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Ben Homer

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #117: Shoot The Sherbert To Me Herbert

29.05.2012 by Chris

Last weekend, I was teaching with Ulla Wingenfelder at Froggy Whitsun in Dortmund, Germany. While preparing a musicality class, I rediscovered a song that we found in her music library. I have no idea, why I didn't have this beautiful tune in MY library… 😉

Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey

Shoot The Sherbert To Me Herbert

The title could also be found under the name “Shoot The Sherbet To Me Herbert”. I was asking myself, what the title could mean so I was doing some research on the internet. In an news archive, I found an article with the following text:

[…] it appears to just be hipster talk, along with the trend of the day for nonsensical rhyming titles. The “sherbert” in question is said to be slang for the trumpet, or the musical part played by the trumpet. The lyrics are pretty much just the title being repeated.

The song was written by composer and arranger Ben Homer, who also wrote such famous titles as “Sentimental Journey” and “Bizet Has His Day”. The song was recorded several times in 1939, but the version by Tommy Dorsey is my favorite one.

Shoot The Sherbert To Me Herbert is great for Lindy Hop and for Balboa, where slower tempos are needed (classes, workshops).


[easyazon-image align=”left” asin=”B003O6QEFM” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51LR%2BVW62eL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]Title: [easyazon-link asin=”B003O6TOJA” locale=”us”]Shoot The Sherbert To Me Herbert[/easyazon-link]
Artist: Tommy Dorsey & His Clambake 7
Recorded: August 28, 1939
Album: [easyazon-link asin=”B003O6QEFM” locale=”us”]The Ultimate Collection[/easyazon-link]
Tempo: 145 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop, Balboa



Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ・ iTunes US ・ [easyazon-link asin=”B003O6PXTU” locale=”de”]Amazon.de[/easyazon-link]・ [easyazon-link asin=”B003O6TOJA” locale=”us”]A'zon.com[/easyazon-link] ・ [easyazon-link asin=”B003O5ZTAY” locale=”uk”]A'zon.co.uk[/easyazon-link] ・ emusic


Do you like this version? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“.
You can find the songs also on my Spotify playlist or on 8tracks.

Related Songs:

Song of the Week #24: “I've Found A New Baby” by Tommy Dorsey
Song of the Week #116: “Paramour” by Gordon Webster feat. Naomi Uyama
Song of the Week #115: “Five O’Clock Blues” by Jimmy Yancey
Song of the Week #114: “Smiles” by Benny Goodman Quartet
Song of the Week #113: “Ridin' And Jivin'” by Earl Hines


[catalyst_hook_box name=”adboxsotwbottom”]

Filed Under: Music, Song of the Week Tagged With: Balboa, Ben Homer, DJ Chrisbe, Lindy Hop, Tommy Dorsey

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #82: Bizet Has His Day

26.09.2011 by Chris

Many songs from the swing era were inspired by melodies from other genres. Bizet Has His Day has its origin in classical music and how the title tells us, a piece by the composer Georges Bizet. Basis is “Farandole” from L'Arlésienne-Suite.

Here is a clip I've found on YouTube:
Farandole performed by Deutsch-Niederländische KammerPhilharmonie



The swing version was adapted and arranged by Ben Homer. In 1940 he became a staff composer for band leader Les Brown (14.03.1912-04.01.2001). The latter led a first-class jazz-oriented dance band for over 60 years.

Scott Yanow & Bruce Eder are writing on allmusic: “Les Brown's music was never innovative but was generally quite pleasing.”

Of course it's not innovative to take an existing melody, but Bizet Has His Day is for sure a successful transformation into a great danceable swing tune! In addition, the tempo is very comfortable for Lindy Hop dancers.


DJ Chrisbe's Song of the Week #82: Bizet Has His Day by Les Brown & His Band Of RenownTitle: Bizet Has His Day
Artist: Les Brown & His Band Of Renown
Recorded: 1945 (?)
Album: The Les Brown Story
Tempo: 155 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop



Click the link to prelisten and/or buy the song (mp3/mp4a) at
iTunes — Amazon.de (CH/D/A) — Amazon.com — eMusic*

*not an eMusic member yet? Get 25 Songs with Your 7 Day FREE Trial!


Do you like this song? Do you like the series? Please leave a comment!


Every Monday, I post a new “Song of the Week“.

Sign up now for DJ Chrisbe's free resources emails for more music tips and swing DJ resources!

Related posts:

Song of the Week #81: “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” by Duke Ellington
Song of the Week #80: “Shout, Sister, Shout!” by Sister Rosetta Tharpe & Lucky Millinder
Song of the Week #79: “Buns Blues” by Count Basie & Oscar Peterson
Song of the Week #78: “Savage Serenade” by Adrian Rollini & His Orchestra
Song of the Week #77: “A Viper’s Moan” by Willie Bryant

If you enjoyed this post, please tweet, “like”, +1, or share it. Thank you!

Filed Under: Music, Song of the Week Tagged With: Ben Homer, DJ Chrisbe, Georges Bizet, Les Brown, Lindy Hop, Swing

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Welcome, I'm Christian Bossert. Since 1999, I‘ve been passionate about Swing dances as well as their culture and history. I‘m a Swing dance instructor and international Swing DJ Chrisbe, based in Zurich Switzerland. Read More…

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