Billy Murray medley of George M. Cohan songs on radio (1942) Grand Old Flag, Yankee Doodle Dandy

This was recorded in the summer of 1942, so it has a richer sound than the older discs of Billy Murray covering George M. Cohan songs during Victor's Grand Prize era. Murray is no longer a young man here!

It was broadcast on the National Barn Dance radio program.

I'm the kid that's all the candy
I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy
I'm glad I am
(So's Uncle Sam)
I'm a real live Yankee Doodle
Made my name and fame and boodle
Just like Mister Doodle did, by riding on a pony
I love to listen to the Dixey [Dixie] strain
"I long to see the girl I left behind me"
And that ain't a josh
She's a Yankee, by gosh
(Oh, say can you see
Anything about a Yankee that's a phoney?)

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy
A Yankee Doodle, do or die
A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam
Born on the Fourth of July
I've got a Yankee Doodle sweetheart
She's my Yankee Doodle joy
Yankee Doodle came to London
Just to ride the ponies
I am the Yankee Doodle Boy

On November 19, 1935, Murray returned to a recording studio to do spoken character roles on an Aesop's Fables cycle released in early December. These children's recordings were made for the American Record Corporation's Brunswick label.

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. The label gives credit to Harry's Tavern Band but states in small print at the bottom, "vocal refrain by Billy Murray." He sang lead throughout--it was more than a mere refrain.

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. At this time old records were melted down for shellac needed to press new records--a result of wartime shortages--and it is conceivable that old Murray discs were among those melted for Beacon releases!

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 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 suddenly 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 eased the others' concern by saying, "You take your tickets and go in. I'll join you in a minute. I will go to the lavatory."






Billy Murray medley of George M. Cohan songs on radio (1942) Grand Old Flag, Yankee Doodle Dandy