The Virtual Victrola

Blazin' !

One of the hottest white dance bands of the late 1920's was the great Coon-Sanders Nighthawk Orchestra.  The Nighthawks originally hailed from Kansas City, but successfully relocated to Chicago, where they became a mainstay at the Blackhawk Hotel.

One of the best examples of the excitement generated by the Coon-Sanders Orchestra is their June 1928 recording of "Blazin'," an original instrumental by Joe Sanders.  Sanders, who was the band's pianist, drives the ensemble through this romping tune, aided by trumpeter Bob Pope, clarinetist Floyd Estep, and brothers Harold Thiel and John Thiel who both solo on alto sax.

Download Coon-Sanders Orch - Blazin' (MP3, 2 Mb)

Not quite a year later, in May 1929, the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra recorded their version of "Blazin'," using a modified arrangement by altoist Benny Carter.  At the time, the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra was perhaps the top jazz and hot dance orchestra in America, and boasted unmatched talent in instrumental soloists as well as arrangers.  This outstanding record features Bobby Stark on trumpet, Rex Stewart on cornet, Jimmy Harrison on trombone, Harvey Boone on alto sax, and Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax.

Download Fletcher Henderson AHO - Blazin' (MP3, 2.1 Mb)

In My Merry Oldsmobile

Probably the most enduring popular song written about the automobile is Gus Edwards' and Vincent Bryan's "In My Merry Oldsmobile," which was written in 1905 and is still recognized by a great many people today:

Young Johnny Steele has an Oldsmobile

He loves his dear little girl

She is the queen of his gas machine

She has his heart in a whirl

Now when they go for a spin, you know,

She tries to learn the auto, so

He lets her steer, while he gets her ear

And whispers soft and low...

Come away with me, Lucille

In my merry Oldsmobile

Down the road of life we'll fly

"Automobubbling," you and I

To the church we'll swiftly steal

Then our wedding bells will peal

You can go as far as you like with me

In my merry Oldsmobile.

Naturally this song has been recorded by many artists over the years.  Our first record is an "original version" recorded by the prolific singer Billy Murray for Columbia Records in 1906:

Download Billy Murray - In My Merry Oldsmobile (mp3)

In 1927, the Jean Goldkette Orchestra was invited by General Motors to make an updated record of the song.  One side of the record was a waltz arrangement of the song in the traditional style, while the other side, the one I have included here, is a lively fox-trot arranged by Bill Challis.  It notably features cornetist Bix Beiderbecke improvising over the last chorus.  These performances were recorded by Victor Records in May of 1927, and the special record was given by GM as a souvenir to those who attended the 1927 Detroit Auto Show.  (If you click on the label image, you'll notice that one of the composers is incorrectly listed as "Vincent Edwards.")

Download Jean Goldkette - In My Merry Oldsmobile (mp3)

Our final version of "In My Merry Oldsmobile" dates from 1946 and features Les Brown and his Orchestra, with vocals by Pat Flaherty and Butch Stone.  This swinging 1946 arrangement captures the excitement of American car buyers who anxiously awaited the arrival of the new post-war American automobiles.  (If you recall, US domestic auto production was halted from 1942 through 1945, as Detroit's factories were re-tooled to produce military vehicles and airplanes.)  The new 1947 Oldsmobile featured Hydra-Matic Drive, the first practical automatic transmission, and attractive "fast back" styling.  (The legendary "Rocket V8" Oldsmobile engine wasn't introduced until 1949.)

Download Les Brown - In My Merry Oldsmobile (mp3)

Billy Murray, who successfully transitioned from records to broadcasting and had become a radio star in the late 1920's due in part to his partnership with another singer, Walter Scanlon, was invited by the Max Fleischer studios to to lead a sing-along cartoon of "In My Merry Oldsmobile" that was released by the studio in 1932:

Lots of vintage Oldsmobile advertisements are available here.  I always enjoy looking at old car ads from the 1950's, if for no other reason than to appreciate the effots of artists to draw the cars so they look as big is possible.