Al Jolson recorded on the Columbia, Brunswick, and Decca labels during the first month of the year. The selections encompass the full spectrum of his works, from well known to obscure. On this page we will enjoy those recordings.
The Columbia Recordings
14 Jan 1916: Yaaka Hula Hickey Dula - A fun "Hawaiian" number that Jolie loved to sing, it was introduced in the show Robinson Crusoe, Jr. on February 17, 1916. Jolson recorded two other songs on this day, that were not recorded. This one, though, was #2 on the Billboard charts for five of the seven weeks it was listed.
08 Jan 1920: That Wonderful Kid From Madrid - Here's a song that sounds routine, but Jolson has a great time with it. Listen for the Yiddish "scat" singing in the chorus. It shows just where his singing had its roots! This song reached the fifth position on the Billboard charts during its three weeks of residence there.
08 Jan 1920: Swanee - George Gershwin's first hit song, with lyrics by Irving Caesar, was put to disc by Jolson in 1920, and introduced in "Sinbad" in that year. Contrary to the story shown in Rhapsody In Blue, it was Buddy DeSylva who brought Gershwin to a party Jolson was throwing that allowed Jolson to hear Gershwin's song. Of course, the public love the song; it was #1 on the Billboard charts for nine of the 18 weeks it was listed.
04 Jan 1921: Ding-A-Ring A Ring - The roaring twenties were just starting, and the lyrics were roaring as well. Enjoy this little novelty song about a boy, a girl, and, well just, and...
17 Jan 1922: Angel Child - In 1919, Jolson divorced his first wife, Henrietta Keller. Listen closely to this Georgie Price song, and hear Jolson interpolate "Oh, Henrietta" as a plea for her to be his "Angel Child" again. More than Henrietta loved the song, keeping it on the Billboard charts for eight weeks, with it at #1 for five of them.
04 Jan 1923: Coal Black Mammy - Al Jolson's touring company of Bombo was just finishing a run in Chicago when he recorded this song. It represents one of the many "Mammy" songs Jolie became famous for, while he was looking for just the right one. With Jolson singing it, this song reached number four on the Billboard charts, remaining there for four weeks.
04 Jan 1923: Wanita - The young Al Jolson was frequently billed as a comedian, rather than a singer, and this novelty number shows just why. With lyrics of "Wanna eat, Wanita?" and a Spanish rhythm, with Yiddish seasoning, it's still a delight.
The Brunswick Recordings
17 Jan 1924: I'm Goin' South - The first song Al Jolson recorded in 1924 was the first song recorded under his new contract at Brunswick; and it was the first song ever repeated in his recordings, Jolson having recorded this song on the Columbia label with a house band. Here, he recorded it backed by the Isham Jones Orchestra, in a spirited rendition. While the Columbia label version of this song never made it, this recording hit the Billboard charts for seven weeks, holding the second position for two of them.
17 Jan 1924: Never Again - This Gus Kahn - Isham Jones number, backed by Jones' Orchestra, is a song of lost love. Listen to Jolie swing into the rhythm of this song.
17 Jan 1924: California, Here I Come - Al Jolson opened Bombo in 1923, without a new hit song. With a west coast tour pending, Buddy DeSilva thought a song about California might work, and Al agreed. He introduced it at a matinee, and it flopped. Persuaded to try a reorchestrated arrangement by conductor Al Goodman, it became one of Jolson's greatest hits. That's DeSylva, himself, on the ukulele!
17 Jan 1924: The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else - You have to wonder about Gus Kahn and Isham Jones. First they write "Never Again," then this song. Still, it's a great vehicle for Jolie, who almost breaks into a little scat singing. The public liked this collaboration, keeping the song on the Billboard charts for seven weeks, with the song in the number two position for two weeks.
18 Jan 1924: Steppin' Out - Steppin' Out means divorce in this little number from the roaring twenties. Enjoy some of the clever lyrics to this song. This song reached number four during its six week run on the Billboard charts.
18 Jan 1924: Feeling The Way I Do - Do you get the feeling that no relationship ever worked out in those days? Check out this DeSylva-Donaldson view of the world!
13 Jan 1928: Four Walls - The Brunswick folks said this new ballad by Jolson on the order of "Me And My Shadow" (for which Jolson had author's credit, but did not record) is enhanced to a degree by Jolson's appealing and sympathetic phrasing. I hope you enjoy it as well!
13 Jan 1928: Golden Gate - Billed as "a new California song that has pace, originality and a great lyric" this song came on the heels of "California, Here I Come." Recorded in January on a record, it was heard by many later in the year in the movie The Singing Fool. It reached the number nine slot on the Billboard charts, being listed for four weeks.
10 Jan 1930: Let Me Sing And I'm Happy - Irving Berlin wrote the score for the 1930 Al Jolson hit movie, Mammy. This song, repeated several times in the movie, was such a tribute to Jolson that it was used sixteen years later as the theme for The Jolson Story. Enjoy this original version from 1930. It remained on the Billboard charts for ten weeks, holding the second slot for two of them.
10 Jan 1930: To My Mammy - Who cares what the world may say? I'm everything to my mammy! Those are the sentiments of this song Irving Berlin penned for Al Jolson to sing to his mother in the movie Mammy. Listen carefully to the lyric, and you will hear a rhyme Berlin used again, in a commercially more popular song. Ask me if you can't solve the mystery! During the seven weeks the song was listed on the Billboard charts, it reached the number seven position.
10 Jan 1930: Looking At You - Not mother love, but romantic love is the topic of this song, also written for Mammy by Irving Berlin. "I wish that I were able to make you say 'I do,' and sit Across The Breakfast Table Looking At You."
10 Jan 1930: When The Little Red Roses Get The Blues For You - Rounding out the January 10, 1930, session, this little novelty number Jolson wrote with Joe Burke was released as the "B" side of "To My Mammy." It's one with a whistling chorus and laughing lyric that Jolson sounds like he enjoyed doing. After this recording, Jolson did not enter a recording studio again for almost two years. The song reached the number six position on the Billboard charts, remaining for seven weeks total.
The Decca Recordings
23 Jan 1950: Let's Go West Again - Al Jolson and the Lee Gordon chorus do a beautiful, whistful job on this Irving Berlin number.
23 Jan 1950: God's Country - This recording is an unusual one in Jolson's discography, because, according to the records, the final release of this song was compiled from spliced parts of three takes of the song. I can't tell where the splices are, can you?
23 Jan 1950: Remember Mother's Day - This song was performed on the Kraft Music Hall by Al Jolson in May, 1948, and May, 1949. Aren't we glad he made this studio recording in 1950?
Watch all this month, as more recordings are added to the January Jolson recording list!
Unless otherwise noted, transcriptions on this page are from the personal collection of the webmaster.
