"We're on the Highway to Heaven" (1930)

Back to songs from early 1930s movies starring wacky comedy teams, here’s “Highway to Heaven” from 1930’s “Oh, Sailor Behave!” the debut film of Ole Olsen & Chic Johnson. 

This version by Jackie Taylor and his Orchestra offers a delightful vocal chorus by the Boswell Sisters:

 

Could use more of the Bozzies, but it’s fun!

"What a Perfect Combination" (1933) - Part 3!

Let's sneak in one more version of "What a Perfect Combination" from 1932's "The Kid from Spain" with Ray Noble's snappy instrumental arrangement on the British His Master's Voice label:

Ray Noble's bands always sounded great!

"What a Perfect Combination" (1933) - Part 2!

As with Bing Crosby and “Please,” no one else can quite match Eddie Cantor singing “What a Perfect Combination,” so here’s Eddie on Columbia Records:

I love the “We want Cantor!” chant, Eddie’s spoken introduction and how Rudy Vallée and Jimmy Durante are namedropped in the extra choruses!

"What a Perfect Combination" (1933)

Next up from 1933 is another Kalmar & Ruby tune, this one not from a movie featuring a wacky comedy team, but from “The Kid from Spain” starring the pretty-wacky-on-his-own Eddie Cantor!

Here’s Henry Hall directing the BBC Dance Orchestra with vocalist Les Allen singing “What a Perfect Combination”:

Very fun!

"Please" (1932) - Part 2!

No other version of "please" can really compete with Bing Crosby's, so here's Bing's studio recording:

Bing was the goods!

"Please" (1932)

I had mentioned that the back cover of the sheet music for the song “Ev’ryone Says I Love You” from the movie “Horse Feathers” was an ad for another 1932 picture from Paramount (with familiar art!).

Said movie is “The Big Broadcast,” which was the breakthrough film for Bing Crosby, who introduced the big hit “Please” by the prolific movie songwriters Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger.

The last couple of songs we looked at didn’t have commercial recordings by the actors who performed the songs in the movies, but I like the versions that were recorded by dance bands, so let’s see what else I can dig up in that vein.

Here’s Ambrose and his Orchestra with vocalist Sam Browne and a snappy arrangement of “Please":

                            

                                                                                                                                                                Those 1930s British bands had it going on!

"Ev'ryone Says 'Love You'" (1932) - Part 3!

Let's go Dancin’ with Anson with another version of “Ev’ryone Says ‘I Love You’” from the Paramount picture “Horse Feathers” from 1932!

Here’s Anson Weeks and his Orchestra with the Moreing Sisters on Brunswick Records:

So bouncy and fun!

"Ev'ryone Says 'Love You'" (1932) - Part 2!

There are too many good versions of “Ev’ryone Says ‘I Love You’” recorded in 1932 when “Horse Feathers” was released that we need to hear another one!

So here’s Isham Jones with his great band with violinist/vocalist Eddie Stone on Victor Records:

Always classy!

"Ev'ryone Says 'Love You'" (1932)

Also from my collection is the sheet music for another Kalmar & Ruby song, the delightful "Ev'ryone Says 'I Love You'" from the 1932 movie “Horse Feathers” starring the Marx Brothers. 

It’s really fun that each brother gets to perform the song within the movie! 

There were a few commercial recordings of the song at the time and they’re all good, but I really like this one by Russ Carlson and his Orchestra on Crown Records:

I especially enjoy the vocal by Elmer Feldkamp! 

I’ll throw it out there that “Horse Feathers” is my favorite Marx Brothers movie! 

One thing not to sleep on is that the back cover of the sheet music is this awesome ad for another Paramount picture from 1932:

"Keep on Doin' What You're Doin'" (1933) - Part 2!

Hey, let’s hear another snappy version of "Keep on Doin' What You're Doin'" from 1933’s RKO saucy feature “Hips Hips Hooray” starring Wheeler & Woolsey! 

Here’s Adrian’s Ramblers, led by bass saxophonist Adrian Rollini, on Brunswick Records:

 

Prolific session vocalist Chick Bullock is on hand and the pickup group ostensibly features Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet, Charlie Barnet on tenor sax and Gene Krupa on drums! 

What a blast - and not just from the Adrian's ginormous sax!

"Keep on Doin' What You're Doin'" (1933)

So, I was watching the 1933 movie "Hips Hips Hooray" starring Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey and when Bert and Dorothy Lee started singing the song "Keep on Doin' What You're Doin'," I thought, "Hey! I have the sheet music for that!" 
One of my things is collecting sheet music of the songs from old movies and this is one of my favorites. 

My scan is at the top of the page. 

Then I was wondering if there were any vintage commercial recordings of the song. To my delight, I came across this one: 

Jack Teagarden backed by Benny Goodman singing song written by Kalmar & Ruby from a movie starring Wheeler & Woolsey? Wow, does that scratch my 1930s itch! 

What else can we find?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Let's party like it's 1949!

Here's a fun record by Henry Jerome and his Orchestra on Pleasant Records in 1949:

Yes, very pleasant!

Here's the Billboard review:

The reviewer is spot-on with the Hal Kemp comparison at least!