Mary Lou Williams (born Mary Elfrieda Scruggs; May 8, 1910 – May 28, 1981) was an American jazz pianist, arranger, and composer. She wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements and recorded more than one hundred records (in 78, 45, and LP versions). Williams wrote and arranged for Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, and she was friend, mentor, and teacher to Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Tadd Dameron, Bud Powell, and Dizzy Gillespie.
– Career
…………… Benny Goodman asked her to write a blues song for his band. The result was “Roll ‘Em”, a boogie-woogie piece based on the blues, which followed her successful “Camel Hop”, named for Goodman’s radio show sponsor, Camel cigarettes. Goodman tried to put Williams under contract to write for him exclusively, but she refused, preferring to freelance instead.
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Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986), best known as Benny Goodman, was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader known as the “King of Swing”.
– Partial discography
Roll ‘Em, Vol. 1 (1937, Columbia)
Roll ‘Em, Vol. 2 (1937, Columbia)
“Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)” is a 1936 song, with music and lyrics by Louis Prima, who first recorded it with the New Orleans Gang. Brunswick Records released it on February 28, 1936[1] on the 78 rpm record format, with “It’s Been So Long” as the B-side. The song is strongly identified with the big band and swing eras. Several have performed the piece as an instrumental, including Fletcher Henderson and, most famously, Benny Goodman.
1938 HITS ARCHIVE: Sing Sing Sing – Benny Goodman (original Victor version)
“Hooray for Hollywood” is a song first featured in the 1937 movie Hollywood Hotel, and which has since become (together with “That’s Entertainment” and “Another Op’nin’, Another Show”) the staple soundtrack element of any Academy Awards ceremony. It is even frequently played during non-American movie ceremonies, e.g. the French César Awards. The popularity of the song is notably due to the lyrics by Johnny Mercer, which reference the American movie industry and satirize the illusory desire of many people to become famous as actors. – Composition The music was composed by Richard A. Whiting. In the original movie it was sung by Johnnie Davis and Frances Langford, accompanied by Benny Goodman and his orchestra. Lyrics can be difficult to fully understand today, as they refer to people (e.g. Aimee Semple) or cultural elements (e.g. rotos) which have since been forgotten. The lyrics have also evolved over the years. Notably, the line “where any shopgirl can be a top girl, if she pleases the tired businessman” vanished quite quickly, and is absent from the 1958 Doris Day version, having been replaced with “and any barmaid can be a star made if she dances with or without a fan” The latter part of the line refers to Sally Rand and her fan dance. Today the song is performed mostly as a melody.
hooray for hollywood 1937
Hooray for Hollywood
That screwy ballyhooey Hollywood
Where any office boy or young mechanic can be a panic
With just a good looking pan
And any barmaid can be a star maid
If she dances with or without a fan
Hooray for Hollywood,
Where you’re terrific if you’re even good
Where anyone at all from Shirley Temple to Aimee Semple
Is equally understood
Go out and try your luck, you might be Donald Duck
Hooray for Hollywood
Hooray for Hollywood
That phoney super-Coney Hollywood
They come from Chillicothes and Paducas with their bazookas
To get their names up in lights
All armed with photos from local rotos
With their hair in ribbon and legs in tights
Hooray for Hollywood
You may be homely in your neighbourhood
But if you think that you can be an actor, see Mr. Factor
He’ll make a monkey look good
Within a half an hour you’ll look like Tyrone Power
Hooray for Hollywood
Hooray for Hollywood
*****
**LYRIC VARIATIONS:
Hooray for Hollywood
That screwy ballyhooey Hollywood
Where any office boy or young mechanic can be a panic
With just a good looking pan
And any shop girl can be a top girl
If she pleases Mister Businessman
Hooray for Hollywood
Where you’re terrific, if you’re even good
Where anyone at all from TV’s Lassie to Monroe’s chassis
Is equally understood
Go out and try your luck, you might be Donald Duck
Hooray for Hollywood
Hooray for Hollywood
You may be homely in your neighbourhood
To be an actor, see Mr. Factor
He’ll make your kisser look good
Within a half an hour you’ll look like Tyrone Power
Hooray for Hollywood
“Bugle Call Rag“, also known as “Bugle Call Blues”, is a jazz standard written by Jack Pettis, Billy Meyers and Elmer Schoebel. It was first recorded by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings in 1922 as “Bugle Call Blues”, although later renditions as well as the published sheet music and the song’s copyright all used the title “Bugle Call Rag”.
Benny Goodman Orchestra “Bugle Call Rag” 1936 Version