"The Big Apple" is a 1937 song that was associated with the dance craze of that year. Music is from Robert Emmerich, lyrics from Buddy Bernier, and it was performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven, featuring Edythe Wright.


[Bob Emmerich introduces: I'm gonna play you the greatest collection of "Emmerichopedia" ever collected in one single place. These are all songs of mine recorded over the years, and I'll let you know what they are as we go along. First, "The Big Apple," by Tommy Dorsey's band, with Edythe Wright on the vocals. Tommy does a little vocalizing, and if you listen real close, Bob Emmerich is at the piano.]
Listen: The Big Apple (mp3)

Internet Archive
THE BIG APPLE
by FRANK FROEBA And His Orchestra; The Al Rinker Trio; Bob Emmerich; Buddy Bernier
Decca (1401 B)Publication date 1937
Topics 78rpm, Fox-Trot
Digitizing sponsor Kahle/Austin Foundation
Contributor Internet Archive
Language English
Performer: FRANK FROEBA And His Orchestra; The Al Rinker Trio
Writer: Bob Emmerich; Buddy Bernier
Vocal Chorus by.
Digitized at 78 revolutions per minute. Four stylii were used to transfer this record. They are 3.8mil truncated conical, 2.3mil truncated conical, 2.8mil truncated conical, 3.3mil truncated conical. These were recorded flat and then also equalized with Turnover: 250.0, Rolloff: -5.0.
The preferred versions suggested by an audio engineer at George Blood, L.P. have been copied to have the more friendly filenames.
Matrix number: 62547 A
Catalog number: 1401 B

Internet Archive
The Big Apple
by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra; Ozzie Nelson; Buddy Bernier; Bob Emmerick
Bluebird (B-7159-B)
Publication date 1937-09-02
Topics 78rpm, Swing
Digitizing sponsor Kahle/Austin Foundation
Contributor Internet Archive
Language English
Performer: Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra; Ozzie Nelson
Writer: Buddy Bernier; Bob Emmerick
Fox Trot; Vocal refrain.
Digitized at 78 revolutions per minute. Four stylii were used to transfer this record. They are 3.8mil truncated conical, 2.3mil truncated conical, 2.8mil truncated conical, 3.3mil truncated conical. These were recorded flat and then also equalized with Turnover: 250.0, Rolloff: -5.0.
The preferred versions suggested by an audio engineer at George Blood, L.P. have been copied to have the more friendly filenames.
Matrix number: B-7159B
Catalog number: B-7159-B

International Lyrics Playground
THE BIG APPLE
(Robert Emmerich / Buddy Bernier)
Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven (vocal: Edythe Wright) - 1937
Clyde Lucas & His California Dons (Instr.) - 1937
Hod Williams & His Orch. (Instr.) - 1937

DORSEY: Hiya fellahs, what's new?
THE BAND: Not much!
DORSEY: Not much? Well, hello Edythe, what's new with you?
WRIGHT: I've got a new dance. I'd like to show it to you...

If you've got rhythm to burn
Here's a dance that's easy to learn
If you don't, then your name is mud
If you don't, you're a social dud

'Cause ev'rybody's learnin' how to do the Big Apple (The Big Apple?)
And it isn't very hard to do the Big Apple (The Big Apple?)
Ten can do it just as well as two, the Big Apple (The Big Apple?)
Ev'rybody's learnin' how to do that brand new Apple dance

They say an apple a day will keep the doctor away
Hey-hey, it's easy to dance your cares away
Ev'rybody's learnin' how to do the Big Apple (The Big Apple?)
Come on, learn to do that Apple dance

First you gather round, then you cover ground
To a bit of this, a bit of that, and then
Do a Fred Astaire and a ???? air
Truck around and then you start right in again

You must do anything that you know
The most important thing is just to let yourself go

(Instrumental Break)

DORSEY: Say, Edythe, what's that apple you're talkin' about?
WRIGHT: It's a new dance they're all ravin' about...

You truck on down and Suzie Q
Then shag a bit, and some posin' too
A Lindy hop, you get the lot
Put 'em all together and what've you got
The Big Apple (The Big Apple?)
The Big Apple (The Big Apple)
(Well, my my, yes yes, my my!)

(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - August 2006)

Wikipedia: Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombone playing. His theme song was "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You". His technical skill on the trombone gave him renown among other musicians. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey. After Dorsey broke with his brother in the mid-1930s, he led an extremely popular and highly successful band from the late 1930s into the 1950s. He is best remembered for standards such as "Opus One", "Song of India", "Marie", "On Treasure Island", and his biggest hit single, "I'll Never Smile Again".

Wikipedia: Edythe Wright
Edythe Wright (August 16, 1916 – October 27, 1965) was an American singer who performed from 1935 to 1939 with the band led by Tommy Dorsey.

Wikipedia: Buddy Bernier
Henry 'Buddy' Bernier (Watertown, New York, April 21, 1910 – June 18, 1983) was an American lyricist, mainly active during the 1940s and 1950s.

16 May 1988, New York (NY) Times, "Robert D. Emmerich, Composer, 83," pg. B7, col. 5:
Robert D. Emmerich, a pianist and composer who played with the Tommy Dorsey band and wrote songs for Fats Waller, died Friday at Florida Medical Center here. He was 83 years old.

Mr. Emmerich, who collaborated with Buddy Bernier and Joseph Meyer, wrote a song called ''The Big Apple'' in the 1940's, his wife, Miriam, said.

''Walter Winchell liked it so much he started calling New York 'the Big Apple,' '' Mrs. Emmerich said.

YouTube
Al Rinker Trio, The & Frank Froeba & His Orch - The Big Apple(1937)
May 15, 2018
William Blackadder
Al Rinker Trio, The & Frank Froeba & His Orch - The Big Apple(Decca 1401 B)-(62547)(1937)
This is an original 78 rpm recording from my own collection.!
All recording & audio cleaning in own studio.

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