Dancing With The Smart Set - Meyer Davis

 

Dream Walking

Dancing With The Smart Set

Meyer Davis And His Orchestra

Produced by Ed Welker and Bob Bollard

RCA Victor LPM-1756

1958

From the back cover: In a world shattered by rock 'n' roll, it is very reassuring to know that Meyer Davis is an institution. Yes, that's exactly what he is. He is to dance music what Tiffany is to jewelry.

I first met Meyer Davis years ago when I was society editor on the Washington Times-Herald in the nation's capital. I couldn't begin to calculate how often, since then, I have danced to his unbeatable beat, and the maestro himself says he has no idea how many people may have danced to his music. But it is assuredly a number in the millions – for Meyer has launched wave after wave of white-gloved debutantes, entertained for royalty and presidents, and exhilarated the cream of society from New York to Newport, from the Hampton beaches to Palm Beach. 

To give you an idea of his tremendous popularity, he is often booked for parties twelve years in advance and is occasionally signed to play for coming-out parties when the potential "deb" is still an infant. To spread himself thin for such smashing success, he may hire as many as 300 people to work for him and have fifty musical combos operating at one time in different places. But this expanded endeavor has never interfered with Meyer's personalized approach to music. He astounds dowager society matrons when they discover he is playing a song they requested years before.

Meyer has played for six Presidents at the White House over the past thirty years. He "invented" the idea that Home On The Range was F.D.R.'s favorite song and perpetuated the legend. In 1939 he became the only American bandleader asked to play for England's King and Queen. Long ago, he discovered the Prince of Wales' talent at the drums, and today the Duke of Windsor still "sits in" with Meyer Davis when he can.

I am grateful to the maestro for his devotion to exuberant but recognizable melodies. The Meyer Davis "beat", which he feels so strongly epitomizes his music and makes people ant to dance, cannot by explained – at least, not by this reporter. I only know it has made happy crowds of us converged upon the dance floor. I only know – it can't be beat

Long live the King! – Cholly Knickerbocker (Cholly Knickerbocker is the Society Editor and columnist for the New York Journal American. His syndicated column appears in seventy newspapers across the country and is read by 20,000,000

"Can-Can" Medley - It's All Right With Me, C'est Magnifique, I Love Paris

Sunny Medley - Where Or When, Who Cares, A Fine Romance, Sunshine Girl

Waltz At Maxium's

Honey Bun Medley - Honey Bun, Around The World, She Didn't Say Yes, A Foggy Day, How High The Moon

Dream Walking Medley - Did You Ever See A Dream Walking, I Could Write A Book, I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter

Country Medley - Oh Susanna, Oh Dem Golden Slippers, Arkansas Traveller, Turkey In Straw

Camptown Races

Dixie

The Carioca

Bojangles Medley - Bojangles, Ca C'est I'amour, Who, From This Moment On

"Gigi" Medley - The Night They Invented Champagne, Gigi, Thank Heaven For Little Girls

The Prince Waltz

Ridin' High Medley - Riding' High, My Romance, I Can't Get Started With You, I Won't Dance

"Oklahoma!" Medley - Oh What A Beautiful Mornin', Surrey With The Fringe On Top, People Will Say We're In Love