The Pied Pipers

Originally consisting of eight members, The Pied Pipers had their greatest success after nearly half of the members left the group. The remaining Pipers (Billy Wilson, Chuck Lowry, Jo Stafford, and her then-husband John Huddleston) joined the Tommy Dorsey Band in 1939, backing Sinatra on many classic recordings. In 1942 The Pied Pipers broke away from Dorsey, and Huddleston joined the army, to be replaced by Hal Hopper, one of the original eight members. The group backed Johnny Mercer on several tracks during the early 40s, including "Candy" and "Blues in the Night." Their first single ("Deacon Jones"/"Pistol Packin' Mama") was released in 1943. Stafford had become quite busy with her solo career and left the group in 1944, to be replaced by June Hutton. Throughout the rest of the decade The Pied Pipers charted frequently, yet their popularity waned in the '50s.

Discography

Dream With The Pied Pipers

Dream
Polly Wolly Doodle All The Day
Suger Foot Stomp
What Is This Thing Called Love
In A Little Spanish Town
My! My!
I'll Never Smile Again
Oh, Look At Me Now
Stardust
Dolores
There Are Such Things
Let's Get Away From It All
You Grow Up Sweeter As The Years Go By
The Trolley Song
Andy
St Louis Blues
Aren't You Glad You're You
In The Moon Mist
Should I?
Mam'Selle
Limehouse Blues
My Happiness
Tennessee Saturday Nights
Gone To Chicago
Kiss Me Goodnight

"Dream" is a great (all accompanied) collection of 26 original mono recordings from 1939 to 1949, featuring vocals by Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford, Connie Hanes and Johnny Mercer. The history of this popular 3-man, 1 woman quartet is complex and interesting, (and well-covered in the liner notes), but it's clear the group took off when they were hired in Chicago by Tommy Dorsey to sing with his band in 1939. The next year he hired Sinatra, the wisdom of this quickly becoming clear in The Voice/Pipers hit "I'll Never Smile Again," which enjoyed 12 weeks at #1 on the US pop chart. The group went on to have 11 more hits on RCA Victor, many featuring Sinatra, including #2 success "Oh, Look at Me Now!" with Connie Haines sharing the solos, Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust" and the chart-topping "Dolores," but 3 years later they broke with the hotheaded Dorsey as their #1 hit with Sinatra, "There Are Such Things" was filling the airwaves. The CD has 5 hits pre-Dorsey, including "Polly Wolly Doodle All The Day" and the title tune "Dream;" 7 with Dorsey, Sinatra and Haines, including "Let's Get Away From It All; 9 with Paul Weston and Orchestra including "The Trolley Song" with Jo Stafford and "Candy" with Johnny Mercer and Stafford; and 3 with Skip Martin and His Orchestra, including "Kiss Me Goodnight." Some of the best big-band swing music we've ever heard, fresh and hot from the 30s and 40s!

Listen to Dolores in Real Audio.

4659 CD $12.98

Dreams From The Sunny Side of the Street

Pistol Packin' Mama
Doin' What Comes Natur'lly
Dream
In The Middle Of May
Girl of My Dreams
Cecilia
Watcha Know Joe?
You've Got Me This Way
What A Deal
There's Good Blues Tonight
Mairzy Doats
My Happiness
My! My!
The Freedom Train
Sweet Potatoe Piper
Old Man River
On the Sunny Side of the Street
Nine Old Men
You And Your Love
You Won't Be Satisfied
I Love It So
I've Got the Sun In the Morning
It's Only A Paper Moon
Linger In My Arms
I'll Buy That Dream
Easy Street
Gotta Be This Or That
Jamboree Jones
Isn't That Just Like Love
Embraceable You
Deacon Jones
In the Moon Mist
My Sugar Is So Refined
My Gal Sal
Reckon I'm In Love
Personality
Winter Weather
Why Does It Get Late So Early
The Lady From 29 Palms
What Ya Gonna Do?
The Night We Called It A Day
The Trolley Song
You Might Have Belonged To Another
Gone To Chicago
Tallahassee
Sentimental Journey
We'll Be Together Again
Aren't You Glad You're You
Let's Get Away From It All
Kiss Me Goodnight

In the 1940s, in comparison to the rest of the world, Americans had it all—nylons, chewing gum and harmony groups like the Merry Macs, Modernaires and the Pied Pipers. Originally an octet when first hired by Tommy Dorsey, they were fired when his sponsors disapproved of "Hold Tight—Want Some Sea Food Mama" as unsuitable broadcast material (this is the first we've ever heard of this—possibly it had a hidden sexual connotation?). In any case, they reduced to a quartet and were on the verge of disbanding when they were hired back by Dorsey to join his new solo vocalist Frank Sinatra. With Sinatra the Pipers recorded quite a few hits including "I'll Never Smile Again," which was the very first #1 record on Billboard's Best Selling record chart, which began in 1940. The group's Jo Stafford also had solo hits, including "Yes Indeed." After an argument with Dorsey the group left for Hollywood and signed to newly-formed Capital Records. "Deacon Jones/Pistol Packin' Mama" was the first of a string of hits on their own and with Johnny Mercer and other solo artists, including "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive," "Personality," "Winter Wonderland," "The Trolley Song," "In The Moon Mist," "My Happiness" and "Dream." All songs are Swing-band accompanied. This is one of those 2-CD, 50-song collections we love so well because they are such a bargain and have so much great music. The Pipers were one of the most popular harmony groups of the Swing Era, and this is their "greatest hits" collection. What a treat from one of our favorite eras in American music!

Listen to My Happiness in Real Audio.

4462 CD $14.98

"Good Deal, Macneal"

Gotta Be This or That
There's A Boat dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
Aren't You Glad You're You
I'll Buy That Dream
In The Middle of May
Doctor, Lawyer and Indian Chief
It's Only a Paper Moon
Come Rain Or Come Shine
My Gal Sal
I've Got The Sun In The Morning
Route 66
Easy Street
Sentimental Journey
What a Deal
Thre's Good Blues Tonight
What Ya Gonna Do?
Come To Baby Do
Just A-Sitting and A-Rockin'
Linger In My Arms A Little Longer, Baby
Why Does It Get Late So Early
My Sugar Is So Refined
You Won't Be Satisfied
Doin' What Comes Naturally
Tampico
Ragtime Cowboy Joe

Pied Pipers were the resident vocal group on Frank Sinatra's radio show Songs By Sinatra, which is where tracks one through six were recorded. Other highlights include the Duke Ellington song "Just A Sittin' and A Rockin'" along with a bright and lively arrangement of "I've Got The Sun In The Morning" a classic, originally recorded by Irving Berlin. A must have collection for vintage harmony enthusiasts. 25 great tracks

Listen to There's A Boat dat's Leavin' Soon For New York in Real Audio.

4451 CD $14.98



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All Rights Reserved   All Content, page design, CGI Copyright © 2002 United Singers International