Hillary Clinton's almost tragic loss of her position as the anointed front-runner in the US presidential race has inspired me to search for a theme song for her campaign. I think I've found one.
Nobody's Sweetheart is quite an old song, published in 1924 with music by Billy Meyers and Elmer Schoebel, and lyrics by Gus Kahn and Ernie Erdman. Jazz musicians took an immediate liking to the tune, and ever since its inception it has been a favorite of jazz players and listeners everywhere. Here are the lyrics:
You're nobody's sweetheart now,
they don't baby you somehow.
Fancy hose, silken gown,
you'd be out of place in your own hometown.
When you walk down the avenue,
They just can't believe that it's you.
Painted lips, painted eyes,
wearing a bird of paradise.
It all seems wrong somehow that
you're nobody's sweetheart now.
Our introductory recording is a rare version taken from a battered old Romeo 78 that I found in a junk shop many years ago. The band is listed anonymously on the label as "Hollywood Dance Orchestra," but we are actually listening to a house orchestra under the direction of Adrian Schubert, featuring a vocal by Scrappy Lambert (billed on the label as "Ralph Haines"), some great hot trumpet by the largely forgotten Bob Effros, a fantastic trombone solo by Miff Mole, and accordion work by Charlie Magnante.
Download Hollywood Dance Orch - Nobody's Sweetheart.mp3
Red Nichols and his Five Pennies recorded this relaxed version of "Nobody's Sweetheart" on Feb. 25, 1928. Included in this recording are Nichols on cornet, Miff Mole on trombone, Dud Fosdick on the mellophone, Fud Livingston and Pee Wee Russell on reeds (I believe Pee Wee is the clarinet soloist), Lennie Hayton on piano, Carl Kress on guitar, and Vic Berton on drums.
Download Red Nichols - Nobody's Sweetheart.mp3
Perhaps the best-known recording of "Nobody's Sweetheart" is this energetic version recorded by Cab Calloway in December 1930.
Download Cab Calloway - Nobody's Sweetheart.mp3
Paul Whiteman recorded "Nobody's Sweetheart" first in 1929, then again in 1935. This recording was conceived as a feature for singer/trombonist Jack Teagarden.
Download Paul Whiteman-Jack Teagarden - Nobody's Sweetheart.mp3
Finally, here is a great Betty Boop short from 1932 entitled "Betty Boop, M. D." which finds Betty and KoKo and Bimbo staging an old-fashioned medicine show in order to peddle a snake-oil cure called "Jippo." Bimbo, voiced by a Cliff Edwards sound-alike, sings "Nobody's Sweetheart" during the last two minutes of the cartoon.
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