The Andrews Sisters
Mostly remembered for their music, rich in sweetness and optimism, the Andrews Sisters were loved by the many troops they tirelessly entertained during World War II. During their career, the amazing trio recorded more than 1,800 songs and sold over 90 million records. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Andrews Sisters began their music careers when they were still in their teens. In 1932, they began singing accompanied by the Larry Rich Orchestra. Together, they toured the Midwest and performed in vaudevilles. Another group of sisters, the Boswell Sisters, of New Orleans, influenced the Andrews Sisters' Dixieland style. Soon, the Andrews trio broadened their style to include ballads of the swing era, South American dance songs, boogie woogie and other novelty sounds.
They had Patty as the lead soprano, Maxene as the second soprano and LaVerne completed the sound with a resonant contralto or bass. In 1937, they were discovered by Dave Kapp, who heard them over a taxi cab radio in 1937 during a live band remote, signed them to Decca Records. Levy who acted as their manager would later marry Maxene. The sisters' big break came in 1938 with Bei Mir Bist du Schoen, a Yiddish tune, which became the first million selling record for an all-female group. Between the late 1930s and the 1940s, the group was a frequent heard tune on the radio. Some of their songs included: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Rum and Coca Cola and Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree. The sisters even performed with other popular artists such as Bing Crosby, Les Paul, Burl Ives, Danny Kaye, Carmen Miranda, Guy Lombardo, Ernest Tubbs, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
They also made 17 films such as In the Navy, Buck Privates and Follow the Boys, in which they usually portrayed themselves. Economic success followed the trio's popularity. In 1954, Patty left the group to try a solo career. A year later, Maxene followed her sister's steps. However, the separation did not last long. The sisters reunited in 1956 and made a pledge to stay together. In the following years, the trio's popularity kept strong as they continued to perform the old favorites and a few added new songs. In 1966, LaVerne had to retire due to poor health. She died of cancer the following year. Patty and Maxene continued to perform with Joyce de Young. Maxene became an instructor of drama and vice president of planning and development at Tahoe Paradise College. In 1970, Patty Andrews appeared in a stage musical, Victory Canteen, written by Milt Larsen and Bobby Lauher, with music by Richard and Robert Sherman. The success of the small Los Angeles show caught the attention of Kenneth Waissman and Maxine Fox, the producers of Grease.
They optioned the musical, but it was rejected as a Broadway show. After the success of Victory Canteen, the Sherman's teamed with Will Holt to write Over Here! a musical about the World War II homefront, staring Patty and Maxene Andrews. The musical was billed as The Andrews Sisters in Over Here! and opened March 6, 1974 at the Shubert Theater in New York, and closed on January 4, 1975, after 341 performances. The cast also included Marilu Henner, Treat Williams, Ann Reinking, and John Travolta. The Andrews Sisters were more than a music group. With their cheerful songs and optimistic mood, the three sisters gave hope to an entire country trying to survive the hardships of war. It was that devotion that made them "America's Wartime Sweethearts."
The three beautiful, talented Andrews Sisters had the sound, look and attitude that defined the Swing Era, in our minds one of the most entertaining and creative periods in American music. Jasmine Records obviously agreed with us, and set out to put together a comprehensive collection of every song the prolific Sisters ever recorded, an amazing 101 tunes on 4, (yes, 4!) CDs. The first two contain all the American charts hits, and the other two contain many rarely heard songs which have never been reissued on CD. 13 tunes sung with Bing Crosby, like "Yodelin' Jive," "Victory Polka," "Don't Fence Me In," "The Three Caballeros" and "South America Take It Away;" 3 with Danny Kaye, like "Civilisation—Bongo, Bongo, Bongo" and "Put 'Em in a Box, Tie 'Em with a Ribbon;" "Yipsee-I-O" with Carmen Miranda, 4 with Dick Haymes, and others like Dan Dailey and Red Foley. We found the previously unreleased stuff like "A Zoot Suit (for my Sunday Gal)" and "The Mambo Man" particularly wonderful and fascinating. A gorgeous, generous, monumental, always entertaining collection! A must for every collector and a great gift for any fan of this legendary group whose music is still popular, for good reason, all these years later.
| 4626 4CDs $34.98 |
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A Rainy Night In Rio On the Avenue Some Sunny Day I Want To Go Back To Michigan I Had A Hat The Windmill Song Can't We Talk it Over I Ought to Know More About You The Telephone Song If I Were A Bell Where Is Your Wandering Mother Tonight Unless You're Free Baby Blues Dimples And Cherry Cheeks Love Is Here To Stay It's All Over But The Memories Play Me A Hurtin' Tune I'm On A Seesaw Of Love Music Lessons I'll Walk Alone That's The Chance You Get My Isle Of Golden Dreams Nalani Malihini Mele |
Patty, Maxine and Laverne, the Andrews Sisters from Minneapolis, started their career at a young age, hitting the entertainment industry with what appeared to be overnight success, becoming the first female harmony group to sell a million-selling disc with "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen in 1938. By the mid-1950s the sisters had recorded over 400 songs, including 6 chart toppers countless gold discs, and had appeared in numerous films. They also recorded with stars like Bing Crosby, Al Jolsen, Danny Kaye and many others. The light-hearted, energetic style of the Sisters, that helped entertain troops and cheer a nation through the dark days of WWII, is well-represented here: "The Telephone Song," "A Rainy Night in Rio," "Some Sunny Day," "I Want To Go Back To Michigan," "Baby Blues," "Dimple and Cherry Cheeks," "My Isles Of Golden Dreams" and the Hawaiian tunes "Nalani" and "Malihini Mele." There's a number of cuts by the Sisters that we've never heard before, like "I Had A Hat," "The Windmill Song," "I Ought To Know More About You," "I'm On A Seasaw Of Love," "Where Is Your Wandering Mother Tonight," the title tune and many others. All swing-band accompanied. "Music Lessons" is a fun, sassy, cleanly-remastered time capsule of one of the great female vocal swing groups of all time, singing 25 of their wonderful, little-known and rarely heard hits!
Listen to "Some Sunny Day" and "The Telephone Song" in RealAudio.
| 4619 CD $15.98 |
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Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar The Cock-Eyed Mayor of Kaunakakai Beer Barrel Polka Bei Mir Bist Du Shon Pennsylvania 6-5000 Rhumboogie I Love You Too Much The Ferryboat Serenade Well All Right Nice Work If You Can Get It Ciribiribin (with Bing Crosby) One Two Three O'Leary Why Talk About Love You Don't Know How Much You Can Suffer From the Land of the Sky Blue Water Pagan Love Song Hold Tight Long Time No See OOOOO-Oh Boom Short'nin' Bread Let's Have Another One I Want My Mama |
The Andrews Sisters have recorded so many songs and sold so many records (75 million) that to say they were the Queens of Pop in the 1930's and 1940's is practically an understatement. This recording is special because it encompasses their early years, 1937-1940; of course it includes "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen," which established their reputation and went to number #1, but also wonderful nostalgia such as "Ciribiribin," with Bing Crosby on lead, "I Love You Too Much," "Pagan Love Song" and so many more - twenty-two songs in all, too many to describe here. Many are accompanied by Vic Schoen, their longtime bandleader and arranger. The quality is still terrific and hasn't tarnished with age in the least.
Listen to "Pagan Love Song" in RealAudio
| 4148 CD $13.98 |
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I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time Joseph, Joseph! Ti-Pi-Tin Begin the Beguine Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh! Say "Si, Si" (Para Vigo Me Voy) The Woodpecker Song Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy The Shrine of St Cecilia Three Little Sisters Strip Polka Pistol Packin' Mama Shoo, Shoo, Baby Straighten Up and Fly Right Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby? Don't Fence Me In Rum and Coca-Cola Ac-cent-tchu-atte the Positive Along the Navajo Trail South America, Take It Away Near You Civilization (Bongo Bongo Bongo) Toolie Oolie Doolie (the Yodel Polka) Underneath the Arches |
Part of the ASV "Living Era" series, "Apple Blossom Time" contains 25 favorites from the female group that will forever define the harmony sound of World War II. Hits such as "Rum and Cola," "Don't Fence Me In" (with Bing Crosby), "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and the title track were standard issue back then, and Maxene, Laverne and Patricia captured the spirit of the nation. Their balmy, lilting style (reminiscent of the Boswell Sisters before them), can be saucy one moment ("Strip Polka," "Shoo, Shoo Baby") or sweetly romantic ("Near You," "Toolie Oolie Doolie") with equal charm. Accompanied, with the big band swing arrangements popular at the time, though on a few tracks - "Apple Blossom Time" in particular - the instruments are muted and almost insignificant.
Listen to " I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time" in RealAudio
| 5429 CD $14.98 |
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The Turntable Song
Nobody's Darling But Mine On The Avenue The Wedding Samba w. Carmen Miranda He Rides The Range (For Republic) Muskrat Ramble Monkey Is The Root Of All Evil I See, I See w. Carmen Miranda Now! Now! Now! Is The Time Malaguena Walk With A Wiggle" Down In The Valley You Can Call Everybody Darling Underneath The Arches Any Bonds Tonight? It's A Quite Town w. Danny Kaye Bounce Me Brother With A Solid Four Gimme Some Skin, My Friend You're Off To See The World Hula Ba Luau His Feet Too Big For De Bed Choo'n Gum The Carioca I'm Going Down The Road w. Burl Ives |
Heartbreaker Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella Amelia Cordelia McHugh- McWho? w. Danny Kaye Take Me Out To The Ball Game w. Dan Dailey Longtime, No See We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye I Hate To Lose You You Don't Have To Know The Language w. Bing Crosby Don't Rub Another Man's Castle w. Ernest Tubb The Glory Of Love A Rainy Day Refrain Three O'Clock In The Morning Between Two Trees Johnny Peddler Big Brass Band From Brazil w. Danny Kaye More Beer Sweet Marie Too Fat Polka That's A-Plenty Adieu w. Dick Haymes May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You w. Bill Crosby & Nat King Cole |
It's 1943 and the war news on the radio isn't great, so you fiddle with the dial on the huge RCA Victor radio, and there are the Andrews Sisters, singing "I'm Getting Corns for My Country," a song about the painful joys of dancing at the USO. You chuckle and start tapping your feet, and think that a country that could produce a group like the plucky Sisters might win this war after all. "Now Is The Time" is a rare, 2-CD for the price of one collection of Andrews Sisters classics, many of which have not been heard since the end of the war. There are 23 songs, not in total but on each CD! Joining the Sisters are stars like Carmen Miranda on two Samba songs, Danny Kaye on three songs, Bing Crosby on two songs, Burl Ives, Nat King Cole, Dick Hayme, Ernest Tubb and Dan Dailey. All songs are swing band accompanied. Picking favorites isn't easyÐall the songs are hip, swinging, and funny and/or poignant: "The Turntable Song," "The Wedding Samba," "He Rides The Range For Republic," "Gimme Some Skin, My Friend," "Choo'n Gum," "Amelia Cordelia McHugh-McWho?" and "Big Brass Band from Brazil" with Danny Kaye, and "Too Fat Polka." Of course you've heard "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" on all the other Andrews recordings, but have you heard "Bounce Me Brother With A Solid Four?" If you love the AS, swing music, American history or musical humor, these CDs are for you!
Listen to "Walk With A Wiggle" in RealAudio
| 4491 2CDs $15.98 |
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Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!
I've Got No Strings Begin The Beguine Indian Summer Chico's Love Song (Ma-La-Ja Fah-La Pas-Ka Lah-Tah) Bei Mir Bist Du Schon (Means that You're Grand) Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out The Barrel) In The Mood I Love You Much Too Much The Donkey Serenade Tuxedo Junction Say "Si Si" (In Spain They Say "Si Si") The Rumba Jumps! Hold Tight-Hold Tight (Want Some Sea Food Mama) Yodelin' Jive One O'Clock Jump |
Introduction Wabc The Little Red Fox Verbal Introduction/Ciribiribin South of the Border It's a Blue World The Woodpecker Song (Reginella Campagnola) Well, All Right (Tonight's the Night) South America Way Little Brown Jug Little Sally Waters I Want My Mama (Mama Yo Quiero) Three O'Clock in the Morning Sweet Potato Piper O-Hi-O Let's Have Another One 10 Joseph! Joseph! Runnin' Wild (An Ebony Jazz Tune) Run, Rabbit, Run Do I Love You? Farewell Blues |
Andrews Sisters with the Glenn Miller Orchestra: The Chesterfield Broadcasts At the time of these live radio broadcasts from New York City (Dec. 1939-March 1940, Miller's band was #1 in the US, and the Andrews Sisters were the #1 singing group. New York City, hosting the fabulous 1939 World's Fair, was the hottest place to be, and this is big band Swing music at its best. 18 cuts, from "Oh, Johnny, Oh, Johnny, Oh!" the Disney tune "I've Got No Strings," and "Begin the Beguine," to "In The Mood," "The Donkey Serenade" and "Hold Tight, Hold Tight," these are stone hits. Big, fat liner notes booklet with history and photos. Double CD What a treat!
| 4526 2CD SET $19.98 |
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Happy Holiday Jing-A-Ling, Jing-A-Ling Twelve Days Of Christmas The First Snowfall I'd Like to Hitch A Ride With Santa Claus Poppa Santa Claus You're All I Want For Christmas The Christmas Tree Angel Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town O Fir Tree Dark Christmas Candles Jingle Bells Christmas In Killarney Winter Wonderland Here Comes Santa Claus Looks Like A Cold, Cold Winter Merry Christmas Polka Mele Kalikimaka Is Christmas Only A Tree Christmas Island |
As Christmas time nears you will undoubtedly begin hearing once again the familiar sounds of Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters. It was back in the 40's and 50's when Bing and the sisters got together and recorded 6 Christmas songs for Decca records, which historically have become some of the most celebrated holiday recordings of all time. Most of the songs will ring a familiar bell, but there are some very cute recordings that didn't quite receive the recognition deserved. This 20 track release includes; "Happy Holidays", "Twelve Days Of Christmas", "I'd Like To Hitch A Ride With Santa Claus", "You're All I Want For Christmas", "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "Winter Wonderland", "Mele Kalikimaka", and "Here Comes Santa Claus". Like a cracklin fire, this is great music to bring warmth to your home this Christmas season.
Listen to " Jing-A-Ling, Jing-A-Ling" in RealAudio.
| 4316 CD $14.98 |
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Here Comes Santa Claus Twelve Days of Christmas Jingle Bells (with Bing Crosby) A Merry Christmas At Grandmother's (with Danny Kaye) I'd Like To Hitch A Ride With Santa Winter Wonderland The Christmas Tree Angel The Toys Gave A Party For Poppa Santa Claus (with Bing Crosby) All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth) (with Danny Kaye) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (with Bing Crosby) |
Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye join the legendary Andrews Sisters on this 10-song (all accompanied) compilation of classic Christmas tunes from the 1940s. Bing treats us to some of his wonderfully laid-back baritone on the opening cut, ³Here Comes Santa Claus," "12 Days of Christmas," "Jingle Bells," "(The Toys Gave A Party For) Poppa Santa Claus," and the last cut, "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." Kaye joins the Sisters on "A Merry Christmas At Grandmother¹s," and "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth." The Sisters by themselves perform the sweet little fantasy, "I'd Like To Hitch A Ride With Santa," "Winter Wonderland" and "The Christmas Tree Angel." Beautiful, fun stuff from some of the greatest, most popular singers ever to record a Christmas song.
Listen to " The Christmas Tree Angel in RealAudio.
| 4511 CD $12.98 |
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Sincerely Sugartime Something's Gotta Give May You Always Beat Me Daddy Eight To The BarBeat Me Daddy Eight To The Bar Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Well All Right Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time Muskrat Ramble |
Certainly the two best-known and best-loved "sister" groups of the 1940s and 50s, the Andrews and McGuire Sisters just kept cranking out the top-40 hits. And what hits they were–what can you say about a song like "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," other than that they should have given the Andrews Sisters heavy gold medals for helping win World War II with it? And "Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar," one of the most quintessential and definitive songs of the Swing era. If you’re looking for songs that define the glamorous, innocent romanticism of the 1950s, wouldn’t the McGuire’s "Sincerely," "Sugartime," "Something’s Got to Give" and "May You Always" be at or near the top of your list? Ten hits (all band accompanied): "Well All Right (Tonight’s the Night)," "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen," "I’ll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time," "Muskrat Ramble"–these songs were huge, and they’re all here for you to remember and enjoy!
| 4486 CD $13.98 |
It's 1942 and Maxene, Patty and LaVerne decide to enlist in the army and proceed to make the army look like a prety fun place to be! A box office hit when first released this movie is really a chance to enjoy an Andrews Sisters concert as the girls, along with the Harry James Orchestra, decide to put on a show for the boys in uniform. The Sisters swing on "Three Little Sisters", "That's the Moon, My Son" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree". This is a rare chance to hear the great Vic Schoen Andrews Sisters arrangements with the sharp James orchestra. This film also provides a glimpse of the great stage presence and commedienne quality of Patty Andrews, if only briefly. James demonstrates his considerable talent on the trumpet several times and the Sisters keep smiling through, perhaps their strangest novelty song, "We're Six Jerks in a Jeep". Dick Foran croons "Private Buckaroo" and gives out with "We've Got a Job to Do" which is also the Andrews Sisters finale after the equally rare "Johnny Get Your Gun Again". Neither of these two wartime tunes were recorded by the Sisters in the Decca studio and may only exist in the Sisters surviving recordings on this film soundtrack.
| 4650 DVD $8.98 |
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