Sunrise Serenade: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Playlist For December 12, 2012

The playlist for the Decmber 12, 2012 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has been added to the playlist filing cabinet. 

Dorothy Dandridge Soundie: Cow Cow Boogie

I cannot believe it has been over two years since I posted a soundie.  To make up for that wait, here is a really hep 1942 version of "Cow Cow Boogie" by Dorothy Dandridge from the Internet Archive.

Sunrise Serenade: I'm Beginning To See The Light

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "I'm Beginning To See The Light" by Harry James and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Only Two More Hopping Days Until Christmas!

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

Rumba Room

303 South Main

Memphis, TN 38103

Sunrise Serenade: What Will Santa Claus Say?

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "What Will Santa Claus Say?" by Louis Prima and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Patriotic Sin Taxes?

Manufacturers during World War II continued advertising even though some products may not have been as widely available as before the war due to conversion or rationing.  A recurring theme in such advertising was the company or product's contribution to the war effort.  In this 1942 ad for Chesterfield cigarettes, posted on Vintage Ads, the company reminds consumers that they tax they pay on their smokes "is doing its bit for Uncle Sam." 

Sunrise Serenade: You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" by Bing Crosby.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line. 

Snow Foolin'

We continue the animated holiday fun with this 1949 cartoon.  No real story here, just a bunch of animals having fun with winter sports, followed by a sing along with "Jingle Bells."  From the Internet Archive, here is Snow Foolin'.

Never Before Published Story From December 14, 1941

Today is the 71st anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor that brought the U.S. into World War II.  Today's Washington Post carried a story written by Elizabeth P. McIntosh, a reporter for the Hono­lulu Star-Bulletin, on December 14, 1941, after seven days of war.  Her editors thought it was too graphic, and it was never published until now.  This first person account of that time is a chilling and fascinating literary time capsule:

Then, from the neighborhood called Punchbowl, I saw a formation of black planes diving straight into the ocean off Pearl Harbor. The blue sky was punctured with anti-aircraft smoke puffs. Suddenly, there was a sharp whistling sound, almost over my shoulder, and below, down on School Street. I saw a rooftop fly into the air like a pasteboard movie set.

For the first time, I felt that numb terror that all of London has known for months. It is the terror of not being able to do anything but fall on your stomach and hope the bomb won’t land on you. It’s the helplessness and terror of sudden visions of a ripping sensation in your back, shrapnel coursing through your chest, total blackness, maybe death.