The Rest of the Great George M. Cohan in Song

The Rest of the Great George M. Cohan in Song

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In Recollections & Ruminations
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We just cannot fit George into the featured image! Shame on us. Look to your right, and you will see the entire photo. We are going to begin this last post on Cohan with the patriotic tune that cemented his place in the American songbook–“Over There.”

GeorgeM. Cohan, the Man Who Owned Broadway

George M. Cohan

We are going to start our discussion with a video clip from Yankee Doodle Dandy, featuring Frances Langford and Jimmy Cagney.

While there were others who sang this song, the best rendition I have ever heard is the one performed by Enrico Caruso. His english may not be perfect, but his heart is all there for me. Here is an audio clip provided by a man who greatly admired Caruso and American aviators. He included some information and photos on three US fighter aces who lost their lives during WWII.

What we are going to do next is a bit unorthodox, but when has that ever stopped us before. We are going to list tunes and the shows they came from in chronological order. However, there are no single recordings that we can find on youtube; so we will use medleys that exist and tell you what will be on each medley. We hope this works.

“The Belle of the Barbers’ Ball” is from Cohan and Harris Minstrels (1908)
“The Man Who Owns Broadway” from The Man Who Owns Broadway (1909)
“Oh, You Wonderful Girl” is from The Little Millionaire (1911)
“In a Kingdom of Our Own” from The Royal Vagabond (1919)
“Nellie Kelly, I Love You” from Little Nelly Kelly (1922)
“Molly Malone,” “Like the Wandering Minstrel” and “Blue Skies, Gray Skies” from The Merry Malones (1927)
“Billie” from Billie (1928)

In the movie, Yankee Doodle Dandy, history is mangled just a bit so that The Four Cohans could sing a medley of songs, including “Oh You Wonderful Girl,” “Blue Skies, Gray Skies” and “The Belle of the Barbers’ Ball.”

Next, we have Frances Langford (in an audio clip) singing a medley of songs in the same movie, including “Love Nest,” “Little Nelly Kelly,” “The Man Who Owns Broadway,” “Molly Malone” and “Billie.” Now, there is only one false note here. “Love Nest” was not written by George M. Cohan; he produced the show (Mary) in 1920 that gave birth to the song; but the song was written by Louis Hirsch (music) and Otto Harbach (lyrics).

“Like a Wandering Minstrel” is played and sung during the travel montage on screen, but we cannot find a youtube clip. We cannot find “In a [the] Kingdom of Our Own.”

Let’s not grieve over what we cannot find and give thanks over what we can find. In 1940, MGM adapted Little Nellie Kelly into a movie musical. Of course, in the world of Hollywood, an adaptation may not resemble the Broadway show. We should be grateful that they kept the name and the title song. The movie features Judy Garland and George Murphy. Here is the original trailer for the movie; the song “Little Nellie Kelly” starts at 1:31 and continues to the end of the clip.

Now, you didn’t think that we would ignore other scenes involving Judy and George, did you? We have a final clip for you, featuring a love scene between the two stars. Remember, as you watch, that Judy played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, one year earlier in 1939. They sure grow up fast in Hollywood. The song is called “A Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow” and was written by Roger Edens. It may not be Cohan music, but it is beautiful.

As to next week, I am still waiting for some inspiration, and all I am actually getting is perspiration. Let’s tune in together and be surprised.