Old fashioned songs in the 21st century
Julie sings The Banks of Inverary, from the Southern Harvest collection of songs from the Hammond and Gardiner manuscripts; we were introduced to this great book by our friend Nick Dow, who was heavily involved in its editing and production. This particular song was collected from Robert Barratt of Piddletown, Dorset in 1905.
We hope you enjoy the song!
Moonlight Serenade. It’s an American swing-era popular song originally composed as a band piece by Glenn Miller. Mitchell Parish added the lyrics later. It’s just made for a voice like Julie’s, but it’s also a Jeffries duet concertina favourite of mine. I wonder whether it ever played this particular number in the hands of an earlier owner…
A striking version of the Golden Vanity that Fred Hamer collected in Oxfordshire from a Miss A Bidder, who in turn learned it from her grandmother, who lived on the Isle of Dogs, London.
Julie learned Polly Vaughan from AL Lloyd’s book for children, The Golden City.
The Pride of Kildare, which Gav learned from a recording of Pop Maynard.
Stormy Weather is a torch song written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. It was a big hit at Harlem’s Cotton Club; such a big hit in fact that when the floor revue from the Cotton Club went on tour the show was called The Stormy Weather Revue. If it makes you skippity-skip around your kitchen, take care don’t spill anything hot!