Page generated on Jan 23, 2019
Preliminary Notes
Contents: Peggy Lee's Radio Sessions For Capitol. A branch of the retail music label, Capitol's Transcription Library Service produced records exclusively for radio airplay (rather than for commercial sale). A latecomer into the transcription business, it operated from 1945 to 1953. Following the pattern created by older and established transcription companies, the branch's discs were distributed over a network of radio stations which subscribed, for a fee, to this "library" service. Peggy Lee's recording activity for the service was circumscribed to a three-year span (1946-1949), during which she turned out a total of 72 masters, spread over 11 transcription sessions. In addition, Lee recorded some miscellanea that radio stations were free to play before and after her transcription numbers (e.g., spoken introductions, a few promotional spots, a personal theme set to music). All this material (i.e., both the vocals and the miscellanea) was sent out to the stations in the form of 16" discs which played at 33 rpm. For other specifics about Capitol's Transcription Service, and for general details about the commercial release of Lee's transcription output, see this page's final note. My thanks to Adrian Daff for his very generous provision of the ads pictured throughout this page.Date: ca. May 1946
Location: Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles
Label: CAPITOL`
Lee Gillette (pdr), Dave Barbour (g), Peggy Lee (v), Other Individuals Unknown (unk)
a. | T-____-_Master Take (Capitol) | I'm In The Mood For Music - 1:10(Dave Barbour, Peggy Lee) |
b. | T-____-_Master Take (Capitol) | I'm In The Mood For Music - 1:25(Dave Barbour, Peggy Lee) |
Both titles on: | CAPITOL Transcription DiscX-16 — Themes-8, Program Aids (1946) |
A Radio Show Called Songs By Peggy Lee
Radio stations that subscribed to Capitol's Transcription Service had the option of ordering two types of discs: (1) those containing shows pre-assembled by Capitol, and (2) those containing just songs which the station itself could assemble into a show. When the second option was chosen, the subscribing station received monthly installments of discs such as the ones that will be listed throughout this page, as well as the special discs that are to be discussed immediately below.
If, on the other hand, a subscribing station favored the first option instead, then Songs By Peggy Lee was among the shows that the station could order from Capitol. (For actual evidence of the existence of such type of programming, see the ads displayed near the bottom of this page. Among such ads, one lists Songs By Peggy Lee among various 15-minute shows being offered. Longer programming, lasting 30 or 60 minutes, are also listed. Because all such Capitol-assembled shows are mentioned only in a couple of these ads, there is a possibility that they were discontinued or fully cancelled after a short while, leaving procedure #2 as the only viable option for subscribers.)
Issues And Masters
1. Capitol X-16 [Transcription Disc]
Capitol transcription disc X-16 is entirely dedicated to song themes. It features the following tracks, which are duplicated on (i.e., found on both sides of) the disc:
a) Adios (opening and closing theme for Enric Madriguera shows)
b) F.S.T. (opening theme for Nat King Cole's shows)
c) F.S.T. (closing theme for Nat King Cole's shows)
d) I'm In The Mood For Music (opening theme for Peggy Lee's show)
e) I'm In The Mood For Music (closing theme for Peggy Lee's show)
2. "I'm In The Mood For Music"
"I'm In The Mood For Music" was meant to serve as the opening and closing theme of the assembled Peggy Lee shows. References to this obscure song can also be found in some movie guides, where it is identified as one of the three numbers performed by Peggy Lee with husband Dave Barbour in the similarly obscure, lost-in-time 1947 short Midnight Serenade. In that short, it might have also been showcased as the couple's theme.
Unfortunately, I have come across no information about this theme, not have I ever been able to hear it. (I have not watched the aforementioned short, either.) Hence my classification of the theme as a vocal (rather than an instrumental) is merely an educated guess on my part -- though one with a high chance of being correct.
Due to my non-familiarity with disc X-16 and its contents, there are other matters that are unclear to me as well. I cannot confidently ascertain whether it includes two different performances of "I'm In The Mood For Love," or whether one single performance of the song was used as both the opening and the closing theme. Until further information comes along, I have decided to follow the data at hand: two separate listings of the same song title are known to be shown in the label of the transcription disc:
Dating
The tentative dating that I have assigned to I'm In The Mood For Love relies on a comment made by Nat King Cole discographer Klaus Teubig. In his estimation, Cole's song theme F.S.T. (also found in disc X-16) was "probably recorded on Cole's first transcription session for Capitol." Teubig reasons that Cole's theme needed to be recorded before the first transcription batch could be sent to radio stations. Otherwise, stations would have not been able to assemble a full Cole-centered show, since there were no intro nor closing featuring the artist. (Also i support of the same notion, I would point that the same dilemma would apply to the Capitol-assembled discs which contained full Cole shows: would have missed a distinctive, emblematic theme.) If the the line of reasoning used for the Cole material is re-used to examine Lee's material, it would follows that I'm In The Mood For Love must have been waxed with the earliest transcription masters that she recorded (i.e., on May 7, 1946) or around that time.
Capitol Miscellanea: Non-Singing Transcription Discs Featuring Peggy Lee
1. Capitol's X SeriesDate: May 7, 1946
Location: Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles
Label: CAPITOL`
Capitol Session #T-192
Peggy Lee (ldr), Lee Gillette (pdr), John Palladino (eng), Buddy Cole's Four Of A Kind (acc), Dave Barbour (g), Phil Stephens (b), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p, cel, org), Tommy Romersa (d), Peggy Lee (v)
a. | T-1098-2Master Take (Capitol) | I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me - 1:43(Clarence Gaskill, Jimmy McHugh) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
Starline Collectors' Label cassetteSlc 61189 — Them There Eyes (1990)
Proper Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) 45 P 1277 1280 — The Peggy Lee Story (2002) Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
b. | T-1101-1Master Take (Capitol) | Lonesome Road - 4:03(Gene Austin, Nathaniel Shilkrat) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
Starline Collectors' Label cassetteSlc 61189 — Them There Eyes (1990)
Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) Proper Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) 45 P 1277 1280 — The Peggy Lee Story (2002) |
c. | T-1101-2Master Take (Capitol) | Them There Eyes - 2:25(Maceo Pinkard, Doris Tauber, William Tracey) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
Starline Collectors' Label cassetteSlc 61189 — Them There Eyes (1990)
Tim International Public Domain CD(Germany) 222455 — While We're Young ("Quadromania" Series) (2005) |
d. | T-1103-2Master Take (Capitol) | You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me - 2:53(Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal, Pierre Norman) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999)
Disky Licensed CD(Netherlands) Go 904123 — Mañana (Is Soon Enough For Me) ("Pure Gold" Series) (2002) |
All titles on: | CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-189 (1946)
Mosaic Licensed CDMd5 184 — THE COMPLETE PEGGY LEE & JUNE CHRISTY CAPITOL TRANSCRIPTION SESSIONS (1998) Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) |
Personnel
1. Lee Gillette
One of my sources refers to Lee Gillette as the producer of Peggy Lee's entire Capitol transcription output. Because collective credits can be deceiving, I have abstained from fully trusting this blanket statement.
2. Accompaniment
All Peggy Lee transcription discs from the year 1946 credit the accompanying ensemble as "Buddy Cole's Four Of A Kind, featuring guitar by Dave Barbour."
Masters
Most transcription companies treated the concept of a "master number" in a manner different from a retail label. Capitol honored this difference, thereby following a different logic for each type of master number. A lengthy explanation of this matter can be found below, under the entry that precedes the April 1949 sessions.
Arrangements
1. Sources
The booklet of Mosaic set #184 states that "Heinie Beau is credited as arranger for this session." Beau is also credited in the Capitol Label Discography by Michel Ruppli, Bill Daniels and Ed Novitsky, with assistance from Michel Cuscuna.
Date: May 14, 1946
Location: Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles
Label: CAPITOL`
Capitol Session #T-195
Peggy Lee (ldr), John Palladino (eng), Buddy Cole's Four Of A Kind (acc), Dave Barbour (g), Phil Stephens (b), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p, cel, org), Tommy Romersa (d), Peggy Lee (v)
a. | T-1115-2Master Take (Capitol) | The Glory Of Love - 2:16(Billy Hill) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-190 (1946)
Starline Collectors' Label cassetteSlc 61189 — Them There Eyes (1990) Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) Disky Licensed CD(Netherlands) 905191 — Peggy Lee ("Golden Greats" Series) (2002) Music Club Licensed CD(United Kingdom) Mccd 619 — Black Coffee; The Best Of Peggy Lee (2007) |
b. | T-1116-1Master Take (Capitol) | Melancholy Lullaby - 3:04(Benny Carter, Eddie Heywood) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-190 (1946)
Starline Collectors' Label cassetteSlc 61189 — Them There Eyes (1990) Gallerie/Music Collection Public Domain CD(United Kingdom) Gale 442 — A Portrait Of Peggy Lee (1999) Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) Disky Licensed CD(Netherlands) 905191 — Peggy Lee ("Golden Greats" Series) (2002) |
c. | T-1117-1Master Take (Capitol) | Taking A Chance On Love - 2:15(Vernon Duke, Ted Fetter, John Latouche) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-190 (1946)
Starline Collectors' Label cassetteSlc 61189 — Them There Eyes (1990) Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) |
d. | T-1118-1Master Take (Capitol) | A Cottage For Sale - 3:24(Larry Conley, Willard Robison) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-190 (1946)
Starline Collectors' Label cassetteSlc 61189 — Them There Eyes (1990) Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) Disky Licensed CD(Netherlands) 905191 — Peggy Lee ("Golden Greats" Series) (2002) Proper Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) 45 P 1277 1280 — The Peggy Lee Story (2002) |
e. | T-1120-2Master Take (Capitol) | Fools Rush In - 3:06(Rube Bloom, Johnny Mercer) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-191 (1946)
Starline Collectors' Label cassetteSlc 61189 — Them There Eyes (1990) Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
f. | T-1121-2Master Take (Capitol) | Sometimes I'm Happy - 2:21(Irving Caesar, Clifford Grey, Vincent Youmans) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-191 (1946)
Starline Collectors' Label cassetteSlc 61189 — Them There Eyes (1990) Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
g. | T-1121-3Master Take (Capitol) | The Way You Look Tonight - 4:34(Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-191 (1946)
Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) Red & Blue Public Domain CD(Netherlands) Red 2007 — Peggy Lee ("The Red Collection" Series) (2007) |
h. | T-1122-1Master Take (Capitol) | Love Is Just Around The Corner - 2:01(Lewis E. Gensler, Leo Robin) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-191 (1946)
Hindsight Collectors' Label CS/LP/CDHsc/Hsr/Cdhsr 220 [CD rel. in 1994] — THE UNCOLLECTED PEGGY LEE, 1948 (1985) ► Castle Communications Licensed CS/CD(United Kingdom) Mat Mc/Cd 316 — Let There Be Love; The Best Of Peggy Lee (1994) |
i. | T-1123-1Master Take (Capitol) | Porgy - 3:24(Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-192 (1946)
Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) Proper Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) 45 P 1277 1280 — The Peggy Lee Story (2002) BD Music/BD Ciné Licensed CD(France) Bdjz 127 Bd 100 (Also 978 2 84907 127 4) — Peggy Lee (Éditions BD Music, BD Jazz Series, Volume 125) (2011) |
j. | T-1124-1Master Take (Capitol) | Blue Skies - 2:04(Irving Berlin) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-192 (1946)
Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) BD Music/BD Ciné Licensed CD(France) Bdjz 127 Bd 100 (Also 978 2 84907 127 4) — Peggy Lee (Éditions BD Music, BD Jazz Series, Volume 125) (2011) |
k. | T-1125-1Master Take (Capitol) | I've Had My Moments - 3:48(Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-192 (1946)
Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) |
l. | T-1126-1Master Take (Capitol) | Blue Moon - 2:28(Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-192 (1946)
Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
m. | T-1126-2Master Take (Capitol) | Don't Be So Mean To Baby - 3:56(Dave Barbour, Peggy Lee) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau |
All titles on: | Mosaic Licensed CDMd5 184 — THE COMPLETE PEGGY LEE & JUNE CHRISTY CAPITOL TRANSCRIPTION SESSIONS (1998) |
At The Recording Session
1. "Don't Be So Mean To Baby"
In his essay for Mosaic's set #184, Will Friedwald shares a bit of spoken dialogue that was kept in one of the master discs -- yet, unfortunately, excluded from release in the Mosaic set. Described by Friedwald as "some fascinating instructions by Lee as she and Barbour arrange [a] newly-composed original on the spot," the spoken bit pertains to the recording of "Don't Be So Mean To Baby." Once Buddy Cole has played the song's first notes on piano, Lee is heard to exclaim, "Do you hear what that note sounds like?" Cole plays a few additional chords, and Lee then continues: "Let's just make it with guitar, then. You don't know, that note sounds awful! David, you're going to ruin the song that way, if you don't mind my saying so ... Gee." In the final take, Cole starts out on piano, introducing the melody and then accompanying Lee during the first chorus; afterwards, Barbour restates the melody in single notes.
Masters
1. "Don't Be So Mean To Baby"
This version of the Peggy Lee - Dave Barbour composition "Don't Be So Mean To Baby" was not included in any of Capitol's transcription discs. As a result, it did not see the light of day until Mosaic Records mastered and issued it, in 1998.
Arrangements
1. Heinie Beau
2. Head Arrangements?
My source for the arranging credit to Heinie Beau is the Capitol Label Discography by Ruppli et al. No other source at my reach identifies the arranger.
In previous editions of this discographical page, I proceeded under the assumption that Lee's transcriptions featured head arrangements, put together during the dates by the musicians and the singer. If we are to trust Ruppli's discography, such was not the case -- at least, not always. (And since its primary source is Capitol's log archive, Ruppli's work is highly trustworthy.)
It must be noted, however, that Ruppli's text does not give arranging credits for each individual song. For instance, this session lists Heinie Beau and his arranging role as part of a collective personnel. In other words, there is no arranger credit under "The Glory Of Love," or under "Melancholy Lullaby" or under any of the other performances. Hence all of the above-shown individual credits to Beau must be deemed tentative: I simply do not know if he should be credited for all 13 songs, or for a lesser quantity -- suck lesser quantity falling anywhere between twelve and just one.
Also worth keeping in mind is the chat that took place during the making of "Don't Be So Mean To Baby," and which was quoted above. If I am understanding its substance, Lee was requesting a change in the arrangement of this particular song. She addressed the request to Barbour, and the change was made. It must thus be concluded that Barbour and Lee deserve some (small?) degree of credit for the finalized arrangement of at least this particular song. (Of course, new questions arise: Was the reason why Barbour and Lee made the change simply that they themselves were the composers of "Don't Be So Mean To Baby," and thus felt entitled to do so? ... Or would they have been as likely to modify any of the other performances? ... What was the implication behind the comment that Barbour was going to "ruin the song"? ... Was it a reference to his role as session leader -- and thus dictator of the musical steps to be made -- or should it be taken as an indication that he might have dictated the direction of the arrangement?)
Heinie Beau is actually listed as the arranger of a very large number of Capitol recordings (both commercial and radio masters) by Lee. Perhaps his role in this and other sessions should be better understood as that of someone who did a simple preliminary sketch, to be modified and developed at the session by Barbour, Lee, and the accompanying musicians.
Date: May 28, 1946
Location: Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles
Label: CAPITOL`
Capitol Session #T-206
Peggy Lee (ldr), John Palladino (eng), Buddy Cole's Four Of A Kind (acc), Dave Barbour (g), Phil Stephens (b), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p, cel, org), Tommy Romersa (d), Peggy Lee (v)
a. | T-1184-2Master Take (Capitol) | Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man - 3:21(Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006)
|
b. | T-1185-2Master Take (Capitol) | Mean To Me - 2:04(Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau |
c. | T-1186-2Master Take (Capitol) | I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) - 3:19(Don Dougherty, Al J. Neiburg, Ellis Reynolds) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
Gallerie/Music Collection Public Domain CD(United Kingdom) Gale 442 — A Portrait Of Peggy Lee (1999)
Rajon Public Domain CD(Australia) Red 021 — The Great Peggy Lee ("The Great" Series) (2000) ► Wea Licensed CD(Australia) 8573877082 — Golden Earrings ("Flashback" Series) (2001) |
d. | T-1187-2Master Take (Capitol) | Summertime - 3:28(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Dubose Heyward) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
Gallerie/Music Collection Public Domain CD(United Kingdom) Gale 442 — A Portrait Of Peggy Lee (1999)
Rajon Public Domain CD(Australia) Red 021 — The Great Peggy Lee ("The Great" Series) (2000) ► Rajon Public Domain CD(Australia) Rmgr 0423 — Mañana; The Best Of Peggy Lee (2001) |
All titles on: | CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-193 (1946)
Mosaic Licensed CDMd5 184 — THE COMPLETE PEGGY LEE & JUNE CHRISTY CAPITOL TRANSCRIPTION SESSIONS (1998) Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) |
Arrangements
1. Source
My source for the arranging credit to Heinie Beau is the Capitol Label Discography by Ruppli et al. No other source at my reach identifies the arranger. See also related comments about head arrangements in note above, under session dated May 14, 1946.
Date: June 10, 1946
Location: Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles
Label: CAPITOL`
Capitol Session #T-247
Peggy Lee (ldr), John Palladino (eng), Frank DeVol (con), Frank Devol and His Orchestra (acc), Skeets Herfurt aka Arthur Herfurt, Jerome Kasper, Jules Kinsler, Ron Perry, Ted Romersa (r), Abe Benike, Uan Rasey, Irv Shulkin (t), George Faye, Si Zentner (tb), Dave Barbour (g), Phil Stephens (b), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p), June Weiland (hrp), Tommy Romersa (d), Victor Arno, Joseph Livoti, Joseph Quadri, Henry Sugar (vn), Jacob Kaz, Paul Lowenkron (vl), Fred Goerner, Joseph Saxon, Julius Tannenbaum (vc), Peggy Lee (v)
a. | T-1354-1Master Take (Capitol) | Wherever There's Me There's You - 2:11(Sunny Skylar) / arr: Frank DeVol |
b. | T-1355-1Master Take (Capitol) | All The Cats Join In - 2:11(Eddie Sauter, Alec Wilder, Ray Gilbert) / arr: Frank DeVol
CAPITOL CD72435 27564 2 1 — RARE GEMS AND HIDDEN TREASURES [aka Capitol's Collectors Series, Vol. 2] (2000)
|
c. | T-1356-2Master Take (Capitol) | A Nightingale Can Sing The Blues - 3:09(Dick Charles, Lawrence W. Markes, Jr.) / arr: Frank DeVol
Disky Licensed CD(Netherlands) 905191 — Peggy Lee ("Golden Greats" Series) (2002)
Dayl Public Domain CD(Korea) 3661585351962 — DeLuxe Peggy Lee; The Ultimative Edition For Collectors (2010) Megaphon (Mpo Entertainment) Public Domain CD(France) Mpo 96216 — Peggy Lee ("Les Plus Grandes Voix Du Jazz: Classic American Music" Boxed Set) |
d. | T-1357-2Master Take (Capitol) | Come Rain Or Come Shine - 3:14(Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer) / arr: Frank DeVol |
All titles on: | CAPITOL Transcription DiscA-11 (1946)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-531 (1950) Mosaic Licensed CDMd5 184 — THE COMPLETE PEGGY LEE & JUNE CHRISTY CAPITOL TRANSCRIPTION SESSIONS (1998) |
Personnel
1. Frank DeVol
In his 1998 notes for the Mosaic set The Complete Peggy Lee & June Christy Capitol Transcription Sessions, Will Friedwald estimates this session to be among Frank DeVol's earliest at Capitol Records. The more recently published Capitol Label Discography reveals that DeVol had previously recorded about eight commercial sessions for Capitol, starting with a couple of late 1945 dates in which he backed Hal Derwin. Before he accompanied Lee, DeVol had also recorded over 15 transcription sessions with other artists, including one with The King Sisters. Peggy Lee was, however, the first female solo singer to be backed by DeVol at Capitol Records.
Masters
1. "A Nightingale Can Sing The Blues"
Peggy Lee's Capitol session files show that she and Frank DeVol recorded this song again just a month later, on July 15, 1946. Nevertheless, I suspect that the two versions are actually one and the same: I do not detect any significant differences between them. If my suspicion is correct, July 15 would have been the day on which the transcription performance was transferred to Capitol's phono reels, as part of the process leading to its release on a 78-rpm single.
Capitol is known to have followed the above-discussed procedure in at least two other cases: "Twelfth Street Rag" and "Intermission Riff." The former became a hit for its interpreter, Pee Wee Herman. According to Ken Nelson, one of Capitol's A&R men in the country field, it was "dubbed off a 16-inch electrical transcription by his co-worker, Lee Gillette. As for "Intermission Riff," was recorded by Stan Kenton for the Capitol transcription service (master #524-2) on December 20, 1945, and included in transcription disc #B-96. On January 14, 1946 session, Kenton's transcription performance was transferred to master #892, and then released on Capitol 78-rpm single #298. According to Michael Sparke and Pete Venudor in Stan Kenton: The Studio Sessions, union rules were behind Capitol's assignation of a new master number to the original transcription performance: thanks to such a re-assignation, the musicians had the right to be compensated for not only for the transcription master but also the commercial "sub-master."
Issues
1. The A Transcription Series
2. Capitol A-11/A-12 [Transcription Disc]
Capitol's transcription discs bear two numbers, one per side. Generally the same artist is heard on both sides of the disc. However, in the specific case of Capitol's A series, sometimes there is a different artist on each side. Case in point: Peggy Lee and Frank DeVol are featured on one side of Capitol transcription disc A-11. The disc's other side is A-12, which spotlights Jan Garber And His Orchestra. (For another Lee disc in the A series, see session dated July 29, 1946. For additional details about this and other Capitol transcription series, see this page's final note.)
3. Capitol B-531/B-532 [Transcription Disc]
The above-listed disc Capitol B-531 is essentially a reissue of Capitol A-11, with its tracks reshuffled. The exact date on which it was prepared and sent out to subscribing radio stations is unknown to me. Based on its catalogue number, I have given it a tentative 1950 dating, but any year between 1949 and 1953 remains viable as a possibility.
Arrangements
1. Sources
My sources for the arranging credit to Frank DeVol are the booklet of Mosaic set #184 and the Capitol Label Discography by Ruppli et al.
Date: June 11, 1946
Location: Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles
Label: CAPITOL`
Capitol Session #T-248
Peggy Lee (ldr), John Palladino (eng), Buddy Cole's Four Of A Kind (acc), Dave Barbour (g), Phil Stephens (b), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p, cel, org), Tommy Romersa (d), Peggy Lee (v)
a. | T-1358-1Master Take (Capitol) | I Can't Give You Anything But Love - 2:05(Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh, possibly Andy Razaf, possibly Thomas 'Fats' Waller) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-195 (1946)
Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
b. | T-1359-1Master Take (Capitol) | Georgia On My Mind - 2:53(Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-194 (1946)
Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
c. | T-1360-1Master Take (Capitol) | Rockin' Chair - 2:05(Hoagy Carmichael) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-194 (1946)
Gallerie/Music Collection Public Domain CD(United Kingdom) Gale 442 — A Portrait Of Peggy Lee (1999) ► Rajon Public Domain CD(Australia) Red 021 — The Great Peggy Lee ("The Great" Series) (2000) |
d. | T-1360-2Master Take (Capitol) | Swing Low, Sweet Chariot - 2:09(Traditional) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-194 (1946)
Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) Red & Blue Public Domain CD(Netherlands) Red 2007 — Peggy Lee ("The Red Collection" Series) (2007) |
e. | T-1361-1Master Take (Capitol) | Just Like A Gypsy - 2:18(Norah Bayes, Seymour Simons) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-195 (1946)
|
f. | T-1363-2Master Take (Capitol) | Somebody Loves Me - 2:04(Buddy G. DeSylva, George Gershwin, Ballard MacDonald) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-195 (1946)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Rajon Public Domain CD(Australia) Red 021 — The Great Peggy Lee ("The Great" Series) (2000) |
All titles on: | Mosaic Licensed CDMd5 184 — THE COMPLETE PEGGY LEE & JUNE CHRISTY CAPITOL TRANSCRIPTION SESSIONS (1998)
Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) |
Arrangements
1. Source (Heinie Beau)
The source for the arranging credit to Heinie Beau is the Capitol Label Discography by Ruppli et al. No other source at my reach identifies the arranger. Notice that Ruppli's text is giving a collective credit; it is assumed that all the arrangements should be credited to Beau, but there is no explicit statement about it. See also related comment about head arrangements in note above, under session dated May 14, 1946.
2. "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"
Peggy Lee's sheet music library contains two arrangements of this song. One, known to have been written for a Decca master, is by Neal Hefti and Peggy Lee. The other one is by Billy May, but it is not known on which Peggy Lee performance (if any) it was used. In addition to this transcription version, Lee also recorded the song twice, for commercial release on Capitol singles. One of those versions (January 29, 1947) is credited to Lee and her husband; the other (October 17, 1946) is not credited, but its arrangement is very similar to the later, 1947 one.
Date: July 16, 1946
Location: Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles
Label: CAPITOL`
Capitol Session # T-281
Peggy Lee (ldr), John Palladino (eng), Buddy Cole's Four Of A Kind (acc), Dave Barbour (g), Phil Stephens (b), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p, cel, org), Tommy Romersa (d), Peggy Lee (v)
a. | T-1643-1Master Take (Capitol) | Lullaby Of Broadway - 2:44(Al Dubin, Harry Warren) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-196 (1946)
Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
b. | T-1644-2Master Take (Capitol) | Solitude - 2:32(Ed DeLange, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-195 (1946)
Proper Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) 45 P 1277 1280 — The Peggy Lee Story (2002) Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) BD Music/BD Ciné Licensed CD(France) Bdjz 127 Bd 100 (Also 978 2 84907 127 4) — Peggy Lee (Éditions BD Music, BD Jazz Series, Volume 125) (2011) |
c. | T-1644-2Master Take (Capitol) | I Get A Kick Out Of You - 2:32(Cole Porter) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-195 (1946)
Armed Forces Radio Service 16" Transcription DiscP 1315 - P 1316 — Basic Music Library [6 Peggy Lee vocals] (1949) Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) MCPS Public Domain CD(United Kingdom) 063 8734? — [Various Artists] Jazz Divas (2007) |
d. | T-1646-2Master Take (Capitol) | Lover, Come Back To Me - 3:41(Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-196 (1946)
Weton-Wesgram Public Domain CD(Netherlands) Vow 209 — Peggy Lee ("Voices Of The World" Series) (2005) Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
e. | T-1647-1Master Take (Capitol) | I Don't Know Enough About You - 3:04(Dave Barbour, Peggy Lee) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-194 (1946)
|
f. | T-1648-2Master Take (Capitol) | Oh! Look At Me Now - 1:52(Joe Bushkin, John De Vries) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-194 (1946)
|
g. | T-1649-1Master Take (Capitol) | I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good - 3:41(Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-196 (1946)
Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
h. | T-1650-4Master Take (Capitol) | Someday, Sweetheart - 1:57(Benjamin Spikes, John Spikes) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-196 (1946)
Disky Licensed CD(Netherlands) 905191 — Peggy Lee ("Golden Greats" Series) (2002) Disky Licensed CD(Netherlands) Do 901973 — Peggy Lee ("Simply The Best" Series) (2005) |
All titles on: | Mosaic Licensed CDMd5 184 — THE COMPLETE PEGGY LEE & JUNE CHRISTY CAPITOL TRANSCRIPTION SESSIONS (1998)
Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) |
Arrangements
1. Heinie Beau
For comments about the tentativeness of this page's credits to Beau, see note above, under session dated May 14, 1946.
Date: July 29, 1946
Location: Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles
Label: CAPITOL`
Capitol Session # T-294
Peggy Lee (ldr), John Palladino (eng), Frank DeVol (con), Frank Devol and His Orchestra (acc), Skeets Herfurt aka Arthur Herfurt, Jules Kinsler, Paul McLarand, Joseph Palange (r), Leonard Mach, Uan Rasey (t), Paul Weigand (tb), Richard "Dick" Perissi (frh), Dave Barbour (g), Fred Whiting (b), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p), June Weiland (hrp), John Cyr (d), Victor Arno, Walter Edelstein, Joseph Livoti, Joseph Quadri, Ted Rosen, Henry Sugar (vn), Paul Lowenkron, Elizabeth Sugar (vl), Julius Tannenbaum (vc), Peggy Lee (v)
a. | T-1715-2Master Take (Capitol) | The Best Man - 2:21(Roy Alfred, Fred Wise) / arr: Frank DeVol
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-532 (1950)
|
b. | T-1716-1Master Take (Capitol) | If You Were The Only Boy - 2:12(Nat D. Ayer, Clifford Grey) / arr: Frank DeVol |
c. | T-1717-1Master Take (Capitol) | Love Doesn't Grow On Trees - 2:25(Roy Alfred, Wes Farrell) / arr: Frank DeVol
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-532 (1950)
|
d. | T-1718-1Master Take (Capitol) | I Guess I'll Get The Papers And Go Home - 2:09(Hal Kanner, Hughie Prince, Dick Rogers) / arr: Frank DeVol
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-532 (1950)
Proper Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) 45 P 1277 1280 — The Peggy Lee Story (2002) |
e. | T-1719-1Master Take (Capitol) | My Sugar Is So Refined - 2:09(Sylvia Dee, Sidney Lippman) / arr: Frank DeVol
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-532 (1950)
Proper Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) 45 P 1277 1280 — The Peggy Lee Story (2002) |
All titles on: | CAPITOL Transcription DiscA-16 (1946)
Mosaic Licensed CDMd5 184 — THE COMPLETE PEGGY LEE & JUNE CHRISTY CAPITOL TRANSCRIPTION SESSIONS (1998) |
Personnel
1. Frank DeVol
This is one of two transcription sessions in which Peggy Lee was accompanied not by combos featuring Dave Barbour, but by Frank DeVol And His Orchestra. (For the other session, see June 10, 1946 date above.) DeVol also joined Lee on the following Capitol studio dates: July 15, 1946, August 14 and October 13, 1947.
Songs And Songwriters
1. "Love Doesn't Grow On Trees"
Various sets of lyrics with the title "Love Doesn't Grow On Trees" exist. No less than three of them date back to the decades of the 1930s and 1940s. One set is credited to ASCAP songwriters Ralph Freed and Burton Lane, the other to BMI songwriters Roy Alfred and Wes Farrell. (The third set is discussed in the next paragraph.) According to Mosaic's box #Md5 184, Lee sings the version by Alfred and Farrell. Since neither ASCAP nor BMI list Peggy Lee's transcription version, the Mosaic set is my only source for the identification of the songwriters.
Further complicating matters is a third pair of songwriters, Dupre and Palmer, who various sources credit with mid-1940s versions of "Love Doesn't Grow On Trees" that were performed by Gene Krupa and by Art Lund. After giving the a listen, it is clear that Krupa's vocalist Irene Day indeed sings lyrics different from those recorded by Lee. The lyrics sung by Art Lund are, on the other hand, the same ones sung by Lee. I am tentatively assuming that a mistake was made in the case of Lund's recording: it was wrongly credited to Dupre and Palmer, rather than to Alfred and Farrell.
Issues
1. Capitol Transcription Disc A-15/A-16
The flip side of transcription disc A-16 features Skitch Henderson And His Orchestra, not Peggy Lee. For more details about discs bearing the A prefix in their catalogue numbers, see Issues notes under session dated June 10, 1946, and also this page's final note.
2. Capitol B-531/B-532 [Transcription Disc]
The above-listed disc Capitol B-532 is essentially a reissue of Capitol A-16, with its tracks reshuffled, and one track skipped. The exact date on which it was prepared and sent out to subscribing radio stations is unknown to me. Based on its catalogue number, I have given it a tentative 1950 dating, but any year between 1949 and 1953 remains viable as a possibility. (The disc actually features Lee on its other side as well, numbered B-531.)
Arrangements
1. Sources
My sources for the arranging credit to Frank DeVol are the booklet of Mosaic set #184 and the Capitol Label Discography by Ruppli et al.
Date: December 18, 1947
Location: Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles
Label: CAPITOL`
Capitol Session #T-541
Peggy Lee (ldr), John Palladino (eng), Buddy Cole's Four Of A Kind (acc), Dave Barbour (g), Phil Stephens (b), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p, cel, org), Tommy Romersa (d), Peggy Lee (v)
a. | T-50-352-1Master Take (Capitol) | If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight - 1:56(Henry Creamer, James P. Johnson) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-369 (1948)
Gallerie/Music Collection Public Domain CD(United Kingdom) Gale 442 — A Portrait Of Peggy Lee (1999) ► Rajon Public Domain CD(Australia) Red 021 — The Great Peggy Lee ("The Great" Series) (2000) |
b. | T-50-353-1Master Take (Capitol) | Dancing With Tears In My Eyes - 2:27(Joe Burke, Al Dubin) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-369 (1948)
|
c. | T-50-354-1Master Take (Capitol) | Please, Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone - 2:31(Sidney Clare, Sam Stept) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-369 (1948)
|
d. | T-50-355-2Master Take (Capitol) | The Birth Of The Blues - 1:52(Lew Brown, Buddy G. DeSylva, Ray Henderson) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-369 (1948)
Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
e. | T-50-356-3Master Take (Capitol) | Careless - 2:03(Dick Jurgens, Eddy Howard, Lew Quadling) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-369 (1948)
Armed Forces Radio & Television Service 16" Transcription DiscProgram No. 147 — Bud's Bandwagon [Lisa Kirk, Frank Sinatra, Bea Wain, Others] (1953) |
f. | T-50-357-2Master Take (Capitol) | I Wanna Go Where You Go (Then I'll Be Happy) - 2:13(Lew Brown, Sidney Clare, Cliff Friend) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-370 (1948)
|
g. | T-50-358-1Master Take (Capitol) | I Only Have Eyes For You - 3:05(Al Dubin, Harry Warren) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-370 (1948)
Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
h. | T-50-359-2Master Take (Capitol) | Back In Your Own Back Yard - 2:18(Dave Dreyer, Al Jolson, Billy Rose) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-370 (1948)
|
i. | T-50-360-3Master Take (Capitol) | How Long Has This Been Going On? - 3:43(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) / arr: Henry J. "Heinie" Beau
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-370 (1948)
Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
All titles on: | Mosaic Licensed CDMd5 184 — THE COMPLETE PEGGY LEE & JUNE CHRISTY CAPITOL TRANSCRIPTION SESSIONS (1998)
Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) |
Songs
1. "I Wanna Go Where You Go (Then I'll Be Happy)"
Mosaic set #184 gives the alternative title "Then I'll Be Happy" to this song. I have preferred to use instead the title found at ASCAP, and in sources contemporaneous with the song.
Arrangements
1. Heinie Beau
This page's arranging credits to Beau should be considered tentative. See related comments in note above, under session dated May 14, 1946.
Capitol Transcription Master Numbers: An Explanation
Transcription companies generally treated the concept of a "master number" in a manner different from a retail label. The difference in approach was indeed honored by Capitol, which was in the position of having both retail and transcription branches. The present note is an attempt at explaining and illustrating this potentially confusing subject. For that purpose, we will be taking a comparative look at a Capitol retail session and a Capitol transcription session.
Date: September 23, 1946
1226-6 He's Just My Kind
1227-4 She Didn't Say Yes
Belonging to a Capitol retail session, each of the above-shown master numbers consists of two cyphers, separated by a dash. The four-digit cyphers (1226, 1227) are the matrixes numbers assigned to the performances that Peggy Lee recorded on September 23, 1946 ("He's just My Kind," "She Didn't Say Yes").
The one-digit suffixes are take numbers. Those indicate that, at the very least, five other takes of "He's Just My Kind" and three other takes of "She Didn't Say Yes" were attempted, before the participants turned out a performance deemed satisfactory enough for possible release.
Let's take a look now at a transcription session.
Date: May 7, 1946
T-1098-2 I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
T-1101-1 Lonesome Road
T-1101-2 Them There Eyes
T-1103-2 You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me
There is one noticeable difference: the prefix "T." Naturally, it is being used to indicate that these are transcription performances. Otherwise, we seem to be looking again at a four-digit matrix, followed by an one-digit take. Thus we would not be blamed if we were to assume that the these numbers follow the same rationale as the ones that we studied earlier.
We would be blameless ... but still wrong. These ET cyphers actually stand for something different from retail sessions.
In the world of transcriptions, performances do not have the privilege of bearing individual numbers. Instead, that privilege is reserved for the "mother" or lacquer discs on which the individual performances were originally recorded. For example, the data above tells us that both "Lonesome Road" and "Them There Eyes" were originally recorded on a "mother" disc that bears the number 1101.
On this May 7, 1946 Capitol transcription session, discs bearing the numbers 1098 and 1103 were also used for recording Peggy Lee's performances. Given the producer's assignation of those numbers to the discs, it is reasonable to assume that other discs (#1099, 1100, 1102) were used at the session as well.
The preservation of 1099, 1100, and 1102 (or lack thereof) is a matter unknown to me. Most likely, they were discarded either at the session or shortly afterwards, having probably produced unsatisfactory performances.
As for the "take numbers" listed for the four above-given transcriptions, they are actually physical indicators. They too point back to the original mother or lacquer disc. The 1 suffix for "Lonesome Road" tells us that it is the first performance heard on disc 1101, while "Them There Eyes" is the second performance on the same disc. In other words, the "1" suffix for "Lonesome Road" does not mean that it was performed in just one take, nor does the suffix of 1101-2 mean that we are necessarily listening to the second take of "Them There Eyes."
Sessionographically oriented readers might have additional questions. Probably, most of them could be answered only if we were able to give a listen to the mother discs. After listening to disc 1101, we would be able to tell if
(a) more than one performance of "Lonesome Road" is on the disc
and
(b) more than one performance of "Them There Eyes" is on the disc, too
Furthermore, the ability to listen to mother discs would permit us to answer whether, in-between performances, the record machines were kept going, thereby preserving directions, rehearsal, and chatter. (Most labels, whether commercial or retail stopped their recording machines between performances. Or so is the word of mouth. Over the years, exceptions to that dictum have surfaced. One of them pertains to this discussion and had thus been included in the present page, under the ET session dated July 29, 1946.)
As to whether Lee could have recordd any additional songs at these ET sessions, I do not know how likely such a possibility would have been. In the examples offered above, note that both "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" and "You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me" are the second performances on their respective mother discs (1098 and 1103).
What about the first placements on those discs? We have no information about it. In the case of #1103, the disc could simply contain additional performances of "Them There Eyes." But how about 1098-1? Could there be a different song on that space? ... As far as speculation goes, it is possible. However, we should not automatically presume it to be an unknown Lee rendition. The space could have been used for initial attempts at any of the three other songs ("Lonesome Road," "Them There Eyes," etc.). Chatter is not out of the realm of possibility, either. Or it could simply be blank space.
On a separate but related matter, I should also point out that the same matrix numbers were used by Capitol for both catalogues under discussion. For instance, 1098 is the matrix number for not only Peggy Lee's "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" (ET; May 7, 1946) but also the King Cole Trio's "Chant Of The Blues" (retail; May 1, 1946). It is the T prefix that differentiates the two numbers.
Date: April 4, 1949
Location: Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles
Label: CAPITOL`
Capitol Session #T-703
Peggy Lee (ldr), John Palladino (eng), The Dave Barbour Four (acc), Dave Barbour, George Van Eps (g), Phil Stephens (b), Hal Schaefer (p, cel), Nick Fatool (d), Peggy Lee (v)
a. | T-51-527-2Master Take (Capitol) | I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart - 2:53(Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Henry Nemo, John Redmond)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-427 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
b. | T-51-528-1Master Take (Capitol) | As Long As I'm Dreaming - 2:07(Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-428 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
c. | T-51-529-1Master Take (Capitol) | Swinging On A Star - 2:44(Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-427 (1949)
Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) Disky Licensed CD(Netherlands) 905191 — Peggy Lee ("Golden Greats" Series) (2002) Disky Licensed CD(Netherlands) Go 904123 — Mañana (Is Soon Enough For Me) ("Pure Gold" Series) (2002) Disky Licensed CD(Netherlands) Do 901973 — Peggy Lee ("Simply The Best" Series) (2005) Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
d. | T-51-530-2Master Take (Capitol) | Aren't You Glad You're You - 2:07(Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-428 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
e. | T-51-531-3Master Take (Capitol) | Trav'lin' Light - 2:58(Johnny Mercer, Jimmy Mundy, Trummy Young)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-427 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
f. | T-51-532-2Master Take (Capitol) | Save Your Sorrow For Tomorrow - 1:49(Buddy G. DeSylva, Al Sherman)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-428 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Tim International's Past Perfect Public Domain CD(Germany) 205797203 — Black Coffee ("Silver Line" Series) (2001) |
g. | T-51-533-2Master Take (Capitol) | Oh! You Crazy Moon - 2:14(Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-428 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
h. | T-51-534-1Master Take (Capitol) | 'S Wonderful - 2:30(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-428 (1949)
Proper Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) 45 P 1277 1280 — The Peggy Lee Story (2002) Golden Stars Public Domain CD(Portugal/Netherlands) 5438 — American Songbook (2006) |
i. | T-51-535-4Master Take (Capitol) | Imagination - 2:33(Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-427 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
j. | T-51-536-2Master Take (Capitol) | This Can't Be Love - 2:17(Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-430 (1949)
Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) ► Disky Licensed CD(Netherlands) 905191 — Peggy Lee ("Golden Greats" Series) (2002) |
All titles on: | Mosaic Licensed CDMd5 184 — THE COMPLETE PEGGY LEE & JUNE CHRISTY CAPITOL TRANSCRIPTION SESSIONS (1998)
Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) |
Arrangements (And Rehearsals)
1. Peggy Lee and Hal Schaefer
In his essay for the booklet of Mosaic set #184, annotator Will Friedwald shares various comments from an interview with pianist Hal Schaefer. Schaefer told Friedwald that "much of the repertoire in the two 1949 transcriptions are songs that Lee did in person with the quartet." The arrangements, however, were less rigorous than on the road, where "sometimes we'd play more and longer solos."
Schaefer further told Friedwald that "Peggy used to call me to go up to her house to rehearse her and go over things and give her some of my ideas. Dave Barbour did not do that - I did it. He thought it would be like trying to teach your wife to drive a car, you know. There are some things you don't do. After she got a tune and liked it, we found what keys and tempo she'd like to do it in, and worked out a rough arrangement, then David would come in and make his contribution." Schaefer, who worked with Lee from late 1947 to 1949, participated only in the last two sessions found in this page, both dated 1949.
Date: April 8, 1949
Location: Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles
Label: CAPITOL`
Capitol Session #T-705
Peggy Lee (ldr), John Palladino (eng), The Dave Barbour Four (acc), Dave Barbour, George Van Eps (g), Phil Stephens (b), Hal Schaefer (p, cel), Nick Fatool (d), Peggy Lee (v)
a. | T-51-537-2Master Take (Capitol) | You're Driving Me Crazy - 2:18(Walter Donaldson)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-429 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
b. | T-51-538-2Master Take (Capitol) | Goody Goody - 2:22(Matt Malneck, Johnny Mercer)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-430 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
c. | T-51-539-3Master Take (Capitol) | I Ain't Got Nobody - 2:13(Roger Graham, Spencer Williams)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-430 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
d. | T-51-540-3Master Take (Capitol) | Molly Malone - 3:31(Traditional)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-429 (1949)
Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) |
e. | T-51-541-2Master Take (Capitol) | This Little Piggy - 2:33(Harold Lewis, Sam Coslow, Leslie Barton)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-429 (1949)
Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) Disconforme Public Domain CD(Spain) Jfcd 22822 — The Complete Capitol Small Group Transcriptions (2001) |
f. | T-51-542-1Master Take (Capitol) | But Beautiful - 2:33(Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-429 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
g. | T-51-543-2Master Take (Capitol) | Fine And Dandy - 2:11(Paul James, Kay Swift)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-430 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
h. | T-51-544-1Master Take (Capitol) | 'Tain't So, Honey, 'Tain't So - 2:24(Willard Robison)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999)
Tim International Public Domain CD(Germany) 205422 304 — That Old Feeling / You Go To My Head (2001) ► Tim International Public Domain CD(Germany) 220838 [220839-220843] — A Nightingale Can Sing The Blues ("Document" Series) (2004) |
i. | T-51-546-1Master Take (Capitol) | When A Woman Loves A Man - 2:11(Bernie D. Hanighen, Gordon Jenkins, Johnny Mercer)
CAPITOL Transcription DiscB-430 (1949)
CAPITOL Jazz CD7243 5 23567 2 0 — Trav'lin' Light (1999) ► Jasmine Collectors' Label CD(United Kingdom) Jascd 355 — A Musical Marriage; Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour (1999) |
All titles on: | Mosaic Licensed CDMd5 184 — THE COMPLETE PEGGY LEE & JUNE CHRISTY CAPITOL TRANSCRIPTION SESSIONS (1998) |
Masters
1. " 'Tain't So, Honey, 'Tain't So"
This version of the Willard Robison composition " 'Tain't So, Honey, 'Tain't So" was not included in any of Capitol's transcription discs. As a result, it did not see the light of day until Mosaic Records mastered and issued it, in 1998.
GENERAL NOTES
Capitol's Venture Into The Radio Transcription Business (And Peggy Lee's Output For This Service)
Transcription companies had as their primary activity the making of music exclusively for radio airplay, which subscribing stations received in the form of discs. (Most discs were 16 inches in diameter, one of various reasons why they could not be played on mass-marketed record players. Moreover, retailing ET discs was contractually forbidden. Those factors rendered them unaccessible to the music-buying public). The discs were not sold to radio stations, but leased for a fee, as part of a business transaction that involved the rotation of those discs among participating stations, followed by their disposal after a stipulated airplay date. Some transcription companies functioned fully as independents, whereas others had permanent or temporary ties to commercial record companies (e.g., Thesaurus to RCA, World to Decca).The Peggy Lee Shows
When it came to playing the discs that Capitol's transcription service sent on a weekly basis, subscribing radio stations could rely on suggestions to be found in a monthly Capitol newsletter, sent along with each fresh batch of discs.Commercial Issues Of Peggy Lee's Capitol Transcriptions
Transcriptions were originally intended for radio airplay only, not for sale to the public. Nevertheless, exceptions to this "not-for-sale" norm could easily be made by an enterprise such as Capitol, since it owned both a transcription service and a retail label.Statistics: Total Number Of Masters; Performances Not On CD
This discographical page lists 72 transcription masters, distributed over twelve transcription discs, and 2 additional masters found in a thirteenth, special transcription disc. (Therefore, this page covers a total of 74 masters.) Although Capitol transcription discs were created exclusively for radio airplay, nearly all the masters found in them have been commercially released -- most notably, on CD. The only exceptions are the two performances in the thirteenth disc., both consisting of a composition titled "I'm In The Mood For Love," co-written by the singer with her husband Dave Barbour. (The two performances might actually be one and the same, but they are treated as two in the transcription disc in which they appear. I remain uncertain as to the specifics because I have not listened to that disc.) "I'm In The Mood For Love" was actually Lee's theme: some radio stations must have played it as an opening and closing of a Lee-only show, with some of her other 72 masters played in-between.