THEY CALLED HIM AL
When I was writing about lyricist DOROTHY FIELDS and composer BERNICE PETKERE in my previous post (TWO TO GO), I had no thought of using it as a segue to this post ….but that was before I discovered that tomorrow is the birthday of a music man who sang at least a half dozen of Fields’ 1930s songs, including ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET (sung in the previous post by Diana Krall), not to mention the Petkere song CLOSE YOUR EYES (sung in the same post by that very man). They called him Al.
The ‘another-world-ago’ Al is this world’s forgotten man, except by a relative handful of Golden Age music devotees around the world (primarily in America and Great Britain). His name was ALBERT ALICK BOWLLY (Jan 7, 1899-Apr. 17, 1941), heard here in a recording of a Dorothy Fields/Jerome Kern song from the film JOY OF LIVING:
Did you notice from the above dates that Bowlly had his life taken from him at a relatively young age? This was the tragic result of a WW II German air raid (one of many) on London in the early 1940s. But while he lived, who was this troubadour they called Al?
Away from the bandstand he was a vagabond. He was a jazz mad musical nomad who traveled from his childhood home, South Africa, to London and all stops between in search of musical perfection with whatever band would have him. He plied his trade as a guitarist, a banjo, concertina and ukulele player, a pianist and occasional singer of songs. He took America by storm. The story of his musical meanderings, highs and lows, could only have happened in the thirties. –Roy Hudd, British author, comedian, actor, and expert on the history of music hall entertainment
Listening to Diana Krall in the previous post — as well as CLOSE YOUR EYES vocalist Al Bowlly — we are taken by their way with a song, their Joy of Living the songs they sang…. as further evidenced by this rendition of the Rodgers and Hart classic, BLUE MOON:
Here is one of his few appearances on film:
For those interested in learning more of the story of Bowlly’s nomadic life, there’s an excellent bio called THEY CALLED HIM AL, by Ray Pallett, with Forward by Roy Hudd. As for this go-around, we’ve come to the last dance — it’s time to call it a day. I bid you a reluctant Au Revoir.
Don Ostertag 1:11 am on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
He was so good.
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mistermuse 1:44 am on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
Some thought of him as the British Bing Crosby. I think he had a better feel for a song than Bing.
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Don Ostertag 8:06 pm on January 7, 2020 Permalink
He had soul. Bing had smoothness. I’ll take soul.
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mistermuse 9:30 pm on January 7, 2020 Permalink |
Early in his career (up to about the mid 1930s), Bing sang with a jazz feel and what you might call soul, but after that, he was a different and very ordinary singer, in my opinion. If you listen to his early 1930s recordings and then his 1940s (and later) recordings, you wouldn’t think it’s the same singer. Bowlly’s style didn’t change, and he was the better for it.
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calmkate 2:46 am on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
good looking and talented, beats Bing hands down, no competition!
Blue moon bought back some good memories … like these little meanders with you thanks MrM 🙂
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mistermuse 7:40 am on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
In my opinion, no one has ever sung BLUE MOON better than Al Bowlly. I never tire of listening to it.
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calmkate 5:35 pm on January 6, 2020 Permalink
oh I’ve heard a very heart wrenching version by four drunks in Broken Hill … that was very surreal 🙂
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mistermuse 7:01 pm on January 6, 2020 Permalink
Well, that answers the riddle of how many drunks does it take to make a quartet, but not how many quarts does it take to make the four drunk. In Broken Hill, they probably drink their liquor by the gallon.
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scifihammy 7:25 am on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
Lovely light voice. 🙂 I love how they could actually Sing in those days!! 😀
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mistermuse 8:07 am on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
Not only that, scifi, but for the most part, they had better songs to sing. In general, the music world of Fields, Kern, Gershwin, Porter, Rodgers and Hart, etc., has been largely replaced by a world of juvenile noise calling itself music — a culture without culture. A world that doesn’t know any better.
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scifihammy 12:08 pm on January 6, 2020 Permalink
So true! There used to be lovely turns of melody and variety. 🙂
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masercot 7:51 am on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
It’s a shame. He had a nice voice…
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mistermuse 12:12 pm on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
A shame indeed. Makes one wonder whether, if he hadn’t been killed by one of Hitler’s bombs, his popularity would have continued after the war years (like Bing Crosby’s did) into the 1950s.
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Wistful Nostalgic 1:05 am on July 20, 2020 Permalink
Oh he sure would have! Think of the era of the singers in the 1940s. Al’s voice was perfect for all the standards that came after the 1930s.
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Rivergirl 9:06 am on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
I love those scratchy old recordings… never heard of Al though. Thanks for the introduction.
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mistermuse 12:34 pm on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
Maybe you can prevail upon husband to find and bring home to you some scratchy old records and an antique phonograph to play them on when he goes on his “treasure hunts,” Rg. It strikes me that he “owes you one” after all the old contraptions and doohickeys he buys for himself!
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Rivergirl 1:09 pm on January 6, 2020 Permalink
As much as I appreciate the thought?
No…
No more old stuff!
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mistermuse 3:11 pm on January 6, 2020 Permalink
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I hope you will make an exception for me, Rg, because even though I’m old stuff, what would you do without my puns to blighten — I mean BRIGHTEN — your day?
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Ashley 12:23 pm on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
Goodness! Al Bowlly! How could anyone forget that wonderful voice. I wasn’t born until 1950 so it must have been in the b&w movies they showed on Sunday afternoons on the television that I heard him sing! The tunes and the voices have never left me! Thanks Mr. M. Happy New Year!
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mistermuse 12:42 pm on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
Thanks, Ashley. I’m beginning to believe that more people remember Al Bowlly than I thought. Maybe it’s like the song says: AU REVOIR, BUT NOT GOODBYE.
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magickmermaid 7:54 pm on January 6, 2020 Permalink |
I never heard of Al Bowlly so it was very enjoyable to read your post and listen to the music. 🙂
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mistermuse 12:44 am on January 7, 2020 Permalink |
I’m very glad you enjoyed it, mm. Good taste is always in style!
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Elizabeth 5:27 pm on January 7, 2020 Permalink |
He was new to me, but I loved the film singing of “The Very Thought of You.” I imagine my grandfather, lover of all songs on records, probably listened to him.
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Eliza 12:01 pm on January 10, 2020 Permalink |
Happy new year! I hope this year brings good things your way…
Love, light and glitter
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mistermuse 1:02 pm on January 10, 2020 Permalink |
Thanks, Eliza. How about an Al Bowlly song that reflects your hopes:
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Eliza 6:22 pm on January 12, 2020 Permalink
Can you copy the address not the link?
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mistermuse 10:49 pm on January 12, 2020 Permalink |
Eliza, if you’ll Google “al bowlly looking on the bright side youtube”, there are several clips of the recording to choose from. That should take care of it, but if not, let me know. Thanks.
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barkinginthedark 12:39 am on January 19, 2020 Permalink |
so wonderful MM…a joy. thanks. continue…
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Silver Screenings 3:52 pm on January 19, 2020 Permalink |
I’d never hear of Al Bowlly before, but thanks to you I’m an instant fan! Loved the footage of him – he has a surprising amount of charisma on film.
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mistermuse 10:51 pm on January 19, 2020 Permalink |
I appreciate your comment, SS, which leads me to believe that more Al Bowlly would be good for you — so here he is with the Ray Noble Orchestra, singing IT’S BAD FOR ME:
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Silver Screenings 11:38 pm on January 19, 2020 Permalink
Thank you for this. I’ve spent the past 40+ minutes listening to Al Bowlley, especially his rendition of “Heart & Soul”, which I listened to 3-4 times in a row. A wonderful way to end the weekend. 🙂
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Wistful Nostalgic 1:07 am on July 20, 2020 Permalink
I love this song!
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Wistful Nostalgic 1:14 am on July 20, 2020 Permalink
There can never be too much Al! 😉 He’s a great way to start the day, and to end the day.
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Wistful Nostalgic 1:06 am on July 20, 2020 Permalink |
Oh he sure did! His magnetic charisma and charming personality just shines on the Pathe clip.
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Wistful Nostalgic 1:13 am on July 20, 2020 Permalink |
I love your post on Al. He is my favourite singer of all time. He was THE voice of the 20th century. I’m 52 , so he was from my Grandad’s era, but it feels my “true” era. Al was unique; nobody sounds like him; he’s got a voice of liquid gold. I especially love “Oh Mister Moon”, “Red Sails In The Sunset”, “Maybe It’s Because”, “My Woman”, and “You’re My Thrill”. But there are many more I love too. I listen to his music every day!
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mistermuse 9:23 am on July 20, 2020 Permalink |
Thank you. I have dozens of his albums, including those of bands (such as Ray Noble and Lew Stone) on which Al is the vocalist. Have you ever heard of Joey Nash? Some say he was the American Al Bowlly. Here he is in 1934 as a vocalist with Richard Himber’s Orchestra:
P.S. Do you have a WordPress blog? As far as I can find, you’re only on Instagram, but I’m only on WordPress.
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