Make Believe Ballroom - 9/11/26

0:00["Ballroom Time"] It's make believe ballroom time Put all your cares away All the bands are here to bring good cheer your way It's make believe ballroom time And free to everyone It's no time to fret your dialis at bottom Just close your eyes and visualize in your solitude Your favorite bands are on the stands and Mr. Miller Put you in the hood, it's make believe ballroom time They are a sweet romance Here's your make believe ballroom

1:01Come on, chillin' let's dance, let's dance Hello world, I'm Jeff Bressler Turning on the lights of the make believe ballroom And welcoming you into my crystal studio For another program of classic Big Band music From the 1930s and 40s Please get ready as I play for you some amazing jazz swing blues and boogie-woogie favorites Folks, you're listening to the make believe ballroom Broadcasting almost continuously since 1935 And welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome, one and all And thanks so much for joining me today, good show planned As I am gonna spend a good amount of time answering listeners' emails Before that, the turntable is empty Let me lean over here and remedy that

4:19The great pianist Teddy Wilson Well, he led his own group for a short period of time We just heard on Columbia Records Coconut Grove, Teddy Wilson and his orchestra Recorded in New York City January the 18th, 1940 Let's listen to another, then our first email of the day

5:45Music Music Music Music Music Music

6:45Music Music Music Music Music Music

7:45Music But he could have been clarinet Lionel Hampton Vibes, Johnny Guaniri, the piano, Charlie Christian Guitar, Arty Bernstein, the bass Nick Fittul, playing the drums recorded April the 10th, 1940 in Los Angeles, California, a number called the Sheik I'm Jeff Bressler, to reach me, I'm Jeff at MakeBullyBallRum Radio.com, that's Jeff at MakeBullyBallRum Radio.com, and I am about to read an email I received via electronic transmission, and it comes from Tim in Penfield, New York

8:55He writes, Hi Jeff, I listen weekly on WGRC in Rochester, New York I was blown away when you played recently, Fatswaller's song, I want to hear swing songs It was my first time hearing it, and now I have it in my swing Big Band playlist I would certainly love more of Fatswaller on the MakeBullyBallRum, and any unique history or stories you have on Fats and his career Enjoy you in the program every week, and I'm exploring some past episodes on podcast at I Heart Radio Keep up your great work, and I will keep on listening, regards Tim Let's play one for you Tim, from Thomas Fatswaller, and then Tim I'm going to tell you

9:55The Classic Fatswaller Story Be sure it's true, when you say I love you, it's a sin to tell a lie Beans of hearts have been broken, yes, yes Yes, because these words were spoken, you know the words that were spoken, here it is

10:55I love you, I love you, I love you Yes, but if you break my heart, I'll break your joint and I'll die So be sure it's true, when you say I love you It's a sin to tell a lie, now get on out there, tell your lie, what is it?

11:58Music Music Music Be sure it's true, when you say I love you, it's a sin to tell a lie, what I say Released on the Victor Label, on June 17th, 1936, Fatswaller and his rhythm, with one of his big hits, it's a sin to tell a lie

13:03So Tim, from Penfield, New York, in a loyal listener to our beloved jazz 90.1, picture this, 1926, Chicago's roaring, and the toppling town it is The Speakees is packed, and all Fats is tearing up the keys at the Sherman Hotel, one of his favorite gighaunts in the 1920s So Fats finishes his set, and he steps out into the refreshing evening air, below him be hold for men in pinstripes suits pull up A machine gun is taken out and shoved into Fats ribs, he's pushed into the back seat of the Black Sedan, and he's driven straight to Cicero The notorious headquarters of the public enemy number one at the time, so Fats as you can understand, was shaking in his boots, he's marched into the hearth on in certain that he's walking to his execution

14:19The doors fly open, and what does he see? Well, he sees a massive smokey room packed with mobsters, what were the women call that used to wear though? Flappers, and also a giant birthday cake Turns out it wasn't a hit on Fats, it was a surprise party, birthday party, for Al Capone In this scar face, once he came in and found out about the surprise, told his men he wanted them to go to Chicago and get the best piano player in the world to provide the music for the event Although Fats that day probably didn't have that event circled on his calendar, that birthday party So Capone shouts, play Fats, and boy did he play who wouldn't honor Al Capone's request

15:24So for it is said three straight days, the quote unquote kidnapping turned into the wildest gig in jazz history, Fats reported played nonstop, only catching quick naps right on the piano bench So the downside was zero sleep and a lot of continuing tension, but there was an upside every time Al Capone liked a song he stuffed a hundred dollar bill right into Fats's pocket 72 hours of expensive champagne, I guess high end steaks, and mobster applause later Fats were chauffered right back to his hotel in Chicago, he was exhausted, completely unharmed, and thousands of dollars richer So you may wonder Tim, is that story true? Well, the honest answer is we don't know for sure

16:25But most historians classified as a mix of jazz legend and likely exaggeration Although Fats himself regaled many folks with that story And Al Capone did indeed on the Hawthorne Inn and was said to love jazz, so who knows I do know this and Tim, I'm sure you'll agree Fats and astride piano Endeared himself to millions of jazz fans around the world, so without any further ado, let's listen to Fats Waller They have a new expression along a hollow way that tells you when a party is ten times more than gay To say the things that jumpin' please not a single doubt that everything is infosite when you hear someone shout

17:31It is the Charter's Jumpin' is really jumping, comin' cats and check your hats I mean the Charter's Jumpin' The piano's thumping, the dances are buppin' This is spotty's more than hot, in fact the Charter's Jumpin' Check your weapons at the door, be sure to pay your bottle, burn your leather on the floor, grab anybody's dog The roof is rocking, the neighbor's knocking We all bumps when the wagon comes I mean Charter's Jumpin' Let it speak, yeah, I said this turn far, yeah, oh my, yeah Don't you hit that chick, that's my bro, when you get that scrubber, wow knocked you to your knees, what? What just got outta here? You know what? You know that, that crystal, you know that crystal, yeah, you know that, yeah

18:32I'm gonna drop some, haha, oh man, they're ready, nobody's not now, I can't come over there right now The Charter's Jumpin' It's really jumpin' If you most saw this, toes I mean the Charter's Jumpin' No time for talkin' This place is walking, yeah Get the Jelts cut the rug, I said the Charter's Jumpin'

19:34Listen, get your pig feet bare and gins, there's plenty in the kitchen Who is that that just came in? Just look at the way he's switching off my friend Don't mind that, I'll hold him, I'm in power I got three in this we go to jail, I said this down to Charter's Jumpin' Don't give you right name, no, no, no From Victor Records on October the 7th, 1937, the joint is jumpin' Fat Swaller in his rhythm, one of Fat's top hits of all time And Tim, you know, let me play one more for you and this one is unique And I've played some of the music before and told the story of the recording session But I'll refresh our listeners' memories In the 1930s, if you wanted to hear real jazz, you had to find a smoky late night club After the official gigs ended and that's where musicians met up to let loose

20:41Trade solos and just jam But the big record labels, they hated these jam sessions, they wanted Rehearsed, orderly predictable hits and that's, well, it's understandable From a monetary point of view, but one historic afternoon in New York City, the Victor Studios Had that precedent broken On March the 31st, 1937, record executives decided to take a mass of gamble They locked five of the biggest superstars in swing music into a single room, no sheet music No rigid arrangements, no safety nets The stars were lined up just right as five of RCA Victor's top artists All happened to be in New York City at the same time, which was a rarity

21:44At the keys, you've got the joyful genius himself, Fats Waller, blowing trombone, the brilliant Tommy Dorsey On Trump at the legendary Bunny Barrigan and keeping the heartbeat alive, Dick Macdonough on guitar And George Wettling playing the drums So on that March 31st, 1937, the engineers hit record and those Titans just played, just jammed They tear through Fats Waller's own Honey Suckel Rose trading blistering completely improvised solos on the fly, just amazing And that series of records became known as a jam session at Victor And one of those jams was Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose

23:31Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose

24:31Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose

25:31Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose Fats Waller, Tommy Dorsey, Bunny Barrigan, Dick Macdonough and George Wettling with the Fats Waller and the Razoff tune, the classic Honey Suckel Rose And Tim, Howard Listener, on JAS90.1 in Rochester, New York Thank you so much for asking me to play some Fats Waller until a little story Jeff at MakeBelieveBallroomRadio.com, Jeff at MakeBelieveBallroomRadio.com, I'm Jeff Breissler and you're listening to The MakeBelieve Ballroom and another email after this

27:40And I'm going to play some Fats Waller, Tommy Dorsey, Bunny Barrigan, Dick Macdonough and John W. Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose

28:45Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose Fats Own Honey Suckel Rose Recorded on music craft records in Los Angeles on November the 14th, 1945, Artie Shaw and his orchestra with Let's Walk And some walkin that Artie himself did, because as I speak I'm looking up to see if he walked down the aisle

29:45If he had married the actress, Eva Gardner around that time And he did the month prior in October of 1945 and as a result of that marriage he didn't exactly give a reverse wedding present to his band members Because he disbanded his band to spend more time with Eva and that time was short because the marriage lasted only about a year I'm Jeff Breissler and you are listening to The One The Only, the original MakeBelieve Ballroom America's third longest running music radio program I welcome you into the Crystal Studio for an episode mostly devoted to some listeners emails that have been seeking attention here on the recording console And the next email is from Cindy in Bel Air, Maryland and she writes dear Jeff

30:46Thank you for your wonderful program I was introduced to it by my mother who used to listen to the show on the radio when she was a young girl in the 1940s I first heard about it when she told me how she would listen while her older sisters were getting ready to go on dates Mom also used to sing a bit of the opening song So imagine my delight when I found your program on Spotify and shared it with her It would mean a lot if you could say hello to her Joy Puccino Now 89 years old and still enjoying the music of the 1930s and 40s Well Joe, hello 89 years young God bless you And God bless you for exposing Cindy to the music And the wonderful story Cindy just told us about the memory of your beloved sisters getting ready for dates that was wonderful

31:51Keep on listening please Joe until you're 120 years old that is my wish for you So Cindy continuing your email She goes on to say now my request would you tell the story behind Mr. 5 by 5 and play the song in addition to being great entertainment It has a great vocabulary word I had to look it up Avvard de Pois I think that's it To all our fans in French Canada and Quebec I certainly apologize I always mess up when I got to use French words but I think it means a measurement of weight of some sort Cindy goes on to say thanks again for your program I never miss it well thanks Cindy and if the audience is not familiar with the song I'll give you a little background certainly one of my favorites not only for the tune the novelty of the song in the band and vocalist but for who Mr. 5 by 5 actually was

33:02Back in 1942 if you turned on your radio you couldn't escape the biggest hit on the charts It was a wild little tune called Mr. 5 by 5 and the lyrics painted quite a picture describing a guy who was quite literally 5 feet tall a 5 feet wide Believe it or not that song was a real tribute to a real life jazz giant Jimmy rushing the legendary powerhouse lead singer for the Count Basie Orchestra for so many years Jimmy was indeed famously short famously round and absolutely magical on the microphone as a vocalist the songwriting duo of Don Rangin the Paul they loved him so much they turned his unique build into a national catchphrase

34:04They joke that he didn't measure no more from head to toe than he did from side to side Ella May Morse we played a lot of her music a few weeks back well she took the track straight to number one on the charts turning a friendly backstage joke about a heavy set blues singer into a permanent piece of American pop culture history So why don't I drop the needle on the 1942 classic that had the whole country jumping here's Freddy Slack and Ella May Morse with Mr. 5 by 5 Well twirl my turban man alive you come Mr. 5 by 5

35:30He's one of those big fat bouncing boys solid ever to boys Mr. 5 by 5 he's 5 feet tall and he's 5 feet wide He's all-miss you no more from head to toe and he do from side to side Mr. 5 by 5 got 15 chains and a line of chive He's a mellow oh cats a real half-fatt he'd be Mr. 5 by 5 that man can't really jump it for a bad man He only trouble is there's no way of knowing whether he's coming on or going Mr. 5 by 5 he slightly plump on his water side he don't shake it no more from head to toe and he do from side to side

36:44For that man can really jump it for a bad man Boys, the trouble is there's no way of knowing. Whether he's coming on or going, It's the fight, fight, fight. He's my peed doll and he's my feet wide. He's notational more from head to toe than it do. From side to side, Mr. Five by five.

37:44On Capitol Records, Mr. Five by five by Freddie Slack and his orchestra vocal by LMA Morse. With a vocal cameo by the great lyricist and vocalist Johnny Mercer. A number one hit record back in 1942 and thank you Cindy for your kind note. And special congratulations to you Joe for having such a caring daughter. I'm Jeff wrestler and you're listening to the weekly edition of the Make Believe Ballroom. And while we're on the subject of the real Mr. Five by five himself Jimmy rushing. How can I leave the topic without playing one of his songs?

39:38Going to Chicago, sorry that I can't take you. Going to Chicago, sorry that I can't take you. There's nothing in Chicago that a monkey woman can do. When you see me coming, raise your wind ascend. When you see me coming, raise your windag seat. Raise your window high When you see me passing, baby hang your head and fly

40:42Hurry down the shine See what tomorrow brings Hurry down the shine See what tomorrow brings The sun went down Tomorrow brought a dream You don't mean any phone You do things you want not to You don't mean any phone You do things you want not to You've got my brand of money Yes, I'll have to put up with you Count Bay City recorded

41:47Count Bay City recorded Go into Chicago Blues on OK Records April 10, 1941 in Chicago Illinois Jimmy Rushing, a co-writer of that song And one of Jimmy's greatest vocal blues hits Mr. 5x5 himself Jimmy Rushing Let me flip that record over to the B side That OK record and see what we have

45:13The B side 920 Special Count Bay City in his orchestra The B side to go into Chicago Blues This is the Make Believe Ballroom I'm Jeff Brezler, to reach me Jeff at Make Believe BallroomRadio.com And the 30-mail on the program today comes from Lloyd Who listens on KZSM In San Marcos, Texas Just down the road from when I used to live in Kyle in Central Texas And Lloyd writes Hold on, my mouse is frozen I will tell you in a moment what Lloyd writes

46:13He writes Jeff, I am a devoted Tuesday listener to the Make Believe Ballroom I was born in Brighton, England and now teach a Texas State University It makes sense since Texas State is indeed in San Marcos He goes on, one of our greatest treasures in the 1930s and 40s Was the great British musical comedian singer Eucalylei Player recording artist And movie star George Formby His songs like When I'm Cleaning Windows And with my little Eucalylei in my hand Were packed with playful risque wordplay That frequently ran afoul of BBC Sensors But delighted the British public He was idolized by the great comic Benny Hill Who equally as risque song parodies were all a result of his fondness for George Formby

47:14I know he didn't lead a big band Was a renowned jazz musician or vocalist of the era But for nostalgia can you play one of his songs Well thanks Lloyd, of course I will, I too love George Formby And probably have not played any of his music on the Make Believe Ballroom in a number of years So this should be a treat for me, you as well as the audience So let me key one up here Listen for his extremely funny double and tundra lyrics On this record Now I go clean in windows to earn an honest bowl For a nosy parker it's an interesting job

48:16Now it's a job that just suits me A window cleaner you would be if you can see what I can see When I'm clean in windows for nimo nin cobbles too You should see them billencoo You'd be surprised at things they do When I'm clean in windows in my profession I'll work hard but I'll never stop I'll climb this blinking ladder till I get right to the top The blushing bright she looks divine The bright room he is doing fine I'd rather have his job than mine When I'm clean in windows the chamber made sweet names I call It's a wonder I don't fall my mind's not on my work at all When I'm clean in windows I know a fella such a swell He has a thirst that's plain to tell I've seen him drink his bath as well When I'm clean in windows or when my profession I'll work hard but I'll never stop I'll climb this blinking ladder till I get right to the top

49:18But you must lie inside by side Ladies and I, as I have spied of often seen what goes inside When I'm clean in windows Now there's a famous talky queen she looks a flapper on the screen she's more like 80 than 18 When I'm clean in windows she pulls a hair all down behind Then pulls down her nevermind and after that pulls down the blind When I'm clean in windows in my profession I'll work hard but I'll never stop

50:23I'll climb this blinking ladder till I get right to the top An old maid walks around the floor she's so fed up one day I'm sure she'll drag me in and lock the door When I'm clean in windows When I'm clean in windows When I'm clean in windows recorded by George Forb in November of 1936 and banned That's very same month from ever being played on BBC Radio Let's play another one by George Forb, major talent who endlessly played for the troops during World War II Forb increased his, well I guess you would have to call it National Treasure designation for his efforts during the war

51:27Here is Forb with a popular tune Now this is the true ship just leaving from there Bound for old blight is your word Heavenly laden with time expired men Bound for the land they adore This man near them and just finishing his time This man near twerp signing on You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean So cheer up my lad's bless them all Bless them all Bless them all The long and the short and the tall Bless all the sages and W01s Bless all the carplows and their blinking sands Cause we're saying goodbye to them all As back to the village they crawl

52:29You'll get no promotion this side of the ocean So cheer up my lad's bless them all Bless them all Bless them all Bless them all The long and the short and the tall Bless all the centuries with their noblinies They look full of joy as they stand there and freeze And if you ask him how does he feel It's in freeze and brass monkey heel ball But you'll get no promotion this side of the ocean So cheer up my lad's bless them all Never mind, love, never show them this side of them Bless them all Bless them all The long and the short and the tall

53:29Bless all the ATS girls nice and bright Especially the big and I took out last night I just stand on the couple of bricks To kiss a coshy was so tall But she got the notion I wanted promotion So cheer up my lad's bless them all And I should have just a big girl Bless them all Bless them all The long and the short and the tall Bless the ammo who's a doctor we hope When we feel query just hands us some door And it makes us sing run, rabbit run Now where we go to we don't crawl But you'll get no promotion this side of the ocean So cheer up my lad's bless them all

54:29No, what he knows what it's for her to be a pain So cheer up my lad's bless them all The legendary George Formby And thanks so much Lloyd from Asam Marcus Texas And employed by Texas State University For writing and listening to the program On KZSM FM And folks with that we are out of time The big hand on the big boule of o'clock here in the crystal studio Is approaching the top of the hour Thanks so much for joining me today as we go out with Johnny Dodds And his hot six To reach me Jeff at makebelieballroomradio.com That's Jeff at makebelieballroomradio.com For past shows or to record a request Go to makebelieballroom.com

55:29That's makebelieballroom.com Big thanks to our syndicators and distributors For offering the makebelieballroom cost free To commercial free public community and university radio stations They are the public radio exchange PRX The Pacifica Network and global community radio The program's flagship affiliate is jazz90.1 WGMC And Rochester, New York And Bellroom is also heard on your favorite podcast provider So friends until next week This has been Jeff Brezler

57:57Thank you