#fats waller

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Fats Waller - Ain't Misbehavin' 1929

"Ain't Misbehavin'" is a 1929 song written by Fats Waller, Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf. Waller recorded the original version that year for Victor Records and also later re-recorded the song for the 1943 film Stormy Weather. In a 1941 interview with Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Fats claimed the song was written while "lodging" in alimony prison, and that is why he was not "misbehaving".

There were six other recordings of the song released in 1929, including versions by Louis Armstrong, Ruth Etting, Gene Austin, and Leo Reisman and His Orchestra. It was also used in the off-Broadway musical Connie's Hot Chocolates.

It has been recorded by many other performers over the years, including Billie Holiday, Eartha Kitt, Ella Fitzgerald, Django Reinhardt, Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, and Willie Nelson, to name a few.

The original 1929 recording of "Ain't Misbehavin'" by Fats Waller received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1984, and it was one of fifty recordings selected for inclusion in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2004.

"Ain't Misbehavin'" received a total of 79,6% yes votes!

[deforest]

AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' — 1941, dir. Warren Murray ft. FATS WALLER & MYRA JOHNSON

[hotvintagepoll]

Ernest Torrence (Steamboat Bill Jr., Fighting Caravans, The Hunchback of Notre Dame)—Ernest Torrence was, by no means, a "little" guy - he was a quite towering 1.93 m tall - but he most certainly was scrungly. He was often cast as brooding and imposing villains, thanks to his somewhat intimidating physical appearance, where his height and sharp, stern-looking facial features certainly played a part. He started doing silent movies, where he was noted for, among others, his role as Clopin, the leader of the thieves, in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He didn't only portray villains, though. In the Buster Keaton-movie, Steamboat Bill, Jr, he showed off his comedic skills as the father of Buster Keaton's main character (the age difference was merely seventeen years, but what with Keaton's youthful visage, and Torrence looking slightly older than his age, nobody would think "that's a young father right there",) and the two truly shone together, what with Keaton's deadpan slapstick, and Torrence's serious, yet slightly choleric sidekick. Another non-villanous part was the role of Peter the Apostle in The King of Kings (1927,) where he channels the energy that is called "pious yet slightly alarmed." He played in both silent movies and talkies, and managed that transition very well. Unfortunately, he died quite young - at the age of 55, in 1933 - and didn't get much time showing off his talents further in that era. Watching his movies, I often see something sinister... but I always sees something fun, too. A man having the time of his life portraying these roles, villains or not. There is always an aura of delight surrounding him. Charm, charisma, and some serious acting chops. I wish this competition took place a few decades ago (by post perhaps? I'm an old woman.) Then I would have "gone ham" with this. Young and energetic me had such a platonic crush on this man. I loved the way he wasn't traditionally handsome. I loved that large snout of his. The wicked eyebrows. The intelligent yet sinister gaze. I wrote poems about him. I drew his portrait. I had a portrait of him above my bed (which I still own, by have moved a few times since then.) I knew so much about him, his life, and his works back then, but now, even though I love him as much as back then, a lot of information has escaped me with age. Whatever happens, Ernest Torrence will always and forever be the scrungligest of scrungly little big guys for me.

Fats Waller (Stormy Weather)—Submitting fats waller because i looove his little cameo spot in Stormy Weather (1943). He has the best facial expressions and he just seems like a silly fella!

This is round 1 of the contest. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. If you're confused on what a scrungle is, or any of the rules of the contest, click here.

[additional submitted propaganda + scrungly videos under the cut]

Ernest Torrence

Fats Waller:

[citizenscreen]

Pianist/composer/singer Fats Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943)

[365filmsbyauroranocte]

Stormy Weather (Andrew L. Stone, 1943)  

[didierleclair]

Fats!

[catboymoses]

Armelia McQueen, Charlayne Woodard, and Nell Carter Off-Time--Ain't Misbehavin', 1982

[musickickztoo]

Al Casey

September 15, 1915 – September 11, 2005

[drdavidhuxley]

Nell Carter, Armelia McQueen, Ken Page, Charlayne Woodard, and André De Shields perform "Black and Blue" in Ain't Misbehavin' (1982).

[jazzplusplus]

1941 - Fats Waller - Shrine Auditorium - Los Angeles

[glimeres]

1978 Tony Awards - Ken Page, André DeShields, Charlayne Woodard, Nell Carter, and Armelia McQueen perform a medley of the songs Ladies Who Sing With The Band / Off Time from the musical revue Ain't Misbehavin'

[newyorkthegoldenage]

Theresa Bernstein, Hot Chocolates, ca. 1919-1928, oil on canvas.

Theresa Bernstein often painted urban scenes and everyday people at play throughout the 1920s, finding inspiration in New York’s music venues. The Hot Chocolates jazz revue started in a Harlem nightclub, Connie’s Inn, and then moved to Broadway’s Hudson Theatre. Over the course of its production, Hot Chocolates featured notable jazz performers Fats Waller, Edith Wilson, Cab Calloway, and Louis Armstrong in his Broadway debut. This painting’s lively composition and rich colors capture the syncopated elements of jazz, as well as the boisterous mood of the show itself. As Harlem Renaissance gossip columnist Geraldyn Dismond wrote in 1929, some parts of Hot Chocolates could ​“make even a flapper blush.”

Text & photo: Smithsonian American Art Museum

[citizenscreen]

Fats Waller was #botd in 1904 🎹 #jazz

“ Jazz isn’t what you do; it’s how you do it.”

[jazzdailyblog]

The Life and Legacy of George Shearing: A Journey Through Jazz

Introduction: George Shearing, a name synonymous with jazz piano, stands as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. His contributions to jazz, both as a performer and as a composer, have left an indelible mark on the genre. From his unique “Shearing sound” to his numerous recordings and collaborations, Shearing’s career spanned over seven decades, earning him a place in the…

[villasugandhala]

Fats Waller & Art Tatum - Ain't Misbehavin