"Rockin' Chair is a 1929 popular song with lyrics and music composed by Hoagy Carmichael. Musically it is unconventional, as after the B section when most popular songs return to A, this song has an A-B-C-A1 structure. Carmichael recorded the song in 1929, 1930, and 1956. Mildred Bailey made it famous by using it as her theme song.[1] Like other 1920s standards, "Rockin' Chair" relied on the stereotypes of minstrelsy, citing "Aunt Harriet" from the anti-Uncle Tom song "Aunt Harriet Becha Stowe" (1853).[2]
| "Rockin' Chair" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Hoagy Carmichael | |
| Recorded | February 19th, 1929 |
| Genre | Jazz |
| Length | 3:36. |
| Songwriter(s) | Hoagy Carmichael |
The song was first recorded on February 19, 1929 by Hoagy Carmichael as a test for Victor Records, but not released at the time. This recording was later released on the Historical label as HLA-37. This version is sung by only one vocalist. Hoagy Carmichael and his Orchestra recorded a new version on May 21, 1930 featuring Bix Beiderbecke on cornet. This second version is with two vocalists (Carmichael and Irving Brodsky) and was released on Victor Records as V-38139B.[3] Louis Armstrong recorded it with Hoagy Carmichael on vocals on December 13, 1929 at Okeh studios after the stock market crashed, giving a badly needed boost to Carmichael's finances. The recording was released as Okeh 8756 in 1930 and became popular in 1932. The song utilises "call and response" to create a dialog between an aged father and his son. Armstrong performed and recorded "Rockin' Chair" numerous times in his career with his trombonist Jack Teagarden.[4] Armstrong's recording history with the song includes a recording from as late as 1971.[5]
Mildred Bailey first recorded the song on August 18, 1932 for Bluebird Records (catalog No. 6945),[6] and later for Vocalion Records (catalog No. 3553). The latter recording was a hit in 1937.[7] She became known as "The Rockin' Chair Lady". Other popular versions in 1932 were by The Mills Brothers, and by Louis Armstrong with Hoagy Carmichael.[8]
Other versions
edit- Paul Robeson (1931).[9]
- Jo Stafford - recorded November 29, 1944, but not issued until 2007.[10]
- Frankie Laine - a single release for Mercury Records (catalog No. 1180), recorded June 7, 1949[11] and later for his album Rockin' (1957)
- Patti Page - Page Two – Sings a Collection of Her Most Famous Songs (1956).[12]
- Kay Starr - Rockin' with Kay (1958).[13]
- The Mills Brothers - The Mills Brothers – Great Hits (1958).[14]
- Ed Townsend released a version of the song on his 1959 album, New in Town.[15]
- Matt Monro - Matt Monro Sings Hoagy Carmichael (1962).[16]
- Lou Rawls - Tobacco Road (1964).
- Harry James recorded a version in 1964 on his album In a Relaxed Mood (MGM E-4274).[17]
- The Band included a Richard Manual-sung cover on their 1969 sophomore album, The Band.
- Maria Muldaur recorded it (with vocal bantering with Carmichael himself)) for her third solo album Sweet Harmony (Reprise, MS-2235, 1976).
- Jerry Garcia and David Grisman Recorded a progressive bluegrass version for their 1991 album Jerry Garcia / David Grisman.
- Crystal Gayle - for her album Crystal Gayle Sings the Heart and Soul of Hoagy Carmichael (1999)
- Rosemary Clooney - Sentimental Journey: The Girl Singer and Her New Big Band (2001)
- Derek Bailey (guitarist) - from his album Ballads (2002)
- Richard Thompson recorded the song on his 1000 Years of Popular Music album. (2003)
- Eric Clapton released his version of the song in 2010 on his self-titled album Clapton.[18]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Wilder, Alec (1999). American Popular Song: The Great Innovators 190>1950. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 374–375. ISBN 0-19-501445-6.
- ^ Brothers, Thomas (2014). Louis Armstrong: Master of Modernism. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company. p. 363. ISBN 978-0-393-06582-4.
- ^ Evans, Philip R. (1998). The Leon Bix Beiderbecke Story. Bakersfield, California: Prelike Press. p. 503. ISBN 0-9665448-0-3.
- ^ 80 Years of Rockin' Chair: http://dippermouth.blogspot.com/2009/12/80-years-of-rockin-chair.html Archived 2016-05-19 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Brothers, Thomas (2014). Louis Armstrong: Master of Modernism. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company. pp. 362–63. ISBN 978-0-393-06582-4.
- ^ "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 41. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 572. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
- ^ "Paul Robeson Discography". cpsr.cs.uchicago.edu/robeson. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "Jo Stafford Discography" (PDF). collections.music.arizona.edu. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ Ed Townsend, New in Town Retrieved August 16, 2016.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "Original versions of Rocking Chair by Eric Clapton | SecondHandSongs".
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