have heard in my dad’s collection.

 

So, where is it we want to go next?

 

 

[Music: Over The Rainbow]

 

 

Judy Garland With Victor Young And His Orchestra– Over The Rainbow

written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg

Released September 1939. This was the Hit song. It was first recorded for the Wizard of Oz.

By the way, this song has been recorded 2,023 times according to Second Hand Songs dot com.

 

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

 

Various Artists – The Great Vocalists Of The Big Band Era

Label: Longines Symphonette Society – SY 5207, Decca – DL 734665

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Stereo, Gloversville press

Released: Of course we don’t know. See above label mentioning Longine Symphonette and how we’ve covered that before.

Genre: Jazz, Stage & Screen

Style: Big Band

 

We will hear 6 of the 14 songs from this record.

 

The liner notes aren’t too long, but I’m even going to skip over the lines about the specific tunes.

 

The best known voices in the world belong to our great vocalists. The sound of a crosby, a coal or a Garland on records draws smiles of recognition from people in distant lands where Hollywood movie stars speak only in dubbed and alien tongues, and American presidents are not heard to speak at all.

 

I’m sorry, I couldn’t hold my laughter after that last line.

 

 A great vocalist is one who pours so much of himself, or herself, into a performance that it is impossible to tell where the singer ends and the song begins. A great vocalist is instantly recognizable, highly original, and consistent. Although many of the 14 vocalists and groups in this extraordinary collection are represented by the Numbers they are most closely identified with, none of them are one shot flashes. Their careers are all bright with frequent hits, increasing popularity, and the rare ability to transcend time and reach out to new generation of fans.

 

 and after explaining all of the songs that you will hear on the album it concludes with, there you have the hit vocal recordings of the 30s, 40s and 50s that say the most to us today. They’ll still sound great 10 or 20 years from now!

 

 How about 60? 

 

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

 

$4.44 High

$0.65 Low

 

$2.33 Average

$2.05 Median

 

Last sold on May 16, 2025 for $1.38 or 1.19 Euros.

 

My dad’s record is in poor condition. You’ve already heard lots of crackling and popping.

 

The surface certainly shows lots of marks and small scratches. It was well loved.

 

The cover is also in poor condition. Not as bad as some of my dad’s record covers, but lots of small wear marks all over the edges. There are plenty of tiny spots dotting the front cover.

 

There is the word Posted stamped on the back, but no other marking, including no address label on the front.

 

So I will value my dad’s vinyl at 75 cents.

 

Next up is a slightly longer version than the first time we heard this song back in season one. Check out Volume 21: Remember How Great? For the full story on this song from this singer.

 

 

[Music: My Heart Belongs To Daddy]

 

 

Mary Martin with Eddy Duchin and His Orchestra-My Heart Belongs To Daddy

written by Cole Porter

This recording was released in 1939. Martin also was the original singer for the musical Leave It to Me! which premiered on November 9, 1938.

 

Since this is a compilation disk, we will not stop for a bio, so let’s get on the bus with the First Lady of Jazz.

 

 

[Music: A-Tisket A-Tasket]

 

 

Ella Fitzgerald With Chick Webb And His Orchestra–A-Tisket A-Tasket

written by Van Alexander and Ella Fitzgerald

It was released in June 1938.

She reprised that song with the Merry Macs for the 1942 Abbot and Costello movie Ride ‘Em Cowboy.

 

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with that quick reference I just made to Ella singing that song on a bus.

 

When Ride ’Em Cowboy was being made in 1941–42, Abbott & Costello were Universal’s hottest comedy team, and the studio liked to sprinkle their movies with musical interludes to broaden the appeal. That opened the door for jazz and swing performers to get screen exposure.

 

Ella Fitzgerald, at that point, was already well established as the “First Lady of Swing” with Chick Webb’s band and as a solo artist, but she didn’t yet have many opportunities in Hollywood. Universal brought her in to do “A-Tisket, A-Tasket,” the song she had made into a national hit in 1938 with Webb’s orchestra. It gave the film a built-in hit tune and gave Ella one of her very first significant film appearances.

 

Her role was short, and like many African American performers of the time, she wasn’t woven into the plot — she just appeared as herself on the bus with the Merry Macs. That way, theaters in parts of the country that resisted integrated casts could, if they wished, cut her scene without breaking the storyline. Unfortunately, that was common practice in the 1940s.

 

Still, even though it was a cameo, Ella’s appearance in Ride ’Em Cowboy helped preserve her youthful style on film. And it’s one of the very few times we get to see her performing one of her early signature songs in a feature movie.

 

I also just found a great version Ella performing the Cream tune Sunshine Of Your Love from a TV show. Check it out. I’ll drop the link into the show’s liner notes. And yes, scat belongs in one the greatest rock tunes ever written.

 

Next up. The pronunciation of the title of this song has long been a disagreement between my girlfriend and me. But we’ve only ever heard it played as an instrumental. You will now hear that I was right all along.

 

 

[Music: Ciribirbin]

 

 

But even after hearing this, Karen still thinks it’s Chilly Billy Bean.

 

Pearl Bailey – Orchestra directed by Don Redman – Ciribirbin

written by Harry James and Jack Lawrence from music by Alberto Pestalozza and Carlo Tiochet

Released September 1954.

The song was first recorded by Ardito e Torre November 1910. Of course Harry James made it his theme song.

 

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

 

I remember playing pretty much every song from this record when I was on the air at WBBG in Cleveland in the early 1980s. So it definitely brought back plenty of great memories for me.

 

There were other great tunes I didn’t get to, but I have played Peggy Lee With Gordon Jenkins And His Orchestra performing Lover before. I always loved how the band is playing twice the tempo Peggy is singing.

 

I don’t think I remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

 

It’s a young couple on a balcony. She’s leaning into him. There are pink flowers of some sort, but it’s hard to tell as the entire cover art is broken up by small white line patterns. Very disturbing to the eye.

 

In the upper right quarter of the cover is the words The Longines Symphonette Society proudly presents The Great Vocalists of the Big Band Era. It’s in three different size and color serif fonts.

 

The back cover is half filled with the liner notes and half filled with photos of half a dozen of the artists.

 

And that’s it. Pretty standard for Longines.

 

By the way, if you’re a regular viewer of the video version of this show, or may have an astute ear, yes! I have moved. I’m in slightly smaller digs and I still haven’t gotten everything set up as you can see from the bare shelves behind me.

 

And why I’m unshaven since I can’t find my razor.

 

Now to close with a song I closely relate to my parents and their dating years.

 

 

[Music: Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)]

 

 

The Andrews Sisters With Vic Schoen And His Orchestra–Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)

written by Charles Tobias and Lew Brown

This version was released in May 1942.

 

First recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra – Vocal Refrain by Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke and The Modernaires on February 18, 1942. They didn’t leave much room between versions back in those days. In fact six versions of that song were recorded in 1942.

 

And there you have selections from a great compilation of some great singers.

 

So thanks for tuning into Volume 244: Big Band Vocals

 

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

 

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops 

 

FOR Volume 245: Jump With Sammy

 

Until then,

Go with the flow my friends.