Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye

Subject: Who was the first to record
From: MARINER
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 06:00 PM

I know that the Platters had the big hit with "Smoke gets in your eyes " but even then it was an old song .Does anyone know if it was recorded by anyone before The Platters ?.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record
From: greg stephens
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 06:01 PM

Back in the 20's, that one. But who first? Interesting question.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record
From: autolycus
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 06:07 PM

'Smoke...' came out 1933.





      I.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 06:08 PM

It was written for the musical Roberta (1933) but I don't know if it was recorded by anyone before The Platters.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 06:13 PM

Who was the first to record

Depends on your definition, but Edison would be a reaonable answer

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record
From: s&r
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 06:59 PM

Kathryn Grayson 1959, but I remember it from the forties

Stu

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record
From: RangerSteve
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 07:04 PM

I had a copy of the original, on cassette tape, but I lost it. It was recorded by the woman (I don't remember her name) who sang it in the original staged version of "Roberta" on Broadway, sometime in the 1930's.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record
From: bobad
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 07:07 PM

Roberta (film version): I Won't Dance
Fred Astaire, vocals
Ginger Rogers, vocals

Performed by:         RKO Studio Orchestra

Conducted by:         Max Steiner

Recording Date:         1935

Produced By:         Lennick, David

From: http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.120827

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record
From: Songster Bob
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 09:11 PM

Didn't the Ink Spots do one of the first a cappella harmony versions?

Bob

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record
From: jeffp
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 09:17 PM

My grandmother had a cigarette lighter with a little music box in it that would play this song. I remember it fondly.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record
From: bobad
Date: 04 Apr 07 - 09:19 PM

Sorry posted wrong entry from: http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.120827

meant to post this one:

Roberta: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Jerome Kern, piano

Performed by:         Eugene Hayes Orchestra

Recording Date:         24 September 1940

Produced By:         Lennick, David

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record
From: 12-stringer
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 12:26 AM

http://www.honkingduck.com/discog/olds_search.php?cs=t&match=smoke+gets+in+your+&ctx=sV0&submit=Literal+Search

This brings up close to 40 78-era recordings, and it's undoubtedly far from complete.

The singer isn't exactly a household name, but this is the earliest recording I can see in the batch:

Selection: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Artist: Gertrude Niessen
Date Recorded: 11/01/33
Recording Label: Victor
Catalog Number: vi24454*
Matrix 1: 78377=1

followed closely by
Selection: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (v Bob Lawrence)
Artist: Paul Whiteman & His Orch
Date Recorded: 11/03/33
Recording Label: Victor
Catalog Number: vi24455*
Matrix 1: 78511=1

There are about a dozen recordings from 11/1933 to 3/1934.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 09:26 AM

Don't know the answer but Herself & I regard the Platters version as "our song".

RtS

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Rasener
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 09:35 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_Gets_in_Your_Eyes

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: MARINER
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 11:23 AM

Thanks all, now ,while we're on the subject of first recordings ,who was the first to record "It's all in the Game"? .I know Tommy Edwards had the big hit in the late 50's and that it was written by some yank politician years earlier but did anyone record it before Tommy?

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: EBarnacle
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 11:31 AM

I believe Hoagie Carnichael was involved in the original production and recorded it independently of the movie.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Rasener
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 01:04 PM

Carl Sigman composed the lyrics in 1951 to fit a wordless 1911 composition entitled "Melody in A Major," written by Charles Dawes, who would later become the Vice President of the United States under Calvin Coolidge. It is thus the only #1 pop single in history to have been cowritten by a U.S. Vice President

Melody in A major was the tune and many bands played the tune

Sammy Kaye looks as though he may have been the first
http://www.amazon.com/Sammy-Kaye-Collection/dp/B00005M0B5#moreAboutThisProduct
, followed by Dina Shore. Tommy Edwards did 2 versions and I think the 2nd version was the big hit.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: PoppaGator
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 02:30 PM

On the subject of pre-war "standards" re-recorded in the '50s in the "doo-wop" style, how 'bout "I Only Have Eyes for You"? The Flamingos' "sh-bop sh-bop" rendition is one of my favorite records ever, featuring a very strange and etherial overall "sound" that has never been equalled before or since, but it started out as something quite different, a fairly normal lighthearted love song, probably (I'm guessing) a musical-comedy show tune.

Then, in a more outlandish vein, there's the famous "Blue Moon." Boy, did my mother hate that record, which was on the radio all the time! (I didn't help matters when I bought the 45 and played it til the grooves wore out...) The doo-woppers took a nice sentimental love song from an earlier era and turned it into something competely different. "Just ruined it!" said Mom...

Reinterpretations of established pop songs was a staple of the whole doo-wop genre. The very first doo-wop record (and, some contend, the first "rock 'n' roll" record") was a now-very-rare 78 release of the well-known standard "Stormy Weather."

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: MARINER
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 03:49 PM

Blue Mooon ,by the Marcels (1961) was one of my favourites of that era, but the whole vocal arrangement they used was a complete rip off of another, older Doo-Wop classic, the title escapes me at the moment .Was it Zoom by ? or Gee by the Crows? As a long time fan of Black American music I should know it but the ol' memory is letting me down . There are those who contend that the first Rock 'n'Roll record was Rocket 88 by Jackie Brentson, others claim it's Fats Domino's The Fat Man ,but who knows? Its all a matter of preference

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Rasener
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 04:08 PM

Now where's that Jerry Rasmaasen when you need an authority on Doo-Wop :-)

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 04:43 PM

While the information is only about the first recording to hit the top 40, Joel Washburn's Pop Memories, 1890-954 is a great source.

SMoke Gets In Your Eyes was recoreded in 1934 by:

   Paul Whiteman who had the number One hit
   Leo Reisman
   Emil Coleman
   Ruth Etting

The next time that the song charted in the top 40 was in 1941m by Artie Shaw.

As for It's All In The Game, the first time that it hit the charts was in 1951 by Tommy Edwards.

Zoom was recorded by the Cadillacs in 1956. And you are genius, Vilan. When the Marcels recorded Blue Moon, they'd just been listening to Zoom, by the Cadillacs and the opening bass line is an exact copy of the one for Zoom. When they auditioned for recording, they sang Zoom, just to showcase their singing and when they were asked to do Blue Moon, they just started out with the classic bass introduction. They got the song in just two takes. Just as well. They only had 8 minutes left of studio time.

Those were the days.

If you love Doo Wop, or just vocal groups, I'd highly recommend American Singing Groups by Jay Warner. It covers the whole spectrum, from the Ink Spots and Modernaires to Manhattan Transfer, and has fascinating stories to tell.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Stringsinger
Date: 05 Apr 07 - 06:18 PM

The musical "Roberta" had a principal player, a little-known actor named Bob Hope.

The movies pretty much recyled a lot of the Broadway showtunes into productions with silly dialogue, paper-thin characters and some of the best singing and dancing ever seen with the likes of Fred Astaire, Ray Bolger, Eleanor Powell, Ruby Keeler and the innovative Busby Berkeley.

Most of the movie songs could be found in earlier Broadway productions.



Frank Hamilton

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Rasener
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 03:35 AM

Sorry Jerry got your surname wrong.

Rasmaasen makes you look like you are Dutch :-)

Les

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Rasener
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 03:37 AM

Oh by the way Jerry

>>Zoom was recorded by the Cadillacs in 1956. And you are genius, Vilan. <<

I think you meant MARINER not me :-)

I still get those CD's out and have a listen.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: wilbyhillbilly
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 04:17 AM

Talking of the fifties, one of my favourites with very happy memories was a version of "Stardust" by Billy Ward and his Dominoes, what a voice, it spent 11 weeks in the UK Charts in 1957.

Now, who recorded that first?


whb

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Muttley
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 04:24 AM

Probably a little off track - but - if we DO find out, can we oganise a time-trip to go back and retro-actively terminate him/her along with the songwriter/composer involved as well.

I have to say I USED to like the song, but in late 1978, we (the graduating class of Phys Ed major students from Coburg Teachers College, Victoria, Australia) were all sitting around for a post-academic year drinks and peanuts at a pub in nearby Preston. On stage was a "pub band" - one of the many doing the rounds in those days doing everything from dance tunes to crooner stuff and through to light and 'Pop' rock material - and they were rehearsing. Unfortunately for our mob they were rehearsing the ". . . [musical lead-in] 'Smoke gets in yoooouuuurrrrr .......[drum roll or something similar].........Eye-ee-yi-ee-yii-eeee-iiiieeeessssssss' thing" and driving us all NUTS for about 35 minites STRAIGHT.

On a positive note: Blue Moon - mentioned by Mariner will ALWAYS be a winner if only for it's use (two versions) in "An American Werewolf in London"

Muttley

And to make it worse, he was singing the whole thing about a half-tone flat with occasional soirees into various sharp and flat notes above AND below the melodic line.

It got to the stage that we were all throwing not just peanuts at him; we were throwing whole PACKETS of them that came complimentary (the PE majors had held there "End of College Year Break-up" there for about 12 years by then and WE were more welcome than the band).

I still wake up in a cold sweat if that memory intrudes on a dream or, like now, in recollecting it. YEEEEEUUCCH!!!

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: MARINER
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 05:01 AM

wilbyhillbilly,
Chances are that the vocals on Billy Ward's hit was the great Jackie Wilson or another great of the era Clyde McPhatter

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: the one
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 05:05 AM

JOAN OF ARK

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Muttley
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 08:41 AM

Dear "The One" - THAT response is probably already (and likely to remain) THE best response / one-liner for the entirety of 2007.

Anyone else out there - - - - - The One has briliantly demonstrated the old adage of 'brevity being the soul of wit'.

It was worth logging on to have the privilege of reading that one.

Muttley

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 09:31 AM

You are a smart man, Mariner... sorry I miss-gave credit on Zoom..
Stardust has an interesting history. Both Clyde McPhatter and Jackie Wilson sang lead with the Dominos at one point early in their career. But, it was Eugene Mumford who sang lead on Stardust.

Back in the Forties, there was a very successful black gospel gospel group called the Selah Jubilee Singers. They recorded for one of the major labels of the time, Decca and were quite successful. Like many of the early black gospel groups, they also sang rhythm and blues and took the name The Larks. There was very little money in any of the singing, so they picked up a few dollars here and there, wherever they could. There is one wonderful story about the Selah Jubille Singers before they became the Larks, where they recorded for four different, small store-front record labels in the same day, recording with a different name for each company.

Their biggest hit as the Larks was My Reverie.. another old pop hit.
You can hear the similarity with Stardust in the lead of Eugene Mumford. After Mumford left the Larks, he not only sang with Billy Ward and His Dominoes, but joind the classic gospel group, The Golden Gate Quartet.

Back to Stardust. Iriving Mills was the first to record the song in 1930. In 1931, it went to number 1 by Isham Jones, and Bing Crosby's recording went to number 3 in the same year. Louis Armstrong also recorded it in 1931. I've always read that it is the most recorded popular song in history.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: MARINER
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 11:47 AM

Thanks for the compliment Jerry .I was ,suppose still am ,very much into Black vocal group/ Rock 'n' Roll music .But the ol' memory is getting rusty .The reason i asked about "Smoke" in the beginning is because a local paper is running an "Original Artists Quiz" and so far many of their answers are wrong. It's probably trivial but it annoys me as someone will accept their answers as the right ones.
This week among the questions asked were who first recorded "Mack the Knife" I just know they are going to say Bobby Darin. Likewise "Smoke", that will be The Platters . I quess the quiz should be called " In the 50s who had the hit with? = ".
Nothing against the Platters by the way,Tony Williams was and still is one of my favourite singers and it puzzles me that his solo career never took off.I have one solo 45 of his called "Sleepless Nights" .I don't think it ever even dented the charts ,not over here in Ireland/England anyway.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 12:10 PM

Mariner: Tony Williams must be one of the most famous voices that people can't put a name to! After leaving The Platters, I believe he made a number of solo recordings and seemed to wish to become a cabaret syle singer. BTW, when all those lists of the greatest popular singers of the 20th century appeared, did Tony get a look in? If not - what an oversight!

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 01:29 PM

Tony Williams only had one single as a solo that got any airplay, over here. It never made the top 40, and I've long since forgotten what the song was. It's always been a path that singers have taken from singing lead with a group, to going out on their own. It rarely works. It didn't work well for Little Anthony, Jimmy Sacca of the Hilltoppers, Al Alberts of The Four Aces or Tony Williams. It certainly worked out better for Dion, Buddy Holly (who continued to record with the Crickets while having a successful start to a solo career) and a couple of old-timers who started in singing groups, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. Donny Osmond had some financial (if not critical) success and Ed Ames of the Ames Brothers made a second-rate indian.

Oh yeah, Michael Jackson did alright, too..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: MARINER
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 01:49 PM

True Jerry, many just vanished when they tried for a solo career and certainly Clyde McPhatter did not get the solo career that he deserved , although he did have a few hits after leaving The Drifters .Another exception to the rule was Ben E.King, who did alright for himself after The Drifters.
I often wondered what became of Jimmy Beaumont of The Skyliners, now there was a singer, at least on "Since I don't have you" .

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Tunesmith
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 02:10 PM

I saw Clyde McPhatter on a package tour of the UK ( 1960?) along with Bobby Darin and Duane Eddy. A great show, and Clyde sang beautifully.

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 02:43 PM

I'll ask my friend and new singer in the Gospel Messengers, Ken Mewes. Jimmy Beaumont was one of the greatest.

Maybe we need a doo wop thread?

Jerry

Subject: RE: Who was the first to record Smoke Gets in your Eye
From: MARINER
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 03:20 PM

Doo- Wop thread ? Good idea