Monday Side-Session: A Passel of Preludes

For today’s side‑session, we’re spinning a dozen memorable versions of Duke Ellington’s Prelude to a Kiss.

There have been zillions of recordings over the years, but I’ve distilled a playlist of twelve that carry particular historical or musical interest — to me anyway!

Himber Hits It First

Although Duke’s and Johnny Hodges’ 1938 recordings were popular, there seems to have been only one contemporary cover: Richard Himber and his Rhythmic Pyramids Orchestra, with vocalist Stuart Allen, on Victor in 1938:

The tune adapts well to a more “dance band” style, but oddly enough, no other bands or labels picked it up at the time.

A Novachord Nicety

The next version is more of a novelty. Ted Steele and his Novatones recorded it using the early Novachord synthesizer for the 1940 Decca album Mood Indigo, which featured Ted’s interpretations of Ellington songs:

Very intriguing! Kind of ethereal, if you will. And an early "concept" album!

Brown's Brief Blast

After that, “Prelude to a Kiss” went dormant for a few years — but by the mid‑1940s, sparks began to fly again. Les Brown recorded a V‑Disc version in 1944:

It’s a nice reading, but since it wasn’t commercially issued, it didn’t make much of a dent.

Carter’s Capitol Caress

The next commercial release seems to be Benny Carter’s 1947 Capitol recording:

A gorgeous showcase for Benny’s alto.

Getz Goes Nordic

By the early 1950s, the floodgates opened. Here’s a 1951 Swedish side by American tenor star Stan Getz:

Very cool!

Teddi Takes the Torch

We finally get another vocal version in 1953, when Teddi King included it on her Storyville album ’Round Midnight:

The simple piano accompaniment by Beryl Booker lets the lyrics shine.

Sassy Sarah Swoons

A flurry of vocal versions followed, including this one from Sarah Vaughan on her 1954 EmArcy album Images:

The song fits The Divine One like a glove.

Eckstine Enters Elegantly

And it’s a Warehouse law that I include any performance of an Ellington number by Billy Eckstine, so here he is on MGM, also from 1954:

The album that track comes from — I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart — is naturally awesome. Oh, and I think it's also mandatory that I say Mr. B" at least once!

Gleason Gets Misty

We shift gears with this lush 1957 version from Jackie Gleason’s Capitol album Music to Make You Misty:

The alto solo is by Toots Mondello — a name that sounds like something Jackie might invent (I believe "Toots Mondello" founded the fictional Raccoon Lodge on The Honeymooners), but Toots (born Nunzio) was a respected big‑band veteran.

Vic's Velvet Version

The lushness continues with Vic Damone’s 1958 Columbia album Closer Than a Kiss:

Lovely backing from Frank DeVol to support Vic’s great voice.

Joya's Jewel-Box Gem

Jumping ahead to 1965, we meet up with my favorite Ellington singer, Joya Sherrill, who included the tune on her 20th Century Fox album Joya Sherrill Sings Duke:

Johnny Hodges and Cootie Williams back Joya on this track — just awesome!

Hodges' Homecoming

And speaking of Mr. Hodges, we’ll sneak back to 1962 for our closing selection: Johnny’s version from his Verve album The Eleventh Hour:

A gorgeous way to bring us full circle to 1938.

Do you have a favorite version — maybe one I didn’t include? Let me know in the comments!

Sundays with Duke #26: Prelude to a Standard

Still in 1938 with Duke Ellington, we arrive at another classic - Prelude to a Kiss. It didn't catch on right away, however, and it had a long, yes, prelude before becoming a standard!

An Instrumental Kiss

Like many of Duke’s songs, this one was first recorded as an instrumental before acquiring lyrics.

Here’s the original Brunswick recording from August 1938:

Very lovely record which was reasonably popular at the time.

Johnny and Mary One More Time

Following the trend of the last few songs we’ve covered, Johnny Hodges recorded it a couple of weeks later with a small unit drawn from the main band. And since the tune now had lyrics, vocalist Mary McHugh was back:

This was the fourth and final session to feature Mary with Johnny. As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t know anything else about her - it’s as if she appeared just long enough to record these sides and then vanished. But I’ll keep digging!

This version was also popular upon its original release.

The lyrics are credited to Irving Mills and Irving Gordon, the same pair who appeared on the labels for “Pyramid,” which didn’t seem to have a vocal version. Gordon is most famous for later writing the Nat King Cole hit Unforgettable, and I remember him making the rounds when Natalie Cole successfully revived the song in the 1990s.

A Sleeper Hit Waiting for Its Moment

As with some of the other songs from this period, Prelude to a Kiss didn’t get much traction at the time. But unlike those others, it eventually made a spectacular comeback and became something of a standard.

It hadn’t been played much up to that point, but Duke selected it for his 1945 Victor sessions revisiting several of his most popular songs:

It kind of sounds like it had been waiting for Ray Nance’s violin all this time!

Prelude Finds Its Second Life

Duke still didn’t feature the song much for the rest of the 1940s, but he began including it in concerts in the early 1950s and recorded it a few more times.

He cut a version for his 1954 Capitol album The Duke Plays Ellington, a trio date with bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Butch Ballard:

Next came this 1956 recording that wasn’t issued until 1987:

I don’t know the circumstances of this session or why it remained unreleased for so long, but Johnny Hodges’ alto is fabulous as always.

A Standard at Last

The next version is from Duke’s 1958 Columbia album Ellington Indigos:

The early stereo sounds great on this extended arrangement, with another terrific solo from Johnny.

By this time, Prelude to a Kiss had become a popular standard, and Duke continued to feature it from that point on.

But it was quite a long prelude!

Sixties Saturday – Good Sam

Happy Saturday!

I mentioned on Thursday that Sam Cooke’s great take on Tennessee Waltz was released as the flipside of his RCA Victor single Good Times...

So why don’t we let that one spin today?

Good Times

That groove just walks in smiling.

Sam also tucked Good Times into his 1964 album Ain’t That Good News — and since the title track had already been a 1963 hit, let’s give that one a whirl too.

Good News

Another winner, bright as a brass section in the sun!

It’s always good news and good times when we’re spinning some good Sam!

Threaded Thursday: Pee Wee’s Pile of Hits

Picking up the thread from yesterday’s You Belong to Me, let’s spin a few more gems from the songwriting partnership of Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart — a duo who, almost accidentally, helped shape the sound of postwar American pop.

Waltz Whirls, Wanders & Wallops the World

We start in December 1947, when Pee Wee and his Golden West Cowboys cut Tennessee Waltz for RCA Victor, with Redd handling the vocal:

Released in early 1948, it became a solid country hit.

But here’s the twist: although Pee Wee’s version was the first released, it wasn’t the first recorded. That honor goes to Cowboy Copas, who laid down his King-label version earlier in 1947:

Both versions found an audience — but the song’s real explosion came a few years later.

Things take a fascinating turn in October 1950, when bandleader Erskine Hawkins recorded a version for Coral with vocalist Ace Harris:

It's surprisingly faithful to the waltz feel of the original. Quite lovely!

That was the record that apparently caught the ear of Jack Rael, manager of Patti Page, who recorded her version for Mercury in November 1950:

And then — boom!

Patti’s Tennessee Waltz, released as the B‑side to Boogie Woogie Santa Claus, became one of the biggest hits of all time. Once it took off, the covers came pouring in, and the song instantly entered the Great American Songbook.

My favorite remake? Sam Cooke’s 1964 RCA version:

A masterpiece — soulful and unmistakably Sam. This track, coupled with Good Times, was the last single release by Sam before his untimely death.

And here’s a fun brain‑itch: The song is called Tennessee Waltz, but it’s about a song called Tennessee Waltz. So… is the song they’re playing in the song the same song the singer is singing?

A little meta moment in Music City!

Retreat Rumbles, Rambles & Reigns Supreme

Next up is Bonaparte’s Retreat, credited solely to Pee Wee King. Pee Wee and Redd recorded it in October 1949, though oddly Redd didn’t get label credit for the vocal:

Released in 1950, it became another country hit.

But once again, the definitive pop breakthrough came from a powerhouse female vocalist — this time Kay Starr on Capitol:

A country/pop crossover tune is right in Kay’s wheelhouse and her version crossed over in a big way!

A particularly intriguing take came from drummer/bandleader Gene Krupa, with vocalist Bobby Soots, on RCA Victor:

It’s got that unmistakable "Chicago Jazz" snap, but Bobby’s vocal leans country. And I love that he sings the jazz band played “Bonaparte’s Retreat” — not fiddles!

This one is meta too, but in a different way: there is an old fiddle tune called “Bonaparte’s Retreat,” so inside the song, the fiddles are playing the "real" melody!

Slow Poke Pops, Percolates & Powers Up the Pop Parade

Now we arrive at the big one — the song Pee Wee didn’t have to surrender to a female pop star: 1951’s Slow Poke.

Let’s spin Pee Wee and Redd’s RCA Victor original:

I adore everything about this record — the tick‑tock beat, the sly vocal, the whole Western Swing vibe. I love it so much that I’m not especially fond of the many cover versions that followed.

But I do have a soft spot for the parody by my boys Homer & Jethro, also on RCA Victor:

That Shep Fields‑style bubbling intro… there has to be a reason for it beyond “funny sound effect,” but I haven’t cracked the code yet! Any thoughts?

Pee Wee and Redd weren’t done with Slow Poke themselves, though. They recorded a slightly revised version for the U.K. as Slow Coach on HMV:

“Slow coach” is a real British expression, and the title change avoided a possible double entendre.

And then there’s Slow Bloke, ostensibly recorded for Australia, but not released at the time:

Very intriguing! Both alternate versions have a subtly different feel, and Redd even tweaks the lyric — singing “Why can’t you hasten when you know that time’s a‑wastin’?” instead of “when you see that time’s a‑wastin’?” Hmmm...

Let’s slip in one more variation: Slow Poke Cha Cha, released by Pee Wee on the Todd label in 1959:

Sam Cooke was right — everybody likes to cha‑cha‑cha!

Convention Capers, Cut‑Ups & Cornball Comedy

To bring it all full circle, here’s Homer & Jethro again, with a quick take‑off on “Tennessee Waltz” from their 1962 album Homer and Jethro at the Convention:

A perfect little button.

Warehouse Whispers

Just like “You Belong to Me,” “Slow Poke” began with songwriter Chilton Price, whose original compositions were adapted by Pee Wee and Redd in exchange for co‑writer credit and publication. Chilton did the heavy lifting, but by all accounts she was satisfied with the arrangement — and with hits this big, the royalty checks must have been very friendly!

And as a bonus, here’s a video clip of Pee Wee and Redd performing Tennessee Waltz and You Belong to Me:

Not sure of the date, but hearing Redd sing You Belong to Me — a song they didn’t record during the original hit period — is a real treat.

OK, now I’m done!

Word Association Wednesday: A Sense of Belonging

For today’s Association Wednesday spinning off from Sunday’s Pyramid, my mind went very quickly to “See the pyramids along the Nile…” — the unforgettable opening line of the great 1952 hit You Belong to Me.

The song was a collaboration by Western Swing bandleader Pee Wee King, his star vocalist Redd Stewart and Chilton Price, though interestingly, Pee Wee and Redd didn't record it at the time themselves, despite issuing several successful records in the same period.

Stafford’s Silky Smash

The big hit version — the one that truly stamped the song into the culture — was recorded by Jo Stafford for Columbia in 1952:

It became the biggest hit of Jo’s highly successful career, and it’s easy to hear why. It’s one of those rare records where everything aligns: the right vocalist, the right arrangement, the right moment. From Jo’s opening vocalizing over the marimba, you know you’re in for something special.

Joni’s Gentle Jump‑Start

But Jo wasn’t the first to record it. That honor goes to a pre‑stardom Joni James, who cut the song for the small Sharp label earlier in 1952:

It’s a lovely record, but Sharp didn’t have much national distribution, so this one couldn't compete with Jo Stafford's version. Not long after, Joni moved to the larger MGM label (who reissued her recording of You Belong to Me) and began her own long run of hits.

Cover Craze Carousel

As with so many early‑’50s pop songs, a zillion competing covers followed. Here are a few of the most interesting...

Martin’s Majestic Makeover

RCA Victor — home base for Pee Wee King — assigned the tune to Freddy Martin, featuring vocalist Stuart Wade:

A beautifully polished late‑period big band performance, with Freddy showing that a veteran bandleader could keep up with the newer bands.

Grady’s Go‑Round

Decca joined the fray with a version by another Martin — ace guitarist Grady Martin and his Slew Foot Five, featuring vocalist Cecil Bailey:

The bouncy sax from Dutch McMillin and Cecil’s jaunty vocal give this one a Western Swing flavor — maybe something close to how the song might’ve sounded if Pee Wee King had recorded it himself in 1952.

Tab’s Tender‑Tone Take

For an R&B‑leaning spin, there’s this terrific version by alto sax star Tab Smith on the United label:

And how can you not love that the label proudly advertises Tab’s “fabulous alto”? They 're not wrong!

Homer & Jethro’s Hijinks

As usual, the final word on the 1952 versions comes courtesy of Homer & Jethro, with their RCA Victor parody “You Belong to Me No. 2”:

It’s not just the clever lyrics — the picking is genuinely brilliant!

Santo & Johnny's Sleepy Serenade

Let's jump ahead to 1960 for a dreamy instrumental version by a much less wacky duo —Santo & Johnny on the Canadian-American label:

They're in full Sleepwalk mode there. I love it!

Duprees’ Dreamy Doo‑Wop

Now we're in 1962, a full decade after Jo Stafford, for what is probably the second‑best‑remembered version: the 1962 hit by The Duprees on Co‑Ed:

The big band arrangement gives it a nostalgic glow that must have felt retro even in 1962.

I used to hear The Duprees’ version constantly on “oldies” shows and stations in the early 1980s. It’s a little mind‑bending to realize that forty years ago, I was listening to an “oldie” that was only twenty years old.

Pee Wee & Redd’s Retro Return

Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart did eventually record You Belong to Me, as featured on their 1964 album Back Again for Starday:

Nice record and Redd sounds great, but it definitely plays like 1964 and not 1952!

But that’s the magic of this song — after all these years, it still belongs to all of us.

Monday Side-Session: Artie’s Pyramid Period

Yesterday, one of the versions of Pyramid we heard was Artie Shaw’s 1940 recording. Since Artie was making some remarkable records for Victor during that same timeframe, today’s Side‑Session pulls together a half‑dozen of those sides — the musical neighborhood that Pyramid lived in.

Frenesi (March 1940)

Artie discovered this tune while vacationing in Mexico between bands and brought it back north like a prized souvenir. He had the esteemed composer William Grant Still craft an arrangement for his studio orchestra — complete with strings — and the result was a massive 1940 hit. It’s easy to hear why listeners flipped for it!

William Grant Still

My Fantasy (March 1940)

Cut at the same session, this one feels like a hidden gem. Vocalist Pauline Byrne floats over a melody borrowed from Alexander Borodin, later famous as A Stranger in Paradise. I’ll take Artie’s version any day.

Pauline Byrne

Pauline is another underrated canary!

Summit Ridge Drive (September 1940)

After those recordings with session musicians, Artie formed a new band and spun off a small group, the Gramercy 5. Their hit “Summit Ridge Drive” features pianist Johnny Guarnieri on harpsichord — an old instrument giving the group a surprisingly modern snap.

Johnny Guarnieri

Fun trivia: Gramercy 5 was Artie’s telephone exchange, and Summit Ridge Drive was the street he lived on!

Star Dust (October 1940)

One of Artie’s towering achievements. Billy Butterfield cold opens with a breathtaking trumpet solo and includes a luminous trombone improvisation by Jack Jenney. Add Artie’s clarinet with Lennie Hayton’s masterful arrangement tying it all together and you’ve got a recording that earns every bit of its legendary status!

Billy Butterfield

But is it Star Dust or Stardust? Paging Hoagy Carmichael!

(And for timeline fans: Artie’s version of Pyramid was recorded two months later, in December 1940.)

Moonglow (January 1941)

A beautifully shaded reading of the standard with another outstanding trombone solo from Jack Jenney.

Jack Jenney

And another one of those eternal questions: is it Moonglow or Moon Glow? Shaw’s band makes either spelling sound good.

Dancing in the Dark (January 1941)

From the same session as Moonglow, this is another elegant, late‑night Shaw interpretation of a classic.

Six wonderful sides from Artie Shaw and His Orchestra — all orbiting the same creative period that produced his take on Pyramid. A rich little constellation!