Movieland. (1948)

WORDS OF MUSIC t Continued from page 701 Judy wanted a transcription deal; Sponsor didn't! . . . Louis Prima now has the quietest band he ever had . . . Speaking of sweet bands, Lawrence Welk's orchestra has been doing big business at the Roosevelt Ho¬ tel in New York and has been signed to re¬ turn next season . . . With all the pros and cons being hurled at Frank Sinatra, espe¬ cially since his recent fisticuff trouble, I can only agree with Walter Winchell, who said, “I don't know much about his right hand, but I do know he's got a right heart." I'm not trying to defend his public outburst of temper, but I've known Frank since his Tommy Dor¬ sey days and have always found him to be an honest, loyal and sincere guy. WHAT'S BRISK ON THE DISC: MERCURY: Jack Fina and his orchestra have a pleas¬ ing record in "Stella By Starlight" and "We Knew It All The Time." "Stella" is done as an instrumental with Fina playing a piano solo in the same concerto style that made him fa¬ mous with Freddy Martin. The latter tune is a new rhythm ballad by Sammy Cahn, with a vocal by Gil Lewis. Mercury has just signed eighteen-year-old Vie Damone to a platter deal and plans to give him a good build-up. Vic's first record, with Tootie Camarata's band, combines "Ivy" and "I Have But One Heart," and he does a smooth job on both. "Ivy" is Hoagy Car¬ michael's latest composition from the picture of the same name, and "I Have But One Heart" is a ballad based on an Italian folk tune. Vic sings this one in English and Italian. Harry Cool's orchestra does two new nov¬ elties, "Mahzel," and "I Won't Be Home Any More When You Call." "Mahzel," which means "good luck" is adapted from an old Jewish melody and looks like a big novelty hit. "Frankie Laine Sings" is the title of a good album which includes six oldies particularly suited to the Laine delivery: "Sunny Side Of The Street," "Black And Blue," "West End Blues," "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams," "Blue Turning Grey -Over You," and "I Can't Believe You're Still In Love With Me." Frankie does all of them in a very relaxed style, using only a rhythm section and Babe Russin's tenor sax as accompaniment. DECCA: Dick Haymes, with Gordon Jenkins' orches¬ tra, sings "Ivy" and "They Can't Convince Me," the ballad from Rita Hayworth's new picture, "Down To Earth." Lawrence Welk and his orchestra offer "My Pretty Girl" and "Chi-Baba Chi-Baba" with Bobby Beers handling the lyrics on both. Both these tunes are moving right along in popularity, with "Chi-Baba" almost a cinch for the Hit Parade. "I Want To Be Loved" and "Limehouse Blues" are the tunes on Lionel Hampton's new Quartet record. His vocal group, the Hamptonians, sing the first side, and "Limehouse" is an instrumental with good solos. Don't miss Bing Crosby and A1 Jolson, a duet on wax for the first time, on "Alexan¬ der's Ragtime Band" and "The Spaniard That Blighted My Life." You can just tell these famous gentlemen had fun making this one, especially the "Spaniard" tune, with humor¬ ous asides by Crosby. Morris Stoloff conducts the orchestra. This record is practically a must for anybody's collection. The Groaner is also in with an album, "Welcome Stranger." The four songs from his new picture of the same title were writ¬ ten by the boys who have been responsible for so many of Bing's past hits, Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Huesen: "My Heart Is A Hobo," and "As Long As I'm Dreaming," both ballads; a rhythm tune, "Smile Right Back At the Sun," and "Country Style." This last tune is a square dance, with Bing and The Calico Kids doing the calls. Xwo more re-issues in Decca's Collectors' series.. There's Woody Herman's famous "Woodchopper's Ball" and "Indian Boogie Woogie,” and Russ Morgan's opening and closing themes, "Does Your Heart Beat For Me?" and "So Long." M-G-M: Johnnie Johnston is back on wax, his first record since he left Capitol. He sings two ballads, "Stella By Starlight" and "Spring Isn’t Everything," with Emil Vandas' orches¬ tra. Jimmy Dorsey's latest is "Sunday Kind of Love" and "Pots and Pans," with Dee Parker in the lyrical spotlight. Jimmy plays some fine alto on the "Sunday" side. Art Mooney and his orchestra do "Mahzel" and "That's My Desire." The Galli Sisters sing the first side and Bud Brees dittoes on the second. This is Mooney's first platter un¬ der his new M-G-M contract. Another addition to the Metro disc-ery is the Buddy Weed Trio, an excellent group, consisting of Weed on piano. Tommy Kay on guitar, and Felix Giobbe on bass. They've waxed "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night" with Buddy on the vocal, and one of his originals, "Whoopsie Doodle." COLUMBIA: Harry James and The Music Makers have recorded "Moten Swing," in two parts, with Harry's trumpet heavily featured. "Dreams Are A Dime A Dozen" and "Yes. Yes, Honey," (You've Got Me Eatin' Right Out Of Your Hand) are 'given the Gene Krupa treatment, with Tom Barry singing the first side and Carolyn Grey chanting the second. "Yes, Yes" is arranged with emphasis on beat and is a good dance record. Dinah Shore, with Sonny Burke's orchestra, croons the new ballad, "Ask Anyone Who Knows," and a rhythm novelty, "Poppa, Don't Preach To Me." For her first solo record for Columbia, Doris Day has chosen "Pete" and "It Takes Time." Doris does both in her intimate style which is especially effective on the first side. The accompaniment is by Mitchell Ayres and a six-man group: four rhythm, trumpet, and clarinet. In the album, department we find "Finian's Rainbow," the complete score from the hit Broadway show, twelve sides in all, with the original cast, chorus and orchestra from the production. Ella Logan, David Wayne, Don Richards, and Delores Martin are the featured artists, and the numbers include "How Are Things In Glocca Morra?" "If This Isn't Love," 'Old Devil Moon," "Look To the Rainbow,"' "Something Sort Of Grandish," "The Begat," "When I’m Not Near The Girl I Love," "This Time Of The Year," "Necessity," "When The Idle Poor Become The Idle Rich," and "That Great Come and Get It Day." CAPITOL: Stan Kenton has two more instrumental se¬ lections from his "Artistry in Rhythm" series: "Machito" and "Collaboration." Capitol's tenor, Clark Dennis, does a good job on "Heather On The Hill," from the New York musical "Brigadoon," and "Rockin' Horse Cowboy," with Billy May's orchestra. Margaret Whiting’s new one combines ’Old Devil Moon" and "Ask Anyone Who Knows" with Frank DeVol's arrangements and orchestra. If you want a laugh, get a record by Red Ingle and his Natural Seven called "I Love You For Sentimental Reasons" and "Tempta¬ tion." This is a Spike Jones type of group that specializes in novelties. The boys have changed the lyric on "Sentimental" to "I Love You For Seventy Mental Reasons," which should be a tip-off as to their style. So long for now — see you next month. "The Jolson Story" starred Larry Parks, but actual singing in the film was done by famous gg 'minstrel man himself. Here is A1 Jolson (right) with Eddie Cantor during recent radio show.