Come on and hear, come on and hear

It's Ethel Merman's birthday, bitches!

One of our absolute top Patron Saints here at Dolores Delargo Towers, the fabulous Miss Zimmerman could belt out the telephone directory and it would still have more class and panache than any number of what sadly pass for "singers" these days...

To celebrate her 105th anniversary, I have found a real treat. With an added bonus at the end - courtesy of another of our icons Miss Bea Lillie - here Ethel tackles the songs of old Dixie. With her on side, I dare say the southern States might have won the American Civil War!

A Ragtime Melody - Alexander's Ragtime Band, Sweet Georgia Brown, Tweet, Tweet, Tweet, After You've Gone, Way Down Yonder In New Orleans:

Ethel Merman and Bea Lillie - A Ragtime Melody

Inevitably, I have blogged about Miss Merman many times over the years...

Ethel Merman (16th January 1908 - 15th February 1984)

Oh, ma honey

I am reminded by the lovely Muscato at the world of wonders that is Cafe Muscato, that yesterday would have been the 97th birthday of the glittering and feisty Alice Faye.

The great man's tribute to Miss Faye is far more erudite than anything I would care to add, so without further ado, let us just enjoy a small sample of her talent and chutzpah, accompanied here by her husband Phil Harris and the arch-crooner Bing Crosby...

Bing Crosby, Alice Faye, Phil Harris - K-K-K-Katy/Hello Frisco Hello/Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?/Grizzly Bear/Alexander's Ragtime Band (Hollywood Palace)

As I recounted over at Muscato's place, one of my earliest musical treats was discovering my grandparent's surviving 78rpm records, among which were such gems as Les Compagnons de la Chanson Trois Cloches and Alice Faye's Alexander's Ragtime Band. I adored her voice, even as a small child. And here is the original...

Alice Faye - Alexander's Ragtime Band

An inspiration.

Alice Faye official website