A Couple of Twofers
Several records in the Knott’s collection have different performances of the same song. The comparisons can be interesting.
The song “Hallelujah!” debuted in the Broadway show Hit the Deck in 1927. Both recordings of the song in the Knott’s collection are from that year and on the Brunswick label.
This version has a somewhat stuffy delivery; it may be exactly as the song was delivered in the show:
https://ia801604.us.archive.org/25/items/HarryRichmanCollection1925-1934/Hallelujah.mp3
On the other hand, this version does away with the monologue for a more danceable feel:
The play Hit the Deck was made into a movie several times with varying titles.
A much more sophisticated tune, “All the Things You Are”, originated in the unsuccessful musical Very Warm for May. Nevertheless, it eventually appeared in several shows and movies and became the basis for improvisation by almost every jazz interpreter since.
This 1939 performance by Al Goodman features vocalist Hollace Shaw. She debuted the song on-stage and is the last classically trained singer to appear in the collection. Swing era audiences had a more relaxed appreciation of vocalists.
This 1940 version on the Victor label was a dance hit for Tommy Dorsey during the big band era:
In the case of these recordings, even a brief time between recording sessions resulted in very different interpretations.
Harry Richman (1927)
A: Hallelujah
Phil Ohman & Victor Arden (1927)
A: Hallelujah
Tommy Dorsey (1939)
A: All the Things You Are
Al Goodman (1940)
All the Things You Are
