Billy Murray on radio in 1942 "Oh By Jingo" National Barn Dance = LYRICS ARE HERE

This was recorded late in the singer's life on March 28, 1942.

It was broadcast on the National Barn Dance radio program.

You probably already know an acoustic version from 1920.

In the land of San Domingo
Lived a girl called Oh By Jingo
(Ta da, ya da da da da da, um-pa, umpa um-pa um-pa)
From the fields and from the marshes
Came the young and oh by goshes
(Ta da, ya da da da da da, um-pa, umpa um-pa um-pa)
They all spoke with a different lingo
But they all loved Oh By Jingo
and every night, they sang in the pale moonlight

Oh by gee by gosh by gum by jove
Oh By Jingo won't you hear our love
We will build for you a hut
You will be our favorite nut
We will have a lot of little Oh By Gollies
And we'll put them in the follies
By Jingo said "By gosh by gee
By Jiminy, please don't bother me"
So they all went away singing
Oh by gee by gosh by gum by jove By Jingo
By gee, you're the only girl for me.

I will summarize the late stage of Billy Murray's career.

In the spring of 1940, Leonard Joy, head of RCA Victor's New York recording studios, invited Murray to be lead vocalist for "It's the Same Old Shillelagh." It was issued on the company's budget label, Bluebird 10811, in 1940.

Murray returned to the Victor studios in October 1940. Two friends, Jimmy Martindale and Jim Walsh, went with him and even participated in the session for "When Paddy McGinty Plays the Harp" as part of the ensemble providing background vocals ("Too roo loo! Too roo li!").

Murray did three takes each of "The Irish Were Egyptians Long Ago" and "When Paddy McGinty Plays the Harp," and the selected takes were issued on Bluebird 10926. This time he was given top billing on the label, with Harry's Tavern Band relegated to a smaller typeface.

In late 1940 the singer returned to Victor to record "The Guy at the End of the Bar" and "The Beard in the Gilded Frame," issued as Bluebird 10980. In early 1941 he cut "I'd Feel At Home If They'd Let Me Join the Army" (this Albert Gumble and Jack Mahoney song about domestic disputes had been popular when first published in 1917 and Murray had recorded it for Victor during the World War I era) and "'Twas Only an Irishman's Dream," issued as Bluebird 10995.

He had one more Victor session in 1941, cutting "When I See All the Lovin' They Waste on Babies (I Long for the Cradle Again)" and "He Took Her for a Sleigh Ride (In the Good Old Summertime)," issued as Bluebird 11134.

He performed on the National Barn Dance for a short time in 1941-1942 as a replacement for Henry Burr, who was no longer able to perform because of illness.

He might have made more discs in the World War II era had not a recording ban ordered by the American Federation of Musicians union been in effect from mid-1942 to late 1944. It prevented studio musicians from accompanying vocalists, so vocalists themselves were restricted. It is not surprising that during the one session Murray had in 1943, he mostly delivered comic dialogue, singing briefly only at the open and close of the two sides of the issued disc, accompanied by mouth organ. He was teamed with Monroe Silver for "Casey and Cohen in the Army."

Issued on Beacon 2001, it was also the last record made by Murray, who received $50 for this work.

Murray's obituary in The Freeport Leader a decade later states he worked at the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation in Bethpage, New York, during World War II. His main duties were announcing and singing over the firm's inter-communication system. Walsh writes in the February 1947 issue of Hobbies, "Billy suffered an attack of coronary thrombosis early in 1944 that had his friends badly worried."

Death came on Tuesday, August 17, 1954. Friends took the Murrays for a drive to Jones Beach. Murray proposed that the group attend Guy Lombardo's production of Arabian Nights. At the box office Murray purchased tickets but soon had trouble breathing. He attempted to ease the others' concern by saying, "You take your tickets and go in. I'll join you in a minute. I think I will go to the lavatory."

The others stayed where they were as Murray entered the bathroom. Within fifteen seconds they saw people pouring into the facility. Murray's wife and her male companion dashed in to find Murray on the floor surrounded by a crowd. The friend tried to administer first aid, but it was too late.

His only survivors were his wife Madeline and brother Barton, who resided in Denver. He had been married twice before. The identity of his first wife is unknown. The couple was divorced by 1908. He married Grace Kathrine Brinkerhoff in November 1915 but they divorced in 1923. He married Madeline Funk in 1925.




Billy Murray on radio in 1942 "Oh By Jingo" National Barn Dance = LYRICS ARE HERE