Croonette: An Elsie Carlisle Discography

CROONETTECROONETTE An Elsie Carlisle DiscographyAn Elsie Carlisle Discography by A. G. Kozak elsiecarlisle.com Version 2.1.0 (Updated October 14, 2022) This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8307-9716 DOI DOI 10.5281/zenodo.3753041 10.5281/zenodo.3753041 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Reference List Abbreviations Discography Song Index Appendix A: Conventions Used in This Discography Appendix B: Original Research into Approximate Release Dates Appendix C: Songs Not Featuring Elsie Carlisle 1 INTRODUCTION Elsie Carlisle started her career as a child chorus girl on the late Edwardian stage and effectively retired by the end of the Second World War with the well-earned epithet “Idol of the Radio.” Radio was the medium through which millions had come to love her. She had reached the public through other means as well, including short films and television (when that technology was in its infancy). Yet for an appreciation of her contribution to culture, twenty-first-century connoisseurs of popular song are almost entirely dependent on her voice’s persistence on the brittle shellac records of the time (or on the rare alternatives, primitive plastic or cardboard and acetate discs). Many such discs survive that are helpfully labeled as being by “Elsie Carlisle,” and yet aficionados of her music will agree that some of her best music is on records where she is credited only as “vocal refrain” or “vocal chorus.” There are even instances where she worked under a pseudonym: as Maisie Ramsey on Ariel Grand Records, as Sheila Kay on Worldecho, as Amy Brunton on Filmophone, and as Lallie Lack on Sterno and 4 in 1. She even appeared as one of “The Masqueraders” on Plaza and as Sam Browne’s “Girl Friend” on Regal Zonophone. Moreover, when we move beyond how each record is labeled, there is the additional complication that sometimes identically labeled records preserve different takes of a song and may even derive from different recording sessions. To be able to firmly identify a record with an Elsie Carlisle vocal on it, to tell the difference between different takes and sessions, and thereby to chart the course of Elsie’s recording career, we must rely on the aid of a discography. Two previous discographies have been written about Elsie Carlisle’s artistic output. The first, Edward S. Walker’s Elsie Carlisle — With a Different Style (1974), has been in almost every respect superseded by Richard Johnson’s Elsie Carlisle: A Discography (1994). Johnson includes extensive information based on archival research about the identity of bands and accompanists, even going so far as to identify individual band personnel. His work is nearly complete; of Elsie’s issued recordings, it omits only one Decca Rhythm Maniacs title, three songs from the HMV “C” series, an HMV “B” series side, and two songs on Panachord. It would be hard to improve upon Johnson’s deep knowledge of band personnel, so I do not attempt to do so. Rather, I aim for greater completeness and accuracy, providing more information about known additional takes and identifying the presence of other singers or speakers, using as my primary evidence the labels, the shellac, and the music itself. I frequently cite other varieties of discography. Ross Laird’s 1996 Moanin’ Low is an ambitious collection of artist discographies documenting the careers of popular female Anglophone singers who recorded from 1920-1933. Laird builds upon Johnson’s work, although the narrower focus of his book necessarily omits the second half of Elsie’s career. An even more general discography that cannot be overlooked is Brian Rust and Sandy Forbes’s British Dance Bands on Record, from which Johnson must have benefited himself. I also cite the sixth edition of Rust’s Jazz and Ragtime Records. Label discographies are another useful source of information. Several print works and one CD-ROM resource in my reference list have proved very useful to my research, but perhaps none so much as the web-based Kelly Online Database, a study of Gramophone Company sessions and issues (both British and foreign), which has allowed me to move back the date of Elsie’s first known session by eight years to 1918. Also very useful are Mike Thomas’s online resources for British 78 rpm record labels, which provide extraorinarily useful information about some of the less well-documented record companies. In this discography, session descriptions are based primarily on the wording of the record labels themselves and supplemented when necessary with other known information. Dates are mostly taken from Laird, Johnson, and the Kelly database. It should be noted that dating Dominion and Imperial records is notoriously difficult, and those dates will probably always remain approximate. For recording locations, Johnson’s research is augmented by the evidence of Kelly’s study of Gramophone Company records. I am sometimes asked how many recordings Elsie made. I think a good answer can be given if the criteria are clearly stated. If by “recording” we mean “a matrix with one or more takes of Elsie singing or even speaking,” then Elsie is known to have made at least 332 recordings (including a surviving radio transcription), with two more matrices likely to include a vocal by her (HMV matrix 0B-3148 and Sterno matrix S-2607). There are also four records that contain dubs of other records but that do not represent original recordings. I wrote the first version of this discography in March-April 2020 while self-isolating during the coronavirus pandemic, basing it on six years’ worth of notes and observations that I made collecting Elsie’s records and creating elsiecarlisle.com. I issued minor corrections and improvements soon thereafter and included an alphabetical song index. The lastest version of the discography (2.0.0) draws on new sources of information, most 2 importantly the Kelly Online Database. New features in version 2 include the listing, for each of Elsie’s recordings, of any known 78 rpm issues or reissues made outside of Great Britain. Approximate release dates are also supplied, when available; to arrive at these dates, I have made use both of label discographies and done some original research of my own into supplements, advertisements, and reviews. I have also included an appendix identifying songs occasionally misidentified as including Elsie Carlisle vocals. I intend to continue issuing updates to this discography. The latest version should be available in web format on elsiecarlisle.com and as a PDF on Zenodo. Please contact me with any suggestions you have for its improvement. I am particurly keen on identifying previously unidentified issued takes (the ones known to have been issued are underlined in the text). And since the wording of the session headers is based partially on the record labels themselves, I would like to see labels that I have not been able to inspect yet — those are italicized. For helping me prepare version 2, special thanks go to David Weavings (for making me aware of the Kelly Online Database), to Charles Hippisley-Cox for sharing rare recordings and great advice, to Steve Paget and Terry Brown for consulting their personal libraries on my behalf, to Henry Parsons and my wife Erin for being reliable sounding boards for my ideas, and again to Erin for editing the final product. Thanks also go to: Enrico Borsetti Robert P. Cachur Stephen Clarke Julian Dyer Peter Edwards Michael Fenwick Jonathan David Holmes Clive Hooley Erik Høst Mick Johnson Marilyn Kerley Brett Lowe Barry McCanna Ray Pallett Mike Taylor James Tennyson Mike Thomas Peter Wallace John Watson John Wright A. G. Kozak Berkeley, California elsiecarlisle.com January 28, 2021 (Elsie’s 125th birthday) 3 REFERENCE LIST Adrian, Karlo, and Arthur Badrock. 1989. Edison Bell Winner Records. Second, revised edition. Bournemouth: E. Bayly. (EBWR) Andrews, Frank. 1985. Columbia 10″ Records, 1904-30. London: City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society. (FA-Col) ⸻. 2006. Zonophone Double-Sided Records 10 and 12 Inch Numerical Listing – Volumes 1 & 2. Wells-next-the-Sea, North Norfolk: City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society. (FA-Zon) Andrews, Frank, and Ernie Bayly. 2000. A Numerical Listing of the H.M.V. “B” Series of 78 rpm Records. Wells-nextthe-Sea, North Norfolk: City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society. (AB) Andrews, Frank, and Bill Dean-Myatt. 2014. The Imperial Records. CLPGS Reference Series No. 33. Hailsham, East Sussex: City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society. (ADM) Andrews, Frank, and Michael Smith. 1986. “His Master’s Voice” — the ‘C’ series. Complete Catalogue of Records. Wells-next-the-Sea, North Norfolk: City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society, 2004. (AS) Badrock, Arthur. 1986. Dominion Records: A Catalogue & History. Second Revised Edition. Bournemouth: Talking Machine Review. ⸻. 1994a. The Parlophone Red Label Popular Series E5000 — E6428. Hunstanton, Norfolk: Witley Press Ltd. (PRL) ⸻. 1994b. Review of Elsie Carlisle: A Discography, by Richard J. Johnson, Talking Machine Review 88 (Autumn/Winter): 2571. https://archive.org/details/TMR88. Badrock, Arthur, with Frank Andrews and Grant Pilcher. 1998. Filmophone Discography. Gillingham, Kent: Talking Machine Review. (FD) Bolig, John R. 2017. The Bluebird Label Discography. https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/BoligBluebirdLabel.pdf. American Discography Project (UC Santa Barbara Library). (BLD) Brown, Terry. 2017. “Carroll Gibbons — Complete Piano Discography.” 78rpm Collectors Community. https://web.archive.org/web/20201025133616/https://www.78rpmcommunity.com/beta/78rpmcataloger/car roll-gibbons-complete-piano-discography/. Calkin, Graham. 2007. “Arthur Calkin with Ray Starita.” Graham Calkin’s Family Webpages. http://www.calkin.co.uk/arthur_chapter3.html. Discography of American Historical Recordings. 2022. Accessed May 7. https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php. (DAHR) Hayes, J. G. 1974. Disc Research England. Rex 8000 Series. 8001 to 10241. Sep. 1933 to March 1948. An A to Z Artist Catalogue. Liverpool: J. G. Hayes. Hill, Dick. 1993. Silvester Ahola: The Gloucester Gabriel. Studies in Jazz, No. 14. Metuchen, New Jersey: The Scarecrow Press. (DH) Johnson, Richard J. 1994. Elsie Carlisle: A Discography. Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire: Richard J. Johnson. (RJJ) ⸻. 2012. “Elsie Carlisle (with a different style).” Memory Lane 174 (Spring): 22-26; 175 (Summer): 39-43; 176 (Autumn): 32-37; 177 (Winter): 38-43. Kelly Online Database: A searchable database of recordings made by the Gramophone Company, and its successor corporations during the 78 RPM era. 2020. Derived from lists assembled by the late Dr. Alan Kelly. Edited by Stephen R. Clarke and Roger Tessier. Last updated November 21, 2020. https://www.kellydatabase.org/Entry.aspx. (KOD) Koert, Hans. 2006. Durium (GB) Discography: The European Issues of the Durium Products (GB) Ltd. (incl. Sefono and Veckans Skiva). Heinkenszand, The Netherlands: Hans Koert. Laird, Ross. 1996. Moanin’ Low: A Discography of Female Popular Vocal Recordings, 1920-1933. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. (RL) Hughes, Spike. 1935. “Decca Days.” Swing Music 1.4 (June): 83-84, 112. https://nationaljazzarchive.org.uk/explore/journals/swing-music/vol1-no4-june-1935/1262407-swingmusic-vol1-no4-june-1935-0003. Needlepoint [Edgar Jackson]. 1927a. “The Gramophone Review.” Melody Maker, August 1, 779-786, ProQuest. ⸻. 1927b. “The Gramophone Review.” Melody Maker, December 1, 1265-1275, ProQuest. Pallett, Ray. 2015. They Called Him Al: The Musical Life of Al Bowlly. Albany, Georgia, USA: BearManor Media. (RP) Rust, Brian. 1978. The American Record Label Book.. New York: Da Capo Press. ⸻. 2016. Jazz and Ragtime Records 1897-1942. Sixth Edition. Free Personal-Use Edition. Littleton, Colorado: Mainspring Press. https://archive.org/details/brian-rust-jazz-records-free-edition-6/mode/2up. (JRR) Rust, Brian, and Allen G. Debus. 1973. The Complete Entertainment Discography, from the Mid-1890s to 1942. New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House. Rust, Brian, and Sandy Forbes. 1989. British Dance Bands on Record, 1911 to 1945, and Supplement. Bungay, Suffolk: 4 Richard Clay, Ltd. https://www.phonotoneclassic.com/british-dance-band-discography. (BDBR) Smith, Michael. 2009. Decca Records Company, Ltd. Royal Blue and Gold ‘F’ Series 10 Inch 78 rpm Records. Volumes I and II. Hunstanton, Norfolk: The Whitley Press. (MS-F) ⸻. 2010. Decca ‘A’, ‘K’, ‘M’, ‘S’, ‘T’, ‘X’ and ‘Z’ Series. Hunstanton, Norfolk: Whitley Press Ltd. (MS-K) Smith, Michael, and Frank Andrews. 2004. “His Master’s Voice” Records: ‘BD’ prefixed series of 10 inch Magenta label. Gillingham, Kent: City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society. (SA) Thomas, Michael G. 2018. “Eclipse.” Mike Thomas’ Website. Last modified April 22, 2018. http://www.mgthomas.co.uk/Records/LabelPages/Eclipse.htm. (MGT-Ecl) ⸻. 2019. “Worldecho.” Mike Thomas’ Website. Last modified June 5, 2019. http://www.mgthomas.co.uk/Records/LabelPages/Worldecho.htm. (MGT-WE) ⸻. 2020a. “Ariel.” Mike Thomas’s Website. Last modified December 3, 2020. http://www.mgthomas.co.uk/Records/LabelPages/Ariel.htm. (MGT-Ar) ⸻. 2020b. “Rex.” Mike Thomas’ Website. Last modified October 19, 2020. http://www.mgthomas.co.uk/Records/LabelPages/Rex.htm. (MGT-Rex) ⸻. 2020c. “Sterno.” Mike Thomas’ Website. Last modified November 28, 2020. http://www.mgthomas.co.uk/Records/LabelPages/Sterno.htm. (MGT-St) Walker, Edward S. 1974. Elsie Carlisle – With a Different Style: A Discography. Mastin Moor, Chesterfield: Edwards S. Walker. (ESW) General Electronic Resources The British Newspaper Archive. Accessed January 23, 2021. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/. (BNA) Exact Editions. Accessed January 23, 2021. https://shop.exacteditions.com/. ProQuest. Accessed July 26, 2016. https://www.proquest.com/. 5 ABBREVIATIONS Sources ADM Frank Andrews and Bill Dean-Myatt. The Imperial Records. AGK The evidence of my own collection. AB Frank Andrews and Ernie Bayly. A Numerical Listing of the H.M.V. “B” Series of 78 rpm Records. AS Frank Andrews and Michael Smith. “His Master’s Voice” — the “C” series. BDBR Brian Rust and Sandy Forbes. British Dance Bands on Record. BLD John R. Bolig. The Bluebird Label Discography. DAHR Discography of American Historical Recordings DH Dick Hill. Silvester Ahola: The Gloucester Gabriel. EBWR Karlo Adrian and Arthur Badrock. Edison Bell Winner Records. ESW Edward S. Walker. Elsie Carlisle - With a Different Style: A Discography. FA-Col Frank Andrews. Columbia 10″ Records, 1904-30. FA-Zon Frank Andrews. Zonophone Double-Sided Records 10 and 12 Inch Numerical Listing - Volumes 1 & 2. FD Arthur Badrock. Filmophone Discography. JRR Brian Rust. Jazz and Ragtime Records. KOD Kelly Online Database. MGT-Ar Michael G. Thomas. “Ariel.” MGT-Ecl ⸻. “Eclipse.” MGT-Rex ⸻. “Rex.” MGT-St ⸻. “Sterno.” MGT-WE ⸻. “Worldecho.” MS-F Michael Smith. Decca Records Company, Ltd. Royal Blue and Gold ‘F’ Series 10 Inch 78 rpm Records. MS-K ⸻. Decca ‘A’, ‘K’, ‘M’, ‘S’, ‘T’, ‘X’ and ‘Z’ Series. PRL Arthur Badrock. The Parlophone Red Label Popular Series E5000 — E6428. RJJ Richard J. Johnson. Elsie Carlisle: A Discography. RL Ross Laird. Moanin’ Low. RP Ray Pallett. They Called Him Al. SA Michael Smith and Frank Andrews. “His Master’s Voice” Records: ‘BD’ prefixed series. 6 Record Labels Ar Ariel Grand Record BB Bluebird Col Columbia Dec Decca Dn Dominion EBW Edison Bell Winner El Electrola Ecl Eclipse Film Filmophone HMV His Master’s Voice Imp Imperial Par Parlophone RZ Regal Zonophone St Sterno WE Worldecho Zon Zonophone 7 With the LIGHT OPERA COMPANY (Ray Noble dir.; other vocalists are Anona Winn, Stuart Robertson, and a male quartet), with orchestra. Vocal duet with Stuart Robertson (-1). Studio C, Small Queen’s Hall, London, February 28, 1930. Cc-18897-1-2-3 “Here Comes the Bride”: selection (Schwartz) HMV rejected (12″) Cc-18898-1-2-3 “Now I’m in love” and “Lovely lady” (-1) (in “Darling, I Love You”—vocal gems [Carter-Hedley-Acres]) HMV C-1871 (5/30) (12″) NOTE: It is uncertain which songs from the musical Here Comes the Bride were used in the first three takes of Cc-18897. The issued take or takes (4 and/or 5), recorded on March 25, 1930 and issued on HMV C-1871, have Alice Moxon, Webster Booth, Stuart Robertson, and George Baker singing “I love you, and I like you,” “I’ll always remember,” “High and low,” and “I’m like a sailor.” My thanks to Peter Edwards for identifying which songs Elsie sings in “Darling, I Love You.” AS, KOD ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal; orch. accom. (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, c. March 1930. 1713-1-3-R-R2 Body and soul (Sour-Heyman-Green) Dn C-307 1714-1-2-3-R2 My man o’ war (Williams-Waller-Razaf) Dn C-307, Film 143 NOTE: Johnson discusses the possibility that the “R” and “R2” takes are dubbed versions (1994, 9-10), and my own experiments have convinced me that this is the case. 1713-R plays 0.6% more quickly than 1713-1, but the two are otherwise identical. 1714-R2 plays 1.9% more slowly than an earlier take of 1714 (whose number is unfortunately obscured by the label), but the two are clearly the same recording. The fact that the only differences between these pairs of takes is a slight variation in speed would suggest imperfect playback in the dubbing process. It used to be rumored that C-307 had been banned, and that the risqué song “My man o’ war” caused Dominion to incur a fine so great that it put it out of business (Walker 1974, Introduction; Rust 1978, 101). This was likely a fantasy engaged in by collectors who wanted to think that their copies were rarer than they are. In fact, Dominion C-307 would appear to be surprisingly common — quite probably Elsie’s best-selling record up to that time. From 2010-2020, the auction-monitoring website popsike.com tracked the sales of 44 Elsie Carlisle Dominions, 21 of which were C-307. The runner-up is Dominion A-168 (“Mean to me” / “Tell me more about love”), with only five copies sold. My conclusion is that original sales of C-307 were unusually good, and so a situation in which the original masters were worn out and dubbing was relied on seems fairly likely. My one reservation in declaring the “R” and “R2” takes dubs is that the sound quality is so good. Dominion was known more for technical ineptitude than anything else, but the “R” and “R2” takes that I have heard are excellent work by any standard. Dominion C-307 was issued at first with simple, white labels and later with red labels with the familiar Dominion logo on them. Only some copies of Filmophone 143 have 1713 on them (with Karl Radlach and His Orchestra — as the HOLLYWOOD DANCE BAND — on the reverse). On the others, a new recording of the song can be found (Badrock 1998, 3). RJJ, RL, JRR ELSIE CARLISLE; orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, August 1930. 5448-1-2-3 Exactly like you (Fields-McHugh) Imp 2318 (9/30) 5449-1-2 I like to do things for you (from the film “King of Jazz”) (Yellen-Ager) Imp 2318 (9/30) RJJ, RL, ADM, AGK 14 ELSIE CARLISLE; orchestral accompaniment (?Jay Wilbur dir.). London, September 1930. 5464-3 He’s my secret passion (Valentine-Young) Imp 2333 (10/30) 5465-3 I wonder what is really on his mind (Bryan-Ward) Imp 2333 (10/30) NOTE: 5465-1 has been reported but not confirmed. Johnson notes that, with take numbers going as high as 5 for 5464 and 6 for 5465, it is likely that recordings were made over the course of two sessions (1994, 10). Laird divides the sessions up as I have done here (1996, 73; see the next session). RJJ, RL, ADM London, September 1930. 5464-4-5 He’s my secret passion (Valentine-Young) Imp 2333 (10/30) 5465-4-5-6 I wonder what is really on his mind (Bryan-Ward) Imp 2333 (10/30) For take 3 of each matrix, see the previous session. RJJ, RL, ADM ELSIE CARLISLE; orchestral accompaniment. London, September 1930. 5472-2 Goodbye to all that (Harry S. Pepper-Hackforth) Imp 2346 (11/30) 5473-1-2 Little white lies (Walter Donaldson) Imp 2346 (11/30) RJJ, RL, ADM Vocal in A POT POURRI OF THE YEAR’S SUCCESSES BY FAMOUS IMPERIAL ARTISTES (with Jay Wilbur and His Band). London, c. September 1930. 5508-2-3 Dada, dada (Dore-LeClerq) (in “Imperial Revels – Part 2”) Imp 2359 (12/30) NOTE: Elsie is introduced in song by John Thorne, Albert Whelan, and Jack Plant. After she sings the refrain of “Dada, dada,” they bid her farewell. RJJ, RL, ADM ELSIE CARLISLE; orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur and His Band). London, c. October 1930. 5509-1-2 Wasn’t it nice? (Young-Simons) Imp 2362 (12/30) 5510-1-2 More than you know (from the film “Great Day”) (Vincent Youmans-William RoseEdward Eliscu) Imp 2362 (12/30) RJJ, RL, ADM, AGK ELSIE CARLISLE; orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, October 1930. 5535-3-4 Go home and tell your mother (McHugh-Fields) Imp 2381 (1/31) 5536-3-4 Dada! Dada! (Dore-LeClerq) Imp 2381 (1/31) RJJ, RL, ADM 15 London, December 1930. 5573-2 What good am I without you? (Milton Ager) Imp 2400 (2/31) 5574-1-2 That man of my dreams (Beresford—Croom-Johnson) Imp 2400 (2/31) RJJ, RL, ADM London, January 1931. 5602-1 My handy man ain’t handy no more (Razaf-Blake) Imp 2439 (4/31) 5603-1-3 You’re driving me crazy (Walter Donaldson) Imp 2439 (4/31) RJJ, RL, ADM As GRACIE COLLINS, vocal. With orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, February 25, 1931. JW-173-2-3 He’s not worth your tears (Dixon-Rose-Warren) Ecl 50 (8″) NOTE: Older discographies incorrectly assign take 2 to Elaine Rosslyn, who does sing take 1. RJJ, RL, MGT-Ecl, AGK Vocal chorus for JACK PAYNE AND HIS B.B.C. DANCE ORCHESTRA. London, March 3, 1931. CA-11275-1-2 Ten cents a dance (Hart-Rodgers) Col CB-249, DO-393 (AU) NOTE: Takes 3 and 4 (unissued) are of Betty Bolton. BDBR (see Suppl.), RJJ, RL London, March 31, 1931. CA-11275-5 Ten cents a dance (Rodgers-Hart) Col CB-249 NOTE: Takes 3 and 4 (unissued) are of Betty Bolton. BDBR, RJJ, RL ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal; orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.) (-1); piano (and chimes) accompaniment (-2). London, April 1931. 5663-1-2 Ten cents a dance (Rodgers-Hart) Imp 2469 (6/31) (-1) 5664-2 Crying myself to sleep (Klenner-Wendling) Imp 2469 (6/31) (-2) NOTE: There are two pianists in “Crying myself to sleep”; Badrock suggests that they are seated at the same piano (1994b, 2571). RJJ, RL, ADM ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal; orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, May 1931. 5701-2 Alone and afraid (Leigh-Trent) Imp 2489 (7/31) NOTE: It was previously believed that Elsie Carlisle recorded something on matrix 5700 during this session, but in fact the matrix is of Sylvia Cecil singing “Soul of the violets” (Imperial 2476). RJJ, RL, ADM 16 London, June 1931. 5717-3 My canary has circles under his eyes (Kohler-Pola-Golden) Imp 2489 (7/31) RJJ, RL, ADM With SPIKE HUGHES AND HIS ORCHESTRA. London, June 18, 1931. GB-2920-1-2 Hangin’ on to that man (Myerow-Capano-Filler) Dec rejected NOTE: Brian Rust lists two unissued takes of “To whom it may concern” as having been recorded with Elsie at this session (GB-2917-1-2; Rust 2016, 858), but GB-2917-2 appears on a CD compilation (KCM003/004), and it is Val Rosing who sings. Moreover, Spike Hughes himself remembered the singer as having been Val Rosing when he wrote about this session (1935, 84, 112). I should very much like to hear take 1 just to rule out the possibility that it features Elsie. RJJ, RL, JRR ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal. With orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, July 1931. 5734-1-2 If I had my time over again! (Tilsley-Evans-Stanley) Imp 2511 (8/31) 5735-1-2 You didn’t have to tell me (I knew it all the time) (Donaldson) Imp 2511 (8/31) RJJ, RL, ADM London, August 1931. 5769-2 Pardon me, pretty baby (Klages-Meskill-Rose) Imp 2532 (9/31) 5770-2 Poor kid (Gilbert-Greer) Imp 2532 (9/31) RJJ, RL, ADM Vocal refrain for Spike Hughes and His Dance Orchestra as ARTHUR LALLY AND THE MILLION-AIRS. Chelsea, London, September 4, 1931. GB-3182-1-2 Just a dancing sweetheart (Tobias-De Rose) Dec F-2510 (10/31) NOTE: The label reads “Arthur Lally and the Million-Airs,” but Johnson is almost certainly correct in identifying the band as Spike Hughes’s (1994, 13). While Arthur Lally did play for this session, many of the other members of the personnel suggest the Spike Hughes lineup of the time: Jimmy McCaffer, Lew Davis, Billy Amstell, Buddy Featherstonehaugh, Alan Ferguson, and, of course, Spike Hughes himself. BDBR, RJJ, RL, MS-F AMY BRUNTON (as ELSIE CARLISLE on some issues); with orchestra. Verbal interjections by unknown person (-1). London, c. November 1931. F-1890 My man o’ war (Razaf-Williams) Film 143 F-1892 My handy man (Razaf) Film 143 (-1) NOTE: Some issues have Dominion matrix 1714 from Dominion C-307 on one side and “Hand me down my walking cane” by Karl Radlach and His Orchestra (as the HOLLYWOOD DANCE BAND) on the other. Others have the two Filmophone sides described here. For “My handy man” the catalogue number is at least sometimes misprinted as “134” (Badrock 1998, 3). Matrix F-1891 for “My handy man” has been reported but not confirmed (Johnson 1994, 14). RJJ, RL, FD, JRR 17 SPIKE HUGHES AND HIS DANCE ORCHESTRA with vocal refrain by ELSIE CARLISLE. London, November 18, 1931. GB-3601-1-2 Hangin’ on to that man (Myerow-Capano-Filler) Dec F-2735 (2/32), M-1023 (AU) RJJ, RL, JRR, MS-F ELSIE CARLISLE, with orchestral accompaniment. London, November 19, 1931. GB-3608-1-2-3 Nobody’s sweetheart (Kahn-Erdman-Meyers-Schoebel) Dec unissued GB-3609-1-2 (Ladies and gentlemen) That’s love! (from “George White’s Scandals of 1931”) (Brown-Henderson) Living Era AJA-5019 NOTE: According to Michael Smith, these recordings would have comprised Decca F-2710 had they been issued (2009, 68 and “Decca Amendments”). GB-3609-1 was used on Living Era AJA-5019. Barry McCanna confirms GB-3609-2. RJJ, RL, MS-F With narrator HENRY OSCAR, soloists, full chorus, orchestra, and organ (Ray Noble dir.). Kingsway Hall, London, November 24, 1931. 2B-1546-1-2 The merry widow waltz (Lehár) in “Cavalcade—Descriptive Record (1st Record) (“32 Years of England”) HMV C-2330 (1/32) (12″) 2B-1547-1-2 I’ll make a man of you (Wimperis-Finck) and Twentieth century blues (Noël Coward) in “Cavalcade—Descriptive Record (2nd Record) (“32 Years of England”)” HMV C-2330 (1/32) (12″) AS, KOD ELSIE CARLISLE (with orchestral accompaniment). Studio 3, Abbey Road, London, February 8, 1932. 0Y-2687-1-2 To be worthy of you (Davis-Coots) Zon 6069 (inc. AU) (3/32) 0Y-2688-1-2 You try somebody else (DeSylva-Brown-Henderson) Zon 6069 (inc. AU) (3/32) RJJ, RL, FA-Zon, KOD ELSIE CARLISLE, comedienne, with orchestral accompaniment. London, February 12, 1932. GB-3954-1-2 I was true (Robinson-Smith) Dec F-2827 (4/32), M-1127 (AU) GB-3955-1-2 One more kiss, then goodnight (Tobias-de Rose) Dec F-2827 (4/32), M-1127 (AU) RJJ, RL, MS-F Vocal chorus for RAY STARITA AND HIS AMBASSADORS. Accompanied by male trio (-1). London, March 2, 1932. S-2274-3 Leave me alone with my dreams (Gilbert) St 923 S-2277-1 An evening in Caroline (Donaldson) St 928 (-1) BDBR, RJJ, RL ELSIE CARLISLE and AL BOWLLY, with orchestral accomp.; announcements by JOHN WATT. Vocal duet. Chelsea Town Hall, London, March 7, 1932 GA-4069-1-2 My baby just cares for me (Kahn-Donaldson) (in John Watt’s “Songs from the Shows,” No. 1) Dec K-645 (4/32) (12″) RJJ, RL, MS-K 18 Vocal refrain for AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Vocal duet with Sam Browne (-1). Studio 2, Abbey Road, London, March 18, 1932. 0B-3045-1-2-3 The wedding glide (Hirsch) (in “Dixieland - Medley, Part 1”) HMV B-6163 (4/32) 0B-3046-1-2 Back home in Tennessee (Donaldson) (in “Dixieland - Medley, Part 2”) HMV B-6163 (4/32) 0B-3048-1-2-[2]1R Won’t you come home, Bill Bailey? (Cannon) HMV B-6162 (inc. AU) (4/32), BB B-6837 (US) (3/37) (-1) NOTE: The Kelly database shows Elsie Carlisle as singing in the intervening matrix (0B-3047: “Songs that are old live forever”; Kelly 2020), but she does not. “Won’t you come home, Bill Bailey?” on Bluebird B-6837 would appear to be a dub of the original HMV issue with the matrix number 0B-3048-[2]1R (Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. “Gramophone matrix 0B3048. Won’t you come home, Bill Bailey / Ambrose Orchestra,” accessed May 7, 2022, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000264848/0B3048-Wont_you_come_home_Bill_Bailey). BDBR, RJJ, RL, BLD, AB, KOD, DAHR ELSIE CARLISLE (some issues as AMY BRUNTON; with orchestral accompaniment). Ensemble vocal (-1). London, c. March 1932. BT-2155 Balls, picnics and parties (Fredericks-Christie) Film 440 (-1) BT-2156 [Alternate take of either BT-2155 or BT-2157] BT-2157 She jumped on her pushbike and pedalled away (Wheldon) Film 440 RJJ, RL, FD Vocal chorus for RAY STARITA AND HIS AMBASSADORS. Vocal duet with Sam Browne (-1). London, April 18, 1932. S-2372-2 Kiss by kiss (I’m falling in love with you) (Rose-Meskill-Klages) St 952 (-1) S-2373-2 Snuggled on your shoulder (Lombardo-Young) St 943 BDBR, RJJ, RL Vocal chorus for RAY STARITA AND HIS AMBASSADORS. Vocal duet with Sam Browne (-1). London, June 15, 1932. S-2477-2 You’ll find out (Gottler-Treynor) St 984 (-1) S-2478-3 Let that be a lesson to you (Jones) St 985 BDBR, RJJ, RL Vocal refrain for AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Studio 2, Abbey Road, London, June 17, 1932. 0B-3100-1-2 ’Leven pounds of heaven (McCarthy-Malneck) HMV B-6200 (8/32) NOTE: Kelly has June 16, 1932 (Kelly 2020). BDBR, RJJ, RL, AB, KOD 19 ELSIE CARLISLE, comedienne, with orchestra accompaniment. London, June 23, 1932. GB-4589-1-2-3 ’Leven pounds of heaven (Malneck-McCarthy) Dec F-3038 (8/32) GB-4590-1-2 Hangin’ on to that man (Myerow-Capano-Filler) Dec F-3038 (8/32) RJJ, RL, MS-F Vocal refrain for AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Studio 2, Abbey Road, London, July 13, 1932. 0B-3134-1-2 The clouds will soon roll by (Woods-Brown) HMV B-6210 (8/32) BDBR, RJJ, RL, AB, KOD Vocal refrain for AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Vocal duet with Sam Browne. Studio 1, Abbey Road, London, July 22, 1932. 0B-2378-1-2 A bungalow, a piccolo, and you! (LewisSherman-David-Connelly) HMV B-6218 (9/32), Gramophone K-6647 (FR), Grammofono R-14810 (IT) NOTE: On July 20, 1932, Ambrose recorded a rejected take of “A bungalow, a piccolo, and you!” (0B-3148-1) with Sam Browne that may have also included Elsie. ESW, BDBR, AB, KOD Vocal chorus for RAY STARITA AND HIS AMBASSADORS (as THE TWELVE RHYTHM MONARCHS on Sterno). Duet with unknown vocalist (-1). Duet with a possibly different unknown vocalist (-2). London, September 1, 1932. S-2557-2 Stop the sun, stop the moon (My man’s gone) (Cook-Robinson-Cook) St 1028 S-2558-2 I heard (Redman-Phillips) St 1023 (-1) X-148-1 Stop the sun, stop the moon (Cook-Robinson-Cook) 4 in 1 - 6 (9/32) X-149-2 I heard (Redman) 4 in 1 - 5 (9/32) (-2) NOTE: Elsie Carlisle does not sing in the second songs on X-148 and X-149. In “I heard,” Rust and Forbes (1989, 1021) and Johnson (1994, 17) understand that Rudy Starita is the duettist on Sterno 1023 and leave the man on 4 in 1 - 5 unidentified. Laird identifies both duets as being with Les Allen (1996, 76). According to Rust and Forbes (1989, 1021), Melody Maker for November 1932 reported that Ray Starita never returned from his summer vacation in America. If so, it is possible that he was absent from this session and the September 15, 1932 one. BDBR, RJJ, RL ELSIE CARLISLE, comedienne, with orchestral accompaniment. Chenil Galleries, Chelsea, London, September 7, 1932. GB-4844-1-2 The clouds will soon roll by (Woods-Brown) Dec F-3146 (10/32) GB-4845-1-2 The night when love was born (Young-Oppenheim-Baer) Dec rejected RJJ, RL, MS-F 20 Vocal chorus for RAY STARITA AND HIS AMBASSADORS (as CHICK HALL AND HIS COLLEGIANS on Redwing; as THE TWELVE RHYTHM MONARCHS on 4 in 1 - 7 from X-161). Duet with Les Allen (-1); unknown male duettist (-2). London, September 15, 1932. S-2582-2 On a dreamy afternoon (Hargreaves-Damerell-Ewing) St 1026 S-2583-2 Gosh darn (Young-Coots) St 1042 (-1) S-2584-2 Sweethearts forever (from film “The Crooners”) (Friend-Caesar) St 1041, Redwing R-1003 X-160-1-2 On a dreamy afternoon (Hargreaves-Damerell-Ewing) 4 in 1 - 7 (10/32) X-161-1 Gosh darn (Young-Coots) 4 in 1 - 7 (10/32) (-1) X-161-2 Gosh darn (Young-Coots) 4 in 1 - 7 (10/32) (-2) NOTE: Elsie does not sing the other songs on matrices X-160 and X-161. The “take numbers” after the matrices on British Homophone products of this time may not be take numbers at all (their purpose is still unclear), so the following observations will be in order. Take 1 of X-160 goes along at a leisurely pace, like the Sterno, and clocks in at 2:54, whereas take 2 is at a faster tempo and lasts only 2:37. The song that follows, “Song of the harp” (which Elsie does not sing), is different in the two takes as well, with an unknown male vocalist in take 1 and with Les Allen in take 2. As for X-161, in take 1 Les Allen’s first words are, “We were happy the night we met,” whereas in take 2, the unknown male singer begins with “We were happy the day we met.” It is possible that X-161-2 was actually recorded at a “re-make session” on October 4, 1932. Some version of “On a dreamy afternoon” was recorded on that later date on S-2607-2, but it is not certain that Elsie sang it (Rust and Forbes 1989, 1021-1022). Again, Ray Starita may not have been present at this session. BDBR, RJJ, RL, AGK ELSIE CARLISLE, comedienne, with orchestral accompaniment. Chelsea Town Hall, London, September 19, 1932. GB-4844-3-4 The clouds will soon roll by (Woods-Brown) Dec F-3146 (10/32) GB-4845-3-4 The night when love was born (Baer-Young-Oppenheim) Dec F-3146 (10/32) RJJ, RL, MS-F ELSIE CARLISLE, with instrumental trio. September 23, 1932. KB-134-1-2 We just couldn’t say goodbye (Woods) Dec F-3193 (11/32) KB-135-1-2 You’re my everything (from “The Laugh Parade”) (Dixon-Young-Warren) Dec F-3193 (11/32) NOTE: The “KB” of the matrices indicates a field recording. Walker (1974) and Johnson (1994, 18) both place this session in Manchester, while Laird (1996, 76) has London. Smith (2009, 95) writes “Recorded in Small Studio - machine in mobile van.” RJJ, RL, MS-F Vocal refrain for the DURIUM DANCE BAND (Peter Rush dir.). London, c. October 1932. E-1103-A-B-C Why waste your tears? (Val Holstius) Durium EN-34 NOTE: Elsie does not sing the other song on this record. BDBR, RJJ, RL 21 Vocal chorus for RAY STARITA AND HIS AMBASSADORS (Nat Star dir.; as RUDY STARITA AND HIS AMBASSADORS on 4 in 1). London, November 5, 1932. S-2692-2 Mad about the boy (from “Words & Music”) (Noel Coward) St 1072 S-2693-2 Rock your cares away (Leon-Towers-Nicholls) St 1072 X-218-2 Rock your cares away (Leon-Towers-Nicholls) / Mad about the boy (Noel Coward) 4 in 1 - 17 BDBR, RJJ, RL ELSIE CARLISLE, comedienne, with orchestral accompaniment. London, November 9, 1932. GB-5146-1-2 How deep is the ocean? (Berlin) Dec F-3269 (12/32) GB-5147-1-2 Strange as it seems (Razaf-Waller) Dec F-3269 (12/32) RJJ, RL, MS-F Vocal chorus for AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Kingsway Hall, London, November 22, 1932. 0B-3494-1-2 Pu-leeze! Mister Hemingway (Drake-Kent-Silver) RZ MR-769 (1/33), Twin FT-1503 (IN) NOTE: The HMV catalogue number B-6278 was allocated for this recording but not used (Kelly 2020). Johnson and Laird both give December 1, 1932 as the date of this recording (1994, 19; 1996, 76), but the Kelly database and Rust/Forbes agree on November 22 (2020; 1989, 29). BDBR, RJJ, RL, KOD ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accompaniment. London, November 28, 1932. GB-5256-1-2 Pu-leeze! Mr. Hemingway (Drake-Kent-Silver) Dec F-3312 (12/32) GB-5257-1-2 Please handle with care (Stride-Ballard) Dec F-3312 (12/32) RJJ, RL, MS-F STANLEY LUPINO AND ELSIE CARLISLE. Vocal duet with orchestral accomp. (and ensemble singing) (-1). Vocal duet with orchestral accomp. (-2). London, December 1, 1932. GB-5274-1-2-3 I don’t want to go to bed (from “Sleepless Nights”) (Lupino-Gay) Dec F-3319 (12/32) (-1) GB-5275-1-2-3 Just one more (from “Sleepless Nights”) (Lupino-Gay) Dec F-3319 (12/32) (-2) RJJ, RL, MS-F Vocal chorus for RUDY STARITA AND HIS BAND (as THE BLUE RAMBLERS on Redwing). Vocal duet with Sam Browne (-1). London, December 5, 1932. S-2767-3 Pu-leeze! Mr. Hemingway (Drake-Kent-Silver) St 1096 S-2768-1 Let’s put out the lights (Hupfeld) St 1097, Redwing R-1004 (-1) X-255-2 Let’s put out the lights (Hupfeld) 4 in 1 - 22 (-1) X-256-2 Pu-leeze, Mr. Hemingway (Drake-Kent-Silver) 4 in 1 - 29 BDBR, RJJ, RL 22 Vocal chorus for Harry Hudson’s Melody Men as ROLANDO AND HIS BLUE SALON ORCHESTRA (as the SCALA DANCE BAND on EBW 5537). Vocal duet with Sam Browne (-1). Unknown sound effects and announcer voice, with vocals by orchestra (-2). London, December 20, 1932. 14568-1 Let’s put out the lights (and go to sleep) (H. Hupfeld) EBW 5536 (1/33) (-1) 14569-2 Pu-leeze! Mr. Hemingway (Drake-Kent-Silver) EBW 5536 (1/33) 14570-1 I don’t want to go to bed (from “Sleepless Nights”) (S. Lupino-N. Gay) EBW 5537 (1/33) (-1) (-2) NOTE: Adrian and Badrock list 14568-2 as the take that was issued (1989). BDBR, EBWR, RJJ, RL ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accompaniment. London, January 13, 1933. GB-5467-1-2 Fit as a fiddle (Hoffman-Goodhart-Freed) Dec F-3411 (3/33) GB-5468-1-2 ’Twas only a summer night’s dream (Kahn) Dec F-3411 (3/33) RJJ, RL, MS-F ELSIE CARLISLE, comedienne, with orchestral accompaniment. London, February 14, 1933. GB-5585-1-2 I wish I knew a bigger word than “love” (Pola-Gideon) Dec F-3435 (3/33) GB-5586-1-2 Have you ever been lonely? (Brown-De Rose) Dec F-3435 (3/33) RJJ, RL, MS-F ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accomp. (-1); ELSIE CARLISLE AND SAM BROWNE, vocal duet, with orchestral accompaniment (-2). Unknown speaker (-3). London, March 3, 1933. GB-5629-1-2 Deep water (Schwartz-Bryan) Dec F-3507 (4/33) (-1) GB-5630-1-2 My darling (Hoffman-Brown) Dec F-3507 (4/33) (-1) GB-5631-1-2 Sittin’ in the dark (Adamson-Greer) Dec F-3504 (4/33) (-2) (-3) GB-5632-1-2 What wouldja like for breakfast? (Kent-Halmy) Dec F-3510 (4/33) (-2) GB-5633-1-2 Won’t you stay to tea? (Gordon-Revel) Dec F-3510 (4/33) (-2) GB-5634-1-2 Hold up your hands (in the name of the law of love) (Robinson) Dec F-3504 (4/33) (-2) RJJ, RL, MS-F AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Vocal duet with Sam Browne, along with other speakers. London, March 7, 1933. GB-5651-2 What wouldja like for breakfast? (Halmy-Kent) Br 1486 (4/33) BDBR, RJJ, RL With RUDY STARITA AND HIS BAND. Vocal duet with Sam Browne (-1). London, March 8, 1933. S-2905-2 Sittin’ in the dark (Adamson-Greer) St 1154 (-1) S-2906-1 My darling (Hoffman-Brown) St 1153 X-318-1 Sittin’ in the dark (Adamson-Greer) 4 in 1 - 37 (-1) X-319-1 My darling (Hoffman-Brown) 4 in 1 - 39 NOTE: Elsie does not sing the other songs on matrices X-318 and X-219. BDBR, RJJ, RL 23 ELSIE CARLISLE, with orchestral accompaniment. London, January 14, 1935. GB-6875-1-2 That’s why you need me, dear (Harris-Montgomery) Dec F-5380 (2/35) GB-6876-1-2 His majesty the baby (Wayne-Fleeson-Terker) Dec F-5380 (2/35) RJJ, MS-F ELSIE CARLISLE, with orchestral accompaniment (probably the Embassy Rhythm Eight). London, February 1, 1935. GB-6925-1-2 Whisper sweet (Johnson-Trent-Nicholls) Dec F-5436 (3/35) NOTE: The two matrices preceding this one, from the same day, are by the Embassy Rhythm Eight, and they seem likely to be Elsie’s accompaniment in this matrix, though there were definitely two separate sessions (Johnson 1994, 29). Elsie was definitely accompanied by the Embassy Rhythm Eight on February 15. RJJ, MS-F London, February 5, 1935. GB-6927-1-2 Dancing with my shadow (Woods) Dec F-5436 (2/35) NOTE: This matrix (like the one at the previous session) is preceded by an Embassy Rhythm Eight matrix recorded at a session on the same day, making them likely to have been Elsie’s accompaniment. RJJ, MS-F Vocal chorus for AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Vocal duet with Sam Browne (-1). London, February 6, 1935. GB-6935-1-2 The whistling lover’s waltz (Damerell-Evans) Dec F-5408 (3/35) (-1) GB-6936-1-2 Thank you so much, Missus Lowsborough-Goodby (Cole Porter) Dec F-5448 (3/35) BDBR, RJJ, MS-F ELSIE CARLISLE, accompanied by THE EMBASSY [Rhythm] EIGHT. London, February 15, 1935. GB-6978-1-2 I’ve got an invitation to a dance (Symes-Neiburg-Levinson) Dec F-5456 (3/35) GB-6979-1-2 I’m afraid to open your letter (Sigler-Goodhart-Hoffman) Dec F-5456 (3/35) NOTE: Just as for the Feburary 2 and February 5 sessions we find one or more Embassy Rhythm Eight matrices adjacent to Elsie’s, so do we here (GB-6977; see Johnson 1994, 29); but there is little need for extra evidence of their being the accompaniment, as they are actually named on the labels. The Embassy Rhythm Eight seems to have been sometimes referred to simply as “The Embassy Eight” (as they are on this label) in the pages of Melody Maker. In fact, the February 23, 1935 issue does so, with an accompanying photograph of them singing with Elsie (“Ambrose’s New Decca Recording Hot Band ‘The Embassy Eight,’” Melody Maker, February 23, 1935, 1, ProQuest). RJJ, MS-F With AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Vocals by Elsie Carlisle, Sam Browne, Max Bacon, and others. London, February 15, 1935. GB-7004-1-2 A story of London life (a musical melodrama), pt. 1 (Webb-Sonin) Dec F-5478 (3/35) GB-7005-1-2 A story of London life (a musical melodrama), pt. 2 (Webb-Sonin) Dec F-5478 (3/35) BDBR, RJJ, RF 30 Vocal chorus for AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Vocals by Elsie Carlisle, Sam Browne, and others, with Sam Browne playing the announcer. London, March 7, 1935. GA-7010-1-2 Who’s your lady friend? (David-Lee-Fragson) in “Ambrose’s Jubilee cavalcade, Part 1” Dec K-750 (4/35), K-913 (12/40) (12″) GA-7011-1-2-3 What’ll I do? (Irving Berlin) in “Ambrose’s Jubilee cavalcade, Part 2” Dec K-750 (4/35), K-913 (12/40) (12″) NOTE: Decca K-913’s title is simply “25 years of song and melody (parts 1 & 2).” BDBR, RJJ, MS-K Vocal chorus for AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Vocals by Sam Browne, Elsie Carlisle, and the Rhythm Sisters (Kay Munro-Smyth, Helen Raymond, and Jean Conibear). London, March 20, 1935. GB-7014-1-2 Gertie, the girl with the gong (Ray Sonin-Ronnie Munro) Dec F-5486 (5/35) BDBR, RJJ, MS-F ELSIE CARLISLE, with orchestral accompaniment. Vocals by orchestra (-1). London, April 18, 1935. GB-7070-1-2 A little toy piano (Billy Hill) Dec unissued GB-7071-1-2 The house where I was born (Caesar-Carroll-de Sylva) Dec unissued GB-7097-1-2 Algernon Whifflesnoop John (Evans-Keulman) Dec F-5524 (5/35) GB-7098-1-2 Sweet Flossie Farmer (the lovely snake charmer) (Dixon-Wrubel) Dec F-5524 (5/35) (-1) NOTE: GB-7070 and GB-7071 would have been Decca F-5509, had they been issued; instead, that catalogue number was allocated to the Casa Loma Orchestra (Smith 2009, “Decca Amendments”; also Rust 2016, 319). RJJ, MS-F London, May 28, 1935. GB-7166-1-2 Waiting for the lights to change (Cyril Ray) Dec F-5568 (6/35) GB-7167-1-2 The gentleman obviously doesn’t believe (Carr-Pola) Dec F-5568 (6/35) RJJ, MS-F Vocal chorus with AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA. London, May 30, 1935. GB-7186-1-2 Rehearsing a lullaby (Sigler-Goodhart-Hoffman) Dec F-5572 (7/35) BDBR, RJJ, MS-F 31 ELSIE CARLISLE, with orchestral accompaniment (Ambrose and His Orchestra, uncredited) (-1). AMBROSE AND HIS ORCHESTRA; vocal chorus by Elsie Carlisle, Donald Stewart, and the Rhythm Brothers (Ronnie Hill, Clive Errard, and Jack Lorimer) (-2). London, June 20, 1935. GB-7241-1-2 Mama, I long for a sweetheart (Collazo-Hill-Raven) Dec F-5586 (7/35) (-1) GB-7242-1-2 He wooed her and wooed her and wooed her (LupusHarrington) Dec F-5586 (7/35) (-1) GB-7245-1-2 Fare thee well, Annabelle (from “Sweet Music”) (DixonWrubel) Dec F-5590 (7/35), Br A-9919 (DE) (-2) NOTE: According to Johnson, the first two songs were recorded in morning, while the third (which is credited on the label to Ambrose) was done in the afternoon (1994, 31). BDBR, RJJ, MS-F ELSIE CARLISLE, with orchestral accompaniment. London, September 7, 1935. GB-7369-1-2 Conversation for two (Mysels-Hueston-Emmerich) Dec F-5689 (10/35) GB-7370-1-2 Star gazing (Symes-Neiburg-Levinson) Dec F-5689 (10/35) RJJ, MS-F London, November 25, 1935. TB-2010-1-2 The general’s fast asleep (Kennedy-Carr) Dec F-5761 (12/35) TB-2011-1-2 The little things you used to do (from “Casino de Paree”) (Dubin-Warren) Dec F-5761 (12/35) TB-2012-1-2 Poor Butterfly (Golden-Hubbel) Dec rejected TB-2013-1-2 Solitude (De Lange-Mills-Ellington) Dec rejected RJJ, MS-F London, November 29, 1935. GTB-2012-3 Poor Butterfly (Golden-Hubbel) Dec F-5764 (1/36) GTB-2013-3 Solitude (De Lange-Mills-Ellington) Dec F-5764 (1/36) GB-7527-1-2 Honey coloured moon (from “Music Hath Charms”) (Wayne-Carter) Dec F-5818 (1/36) GB-7528-1-2 Public sweetheart no. 1 (from “Seeing Stars”) (Broones-John) Dec F-5818 (1/36) RJJ, MS-F London, January 31, 1936. GB-7659-1-2 With all my heart (from “Her Master’s Voice”) (Kahn-McHugh) Dec F-5902 (4/36) GB-7660-1-2 My shadow’s where my sweetheart used to be (Carr-Ilda) Dec F-5877 (3/36) GB-7661-1-2 Up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire (Grey-Connelly) Dec F-5877 (3/36) GB-7662-1-2 He’s an angel (Hodges) Dec F-5902 (4/36) RJJ, MS-F 32 JACK HARRIS AND HIS ORCHESTRA; vocalist: ELSIE CARLISLE. Additional vocals by chorus (-1). Studio 2, Abbey Road, London, October 25, 1937. 0EA-5108-1-2 Moonlight on the waterfall (WilliamsKennedy) HMV BD-5290 (11/37), EA-2013 (AU) 0EA-5109-1-2 I’m a little prairie flower (SaronyHolmes) HMV BD-5289 (12/37), AL-2438 (NO), EA-2014 (AU), IM-427 (IE) (-1) BDBR, RJJ, SA, KOD JACK HARRIS AND HIS ORCHESTRA; vocalist: ELSIE CARLISLE. Additional vocals by chorus (-1). Studio 2, Abbey Road, London, November 1, 1937. 0EA-5119-1-2 The girl in the hansom cab (Kennedy) HMV BD-5289 (12/37), AL-2438 (NO), EA-2014 (AU) (-1) 0EA-5120-1-2 The little boy that Santa Claus forgot (ConnorLeach-Kennedy) HMV BD-5290 (11/37), EA-2013 (AU), IM-427 (IE) BDBR, RJJ, SA, KOD ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal with orch. (Ronnie Munro dir.). Vocals by orchestra (-1). Studio 1A, Abbey Road, London, November 8, 1937. 0EA-5869-1-2 Elsie Carlisle medley—part 1 (Intro.: “Gertie, the girl with the gong,” “Home, James, and don’t spare the horses,” “No, no, a thousand times no”) HMV BD-476 (12/37), EA-2058 (AU) (-1) 0EA-5870-1-2 Elsie Carlisle medley—part 2 (Intro.: “Dirty hands, dirty face,” “Little chap with big ideas,” “Little man, you’ve had a busy day”) HMV BD-476 (12/37), EA-2058 (AU) 0EA-5871-1-2 The parting of the ways (Burton-Tracey-Pope) HMV unissued 0EA-5872-1-2 The bride comes home (Seymour-Lawnhurst) HMV unissued NOTE: Johnson notes that “Con Lamprecht did the arrangements for the session...On 0EA 5870, the title ‘He’s An Angel’ was scheduled for inclusion in the medley but was not recorded” (1994, 33). RJJ, SA, KOD With JACK HARRIS AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Vocal trio of Elsie Carlisle, Dinah Miller, and Pat Taylor. Studio 2, Abbey Road, London, November 29, 1937. 0EA-5142-1-2 Say “si, si” (Stillman-Luban-Lecuona) HMV BD-5305 (1/38), X-6018 (Scandinavia), El EG-6243 (DE) ESW, BDBR, RJJ, SA, KOD With JACK HARRIS AND HIS ORCHESTRA. Vocal duet with Sam Browne. Studio 2, Abbey Road, London, December 14, 1937. 0EA-5146-1-2 How many rhymes can you get? (Franklin-Friend) HMV BD-5305 (1/38), El EG-6243 (DE), La Voce del Padrone GW-1858 (IT) ESW, BDBR, RJJ, SA, KOD 33 ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orch. (George Scott-Wood dir.). Studio 1A, Abbey Road, London, December 22, 1937, 2 p.m. 0EA-5949-1-2 I still love to kiss you goodnight (from the film “Fifty Second Street”) (Bullock-Spina) HMV BD-487 (2/38) 0EA-5950-1-2 Here comes the sandman (Dubin-Warren) (Intro: Sweet and low [Joseph Barnby]) HMV BD-490 (2/38) 0EA-5951-1-2 So many memories (Woods) HMV BD-499 (3/38) 0EA-5952-1-2 Remember me (from the film “Mr. Dodds Takes the Air”) (Warren-Dubin) HMV BD-490 (2/38) RJJ, SA, KOD ELSIE CARLISLE, with Jack Harris and His Orchestra (uncredited). Additional vocals by chorus. Studio 2, Abbey Road, London, January 8, 1938. 0EA-5157-1-2 Little old lady (Adams-Carmichael) HMV BD-487 (2/38) RJJ, SA, KOD ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orch. (Ronnie Munro dir.). Studio 1A or 2, Abbey Road, London, January 25, 1938, 10 a.m. 0EA-5995-1-2 Little drummer boy (Noel-Pelosi) HMV BD-499 (3/38) 0EA-5996-1-2 Elsie Carlisle medley, no. 2, part 2 (Intro.: “I can’t give you anything but love,” “You’re driving me crazy,” “Mean to me”) HMV BD-525 (4/38), EA-2122 (AU) 0EA-5997-1-2 Elsie Carlisle medley, no. 2, part 1 (Intro.: “What is this thing called love,” “My heart stood still,” “Just one more chance”) HMV BD-525 (4/38), EA-2122 (AU) RJJ, SA, KOD ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orch. (George Scott-Wood dir.). Studio 2, Abbey Road, London, April 6, 1938, 3:30 p.m. 0EA-6444-1-2 Somebody’s thinking of you tonight (Schuster-Symes-Powell) HMV BD-544 (5/38) 0EA-6445-1-2 You’re an education (Dubin-Warren) HMV BD-544 (5/38) RJJ, SA, KOD ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestra (George Scott-Wood dir.). Studios 1A and 2, Abbey Road, London, November 10, 1938, 5 p.m.-8 p.m. 0EA-7055-1-2 Proud of you (David) HMV BD-611 (1/39) 0EA-7056-1-2 Everyone must have a sweetheart (Noel-Hart-Grundland) HMV BD-611 (1/39) 0EA-7067-1-2 Joseph! Joseph! (Cahn-Chaplin) HMV BD-621 (12/38) 0EA-7068-1-2 Change partners (from the film “Carefree”) (Irving Berlin) HMV BD-621 (12/38) NOTE: Johnson notes that “[d]espite the matrix sequence, all the [sic] four titles were made at this session; the first two were made in Studio 1A and the second pair were made in Studio 2” (1994, 35). RJJ, SA, KOD 34 ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accompaniment (George Scott-Wood dir.). Studio 1, Abbey Road, London, February 1, 1939. 0EA-7516-1-2 Two sleepy people (from the film “Thanks for the Memory”) (Loesser-Carmichael) HMV BD-661 (3/39), IM-637 (IE) 0EA-7517-1-2 The umbrella man (from “These Foolish Things”) (Cavanaugh-Rose-Stock) HMV BD-661 (3/39), IM-637 (IE) 0EA-7518-1-2 Grandma said (Magidson-Wrubel) HMV BD-663 (3/39), Gramola AM-4951 (CZ) 0EA-7519-1-2 Deep in a dream (De Lange-Van Heusen) HMV BD-663 (3/39) RJJ, SA, KOD ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orch. accomp. (Jay Wilbur dir.). Unknown male voice (-1). London, August 4, 1939. R-3786-1 The moon remembered but you forgot (Gay-Eyton) Rex 9610 (9/39) R-3787-1 Shabby old cabby (Simon-Stillman) Rex 9610 (9/39) (-1) RJJ ELSIE CARLISLE, with orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, October 6, 1939. R-3898-1 I poured my heart into a song (Berlin) Rex 9661 R-3899-1 Kiss me goodnight, sergeant-major (Noel-Pelosi) Rex 9646 (11/39) R-3900-1 Wish me luck (as you wave me goodbye) (from “Shipyard Sally”) (Park—ParrDavies) Rex 9646 (11/39) RJJ London, October 20, 1939. R-3940-1 Sweet Fanny Adam’s daughter (Sanford) Rex 9661 RJJ ELSIE CARLISLE (among various other artists). Dubbing session. London, October 25, 1939. R-3970-1 Wish me luck (as you wave me good-bye) (Park—Parr-Davies) in “Rex marches on - part 1” (dubbed from Rex 9646) Rex 9675 (12/39) RJJ ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, November 1, 1939. R-3983-1 My heart belongs to Daddy (Cole Porter) Rex 9674 (12/39) R-3984-1 A mother’s prayer at twilight (Noel-Pelosi) Rex 9674 (12/39) RJJ 35 ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). Vocals by orchestra with unknown male speaker (?Jay Wilbur) (-1). London, November 22, 1939. R-4065-1-2 Till the lights of London shine again (Connor-Pola) Rex 9693 (12/39) R-4066-1 Nursie, nursie (Noel-Pelosi) Rex 9693 (12/39) (-1) RJJ, MGT-Rex ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). Unknown male speaker (?Jay Wilbur) (-1). London, December 27, 1939. R-4142-1 Only a glass of champagne (from “Lights Up”) (Wimperis-Gay) Rex 9708 (-1) R-4143-1 Please leave my butter alone (Mills-Nicholls) Rex 9708 RJJ ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, February 12, 1940. R-4325-1 Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny, oh! (Rose-Olman) Rex 9734 R-4326-1 Mr. Jones (are you coming to bed?) (Annette Mills) Rex 9734 NOTE: Oriole Radio Transcription REC-18 (made at Levy’s Sound Studios in London) would appear to have Elsie singing “Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny, oh!” as well as “Little curly hair in a high chair” on a Carroll Levis broadcast, but I have not been able to confirm this. RJJ London, April 11, 1940. R-4520-1-2 Walkin’ thru’ mockin’ bird lane (Peters-Jones) Rex 9775 R-4521-1-2 A little rain must fall (Green-Kaye-Little) Rex 9775 RJJ, MGT-Rex ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with novachord accompaniment (?Arthur Young). London, April 11, 1940. R-4799-1 A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square (from “New Faces”) (Maschwitz-Sherwin) Rex 9816 R-4800-1 Don’t ever pass me by (Watson-Denby) Rex 9816 RJJ ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with instrumental accomp. (Jay Wilbur dir.). Vocals by orchestra (-1). London, August 8, 1940. DR-4936-2 Tiggerty-Boo (Hallifax) Rex 9847 (-1) R-4937-2 Shake down the stars (De Lange-Van Heusen) Rex 9847 RJJ ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with instrumental accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, October 9, 1940. R-5043-1 I’ll never smile again, until I smile at you (Lowe) Rex 9872 R-5044-1 Never took a lesson in my life (Lawrence-Poore) Rex 9872 RJJ 36 ELSIE CARLISLE, with Novachord accompaniment (Arthur Young). London, November 1, 1940. R-5071-1 All the things you are (Hammerstein-Kern) Rex 9882 R-5072-1 Until you fall in love (Carr-Popplewell) Rex 9882 RJJ ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accompaniment (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, December 31, 1940. R-5203-1 Oh! What a surprise for the du-ce! (He can’t put it over the Greeks) (Casiroli-Park) Rex 9904 R-5204-1 When the blackbird says ‘bye bye’ (Noel-Pelosi) Rex 9904 RJJ London, February 10, 1941. R-5333-1 We three (My echo, my shadow and me) (Robertson-Cogane-Mysels) Rex 9934 R-5334-1 Room five-hundred-and-four (from “Hulbert Follies”) (Maschwitz-Posford) Rex 9934 RJJ London, April 9, 1941. R-5566-1 When that man is dead and gone (Berlin) Rex 9960 R-5567-1 The little boy who never told a lie (Connor-Sherwin) Rex 9960 NOTE: Elsie and Jay Wilbur took part in a radio documentary called “Waxworks” about the record industry and allowed some of this session (including “When that man is dead and gone”) to be broadcast (“Wax Secrets on Air,” Melody Maker, April 26, 1941, 1, ProQuest). RJJ London, May 22, 1941. R-5781-2 Yes, my darling daughter (Lawrence-Sirmay) Rex 9989 R-5782-2 Let there be love (Grant-Rand) Rex 9989 RJJ ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accomp. (Jay Wilbur dir.). Shout from orchestra (-1). London, June 24, 1941. R-5917-1 Calliope Jane (from “Road Show”) (Carmichael) Rex 10008 R-5918-1 Sergeant Sally (is coming home on leave) (Kennedy-Evans) Rex 10008 (-1) RJJ ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accomp. (Jay Wilbur dir.). Vocals by orchestra (-1). London, July 4, 1941. R-5971-2 The hut-sut song (Killion-McMichael-Owens) Rex 10021 (-1) R-5972-1 She had those dark and dreamy eyes (Douglas-Hughes) Rex 10021 RJJ 37 ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accomp. (Jay Wilbur dir.). Vocals by orchestra (-1). London, September 30, 1941. R-6310-1 The band played on (Palmer-Ward) Rex 10055 (-1) R-6311-1 We both told a lie (Noel-Messini) Rex 10055 RJJ ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accomp. (Jay Wilbur dir.). Vocals by orchestra (-1). London, November 14, 1941. R-6411-1 Ma-Ma-Maria (fee-dle, ee-dle-lee, feedle, ee-dle-la) (Lewis-Stock-Rose) Rex 10067 (-1) R-6412-1-2 You and I (Willson) Rex 10067 RJJ, MGT-Rex ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, with orchestral accomp. (Jay Wilbur dir.). London, December 19, 1941. R-6580-2 Why don’t we do this more often? (Newman-Wrubel) Rex 10092 R-6581-2 You’re in my arms (and a million miles away) (from “Get a Load of This”) (PopplewellCarr) Rex 10092 RJJ ELSIE CARLISLE, vocal, accompanied by JAY WILBUR AND HIS BAND. London, January 27, 1942. R-6600-2 Rose O’Day (the filla-ga-dusha song) (Tobias-Lewis) Rex 10106 R-6601-2 Rustic rhapsody (George-Erikson) Rex 10106 RJJ 38 SONG INDEX Ain’t misbehavin’ (Waller-Brooks-Razaf): c. October 1929 Ain’t she sweet? (Yellen-Ager): April 5, 1927, May 6, 1927 Algernon Whifflesnoop John (Evans-Keulman): April 18, 1935 All I do is dream of you (Freed-Skinner-Brown): July 18, 1934 All the things you are (Hammerstein-Kern): November 1, 1940 Alone and afraid (Leigh-Trent): May 1931 Always (Berlin): June 21, 1926 Ambrose’s Jubilee cavalcade, part 1: March 7, 1935 Ambrose’s Jubilee cavalcade, part 2: March 7, 1935 Am I blue? (Akst-Clarke): October 16, 1929 Baby (Peck-Wenrich): April 5, 1927, May 5, 1927 Back home in Tennessee (Donaldson): March 18, 1932 Balls, picnics and parties (Fredericks-Christie): c. March 1932 The band played on (Palmer-Ward): September 30, 1941 Body and soul (Sour-Heyman-Green): c. March 1930 A bungalow, a piccolo, and you! (Lewis-Sherman-David-Connelly): July 22, 1932 The bride comes home (Seymour-Lawnhurst): November 8, 1937 Calliope Jane (Carmichael): June 24, 1941 Cavalcade—Descriptive Record (1st Record): November 24, 1931 Cavalcade—Descriptive Record (2nd Record): November 24, 1931 Change partners (Irving Berlin): November 10, 1938 Chloe (Kahn-Moret): November 12, 1928 The clouds will soon roll by (Woods-Brown): July 13, 1932, September 7, 1932, September 19, 1932 Come on, baby (Gottler-Clare-Pinkard): August 23, 1929 Come up and see me sometime (Alter-Swanstrom): November 8, 1933 Coming thro’ the cornfield (H. Nicholls): June 21, 1926 Conversation for two (Mysels-Hueston-Emmerich): September 7, 1935 Crying myself to sleep (Klenner-Wendling): April 1931 Dada, dada (Dore-LeClerq): c. December 1928, c. September 1930, October 1930 Da-dar-da-dar (Evans-Hargreaves-Damerell): May 16, 1933 The “Daily Herald” dance medley (part 1): December 7, 1933 Dance and song medley, part 1: November 13, 1928 Dance and song medley, part 4: November 12, 1928 Dancing with my shadow (Woods): February 5, 1935 Darling, I Love You: February 28, 1930 The Decca A.B.C. part 1: December 1, 1933 Deep in a dream (De Lange-Van Heusen): February 1, 1939 Deep water (Schwartz-Bryan): March 3, 1933, May 9, 1933 Did you ever see a dream walking? (Revel-Gordon): December 19, 1933 Dirty hands, dirty face (Jolson-Clarke-Leslie-Monaco): November 8, 1937 Dixieland - medley, part 1: March 18, 1932 Dixieland - medley, part 2: March 18, 1932 Don’t ever pass me by (Watson-Denby): April 11, 1940 Dreaming of tomorrow (Pola-Cardew): c. March 1929 Driftin’ tide (Castleton-Williams): July 18, 1934 Elsie Carlisle medley—part 1: November 8, 1937 Elsie Carlisle medley—part 2: November 8, 1937 Elsie Carlisle medley, no. 2, part 1: January 25, 1938 Elsie Carlisle medley, no. 2, part 2: January 25, 1938 Elsie Carlisle successes: January 5, 1934, January 17,1934 An evening in Caroline (Donaldson): March 2, 1932 Everyone must have a sweetheart (Noel-Hart-Grundland): November 10, 1938 Exactly like you (Fields-McHugh): August 1930 Fare thee well, Annabelle (Dixon-Wrubel): June 20, 1935 Fit as a fiddle (Hoffman-Goodhart-Freed): January 13, 1933, January 5, 1934, January 17, 1934 39 establishing the details given. Rust and Forbes’s British Dance Bands on Record (= BDBR [1989]), Richard J. Johnson (= RJJ [1994]), and Ross Laird (= RL [1996]) are cited whenever a record is mentioned in them. The various label discographies are used likewise, and the Kelly Online Database (= KOD [2020]) is present for all Gramophone Company sessions for which it has information. Other sources are cited only when they contribute to our understanding of a session in some way that I have found useful. I have implicitly relied on the evidence of my own record collection throughout, but I occasionally use my own initials (= AGK) to show that my collection has revealed something not evident from previously published discographies. 46 APPENDIX B: ORIGINAL RESEARCH INTO APPROXIMATE RELEASE DATES The abbreviation BNA refers to the British Newspaper Archive. 4 in 1 5: advertised as “This Week’s Titles” on September 16, 1932 (“The New Variety Record: Four-in-One,” Edinburgh Evening News, 16, BNA). 6: advertised as “This Week’s Titles” on September 23, 1932 (“The New Variety Record: Four-in-One,” Edinburgh Evening News, 16, BNA). 7: advertised as “This Week’s Titles” on September 30, 1932 (“The New Variety Record: Four-in-One,” Edinburgh Evening News, 16, BNA). Bluebird B-6837: released on March 3, 1937 (Bolig 2017, 202). Brunswick 1486: in the April 1933 list (John English, “Here and There: The Best Records for April,” Daily Mirror, March 31, 1933, 6, BNA). 1495: in the May 1933 list (“For Your Gramophone: Jubilee Record, and Ambrose in the Latest Dance Hits,” Yarmouth Independent, May 20, 1933, 15, BNA). 01510: listed in the June 1, 1933 Brunswick supplement (Pick-Up [Dan Ingman], “Commercial Records Review,” Melody Maker, June 3, 1933, 19, ProQuest). 01523: in the May list (“For Your Gramophone: Jubilee Record, and Ambrose in the Latest Dance Hits,” Yarmouth Independent, May 20, 1933, 15, BNA). 01605: mentioned by Fraser Wighton, “Gramophone Notes: Rhythm in Dance Music,” Leicester Evening Mail, November 10, 1933, 11, BNA. 01607: described as having been released on November 1, 1933 (“The Unshakable Ambrose: Usual Brilliant Performances from Ambrose & Noble,” Melody Maker, November 11, 1933, 17, ProQuest). 01694: mentioned by Richard Crooks, “The Last Elgar Record,” Daily Mirror, March 1, 1934, 24, BNA; also by Edgar Jackson, “Dance and Popular Rhythmic Records,” Gramophone, March 1934, 413, Exact Editions. 01790: mentioned by R. J. Whiteley, “Some Good Dance Tunes,” Daily Mirror, July 5, 1934, 28, BNA; see also “Popular New Records: Decca and Brunswick Issues,” Montrose Review, July 27, 1934, 2, BNA. Decca F-3146: described as having appeared in the October 15, 1932 Decca supplement (Pick-Up [Dan Ingman], “Commercial Records,” Melody Maker, November 1, 1932, 935, ProQuest); Smith (2009, 93) has “11/32.” F-3193: Smith (2009, 95) has “12/32,” but this record was advertised as being for sale on November 3, 1932 (A. Bramham, “Open That Gramophone: Winter Time Is Gramophone Time,” Halifax Daily Courier and Guardian, 5, BNA). F-3312: Smith (2009, 103) has “1/33,” but Decca was advertising this record as for sale on December 9, 1932 (“Decca Records,” Edinburgh Evening News, 9, BNA) and as available before Christmas on December 16, 1932 (“12 Big Sellers Only on Decca,” Gloucestershire Echo, 9, BNA). F-3319: same as previous. F-3790: Smith (2009, 131) has “1/34,” but the Daily Herald advertised this record as early as December 14, 1933 (“Romance of a Melody in £2,500 Tunes Contest,” Daily Herald, December 14, 1933, 6, BNA). Dominion A-43: January 1929 issue (“For Gramophone Lovers: Important Re-recordings and New Issues,“ Liverpool Echo, January 11, 1929, 13, BNA). A-57: February 1929 issue (“Grand Opera on the Gramophone,” Liverpool Echo, February 8, 1929, BNA). 47 A-71: March 1929 issue (“Value That Caused a Scarcity: Dominion Records,” Daily Mirror, March 4, 1929, 4, BNA); see also Christopher Stone [T. M. Peppering, pseud.] in Gramophone, March, 1929, 455, Exact Editions. A-83: appeared in the April 1, 1929 Dominion supplement (Needlepoint [Edgar Jackson], “The Gramophone Review,” Melody Maker, April 1, 1929, 377, ProQuest; see also Christopher Stone [T. M. Peppering, pseud.] in Gramophone, April 1929, 502, Exact Editions). A-125: June 1929 issue (“Gramophone Record’s ‘Life,’” Yorkshire Evening Post, June 7, 1929, 10, BNA). A-168: almost certainly a September 1929 release. “Mean to me” was played on the air by Christopher Stone on September 13 (Christopher Stone, “A Gramophone Records Review,” Daily Mirror, September 13, 1929, 17, BNA); the record was reviewed on September 20 (H.G., “Still a Great Singer at 80,” Yorkshire Evening Post, September 20, 1929, 10, BNA). A-180: mentioned in newspapers as early as October 3, 1929 (“Gramophone Notes,” Gloucestershire Echo, October 3, 1929, 1, BNA). A-235: record scheduled to be broadcast on Christopher Stone’s radio show on January 24, 1930 (Christopher Stone, “A Gramophone Records Review,” Daily Mirror, January 23, 1930, 17, BNA). Edison Bell Winner 5536: reviewed on January 23, 1933 (“On the Gramophone,” Nottingham Evening Post, 6, BNA). 5537: in the January 1933 list (“The Gramophone,” Coventry Herald January 27, 1933, 7, BNA). His Master’s Voice BD-621: in the December 1938 HMV list (John F. Porte, “Radio and Records,” Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, December 10, 1938, 10, BNA). BD-5290: in the January 1938 supplement (Smith and Andrews 2004, 119), but advertised as for sale on November 25, 1937 in the Nottingham Evening Post, 5. Parlophone E-6107: advertised as being in the December 1928 Parlophone Records Supplement (“Parlophone Records,” Gramophone, December 1928, Advertisements viii, Exact Editions). E-6108: same as previous. Regal Zonophone MR-769: advertised December 31, 1932 (Mentiplay’s Music Stores, “We Have Your Favorite Tune!” Fife Free Press, December 31, 1932, 2, BNA). Rex 9610: Rex Records, September 1939 supplement (London: The Decca Record Co. Ltd., 1939), 1. 9646: Rex Records, November 1939 supplement (London: The Decca Record Co. Ltd., 1939), 4. 9674: Rex Records, December 1939 supplement (London: The Decca Record Co. Ltd., 1939), 5. 9675: Rex Records, December 1939 supplement (London: The Decca Record Co. Ltd., 1939), 1. 9693: Rex Records, December 1939 supplement (London: The Decca Record Co. Ltd., 1939), 5. 48 APPENDIX C: SONGS NOT FEATURING ELSIE CARLISLE A few vocals are occasionally misidentified as being by Elsie Carlisle. I think it useful to address the repeat offenders: Durium Dance Band (Peter Rush dir.). “Yes, Mr. Brown” / “Leave a little for me” / “If you would learn to live” (November-December 1932). Durium F-1 mx. E-1138-B-C. The main vocals are by Sam Browne, while the female voice is that of Phyllis Robins (Rust and Forbes 1989, 193; Koert 2006, 34). The idea that it is Elsie who is speaking goes back at least as far as (and perhaps originates in) the discography of Edward S. Walker (1974). Leslie Holmes. “Something came and got me in the spring” (c. June 1933). Imp 2866 mx. 6386-2. Leslie Holmes’s duettist is almost certainly Phyllis Robins. Ray Noble and His Orchestra. “When you were the girl on the scooter” (November 29, 1933). HMV B-6432 mx. 0B-5801-2. The duet is by Al Bowlly and Dawn Davis. The misidentification of Al Bowlly’s duettist as Elsie was made by Rust and Debus (1973, 91). Billy Cotton and His Band. “Nobody loves a fairy when she’s forty” (November 27, 1934). RZ MR-1495 mx. CAR-3063-1. The vocal is by Bertha Wilmott. It should be noted that Walker’s (1974) attribution of the vocal in Ambrose’s 1933 “Maybe I Love You Too Much” is entirely erroneous; it is Sam Browne who sings. 49