Swing

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #148: Tu Vuò Fà L’Americano

31.12.2012 by Chris

Currently, I'm at The Snowball in Stockholm Sweden and I'm one of the main DJs here. Most of the times, I'm DJ'ing for Balboa dancers.

This song is quite new in my library and always when I spin it, a few dancers wanna know the details about it.

I'm more than happy to share it in my weekly series. My thanks go to David Knoll, a swing and tango dancer in Zürich, who brought this tune to my attention.

Tu Vuò Fà L'Americano

About the song, taken from Wikipedia:

“Tu vuò fà l'americano” (English: “You want to do American”, or more idiomatically, “You're an American wannabe”) is a Neapolitan language song by Italian singer Renato Carosone.

Carosone wrote the song in collaboration with Nicola “Nisa” Salerno in 1956. Combining swing and jazz, it became one of his best-known songs. Commissioned by Ricordi director Rapetti for a radio contest, the music was composed by Carosone in a very short time after reading Nisa's lyrics; he immediately believed the song would become a great success.

Carosone's original version of the song was performed by him in the film Totò, Peppino e le fanatiche (directed by Mario Mattoli, 1958). The song was featured in the 1960 Melville Shavelson film It Started in Naples, in which it was sung by Sofia Loren. It was also performed by Rosario Fiorello in the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley.

The lyrics are about an Italian who imitates the contemporary American lifestyle and acts like a Yankee, drinking whisky and soda, dancing to rock ‘n roll, playing baseball and smoking Camel cigarettes, but who still depends on his parents for money. The song is generally considered to be a satire on the process of Americanization that occurred in the early post-war years, when southern Italy was still a rural, traditional society.

Well, the lyrics you have to find somewhere else since this version by the German Jazz and World Music quartet Quadro Nuevo (founded in 1996) is an instrumental one.

Title: Tu Vuo' Fa' L'americano
Artist: Quadro Nuevo
Recorded: 2002
Album: Canzone Della Strada
Tempo: 194 bpm
Dance: Balboa

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes EU ･ iTunes US ･ Amazon DE ･ Amazon US ･ Amazon UK

What do you think about this version? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #145: Organ Grinder’s Swing

10.12.2012 by Chris

I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of “a capella” style of jazz, but this here is a nice version by The Mills Brothers.

The Mills Brothers

The Mills Brothers, originally billed as “Four Boys and a Guitar” were an American jazz and pop vocal quartet that had grew into one of the longest-lasting oldies acts in American popular music. They made more than 2'000 recordings that combined sold more than 50 million copies.

The four brothers were John, Jr., (born in 1910), Herbert (1912), Harry (1913), and Donald (1915). Their father owned a barber shop and founded a barbershop quartet as well, called the Four Kings of Harmony. His sons obviously learned their close harmonies first-hand, and began performing around the area.

At one show, Harry Mills forgot his kazoo – the group's usual accompaniment – and ended up trying to emulate the instrument by cupping his hand over his mouth.

The brothers were surprised to hear the sound of a trumpet proceeding from Harry's mouth, so they began to work the novelty into their act, with John taking tuba, Donald trombone, and Herbert a second trumpet.

The act was perfect for vaudeville, and the Mills Brothers also began broadcasting over a Cincinnati radio station during the late 1920s.

After moving to New York, the group became a sensation and hit it big during 1931 and early 1932 with the singles “Tiger Rag” and “Dinah”.

Dumbfounded listeners hardly believed the notice accompanying the records: “No musical instruments or mechanical devices used on this recording other than one guitar.”

Though the primitive audio of the era lent them a bit of latitude, the Mills Brothers indeed sounded exactly like they'd been backed by a small studio band.

John, Jr.'s sudden death in 1936 was a huge blow to the group, but father John, Sr. took over as bass singer and Bernard Addison became the group's guitarist.

Read the full biography at allmusic.com.

Organ Grinder's Swing

A simple and minimal but oh so swinging version.

Title: Organ Grinder's Swing
Artist: The Mills Brothers
Recorded: 1937
Album: The Mills Brothers (1930's) Vol 3
Tempo: 150 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes EU ･ iTunes US ･ Amazon DE ･ Amazon US ･ Amazon UK ･ emusic

What do you think about this song? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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

30 Week Lindy Hop Challenge: Your Swing Shoes

23.11.2012 by Chris

Every Friday for thirty weeks, I will write about a topic from the list of the
“30 Week Lindy Hop Challenge“.

Finally a topic that I really like 😉

Week #20: My Collection Of Swing Shoes

Nothing to say right now, here's a picture

In the middle: Remix Moccasin stitch lace-up buck.

From left clockwise: Aris Allen Brown Captoe, Aris Allen All White Wingtip Oxford, Aris Allen White Captoe, Aris Allen White Captoe (brandnew), Keds Red Champions Originals, Aris Allen Black Captoe and another Aris Allen White Captoe

Not on the picture: Stacy Adams Brown Madison.

Remarks:

Remix Moccasin: Unfortunately, my feet are not built for those shoes, so I never wear them for dancing, and rarely for other occasions. One day, I will buy the Classic Captoe Oxford in white/brown, they are so beautiful!
Aris Allen Captoe: The white ones are obviously my favorite ones, I bought the brown and the black models from a dance buddy to have a color alternative, but mostly I'm using the white ones anyway. Aris Allen have a great value-for-money ratio, although I have to glue the heel leather up to three times during their lifetime…
Aris Allen Wingtip Oxford: When they came out, I wanted to have them because of the design.
Keds: This year I eventually bought my first pair of Keds and I really like them. I'm using them with the original rubber sole but most likely I'll let them resole with leather.
Stacy Adams: Nice shoes, I should wear them more often.

« Previous: #19 That Move That Eludes You
» Next: #21 Favorite Outfit To Wear Dancing

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #136: There Ain’t No Sweet Man That’s Worth The Salt Of My Tears

08.10.2012 by Chris

The longest title ever for a “Song of the Week”!

When I started dancing Lindy Hop in 1999, “Frim Fram Sauce” by Canadian singer and pianist Diana Krall (* Nov. 16, 1964) was one of the songs that were played all the time on the dance floor.

At the beginning of October 2012, Krall released her 11th album “Glad Rag Doll” and it sounds completely different. The album features songs from the 1920s and 1930s.

The sexy album cover – which of course is related to the topic and the song choices of the album (or just a clever move by the marketing department?) – created a lot of buzz months before the album was released.

Diana Krall & T Bone Burnett about Glad Rag Doll

Elvis Costello interviews his wife Diana Krall and record producer T Bone Burnett about “Glad Rag Doll”.

“Glad Rag Doll” is not typical swing album, but there are a few songs that work great for swing dancing.

There Ain't No Sweet Man That's Worth The Salt Of My Tears

The song was written by Fred Fisher and first recorded in 1928. In the Paul Whiteman movie “The King Of Jazz” from 1930, it was sung by the Rhythm Boys: Bing Crosby, Harry Barris and Al Rinker.

As a I wrote before, “Glad Rag Doll” is not only about swing but it's a beautiful jazz and blues album that I can highly recommend!

Title: There Ain't No Sweet Man That's Worth The Salt Of My Tears
Artist: Diana Krall
Released: October 2012
Album: Glad Rag Doll (Deluxe Edition)
Tempo: 131 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop

Click the link to download the song at
iTunes CH/EU ･ iTunes US ･ Amazon.de ･ A'zon.com ･ A'zon.co.uk ･ HDtracks*

*'Glad Rag Doll' is available as a Master Quality Download from HDtracks!

How you like Diana Krall's new album? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #120: Harlem

18.06.2012 by Chris

Early in the morning, just a few hours ago, the second edition of the European Swing Dance Championships in Barcelona ended.

These kind of events are not only inspiring as a dancer but also music wise. There a lot of competitions, routines, social dances and live music, so always great places to discover “new” music.

This song here was spun by the competition DJ Michael Gamble between two competitions. I didn't know this version and it was so appealing to me that I have to present it as our Song of the Week.

Harlem

The clip is more about the gramophone but you can hear the song good enough.

George Scott-Wood was born in Glasgow on 27th May 1903. He studied piano and played classical music before he made the shift to popular music somewhen in the 1920s.

“It was in 1934 that Scott-Wood's Six Swingers came into being. This was a rather superior jazz group which really caught the public's attention during its seven-year existence and produced over 50 recordings. George was later described as ‘the pioneer of swing music in this country'. In the 1938 Daily Mail radio popularity poll, the Six Swingers were voted top of radio entertainment, with all other dance music grouped together in seventh place.”

Swing

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #148: Tu Vuò Fà L’Americano

Tu Vuò Fà L'Americano

Related Songs:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #145: Organ Grinder’s Swing

The Mills Brothers

Organ Grinder's Swing

Related Songs:

30 Week Lindy Hop Challenge: Your Swing Shoes

Week #20: My Collection Of Swing Shoes

Remarks:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #136: There Ain’t No Sweet Man That’s Worth The Salt Of My Tears

Diana Krall & T Bone Burnett about Glad Rag Doll

There Ain't No Sweet Man That's Worth The Salt Of My Tears

Related Songs:

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #120: Harlem

Harlem

Related Songs: