Andrews Sisters, Glenn Miller Collection

Anyone who tells you they don’t dig on the Andrews Sisters singing “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” might be an android. The sisters’ vocal harmony is a wonderful candy for the ears and only sourpuss drones with hearts of silicone aren’t swept away by its heavenly sound.

I’m no robot and when the forthcoming double-disc set by the Andrews Sisters and Glenn Miller came to me in the JazzTimes mailbag I put it straight into the office hi-fi and started skipping through its tracks in search of “Bugle Boy.” Sadly, it wasn’t on disc one, or disc two, but I wasn’t disappointed. The tracks in this BMG Heritage/Bluebird release that feature the Andrews Sisters sparkle with the same old-time beauty as my fave track by the trio and, actually, “Beer Barrel Polka” might knock “Bugle Boy” from its top spot on my list.

The set is officially called The Chesterfield Broadcasts, as these recordings were made not only to entertain swing-hungry music fans in 1939 and 1940 but to push Chesterfield cigarettes on them. An announcer with plenty of retro radio appeal is heard throughout the set’s 39 tracks, 19 of which are previously unreleased. Fourteen of those unreleased cuts feature the Sisters’ singing and when the girls aren’t aiding the sound Glenn Miller’s band kicks out hit jams like “Begin the Beguine.”

The collection comes out August 5 and will come with a booklet detailing the specifics of the recordings as well as rare pictures of Glenn with the girls.

Track list:

Disc one:

Introduction

Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh

I’ve Got No Strings

Begin the Beguine

Indian Summer

Chico’s Love Song

Bei Mir Bist Du Schon

Beer Barrel Polka

In the Mood

I Love You Much Too Much

The Donkey Serenade

Tuxedo Junction

Say “Si Si”

The Rhumba Jumps!

Hol Tight-Hold Tight

Yodelin’ Jive

One O’clock Jump

Closing Announcements

Disc two:

Introduction

Little Red Fox

Ciribiribin

South of the Border

It’s a Blue World

The Woodpecker Song

Well, All Right

South American Way

Little Brown Jug

Little Sally Waters

I Want My Mamma

Three O’clock in the Morning

Sweet Potato Pie

Down by the O-Hi-O

Let’s Have Another

Joseph Joseph

Runnin’ Wild

Run Rabbit Run

Do I Love You

Farewell Blues

Outro

Originally Published July 11, 2003