1940's Big Band music inclued many popular band leaders. One of them was
Sammy Kaye, who, like his fellow colleage popular bandleaders, had a handful of
#1 hits. Collector's Choice Music released
21 songs from his career, Swing And Sway With Sammy Kaye: 21 Of His Greatest
Hits in 1998. For those discovering what music was like before Elvis and
The Beatles, Big Band Music has always been entertaining, relaxing, and with
easy-to-listen lyrics; no one can scratch their heads trying to figure out the
lyrics, and/or cringe on any loud, distracting music and noise.
Of the 21 songs contained in this compilation, 5 went to #1, from 1941-1950:
"Daddy" (1941), "Chickery Chick" (1945), "I'm A Big Girl Now,"
"The Old Lamp-Lighter" (1946), "Harbor Lights" (1950). And, such as
his fellow bandleader colleages, Sammy Kaye would feature vocalists in his songs --
referring to the 5 #1 tunes -- The Kaye Choir, [Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and
the Kaye Choir], Betty Barclay, Billy Williams, Tony Alamo.
Another popular singer whom Sammy Kaye fronted was Don Cornell, who would
have a successful solo career on his own. His vocal style was similar to that
of Sinatra's, with popular songs such as "I Left My Heart At The Stage Door
Canteen," "An Apple Blossom Wedding" and most notably (the Sinatra sounding)
"That's My Desire."
Billy Williams was another vocalist, and his popular tunes included "It
Might As Well Be Spring," and the #1 "The Old Lamp-Lighter," as well
as others in this compilation.
"Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" would be a Disney classic, as The Three Kaydets
and Chorus provided the vocal and harmonies. Surprisingly, Sammy Kaye worked
successfully with having a steel guitar in "Careless Hands," which would
later become more popular in Country music. A big band with a steel guitar was
definitely different back then, at the time. Another instrument used in Kaye's
songs were the chimes. They are heard on vocalist Tony Alamo's "The Four
Winds And The Seven Seas," likewise Billy Williams' "The Old
Lamp-Lighter."
The steel guitar returns on Don Cornell's "Room Full Of Roses," a
song that was written by one of the Sons of the Pioneers, Tim Spencer. And this
tune does have a very early Country vocal sound (as in Gene Autry), along with
the steel guitar. Mixing all of this with the big band sound, Sammy Kaye experimented
with a sound that would later become more famous in what we now know as Country
Music. Tim Spencer also co-wrote "Roses," another early-Country
vocal-styled song.
The typical big-band sound returns with the duo of Don Cornell and Laura Leslie
on "Baby, It's Cold Outside," which was a very popular song recorded by many
male-female duos; another duo was Johnny Mercer and Margaret Whiting. Don Cornell's
voice is booming on "It Isn't Fair," another great easy-listening/big-band tune,
as his vocal style would be compared to future early-1950s artists, such as Al Martino,
Jerry Vale and other "almost operatic" styled vocalists.
An excellent compilation, Sammy Kaye's music defines one of the best
bandleaders of the 1940s and early 1950s. Along with his fellow colleages,
such as Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, his music was far popular and
equal to those who were just as popular as he was. Kaye also experimented with
a new instruent, the steel guitar, as some of the songs on this compilation has
a more Country sound, mixed with the big-band sound. Kaye may have been ahead
of his time in this department, yet still, his music is truly enjoyable and
relaxing to listen to.
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