Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Category: 1930s

I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter

First recorded by Fats Waller & His Rhythm (US #5 1935).
Other hit versions by The Boswell Sisters (US #3 1936), Billy Williams (US #3 1957), Willie Nelson (C&W #26/CAN #25 1981).
Also recorded by Connee Boswell (1953), Frank Sinatra (1954 & 1962), Bing Crosby with Bob Scobey’s Frisco Jazz Band (1957), Bill Haley & His Comets (1957).

From the wiki: “‘I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter’ was composed in 1935 by Fred E. Ahlert and Joe Young, and has become a standard of the Great American Songbook. The first recording on the song was by Fats Waller & His Rhythm, in a Victor Records recording session on May 8, 1935. It was covered the following year by The Boswell Sisters, reaching #3 on US popular music charts. (Connee Boswell would record a solo version in 1952.)

Dream a Little Dream of Me

First recorded by Ozzie Nelson & His Orchestra (1931).
Also recorded by Wayne King & His Orchestra (1931), Kate Smith (1931).
Hit versions by Frankie Laine (US #18 1950), Jack Owens (US #14 1950), “Mama” Cass Elliot with the Mamas and the Papas (US #12/MOR #2/CAN #7/UK #11/AUS #1 1968).

From the wiki: “‘Dream a Little Dream of Me’, written by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt and lyrics by Gus Kahn, was first recorded in February 1931 by Ozzie Nelson & His Orchestra (with the vocal by Nelson) and also by Wayne King and His Orchestra (with vocal by Ernie Birchill). ‘Dream a Little Dream of Me’ was also an early signature tune of Kate Smith (‘God Bless America’).

“Then, in the summer of 1950, seven recordings of ‘Dream a Little Dream of Me’ were in release, with the versions by Frankie Laine and Jack Owens reaching the US Top 20 at respectively #18 and #14.

Caravan

First recorded by Barney Bigard & His Jazzopaters (1936).
Hit versions by The Duke Ellington Orchestra (1937), Billy Eckstine (US #27/R&B #14 1949), Ralph Marterie (US #6 1953), Santo & Johnny (US #48 1959), Duane Eddy Al Casey (UK #42 1961).
Also recorded by The Mills Brothers (1941).

From the wiki: “‘Caravan’ is a jazz standard composed by Juan Tizol. The first version of the song was recorded in Hollywood in 1936, performed as an instrumental by Barney Bigard & His Jazzopators. The band members were: Cootie Williams (trumpet), Juan Tizol (trombone), Barney Bigard (clarinet), Harry Carney (baritone sax), Duke Ellington (piano), Billy Taylor (bass), Sonny Greer (drums).

“All the players on the original recording by the Jazzopaters were, in reality, members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, which often split into smaller units to record small-band discs. Although Ellington performed in this recording, the session leader was Bigard under whose name the song was first released. The following year, the Duke Ellington Orchestra itself covered ‘Caravan’, the first of more than 350 recordings Ellington made of the song.

“In 1941, the Mills Brothers paid tribute to Ellington by recording an a capella version of ‘Caravan’, substituting their voices for instruments. A vocal cover, with lyrics by Irving Mills, was recorded in December 1948 by Billy Eckstine, with orchestration by Hugo Winterhalter, that charted Billboard Hit Parade Top-30 and Top-20 R&B in 1949, an accomplishment his friend, Ellington, is said to have been especially pleased.

“Ralph Materie charted even higher in 1953 with his cover. Santo & Johnny also charted with their ‘Caravan’ cover in 1959. In 1961, a version credited to Duane Eddy – but in reality future Wrecking Crew sessionman Al Casey – appeared on the label Gregmark Records. It did not chart in the US, but was issued (under Eddy’s name) on Parlophone in the UK where it peaked at #42.”

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

First recorded by Gertrude Niesen (1933).
Hit versions by Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra (US #1 1934), Artie Shaw & the Gramercy Five (US #24 1941), The Platters (US#1/R&B #3/UK #1/AUS #1/NETH #4 1958), Blue Haze (US #27/NETH #4 1973), Bryan Ferry (UK #17 1974).
Also recorded by Jerry Garcia (1990).

From the wiki: “‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’ is a show tune written by American composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach for their 1933 musical Roberta. It was sung in the original show by Tamara Drasin and was first recorded by Gertrude Niesen on October 13, 1933. It was performed by Irene Dunne for the 1935 film adaptation, co-starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger.

“The song has been covered by numerous artists, beginning with Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra with Bob Lawrence on vocal, which went to the top of the charts in 193, and Artie Shaw’s Gramercy Five in 1941. The most famous version was recorded in 1958 by The Platters, which became a #1 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 — it reached #3 on the R&B charts – and topped both the UK and Australians singles charts.

Mule Skinner Blues (aka Blue Yodel #8)

written and first recorded (as “Blue Yodel #8”) by Jimmie Rodgers (1930).
Hit versions by Bill Monroe (1940), The Fendermen (US #5/UK #32/CND #2 1960).
Also recorded by Woody Guthrie (1944), Odetta (1956).

From the wiki: “‘Mule Skinner Blues’ is a classic country song written by Jimmie Rodgers. The song was first recorded by Rodgers in 1930 and has been recorded by many artists since then, acquiring the de facto title ‘Mule Skinner Blues’ although Rodgers had originally titled it ‘Blue Yodel #8’.

Georgia on My Mind

Co-written and first recorded by Hoagy Carmichael & His Orchestra (1930).
Hit versions by Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra (1931), Ray Charles (US #1/R&B #3/UK #24 1960).
Also recorded by The Band (1976).

From the wiki: “Written in 1930 by Hoagy Carmichael (music) and Stuart Gorrell (lyrics). Gorrell wrote the lyrics for Hoagy’s sister, Georgia Carmichael. However, the lyrics of the song are ambiguous enough to refer either to a woman named ‘Georgia’ or to the state of Georgia.

La Bamba

First recorded by El Jarocho (1939).
Hit versions by Richie Valens (US #22/UK #49 1958), Los Lobos (US #1/UK #1/CAN #1/AUS #1/NZ #1/IRE #1 1987).

From the wiki: “Originally a wedding dance (from the Veracruz area), ‘La Bamba’ eventually became a standard in the Son Jarocho-style repertoire. The name of the dance, which has no direct English translation, is presumably connected with the Spanish verb bambolear, meaning ‘to shake’ or perhaps ‘to stomp’.

Goodnight, Irene

First released by Lead Belly (1933).
Hit version by The Weavers (US #1 1950).

From the wiki: “Lead Belly was singing a version of the song from as early as 1908, which he claimed to have learned from his uncles Terell and Bob. An 1886 song by Gussie L. Davis has several lyrical and structural similarities to the latter song, however no information on its melody has survived. Some evidence suggests the 1886 song was itself based on an even earlier song which has not survived. Regardless of where he first heard it, by the 1930s Lead Belly had made the song his own, modifying the rhythm and rewriting most of the verses.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh)

Written and first recorded (as “Mbube”) by Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds (1939).
Hit versions by The Weavers (as ‘Wimoweh’ US #6 1951), The Tokens (US #1 1961), Tight Fit (UK #1 1982).

From the wiki: “‘Mbube’ (Zulu: lion) was written in the 1920s by Solomon Linda, a South African singer of Zulu origin, who worked for the Gallo Record Company as a cleaner and record packer, and who performed with a choir, The Evening Birds.

Blue Moon

Based on “The Bad in Every Man” by Shirley Ross (1934).
First recorded by Ted Fio Rito & His Orchestra (US #2 1934).
Other hit versions by Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra (US #1 1934), Connee Boswell (US #1 1935), Billy Eckstine (US #21 1949), Mel Tormé (US #20 1949), The Marcels (US #1/R&B #1/UK #1 1961).
Also recorded by Coleman Hawkins with the Michel Warlop Orchestra (1935), Elvis Presley (1954), Sam Cooke (1959).

From the wiki: “The melody to ‘Blue Moon’ goes back further than the first recorded version by Ted Fio Rito & His Orchestra. Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart were contracted to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in May 1933. They were soon commissioned to write the songs for Hollywood Party. ‘Prayer (Oh Lord, make me a movie star)’ was written for the movie but never recorded.

“Hart wrote new lyrics for the melody to create a title song for the 1934 film Manhattan Melodrama, but it was cut from the film before release. (Manhattan Melodrama wasn’t so much famous for having left what would become ‘Blue Moon’ on the edit room floor but for being the film John Dillinger went to see in the Chicago movie theater where he was gunned down by police bullets at the exit.) Rodgers still liked the melody so Hart wrote a third lyric, ‘The Bad in Every Man,’ which was sung by Shirley Ross. The song, which was also released as sheet music, was not a hit.

“Jack Robbins, the head of MGM studio’s publishing company, decided that the tune was suited to commercial release but needed more romantic lyrics and a punchier title. Hart was initially reluctant to write yet another lyric but was persuaded and the result – the FOURTH use of the melody – was ‘Blue moon/you saw me standing alone/without a dream in my heart/without a love of my own’.”

Rock Island Line

First recorded at Cumins State Prison farm, Gould, Arkansas, by John Lomax (1934).
Popular versions by Lead Belly (1937), Lonnie Donegan (UK #8 1955).
Also recorded by Bobby Darin & The Jaybirds (1956), The Beatles (1969, released as a bootleg 1994).

From the wiki: “‘Rock Island Line’ is an American Blues/Folk song first recorded by John Lomax in 1934 as sung by inmates in an Arkansas State Prison, and later popularized by Lead Belly. Many versions have been recorded by other artists, most significantly the world-wide hit version in the mid-1950s by Lonnie Donegan. The song is ostensibly about the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.

“Donegan’s recording, released as a single in late 1955, signaled the start of the UK ‘skiffle’ craze. This recording featured Donegan, Chris Barber on double bass and washboard player (Beryl Bryden), but as it was part of a Chris Barber’s Jazz Band session for Decca Records, Donegan received no royalties from Decca for record sales, beyond his original session fee.