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Danny KAYE (1913-1987): Vol. 2
For Kids

NAXOS NOSTALGIA 8.120844 [62.32]

Crotchet Budget price

1. Sylvia Fine
There’s a hole at the bottom of the sea [2:28]
With chorus and orchestra
rec. 26 November 1951, New York
2. Walt Barrows - Bernard Zaritsky
The Little White Duck [2:39]
With the Ken Darby Singers & Rhythm Group
rec. 12 November 1950, Los Angeles
3. Alan Livingston - Billy May - Warren Foster
I taut I taw a puddy-tat [3:05]
With Vic Scoen’s Orchestra
rec. 16 January 1951, Los Angeles
4. George Kleinsinger – Paul Tripp
Tubby the Tuba [8:55]
With Victor Young and his Concert orchestra
rec. 19 May 1947, Los Angeles
5. George Kleinsinger-Paul Tripp
The Tubby the Tuba song [2:46]
With orchestra
rec. 27 June 1950, Los Angeles
6. Sammy Fain – Bob Hilliard
I’m late [2:02]
With Dave Terry’s Orchestra
rec. 9 March 1951, New York
7. Sammy Fain – Bob Hilliard
The walrus and the carpenter [2:57]
With Dave Terry’s Orchestra
rec. 9 March 1951, New York
8. Sylvia Fine –
Popo the puppet [2:56]
With chorus and orchestra
rec. 27 June 1950, Los Angeles
9. George Kleinsinger – Paul Tripp
Tubby the Tuba at the circus [9:00]
With Victor Young’s Orchestra
rec. 18 August1950, Los Angeles
10. Sylvia Fine –
Uncle Pockets [2:41]
With Pitty Andrews & Vic Schoen’s orchestra
rec. 26 November 1951, New York
11. Don Gardiner
All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth [3:28]
With Patty Andrews and Vic Schoen’s Orchestra
rec. 14 September 1949, Los Angeles
12. Russ Carlyle – Art Sutton
Santa Claus looks like my Daddy
With Vic Schoen’s Orchestra and Chorus
rec. 26 September 1951, Los Angeles
13. Frank Loesser
The ugly duckling
With Gordon Jenkins’ Orchestra
rec. 12 August 1952, Los Angeles
14. Frank Loesser
The King’s new clothes
With Gordon Jenkins’ orchestra and Chorus
rec. 11 August 1952, Los Angeles
15. Sylvia Fine – Sammy Cahn
The court jester [9:06]
With the Judd Conlon Singers; orchestra conducted by Frank Merriweather
rec. 21 – 22 September 1955, Los Angeles

 

 

A couple of years back, Naxos issued a wonderful compilation of tracks by the greatest of comedy songsters, Danny Kaye [review]. Yours truly, however, bemoaned the absence of one item in particular – the great, the remarkable, the INCOMPARABLE Tubby the Tuba! Naxos heard my cry, and promised it was on its way. And, would you believe it, here it is on track 4, complete with Signor Pizzicato, Peepo the Piccolo, the baritone bullfrog, and of course poor despised Tubby himself, all brought to life in George Kleinsinger’s delightful musical tale.

There are a couple of lesser-known spin-offs too; ‘The Tubby the Tuba Song’, a shortened version of the same tale, and ‘Tubby the Tuba at the Circus’ on track 9. This is a similar length to the original, and though like most spin-offs, it’s not quite as good as its model, DK’s many voices are nonetheless deployed to great effect as usual. The elephant’s song ‘Be Yourself’ is a great number too.

There is a clutch of songs from successful films – ‘The Ugly Duckling’ and ‘The King’s New Clothes’ from Hans Christian Andersen, and ‘I’m Late’ and ‘The Walrus and the Carpenter’ from (I believe, though I would welcome corroboration) Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland.

Many of the tracks, though, are just straightforward silly children’s songs, several written for him by his wife Sylvia Fine. These include the tongue-twisting ‘There’s a hole at the bottom of the sea’ on track 1 (strongly recommended to all primary school teachers!), Popo the Puppet, and the final track, another extended musical fable, ‘The Court Jester’, with its brave hero The Fox, and the Terrible, Dreadful, Horrible King. It also has a meltingly beautiful little lullaby ‘Behind the Rainbow’. Then there are other favourites such as ‘The Little White Duck’ and ‘All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth’.

I can guarantee these nostalgic but evergreen songs will banish those winter blues in the most effortless and entertaining way possible – treat yourself!

Gwyn Parry-Jones
I can guarantee these nostalgic but evergreen songs will banish those winter blues in the most effortless and entertaining way possible – treat yourself! ... see Full Review