Search - Kay Kyser & His Orchestra :: Strict Education in Music: 50 of the Best

DEFINITELY THE BEST AND THE BEST BUY!

S. Beasley | Northridge, Ca. | 04/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This will be a short review, as i have nothing but good things to say about this. A double CD for the price of one, some rarities, many hits, some film songs. At that great price I bought two copies, one for me and the other for...ME (Don't tell me. It's a surprise!"

Tracks

David Newland | dayton, oh USA | 07/03/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Disc One

1. THINKING OF YOU (Theme)

2. YOU GO TO MY HEAD

3. THE UMBRELLA MAN

4. WHAT HAVE YOU GOT THAT GETS ME?

5. TWO SLEEPY PEOPLE

6. DEEP PURPLE

7. ON THE ROAD TO MANDALAY

8. THREE LITTLE FISHIES

9. STAIRWAY TO THE STARS

10. THE ANSWER IS LOVE

11. INDIAN SUMMER

12. FRIENDSHIP

13. FERRY BOAT SERENADE

14. LIKE THE FELLA ONCE SAID

15. YOU'VE GOT ME THIS WAY

16. THE BAD HUMOUR MAN

17. LIGHTS OUT 'TIL REVEILLE

18. WHY DON'T WE DO THIS MORE OFTEN?

19. THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS AND STRIPES

20. HOW LONG DID I DREAM?

21. QUE CHICA

22. HUMPTY DUMPTY HEART

23. WHO WOULDN'T LOVE YOU?

24. DON'T SIT UNDER THE APPLE TREE

25. PUSHIN' SAND

26. JINGLE, JANGLE, JINGLE





Disc Two

1. PRAISE THE LORD AND PASS THE AMMUNITION

2. STRIP POLKA

3. A ROOKIE AND HIS RHYTHM

4. I DUG A DITCH

5. THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME

6. VICTORY POLKA

7. ALWAYS

8. SHINE ON HARVEST MOON

9. LIMEHOUSE BLUES

10. THERE GOES THAT SONG AGAIN

11. AC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE

12. BELL BOTTOM TROUSERS

13. HORSES DON'T BET ON PEOPLE

14. THAT'S FOR ME

15. LOVE ON A GREYHOUND BUS

16. OLE BUTTERMILK SKY

17. HUGGIN' AND CHALKIN'

18. THE OLD LAMPLIGHTER

19. MANAGUA, NICARAGUA

20. AS LONG AS I LIVE

21. BOIN-N-N-NG

22. KATRINA

23. ON A SLOW BOAT TO CHINA

24. WOODY WOODPECKER"

The singers were the strongest asset of Kay Kyser's band

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 03/31/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Glenn Miller was known to regard singers with a certain disdain. He always maintained that if he employed the best musicians, it didn't matter if the singers were merely adequate, although his female singer (Marion Hutton) was close to the best of her generation. His results vindicated his policy. Meanwhile, Kay Kyser appears to have built his success around Harry Babbitt and Ginny Simms, two truly outstanding singers. (Ginny left in 1941 so only appears on the first CD here.) Kay's musicians were certainly no match for those that Glenn Miller employed, although they improved with time.



This compilation serves as a good introduction to Kay's music although it omits two of his number one hits, White cliffs of Dover and He wears a pair of silver wings. In Britain, White cliffs of Dover was and is Vera Lynn's, but she didn't chart in America until 1948. For the American market, this classic song (which was written by Americans), was recorded by several artists, but Kay's proved to be the most popular version. Glenn Miller's version peaked at 6, so this was one case where Kay scored a victory over Glenn. It is therefore disappointing that his version wasn't included here. Nine of Kay's eleven number one hits (Umbrella man, Three little fishes, Lights out 'til Reveille, Who wouldn't love you, Jingle jangle jingle, Strip polka, Praise the lord and pass the ammunition, Ole buttermilk sky, Woody woodpecker) and a selection of his other big hits are included too. That said, a lot of big hits are missing besides the two number ones already mentioned and I wonder if this was deliberate with a view to compiling a second volume that (at least so far) has not appeared.



I'd never listened to Kay's music before buying this collection, but among the hits here, I recognized Stairway to the stars (a top five hit for Kay but a number one for Glenn Miller), Two sleepy people (which has been covered by plenty of other singers), Friendship (because it became the title track of Ray Charles' country duets album), Ferry boat serenade (a top ten hit for Kay late in 1941 despite being a number one hit for the Andrews sisters the year before), Strip polka (only a top ten hit for the Andrews sisters - Kay had the number one), Ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive (a number one hit for Johnny Mercer and a number two hit for Bing Crosby and the Andrews sisters), Woody woodpecker (a minor hit for Danny Kaye and the Andrews sisters, but a number one for Kay) and On a slow boat to China (recorded by a lot of different artists and a hit for several of them). I also recognized Deep purple, Don't sit under the apple tree, Always and Shine on harvest moon, all of which have proved very popular though none were among Kay's hits. Of these non-hits, I particularly like Deep purple, featuring a solo vocal by Ginny Simms.



The music included here covers the range of Kay's repertoire including sentimental ballads, fun novelty songs and patriotic war songs, plus the occasional swing instrumental. His theme song, Thinking of you, opens the collection. It provided him with a minor hit when originally released in 1935, but the version here is a 1939 re-recording. One song that made me chuckle (being a horse racing fan) is Horses don't bet on people.



Kay Kyser may not have been the best bandleader of his generation, but I enjoy his music and would certainly like to hear more someday. Meanwhile, this compilation at least provides a good introduction to his music."