Category Archives: Big Band-Swing

Big Band Standards and Swing Music from 1940’s – 1950’s

Round and Round

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Round and Round. A fun impromptu video. A boring and lonely Saturday night, so Mr. Roland said open a book – to any page. Quickly saw Round and Round pop up. So we were off and dancing awaying. A really fun song. I remember listening to it many times when it was a Perry Como hit. Sing along, dance along and enjoy the bebop scatt singers. “Round and Round” is a popular song by Joe Shapiro and Lou Stallman published in 1956. A version of the song was recorded by Perry Como for RCA Victor on January 15, 1957 and was a big hit that year.… Read the rest

Sugartime 2021

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Sugartime played by Pat Walter with her Roland FR 4X Digital Accordion recorded on Jun 3, 2020. I thought I would give it a little facelift and share it a year later. At least I know what I was doing that day last year besides sitting by myself and worrying about Covid. “Sugartime” is a popular song written by Charlie Phillips and Odis Echols, and published in 1957. The biggest hit version was by the McGuire Sisters, whose recording of it topped the Most Played chart in February 1958… Read the rest

Back In The Saddle Again

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Back In The Saddle Again. Have to give Gene Autry a chance since we visited Roy Rogers and Dale Evens yesterday. Another great old song. I had to pay $1.99 to buy this one, too. Of the thousands of songs I have, this one was also missing. I really wanted it to be a slow Clippity Cloppity beat, but somewhere in my inner child, she would not have that. LOL It ended up as a Bibbidi Boppidi song. I hope you enjoy this great song from the past. “Back in the Saddle Again” was the signature song of American cowboy entertainer Gene Autry. It was co-written by Autry with Ray Whitley and first released in 1939. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as fifth of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.… Read the rest

Alley Cat

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Alley Cat. A fun song to play and clap your hands or tap your feet to. I don’t think there was ever a job we played that we didn’t play this. It is a real crowd pleaser. So I though my personal friends will like it since most are not into playing music – but love to listen to old songs they know. The strange note 3rd from the end is when my dog barked at me and surprised me! Everyone’s a critic! “Alley Cat”, also known as “Alleycat” and “The Alley Cat,” is a popular instrumental song made most famous by the Danish pianist and composer Bent Fabric, released in 1962. Fabric (born Bent Fabricius-Bjerre) wrote the tune under the pseudonym Frank Björn. The song was originally released in November, 1961, under the Danish title “Omkring et flygel,” which means “Around a Piano.”… Read the rest

Fancy Pants

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Fancy Pants. I had more fun playing this song and making the video than a kid in a candy store with a ten dollar bill! So much fun to play. I used the Jazz Scat voices and my trusty tuba. Al Hirt played it up beat and almost Herb Alpert style. I hadn’t listened to the original, so I ended up with an bit slower version. I hope you enjoy the music and you want to clap your hands or dance about a bit. “Fancy Pants” is a song written by Floyd Cramer and was recorded by Al Hirt for his 1965 album, That Honey Horn Sound.… Read the rest

These Foolish Things

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

These Foolish Things played with my new (slightly used) Petosa Little Pro. Actually his full name is Vampire Petosa Little Pro Piano Accordion LMM 26 72. I have problems lifting the heavy accordions, so I though I would get something smaller. Like my Old Age Insurance Plan so I can keep playing for a few more years. It weighs 14.5 lbs Yes, it is small with only 2 + octaves, but in real life, has a wonderful sound for a little guy. I don’t bounce octaves that much and play with chords, so it sounds pretty good. The challenge is learning to play on a short keyboard, sound good with sold chords and play smoothly. Thought it might be nice to use at a nursing home instead of carrying a larger accordion. Yes, I give up a bit on sound quality, but my back doesn’t hurt after I play. LOL… Read the rest

Undecided

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Undecided. I am dedicating this to Spring! Hopefully, it will decide to arrive soon. I invite you sing along with me – no words, just doo, do – da, da! The words were missing on my music, so I decided to just sing with the chorus. So much more fun than trying to remember or read words. This is what I usually do when I am playing, no need for words – just a humming along. LOL Undecided was written by S. Robin and C. Shavers in 1938.… Read the rest

Chattanoogo Choo Choo

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Chattanooga Choo Choo. I have been going clickity clackity down the tracks with this since I did the Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy. Normally, we always played it upbeat and fairly fast as it was originally recorded. But I was sipping my wine at dinner tonight and thought – let’s slow the train down! So wine glass and all I was soon aboard – slowly chugging down the track. It’s not perfect, but I had a lot of fun playing it at this slower pace. Hopefully you the train ride. “Chattanooga Choo Choo” written by Mack Gordon and composed by Harry Warren in 1941. It was originally recorded as a big band/swing tune by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra and featured in the 1941 movie Sun Valley Serenade. It was the first song to receive a gold record, presented by RCA Victor in 1942, for sales of 1.2 million copies.… Read the rest

Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy (also known as “Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy”) . I thought I would go for energy and fun today. Change of pace. Tap your foot, clap your hands or dance. Always a fun song to play. It is from 1950 and written by Harry Stone and Jack Stapp. I hope it might bring a smile to your face.… Read the rest

A Swingin’ Safari

Accordion Player Pat Posted on by

A Swingin’ Safari written by Bert Kaempfert in 1962. A fun song to play. I definitely remember hearing this one the radio and TV back in my old days. Mr. Roland did a good job with some of his many, wonderful sounds. I hope it will bring a smile to your face and get your foot tapping. You can even get up and dance, I did when proofing the video. LOL… Read the rest