It is another important date
on the Shady Dell calendar.
Today we remember and honor
Margaret Brown Schneider,
precious child of the Dell.
Blessed with longevity,
Margaret earned the
nickname The Oldest
Living Dell Rat as she
approached and then
passed the century mark.
Margaret died six years ago
at the age of 105. Last month
as we celebrated Margaret's
111th birthday, I posted old
songs Margaret might have
known in her youth. Today,
as we remember Margaret
on the date of her death,
I proudly present five
more songs of the past
that I think she'd enjoy.
1934/1951
Margaret is age 22/39.
VINTAGE DOLLS
Meet and greet The Vintage Dolls, a Hungarian vocal trio that performs swing
music of the 1930s and 40s. In 2018, they appeared on Danube TV's Family-
Friendly Magazine and sang the jazz standard "East Of The Sun (And West
Of The Moon)," a song composed in 1934 when Margaret was 22 years old.
It was introduced by the Princeton University Triangle Club theater troupe in
its production of Stags at Bay. The song was first recorded that same year
by Hal Kemp. Versions were later released by Tommy Dorsey with vocals
by Frank Sinatra, by Sarah Vaughan, Benny Goodman, Stan Getz, Louis
Armstrong and many other artists including The Andrews Sisters. Their
1951 version is the one that the The Vintage Dolls will now cover.
Here are The Vintage Dolls - Lili, Eszter and Ágnes - in a live
TV performance in Budapest, singing "East Of The Sun."
"East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)" - Vintage Dolls
(June 5, 2018, perf. in Budapest on Duna (Danube) Media Service
(Hungarian PBS) television show Family-Friendly Magazine)
1930/1950
Margaret is age 18/38.
THE BARN-ETTES
Up next, The Barn-Ettes... another modern girl group that specializes in
music from The Great Depression and WWII years. On their YouTube
channel, The Barn-Ettes describe themselves as "the UK's leading
wartime and vintage harmony group." The English sparrows
are here to help remember and honor Margaret by singing
a song written in 1930 when Margaret was age 18 and
introduced by Ruth Etting in The Nine-Fifteen Revue.
The song is most associated with Judy Garland who
performed it in the 1950 MGM film Summer Stock.
Here now are The Barn-Ettes and-- "Get Happy!"
"Get Happy" - The Barn-Ettes
(May 2019)
1922/1936/1942
Margaret is age 10/24/30.
THE BARN-ETTES
Written, originally recorded and released in 1936 with the title "Weed Smoker's Dream,"
the blues and jazz-influenced pop standard "Why Don't You Do Right?" is considered
a classic "woman's blues" song. One of the best known versions was recorded by
Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman in 1942 and featured the following year in the
movie Stage Door Canteen. Right off the bat, the song's lyrics mention
1922, the year Margaret was ten years old:
You had plenty money, 1922
You let other women make a fool of you
Why don't you do right, like some other men do
Get out of here and get me some money too
The Peggy Lee - Benny Goodman single was a million seller and the
inspiration behind this authentic encore performance by The Barn-Ettes!
"Why Don't You Do Right (Get Me Some Money Too)"
- Peggy Lee/Benny Goodman cover by The Barn-Ettes
(Oct. 2020)
1964
Margaret is age 52.
THE JIVE ACES
Now here are The Jive Aces, who describe themselves as "The UK's No.1 Jive
& Swing band bringing you the finest in hot jazz, smooth swing and rockin'
rhythm and blues since 1989!" The band will perform a song first waxed
in June, 1964, and released as a single by Nat King Cole. Here now are
The Jive Aces with the Bert Kaempfert - Milt Gabler ditty- "L.O.V.E."
"L.O.V.E. - Nat King Cole cover by The Jive Aces
(Jan. 2016)
1936/1954
Margaret is age 24/42.
THE JIVE ACES
Finally, as we think about Margaret today and miss her
so terribly... let's remember the words to this song:
Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it’s breaking
It's the song based on the instrumental theme used in the soundtrack of the
1936 Charlie Chaplin film Modern Times. In 1954, Nat King Cole recorded
the first version with lyrics. Here again are The Jive Aces with-- "Smile."
"Smile" - The Jive Aces (Dec. 2015)
I hope you enjoyed this year's tribute to Margaret Schneider
as we observe the 6th anniversary of her death.
Yours was a long life and
a life well lived, Margaret.
We love you... miss you...
and will remember you always.
