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Give Swing a Chance Says Benny Goodman

Benny Goodman, $125,000-a-year “King of Swing”, now 28, chose to play a clarinet when he was 9, because it was so pretty. Conductor Leopold Stokowski calls him one of the world’s best clarinetists.
Give Swing a Chance Says Benny Goodman
by Benny Goodman

There is one thing swing critics cannot combat. That is, that the public approves of swing. So why not give it a chance to prove it is not a flash in the pan, but the only really truly American music we have? Every other form of musical expression portrayed as a dance form originated abroad. Swing, as it is now being written and created, originates solely in the minds of musicians who think in the American way.

Some persons object to modernizing old songs into swing tempo. The answer is that swing is still young and needs nourishment.

To educate the people to enjoy original swing creations, we must feed them something they know of, can understand and enjoy because the melody is familiar.

The present day swing artist is a pioneer, creating something that in the future will become the popular expression of the day. So the next time you hear swing, just figure to yourself that you are in on the birth of something your grandchildren will some day take for granted in the same manner as you take opera today, and you will feel as I always do – awed.

Look Magazine, September 27, 1938

Caprice XXIV – Adapted from Paganini’s Caprice No. 24 in A minor

Look Magazine: Swing Issue, September 27, 1938

I’ve gone on a bit of a magazine collecting spree lately, and here is one of the spoils – the Swing Issue of Look Magazine from 1938. I’ll be posting some of the goodies in the days to come – you can learn some new jive-talk and dance moves!
The cuties on the cover are Rita Rio and Bill Furrow. Rita Rio was the bandleader for an all-girl swing band, and went on to have an acting career under the name Dona Drake (Rita Rio is also a stage name, her real name is Eunice Westmoreland!).
Here are a couple of clips of Rita performing – Enjoy!

Rita Rio & Her Orchestra – Feed the Kitty
Rita Rio – My Margarita

We’re In The Money – Vintage Lifestyle Playlist

Friends, I’ll admit it. I almost forgot that I owed you a musical selection today! Theme weeks are going to be my downfall, I see that now. But my corsets are underway – as for patterns, I’m starting with the Mantua-Maker Regency Stays and the 1901 corset from Hunnisett’s Period Costume for Stage and Screen (yes, I know I said 1912 and now I’m doing 1901. Phhbt.) Anyhoo, I’ll post pics of the mockups when they’re mocked!
I’m afraid that I have a disappointment for you – I wanted to post “Hooray for Hollywood” from Hollywood Hotel, featuring Johnny Scat Davis and the Benny Goodman Orchestra (as a marching band!), among others. But no one has thought this clip important enough to post on YouTube yet, so I’m afraid you’ll have to haunt TCM for the movie. Perhaps my mom will help – back in the days of VHS, she haunted TCM for probably 6 months once, to record this movie for me! Ahh, the past was so much harder than life is today. Love that DVR.
Instead, here’s another clip from my playlist that’s straight from the soundtrack of a 30’s musical. Ginger Rogers lights up the screen in the opening number of The Gold Diggers of 1933 (I believe this was her first big movie role?) – cute and sassy right from the start. And how fabulous is that mini fashion show sequence in the middle? I’ll admit that I skip this track sometimes while driving, but the visuals improve the vocals considerably, don’t you agree?
I think I may have found inspiration for next year’s Halloween costume!

You’re The Top – Vintage Lifestyle Playlist

Here’s a gem – a rare recording of the Great Cole Porter singing his own song, accompanied by himself. There’s a true sense of zeitgeist in this tune – not only are the lyrics practically plucked from the newspaper headlines of the 30’s, but his voice and tempo and staccato delivery simply can’t be from any other era. 
I was thinking about doing a whole encyclopedic entry to explain the lyrics, but then I found this clip on YouTube that does the job far more elegantly than I would have.
“You’re The Top” written and performed by Cole Porter (1934)
Wikipedia lists some of the alternate lyrics from over the years.

Ain’t She Sweet – Vintage Lifestyle Playlist

Jimmie Lunceford is one of my favorite bandleaders – he’s the guy responsible for barnburners like “White Heat” and “Lunceford Special”. There’s a playful quality to his music, and this song is no exception.
“Ain’t She Sweet” recorded by Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra (1939)
I wasn’t joking when I said I like when the band sings, right? In case you weren’t sure, according to the record label you should fox-trot to this song.
And just for fun, here’s a couple other versions of this song.
“Ain’t She Sweet” recorded by Gene Austin (1927)
“Ain’t She Sweet” recorded by The Beatles (1961)
Which version is your favorite?

Blue Skies – Vintage Lifestyle Playlist

When I’m in the mood for music, the playlist that I reach for most often is my Vintage Lifestyle playlist. These are the songs that, to me, most strongly evoke another era and take me back in time. The tracks tend to be a little scratchy, kind of heavy on the vocals, and are frequently slower than the tempos I like to dance to. But then, most tempos are slower that the ones I like to dance to.
This week I’m going to share a few of my favorite tunes with you – I hope you enjoy them!
“Blue Skies”, performed by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, with Frank Sinatra on vocals
Frank is great and all, but my favorite part is the band singing behind him. It’s just enough Novelty. And the horns swing HARD after the vocal chorus, even though it’s fairly slow. I’m gonna listen to it again. 🙂