[Dixielandjazz] Re: Coguette - Berlin

[Bill Haesler]

Dear Adrian,
Trust you, my dear friend, to make me do all the work in establishing the
artists for these Oz 78rpm releases!
"Coquette" (Berlin).
Brunswick 4301 (no vocal)  Lew White (organ solo)
4302  Nick Lucas
4284  Ben Bernie
Parlophone 2784 (no vocal) Carolina Club Orch (Hal Kemp)
2783 Fred Williamson
Columbia 07021  Paul Whiteman [this is the one Craig Johnson kindly referred
me to and which I have in my collection].
01524 Pete Woolery 
Zonophone EE160   Paul Oliver
H.M.V. EA 532  Rudy Vallee
None of which are readily available and, apart from the Whiteman, are not on
LP or CD, to my knowledge.

I also recall that we on the DJML discussed this subject back in May 2004,
at which time I provided the following to Dick Sleeman:
"There are two tunes called "Coquette".
Both composed in 1928.
The one we all know and love was authored by Carmen Lombardo, Johnny Green
(comp); Gus Kahn, (lyr).
This is the tune which always reminds me of Lil Armstrong's "Flatfoot" (New
Orleans Wanderers, July  1926). Mmmmmmmm!
I also have an English reference which gives (Heyman-Lombardo-Kahn) for
"Coquette".
Edward Heyman was the lyricist (along with Robert Sauer and Frank Eyton) for
Johnny Green's big 1930 hit "Body and Soul".
But I think Johnny Green may have a better claim as co-composer of
"Coquette", for he was an arranger with the Guy Lombardo orch at the time it
became a hit. Anyway, most references give him co-credit.
The other "Coquette" was written by Irving Berlin.
Berlin's, apparently forgettable, "Coquette" (a waltz) was composed for the
film version of the George Abbott-Ann Preston Bridges play (a hit for Helen
Hayes) of the same name. The film version of 'Coquette', Mary Pickford's
first 'talkie' for which she won an Oscar, was a box-office flop.
The reason for the confusion on records, particularly LPs and CDs is
probably because many so-called 'record producers' are careless, rely on
memory or do not do adequate research.
A bit of trivia: Johnny Green and Irving Berlin eventually worked together.
On the 1948 film musical 'Easter Parade". Green was musical director for the
film and transcriber for the musical illiterate Berlin. He tried but was not
allowed to contribute to Berlin's compositions or lyrics for the film.
As usual, more than you probably needed."


Kind regards,
Bill.