The superb singer Buddy Clark has been a frequent visitor around here, most recently in three posts devoted to his early career. At that time - 1934-36, when Clark was in his early 20s - he was heard on the radio and was a recording voice for hire, often appearing incognito, as is the case in all but four of today's 15 selections. He actually did not reach great popularity until the 1940s. His renown was at its peak when he died in a plane crash at age 37.
The previous posts devoted to Buddy's early career included sets with Lud Gluskin's orchestra, with the bands of Dick McDonough and Nat Brandwynne. and with ensembles led by Freddy Martin, Archie Bleyer, Ruby Newman and Wayne King (plus duets with Hildegarde).
Today, Clark is heard with Bleyer and Newman once again, and with the bands of Benny Goodman, Joe Moss, Bob Causer and Joe Reichman.
Two More Songs with Archie Bleyer
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| Young Archie Bleyer |
The earliest recordings in today's package come from a 1934 Vocalion session with the 25-year-old maestro Archie Bleyer, who had just taken over the band at Earl Carroll's Vanities. I believe this was the first record date for Bleyer, who would go on to have an successful career as bandleader and then as the head of the Cadence label, where he gave the world hits by Julius La Rosa, Andy Williams and the Everly Brothers.
Archie and Buddy's first effort was one of the big songs of the year - "Stay as Sweet as You Are," written by Mack Gordon and Harry Revel for Lanny Ross to croon in the film College Humor. Good song and performance; the arrangement is typical of the time.
The coupling was the lesser-known "The World Is Mine," a Yip Harburg-Johnny Green opus that, the label tells us, was "inspired by the picture The Count of Monte Cristo." More to the point, it was used in the film, sung by Clarence Muse. It's a worthy tune, handled well by the young singer.
Two with Benny Goodman
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| Benny Goodman |
Clark's two recordings with Benny Goodman's nascent big band are fascinating, although for reasons that have little to do with the vocalist. The first song dates from November 1934 and was the product of Ben Oakland and Mitchell Parish -
"Like a Bolt from the Blue." An accomplished song, but the Jiggs Noble arrangement sounds more like the Archie Bleyer records than the next Goodman selection, which dates from just five months later and features virtually the same personnel.
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| Benny begins to swing |
That song,
"I'm Livin' in a Great Big Way," embodies the swing rhythm that would bring Goodman fame just a few months later. The reason for the change? Almost certainly the arrangement, which was provided by bandleader Fletcher Henderson. The story is that John Hammond brought Henderson to Benny, and then had Henderson's musicians teach Benny's crew how to play the charts properly. Benny became the biggest thing in music; Fletcher was to disband his ensemble in the early 40s.
"I'm Livin' in a Great Big Way" was the handiwork of Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields, written for the film Hooray for Love. There, the performers were Bill Robinson, Jeni Le Gon, Fats Waller and The Cabin Kids.
Interestingly, Clark sounds at home in both dance-band and swing modes. His excellent sense of rhythm and secure technique seldom if ever let him down.
The Bleyer and Goodman records are the only ones in this set where Buddy is credited on the label. From here on in this set, he provides anonymous vocal refrains. Thanks once again to discographer Nigel Burlinson, whose work has been invaluable in identifying the uncredited items below and in dating all these records.
With Joe Moss
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| Joe Moss |
Joe Moss was a society bandleader who fronted ensembles carrying both his own name and others such as Meyer Davis, with whom he made many records, usually issued as by "Meyer Davis and His Hotel Astor Orchestra." Under his own identity, Moss led the band at the Waldorf-Astoria, among other locales.
In 1936, Moss engaged Clark for a Brunswick session with the bandleader's "Society Dance Orchestra." The date yielded four songs. The first is "Here's to You," a peppy ballad of the time. It was coupled with Ray Noble's "If You Love Me," not one Noble's best songs. The arrangement has an unusual duet for low-register clarinet and Hawaiian guitar.
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| Joe tells the society folks to jump on a wild mustang |
On the second 78 was
"West Wind" by
Milton Ager, Charles Newman and Murray Mencher, along with "Saddle Your Blues to a Wild Mustang." I can't imagine the latter tune - also recorded by likes of the Rocky Mountaineers and the Bunk House Boys - was much of a favorite in the Waldorf ballroom, nor is Boston-born Buddy the likeliest advocate. The arrangement features twangy mouth harp and wheezy harmonica effects.
Surprisingly, the song appears to be work of the distinguished Richard Whiting, perhaps working with Buddy Bernier. Not much of a country pedigree there.
With Bob Causer
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| Bob Causer and His Cornellians |
Bob Causer was a bandleader who lent his name to a large number of recordings on the ARC labels (Perfect, etc.) in the mid-1930s. Many of these actually turned out to be by Freddy Martin, Gene Kardos and others. However, as far as I can tell, this particular coupling on the Romeo label was by Causer and his Cornellians (the group he formed at Cornell University), as stated on the label.
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| From Cornell to Wyomin' |
The first song from this coupling came from the 1936 film
Palm Springs -
"The Hills of Old Wyomin'," sung by Smith Ballew and Frances Langford on screen. Buddy again gets saddled with a cowpoke tune. He does his best to be sincere while singing about "cattle to tend." I wonder if that is him whistling.
The distinguished team of Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger wrote the piece, but unfortunately for them - and for Causer and Clark - the hit from the film was "I'm in the Mood for Love," composed by Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields and George Oppenheimer.
The other side of the Causer record is a break from the horse opera fare - "Love Came Out of the Night" by Fred Rose and Eddie Nelson. This is more in Clark's line, although as a radio singer, I imagine he was used to warbling almost anything.
One More with Ruby Newman
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| Ruby Newman |
Buddy's next assignment was with society bandleader Ruby Newman, who engaged him to sing Johnny Mercer's new song, "Welcome Stranger," recorded by several other bands that year. This is early Mercer, accomplished but without the wit or irony that would mark his later efforts. Buddy's performance is proficient.
Four with Joe Reichman
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| Joe Reichman |
In his early career as instrumentalist, Joe Reichman billed himself as the "Pagliacci of the Piano," but by 1936 he had become yet another society bandleader, although continuing to feature his ringing keyboard acrobatics.
Joe had Buddy in for the vocals on four of his 1936 records for the ARC labels. First is "I'll Never Let You Go," a tune by Fred Astaire, Dave Dreyer and Jack Ellis. It's no better or worse than a lot of the other material in this set.
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| Buddy covers Shirley Temple |
Better known is
"But Definitely," which Harry Revel and Mack Gordon wrote for the Shirley Temple opus
Poor Little Rich Girl, where it was shared among Alice Faye, Jack Haley and Shirley. This material is well suited to Clark, allowing him to show off his perfect diction and keen rhythmic sense.
Even better known is "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'," from Gershwin's then-new Porgy and Bess. Clark handles it well, although he does slip into a bit o' unwelcome dialect here and there.
The final song in this set gets one of the best performances. "Me and the Moon," by Lou Handman and Walter Hirch, was hugely popular with the bandleaders (and Bing Crosby) in 1936.
The sound on these recording is almost uniformly fine, showing the progress made in the industry just a decade after the introduction of electrical recording.
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