CategoryBands & Directors

Jay Wilbur, Solo Recordings

“Alone and Afraid” (1931)

“Alone and Afraid.” Music by Jack Trent, with lyrics by Stan Leigh (1931). Recorded in London in May 1931 by Elsie Carlisle (under the musical direction of Jay Wilbur). Imperial 2489 mx. 5701-2.

Personnel: Jay Wilbur dir. Laurie Payne-Jimmy Gordon-cl-as-bar / George Clarkson-cl-ts / Norman Cole-?George Melachrino-vn / Billy Thorburn or Pat Dodd-p / Bert Thomas-g / Harry Evans-sb / ?Max Bacon-d-vib

Elsie Carlisle – “Alone and Afraid” (1931)

Elsie Carlisle recorded more than a few torch songs in her time, but “Alone and Afraid” stands out as a particularly noteworthy example of her efforts. I have argued elsewhere that one of Elsie’s foremost talents as a dance band singer was to establish the audience’s idea of her persona in a very limited time frame (often in under a minute of singing). In “Alone and Afraid” Elsie has more time, as it is not a dance band record, and so she uses most of one side of a record to produce the perfect vocal tearjerker. She sings of a deep disappointment, of unrequited love, or at the very least, of an asymmetrical relationship subject to unfortunate misunderstanding (“I gave my love, but his was lent”). The tune is memorable and can even be played as an upbeat dance number, as we find out near the beginning of the 1931 Stanley Lupino film The Love Race.

In the same year, Elsie recorded a short film of her singing “Alone and Afraid” and “My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes,” accompanied by Harry Rubens on the piano (this may or may not be the same pianist as the Harry Robens who played briefly for Ray Starita’s band):

Elsie Carlisle (1931)

Very little camera footage survives of Elsie Carlisle, so it is hard to place this particular performance in the context of her career as a musical actress, but I find this film short both mesmerizing and satisfying. The quality of the singing is excellent and comparable to that of the record, but Elsie’s acting is really delightful. Her intense gazes into the camera leave one with the impression that she is sharing something very sincere.

“Alone and Afraid” was also recorded in 1931 in Britain by Jerry Hoey and His Band (v. Joe Leigh), Jack Payne and His BBC Dance Orchestra (v. Jack Payne), and Arthur Lally and the Million-airs (v. Cavan O’Connor).

Jay Wilbur

“Little White Lies” (1930)

“Little White Lies.”  Music and words by Walter Donaldson (1930).  Recorded in London in September 1930 by Elsie Carlisle under the musical direction of Jay Wilbur. Imperial 2346 mx. 5473-2.

Personnel: probably Jack Miranda-cl-ts / Eric Siday-vn / vn / Harry Jacobson-p-cel / Len Fillis-g

Elsie Carlisle – “Little White Lies” (1930)

Prolific composer Walter Donaldson, also known for such jazz standards as “Makin’ Whoopee,” “My Baby Just Cares for Me,” and “My Blue Heaven,” published “Little White Lies” in 1930, and it became an instant hit.  Initially recorded by Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians, the song saw countless American recordings within months, including by such noted female vocalists as Marion Harris, Lee Morse, and Annette Hanshaw (“That’s all!”).

“Little White Lies” saw equal attention that year in Britain.  Notable recordings were made by the Rhythmic Eight and the Rhythm Maniacs (both with Maurice Elwin as vocalist), Harry Hudson’s Radio Melody Boys (Sam Browne, vocalist), Jack Hylton and His Orchestra (Pat O’Malley, vocalist), Bert Madison’s Dance Orchestra (directed by Nat Star, with Cavan O’Connor as vocalist), and Jay Wilbur and His Band (vocals by Jack Plant).  Jay Wilbur was, of course, the musical director at Imperial at the time, so he would have overseen Elsie Carlisle’s recording the previous month.

Sir Paul McCartney has reported that “Little White Lies” was John Lennon’s favorite childhood song, and that this was a fondness that they shared, but it is assumed that it was the 1947 Dick Haymes version that they were familiar with.

Durium Dance Band

“Why Waste Your Tears?” (1932)

“Why Waste Your Tears?” Words and Music by Valerie “Val” Holstius (arranged by Lynn Vaughan). Recorded by the Durium Dance Band with vocalist Elsie Carlisle in London, September or October 1932. Durium EN-34.

Personnel: Peter Rush-cl-as dir. Max Goldberg-t / Charlie Price or Jack Warne-t / Tony Thorpe-tb / Bill Rogers-as / Alf Zafer-ts / Ernest Wilson-p / Bill Tringham-g / Dave Axford-bb / Maurice Zafer-d-x

The Durium Dance Band (v. Elsie Carlisle) – “Why Waste Your Tears” (1932)

Durium records were made of cardboard coated on one side with durium acetate resin. These inexpensive vehicles for frequently excellent recordings sold at newsstands between 1930-1933 and usually had two recordings on their one playable side.  On this disc, Elsie Carlisle’s “Why Waste Your Tears?” is paired with Sam Browne’s “The Night Shall Be Filled with Music,” and the list of personnel includes such well-known Ambrose men as Max Goldberg and Tony Thorpe.

Songwriter Valerie “Val” Holstius was the wife of writer Edward Nils Holstius. “Why Waste Your Tears?” appears to be her sole composition, but it is a good one. It takes the form of a response to, or even of a negation of, a torch song. It advises its addressee not to waste his or her tears on a lost love, but rather to move on. The arrangement used by the Durium studio band is decidedly upbeat, and Elsie uses her allotted 48 seconds of singing to deliver the song’s argument in a form that is light, bright, and memorable.

“Why Waste Your Tears?” has lyrics that can be altered to suit a male or female singer, and in addition to Elsie Carlisle’s recording with the Durium Dance Band there were versions by Nat Star (Tom Barratt, vocalist), Terry Mack and His Boys (with vocalist Jack Plant), and Lew Stone and the Monseigneur Band (with Al Bowlly).