R.I.P. Rosie the Riveter

Geraldine Hoff Doyle, one of the women whose photograph inspired the character of Rosie the Riveter, died yesterday at the age of 86.  In her honor, Boing Boing linked to this very interesting article about the history of women factory workers during World War II.

New Uses For Old Fords

Once again, Modern Mechanix reveals how people in the 1930's demonstrated their ingenuity with repurposing and recycling.  In those days, if something broke, or was no longer efficient for its original purpose, creative folks gave it new life rather than just throw it away and buy something.  Of course, the Great Depression served as the mother for much of this invention.  In this 1930 issue of Modern Mechanics, the then ubiquitous Ford Model T served as the impetus for a variety of innovative applications.

Sunrise Serenade: What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Today's Sunrise Serenade was certainly appropriate:  "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" by Kay Kyser and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Playlist For December 29, 2010 - New Year's Special

The playlist for the December 29, 2010 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

The UK 1940's Radio Station

While cruising around the internet a few weeks ago, I came across The UK 1940's Radio Station, a web radio station based in Britain that plays news, music and radio drama from the 1920's to the 1950's.  The organization also presents sounds from the 1940's at live events around the UK during the summer months.  When I tuned in recently, I heard Vera Lynn singing "When They Sound The Last All Clear."  It is a great audio window into British and radio history.

Sunrise Serenade: Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

This morning's Sunrise Serenade would probably not top the list of favorites among still stranded travelers on the East Coast:  "Let It Snow!  Let It Snow!  Let It Snow!" by Bob Crosby and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Live Music Tomorrow Night

Jayna Morgan & the Sazerac Sunrise Jazz Band return to Memphis tomorrow night, Wednesday, December 29, 2010, at the Hi Tone from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.  $7 admission. 

Sunrise Serenade: Christmas Island

The "Twelve Days of Christmas" begin on December 25, and continue through January 5.  My unconscious will therefore be forgiven for continuing to provide holiday songs.  This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Christmas Island" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

1939 Lincoln Zephyr V-12

Although I recognize the merit of certain Ford vehicles in history, I am not a big Ford enthusiast.  I have often said that, in my family, a "foreign car" meant something not built by GM.  That being said, I have always liked the Lincoln Zephyrs of the late 1930's.  Modern Mechanix posted this ad for a V-12 Zephyr from the April 1939 issue of National Geographic. 

Sunrise Serenade: Sleigh Ride

The holiday spirit continues with this morning's Sunrise Serenade:  "Sleigh Ride."  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Christmas Comes But Once A Year

Merry Christmas!  Here is a holiday greeting by Max Fleischer from the year 1936 posted by the Bijou Blog:  Christmas Comes But Once A Year.  It really gets good when the Prof. Grampy the Inventor shows up to play Santa Claus. 

Norman Rockwell Christmas Covers

Here is a great bit of classic holiday cheer.  Golden Age Comic Book Stories posted a series of Norman Rockwell Christmas covers from The Saturday Evening Post, including this famous artwork from the December 1939 edition.

Sing With King Features Syndicate At Christmas

In 1949, comic distributor King Features Syndicate (Blondie, The Phantom, Popeye, Prince Valiant, etc.), published a set of Christmas carol sheet music featuring its comic strip characters.  Golden Age Comic Book Stories posted a scan of the set.  Merry Christmas from Popeye the Sailor!

No Lindy, But Live Music Wednesday

The Red Hot Lindy Hop has wrapped up its weekly lesson and sessions for 2010, but it will be back next year!

Meanwhile, be sure to catch Jayna Morgan & the Sazerac Sunrise Jazz Band on Wednesday, December 29, 2010, at the Hi Tone from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Sunrise Serenade: Here Comes Santa Claus

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Here Comes Santa Claus" by (guess who) Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters. 

Playlist For December 22, 2010 - Christmas Special!

The playlist for the December 22, 2010 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle Christmas Special has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Swing Shift Shuffle Christmas Special

If, like the lad in this 1944 photo from the Library of Congress American Memory Collection:  America from the Great Depression to World War II, you are getting a little fatigued by the last minute holiday hustle, never fear.  Just catch the Swing Shift Shuffle Christmas Special, tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (CST) on WEVL Memphis, 89.9 FM, or wevl.org for some invigorating Christmas spirit! 

Sunrise Serenade: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was certainly appropriate as Christmas nears:  "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisteres.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Snow White Premieres

On this day in 1941, Walt Disney's first, full length, animated feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered in the U.S.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Below is the original 1937 trailer, featuring Walt himself introducing the dwarfs. 

Sunrise Serenade: Merry Christmas Polka

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Merry Christmas Polka" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

The Target

Add "The Target" to the growing list of comic book superheroes of whom I have never heard.  According to Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine, the Target often travelled with the "Targeteers," although they are apparently absent from this 1943 issue.

Sunrise Serenade: Winter Wonderland

This morning's Sunrise Serenade featured the same song as one day last week, but a different artist.  It was "Winter Wonderland" by Louis Armstrong. 

Snow Foolin'

I do not remember if I have ever posted a "sing along" cartoon here on the SSS, but this seasonally appropriate animated short from 1949 seemed like the perfect opportunity to start.  No real story here, just a bunch of animals having fun with winter sports, followed by a sing along with "Jingle Bells."  I had never heard those additional verses to the song.  From the Internet Archive, here is Snow Foolin'.

Paleo-Future And The Age Of Power And Wonder

I recently discovered another interesting blog:  Paleo-Future:  A look into the future that never was.  As its subtitle implies, it features examples of unfulfilled predictions from the past about the future.  The first posting I read was about a series of collector cards included in Max cigarette packages called "The Age of Power and Wonder."

This series from 1935-38 includes predictions of robot servants, spaceships, live television from exotic locations, and ubiquitous airports atop city high rises. Somewhat ironically for a cigarette manufacturer, card number six in this series of 250 predicted great advances in the treatment of cancer.

Sunrise Serenade: Jingle Bells

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was Glenn Miller's version of "Jingle Bells," featuring Tex Beneke on vocals.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Trust Your Car To The Man With The Star

When I was a kid, I used to hang around my uncle's DX gas station.  This post on Vintage Ads reminded me of those days.  I especially like the fine-print plug for the Texaco Star Theatre presenting the new Eddie Brocken show every Sunday night, and the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts every Saturday afternoon. 

Sunrise Serenade: Winter Wonderland

Keeping with the sounds of the season, if not with the weather (in Memphis at least), this morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Winter Wonderland" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Playlist For December 15, 2010

The playlist for the December 15, 2010 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Classic Christmas Movie At Majestic Grille

Once again, I missed most of the Majestic Grille's "Sunday Suppers and a Movie" series, but the last film is Sunday, December 19, with the special menu below and It's A Wonderful Life (1946).  The menu is available at 6:30 p.m., and the movie starts at 7:00 p.m.   

• Antipasto - stuffed cherry peppers, warm grilled mushrooms, prosciutto & arugula
• Beef and Three Cheese Lasagna
• Caesar Salad
• Apple Strudel - cinnamon ice cream

Sunrise Serenade: Santa Claus Got Stuck In My Chimney

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Santa Claus Got Stuck In My Chimney" by Ella Fitzgerald.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Holiday Hop And Live Music

The weekly Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday, with the lesson will be by Matt and Becky with music by Becky.  Free admission before 7:00 p.m., and $5 at the door afterwards. 

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

U of M Swing every Monday, Fieldhouse Room 254 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.  Free taster lesson from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Topics vary from week to week and include East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Blues and Balboa. All are welcome and no partner is required. Open practice from 8-9:30 pm. Improve your moves during this dance time. Ask questions, come practice your swing dancing and have fun with other Memphis swing dancers!

On December 29, 2010, Jayna Morgan & the Sazerac Sunrise Jazz Band return to Memphis at the Hi Tone from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Sunrise Serenade: Winter Weather

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was certainly appropriate:  "Winter Weather" by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra with Peggy Lee and Art Lund on vocals.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Christmas In The Movies

This time of year brings out the usual standard fare of classic holiday movies.  Matinee At The Bijou posted an article about a number of excellent films that, although not as associated with Christmas as other movies, nevertheless have a healthy dose of Yuletide spirit, such as Remember The Night (1940) with Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray. 

There are so many wonderful classic films that have become part of our holiday traditions that it just doesn’t seem like December until we’ve heard Bing Crosby sing White Christmas (1954) or watched Jimmy Stewart run down Main Street past the Bijou Theater in It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). But there are other films—films not specifically about Christmas, but set around this time of year—that are equally charming and give us the added fun of sneaking a peek at Christmas traditions of the past as preserved on film.

Sunrise Serenade: You Don't Have To Be A Santa Claus

Continuing the holiday theme, today's Sunrise Serenade was "You Don't Have To Be A Santa Claus" by the Mills Brothers.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Superman: Showdown

The Man of Steel returns!  In this 1942 cartoon, a mobster's henchman poses as Superman to aid in the commission of his crimes.  From the Internet Archive, here is Showdown.

The Wizard (And Not Of Oz)

From the forgotten superheroes file, here (like the magic resident of Oz) is another Wizard that emerged in 1939.  According to Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine, he was one of the first superheroes to appear after Superman.  I especially like the king-sized, streamliner Wizardmobile.

Sunrise Serenade: Hello Mr. Kringle

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Hello Mr. Kringle" by Kay Kyser and his Orchestra.  I've recently noticed that YouTube has a lot of Christmas songs available from the swing era.  Enjoy.

"Round Up The Usual Suspects!"

With those words, Police Prefect Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains) became the hero of Casablanca (1942).  Yes, I know that Richard Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) thumbed his nose at the Nazis, sacrificed his love for Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) to help Victor Lazlo escape the Germans, and shot the villain, Major Strasser (Conrad Veidt).  I also know that Captain Renault had "no convictions," blew "with the wind," and was only a "poor, corrupt official."  Nevertheless, he was the hero because, if not for his actions, there would have been no happy ending. 

When the Casablanca police arrive at the airport, Victor and Ilsa's plane is taxiing down the runway, Rick stands near the dead body of Major Strasser hiding a smoking revolver in his pocket.  The officers report to Captain Renault, who has witnessed the shooting.  In his most official voice, Captain Renault states that "Major Strasser's been shot."  Then, as the audience waits for him to arrest Rick, with only the slightest pause for a look at Rick, Renault gives the command to "Round up the usual suspects."  At that point, the theater audience inevitably cheers, and only the hero gets cheers. 

That is one of my favorite Claude Rains moments, and a suitable (if long) introduction to a profile on Rains posted by Classic Movie Digest.  Like one of my other favorite actors, Basil Rathbone, Rains was equally adept as good guy (if rarely leading man) or villain.

Sunrise Serenade: Poppa Santa Claus

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Poppa Santa Claus" by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters.  It appears that YouTube has a corner on Bing and the Andrews' holiday music.

Playlist For December 8, 2010

The playlist for the December 8, 2010 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Hop Into The Holidays

The Red Hot Lindy Hop weekly lesson and session continues this Friday.  The lesson will be by Jaredan and Michelle with music by Jaredan.  Free admission before 7:00 p.m., and $5 at the door afterwards. 

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

U of M Swing every Monday, Fieldhouse Room 254 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.  Free taster lesson from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Topics vary from week to week and include East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Blues and Balboa. All are welcome and no partner is required. Open practice from 8-9:30 pm. Improve your moves during this dance time. Ask questions, come practice your swing dancing and have fun with other Memphis swing dancers!

Sunrise Serenade: Winter Weather

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Winter Weather" by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra with Peggy Lee and Art Lund on vocals.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Pearl Harbor And The Last Packard

On this date in 1941, Japanese planes attacked U.S. military installations in and around Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; bringing the United States into World War II.  The Library of Congress American Memory site has a wide variety of information on this world-changing event, many of which are included on the Today in History page marking the date.

The Hemmings blog also marks the day with this photo of the last Packard automobile produced before the factory converted to producing engines for the war effort.

Packard introduced its 1942 cars on August 25, 1941, and shut down its automobile production lines at the Detroit East Grand Boulevard plant just a couple months after Pearl Harbor, on February 9, 1942. As indicated by the sign held above the Clipper in the photo, Packard re-tooled to produce 1,350hp 4,000-cu.in. marine V-12 engines destined for PT boats as well as Rolls Royce Merlin aircraft engines for P-40s and P-51s. According to Dammann and Wren in their Crestline book on Packard, toward the end of the war the company was even researching and developing gas turbine engines.

Sunrise Serenade: Jingle Bells

With Christmas around the corner, there will be a lot of Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters in the air.  This morning's Sunrise Serenade was no exception.  It was Bing and the Andrews' version of "Jingle Bells."  For this song, I found another YouTube video.  Enjoy.

Songs Around The Campfire (For A Nickel)

While browsing through the Library of Congress American Memory photo collection entitled America From the Great Depression to World War II, I stumbled across this interesting item.  In 1944, if you were to visit this trailer campsite/park near Childersburg, Alabama, you could crank up your own impromptu outdoor dance by just opening the Juke Box shed.  I wonder if a Soda Fountain shed is just outside the frame. 

Sunrise Serenade: I'd Like To Hitch A Ride With Santa Claus

The holiday spirit continues.  This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "I'd Like to Hitch A Ride With Santa Claus" by the Andrews Sisters.  Below is a nice video of the song being played on a antique record player. 

Betty Boop And Little Jimmy

Time for another Betty Boop cartoon.  In this short, the story follows Jimmy, who keeps getting distracted while looking for assistance to help extricate Betty from a runaway exercise machine.  From the Internet Archive, here is the 1936 animated short, Betty Boop And Little Jimmy.

Is Man Doomed By The Machine Age?

Once again, it seems the more things change the more they remain the same. Modern Mechanix posted this article from a 1931 issue of Modern Mechanics, which asked whether man would be replaced by machine. Sound familiar?

Is Man Doomed by The Machine Age?

With thousands of men unemployed, many of them because machines have forced them out of their jobs, the old cry that man has created a Machine Age which will destroy him has been taken up again. Which is the true picture—is the Machine a destructive monster, or a means to leisure and wealth? Is our civilization doomed to destruction because of our dependence on machines? Read the opinions of eminent scientists and industrial leaders in this article.

Sunrise Serenade: Meet Me Under The Mistletoe

The holiday tunes are back again.  This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Meet Me Under The Mistletoe" by Dick Robertson.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Alice In Wonderland Review

Back in March, I posted about the DVD release of the 1933 movie, Alice In Wonderland, which starred some heavy Hollywood hitters (Cary Grant, Gary Cooper and W.C. Fields) in some weird and wacky costumes.  Amy's Classic Movie Blog posted her review of the film, and it definitely makes me want to check it out, if for no other reason to see Cary Grant as the Mock Turtle.

Sunrise Serenade: I Gotta Have My Baby Back

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "I Gotta Have My Baby Back" by Ella Fitzgerald and the Mills Brothers.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Playlist For December 1, 2010

The playlist for the December 1, 2010 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has just been added to the playlist filing cabinet.

Harleys = Rocket

Here is a great advertisement for a 1932 Harley Davidson from the December 1931 issue of Modern Mechanix.  This ad is full of neat items:  the rocket; the riding outfit (back in the days before leather was the de facto attire for motorcycling); the safety of "shoot[ing]" away from tangled traffic; the Pay-As-You-Ride Plan; and the age group boxes on the mail-in coupon.

Sunrise Serenade: Zat You, Santa Claus?

The holiday spirit continues.  This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Zat You, Santa Claus?" by Louis Armstrong.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.