1927 selected standards and hits

Ain’t She Sweet (Milton Ager, Jack Yellen)
Me and My Shadow (Dave Dreyer, Billy Rose, Al Jolson)
Black and Tan Fantasy (Duke Ellington, Bubber Miley)
My Blue Heaven (m. Walter Donaldson, w. George Whiting)
‘S Wonderful (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin)
Funny Face (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin)
Side By Side (Harry Woods, Gus Kahn)
I’m Coming Virginia (Donald Heywood, Will Marion Cook)
My Heart Stood Still (Rodgers and Hart)
The Best Things in Life Are Free (m. Ray Henderson, w. B. G. DeSylva, Lew Brown)
Varsity Drag (Henderson, DeSylva, Brown)
Strike Up the Band (m. George Gershwin, w. Ira Gershwin)

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Ain’t She Sweet (Milton Ager, Jack Yellen) became popular in the first half of the twentieth century, one of the smash hit songs that typified the Roaring Twenties. Like [another song by this pair] “Happy Days Are Here Again” (1929), it became a Tin Pan Alley standard. Both Ager and Yellen were elected to membership in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Milton Ager wrote “Ain’t She Sweet” for his daughter Shana Ager, who later grew up and became Shana Alexander, a political commentator. –Wikipedia

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Ben Bernie and his Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra – 1927

Gene Austin – 1927

The Jazzmania Quintet – from the short film The Jazzmania Quintette (1928) — Georgie Stoll is the violinist. I don’t know the names of the other band members. Two names, Stoll and actress Edythe Flynn, are credited on the title page. Flynn doesn’t appear in this clip.

After the introduction, during a brief transition to the chorus, Stoll quickly adjusts his bow so that he can play the fiddle with the bow’s stick beneath the neck, and the hair above the neck of the instrument. The percussionist plays nothing but a hi-hat throughout.

Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra – 1939

Bunny Berigan and his Orchestra – 1940. Isn’t that a photo of Benny Goodman and his Orchestra?

Paul McCartney and George Harrison, with Ringo Starr — 1994

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(above, left) Sheet music cover for a recording by The Keller Sisters and Brother Lynch; (right) “Whispering” Jack Smith

Me and My Shadow – (Dave Dreyer, Billy Rose, Al Jolson)

Recordings

Nat Shilkret and his Orchestra with vocals by Johnny Marvin, recorded 12 May 1927

Whispering Jack Smith – 1927

Judy Garland with orchestra conducted by Gordon Jenkins — recorded on 6 February 1957; released 6 May 1957 on the LP Alone

Judy Garland, live during her 1957 British tour — the video includes a slide show of pictures spanning most of her career

The Mills Brothers – 1958

Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. – recorded 22 Oct 1962 with Orchestra arranged by Billy May

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Black and Tan Fantasy(Duke Ellington, Bubber Miley)

the first from 1927, the second a later copy

Live, 1959. The Ellington Orchestra plays three songs in this segment: Black and Tan Fantasy, Creole Love Call, and The Mooche.

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My Blue Heaven (Walter Donaldson, George Whiting) – Gene Austin introduced the song in 1927 with his recording which became a big hit. Later popular covers include those by Jimmie Lunceford in 1935 and Fats Domino in 1956. The list at wikipedia of recorded versions is one of the longest I’ve seen. Following Austin’s hit many popular orchestras of the late 20s and of the 1930s and 40s recorded versions of the song including those of Paul Whiteman, Nat Shilkret (The Victor Salon Orchestra) , Don Vorhees, Jimmie Lunceford, Woody Herman, Glen Miller, Ted Heath and numerous others. It has remained a popular tune for vocalists.

Gene Austin – 1927 – this recording was, according to wikipedia, a “huge hit” in 1928

Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra – recorded 6 July 1927

Personnel:
Henry Busse, Red Nichols – trumpets
Wilbur Hall, trombone, Jack Fulton, Tommy Dorsey – Trombones
Max Farley, Chester Hazlett, Hal McLean, Jimmy Dorsey? – reeds
Charles Strickfaden – alto sax, baritone sax
Kurt Dieterle, Mischa Russell,Mario Perry, Matt Malneck – violins
Harry Perella – piano
Mike Pingitore – banjo
John Sperzel – tuba
Harold MacDonald – drums
Jack Fulton, Chester Gaylord, Austin Young, Bing Crosby*, Al Rinker* – vocals

*Note that two of the vocalists credited were members of Paul Whiteman’s Rhythm Boys