Tommy Dorsey

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… 😉

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.

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #91: ‘Tain’t What You Do

28.11.2011 by Chris

When you are an experienced dancer, then you know this song for sure.

If you are a beginner, then here is a song you have to know!

It was one of Frankie Manning‘s favourite songs and it is very often used for the Shim Sham.

It Ain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It) was composed by Melvin “Sy” Oliver and co-written with Trummy Young. It was first recorded in 1939 by Jimmie Lunceford and his orchestra.

Sy Oliver (17.12.1910 – 28.05.1988) was a trumpeter, vocalist, composer and arranger. In 1933 he joined Jimmie Lunceford's orchestra to help to define their sound and he arranged many hits in the following years. In the fourties he changed to Tommy Dorsey‘s orchestra to modernize their sound from Dixieland to Swing.

In 1946 he attempted to lead his own orchestra before he became a freelance arranger and producer. From 1975-1980 he was regularly leading a band again.

And that you can sing along the next time, here are the

Lyrics:

When I was a kid about half past three,
My daddy said, “Son, come here to me”;
Says, “Things may come and things may go,
But this is one thing you ought to know!”

‘Tain't what you do, it's the way that you do it,
‘Tain't what you do, it's the way that you do it,
‘Tain't what you do, it's the way that you do it,
That's what gets results!

‘Tain't what you do, it's the time that you do it,
‘Tain't what you do, it's the time that you do it,
‘Tain't what you do, it's the time that you do it,
That's what gets results!

You can try hard, don't mean a thing;
Take it easy, breezy, then your jive will swing!

Oh, it – 'tain't what you do, it's the place that you do it,
‘Tain't what you do, it's the time that you do it,
‘Tain't what you do, it's the way that you do it,
That's what gets results!

Title: ‘Tain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It)
Artist: Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
Recorded: 1939
Album: Harlem Shout
Tempo: 160 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop, Shim Sham

Click the link to prelisten and/or buy the song (mp3/mp4a) at
iTunes CH/EU — iTunes US — Amazon.de — Amazon.com

Do you like to dance the Shim Sham to this song? Let us know 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.

Song of the Week #90: “Stompin’ At The Riverside” by Spade Cooley
Song of the Week #89: “Rexatious” by Rex Stewart
Song of the Week #88: “Honeysuckle Rose” by Fats Waller
Song of the Week #87: “Troubled” by Frankie Trumbauer
Song of the Week #86: “Postcard To Fere” by Erich Nussbaum

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #24: I’ve Found A New Baby

16.08.2010 by Chris

As you might know, I love finding new versions of I've Found A New Baby (or: I Found A New Baby), one of my alltime favourites.

Here is another wonderful version of that tune, a radio broadcast (called “War Bond Broadcast”) from 1942 by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra, recorded on 16th October at the Treasury Show in Hollywood.

Actually I don't know that much about these shows or broadcasts. I suppose they were done for collecting money respectively selling war bonds to finance military operations during World War II (?).

Most of the recordings of “I've Found A New Baby” are pretty fast. Dorsey's version is different: I play this song quite often for lindy hoppers (and sometimes for balboa dancers as well).

It has the perfect tempo with a great driving rhythm. The vocals by Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford and Dick Haymes in the second part of the song make this version even more special.

Title: I've Found A New Baby (Live)
Artist: Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
Recorded: 16.10.1942
Tempo: 152 bpm
Dance: Lindy Hop, Balboa

Click the link to download the song from: Amazon

You can find the songs of the series also on my Spotify playlist. Official hashtag of the series: #djcsotw

Do you like the “Song of the Week” series? Share your thoughts below.

Tommy Dorsey

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

Shoot The Sherbert To Me Herbert

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #91: ‘Tain’t What You Do

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DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week #24: I’ve Found A New Baby

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