This post is an opportunity to present some of my favorite singers from England's postwar music scene. Dame Vera Lynn has appeared
here before, but Lita Roza, Dame Gracie Fields and the wonderful Anne Shelton have not.
The theme, given the time of year, is Christmas music or at least vaguely seasonal fare, with a good mix of familiar and unfamiliar songs. All are from Decca London 78s in my collection.
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| Vera Lynn |
Let's start with three selections from the most famous and beloved vocalist of the group - Dame Vera Lynn, still with us at age 100. Her items are all relatively unfamiliar, and attractive in their own ways - "Christmas Time" and "Jolly Jolly Jingle" from 1950, and the gorgeous "Once Upon a Wintertime" from 1948. "Jolly Jolly Jingle," with small group accompaniment, is notable for being more relaxed and uptempo than most of Dame Vera's repertoire. The other backings are by the ubiquitous Bob Farnon.
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| Gracie Fields |
Our next artist, Gracie Fields, is equally renowned, but perhaps more as a music hall and film personality than as a great pop vocalist. That said, she does well with a warm rendition of "White Christmas," but can't make much out of the awkward and treacly "Christmas Love." The accompaniments on this 1948 issue are again by Bob Farnon.
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| Anne Shelton |
One of the great voices of the time was undoubtedly that of contralto Anne Shelton, allied to her considerable expressive skill as a singer. Her selections start with the familiar "Greensleeves" (from circa 1948), then move on to the affecting "This Is the Time of the Year" (circa 1948-9) and a beautiful version of "While the Angelus Was Ringing" (from 1949). The latter song was a hit for Edith Piaf a few years before as "Les Trois Cloches" and made a comeback as "The Three Bells" for the Browns in 1959. Shelton's orchestra leaders are Jay Wilbur, Bernie Landes and Roy Robertson, respectively.
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| Lita Roza |
We complete our miniature survey with a single from a slightly newer artist, Lita Roza, who is perhaps the least known of the quartet here in the US, although well regarded among pop vocal enthusiasts. Her first hit was in 1953 (the same year as this single) with a cover of Patti Page's notorious "How Much Is that Doggy In the Window?" Perhaps under the spell of the Singing Rage, Roza at times tries to sing with her tongue stuck to her palate, but the vocals still emerge well enough, surprisingly enough. Here she assays "The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot," a song that careens into the mawkish given half a chance. Roza manages to just avoid the trap. The best versions are probably the warm and caring renditions by Vera Lynn and Nat Cole. We end up with the "St. Nicolas Waltz," which, appropriately, seems inspired by Patti Page's hit version of the "Tennessee Waltz." The only differences: a seasonal rather than geographic orientation, and it isn't nearly as good a song. Well worth listening to, though, and nicely done. Johnny Douglas with the backings.
Many of the singles I have presented here are from old store stock or deejay copies. Not these, though, so I hope you will forgive some background rustle and a few other sonic artifacts from Christmases long ago.
