In The Bag

This encore from 2012 features another adventure of the original Tom and Jerry (not the cat and mouse).  These guys do not say much, and the gags can fall into the strange, sometimes violent category typical of many 1932 cartoons.  There is a nice "faux horns" rendition of "Ida," as well as a gag in which the villain robs his victims using a magnet which shows up again in a color Bugs Bunny cartoon.  From the Internet Archive, here is In The Bag. 

Sunrise Serenade: Deep In The Heart of Texas

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Deep In The Heart of Texas" by the Merry Macs.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Sunrise Serenade: People Like You And Me

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "People Like You And Me" by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, in this clip from a 1940's film, performing as "Gene Morrison" and orchestra.  Enjoy the video from  YouTube.

Fall Into The Hop

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues at the Rumba Room this Friday night.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00 and $5 thereafter.  Lesson by Jaredan and Meghan, with music by DJ Meghan.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

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

Learn about the University of Memphis RHLH chapter and events here. 

Sunrise Serenade: Moonglow

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Moonglow" by Benny Goodman.  Enjoy the video below from YouTube.

The Lone Ranger - Comics, Old Time Radio & Other Cool Stuff

I have just started following a blog called Comics, Old-Time Radio and Other Cool Stuff, and came across this posting of a 1942 Lone Ranger radio show entitled "Lennie's Locket."  You can listen or download from the site.  From COTR&OCS:

Everyone wonders why Lennie--a big, burly man--wears a locket and values it so highly. Oddly, the answer might involve outlaws who are apparently black-mailing the owner of the ranch at which Lennie works.

Sunrise Serenade: It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Taking A Break

I'm taking a bit of a late-Summer/early-Fall break, but I'll be back next Monday. 

The Lion's Busy

This encore from 2012 features a Mortimer Snerd-ish buzzard and an Irish lion.  It seems that lions rarely lived longer than 10 years in those days, and the lion was celebrating his 10th birthday, so the buzzard was looking for a meal.  From the Internet Archive, here is the 1948 Warner Bros. animated short, The Lion's Busy.

Sunrise Serenade: My Little Cousin

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "My Little Cousin" by Peggy Lee with Benny Goodman and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Red Blazer

In this comic, posted on Four Color Shadows, our hero "Red Blazer" seeks out a counterfeiting gang.  Red can apparently fly, has super strength, and can control the forces of fire and heat; but fire extinguishers are his weakness (seriously!).  The villain in this story, Dr. Skull, the "deformed" leader of the gang, really takes the cake.

Sunrise Serenade: Massachusetts

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Massachusetts" by Anita O'Day with Gene Krupa and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Playlist For September 14, 2016

The playlist for the September 14, 2016 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

Fueling A Flying Boat

This photo, posted on Rivet Head, appears to show U.S. Navy sailors refueling a "flying boat" aircraft during World War II.  I found this image interesting because of the aircraft, the relatively unknown Martin PBM Mariner.  The Consolidated PB-Y "Catalina" is often the first aircraft that springs to mind when talking about amphibious or marine aircraft of that era, probably since it served in greater numbers.  This Mariner appears to be equipped with a radar dome. 

Sunrise Serenade: Organ Grinder's Swing

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

Hop Into Fall

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues at the Rumba Room this Friday night.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00 and $5 thereafter.  Lesson by Ceasar and Joy, with music by DJ Joy.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

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

Learn about the University of Memphis RHLH chapter and events here. 

Sunrise Serenade: Nobody's Sweetheart

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Nobody's Sweetheart" by the Spirits of Rhythm.  Enjoy the video from YouTube.

Preston Sturges Movie Posters

Last week, Turner Classic Movies aired six movies by famed director Preston Sturgies, and the TCM blog, Movie Morlocks, posted a collection of movie posters from those films, including several foreign-language posters.  Pictured above is a poster from one of my favorite Sturgis films, Sullivan's Travels, starring Joel McCrea and the always lovely peek-a-boo hairdo girl, Veronica Lake. 

Sunrise Serenade: I Want To Learn About Love

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "I Want To Learn About Love" by Ella Fitzgerald with the Daydreamers.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Texas Tom

We head west in this encore from 2012, a 1950 MGM short featuring everyone's favorite pugilistic pair, Tom and Jerry. From the Internet Archive, here is Texas Tom.

Sunrise Serenade: Beer Barrel Polka

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

Homemade WW2 Patriotism On Display

Dull Tool Dim Bulb posted this photo of a patriotic, hand-drawn radiator cover from World War II.  During cold weather, a radiator cover helped some of the more cold-natured vehicles of the era get to normal operating temperature faster.  As DTDB pointed out, the slogan "Do you drive 35?" referred to the recommended speed for motorists during the war to conserve rubber.  Fuel was not a problem in the U.S., but rubber was a concern, so the government rationed fuel to keep drivers from using up their tires.

Sunrise Serenade: It's A Quiet Town

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "It's A Quiet Town" by the Andrews Sisters with Danny Kaye.  Enjoy the video below from YouTube.

Playlist For September 7, 2016

The playlist for the September 7, 2016 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

James Jones: Author & Summer Avenue Resident

James Jones, the author of the award winning novel From Here To Eternity, which served as the basis for the Academy Award winning film of the same name, wrote the work in the late 1940's while living the old Leahy's Tourist Court on Summer Avenue in Memphis.  Ask Vance posted this article relating the story. 

Growing up as I did in the Berclair neighborhood of Memphis, Summer Avenue was the nearest main street, and Leahy's always struck me as a bit of a time capsule, even into the 1980's.  Leahy's was an old fashioned tourist court, that included cabins and parking spaces for trailers/mobile homes.  By the 1980's, essentially all of Summer Avenue was commercial/industrial, with Leahy's - a quiet, residential community unto itself - quietly sitting in the middle. 

Leahy's continued until 2014, when the owner of the property could no longer afford the utilities and upkeep of the old property.  There was a fear that the residents would have their utilities disconnected.  That fate was avoided, but some residents moved out while things were uncertain.    An investor bought the property, began making repairs, and it remains as a trailer park in the middle of Memphis, although some of the quaint charm of Leahy's has been lost.

Sunrise Serenade: American Patrol

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "American Patrol" by Shep Fields.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

Gypsy Swing At The Lindy Hop This Friday

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues at the Rumba Room this Friday night with live music from Le Tumulte Noir.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Admission $7.  Lesson by Phil and Josey with music by DJ Josey during band breaks.

Dress like you are going out!

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

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

Learn about the University of Memphis RHLH chapter and events here. 

Sunrise Serenade: I'm Walkin' This Town

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "I'm Walkin' This Town" by the Spirits of Rhythm.  Enjoy the video from YouTube.

Quack-A-Doodle-Doo

This encore from 2012 is a 1949 Paramount short featuring a good natured, but oversized, duckling that is ostracized from the rest of the duck community until he saves them from the fox.  From the Internet Archive, here is Baby Huey in Quack-A-Doodle-Doo.

Sunrise Serenade: Coquette (Chicken Croquette)

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Coquette (Chicken Croquette)" by the Spirits of Rhythm.  Enjoy the video from YouTube. 

The Future Of Trains

Here is another World War II ad, posted on Vintage Ads, for a service that was not widely available at the time, but would in the future.  All forms of travel were heavily focused on the war effort, so individual travel, especially for pleasure, was publicly discouraged.  Remember this line from the old Warner Bros. cartoons:  "Is this trip really necessary?"  The purpose of that slogan was to encourage people to only travel when absolutely necessary, so travel related to the war effort could take priority.

Sunrise Serenade: Oh, Lady Be Good

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Oh, Lady Be Good" by Ella Fitzgerald.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.