LOUIS ARMSTRONG big

LOUIS ARMSTRONG - "Big Butter and Egg Man" and "When it's Sleepytime Down South" (two-sided shellac test). "Big Butter and Egg Man" was a 1926 jazz song written by Percy Venable. Venable was a record producer at the Sunset Cafe and wrote the song for Louis Armstrong and singer May Alix. The song is often played by Dixieland bands, and is considered a jazz standard. According to pianist Earl Hines, Alix would often tease the young Armstrong during performances. Armstrong was known to be timid, and had a crush on the beautiful vocalist. At times, Armstrong would forget the lyrics and just stare at Alix, and band members would shout "Hold it, Louis! Hold it." Armstrong's utterly confident cornet solo on the 1926 recording is one of his most highly acclaimed performances. The song name was a 1920s slang term for a big spender, a traveling businessman in the habit of spending large amounts of money in nightclubs. The song is also known as "I Want a Big Butter and Egg Man" or "Big Butter and Egg Man from the West".

• "I'll Walk Alone" and "Kiss of Fire" -- two-sided shellac test pressing, with "Kiss of Fire" adapted from 'El Choclo' (Lester Allen–Robert Hill) Decca 28177, [Master 82703]. Recorded April 19, 1952, Denver, Colorado  -- I touch your lips and all at once the sparks go flying, Those devil lips that know so well the art of lying. And though I see the danger, still the flame grows higher, I know I must surrender to your kiss of fire. In anyone else's hands, the ancient tango Kiss Of Fire would have sounded ludicrous, but Satch gives it the same light-hearted treatment Fats Waller might have given it. Had he heard it, Waller would have nodded in approval of Louis' tag: 'Ah, boin (burn) me!'
  -- "I'll Walk Alone" is recorded the same date (April 19, 1952) in Denver, CO (Styne; Cahn) [master 82702] -- Decca 28177. Armstrong, Louis (Trumpet, Vocal), Phillips, Russ (Trombone), Bigard, Barney (Clarinet), Ruffell, Donald (Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone), Napoleon, Marty (Piano), Jones, Dale (Bass), Cole, Cozy (Drums).
• --- LOUIS ARMSTRONG - "I Dream of Jeanie" and "Indian Love Call" (two-sided shellac test). "I Dream of Jeanie" was written by Stephen Foster, originally titled "I Dream of Jenny with the Light Brown Hair." Jenny was the nickname of Stephen Foster's wife to whom - with whom he had an unhappy on-again marriage. And he wrote this when they were estranged, or - it's a little bit unclear - or possibly, just gotten back together again. I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair. Borne like a vapor on the summer air. I see her tripping where the bright streams play, happy as the daisies that dance on her way. Many were the wild notes her merry voice would pour. Many were the blithe birds that warbled them o'er.
  >>> A genuine Decca 78rpm record with "Indian Love Call" and "Jeanine" by Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra.
   -- "Indian Love Call" was recorded by Louis Armstrong and Gordon Jenkins & his Orchestra. Written by Rudolf Friml, Herbert Stothart, Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II. Recorded on November 28, 1951 in Los Angeles: Louis Armstrong, trumpet, vocal; Chris Griffin, George Thow, Bruce Hudson, trumpet; Eddie Miller, Dent Eckels, tenor saxophone; Charles LaVere, piano; Allan Reuss, guitar; Phil Stephens, bass; Nick Fatool, drums; Unknown strings, Gordon Jenkins (arranger, conductor). Originally released on Decca 28076. "Indian Love Call" wasn't the type of song Louis was going to start performing live with the All Stars. Also, it doesn't appear to have made any waves on the charts, either. But on June 8, 1952, over six months after the studio recording, Louis performed it on "The U. S. Royal Showcase," an NBC television show with a studio band conducted for the occasion by Gordon Jenkins. This performance was never issued commercially but it is a fantastic little rarity.
• --- LOUIS ARMSTRONG - "I Get Ideas" and "It's All in the Game" (two-sided shellac test). The song, "I Get Ideas" was originally a tango-cancion (music with lyrics) called "Adios, Muchachos", composed by Julio Cesar Sanders (often credited in the U.S. as "Lenny Sanders"). The recording bywas recorded on July 24, 1951 and released by as catalog number 27720. It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on August 24, 1951 and lasted 16 weeks on the chart, peaking at #13. It was the flip side to "A Kiss to Build A Dream On."
  -- "It's All in the Game" was a jazz arrangement was recorded by Louis Armstrong (vocals) and arranger Gordon Jenkins, with "some of Armstrong's most honey-tinged singing." Carl Sigman composed the lyrics in 1951 to a wordless 1911 composition entitled "Melody in A Minor," written by Charles Dawes, later VP of the United States under Calvin Coolidge. It is the only #1 pop single (a 1958 #1 hit for Tommy Edwards) to have been co-written by a U.S. Vice President.