Monday Side-Session: Sittin' and Singin'

Following yesterday’s look at Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s Just a‑Settin’ and a‑Rockin’, today we slide over to the covers, remakes and lyrical detours that kept the tune alive through the mid‑’40s and beyond.

As I mentioned, once Lee Gaines of The Delta Rhythm Boys introduced lyrics, the tune’s title shifted from settin’ to sittin’ — and the song suddenly had a whole new life.

Let's start with some versions from 1945...

🎙️ The Delta Rhythm Boys Get It Rolling

First, let's spin The Delta Rhythm Boys’ popular 1945 Decca record:

This one has that easy, confident glide the group specialized in — tight harmonies, a relaxed beat, and a groove that feels like it’s leaning back in a chair. You can hear why this version helped the lyrical “sittin’” catch on.

For further illustration, here's a video clip Lee and the fellows:

Nice!

🌟 Thelma Steps In

Here’s a terrific version by Thelma Carpenter on the Majestic label:

Thelma gives the tune a buoyant lift — her phrasing is crisp, her tone warm, and she swings the melody without ever pushing it too hard. It’s one of those versions where the band and singer feel perfectly matched.

🎤 June & Stan Swing the Verse

Next up: Stan Kenton on Capitol with June Christy:

June Christy sounds terrific here — bright, playful, and rhythmically sharp — and she gets to sing the rarely heard verse, which is a treat in itself. Kenton’s band gives the tune a bit more punch, but June keeps it cool and stylish.

Here's a video of clip pf June with the Kenton band:

Retro-crush mode fully engaged!

🎷 Georgie’s Webster‑Warm Tenor

For one more 1945 version, here’s tenor sax star Georgie Auld with vocalist Lynne Stevens on the Musicraft label:

Georgie brings a warm, slightly breathy tenor sound that nods toward Ben Webster’s feel on the Ellington original. And Lynne is definitely an underrated canary. Together they make a version that feels both relaxed and musically alert.

🎶 The Pied Pipers Blend It Beautifully

Moving to 1946, here’s a non-commercial transcription recording from The Pied Pipers:

A smooth, well‑balanced group performance with June Hutton leading. The Pipers give the tune a lighter, more polished sheen — almost a radio‑friendly gloss — but they keep the rhythmic bounce intact.

🎺 Delta Rhythm Boys Return

                                                  

While in 1946, we also encounter The Delta Rhythm Boys again, as they sing another version of Just a‑Sittin’ and a‑Rockin’ for Decca, this time backed by Charlie Barnet and his Orchestra:

Not sure why Decca had the group return to the tune so soon, but the more relaxed pace and big band backing give this version a totally different vibe.

🌫️ June's Recollection

Let’s jump ahead to 1959 for three more versions, starting with June Christy’s remake for her Capitol album Recalls Those Kenton Days:

Always great to hear Misty Miss Christy with that wonderful Capitol Records sound!

🇸🇪 Alice's Swedish Sparkle

Next up is Swedish singing star Alice Babs with this cut from her Decca album Alice and Wonderland:

I think she’s absolutely delightful but it's not just the charming accent - she has serious music chops as well.

Word is that Duke Ellington was impressed with this recording, which prompted him to want to work with Alice, resulting in some wonderful joint projects!

And we're fortunate enough to also have a video clip of Alice in action:

Total retro-crush mode!

🎹 Shirley Rocks the Keyboards

Let’s close out with an instrumental version – Shirley Scott with this single taken from her Prestige album Scottie Plays the Duke:

"Scottie" gives the tune a stylish instrumental reading, moving between piano and organ with her usual soulful touch. She keeps the melody intact but adds subtle harmonic twists that make the track feel fresh and modern.

Hope you enjoyed sittin’ and rockin’ with me today!

Word Association Wednesday: That’s the Thing to Do

Following Sunday’s Day Dream and rolling right into today’s WAW, my train of thought took a few scenic turns — there are so many songs with “dream” in the title. So why not go straight to Dream, the 1945 classic by Johnny Mercer.

🌙 The First Few Winks

Johnny was one of the bosses at Capitol Records at the time, and he handed the tune to his frequent collaborators The Pied Pipers, who recorded it in late 1944 for release in early ’45.

Let’s spin it:

That record was a huge hit, and it’s easy to hear why — it’s really a dream.

By then, June Hutton had stepped in as the Pipers’ lead singer, replacing Jo Stafford, who was busy becoming a solo star on Capitol.

💫 Frankie's Fantasy

Once the Pied Pipers’ version took off, other labels naturally jumped aboard. Over at Columbia, Frank Sinatra recorded it a little later in 1945:

The song fits young Frankie like a glove. Cue the bobby-soxers!

✨ Martin's Mirage

Singers like Sinatra were starting to take over in 1945, but big bands were still holding strong, so Victor had Freddy Martin cut Dream with vocalist Artie Wayne:

A typically smooth reading from the Martin band with a somewhat haunting vibe.

🌜 Jimmy’s Alto Apparition

Meanwhile, over on Decca, Jimmy Dorsey recorded the tune with Teddy Walters:

Jimmy’s alto floats right through that lush arrangement.

🌠 Castle in the Air

For one more band take, we head to the small Musicraft label, where trumpet star Lee Castle recorded his version with Tony Dexter:

Lovely trumpet work from Lee on that one.

💤 Santo & Johnny's Somnambulism

Plenty of other versions of Dream have appeared over the years. Let’s close out with this 1959 track on the Canadian American label from Santo & Johnny:

They’re in full Sleepwalk mode — and I love it!

Warehouse Whispers

Johnny Mercer was known primarily as a lyricist, and out of the approximately one zillion songs in his catalog, Dream is one of the very few for which he wrote both the lyrics and the music.

Quite a dream!