Alreet (1938); Frontier Folksay (1977)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Tue, 8 Feb 2005 23:59:21 -0500, Bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:

>ALREET
>
>Ben writes:
>
>"Reet, Petite, and Gone" (the Louis Jordan song and the movie of the same
>name) didn't appear until 1947.  More likely, the Down Beat article was
>referencing Cab Calloway's 1941 song "Are You All Reet?", a compendium of
>hep-cat slang...
>
>What about Gene Krupa?
>
>(OCLC WORLDCAT)
>Title: Wire brush stomp
>Author(s): Krupa, Gene, 1909-1973.  (Performer - prf); O'Day, Anita. ;
(Performer - prf); Daye, Irene. ; (Performer - prf); DuLany, Howard. ;
(Performer - prf); Watson, Leo,; 1898-1950. ; (Performer - prf)
>Publication: [United States] :; Bandstand Records,
>Year: 1974, 1938
>Description: 1 sound disc :; analog, 33 1/3 rpm ;; 12 in.
>Language: English
>Music Type: Jazz; Multiple forms; Popular music
>Standard No: Publisher: BS-7117; Bandstand
>Contents: The madame swings it -- Jam on toast -- Bolero at the Savoy --
>Murdy purdy -- Nagasaki -- Some like it hot -- Meet the beat of my heart
>-- Marchetta -- Symphony in riffs -- Alreet -- Wire brush stomp -- Slow
>down -- Flamingo -- Manhattan transfer -- Watch the birdie -- The big do.

"Wire Brush Stomp" was evidently an LP that compiled recordings by Krupa
dating from 1938 to 1941.  Note the years on the album cover:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:aa4gtq3znu4p

According to this seemingly authoritative site, "Alreet" was recorded in
March 1941:

  http://www.gkrp.net/1941.html
  Gene Krupa & his Orchestra: New York, March 12, 1941
  CO-29921-1     Alreet - vAOD/aEH     Okeh 6118

I think "all reet" could have achieved WOTY status in 1941...  Besides
Krupa and Calloway, Duke Ellington and Earl Hines also used it that year:

   "Five O'Clock Drag" (Duke Ellington) - recorded Sept. 26, 1941
   Five O'clock Drag is jumpin'
   The drummer man's beat is thumpin';
   Five O'clock Drag is sumpin'
   That really does "all reet."
   http://www.searchlyrics.org/duke_ellington/five_o'clock_drag.html
   http://www.depanorama.net/1940s1.htm

   "The Jitney Man" (Earl Hines) - recorded Nov. 17, 1941
   Oh, I can drive I can,
   Behind this wheel I'm the man,
   Take it easy in your seat,
   Everything will be all reet,
   Holly-la-ally-ah
   I'm the jitney man!
   http://heptune.com/jitneyma.html

Looks like Calloway was the trendsetter, though, as his song was recorded
on Jan. 16, 1941, according to <http://heptune.com/lyrics/areyoual.html>.

--Ben Zimmer