The American Song Book: Two Gems

Throughout history there has been poetry and music, enjoyable to most. In this regard the development of the Great American Song book has been outstanding, with so many verses set to music and then published. Legend has it that “Tin Pan Alley” got its name from part of the street where pianos were being sold. On nice days they would be outside with each being played. In the days before radio and phonographs many homes had an upright piano as a source of household entertainment. Of course, then, sheet music was highly promoted.

Yes, the Great American Songbook is an important cultural accomplishment and within it the best-selling single record has been Bing Crosby’s White Christmas. The number sold an impressive 50 million copies world-wide. Until this one the best-seller was Gene Austin’s version of My Blue Heaven, with sales at five million records up to 1942 – an impressive number on a hit recorded in 1928 by “crooner” Gene Austin.

This writer is partial to this version for it has a unique style to it, possibly the result of a chaotic recording session.

Walter Donaldson composed the song with George Whiting providing the lyrics.

Donaldson wrote the song one afternoon while waiting for his turn at the billiard table and it had its debut in the production of the 1927 Ziegfeld Follies. Becoming a big hit in 1928 and as noted above had sold 5 million records prior to the ascendency of “White Christmas”.

White Christmas was written by Irving Berlin for the 1942 musical called Holiday Inn, and the scene with Bing Crosby is very nicely done. With his pipe-stem he picks out the tune on baubles hanging from the branches of a Christmas tree.

Berlin often wrote all night and on this one he told his secretary: “I want you to take down a song I wrote over the weekend. Not only is it the best song I ever wrote, it’s the best song anybody ever wrote”.

The first public performance was by Crosby on the “Kraft Music Hall” on Christmas Day 1941. The definitive recording was made with the Ken Darby Singers in May 1942.

The recording established that there was a huge market for commercially successful secular Christmas songs.

Ironically, Gene Austin had to insist that the studio release his version of My Blue Heaven. The actual recording session had lasted too long, and the studio musicians left. Austin scrambled around and found an older guy with a cello and talked him into standing by. Next, he grabbed a song plugger who was quite good on the piano. The third performer was versatile in whistling.

And this hastily assembled trio come up with the biggest selling record until the special magic of White Christmas.

Scene from Holiday Inn:  

My Blue Heaven: