Monday Side‑Session: Eleven More Strolls

Following along with Duke Ellington’s classic composition Solitude, here are eleven versions by eleven different artists from the 1930s. So let’s get strolling!

Eddie DeLange’s lyrics to Duke’s tune were clearly well‑received — most of the 1930s covers were vocal versions, and they came fast.

Mills Thrills and Red Riffs

We start off hot on the heels of Duke’s original with The Mills Blue Rhythm Band, featuring vocalist Chuck Richards:

As you might guess from the group’s name, the band was managed by the ubiquitous Irving Mills. It was led by Lucky Millinder and included top musicians like trumpeter Henry “Red” Allen, who contributes a tasty solo on this side.

Lunceford’s Lonesome Lilt

Another 1934 vocal version came from Jimmie Lunceford, with trombonist Henry Wells handling the vocal:

I say it all the time, but you really can’t go wrong with the Lunceford band covering an Ellington tune!

Goodman Goes Generic (But Great)

Moving into 1935, we get a couple of intriguing instrumental takes. First up is a budget‑label release by The Modernists — but don’t let the generic name fool you. It’s pre‑fame Benny Goodman and his band:

A really nice version from not too long before BG would become the King of Swing.

A Stone's Throw Across the Pond

Next we hop over to the U.K. for a snappy version by British bandleader Lew Stone on Regal Zonophone:

I really like the guitar work on this one — a lovely touch.

Bowlly's Bow

The most popular British bandleader of the era, Ray Noble, had already relocated to the States by 1935, fronting a great band assembled by Glenn Miller. Ray brought vocalist Al Bowlly with him, and Al sings Solitude on this radio aircheck:

Ray never made a studio recording of the tune, so we’re extra lucky to have this wonderful version.

Dorseys’ Deluxe Disc Detour

Tommy and Jimmy are on either side of canary Kay, Glenn Miller is to Jimmy's left and Ray McKinley is kneeling in front of Glenn.

Meanwhile, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey were still co‑leading The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra when they cut their own outstanding version on a 12‑inch Decca disc with vocalist Kay Weber:

Not sure what prompted Decca to go with a 12‑inch pressing instead of the usual 10‑inch, but we’re glad they did. And perhaps Glenn Miller arranged it!

Prima Turns Up the Heat

For one more 1935 entry, we check in with Louis Prima and His New Orleans Gang, whose Brunswick recording gets the tune swinging:

Louis always sounds like he’s having a blast!

Satchmo’s Solitary Spotlight

The other singing trumpeter named Louis — Mr. Armstrong — took his turn for Decca in 1936:

Great to hear Satchmo’s solo version, recorded 25 years before his later take with Duke.

The Mills Brothers Multiply the Mood

Decca wasn’t shy about doubling (or tripling or quadrupling) up on a good thing, so in addition to Lunceford, Armstrong and the Dorseys, they also had The Mills Brothers record Solitude in 1936:

Another terrific example of the early Mills sound with John Jr. on guitar and bass vocals.

The Club Stays Hot

We head back to Europe for a 1937 instrumental version by The Quintette of the Hot Club of France on British HMV:

That’s the usual suspects — Django Reinhardt on guitar and Stéphane Grappelly on violin.

Adelaide Abroad

And we stay overseas for one more, a 1939 British Decca recording by Adelaide Hall, whom we last heard way back on Duke’s 1927 “Creole Love Call”:

Let’s spin Adelaide’s Solitude:

A nice version, and the organ accompaniment is by Fela Sowande, a pioneering Nigerian musician — a very cool detail.

There are a zillion other versions of “Solitude,” but these eleven sides from the 1930s show how the tune began its solitudinous stroll toward becoming a standard.

Christmas Countdown - Day 6 - "What Will Santa Claus Say? (When He finds Everybody Swingin')" (1936)

As our Christmas Countdown moves into 1936, the Swing Era is firmly underway, as evidenced by the song "What Will Santa Claus Say? (When He finds Everybody Swingin')" by Louis Prima!

So, here's Louis and his New Orleans Gang on Vocalion Records:

This track is probably the one I've seen reissued most out of any we'll encounter during this countdown. This is mostly because of Louis Prima's latter-day fame among wannabe swing hipsters!

Whatever the case, it's a solid platter!

For fun, let's listen again to the King of Swing himself, Benny Goodman and his great Victor recording of "Jingle Bells":

Can't hear that enough!

Christmas 1936 - Part 1 - The Records

That pamphlet "What If Old Scrooge Came Back Today..." was published by the U.S. Department of Labor in 1936, so that got me to thinking about what Christmas of 1936 was like from a pop culture standpoint.

Kind of what was new that year and what had been around for a while. 

I love Christmas music, so as I started thinking, I realized that there really weren't an awful lot of "new" Christmas songs at that time, at least not ones that became standards. 

There were two songs published in 1934 that fit the bill, however: "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" and "Winter Wonderland" (which I know is a seasonal song rather than a Christmas song, but we all know they get lumped together!).

You would think the success of those two songs would've jump-started the whole modern Christmas music thing, but that didn't really happen until 1942 with Bing Crosby and "White Christmas." 

That record being the biggest thing ever made the suits realize that there was gold to be mined in seasonal tunes!

But in 1936, there weren't too many new mainstream Christmas recordings. 

The not-actually-Christmas-but-rather-seasonal granddaddy of all songs is 1857's "Jingle Bells," and that song seemed to get recorded more than any other seasonal song back then, old or new.

From 1936 we have this version by the Hoosier Hot Shots (one of my favorite groups):

Good corny fun!

And the legendary Fats Waller cut two versions of "Swingin' Them Jingle Bells," one with a vocal:

And one as an instrumental:

Both great!

Mike Riley and Eddie Farley, who were riding high from "The Music Goes 'Round and Around," their massive hit of the previous year, cut "Jingle Bells" with their orchestra (featuring vocalist Wayne Gregg) as one side of a 78 rpm record:

With the more recent "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" as the flipside of this terrific record:

"Jingle Bells" and "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" seemed to be paired up quite a bit in the 78 era. 

There was one new Christmas song of note, written and recorded by the great Louis Prima:

I think Louis Prima's record of "What Will Santa Claus Say (When He Finds Everybody Swingin') is more popular in recent years than it was when first recorded, as Prima was rediscovered by neo-Swing fans as the great talent he was! This cut doesn't sound like his later, Vegas-style recordings at all, however.

So, not a ton of new holiday records for listeners in 1936, but the ones that were released are terrific!

Next up: What was on the radio?