Elsie Carlisle

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“My Kid’s a Crooner” (1935)

January 2, 2015 by A. G. Kozak

“My Kid’s a Crooner.” Composed by Marion Harris and Reg Montgomery. Recorded by Ambrose and His Orchestra, with Elsie Carlisle as vocalist, on January 3, 1935. Decca F-5393 mx. GB-6845-2.

Personnel: Bert Ambrose dir. Max Goldberg-t-mel / Harry Owen-t / t / Ted Heath-Tony Thorpe-tb / Danny Polo-Sid Phillips-Billy Amstell-reeds / Joe Jeannette-as / Ernie Lewis-Reg Pursglove-others?-vn / Bert Barnes-p / Joe Brannelly-g / Dick Ball-sb / Max Bacon-d

Elsie Carlisle – My Kid’s A Crooner (1935)
Video by Clive Hooley (YouTube)

“My Kid’s a Crooner,” a song whose subtitle is, naturally, “(Boo-Boo-Boo-Boo),” was written by British composer Reg Montgomery and American songstress Marion Harris, who had relocated to London in the early 1930s and had retired there. It involves a mother who is concerned about her infant child’s future, seeing as he mostly makes the sound “boo-boo-boo-boo” (and occasionally “ah-cha-cha!”). Concluding that he aspires to be a crooner, she resolves to contact Bing Crosby for advice. Elsie Carlisle takes this song, which is inherently very silly, and makes it even funnier by sounding almost genuine in her mock-maternal concern — yet not so much so as to let her quavering voice overwhelm her rather cute, moderately infantile, and decidedly Crosbyesque boo-boo-booing.

“My Kid’s a Crooner” was also recorded in London in December 1934 by Pat Hyde (accompanied by Edgar Jackson and His Orchestra) and in early 1935 by Harry Roy and His Orchestra (with vocals by Harry Roy himself), the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra under the direction of Carroll Gibbons (with vocals by Frances Day and five-year-old Sybil Jackson, the latter of whom is surprisingly not that bad), Lou Preager and His Romano’s Restaurant Dance Orchestra (with Pat Hyde), and Billy Cotton and His Band (with vocalist Harold “Chips” Chippendall). There were other 1935 recordings by Phyllis Robins, Kitty Masters, and Eve Becke, and an apparently unissued take of Helen Raymond singing “My Kid’s a Crooner” is extant.

Arthur Lally, Stanley Lupino

“Just One More” (1932)

December 31, 2014 by A. G. Kozak

“Just One More.” Words by Stanley Lupino, music by Noel Gay. Composed for the film Sleepless Nights (1932). Recorded by Stanley Lupino and Elsie Carlisle in London on December 1, 1932. Decca F-3319 mx. GB-5275-3.

Stanley Lupino & Elsie Carlisle – “Just One More” (1932)

“Just One More” is the flip side of “I Don’t Want to Go to Bed” and is another Stanley Lupino/Noel Gay collaboration for the musical comedy Sleepless Nights. This Decca recording has Stanley Lupino singing a duet with Elsie Carlisle (who did not appear in the movie) and involves some remarkable spoken banter:

– “Hello, Elsie! How did you get on this side of the record?”
– “I came through the hole in the label!”

– “Wonderful! Lovely! Gorgeous!”
– “To what are you referring?”
– “You.”
– “You don’t mean that.”
– “I do!”
– “Oh, you haven’t seen me in the morning!”
– “Oh, may I???“
– “Oh, Mr. Lupino!”

– “I love that curl on the back of your neck.”
– “Do you?”
– “Yes. May I kiss it?”
– “Oh, no.”
– “Ah, yes!
– “Oh, no!”
– “Ah, yes!”
– “Oh, no…”
– “I shall!”
– “You have!“

There is a sound at end of the recording that is especially precious. Listen for it, and Happy New Year!

Arthur Lally, Stanley Lupino

“I Don’t Want to Go to Bed” (1932)

December 31, 2014 by A. G. Kozak

“I Don’t Want to Go to Bed.” Words by Stanley Lupino, music by Noel Gay (1932). Recorded by Stanley Lupino and Elsie Carlisle on December 1, 1932. Decca F-3319 mx. GB-5274-3.

Stanley Lupino & Elsie Carlisle – “I Don’t Want to Go to Bed” (1932)

An anthem praising the nightlife and its frolicking “nightbird company,” “I Don’t Want to Go to Bed” is part of the score of the 1932 movie Sleepless Nights. Its lyrics were penned by comic actor Stanley Lupino (father of Ida Lupino), who was also the star of the film. Elsie Carlisle joins him in a vocal duet in this Decca recording of the song — she did not act in the movie — and while she only sings for fifteen seconds, hers is a memorable contribution. Particularly funny is her perky comment in the debate as to whether the merrymakers will go home or not:

“I appeal to you, Miss Carlisle!”
“Not to me! Tonight, I’m one of the boys!”

A photograph of the recording session makes it seem likely that Arthur Lally was the musical director. Elsie would record “I Don’t Want to Go to Bed” again later the same month in a duet with Sam Browne, accompanied by Harry Hudson’s Melody Men (as Rolando and His Blue Salon Orchestra).

Other 1932 recordings of the song were made by Billy Cotton and His Band (with vocalist Fred Douglas), Henry Hall’s BBC Dance Orchestra (with vocals by Les Allen), Harry Bidgood’s Broadcasters (as the Rhythm Rascals, with Tom Barratt singing), Ambrose and His Orchestra (with vocalist Sam Browne and spoken parts by Ambrose and Max Bacon), Tommy Kinsman and His Band (as the Fifteen Crimson Dominoes, with vocals by Fred Douglas and a spoken part by Tom Barratt), Roy Fox and His Band (Roy Fox and Les Lambert, vocalists), Harry Roy and His R.K. Olians (with vocals by Harry Roy, Bill Currie, and Ivor Moreton), the Durium Dance Band (with Sam Browne), and Jack Payne and His Band (with singing by Billy Scott Coomber, Jack Jackson, and Bob Easson, and spoken parts by Jack Payne and Leslie Holmes).