Variety (April 1954)

46 .MUSIC MBSIETr Wcndcstlay, April 28 , 1954 Inside Stuff-Music Unusual twist in pop song, titles is the double-title of the current hit song “Oh Baby Mine, t Get So Lonely/' Writer Pat Ballard, when the Anal revised manuscript was ready to submit to the a&r men, was in a quandary which of the opening lyric lines to use for a title. Tune, adapted from an old pd strain (also used by, among others, Fritz Kreisler for his version of “The Old Refrain") first was called by Ballard “When 1 Dream About You," then “I Get So Lonely When I Dream About You." After first copies were printed,, they moved slowly and dealers reported they were having'calls for a song and record called “Oh JBaby Mine." That phrase, which opens the song, turned out to be the public's choice of title, hence Melrose Music arid the record companies revised their copies and labels to conform with public demand. Tune has been riding high on all lists via the 4 Knights Capitol etching and a new c&w version recently released by Victor (Johnnie & Jack) has hit the d.j, lists in the country field. To add to the confusion, Ballard reports that he Wrote the ditty in 1953 as a sad ballad but it turned out to be a rhythm tune. Ballard, now living in his home town of Troy, Pa. (pop 1,200) says he is in demand for personal appearances at country dances where the jigged-up hill- billy version of his tune has made him a local celebrity, 250 miles from Lindy’s, H4 Reissues of classical and jazz classics have become commonplace among platter manufacturers, but Ed Manning, recording manager of Gordon V. Thompson, Ltd., of Toronto, is tackling the “oldtimer" idea from a new angle. Firm will soon issue LP platter by Charles Harrison, one of most popular tenor recorders for 20-year period beginning in 1911. Waxing is not a reissue of old Harrison disks but was sung directly by the tenor, who is still in good voice. Company also has an LP by late Reinald Werrenrath, one-time Metopera bari- tone, who died last Sept. 12. For many years Werrenrath ranked next to John McCormack as Victor’s most popular recorder of concert and semi-classical numbers. Manning is seeking Victor permission to re- issue under Thompson labels typical waxings by pop stars of yester- year—Billy Murray* Henry Burr, Ada Jones and others of similar caliber. ' ^ Incidentally, old-time counter-tenor Will Oakland is working oh LP idea of his own. Platter will contain dubbings of about eight onCe- popular Oakland records, with spoken commentary by the .singer. Ever since he wrote it, Joe Rines has had a special affection for his Halo Shampoo cornmercial. The former NBC music director and one-time Boston bandleader has tried to sell everyone in show biz on the tune’s merits, and has succeeded in most cases. His most recent—and most important convert—is Arthur Fiedler, conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Fiedler, aware that Rines has had the jingle played as everything from a calypso to a boogie-woogie number on the Colgate Comedy Hour, okayed a symphonic arrangement. Rines currently is surrounded by umpteen reams of ms. paper as he turns out a full symphonic arrangement which the Boston Pops will present this summer. ' Another instance of a record sparking a wider career is the case of Odette (Athos), daughter of former British legit producer Percy Athos and Mary Athos, latter resident in America, following their estrangement. Odette made a “Songs of Paris” album for MGM and, while of British-American parentage, speaks French like a native, with result that Metro had but to look in its own backyard, the affiliated MGM Records, for a new singing find for .their upcoming (Continued on page 48) BETTY MADIGAN sings JOEY AND SO I WALKED HOME MGM 11710 K 11716 78 RPM 45 RPM MGM RECORDS THE OR E A T t S T Nj a M E IN entertainment } F tVw AVE NEW YQRK R $ N v .Tony Bennett Disk Companies’ Best Sellers CAPITOL ARTIST x. I GET SO LONELY .. ..Four Knights I COULDN'T STAY AWAY FROM YOU 2. MAN UPSTAIRS , / Kay Starr IF YOU LOVE ME (REALLY LOVE ME) 3. ANSWER ME, MY LOVE Nat (King) Cole WHY 4. I COULD HAVE TOLD YOU Frank Sinatra , DON'T WORRY 'BOUT ME 5. YOUNG AT HEART .Frank Sinatra . TAKE A CHANCE COLUMBIA 1. UNTIL YESTERDAY PLEASE DRIVER - 2. MAKE LOVE TO ME Jo Stafford ADI, ADIOS AMIGO 3. BEER BARREL POLKA Liberace TWELFTH ST. RAG 4. I SPEAK TO THE STARS Doris Day BLUEBELLS OF BROADWAY 5. THERE'LL BE NO TEARDROPS TONIGHT . Tony Bennett MY HEART WON’T SAY GOODBYE CORAL 1. JILTED Teresa Brewer LE GRAND TOUR DE L'AMOUR 2. ISLE OF CAPRI . ..... Jackie Lee BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON 3. BELIEVE IN ME Don Cornell LITTLE LUCY 4. SWEET AUGUSTINE ..... Desmond-Dale-Greco EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE 5. DARK GREEN ........ Georgie Auld COLE SLAW DECCA 1. LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT Kitty Kallen I DON’T THINK YOU LOVE ME ANYMORE 2. THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN .. Four Aces WEDDING BELLS 3. I SHOULD CARE .. Jeff Chandler MORE THAN ANYONE 4. TRUE LOVE GOES ON ......... .Burl Ives-Gordon Jenkins BRAVE MAN 5. BASIN ST. BLUES (PARTED ....... Louis Armstrong BASIN ST, BLUES (PART II) Frank Weir Vera Lynn LONDON 1. HAPPY WANDERER FROM YOUR LIPS 2. ' IF YOU LOVE ME (REALLY LOVE ME) C'EST LA VIE 3. CRYSTAL BALL Johnston Bros. MY LOVE, MY LIFE, MY OWN 4 . I LIVE FOR YOU ...... Mantovani ' LUXEMBOURG POLKA 5. JUST A DREAM OR TWO AGO ................. Lita Roza I WAS A FOOL IN LOVE MERCURY 1. CROSS OVER THE BRIDGE Patti Page MY RESTLESS LOVER 2. CUDDLE ME Ronnie Gaylord OH AM I LONELY 3. -FROM THE’ VINE CAME THE GRAPE Gaylords STOLEN MOMENTS . v 4. MY SIN . -• Georgia Gibbs IXL ALWAYS BE HAPPY WITH YOU 5. ISLE OF CAPRI ..Gaylords LOVE I YOU M-G-M 1. JOEY Betty Madigari AND SO I WALKED HOME 2. BLUE GUITAR Sheb WOoley PANAMA PETE 3. THERE'LL BE NO TEARDROPS TONIGHT . Hank Williams MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS 4 . AM I IN LOVE . Joni James MAYBE NEXT TIME 5. LOST IN LOVELINESS Billy Eckstine DON'T GET AROUND MUCH ANYMORE RCA VICTOR 1. WANTED Perry Como LOOK OUT THE WINDOW 2. MAN WITH THE BANJO Ames Bros MAN, MAN IS FOR THE WOMAN MADE •3. HAPPY WANDERER Henri Rene MY IMPOSSIBLE LOVE 4. HERE Tony Martin ^PHILOSOPHY 5. iVilTRIEL Freddy Martin LIFE CAN BE BEAUTIFUL ♦♦♦+»♦♦»♦♦♦♦♦♦ MM 4 MMMMM I Brit Tooters Nix Radio-TV London, April 20. Two major decisions which may affect the entire pattern of radio and television were taken last week by the Musicians’ Union. Firstly, they have decided not to budge from their previous policy not to allow their members to re- cord tv programs. The decision to stand by union policy was taken* at a meeting of the London branch of the MU, attended by nearly 400 musicians. MU carried their war against re- cordings a stage further and an- nounced that, as from Monday (12); they were tendering to the British Broadcasting Corp. six months notice to terminate the present agreement which permits radio programs to be taped. If the union threat to impose the sound' radio recording ban is put into effect the BBC may be compelled to drop majny of their peak pro- grams. These frequently feature stage and film personalities who are rarely available for live broad- casts are the programs are taped at a time convenient to the artist. The threatened ban would also put an end to the BBC policy of repeat playing time for top rank- ing programs. This has been a regular practice over many years and some features get as many as two repeats in a week. Most of the top series get at least one extra playdate in the week. The union policy is aimed at im- proving the employment situation for musicians. They, apparently, would not object to the principle of recording if the BBC gave an undertaking that the taped show would only have a single airing and would not b<>. repeated at a subsequent date. As an immediate sequel to the MU’s ruling, the Douglas Fair- banks unit making American tele- pix has been forced to record back- ground music on the Continent. The union bar is based on the premise that there is no guarantee that the films, although primarily made for the American market, will not eventually be shown on the British network. 'The union also alleges that they had been advised by the producing company that the American Federa- tion of Musicians had given their Consent to British recordings. A subsequent check with AFM dis- proved this. McCluskey Manages New Art Mooney Orch Bob McCluskey has taken over the management reins of the Art Mooney orch. McCluskey recently ankled his RCA Victor post as pro- motion manager for the country & western field. The Mooney orch, which was reorganized recently, takes off on an extended one-niter trek through the east and south tomor* row (Thurs.), Band is being booked by General Artists Corp. Gilbert Fields Named Epic Publicity Chief Gilbert Fields has taken over the publicity post at Epic Records, Columbia subsid. Fields formerly was station relations exec at SESAC and publicity director for Travellers Aid. He’ll concentrate on Epic’s classical and pop catalog. The parent company’s publicity setup will continue to be handled by Debbie. Ishlon and Lloyd Leip- sig. Pax Label Picks Up Defunct Chi Catalog Pax Records, indie jazz label, has acquired the catalog of Session Records, defunct Chicago diskery; Included in the deal are previous- ly unissued masters by such old- time jazz names as Jimmy and Mamma Yancey, Cripple Clarence Lofton and Ben Webster. Initial Pax release of the Ses- sion disks will be three longplay sets by Yancey, Lofton and J. C, Ii i g g e n b o t t o m with Trummy Young. Remaining material will be issued on a regular monthly basis. I SPH c««S ro »* s 't Recorded by: DORIS DAY ^' Columbia r 40210 M. WITMARK & SONS America's Fastest <Selling-:Records!