R.I.P. Patty Andrews

As I drove to the radio station before last night's broadcast of the SSS, I was saddened to hear of the passing of Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews, the last surviving member of the Andrews Sisters.  With her older sisters, Maxene and LaVerne she formed one of the most popular musical groups in American history, as well as a symbol of the American home front during World War II.  Read the Los Angelus Times obituary. 

Sunrise Serenade: No Sense

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "No Sense" by Ella Fitzgerald.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Playlist For January 30, 2013

The playlist for the January 30, 2013 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has been added to the playlist filing cabinet. 

Carspotting In Portland 1939 - With Video!

In this Hemmings blog carspotting post, we get to see color film footage of various intersections in Portland, Oregan in 1939.  All I can say is, auto insurance premiums must have been fairly high considering the many near misses in this footage. 

Sunrise Serenade: Rhythm Saved The World

The Mills Brothers have been hanging around my unconscious a bit lately, and this morning was no exception.  Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Rhythm Saved The World" by the Mills Brothers.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Hop Into February

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room.  Free lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00, and $5 cover at the door afterwards.  The lesson will be by Jaredan and Becky, with music by Jaredan.  Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

The Tiger Rag progressive dance lessons and guided practice sessions are in full swing at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here. 

Sunrise Serenade: Swing For Sale

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Swing For Sale" by the Mills Brothers.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

Film Noir Posters

The Golden Age blog (fomerly Golden Age Comic Book Stories) posted a series of classic film noir posters, including The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity and Dark Passage. 

Sunrise Serenade: Long About Midnight

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Long About Midnight" by the Mills Brothers.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

Out Again, In Again

I am not sure I have ever had a Heckle & Jeckle cartoon on the SSS, so here is the first.  In this episode, the talking magpies escape from jail, only to be pursued on a train.  From the Internet Archive, here is the 1948 animated short, Out Again, In Again. 

Sunrise Serenade: Doin' The New Low Down

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Doin' The New Low Down" by the Mills Brothers with Cab Calloway.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

Bomber Jacket Art

I posted about World War II bomber jacket art back in January 2012, but I recently came across another good article about the practice with some good pictures and additional information on the topic. 

Sunrise Serenade: The Jungle King

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "The Jungle King" by Cab Calloway.  Enjoy the video from YouTube.

Playlist For January 23, 2013

The playlist for the January 23, 2013 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has been added to the playlist filing cabinet. 

Eugene Pallette: Swashbuckling Monk

OK, so Eugene Pallette was not really a monk, but that is an apt description of two of the most memorable characters he ever played.  MovieFanFare posted a brief biography of this great character actor.  With his bullfrog voice and bull-like frame, he could play a police sergeant (the Philo Vance series), a stressed businessman (My Man Godfrey) or a sword-wielding friar who fenced with the likes of Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone.  (The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Mark of Zorro respectively).

Sunrise Serenade: Lazy Bones

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Lazy Bones" by the Mills Brothers.  Enjoy the video from YouTube.

Live Music At This Friday's Hop

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session this Friday night at the Rumba Room features live music from the Side Street Steppers.  Free lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00, and $7 cover at the door afterwards.  The lesson will be by Kirk and Heather.  Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

The Tiger Rag progressive dance lessons and guided practice sessions are in full swing at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here.

Sunrise Serenade: Posin'

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Posin'" by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra with Edythe Wright on vocals.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

Molly Moo Cow And The Butterflies

Here is a new character for the SSS. Molly Moo Cow is a kind-hearted soul. In this Van Beuren Studios cartoon from 1935, she rescues her friends the butterflies from a collector. A bit cutesy, but some fun incidental music. From the Internet Archive, here is Molly Moo Cow And The Butterflies.

Sunrise Serenade: Don't Be Afraid To Tell Your Mother

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Don't Be Afraid To Tell Your Mother" by the Mills Brothers.  Enjoy the video from YouTube.

Streamlined Gas Station

When I become a multibillonaire, I will have this 1940's Brazillian gas station, posted on Dieselpunk, recreated as the garage for my classic car collection.

Sunrise Serenade: Sweet Georgia Brown

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Sweet Georgia Brown" by the Mills Brothers.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Playlist For January 16, 2013

The playlist for the January 16, 2013 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has been added to the playlist filing cabinet. 

Lindy Hops On - Live Music Next Week

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room.  Free lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00, and $5 cover at the door afterwards.  The lesson will be by Matt and Jazz, with music by DJ EJ.  Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

Live music next week with the Side Street Steppers. 

The Tiger Rag progressive dance lessons and guided practice sessions are in full swing at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here. 

Gabby Goes Fishing

In this 1941 short from Max Fleischer, Gabby (the town cryer featured in the animated feature film Gulliver's Travels) demonstrates proper fishing technique to a skeptical lad.  From the Internet Archive, here is Gabby Goes Fishing. 

Sunrise Serenade: And The Angels Sing

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "And The Angels Sing" by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra with Martha Tilton on vocals.  Enjoy the YouTube video.

Sunrise Serenade: Take The A Train

Today's Sunrise Serenade happened at sunrise, but it took a while to post.  It was a vocal version of "Take The A Train" by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.  Enjoy the video from YouTube.

Playlist For January 9, 2013

I've been out sick today, so there have been no other posts, but the show must go on!  The playlist for the January 9, 2013 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has been added to the playlist filing cabinet. 

Tiger Rag Is Back And Lindy Hop On Friday

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room.  Free lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00, and $5 cover at the door afterwards.  The lesson will be by Jaredan and Josie, with music by Jaredan.  Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

The next session of Tiger Rag progressive dance lessons starts tomorrow, followed by a guided practice, at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here. 

Sunrise Serenade: Perdido

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Perdido" by Harry James.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

The Blonde Bomber

Despite the image of the aircraft in this title page, it appears The Blonde Bomber was not a bomber pilot.  Insteand, she was "ace newsreel camerawoman" Honey Blake, whose occupation allowed her ample opportunity for comic book-worthy adventure.  This story, posted on Four Color Shadows, was published in 1942.

Sunrise Serenade: Sepia Panorama

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Sepia Panorama" by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Betty Boop: Happy You And Merry Me

In this Dave Fleischer short from 1936, Betty Boop and her dog, Pudgy, come to the rescue of an ill feline that gorged itself on candy.  While picking up the "medicine" (catnip), Pudgy is a little careless with the contents, and the subsequent appreciation of the local cat community is obvious.  From the Internet Archive, here is Happy You And Merry Me. 

Sunrise Serenade: Saint Louis Blues

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Saint Louis Blues" by Django Reinhardt.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Moxie "Horsepower"

According to the Hemmings blog, Moxie is one of the longest surviving carbonated soft drinks in the U.S., and it continues today, mostly in New England.  In the 1920's and 30's, Moxie commissioned a fleet of six "Moxie Mobiles," from which the bodywork was removed, and replaced with a statue of a stallion.  The driver worked the steering and other controls from the saddle.  The photo depicts a car commissioned by the company in 1928 on a LaSalle chassis.  Apparently, the term "moxie," meaning courage, daring and energy, originated from the advertising of this beverage. 

Sunrise Serenade: Smoke Rings

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Smoke Rings" by the Casa Loma Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Playlist For January 2, 2013

The playlist for the January 2, 2013 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has been added to the playlist filing cabinet. 

First Hop Of The Year

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room.  Free lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00, and $5 cover at the door afterwards.  The lesson will be by Kishore and Amanda, with music by Amanda.  Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

Sunrise Serenade: On Behalf Of The Visiting Fireman

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "On Behalf Of The Visiting Fireman" by Bing Crosby and Johnny Mercer.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Happy New Year!

From all of us at the SSS.  Here is Cab Calloway conducting the orchestra at the Cotton Club on New Year's Eve in 1937, posted on Retronaut.