John Silver (1938 song)
Encyclopedia
John Silver is a 1938 song written by Jimmy Dorsey
with Ray Krise. Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra released the song as a 78 single on Decca in 1938.
Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra recorded "John Silver" on April 29,1938 and released the song as a Decca 78, 3334A, Matrix # 63689, with Bob Eberly
on vocals. The single reached no. 13 on Billboard
in 1938, staying on the charts for 2 weeks. Jimmy Dorsey also recorded the song for release as a V-Disc
, No. 117B. The song was arranged by Ray Krise. The publisher was Bregman, Vocco, and Conn, Inc., in New York. The song was performed by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra in an arrangement by Sonny Burke
in the 1944 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
movie Lost in a Harem
starring Bud Abbott
and Lou Costello
. The instrumental was also re-arranged and released as "Long John Silver" as V-Disc No. 409B in April, 1945 by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra.
and the Casa Loma Orchestra
recorded a version of "John SIlver" which appeared on the 2001 swing and big band compilation The Swing Era: 1938-1939 on Time Life Music, EMI-Capitol Special Markets.
Jimmy Dorsey
James "Jimmy" Dorsey was a prominent American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and big band leader. He was known as "JD"...
with Ray Krise. Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra released the song as a 78 single on Decca in 1938.
Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra recorded "John Silver" on April 29,1938 and released the song as a Decca 78, 3334A, Matrix # 63689, with Bob Eberly
Bob Eberly
Bob Eberly was a big band vocalist, best-known for his association with Jimmy Dorsey and his duets with Helen O'Connell....
on vocals. The single reached no. 13 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
in 1938, staying on the charts for 2 weeks. Jimmy Dorsey also recorded the song for release as a V-Disc
V-Disc
V-Disc was a morale-boosting initiative involving the production of several series of recordings during the World War II era by special arrangement between the United States government and various private U.S. record companies. The records were produced for the use of United States military...
, No. 117B. The song was arranged by Ray Krise. The publisher was Bregman, Vocco, and Conn, Inc., in New York. The song was performed by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra in an arrangement by Sonny Burke
Sonny Burke
Sonny Burke was a big band leader. In 1937, he graduated from Duke University where he had formed and led the jazz big band known as the Duke Ambassadors....
in the 1944 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
movie Lost in a Harem
Lost in a Harem
-Plot:When a traveling vaudeville show becomes stranded in the Middle East, their singer, Hazel Moon , takes a job at a local cafe. Two of the show's prop men, Peter Johnson and Harvey Garvey , are hired as comedy relief, but their act unfortunately initiates a brawl...
starring Bud Abbott
Bud Abbott
William Alexander "Bud" Abbott was an American actor, producer and comedian. He is best remembered as the straight man of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Lou Costello.-Early life:...
and Lou Costello
Lou Costello
Louis Francis "Lou" Costello was an American actor and comedian best known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Bud Abbott...
. The instrumental was also re-arranged and released as "Long John Silver" as V-Disc No. 409B in April, 1945 by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra.
Other Recordings
Glen GrayGlen Gray
Glen Gray Knoblauch, better known as Glen Gray, was a jazz saxophonist and leader of the Casa Loma Orchestra....
and the Casa Loma Orchestra
Casa Loma Orchestra
The Casa Loma Orchestra was a popular American dance band active from 1927 to 1963. From 1929 until the rapid multiplication in the number of swing bands from 1935 on, the Casa Loma Orchestra was one of the top North American dance bands...
recorded a version of "John SIlver" which appeared on the 2001 swing and big band compilation The Swing Era: 1938-1939 on Time Life Music, EMI-Capitol Special Markets.
Sources
- Stockdale, Robert L. Jimmy Dorsey: A Study in Contrasts. (Studies in Jazz Series). Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1999.
- Arnold, Jay, ed. Jimmy Dorsey Saxophone Method: A School of Rhythmic Saxophone Playing. Warner Bros Pubns, 1999.
- Sanford, Herb. Tommy and Jimmy: The Dorsey Years. (Introduction by Bing Crosby). DaCapo Press, 1980.
- Bockemuehl, Eugene. On the Road with the Jimmy Dorsey Aggravation, 1947-1949. Gray Castle Press, 1996