KEEP 'EM LAUGHING



Composers: Various
Lyricists: Various

Opened: April 24, 1942, 44th Street Theatre, N.Y.C.
Performances: 77

See also later revised incarnation called TOP-NOTCHER.


Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup (M/L: Ann Sosenko):

Note: I have not attempted to compile discological information for this number beyond original cast member performances.
1. 78/Pathe PA 538 (Hildegarde with Patrick & Son Orchestra directed by Guy Paquinet) [reissued on The Chronological Django Reinhardt 1934-1935, CD/Melodie Jazz Classics 703]
2. 78/Columbia 258 M (Hildegarde with Carroll Gibbons and His Boy Friends) [also 78/Columbia DB1556; 78/Columbia DF 1811; 78/Columbia DO1418; reissued on Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup, CD/Living Era CD AJA 5161]
3. 78/Decca 23218 (Hildegarde with Harry Sosnik and His Orchestra) [also 78/Decca 29158; 45/Decca 9-29158; Hildegarde Vol. 1, 45EP/Decca ED 2052; reissued on Isn't It Romantic, CD/Bygone Days BYD 77030]
4. What I Did For Love, Audio Fidelity (S) AFSD 6286 (Hildegarde, piano and voice)
5. "On The Air" 1935-44, Totem LP 1036 (Hildegarde with William Wirges and His Orchestra)


I Said No (M: Jule Styne; L: Frank Loesser) (from the film SWEATER GIRL):

1. 78/Decca 23245 (Hildegarde with Bob Grant and the Savoy-Plaza Orchestra) [reissued on Songs From The Shows, CD/Vocalion 6078]
2. 78/Elite 5010 (Eddie Lang with Clyde Lucas and His Orchestra) [also 78/Classic 5010]
3. 78/Columbia 36477 (Lillian Lane with Claude Thornhill and His Orchestra) [reissued on The Rare Columbia Recordings, CD/Collectables Records 7549]
4. 78/Columbia 36488 (Margo and Xavier Cugat with Xavier Cugat and His Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra)
5. 78/Decca 4102 (Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell with Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra) [reissued on Jazz In The Charts: Jingle Bells 1941-1942, CD/Membran 223765]
6. 78/Decca 4186 (Betty Jane Rhodes with Victor Young and His Orchestra) [reissued on Starring Betty Rhodes, CD/Sepia 1069]
7. 78/Bluebird B 11391 (Yvonne King with Alvino Rey and His Orchestra) [reissued on Frank Loesser: I Hear Music, CD/Flapper PAST CD 7830]
8. 78/Okeh 6526 (Amy Arnell with Tommy Tucker Time)
9. 45/Columbia 4-41644 (Taffy Thomas with orchestra directed by Frank De Vol)
10. Chances Are, Sony Music Distribution 49071 (Johnny Mathis)
11. Whisper Not, Verve (S) V6-4071 (Ella Fitzgerald with orchestra conducted by Marty Paich) [reissued as CD/Universal 589478]
12. Hi Fi Calypso, Etc., Columbia (M) CL 928 (Enid Mosier and her Trinidad Steel Band with the Clarence Williams Trio)
13. Live! In The Round, Warner Bros. (M) 1660 (Yvonne King with orchestra conducted by Ralph Carmichael) [reissued on The Live! In The Round/The New Sounds Of The Fabulous King Sisters, CD/Collectors' Choice Music 2073]
14. Low Lights And Laughs, Warner Bros. (M) 1481 (Joan Barton)
15. If I Were A Bell: The Songs Of Frank Loesser, CD/Andreasong (Andrea Marcovicci with Shelly Markham, piano, and Jared Egan, bass)
16. Just In Time: Judy Kuhn Sings Jule Styne, CD/Varese Sarabande VSD-5472 (Judy Kuhn with musical direction by Michael Skloff)
17. Man And His Music, CD/Empress Music 896 (Carl Barriteau) (unverified)
18. Can't We Be Friends?, CD/Agorila (Combo!) (unverified)
19. The Early Years, CD/JSP 954 (George Shearing)
20. I’ll Be Seeing You: Love Songs Of World War II, CD/Cabaret CACD 6001-2 (Andrea Marcovicci  with musical direction by Glenn Mehrbach)
A radio transcription performed by Bea Wain and Lou Holtz with the Kay Kyser Orchestra is also known to exist.


I'll Be Seeing You (M: Sammy Fain; L: Irving Kahal) (originally used in RIGHT THIS WAY):

Note: I have not attempted to compile discological information for this number beyond original cast member and composer performances.
1. 78/Decca 23291 (Hildegarde with Harry Sosnik and His Orchestra) [also Hildegarde Vol. 1, 45EP/Decca ED 2052; reissued on The Incomparable Hildegarde, CD/Pearl Flapper PASTCD 7066]
2. I'll Be Seeing You: The Music Of Sammy Fain As Sung By The Composer, 10"/MGM (M) E241 (Sammy Fain)
3. Hildegarde, Seeco (M) CELP-400 (Hildegarde with the Stanley Melba Orchestra conducted by Martin Freed)
4. What I Did For Love, Audio Fidelity (S) AFSD 6286 (Hildegarde, piano and voice)
5. "On The Air" 1935-44, Totem LP 1036 (Hildegarde with Harry Sosnick and His Orchestra)
6. A Noteworthy Occasion, Unnamed label R-2658 (Sammy Fain, piano and voice)
7. Sammy Sings Fain, CD/Koch 3-7461-2 HI (Sammy Fain with Freddie Martin and Chorus)
8. Sammy Sings Fain…Again, CD/Koch KIC-CD-7561 (Sammy Fain)


The Last Time I Saw Paris (M: Jerome Kern; L: Oscar Hammerstein II) (also used in the film version of LADY, BE GOOD):

Note: I have not attempted to compile discological information for this number beyond original cast member performances.
1. 78/Decca 23183 (Hildegarde with Harry Sosnik and His Orchestra) [also Hildegarde Vol. 1, 45EP/Decca ED 2052; reissued on The Incomparable Hildegarde, CD/Pearl Flapper PASTCD 7066]
2. Hildegarde, Seeco (M) CELP-400 (Hildegarde with the Stanley Melba Orchestra conducted by Martin Freed)
3. What I Did For Love, Audio Fidelity (S) AFSD 6286 (Hildegarde, piano and voice)
4. Jerome Kern: A Musical Tribute, Ariel Records (M) JKT-12 (Hildegarde)


Not A Care In The World (M: Vernon Duke; L: John Latouche) (originally used in BANJO EYES and added to the 1964 revival of CABIN IN THE SKY):

1. 78/Bluebird B 11388 (Betty Bradley with Bob Chester and his Orchestra)
2. 78/Victor 27720 (Jan Savitt and His Top Hatters with vocal refrain)
3. Not A Care In The World, Audiophile (S) AP-202 (Stan Freeman, piano and voice, with Jim Hackman, bass, and Nick Ceroli, drums)
4. Cabin In The Sky, Capitol (S) SW-2073 (Rosetta LeNoire and Tony Middleton with orchestra conducted by Sy Oliver) [reissued as CD/Angel ZDM 0777 7 64892 2 3]
5. Second Town Hall Concert, Atlantic (S) SD2-605 (Bobby Short, piano and voice, with Beverly Peer, bass, and Richard Sheridan, drums) [reissued on Mabel Mercer And Bobby Short At Town Hall/Second Town Hall Concert, CD/Collectables 6839]
6. The Complete Recordings 1941-1947, CD/Columbia Legacy 65686 (Peggy Lee with the Benny Goodman Orchestra)
7. Let's Dance, CD/Collectables 280 (Benny Goodman and his Orchestra)
8. Goodman-The Different Version Vol. 3, CD/Phontastic 8823 (Benny Goodman and his Orchestra)
9. Not A Care In The World, CD/Arbors 19168 (Rebecca Kilgore and Dave Frishberg)
10. Vernon Duke Revisited Vol. III, CD/Painted Smiles PSCD-147 (Dorothy Loudon with accompaniment by Arthur Siegel)
11. Dawn Upshaw Sings Vernon Duke, CD/Nonesuch 79531-2 (Dawn Upshaw with Fred Hersch, piano)
12. Take Love Easy: The Lyrics Of John Latouche, CD/Audiophile ACD-206 (Richard Rodney Bennett)
13. Taking A Chance On Love, CD/Original Cast OC-4444 (Eddie Korbich with Jeffrey R. Smith & David Harris at the pianos)
14. Autumn In New York: Vernon Duke's Broadway, CD/Ghostlight 7915583302-2 (Klea Blackhurst with orchestra conducted by Michael Rice)
15. Nobody Else But Me, CD/Landmark 1551 (Wesla Whitfield with the Mike Greensill Quartet)


A Pink Cocktail For A Blue Lady (M: Ben Oakland; L: Herb Magidson):

1. 78/Decca 23245 (Hildegarde with Bob Grant and the Savoy-Plaza Orchestra) [reissued on I'm Going To See You Today, CD/Dutton Vocalion 6035]
2. 78/Victor 20-1523 (Skip Nelson with Glenn Miller and His Orchestra) [reissued on The Complete Glenn Miller, CD/Bluebird RCA 61015-2]


Poet And Peasant ("Dichter und Bauer") Overture (M: Franz Von Suppe):

I have not attempted to compile discological information for this piece.


There's Something About A Soldier (M/L: Noel Gay) (from the film SOLDIERS OF THE KING):

1. 78/Gramophone B 4418 (Cicely Courtneidge with orchestra accompaniment) [reissued on Me And My Girl: The Song Is… Noel Gay, CD/ASV CD AJA 5081]
2. 78/HMV C-2868 (Cicely Courtneidge)
3. 78/Victor 24513 (Ray Noble and His Orchestra) [also 78/Gramophone B 6325]
4. 78/Decca 3286 (The Cavalier Quartette with Louis Katzman's Orchestra)
5. 78/Columbia 2911 D (The Buccaneers)
6. One Man's Music, EMI Odeon (S) SCX 6299 (The Mike Sammes Singers with Brian Fahey and his Orchestra)
7. Waltzes & Foxtrots, CAS/Carrousel Music W-153-7 (William E. Black, band organ)
8. Country Carnival Classics, CAS/Country Carnival CM1540 (Country Carnival Classics)
9. The Songs Of Noel Gay, CD/Flapper PAST CD 7035 (George Baker with Jack Hylton and His Orchestra)
10. Essential Brass Bands, CD/Soho Latino 051 (Regency Noble Footwear Band)
11. Radio Times, CD/Polydor 517474 (Kathryn Evans, Harriet Benson, Helen Anker, Linda Mae Brewer, Kathy Norcross, Tamzin Outhwaite, Martin Eyre, and Ben Richards with orchestra conducted by Robert Scott)
12. Military Band Favorites, CD/Gold Label/Madacy 4929 (unknown band)


Unrecorded Material:

East Indian Dances (M: Raymond Scott; Albert Ketelby)
Lizst Swing Number

Note: William Gaxton and Victor Moore performed a medley of their hits from FIFTY MILLION FRENCHMEN, OF THEE I SING, ANYTHING GOES, and LOUISIANA PURCHASE.