Variety (July 1953)

Wednesday, July 8, 1953 The click of Eddie Fisher’s just released “With These Hands” on RCA Victor again falls in the orbit of you-eanT-keep-a-good-song-down, Not for long, anyway. “La Vie En Rose,” “April. in Portugal” and "‘September Song” are illustrations of solid tunes that, despite perverse lyrics (which had to be rewritten in the first two instances) or. other reasons, finally broke through; “Hands.” although originally published by Ben Bloom and of American authorship (Benny Davis and Abner Silveri clicked first in England, where It was on the bestsellers for 10 weeks /under Ed Kassner Music reprint. The American-made Columbia platter by Nelson Eddy and Jo Stafford, achieved hitdom abroad, ' but didn’t catch on in the U. S. With the Fisher platter’* Impetus, however, Col is reissuing both the E.ddywStafford duet arid a new solo by Johnriie Bay; and Iiecca rushed out Guy Lombardo’s 'Version as a reissue this week; X The Victor version also was a delayed take of sorts; Manie Sacks wanted to see Mario Lanza make it but” When the latter got involved in Ins Metro studio hassle; it Snafued other plans and Fisher finally disked it; '"" :X-V XXX-Music'-'ibiz execs have been leaving their desks e n masse the past cou pUV of weeks for the golf greens at the drop of a testimonial or an artist’s invite, the play season teed off last month with the annual. Fred Waring shindig at Shawnee, Pa.; was followed up last 'week With the Perry Como golf tourney and testimonial, at Garden City, L. I., and will continue next Tuesday (14) with the Eddie Fisher fete for pu bs and deejays at GrosslngeiVs. N. Y. The industry's summertime : frolic is expected to. wind up with the Music Publishers Contact Employees Union golf tournament tentatively skedded for the last week ■ in August. XX\. Pointing up the value -of coin rnaciuhespins. RCA Victorartists & repertoire execs have, installed a commercial jukebox in their Rockefeller Center, N. Y., headquarters in order to audition disks before release. The coin machine is rigged' to play, acetates and the a&r staff • are thus able to check such details as level and balance, from the juke angle, before pressing.; In severa). case*/ additional recording sessions have been held to.< correct flaws discovered on playing the acetates in the box. •'•:••••''• • ,V-v. XX : ; (Week ending June 27) London, July 1. Limelight . Bourne Moulin Rouge . . . . . Connelly I Believe . . . Cinephonic I’m Walkihg Behind . ; Maurice Hold Me . • , . X, . -Mills Pretend .. . Lbeds Downhearted . . . New World Golden Coach . . ; .Box & Cox Black Eyed Susie Cinephonic Tell Me You're Mine. Chappell April in Portugal . . , . Sterling Windsor Waltz v Heine 7' Second 12 Wonderful 'Copenhagen Morris Talk To the Trees .... Chappel Happy Day . . . . . . Chappel Hot Toddy ... . . , . . X Aherbach X Celebration Rag . . ... Wood Doggie in Window. . Connelly Have You Heard, ; F. D. & H. Queen of Tonga,. .. . Connelly Coronation Bag . . . F. D; & H; . Cheatin’. Heart . . .. j.v. . . Wood : Little Red Monkey Robbins Tell Me a Story . ; . Cinephonic Lave Kapp,. wliO moved from RCA Victor’s pop artists & repertoire spot .last month to, become administrative assistant to Manie Sacks, the diskery’s chief, left his -former post in. “a blaze of glory.” Most of Vidor’s current topsellers were cut under the Rapp a&r regime, soirie of them /directly under his supervision. Among these are Perry Comp’s : “No Other Love,’’ “Eddie Fisher’s “I’m Walking Behind You,” Earlha Kill's “CXcst Si Bon” and the Ames : Bros,’ “You, You, .You Milch Miller,: Columbia. Records artists :;;&'/rilRert6ir.e'.;cblef' who is generally, credited for starting, the “new sbunds” disk cycle with his horn .arid harpsichord backgrounds, has come up with ; a brand new instrument in the “orkon,” Which is used on the new Mindy Carson “Honoy-Darlin’ ” platter; The orkon, an invention of. Eddie Powell, a longhair musician, sounds like a cross between a piccolo and a flute. Powell: plays the thing on the Carson sides. The N. Y. Herald Tribune’s “Frbsh Air Fund’’ campaign-, for underprivileged children has. made a promotional tie-in with bandleader Elliot Lawrence and lyricist Bix Beichner oti a new tune, “Take The ill Out To The. Country.” Lawrence is cutting the tune and Mike Jablons, the fund’s flack, is lining up the radio-TV plugs for the number. The fund provides free vacations for needy kids. ; Rosemary Clobney,. C’plumbia Records songstress, who broke into ihe bigtlme with her “Come OnA My . House”: click two summers ago, : is repeating the Armenian tune formula with her new Side, “Cheegah Choonem” (translated: I Haven’t Got It”), wIitTea’■by■::•Vahan:,Hpyey^and, Sam Ward. Background for the new tune is the same as for “House,” with Jimmy Carroll’s combo assisted by St an Freeman at the harpsichord. ;• . -• '• x ■ x ; To meet request for inside info on record manufacturing from high school and college students, M-G-M Records has prepared a booklet tracing the history of platter from Up inception to its sale. Tome is tagged “The 'Romance of A Record” and is sent but to the ‘studies'' gratis. XX X / •••'• Standard Pubs Take . In an effort to present general publisher thinking concerning deal-: .er activities at the National Assn, of Music Manufacturers Convention in Chicago July 14, the Music Publishers Assn., standard pub group, mailed out . a series, of queries to pubs last week under tire overall heading of “What DO Another questionnaire is being sent t o . clea l v rs under t h e hea d ihg of ‘.'What Does ’l'lvc Music Store ..Owner: Expect From. His Sheet Music Department?” The replies from pubs and dealers will be coni.pihHl and skedded for discussion at tlie convention. Pubs were .asked hot to divulge specific info concern ihg: individual, discounts, prices, etc, , MPA .stated t bat it doesn’t want to know the det ail s' . of any individual firm’s policy, but was interested only in p res en t i ng a gen e r a 1 piclu re o f 1 h e thinking of the pubs as to What constitutes a good dealer. Questions were planned with two specific criteria by which a dealer can be evaluated: (1) the manner in which lie stocks and purchases publications — how he makes published music available; (2) the manner in which he promotes music publications and pio-vid e s^irt u sic^se r vice^f or ^his^comhumity— how he sells music. Plugging for Kicks :. Philadelphia, July 7. Dr. Louis L. Menaker, a dentist, filed a. $150,000 damage suit in local, Common Pleas Court Tor in juries, alleged ly received in plugging his songs. Dr. Menaker claims that ; he Was beaten on the head with a judo blow while giving two song manuscripts to singer Join James. She was making a personal appearance . last April 17 at Ager’s Home Furnishing: Center. Ben Agre^ a ■Taifner'" In T"lhe store, "'was named as defendant. Agre den ie.d that he struck the dentist, “ W e are old f r i en ds,’ ’ h e vsa id, “All I did was conduct him to the door.” Band Reviews Get to Brit. Is Eire London, July /7. Stan . Ken ton’s orch , due to start it s • European ^ tour Aug. 28 , h as . been booked for ah. extra date at. the . Theatre Royal, Dublin, on Sept. 2(|. i As things stand at the moment .' between the: Musicians’ Union . of ' Britain and the American Federation of Musicians, that is. the nearest that Kenton will ever get to England, and already excursions are being organized from London ^nd^provinTdgl-^citleaf^tO^enablejazz fans to hear Kenton, FRANKIE REMLEY ORCH (7) With Lynii Marshall v RooseveH Hotel,. Hollywood Obviously working on tlie theory that there’s steady, . though not sensational, returns: in a small band with a definite dance beat, guitarist Frankie Remley is fronting a seven-piece combo that neatly . ; meets the requirements in the smaller dine: and dOnce palaces ■ Repeated use of Remley ’s name; on the Phil HarrisAlice Faye sjiow also , gives.; hiili an added exploitation . factor generally lacking in outfits of this kind. The accent is on the rhythm sec-, tion, with Remley’s lefthanded giiitaring: keying the melody. Arrangements by the outfit’s pianist, Peter Lance, bypass any “new sound” or gimmick treatment and are aimed straight at the toes. The result is a program that keeps, the. floor crowded and has the inveterate table-sitter tapping his toes. Well-stocked library is carefully handled and Remley wisely, provides plenty of time for terping by seguing from one tune to another in medley, fashion for most of each set so that there’s little interruption. Piano, bass, drum, one brass and two reeds back the guitar : work and some of the sidemcn occasionally join in for a vocal stint (hat revolves around sly lyrics; ^ Regular vocalist is Lynn Marshall, a cartary new to the band: biz, who m.eshes neatly with: the bajid. Gal has an easy voice and manner and ‘makes the most of her spotlight chores. Y Kap. . JOE VERA ORCH (4) Hotel Muehlebach, Kansas City ’ ; In a recent major shuffle of its dining entertain ment facilities Hotel Muehlebach : closed its; Terrace Grill on the downstairs level and brought a dinner-dance policy i n to effect in its very chic Cafe Picardy on the street level. To 'Inaugurate this 'policy (no cover, no minimum), it brought in Joe V era; a handy, man at the ivories, with a four piece unit-piano, trumpet, string bass, drums. Vera is known. locally from several stands with compact, rhythmic combos, and present unit lives up to standard he generally represents. He’s especially adept at the keyboard in his own right, and has surrounded himself ~wttii crew of outstanding sidemen -¥■ Da nn y O'Connor on trumpet, Reuben Garcia; on string bass and Thad Van on drums. . The Vera crew offers, pop tunes, dinner music, old laves and sprinkles its output generously with Latin rhythms. Added fillips vocally are added by Q’Gonrtor who sings the blufes and • rhythm .numbers arid Van Who warbles a sweet ballad now and then; j While Its* all well . knit, Vera’s keyboard work is outstanding and center piece for the musical, activities, and arrangements pretty much give the play to the piano. . Hotel keeps the room lively with Louise (Stone) & Marion (Boyden) on violin and piano, alternating with the Vera crew. Girl duo plays for the early diners* and vies with Vera until the late evening, leaving it to the four-piece outfit to close the room. v Under this combination ; Picardy is getting a. good play from the dinner-dance crowd and policy is |: one likely to continue for some time. Quin...: Nacio Porter Brown, son of vet signed to an exclusive cleffer’s deal by Patricia and Kaht Mu$ic Arms. ■The top 30 songs of week {more in case of ties ), based on copyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience trend Index* Pub lished by Office of Research* Inc., Dr* John Gray Peatman , Director, Alphabetically listed. Survey jVeek of June 26-July 2, 19*53 : (Listed Alphabetically) .Ail -By BJyself ... . . ♦.• ■ Anna—r-".' .Artna:i . ... . . »■» • .• A pril In1 Portugal *, . •.■*., . »*•., , , . Belle Of The Ball. . . ...■. . . . . . . . . » « . . . Big Mamou *■ i,.,. .... ... •* *. * • .*■. »* ■» , . . ... • , . • » Call Of The Faraway Hills— 1“Shane’? .1 , , '•' Granada’;; .. .;.C; ' ;.■ ■■ __Jfli-Lili Hi Lo— -1:“Lili” ;'. y. . . . . . v . I * Believe • > ...■■• ... .* • . . . . If I Love You A Mountain .. . ... . ; . . I'm Walking Behind You . . . .-, . I s 1 1 Aii y Wonder’ , : v'-; Vv.V. Just Another Polka . , . Keep It Gay-— ’•‘“Me And Juliet” I Melba; Waltz^f “Melba” , . v . . , . . .; r • ' •••My Lady .Loyes To Dance i . ; . . . . . . My One And Only Heart . , . , > ; Nearness ;Of;:;YpU . No Of her Love— +“Me And Juliet” : P. S, I Love You y. ; . . ’ ; . ; . , .^Pretend :'.-.-;'. ;-.'':'; . . . Return To ParadLse-—J'“Return To ParadLse” ;Buby— ^ ^“‘Ruby Geiiti*y’’ . . . ... ; ■ Say S i <Si . »v. . ... . .. . ... ..; .. Say Vou’re Mine: Again ; . ; . . . . . . ; Send My Baby Back To Me C .... ..... . '. .' . ' ' Seven' Lonely Days, y;; x.;,; Song; From Moulin Rouge— -1 “Moulin Rouge” Vaya'-' ("on Dios . .•,. .•.;• . ; . Your Cheatin’ Heart . . . . ■ !* •* *•. * k *■ «.*V • • . . Berlin • i;.* Hollis . . . . .Chappell ‘ , . ... Mills . . . . . Peer ; . . ; . Famous ’ , . .Peer . : .. . Robbins , . . ...Cromwell ; y.V ; ..Feist •'•■ '■.; , . , •. •* .Leeds. ^Midway ■••.'•• ...Frank . v. Williamson ; ; . . . BVC ■ . v. .^ United y .....Roneom; ; .s . Famous . . .y' . W;illiamsoti . . » . . La Salle ; ; . , vBfandorti . . Bemicl« . .....Miller .....Marks . ; Blue River vv... '.'■..Morris.''.'". . > . . Jeff erson; , ... . . . Broadcast .....Ardmore . . . . .. Acuff-B Second Group . All I Desire , , . : . X. /; ... . X. .-X,.; X . , . . .■ All exVo us En—+ “Can-Can” . ; . . . .X,; X. ; . . Bieeze , ... . .;. . .*.> •*. . * . . ...... *.,••,. ..v « ♦■. Broken Wings : •.'. ;. ;X •;,, . , X, X. ; C’est Magnifique^r*^Can-Cari,? /,> ; . .Coquette ,:... ... ; •: . • . .• . Doggie In The' Window . . . iXy . : . . . . , . ; . , . . . Half A Photograph He Loves Me . , ; , . '.... . . f , . X I Am In L°ve— 7*“Can-Can” XX. X. X. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall . . . . . . It’s All Right With Me♦“Can-Can” . . . X . . . X, Marriage Type Love— *“Me And Juliet” . . . ... More Than I . . oh. Ramona t Side By Side . .... .... . . .XX. • ; ; * X . X Something Wonderful Happens , . : .... X. . . Terry’s Theme From Limelight— j “Limelight” Wedding Day . . . . . . . . . . . . X. . . X . X. ......... . .You You You v. X. . . X. . XX; . . *‘4 • . • 4 • * » .« • * Broadcaist : . Chappell ..'Leeds . . Shapiro-B ; . Chappelt ..Foist -X ; . Santiy-J . e Vesta . . Granson . .Chappell . . Pickwick .. Chappell X. Williamson ..Sheldon' . . Feist " i .Lion . . Shapiro-B . . Johnstone-M , . Bourne ..BVC . .Mellin On TV (Listed Alphabetically) April In Portugal ; . . X. / . . . . Chappell B^S* Mamou ■ •.-• . ... . . . , , , . , Peer Heilo Sunshine .... . . . . . . . . . . XX . , . . X. . ; . ... Erwin-H Melba Waltz ... ...... . . . . . . ...... ......... . . BVC . M^ter Tap Toe .... . ....... . ... .. .Montclare L Believe . . . . . ... ; ....... . ........... X, . . , . , .v. . Cromwell Organ Grinder’s Swing . . . . . . ... ..... . . . . . . . . . Mills _.U y : ■ • v* .............. . « . .. . . . . ...... , . Miller Say You’re Mine Again . X .. . . . . ; . .v. ,. . . .v . Blue River Song From Moulin Rouge . . . . . . . X, . . . ? .... . Broadcast Vaya Conv.Dios . ... .... .... , . Ardmore (MoxeinCaseofTics) . :y , ?,y„T!ie. ?e4 . • • X > . . . . .......... — . Shapiro-B Hallelujah . ...... . . . . ; . . . . . .... , . , , . . . . . . . . Harms J n1J^on”a -*-'1 v® T.i il I Die ...... .. . , . . . . . . , X. X. : National Ur The. Good Old Summertime , ... . .X. ... X. X ; . . XMarks Oh Lady Be Good . . ............. . ., ......... Harms t Fil musical. musical. Composer /Frank Perkins; has been inked to an exclusive cleffer’s pact by Mills Music. Deal continues pub.bery’s plan to bolster its educa^ tiortal and standard catalogs with writer tieups. : .Similar pact recently. Was inked with Don Gillis. 'Perkins, who broke into • the ■ m u$ ic biz ;vvi t h ;'M ills in. the. 1930s as an a n;a: nger-coiti poser, has beep working on film scores oil the Coast for the past; several years, ... Incidentally. ■ four instrumental sides independently waxed by Perkins have been picked up for release by Decca Records. Global Hug for 'Jphnny' “Johnny (Is The Boy For Me V/’ tune, published i n the U.S, by , Les Paul & Mary Ford’s firm, Iris Music, is getting a solid global coverage. \V6rld rights to the song recently were picked up by E. B> Marks 'Music and already has been sold in England, Canada, Australia and several countries in Europe and South America. Tune was penned by Les Paul, j Marcel Stillman and Paddy Roberts,. . Revisions in the Music Publishers Contact Employees Union, constitution were unanimously approved by the . pluggers at .a general meeting Xlast week. New bylaws, had been drawn up by tin? MPCE exec board several monlluagox . ; ' ■■ '/ ' Constitutional revisions includ? new method of electing, officei ^ (Odd years for officers; and evert years for council), and an increase in the membership of the; exec council from 10 tdx 13. Hew: by* laws4 also set . down ruling that alt nominations must be by petition. Signed by 25 MPCE members.. Another bylaw highpoint is decision ; to allow a plugger who .withdraw'! from the union to continue his $1,000 insurance policy yith pay* ments of $18 annually, Claude Thornhill band play* * . one nighter today (Wed ) at 'the. |Jjonghorn^JRanch^House^=iDAllii4; Tony Pastor crew is due in at the spot July 22.