Archive for the 'Recorded Music Reviews' Category
Song Spotlight: Don’t Be That Way
Sheet Music; "My Biggest Hit," says Goodman.
One of my favorite tunes to dance to has always been Don’t Be That Way. It’s often associated with Benny Goodman, since he is the one that brought it to the masses. The original, however, was composed by Edgar Sampson and first recorded by Chick Webb in 1934. I think (at least for me) part of the confusion on this tune came from an apocryphal scene in The Benny Goodman Story, a mediocre film from 1956 starring Steve Allen in the title role. At one point late in the movie, someone tells him they need to announce the title of the song they’re about to play. He replies (and I’m paraphrasing here) “Everyone’s always telling me, ‘Benny, don’t be that way,’ so that’s what I’m going to call this new tune.” I haven’t seen the film in years, but I remember thinking the delivery was robotic and I disbelieved the story immediately. What I didn’t realize was that it wasn’t even his tune.
The real story is that Edgar Sampson composed Don’t Be That Way for Rex Stewart’s band in 1933.¹ Unfortunately they did not record the tune, and that same year Sampson left Stewart to join Chick Webb’s band. This was a very prolific time for him; it was the same time period he composed such classics as Stompin’ at the Savoy, Let’s Get Together, and Blue Lou. Only later would Benny Goodman make Sampson’s creations worldwide hits.
Mitchell Parish, who also wrote the lyrics of Sweet Lorraine, Stars Fell on Alabama, and Stardust, put words to the tune a few years later in 1937 . There are relatively few recordings that include the lyrics, perhaps because the melody is somewhat difficult to sing.²
Here are some of my favorite recordings of Don’t Be That Way that showcase its versatility, through a number of styles and tempos. (more…)
