The Complete 'Keep 'Em Flying' Recordings and More Carol Bruce Singles

Singer/actor Carol Bruce has been a popular subject for this blog and its junior associate (Buster's Swinging Singles) for some time. Today I am expanding on a few previous posts through the generosity of blog follower and vocal aficionado Bryan Cooper, who provided almost all of these materials.

First we have what I believe are Universal's complete pre-recordings for the 1941 film Keep 'Em Flying, filling out the two songs previously shared. Also on offer are three additional Bruce 78s from the Shirmer, Decca and Columbia labels, dating from 1940-41, plus three songs she made for V-Disc in 1943, expanding on a post from early this year.

Keep 'Em Flying

Keep 'Em Flying was one of the many Abbott and Costello odysseys of idiocy that Universal inflicted on the American public during the period. I previously shared two songs recorded for the film - both of which Universal in its wisdom dropped from the final product. One was Bruce's first go at the wonderful Raye-de Paul song "You Don't Know What Love Is," the other Martha Raye's double-tracked vocal on the less-than-wonderful "Together."

Bryan has added three Bruce songs ("I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You," "Time on My Hands" and "I Won't Forget the Dawn"), Raye's "What Kind of Love Is This" and her terrific version of "Pig Foot Pete," and Bruce-Raye duets on the attractive tune "The Boy with the Wistful Eyes" and on the title song. Co-star Dick Foran adds a stentorian version of the title song, and the Universal Orchestra contributes a number called "Rehearsing for a Nervous Breakdown," perhaps in sympathy with the audiences subjected to the film's Abbott and Costello routines.

Carol Bruce in Keep 'Em Flying

After repeatedly listening to these numbers, I came to the conclusion that Universal issued the whole set a half-step sharp - including the two songs I previously offered. For this post, I re-pitched all the songs, making use of the best files that Bryan sent along, while substituting my versions of "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "Together," which were in better condition.

Among the new items, the two solo sides from Carol Bruce are beautifully done. Her version of "Time on My Hands," a song that dates from 1930, betrays the influence of Connie Boswell, one of the first singers to record the number. "I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You," which comes from 1932, was of course a big hit for and the theme song of bandleader Tommy Dorsey.

Shirmer, Decca, Columbia and V-Disc Recordings

My previous post of Carol Bruce's early recordings included her Decca "Souvenir Album," one additional Decca 78, and one coupling from the small Shirmer label documenting her big success in Broadway's Louisiana Purchase. Today's trove from Bryan starts with her other Shirmer recording, a coupling of "Lover, Come Back to Me" and "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues," where she sounds much like Lee Wiley. These are almost certainly from 1940, when she recorded the other Shirmer titles. The backing by Eddie Oliver is badly dated, making even Harry Sosnik's work for Decca sound modern.

The Decca items begin with "I Should Have Known You Years Ago," an excellent Hoagy Carmichael number that appeared here recently in Buddy Clark's rendition. The backing is "If I Feel This Way Tomorrow (Then It's Love)," a good Brown-Henderson song of the time.

Moving to what seem to be her only two Columbia singles, Bruce cut two of her songs from Keep 'Em Flying: "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "The Boy with the Wistful Eyes." One of the radio magazines of the day mentioned that she was dating Columbia's pop A&R head Manie Sacks at about this time, which may have something to do with her brief association with the label.

Today's collection finishes with three songs specially recorded for V-Disc in 1943, with Red Norvo and an outfit he called his "Overseas Spotlight Band": "Embraceable You," which has a spoken introduction from Bruce, "Abraham" and "Something for the Boys," a surprisingly suggestive wartime song. Bruce and the pianist don't seem to agree on the tempo for the first chorus of the Gershwin tune, but things improve thereafter. Her readings of the other two songs are much better. Irving Berlin's "Abraham," while well-intentioned, is embarrassing in hindsight. Bruce takes it fairly straight, backed by a trumpet obbligato in Ziggy Elman's style.

The sound on the singles is pretty good, even the V-Discs, which come from lossy sources. The Keep 'Em Flying sonics are variable, but never less than listenable.

Thanks again to Bryan for his largesse, and my apologies for taking so long to post these fascinating items from a favorite singer.

Bruce tried many deodorants before recommending
Arrid to readers of Radio Mirror in 1945

Martha Raye Sings

Martha Raye, if she is remembered at all these days, is known as acomic actor. But she was a pretty good singer, as well, as this late 40s LP attests.

Martha was a child of vaudevillians and on the stage herself from a very young age. Later on she became a band singer, and even made a few records in the 1930s before she broke into films.

She handles a variety of material here - the usual ballads, one nondescript piece by music director Phil Moore, and even Lotus Land. Then there is Ooh, Dr. Kinsey, inspired (if that is the right word) by the Kinsey Report on male sexuality, which came out in 1948 and was quite a sensation. This is a somewhat suggestive blues number. I've read that it sold a half million copies, but I think that's highly unlikely.

Discovery Records spent some money on this production - it has strings and all, even though Phil Moore's boppish arrangements are not very compatible with Raye's style, which is something like Mildred Bailey's.