Scratchy Grooves
Page 3
Show No. 149: Dec. 4, 1988
"Jimmy Grier and Earl Burtnett" features: A sampling of these two popular West Coast hotel orchestras, which achieved fame through radio and touring in the late 1920s and 1930s. Songs include "Sleepy Time Town South" (1932), "Lowdown Rhythm" (1929), "I've Got to Sing a Torch Song" (1933), "By the Fireside" (1932), "Rain on the Roof" (1932), "11:30 Saturday Night," "Never Before and Never Again," "The Sun's in my Heart" and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 150: Dec. 11, 1988
"What? Songs" features: A whole bunch of songs with "What" in the title (following up on the "Who" show a while back). Includes a very loose live version of "What Is It?" by Bing Crosby (1931), "What a Day" by the Ted Weems Orchestra (1929), "What a Combination" by Eddie Cantor (1933), "What is Sweeter?" by Ruth Etting (1933), an odd "What is This Thing Called Love" (1930), "Whatcha Gonna Do When the Rent Comes Round" by Beatrice Kay, and lots more (60 min.)
Show No. 151: Dec. 18, 1988
"All Time Requests" features: The songs that listeners most requested, including "On the Trail of the Lonesome Pine" by Laurel and Hardy, "Second Hand Rose" by Fanny Brice, Paul Whiteman's "Whispering," an odd version of "The Charleston" and lots more hits! (60 min.)
Show No. 152: Dec. 25, 1988
"Music to Relax By" features: Gentle "potted palm" dinner music from the late 1920s and early 1930s, as played by the Victor Salon Orchestra (left). Perfect for that after-Christmas mellow mood, or your next swell dinner party. (60 min.)
Show No. 153: Jan. 1, 1989
"Predictions" features: A list of things to come, including politics (a comedy speech by Billy Murrary), your birthday ("Many Happy Returns of the Day" by Alfalfa), war ("Stay Down Here Where You Belong" by Henry Burr), homelessness ("I Ain't Got No Home in This World Anymore" by Woody Guthrie), justice ("He's in the Jailhouse Now" by Jimmy Rogers), drinking and driving ("Show Me The Way to Go Home" by Harry Reser's orchestra), and lots more. (60 min.)
Show No. 154: Jan. 8, 1989
"Trees" is a musical and spoken-word collage in tribute to the enduring beauty -- and the songwriting inspiration -- of trees. Well before the Google era, this was assembled, bit by bit, thanks to dad's huge musical library and a lot of researching. (60 min.)
Show No. 155: Jan. 15, 1989
"When? Songs" features: "When Day is Done" by Mildred Bailey (1935), "When Rastus Plays His Old Kazoo" by Walt McKinney (1938), "When My Ship Comes In" by Eddie Cantor (1934), "When Sweet Susie Comes Stepping By " by Harry Reser's Six Jumping Jacks, "When the Pussy Willow Whispers to the Catnip" by the Happiness Boys, and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 156: Jan. 22, 1989
"Rivers" features: A selection of river-themed music, both pro and con, including "Across the Wide Missouri" and "Old Man River" by Paul Robeson, Kate Smith's 1931 "River Stay Away From My Door," Bessie Smith's "Backwater Blues" and "Muddy Water," Connie Boswell's 1933 "The River's Taking Care Of Me," Jack Teagarden's 1939 "Muddy River Blues" and lots more. (60 min.)
Show No. 157: Jan. 29, 1989
"This & That" features: "This Land is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie, "That Big Blonde Mama" by Al Jolson (1923), "This Is the Night" by Ruth Etting, "That Old Gang of Mine" by Billy Murray and Ed Small (1923), Rudy Vallee's "This is the Missus" (1931), "That's Where the South Begins" by Sophie Tucker (1930) and more. I think you get the idea of the theme! (60 min.)
Show No. 158: Feb. 5, 1989
"All Request" features: Songs that listeners wanted, including "Doodle Doo Doo," "St. Louis Blues" by Louis Armstrong (1929), "Nola" by Paul Whiteman's Orchestra (1915), Al Jolson's "I Gave Her That," "Wabash Blues" (1927), the Earl Burtnett Orchestra's "Singing a Song to the Stars" (1930), Frank Parker's "Two Cigarettes in the Dark" (1934) and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 159: Feb. 19, 1989
"Dance in America" is a personal essay on dancing -- from Native American chants through the 1920s and 1930s, when dance became universal. It's told with wry humor, and a dim view of that noisy rock and roll. Includes Sophie Tucker singing about doing "The Grizzly Bear," "Everybody Step" by Paul Whiteman (1921), and some more obscure dances like "The Whiteman Stomp" (1927), "Doin' the Raccoon" (1928), "Dancing Shadows" and "Borneo" (1928). (60 min.)
Show No. 160: Feb. 26, 1989
"Where? Songs" features "Where Am I?" by Jack Little, "Where are You, Dream Girl?" by Rudy Vallee (1929), "Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go With Friday on Saturday Night?" by Al Jolson (1916), "Where Is My Wandering Boy Tonight?" by Jack Ryan (1917), "Where Is That Song of Songs For Me?" by Lupe Valez (1929), "Where Or When" by Hal Kemp, and plenty more. Also, two funny station promos that dad did single-handedly. (60 min.)
Show No. 161: March 5, 1989
"The Cotton Club" looks at the influential New York City club (1922-1940) that fostered the careers of Bill Robinson ("Just A Crazy Song" from 1931), Ethel Waters ("Am I Blue" from 1929), Chick Webb ("Heebie Jeebies" from 1931), Adelaide Hall ("I Must Have That Man" from 1923), Midge Williams ("Lazy Bones" from 1933), Cab Calloway ("Old Yazoo" from 1932) and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 162: March 19, 1989
"Girl Vocalists" features: A survey of women who started out singing with popular bands of the 1930s, including Mildred Bailey with Paul Whiteman's Orchestra, Dinah Shore ("Stardust"), Lena Horne ("Beale Street Blues"), Alice Faye ("You Can't Have Everything"), Ruth Etting ("Dancing With Tears in My Eyes") and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 163: March 26, 1989
"Spring" features: Music to welcome the season, including Al Jolson's 1932 "April Showers," Al Bowlly's "Rain on the Roof," Donald Voorhees singing "I Found a Million Dollar Baby," a visit to the porch swing with "Vic and Sade" and lots more. (60 min.)
Show No. 164: April 2, 1989
"All Request" features: A catch-up on listener requests, including "Honey" by Rudy Vallee, "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and "Just Around the Corner" by Ted Lewis, "Harbor Lights" by Sammy Kaye, some live Marlene Dietrich songs, a selection of English dance band music and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 165: April 9, 1989
"Kinder, Gentler America" features: A selection of music in keeping with President Bush's declaration at the time that we should strive for a "kinder, gentler" nation. Sit back and mellow out to Mildred Bailey's "Please Be Kind," the Mills Brothers singing "Up a Lazy River," Vera Lynn's "Drifting and Dreaming," Ruth Etting's 1933 "Try a Little Tenderness," Blossom Sealey's 1924 "Lazy," Dinah Washington's "Softly" and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 166: April 16, 1989
"Generic 1920s" features: Songs from a tape dad got from the UK that had a list of bands and songs, but not who played which ones. Somewhere in here you'll find Fred Waring, Ted Weems and the Vincent Lopez Orchestra, along with The Broadway Nightlights, the Charleston Chargers and others. Songs include "Kickin' the Blues Away," "Mighty Blue," "What a Day," "I'm Confessin'," "Kick That Thing" and "Wabash Blues." (60 min.)
Show No. 167: April 23, 1989
"Home" features: Songs about everybody's favorite place, including "Home Again Blues" (1920) by the Original Dixieland Band, "Way Back Home" (1935) by the Boswell Sisters, "Way Down Home" by Gene Austin and Carson Robinson, "My Ohio Home" (1928) by the Red Nichols Orchestra, "Back Home in Indiana" (1928), a 1907 comedy song from an Edison cylinder called "Down on the Farm" and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 168: April 30, 1989
"Arthur Tracy" features: A career survey of this very popular singer of the early 1930s. Known as "The Street Singer," he was a full-voiced singer whose recording of "Marta" was his biggest hit, but he worked steadily on radio until 1936. Songs include "Pennies From Heaven," "Lovely to Look At" (1935), "With Every Breath I Take" (1934), "The Last Roundup" (1933), "Rolling Home" (1934) and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 169: May 7, 1989
"Fred Astaire" features: A career survey of the legendary singer and dancer, who started at the age of five as a dancer with his sister, Adele, and went on to become an icon. Songs include "I Love Louisa," "Sweet Music," "Top Hat," "Cheek to Cheek," "The Way You Look Tonight," "A Fine Romance" and lots more classics.
Show No. 170: May 14, 1989
"Leftovers" features: Songs that didn't fit onto recent programs, including a salute to Mother's Day by Will Rogers, Arthur Tracy's 1936 "All My Life," Annette Hanshaw's 1931 "You're The One I Care For," Frances Langford singing "Can't Help Loving That Man," Ethel Waters singing "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," Al Jolson's 1916 "Down Where the Swanee River Flows," Harry Reser's "I'm Sitting On Top of the World" and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 171: May 21, 1989
"1925" features: Songs from the year dad was born, along with some fun facts and figures about the year. Songs include "Collegiate" by Fred Waring's Orchestra, "Nighthawk Blues" by the Coon Sanders Orchestra, "Dinah" by the Boswell Sisters, "Always" and "Freshie" by Harry Reser's Orchestra, "Save Your Sorrow For Tomorrow" by George Olsen's Orchestra and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 172: May 28, 1989
"Harry Warren" features: A survey of the prolific composer's works, beginning with his first published song, "Rose of the Rio Grande" (1922), and spanning "Nagasaki" (1928), "Cheerful Little Earful" (1930), "Crying for the Carolines" (1930), "I Found a Million Dollar Baby," "You're My Everything," "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," "We're in the Money," "Lullaby of Broadway" and more hits. (60 min.)
Show No. 173: June 4, 1989
"Hearts & Sweethearts" features: A salute to June brides and love, with "My Heart and I" by Little Jack Little, "Sweetheart of All My Dreams" by Johnny Marvin, "The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" by Ted Lewis, "Sweetheart We Need Each Other" by Ben Pollock's Orchestra, "Heaven Help This Heart of Mine" by Mildred Bailey, "Nobody's Sweetheart" by Marion Harris and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 174: June 11, 1989
"Time" features: "As Time Goes By" (1931) by Fred Waring, "Time After Time" by Henry Burr, "Yesterdays" (1933) by Billie Holiday, "Last Night on the Back Porch" (1923) by Paul Whiteman, "My Cutie's Due at 2:22 Today" (1926) by the Ted Weems Orchestra, "I'm a 12:00 Fellow in a 9:00 Town" (1912) by Byron G. Harlan, "On the 5:15" (1914) by Billy Murray, and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 175: July 9, 1989
"Singing Radio Pioneers" features: A few of the first vocalists to take to the airwaves in the early 1920s, including Joseph M. White (known at "The Silver Masked Tenor"), Johnny Marvin ("The Lonesome Singer of the Air"), Frank Parker and the A&P Gypsies Radio Orchestra, Morton Downey, Kate Smith and Singin' Sam. (60 min.)
Show No. 176: July 23, 1989
"Banjos" features: More banjos than you'll find anywhere else, including Harry Reser's "Heebie Jeebies," Vess Ossman playing "The Maple Leaf Rag" (1907), Fred Van Epps doing "The Chatter Box Rag," "Teasin' the Cat" and "Grace and Beauty," Eddie "Blackface" Ross playing "Ross's Dog Trot," Pete Mandel's "Banjo Mania" (1926), Eddie Peabody's "St. Louis Blues" and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 177: July 30, 1989
"If Songs" features: "If a Table at Rector's Could Talk" by Nat Wills (1913), "If My Baby Cooks as Good as She Looks" by Harry Reser, "If I Can't Have You" by Gus Arnheim (1928), "If I Had a Talking Picture of You" by Belle Baker, "If I Had You" by the Broadway Broadcasters, "If I Knew I'd Find You" by Al Jolson (1926), "If I'm Dreaming" by Marilyn Miller and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 178: Aug. 27, 1989
"Smiles" features: Singers doing their best to get you to grin, including "Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella" by Lee Morris (1928), "Wipe That Frown Right Off Your Face" by Ethel Merman (1931), "Keep Smiling" by Stanley Holloway (1934), "Keep Smiling at Trouble" by Fred Waring (1924), "Smiles" by Boyd Center and his Centerpedes (1929), Gus Arnheim's "Every Time You Smile," Ada Jones and Billy Murray's "Smile Smile Smile" (1919) and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 179: Sept. 17, 1989
"Women Sing About Men" features: Kind of a rare topic, considering that most of the old-time songwriters were men. We'll hear Wee Bonnie Baker's "Billy" and "Oh Johnny," Helen Morgan's "My Bill," Ethel Waters' "Baby Of Mine" (1928), Ruth Etting's "Let's Talk About My Sweetie," Sophie Tucker's "My Pet," Lee Morris singing "Good Man to Have Around" and more. (60 min.)Scratchygrooves91789.mp3
Show No. 180: Sept. 24, 1989
"New To Me" features: A sampling of records that recently arrived in dad's collection. He admits to being a record-aholic, and then plays the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra's "On the Level, You're a Devil," the Happiness Boys doing "We Can't Sleep in the Movies Anymore," The Harmony Brothers paying tribute to Lindbergh with "Like an Angel He Flew Into Everyone's Heart," Irving Kaufman's "I Wish I Had My Old Gal Back Again" and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 181: Oct. 1, 1989
"Favorite Favorites" features: A few of dad's favorite songs. You'll hear "My Honey's Lovin' Arms" by Joe Venuti, "Me and My Shadow" (1927) by Whispering Jack Smith, "You Took Advantage of Me" by Miff Mole and His Little Molars, "My Baby Just Cares For Me" (1930) by Ted Weems, "Stormy Weather" (1933) by Ethel Waters, "The Girl on The Magazine Cover" (1916) by Harry McDonough, and an odd comedy bit called "She Knows Her Onions" by the Happiness Boys. (60 min.)
Show No. 182: Oct. 15, 1989
"1914" features: Songs written or recorded during that year, including Johnny Marvin's "12th Street Rag," Bessie Smith's "St. Louis Blues," Morton Harvey's "I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier," Al Jolson's "Sister Susie's Sewing Shirts for Soldiers," the Europe Society Orchestra playing "The Castle Walk," Raymond Dixon singing "Goodbye Girls I'm Through" and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 183: Oct. 22, 1989
"Drinking" features: A survey of the subject, pro and con, including "Little Brown Jug," Henry Burr's temperance anthem "Father Dear Father, Come Home With Me Now," Stanley Holloway singing "Champagne Charlie," Billy Murray's 1919 "How Are You Going to Wet Your Whistle when the Whole Darn World's Gone Dry?", Bert Williams singing "Everybody Wants the Key to My Cellar," Billy Murray's "I'll See You in C.U.B.A." and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 184: Nov. 5, 1989
"1930 Part 1" features: Songs from that grim year, including "Happy Feet" by Bing Crosby and Paul Whiteman's Orchestra, "On the Sunny Side of the Street" by Harry Richman, "Blue Again" by Paul Small, "Beyond the Blue Horizon" by George Olsen's Orchestra, "Them There Eyes" by the Rhythm Boys and Gus Arnheim's Orchestra, "I Got Rhythm" by The Spirits of Rhythm and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 185: Nov. 11, 1989
"1930 Part 2" features: A lighter bunch of songs, including "Cheerful Little Earful," "Would You Like to Take a Walk With Me?" by Rudy Vallee, "Something to Remember You By" by Paul Small, "Go Home and Tell Your Mother" by Harold 'Scrappy' Lambert, "Just a Gigolo" by Bing Crosby, "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes" by Frank Munn, and more (60 min.)
Show No. 186: Nov. 19, 1989
"Leftovers" features: Songs that ended up getting cut for time in previous shows, including Johnny Marvin's "The One I Love Can't Be Bothered For Me," Earl Burtnett's 1934 "Riding Around in the Rain," banjo demon Brook Johns playing "Tessie Stop Teasing Me," Blossom Sealy's "Yes Sir, That's My Baby," Arthur Fields singing "You're In Style When You're Wearing a Smile," Annette Hanshaw's "The Only One in the World" and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 187: Dec. 10, 1989
"Al Bowlly" features: A survey of romantic songs by this singer who was very well known in the 1930s, particularly in England, where he recorded hundreds of songs with Ray Noble's Orchestra and others. Songs here include "Now That You're Gone" (1932), "Sweet is the Word For You," "You're a Sweetheart," "Goodnight Angel" (1938), "Lonely" (1939), "I Miss You in the Morning" and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 188: Dec. 17, 1989
"Winter" features: Songs for a cold night, including "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" by Mildred Bailey (1927), "Button Up Your Overcoat" by Helen Kane (1929), "By the Fireside" (1932), "Winter Overnight" by Helen Morgan, Hal Kemp's "It's Winter Again," a twangy version of "Baby It's Cold Outside" by Homer and Jethro with June Carter Cash, and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 189: Dec. 31, 1989
"The Passage of TIme" features: A dewy-eyed collection of songs for New Year's Eve, including "When Your Hair Has Turned to Silver" by Rudy Vallee, "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" by Guy Lombardo, "That Old Gang of Mine" by Perry Como with the Ted Weems Orchestra, "Among My Souvenirs" by Irving Kaufman, an odd warbling version of "Danny Boy" and a very wide-ranging segment of "Request Time." (60 min.)
Show No. 190: Jan. 7, 1990
"Change" features: Songs about things changing for good or bad, including "There'll Be Some Changes Made" by Marion Harris (1924), "Change Partners" by Fred Astaire (1938), "Changes" by the Rhythm Boys, "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans" by the Anson Weeks Orchestra, "I'm Through With Love" by Scratchy Lambert (1931) and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 191: Jan. 14, 1990
"Dancing" features: A few of the countless songs on the subject, including "Shall We Dance?" by Fred Astaire, "I Won't Dance" (1935) and "Dancing Time" (1922) written by Jerome Kern, "Shuffle Your Feet" (1928), "I'll Dance if You Will" by Fats Waller, "Dancing Shadows" (1927) by Eddie Golden and his Hotel McAlpen Orchestra, Frank Munn's "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes" and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 192: Jan. 21, 1990
"Sweet Songs" features: "Sweet Music" by Sophie Tucker (1929), "Sweet Sue" by Red Nichols (1928), "Sweet Someone" by Paul Ash's Orchestra, a 1904 Edison cylinder recording of "Sweet Adeline," "Sweet Man" by Harry Reser (1925), "Love is the Sweetest Thing" by the Hal Kemp Orchestra (1934), Gerald Bright's "Sweet Louise" (1935) and lots more. (60 min.)
Show No. 193: Jan. 18, 1990
"Ragtime" features some biographical background on Scott Joplin, and several piano rolls of Joplin playing his own compositions ("Original Rag," "Something Doing," "The Entertainer"), along with the 1911 "Alexander's Ragtime Band" sung by Ted Lewis, "Ragtime Violin" (1911), Eddie Morton's "Oceana Roll" (1911), the Original Dixieland Jazz Band playing "That Teasin' Rag" and more. (60 min.)
Show No. 194: Feb. 4, 1990
"Noel Coward" looks at the prolific composer, writer and humorist whose career spanned some 60 years. Songs include "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" (1931), an excerpt from "Private Lives," "Mrs. Worthington," "London Pride" (1941), "I'll Follow My Secret Heart," the comic song "Has Anybody Seen Our Ship?" (1936), "A Room With a View," "I Wonder What Happened to Him?" and more. (Runs a bit short -- 52 min.)
Show No. 195: Feb. 11, 1990
"Valentine's Day" is a musical and spoken-word collage on the subject of love. This was assembled from cassettes, VHS tapes and records, bit by bit, in the pre-digital editing era. A departure in style, it stands as an audio valentine for your beloved -- provided they have a sense of humor. (60 min.)
Show No. 196: Feb. 18, 1990
"Requests" catches up on the stream of calls dad got in the preceding weeks. Songs include "Happy Go Lucky You" (1932) by Isham Jones, "Stardust" (1931) by Wayne King, "The One I Love Just Can't Be Bothered With Me" (1930) by Johnny Marvin, "The Talk of the Town" (1933) by Annette Hanshaw, "I'm Just Wild About Horns on Automobiles" (1929) by Harry Reser, "I'll String Along With You" by Al Bowlly, and more. (Missing a section in the middle, so only 51 min.)