FS88: Maurice Rocco to George Formby Snr and Ken 'Snakehips' Johnson.

This really is it folks! Episode 100, final and last Forgotten Songs from the Broom Cupboard podcast. No Sinatra type returns this time. Hope you enjoy this 90 minute trawl through some old favourites. I'm not abandoning the cause and will be using 78rpm records for a couple of drama type projects. Link below to one. The Brownbread Tapes. He's a man who just might have a bit of a dodgy occupation. Twelve episodes in all, done to various 78 records. Short and hopefully sweet.  https://thebrownbreadtapes.libsyn.com

Here are the artists in our finale- Bob Skyles, Eddie Peabody, Winifred Atwell, Harry Parry, Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Kay Starr, Tenneesse Ernie Ford, Frank and James McCravy, Teresa Brewer, Joe Turner, Jimmie Rodgers, Harry Torrani, Michael Holliday, Billy Banks, Hoagy Carmichel, Michijakko, Bob Hamilton Trio, Bessie Smith, Saunders King, Hot Lips Paige, Lou Ella Robertson, Tiny Bradshaw, Lulu Zeigler and to see us out, Nat King Cole. The utterly marvellous My Flaming Heart. Its been an absolute pleasure. Stay safe, be happy and healthy.

We open with the madness of Irish Mambo from Alma Cogan. The two sides of Nat King Cole. First, pared back with his trio- Nat on piano, Oscar Moore guitar and Bob Miller drums. They give us- I'm lost. Then rich, orchestrated Nat with the Four Knights giving vocal backing- That's all there is to that. Great title. Perry Como with 'Look out your window (Thats me standing in the rain.) Always check the weather forecast before attempting this! Then Catch a falling star. Based on a melody by Brahms apparently and featuring the Ray Charles singers. A massive world wide hit. Absolute 1930s nonsense from Billy Cotton- A Bungalow, a Piccolo and You. Love it. Our Bob Cosby section: Black Zephyr (Decca American Recording label), Fools Rush In(vocals Marion Mann), Speak to me of Love            ( Vocals Marion Mann), Down Argentina Way( Vocals Bonny King), Milk Cow Blues( Vocals Nappy Lamare), I'm Nobody's Baby( Vocals Marion Mann), Big Noise from China(Drums Ray Baudec) and the fabulous Sigh no more ladies. Music by Arthur Young, lyrics William Shakespeare! Great vocals by Marion Mann.  Mann(1914 to 2004) was discovered by band leader Emerson Gill and sang for him in the early 1930s.She was badly injured in a car crash in 1933 but recovered and sang for Bob Crosby and Jan Garber in the late 30s and early 40s. She seems to have left the business in 1947. Love her voice. We finish with the 'B' side to Catch a Falling Star, Magic Moments. Which reached No1 in Britain in 1958.     

Hardly forgotten but Frankie Laine certainly doesn't get the credit he deserve in the history of pop. An astonishing 75 year career. Singer, songwriter and actor.  A big powerful voice that succeeded in all genres of music he tackled. Acknowledged as precursor to rock and roll. He happened to be a great guy too. Here he gives us- Some day, Love is such a cheat, The little boy and the old man( duet with Jimmy Boyd.) Your cheatin' heart and, of course, Blowing wild. Eartha Kitt starts us off with Cest si bon. Cherokee Canyon from Tex Beneke, Cherokee from Charlie Barnet. See what I did there.  An artist that Frankie Laine admired as a young man was Gene Austin, falsetto crooner and songwriter. We hear him singing- I've grown so lonely thinking of you and then two interperations of Austin- Skilkret's Lonely Road. Jules Bledsoe sings the original song that was used in Showboat. Bledsoe was the first  black singer/ actor to regularly appear on Broadway. He was the original Joe in Showboat. Mugsy Spanier takes the song, written in the style of an African, American folk song, and makes it a jazzy, blues classic. Big noise from Winnetka from Bob Haggart and Ray Baudec, two members of Bob Crosby's Bobcats. Legend has it they improvised its composition while the rest of the band were taking a break. A cool track, string bass, drums and whistling. Listen to  Baudec play the lower part of the bass with his drum sticks. Marvellous stuff.

Goodbye 2022. A shorter than normal episode to mark the end of the year. Its party time, Its Scottish dance and song with a wee bit of help from across the pond. We start with Sir Harry Lauder and I love a Lassie. He was the first million record selling British artist. Fats Waller with You asked for it, you got it, Duke Ellington- It dont mean a thing( If it ain't got that swing.) Primo Scala- Grinzing. These are the fellas you want at a party to entertain. The Scottish Dance Orchestra- Highland Fling, Bobby MacCleod and his band- Bonnie Annie and McDonald of Sleat. We go out, naturally, with  Auld lang Syne. Recorded in June 1910 in London. P.A Hope is the singer. I always find it a poignant song but it seems even more so because this recording comes to us from so long ago. How the world has change in those 112 years. A big thank you to all who have listened throughout the year, from all over the world. Be safe, be happy, be healthy. See you next year.

We will back to a weekly schedule, starting on Friday 6th January at 6pm.

Miles Tubb- milestubb@gmail.com 

Frankie Vaughan seemed to be constantly present on British Television in 1960s. Mr Moonlight they called him. He had a big voice and a big stage presence, top hat, bow tie and tails. He had many hits during the 1950s and had a brief career in Holywood. Most notably opposite Marilyn Monroe in Lets make Love. Here he gives us The Green door. Lita Rosa- Hernando's Hideaway. Rosa started her stage career at the age of 12. At 24 she was lead female singer with Ted Heath. A strong voice which probably never reached its full potential with the material she was given. Variety is the spice of life on Forgotten Songs. So next up is Tom Wright with Driving into Glasgae in a sour milk cairt. Its billed as traditional on the Beltona label. It's not but was written in 1914 by Tom Johnstone for the comedian J.C macDonald. It's in broad Scots. Two from a F.S favourite, Kay Starr- Too busy and If you love me. Dickie Valentine was a popular crooner in Britain through the 50s. Like many British singers he existed on a diet of American covers. He died in a car crash in 1971. Joan Regan and The Squadronaires give us Ricochet. The Squadronaires were the R.A.F big band. There is some confusion of her birth name and exactly where she was born.  Again she did a lot of American covers through the 50s but her U.S recorded version of Don't talk to me of love become a Northern Soul classic. Languishing in the F.S colection has been this piece of US Billbord chart history from Tommy Edwards. It's all in the game was the first number one by an African American in the chart. Released in 1958 it was the biggest hit from this singer- song writer. He sadly died young at 47. Frank Ferera with Beautiful Love. He was a Hawaiian music pioneer. We go all posh with Air on a G string with Norbert Wethmar on violin. The only information I can be certain of about him are two references from The Radio Times in the late 1930s. Two performances with the BBC Orchestra. Florrie Forde was the Australian born grand Dame of British Music hall. Whose career spanned Victorian variety theatre to entertaining the troops in Aberdeen in 1940. She died after the performance, aged 64. Her songs included- Hold out your hand you naughty boy, Down at the old Bull and Bush and I do like to be by the seaside. Here she gives us When we were strolling around town. Maurice Winnick was another Manchester born musical child prodigy. As a teenager he was a band leader on a transatlantic liner. He had a succesful career through the 1930s and 40s. He died in 1960. He plays a lovely version of The Waltz you saved for me. The Platters need no introduction and neither does the song- Smoke gets in your eyes. Okay its not forgotten but how often do you hear it directly from the original 78?

Two Harrys to start us off. Parry- Trust and Parry and James with Memphis Blues. Henry Allen and his Orchestra- Dinah Lou. Allen was one of the major trumpeters of the Swing era and played with King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson, Coleman Hawkins and Louis Armstrong. Count Basie and his Kansas City seven- Lester Leaps in. Lester Young being the Lester. The group released six versions of the song between 1939- 1948. Sidney Bechet and his New Orleans Feetwarmers- Stormy Jones, Mugsy Spanier and his Ragtime Band- That Da, Da Strain. Robert Earl- If you love me. A popular tenor in the 1950s. His son, also Robert Earl ,is the founder of Planet Holywood restaurants. Orcestration is by Wally Stott. Musical director of Philips Records at the time.  Stott was an arranger, composer and conductor. Worked with Shirley Bassey, Noel Coward, Dusty Springfield and Scott Walker, amongst others. As well as composing Film and T.V scores- from Watership Down to the music for the TV series Dallas. In 1970 Stott undertook gender reassignment surgery and lived the rest of her life as Angela Morely. She went on to have highly succesful career in the US. Amazing story and life. Perfect for Forgotten Songs. The luck of the Irish next, Jack Daly- When the poppies bloom again. He ran out of luck I'm afraid. Could only take about a minute of his warbling! Much beter is- Sydney MacEwan and She moved through the fair. MacEwan was an ordained priest born in Glasgow in 1908. He started his recording career in 1934 and work extensively on the BBC. He did many world tours. Very popular in his day.  A favourite from George Formby- In a little Wigan Garden. We finish with the very dark Miss Otis regrets from Jay Wilbur and Elizabethan Serenade, from the Ron Goodwin Orchestra. Goodwin was a profilific film composer- Where Eagles Dare, 633 Squadron and the theme to the Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple film. Later used in 'Kill Bill'.

Stan Freberg starts us off with his version of The Banana Boat song.. 'too loud man.' Freberg was a comedian, musician, puppeteer, advertising creative director but, above all, satirist. Check out his version of John and Marsha. We have a bit of a British Dance Band fest- Geraldo- That lovcely weekend, vocals Dorothy Carless, Ernie Goldin- Making Whoopie, Roy Fox and his band- You Rascal You( vocals Nat Gonella, possibly Al Bowlly) Georgia on my mind, Nat Gonella and his Georgians- Georgia's gorgeous girl. I love Gonella's vocals. Harry Parry- Don't be that way and Bounce me brother with a solid four. Edmundo Ros- Rhumba Royale. Ros Lived to be a 100 and was one of the big promoters of Latin American music in Britain. Percival Mackay and his Kitcat band- Time will tell. Harry Parry played in Mackay's band.  Primo Scala's Acordion Band- Hilly Billy medly. Primo Scala was very popular and did 100s of performances on BBC radio during the 30s and 40s. The man behind the band was Harry Bidgood. Harry Roy's Tiger Ragamuffins- Where did Robinson Crusoe take Friday on a Saturday night. Great version. We finish on a favourite. Mel Torme- Mountain Greenery.    

Back after a three month break. What better way to start than with Bob Skyles and his Skyrockets with I'm gonna die with a broken heart. Three from the hugely popular Inkspots- Everyone is saying hello again, Thoughtless and one of their big hit Java Jive.  Just one of their records alone, If I didn't care, sold 19 million copies. Their style rarely changed but they were ground breakers. They sold well to both black and white audiences. Ted Heath and his music with Walking Shoes. Two soporific songs next- Paul Robson with Just a wearyin' and Rosemary Clooney with Brahms lullaby. Should have put them at the end. We all could have nodded off. Not often we play the pipes on Forgotten songs but we have two tunes from The Bowhill Colliery and District band. Bowhill in Fife was the scene of a pit disaster in 1931 when 10 men were killed. Like many factories, foundaries, collieries Bowhill had a works band. This being Scotland a pipe band as well as a silver band. The Rhytmn Maniacs with the wonderfully titled- 'The gag song( She was only a bookmakers daughter.) To be fair it does have some funny lines. Max Darewski was a Manchester born child prodigy. At the age of 9 he was conducting a full orchestra. He had a successful career as a composer. Not convinced his genius was on display with this number- Shadow man. Sadly he died only aged 35. Edna Thomas was a African American actress and singer. She performed on Broadway and on film. Here she gives a very refined performance of Mamzelle Zizi. No need to tell you about Roy Rodgers, here singing A four legged friend. Thank goodness he mentions Trigger at the end! Alma Cogan advises Never tango with an Eskimo but in this weather we need all the heat we can get. Lionel Hampton gives laid back vocals to The mood I'm in. Naturally he gives us some vibrophone too. We finish with two BBC records. Charles Williams leads his orchestra with own composition, The Devils Gallop. This was the signature tune to Dick Barton, Special Agent. A 'cliffhanger' radio series that the BBC ran from 1946 to 1951.  As we recorded this on Christmas we end with Come All Ye Faithfull, from the BBC Choir. I'm sure Lord Reith would approve. He was the stoney faced kill joy who ran the BBC for many years and he certainly wouldn't have approved of The Gag song. Far too ribald!!  

Some comedy on budget record labels. Last chance plays for some, as they are a little ropey. We start with a right cheery number from comedian Bobby Comber- La-di-da-di-da. A popular entertainer through the 20s and 30s. I can find little about his history online. Plenty of history about Sandy Powell. Here he gives us Sandy the Doctor. Next Harry Leader and his Orchestra- Little man you've had a busy day(1934). Leader was a prolific band leader who operated under many different names and had a long career. He was particularly associated with the programme Workers Playtime. Vocals are by Dawn Davis. She sang with a few British bands in the 1930s and 40s, as well as a solo and in a duo. She notably dueted with Al Bowlly. She moved to Australia in the late 40s but returned to England in 1955. Unfortunately she was unavailable to get back into the entertainment  business. She died in 1993, aged 83. Madame Nina Rae- Anne Laurie(1921) Other than being born in 1878 in Glasgow I could find nothing about her. Billy Williams, we've played before. Here he sings I'll lend you my best girl. Australian born he had a highly successful career in British Music hall. He died in 1915. Tommy Handley was another very successful comedian. Especially during WW2 in his radio programme ITMA- Its that man again. He gives us 'How many pips are there in a pomegranate'(1929).  Charlie Higgins- Down in the field where the buttercups grow. Another popular comedian from the 1930s. He played the London Palladium three times. He billed himself as  'A fool if only he knew it.' Ernest Butcher- I sing as I limp along(1935). A character actor from 1930s to 1950s. Nothing really online that talks about his singing. We have two of his records in the F.S collection. This track is self penned. Savoy Havana band- Dear love, my love. They were the resident band at the Savoy Hotel in London, 1921 to 27. Started by Bert Railton, they did the British Premier of Gerswin's Rhapsody in Blue. We get all modern to end the show. Troubled Welsh diva with Dorothy Squires- I walk behind you(1953). Composed by her partner of the time Billy Reid. She was successful throughout the fifties and into the 60s but her faded away and she died in 1998. We finish with John Kirby- Undecided and the spacey Dawn on the desert-1938 and 1939. Kirby started on the trombone, switched to tuba and ended up on the double bass. He played in many band and started his own well thought of jazz ensemble and orchestra. He sadly died young in 1952. 

A couple of cheery and cheeky wartime songs. George Formby with Ukelele Man. Not nearly enough ukelele playing on it quite frankly. Next Dave Willis with ARP( Air raid patrol.) More commonly known as My Wee Gas Mask. Probably the best known Scottish song from WW2. Joe Corrie was a Fife coal miner, poet and playright. His style was naturalistic and his subject matter the working class. He was pretty much ignored by the Scottish theatre establishment of the time. Here we have The shilling a week man. A humerous tale of money owed, performed in broad Scots. Humerous it maybe but for many life was 'hand to mouth' and the shilling a week man was a fact of life.  Bunny Berigan's blues boys with Chicken and Waffles and then he plays trumpet on Gold diggers of 1933 with The bell boys of Broadway. Two from the magnificent Mildred Bailey with her orchestra- St Louis Blues and with her Oxford Greys- Arkanas Blues. Great vocals from her. We split those two tracks with Charlie Barnet and Wandering blues, vocals by Mary Ann McCall. Ring dem bells from The Harlem Footwarmers(1929.) They also performed under 25 aliases and members included Duke Ellington and Cottie Williams. Johnny Dodds and his orch- Red onion blues. His brother 'Baby' Dodds is on drums. Bit of Boogie from Will Brady's six Texan hot dogs- Basin Street boogie(1941) Not the best condition but Taft Jordon and his mob play Devil in the moon. Taft only made two records with own group but played with the best, from Ella to Ellington. His trumpet can be heard on Miles Davis's Sketches of Spain. Quite an acolade to be asked to play trumpet with Miles! E.C Kirkeby Wallace bandleader, songwriter, vocalist and manager. He looked after Fats Waller. He also started the Californian Ramblers while working at Columbia. Benny Goodman with Blues in the night, vocals by Peggy Lee. Early peggy. She certainly hits some uncharactistic high notes toward the end. We finish with Freddy Gardner and his Swing Orch. The self composed 10am Blues from 1939. A great track from this forgotten British saxphonist, who died young at 39. Its an Indian pressing on the Rex label.