May 4: Irving Berlin

My co-worker asked me the topic of today's show. When I told her, she asked who Irving Berlin was. "Annie Get Your Gun?" I prodded, but it didn't ring bells with the self-proclaimed "death-metal chick." I told her he wrote a lot of songs she'd recognize. She didn't believe me, but throughout the hour she'd gape at the radio, "He wrote this?" "He wrote THIS?" "You're kidding me..." Then I had to add he also wrote White Christmas and God Bless America, two of his immense hits that are in other episodes of the Matinee. Jerome Kern was right: "Irving Berlin... IS American music."




You'd Be Surprised - Eddie Cantor, Star Spangled Rhythm [Smithsonian] Disc 1 Shaking The Blues Away (Ziegfeld Follies) - Ruth Etting,
Alexander's Ragtime Band - Al Jolson; Bing Crosby, The Best of the Decca Years (MCA)
The Army's Made a Man out of Me - Chorus; Corporal Philip Truex; Oshins, Sgt. Julie; Staff Sergeant Ezra Stone, This Is the Army [Original Broadway Cast]
Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning - Irving Berlin, This Is the Army [Original Broadway Cast] (Howards International)
Rock-A-Bye Baby (Music Box Revue of 1924) - Grace Moore; Rosario Bourdon, The Ultimate Irving Berlin, Vol. 2
Heat Wave - Ethel Merman, American Legends Series: You're the Top
Blue Skies/It's A Lovely Day Today - Malcolm Gets, Melissa Errico, The Journey Home (PS Classics)
Steppin' Out With My Baby - Fred Astaire, Fred Astaire at MGM Disc 1 (Turner/Rhino)
Puttin' on the Ritz - Roger Bart, Shuler Hensley, Young Frankenstein [Original Broadway Cast]
There's No Business Like Show Business - Tom Wopat, Ron Holgate, Peter Marx, Annie Get Your Gun [1999 Broadway Revival Cast]
They Say It's Wonderful [Outtake] (Annie Get Your Gun) - Howard Keel; Judy Garland, Romantic Duets from MGM Classics (Decca)
My Defenses Are Down - Ron Raines, Broadway Passion (That's Entertainment)
You're Just In Love - Ethel Merman, Dick Haymes, Call Me Madam
Mr.Monotony (Miss Liberty/Call Me Madam) - Debbie Shapiro, Jerome Robbins' Broadway Disc 2
Love, You Didn't Do Right by Me/How Deep Is the Ocean - Anastasia Barzee, Brian D'Arcy James, White Christmas [Original Studio Cast] (Ghostlight)
It's A Lovely Day Tomorrow - Irving Berlin, Louisiana Purchase
Falling out of Love Can Be Fun - Anastasia Barzee; Karen Morrow; Meredith Patterson, White Christmas [Original Studio Cast] (Ghostlight)