Series 34, Prog 4

THE HARRY WOODS SONG BOOK

Harry Woods (born Henry MacGregor Woods) was a legendary Tin Pan Alley songwriter and pianist. Despite being born with a deformed left hand (some accounts note his right), he developed a unique piano style and went on to compose some of the most enduring classics of the Great American Songbook.

Over his prolific career, Woods composed more than 360 songs, contributing heavily to Hollywood and British musical films in the 1920s and 1930s. His most famous compositions included Try a Little Tenderness, When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along and the Billie Holiday staple, What a Little Moonlight Can Do. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 1970.

___________________

Intro: A Little White Ship - Todd Gordon: Love dot com

What a Little Moonlight Can Do - Billie Holiday: Billie Holiday

Paddlin' Madelin' Home/Row, Row, Row - Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer: Two for the Road

Try a Little Tenderness - Carmen McRae: As Time Goes By/Carmen McRae Alone - Live at The Dug

Hustlin' and Bustlin' for Baby - Adrian Rollini Orchestra & Joey Nash (aka Bell Boys of Broadway): 78rpm single

I’ll Never Say Never Again - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra featuring Helen Ward: single

(Ho Ho Ha Ha) Me Too - Kay Starr: Jazz Singer

When The Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along - Eydie Gormé: Vamps the Roaring '20’s

The Clouds Will Soon Roll By - Peter Skellern: A String of Pearls

When You've Got A Little Springtime In Your Heart - Al Bowlly with Ray Noble & His Orchestra: 78rpm single

When Somebody Thinks You’re Wonderful - “Fats” Waller: “Fats” Waller (EP)

Side by Side - Ray Charles & Betty Carter: Ray Charles and Betty Carter

I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover - Wayne Newton: Red Roses for a Blue Lady

Just Like A Butterfly (That's Caught In The Rain) - Diana Krall: Glad Rag Doll

We Just Couldn’t Say Goodbye - Diana Krall: Glad Rag Doll

River, Stay 'Way From My Door - Frank Sinatra: All the Way

What a Little Moonlight Can Do - Cassandra Wilson: Coming Forth by Day

Harry MacGregor Woods 

(November 4, 1896 - January 14, 1970)

"Ooh, ooh, ooh, what a little moonlight can do..."

Image: Rachel Claire/Pexels

Series 34, Prog 3

THE PETER DE ROSE SONG BOOK

Peter De Rose was a prolific American jazz and popular music composer during the height of the Tin Pan Alley era. Over his decades-long career, he produced numerous melodies that became enduring standards recorded by legendary artists like Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller and Frank Sinatra. In 1970, he was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. Arguably, his most famous composition was the evergreen, Deep Purple as well as the festive classic, Marshmallow World.

__________________________

Intro: A Little White Ship - Todd Gordon: Love dot com

On a Little Street in Singapore - Glenn Miller featuring Ray Eberle: 78rpm single

Deep Purple - Carol Sloane: Out of the Blue

I Wish I Knew (the Way to Your Heart) - Nat King Cole: The Very Thought of You

All I Need Is You - Vi Redd: Lady Soul

Muddy Water (A Mississippi Moan) - Jimmy Rushing: Jimmy Rushing and the Smith Girls

Lilacs in the Rain - Carmen McRae: Blue Moon

Have You Ever Been Lonely - Nellie Lutcher & Russ Garcia's Orchestra: Our New Nellie

Moonlight Mood - Frank Sinatra: Moonlight Sinatra

If You Turn Me Down (Dee-Own-Down-Down) - Peggy Lee: The Lost '40s & '50s Capitol Masters

Somebody Loves You - Dean Martin: Cha Cha de Amor

Marshmallow World - Nikki Yanofski: single

Angel - Louis Armstrong: Louis and the Angels

The Starlit Hour - Rebecca Kilgore & Dave Frishberg: The Starlit Hour

Buona Sera - Louis Prima: The Wildest

I Can Make You Love Me - June Christy: June’s Got Rhythm

Wagon Wheels - Steve Lawrence: Swinging West

The Lamp Is Low - Sarah Vaughan: Live at the 1971 Monterey Jazz Festival

Autumn Serenade - Johnny Hartman & John Coltrane: John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman

Peter De Rose

(March 10, 1896 - April 23, 1953)

"It's a marshmallow world in the winter when the snow comes to cover the ground..." 

Image: Esra Afsar/Pexels

Series 34, Prog 2

THE BOB RUSSELL SONG BOOK

Bob Russell was a master lyricist who gave a permanent voice to some of the greatest melodies in American music history. Though his name is often overshadowed by the jazz titans and pop icons he collaborated with, his words remain permanently etched into the Great American Songbook.

Born Sidney Keith Rosenthal, Russell possessed a rare lyrical versatility. In the 1940s, he partnered with Duke Ellington, transforming Ellington’s instrumental big-band compositions into unforgettable vocal hits like "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me”. Simultaneously, he demonstrated a unique gift for adaptation, writing the definitive English lyrics for massive international hits like "Brazil" and “Frenesi".

As his career progressed, Russell seamlessly transitioned to Hollywood. Working alongside a young Quincy Jones, he broke new ground in film scoring and captured two Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song in the late 1960s. Even while tragically battling terminal lymphoma, Russell’s creative output never wavered. In his final months, he co-wrote the powerhouse ballad "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother” with Bobby Scott. The track became a global anthem for solidarity and brotherly love—most famously recorded by The Hollies—serving as a profound final act for a songwriter who spent his life translating raw human emotion into timeless rhythm and rhyme. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

_______________________________

Intro: A Little White Ship - Todd Gordon: Love dot com

Brazil - Frank Sinatra: Come Fly with Me (mono)

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore - Al Hibbler & Duke Ellington's Orchestra: Al Hibbler Sings with the Duke

Crazy He Calls Me - Georgia Cécile & Fraser Urquhart: Sure of You

Frenesi - Mel Tormé: Olé Tormé

I'm Not Supposed To Be Blue Blues - Anita O'Day & Caj Tjader: Time for 2

Blue Gardenia - Nat King Cole: Sings Ballads of the Day

Cocoanuts - Mavis Rivers: Swing Along with Mavis Rivers

No More - Irene Kral: Better Than Anything

You Came A Long Way From St Louis - Perry Como: Como Swings

Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me - Ed Townsend & Nelson Riddle's Orchestra: New in Town

For Love of Ivy - Billy Eckstine: The Complete Motown Singles - Volume 8: 1968

I Didn't Know About You - June Christy: The Misty Miss Christy

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - Bobby Scott: In Memory of the Race

Warm In December (aka Warm December) - Julie London: Calendar Girl

Dance, Ballerina, Dance (aka Ballerina) - Nat King Cole: At The Sands

Bob Russell 

(April 25, 1914 - February 18, 1970)

“You came a long way from St Louis, you broke a lot of hearts between…"

Image: Borre's Film/Pexels

Series 34, Prog 1

THE LEO ROBIN SONG BOOK

Leo Robin was an Academy Award-winning lyricist and a seminal contributor to the Great American

Songbook. Known tor his romantic, witty, and charming Ivrical style, he penned over 500 sonas for Broadwav stage productions and Hollywood musical films from the mid-1920s through the early 1950s including the timeless hits Thanks for the Memory and Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend.

Robin worked with an array of legendary composers such as Richard A Whiting, Harry Warren, Harold Arlen, Vincent Youmans and, in particular, Ralph Rainger until his tragic death in a 1942 plane crash.

Over his prolific career, Leo Robin earned ten Oscar nominations and was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 1972

____________________________

Intro: A Little White Ship - Todd Gordon: Love dot com

Prisoner of Love - Ed Townsend: New in Town

Have You Forgotten? - Ethil Ennis: Have You Forgotten?

Louise - Woody Herman: Songs for Hip Lovers

Hooray for Love - Mavis Rivers: Hooray for Love

Blue Hawaii - Frank Sinatra: Come Fly with Me (mono)

In Love In Vain - Lena Horne: Lena in Hollywood

Something in the Wind - The Four Freshmen: Four Freshmen and Five Trumpets

Bye Bye, Baby - Susannah McCorkle: Thanks for the Memory/Songs of Leo Robin

Thanks for the Memory - Anita O'Day & Caj Tjader: Time for 2

Love Is Just Around the Corner - Mel Tormé & George Shearing: An Evening at Charlie’s

Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend - Julie London: Whatever Julie Wants

You Say You Care - June Christy: Off Beat

Beyond the Blue Horizon - Connie Conway: 33 Minutes & 20 Seconds With Connie Conway

My Cutey's Due at Two-To-Two Today - Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer: Two of a Kind

I Can’t Escape from You - Carmen McRae: After Glow

A Gal in Calico - Steve Lawrence: Swinging West

It Was Written in the Stars - Claire Martin & Scott Dunn: I Watch You Sleep

My Ideal - Tony Bennett: Here’s to the Ladies

Miss Brown to You - Billie Holiday & Teddy Wilson’s Orchestra: Teddy Wilson/Billie Holiday

Leo Robin

(April 6, 1895 - December 29, 1984)

"Thanks for the Memory…" 

Image: Markus Winkler/Pexels