RIO RITA
Composer: Harry
Tierney
Lyricist: Joseph McCarthy
Opened: February 2, 1927, Ziegfeld
Theatre, N.Y.C.; April 3, 1930, Prince Edward’s Theatre, London
Performances: 494
(N.Y.C.); 59 (London)
Following The Sun Around:
1. 78/Victor 20557
(Jacques Renard and His Orchestra with vocal refrain) [also
78/Victor 22182]
2. 78/Columbia DB 115 (Geoffrey Gwyther with the Prince Edward
Theatre Orchestra conducted by John Heuvel) [reissued on Lilac
Time/Rio Rita/A Southern Maid, CD/Pearl GEMM CD 9115]
3. 78/Victor 35816 (Victor Light Opera Company with orchestra
directed by Rosario Bourdon) [reissued on Broadway Through The
Gramophone 1920-1929, CD/Pearl GEMS 0085]
4. 78/Columbia 952-D (Muriel Pollock and Constance Mering,
pianos)
5. 78/Columbia 50039 (Columbia Light Opera Company)
6. 78/Brunswick 20094 (Colonial Club Orchestra with vocal
chorus)
7. Rio Rita/The Great Waltz, World (S) S-7056 (Neil Williams and
Rosalind Keene with orchestra conducted by Geoff Harvey)
8. Rio Rita/A Connecticut Yankee, RCA Victor (M) LK-1026 (Earl
Wrightson and Elaine Malbin with Al Goodman and His Orchestra)
I’d Rather Have A Memory Of You (M/L:
Geoffrey Gwyther) (added to the London production):
1. 78/Columbia DX 54
(Geoffrey Gwyther and Edith Day with orchestra conducted by John
Heuvel) [reissued on Lilac Time/Rio Rita/A Southern Maid,
CD/Pearl GEMM CD 9115]
If You’re In Love, You’ll Waltz:
1. 78/Victor 35816 (Victor
Light Opera Company with orchestra directed by Rosario Bourdon)
[reissued on Broadway Through The Gramophone 1920-1929, CD/Pearl
GEMS 0085]
2. 78/Victor 20557 (Henry Burr with Roger Wolfe Kahn and His
Orchestra) [also 78/Victor 22182]
3. 78/Gramophone B 3211 (Bebe Daniels with orchestra directed by
Victor Baravalli) [also 78/Victor 22132; reissued on Operetta
Delights, CD/Operetta Archives OA 1008]
4. 78/Velvet Tone 1370 (Jack Wilson with the WMCA Broadcasters)
[also 78/Velvet Tone 2031 V; 78/Harmony 1031 H]
5. 78/Columbia DX 55 (Edith Day and Geoffrey Gwyther with the
Prince Edward’s Theatre Orchestra conducted by John Huevel)
[reissued on Lilac Time/Rio Rita/A Southern Maid, CD/Pearl GEMM
CD 9115]
6. 78/Columbia 952-D (Muriel Pollock and Constance Mering,
pianos)
7. 78/Columbia 50039 (Columbia Light Opera Company)
8. 78/Brunswick 20094 (Colonial Club Orchestra with vocal
chorus)
9. 78/Columbia 01303 (Gladys Moncrieff and John Valentine)
[reissued on Gladys Moncrieff Sings Musical Comedy And Operetta,
EMI EME-430062]
10. 78/Vocalion SA-60012 (Gladys Moncrieff)
11. Rio Rita/The Great Waltz, World (S) S-7056 (Neil Williams
and Rosalind Keene with orchestra conducted by Geoff Harvey)
The Kinkajou:
1. 78/Victor 35816 (Victor
Light Opera Company with orchestra directed by Rosario Bourdon)
[reissued on Broadway Through The Gramophone 1920-1929, CD/Pearl
GEMS 0085]
2. 78/Columbia 893 D (Johnny Marvin with The Knickerbockers)
[also 78//Columbia 8943; 78/Columbia 5662]
3. 78/Perfect 14778 (Frank Gould with John Sylvester and His
Orchestra)
4. 78/Lucky Strike (The Midnight Serenaders)
5. 78/Victor 20474 (Billy Murray with Nat Shilkret and the
Victor Orchestra)
6. 78/HMV B5733 (Sam Browne with Jack Hylton and His Orchestra)
[reissued on Rio Rita/Rose-Marie/Show Boat, Monmouth-Evergreen
MES/7058]
7. 78/Columbia 952-D (Muriel Pollock and Constance Mering,
pianos)
8. 78/Columbia 50039 (Columbia Light Opera Company)
9. 78/Brunswick 20094 (Colonial Club Orchestra with vocal
chorus)
10. Stage Left – Stage Right, Columbia (M) CL 1662 (orchestra
conducted by Jack Pleis)
11. Faintly Reminiscent, CD/Jasmine JASCD 647 (Jerry Fielding)
(unverified)
March Of The Rangers (aka “The Rangers’
Song”):
1. 78/Columbia DX 54
(Geoffrey Gwyther and the Rangers with the Prince Edward’s
Theatre Orchestra conducted by John Heuvel) [reissued on Lilac
Time/Rio Rita/A Southern Maid, CD/Pearl GEMM CD 9115]
2. 78/Victor 35816 (J. Harold Murray and the Victor Light Opera
Company with orchestra directed by Rosario Bourdon) [reissued on
Broadway Through The Gramophone 1920-1929, CD/Pearl GEMS 0085]
3. 78/Columbia 50039 (Columbia Light Opera Company)
4. Rio Rita/The Great Waltz, World (S) S-7056 (Neil Williams and
Rosalind Keene with orchestra conducted by Geoff Harvey)
5. Rio Rita/A Connecticut Yankee, RCA Victor (M) LK-1026 (Earl
Wrightson and The Guild Choristers with Al Goodman and His
Orchestra)
6. Stage Left – Stage Right, Columbia (M) CL 1662 (orchestra
conducted by Jack Pleis)
7. The Night They Invented Champagne, CD/Prosody Records CP
68806 (Craig Rubano, KT Sullivan, and Mark Nadler)
Montezuma’s Daughter (dance):
1. 78/Vocalion TA-8001
(Gladys Moncrieff) (as "Montezuma") [reissued on Gladys
Moncrieff, Vol. 1: The Golden Years, CD/ABC Music 842-737]
Out On The Loose:
1. 78/Columbia 50039
(Columbia Light Opera Company)
Poor Whippoorwill (M: Harold Arlen; L:
E.Y. Harburg) (cut from HOORAY FOR WHAT!; considered for but
not used in 1942 film version):
1. E.Y. Harburg Revisited,
Painted Smiles (S) PS-1372 (Blossom Dearie) [reissued on Hold On
To Your Hats, CD/Painted Smiles PSCD-120]
A radio transcription is known to exist performed by the David
Rose Orchestra (unverified).
Rio Rita:
1. 78/Victor 35816 (J.
Harold Murray and the Victor Light Opera Company with orchestra
directed by Rosario Bourdon) [reissued on Broadway Through The
Gramophone 1920-1929, CD/Pearl GEMS 0085]
2. 78/Harmony 1031 H (Frank Farrell and His Greenwich Village
Inn Orchestra) [also 78/Velvet Tone 2031 V]
3. 78/Columbia DX 55 (Edith Day and Geoffrey Gwyther with the
Prince Edward’s Theatre Orchestra conducted by John Huevel)
[reissued on Lilac Time/Rio Rita/A Southern Maid, CD/Pearl GEMM
CD 9115]
4. 78/Columbia 893 D (Charles Kaley with The Knickerbockers)
[also 78/Columbia 8943]
5. 78/Perfect 14778 (Frank Gould with John Sylvester and His
Orchestra)
6. 78/Victor 20474 (Lewis James with Nat Shilkret and the Victor
Orchestra)
7. 78/Perfect 15224 (James Denton with the Ten Freshmen)
8. 78/Homestead 15987 A (Larry Holton with The University Boys)
[also 78/Jewel 5708; 78/Oriole 1700]
9. 78/Jewel 5001 (Billy White with Lou Connor’s Dance Orchestra)
10. 78/Coral 60956 (Herbie Fields and Rudy Cafaro with Herbie
Fields and His Orchestra)
11. 78/Harmony 380 H (Sid Garry with piano
accompaniment) [78/Velvet Tone 1380 V]
12. 78/Crown 83015 (Matty Crawford’s Orchestra with vocal
chorus)
13. 78/Romeo 353 (The Night Hawks with vocal refrain)
14. 78/Cameo 9283 (Willard Young and His Orchestra)
15. 78/Cameo 1130 (Society Night Club Orchestra)
16. 78/Banner 6516 (Ralph Haines with The Campus Boys)
17. 78/Victor 26213 (James Brown and Chorus with Swing And Sway
with Sammy Kaye) [also 78/Victor 27347]
18. 78/Victor 20-3994 (Buddy Morrow and His Orchestra) [reissued
on Buddy Morrow On RCA, CD/DRG/Collectors’ Choice Music CCM
01002]
19. 78/Victor 1448 (Richard Crooks with orchestra conducted by
Nathaniel Shilkret) [reissued A Richard Crooks Serenade,
CD/Living Era/ASV CDAJA 5240]
20. 78/HMV B5733 (Sam Browne with Jack Hylton and His Orchestra)
21. 78/Edison 51947 (Duke Yellman’s Orchestra) [reissued on
Songs From Broadway Musicals 1920’s, Volume 1, Mark 56 Records
(M) 789]
22. 78/Columbia 50039 (Columbia Light Opera Company)
23. 78/Brunswick 20094 (Colonial Club Orchestra with vocal
chorus)
24. 78/Vocalion SA-60012 (Gladys Moncrieff and Frank Titterton)
25. 45/Golden Crest CD-102 (Jack Zimmerman)
26. Rio Rita/The Great Waltz, World (S) S-7056 (Neil Williams
and Rosalind Keene with orchestra conducted by Geoff Harvey)
27. Rio Rita/A Connecticut Yankee, RCA Victor (M) LK-1026 (Earl
Wrightson and The Guild Choristers with Al Goodman and His
Orchestra)
28. Florenz Ziegfeld And The Ziegfeld Follies, Mark 56 Records
(M) 737 (Chorus)
29. Show Stoppers From The Twenties, Pye (M) PLP 1022 (Edmund
Hockridge with orchestra conducted by Alyn Ainsworth and Peter
Knight)
30. Stage Left – Stage Right, Columbia (M) CL 1662 (orchestra
conducted by Jack Pleis)
31. The Fantastic Sound Of Kai Warner, CD/Polydor 5322803 (Kai
Warner)
32. Never Been Blue 1922-42, CD/Transatlantic Radio 21 (Ted
Fiorito and His Orchestra)
33. Strictly Ballroom, CD/Marble Arch MACCD 143 (Victor
Silvester)
River Song:
1. 78/Vocalion TA-8001
(Gladys Moncrieff) [reissued on Gladys Moncrieff, Vol. 1: The
Golden Years, CD/ABC Music 842-737]
The Shadow Song (M/L: Giacomo
Meyerbeer) (used in the 1942 film version; originally
written for DINORAH):
I have not attempted to
compile anything other than original film cast recordings of
this number.
1. Make Believe, Azel AZ 101 (Kathryn Grayson)
Most Unusual Weather (aka “It’s Such Unusual Weather”) (M:
Harold Arlen; L: E.Y. Harburg) (not used; written for the
1942 film version):
1. Harold Arlen And Vernon
Duke Revisited Vol. II, Painted Smiles PS-1373 (Blossom Dearie
and Arthur Siegel) [reissued as CD/Painted Smiles PSCD-127]
Sweetheart, We Need Each Other (written
for the 1929 film version):
1. 78/Perfect 15224 (Ted
Bancroft with La Palina Broadcasters)
2. 78/Diva 3068 G (Lester Cortes with Jerome Conrad and His
Orchestra)
3. 78/Gramophone B 5729 (Burt Lorin with Ben Pollack and His
Park Central Orchestra) [also 78/Victor 22101; reissued on Ben
Pollack Vol. 3, 1929, CD/Jazz Oracle BDW 8017]
4. 78/Cameo 108 (Buddy Blue with Fred Rich and His Orchestra)
[also 78//Oriole 1760]
5. 78/Brunswick 4567 (Colonial Club Orchestra with vocal chorus)
6. 78/Brunswick 20094 (Colonial Club Orchestra with vocal
chorus)
7. The Indispensable 1928-1957, CD/RCA 66606 (Jack Teagarden)
Sweethearts:
1. 78/Vocalion TA-8001
(Gladys Moncrieff) [reissued on Gladys Moncrieff, Vol. 1: The
Golden Years, CD/ABC Music 842-737]
You’re Always In My Arms (But Only In
My Dreams) (written for the 1929 film version):
1. 78/Columbia DB 115
(Edith Day with the Prince Edward Theatre Orchestra conducted by
John Heuvel) [reissued on Lilac Time/Rio Rita/A Southern Maid,
CD/Pearl GEMM CD 9115]
2. 78/Gramophone B 3211 (Bebe Daniels with orchestra directed by
Victor Baravalli) [also 78/Victor 22132; reissued on Star
Spangled Rhythm, CD/Smithsonian RD 111]
3. 78/Diva 3068 G (Lester Cortes with Jerome Conrad and His
Orchestra)
4. 78/Gramophone B 5729 (Burt Lorin with Ben Pollack and His
Park Central Orchestra) [also 78/Victor 22101; reissued on Ben
Pollack Vol. 3, 1929, CD/Jazz Oracle BDW 8017]
5. 78/Brunswick 4567 (Regent Club Orchestra with vocal chorus)
6. 78/Van Dyke 71798 (Savoy Dance Orchestra)
7. 78/Oriole 1785 (Buddy Blue with Adrain Schubert’s Salon
Orchestra)
8. 78/Brunswick 20094 (Colonial Club Orchestra with vocal
chorus)
9. 78/Columbia 01818 (Gladys Moncrieff) [reissued on Gladys
Moncrieff, Vol. 1: The Golden Years, CD/ABC Music 842-737]
10. Rio Rita/The Great Waltz, World (S) S-7056 (Neil Williams
and Rosalind Keene with orchestra conducted by Geoff Harvey)
11. Rio Rita/A Connecticut Yankee, RCA Victor (M) LK-1026 (Earl
Wrightson and Elaine Malbin with Al Goodman and His Orchestra)
Unrecorded Material: