No fooling, Al Jolson laid down a dozen and a half tracks over the years during April. On all four labels, here is where you will find them all.
The Victor Recordings
17 Apr 1912: Ragging The Baby To Sleep - Here's a "ragtime" number recorded while Jolson was making a name for himself on Broadway. It is typical of the novelty numbers first sung by the later Broadway star. An early Jolson hit song, it was number one on the Billboard charts for five weeks, being listed for twelve weeks in all!
17 Apr 1912: That Lovin' Traumerei - Aubrey Stauffer wrote lyrics to Robert Schumann's classic Traumerei, and Jolson sang the song, likely his first in a Broadway play. It was his to sing in La Belle Paree, which opened at the Winter Garden on March 20, 1911.
17 Apr 1912: Movin' Man, Don't Take My Baby Grand - A novelty number played for great fun, this song also dates from the early days of Al Jolson's stage career. This is an early Bert Kalmar number, who would later team with Harry Ruby to write many memorable numbers; remember "Three Little Words?"
The Columbia Recordings
03 Apr 1918: Hello Central, Give Me No Man's Land - The world was in the Great War, and many a father was away from his family. This song, about a child yearning for his father at the front, expresses the sentiments of a generation. This song struck the public's heart, holding the number 1 position on the Billboard charts for three of the eight weeks it was listed.
30 Apr 1920: In Sweet September - Al Jolson's first wife, Henrietta, had initiated divorce proceedings against Jolie. Exhausted, he bowed out of the production of Sinbad for several performances, ultimately closing the show down. After a two week rest, he recorded this song, and seemed determined to try to win back his wife. You can hear the longing and passion in his voice as he sang this nostalgic melody. Whether they knew about his passion or not, enough folks liked this song to make it number five on the Billboard charts for three weeks.
24 Apr 1922: Coo Coo - Not satisfied with their masterpiece in the nutty song, "Yoo Hoo," Al Jolson and Buddy DeSylva got together a year after writing that one and penned this number. It's at least as good! People loved crazy songs in the twenties, and this one made it to Billboard number 7 for two weeks.
15 Apr 1923: Morning Will Come - A great ballad, this song was meant to lift spirits of all who listen. Sung in the show Bombo, it was recorded in 1923 for Columbia, and was never re-recorded by Al. He did, however, mention it and sing a bar or two in his legendary guest spot on the Barry Gray show in 1946. Jolson claimed to have lifted the theme from the hymn "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," which he learned while at St. Mary's School for Boys in Baltimore. Plenty of spirits were lifted in its time, as it reached the number five spot on Billboard, and stayed for five weeks.
The Brunswick Recordings
23 Apr 1926: I Wish I Had My Old Gal Back Again - Here's a tear jerker from just before The Jazz Singer. Backed by Carl Fenton and his Orchestra, Jolie really tried to emote, particularly in the second chorus. Mother! Do ya see, it climbed to the fifth slot on the Billboard charts, and stayed around for three weeks.
23 Apr 1926: If I Knew I'd Find You - This song is better known as "I'd Climb The Highest Mountain," and was a hit for the Ink Spots in another generation. I know you know this song. The public loved it, listing it on Billboard for two weeks, and reaching the seventh position.
07 Apr 1929: I'm In Seventh Heaven - Straight from the score of Say It With Songs, Al Jolson recorded five songs on this date in one long session. He had received a directive from Brunswick to record two ballads and two rhythm numbers in his next recording session. Perhaps these songs were his response. On the Billboard charts for six weeks, it reached the number two position.
07 Apr 1929: Little Pal - DeSylva, Brown, and Henderson, whose "Sonny Boy" had catapulted to the top of the charts, joined Al Jolson in this unabashed rip off of their earlier hit. This was the second of five titles recorded on this date, and was recorded in a half-hour session. The original title of Say It With Songs was to have been Little Pal. The song topped the Billboard charts, number one for five of the ten weeks it was listed.
07 Apr 1929: Used To You - Here's another great song from Say It With Songs, the third recorded on this one day of recordings. It's a love song with rhythm and a little scat singing as well. Another Billboard hit, it made the eighteenth slot for a week.
07 Apr 1929: Why Can't You? - Here was the heartfelt ballad of the session that Sunday. In less than 30 minutes with just two takes, Jolson asked "Birdies sing in cages too... If little birds can do it, why can't you?" They just don't write them like that any more! By the way, the four songs written by DeSylva, Brown and Henderson with Jolson for the movie were issued on identical sheet music covers, featuring five Jolson photos with various expressions. This one made the number four slot on the Billboard charts, and was listed for six weeks.
07 Apr 1929: One Sweet Kiss - Davey Lee, the child star of The Singing Fool, was in Say It With Songs, as well; this time playing Little Pal instead of Sonny Boy. He still got to sit on Uncle Al's knee and be sung to. Here is the one song recorded that Sunday not written by DeSylva, Brown and Henderson, but by Jolson and Dave Dreyer, who had collaborated on other songs as well.
The Decca Recordings
18 Apr 1950: The Old Piano Roll Blues - On this date, Al Jolson had a recording session with the Andrews Sisters, then an immensely popular group. In this first recording, listen to the energy Jolie maintains with the sisters.
18 Apr 1950: 'Way Down Yonder In New Orleans - This second recording with the Andrews Sisters is equally bouncy and lively. Hearing this man sing this way in the last year of his life puts more modern "Duet" albums to shame! Makes you want to hear Jolie with more Duets, doesn't it?
28 Apr 1950: Are You Lonesome Tonight? - To many people, the only recording of this song that they are familiar with is the one done by Elvis Presley. As we remember this king of rock and roll, who died on August 16, 1977, let us not forget that he idolized our own Al Jolson, and Jolson's recording of this classic number illustrates this dramatically!
28 Apr 1950: No Sad Songs For Me - Written with his long time buddy, Harry Akst, this song in a way seems to sum up the person that was Al Jolson. The only songs Jolson recorded commercially after this song were a series of Stephen Foster songs so, in effect, this song might be viewed as an epitaph!
Unless otherwise noted, transcriptions on this page are from the personal collection of the webmaster.
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