“Poor Kid.” Music by Jesse Greer, lyrics by L. Wolfe Gilbert. Recorded in London by Elsie Carlisle in August 1931 under the musical direction of Jay Wilbur. Imperial 2532 mx. 5770-2.

Elsie Carlisle – “Poor Kid” (1931)

This melancholy 1931 torch song saw American versions  by Don Bigelow, Ben Selvin, and Ben Bernie. In Britain there were versions by Ambrose and His Orchestra (Sam Browne, vocalist), Jack Payne, Roy Fox and His Band (Al Bowlly, vocalist), Eddie Gross-Bart and His Café Anglais Band (Eddie Gross-Bart doing the vocals), Harry Hudson (Al Bowlly, vocalist), and Howard Godfrey’s Aldwych Players (Les Allen, vocalist).  Betty Bolton did a solo version under the pseudonym Gracie Collins.