Music

The Ella Mae Morse Songs That Taught Elvis How to Sing

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I just heard the song 40 Cups of Coffee by Ella Mae Morse. While looking it up, I found stories of how Elvis Presley once told her that “she” had taught him how to sing, from her records that he listened to when he was young! That’s quite the compliment to be getting, if you ask me!

If you listen to some of the songs Ella was famous for recording, though, before Elvis came along, you could definitely hear the style and elements of Elvis’ famous recordings. I’ve included a few below, including Cow Cow Boogie and 40 Cups of Coffee. She also did other famous versions of songs like Hurry on Down and Fine Brown Frame (love that song!), but I wasn’t able to find them online to share. So enjoy the two I did fine below and see if you can see how she influenced Elvis!

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Have You Heard Louis Armstrong and Danny Kaye Singing When the Saints Go Marching In?

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When the Saints Go Marching In is an American gospel tune that is very popular and been interpreted in many genres and by many artists. If you know the song, quickly think what’s the best version you’ve ever heard. If it isn’t the one done by Louis Armstrong and Danny Kaye like the title of this post, have a listen in the video below and tell me you’ve heard a better version.

No. Seriously. Do tell me in the comments at the bottom if you like another version better. I’d love to hear it. Whether I agree or not isn’t the point, really. I want to hear all the variations of that tune. But right now, this one is far above the rest in my opinion, and I am posting it to share it with you in case you haven’t heard it.

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Dig You Later (Hubba Hubba Hubba)… Not with THOSE Lyrics!

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Written in the Second World War for the movie Doll Face in 1945, this song is not on any Perry Como collection for its political incorrectness towards the Japanese, so I’ve seen comments. Yes, but whatever. Look at the context of it written in World War II. War is over so get over it and have a laugh at the way we used to be cause if someone wrote such a song today, there’d probably be a lot of backlash rather than laughter!

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Whiskey Head Woman (1939 Delta Blues by Tommy McClennan)

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I am able to do a lot of things where I am able to leave on my large collection of oldies music to listen to. When I say oldies, I mean oldies, like 1930s and 1940s. Every now and then, while I’m toiling away, something will come on that will stop me dead in my tracks to listen and enjoy. I absolutely LOVE those moments, and there’s no shortage of them, I assure you, because there’s a LOT of great oldies music!

The latest discovery for me is this gem, Whisky Head Woman, by Tommy McClennan, that is 1939 Delta Blues. Listen to the song and see the full lyrics below.

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Ol’ Man Mose – For Those Who Like 1930s Music with F-Bombs

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The next time someone tells you they think 1930s music is lame and tame, you let them listen to this little ditty by Patricia Norman, accompanied by Eddy Duchin and his band.

Warning: Explicit language.

That’s right, explicit language. If you don’t like it in your music, please don’t listen. You’ve been warned!

This was the first known song which had the F word in it, and it was absolutely scandalous when it first came out in 1938. In fact, it not only uses the F word, it uses it repeatedly. Read the lyrics and you’ll see why! Too bad there wasn’t a TV performance like the spectacular one by Betty Hutton, albeit to tamer lyrics, at the end of this post.

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