Sing, You Sinners (song)
{{short description|1930 song by Sam Coslow and W. Franke Harling}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Sing, You Sinners
| image = Singyousinnershoney1930.webp
| caption = 1930 sheet music cover with Nancy Carroll, Stanley Smith, Lillian Roth Richard "Skeets" Gallagher and Mitzi Green (as "Little Mitzi") as Honey bees with a giant beehive behind them.
| type = song
| album =
| written =
| published = 1930
| released = March 29, 1930
| genre =
| writer =
}}
"Sing, You Sinners" is a novelty song with music by W. Franke Harling and lyrics by Sam Coslow.{{Cite news |last=Lawson |first=Carol |date=1982-04-06 |title=SAM COSLOW, 79, SONGWRITER |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/06/obituaries/sam-coslow-79-songwriter.html |access-date=2025-02-20 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Composed in 1930 for the film Honey, starring Nancy Carroll, it is performed during a musical scene by Tess Gardella, Mitzi Green (Doris) and Lillian Roth (Cora Falkner).{{Cite book |last=Tick |first=Judith |url=https://www.google.pt/books/edition/Becoming_Ella_Fitzgerald_The_Jazz_Singer/B32pEAAAQBAJ?hl=fr&gbpv=1&dq=Sing,+You+Sinners+song+Honey&pg=PP23&printsec=frontcover |title=Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song |date=2023-12-05 |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-0-393-24202-7 |language=en}} The Bing Crosby 1938 Paramount musical Sing You Sinners also included the song in the title credits. It is considered "Coslow's biggest movie hit".{{Cite book |last=Bradley |first=Edwin M. |url=https://www.google.pt/books/edition/The_First_Hollywood_Musicals/Rg-UBJaPD-sC?hl=fr&gbpv=1&dq=Sing,+You+Sinners+song+Honey&pg=PA97&printsec=frontcover |title=The First Hollywood Musicals: A Critical Filmography of 171 Features, 1927 through 1932 |date=2004-08-25 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-2029-2 |language=en}}
History
According to IMDb,{{citation| title=Honey (1930) - Trivia| url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020986/trivia/}} one day, the lyricist Sam Coslow went to a religious revival with his friends, giving him the idea to compose the song with W. Franke Harling.
1930 recordings
- Popular recordings in 1930 were by The High Hatters (on Victor 22322) and by Smith Ballew and his Orchestra.{{cite book |last1=Whitburn |first1=Joel |title=Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 |date=1986 |publisher=Record Research Inc. |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |isbn=0-89820-083-0 |page=579}}
- A good early recording is found on the album "The Song Hits of 1930 (Jazz Age Chronicles, Vol. 9)", and is sung by The Charleston Chasers.{{cite web |title=45worlds.com |url=http://www.45worlds.com/78rpm/record/cb95uk |website=45worlds.com |accessdate=June 4, 2020}} This is, perhaps, the way Coslow and Harling intended it to be performed.
- Belle Baker recorded the song in April 1930, shortly after "Honey" was released.{{Cite web |title=Belle Baker - Sing You Sinners (1930) |url=https://cover.info/en/song/Belle-Baker-Sing-You-Sinners}}
- A version was released in 1930 by Hit of the Week Records, credited to Harlem Hot Chocolates but actually performed by Duke Ellington and his band.{{cite web |title=45worlds.com |url=https://www.45worlds.com/cdalbum/cd/classics586&ei=1 |website=45worlds.com |accessdate=June 4, 2020}} {{Cite web |date=2022-11-30 |title=Harlem Hot Chocolates - The Syncopated Times |url=https://syncopatedtimes.com/harlem-hot-chocolates/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |language=en-US}}
Other recordings
- In Britain, the song was recorded by the duo Bob and Alf Pearson.{{cite web|url=https://www.45worlds.com/78rpm/record/612uk|title=78 RPM - Bob And Alf Pearson - Sing You Sinners / If I Had a Girl Like You - Broadcast - UK - 612|website=45worlds|accessdate=15 April 2019}}
- A popular version was recorded by Tony Bennett for Columbia Records (No. CO44125) on July 20, 1950.{{cite web |title=The Online Discographical Project |url=http://78discography.com/COL38500.htm |website=78discography.com |accessdate=June 4, 2020}} Bennett also recorded the song on several more occasions.{{cite web |title=jazzdiscography.com |url=https://jazzdiscography.com/Artists/Bennett/BennettSongIdx.php |website=jazzdiscography.com |accessdate=June 4, 2020}} In addition it is featured on Tony Bennett album Duets: An American Classic when he sings it with singer John Legend.
- In 1951 Margaret Whiting performed the song with orchestra directed by Frank DeVol (Capitol 1417 78rpm).
- Rosemary Clooney included the song on her album Swing Around Rosie (1959).
- Mel Tormé recorded for his album Comin' Home Baby! (1962).{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/comin-home-baby%21-mw0000769411|website=www.allmusic.com|accessdate=August 7, 2024}}
- The song is the title track of Erin McKeown's October 24, 2006 album Sing You Sinners.
Popular culture
- Max Fleischer’s cartoon "Swing You Sinners!" (1930) from the Talkartoons series is entirely based on the modified version of this song, “Swing you Sinners”.
- The song was used in the 1955 film I'll Cry Tomorrow when it was sung and danced by Susan Hayward and the chorus. It is also heard in a medley montage by Susan Hayward (vocal) and Eddie Albert (piano).{{cite web |title=Internet Movie Database |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048191/soundtrack?ref_=tt_trv_snd |website=imdb.com |accessdate=June 4, 2020}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Sam Coslow
Category:Songs with music by W. Franke Harling
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