I know nothing about Bobby Wayne and Gene Baylos' Oh, That'll Be Joyful, except that Jesse Stone recorded the tune at about the same time (1954). Both versions have their virtues--the funny asides put this one slightly ahead for me.
And what could be more joyful than melancholy? Besides lots of things? In spite of this, we have Les Elgart's sinfully smooth (I've always wanted to type "sinfully smooth") version of Melancholy Serenade, followed by the Peter Pan (label's) version of the Happy Days Theme. I was going to carry on the smoothness theme by way of mentioning Peter Pan (brand) peanut butter, but then I realized I was thinking of Jiffy, not Peter Pan.
I hate it when that happens.
Next--the Hit label version of I Get Around, as recorded by the Roamers. It's not very good, but I like it, anyway. To be fair, this is not the worst possible cover of this particular tune.
The Hoagy Carmichael Orchestra's 1930 Barnacle Bill the Sailor has Bix Beiderbecke on cornet, Benny Goodman on clarinet, Gene Krupa on drums, and Joe Venuti singing "shithead" in place of "sailor." And, somehow, in spite of that last fact, the record got released.
The frequent shifting between 6/8 and 4/4 makes this track sound pretty dated, in spite of the great musicianship on display. Or... it gives the arrangement an advanced sort of sound, seeing as how Raymond Scott has been handed genius status for doing the same kind of thing several years later. Depends on how we approach it, I guess. At any rate, the faster sections feature a strong, 4/4 swing pulse that might have some listeners wondering if these guys had just traveled back to the studio from 1937 or so. To fulfil their contract or something.
Have I ever mentioned that I think Hoagy Carmichael doesn't get anything close to his due in terms of jazz history? Or that he may have been the most gifted American popular musician of the 20th century? I have now. Not that I'd necessarily hang those claims on this track by its lonesome.
Andy Williams' version of Imagine doesn't move me any less than Lennon's, though Williams has a much better voice than John. (For that matter, a much better voice than most singers.) Since Imagine is the opposite of a rocker, it doesn't matter that Andy can't rock. (I'm sure he's lost lots of sleep over that shortcoming.) Lennon's trite suggestion that humans would stop fighting if they had nothing to fight over is about as deep as a sidewalk rain puddle. You know, the question just may go further than that. There may be other factors involved than simple cause and effect. But you didn't hear me suggest that.
Three great Gerry Goffin and Carole King songs, including a good version of Chains by No Artists Credited (from the ultra-super-mega-cheap Hit Parader label). Please don't tell me you thought Lennon and McCartney wrote that one. We end the joyful set with Kashmiri Song, whose happy melody is all about loss and longing. Only Chopin wrote more inspiring music to weep by.
Click here to reach the zip file for Oh, That'll Be Joyful.
PLAYLIST
Oh, That'll Be Joyful--Bobby Wayne, Gene Baylos, 1954.
Melancholy Serenade--Les Elgart, 1955.
Happy Days Theme--The Pop Singers and Orch.
I Get Around--The Roamers
Barnacle Bill, The Sailor--Hoagy Carmichael Orchestra, 1930.
Imagine (Lennon)--Andy Williams, 1972.
Let Me Get Close to You (Goffin-King)--Skeeter Davis, 1964.
Go Away, Little Girl (Goffin-King)--Count Basie, 1964.
Chains (Goffin-King)--No Artists Credited (Hit Parader 21)
Ready, Willing and Able (Grean-Gold)--Eddy Arnold
Caravan--Martin and Brown, harmonica duo, 1952.
Kashmiri Song--Royale Concert Orch.
Lee
