Benny Goodman - Roll 'Em (1942)

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This clip comes from "The Powers Girl" (1942). The arrangement appears to be the Jimmy Mundy revision Benny commissioned in 1941 of the Mary Lou Williams classic, originally immortalized by BG's '37 band. Decimated by the WWII draft, this transitional ensemble was trashed by critics as one of Goodman's weakest...but six decades later, Benny and the band sound awfully good indeed! Bonus: Watch for George Murphy and Dennis Day. ("The Powers Girl" also gave moviegoers a relatively rare opportunity to see Benny sans specs.)

Channel: Music
Uploaded: May 1, 2006 at 7:17 pm
Author: WhenSwingWasKing

Length: 00:02:57
Rating: 4.82
Views: 166802

Tags: benny goodman swing big band jazz jitterbug clarinet

Video Comments:
Musikamoto (November 27, 2008 at 5:23 am)
Pura alegría de vivir! Enjoy the Life! joie de vivre!
lordmahan11 (October 26, 2008 at 1:48 pm)
great song. always puts me in a good mood!
DementedDimension12 (October 15, 2008 at 4:38 pm)
I grew up with this in my house. My mom and dad would listen and dance. My dad won a jitterbug contest when he was 18. That's 1941.
whenaman (October 16, 2008 at 3:01 pm)
My Mom and Dad were the best 'Jitterbugs' in Hudson County NJ.
whenaman (October 11, 2008 at 2:12 pm)
Yep. It's Krupa.
wftpmt (November 7, 2008 at 10:34 pm)
I don't think the drummer is either Tough or Krupa. It is more likely Ralph Collier, Alvin Stoller or Howard Davies the drummers Benny was using in this period when he recorded.
kajobike (November 26, 2008 at 9:29 am)
Further down there's a coment that's correct. It reads: No, it's Howard "Hud" Davies on drums. His grandson confirmed this. Krupa had been leading his own band for several years at this point.
MyTaiwan (September 18, 2008 at 5:19 am)
Benny Goodman,The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient of 1986.
chaocrazy (August 29, 2008 at 1:35 pm)
HERE I AM FOLKS THE NEW KING OF SWING WITH MY CLARINET I CAN MAKE THIS TOWN SING BENNY GOODMANS THE NAME ITS GOTTA MIGHTY FINE RING BUT IT DONT MEAN A THING IF IT AINT GOT THAT SWING! i play the clarinet in band and benny goodmans awesome!
vickileroy (August 11, 2008 at 7:31 pm)
Lots of jitterbuggin' going on!! Benny Goodman can rock it!!!