Doin' the Jive
Encyclopedia
Doin' the Jive is a 1938 song composed by Glenn Miller
and pianist Chummy MacGregor
. The song was released as a 78 single by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra on Brunswick.
Doin' the Jive was recorded for Brunswick on November 29, 1937, and released as Brunswick 8063 backed with "Humoresque" and as Vocalion 5131 backed with "Dipper Mouth Blues".
The song features lyrics sung by Kathleen Lane
and the band that introduced a new dance, "The Jive": "You clap your hands/And you swing out wide/Do the Suzie Q/ Mix in a step or two/Put 'em all together/And you're doin' the jive". There is dialogue between Glenn Miller and Chummy MacGregor. The solos are by Jerry Jerome on tenor sax and Irving Fazola
on clarinet. A second version was released with Tex Beneke in the dialogue with Glenn Miller from a June 20, 1938 NBC radio broadcast from the Paradise Restaurant in New York City featuring Gail Reese on lead vocals.
Glenn Miller biographer and confidant George T. Simon
reviewed the song in the March, 1938 issue of Metronome magazine, describing it as "much swing, fun, and good Kitty Lane singing." The band contributes vocals along with Glenn Miller and Chummy MacGregor. The song was arranged by Glenn Miller.
"Doin' the Jive" was released on the following record labels as a 78 single and as an album track: Brunswick 8062, Vocalion 5131, Okeh 5131, Conqueror 9489, Polygon 6001, Epic EG-7034, Epic LG-1008, Philips (England) BBR 8072, Epic EG-1008, and Columbia (England) DB 8072.
Belgian bandleader Emile Deltour, under the pseudonym Eddie Tower, recorded a version on November 10, 1940 which was released as a Telefunken 78 single, A10232.
The Glenn Miller recording appears on the 1992 Sony compilation Evolution of a Band, The Glenn Miller Story, Vols. 1-2 on Avid, Glenn Miller and His Orchestra: 1935-1938, Classics, 2004, Community Swing, Vol. 2, 1937-1938, Naxos Jazz Legends, 2003, The Complete Early Recordings, Opus Kura, 2004, and the 2003 Sony various artists collection Jazz Legends: Swing and Big Bands.
The drummer on the 1937 session was Doc Carney Cenardo. In his 1974 biography Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, George Thomas Simon wrote: "Without realizing it, the Miller band had broken the color line."
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
and pianist Chummy MacGregor
Chummy MacGregor
John Chalmers MacGregor , better known as Chummy MacGregor, a pianist and composer, was Glenn Miller’s pianist from 1936-1942. He composed the songs "Moon Dreams", "It Must Be Jelly ", and "Slumber Song"....
. The song was released as a 78 single by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra on Brunswick.
Doin' the Jive was recorded for Brunswick on November 29, 1937, and released as Brunswick 8063 backed with "Humoresque" and as Vocalion 5131 backed with "Dipper Mouth Blues".
The song features lyrics sung by Kathleen Lane
Kathleen Lane
Kathleen Lane, sometimes billed as Kitty Lane, was a Big Band singer in the 1930s and 40s.-Life and career:She joined Glenn Miller’s unsuccessful first band in May or June 1937, replacing Vi Mele. She recorded five songs with Miller in November and December; "Sweet Stranger" made Metronomes Best...
and the band that introduced a new dance, "The Jive": "You clap your hands/And you swing out wide/Do the Suzie Q/ Mix in a step or two/Put 'em all together/And you're doin' the jive". There is dialogue between Glenn Miller and Chummy MacGregor. The solos are by Jerry Jerome on tenor sax and Irving Fazola
Irving Fazola
Irving Fazola was an American jazz clarinetist.-Biography:Fazola or Faz was born in New Orleans, Louisiana as Irving Henry Prestopnik. He got the nickname Fazola from his childhood skill at Solfege . He decided to use the nickname as his family name, and many fellow musicians were unaware that...
on clarinet. A second version was released with Tex Beneke in the dialogue with Glenn Miller from a June 20, 1938 NBC radio broadcast from the Paradise Restaurant in New York City featuring Gail Reese on lead vocals.
Glenn Miller biographer and confidant George T. Simon
George T. Simon
George Thomas Simon was an American jazz writer and occasional drummer. He began as a drummer and was an early drummer in Glenn Miller's orchestra...
reviewed the song in the March, 1938 issue of Metronome magazine, describing it as "much swing, fun, and good Kitty Lane singing." The band contributes vocals along with Glenn Miller and Chummy MacGregor. The song was arranged by Glenn Miller.
"Doin' the Jive" was released on the following record labels as a 78 single and as an album track: Brunswick 8062, Vocalion 5131, Okeh 5131, Conqueror 9489, Polygon 6001, Epic EG-7034, Epic LG-1008, Philips (England) BBR 8072, Epic EG-1008, and Columbia (England) DB 8072.
Belgian bandleader Emile Deltour, under the pseudonym Eddie Tower, recorded a version on November 10, 1940 which was released as a Telefunken 78 single, A10232.
The Glenn Miller recording appears on the 1992 Sony compilation Evolution of a Band, The Glenn Miller Story, Vols. 1-2 on Avid, Glenn Miller and His Orchestra: 1935-1938, Classics, 2004, Community Swing, Vol. 2, 1937-1938, Naxos Jazz Legends, 2003, The Complete Early Recordings, Opus Kura, 2004, and the 2003 Sony various artists collection Jazz Legends: Swing and Big Bands.
Personnel
The personnel on the recording session for "Doin' the Jive" were: Trombones: Glenn Miller, Jesse Ralph, Bud Smith; Trumpets: George "Pee Wee" Erwin, Bob Price, Ardell Garrett; Reeds: Hal McIntyre, as, Tony Viola, as, Irving "Fazola" Prestopnick, clt, as, Jerry Jerome, ts, Carl Biesecker, ts; John Chummy MacGregor, piano; Carmen Mastren, guitar; Rowland Bundock, bass; and Doc Carney (Cenardo), drums. Kathleen Lane sang the lead vocals. The recording was made in Brunswick studios in New York. The arrangement was by Glenn Miller.The drummer on the 1937 session was Doc Carney Cenardo. In his 1974 biography Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, George Thomas Simon wrote: "Without realizing it, the Miller band had broken the color line."
Sources
- Simon, George Thomas. Glenn Miller and His Orchestra. NY: Crowell, 1974.
- Flower, John. Moonlight Serenade: A Bio-discography of the Glenn Miller Civilian Band. New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House, 1972.
- Flower, John. Liner Notes to the CD collection Community Swing, Vol. 2, 1937-1938, Naxos Jazz Legends, 2003.