Welcome to our show and whilst there has been some great songs since 2005, we felt that hits from the 40s and 50s deserved a showcase from now to the end of the year… we hope you will enjoy the music and the news from the decade.
Here is my next selection of top 1940s hits which I hope you will enjoy.
Ella Fitzgerald – I’m beginning to see the light
“I’m beginning to see the light” was composed by Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, and Harry James with lyrics by Don George. A popular song and jazz standard, it hit the charts and remained on America’s Top Hits list for six weeks, peaking at #5 in 1945, and remains one of the most covered songs from that period.
News Event – June 21st 1948 Columbia Records unveil the 33-1/3 rpm LP phonograph record invented by Peter Carl Goldmark, allowing up to 20 minutes per side (available in 10 and 12 inch diameters), at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, NYC; over the next decade the popularity and profitability of the LP pushed the 78 rpm out of production
Peggy Lee – Mañana
Peggy Lee scored her first #1 hit with this contagious percussion-driven Latin extravaganza that she co-wrote with Dave Barbour. The song echoed the blending of different styles of music from other cultures in the late 40’s and spent nine weeks at the top of the US pop charts. “Mañana” was one of the biggest hits of 1948 and sold over a million copies. Capitol Records ranked it as the #2 tune of the company’s first decade of existence.
News Event – February 11th 1949 “Lovesick Blues” single released by Hank Williams (Cashbox “Best Hillbilly Record of the Year”, Billboard Song of the Year 1949)
Now time for my next picks from the 1940s all tunes that were played in our home by my parents who were wonderful dancers and fans of the old musicals.
Frank Sinatra – Nancy with the Laughing Face
“Nancy (with the Laughing Face)” is a song composed in 1942 by Jimmy Van Heusen, with lyrics by Phil Silvers, called, originally, “Bessie (With The Laughing Face)”. Many, perhaps most, people wrongly assume the song was composed specifically for Frank Sinatra’s wife or daughter, each named Nancy, not only because the original recording of the song was Sinatra’s for Columbia in 1944, but because the song was never published or recorded as anything but “Nancy”. catman916
News Event – April 7th 1949 “South Pacific” opens at Majestic Theater NYC for 1928 performances
Perry Como – Some Enchanted Evening
“Some Enchanted Evening” is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. It has been described as “the single biggest popular hit to come out of any Rodgers and Hammerstein show.” Perry Como recorded the song and it reached No. 1 in 1949
News Event – December 8th 1949 “On the Town”, the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, starring Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen, is released
Additional sources: On This Day – Music – Hits of the 1940s and 1950s: Playback FM – Wikipedia
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William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Blog– IMPROVISATION – William Price King on Tumblr – Buy William’s music: William Price King iTunes – Facebook – William Price King – Twitter – @wpkofficial
Regular Venue – Cave Wilson
Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcaster who enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.
She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.
Books :Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – More reviews: Goodreads – blog: Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Twitter: @sgc58 – Facebook: Sally Cronin – LinkedIn: Sally Cronin
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