Is this the same "Stormy Monday Blues" that Bobby Blue Bland later recorded? That's a fantastic song, but I've never heard this version of it.
More info: Confusion over name Due to its length, "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just as Bad)" is shortened to "Call It Stormy Monday" or most often "Stormy Monday". Confusingly, it is also sometimes referred to as "Stormy Monday Blues", the same title as the 1942 song by Billy Eckstine and Earl Hines. According to T-Bone Walker, he specifically gave his song the longer name to set it apart. However, trouble ensued when other artists began recording it using these shortened names. Walker blamed Duke Records owner Don Robey for giving it the wrong title for his artists, including Bobby Bland's 1962 rendition, which appeared as "Stormy Monday Blues". Bland's version, which was an R&B and pop chart hit, was subsequently copied by other artists, who also used the incorrect title. As a result, Walker lost out on royalties when his song was misnamed "Stormy Monday Blues" and the payments were forwarded to Eckstine, Hines, and Crowder. Even though Latimore's 1973 hit version of the song was titled "Stormy Monday", the single incorrectly listed "Hines-Eckstine" as the composers.
Of course, that was standard operating procedure for the era. Apropos of something, the beginning of the R&B chart coincided with the "recording ban" that started August 1, 1942 and, depending on the label, lasted for up to two years.
Wow! I did not realize this. The more common "Stormy Monday" song is a big favorite of mine, but, when shopping, i've always gotten confused by the titles. This explains a lot!
today's song: November 28: "When the Lights Go On Again" — Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra (2 weeks)* - DECCA 18496
This, and the next record (which I'm sure you'll all be familiar with...) were recorded by Decca in July 1942, during the flurried period of recording all the studios were doing knowing that the strike would go into effect in a month. Decca was hit particularly hard by the strike, and were one of the first labels to capitulate, but luckily they had some spectacular hits come out of their last days with operating studios... This one also features Dizzy Gillespie on the trumpet!
Almost forgot a Spotify link! When The Lights Go On Again (All Over The World) » (also someone mentioned earlier using Youtube over Spotify - I'm sorry but I can't post YouTube links! It's a regional lack-of-access issue, but if I could I would! Feel free to post them, though!)
I'm pleased to post this one then. (I believe I have to 'sign-up to hear on Spotify) Very nice track, if not what I would think of as R&B at all. Most here will have heard Vera Lynn's song before they ever hear this.
Thanks for the link! And I think it's pretty interesting what we've got here so far, "not what I would think of R&B" indeed! Of course, the term R&B doesn't exist yet, but still - I think the Harlem Hit Parade was created for the music industry in general to find "crossover" hits that were hot in the primarily black markets, but hadn't been found by the general pop audience. So far, though - and we're not getting the whole story of this chart just looking at the #1s, but still - it doesn't really seem like that's happened. None of the songs have crossed over, and they're not really that different from what the pop audience is listening to anyways. Here we have almost a reverse crossover, where a song by a popular big band leader is getting play on the Harlem Hit Parade charts only when it's got a cover version from a band with jazz chops (and with Dizzy you've got some serious jazz chops). We'll see another crossover from the general top songs to the Harlem Hit Parade tomorrow, a more direct crossover, but again it went the wrong way - at least for the industry who's reading this chart looking for the next big thing. Later on this chart will turn into the sort of financial boon they're looking for, a place to find out which songs are coming up and get them play so you have some 'novelty' r&b music on your most popular radio stations, and a place where the industry of bowdlerizing racy record with clean-cut white performances (Not that I don't love Pat Boone!) can look to find out which songs to re-record. And occasionally during some very exciting periods in musical history there will just be undeniable crossing over, where the r&b charts define the direction of the culture of pop music at large. I find the r&b charts fascinating for all this - it's this weird little place, a stable little racket for everyone involved, but also the finest place to look for great music in my opinion.
Today's track you might have heard.... December 19: "White Christmas" — Bing Crosby (3 weeks) - DECCA 18429
So, this song is pretty famous - I'm sure everyone here has heard it, and it's in many collections. Best selling single of all time, and all... For our purposes it's notable that it's the first crossover record, and as I mentioned last week it's a "reverse crossover" - it hit the #1 spot on "National Best Selling Retail Records" a full 7 weeks before it found its way to the Harlem Hit Parade, though it left both charts at around the same time. I'm sure there are people here who know much more about this record than I do, however.
I'm wondering who was the first black singer to record it? The Drifters' version goes over better as R&B as we came to understand it.
Looks like there are two occasions after 1942 where White Christmas would hit the R&B charts again, both times by black groups: More famously in 1954, when the Drifters would hit #2 on the R&B chart with the version you posted, which would then be their first charting 'crossover' single, hitting 80 on the Top 100. Before that, however, The Ravens recorded the song which hit #9 in 1949. Hear it here: White Christmas »
That's a great review, I notice a lot of these tunes have great intros and this one is no exception. Great idea for a thread by the way.
Without a doubt, "White Christmas" was a massive hit. You have to think about what was going on in history with the world in the midst of World War II. Imagine not being able to be with your family for Christmas... you drift back to a different time. Obviously, Bing is one the biggest performers of all time and his rendition is a staple. But... I really do like the Drifters' and Elvis's version as well. I know to a degree, the latter two weren't exactly loved by Irving Berlin.
Today's hit, and the first of 1943... January 16: "See See Rider Blues" — Bea Booze (4 weeks)* - DECCA 8633
This song has a pretty long history, which again I'm sure someone knows much more about than I do (I am hearing about it for the first time after all!) First recorded by Ma Rainey in 1924, it's been recorded approximately a million times since then. This is the first of three recordings that will make the R&B charts, the first of two the hit #1. The other version to hit #1, Chuck Willis, popularized a dance which is always cool. Besides those three, there are two versions of it that hit the pop charts without hitting the r&b charts! Hear it: See See Rider Blues »
Also it looks like this was recorded in the spring of 1942 - just further showing how the recording ban is affecting the music industry...
One more thing I found, probably the last tidbit. Bea Booze was apparently also known for playing guitar in her recordings and on stage, less common for women at the time. Which explains her great Wikipedia photo!
