'Clouds' and 'Lost in a Fog'

This is a companion piece to a post on the main blog in which I discuss Les Brown's 1952 LP Musical Weather Vane, along with two other Brown albums.

The record in question had songs about the weather, two of which were not familiar to me. So I decided to dig up a couple of original recordings in the fond hope that a few readers might share my curiosity.

The good news is that the two songs are quite good and the artists involved are very distinguished. So it makes a nice if brief program.

Connie Boswell Is 'Lost in a Fog'

Connie Boswell

This is the earlier of the two recordings, but not by much. It's a 1934 solo outing for Connie Boswell of the Boswell Sisters. She started making records on her own in 1931 while continuing with the group, which broke up in 1936. Connie changed the spelling of her name to Connee at some point later on.

"Lost in a Fog" is perfectly suited to Connie's smoky contralto, and she is entirely convincing in the number, accompanied by Jimmie Grier's orchestra. It was the inspiration of lyricist Dorothy Fields and composer Jimmy McHugh.

It's a fine song that was recorded by quite a number of artists in 1934 - Rudy Vallée, Jane Froman, the Dorseys, Chick Bullock complete with his Levee Loungers, and others - but it soon faded from view and has only been sporadically heard since then.

Ray Noble and Al Bowlly Are Lost in the 'Clouds'

Connie Boswell also recorded 1935's "Clouds," but our selection today comes from Great Britain.

The English bandleader Ray Noble made a huge number of records with vocalist Al Bowlly. Just to confuse things, these are sometimes by the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra and sometimes by the Ray Noble Orchestra - even for the same record. If I recall correctly, Al also is sometimes uncredited. This particular HMV pressing of "Clouds" is by Noble and band, with Al credited.

Al Bowlly with Ray Noble and Orchestra

The song is by another well known songwriting team - Gus Kahn for the words and Walter Donaldson for the music. It's a very good piece that fell out of favor immediately and has only been revived on occasion.

The chart for this one is very much of its time, with choppy phrasing and not much flow. Bowlly was known for his sincerity and emotional immediacy, but here the greasepaint is showing just a little. Well worth hearing, though.

The sound on both records came up very nicely.

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'Gloria' and 'It's Too Soon to Know' - Two R&B Classics

"Gloria" and "It's Too Soon to Know" are two R&B masterworks that vocalist Ronnie Deauville covered in the late 1940s - and quite well. His recordings are in a new set devoted to the singer on my main blog.

This post presents the original versions of those songs, as well as - in the case of "Gloria" - a slightly later reinterpretation.

Gloria

Bob Hayward

"Gloria" was the handiwork of songwriter-producer Leon René, who released it twice on his Exclusive label. First was in 1946 by the talented crooner Bob Hayward, backed by a Buddy Baker ensemble. When that disc didn't take off, René turned to one of his most popular acts, Johnny Moore's Three Blazers, here with a mannered vocal by pianist Charles Brown. 

The Mills Brothers (not in this set) actually did well with the song, at about the same time that Deauville recorded it with Ray Anthony.

But the classic version of "Gloria" was not issued until 1954, and then in a somewhat altered form. This record was by the Cadillacs, a doo-wop vocal group. Lead singer Earl Carroll kept the earnest sincerity of the original tune, while using his expressive falsetto to emphasize the plaintive lyrics, "It's not Marie" and "It's not Cherie." The group also added a new B-section to the song, of uncertain origin. Because the record was a hit, this altered composition became the standard version, imitated for years by other doo-wop groups.

The Cadillacs (clockwise from top left): Earl Carroll, James "Papa" Clark,
Johnny "Gus" Willingham, Bobby Phillips, and (in the center) Laverne Drake

It's Too Soon to Know

"It's Too Soon to Know" was written by Deborah Chessler for a group she managed, the Orioles, who, like the Cadillacs, were gifted with a charismatic lead singer, Sonny Til. The song was first issued on the Natural label in 1948. But then the National label complained about both this new entity's name and its blue label, which matched National's own. So the Orioles' song was switched over to the Jubilee label.

The Orioles: (top row) Alexander Sharp, George Nelson,
Sonny Til; (bottom row) Tommy Gaither, Johnny Reed 

"It's Too Soon to Know"  has much in common with "Gloria" - the inner monologue ("Does she love me? / It's too soon to know"), and its vulnerability and sincerity. It's sometimes called an early doo-wop song, and it does have some aspects of that style, although it also was influenced by the already-established Ink Spots and Mills Brothers.

The Ravens: (from left) Jimmy Ricks, Maithe Marshall,
Leonard Puzey, Warren Suttles

The set has one additional version of "It's Too Soon to Know," by a popular quartet with another avian name, the Ravens. The group was unusual in that it featured a bass singer, the hugely talented Jimmy Ricks. He does have a chorus here, but tenor Maithe Marshall is otherwise the lead.

This version is from the original National 78, which was not well recorded. The reissues I have heard are either an alternate take or a remake.

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Songs from 'Big Dance Tonite' - The Original Recordings

Bandleader Jerry Gray is heavily identified with the "Glenn Miller sound," but his early 1950s band had a much wider repertoire than the Miller hits. This post looks into the varied original recordings of four of the songs on one of Jerry's LPs - 1955's Big Dance Tonite, which is newly posted on the main blog. 

The four songs presented here range from a 1917 hit to two Spanish language songs to a 1953 R&B number by blues master Little Walter. Details on each follow.

Tony Sbarbaro, Edwin "Daddy" Edwards, Nick LaRocca, Larry Shields, Henry Ragas

The earliest number is by the sensation of that year, the Original Dixieland Jazz (originally Jass) Band, with their version of the Shelton Brooks favorite, "The Darktown Strutters' Ball." It's a song with familiar lyrics, but here (and on Jerry Gray's record) it's an instrumental. To modern ears the ODJB's sound seems raucous, but 109 years ago people loved it because it was new.

Maria Grever, José Mojica

Much different is the next song, the tango "Juramé" (Promise Me), written by the Mexican composer Maria Grever and recorded by tenor José Mojica with orchestra in 1927. The talented Mojica was to go on to star with the Chicago Civic Opera and in films. Grever's best known song is "What a Difference a Day Makes."

Enric Madriguera

A second Spanish language selection comes from the orchestra of Barcelona native Enric (Enrique) Madriguera. The song is his well known "Adíos." In its first appearance for the Spanish language trade, it was called "Adíos Linda Morena" (Goodbye, Pretty Brunette). Madriguera, who made a couple hundred records for Columbia in the 1930s, actually recorded both English and Spanish language versions of the song within a few weeks of one another in 1931. This set contains the disc aimed at the Hispanic market, with a vocal by Guty Cárdenas. (The vocalist on the English recording was an uncredited Smith Ballew.)

We also have "Adíos" in Madriguera's smooth 1947 instrumental version done for the short-lived Majestic label.

Little Walter

Switching styles again, let's move to the south side of Chicago and hear blues luminary Little Walter (Jacobs) and his 1953 hit version of "Off the Wall." The sound on this Checker recording is frankly ill-balanced and just plain loud - showing that things had not changed much from the ODJB's blare 35 years earlier.

"Off the Wall" was the subject of a War Between the Walters about authorship - one one side, Little Walter and on the other, fellow blues harpist Walter Horton (sometimes called Big Walter). Big claimed Little stole the song from him.

Jerry Gray duly credited Little Walter with the piece, and it's the latter's version that we hear to complete this brief collection.

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Maggie Teyte with Two Berlioz Songs

Maggie Teyte

Maggie Teyte (1888-1976), remembered as a sensitive purveyor of art songs, had an unusual career that encompassed opera, music hall and a later specialization in French song.

Born Margaret Tate in Wolverhampton, the "Teyte" spelling was adopted later on when the French insisted on mispronouncing her real name - or so the story goes.

After her debut in 1906, she was featured in productions involving such eminences as Claude Debussy, Reynaldo Hahn and Thomas Beecham. She then spent 1911-19 in the US. A few years after returning to Britain, she married and retired for several years.

Her 1930 comeback was fitfully successful, so she resorted to appearances in music hall and variety shows.

In 1936, her recording of Debussy with Alfred Cortot achieved some success, and soon she was identified with French art song.

This leads us to today's selections - two songs from Berlioz's cycle Les Nuits d'été, recorded in London in 1940. This post is a companion to the 1950 recording of the full cycle by Suzanne Danco with the Cincinnati Symphony and Thor Johnson, which is new on the main blog.

English critics were in love with her singing. Here is Alec Robertson of The Gramophone comparing Danco with Teyte: "Many of us will have the record of Maggie Teyte’s exquisite singing of the second and fourth of these songs [from Les Nuits d'été] and, fine artist though she is, Suzanne Danco simply cannot invest the songs with the sensuous beauty and charm of the incomparable Maggie Teyte."

Dame Maggie (she was made a Dame Commander in 1958) sang only "Absence" and "La Spectre de la rose" from the Berlioz set. Her accompaniment is by the London Philharmonic under conductor Leslie Heward. This transfer is from slightly gritty HMV pressings of the time.

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Dame Clara Butt Sings Elgar

Dame Clara Butt

The most renowned English contralto was Dame Clara Butt (1872-1936), who had a close association with the composer Sir Edward Elgar. As mentioned in a post on the main blog, she asked Elgar to transpose and orchestrate his Sea Pictures song cycle for her use, and she gave the premiere performance.

But the Elgar work most associated with her was the patriotic song "Land of Hope and Glory," which uses as its chorus the trio section of Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance" March No. 1.

Dame Clara was so closely linked with the song that an early biographer claimed that she suggested it to the composer. That does not seem to be true, although she was the first to perform the work. There's also another story that it was King Edward VII who told Elgar that the "Pomp and Circumstance" theme would make a great song. Whether the King did or didn't do so, the composer went on to employ the melody in his Coronation Ode in the King's honor, using words by A.C. Benson. When the coronation itself was postponed, Dame Clara began to use the setting as a separate song.

To say that she became associated with the work would be an understatement. Her online discography suggests that she recorded it 10 times! Today we have a 1915 recording for you, made during wartime for no doubt patriotic purposes. The orchestra is conducted by Arthur Godfrey (not, I hasten to add, the television host).

Butt's singing is like nothing you would hear today. For one thing, her voice is enormous - and enormously powerful, with a pronounced vibrato that is under perfect control. Her voluminous tones make the orchestra sound anemic. For another, her elastic sense of time would amaze today's listeners. At "Make thee mightier again" she just about brings proceedings to a complete halt. It's more like "Make thee. Mightier. Again."

The sound from the HMV pressing is very good for the period. The orchestra wheezes, as they tended to do in acoustic recordings, but Dame Clara is clear as a nice summer's day.

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The 1944 Christmas Seal Radio Spots

I don't know how long Christmas Seals put out messages for use on radio, but this is probably the earliest set of spot announcements I have seen. It's from 1944 and it comes to us from Ernie of Christmas sharity fame, who found it on Internet Archive.

These spots were pressed on a transcription disc that was then sent to radio stations for potential public series airplay. 

Today if we were to hear such a message, we would probably expect it to come from a pop celebrity. But back then, the idea was to have authoritative voices make the appeal. The messages came from men who were well known from being on radio - reporters, commentators and announcers one and (almost) all.

Nor were the spots personal in nature - there were no individual stories or appeals to the heart. The closest approach was a mention that Frédéric Chopin died of tuberculosis at 39.

1944 Christmas Seal Campaign Label

The personalities heard on the record have faded from our collective memory. I was born less than five years after these spots were recorded, and I recognized just a handful of the names. Sic transit gloria mundi.

Here are a few words about each of the participants. The spots are only 20-30 seconds long, so read fast.

John Nesbitt, Raymond Gram Swing, Fulton Lewis, Jr.

John Nesbitt

John Nesbitt (1910-60) created, wrote and narrated the radio show The Passing Parade, which later became a series of MGM short subjects.

Raymond Gram Swing

Raymond Gram Swing (1887-1968) was one of the most influential news commentators of his era. He broadcast from Britain during World War II.

Fulton Lewis, Jr.

Fulton Lewis, Jr. (1903-66) was a conservative American radio broadcaster from the 1930s to the 1960s. At his  peak, he was heard on more than 500 radio stations.

Bob Hawk, Milton Cross, Red Barber

Bob Hawk

Bob Hawk (1907-89) was an radio quizmaster and comic who helped popularize "man in the street” interviews.

Milton Cross

Milton Cross (1897-1975) was an American radio announcer best known as the host of the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts for several decades. He wrote many books on music.

Red Barber

Red Barker (1908-92) was a former sportswriter who became the announcer for the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers and then the New York Yankees.

Robert St. John, Clifton Fadiman, Phil Baker

Robert St. John

Robert St. John (1902-2003) was a journalist and broadcaster who was an NBC war correspondent in London when this was recorded.

Clifton Fadiman

Clifton Fadiman (1904-99) was an author, editor, and radio and television personality. He was the host of a popular quiz show, Information, Please!, from 1938 to 1948.

Phil Baker

Phil Baker (1896-1963) was a comedian and radio emcee. Baker had also been in vaudeville, wrote songs and played the accordion. He was hosting radio's Take or Leave It at the time of these spots.

Ralph Edwards, Parks Johnson, Deems Taylor

Ralph Edwards

Ralph Edwards (1913-2005) was a radio personality who would become best known as the host of This Is Your Life, first on radio and then television. He was on Truth or Consequences at the time.

Parks Johnson

Parks Johnson (1891-1970), was a radio personality who created Vox Pop, the first radio quiz show.

Deems Taylor

Deems Taylor (1885-1966) was a well-known composer, music critic and commentator. His music has appeared on the main blog.

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A Tony Martin Christmas

The great singer Tony Martin did not record many Christmas records, but most of the ones he did make are unusual in their interest.

For this post - suggested by reader musicman1979 - we go back almost to the beginning of Martin's career, and continue to 1956. There are seven selections in all. They are from my collection and that of Christmas music maven Ernie Haynes, whom I thank once again.

In 1941, the Decca label had Tony record two songs by classical composers that are remarkably fine and almost unknown today. Neither were written for popular singers, but even so Martin was fully up to the challenges they present. 

"Christmas Candle" is by American composer-pianist Eleanor Remick Warren, setting a circa 1920 poem by Kate Louise Brown. The poetry is dated, but the song nonetheless is effective in Tony's committed performance.

The other side of the 78 is just as interesting. It is "Nazareth" by the 19th century French composer Charles Gounod, here with English words by Henry F. Chorley and presumably an arrangement by bandleader David Rose. This is a gorgeous melody that is seldom heard today. The vocalist again is fully engaged.

In 1947, Tony's holiday offering was much more relaxed and far better known today - the new "Christmas Song" from Mel Tormé and Robert Wells. Martin's genial performance, backed by Earle Hagen, is just right.

Moving ahead to 1954, Tony contributed a version of "Silent Night" to RCA Victor's Christmas LP To Wish You a Merry Christmas. I haven't found a singles release for this performance. For this number and all succeeding items, Henri René was the conductor. The complete Victor LP is available on my other blog, newly remastered. (It is at the end of a post devoted to the Voices of Walter Schumann.)

RCA's 1955 Christmas lineup - click to enlarge

In 1955, Victor had Tony record two new and very lively songs by famed songwriters. "Christmas in America" is just the kind of material that lyricist Sammy Cahn did well, here aided by a skillful Hal Borne melody.

Paul Francis Webster and Ben Oakland contributed "Christmas in Rio," a fun number that makes a apt companion for the Cahn-Borne song. Neither became standards, but they are well worth your time.

I hate to end on a somber note, but these numbers are presented in chronological order. The final song is the plaintive "Lonely Winter," a 1956 piece by Aaron Schroeder and Ben Weisman. It demonstrates one more aspect of Martin's versatility as a singer - from classics to torch songs, he did it all.

Thanks again to Ernie for the assistance and to musicman1979 for the idea!

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