Playlist For April 30, 2014

The playlist for the April 30, 2014 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

TCM In May

Time for The Hollywood Revue's monthly preview of Turner Classic Movies programming.  Ms. June Allyson is the Star of the Month, with her films featured every Wednesday.  The annual 72 hour war movie marathon takes place over Memorial Day weekend, and birthday tributes will air for Bing Crosby, Gary Cooper and Katharine Hepburn. 

Sunrise Serenade: Sweet Sue

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Sweet Sue" by Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club Quintet of France.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Hop Into May

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Admission $5.  Lesson by Amanda and Brooke with music by Alexis.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103
 

The Tiger Rag 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: I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby" by Fats Waller and His Rhythm.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Big Screen TVs Of 1944

As noted by Paleofuture, some of the "big screen" televisions that manufacturers proposed to build after World War II were actually projection-based models, with images sizes of up to 15 x 20 inches.

Sunrise Serenade: It Ain't Gonna Be Like That

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "It Ain't Gonna Be Like That" by Hoagy Carmichael.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

Goofy, Goofy Gander

In this encore from 2011, Little Audrey reads her comic book rather than memorizing Mother Goose, and the teacher sends her to the corner.  When she nods off, a hip, young Mother Goose takes her on a jivin' tour of Mother Gooseland.  From Paramount Pictures and the Internet Archive, here is the 1950 release Goofy, Goofy Gander. 

Sunrise Serenade: Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own" by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

Playlist For April 23, 2014

The playlist for the April 23, 2014 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

Live Music At The Lindy Hop

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session this Friday night at the Rumba Room features live music from Jeremy Shrader's Quintessentials.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Admission $5 before 7:00 p.m., $7 afterward.  Lesson by Mike and Amanda.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

The Tiger Rag 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. 

Scheduled Maintenance

We are having some scheduled retooling done here at the Swing Shift Shuffle Music Factory, so postings will be a bit reduced for the next few days.  Back to full schedule next week. 

Sunrise Serenade: Guess I'll Go Back Home

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Guess I'll Go Back Home" by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, with Tex Beneke on vocals.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Superman: Terror On The Midway

In this encore from 2011, the Man of Steel returns to rescue Lois from an escaped gorilla at the amusement park.  From the Internet Archive, here is the 1942 animated short, Terror On The Midway.

Sunrise Serenade: Benny Rides Again

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Benny Rides Again" by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Forecast Calls For An Aluminum Overcast This Weekend

The Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Aluminum Overcast returns to the Mid-South this weekend at the Olive Branch, MS Airport from April 18-20.  Tours and flights on this historic aircraft will be available.  For more information, including flight schedule and prices, click here.

Sunrise Serenade: Old Man Of The Mountain

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Old Man Of The Mountain" by Cab Calloway and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Playlist For April 16, 2014

The playlist for the April 16, 2014 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

The 1930's "Like" Button For Your Radio

As noted on Paleofuture, Facebook was not the first to think up the idea of a "Like" button.  In the early 1930's, a research engineer and lecturer named Dr. Nevil Monroe Hopkins thought up this little radio set top device that would allow listeners to send a "yes" or "no" signal in response to whatever was being broadcast.

Sunrise Serenade: Moonlight Serenade

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Moonlight Serenade" by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Red Hot Easter Bunny Hop And Live Music Next Week

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Admission $5.  Lesson by Jaredan and Angela with music by Jaredan.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

Live music next week with Jeremy Shrader's Quintessentials.

The Tiger Rag 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: Poor Simple Simon

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Poor Simple Simon" by Anita O'Day.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

The Memphis Belle Premieres

From the National World War II Museum blog:  On April 13, 1944, Paramount Pictures released The Memphis Belle:  A Story of a Flying Fortress in theaters.  Directed by Hollywood legend William Wyler while he was serving in the First Motion Picture Unit of the U.S. Army Air Forces, the film tells the story of the crew of our favorite home town B-17, The Memphis Belle.  As the blog notes, the footage is actually from several different B-17's over the course of many missions, and Wyler and his crew were right there with them, apparently to the extent that Wyler lost much of his hearing due to anti-aircraft artillery.  The movie was a big hit, is preserved in the National Film Registry, and is available for viewing and download here at the Internet Archive. 

Sunrise Serenade: A Room With A View

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "A Room With A View" by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title for a sample from emusic, or click here for the album page.

The Spirit Of '43

Donald Duck returns with his annual income tax message.  Walt Disney made this animated short, featuring Donald Duck, for the U.S. Government, so it fell into the public domain.  The cartoon's goal was to encourage people to save their money so they could pay their income taxes and support the war effort.  From the Internet Archive, here is the 1943 animated short, The Spirit Of '43. 

Sunrise Serenade: Animal Crackers

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Animal Crackers" by Shirley Temple.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

High School Yearbooks From World War II

The National World War II Museum Blog posted a collection of yearbooks from U.S. high schools during World War II.  These are some powerful images, with a mix of patriotism, humor, realism and sorrow.  The collection includes yearbooks from all across the country, but I thought it would be interesting to look at the 1944 edition from McKinley H.S., in Honolulu, Hawaii.  With the population of Hawaii coming from a wide diversity of ethnic backgrounds, I was not surprised to find a lot of Japanese-American students in the Black & Gold.  There is a memorial to former students killed during the war, including Sgt. Joseph Takata, who posthumously received the distinguished service cross for extraordinary gallantry in Italy.  He was apparently the first Japanese-American to be so decorated. 

Sunrise Serenade: Memphis Blues

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Memphis Blues" by Fletcher Henderson.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Playlist For April 9, 2014

The playlist for the April 9, 2014 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle, the Spring Pledge Drive Special:  "Fletcher Henderson & Friends," has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

Spring Pledge Drive Special TONIGHT!

In case you have not heard, WEVL 89.9 FM (radio home of the Swing Shift Shuffle) is in the middle of its Spring Pledge Drive.  Our goal is $67,000 by 6:00 p.m. CDT on Saturday, April 12.  Tonight, the SSS Pledge Drive Special will be "Fletcher Henderson & Friends," and we will examine the impact of this early Swing pioneer.  Join us at 89.9 FM or online at wevl.org. 

Sunrise Serenade: Paper Doll

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

Red Hot Lindy Hops On

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Admission $5.  Lesson by Matt and Jasmine with music by Matt.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

The Tiger Rag 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: Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Aerial View Of New York City 1944

This somewhat dizzying aerial photo of New York City, posted on 1940s, was taken in 1944.  At first, I wondered if the lens was distorting the height of the buildings at the top of the photo.  Now I am wondering if it is just the angle, and the fact that there were not as many tall buildings in NYC in 1944, which makes the tall ones look even taller. 

Sunrise Serenade: Well All Right

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Well All Right" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Betty Boop: Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers

In this 1933 Max Fleischer short, Betty is a doll (no, literally, a child's toy doll).  On being delivered to the toy store, all of the other toys, a majority of which are toy soldiers, make Betty their queen.  A grumpy gorilla is after her head (again, literally), however, and the troops must rescue her from the destructive beast.  From the Internet Archive, here is Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers. 

Sunrise Serenade: How Come

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "How Come" by Anita O'Day.  Enjoy the video below from YouTube.

Down The Gasoline Trail

As the Hemmings blog points out, despite nearly 80 years of development, this 1935 Jam Handy film about the internal combustion engine is still both relevant and informative.  The basic principles of the four stroke gasoline engine - "suck-squeeze-bang-blow," or (for you technical sorts) intake-compression-power-exhaust - remain the same now as they were in 1935.

Sunrise Serenade: Straighten Up And Fly Right

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Straighten Up And Fly Right" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Playlist For April 2, 2014

The playlist for the April 2, 2014 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle, has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

Mr. Q

This comic, posted on Four Color Shadows, features a mysterious hero - Mr. Q - whose real identity is unknown even to the reader (until the last page anyway).  The story is about vigilance against saboteurs on the home front during World War II. 

Sunrise Serenade: Rhythm Is Our Business

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Rhythm Is Our Business" by Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

No Foolin' - Red Hot Lindy Hop Friday

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues this Friday night at the Rumba Room.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Admission $5.  Lesson by Matt and Erin with music by Kimmie.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

The Tiger Rag 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: Gotta Be Gettin'

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Gotta Be Gettin'" by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra featuring Anita O'Day on vocals.  Enjoy the video from YouTube.