G.I. Jive

Last updated
"G.I. Jive"
Single by Johnny Mercer
Released1944 (1944)
Genre R&B
Songwriter(s) Johnny Mercer

"G.I. Jive" is a 1944 song written and originally performed by Johnny Mercer. [1]

Contents

Background

Mercer intended to write a song that the soldiers would like, [1] and the song was the biggest hit of all the songs dealing with soldier life during World War II. [2]

Chart performance

The single was a hit twice in 1944 by two different performers: Johnny Mercer hit number one on the Harlem Hit Parade for one week and peaked at number thirteen on the pop charts. [3] Three months later, Louis Jordan, also made it to number one on both the Harlem Hit Parade and the pop chart with "G.I. Jive". [4] The B-side to Jordan's version, "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby", was also a successful release.

Other versions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Too Busy Thinking About My Baby</span> 1969 single by Marvin Gaye

"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" is a Motown song written by Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, and Janie Bradford. The song was first recorded by The Temptations as a track on their 1966 album Gettin' Ready. Eddie Kendricks sings lead on the recording, which was produced by Whitfield. Jimmy Ruffin also recorded a version with The Temptations providing background vocals in 1966. It remained unreleased until 1997.

"Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert for the Disney 1946 live action and animated movie Song of the South, sung by James Baskett. For "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the film won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and was the second Disney song to win this award, after "When You Wish upon a Star" from Pinocchio (1940). In 2004, it finished at number 47 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs, a survey of top tunes in American cinema.

"Things Ain't What They Used to Be" is a 1942 jazz standard with music by Mercer Ellington and lyrics by Ted Persons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby</span> Song written and performed by Louis Jordan

"Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" is a song written by Louis Jordan and Billy Austin. The song's first recording, by Jordan, was made on October 4, 1943. It was released as the B-side of a single with "G.I. Jive" with the title "Is You Is or Is You Ain't ". The song reached No. 1 on the US folk/country charts, number two for three weeks on the pop chart, and number three on the R&B chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trav'lin' Light (song)</span> 1942 single by Billie Holiday, Paul Whiteman

"Trav'lin' Light" is a 1942 song composed by Trummy Young and Jimmy Mundy with lyrics by Johnny Mercer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caldonia</span> Jump blues standard

"Caldonia" is a jump blues song, first recorded in 1945 by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five. Although credited to Fleecie Moore, his wife at the time, Jordan is the actual songwriter. The song was a hit for Jordan as well as several other musicians.

The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by Billboard. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 positions but was shortened to 50 positions in October 2012.

"Don't Cry Baby" is a song composed by James P. Johnson, with lyrics by Saul Bernie, and Stella Unger. The song was first recorded on October 11, 1929 by Bessie Smith, who was accompanied on piano by Johnson. The song was revived in 1943 by jazz bandleader Erskine Hawkins, who greatly simplified Johnson's original composition by removing both the introductory (sectional) verse and the "B" section of the chorus. This simplified arrangement formed the basis of most later recordings on the song. Throughout the late 1940s and 1950s, the song was recorded fairly regularly, but was not a hit again until Etta James recorded it in 1961. Between 1962 and 1964, versions were released by James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles. Since the mid-1960s, the song has been occasionally revived.

"All for You" is a 1943 single by The King Cole Trio, written by Robert Scherman.

"Straighten Up and Fly Right" is a 1943 song written by Nat King Cole and Irving Mills and one of the first vocal hits for the King Cole Trio. It was the trio's most popular single, reaching number one on the Harlem Hit Parade for ten nonconsecutive weeks. The single also peaked at number nine on the pop charts. "Straighten Up and Fly Right" also reached number one for six nonconsecutive weeks on the Most Played Jukebox Hillbilly Records.

"I'm Lost" is a song written by Otis René and recorded in 1944 by Benny Carter and His Orchestra. The single, with vocals by Dick Gray, went to number one on the Harlem Hit Parade and was his most successful of three entries on the Harlem Hit Parade list. Unlike his previous releases, "I'm Lost" did not cross over to the mainstream pop charts.

"Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You" is a 1929 song written by Andy Razaf and Don Redman. It was recorded by the Redman-led McKinney's Cotton Pickers on Victor on November 5, 1929 as "Gee, Ain't I Good to You."

"Funny How Time Slips Away" is a song written by Willie Nelson and first recorded by country singer Billy Walker. Walker's version was issued as single by Columbia Records in June 1961 and peaked at number 23 on the Hot C&W Sides chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take Good Care of Her</span>

"Take Good Care of Her" is a 1961 song written by Arthur Kent and Ed Warren and recorded by Adam Wade. It reached number twenty on the R&B charts and number seven on the Hot 100. In the song, the narrator speaks to the groom of his ex-girlfriend.

<i>Love Story</i> (Andy Williams album, UK version) 1971 compilation album by Andy Williams

Love Story is a compilation album by American pop singer Andy Williams that was released in the UK in July 1971 by the CBS Records division of Columbia and was mainly composed of tracks that had not been included on his studio LPs.

<i>B Sides and Rarities</i> (Andy Williams album) 2003 compilation album by Andy Williams

B Sides and Rarities is a compilation album by the American pop singer Andy Williams that was released by Collectables Records on May 27, 2003. Although the collection starts with two 1947 recordings by Kay Thompson and The Williams Brothers, the rest of the material comes from his time at Columbia Records and includes covers of contemporary hits as well as lesser-known material from the songwriters of "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Home Lovin' Man" and "Moon River".

<i>Unforgettable – A Musical Tribute to Nat King Cole</i> 1983 live album by Johnny Mathis

Unforgettable – A Musical Tribute to Nat King Cole is a soundtrack album released in the UK in 1983 by the CBS Records division of Columbia in conjunction with the broadcast of American pop singer Johnny Mathis's BBC television concert special of the same name that featured Cole's daughter Natalie. The front of the original album jacket credits the concert performers as "Johnny Mathis and Natalie Cole", whereas the CD booklet reads, "Johnny Mathis with special guest Natalie Cole".

References

  1. 1 2 Gilliland, John (1994). Pop Chronicles the 40s: The Lively Story of Pop Music in the 40s (audiobook). ISBN   978-1-55935-147-8. OCLC   31611854. Tape 1, side A.
  2. Jones, John Bush (2006). The Songs That Fought the War. Lebanon, NH: University Press of New England. p. 114. ISBN   1584654430.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 395.
  4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 309.