Fred Waring: "In My Arms"

If you're a fan of old time radio you simply MUST pick up the (almost complete) collection of "Command Performance" episodes. Smarmy at times and often sounding somewhat rushed to air, it featured ALL of the best-known and best-loved performers of the era, spitting out strings of silly GI mailbag names, along with heavily scripted puns about killing Hilter and Tojo.

The music in "Command Performance" is particularly good, with at least one gem per show. During the special "Broadway edition" of December 21, 1943 the gem is provided by Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians in the form of a song called "In My Arms."

I don't know how other people arranged this Frank Loesser wartime waltz, but Fred Waring has packed it full of disconnected vocals and that odd "funny frog-voice" that you often hear in novelty songs of this time. Since one of the dialects is a silly Irishman I suppose this counts as a St. Patrick's Day treat.

I've put an mp3 of the song here for your puzzled, kitsch-hungry enjoyment.

That song link is bound to disappear eventually, probably two months after this posting. Get it while it's hot!

Ye Olde Novelty Songs: "A Bird in a Gilded Cage"

In honour of the gold rush demimondes that I'm reading so much about, here's a song they were known to sing in the far-north dance halls at the turn of the century: "A Bird in a Gilded Cage." Picture them decked out in diamonds, gold nuggets, and silk, illuminated by gaslight, surrounded by dirty and horny (but rich) men and performing until 5am. Amazing, beautiful, and terrible.

The singer is the largely forgotten Beatrice Kay who was known for her authentic reinterpretations of songs from that period. This comes from her "Gay Nineties" album, which has no date on it, but I bet it was recorded in the late '50s. There are many contradictory stories about why her voice sounds like that, most involving injury or illness.

PS: Visitors from the future, this link is bound to break eventually.

I was ALMOST Elected Governor of Massachusetts!

Jon Whitney just told me that people in Massachusetts are driving around with a "Don't blame me, I voted for Muffy" bumper sticker on their cars.

Apparently I got 44% of the vote in last year's gubernatorial race...and I didn't even know the issues! I didn't attend a single debate, I didn't raise funds, and I need to look back-and-forth several times between open web browsers before I can figure out how to spell "Massachusetts."

I'm going to re-ignite my campaign right now, and I'll start by giving the people exactly what they want: a recording of Joan Davis singing -- you guessed it -- "Massachusetts." You'll love it! You'll love me! You'll even build me a Governor's mansion!

PS: I now consider Jon to be my personal campaign advisor, as he's already getting me up to speed with the American political process. He just taught me that it's not a "Governor's race" (as I posted yesterday) but is, in fact, a "gubernatorial race," which sounds like a joke but it isn't!

Next up: Fahrenheit-to-Celsius conversion.

Ye Olde Novelty Songs: "Slow Poke" by Arthur Godfrey

I listen to a lot of old time radio so I'm bound to hear a lot of weird mid-century novelty songs. Occasionally I get a yen to share a particularly strange one.

So here's Arthur Godfrey singing "Slow Poke," which was apparently a big hit for him in the '50s. This was actually recorded sometime during the late '60s or early '70s -- hence the distinctive reverb -- and I think the guy singing with him was named "Cy." He was probably one of the ex-"Little Godfreys."

"Slow Poke" was actually a pretty popular song -- read about it here -- and it was covered by anybody and everybody. But nobody could sing a weird song like Arthur Godfrey, probably because he was such a creepy guy to begin with.

To future visitors: the link to the song will probably break in a month or two.

Radio Curiosities: "Dinah"

I'm going to start an informal tradition of posting notable or odd songs that I come across while listening to old radio programs. I already have seven CDs chock full of discoveries -- so I'll never run short of material -- but I'm always finding new stuff that makes me say "wow!"

Today's offering is "Dinah," broadcast on November 29, 1942, during the "Command Performance" show. Notable in its ability to draw the biggest names, "Command Performance" is a great place to dig up musical gems from the past.

"Dinah" is an old standby, but take a look at the performers on this version:

• Tommy Dorsey: Trombone
• Count Basie: Piano
• Lionel Hampton: Vibraphone
• Spike Jones: Drums
• Dinah Shore: Vocals

How often do you think THOSE people got together to jam? Throw in Bob Burns playing his "bazooka" and you have a performance simultaneously sublime and ridiculous.