Category Archives: Ballads – Old Standards

Ballads and music from 1920’s through the 1960’s. Great cocktail music.

Why Don’t We Do This More Often

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

“Why Don’t We Do This More Often?” is a popular song written by Allie Wrubel and lyrics by Charles Newman, published in 1941. I am getting use to my new little, Weltmeister Achat 80 Accordion. I just got it and my friends wanted to hear how it sounds. It’s a little guy, but at my age I can’t lift anything much heavier. It sounds pretty nice for a small accordion, but adjusting after using my Roland FR 4X. I love my Roland, but just wanted an acoustic accoordion, too.… Read the rest

When I Take My Sugar to Tea

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

When I Take My Sugar to Tea cover by Pat Walter. An old song from 1931 was used in the Marx Brothers movie, Monkey Business and co-written with Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal. It is a really fun song to play. I used the Bari Sax for the low parts. Thought it was a neat sound on my Roland FR 4X.

… Read the rest

September Song

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

A beautiful song for this time of the year, September. “September Song” is an American standard popular song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Maxwell Anderson. It was introduced by Walter Huston in the 1938 Broadway musical production Knickerbocker Holiday. After being used in the 1950 film September Affair, the song has been recorded by numerous singers and instrumentalists. Thank You to the talented artists and photographers at Pixabay for the beautiful photos. This song makes me want to sit in front of the fireplace and have a glass of wine – thinking about what has happened, what is happening and what will happen.… Read the rest

Chanson D’Amour

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

“Chanson D’Amour” was composed in 1958 by Wayne Shanklin, performed by Art and Dotty Todd. A really fun song to sing, play or dance to. I was in the mood to play and recorded on my USB drive on my accordion. I liked it and decided to use it and not do a live video. I enjoy recording music when I don’t have to look at the camera and can concentrate on the music! LOL I hope you enjoy this old song. Thank You to Pixabay for the great free photos and graphics.… Read the rest

American Patrol

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

American Patrol was always one of my absolute favorites to play in Big Band. We had the Glen Miller Version and there is nothing better than to play a great song with 16 other instruments. Our sax section really burned back in the day. I tried to follow the big band version in my accordion presentation. OK, not perfect, but fun. “American Patrol” is a popular march written by Frank White (F.W.) Meacham in 1885. Glenn Miller’s Orchestra recorded a swing version of the march arranged by Jerry Gray in 1942 which was released as a 78 single on Victor Records.… Read the rest

The Way You Look Tonight

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Another old favorite of mine. Great song to dance to. Wished I had a voice to sing the beautiful lyrics. “The Way You Look Tonight” is a song from the film Swing Time that was performed by Fred Astaire and composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics written by Dorothy Fields. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1936. Fields remarked, “The first time Jerry played that melody for me I went out and started to cry. The release absolutely killed me. I couldn’t stop, it was so beautiful.” Thanks to Pixaby for the wonderful, free photos used in my video. I hope you enjoy it. I loved playing it.… Read the rest

After You’ve Gone

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Pat’s cover of After You’ve Gone by Creamer – Layton, 1914. Didn’t realize it was so old. A Facebook Accordion Friend wanted to hear my little Roland FR 1X. He was thinking about buying one. So I pulled mine out. I had just recently loaded Richard Noel’s sound package for it. The sounds are fantastic, just like my Roland FR 4X. Playing the little guy is like driving a sports car, if you are not use to it. Every movement makes a jerky sounds. LOL I have to practice playing more smoothly, but this gives a good ideal of what it is capable of. I used many of the sounds, but missed a few. Hope you enjoy the old music. Thanks to Pixabay for the wonderful photos.… Read the rest

Hernando’s Hideaway

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Hernando’s Hideaway was from 1954 Broadway play “Pajama Game”. Words and music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. I always had fun playing this tango. I remember my parents who seldom ever did anything since they were not rich, went to NY to see the Pajama Game. Don’t know where the money came from, but I can still see the program they brought back.It was red and ad 2 cartoon characters – a man with PJ bottoms on and a woman with PF tops on. I ended up making the video a bit longer than normal. I was supposed to stop part way thru the 3rd time, but who ever stops in the middle of a tango. I hope it might bring a smile to your face. It was one of those rainy, lonely Covid Saturdays – so I thought I would make a video!… Read the rest

Dearie

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Dearie – a old soft shoe song. I thought it was really old, but it was written in 1950 by Bob Hilliard and Dave Mann. I was practicing it and made a recording. I liked the recording so I decided not to do a live video. I had lots of fun with this one finding all the old photos and illustrations from Pixaby. Thanks to the wonderful artists that share their work for free. I hope you decide to dance a bit with this one.… Read the rest

Those Were The Days

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Those Were the Days. A Facebook friend shared a wonderful recording of his version of the song. I enjoyed it so much I decided to look up the music. I started playing it and had so much fun that I made a video. It is a little newer song from 1968 written by Gene Raskin. Thank You to the great artists at Pixeby for the free graphics. I felt like I was in a time warp working with them. I found some wonderful sounds on the Roland for the song. I hope you enjoy it. I had fun playing it.… Read the rest

Pennies From Heaven

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Pennies From Heaven for a happy thought. Another really oldie that is so much fun to play. “Pennies from Heaven” is a 1936 American popular song with music by Arthur Johnston and lyrics by Johnny Burke. It was introduced by Bing Crosby with Georgie Stoll and his Orchestra in the 1936 film of the same name. The idiom pennies from heaven is an expression that people use to describe unanticipated gifts of money, or other surprises bringing good luck. Thank You to KissClipart for the free graphics.… Read the rest