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Dr. Zarkov’s Tiki Lounge 1-16-19 Jimmy Van Heusen

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Dr. Zarkov’s Tiki Lounge January 16, 2019

On this week’s Dr. Zarkov’s Tiki Lounge radio show we celebrated the life and works of Jimmy Van Heusen, who contributed some of the most delightful tunes to grace the mid-century scene. Born on January 26, 1913 and having departed this mortal coil on February 6, 1990, his birth name was Edward Chester Babcock but at age 16 he changed it to the name of the famous shirtmaker when he began performing on radio. In addition to writing for Broadway his songs have appeared in over 180 movies and four of them won Academy Awards Throughout his career he penned a total of more than 800 songs, 50 of which are considered standards.

Dr. Zarkov’s Tiki Lounge is broadcast on Wednesdays, 5-6 pm EDT at: http://www.radiofairfax.org The show is broadcast live; no recorded shows are archived. Some fans choose to record it on their computers to listen to later. Radio Fairfax also can be heard on Tune In Radio at tunein.com, and can be streamed on smartphones by downloading the Tunein app. It also can be streamed on Roku and Google TV at: http://tinyurl.com/3uqfsz9

  1. “Sunday, Monday or Always,” the 1943 song with lyrics by Johnny Burke, sung by Bing Crosby accompanied only by the Ken Darby Singers because of the musicians’ union recording ban, found on Der Bingle’s Box Set: Easy to Remember.

  2. “All the Way,” featuring words by Sammy Cahn for the 1957 Frank Sinatra movie: The Joker Is Wild, sung by Billie Holiday on her album: Love Songs.

  3. “Deep in a Dream,” the 1938 song by Eddie DeLange and Jimmy Van Heusen, sung by a 22-year-old Ella Fitzgerald in 1939 live at the Savoy Ballroom with drummer Chick Webb’s orchestra, taken from his historic CD: Standing Tall.

  4. The 1940 song by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke, “Imagination” recorded in 1960 by Helen Humes for her LP: Songs I Like to Sing! With Art Pepper on Alto Sax, Ben Webster and Teddy Edwards on Tenor Saxes, Bill Hood on Baritone Sax, Andre Previn on Piano, Barney Kessel on Guitar, Leory Vinnegar on Bass and Shelly Manne on Drums.

  5. “Call Me Irresponsible,” the song Van Heusen with lyrics by Sammy Cahn for the 1963 movie: Papa’s Delicate Condition performed by Bobby Darin and found on the copious collection: Wild, Cool & Swingin’ Too – Ultra Lounge No. 15.

  6. “Aren't You Glad You're You?” the 1945 with words by Johnny Burke, recorded by June Christy on her 1960 LP for children: “Cool School” with Joe Castro’s Quartet, arranged by her husband Bob Cooper.

  7. “Like Someone in Love,” with lyrics also written by Johnny Burke for the 1944 Gypsy Rose Lee, Dinah Shore and Randolph Scott Movie: Belle of the Yukon, recorded in 1957 by the singer Blossom Dearie for her LP: Give Him the Ooh-La-La, accompanying herself on Piano with Herb Ellis on Guitar; Ray Brown on Bass; and Jo Jones on Drums.

  8. “I Couldn't Care Less,” with words contributed by Sammy Cahn, recorded in 1959 by Carmen McRae for her LP: Something to Swing About, with the orchestra arranged and conducted by Ernie Wilkins, including Dick Katz on Piano; Art Farmer on Trumpet, Jimmy Cleveland on Trombone and Phil Woods on Alto Sax.

  9. “But Beautiful,” once again composed by dynamical duopoly of Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for the 1947 Bob Hope and Bing Crosby Movie: The Road to Rio, where it was introduced by Dorothy Lamour, taken here from the 1975 LP: The Tony Bennett – Bill Evans Album.

  10. “I Thought About You,” the 1939 song by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Mercer, recorded in 1958 by Johnny Hartman with the band conducted by Rudy Taylor and featured as an extra on Hartmann’s CD version of his 1966 album: I Love Everybody.

  11. “All My Tomorrows” composed by lyricist Sammy Cahn and Van Heusen for the 1959 Frank Sinatra Movie: A Hole in the Head, sung by Nancy Wilson on her 1963 album: Yesterday's Love Songs Today's Blues, with the orchestra arranged and conducted by Gerald Wilson, including Jack Wilson on Piano, Paul Horn on Alto Sax, Harold Land on Tenor Sax, Al Porcino on Trumpet, Joe Pass on Guitar, Jimmy Bond on Bass and Kenny Dennis on Drums.

  12. “Come Dance With Me,” also composed in 1959 by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen for Frank Sinatra, taken from his anthemical anthology: Classic Sinatra – His Greatest Performances 1953-1960, with the orchestra arranged and conducted by Billy May.

  13. “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke, which became Sinatra’s first big hit with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in 1940, sung here by Sarah Vaughan on her 1954 LP: Swingin’ Easy, accompanied by John Malachi on Piano; Joe Benjamin on Bass; and Roy Haynes on Drums.

  14. “Swingin’ on a Star,” also composed by Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for the 1944 Bing Crosby movie: Going My Way, recorded in 1960 by Mark Murphy for his album: Playing the Field.

  15. “It Could Happen to You,” written by Van Heusen and Burke for the 1944 movie musical comedy: And The Angels Sing, where it was introduced by Dorothy Lamour and Fred MacMurray, sung here by Anita O'Day on her 1960 LP: Incomparable! arranged and conducted by Bill Holman.

  16. “Nancy (With the Laughing Face),” by Phil Silvers and Jimmy Van Heusen, which Frank Sinatra mistakenly believed was composed in honor of his new baby girl when the two writers played it for her, but never had the heart to tell him that they had been playing for years for their friends’ new baby daughters, using those girls’ names. This version is by Kurt Elling from his CD: Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the music of Coltrane and Hartman, with Laurence Hobgood on Piano, Ernie Watts on Tenor Sax, Clark Sommers on Bass, Ulysses Owens on Drums; and the Ethel String Quartet, recorded live at Lincoln Center as part of its American Songbook Series. Concord Records, 2009. (4:56)

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