Ralph Flanagan Singles - and So Much More

I wanted to draw your attention to my other blog - Buster's Swinging Singles - where I've been posting unusual items every week for some time now.

The latest post is a collection of eight single sides by Ralph Flanagan's excellent postwar band, complete with introductions of each item by the bandleader himself. This, like many of the other items linked below, is a rare promotional item. As a lifelong record collector, I find these irresistible, but musically they are of great interest as well.

Here are links to the other posts from the last three months.

Fran Warren Takes Us from "Temptation" to "Envy" - On this promotional record, the fine pop singer traces the use of the beguine rhythm in pop music from Bing's 1933 hit "Temptation to her new 1949 single, "Envy."

Joe Mooney Obscurities - Mooney, an accomplished instrumentalist and singer, inspires passionate devotion among the few while remaining unknown to the many. This post gathers some of his more obscure postwar recordings - obscure even for Mooney.

Fred and Ginger's Commercial Recordings for Top Hat - This series is unusual in that it includes not just Astaire's Top Hat recordings for Brunswick, but Rogers' efforts for the rival Decca label.

Speed Riggs Proclaims "Sold to American!" - L.A. "Speed" Riggs was a famous tobacco auctioneer with an unforgettable patter. The American Tobacco Company used him in its ads for many years. He demonstrates his art in this 1938 promotional record. 

Mindy Carson Promotes Her New Record and a Sticky Candy - Carson was one of RCA's leading pop singers in the postwar era. Here are two promos - one for her new record, and one for Bit-O-Honey candy (which is still around, unaccountably).

Sokoloff Conducts Rimsky and Tchaikovsky - Following up on a post on this blog, here are two additional recordings from the Cleveland Orchestra and its first music director, Nikolai Sokoloff. Excellent, and little known.

Completing Gordon MacRae's Musicraft Sides - Before he became a well-known Capitol artist and movie star, Gordon MacRae recorded for the small Musicraft label. This post completes his Musicraft output, started several years ago via this blog post.

A Public Health Push from Frank and Dinah - One of the most obscure singles from either Frank Sinatra or Dinah Shore was this 1946 plea for public health measures in North Carolina. It's actually quite a good record!

The Songs of Mae West's I'm No Angel - Mae West's 1933 pre-code opus I'm No Angel had a fascinating set of songs here performed by the star and others such as Shirley Ross. "They Call Me Sister Honky-Tonk" is a real hoot.

A Special Gordon MacRae 78 Promoting Community Chest - MacRae and the orchestra from his radio show The Railroad Hour got together to promote the 1950 Community Chest campaign via this special song. Community Chest was the precursor of today's United Way.

Bing's Welcome Stranger - the Promo Discs and Commercial Releases - Welcome Stranger is not one of Crosby's best remembered films, but it had the usual excellent Burke-Van Heusen songs. Here we have Bing's commercial discs along with the soundtrack versions as released on Paramount promo 78s.

Dennis Day's 1950 St. Patrick's Day Message and Single - In 1950, crooner-comedian Dennis Day was trying to replicate the success of his 1949 Irish-themed song "Clancy Lowered the Boom." This promotional record for disk jockeys asked for their help with his new tune "How Can You Buy Killarney?" (It didn't work.)

Astaire and Rogers in Songs from Carefree - More dueling Astaire and Rogers songs from their 1938 hit Carefree. "Change Partners" is the highlight. All these film posts include extensive restored posters and stills.