Rosie and Marlene is a collaborative extended play (EP) by American singer Rosemary Clooney and German actress and singer Marlene Dietrich,released in 1953 by Columbia Records as a 7-inch (45 RPM) record. The work is part of the Columbia Extended Play series and features four duet tracks.
Critics highlighted the humorous and novelty appeal of the singles,praising the comedic performances and strong commercial potential. The tracks were noted for their pleasant ragtime style and were considered to have significant appeal for disc jockeys.
Background
In the early 1950s,Marlene Dietrich strategically revitalized her career as a recording artist. She partnered with Mitch Miller,the powerful head of artists and repertoire at Columbia Records,who saw commercial potential in her unique appeal. This collaboration first yielded the 1951 album Overseas,a critically acclaimed project where Dietrich rerecorded American standards like "Miss Otis Regrets" and "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top" in German. The album was a prestige hit,praised for her nuanced phrasing and emotional depth,and it successfully reintroduced her voice to the postwar market.[1]
Building on the momentum of Overseas,Miller paired Dietrich with rising star Rosemary Clooney,then one of the most popular singers of the decade. Their collaboration produced a series of lighthearted "barrel-house duets" that played on their contrasting personas:the worldly Dietrich and the naive Clooney. The pairing resulted in the 1952 Top 40 novelty hit "Too Old to Cut the Mustard" (featuring Stan Freeman on harpsichord),followed by other songs like "Good for Nothin'". Although Dietrich declined offers to perform the act on stage,they recorded several more tracks,which were later compiled in the present EP.[2][1]
The duets were a professional,rather than personal,pursuit for Dietrich,who reportedly undertook them because "a hit record seemed like a good idea at the time." Behind the scenes,she maintained her characteristic wit,with Clooney later recalling how Dietrich once advised her,"I know you're working,Rosie,but you really should comb your hair!" Concurrently with the Clooney sessions,Dietrich continued her solo work,spending days in a New York studio meticulously rerecording a repertoire of English-language standards such as "Come Rain or Come Shine","Lili Marlene",and "Mean to Me"." This period of prolific recording cemented her status as a versatile vocalist and secured a valuable new stream of income.[3]
Release
The EP was issued in the United States in July 1953 with the catalogue number Columbia B-1699. The recordings were performed in jazz and pop styles,incorporating elements of cool jazz,swing,and vocal music.[4]
Critical reception
The singles released from the EP received attention from music publications.
Cash Box described "Too Old to Cut the Mustard" as a "surprise novelty of the year",noting that the pairing of Clooney and Dietrich was "very good" and could achieve strong commercial results.[5] In another review,Cash Box praised "Dot's Nice –Donna Fight!" as a humorous and potentially popular record,while calling "It's the Same" a pleasant duet performed in ragtime style.[6] As reported in the May 16,1953,issue of Billboard,the Dietrich/Clooney single was a 'Best Seller' for the week ending October 4,1952.[7] The single peaked at #12 in Billboard Hot 100 chart,[8] and #17 in the ARIA singles chart.[9]
Billboard considered "Dot's Nice –Donna Fight!" to have strong appeal for disc jockeys,highlighting its humor and use of a familiar refrain.[10] In the May 16,1953,issue of Billboard,the single was listed on the 'Best Selling Popular Records' chart within the prominent 'Columbia Best Buys' section,reflecting sales for the week ending May 9.[11]
Down Beat noted that the duet contained comedic moments,though it regretted the omission of the original lyric line that inspired the title "Dot's Nice". The magazine characterized "It's the Same" as a milder track.[12] In addition to written reviews,"Too Old to Cut the Mustard" was selected for Down Beat's Five Star Discs,a list highlighting notable popular releases of the period.[13]
Commercial performance
According to Steven Bach's biography,the collection of duets was a commercial success,capitalizing on the popularity of their Top 40 hit "Too Old to Cut the Mustard" and successfully revitalizing Dietrich's image for a new audience.[1]
Track listing
Side A
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Dot's Nice – Donna Fight!"
Showalter, Bagdasarian
2.
"It's the Same"
R. Wright, G. Forrest
Side B
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
1.
"Too Old to Cut the Mustard"
B. Carlisle
2.
"Good for Nothin'"
Engvick, Wilder
Personnel
From the original Columbia Records labels:
Rosemary Clooney – vocals
Marlene Dietrich – vocals
Stan Freeman – harpsichord
Frank Carroll – bass
Terry Snyder – drums
Mundell Lowe – guitar (on "Too Old to Cut the Mustard")
Sal Salvador – guitar (on "Too Old to Cut the Mustard")
Vincent Ryerson – guitar (on "Dot's Nice – Donna Fight!", "It's the Same")
Tony Caiola – guitar (on "Dot's Nice – Donna Fight!", "It's the Same")
↑ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories, 1890-1954 The History of American Popular Music: Compiled from America's Popular Music Charts 1890-1954. Record Research Inc. ISBN978-0898200836.
↑ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book (1940–1969). Turramurra: Australian Chart Book. ISBN0-646-44439-5.
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