MonthJune 2014

Solo Recordings

“Mama, I Long for a Sweetheart” (1935)

“Mama, I Long for a Sweetheart.” Music by Ramón Collazo; original Spanish lyrics by Roberto Fontaina; English translation by Carol Raven. Recorded by Elsie Carlisle with orchestral accompaniment on June 20, 1935. Decca F-5586 mx. GB-7241-1.

“Mama, I Long for a Sweetheart” – Elsie Carlisle (1935)
Video by Brighton Rock (YouTube)

This popular 1928 tango by Uruguayan composer Ramón Collazo saw new life in a 1934 English translation by American lyricist Carol Raven. It was recorded that year by the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, whose version was distributed on both sides of the Atlantic. Elsie Carlisle is not usually associated with the tango genre, but she executes the piece convincingly. It is, perhaps, worth comparing the overall effect of her version to the 1929 recording of the Spanish-language original by the Orchestra Argentina Bachicha.

"Mamá, yo quiero un novio" sheet music
“Mamá, yo quiero un novio” sheet music
Ray Starita

“Let That Be a Lesson to You” (1932)

“Let That Be a Lesson to You.”  Words and music by Isham Jones (1932).  Recorded by Ray Starita and His Ambassadors with vocals by Elsie Carlisle on June 15, 1932.  Sterno 985 mx. S-2478-3.

Personnel: Ray Starita-cl-ts dir. Sid Buckman-Nat Gonella-t / tb / ?Chester Smith-cl-as-bar-o / Nat Star-cl-as / George Glover-cl-ts-vn / George Hurley-vn / Harry Robens-p / George Oliver-bj-g / Arthur Calkin-sb / Rudy Starita-d-vib-x

Let That Be a Lesson to You – Ray Starita and his Ambassadors (w. Elsie Carlisle)
Transfer by Charles Hippisley-Cox

“Let That Be a Lesson to You” has a long instrumental introduction that is mellow but catchy, and one might almost expect it to lead up to a conventional love song. The vocal refrain, however, consists of Elsie Carlisle scolding her love for being unfaithful and returning to her in disgrace. In spite of this theme, the sound of the piece somehow fits in nicely with Elsie’s other work with Ray Starita’s band in 1932, the only year of their collaboration. It is light and dreamy; one might compare its atmosphere to “Leave Me Alone With My Dreams” or “On a Dreamy Afternoon.”

In 1932 “Let That Be a Lesson to You” was recorded in America by the Isham Jones Orchestra and by the Coon-Sanders Orchestra.  In Britain, in addition to the Starita recording with Elsie Carlisle, there were versions by the Savoy Hotel Orpheans (with Chick Endor and Charlie Farrell as vocalists), by Jay Wilbur and His Band (with vocals by Tom Barratt), and by Sam Browne and Eve Becke (under the pseudonyms “Jack and Jill”).