Origins: The Stuff Is Here Georgia White 1937

Subject: RE: Origins: The Stuff Is Here Georgia White 1937
From: cnd
Date: 03 Feb 22 - 02:15 PM

Note from the Discogs release: Although credited to Eva Taylor this record is actually by Clarence Williams And His Orchestra (and Eva Taylor does not sing on either side).

Subject: RE: Origins: The Stuff Is Here Georgia White 1937
From: cnd
Date: 03 Feb 22 - 02:14 PM

Jim, here are a few links to the Eva Taylor version:

Discogs release (note it credits only Smith-Williams)
YouTube - a song which purports to be The Stuff Is Here -- my quick listen says otherwise (I heard no lyrics?)
Dust To Digital BandCamp purchase link

Subject: Lyr Add: THE STUFF IS HERE (Georgia White)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Feb 22 - 01:27 PM

Songwriting credit (Hill) as given on the record label. This is my transcription, and the line marked [?] is very doubtful.


THE STUFF IS HERE
(Hill)
As recorded by Georgia White, accompanied by piano, bass, and guitar; on Decca 7436 B, 1937.

Close the windows and lock the door.
Start the party going once it’s closed.
Hey, hey, let's all get gay; the stuff is here.

Everybody just pass your glass.
Hope the joke was not too fast.[?]
Hey, hey, let's all get gay; the stuff is here.

Mister piano man, sit down upon that stool.
If you need a helpin’ hand, you’ll be rewarded.
Don’t you feel like a doggone fool?

Close the windows and lock the door.
Take the rug up off the floor.
Hey, hey, let's all get gay; the stuff is here.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE STUFF IS HERE AND IT’S MELLOW (Brown)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Feb 22 - 01:23 PM

I can’t believe we let this pass without documenting the lyrics.
Allegedly this was first recorded by Eva Taylor and Her Boyfriends in 1934, but I have not found an online recording.


THE STUFF IS HERE AND IT’S MELLOW
Words by Walter Bishop, & Clarence Williams; music by Willie “The Lion” Smith.
As recorded by Cleo Brown (vocal and piano), accompanied by guitar, bass, and Gene Krupa on drums; Decca 410 B, 1935.

Lock the windows and close the door,
Start the party up once more!
Hey, hey, let's get gay, 'cause the stuff is here.

Everybody grab a glass,
'Cause the good stuff's ‘bout to pass,
Hey, hey, let's get gay, 'cause the stuff is here.

Piano man falls upon his stool,
Plays that piano like he's nobody's fool.

Everybody grab that glass,
'Cause the good stuff's ‘bout to pass,
Hey, hey, let's get gay, 'cause the stuff is here.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Stuff Is Here Georgia White 1937
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 06 May 11 - 12:44 PM

Thanks 12-stringer

Oh for the days when you could say lets get gay and it mean't being happy.

I always think of Clifford T Wards song called Gaye, which I used to play all the time in my sports car. Wouldn't dream of doing that now :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJazTKgm_s8&feature=related

Subject: RE: Origins: The Stuff Is Here Georgia White 1937
From: 12-stringer
Date: 06 May 11 - 12:02 PM

Although the 78 RPM discography gives the CC as "Gene Krupa," this reference http://www.document-records.com/show_news.asp?articleID=372 (a Cleo Brown discography) names the writers as "Smith - Bishop - Williams" and credits MCA Music as the publisher. Brown's lyrics are the same as White's, so it is the right song.

See, further: http://songwritershalloffame.org/index.php/songs/detailed/C286/P60/ which identifies one of the writers as Clarence Williams. http://www.donaldclarkemusicbox.com/rise-and-fall/detail.php?c=9 also cites these composers, specifying "William Smith" as Willie "The Lion" Smith.

But cf http://books.google.com/books?id=gNF-jRkAzhgC&pg=PR4&lpg=PR4&dq=%22stuff+is+here%22+mca+music&source=bl&ots=_mIf_GdmmI&sig=RLdmr , a 1979 history of MJ in the USA, which acknowledges a 1934 copyright for "The Stuff is Here (Let's Get Gay)" and credits the writers as Alex Hill and J M Williams, publisher Northern Music. I don't know the "Reefer Madness" book and have no idea whether the lyrics quoted are the same as in the Brown and White recordings, though the "Let's Get Gay" (I'm so old I remember when the phrase did not have a sexual connotation) subtitle suggests that it is.

Perhaps it was written by Fats Waller and sold to both sets of claimants for the usual $50?

Subject: RE: Origins: The Stuff Is Here Georgia White 1937
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 06 May 11 - 04:52 AM

Thanks 12 stringer.

Here is the youtube version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNjRsO3mTBI

I have had great difficulty sourcing the origin.

The reason, I need to know is for MCPS fees in the UK for making a CD and one of the artist has recoded this song, but doesn't know the originator.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Stuff Is Here Georgia White 1937
From: 12-stringer
Date: 06 May 11 - 03:54 AM

Several artists recorded the song prior to White. Eva Taylor did it for ARC in 1934, and Mills' Blue Rhythm Band cut an instrumental the same year. Cleo Brown's 1935 Decca recording gives the CC to Gene Krupa, according to the Internet 78RPM Discography. My mp3 doesn't contain any writer information.

I think this is the same song as done by Georgia White a few years later but don't have a copy of her recording on hand. (Mine is on the 1970s Stash vinyl.) The only verse of Brown I'm diligent enough to transcribe this evening is: "Everybody grab that glass/Cause the good stuff's 'bout to pass/Hey hey let's get gay/The stuff is here." There's another verse, plus a III-VI-ii-V break about the piano man on his stool, playing like nobody's fool, but my eyes are a little too bleary to essay typing them.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Stuff Is Here Georgia White 1937
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 05 May 11 - 04:39 PM

Refresh

Subject: Origins: The Stuff Is Here Georgia White 1937
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 05 May 11 - 02:31 AM

Was just wondering if the lady herself wrote this song or somebody else.

Anybody got any idea?

Many thanks