Beer Barrel Polka was composed by a Czech musician Jaromir Vejvoda in 1927, and lyrics were added in 1934 by another Czech musician Vasek Zeman. It became a popular drinking song during WWII. One of the more memorable recordings was made by the Andrews Sisters who recorded it May 3, 1939.
Their version reached #4 on the US song charts in 1939.
The Grammys inducted twenty-six recordings into the Grammy Hall of Fame at the 58th annual ceremony held February 15, 2016. A bunch of my favorites made it in!
The always-entertaining and lovely Andrews Sisters 1942 recording of Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (with Anyone Else but Me).
Ella Fitzgerald's and Louis Armstrong's collaboration Ella and Louis released in 1956.
The Loco-Motion's first release in 1962 by Little Eva.
Jimmy Buffett's timeless Margaritaville from 1977.
Blondie's first big hit Heart of Glass from 1978
Celebration from Kool & the Gang from 1980.
Joan Jett with the Blackhearts 1981 breakout single I Love Rock 'n' Roll.
Rum and Coca-Cola, composed by Lionel Belasco and lyrics by Lord Invader, was recorded by the Andrews Sisters in 1944 and went to #1 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, February 10, 1945. I didn't realize how the song alludes to US soldiers debauching young women on the island of Trinidad. The song hints at how women prostituted themselves for the soldiers:
Since the Yankee came to Trinidad
They got the young girls all goin' mad
Young girls say they treat 'em nice
Make Trinidad like paradise
The song goes on to say:
From Chicachicaree to Mona's Isle Native girls all dance and smile Help soldier celebrate his leave Make every day like New Year's Eve
The Andrews Sisters were asked about the song's lyrics, but they said they were given the song the day before they recorded it, and didn't have a chance to give the lyrics much thought. Many radio stations in the US refused to play the song since it mentions 'rum' in the title.
Despite the boycott, Rum and Coca-Cola stayed at #1 for seven weeks.
Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded Tuxedo Junction February 5, 1940 in New York. His was the most successful recording and it reached #1 on the Billboard charts in 1940. It sold 115,000 copies in the first week.
The song was written by Erskine Hawkins, Bill Johnson, and Julian Dash, with lyrics by Buddy Feyne. Tuxedo Junction was written as an instrumental, but the composers sent it to lyricists to see who could write the best words for it. Hawkins preferred Buddy Feyne's lyrics.
It was released in 1939 and reached #7 on the American pop charts. Tuxedo Junction has been covered by numerous artists including the Andrews Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Manhattan Transfer.
The Andrews Sisters recorded the Beer Barrel Polka or Roll Out the Barrel, May 3, 1939. It was composed by a Czech musician Jaromir Vejvoda in 1927 and was covered by Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Billie Holiday.
Patricia "Patty" Andrews, the youngest of the iconic Andrews Sisters, was born February 16, 1918. Although the last born, she was the lead singer of the group. They have sold an estimated 80M records. Their first #1 hit was "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon" in 1938.
Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded one of their best-selling singles, Pennsylvania 6-5000. April 28, 1940. It was released in June and rose to Top 5 on the Billboard charts. It became a big band standard and was covered by many other artists including the Andrews Sisters and Meco. The Carol Burnett Show included it in her tribute to Glenn Miller in a 1976 episode. It was featured in an episode of the Muppet Show in 1979.
Maxene Anglyn Andrews, born January 3, 1916, joined older sister LaVerne Sophia and younger sister Patricia (Patty) Marie to form the iconic and historic Andrews Sisters. The group was formed when Maxene was 9 and 14 when they placed first at a local talent show.
The Andrews Sisters were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998, its inaugural year. They were inducted into the Minnesota Roc/Country Hall of Fame in May 2006. It is speculated they have sold over 90 million records world-wide. In October 1987, the Andrews Sisters received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
Maxene died in October 1995 after a series of heart attacks.
Alexander's Ragtime Band, written by Irving Berlin, was published March 18, 1911. It is considered a sequel to Alexander and his Clarinet, which he co-wrote with Ted Snyder in 1910 but it was a much bigger hit. It sold a million copies of sheet music in one year.
Of course, with success comes controversy. It was alleged that Berlin did not write the song but was written by Lukie Johnson, a pianist who denied the claim. Then it was claimed that Berlin stole the music from Scott Joplin, from his opera Treemonisha, although it was registered for a copyright two months after Alexander's Ragtime Band. Joplin passed away in 1917 still convinced his work had been stolen.
It was played on the Titanic while it was sinking.
In the years since its publication, it has been covered by many different artists including Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, the Andrews Sisters and Ella Fitzgerald who won a Grammy for her Berlin anthology in 1959.
One of the most iconic vocal pieces of the 20th century, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, was recorded by the Andrews Sisters January 2, 1941, almost a year before the U.S. entered WWII. The song was introduced in the Abbott and Costello movie Buck Privates, released later the same month. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song but lost to The Last Time I Saw Paris from the movie Lady Be Good (Anybody remember that one?)
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy is ranked as No. 6 on Songs of the Century. The Second World War may not have been a bright spot in our history, but the music from that era is incomparable. It's patriotic, upbeat, positive and fun. Probably why 5 of the top 11 Songs of the Century came from the same 4 year period 1939-1942.
The big sister of the Andrews Sisters, LaVerne Sophia, was born July 6, 1911. She, Maxene and Patty brought their unique blend of tight harmonies to the universe in the 1930's-1940's, and are still influential today.
During World War II, they entertained troops all over the world, and were named the "Sweethearts of Armed Forces Radio Service".
After the death of their parents, the sisters became distant from each other, fought and finally broke up in 1953.
LaVerne passed away from cancer May 8, 1967.
Their first big hit was Bei Mir Bist Du Schon in 1937.
