100 years ago: “Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody” hits #1

Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody Al Jolson with the Charles Prince Orchestra

Writer(s): Sam Lewis, Joe Young, Jean Schwartz (see lyrics here) First Charted: August 10, 1918 Peak: 18 US, 3 GA (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Crooner Bing Crosby once said of “Broadway’s most charismatic performer,” “Nobody could sell a song like Jolson.” LW “Rock-a-Bye” was one of his signature songs, debuting alongside 26 other musical numbers in the stage play Sinbad. PS The show, which starred Jolson in his familiar black face, LW opened at the Winter Garden on February 14, 1918 and ran for 164 performances. PS Jean Schwartz, who was a native Hungarian, wrote the music. His sister had studied under composer Franz Liszt and taught Schwartz to play piano. LW The lyrics were penned by Tin Pan Alley writers Sam Lewis and Joe Young, who also wrote for the vaudeville circuit and penned hits such as “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue” and “Sitting on Top of the World.” Lewis had previously worked as a café singer while Young demoed songs for publishing houses. LW The “Stephen Foster sound-a-like song” even mentions the famous writer’s “Old Black Joe” and “Swanee River.” RCG Jolson took the song to #1 in 1918; that same year Arthur Fields’ version went to #9. Jolson integrated the song in his vaudeville act and performed the song in three films – 1939’s Rose of Washington Square, 1946’s The Jolson Story, and 1946’s Jolson Sings Again. The song was also featured in 1929’s The Show of Shows and 1944’s The Merry Monahans. PS The song resurfaced in 1956 as a top ten, million-selling hit for comedian Jerry Lewis JA and Aretha Franklin hit #37 with he song in 1961. Cher, Sammy Davis Jr., Connie Francis, Judy Garland, and Brenda Lee also recorded versions. RCG Resources: JA David A. Jasen (2002). A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999). Routledge: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Page 165. LW Alan Lewens (2001). Popular Song – Soundtrack of the Century. Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 40. PS ParlorSongs.com RCG RimChiGuy.com The Old Songs (1900-1929) Related Links: First posted 8/17/2016; last updated 11/24/2022.

50 years ago: Al Jolson hit #1 with Songs He Made Famous

First posted 9/29/2020.

Songs He Made Famous Al Jolson

Released: November 1946 Charted: January 18, 1947 Recorded: 1913-1946 Peak: 125 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: traditional pop

Tracks: Song Title (date when original version of song charted, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. April Showers (1/28/22, 111 US) Swanee (5/8/20, 19 US, sales: 1 million) California, Here I Come (5/3/24, 16 US) Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody (8/10/18, 18 US) You Made Me Love You (9/20/13, 17 US) Ma Blushin’ Rosie Sonny Boy (1928) My Mammy (6/9/28, 2 US)

Rating: 3.650 out of 5.00 (average of 4 ratings) Awards:

About the Album: Songs He Made Famous was a collection of songs featured in The Jolson Story, a movie musical telling the somewhat ficitionalized story of Al Jolson. The movie tells of a young Jolson discovered at a burlesque show and how he runs off to join the act after his Jewish father forbids it. He later ends up as part of a minstrel show when the blackface entertainer passes out drunk and Jolson takes his place. Jolson meets an up-and-coming dancer Julie Benson (modeled after Jolson’s real-life wife Ruby Keeler) and they fall in love. She is not fond of show business, however, and wants him to quit. He eventually does, refusing to sing for any reason. However, he is persuaded to sing the song his parents danced to at their wedding when he attends their anniversary party. He is then coaxed into going to a nightclub, where the crowd demands a song. He ends up taking over the show. Julie leaves, knowing he’s happier than he has been in a long time. The movie won Academy Awards for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, and Best Sound Recording. Songs He Made Famous featured re-recordings of Jolson’s biggest hits from 1913 to 1928 and served as the soundtrack for the movie. It was initially issued as a 4-record 78 rpm set in 1946 and rereleased as a vinyl LP in 1949. With 25 weeks at #1 and 61 weeks on the Billboard album charts, it ranks in the top 10 for albums of longevity and top 50 #1 albums from 1940-1954. JW:566-7 A second collection of re-recordings from the movie was issued as Souvenir Album and spent 10 weeks atop the album chart. The re-recorded versions of My Mammy and April Showers charted, hitting numbers 18 and 15 respectively and both selling a million copies. “The Anniversary Song” wasn’t featured on the soundtrack, but the single hit #2 and was also a million seller.

Resources and Related Links: Al Jolson’s DMDB Encyclopedia entry 45 45worlds.com PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research, Inc.: Menomonee Falls, WI. Pages 233-5. JW Joel Whitburn (2002). Billboard Pop Hits: Singles & Albums 1940-1954. Record Research, Inc.: Menomonee Falls, WI. WK Wikipedia