Martha Tilton - "A Little Jive Is Good For You"

Martha Tilton sings in this soundie from 1941 called "A Little Jive Is Good For You".  The soundie is set in the waiting room outside a doctors office with the hilarious Slate Brothers as patients. The music is by Ben Pollack and His Orchestra.

What do you think of Martha Tilton singing "A Little Jive Is Good For You" ? Please comment.

Betty Hutton - "Murder, He Says"

Jive talk was the slang language of the 1930's and 1940's. Here is video clip with some of the expressions from the swing era.

Betty Hutton sings the song "Murder, He Says" in which she is rather annoyed with the way her lover speaks when they get into an intimate situation.

According to the YouTube poster this clip is from "November 1943 for the Armed Forces Radio Service show "Command Performance" (episode 92)". I suspect that this video clip appeared in the movie Strictly G.I.

Films like Strictly G.I. were made to boost the morale for the American troupes in World War II.

What do you think of Betty Hutton belting out "Murder, He Says"? Please comment.

Louis Jordan - Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby

According to Wikipedia, the musician Louis Jordan was born on July 8th in 1908. One of his most known songs that he performed was Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby.

Above you see him play and sing it in the movie Follow the Boys from 1944.

"Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" have been sung by many artists. Do you have a favorite version?

What do you think of the video clip with Louis Jordan? Please comment.

The Rhythm Club in Natchez burns down

Last Tuesday I djed at Cats Corner. I played a lot of styles of swing music, so hopefully everybody got some songs that they liked. When I dj I almost never leave the dj booth to dance, djing gets my full attention. However, I couldn't resist to dance two songs with the lovely Miss J.

One particular song I played during the night was "That Night" by Swing Session from their selfentitled album.

"That Night" is a slow and groovy song with fictional story based on a real event: the night when the Rhythm Club in Natchez burned down April 23, 1940 killing many people.

I've found a blog post that gives you much more info on what went down that night in Natchez. Check it out.

What do you think of "That Night"? Please comment.

Dorothy Dandridge & Paul White: A Zoot Suit (For My Sunday Gal)

Here is a funny video clip with Dorothy Dandridge & Paul White performing the song A Zoot Suit (For My Sunday Gal). According to the poster on Youtube, it's from a 1942 soundie. Source?

I sometimes dj the Bill Elliott version of this song from the soundtrack of the film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge.

What do you think of the video clip with Dorothy Dandridge? Please comment.

Hit That Jive Jack with Joe Carroll

Hit that jive, Jack is one of the classic swing songs. The song is written by Johnny Alston and Skeets Tolbert. Just like Route 66, it was a big hit by the Nat King Cole Trio but here is another version by jive talking Joe Caroll on vocals from a soundie.

According to the post on Youtube the band is called "The Tramp Band". The post continues:

This is from 1943; personnel should be identical or similar to their scene in Stormy Weather: Carroll and Pinky Johnson up front, Nick Aldrich piano, Johnny Cousin guitar, Ebenezer Paul bass, Willie Jones drums, Alvis Cowans washboard. Female dancer Nicky O'Daniel played Caldonia in Louis Jordan's film Caldonia a couple years later.

Anyone who can confirm this?

Also, it seems to be hard to find information about the composers Johnny Alston and Skeets Tolbert. Do you know where to find more info about them?

What do you think of the video clip with Joe Carroll singing Hit That Jive Jack? Please comment.

Route 66: Bobby Troup + Nat King Cole

Route 66 is one of the classic swing songs. I bet you have sung this one time or another:

"Get your kicks on Route 66"

Many people don't know that the song was written by a man called Bobby Troup. Most people associate Route 66 with Nat King Cole because he was the first artist to record the song in 1946.

I thought it would be interesting to hear how the composer would perform the song, so here is Bobby Troup performing Route 66.

You can then compare it with how Nat King Cole and his trio played Route 66 below.



As I'm often is involved with rigging bands on Swingkatten's dance nights I could help noticing the look of the microphones: so small.

I wonder why they made microphones like that then and also why we don't see such microphones nowadays. It must be techical reasons why they changed the look or could it be astaetics as well?

Nowadays you mostly see Shure SM58s (ok, you non technical types can roll your eyes now... ;-) ). Is there anyone who know the history of microphones?

What do you think of the different versions of Route 66? Please comment.

I've got a Gal in Kalamazoo: Orchestra Wives

I've got a Gal in Kalamazoo is a song that I think sometimes come out a little bit flat when I hear it on a recording, but that is not the case here in this scene from the 1942 movie Orchestra Wives.

You actually get two different but equally great versions (in their own way). First out is one with Glenn Miller's band in the background. In the film the name is somewhat modified to Gene Morrison's band, probably good for the budget so you don't have to change all the GM initials on the drums and the other things.

The real focus is however on the singers Tex Beneke and Marion Hutton and the vocal group The Modernaires.

The second version features the fabulous tap dancing Nicholas Brothers. I think their tap dancing influences their singing because I really like how they phrase the words. I think that kind of phrasing is of the same kind as the rhythms they create when they dance.

And, wow, who wouldn't like to be athletic like them? Those splits... :)

I've featured the Nicholas Brothers before on my blog.

What do you think of the two versions of I've got a Gal in Kalamazoo? Tell me.

Peggy Lee - Why Don't You Do Right?

"Why Don't You Do Right?" is a classic swing song that is a favorite of mine. The most classic recording of that song was done by Benny Goodman's orchestra featuring singer Peggy Lee. Enjoy Peggy Lee's version of "Why Don't You Do Right?".

According to the YouTube poster, this scene comes from a film called Stage Door Canteen from 1943.

What do you think of the video clip with Peggy Lee singing Why Don't You Do Right? Tell me.

Easter Parade: Fred Astaire drums and tap dances

Since it's easter right now, I find it appropriate to show a video clip from the movie Easter Parade from 1948 starring Fred Astaire, Judy Garland and Ann Miller.

Here is a clip with Fred Astaire drumming and tap dancing in a toy store in the number "Drum Crazy". There are a lot of rhythms both with the drums sticks and his feet.

What do you think of Fred Astaire tapping in the film Easter Parade? Tell me.

Swing Fever: Swing dancing

Here is a scene from the movie Swing Fever from 1943. Kay Kyser and his orchestra plays the song "One Girl and Two Boys".

According to the Internet Movie Database it's Jeanne Phelps-Veloz who dances swing together with Don Gallaher and Lennie Smith in a Hollywood style.

If you like the song you can hear a modern version by the Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra on the album Live at the Hollywood Palladium. Bill Elliott has btw also another album called Swing Fever.

What do you think about the dancing in the film Swing Fever? Tell me.

Drum Boogie with Gene Krupa from Ball of Fire

Here is a great video with Gene Krupa playing Drum Boogie from the film Ball of Fire.

Ball of Fire was made in 1941 and features Gary Cooper as Prof. Bertram Potts who is researching slang words for an article in an encyclopedia. He meets the singer Sugarpuss O'Shea played by Barbara Stanwyck who teaches him about slang words while she is hiding from mobsters.

What do you think of this video clip with Barbara Stanwyck and Gene Krupa performing Drum Boogie? Tell me.

Jitterbug contest in "Sten Stensson Sten kommer till stan"

Jitterbug dancing is rarely seen in Swedish films but one film where you can see it is the drama/comedy Sten Stensson Sten kommer till stan from 1945.

The amazing comedian Nils Poppe plays the main character Sten Stensson Sten, which is an student from the University of Lund in the south of Sweden. He is a good student but has maybe studied too many years and is caught up in the academic world.

In one scene he has arrived to Stockholm to tell the youth about the dangers of dancing and that dance will probably lead to criminality. He doesn't succeed in his mission but unvillingly gets dragged into a jitterbug competion.

Watch this hilarious video clip with Nils Poppe as Sten Stensson Sten in a jitterbug contest.

The girl who dances with Nils Poppe in the video clip is Ulla Norgren. If you know anything about her, let me know.

The song is "Hela Sverige dansar jitterbug" (Everybody in Sweden dances jitterbug). Music and lyrics by Nils Perne, Sven Paddock and Willard Ringstrand. The song is performed by Freddy Albeck with Gösta Tönnes orkester.

There is actually more dancing in the film in a scene directly before this one where you can see social dancing with dancers from Stockholm, probably from the swing dance club Honkytonk. In that scene some bigotry is shown because Sten Stensson Sten (unsuccessfully) tries to get stronger drinks (like vodka) at the dance hall but all that is served is coffee and soda.

Alcohol could certainly be a potential danger to society and lead to criminality while I can't think of any dance that in itself would be dangerous.

What do you think of the video clip with the jitterbug contest in "Sten Stensson kommer till stan"? Tell me.

Martha Raye - Mr. Paganini, You'll Have To Swing It

"Mr. Paganini, You'll Have To Swing It" is a song that is mostly associated with Ella Fitzgerald, but here is an hilarious rendition of that song by actress Martha Raye in a scene from the movie Four Jills in a Jeep (1944).



Watch Martha Raye's slap stick version of "Mr. Paganini, You'll Have To Swing It".

The band behind her is the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra.

You might recognize Martha Raye from when she sang "Watch the Birdie" in "Hellzapoppin'".

One unusual fact that I didn't know was that she inspired Anita O'day to be a singer.

What do you think of the video clip from with Four Jills in a Jeep with Martha Raye? Tell me.

Duke Ellington: It Don't Mean A Thing

A classic swing tune: It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) performed by Duke Ellington.



Do you have more information about this video clip, like where it's from and who the the soloists are? Let me know.

What do you think of the video clip with Duke Ellington playing It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)? Tell me.

Rockin' in the Rockies: Cappa Barra Boys

Here is a video clip from the Three Stooges film Rockin' in the Rockies (1945) where the Cappa Barra Boys, a harmonica quartet, play a medley of jazz songs including "One O'clock Jump" and "Royal Garden Blues".

What do you think of the Cappa Barra Boys? Tell me.

"Dig You Later (A Hubba-Hubba-Hubba)"

Here is video clip from the film Doll Face from 1946 where Perry Como and Martha Stewart sings "Dig You Later (A Hubba-Hubba-Hubba)". Hubba-hubba is an American slang expression that is used to express approval, pleasure, or excitement. The song contains a lot of jive talking and slang expressions.

You will also notice that the film is made very close after the World War 2 and in the beginning of clip they mention the bombing of Japan in a way that maybe is not particulary political correct nowadays. So with this fair warning, take a look at the video clip.



What do you think of the video clip? Tell me.

Ginger Rogers dances Charleston in Roxie Hart

Ginger Rogers was quite a Charleston dancer, in fact that was how she started her career as a dancer and actress. Here is a scene from the film Roxie Hart (1942) where Ginger Rogers dances Charleston. The scene did however not make into Roxie Hart, maybe it was the production code for the movie industry that put a stop to that, I don't know.

The story is based on a true crime and has been made first into a silent movie: Chicago (1927) and of course the modern day remake: Chicago (2002) featuring Renée Zellweger as Roxie Hart.

What do you think of Ginger Rogers dancing Charleston in Roxie Hart? Tell me.

Bing Crosby: "Swinging on a Star" from Going My Way

Swinging on a star is a nice lightharted song that first appeared in the movie "Going my way" (1944) starring Bing Crosby. Here is a video clip from "Going my way" where Bing Crosby sings Swinging on a star.

The song is written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke and won an Oscar for "Best song" in the 1944 Academy awards, where the film also was voted the "Best motion picture" and Bing Crosby was voted "Best actor".

Another great film nominated this year was the short film "Jammin the blues" by Gjon Mili.

What do you think of Bing Crosby singing Swinging on a star? Tell me.

"Crazy Riffin" - Betti Mays, Big Sid Catlett

Here is a video clip from the movie Boy! What a Girl! where Betti Mays sings the song "Crazy Riffin" which is played by Big Sid Catlett's band.



The film "Boy! What a Girl!" is from 1947 and you can hear that the band has bop influences as well as Betti Mays has when she scats. That's bop phrases alright, but the tune still swings. Other jazz musicians as bass player Slam Stewart and drummer Gene Krupa also appears in the movie.

There is a group of dancers called The International Jitterbugs that I've heard is in the film, I haven't seen any clip of them, do you know anything about those dancers? Tell me.

What do you think of this video clip with Betti Mays and Big Sid Catlett's band performing the song "Crazy Riffin"? Tell me.