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120680bk MillsBros2 16/3/05 8:18 PM Page 2 1. Sweet Georgia Brown 2:31 9. Lulu’s Back In Town 2:55 17. Caravan 2:43 21. The Yam 2:27 (Ben Bernie–Maceo Pinkard–Kenneth Casey) (Al Dubin–Harry Warren) (Juan Tizol–Duke Ellington–Irving Mills) (Irving Berlin) Decca 380, mx 36806-A Brunswick 02093, mx C 90402-A Brunswick 02452, mx TB 3456-1 Decca 2008, mx 64475-A Recorded 12 September 1934, New York 28 October 1935, Chicago Recorded 17 December 1937, London Recorded 23 August 1938, New York 2. Old Fashioned Love 2:12 10. Sweet And Slow 2:23 18. Flat Foot Floogie 2:59 22. The Lambeth Walk 2:46 (Cecil Mack–James P.Johnson) (Al Dubin–Harry Warren) (Slim Gaillard–Slam Stewart–Bud Green) (Noel Gay–Douglas Furber) Decca 166, mx 38607-A Brunswick 02093, mx C 90403-A With Louis Armstrong Decca 2008, mx 64480-A Recorded 12 September 1934, New York Recorded 28 October 1935, Chicago Decca 1876, mx 63950-A Recorded 23 August 1938, New York Recorded 10 June 1938, New York 3. Miss Otis Regrets 3:14 11. London Rhythm 2:16 Personnel (Cole Porter) (Spencer Williams-Bernard Addison) 19. My Walking Stick 2:42 Tracks 1-10: John, Herbert, Harry and Decca 166, mx 38612-A Brunswick 02284, mx TB 2442-1 (Irving Berlin) Recorded 12 September 1934, New York Recorded 10 September 1936, London With Louis Armstrong Donald Mills, vocal; John Mills, guitar Tracks 11-22: John Mills Sr., Herbert, Harry 4. Sweeter Than Sugar 1:57 12. Solitude 3:06 Decca 1892, mx 63968-A and Donald Mills, vocal; Bernard Addison, (Charles Jefferson Davis–S. Scarborough) (Duke Ellington–Eddie deLange–Irving Mills) Recorded 13 June 1938, New York guitar (tracks 11-15); Norman Brown, guitar Decca 267, mx 38613-A Brunswick 02284, mx TB 2443-1 20. Funicilì Funiculà 2:29 (tracks 16-22) Recorded 12 September 1934, New York Recorded 10 September 1936, London (Luigi Denza) 5. Rockin’ Chair 3:22 13. Swing Is The Thing 2:28 Decca 2029, mx 64223-A Transfers & Production: David Lennick (Hoagy Carmichael) (Johnny Mercer-Rube Bloom) Recorded 20 June 1938, New York Digital Noise Reduction: K&A Productions Decca 167, mx 38640-B Brunswick 02298, mx TB 2444-1 Recorded 14 September 1934, New York Recorded 10 September 1936, London Also available in the Naxos Nostalgia series ... 6. I’ve Found A New Baby 2:45 14. Carry Me Back To Old Virginny 3:00 (Jack Palmer–Spencer Williams) (James A. Bland) Decca 228, mx 38638-A With Louis Armstrong Recorded 14 September 1934, New York Decca 1245, mx 62116-A 7. Some Of These Days 2:34 Recorded 7 April 1937, New York (Shelton Brooks) 15. Darling Nellie Gray 2:43 Decca 228, mx 38637-A (Benjamin R. Hanby) Recorded 14 September 1934, New York With Louis Armstrong 8. Limehouse Blues 2:19 Decca 1245, mx 62117-A (Douglas Furber–Philip Braham) Recorded 7 April 1937, New York Decca 267, mx 38639-A 16. Organ Grinder’s Swing 2:56 Recorded 14 September 1934, New York (Mitchell Parish–Irving Mills–Will Hudson) Brunswick 02460, mx TB 3174-1 8.120546 8.120613 8.120697 Recorded 23 July 1937, London These titles are not available in the U.S.A. 5 8.120680 6 8.120680 120680bk MillsBros2 16/3/05 8:18 PM Page 1 and revivals of vaudeville favourites such as composed “Swing It,Sister” and in Twenty During the immediate post-War period the Decca) was “Queen Of The Senior Prom”, in THE MILLS BROTHERS Vol.2 “Chinatown, My Chinatown” (‘No.10’), the Million Sweethearts (1934, for Warners) they Mills Brothers struck gold with other hits in 1957) and subsequent changes in pop to retain ‘Swing Is The Thing’ Original 1934-1938 Recordings more recent “Sweet Sue, Just You” (at ‘No.8’; revived “Nagasaki”, while in Operator 13 the US Top Ten, including “Across The Alley a substantial nostalgia following into the 21st they would resurrect this later, in the 1942 film (1934; for MGM/Cosmopolitan) they featured From The Alamo”(No.2, 1947), a 1950 No.4 century. By 1958 the Brothers had switched to Rhythm Parade),“It Don’t Mean a Thing If It “Jungle Fever” and the US ‘No.2 hit’“Sleepy revival of the 1931 Harry Ruby standard the Dot label and subsequently gained two Combining the traditional elements of with lifelike imitations of saxophones, Ain’t Got That Swing”(‘No.7’), the bestsellers Head”. The Brothers’ by now global following “Nevertheless” and one final No.1 with “Glow- more US Top 30 entries:“Get A Job” and “Cab vaudeville and barbershop with more recent trumpets, trombones and a variety of other “Rockin’ Chair” and their early signature tune led to European appearances during the worm” (a 1952 Johnny Mercer updating of an Driver” in addition to various albums in the developments in the jazz idiom, with their ‘Four instruments. “Goodbye, Blues” (jointly at ‘No.4’),“I Heard” summers of 1934, 1937 (Organ Grinder’s already familiar tune first heard in a 1902 Paul Top 200 charts. Following Harry’s death in Boys And a Guitar’ billing the Mills Brothers In 1928 the Mills Brothers secured a WLW and “You Rascal,You”(both at ‘No.3’) and “St Swing dates from their London session during Lincke operetta).After that (again for the 1982, Herbert and Donald enlisted a new elevated Negro minstrelsy to new heights.And Radio (Cincinnati) two-year contract for their Louis Blues” and “Bugle Call Rag” (both at that tour) and 1939, while on records they statistically minded) they cut no more Top 10 singer to maintain the trio, and when Herbert while their ‘No Other Instruments except own show. However, they were only with the ‘No.2’). (For these and other early hits, see scored further hits, including I Found A New hits and only “Say ‘Sí,sí’”,“Twice As Much” and died, in 1989, Donald formed a successful duo comb and paper…’ may at times have been less station for ten months before a performance at Naxos 8.120546: ‘Mills Brothers Early Classics’.) Baby (‘No.19’, 1934) and, after their 1937 “The Jones Boy” (all 1953) made the US Top with his own son John III. than accurate, for versatility in contrived a Piqua Opera House gala prompted an The Mills Brothers’ hit records sold globally transfer to the main Decca label, Flat Foot 15. However, by updating the material – if not orchestral imitation (albeit derivative – it owed extended tour of Ohio and neighbouring states. in large numbers and, like other entertainers of Floogie (‘No.20’, 1938, with Louis Armstrong). the formula – they survived the onslaught of Peter Dempsey, 2005 something to the Comedy Harmonists) was In 1930 they were heard and admired by A & R the early talkie era, they also endeared In 1935 the Brothers had made another rock-n-roll (albeit their last actual hit (for nothing less than sensational.They were man Tommy Rockwell, through whose themselves to world audiences via radio and successful screen appearance (in Broadway prolific recording artists whose catalogue of influence they became household names films, beginning with Big Broadcast Of 1932 Gondolier, a Warner Bros musical starring Dick Cover: Original monochrome photo of The Mills Brothers from Miichael Ochs Archives / Redferns. seventy hit records between 1931 and 1968 through regular appearances on the national (for Paramount, 1932; co-starring Bing Crosby, Powell) but in 1936 John Mills Jr. suddenly and From left to right: Herbert, Donald, John and Harry Mills. (including the estimated equivalent of five commercial network in New York’s CBS Kate Smith, Burns and Allen, Cab Calloway and prematurely died and their first instinct was to No.1s between 1931 and 1954) places them programme Rudy Vallee’s Fleishmann’s Yeast the Boswell Sisters) in which they re- disband. However, John Sr. soon filled the high among the most popular vocal groups of Hour. By 1931 the Brothers had signed their introduced “Tiger Rag”. By mid-decade, while breach and remained with the group until he all time. initial contract with Brunswick Records and their smooth close-harmony treatment of such retired, in 1956, and Herbert, Harry and Donald During the mid-1920s the trio of brothers their first disc combined two instant US time-honoured American ‘father’s favourites’ as continued the group as a trio until the 1970s. Herbert, (1912-1989), Harry (1913-1982) and bestsellers (in the pre-Top 30 days, their sales Darling Nellie Gray (composed in 1856 and a After 1937, the effects of the Depression had Donald (1915-1999) would harmonise for their in records, sheet music and radio airings made Mills Bros ‘No.19’ hit in 1937) and Carry Me abated and the Brothers made regular tours own enjoyment at home in their native Piqua, them the estimated equivalent of the chart Back To Old Virginny (composed in 1878) and appeared on radio and records with Bing Ohio. Encouraged by their ballad-singer-turned- positions shown):“Tiger Rag” at ‘No.1’and was widely appreciated via discs and the air- Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald and others.Throughout barber father John Mills Senior (1882-1967) “Nobody’s Sweetheart” at ‘No.4’. waves by more mature listeners, they were the war years they retained their popularity, not they were joined by their elder brother John By 1932, the sales of that record had pandering also to the up-tempo demands of least through their Golden Disc versions of (1911-1936), a talented guitarist who doubled brought them their first Golden Disc and Swing with Swing Is The Thing and similar “Lazy River”,“You Always Hurt The One You with vocal imitations of bass and tuba, and during that year the Brothers followed through fare.At the cinema meanwhile their adoring Love” and “Paper Doll” (their biggest hit of all, appeared together in the Piqua area in dances with “Dinah” (another estimated ‘No.1’, in fans could also view their heroes on the big with sales over six million, after ‘White and vaudeville shows.

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