Bonus - New Year's Eve!

Still in a 1940s mood, let's celebrate New Year's Eve with a handful of 78s!

To ring in the 1940s, we start off at the end of 1939 with this typically idiosyncratic (in a good way) cut from the Raymond Scott Quintet on Columbia Records:

Always fun!

Of note is that the tricky trumpet part is played by Russ Case, later a prominent arranger/conductor for RCA Victor, working a lot with Perry Como.

Next up is Bing Crosby with another song from Irving Berlin's score for "Holiday Inn" on Decca:

Fun that Bing's brother Bob provides the backing with his band!

Leader Kay Kyser (right) introduces singer Harry Babbitt.

We jump ahead to 1947 for Kay Kyser's version of Frank Loesser's "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" featuring Harry Babbitt on Columbia:

That's my favorite recording of that song. I'm always partial to big bands and Harry Babbitt might be my favorite band vocalist, having recorded a ton of great work with the Kyser band.

Another vocal group name to make me feel retro-smart is the Campus Kids. Kay Kyser's popular radio show was The Kollege of Musical Knowledge" so I get it!

I understand that Frank Loesser didn't think this song should be played at New Year's as the point is that the singer is jumping the gun with the title question. But, it does give a lot of people a chance to hear it every year, which can't be said of most 75-or-so-year-old songs!

Spike hopes his earmuffs block Doodles Weaver's "singing!"

We move to 1948 for the flipside of the massive Spike Jones hit "All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth) on RCA Victor:

I love that record! Having listened to so many Spike Jones recordings and radio shows, I feel like I actually know Sir Fredrick Gas, George Rock and Doodles Weaver, so I really enjoy hearing their resolutions!

Doodles really crams a lot in there!

And it's not a 1940s New Year without Guy Lombardo, is it? So here's the Royal Canadian's 1947 Decca record of "Auld Lange Syne":

Now, on to 2022...