From the Back Room: Anita Ellis in the 40s, Vol. 2

This is the second in a three-part series devoted to vocalist Anita Ellis' recordings in the 1940s. (The first installment is here.)

Today in this "From the Back Room" post, we have Anita's 10 sides for Mercury Records and her dubbing assignments for Rita Hayworth in Gilda and for Vera-Ellen in Three Little Words, plus one item with Eddy Duchin. There are 21 cuts altogether.

Ellis had become popular on the radio and via AFRS recordings by the time these songs were recorded. She was already a polished artist when her first commercial disc was made.

Mercury Recordings

I have found 10 recordings that Ellis made for Mercury in 1946 and 1947. Most of these dates were conducted by Harry Geller, a former big band trumpeter who later led his own ensemble and worked in films.

Harry Geller

Anita's first number is "Either It's Love or It Isn't," a Doris Fisher-Allan Roberts song used in the Bogie noir Dead Reckoning. There it was mouthed by Lizabeth Scott, dubbed by Trudy Richards - interesting because Scott later came out with an LP of her own. It's a good tune, little remembered these days.

Like its discmate above, "The Old Lamplighter" was recorded by any number of artists at the time. Several artists did well with the Charles Tobias-Nat Simon song, Ellis not among them, although her version is entirely sympathetic. The Browns had a big hit with the number in 1960.

The Romanian composer Iosif Ivanovici wrote "Waves of the Danube" in 1880, and Al Jolson and Saul Chaplin adapted it into "The Anniversary Song" for The Jolson Story in 1946. Anita's version is heartfelt.

Johnny Green and Yip Harburg wrote the semi-standard "I'm Yours" in 1930. Ellis and Geller revived it as the flip side of "The Anniversary Song."

Burke and Van Heusen wrote "As Long as I'm Dreaming" for Bing to warble in 1947's Welcome Stranger. A nice song that's no longer heard in a sincere reading and an overly complex arrangement from Geller. The flip is another current song, "Ask Anyone Who Knows." I believe the hit was by the Ink Spots.

Eddie Kassen and Desmond O'Connor wrote "How Lucky You Are" in 1947. Now forgotten, this lovely postwar song is done well by Ellis. Several other artists recorded it back then. The flip side was a revival of "They Can't Take that Away from Me," which the Gershwins penned for Fred Astaire 10 years earlier. Dick Maltby's arrangements for this coupling are just as fussy as some of Geller's. Anita's warmth shines through, though.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold wrote the excellent song "Love for Love" for the film Escape Me Never, with lyrics by Aldo Franchetti and Ted Koehler. Peg La Centra dubbed Ida Lupino in the film.

"Golden Earrings" is from the film of the same name; music by Victor Young, words by Livingston and Evans. The biggest hit version was by Peggy Lee, but Anita's is a worthy contender.

Dubbing Hayworth

Rita Hayworth as Gilda

It may not be apparent in her earlier work, but one of Ellis' most enduring characteristics was her ability to sound sultry. This made her a perfect match for Rita Hayworth in the latter's defining role as Gilda, a very dark film noir with a happy ending. (Don't tell anyone I told you.)

Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher wrote two fine songs for the film - "Amado Mio" and, most famously, "Put the Blame on Mame." Anita's vocal performances are justly almost as famous as Hayworth's visuals. The singer's recordings of the two numbers for Standard Transcriptions will appear in Vol. 3 of this series.

One with Eddie Duchin

The US Navy sponsored The Eddy Duchin Show, a public service program sent out to radio stations on transcription discs. We have one song from this series that featured Duchin, a popular pianist - "What Is This Thing Called Love." It's a Cole Porter song from 1929 that Ellis does in her best alluring Gilda manner. I've also included the spoken intro - contrived, as those things usually were. The song, however, is one of the best things in this set.

Three Little Words

Three Little Words lobby card

When M-G-M put their biopic of songwriters Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby into production in 1949, the producers engaged Ellis to dub Vera-Ellen, who was playing Jessie Brown Kalmar, partner and wife of Fred Astaire's Bert.

Anita had three songs. The first was the charming duet with Astaire, "Where Did You Get That Girl?" This is presented in two versions - the first as heard on the soundtrack, the second as presented on a single. The former has a more extended instrumental close; the latter has an extra vocal chorus, which I believe may be a clone of the first chorus. Note that Ellis received label credit for her singing, unusual at the time.

Next, Anita has a solo with "Come On, Papa," adopting a thick quasi-French accent.

"Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)" one of the most enduring Kalmar-Ruby songs, is an Astaire-Ellis duet. Again, this is presented in two versions, the first from the soundtrack, the second with a additional (cloned) chorus at the end, as it appeared on the Three Little Words LP.

Finally, the song that turned me into an Anita Ellis fan several decades ago - her version of "Thinking of You," a matchless combination of warmth, tenderness and just fine singing. One again, two versions: from the single, which clones an earlier phrase at its conclusion, and the soundtrack, which continues with Latin dance music for another 30 seconds or so.

The music director and conductor on the film was the 20-year-old André Previn. The listed orchestrator was Leo Arnaud, assisted by the uncredited Robert Franklyn, Wally Heglin and Conrad Salinger.

The third and final volume of Anita Ellis' 1940s recordings will include 24 songs recorded for Standard Transcriptions.

LINK to Anita Ellis in the 1940s, Vol. 2 

Let's Go Cat Dancing with Harry Geller

This Harry Geller LP is titled, For Cat Dancers Only, which begs the question, "What is cat dancing?"

Well, actually, I'm not sure. I was around when this record came out (1954), but I have no recollection of anyone using the term. (Then again, I was five at the time.)

The cover seems to want to align "cat dancer" with "cat burglar" by putting masks on the gyrating couple. Nor are the liner notes terribly informative. They tell us that the music will make you want to dance and the whole experience will turn you into "the coolest of cats." Apparently this makes you a "cat dancer."

Harry Geller's
disembodied head

The 10-inch album contains eight numbers, all from Geller's pen (he even takes credit for "Stagger Lee") and presumably in his arrangements. This riff-based music is actually highly appealing, being a particularly well played example of the big-band R&B that goes back at least as far as the Lionel Hampton band and its 1942 recording of "Flying Home." Closer to the date of Geller's recording, it is somewhat like the records of Freddie Mitchell and Todd Rhodes, who have appeared here in years past. The Geller band does have a more aggressive rhythm section, which is somewhat akin to the rock 'n' roll to come.

For Cat Dancers Only includes two accomplished vocals by a gravelly voiced singer who is unidentified, as are the fine instrumental soloists.

In 1954, Geller (1913-2008) had already been a big-band trumpet player (Goodman, Tommy Dorsey), an arranger for bands and many vocalists, including Frankie Laine, and an A&R executive for Mercury and RCA Victor. He later worked extensively in television as a composer and conductor.

For Cat Dancers Only isn't seen that often in the record racks, but its successor, New York, New York, is fairly common. UPDATE: fellow blogger Ernie has contributed his transfer of the New York, New York LP - link in the comments.

You also may come across The Eddy Duchin Story LP, which he conducted, and Play, Gypsy, Play, which came to us from the "Fiery Mandolins of Harry Geller."

Patti Clayton and Bob Carroll

As a bonus, I've added a Geller single to the download. It dates from 1950, during his time at Mercury. One side is "Golden Sails on a Sea of Blue" with a smooth vocal by Bob Carroll. There is more information about Carroll on my other blog, where he was featured several years ago.

The other side of the single contains a peculiar quasi-folk song called "The Monkey Coachman," with vocal by the excellent Patti Clayton, who was doing radio work at the time. The songwriter was Michael Brown, whose best known work involved Lizzie Borden taking an ax and giving her mother forty whacks.

I was inveigled into transferring this record by reader and contributor Eric, who requested it some time ago, perhaps in an effort to learn cat dancing. I am happy to oblige, belatedly.