HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

The Andrews Sisters

Birth of Swing Jazz: The Andrews Sisters

The Andrews Sisters

The Andrews Sisters (not to be confused with the later gospel group) began their careers just as their major predecessors in female vocal harmony, the Boswell Sisters, were retiring as a trio. It was the Boswells after whom the Andrews sisters early fashioned themselves. The Andrews consisted of Maxine Angelyn (b 1916 soprano), Patricia Marie (b 1918 soprano) and LaVerne Sophia (b 1911 alto), all three born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Maxine and Pat were adolescents, LaVerne perhaps seventeen, when they were noted by Larry Rich who hosted and directed the band at a talent contest the sisters won at the Orpheum Theatre in April of 1931. Come November they found themselves on the road to tour the States with Rich, attended by a tutor since neither Max nor Patty were old enough to leave school, education compulsory to age sixteen. The tutor didn't last long, though the girls continued with Rich for a couple years before moving through other bands to eventually arrive to the orchestra of violinist, Leon Belasco, with whom they first recorded on 18 March 1937 toward 'There's a Lull in My Life' / 'Wake Up and Live' (Brunswick 7872) and 'Jammin'' (Brunswick 7863) [Sforza]. By the time of their next session on 18 October (14 October DAHR) to record in their own name they had teamed with trumpeter and band leader, Vic Schoen, thereafter to enjoy a lucrative relationship. Their first issue, 'Why Talk About Love?' / 'Just a Simple Melody' (Decca 1496) didn't raise a lot of noise. But their second session on 24 November included 'Bei Mir Bist Du Schon' ('To Me You Are Beautiful'), sometimes titled 'Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen', launched a career in female harmony which only the Supremes many years later would match.

Birth of Swing Jazz: Vic Schoen

Vic Schoen

Source: Kevin Kaska

'There's a Lull In My Life' Patty Andrews w the Leon Belasco Orchestra

18 March 1937 NYC Matrix B20840 Brunswick 7872

Composition: Mack Gordon / Harry Revel

'Wake Up and Live' Andrews Sisters w the Leon Belasco Orchestra

18 March 1937 NYC Matrix B20841 Brunswick 7872

Composition: Mack Gordon / Harry Revel

'Jammin'' Andrews Sisters w the Leon Belasco Orchestra

18 March 1937 in NYC Matrix B20843 Brunswick 7863

Composition: Sam Coslow

'Why Talk About Love?' Andrews Sisters w the Vic Schoen Orchestra

14 Oct 1937 in NYC Matrix 62686 Decca 1496

Cornet: Bobby Hackett Trumpet: Vic Schoen Trombone: Al Philburn

Clarinet: Don Watt Piano: Frank Froeba Guitar: Dave Barbour

Bass: Haig Stephens Drums: Stan King

Composition: Lew Pollack / Sidney D. Mitchell

'Bei Mir Bist Du Schön' Andrews Sisters w the Vic Schoen Orchestra

24 Nov 1937 in NYC Matrix 62811 Decca 1562

Music: Sholom Secunda Lyrics: Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin

'Bei Mir Bist Du Schon' topped the charts at #1 in 1938. Embroidering their music along the way with a number of international flavors from calypso to Russian, four more songs launched to the #1 spot during the Andrews Sisters' career: 'Shoo-Shoo Baby' in 1944, 'Rum and Coca Cola' in 1945 (their overall most popular release), 'I Can Dream, Can't I' in 1949 and 'I Wanna Be Loved' in 1950. A kind of Top Ten chart:

   Bei Mir Bist Du Schon   #1   1938
   Lullaby to a Jitterbug   #10   1938
   Says My Heart   #10   1938
   Tu-Li Tulip Time   #9   1938
   Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out the Barrel)   #4   1939
   Hold Tight, Hold Tight   #2   1939
   Well All Right (Tonight's the Night)   #5   1939
   Say Si Si (Para Vigo Me Voy)   #4   1940
   The Woodpecker Song   #7   1940
   Ferryboat Serenade (La Piccinina)   #8   1940
   (I'll Be with You) In Apple Blossom Time   #5   1941
   The Woodpecker Song   1940
   Strip Polka   #6   1942
   Shoo-Shoo Baby   #1   1944
   Straighten Up and Fly Right   #8   1944
   Rum and Coca-Cola   #1   1945
   The Blond Sailor   #8   1945
   Near You   #2   1947
   The Lady from 29 Palms   #7   1947
   Toolie Oolie Doolie (The Yodel Polka)   #3   1948
   Underneath the Arches   #5   1948
   You Call Everybody Darling   #8   1948
   I Can Dream, Can't I   #1   1949
   I Wanna Be Loved   #1   1950

Other than Schoen, their arranger, the Andrews Sisters' most important musical association was Bing Crosby, also the only vocalist they didn't outsell. They released their first of 47 issues with Crosby in 1939: 'Ciribiribin' / 'Yodelin' Jive' (Decca 2800). Especially popular were 'Hot Time in the Town of Berlin' in the summer of 1944 and 'Don't Fence Me In' in latter 1944, both preceding the end of World War II in Europe the next year.

'Yodelin' Jive' Andrews Sisters w Bing Crosby

20 Sep 1939 in NYC Matrix 66633 Decca 2800

Composition: Don Raye / Hughie Prince

Selling more than 75 million records during their career, the Andrews Sisters had appeared in their first of seventeen films, 'Argentine Nights', in 1940. They were enthusiastic entertainers of Allied troops in the European theater during World War II, also helping to raise funds via war bonds (: 'Any Bonds Today?'). They also recorded Victory discs (V-discs, available only to Allied military personnel) and roused the war endeavor via multiple radio programs. Which is to say, the Andrew Sisters were no small generator of triumph and contribution to Allied victory.

'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B' Andrews Sisters

From the film 'Buck Privates' directed by Arthur Lubin Released 31 Jan 1941

(Film features Abbott & Costello)

Composition: Done Raye / Hughie Prince

Cinemagraphe Hometowns to Hollywood IMDb

Letterboxd Pop Heist Ashley Turner Wikipedia

'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B' Jump blues by the Andrews Sisters

Vic Schoen Orchestra

2 Jan 1941 in Los Angeles Matrix DLA 2326 Decca 3598

Composition: Done Raye / Hughie Prince

'Any Bonds Today?' Andrews Sisters w the Vic Schoen Orchestra

20 Sep 1941 in NYC Matrix 69831 Decca 4044

Composition: Irving Berlin

'Shoo-Shoo Baby' Andrews Sisters w the Vic Schoen Orchestra

5 Oct 1943 in Los Angeles Matrix L3220 Decca 18572

Composition: Phil Moore

'Rum and Coca Cola' Calypso by Andrews Sisters w the Vic Schoen Orchestra

18 Oct 1944 in NYC Matrix 72460 Decca 18636 / 25096

Music: Lionel Belasco Lyrics: Lord Invader

'You Don't Have to Know the Language' Andrews Sisters w Bing Crosby

From the film 'Road to Rio' directed by Norman Z. McLeod Released 25 Dec 1947

(Bob Hope as Hot Lips Barton at 2:46)

Composition: Johnny Burke / Jimmy Van Heusen

4 Star Films IMDb Steve Pulaski Wikipedia

'I Can Dream, Can't I' Andrews Sisters w Gordon Jenkins & His Orchestra

15 July 1949 in NYC Matrix 75074 Decca 24705

Music: Sammy Fain Lyrics: Irving Kahal

'I Wanna Be Loved' Andrews Sisters w Gordon Jenkins & His Orchestra

30 March 1950 in Los Angeles Matrix L5469 Decca 27007

Composition: Johnny Green / Billy Rose / Ed Heyman

'South Rampart Street Parade' Dixieland by the Andrews Sisters w Bing Crosby

5 Sep 1952 in Los Angeles Matrix L6870 Decca 28419

Orchestra led by Matty Matlock (clarinet)

Cornet: Red Nichols Trumpet: Charlie Teagarden Trombone: Ted Vesely

Alto sax: Jack Chaney Piano: Walter Weschler Guitar: Perry Botkin

Tuba: Country Washburne Bass: Morty Corb

Drums: Nick Fatool / Irv Cottler

Composition: Bob Haggart / Ray Bauduc

The Andrews Sisters dismantled as of 1953, then reunited in 1956. The original trio last performed together on the 'Dean Martin Show' aired 29 September 1966 (Dean Martin).

Medley Andrews Sisters w Dean Martin Television

'Dean Martin Show' airing 29 Sep 1966

1: Memories Are Made Of This (Terry Gilkyson / Richard Dehr / Frank Miller 1955)

2: Manana (Dave Barbour / Peggy Lee 1947)

3: South America, Take It Away (Harold Rome 1946)

4: 'Rum and Coca Cola' (Lionel Belasco / Lord Invader 1944)

The eldest sister, LaVerne, died on 8 May 1967 of cancer. A brave Joyce DeYoung filled her spot on another broadcast of the 'Dean Martin Show' on 30 November 1967. Maxine became dean of Tahoe Paradise College the next year as Patricia pursued a solo career. The pair sporadically performed as a duo on various occasions including the Broadway production of 'Over Here!' premiering at the Shubert Theater on 6 March of 1974. In 1979 Maxine revived her career, pursuing cabaret song for the next fifteen years (releasing the LP, 'Maxene: An Andrews Sister', in 1985).

Two medleys Andrews Sisters w Dean Martin Television

'Dean Martin Show' airing 30 Nov 1967

(Joyce DeYoung replacing LaVerne)

'Over Here!' Patricia and Maxene Andrews Television

Tony Awards 1974

Composition: Richard M. Sherman / Robert B. Sherman

'Miles of Iowa' Maxene Andrews

From the album 'Maxene, an Andrews Sister'

Discogs

Medley Patricia Andrews

Unidentified television broadcast of 6 June 1994

Maxine died of heart attack in New York City on 21 Oct 1995. Patricia died in 2013 in North Ridge, California. All in all, though we like St. Pauli Girls too, when there's a blitzkrieg or kamikaze coming your direction just circle your wagons with an Andrews girl.

Sources & References for The Andrews Sisters:

VF History (notes) Wikipedia

Associates Musical:

Vic Schoen (1916-2000 / bandleader / composer / trumpet):

Compositions: Music Brainz SHS

DAHR (sessions)

Discogs (catalog)

From the Vaults

Grokipedia

Wikipedia

Audio of the Andrews Sisters: Internet Archive

Billboard Popularity Charts: Music VF TsorT