What Happened in Jersey Didn’t Stay in Jersey

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

Here’s a story about Jimmy McHugh’s I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Baby that not only tickles our fancy, but was a major turning point for Frankie Valli & The 4 Seasons. 

The legendary producer/writer, Bob Crewe, had been recording the group in vain, searching for a hit record. Hoping for inspiration, he would often catch The Seasons perform at a small, out of the way club in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. 

Finally late one night, Crewe glimpsed a side of Frankie Valli he'd never seen before. 

"Frankie did a thing that night that blew me away.” says Bob. ‘He put a bandana over his head, took two maracas and stuck them under his coat (for breasts), and began singing 'I Can't Give You Anything But Love' like (1940s cabaret singer) Nellie Lutcher, with that high voice." 

Frankie Valli & Bob Crewe

From this silly one-off improvised routine Bob suddenly recognized a sound that just might score the group a hit record. 

Crewe continues "I said to (group member and composer) Bob (Gaudio), 'Go write a song for Frankie with that chichi voice, and jump it an octave.'" 

After several false starts, Gaudio came up with an infectious number called Sherry, the first of the band’s 28 Top 20 hits.  

Not only did this unmatched string of hits eventually morph into the international smash musical, Jersey Boys, it also enabled Frankie to not pursue his fallback career choice, becoming a barber!

PS: Jersey Boys features three Jimmy McHugh songs, I’m In The Mood For Love, Moody’s Mood For Love and, of course, I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Baby.

Here’s a link to Frankie Valli & The 4 Seasons performing that tune.

A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening

Jimmy McHugh & Bobby Darin

One summer night in 1959, at The Hollywood Bowl, Bobby Darin headlined a salute to the music of Jimmy McHugh. It was called I Feel a Song Coming On.

The 21-year old wunderkind had just exploded onto the national scene, winning Record of the Year for his breakthrough hit, Mack The Knife, at the first ever Grammy Awards Ceremony.

Bobby sang I Feel A Song Comin' On, On The Sunny Side Of The Street, Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer, I Won't Dance, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night and Let's Get Lost.

Conductor Buddy Bregman led the mammoth 105 piece orchestra, which included a 55 member string section!

Rounding out the salute to Jimmy’s music was Vic Damone and the gorgeous Italian actress and singer Anna Maria Alberghetti. Among the McHugh songs they performed was Can't Get Out Of This Mood, When You and I Were Young Maggie Blues and When My Sugar Walks Down The Street.

The show ended with Jimmy Bobby, Vic and Anna Marie singing A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening.

Indeed it was.

Click to hear:

Bobby Darin/I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Baby

SONG SPOTTING: When My Sugar Walks Down the Street

In his authoritative biography of Jimmy McHugh, author Alyn Shipton writes, “The extraordinary success of When My Sugar Walks Down The Street (1925) gave McHugh his first taste of what it felt like to write a truly popular hit. A melody that was hummed on every street corner.”

We just uncovered this rarely seen clip of Judy Garland performing the song in a scene that was shot for 1954’s A Star Is Born.

The song was intended to be part of Judy’s legendary ‘Born In A Trunk’ sequence.

It was cut out due to intense pressure from Warner Brothers Studios to make the film shorter (so exhibitors could squeeze in more showings each day).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Star_Is_Born_%281954_film%29

EDDIE FISHER: Teen Idol

A pre-rock and roll sensation, Eddie Fisher's strong tenor made him a teen idol and one of the most popular singers of the early 1950s. He had seventeen songs in the Top 10 on the music charts between 1950 and 1956 and thirty-five in the Top 40.


In the Forties, when Fisher was still a ‘boy singer’ with the big bands of Buddy Morrow and Charlie Ventura, he came to the attention of both Jimmy McHugh and the legendary Eddie Cantor. Each had developed an infallible reputation for spotting and guiding new, ‘undiscovered’ talent.
McHugh and Cantor were to become very instrumental in the singer’s meteoric rise of to fame.


Eddie Fisher passed away September 22, 2010.


Eddie’s album, I’m In The Mood For Love, was released in 1952. To Jimmy McHugh’s delight, it was re-released, by popular demand, in 1955.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0279472/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Fisher

Song Spotting: The Strip

THE STRIP: Mickey Rooney’s Mid-Century Musical Melodrama

We hope you’ll get a chance to catch Mickey Rooney in The Strip.

(MGM,1951). It features a very young Vic Damone performing the Jimmy McHugh gem, ‘Don’t Blame Me’.

This black & white potboiler features Mickey as a young drummer returning from service in the Korean War. While restarting his musical career he gets a gig in a Sunset Strip club, meets the love of his life and falls in with a very bad-news gambling syndicate.

The kicker is his supporting cast of musicians, which include Louis Armstrong, Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines and the illustrious jazz trombonist, Bix Beiderbecke.

IMDB: The Strip

Catch Him If You Can

Congratulations to John Proulx who was featured as Michael Feinstein’s special guest this past week at The Music Center of St Cecilia, Nebraska.

John heads up to Toronto before coming to LA for a return engagement at the Vibrato Bar & Grill, October 31, Halloween!

On December 19, you can catch John at Feinstein’s At The Regency, when he will be performing a tribute to Nat King Cole. (including the McHugh classic ‘Too Young To Go Steady.’

PS: That night, John’s trio will include the legendary Bucky Pizzarelli!

• www.johnproulx.com

• www.vibratogrilljazz.com

• www.feinsteinsattheregency.com

Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook

The brilliant series Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook

is certain to be a favorite of PBS Television audiences for years to come.

Michael’s vast musical knowledge combined with his love of the Great American Songbook makes the series a must see. 

Click below to check your local listings for upcoming airings

• PBS.org: Michael Feinstein's American Songbook

• www.michaelfeinstein.com

Don't (Ever) Spare The ROD!

ROD STEWART 

Does it again with 

THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK VOL. 5

featuring the 

Jimmy McHugh Classic

‘ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET’

We salute CLIVE DAVIS, J RECORDS and The RCA Music Group for continuing to bring the classic music of the Twentieth Century to new audiences around the world.

• www.rodstewart.com

• www.rcamusicgroup.com

• Amazon: Rod Stewart The Great American Songbook Volume V

More about Nikki

Nikki Yanofsky zoomed into LA last week for a show-stopping SRO appearance at the Catalina Bar & Grill. Quincy Jones made a surprise appearance to introduce the sixteen year old sensation. Needless to say, her ‘On The Sunny Side Of The Street’ is a show-stopper.

Nikki’s ‘On The Sunny Side Of The Street’

• www.nikkionline.ca

Jimmy McHugh Song Spotting #3

‘Don’t Blame Me’ from ‘Two Weeks In Another Town’

A terrific look inside the film business, directed by Oscar © Winner Vincente Minnelli and starring Academy Award © recipients Kirk Douglas, Edward G Robinson and Clair Trevor.

In the film, the song is performed by singer Leslie Uggams, who said:

‘The movie starred Kirk Douglas; I sang his favorite song in it, “Don’t Blame Me.” Liza got me the movie, directed by her dad, Vincente Minnelli. What a friend!’

CLICK HERE FOR MORE:

•To Weeks In Another Town 1962 TCM

•IMDB

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By The Way…

There are THREE JIMMY MCHUGH Titles in

ASCAP’s list of the 100 MOST RECORDED SONGS:

I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE, BABY

ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET

I'M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE

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"I Feel A Song Coming On" Biography Featured in Leonard Maltin's Book List

Leonard Maltin included I Feel a Song Coming On in his Year End Book Survey on his website Movie Crazy.