At the Balalaika 1939 (Nelson Eddy)

Set your clocks back to 1939 as Nelson Eddy sings At the Balalaika from his film Balalaika also starring Ilona Massey. Afterwards, we leave the movie house for the local skating rink, where the theme song is reprised on the organ as folks, "skate their dates" to the lively tune. This video is dedicated to my mother who loved to skate and loved the movies...this was her era.

[@yvonneselsby4526]

MY DAD TOOK ME TO SEE ALL THE FILMS AND I LOVE THESE SONGS NOW 87

[@AngelaM55]

Wonderful memories!

[@theresachiorazzi4571]

There will never be another Jeanette or Nelson like them they were one of a kind Miss them

[@jeromewhelan6723]

At age 72, I realize that I am but a youngster among many who comment here, but I grew up listening to Nelson Eddy and it is such a joy to hear him perform here. Later in this movie, the band organ is such a joy. I have only seen that instrument perform live one time, but the joy will live with me forever. Thanks so much for posting it here.

[@jeromewhelan6723]

Wow, age 74 now, and I found my way back to this page and video. Sure love that band organ, and the more innocent lives my parents lived.

[@TheRAFfc]

I USED TO SIT WITH MY DARLING SISTER 16 YEARS OLDER THAN I, IN 1935 AND BE ENTRANCED WITH BOTH JEANETTE AND NELSON. OH WHAT WONDERFUL MEMORIES IF ONLY THEY COULD SING TODAY, LIKE THEN. THANK YOU FOR THIS:):):)

[@AngelaM55]

+TheRAFfc Precious memories! You are very welcome. God bless and thank you for leaving such a lovely comment!

[@TheRAFfc]

+Angela Messino THANK YOU ANGELA. IT WAS A PLEASURE. MY DEAR SISTER HAS PASSED AWAY AND TO REMEMBER HER NOW WAS SWEET THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN :):):)

[@benedictorenno6527]

música linda.

[@bfuiltugomaith]

Wonderful memories… my father used to sing like Nelson Eddie to my mother who joined with him in the Indian love call …

[@Alkrys1]

At 87 I am a bit younger than you Esther,but I wholeheartedly agree with you about the marvellous duo,may they never be forgotten.

[@AngelaM55]

+Alex Krystaluk God bless you Alex and thank you for leaving such a lovely comment!

[@stevemarggraf8757]

Well, in about 1972 at Milton State Primary School Brisbane, our somewhat aging music teacher whom I cannot remember her name, taught our class this song, she played piano and we sang along, with fury she would suddenly crash the keys, git up from the piano, stamp her short heeled shoes on her timber podium and scream, "You are all out of time!!!" and so we had to start all over again, with all of that to one side. This is a beautiful song and this is the first time I have heard it again after all these years. Steve.

[@Gilligan47]

I do enjoy all these, but I share them with my mother who is 98 years old...and she sings along. She loves Nelson Eddy and was so very happy with the video. Many thanks

[@AngelaM55]

Jillian Wales You are very welcome! I’m so pleased to know your lovely Mom is enjoying these videos, she’s the same age as my mother would have been. My Mom was also a devoted Singing Sweethearts fan. God bless your Mom and thank you for sharing with me!

[@robertwilliamkearney]

Great. This is my favorite Nelson Eddy movie.

[@AngelaM55]

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you for leaving a comment Hugh. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was not as dated as some of the films of the 1930's...and the music and Nelson were just lovely. He did some fine acting in the WWI sequence where he sang "Silent Night" in German and was answered by a chorus of German soldiers, then ordered his men "over" the bunker to fight, very moving.

[@richardbutcher3630]

Simply great, what a gift that remarkable baritone.

[@donnagregg929]

Thank you I too shall live to listen to the songs of yester years. A duo to remember

[@suzannemills4799]

Stunning music unforgettable 🤞🎥💐

[@janetgrayson7633]

Really enjoyed hearing Nelson Eddy sing this again. Thank you.

[@paulineevans1126]

My mother was a Nelson Eddy fan. During my childhood I spent hours playing old 78s on a wind-up gramophone that my grandfather made. Apart from Nelson Eddy there were people like Allan Jones, Bing Crosby and others, which led to my life long love of musical films. In the 60s I was probably the only teenager who wasn’t even remotely interested in any pop stars and groups, didn’t know a single word of any pop songs, but could sing all the songs from the musicals and tell you who starred in them 😄

[@DorothyMcBain]

I know this was some time ago Angela but I thought must tell you that Ian is now a great fan of Jeanette and Nelson and is loving this..than you..it is lovely to see him enjoying it

[@gonzalovivas9165]

En 1939 yo era un adolescente que vivía en un pequeño pueblo donde recién se había instalado una sala de cine (San Juan de Colón, Venezuela). Allí vi el film, que lo recuerdo vagamente. Creía que era un sueño, que EN LA BALALAIKA NO EXISITÍA. Que era un sueño que había tenido. Hoy la he disfrutado.

[@AngelaM55]

+Gonzalo Vivas Gracias por dejar un recuerdo encantador , recordando un sueño de juventud, simplemente hermoso usted. El poder de la memoria y de la música y la belleza que nunca muere .

[@richardmcleod5967]

Ilona Massey is today sadly forgotten by most audiences. She had a great radio show in later years and was always a delight to see and hear.

[@AngelaM55]

Richard McLeod She was certainly lovely and after a few failed marriages, she finally found a lasting marriage with a high ranking military man and lived out of the Hollywood spotlight in northern Virginia until her untimely death from cancer at age 64.

[@richardmcleod5967]

There was a magical quality in her voice and a wonderful presence on the Silver Screen. We lost her way too soon as she always appeared to be in such vibrant health. None of us know the time or the place when death will come in many cases unexpectedly and not from accidents. She hadn't even reached the age for her Medicare!@@AngelaM55

[@AngelaM55]

@@richardmcleod5967 Very true. We lost Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy too soon as well. Jeanette was 62 and had been in failing health due to a rheumatic heart condition but Nelson was stricken on a night club stage by a stroke. He appeared hail and hearty (said a stunned Gene Raymond at his funeral) at 65 but after Jeanette's death, Nelson pretty much lost the will to live :( Gene Raymond smoked like a fiend and drank way too much and he lived to be nearly 90!

[@richardmcleod5967]

There is an "X" factor unknown to all of us. Estelle Winwood was on the Merv Griffith show with Pat O'Brien and William Demerest and said she still smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day and for her 93 years of age in reasonably good health. That episode is on youtube and is most interesting. William Demerest makes a lot of jokes about age and who outlives who during that show. Estelle Winwood aside from looking fragile (which was really always the case), seemed to be quite mentally agile and alert. She was Tallulah Bankhead's best friend and that is discussed on the show with Merv Griffith. Tallulah died at about age 68 from the "Hong Kong" flu which was epidemic that year around the World. Tallulah Bankhead would have probably lived many more years had she not gotten such a dangerous flu that killed thousands of people.@@AngelaM55

[@chrissmit4263]

This was also my mother's era. Thank you for the memories.

[@maureenborthwick3952]

Love the song my mother’s favourite ! Thank you

[@dollywisniewski9932]

Love them dearly will listen to there music and watch their movies for the rest of my life .thank you for sharing them.

[@jackchamberlain324]

A wonderful song from a long time ago.

[@mamibunica337]

AM AUZIT ACEST CANTEC cântat de MAMA MEA CARE ERA INDRAGOSTITA DE FILMELE CU NELSON EDDY DUMNEZEU SA.ii odihnească pe toti

[@davidhappyman291]

Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald should have lived fore ever.

[@ellenporter3085]

absolutely

[@barrymalkin4404]

Beautiful song, heartfelt singing, & much needed nostalgia. Thank you for posting this. I like the way Nelson Eddy sings without the crooning that was all too prevalent in the interwar era but allows the song's sentiment come out naturally. I first became acquainted with Ms. Massey as Baroness Frankenstein in the Lon Cheney Wolfman series and was stunned at how elegant and beautiful she was. Although not a household name like Macdonald or Dietrich among film aficionados, she's worth getting to know as both an actress and a patriot.

[@paxguns]

It was unusually Ilona Massey and not Jeanette MacDonald who partnered Nelson Eddy in this great film. Thank you for so much.

[@charlottepainter9667]

thank you from one of your mother's era.

[@maceddy8]

oh this was wonderful.. my fave nelson role sans jeanette he was so great and oh if it is ice skating im there.. i wanted to be sonja hennie then..god love your mother and sharing her dream with us.almost my era too,,,lovely sentiment

[@bggacs3949]

love this song......

[@maizeyday9436]

Nelson, as always, is magnificent in this song. The roller rink photos were a delight as that was our main fun past time in the mid 50's. The sound of the organ and the whirl of the sound of the skates gliding over the wood floor still are buried in my memories at the Oak Lawn Roller Rink (in Oak Lawn, Ill. which several years later, was destroyed in a tornado) and the joy was brought to life once again thru your charming photos. Thanks so much :-)

[@AngelaM55]

You're welcome Maizeyday, so happy it brought back such wonderful memories for you. Those were certainly more innocent times. Thank you for sharing such lovely thoughts!

[@dollywisniewski9932]

I am 7 9 have been listening to them most of my life.

[@bella246able]

Thanks Angela, love Nelson in Balalaika one of my favorite films when he wasnt with jean. Loved the music. Bless your mum.Viv

[@mariapelayo6276]

Everything you post is just delightful! Many thanks.

[@johniovine1512]

roller skating was wonderful when i was in my early teens if was fantastivc loved it so muchh even took my two nieces at theior young ages and they loved it was well . those were the days youth so wonderful

[@AngelaM55]

Thank Viv...great memories!

[@UTURN8888]

Fantastic music!

[@AngelaM55]

Glad you enjoyed, I had fun making it. Love this movie too, thank you for leaving a comment...working on more videos.

[@bettytoh9088]

Thank you for this very old song which I first heard from my grandpa.Lovely!

[@AngelaM55]

Thanks Bern, glad you enjoyed it, It was fun to make!

[@ΜόσχοςΛαγκουβάρδος]

We need all a rantebou with BALALAIKA !

[@musipokus]

Oh, this wonderful...! It's really a shame, that never been shown movies of Nelson Eddy on German TV or be shown.

[@johniovine1512]

wow to reminisce to the balalaika in a roller skating ring lol i used to compete dancing on skates with a partner and we had a ball every sunday night we came in second once lol it was such fun. sorry it died down so badly. here 's to roller skating in its glory and days gone by

[@AngelaM55]

It was good clean fun and great exercise!

[@johniovine1512]

60 TH STREET AND 7TH AVE BROOKLYN A GREAT ROLLER RINK EVERY THURSDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT WAS OUT NIGHTS A WHOLE BUNCH OF US WOULD GO GREAT FUN. LOV ED IT

[@aldobalderas5909]

Me fascina esta cancion que voz tan maravillosa

[@AngelaM55]

Thanks for the great comment, yes he was gorgeous in this film and so good, my favorite solo (sans Jeanette). Found the instrumental on an old CD of Chrissy's from the famous band organ at the Big E (Eastern State Exposition).

[@mortierfreak]

nice arrangement on that big band organ-do you have more info about the cd?

[@johniovine1512]

beautiful nels beautiful;

[@mariaae1]

Great video Angela. Love this song by Nelson. He was so DDG in this film! Just wished that Jeanette was his co-star instead of Ilona. Love the instrumental too of At The Balalaika. Thanks for sharing.

[@johniovine1512]

thank you angela messino for all ur wonderful posts thank you indeed

[@AngelaM55]

You are very welcome, John. It is my privilege to remind the world of these wonderful songs and singers.

[@AngelaM55]

Yes, a whole CD of it somewhere from the Eastern States Exposition pipe organ. I'll have to dig it up and make a video using more that music. It's happy music, glad you enjoyed it.

[@maraneves7699]

Wonderful

[@williamschlenger1518]

What a great voice.

[@leticiaferreira9545]

Um dos meus filmes favoritos

[@williamschlenger1518]

America was once the greatest country in the world, once.

[@esthermontag2610]

It's incredible, but here I am at age 96 and still never get tired of listening to those two sing their beautiful duets. Occasionally when these same numbers are sung by any other performers I have to turned them off. It seems too sacrilegious for others to tamper with what should only be performed by Nelson and Jeanette.

[@AngelaM55]

Esther thank you for leaving a beautiful tribute to these two wonderful performers. I so agree with you their music has stood the test of time. At 96 to be actively engaged and still sharing your feelings and ideas with the world is truly inspirational and very greatly appreciated. God Bless you Esther! Hugs, Angela

[@AngelaM55]

And Esther, after a less than stellar week, your comment made my day! Thank you again! Angela

[@johniovine1512]

my dear lady im 83 and love them still and i came years after they were popular really i was born in 34 they were starting to sing then togethe but i saw the reruns and was thrilled with their voices and styles of singing that i sought them out everytime i could find them singing in movies i ran then now few years back i have all their movies on new blue something or other lol discs and now and then pull a favoite of two and watch them make me go to bed reminiscing and enjoying every minute of that too lol

[@davespittle]

so glad I am not on my own xx

[@nadavukicevic1400]

l Love to hear Nelson EDDy

[@WalterDWormack214]

I wish I could find a list of Mr. Eddy's movies. There is a particular song that he sings in one his movies that was really rousing but it wasn't a romantic duet with Miss McDonald.

[@wasguards]

Marvellous. The song was mentioned last evening on facebook stream. I remembered my grandmother taking me to the cinema in the 1940s to see the movie and a long FB stream ensued of all the Nelson Eddy (and Jeanette Macdonald) movies of the 1930s. They both seemed to disappear without trace as soon as WW11 was over. Do we know what happened to them as they would certainly not have been old. Was it just the arrival of Rock 'n' Roll and the general change of taste?

[@AngelaM55]

Yes, they were wonderful. Their kind of music fell out of favor after the war. They both made a few more films, Nelson at Universal, Jeanette back at MGM in the late 40's. Nelson concentrated on Radio and concerts in 1940's. They both tried TV in the 50's not very successfully. Nelson put together a very successful nightclub act with a new partner, Gale Sherwood and he filled the last 14 years of his life touring. He was very popular in Australia. Jeanette was too ill with a heart condition to have endured the rigors of the road. Nelson and Jeanette shared a powerful connection they could never break, it was a pretty complicated relationship but they were lovers for more or less 30 years. She did some theater and reunited with Nelson for a million seller record album in the late 50's but retired all together soon after due to her worsening heart problems. She died at 61 in 1965. Nelson was devastated and died a scant 2 years later, collapsing on a night club stage in Miami. It was one of the most compelling and tragic love stories I've ever heard. For more information I recommend Sharon Rich's book, Sweethearts, a new edition is being issued this weekend. Also, see her website for a brief bio maceddy.com/biography/

[@wasguards]

Thanks for that Angela Messina. Very pleased to have that information. Alan Shutt

[@AngelaM55]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for leaving a comment.

[@anaantabi3941]

There are músics and singers that are fornecer.

[@varatamminga9696]

Long live the Troubadours

[@AngelaM55]

Here, here...I'll raise a glass to that!

[@theresachiorazzi4571]

What is the balalaika Eddy and janette were meant for each othe

[@Лада-д4ы]

Как посмотреть фильм полностью. Покажите пожалуйста

[@dr.vannostrand411]

Does anyone know where I can view the full movie?

[@brssgirl]

Over here in UK we used to have radio progs with very wide variety of music when I was growing up and until about 5 years ago then all the old presenters died off and the new ones only play pop rubbish and Harry Potter themes and I never hear any 'unusual' stuff like this.

[@richardbutcher3630]

Thank you immensely Angela, you have extra ordinary good taste for two true professionals, we will never sadly. Witness such magnificient singers.such was our passage through the years, Mum be listening from her grave. rIP all wonderful people

[@432milton]

L watch balalaika twenty times the best film ever all about holy Russia

[@gonzalovivas9165]

Para Angela Messino. Me gustaría saber si Balalaika, la de la canción es un night club, una playa o un pueblo, pues lo que se es que es un instrumento musical ruso. Gracias

[@AngelaM55]

+Gonzalo Vivas Es un Cafe en San Petersburgo , donde el cosaco guardias refugio después de maniobras para una noche de vino , mujer y canción . Nelson Eddy juega capitán príncipe Peter Karagin de la Guardia cosacos . Allí, conoce a una chica , Lydia Pavlovna Mařákova ( Ilona Massey ) que él no sabe es la hija de un revolucionario . Complicaciones políticas sobrevienen y los amantes se separan y Príncipe Karagin ( Eddy ) va a luchar en las trincheras durante la Primera Guerra Mundial. Cuando la revolución rusa derriba el antiguo régimen, que termina en 1920 París empleado por su ordenanza anterior (Charlie Ruggles ) como un actor de cabaret en el nuevo " Balalaika ", donde se reencuentra con Lydia.

[@gonzalovivas9165]

+Angela Messino Muy agradecido por satisfacer mi curiosidad. Que tenga una Navidad llena de felices recuerdos. Y que el 2016 sea maravilloso para ti y tu familia.

[@gbcaruso8749]

Ok, bella.

[@יצחקלייבוביץ-ב1מ]

I am looking for the musical notes. . . any one ?

[@Лада-д4ы]

Writ plis tekst of song somebody l would like to writ for self me

[@brssgirl]

any more of the mechanical music?

[@johniovine1512]

SHE WAS PRETTY TOO OF COURSE BUT HE BELONGS BESIDE JEANETTE MACDONALD THE PERFECT MATCH